Steakhouses›Steakhouses in Buenos Aires›Parrilla Peña
Argentine parrilla · San Nicolás · Buenos Aires
Parrilla Peña
A charcoal parrilla in San Nicolás, opened in July 1983 by two waiters from Bachín, that still greets each table with a fried empanada.
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By Hugo Ledger · Steakpedia editorial voice · Who writes
Why go
In July 1983 two waiters from Bachín, a well-known grill at Sarmiento and Paraná in the Microcentro, lit a charcoal parrilla at Rodríguez Peña 682; the restaurant has not moved since, has never opened a second branch, and takes its name from the street. What it keeps is the routine of a neighborhood parrilla of that period: a bread basket with a free fried empanada, waiters in white jackets, a menu that runs from the grill to homemade pasta and milanesas. La Nación counted regulars spanning more than three generations in 2023, alongside visitors from Chile, Brazil, Spain, China, the United States and Ecuador.
What to order
Ojo de bife
Bife de chorizo
Entraña, asado, colita de cuadril
Not published: aging, breed, grade, price.
01What to order
- Ojo de bifeThe cut La Nación (2023) and Time Out (2025) single out; La Nación gives a portion of nearly 800 g / 28 oz.
- Bife de chorizoLa Nación also mentions it served with fideos con tuco and pesto.
- Entraña, asado, colita de cuadrilSkirt, short ribs and rump tail: the other cuts in La Nación's list.
- LomoThe tenderloin, which foreign guests favor, per the same article.
- Papas a caballo or a la provenzalFries topped with fried eggs, or with garlic and parsley; also puré, tortilla and roasted peppers.
- Flan mixtoWith dulce de leche and cream; there is also a homemade tiramisu.
02The beef
The sources describe the cuts but not the animal: no breed, feeding, estancia or aging is published, and Steakpedia does not supply what the press leaves out. What is on record is the portion, an ojo de bife of nearly 800 grams in 2023, and the range: ojo de bife, bife de chorizo, colita de cuadril, asado, entraña and lomo, with provoletas and chorizos alongside.
03The fire
The grill is a large charcoal parrilla near the entrance, kept alight almost twenty-four hours a day: in 2023 it was lit at 8:00, the coals were ready an hour later for lunch, and the evening service was prepared from 16:00. Three parrilleros worked it then, known as El Tronco, El Alto and El Paisa.
04The story
The founders were Ricardo Ramón Martínez, known in the house as Señor Martínez, and César Páez, who rented the premises when Bachín closed and left them both out of work; they began with seven small tables and a long bar facing the grill. Martínez died in 2018, aged 75. La Nación reported in 2023 that his nephews run it: Nicolás Spagnolo, who started in 1997 at seventeen as a dishwasher, and his older brother Hernán. A 2026 Clarín Gourmet piece says instead that the owner's children do. Steakpedia follows La Nación, the more detailed account.
05The practical
Rodríguez Peña 682, San Nicolás, about four blocks from the theaters of Avenida Corrientes. Closed on Sundays, per La Nación. In 2026 Clarín Gourmet put lunch at about ARS 30,000 per person. Instagram: @parrillitapena. Steakpedia found no published hours for the other days, so check before going.
- Address
- Rodríguez Peña 682, San Nicolás, Buenos Aires
- Phone
- +54 11 4371-5643
- Website
- instagram.com
- Directions
- Google Maps ↗
When did Parrilla Peña open?
Its grill was first lit in July 1983, by two former waiters of the Bachín restaurant, per La Nación.
What to order at Parrilla Peña?
The ojo de bife, which La Nación and Time Out single out; La Nación gives a portion of nearly 800 g / 28 oz.
Is Parrilla Peña open on Sundays?
No. La Nación (2023) says it is closed on Sundays.
How much does Parrilla Peña cost?
Clarín Gourmet (2026) put lunch at about ARS 30,000 per person.
06In Buenos Aires’s selections
07Sources
timeout.com · lanacion.com.ar · infogastronomica.com.ar · buenosaires.substack.com
Last verified Oct. 29, 2026.
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