Being from Florida and a very frequent visitor of the Keys we really wanted a burger. Well let me…read moretell you this place was A M A zing! We sat outside over looking the bay, which was nice. I didn't see any indoor sitting but hey, it's the Keys. Our server was so nice. He was very quiet and consistently smiling! Now let talk food! The hush puppies were absolutely perfect!! They served them with raspberry dip amazing. We both got the bacon cheeseburger. It was perfectly done, charbroiled, so juicy so good highly recommend. My favorite pie is a true key lime pie!! I took a leap and ordered the fried key lime pie....yes yes yes yes!!!! We will be back!

We were served from some rude foreign guy wearing a NY Yankees hat. Honestly we should have been…read moresurprised when we saw the hat. This server was honestly the worst I have ever had and his tip reflected that. The place doesn't have a real bar which sucks. The food is edible but not worth going here for. The best item on the menu is their French fries.

This fun restaurant had live music when we went, and it was packed. The service was friendly, but…read morethe food was a little slow. They had the best fried conch of the several places where I tried it while on this trip. It was not chewy at all.

Five stars for Brutus!…read more Ambiance: The vibe and decor is beautiful! Tropical island feels! Everything is super clean and the space is bright ! Large outdoor terrace completely shaded and large trees near by for a wonderful breeze! Service: our waitress was super friendly and very fast and accommodating. She made a lot of suggestions about the menu which we appreciated. Food: what I loved the most is that everything was super fresh. We had the fish ceviche. So good!! Good portion as well. Also had the yellowtail sandwich - very fresh! Ordered the taco salad with filet mignon on top! Very good! Steak was cooked perfectly as ordered. Brutus serves breakfast daily and they have Sunday brunch! Love those options! Definitely coming back often! A gem in our neighborhood!

Great spot to escape the heat and enjoy fresh seafood. The atmosphere was fancier than we…read moreanticipated. Jorge, our waiter was welcoming, friendly, and patient - impressive given the size of our party. We did make a reservation in advance due to having a larger group. Our table was ready when we arrived. While snacking on the complimentary baguettes, we ordered a variety of appetizers and entrees from the happy hour and regular menus. They have numerous menu options sure to satisfy any group. Everyone in our party enjoyed what they ordered. We recommend this restaurant to others!

Describing the Florida Keys Steak & Lobster House as having an "upscale yet relaxed atmosphere"…read morerequires a very generous interpretation of the word "upscale." We found nothing particularly upscale about this restaurant. White tablecloths alone do not create an upscale dining experience. This is, by any reasonable standard, a very casual restaurant, with most of the male patrons dressed in shorts and T-shirts. To make matters worse, despite making reservations through OpenTable, we were seated at what felt like the worst table in the restaurant--tucked away in the back next to the handicap restroom. It certainly was not the experience we expected when making a reservation in advance. We ordered the surf and turf. The lobster was good, but the steak was disappointing. To the restaurant's credit, they removed the steak from our bill without hesitation, which we appreciated. Unfortunately, the overall experience fell well short of our expectations. While the staff handled the issue with the steak professionally, the combination of the atmosphere, seating, and food quality left us underwhelmed, and we will not be returning.

our bartender, Mallory, was amazing. care of accommodating…read more we loved the restaurant! great wings!

Herbie's Bar & Chowder House in Marathon has been operating under that name since 1963, with roots…read moregoing back to the 1940s as Maggie's Chowder House and later Fishnet's. It's legitimately one of the oldest continuously operating restaurants in the Florida Keys, which gives it a lot of built-in credibility before you even sit down. Walking up to it, you feel that history. The exterior, the gravel lot, the signage--it's pure roadside Keys. Inside, it leans into that "local bar meets tourist stop" vibe: long wooden bar, TVs, stickers everywhere, taps lined up. Then you open the menu and it pivots in every direction--New England chowder house, BBQ joint, burger shack, seafood spot. It's not clear what it wants to be, and that lack of focus carries straight through to the food. We started with both chowders. The clam chowder looks right at first glance, but the texture tells you everything--thick, almost gluey, clearly roux-heavy. The flavor leans aggressively fatty, closer to margarine than butter, with very little clam presence. No briny backbone, no pepper, no lift. We ended up dumping in black pepper and hot sauce just to make it remotely acceptable--but even then, that heavy fat note kept pushing through. Nothing about it reads as New England. The conch chowder fares a bit better. You can actually see a decent amount of conch, and there's a peppery edge that helps. But the broth is thin and lacks the chunky, stewed tomato depth you expect from a proper Keys-style conch chowder. After having it done right earlier at Key Largo Fisheries, the difference was obvious. Then there are the Texas Twinkies--and the photo really says it all. On paper, this should work: jalapeños wrapped in bacon, stuffed with brisket, pulled pork, cheeses, and sauce. In execution, it's just too much. Too much cream cheese, too many competing sauces, meats chopped into a soft, indistinct filling. It collapses into a heavy, muddy bite that feels more overwhelming than satisfying. Looking back at the menu, the simpler move--burger, ribs, even wings--probably would have been the right call. Instead, we ordered straight into the identity crisis. And that theory held up. We went back and grabbed a burger later--cooked a proper medium rare, with well-done, crispy fries--and it was easily the best thing we had from them. I wanted to like Herbie's. There's history, personality, and clearly a loyal following. But between the confused concept and uneven execution, the move here is simple: stick to the basics.

Really good experience in late April at Island Fish Co. The food was great and service was good…read more It's an open-air casual restaurant with water views; not the best water views but better than looking at buildings or a parking lot. They have a few ceiling-mounted fans to try to keep the heat at bay. The shrimp poboy and onion rings were superb, and the wife really loved the grilled chicken sandwich and fries. Absolutely no complaints about the food or service. The cocktails left a little to be desired however; very small cups that we found lacking in flavor, but they looked tropical. Otherwise, everything was great and we'd definitely visit again.

So good we came here twice on our trip for lunch. The vibe is tropical, fun tiki bar meets…read moredelicious fresh seafood with an awesome menu selection, fun drinks , friendly service & beautiful views. We started with the best coconut shrimp I think I've ever had. It's the famous pink shrimp of Florida & the coconut breading was divine ! light, delicate crispy, served with a tasty mango chutney, dipping sauce, just perfection. by the way, this went perfectly with a crisp, white wine and my husband's tropical drink. Next, we had to get an order of the delish oysters Rockefeller, smothered with creamy spinach, and tons of lemon juice. Wow those gulf oysters are wonderful ! So Tender. For our main, we got the Grouper Fish Sammie's with fries & coleslaw. I had mine blackened, and my husband went with classic. The fish was so fresh and seasoned perfectly. Don't miss this gem on your way down the keys.

this place is 10000 percent a keys vibe. one single bartender/waiter working and the "manager"…read morehelping. a few chefs in the back. we called ahead because we were a larger party and they were all set up for us when we arrived. waiter was SO NICE (forgot his name) and was super transparent when they were out of something. the bar is zero frills. no bar menu just "these are the alcohols we have, we can kind of make anything within reason" food took forever because it got crazy busy fast. when the food came everything was fantastic. zero complaints even from the children! my daughter said the burger was amazing and the owner/manager even brought us a pre dinner key lime pie slice "because I cut it too small". super hospitable and lovely people. if you come on here and complain about a wait or lack of seating, you must be new to the keys. classic rock jams, bob marley, a fruity drink, and some relaxed service IS the keys. step outside the hustle and bustle and enjoy the meal!

Spring Break!! Oh yeah Floriduh! If you have ever stayed in Marathon Key then you know options are…read morelimited... especially for me. I am a picky seafood eater. Stopped in here for breakfast and ordered at the bar; seafood omelette. Eggs was done well incorporating spinach; mushrooms and smoked salmon. Unfortunately no other fish options were available. Waffles and grits to go with it, orange juice to keep it all down. Taste was not too bad. Portions were good. Services were quick and prices are little more than I expected.. it's spring break so it ok. Would I choose to return maybe.. especially if to order a mahi sandwich for lunch. Keep expectations low and you can have a good experience it's my new Floriduh moto.

Gosh I was so disappointed with this place!! It's basically the pool side restaurant for the…read morecourtyard Faro Blanco. We stopped by for dinner yesterday. The place was basically dead at around 630 pm. That should have been our first red flag. Their menu actually looks a lot better than the lighthouse grill, but ugh everything really sucked. I had the plantains with pink salsa. The plantains were stale and not crispy. The pink salsa was really delicious though and that's the only reason this place got the extra star from me. For $10, the portion size sucked honestly. Ragz and I shared the fish tacos. I opted for fried fish. The whole thing was silly. The taco shells were almost inedible corn that was so hard and chewy that we ended up eating just the filling. The fish was unidentifiable given how thick the breading was. There was not enough fish in each taco. Similarly there was not enough slaw, which seemed decent to eat. Overall a total waste of money ($26). Service was iffy at best. The server seemed nice to chat with but also seemed very new/ spaced out. Kept asking my husband to get another beer though he repeatedly said no. Gave us menus that looked like a shark ate them ( they were wet and chewed out). Forgot to get us any silverware or napkins. I'd honestly stay away from here. Not worth the time, money or calories.

From indoor breakfast to outdoor lunch, everything we have for the most part what's good specially…read morethe drinks. Obviously the bar outside had a beautiful view and you can order to eat by the pool or have table service. The lavender pineapple drink was delicious and I had a few of those. I did enjoy the conch fritters. Kids enjoyed the pizza and tenders, burger was also pretty good. Just don't order the mariquitas (plantain chips) those were gross.

An absolute must go. Unique opportunity to experience locally sourced fish prepared several…read moreawesome ways. My personal favorite is wreck diver. A wide range of sushi to choose from too. Great service and cocktails and a wide variety of tap beers too.

If you're thinking about dining at Castaway's, let me help set expectations. The food was good, not…read moregreat. The service was good, not great. The 6 ounce broiled lobster tail was great! However, the environment was far rougher than we anticipated. If you think you know what "roughing it" means, this place may redefine it for you. I dropped my wife off at the restaurant and went looking for parking. There is no dedicated parking lot, so I ended up parking at another restaurant down the street and walking back. When I arrived, I told the host I was joining my wife. He said, "I'll escort you to your table," which sounded quite elegant. Unfortunately, the route took me around the building, past the grease traps and dumpsters, and toward what appeared to be a canal with a trailer park in the background. As we rounded the corner, there were the outdoor tables. The first thing I did was ask my wife if she was okay. Her response: "I think so." We ordered dinner, and when the food arrived, the flies arrived too. Not one or two flies, but enough that we eventually gave up on the outdoor seating altogether. We moved to the bar, finished our meal, attempted unsuccessfully to find the restrooms, had a good laugh about the experience, and agreed we would not be returning. I say all of this with respect for the owners, who I'm sure are doing the best they can with the resources available to them. But prospective diners should know exactly what they're getting into. You may love it. We didn't. But at least you'll know what to expect.