The Best Eats and Dranks of Key West

Have you been considering a trip to Key West? Yes? Good, I’m happy to hear smart people are reading my blog. Kudos to you, my faithful reader. You should definitely go. Book it now, don’t wait. I have been to Key West 3 times and I’m already dreaming of the next time I can go back. I just love it there so much! But Megan, maybe you should go somewhere else and broaden your horizons. Um, no. I’m going back to Key West, thank you very much.

The best way I can describe it to someone who has never been there is that it’s like the tropical version of Nashville. There is one “main drag” called Duval Street. There are tons of amazing restaurants, bars and live music all along Duval and Key West in general. You really can’t go wrong but I’m going to give you what I consider to be the very best eats and dranks of Key West ranked in no particular order.

• Blue Macaw – HOLY BLOODY MARY BAR…with ALL. THE. SNACKS. You cannot have a Bloody Mary without snacks in it. It’s just not right. This place has the most amazing Bloody Mary snack bar I have ever seen in all of my 33 years on this earth. I piled that sucker so high, the bartender was laughing at me and my husband was snapping pics. And he never takes pictures of anything. Go there for that and that alone.

• Salute on the Beach – This place is the bomb dot com. The food is excellent and they have amazing lunch specials. If they are offering the blackened mahi sandwich, get it! Delish. Also, if you’re into alcoholic beverages, do yourself a favor and get the blueberry lemonade. That drink will rock your world. This particular slice of heaven is a little off the beaten path, but so worth it. You will also want to come here if you are a beach-goer because it is located right on the beach. I will tell you that Key West is not known for it’s beaches, so if you come here expecting miles upon miles of white sandy beaches, you may be a tad disappointed.

• Conch Republic Seafood Company – If you love peel and eat shrimp, look no further. It is hands down, the best peel and eat shrimp I have ever had. I could eat a pound of that all by myself. While I have never done it, I am certainly up for the challenge. And hey, shrimp is zero points if you’re on Weight Watchers! This restaurant sits right on the water and boasts beautiful views. If you dine here, you certainly won’t be mad about it.

• Sunset Pier at Ocean Key Resort – Come here around sunset and soak in the views. This outdoor bar is located right along the water and hosts live bands frequently. GET THE ALCOHOLIC LEMONADE…and that’s all I’m going to say about that.

• Pinchers – Again, the seafood is really good here. I feel like a broken record, but Key West really has no shortage of amazing seafood. We ate at the bar in the alley. Sounds weird, but it works. Totally low key, much like the rest of the island. I would go back in a heartbeat. Great for people watching, too!

• Sunset Cruise – Definitely do this. No Dramamine necessary. The sunsets are amazing and the booze is included…if you’re into that kind of thing. Below is a photo of my mom – HOTTIE – (and husband in the background). I love turning my friends and family into memes. Next time someone asks me what my hobbies are I am going to say, “Turning my friends and family into memes.”

All of the photos in this post were taken over Christmas. My husband and I decided to take a trip with my parents to Key West rather than give each other gifts. In my opinion, that is the way to go! Here are a couple shots that really showcase the island decor around the holidays. I personally couldn’t get enough of it!

Things you should also know before you go:

• Lodging is not cheap if you want to stay near Duval street, so save your pennies!
• Key West, in my opinion, is not a place for children. So leave the kiddos at Grandma’s house.
• You will want to stay within walking distance of Duval Street, because that’s where a lot of the action is!
• The Drag Shows are fabulous and located right on Duval! You will have fun – I promise!
• If you hate people watching and live music, Key West is probably not the place for you.

I’d love to know your favorite Key West spots and hope you found this guide helpful. Plan your trip now because you only have one life to live.

See ya on the next post!

-The Chic(ish) Chick