Buenos Aires Tip Sheet

[Marak5]

Jackson.

If the tip shit is for a newbie, it might be helpful to include the general protocol at the clubs. For instance, pay 35 pesos entrance. Find a girl you like. Must buy her a certain number of drinks to take her out. Negotiate a price etc. A lot of americans don't even know at first that you can take the girls out for sex, so the general process would be useful for them.

Also, the range of prices may be helpful. Such as, microcenter, pay anywhere from 125-275. Recoleta anywhere between 200-300. Affaire 175-200. Blacks 400-600 pesos, etc.

Chica D

[CO2]

I think El Alemán's idea of a general advice section is a great idea. Those are all excellent basic things to know.

As for restaurants, I'm going to add the third vote for Piegari in Recova, I think it is one of the best Steaks you can get in BA and is perfect for someone visiting alone. One side of the restaurant has a booth that runs the length and is a perfect place for an individual to have a great steak with a good view for people watching and not feel like a tool sitting alone at a table in the middle of the room (note: there are 2 Piegari's across the street from one another, I prefer the one that has a front patio) I would add Baez street in Las Canita. That one short street is all restaurants (2 dozen or so) and a few pubs. You can finds about any kind of food there from Sushi to pizza / pasta to steaks. You don't even need to tell the Taxi a cross street just Baez in Las Canitas. Plaza Serrano (Serrano and Honduras) in Palermo Viejo is similar, there are a dozen affordable restarants in that plaza to choose from. Both of these give someone the option of going to an "area" as opposed to a specific restaurant.

[El Aleman]

Hi Jackson,

You might want to add:

La Brigada - San Telmo, Estados Unidos something, I got the address at home.

Prima Fila - Recoleta, in the "Buenos Aires Design" mall - the only Italian that cooks pasta al dente.

Sinclair - see my post for the address.

Also, all the Restaurants in Recova, under the 9 de Julio bridge, are good (but expensive) I personally know El Mirasol, Piegari, Plaza Mayor, Sorrento and "Vitello e Dulce".

You might add some general eating advice: dinner not before 9:30, better 10, even later, and El Alemáns first rule of identifying good eating places: if it is packed with locals at 10 pm, it should be good.

Another tip I would include, for guys who are not only in BA for 3 days with the objective of banging as many chicas as possible during the limited time, but do it a little bit more relaxed: see a good Tango show. Esquina Carlos Gardel is highly recommended. Let Roxanna make the reservations. Not cheap, if you take the VIP seats on the balcony (the cheap ones are not recommended, you might find yourself wedged into a bus load of Japanese tourists, click, click, click. A great place to take a favorita.

Maybe some general advice:

Money: avoid the cambio's on the airport. Use your ATM card. Draw 990 instead of 1000 pesos. Use every opportunity to get change, Argentina is notoriosly short of coins and small bills - and you need them for taxi's and tips.

How to avoid getting identified as gringo without even opening your mouth: dress as close as the locals as possible. No shorts, no sneakers, no tee- or sweatshirts with US sports logo's.

Taxi: I consider them generally safe, but some tips: try to get one marked "radio taxi". Catch a cruising one, or even better one that just drops passengers. Avoid the ones conveniently standing in front of the clubs.

Telephone: Some advice how to rent a cellphone. And, once and forever, how to call an Argentinean cellphone from outside: 011 54 911 xxxx xxxx. 011 to be replaced by your country's international access code if that country happens not to be the U. S. 00 in most of Europe.

The hint, that every word of spanish you speak makes life much easier.

And some general advice on chica management and pricing: You are in macho country, so as the man you are supposed to take control. You set the terms, and they will be accepted as long as they are in the reasonable bracket. Expect to pay A$R 150. 300 for an hour to 2, the lower side for Microcentro and cafe girls, the higher in Recoleta except Affaire. Only exception Black. Dollars? What is that? A bit more for TLN. Never pay in advance. If a girl quotes you a ridiculous price, let her know that you know that it's ridiculous.

I think, this "beginner's guide" is a very good idea, it might be something to replace Moondog's great guide.

I hope I could contribute a few things,

El Alemán

[Amantelondres]

Restaurants: suggest adding the following.

Sucre - Palermo.

Gran Bar Danzon - Libertad and Santa Fe.

Piegari - recova.

Le sud - in Sofitel hotel.

El desnivel - san telmo at Defensa and Independencia (cheap, cheerful, buzzy and great meat)

The first four are more expensive but they get away from the usual bife joints.

What about adding Transitorios?

Horizonte - tres Sargentos near orleans.

Kansas - Talcahuano and Cordoba

[Jackson]

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Update - June 14, 2006.

Buenos Aires Tip Sheet now available for review.

Buenos Aires Tip Sheet

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Greetings everyone,

I have decided to develop a "Tip Sheet" for first-time visitors to Buenos Aires. The idea is to have a single page document in PDF format that answers the question I get asked several times a week: "I'm here for the first time for only a few days and I want to know where I should go and I don't have time to read the Forum."

The Tip Sheet is going to be a concise listing of some of the more popular clubs, privados and restaurants, grouped by area, with a few notes.

The Tip Sheet is not going to attempt to be a comprehensive list of every possible club, privado and restaurant in Buenos Aires. It is not going to pretend to rate every possible club, privado and restaurant in Buenos Aires, and it is not going to be a list of "the best", or the "most expensive", or the "cheapest" clubs, privados and restaurants in Buenos Aires.

With all that having been said, I've posted my preliminary list below for commentary and to solicit suggestions for additional places I may have overlooked. Specifically, I need some more restaurant suggestions (please, no obvious tourist places like Cabana las Lilas) and also more privados as they're not my thing so my list is not from my own personal experiences.

Regarding privado suggestions, please remember that this list is to be distributed to first time visitors to BA, so I'm not looking for the cheapest places with the ugliest girls. I'm looking for suggestions for the nicer places that one would feel would be appropriate to recommend to a first timer.

Please post your additional suggestions in the thread.

Thanks,

Jackson

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Buenos Aires Tip Sheet

Boliches Clubs with working chicas.
$$$$ Black - Recoleta - (Ayacucho & Alvear) Most expensive club in Buenos Aires.
$$$ Madahos - Recoleta - Azcuenaga 1908 My personal favorite.
$$$ Shampoo - Recoleta - Quintana Similar to Black with better prices.
$$$ Solid Gold - Recoleta - Azcuenaga 1924/26 Typically a large selection.
$$$ Affaire - Recoleta - Guido 1967 (near Junin) An interesting alternate club.
$$$ Nuevo Estilo - Barrio Norte - La Pampa 687 BA's only real strip club.
$$ Catto's - Microcenter - Suipacha 930 An Argentina tradition.
$$ Hook - Microcenter - Suipacha 936 Known for younger-looking chicas.
$$ Salome - Palermo - Cordoba 3401 An interesting alternate club.

Boliches Notes:
- All of the women in these clubs except club staff are working.
- These clubs control what girls work there.
- Entrance Fee: Typically $25-35 pesos - includes for 1st drink.
- Procedure: Walk in like the owner - ignore invitation to be seated - calmly survey room - select a seat - buy a drink - dust off house pig - ignore chicas attentions - reject walk-ups - look around - identify primary and secondary targets - make contact - make offer - specifiy requirements - negoiate.
- Typical price range $150-250 pesos per session. (higher for Black)
- Always negoiate in pesos, not dollars.
- Ladies Drinks are typically $25 to 60 pesos.
- There is rarely a drink purchase requirement to talk to a chick.
- There is always a drink purchase requirement to take a chick out.
- Typical bar fine: 1 drink for 1 hr, 2 drinks for 2 hrs, 3 drinks for no return.

Clubs
$$ Cocodrilo - Palermo - Gallo 1311 An after hours club - till 8am.
$$ New Port - Recoleta - Junin at Vicente Lopez Interesting mix of pros and amatures.

Club Notes:
- 98% of the women in these clubs are working.
- These clubs do not exercise any supervision over the working girls.
- Entrance Fee: Rare or Minimal
- Buy a drink, look around, make contact, make offer, negoiate.
- Typical price range $150-250 pesos per session.
- There are no "Ladies Drinks". This is a regular club.
- There is no drink purchase requirement to talk to a chick.
- There is no drink purchase requirement to take a chick out.

Private Apartments
Santa Fe 1707 Apt 3 - Recoleta
Guemes 3221 apt 2a
Maipu 359 5th fl apt 74-elevator4
Suipacha 921 6c
Larrea 1072 - AKA Cielo Prívate

Private Apartments Notes:
- Some are 24 hour, most are open business hours.
- Must pay in advance.
- Take out service is commonly available.
- Procedure: Ring bell - enter apartment - be seated in viewing room - Madame explains prices - chicas introduced one at a time - make selection - go to room - pay chica - she returns and fun begins.

Cafes
Cafe Orleans - Microcenter - Cordoba & San Martin Afternoons and early evenings.
Exedra - Microcenter - Cordoba & Carlos Pelligrini 11pm till late night.

Escort Websites
www.bairesgirls.com.ar
www.platynum.com.ar
www.escortsbaires.com
www.area-vip.com.ar

Escort Website Notes
- The photos are almost always photoshopped.
- There's a 2 point loss between the photos and the actual girl.
- Many ads are fronts for private apartments.
- Fake photos are common. Substitute chicas are common.
- Usual availability is noon to 8pm or later.
- Price: Between $150 and $250 pesos per session.

Restaurants
$$$$ Aquellos Años - Costanera Norte - Rafael Obligado & La Pampa Best steaks in BA.
$$$$ Piegari - Recova Also quite possibily the best steak in BA.
$$$ El Establo - Microcenter - Paraguay 489 Typical BA Grill.
$$$ Broccolinos - Microcenter - Cordoba 810 Good Italian food
$$ La Churrasquita - Microcenter - Ave Corrientes 1220 Good food and great service.
$$ El Alamo - Recoleta - 1175 Uruguay Renowned as an ex-pat watering hole.
$$ El Yugo - Recoleta - Ayacucho 1629 A typical Argentina parrilla experience.
$$ La Gran Taberna - Congreso - Combate de los Pozos 95 Authentic Spanish seafood & grill.

Restaurant Areas
Puerta Madera - Downtown - ?????????? - Former dock area with dozens of trendy places.
Las Canitas - Ave. Baez - A currently trendy neighborhood.
Costanera Norte - ???????????? - Area of large, stand alone restaurants.
Recova - Microcenter - ???????????? - Several high-class restaurants.

Restaurant Notes:
- No earlier than 9:30pm, after 10:00pm is better
- Tipping: 5% is a common, 10% is excellent, 15+% is stupid.
- A $2-$4 pesos per person "cuberito" (service fee) is common.
- A sirloin steak is called a "Bife de Chorizo".

Other Activities
City Tour with Roxanna
Tango show at the Gardel
Shopping on Florida Avenue
Casino at Puerto Madero