El Patio Argentine Café - Rockville

Arrived during lunch. Service was okay, but I think our server was mainly shy. Most of the party got another drink on top of water, but otherwise the empty water glasses rarely got filled up. There was no béchamel sauce for the Canelones de Espinaca o de Carne, so an alternative sauce was provided. It was good but made the dish saltier than expected. I would recommend the pollo empanada, however the Espinaca empanada did not have much filling. We ordered 2 grilled vegetable kabobs to try and there were not good and I wouldn't recommend. There was an extreme lack of seasoning on them and the broccoli also tasted burnt. We also couldnt tell the difference between the small and large portion.

I keep coming to this place from Washington and hoping it will get better. Upon writing this review it still hasn't. I don't know who's in the kitchen but it's NOT an Argentine or Uruguayan. My chinchulines were like chewing gum. The empanadas had no flavour. My asado de tira was not too bad. My side order of fries was the best thing. If the owners are still Argentine they should not neglect their business. I will be taking a break from El Patio.

I 've been coming to this place for almost 10 years, and sad to say it 's gone downhill in terms of quality and service. My most recent visit featured a chicken soup and parrillada Buenos Aires. The chicken soup is the reason why this is a 3-star review and not 2-star. Flavorful, hearty, and lots of chunky chicken and vegetables. As far as the parrillada, the meat (NY Strip, short ribs, skirt steak) was ordered medium well, and it came completely over cooked and dry. It also tasted very bland. Thankfully the chimichurri is still good and added flavor. Unfortunately the service wasn 't any better. Upon walking in, on several occasions, the host stand tends to be empty, even though the restaurant is only about 30% full, and it 's a few minutes wait until someone shows up to seat you, which was the case this time. The irony is that often times there several staff towards the back of the restaurant/bar area, congregating, mingling, eating, doing menial tasks, etc. while it is evident that customers are waiting to get seated, need service, etc. My waiter checked up on me just once during my meal. When I was finishing up my food, with some food still on the plate, another staff came by and said I 'll take your plates now , without asking if she could or if I was done. To top it off, I waited several minutes for my check in plain view of my server while I watched her eat her dinner and count tips. I 've been a frequent customer because there are not many Argentinian options in the immediate area. Not sure if after today 's visit I 'll go back again.

We came to el Patio for lunch and it has a great vibe! The Empanadas were very tasty, and the service was good. Most of us in the group thought that our main courses were just okay (be sure to steer clear of the grilled vegetables, they were not tasty), but overall it was a positive experience. The prices are very good, and there is plenty of parking in front of the restaurant.

Pretty good Argentine place, fried steak was good, so were the sides. I would revisit and get something else the next time.