OT Key West

Hook_emHornsfan_74

My wife and I as well as two other couples are headed to Key West for the http://www.mile0fest.com/ in February.  Being the type A person that I am, I like to start planning.  Doesn't help that I am not busy at work lately.  I figured the great group of people here could help recommending places to eat and hang out besides the obvious main bars on Duval St.  Also, the fellas are thinking about deep sea fishing one morning and I was curious to know if anyone had any recommendations. (might be a stretch)  Thanks in advance for the help.  Can't wait to go.  Texas County in Key West in February.  Weather will be perfect, drinks will be cold.  Couldn't ask for more.  

fishlessman

never fished there but the saltwater anglers shop has some of the nicest gear on the planet and does trips. ive spent several grand there on custom gear in the past and have always wanted to do a tarpon trip thru them. its on my list

northGAcock

You will have a great time there for sure. Not a lot of help with your questions as it has been quite a few years since I was last there. One strong recommendation would be to fly into Miami and do the drive down and back. At least do it one way at the very least. Key Line Pie is a must while there, and there is no shame in trying to find who makes the best. 

Give my my regards to Jimmy (Buffett)....and send back lots of pictures.

Hook_emHornsfan_74

northGAcock said:

You will have a great time there for sure. Not a lot of help with your questions as it has been quite a few years since I was last there. One strong recommendation would be to fly into Miami and do the drive down and back. At least do it one way at the very least. Key Line Pie is a must while there, and there is no shame in trying to find who makes the best. 

Give my my regards to Jimmy (Buffett)....and send back lots of pictures.

Thank you sir.  My wife is already salivating about the key lime pies.  We are actually flying into Ft. Lauderdale and renting and SUV for us all.  Probably will need a trailer for the ladies bags.  

northGAcock

Hook_emHornsfan_74 said:

northGAcock said:

You will have a great time there for sure. Not a lot of help with your questions as it has been quite a few years since I was last there. One strong recommendation would be to fly into Miami and do the drive down and back. At least do it one way at the very least. Key Line Pie is a must while there, and there is no shame in trying to find who makes the best. 

Give my my regards to Jimmy (Buffett)....and send back lots of pictures.

Thank you sir.  My wife is already salivating about the key lime pies.  We are actually flying into Ft. Lauderdale and renting and SUV for us all.  Probably will need a trailer for the ladies bags.  

Perfect. Make it a lazy drive and enjoy the views, towns, and of course a pice of pie (on the way down). 

spray

Grew up in Miami and spent a lot of time in the keys, including a part-time job as a mate on a fishing boat in Islamorada long ago.  My wife and I still go down there a couple times a year.  Since you have a vehicle, I'll recommend a couple out of the way places we always eat at.  Stock Island has a couple favorites - Hogfish Grill is a must.  It's a little dive on the water by the shrimpboat docks that serves excellent seafood, and you can't go wrong with the namesake, hogfish.  Rustica is owned by the same folks, and the food is very good.  We also really like Chico's Cantina on Stock Island.  They have a chalkboard menu that always serves FRESH seafood entrees.  If they have stone crab enchiladas, you have to try them.  Otherwise, their shrimp enchiladas are excellent (fresh Key West pink shrimp), and their draft Dos Equis beer is ice cold.  Another on-the-water place serving super-fresh fish is Geiger Key Marina and Bar.  For fishing, I'd get away from the Key West docks, which are tourist traps in general.  Some of the better guides fish out of the Hurricane Hole Marina and Murrays Marina on Stock Island.  BTW, Stock Island is just outside Key West, and is only a five-minute drive from downtown.  For something different, I'd highly recommend taking a float plane over to Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas - it's an awesome trip and they run about 4-6 trips per day out of Key West airport.  You can explore the fort or do some snorkeling in crystal clear water with lots of things to see.  The views of the Marquesas Keys from the air and the clear water are amazing.  If you want more info, PM me and I can give specifics.

Wardster

Pepe's for breakfast, get there early.  Blue Heaven has great food too. 

Foghorn

If you are driving past Big Pine Key around meal (or drink) time - in either direction, make sure to hit the No Name Pub.  It's about Mile Marker 30.

I don't know what to tell you about fishing.  If you like snorkeling, the snorkeling out of Key West is pretty good.  But the best snorkeling I've ever done is out at Looe Key which is an underwater marine preserve 7 miles offshore from the dive shops around mile marker 27 (Ramrod Key or Little Torch Key).  It's worth the drive from Key West.  Hurricane Irma may have changed that.

If you like Carribean food, Blue Heaven is a very good stop.

Don't miss the street performers at sunset at Mallory Square.

Be aware that some of the establishments on Duval Street have an upstairs component that caters to those whose lifestyle doesn't match their downstairs clientele.  This can go in either direction and sometimes changes over the years because what is mainstream in Key West is not necessarily the same as most of the rest of the country.  Sometimes there is a side staircase that is not labelled that leads to the upstairs component.  It can be interesting to explore these places even if you maybe wouldn't want to linger... or to find the place where you would want to hang around.

GrillSgt

Wow, some great information.

Foghorn

@spray is right about Fort Jefferson as well.  Just don't take the cattle boat out there with a bunch of septuagenarian grandparents in early August when it is 100+ degrees.   Everybody fights for the small patches of shade under the rare and widely scattered trees...  My parents and in-laws barely survived the trip.

RajunCajun

B.O.'s Fish Wagon is off the beaten path, but has the absolute best and freshest fish sandwiches on the island.  Hogfish Grill on Stock Island is another one  you must try.  If you like tapas, Santiago's Bodega is very good.  Oh, and don't miss the opportunity to have a drink at the Green Parrot.  KW is an amazing place.  You will love the drive through the keys.

78 T140E

Key West is a fun town to visit. You'll enjoy it! A few of my favorites:

• Hogfish Bar and Grill - 6810 Front St, Stock Island. A little hard to find but worth it!

• Square Grouper - on Cudjoe Key, at mile marker 22.5 Oceanside. The best in Key West.  Closed on Sundays.

• Danger Charters - Best boat for a sunset sail if you like beer, good wine and good champagne. Fishing charters also.
  

• Capt Tony's - the oldest bar in Florida. 428 Greene Street. 1/2 block from Sloppy Joe's.

Most of the blue water deep sea fishing charters are located off of Palm Avenue Causeway at N. Roosevelt Blvd.

RRP

Hogs Breath Saloon is a must see and experience. They have a couple web cams that I get a kick out of watching. The entertainment is all over the board and I see right now it is C~W which is unusual. Many nights this site is rockin with the carrying on of drunks and floozies that would make this forum on a Friday night seem like Sunday at church service!
http://www.resortcams.com/webcams/hogs-breath-stage/   

thetrim

Go to Blue Heaven. Shrimp and grits w a side of bacon. 

thetrim

And go to The Garden of Eden bar.  Nice spot.  Very organic type spot. 

Lit

Not sure if you have a place to stay already but simonton court is the nicest place I have found that is close to Duval but still really nice and secluded. http://www.simontoncourt.com/

JethroVA

My son and I are in Marathon next week for 3 nights at the Blackfin Resort (ha!) and Marina for fishing.  What are good bars, I mean restaurants, on Marathon?

theyolksonyou

JethroVA said:

My son and I are in Marathon next week for 3 nights at the Blackfin Resort (ha!) and Marina for fishing.  What are good bars, I mean restaurants, on Marathon?

If it's not a shoot and stab, it's a good bar.  

thetrim

JethroVA said:

My son and I are in Marathon next week for 3 nights at the Blackfin Resort (ha!) and Marina for fishing.  What are good bars, I mean restaurants, on Marathon?

There's an Applebee's that rocks!

Hook_emHornsfan_74

Lit said:

Not sure if you have a place to stay already but simonton court is the nicest place I have found that is close to Duval but still really nice and secluded. http://www.simontoncourt.com/

We have a three bedroom villa at the Parrot Key in Key West. 

Foghorn

@JethroVA, I've been to Marathon several times, but it has been 25 years.  I just googled to see what is there and it sounds like it has grown and changed a lot since I was there.  The only thing I can offer is that the no-name pub is a 35 minute drive that you may or may not want to make.  You can usually spot some key deer on the drive there.  Sorry I'm not more help.

spray

Cudjoe Key was ground zero for Hurricane Irma.  Square Grouper is on Cudjoe, and  from what I heard from friends who live down there, the Square Grouper took a heavy hit - not sure if it's opened back up yet.  Same deal with No Name Pub and several of the oceanside resorts and bars in the Big Pine and Marathon areas.  I've been told the same about resorts and restaurants all the way up to Islamorada - oceanside took a hit while the Gulf side fared much better.  Check before you go.  We're headed down in a few weeks, so I'll have a better idea when I see for myself.

GrillSgt

Website says opening Oct. 26. http://www.squaregrouperbarandgrill.com/home