Photo by Chuck Strouse
Audio By Carbonatix
It’s time for smothered hash browns and double chocolate chip waffles. Today at 2 p.m., Miami-Dade County’s first Waffle House will open at 19675 NW Second Ave.
Though the company made no formal announcement, by 7 a.m., about 50 people had shown up at the restaurant even though breakfast wasn’t being served. “We don’t make a big splash when we open,” manager Tim Carley says. “We want to make sure everything is ready for our customers.”
The iconic breakfast spot, known for late-night comfort food and boisterous customers, has been in the works for about two years. It was expected to debut in early 2018 but was delayed.
To get the restaurant running as quickly as possible, the company canceled a soft-opening period and will skip straight to a private ribbon-cutting. By 2 p.m., Waffle House will open to the public. About 50 employees have been hired, Carley says. “Once we open, we are a 24-hour restaurant, so we won’t close.”
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South Florida filmmaker Billy Corben spoke of his love for Waffle House to New Times last year. “I have been campaigning to get one of these in Miami for years,” Corben said. “It is very strange that in Florida’s largest county, there is no Waffle House. Tallahassee has six. That is the only thing that makes Tallahassee better than Miami.”
Waffle House publicly announced today’s opening on Twitter this morning.
Are you ready Miami Gardens?! At 2pm TODAY this Waffle House is officially OPEN! pic.twitter.com/UoopunQPSX
— Waffle House (@WaffleHouse) May 9, 2018
Regarding the restaurant’s low-profile opening, Corben says, “If you build it, they will come. It’s like a Field of Dreams of waffles.”
Swing by the new location to order some of Corben’s favorites, including the pecan waffles and the Corben sandwich, “which is a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich in a waffle,” he told New Times. “You have to order it by
Waffle House. 19675 NW Second Ave., Miami Gardens; wafflehouse.com.
