Remember The Strand, other landmarks at this South Beach site? Get the backstory

The building at 671 Washington Ave. in South Beach has been a restaurant landmark.

Opened in 1986, The Strand restaurant was one of the most popular eating spots in the area. Known as much for its atmosphere as for its all-American menu, The Strand lived up to the legacy of the building that houses it.

In 1945, The Famous restaurant opened for business and was an instant success.

Morris Lerner, the founder, immigrated to the United States in 1920 and worked as a busboy at several New York restaurants, where he learned the trade. He came to Miami Beach and started his own restaurant, borrowing the name from two New York eateries.

The Famous was soon known for its authentic Jewish-style cooking, modest prices and generous servings. The restaurant became a gathering spot for the celebrities who were in town to play the local nightclubs or just visit South Florida. Jackie Gleason, Ed Sullivan, Connie Francis, Henny Youngman, Walter Matthau and Don Rickles were some of the performers who dined there.

On a typical day, 200 people lined up outside the restaurant. Lerner would bring his customers hors d’oeuvres to keep them happy while they waited. He continued to operate the restaurant until 1964, when declining health forced him to sell most of the business. Still, Lerner remained as an adviser of sorts to the Famous’ later owners.

With the deterioration and rise of crime in South Beach in the late 1970s, as well as inflation and the shrinking tourist business, the Famous was forced to close in 1981. The restaurant reopened in April 1982 under new management with a modified menu that expanded on the original’s Jewish fare, but it also closed, two months later.

In August 1984, the Famous Nightclub and Restaurant, a gay-oriented cabaret with cross-dressing waiters, opened — and closed within a week.

In 1986, The Strand opened. The extensively renovated eatery looked nothing like famous predecessor, but it quickly became a trendy nightspot and helped revitalize South Beach nightlife. Through the years, 671 Washington also was home to other nightspots, including Gem, The Living Room and Club Mirage.

This story was originally published January 6, 2026 at 2:19 PM.