Balvanera Reviews

This place was buzzing on a Saturday night! And so noisy. The service was affected by the crowding, but the food was all tasty, especially the steaks. Friends enjoyed fish and chicken too. This restaurant is pricey though not at all fancy with tables crowded together. The octopus appetizer was delicious at $17 and the anchovies were a tiny tapas at around $5. Grass-fed Steaks range about $36-46. The staff is courteous, but overworked by the popularity of this place. It's authentic Argentinian with empanadas.

Been to this place 5-6 times and always a great meal and a friendly staff that's very accommodating. Nice wine list and the menu changes slightly with wonderful choices. If the mushroom appetizer is on the menu GET IT!!!

This was mine and my boyfriend’s second time getting Bottomless Brunch at Balvanera, and it never disappoints. A hidden gem of a spot on the Lower East Side, Balvanera offers delicious Argentine cuisine at fair prices. Both times we visited, we started with an appetizer that features anchovies in a citrussy olive oil with Manzanita (?) olives. Absolutely DELICIOUS. Bottomless brunch is $20 including your entree, which is an unparalleled price in NYC. You can get mimosas or delicious (and strong) red sangria with your meal—of course, I flip flop back and forth and have both. For my brunch entree, I had the steak and eggs which comes with chimichurri, roasted garlic, and a tomato salsa. The entire meal is a 10/10. My boyfriend got the avocado toast on a Black Seed bagel. We loved—and savored—every bite! Come eat here! Note: Photos are from when we dined back in July 2020.

Just solid all the way around from cocktails to entree choices, preparation and friendly service. Varied prices on wines so be sure of what you are ordering.

This is a must visit when in new york! Everything was outstanding. The service was spot on throughout the night and the food was amazing. Highlights were the cauliflower , the skirt steaks and the brioche with Dulce de leche. CANNOT FAULT!

Superb food in an unexpected location. Absolutely loved the chorizo and morcilla. Steaks were amazing too. This establishment is truly worth a visit!

Excellent experience for a couple's dinner Meat just to redo Welcoming and impeccable service We had a great evening, one of our best dinners during our stay!

Delicious food, beautifully presented and served with aplomb. Wine list extensive with various prices. Would return if We had more time in lower east side.

We hit this place last minute on a couples night out on a Friday night and were very glad we did. The food, service and atmosphere here were great. We had a nice selection of apps and entrees thais we shared and all were very well executed and tasty! Particularly tasty apps included the grilled provolone and roasted cauliflower. Of the entrees the standouts were the skirt steak and chorizo. Worth a trip for sure.

Cauliflower appetizer is fabulous! And save your need for beef for this dinner!! And have the waiter recommend a wine!

We visited on several occasions, once just wine and appetisers, once for the whole steak experience and finally for a quick glass of wine. Each time we felt welcomed and the food was divine! We are all foodies and this did not disappoint - the octopus and cauliflower arancini were particular highlights and the steaks cooked to perfection. Thank you for a good memory!

Our neighborhood favorite! Consistently great food and service. Musts = entrana with fries (the Argentinian steak frites!), empanadas, sangria, cauliflower croquettes, provoleta and flan. Something for everyone on a charming and intimate street corner. We recently enjoyed the sidewalk seating (Covid guidelines). Restaurant was clean and safe.

We visited Balvanera with a 'deal', but will be returning. The food and wine (the house Malbec?) were excellent. The restaurant is quite small and cozy, the music is at just the right level. It's nice to find a neighborhood gem like Balvanera for a mini-vacation.

We were looking forward to trying this Argentine restaurant in the East Village based on a write up I read. We invited another couple to join us on a recent visit to the city. The steaks were our primary objective. They were big but our table of 4 had 2 well done & 2 medium rare orders which they mixed up, and even after re-arranging, my MR was at best medium well. The service was strange & slow. They took appetizer orders first but then took forever to serve them. A scallop appetizer had to be sent back. Really, the only thing we enjoyed was a nice bottle of wine.

Argentine cuisine is high quality beef , these steaks confirm that. They are really delicious, well seasoned, tender and perfectly cooked, very large portions. Chimichurri sauce is delicious too! The food is nicely priced. There is a great beet salad, the frites are great, also there was a fish appetizer that was delicious with some grapefruit slices, it was a perfect accompaniment. The menu is small and not radical, could do with variety or change but they keep costs down, the cost of their steaks and the size are quite reasonable. The big and somewhat annoying expenditure is the wine list, because it is, one or two bottles for $45 or way up into the $50s, $60s, and 70s, fast, and nothing is outstanding or unusual, these are bottles that can be had in wine stores for a lot less. Single glasses are very limited, 2 of the wines are $15 for a glass, and then they are $18, 24, etc. But Malbec is Malbec- a blended grape and not that unusual, albeit delicious-- so if you don't want to spend $45 or more for a bottle because you don't want to drink that much, the alternative is $15 for a glass from only two of the wines they offer. Here is where we had our big surprise and annoyance ===a $15 glass should be a predictable, decent sized glass--meaning, a 6 or 8 oz serving This is not a double espresso! this is a glass of wine! But it is so stingy and served so deceptively that it almost kept me from returning. First time we went, we did not order a bottle because we would never as 2 people finish one, so we figured a glass each would be fine or maybe we'd share a third if we felt like it. Since one good sized glass will generally be enough for a meal for both of us, not being big drinkers. The wine glass they use is gigantic, like a bowl, much larger than a cognac snifter bell--so it comes about 1/3 or less filled, really just covers the bottom, and I figured it out after we each ordered two, which is very unlike us and we don't drink that much, that it was because this serving was so small, it was about half what it should be. You have no way of telling what the size of the serving is.It is pretentious to serve red wine this way and it felt like a money making ploy. A 750 ml bottle of wine yields four full glasses.This glass is filled with about 1/8 of a bottle. And so of course we ended up paying $60 for four glasses of wine that really equaled about 12 oz, total and they got twice the cost out of their bottle of wine from us by serving a small amount in a huge glass. I hope they see this review because it is a very irritating way to serve wine and it is also deceptive. The second time I dined there I said to the waiter, that we wanted an alternative to a glass for $15 since it was not quite enough to satisfy and we don't want to order a bottle since we don't finish the bottle. We were advised to order a 'quarto' of wine. However this was yet another pretentious joke, it was $30, I think(?), how dumb are we? only a tiny bit more than one of those giant 1/3 full glasses. We heard it's a "glass and a half", but of course we forgot that their glass is really a thimble, it's half the normal glass, so this silly quarto was maybe 6 oz of wine? Still not a full glass, just a baby decanter with 6 oz of wine. This is a glass and a half for whom? A sucker is born every minute. Never again. if it is a bargain over the one glass idea,, . who do they think they're fooling? So this is a way they make money obviously because the prices for the steaks is not that high and the overhead is very high on food and very low on wine.Clever marketing scam The food is great, but it's hard to not want to drink more , either serve a real glass of wine or a decanter or half bottles, or have a house wine, so people can afford to order more if they want. There is no house wine, and this way of doing things could scare off repeat customers Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. I will return but I hope they see this review and give it some thought.. I've never seen it done this way before in any restaurant and some clever beverage manager must have thought this up. Otherwise a great restaurant. Their predecessor was also Argentine and there for years, went out of business because the quality dropped way down, the food became inedible and they stopped being forthright about what they offered. I would love to see Balvanera do well and the food will, but the wine presentation is very annoying. Be careful with the wine, and think about what you are ordering and how you want to pay for it, because they will get you to pay for the full bottle even if you order a glass, by serving you half the normal amount and you will end up paying more than a bottle costs just to enjoy a real glass of wine. it's a bad arrangement.

We dined as a group of 5 here on Sunday evening. The steaks were delicious and the wine selection was interesting. Staff was friendly and happy to help us select our dishes. The baked provolone and empanadas are not to be missed.

Wonderful restaurant in the Lower East Side. Argentinian cuisine. Great empanadas. Steaks were of course very good. Desert of flam and hot fudge was perfect. Very good beers on draft too. Got there around 6:00 PM for dinner and we got in without a reservation. Filled up while we were there. Still pretty quiet with nice background music, but quiet enough so you can enjoy conversation with friends. Spacious enough.

Our friend wanted to take us to an Argentine restaurant and so off we went . It is located on Stanton street in Manhattan and upon arrival one of the waitresses insisted on seeing our vaccination cards. Luckily all three of us had the card or the image of the card on our phones . We were seated at a corner table and then given the menus. Unfortunately it was rather dark inside so we required the flashlight feature on our phones to see the offerings. We then waited patiently for our server to bring us water and bread. We chatted amongst ourselves . Still waiting for our bread and water . We finally corralled our waitress and politely asked for our water and bread . We then ordered our foid. I ordered a skirt steak and their “ homemade “ french fries. My wife and our friend ordered their “ taster “ plate. His was a select choice of items. Eureka the bread and water were served. Although the restaurant wasn’t crowded it was quite noisy snd we had to strain td hear each other. The first plates of the taster menu came. Cbs was a cheese dish with some grain which I tasted. It wasn’t that bad but one had to struggle to cut it . The platted arrived along with my skirt steak . I had orders it to be cooked medium and that was ok but the steak was tough and it dampened my appetite. Those “ homemade” fries tasted a bit like McDonald’s fries which I guess if you like them is ok . I didn’t try the rest of the taster menu but my wife and our guest appeared to like the piece of steak that came with the platter. There was also chorizo which our guest ordered another piece of. It was really too dark to see what else was served on the platter but if you pul up their menu it’s on the top right and side . We then ordered deserts I ordered their chocolate cake and my wife and friend ordered a dish that appeared a little like G French toast . The french toast dish was the far better choice. Again the service was rather slow and they kept leaving the front door open to serve the customers outside which made the inside charmer and muggy . Overall it was a bit disappointing and was not worth the price paid

This is truly the best Argentine restaurant in New York City. Perfectly located in a very convenient area — just around the corner from Katz’s Deli and surrounded by great bars and vibrant day and nightlife. Whatever you order, you’ll feel right at home. The meat is top quality, the traditional dishes and empanadas are excellent, and the wine list is one of the best in New York. You’ll find incredible Argentine wines that you can’t easily come across — sometimes even in restaurants back in Buenos Aires. The staff is outstanding — highly professional and genuinely warm. Nico, the manager, is always attentive, making sure every detail is perfect and offering the best recommendations. He’s a first-class sommelier who knows exactly how to find and pair the finest Argentine wines in New York, and he’ll guide you through them when you visit. Many people ask me where to eat good Argentine food in the city — I always wonder how they haven’t been to Balvanera yet. It’s truly an experience worth enjoying every time you come to New York.

This restaurant was near to our hotel. We booked online which was easy, were greeted by a wonderfully friendly waiter and that set the scene for a first class experience. The staff were attentive and helpful, the steaks 10 oz skirts, were melt in the mouth. So much so we went back the next night! The restaurant seemed well laid out so that we weren’t crowded (we had a table by the window). Would be top of my list if we return to New York.

I like a good steak, but my husband can do that at home. So when he said he wanted steak for Father's Day in NYC, I wanted to find a place that would make us both happy. This was it! The tapas (the octopus, the Serrano ham, the Spanish anchovies) were amazingly tasty! Perfect for sharing between two people. Then the ribeye steak came. It was fantastic. Good chat, and seasoned in a way we wouldn't have done ourselves. The waitstaff was excellent and personal and the decor was casual and comfortable. This place was everything I had hoped for!

Nobody is going to believe that, until you taste it. They serve a grass-fed, Bone-In Ribeye, with homemade chimichurri that is simply unreal. No, you are not in a steakhouse. No oysters or giant shrimp cocktail thank god. You get an Argentine chef with a delightful, kind staff, and appetizers and entrees that remind me of Barcelona. But you have to get the steak. Even if it is just one of you. Everybody taste it, then render your verdict, preferably with your eyes closed. On top of that, you can get reservations and even sometimes walk in on a weeknight. This place is a find. Take it from me. I order a quarter steer of grass-fed beef from a farm in Connecticut every year. This is as good as it gets!

The place is in the Lower East Side and it is a bi thard to reach from Midtwon, but worth it. Iordered the empanadas and they were AWESOME, just lik ein Argentina. The churrasco was excellent too, with chimichurri and salsa criolla, and a large side of home frenh fries done as in Argentina. Wine is reasonably priced. Definitely a gem.

I dined here on a February Sunday night, it was quiet but that did not take away from the ambiance. The empanadas were delicious, steak was top notch as was the service, I would definitely come here next time I am in the Lower East side.

The restaurant is tucked away on a lower east side street corner. The service a very a good and friendly. Good selection of interesting appetisers and good though limited drinks menu. I must say that i was expecting a better steak. My friends and I were not impressed by the way our steaks were done. They were good but we were expecting something extraordinary. Overall good Place .

As trend in dining moving towards peruvian and tapas style ( but chic and classy not cheap) we wanted to try balvanera, came as recomended from trip advisor and reservation sites. The food was great, ambiance was ok bit serbice needs catching up. One example our appetizer arrived bit after 5-6 minutes i had to remind them of our wine. This happened in a 30% full place. Steaks was very good. Buratta ok. Malbec-cabernet mix ok. Thi

and we certainly will return ! When making the reservations for the dinners for our week in NY, I came across the Balvanera. I made the reservation and we were not disappointed. We enjoyed a very nice bottle of wine (El Enemigo - Bonarda) and enjoyed a very nice lomo. Staff was very nice and attentive. The place can easily be accessed with public transport and a short walk. We have added a new place to our list of excellent restaurants in NY.

First of all, as an interior designer, atmosphere is very important for me. This place is simply and tastefully decorated with great music and not too loud. Service was great. Our waitress was happy to help and make suggestions, she was also very funny. Lastly, the FOOD!!!!! the empanadas are too die for so you MUST try them. I am a vegetarian so I couldn't eat the different cuts of meats but according to my friends, they never had better meat in their lives. Even a friend that visited Argentina, he said it was better than what he had there! I had the fish which was simply grilled veggies instead of drenched with sauce which a lot of restaurants are doing for some reason. The house salad I ordered was incredibly tasty, it was made with marinated radishes and some kind of white creamy dressing that I would love to know the recipe for. That dressing made the whole salad. The handmade ricotta cavatelli! oh my god... i am salivating. The burrata with roasted peaches! the provoleta is incredible too, its a heavy appetizer but if you go with some friends, ORDER IT! it's basically a piece of hard cheese on the grill but I promise you. It's awesome! To be honest, they have great options for vegetarians but every time I go I kind of wish I wasn't. Oh and the chimichurri! you will never have a better one. You are supposed to use it with meat but i was putting it on the empanadas, the provoleta, the fish, you name it. Wine selection is sophisticated if you know your wines and reasonably price unlike most restaurants that charge an arm and a leg for a single glass of wine. GO!!!! I might go tonight again after remembering all of this tasty dishes. Oh have the

Great small place. Friendly staff, good wine list., and steak I had was very good. Excellent slightly toasted bread to start,

My wife, daughter & I visited Balvanera for dinner on Saturday evening. The three of us love a great steak; we were quite excited about our dining out experience; especially since this would be the first time my wife went to an Argentina restaurant. We certainly were not disappointed. The staff were very friendly and very attentive to all of our needs throughout the evening; the restaurant had a very nice ambience especially for dining. The food was wonderfully prepared and very delicious. For starters, we had the Gildas and the Humita and Carne. We ordered the 16oz ribeye steak and the 16oz skirt steak to share between us and the ribeye was especially delicious. Since my wife and daughter prefer their steaks medium and my preference is well done; we did get one steak medium and the other medium well. The chef also cut up the streaks in slices which made it much easier to share. For sides, we had the papas fritas and the roasted carrots. Thanks for a wonderful dining experience.

As someone who studied abroad in Buenos Aires, this place was a hidden gem. I felt transported back to Argentina. The empanadas and steak were delicious and the staff was extremely helpful.

I was here for a while with my colleague and we had an amazing time. Great service and excellent food. The service was amazing and the best beef I have ever eaten. Thank you

You should try it, excellent food and service, try the empanadas caseras, pulpo de playa, the provoleta and the house made chorizo , we had a great time at Balvanera

This restaurant has extraordinarily delicious and creative cuisine. Chef owner Fernando is a master in the kitchen with creative dishes beyond your expectations. This is an Argentina restaurant with a flair. The beef is extraordinary. It comes from Uruguay and it's cooked to unbelievable flavors. A beautiful restaurant, very romantic, and the staff is fantastic. This is a must go restaurant for an extraordinary experience in very delicious cuisine.

Went to Balvanera on a Saturday night with my wife and another couple. Lovely atmosphere, extremely helpful and friendly service, and a truly delicious meal. Without a doubt some of the best small plates I have ever had. The steaks were good as well, but strangely (for an Argentina restaurant) were not the highlight of the meal. In other words, don't be afraid to fill up on the extraordinary empanadas and other tapas.

One of my favorite spots in the Lower East Side. I was a little nervous about trying Argentine food, but it was delicious. It is a smaller restaurant so I would definitely recommend making a reservation.

While visiting New York, I took a long-time friend for Sunday brunch at Balvanera and had an excellent, casual but tasty meal. She had the chorizo sandwich with frites and I had the huevos and steak dish. Both were good and reasonably priced. Best of all: The restaurant staff let us linger for several hours to talk and enjoy the food and Argentine sparkling wine. And all at a very reasonable price. If I lived in New York, I'd be there a lot. When I go back, it'll be on my list.

I have been so impressed by the quality and consistency of service and food at Balvanera that it has become my go to restaurant, even though I live on the Upper East Side, which makes getting down to this Lower East Side gem a pain at times. Though the menu is fairly static it has something on it for everyone, even the most restrictive of diets. My first time there was shortly after it opened. We were a larger party consisting of vegetarians, meat and potato only eaters, non- meat and potato and non seafood eaters, and some normal eaters. EVERYONE found something on the menu and loved it. Personally I think the empanadas are amazing- they have both beef and corn, as is the burrata- with its persimmons and fennel garnish, the roasted mushrooms are also insanely delicious, and the skirt steak is the perfect size to split if you've ordered a few apps. The staff is always on it, even on days when the place is crazy busy. The wine list is also very good and pairs well with what the menu offers. And everything is quite reasonably priced. You may find yourself over indulging on the dinner menu, but make sure you save some room for dessert! The desserts are so good that they've been known to run out of things from time to time! Definitely worth a visit- or 2!

Had a recent dinner with my family. The space is very comfortable, not noisy and you can even dine outside. Great empanadas to start, not greasy. My wife enjoyed her vegetarian plate, while both my son (skirt steak) and I were happy with the meat. Good wine list, not too expensive , and some classic argentine desserts. Service was good.

After a few days of traveling in NY we felt like eating Milanese... we put it in the search engine and he suggested Balvanera, Nicolas's attention was excellent and the chicken Milanese are wonderful. To start we tried some empanadas that were very good. The place is very nice Thank you

Great Argentinian restaurant in the East side. My brother and I went on a Saturday night (best to make a reservation) and we had a great time. Friendly and efficient service and good food. We both had the striploin which was cooked to our "doneness" and a good quality cut. We also had the Crudo De Scallop and Setas Salteadas for appetizers, which was excellent. Ordered a reasonaly proced Malbec which fitted the steaks nicely. Busy, loud atmoshere on a Saturday night. Since it's New York prices, this place is not too bad...but in NYC you know it's not going to be cheap. Gracias Balvanera!!

I picked this restaurant for my niece's birthday, and saw all nice reviews about the food here. Very excited. We arrived early Tuesday night, there's no one in the restaurant, but waiters said people normally come eat here late. We ordered octopus, croquetas, roast cauliflower, and sweetbread, skirt steak, spaghetti. most dishes are very plan, not enough seasoning. We only liked the octopus, really fresh and tasty. The worst is the meat, bag quality, chewy, tasteless even with the chimi sauce. Very disappointed.

The highlight was the ribeye which was a choice cut and cooked to perfection. The rest was uninspiring- from only 1 employee of argentine descent , to lackluster and smallish empanadas, to a disappointing menu. No asado de tiras (ribs) on the menu and an array of non-traditional dishes that seemed more geared to ny sensibilities than S. American ones. Won't be going back.

This little palce we wandered by on a few ocassions before my wife thought to investigate it further. The food was excellent from the tapas style starter plates - octopus, anchovies, little savoury pastries to the beatiful grass fed beef which was expertly grilled for maximum flavour. Lovely wines and attentive, quality service made this a meal to remember.

Exceeded all expectations. Service was exceptional. Ambience perfect. And the food was absolutely delicious. I’d like to make this review a bit more balanced....but I can’t.... it was the best steak I’ve ever had. I’m a Brit who frequents NYC....I’m generally disappointed and feel a little ripped off.... this place changed all that. Thank you. Planning to bring my wife and my mum on future visits.

We had a great meal here. Delicious argentine, beautifully prepared. Great service. We will be coming back often!

We had dinner at Balvanera and it was so delicious! The meat like in Buenos Aires. Super friendly staff. With pleasure again.

We went there by chance, and what a treat, excellent staff and a lovely sangria. Very good atmosphere and not to loud music.

Overall a wonderful experience: Rose seated us and gave us great tips on the different wines - she's clearly passionate about her job! We tried small plates and each and every one was great. I recommend the octopus, sweetbreads, chorizo, beets, carrots, provoleta and the chocolate and olive oil ice cream for dessert. The service was attentive but not intrusive. The wine list is excellent.

If you don't like noisy restaurants, stop reading now. If you like a bit (ok, a lot) of energy and commotion, this place is great. Oh, and the food is good also.Our party of five had everything family / tapas style, including the excellent steak. Everything was delicious and authentically Argentine. wine list was good, but not inexpensive. Very friendly service. This place has potential.

My wife found this little place and we went with our son last Saturday night. The waiter was awesome - helped us pick a good wine, was confident about recommending what was good on the menu, and was very attentive throughout. The menu has an excellent variety of small plates...definitely try the octopus, it was fantastic. Nice selection of main courses also, and the quality was great. Always fun to head over to the Lower East Side, and even better to make a find like this. Only (minor) drawback is the volume level. Even with the big windows thrown wide open it was pretty noisy.

Located at the trendy and up and coming Lower East side, close to Delancey station, lovely atmosphere, impeccable service, great wine list, good music, and Fernando, itis chef and owner is nit only a super chef who worked at Nobu and with Ferran Adria, but he puts his soul in the kitchen. he makes the best empanadas and the beef was perfection. They gave us a unique complimentary dessert wine to die for.

We found this spot close to a show we were seeing nearby and it turned out to be really great. The ambiance was nice/casual, warm & welcoming. A nice little drink collection and the food very tasty. Overall a nice little place.

Last dinner we regret in NYC 🙁 Balvanera was just round the corner so thanks to TA we booked it, we were not let down. Went with mushrooms with an egg to start with which was amazing 👍 Followed by 2 rib eye steaks a touch on the cold side but very tasty.

After a few days in NYC, we were so glad to enjoy dinner here. We told our waiter that we had experienced the somewhat chaotic and rushed New York restaurants, but for Christmas Eve obviously we would like to really slowly enjoy our evening. It was perfect! We chose the provolone, olives and boquerones, which were delicious. For our main course we had fusilli with Brussels sprouts and fish of the day with fennel salad, both had great flavours and the combinations worked out great. For desert we shared the homemade ricotta which was also very delicious. Really a wonderful place and affordable as well compared to the rest of NY!

I was a little nervous trying a new place. Just to many bad experiences. Finally I hit the jackpot Wow this chef can cook. I mean every dish was better than the next. The staff is super kind and they will not rush you. Wines and food are reasonable. It was such a wonderful ending to the day from hell !!! Make sure you try it. You will ruin the whole experience if in a hurry this place is like eating in Argentina

Looking for meat, go to Balvanera which is an Argentinian restaurant that serves meat. The empanadas are home made and freshly baked. The skirt steak was excellent and would definitely go back. Check it out.

Visited Balvanera because I purchased a 5-course chef's tasting with wine pairings from GiltCity.com. The meal started with an endive salad, then to the Mollejas (soft + crispy sweetbreads, grape mustard, pepper cress, oranges), onto pasta + then the massive steak, blood sausage + chorizo board with papa fritas. And, finally the most heavenly flan in the world. Did I forget to mention each course was paired with an amazing glass of wine. The service was outstanding! Will definitely dine here again on my next trip.

I came in for a friends birthday and had the best empanadas of my life!!! I had never tried sweetbreads before and was reluctant to try them but did anyway and they ended up being my favorite appetizer! Just an incredible place. Friendly staff. Fun atmosphere. Will return!

We stopped in here mid-afternoon after taking a tour of the art galleries on the Lower East Side with New York Art Tours, and we were glad we did. The menu is compact, which ensures that everything you choose is fresh and well made. Three of us shared three appetizer dishes. The salad greens were exceptionally fresh and the dressing brought out their great flavor. The croquettes were fried to perfection and the empanadas were divine. The service also was excellent. Good value for the money. Stop in.

My sisters and I got a nice table by the open doors. We shared a salad, corn empanadas, croquettes, and the meat sampler. All of the food was terrific so we even ordered the chocolate torte after dinner. The service was great and we loved the atmosphere. I'll be back on my next visit.

This is a must for top notch food and wine. The wines are had picked and all beef poultry and fish as well. The place is a must for Steaks and fresh fresh seafood. Prices are reasonable. Owner makes sure all have a great experience !

Overall we enjoyed our dining experience here. The space is appealing and comfortable with good service. We had all small plates. We loved the empanadas, cauliflower and burrata the best. Delish! The scallop dish was disappointing. We skipped dessert here and went for gelato around the corner.

I went last night with my husband. I liked very much because is a small and charming place, full of rustic details. But OMG! The food was excelent! You must try the octopus! My "entraña" was on point and very juicy. And the my husband's "angosto" was delicious. I loved the house's sangría. We'll definitely go back.

Think not about steaks (although they cook excellent ones)--think small plates that are wonderfully rich, with layers of amazing flavor. A quiet LES corner that makes you feel transported out of the city. Warm, attentive service. Highly recommended.

I am from south America avoid this hold in the wall terrible service, they rushed you out .Cheap meat the wine list is mediocre

We had the most amazing dinner at Balvanera on our last night in New York. We couldn’t have chosen better, great service, amazing food and well informed choices. Couldn’t rate higher- some of the best steaks and empanadas we have had.

I just cannot say enough about the dining experience at this place. Food is an art !!!!!!!!! Staff is caring Do not miss this place

I had two dishes at Balvenera that were the best I have ever eaten: mollejas (crispy sweetbreads) and pulpo (octopus). These are both tapas-style appetizers, but so good that they absolutely made our meal. I can easily imagine returning to Balvanera over and over just to have more. The steak was excellent, but you can get steak in other places --the appetizers are what make this restaurant really special. I can't wait to go back and try more!

My waiter, Pedro R, as my receipt indicated, gave me a hard time when I told him the Califlower Croquettes were lukewarm, not hot as they should be, or at least not as hot as I wanted them. He insisted that the temperature that they were served to me was the way it was supposed to be, but he could not know, he was not tasting one at that moment, as I was. The croquettes were eventually taken back and a new order was served to me that was HOT. Could he have been trying to prevent a new order from having to be sent out? Thank you Pedro for spoiling a peaceful dinner. The Spaghetti all Citarra with its pesto sauce was pleasing.

The cuisine is creative Argentinian. The meat is fabulous. We had a rib eye with a perfect crust and beautifully pink and juicy inside. It was suitably accompanied with a luscious organic bonarda from Argentina. But it is not just about the meat. There are plenty of vegetables on the menu, including a corn empanada with a light and flaky pastry, and a well-executed Brussels sprouts pasta. Service was pleasant, friendly and helpful. The restaurant has a good vibe, and comfortable feel and prices are reasonable. We will definitely go back next time we are in the area.

Balvanera is a really nice Argentinian restaurant. The food was truly excellent and the wine selection also great. Nice ambiance. Recommended.

This restaurant was nearby our hotel. We enjoyed it so much we made a return visit. We loved the meatballs and the skirt steak. Staff were so friendly and genuine.

you'd think you got lost, because this resto is on a corner in a very quiet street. staff is extremely friendly and gracious, happy to explain and guide. our group ordered drinks and many tapas. they were all good. sangria is a house drink, I found it too sweet, but I ordered something else anyway. the only thing i didn't expect the sausage dishes to be just a sausage on a plate... BUT the steak was very good and a great value. we ordered dessert and the flan was just okay, the ice cream was good and the Torrejas were divine.

Went for dinner with my family (5 pax) and watch an Argentine national team football game. The restaurant is small, but very well distributed so you don't feel trapped. There was a FULL house that evening because of the game, but it didn't affect the quality of the food and service, and appetizers and main dishes came out in a very reasonable timeframe. The service was top notch, and the food great. We had empanadas, chorizo, different steaks, and milanesa. Everything was delicious, don't leave without trying their fresh cut fries, absolutely great! Prices are very reasonable for NYC and steak dinners, it came to about $40 per person with tip included (no alcohol). My only complaint would be that the size of the portions is a little bit small, especially since everything is so good!