Regal Cinemas South Beach 18

Once Regal closes its doors, that will leave O Cinema as the sole film venue on the beach from an era when there were 12 to 14 movie houses at the peak on Miami Beach proper.

Back in the 2000’s, before or after seeing a film at the Regal South Beach, I used to get coffee and sometimes a sandwich at what may have been called Cafe Del Moro at the far end of the lobby that felt separate from any of the concessions. Across from this a door opened onto an outdoor patio, where I would head out to what felt like a balcony overlooking the Lincoln Road pedestrian mall stretching east into the distance, where I’d stand for a while contemplating the view, and people-watching from above. (There was also a similar patio on the third floor from which I would do the same thing.)

Most often I would make the trip over to the Regal South Beach for film festivals, though a couple times I went for releases that within the county were only playing there. The one I remember is “Shadow Magic”, a drama set in 1902 about the introduction of motion pictures to China.

The cafe space closed years ago, and its empty structure was still dormant, when I stopped going to the Regal South Beach mostly because it seemed the Miami Film Festival was no longer using it as a venue once the Silverspot Cinemas Metsquare in downtown Miami opened in 2018.

The last times I visited the doors to the patios were locked on both floors, making my favorite thing about this cinema inaccessible, (though online photos show they later reopened).

I hadn’t a reason to go back since, but felt nostalgic for these nuances when I saw a headline in the Miami Herald stating it will be closing.

The person at the far end of the lobby in this photo is sitting at something new where Cafe Del Moro used to be.

A photo from Google Maps shows the second floor patio/defunct cafe became the “Regal VIP” area since I had last been there.

Here is the edge of the patio from which I’d gaze down upon Lincoln Road.

I wish there were a photo posted from the point of view of someone gazing down upon Lincoln Road from the patios/balconies, as I mention in my comment from February 18th, 2023, to better illustrate what I am describing.

Landmark Regal Cinema on South Beach to close at the end of September MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — The landmark Regal Cinemas on Miami Beach will close its doors permanently at the end of September.

The Miami Beach planning board approved plans for a new project, the Superhuman Museum, to take its place at 1120 Lincoln Rd. Mall.

According to local entrepreneur Steve Berke, who will be behind the project, the museum promises to anchor the revival of Lincoln Road and redefine Miami Beach’s cultural landscape. It will feature 17 exhibits. ineworld, the parent company of Regal Cinemas, filed for bankruptcy in Sept. 2022.

According to CinemaTreasures.org, Regal Cinemas South Beach 18 opened June 16, 1999 with a total of 2,799 seats.

According to the Regal Cinema website, the chain is the second largest in the country, second to AMC Theaters.

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Please update, theatre closed September 30, 2025