We were pleasantly surprised at how great our lunch experience was! This is a fantastic lunch spot. The watermelon IPA was light and fruity. Totally refreshing. My mahi sandwich was moist, fresh and delicious and the beans and rice were a big hit with nice seasoning. My friend's burger was reported to be absolutely fantabulous. It was large and juicy with wagyu beef. The fries were large cut and crunchy. The side salads looked farmer fresh. Service was great and the ambiance is unique being in an old Pan Am ticket office from the 1920's. There is nice indoor and outdoor seating. Great bar seating! They have a little shop that sells Pan Am merchandise. read more

See all

Getting seats was quick! Front desk had young teens that were friendly, kind and professional. The food came fast, though it was okay, steak was very chewy, but flavor overall was there. Maybe I just didn't order the right thing, but my partner didn't enjoy his food too much either. Not worth coming twice to unfortunately in my opinion. Our waitress is what really blew it, overall very bad attitude. Seemed almost judge-mental. Didn't take away our used plates, which ending up making the small table super crowded, didn't check up on us, and over-all was mute the entire time serving us. Would come and in a blink she was gone again before we could ask anything. I understand waitresses can get caught up when taking care of multiple people, but there truly wasn't many people there. The Ambiance was nice, tables and overall space did look clean. We had an early dinner so there wasn't too much of a crowd. Bar had nice music. The aesthetic of the place is charming. Overall I'd give it 3 stars. If you're hungry and need a fill-me-up this is a good spot. Otherwise, if you can, I'd suggest you go elsewhere. read more

This is my second time at First Flight and both times have been great! The service was probably the best service we had on the island. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and helpful when choosing things on the menu. Food was consistently good and we tried a lot of things. There was lots of seating both indoors and outdoors and live music too! Highly recommend visit! read more

See all

A great spot to stop in to beat the heat while enjoying ice cold beers! That was our plan while stopped in Key West for the day on a cruise and we didn't regret it. The beers were good and the flight even came with a few oyster crackers to snack on which is appreciated! I split the poke bowl with one other person as a little appetizer and it was delicious. We loved the plantain chips with it and there was plenty of fresh tuna. Service was friendly and quick. I would definitely recommend! read more

First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery - New American Near Me - Key West, Florida

What didn't we like?! Seating was nicely shaded and there was a relaxed atmosphere. Our server was friendly and helpful. The food was delicious! Best conch fritters since arriving a week ago Best key lime pie we've tasted as well And believe me, we've been tasting! Beer was delicious and not the usual tastes. I anticipate going back again! read more

See all

Great outdoor dining area...beautiful natural and lush vegetation and decor. Service...ok. Food...meh. We accidentally walked in thru the exit...which we witnessed at least 5 other groups do while we were there. We were promptly told to go to front to hostess stand....where there was no hostess. And then 4 minutes later server who told us to go to host stand came and sat us??? Odd. Ordered beers and an appetizer to split. The IPA was ok...not great, but refreshing and fine. Appetizer (loaded fries with brisket added) came out missing the brisket. We were going to say something but the wait staff (not server) who dropped food dropped and left, and server didn't check back for a good 10 minutes. We had already eaten the fries, so just asked for the brisket to be taken off the bill. The fries were ok...maybe too much cheese sauce as the fries actually got kind of soggy. read more

See all

I had a fantastic meal here, definitely recommend the deviled eggs with the tempura, battered jalapeños, so good and not spicy. They had live music during dinner, and all three of us had the grouper special. It was phenomenal. The ambience is perfect, Key West setting. Outdoor seating, they do have some covered areas. Service was always great! Highly recommend this place! read more

First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery - Grouper Special of the night - New American Near Me - Key West, Florida

I Looove First flight!!! In all fairness their beer is not very good. But their martinis, cocktails, and dinner are fantastic!!! They have tons of seating for any atmosphere.. indoor, bar, or a huge beautiful outside patio with plenty of palm trees and bulb string lights. The food is amazing. I've had multiple dishes here, the grouper special is one of my favorite. The yellowtail snapper is also amazing. My husband loved his swordfish so much, we came back again and ordered it a second time. The pretzel with beer cheese is so good. They make great espresso martinis. And I love the history of this building, being the old Pan Am Airways. I'll be back many times!! read more

First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery - Swordfish (top photo) and grouper special w/ risotto (bottom) both absolutely delicious!! - New American Near Me - Key West, Florida

We started our evening here for happy hour and the lime margarita was fresh and refreshing. We had some shareable apps of fried ravioli and fries, which were all delicious. Service was great and the bar area was very busy. We loved the decor and outdoor patio dining area was lovely. Plenty of propane heaters to mitigate the chill that sometimes happens in January even this far south. Edison bulbs hung overhead and white picket fences surrounding the area made it feel like an outdoor room and quite cozy. read more

See all

We were here for a small wedding with a prefixed menu. I had to get on and write a review because this is probably the best lobster bisque I've ever had. The cream sauce on that swordfish I need on everything too. The steak was cooked perfectly and the potatoes and brussels that came with it was delicious! 10/10 meal we will for sure be back the next time we are in town! read more

See all

Great vibe in their lower backyard although I sat at a high top near the bar. Just had appetizers as nothing else jumped out to me. Pretzel was a standard and solid with the beer cheese. Wings were in a tangy bbq sauce. Mac and cheese with brisket was done well; could've used a crispy bake. Brisket didn't do it for me read more

First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery - Pretzel - New American Near Me - Key West, Florida

See all

The boyfriend tried a beer, but the real showstopper here was the food. We had a bunch of appetizers and everything was incredible. It was hands down the best meal of the trip. We had the ahi tuna poke, sweet corn curls, deviled eggs, and shrimp scampi flatbread. It was a $100 meal for sure, but it was worth every penny. The service was also good, and they have both AC inside and an outdoor patio. read more

See all

The restaurant sign says "Birthplace of Pan American World Airways". American style food with a brewery inside. Loved the airplane propellers and old black & white airplane walls photos. While customers wait to be seated they can browse a room of merchandise called the Hangar (like an airplane hangar) filled with shirts, hats and even glassware bearing the First Flight logo. Ordered the Brewery Burger and fries. The burger was big and juicy and the steak fries were presented in a metal cup. Huge outside patio perfect for big parties, which we had here four years ago. Tonight did not need a reservation and six of us sat inside due to the extreme humidity on the patio. Lots to look at with moderately priced food. The servers are called "Flight Crew". The bathroom was clean with two urinals, a separate closed stall and a modern deep white sink. read more

See all

This review is about the beers as we did not eat here. Overall the beers were meh. We tried specially what they brew and were underwhelmed. The Marzen was the best one I had in my flight. I do like that they have oyster crackers with the flight. The overall vibe is chill and the service was friendly enough w/o being overbearing. My BF would rate this a 3 but I think that's too harsh. read more

See all

Recommended by a friend and First Flight did not disappoint. The fish tacos were fantastic and stuffed with fish. The steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Don't skip the potatoes. They're worth every calorie. We took forever to decide on which of the First Flight beers to try. Can't remember what we decided on, but it was cold and delicious. We appreciated the bartenders patience and help. First Flight is in a historic building where Pan Am airlines started. Take a minute to read the history on the menu and walk around the building. read more

See all

Love the vibe. Outdoor garden, inside/outside bar and excellent music. Skinny margarita was the best. What more could you ask for.

We bought the Fantasy Fest viewing party tickets at First flight, which included dinner, drinks and a reserved chair for the parade. It was an absolutely amazing experience and I would do it again! The food was fantastic! They had whole roasted pig, plantains, mahi, chicken, salad, veggies, rice and beans and key lime pie. They gave little gift baskets with parade beads at check in. Their drinks were strong too! They even came around with Jell-O shots and coconut shrimp. I'd give them 10 stars if I could! read more

See all

First Flight was on our radar and we decided to try it on our recent trip to Key West - and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We had a drink at the bar for a while at the tail end of happy hour, then had dinner on the gorgeous patio. My spouse had the ribs and I had the brisket mac'n'cheese and a salad - both were great, and huge. The bartenders and server were friendly and capable. The location is terrific. Looking forward to our next visit! read more

What a cool place to come while on Key West! Loved the history behind the building, and of course all the aviation themed things. My friend and I got two flights of beer and that allowed us to try everything on the menu. The soda crackers to cleanse the pallet are a nice touch! The giant pretzel was delicious and enjoyed the mustard and beer cheese. A must stop place, even if it's just for drinks and apps! read more

See all

Neat little area this brewery is tucked into! There's shops and other restaurants around, also plenty of little sites to see. Beer is good, but they seem to be more into cocktails and such. Didn't try the food, but the menu looked good! Service was really nice. Parking is on the street. read more

First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery - New American Near Me - Key West, Florida

See all

Being a pilot I love anything aviation related so when I read about First FlightI had to try it. The decor was amazing, they even had a very nice gift shop. On to the food.... I had conch fritters and steak tacos, both were delicious, washed them down with a craft beer brewed right on the premises! read more

The good: ambience, live music, service, setting were all excellent Unfortunately, we went there for the food. Tried 2 of the three house beers - they were ok but kind of flat and not served as cold as I prefer. Our party got the swordfish special, seafood pasta, mahi mahi sandwich and a salad with blackened fish. For the most part the food was pretty good. The mahi mahi on the sandwich was overcooked and tough to eat, the bun was tasteless, too much mayo and a nearly 1" slice of red onion was too much. The meal came with a thimble of red cabbage slaw - should've gotten fries or a side salad instead - I took one bite and didn't like it - felt like a red cabbage garnish to clean my colon more than tasty cole slaw. For dessert we shared the key lime pie with Oreo crust. It seemed like they're trying to do too much - Oreo crust key lime pie would've been fine, but with strawberries, whipped cream and chocolate sauce it was confusing. Keep it simple - at a minimum remove the chocolate sauce - chocolate and lime is a strange combination. Overall, would eat here again, but for the price I'd expect better food. read more

I wish I could give 3.5 stars, because we really enjoyed ourselves and the pretzel was fabulous! The service was adequate too. It was the beer that left much to be desired. As a beer snob, I have a hard time giving it a rave review. It wasn't bad by any means but definitely not great. Don't take any high expectations with you about your taste buds being blown away by the brews. read more

First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery - Pretzel with beer cheese and queso - New American Near Me - Key West, Florida

See all

We stopped in for happy hour and ordered a bunch of apps. Deviled eggs, fried rav, shrimp tacos, pretzel bites, brisket sliders, and corn. Everything was delicious! Wasn't too sure of the shrimp in the tacos. Service was great! Lots of seating with beautiful views, inside and out. Beer and a margarita was our choice of cocktails. We will be back! read more

First flight was a fun experience The fish tacos and tuna poke was very very good. Their IPA beer was extremely refreshing I would hikely recommend stopping in and look at the aviance of the First Pan Am American international flight office from 1927 , then grab some lunch or dinner. read more

See all

Great location just two blocks off Duval street. The Pan Am themed restaurant has vast history and has a full service brewery. Love the scenery for excellent Instagram videos and pictures. The fish tacos were fresh and tender and the Tito's cocktail was tasty. The server was polite but basic condiment requests were too confusing. The money was worth the atmosphere alone. read more

See all

The ahi tuna poke appetizer was fresh and was served with plantain chips that were slightly crispy but kind of chewy. The mahi fish tacos with beans and rice were substantial enough for two people to share. The IPA beer was slightly bitter but the key lime cider was very good. The decor with the aviation theme was like walking into a museum. The server was friendly enough but messed up our friend's order. Overall, it was a good experience worthy of repeating. read more

See all

I was really craving a burger and swung by First Flight late one evening. The courtyard is gorgeous and the vibes were so good! I was seated immediately and my server came by within 2 minutes. I got the brewery burger which was solid. I think it needed something like more greens or a tomato for added freshness but the crispy onion ring and bacon were really good! The steak fries were not my fave but that's not my fry preference. If you are into beer they have a ton of options! read more

First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery - Brewery burger - New American Near Me - Key West, Florida

I am just going to get straight to the issues and not sugar coat my feedback for this place. I'm here because my husband won a trip through his work so the regional manager took us out for dinner. It was 20 people deep. Vibes were great, the restaurant was big enough to accommodate large groups but that wasn't my issue. My issue was with MY service and MY order. It's like they skipped over me a few times...and skipped over the couple in front of me. I brushed that off. I ordered the special and the regional manager ordered it as well. No one else ordered that specific dish. EVERYONE's main dish came out including the regional manager's at the same time....except mine. It's happened before at other places but after 5 minutes pass...still no dish and no one came to me to explain. After 5 more minutes...someone came out with this rink dink salad to me and apologized. Not good enough. Finally after a total of 15 minutes, my food came out. The rice was good but it's like they freaked out and over cooked the grouper. Everyone was clearly frustrated for me and they were all done eating while I had just started. Unacceptable and it was embarrassing and slightly humiliating to have to sit there with nothing to eat while everyone else had theres. Do better First Flight. Just Do. Better. read more

Great atmosphere. Fantastic live music and good for a quick drink! Service was pretty good too. Food was meh. Not very good or exciting. Local made beers there were also kinda meh. read more

During our trip to Key West, we made reservations for dinner at the First Flight Island Restaurant and Brewery. It was a wise decision! We loved our meal! We sat outside in the back courtyard, watching the chickens and roosters roam for crumbs. It's a gorgeous lush backyard that makes each table feel private. Since it's a brewery, we needed to try some beer. I went for the passion fruit and pineapple version. The smaller cups are only $5! So affordable! For dinner, we all enjoyed our meals. I got the burger and fries, which were cooked to perfection and very tasty. The burger comes with an onion ring on it, which I find delightful. I also love the history of the restaurant, tying into PanAm's first ticket sale for an international flight between Key West and Cuba. So fun! read more

Horrible experience. Do not go to eat here. I mentioned to the person that seated us that I didn't want to be seated next to obnoxious over-served group at bar and was seated 20 ft from them. Then burger I ordered medium well was brought to me medium rare. The server offered a second drink for free but the first one made me sick. I couldn't wait to get out of there. Worst decision ever to go there. Super disappointed. Stay away! read more

Our server was very friendly and it's a fun space that leans into the history of the building. However, the food was just OK and I did not like any of the beer options. read more

First Flight has a cool vibe and a great atmosphere--definitely a nice spot to unwind in Key West. The food here is absolutely top tier. I had the deviled eggs and the brisket mac & cheese, and both were fantastic. The pretzel bites were also on point. Props to the chef--seriously, they're crushing it in the kitchen. Drinks were good too, and the happy hour prices made it a solid deal overall. I also tried the key lime pie. It was good, but it didn't have that classic, traditional key lime pie taste you expect down here. Still enjoyable, just a little different. Now for the downside: the service. Happy hour runs from 4-6 PM but only applies if you're at the bar or high-top tables--which they don't tell you until after you're seated. It's not posted anywhere, and that's super frustrating. On top of that, no one gave us a happy hour menu--I had to go find one myself. Honestly felt like we were an inconvenience more than guests. If they tightened up the service and were more upfront about happy hour rules, this place could easily hit 5 stars. But for now, 3 stars for great food and drinks, with some clear room for improvement. read more

See all

Long time visitor first time reviewing! We have been coming to First Flight since before its name changed. (Kelly's). Whenever I am asked for where to eat or drink- this is where I tell people to go. The waitstaff are amazing- especially at the bar. The restaurant itself is beautiful and exactly what you think of when imagining a bar in Key West. So tropical and relaxing. Omg I want to be there right now! I love the bruit rose and their beer is great. Brisket Mac and cheese is a must here. I also recommend the wedge salad and any of the flatbreads. The pretzel is huge and their deviled eggs are also delicious. A word of caution: drinks are amazingly fantastic but strong. Slippery slope! We visited twice this trip and I would have gone again. Make this a must go on your list. read more

First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery - Brisket mac and cheese - New American Near Me - Key West, Florida

The staff was amazing:) However......... This restaurant does not have a email address so I couldn't contact them directly to share my experience. We ordered the deviled egg appetizer which tasted like it was in the fridge all week and was extremely dry and tasteless. Ordered 2 wedge salads (very tasty) which they brought out with the main course signature dish fried snapper and skirt steak??? They returned the main course back to the kitchen. They brought the main courses back out 30 minutes later. The fish was extremely dry and cold, the rice tasted like it's been in fridge all week, the vegetables were mushy, watery and cold. I wanted to try the restaurant and bring guests later this week. I would not recommend with all the other great restaurants in key west read more

Really nice place with great outside area and fun pan am history. Delicious fish tacos and chimichurri steak tacos. Key lime pie has an Oreo cookie crust and it was delicious. Excellent service. Will be back. read more

Cool vibes with sunlight filled dining room and the courtyard bar... Beer is delicious!

Excellent snack stop and great service! Igor was an excellent bartender and we loved the atmosphere. read more

See all

We had the lovely pleasure of having Delia as our waitress the food was orgasmic the swordfish was so good im gunna write my ansetors about it overall great place and i will be defiantly come back read more

First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery - New American Near Me - Key West, Florida