Islamorada and Marathon restaurants
 

during our last visit to the Florida Keys we went to the Barracuda Grill in Marathon and Papa Joe's in Islamorada and really enjoyed them. we will probably go to both places again this time, but also want to hear some suggestions for other places. i hear Manny and Isa's is under new ownership and wonder if it's worth checking out. couldn't get near the Islamorada Fish Company last time (too long a wait). is it really that good?
we are staying at Hawks Cay but find the restaurants off the premises to be better than those on...any recommendations appreciated!

We ate at island gourmet in islamorada last week and it was very good. It was Italian, great specials, and a very nice courtyard with a fountain. It's on the ocean side (but not on the water). A month or so earlier we had lunch at the Fish Company, good, no wait in the middle of the day on a weekday. It's nice to have a drink on the big veranda. I've heard that Pierre's next to it is a gorgeous house and a nice restaurant.

Loved Barracuda Grill when we went there as well -- the hot stuff hurts so good! I really like Don Pedro's in Marathon. It's pretty modest -- in a strip mall -- but has awesome Cuban food. One night's special was oxtail stew, and it was so good I still think about it (and wonder who to reproduce it in my own kitchen). The sangria is a perfect accompaniment. (But perhaps my recollection is tainted by the fact that our hostess/waitress was a dead ringer for my mother....)

For a relaxed place the locals eat at, try Hog Heaven in Islamorada. We were there a couple years ago (so I'm assuming they are still open) - the dinner specials were very reasonably priced and so good we ended up going back twice during our trip.

We were just in Islamarada two weeks ago and had dinner at Marker 88, very good, but the portions were huge. We could have easily shared a main course after the appetizer. Nice service and they have a nice outdoor bar and eating area if the weather is warm enough.

Thanks everyone!!

Islamorada:

Lorelei has great fish sandwiches and it is the perfect place at sunset. Actually have had better fish sandwiches at Lorelei than at Fish Company.

Morada Bay was very good for dinner and they had live music. After dinner at Morada Bay, we walked next door to Green Flash Lounge (on first floor of the Pierre's building) for a cocktail- a lovely atmosphere inside or out on the verandah.