Let me get this out of the way: Margaritaville in Universal’s CityWalk is hands-down one of the best restaurants I constantly visit. This place has never disappointed me as it delivers quality food in a quality setting and a great beach-life personality that stands-out from the norm. I recommend this place to anybody that likes good food and a good time. That being said, when I planned a trip to Key West one of the must-visit spots has got to be the original Margaritaville that started it all. Located somewhere in the insane Duval Street, the original Jimmy Buffet institution became an instant smash hit that resulted in many copies sprinkled all over the world and plenty of million$ for the popular beach rock singer.
Now, Key West is not an easy place to maneuver through with a car. The traffic is heavy, the lack of parking is a nuisance, and some of the prices for said parking make you want to re-consider going anywhere in that island. This Margaritaville is on the Duval side closer towards the Southernmost Point area, and is a bit hidden. But once you find it, you won’t be sorry. Inside the ambiance was lively, but is nothing compared to CityWalk’s. This was my fault for setting the bar so high, as I totally underestimated just how cramp Key West really is. They did a great job with the space they have, but it’s not a lot of space. And the infamous volcano from the CityWalk Margaritaville is missing in the one on Key West. But like I said, my fault for setting the bar so high.
I ordered what I always order when I hit the Margaritaville in Orlando: peel and eat shrimp, and a double Cheeseburger in Paradise. My brother orders a bacon cheeseburger and Josh orders a massive try of nachos that Margaritavilles are known for. He also orders a banana smoothie to compliment the nachos (great mix, isn’t it?). One note: Margaritaville’s smoothies are legit—there’s a kids one that is essentially a virgin pina colada mixed in with coconut smoothie. While the name might turn off the male audience (Princess Marigold) the end result is spectacular and a must have. Back on topic.
After a brief wait the shrimp arrives. While it was just as fresh as the shrimp in Orlando, it’s nowhere near as spicy as the Orlando counterpart. While I usually don’t like anything spicy or tingly in any of my foods, it works very well with cold shrimp and cocktail sauce. Nonetheless, the shrimp here was quite good. It was presented on a bed of ice and sprinkled with spices. Cold shrimp is not everyone’s cup of tea but I personally love the stuff.
Our entrees arrived after a brief wait. Now, in an earlier article, I mentioned how Margaritaville’s burgers are Level 6, the highest level of burger quality possible without achieving Le Tub success. The ones here also achieve this level of awesomeness. While it doesn’t quite measure up to the ones in Orlando (recurring trend of this visit) it was still spectacular. These burgers are thick, juicy, and are complimented by fresh and hot buns and excellent cheese. Cheese can make or break a burger believe it or not (Just ask Wendys and why I never go there). Michael’s burger was also a big success story, as juices were oozing from the end of his burger and into the plate underneath. Josh was beginning to regret ordering just nachos.
But unlike most spots (Even Le Tub), Margaritaville does not forget about the fries. The menu doesn’t boast anything about their fries, but they are darn good. These fries feel and taste like they are battered with something special and fried multiple times. Whatever the recipe and procedure is, it works to a T as it doesn’t need any extra salt, and I’ll even go as far as say that they don’t need ketchup. I know, gasp. Josh’s nachos was an avalanche of flavors, ingredients, and calories as you get to see meat, sour cream, lettuce, beans and all the usual nacho supplies, except multiplied a multitude of times and thrown together to form an intimidating mountain. These are meant for sharing, but Josh has a knack of eating a lot regardless and nearly finished the whole thing. To top it off, we tried their key lime pie. However, it was a bit limey and too tart for my tastes.
Bottom Line: Margatiaville of Key West is the original, and therefore should be treated with respect. It deserves the success with quality service, a nice atmosphere, and of course great food. That being said, the one in Orlando destroys it in every category out there. So if you get to choose between the two, Orlando six times to Sunday. Otherwise, if you are in the Key West area, this is indeed one of the better spots to visit in the area. But like I said, don’t expect the overwhelmingly incredible presentation of Orlando—because it just doesn’t have the room to be able to pull off the feat. Nonetheless, I recommend this place for a good time after you pay part of your soul for parking.
Final Verdict: Recommend.
Margaritaville of Key West
500 Duval Street
Key West, FL 33040
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