Head-to-Head · Buenos Aires

Aramburu vs Don Julio

Aramburu is Argentina's two-star, 18-course tasting; Don Julio its one-star parrilla, the world's most-feted. Book the parrilla first, tasting to splurge.

Aramburu

Recoleta · Contemporary Argentine · 2 Michelin stars · Food 10 / Room 9 / Value 8

Aramburu full review →

Don Julio

Palermo · Argentine parrilla · 1 Michelin star + Green Star · Food 10 / Room 9 / Value 8

Don Julio full review →

The Verdict

Aramburu is the most decorated tasting menu in Argentina. Gonzalo Aramburu has cooked here since 2007, and the room — reached through the Pasaje del Correo in Recoleta — holds two Michelin stars, the only two-star table in the country since the inaugural Argentina guide. The format is a single surprise menu of roughly 18 courses built on native ingredients, with the seasonal menu around ARS 360,000 and pairings climbing on top. It scores 10 for food, 9 for the room and 8 for value.

Don Julio is the other kind of Argentine benchmark: the parrilla raised to an art. Pablo Rivero's Palermo steakhouse holds one Michelin star and a Green Star, was named the best restaurant in Latin America by The World's 50 Best in 2020 and sat tenth in the world in 2024, and it dry-ages its own beef from the restaurant's own farm. The wood-fire grill, the 60,000-bottle cellar and a bife de chorizo are the order. It scores 10 for food, 9 for the room and 8 for value.

The decision is format, not class. Aramburu is a long, seated tasting you plan an evening around; Don Julio is the live-fire, wine-soaked steak lunch or dinner that defines the city. One is haute cuisine, the other the platonic asado.

Scores, Side by Side

Score	Aramburu	Don Julio
Food	10 / 10	10 / 10
Atmosphere	9 / 10	9 / 10
Value	8 / 10	8 / 10

Which One for Which Occasion

Occasion	Editorial Pick
A special-occasion tasting	AramburuTwo stars and an 18-course menu of native Argentine ingredients make it the city's milestone-dinner room.
The essential Buenos Aires meal	Don JulioLive-fire parrilla, house-aged beef and a vast Malbec list are the meal every visitor should eat once.
A long, leisurely lunch	Don JulioThe Palermo room and a bottle from the 60,000-strong cellar suit an unhurried afternoon over steak.
Adventurous fine dining	AramburuA single surprise menu of around 18 courses rewards diners who want to hand the kitchen the wheel.
A group of friends	Don JulioShared cuts off the grill and a buzzing parrilla are far more sociable than a fixed tasting counter.

Price and How to Book

The split is tasting versus parrilla. Aramburu seats few, runs one surprise menu around ARS 360,000, and is the country's only two-star; the full picture is in the Aramburu review. Don Julio takes fast-vanishing online bookings for its one-star Palermo grill and ages its own beef in-house; the detail sits in the Don Julio review. Both anchor our Buenos Aires dining guide.

For cuisine context, weigh Aramburu against the best tasting menus worldwide and Don Julio against the best steakhouses worldwide. For occasion fit, line them up with our picks for an anniversary and a team dinner. More Buenos Aires match-ups sit on the compare index, including Aramburu vs Chila and Don Julio vs La Cabrera.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Aramburu or Don Julio?

They are different meals at the same high level. Aramburu is Argentina's only two-Michelin-star restaurant, Gonzalo Aramburu's roughly 18-course tasting of native ingredients in Recoleta, the choice for a formal milestone. Don Julio is the one-star Palermo parrilla, named Latin America's best restaurant in 2020 and tenth in the world in 2024, and the definitive Argentine steak experience. Book Don Julio for the essential city meal and Aramburu when you want a long tasting menu.

How much do Aramburu and Don Julio cost?

Aramburu is the fixed splurge: the seasonal tasting menu runs around ARS 360,000 a head, with wine pairings from roughly ARS 240,000 on top. Don Julio is a la carte and more elastic, where a shared cut, sides and a bottle of Malbec can land anywhere from a moderate to a generous spend depending on the beef and the wine. Aramburu is the bigger set price; Don Julio scales with how you order.

How hard is it to book each one?

Both are among the hardest tables in Buenos Aires. Aramburu seats few and runs one surprise menu a night, so book well ahead through the restaurant. Don Julio is famously in demand: it takes online reservations that disappear quickly, and walk-ins traditionally wait with a glass of sparkling on the pavement, so reserve as far out as you can, especially for dinner. Plan around both with the Buenos Aires dining guide.

What should I order at Aramburu and Don Julio?

At Aramburu there is no choice to make: Gonzalo Aramburu sets a single surprise tasting of around 18 courses, so the only decision is the wine pairing. At Don Julio the order is a classic Argentine cut, the bife de chorizo or ojo de bife from house-aged, farm-raised beef, with provoleta and a Malbec from the cellar. See both in our Buenos Aires dining guide.