Guaica - Buenos Aires

Great little place to get authentic Venezuelan food! Everything from Tequeños to Pabellon was great. It's small and gets overfilled as soon as it opens.

Tucked off in a basement corner of the multistory computer stores complex, Galeria Jardín/Torre Florida, this small but bright, colorful, and welcoming Venezuelan restaurant is the definition of a hidden gem, and it must be the best deal for cheap 'n ' tasty eats for the whole length of Calle Florida. I 've been here twice now, the first time tipped off by Guaica 's owner while we were both eating at Los infernales in San Telmo. She said at the time that her arepas were better than Panachef 's, which I thought would take some doing. I took the challenge a couple weeks later (she remembered me) but had to beg to differ. The flavors were wonderful, particularly the fiery rocoto hot sauce, but the pork was chewy and not much beats the queso fresco at Panachef. Still I was satisfied, because arepas. I 've included photos from the first visit. While shopping to replace yet another faulty lightning to USB connector, I stopped in for a second try and ended up loving it even more. This time I tried the arepa of the day, which was filled with a succulent carne asada, not particularly venezolana, but rather a nod to local tastes, I imagine. Great. With squirts of hot sauce on every bite, I was happy and full for hours. The plate also came with a small side of good black beans which made me even happier. I don 't often go to Calle Florida unless for a specific errand, but Guaica is worth a special trip for my arepa fix, especially since Panachef is quite a bit farther away. Coincidentally, that restaurant 's jefe was seated at Guaica 's counter the afternoon I visited, waiting for several containers of carry-out, or maybe black beans for his own place. Is there a better recommendation than that?

Whilst these are not the best Arepas I have ever eaten they came a very very close second and are definitely worth seeking out. I nearly didn't find the place (it's in the basement of a mall) but glad I persavered. I had a vegan one with avocado and plantain on black beans and they added cheese for me lots of options to choose from. The dishes are quite big and come with some tasty sauces to add.

Food is tasty and well prepared. However the service quality makes it hard for me to recommend the place. Orders arrived separately for all the group, some mistakes with the ordered beverages, very slow attention in general, despite the place not being full of customers. The menu is only written in a blackboard outside, so be mindful of the food you are ordering, as the price might be different than the one you are expecting. TL;DR: food is nice, prices and service not that much.

Great little place to get some authentic Venezuelan food! Everything from the tequeños to the pabellon was great. It's small and gets crowded quick once it opens.