Green Parrot Bar, Key West

The iconic Green Parrot Bar has been a fixture of Key West since 1890, originally known as the Brownsville Saloon. Over the years, the establishment changed owners and names several times, and at one point even operated as a grocery store. The Great Depression ended and World War II began and the grocery store became The Brown Derby Bar, a bunker-like, air-conditioned hangout for submarine sailors stationed at the base only a block away.

After the Navy pulled out in the early 1970s, Key West became a haven for hippies, bikers, vagabonds, and free spirits of all kinds. At that point, the then owner, Judy Sullivan, astutely turned this former Navy hangout into an open-air hipster watering hole, renaming it The Green Parrot Bar. In 1983, Jim Bean bought the place and, 27 years later, teamed up with Key West stalwart and Philadelphia entrepreneur, Pat Croce, who transformed it into the Green Parrot Bar that we know today.

The bar is often called the "last little piece of old Key West," due to its historic nature and laid-back vibe, and has been featured in a number of films and TV shows, including the movie "SpongeBob SquarePants: Sponge Out of Water."

Not only the oldest and possibly the best dive bar in Key West, this place also has hands down the best live music, acknowledged as one of the best live music venues in the country by Rolling Stone magazine. You can almost always find some decent bands playing here, and there is something for everyone – from jazz/funk to reggae, rock, and more. The bar has a unique tradition called the "Soundcheck," where patrons can watch the soundcheck of the evening's musical act for free.

Inside, it has everything you would expect, from lots of artifacts on the walls to a pool table, a pinball machine, and a mixture of locals and tourists rubbing elbows while enjoying some great (affordable) mixed drinks. You must try their signature Root Beer Barrel shot, made with Root Beer Schnapps and beer!

Tip:
The Green Parrot Bar has a strict "no credit cards" policy, so be sure to bring cash if you plan to visit!
The 'back room' is cooler in temperature than the rest of the bar.