The identify could also be an irreverent, inside joke concerning the Florida Keys’ previous days of pot smuggling and pirate-like conduct, however the house owners and employees at Sq. Grouper Key West take their meals significantly. And it’s significantly good. As in, return twice in every week for brunch and dinner, good.
That’s what we did on a latest Saturday morning for brunch and Monday night for dinner — and we had been thrilled with each visits.
For the uninitiated, a sq. grouper was the time period Keys fishermen and smugglers used to explain bales of marjuana after they had been discovered floating within the ocean. And the decor of all three Sq. Grouper eating places — Cudjoe Key, Islamorada and now Key West — is paying homage to the burlap-wrapped bales and pictures of real-life smugglers (for whom the statute of limitations way back expired).Â
Lynn Bell, who nonetheless owns and operates the Cudjoe Key location, spends just a few days every week in Key West, the place her son, Joe Bell, runs the brand new Key West restaurant.
Longtime Key West locals will recall the constructing at 920 Caroline St. because the previous PT’s Late Evening, which was owned by Bobby Mongelli, at present of Roostica and Hogfish fame. Extra lately the property was Off the Hook restaurant. However the inside and exterior have been fully upgraded.
Large home windows alongside the within bar now open to supply outdoors seating as effectively. Cornhole video games and pingpong tables are additionally outdoors to entertain hungry clients whereas they anticipate a desk or bar seat.
Lynn Bell has lived within the Decrease Keys for 36 years. “After I first moved right here, I labored at Henry’s on the Casa Marina after which at Little Palm Island,” she mentioned. “Each of my youngsters went to Key West Excessive College, so Key West was at all times a restaurant objective. It’s a spot with an excellent sense of neighborhood and nice meals. And naturally, shopping for the previous PT’s location was fairly epic, and opening a restaurant there with my son, Joe Bell, is an absolute pleasure — effectively, more often than not,” she added, laughing.Â
“We stay up for welcoming everybody to Sq. Grouper Key West. Come see us.”
The entire employees is superb, from Lynn and Joe Bell, to chef Shane Le Beet, supervisor Nate Dewolf, bartender Britt Gordon, server Braelie Ray and so many others. “The entire employees actually appears actually completely happy to be there, and it reveals in all the things,” mentioned Key West resident and up to date Sq. Grouper diner Simone Lasswell. “After all, perhaps they’re completely happy as a result of all of them discovered a sq. grouper to share — simply kidding!”
Sq. Grouper Key West is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m., but it surely’s closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Saturdays and Sundays now discover the common lunch menu supplemented with about 5 brunch gadgets, which lately included a blackened grouper benedict, probably the most flaky and tender hen and waffles and shrimp tacos. (Notice: When given a selection of sides, at all times get the waffle-cut candy potato fries. At all times.)
Oh, and don’t miss the uncooked bar choice, which gives stone crab claws in season, a half-dozen oyster alternatives and extra, all artfully organized in a basic clawfoot-style tub full of ice.
The bar gives a spicy bloody mary topped with a fried softshell crab, whereas dinner rocked our world with the ahi tuna and avocado eggrolls, the yellowtail piccata and probably the most tender, flash-fried conch Stan has ever eaten.
(I ought to point out, the espresso martinis had been additionally a success at each meals, however then once more, that remark — by me — will shock nobody.)
Sq. Grouper doesn’t take reservations, however there’s a full bar and outdoors leisure to move the time whilst you anticipate a desk — and it’s definitely worth the wait.