The barbecue is a quintessentially Argentine ritual, synonymous with generous amounts of delicious grilled meat, great red wine and time spent after dinner chatting with friends and family.
Here we run down the five best barbecue restaurants in Buenos Aires that every traveler needs to know about.
As always, check for travel guidelines and closures before planning your trip.
La Brigada
La Brigada opened its doors in 1992 in the neighborhood of San Telmo, one of the oldest and most picturesque in the city. The walls are covered with soccer memorabilia, and the sheer pleasure that comes from seeing how the waiter cuts the meat with a spoon to show how it’s cooked (something that surprised even Anthony Bourdain), makes it an obligatory stop when visiting the neighborhood.
Not sure what to order? We recommend trying the entraña (skirt steak), special house cuts and, if you want to try something a little different, morcilla (blood sausage) and chinchulines trenzados de chivito (braided kid intestine).
Don Julio
In 2018, Don Julio ranked 55th on a list of the best restaurants in the world, and was voted the sixth best restaurant in Latin America.
Located in a 19th century mansion in the neighborhood of Palermo, this barbecue restaurant stands out for the quality of its service, excellent wine cellar and, of course, its cuts of Aberdeen Angus and Hereford beef, stored in a climate-controlled refrigerator for at least 21 days until perfectly matured.
We recommend you order the rump (cuadril) and skirt (entraña) steaks, while the sweetbreads (mollejas) and barbecued sausages (salchicha parrillera) are also a must. Ask the wait staff to recommend a good Malbec to complete the experience.
La Cabrera
La Cabrera opened in 2001, on the corner of Cabrera and Thames, in a former furniture store. Over the years, it has become a successful export, with locations in Latin America and Asia.
Don’t miss the Wagyu ribeye and sirloin steaks served here. There’s no need to order sides, since the cuts of meat include a series of casseroles made with seasonal ingredients that keep coming until the diner says they’ve had enough. For those looking for something a little different, if it’s available on the day we recommend ordering the pestaña de ojo de bife (ribeye cap) and the ruso bife, a little-known cut that comes from the cow’s foreleg.
If you like to dine early, take advantage of happy hour from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and get a 30% discount. No need to make a reservation, just get there before 7:15 p.m.
Cabaña Las Lilas
Cabaña Las Lilas started off as a prime quality meat producer, and with the idea of taking the field to the plate, opened a restaurant under the same name, which became an instant classic for locals and tourists alike. The restaurant has a wonderful view of the Puerto Madero, and an excellent wine list that has been recognized year after year by American magazine Wine Spectator as one of the most outstanding in the world.
We recommend trying the tomahawk (costilla de ojo de bife), a relatively new cut in Argentina but very popular in the United States, as well as the sirloin (bife de chorizo) and tenderloin (lomo).
La Carnicería
Relatively new on the scene, this barbecue restaurant in the neighborhood of Palermo opened in 2014, and stands out from the crowd for its design and originality, as well as its grilled and smoked cuts of non-traditional meats, such as wild boar.
The place is small and works in time slots, so we suggest you book for the last dinner sitting to enjoy some leisurely after-dinner table talk in true Buenos Aires style.
We recommend ordering several sides and starters to share, particularly those with a Peruvian twist. The sweetbreads with molasses (mollejas con miel de caña) and smoked short ribs (tira ancha de asado ahumada) are must-orders, alongside classic cuts such as the sirloin steak and blood sausage.
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