El Palenque image

El Palenque

Restaurant Uruguayan restaurant

👍 One of many restaurants located in the "Mercado del Puerto". I think it has a nice atmosphere, sitting at the bar (they charge less cubierto here - $80 p.p.) and watching the master chef at the grill is like show cooking. For sure it's expensive! It's one of the most touristic places you can go as f... People often mention good, restaurant, Mercado, meat, cooked, service, steak,


Address

Pérez Castellano 1579, 11000 Montevideo, Departamento de Montevideo, Uruguay

Contact

+598 2917 0190

Price rating

$$$ $

Rating on Google Maps

4.10 (1.8K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Monday: (Family Day), 12 to 10:30 pm, Hours might differ
  • Tuesday: 12 to 10:30 pm
  • Wednesday: 12 to 10:30 pm
  • Thursday: 12 to 10:30 pm
  • Friday: 12 to 10:30 pm
  • Saturday: 12 to 6:30 pm
  • Sunday: 12 to 6:30 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: good (16) restaurant (8) Mercado (7) meat (7) cooked (7) service (7) steak (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 4/5 Fabian S. 5 years ago on Google
    One of many restaurants located in the "Mercado del Puerto". I think it has a nice atmosphere, sitting at the bar (they charge less cubierto here - $80 p.p.) and watching the master chef at the grill is like show cooking. For sure it's expensive! It's one of the most touristic places you can go as far as I know... Nevertheless they serve juicy & tasty meat. It depends where are you from and what price structure you are used from home if you think it's super expensive or fair for what they serve.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Eric L. 2 years ago on Google
    White asparagus with Parmesan cheese, shrimp with garlic. Juan Carrau Tennat wine. So very, very good
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Pedro S. 2 years ago on Google
    This is Mercado del Puerto. Palenque is the restaurante. The Mercado is a nice, touristic place to visit while strolling through Montevideo's Old City streets. Mainly to eat, has some shops inside and outside, to buy other goods / products. The restaurant is quite good for an Asado, table cooked. But ask for a special (DIY). The menu one is just fair. Reasonable price. A note: credit card payment discounts are VAT refund, not a restaurant courtesy.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Mikko Raatikainen (. 1 year ago on Google
    Formidable authentic Uruguayan beef restaurant in a classic market hall with the best Picanha ever. World class. Roasted to perfection on wood heated parrilla. Simple but perfect seasoning. Good and professional service. The only minus the lack of good vegetarian food. The paella was quite tasteless, I’m afraid. Strongly recommended.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Philip J. 1 year ago on Google
    Was there a couple month ago. By far, the best steak house in all of Montevideo. Service was impecable, ambiance vey inviting and atmosphere chill, but upscale. We had a great time..
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Patricia R. 1 year ago on Google
    It's totally worth the price to experience Mercado del Puerto at its best! Quality food and good old fashioned service while enjoying the pintoresque environment and rich local culture.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Karl B. 1 year ago on Google
    Great food, great atmosphere.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Andrew R. 1 year ago on Google
    Unfortunately the first steaks were over cooked, almost well done, despite seeing other customers with perfectly cooked steaks. The owner tried to push those steaks on us, but finally made us new ones cooked perfectly. Those steaks, along with the seafood paella were excellent, most servers fantastic, and the Argentina Malbec very good.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Crazy Tazmania B. 7 months ago on Google
    Very nice place located at the port area named " Mercado del Puerto", The place closes early during week days but stays open late during weekends. Sensational food and dishes, the attention was wonderful! Expect to pay around $100 American dollars for a well served dinner for 2 , but worth the money! Please use the private parking lots nearby,word off advice of a local!

  • 1/5 Eduardo D. 3 months ago on Google New
    It is the most touristic spot of the city. Everything is overpriced and not the best quality - at least not in this restaurant. I recommend to go there, have a walk and choose another parrilla in a different neighborhood. We ate much better for much less.

  • 5/5 Luna S. 6 months ago on Google
    Great food. And it’s beautiful to watch the rotating grill

  • 1/5 Andrew M. 3 months ago on Google New
    Skip this place. My steak was crunchy with too much salt, and they never even asked me how I wanted it cooked. The portions were also tiny, small handful of fries given to me. Has the rent costs gone up lately? To add insult to injury the service was non-existent. It was on a Monday at lunch with absolutely no one else around and the staff are acting like I am a huge inconvenience, I even speak Spanish so there was absolutely zero language divide. A lesson needs to be learnt in customer service and a bit of empathy. I’m not saving my hard earned money to travel half way around the world to be treated like an idiot and to pay for a Uruguayan steak that is soooo crunchy with salt that I can’t even taste the meat. Not once did anyone check in on me either. Please take this warning, go somewhere else nearby. I had Cabana Veronica’s (next door) the other day and that was spectacular. Service top notch and double the amount of food at higher quality and much higher service. Avoid El Palenque at all costs

  • 5/5 Pata Negra Q. 8 months ago on Google
    Very good food. Best so far in montevideo. Pretty expensive but good

  • 5/5 Bob M. 9 months ago on Google
    DON'T MISS THIS PLACE. What a pleasant surprise for our group. We were ending a cruise and this meal was the highlight of the entire trip for me. I am primarily a carnivore, and also a pig farmer in the U.S. Fantastic quality of meat and fish (and malbec). I have to go back sometime in my lifetime. The owner's son gave me a book on the history of the restaurant/area that was super informative.

  • 5/5 Papipupenta 10 months ago on Google
    When we went Mercado del Puerto, we had lunch there. It was good restaurant to eat meat and seafood. We ordered Baby Beef and Seafood Spaghetti. They served fast, so we stayed there less than 1 hour. It was good for us because we needed to leave early due to our flight time.

  • 5/5 Warren Paul H. 11 months ago on Google
    This is a great place for wonderful food and a pleasant dining experience. The food was delicious and service was excellent.

  • 5/5 Carol de Paula R. 10 months ago on Google
    First when I arrived, I wasn’t expecting much, but after my meat arrived, omg! And the chimichurri! OMG! Pure pleasure

  • 1/5 Daniel M. 1 year ago on Google
    They say that in Uruguay, when the meat is good, they applaud the roaster. Well, is not the case here... Expensive restaurant and bad food, in any corner near my house I can find a better barbecue. Disappointing, would not recommend and would not return.

  • 4/5 Diderot D. 1 year ago on Google
    A Uruguayan friend recommended El Palenque as a reference for good meat, and indeed we found good dishes. The menu has only basic information about the dishes, which made us order fries as a side dish, when it was already part of the dish... I also owe this failure to the waiter, who could have warned us, in addition to pushing a couvert with two small rolls small breads for almost US$10.

  • 4/5 Juan N. 1 year ago on Google
    Very good restaurant at the Mercado del puerto. The owner is on top of his business.......food is delicious.

  • 5/5 Hassan A. 6 years ago on Google
    Probably one of the best steak you can have in Montevideo. Their “Baby Beef” is a must try!

  • 5/5 Kristian M. 5 years ago on Google
    Brilliant. Food cooked over coals in a wonderful atmosphere. Steak cooked to perfection and very cheap compared to Western prices. Would highly recommend. Also wine (including house Tennat) is very good. 500g of steak, fries, two large glasses of wine and a starter came to 1200 / £27GBP

  • 1/5 Brandon L. 2 years ago on Google
    Aweful awful attention & service. Was not full house & had me waiting 40 min I did have a water & chorizo which I ate only half. I ended up canceling they didnt charge me for the water & chorizo but still unacceptable. I travel alot & this Is the first time I've experienced such a bad experience with a Restuarant. Bummer too becuase it's my first day In Uruguay.

  • 2/5 Patricio - GRUPO B. 1 year ago on Google
    Too much smoke, dishes are overpriced. Seafood pasta was not good. On the good hand, waiters are gentle and kind

  • 5/5 Rene G. 1 year ago on Google
    Very tasty lomo steak


Call +598 2917 0190 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Parking
    • ✓️ Free parking lot
    • ✓️ Plenty of parking
    • ✓️ Free of charge street parking
  • Payments
    • ✓️ Cheques
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Spirits
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Quick bite
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Healthy options
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Brunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
    • ✓️ Breakfast
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✓️ Takeaway
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating

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