Jack Flats

www.jackflats.com  

During any stay in Key West you'll run into a few good and affordable places to eat and so when you find them you need to share the information.  If you are looking for good American food at reasonable prices while on Duval Street in Old Town definitely drop in and eat at Jack Flats during the day or early evening. While this is a fun and enthusiastic Sports Bar at night, during the day it is a rather calm place to sit and watch the foot traffic of Key West. 

One of the major reasons for recommending dining during the day is that you will get some of the most attentive and knowledgeable service around.  One test of a place and of the Server is to pick two or three different menu items and have them tell you which one is their favorite.  This not only gives them a chance to do their job with menu knowledge but also gives them a chance to bond with you and make other suggestions—ones that may not be on the menu!  A different sauce or dressing can make the difference between an ordinary meal and something that makes the customer feel unique.          

The day I went was a cold and rainy day and my Server was bright and cheery and made me completely forget about the weather.  To start off with the Soup of the Day happened to be Chicken Noodle that tasted premade but the added fresh ingredients like farfalle pasta made it really tasty.  The choices were between The Ruben, The Shrimp & Bacon Club, and The Shrimp Poor Boy.  Given the fact that this is Key West and always try to order things native or easily accessible I would go with shrimp—but how was I to know that they could have a killer Ruben made with some specialty corned beef made on premises?  She tossed between the Poor Boy and the Club but decided on the Club.  Now, when it is said that they are Two Handed Sandwiches—they truly mean it!  Let it also be known that this is also a sandwich not to be shared and the groans of ecstasy could bring stares.   

While at Jack Flats in the fair weather, the Locals told me about their homemade Chili.  In the good weather they recommend either the Sesame Crusted Ahi Salad with Yellowfin Tuna or their Poblano Chicken Salad that sounds Southwestern with roasted corn, black beans, onions, tomatoes, chilies, Cheddar Jack cheese, and tortilla strips.  Under their Blue Plates both the Caribbean Skirt Steak and Margarita Chicken come with black beans and yellow rice and sound interesting.   

Jack Flats is a rather interesting fun place to go to during the day but at night it can truly become a sports-fiend paradise with the bar crowd taking over most of the restaurant.  You can and will find great food without too many distractions if you search for it.  Bring some friends because they have extra large booths for all to enjoy.  With about 15 televisions with all sorts of sports on, you could actually find one covering the latest expose on Extreme Ironing!  (True story)