How a Bronx Dishwasher Built One of Miami’s Best Taco Spots

Chef Nuno Grullon never set out to open restaurants, much less build a nationally recognized food brand in South Florida.

At 16, working as a dishwasher in the Bronx after losing both of his parents, survival was the only plan. What kept him in the kitchen was something else entirely. The slow realization that food, in the right hands, could be more than sustenance. It could be art.

Some of Grullon’s earliest memories trace back to his Dominican mother’s cooking, meals that stretched beyond the Caribbean and drew praise from anyone lucky enough to be at the table. That early instinct eventually carried him from prep stations in New York to national television, where he won a Good Morning America title for “Best Taco in America.”

Today, Grullon is the chef and owner of Uptown 66, the Mexican street-food spot that first opened in Miami’s MiMo District and later expanded to Hallandale Beach in 2025. Yet accolades and expansion have never been the point. With no investors, no shortcuts, and little patience for hype, Grullon has built his career the hard way, one plate at a time.

From Bronx Dishwasher to Real Confidence

At 16 years old, Grullon had no clear picture of what his future would look like. He took a dishwasher job because he needed the money. That role quickly turned into prep work, then line cooking, and eventually a growing sense of purpose.

“Little by little, as I started to receive compliments for my work, I started to gain confidence,” he says.

It was during this period that Grullon began to understand food as both a form of expression and a means of survival. Much like his mother, who cooked and baked recipes drawn from multiple cultures, he learned to treat cuisine as both a craft and a form of creativity.

Over time, technique met instinct, and confidence followed.

No Hospitality Group, No Investors, Just a Passionate Chef

Despite a professional background rooted in Mediterranean cuisines, including French, Italian, Moroccan, and Greek cooking, Grullon made the deliberate decision to focus on Mexican food. The move was not about chasing trends or abandoning his training. It was about recognizing a gap in the community and responding thoughtfully. “I’m an experienced professional chef. I’m using someone else’s culture and cuisine, so I’m going to be respectful of what’s important to that cuisine,” he says.

While he allows himself room for creativity, the foundation remains intentional and informed. That philosophy defines Uptown 66’s approach. Approachable street food made with premium ingredients and executed without unnecessary complexity.

While Miami diners often chase the newest opening, Grullon’s success story feels refreshingly scrappy. No investors. No hospitality group. Just a chef obsessed with getting the food right.

Recognition Without a Safety Net

When Good Morning America named Uptown 66’s birria taco the “Best Taco in America,” the moment landed less like a victory lap and more like a weight.

For Grullon, national recognition did not come with investors, corporate backing, or a financial cushion. It came with pressure. “I’m very grateful. I’m blessed,” he says. “It could’ve been anybody’s win. It just happened to be mine.”

The accolade helped the business, no question, but it did not change the day-to-day reality of running an independent restaurant. “Everything here has been blood, sweat, and tears,” Grullon says.

Hallandale Gives Uptown 66 Room to Grow

If the original Uptown 66 in Miami’s MiMo District is about efficiency and precision, the Hallandale location is about space.

The new restaurant seats 151 guests, a dramatic contrast to the original 900-square-foot outpost that Grullon has been told is “the busiest small restaurant in Miami.” The new Hallandale location offers Grullon room to experiment and to grow.

Plus, the full liquor license opens the door to a more ambitious bar program while the expanded kitchen allows Grullon to introduce a raw bar, crudos, and Mexican street seafood alongside the familiar Uptown 66 staples. “You can get everything you get in Miami and more,” he says.

That “more” includes oysters displayed behind glass, lobster, and a dinner menu that is already building a following. Dishes like branzino marinated in Mexican chiles, fall-off-the-bone short rib, and a house-made Uptown 66 burger reflect a chef stretching creatively without losing focus.

Uptown 66 Hallandale also just introduced weekly programming, including Taco Tuesdays, Ladies Night on Fridays and Saturdays, half-off bottles of wine on Thursdays, and a daily happy hour designed to give the restaurant different rhythms throughout the week.

Looking Ahead to 2026

Ask Grullon about the future, and you will not hear grand plans for domination or endless locations.

Looking ahead, he hopes to reopen Grand Central in the next few years and continue expanding strategically. At Hallandale, there is talk of programming in 2026, potential collaborations, and even the idea of working with an art gallery. “In the meantime, I just want to keep cooking and making sure I can wow my customers every day,” Grullon says.

Because what matters most to Grullon is longevity, his craft, and consistency in delivery. Plus, the ability to keep cooking at a level that excites him and respects the people who walk through the door.

Chef Grullon isn’t chasing the next award; he’s making sure the next plate is better than the last.

Uptown 66. Two area locations, including 6600 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-960-7117; uptown66.miami, and 801 N. Federal Hwy., Ste. 109-110, Hallandale Beach, 754-888-9380; uptown66.miami/hallandalemenu.