A neighborhood parrilla that's refreshingly free of tourist gloss, La Guitarra has been grilling meat for locals since long before Palermo became fashionable. The dining room is functional bordering on spartan: linoleum floors, fluorescent lights, simple wooden tables. But the parrilla is tended by grill masters who've been doing this for thirty years, and the meat—while not the premium cuts you'll find at Don Julio—is properly cooked and generously portioned. The crowd is working-class families, construction crews on lunch break, and budget-conscious expats. The wine comes in soda bottles. The fries are hand-cut and fried crispy. It's meat and potatoes in the most literal, satisfying sense.
Location
Almagro, Buenos Aires
Insider Intel
The bife de chorizo or vacío, medium, with papas fritas. The morcilla (blood sausage) and chorizo are good if you're ordering the parrillada mixta for the table.
Lunch on weekdays when it's packed with neighborhood regulars. Dinner service is quieter. They close early by Buenos Aires standards—around 11pm.
Cash only. Don't expect English menus or polished service—this is a working parrilla, not a showpiece. The portions are huge; order conservatively. It's a 10-minute walk from the main Palermo action.