This is a great bar and what you want to just kill a few hours. Â The servers are very nice and attentive. Â The drinks and food is reasonably priced; especially at one of the two happy hours (one of which starts at 7am). Â For food, the shrimp, oysters and burgers are good. Â Their specialty is the mojo marinated mahi-mahi, which other people in my party got and enjoyed. Â One person ordered the grouper and it tasted like the standard grilled frozen fish piece. Â
This place is a no-frills bar. Â You sit at plastic patio furniture and are served with plastic cups, plates and utensils. Â Make sure that if there is rain in the forecast to wear sandals or some other water resitant shoes, as most of the place is outside on gravel floors.
I don't get the appeal of this place. Â All of our friends recommended it and I was so confused I thought there must be another place with the same name somewhere else in Key West.
It was dirty and dingy, full of very loud, very drunk locals - we went twice just to make sure we didn't just hit it at a bad time. Honestly, I was so turned off I didn't even bother to order food.
I'm sure it's right up some folks alley, but it was not for me.
I somehow missed SWB on my first three trips to Key West. Â No idea how, but we found it about 8 years ago and it's a daily stop now, and always the first place that we go after we check into our B&B.
The vibe: Â Open air bar right on the bight. Â Nautical and dingy. Â Some tables are undercover and some aren't. Â This place is very popular with tourists/pub crawls, but there are plenty of locals here, and they almost all sit at or around the bar, and not at the tables in front of the stage. Â If you want to have some conversation that you'll probably remember, dress way down and sit at the bar next to somebody who looks like they're not on vacation. Â Leave the Polo shirt and porkpie hat in your room. Â Â
The music: Â Michael McCloud currently plays every afternoon except Monday and Tuesday from 12:00 to 5:00 for 20+ years according to his daily ramblings. Â He's a somewhat ornery old fella who, in spite of his proclamations, doesn't necessarily play your request, doesn't budge much on the price of a CD, his breaks aren't that short and he isn't really drinking alcohol out of that cup. Â (As a local pointed out to us recently: Â How could one maintain such a consistent schedule for that many years if they were getting shit-faced all day?) Â Don't even ask him to play Margaritaville; It's out of the question. Â Raven Cooper plays here twice a week, too. Â She's a relatively young girl who has lost a step or two (vocally) over the past several years. Â Once someone who'd have been a candidate to win American Idol, she's still pretty damn good, and has introduced us to a lot of songs that we wouldn't have otherwise known.
The food: Â Each trip starts out with an order of buffalo shrimp for no particular reason. Â They're pretty good. Â Oysters and P&E shrimp have always been very good here, also. Â BUT, this time around, I finally tried the Mahi Melt and I wish I had one in front of me now. Â It's a sandwich of blackened Mahi with sauteed onions, mushrooms & cheese. Â It's very big and it's excellent. Â As some local dickbag with one Yelp post (and probably an axe to grind) pointed out via photo, they've been temporarily closed by the department of health. Â It's not that I don't care, but how could an open place right on the water not have some vermin, bugs or other infractions?
The service: Â Not so sure where the negative service comments come from. Â Yep, service can be a bit slow when they're busy, but I'm in no hurry here and they're usually pretty much slammed with customers. Â Servers have been friendly and, if you are in a hurry for some reason, then just order a bucket of beer and you're good to go for a while. Â The bartenders and waitstaff are mostly all familiar from the past few years, and they're good. Â Also, if you tip well today, then they'll remember you tomorrow. Â Probably vice versa, too.
If you're an early riser and seriously in need of a cocktail, morning happy hour starts around 7:00 a.m. Â Â
SWB is an imperfectly perfect Key West dive.
Loved this place. We were wandering around the docks and found this at the end and once we saw it was loaded with locals we knew we had to go in. It's all outside under the trees and tents with a good beer selection and live music.
WE lingered over a few beers, enjoyed watching the locals, and listening to the musician tell some interesting stories. There's an upstairs deck for sunset watching but the sun was blazing so we didnt' venture up there.
Saw lots of food being served but didnt try any. The bathrooms were surprisingly clean for key west standards although it did feel like you were peeing in the woods. LOL
The Schooner Wharf Bar.... As soon as I get to Key West and I have to wait until I can check into my room I head to the Schooner (as long as it is not Monday or Tuesday) to listen to Michael McCloud who plays there from 12 until 5pm... It sets the mood for me to be on island time and I can relax after my flight. Â
The food is pretty good as well as the staff... It is a must do drop in...
Enjoy and tell them roryblane sent you....
PS.. they is a cigar guy right there... if not at his rolling table, look to the right, third bar stool... Enjoy
The ebb and flow of this place changes as the day progresses, but it's definitely the most Key-Westy of Key West bars. Â Right on the dock, no frills. Â Always a cast of characters...yachters to shrimpers to tourists to locals. Â Usually the music's good and the tequila better. Â Just after the sun goes down the lighting is perfect. Â Forget the plastic tables and chairs, squeeze in at the bar, and take it all in.
Review Source:A great place to stop for a drink. You stand a good chance of striking up a conversation with some eccentric characters. I prefer to drink here, and have not sampled any of the food. This place has some atmosphere. It reminds me of the Key West vibe from when I first started coming here, long ago.
Review Source:We had a great time here. Â They are open during the day and in the evening. Â The bar has live music, good drink prices, and they have a wonderful patio upstairs. The patio is great because you can hear the music, watch the boats, and get some sun. I will say service upstairs is definitely slower than service upstairs.
We ordered some apps to share as we had breakfast, no lunch, and had a nice dinner planned. We had the peel and eat beer shrimp [very good], smoked fish dip [also very good] and conch chowder.
It's a dirty bar, nothing fancy here, it looks like someone actually added parts on to it as they went. Gravel for the ground, the ladies restrooms are a treat onto themselves [and they have salt scrub for your hands]. Â So don't get dressed up to go here, but if you are in the area, it's a great place to sit outdoors and have a drink!
I really wanted to like this place. It was on Drinking Made Easy which is one of our favorite tv shows and it was on our bar card (bonus!).
Our waitress just wasn't great. I got their famous Schooner Breeze which tasted like a mix for my first drink. Brenda said that we didn't have to get the same drink for our second, just pay the higher cost of the two, so I got a Dark and Stormy. The second drink was much better, definitely tasted more alcoholic.
One thing that bothered me was after she rang our bar cards we were told we couldn't split the check after a discount had been applied. What? A group of 6 and we just gave her 3 cards (3 couples) and split the check.
There was a woman singing there while we were having our drinks. She was awesome! A great mix of songs with a smokey voice. I hope she's there when we give this place a next go.
Mandatory stop! Â One of the best bars in Key West.
I use to come here years ago... Â It was less built up, they had a pool table a few steps up from the main bar area... Â It was more divey, less touristy... Â They use to have some parking spots located right behind the bar and if you were lucky you could get one of the choice spots...
However, it's still a good place. Â Live music in the afternoons, Ying-Ling on tap, nice atmosphere, nice view.
Still, one of the best bars in Key West.
Schooner Wharf will always hold a special place in my heart.
This place is right by the docks, so needless to say, the views are badass. They have a ground level area that's open and airy, as well as a roof deck up top. Stickers and random fisherman paraphernalia adorn the walls and the bar itself. The staff and patrons are fun - you can tell this is a local's spot. They have two (!) happy hours a day, one from 7am-12 and one later, more normal happy hour. It seems as though the same guy is always there playing live music. He's no prodigy, but it definitely adds to overall vibe.
The only reason I take one star away is for the food. I've had some good, some *really* bad, and some just okay. The good - smoked fish dip. I think it's mahi and wahoo, but quite frankly, I don't care what it is. It's just good shit. The bad - shrimp omelette. It was fishy and rubbery. Avoid breakast here. The okay - conch fritters. I mean, you have to try conch fritters at various places when you're in Key West. It's just the way it is.
Definitely a spot to check out while you're in Key West. You won't be missing out terribly if you don't order food -- just get a drink and enjoy the scenery.
This was on my place of "must go's" for my first trip to Key West over the 4th of July this last week. Â I had totally forgot about it so I was pleasantly surprised when I was waiting for my boat ride on the Adirondack III and there it was right in front of me....bring on the rum!
I had a ticket for the 4th of July sail but after getting delayed due to rain and eventually cancelled, I was fortunate to have found a spot under one of the umbrellas  with an ice cold Captain and Coke in hand.  I haven't had Captain Morgan in years (wore out of it after college) but I just felt it was the appropriate drink to have in the Schooner Warf...you know, pirates and the sea and all.  I even smoked a cigar.  The only other thing that could've made me even more island-authentic would've been if the Dos Equis guy was sitting next to me in a suit telling me sailing stories. Â
The bar was cool.  It was standard for what I had seen in Key West in that it hand't let time and technology ruin it.  It was perfect.  Wood that looked like it was rotting, stiff drinks, nice bartenders, interesting characters, cigar stand, souvenir stand, no high-maintenance types, and ROOSTERS walking around chasing each other  by the stage.  It was fantastic.  If you go to Key West for reasons like I do, to escape the nutto world that we're in, it's bars like this that make you glad you came and allow you to believe there still is some sanity and normalcy in the world. Â
Went back the next day and had some pre-cruise drinks, this time I stepped it up to tequila and orange juice, and again it was a great time and there was a guy playing great acoustic guitar. Â
Definitely a must-see if you head to Key West.
Stumbled in here because of the live music. Humorous leathery old salt on guitar. With chickens roaming the grounds, I thought ...why not? Â I should have known better.
I ordered a crab salad and my travelling partner ordered nachos and guacamole. The salad was a haphazard bed of green with advocado, tomatoes and cucumbers thrown in. Â At least it was real crab. The waitress served the guacamole with her thumb (absent mindedly) pressed in it.
Go only for the beer, music and local charm.  The chickens are actually walking around and pooping at your feet.  Gross by New York standards but  Coo-key in the Keys
Haven't  tried the food at Schooner Wharf, but as far as salty waterfront dive bars go, this place is as real as it gets!
Open air space with plenty of shade right on the harbor. Â This place will kick your ass....cheap drinks and happy hour starts at 7 am! Â Live music and a very friendly local crowd.
We were taking a Sunset Cruise and while waiting to board the Ship, we got a few drinks here. This is what I call Laid Back, just a great place to hang out and drink. The service is very good, just had a few beers, did not try the food. But they have entertainment, the guy singing said he has been there singing for 30 years.
If you are in the Historic Seaport Area, come here and get a drink, rest your feet and chill. No matter if you are wearing a t-shirt, silk shirt, suit, you will feel right at home here.
This is a great bar to grab a beer, listen to some decent live music and watch the sun set over Key West. It's nothing fancy, but it has a ton of personality and suits the laid-back and slightly shabby Key West vibe perfectly.
We grabbed a table in the back by an open window, and watched the ships come in after a day of fishing. Tons of people milled by on the boardwalk, but the evening was mellow and very relaxing.
Like I said, it's nothing fancy and it's a total dive, but it's the perfect place to grab a dink after spending a day in the sun on Key West.
Very laid back, casual place to have drinks, taste the local food and listen to some good music.
One just walks in and takes a seat. The waiters are very friendly. We came thrice to this place in the 5 days we were in Keywest.
The food is great too. We ordered the coconut shrimp which came with the zesty mango sauce , the smoked fish dip, the mahi-mahi sandwich, mayan quesadilla, fish dinner, veggie wrap, Caramari rings, Cheese sticks and fish and chips. Everything tasted so fresh.
The coconut shrimp, mahi-mahi sandwich and the smoked fish dip (tasted it for the first time) stood out for me.
And the view of the marina from the upper deck is awesome.
After walking around on Duval street looking at all of the overpriced restaurants, we found this little place and decided to try it out. It was in our price range (very cheap) and was pretty tasty.
I'm usually a big fan of live music, but this band was only so-so. Not a fault of the restaurant, but a part of the experience nonetheless. We had the conch soup as an appetizer and the blackened fish as an encore. A tad bit overpriced for what we got, but a deal by Key West standards.
Like others have said, this is a very casual outdoor restaurant so dressing up will be unnecessary.
Don't bother coming in to Schooners dressed up all fancy. You may be sitting on plastic yard chairs and tables but you'll be listening to good music with good food and cold beer.
This is our favorite in Key West!
We start out at other places and usually end up here. You may need to be a little patient if it's busy but the staff is usually friendly and try to make sure you won't go thirsty.
You can even bring your four legged buddies to hang out with you.
The atmosphere here is certainly laid back and umm... islandy. The view is nice.
The food and service weren't quite as good. Either they have the most tasteless and invisible jerk spices I've ever encountered and their chipotle mayo looks and tastes like honey mustard OR both our orders were wrong. The latter seems likely. We ordered Jerk Chicken sandwiches (which come with chipotle mayo) but what we got seemed like a regular grilled chicken breast on a bun, with honey mustard on the side. The strange thing is, I looked at the menu again after our food arrived and I couldn't find a plain chicken sandwich on the menu. The sandwich was OK, but not what we wanted or expected and it was something we could get at thousands of restaurants across the country.
Our waitress was nice, but 1) she brought out a Diet Pepsi that was obviously mostly water by its color, 2) our onion rings starter came out with the sandwiches (she did apologize for that, and said she put the onion rings in first) and 3) my water never got refilled, except when I refilled it myself from a bottle of warm water I brought with me.
Oh yeah, and the men's room was out of order. A sign stated the plumber had been called, and directed people to a public restroom a couple blocks away.
Ah Schooner Wharf Bar. There's no better place to go when visiting Key West, in my humble opinion. If you're on a cruise and you stop in Key West, steer clear of the touristy nonsense and go get yourself a delicious egg sandwich and a bloody mary during their morning happy hour.
Or if you're visiting Key West for a longer period of time, try their afternoon happy hour, or their evening happy hour. Gotta love the diversity!
All their drinks are great, but their bloody mary's are my favorite. Their fish sandwich is delicious. Truth of it though is there's nothing better than the atmosphere - eating on the roof overlooking the marina - doesn't get much better than that!
What the hell is it about Key West that makes me want to spend endless hours drowning in plastic cups of rum, live in my flip flops and denim skirt and grouse about my lack of "balls" (or "ovaries" - we're equal opportunity here) for not quitting my day job and running blindly towards a Mallory Square sunset? Â
It's hypnotic, I tell you. Â I can't explain it. Â The spell is cast the second I hit the 7 Mile Bridge and ensnares me the further I get to MM 0. Â I start to formulate plans to make my eventual move to Cayo Hueso, but that gets dreamily sloshed away after mojito number 4 at the nearest bar. Â All I can seem to do is stare at the local live band on stage with a huge grin plastered on my face and slight sway in my step. Â The sun is shining bright, a slight breeze is picking up off of the dock and all is right with the world. Â Hell, even the errant roaming cats are winkin' at me and encouraging me to go for another rum runner. Â And why the hell not?
And that brings me to the Schooner Wharf. Â You haven't *really* gotten to the heart of Key West until you've spent an afternoon/evening camped out at this local watering hole right on the docks. Â Yes, it's a bit grimy....yeah, it's a ramshackle boozer haven seemingly strung together by leftover wood from the docks, beer bottles, plastic tables and liquor-laced forgotten dreams....but all of that is what makes this little piece of the Key West its beating heart.
Locals and tourists mingle peacefully - the incredibly well priced cocktails might have something to do with that - while listening to a rotating roster of live musicians on their stage. Â The drinks are surprisingly strong and delicious...a heady mix of mojitos, mimosas and beer. Â The service is prompt and friendly (love it when I get called "hun" and "babydoll" by a veteran waitress!). Â And the food ain't too bad for a dive bar on the docks! Â The oysters were plump and juicy and their snapper caesar salad was fresh and perfectly blackened.
In true Key West fashion, you can start your drinking at 7am at Schooner Wharf...*happy hour* (Ok. Stop. Rewind and re-read that...*happy hour* starts at 7am!!!) goes until noon and picks up again at 5pm and ends at 7pm. Â Do Hemingway's spirit a solid and go for both. Â After 4 or 5 margaritas, you'll be wondering For Whom the Bell Tolls. Â And it'll be for YOU - that was last call you just heard. Â
But hey...don't sweat it! Â You can do it all over again at 7am the next day...I'll save you a bloody mary at the bar. Â My treat. Â And welcome to Key West. Â ;)
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