The first thing out of the bartenders mouth when my sister and I sat at the bar was "Um you have to be 21 to sit at the bar..." Rude! We showed her our ID's and she stared at us while we had to explain that we weren't ready because we JUST WALKED IN THE DOOR.
We almost walked out. Trying to stay positive, we ordered a couple of mojitos and they were delicious.
The bartender eventually came around and ended up being really nice. Our second drink (some sort of rum punch) wasn't too great. We ended up drinking half and then leaving.
Not too bad but can't get that first impression out of our heads.
I have not eaten there, but my husband & I like the bar. We go to KW often, and always had walked by, never went in. We were there in Dec. and it was unusually chilly 68- LOL, so we went in for a drink at the bar instead of the outside tables (still totally open air) . We really liked the big nice clean bar. Unusually shaped bar. Met some nice people from  Boston while sitting at the bar. We went 2 nights for a drink while downtown and both bartenders we had were super friendly. Not always the case in KW. Quiet, nice spot--I can't do rowdy all the time in KW it wears thin. Enjoyable .
Review Source:Ok, so perhaps Island Dogs has changed their policy on dogs. Island Dogs DOES allow dogs if you're seated outside the bar, not inside (either that or the people next to us had an invisible dog that only our table and our server could see). Â I'm a lifelong dog lover and animal rescue volunteer and believe it is not unreasonable to require that dogs stay in an outdoor seating area. Â Not everyone loves dogs like some of us do, so let's respect each other and give everyone some space to enjoy their meals with or without a dog. Â
And, if you can't figure it out on your own -- the "dogs" in Island Dogs refers to HOT DOGS! Â They have a "build your own" hot dog portion of the menu, so if you're not into hot dogs (I'm not!), you have a canine and you MUST bring him/her INSIDE the restaurant, then stay away from Island Dogs. Â It's plain and simple. Â Move on.
Back to other facets of my review -- the food here is good, service is attentive and friendly, and drinks are TASTY, albeit pricey.
We had 2 for 1 drink coupons, but they're only good for $5.50 toward your drink. Â Two of us ordered $12 martinis, and loved them. Â Our second drink was a Key Lime Pie martini, but of course we had no idea they'd be $13, so we still spent a fair amount for two drinks.
Our server was cute and reminded me of some of my "bears" in Seattle/Portland. Â When I told him that, he had no idea what I meant. Â Oh well. Â *wink*
Ahhh, another Pat Croce venture in Key West.
I dig the island motif. Â The whole front of the place is open so you can watch people strolling by outside if you wish. Â They sometimes have some smaller bands playing here which can be hit or miss. Â Not a huge selection of beer on tap, but some fairly decent offerings. Â Don't get me wrong, its no Porch but its OK.
So we strolled in just looking for a quick snack and a beer while we formulated our dinner plans. Â The place was at maybe half capacity. Â We sat at a table in the bar. Â First impression was that the wicker chairs looked comfortable. Â Once I sat I realized how uncomfortable they were. Â Couldn't stay seated for more than 5 minutes and had to stand. Â Every chair in this place is the same except for the tables out side.
A barback came by and said "the" waitress was too busy to help but he could take our order. Â He barely spoke or even understood english. Â FAIL. Â That's a missed free throw for sure Pat! Â So we said OK. Â Give us a Yuengling, a Wailalua Wheat and an order of chicken wings with your hottest sauce ( i fail to remember the name). Â Please have the cook make the wings extra crispy. Â Silence...............deer in the headlights look!! Â OK, so i pointed to the tap of the wheat beer. Â He said OK. Â I pointed to the bottle of Yuengling on the wall. Â He nodded. Â I showed him the chicken wings on the menu. Â He said OK. Â Needless to say we sat an wondered if we would get anything remotely close to what we just ordered. Â I did notice "the" waitress. Â That's right. Â One. Â About 35-40 people in the joint and one waitress. Â FAIL! Â Air ball Pat!
So about 5 minutes goes by and same barback shows up with our drinks. Â He managed to get it right. Â OK, good deal. Â About 15 minutes later our wings are delivered by a kitchen employee. Â They were far from crispy and they were far from even mild! Â They had hardly any sauce and almost zero flavor. Â FAIL! Â Now I'm not sure who's fault this is and really I don't care. Â When you cant even do something as simple as chicken wings, do I really want to order anything else here?? Â Oh, by the way, "the" waitress finally did show up to drop off our bill. Â Guess she wasn't too bust to try and get a tip! Â I gave the barback a tip and she got nothing.
Looks like you fouled out Pat. Â This place sucks almost as bad as the 76ers. Â There's only one thing i enjoy more than watching basketball and that's watching paint dry!
No dogs allowed at Island Dogs :(
I'm a sucker for just about any place that's 'dog' themed, so had to stop in to Island Dogs during a recent visit to Key West-- plus the Visitor's Center had given us a couple of 2-for-1 drink coupons. Â We stopped in during the early afternoon for lunch and they weren't busy at all, but somehow they were already out of conch chowder. Â Oh well, a salad and a couple of beers would do well enough till the next place.
Everything on the menu here is overpriced, but that's the norm for Key West and pretty much exactly what I expected. Â $25 for a t-shirt seemed over the top, though, considering that's free advertising for them and even some of the 'big name' places like Margaritaville don't charge quite that much.
The bar had a pleasant atmosphere and a decent selection of beer. Â I liked that a whole wall of the place was open to the outside but it was still much cooler and comfortable inside. Â The one thing about this place that really bothered me, however, was that they have a 'no dogs' policy. Â Really!? Â No dogs allowed at Island DOGS!? Â Fascists.
What a joke. Place was recommended to bring your dog so we decided to do just that. Key West is no longer dog friendly so do not let anyone tell you different. The advertisements are all lies. We walked in and spoke to the bartender and she said you can have your dog but outside on the porch and would "prefer" if the dog remained on the sidewalk? We decided to give that a try. Then a burnout waiter showed up looking like he wanted to be Rob Thomas. He was a rude a$$ and said no dogs. We explained what the bartender said and he tried to disagree and I told him too bad, we were going with what she said. He limped off and then a fat waitress showed up and said the same thing. I stated they need to change their restaurant name as they are no longer about "dogs" and her response was, "we also sell hot dogs." WOW...can understand why they were deserted and the restaurants/bars around them were busy. We then went to the "Smallest Bar" and had a great time and spent over $100 there...too bad...Island Dogs looks like they could have used the money.
Review Source:I went here for dinner with a party of 6 and we all pulled little round tables together on their front deck. You are definitely sitting right with the key west night life for dinner . . . which fits in well with the rest of Key West's vibe.
I went here for the soft shell crab sandwich. It was delicious. However, my entree was FAR out-shined by their signature pizza (something a New Yorker would not usually order in FL). Whatever they put on that pizza is magical and I highly recommend getting it. You will not be disappointed (and if you are, something has gone terribly wrong).
At our table we did have a bunch of other stuff. A create-your-own pizza (delicious). Some raw tuna, nachos and wings. Nothing was as good as the first two.
Two Negatives:
1) My sister and I did get Key Lime Martinis...and that was the worst thing on the table. The first sip was awful. Once we stirred it up a bit, it got better, but my glass was full when we left for the night.
2) It took a very long time for our waitress to check on us. I know Florida's service is slower than new york but, even taking that into account, this was excessive. We were waiting for the check so long that my butt was starting to hurt from sitting. Other times we were waiting so long we got up and got stuff ourselves.
All in all, I'd go back for the food. That pizza was amazing and I do like a good soft shell crab sandwich. (I would not order a martini.)
Our group was split on this place, but I was not.  I liked it here.  We spent most of the morning shopping and then wanted a quick lunch before getting back to the pool.  It was our last full day in Key West so every second was precious, plus it was pretty darn hot that day.  We found Island Dog (not far from Kermit's Key Lime Pies) and decided it might be quick so why not.  Ok, the food service was a bit slow considering there were not many people there at the time (I was ok with it).  But our drinks were refilled quickly and once the food came out it was quite good (something the group agreed on).  I had the jerk chicken sandwich and it won best lunch meal on the trip for me.  I agree with previous reviews in that they should have real silverware.  And for a place that has funky hot dogs, they should probably have their own mustard.  The place itself has a cool vibe (and updated clean décor which cannot be said about a lot of the places in the area).  The bartender seemed very friendly, so maybe we should've sat at the bar.  Again I think the combo of the high temperature, small breakfast and last day lead to us wanting quick service.  So if you are not in a rush, check it out.
Review Source:The Upshot - This bar offers a decent atmosphere and a satisfactory if somewhat unimpressive menu.
Food - 2/5 Â Â Service - 3/5 Â Â Decor - 4/5
FOOD - Only tried one dish. Â The chef is a protege of Iron Chef Jose Garces, and the menu states that he uses only the freshest ingredients. Â The food was not terrible and I would agree that the ingredients tasted fresh. Â That being said, the menu seemed awfully uninspired - (protein of choice), on a kaiser roll with lettuce and tomato described the majority of the sandwiches. Â The remolades and mustards sounded good, but that was about as far as it seemed to go. Â Also offered pizzas and appetizers. Â Fries were tasty, though. Â Reviews on specific meals are below.
SERVICE - In spite of other reviews, I did not have any major issues with the service. Â Nothing special, but the waiter was polite enough.
DECOR - I dig the "island" motif of this place - light colored wood throughout, wicker furniture, lots of beer on tap, and a lot of live music. Â You may call the outside deck a bit small, but I thought it was pleasant enough to sit outside with a beer while people-watching.
Overall, Island Dogs Bar had a decent atmosphere, an even more decent beer, and a serviceable, but not very exciting, menu.
----------
Key West Pizza - This pizza has a white "lobster-based" sauce with gulf shrimp, pepperoni, and pineapple. Â I really liked the idea, but my sense was that it was very under-seasoned - no salt, pepper, herbs, etc. Â The shrimp was well cooked, but cut into small pieces, and the cheddar cheese that was sprinkled on top mixed with the sweetness of the pineapple to give an over all impression of sweet, bland, cheesiness. Â Sad to say, I could not taste the essence of lobster that the white sauce was supposed to contain.
House Beer - A pretty decent copper ale that I would recommend. Â Nice golden-brown color, with a sweet malty flavor when you sipped on it. Â There was only a pleasant hint of bitterness from the hops in the finish. Â Overall, a refreshing potable for a warm afternoon.
Great name for a bar, good location but that was about it. About a third of their menu is pizza based, but they were out of pizza the day we went. The only place where we could all sit together was on the narrow deck on the front of the building. Cramped and awkward and gives you the uneasy feeling that passers-by are too close to your food. Food was very basic. Service appeared to be disturbed that we were bothering them. Maybe I expected too much from a chef who is a protege of Jose Garces (a big foodie name in our area). We had the island salad, which could've come out of a bag. I feel about food the way I feel about art: I'm not very good at either, but if I can make it better at home, we've got a problem.
Review Source:Stopped in here for lunch/snack. Â Fun atmosphere, small stage for live entertainment later on. Â (none was there for lunch). Â
I ordered the signature key lime pie martini ($12), it was perfectly balanced. Â I would recommend anyone to give it a try. Â My boyfriend ordered some rum mixed speciality drink ($8), and he was very pleased with it. Â
We then ordered the conch fritters, best ever!! ($11). There was 6 or so large ones on a plate. Â We will stop in again just for these. Â
I then ordered their tuna dish ($16.5) Â with rare tuna, octopus broiled over a seaweed and it came with a sweet teriyaki sauce. Â Was very good. Â For the price it could have been a bit more food. Â Still was good and I would probably order again.
My only complaint is no chop sticks and meal came with plastic silverware. When you walk in the place is well decorated with higher end finishes so I expected regular silverware. Â I know this is very minor. Â
Service was great, friendly and fast.
Being a bit more pricey and no silverware is why we gave it 4 stars. Â It's worth checking out, we even bought a shirt.
Here we are in Key West on Columbus Day weekend with my birthday party guests and as luck would have it this season ticket holder to the Patriots is super anxious to watch the Jets/Pats on Sunday. Â Now, will my guests be intrigued by this idea? Yup! Â So I go for it. Meet with Dave (the owner/operator) and find he is a Patriots only bar on game day this young man from North Attleboro MA! Ha! Â He saves me a section near the big screen and over we walk all 40 of us. Â Buckets of beers await us at only $12 a bucket, seats and tables, nachos, conch, pizzas, hot dogs, and more await us and our server Michelle deserves the MVP award for our constant orders, cheering and occasionally poor remarks about New Yorkers. Â But the Pats prevail, the conch fritters a big hit along with the shrimp in cilantro. Â I grab a cab going by and send my liver to the airport for a flight home on American! Go there and try the new menu! Say hey Dave I'm a Pats fan!
Review Source:Bad Service...Make that No Service.
We had to sit our selves because the hostess was MIA, also had to find the menus ourselves. Â Then no one took our orders for drinks while the bar tender stared at us. We were the only customers in the place and the bar tenders and waitress were chatting it up behind the bar. Â After 20 mins we walked out. I know island life is laid back but if you want to run a business you need make sure your staff attends to customers!
The burger was pretty good (cooked properly and not overly huge), and considering the location, not too badly priced. Â Service was friendly enough and there was a decent beer selection, though all of it bottled.
The one thing that really bugged me though was that there were kids all over the place. Â Some of them even sitting at the bar! Â I am not from Florida. Â I do not know the laws, but in my state this is illegal (not to mention highly annoying). Â This ain't the McDonald's playplace. Â I didn't come here to hang with your kids or listen to them whine because they want to leave and you're too busy getting drunk. Â Not cool.
After crawling Duval Street and finding a number of good bars, myself and seven others found Island Dogs and decided to try it. Six of us sat down and ordered food, while I and a friend waited at the bar to get some drinks. We waited quite a while until the bartender noticed us. I ordered two drinks but didn't tip him because I had waited so long, and yet he had the nerve to bark after me, "Hey, are you going to leave some cash, bro?" I waved a disregarding hand at him and that was that.
My friend waited even longer to get the attention of the bartender, despite the fact that he had waited right next to me the entire time; it was perhaps another 15 minutes before they had even noticed him. He ordered a drink, and by my friend's words, the bartender said, "I hope you tip more than your asshole friend."
Wait, what?
I later learned that the bartender said this after my friend had tipped him a dollar, even though he didn't deserve a penny. We decided that the bartender was probably having a bad night and left to get food.
Then something unexpected happened. The bartender left his post at the bar and told our entire group, "Hey, do me a favor and don't come back!"
Well, that's the last time I'll go back there.
Update: Someone from Island Dogs just sent me a note apologizing for my bad experience; this is really considerate of him and I'll definitely give this place a second shot when I go back.
Disclaimer: this review is not meant to be libelous in any shape or form, but rather as an accurate account of the events that occurred during my experience at this establishment.
Simple, simple, inexpensive but impressionable menu - burgers, hot dogs, salads, pizza and every beverage imagination. Great wait staff and bartenders. A locals stopping point as well as any of us tourists who happen by (right off of Duval St on the backside of the Pier House hotel property. Sidewalk seating, as well. Yes, open late - up to 4 am each morning.
Several flat screens too if you want to watch the game-of-the-day.
Cold beer+ hotdogs + football=heaven
And these aren't your average hotdogs either
Think:
-jerk spiced hot dog with chopped plantains
-bacon wrapped hotdog with chopped pineapple and coconut
-teriyaki seasoned hotdog wrapped in bacon with banana peppers and crispy onions on top.
Served with hand cut shoestring french fries
Sit at the hand made island wood bar (hand crafted with a ton of detail in every piece) and it's open to the street so you can enjoy the breeze.
The bartender was on point (as one myself I am very picky)
Wish there was on back home.
The service and drinks were really bad. When I asked to replace the drink, manager showed up saying "what do you want for 3 bucks?". Duh, I want a good drink, not just water with ice. If they can't make you a good drink, maybe it shouldn't be advertised as on special. Price is irrelevant. I'm never going back to that place again.
Review Source:I really like this place, but it's the food that gives it a 3 star rating. I love to eat, but I just did not care for the food here that much. There was not alot of flavor.
One of the things I love about this place is it is dog friendly so I can bring my mutt with me. The only criteria is that dog and owner must sit outside. Allowing me to bring my doggie makes up for the food not being very tasty. The other thing I love about this place is the wait staff. Great service. Even on New Year's, my group and I were tended to in a timely manner.
By far the best bar in town. Â Most other places are obscene tourist traps, but this joint is nice and relaxed, with enough evening activity to be interesting but not so much to be obnoxious. Â During a four-day trip, I was in here each day for at least 30 minutes (twice for several hours). Â All the bartenders were friendly and mixed a great mojito. Â Sunday mojitos were half-price and boy was that a great afternoon/early evening. Â
Thank goodness for this place where a solo traveller can enjoy serial mojitos and the island breeze, listen to the live music and chat up the interesting characters in the bar.
Only drank here, but the bartenders were hot, nice, and really knowledgeable. I saw a sign for awesome specials.. something about 2 for 1 tacos, but I don't really remember. Forgetting the place was half the fun. Definitely check out the tequilas. They serve a tequila that comes in a funky bottle and is actually 2 tequilas with 2 pouring spouts. The bartender encouraged us to use the bathrooms as they would be the nicest we would see on the island... I believe he was correct.
Review Source:
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