If you’re in the mood for a fun, casual night out in Wynwood, Nino Gordo is worth considering. Located at 112 NW 28th Street, next door to Pasta, it sits on a stretch of Wynwood that was once fairly deserted but is now beginning to buzz, with newcomers like Pari Pari and the Argentine import Presidente Bar, an upscale bar recognized on the World’s 50 Best Bars list.
Nino Gordo itself appears on the World’s 50 Best Latin American Restaurants list, though having not visited the Buenos Aires original, I’m not convinced this Miami outpost is destined for the same accolades. On the night we dined, the room was surprisingly quiet.
From the moment you walk in, the restaurant leans hard into sensory overload. The lighting is dim and red, fish tanks glow in jewel tones, and the walls are covered in kitschy wallpaper featuring babies and koi fish. Red lanterns blanket the ceiling, the music is loud, and the open kitchen is lined with colorful plastic toys, cartoon and anime characters perched above old-school diner stools facing the cooks. In the back, a cigarette machine doubles as the entrance to a private, after-hours “den” or bar. It’s theatrical, chaotic, and unapologetically maximalist.
The music, while loud, is well-curated, featuring a heavy dose of nostalgic tracks that perfectly fit the vibe. The menu is small, so picky eaters may want to look elsewhere. Dishes include shrimp and pork dumplings, hardly delicate but boldly plated and visually playful. The hamachi crudo was quite good, and a cauliflower take on chicken karaage was a clever surprise. I remember reading a review that claimed the food lacked flavor, but I disagree; the flavors were bright, if not outright bold. We also tried the pork sando, which was interesting and very much in keeping with the restaurant’s anything-but-subtle approach.
This is not minimalism. Everything here is turned up a notch. You’re not coming for fine dining; you’re coming for the experience. The cocktails follow suit, playful and inventive, with options like a yuzu martini and a miso-infused Old Fashioned, all sporting clever names. Overall, the menu feels like Asian-inspired techniques filtered through a high-energy, almost cartoonish lens.
Nino Gordo is open for dinner only and closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Come with an open mind, an appetite for bold flavors, and an appreciation for spectacle over subtlety.
Happy dining,
Shanea
02/05/2026
