5/5 stars
A lot of people don't know that "Che" is short for Cheese, a milk derivative Mr. Guevara fought hard to defend. It also so happens to be the secret ingredient in these empanada parties that Che! hosts in your mouth.
This longer-than-most OTR restaurant/bar is appropriately situated in between Vine St (Yuppie Foodie Avenue) and Main St (Hipster Grunge Block). And they've successfully "Bakersfielded" in between -- that is, found a balance between good food and fun bar, though with an intentionally divier feel. So while their Ruby Tuesday lampshades license you to spend less than in a Bakersfield, the Ruby Tuesday lampshades also license you to get drunker than in a Bakersfield.
This bluer collar ambience was honestly a pleasant surprise; the owner's other restaurant is in Hyde Park Square, where patrons ride in on horse carriages.
Here's what else you need to equip your lips with when selling your friends on giving this a visit:
1) Che's Butternut Squash soup is honestly one of the tastiest things my tastebuds have tasted since my Momma sailed me away. Glad the raft landed on the shores of this liquid paradise.
2) Out of the 3 Empanadas I tried, De Espinaca was my favorite. But it was also the first, and heat loss accounted heavily for taste loss. Imagine running across an Indiana Jones bridge with each plank falling away as you skip onwards - that's what eating these is like, so if you have time, order one at a time.
(FYI - I also tried Queso y Cebolla - was worried that "Cebolla" meant "horse," but luckily it's just "onion.")
Last was the Shrimp Scampi, which sounds and tasted like a discontinued Bagel Bite flavor.
All were fried and oily and lovely, like the kind of stall food you'd find at a Hispanic State Fair.
3) Music was on some Bob Marley Pandora station -- reggae while eating Argentinian food confused some, but I personally liked it. Just in case, they do have Touchtunes, which is bittersweet for people like me who spend more monthly on Touchtunes than groceries.
4) Holler@che.com for having daily drink/happy hour specials - Wed was $3 Jameson (Mon=$5 Malbecs, Tues=Industry night, Thurs=$4 drafts, Fri=$3 Fireball, Sat/Sun=$5 bloodys/$4 mimosas)
Also, holler@yourbackyard.com for having a great outdoor patio -- it feels like Kreuger's rooftop, and like Kreuger's, is sanitary-dive-bar busy.
5) They did bring out a Lentil soup by accident, to which the waitress reacted "it's amateur hour back there" and left it for keeps.
I got takeout the next day to test if the food was for real or all a dream; it's for real, but they messed up the order. Ok fine, and the outside of the box was oiled up, like sponge authorities in a Mariah Carey music video.
So yes, the staff is a little sloppier than Vine St, but they're also more fun. If you're looking for perfection, then I know you're not fun. So please don't fax me to hang out, like ever.
I'll be back, for sheezy believe me. Maybe even for a slumber party - I think I could be happy here from first snack to last call.