Wine Dine and Play

Captain Tony's Saloon

“The Last Mango in Paris”

Key West, Florida USA
Cuisine style: None / Bar

Drank there in January 2016

By Sean Overpeck (CFE)

A landmark attraction and bar for Key West, Captain Tony’s Saloon is a must stop when your on the paradise island and the southernmost city in the United States. In its history the building used to be the city morgue, a cigar factory, bordello, a gay club, and later the Sloppy Joe's bar where Ernest Hemingway hung out from 1933 to 1939. Finally Captain Tony purchased it in 1958. A great place to stop in for a beer.

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From the saloon’s home page:

Favorite watering hole of such legends as Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Shel Silverstein and Jimmy Buffet, Captain Tony’s Saloon is not just a bar it is a piece of living history. The saloon’s namesake, fishing boat captain gunrunner, gambling casino operator and Mayor of Key West the late Captain Tony, was a larger than life character who was often described as a dropout from a Hemingway novel.

Originally built in 1851 as an icehouse that doubled as a morgue Captain Tony’s Saloon is steeped in history. When you stop in for a cold one, remember you are drinking where legends have been drinking for decades.

Main review:

I went down to Captain Tony's to get out of the heatWhen I heard a voice call out to me, "Son, come have a seat"I had to search my memory as I looked into those eyes Our lives change like the weather but a legend never dies He said, "I ate the last mango in Paris Took the last plane out of Saigon Took the first fast boat to China And Jimmy, there's still so much to be done.

From Jimmy Buffet’s “The Last Mango in Paris” released in June, 1985. Immortalizing the bar and Captain Tony Tarracino

If you're going to write an article about Captain Tony’s Saloon in Key West, then you need to start off with a little bit of Jimmy Buffet, especially when the “Last Mango in Paris” is about Captain Tony Tarracino to begin with. I first began listening to Jimmy buffet in my first year of high school back in 1989-90, though I can’t remember the first song I heard that turned me on to him, but I never looked back. I haven’t had the chance to this day to go to one of his concerts, but while in Key West in 1997, I did have a chance encounter with him at the Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Bar.

We were on day three of our Key West trip and were exploring the North and western side of Duval Street plus Mallory Square, and like the Jimmy Buffet song we literally stopped in at Captain Tony’s to get out of the heat. The bar tender then said hello and asked us to take a seat. I can’t make this stuff up folks.

Outside the bar there is a large sign for the tourists to see showing that this bar used to be the hangout of Ernest Hemingway from 1933-1937. During that time the bar was named Sloppy Joe's, and owned by a friend of Hemingway named Joe Russell. In 1937 he purchased a building on Duval Street and moved Sloppy Joe's to that location over a rental dispute. The Building stayed either vacant or used as storage until the 1950s.

In 1958, Captain Tony Tarracino, a local charter boat captain, purchased the bar and renamed it Captain Tony’s Saloon. In the 1970s, Jimmy Buffett got his start in Key West and was often paid by Captain Tony with tequila for his performances.

The saloon was very typical to most Key West bars you will see when you come down to the island no matter if it is here, the Hogs Breath Saloon, on sloppy Joe's. You will see many interesting things cluttering the walls and ceilings. For Captain Tony’s it was dollar bills on one side of the bar, thousands of them. Then on the other side of the bar hanging by the hundreds were ladies bras and panties.

When we took a seat, the bar stools had different famous peoples names painted onto the top of each wooden seat, that represented a famous person that came to Captain Tony’s at one time or another. We got the seats of Dan Akroyd and John Candy.

We ordered some drinks, my fiancé with a wine, and for me a beer on tap, and when delivered, it was in a plastic souvenir cup, that you could also take out of the bar with you, as this area off of Mallory Square and Duval Street did not have any open container laws.

It was a fun visit and I’m glad I got to see it. As I did the research for this article, I had no idea that Jimmy buffet had made a song about it. The countless times I listened to “The Last Mango in Paris” it never dawned on me that the start of his song going down to Captain Tony’s represented this bar.

So many great wines in this world, here are a few of my favorite tastings:

Meerlust Wine Estate Rubicon Stellenbosch, South Africa	Hoopes Vineyard Napa, California, USA
Jonata Winery Santa Barbara, California, USA	La Motte Franschhoek, South Africa
Penner Ash Wine Cellars Willamette, Oregon	Yarra Yering Yarra Valley, Australia
Biltmore Estate Winery Asheville, North Carolina, USA	Bergström Wines Willamette, Oregon
Silver Oak Alexander Valley, California, USA	Eagles Nest Winery Constantia, South Africa
Ghost Block Vineyards Yountville, California	Pahlmeyer “Jayson Wines” Napa, California, USA

Other Key West reviews on Wine, Dine, and Play:

Ambrosia

Nine One Five

The Cork and Stogie

Key West Food and Wine Festival

Sloppy Joe’s Bar

Review basics:

Style:	Casual
Reservations:	Not Required Walk-Ins: Accepted
Dress code:	Casual
Cuisine style:	Worldwide Liquid
Experiences:	Lounge, Great bar, Rustic, Hole-in-the-wall, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood gem.
Payments:	Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
Parking:	Street Parking
Wifi	The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
Noise level:	Loud
Smoking:	smoking and non smoking
Patio:	No

Restaurant address:

428 Greene St

Key West, Florida

33040

GPS Coordinates:

24.558804

-81.805508

Contact Information:

Maître d, Reservations:	+1 (305) 294-1838
Restaurant Website:	Captain Tony’s Saloon
Serving Hours: Eastern Standard Time (GMT - 5:00)	Mon-Sun: 10:00 am - 2:00 am
Groupon	Show me the Deals
Social Media & Accolades:	Facebook Link
Social Media & Accolades:	Pinterest

Reviewed by:

Sean Overpeck (CFE)

Picture below was taken in October 2014 at McMurdo Station,

Antarctica and used as a Christmas card.

“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,

But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”

-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)

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The Cork and Stogie

Best Part of the Key West Wine Festival

Key West, Florida, USA

Tasted in January 2016

By Sean Overpeck (CFE)

The Island of Key West is one of many places of paradise in Florida. Great beaches, bars, and when Jimmy Buffets in town some ballads. The restaurant scene is just as impressive. The home of Ernest Hemingway and the summer getaway at the Little White House for President Harry S. Truman, are just some of the highlights that the island offers. Straight down Duval Street on the opposite end of where the bars like Hogs Breath Saloon are, and nearer to the Southernmost Point in the United States is the Cork and Stogie, a small wine and cigar shop that was participating in the Key West Food and Wine Festival.

Scroll down to read the main review, accolades, and tasting notes

So many great wines in this world, here are a few of my favorite tastings:

Meerlust Wine Estate Rubicon Stellenbosch, South Africa	Hoopes Vineyard Napa, California, USA
Jonata Winery Santa Barbara, California, USA	La Motte Franschhoek, South Africa
Penner Ash Wine Cellars Willamette, Oregon	Yarra Yering Yarra Valley, Australia
Biltmore Estate Winery Asheville, North Carolina, USA	Bergström Wines Willamette, Oregon
Silver Oak Alexander Valley, California, USA	Eagles Nest Winery Constantia, South Africa
Ghost Block Vineyards Yountville, California	Pahlmeyer “Jayson Wines” Napa, California, USA

You can also use these sites for reference on the top wine categories:

Wine Spectator top 100, Food & Wine worlds best wine tasting experience, the Best Wines of the World list, uncorked.com worlds best list, Wines of the World best list, Forbes top wine list, weekly wine buys by Robert Parker, the Tasting Panel’s best wines list, the Wine Enthusiast top 100 list, Kens Wine Guide top 100, best Chilean wines list, Matthew Jukes top 100 of Australia, Top French Wines list, top California wines list, top Oregon wines list, The Italian Wine Connections top list, Taylor and Norton best German wine, best Spanish wines list, best 10 wines from Argentina.

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From the home page:

Cork & Stogie is family owned and operated. After moving to Key West from Columbus Ohio, we opened the Southernmost wine and cigar shop in September of 2009 and we have been welcomed into the community ever since.

Our specialties are wine and cigars. Our customers particularly value that we personally approve all of the products that we carry. Come see us and enjoy the most intimate porch on Duval Street!

Main review:

Cuba is ninety miles to the South, and just starting to open up, but it is still going to be along time before regular unaccompanied tourism and trade happen. Until that time, why not visit the closest cigar store to Cuba! With 20 types of cigars for sale, 75 types of beer with 11 on tap, 42 bottles, and 22 canned, plus an extensive wine list and outdoor patio comfort, why not visit the Cork and Stogie instead of Cuba for your next trip?

My fiancé and I were on our third day in Key West and had come down primarily for the Key West Food and Wine Festival. The first day and welcome party was wonderful and set the tone for the events that would come. Unfortunately the tone turned sour as by the second event it was going down hill. We were ready to participate in the third event, called Duval Uncorked where you travel down Duval Street and drink wine with the local merchant and shop keepers. It sounded great, except the invite and documents did not mention where it all began.

So we were at one end of Duval near Mallory Square, but unbeknown to use, the event was starting at the opposite end three miles to the South near the Southernmost Point. So we were walking down the sidewalk, and ever so often would run into a wine or art gallery and ask them if they knew where this event was. No one had any idea as they were not participating in the events. Finally we started to see people with the event passes around their necks and figured we were finally heading in the right direction. We arrived at the Cork and Stogie and the owner Dave Bevons was very helpful in letting us know where the event was located.

We continued on our way, but Dave did invite us back for a drink, to which we gladly did. Especially when we arrived, to discover that the tastings were over and mostly everyone had left. We got our money back from the event, then headed back up to visit Dave at the Cork and Stogie. He and his wife were very kind and we struck up conversations with them, a few wine representatives and some locals, enjoying our time as we drank a few wines. It was by far the best part of the Key West Food and Wine Festival that day. I’m not a cigar person so I did bypass that portion but I still appreciate Dave’s kindness and hope that you stop by his store when you visit Key West next.

My fiancé had a few glasses of a rosé called Whispering Angel by Chateau d’Esclans which is located on elevated land on the Gorges de Pennafort, near the ancient Roman City of Fréjus on the Mediterranean coast. Château d’Esclans lies in the center of the Department of the Var, where the majority of Provence AOC rosé is produced. The château is known for its old Grenache vines which produce grapes that offer greater concentration of flavor than do the younger vines. As the elevation to where the lots are situated increases, so do the age of the vines. At the highest elevated lot vines are as old as 90 years.

I enjoyed a nice glass of cabernet sauvignon from Domino winery based out of Manteca, California. Domino winery is a collection of contemporary, smooth-drinking wines from Merlot, Cabernet, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and moscato.

After our wonderful conversation and wine, we bid our hosts goodbye and went off to eat dinner. We were in the mood for some sushi, and had seen a Japanese restaurant two days before when going to the first wine festival event, so on we went to Ambrosia.

Bouquet & Palette Notes:

Wine & Grape:	Nose (Bouquet):	Palette Experience:
Whispering Angel Rose	Winemaker: Strikingly pale pink in color, the aromas are fresh and fruity My Tasting: Unoaked blend of Grenache, Rolle, Cinsault, and Syrah. hints of orange, berry’s and spice CONTACT WINERY	Winemaker: On the palate, it is bone dry through the finish. The name really suits the delicate nature of this wine. My Tasting: Well Balance, and very dry, citrus flavors and moderate tannin, with a long finish
Domino Cabernet Sauvignon American vituculture Association	Winemaker: Blackberry, black cherry and violet My Tasting: A rich cabernet with subtle oak, plum, berries, and coffee CONTACT WINERY	Winemaker: flavors of jammy black fruit compote with notes of clove and spice My Tasting: The plum and oak carry over along with some cinnamon and all-spice flavor. Very rich and medium tannins with subtle silky finish.

Wine selections by region:

6 of 10

Old world:

France:

A). Bordeaux: (Haut Médoc, Cotes de Castillon, Médoc, Pessac Leognan, Sauternes, St. Estèphe, St. Julien, St. Émillion, Pauillac, Pomerol, & Margaux).

B). Bourgogne: (Chablis, Puligny Montrachet, Chassagne Montrachet, Macon Villages, Meursault, Pernand, Pouilly.

C). Other: Côtes du Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Italy
Spain: Ribera del Duero, Rioja
Germany

New World:

Argentina: Mendoza,
Chile:
New Zealand:

A). Marlborough: (Wairau Valley, Awetere Valley, Waihopi Valley)

California: Sonoma, Napa, Edna Valley, Livermore Valley, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley,& Monterey
Oregon: Umpqua Valley
Florida: Mead / honey wine

“Explore Stogie's wine list”

Other Key West reviews on Wine, Dine, and Play:

Ambrosia

Nine One Five

Key West Food and Wine Festival

Sloppy Joe’s Bar

Captain Tony’s Saloon

Store Owner:

Dave Bevons

Store Address:

1218 Duval Street

Key West, Florida

33040

See Google Maps

GPS Coordinates:

24.548489

-81.797552

Tasting Room Information:

Hours: Eastern Standard Time (GMT-5:00)	Monday - Sunday: 10:00 am - 11:00 pm
Contact:	+1 305.517.6419
Website:	The Cork and Stogie
Email:	Contact
Social Media:	Facebook Link
	Twitter @corkandstogie
	Pinterest
	Cork Board

Reviewed by:

Sean Overpeck (CFE)

Picture below was taken at the Cork and Stogie with Dave Bevons

About Sean:

I am based out of St. Petersburg, Florida working in the food service industry for the past twenty years, and am currently with the American Embassy as the Executive Chef in Basra, Iraq. Formally I have worked with groups contracting in Afghanistan, Dubai, and Antarctica, also working in restaurants in and around Atlanta prior to the wars. I have also owned a catering company and served proudly in the United States Army Food Service Program. The idea for the Wine, Dine, and Play started in late 2012 after a trip to Jordan, when I was asked by friends to write down the experiences from a few Jordanian restaurants, plus the wine from the region that I tasted, and locations of interest such as Petra, and the culture. Since that time, over 200 articles have been written on restaurants, including fifteen from the worlds top 100 lists of San Pellegrino and the Elite Travelers Guide; exotic world locations such as Dubai, Petra, Victoria Falls, and South African Safari’s; food recipes & Grand Food Dictionaries; country cuisines such as Afghan and Peruvian; and of course wine from vineyards in California, Oregon, the Carolina’s, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia

Who is John Galt?

“I like cooking with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food.”