Key West

I'm heading to Key West in a few weeks and looking for some good chow.
I have some restaurant suggestions but would certainly be open to the LTH expertise. The places I have are Hot Tin Roof, Antonia's, Cafe Sole, and Alices. Thanks for your help. The Rev.

We were last in KW in March 2003. Here's my post from another board...

It's often disappointing to leave a vacation site and head to the airport. Especially when you've had a great time and recognize that the weather back home is at least 55 degrees colder.

Such is what happened Tuesday. We left Key West, where we spent a few days on vacation, and flew back to Chicago. From 82 degrees and sun ... to 32 degrees and snow. Not a good equation.

Nonetheless, here's a recap of the local delights that we were able to enjoy. (And thanks to the recommendations on this board, the trip was especially chow-worthy....) As I've said to friends and colleagues: "I could probably survive on only oysters, fried grouper sandwiches, and pina coladas."


Alonzo's Oyster Bar
700 Front St. ; 305-294-5880
www.alonzosoysterbar.com
----------------------------
As tradition dictates, we made Alonzo's our first destination upon arriving Sunday night. We approached the hostess stand and accepted her quote of "45-minute wait" before proceeding to the bar. There, we ordered a couple beers and a plate of oysters featuring two of each variety served that evening. As soon as the oysters arrived, we were ushered off to our table, having waited only 15 minutes.

Each of the oysters was divine, and they should be at $2.00/piece. But this is expected at Alonzo's, which in my estimation serves KW's best cold-water oysters.

After enjoying the oysters, we proceeded to order too much food, as we usually do. Two cups of conch chowder, an order of conch fritters and a bowl of the fisherman's stew. The chowder and fritters were well prepared and worth recommending. Meanwhile, the fisherman's stew didn't cut it; on a bed of rice pilaf sits three Middleneck clams, four mussels, three small shrimp and a piece of 'local catch' fish all surrounded by a thin tomato broth. The dish wasn't horrible but just uninspiring to say the least.


Hog's Breath
400 Front St. ; 305-292-2032
www.hogsbreath.com
----------------------------
Pina coladas at its finest...


Blue Heaven
729 Thomas St. ; 305-296-8666
www.blueheavenkw.com
----------------------------
Monday morning we walked along Whitehead and through the Bahamian Village until we arrived at Blue Heaven. Suffice it to say, it was perfect. Upon arriving, we waited a few minutes at the bar, enjoying our morning coffee and a copy of the Key West Citizen newspaper. (Favorite article from the issue referenced the college spring breaker who filed a police report that he lost his "pants, shirt, Nextel phone, black leather wallet and Visa card." Too bad...)

We were offered a table upstairs on the balcony and my wife, then experiencing hunger pains, accepted. While I would have preferred to eat outside in the main area alongside the roosters, such is what happens...

The three tables on the balcony overlook Thomas St. and the community's vibrant personality. Our server was very enthusiastic and provided his menu recommendations. It didn't take much thought before we ordered the daily specials, which arrived momentarily.

The omelette with shrimp, mushrooms and cheese was quite good. It came with a slice of banana bread, which seemed to be a little flavorless, though.

The lobster Benedict -- featuring Florida lobster served with poached eggs on English muffins with lime Hollandaise sauce -- was excellent. The sauce provided the perfect accompaniment to the lobster and eggs, and I wish I could have bottled it. The only issue is perhaps that one egg was a little overcooked, and the yolk didn't 'ooze' out as the norm.


Turtle Kraals
231 Margaret St. ; 305-294-2640
www.turtlekraals.com
----------------------------
A quick stop for a tasty pina colada. Too bad we didn't time our visit to coincide with Turtle Kraals' attractive happy hour offers, which run from 4-6 p.m.


BO's Fish Wagon
801 Caroline St. ; 305-294-9272
----------------------------
After a lengthy morning and some relaxing by the hotel pool, I was hungry for a late afternoon snack. Leaving my wife to soak in the sun at the hotel, I walked over to BO's Fish Wagon and fell into nirvana. I wish I could bottle this place! The fried grouper sandwich was perfect. Lightly breaded, topped with tomato and lettuce, this sandwich is one of the best I've recently enjoyed. Splash a little Crystal hot sauce on it and just garble it up! Also, the hand-cut french fries match up well against any foe, too, and hardly hide in the shadows of any accompanying sandwich/entree. I also brought back an order of conch fritters, and they were quite tasty, and better than those we previously enjoyed at Alonzo's.


Fury Catamarans
Docks at Hilton Resort ; 305-294-8899
www.furycat.com/sunset.htm
----------------------------
Yes, it's cheesy, but we took in a sunset cruise on one of the Fury Catamarans. It was almost a private cruise, as the 130+-capacity boat only had 18 people on board for this 'voyage.' The $35/head charge provided 2-hours on the water, a nice sunset, good service and all the Bud Light, Cokes, mediocre sparkling wine and white wine one could ever want.


BO's Fish Wagon
801 Caroline St. ; 305-294-9272
----------------------------
No, it didn't take much arm twisting for us to go back to BO's for dinner. We arrived near 8:30 p.m. and just under the bell as they close up at 9 p.m. My wife went with the recommended fried grouper sandwich (!) and, to mix things up, I sided with the fried oyster sandwich; we split a large order of fries. Again, quite amazing. While enjoying our meal, we notified them that a few bottles of Crystal were empty; with that the woman who took our order brought over two containers of homemade hot sauce -- one featuring a red pepper puree and one a jalapeno puree. Both made for good spreads, though the jalapeno had a definite leg up!


Blonde Giraffe
629 Duval Street
www.blondegiraffe.com
----------------------------
For a late night snack, we walked down to Blonde Giraffe to take in a slice of their award-winning key lime pie. Unfortunately, we didn't enjoy the pie, agreeing that the custard filling was too tart and that the 1/2 inch layer of meringue was unnecessary. For comparison purposes, in our book, nothing beats the key lime pies served up at Joe's Stone Crab.


Croissants de' France
816 Duval St. ; 305-294-2624
----------------------------
When you have two breakfasts in KW, make sure that Blue Heaven is the first stop and that Croissants de' France (CdF) is the second. (We've enjoyed Pepe's on other occasions, but it just doesn't match up now...) CdF provides enjoyable outdoor ambience to match up with its fresh, delicious food and reasonably priced menu. Knowing that the portions are large, we ordered a ham and cheese croissant, a brioche with poached egg and spinach, and a side of bacon. All were superb.


Hog's Breath
400 Front St. ; 305-292-2032
www.hogsbreath.com
----------------------------
Pina coladas at its finest...


Five Brothers Grocery
930 Southard Street ; 305-296-2225
----------------------------
On the way out of town, we had to stop at Five Brothers for a bag of bollos, as recommended on this board! The half-dozen, made-to-order bollos were crisp, hot and greasy, just as expected! They were also the perfect bookend to our enjoyable visit to Key West.

Hopefully you haven't gone to the keys yet. If you haven't, I just got back.

7fish

My favorite food experience of the trip. Small place, maybe seats 40 tops. Easy to get reservations, but you need to make one a day in advance. Very simple and focused. Skews american continental/tropical fusion. Fresh/quality are the two words that stand out. The tropical shrimp salsa I had was a blast of fruit on the tongue. The Banana chicken was sweet, spicy, and savory. They accomany each entree with a rosemary garlic foccacia that is light and flavorful. I was struck by its goodness in that most foccacia I seem to experience is dried out and heavy. My wife had a fresh grouper maki roll. This was the only real misstep of the night. The taste/freshness was outstanding, but they heated the maki roll which overcooked the rice a bit. This did not add much to the texture. Her entree was a mango coconut chutney wahoo fillet, also with very nice sweet and spice contrasts.

915 Restaurant

Apps were great. Tuna Dome with peektoe crab, sriracha. Very fresh and spicy. Bacon wrapped dates with a chili scallion sauce were also exciting. Entrees were disappointing. I had the mussuman curry fillet of snapper. The curry was very mild, and the whole dish was underseasoned. My brother had a good roast chicken dish that was succulent to the bone, crispy on the outside. The service was also indifferent. I still recommend because of the apps. It may have been a bad night at the fish station.

There is a nice Crepe stand on Duval near the La Concha hotel. Great Banana/Grand marnier crepes. Also Ham and Brie is great.

My travelmates ate at Banana Anna's which is also a french influence breakfast place that serves crepes. They raved, but no personal experience.

Finally, the folks at 7fish reccomended My Blue Heaven which is supposed to be a casual hippieish place serving ecletic fare. Based on my experience at 7 fish I would take a look if you are looking for something else.

Avoid Mangos on Duval. Bad overfried conch fritters, terrible service, rediculous food wait times. Kitchen has no attention to detail or love of their craft. Just feels like bad travel dining preying on tourists.

When I lived in Key west, some of my favorite places were:

Louies backyard - the restaurant is in an old converted house, somewhat upscale, delicious island inspired food. my favorite way to enjoy the place was on the "afterdeck", the outdoor bar/deck that overlooked the ocean. you cannot have dinner out there (or at least back then you couldn't), but at lunch you could. my favorites there were the conch chowder, to which i would add extra pepper oil, absolutely delicious! as well as their conch fritters - not the doughy stuff from the more touristy places.

I haven't been to restaurant 915, but old friends of mine own it, and i don't doubt their food is wonderful, after many dinner parties at their home I know they have a talent for food. Tell Tracey - the beautiful exotic host/manager - that Sharon from Chicago sent you!

I used to love Ricky's Blue Heaven, in it's original inception, before it got really popular. the banana bread was made with banana's from the trees on the patio, but from what i understand the place has really expanded and the quality has suffered a bit.

I also loved Croissants du France on Dubal Street. the patio is tucked away from the hustle-n-bustle of Duval tourists, and the food is great (for breakfast). I always ordered a delicious turnover pastry filled with poached egg, sauted spinach and a dijonmustard sauce. mmm...

The bartenders at louies can also give you good recommendations for places that might be a little off the beaten path. there are some great small places with simple but delicious fish sandwiches, as well at awsome cuban food.

have fun and please post on your findings!

ciao
sharon

I just got back last night and had a great time. Key West reminds me of New Orleans because of the beautiful architecture and narrow streets to meander. It's just a lot cleaner, less gritty and foul smelling, and I didn't see one college student puking. It lacks a little atmosphere. Very whitebread. However, like New Orleans, your drinks are poured in plastic cups and you can walk around from bar to bar, listening to all the musicians. More rock and roll and folk type guitarists, as opposed to blues and jazz.

That said, we did have some nice dining. Most restaurants are pretty pricey in the old town area. Our first dinner was wonderful at a place called Hot Tin Roof. Unfortunately, I didn't write down what we ate so of course I'd already forgotten by the next morning. We stuck to seafood and everything was terrific, beginning with apps and ending with dessert.

Had lunch the next day at a place called Marina Bella. Had some average lobster and andouille fritters but an outstanding napolean of tomatoes, spinach, goat cheese, and some greens. Good berry crepe for dessert.

The next dinner was quite a disappointment. There were a few rave recommendations from a rival food board which shall remain nameless(if I mentioned it, they might hound me) for a restaurant called Mangia Mangia. It's an old time neighborhood type italian restaurant with a guy making pasta in the window. Incredible wine list(wine spectator award) with amazing prices. The pastas were delectable but the sauces were horrible. We started with escargots on grilled croutons-so rich it was nearly inedible. We also had Grill-roasted Asparagus and Plum Tomatoes brushed with Olive Oil. Garlic and Herbs. Topped with Gorgonzola then lightly browned. Sounds great but it's actually pencil thin asparagus with a mound of gloppy melted cheese which totally overpowered the asparagus. We didn't dare order dessert.

Breakfast the next day was at Coissant de Francais-wonderful light croissants but so-so beignets.

Our last lunch was very simple, at a tourist trap looking place called the Conch Republic. They were advertising Royal Red Shrimp which I've only seen at one place here in Naples. They are from very deep water and difficult to optain but they are the most sweet, succulent shrimp you can imagine. They are worth a journey. All we ordered was a boatload of shrimp, which were simply boiled and given a light seasoning and they were fabulous.

RevrendAndy wrote:Breakfast the next day was at Coissant de Francais-wonderful light croissants but so-so beignets.

When I moved to Chicago from Key West, the two places I found here that satisfied my key west restaurant cravings were

Ambassador Cafe (ashland & addison) for Cuban food and

La Creperie (ashland just north of broadway) for the atmosphere, in the summer their patio seating reminds me so much of lounging at Croissants du France. I mentioned this once to friends while we at La Creperie, and the older couple sitting at the next table told us that's why they eat there as well!

sharon

We are going to be in KW for a day next week (friend's wedding cruise) Where can we walk from the port for a nice lunch, that I can also take our 17 month old? Conch fritters and Key Lime Pie would be great.

Also, is there a liquor or grocery store in the area? We won't be able to stock up in Miami before we leave.

Thanks!

edited to reflect leesh's subsequent message

I stand corrected (doped up on sudafed when i wrote that). La Creperie is indeed on Clark just north of Diversey. not Ashland. Sorry

Sharon

Kafein, I would try Conch Republic. It's a nice location on the waterfront and I'm sure you can get key lime pie and probably conch fritters. By all means, if they have royal red shrimp, order them. Pass on key west pinks. It will be a kid friendly place.

RevAndy,

Thanks - my only concern is that it will be TOO touristy - though if the food is good, I shouldn't complain.

It does look good though. Do you remember if they had mojitos?

Thanks again,
kafein

It's not "too touristy." I can't vouch for any of the food other than the royal reds. That's all we ate. I had a mojito and it was respectable.

Thank you for the review - we took all of your advoce and crammed it into a day!

The tram dropped us at Mallory square at 8am - we walked from there to Croissants du France. Throughly enjoyed the porch and the continental - delicious fresh oj and flakey croissants and my husband had a delicious cafe au lait - much better than the regular coffee.

From there we walked down Whitehead, passed Hemingway's, walked through the Truman White House, over to the Conch Republic. Sat at the bar, had a WONDERFUL bartender from Minnesota who made tastey Mojitos. Ordered the Royal Reds and some conch fritters. Both were excellant. CRSC wholesales fish for all the other restaurants on the island. They have access to the freshest stuff - the fritters were crisp. the Keylime mustard served with them was delicious. The Royal reds taste like little lobsters. The drawn butter served with them really helps expand their flavor. They also served a respectable Key Lime Pie.

We walked some more them found BO's - split a grouper sammich and more conch friiters. The sandwhich was delightful - toasted, perfectly sauces, fresh fish and veggies. The Handcut fries as good as Hot Doug's. The fritters were decent, but not as good as conch republic.

A Very Enjoyable and Filling day on Key west!

Search results show that the most of the posts about Key West are almost three-to-five years old.

Please post any Don't-Miss advice for an upcoming trip in mid-January. Thanx.

Actaully, I'm going there on Saturday, so any recent tips would be greatly appreciated.

Has anyone tried Kermit's key lime pie? http://www.keylimeshop.com/index.html

Pie Lady wrote:Has anyone tried Kermit's key lime pie? http://www.keylimeshop.com/index.html

I have, and I wouldn't thank you for a slice, as they say in Scotland. It's the most commercial, non-authentic version I encountered during my trip to Key West. Their shop is pretty cool, though.

stevez wrote:Actaully, I'm going there on Saturday, so any recent tips would be greatly appreciated.

So nu? It looks like we're headed there. Any 411 updates?

Funny you should ask. The Chow Poodle and & went there around 1 1/2 years ago and I never got around to posting about the trip...mainly because nothing we ate was all that special. Key West is really a great drinking and partying destination, but the food overall seems an afterthought. Are you flying in directly to Key West or are you driving down from Miami? We spent a night in Miami and then drove down and some of the highlights of the trip were on the drive down and back.

If driving, the first thing you shouldn’t miss is Robert is Here and Fruit and Spice Park in Homestead. We went in the fall and the selection of tropical fruit wasn’t that great, but this time of year, they should be hitting their prime.

Robert is Here


As I said, the food is nothing special in Key West. There are abundant “Key West Pink Shrimp” available nearly everywhere you go, and if you can find simply prepared peel-and-eat versions, you won’t go wrong.

One place we went that seemed to be a necessary stop was Sloppy Joe’s Bar for a Sloppy Joe. It’s a major hang out right on Duval Street that’s been there since 1933. You can’t miss it. Like the Reuben sandwich, there is some controversy about who invented the Sloppy Joe, but this bar is the place that frequently gets the credit.

Sloppy Joe’s Bar


Inside the music is good, the drinks are cold and the Sloppy Joe is nothing special (but at least I can say I’ve had one at the source).

Sloppy Joe’s Sloppy Joe


Possibly the best meal I had on the trip was breakfast at Blue Heaven. Blue Heaven is located in an old house in a neighborhood that is a little off the typical tourist path, although they are quite popular. Even though they are a bit out of the way, a wait is not at all uncommon. You can eat in the house, or outdoors in the rustic courtyard among the free range chickens.

Blue Heaven


I had a special of lobster benedict that was outstanding. The eggs were perfect, the lime-tinged hollandaise was homemade and the lobster meat (although from spiny Florida lobster) was sweet and not overcooked.

Blue Heaven Lobster Benedict


The Chow Poodle had the “Rooster Special”, which consisted of two eggs, potatoes (or grits) sausage (which might have been made in house, I can’t remember), and a couple of made from scratch banana pancakes.

Blue Heaven Rooster Special


Blue Heaven is also open for lunch and dinner. Unfortunately, we never made it back. I hate to repeat a restaurant on a trip, but based on the other food we had in Key West, we would have been well served by returning for at least one dinner. This is the only place in Key West that I would call a destination for anyone going there.

Other than those places, I really don’t have much to recommend. There’s lots to see and do that is non-food related. The Mel Fischer Museum is a definite non-miss, and you can have your picture taken in front of the marker for the Southernmost point in the USA as well as the signs for both the beginning and end of Highway US1. As I said earlier, there’s tons of music to be enjoyed and Key West is a drunkard’s dream. Have fun!

Southernmost Point in the USA


Highway US 1 Begins and Ends


Oh, and to answer the unasked question, NO, I did not have a decent piece of Key Lime Pie while I was in Key West (and believe me, I tried). I’d say to especially avoid the siren’s song of Kermit’s. You’ll see it and say, "This place looks great. I bet they have the best pie I’ve ever tasted." They don’t and you’ll be sorry you spent your money there.

If you want a great piece of Key Lime Pie, do what I did and stop at The Cracked Conch in Marathon on your way back up to Miami. The Cracked Conch is a place I used to frequent back in the 80’s when I led diving trips to the Keys. They had the best version of Key Lime Pie then, and they still do. It’s made daily by the waitresses who come in early just to make the day’s supply of pies.

The Cracked Conch


Robert is Here
19200 Southwest 344th Street
Homestead, FL 33034
(305) 246-1592

Fruit and Spice Park
24801 S.W. 187th Avenue
Homestead, FL 33031
305-247-5727

Sloppy Joe’s Bar
201 Duval Street
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 294-5717

Blue Heaven
729 Thomas Street
Key West, FL 33040-7334
(305) 296-8666

Kermit’s
200 Elizabeth Street
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 296-0806

The Cracked Conch
4999 Overseas Hwy
Marathon, FL 33050
(305) 743-2233

I would reccomend Louies Backyard as always having been good. While not in KW The Square Grouper on Cudjoe Key is way above average. Most of my time was spent around Marathon. The Lobster Rueben at The Keys Fishery in Marathon was worth stopping for also. I have heard the Keys Fishery is not as good as it once was, but I have not been in a while.

In anticipation of our trip to Key West, we did the research and developed a four-page list of restaurants. It broke down into the usual categories for any tourist/resort area: 1) the townie places that are just like at home; 2) the touristy places that are expensive and might be running on reputation; 3) the tourist-and-town-supported restaurants that do a very good job of highlighting the local specialties. In the case of KW, it’s a lot of seafood, some Cuban and a mix of very enjoyable food in a variety of styles. If you happen to like seafood, Italian, dessert and casual breakfasts, you will have a ball.

Here are some places that we would gladly return to:
Antonia’s, 615 Duval St., Key West. Regional Italian cuisine. Open 7 days, 6-11 pm. (305) 294-6565. --- Took home some of their infused olive oil as a reminder of how much we enjoyed two meals there. Have Oysters Rockefeller.
Bagatelle, 115 Duval St. Island restaurant style. Lunch and dinner daily. (305) 296-6609. Very good seafood and salads. Ask for a table on the pleasant front porch for people-watching on Duval Street.
Better Than Sex -- http://betterthansexkeywest.com/ -- it’s a dessert place that lives up to its website.
Blue Heaven, corner of Petronia and Thomas St in Bahama Village. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Reasonable prices. Open 8-3 pm & 6-10:30 pm daily, except Monday. (305) 296-8666. Great setting for outdoor breakfast – shrimp & grits is a treat -- so long as you don’t mind the wandering chickens.
Half Shell Raw Bar, 231 Margaret St, Land’s End Village. "Best Raw Bar in South Florida" by The Miami Herald. across from Turtle Kraals. (305) 294-7496. Just what it sounds like – laid-back, good food.
Mangoes, at the corner of Duval and Angela Streets, has outdoor dining at the front entrance and a cozy, back patio with a large banyan tree. Reasonably priced Key West menu. (305) 292-4606.
Sarabeth’s – http://www.sarabethskeywest.com/ Off-Duval neighborhood setting with pleasant outdoor patio and excellent café/diner fare. Good casual menu.

While it’s true that not all KW restaurants will make you swoon, we enjoyed most of what we had. Our only regret is that we did not pursue Cuban food enough.

Stevez's photo of the lobster Benedict at Blue Heaven brought back memories. Blue Heaven was the site of two of the best meals I had in Key West. Couldn't agree more with his assessment. Fun and funky and excellent food.

I also enjoyed Bagatelle and Hot Tin Roof, both on Duval. Not quite as amazing as Blue Heaven, but good, interesting, and, in the case of Bagatelle, island-influenced cuisine. The menu changes regularly, but when I was there, Bagatelle had a chicken dish with banana and curry that was better than it might sound.

So I'd agree that, overall, the food caters to the masses and tends not to be exceptional, but there is good food to be had -- especially at Blue Heaven. (I want to have that lobster Benedict again.)

Salsa Loca is an amazing Local Mexican Restaurant on a side street off of Duval, Best Burritos I have had in a while!, The Skirt Steak is fabulous as well. Definitely worth a lunch or Dinner, or a even a stop by for a quick Margarita!

If you are driving to KW I might suggest stopping at El Nicamex 32 NW 1st street in Homestead. Excellent Mexican food.

So 2012 is coming to an end and looking back on some of my posts from here it's been a great year of indulgence for me. One last trip to share before 2013 arrives and I'll do it in portions since I recently came back from an extended stay in the sunshine state that ended in an area not far from here where one day we'll all be allowed to travel. Or are we now? I dont even know. They dont care though. I'll share my 2nd visit there over some beers at a bar but in the meantime if there's anywhere in US territory that has that laid back Caribbean vibe going on it's the Florida Keys and Key West to be exact.


Merry Christmas



A Key West Foodventure for y'all

I recently had a chance to meet quite a few fellow LTH posters and regular readers who dont post but really enjoy what others do. I took joy in the fact so many folks from here love the posts I share so I wanted to get this up on Christmas day as gift to those that are entertained by them. Happy Holidaze y'all. Key West style.


Enjoy the ride

While it's possible to fly into key West it's most certainly not cheap. If you're staying for a few days or going with family, a car can come in handy though they rent electric cars, bikes and scooters everywhere on the island. Most people just fly into Miami and rent a car and take the wonderful 160 mile drive down A1A which ends in Key West. I was already in Florida on an extended stay and took off for the Keys after spending a couple nights in Miami.

Knaus Berry Farm

SteveZ mentions Robert's Last Stand upthread and I really wanted to stop there but failed to en route back. My buddy who lives in Miami told me I must stop at another Homestead farm for their cinnamon buns before heading down. The best "by far" he told me and he wasn't lying. They go thru them like its nothing so they're baking them fresh and served hot all day. Don't miss this place for breakfast.


Knaus Berry Farm is a popular South Florida Family Stop


An amazing strawberry shake and the worlds greatest cinnamon buns are a must

As always I went prepared. This wasn't my first rodeo down there as I fell in love with the vibe when we went on a family vaca's a few times in my grade school years. I also stopped thru on Spring Break but back then it was all about drinking and seeing, maybe getting. This time around I wanted to see what else was out there for the ride down there and back. I used this wonderful Florida Rambler Website to find some great stops on their Mile Marker guide.

Holiday Isle Tiki Bar


Where the Rum Runner was born (Islamorada)

Keys Fisheries


Just off A1A halfway between MIA & KW a sign leads you past truckloads of lobster traps...


...to some of the freshest fish in the Florida Keys (Marathon)

This was actually a spot we stopped in at on the way back but had I known on the way down how much I was going to enjoy this family run fish business in Marathon. Its about the halfway point, I should have stopped both times. You can walk up to a window to order your seafood and they call you when its ready. Eating options are alongside the water at the tables or upstairs at the bar area which also has a raw bar. This is the way to go.


Raw Bar Upstairs (21+)


It doesn't get much better for a local watering hole


My View from the Bar

We got some lobster bisque and lobster fra diavolo from downstairs but the almost all day special upstairs is where its at. Grab an ice cold beer and kick back on some super fresh seafood while you stare at the blue waters ahead. I've come to learn I'll never have a lobster fra diavolo like that from this place in Providence until I get there again but enjoyed this version which was enough for two. The soup was pretty good and if you're there from 5-8p they cook stone crab hot to order. If not no worries, they offer them up by the 1's and 2's upstairs as well as some super tuna sashimi.


Lobster Fra Diavolo


All Day Happy Hour (1-9p) $1.50 Stone Crab Claws and $4 Tuna Sashimi


There's also a fish market on site, I had them put 3 pounds on ice to take back to South FLA

Bahia Honda State Park

We didn't stop here on the way there or back but drove here one of days I was down there for some rest and relaxation. It's about 40 minutes from Key West and well worth the visit. Easily one of the best state parks I've set foot in. It's the top ranked beach in-state at the reliable Florida Rambler Website. There's two beaches and one has the feel of your typical Florida oceanside beach while the other sits below the bridge in a tropical Caribbean setting with crystal clear waters.







You can walk up to the end of whats left of one part of the old Bahia Honda Bridge which was started in 1905 and completed in 1912. Built by oil mogul Henry Flagler it's was also called "Flaglers' Folly" We saw an amazing sea turtle from up above, it must of been at least 300 pounds, it was huge even from far way. great views and not a long walk up at all.




View of the park from the old bridge

Hogfish Bar & Grill

I had the pleasure of staying at a place owned by a friend of mine and was very lucky in that we had a chef for breakfast and dinner and an amazing place to stay with everything one could need. But that didn't keep us from getting around to finding the real gems and this Florida Rambler rec'd bar and restaurant was so good I went there three times. Located on Stock Island which is where the local commercial shrimp boats used to sail out of. Located off the beaten path past some trailer homes, hey if you're going to live in one it might as well be here. Hogfish is near the beginning of town and well worth finding. Not all that hard either, if you have a GPS in your car or phone.


The Famous Hogfish Bar & Grill on Stock Island

This is a great local watering hole with some stereotypical fitting Key West characters lurking inside, especially during the night. They had a great mom and daughter bartending team and they specialize in hogfish. It's spear-caught and available when they have it so when they do make sure to get some. The house sandwich was sensational. Blackened hogfish smothered with Swiss Cheese, Onions and Mushrooms on fresh Cuban Bread. So good I had it twice.


Specialty of the House: "KILLER" Hogfish Sandwich


Fried Hogfish Tacos

Sights from Key West







Happy Hour

Happy Hour is a big part of the lifestyle down here so you might as well embrace it. Key West always has that chillaxed vibe going for it and there's quite a few places to take advantage of the food and drink deals.


Alonzo's is my pick for best food and drink Happy Hour in Key West

The best of the bunch is Alonzo's Oyster Bar. The entire appetizer page as well as drinks are half off. I tried them all. Their famous Key Lime Martini isn't a bad way to end a meal of their addictive beer steamed shrimp and mussels in marinara which were my faves. I prefer cold water oysters and their $2 ones from Vancouver and Martha's Vineyard were really good too. get there early to take advantage of the bars seats.


Happy Hour Eats

Right next door to Alonzo's is a place that serves ice cold bottles of beer for $2/3 and freshly shucked gulf oysters for 50 cents a piece, all day everyday. Just be sure to tip your shucker. We had some great chats about his homeland Jamaica, another favorite Caribbean getaway of mine. Also a popular happy hour stop is Half Shell Raw Bar but I didn't think the food or drink specials were nearly as good as Alonzo's. The coconut fried shrimp were tasty and the rum punch did its job but we ended up back at Alonzo's the next day.



The Raw Bar next door to Alonzo's (Left) Half Shell Raw Bar and their Coconut Shrimp (Right)

B.O's Fish Wagon

This place has long been a popular spot run by a longtime Key West character. It's a no frills open air bar where they make a mean groper sandwich. It comes perfectly fried with a light cornmeal breading served on some really fresh bread. Their handcut fries show you they dont mind taking the little extra time to serve a superior product even though Key West is a place where you can get away with doing half assed things as far as food goes. Though I was told it's getting alot better.


An amazing little open air fish shack in town


BO's Famous Fried Grouper Sandwich and their fantastic fresh cut fries

Nightlife

In case you didn't know Key West has a big gay community. But that's just one part of it. It's a partying and drinking town enjoyed by folks from all walks of life. I was really surprised this trip by how international of a destination it is. There were visitors from all over the globe. Asia, Spain, Ireland, England. Families, couples, college kids, you name it. It's a must visit for anyone who likes to travel and explore the different cultures of our world.


Where Hemingway used to drink

Duval Street is where most of the bars and many restaurants and shops are located at. You can walk with drinks and most places stay open until 4am. Sloppy Joe's is a longtime mainstay and there are drag shows if that's your thing and regular dance shows with girls in no clothes if you swing on that side. Be not afraid single straight guys, it's a very popular bachelorette weekend getaway destination and that just means theres more you know what for you. My GF said she didn't even recognize the rainbow community. Everyone's there for the weather and great times. Be not afraid.


Chaos erupted at the original on Duval Street when the namesake himself did a pop up show

Sandy's Cafe


24 hour eats in town

If you find yourself hungry after a few too many rum runners and it's 3 in the morning you need not worry. Sandy's Cafe is attached to a laundry mat and it's a 24 hour walk up window with a few seats outside surrounding it. I had a very tasty Medianoche (Midnight) sandwich that hit the spot in the early wee hours of the morn. A medianoche is a close cousin of the Cuban sandwich with the difference being the bread. It uses a soft sweet egg dough bread not too different from challah.


Medianoche Sandwich

Kim's Kuban

One morning and early afternoon was spent on my friends yacht whom he had someone take us around in. Instead of getting stuffed before we even set foot on the boat I ran over to Kim's Kuban which isn't far from the harbor. They make a tasty Cuban sandwich and some very good toasted bread with butter. In the pic you can see the pepperoni which isn't all that unusual as in Tampa (where the sandwich was born) they add salami. These were perfect for a snack later on the water.


Cuban Sandwiches or other options from Kim's Kuban are great for boat trips

Higgs Beach


"Life's a beach and then you fry"

Quite a few folks I talked to mentioned how they thought Key West has no beaches but that's not the case. Higgs Beach in the southeast corner of town is a great place to catch some rays. They have chairs and umbrellas that can be rented for $25/day. That's a pretty good deal which I found was the case with drinks in KW too. They could hike up the prices but they dont so cheers to them for not doing so. Aside from the chickens you might have to walk around a few Key West beach bums as well, dont worry they dont bite.




"Jersey Strong"

Freshly Caught Seafood for Sale

Seeing as though we had a chef at our service at the wonderful Truman Annex where my bosses house is located we ate some great locally caught fish each day I was there. He mentioned both Fausto's Grocery and Eaton Street Seafood Market as places he gets his fish from. Fausto's is the Keys oldest grocery store and a very good one I'd be happy with here. Started by Fausto himself he came over in 1910 to work the old cigar factory in town and eventually started his market.

Eaton Street isnt nearly as old but they make a point to buy their fish from only local fisherman. They also sell food to order like fish sandwiches and have cracked stone crab for your consumption on the bench outside. Wahoo, cobia, snapper and so on were a few of the local fish species we ate.



Fausto's Grocery (Top) and Eaton Street Seafood Market (Bottom) are great for fresh fish

Garbo's Grill

Garbo's Grill is ranked as the top rated place on TripAdvisor to eat at. This is the type of spot you're going to remember eating at in the Key's. Nothing fancy here but the mahi mahi fish tacos with mango and jalapeno were some most amazing fish tacos you'll ever have. This is what Key West is all about as far as food goes. Nothing fancy but oh so fresh and so good.


Some of the best eats on the island come from this cart


Mahi Mahi Tacos are almost worth the trip alone

Peppers of Key West

Across the street from Garbo's is Peppers. Its a shop that sells all sorts of different hot sauces and allows you to try whichever ones you want before you buy any. They have a bunch of their offerings across the street for you to use on your fish tacos. I ended up trying Dat'l Do It with my tacos. Its a brew made with Datil peppers in St. Augustine that loved it so much I bought three bottles from Peppers to take home with me.


Amazing selection of hot sauce and a chip bar for you to try them

More sights in Key West

A walk around the town is a must for anyone who likes to see some amazing old homes and great old Colonial architecture to boot. Key West is as friendly of a place you're ever going to visit and everyone leaves their door open and hangs on the porch at some point during their day. The other not misses are of course Ernest Hemingway's old home, the haunted cemetery where some great stories are told and sunsets at Mallory Square. The Square is where you'll find many of the Key West weirdos doing their freak shows for a few bucks. Some fun stuff to watch.


Unique architecture seen along the walks & sunsets at Mallory Square are classic Key West


A Key West Sunset

Seven Fish

I had read and been told by my boss to get to this place located just off the chaos of Duval street. Even though I had just ate an hour before and wasn't all that hungry, I squeezed it in on my last night in town. Its small and reservations are most always required. We didn't make them but were able to get a seat around 9p after putting our name in. The menu focuses on simple fresh good food with an emphasis on fish.


Just off Duval Street this little stop is a must

The folks running this place from the waitresses to the owners were really friendly and warm welcoming. Me and her were sharing and started with another excellent example of a fish taco, this one made with local cobia fish. The plan was to share a seafood dish made with some homemade pasta but our waitress asked if we were sure we didn't want to try their signature dish. It wasn't hard to convince us especially seeing her enthusiasm for it.


Cobia Fish Taco Appetizer Special

Holy shit am I glad she did. One of the best dishes I ate all year. The snapper was sauteed with fresh garlic and ginger and served with a creamy curry coconut sauce over sticky rice with fresh local veggies. Fan-flipping-tastic. On top of that she split our plates up for us and I would of been satisfied with the portion I got as a whole. Well worth the few extra bucks in my book. Don't miss this place.


The Signature Snapper Curry Dish is one of the best plates I've ate all year

On our last night both before and after the fantastic dinner at Seven I had realized I hadn't even tried two of the signature local eats on the island. So while we waited for our table at dinner I over indulged in some conch fritters from the Conch Shack.

The Conch Shack


Sitting amidst the bars of Duval Street is some tasty food to get you thru the night

We chatted with one of the owners who started this place up in 2009. He and his partners worked in catering and use the same recipe one of the caterers 90 year old Bahamian grandmother used. The old family recipe is a fantastic rendition and brought me back to the Abaco Islands where we went on a family vacation years ago. These seemed to be the most popular in town and I could taste why. After dinner I grabbed a slice of Key Lime pie at Kermit's because it was open and near. It was a nice treat to have when I got back home and popped open one last cold one in the open warm air.

Kermit's Key Lime Pie Shoppe


Another popular stop on Duval Street for the islands signature dish


It's the end of the road...


...See y'all next time

Knaus Berry Farm
15980 Southwest 248th Street
Homestead, FL 33031
(305) 247-0668

Holiday Isle Tiki Bar
84001 Overseas Highway
Islamorada, FL 33036
(305) 664-2321

Keys Fisheries
3502 Gulfview Avenue
Marathon, FL 33050
(305) 743-4353

Bahia Honda State Park
36850 Overseas Highway
Big Pine Key, FL 33043
(305) 872-2353

Hogfish Bar & Grill
6810 Front Street
Stock Island, FL 33040
(305) 293-4041

Alonzo's Oyster Bar*
700 Front Street
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 294-5880

*Random Raw Bar with .50 oysters all day next door

Half Shell Raw Bar
231 Margaret Street
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 294-7496

BO's Fish Wagon
801 Caroline Street
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 294-9272

Sandy's Cafe
1026 White Street
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 295-0159

Kim's Kuban
2300 North Roosevelt Boulevard
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 296-2878

Fausto's Food Palace
1105 White Street
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 294-5221

Eaton Street Seafood Market
801 Eaton Street
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 295-3474

Garbo's Grill
603 Greene Street
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 304-3004

Peppers of Key West
602 Greene Street
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 295-9333

Seven Fish
632 Olivia Street
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 296-2777

The Conch Shack
118 Duval Street
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 295-2494

Kermit's Key Lime Shoppe*
200 Elizabeth Street
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 296-0806

*2nd location on Duval Street

As always, another great write up, Da Beef!! I've been to Key West twice and absolutely loved it both times. The first time was to visit my brother-in-law who was stationed on the naval base there (which truly is the southernmost point of the US but you have to know someone with Navy clearance to visit it) and the second time for my brother's bachelor party. Like you mentioned, the laid back, tropical, anything goes vibe is contagious. I'd like to get back there to explore more of the food culture. The seafood down there is amazing - so fresh and unbelievably delicious. This post really made me want to go back for a vacation with my family that would be more food-centric than party-centric. It's been about 8 years since I've been down there. Thanks for sharing, Da Beef!!

Key West Da Beef Style!! Oh Yes!

Spent a long wild weekend in Key West for our 1st Fantasy Fest and had some very good dining at surprisingly empty restaurants. I had made some reservations months ago worried about the crowd but soon learned that most people are dining at the food vendors on Duval or attending parties instead of going to restaurants. Fantasy Fest is a lite version of Burning Man. Nice costumes, a fair amount of nudity(although people are required to be body painted, as opposed to the desert where anything goes), and a great parade the last night. Minuses are no incredible artwork and all day and night events like Burning Man-pluses are you get to sleep in a hotel and eat in restaurants.

Upon arriving on the Key West Express we headed to Turtle Kraal for oysters and a refreshing ceviche. Our 1st dinner was at Hot Tin Roof, which is a long time favorite and it didn’t disappoint. Rather than a formal dinner we grazed on the more interesting small plates, like the pork chicharonnes and onion mojo an absolute killer. The scallop with bean grits and every other plate was a winner. Service and wine were polished.

Next day, lunch was a simple meal of a heaping platter of royal red shrimp at Conch Republic. They are the only place in town serving them and aren’t listed on the menu. You need to ask. They are hard to catch as the shrimp are in very deep water but have an incredible lobster like taste. Well worth the premium price. Happy hour was at 2cents, a gastropub. Marinated castelvetrono olives were good, but the Quack Quack Nachos were the best we’ve ever had. Made with duck confit, black beans, cheddar, sour cream and salsa served over very thin chips. There were other exciting things listed on the menu and we were going to return for lunch our last day on Sunday, but they only offered Sunday brunch with breakfast items. Drats! Dinner was Onlywood, with a beautiful woodfired oven in the front of the restaurant. We split the wonderful Estiva salad with baby arugula, hearts of palm (fresh, not canned), tomatoes, avocado and shaved parmesan cheese. This was followed by an authentic Neapolitan type thin crust pizza, with a bit of a charred crust like you see back in their homeland. This is real Italian, not American Italian!

Back to Conch Republic for 3rd day lunch and more royal reds and a beautifully fried plate of cracked conch. Most places serve the ubiquitous conch fritters which tend to have more bread than conch. This is the first time I’ve had big pieces of conch lightly breaded and fried. Many restaurants were closed on Saturday because of the Fantasy Fest parade so we ended up at Inca’s. We are spoiled because of Inca’s Kitchen in Naples but this newly opened Inca did a very good version of ceviche and an excellent Lomo Saltado.

On our last day we decided to forgo the B&B breakfast and headed to our favorite bakery, Croissant de France on Duval. Santiago’s Bodega, for lunch, was a very good spring mix salad with duck confit, dried cranberries, walnuts, red onions, and citrus ginger vinaigrette, shrimp and chorizo skewers, and great ½ rack of lamb encrusted with Dijon mustard, pecans, and thyme. Before boarding the boat back home we hit the Turtle Kraal again. We disliked the pork belly sliders and the chorizo and goat cheese empanadas which were both cloyingly sweet. We had tried their wood grilled wings on a previous trip and found they had a funky taste. Not sure we will back--may try the ½ Shell next door.

RevrendAndy wrote:Most places serve the ubiquitous conch fritters which tend to have more bread than conch. This is the first time I’ve had big pieces of conch lightly breaded and fried.

Andy,

Next time you're driving down to Key West, there is a KFC between Key Largo and Islamorada that is located right where the road splits into a divided highway. The KFC is located between the two halves of the road. In any event, the owner is from the Bahamas and they serve cracked conch breaded in the Colonel's 17 herbs & spices that is amazingly good. Might be an off menu item, I can't recall. It's been quite some time since I've made that trip, so it might not hurt to investigate first, although if you're driving from Miami to Key West, you go right past it.

Steve,

Thanks for the info but I'll never drive again. I'm in the Naples area and the Key West Express ferry leaves from Ft. Myers at 8:30am and arrives Key West at noon. The return leaves at 6pm and arrives Ft. Myers 9:30. Great schedule. Much faster than driving and a wonderful boat.