Don Julio Parrilla - The Meal That Changed My Mind About Buenos Aires…read moreAfter spending a week in Buenos Aires, my hotel concierge had secured reservations at five of the city's hottest restaurants & trendy spots, Michelin-recognized destinations, and some of Argentina's highest-rated dining experiences. Unfortunately, the first two nights were disappointing. I started wondering if the legendary reputation of Argentine beef was simply an illusion. Perhaps the quality of the meat was exceptional, but the execution wasn't. Then came Don Julio. Our reservation was for 9:30 p.m. at one of the hardest restaurants in the city to book, and within minutes of arriving, every negative thought I'd had about dining in Buenos Aires disappeared. Guests waiting outside were welcomed with complimentary Prosecco and warm empanadas while tables were prepared. We stepped aside to take a few photos and struck up a conversation with a friendly couple from New Jersey. Like us, they admitted they hadn't been blown away by the city's food scene, until Don Julio. We were seated at a cozy table with a clear view of the chefs expertly preparing and carving beautiful cuts of beef. The atmosphere reminded me of Pastis in New York... classic, lively, elegant, yet relaxed, like a charming Parisian bistro. The Wine & Starters We began with a bottle of Balbo red wine, smooth and velvety without heavy tannins. Fresh bread arrived with rock salt, spicy olive tapenade, and a bright pico de gallo that was unforgettable. The menu was refreshingly simple: exceptional ingredients, no unnecessary theatrics. Endive & Shaved Walnut Salad - 30/10 I never expected an endive salad to be memorable, but this one was extraordinary. The leaves were buttery and tender, perfectly dressed, with shaved walnuts adding texture and balance. Midway through the meal, my boyfriend said, "Now this is a dish you can't replicate." I replied, "Challenge accepted." Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Jersey Butter - 10/10 As a self-proclaimed mashed potato connoisseur, I can honestly say these were among the best I've ever tasted silky, buttery, rich, and luxurious without feeling heavy. Grilled Cauliflower - 4/10 Well prepared, lightly charred, and served over a smooth purée, but after the incredible salad, it simply couldn't compete. The Star: Bone-In Ribeye for Two - 100/10 After several disappointing steaks earlier in our trip, we learned that ordering medium-rare in Argentina often resulted in something closer to medium-well. This time, my boyfriend ordered the steak rare with a charred crust, and our waiter understood perfectly. What arrived was one of the greatest steaks I've ever eaten: tender, juicy, perfectly pink, and incredibly flavorful. I've dined at some of the world's most celebrated steakhouses, and this ribeye belongs in that conversation. Halfway through dinner, I leaned over and whispered, "Has our entire trip to Argentina just changed because of this restaurant?" Three of our four dishes were phenomenal. This wasn't just the best meal of our trip--it may have been one of the best meals I've ever had. Dessert - 9/10 Skipping dessert was never an option. We ordered crêpes with dulce de leche, finished with a crisp brûléed top and served with rich Jersey milk ice cream. Our waiter also surprised us with a complimentary serving of dulce de leche cream, one of my favorite bites of the evening. Service - The service at Don Julio deserves a standing ovation. Our waiter was warm, knowledgeable, attentive, and incredibly professional. When I dropped my fork, another appeared instantly. Every time someone left the table, a fresh napkin awaited their return. Wine glasses never sat empty, and the maître d' checked in without ever interrupting the flow of the evening. Every detail was noticed. Nothing was overlooked. It's the kind of hospitality that makes you feel genuinely cared for rather than simply served. Final Thoughts Don Julio completely changed my opinion of Buenos Aires' dining scene. After several disappointing meals, this restaurant reminded me why Argentina has earned its world-famous culinary reputation. Outstanding food. Impeccable service. A warm, energetic atmosphere. An unforgettable experience from beginning to end. If you're planning a trip to Buenos Aires, make your reservation at Don Julio as early as possible. Trust me...it's worth every bit of the hype

One of the most well known parrillas in all of Argentina and currently maintains one Michelin star…read more It's quite busy and very hard to get a reservation. I check a couple weeks out for any night of the week and only was able to find outside tables online. I came here on a Wednesday night around 10:30 in hopes of getting it less busy than a weekend night. I only had to wait about 15 minutes and also got a free glass of champagne and a mini empanda. As I came in they offered me a tour of the wine cellar which was full of unique and old wines. They have a massive wine offering which I think is one of the things that helps them out on the Michelin guide. It's a classic steakhouse offering, probably best approached by sharing a few cuts with a table. But as I was here by myself I went for the tasting menu so I could try more things. They brought over some bread to start with chimichurri, as well as an odd amuse bouche of a single endive leaf with a pretty bland green sauce. The first course started off with a thinly slice of beef kinda like jerky meets prosciutto. Very flavorful and tender, loved it. Second course was a sausage that was incredibly juicy and exploding with flavor, one of the best sausages I've ever had. Then came a sweetbread course which I've never had before. It was very unctuous and rich, bit too heavy for my taste and sort of made me want to stop eating at this point. It came with a very basic salad with simple vinaigrette. The next two courses were a ribeye broken into two components, the eye and the rib cap. The eye came with another equally bland salad. The cap came with a table side preparation of a sweet potato which was honestly quite comical. Fine dining is known for beautiful table side prep, but scooping out the inside of a sweet potato and spooning over melted butter is amusingly basic. With no other seasoning here but salt it was again, very bland. Steak was fantastic and juicy, a bit on the rarer side than I would normally go for but I think this is never given the unique leaner quality of Argentine beef. Chimichurri was classic, oddly I was offered a spicy chimichurri half way through my meal which I preferred, unsure why it wasn't brought sooner. Bread courses were very standard, again nothing spectacular here. The sommelier helped me pick out a couple glasses of wine and was generally very helpful and attentive. The wine I had was solid but nothing crazy, elected for some of the cheaper choices since this was the most expensive meal I had in all of Argentina. Pumpkin ice cream was nice though oddly lacking in sweetness for a country that seems to take many things very sweet. Overall, this is such a classic and well known place that I felt it would be wrong not to check it out, yet I had heard there are better places at cheaper price points and I would now say that is very true. The beef quality here is fantastic and prepared well. Staff is attentive and helpful. But this really just doesn't present a fine dining experience as you might expect for a Michelin star. It feels like it fits more into the bib gourmand category. And at this price point it's really hard to feel like the price is justified. I dined at other places for way less including another Michelin star that was a true fine dining experience for a little over half the price. Much more courses with each element thoroughly thought out. The bland salads and side elements here don't detract away from the meat but they don't bring anything else to the table either. They feel like they exist to be a line item on a menu and nothing more. While I'm glad I got to try this place out, I likely wouldn't come back. There are less busy places with just as good of steaks for much lower the cost.

Fire. Smoke. Steel…read more No gimmicks. No unnecessary theatrics. Just cooks standing over open flame, moving with quiet confidence while the room watches the ritual unfold. Every plate carried the flavor of fire and patience. The steak was perfect. The vegetables weren't treated like an afterthought. Even the simplest bites had depth, texture, and soul. The kind of place where you lose track of time because you're too busy watching the kitchen work. Buenos Aires knows meat. FOGÓN reminds you it also understands restraint, hospitality, and craft. One of the best meals of our trip. Easy 5 stars.

We went with a group of 6 for the 11 course tasting menu, as recommended by our local travel…read moreagency. They open at 7:30p and have only one dinner seating, we arrived a few minutes beforehand and waited out front for the doors to open. Once inside, we were all seated at a bar style table, where you could watch the food being prepared. Each course had a wine pairing, and if you wanted more wine you simply set your glass on the higher edge and it was refilled. The 11 courses included a nice selection of started, several asada dishes and dessert. It was an experience and a show, while being delicious!

Easily our favorite restaurant in BA that we came here back to back days without reservations. Pro…read moretip - come here at 5pm to put your name down for their happy hour. You'll be seated at 6:30pm and your entire meal will be 40% off. Yes all food and drinks everyday. Isn't that wild?? We went with the mixed salad, ribeye, and house wine. Ribeye is perfectly cooked and served with a bunch of sides including mashed potato, roasted garlic, potato gratin, corn cheese, etc. Salad was very fresh and complements the fattiness of the steak well. Service can be a bit spotty as they're so busy but very worth it overall. Can't wait to be back!

La Cabrera is so well know around for having some great steak. The energy is lively, yet quaint,…read morewith trinkets all over the walls. The portions are quite large and accompanied by classic little sauces and side dishes that add onto the meal. The bife was cooked to perfection - juicy and teddy with a nice color on it. The service was great regardless of how busy it gets. And I have to say the complimentary liquors and sweets at the end are always a nice touch!

One of the Not-To-Miss spots in Buenos Aires! Great food made to perfection with an great wine…read moreselection. Great service that made good recommendations based on how/what ur looking for. The place is pretty small and reservations are highly recommended. Highly recommended!

One of the best meals during our trip: - fair, considerate…read moreand professional service - high quality well executed food - prices reasonable for the value There's a reason why this spot is jam packed all day. Highly recommend if you are a meat lover and even the veggies were magnificent.

Food was amazing. Everything we had here had such a fresh and flavorful taste. I wish I could've…read moretaken pictures but it's a higher end restaurant and I always get shy. But this place was very high quality. Service was top notch!! I love the vibe, very chic and cool.

A world class steakhouse. We came for the beef and wine both of which were excellent. The Luca…read moreMalbec was satiny with mild fruit. Absolutely delicious. The standard (not aged or Waygu) ribeye and NY strip were tender, flavorful and juicy. The sides were amazing. They had a thin sliced potato and provolone dish that was the best ever. Dessert was amazing and I wish I could describe the sweet flavor and texture. Amazing! Food 5 star. Service was on point and friendly. 5 star. The vibe is casual and a bit industrial. Upstairs and downstairs seating, both nice. 4.5 star. ~$150 USD or ~200k Argentina Pesos with tip. Value 5 star.

There are proably hundreds if not thousands of Parrillas here in Buenos Aires, and while many are…read morevery good, this is one of the better ones. The best part is that this is a locals restaurant, and it has such a great feel. The minute you walk inm you are welcomed by a friendly staff and led to a table, we chose upstairs and were quickly seated. Our waiter was friendly and jovial, and spoke great english. He recommended a Malbec, and then we ordered a bunch of food, which came quickly. As we dined, the placed filled up quickly, and looking around, there was not an empty table in the place- upstairs or down. The restaurnat has an Italian family feel, white table cloths and worn, but classy china. Plus the grill is amazing. Overall, this place is excellent, and a local friend who I dined with said he will be making this place one of his regular stops!

"Parrilla Peña" was the answer I got when querying hotel staff about a good, authentically…read moreArgentinian dinner spot. Nothing seemed more authentic than the big parrilla (grill) that greets you when you enter or the fact that the place doesn't open for dinner until 8pm. A meal in this clean, somewhat industrial-looking space begins with empanadas and chimichurri arriving automatically at your table thanks to the small "cubierto" (per person cover fee, not a tip, of about $2.50 per person). Given the late dining hour I resisted over-ordering, knowing that I didn't want to go to sleep stuffed to the brim. Rib-eye was my choice, along with wine and beer, with the whole thing coming in at a pre-tip price of $90,100ARS (about $63USD). It was a perfect meal that still filled me succinctly and as I left I couldn't help but feel for all those still waiting to enter the restaurant at around 10 p.m. Parrilla Peña proved to be a great and authentic choice for a solid parrilla experience. I went on to have similar meals for more money a couple more times while in Argentina but it was here that I thought the experience most authentic, being enjoyed more by locals and only a handful of in-the-know tourists such as myself.

Awesome spot. Great steaks, excellent wine cellar. Make the reservation! The complimentary vino…read morewhile you're in line was a nice treat too!

On his last visit to Buenos Aires Anthony Bourdain came to eat at Don Carlos with francis mallmann…read moreThe setup is unique, you show up, tell Don Carlos how hungry you are and then he feeds you whatever he thinks will be good for you (we were hungry). There is a menu but why order from the menu when you can have Don Carlos feed you whatever he feels you might like? This is the best part of this place, let Don Carlos feed you. I couldn't capture all of the dishes as they kept coming one after another, the meat was grilled to perfection, the baker took her time with every item that came from the oven and the charismatic Don Carlos kept us entertained the entire meal. Also our meal was only $38 (included a 2014 bottle of Malbec, approximately 10 dishes plus 3 desserts)

Wow . The food is amazing, the service is definitely Argentina style ( professional but they will…read morelet you be and let you enjoy) the ambiance though well lit versus romantic was confortable. They have a downstairs and a loft style upstairs.. would I recommend eating here ABSOLUTELY!! Tonight I had pasta but I'm coming back for the ribeye (another table had it and it looked so good and savory I almost asked them to share). Dessert I had tiramisu & cappuccino.. another great choice.. They're was definitely a great LGBTQ clientele and straight couples too.. the food was so good. I came back a second night and had Daniel as my waiter.... I had to get the ribeye because another Table was eating it and it looks so delicious and it was.!!

Calden del Soho is the perfect spot. It is clean and classy. The service is incredible. The menu…read morehas something for everyone. The prices are more than fair. The portions are huge! One of the few Parilla spots that offer salads, not just one type! Complimentary bread - came with three dips, the whole garlic is phenomenal. The bread basket comes with breadsticks, crackers and baguettes too. Mushrooms from our farm - the portabella mushrooms were stuffed with cheese and caju. It came with nine mushrooms and the server sliced one in half so me and my husband would get equal shares. Big Ravioli - shrimp and salmon stuffed raviolis with Genovese cheese. The shrimp and salmon seemed fresh and actual meat. It didn't seem like canned shrimp or salmon. The sauce was composed and creamy. As far as the meat orders go - you can order a full serving or half serving which is a great option to have!

Chori happened to be close to our hotel so headed over for an early dinner on Thursday around 6:30…read more The place was empty but right before ordering noticed "reserved" signs were being placed on the tables. Turned out a couple of Food tours were arriving soon. Lucky we were ordering takeaway. Smaller spot with just about an equal amount of in/outdoor seating. We ordered a couple of the Guest Chori's-The Juan Pedro Caballero (pork) and the Carneceria (beef). Juan Pedro had tortilla chips and peppers and the pork chorizo sausage was saltier than the beef. We ordered a Chimichurri sauce on the side and enjoyed it. We liked the Pork more than the Beef-just was more flavorful. The Bread was thick, soft and held up to the Choripan and condiments well. Potato salad with al dente potatoes was tasty. They also have beer and cocktails so ordered a Gin and Tonic while we waited for our order. Friendly people behind the counter. Food was ready in about 15 minutes. That said, I can see they could get busy and have longer wait times. Make this stop for local grilled sausage deliciousness.

Chori was located in Recoleta and was painted bright yellow and hard to miss…read more They had inside counter level seating and some outdoor tables. They served mostly chori and one morci (blood) sausage sandwiches but with a twist with their toppings. You could get just the sandwich or combine with side and drink. I picked the Invitado Juan Pedro Caballero and the cashier hesitated before entering the order as she wanted me to know it was picante. I assured her it was not a problem and then paid with my credit card. After a short wait, they called my name and I picked up my choripan. it was quite the handful filled with layers of roasted peppers, tortilla chips, onions and lettuce. The tortilla chips were stale but overall I liked the flavors especially with the heat from the peppers and chipotle mayo. It was a nice twist on the popular choripan.

Great service Great food…read moreGreat atmosphere Prices could be a little lower but not crazy expensive

We had just arrived in Buenos Aires and wanted to try La parilla, a grilled steak place near our…read morehotel. This place was recommended from chat gpt. It was exactly what we wanted. Extremely nice and attentive staff who recommended dishes, explained things and was patient with us. We had a half order of beef ribs, my strip and filet for the 4 of us. We could have done without the filet bc it was a lot of food. Also, the fillet we ordered medium and the other two medium rare. They tasted much better so I'd recommend the medium rare. We also shared chicken, beef and corn empanadas. They were delicious and flavorful, and the dough was light and flaky, not too heavy. We also shared a salad, which was the basic salad of arugula, Parmesan cheese and olive oil. They bring out bread, Chimichurri sauce, salsa and hot peppers. Had the small rutini wine which was great. If you're looking for a reasonably priced place to try parilla in Buenos Aires, I would recommend this place