Jimmy Buffett will take his Margaritaville restaurant empire off the North American continent for the first time later this year when he opens Margaritaville Cafes in Sydney and the Gold Coast in Australia.

Watch the news report announcing the openings here (3:05 mark).

Buffett played shows in Australia this past January for the first time in a couple decades.

(hat tip Jenny)

The latest Margaritaville opened Monday morning at Chicago’s Navy Pier, dubbed the Margaritaville Bar & Grill. Buffett wasn’t there for the opening, but will be in Chicago next month for a show at Toyota Park.

WBEZ has a video of the opening:

Jimmy Buffett’s latest Margaritaville Cafe will open to the public on Monday with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 am.

“From my earliest days in the city, playing the Quiet Knight on Belmont, to the pinnacle of live performances to me, singing in front of the ivy wall at Wrigley Field, I have had a long and wonderful history and affection for the people, the music, the art and the food of the Windy City,” said Jimmy Buffett. “I have always thought of Chicago as a beach town, a pretty big one, but still a beach town.”

The restaurant had hoped to open in time for Memorial Weekend, but was delayed by about three weeks.

The developers of the Margaritaville Cafe at Navy Pier in Chicago hope to open the new restaurant by Memorial Day weekend, Navy Pier said in an email:

The owners of Margaritaville hope to be open by Memorial Day weekend. Construction on this new Navy Pier restaurant is currently underway. The restaurant management is working to complete construction, and have the restaurant stocked and staffed for that weekend. At this time, they do not anticipate any delays, but in any new construction, unforeseen circumstances may delay the opening.

When first announced last fall, Buffett said “I couldn’t be more excited about Margaritaville arriving on the shores of Lake Michigan. From my earliest days in the city, playing the Quiet Knight on Belmont, to the pinnacle of live performances to me, singing in front of the ivy wall at Wrigley Field, I have had a long and wonderful history and affection for the people, the music, the art and the food of the Windy City. I have always thought Chicago as a beach town, a pretty big one, but still a beach town. I am happy to call Navy Pier home to Margaritaville. Fins Up Chicago.”

(hat tip truckie823)

Jimmy Buffett made a surprise appearance with Mac McAnally and Will Kimbrough on Thursday night at his brand new Margaritaville Cafe in Nashville.

Below are some photos from WSIX Big 98 Country (hat tip Ashley for passing them along):

View all of the photos here.

According to a couple of tweets, Jimmy Buffett made a surprise visit on Thursday night to his new Margaritaville Cafe in Nashville that opened on November 22nd.

“Sitting at Margaritaville in Nashville!!!! Who shows up….. Yes JIMMY BUFFETT!!!! Totally unexpected by the workers and everyone else!!!!” — jscavitt

“Only in Nashville!! Jimmy buffet just walked into margaritaville in nashville!!” — Nashvilleblake

“Jimmy Buffett is in the house at Margaritaville. Like for real. The actual Jimmy Buffett.” — Jenny_Ann

Mac McAnally and Will Kimbrough are playing a show and we expect Jimmy will take the stage too at some point. We’ll provide more information as it becomes available.

Update – Jimmy has taken the stage:

(photo by @Jenny_Ann)

The newest Margaritaville Cafe opened its doors today in Nashville, Tennessee. Here are some photos from the opening:

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean cuts the ribbon

The latest Margaritaville Cafe opens its doors in downtown Nashville this morning!

The $10 million restaurant, located at 322 Broadway, will open at 11 am for lunch after a 10 am ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring project principals and local community leaders.

Live music will be featured daily and the restaurant will be open from 11 am to 3 am seven days a week.

If you’re in Nashville today and stop by, let us know what you think!

Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Cafe opens in Nashville on Monday, and the Tennessean gives us a look inside:

The latest Margaritaville Cafe will open its door on Monday, November 22nd in downtown Nashville.

The $10 million restaurant, located at 322 Broadway, will open at 11 am for lunch after a 10 am ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring project principals and local community leaders.

“Buffett wants to make music a big part of the venue here, and the café is going to appeal to the young crowd, locals and visitors to our city,” said Mark Bloom, a principle in the project. “Besides the food and special drinks synonymous with Margaritaville, the music will be a special attraction.”

At street level there will be a restaurant, bar and three live-music stages. The second floor will house another bar, additional restaurant seating, and a “small concert hall with state-of-the-art lighting and sound system,” Bloom said.

Total seating capacity is 350, with about 200 in the concert hall upstairs.

Live music will be featured daily. The café will be open from 11 a.m.-3 a.m. seven days a week, Bloom said, and the entertainment will include “a nightly showcase of newcomers.”

Jimmy Buffett always plays a show at newly-opened Margaritavilles, but it can be as much as two months after it opens and is often times a surprise.