Pedro was the best. Delicious food and great service, nice…read moreplace for lunch and dinner with friends and family.

Service was excellent. We had the calamari, half parrillada, grilled veggies. Everything was cooked…read moreto order, the N.Y. strip (1 of the 6 proteins on the parrillada) was especially tender & tasty. We ended the meal with Cappuccinos & the panqueque dessert (wow). What a treat! Thank you Rodrigo!

I wanted to share one of the most wonderful dining experiences I've had in Los Angeles. If you're…read morelooking for an exceptional steakhouse with soul, warmth, and outstanding food, I cannot recommend Carlitos Gardel Argentine Steakhouse highly enough. This Classic Hollywood hotspot has earned its reputation as the number one steak in Los Angeles. What makes it even more special is its story: this year they are celebrating their 30th anniversary. What began as a heartfelt family business -- a true love letter to Buenos Aires -- has grown into a beloved Los Angeles institution. Chef Gerard's passion shines through in every detail. From the moment you walk in, you're greeted with a warm smile by Max, the brother and sommelier and immediately presented with a basket of fresh bread accompanied by chimichurri sauce -- quite possibly the best I've ever tasted. The cocktail list features creative specialties with their own unique flair, and the wine menu is impressive, offering perfect pairings for every course. The star of the evening was the ribeye: tender, juicy, bursting with flavor, and finished with a beautiful crisp edge. Paired with their Papas Fritas -- golden fries tossed with garlic and parsley -- it was the ideal accompaniment. Every bite felt like a celebration. When you think the meal couldn't get any better, the dessert arrives and completely blows you away. I'll leave that as a delightful surprise for you to discover. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion, or simply craving an unforgettable steak dinner, Carlitos Gardel delivers an experience that feels both elegant and deeply personal. Buen Provecho!

Carlitos has been one of my bookmarks for the longest time and I'm happy we finally had a chance to…read moretry it. It's not a restaurant you're going to go to all the time but rather for a special occasion. It's on the pricier side, so with drinks and dessert, it adds up. They have a covered patio and it's important to know you have to enter from the back alley and ring the bell. Service was exceptional, always checking on you with the owners being present as well. There is more of a serious vibe in the room, not somewhere I would take children. The menu consists primarily of meat but they also have chicken and pasta as well. Everything is ala cart so getting some sides is a must. I would recommend the mashed potatoes, mushrooms were ok, needed a little bit more flavor. For dessert the crepes were probably the best, the dolce de leche filling was perfect with a burnt caramelization on top.

Lala's Argentine Grill on Melrose is always fabulous! There are only a few tables inside, but the…read morerestaurant has a huge covered dining patio with plenty of seating. I ordered my usual favorites: the entraña cooked medium rare with mashed potatoes, a Caesar salad, and a pitcher of Cleritco--their refreshing white-wine sangria made with fresh fruit. The steak was flavorful and cooked perfectly, and everything was delicious. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal, as always, and the customer service was very good. Lala's continues to be one of my favorite places for Argentine food!

I've ordered this steak countless times, so I know what the portions normally look like. I ordered…read moretwo of the same steak, and while I was completely happy with one of them, the other portion was honestly a rip-off for the price! One steak was a perfectly reasonable portion, while the other was this tiny sad piece of steak and I paid the exact same price for it. That's what really bothered me. I understand that steaks can vary slightly in size and shape, but this was not a slight difference. When I'm paying the same premium price, I expect reasonably comparable portions. Getting one good-sized steak and one significantly smaller piece for the exact same price just doesn't feel fair. I've been a repeat customer and have ordered this dish many times, which is why I was especially disappointed. I'm not asking for anything unreasonable, I just expect the portion to match what I'm paying for!

I have been to the melrose location of Lala's a few times and this location is no different…read more Authentic Argentine bbq and flavors all throughout. We walked in on Saturday around 6pm and were seated right away. The restaurant was about half full with TV's playing the World Cup game (VAMOS ARGENTINA!). Fairly small dining room with a bar section. I liked that the restaurant was on the corner of the street filled with windows. We ordered the shrimp Patagonia, ravioli with pink sauce, and Plato mixto which consisted of skirt steak, NY steak, chorizo, mollejas, and chicken. Everything came out very quick was absolutely delicious! We made sure to save room at the end for their flan with dulce de leche. Our server was attentive and checked on us quite a bit. Overall great experience and quality food.

We came to Lala's Argentine Grill in Downtown LA to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday. She had…read moreseen the restaurant featured on TV and wanted to try it, so this was our first visit. We made a reservation online for a party of six, and the process was easy. Our table was ready when we arrived, and we were seated promptly. Since it was our first time, we ordered a little bit of everything to share. We had the calamari, empanadas, Full Rugola Salad, Cabello de Angel, Penne Salsa Blanca, Gaucho, Entraña al Ajo, and Entraña al Champignon. Everything was good, and we had no complaints. The steaks were cooked perfectly, and the pasta was also cooked just right. My daughter especially loved the Penne Salsa Blanca. They also serve complimentary bread with chimichurri, and I really liked their chimichurri sauce. Service was friendly and attentive. Staff regularly came by to clear plates and refill our drinks. The restaurant itself is fairly small, and the sound carries. There was a group nearby having a girls' night out, and they were clearly enjoying the food and drinks, but they became pretty loud. Because the restaurant echoes, it made it difficult for us to have the intimate family dinner we had hoped for. We had to raise our voices just to hear one another. This may not bother everyone, but it is something to keep in mind if you are looking for a quiet meal. For dessert, my mother-in-law ordered the flan, which was also good, and the staff sang happy birthday to her. It was a nice touch and made the celebration feel special. The Downtown LA area isn't the greatest, but that is unfortunately common in that part of the city. There is a parking lot across the street, and if you show the restaurant your parking stub, they take $5 off your check, which was appreciated. Overall, Lala's is definitely an above-average restaurant with good food, friendly service, and an easy reservation system. We enjoyed our meal and would return, though I would keep the noise level in mind for a more intimate dinner.

I've eaten at Mercado's sister restaurant in Northridge quite a few times, and I was stoked to…read morefinally get to the mother ship. While the West Valley location is small and hushed, with dark woods and muted lighting, the OG Mercado is the exact opposite: big and bright, with a bustling edge in the air as the staff navigates between eat-in diners, people ordering take-out, and still others buying items from their meat, pastry, and cheese displays. Yes, it's a real market and restaurant in one, and the energy is palpable as you browse the large menu, knowing everything is going to be very fresh and cooked to order. It's always difficult to decide between a Choripan or Steak Milanesa sandwich, but today I opted for the Choripan -- and while I deleted the lettuce & tomato that's usually on top, I added grilled onions. As I waited, I was brought fresh-baked Argentine baguette, which was crusty on the outside and pillowy on the inside, with just a touch of chew. The bread is served, of course, with Chimichurri, but also a tomato & olive oil salsa of sorts that had a light and veggie-forward flavor that offered a nice contrast to the earthy, herbaceousness of the chimi. I've learned the hard way to no overindulge on the bread and sauces, so I pulled back after one piece -- and luckily, my sandwich arrived soon after. This is a hefty Choripan, demonstrably larger than what I've had at the sister location. A very plump, butterflied and charred Argentine sausage resting on more of that bangin' baguette (the chewy center offering solid support for the fillings), and a generous helping of grilled onions. There was a patina of "grease" on the sandwich, but that's not a bad thing -- this slight oiliness was packed with flavor, adding tremendous Argentine Umami to the meal. The sausage was meaty and dense, with just a bit of fat and a very nice punch of herbs and spices, leading to an enjoyably potent flavor very specifically South American. The onions were excellently prepared: grilled to a medium firmness, the chef bringing out the natural sweetness while retaining just enough of the original, onion bite to add extra layers of taste. As if that wasn't enough, the onions were clearly cooked in a bit of spice, which gave them an extra kick of heat that blended very nicely with the spiciness of the chimichurri. This is just an excellent sandwich. Service is friendly, the entire restaurant is spic & span clean (including the restrooms), and the crowd seems genuinely happy to be where they are, eating what they're eating. The meats, cheeses, pastries, breads and empanadas on display in the market areas all look top notch and very appealing. I'll be shopping here for things to make at home, and I'll be coming back for another dine-in meal very soon. If you haven't been, you should stop by to try it for yourself. It's just so, so good!

If you are a Messi fan then his pictures are everywhere here. Argentinan restaurants are hard to…read morefind so thank you for serving the community. Story began with Paul Rodriguez serving meat at the small market. Business kept growing so they expanded to meat market/ bakery/sit down restaurant. Now there are 2 locations in the local area which is Van Nuys and Granda Hills. All I know is everything is good here and taste great. All made in house with so much love and made from scratch daily. They take the time to marinate and triple whip pasties. You can taste the difference. They must buy ingredients/ food from a high end distributor. You can do all your market shopping here, meats, spices, etc too. Market/restaurant (mercado) is your one stop shop for Argentina goods. Btw- there is vegan dishes/burger here too. Breakfast opens at 7:30am. They are a large kitchen inside. Pastries facturas are cute and deliciously fresh. I recommend 3 and coffee if you are on the run. If you have time choose some omelettes which are all under $15. I will need to try breakfast sandwiches one day. Lunch: Handmade empanadas if you are on the run. They are only $2.80 for baked or fried with meat inside. Chimichurri sauce with (crispy baked) bread is a must if you are dining in. Spices in the sauce is sooo amazing. Again I must try the lunch sandwiches one day. Dinner: I have tried spaghetti and steak which has all the right spices that does not resemble Italian. Sauce has a meaty beef stew thickness. I also like the steaks that are certified angus choice skirt steak, bone-in short rib flanks with homemade Argentine sausages. Buenos Aires burger is quite delish too unlike your normal American burger. It has chimichurri sauce inside. I must try the seafood soon because I see everyone else ordering it. Sugar time: Flan that is has vanilla custard with dulce de leche from Argentina. All desserts are good and I yes I have tried them all. Cakes super moist to flaky cakes and specials not on the menu. Improvements: alcoholic drinks would be so much more popular if they are perfect this department. It is def not my fav. I like a good mix from a bartender. The basic wine/beer is fine. Hidden gem with the friendliest staff. Muchas gracias Mercado Buenos Aires!

Food was great service was very accommodating and kind. Joey is awesome and made the night amazing.read more

Allen was great, he came with energy and spirt. You can tell he loves what he does, service was…read morefast, food was great, he really made the expirence that much better. We were celebrating a birthday and he was involved and happy to be apart of the expirence, he also knew so much about the food and culture and was excited to help and give recomendations, We will be back 100 times over :)

Good store Usually just come for their marinated meats. I've…read moretried their carne asada, pork ribs, and chicken. All very good and good prices too. Workers are helpful and store is clean. Will keep coming back.

I've been coming to El Gaucho Meat Market for over 20 years, and it's still one of my favorite…read morespots. The quality has always been consistent, and you can tell they really take pride in what they do. The empanadas are hands down my favorite--always fresh, flavorful, and perfectly made. It's one of those places you keep coming back to because you know exactly what you're going to get every time.

A hidden gem in Eagle Rock. This cozy restaurant restaurant…read moreis elegantly decorated and the servers are amazing! I can't remember our server's name, but he was so helpful deciding on a wine and entree dishes. The portions are generous and the options are many. We ordered some wine, calamari appetizer, and shared the entraña al Malbec. For dessert we had some Gelato and coffee. Everything was delicious and the service was amazing. We will definitely be back to try the milanesa!

My wife gave it 1 star I give it 3 but 2 stars is accurate for value. The we got the assortment of…read moremeats on a hot dish. Flavor was ok, but the meat was tough to eat. The restaurant was 20% full and it took 27 min. to get served. For $120 w/ tip, terrible value, will not return. A much better option is Mercado Buenos Aires is a long-standing (since 1989) Argentine restaurant, bakery, and market with locations in Van Nuys and Granada Hills, CA. It specializes in authentic cuisine, including grass-fed Angus beef, empanadas, and chimichurri, alongside a market offering imported groceries. Good price, great food!

We've been to Lala's Argentine Grill on/off over the years. This Studio City location is off of…read moreVentura Blvd. & Carpenter Ave. For parking there's valet unless you get lucky with street/metered parking. Service for us has always been good with attentive and friendly employees. We've had sandwiches, burgers, steak, etc. Wifey's go-to is the Pechuga De Polo (lemon-orange marinated chicken breast) while my go-to is the Costilla (8oz boneless ribeye steak). The food has been dependable as always. If you want to entertain guests/family/friends or have a nice date, Lala's Argentine Grill is a pretty good option. There's plenty of tables inside and on the covered patio. They also have lunch specials Mon-Fri from 11AM-4PM and happy hour Mon-Fri 3PM-6PM.

Came in for the dineLA week promo; specifically the lunch menu…read more They only validate parking on their lot or you can find metered parking spots on the boulevard. I made it in around noon so it wasn't packed. My waitress was pleasant and attentive. For starters, I had bread with chimichurri sauce and water. The chimichurri had a really good taste to it but the bread was not served warm. 3/5 I was craving a sangria so I ordered their red sangria. The drink was so refreshing and tasted delicious. Reminded me kind of like Hibiscus water but much better. 5/5 For my dineLA options: I chose the beef empanada 5/5 Delicious flavors of ground beef seasoned well and the empanada had a great texture to it with each bite. My favorite out of the entire course. For the main plate: (Food came out quick) I went with the "NY Champignon" a 6 ounce NY steak medium well done for me, (but over cooked) served with grilled zucchini and mash potatoes. The meat tasted low quality in my opinion, and the sauce was ok- nothing memorable. The sides were also not the best tasting; to me the zucchini was not fresh. The mash potatoes were plain nothing extreme that would make me want them again. I was disappointed in what was served today. Didn't even finish the veggies or mash potatoes. For my dessert: I went with the flan- the slice was thick and huge and they added a small side of caramel and whipped cream. The flan was not too sweet but also not outstanding. 3/5 I've been here before and I could swear my experience was way better than today. Instead of serving low quality on the dineLA weeks, you should try to impress the customer or make their experience worthwhile. That way they do come back eagerly to spend money at the restaurant. This was not the case for me. The expectations were low. The ambiance was not as expected, I was seated in the middle of two family parties which was not ideal for me. But can't beat the price $25 for that meal course plus dessert. The sangria was $10.

DineLA started tonight and did we make the perfect selection to kick off the two weeks!…read more Service was 5-star! Gilberto was excellent...offering suggestions and explaining options as we were first time patrons of Malbec! So on to the food! Course 1: both the Cebiche Aji Amarillo albacore tuna and yucca chips and the Vieras Gratinadas scallop crab were beautifully presented. Tuna was packed with flavor and great texture layers. Scallop was more delicate and mild flavors. Second course: the out of this world Ojo de Bife Al Malbec rib eye ... would 100% order again and the excellent as well Pollo à la Granja. Sauces on both dishes were super star! Argentinian cuisine obviously treats us to incredible culinary herbs and spices (fresh dill on the scallops and rosemary on the chicken) Third course: dessert for days! Crepe De Durzano .. light crepes and gelato... and the too die for Pastelito de Membrillo. Fruity summary crispy tart like dessert with gelato and fresh berries! Lovely wine pairings suggested by Gilberto made it all a 5-star experience! We will be back!

Overall, it has a great laid-back environment with an open kitchen concept where you can see the…read morechefs preparing your meal. You can see that they cook the steaks on a grill, perhaps with wood chips, because it has that woody flavor when you bite into your steak. Overall, they've prepared the steak well, so it's not too well done and cooked to perfection at medium-rare. I'm kind of at a crossroads with the skirt steak for the price. I would expect better quality meat, but I can't complain overall about the taste of the skirt steak. I would have expected it to be better prepared and tenderized; it still had a bit of chewiness. I think you have to be an expert in how to prepare skirt steak so that it's not so tough. The ribeye was thick and juicy, so I can't complain about it, with a nice, warm, woody taste. I know it seems a bit weird coming to a steakhouse to try some of the fish, but I can't complain too much about the fish. It was coated in some sauce that made it delicious with a mix of vegetables to balance out the meal. The grilled octopus was prepared to perfection, as it remained juicy and not too tough, with a great taste in how they grilled it.