BO’s Fish Wagon | Review

B.O.'s Fish Wagon Fried Grouper Sandwich
B.O.’s Fish Wagon Fried Grouper Sandwich with fries and cole slaw.

For years people have been telling me that I have to eat at B.O.’s Fish Wagon on Caroline Street. And for years I have avoided it because the open-air restaurant, while being very Key West casual, always seemed a bit dirty to me. We decided to finally try it the other day since we were all hungry and we found ourselves standing right next to it. The picnic tables were sticky, and I doubt if the ground has ever been swept or hosed down by other than a good rain. But it was not as bad as I had anticipated and my Maltese Indiana Bones was able to join us, so that was a big plus.

We walked up to the window to place our lunch order and found the girl taking the orders to be very friendly. We ordered sodas which were eligible for free refills, fried grouper sandwiches, a grilled chicken sandwich, and a fried hotdog as well as fries and cole slaw to go along with it all. After placing our order we picked a table that looked relatively clean and tried to tidy it up a bit more as we waited for our food which was prepared fairly quickly.

When the guys came back with our food it all looked good. The hotdog was enormous and tasty without truly needing any condiments to make it taste good, although we did use catsup anyway. And the grilled chicken sandwich was plain as ordered and cooked perfectly.

B.O.'s Fish Wagon decor
B.O.’s Fish Wagon interior decor

The fried grouper sandwiches were a good size, but the fish was definitely not grouper. Most people would probably not be able to tell the difference, but being that my husband is a fishing guide, we could; ordering one thing and being served something different is a huge pet peeve of mine, so B.O.’s loses points here with me. On the plus side, the fish was not overdone and it had a nice, crispy texture, but it did need some tarter sauce to perk it up.

The cole slaw had an excellent consistency (wet enough without being runny) but it was somewhat bland. The fries were a table toss up. Two of us liked them and two of us didn’t care for them. If you are into thin, crispy fires these would not be for you, but if you enjoy a more natural fry with some skin still left on you will like these.

For the counter service and the rustic ambiance which is a draw to lots of folks, I found B.O.’s to be overpriced. Four of us ate lunch for well over $50, and they only accept cash which can present a problem for vacationers that depend on credit cards.

If we do eat here again I will probably get the hotdog or the burger.

Before deciding where you are going to eat while visiting Key West, be sure to read my other restaurant reviews; check out our restaurant review section of this blog as well as our previous restaurant reviews.

And to see what is happening on the island during your visit, check out our Key West Events Calendar to see other upcoming special events. For more information about the fun side of Key West… things to do and see in our island city, go to our Key West Web Site.

Feel free to Email Me if you have any questions about Key West!!

Island Genn
Key West Concierge

About the author: Island Genn

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