Niño Gordo
Sandos and Vibes: Niño Gordo’s Neon Wonderland Hits Wynwood
Written by Eric Barton | Photos by Ruben Cabrera | May 15, 2025
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AUTHOR BIO: Eric Barton is editor of The Adventurist and a freelance journalist who splits his time between Asheville and Miami. He has reviewed restaurants for more than two decades. Email him here.
Niño Gordo, the Buenos Aires original that turned Argentine grilling into a technicolor spectacle of anime, red lights, and Asian street food, has officially landed in Miami. Its second location—and first outside Argentina—opened in May in Wynwood, where it seems almost genetically engineered to thrive.
This is not the kind of place that eases in quietly. Niño Gordo arrives like a parade at full volume, blending Japanese izakaya, Korean BBQ, and Argentine fire into something that doesn’t just defy category—it laughs at the idea of one.
Hamachi crudo
Chefs Germán Sitz and Pedro Peña launched the original in 2017, and it’s since earned a spot on Latin America’s 50 Best (#34), along with a cult following of diners who prefer their tasting menus loud, fast, and unapologetically risk-taking.
Katsu sando
Scallops
Wynwood, once a working-class warehouse district and now an open-air mural gallery with parking anxiety, is a fitting home for Niño Gordo’s maximalist ethos. The Miami space is larger than its Buenos Aires sibling, designed by Peña and Eduardo Suarez as a maze of rooms that unfold like a graphic novel. A massive mural by Argentine artist Ever Siempre greets diners upon entry, and the lighting—ominous, glowing, persistent—sets the tone before the first plate even hits the table.
Tiger prawn
A new addition in Miami is Dekotora, a cocktail bar tucked inside the restaurant and inspired by Japan’s highly decorated trucker culture. It’s part performance, part spectacle—rotating projection walls, semi-truck seating, oversized ice cubes carved tableside. The drink menu, crafted by bar consultant Christine Wiseman, leans into the drama: daiquiris with papaya salad cordial, red bean old fashioneds, and glowing highballs poured like they’re part of a magic trick.
Ribeye
The food doesn’t hold back either. The kitchen builds on the original’s Asian-Latin fusion, using local ingredients like Key West prawns and Florida produce. Dishes include squid-and-veal dumplings, cauliflower karaage with grapes and cashews, and a fried rice that reads like a manifesto: crab, bacon, bean sprouts, and no apologies. The famed Katsu Sando makes an appearance, as does a Peking-style duck with house-made crepes and bok choy.
“This isn’t a replica,” Sitz said. “We’re channeling the same spirit, but cooking for Miami.”
Mango rice
Niño Gordo doesn’t aim for subtle. It aims for impact. Each room, each drink, each bite is a deliberate jolt—a restaurant built for a city that doesn’t do half-measures.
Niño Gordo is now open at 112 NW 28th St in Miami. Dinner is served Wednesday to Sunday from 6 p.m. to midnight. Dekotora stays open until 1 a.m. Wednesday to Saturday. Reservations via OpenTable or 786-889-8093.
