Parrilla · Palermo, Buenos Aires

Don Julio

Don Julio is a parrilla (Argentine grill restaurant) in Palermo Viejo, Buenos Aires, founded in 1998 or 1999 by Pablo Rivero and his family, which cooks grass-fed Argentine beef over wood and was ranked no. 1 in the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Also known as: Parrilla Don JulioLast reviewed 22 Oct 20267 sources

A corner in Palermo Viejo

Don Julio is an Argentine parrilla at the corner of Guatemala and Gurruchaga streets in Palermo Viejo, Buenos Aires. The restaurant gives its address as Guatemala 4699; Spanish-language Wikipedia gives 4691.

A parrilla is both the iron grill and, by extension, the restaurant built around it, where beef and offal are cooked over embers.

From Rosario to Palermo, 1998 or 1999

The founding year differs by source: Spanish-language Wikipedia gives 1998, while press reports give 1999. The restaurant was opened by Pablo Rivero, then about 20 years old, together with his family, after they moved to Buenos Aires from Rosario. It is named after Julio Cogorno, a friend of the family.

According to The World's 50 Best Restaurants, the Rivero family has a background as butchers and cattle herders, and Pablo Rivero is also a sommelier.

Heavy grass-fed steers

The restaurant serves grass-fed Argentine beef. It uses novillo pesado, heavy steers, rather than the younger and lighter animals sold in Argentina as ternera. Don Julio has researched meat maturation with CONICET, Argentina's national scientific research council; the number of days of aging is not published, and it is not documented whether the aging is dry or wet.

The restaurant also has a farm in Capilla del Señor, in Buenos Aires province, that supplies eggs, lamb, cheese and honey; it is not described as a source of beef.

Wood burned down to embers

Cooking is done on a wood-fired parrilla (parrilla a leña): wood is burned to embers, which are spread under the grill. The species of wood used has not been verified.

A menu built around the wood fire

Steakpedia has not verified a list of signature cuts or current prices for Don Julio. The menu is organized around beef cooked on the wood-fired parrilla.

First on the 101 Best Steak list, 2023–25

Don Julio was ranked no. 10 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2024 and 2025; Bloomberg Línea reported it at no. 19 in 2023. In Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants it was no. 1 in 2024 and no. 3 in 2025.

It was no. 1 in the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants in 2023, 2024 and 2025. In 2026 it became the first restaurant placed in the list's new "Hall of Fire", which removed it from the annual ranking.

The press reported that it received one Michelin star and a Michelin Green Star in the first Michelin Guide to Argentina, published in 2024.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

7

1. Parrilla Don Julio. Official website. www.parrilladonjulio.com
2. Wikipedia (español). "Don Julio (restaurante)." es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Julio_(restaurante)
3. The World's 50 Best Restaurants. "Don Julio." 50 Best Discovery. www.the50.com/discovery/Establishments/Argentina/Buenos-Aires/Don-Julio.html
4. Wikipedia. "World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_101_Best_Steak_Restaurants
5. Infobae. "Se revelaron las mejores parrillas del mundo." 27 March 2026. www.infobae.com/tendencias/2026/03/27/se-revelaron-las-mejores-parrillas-del-mundo-cuales-fueron-las-10-primeras-y-en-que-puestos-quedaron-las-argentinas
6. Bloomberg Línea. "Don Julio, entre los 20 mejores restaurantes del mundo según World's 50 Best." www.bloomberglinea.com/latinoamerica/argentina/don-julio-entre-los-20-mejores-restaurantes-del-mundo-segun-worlds-50-best
7. Michelin Guide. "Don Julio." guide.michelin.com/en/ciudad-autonoma-de-buenos-aires/buenos-aires_777009/restaurant/don-julio

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