Recommended. This place caters to cruising boater types, many of whom lease slips at the marina or have done so in the past. Regulars are devotees and Enthusiastic about this place. We took the opportunity to visit friends berthing their boat nearby. The food is OK as is the service. But don't go out of your way to visit this place unless you have a specific reason to be there. read more

I loved this place! We stopped for lunch on the way to the beach after reading reviews on yelp. We were greeted by a fun, cheerful waiter who made our lunch experience all the better:) I had a goat cheese salad with jerk chicken. Was yum! We had street tacos that were delicious. Strawberry margarita was fresh and hit the spot! My boyfriend enjoyed his blackened grouper sandwich with jalapeño coslaw( says that could have been spicier) The view is awesome- keep an eye on small children to not fall over into the ocean. I hope we have to go back! Really loved this place! read more

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Came for lunch at key west after a relaxing morning at sombrero beach. We ordered buffalo wings, nachos, blackened fish sandwich, jerk chicken sandwich and chimichanga. The settings by the water gave a very lazy look and was quite perfect on a lazy day. The menu is quite compact and so there is not much choice. But the blackened fish was very well done and so was the chimichanga. Portions are sizable so think twice before ordering appetizers. It would be great to just ride a boat to the place. Park it there and have a relaxed time. They have a live band and also a dance area. Should be good also to come one for dinner. The chimichanga and buffalo wings are the best dishes!! The buffalo sauce has a carribean edge to it. Maybe they have a special ingredient for the sauce. Overall I would rate as - Ambience - 4/5 (the heat is certainly uncomfortable but then the lazy feel is great) Food taste - 3.5/5 Presentation - 3.5/5 Food quantity - 5/5 Service - 3.5/5 Price - 4/5 Recommended dish - chimichanga and buffalo wings read more

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We came here on our way down to Bahai Honda. Beautiful view of the harbor, lovely breeze blowing through. Really friendly staff, with just enough sass. The music is upbeat but laid back, sounds like a a Bare Naked Ladies Pandora station. The food is delicious, a little heavy on the salad dressing. The balckened rub was delightful on the mahi mahi. Good for families and couples, for a nice, relaxed lunch. read more

Dockside Tropical Cafe - Looking out at the harbor! - Caribbean Near Me - Marathon, Florida

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I happened to come here by accident because Keys Fisheries was closed for their annual cleaning, and I'm quite glad it was because I discovered a new place to add to my faves for when I travel south. We went for a late lunch and had the place almost to ourselves. It sits right on the water as most places in the keys, with picturesque views of sailboats just sitting posing for you to take a shot. The menu has a Jamaican influence with some jerk items and some keys style fair as well. Make sure to look over the specials they have also. We weren't too hungry so we opted to order 3 dishes and just share everything so we could taste a variety of dishes. We went with the hog handles, Mahi tacos, and jerk chicken sandwich. I must say they were all superb! The hog handles as you've seen in every other review is totally a must! The meat just falls off the bone and has the perfect blend of sweet yet smoky sauce. The side of mango chutney they give you gives it the perfect Caribbean touch. The Mahi tacos were also a winner with a generous portion of Mahi perfectly fried to a golden crisp and topped with some crunchy slaw. The jerk chicken was very flavorful but I don't do too much spice and this was quite hot. It was very good however and if you love spice then try it out. Our Server was great and was constantly refilling our glasses but the food did take a little bit to come out considering the place was empty. We didn't mind because we were on keys time and were enjoying the view. I definitely plan on keeping this place on my list of must eats when in the keys! read more

Dockside Tropical Cafe - Perfect view - Caribbean Near Me - Marathon, Florida

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Little restaurant right on the water. Boats can literally dock and people can climb onto the restaurant floor. Kind of cool. Very, very slow service most likely due to the laid back attitude. Appetizers are delicious. Dirty chips had just enough toppings. The pork handles had so much flavor and were so tender. Fried pickles were sliced kind of thin. Ordered blackened grouper fish tacos with jalapeño slaw. Extremely salty so couldn't finish. Boyfriend ordered blackened mahi sandwich. It was not as salty. Decent. If visited again would only order appetizers. Plan on being here for a while. read more

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Being a lover of the Florida Keys, I find myself traveling down US-1 toward mile marker 0 more than I'd like to admit. Being a lover of fried foods and cold beer, I am always looking for stops along my four hour commute to Duval Street to wet my whistle and partake in some pub grub. Rocco's Dockside (as it used to be called) was one of my favorite dive bar pit stops on the way down. I was sad to hear it closed at some point last year. A friend of mine, a cruiser and former Dockside fan, told me the establishment was reopening under a new name with new management - now known as Dockside Tropical Café. I knew I had to stop and check it out. First thing I notice is the new marquis sign with the parrot - COOL. I pull up in the dirt parking lot just outside. I can already notice the new wood deck and the paint job. The kitchen is bustling with a small army of waitstaff in tie dyed shirts who are cleaning, prepping and running food and drinks. I bellied up to the new shiny wood bar with the new Dockside logo and start investigating the beer options on tap. Displayed for all to see is a shrine dedicated to tequila that would make any margarita or on-the-rocks sipper weep for joy. I opt for a Negra Modelo which is served up from the bartender (Brian was his name I think) with a massive ear-to-ear smile. He keeps cracking jokes (without being creepy or annoying) while I sip my beer. The layout of the place looks pretty much the same, but I notice right away that the stage is lined with hand-carved wooden tiki god statues, a tiki hut awning and a surfboard marquis. Even the bathroom doors are hand painted by a local artist with the mascots of the New Dockside - two macaws Harley and Marley (so cute). OK, so with a cold Negra Modelo in front of me, I'm itching for something fried. I order the "whole nine yards" sampler platter which includes something called Hog Handles (more on these in a moment), chicken wings, coconut shrimp, cracked conch and fries. I watch the Eric Stone Band set up, drink my beer and continue to chat up the bartenders. The bar is full of what seem like local folk (some even brought their own "redneck" drinking cups LOL - think red solo cup mounted on a glass stem) with a good amount of tourists (like myself) mixed in. My platter arrives and I immediately snag a hog handle and sink my teeth in. Whoa. Talk about finger-lickin, fall-off-the-bone GOOD. I've never seen these things on any menu anywhere else in my travels up and down the Keys. Three of these things were on the platter and they were almost enough for a meal (ask for them HOT). The other items on the platter where tasty too, but the hog handles stole the show for me. Speaking of stealing the show, the Eric Stone band starts to play some of his original island music with some covers from Jimmy Buffett and Merle Haggard. I even got up to dance after trying some Riazul 100% blue agave tequila on the rocks. I'm telling you - I don't drink tequila often. Normally I just throw some Jose Cuervo and sour mix in a glass with some ice and call it a day. This tequila is in another league (and it's only one of the many top shelf varieties on the display with schnazzy LED lights). Jose Cuervo should be ashamed of himself for not making a tequila this good. Order it on the rocks with some Hog Handles. You're welcome. All-in-all, I had a lovely experience here. A few minor suggestions/observations - maybe offer up a free draft beer for us Yelp folks upon check in? I noticed free garlic fries pop up, but a free draft beer would be SWEET (for those of us who aren't fans of garlic fries and don't want to sport garlic dragon breath all the way down to Key West LOL). Seemed like the kitchen got backed up here and there, but the owners were out talking to folks and kept things moving along. The sound system is great but I could tell they were still making adjustments to levels etc. But, with a new place to get off the ground, there's bound to be some hiccups and tweaks to be made and you can tell the folks there take pride in what they do and are meticulous about making everything just right from the sound system to the food to the booze. Even though I'm a "land lover", I felt right at home with the boaters, the sailors and dreamers at Dockside Tropical Cafe. The days of the old Dockside dive bar are gone and that's OK with me. This place has gotten a serious upgrade with an improved Florida Keys island atmosphere, great music, food, beer and everyone is welcome. I love it and in the words of the Terminator, I'LL BE BACK! read more

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Dockside punch... yum! The Hog handles are succulent perfection... the staff is fun and friendly... great live band... We only wish we had found it sooner! Only one more day to enjoy it before we head home :( read more

Dockside Tropical Cafe - Happy hour... Dockside punch $3.00! - Caribbean Near Me - Marathon, Florida

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Cute little place. Decent food and drinks. Would've been 4 stars if there weren't ants (multiple) in my drink. Food was good, though, and the service was friendly. The clientele was tipsy and entertaining. And the band was pretty good. If you go, get the... something Crush - comes in a bucket. Just check for ants. Also the hog sides and dirty chips are quite good. read more

Service and setting was great. Our meal was fine, not bad, but not excellent. For the location and price I expected a higher quality of food. I would not recommend. Sorry :( read more

Incredible jerk chicken. Love the owners. They love the keys and are great people. Locals supporting locals. Great venue, music and food. read more

Dockside Tropical Cafe - Best jerk chicken ever! Delicious. - Caribbean Near Me - Marathon, Florida

We just had some chicken wings, so I can't speak much about the food. I was surprised there wasn't a single shrimp dish on the menu. Except for Coconut shrimp which probably came from a food service. Nice place to hang out and drink a beer but not really anywhere to get a nice dinner. read more

What an improvement! New owners have a great dream here turning this dockside establishment into a reality! Staff is friendly, food is good, and drinks are cold! The beer selection is awesome. They should look into Bier Brewery to add to list. And last but not least, the entertainment is the best. Great work here guys! Good luck and keep it rolling. read more

Dockside Tropical Cafe - Eric Stone with some of his favorite beers. - Caribbean Near Me - Marathon, Florida

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Best service in the area. Great food at great Prices. Excellent atmosphere with music and the marina. read more

We've gone twice in the past week and had a great time each visit. Caught the tail end of happy hour and really enjoyed the chili cheese dog and chili cheese fries. Also had a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with kettle chips, which was excellent. All of our food came quickly, so no problem there. My wife got 2-3 of the nightly drink specials and liked them all. I alternated between the alway-$2 PBR and Lefthand Nitro Milk Stout, which is very good and only $4 a bottle. Eric Stone, the owner, performed with, Randy, an excellent violinist, the first night and it was a great show. The second itnight was Karaoke night, and which ranged from very good to... sad, but was very entertaining. read more

The food and service continues to improve. I suggest that anyone that has had a bad experience go back and try Dockside again. The restaurant side of the business has new management and the food has been great. They are on a limited menu while a new menu is developed. The hog handles are still on the menu and they are still awesome. Eric continues to keep good music and a good variety coming from the stage. http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34347-d1056773-r282349281-Dockside_Tropical_Cafe-Marathon_Florida_Keys_Florida.html# read more

This rustic "local" hangout, has to be one of Marathon ' s best kept secrets! It's tucked away off the beaten path, on the water with awesome sunset views, friendly staff and patrons and great food. Other reviews about the food are right on! Our drinks were generous and well prepared. We ordered a Mango daiquiri and and a rum punch - wonderful way to cool off after a hot day! The Hog Handles were delicious and substantial. Also tried the smoked fish dip and the pulled pork quesadillas, both very good. We arrived early enough to enjoy the "dinghy races", a fun local versión of "Trust Me", where the rower rows blindfolded, guided by his (or her) dinghy partner. To top it all of, we had great entertainment by Shawn Brown, singer and acoustical guitar player extraordinaire! Will definitely be back! read more

Service is extremely friendly, bar area is very clean. Good section if beers but happy hour selection is limited so don't think most things are priced for happy hour even though the happy hours are long. Right on the water so bring layers for the breeze read more

At first somewhat disconcerting but then it got better. There was no conch on the menu, despite the owner's write up here on Yelp. Our waitress seemed to now know what bottled or draught beers they had and didn't, and in fact they were all out of Angry Orchard. But then things turned around. The live music was really good. Not so loud that we couldn't also have conversation at the table. The menu was limited, but what we had was good. Not great, but good. The grouper Reuben was a creative hit. The Dockside shined with their rum drinks. The Painkiller was delicious with nutmeg on top. The Dark and Stormy was generous, with the rum floated for a great presentation. But whatever you do, don't get the margarita. And of course, a restaurant on the dock, on the water, you just can't go wrong. It's clear why the locals hang out here. read more

Great location, great food and attentive, friendly service. Went for lunch on 7/17/2014 with a buddy after SCUBA Diving and stayed most of the afternoon. The pulled pork sandwich (smoked on a Big Green Egg) was fantastic. It was in the 90's that day but we were VERY comfortable under the shade of their Tiki Hut! A great place! Will DEFINITELY go back on my next trip to Marathon! read more

Fantastic. They cooked our caught fish in a variety mix of blackened, grilled & fried, served with a great mixed greens salad, coleslaw and French fries. We asked for family style so we could just pass the platters around the table. It was awesomeness on a platter. Accompanied with beverages of choice. Service was great and very accommodating. Probably not what one would expect from the exterior but don't judge a book by its cover. Very friendly folks and great food. Be sure to tip the cook if you bring in your own catch read more

We had the street tacos- carne asana and jerk chicken- both were yummy! Our son enjoyed his pulled pork sandwich. Beer was cold and the sunset was gorgeous! Live music was an added bonus. This is a hidden gem off the main drag in the Keys. read more

Dockside Tropical Cafe - Caribbean Near Me - Marathon, Florida

The keys are great for fresh fish, good beer and awesome company. This place has all that and more. We happened to meet and chill out with the owner. Very cool guy. I had the tacos with the carnitas, carne asada and the jerk chicken (which is HIGHLY recommended). Jalapeño ranch dressing is phenomenal. Didn't get to try the Hog Handles but they're highly recommended. All the drinks are made delicious and have a good beer selection. Definitely need to try the Left Hand Milk Stout. Like a Guinness but not as bitter and with a hint cocoa. I LOVE Guinness but this beer might be a contender. Only place I've seen that has this beer, too. TL;DR great food, great beer, great view, great people read more

Amazing music and dockside view of the harbor. Bushwhackers are FANTASTIC. I also recommend the salads - really fresh and delicious. read more

Dockside Tropical Cafe - Enjoying the view this evening with a nice harbor breeze, a Bushwhacker and live music. - Caribbean Near Me - Marathon, Florida

Showed up for lunch based on yelp reviews. Love the location on the dock. Super casual place, just to hang out and check out the view on the water and a locals hangout. So peaceful and relaxing. Menu for lunch was good and pretty simple and we the fish and the jerk chicken (really great). The waiter/bartender was the Captain who was enjoying his time there and made it fun. We had a great time and lunch there! Totally recommend this place! read more

This is a true locals' hole-in-the-wall dream joint. On the water, live music, laid-back, easy ambiance, and great happy hour drink and food specials. The Jerked Hog Handles are freaking, finger-licking, pig-out, forget-your-diet DELICIOUS!!! I got two orders of these big, fat, deep smoky, sticky-sweet rib things. OMG!! read more

Dockside Tropical Cafe - I you, Hog Handles!!! Jerked Hog Handles and a French Fry Sampler Basket. - Caribbean Near Me - Marathon, Florida

Great bar for happy hour. We stopped in after our day at Sombrero beach. Drinks were fantastic. The mango tango margarita was delicious. Food was great bar food. We ordered the Bitchin Burgers and the Carne Asada Beef Chimichanga. Great lunch spot. The fries were delicious!! We thoroughly enjoyed the music from a variety of performers. read more

Dockside Tropical Cafe - View from lunch. - Caribbean Near Me - Marathon, Florida

Nothing spectacular, usual keys menu. So far it's been 50 minutes and still no food. It's a gorgeous Friday afternoon and they have only one cook and one server for the entire restaurant. They won't be I'm business much longer without some major adjustments and hire enough staff for demand. Edit-close to an hour later and my medium rare burger was raw, check the photo. One lawsuit from a good poisoned patron and this place will deservedly go out of business. read more

Awesome evening at Dockside. Place was rocking with two ladies providing musical entertainment. Bartender was serving refreshments to the crowd. Our waitress Katie was right on top of our orders with one of the best burgers ever. A friend recommended an Island Burger with pineapple, avacado, bacon and coconut ranch dressing. read more

We were here tonight and had a great time! I was the first Yelper to ever check in for a free beer! Eric Stone and Michael R Miller were singing original tunes and both were great! Eric and his wife own the place. Make sure to try the Hog Handles-they were delicious. It's on the water/marina which seems to be a requirement in Marathon, but the live, original music can't be beat! Marlo was our server and was super cool. Give this place a try while you can; it's gonna be packed on a nightly basis. read more

Ate here for lunch yesterday. The good news was they were able to seat a party of 14 since we gave them a 30 minute heads up that we were on our way. Our server did the best that he could considering he was the only person we saw working besides the bartender and the cook. We had a big party and there were only about 3 other tables seated while we were there but he was juggling. The bad news was the food. Absolutely horrible. Ordered a Woodchuck cider and got an Angry Orchard. No big deal, but instead of telling us and giving us a chance to get something else they just brought you whatever. They could have used more help for a Saturday afternoon when the weather was nice. We ordered the buffalo wings, dirty fries and a carne asada street taco. The street taco looked like they scraped it up off the street. Tiny tortilla with a few bits of dried meat and a couple onion bits with a speck of cilantro. Wouldn't have been good even if it was free. The buffalo wings were ok, but missing the blue cheese. Didn't ask for it because our server was already frazzled. The carrots and celery that came with them were scary looking at best. Here is a hint, "If it looks like it should be thrown out, don't serve it to customers". The dirty fries came out cold and we think it is because they had already served them 10 minutes earlier to someone else in our party that ordered dirty chips and sent them back. Gross. They came back in a few minutes and it looked like they added a few new fries on top that were warm, not hot. Others in our party had mixed reviews. Some salads that were good and some salads that were gritty, burgers that were good and sliders that were under-cooked. Fish tacos and the Chimichanga were reported as good. I have been here on other occasions and it always seems to take a long time for food to come out, so if you are in a hurry this is not the place to come. There are plenty of good places to go in Marathon with the same waterfront vibe, go there instead. read more

Dockside Tropical Cafe - Dried out carrots and brown celery that come with your wings! - Caribbean Near Me - Marathon, Florida

just left this place and won't be back as our waitress asked for more money on her tip. on a 96.00 bill we left her a 8.00 tip. why? the mojitio didn't have liquor in it, no bacon on the bacon burgers (had to remind them), and it took 45 minutes to bring out 3 sliders, 3 tacos and 2 burgers. She pointed out the the SUGGESTED tip was 4.00 more and waited for us to give it to her. we gave it to her because she wouldn't leave and made us feel uncomfortable. interestingly enough, we have dined here before and brought friends from out of town because we thought it was great before but the service no longer keeps up with the atmosphere. read more

This is a dump that is VERY poorly managed! Went there in a party of six and we advised there was plenty of food for six with two of their everything appy platters. No, not really and it was POOR QUALITY. Received a total of four coconut shrimp - frozen small and mushy, the chicken wings, four total were not cooked, but raw. They couldn't make a piña colada, no ingredients. Their cranberry juice was rancid. Asked for the owner who hustled off with the raw chicken, but offered few to no apologies. Just wanted us to come back, said it would be better!?? This place is a REAL LOOSER!! read more

Had a beer and appetizer here but decided to push off before dinner. The coconut shrimp definitely came out of a box and they seemed understaffed. On the plus side, it really is on the water and the bar band is decent. read more

LOVE this place! So happy we stopped by on our way to Key West for lunch! Captain Rich took very good care of us and recommended the Blackened Grouper Sandwich with jalapeño ranch cole slaw. VERY good!! We even saw a Manatee by the dock!! Cold beer, great food, good vibe, awesome service! read more

Great atmosphere. Unfortunately, our server got our order incorrect, twice. My Dad was served 20 minutes after my Mom and I. The food was very average. They had a great beer selection and the live music made the long wait and mediocre meal worth the night. I will probably give it another chance when I'm back in Marathon but it doesn't top my list for local spots. read more

Best food around. Island atmosphere, great beer, great service and great food, dinghy dock let us tie up right there. The waiter did a great job and I like how they have the local music scene here. read more

I have eaten at Dockside a couple of times and each time had the burgers. The greek burger is OUT OF THIS WORLD and one of the best ever. I definitely will be going back to try out their other menu items. I guess I am a little surprised that someone is complaining about alleged food poisoning after insisting on eating a "under cooked" burger upon their own request. There is a plethora of medical information, journal articles and warnings explaining the consequences of eating certain undercooked foods, hamburger being one of them. Check out CDC.GOV and other reputable sites about the hazards of consuming undercooked hamburger, and undercooked in the case of burger is ANY burger that is not well done. The same warnings hold true for some seafoods, oysters etc. If you insist it be undercooked you are accepting a certain risk when you ingest it. It may be just fine but a risk is always there. This is not the restaurant's fault so I don't think it is appropriate to blame the restaurant for someone's decision to ingest undercooked food. read more

Very cool bar right of the water. Live music and alot of great drinks. Didn't have any of the food but it looked good going by. Now drink specials with a good happy hour. Very comfortable bar. read more

They made me a huge sex on the beach in a to go cup because we were heading out on a boat and it was only 5 dollars since it was happy hour. Nice people. Friendly. Hopefully will get to eat here next time. read more