Miami Beach’s luxurious Prime restaurant family has just lost a member.
After a decade of serving everything from scallops to sea bass in the South of Fifth neighborhood of Miami Beach, the upscale seafood restaurant Prime Fish has closed for good.
Operated by the Myles Restaurant Group, owners of the exclusive Prime 112, the ultra-exclusive Prime Private, Prime Italian and Big Pink, the restaurant at 100 Collins Ave. sits a block away from the famous “Prime Corner,” a popular spot that has drawn celebrities for decades.
Restaurateur Myles Chefetz said that the restaurant had “a great 10-year run” but that he was ready to focus his attention on Prime Corner, which also includes the Prime Hotel.
But Chefetz, a South of Fifth resident, had another reason for the decision: He wanted to bring in something new to his neighborhood. South of Fifth is famous for its upscale dining, home to icons like Joe’s Stone Crab, Jeremy Ford’s Michelin-starred Stubborn Seed, the glamorous Estiatorio Milos and the ever-packed, nonstop party that is Carbone.
What’s missing? A slightly more laid-back restaurant.
“I sensed we lacked an approachable all-day eatery,” Chefetz said in a statement. “It felt right to refresh the neighborhood with something new.”
That something new is actually a familiar name in Miami. The Israeli Mediterranean restaurant Motek, which has locations in Brickell, downtown Miami, the Aventura Mall and Coral Gables, will be moving into the space later in 2024.
Chefetz, who discovered Motek while furniture shopping at Restoration Hardware in Aventura with his daughter, said that he received higher rent offers over the past few years, but he preferred the idea of bringing Motek South of Fifth and ended up accepting an under-market deal.
“I was looking for a concept that would stand the test of time and serve the neighborhood I call home,” he said. “When I experienced Motek, it struck me as the perfect match for this space.”
Owned by Charlie Levy, Motek first opened in the Seybold building in 2020, then opened a restaurant in Aventura as well as Yalla, a fast-casual version, at the mall’s Treats Food Hall. The restaurant, which continues to expand, won Burger Bash at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival in 2022 and 2023 with its famous Arayes Burger, a Lebanese-style blend of lamb, beef and herbs served in pita bread. Other popular menu items include the shawarma, kebabs and one of the best chicken schnitzel sandwiches you’ll find in Miami.
Levy, who also lives in the South of Fifth neighborhood, said that it will be thrilling to see Motek in an iconic building.
“Our goal is to always become immersed in the culture of the neighborhoods we’re in, and this collaboration with Myles is a natural fit,” he said. “He knows what good hospitality looks like.”
Motek is also scheduled to open another Miami Beach location sometime this summer.
