Best Key West Bars For......

[CaribbeanCrazy]

A couple who likes to have a few drinks...but doen't want a loud obnoxious type bar. Maybe one with a nice view...that doesn't charge an arm and leg for a beer. If they have happy hour that would be even better. We have been to Hogs Breath and we like their beer so we will probably stop in for one there. I'm trying to find a couple more we could stop at if we want to do a little bar hopping. :)

BTW I don't mean anything by the loud obnoxious bar comment...we just prefer a quieter more relaxed place. We used to like the livlier bars...way back when. Gee...I make us sound so old. Were only 44 and 51.:) Anyways...anyone have any suggestions for us.

Thanks

CaribbeanCrazy

[voyageur]

Maybe you have to be a Jimmy Buffet fan to understand... but the best Margarita's are at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, as well as the best Cheeseburgers. But if you're a beer drinker I'm afraid I don't have the answer. (have you tried "Sloppy Joes"?... Hemingway used to hang out there.

[bhopal21]

Mangoes has a very nice bar, a great place to people watch, and consistently voted as having one of the best bartenders in town.

 

Have a great visit

 

Mike:D

[CaribbeanCrazy]

I am a Jimmy Buffet fan...but not really a margarita fan. I like pina coladas and daquris better. You mentioned sloppy joes. Isn't that a louder...crazier type bar. We are looking for something a little quieter. Although....I'm not totally ruling out a place like sloppy joes. You never know...after we have downed a few we may be in the mood for loud and obnoxious! :)

Thanks

CaribbeanCrazy

[kal]

I would go to the Schooner Wharf Bar for sure. Happy Hour and good entertainment included. For a quiet pleasant setting away from all the tourists go to Kelly's Caribbean Bar on Whitehead. The bar is owned by Kelly McGillis (Top Gun babe).

[Bequia]

Sloppy Joes and Hogs Breath tie for best. ;)

[kal]

"Sloppy Joes"?... Hemingway used to hang out there.

 

Hemingway did hang at Sloppy Joes, but not at the present location. He was at Capt. Tony's when it was called Sloppy Joes.

[mark k]

try the Bull great piano player.

[CaribbeanCrazy]

Great suggestions! :)

 

Maybe we will try them all!! :) :)

 

Thanks a bunch!!!

CaribbeanCrazy

[RedSoxWon]

Try cafe Iguana on Green Street. It's very small, but part of the bar is open to the street and they have two or three tables on the sidewalk. Very cool. Green Street is also great for people watching. I also recommend the Hog's Breath. Also, the Green Parrot (up near the Hemingway House, though I can't remember exactly where) might be worth checking out. It's more of a local favorite. They have a great juke filled with blues classics.

[Clay Clayton]

With the exception of Mangoes, most of the places folks have listed fall into that loud and crazy category IMHO. You might want to try LaTeDa on the upper end of Duval....while not dead, its a little guieter...and you have a view of Duval Street craziness...close by if you are a wine drinker, you should step into Mosquito Coast and if you really want to get off the beaten path, head over to the "afterdeck" behind Louie's Backyard for a great view.

 

Regarding your wish for a budget bar, I am afraid we don't have any of those here<grin>

 

Clay - a key west local

[bhopal21]

Thanks Clay for mentioning LaTeDa. The outside bar there is one of my favorite.

 

All of the places previously mentioned are . . .for the sake of a better term "tourist traps". Stroll on to upper Duval where both the food and drink are vastly better.

 

Mike :D

[BigRhino]

Want to drive some friends or family members crazy with envy?

Lots of places in the keys have live cams.

 

Hogs Breath has a few....some still frames....some live continuous feeds.

 

There's a continuous streaming feed at the raw bar...right on your left as you enter. Tell a few people to tune in at a given time.....and bring the cell phone to really get the drool going.....

 

Have a great time,

Jerry

[ginag]

I've been taking notes for my December cruise....where would be the best place to get some key lime pie? Thanks!

[CaribbeanCrazy]

Thanks again everyone for soooooooo many great suggestions. :)

 

Clay...As always it's nice to hear from a local...you guys always have the low down on what hot and whats not. I will definately try LaTeda and maybe even the After Deck. It is always nice to have a great view when relaxing with a drink. We are wine drinkers...but mostly with dinner. We will probably be drinking beer or frozen concoctions while in Key West.

Although...we do plan on going to the Key West Winery and trying some of their fruity wines. Most likely we will buy a bottle or two if we like them.

Any comment on the winery???

 

Jerry...your idea about the live web cam at Hogs Breath is a good idea. The only problem is we don't have a cell phone. I KNOW...pretty shocking that in this day and age there are still some of us with out them!!! But who knows...I might be able to work something out....we DO have a calling card. :)

Thanks again to everyone...we will probably do a mixture of the quieter places mentioned along with a few of the loud and crazy ones. Especially Hogs Breath...we never pass going to HB when there's one in town. :) :)

CaribbeanCrazy

[OTTER]

My favorite place was Irish Kevin's. Sit at a table or the bar and listen to their comedy singers while you have a brew.

[bhopal21]

Although...we do plan on going to the Key West Winery and trying some of their fruity wines. Most likely we will buy a bottle or two if we like them.

Any comment on the winery???

 

 

You will have a good visit at the winery, those guys are great and you will sample some very unusual wines.

 

Have a great visit!

 

Mike :D

[Intrudr]

I would go to the Schooner Wharf Bar for sure.

 

I second Schooner Wharf. Last time we got there about 10am, bartender said he has to open at 8am because that's when the regulars start showing up expecting to be served - not sure how those guys survive on a Sunday. Also highly recommend Turtle Kraals - good food, laid back. You walk right past the Schooner getting there so you have a rest stop in both directions.

[jimmy and allie]

Irish Kevins gets our vote ! Great spot to tip a few and enjoy the entertainment.. Planning on visiting in April along with touring a few of the other local establishments... Purely for educational purposes of course :) :)

[LittleBit]

When are you going?? My vote is for Irish Kevin's, but only if Bil Kraus is playing! The dueling pianos down the street were nice too... Some of the rowdiness depends on the time you are at the bars too.

 

The other thing you can do is just get a few drinks and hang out at Mallory Square. Every night (that we were going to go to Mallory) we would stop at Lazy Gecko and get 2-for-1 drinks (kept getting coupons!) get mudslides or whatever and hang out watching the sunset and the fun at sunset....

 

As for the winery? Nice wines, small place (I'm used to visiting Long Island wineries that stretch for miles....). The wines are nice, a little sweet and too fruity; not locally produced (I had wanted a locally produced wine, not one that just used the local name; same problem with Key West beer - it is no longer a local micro brew but a mass produced beer). Worth stopping in though.

 

 

(No cell phone?? SHOCKING - I thought I was the only one without this technology!)

[CaribbeanCrazy]

Littlebit,

Thanks for the suggestions. :)

Regarding the Winery...do you remember how much they charged on the average for a bottle of wine? You don't sound like you were very fond of these wines....but were there any that stood out. Were they all sweet? I'm not that fond of sweet wines. I thought they might have a few drier or tart bottles. Well if they have tastings...I guess I will find out if I like any of them.

CaribbeanCrazy

[LittleBit]

prices were like $15 and up...

the ones I tried were sweeter (I prefer sweet wines) but they had a variety

 

grapefruit

tangerine

coffee orange

I think there was a jalapeno & something wine...

 

 

do a tasting - the wines were nice, just nothing that really struck me as something I wanted to buy (I also did not have anyone to share with!)

 

they may have a website ... alos, the tourist books all had a coupon for $1-2 off...

 

oh, by the by, there is a key lime girrafe next door for chocolate Key Lime pie on a stick.. not bad - price tho - I found the Circle K on the south end of Duval had the best price for pie on a stick...

[jimmy and allie]

LittleBit,

We'll be cruising in on Friday April 15th. To bad we won't be there for the sunset party.. We'll have to see it on the ship .. Century

[VaCruzers]

Schooner Wharf & Turtle Kraals are two of our favorites as they overlook the bight(marina). You can get a table outdoors.

[RedSoxWon]

Fantastic thread. I wish I had posted this question before I went to KW.