Tropical Storm Emily Closes Miami Beach Restaurants

Once again, the owners of Pubbelly Noodle Bar have shared a video on social media that shows the Sunset Harbour eatery inundated by massive amounts of rainwater.

The video was posted by partner Andreas Schreiner on Facebook about 5 p.m. with this note:

"Unfortunately this is our current situation at #pubbellynoodlebar and Pubbelly Sushi in #sunsetharbour, so we'll be opening at 7 PM tonight, instead of 6 PM. #staydry"

Just ten months ago, the Pubbelly Boys posted a similar video in which the staff was trying to prepare for Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. In that footage, chef/partner Jose Mendin wades through the restaurant's patio area in shin-deep water.

The kicker, of course, is that for several years, Sunset Harbour restaurateurs and shop owners endured torn-up streets and business slowdowns for the promise of drier streets ever after. A Miami Beach project to repair streets and install water pumps cost the city about $400 million, yet it appears nothing has changed.

Pubbelly Group's Juan Ayora wasn't too happy with the disruption in this evening's dinner service or the city's inability to ensure the tony Sunset Harbour neighborhood project was completed in an efficient manner. "After $400 million of investment to raise the streets and after businesses suffered through three years of construction, we are still flooding the same way as before," he said. "We still had to pay taxes and get permits those years. Where did the money go?"

The flooding seemed to be hit-or-miss at other Sunset Harbour establishments. A representative for Sushi Garage said the restaurant had been dealing with flooding earlier in the afternoon. A call to the restaurant confirmed it was, indeed, affected by rising waters and would be closed for the rest of the evening.

Restaurants aren't the only Purdy Avenue establishments to be hit hard by the rain. Flywheel Sports was forced to cancel classes for the evening due to flooding.
Chef Bee at NaiYaRa fared better, saying his restaurant wasn't touched. "We are in a good location, so the floods won't reach us."

Flood waters hit Alton Road equally hard. Italian bistro Macchialina was forced to close for dinner service. Co-owner Jen Chaefsky was frustrated by the ongoing lack of drainage, along with power outages. The lack of electricity not only kills the lights in a restaurant but also turns off the city's massive water pumps, allowing the streets to back up with water. "Why aren’t the pumps on a generator system?" Chaefsky asked. "Power out, pumps out, and flooding on Alton is as bad as ever."

Just down the road, French bistro Semilla also had to shutter for the night.

It's a safe bet to check social media or call an establishment before heading out to dinner this evening.

If you know of a restaurant that's closed due to the storm, please email [email protected] or tweet @NewTimesFood. This story will be updated with any additional information.