Alabama Jacks is exactly as it is described: an open air fish shack full of people (mostly locals) enjoying good food, an unbeatable water-front location, fun music, and a place that seems to find a way to be just as friendly to children and grandmas as it is to inebriated bikers.
Alabama Jacks has been featured by Emeril Lagasse, Conde Nast and even Kathie Lee Gifford (who ever she is… :-)). The New York Times calls it one of the great Florida fish shacks. The Guardian of London ranked it as one of the best bars in the state. But it never loses its out-of-the-way local hang out flavor – because it is out of the way.
It’s an interesting place – you never know whether you’re going to be sitting next to a group of rowdy bikers or next to somebody who has a house in nearby Ocean Reef. The boating club will have an outing and all the yachts pull up… or an antique car club will be there.
These seats by the rail, directly over the water, are great spots to catch a glimpse of manatees and watch the red-winged blackbirds flitting through the mangroves. In the late afternoon, as the bar clears out to make way for the descending mosquitoes, the birds come through to clean up any crackers left behind by kids.
I’ve been here dozens of times. Whenever Jackie and I head to the keys we make a stop. Whenever I can talk good friends into joining us, we drag them there too. Nothing captures the keys vibe better – especially just off the plane from the cold north – than Alabama Jacks. If that is what you are looking for – you’d be a fool not to take the little detour to a little piece of nowhere. Highly recommended.