Stone crab season opens Thursday, October 15. On the Miami River, that means the 400 block of NW North River Drive, where Garcia's and Casablanca have been cracking claws for decades. This year the same block also holds the river's most anticipated restaurant still in development. Its landlord is the Cuban-American family that owns Casablanca.
Mercante Ristorante & Piano Bar is the Italian supper club Nicola Siervo is building with House Kiki's Roman Jones at 404 NW North River Drive. According to The Real Deal, that building belongs to Wees Brothers Inc., an entity managed by the Sanchez family. The family also owns the neighboring property and the restaurant that houses Casablanca Seafood Bar & Grill. The newcomers are moving into the fish houses' own block, on the fish houses' terms.
Thursday, October 15, at the Water's Edge
Garcia's Seafood Grille & Fish Market, at 398 NW North River Drive, describes itself as family-owned and on the river for more than 50 years. Its menu says the stone crabs are "brought in daily by our own fishing fleet" and available October 15 through May 1, with all sizes sold at market price. No other restaurant on this stretch claims a supply line that short.
Two doors down at 400 NW North River Drive, Casablanca is advertising its own stone crab season, along with a weekday happy hour from 3 to 7 p.m. Casablanca's contact page lists two different sets of opening hours, so call ahead before you plan a late table.
Casablanca's own setup has changed recently. In February 2025, Miami New Times reported that the fish market next to the restaurant was moving to Florida Fresh Fisheries near Coral Way, while the riverfront dining room stayed open. The same report covered a $15 million partnership between Roman Jones and the Sanchez family, who remain partners in Casablanca. New Times said Jones planned to take the Casablanca brand national. The public reporting does not say how the $15 million breaks down.
Who Holds the Lease at 404
Mercante has been in development since 2024. The Real Deal reports a 15-year lease with a right of first refusal if the owners decide to sell the building. A source told the publication the rent is $70,000 a month, or about $106 per square foot a year for 7,900 square feet. The Real Deal described that rate as reflecting the premium waterfront restaurant space commands in the area.
For diners, the plan described in World Red Eye's September 16 announcement includes:
- 175 seats in a Venetian-inspired dining room by Nikolai Design, with brass and marble accents
- a waterfront terrazza and a 150-foot dock with boat access
- fresh pasta, crudo, seafood, house-made bread, gelato and an all-Italian wine list
- live piano, bands and karaoke
- lunch and dinner seven days a week, plus weekend brunch
The stated opening window is late 2026. As of mid-October, no opening day has been announced.
Read in address order, the block shows how closely the old and new venues now sit:
- 398 NW North River Drive. Garcia's, family-run, with its own fishing fleet
- 400 NW North River Drive. Casablanca, owned by the Sanchez family and partnered with Jones since 2025
- 404 NW North River Drive. Mercante, a Siervo and House Kiki venture in a Sanchez-owned building
- 412 NW North River Drive. Seaspice, with weekend brunch from noon to 4 p.m. and closed Mondays except for private events
- 450 NW North River Drive. Kiki on the River, open since April 2017
- 452 NW North River Drive. Habibi, Kiki's neighbor, open Wednesday through Sunday nights
The Operator Who Bet on This Stretch First
Forbes' September 21 profile frames the block's direction. When Kiki on the River opened in April 2017, warehouses, fisheries and marine businesses still lined the river. House Kiki's portfolio, anchored by Kiki and Habibi, now brings in about $50 million a year, according to the company. Jones plans to expand along the river over the next 48 months and projects revenue above $130 million. Forbes says Jones learned from earlier ventures and now aims to own the real estate or hold long-term leases, so he keeps the value his venues create. The 15-year Mercante lease and the right of first refusal match that strategy.
Habibi is the late-night half of the pair. Its site lists Thursday drummers and belly dancers, a Friday ladies' champagne night, and Saturday programming that runs from dinner into nightlife. It stays open until 3 a.m. Thursday through Sunday.
A Century-Old Building Is Next
The next House Kiki project sits a few blocks downriver, in a building older than most of the city's skyline. In June, Miami New Times reported that House Kiki had signed a lease at 28 and 90 NW North River Drive, the former Capt. Tom's Seafood Restaurant. Capt. Tom's opened in the 1920s, marked its 100th birthday in 2018, and had been closed for years. It will become S&L, short for steak and lobster. No opening date has been announced.
The plans continue past that. Forbes describes Pirata, a waterfront sports bar and grill in development, and lists Maminette, a casual South-of-France concept, among the longer-term ideas. In May 2025, The Real Deal placed Pirata on a vacant lot across the water from Kiki. It also reported Jones's eventual plan to turn Casablanca into a Venice-style seafood restaurant. Neither project has a published address or date as of this month.
| Venue | Address | Status as of October 12, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Garcia's | 398 NW North River Dr. | Open; stone crabs from October 15 |
| Casablanca | 400 NW North River Dr. | Open; stone crab season advertised |
| Mercante | 404 NW North River Dr. | Announced for late 2026; no opening day |
| S&L | 28 and 90 NW North River Dr. | Lease signed June 2026; no date |
| Pirata | Not published | In development |
| The Wharf at Riverside Wharf | 114 SW North River Dr. | Expected to return in 2028 |
The River's Two Halloweens
Away from the seafood block, the river's October calendar splits by time of day. Downriver at 40 SW North River Drive, Casa Neos opened its third-floor lounge and members-only rooftop, Casa Neos MM, on March 6. Its Beach Club brought back Sunset Rituals with Guy Gerber on October 10, and the Lounge has a Halloween party with Claptone on October 31. Casa Neos also built a 200-foot section of public Riverwalk, which opened July 24, 2024.
Upriver, River Landing is holding Hallo-Wellness on the River, a free community wellness event, on Saturday, October 31, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Elia on the River runs Monday salsa and weekend brunch with jazz. Bagatelle, across the water at 311 NW South River Drive, fills the gap between those two ends with its terrace, dock and cabanas. In late 2025, Miami New Times listed River Landing's New York import, Blu, as a late summer or fall 2026 opening. A June 2026 River Landing announcement moved Blu to 2027.
Where the Path and the Wharf Fit
The city's next stretch of riverfront path is going in near Curtis Park, not along the restaurant row. The Miami River Greenway segment at Curtis Park East, on NW North River Drive between NW 22nd and NW 24th avenues, is scheduled for construction from September 2026 to September 2027. The segment from NW 22nd to NW 19th Avenue is scheduled for October 2027 through October 2028.
The other long-running project brings back a familiar name. The original Wharf Miami closed in 2023. WhatNow Miami reported in July that it will return in 2028 as a permanent venue inside Riverside Wharf at 114 SW North River Drive, a hotel, nightlife and marina project. Forbes reports the site broke ground in December 2025 with a 165-room Dream Hotel planned. Garcia's is part of that project's plans as a collaborator, not a shareholder. In February 2025, Luis Garcia told the Miami Herald the family would keep its original restaurant and open a new fish market, raw bar and outdoor area at Riverside Wharf. No source so far confirms that the expansion has opened. For now, the stone crabs at 398 NW North River Drive still come off Garcia's own boats, a few doors from a supper club that hasn't opened yet.
On the river, the deals between landowners and operators are deciding which venues open next to which. If you're weighing a residence near the Miami River, Dora Puig and the Luxe Living Realty team follow these riverfront leases and openings closely. Let's Connect.
