Marker 88 is a proper Islamorada restaurant, bayside at mile marker 88, the kind with yellowtail and grouper off that morning’s boats and a wine list that knows what it’s doing. That’s not why it’s here. It’s here because the Tiki Bar out back sits under a thatched roof, serves the full menu, and opens onto an actual beach on Florida Bay: sand, chairs, umbrellas, the works. In a stretch of the Keys where “beach” usually means a seawall with ambition, that counts.
It’s the upscale end of the tiki spectrum. Come for lunch or dinner, or skip the table and drink at the bar with your toes in the sand. There are TVs, in case your trip collides with your team’s game, and most of the seating is covered. Two dollar signs, casual dress, better kitchen than that suggests.
Good stop on the way up or down the Keys. Better if you stay for the sunset over the bay.
Mike Ostrander submitted the Tiki Bar and sent the photos, and we appreciate the boots on the ground. It’s hard work, but Mike persevered…for US.
Thirsty for more? Dive into the Bum’s full guide to the best beach bars in Florida.
