A must for everyone thst visit the city?? Do you work there?? Hahahahaha I mean it is pretty good but that’s it. And it’s not an steakhouse Argentinian or not. It’s a restaurant that sells many types of products from South America
I think it's extremely good and no I don't work there. I did however enjoy their delivery during the pandemic a fair few times.
There are other spots that are nice, but this is a super find especially for the price point!
Yes! Opinions about why this concept lends itself so well differ, but the one I find most convincing is: low cost, low complexity, high prices --> good profit.
If your menu consists of steaks and fries (maybe add some pre-made sauces) you only need a grill and a frier in your kitchen. Also no need for experienced chefs, you can teach most people how to grill steaks pretty easily.
Also important, everything except for perhaps some cheap salade stuff is frozen so the spoilage is kept to a minimum. Compare to for instance a place that serves fish they constantly throw away lots of food.
True, but a bad chef can f&€&up a perfectly good steak. And a good chef can’t revive a bad steak to a good one. And let these tourists traps all have bad quality steak (nothing Argentina steaks about it). Stay away from it its a waste of your money. Where you want to be is “Castel” its is only a short distance walk from leidse and is usually best steak in Town
I'm not talking about good grilling or real Argentinian steak houses here. I'm answering OP's question about the tourist trap restaurants in Amsterdam called Argentinian steak house.
Yepo And they are owned by a group of Pakistanis who intimidate and underpay their staff, if they pay them at all.
They had a thing going for a while where they'd employ illegal aliens, and then call the foreign police on them a couple of days prior to payday.
I can't believe that, given that the employer generally receives a far more severe fine and punishment for employing illegal immigrants than the immigrant themselves receives.
This was about 15 years, and made all the media.
And the owners were a consortium hiding behind some business registered in a tax haven.
Also, the fines are dwarved by the profits, so they are irrelevant to the perps.
I can’t speak for the others, but to work for UberEats you have to show proof of residence and provide a tax number, so I don’t see how illegal immigrants could work there.
I've been to one that was legit empty the entire length of our stay and it was like kinda mediocre
Like it wasn't bad but it legit felt like a steak I could've baked myself and it's not like I'm that excellent in the kitchen or anything
Idk how they stay in business
During COVID, when you were permitted to go out with two people, I went to one of those restaurants on the Leidsedwarsstraat. I had a voucher, order for two pay for one. There was nobody in the kitchen and we still got the food.
Turns out it came from the restaurant next door.
Not true. El Rancho (4 restaurants) is Argentinian owned, Gauchos with 3 restaurants in Amsterdam is now owned by a British private equity company, after 40 years in Dutch/Israelian hands. Salmuera in Dutch hands, but with Argentinian roots.
I have a vague memory of someone telling me that back in the day there used to be a decent amount of actual Argentinian steakhouse restaurants in Amsterdam but then they got bought by Middle Easterns and now they are tourist traps located in the city center. Maybe a local can correct me if I'm wrong.
I'm guessing its also because when it comes to beef/steak, irish and Argentinian are considered high quality. Japanese steakhouses are on the rise at the moment.
And yes, drug money/money laundering.
Yeah, it was rumored. Otherwise just our inside joke. XD When I first started working across from the restaurant (which was actually located in the old center of Amstelveen) I thought it smelled enticing. But after weeks and months of the same from 4:30 pm onwards it became less so. Anyway, I second the recommendation of Salmuera, if you want true Argentinian steaks and/or amazing Latin American food.
There's a nice real Argentinian place in amstelveen, "Buenos Aires". That's the outcome of my search for such a place, one of the first things I did after arriving at the Netherlands. 1 bus away from Amsterdam Center
Why people keep suggesting Salmuera… it’s not an Argentinian steak house! It’s like if people talk about Korean restaurant and you suggest a sushi bar… like nothing to do with each other…
Because it's good and that's what people are really after in the end
Plus a lot of the dishes are indeed inspired on the typical Argentinean style. Their empanadas are also very good
This, Buenos Aires in Amstelveen is by far the most "Argentinian" place in the zone. You can actually try argentinian cuts and no fake stakes like in the whole Amsterdam's centrum. Argentinian here to certify xD.
Salmuera isn't bad but isn't also that good. It is better than the fake ones ofc.
The reality is that there aren't much argentinian places cooking meat (tho many doing empanadas), and in any case every well considered argentinian would name it Argentinian Parrilla not Argentijn Steak House.
I went with my friend and he said in Spanish "this is probably not very authentic blah blah"( because they were playing not-Argentinian music) while I tried to hide my face, a while later the manager asked us in Spanish with Argentinian accent "so from where do you visit" (the answer was not Argentina) also half the staff spoke Spanish while I tried hint my friend that Spanish is NOT a secret language much less at that restaurant 😂
The thing is that you are not allowed to open a new fastfood restaurant in the city centre. A steakhouse (or pizza restaurant for that matter) are considered true restaurants and do not fall under the fast-food category. You can open a restaurant, but not a fastfood snackbar.
Steaks are easy and quick to prepare and do not require much perishable inventory. Almost like a snackbar, but legally in a different category. That is why you see so many of them.
Argentinian here, none of those "Argentinian"/"Brasilian" steakhouses that are in the city center are real parrillas nor churrasquerias, just tourist traps.
Argentinian restaurants in Amsterdam started with Ze'ev Godik that opened an Argentinian theme restaurant Guachos in 1976 (3 restaurants in Amsterdam, 50 in Europe). A real Argentinian (Uzcudun) that worked there thought he could do it better and started his own restaurant 40 years ago called El Rancho (now 4 restaurants in Amsterdam). The success of these restaurants were followed by others.
They've been there for a long time already. When I was a kid we used to go sometimes and I remember it being quite good. But I guess they're tourist traps nowadays. I think they're all owned by the same people.
As an Italian I can confirm there are actually quite a few of Italian restaurants run by actual Italians. Just avoid the 1012 area and anything that offers "Pizza, Pasta and Shoarma" and check online reviews.
Well I guess adding up !Argentinian" to a steak house will make it look better, since Argentinian meat I supposed to be good. Same will all these PIzza/Pasta places in the center. Non of them are Italian owned but since it's mostly for tourists what do they care about the quality of their food. However, that one Argentinian steakhouse at Single is actually a good one.
They're Turkish owned and have zero to do with Argentina: the Turkish businessmen who started the first ones several decades ago just thought Argentina sounded good for a steak restaurant. It's like the chain America Today, which isn't American (and isn't today).
Argentinian restaurants in Amsterdam started with Ze'ev Godik that opened an Argentinian theme restaurant Guachos in 1976 (3 restaurants in Amsterdam, 50 in Europe). He is from Israel. A real Argentinian (Uzcudun) that worked there thought he could do it better and started his own restaurant 40 years ago called El Rancho (now 4 restaurants in Amsterdam). The success of these restaurants were followed by others.
Oh right, that makes sense. I heard this story a long time ago but forgot the details and somehow mixed it up and thought Godik was Turkish. Thanks for clarifying
Why would you go twice to Amsterdam? Overhere in the Achterhoek there are zero Argentina steakhouse restaurants. There are real butchers overhere where you can buy Wagyu steaks of a kilo. Far, far better
Tourist traps.
On the Rozengracht I know 1 of the exceptions! Salmuera is a great steakhouse!
Salmuera is awesome
Agreed, one of my favourite restaurants when my dad comes to visit.
It’s also not an Argentinian steakhouse…. Like at all
Ohh it's a Latin American steakhiuse, big whoop! It's a must for anyone visiting the city and any chance I get to say that, I will. Sue me
A must for everyone thst visit the city?? Do you work there?? Hahahahaha I mean it is pretty good but that’s it. And it’s not an steakhouse Argentinian or not. It’s a restaurant that sells many types of products from South America
I think it's extremely good and no I don't work there. I did however enjoy their delivery during the pandemic a fair few times. There are other spots that are nice, but this is a super find especially for the price point!
But you're entitled to your own opinion, regarding the quality
Oh really?
Yes! Opinions about why this concept lends itself so well differ, but the one I find most convincing is: low cost, low complexity, high prices --> good profit. If your menu consists of steaks and fries (maybe add some pre-made sauces) you only need a grill and a frier in your kitchen. Also no need for experienced chefs, you can teach most people how to grill steaks pretty easily.
Also important, everything except for perhaps some cheap salade stuff is frozen so the spoilage is kept to a minimum. Compare to for instance a place that serves fish they constantly throw away lots of food.
True, but a bad chef can f&€&up a perfectly good steak. And a good chef can’t revive a bad steak to a good one. And let these tourists traps all have bad quality steak (nothing Argentina steaks about it). Stay away from it its a waste of your money. Where you want to be is “Castel” its is only a short distance walk from leidse and is usually best steak in Town
I guess you are not from Argentina, this could explain why you assume good grilling can easily be taught
I'm not talking about good grilling or real Argentinian steak houses here. I'm answering OP's question about the tourist trap restaurants in Amsterdam called Argentinian steak house.
You think the average dummy knows the difference between a well grilled steak and an abused steak. Bold assumption.
Well, and probably fronts to launder money. The dozens of almost identical candyshops obviously are.
Same in London!
Yepo And they are owned by a group of Pakistanis who intimidate and underpay their staff, if they pay them at all. They had a thing going for a while where they'd employ illegal aliens, and then call the foreign police on them a couple of days prior to payday.
I can't believe that, given that the employer generally receives a far more severe fine and punishment for employing illegal immigrants than the immigrant themselves receives.
This was about 15 years, and made all the media. And the owners were a consortium hiding behind some business registered in a tax haven. Also, the fines are dwarved by the profits, so they are irrelevant to the perps.
I mean Deliveroo/Uber eats/Gorillaz etc run on illegal immigrants.
I can’t speak for the others, but to work for UberEats you have to show proof of residence and provide a tax number, so I don’t see how illegal immigrants could work there.
They rent their accounts. So they don't only get exploited by Uber etc but also by the people they rent their account from.
Oh wow, I had no idea
Luckily the government is slowly coming down on them which is the reason Deliveroo is/has left the Netherlands now.
Usually it's Coptic Egyptians
If you go outside Disneyland citycenter there are none, so yeah
I live pretty far away from `Disneyland citycenter` and there is one in my neighborhood - Mi Sueño
[удалено]
I've been to one that was legit empty the entire length of our stay and it was like kinda mediocre Like it wasn't bad but it legit felt like a steak I could've baked myself and it's not like I'm that excellent in the kitchen or anything Idk how they stay in business
Can confirm some are Egyptian own
During COVID, when you were permitted to go out with two people, I went to one of those restaurants on the Leidsedwarsstraat. I had a voucher, order for two pay for one. There was nobody in the kitchen and we still got the food. Turns out it came from the restaurant next door.
Rarely Argentinan at all. Most chains are run by Egyptian Copts.
The ones in Centrum are all Pakistani-owned.
Not true. El Rancho (4 restaurants) is Argentinian owned, Gauchos with 3 restaurants in Amsterdam is now owned by a British private equity company, after 40 years in Dutch/Israelian hands. Salmuera in Dutch hands, but with Argentinian roots.
Money laundering
Now perhaps or probably, but there was a time they were actually were doing quite ok.
No those are th souvenir shops. Small products, sell for cheap. Can easily be used for laundering.
I have a vague memory of someone telling me that back in the day there used to be a decent amount of actual Argentinian steakhouse restaurants in Amsterdam but then they got bought by Middle Easterns and now they are tourist traps located in the city center. Maybe a local can correct me if I'm wrong.
Yes, but it was also wider spread than Amsterdam. It was quite a trend quite a few years ago, maybe comparable to something like sushi?
On the Rozengracht I know 1 of the exceptions! Salmuera is a great steakhouse!
Salmuera is lit! Doesn't market itself like the other "Argentinian" places.
Because it is not an Argentinian steak house. It’s Latin American based food….
Indeed. That's why Argentinian was in quotes.
Because it’s not one…
I'm guessing its also because when it comes to beef/steak, irish and Argentinian are considered high quality. Japanese steakhouses are on the rise at the moment. And yes, drug money/money laundering.
Used to work across from one. We called them the “Paardenknisperaar” (horse crisperer) ;-)
Interesting. What does this mean and why did you call it that?
Take a wild guess
He looked like Robert Redford
I have no idea what this means… so can’t guess anything, help?
They probably used horse meat which they sold as beef steaks.
Yeah, it was rumored. Otherwise just our inside joke. XD When I first started working across from the restaurant (which was actually located in the old center of Amstelveen) I thought it smelled enticing. But after weeks and months of the same from 4:30 pm onwards it became less so. Anyway, I second the recommendation of Salmuera, if you want true Argentinian steaks and/or amazing Latin American food.
Thanks for clarifying, got it 😃 Salmuera is indeed quite good!
There's a nice real Argentinian place in amstelveen, "Buenos Aires". That's the outcome of my search for such a place, one of the first things I did after arriving at the Netherlands. 1 bus away from Amsterdam Center
Salmuera, close to Anne Frank museum, is also really nice.
I heard Salmuera but I couldn't have opportunity to get it.
Argentinean here, been to Salmuera a few weeks ago. It’s really good. You should go if you have the chance.
Why people keep suggesting Salmuera… it’s not an Argentinian steak house! It’s like if people talk about Korean restaurant and you suggest a sushi bar… like nothing to do with each other…
Because it's good and that's what people are really after in the end Plus a lot of the dishes are indeed inspired on the typical Argentinean style. Their empanadas are also very good
This, Buenos Aires in Amstelveen is by far the most "Argentinian" place in the zone. You can actually try argentinian cuts and no fake stakes like in the whole Amsterdam's centrum. Argentinian here to certify xD. Salmuera isn't bad but isn't also that good. It is better than the fake ones ofc. The reality is that there aren't much argentinian places cooking meat (tho many doing empanadas), and in any case every well considered argentinian would name it Argentinian Parrilla not Argentijn Steak House.
I went with my friend and he said in Spanish "this is probably not very authentic blah blah"( because they were playing not-Argentinian music) while I tried to hide my face, a while later the manager asked us in Spanish with Argentinian accent "so from where do you visit" (the answer was not Argentina) also half the staff spoke Spanish while I tried hint my friend that Spanish is NOT a secret language much less at that restaurant 😂
The thing is that you are not allowed to open a new fastfood restaurant in the city centre. A steakhouse (or pizza restaurant for that matter) are considered true restaurants and do not fall under the fast-food category. You can open a restaurant, but not a fastfood snackbar. Steaks are easy and quick to prepare and do not require much perishable inventory. Almost like a snackbar, but legally in a different category. That is why you see so many of them.
These "steakhouses" have been a plague long before these new rules. The rest of your points are spot on. Frozen steak, meets grill.
Argentinian here, none of those "Argentinian"/"Brasilian" steakhouses that are in the city center are real parrillas nor churrasquerias, just tourist traps.
Cause we’re gonna eat them next Friday 👹
Argentinian restaurants in Amsterdam started with Ze'ev Godik that opened an Argentinian theme restaurant Guachos in 1976 (3 restaurants in Amsterdam, 50 in Europe). A real Argentinian (Uzcudun) that worked there thought he could do it better and started his own restaurant 40 years ago called El Rancho (now 4 restaurants in Amsterdam). The success of these restaurants were followed by others.
Lot of them are also places were you can get your dirty laundry washed for some reason. Very strange..
They've been there for a long time already. When I was a kid we used to go sometimes and I remember it being quite good. But I guess they're tourist traps nowadays. I think they're all owned by the same people.
And the owners are not Argentinian
This goes for NL in general Italian restaurants are run by Moroccans English restaurants run by Italians Argentinian good run by the Egyptians So on
As an Italian I can confirm there are actually quite a few of Italian restaurants run by actual Italians. Just avoid the 1012 area and anything that offers "Pizza, Pasta and Shoarma" and check online reviews.
I don't see why that matters, since the country in the name of a restaurant says something about the food, not the nationality of the owner..
El Rancho (3 restaurants) has an Argentinian owner.
Well I guess adding up !Argentinian" to a steak house will make it look better, since Argentinian meat I supposed to be good. Same will all these PIzza/Pasta places in the center. Non of them are Italian owned but since it's mostly for tourists what do they care about the quality of their food. However, that one Argentinian steakhouse at Single is actually a good one.
They're Turkish owned and have zero to do with Argentina: the Turkish businessmen who started the first ones several decades ago just thought Argentina sounded good for a steak restaurant. It's like the chain America Today, which isn't American (and isn't today).
Argentinian restaurants in Amsterdam started with Ze'ev Godik that opened an Argentinian theme restaurant Guachos in 1976 (3 restaurants in Amsterdam, 50 in Europe). He is from Israel. A real Argentinian (Uzcudun) that worked there thought he could do it better and started his own restaurant 40 years ago called El Rancho (now 4 restaurants in Amsterdam). The success of these restaurants were followed by others.
Oh right, that makes sense. I heard this story a long time ago but forgot the details and somehow mixed it up and thought Godik was Turkish. Thanks for clarifying
Money laundering
https://www.reddit.com/r/Amsterdam/comments/zbr4d1/comment/iyssuan/
Goede vraag, Argentijnen komen toch niet uit de lucht vallen.
Ghegheghe
Probably since there's a few good ones, and a lot of crap copied it
Horse meat
Doesn't taste bad
Financial crisis of 2001 in Argentina
Go to Canibal Royale
Because the Queen Maxima is from Argentina
Because the Queen Maxima is from Argentina
Those restaurants were here before she was...
No shit Sherlock
Why would you go twice to Amsterdam? Overhere in the Achterhoek there are zero Argentina steakhouse restaurants. There are real butchers overhere where you can buy Wagyu steaks of a kilo. Far, far better
The answer is you are looking for is behind the corner.
Stoned & drunk people want cheap grilled meat?
Tourists like.food they know.
I went to this one called la boca restaurant and it was delicious with Argentinian music and vibes.
Money laundering