Our Next Chapter on the St. Johns River

Asado Life is now open at the Jacksonville Shipyards, right along the St. Johns River in Jacksonville’s Sports and Entertainment District. Just steps from EverBank Stadium, Daily’s Place, the Riverwalk, and the Shipyards Marina, our newest location allows us to share the Asado Life experience with an entirely new community.

“This particular series of projects being so comprehensive just really made us feel we’re finally at that spot where downtown has turned a corner,” co-founder Nick Carrera recently told the Florida Times-Union.

Outside, the covered patio places guests directly along the waterfront. Boats, stadium crowds, concerts, and activity along the Riverwalk create an energy that is distinctly Jacksonville.

Inside, the pace changes, with a live-fire scratch kitchen cooking low and slow. Nick has described the location as a “local escape,” a place to step away for a few hours while remaining in the middle of Downtown’s Sports and Entertainment District.

From Garage to Waterfront

Nick and Christie Carrera launched Urban Asado from their garage in 2014. They wanted to build something their family could be part of, something that created an experience.

Nick began fabricating grills inspired by childhood asados with his father’s family in Entre Ríos, Argentina. During those gatherings, family and friends helped prepare the meal, stood around the fire, and spent time together as it slowly took shape.

Urban Asado’s early years were not easy. After the company moved into its waterfront fabrication studio, Hurricanes Matthew and Irma struck Northeast Florida, leaving many local businesses, including their own, facing a difficult recovery. Nick and Christie supported the community as they could: by bringing out their grills and cooking at fundraising events.

Those gatherings gave people an opportunity to see what Urban Asado meant by “Experience Grilling.” What began as one or two pop-ups per quarter grew to several each month and eventually became weekly collaborations with St. Augustine chefs, transforming the old fish house on the San Sebastian River into an open-air dining space.

As Nick told the Times-Union, the experience includes “the crackling of the wood and charcoal,” the aroma of the grill, and the sight of the flames, not only what eventually arrives at the table.

The Asado Life Story

In October 2022, we opened our first Asado Life restaurant next to the St. Augustine Shipyard on the San Sebastian River.

Since opening our doors, we’ve been fortunate to grow alongside the community and build a restaurant that reflects what we love most about the asado tradition: great food, live fire, hospitality, and gathering around the table.

In May 2026, our St. Augustine restaurant was named a Recommended Restaurant in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Florida.

We’re incredibly proud of that recognition, but we see it as a reflection of the people behind Asado Life. From our kitchen and hospitality teams to everyone working behind the scenes, it represents the dedication and collective effort that go into every service. Now, we’re bringing that same spirit to Jacksonville.

Meet Us at the Fire

Asado Life’s culinary program is led by Culinary Director Waylon Rivers, whose 23-year career includes leadership roles at The French Pantry and Black Sheep in Jacksonville, work under James Beard Award-nominated chef Joe Kindred in Charlotte, and the opening of his own ramen concept in Pittsburgh.

On the menu, you’ll find chef’s cuts, house-made bread, fresh seafood, and dishes prepared over live fire, all designed to showcase the ingredients and the distinctive flavors that come from cooking over flame. Enjoy the experience indoors or outside on our waterfront patio, with views of the St. Johns River and Shipyards Marina.

Just as in St. Augustine, the fires at Asado Life JAX are tended on handcrafted Urban Asado grills, carrying the same live-fire tradition into our new waterfront home.

With Jacksonville’s vibrant event scene right outside our doors, we’re excited to be part of the energy surrounding Jaguars games, concerts, and other events throughout the Sports and Entertainment District.