Key West nightlife does not wind down when the bands on lower Duval finish their last set, because several bars on the strip stay open until 4am. This guide covers the other side of the night: dance floors, drag shows, cabaret, karaoke, sunset decks and happy hours worth planning around. For the classic music saloons like the Green Parrot, Sloppy Joe’s and Captain Tony’s, see our guide to Key West bars with live music.
Rick’s Key West
Rick’s is a cluster of bars under one roof at 202 to 208 Duval Street, and it is the closest thing the island has to a full nightclub. Upstairs, Rick’s calls its room arguably the biggest dance floor in the Florida Keys, with DJs from 8pm to 4am. Downstairs, the bar runs solo and duo acts from noon to midnight, then switches to karaoke from midnight to 4am, and Durty Harry’s in the same complex has bands nightly from 8:30pm to 3am.
Best for groups who want to move between a band, a DJ and a microphone without leaving the building (get directions).
801 Bourbon Bar
At 801 Duval Street, 801 Bourbon Bar is the home of the 801 Girls, the drag cast that performs every night at 9pm and 11pm. Tickets can be booked online. On Sundays from 4pm to 9pm the bar hosts karaoke with Jeff, and the bar says that is when the Key West characters really come out.
The bar is open daily from 12pm to 4am, so it works as a late stop even after the second show ends (get directions).
Bourbon St. Pub
At 724 Duval, Bourbon St. Pub bills itself as Key West’s original video bar, with live VJs nightly, live shows, five bars and the Men of Bourbon. The complex also has a garden bar and a men only, clothing optional pool and jacuzzi. Friday is Boys Night Out from 10pm to close, and bingo with Holly Dae runs on Thursdays and Sundays.
Its calendar fills with themed parties during Fantasy Fest and Key West Bear Weekend. Best for the LGBTQ crowd and anyone who wants a late night pool party atmosphere (get directions).
La Te Da
Up at 1125 Duval, La Te Da is a hotel with a restaurant, a cabaret, a piano bar and an open air terrace bar. The cabaret headliner is Randy Roberts Live, alongside guest acts such as Varla Jean Merman. Curtain is at 9pm sharp with open seating from 8pm, tickets are sold online or at the box office, and admission is for ages 18 and older.
The piano bar has live entertainment at 8:30pm and is open 6pm to 11:30pm Monday through Saturday and from 4pm on Sunday. The open air Terrace Bar faces Duval from 8:30am to 11:30pm, and every Sunday from 4pm to 6:30pm there is a free tea dance by the pool with DJs Rude Girl and Molly Blue. A good choice for a dinner and show night that is calmer than lower Duval (get directions).
Bull and Whistle Bar
On the corner of Duval and Caroline, the Bull and Whistle is three bars stacked on top of each other. The Bull on the ground floor is open air with a long bar and a small stage where local musicians play nightly. The Whistle upstairs has pool tables and a balcony over Duval, and the rooftop Garden of Eden is clothing optional, which the bar says it means. The bar also lists a rotation of DJs.
It is open daily from 10am to 4am. Go for the balcony view, and know the rooftop rules before you climb (get directions).
Key West EmPOURium
At 618 Duval, the EmPOURium combines a restaurant, the Backyard Bar and The Karaoke Lounge, which runs seven nights a week from 8pm to 1am. The Backyard Bar has live music and about two dozen TVs, with free line dancing on Wednesdays and trivia on Thursdays at 6pm.
Happy hour runs daily from 4pm to 6pm with half off wine, well drinks and draft beer. Best for groups who want to sing without the 4am chaos of lower Duval (get directions).
Sunset Pier
At the foot of Duval Street, Sunset Pier is the waterfront bar and restaurant on the pier at Ocean Key Resort. It has live music daily and a nightly sunset celebration, and tables are first come, first served. Hours are 11:30am to 8:30pm, weather permitting, so treat it as the place to start the night rather than end it (get directions).
Chart Room Bar
Tucked beyond the garden walkway at the Pier House Resort, the Chart Room has been a favorite since the 1960s and calls itself a Key West legend. Expect wood paneling, a nautical look and live music. It is open daily until midnight, and from October 18 it opens at noon. Best for a quieter, old school drink before or after sunset at Mallory Square (get directions).
Conch Republic Seafood Company
For an early evening deal, Conch Republic Seafood Company at 631 Greene Street has one of the most generous deals in Old Town: daily from 4pm to 7pm at the bar and patio, with 2 for 1 domestic, import and craft beer, house wine and premium well drinks. The patio has a stage, and the restaurant is open from 11:30am to 9:30pm, though the bar says closing times vary (get directions).
Planning a Night Out and the Duval Crawl
The Duval Crawl is simply walking the length of Duval Street from the Gulf end toward the Atlantic and stopping wherever the music pulls you in. Start with happy hour at Conch Republic or the EmPOURium, watch the sunset from Sunset Pier or Mallory Square, then work your way up through Rick’s and the Bull and Whistle. The 700 and 800 blocks, home to Bourbon St. Pub and 801 Bourbon Bar, are where the drag shows and the latest dancing happen, and La Te Da sits a few blocks farther on.
Old Town parking is limited and mostly metered, so walk, bike, or use a taxi or rideshare. Weekends, holiday weeks and Fantasy Fest in late October are the busiest times, so book tickets ahead for the 801 Girls and the La Te Da cabaret.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Key West nightlife like?
It centers on Duval Street, where bars such as Rick’s, 801 Bourbon Bar and the Bull and Whistle stay open until 4am. Evenings usually start with sunset at the harbor and move up Duval to dance floors, drag shows and karaoke.
What are the best bars in Key West after dark?
Rick’s for dancing, 801 Bourbon Bar and La Te Da for drag and cabaret, Bourbon St. Pub for a late LGBTQ party, the Bull and Whistle for its three floors, and the Chart Room for a quieter drink.
Where is the best happy hour in Key West?
Conch Republic Seafood Company runs 2 for 1 drinks daily from 4pm to 7pm at the bar and patio, and the Key West EmPOURium has half off wine, well drinks and draft beer daily from 4pm to 6pm.
Are there dance clubs in Key West?
Yes. Rick’s has a large upstairs dance floor with DJs from 8pm to 4am, Bourbon St. Pub has live VJs nightly, and the Bull and Whistle lists a rotation of DJs.
What is the Duval Crawl?
It is the local name for a bar hop along Duval Street. You can do it on your own by walking from the harbor end of Duval toward the Atlantic, or join a guided pub crawl tour.
Header photo: Joe Parks, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
