'The World's Best Steakhouse' Is This Family-Run Buenos Aires Restaurant That's A Michelin-Star Winner

It was one of the most coveted restaurant reservations in Buenos Aires even before it won its first Michelin star in 2024, the first year the award system came to Argentina, and it's a worthy wait. Parrilla Don Julio, located in the Palermo neighborhood of Argentina's capital city, is an excellent, upscale representation of the parrillas: the ubiquitous Argentine steakhouses serving copious amounts of red beef and red wine, much of it sourced from Mendoza, Argentina's globally underrated wine region near the Andes Mountains. In 2024, the family-run spot won a coveted Michelin star as well as a green star for sustainability, and it was named the best restaurant in Latin America by The World's 50 Best. Also in 2024, Don Julio won the top spot of the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants list. With only 87 seats in the house, it's no wonder reservations are hard to nab, even three months out.

So, what is a parrilla? You'll see this word a lot in Argentina. Pronounced "pa-REE-ja," a parrilla is, simply, a grill. In the context of Buenos Aires, it's a special, unique-to-Argentina, wood-fired barbecue grill in which the metal grate is placed over a fire, and different types of wood create different types of char flavor. Only simple seasonings are used: salt, pepper, and maybe some garlic. In Argentina, parrilla is also the word for a steakhouse, either a casual street vendor or a higher-end, sit-down spot. Parrilla Don Julio, shortened to simply "Don Julio," is one such steakhouse, and it takes great pride in the way it uses old techniques to age and grill a variety of cuts to perfection.

Service at Don Julio is VIP, which explains why it's so sought after. There's a line for walk-ins, but a reservation is recommended. Check in with the host to receive complimentary sparkling wine and beef empanadas. Even with a reservation, you may have to wait for your table, so the champagne and empanada kicks things off merrily. At the table, steak knives gleam in branded Don Julio glory, a clever touch. Notables like Argentina's own soccer star Lionel Messi, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and actor Robert Pattinson have reportedly dined here.

Despite its acclaim, Don Julio is a family establishment with humble origins. Pablo Rivero started it in 1999 with help from his grandmother, a butcher, and his father, a cattle breeder, in the Palermo neighborhood, which was working class yet on the cusp of gentrification. Rivero wanted to combine the traditional Argentine grill with a fine wines program, educating others and elevating small vineyards. He became a sommelier, studying at the most prestigious schools and wineries, and hired Guido Tassi, aka the Meat Master, with an extensive knowledge of butchery. Rivero's commitment to quality caught on and started drawing people to the restaurant, despite the Argentine economy crash in 2001. Until recently, Rivero's mother kept the books and his father sourced product from around Argentina.

The beef and other items — including an Argentine-focused wine list of roughly 14,000 wines — are sourced meticulously from providers around the country. The steak and charcuterie come solely from grass-fed Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cattle, and the entirety of it is utilized. Vegetables are grown in the restaurant's own off-site organic gardens. Fat is drained off the grill, ensuring the meat has no distracting smoky flavor.

Known as the Europe of South America, Buenos Aires is a wildly underrated destination for a number of reasons. In Argentina, inflation is very high, which is bad news for Argentina but means the U.S. dollar goes further there, so you will get exceptionally more for your money than you would at most Michelin-rated steakhouses elsewhere in the world. According to Pablo Rivero in an interview with Visit Argentina, the most popular cut at Don Julio is the ribeye, but you can order any number of cuts here. Rivero told Decanter that the best part of the job is figuring out what beefs and wines to pair, according to anything from body language to seasons. Steaks start around 60,000 Argentine pesos, or around $50 per person, as of this writing. Bottles of red wine start at about $10.

There are fun elements to add to the experience, like when you order a "special bottle" from the cellar stash. When you're done drinking, the bottle goes on the wall, but not before you're asked to write a message on it. To The World's 50 Best, Rivero referred to them as "moments lived that are trapped here," a mantra for shared memories.

Don Julio is located at Guatemala 4691 (on the corner of Gurruchaga), Palermo Viejo, Buenos Aires. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. for lunch and 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. for dinner, daily. Reservations are highly recommended. If you can't snag a reservation, consider ordering some raw steaks from Don Julio's carnicería, which opened during the COVID-19 pandemic and is run by Rivero's sister, Yamila. You'll have to grill them yourself, but the quality will still reflect the Rivero family's commitment to excellence.