Cocktail pairing only works when it is done properly; otherwise, it is better left alone. Tres Monos, recently named the best bar in South America, has clearly chosen the first path. The objective is precision. Its partner in this new venture is 1986 Steak House, the recently opened Miami restaurant where grilled meat takes center stage, alongside seafood and a serious drinks program.
Tres Monos Designs the Drink List for 1986 Steak House
A meticulous approach shaped the project from the outset and led to three clear decisions. The first was to build everything from scratch, allowing full control over every element before opening to the public, rather than stepping into an already established structure with limited room for intervention. 1986 Steak House marks Tres Monos’ first project in the United States conceived from the ground up, with the cocktail program developed as an integral part of the restaurant’s identity.
The second key decision involved people. Veteran bar manager Agostina Gerling relocated to Miami for a period to ensure Tres Monos’ contribution would be fully embedded in the opening phase. She personally trained the 1986 Steak House team and oversaw the daily development of the drinks list.
The third element is duration. This is a long-term collaboration, conceived as an evolving partnership rather than a one-off consultancy tied to a restaurant launch.
A Shared Love of Martinis
According to Charly Aguinsky, co-founder and co-owner of Tres Monos, the partnership with 1986 Steak House also came from a place of emotional affinity.
Tres Monos is rooted in Buenos Aires, while Grupo Orfano—the hospitality group behind 1986 Steak House—has made Argentine culinary culture central to its identity, reflecting the heritage of founder Oscar Cremasco. The result is a partnership that combines business ambition with shared cultural roots, bringing together two Argentine-connected ventures looking to expand their presence in the American market. That ambition also informed the direction of the cocktail list.
“Tres Monos is known for its innovative cocktails, but that won’t stop us from honoring the sacred tradition of the American steakhouse Martini. We’ll be serving some excellent examples,” says Aguinsky. The menu, in other words, has two distinct souls.
The Argentine Spirit of Tres Monos’ Drink List
The most visibly Argentine dimension emerges through the use of ingredients closely associated with the country and, more broadly, South America.
Take the Chimi Highball, which incorporates chimichurri alongside Scotch whisky, pineapple, honey, and ginger ale. Or huacatay, the aromatic herb found across Argentina as well as Chile, Bolivia, and Peru. In the Matetini, it appears alongside gin, vermouth, sherry, and mate, another unmistakably South American ingredient. Huacatay and mate also feature in one of Tres Monos’ alcohol-free creations, the Mate Collins, where they are joined by apple juice.
Other cocktails developed by Agostina Gerling lean more toward classic international structures, a natural choice for a menu that must engage with the food coming out of the 1986 Steak House kitchen while maintaining broad appeal.
A Nod to Diego Armando Maradona
One final detail. Stefano Cremasco, son of Grupo Orfano founder Oscar Cremasco and operating manager for the U.S. market, revealed that the name 1986 Steak House refers to the year Argentina won the FIFA World Cup. The tournament, of course, belonged to Diego Armando Maradona.
Images courtesy of Tres Monos
