Despite the overall rating this place has, the food was pretty good! Fresh seafood, we had 4…read moredifferent kinds of oysters, scallops on the half shell (small but good), some sushi rolls, some pulled pork, the crab cake sandwich, onion rings and more. All really good. Service was friendly but slow and plates arrived haphazardly, while we had to ask for plates and flatware. Nice scene with outdoor covered eatery and live music performer who entertained the crowd too! Mini golf next door was also fun and offered a 10% discount on the meal. All in all a nice way to spend a half day or so.

We kind of came here on a whim from good word of mouth. We were all thinking BBQ but we ended up…read moreordering seafood & sushi instead! I loved the vibe of this place - think tiki bar with a beachside vibe and setting but then also a BBQ joint thrown in for good measure. The menu is extensive - BBQ, seafood, sushi, bar food, tacos, etc. The menu is huge! The happy hour is pretty good too (speciality drinks for like $8 and decently priced app specials). One very cool thing, this place sits on a marina and my family saw manatees chilling out there. We literally were only a couple feet from them and watched them float around while we are out food. So cool. Live music is offered during most nights. Some advice, get here early because this place fills up fast! I think it is quite the haunt for locals and tourists alike. We would go here again in a heartbeat. The food was pretty good, portions were perfectly sized and prices were very reasonable, especially when compared to other places found in the Florida Keys.

This was our very favorite restaurant during our week in the Keys. Palm-thatch roof over the…read morerestaurant is really cool. Outside seating area offers great views, but we took an inside table and the vibe was still awesome. Live music was great. Our server Zach was on the mark; checked on us frequently and took care of any requests quickly, and a very friendly dude. We tried: Sparky's Sunset and Coconut Margarita - both very good. Tuna tartare - the sesame sauce wasn't my favorite, but the tuna was fresh and tender. Coconut Shrimp - HUGE shrimp, nice toasty coconut crust, and the sweet chili sauce was a great compliment. 1/2 lb Peel and Eat Shrimp - these were served with butter, cocktail sauce, lemon, and a little cup of add-it-if-you-want cajun seasoning. I tried them all and loved the options. Bacon-wrapped Scallops - these were fantastic!! Super crunchy bacon on the outside, perfectly cooked scallops on the inside. Buffalo Chicken Wings - these had really good flavor, but the skins were a bit tough. Sparky's will be our very first stop on our next stay in the Keys.

Expected better. Read the reviews and checked the menu ahead of time. We liked the Bloody Marys,…read morehowever our meals were a little lackluster all around. I tasted each dish. The fish tacos had great flavor as did the chicken and waffles. The blackened grouper sandwich was a little bland and the crab cake Benedict could have done without the Canadian bacon. Eat inside - the heat on the deck may have impacted our appetites.

Keep it easy - this place is awesome. Very laid back and we always make sure to take a trip here…read moreevery Keys trip. Food, service, ambience - all fantastic.

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.

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.

Food was excellent. Reasonable priced and drinks were amazing. We had the key west shrimp and…read moreteriyaki chicken. Very tasty with sides of black beans salad and rice.

If you are in between seafood and want a great burger this place has is the spot fries were thick…read moreand crisp . Our table also tried the Buffalo shrimp wrap which came with beans and rice it was good as well . Service spot on . Really clean and well kept place . Will come back !

My wife gave the Escargot 4*, I gave it 3*. Mashed potatoes,…read more5* Duck, 3.5* Service, 3* Bananas Foster, 3*

My wife and I had breakfast at Island Fish Co. this morning…read more She had the regular eggs benedict. I had the short rib benedict. The 2 plates looked as though they came from different kitchens. Hers was perfect. Large eggs, soft yolks, abundant meat. Mine was almost edible. Eggs the size of a golf ball. Hard yolks. Beef had the texture of shoe leather. Potato pancakes were tolerable. Service was par. Nothing special. Have eaten here many times before with no gripes. Not sure if I'll return. Grapefruit crush was excellent.

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.

Amazing waterfront marina with a truly beautiful location. The food was out of this world, the…read moreservice was excellent, and the entire atmosphere was vibrant and lively. I sat by the gas dock and even saw dolphins coming by, which made the experience even more special. The place was packed and busy, yet everything was handled wonderfully. A truly memorable experience.

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!

Best breakfast restaurant we experienced during our visit. Tasty food, ample portions, and timely…read moreservice. Large outdoor patio. FYI: cash only.

Food was pretty good, I guess but I probably would like it better if the service wasn't so…read moreterrible. My entire breakfast was cold by the time I got anyone to help us. I got the Waffle Pig, and when the food was delivered asked for a spare plate to put the waffle on (since they just place the waffle and eggs and sausage and bacon in a big pile on one single plate). The plate never came. It took asking 3 different people 4 separate times to get that extra plate. It seems like a problem with the definition of responsibilities? I think each time the person I asked just told someone else I needed a plate and no one ever actually got me a plate. We were visited by at least 5 different people during our meal - they had plenty of people working and it was not super busy yet, so it just seems like a break down of communication. They only accept cash, we needed to use their ATM to get cash - and the ATM fee was higher than if they just accepted cards and charged us the transaction fee on a credit card payment. Overall - decent food, terrible service, nothing that would encourage me to stop again though.

Nice place with standout desserts…read more Food: 4 Atmosphere: 4 Service: 4 Cost to worth it rating: 3 Opentableable: no but Toast Return worthiness: sure Highlights - Brownie: pecan with caramel. Large, rich, and fudgey and best thing we ate. 5 stars - Key lime pie: one of the best and I've tried 15+. - Fluffy light texture with right amount of lime tang and bit of meringue up top. 5 stars - Short rib: standout savory item of the night. - Tender on the bone and savory gravy like sauce. 4.75 stars - Sushi: my friends shared a roll and said it was outstanding. 4.5 stars - Creme brulee: can get combo chocolate and vanilla minis 4 stars - Pork chop: tender and hefty slices. Said chimmichuri which was the reason why my friend ordered it but didn't see any. 4 stars - Rib eye: quality steak and cook. 4 stars - Snow crab claw: can order single medium or large sized. Simple with lemon. 4 stars - Chicken: roasted was good but smaller portion than expected. 4 stars - Mac and cheese: Gouda w cavatsppi corkscrews. Good flavor and not too creamy cheesey flavor was more baked into the noodles themselves. 4 stars - Fries: thin crispy. 3.5 stars - Burrata: hidden under a layer of prosciutto and a crostini underneath. 3 stars - Cocktails: pretty good. I got a coffee old fashioned and hub clarified rum punch which were quality sips. Midlights - Shrimp: was excited for the area special pinks but weren't anything outstanding. Soft rolls with cheese baked in on the top were good. 3 stars Lowlights - Cocktail timing: got them 1 by 1 and took a while before all 4 of us had ours before our meal.

Hidden gem just off the Overseas Hwy...my friend found this spot and recommended it very highly so…read moremade it a point to come here for vacation date night / my birth dinner. Parking is anywhere you can find a spot. The restaurant is located on the 2nd floor of the Grassy Flats Resort & Beach Club. They have both indoor and outdoor seating...we sat outside and there was plenty of fans and shade so it was actually quite comfortable. Service was very good...think laid back Florida Keys but classy. They don't rush you between courses, but don't take too long that it is uncomfortable. We started off with drinks. My husband had a Stella Arois and I had Pinot Grigio. We also just went with their tap water, which they were excellent at replenishing throughout dinner. For apps, my husband had the Fried Octopus - he said it was really good and he especially loved the celery, carrot and kalamata olive sofrito. I went with the Roasted Woods...what a unique dish! Crispy roasted Maitake mushrooms with miso cream and toasted hazelnuts. I would definitely this again! For entrees, my husband went with the seared Catch of the day, which was Black Grouper; it comes with pureed sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts. He said it was all delicious. I went with the Cauliflower Steak which was good but I'd like to try something else next time. Maybe a salad or a pasta dish sans meat. I also had the sweet corn and coconut soup....so good! Would definitely have again! I already came with dessert on my mind when I saw they had a Bread Pudding but alas, this is only sold at the Grassy Flats Market now. I did go for the Guava cheesecake which was phenomenal...you can truly taste the home baked feel to it. All in all - Definitely coming back again! Hopefully before they close for September!

Pizza was great. Detroit style was very well done. We lived there for 11 years, right up there…read morein taste, texture, crispness and more. Good value, nice people. On time. Did takeout.

Took this to go to our hotel. Dave Portnoy said this is the best pizza in the Florida Keys and I…read morehave to agree. Got the margarita and it was delicious. Crust was fluffy and crisp and pizza was not too greasy. Service was friendly but it did take a bit to get our order. The key lime pie was to die for!