On a typical weekend, Keith Menin can be found at a trendy new restaurant or bar, sometimes his.
Menin, a principal at Menin Hospitality, is working on more than 15 projects – bars, food and beverage concepts, and hotels, along with his cousin and managing principal Jared Galbut. Real estate is in the family for Menin, whose uncle is Crescent Heights developer Russell Galbut.
Most recently, the company took over managing the Mondrian South Beach, a Morgans hotel on the west side of Miami Beach.
Menin’s Bodega Taqueria & Tequila, at 1220 16th Street in Miami Beach, opened in early 2015, offering late-night tacos in the front and, through a walk-in refrigerator door, a speakeasy bar in the back. “We like to see what’s missing in the marketplace,” he said.
The Real Deal sat down with Menin to talk about what’s next for the hospitality firm:
Bakehouse, an American brasserie in the South-of-Fifth neighborhood of South Beach, is set to open in early July at 808 First Street. Ricky’s, a bar next to Bodega with live music and arcade games, is planned for September. And Al’s, a fast-casual eatery and bar, will open in the former Firestone property at 1575 Alton Road early next year, Menin said.
Also in South Beach, Radio Bar and Red Ginger, the latter of which closed for the summer and will reopen with a more casual menu.
Menin ventured north to Broward with the Gale in Fort Lauderdale Beach, which is set to open in early 2018.
“I know exactly what my demographic customer wants,” said Menin, who focuses on the design, branding and marketing side of the business. “We always build them as if I’m the client.”
Age: 35
House or condo? Menin lives in a house on North Bay Road.
First job: When he was 15 at the Shelborne Miami Beach, he manned the front desk with his cousin.
Education: Cornell University School of Hotel Administration
You may not know: He loves Italian custom-made white dress shirts and Italian espadrilles.