If you happened to see Guy Fieri’s long-running Food Network road show “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” last weekend, you know that South Florida never looked so good.
In a land where “celebrity” chefs and ostentatious dishes seem to get all the buzz, Fieri managed to find — as he does — an unassuming gem in chef Jimmy Everett’s Boynton Beach restaurant Driftwood.
Joined on his visit by son Hunter, what Fieri (and likely many viewers) discovered was a chef turning out dishes that are at once creative and accessible, improvisational yet simple. Plus, you learn that Everett, notwithstanding his impressive resume, remains one of the good guys on the local cuisine scene, deeply invested in supporting local vendors and farms.
Fieri is not stingy with his compliments, but his praise for Everett’s “next level” comfort food seemed particularly enthusiastic. He called the Smoked Pork Jowl Fried Rice ($22) “a masterful dish,” appreciating the South-meets-Asia use of collard greens in the kimchi and singling out the duck egg (from family-run Charmed Life Farm in Loxahatchee) as an unexpected “pièce de résistance.”
He also tried the Crispy Chicken Oysters ($15), which use rarely spotlighted dark-meat nuggets, coated in a mixture that includes corn flakes, deep-fried and partnered with papas bravas (fried potatoes). Hunter Fieri called the dish, served humbly in brown paper bags, “Michelin level.”
“Boynton Beach needed this restaurant,” one guest told Guy Fieri, who countered: “The world needs this restaurant.”
The only question left unanswered: Where can I get one of those Black Flag-style Driftwood T-shirts the staff was wearing?
Driftwood is at 2005 S. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Visit DriftwoodBoynton.com.
Driftwood chef-owner Jimmy Everett on the hunt for local ingredients at Kai-Kai Farm in Indiantown. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Thursday
Mr. 305 in the 561: Pitbull will help kick off the concert season at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach on Thursday, joined by hip-hop showman Lil Jon. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are scarce: Ticketmaster.com. (Don’t forget to look for the $10 burger and other food discounts at iTHINK.)
Hot wings: Air hostess with the mostest Pam Ann (alter ego of Australian writer-comedian Caroline Reid) will share saucy travel tales and assorted airline kookiness when she touches down at Hunters in Wilton Manors on Thursday at 7 p.m. Tickets: Facebook.com/huntersfl.
Weekend movie: The Doc’n Roll Festival continues at the Miami Beach Bandshell on Thursday at 8 p.m. with “Rockers Don’t Stop: The Revival of Rockers Revenge.” The documentary about ill-fated New York dance-music pioneers Rockers Revenge, who reunite decades after their 1982 post-disco hit “Walking on Sunshine” to finally record their debut album, was directed by famed DJ and music producer Arthur Baker, who will take part in a Q&A session after the screening. Tickets: MiamiBeachBandshell.com.
Night moves: Performing the classic hits of Boston, Journey, Queen and others at the Boca Black Box Center for the Arts on Thursday at 8 p.m., Nashville-based The 77 Experience aims to immerse us in the sounds and memories of 1977, a year “when music and culture were at their finest.” Can that be right? Discuss. Tickets: BocaBlackBox.com.
Friday
Friday laughs: Two of comedy’s most candid and blunt storytellers bring their tours to South Florida on Friday. Bill Burr will be at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood at 8 p.m. Tickets: MyHRL.com. Ali Siddiq will bring The Custom Fit Tour to the James L. Knight Center in Miami at 7 p.m. Tickets: Ticketmaster.com.
Comedian Bill Burr will perform at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Friday. (Koury Angelo/Courtesy)
School daze: Award-winning GableStage in Coral Gables will host a regional premiere of the topical 2024 Broadway satire “Eureka Day” — set at a progressive California school as it navigates a mumps outbreak and a debate over its vaccination policy — with weekend performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. The play will be directed by Stuart Meltzer, this week named the winner of the prestigious 2026 George Abbott Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts from the Carbonell Awards, to be presented at a ceremony set for Nov. 16. Tickets: GableStage.org.
Friday night live: Acclaimed Haitian American trumpeter and composer Jean Caze and his band will play the Arts Garage in downtown Delray Beach on Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets: ArtsGarage.org. … Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz brings music from his new album, “Grandma’s Gospel Favorites” (recorded for his grandmother nearly 20 years ago), to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale on Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets: BrowardCenter.org. … Dynamic cellist and composer Luka Šulić, half of the duo 2Cellos, will perform at The Parker in Fort Lauderdale on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: ParkerPlayhouse.com.
Local sounds: Respectable Street in downtown West Palm Beach will host an album-release show for Lavola’s “Did You Have a Good Day” — the latest intimate and artful rock statement from Julian Cires — on Friday at 9 p.m. The night will include sets by the Howling Winds and Danny Brunjes. Admission is free. Recommended. Information: RespectableStreet.eventbrite.com.
Ticket window: Arena-rock icons Journey have extended their Final Frontier Tour (stopping in Tampa on Friday) with 40 North American dates that include an Oct. 16 show at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Seatgeek.com. … Country star Brad Paisley is bringing his 2026 tour to the intimate confines of FTL War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale on Sept. 18. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Seatgeek.com. … A third show has been added for comedian-actor Sebastian Maniscalco at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Nov. 21. Tickets go on sale at a.m. Friday at MyHRL.com.
Saturday
Fort Knox Recordings
South Florida reggae band The Resolvers will perform at the Cruiser Palooza Music & Arts Festival in Delray Beach on Saturday. (Fort Knox Recordings/Courtesy)
Cruisey, baby: A favorite annual gathering for a cause, the Cruiser Palooza Music & Arts Festival returns on Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. at Old School Square in downtown Delray Beach, featuring live music (sets by The Resolvers, 59 Shop and Six After Midnight), food trucks, a beer garden, a cornhole tournament and more. The 16th annual event benefits The Cruisey Baby Initiative, a nonprofit created by indefatigable local artist Cruise Bogle, who suffered a spinal cord injury in 2008 (at age 19) that left him paralyzed from the neck down. The Delray Beach-based nonprofit helps those with spinal-cord injuries cover costs associated with their treatment and rehabilitation. Tickets: CruiserPalooza.com.
A good walk: The Oakland Park Art Walk returns to the city’s Downtown Culinary Arts District on Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. One of the area’s most underappreciated nightlife destinations — the city is not shy about its “Brooklyn of Broward” ambitions — the walkable eight-block stretch adjacent to Dixie Highway is lined with a memorably diverse selection of restaurants and bars, with multiple breweries, art galleries and a sweet little wine dive. Admission is free. Visit Facebook.com/OPCityFL.
Voodoo Brewing Co. is one of many places worth discovering during the Oakland Park Art Walk on Saturday. (Scott Luxor/Contributor)
The cocktail of now: The Espresso Martini Festival comes to riverfront lounge The Wharf in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Saturday beginning at noon, with eight bars serving interpretations of the coveted caffeinated cocktail. Visit WharfFTL.com.
Saturday laughs: Samantha Bee, the former “Full Frontal” and “Daily Show” fixture, currently the host of the impeccably curated podcast “Choice Words,” will perform her show “How to Survive Menopause” at the Amaturo Theater in Fort Lauderdale’s Broward Center at 7:30 p.m. Saturday … Meanwhile, also at the Broward Center, actor and comedian Sal Vulcano (“Impractical Jokers”) will bring his Everything’s Fine Tour to the larger Au-Rene Theater at 7 p.m. Tickets for both shows are available at BrowardCenter.org.
Air of mystery: The Balloon Museum will bring the touring inflatable art exhibit “Pop Air — Art is Inflatable” to South Florida for the first time this weekend at Mana Wynwood Convention Center in Miami. The show, which will debut at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and be up through Sept. 27, features never-before-seen inflatable installations and interactive sculptures from leading international and American artists. Tickets: BalloonMuseum.world.
Saturday night live: Captivating Italian singer-songwriter Laura Pausini brings her Yo Canto World Tour to the Kaseya Center in Miami on Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets: Ticketmaster.com. … Contemporary jazz saxophonist Eric Darius will perform at The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton on Saturday at 6 and 9 p.m. Tickets: FunkyBiscuit.com. … SoCal reggae-rock party starters Iration bring their tour with Soja to the Pompano Beach Amphitheater on Saturday at 6:15 p.m. Tickets: PompanoBeachArts.org. … Rock stalwarts Vanilla Fudge — featuring original members Mark Stein, Vince Martell and Carmine Appice — will play the Boca Black Box at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets: BocaBlackBox.com.
Date night: The Candlelight concert series will set the music of Bad Bunny to strings (courtesy of the Collins Quartet) and flickering lights at historic Savor Cinema in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday beginning at 5 p.m. A separate concert will follow at 7:15 p.m., with the Listeso String Quartet performing Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” and other works. For tickets to each concert, visit Feverup.com.
Day to remember: Saturday is Armed Forces Day, when Mission BBQ will conclude its weeklong salute to service members by offering free sandwiches to all veterans and active duty military from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mission BBQ has South Florida locations in Royal Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Weston, Fort Lauderdale, Davie and Doral. Visit Mission-bbq.com.
Pleased to meat you: The 10th annual Smoke on the Water BBQ Feast will take place on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., filling Esplanade Park in downtown Fort Lauderdale with local pitmasters, music, craft vendors and more. Admission is free. Visit GoRiverwalk.com/sotw.
Cray cray for crawfish: On the other end of downtown Fort Lauderdale, the Boozy Crawfish Festival will take over Las Olas Oceanside Park on Saturday from 1 to 6 p.m. The afternoon will include music, vendors and a pay-as-you-go crawfish station ($20 per serving). VIP tickets also available at Eventbrite.com.
Saturday tributes: The LoveCats, a very good local tribute to The Cure, will play Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton on Saturday at 8:30 p.m., joined by Duran Duran tribute Notorious. Tickets: CrazyUncleMikes.com. … Popular Southern-rock tribute band Southern Blood will perform at Galuppi’s in Pompano Beach on Saturday beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: Galuppis.com.
Sunday
Belle epoch: Revered indie-pop storytellers Belle & Sebastian will celebrate their 30th anniversary with a concert at Miami’s Arsht Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, performing the album “If You’re Feeling Sinister” in its entirety, along with other songs from a career that includes the 2023 release of “Late Developers.” The performance marks their first concert in Miami in more than 10 years. Singer-songwriter and artist Joanna Sternberg will open the 7 p.m. show. Tickets: ArshtCenter.org.
Sunday laughs: Led by actor-comedian Mike Epps, the We Them One’s Comedy Tour hits Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Sunday at 7 p.m., featuring DC Young Fly, Karlous Miller, Chico Bean, Mojo Brookzz, Tony Roberts, T.K. Kirkland and Just Nesh. Tickets: MyHRL.com.
Welcome return: Coco Market, the wellness-centered gathering founded by Corey Heyman, a relentless spreader of joy, continues its 2026 season on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with more than 60 vendors setting up at Seabreeze Amphitheater at Carlin Park in Jupiter. Next up on the Coco Market schedule will be a return to Old School Square on June 7, the first event since Delray Beach officials suspended the market for three months after a dog-bite incident involving a local rescue. Visit CocoMarket.org.
Sunday best: Rapper Plies is the headliner for the “40 & Up With A Good Job” All White Day Party on Sunday beginning at 2 p.m. at the Miramar Regional Park Amphitheater. Tickets: TheAmpAtMiramar.com.
Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on IG: @BenCrandell.