Whiskey Joe’s
Key Biscayne Foodie Find
With fresh fare on the table and a dramatic view out back, this casual island eatery elevates relaxed, outdoor dining.
If Key Biscayne were missing a link between its own, elegant lifestyle and that of the casual, kick-back flavor of the Florida Keys to its south, the cultures have been connected by Whiskey Joe’s. Operated by Rusty Pelican owners — Specialty Restaurants Corporation — and located in the Rickenbacker Marina, the surrounding waterfront combined with the sophisticated Brickell Avenue skyline becomes a breathtaking backdrop. Out on the patio, that seats 150-people, multi-colored hanging lights and thatched roofs create the ambiance of an island retreat. But the sultry sounds of a DJ and the bronzed and beautiful bodies moving throughout them come from both Key Biscayne and beyond. There’s also a 150-person indoor dining room and a separate indoor-outdoor event space that can accommodate 150 guests.
The menu also offers classic casual fare that’s laced with cosmopolitan touches. Yes, there are hot chicken wings. But you’ll dictate whether they’ll come breaded or naked, fried or grilled, and with buffalo, honey barbeque, Caribbean Jerk or teriyaki seasoning. Sliders can be prepared using Angus beef, barbeque pulled pork, blackened fish or crab cakes. But regardless of your choice, don’t miss the tequila and garlic dipping shrimp, which arrive in a piping hot, iron skillet with buttery sauce, herbs and fresh bread.
As the restaurant’s name would suggest, there’s a powerful cocktail menu with some whiskey-based creations. The Jack Daniels Honey Berry has, in addition to the namesake ingredients, fresh lime while the Jack Daniels Lemonade has Tuaca, lemon juice and club soda. There’s also a Spice Tiki with Bacardi OakHeart pineapple and juices and pomegranate liquor as well as a 180-Margarita that got its name from the number of calories it contains.
Brett Graff is SocialMiami.com’s managing editor and has been a journalist covering money, people and power for over 20 years. Graff contributes to national media outlets including Reuters, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, Maxim, and the PBS show, Nightly Business Report. A former U.S. government economist, her nationally syndicated column The Home Economist is first published in The Miami Herald and then on the Tribune Content Agency, where it’s available to over 400 publications nationwide. She is broadcast weekly on two iHeartRadio news shows and is the author of “Not Buying It: Stop Overspending & Start Raising Happier, Healthier, More Successful Kids,” a parenting guide for people who might be tempted to buy their children the very obstacles they’re trying to avoid.
