San Telmo restaurant

Melbourne's benchmark Argentinian grill. smoky steaks and tartare in a buzzing laneway.

A buzzing, energetic laneway grill built around a central charcoal parrilla. warm and lively most nights, with reviewers noting it can get genuinely loud once the room fills up.

Central open parrilla (charcoal grill) visible from the dining room and kitchen-pass seating where diners watch chefs work, plus an extensive Argentinian-leaning wine list including Malbec by the glass.

Mixed from Argentinian-identifying reviewers: several note the entraña and vacío cuts, plus the side dishes, deviate from tradition ('it is an Argentinian inspired restaurant, not an Argentinean restaurant'), while most other diners praise the authentic charcoal flavour.

Reviewers frequently flag it as expensive, particularly drinks (one called a $25 caipirinha 'poor value'), but most agree the steak quality and portions justify the price for a special occasion.

Summary drafted with AI from public reviews.