Crab Rangoon and Bouncers: Jinzú Opens Inside Miami Nightclub

Pilo's Tequila Garden in Wynwood, a spot that's popular among locals for serving street tacos and turning into a nightclub at night (classic Miami), is about to add one more identity to its name: It's opening an Asian fusion bar food restaurant right inside of the club.

Pilo's will now serve Asian fusion and fast-casual bar food at its new restaurant, Jinzú, which opens on Friday, July 5.

But how did this all come about? It all started when the Pilo's Tequila Garden team reached out to chef Max Daniel, a traveling private chef, and Chef Brice Williams, owner of Perilla's Korean Kitchen, to bring something new to the kitchen. Chef William's culinary background is in Korean fast casual and pan-Asian cuisine and Chef Daniel's experience stems from running a fusion food truck in Los Angeles. Chef Daniel's goal is to teach people that fusion food is the basis of all food. Therefore, with said ideas in mind, and upon understanding the fast-paced atmosphere of Wynwood, the duo came up with Jinzú.

"It's a different concept, but the same kind of feeling," says Chef Daniel. "Jinzú is unique on its own, but I still stand strongly behind the concept of teaching people cultural fusion food and understanding why it's important."
While guests will have to say goodbye to Pilo's Tequila Garden's signature street tacos for now, the new menu will focus on a fusion of Asian and Latin dishes that can be served as a quick bite on a night out. Highlights include hibachi beef skewers, inside-out crab Rangoon, empanadas, egg rolls, spring rolls, and dim sum flights. The sliders side of the menu offers three choices of meat including Wagyu beef, katsu chicken, and pork belly.

On a sweet note, the dessert options will include mochi ice cream and a boba bar that is coming soon.

"It's a very different experience than going to a restaurant and sitting down for a meal," says Chef Daniel. "We are inside of a nightclub. We're serving people who are coming out to party, you're not sitting down and giving them a five-course dinner. We want them to have something they can nibble on quickly and enjoy, you know, a little 'snacky' kind of food and go back to enjoying their evening.'"
The official grand opening is set for Friday, July 5, where guests will be able to enjoy complimentary dim sum, cocktails, and live entertainment.

"We're leaning a little bit into the Asian side of our menu for the grand opening," says Chef Daniel. "I want people to really feel that there's something culturally different happening there, but we are going to be doing some really cool classic Latin dishes. We're excited to be here. It's a new opportunity for us, and I'm excited to see how it goes."

Jinzú at Pilo’s Tequila Garden. 158 NW 24th St., Miami; jinzu_miami. Grand Opening on Friday, July 5, from 6 to 10 p.m. RSVP via eventbrite.com.