After closing down earlier this year, the Denny’s in Beach Haven, located at 13874 Beach Boulevard, is being reformed into a Mambos Cuban Kitchen.
Owner Raul Arias Jr. paid $2.1 million this month for the 4,000-square-foot former Denny’s, built in 2007 on almost 1.1 acres, according to Jacksonville Daily Record. He plans to invest another $1.7 million, adding about 1,800 square feet of air-conditioned space. Other renovation plans include adding a private room for 80 to 100 people, an outdoor patio, a full bar, and a bakery in front. The family-owned restaurant is expected to open in April or May 2024.
When the restaurant opens, customers can expect a lot of seafood, plates of pasta, sandwiches, wraps, chicken, beef, pork, and other options. Keeping with the family’s roots, the restaurant also offers a handful of Cuban-influenced meals, such as Cuban sandwiches, cuatro queso ravioli, pan con bistec, steak quesadilla, yellow rice, sweet plantains, and more. Mambos Cuban Kitchen will also serve Cuban breakfasts and baked goods in the morning.
“We want to take the menu up a notch,” Arias tells Jacksonville Daily Record. “You will see a lot of local recognized brands on our menu to help our local economy and bring that Jacksonville touch to the menu.”
This is just the beginning for Arias, who is planning to convert the original Mambos Cuban Cafe at 13770 Beach Boulevard, No. 9, to a new Italian concept called Bellini Modern Italian, “with a modern upscale twist to it,” expected to open next year. The Mambos Cuban Express in Mandarin is also launching a franchise concept. Arians plans to sell its first franchise to one of the restaurant’s previous managers.
