Waterfront Bubbles and Steaks Done Right
Historic Seaport · Key West · Seafood / Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Restaurant at the Commodore Waterfront’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You're sitting on a harbor in Key West with the Gulf breeze doing its thing — the wine list matches the setting: classic, comfortable, and not trying too hard. It's the kind of list that knows its audience is here for the view and the prime rib, not a deep Burgundy dive. That's fine. It's honest.
The list leans hard into Champagne — Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label, Dom Pérignon, Moët & Chandon, Laurent-Perrier Rosé Brut, Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut — which makes sense for a waterfront splurge crowd. Beyond the bubbles, it's largely California and New Zealand doing the heavy lifting, with Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc from Groth and a Marlborough option from Longboat. Don't come looking for natural wine, Rhône finds, or anything that requires a second look — this list is built for easy decisions at a nice dinner, not exploration.
Estimated 10–16 pours, which is a reasonable spread for a restaurant this size, though the glass program skews toward crowd-pleasing whites and the requisite Champagne options. There's a daily happy hour (4–7 pm, and Fridays from noon) where house and well wines drop to half price, which is genuinely useful if you time it right.
Longboat Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough — null
New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is almost always the best bang for your buck at a steakhouse wine list, and in a harbor town surrounded by fresh seafood, it's the obvious call. Clean, citrus-driven, and lighter on the wallet than the Champagne parade.
Groth Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley
Most people ignore Napa Sauvignon Blanc because they came for the Cabernet or the Champagne — but Groth makes a rounder, more textured Sauvignon Blanc than anything coming out of Marlborough, and it's quietly excellent with grilled fish. Worth the detour.
Dom Pérignon Cuvée
Dom at a waterfront steakhouse in Key West is going to cost you well north of what you'd pay at retail, and you're not getting the cellar conditions or the context to justify it. If you want Champagne with your mahi mahi, Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut gets the job done at a fraction of the damage.
Laurent-Perrier Rosé Brut + Pan Seared Mahi Mahi
Rosé Champagne and seared fish is a classic for a reason — the wine's strawberry-tinged acidity cuts through the richness of the pan sear while the bubbles keep things lively. On a harbor in Key West, this is the move.
Daily — Daily happy hour 4–7 pm (Friday noon–7 pm) with half-price house and well wines alongside draft beer specials.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Commodore is a reliable waterfront pick — the wine list won't surprise you, but it won't embarrass you either. Hit the happy hour if you can, stick to the Champagne or the New Zealand whites, and let the view do the rest.
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
Eaton Street / Old Town North · Key West · Mediterranean-influenced contemporary American
Azur punches above its size in a tourist-heavy town that could easily coast on mojitos and house pours. The markups aren't shy, but there's a real list here with a sommelier behind it — send a friend, order the Télégramme, and let Key West happen around you.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Cannery Row · Monterey · Seafood / Steakhouse
Chart House Monterey charges destination prices for the view and delivers gas station wine execution — the list is inoffensive, cheap enough, and completely uninspired. Come for the bay, order by the glass, and don't expect anyone behind the bar to talk you through it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Route 1 / MarketFair area · Princeton · Seafood / Steakhouse
Eddie V's Princeton is a reliable, well-run wine program that excels on its own terms — California-focused, sommelier-staffed, and properly stored — but it won't challenge your palate or your loyalty to the coasts. Send your California Cab-loving friends here without hesitation; send the natural wine crowd somewhere else.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Sugar House · Provo · Seafood / Steakhouse
Harbor is a reliable upscale date-night option where the wine list won't embarrass anyone but won't excite anyone either. The markups sting a bit — Caymus at $195 is a lot to ask — but the quality of the bottles themselves is real. Send a friend here for a steak and a Pinot, just don't expect them to text you about what they discovered.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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