Popular Fort Lauderdale Piano Bar Closes After 14 Months

The music has stopped at Howl at the Moon. After just roughly 14 months of cocktails and sing-alongs, the Fort Lauderdale outpost of the national chain permanently shuttered its doors on February 28. The closing marks another major bar closure in Fort Lauderdale.

The closure was first announced on the bar’s Instagram, where the team told followers that saying goodbye wasn’t easy but that the location would soon “become an exciting new venue.” They expressed gratitude for the bachelorette parties, birthdays, and “unforgettable nights” that defined their somewhat short-lived return to the city.

According to the Sun Sentinel, the 5,000-square-foot bar, just a block off of Las Olas Boulevard, gave little warning before closing up. The bar had even been promoting a St. Patrick’s Day celebration scheduled for mid-March on its social media just weeks prior.

A Tough Return for a Dueling Piano Bar

Howl at the Moon’s second attempt at a Fort Lauderdale outpost was met with high expectations when it debuted in December 2024. The brand previously enjoyed a decade-long run at Beach Place before closing in 2009.

To adapt to a more modern audience, the revival reportedly toned down the vulgar comedy bits that defined its earlier era, focusing instead on a seven-piece house band and a menu of flatbreads and wings.

However, the local response was mixed. While many fans took to social media to mourn the loss, one person shared on Instagram a memory of the band inviting a friend with stage 4 cancer onstage to sing – others pointed to the location as a hurdle. On Instagram and Reddit, commenters suggested the spot was too far off the main Las Olas strip for tourists to find, while others noted that today’s “fickle” younger demographic has different drinking habits, making the bar business tougher and more competitive than in years prior.

On its Instagram, the Howl at the Moon mentioned that those with outstanding reservations or unredeemed gift cards are being directed to the company’s event and national party booking emails. Gift cards remain valid at other locations, including the nearest outpost in Orlando.