After a $7 million makeover, this Miami restaurant is now an Argentine steakhouse
For 25 years, Hereford Grill served Miami in the Ocean Bank Building at the intersection of LeJeune Road and Northwest Seventh Street in the Flagami neighborhood not far from the airport.
The large, 1960s-style steakhouse was decorated in wood, steeped in kitsch and boasted a lounge singer in the bar much longer than you might think (a 2000 Herald review warned diners to prepare themselves for hearing impassioned renditions of “Strangers in the Night” and “Besame Mucho”).
Like far too many local restaurants, Hereford Grill fell victim to the 2020 pandemic and closed. Now, five years later, after a $7 million renovation, it’s back with a new owners — and a modern look and sensibility.
Operated by Da Silva Hospitality, the group behind the Italian restaurant Zucca in Coral Gables, this incarnation of Hereford Grill features a contemporary Argentine steakhouse flair. Led by chef Alejandro Castro, the culinary team even traveled to Argentina to work with the well-known Argentine steakhouse Corte Comedor in Buenos Aires before opening.
But despite the new look and new menu, Hereford Grill still wants to honor its heritage, according to CEO Erasmo Da Silva.
“It’s a piece of Miami’s culinary heritage,” he said. “We’ve honored its legacy while reimagining it for today’s diner, with a renewed focus on quality, sustainability and bold, fire-drive flavors. We’re thrilled to welcome back fans of the original experience as well as new guests.”
Meat is still the focus of the menu, but before you get there, there’s a whole new round of starters to kick off the meal, from savory short rib croquettes and perfectly cooked beef empanadas to crudo and crispy tequenos, thatVenezuelan upgrade to the mozzarella stick. The bolder palates may prefer chargrilled sweetbreads with a chickpea puree.
Steaks are still the focus here, and they’re wet-aged, a process that tenderizes the meat and enhances its flavor by vacuum-sealing it in a plastic bag, refrigerating it and allowing it to age in its juices. The steaks, which are cooked over charcoal and wood fire, include American wagyu, certified Angus beef from suppliers like Niman Ranch; boneless ribeye, New York strip; filet and more.
You can also order different sauces as accompaniments (we’d recommend the black garlic miso butter, which could quite frankly be served as a shot at the bar, it’s that flavorful).
Also on the menu are a variety of sausages, from gourmet Argentine sausages to blood sausage to chorizo. You’ll also find braised short rib with a black garlic and thyme sauce, as well as pork chops, Faroe Island salmon, beef Milanesa and grilled branzino.
Sides include roasted sweet potato, grilled broccoli and a delicious dish of organic roasted carrots with garlic confit, yogurt, toasted hazelnuts and mint gremolata.
The restaurant is offering specials throughout the week. In addition to a weekday happy hour with two-for-one drinks, Tuesdays offer an all-day happy hour (and not just at the bar). On Thursday, vocalist Simon Lopez will perform, and there will be live music on Fridays as well. Maybe you’ll even hear “Besame Mucho” again.
Hereford Grill
Where: 782 NW 42nd Ave., Miami
Hours: Lunch noon-4 p.m. daily; dinner 5-10 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday; 5-11 p.m. Thursday-Saturday
More information: herefordgrill.com or 305-974-7455