Hopping into our car, we leave the Caribbean Club with our windows rolled down taking in the salt air of the islands. Over the course of our drive we will cross 42 bridges connecting more than 100 miles to our destination of Key West.
Miles of ocean surrounded us on both sides of the Overseas Highway as we drove southbound towards Islamorada. Mesmerized by the never-ending shades of blue, I dreamt of a day of sailing through the Keys.
Within a few miles from Islamorada, my stomach was beginning to growl, thinking about the seafood selection on the menu at The Hungry Tarpon Restaurant.
We found an amazing table with shade away from the 84 degree weather and our server arrived within minutes to take our drink order. I couldn’t resist the Trailer Trash Bloody Mary, which is a top-seller at the restaurant.
I was surprised that there were not as many seafood selections on the menu, so I selected the Cuban Press, with ham seasoned pork, Swiss cheese, mustard, mayo & pickles on Cuban bread. When my sandwich arrived, I was so excited and couldn’t wait to bite into it.
We all decided to order their chips and salsa because the table beside us had ordered them and they looked amazing. Once we had finished, we decided to settle our bill and visit the pier to feed the tarpon.
Approaching the pier, I could hear the splashing of the tarpon and noticed a large crowd gathered around, looking down into the clear waters. With bait in their hands, they waited in line to feed the tarpon, a tradition which began about thirty years ago.
One day, while Robbie was close to the water’s edge, he noticed a tarpon struggling to free itself from the shallow water of the bank. Trying to save the Silver King, he lifted it up out of the water and noticed that its right jaw was injured. Reaching out to Doc Roach, the doctor stitched up the injured tarpon and Robbie decided to name the fish, Scarface. After six months of nursing him back to health, he released the tarpon back into the wild. Scarface returned, eventually bringing several of his “friends” and Robbie would feed them when they would visit and the rest is history. Schools of tarpon arrive to the dock each day while visitors pay a small fee to feed them bait and the tradition continues.
Sun-drenched and stuffed to the gills, we continued our drive towards Key West with about two-thirds of the drive to complete. Soon we would be checking into our hotel with plenty of time to reach Mallory Square to watch the magnificent sunset.
Have you fed the tarpon at Robbie’s in Islamorada? Or stopped by for lunch at the Hungry Tarpon? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading about my visit to Robbie’s and wishing you many Happy Travels.
What to See and What to Do:
Robbie’s of Islamorada
77522 Overseas Highway
Islamorada, FL 33036
Telephone: 833 913 1842
Where to Stay:
Islander Resort
82100 Overseas Highway
Islamorada, FL 33036
Telephone: 833 913 1842
Where to Eat:
The Hungry Tarpon
82100 Overseas Highway
Islamorada, FL 33036
Telephone: 833 913 1842
What to Eat:
- Ceviche
- Conch Fritters
- Crab Cakes
- Grouper
- Lobster
- Mahi Mahi
- Shrimp
What to Read:
- Islamorada, by Howard Hunt
