Argentinean steak night in San Diego, California @ Piedra Santa Restaurant

[earlyretirement]

I'm heading to Buenos Aires next week again but couldn't resist this hot new hip place in San Diego tonight. Just posted on X but thought I'd post here for comparison reasons on price.

Had another banner week of client purchases of real estate in Buenos Aires so had to celebrate with a couples date night to a new hip Argentinian Inspired Steak House in San Diego called Piedra Santa.

A hip new place that was 6 months late opening. Just opened 2 weeks ago. Ask for Paz who is from Buenos Aires. Imagine my surprise when I hear her speaking English but with a thick Porteña accent and told her that I was also from Buenos Aires. She didn't believe me until I started speaking to her and she was amazed. Was cool.

Prices were about on par with prices at Don Julio in Buenos Aires. That is a sad state of affairs when one of the top restaurants in THE most expensive city in the USA is the same price as Buenos Aires.Good eats but the steak wasn't as good as in Argentina. Cool and hip vibe. The place was packed solid by the time we left. It was sold out but a friend manages the place and told me as long as I came in by 7:30 PM he would cancel someone else. Yum. But I can't wait to hit Buenos Aires next week for the real thing. $551 USD for dinner for 4 including tip and the bogus 3% surcharge to use a credit card!

And these bastards I just noticed charged me a 3% surcharge to use my credit card! Can you imagine? They except you to pay cash to avoid the 3% surcharge. Only in California or Argentina! LOL.

 

[earlyretirement]

Menu posted here on X:

 

[Uncle Wong]

Menu posted here on X:

Those prices actually don't look too bad for San Diego! Wow. That is probably the same prices as La Cabrera when I went. Don Julio is probably more. What is the deal with the Market Prices on Milanesas? I thought they only did that on seafood or Lobster! Is there some reason they put Market Price? How much was it for it?

 

[Betsy Ross]

The place looks beautiful. I just looked it up online. The prices don't seem too bad for California prices. When I go to my sister's place in Santa Barbara some of the checks are massive. But then again they like wine. Was that alcohol included? Great reviews!!

Piedra Santa · 555 W Ash St, San Diego, CA 92101, Vereinigte Staaten

★★★★★ · Steakhaus

maps.app.goo.gl

https://www.instagram.com/piedrasantasd/

 

[David]

Wow nice looking restaurant. I haven't been to Don Julio in a while. Are prices really that expensive there??

 

[keith]

Wow nice looking restaurant. I haven't been to Don Julio in a while. Are prices really that expensive there??

Cool place. That is cool that Argentine steak has such a reputation that places all over the world try to bill themselves as Argentine. Totally cool your waitress was from Buenos Aires! What are the odds?

Yes @David the prices at Don Julio are expensive. I had a steak and it was almost $100 dollars. Our bill for 3 people was well over $450 for the 3 of us with wine and some desserts. I actually think Don Julio was more than this place in the US. What I noticed is this trip the restaurant was not full and there was no lines now.

 

[Darksider415]

And these bastards I just noticed charged me a 3% surcharge to use my credit card! Can you imagine? They except you to pay cash to avoid the 3% surcharge. Only in California or Argentina! LOL.

I mean, you can take the argentino out of Argentina but...

As a former California resident, I'll say that it's probably the only place in the US where the restrictions are onerous enough that it would make operating (partially) en negro a feasible option.

 

[Avocado]

Menu posted here on X:

This seems like such a waste of money to spend on dinner. People are fair to spend what they want but seems like an excess to waste on food. What is sad is the same prices for places in Buenos Aires now. 😢 We are reduced to only going out to nice place once a year now.

I mean, you can take the argentino out of Argentina but...

As a former California resident, I'll say that it's probably the only place in the US where the restrictions are onerous enough that it would make operating (partially) en negro a feasible option.

Wow! I never hear of American restaurants demanding cash. I thought only a thing in Argentina. I visit America dozen times and I never see restaurant demanding cash or extra. Is this a normal thing in US @Darksider415 or @earlyretirement? I never hear of such thing!

Wow. I guess owner must be Argentina. That funny they want cash. I wonder if people pay with cash in USA. I bring much cash during my trip because we must pay high tax to use our credit card in America. So I pay with cash and all the people look at me strong to buy things with $100 bills.

 

[Uncle Wong]

Cool place. That is cool that Argentine steak has such a reputation that places all over the world try to bill themselves as Argentine. Totally cool your waitress was from Buenos Aires! What are the odds?

Yes @David the prices at Don Julio are expensive. I had a steak and it was almost $100 dollars. Our bill for 3 people was well over $450 for the 3 of us with wine and some desserts. I actually think Don Julio was more than this place in the US. What I noticed is this trip the restaurant was not full and there was no lines now.

The prices were expensive there the last time I went. I think the steak I had was $70 USD which is the same or more than I can pay in Dallas at a nice place. I don't think Don Julio is worth it anymore. Great steaks but that is expensive now. I also heard from friends there is not a line now. One friend told me they had coupons to the place. I guess that shows you how fast tourism fell.

I mean, you can take the argentino out of Argentina but...

As a former California resident, I'll say that it's probably the only place in the US where the restrictions are onerous enough that it would make operating (partially) en negro a feasible option.

Funny! California is just crazy. I went there to visit my cousin and we went out to dinner. I saw the check and there was automatic 18% tip added, there was 4% healthcare workers fund and 3% for something else. Maybe it was credit card surcharge. All told it was 25% more! California is nuts.

This seems like such a waste of money to spend on dinner. People are fair to spend what they want but seems like an excess to waste on food. What is sad is the same prices for places in Buenos Aires now. 😢 We are reduced to only going out to nice place once a year now.


Wow! I never hear of American restaurants demanding cash. I thought only a thing in Argentina. I visit America dozen times and I never see restaurant demanding cash or extra. Is this a normal thing in US @Darksider415 or @earlyretirement? I never hear of such thing!

Wow. I guess owner must be Argentina. That funny they want cash. I wonder if people pay with cash in USA. I bring much cash during my trip because we must pay high tax to use our credit card in America. So I pay with cash and all the people look at me strong to buy things with $100 bills.

No this isn't normal about demanding cash. Some places now do charge a credit card surcharge but just a sneaky way to make more. Almost no one deals with cash these days. I know I don't

 

[Betsy Ross]

I mean, you can take the argentino out of Argentina but...

As a former California resident, I'll say that it's probably the only place in the US where the restrictions are onerous enough that it would make operating (partially) en negro a feasible option.

I never deal with cash in the States. I'm surprised to see this surcharge to use a card, especially at a high end restaurant. No one carries cash around there. Seems they are operating in the true Argentina style.

I do see some whacky surcharges when I visit my sister. Also all the terminals that you pay with are set to tip at 25% by default in California! I saw some healthcare charges and other fees. One place there was about 30% more in different taxes and fees.