Some of Miami-Dade’s favorite bars are reopening — but don’t expect business as usual
UPDATE: This story was edited at 12:35 p.m. on May 27, 2020 to remove references to Ball & Chain and Shots Miami, which were mentioned in the story as venues scheduled to reopen.
You’ve waited and waited to have some semblance of a social life during a protracted lockdown.
On Wednesday, you may get to interact with other human beings again in a nightlife setting.
Some bars and breweries will be allowed to reopen May 27, provided they served food before the pandemic as several South Florida cities reopen their restaurant scene. Those bars with food service licenses will be allowed to seat customers again, though they still must restrict capacity to no more than 50 percent and follow all CDC guidelines laid out in the restaurant reopening process.
Venues that are strictly bars and do not have a food service license cannot reopen yet, according to the county’s New Normal plan.
Last week, on May 18, Miami-Dade County allowed restaurants, retail stores and salons to reopen with restrictions. But several municipalities, including Miami, Miami Beach and Hialeah, banded together to delay opening retail until May 20 and restaurants until May 27.
But don’t expect to grab a stool at your favorite watering hole.
Restaurants with a bar area must keep the bar closed during this phase of reopening. Counters will be closed for seating. Bars with restaurant licenses will have to provide seating like a standard restaurant with tables six feet apart, said spokespersons for the county and and Miami Beach.
The City of Miami signed an order to distinguish between restaurants and bars that went into effect today at 5 a.m. and determined that alcohol service establishments “may only continue to serve food for delivery or take out.”
Navigating the new rules hasn’t been easy for bar owners.
Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply Company has been named one of the best bars in the world, but it’s the kitchen menu, designed by celebrity chef and co-owner Michelle Bernstein, that will allow it to reopen May 28. Its new hours of operation, until further notice, are from 4 p.m. to midnight every day of the week.
Co-owner of Sweet Liberty, Dan Binkiewicz also owns two other popular bars, Blackbird Ordinary in Brickell and The Bar in Coral Gables. Both of those must remain closed because they don’t have food service licenses.
“It has been hard to navigate and everything’s been changing almost daily on top of it,” said Binkiewicz.
This is also good news for craft beer breweries like MIA Beer Company in Doral, which has a built-in kitchen and a food service license.
Owner Eddie Leon called the city attorney and was told at least 51 percent of his business must come from food orders. So MIA Beer is requiring food or non-alcoholic drink purchases with beer orders from more than 40 taps.
They have also removed stools from their bar counter and spaced tables inside and out six feet apart. The catering company Masa Craft handles food service.
“It’s more of a restaurant atmosphere,” Leon said. “We streamlined and simplified everything.”
Several craft beer breweries around the state were allowed to reopen as long as they had on-site food providers, such as food trucks, according to the News-Press in Fort Myers.
Copper Blues at CityPlace in Doral, also is reopening under its restaurant license. Drinks must be ordered at the tables, which seat a maximum of four guests. Diners enter through the main door with a mask, which they can remove once sitting down.
“All guests must have fun and enjoy Copper Blues pero de lejito,” [but from far away] because of social distancing. Safety first, Miami,” said a recent post on Copper Blues’ Instagram.
If you are ready to dance until dawn and belly up to the bar, you will be waiting a while. The timetable for nightlife venues that don’t have restaurant licenses to reopen is still unknown, so for now everyone will have to drink at their table. And order food. .
Miami Herald staff writer Martin Vassolo contributed to this report.
This story was originally published May 27, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
