My mom wanted pasta. I wanted a restaurant where I have not been before. Win win for Cambalache! It's within a 12mins drive for us and perfect in every way. It was a late lunch so I called to see if a reservation is needed for 2 ppl. Not at all so we jumped into the car. Such a wonderful restaurant in an unassuming plaza. Lots of parking. There's an outdoor seating area and a good size restaurant inside. We were greeted as we walked in. Btw, the HUGE glass door entrance, I love. There Were a few open tables and we were welcome to sit where we wanted to. Two classes of water were brought to the table and a waiter came with the menu. My mom is vegetarian and I am not. I asked the waiter for his vegetarian dishes and he provided me a pasta dish. That was exactly what my Mom was wanting. Linguine with a light pink sauce with mushrooms and you can add zucchini, bell pepper and broccoli. I ordered a sangria. That was just amazing itself. And a linguine dish with shrimp. Warm, sliced French bread and a small dish of butter was brought out first that was so good. Usually the bread and butter that is brought at small restaurants like these could be just mediocre or not good at all. This was warm and just tasty. We also ordered a Caprese. The plate came out with big chunks of mozzarella tomatoes, and both were sitting on a marinated pesto covered set of basil leaves. That was so good. The combination of the vinaigrette, mozzarella basil tomato pesto was exactly what we were looking for so refreshing. Our entrées were huge for $20 a plate. We had to take 3/4 of it home. That was so not expected. Pasta and the pasta sauce were amazing. Very freshly made. Dishes were made to order only and not sitting around. I asked if they were doing something special for birthdays and I pointed to my mom next to you know, the waiter came out with fresh homemade Tim. They also sing to my mom wish she was so sweet. I am loving this place and will be coming back. Thank you so much for the staff for making my mom feel so wonderful on her birthday. The food was amazing Services amazing. Restaurant felt warm the moment we walked in and so welcoming. read more

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. The food's aite. Not as special as you might hope. . The sandwich was a lil dry. Thankfully I've sauce at home. - Slow service. Seamless said order'll be ready 12:25-12:35pm. I arrived 12:47pm. Staff said it'll be ready in a few min. ...??? - Exorbitant. - Awkward ambience. I held the door open for a group of ppl. All of them walked through and ignored me. + Good amount of indoor seating. + Ample parking. + Located same plaza as Williams MMA. I had: $19.95 Italian Club Sandwich + tax = $21.70 read more

This place is Argentian Italian restaurant. They have a bar area, are closed Mondays and specials like half off empanadas and Pizza specials too per our server, Daniel. Very pleasant fella and very friendly! We ordered tortilla alla Espanola and the Chiropan, which is homemade Argentine sausage with chimichanga sauce. It was really really tasty. Their menu has some great mouthwatering options so we will have to come back and try other items! It was a good find! Verdict - yes! As Arnold said, we'll be back! read more

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I came here for dinner with my family last night. We ordered the paella, Chef's special ribeye, empanadas, and salad. I have to say, the empanadas were the best I've tried in recent memory. Freshly fried to order and, most importantly, didn't seem like it had ever been frozen. The ribeye and paella were pretty decent but nothing spectacular. I think I will try the Argentinian Parilla meats next time. The Alma Negra red blend was an excellent wine. I appreciate their large selection of well-priced wines; both by the bottle and by the glass. And it's not all South American. Shout out to the service team as well... they were attentive and bussed our table regularly, bringing us sharing plates as needed. Definitely worth a visit! read more

Cambalache Grill - Chef's special Ribeye. Paella. - Argentine Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

A coworker had told me about Cambalache Grill so we decided to check it out for dinner while my mother-in-law was in town. We parked in the lot and came for an early dinner at 5PM on a Wednesday so did not have to wait. The restaurant got busier as the time got closer to 6PM. Service was friendly and attentive throughout the meal, truly stellar. Many servers were bilingual in English and Spanish. There were also a few foods and goods for sale. The interior of the restaurant is reminiscent of a wooden house/cabin. As for the food, the complimentary hot bread is very tasty, and we enjoyed the Ensalata Argentina also. We ordered the Parillada Mixta for two (comes with side choice of fries, roasted potatoes, salad, or sauteed vegetables and we chose vegetables), as well as the Risotto Don Juan de Marco. The parillada came with a substantial amount of meat kept warm on a grill, accompanied by a chimichurri. The short rib meat was a bit tough but still tasty. I felt like the risotto was good but not outstanding. We finished with a creme brulee for dessert and someone also ordered a coffee (cortadito). The meal was solid though came out to $150 after tax and tip. read more

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I was looking for a restaurant I hadn't been to before that had a good deal on filet mignon, and I came across Cambalache. I visited with a few friends to have dinner. Their cuisine is a mix of Argentine and Italian. The restaurant is located at the end of a strip mall with plenty of parking available. Seating options include the patio in front which has heat lamps, a small bar area, and tables in the main dining room. You can make a reservation either on their website or by calling them on the phone. Our server greeted us promptly and brought out a generous serving of warm, fresh bread which was delicious. We ordered a few beef empanadas ($4 each) and a side of chimichurri ($2.50). They came out hot and were very flavorful. We also ordered the Scampi al Vino Bianco appetizer. The five jumbo shrimp were large, and the white wine garlic sauce was good. There was no question about what I was having for my entrée, the Medallon de Lomo, a grilled 10 ounce filet mignon (only $43!). It may not look like 10 ounces in the picture, but it is a thick cut, and was grilled to a perfect medium rare plus as requested. The steak was flavorful on its own, but it comes with its own side of chimichurri sauce which I love on steak. The vegetables were good and seemed fresh, not frozen. This was definitely the best deal I've come across for a 10 ounce filet mignon and a side. One of my friends had the Parrillada Mixta ($68) which is a large serving of various meats including skirt steak, flap meat, short rib, Argentine sausage, blood sausage, and sweetbread. It's served on a big cast iron platter with a flame underneath to keep it hot. It's an entrée for two, but he ate most of it on his own, although we did give him a little help. He said he would pass on the sweetbread next time, and substitute one of the sausages for more meat (extra charge). It also came with a large serving of roasted potatoes. Another friend had the Paella Mixta ($32). It was a good size with a mix of clams, mussels, calamari, shrimp, vegetables, and rice. Our server Fred was very friendly and took great care of us. Their menu is large, I would definitely return to try other items or have another filet mignon. The only negative is that they close somewhat early at 8pm on Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday, so plan accordingly. read more

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I've had this place bookmarked for a while and so happy I got to try it! Came here on a rainy Sunday for dinner. Friend ordered their homemade ravioli and I got their skirt steak Cambalance. Also flan to finish the meal off. Cost us about $50 including tip for this meal per person. Food quality was good! I enjoyed the atmosphere and would like to come back to try other things. read more

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This was my first time trying Cambalache Grill, and we came to celebrate my dad's birthday with a party of 11. I called ahead to make a reservation, and we were seated quickly, which was appreciated. Our server was amazing and very attentive. Unfortunately, for the price, the food quality didn't meet expectations. The meat was very tough and chewy, and although we requested medium rare, it was not cooked to that temperature. This was especially disappointing for my dad, as he had dined here before and mentioned that the food quality was noticeably different from his previous experience. One highlight of the meal was the bread, which was really good. Overall, the service was great, but the food did not justify the cost. read more

Cambalache Grill - Parrillada Mixta for 2 - Argentine Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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Came here on a Friday night with a reservation. The restaurant is a good size with a cute atmosphere. Service was just okay--it was a bit hard to get someone's attention at times. We ordered the Taste of Cambalache, Linguine Fra Diavola, Bife Ancho (medium rare) with vegetables, and the Rigatoni Cambalache. The Taste of Cambalache was basically a charcuterie board and nothing too memorable. The Linguine Fra Diavola wasn't as al dente as I prefer. The Bife Ancho was the highlight--very tender, well-seasoned, and great with the chimichurri. The Rigatoni Cambalache was good, and I really liked the sausage. Overall, decent food with a nice atmosphere, but service could be more attentive. read more

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We're hooked on this place's paella! We order their Paella Mixta over the phone and it's ready for pick-up in 20 minutes. The way the rice is blended with the shrimp, clams, calamari, chorizo and vegetables is just YUM and we regularly crave for it. The staff is always helpful, polite and efficient; and ambiance is very relaxing - I've gone here to pick up my items and the place exudes warmth and very relaxed. We've also tried their Empanada Cambalache, Pastrami Sandwich, Spaghetti A Modo Tuo and Tiramisu and it's all so delectable. Totally justifies why this place is one of our favorites. read more

Cambalache Grill - Paella Mixta - Argentine Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

I've had this on my list to try for several years and finally stopped in for lunch. It's located in a nondescript, small strip mall. The interior is rustic, all dark wood, including the tables. The menu is both Argentine and Italian (sidebar: there is a large Italian population in Argentina). I was really hungry and thought I would get some pasta, as it's very filling, but I somehow drifted to the Argentine menu offerings. I decided to get a chicken empanada as a starter and the Lomito Sandwich as my main dish. Also an Inca Cola to drink. My waitress was very sweet and attentive. My empanada was brought first. The crust was superb as was the filling although the latter was slightly bland. I regretted not getting the chimichurri sauce to take it up a notch. My lomito sandwich consisted of grilled rib eye steak, lettuce, tomato and mayo. The thin steak had that wonderful flavor you can only get by grilling, and the other ingredients, though simple, let the flavor of beef shine yet provided additional notes of flavor that made each bite wonderful. I might add that I was pleasantly surprised when the sandwich was presented to me as it was huge! I left full and happy. This is definitely a place I will return to; next time I'll want to try something from their extensive wine list. read more

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Yet another hidden gem! We pass by this shopping center all the time and never thought to stop but noticing how busy it always is, we decided to give it a try. First of all, the empanadas are hands-down the best I've ever had! Bonus: they're 50% off every Tuesday. I also love the steak and the Caprese here. If you're searching for quality Argentinian food with great service, this is your sign to go to Cambalache! read more

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Don't sleep on this spot everything here was delicious. We ordered the calamari and the beef and chicken empanadas for appetizers that we all shared around at our work outing. Service was amazing very attentive. Food came out quickly and was delicious. The vibe is it's just cool right every single thing that we ate was #yumola Started with the beef and chicken empanadas, and then calamari shared that and then I ordered the paella... so good but the bread was delicious. The wine was delicious. Everything was so good that of course I had to take the pilot home which I took to work the next day and shared it with my brother so there you go... I don't live in Orange County but my company outings are always in OC and I've enjoyed experiencing all of the different places that we go to out there. Looking forward to when I do have to go out there again that we enjoy this place. It was delicious. read more

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Cambalache is an excellent place with delicious food and such a wonderful cultural experience. I had the skirt steak with vegetables, chimichurri, and a side of chiles toreados and grilled onions. Everything was absolutely delicious and full of flavor! We also enjoyed trying traditional treats like the alfajores, which made the experience even more special. To top it all off, they brought me a delicious slice of tiramisu to celebrate my birthday... yum! The combination of Argentinian and Italian flavors, great atmosphere, and wonderful hospitality made this a memorable dining experience. Highly recommend! read more

Cambalache Grill - Tiramisu - Argentine Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

We have been to Cambalache many times and it never disappoints. The atmosphere is great. There are plenty of tables but the place does get busy so we always make a reservation. The service is great, always friendly, helpful and the food comes out pretty fast which is nice if you are on a lunch break from work. We stopped in recently on a Wednesday to have lunch. They have daily specials and daily lunch specials. On Wednesday they have a pizza special which is buy on and get on free. I love to do this on a rare occasion if I don't want to cook dinner or want leftovers for lunch. The pizza is delicious. We have never had a meal here that we didn't love. The quality is always top notch, the pasta is great, but you can't go wrong with anything you desire to have. I am so glad they survived through Covid and the struggles restaurants have suffered in recent years. We will continue to support them. If you haven't been you must go. read more

Cambalache Grill - Margherita pizza with pepperoni pizza in the background. - Argentine Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

We always love this place. Whether you dine inside or out - it's truly a treat, the menu selection is excellent, the wines are very good and the staff is so nice! read more

Avengers Assemble! This is a five star review and a wonderful place that we highly recommend! The parking is easy in a small shopping center,, we didn't even need to use Pym particles to shrink the car to fit into a spot. There is indoor and outdoor seating, so we chose outdoor seating, so we could dine in alfresco and the service was excellent. Both the main server and her assistant consistently checked in on us and made sure our drinks were filled. Service is very friendly and they basically had Spidey-sense for exactly when we needed refills. We ordered their chef special steak, which is an Argentinian grilled ribeye, but with an Italian sauce. We also ordered the shrimp, which is also a fusion of Argentinian and Italian. The flavor team-up was so good it felt like Tony Stark and Bruce Banner working together in the lab. For an appetizer, we got an empanada. This is one of the best empanadas we've had, as the crust was very airy and crispy, but not heavy and overly dense. Excellent texture and flavor,, honestly mighty enough to lift Thor's hammer tbh. Also, ordered Argentinian sausages. Excellent texture and bold flavor. It may not have a spicy kick as an Italian sausage, but quality meat and insides. Dr Strange would happily take us on a tour inside and out of this sausage with his yellow portal openers. Oh wait, we are the sausages, so guess he can't. Interestingly, enough, we didn't think that bread could be so excellent! We are big fans of French and Vietnamese style baguettes that are slightly crispy on the outside, but very light on the inside. The bread here was crispy on the outside, but also light and a little chewy on the inside, but in the best way possible. So it has its own flare and flavor. We asked, and they indeed bake this in-house, and you could definitely tell! They mentioned that they make their sandwiches with this baguette bread that is baked on premise and in-house, so we will definitely have to come back and try it again. That bread is basically the reality Infinity Stone of the menu. Excellent food, excellent service, and excellent ambience! Kinda as relaxing as chilling at the Avengers compound after a long mission. read more

I've been a sucker for Argentinian style short rib since visiting Buenos Aires several years ago. The short ribs here are fantastic and very reminiscent of Argentina. Service is very friendly and it was a very comfortable atmosphere. read more

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Great Argentinian restaurant with a nice dark wood dining area and a small patio at the entrance. I love the bread and butter served complimentary when you're seated. Right now on Tuesdays they have a special offering 1/2 off all empanadas. The best part is that you get to choose if you want them baked, or fried. Wednesdays they also have a BOGO deal on Pizza. And the pizza is really good, along with the skirt steak, the chicken masala, and the salmon. Everything here is really good! read more

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Love coming to Cambalache. Friendly staff, excellent food. Our go to is always the Entrana Cambalache, Caesar Salad, and Fusilli Vodka. Steaks are consistently cooked to perfection. Pasta is delicious. Their pizzas are really good too and it's our son's favorite. Reservation highly recommended because they're usually really packed during dinner service. read more

This small restaurant serves Argentinian style meats and Italian pastas. It's cozy, with good decor, high ceilings, and reasonable noise during dinner time. I think it makes an excellent location to have a dinner with family or friends. The food is cooked to perfection, and even my friends who are picky about eating meat enjoyed the food here. Something I especially appreciate are the servers who were able to recommend me their Quilmes beer, my new favorite. The kitchen was also able to accommodate my allergies with substitutions, which is always appreciated! read more

Cambalache Grill - Argentine Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Made a reservation for 6:30 PM for 2 people. Arrived early at 6:15 and were told we had to wait to be seated but that they would call me when the table is ready. All good. 30 minutes go by and nothing. Go inside to be told there is still no available table and they would call when the table is ready. At this point we were waiting too long already so we just left to eat some where else. And guess what? Never received a call as promised all night. What exactly is the point of a reservation if you won't honor it? Anyway, I am now rooting for Spain tomorrow! Viva España read more

My family have frequented this spot for years and it is always solid! Nice staff and even better food! We've tried a good handful of the menu at this point and there's never been a dish to disappoint. 10/10 recommend read more

Cambalache Grill - Taste of Cambalache - Argentine Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Place was half empty at 5 pm and I was refused a table because of game that was over an hour away. Will not be going back. Also they raised all their meal prices by 25% recently. Not worth the wait or the now high prices. read more

A special note about the latest Paella and wine dinner... If possible, never miss a special wine dinner at Combalache! Even though the regular menu is spectacularly good, the special meals and wines are beyond glorious. I'm attaching photos of most of the courses we had at last Thursday's - judge for yourself. As my husband said: "The chef is an artist, how did we get so lucky to have him in Fountain Valley?" read more

This is another great restaurant their food is good and fresh. Friendship atmosphere!! read more

I must say this is a hidden gem. We arrived for a birthday party and our party of 9 was greeted seated,and immediately welcomed by Danny our host. He gave us suggested appetizers for a la carte,family size portion and we did double each item. Im so glad we got the lil steak/chorizo biscuit appetizers and the deli cuts with fig and cheese. My order was a nockie,and most all got the steak,salad and pizza. Everything was delicious and easy to share. I must go back and try other dishes. I have shared photos for your viewing pleasure. Now, as for the ambiance,wow,our party was a bit loud,but doable noise. The music was not loud,and the wine presentation in their lil mini store section was nicely displayed. I finally was able to purchase a mate drink to make at home= WIN! I was beyond thrilled about the lil bar area,and item for purchase to take home and try a lil treat. I recommend this place for small or large families. Thanks to the staff, they were all happy with smiles. Made for a great impression read more

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Has a very small bar area. There's many packaged, prepared snacks for purchase at the entrance. Looks upscale. There's nice Spanish style music playing in the background. Good wine selection. Good sized food portions. Good, friendly customer service. Empanadas on special on Tuesdays. Has a few TVs for watching sports. read more

Cambalache Grill - Empanadas on sale on Tuesdays . - Argentine Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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I love coming to Cambalache for their steaks! This Argentian style of food is just delicious. We have been about 6 times with large and small parties. This store is full of culture with their little store up front and a huge selection of wines. But I HIGHLY recommend their Red Sangria, omg, I could drink a pitcher of this! My other favorite thing is their chimichirri sauce which you can request on the side for any dish! Our last visit was not great, maybe they were slow in the kitchen or had to find a cow to cook, but it took about an hour from when we ordered to when we got our dishes - both dishes were steak. We saw patrons arrive and leave before we got our food, waiter was trying his best - but told us 2 mins, then it was 15 mins later so we almost left! But they comped us a dessert (tiramisu is the only dessert you can take to-go). It was a one-off bad experience hence giving them 4 stars for the food! read more

Good location, clean restaurant and most of the stuff were good. Our female server/waitress wasn't that good. She was wearing perfume, which set me off a bit and I really don't think was a good idea to wear perfume while serving food. We ordered the taste of Gambalache appetizer for two, which was really good, but the caprese salad I put on my plate had a small hair on it. When I told our female server to take the plate away bc it has a hair, she shrugged and said "okay". Then I couldn't even eat my main dish and I asked her to place it in a to-go box. When I opened the box, I saw everything was just dumped there, potatoes, veal and vegetables, everything was soggy and unappetizing. I'd go again, but I'll try to avoid having the same female server. read more

Best empanadas in Orange County, make sure you get the chimichurri sauce to go with them. All pasta dishes are delicious.

First time with my group of 8. We went Sunday night after Argentina lost, but the staff was still very friendly and seated us quickly. Great ambiance! Hot fresh bread and water was brought out quickly! We ordered two Parillada Mixta, two pizzas and a bottle of Argentine wine. Two sizzling large servings of a mixture of meats: steak, sausages, pork and two sides. Very tasty and tender! We even had leftover pizza to bring home. Reasonably priced at appx $30/person including tip. read more

Great service, big portions. Solid food. Very popular local. Huge menu. We asked for my husband to be accommodated due to mobility issues a as nd they totally nailed it. Go. It's a great find b read more

Cambalache is one of the best Argentinian food spots in OC and I cannot recommend them enough! If you want delicious meats, sandwiches, or pasta dishes served the Argentinian way, you should come give them a try! I came by recently with a friend for an early dinner and we went for the Parrillada Mixta and a side of sautéed vegetables. The portion size was huge and the presentation was 10/10! They bring out your meat platter on a grill that keeps the meat sizzling and piping hot and it comes with a variety of meats including blood sausage, skirt steak, flap meat, argentine sausage, & sweetbread. All the meats were delicious and flavorful and you got a good portion size for each meat and they were grilled perfectly. My favorite out of them all was the short rib followed by the skirt steak but the sausages and sweetbread were also amazing! The sautéed vegetables were well-seasoned and not under or overcooked and were a good palette cleanser against the rich meats. Overall, we had a fantastic dinner here and the service we got was great with the staff checking in on us and refilling our drinks often and pricing wise, you get a lot of food for your money here. The ambience was quite relaxing and not too loud and it felt welcoming to anyone coming in. They also have a huge wine/alcohol collection here so you can try out a bunch if you so desire! read more

Cambalache Grill - Sautéed Vegetables - Argentine Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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Cambalache Grill has been a staple of mine for years and years...I've picked up empanadas during their Tues special for parties, potlucks or just for dinner at home. They're packed with filling and so flavorful! Their service is fast and always friendly, they're really great at Cambalache. FYI: empanadas come fried or baked but personally I prefer fried. read more

Cambalache Grill - Fried empanadas - Argentine Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

We have been here many times, but we usually come for the Empenadas with soup or salad, which we love. Today, we decided to try something new and so glad that we did! Of course, we had to start with the Empenadas, then we ordered pizza, mussels and the grilled chicken Pomodora sandwich. They have a deal on Wednesday - buy one pizza, get one free! We ordered a Margherita and got a pepperoni to go. Everything was so delicious!! Our server was very friendly and helpful. We will be back again soon! read more

The food was a big disappointment. We ordered beef and chicken empanadas, and they were just okay and with no Chimichurri sauce. First time ever that an Argentinian restaurant offered them with no sauce! Unless you pay for it. We also ordered the parrillada and the beef was really, really hard to chew and everything single item has no flavor. I love Argentinian food but this restaurant has lack of flavor. read more

Cambalache Grill - Argentine Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Second time dining here and we enjoyed the experience. Our servers were nice and friendly. Food was good though they did take a while to come out. Complimentary bread and butter were good. I usually prefer soft, fluffy bread, but the white bread were warm, soft, and great with butter. * Calamari 5/5 - The fried squid was so crispy and airy. The flavor was just right that I didn't need to dip them in the accompanying sauce. * Gnocchi 3.5/5 - The gnocchi was good, though it would have been better if it came with a better sauce. You got the options of marinara, meat, gorgonzola, pink, or cream sauces. I picked meat sauce just to try and it didn't go well with the gnocchi. It was just a marinara sauce with ground beef that made the dish very basic. A pesto or cream sauce would have elevated the gnocchi more. * Shrimp 4/5 - I added extra shrimps and they were quite expensive at $10 for 4 shrimps. They were tasty jumbo shrimps but not sure if they were worth that much. * Pizza 4/5 - Good pizza, thick and meaty * Linguine ala Pescatora 4/5 - Soupy linguine pasta with seafood. A bit different but tasted good. * Strawberry Lemonade 3.5/5 - Okay, a bit too sour read more

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There was a good selection of Italian food on the menu. We were a party of 6 and each of us got something different and they all came out so good! I ordered a customized pizza and they delivered... it was so delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant. We will go back. read more

Food is authentic tasting Argentine meals. The service and the ambience are worth returning for couple all this with a good Malbec, and you will have yourself an excellent evening. Just as I was getting ready to leave, the waitress asked if I wanted dessert, the panqueques with dulce de leche Are Amazing. read more