West Village now has a serious new glow courtesy of Graciela, the first U.S. restaurant from Buenos Aires restaurateur Pablo Rivero, which opened Tuesday. The 120-seat Argentine tavern has taken over the corner of Greenwich Avenue and Bank Street and is organized around a live-fire heart: a custom parrilla and a Josper oven that stretch along the dining room. Rivero has relocated members of his Don Julio team, including his longtime grill master and front-of-house staff, to launch the project. It is his first operation outside Argentina.
As reported by Time Out, the main attraction is a custom Argentine parrilla paired with a Spanish Josper oven that together span more than 10 feet along one side of the room, fueled by imported quebracho blanco charcoal from Argentina. The space, designed by Home Studios, aims for an old-world tavern vibe while keeping the flames fully on display. For now, the team is concentrating on dinner reservations as they settle into the room.
Grill and the team
Grub Street notes that the parrilla runs at least 12 feet long, was fabricated by Grillworks, and includes adjustable cooking surfaces and a 21-inch firebox, dimensions the Saper brothers suggest might make it the largest grill in the city. Rivero has moved about half a dozen staffers from Buenos Aires, including Don Julio grill master Nicolás Stadnitchi and El Preferido's Victoria DeGiorgio, and brought on Jason Pfeifer as culinary director after his work at Per Se, Gramercy Tavern and Maialino. Rivero told the magazine that "the unique star of asado is the parrillero," underscoring the focus on visible, grill-led hospitality.
Menu and what to order
The menu lines up classic asado cuts like ojo de bife (ribeye), entraña (skirt steak) and asado de tira (short ribs) alongside bodegón-style comfort dishes such as New York strip milanesa, osso buco empanadas and fainá, plus grilled branzino and roasted vegetables. Dessert leans on housemade gelato in flavors including dulce de leche and pistachio. According to Time Out, the cooking is deliberately straightforward, with long, steady heat and the smoke from the quebracho charcoal doing much of the seasoning work.
How they're sourcing the beef
To get the beef Rivero was looking for, the team built a two-track sourcing system that combines imported Argentine cuts with U.S. programs tailored to his requirements, working with domestic producers to scale supply and keep quality aligned, according to Fine Dining Lovers. Broader trade changes this year, including a significant increase in Argentina's tariff-free beef quota, have also opened up supply channels for projects like Graciela, Buenos Aires Times reports.
Practical details
Graciela sits at 81 Greenwich Ave at Bank Street in the West Village and is currently accepting dinner reservations. Posted hours on the restaurant's site list Monday–Wednesday 5–10 p.m. and Thursday–Saturday 5–11 p.m. For address, hours and bookings, see the restaurant's website at Graciela. The team also plans to open a vaulted cellar space beneath the dining room later this year for special menus and private experiences.
In a city already thick with steakhouses, Graciela is aiming to slip Argentina's asado tradition into a neighborhood-style bodegón rather than a splashy trophy destination. Whether it turns into a regulars' hangout or a hard-to-snag booking is still up in the air, but for now the West Village has a very large grill for locals to keep an eye on.
