Key Largo - diving, dining, nightlife

[diving4ever]

We were in Key Largo in early December. First time diving there and we used a very reputable company; Rainbow Reef. Nice boat, nice staff, but I found them to be disorganized and too casual with reservations and gear rental (this was business practice not safety). So many divers have positive experiences with them, I'm inclined to think they were having a bad week or just weren't the best fit for me.

We stayed at the Hampton inn which was pretty comfortable and has a little beach area and a pool.

We ate really well. I can reccomend the Fish House (get the Hog Snapper), Fish House Encore, Hobos (best wings I've had outside upstate NY). We were underwhelmed by Mrs Macs, and Henrietta's (a well know brunch spot). How can you not offer real maple syrup? Charge me...be don't expect me to eat a waffle covered in corn syrup.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .

We ate really well. I can reccomend the Fish House (get the Hog Snapper), Fish House Encore, Hobos (best wings I've had outside upstate NY). We were underwhelmed by Mrs Macs, and Henrietta's (a well know brunch spot). How can you not offer real maple syrup? Charge me...be don't expect me to eat a waffle covered in corn syrup.

"Harriette's"

 

[ericg753]

Sharkeys it is!

All,

I just got off the phone with Rainbow Reef - looked up reviews and read comments, they look pretty legit and have a good rep. I am one test away (navi dive) from my advanced, they won't let me go on the advanced dives (deep water past 60 feet). No big deal, I want to get as much visibility and see as much coral and sea life as possible.

With that said, here are my options per RR's website:

Elbow Reef, Northern Dry Rocks, Christ of the Abyss, Bernard Wreck, French Reef, Sand Island, Molasses Reef, Pickles Reef, Snapper Ledge, and Conch Reef & Wall.

I know it's a lot, wish I can squeeze them all in!! Any reccomendations, don't waste your time on xyz, etc?

 

[rickym96]

We enjoyed Mrs Macs as well in Key Largo. Good food, cool little restaurant. The Islamorada Fish Company was a nice stop on our drive down to Key West. It was more expensive than I would have liked but the food was good and it was nice enjoying lunch out over the water.

 

[sportxlh]

....Elbow Reef, Northern Dry Rocks, Christ of the Abyss, Bernard Wreck, French Reef, Sand Island, Molasses Reef, Pickles Reef, Snapper Ledge, and Conch Reef & Wall.....Any reccomendations, don't waste your time on xyz, etc?

Those are all really nice dive sites. Christ of the Abyss is interesting to see once, but that's it. The other sites can be dove multiple times, over and over, and you'll always see something new. I'd save the statue for a future trip.

Also, Conch Wall goes all the way to 100 feet at the bottom of the slope/ledge. If they don't want you on a wreck, I'm not sure why RR would take you to this site unless they make you stay shallower the whole dive. Conch Wall is my favorite reef in Key Largo: the best way to dive it is to head to the bottom, swim up-current and then slowly move back up the slope and back toward the mooring line with the current. I'm not sure I'd enjoy the shallow part exclusively all that much. So, I'd save that one for a future trip too, once you have your AOW. Dive all the others if you can.

 

[CajunDiva]

Sharkeys it is!

All,

I just got off the phone with Rainbow Reef - looked up reviews and read comments, they look pretty legit and have a good rep. I am one test away (navi dive) from my advanced, they won't let me go on the advanced dives (deep water past 60 feet). No big deal, I want to get as much visibility and see as much coral and sea life as possible.

With that said, here are my options per RR's website:

Elbow Reef, Northern Dry Rocks, Christ of the Abyss, Bernard Wreck, French Reef, Sand Island, Molasses Reef, Pickles Reef, Snapper Ledge, and Conch Reef & Wall.

I know it's a lot, wish I can squeeze them all in!! Any reccomendations, don't waste your time on xyz, etc?

I think you will find that the sites listed are a general intention, but sometimes the weather conditions or crowding of the particular sites are not conducive on a given day. In our experience, they will do their best to honor requests, but are always mindful of safety and the best site for the current conditions.

We achieved our Advanced Certification with Rainbow Reef - perhaps you could finish yours up while you're there

 

[scubadada]

I want solo, more adventurous diving, sticking to the published schedule especially after they have taken money and not bumping at the last second just because another more lucrative group of divers comes in wanting to go the Christ Statue after booking for the Elbow Deep or whatever. And then there is the time limits.

That is my opinion of Key Largo, per my original response, I will stick with it and will probably continue to go there though for the money and time, there are much better locations with much better diving and much less nanny factor.

I am quite sure it is possible that you and I have differing expectations. I will stay with what I said.

N

Ocean Divers allows solo diving, with its three boats, offers a pretty aggressive schedule of deep wreck and deep drifts. I have liked OD in the past, I'd love to visit again though I'm tied closely to Boynton Beach and Jupiter.

---------- Post added February 6th, 2015 at 05:30 PM ----------

No question here....Sharkeys. Stoagies allowed.
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The Galley Restaurant upstairs has the same good food, the same beers and bar but without the smoke and noise. You can hear the band, but from a distance. To each their own

 

[scubaguy655]

Ditto to what sportxlh said regarding dive sites. If you end up at Sharkeys try the fish tacos. Have a great trip and let us know how it goes

 

[mselenaous]

Ummm Sharkey's fish tacos... they are tasty & huge. So unless you've built up an enormous appetite for 2, order just 1. YMMV

 

[CajunDiva]

We need to move the Cajun Invasion to Sharky's and teach them how to make gumbo