Say Bye Bye to Balls as The Meatball Joint Shutters

Before hitting its one year mark, Alton Road's The Meatball Joint has now closed. The third enterprise from South Beach chef/restaurateur Bernie Matz, The Meatball Joint went out with a celebration as they had a closing party last night with plenty of 'balls and brew. According to Matz, the limited menu (restricted by the small space and lack of kitchen) paired with a "long, hot summer" made it a difficult first year for the Joint to survive. He tells Short Order:

"The Meatball Joint was a labor of love, but the numbers weren't there in the summer, which went into a tough fall."

So, ultimately, he and his partners "decided it was time to move on." Matz assures his other two mainstays, The Café at Books & Books and The Meatball Joint's next door neighbor, Bernie's LA Café are still going strong. There's a possibility he might look at opening The Meatball Joint or LA Café on the mainland, but no set plans for now.

· The Meatball Joint Closes [SO]
· All Coverage of The Meatball Joint [~EMIA~]
· All Coverage of Bernie Matz [~EMIA~]

The Meatball Joint

1570 Alton Road, Miami Beach