kempshark's Profile
Key West on a College Student's Budget
Didn't catch the "day trip" part.......definitely agree about getting a room. I would think two nights would be the minimum. That only really gives you the one full day in between (depending on how early you arrive in town the first day), plus it gives you the opportunity to try several different places to eat and a little variety of the nightlife choices.
Key West on a College Student's Budget
Bad Boy Burrito...........Sandy's Cafe or Cuban Coffee Queen for sandwiches (breakfast and lunch).......Sandy's is open 24 hours a day. Go to El Siboney's for some decently priced meals.
Beer for a bad day
St. Bernardus Abt 12......very nice Quad with great flavor (and smooth) that also has 10%abv......tastes great and a little kick in the butt for those bad days!!
King Seafood, Marathon???
As long as the seafood is fresh and cooked well it's okay with me. Just looking for a place to stop in for a quick lunch on the way down to Key West. Taking a couple of my sister-in-laws from out of state (and wife) down for four nights......they love seafood, especially whole fish. I was thinking of their whole fried yellowtail or something similiar
Top 5 places in Key West area
For sitdown Cuban food I would recommend Havan 1 or El Siboney........for a quick Cuban sandwich (or some good breakfast sandwiches on pressed Cuban bread with some good Cuban coffee) I would recommend Sandy's Cafe or Cuban Coffee Queen.
Bad Boy Burrito has some decent quick grab bites in the obvious form of burrito's......Garbo's Grill (food cart) has some interesting and fresh eats....loved the hot dog with grilled onions and grilled mango. Add a little hot sauce.....normally also has fish tacos or burritos.
I like La Trattoria for an good Italian meal.....in fact, it is about the only place on Duval I would bother eating. Santiago's Bodega always comes highly recommended, but I have never been there myself.....might have to try it when I'm down in a month or two.
Personally I like to stick to the little family owned places.....sometimes holes in the wall, but I worry more about the quality of the food and decent prices than great atmosphere!!!
Key West: Looking for Conch Fritters and Key Lime Pie
I've heard that the Key-Lime Pie Outlet on Greene Street next to Capt. Tony's (extremely close to where you'll be getting off the cruise ship) has very good Key Lime Pie.....I haven't tried this one yet myself, but I've seen many rave reviews. Unfortunately I probably won't be back down until the beginning of June, or else I'd offer to stop by and give you a review!!! Haven't been since September and it's killing me. I might have to sneak in a trip prior to my trips scheduled for June and November!! :)
Key West list..looking for some feedback
You might also want to consider Havana 1 (on Truman) for Cuban food. I haven't tried it myself (it is fairly new), but from the reviews I've been reading I will definitely be trying it when I am down in a couple of months.
Your other picks look solid. Remember, Hogfish is on Stock Island, not Key West. I personally don't think it is quite what it used to be, but that's probably because they've become very popular and started making it more of a tourist destination. I like El Siboney, Cuban Coffee Queen, Sandy's, Bad Boy Burrito, and some of the offerings at Garbo's. I actually prefered the hot dog over the fish burrito. I also like La Trattoria on Duval.
Kojin Noodle Bar also looks interesting. It looks pricey for that type of food, but I will check it out since there is no other decent asian food in Key West.
HAVE TO HAVE recipes for Pollo Tropical (pork)
Okay, Chuck......what's the I-95 website you're referring to? I somewhat agree with your view on giant restaurant chains. I normally avoid the chains (my idea of fast food is a bowl of Pho with some springrolls and a glass of Vietnamese iced coffee), but I will grab a burger or something at one of them for pure convenience when needed (normally about once a month or every two months).
Now, when I am vacationing at a location I avoid chains like the plague. Why would I travel even a couple of hours away (or thousands of miles) for vacation only to eat somewhere that I could eat at in my hometown? I love to eat at little family owned restaurants. Unfortunately, as you point out, the independently owned places suffer when trying to compete against the chains (more publicity, money, and notoriety). It's the nature or the business and the changing society over the years.
Hopefully things will swing back the other direction with the current trend of healthier more local eating, but in the meantime I will still do my best to support the local entreprenuers.....then again, that's where the chains started!!!!
King Seafood, Marathon???
I know this place is fairly new, but I was hoping someone on the board had tried it out......oh well, I will stopping for lunch there on my way down to Key West in June (if I don't go earlier). I will post a review from my visit. I will also post reviews of any other new places I visit. Of course I'll be stopping by El Sibony, Sandy's, Bad Boy Burrito and Cuban Coffee Queen while I'm down there like usual.
King Seafood, Marathon???
Just wondering if anyone has been to King Seafood in Marathon? I'm down in the Keys 2-4 times a year, but I always stay in the Lower Keys. I'll be taking my sister-in-law and brother-in-law (and my wife of course) down for a trip in a few months. Since we'll be bringing guests we'll most likely be stopping for lunch on the way down (I'm always just worried about getting there).
I was looking for a laid back, Keysie type place to take them. Got a bunch of suggestions on another board (fishing forum), but I found this new place in Marathon online. They don't have a website, but there is a video on Youtube. It looks like the kind of place I'm looking for, and I was trying to find some people that had been there to confirm that. Looks like it is a fish market/restaurant opened by a Cuban couple.......so, of course, the food has a Cuban slant to it.
Recommendations near Tampa Airport
If you were going to stop in St. Pete for Pho.....Taste of Saigon on Park Blvd is vastly better than Mekong or Pho Quyen for a bowl of Pho (and their iced coffee). For banh xeo, beef fondue, banh hoi, and some really good appetizers I would recommend Ben Thanh on 62nd Ave. Of course these are just recommendations for Vietnamese food for lunch. I'm sure other members can recommend a vast array of places for other cuisines.
Key West
Sweet Tea's for one of their daily specials. El Siboney's for a skirt steak. Stop by Sandy's Cafe for a Cuban sandwich or breakfast and a cafe con leche....or if you're in the other end of town, stop by the Cuban Coffee Queen for the same as Sandy's. Bad Boy Buritto has some good eats also. I'm not sure what you're idea of good atmosphere is.....the suggestions were for some good eats....atmosphere is very subjective. Heck, a sausage sandwich with grilled onions and peppers from the cart outside The Bull can really hit the spot and seem like the perfect atmosphere after some adult beverages and a case of the munchies!!!
Lunch stop between Fort Lauderdale and Key West?
You might want to try Alabama Jacks on Card Sound Road. Unless that's too far up the Keys for you. It's right by the Card Sound Bridge. Definitely laid back and casual......and good food.
Terrific Pho, Bahn Mi, and Spring Rolls at Amy's Pho on 301 (SARASOTA)
Thang Long has excellent roasted duck soup and pretty good Banh Cuon. Taste of Saigon has the best Pho and iced coffee in the area IMO. They also have very good chicken wings. Ben Thanh has very good Banh Xeo (although I haven't tried that dish at Thang Long yet), beef fondue and pretty good Korean style short ribs with kimchi. Pho Quyen has the best spring rolls and some good Nem Nuong.
Personally I don't go to Jade Garden, because although the food was decent (IMO) I found the prices extremely high compared to any Vietnamese restaurants I have eaten at in this area and other areas. Maybe that's due to the "environment"? Personally I would rather have high quality food at great prices rather than decent quality food at high prices so I can have linen table cloths, well dressed waiters and nicer interior decorating.
Again, these are just my opinions......I've been eating Vietnamese food in that area for the past 12+ years and have narrowed it down to about four restaurants (Vietnamese) in that immediate area that I pick between based on what dish I want to eat that day. It's getting bad though.....they don't even bring us menues anymore.....just inquire "The usual?"
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Jade Garden Restaurant
2420 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33609
Taste of Saigon
6527 Park Blvd, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Pho Quyen Restaurant
4749 66th St N, Kenneth City, FL 33709
Ben Thanh Restaurant
4200 62nd Ave Ste C, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Terrific Pho, Bahn Mi, and Spring Rolls at Amy's Pho on 301 (SARASOTA)
Depending on what dishes you're looking to eat, there are much better (and less pricey) Vietnamese places on Park Blvd.
Good Hoagie in Pinellas County?
Thank you for the suggestions. I've heard of Delco.....I've never heard anything about Colonial Corner, but I have driven by it hundreds (or thousands) of times. I will definitely have to stop in and try it one of the times I'm around there during the daytime (I work nights).
Roadside barbecue goes indoors - Clearwater
I still haven't made it to Eli's to try it.......at least this place has some more liberal hours (and days).....that should make it much easier to find the time to get there!
Viet & Banh Mi - St. Pete
Thang Long is one of four Vietnamese restaurants that I frequent in Pinellas County. I haven't tried their Banh Xeo yet. I normally get that dish at Ben Thanh, but I definitely need to try it at Thang Long.......I normally get my Pho at Taste of Saigon, but I occasionally stop by Thang Long if it is late or the wife is jonesing for some roast duck soup.
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Taste of Saigon
6527 Park Blvd, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Ben Thanh Restaurant
4200 62nd Ave Ste C, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Good Hoagie in Pinellas County?
I was at Felice years ago to pick up some procuitto, but didn't even notice they sold sandwiches. I will have to try that (I live in the Eastlake Woodlands area) and Williams. Actually, I work down in Pinellas Park and have another house just off of 38th Ave North. Thanks for the suggestions.
Good Hoagie in Pinellas County?
Is there anywhere in Pinellas County that has good Philly style hoagies? I miss having a good Italian hoagie or Turkey hoagie....have had some halfway decent ones in the Tampa Bay area in the past, but I'm looking for better ones. As a side note, it would be nice if they had sweet peppers also.....not banana peppers, but the sweet pickled bell peppers you get on hoagies.
Viet & Banh Mi - St. Pete
Depend on what Vietnamese dishes you're looking for: For Pho my first choice is Taste of Saigon on Park Blvd. They also have the best iced coffee with condensed milk. It blows away any I've had had other local Vietnamese restaurants.
If I want Banh Xeo, beef fondue, and a few other dishes I go to Ben Thanh on 62nd Ave.
The only things I normally go to Pho Quyen (Park Blvd) for anymore is Nem Neung and Fresh Spring Rolls (love their peanut sauce).....occasionally for Beef with Lemon Grass.
If I'm looking for a decent cheap Vietnamese (although they're all very reasonably priced) meal I will go to Thang Long on Park Blvd.
I haven't found any places with really good Banh Mi in Pinellas County. There are a few places with some decent sandwiches but nothing really awesome.
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Pho Quyen Restaurant
4505 Park Blvd Ste 10, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Taste of Saigon
6527 Park Blvd, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Ben Thanh Restaurant
4200 62nd Ave Ste C, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Thai food in St. Pete?
That would depend on what type of Vietnamese food you are looking for..... I go to Taste of Saigon (Park Blvd) for Pho and the best iced coffee in area......I go to Ben Thanh for Banh Xeo, beef fondue, etc.......Pho Quyen still has the best spring rolls in the area and I like their Nem Nuong as well as the Lemon Grass Beef. I do not recommend the Pho or the iced coffee at Pho Quyen.......Thang Long is good for Roast Duck Noodle soup as well as some other dishes. Their Pho isn't awesome, but it is decent traditional Pho and is only $4.95/bowl.............I work down in the Pinellas Park area, so I often stop by one of these places (or Sila Thai) for dinner (I work nights).
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Taste of Saigon
6527 Park Blvd, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Ben Thanh Restaurant
4200 62nd Ave Ste C, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Sila Thai Restaurant
3828 49th St N, Saint Petersburg, FL 33709
Thai food in St. Pete?
No problem. It was originally recommended to me by a friend. His is Thai and has owned two different Thai restaurants in Pinellas County. When he recommends a restaurant I normally go check it out. Also, my wife is from Laos so we mostly eat asian food. It is difficult to find what I consider good quality Thai food around here (at least in restaurants). We normally end up eating Vietnamese food when we eat out.
Thai food in St. Pete?
Go to Sila Thai at on 49th Street at 38th Avenue North. They have all the normal dishes you see at all of the Thai restaurants, but they also have some authentic Thai dishes that you don't see anywhere else around this area. Check these dishes out at:
http://www.silathai.us/authentic_thai.html
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Sila Thai Restaurant
3828 49th St N, Saint Petersburg, FL 33709
Best Pho in Tampa Bay
Taste of Saigon on Park Blvd (just east of 66th Street on the north side). I have eaten at Pho Quyen for many years (and still do for some dishes), but the Pho at Taste of Saigon blows theirs away. Have tried pho at many places, and so far this is my favorite by far.
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Pho Quyen Restaurant
4505 Park Blvd Ste 10, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Taste of Saigon
6527 Park Blvd, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Islamorada & Key West
It's little ways from Islamorada, but I used to go to Ballyhoo's in Key Largo. I haven't been there in several years, but they used to be consistent on food quality and not too highly priced by Keys standards. Anyway, it is at MM97.8 in the median.
As far Key West goes you have a fairly good list. I wouldn't say that some of those are inexpensive but it is a decent variety. Actually, I am down in Key West right now. Based on others reviews I plan on trying Garbo's Grill (a food cart) either today or tomorrow....known for fish tacos or burritos....not chicken, but you could possibly swing by there and grab one for yourself. I will post back with a review if I remember. I will be hitting the Cuban Coffee Queen, probably El Siboney, possibly La Trattoria, and probably grabbing some breakfast at the Banana Cafe since it is just around the corner. I may even hit Ambrosia for some sushi.
Well, have fun on your trip and let us know how it went. Where are you guys staying?.....oh yeah, two nights is way too short!!!!
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La Trattoria Restaurant
524 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040
Siboney
900 Catherine St, Key West, FL 33040
Rec's for Key West
Search this board a little and you'll find several (at least) threads on the subject. In fact, I just posted asking about anything new last week. I'm heading down there next Wed. I'll post back if I find anything new. I doubt if I'll be doing any fine dining (just not the type of vacation I normally take), but I will be eating all over the island looking for anything I haven't tried in the other 60+ Keys trips I've done over the past 20+ years.
Key West (or Lower Keys) Early June
Are you looking for more formal (I don't mean dress) meals or just places to grab a quick bite? I don't do too many what I would call fancy dinners all though there are many places to do so. For a place to grab a quick bite and what I would consider a more laid back Keys experience, I would grab sandwiches from Sandy's Cafe or Cuban Coffee Queen.........Pepe's is a Key West tradition, but I think it has really gone downhill. I haven't tried it myself, but Garbo's Grill (just a food cart over on Greene Street) seems to be highly recommended and I plan on stopping by while I'm there. Santiago's Bodega is also always recommended, but somehow I have never made it by there to try.
A&B Lobster House used to be awesome, but was very disappointing last time I went there. It has been a while and I was told that I must have had an isolated bad experience, but it is so pricey (last time was $240 for two couples and that was over five years ago) that I hesitate to chance it again.
I personally like La Trattoria (a little pricey and on Duval), El Siboney (more reasonably priced), Sandy's Cafe, Cuban Coffee Queen, the Conch Shop for some fritters, and a sausage sandwich from the cart next to the Bull at night. As you can see though, I tend to eat simple, good food. I'm not really looking for a fancy meal out when I go to Key Weird. I like to kick back in shorts, tank-top, and filp-flops.....have a beer, sandwich or something similiar and relax.....You won't see me too much at Sloppy Joes, Hogs Breath, etc....maybe sometimes at Capt. Tony's and kicking back at the Green Parrot. I used to hang at Irish Kevins a lot until Kevin sold the place. He was a blast.
If you like microbrews or craft beers stop by The Porch in the Porter House at 429 Caroline Street (first wooden door to your left once inside). Great selection of beers and prices comparable to what I pay at home.
Some places such as Blue Heaven are worth stopping by just to see the place.....used to be good, but has turned into such a tourist place that I consider it to be pricey, pretentious and overrated. Many places down there are in this category to me now. It is difficult to find a traditional Key West experience.....if you can, find the places the locals go and you'll come as close as possible to this.
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La Trattoria Restaurant
524 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040
Sloppy Joe's Bar
201 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040
Green Parrot Bar
601 Whitehead St, Key West, FL 33040
Siboney
900 Catherine St, Key West, FL 33040
Irish Kevin's
211 Duval St Ste C, Key West, FL 33040
Lobster House
716 N US Highway 1, Tequesta, FL 33469
Key West (or Lower Keys) Early June
I'll be down in KW in early June. I go there quite often, but haven't been down since last Thanksgiving. I try to keep up on any new restaurants and am fairly sure I haven't missed anything, but if you have any suggestions of new places....let them fly.
I'm already planning on trying a few places (some new) that I haven't tried yet. One is Garbo's Grill....she wasn't open when I stopped by on my last trip. I'll hit the normal Sandy's Cafe, Cuban Coffee Queen, El Siboney's (to see if it is still good), and maybe some places such as Ambrosia, La Trattoria (old favorite for about 15 years). Is the Southernmost Deli got decent sandwiches and stuff? Just asking because it is around the corner from where I'm staying and I've never stayed on the south side of the island. Might also stop at Bad Boy Burrito just to try it out.
I know all the old standards (i.e. Blue Heaven, Pepe's, 915 Duval, Camille's, Sarabeths, Columbian Grace, etc.) so I'm looking for new places or out of the way places I might have somehow missed over the years. I'm also considering trying Santiago's Bodega. I've heard many good things about the place, but somehow I've never made it there.
Balut in the Tampa Bay area
I think you might have a hard time finding them served in a restaurant. You'll probably have to buy them at a market. I've never been over to the Philippines, but my friend was over there a couple of years ago and said none of the restaurants served them. You had to buy them from the street vendors. Yes, he ate them and said they were good. I still can't bring myself to actually try one.
