Michelin-starred team unveils new concepts and speakeasy in Coconut Grove

Coconut Grove is about to welcome a new kind of nightspot—one that feels equal parts hidden gem and neighborhood living room. Opening in October, Mae’s Room is set to become the Grove’s first-ever speakeasy, tucked behind Chug’s Diner along Main Highway in the Courtyards at Grove Village.

Rendering of Mae's Room, Ariete Hospitality Group

The 750-square-foot cocktail parlor comes from Ariete Hospitality Group—led by chef Michael Beltran, whose restaurants Ariete and Chug’s earned Michelin recognition—and Mae’s Group, the new hospitality venture from Marc Chasin and Lee Koniver. Together, the teams are introducing three concepts to the courtyard: Chuggie’s, a throwback burger stand; Drinking Pig BBQ, the first permanent home of chef Raheem Sealey’s celebrated pop-up; and Mae’s Room, the moody centerpiece designed by Studio Lobo.

At the helm of Mae’s Room is longtime bartender Tom Lasher-Walker, a Bacardi Legacy champion and veteran of world-renowned bars like Attaboy in New York. His vision is simple: to give Miami a cocktail den where classics come first. Expect the coldest martini in the Grove, poured tableside from a bottle kept in the freezer, served in an icy glass with plenty of olives—a ritual inspired by London’s famed Duke’s Bar. The menu will also spotlight timeless standards like Old Fashioneds and Manhattans, executed with precision down to the oversized cubes, freshly pressed juices, and frosted glassware.

Rendering of Mae's Room, Ariete Hospitality Group

Design-wise, Mae’s Room leans into a retro sensibility, blending smoked mirrors, velvet booths, and polished lounge chairs for a space that feels like a 1970s living room reimagined as a cocktail lounge. It’s intimate—just a few dozen seats—but intentionally so. The goal, Lasher-Walker says, is to create a place where you’re welcomed like family, served quickly, and never feel lost in the crowd.

In keeping with its neighborly vibe, Mae’s Room won’t have a kitchen but will let guests order from Chuggie’s next door. Think salty fries with a martini or chicken nuggets alongside an Old Fashioned—a high-low pairing that captures the playful spirit of the bar.

The trio of openings is expected to bring 40 new jobs to Coconut Grove, but the real story is the way these projects add to the neighborhood’s evolving dining and nightlife fabric. Chuggie’s will bring burgers, fritas, and soft-serve to Fuller Street, while Drinking Pig BBQ will offer Caribbean-spiced smoked meats by 2026. And in the middle of it all, Mae’s Room will provide the cocktail anchor—a place to slip away, settle in, and sip on drinks that feel both timeless and distinctly of-the-moment.

Mae’s Room opens in October 2025, Wednesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., with late-night hours on weekends.