No Wine List. Don't Care. Get the Sangria.
Old Town (Catherine Street) · Key West · Cuban · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · February 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed El Siboney’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
El Siboney does not have a wine list. They do not serve wine at all. And they are in this guide anyway. Because Raging Wine is about finding the right drink at the right place, and at El Siboney the right drink is their homemade sangria. Fruity, strong, cold, and absolutely perfect with a plate of roast pork and black beans. This is the Cuban restaurant that locals call "the place where conchs take other conchs to dinner." It has been winning Best Cuban Restaurant in Key West every year since 1993, and the de la Cruz family has been running it since 2004.
Not every great meal needs a sommelier. Sometimes you need a picnic table, a plate of Masitas de Puerco Fritas, a cup of that sangria, and absolutely zero pretense. El Siboney is that restaurant. The portions are enormous, the prices are almost comically low (four people can eat for about $60), and the food is cooked with the kind of pride that no amount of Michelin stars can manufacture. If you want paella, call an hour ahead. If you want the roast pork, just show up.
We keep coming back to the sangria because it deserves its own section. It is made in-house, served cold, and pairs with everything on the menu in the way that only a drink made for the food can. It is not fancy. It is not trying to be a wine replacement. It is the exact right beverage for this exact right restaurant. Order it.
Located at 900 Catherine Street with a second location on Stock Island. Open Monday through Sunday, 11 AM to 9:30 PM. No reservations needed. TripAdvisor ranks it #32 out of 360 Key West restaurants, which for a place with laminated menus and paper napkins tells you everything about the food. Call (305) 296-4184 if you want to order the paella ahead.
The Bottom Line
El Siboney breaks every rule in this guide and still earns its spot. No wine, no white tablecloths, no reservations. Just the best Cuban food on the island, homemade sangria that hits perfectly, and a check that makes you feel like you got away with something.
Historic Seaport · Key West · American / Seafood
Schooner Wharf is a legitimately great bar — just not a wine bar. Order a beer, get the shrimp, watch the sunset, and if you must have wine, grab the Sterling Sauv Blanc and call it a day.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Duval Street / Old Town · Key West · Seafood / New American
Bagatelle is doing more with wine than most restaurants in the Keys bother to attempt, and for a tourist-heavy Duval Street address, that matters. The markups are real and the list skews safe-prestige, but if you're in Key West and want a proper bottle with your lobster, this is where you go.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Fleming Street / Old Town · Key West · Seafood / Raw Bar
Thirsty Mermaid is a Wild Card in the best sense — a no-frills raw bar that somehow sourced a wine list worthy of a much fancier room. The markups on the high-end bottles are steep and there's no wine program energy to speak of, but the Cava-and-oysters combination alone is worth the stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Stock Island / Oceans Edge Resort · Key West · Seafood / Elevated American
Matt's is the wine list equivalent of a reliable vacation — it won't blow your mind, but it won't ruin your evening either. Order the Albariño, watch the boats, and save the wine exploration for somewhere that's actually trying.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Roosevelt Boulevard / Waterfront · Key West · Hotel Bar / American
The Roost is a hotel bar doing more than the minimum — there's real range here and a few genuinely good picks if you know where to look. Just go in expecting to pay for the waterfront zip code, and you'll have a fine time.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Simonton Street / Old Town · Key West · Cafe & Bakery
Moondog isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but it offers a surprisingly considered little list at prices that don't insult your intelligence, which puts it well ahead of the tourist-trap cafes clustered around it. If you're in Old Town and want a glass with your morning or a light lunch, there are worse decisions you'll make in Key West.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West New York · West New York · Cuban
Son Cubano isn't a destination wine list, but it's a legitimately good one for what it is — a glamorous Cuban night out where the wine program doesn't embarrass the room. Send a friend who wants a fun evening with solid pours and a view; just steer them away from the Meiomi.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Post Office Square · Boston · Cuban
Mariel earns its Wine Spectator credential by being genuinely thoughtful about a list that could have easily phoned it in. If you're in Boston's Financial District and want something more interesting than another steakhouse Cab Franc, this is exactly the kind of wild card worth having in your back pocket.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Museum District · Richmond · Cuban
Come to Kuba Kuba for the food, which genuinely earns its loyal following — but don't come here for the wine. Order a mojito, grab the Malbec if you must, and put your wine energy somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
