El Chinito Latino Bar: Craft Cocktails And Asian-Latino Fusion Cuisine

February 3, 2023

Located in the heart of Miami, Wynwood is the most eclectic neighborhood in the city and home to various popular nightlife locations— soon to include El Chinito Latino Bar, the newest addition to the Wynwood scene. El Chinito, whose doors will be opening in February, presents a new intimate bar that combines Latin and Asian cultures to create a unique environment for guests. Boasting the fresh tastes of their craft cocktails and fusion cuisine, this new venue plans to be a hotspot for locals and visitors alike.

El Chinito will dive into an eclectic fountain of cultures—made up of influences from the diverse Asian diasporas of Latin America. The outcome is a celebration of the ardent spirit of fun where visitors will experience two full bars and a statement DJ booth decorated to resemble the Chinese “bodega” mini-marts that fill the streets of Latin American Chinatown neighborhoods. The drink selection spans everything from cocktails and beers to full liquor bottle service. Outside, a patio lounge will roar to the cool sounds of Latin house, salsa funk, and popular Latin tunes unique to the Wynwood area, encouraging patrons to dance the night away. The surprising cocktail offerings feature extraordinary flavors that perfectly integrate the two cultures and their several variations.

El Chinito’s innovative concept is brought by The Dirty Rabbit Group, a Miami-based hospitality group known for successfully combining exceptional dining, entertainment, and art in all their nightlife and culinary venues since 2017. Operating many bars, nightclubs, and restaurants already in the area, El Chinito’s addition allows The Dirty Rabbit Group to expand its presence within the Wynwood nightlife scene, incorporating yet another staple to the area.

“Our objective in opening El Chinito Latino Bar is to give Miami a cool new place to unwind and party with a theme that celebrates the Asian-Latino culture and is both unique and nostalgic for our patrons,” says Luis Ginestra, CEO of The Dirty Rabbit Group. “The vibrant nightlife and mixture of crowds make the Wynwood art district the ideal neighborhood to bring El Chinito Latino Bar to life.”

At first glance, patrons will be greeted by a large blue elephant, signifying strength, good fortune, and harmony in Asian cultures. The venue brings the Miami feel featuring contemporary décor, walls adorned with framed pop art, lush greenery on the patio and state-of-the-art light and sound fixtures that are meant to elevate the bar experience. Additionally, guests will spot a few fun tributes to the character namesake "El Chinito" meaning little Chinese boy in Spanish slang.

The stars of the show are the hand-crafted cocktails by Colombian mixologist, Vanessa Serrano who has worked in the industry for over 10 years applying her passion in discovering new blends, fruits, and herbs to the innovation of cocktail creation. The Passionsita combines tropical passion fruit, with lychee liqueur, vodka, vanilla, basil & simple syrup for a sweet and refreshing drink. Another favorite is What a Fortune Cookie—a unique twist on the classic Carajillo made with vodka, Licor 43, cream, coffee, and simple syrup. Also offered are crowd-pleasers like the OaxaKitty - a mezcal based drink with guava, lime, yuzu, and simple syrup garnished with fresh pineapple and spices, served in a Maneki-Neko cat cup, a Japanese figurine which depicts a Bobtail cat with its paw raised in a beckoning gesture and is believed to bring good luck to its owner. Visitors looking to turn their night up to the next level can opt for liquor bottle service complete with an over-the-top bottle presentation parade that is sure to turn heads.

Those looking to pair their drinks with a bit of food will be pleasantly surprised by El Chinito’s gastronomic offerings, created by Executive Chef Nicolas Caicedo, who has worked with The Dirty Rabbit Group since 2019. Caicedo’s focus for El Chinito is to curate a menu of shareable tapas. Some unique must-try plates will be the Ropa Vieja Fried Rice, which combines the Chinese staple and popular Cuban dish with hogao, roasted corn, avocado, and topped with spicy mayo and a “sunny” fried egg; Chicken Al Pastor Bao Buns, a Mexican take on the popular Chinese dish where the interior is made up of crispy chicken, pineapple, green cabbage, and cilantro. Caicedo will also offer an innovative spin on fan-favorite Latin desserts like Churros con Lychee and Yuzu Panna Cotta. Less adventurous diners can find comfort in Chinese classics like spring rolls, fried rice, and sweet & sour or orange chicken.

El Chinito Latino Bar is set to be located at 223 Northwest 23rd Street, Miami, Florida 33127. The bar will be open for drinks and tapas Thursday and Sunday from 4:00 pm to 2:00 am. Friday and Saturday patrons are welcome to stay an hour longer as the hours adjust from 4:00 pm to 3:00 am. For more information on El Chinito Latino Bar and its offerings, please visit: https://elchinitolatino.com/