13 March 5-11, 2026 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | ▼ SOUTH BEACH BIG EASY South Beach just got a taste of the French Quarter. Willie’s Chicken Shack, the New Or- leans-born fast-casual restaurant known for fried chicken, frozen daiquiris, and late-night energy, has officially opened at the corner of Washington Avenue and Española Way, marking the brand’s first Florida location and its only outpost outside Louisiana. For a stretch of Miami Beach that thrives on foot traffic, people-watching, and post- sunset cravings, the move feels intentional. The bustling intersection draws a steady mix of tourists, locals, and nightlife wanderers, ex- actly the kind of crowd Willie’s built its repu- tation serving back home in New Orleans. Founded in 2012 by Aaron Motwani, Wil- lie’s Chicken Shack grew into a recognizable New Orleans staple with nine locations con- centrated around the French Quarter and downtown. The formula is simple but effec- tive: crispy fried chicken, Southern comfort sides, cold drinks, and a casual, come-as-you- are vibe that caters equally to daytime visitors and late-night crowds. Each location carries a touch of New Or- leans’ personality, bringing a bit of Bourbon Street character to Miami Beach. The South Beach space itself adds another layer of charm. According to New Times con- tributor and Miami food historian Burger Beast, Willie’s is housed in a former five-and- dime McCrory’s department store; the his- toric building immediately stood out. Old Miami Beach spaces like this still carry sto- ries in their walls, and it is refreshing to see one filled with something lively again. According to Burger Beast, who visited the new location, the menu includes biscuits dripping in honey butter, wings tossed in a Cajun sweet-and-sour sauce, and large chicken tenders. “Calling them jumbo almost undersells it,” he writes in his review. “They’re huge and crispy and juicy. The only issue was the sauce container being way too narrow for tenders that size.” He also notes that the bone-in fried chicken followed with the same winning for- mula. “[They’re] Deeply seasoned, shatter- ingly crisp, and perfectly moist inside.” Willie’s Chicken Shack is also known for its daiquiris, which are notoriously strong. The opening comes right off the heels of Mi- ami Beach’s new law to help revive its restau- rant scene in Lincoln Road and nearby areas. Willie’s Chicken Shack. 1441 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; willieschickenshackne- worleans.com. NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR ▼ MIAMI BEACH TAKING UP SPACE If you have walked down Lincoln Road or Washington Avenue lately, you have likely no- ticed the gaps. Vacant retail spaces have be- come a persistent problem for the city’s most famous corridors, and the Miami Beach City Commission finally decided to take a ham- mer to the bureaucracy keeping them empty. On February 9, the commission unani- mously approved an ordinance temporarily deregulating how restaurants can move into these blocks, including easing rules to bring live music venues back to Miami Beach. The move is designed to fast-track “quali- fying” businesses into commercial spaces without the months-long head- ache typically found with a con- ditional use per- mit. It is a major shift in a city known for having some of the most rigid zoning and permitting hurdles in South Florida. Commissioner Alex Fernandez, who pushed for the policy, argues that the city’s own rules had effectively banned the very things that made Miami Beach a destination in the first place. During the commission meeting, he pointed to the Van Dyke Cafe, the legendary jazz bar that once anchored Lincoln Road and closed in 2013, as a prime example. Under the framework the city just scrapped, a restaurant like the Van Dyke would not have been allowed to open “as of right.” By removing the requirement for condi- tional use permits, the city is opening the window for restaurants to move in without a public hearing. As reported by CBS News, this deregulation is intended to fill those empty storefronts faster by lowering the barrier to entry for operators who want to offer more than just a quiet meal. The most technical change in this ordi- nance involves the occupancy threshold. In the past, any restaurant with indoor enter- tainment was capped at 200 people. If they wanted to host more, they were forced to go through a lengthy, expensive approval pro- cess. That cap has now been raised to 750 people. This jump allows mid-sized venues to open their doors and start hosting live sets without spending a year getting a permit. For businesses that are already up and running with a capacity of under 750, the process is even simpler. Instead of filing new applica- tions, they can update their certificate of use or business tax receipt to include live indoor entertainment. Mayor Steven Meiner sum- marized the goal by stating the city is cutting red tape while keeping standards high so “re- sponsible businesses” can bring some energy back to the streets. This is not a citywide free-for-all. The com- mission has targeted five specific areas that they believe need the most help. The deregula- tion applies to Lincoln Road between Collins and Alton, Washington Avenue from Fifth to Lincoln, and 41st Street between Alton and Pine Tree Drive. It also includes Collins Ave- nue between 65th and 75th streets, as well as the 71st Street and Normandy Drive area. Lyle Stern, president of the Lincoln Road Business Improvement District, noted that these restrictions have historically kept the business community from being competitive. However, the city also established clear boundaries. The program explicitly forbids outdoor entertainment, open-air rooftop ven- ues, and adult entertainment. The commission made it clear that this is a “proactive business tool” with plenty of strings attached. Any business that violates city codes or abuses the streamlined process faces immediate revocation. This policy follows a string of other recent reforms, including same-day permitting for interior commercial work and the waiver of certain municipal fees. For now, the city is betting that less paperwork will lead to more energy. OLEE FOWLER IT IS A MAJOR SHIFT IN A CITY KNOWN FOR HAVING SOME OF THE MOST RIGID ZONING AND PERMITTING HURDLES IN SOUTH FLORIDA. Willie’s Chicken Shack photo Photo by Deepsleep Studio New Orleans fried chicken spot Wille’s Chicken Shack has opened its first Florida location in Miami Beach with tenders, fries, and daiquiris. Miami Beach approves new law easing permits to help restaurants move into vacant storefronts, aiming to revive Lincoln Road and other areas.
