George Arango was supposed to be a lawyer. When he failed the bar exam by just one point, though, he knew the universe was telling him to take a different path. What followed was a career that paid the bills, made him happy and unexpectedly catapulted him into Miami’s diverse culinary world.
South Florida foodies know Arango as Mr.Eats305, the online pen name he uses to share his experiences at mostly small, independent restaurants stretching from Aventura to Florida City.
Born and raised in the Miami area, Arango, now 33, attended Florida International University (FIU) for his undergraduate degree and Nova Southeastern University in Davie for law school. He spent his free time learning how to DJ and became so good at it that it turned into a successful side gig.
He met his wife, Alexandra, at FIU in 2016. When they started dating, the couple spent countless nights trying different restaurants. Friends asked Arango for dining recommendations so often that he created a website highlighting Miami’s culinary gems. That idea eventually blossomed into Mr.Eats305.
Arango built a loyal following online, with more than 300,000 followers on Instagram alone.
His reviews often spotlight small, unassuming businesses, such as mall kiosks and modest mom-and-pop joints.
This month, Arango is set to host his own event as part of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. Called “Eats & Beats” and held at ZeyZey on Feb. 21, it will allow guests to sample foods from some of his favorite places, celebrating what he believes represents the best of Miami’s culinary scene.
If you can’t make the event and are curious about Arango’s favorites, visit mreats305.com, where he has mapped out more than 700 options across Miami-Dade County, including bakeries, barbecue spots and places for date nights. While Arango admits he loves food and enjoys sharing his finds, he doesn’t consider himself an influencer or a food critic.
“I create content about positive experiences I have,” he says. “Everything I post is organic. No one pays me to say anything. It’s all genuine.”