EP 007: Angel Febres

He helped shape the golden era of Miami nightlife, brought hip-hop to South Beach before it was cool, and threw the parties that made everyone feel like they belonged.

Angel Febres looks back on 30 years of nightlife history — from legendary parties like Home Cooking and The Show at Crowbar, to memories with Michael Jordan, Chelsea Clinton, and Beyoncé. But beyond the glitz, this episode is about inclusion, community, and passion for the culture.

He discusses:

-Why fax machines were the original guest list system -How his team brought New York hip-hop DJs to Miami Beach -The real story behind Home Cooking Tuesdays and Sweet Thursdays -What it felt like when the whole club paused for Michael Jordan -Throwing a party with Beyoncé and Jay-Z after Mayweather–Pacquiao -Why modern promoting just doesn’t feel the same -And the friendships that built Miami’s nightlife from the ground up

⏱️ Timestamps

0:00 Welcome to Industry Talks with Angel Febres

0:30 Recording from his new venue, Yaya

1:20 How Angel got started in nightlife

2:05 Promoting parties in 1995

2:50 Launching Smac Entertainment

3:40 First parties and nightclubs

4:20 Thursday nights at Crowbar

5:00 Hip-hop in Miami Beach nightlife

6:00 How party promotion worked pre-social media

7:00 Calling, faxing, and texting guests

8:00 Top 3 parties: Crowbar, Sweet, Home Cooking

9:30 How Home Cooking built a legacy

10:30 Celebrity moments: Michael Jordan, Chelsea Clinton

11:50 Jay-Z and Beyoncé at Foxhole

13:00 Why celebrities kept coming back

14:00 Transition from promoter to owner

15:10 Launching Foxhole in 2011

16:30 The vibe and success of Foxhole

17:30 Foxhole post-COVID and relaunch

18:30 Opening Drunken Dragon

19:30 Running a restaurant for 10 years

20:30 Expanding off the beach to Wynwood

21:30 Launching Racket with Tony Garcia

22:30 Tony’s real estate success and staying in touch

23:30 Opening Casa Tiki in Little Havana

24:30 Dealing with COVID shutdowns

25:30 Casa Tiki’s relaunch and new partners

26:30 Little Havana’s development

27:30 Angel’s biggest business loss: Clutch

28:10 What he learned from that failure

29:00 Why restaurants elevate your brand

30:00 Balancing family and nightlife

31:00 Still showing up and supporting the scene

32:00 Why he opened Yaya after Pelican Harbor bid failed

33:00 Persevering through rejection

34:00 Boat access and strategy at Yaya

35:00 Counted 10,000 boats in two weeks

36:00 Targeting coastal boaters in Miami

37:00 Open six days a week, closed Mondays

38:00 Top 3 dishes: oysters, saganaki, ribeye

39:00 One more: half roasted chicken

39:30 Upcoming project: Drunken Dragon Hallandale

40:30 New concept: restaurant + lounge

41:30 Mentors: Louis Puig, Grutman, Bob Meyers

42:30 Lessons learned from legends

43:00 Respect and handling Puff Daddy situation in 2001

44:30 Security confusion and ending the night with champagne

45:30 Learning from conflict and staying humble

 

Connect with me on my instagram:

🤳Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emiguerra99/

 

Connect with Angel Febres:

🤳Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theangelfebres

 

Listen to my podcasts on: 🍎Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/industry-talks-hospitality-podcast/id1790526837

🍏Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Qqf1YkCmKKL0nEH9J5rAv

 

Check out my hospitality businesses on Instagram:

🏨 Breakwater Hospitality Group: https://www.instagram.com/breakwaterhg/

🏨The Wharf Miami: https://www.instagram.com/wharfmiami/

🏨The Wharf Fort Lauderdale: https://www.instagram.com/wharfftl/

🏨PIER 5: https://www.instagram.com/pier5bayside/

🏨JohnMartin’s: https://www.instagram.com/johnmartinsmiami/

🏨Carousel Club: https://www.instagram.com/carouselclb/

🏨Regatta Grove: https://www.instagram.com/regattagrove/

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