Anthony’s Runway 84 is an iconic Florida eatery and one of the Sunshine State’s most successful restaurants, clocking in over 40 years in Fort Lauderdale; whether it’s for the buzzing bar scene (where a perfectly made dirty martini is always a good idea) or its expertly-crafted Italian-American comfort food, Runway 84 never disappoints. Its hallowed place in the restaurant marketplace is a matter of fact. What many might not realize is that Runway 84 is also one of Fort Lauderdale’s preeminent destinations for live music.
In 2022 the restaurant closed for a multi-million-dollar renovation and refresh, resulting in a January 2023 launch that signaled a new era for the beloved restaurant. In its new incarnation, it embodies a modern-day Italian supper club, serving up just as much Copacabana vibes as it does its signature cauliflower rigatoni. Performing nightly, the house band takes the stage with a rotating array of singers, dishing out everything from Rat Pack favorites to R&B classics, favorites from the 80’s, 90’s, 70’s soul and more. In fact, it’s not out of the ordinary for a swinging version of an Old Blue Eyes American songbook staple to segue into a Reverend Al Green cut or a swooning Barry White ballad.
“When we envisioned the ‘new’ Runway 84 live music had to be a part of it,” notes Anthony Bruno, whose family originally opened Runway 84 and who co-owns the restaurant with partners Pat Marzano and Marc Falsetto. “The music we played at Runway was always an important part of the experience and with the reopening we wanted to double down on that and deliver something we thought Fort Lauderdale was lacking and would love – an honest to God supper club.” And the trio have delivered that in spades and done so in such a manner that longtime fans and newbies have found their own “best way” to appreciate a night at Runway 84.
For those seeking a decidedly more-demure experience with more table talk than tunes, Runway 84 delights as an earlier-in-the-evening dining destination. The band’s first set on Tuesday and Wednesday starts at 8PM, 8:30PM on Thursdays; Friday and Saturday at 9pm and Sunday, 6:30pm. With the first rimshot and strum of the guitar a rollicking dinner party takes wing and a Goodfellas-style, Copacabana vibe fills the air. So much so that even with every seat in the house full, be it with diners or imbibers, the bar fills nightly with those seeking a proper pour and the kind of live, big band-era sounds you simply cannot find anywhere else.
Reservations for table seating are required and can be booked on RESY – HERE; seating in the bar area is first come, first served. Anthony’s Runway 84 is located at 330 West State Road 84 in Fort Lauderdale, just east of Federal Highway and I-95. Telephone: (954) 467-8484; website: www.runway84.com.
