There are restaurants you visit because they are recommended, and there are restaurants that have become part of a city’s identity. Chichilo belongs firmly to the second category.
Located in the traditional Port of Mar del Plata, Chichilo has become one of the city’s best-known destinations for seafood, combining generous portions, traditional recipes and the unmistakable atmosphere of a classic Argentine port restaurant. CHICHILO
A Story That Began With the Sea
The story of Chichilo goes back to Antonio Di Leva, an Italian immigrant who arrived in Argentina in 1947 aboard the Campana. After working selling fish in Buenos Aires, he eventually settled in Mar del Plata, where his connection with the fishing industry would become the foundation of his future restaurant.
What began as a fish business evolved into a gastronomic institution. Chichilo first became known for selling fresh fish and, later, for introducing fried fish as a popular picada in the port. Over the decades, the business grew into the restaurant that generations of visitors now associate with Mar del Plata’s seafood tradition.
The family story continues today, with subsequent generations involved in maintaining the restaurant’s identity and reputation.
The Flavors of the Port
The philosophy is straightforward: good seafood, generous portions and traditional cooking.
Among the dishes that have made Chichilo famous are its rabas, paella, seafood casseroles, prawns, calamari and fresh fish. These are dishes designed to be shared and enjoyed without unnecessary sophistication—the kind of food that reflects the city’s fishing heritage.
The restaurant has also become particularly associated with its famous rabas, one of the classic foods visitors look for when exploring Mar del Plata’s port.
More Than a Restaurant
Part of Chichilo’s appeal comes from its location. The restaurant sits within the Port Commercial Center, surrounded by the activity and atmosphere that make this part of Mar del Plata so distinctive.
A visit to Chichilo can easily become part of a larger port experience: watching the fishing boats, discovering the waterfront, seeing the sea lions and then sitting down for a generous seafood lunch or dinner.
That combination of place, history and food is what makes the experience particularly interesting for visitors discovering Mar del Plata for the first time.
A Mar del Plata Classic
Over the years, Chichilo has welcomed generations of Argentines, as well as personalities from politics, entertainment and sport. Its reputation has extended well beyond the city, turning the restaurant into one of the gastronomic landmarks associated with the Mar del Plata experience.
For MDQTimes readers, Chichilo represents something particularly valuable: an authentic taste of the city rather than simply another restaurant recommendation.
If you want to understand Mar del Plata, don’t only walk along its beaches.
Go to the port. Watch the boats. Smell the sea. And sit down at Chichilo for a plate of seafood.
That is Mar del Plata at the table.
