The Wharf Miami Is Closing and You Don't Want to Miss the Farewell Party

It's not a rumor. This time, it's official.

The Wharf Miami has announced it will close to make way for a new and permanent expansion of the Riverside Wharf development.

The brainchild of Breakwater Hospitality Group's Emi Guerra and MV Real Estate Holdings' (MVREH) Alex Mantecon, the Wharf Miami leaned into its open-air waterfront concept and helped establish the Miami River District as an entertainment destination.

Mantecon tells New Times that he turned down numerous pitches when he began vetting concepts for the waterfront property.

"I always envisioned something local for Miami. Waterfront is a very limited resource, so it had to be truly exceptional. I got offers from national brands to bring in different concepts, but I didn't want any of them on our river," Mantecon says.

As luck would have it, Guerra, a longtime friend, was intent on creating an innovative and unique venue.

"I'd sketched up a plan for something I thought was special and new, and what was originally supposed to be a six-month pop-up found so much success," Guerra adds. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would become an actual concept and one that has not only flourished but expanded."
The Wharf Miami celebrates its final day of business on Saturday, September 16, with a two-day fiesta dubbed "The Closing Parties: Bon Voyage." The event will kick off at 4 p.m. on Friday, September 15, and aims to take guests through some of the venue's most iconic events over the past five years — think "Blowfish & Friends" to St. Patrick's Day and even a nostalgic journey back to the '90s — along with giant inflatables, photo moments, featured cocktails. And on Saturday, from noon to 3 a.m., the first 500 people to arrive with an RSVP will have a chance to spin a prize wheel to win Wharf merchandise.

With permits to construct a new seawall in hand, the duo will take the first steps in realizing their goal of building a world-class entertainment development.

Slated to launch in 2026, Riverside Wharf will encompass a massive ten-story building. Described  "city-within-a-city" thanks to a combination of upscale entertainment, dining, and hotel accommodations that include a luxury hotel, a nightclub and rooftop dayclub, numerous signature restaurants, an event hall, and a marina.

And what about the Wharf Miami?

Guerra says guests can expect the open-air venue's most essential elements to remain intact, from the variety of food options and areas to people- and boat-watch to spaces for drinking, dancing, and socializing outdoors.

The Wharf Miami will remain open until September 16. Its sister venue, the Wharf Fort Lauderdale, will remain open and operational alongside Breakwater Hospitality Group's additional concepts, including Regatta Grove in Coconut Grove, Irish pub John Martin's on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables, Rivertail in Fort Lauderdale, and Carousel Club at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach.

"The Wharf Riverside master plan was always the real goal, and it's amazing to finally start the process to bring forth that vision that's taken nearly a decade to bring to life," sums up Mantecon. "It's bittersweet to say goodbye, but we know that it's going to come back in a much more amazing fashion as a permanent establishment we hope to see as a stable for the next 30 to 40 years."

The Wharf Miami. 114 SW North River Dr., Miami; 305-906-4000; wharfmiami.com.