The Blind Monk: A Wine Bar Reborn Inside AKA West Palm

The Blind Monk has anchored West Palm Beach's wine bar scene since opening on Evernia Street in August 2010, founded by former Marine officer turned certified sommelier Ben Lubin. After more than a decade downtown, the restaurant relocated into the newly built AKA West Palm hotel on South Olive Avenue, expanding from its original wine-and-tapas format into a fuller, all-day bistro concept.

A Curated Wine List Meets an All-Day Bistro Menu

The kitchen now serves breakfast and brunch alongside its longtime dinner program, with dishes like sour cream pancakes, shakshuka, and mushroom-and-grits joining shareable dinner plates such as cheese boards, charred cauliflower, and grilled swordfish skewers. A curated, wine-forward list carried over from the original Evernia Street location remains genuinely central to the concept, alongside a newer handcrafted cocktail program.

A Modern Room With an Outdoor Wine Garden

The current space features large windows, green banquettes, and globular chandeliers around a central bar, opening onto an outdoor wine garden patio for al fresco sipping and conversation. Lubin has described the new home inside AKA West Palm as the genuine neighborhood gathering spot he originally envisioned for the concept back in 2010.

Good to Know

The Blind Monk is located at 655 S Olive Ave, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. For a genuinely wine-forward bistro with deep downtown roots, it remains a distinctive fixture of West Palm Beach dining.