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    Papa Joe’s Waterfront

    4.4 (359 reviews)
    Open • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Papa Joe’s Waterfront Photos

    Business Info

    PAPA JOE’S WATERFRONT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Touristy
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Papa Joe’s Waterfront

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    Key lime pie
    Clara G.

    Came for lunch! Although we arrived around 3pm, they were able to sit us down and take our orders. The service was great and speedy. I ordered the tuna tartare as an entree, my partner ordered the fried fish, and for dessert we got the key lime pie. Everything was delicious! The key lime pie was one of the best ive had, it wasnt too sweet or too tarte. The restaurant was very nice and well decorated. Definitely recommend if you're looking for good food!

    PAPA IS ALWAYS WATCHING!
    JACOB V.

    Katie at Papa Joe's Waterfront is the reason they stay Numero Uno in Islamorada. Super friendly, knows her menu upside down. Took care of me, brother and Auntie. The Sandbar Burger Katie's way (Medium Well) was to perfection. Super savory with sweet onion rings swimming in American Cheese. Happiness unlocked in the Keys today, LIFE IS GOOD.

    View from the 2nd floor
    Jessica G.

    The food was Amazing! Everything was a little different than unique and it was awesome. I saw the good reviews so we decided to give it a try - and it did not disappoint! Our waitress Gladis was great. She suggested the coconut shrimp tacos. It was a little different with the cabbage and key lime hot honey. It was a little sweet and I loved it. It came side salad and had some new ingredients and again delicious. My husband didn't care for my sweet shrimp tacos (more for me!) but his dish was also amazing, "afternoon catch" Fish with coconut rice. My son got a fish sandwich that was great and the french fries were delicious. I can't wait to go back next time we are at Islamorada. We will also make time to play the games on the first floor.

    Christina F.

    This may have been the best meal I've had down in the keys. We went for mother's day dinner, they were accepting reservations, which made it super simple. The atmosphere here cannot be beat. They offer outdoor patio dining, indoor dining and the lawn area where theres Adirondack chairs and corn hole. It was a perfect spot for the sunset too. The food was incredible. I got the special blue crab stuffed key west pinks. I will be forever craving that meal. The frozen chocolate covered key lime pie was the perfect ending to the meal. It was so delicious and cooled you right down. Everything from the service, to the food and atmosphere here, are hard to compare to any other spots. It's worth trying if you're in the area.

    Seared Yellowfin Tuna
    Heather H.

    Updating this review to 3 stars rather than 1. The owner reply was correct in that 1 star wasn't totally fair as the food was good. However the service was the worst we've had ever in the Keys. We may try it again on our next visit, but prioritizing other restaurants in the area to try first.

    Double Trouble
    Regan R.

    If you're making the drive from Miami to Key West, do yourself a favor and stop at Papa Joe's. We pulled up to the tiki bar and immediately knew we were in the right place. Our bartender Hunter was fantastic -- friendly, knowledgeable, and quick with recommendations. She pointed us toward the Double Trouble, their take on a painkiller, and her personal favorite, the Tequila Mockingbird. Order both. You can thank her later. For food we went with the yellowfin tuna tartare and the Peruvian ceviche... both were excellent and felt right at home in the Keys. Fresh, flavorful, and exactly what you want when you're sitting waterfront in the Florida sun. Perfect pit stop. Perfect vibes. We'll definitely be back on the next drive through.

    Stone crab
    Kim K.

    Came here at the recommendation of our tour guide. We have never gotten stone crab before so decided to try the platter. It was rich and tasty. A bit hard to eat but what crab isn't. We also got the smash burger and fish and chips. The fish was a bit greasy. The burger was delicious and loved the addition of fried pickles. The cocktails were tasty and service was good! Outside was full so we didn't get to sit on the patio but gorgeous spot.

    Lori F.

    On an RV road trip for 85 days after leaving Key West we stopped in Islamorada for a week. Papa Joe's was our favorite restaurant out of all of them (including The Keys). Service was outstanding & a view for Days. The vibe is modern beach style, and a very clean property. My husband and I both had the Wagyu steak special and it was fabulous! I personally asked our server if I was crazy to get the steak because everybody knows you don't go into a seafood place to get steak, but he assured me their beef was very good and we wouldn't be disappointed-he wasn't lying... love Papa Joes, and will refer to anybody visiting Isla Mirada.

    Burrata salad with blackened chicken.
    Summer'e A.

    Great spot. During peak hours defiantly make a reservation. Kiddos had a great time playing after the meal and it's right in the water so you can drive the boat up for dinner. Drinks were great and so was our meal. They have inside up top and outside seating down below.

    Fresh tile fish basket with yuca tostones and toasted almond brussel sprouts
    Dee L.

    Love this establishment! Whole fish was delishyellowtail snapper. Service always amazing! Grateful for your attention and service, JDGrateful Ms Manager you are most awesomeness too! The vibe was chill! Great afternoon!

    Backyard
    Sheena G.

    We arrived around 5pm when the table seating starts. They don't take reservations. The sun wasn't quite setting yet, and it was pretty hot, so we started with a drink in the shady overwater tiki hut. Such beautiful views! The double trouble is delicious - like a painkiller at soggy dollar in JVD. When we started seeing the tables fill up, we moved to a table where a friendly server greeting us quickly. We started with Baked Oysters. Yum! My husband has the bucatini carbonara calabrese special. Wasn't bad but probably wouldn't get it again. I had the shrimp curry dish and it was fantastic! We were enjoying the soft music and the beautiful sunset. Then a boat showed up with a bunch of kids. They were running around screaming with no one telling them not to. It really killed the whole vibe. Someone working there should have spoken with the parents or kids to stop this behavior. It went on for a long time.

    Gaby R.

    Papa Joe's Waterfront in Key Largo is such a great family friendly spot, especially if you're out on the boat you can just pull right up. They've created a really fun space for kids, with a dedicated play area that includes a giant Connect Four and several cornhole boards to keep everyone entertained. There's also an upstairs seating area that gives you a nice breeze and beautiful views of the water, which makes it a perfect place to relax. I didn't try the food this time, but judging by what I saw coming out of the kitchen, it looked fresh and inviting. Overall, it's a casual and welcoming spot to hang out with family, enjoy the Keys vibe, and take advantage of the easy boat access

    Christina T.

    We came here because I had seen online that it had been redone. I don't know what it looked like on the inside before but it was modern with a touch of Florida. The deck area was also really nice and they also have a live camera so you can tune in and watch the sunset too. Now for the food, easily one of the best tuna bowls, I've ever had. It was seared tuna on a bed of coconut rice, and it was absolutely delicious. In fact, everything was, the watermelon salad, the pickle bites and the calamari too. What really won us us over was the fact that we were a big group and the service was great. Definitely a stop to make while in the keys.

    Florida lobster

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    1 month ago

    Amanda , our server was great. She was very attentive to our needs. The food was also great

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    Have you been anywhere else in town????

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    Page 1 of 9

    Ask the Community - Papa Joe’s Waterfront

    Square Grouper - Islamorada - Seafood stew

    Square Grouper - Islamorada

    4.6(758 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    •$$$

    What a delicious meal we had celebrating my youngest 30th bday!…read more The server and everyone attending to us were friendly and attentive.

    My favorite spot this whole trip!…read more My boyfriend and I are on our first weekend getaway together. We decided our last dinner in town would be here. Our friend Bubba highly recommended it, saying "square grouper slaps." If you know him, you know that is extremely high praise. Let me tell you, square grouper does indeed slap. We were seated on the patio, facing the marina. We got to watch a magical sunset as we literally stuffed ourselves stupid with a variety of insanely yummo seafood. We got the coconut shrimp, portobello fries, scallops, and the tile fish, all per the amazing Ari's recommendations. Did I take any pictures NO I was enjoying a wonderful evening with my yummy man. They were all absolute wins. I've never had coconut shrimp before, and these were absolutely delightful- tender and tropical, which is not a flavor I thought I would enjoy but was happy at that uno reverse. The portobello fries were crisp and juicy?? And meaty from the mushroom?? Idk man a bitch was into it I ate them all. My scallops were divine- they came with this pork belly and sweet potato hash and just pleasured every tastebud with every bite. His tile fish was good, it was crispy and gorg. He ate the whole thing so fast, while commenting in between bites how much he was enjoying it. We also got the key lime pie (mine) and the brownie (his). It was literally my favorite key lime pie of the whole trip, it was so good. We couldn't finish the desserts and took them home, I'm really excited to have them as the best midnight snack of my life. Amazing Ari- you are a gem. Her service was unmatched. She was so happy, informative, and attentive. Her recommendations did not miss. She took phenomenal pictures for us in front of the water that I can one day show our kids and say "look how hot mom and dad were before you guys!" She needs a 200% raise. Thank you for making our last night here so wonderful!

    Photos
    Square Grouper - Islamorada - Bar seating

    Bar seating

    Square Grouper - Islamorada - Farmer's salad with grilled snapper, lemon basil dressing

    Farmer's salad with grilled snapper, lemon basil dressing

    Square Grouper - Islamorada - The Herbalist (gin instead of vodka)

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    The Herbalist (gin instead of vodka)

    Lazy Days Restaurant - caprese poppers

    Lazy Days Restaurant

    3.9(2.3k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    •$$

    Not often you get a great view AND great food! Grilled yellowtail sandwich (sans bun, I have) was…read moreincredible! My partner got the blackened Mahi sandwich and loved it as well. Coleslaw tasted fresh, creamy, but still crunchy with a good snap. We both love our pickle as well, it's really the little things! I am a nut for conch chowder and really enjoyed mine. Drinks were great as well, margaritas were well balanced and didn't taste like cheap sour mix! 10/10 recommendation. Props to our server Kevin who was very accommodating and helped guide me to keep me safe with gluten free options.

    The downstairs bar was packed for happy hour and the World Cup final, but we were still taken care…read moreof immediately. Two Hemingway mojitos were exactly what we needed. We then moved upstairs and grabbed seats at the bar. We ordered the peel and eat shrimp, calamari, and conch fritters. Everything was perfect and came out quickly despite the whole place buzzing. After two more mojitos, we moved to our table upstairs on the balcony. The views were amazing, and the live music on the beach made the whole experience even better. My wife ordered her go-to yellowtail "Lazy Way," which is a must. I had the stuffed whole yellowtail. Everything was excellent, and the portions were abundant. Oh, and did I mention the bread basket, complete with a mini loaf of banana bread! If you haven't been here yet, you need to add it to your list!

    Photos
    Lazy Days Restaurant - Welcome Home!!

    Welcome Home!!

    Lazy Days Restaurant - Cesar salad

    Cesar salad

    Lazy Days Restaurant - Shrimp cocktail

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    Shrimp cocktail

    Wahoo's Bar & Grill - Wahoo BLT w/potato salad

    Wahoo's Bar & Grill

    3.7(764 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    •$$

    Wow! What an incredible experience! The food is so spectacular we went for lunch and came back for…read moredinner later! Ask for Mr Nike "The Legend" - he will give you the most incredible experience. This guy truly LOVES his job and goes above and beyond for each guest. He is full of personality and has been serving the Keys locally for decades. We asked for some delicious key lime sauce that is a signature, and he came back with a plate and a fish painted in the sauce. Pic attached The peel and eat shrimp were also delicious - SO FRESH! and the Key Lime pie was TO DIE FOR! We plan on going back each day of our vacation to try more on the menu. Thank you Mr Nike and Brian the GM for a spectacular dining experience!!! Oh and you can't beat the atmosphere!!! Really the nicest spot in Islamorada! Highly recommend!

    Nice looking restaurant out front. We sat out on the deck overlooking the water... beautiful view…read more Ariel was a waitress (shes a newbie) Started with the conch fritter2.. ehhh.. i didnt like them.. very hard on the outside (kinda over cooked maybe) and the inside was very dough-y, chewy.. The special of the day was a stuffed whole fried fish with stir fry steak and steak ($64... ) I love to order a platter of mixed fried seafood when I go to these places, and they didnt have that. It was either fried shrimp or fried fish alone as options.. i ended up ordering the Fried calamari as my meal. (I really wasnt in the mood for anything else and i tend to always order the fish tacos everywhere i go, so Alex told me to try something else). It was nothing special. The portion was on the smaller side. No tentacles. And I asked for the same sauce that came with the fritters cuz i dont like marinara. The hubby ordered Miso marinated Tuna steak.. he said it was good but it really wasn't what the menu said. The sauce was not an aoili.. it was a teriyaki sauce and there was no crispy onion flakes. He said if he knew the sauce was going to be like that he would have asked for something different. The best part of the whole meal was the homemade Key lime pie.. we both enjoyed it. It was our first key lime pie in the area so we didnt have anything to compare it to.. We will probably pass on this place the next time we come down. But thats all part of our adventures!

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    Wahoo's Bar & Grill
    Wahoo's Bar & Grill - Wahoo BLT

    Wahoo BLT

    Wahoo's Bar & Grill - View from our table

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    View from our table

    Papa Joe’s Waterfront - seafood - Updated September 2026

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