Thirsty Mermaid

Our second visit to Key West and our second time coming to this restaurant, five years apart and our experience was just as amazing now as it was the first time. Their happy hour is out of this world! Great oysters, delicious drinks, awesome food, and perfect service!

A hidden gem of Key West. Highly recommend. Our server was amazing and food was absolutely fantastic. We came for drinks and an appetizer then ended up staying for dinner, it was that good. Crab cake bites appetizer, hummus (homemade, so fresh), and mussels steamed in coconut milk, key lime, ginger with fries. Definitely would return.

I rarely leave negative reviews, but this was, without question, one of the most disappointing restaurant experiences I’ve had in a very long time. We came as a group of eight, ordered a wide variety of dishes, and somehow every single plate managed to be a letdown. The bikini shrimp ($36) came with only four shrimp, and they were so badly charred that they tasted bitter. The fried oysters ($18) and chicken wings ($17) were both overpriced and underwhelming, with portions and flavor that did not come close to justifying the cost. The snapper entrée ($39) and black grouper entrée ($48) were especially frustrating given their prices. The basmati rice was cooked into a mushy slop, the Brussels sprouts were burnt and completely flavorless, and both the fish themselves was forgettable at best. The fettuccini was bland and underseasoned. The so-called wagyu truffle shuffle burger ($28) was clearly not real wagyu, and while it was at least a decent size since it came with fries, the patty arrived dry and well-done even though I specifically asked for medium. The wagyu potstickers (4 for $20) were honestly worse than frozen Trader Joe’s potstickers. And to top it all off, when I asked for the Wi-Fi, I was told it was not available for guests. After tax and tip, the meal came out to around $56 per person, which is absurd for food of this quality. Those are Nobu level prices, but this meal was nowhere near high-end. I’m genuinely confused how this restaurant is so highly rated on google maps. We left so disappointed that instead of enjoying the rest of our evening, we just got back in the car and drove to Miami at 10 p.m., skipping the key lime pie we had all been looking forward to. What was supposed to be a fun day trip to Key West ended with this restaurant completely ruining it. Come at your own risk!!

The clam chatter was very good. My shrimp with gnocchi was not very good at all. The weird overcooked tails supposed to be charred kind of burnt tasting, but it wasn’t very good but the Service was excellent. I really like the place so I’m sure they can-do better than the shrimp. Do not order the shrimp but, the clam chowder. I do like the place.