First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery image

First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery

Restaurant Bar

American fare & house brews in a chill, aviation-themed space with a courtyard shaded by palm trees. People often mention delicious, great, good, staff, atmosphere, cool, dinner, outdoor, beer, fish,


Address

301 Whitehead St, Key West, FL 33040

Website

firstflightkw.com

Contact

(305) 293-8484

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.40 (1.4K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Monday: 11 AM to 10 PM
  • Tuesday: 11 AM to 10 PM
  • Wednesday: 11 AM to 10 PM
  • Thursday: 11 AM to 10 PM
  • Friday: 11 AM to 10 PM
  • Saturday: 11 AM to 10 PM
  • Sunday: 11 AM to 10 PM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: delicious (12) great (12) good (11) staff (11) atmosphere (10) cool (10) dinner (8) outdoor (8) beer (8) fish (7)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 4/5 A R. 2 years ago on Google
    Arrived 20 minutes before the scheduled dinner opening at 4pm and was allowed to be seated early which was convenient. We were able to get the large pretzel ($12) from the lunch menu. Tried a Pusser’s Pain Killer and Strawberry Limeade, ($12 each) both were very good. For dinner we had the Grouper ($39) and Brewery Burger ($20.) Each dish was delicious. The grouper was a bit expensive for what you get in my opinion. The fries that came with the burger were not the best. There’s outdoor seating. Overall not a bad place to have dinner, I’d suggest going with Happy Hour items.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Mr S C. 2 years ago on Google
    Heather was our waitress here and she was so attentive and friendly. She helped make our dining even more enjoyable with conversation. I had the fish tacos which were excellent and my wife had a garden salad with blackened shrimp wrap. The meal here was the best we had in Key West so far. Nice quiet and relaxing atmosphere. We could definitely hang out here for an hour or two. A must do for a great meal in Key West.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 John 1 year ago on Google
    What a cool place! My wife and I stopped for dinner on a Tuesday night. Not too crowded. Service: staff were awesome. Very friendly and attentive Location: great spot in old Town, and convenient to get to. The building itself is pretty cool, especially knowing it was once one of the headquarters for Panam. Which definitely inspired great decor there. Plenty of great outdoor seating too; the outdoor area is very well setup Food: delicious! Started with the Tuna poke, which was very good. I had the island chicken pasta as my entree. The chicken was cooked well and sauce was delicious. My wife had the fish tacos, which were also very tasty. Historic building. Good service. Good food. Definitely worth a stop!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Maria S. 1 year ago on Google
    Stopped here to chill after walking Key West half the day and cool off with their 5 flight of microbrewery. Sat at the bar. Bartender was friendly, answered any questions we had on their microbrews. Nice atmosphere, a lot of shade, beautiful gardens. Many memorabilia of Pan Am back in the day. Located across the Truman Little White House.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Gaby C. 2 years ago on Google
    Great atmosphere and staff! We had a nice dinner, I enjoyed specially the fried raviolis. Beautiful patio. I confused the reservations but the manager and the host were very attentive and accommodate us right away. Definitely we will come back!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Adam P. 2 years ago on Google
    Terrific food, fantastic cocktails (seriously - the bartenders are top notch) and awesome beer! We were in Key West twice last week on vacation, and we stopped by each time. The location is perfect - close to all the action but off the "main road", the atmosphere is awesome (huge outdoor space) and the staff is amazing. The only minor drawback - the key lime pie dessert doesn't really compete with some of the local shops. I appreciate the attempt to stand out (oreo crust and a firmer pie) but the pie was a bit too firm and there just wasn't any lime flavor in it. Everything out though - absolutely amazing.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kate’O 2 years ago on Google
    My husband and I went here recently for the first time. So glad we had reservations, because this place was hoppin! Really cool history behind this building, so the atmosphere was very well done with Pan Am decor. The staff are super friendly attentive here. Our waiter Igor was probably one of the best we've ever had in all of Key West!!! No joke! Our food was quick to come out, and my goodness it was delicious!!! We had the whole snapper, grouper and seafood fettuccine. Haven't cleared a plate like that in forever! Sooooooo good!!! Highly recommend this KW gem!!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Melissa R. 8 months ago on Google
    The best dinner I’ve ever had! The chef prepared our fresh grouper and snapper we caught on a charter and it was delicious, everything on the table was absolutely delicious, and the service was outstanding. The chef completely catered to all of us.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Jen M. 11 months ago on Google
    OOF. The only reason this is not one star is the beers- drinkable, enjoyable on a hot night. What we should’ve done is the appetizer test (taste before you *order*) When we tasted the deviled eggs I KNEW it was time to bail but too late… The fried jalapeños were mushy and tasteless… $11 for 2 eggs cut in half with mushy jalapeños and absolutely nothing punchy or special about them. My fiancé got the burger which was nothing special either. Mushy onion rings.. just a fatty burger with awful fries that were most likely frozen- no crunch or texture, just grainy. I got the “summer salad” with blackened mahi which was just salty and way over cooked. The waitress replaced it with shrimp upon telling me that “this fish is always this texture, that’s mahi mahi” very pretentiously… yes, thank you, I’ve had plenty of mahi and never hasit been so salty and rubbery and frankly inedible… The dressing was tasteless, just oil, no seasoning, citrus, sweetness, ANYTHING… it was just like eating salty salty shrimp on top of a tasteless bed of leaves. For a flight, an app, and salad + burger (some of the cheapest things on the dinner menu) $82… WOOOF.. wish I could’ve enjoyed it.. TLDR: extremely underwhelming tasteless food, poor/rude service, decent beers
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Daniel T. 9 months ago on Google
    My reason for the low rating was because of the server. If I knew I was going to be treated like the way we were, I would've never stepped foot in here. We decided to try First Flight as we were making our way back to our cruise ship. We were thinking this would be an awesome place to relax, cool down with some cold drinks and fill up on some delicious food. We waited a few seconds at the hostess station due to no one being there. A woman then comes out of the bar asking if we had reservations. We said no and we asked if we should make one. She did tell us a reservation was not needed. The place wasn't busy so I was surprised we needed a reservation. She then sat us and provided us menus. Our server comes over within a few seconds after being seated asking if we wanted some drinks from the bar. We told him not at the moment because we hadn't had a chance to view the menu. He became irritated by this. We opted for a couple of pretzels for the table. He was filing our glasses with iced water and making a mess on the floor and table by over filing the glasses. Maybe the ice and water on the floor is for the chickens. He then comes back to check on us to get our food order and we wanted a few beers. He seemed irritated that we now wanted drinks from the bar. He took our food/drink order. A few moments later our apps came out with our beers. The food came out shortly after that. We were a party of seven so we shared a couple of pretzels. Some of us ordered some jerk chicken sandwiches, the tuna steak, and the brewery burger. The side pasta salads that came with the sandwiches can be a meal on its own. The serving was huge. I had no complaints from my kids about their food. The food and pretzels were delicious. The pretzels were some of the best I have ever had. The cheese sauce that comes with the pretzel was on another level! I'm not sure if our server was having a bad day but he seemed bothered as if we were an inconvenience to him. We even asked about the chickens that were roaming in the restaurant and that set him off. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was done with us.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 CMB C. 10 months ago on Google
    This restaurant is a large, beautiful space, with indoor and outdoor seating. Cool, comfortable environment on the inside even though it's still somewhat open. The food was decent, and the drinks were good, but beer wasn't as cold as it should be. Salads were crispy and meat cooked well. Tacos were good with flavorful tortilla. They brew their own beers and have a quaint gift shop on site.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Robert S. 1 year ago on Google
    My wife and I had lunch here after touring Harry S. Truman Little White House across the street. Drinks were great as well as the food and service. The key lime margarita and old Havana red amber ale get two thumbs up. Hummus trio, summer salad, di parma flatbread, and brisket panni with fries also two thumbs up. We also had the company of a few feathered friends native to the island.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Jessi C. 2 years ago on Google
    We wanted to like this place, but it just did not live up to our expectations. The outdoor dining area is nice and the food was decent, however 2/3 of our orders had to be taken back into the kitchen because they were incorrect and the service was subpar. The beer in our flight weren't labeled so we were not sure which was which, not that it mattered because we only enjoyed one out of the five.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Taylor J. 1 year ago on Google
    Definitely make a reservation so you can get a table, otherwise there is limited space. We got to enjoy the food here thanks to Julian at the front desk!! Loved the flights. I think it was the best seafood fettuccine alfredo I’ve ever had! My parents loved their burger and fish tacos. Such a great place!

  • 5/5 ET B. 1 year ago on Google
    Stopped for lunch. Grabbed an Endless Summer beer and Black n Blue salad. Beer slightly flat but very flavorful. Salad extremely delicious with all fresh ingredients. Damian behind the bar was beyond helpful and friendly. He was knowledgeable about both the beer and food. Would definitely return.

  • 2/5 EpikOne 10 months ago on Google
    The location and history of this place is what you go here for. It's cool to see what they have done with the first Pan America ticket place by turning it into a restaurant. The atmosphere is in the back yard of a house it seems like and there are even chickens running around like you would expect in Cuba. It's honestly really cool. Also, I have to say, the staff here was polite, courteous, and welcoming. I have nothing bad to really say about this. Here is the part where it falls short. I should have taken pictures, but I ordered the $38 swordfish which presentation wise looked great. However, it did not taste great at all. It was bland and seemed as if it might have been frozen previously. It had a certain refrigerator or freezer taste in once section and was cooked warm enough. However, the water content in it may be because it was thawed and then cooked. Even if this is not the case, the fish was very bland, with little to no flavor, and had to be over salted. It comes with Avocado Jasmine rice which was actually way tastier than the fish. If it were possible to just have that, it would have been a better meal. My girlfriend bought the brisket macaroni and cheese and the color of it looked like it wasn't going to be good. Sadly, it wasn't great, but it was better than my swordfish. If eating here, I wouldn't suggest going for pricey stuff and stick to the more simple stuff such as fries, burgers, and other not complicated entrees. Lastly, the gift shop is pretty cool. they have a lot of cool things in there that are really awesome looking. Do not come here expecting top quality food. Come for the ambience and pleasantness.

  • 5/5 Jerry V. 2 years ago on Google
    A huge local beer list AND excellent cocktail listing. Food is five-star! I would definitely recommend stopping by this eatery.

  • 4/5 Rudolf H. 2 years ago on Google
    This is a restaurant and brewery that is located in the former Pan Am ticketing office. It did not disappoint. The beer was great and so was the beef brisket Mac and cheese. It offers an nice outdoor dining area as well as in doors. I also recommend the gift shop where you can see a little bit of Pan AM. The staff is very friendly and the service is great. The only short fall is that I think if you are in such a historical location and I would guess that a lot of your customers are into Pan Am and aviation your staff should be able to provide something about the history of the building. Places like this usually have staff that can talk a little bit about the history or you could place something like this on your menu front page. Definitely will eat here again.

  • 5/5 Denise W. 9 months ago on Google
    Visited here for a wedding and reception. Cannot recommend it highly enough. Started with Key lime Margaritas and took off from there. All of the food was really delicious. I would definitely go back there, even if it was a wedding reception or not. Very cool bar, based on its location as a former PanAm ticket office, I guess. But they had delicious drinks and a fantastic atmosphere. Definitely recommend.

  • 4/5 Gene H. 1 year ago on Google
    We've passed by a few times over the years and finally made itba point of stopping in! The Jerk Chicken Sandwiches were very good and the fries were thick cut and hot! Cool place and history surrounds you...don't wait as long as we did to stop in and take it all in...

  • 5/5 Kevin E. 2 years ago on Google
    Great food, great drinks in an awesome outdoor atmosphere. Service was excellent and the menu had something for everyone.

  • 5/5 Jessica L. 5 months ago on Google
    We loved our dinner! The staff was so sweet and gave us complimentary champagne for our anniversary! My husband said the meal he had was his favorite of our whole trip to the keys!

  • 5/5 Mike S. 8 months ago on Google
    Just an amazing place, and staff! Food was amazing and delicious! Great atmosphere. Great selection of beer, and cocktails. Server’s treat you like royalty. Love this place.

  • 5/5 Ryan I. 6 months ago on Google
    We loved the restaurant and the ambiance inside. The Tuna Poke was really good with the wontons, the sweet chili wings were excellent. We also go the fish tacos they were good. Best part of the meal was the drinks, they were excellent and affordable. The spicy sunset margarita was amazing, there can be a bit of spice from the jalapeños, but they’re fresh so is a really good balance and taste.

  • 5/5 Simon H. 9 months ago on Google
    Great micro brewery with excellent beers. Didn't try the food but it looked good. Lovely atmosphere. Great staff. Little chickens free roaming everywhere! Loved it.


Call (305) 293-8484 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Pets
    • ✓️ Dogs allowed
  • Parking
    • ✓️ Paid street parking
  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Quick bite
    • ✓️ Hard liquor
    • ✓️ Comfort food
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Organic dishes
    • ✓️ Happy hour food
    • ✓️ Late-night food
    • ✓️ Happy hour drinks
  • Popular for
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Solo dining
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible restroom
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Brunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
    • ✓️ Catering
    • ✓️ Breakfast
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Takeout
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating

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