The beloved burger spot returns to its 1926 flatiron after two years away, now with artist murals, a mob-boss jail cell replica, and 10 affordable studios for hospitality workers upstairs.
After two years away, Kush Wynwood is heading back to where it all started. Matt “Kush” Kuscher and his award-winning Kush Hospitality group will reopen the restaurant this October at 2003 N. Miami Avenue, inside the historic 1926 building it called home for nearly a decade.
But this isn’t just a reopening. It’s the anchor of “Kush Korner,” the group’s most ambitious project yet: a 7,500-square-foot mixed-use property that pairs a newly designed, 2,200-square-foot restaurant with 10 workforce studios for hospitality professionals, protected under a 50-year affordability agreement.
A Building With Stories to Tell
If these walls could talk, they’d need a few hours. The flatiron-style building was constructed in 1926 by Samuel Dubbin, a pioneer of Miami’s early Jewish community, and once sat in a residential pocket known as Little San Juan. Over 100 years, it has housed Dubbin’s apartments, restaurants, a pharmacy and even a brothel. It also has a reported connection to James “Whitey” Bulger, one of America’s most notorious mob bosses, who is said to have lived there around the time of his mid-1950s arrest in Miami Beach.
The building survived hurricanes, riots and wave after wave of redevelopment before becoming home to Kush Wynwood. When the city later slated it for demolition, Kush launched a four-year effort to preserve and reimagine it.
Along the way, his vision grew beyond the dining room. After watching his employees struggle with rising housing costs, unreliable transportation and long commutes, Kush built 10 micro-units above the restaurant specifically as affordable housing for hospitality workers. The apartments were developed in partnership with the Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, supported in part by the Public Benefit Trust Fund, and will stay protected under a 50-year affordability agreement.
Two independent concepts will round out the building: Broth and Bitters, the first bar from bartender Erika Holtz, and Creative Souls, a tattoo studio from celebrated local artist James Moyer. Applicants have already lined up with interest, bringing Kush’s idea of an interconnected hospitality community under one roof to life.
An Unofficial Art Gallery on N. Miami Avenue
You’ll know you’ve arrived before you walk in. The exterior doubles as a tribute to Miami’s cultural history, starting with a larger-than-life Walter Mercado mural by Lalone overlooking North Miami Avenue. A colorful work by Krave honors Little San Juan and Wynwood’s Puerto Rican roots, along with the revival of the iconic Cano piece that was removed. Around the corner, a black-and-white “Welcome to Wynwood” mural by Camilo Rojas marks the entrance as the gateway to the neighborhood.
On the building’s side, SNEAK brings Kush’s superhero alter ego, Kaptain Kush, to life above the street alongside the tagline, “The kind of superhero Miami always needed.”
The storytelling continues in the entrance corridor, where Camilo Rojas pays tribute to Wynwood’s creative legacy with the handwritten names of 180 artists who helped turn the neighborhood into an international arts district. Kush collaborated with eight longtime Miami artists to make sure everyone made the list.
Inside, a 12-seat island bar clad in dark green tile anchors the 50-seat restaurant, set against dark red brick walls that give the room warmth and character. Look closer and you’ll find Kush’s signature eccentricities: wallpaper made from his first fake IDs, restroom walls covered in pages from his book, vintage cassettes, and an old-school telephone that plays your horoscope when you pick it up. Some details are just for the team, including original artwork commissioned specifically for the kitchen.
Upstairs, Rojas’ “Home Sweet Home” lines the staircase, with more commissioned works extending into the residential hallways. And the most unexpected piece? Hidden inside a closet is a replica of Whitey Bulger’s jail cell, complete with his prison-issued ID and fork, both acquired by Kush at auction, a nod to the building’s most infamous former resident.
All told, Kush Korner features more than 25 pieces from 20 artists, including G-Wiz, Pedro Martin, Allen Penniman, DestructionPaper, Crook, Marthi, Andrés Cortés and others, plus floral work by ZeFlorist, collaborations with J.O. and Renda Writer, and a reactivation of famed Invader by local artist Infinipi. A newspaper-style guide at the entrance will introduce visitors to the artists and pieces throughout the building.
“Everything in my restaurants has a story, and Kush Wynwood may have more than any of them,” said Kush. “The history of the building, the evolution of the neighborhood and the pieces of Miami culture we’ve collected are woven throughout the experience. I want guests to discover something new every time they visit. It’s a little weird, deeply personal and authentically Miami.”
The Greatest Hits, All on One Menu
The new menu pulls together some of the most recognizable and award-winning dishes from over a dozen Kush Hospitality concepts, and everything is made in-house from scratch, from the sauces and condiments to the burgers, which are ground and hand-pressed daily.
The burger lineup includes the Johnny Utah, voted Best Burger in Miami by Miami New Times, made with corned beef, cheddar, white onions, lettuce, tomato and LoKal sauce, and the Frita by Kush, named among Food Network’s Best Burgers in America, which pairs guava jelly with potato stix, bacon, Swiss cheese and LoKal sauce. Then there’s the Jewban Sandwich, a nod to Kush’s Jewish and Spanish heritage, ranked the No. 3 sandwich in the world by Time Out. It layers pulled pork and corned beef with Swiss cheese, pickles, sauerkraut, yellow mustard and Russian dressing on grilled rye.
Other returning favorites include Florida Alligator Bites with bang bang sauce and creamy garlic; Reuben Croquetas, a Stephens Deli staple made with corned beef; and the Chicken N Waffles, voted Best in Miami by Miami New Times and served with spicy maple syrup. The dedicated Veggie Corner features the Black Bean Burger, with a black bean-mushroom patty, Jack cheese, slaw and sour cream guacamole, and the Veggie “King” Burger, made with beets, prunes, oat bran and brown rice.
Salads include Zuni’s Employee Meal, with lemon pepper chicken, grilled romaine, peppers, mushrooms, avocado and Parmesan, and daily soups include French Onion Soup, Tomato bisque and the award-winning New Mexico Chili.
Save room for dessert: Banana Cream Bread Pudding with caramel and cinnamon crumble, a Kush Brownie Sundae topped with vanilla bean ice cream, pecans, caramel and bacon, and Key Lime Pie in a graham cracker-pecan crust.
There’s a kids menu for ages 10 and younger with locally crafted sodas, plus an elaborate outdoor dog menu with dog meals and even a dog beer.
Cocktails With a Sense of Humor
The drinks are as cheeky as the décor. Look for Coming Home From Tootsies, made with Papa’s Pilar Blonde Rum, guava, honey and lime; Mexican From Miami, with Mi Campo tequila, watermelon and jalapeño; and Sana Sana Culito de Rana, a playful nod to the familiar Latin childhood rhyme and Miami culture.
On tap, you’ll find local craft beers made exclusively for Kush Wynwood: the Kaptain Kush by Tank Brewing and Dr. Dank by Rocketeer Brewing. THC drinks and zero-proof cocktails are also on the menu, along with signature touches like Kush’s Mommy Juice, a peach and cabernet sangria served in a 32-ounce souvenir cup, and The Holy Water, a rotating daily shot. And for $2, you can send a beer back to the kitchen staff.
Kush Wynwood will also roll out regular programming, including a $5 happy hour, neighborhood-focused specials and other events.
If You Go
Kush Wynwood is located at 2003 N. Miami Avenue. Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. until midnight, and Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until late. For more information, visit kushhospitality.com.