La Cabrera
J.A. Cabrera 5099 (corner of Thames), Palermo Viejo
[also has a second restaurant, La Cabrera Norte, down a block at J.A. Cabrera 5127]
La Cabrera: Buenos Aires steak at its finest
This review is going to be something of a first for me: a review pretty low on words, and high on pictures. Thing is, when it comes to talking about La Cabrera, words just can’t describe the ecstasy of enjoying one of their huge steaks or many other specialties. In this case, pictures seem to be the way forward, and so I’ll do my best to curb my verbose tendencies for today…
Happy drooling! 
Image credit: aprillynn77 at Flickr, because none of my pictures quite do La Cabrera justice like this one does [note: the rest of the pictures in this post are all mine, as are 99% of the rest found on this blog]
La Cabrera – Steak is the word
As you can see from the two nicely sized cuts of bife de chorizo (sirloin strip steak) shown directly above, La Cabrera is extremely generous with the size of their steaks. Yet it is not only the meat which arrives in large quantities here – every main course order is accompanied with their trademark array of many small, varied side dishes (at no extra cost), as can also be viewed in the photo above and another photo further down this post. These side dishes range from complimentary sauces (depending on what you have ordered), to couscous, mashed potato with mustard, tomatoes in sauce, calabaza (squash) puree, sweet pickled garlic, sundried tomatoes, guacamole, and so on, and on, and on…
In fact, the experience of a meal at La Cabrera can be almost paralyzing (and I’m not talking about being weighed down after eating too much here, although that could well apply too). There is so much choice, so many different flavors and options to go for, that it stops you in your tracks for a minute, stunned by the freedom of choice placed in front of you (how existential)! My advice if this happens to you… concentrate on the steak first. Speaking of steak…
This was a pretty fine specimen. In fact, this Ojo de Bife Napolitano (rib eye steak with plenty of ham, cheese and sundried tomatoes on top) would be way more than enough for one person, forgetting the side dishes. So just try a few of the flavors on offer from those cute little sideshows whenever this occurs to you, but don’t let that detract from the main event, which is always going to be the huge steak.
As I hinted at already, it is hard to describe just how good the steak is without resorting to pictures. Let me just say that it is delicious, succulent, perfectly cooked (if you ask for a punto – medium – you really do get it medium and not overcooked, etc) and very, very juicy. And all this seems to be true whatever steak you order there, be it bife de chorizo, ojo de bife or bife de lomo – the three cuts I have tried and loved at La Cabrera. Incidentally, the lomo steak I had there (a chunk of which is pictured in the top right photo at the start of this post) was ‘perfumed with rosemary’, which was a very interesting and tasty take on what for me is the king of Argentine steaks.
Even though I just ate lunch, I’m already hungry thinking about the steaks at La Cabrera.
La Cabrera – A House of Gluttony
And yet, despite the steak alone being more than enough to fill you up before you even think about the variety of side dishes, sometime you have to go even further into the dark realms of over-eating. La Cabrera will probably tempt you to do so [especially when someone else is footing the bill and encouraging you to do so! Thanks Gunter, and Peri ]
Last time I was there, we shared two starters between three people. The first was the following chorizo sausage:
Very nice indeed, thank you very much.
The second starter was even better, a goat’s cheese provolone (a type of cheese grilled on the Argentine parrilla) with sundried tomatoes. This was the best provolone I have tasted in Buenos Aires, and I have had quite a few. Plus, I’m not usually a fan of goat’s cheese, but it worked really well in this format (see top left picture at the head of this post).
Then we shared two main courses between the three of us (Ojo de Bife Napolitano and Bife de Lomo). This is about right – if you are having starters, then a main course each would be waaaaay too much at La Cabrera. In fact, if you are just eating the main course and nothing else, two dishes between three people should probably fill you all to satisfaction. And if you are a couple, one main course between two will probably do, although being a glutton myself I’d probably order a side of their fantastic wedge fries to go with that
Finally, we finished off the meal with a fantastic Sorbeto de Limon con Champagne (lemon sorbet with champagne). At this stage of the over-eating proceedings, having a dessert that you can drink through a straw is a very sensible idea. 
This dessert is also pictured in the group of pictures at the top of the post. Sluuurrrp…
By the way, this is what a house of gluttony looks like…
Stay well away from this place if you are on a diet.
And while you’re at it, slimmers would do well to avoid looking at more delicious steak photos from La Cabrera that were posted/linked by Matt Bites and Asado Argentina. Nice work, fellow gluttons and meat eaters!
La Cabrera, Palermo Viejo: The Verdict
- Service: (4/5) The service varies according to other reports, but for me it has generally been very good. Last time I was there without a reservation we happily waited in the nice outdoor seating area for almost an hour and were given three complimentary glasses of champagne during that time. Now that’s what I call good service!
- Food: (5/5) Up to now, my favorite place to eat steak in Buenos Aires. Massive cuts of meat, an amazing array of free side dishes, and everything tastes heavenly. Even if you don’t go for steak, dishes like their costillitas de cerdo (pork rib chops) are simply delicious too. They seem to do extremely well at all things carne.
- Atmosphere: (5/5) Again, I know some people complain about tables being too close together etc at La Cabrera, but I always find that kind of arrangement to add to a restaurant’s atmosphere. The outside tables are my favorite location to eat there – eating outside in nice surroundings (read a leafy, quaint, old Palermo Viejo street) really puts you in the holiday mood, which is good for me, because I can’t afford any holidays right now!
- Value: (4/5) Most of the main courses seem to be around 35 Argentine pesos, more or less. This seemed like a lot to me at first glance, but when you consider that the size of the steak means that one main course can be shared by two people, and all the side dishes that come along automatically, it suddenly becomes good value. A meal like this in Western Europe or the US would probably cost at least 5 times the amount as at La Cabrera.
Buenos Aires Argentina Guide Special Tip
Simply put, go to La Cabrera. That’s my tip. As you can see from my high ratings above, La Cabrera is my current favorite restaurant in Buenos Aires, and in fact, I can say with a certain amount of confidence that…
If you eat meat, I can pretty much guarantee you’ll be in heaven at La Cabrera.
June 5th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
you are sooo dead !
June 5th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Why, I don’t suppose you came across this by any chance, did you…
http://buenosaires.craigslist.org/trv/345717204.html
After having seen this…
http://buenosaires.craigslist.org/trv/340800231.html
…I couldn’t resist
I promise I won’t do it again!
June 6th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Hey Alan
Thats the best post I have read about the Nirvana of Steak venues La Cabrera.
To me this place personifies the best of Argentine steak combined with its best ingredients.
Their asparagus and avocado salad is sublime. Their proveleta is enough to visit alone and their bread basket is the best I have encountered here.
I have been here 40 times now and have walked away every time dreaming their steak.
To me a visit here is a must when in Buenos Aires.
June 6th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Pericles,
Thanks again to you and Malcolm for treating me to a meal at La Cabrera a while back. Those costillitas de cerdo we had were fantastic.
And as you say, La Cabrera really is a must visit for visitors to Buenos Aires looking for a shrine to great steak.
Cheers,
Alan
June 7th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Alan,
You are so right about La Cabrera. I was in Bs As a few weeks ago and was delighted with the quality of food and service. Jugoso is the way to go! I’m so glad I didn’t listen to some expats I met that din’t recommend the restaurant. Can’t wait to go back to Bs As and La Cabrera.
June 7th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Hi Carlos,
Glad you enjoyed La Cabrera and Buenos Aires in general, and thanks for your comment.
One great thing about ordering the steaks at La Cabrera, whether ordering jugoso or a punto, is the amount of juice that comes out of them… you can see that from the mess it leaves on the table after they take the wooden board the steak was sitting on away!
Ok, i’m hungry again…
Alan
June 12th, 2007 at 2:18 am
I visited BA a few weeks ago and I am so thankful that we were referred to La Cabrera. It was truly the best dinner that I have ever had in my entire life! No exageration. It’s such a pity that they don’t have a restaurant in North America. Definitely try the dessert flan! It is amazing.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:25 am
Well, the accolades just keep on coming!
Thanks for the comment Trish, glad you enjoyed La Cabrera as much as I did
Alan
June 25th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
Man, I wish I’d seen your site before my trip to BA a few months back. Would have made my trip much more enjoyable. Guess that just means I need to go back sometime.
Steve
June 26th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
Hi Steve,
Glad you made it over to my blog after I commented on yours… and yes, you’ll definitely have to come back now, and make sure that you try La Cabrera this time! [Oh, and no more Quilmes either, I'll show you to some decent places for beer if you like
]
Cheers,
Alan
August 27th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
Hi Alan, my wife and me are just about to arrive to Bs. As. for a week. Definitely, I will make it to La Cabrera. Thanks for your blog. It is truly helpful. Could you please mention those decent places for beers? I am a beer fan but not a Quilmes one so please, if you can provide me with that info I will appreciate it!! Thank you again for all the info. Best… from Lima – Peru.
August 27th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Hi Perucho,
Thanks for your nice words. A couple of places I like for beer in Buenos Aires are Antares in Palermo and Buller in Recoleta.
Have a great time in Buenos Aires, happy eating and drinking
Alan
August 28th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Hey, check this out:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=170517&id=504035810
I read your blog before going to BA and went twice – once with friends and a second time for the most decadent lunch I’ve ever had. Leave an hour for digestion – or if you’re in a hurry, a triple whisky will do the trick (and the bartenders are happy to oblige). Feliz morfando!
August 28th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
Sorry, that link probably won’t work – try this one instead:
http://upenn.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=170517&id=504035810&l=eff4f
October 30th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
My wife and I had dinner at La Cabrera on October 3, 2007 in Palermo Viejo and were very disappointed with the waiters. We started with the Chorizo Sausage which was excellent, and my wife had the Bife de Chorizo for her entree which was cooked a perfect medium rare and very flavorful. We soon realized that we ordered too much food and should have split some of the dishes like the Bife de Chorizo. So, my wife asked the waiter to wrap the steak in a to-go box. As we were sitting there digesting our meal my wife mentions to me that she sees one of the waiters eating her steak. I said it was probably untrue and that the waiter was probably finishing his steak from earlier in the night. Unbeknownst to me the next day when we opened our to-go package from the night before revealed scraps of various cuts of beef and not our Bife de Chorizo. I thought it might have been a mistake with someone else’ order but when I looked closer at the scraps I could see that these were indeed discarded trimmings of beef that no one in their right mind would want. Unfortunately we were not staying closer to the restaurant or I would have gone back just to throw the scraps at the window! So, while the food may be excellent at La Cabrera, be careful of the waiters, some of them are real scumbags!
March 17th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
The best steak we had the whole time in Argentina. Already recommending the restaurant to other friends that plan to visit next month.
June 25th, 2008 at 1:24 am
[...] Anywhere you go, whether it is (was) a hidden gem like La Cabrera in Palermo Viejo in Buenos Aires (review, review), or some random buffet, you’ll get awesome steak (at least my American standards). [...]
July 10th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
We arrived @9:30 without a reservation and asked how long a wait. “30 minutes” We went for a walk then drank a few glasses of champagne. At 11:00 pm, One of us asked why we were told 30 minutes. We could have gone elsewhere and come back tomorrow. Many excuses, but, the fact remains that there were still tables that were originally occupied at 8:30 that were still occupied at midnight by the same patrons.
We finally were seated at 11:30 pm. It was definitely not worth the wait and the lie.
Food was ok. Portions very large. There are hundreds of great restaurants in Buenos Aires; don’t lose your time waiting for this one.
July 11th, 2008 at 12:18 am
Hi Chris,
I’m not sure I would go as far as to say “don’t lose your time waiting for this one” about La Cabrera.
Granted they have become extremely popular over the last couple of years [I sometimes arrogantly wonder if it had something to do with my blog post
], and that seems to have caused them some growing pains. And of course some other people have raised some concerns about the staff and service.
However, to say that the food is just OK and not worth the wait flies in the face of the majority of opinions. OK, so they are only opinions, and you are offering one of those up too, but the large majority seem to go with the fact that despite all the other problems, the food at La Cabrera is above average, for Buenos Aires, and indeed compared to other major cities.
The truth is, I haven’t been to La Cabrera for a little while, mainly because I don’t eat out so much these days, so I don’t know the extent of the problems there with service and wait times. But I can offer some advice…
Try going for lunch, or earlier in the evening, say 8.30pm – I’m sure there will be less wait then. Or alternatively, if La Cabrera is full, try La Cabrera Norte just a block away down Cabrera street, which has the same menu and levels of quality.
Chris, perhaps with less waiting and annoyance you would have been more impressed with the food. Some psychological tests argue that the way we perceive food quality has more to do with state of mind, often caused by the environment we are in, than anything else. So maybe your longer wait than promised meant you were not able to give the food the evaluation it deserves… certainly a possibility.
Anyway, I guess it’s time I went back to La Cabrera again to see what’s up and report back. Looking at my photos on this post is already making me hungry…
Cheers,
Alan
July 11th, 2008 at 12:21 am
PS – The fact that the same patrons that arrived at 8.30pm were still there at midnight is normal in Buenos Aires. Very rarely is anyone rushed away from their table in this city, in cafes and restaurants, and I for one think that is one of the few good things about service in this city
It is not something that just happens at La Cabrera.
Thanks again for your comment… keep reading!
Alan
July 22nd, 2008 at 6:30 am
I must say that La Cabrera is the best steak place we’ve eaten at — we can’t wait to go back. We showed up at 8:30pm and they were already full. The doorman walked us down to their other restaurant and we were able to get a table there.
I have to mention that we got our first fake bill there — a $50; however, the management was very apologetic and exchanged it for us. Generally, people tell you to watch your change with cabbies, but it just goes to show that you can get counterfeits anywhere.
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:32 am
Thankfully, our retired American friends from New York City living in Palermo told us dinner at La Cabrera is a must.
Reservations are needed. We had a delicious tenderloin steak (lomo) dinner with a tray of La Cabrera’s side dishes — comes with your dinner. One order is enough for two. The wine selection is very good. The cost — very, very reasonable. Our waiter was fantastic. Great service, a little crowded indoors but perfecto. My wife, a Manhattan Chef gives La Cabrera 3-Stars. Michael Zullo, Upper East Side, New York City
March 18th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
I have not tried this place, but you should include: Las Nazarenas (presidents dined here), La Chacra, and La Estancia … all three not too far from micro-centro and all three have their own flavour while retaining some similarities. But they all serve a 1-lb steak, and parilla, and even veggies if you ask for them …. but this is a beef eating nation – una nacion de CARNE !
July 27th, 2009 at 8:57 am
I just don’t get it. We went last night and the experience was horrible. I’m treated much better at my corner parilla. I would never go back and I would never recommend La Cabrera to anyone. In fact in my 2.5 years in Buenos Aires it was by far my worst dining experience.
(Edit by Alan: The below section was added by Ben in an email to me when I asked him to clarify his experience a little further for the benefit of our readers – he gave permission for me to update his comment in this way. I can confirm that he is indeed a real person and not a competitor trying to slam La Cabrera)
In general the staff was very rude. I made reservation for 9pm. The guy on the phone was rude but that didn’t really bother me, I figured he was just in a hurry. I arrived at 9:05 and they yelled at me that I was very late and that they had given my table away. They told me they only hold tables for 5 minutes. I explained that it was 9:05 and if they hold tables for 5 minutes it should still be there. The went on to tell me that they were doing me a favor for giving me a reservation at 9pm anyway (which they didn’t tell me on the phone) and that they weren’t at all sorry that they didn’t have a table for us. They straight out said that they get so many people that we don’t matter. I left. I didn’t eat there and I never will.
For me no food is worth being treated like that. Its supposed to be the #1 restaurant in Argentina but I would assume part of that has to be maintaining customers.
I went with my family who is visiting from the states and they were all so excited to eat at La Cabrera, and so angry and disappointed after interacting with the staff.
Anyway, now I think I’m just venting. But I do think people should know this about the place. Had I known I certainly wouldn’t have put myself in that situation.
After thinking about it, it is definitely the worst, most embarrassing, and rudest restaurant experience I have ever had, and we didn’t even get to sit down.