We ate outside and had a wonderful spot on the outside of the patio.. great people watching and the food was delicious... Two complaints: -We had a kid with us and they tried to sit us in the back of the patio because of this even though there was a fantastic table open, which we ended up getting, but they were a bit rude about us moving... saying with a kid it is easier to be further back... not the case.. and our kid is more well behaved than most adults. The hostess told us we could move, no problem, but the waitress from then on seemed annoyed and they didn't help us move over... we had to ask for water again and stuff because they didn't want to assist. -Server got spotty and rude throughout the evening, even though they seemed to get less busy.
(4)
Heather W.
We stumbled in here because it was super hot out and they had indoor dining. It ended up being great! Lunch came to about 40.00 for two people. I had a snapper sandwich, grilled, and it was delicious. All the staff were friendly and professional.
(5)
Dolores Z.
We arrived here pretty late in the evening after traveling all day. We chose to sit outdoors, it is a very nice location in the heart of Duval. Staff did not seem especially friendly, but waiter was helpful,especially w wine selection. We chose several appetizers instead of full meals. Bruschetta was good. Caprese salad was good. Crab cakes were small, 2 cakes, okay. Cheese tray pretty good. Overall, kinda pricey...
(3)
Michael H.
Right on Duval, it's a great spot to people watch from a distance. We stopped in for appetizers (tuna tartare and smoked salmon). Our server was fanstatic and a lot of fun. She is a resident of KW and gave us our own ghost tour. Can't wait to return!
(3)
Deidra B.
Stopped in for cocktails and a small plate, had some conch fritters. They were good nothing spectacular. We were going to order something else but decided to move on after uninspiring fritters.
Two stars just because of the view. Drinks aren't that great food is mediocre and takes half an hour to get to the table and staff not good. Do not recommend. Go to the one right across it. Food here is overpriced too .
(2)
Larry J.
Key West offers an abundance of dining, as world knows. We ate here coming in off the crowded streets. It is set in an old residence that at one time was grand. The menu is extensive. I had osso bucco. it was wonderful. The service was impeccable as well. I would highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)
Steve A.
filet mignon kabob excellent lemon vinaigrette dressing, wow grilled vegetable panini excellent peaches and cream martini excellent service just ok
(4)
Barbara P.
We had 2 great visits to Grande Cafe. Great food and wonderful staff. Love the old home it is in. Bartender Matt friendly and attentive. We look forward to our next trip
(5)
Jay R.
We stopped in on bikes and felt a little under-dressed. Nice old house converted to a restaurant with bar right on Duval. We ordered martini sand watched the people wandering by. Dan was our waiter and he was very friendly and during our conversation we discovered that he used to live where we do now. Sal world - his relatives live on our street. The food was good, service was excellent and the location was great to waste some time watching the world go by.
(5)
Rhonda V.
We stopped in here to grab a snack and a glass of wine! The cheese plate was perfect, wonderful, topped it off with a piece of Key Lime pie! Quaint, atmosphere to people watch!
Off Duval street, lots of people because of its location. Food is just so-so. It's fun to see and watch people on duval street.
(2)
Greg S.
Drinks are great, food was delicious, great service... We loved sitting on the front lawn. Great ambience in front lawn of old historic home. Love this place
(5)
mark C.
I can't rate the food. The service was so surly we left before food was served. When asked for a iist of beer (we were there for lunch) the waitress advised she knew most of them then proceeded to name several then stopped and told us that was enough and to pick one of them....... Would not recommend this place. BTW; very nice place...... too bad.....
(1)
Mark S.
What a great find. Your basic high end French / American fine dining restaurant. Everything was excellent, including the service. Unfortunately there is no dress code, yeah, I know it is Key West. There was an annoying loud guy wearing a backwards wide brim baseball cap. In my opinion the ONLY people that should be allowed to wear baseball hats in restaurants are women undergoing chemo.
(5)
Marco D.
The grouper fish was amazing and the ambience and people watching was perfect. For being on Duval st it was very pleasant. The food was clean and healthy. The bellini was delicious and the whole meal was affordable! The server and staff was so sweet and welcoming, especially viktoriya!
(5)
Sarah L.
We really enjoyed our lunch here. It was exactly what we were looking for - a cafe on Duval with outside seating that wasn't upchucked onto the main drag by corporate America (*cough* *cough* Wendy's... *cough* Hard Rock Cafe... *cough*). I must be coming down with something. Good mojitos and people watching - have lunch here when the cruise ship passengers come in... Bruschetta was quite good as well.
(4)
Julie H.
Used to be better. The food was hit and miss. The steaks were good, but the lobster was FROZEN!!!! $42 for the Chef's tasting menu and the lobster is frozen! Gross. It was bad bad. We eat Caribbean lobster enough to know bad lobster. We are from S Florida. The waitress was kind enough to admit it was frozen but said it was fresh frozen... which of course means that it didn't rot first before they froze it. We were stunned at how bad the lobster was. The Chefs tasting menu came with a filet, a ravioli, three shrimp, and two lobster tail. Filet good, shrimp good, so if you don't eat the lobster, you basically had a small filet and some sides. Did I mention $42 for this bad meal? Here's the reason for 3 stars... They comped our key lime pie for the bad lobster experience. That's was very nice. Christina our server was kind and attentive. No service troubles at all. Other yelpers have mentioned that they have received bad service. I think the reason that the staff treats people like stupid tourists is because only a stupid tourist would be dumb enough to plunk down this much money for food of this quality. Previous yelpers were also correct, ask for key lime pie with NO topping. It's cool whip-like. Also bad. Either on side or not at all. Yuck!
(3)
L C.
Worst service ever...save your money and time. Our server Brock was extremely rude and rolled his eyes when we answered no to ordering cocktails. We were seated outside and "droppings" from a tree above us landed in our water cups so when we asked for another water he replied, "it won't cause you harm and left." We decided to cover our waters to prevent more "tree droppings" and he did not fill our waters that were covered. As he came around to pick up our plates he rolled his eyes at our personal conversations which did not involve him. Don't go here or get service from Brock! He is the worst server and deserves to be fired!!
(1)
Eric K.
3 1/2 stars is about right. Went there with a coupon from the Inn (3 or 4 blocks away), signed -- I suspect a referral fee of some sort is involved. Pricey for lunch, although my serving of smoked salmon was huge. Spouse liked her lobster bisque but thought the Key Lime pie was not as good as that at Cafe Sole, which shows up in the same Yelp price bracket. Friendly staff and pleasant patio. Good service.
(3)
Grace M.
Food was amazing!! Has the NY Au Poivre which was absolutely amazing. My steak was a bit over done but the server asked before to make sure. I was too hungry to send it back. (MR was ordered, it came out borderline MW). It was still very tasty and juicy and the whole peppercorns on top were a plus. ( can you tell I love peppercorn). My beau had the seafood pasta in white wine sauce. It too was cooked perfectly, seasoned well and had the perfect amount of spice to it. We enjoyed ourselves and highly recommend it!! Viktoryia was our server and was very attentive. Thank you!!
(5)
Cory B.
Good food, nice atmosphere, and the music coming from across the street at Hard Rock is an appropriate volume over here.
(4)
Chris F.
Atmosphere and location are to boast here. It's a wonderfully cozy place to overlook the chaos that is Duval in the evening. We had a very pleasant waiter lastnight who handed us a coupon with a complimentary bottle of Merlot which was a nice surprise. I'm sad to say the food was very mediocre though. I had the crispy duck which was not too crispy and the sauce tasted more like a sweet and sour cheap chinese food sauce than a gourmet orange duck sauce. My wife's rice and fish were both undercooked as well, and the mashed potatoes tasted like they came from a box. Far too expensive for such inexperienced food, but perhaps a your paying for the atmosphere. Would come back and try a steak though.
(3)
Tim H.
Good, but not great for the price. Service was good, but it took a while due to the busy restaurant. The prices were a little higher due to being right off Duval. While my rack of lamb was tasty, it wasn't the greatest quality lamb I've had. Overall, a good, but not great, meal.
(3)
Perry P.
What a disappointment. The restaurant and garden look lovely on the outside, but once you get seated and look around inside, you start to see signs of wear and tear. We started outside, but when the first couple of rain drops started, we asked to be moved inside. Our server was gracious enough and moved us quickly inside. The decor is somewhat disjointed and very run-down. Dingy upholstery and upholstered walls, mismatched modern art and dusty chandeliers hearken back to a more prosperous time. Service was basic -- not very refined. A huge bread basket arrives with a "thunk" and servers and food runners whisk by the tables with very little clearance. The food was actually fine. I had a NY Strip that was cooked a little past the medium which I ordered, but it was well seasoned and nicely grilled. My husband had a fish dish (red snapper maybe). It was seared beautifully, but on such a thin fillet, it is easy to overcook. He said it was good, but right on the edge. Caesars salads were passable, the aforementioned bread (foccacia) was bland and tasteless. We skipped dessert altogether. I know this review does not give a lot of info to go on --- but once we sat down, we were just so underwhelmed with the whole experience, we didn't feel like ordering that much and sticking around. All-in-all, with all the wonderful places along Duval, I would pass this one by and select something with a little more charm, character and oomph.
(2)
Nita V.
Chill atmosphere. Daryl makes a great dirty martini. Wonderful demeanor and inviting presence.
(5)
Laurie H.
The food was alright. We had a reservation and got seated inside. Our server was slow at tending us and the cushioned seats and walls were very dirty. It made me feel so uncomfortable that the decorative pillows were that dirty on the cushioned seats inside. I think the server was overwhelmed and was very busy. We had to sit for 20 mins before he even visited us at the table. Then we waited 55 mins before he came around to take our order (we were ready to order 20 mins in). We both ordered the Grand Lobster. The lobster was fresh and the ravioli was amazing. The sauce was perfect! It was very delicious. The service needed work. Our server clearly was unwilling to serve us with the best service he could provide (another couple near us was served by the same guy and serviced faster and better service than us). It seemed like the other servers were nice. However, I was so appaulled by the contrast in service, I have to give this place 2/5.
(2)
Rick P.
My wife and I passed by a few completely packed places to go here. I think the empty tables on a busy poker run weekend should've told me all I needed to know. It took about 10 minutes for a server from another table to notice us and bring us water. When our waitress arrived and took our drink and appetizer order. The soup came out before the drinks came. The overpriced martini's were half full. Perhaps they evaporated in the 10 minutes it took for them to come out. My wife ordered a seafood pasta dinner that was short of seafood and long on pasta for almost 45 bucks. The potatoe leek soup was good, at almost 12 bucks it was very overpriced. My veggie/risotto was pretty good, not great. The service was horrible! We had to wait for forks, butter and black pepper for what seemed an eternity! The worst 130 meal I've ever had. Rick Prado Miami,Florida
(1)
Liza D.
We came here for dinner the other night, restaurant was tastefully decorated inside and out, we were seated outside by the fountain and everything looked nice, I was actually very pleased, until everything went downhill: We ordered tuna tartare and beef carpaccio, both were blah. For main dish we shared the lamb shank which was delicious no complaint. Service was the worst, the waiter (a tall, shaved head guy with a foreign accent) came, did not even introduce himself and just took our orders, bread was not even brought to our table until after we asked for it-twice! Finally the bill came, at the bottom was a calculation of "suggested" tip, I looked closely and realized tip was calculated after taxes, it's not a lot of money but still a completely wrong practice. I had to write a note on the bottom of the receipt, I hope the manager read it!
(2)
Dave L.
This is my standby dinner location in Key West. Great place to take friends and business associates. Great wine list and I have always had good service. My favorite here is their award winning shrimp penne! Any guests of mine have always enjoyed their desserts, which dessert after dinner I try to avoid. People watching is a plus too! Always get my table outside in the front. One thing about Key West people watching, it's like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get ! :-)
(5)
Kerri M.
Wait staff was excellent. Love the decor and atmosphere. Food was extremely fresh and delicious. One of my favorite places in Key West.
(5)
Lisa A.
Very nice fine dining experience. The scallops were cooked perfectly with a beautiful key lime bur blanc sauce. The crab cakes had only enough breading to hold them together the rest was pure crab. Sat outside on the porch, a lot quieter than most restaurants on Duval. Prices were more on the fine dining side. Very happy with our meal.
(4)
Frank P.
Ok experience. fairly interesting dining area and menu, nothing mind-blowing. The fish sandwich was overcooked but the coleslaw had some nice citrus hints. Fries were basic and boring but reasonably good. A bit overpriced for the quality. Nice ambiance.
(3)
BJ J.
Unfortunately The Grand Cafe wasn't so "grand" tonight. My wife ordered the seafood pasta and after it made her sick (to the point of excusing herself from the table) we let our waitress know, to which she replied, "well it isn't food poison, that takes 24 hours!" She made no gestures to how she was feeling or even to remove the item from the bill. On top of that she very quickly brought us our check and was sure to add her 18% for the FOUR of us! A manager never came and seemed to be absent. Just don't go.(period)
(1)
Rebecca K.
I really would like to give the Grand three 1/2 stars. We've eaten here three times. It's a funny restaurant: the food is definitely a four and could be a five with more attention to detail. The service the same...I'd say three maybe, based on last night. The food is basically very good; it's really the little things that kill it for me. Last night a spinach salad with pancetta (nice twist from the norm) and a delicious warm balsamic dressing and....boxed croutons. Same with the pasta dish: sauce and shrimp quite tasty but over.....boxed pasta. Dessert also: key lime cheesecake melts in your mouth but...homemade whipped cream would kick the butt of the cool-whip tasting stuff that was actually with it. Sigh. What a great location; if we could just bump up the effort on the food a bit this place would be among the top restaurants in this price range. A note on the service- everyone is friendly and seem to be giving it a good effort but they kind of make you feel like a tourist. Give me a chance to breathe before I order my entire meal, k? And if my wine glass is empty you should probably notice that before I finally move it to the edge of the table to get your attention. But again, very friendly. It's the details. We'll probably be back next year...for lunch.
(3)
Erica H.
Delicious fresh food on Duval Street. Our meals were not huge(as seems to be the American norm) but so tasty and fresh. Caprese salad with grilled chicken, BLT with avocado, key lime pie. All terrific and we had great service. We would come back.
(4)
M L Elmes P.
You can't beat the setting and watching the people on Duval is always entertaining. We waited almost an hour for soup, salad, and a flat bread appetizer. The salad was wilted and the croutons were soggy. We all enjoyed our entrees but service was so slow and spotty. We asked for butter for the bread three times before it came. Elegant and beautiful but not worth the bad service.
(2)
Diana B.
Elegant, awesome food, the mussels and crab cakes were fantastic!! I need to come again!!! Until next time!!
(4)
Paula Jean K.
The Grand Cafe, located on Duval Street, is an elegant victorian house which was converted into a restaurant. Key West in July was hot and sticky and we wanted to, NO, we needed to get out of the heat. It's really difficult to find a place that 2 middle age couples can agree on but this was a no brainer. It was a lovely place to have a drink! Karen got her frozen pina colada, the rest of us had mojitos! Best mojito ever! Hand made, real sugar, nice pour. Bartender was a great guy! And, since is was Happy Hour, they were only 6USD! So we stayed for another round!
(4)
Jesse V.
On Duvall Street but not loud and obnoxious. Started off with the carpaccio with was prepared perfectly. Then had the crispy duck which was also good. Service was also good. Recommend.
(5)
Tim S.
If you're looking for a more upscale romantic dining experience, this is a great place. My wife had the scallops and I had the blackened mahi mahi. Both were cooked perfectly. If you like wine, the wine list is extensive to say the least. We opted for a cheaper bottle ($30) which was very good.
(4)
Joseluis A.
me and miss f took a little trip down to key west. the drive took a longer than expected for reasons i cannot remember at the moment but we were starving when we finally arrived and didnt want to walk too much from our hotel room so this is how we landed at grand cafe. the romantic ambiance caught her attention; her reaction to this caught my attention so we came in and the hostess got us a table outdoors by the porch. our server came by immediately and offered us water. he asked if we wanted flat or bottled. flat water is always fine. we got that, a couple of menus and a wine list. the evening was calling for wine so miss f got a glass of riesling while i got a malbec. this malbec, aside from the very attentive service was the best thing about the restaurant. for entrees we shared a pizza with fresh tomatoes and basil and also the fettuccini with shrimp on white wine, garlic, fresh tomatoes and basil sauce. our entrees werent bad, just a bit too simple for the price. flavor was ok, but i thought presentation was lacking. the pasta wasn't al dente how it usually is at similarly priced restaurants. again, the food wasnt bad but it just wasnt memorable. we got another glass of wine each and the check came out for a bit less than $100 with tax and tip included. im not sure i would go again unless im in the very same situation, perhaps i would try something different from the menu.
(3)
Lisa P.
We walked up and down Duval street trying to decide where to eat. I have no idea why we chose this place but we were glad we did. The food was very good. I had the white pizza and Caesar salad and my fiance had a steak. The one thing that stood out about this place was the patio seating/people watching and the chickens/chicks running around the patio. I've never eaten at a restaurant with chickens sitting at my feet. It was unique and something different...to say the least I'll always remember "that restaurant" in Key West with the chickens!
(3)
James O.
Great restaurant. Good solid food. Try the Scallops and the Seared Tuna. Have been here many times and always a good meal with friendly service. Another must stop on your culinary adventure in Key West.
(4)
Joe S.
Today, my wife and I were walking down Duval street looking for a place to eat. We could not have been luckier to have stopped here. Everything here was unbelievably delicious. We started with the mussels in spicy tomato sauce....so delicious!! Must get!!! For dinner we both ordered the seafood pasta with the white sauce...,OUTRAGEOUS! It came with TWO lobster tails! All the seafood was so fresh! There are so many places to eat here....but do yourself a favor and eat here!
(5)
Vidya R.
Had dinner here on thanksgiving eve. We got a cozy table on the patio. Our server was very courteous and attentive. The food was very good - from the soup to the tuna tartare as well as the blackened mahi mahi with fried plantains! Yumm! My martini was average - hence the 4 stars! :P else everything was 5* worthy!
(4)
Dan R.
So, this is my first official Yelp. I've refrained from posting reviews because, well, it takes time I don't really have. Though I do appreciate reading the reviews. But, on to my first review: 1 disclaimer: This has nothing to do with the FOOD here. Why? Because, I never got that far. So, the girl and the son met me after work (I work around the corner at Truman Annex) around 9:00. I planned on taking them to 2 Cents, but they were full. So, we walked along Duval untll we saw Grand Cafe. The hostess was really nice, and sat us as soon as we walked up. And that's the end of my experience. We waited 15 minutes, had conversations about our work days & school, and the kiddo's soccer game. No water brought, no server recognition, nada. Now, I watched people go by with trays, without trays, saw the same people a couple times.... and nothing. I've worked in the restaurant business for about 6 years. Even if the hostess (who, btw, was very nice) forgot to tell the server, generally speaking one of the staff will come up after a few minutes and ask if anyone is taking care of you. Yep, not tonight. So, instead of tomato bisque with crab, some duck and carpaccio, we had Wendy's. EPIC FAIL GRAND CAFE. EPIC FAIL. Sincerely, Dan.
(1)
Ken W.
Very slow service. I recommend that you have the attractive waitress that doesn't understand English very well to read back to you what you have ordered before she leaves the table. We received one order and she had to go back to the kitchen to have the other order prepared. Crab cakes were good after all. I won't try this place again.
(3)
Tim C.
This place should be better. Food and service are inconsistent. One time you eat here, it's great, other times you wonder if there are better places you should have gone. Sitting outside is a must for people watching. This is a safe pick for a meal, just don't be surprised if its not a memorable experience.
(3)
J W.
Not very vegetarian friendly. Server was very helpful, with an alternative selection due to the limited - or non-existent - vegetarian dishes. Food is way overpriced for the quality you get. Eat somewhere else on Duval Street.
(2)
Sasha S.
Umm, what can I say. I have had better food. Theme appetizers were decent. But, the entree were mediocre. I ordered the rack of lambs which came in an ordinary brown sauce without any real flavor. I had to add salt to make the food somewhat appealing. My boyfriend ordered the red snapper and he had to add salt to the fish to finish. I believe if food is really good, you should not have to add salt and pepper to make food edible. Service was also slow. I had to wait 5 minutes for a waiter to great by table. Don't really recommend. Try the "Roof Top Cafe." Much better food!
(2)
Indira P.
Grand Cafe is simply beautiful, an old turn of the century house converted into the restaurant where people watching is an entertaining sport and that's where our good experience ended. We went in for dinner I ordered the seafood pasta in RED sauce, it came out in a cream sauce when I told our waiter he apologized and took it back. I had already cut a scallop in half before it dawned on me it was the wrong sauce, when I got my pasta back it was the same seafood only in red sauce with the cream sauce still on the lobster tail and my cut scallop was cleary visible on the plate. My boyfriend had the Prime NY Strip Steak and that in my opinion was a freeze dried, vacuum sealed steak with cold asparagus and lumpy au poivre, a cold baked potato and not good at all. When we complained about the cream sauce still on the pasta the manager came over, she seemed upset that we didn't accept her apology and wasn't too pleased at our dismissal of the excuse: it's not our policy to re - serve returned food. Save your money.
(2)
Gerald L.
Outdoor dining was a nice experience. Service was good. The Norwegian salmon appetizer is excellent and the blackened mahi was excellent but the beans and rice they serve with it is very dry and really they need to work on sauce to go with this. Approximately $100 for two adults only two glasses of wine. We would go again.
(4)
Gene S.
It's romantic, and nice setting. That's about it. The shrimp scampi was overly buttery...frankly, i can make better shrimp scampi. The wait staff was not all that welcoming. The food was very avg and pricey. Granted, we only ate here once - but the red curry and shrimp scampi were very forgettable.
(2)
Lori B.
Great location, great food and service! What to beware of? GRAT!!! All of the restaurants add gratuity to the bill - every bill. We didn't realize there was grat on the check until the last day we were there, so the staff made a killing on us as we typically tip at least 20%. Oh well, read your bill is the lesson learned here. but, check out this restaurant, really fantastic.
(5)
Carolina H.
My family and I had a terrible experience here. The waitress had an awful attitude, and when I requested to speak to the owner, she had a sour disposition as well. Want a nice, pleasant dinner environment in Key West? Go to Latitudes on Sunset Key. Menu options are comparable in price to the Grand Cafe and everyone from the hostesses to the waitresses and servers are beyond superb, unlike the Grand Cafe!
(1)
Melanie B.
Great food, even better service! Christina was extremely patient with all of our questions & special requests. Wonderful tomato bisque
(4)
Gayle M.
I visited the Grand Cafe Key West last week while I was on vacation. I had planned my visit to this restaurant based on previous Yelp reviews. Honestly, it was the best meal I had in Key West over a 5 day period. I was dining alone and appreciated the fact that the server recognized that I was there to enjoy the dining experience. She asked if I was in a hurry or just wanted to relax, when I said I was in no hurry, she stated that she let the chef know not to hurry. I was on vacation, I had no place important to be and the fact that their outdoor seating is right on the main street of the Key West tourist area (Duval Street), I was quite thrilled to watch the people. I ordered the sea scallops that came with a side of mushroom risotto. The restaurant plates the key beurre blanc sauce for the scallops separately which was ok with me. It allowed me to add as much or as little as I wanted. Scallops were cooked perfectly and the sauce was very unique and went well with the seafood. My only complaint is that the risotto wasn't really risotto. Which was odd, it wasn't even couscous. I'm not sure what it was, it kind of resembled pasta and had the smooth texture of a pastina pasta and was very slick to get onto my fork. I am Italian, I cook risotto at least once/month, this was nothing of the sort. Having said that, whatever it was, had wild whole mushrooms mixed in...it was quite tasty. The wild mushrooms were cooked well and gave the side a great flavor. The service was great, even though I went in the late afternoon, when there weren't many people dining at the same time, they seemed well staffed and prepared to handle any crowd. I really would recommend this restaurant as a must do while on vacation in Key West.
(4)
Lori K.
We took a chance here during July 4th week. We were strolling on Duval Street and it looked charming and I felt like eating outside. We got a corner table and a very nice server. We chose wine by the glass - I enjoyed the Sauvignon Blanc. I wanted fish and the server suggested the grilled scallops, which were delicious. I would definitely go back.
(3)
Yianni K.
Great atmosphere and great food. I had the seafood pasta and my wide had the surf and turf! Both plates were excellent and the presentation was amazing, especially with the seafood pasta. Sorry no photo!
(5)
Marie-Helene S.
Had a very nice family lunch here. The service was fantastic and the building is beautiful. We had Spinach salad, Caprese salad, Turkey panini and Mussels with a great fresh tomato sauce. Everything was delicious!
(5)
Laurie H.
Friendly service, delicious food, great location, beautiful building (a restored old residence). What more could you want. It's a little pricey, yes, but the portions are generous. And the seafood is tremendous! I had shrimp and lobster pasta, my dining partner had coconut encrusted grouper, and both were fabulous. (They have a lot of chicken and beef on their menu, too, but since I didn't sample them I can't comment.) Extensive wine list, full bar, knowledgeable and gracious staff. Yes, they did add the tip to the bill but I didn't mind because the experience was worth every cent of it, and more. I highly recommend this place.
(5)
Brandon M.
Grand Cafe is located on on Duval St. in an old Victorian house with a wrap around porch and an outside patio . The server (Louis) was very nice and made some very good recommendations. We had the conch fritters for an app and they were good but nothing special. The drinks (mojito for me and a key lime martini for the wife) were strong but very good, the price was average for the island. Sandra got the smoked salmon plate for lunch. It had the traditional sides (capers, onion and cream cheese) minus the tomatoes. I donated the tomatoes from my salad that came with my turkey panini. The panini was really good with a spicy chipolte mayo, bacon, sprouts and arugula and melted fontina. Both were good choices if you were looking to stick to some lighter meals. We also tried the key like pie (Kermit's) and it was awesome. The price for the meal wasn't bad but I have noticed everything on the island is priced a little higher than normal.
(3)
Sue W.
Excellent place. Excellent food. At first i thought the wait staff was gonna ignore us but after a few minutes our waiter came over to apologize for the delay-he was finishing up with a large party and after that he was spot on with attention. I had crab cakes, they were a little on the small side. Other food at the table was excellent. The bread pudding was outstanding.
(4)
Sarah H.
Awesome food. I had the whole maine lobster stuffed with a crab/shrimp mousse which was flambe'd tableside Only 45$ for a 1.5lb lobster! I think thats very reasonable. My man had the shrimp and mussels fettucine alfredo and it was DIVINE I really liked this place. Loved it actually. We had a table right on the patio next to Duval street so it was great for people watching also!
(5)
Beth R.
My husband and I decided to spend a romantic day together in Key West doing a day of "firsts". Doing things we haven't done since we moved down. Since we are locals we decided to head from the pool to The Grand Cafe for lunch. They were running a 50% off special for locals in September, plus we had heard from a number of friends how good it is! Our lunch was absolutely delicious!!! The restaurant is so comfortable and welcoming, we enjoyed our time inside in the a/c, with a warm homey environment as our backdrop. Since this was our day of "firsts" and we were both off, we decided to go back to enjoy dinner. It was a smart move on our part....they were very busy, but we managed to land a table outside with a perfect people watching view. Our waitress, which I wish I remembered her name to give her credit, was excellent. The food was impeccable!!! I had the surf and turf special which was delicious!!! My husband had a steak also which he loved. We will definitely be back there in the very near future!!
(4)
Ellen K.
We eat at the Grand every time we come to Key West. It's wonderful. The wine selection is nice too. But the best part was our waiter, Pavelle! If you dine there, ask for Pavelle. He was awesome. The restaurant was slamming busy and he had our food and drinks out quickly. He was knowledgable about the menu and helped us select some wine for the table. You can eat anywhere when in Key West, but for us, good wine and good service are a must. Five stars!
(5)
Meg M.
We enjoyed a delightful and delicious meal on the front patio of the Grand Cafe last night. Service was great, more refined than many of the restaurants down here. The view is primo for people watching (especially in Key West, always a lively, eccentric crowd). Not a place to stop if you are in a rush; definitely a sit-down, take-your-time kind of place. If you care to read on... The food was delectable. For an appetizer, we ordered the Cheese Platter. Fantastic! The different types of cheeses are intermingled with some grapes and strawberries, the perfect starter to kick off a meal. I had the Filet of Beef (medium rare) with mashed potatoes, topped with spinach and carrots, on the side. The beef was cooked perfectly and the mashed potatoes had a strong taste but were delicious all the same. Another person in my party had the Chef's Tasting Plate; although it sounds like too much, it is a good amount for a single person. The shrimp on the plate was particularly good. Dessert was great too. They fortunately had some more variety in their dessert; a little different than the norm for Key West dessert (i.e. key lime pie, cheescake, and chocolate cake)!! I had the bread pudding. Look and texture were strange but it was delicious. Key Lime Pie was average. But altogether a great place to spend a relaxing (non-rushed) evening out in Key West.
(4)
Cameron T.
The Grand Cafe Key West has a great location that makes it look appealing. The service wasn't the greatest. It seemed like the bald waiter was cocky and treated the hostess wrongly by seating more people at a time where they wanted to close but within the hours the restaurant was open. Also when we walked in to the restaurant we had to play kind of an investigator to find the hostess. She seemed kind of tired but i can relate to long hours on the job. If that happens maybe the staff needs a break? I had the tuna tartare and as the executive chef's specialty it seemed lacking in the olive oil mixture and sesame seeds. The focaccia seemed to be too doughy and need to be baked a little longer to get a crunchy crust. The walnut bleu cheese salad was lacking in the ratio of olive oil to acetic acid. For a fine dining restaurant you would think the wouldn't refrigerate the tomatoes which makes them decompose into a flavorless fruit. This place has a great ambiance and 3 stars seems kind of harsh for a restaurant but the service and food seemed to be lacking in attention. For a high priced restaurant it seemed to be good but not worth going there every week.
(3)
Mark B.
Best conch fritters on the island... But they don't serve them at dinner. Great crab cakes and otherwise decent food. Most of the negatives about this place center around the service. It wasn't bad...my main complaint was that the salads arrived while we were still eating our appetizers. There are probably better places on Duval to eat dinner.
(3)
Jeff H.
My girlfriend and I went here for dinner one night during our trip. We sat on the front porch. It was just getting to be dusk, so they had candles lit on each of the tables. It was a nice intimate setting for a romantic dinner. I ordered one of the specials, which was blackened mahi-mahi with black beans and yellow rice. PHENOMENAL!!! It was the best mahi-mahi I have ever had - nice and juicy, and it was the best blackened dish that I have ever had - spiced just right, not charred (most restaurants' interpretation of blackened). And the black beans and yellow rice were cooked to perfection.
(5)
Ken N.
Oh dear. Oh dear. Shocking-shocking-SHOCKING! Had to contend with the rudest waitress ever. Walked out with my family during the order-take and walked right over the street to the Hard Rock Cafe where we had brilliant service and very friendly staff. In short, AVOID the Grand Cafe! We talked about this the following morning and all agreed that walking out was the best decision of the day - we had a great, relaxed time at the Hard Rock Cafe, which we would not have done had the staff at the Grand Cafe not been so awful.
(1)
Greg C.
Location is great, service was speedy, food was really good. Not enough to justify the price, but still tasty. I had the house special, the shrimp in pasta, and it was perfectly pleasant. The house bread was fresh and soft, and my girlfriend had the scallops which, I have to admit, were smooth and buttery and good enough that if I were eating one in the bathroom (hypothetically of course) and dropped it onto a urinal cake.....I would really think hard about digging it out. That good. There is nothing really bad or unpleasant about this place at all, but it's not really remarkable (scallops aside) in any way. You won't be blown away. Here is exactly what you will say when you leave... "That was good....but pricey". You MIGHT say...."That was good. So what are we doing next".
(3)
Fatty D.
Tourist rip off Nothing at all worthy of even my time to write a review. Just skip this tourist rip off. Expensive, bad food not worth a drive to.
(1)
J H.
Awesome atmosphere, ate outside. Best Cheese Plate in Key West.
(4)
Garrett P.
The atmosphere was wonderful, and service was superb, but the food just didn't live up to my expectations. It wasn't necessarily bad food, but given the atmosphere and the surroundings, I was hoping for something better. My girlfriend, her sister, and I ordered three dishes. The pizza al fungi wasn't bad, but wasn't good either...it was just pizza. We ordered a tuna steak cooked rare, but it came in cooked all the way through - really ruins the tuna when you do that. Seafood pasta had assorted seafood in it (wow, imagine that!), but some of it seemed old. I've never had as much trouble getting crab meat out of a leg than I did with their addition. It wasn't bad enough that we avoided the restaurant. The next night, we returned for dessert only. I asked the hostess if they make their own key lime pie (we were on a quest to try pies from different places to compare them), and she said that they did. When I asked my waiter the same question, he revealed that they order their pie from Kermit's. Is a hostess allowed to lie to you like this? We ordered the pie, plus got some tiramisu and passionfruit gelato. They key lime pie was great, but it wasn't really theirs so I can't give them too much credit. The tiramisu wasn't really tiramisu - it was more of a tiramisu cake, which always comes out drier than the real thing. The gelato was...well it was pretty meh. Honestly, I did enjoy this place. If I were in the area, I'd return without hesitating, but I'm not willing to give it a 4-star review because the food just isn't as good as it could be. A few small changes, and this place would be excellent.
(3)
Lizzy S.
Weather was chilly and we sat inside by the fire place. Such a nice change from the noisy bars of duval yet it's still in the middle of the action. Excellent snapper. Great Mahi. Would go again!
(3)
Tessie B.
This was my first time here and I hope not my last. The BF and I enjoyed a nice and relaxing dinner one Saturday night. We sat outside on the porch (under a broken fan). The ultimate dirty martini and mojito were made to perfection. (I only wish they got to the table a bit quicker.) The bruschetta was so good! The tomatoes were clearly super duper fresh! I loved the balsamic type sauce they used and I definitely recommend this dish! Then we had the Margherita pizza with an addition of pineapple and ham. Again - the tomato sauce was delicious! The pizza was personal size, but enough to share if you get an appetizer. The inside bar was so pretty! It has a dark blue ceiling with small lights so it looks like stars. Very nice place for a meal :)
(4)
Magnum P.
Great location for people watching. Decent food, slow but friendly service. Above average, but that's about it.
(3)
Eliza M.
We are young adults and thus have experienced some unfortunate service at nice restaurants (assumedly waiters don't anticipate good tips from young people and then don't serve us as well.... leaving us with the dilemma of defying their expectations with a good tip or leaving a tip they deserve, confirming their expectations). Either way, for the price you pay here, we found the service completely lacking. The waiter was snub and slow, and messed up our orders. Also, the food was nothing special. The positives of this place are its location and intimate setting, but you can find better for similar prices. It also is good for people watching if you sit outside. Basically, the two-star description says it best, "Meh. I've experienced better"
(2)
C S.
very nice environment! we got the steak, but it is smoked, not a big fan of it. service was really good too.
(3)
Darius R.
Great food, loved the conch fritters, but service was sub par at best, definitely disappointed, the service the last time was at least acceptable.
(2)
Jerry P.
Their signature dish of key west shrimp & penne? Here's a tip for the chef- take the tails off the shrimp- especially in a saucy bowl your guests should not have to dig out the shrimp to clean them. As for the pasta sauce, can you say Campbell's Cream of Tomato Soup? Service was slow, glasses dirty. Go for the atmosphere of Duval Street, not for the food.
(1)
Josie D.
Me and my boyfriend just picked this place when we couldn't decide where to go and the formal dining on the patio seemed a lovely place to people watch and enjoy the night breeze coming across the island. Our waiter was polite and we were never missing anything all night which was great. the bread was soft and warm and had us excited for our entree's, which were both delicious. The deserts were wonderful although, in my opinion the tiramisu had just a bit too much kaluha in it, at least for my taste. In all, it was lovely and an enjoyable meal.
(4)
Katie U.
The martinis, food and service were incredible! I highly recommend the Espresso Martini (Stoli Vanilla, Kahlua, Tia Maria, Splash Espresso) and the Tomato Bisque (mmmmm, my mouth is watering just remembering it). Went there with one vegetarian and three carnivores - all were 100% satisfied! We tried a number of the martinis, just about every tapas item on the menu, and enjoyed the atmosphere and entire experience for almost 3 hours. Good food, great location, entertaining people watching, and very personable staff! Will definitely go back.
(5)
Courtney D.
Came here with a big group for vacay and thought the dining area was really charming and cute. We had a few bottles of wine and chatted the night away. Thank goodness we had bread because our food took FOREVER to be served. I mean, well over an hour. WELL over. Food had generally good reviews; I had the Key West shrimp which everyone wanted and I thought was good. Adding chicken to your small caesar salad though will cost you an arm and a leg though (really, $18?) so beware of some price adjustments on your bill! All in all, better food than most places on the island!
(3)
Joanie C.
Visiting from St. Louis. This place was recommended by a local. We went for lunch. It took forever! We ordered soups and conch fritters to start, (conch is over rated btw) thinking they would be out quickly. Nope. My dad ordered a second beer, that took forever! It's a bottle beer at that! The burger had no flavor. The caesar salad boasted shaved parmesan. It was this weird bread like thing on top of my warm salad. Think twice before ordering. We didn't tip and we are great tippers! Shame on you Grand!
(1)
Shayra A.
Great atmosphere and service. The food was lovely and we had a coupon that was given to us at our hotel, so the bottle of wine was free. It could be a little pricey, but you should try at least one night.
(4)
Kate T.
Awesome food and friendly service. Been in KW for 3 days and so far this has been our best meal. The yellowtail tuna was amazing, cooked perfectly and the pizza misto(spelling?) was just as good. In fact it was one of the best speciality pizzas I've ever had. The location is great and our server was a young polish guy who took great care of us and was very friendly.
(5)
Rachel C.
Our waitress couldn't have been any less enthusiastic about the menu and the food is tasteless despite the fact that it's loaded with oil and salt.
(2)
Ash B.
Have had better pizza, but the ones they have are pretty decent. Would have given the place 4 stars for the food but the waitress was not friendly at all. Had two of their veggie pizzas and they were more than filling for two persons. Prices are too high for the quality of food but I guess the location and the outdoor seating demands it.
(3)
Avery T.
very descent food. Had the tuna salad. It was a nice patio. Service was kinda poor. I enjoyed the scenery and again, nothing amazing, but ok food.
(3)
Shawn M.
The Grand Cafe is where I celebrated my divorce and next day departure from Key West with a friend of mine... It's a special-occasion kind of place for me. The food is amazing, fresh and tasty every time. The mojitos are delicious and strong, and the dessert menu can't be passed up. I love to sit inside, as there are sofas that you sit on at your table, it's very intimate, and quiet. I also love to sit outside and watch Duval Street happen. But no matter where you sit, you'll find the Grand Cafe has amazing employees, the wait staff is just the tip of the iceberg... the chef is incredible too... I've never seen a spot on my flatware, or on my glassware, so even the dishwashers are great!
(5)
Alefiya N.
As context we went to Grand Cafe to kick off a bachelorette party night for a dear friend. We (a group of 5 girls) were all dressed up and ready for a great night. I'll outline the series of events that unfolded. We ordered our drinks and the waiter accidentally pours two of those drinks on my head which broke the glass all over me and completely ruined my outfit for the night. I don't want to penalize him or the restaurant for the spill.. honestly the best of us can slip and have accidents. However I WILL penalize the restaurant heavily for how they managed that situation. The waiter very explicitly promised us that the round of drinks was "on the house" given the "embarrassing situation" created. That promise was quickly over looked and when we received the check we realized the drinks were included in the cost. On confrontation the waiter totally denied ever having offered us the round of drinks free............. which I must add is the absolute minimum I would expect from a restaurant if they drenched one of their customers in a sticky alcoholic beverage and ruined an important night. Not to mention the fact that I could have gotten injured with glass breaking on my head. The service was appalling in that we were left waiting for long periods without being served and the restaurant was only 10% full when we were there. Yet they charged us a mandatory 18% gratuity for that !!!!!!! the FOOD was ordinary and overpriced. I have had better food in 2 star restaurants in NY. We didn't make a big issue about it as we would have on any other night, only because it was an important night for my friend and we didn't want it to start off like that. That being said I wanted to write this review to warn potential diners to avoid this place as the service and food are totally not worth it! P.S I would have given this restaurant 0 stars but can not submit a review without at least one star
(1)
Will S.
Excellent place to get away from loud weekend crowds for a romantic nightcap. The bar has a great ambiance with dim, but not dark lighting and the walls are adorned with some wonderful art. The wine list showed lots of range/variety, while the cocktails are both well-mixed and affordable. My vodka dirty martini was made to perfection, the Grand's mojito was excellent as well.
(4)
Edward Tj G.
I place finger to keyboard to write about the wonders of The Grand Caf Key West. First off just as I pulled in my chair after being seated for lunch and again at dinner I heard the sweetest sentence in the English language, "Would you care for something from the bar?" Which of course was followed by, "the bartenders can make anything to your heart's desire." Now that is exceptional service and the beauty of that conversation is that less than five minutes (I counted) passed and I had 'drink' in hand. The wait service also was exceptional. They knew when to come to the table and when not to disturb the flow of the conversation while at the same time never leaving us feeling as if we had been abandoned. The menu is a grace of God's good will upon the people and frankly this restaurant makes Key West truly a paradise of paradises.
(4)
Lisseth C.
i love this place! i love the cozy decor and the food is good. Mushroom pasta was yummy and the scallops and great selection of wines. =)
(4)
Byron B.
A great selection of entrees to fit about any tastes. I had the seared tuna with sesame rice noodles and it was very good. Portions were very adequate as well. The wine list was enormous. The staff was very friendly and didn't rush us at all. Great spot.
(4)
Emily B.
I ate dinner here with my boyfriend on our recent trip to Key West. We came here after we watched the sunset and we were seated at a nice quiet table outside on the porch. For my appetizer I had the tuna tartare, which was excellent. The tuna was very fresh and delicious. For my entree I had the yellow snapper meuniere, which was sauteed in a butter sauce....it was so good, and a nice sized portion. I also had a mojito which was excellent. My boyfriend had the mahi mahi which was the best mahi we had ever eaten. It was blackened and served with black beans and rice. I didn't have room for dessert. My only complaint is that our waitress was kind of spacey, maybe it was her first day on the job? She was so soft spoken I could barely hear what she was saying. I would definitely recommend this place, it is a good place to come for a romantic dinner outside.
(4)
Chris H.
Went here for dessert - bread pudding and whisky sauce - SOOOOO YUM! I can't say enough and we had after dinner drinks to go with. I had asked for extra sauce and boy did they oblige. I needed another scoop of ice cream to go with my extra sauce I could have ended up in an neverending circle. Great atmosphere outside on the patio. Service was super friendly. Will go back for dinner and write another review.
(5)
Anne K.
New York prices with Kentucky quality (and even that would be insulting to Kentuckians). Lunch menu almost mirrors the Dinner menu in price and content. Reviews for this place are grossly overstated!!! Maybe coming from Chicago and eating out a lot I'm spoiled. I expected so much more. Grand Cafe is right on Duval in a prime location. Their building is old and charming, but in dire need of renovation. Almost like the rest of the Keys. The artwork was ridiculous. I imagine local transient artist sold some crap to them to replenish his stash. The three of us (my husband, daughter and I) sat inside to avoid all the hussle and bussle of Duval which seemed a better choice. The table we were given was minute. We're also small people so I can't imagine if we were larger, it would be quite problematic. For appetizers, my daughter ordered tomato bisque which was outstanding. I ordered a tuna tar tar with ginger (which is supposed to be their signature dish). That's all it was. Chopped up tuna on three tortila chips with a side of CANNED ginger slapped on the plate. No spices, no flavor, nothing. It was INSULTING! But, I figured that it's just an appetizer so it didn't really matter. We got a bottle of their house wine. If you like wine, drink water instead. I believe it was the French Verget Du-Sud Cabrenet Sauvignon which doesn't even show on their wine list- and rightly so. It was disgusting. The smell was so faul that my husband asked to have the glass removed from our table. For dinner my husband ordered a steak, my daughter ordered penne shrimp pasta, and I ordered a caprese salad (as I was splitting the pasta with my daughter). For 2 entrees we waited an hour and a half . Another table behind us (with 6 or 7 people) came 15 minutes after us and left before we even go our bill. My husband requested his steak to be medium and it came RAW. The potatoes were processed and came cold. You would think that after cooking for an hour and a half the stake would be burnt. The pasta was average. Small portion and comparable to Leona's in quality. When I mentioned to the waitress that I don't understand why a small order like ours would not take a precedent over a large order, her explanation was that this was their "process". WTH? Overall our experience was awful. The food, the drinks and the staff deserve less than a star. If you are looking for a truly nice place to take your date on Duval (or treat yourself) try Martini restuarant down the street. We ate there New Years Eve and it was FANTASTIC all around! That's where price justifies the cost.
(1)
Dean W.
We had a large lunch, so we were just looking for something light for dinner. The steamed clams appetizer were not as described on the menu...supposed to be clams steamed in white wine with garlic and parsley. It came in a thick emulsified sauce with very little garlic, one sprig of parsley, and was covered in cheese. Pretty bland and just wrong. Also....being from Seattle, I'll never get over this east coast thing of being measly with clams. I counted exactly 12 clams, instead of the large bowl we get back west for much less money. We also had the pasta with shrimp. The shrimp was cooked well, but the sauce was a creamy tomato with way more garlic than my clams that overwhelmed the pasta. The pasta was also overcooked, and although they claimed it was their signature dish, we saw it on another menu down the street. I understand we're in high season in a beach tourist town, but for a restaurant that seems to present itself as more upscale, I've had better elsewhere. The waiter was nice but harried, and the hostess a bit cranky. And they added an 18% gratuity to the bill....why do they do that in Florida? According to Florida statute 509.214 the menu should state that a gratuity is added, but we did not see it.
(2)
Aparna B.
This is the perfect spot to watch Duval St and soak in Key West. We had a lovely lunch sitting outside on the patio. The conch fritters were the best and the curry chicken wrap was super....Perfect lunch to kickstart my Key West vacation :)
(4)
Allison L.
Great food, Great wine, Great waitstaff, Great patio dining. Very romantic. I had a tuna steak, which was perfectly cooked. The wine was awesome. They have a pretty good wine list. Best of all, I had a great company. :-) You can't go to a nice place with great everything but missing someone to share the experience with!
(5)
Queen C.
Nice setting ... Service was shaky... Great mojito... Mahi mahi was pretty good... Salad was on the Small side (when eaten as entree). The bread was delicious. baked potato was good. Waitress was fairly helpful regarding food allergies.
(3)
Andrew W.
Perfect location on Duval in the middle of the action - great terrace and elegant indoor room, best looking patrons in town, and good looking, charming and efficient waitresses. Food - mixed but not great; pasta was overcooked and sauce was like Ragu, but scallops and chocolate dessert were superb. Prices very high but in line with Duval street. Waitress asked me to post a review on tripadvisor but Yelp is easier, and I warned her that my review would be mixed. I guess she assumed it would be great since we ate everything and left a nice tip. Not so.
(3)
Harry W.
We were starved and hung over from the night before. It looks nice from the street so we stopped in. They gave us a "free margarita" coupon that we didn't use. The decor was beautiful but that's where the good time stopped. I really wanted water. First I was served a really samll glass of ice water. That's okay... but then I asked for a larger glass and got a pint glass of water without ice. hmm.. kinda mad at this point. Then I figured I would need to pay for water to get what I was looking for and that did the trick. I got a huge bottle of Fiji served in a chilled container poured into a stemmed glass with a slice of lemon. (only 6.50$). I expressed earlier that I was really thirsty. But I guess I needed to pay for my debauchery from the night before in more ways than one. I thought it was annoying that I needed to go this length to get enough water to satisfy me. But whatcha gonna do? I'd be okay if this was the only problem. The waiter was generally rude and took a long time to get to us. Whatever. And then to top it off the food wasn't good. The bruschetta was bland and then the burger and chicken sandwich was no better than fast food. really, they were not. Don't bother going here. Maybe dinnertime is better?
(2)
Robert J.
We were on vacation from San Francisco and had driven from Miami the day before. Our daughters went to the beach and suggested that we have lunch here on a Sunday. Not knowing much about the area, except that Duval Street was very touristy, we decided to give it a try. It was enjoyable sitting on the outdoor patio with its large shady umbrella while watching the passing parade of tourists. The service was good (server was Clayton N). The food was rather ordinary. We had a salad and a burger. The ice tea was especially refreshing as the weather was in the high 70s and a tad muggy. I noticed that the patio area fills up quickly during lunch, but there is plenty of seating inside.
(3)
Sonya G.
We had a lovely lunch on the patio, which is a fantastic place to see and be seen on Duval, and to people-watch. Very classy. The conch fritters were met-in-your-mouth yummy. The service was very attentive, friendly. I walked inside the main restaurant to use the ladies' room, and loved the atmosphere - very classy and elegant for Key West, but not in a snooty, fancy-schmanzy way. White tablecloths and colorful artwork throughout. I had hoped that we could return to have a romantic dinner at Grand, but we never made it back that week, unfortunately. Highly recommend!
(4)
Brett K.
Spent a week in Key West and enjoyed some great food, drinks, sights, and activities throughout those 7 days.... As for the Grand Cafe on Duval St., I can't say they provided anything worth remembering. First the good news, we ate at some great places all week and sampled conch fritters throughout the island, the Grand Cafe served some of the best, and the mojitos were just about everything you could ask for. Given these two items, I give 2 stars, which is generous considering the bad news... The service was absolutely appalling. I am not a picky person when it comes to service but this was beyond acceptable for a paying customer and visitor to a locale that is nearly 100% sustained by tourism. On two separate occasions, by two separate servers, we were left in amazement at the unnecessary, unprovoked sarcasm and facial expressions, lengthy waits between service, and a sense of rushed dining. For the first time in my life, I was forced to leave $0 tip, I just couldn't justify (for the second time) handing over a "tip", as defined by Webster as "a small sum of money given as a reward for good service"... So, with that said, I recommend any visitor to Key West by pass the Grand Cafe, there are just simply too many other incredible places on the island to spend your time, and money. My favorites included Fogarty's and Kelly's.
(2)
donald c.
this place is my favorite place in key west. the food is excellent and the service is superb. the martinis are good also. their cheese platter is huge and reasonable. i probably had every single dish in that menu and they are all delicious. the pasta with shrimp, new york strip and flllet of beef are among my favorite.
(5)
Braden M.
I think I would give this something more than three stars, maybe three and a half, because it was a fine place with a pleasant dinner menu. The cheese plate was very delicious and it was rather large with a number of different cheeses. The mojitos were good as well. It does seem like this place is trying a bit to hard to be sophisticated and classy though. However, it really isn't much of a knock against it considering the way they place is done up. The bar is great for small to medium crowds to enjoy. It does have a nice modern look to it and the service is pretty prompt.
(3)
Lee J.
Awesome place great service highly recommend the grand lobster, a little pricey but totally worth it.
(5)
A R.
Service was friendly and kind... Outside seating was cool... Drink menu great... The food? Just 'OK'... The best part ended up being our desert, a decadent bread pudding. Everything else that was served didn't really match the quality that they were trying to present. My boyfriends "risotto" wasn't actually risotto, my fiery shrimp pasta (it was suppose to be a house specialty - which is why I ordered it) came with many shrimp which was great, but they were over cooked and the sauce wasn't very fiery. I think this would be a great place to get a few apps, many drinks and people watch, but for dinner I would recommend going to many of the other restaurants recommended by the locals and frequent visitors.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Touristy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Lyndsey C.
We ate outside and had a wonderful spot on the outside of the patio.. great people watching and the food was delicious... Two complaints: -We had a kid with us and they tried to sit us in the back of the patio because of this even though there was a fantastic table open, which we ended up getting, but they were a bit rude about us moving... saying with a kid it is easier to be further back... not the case.. and our kid is more well behaved than most adults. The hostess told us we could move, no problem, but the waitress from then on seemed annoyed and they didn't help us move over... we had to ask for water again and stuff because they didn't want to assist. -Server got spotty and rude throughout the evening, even though they seemed to get less busy.
(4)Heather W.
We stumbled in here because it was super hot out and they had indoor dining. It ended up being great! Lunch came to about 40.00 for two people. I had a snapper sandwich, grilled, and it was delicious. All the staff were friendly and professional.
(5)Dolores Z.
We arrived here pretty late in the evening after traveling all day. We chose to sit outdoors, it is a very nice location in the heart of Duval. Staff did not seem especially friendly, but waiter was helpful,especially w wine selection. We chose several appetizers instead of full meals. Bruschetta was good. Caprese salad was good. Crab cakes were small, 2 cakes, okay. Cheese tray pretty good. Overall, kinda pricey...
(3)Michael H.
Right on Duval, it's a great spot to people watch from a distance. We stopped in for appetizers (tuna tartare and smoked salmon). Our server was fanstatic and a lot of fun. She is a resident of KW and gave us our own ghost tour. Can't wait to return!
(3)Deidra B.
Stopped in for cocktails and a small plate, had some conch fritters. They were good nothing spectacular. We were going to order something else but decided to move on after uninspiring fritters.
(3)Georgette K.
Good dinner! We had the crab cakes and cheese plate for appetizers. The crab cakes could of been better. The cheese plate was awesome. My fiancé got the seafood pasta which I wish I got! It was so darn good!! I got the chicken which was good but wouldn't get again. We had key lime pie for dessert good but not the best in key west. Definitely get the seafood pasta!
(4)Diany P.
Two stars just because of the view. Drinks aren't that great food is mediocre and takes half an hour to get to the table and staff not good. Do not recommend. Go to the one right across it. Food here is overpriced too .
(2)Larry J.
Key West offers an abundance of dining, as world knows. We ate here coming in off the crowded streets. It is set in an old residence that at one time was grand. The menu is extensive. I had osso bucco. it was wonderful. The service was impeccable as well. I would highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Steve A.
filet mignon kabob excellent lemon vinaigrette dressing, wow grilled vegetable panini excellent peaches and cream martini excellent service just ok
(4)Barbara P.
We had 2 great visits to Grande Cafe. Great food and wonderful staff. Love the old home it is in. Bartender Matt friendly and attentive. We look forward to our next trip
(5)Jay R.
We stopped in on bikes and felt a little under-dressed. Nice old house converted to a restaurant with bar right on Duval. We ordered martini sand watched the people wandering by. Dan was our waiter and he was very friendly and during our conversation we discovered that he used to live where we do now. Sal world - his relatives live on our street. The food was good, service was excellent and the location was great to waste some time watching the world go by.
(5)Rhonda V.
We stopped in here to grab a snack and a glass of wine! The cheese plate was perfect, wonderful, topped it off with a piece of Key Lime pie! Quaint, atmosphere to people watch!
(5)Thomas J.
Food at this place was absolutely amazing; Had the Bruchetta and Spicy mussels as appetizer. For entrée we had Seafood pasta and Surf n' Turf. Service was even better then the food, ask for Eddy!
(5)Laure M.
Off Duval street, lots of people because of its location. Food is just so-so. It's fun to see and watch people on duval street.
(2)Greg S.
Drinks are great, food was delicious, great service... We loved sitting on the front lawn. Great ambience in front lawn of old historic home. Love this place
(5)mark C.
I can't rate the food. The service was so surly we left before food was served. When asked for a iist of beer (we were there for lunch) the waitress advised she knew most of them then proceeded to name several then stopped and told us that was enough and to pick one of them....... Would not recommend this place. BTW; very nice place...... too bad.....
(1)Mark S.
What a great find. Your basic high end French / American fine dining restaurant. Everything was excellent, including the service. Unfortunately there is no dress code, yeah, I know it is Key West. There was an annoying loud guy wearing a backwards wide brim baseball cap. In my opinion the ONLY people that should be allowed to wear baseball hats in restaurants are women undergoing chemo.
(5)Marco D.
The grouper fish was amazing and the ambience and people watching was perfect. For being on Duval st it was very pleasant. The food was clean and healthy. The bellini was delicious and the whole meal was affordable! The server and staff was so sweet and welcoming, especially viktoriya!
(5)Sarah L.
We really enjoyed our lunch here. It was exactly what we were looking for - a cafe on Duval with outside seating that wasn't upchucked onto the main drag by corporate America (*cough* *cough* Wendy's... *cough* Hard Rock Cafe... *cough*). I must be coming down with something. Good mojitos and people watching - have lunch here when the cruise ship passengers come in... Bruschetta was quite good as well.
(4)Julie H.
Used to be better. The food was hit and miss. The steaks were good, but the lobster was FROZEN!!!! $42 for the Chef's tasting menu and the lobster is frozen! Gross. It was bad bad. We eat Caribbean lobster enough to know bad lobster. We are from S Florida. The waitress was kind enough to admit it was frozen but said it was fresh frozen... which of course means that it didn't rot first before they froze it. We were stunned at how bad the lobster was. The Chefs tasting menu came with a filet, a ravioli, three shrimp, and two lobster tail. Filet good, shrimp good, so if you don't eat the lobster, you basically had a small filet and some sides. Did I mention $42 for this bad meal? Here's the reason for 3 stars... They comped our key lime pie for the bad lobster experience. That's was very nice. Christina our server was kind and attentive. No service troubles at all. Other yelpers have mentioned that they have received bad service. I think the reason that the staff treats people like stupid tourists is because only a stupid tourist would be dumb enough to plunk down this much money for food of this quality. Previous yelpers were also correct, ask for key lime pie with NO topping. It's cool whip-like. Also bad. Either on side or not at all. Yuck!
(3)L C.
Worst service ever...save your money and time. Our server Brock was extremely rude and rolled his eyes when we answered no to ordering cocktails. We were seated outside and "droppings" from a tree above us landed in our water cups so when we asked for another water he replied, "it won't cause you harm and left." We decided to cover our waters to prevent more "tree droppings" and he did not fill our waters that were covered. As he came around to pick up our plates he rolled his eyes at our personal conversations which did not involve him. Don't go here or get service from Brock! He is the worst server and deserves to be fired!!
(1)Eric K.
3 1/2 stars is about right. Went there with a coupon from the Inn (3 or 4 blocks away), signed -- I suspect a referral fee of some sort is involved. Pricey for lunch, although my serving of smoked salmon was huge. Spouse liked her lobster bisque but thought the Key Lime pie was not as good as that at Cafe Sole, which shows up in the same Yelp price bracket. Friendly staff and pleasant patio. Good service.
(3)Grace M.
Food was amazing!! Has the NY Au Poivre which was absolutely amazing. My steak was a bit over done but the server asked before to make sure. I was too hungry to send it back. (MR was ordered, it came out borderline MW). It was still very tasty and juicy and the whole peppercorns on top were a plus. ( can you tell I love peppercorn). My beau had the seafood pasta in white wine sauce. It too was cooked perfectly, seasoned well and had the perfect amount of spice to it. We enjoyed ourselves and highly recommend it!! Viktoryia was our server and was very attentive. Thank you!!
(5)Cory B.
Good food, nice atmosphere, and the music coming from across the street at Hard Rock is an appropriate volume over here.
(4)Chris F.
Atmosphere and location are to boast here. It's a wonderfully cozy place to overlook the chaos that is Duval in the evening. We had a very pleasant waiter lastnight who handed us a coupon with a complimentary bottle of Merlot which was a nice surprise. I'm sad to say the food was very mediocre though. I had the crispy duck which was not too crispy and the sauce tasted more like a sweet and sour cheap chinese food sauce than a gourmet orange duck sauce. My wife's rice and fish were both undercooked as well, and the mashed potatoes tasted like they came from a box. Far too expensive for such inexperienced food, but perhaps a your paying for the atmosphere. Would come back and try a steak though.
(3)Tim H.
Good, but not great for the price. Service was good, but it took a while due to the busy restaurant. The prices were a little higher due to being right off Duval. While my rack of lamb was tasty, it wasn't the greatest quality lamb I've had. Overall, a good, but not great, meal.
(3)Perry P.
What a disappointment. The restaurant and garden look lovely on the outside, but once you get seated and look around inside, you start to see signs of wear and tear. We started outside, but when the first couple of rain drops started, we asked to be moved inside. Our server was gracious enough and moved us quickly inside. The decor is somewhat disjointed and very run-down. Dingy upholstery and upholstered walls, mismatched modern art and dusty chandeliers hearken back to a more prosperous time. Service was basic -- not very refined. A huge bread basket arrives with a "thunk" and servers and food runners whisk by the tables with very little clearance. The food was actually fine. I had a NY Strip that was cooked a little past the medium which I ordered, but it was well seasoned and nicely grilled. My husband had a fish dish (red snapper maybe). It was seared beautifully, but on such a thin fillet, it is easy to overcook. He said it was good, but right on the edge. Caesars salads were passable, the aforementioned bread (foccacia) was bland and tasteless. We skipped dessert altogether. I know this review does not give a lot of info to go on --- but once we sat down, we were just so underwhelmed with the whole experience, we didn't feel like ordering that much and sticking around. All-in-all, with all the wonderful places along Duval, I would pass this one by and select something with a little more charm, character and oomph.
(2)Nita V.
Chill atmosphere. Daryl makes a great dirty martini. Wonderful demeanor and inviting presence.
(5)Laurie H.
The food was alright. We had a reservation and got seated inside. Our server was slow at tending us and the cushioned seats and walls were very dirty. It made me feel so uncomfortable that the decorative pillows were that dirty on the cushioned seats inside. I think the server was overwhelmed and was very busy. We had to sit for 20 mins before he even visited us at the table. Then we waited 55 mins before he came around to take our order (we were ready to order 20 mins in). We both ordered the Grand Lobster. The lobster was fresh and the ravioli was amazing. The sauce was perfect! It was very delicious. The service needed work. Our server clearly was unwilling to serve us with the best service he could provide (another couple near us was served by the same guy and serviced faster and better service than us). It seemed like the other servers were nice. However, I was so appaulled by the contrast in service, I have to give this place 2/5.
(2)Rick P.
My wife and I passed by a few completely packed places to go here. I think the empty tables on a busy poker run weekend should've told me all I needed to know. It took about 10 minutes for a server from another table to notice us and bring us water. When our waitress arrived and took our drink and appetizer order. The soup came out before the drinks came. The overpriced martini's were half full. Perhaps they evaporated in the 10 minutes it took for them to come out. My wife ordered a seafood pasta dinner that was short of seafood and long on pasta for almost 45 bucks. The potatoe leek soup was good, at almost 12 bucks it was very overpriced. My veggie/risotto was pretty good, not great. The service was horrible! We had to wait for forks, butter and black pepper for what seemed an eternity! The worst 130 meal I've ever had. Rick Prado Miami,Florida
(1)Liza D.
We came here for dinner the other night, restaurant was tastefully decorated inside and out, we were seated outside by the fountain and everything looked nice, I was actually very pleased, until everything went downhill: We ordered tuna tartare and beef carpaccio, both were blah. For main dish we shared the lamb shank which was delicious no complaint. Service was the worst, the waiter (a tall, shaved head guy with a foreign accent) came, did not even introduce himself and just took our orders, bread was not even brought to our table until after we asked for it-twice! Finally the bill came, at the bottom was a calculation of "suggested" tip, I looked closely and realized tip was calculated after taxes, it's not a lot of money but still a completely wrong practice. I had to write a note on the bottom of the receipt, I hope the manager read it!
(2)Dave L.
This is my standby dinner location in Key West. Great place to take friends and business associates. Great wine list and I have always had good service. My favorite here is their award winning shrimp penne! Any guests of mine have always enjoyed their desserts, which dessert after dinner I try to avoid. People watching is a plus too! Always get my table outside in the front. One thing about Key West people watching, it's like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get ! :-)
(5)Kerri M.
Wait staff was excellent. Love the decor and atmosphere. Food was extremely fresh and delicious. One of my favorite places in Key West.
(5)Lisa A.
Very nice fine dining experience. The scallops were cooked perfectly with a beautiful key lime bur blanc sauce. The crab cakes had only enough breading to hold them together the rest was pure crab. Sat outside on the porch, a lot quieter than most restaurants on Duval. Prices were more on the fine dining side. Very happy with our meal.
(4)Frank P.
Ok experience. fairly interesting dining area and menu, nothing mind-blowing. The fish sandwich was overcooked but the coleslaw had some nice citrus hints. Fries were basic and boring but reasonably good. A bit overpriced for the quality. Nice ambiance.
(3)BJ J.
Unfortunately The Grand Cafe wasn't so "grand" tonight. My wife ordered the seafood pasta and after it made her sick (to the point of excusing herself from the table) we let our waitress know, to which she replied, "well it isn't food poison, that takes 24 hours!" She made no gestures to how she was feeling or even to remove the item from the bill. On top of that she very quickly brought us our check and was sure to add her 18% for the FOUR of us! A manager never came and seemed to be absent. Just don't go.(period)
(1)Rebecca K.
I really would like to give the Grand three 1/2 stars. We've eaten here three times. It's a funny restaurant: the food is definitely a four and could be a five with more attention to detail. The service the same...I'd say three maybe, based on last night. The food is basically very good; it's really the little things that kill it for me. Last night a spinach salad with pancetta (nice twist from the norm) and a delicious warm balsamic dressing and....boxed croutons. Same with the pasta dish: sauce and shrimp quite tasty but over.....boxed pasta. Dessert also: key lime cheesecake melts in your mouth but...homemade whipped cream would kick the butt of the cool-whip tasting stuff that was actually with it. Sigh. What a great location; if we could just bump up the effort on the food a bit this place would be among the top restaurants in this price range. A note on the service- everyone is friendly and seem to be giving it a good effort but they kind of make you feel like a tourist. Give me a chance to breathe before I order my entire meal, k? And if my wine glass is empty you should probably notice that before I finally move it to the edge of the table to get your attention. But again, very friendly. It's the details. We'll probably be back next year...for lunch.
(3)Erica H.
Delicious fresh food on Duval Street. Our meals were not huge(as seems to be the American norm) but so tasty and fresh. Caprese salad with grilled chicken, BLT with avocado, key lime pie. All terrific and we had great service. We would come back.
(4)M L Elmes P.
You can't beat the setting and watching the people on Duval is always entertaining. We waited almost an hour for soup, salad, and a flat bread appetizer. The salad was wilted and the croutons were soggy. We all enjoyed our entrees but service was so slow and spotty. We asked for butter for the bread three times before it came. Elegant and beautiful but not worth the bad service.
(2)Diana B.
Elegant, awesome food, the mussels and crab cakes were fantastic!! I need to come again!!! Until next time!!
(4)Paula Jean K.
The Grand Cafe, located on Duval Street, is an elegant victorian house which was converted into a restaurant. Key West in July was hot and sticky and we wanted to, NO, we needed to get out of the heat. It's really difficult to find a place that 2 middle age couples can agree on but this was a no brainer. It was a lovely place to have a drink! Karen got her frozen pina colada, the rest of us had mojitos! Best mojito ever! Hand made, real sugar, nice pour. Bartender was a great guy! And, since is was Happy Hour, they were only 6USD! So we stayed for another round!
(4)Jesse V.
On Duvall Street but not loud and obnoxious. Started off with the carpaccio with was prepared perfectly. Then had the crispy duck which was also good. Service was also good. Recommend.
(5)Tim S.
If you're looking for a more upscale romantic dining experience, this is a great place. My wife had the scallops and I had the blackened mahi mahi. Both were cooked perfectly. If you like wine, the wine list is extensive to say the least. We opted for a cheaper bottle ($30) which was very good.
(4)Joseluis A.
me and miss f took a little trip down to key west. the drive took a longer than expected for reasons i cannot remember at the moment but we were starving when we finally arrived and didnt want to walk too much from our hotel room so this is how we landed at grand cafe. the romantic ambiance caught her attention; her reaction to this caught my attention so we came in and the hostess got us a table outdoors by the porch. our server came by immediately and offered us water. he asked if we wanted flat or bottled. flat water is always fine. we got that, a couple of menus and a wine list. the evening was calling for wine so miss f got a glass of riesling while i got a malbec. this malbec, aside from the very attentive service was the best thing about the restaurant. for entrees we shared a pizza with fresh tomatoes and basil and also the fettuccini with shrimp on white wine, garlic, fresh tomatoes and basil sauce. our entrees werent bad, just a bit too simple for the price. flavor was ok, but i thought presentation was lacking. the pasta wasn't al dente how it usually is at similarly priced restaurants. again, the food wasnt bad but it just wasnt memorable. we got another glass of wine each and the check came out for a bit less than $100 with tax and tip included. im not sure i would go again unless im in the very same situation, perhaps i would try something different from the menu.
(3)Lisa P.
We walked up and down Duval street trying to decide where to eat. I have no idea why we chose this place but we were glad we did. The food was very good. I had the white pizza and Caesar salad and my fiance had a steak. The one thing that stood out about this place was the patio seating/people watching and the chickens/chicks running around the patio. I've never eaten at a restaurant with chickens sitting at my feet. It was unique and something different...to say the least I'll always remember "that restaurant" in Key West with the chickens!
(3)James O.
Great restaurant. Good solid food. Try the Scallops and the Seared Tuna. Have been here many times and always a good meal with friendly service. Another must stop on your culinary adventure in Key West.
(4)Joe S.
Today, my wife and I were walking down Duval street looking for a place to eat. We could not have been luckier to have stopped here. Everything here was unbelievably delicious. We started with the mussels in spicy tomato sauce....so delicious!! Must get!!! For dinner we both ordered the seafood pasta with the white sauce...,OUTRAGEOUS! It came with TWO lobster tails! All the seafood was so fresh! There are so many places to eat here....but do yourself a favor and eat here!
(5)Vidya R.
Had dinner here on thanksgiving eve. We got a cozy table on the patio. Our server was very courteous and attentive. The food was very good - from the soup to the tuna tartare as well as the blackened mahi mahi with fried plantains! Yumm! My martini was average - hence the 4 stars! :P else everything was 5* worthy!
(4)Dan R.
So, this is my first official Yelp. I've refrained from posting reviews because, well, it takes time I don't really have. Though I do appreciate reading the reviews. But, on to my first review: 1 disclaimer: This has nothing to do with the FOOD here. Why? Because, I never got that far. So, the girl and the son met me after work (I work around the corner at Truman Annex) around 9:00. I planned on taking them to 2 Cents, but they were full. So, we walked along Duval untll we saw Grand Cafe. The hostess was really nice, and sat us as soon as we walked up. And that's the end of my experience. We waited 15 minutes, had conversations about our work days & school, and the kiddo's soccer game. No water brought, no server recognition, nada. Now, I watched people go by with trays, without trays, saw the same people a couple times.... and nothing. I've worked in the restaurant business for about 6 years. Even if the hostess (who, btw, was very nice) forgot to tell the server, generally speaking one of the staff will come up after a few minutes and ask if anyone is taking care of you. Yep, not tonight. So, instead of tomato bisque with crab, some duck and carpaccio, we had Wendy's. EPIC FAIL GRAND CAFE. EPIC FAIL. Sincerely, Dan.
(1)Ken W.
Very slow service. I recommend that you have the attractive waitress that doesn't understand English very well to read back to you what you have ordered before she leaves the table. We received one order and she had to go back to the kitchen to have the other order prepared. Crab cakes were good after all. I won't try this place again.
(3)Tim C.
This place should be better. Food and service are inconsistent. One time you eat here, it's great, other times you wonder if there are better places you should have gone. Sitting outside is a must for people watching. This is a safe pick for a meal, just don't be surprised if its not a memorable experience.
(3)J W.
Not very vegetarian friendly. Server was very helpful, with an alternative selection due to the limited - or non-existent - vegetarian dishes. Food is way overpriced for the quality you get. Eat somewhere else on Duval Street.
(2)Sasha S.
Umm, what can I say. I have had better food. Theme appetizers were decent. But, the entree were mediocre. I ordered the rack of lambs which came in an ordinary brown sauce without any real flavor. I had to add salt to make the food somewhat appealing. My boyfriend ordered the red snapper and he had to add salt to the fish to finish. I believe if food is really good, you should not have to add salt and pepper to make food edible. Service was also slow. I had to wait 5 minutes for a waiter to great by table. Don't really recommend. Try the "Roof Top Cafe." Much better food!
(2)Indira P.
Grand Cafe is simply beautiful, an old turn of the century house converted into the restaurant where people watching is an entertaining sport and that's where our good experience ended. We went in for dinner I ordered the seafood pasta in RED sauce, it came out in a cream sauce when I told our waiter he apologized and took it back. I had already cut a scallop in half before it dawned on me it was the wrong sauce, when I got my pasta back it was the same seafood only in red sauce with the cream sauce still on the lobster tail and my cut scallop was cleary visible on the plate. My boyfriend had the Prime NY Strip Steak and that in my opinion was a freeze dried, vacuum sealed steak with cold asparagus and lumpy au poivre, a cold baked potato and not good at all. When we complained about the cream sauce still on the pasta the manager came over, she seemed upset that we didn't accept her apology and wasn't too pleased at our dismissal of the excuse: it's not our policy to re - serve returned food. Save your money.
(2)Gerald L.
Outdoor dining was a nice experience. Service was good. The Norwegian salmon appetizer is excellent and the blackened mahi was excellent but the beans and rice they serve with it is very dry and really they need to work on sauce to go with this. Approximately $100 for two adults only two glasses of wine. We would go again.
(4)Gene S.
It's romantic, and nice setting. That's about it. The shrimp scampi was overly buttery...frankly, i can make better shrimp scampi. The wait staff was not all that welcoming. The food was very avg and pricey. Granted, we only ate here once - but the red curry and shrimp scampi were very forgettable.
(2)Lori B.
Great location, great food and service! What to beware of? GRAT!!! All of the restaurants add gratuity to the bill - every bill. We didn't realize there was grat on the check until the last day we were there, so the staff made a killing on us as we typically tip at least 20%. Oh well, read your bill is the lesson learned here. but, check out this restaurant, really fantastic.
(5)Carolina H.
My family and I had a terrible experience here. The waitress had an awful attitude, and when I requested to speak to the owner, she had a sour disposition as well. Want a nice, pleasant dinner environment in Key West? Go to Latitudes on Sunset Key. Menu options are comparable in price to the Grand Cafe and everyone from the hostesses to the waitresses and servers are beyond superb, unlike the Grand Cafe!
(1)Melanie B.
Great food, even better service! Christina was extremely patient with all of our questions & special requests. Wonderful tomato bisque
(4)Gayle M.
I visited the Grand Cafe Key West last week while I was on vacation. I had planned my visit to this restaurant based on previous Yelp reviews. Honestly, it was the best meal I had in Key West over a 5 day period. I was dining alone and appreciated the fact that the server recognized that I was there to enjoy the dining experience. She asked if I was in a hurry or just wanted to relax, when I said I was in no hurry, she stated that she let the chef know not to hurry. I was on vacation, I had no place important to be and the fact that their outdoor seating is right on the main street of the Key West tourist area (Duval Street), I was quite thrilled to watch the people. I ordered the sea scallops that came with a side of mushroom risotto. The restaurant plates the key beurre blanc sauce for the scallops separately which was ok with me. It allowed me to add as much or as little as I wanted. Scallops were cooked perfectly and the sauce was very unique and went well with the seafood. My only complaint is that the risotto wasn't really risotto. Which was odd, it wasn't even couscous. I'm not sure what it was, it kind of resembled pasta and had the smooth texture of a pastina pasta and was very slick to get onto my fork. I am Italian, I cook risotto at least once/month, this was nothing of the sort. Having said that, whatever it was, had wild whole mushrooms mixed in...it was quite tasty. The wild mushrooms were cooked well and gave the side a great flavor. The service was great, even though I went in the late afternoon, when there weren't many people dining at the same time, they seemed well staffed and prepared to handle any crowd. I really would recommend this restaurant as a must do while on vacation in Key West.
(4)Lori K.
We took a chance here during July 4th week. We were strolling on Duval Street and it looked charming and I felt like eating outside. We got a corner table and a very nice server. We chose wine by the glass - I enjoyed the Sauvignon Blanc. I wanted fish and the server suggested the grilled scallops, which were delicious. I would definitely go back.
(3)Yianni K.
Great atmosphere and great food. I had the seafood pasta and my wide had the surf and turf! Both plates were excellent and the presentation was amazing, especially with the seafood pasta. Sorry no photo!
(5)Marie-Helene S.
Had a very nice family lunch here. The service was fantastic and the building is beautiful. We had Spinach salad, Caprese salad, Turkey panini and Mussels with a great fresh tomato sauce. Everything was delicious!
(5)Laurie H.
Friendly service, delicious food, great location, beautiful building (a restored old residence). What more could you want. It's a little pricey, yes, but the portions are generous. And the seafood is tremendous! I had shrimp and lobster pasta, my dining partner had coconut encrusted grouper, and both were fabulous. (They have a lot of chicken and beef on their menu, too, but since I didn't sample them I can't comment.) Extensive wine list, full bar, knowledgeable and gracious staff. Yes, they did add the tip to the bill but I didn't mind because the experience was worth every cent of it, and more. I highly recommend this place.
(5)Brandon M.
Grand Cafe is located on on Duval St. in an old Victorian house with a wrap around porch and an outside patio . The server (Louis) was very nice and made some very good recommendations. We had the conch fritters for an app and they were good but nothing special. The drinks (mojito for me and a key lime martini for the wife) were strong but very good, the price was average for the island. Sandra got the smoked salmon plate for lunch. It had the traditional sides (capers, onion and cream cheese) minus the tomatoes. I donated the tomatoes from my salad that came with my turkey panini. The panini was really good with a spicy chipolte mayo, bacon, sprouts and arugula and melted fontina. Both were good choices if you were looking to stick to some lighter meals. We also tried the key like pie (Kermit's) and it was awesome. The price for the meal wasn't bad but I have noticed everything on the island is priced a little higher than normal.
(3)Sue W.
Excellent place. Excellent food. At first i thought the wait staff was gonna ignore us but after a few minutes our waiter came over to apologize for the delay-he was finishing up with a large party and after that he was spot on with attention. I had crab cakes, they were a little on the small side. Other food at the table was excellent. The bread pudding was outstanding.
(4)Sarah H.
Awesome food. I had the whole maine lobster stuffed with a crab/shrimp mousse which was flambe'd tableside Only 45$ for a 1.5lb lobster! I think thats very reasonable. My man had the shrimp and mussels fettucine alfredo and it was DIVINE I really liked this place. Loved it actually. We had a table right on the patio next to Duval street so it was great for people watching also!
(5)Beth R.
My husband and I decided to spend a romantic day together in Key West doing a day of "firsts". Doing things we haven't done since we moved down. Since we are locals we decided to head from the pool to The Grand Cafe for lunch. They were running a 50% off special for locals in September, plus we had heard from a number of friends how good it is! Our lunch was absolutely delicious!!! The restaurant is so comfortable and welcoming, we enjoyed our time inside in the a/c, with a warm homey environment as our backdrop. Since this was our day of "firsts" and we were both off, we decided to go back to enjoy dinner. It was a smart move on our part....they were very busy, but we managed to land a table outside with a perfect people watching view. Our waitress, which I wish I remembered her name to give her credit, was excellent. The food was impeccable!!! I had the surf and turf special which was delicious!!! My husband had a steak also which he loved. We will definitely be back there in the very near future!!
(4)Ellen K.
We eat at the Grand every time we come to Key West. It's wonderful. The wine selection is nice too. But the best part was our waiter, Pavelle! If you dine there, ask for Pavelle. He was awesome. The restaurant was slamming busy and he had our food and drinks out quickly. He was knowledgable about the menu and helped us select some wine for the table. You can eat anywhere when in Key West, but for us, good wine and good service are a must. Five stars!
(5)Meg M.
We enjoyed a delightful and delicious meal on the front patio of the Grand Cafe last night. Service was great, more refined than many of the restaurants down here. The view is primo for people watching (especially in Key West, always a lively, eccentric crowd). Not a place to stop if you are in a rush; definitely a sit-down, take-your-time kind of place. If you care to read on... The food was delectable. For an appetizer, we ordered the Cheese Platter. Fantastic! The different types of cheeses are intermingled with some grapes and strawberries, the perfect starter to kick off a meal. I had the Filet of Beef (medium rare) with mashed potatoes, topped with spinach and carrots, on the side. The beef was cooked perfectly and the mashed potatoes had a strong taste but were delicious all the same. Another person in my party had the Chef's Tasting Plate; although it sounds like too much, it is a good amount for a single person. The shrimp on the plate was particularly good. Dessert was great too. They fortunately had some more variety in their dessert; a little different than the norm for Key West dessert (i.e. key lime pie, cheescake, and chocolate cake)!! I had the bread pudding. Look and texture were strange but it was delicious. Key Lime Pie was average. But altogether a great place to spend a relaxing (non-rushed) evening out in Key West.
(4)Cameron T.
The Grand Cafe Key West has a great location that makes it look appealing. The service wasn't the greatest. It seemed like the bald waiter was cocky and treated the hostess wrongly by seating more people at a time where they wanted to close but within the hours the restaurant was open. Also when we walked in to the restaurant we had to play kind of an investigator to find the hostess. She seemed kind of tired but i can relate to long hours on the job. If that happens maybe the staff needs a break? I had the tuna tartare and as the executive chef's specialty it seemed lacking in the olive oil mixture and sesame seeds. The focaccia seemed to be too doughy and need to be baked a little longer to get a crunchy crust. The walnut bleu cheese salad was lacking in the ratio of olive oil to acetic acid. For a fine dining restaurant you would think the wouldn't refrigerate the tomatoes which makes them decompose into a flavorless fruit. This place has a great ambiance and 3 stars seems kind of harsh for a restaurant but the service and food seemed to be lacking in attention. For a high priced restaurant it seemed to be good but not worth going there every week.
(3)Mark B.
Best conch fritters on the island... But they don't serve them at dinner. Great crab cakes and otherwise decent food. Most of the negatives about this place center around the service. It wasn't bad...my main complaint was that the salads arrived while we were still eating our appetizers. There are probably better places on Duval to eat dinner.
(3)Jeff H.
My girlfriend and I went here for dinner one night during our trip. We sat on the front porch. It was just getting to be dusk, so they had candles lit on each of the tables. It was a nice intimate setting for a romantic dinner. I ordered one of the specials, which was blackened mahi-mahi with black beans and yellow rice. PHENOMENAL!!! It was the best mahi-mahi I have ever had - nice and juicy, and it was the best blackened dish that I have ever had - spiced just right, not charred (most restaurants' interpretation of blackened). And the black beans and yellow rice were cooked to perfection.
(5)Ken N.
Oh dear. Oh dear. Shocking-shocking-SHOCKING! Had to contend with the rudest waitress ever. Walked out with my family during the order-take and walked right over the street to the Hard Rock Cafe where we had brilliant service and very friendly staff. In short, AVOID the Grand Cafe! We talked about this the following morning and all agreed that walking out was the best decision of the day - we had a great, relaxed time at the Hard Rock Cafe, which we would not have done had the staff at the Grand Cafe not been so awful.
(1)Greg C.
Location is great, service was speedy, food was really good. Not enough to justify the price, but still tasty. I had the house special, the shrimp in pasta, and it was perfectly pleasant. The house bread was fresh and soft, and my girlfriend had the scallops which, I have to admit, were smooth and buttery and good enough that if I were eating one in the bathroom (hypothetically of course) and dropped it onto a urinal cake.....I would really think hard about digging it out. That good. There is nothing really bad or unpleasant about this place at all, but it's not really remarkable (scallops aside) in any way. You won't be blown away. Here is exactly what you will say when you leave... "That was good....but pricey". You MIGHT say...."That was good. So what are we doing next".
(3)Fatty D.
Tourist rip off Nothing at all worthy of even my time to write a review. Just skip this tourist rip off. Expensive, bad food not worth a drive to.
(1)J H.
Awesome atmosphere, ate outside. Best Cheese Plate in Key West.
(4)Garrett P.
The atmosphere was wonderful, and service was superb, but the food just didn't live up to my expectations. It wasn't necessarily bad food, but given the atmosphere and the surroundings, I was hoping for something better. My girlfriend, her sister, and I ordered three dishes. The pizza al fungi wasn't bad, but wasn't good either...it was just pizza. We ordered a tuna steak cooked rare, but it came in cooked all the way through - really ruins the tuna when you do that. Seafood pasta had assorted seafood in it (wow, imagine that!), but some of it seemed old. I've never had as much trouble getting crab meat out of a leg than I did with their addition. It wasn't bad enough that we avoided the restaurant. The next night, we returned for dessert only. I asked the hostess if they make their own key lime pie (we were on a quest to try pies from different places to compare them), and she said that they did. When I asked my waiter the same question, he revealed that they order their pie from Kermit's. Is a hostess allowed to lie to you like this? We ordered the pie, plus got some tiramisu and passionfruit gelato. They key lime pie was great, but it wasn't really theirs so I can't give them too much credit. The tiramisu wasn't really tiramisu - it was more of a tiramisu cake, which always comes out drier than the real thing. The gelato was...well it was pretty meh. Honestly, I did enjoy this place. If I were in the area, I'd return without hesitating, but I'm not willing to give it a 4-star review because the food just isn't as good as it could be. A few small changes, and this place would be excellent.
(3)Lizzy S.
Weather was chilly and we sat inside by the fire place. Such a nice change from the noisy bars of duval yet it's still in the middle of the action. Excellent snapper. Great Mahi. Would go again!
(3)Tessie B.
This was my first time here and I hope not my last. The BF and I enjoyed a nice and relaxing dinner one Saturday night. We sat outside on the porch (under a broken fan). The ultimate dirty martini and mojito were made to perfection. (I only wish they got to the table a bit quicker.) The bruschetta was so good! The tomatoes were clearly super duper fresh! I loved the balsamic type sauce they used and I definitely recommend this dish! Then we had the Margherita pizza with an addition of pineapple and ham. Again - the tomato sauce was delicious! The pizza was personal size, but enough to share if you get an appetizer. The inside bar was so pretty! It has a dark blue ceiling with small lights so it looks like stars. Very nice place for a meal :)
(4)Magnum P.
Great location for people watching. Decent food, slow but friendly service. Above average, but that's about it.
(3)Eliza M.
We are young adults and thus have experienced some unfortunate service at nice restaurants (assumedly waiters don't anticipate good tips from young people and then don't serve us as well.... leaving us with the dilemma of defying their expectations with a good tip or leaving a tip they deserve, confirming their expectations). Either way, for the price you pay here, we found the service completely lacking. The waiter was snub and slow, and messed up our orders. Also, the food was nothing special. The positives of this place are its location and intimate setting, but you can find better for similar prices. It also is good for people watching if you sit outside. Basically, the two-star description says it best, "Meh. I've experienced better"
(2)C S.
very nice environment! we got the steak, but it is smoked, not a big fan of it. service was really good too.
(3)Darius R.
Great food, loved the conch fritters, but service was sub par at best, definitely disappointed, the service the last time was at least acceptable.
(2)Jerry P.
Their signature dish of key west shrimp & penne? Here's a tip for the chef- take the tails off the shrimp- especially in a saucy bowl your guests should not have to dig out the shrimp to clean them. As for the pasta sauce, can you say Campbell's Cream of Tomato Soup? Service was slow, glasses dirty. Go for the atmosphere of Duval Street, not for the food.
(1)Josie D.
Me and my boyfriend just picked this place when we couldn't decide where to go and the formal dining on the patio seemed a lovely place to people watch and enjoy the night breeze coming across the island. Our waiter was polite and we were never missing anything all night which was great. the bread was soft and warm and had us excited for our entree's, which were both delicious. The deserts were wonderful although, in my opinion the tiramisu had just a bit too much kaluha in it, at least for my taste. In all, it was lovely and an enjoyable meal.
(4)Katie U.
The martinis, food and service were incredible! I highly recommend the Espresso Martini (Stoli Vanilla, Kahlua, Tia Maria, Splash Espresso) and the Tomato Bisque (mmmmm, my mouth is watering just remembering it). Went there with one vegetarian and three carnivores - all were 100% satisfied! We tried a number of the martinis, just about every tapas item on the menu, and enjoyed the atmosphere and entire experience for almost 3 hours. Good food, great location, entertaining people watching, and very personable staff! Will definitely go back.
(5)Courtney D.
Came here with a big group for vacay and thought the dining area was really charming and cute. We had a few bottles of wine and chatted the night away. Thank goodness we had bread because our food took FOREVER to be served. I mean, well over an hour. WELL over. Food had generally good reviews; I had the Key West shrimp which everyone wanted and I thought was good. Adding chicken to your small caesar salad though will cost you an arm and a leg though (really, $18?) so beware of some price adjustments on your bill! All in all, better food than most places on the island!
(3)Joanie C.
Visiting from St. Louis. This place was recommended by a local. We went for lunch. It took forever! We ordered soups and conch fritters to start, (conch is over rated btw) thinking they would be out quickly. Nope. My dad ordered a second beer, that took forever! It's a bottle beer at that! The burger had no flavor. The caesar salad boasted shaved parmesan. It was this weird bread like thing on top of my warm salad. Think twice before ordering. We didn't tip and we are great tippers! Shame on you Grand!
(1)Shayra A.
Great atmosphere and service. The food was lovely and we had a coupon that was given to us at our hotel, so the bottle of wine was free. It could be a little pricey, but you should try at least one night.
(4)Kate T.
Awesome food and friendly service. Been in KW for 3 days and so far this has been our best meal. The yellowtail tuna was amazing, cooked perfectly and the pizza misto(spelling?) was just as good. In fact it was one of the best speciality pizzas I've ever had. The location is great and our server was a young polish guy who took great care of us and was very friendly.
(5)Rachel C.
Our waitress couldn't have been any less enthusiastic about the menu and the food is tasteless despite the fact that it's loaded with oil and salt.
(2)Ash B.
Have had better pizza, but the ones they have are pretty decent. Would have given the place 4 stars for the food but the waitress was not friendly at all. Had two of their veggie pizzas and they were more than filling for two persons. Prices are too high for the quality of food but I guess the location and the outdoor seating demands it.
(3)Avery T.
very descent food. Had the tuna salad. It was a nice patio. Service was kinda poor. I enjoyed the scenery and again, nothing amazing, but ok food.
(3)Shawn M.
The Grand Cafe is where I celebrated my divorce and next day departure from Key West with a friend of mine... It's a special-occasion kind of place for me. The food is amazing, fresh and tasty every time. The mojitos are delicious and strong, and the dessert menu can't be passed up. I love to sit inside, as there are sofas that you sit on at your table, it's very intimate, and quiet. I also love to sit outside and watch Duval Street happen. But no matter where you sit, you'll find the Grand Cafe has amazing employees, the wait staff is just the tip of the iceberg... the chef is incredible too... I've never seen a spot on my flatware, or on my glassware, so even the dishwashers are great!
(5)Alefiya N.
As context we went to Grand Cafe to kick off a bachelorette party night for a dear friend. We (a group of 5 girls) were all dressed up and ready for a great night. I'll outline the series of events that unfolded. We ordered our drinks and the waiter accidentally pours two of those drinks on my head which broke the glass all over me and completely ruined my outfit for the night. I don't want to penalize him or the restaurant for the spill.. honestly the best of us can slip and have accidents. However I WILL penalize the restaurant heavily for how they managed that situation. The waiter very explicitly promised us that the round of drinks was "on the house" given the "embarrassing situation" created. That promise was quickly over looked and when we received the check we realized the drinks were included in the cost. On confrontation the waiter totally denied ever having offered us the round of drinks free............. which I must add is the absolute minimum I would expect from a restaurant if they drenched one of their customers in a sticky alcoholic beverage and ruined an important night. Not to mention the fact that I could have gotten injured with glass breaking on my head. The service was appalling in that we were left waiting for long periods without being served and the restaurant was only 10% full when we were there. Yet they charged us a mandatory 18% gratuity for that !!!!!!! the FOOD was ordinary and overpriced. I have had better food in 2 star restaurants in NY. We didn't make a big issue about it as we would have on any other night, only because it was an important night for my friend and we didn't want it to start off like that. That being said I wanted to write this review to warn potential diners to avoid this place as the service and food are totally not worth it! P.S I would have given this restaurant 0 stars but can not submit a review without at least one star
(1)Will S.
Excellent place to get away from loud weekend crowds for a romantic nightcap. The bar has a great ambiance with dim, but not dark lighting and the walls are adorned with some wonderful art. The wine list showed lots of range/variety, while the cocktails are both well-mixed and affordable. My vodka dirty martini was made to perfection, the Grand's mojito was excellent as well.
(4)Edward Tj G.
I place finger to keyboard to write about the wonders of The Grand Caf Key West. First off just as I pulled in my chair after being seated for lunch and again at dinner I heard the sweetest sentence in the English language, "Would you care for something from the bar?" Which of course was followed by, "the bartenders can make anything to your heart's desire." Now that is exceptional service and the beauty of that conversation is that less than five minutes (I counted) passed and I had 'drink' in hand. The wait service also was exceptional. They knew when to come to the table and when not to disturb the flow of the conversation while at the same time never leaving us feeling as if we had been abandoned. The menu is a grace of God's good will upon the people and frankly this restaurant makes Key West truly a paradise of paradises.
(4)Lisseth C.
i love this place! i love the cozy decor and the food is good. Mushroom pasta was yummy and the scallops and great selection of wines. =)
(4)Byron B.
A great selection of entrees to fit about any tastes. I had the seared tuna with sesame rice noodles and it was very good. Portions were very adequate as well. The wine list was enormous. The staff was very friendly and didn't rush us at all. Great spot.
(4)Emily B.
I ate dinner here with my boyfriend on our recent trip to Key West. We came here after we watched the sunset and we were seated at a nice quiet table outside on the porch. For my appetizer I had the tuna tartare, which was excellent. The tuna was very fresh and delicious. For my entree I had the yellow snapper meuniere, which was sauteed in a butter sauce....it was so good, and a nice sized portion. I also had a mojito which was excellent. My boyfriend had the mahi mahi which was the best mahi we had ever eaten. It was blackened and served with black beans and rice. I didn't have room for dessert. My only complaint is that our waitress was kind of spacey, maybe it was her first day on the job? She was so soft spoken I could barely hear what she was saying. I would definitely recommend this place, it is a good place to come for a romantic dinner outside.
(4)Chris H.
Went here for dessert - bread pudding and whisky sauce - SOOOOO YUM! I can't say enough and we had after dinner drinks to go with. I had asked for extra sauce and boy did they oblige. I needed another scoop of ice cream to go with my extra sauce I could have ended up in an neverending circle. Great atmosphere outside on the patio. Service was super friendly. Will go back for dinner and write another review.
(5)Anne K.
New York prices with Kentucky quality (and even that would be insulting to Kentuckians). Lunch menu almost mirrors the Dinner menu in price and content. Reviews for this place are grossly overstated!!! Maybe coming from Chicago and eating out a lot I'm spoiled. I expected so much more. Grand Cafe is right on Duval in a prime location. Their building is old and charming, but in dire need of renovation. Almost like the rest of the Keys. The artwork was ridiculous. I imagine local transient artist sold some crap to them to replenish his stash. The three of us (my husband, daughter and I) sat inside to avoid all the hussle and bussle of Duval which seemed a better choice. The table we were given was minute. We're also small people so I can't imagine if we were larger, it would be quite problematic. For appetizers, my daughter ordered tomato bisque which was outstanding. I ordered a tuna tar tar with ginger (which is supposed to be their signature dish). That's all it was. Chopped up tuna on three tortila chips with a side of CANNED ginger slapped on the plate. No spices, no flavor, nothing. It was INSULTING! But, I figured that it's just an appetizer so it didn't really matter. We got a bottle of their house wine. If you like wine, drink water instead. I believe it was the French Verget Du-Sud Cabrenet Sauvignon which doesn't even show on their wine list- and rightly so. It was disgusting. The smell was so faul that my husband asked to have the glass removed from our table. For dinner my husband ordered a steak, my daughter ordered penne shrimp pasta, and I ordered a caprese salad (as I was splitting the pasta with my daughter). For 2 entrees we waited an hour and a half . Another table behind us (with 6 or 7 people) came 15 minutes after us and left before we even go our bill. My husband requested his steak to be medium and it came RAW. The potatoes were processed and came cold. You would think that after cooking for an hour and a half the stake would be burnt. The pasta was average. Small portion and comparable to Leona's in quality. When I mentioned to the waitress that I don't understand why a small order like ours would not take a precedent over a large order, her explanation was that this was their "process". WTH? Overall our experience was awful. The food, the drinks and the staff deserve less than a star. If you are looking for a truly nice place to take your date on Duval (or treat yourself) try Martini restuarant down the street. We ate there New Years Eve and it was FANTASTIC all around! That's where price justifies the cost.
(1)Dean W.
We had a large lunch, so we were just looking for something light for dinner. The steamed clams appetizer were not as described on the menu...supposed to be clams steamed in white wine with garlic and parsley. It came in a thick emulsified sauce with very little garlic, one sprig of parsley, and was covered in cheese. Pretty bland and just wrong. Also....being from Seattle, I'll never get over this east coast thing of being measly with clams. I counted exactly 12 clams, instead of the large bowl we get back west for much less money. We also had the pasta with shrimp. The shrimp was cooked well, but the sauce was a creamy tomato with way more garlic than my clams that overwhelmed the pasta. The pasta was also overcooked, and although they claimed it was their signature dish, we saw it on another menu down the street. I understand we're in high season in a beach tourist town, but for a restaurant that seems to present itself as more upscale, I've had better elsewhere. The waiter was nice but harried, and the hostess a bit cranky. And they added an 18% gratuity to the bill....why do they do that in Florida? According to Florida statute 509.214 the menu should state that a gratuity is added, but we did not see it.
(2)Aparna B.
This is the perfect spot to watch Duval St and soak in Key West. We had a lovely lunch sitting outside on the patio. The conch fritters were the best and the curry chicken wrap was super....Perfect lunch to kickstart my Key West vacation :)
(4)Allison L.
Great food, Great wine, Great waitstaff, Great patio dining. Very romantic. I had a tuna steak, which was perfectly cooked. The wine was awesome. They have a pretty good wine list. Best of all, I had a great company. :-) You can't go to a nice place with great everything but missing someone to share the experience with!
(5)Queen C.
Nice setting ... Service was shaky... Great mojito... Mahi mahi was pretty good... Salad was on the Small side (when eaten as entree). The bread was delicious. baked potato was good. Waitress was fairly helpful regarding food allergies.
(3)Andrew W.
Perfect location on Duval in the middle of the action - great terrace and elegant indoor room, best looking patrons in town, and good looking, charming and efficient waitresses. Food - mixed but not great; pasta was overcooked and sauce was like Ragu, but scallops and chocolate dessert were superb. Prices very high but in line with Duval street. Waitress asked me to post a review on tripadvisor but Yelp is easier, and I warned her that my review would be mixed. I guess she assumed it would be great since we ate everything and left a nice tip. Not so.
(3)Harry W.
We were starved and hung over from the night before. It looks nice from the street so we stopped in. They gave us a "free margarita" coupon that we didn't use. The decor was beautiful but that's where the good time stopped. I really wanted water. First I was served a really samll glass of ice water. That's okay... but then I asked for a larger glass and got a pint glass of water without ice. hmm.. kinda mad at this point. Then I figured I would need to pay for water to get what I was looking for and that did the trick. I got a huge bottle of Fiji served in a chilled container poured into a stemmed glass with a slice of lemon. (only 6.50$). I expressed earlier that I was really thirsty. But I guess I needed to pay for my debauchery from the night before in more ways than one. I thought it was annoying that I needed to go this length to get enough water to satisfy me. But whatcha gonna do? I'd be okay if this was the only problem. The waiter was generally rude and took a long time to get to us. Whatever. And then to top it off the food wasn't good. The bruschetta was bland and then the burger and chicken sandwich was no better than fast food. really, they were not. Don't bother going here. Maybe dinnertime is better?
(2)Robert J.
We were on vacation from San Francisco and had driven from Miami the day before. Our daughters went to the beach and suggested that we have lunch here on a Sunday. Not knowing much about the area, except that Duval Street was very touristy, we decided to give it a try. It was enjoyable sitting on the outdoor patio with its large shady umbrella while watching the passing parade of tourists. The service was good (server was Clayton N). The food was rather ordinary. We had a salad and a burger. The ice tea was especially refreshing as the weather was in the high 70s and a tad muggy. I noticed that the patio area fills up quickly during lunch, but there is plenty of seating inside.
(3)Sonya G.
We had a lovely lunch on the patio, which is a fantastic place to see and be seen on Duval, and to people-watch. Very classy. The conch fritters were met-in-your-mouth yummy. The service was very attentive, friendly. I walked inside the main restaurant to use the ladies' room, and loved the atmosphere - very classy and elegant for Key West, but not in a snooty, fancy-schmanzy way. White tablecloths and colorful artwork throughout. I had hoped that we could return to have a romantic dinner at Grand, but we never made it back that week, unfortunately. Highly recommend!
(4)Brett K.
Spent a week in Key West and enjoyed some great food, drinks, sights, and activities throughout those 7 days.... As for the Grand Cafe on Duval St., I can't say they provided anything worth remembering. First the good news, we ate at some great places all week and sampled conch fritters throughout the island, the Grand Cafe served some of the best, and the mojitos were just about everything you could ask for. Given these two items, I give 2 stars, which is generous considering the bad news... The service was absolutely appalling. I am not a picky person when it comes to service but this was beyond acceptable for a paying customer and visitor to a locale that is nearly 100% sustained by tourism. On two separate occasions, by two separate servers, we were left in amazement at the unnecessary, unprovoked sarcasm and facial expressions, lengthy waits between service, and a sense of rushed dining. For the first time in my life, I was forced to leave $0 tip, I just couldn't justify (for the second time) handing over a "tip", as defined by Webster as "a small sum of money given as a reward for good service"... So, with that said, I recommend any visitor to Key West by pass the Grand Cafe, there are just simply too many other incredible places on the island to spend your time, and money. My favorites included Fogarty's and Kelly's.
(2)donald c.
this place is my favorite place in key west. the food is excellent and the service is superb. the martinis are good also. their cheese platter is huge and reasonable. i probably had every single dish in that menu and they are all delicious. the pasta with shrimp, new york strip and flllet of beef are among my favorite.
(5)Braden M.
I think I would give this something more than three stars, maybe three and a half, because it was a fine place with a pleasant dinner menu. The cheese plate was very delicious and it was rather large with a number of different cheeses. The mojitos were good as well. It does seem like this place is trying a bit to hard to be sophisticated and classy though. However, it really isn't much of a knock against it considering the way they place is done up. The bar is great for small to medium crowds to enjoy. It does have a nice modern look to it and the service is pretty prompt.
(3)Lee J.
Awesome place great service highly recommend the grand lobster, a little pricey but totally worth it.
(5)A R.
Service was friendly and kind... Outside seating was cool... Drink menu great... The food? Just 'OK'... The best part ended up being our desert, a decadent bread pudding. Everything else that was served didn't really match the quality that they were trying to present. My boyfriends "risotto" wasn't actually risotto, my fiery shrimp pasta (it was suppose to be a house specialty - which is why I ordered it) came with many shrimp which was great, but they were over cooked and the sauce wasn't very fiery. I think this would be a great place to get a few apps, many drinks and people watch, but for dinner I would recommend going to many of the other restaurants recommended by the locals and frequent visitors.
(3)