I prompted Grok to curate the top 50 restaurants geared towards what the members here had to say. It came up with the following response...
Here is a top 50 most recommended restaurants in Buenos Aires, heavily geared toward what expats on expatsba.com actually praise and discuss in their Food & Drink forum threads (as of February 2026). This is synthesized purely from recurring member endorsements, dedicated spot review threads (e.g., "one of my favorite," "always awesome," "blows Don Julio out of the water"), category discussions (best parrilla/steak, gourmet, empanadas, pizza, sandwiches), Michelin/Bib Gourmand mentions in forum posts, and cross-references like menus/prices shares or comparisons.The community (active users like moderators/earlyretirement and others) favors authentic/local parrillas over touristy/hyped ones, value-driven Bib Gourmand spots, consistent quality ("never a bad meal"), and classics (steak sandwiches, empanadas). Don Julio gets mixed reviews—iconic but often called overhyped, touristy, expensive, or declined in quality—while locals/authentics like El Preferido, Madre Rojas, La Dorita rise as favorites. Gourmet/creative and value spots (Picaron, Mengano, Bis Bistró, Anafe) get strong love. No official ranked list exists; it's from patterns in threads like individual reviews, "best carne," Michelin discussions, and personal favorites.Top Tier / Absolute Favorites (Most "Favorite" or "Best" Calls from Members)
26-30: Empanadas spots (El Sanjuanino, La Americana top in best lists); Pizza places (Guerrin, others from pizza threads); Steak sandwich (La Rambla dominates); Bib Gourmand risers (Mengano, Bis Bistró, Anafe, others like potentially Crizia in Michelin tags).
31-35: Local bodegones/mid-range parrillas (e.g., Doble AA types for value); Seafood/sushi (Osaka extensions, limited but praised); Helados Italia (best ice cream bars).
36-40: Street/choripan (Chori); Brunch/medialunas (favorites like La Fonte D'Oro); Patios/terraces (Aire Libre, others).
41-45: Other internationals (limited, but fusion/creative in gourmet threads); Michelin-starred/fine dining (Aramburu, others from announcements).
46-50: General reliable mentions (e.g., Lo de Jesus alternatives, emerging spots; value parrillas; dessert/breakfast extensions from foodie shares).Trends among expatsba members: Preference for authentic/local over touristy (Madre Rojas/El Preferido/La Dorita > Don Julio for many); value (Bib Gourmand like Mengano/Bis Bistró/Anafe); classics (La Rambla sandwich, empanadas); gourmet (Picaron). Prices/inflation often discussed (e.g., high but worth for tops). Check the Food & Drink forum for latest threads (spot reviews, menus/prices, Michelin updates)—active users share real-time experiences. If you want a narrower focus (e.g., only parrillas, Bib Gourmand, or current prices from threads), let me know!
Will be interesting to see how accurate this is 🙂
Here is a top 50 most recommended restaurants in Buenos Aires, heavily geared toward what expats on expatsba.com actually praise and discuss in their Food & Drink forum threads (as of February 2026). This is synthesized purely from recurring member endorsements, dedicated spot review threads (e.g., "one of my favorite," "always awesome," "blows Don Julio out of the water"), category discussions (best parrilla/steak, gourmet, empanadas, pizza, sandwiches), Michelin/Bib Gourmand mentions in forum posts, and cross-references like menus/prices shares or comparisons.The community (active users like moderators/earlyretirement and others) favors authentic/local parrillas over touristy/hyped ones, value-driven Bib Gourmand spots, consistent quality ("never a bad meal"), and classics (steak sandwiches, empanadas). Don Julio gets mixed reviews—iconic but often called overhyped, touristy, expensive, or declined in quality—while locals/authentics like El Preferido, Madre Rojas, La Dorita rise as favorites. Gourmet/creative and value spots (Picaron, Mengano, Bis Bistró, Anafe) get strong love. No official ranked list exists; it's from patterns in threads like individual reviews, "best carne," Michelin discussions, and personal favorites.Top Tier / Absolute Favorites (Most "Favorite" or "Best" Calls from Members)
- El Preferido de Palermo — Absolute favorite all-around; great steaks, milanesas, gourmet food; "never had a bad meal," often preferred over Don Julio; high praise for consistency and quality.
- Madre Rojas (Villa Crespo) — Frequently called better than Don Julio; superior quality at fraction of price; "always a great meal," one of favorites for steak; blows others out of water.
- La Dorita (Palermo) — One of favorite local places; always awesome steaks, authentic vibe, busy with locals; top-notch, great value.
- Picaron — One of favorite gourmet foodie spots; amazing flavors, creative; "some of the best food in BA," reservations essential, lines out door.
- Bis Bistró (Recoleta) — Favorite in Recoleta; Michelin Bib Gourmand; good quality/value, chic/hidden gem in tiny passage.
- Mengano (Palermo Soho) — One of favorite spots past few years; Michelin Bib Gourmand; amazing food, great value (small portions, order multiple); fabulous dishes.
- La Rambla (Recoleta) — Absolute best steak sandwich in world; HUGE, tender, juicy; must-visit classic, well worth price.
- Anafe (Colegiales) — Michelin Bib Gourmand; very flavorful, reasonable prices; great meals noted.
- Osaka — Best sushi/seafood mentions in broader food discussions (though less steak-focused).
- Don Julio — Iconic/world-famous parrilla; still praised for steaks (e.g., bife de chorizo), but mixed—heavily critiqued as overhyped tourist trap, expensive ($100+ steaks), mediocre/declined vs. locals.
- Parrilla Peña — Reliable classic parrilla; authentic but mixed on recent pricing/quality.
- La Cabrera — Great steaks; historical favorite.
- Nuestro Secreto (Four Seasons) — Finest steak in city for some; exclusive/high-end grass-fed praise.
- Hierro Parrilla (Palermo) — Positive reviews for steaks.
- Chori (Palermo Soho) — Delicious choripan specialist; popular.
- El Sanjuanino / La Americana — Top for empanadas; best lists.
- Guerrin — Classic pizza favorite.
- Duhau (Park Hyatt) — High-end parrilla in discussions.
- Fogón / asado spots — Evolving praise.
- SecreTito — One of BA's best bodegones; outstanding neighborhood grill, spectacular food/service, reasonable prices.
- Aire Libre (near Belgrano) — Hip/cool vibe; beautiful spot, great meal.
- Malvon — Positive recent mentions (e.g., lunch).
- Cavia House — Patio/favorite vibes.
- La Mantaqueria — Medialunas/favorites.
- República del Fuego — Noted positively.
26-30: Empanadas spots (El Sanjuanino, La Americana top in best lists); Pizza places (Guerrin, others from pizza threads); Steak sandwich (La Rambla dominates); Bib Gourmand risers (Mengano, Bis Bistró, Anafe, others like potentially Crizia in Michelin tags).
31-35: Local bodegones/mid-range parrillas (e.g., Doble AA types for value); Seafood/sushi (Osaka extensions, limited but praised); Helados Italia (best ice cream bars).
36-40: Street/choripan (Chori); Brunch/medialunas (favorites like La Fonte D'Oro); Patios/terraces (Aire Libre, others).
41-45: Other internationals (limited, but fusion/creative in gourmet threads); Michelin-starred/fine dining (Aramburu, others from announcements).
46-50: General reliable mentions (e.g., Lo de Jesus alternatives, emerging spots; value parrillas; dessert/breakfast extensions from foodie shares).Trends among expatsba members: Preference for authentic/local over touristy (Madre Rojas/El Preferido/La Dorita > Don Julio for many); value (Bib Gourmand like Mengano/Bis Bistró/Anafe); classics (La Rambla sandwich, empanadas); gourmet (Picaron). Prices/inflation often discussed (e.g., high but worth for tops). Check the Food & Drink forum for latest threads (spot reviews, menus/prices, Michelin updates)—active users share real-time experiences. If you want a narrower focus (e.g., only parrillas, Bib Gourmand, or current prices from threads), let me know!
Will be interesting to see how accurate this is 🙂
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