Kaptain Guzzy

Have to give this a 5 star rating. Excellent, juicy, tasty Argentinian steak, grilled to perfection! We tried the rib eye and skirt steak. Superb service, superb gelato (try the mix of 3 flavours - matte, mango and dulce de leche). Go expecting to pay...it ain't cheap! Recommended joint in East Village.

SM Upgrade

Excellent experience at Balvanera! Emmanuel gave us outstanding service, and the chef’s seasoning and flavors were absolutely perfect. Authentic Argentine taste and warm hospitality — highly recommended!

Ryan Cobleigh

We loved our first dining experience at Balvanera, it definitely won’t be the last! The staff were all extremely nice and easy going. Our waiter had great wine recommendations and took the time to walk us through the menu. Every dish we had was a 10/10 but our favorite was the Setas mushroom dish. It is a must order. Can’t wait to visit again!

Gio

Great food. We live in the area and have been meaning to come for a long time. The steaks were amazing and the food was great. A bit pricier than expected but overall nice time. Our waiter Emanuel was 10/10.

+4

Samantha Manalastas

Had a very enjoyable meal here on a Friday evening. Thank you to Arturo for great service, making the evening even more special! Everything we ordered was delicious, but we especially enjoyed the skirt steak and croquetas! The atmosphere in the restaurant also has a great vibe. It was nice and lively.

carlos borges

Amazing restaurant. The food and service are outstanding. The food is solid. I would revisit just for the plate of mushrooms (Setas) alone. Brilliant! The octopus was amazing. The ensalada verde was great as well. Can't wait to come back here.

+3

Ricky Khurana (Real Estate Expert)

This place is a beauty! The interior is very warm and gives you a feel of a very elite setting. The octopus was good, cooked well and dressed perfectly. We got the salad and the rib-eye, the salad was so earthy, fresh, sufficient to share and just delicious. The steak was cooked well, it had a good amount of marbling on one side, it was soft, it was juicy, it was good! Glad we came to check it out!

+6

Stacy Zinnel

My husband has a knack for picking amazing restaurants. We needed something close to a venue we were going to later on in the evening and he picked this place. We couldn't decide what to get so we felt the Argentinian feast was the best option. We started with the empanadas and they were little pockets of deliciousness. I'm still dreaming of the Provoleta which is baked provolone cheese with honey, fresh oregano, pumpkin seeds and tomato confit. Next we had the blood sausage (morcillo) and chorizo. I never tried blood sausage before and really enjoyed it! Also the housemade chorizo was exquisite. The trio of meats were perfectly seasoned and cooked. They had a beautiful char and still managed to be ridiculously rare as requested. The accompanying chimichurri and salsa Criollo were delightful. Even the watercress and roasted red pepper on the plate were divine. The french fries were crispy and delicious. Instead of looking at the wine list, we told our attentive server what our usual preferences are and he provided us with a bottle that complemented our meal and was very tasty. The service was great and the food was top-notch. I only wish I had room for dessert but I know my limits. Hopefully next time!

+2

Kirsten C

Loved everything from the food to the service here. We got the steak tartare and provolone as apps and both were great. The skirt steaks we got - entraña - were fantastic. Very good quality meat, seasoned and cooked perfectly. Strongly recommend! The waiters and waitresses there were also great, polite and welcoming. Also love that the restaurant was pretty spacious for the lower east side. Noise level was good, you and your friends can have a conversation without having to yell.

+1

Keng

A great place for Argentinian meat! Octopus was nicely cooked and paired with nice, slightly spicy dressing. The steak and potatoes were good - just good meat. The chorizo pan was good too, though the presentation was a bit funny - it was a burger instead of actual chorizo in a long hero-style bread. The price is also much cheaper than most places for what you’re eating. Quaint little restaurant tucked away in East village, with unassuming exterior. The interior is quite charming with mostly wood decor.

+4

I had a really pleasant experience at Balvarena, an Argentine steakhouse in downtown NYC. The service was attentive, and the atmosphere was cozy and inviting. I ordered the ancho, which is a ribeye, and my wife had the skirt steak. The ribeye was excellent, and the skirt was good, though I felt it could have been a bit more flavorful—just not as bold as I expected for a skirt. The fries were tasty, the dessert was delightful, and the cappuccino was on point. The salad, though simple, was refreshing and light. The sangria was also really nice. Overall, I’d give Balvarena around 3.5 to 4 stars. On Valentine’s, the total for two people came to about $230, including tip.

Came here for birthday dinner for 2 without reservations. I was able to get a seat because the restaurant was empty, but the place was buzzing with people shortly after. Balvanera provides an intimate and cozy atmosphere, efficient service though it could've been more friendly, but I'm giving 4 stars for the food and the value of their dinner service. My partner and I both ordered the Argentine feast (~85/person). Our feast came with 2 Argentinian empanadas and Provoleta as appetizers - both of which were very delicious. Our meat platter was cooked to desired temperature and came with 1 side of fries, but it didn't reflect the quality, flavor or expected serving size from a feast. The serving size seems to be the common base of inquiry from all of our neighboring attendees, as all of them were advised that the dishes weren't something you'd share with the table. Perhaps their reviews are based off their brunch service/ BYOB Monday's, something I'd be willing to checkout after feasting elsewhere. But I wouldn't return to this establishment for their entrees.

Christine

It was a cozy intimate setting with excellent grilled meat (tender, moist inside and crispy outside, flavorful), sausages and empanadas. The wine selection was decent as well and the service was attentive. I would had given 4 stars to the atmosphere if it was not cold in the restaurant…not sure did they have a heating issue just that night.

+3

Ryan Tammaro

Honestly I didn’t think the food was very tasty. The empanadas didn’t have much flavor in the filling or butteriness to the dough. The choripán came on a stiff hamburger bun and lacked in seasoning from the sauce or sausage