Bad Bunny Is Opening a Restaurant in Miami with Hospitality Vet David Grutman
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Bad Bunny is taking over your Spotify, your movies, and now, he wants to take over your dinner, too.
On Thursday, Bad Bunny and restaurateur David Grutman of Groot Hospitality announced the opening of their new Japanese-inspired steakhouse in Miami, Gekkō. This is Bad Bunny's first restaurant, while Grutman is a partner at several Miami hotspots, including Strawberry Moon, his collaboration with Pharrell Williams.
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Opening on Friday, August 12, in Miami's Brickell neighborhood (at 8 SE 8th Street), Gekkō promises to be the spot for the best cuts of Wagyu beef, alongside inventive sushi offerings, all within a venue that aims to be the new heart of Miami's nighttime social scene. After all, the word "gekkō" translates to English as "moonlight."
Bad Bunny tells Food & Wine he chose Miami for his first restaurant in part because he spends so much time there. "The culture reminds me of home," says the Puerto Rican-born musician. "Miami is a city where I can relax. I love to go out to eat, see the ocean -- it's just a great city."
Michael Stavaridis
Once Grutman, the founder of Groot Hospitality, started talking with Bad Bunny about the project, he "knew he'd be a great partner."
"I want people to feel wowed by Gekkō," says Grutman. "I want them to be blown away. Not just by the menu (which I love, by the way, Japanese food and steakhouse staples are my two favorite types of cuisine), not just by the lounge, not just by the room, but by the entire experience taken as one."
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The menu at Gekkō fuses traditional and modern seamlessly with shared plates, including its soon-to-be signature Japanese milk bread and appetizers like lobster dumplings or a wedge salad with a twist thanks to its yuzu buttermilk ranch dressing.
Of course, as a Japanese-inspired spot, there will be plenty of raw plates, sushi, and sashimi, including fresh Hokkaido scallops. If you have trouble deciding what to order, take Bad Bunny's advice.
"I'm obsessed with sushi, but I've got to say the A5 Tomahawk, the Wagyu crispy rice, and the lobster fried rice are all favorites," he tells Food & Wine.
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As for meats, guests can dig into steaks, including a Tomahawk cut, an olive-fed filet mignon from Kagawa, a snow beef strip from Hokkaido, and the aforementioned Wagyu skirt steak. Don't worry. Vegetarians aren't left behind. The kitchen will be preparing plenty of vegetable-forward dishes and will even have plant-based chicken on the menu.
"Sitting down with friends to enjoy a good meal is one of the moments I value the most," Bad Bunny shared in a statement. "I am thrilled that now I will have a hand in creating this experience for others."
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The restaurant will be able to seat up to 185 guests, spread out in its indoor-outdoor dining area. The space, designed by the New York City-based Rockwell Group, features jewel-toned, plush decor that makes it both cozy and sexy that you may never want to leave. There's even a custom gold and red dip-dyed rope installation and velvet drapery for more of a visual feast, too.
If you don't live in Miami, worry not. Gekkō executive chef Alex Chi says, "Eventually, I hope Gekkō goes global."
