Miami Worldcenter Welcomes Sports & Social-New Bar by Live! Hospitality and Entertainment
Miami Worldcenter and Live! Hospitality & Entertainment has a deal to bring its widely regarded Sports & Social concept to the $4 billion, 27-acre mixed-use development that is reshaping Downtown Miami.
Live! Entertainment’s premier dining, entertainment, sports viewing, and social concept is called Sports & Social. One of the biggest restaurant and entertainment concept creators and operators in the US is Hospitality & Entertainment. The company’s main goal is to build iconic venues near prestigious sports arenas, world-class resort casinos, and popular entertainment and lifestyle areas around the nation.
The Sports & Social Miami Worldcenter location will occupy about 20,000 square feet in the development’s glass-encased “Jewel Box” retail building and will feature an open-air third level and a rooftop restaurant overlooking the World Square public park and plaza. It will be situated just steps from Miami’s FTX Arena.
The establishment will provide sophisticated food and drink options, including made-from-scratch gameday favorites, handmade cocktails, and specialty drinks, like its iconic Crush selection, and a variety of beers from popular local and national beers. A number of special food-related events will be held at Sports & Social, including a brunch experience you won’t want to miss on Saturdays and Sundays that will feature its renowned #brunchtails table drinks and menu favorites like avocado toast, savory breakfast skillets, and its signature Chicken & Bliss.
Sports & Social in addition to offering some of the top sporting events in the area, Miami will host a range of live music performances and unique events throughout the week. With cutting-edge technology throughout, the venue will include a striking 53-foot LED display as its focal point, which will simultaneously stream different athletic events and games.
Additionally, visitors can take part in a variety of games like shuffleboard, Beirut, skeeball, foosball, pop-a-shot, and arcade games. Each location of Sports & Social is uniquely designed with careful attention to every detail by some of the highest profile firms in the world including ICRAVE, Jeffrey Beers International, and Knauer Incorporated. ICRAVE, a highly regarded and award-winning strategy, design, and development company, is creating Sports & Social at Miami Worldcenter. ICRAVE, a Miami- and New York-based company, has been in charge of designing Sports & Social’s nationwide expansion.
Three residential towers, Paramount Miami Worldcenter, Caoba, and Bezel Miami, as well as about 175,000 square feet of retail space, were among the phases of the project that were already finished. A 351-room citizenM hotel and an additional 125,000 square feet of retail space are slated to debut at Miami Worldcenter before the end of the year.
The Legacy Hotel & Residences, a 50-story mixed-use tower with 310 branded residences atop a hotel and 50,000 square feet of medical office space, as well as the second phase of Caoba, which will encompass an adjacent 40-story tower with 420 apartments, are also under construction. The 52-story Miami World Towers, which will have 550 apartment units, is also under construction.
The Witkoff Group’s three-tower mixed-use project, which will include up to 2,000 residential units as well as 550,000 square feet of office space and an additional 50,000 square feet of retail, is one of the planned developments. The Crosby, a 450-unit turn-key condominium by Related Group and Merrimac Ventures, two “supertall” residential towers by New York-based Naftali Group, and The Crosby are a few other projects that are in the works
‘Sports & Social’ will add to Miami Worldcenter’s alluring list of recently revealed tenants, which also includes Sephora, Bowlero, and Lucid Motors as well as two food and beverage concepts, Brasserie Laurel and El Vecino, that will soon open under the direction of Michelin-starred Chef Michael Beltran. Around 110,000 square feet of leased retail space are shared by these seven businesses and the newest tenant of the property in Downtown Miami.
A New Speakeasy Bar to Open in Downtown Miami-Freddys
Freddys, a speakeasy-themed bar, will debut on August 25 in the heart of downtown Miami and is located right within the InterContinental Miami hotel.
Take the escalator up to the lobby, then search for a plain white door leading to the Chopin ballroom towards the rear of the building. You will be given instructions on how many times to tap (think morse code) and how to accomplish it after receiving your desired reservation.
According to the website, “Our host will permit entrance to those with the correct knock.”
You’ll discover a romantically lit treasure box with soft chairs, elaborate Oriental rugs, and a candlelit bar behind the embellished curtains. Here, you may order drinks that evoke the Prohibition era and are created with herbs, house-made bitters, and freshly squeezed juices.
Due to Freddy’s limited seating capacity of 12 people, reservations are required only for seatings at 5 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 10 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
This quiet, inconspicuous lounge is perfect for the gram. There’s also a coat rack brimming with flapper-inspired accessories located at the entryway to dress like you’re in the actual era.
Freddy’s is located at 100 Chopin Plaza at the InterContinental Miami. For more information, click here.
Bad Bunny and David Grutman Unveil Gekkō at Grand Opening in Brickell
Thanks to Bad Bunny, David Grutman, and Groot Hospitality, the bustling Brickell district of Miami has new eating alternatives. The world’s most streamed music artist and the restauranteur have officially debuted Gekkō, their new joint venture.
Although the official opening is tonight for the most talked about restaurant in Miami, the exclusive unveiling was last night which included many notables and so much delectable food!
Attendance included David Grutman and Bad Bunny themselves, with special guest Joe Jonas, Sophie Turner, David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, Timbaland, Lil Wayne, Future, Lele Pons, Jake Paul, and Candice Swanepoel. The turntables were taken over by Zack Bia, who played music for the partygoers to dance to.
The Japanese-inspired steakhouse offers the best Wagyu beef in the world along with creative and enhanced sushi options, opulent takes on classic chophouse dishes, brand-new handcrafted drinks, and much more.
In addition to being the name of a dedicated lounge, Gekkō—which translates from Japanese to English as “moonlight”—brings a creative, small nightlife venue to the center of the city’s social scene.
According to Bad Bunny, “Sitting down with friends to enjoy a good meal is one of the moments I value the most. I am thrilled that now I will have a hand in creating this experience for others.”
Gekkō’s menu combines the convivial and well-liked food of a steakhouse with the accuracy and modernism of Japanese cooking. Before moving on to starters, seafood, and steak, this starts with shared dishes, featuring traditional Japanese milk bread and a Kumamoto oyster with “Lava and Ice.”
Lobster dumplings and a creatively updated version of a wedge salad with yuzu buttermilk ranch dressing are two appetizer standouts. Highlights for raw dishes, sushi, and sashimi include Hokkaido Scallops and the novel 24k Otoro, a creation exclusive to Groot Hospitality.
The menu is anchored by a number of exquisite steaks, such as a Tomahawk cut, an olive-fed filet mignon from Kagawa, Japan, and a snow beef strip from Hokkaido, Japan. There are specialty dishes like Wagyu Skirt Steak and a Bone-In Ribeye. A variety of main meals are available, including Daring plant-based chicken, Creamy and Spicy Lobster, and more in typical Groot Hospitality fashion.
Up to 185 diners can be accommodated at Gekkō throughout a lavishly designed, flawlessly integrated indoor-outdoor flow. Rockwell Group, an architecture and design firm with offices in New York City, created the interior.
Gekkō’s charisma and nocturnal ambiance are enhanced by stylistic elements, such as a unique gold and red dip-dyed rope installation, graphic wall coverings, and velvet drapes. At the same time, the air is charged by lighted cuts and bars. Gekkō is located in Miami, Florida, 33131 at 8 SE 8th Street.
Famous NYC Restaurant Rao’s Opening Soon in Miami Beach
The iconic New York City eatery Rao’s, noted for both its exclusivity and its red-sauce cuisine, is establishing a presence in Miami Beach and we can’t be more excited to try it!
The Pellegrino family’s Italian restaurant is slated to launch at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel at 1601 Collins Avenue in the first few months of 2023. Rao’s will be replacing the ground-floor restaurant Lure Fishbar.
The original Rao’s is located in Harlem, New York, and is known for turning away notables due to the difficulty of reserving tables. Rao’s also has a location in Los Angeles and their location in Las Vegas was closed last year. Rao’s is run by Frank Pellegrino Jr. and Ron Straci
Frank Jr. is the 4th generation owner of Rao’s and since his undertaking of the restaurant, he has created a family brand of sauces, pasta noodles, and soups that can be found in your local groceries.
The restaurant recently ran a pop-up at David Edelstein’s W South Beach hotel while shopping for a location to set up shop.
The 790-key hotel is owned by the Tisch family, which is headed by Loews chairman Jonathan Tisch and had housed renowned chef Emeril Lagasse’s eatery.
The most recent New York restaurant chain to open a location in Miami is Major Food Group’s Carbone in South Beach. Since then, the company has had fast growth throughout Miami and in Boca Raton. Additionally, Pastis is anticipated to debut at an Edelstein property in Wynwood.
Locally, other restaurants and hospitality chains like Casa Tua and Cipriani are also growing. The NoMad Residences in Wynwood, developed by Edelstein, Related Group, and Alex Karakhanian, will soon welcome Casa Tua.
Award Winning and “America’s Favorite Chef” Thomas Keller is Opening a New Bistro in Coral Gables.
Bouchon Bistro, the acclaimed French restaurant owned by Chef Thomas Keller, will debut in Coral Gables in the early months of 2023, according to the chef and his staff. Along with his upscale American eatery the Surf Club Restaurant in Surfside, it will be his second restaurant in Miami.
The French Laundry, Per Se, and the freshly starred Surf Club Restaurant are all three-star Michelin restaurants owned by the renowned chef. Chef de cuisine Thomas Castellon, a former employee of Keller’s the Surf Club Restaurant and TAK Room, will take over the kitchen at Buchon’s Miami branch.
Similar to the menus at the Bouchon restaurants in Yountville and Las Vegas, the menu in Miami will feature seasonal French cuisine in addition to traditional selections like steak frites, roast chicken, mussels, and escargot.
Around 160 people will be able to dine at Bouchon Coral Gables, which also has 30 outside seats and a separate private dining area. Longtime Bouchon colleague Adam D. Tihany of Tihany Design in New York City, who created both Bouchon locations, will design the area.
The restaurant will open in the La Palma building, a historic Mediterranean-style structure constructed in 1924 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, at 2101 Galiano Street in Coral Gables. The building was originally designed by architect H. George Fink.
According to Keller, “Since opening the Surf Club Restaurant four years ago, it has been a great privilege to re-establish relationships in South Florida. We were enamored with the rich history of the La Palma building and Coral Gables neighborhood and we look forward to introducing our classic French bistro to the community.”
New Japanese Steakhouse Coming to Brickell by Bad Bunny and David Grutman
Bad Bunny is partnering with David Grutman and his hospitality group, Groot Hospitality, to open a new Japanese steakhouse known as Gekko. Coming this July to Miami’s Brickell, Gekko will be located under the SLS Lux tower at 801 S. Miami Avenue where Katsuya is currently located.
Its menu will feature prime cuts and various Wagyu beef dishes with dashes of Korean BBQ spices. Guests may also expect sophisticated table-side culinary displays, such as flame-seared steak courses, as well as traditional Japanese fare including a full sushi menu and a six-seat omakase bar.
Gekko’s design will be created by The Rockwell Group, and will have “luxurious-yet-contemporary” graphic wall coverings, jewel tones, light and natural wood accents, and seating for 185 guests. On the very colorful and Instagrammable South Miami Avenue area, the location is located on the northwestern ground floor portion of the SLS Lux Brickell tower.
Gekko will join Grutman and Groot Hospitality’s ever-expanding Miami restaurant portfolio, which already includes Papi Steak, Komodo, and Key Club, as well as Swan and Strawberry Moon, his two restaurants with Pharrell Williams.
The Japanese word “Gekko” means “moonlight,” which is appropriate for a city known for its nightlife. It’s also a double entendre reference to Michael Douglas’ famous Wall Street character Gordon Gekko. “On the day we were deciding on a name, Bunny was smitten with ‘Gekko. That night, I watched a Carl Icahn documentary,” Grutman says. “It all came together, and we had it.”
Dirty French Steakhouse Officially Opens in Miami
Thanks to Major Food Group, they are bring another one of their successful New York restaurants to Miami. Located in the heart of Brickell, Dirty French Restaurant will bring culinary sophistication through this Parisian Fare steakhouse to further add to the ever-expanding Miami scene. Oh, and did we mention…the decor is 80’s era themed?
From the high-quality meat and fish to the comprehensive 700-bottle wine list, Major Food Group co-founders Zalaznick, Mario Carbone, and Rich Torrisi have brought this innovative menu to life with a menu full raw bar items, seafood dinners, aged steaks, and your favorite classic side dishes.
The menu itself ranges from prime aged steaks, including Filet Mignon, Ribeye, and New York Strip, all of which are presented with a variety of sauces ranging from Au Poivre to Cajun. Forty-ounce Porterhouses and a Wagyu Tomahawks, are the chef’s favorites and Diners will be surprised by a range of off-menu cuts offered weekly at the restaurant as well. The menu also includes a savory Dover Sole Meunière served table-side, a Duck à l’Orange, and an excellent soufflé program, all of which pay homage to the restaurant’s Parisian roots.
The design of the interior can only be described as French elegance. Designed by Ken Fluk, Dirty French Steakhouse mixes the early 80’s French era with contemporary tropical designs. Throughout, you’ll notice the golf-leaf ceiling, Jungle Bar, onyx bar, glass leaf chandelier, leopard bar stools and banana pendants. The pieces blend elegantly and really make the steakhouse inviting.
According to Co-Owner of Major Food Group, “After making this paradise home, we realized that there was a tremendous opportunity to bring a sensational steakhouse to Brickell in true MFG fashion—a sophisticated, contemporary, high-energy culinary blockbuster fit for the most exciting city in the world today. It simply does not get any more major than Dirty French Steakhouse, which is the beginning of a series of big projects in the neighborhood.”
French Dirty Steakhouse has officially opened and if it’s like Major Food Group’s other Miami restaurants, Carbone, ZZ’s Club, and Sadelle’s, you may want to book your reservations now. Make your reservations through DirtyFrench.com.
Gordon Ramsay’s Infamous Hell’s Kitchen to Open in Miami
In a statement recently released from Gordon Ramsay’s company, Ramsay will establish a Hell’s Kitchen branch in downtown Miami in late 2022. It will be the third Hell’s Kitchen establishment, after those in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe. Two more locations, in Chicago and Washington, D.C., are also on the way.
The Miami location will be just as big and just as iconic as its other locations. The site itself will be located at the Metropolitan Miami Development which lies just north of the river in Brickell.
The space spreads out 16,000+ square feet over two floors, there will be a ground-floor patio and a second-floor dining terrace. Like its counterparts, there will be an open kitchen, bar, and signature fire depictions throughout the restaurant.
The menu will include the show favorites but with a Miami twist. Think oysters, shrimp cocktails, and seared scallops featuring Cuban and South American spices and classics. Other foods like beef Wellington, chicken scallopini, meatballs, and foie gras will also be on the menu.
You will know what you pay for with the fixed-price options that range from $75 to $85.
Ramsay himself stated, “I’m so excited to bring [the restaurant] to Miami. With its impressive food scene, Art Deco architecture, and amazing people, they really know how to bring on the heat, and I know Hell’s Kitchen will feel right at home.”
Gordon Ramsay is a British chef, tv personality, and restaurateur. He founded Gordon Ramsay Restaurants in 1997 and has been awarded 16 Michelin stars overall and currently holding 7. He began Hell’s Kitchen in 2004 and it received national recognition in 2005. Ramsay is known for his incredible skills, fiery attitude, bluntness, and his excessive use of profanity.
Hell’s Kitchen Miami will open in the fall of 2022. Aria Group and Architecture will be in charge of the design of this location.
Sexy Fish Miami Opens its Doors with a Grand Opening Celebration
Sexy Fish has finally opened and we had a front-row seat to the culinary experience. February 3rd marked the formal opening of the iconic London-based restaurant’s first United States location. From sophisticated decor to delectable cuisine, we have the details that will make you want to book a reservation now!
The brainchild behind the London-based restaurant, Richard Caring first opened the restaurant in 2015 in the affluent Mayfair district of London. The location and style draw in celebrities, notables, and stylish crowds alike. Caring also owns many of London’s most celebrated restaurants including, The Ivy, Scott’s, and 34 Mayfair. He has also played a hand in the development of the globally renowned private member’s club, Annabel’s.
The interior designers of Sexy Fish along with Martin Brudnizki Design Studio thoughtfully one of the most photogenic restaurants in Miami. Designed by SeaVisions, the large illuminated fish tank is the centerpiece of the restaurant spanning across the wall of the private dining room. Throughout you’ll see gorgeous artwork but Damien Hirst and 26 custom fish lamps created by Frank Gehry.
The menu itself is a masterpiece with classics inspired by Asia and Japan. The Chef Director Bjoern Weissgerber has created appetizing items that include Duck Salad, Smoked Tuna Belly, Black Cod, King Crab, Bone Marrow, and crispy Eringi Mushroom. Don’t miss the Sexy Gold Fish or Crispy Caviar that is marinated with gold-flake sea bass. There is also an extensive wine and champagne list with signature cocktails including Chocolate and Wine, Yuzu, and Elderflower.
The opening night included a private performance by Mary J. Blige with notables Dan Mikesell, Pepe Gonzalez, Kathryn Mikesell, and David Castillo. With ‘healing DJs, mermaid dancers, late-night entertainment, and thematic entertainment, the opening night was a success!
Reservations are booking quickly with a month out for the next reservation. To inquire about bookings and additional information, click here.
Peruvian Restaurant Jattö Opens in Wynwood Miami
Chef Henry Hané of B Bistro + Bakery, the owner and executive chef, has officially opened a new Peruvian restaurant in Wynwood Miami, Jattö. Located at 223 NW 23rd Street at the former Wynwood Alter location.
Jattö is derived from the Peruvian word “jato,” which means “house,” according to Hané. For the chef, home is where is drew his inspiration for his recipes from all over the world, including Thailand, Peru, Cuba, and Italy.
Hane is known for his work not only at B Bistro + Bakery, but also at Eating House, Bebito’s Cafe, Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons, as well as at Two Michelin Star Miramar in Llanca, Spain. At Jattö, he uses his multi-sensory culinary expertise to prepare the avant-garde cuisine. Aleric Constantin is the Chef de Cuisine in the kitchen with him.
This multifaceted culinary restaurant has a contemporary indoor dining room, a chef’s table, and a beautiful alfresco dining terrace with an exotic cocktail bar. The room has been renovated by Jattö into a vivid culinary vision with lush green and gold tones. Guests can dine indoors, outdoors, or at the chef’s table, which offers views into the kitchen.
Jattö will serve dinner during the opening month of November and December with weekend brunch options. Small plates range from $12-$22 and bigger meals range from $65-$85 for sharing.
The ingredients for his dishes are locally sourced, the food is prepared with cutting-edge techniques bringing together Miami vendors and farmers.
Menu
BREAD Sullivan st. – colada butter
FUFU CROQUETAS plantain skin relish – lime
OCTOPUS CHIPS botija aioli – parsley
CHOCLO five spice butter – lime – cebolla criolla
MR. BENEDICT soft egg – hollandaise – bacon – panela gel – smoked paprika
