Great Restaurant, Great Location, Great Food and excellent service. We ordered the pink shrimp papperdelle and a salad and some Tuscany wine. Everything was amazing. Even the bread they brought was so good, it felt very authentic.
Natasha D Witt
My husband and I went here after our wedding, and it definitely was the fancy celebratory restaurant we were looking for. We got a free dessert and the service was amazing. Our waiter was really responsive and friendly and knew the menu really well. The interior is incredible and has all the nautical vibes you might expect from a restaurant right by the sea. Everything felt so fancy. Okay the food. The food may be pricy, but it’s SOOOO worth it!! I had the Shrimp Orecchiette and it changed my life. The shrimp is clearly VERY fresh and different from anything you might get at a store or at a standard seafood restaurant. The pesto was also the best pesto I’ve ever had. My husband really enjoyed his food too. Overall, I’d recommend this restaurant to everyone, as long as you’re willing to spend $100+ for two people.
The "BEL MARE" is a truly magical Italian fish restaurant that not only impresses with its exquisite cuisine, but also with a wonderful view of the old harbor. One of the best places in KEY WEST.The location of the restaurant is simply spectacular. Located right on the water, it offers a picturesque view of the old harbor that is simply breathtaking, especially at sunset. The atmosphere is relaxed and inviting, and you can literally feel the Mediterranean flair.Now to the food - simply sensational! As a seafood and fish lover, I was blown away by the quality and freshness of the ingredients. Each dish was a culinary masterpiece, lovingly prepared and presented. From grilled octopus to the best ceviche!!! - every meal was a feast for the senses.However, our almost 2-year-old son was particularly impressed by the restaurant's "children's pasta". Created especially for young guests, it was not only delicious but also presented in a child-friendly manner. He got a live demonstration of grating Parmesan and of course he thought it was great.The service at “BEL MARE” also deserves the highest praise. The staff were extremely attentive, friendly and professional, helping to make our evening an unforgettable experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Robert L.
Excellent Coastal Italian dining in a restaurant with stunning decor and incredible Jews of the Historic Key West Harbor. Grab one of the outside tables for a romantic dining experience.
Frank P.
Not usually a noteworthy thing for me, but the bread service here was amazing. Finally nice to find bread and butter in the area that didn't taste like it just finished thawing. Really soft, fresh, and the butter was mixed with garlic and olive oil I believe. My chicken piccata had perfect breading and texture, caressed by the lemon and caper flavors threading through the sauce. Next time, I'll definitely try their fish of choice in the same preparation as my family seemed to enjoy that version as well. The tiramisu was also an excellent choice of dessert. Soft, moist, and not overly rich. The restaurant itself is beautiful with a lovely view of the harbor walk and marina. Great outdoor seating with a dim intimate feel overlooking the water. The entire staff was excellent and friendly as well. We got some excellent recommendations for wine and food.
It was beautiful- food was fancy for Key West but definitely worth the trip and money. Service and staff were amazing. Make sure to bring a camera if you go best views for backgrounds
Steve T.
Bel Mare offers excellent food and service in a nice setting overlooking the harbor. The menu offers house made pastas, Italian specialties and fresh fish. Some of my favorites are the veal bolognese, the osso bucco, the fresh catch piccata and the burratta salad. Portions are large, so consider sharing salad or appetizers. We usually go home with another full meal from leftovers. The wine list was very good with decent options under $60. They also have a full bar. My reason for removing one star is that they no longer offer half orders of their pasta dishes which was a great way of having a pasta as a first course. Now, the portions are too large unless you have it as a main course. Also, the place can be very loud especially if there's a large party of drunk people, which is pretty common in Key West. Overall I recommend this restaurant for an excellent, high end meal. It is $$$$$.
Frank
The food was great - Caesar salad, lobster risotto and linguine with clams. All first rate and hot. The service was spotty and the noise level quite high and it was maybe half full.
Pghdiner
Great food! The Ceviche and Osso Bucco were exceptional. Jarred provided excellent service. We sat at the private balcony (table #59) with the only drawback being the occasional cigar smoke from the cart vendor below us. Inside looked nice too.
Александр Буйницкий
Today I came right after opening to sit with a view of the bay in the fresh air. The weather is good, there is little noise and hubbub from neighboring establishments. However, if it’s noisy or bad weather, it’s quite comfortable inside.Mikayla cordially seated me at the chosen table, and my waiter Nicholas was polite and clearly answered all my questions. It was his first shift, according to him, but he served me very well - good manners, knowledge of the menu and wine list - everything was a solid five.I ordered octopus for appetizer - it was good!Octopus is a very capricious dish - mine was well cooked, not dry, the texture was tender, not rubbery. I really liked how it was prepared and served.For my main course I ordered lobster scampi and asked for some cheese to be grated on it.
Delicious food and truly excellent service. Can't recommend highly enough. I'm not a foodie and won't go into exquisite detail on each dish, but each course was excellent, and I'd highly recommend the octopus and lobster risotto.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Octopus, Key Lime Pie
Pampell
Everything was amazing! We were seated outside on a beautiful night! Our server was attentive and helpful. Everything we ordered was so good. The pesto and shrimp was wonderful as was the calamari appetizer. We will definitely return.
SusieQ
As always, the food and service were outstanding! Our server was Augustina and she was wonderful. Very knowledgeable about the food and the wine. Lovely evening with friends in visiting from California.
ChristopherG
Our meals were fantastic. My wife had the lobster scampi and I had the grouper with mushroom ravioli. The appetizer, prosciutto e melone had a base of whipped ricotta garnished with candied walnuts. All of it was excellent. What was another treat was watching the manager oust a couple that insisted their ill-behaved, jumping on everyone dog, was a service dog. It's a shame that imposters try to game the system and make it harder for people with disabilities. Bravo to the staff for not giving in to spoiled people's rants.
KWriter
Hanrow our waiter went above and beyond to please and serve us. I've been there 3 evenings for dinner in the past 2 weeks. Hanrow was the best server out of all 3, the most professional and knowledgeable of wines, liqueurs and food. Seemed more like a head waiter in a swanky New York restaurant.
Great Restaurant, Great Location, Great Food and excellent service. We ordered the pink shrimp papperdelle and a salad and some Tuscany wine. Everything was amazing. Even the bread they brought was so good, it felt very authentic.
My husband and I went here after our wedding, and it definitely was the fancy celebratory restaurant we were looking for. We got a free dessert and the service was amazing. Our waiter was really responsive and friendly and knew the menu really well. The interior is incredible and has all the nautical vibes you might expect from a restaurant right by the sea. Everything felt so fancy. Okay the food. The food may be pricy, but it’s SOOOO worth it!! I had the Shrimp Orecchiette and it changed my life. The shrimp is clearly VERY fresh and different from anything you might get at a store or at a standard seafood restaurant. The pesto was also the best pesto I’ve ever had. My husband really enjoyed his food too. Overall, I’d recommend this restaurant to everyone, as long as you’re willing to spend $100+ for two people.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shrimp Orecchiette, Chocolate Temptation
The "BEL MARE" is a truly magical Italian fish restaurant that not only impresses with its exquisite cuisine, but also with a wonderful view of the old harbor. One of the best places in KEY WEST.The location of the restaurant is simply spectacular. Located right on the water, it offers a picturesque view of the old harbor that is simply breathtaking, especially at sunset. The atmosphere is relaxed and inviting, and you can literally feel the Mediterranean flair.Now to the food - simply sensational! As a seafood and fish lover, I was blown away by the quality and freshness of the ingredients. Each dish was a culinary masterpiece, lovingly prepared and presented. From grilled octopus to the best ceviche!!! - every meal was a feast for the senses.However, our almost 2-year-old son was particularly impressed by the restaurant's "children's pasta". Created especially for young guests, it was not only delicious but also presented in a child-friendly manner. He got a live demonstration of grating Parmesan and of course he thought it was great.The service at “BEL MARE” also deserves the highest praise. The staff were extremely attentive, friendly and professional, helping to make our evening an unforgettable experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent Coastal Italian dining in a restaurant with stunning decor and incredible Jews of the Historic Key West Harbor. Grab one of the outside tables for a romantic dining experience.
Not usually a noteworthy thing for me, but the bread service here was amazing. Finally nice to find bread and butter in the area that didn't taste like it just finished thawing. Really soft, fresh, and the butter was mixed with garlic and olive oil I believe. My chicken piccata had perfect breading and texture, caressed by the lemon and caper flavors threading through the sauce. Next time, I'll definitely try their fish of choice in the same preparation as my family seemed to enjoy that version as well. The tiramisu was also an excellent choice of dessert. Soft, moist, and not overly rich. The restaurant itself is beautiful with a lovely view of the harbor walk and marina. Great outdoor seating with a dim intimate feel overlooking the water. The entire staff was excellent and friendly as well. We got some excellent recommendations for wine and food.
It was beautiful- food was fancy for Key West but definitely worth the trip and money. Service and staff were amazing. Make sure to bring a camera if you go best views for backgrounds
Bel Mare offers excellent food and service in a nice setting overlooking the harbor. The menu offers house made pastas, Italian specialties and fresh fish. Some of my favorites are the veal bolognese, the osso bucco, the fresh catch piccata and the burratta salad. Portions are large, so consider sharing salad or appetizers. We usually go home with another full meal from leftovers. The wine list was very good with decent options under $60. They also have a full bar. My reason for removing one star is that they no longer offer half orders of their pasta dishes which was a great way of having a pasta as a first course. Now, the portions are too large unless you have it as a main course. Also, the place can be very loud especially if there's a large party of drunk people, which is pretty common in Key West. Overall I recommend this restaurant for an excellent, high end meal. It is $$$$$.
The food was great - Caesar salad, lobster risotto and linguine with clams. All first rate and hot. The service was spotty and the noise level quite high and it was maybe half full.
Great food! The Ceviche and Osso Bucco were exceptional. Jarred provided excellent service. We sat at the private balcony (table #59) with the only drawback being the occasional cigar smoke from the cart vendor below us. Inside looked nice too.
Today I came right after opening to sit with a view of the bay in the fresh air. The weather is good, there is little noise and hubbub from neighboring establishments. However, if it’s noisy or bad weather, it’s quite comfortable inside.Mikayla cordially seated me at the chosen table, and my waiter Nicholas was polite and clearly answered all my questions. It was his first shift, according to him, but he served me very well - good manners, knowledge of the menu and wine list - everything was a solid five.I ordered octopus for appetizer - it was good!Octopus is a very capricious dish - mine was well cooked, not dry, the texture was tender, not rubbery. I really liked how it was prepared and served.For my main course I ordered lobster scampi and asked for some cheese to be grated on it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Delicious food and truly excellent service. Can't recommend highly enough. I'm not a foodie and won't go into exquisite detail on each dish, but each course was excellent, and I'd highly recommend the octopus and lobster risotto.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Octopus, Key Lime Pie
Everything was amazing! We were seated outside on a beautiful night! Our server was attentive and helpful. Everything we ordered was so good. The pesto and shrimp was wonderful as was the calamari appetizer. We will definitely return.
As always, the food and service were outstanding! Our server was Augustina and she was wonderful. Very knowledgeable about the food and the wine. Lovely evening with friends in visiting from California.
Our meals were fantastic. My wife had the lobster scampi and I had the grouper with mushroom ravioli. The appetizer, prosciutto e melone had a base of whipped ricotta garnished with candied walnuts. All of it was excellent. What was another treat was watching the manager oust a couple that insisted their ill-behaved, jumping on everyone dog, was a service dog. It's a shame that imposters try to game the system and make it harder for people with disabilities. Bravo to the staff for not giving in to spoiled people's rants.
Hanrow our waiter went above and beyond to please and serve us. I've been there 3 evenings for dinner in the past 2 weeks. Hanrow was the best server out of all 3, the most professional and knowledgeable of wines, liqueurs and food. Seemed more like a head waiter in a swanky New York restaurant.