Fave Key West Haunts
Hog's Breath Saloon where the bartenders where thick rubber gloves and shuck oysters behind the bar, rather "The Pig Pen". Oysters and live music ...
... are mainstays at Hog's Breath. Above: The Massacoustics, the lead cut out his telecaster guitar to accommodate his mandolin. So, you can eat, drink, listen, dance and ...
make a pig of yourself too.
HogFish Bar & Grille is a five minute walk from Boyd's Key West Campground, by the waterside on Stock Island. It's famous for its hogfish dishes and live music lineup. I especially liked the baja style fish tacos and we always like the yeungling (amber) ale.
Raven is a local favourite, a solo female guitarist with a smoky voice. She comes by it honestly-- smokes a lot. She can even pass off Johnny Cash's voice. She did both his part and June Carter's part in "Jackson"--a duet with herself. It was oddly impressive. We won't forget it.
Toko Irie, originally from Grenada, played the kettle drums and reggae and never stopped dancing during the entire set.
Schooner Wharf. Don't go for the food, go for the drinks and music. Michael mans the stage most days, along with his dog (sleeping in the guitar case behind him).
No live music, but awesome coffee and free wifi at Cuban Coffee Queen.
Conch Republic is another waterfront bar and restaurant, but it's right downtown. The 80-foot bar features old rum kegs (they serve over 80 kinds!) and a 1200 pound antique copper still.
There really is a Conch Republic. "The Conch Republic was born on April 23rd of 1982 in response to a United States Border blockade of the Florida Keys. Since the United States Government insisted on treating the Keys like a foreign country; Key West Mayor Dennis Wardlow seceded from the Union, declared war, surrendered, and demanded foreign aid. During the intervening years the U.S. never reacted to the secession, thereby establishing sovereignty for the Conch Republic under InteRnational Law Governing 'adverse possession between sovereign nations'.
The Conch Republic has it's own passports, and has had citizens and Diplomats received by thirteen Caribbean countries, Mexico, Sweden, Russia, France, Spain, Ireland and Germany. The Conch Republic has Conch-sulates in Switzerland, Havana, Maine and New Orleans.
The Conch Republic has as its stated Foreign Policy, 'The Mitigation of World Tension through the Exercise of Humor'."
Green Parrot Bar wins a few mentions throughout our Key West posts. We could count on first-rate musicians every time. Plus, they have free popcorn and they have Kevin, a wild yet impressive dancer in a red and yellow felt hat who attracts his own audience.
We really enjoyed J.C.'s Lonesome Soul Revue "sound check" at Green Parrot, loved that "old fashioned r&b rock'n'roll".
You can check out the music yourself. The Green Parrot has a live webcam.
A poor wee picture, but not to be missed is The Cafe, a vegetarian restaurant on Southard.
One of my favourite dishes is the falafel with feta and labanese salad in a pita served with sweet potato fries and lime curry dip followed by sage tea, or you could have the thai curry, or kung pao, or Lloyd's absolute favourite, the super rich Vegetable Stuffed Portobello Mushroom with goat cheese cream sauce. Everything comes in huge and de-lec-ta-ble! Soooooo good!
-P