Thanks for the play by play! Our trip is coming up in a couple of months so I enjoy following along.
Isn’t an ATM about the equivalent of CC rates now? Are you changing USD for tips for the 10% gain? If so, understood.
Thanks!!
Thanks for the play by play! Our trip is coming up in a couple of months so I enjoy following along.
Isn’t an ATM about the equivalent of CC rates now? Are you changing USD for tips for the 10% gain? If so, understood.
Thanks!!
Guerrin is OK but not worth waiting in a line of any length. It’s old style Argentine pizza which means each slice will have about a kilo of cheese. There are some other classic pizza places that aren’t quite as touristy if you want to try that style. El Imperio near the Chacarita cemetery is one. Again kind of heavy and not my preferred style but it is good, and IMO as good as Guerrin. I do love the place. It’s just a massive temple to pizza and I especially love the old style uniforms the employees wear.
Bar Roma is a pretty cool spot for pizza. Not such a scene like Guerrin.They make a fugazzeta which is peculiar to Argentina as far as I know. Stuffed with cheese (the Argies love to go overboard with things) and carmalized onions. Again one slice is more than enough for me. Just too heavy. But cool little spot, Bar Roma.
I haven’t pulled money from an ATM there in years. Aside from the exchange rate, the banks there usually charge a pretty nasty fee to foreigners just to use the machine.
One nice thing about having some cash is that many places give about a 10% discount for cash payment. Sometimes you have to ask in order to get it.
ATM limit is like 15,000 or 20,000 with a 9,000 fee. My hotel will give me 40,000/day (for 10%).
So I’m going through about 12,000/day in tips (and buskers).
It’s all so wacky down there. There was a period of a year or two when the blue dollar was even more than 2x the official rate and practically essential to use cash when the credit card rate was still processed at the official rate. I usually carried 3k or so in Benjamins down there but I was staying for many months at a time. Also my girlfriend there had EU as well as AR bank accounts so I would Wise funds to her EU acct (couldn’t Wise into AR) and she would give me pesos at a better rate than any cueva. Good for both of us because she was also able to “buy” euros from me at a better rate than she would get officially exchanging pesos to euros and, especially at that time, no one wanted to be holding devaluating pesos.
Also had a connection with a US bank account where I could transfer dollars and he would get me pesos for 5%.
Lots of black market activity!
Goodness! Thanks both, we’ll be bringing some racks then. Lil ones.
Western Union is another option especially if you don’t want to tote bundles of Benjamins. I never used it but know many who have. Seems pretty easy.
If you’re planning to stay long term I could probably connect you to someone that will deliver USD or pesos if you transfer funds to their US account.
I’ve only needed it for tips in BA as the credit card slips don’t have a tip line.
Si. I actually brought USD home after my last trip staying for nine months. Practically everything can go on card these days. A welcomed improvement!
Main cash expenditures were retail wine and groceries because of the 10% discount and other things that aren’t legally sold
I’m hearing good things about Horta. It opened after I left so I haven’t tried it. Looks good. They have fish and seem to be focusing on fresh seasonal ingredients, both of which are not exactly commonplace in Buenos Aires.
Another new one. My friend tried Bambi last night for the first time. Said it was one it was one of his best meals in CABA in a LONG (his cap emphasis) time and he eats out a lot! Says everyone ate until they were stuffed and total came to $41 per person including two cocktails each, a shared pitcher of homemade pomelada (kind of a sweetened grapefruit drink) and tip.
hmm, I am already starting to miss it.
Wil take your advice on Reliquia. Husband’s bumbed to read the parrillas are not what we expect. He’s big on meat, and being from Mexico we’ve idealized Argentinian parrillas for ever. We shall see.
Oh, I didn’t mention any parrillas because Barry said “no meat.” Personally the AR parrillas are a little too much for me but I will mention some in case you want to try.
Don Julio is probably the most famous right now. Quality is high but so are prices and it’s a pain to get a reservation. Plus, it’s going to have a lot of tourists which detract from the experience IMO.
Parrilla Peña is very good for taste of a time-worn classic.
Madre Rojas is pretty much the tops for a modern, slightly hip version. Getting more popular but still more locals than tourists.
Don Zoilo. Again this will not be nearly so touristy as some places but locals love it and it is good. It might be a little bit hard to get in but I think it will be manageable.
No hay nada picante. No tiene mucho sabor. Creo que la comida de México es mucho mejor!
If you want a fun wine bar with good food I would definitely check out Cuatro Perros un Livin which I think I mentioned upthread.
I forgot about Corte. Another top selection for meat and they also have a killer tortilla and good croquetas.
That is obvio! We love our spicy!. But their chimichurri is not bad at all! My husband is dying for some life, thank you for the tips!