This rooftop restaurant in Coral Gables is reopening months after elevator drama

After closing down for more than three months due to a faulty elevator, Cebada Rooftop is ready to reopen in Coral Gables.

The tapas and cocktail spot from son-and-father duo Jorgie and Jorge Ramos at 124 Giralda Ave. shut down in September 2025 after multiple instances of the elevator malfunctioning. Guests and employees alike were stranded, forced to walk up three flights to reach their destination.

Worried that someone might get stuck in the elevator, Jorgie Ramos, who also operates Vice City Pizza in South Miami, decided to shut down the restaurant until the problem was solved. The Miami Herald reached out to Cebada Rooftop’s landlord for comment but didn’t hear back in time for publishing.

An open-air rooftop bar needs to capitalize on Miami “winter,” when weather is cooler and less humid, and Cebada Rooftop has definitely missed the beginning of the season. Still, now that the elevator has passed its inspections, Ramos is thrilled to be reopening on Saturday, Jan. 10.

“It’s been a long journey,” he admits. “We’ve been paying rent and insurance and paying employees. . . . We just have to make the best of it. I want to be positive. It’s about moving forward now. We still have 15 years on the lease, and we want to make sure we’re here for the next 15 years.”

Part of that process, he says, has been using the time off to revamp the menu a little as well as “regroup and refocus and do a better job on our part.”

The menu has shifted to more small plates and skewers, with meats like chicken, shrimp, fish and wagyu beef and a variety of different vegetables. The raw bar, Ramos’ favorite part of the menu, still exists, offering oysters, crudos and lobster tacos.

“It’s a lighter menu, driven by smoked meats and vegetables and wood grills but still big flavors,” Ramos says. “It’s something we’ve always wanted to do, but I’ve been a little scared of the execution. We see how people are going for the carnivore diets and eating healthier. And it’s an Ozempic-friendly menu, too.”

As for himself, Ramos is happy to be returning.

“We missed our customers, and we know the neighborhood missed us,” he says. “It’s a restaurant that changed my life. And my wife is excited for me to get out of the house.”

Cebada Rooftop

Where: 124 Giralda Ave., Coral Gables

Reopening: Saturday, Jan. 10

More information: www.cebadarooftop.com or 786-409-2287 or @cebadarooftop