Key West Dining

The lower Keys are an interesting archipelago. They depend almost solely on the tourist dollar but if you look hard enough once you are off of Duval St. you can find an eclectic gathering of small restaurants that are above the grab for the drunken frat boy business. We have tried many of Key West's offerings and here are some of our favorites in no particular order. There are too many to do in one days' blog so I will continue the reviews tomorrow.

Schooner Wharf Bar...

We headed here because it is dog friendly and, in a town that purports to be dog friendly, that is becoming a rarity. Apparently the board of health has banned dogs unless they are outside on a deck or patio and that is all Schooner Wharf is. A collection of plastic tables and chairs surrounded by the trappings of an old time working wharf draws cruise ship patrons and few locals. Charles Kuralt billed it as "the center of the universe..." and it becomes so for many a tourist. It apparently is listed on the must see, must do list handed out by the activity director on the cruise ship (along with Sloppy Joes and Margaritaville). Fortunately there are a few regulars left at Schooner Wharf Bar; the other two bars have not seen a local for many years.

The food here is not bad if you come for bar food. The Caribbean Chicken Wings rate an A+ and the burgers a B. Service is pretty good for a restaurant with no set placement of tables or aisles. It is usually crowded until the cruise ship horn blows and the lemmings hurry back to the mother ship.

One thing that does set the Schooner Wharf apart from the other bars in town is the quality of the music. Singer song writers prevail and the band stand is tucked into a corner that doesn't overload one's ability to talk. Michael McCloud is our favorite.

Even though it has the usual tourist crowd you shouldn't miss having a meal here and enjoying the atmosphere along the wharf.

Sandy's/M&M Laundry

When it time to get away from the tourists and have lunch with the local blue collar set head to the M&M Laundromat and order through the window in the wall that is Sandy's. There are no tables here; you either sit on wicker love seats in the laundromat or stand outside on the sidewalk leaning up against a shelf. The food is mostly sandwiches, rice and beans or wraps. The locals must come hungry as the sandwiches are all so large they easily feed two.

It was here, while doing laundry, that we discovered the "cuban mix" a local version of the cuban sandwich It adds salami, lettuce tomato and mayo to the usual cuban sandwich.

Even if you don't have laundry to do make this your first lunch stop while in Key West. It is at the corner of White and Virginia. It is just one block off of Truman. But beware; the Google Map location has Sandy's in the wrong location.

Geiger Key Marina & Campground

You meet a lot of friendly people when you live in a marina and a couple named Jeff and Cathy stopped by the boat one evening to talk about sailing. During the conversation they mentioned a cookout at a campground on the next Key to the east. For $18.95 you get your choice of two of the following; ribs, chicken, shrimp or mahi, along with baked beans, coleslaw, rice and corn bread. The plate struggled to hold all of the food but I managed to get it to the picnic table along the water and ate to my stomach's content while watching the sun set over the Winnebago's. Draft PBR's are served in plastic glasses to wash it all down while listening to live music. On Saturday nights they change the menu to steak on the grill. We gave this experience a definite A+.

Mallory Square

I feel I must rant, on what I am sure you hope will be one last time, about the cruise ships. My tolerance level for 5,000 tourists dropped in a small town was low to begin with but now they let the ships stay though sunset completely blocking the sunset view from Mallory Square. The Square is a gathering of street artists who come to perform for the crowds which come to see the southernmost sunset. Now all you see from the Square is the 1,000 foot long slap of steel that completely eclipses any view of the waterfront and leaves a long cold shadow over the performers. Key West has sold its soul to the cruise lines. Rumor has it that at one time the ships had to be gone by 5:00 so the land bound sun worshipers could enjoy the sunset but that is no longer the case. But, if not for the cruise ship patrons who would buy the "I got drunk in Key West" t-shirts?