El Porteño Gourmet

From food to service, everything was disappointing. The meat wasn’t great, not very tasty, and I even ended up eating some fatty pieces because the restaurant is so dark that it’s hard to see what’s on your plate. The sides were average at best, and they were served about 20 minutes before the meat. We ordered it medium, it came rare, and after asking to cook it a bit more, it turned out overcooked (don’t have the pics though). So we basically ate our sides first and the meat much later. The service was equally bad. Despite having a 9:30p.m. reservation, we were told to “wait” with no acknowledgment or courtesy. Staff were rude, rushed, and literally dropped plates on the table. The restaurant claims to be Argentinian, but the quality of the meat doesn’t even come close to what you’d find in Argentina, where excellent beef is everywhere. Overall, the worst dining experience I had in Rome. We didn’t even feel like having dessert at the end.

Dear El Porteño Gourmet Roma Team, Unfortunately, I must say that this dinner was one of the most disappointing fine-dining experiences I have had in recent years, particularly given the positioning and reputation of your restaurant. I had made a reservation to celebrate my girlfriend’s anniversary and explicitly mentioned in the booking notes that I wished to have a candle brought discreetly with the dessert. Not only was this request ignored, but the surprise was completely ruined when a member of the team came directly to our table to ask who needed a candle. Before that moment, the end of our dinner was already seriously impacted. While we had not yet finished our main courses, the team began cleaning a service tray next to our table using a bottle full of vinegar. The strong smell immediately filled the room and completely destroyed the ambience. I can only assume this was done to prepare for closing, but it showed a total lack of awareness and respect for guests still dining. When I approached the hostess to explain the situation and ask for assistance, she looked at me in a very snobbish manner and sent someone else to ask me, again, what the problem was. I had to repeat myself and explicitly request that the vinegar tray be removed so we could attempt to finish our meal. From that moment onward, the experience deteriorated significantly. It then took approximately 15 minutes for the table to be cleared, after which the team once again came to ask who was supposed to receive a candle, fully ruining what was meant to be a special and intimate moment, despite the information being clearly stated in my reservation. There were also clear service errors earlier in the dinner. When ordering, I requested one bife de chorizo and one ojo de bife. When the dishes arrived and I asked which one was the ojo de bife, the waiter told me that I had not ordered it and that my order was two bifes de chorizo. I chose not to argue in order to preserve the flow of the evening, but this mistake only added to the overall frustration. Regarding the wine service, despite your extensive wine list, the waiter showed little knowledge or ability to advise. When I asked for guidance, he simply pointed to a €70 Argentine wine that he was unable to describe properly. It felt less like genuine service and more like a pushed recommendation driven by price rather than guest experience, highlighting a lack of proper training and service culture. Overall, the service lacked charm, attention to detail, personalization, and anticipation. The manager was only visible at the end of service, seated on a laptop, and never once came to check on our table, despite multiple obvious issues. This is particularly surprising given that the restaurant had only five tables occupied when we arrived at 20:45, with approximately five staff members on duty. The final touch was the same hostess, who initially greeted me, acknowledged my reservation, and later dismissed my concerns, personally bringing the bill to the table without a single word or inquiry about our experience. The total amounted to approximately €154 for dinner, plus €10 for service, total of 164€ along with a few candies offered at the end. After everything that occurred, the only question that seemed to matter was whether the payment could be completed, not whether the experience had met expectations. I grew up in Buenos Aires and fully agree that Argentine meat is among the best in the world. Your restaurant serves excellent-quality meat. However, in terms of service, hospitality, and management, the experience was far below what is acceptable for a restaurant of your ambition and price point. I hope this feedback will be taken seriously and used constructively, as the product deserves a level of service that matches its quality. Kind regards, David P

this experience was amazing. we had a burger and an asado. they tasted amazing, rich in flavor. also the service was excellent, everything was fine. the portions were so big that we couldn’t taste the desserts, maybe next time we can! atmosphere is fine, the decoration is elegant. thank you for everything.

The food was really good we really enjoyed our steaks but it took about 2 hours for the food to arrive, we were not given any attention or given menus, we had to wait a very long time. There were smalls bugs on our table and the service was terrible. We had great food tho! Also lovely tiramisu

A truly excellent restaurant. The atmosphere inside the restaurant is special and the design and lighting are simply exceptional. The waiters are courteous and the service is excellent. The food is delicious and of a very high standard. Fair prices. It is desirable that the waitress knows English better so that she can explain the dishes more accurately. I highly recommend coming to this restaurant.

We visited this restaurant for dinner and had an excellent experience from start to finish. We ordered different cuts of meat, each cooked perfectly: tender, flavorful, and clearly high quality. The service was attentive and friendly, and everything arrived surprisingly fast without feeling rushed. We also enjoyed a lovely bottle of wine that paired beautifully with our meal. The restaurant had a particular decor.

Nice venue in the very centre of Rome. The staff is professional and welcoming, the quality of the food is high - in particular, meat is remarkable. We had empanadas, jewish style fried artichokes (carciofo alla giudia) and a tomahawk - everything was very good, we really enjoyed our dinner. We also had a Alta Yari pinot noir and it definitely was TOO good: the bottle was empty in no time so we had a glass of Malbec to bring the meal to a glorious end. The bill, of course, is not one of the cheapest.

Fantastic atmosphere, delicious food, meat is wow, service perfect. One of the best steak restaurant!