El Hoyo

I tried to reserve but it doesn't work. So we went without reservation, and waited about 10-15 minutes to get seated, we were seated at the bar. Anthony Bourdain once visited and raved about this restaurant, well I was his fan. The atmosphere was so party-like. I had to use Google Translate to read the Spanish menu. The food and flavor were both excellent, and the prices were reasonable. Two of us enjoyed a four-course meal, CAZUELA VACUNO -Beef Casserole, PICADILLO EL HOYO with PORCION DE PERNIL-ham, PORCION DE LENGUA-beef tongue, PORCIÓNDE ARROLLADO-meat roll, 1/2 CRUDO-raw minced beef. The quantities of food were generous so that we had to share it with our next seat couple. No wonder it's so popular with locals. Personally my favorite dishes are beef tongue-tender and flavorful, meat roll-chewy, good with spicy sauce. El Hoyo is near the popular Italian neighborhood, lined with shops and restaurants, and bustling with tourists.

This place is an experience. Loved entering and being overwhelmed by it all. I don’t know if it was our table location but service was quite slow. At one point they left a bottle of wine unopened for over 10 minutes until we had to flag someone down. Everything took some time to get. But it was fun and lots of energy. Many birthdays were celebrated

When every other restaurant was quiet, El Hoyo was pumping. It's the total package. No visit to Santiago is compete with it. I walked 2.6 km to get there. Would have walked 5. Food great, generous portions and well priced. Great bar. Try the Earthquake, a famous Chilean drink. Ambience, music great. Welcoming, friendly staff. A must do. It's about 100 years old.

A really good experience of Chilean Cuisine. El Hoyo is out of the way of central Santiago but it’s worth a visit. Famed chef Anthony Bourdain once ate there so we decided it was worth making the journey. We attended at midday and it was very quiet we were the only ones there and was greeting by very friendly waiter. It soon filled up with other diner and a gentleman came with his guitar and plays some Chilean songs for us which added to the quiet atmosphere. Even though there was a language barrier he supported us with our order very well. I would highly recommend the Meat & fries dish for 2! The Meat was tender and the fries were done well. Each order comes with bread and condiments. We ordered a Chilean salad on the side which was very good. The wine & Pineapple ice drink was a treat and stronger than it looks! Definitely worth a visit if you are in Santiago!!

Not the same it used to be 1. Chicha just like water 2. Prietas. Extremely salted 3. Steak. Tough and dry 4. Tongue over cooked and watery 5. Ask for butter. Never came

What a lovely place, is a “Picada” Traditional Restaurant in Santiago with the best Dishes. Always is a pleasure back

Used to be fun when it was in city centre. Now it's just big plates of mediocre food in a huge space. No longer interesting, living on past reputation.

This place is quite out of the way so can feel a little stressful if you choose to walk there from Estacion Central, as we did. This should give you an idea that this little place is quite quirky and a proper off the beaten track, working man’s restaurant. It was good though if you are a big meat eater and if you like rustic food. If not the Terremoto (earthquake) cocktail is worth a try! It’s incredibly sweet, hence the name but actually quite enjoyable but not sure more than one is advisable!

Anthony Bourdain said he ate his best meal in Santiago at this restaurant, so we had to check it out. Food is known for being authentic, service was friendly, and at noon on a Friday there wasn't any wait. Large space inside. The terremoto (a Chilean cocktail with white wine, pineapple ice cream, and grenadine) was popularized here and is a must order. We liked the arrollado more than the pork hock, and the cazuela was quite hearty. A must visit in Santiago!

Wanted to tried something typical Chilean and all reviews directed me to this place, it's off the beaten path , but easily accessible by Metro (estacion central) and then walking. The ambiance is typical very busy, they also serve the classic "Terremotos" drinks , had my first one here, they're good but go easy on them!! Anyway, totally recommend this place! They do take credit cards and the attention was good. Even though the picture of the pork nuckle (pernil) does not look very tasty, it really was, it came with mash potatoes , Bread and spicy sauce, too much for 1 person!

My friends and I really wanted to try a terremoto, the unofficial national drink of Chile (pineapple ice cream + wine). On our wine tour, we mentioned a restaurant we were looking at (La Piojera), and our guide told us not to go there because people in the area preyed on tourists. She asked our driver where he would go, and he suggested El Hoyo. It was a GREAT recommendation, and it was 100% authentic! The area seems scary at first because it is very remote at night, but the inside is very cheerful and friendly. The terremoto was strong and sweet, and the service was amazing. Our server didn't speak a word of English, but he was so accommodating by pointing/acting out things on our menu. He even walked up to other tables and pointed at people's dishes while they were eating! We all had a great time here, and he even helped us take a lot of funny photos. As for the food, I got the pollo asado. My friends got pork. Both meats were deliciously juicy and tender. They fell right off the bone! I would suggest a side that is not french fries because they were a bit plain. But you can't go wrong with any of the meat here. I highly recommend this place because 1) it was recommended by a local, 2) the service was great, and 3) food + drinks were very good!

We were told to go to El Hoyo for a traditional Chilean dinner by friends from the area. It's away from the main attractions in the center city but completely accessible. Homey atmosphere, friendly staff who helped us decipher a Chilean-Spanish menu (they spoke a dialect of Spanish that we could not understand), and delicious food. I cannot remember the name of my beef entree but it was flavorful and the mashed potatoes that came with were an excellent accompaniment. Affordable and it's a lot of food for one person, so we had lunch for the next day!