Maradona-inspired Argentine steakhouse coming to Coconut Grove

The hungry yet uninitiated may enter the new 1986 Steak House, glance around and wonder whose likeness that is on the wall.

Soccer (or futbol, if you prefer) fans know better: It’s Diego Maradona, who led Argentina’s team to victory in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

That fact also explains the name of the new steakhouse from the hospitality company Grupo Orfano, which is opening the restaurant on the ground level of the Mayfair House Hotel & Garden on May 4 with a cocktail program created by one of the best bars in the world.

1986 Steak House is Grupo Orfano’s first new concept in 20 years and the first restaurant under the helm of U.S. operating manager Mexican-born Stefano Cremasco, who is of Argentine descent. The group operates 18 restaurants in Mexico, the United States and Argentina, including PM Fish & Steak House on South Miami Avenue in Brickell.

Cremasco, who has years of experience in the hospitality group’s restaurants Cambalache Polanco in Mexico and Puerto Madero in Mexico and Buenos Aires, calls 1986 Steak House “modern and sophisticated yet unpretentious.”

“1986 Steak House is an elegant yet down-to-earth Argentine parrilla that honors its heritage while boldly pushing boundaries and drawing inspiration from American steakhouses,” he said.

Coconut Grove’s strong sense of identity makes it the “perfect home” for an Argentine steakhouse, he added.

“As Miami’s oldest neighborhood, the Grove is deeply loved not only by its residents but by the city as a whole, serving as a bastion of the local Miami community,” he said. “Today, it is experiencing a true renaissance, one that locals are eager to help shape and be a part of. 1986 Steak House was created by a local team as a concept built for this community. Having personally lived in Miami for over a decade, Coconut Grove was always at the top of the list when deciding where this concept belonged.”

The restaurant serves beef from Argentina, the U.S. and Japan and is served steeped in the concept of asado, which Cremasco calls “more than a meal.”

“It’s a cultural ritual centered around fire, where meat is slowly cooked over wood or charcoal,” he explained. “Its true essence lies in the gathering itself — family and friends coming together without rush, where conversation, wine and food flow naturally. That spirit aligns natural with what Coconut Grove represents.”

Cremasco worked closely with chef Marcel Daguerre at PM Fish & Steak House, and together they have worked to perfect the techniques used at 1986 Steak House. Using a traditional Argentine parrilla grill, Daguerre leans heavily on two elements — fire and salt — to continue the tradition.

“We have a profound respect for Argentine cuisine and flavors,” he said, adding that the charcoal-grilled foie gras is “decadent and unprecedented.”

The menu includes other appetizers from the grill like chorizo, sweetbreads and romanesco and raw bar selections like beef or tuna tartare, octopus carpaccio, hamachi and oysters. Because this is Miami, there’s caviar service, but you can also order more low-key items such as meat, ham and cheese or spinach and cheese empanadas as well.

There are salads and a couple of pasta dishes, and dishes like salmon, a grilled half chicken and Maine lobster tail. But the focus is steak, from Argentine skirt steak to American ribeye and New York strip. There’s a bone-in short rib, a wagyu flap steak and Japanese A5.

The cocktail program has been created by the team at Tres Monos, a Buenos Aires bar that was named The Best Bar in South America by the World’s 50 Best Bars in 2025 and is ranked as the no. 10 bar in the world. The collaboration with 1986 Steak House marks the first time that Tres Monos has partnered with a U.S. restaurant, and bar manager Agostina Gerling has moved to Miami to train the local team.

“The fact that 1986 Steak House is Argentine immediately grabbed our attention,” she said. “Their creative approach meshes very well with our own, as does their warm hospitality.”

Expect drinks like the Miami Red Wine (red wine, sweet vermouth, strawberry, blueberry, lemon-lime soda); Diego’s Julep (Amaros, strawberry, mint, miso and grapefruit, served in a Maradona-shaped mug); Tom & Cherry (Glenfiddich 12-year, sweet vermouth, amaros blend, cherry and jasmine); and the Chimi Highball (Johnnie Walker Black, pineapple, honey, chimichurri and ginger ale).

Steakhouses have proliferated across Miami-Dade County in recent years, but Cremasco believes there’s room for 1986 Steak House in the mix.

“We’ve always believed that in the restaurant world, there is more than enough opportunity to go around,” he said. “Miami is experiencing an incredible moment, with a wave of strong, well-executed steakhouse concepts, and 1986 Steak House is coming in with a distinct point of view to contribute to that momentum.”

1986 Steak House

Where: 3000 Florida Ave., Miami

Opening: May 4

More information: 1986steakhouse.com or 310-890-6439