New restaurant, need opinions

[Ashley]

I definitely think that US/UK food would make for a successful expat bar and I think it could be done fairly easily without resorting to imports.
When Sugar (Costa Rica y Armenia I think) opened a couple of years or so ago, the drinks were fairly foul, the crowd was distinctly "expat semester-abroaders" (not really my thing anymore) but I'd go back time and time again for their fair-priced, extensive menu of generous-portioned expat favourites. Chicken wings, pancakes, nachos, falafel (just a small sample of what I remember). I went back some time in the spring of last year and was really disappointed to see that the menu had been reduced from maybe 30/40 choices to a very basic 4/5 (although I was still impressed at their bulky plate of nachos which put the more expensive Spell Cafe's crunchy offerings to shame!) and then really gutted when I passed by a week or so ago, popped in to get some nachos and was greeted with a menu advertising...you guessed it, pizza and empanadas! pfffff
I have no idea why this happened as I was always seeing people pig out there during the days of it's original menu - maybe it wasn't economically viable anymore.
Even so, I think the menu is probably a good place to start if you want to have the edge over other baires expat bars!

 

[argsteve]

WOW.. dont get me started what I would like to see......I go out a lot and after 3 years I know exactly what I want hahaha...ok here you go YOU asked!!!
well as the others said..I think easy GOOD quality food is better than expensive fancy food...I would go with a big hamburger.. try buffalo wings.... chili fries......cheese fries ... chips with guac.... nachos...quesadillas .....make some food with spice!!!!
Can you find a roast beef sandwich.. chicken breast sandwich.... a really kick ass steak sandwich..... good quality....you have good bakery places here but when I get a sandwich it is with the cheap thin bread... buy some nice rolls for steak sandwiches.... dont go cheap on the food.. give me lettace...tomato whatever.... I would rather be charged a few more pesos and get a amazing good sandwich !!
but also have salads and healthy food(for BKK)...... it is going to be hard to make nachos and some mexican but it would be great....and try to find some dressing other than oil and vinegar... like ranch, caesar.... or anything even if you have to make it yourself........ you can still have a couple of good pasta plates and a good steak for the dinner crowd.. but make food good, simple but VERY good quality if possible....

good TV is a must and 32 or 42 LCD not 21 inch tv's..... be it NFL football... basketball. baseball.... etc...

But try to add food people dont see here in Argentina..... the other day I made some people in my apt a grilled cheese sandwich.. the most easy thing to make.. but the argie people where like wow this is great..... there is a lot of stuff people do not know or havent even tried here!!! make a breakfast(serve it late on weekends till 3pm)... try pancakes even if you cant find real syrup...... IF you make pizza put some tomato sauce on it!!!

If sports are not on... music could be as BKK...classic rock.. or alternative.... but loud enough to hear but not so loud I cant hear the person next to me until late night....
A jukebox could be fun... but that might be hard to find or get repair if needed....

Good service would be great.. if I am sitting at the bar.. and my glass is empty..I want another one!!! dont be afraid to ask me.. another one?? I know many locals here get a drink and sit for a few hours just talking/smoking.. well maybe I have a problem.. but I drink a beer or rum and coke every 20 minutes for about 4 hours hahaha

Also you MUST have a good happy hour 5-9... or a few deals...... you will see places offering 2X1 or even have free beer for a couple of hours for ladies.... a few places do this just to get girls in.. and the boys follow....
Also BE OPEN.... I know it might be hard to open all the time at first.. to keep a staff going... but I get really tired of going to places and they are never open.... we Americans sometimes eat before 10pm.... I like to go eat at 6pm for dinner IF I can... so be open.... 11am--- closing... I also like to have some drinks early... like 4pm on a friday ..... I dont need to start at midnight and drink till 6am......

hopefully you can have a place big enough to not be a sweat box..... also dont be scared to have air con or ceiling fans air movement is good... most places here are like a box.....

My dream is more of like a beach bar(grew up in california).. I know it is Buenos Aires..... but have a cool California theme....fun, cool, laid back place.... surfboards hanging from the ceiling...pool table...the red hot chili peppers or the doors playing...a good cold beer and some cheese fries.....
beer buckets... 5 bottle beers in a bucket with ice to keep them cold...... also you must have some good beer.. if you can have a place with 3 or even 4 draft spouts at a time..... got to have the usual "water" Quilmes.. but other beers even quilmes stout would be nice on draft..... stella and one good beer like Newcastle you cant get that but I am dreaming!!! ok Leffe... or Kilkenny or some beer with some taste....... but have dark beer and as many beers as you can in bottles...guiness etc .... and get them COLD!!!!! Also serve Litros!!!! ....... but fancy import beers arent a big seller really nobody wants to buy a 40 peso fancy beer all night but you need them!!! .... drink & shot specials are needed...
great food..... good service.....good looking staff doesnt hurt...no cubierto of course ... and the filtered water is good also...... hopefully you can have a outside deck or terrace for the smokers....

where you going to be building this new paradise?? haha
The dream would be to buy a building in palermo or belgrano etc... and then open an amazing place.. rent is a killer... got to buy the building!!!! good luck!!!!
I hope to be your first customer.....

 

[jp]

Smiling waiters/waitresses? "Is everything OK? Can I get ya' a refill?"

That type of service really grates when I got to the US, the saccharine smiles and phony enthusiasm.

I want a barman with ACAB tattooed on his knuckles, and a battered pool table in the back room with 20p left on the side.

 

[Alzinho]

You want to open a bar/restaurant?
Somewhere for people to go out and enjoy having a drink and food with their friends?
A place to socialize, maybe even meet new people, make new friends?

Then why the $!*& would you want to fill it with televisions!!!

One of the things that I absolutely detest about Argentina is the fact that it's virtually impossible to escape the damned TV. Whoever first decided to put TVs in restaurants is first up against the wall come the revolution! They're even in the subte ferchrissakes!

Now if your plan is to open a so-called 'sports bar', where your main draw is watching sports, fine. Otherwise, install a projector and huge screen for unmissable events (ie. Superbowl, World Cup final) and install a good sound system and get a good DJ* to create an ATMOSPHERE for the other 350 days of the year....which is what people will really appreciate when they're out socializing.

Yep, good food and service are a given (I'm pretty sure you weren't thinking about providing crap food and service....were you?), but what will make people want to come back and just hang out and have a few drinks on some of the the 6 nights/week that they don't eat out, will be the atmosphere. And if you just have one night a week themed as 'New Wave', or 'Reggae', or 'Eighties' or even 'Country'** and a good DJ, I guarantee it'll be packed.

Al

* The good sound system is essential. Music that's played too loud and is uncomfortable to listen to is a turn-off for the type of customer that's likely to come back on a regular basis - quality is everything. Oh, and I know just the DJ for the job!
** OK, maybe not 'Country', but just about any other genre will attract a crowd if your publicity is reasonably good.

 

[eastman747]

Please show all us sports on tv with sound, and please do not charge a cover like alamo does!!!! Get whatever cable connection alamo has

 

[Alzinho]

Please show all us sports on tv with sound

Don't you have a TV at home? Or friends who have a TV and like to watch sport?
The last thing I want when I go out to eat or drink with friends is to find myself sat in front of someone staring up at a TV with their mouth gaping open, incapable of partaking in any kind of social interaction. EVEN WORSE if the sound is on - then there's the $!&%!$* eejits telling people to shut-up because they can't hear the TV!

Again, if your intention is to open a Sports Bar....that's different. But please make it clear that it's a Sports Bar - I don't want to find myself in there by accident!

 

[argsteve]

Then why the $!*& would you want to fill it with televisions!!!


I understand what you are saying... but on Sunday.. NFL football is huge thing for some of us (sept.- jan)... and at 3-8pm to watch football isnt going to bother a lot of tourists in a bar/rest....sports are not on that late. I wouldnt want the TV's on all the time either .. but there is the march madness NCAA basketball.....masters golf.. US open tennis.... Superbowl. World Series.. NBA playoffs... etc etc
In the USA bars and sports go together...... it depends on what sort of place he is putting together...... but I like your music theme ideas!!! except the country..hahahaha

 

[flyfreely]

I think most foreigners agree that service in Argentina is a disaster while service in the US is top notch. As somebody who owns two restaurants here, I am finding that it is very hard to train Argentinians to give American style service.

so what I am doing and I find a lot of places that offer good service do as well, is hire foreigners. It isn't a secret anymore that Colombians are on the top of the list of waiters because they are always smiling and speak gently and they need the job.

 

[Alzinho]

...... it depends on what sort of place he is putting together...

Absolutely.

.... but I like your music theme ideas!!! except the country..hahahaha

My only objection to 'country' is that I personally wouldn't have enough records to fill an hour, let alone an evening - Glen Campbell's Greatest Hits and a few Jason & The Scorchers tunes on repeat isn't going to keep the punters entertained!

 

[jazrgz]

Also, keep in mind many locals would find the whole American Style Bar very appealing so long as it is truly American Style and not just an argentined version of it. So, for those of us locals who are interesting in such places would also be a must go joint . For expats would be a place to feel like home and for locals a place to experience something different than the usual, to escape for a bit from home hehe

just my 2 cents

-Juan