Thirsty Mermaid

Found this exceptionally hidden little gem. Staff was very helpful and friendly. We started with the Hummus platter with grilled baguettes and bread services. Let me tell you that baguettes were perfectly grilled and flavorful. Then, I had the “Special of the Day” A blacken grouper sandwich with caramelized onions with arugula and this sauce. WOW a prefect combo with a side of well seasoned fries. And my wife and the pan seared snapper with fettuccine and grilled cherry tomatoes platter. What an amazing lunch. I would highly recommend this place. Very clean restaurant with staff that make you feel like family.

Great happy hour and EXCELLENT oysters. My wife says these are the best oysters she’s ever had. Narragansett brews a beer for them, pairs well. I’d skip the Mac n cheese croquette next time and just get more oysters . The ceviche is made with a white fish that’s very good too.

We happened to stumble onto this place on our walk back to the hotel. Very cute inside, kinda of dark loungey vibe. We sat at the bar, and were served by the bartenders. They were attentive. Not particularly friendly, but they served us well. The food was definitely delicious the Mac and cheese croquettes are a must try!!

Smallish dining room, a selection of beer and wine. Oysters Rockefeller were very nice followed with local yellowtail snapper on fettuccine, and diver scallops. The poached pear was a nice finish for the meal. Casual, friendly service. A bit off the beaten path.

My girlfriend and I dined in for an early dinner and caught happy hour. They have a limited number of items on discount. I had the gnocchi for dinner. My gf had the oysters and tuna salad with some champagne. I liked everything I tried. But I’d have to say the spare rib gnocchi and the yellowfin tuna I tried were really good. Everyone here was super kind and attentive. I’d recommend come and trying them out.

Really great find, for a more upscale dining experience in Key West. We loved the fried oysters, green gazpacho and especially the scallops. Fairly priced, nice wines (no cocktails but go to The Roost acrosss the street befpre or after for that). Knowledgeable staff, bistro feel and nice low lighting ambiance

Cute little restaurant. I had one of the specials of the day - crab ravioli, and it was very good. My husband had the other special of the day - grilled swordfish, and it was good. I had a glass of their matua - delicious. My husband had a glass of their guigal, and it was ok. FYI - they only serve wine and beer.

My wife and I wanted to have dinner at a more upscale restaurant and the Thirsty Mermaid didn’t disappoint. Very close to Duvall Street on a corner across from the local grocery store. Not a large space but a warm setting. The service was friendly, efficient, and very informative. Our food was outstanding. Upscale menu so you’re going to pay a premium but well worth it. Include the thirsty mermaid on your trip for a nice change of pace and elevated experience from most of the bars and restaurants on Duval.

A Memorable First Night in Key West at Thirsty Mermaid! After arriving in Key West late in the afternoon, we wandered Duval Street searching for the perfect dinner spot. Thirsty Mermaid caught our eye--great reviews, cozy ambiance, and just a block off the main drag. Despite its popularity (only one empty table when we arrived!), we were seated right away. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable, helping us pick a crisp white wine that paired beautifully with our meal. We started with the Octopus Bruschetta--a first for us, but an absolute standout with its bold flavors and perfect texture. The nightly specials were irresistible: we tried the whole fried red snapper (crispy and flavorful) and the lobster ravioli in vodka sauce (rich and decadent). But the star was the Pan-Seared Yellowtail Snapper--tender fish in a silky chive butter sauce, served over fettuccine. Every bite was a delight. An exceptional first dinner in Key West--creative dishes, warm service, and a charming hideaway vibe. Highly recommend!

I am in The Keys, why not have ceviche? In my search for "best ceviche" Thirsty Mermaid popped up. They serve a ceviche of the day. Today it was some sort of white fish that was served with thinly sliced cucumbers/red peppers. It was exactly what I was looking for. Very fresh and flavorful. It is a smallish restaurant with a nautical theme. Very Keys feeling without being over the top or touristy.

The Mediocre Mermaid needs a Bar Rescue, and a Chef. The service was excellent, so my three-star rating is grading on a curve because this place needs a chef urgently. The Rockefeller was not good. Piles of flavorless breadcrumbs. Ridiculous. The Caesar salad was a disappointment. The Caesar salad had shrimp and scallops, which is an awesome idea. Seafood was fresh! However, the Caesar dressing was bland/watered downlightly dressed, so the punishment for ordering it was minimal. The hamburger we ordered medium, but it was raw in the center. The lobster BLT was a robbery. Maybe a claw's worth of meat chopped up to splash across a piece of bread. Total scam. Skip the bread service. It was two small slices of bread for $6. We sent the burger back but paid for the rest of it. This is our third time to KW. We have eaten our way around. This place has potential, however it's 2 stars all day, but giving it 3 stars for the excellent service... they earned every bit of 2 stars. Bummer. Cute place. it's hard to find a bad meal in KW.

Enjoyed the apps drinks and main course. Special was a ravioli which was super. Great service, excellent happy hour pricing made it a pleasure to dine.

I know it's a tourist area, but the price is very very steep. The happy hour menu is good, but the portion is super tiny. You get a tiny ball of croquet for $8. All of the dishes were very good though. If you don't mind the price tag, definitely check this place out. The service is quick. The place is cute inside and the location can't be more prime.

We came here for a late lunch and loved that it was off the beaten path a little bit. There was a lite crowd inside the small space and we got a table in the middle of the restaurant. Our server was with us immediately and we were presented with the lunch menu and main menu. There were a lot of sandwiches on the menu and luckily my wife saw the specials on the chalkboard behind me because we were never told about them. We got the tuna carpaccio appetizer off that menu and it was not a lot of food, but so good. The citrus made the dish. For my entree, I got the local snapper sandwich. I also had some of the soft shell crab sandwich, which was messy to eat and fell apart instantly. Both of the sandwiches were good, but not great, and had too much mayo. I also had a bite of the grilled cheese and that was amazing! Lots of cheese and so gooey!

Stopped in for happy hour and was pleasantly surprised with the options. Their happy hour is a nice way to try a variety of things at a discounted rate. Food was fresh and service was attentive. I recommend getting there as soon as they open. Dining room is intimate and fills up quickly.

Honestly, I'm really just hoping we were there on an off night. The service was good and we loved the atmosphere, but the food was pretty mediocre across the board. The Mermaid Caesar was a huge pile of romaine with two plum tomato halves and a bare scattering of seafood. The "seared" scallops looked like they touched a hot pan for about ten seconds --they were definitely not seared and were certainly under seasoned. The "spicy" short rib gnocchi only qualified as spicy if you think ketchup is spicy. None of the food was downright awful, but when I'm dropping almost $300 for four people for mains and a couple of glasses of wine, I would at least expect the food served to bear a reasonable resemblance to the menu description. Given the other positive reviews, I sincerely hope that this was just an off night for the kitchen, but I also have to confess that given the plethora of other choices in the area, I'd be hard-pressed to consider giving them another chance.

No atmosphere - just a corner buidling with some minimalist tables -- more like a very casual simple place where one is not going to want to linger - for the prices expected more decor and upscale environment. Menu selections limited - very heavy Italian type dishes with pasta and tomatoes/cheese even for the fresh catch - friendly service - but not a place to go for a special dinner or when you want a fresh fish simply grilled. Beer/wine only.

Great spot for happy hour. We love the coastal decor and yummy small bites. A great spot to kick off your night. Last time we were there our server was great and so was the food. Felt like we got one of everything and I definitely recommend doing the same! Their oysters are delicious and my boyfriend likes their mermaid lager. The wings have a great sauce and you can't go wrong with the Mac and cheese bites. We really could have sat and enjoyed the a/c all night- but had to see the sunset. A must stop when visiting key west!

4 shrimp - $18. Come on, give me at least 8 shrimp for this price! They also include tips in the check. It's so rude.

Excellent location and ambience. The food was TDF - had the lobster ravioli and added grilled scallops. Service was 110% on pointe. Be sure to support this local gem!

Service and ambiance were nice and relaxing. Food was fresh. Got seafood tower, glass of wine & a beer. Light and refreshing

My husband and I were recommended this place by a local tour guide and it was absolutely incredible. We had Natia as our server and she was incredible, friendly and helpful on choices. We had stone crab , shrimp cocktail and shrimp and scallop Caesar salad and it was all incredible !!

Wow - the Clam Chowder was SO good! Also had a Shrimp Cocktail and the blackened grouper sandwich special. They also had a side of wonderful homemade potato salad and the fried are fresh cut frite style! Only bummer is if you are coming for brunch, they do not have liquor so if you're interested in a Bloody Mary, it won't be possible here. Otherwise highly recommend!

Stumbled upon this place on our first night in Key West. Surprisingly we were seated immediately and the server was telling us about the specials. I got the grilled swordfish (special) and my boyfriend got the yellowfin tuna. We also ordered the clam chowder and it was one of the best chowders I've had. We ordered 1/2 dozen oysters (they had oysters from 3 different locations, we got 2 each). Super fresh, not too briny or fishy. Really fresh and delicious. Attentive staff, great ambiance, and amazing food. I'll definitely come back when I visit Key West!

Another recommendation from another person at Winslow's Bungalows! It's a small, intimate restaurant with great service. We ordered the truffle mac n cheese croquetas, mermaid Caesar salad, and their grouper special. Everything was delicious, but quite pricey. The seafood was, no doubt, fresh! It was a bit disappointing receiving our salad, which was described on the menu has having shrimp and scallops. We got three small shrimp and ONE scallop. It was a yummy scallop, but just one?! That said, a solid experience overall. I wouldn't hesitate recommending it to anyone wanting seafood for dinner. Maybe just skip the salad.

Every time we come to key west we are going back to this place! Great happy hour, good food , amazing atmosphere and caring staff! See you soon!

Happy hour bites were cool. $8 for 6 oysters and $8 for Mac n cheese croquette. Only had one happy hour drink special and that was a $3 draft. Service was good; it's small but cute.

Slightly off the beaten path but crisp fanciful murals and a very nice happy hour. Several years there it has been really consistent

This is my favorite restaurant for Happy Hour. For so many years I've spent my Happy Hours at the wrong places and then a few years ago I discovered Thirsty Mermaid. They offer just a few items for a fixed price (8 dollars each item). Last time I visited, the happy hour menu included chicken wings, raw oysters, ceviche, croquette, and mussels; and a pint of Mermaid Lager. I ended up with a glass of white wine (not on the happy hour menu) and my hubby went for the Mermaid Lager (which he liked). The Chicken Wings had a chili, pineapple glaze and were rather delicious. Also shared an order of raw Apalachicola Oysters; very fresh and so good we ended up getting three orders in total. Absolutely love the Steamed PEI Mussels (with white wine, lime citrus and lemongrass broth). The Ceviche was tasty. Never tried their Mac N Cheese Croquettes; it's not my thing but everything I have had has been very good and the place is adorable and the staff are great.

Sea themed small restaurant/raw bar near the antique district of key west. We stopped in to hang out with dad while he was having lunch, but decided to get some think to try. Dad had his 1st ever snapper sandwich. He love it, and he really likes that it comes with a pickle. Richelle enjoyed some bead with here clam chowder. I had to try the Sautéed Bahamian Conch with marinated artichoke salad. This is my first conch ever, it's good. It taste and texture is in the calamari/octopus family. This salad is in a vinaigrette style, I like it a lot, but next time I'll ask for light onions.

First time in the keys and found this restaurant via yelpers. The ambiance and service was great. Our party of 5 was well accommodated, we sat quickly, and our food also came pretty quickly. There was only one other party before ours so we arrived at the "perfect" time. This 3 stars is for the service and vibe. The food was ...eh. We all had sandwiches. I had the grouper sandwich. The fish was not seasoned. My hubby had the same and added ketchup for taste. The fries were good, but a bit burnt. I think the sandwiches would have been good if fish was seasoned and the bread toasted. After a few bites, my bread was soaked and I honestly handed the rest to my hubby to finish. This was my first time, but probably won't be a repeater but that's all good.

Lovely cute restaurant, nice Oysters on the raw bar, steam mussels ceviche and the best bread pudding. Pleasant experience and enjoy happy hour!

We were just walking and found this restaurant. Great food,service, and atmosphere. It's hidden off the beaten path. Find it and you won't be disappointed.

My husband had the special crab ravioli. I had the curry pan skillet, red snapper. Both were delicious we shared off each other's plates. Thank you so much. The only thing is pretty small portions and we were very hungry because it took 5 1/2 hours to drive from Marco Island to Key West- 2 lane streets and highways! Next visit we will book a flight! The service was a bit slow. They were about half full of patrons. They had a very interesting wine list wines I've never tried, and we both tried new wines, and like them very much. The food was expensive, but truly delicious we recommend it !

Incredible happy hour deals - apps for $8 and pints for $3. The mac n cheese croquettes were SOOO good. The ceviche was ok imo but my boyfriend loved it. Oysters were good. Loved the ahi tuna app that wasnt on the happy hour menu. The HH mussels (not pictured) were my favorite. Very small unassuming little spot on a quieter corner of Key West. Kind chill servers.

Fresh, briny oysters paired with crispy, flavorful chicken wings created an unforgettable flavor contrast. A perfect balance of indulgent and refreshing--absolutely amazing! Good ambiance with quick service!! Photos don't do justice do try their food. Especially Oyster lovers

The service was amazing. We have the gnocchi w short rib ragu and the swordfish. Best meal in the keys!! don't leave without getting the bread pudding!

The Gazpacho was flavorless with exception to the wonderful blackened shrimp garnish. My fish sandwich was average, had too many onions on it and the accompanying potato salad also lacked flavor. The fried oysters were the star of the show. I could have are two dozen of these perfectly fried and crusted crustaceans. Service was excellent for lunch.

We visit Key West often and found this amazing seafood restaurant about 8 months ago when we were here last, so on this trip we knew we wanted to return and we went twice! Out first visit recently was to just stop at the bar for some bubbles prior to another dinner reservation elsewhere. We got our same server from the visit many months ago and she was just as great, but we also encountered Nicolas on this visit. So, we came back 2 nights later for dinner and were seated in an area handled by Nicolas and he immediately recognized us and welcomed us back... We enjoyed an amazing dinner with incredible service and great conversation with the staff!! The seafood here is incredible and fresh! The wine list is awesome and nicely priced! Portions are substantial and their menu is nicely diverse to accommodate anyone's needs. Highly recommend stopping in, as we will continue to return on upcoming trips!

Great service! Great food! Nice choice of Oysters! Ambiance was really nice. Will definitely return! Not a large place, so plan accordingly or call ahead.

So good! I wanted to start off with a thank you to our server. When we walked in she told us she was by herself and that service would take a while. This Wonder Woman was servicing the entire restaurant and bar! We knew going in that our dining would be slow and we appreciated that she let us know upfront. The food was amazing. Fresh oysters from Canada and Virginia. My grilled cheese was so yummy with three different cheeses plus bacon. The fries were perfectly cooked. My husband enjoyed his steak sandwich but said it could have used more seasoning. Highlight was the seafood chowder- wow!! And the salads were so fresh. Highly recommend! Just off of duval!

We paid 48$ for a dozen oysters misunderstood the bar tender big time. 24$ for 6 and 48$ for 12 so very expensive. Only beer and wine NO liquor!' Neat sea decor inside.

Very different from all the others restaurants we visited this week. It's all indoors. Table cloths. I would say on the higher side of classy but can still come in shorts. Nice date night. Food was scrumptious. You have to have the bread pudding. Great service and attention.

Upon our many food spots in Key West, this was ok. We got the fried oysters and they were good. My husband and I split the soft shell crab sandwich. It was tasty. Very good and nothing worth wild about it. The food here is good but nothing that grabs your interest. I would go here again. But if you're looking for something more unique and more better quality I would go somewhere else.

We absolutely love Thirsty Mermaid. We love coming for their happy hour as well. We come almost every day that we are vacationing in the keys. They have the best deal on Oysters, which are always nicely prepared, chilled and fresh. I just wish they served Bloody Mary's or harder cocktails besides just beer and wine.

Awesome - first place we visited in Key West, and it was fantastic. The ceviche was awesome, as were the tuna salad and house salad. Highly recommend.

Very good happy hour deals very cute location and service was great I had a great seafood salad

Stopped in for lunch as we were walking around key west. Had a delicious soft crab sandwich. My favorite! Partner had the lobster sandwich which could have used a bit more lobster to be perfect. Lovely wait staff.

For years we've had our Happy Hour spots that we would visit regularly; but those places are all similar (and too many unhealthy options / way too much fried food). Since we are no longer regulars in Key West, we promised ourselves that in the future we'd force ourselves to break our traditions and try some new places (perhaps healthier).... And here we are back in Key West and we are staying true to our promise. We learned of Thirsty Mermaid because they are part of the restaurant group that owns Antonia's (one of the best restaurants in Key West that we've always loved). We had planned on dinner but when we learned of their happy hour, we gave Thirsty Mermaid a shot. Their Happy Hour menu is small and simple but all solid offerings. I don't know if the Happy Hour menu changes but on this evening they had five dishes to pick from (each item is 8 dollars). * * * APALACHICOLA OYSTERS: served on a traditional metal tray with the oyster placed over a bed of ice. These were very fresh and perfectly shucked and we loved the mignonette they offered. * * * OVEN ROASTED CHICKEN WINGS: the Chili Pineapple Glaze over the wings was superb and loved to have wings that weren't dropped into a vat of oil to cook (oven roasted also gives the skin a nice crisp/crunch and the meat was still tender). * * * Another serving of Oysters ! ! ! * * * STEAMED PEI MUSSELS: I could tell you how delicious the bread was to dip but let me skip this and tell you how astounding the broth was... per the menu it was Kaffir Lime Citrus, White Wine and Lemongrass but that lemon grass with a slight citrus taste was the bomb. I left no broth. * * * Their serving of Oysters ! ! ! They only offer one drink special during happy hour (Mermaid Lager for 3 dollars) but we really didn't care... Although they have a full bar, I tried the Mermaid Lager and my wife had red wine. Their regular dinner menu (like the happy hour menu) is small and simple but have really tempting dishes that read really well. The only bummer of the night, was I loved their baseball cap/hat (with their octopus logo) but they were selling for 35 dollars (most everywhere else they are 20 - 25 dollars). With that said, we loved the food... we love the simple yet classy decor... and we loved our server.... Very much look forward to returning for full dinner next time !

The food was pretty good overall. The salmon carpaccio was not salmon carpaccio but just smoked salmon. the clam chowder was amazing with the lobster and corn in it. it was slightly sweet but still savory and so addicting. the bread service was good with the soup and the salmon but overall okay--it only came out in two slices at a time. the oysters were fresh and very good. we liked the small canada ones more that night. the octopus bruschetta was okay. you also have to ask for ice with your water. the main dishes were really good. the scallops were perfectly seared and not over cooked. the pasta with the yellowtail was really good, but the special, the grouper, was better. the steak was also really tender and tasty. we got extra chimichurri to have with the fries. there was nothing too frivolous on the plate--we cleared all the dishes clean. the servers are very nice and don't judge you for asking for extra stuff like ketchup, ice or sauce.

Just wow. If you're in the mood for a delicious local spot in the keys. This is your place. Everything we had was just beyond woooow. The fish was fresh, the staff informed us they receive shipment daily and don't freeze any fish. How much better can that get? We originally came for Oysters and couldn't help but order a few more things. With how delicious it all was we were so happy to keep eating. We were a little early so we were the only ones in there but it allowed to staff to get to tell us all about the restaurant and make it an even better experience

Awesome place for a quick, delicious bite to eat. Seafood is super fresh - clams, lobster, etc. The chowder is stupid good - go get some!

We visited Key West for our anniversary and were looking forward to having dinner here. Unfortunately, we didn't have dinner here and walked away with a negative experience. We walked in and stood at the entrance for about 3-4 minutes before anyone even acknowledged us. At least three staff members saw us but carried on their conversation with what I could only assume were more valued customers. When a waitress finally approached us, she told us that there were no available tables for us even though there was an empty table staring us in the face. I asked if we could sit there, and she said no, since there were only two of us and it was a table for four, and we could wait for a seat at the bar. Yeah, absolutely not. They then proceeded to seat a family of 5 that came in after we walked out. What a bizarre policy which clearly tells customers that they value profit over customer experience, which could be mistaken for racism if they're not more mindful. I saw other reviews saying the same, so be ready to walk away if your party is smaller than their available tables.

Should be called the hungry mermaid . Fried oysters burnt bey recognition. 4 to an order for $20. oysters Rockefeller same 4 to an order with no seasoning, cheese etc just panko breadcrumbs.Please buy a cookbook and learn what Oysters Rockefeller are made . another Key west tourist trap w ridiculous prices

Visited the Thirsty Mermaid in time for happy hour which is 4-6pm on a week night. The cute seafood restraint sits on a corner and on street parking is nearby - if you can get a spot. The atmosphere is light and open, with a small bar. There are not a lot of tables and no reservations are taken for dinner. There is a nice menu of $8 starters offered. The raw oysters come as a plate of 6 for the $8 price. Spicy chicken wings plate of 6, and the Mac and Cheese ball is just one ball encrusted with panko and fried. Our waitress suggested if we wanted more than one ball to get the entree for a better value. During Happy Hour beer (and there are many on tap), are $3. Good price for Key West. Our group ordered a burger, scallops, yellow fin tuna and skirt steak as entrees. Nice presentation of plates. While the meals were good none of us felt they were exceptional. Service is friendly and good.

Smaller restaurant off the busy key west streets. I did not think the food was worth the price. We got the octopus bruschetta and we weren't impressed. Server was excellent and it was nice to go somewhere to sit in th AC but probably could skip this spot in my opinion Unfortunately since we weren't loving the food options we only got the app and went to another location.

We went there for lunch, decided to try it out because we loved the name. We got sandwiches with swordfish and grouper. Both delicious. Service was great, too.