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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNew Orleans fried chicken spot Wille’s Chicken Shack has opened its first Florida location in Miami Beach with tenders, fries, and daiquiris.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPopular New Orleans fried chicken spot has opened its first Florida location in Miami Beach with juicy tenders and daiquiris.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNew Orleans fried chicken spot Wille’s Chicken Shack has opened its first Florida location in Miami Beach with tenders, fries, and daiquiris.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Willie\u2019s Chicken Shack photo<\/p>\n
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South Beach just got a taste of the French Quarter. Willie\u2019s Chicken Shack<\/a>, the New Orleans-born fast-casual restaurant known for fried chicken, frozen daiquiris, and late-night energy, has officially opened at the corner of Washington Avenue and Espa\u00f1ola Way, marking the brand\u2019s first Florida location and its only outpost outside Louisiana.<\/p>\n For a stretch of Miami Beach that thrives on foot traffic, people-watching, and post-sunset cravings, the move feels intentional. The bustling intersection draws a steady mix of tourists, locals, and nightlife wanderers, exactly the kind of crowd Willie\u2019s built its reputation serving back home in New Orleans.<\/p>\n Willie\u2019s Chicken Shack photo<\/p>\n From the French Quarter to South Beach<\/p>\n Founded in 2012 by Aaron Motwani, Willie\u2019s Chicken Shack grew into a recognizable New Orleans staple with nine locations concentrated around the French Quarter and downtown. The formula is simple but effective: crispy fried chicken, Southern comfort sides, cold drinks, and a casual, come-as-you-are vibe that caters equally to daytime visitors and late-night crowds.<\/p>\n Each location carries a touch of New Orleans\u2019 personality, bringing a bit of Bourbon Street character to Miami Beach.<\/p>\n The South Beach space itself adds another layer of charm. According to New Times contributor and Miami food historian Burger Beast<\/a>, Willie\u2019s is housed in a former five-and-dime McCrory\u2019s department store; the historic building immediately stood out. Old Miami Beach spaces like this still carry stories in their walls, and it is refreshing to see one filled with something lively again.<\/p>\n Biscuits, Big Tenders, and No-Nonsense Fried Chicken<\/p>\n According to Burger Beast, who visited the new location<\/a>, the menu includes biscuits dripping in honey butter, wings tossed in a Cajun sweet-and-sour sauce, and large chicken tenders. \u201cCalling them jumbo almost undersells it,\u201d he writes in his review. \u201cThey\u2019re huge and crispy and juicy. The only issue was the sauce container being way too narrow for tenders that size.\u201d <\/p>\n He also notes that the bone-in fried chicken followed with the same winning formula. \u201c[They\u2019re] Deeply seasoned, shatteringly crisp, and perfectly moist inside.\u201d<\/p>\n Willie\u2019s Chicken Shack is also known for its daiquiris, which are notoriously strong. The opening comes right off the heels of Miami Beach\u2019s new law to help revive its restaurant scene<\/a> in Lincoln Road and nearby areas.<\/p>\n Willie\u2019s Chicken Shack. 1441 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; willieschickenshackneworleans.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sign up for the Food Alerts: Miami Bites newsletter to get the latest stories delivered to your inbox<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tTHANK YOU!<\/p>\n You’re all set.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tCLOSE\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t Nicole Lopez-Alvar is the food editor of Miami New Times, a position she has been honored to take on since December 2023. Prior to her work at Miami New Times, she was a digital journalist covering breaking news, restaurants, arts, and culture at WPLG Local 10 News and WSVN 7 News. When she\u2019s not writing about restaurants and chefs for her day job, Nicole can be found blogging about food on her personal Instagram account. Nicole received a BS in communications from the University of Miami, where she studied broadcast journalism. Readers might have seen her on the 23rd season of ABC\u2019s The Bachelor<\/a> and the sixth season of Bachelor in Paradise<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screen-Shot-2026-02-26-at-1.29.51-PM.png\")
The formula is simple but effective: crispy fried chicken, Southern comfort sides, cold drinks, and a casual, come-as-you-are vibe <\/p>\n
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