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    Island House

    4.0 (105 reviews)
    PriceyGay Bars, Resorts
    Open Open 24 hours

    Island House Photos

    Business Info

    ISLAND HOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Island House

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    Reviews With Photos

    Grouper sandwich
    Tiffany L.

    The portions are out of this world , good food , quick and not to bad in the price . I had the grouper sandwich , on a kaiser roll with lettuce tomato and red onion. The sandwich was paired with onion rings, they have a great flavor and are larger than life in size lol .

    6x key lime martinis coming up
    Alexander P.

    It's heaven! Tropical, gay heaven? With a pool + hot tub and everyone's in a good mood from open-bar Happy Hour?! *I can die happy now* (...joking aside...) I haven't stayed at the Island House myself, but this visit makes for the second time in 9 years that I've visited the poolside bar! Yes, there's a clothing-optional aspect to things, but 'ya can also wear clothes too. They have a day pass situation which makes for the following options: -- $0 - ask to go to the poolside bar. Get the drink specials below. $30 - access to locker + pool, hot tubs, sauna, steam rooms. $? - full room experience; during Happy Hour you get free drinks from the open bar as below -- Happy Hour = 5:00-6:30 = two for one drinks on special. 99% sure people reading on here aren't looking for an analysis of the drinks, but -- the Key Lime Martini was creamy perfection and I was so in love that the bartender told me the recipe! If I ever get the chance to stay in Key West, Island House is at the top of the list. Out of curiosity, I had looked for the night I was in town and room prices seemed reasonable around ~$200/weeknight; suppose it depends on when you plan to stay. So, I'll be back. Until then, I will be longingly sipping Key Lime martinis in Ohio, staving off the scurvy until my pale self hobbles back down to bask in the Key West SUN... **OKAY, but seriously, next time, I'm at least getting in the damned pool** ::wink::

    Patio
    Daniel C M.

    This place was great. The staff was helpful and nice. The grounds are great. My only complaints are, The restaurant although very good got a little old. The menu is somewhat limited and when you're staying for a week, you run out of choices. Unfortunately if you want a traditional egg breakfast such as eggs, a meat and potatoes and toast, you have to order separately and it tends to get pricey. My biggest reason for only 3 stars are as follows: I was in a room that has a shared bath. On my last day there, I was in the shower. Suddenly I hear someone talking to me, he had a strong accent and I didn't know what he was saying, he got another staff member to let me know, they wanted me to turn off the water so they could replenish the liquid soap( they actually have to step into the shower stall to do that. I finally asked them to let me finish my shower in peace. Next I was in my room packing up, well before check out time. A staff member let themselves in and processed to start cleaning my room, I felt so rushed that when I got home I realized I had left some gifts for friends last n the room, plus a few of my hangers. Otherwise I would give this place 5 stars.

    Michael, the Island House management team.
    Mark C.

    Perfect 3 night stay! The food, the drinks, the drinks, the pool... the Island House team is always the best! Thank you Michael for getting me into my safe... and getting my drivers license to me, at the airport! Sorry to be a tiny bit high maintenance, but this must be one reason Island House stays full. THANK YOU AGAIN!

    Pool area

    Outstanding in every aspect. Excellent food and service, beautiful pool area. Very sexy place to be naughty and very classy at the same time.

    Happy hubby about to order breaky.
    Sketch D.

    I would give this place TEN stars if I could! When we booked online, the place touted itself as "The Best Gay Resort in the World". I thought, "how pretentious"... until we arrived and were greeted with an amazing staff, SUPER clean and comfortable accommodations, world-class cuisine, relaxing pool and hot tub experiences, etc, etc! After having stayed there four nights, we totally agree that it really is the best Gay Resort on the planet. Sure, Palm Springs has its clothing optional resorts with pools, play-areas and hot tubs...but they don't serve alcohol (and rarely food) and certainly not 24/7! Sure Puerto Vallarta has the Spartacus club... very similar to Island House in many regards but you cannot spend the night. Sure, other cities have a similar all-gay male experiences but do they also have the walkability that Island House has, surrounded by shops, narrow pedestrian alleys and even a free bus service if you don't want to walk. I know I am starting to sound like a broken record but we were truly impressed. Island House is a unique experience and yes, it was slightly above our normal pay range but it was also worth EVERY PENNY! Did I mention that the bartenders and waitstaff were super cordial and friendly... after five days we were on a first name basis with all of them. As vegetarians, we tried literally everything non-meat on their menu after we realized how great their food was. After a few days, we simply had no reason to actually leave the resort. We even met the owner, Bobi who gave us a history of his place and shared many interesting stories and laughs. Thank you Island House for lifting our spirits, offering us a relaxing vacation and for a great birthday (suit!) gift for my husband. We've already booked our return.

    Pizza is fantastic
    Cory P.

    I love this place but I can only give it 4 stars because it is a little over priced for what they say they offer. 30$ for a day pass but the pool and hot tub are nothing to complain about but also nothing to get excited about. Every time We've gone the men are nothing to complain about but again nothing to get excited about. If you have a partner or play bud - the video room is fun but if you're single and lower expectations, you might find fun. The best and absolutely best part about this place is the cute pool side restaurant. You don't need a day pass to eat here. The menu is huge. Prices and quantity are spot on. We had the tuna, pizza, cordon bleu, chicken club, and carrot cake. All were delicious and made us happy. The drinks were a bit expensive but the bartenders poured really strong. (It felt like a two in one drink so we feel the price verses quality of the drink was satisfactory.) They do have happy hour but they should have all day specials to make paying a high price for a day pass or hotel room more seductive. I do give credit to the owners and they are smart because they have a restaurant that would made us stay in the resort and not want to venture out. -If this place were competitive with their drink prices all day, a person staying there would have no reason to leave.

    The fish tacos are incredible!!!! In my opinion, this place is completely worth the trip just for them!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Island House

    Are you guys open with pandemic?

    Obviously. There is a review posted just eleven days ago (and he posted a few Key West reviews that week).

    Recently out 50 year old (with body to match 😳) wanting to get out and spread my gay wings. Will I be too old for IH? If yes, recommendations?

    You'll fit right in, Scott! We cover the gamut when it comes to the guys who book at the Island House. Welcome to the club literally and figuratively! Can't wait to welcome you here with us :-)

    Any suggestions for bi couple(MF)?

    Hey Amy! Right across the street from us is a wonderful LGBT resort that caters to both men and women called Alexander's Guesthouse. They are great neighbors and they offer a great product for a co-ed LGBT resort experience. Enjoy Key West!

    First time , going solo!! Any recommendations for a gay young boy age 26 ? For 5 days !

    Live it up!

    View All 5 Questions

    Review Highlights - Island House

    After having stayed there four nights, we totally agree that it really is the best Gay Resort on the planet.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    The concept here is executed so well - it is one of best finds we have found in years…read more First, the decor and atmosphere is incredible. The decor is seductive in such a tasteful and classy way, everything is so romantic. It's beautiful. Cozy, intimate booths. Sparkling chandeliers flickering in candlelight. Ambient lighting. It is a perfect place to end your evening with your partner. We made reservations the morning of, on a Wednesday evening for our anniversary, and were seated promptly. Service was incredible from start to finish. I appreciate their ipad menus with questions to ask your partner, peruse the menu, and read about the origins. There are plenty of drinks and deserts with double entendre names, they're so fun. Huge positive that they have virgin drinks, and several to choose from. Both deserts we tried were out of the world delicious. The missionary crisp ice cream and flavor was 10/10, no notes to improve. Key lime from behind was the best key lime I've had in my life and quickly became the best we have tried on Key West. Incredible and what a lovely place!!

    Well, no it isn't…read more But our party of five enjoyed having drinks and dessert here. It's really more aimed at a young couple in love, but we had fun. Romantic lighting and private booths made for some good ambiance. The iPad menus were great and very useful in selecting desserts and drinks. Everything on order is accompanied by a double entendre title, which makes it fun to pick. Candy rimmed beer was good; and the berry crisp and ice cream offerings were tasty. Honestly too big, even for two. But they were trying to do something different. To know: they do not have a license for hard liquor. A fun spot to have a sweet treat. Maybe don't bring the kids.

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    Mary Ellen's Bar & Kitchen - Grilled cheese -- add egg and bacon.

    Mary Ellen's Bar & Kitchen

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    Mary Ellen's Bar and Kitchen…read more From the outside, it's just a plain white building sittin' in the sun nothing flashy, nothing pulling you in. Real easy to walk right past it without a second thought. But step inside... and now you're in a whole different story. The walls, the ceiling, the corners every inch feels like it's been collected over time, layered with memorabilia and personality. And the wild part? It doesn't stay the same. The décor can shift with the mood, like the place is alive and just decides to reinvent itself whenever it feels like it. You go in thinking it's just a quick stop. Then the drinks start flowing, the room starts buzzing, and next thing you know you're laughing louder than you planned, talking longer than you expected. Sure, maybe there was a little drinking involved but truth be told, it's the atmosphere doing most of the heavy lifting. They've got events, music, off-the-wall fun mixed in with a laid-back crowd, and it all just works without trying too hard. The food holds its own too solid comfort stuff that hits right when you need it and the service keeps things moving smooth without missing a beat. It's one of those spots... looks like nothing on the outside, but inside it's a whole experience. Another one of those "hidden gems," yeah but this one earns it the hard way. Mary Ellen's Bar and Kitchen From the outside, it's just a plain white building sittin' in the sun nothing flashy, nothing pulling you in. Real easy to walk right past it without a second thought. But step inside... and now you're in a whole different story. The walls, the ceiling, the corners every inch feels like it's been collected over time, layered with memorabilia and personality. And the wild part? It doesn't stay the same. The décor can shift with the mood, like the place is alive and just decides to reinvent itself whenever it feels like it. You go in thinking it's just a quick stop. Then the drinks start flowing, the room starts buzzing, and next thing you know you're laughing louder than you planned, talking longer than you expected. Sure, maybe there was a little drinking involved but truth be told, it's the atmosphere doing most of the heavy lifting. They've got events, music, off-the-wall fun mixed in with a laid-back crowd, and it all just works without trying too hard. The food holds its own too solid comfort stuff that hits right when you need it and the service keeps things moving smooth without missing a beat. It's one of those spots... looks like nothing on the outside, but inside it's a whole experience. Another one of those "hidden gems," yeah but this one earns it the hard way.

    Great spot in Key West! A local recommended it and we're so glad we stopped in! Our bartender was…read moreawesome, so friendly and happy! I had the Posole, over the top good! My boyfriend had the grilled cheese and tomato soup, delicious! Great drinks, great music, fun people to chat with! Loved it!!

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    Island House - gaybars - Updated May 2026

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