El Carajo
Restaurant · Miami
2465 SW 17th Ave, Miami, FL 33145
Highlights
Spanish tapas & vast wine selection in a unique setting
Spanish tapas & vast wine selection in a unique setting
"Maybe this isn't the first time you were taken on a date to a gas station (oh, high school, you were so weird) but it will be the best gas station date you'll ever go on. Because inside this Coconut Grove gas station is a classic Spanish restaurant where you can drink wine, eat tapas, and have a generally wonderful time. There’s an old school vibe to this place—so maybe skip it if you're looking for something new and trendy. But we've always had fun here eating bacon-wrapped dates, fluffy Spanish omelettes, and crispy croquettes." - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo
"Gas station food usually evokes images of wrinkly old hot dogs rotating on metal rollers. And while the Mobil on US1 in Coconut Grove certainly has its fair share of candy and cigarettes, it’s also home to El Carajo. You’ll forget where you are as soon as you step into the dining room, which looks like a Spanish plaza, surrounded by painted bricks and fake balconies. Pick out a bottle of wine from their giant selection and start with a big tabla of manchego cheese, jamon serrano, chorizo, and quince before moving on to sweet bacon-wrapped dates and plump gambas al ajillo. El Carajo isn’t just great for tapas. They also have tender lamb chops with manchego potato terrine and paellas perfect for big group celebrations." - virginia otazo, mariana trabanino, ryan pfeffer
"Most Miami gas station food consists of shriveled hotdogs and sketchy Jamaican beef patties, but El Carajo is a gas station where you’ll actually want to eat. Past the pumps, candy, and cigarettes, there’s a really great Spanish restaurant in the back. Pick out a bottle of wine from their giant selection and start with a big tabla of manchego cheese, jamon serrano, chorizo, and quince before moving on to sweet bacon-wrapped dates and plump gambas al ajillo. But El Carajo isn’t just great for tapas. They also have tender lamb chops and paellas perfect for big group celebrations." - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo
"Sage from Brooklyn—who’s in town to perform his newest piece entitled Unplugged, in which he screams at a pile of AirPods for 17-hours to protest toxic consumerism—is not going anywhere near a Coconut Grove gas station. Which is good, because that’s where the tapas restaurant El Carajo is located. They serve things like bacon-wrapped dates, Spanish omelettes, and a great pulpo al ajillo alongside a huge wine selection. Pick out your own bottle for retail price (plus a $10 corkage fee), which is the same price Sage is asking people to donate to his GoFundMe for his “streaming cleanse” in Tulum." - ryan pfeffer
"Gas station food usually evokes images of wrinkly old hot dogs rotating on metal rollers. And while the Mobil on US1 in Coconut Grove certainly has its fair share of candy and cigarettes, it’s also home to El Carajo, one of our favorite Spanish restaurants in Miami. You’ll forget where you are as soon as you step into the dining room, which looks like a Spanish plaza, surrounded by painted bricks and fake balconies. Pick out a bottle of wine from their giant selection and start with a big tabla of manchego cheese, jamon serrano, chorizo, and quince before moving on to sweet bacon-wrapped dates and plump gambas al ajillo, which are both under $15. But El Carajo isn’t just great for tapas. They also have tender lamb chops with manchego potato terrine and paellas perfect for big group celebrations. photo credit: El Carajo" - Virginia Otazo
