El Portón is a traditional Uruguayan parrilla in the Cordón neighbourhood, a step up from the tourist-facing grill restaurants of the Mercado del Puerto in terms of authenticity and value. The beef here — prime Uruguayan cuts cooked over wood charcoal — is excellent, and the house specialities include offal (riñones, mollejas) that separate genuine parrilleros from the timid.
The room is simple and the crowd is local. Come for a long lunch rather than a quick meal. The morcilla (blood sausage) served with the starter basket of bread is one of the better examples in the city.