I'll not rehash what has been said here, but I will update on
Cabaña Las Lilas, mentioned in an early post and which I used to enjoy some time ago - but IMO the service has deteriorated to a sad shadow of what it was. Maybe the day I was there (weekend) was a bad one, but all the waitstaff seemed quite young and disinterested. For better service, I usually feel better served when the waitstaff are experienced and are convinced theirs is a decent and upstanding profession they take pride in - and to clarify, I don't mean
subservient, I mean good service. That was certainly
not the case May 17 2008.
Though the meat was fairly tasty, they were apparently unable to serve our wine until they brought the beef dish - which was brought as we were eating our salad, and enjoying the
cubierto (less fanciful than previous ones I have had there.) Dessert you would have thought to be a foreign invention - it took work to finally get some desert, and then it was unceremoniously (I am being tactful and understated here) served with the coffee.
Some friends asked to visit
Las Nazarenas May 15 (at the junction of L. Alem and Reconquista across the street from the Sheraton convention center, on the edge of Retiro - iirc), kind of touristy and rustic decor, but popular with locals for a business lunch and visitors as well,) a variety of wines and meats, grilled in front of your eyes, was decent and the service was much better and attentive. Owner Don Luís Barbería chatted us up and took us into the cava as well. Note you can get a 10% discount coupon online, and a "free meal if four dine for your birthday" coupon as well.
To enjoy a leisurely lunch with the fabulous people watching in Pto. Madero, I'll probably be at Sorrento the next time, enjoying some home-made pasta possibly with some seafood. For really good beef, this thread has far better recommendations, IMO. (Great grass-fed beef and a top quality Malbec... aaahhh! ¡Salud!)
(By the way, nobody mentioned
chocolate y churros, a treat in the morning at the historic Café Tortoni. Oh, it's not beef...
)