We're heading to Key West this week as a birthday getaway. We've been many times but know restaurants change often and haven't been there for a while. I loved Blue Heaven and Louie's Backyard and we've always gone to Turtle Kraal (which I don't think is as good as it was years ago before the major renovations--but maybe I'm confusing ambience and with food). Any updated recommendations?

Louie's Backyard is still wonderful and has opened an upstairs wine bar/tapas room that overlooks the water. I haven't been yet, but it's getting excellent reviews.

Turtle Kraals has unfortunately turned into a barbeque place and is apparently pretty awful.

Have you tried Santiago's Bodega? Fabulous tapas in Bahama Village. I wouldn't necessarily recommend walking there at night (though lots of people do) but the food is certainly worth a trip.

Another place we haven't tried (because they have wine but no hard liquor) is 915. Again, it's very popular.

And Sarabeth's for brunch - on Simonton. Wonderful!

For a nice dinner of tapas and wine, the Dock Cafe at the Galleon Resort. Walk to the end of Front and make a left instead of a right which would take you to the Bight. You sit outdoors overlooking the harbor.

And the Rooftop also on Frony but on the other side of Duval.

Bet you've never been to Mo's Hatian Cafe. 1116 White.

Pjk

Do NOT go to the Kraals - it is now terrible (the food sucks and they got rid of the turtle races and all of the good bartenders and waiters have quit).

Blue Heaven was closed last week to give the staff a break, and I'm not sure when it is planning to reopen (although with Fantasy Fest just around the corner, it should be soon). If it is open, it is still one of my absolute favorite places to eat - breakfast, lunch or dinner. The Meteor was also closed last week.

Other places:

915 is excellent (great wine list, great tapas).

One of our other favorite places is Seven Fish (I dream about their gnocchi).

For a special night, we also love the Cafe Marquesa.

As much as I dislike the Disney-fied atmosphere of Conch Republic Seafood, the food is always really good.


Just remember - no wrong answers. Happy Birthday!

Thanks all! No, we've never been to Santiago's or Mo's or most of the others (except Conch Republic--Disneyesque is right!) so I'm really getting more and more excited. I've been reading a lot about 915 so I'm very curious. We've never been able to get into Seven Fish (we get so mellow in KW we can't even make reservations!). I really hope Blue Heaven re-opens soon! Glad for the head's up so I won't be totally shocked if it's not. It's in the 30's and raining here in NY, so even if it's Turtle Kraal (so sad), it'll be better than this!

Big fan of Mangoes and Blue Heaven.... Kelley's Grille is a great surprise as well

If you have a car, also consider a drive up to Mangrove Mama's. A very nice setting with good food. At MM 21, a short but scenic drive.

IMO.....

The Conch Republic is like two places. The bar area to the left (with your back to the Bight) is almost a local's place and I always go there a couple of times to have 2-4-1 Sunset Ale and usually 12 oysters. Wouldn't miss it. But the dining area to the right which seems to be always crowded strikes me as touristy and I've had enough so-so meals to stop going there.

Pjk

We loved the Rooftop Cafe.

Here's some places from our trip last year.

Here's the nice "dive" I mentioned. http://www.hogfishbar.com/

Here are some restaurants:

http://www.louiesbackyard.com/ pricier but great views of the Atlantic. We had lunch there.

http://www.azurkeywest.com/ great food

http://www.pepescafe.net/index.htm locals spot

http://www.mangia-mangia.com/ neighborhood spot

Take the shuttle boat to Sunset Key and enjoy dinner on the beach at Lattitudes!!! (make a reservation - they will tell you about the shuttle too)

May I piggyback on this inquiry? I'm going to KW for my birthday next month, too, but I'll be a 49-year-old gal by myself. Should I rule out any of these restaurants on that basis, or add any others that are especially solo friendly?

Just returned from Key West last night. I can't think of any place that we ate that I would be uncomfortable by myself. When I travel alone, I frequently sit at the bar. Seems less isolated, for whatever reason.

There are three places in Key West where I don't eat alone: Louie's Backyard (upstairs), The Dock Cafe, and Santiago's Bodega. I avoid these because they are known for tapas and it's more fun to sample tapas with more than one person. Everyplace else is fine.

Pjk

I agree with Jean that Key West is VERY solo friendly, and most people suggest sitting at the bar. I haven't spent much time alone in Key West but remember a particularly nice lunch at La Te Da sitting in one of the small two-top tables on the same level as the bar. Food was great and so was the service. There were very few people there and I had a nice conversation with the bartender and a couple of people sitting nearby.

Thank you, folks. I appreciate the input!

I really recommend the bar at Seven Fish (although the place is so crowded you need reservations to eat at the bar, too). Really small, but there are often a couple of other people there and the bartender has been known to slip you an extra bite of something if you ask really nicely...