About Las Vacas Gordas Argentine Steak House

Las Vacas Gordas Parrillada, a lively Argentine restaurant offers ample portions, fair prices, and a lively Brazilian atmosphere. The delicious Churrasco is a must for steak lovers. If you have a big appetite and would rather have an assortment of grilled meats, try the Parrillada Argentina. Entrees are large enough for two people. It is recommended that you share a meal in order to save room for the delicious dessert special, a fired crepe filled with sweet Dulce de Leche.

Luis Gajer

Restaurant Owner

Born and raised in Montevideo, Uruguay, Luis was destined to bring the heart and soul of Argentinean barbecue to the world.  Like many that grew up in Uruguay, or the neighboring country Argentina, Luis grew up on the grill. He has many fond memories of large gatherings by his family’s barbecue where he learned to cook the perfect Argentinean Steak and create the quintessential inviting experience. With dishes that focus on passion rather than recipes, Luis fell in love with Argentinean barbecue at a young age.

In 1980, Luis moved from Uruguay to the US, eventually settling in New York and working many odd jobs. In his free time, Luis often had parties where he cooked for all of his friends. After countless celebrations at his home in New York, Luis’ childhood friend Martin, from Uruguay, told him that no matter what he was doing for work in New York, the food industry was his destiny. In 1995 Luis moved to Miami for a venture that fell through and decided to finally put his savings towards his real passion. Searching far and wide, Luis found the perfect space to bring his culture’s culinary traditions to the Miami shore.

The next step was choosing the name, Las Vacas Gordas, which literally translates to ‘The Fat Cows’ but signifies something much deeper; In Uruguay people often refer to the ‘Era of The Fat Cows’ which was a time of luxury and abundance. To suit the name, all of the portions at Las Vacas Gordas are plentiful.

Realizing a responsibility to learn about wines for his restaurant, Luis turned to friend and popular Latin television personality Don Francisco for help. An avid wine lover, Francisco taught Luis everything he knows, which cultivated a passion for wines inside Luis. Now, 15 years later, the wine cellar at Las Vacas Gordas is one of the most impressive cellars in the area.

Though Luis and his restaurant have received many awards and accolades from the press and community it is the personal experiences that he appreciates the most. Rather than list his awards he prefers to see guests that leave happy, and come back. So far, Luis has never had a customer come only once!

Luis currently lives in Miami Beach with his wife and three children.