Motek, the Israeli-Mediterranean restaurant group that grew up in Miami, is now cooking on Fort Lauderdale Beach. Its new restaurant at the W Fort Lauderdale, Motek By The Sea, has started serving takeout and delivery, and the company says the full sit-down experience is coming soon.

The restaurant sits at 401 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., inside the W, in the oceanfront space that was home to Stephen Starr's El Vez. It is the first Motek in Fort Lauderdale and the first anywhere in Broward County.

What is open right now

For the moment, Motek By The Sea is takeout and delivery only. Orders go through the Order Now link on the restaurant's Fort Lauderdale page, and pickup is in the hotel courtyard, which is where the restaurant has set up its designated pickup area.

The location page lists hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week, along with a weekday happy hour from 2 to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Separate lunch and brunch and dinner menus are posted there. The phone number for the location is 786-744-5590.

Groups of 10 or more are handled through Motek's events team, by the form on its events page or by email at [email protected].

The space, once dine-in opens

When Motek announced the project in June, it described a restaurant of about 12,000 square feet with seats for 315 guests, split between indoor rooms and outdoor dining that overlooks Fort Lauderdale Beach. The company set November 2026 as its target, and the takeout launch puts the first part of that on the calendar. No date has been posted yet for dine-in service.

The restaurant is being developed by Happy Corner Hospitality, Motek's parent company, in partnership with Marriott and Blackstone. The W's own page describes the new venue as Mediterranean food served all day.

From Miami to the beach

Motek was founded by Charlie Levy, and the name is Hebrew for sweetheart. The brand's Florida restaurants are in Aventura, Boca Raton, Brickell, Coral Gables, Downtown Miami, Miami Beach, Midtown and South Pointe, and it also runs locations in New York's Flatiron district, West Village and on 57th Street. The company counts Fort Lauderdale as its 10th restaurant in South Florida.

Until now, the nearest Motek for most of Broward was in Aventura or Boca Raton. The new one is on Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard, facing the ocean.

How to go

Motek By The Sea is at the W Fort Lauderdale, 401 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Takeout and delivery run daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with pickup in the courtyard. Call 786-744-5590 or order through the restaurant's Fort Lauderdale page. Watch the same page for the dine-in opening date.

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