Doug B.
Yelp
This place holds special meaning for me as it was one of the first "real" restaurants I visited on my first trip to Barcelona. We had a team dinner here after a very long day of work and I remember thinking, "I flew all the way to Spain, why would I want a steak from Argentina??"
Valid question, right?
First off, the meat and wine served here is fantastic. Even the lowest-tier wines by the glass are good by my tastes (I am definitely no wine expert, so take that for what it is). The beef has excellent flavor and is served with a bit of salt that adds that extra bump in flavor.
I have been to this place either alone or with 5-12 other people several times over the past 9 years, excepting 2020 and 2021.
But, let's talk about the other aspects of this place:
1) you can make reservations online
2) the service has always been great
3) the appetizers and side dishes
Making reservations online may not seem like a big deal, but when you don't have an international calling plan, it is so much easier to find a hotspot and book a table. Mind you, the processes and prices for international calling and data plans have come a long way in the past decade!
Whether I was flying solo or had a dozen of my coworkers with me, the servers were friendly and attentive. (Keep in mind that the expectations of waitstaff in the US and elsewhere are often different.)
My favorite appetizer, by far, is the "Provoletas con pimientos del piquillo." This is a thick, baked slice of provolone cheese topped with red peppers (not spicy) and, I believe, oregano. I was alone during my latest visit and during my last visit in 2018, the team ordered the version without the "pimientos del piquillo." So, I ordered the "correct" version and ate the whole thing myself. It was SOOO good.
If you're up for trying some more traditional Argentine starters, the "Rueda de achuras" is an adventure. As a general rule, offal is not my thing. I prefer my offal hidden inside sausage casings... so the Chorizo criollo is more my speed than the rest.
By myself, this time, I had the Bife de Chorizo, half portion. When I am with a group, I try to make a deal with another person to get the Ojo de Bife -- over a pound (half a kilo) and described as "The most tasty and juicy rib eyes" ... and they're not kidding about it being enough for 2 people. Any of the add-on sauces are good, but know that the flambéed morel sauce is very rich.
As for side dishes, if you order fries, they stack them in a little tower (I am certain there are many pictures here) and they're fresh and tasty. I like the Grilled potato with cheese sauce. It is basically the texture of a baked potato with a whipped topping made of cheese. No need for butter here -- and I don't say that lightly :)
For dessert (if you have room!), I suggest the Panqueque de Dulce de Leche (basically caramel-filled crepes with vanilla ice cream), though the Tarta Tatin is also good. I don't know that I have had the Patagonia, but it also sounds fantastic. I had to Google the word "quenelle" because, while English, I had no idea what it meant.
When you've had enough pan con tomate and patatas bravas, book a table at Patagonia, loosen your belt, and prepare to dig into a hunk of beef.