The Other Side

Mark and company are gracious and creative artists of alcohol who clearly enjoy what they do. As a very causal consumer of cocktails, I have come to rely on the concoctions that compliment my evening. That evening is usually a Sunday night before the work week. Sigh. Good stuff. Check it out. You will not be disappointed.

Excellent mixology from our bartender! I enjoyed the atmosphere; it was very laid back and chill. Very unique energy in this bar. We had fun talking with some locals here. Overall, we loved it and had a great time-​would definitely return!

This place seems to have excellent Unilocal reviews, but the service was not commensurate with these reviews. The bartender was not particularly cordial, which is not what you expect from a neighborhood establishment. And our drinks, which took about half an hour to make, tasted like watered-​down juice.
The environment is nice and not too loud, but with the plethora of other alternatives nearby, I would consider going elsewhere.

Originally going to The Porch based on the stellar reviews, but found this place on «the other side» and felt like cocktail instead. In a beautiful house with a quiet front yard tucked in a corner on Duval, this place is great to sit and chill. The bartender happened to be training someone and it was very enjoyable to listen to their conversation. Asked him for something «grapefruit-​y» and «tart» and he invented the best grapefruit cocktail I’ve ever had.

HAhhaha. this place was great… everything everyone says… BUT my friend and I [seriously not much drinking had yet ensued] had a very «who’s on first» routine trying to find it, as I kept giving her the address, and saying «the other side» and she’d say «what?» where is it… that’s the odd numbers? etc etc… as you can imagine… love the taxi-​squirrel, and the photo «THE WINKERS»

Atmosphere was totes swank. I had an Aviator, it was super sour and I wouldn’t get it again. It was a craft cocktail joint, would be better if less crowded. I I’ll definitely return on a non-​holiday weekend, the service was excellent.

It is very difficult to find a great cocktail bar… Even in the big city. The fact that this place exists on key West is awesome.
The cocktail list is great… A nice mixture of the classics along with newer inventions as well. And of course, if you have a favorite that isn’t on the menu then they always seem to know just how to make it perfectly off the top of their heads. The bartender was very knowledgeable about his craft. Every drink was delicious and it was fun to learn how they are made. The inside of the bar has comfy chairs and tables, and outside is an awesome porch that overlooks duval St.
In a town like key West where cheap beer and trashy strip joints is the norm… This place is a fantastic alternative if you want to class things up with some refined libations.

«Break on through to The Other Side» is exactly what I did when I walked over from The Porch. This swanky bar is exactly what Key West needed when you start to miss the sophisticated drinks of the city. I found myself here every night during my stay in Key West. The drinks you’ll find here are a step up from the simple pleasures you find in the area. Tim, Mark and Cassie are trained in the art of the perfect cocktail. Whether its a new take on a old classic or something you’ve never had before, you wont be disappointed! Night one I tried the Old Fashioned which as of late it seems I’ve been ordering in every bar I go to. Whatyagonnado! Like my favorite Jackie S. mentioned I recommend you Spice things up with the Bohdi and be sure to try the Henmingway Daiquiri or better yet… do not leave without sampling The Relax Relapse! You won’t be disappointed! Enjoy!

We went this evening. The drinks were delicious and the gentlemen were cordial, talented and professional. My entire group was polite, well behaved and pleasant — however the female bartender was rude, dismissive and made everyone feel downright uncomfortable. The atmosphere is great and the porch in general is one of the favorite places which we have visited, hoping it was just an off night.

I wandered in a few minutes early and Mark was kind enough to still serve me. I told him what I liked and he whipped up 2 of the best cocktails I have had ever! He knew I liked ‘complicated’ and still served me with a smile. He was funny, charismatic and made us laugh! I will spread the good word about this bar ! And I will miss it; if I were a local I would be a regular for certain!

I waited outside for the bar to open and saw a friend and spoke to them for about 5 minutes. In that amount of time, the barstools were all full. I took this as a good sign. The bartender appeared to not know what they were doing so I thought maybe it was the barback, stalling until the bartender got there. Evidently not, as he was there the whole time I was. I got a very basic drink (vodka/​soda) so nothing to report there – except it was damn near $ 20 for two small ones. The ‘view’ from my litle table was an 18″ cockroach encased in glass.
I left there and went across the street to Bagatelle’s and got a drink for $ 4 and delicious, inexpensive tapas also.

We love the craft cocktails and knowledgeable bartender!
Mark is very much a gentleman and answered all of our questions about whiskey, vodka, etc. He made us the very best drinks we have ever had in KW, can’t wait to stop in again next week.
We always feel warmly welcomed and appreciated here. The comfortable chairs are a big plus, too!

My boyfriend and I loved this place. We found it the same night we arrived at the Keys and loved it so much we made it our last stop the night before we left. If I had to summarize this bar I would say that it’s a much needed break from all the loud, drunken bars/​crowds elsewhere in Key West.
Don’t get me wrong, I was born and raised in an island and there’s nothing like a colorful, down to earth, beach-​themed bar where you can wear shorts and flip flops and dance until next morning, but at some point the smell of alcohol mixed with body fluids and sunblock starts to get old.
The décor of The Other Side is cozy and romantic, the music is relaxing jazz and cool oldies, and the cocktails are delicious.
These guys are truly into well made, real cocktails. I had their Hemingway Daiquiri and have to say it topped any other craft cocktail I’ve had elsewhere. And I don’t even like drinks that are on the sweet side… All other cocktails we tried were just as good. Yes, one of these cocktails is probably more expensive than a mainstream drink everywhere else but with two you get a real buzz you’ll get only after four or five of the other frozen stuff, so you tell me in the end what’s more expensive.
We had good conversations with the bartenders, who sometimes appreciate we leave them alone so they can deliver a drink we won’t bitch about later. Which brings me to a few things that I don’t understand reading other reviews: there are hundreds of loud, hipster, touristy, divey bars in Key West, selling lots of beer, frozen drinks, rum n’ coke and margaritas, and bursting with people rubbing their greased bodies against yours… Why come to one of the few bars that offers a different experience expecting the same?
It is located on the «other side» of the same house where another bar is (The Porch). But maybe it also has that name so you know there’s more to Key West than Sloppy Joe’s.

The Otherside is a much needed haven for Key West lovers looking to enjoy the cities spectacular food and eccentric nightlife but steering clear of the sweaty crowd at Sloppy Joe’s.
Yes the new hipper Key West features gastropubs, craft beer bars (like the Other Side’s older side The Porch) and proper cocktail bars like the Other Side.
The vibe is not pretentious it’s refined. Bartenders here play the role, the drinks are creative and truly hand crafted. Still on the menu are classics like the Old Fashioned and the Moscow Mule but I advise you to shake things up. Spice things up with the Bohdi. Try the Henmingway Daiquiri or better yet… do not leave without sampling The Relax Relapse! You won’t be disappointed!

This place is great if you like craft drinks. We couldn’t fund better place in Key West. But have to say that Tim bartender is the best.

The Other Side is actually just the other side of The Porch. As much as I love The Porch and the drinks from The Other Side, I can only give them 3-​stars for now.
Positives: The Other Side makes amazing drinks. These are truly craft cocktails and not your typical tourist junk from elsewhere. I had a bourbon cocktail which had a great lime flavor to it. I have zero clue what the name of the drink was, but it was amazing. The Other Side does sell bottled cocktails to go, which are pretty great when you just want to grab something and walk Duval.
Negative: The bartender was incredibly pretentious acting. My friend made a comment about the art of mixology. The bartender took huge offense to this comment and had to announce he wasn’t a mixologist, he’s a bartender. Well okay? My friend actually never called him a mixologist, she made a comment about mixology. Really though, taking the phrase mixology should be a compliment, even the employee over at The Porch agreed. During this time a little bit of one our drinks spilled out, so my friend used a napkin to wipe it up. Well of course the bartender took offense to this and made it known it was his job to clean it up. Like we both said, we hate leaving a mess. His attitude was just a sour experience for this awesome spot.
I’ll definitely be back to The Other Side, but the whole attitude of the bartender was off putting, especially after having an awesome time at The Porch. Sadly this negative really put a damper in the experience here.

Don’t waste your time or money. The bartenders are not professionally trained. When I asked for an espresso martini the bartender said she could do it but had to go to another bar to get the espresso. Then she proceeded to tell me I should go get it because it’s a hassle for her. The drinks we did actually get were decent but not worth the price as there are way better trained bartenders for half the price. Pretentious and inexperienced.

Personally, I don’t really understand what isn’t working about this place.
I absolutely love the décor and the music was right up my alley as well. It was like hipster chic, if I had to call it anything, but it feels fancy without being fussy. The Other Side is the cocktails half of the building it shares with the incredible beer bar, The Porch.
One day one of our Key West trip, my husband and friends and I fell in love with The Porch and the next day snuck in to The Other Side to see what it was like. I had a $ 12 French 75 that I liked (and they use really nice legit Italian prosecco), and other cocktails were appearling. But the four of us were the only ones in there. Our bartender didn’t talk us up at all and was instead talking about shift scheduling with a guy I assumed was a manager (in plaid).
We… may have finished our drinks and made the shortest bar crawl ever. Ten paces back to The (busy, laughing, cheerful) Porch.
Admittedly I would go back, but this place needs a certain je né sais quoi.

Such a great secret Key West spot!
Our group of 15 headed towards The Porch to continue my birthday celebrations, on a Saturday night. I wasn’t even there for a full 5 minutes before my girlfriend grabbed my arm and snuck me into the other side. That is, literally took me to THE OTHER SIDE. Behind a white unmarked door was this hidden tiny bar. My eyes lit up when I saw it. So what if we left the rest of the party behind?
I felt like I was somewhere else. Chicago. New Orleans. NYC perhaps. It was dark and sexy, yet still laid back enough for Key West. There is some lounge seating towards the entrance as well as several barstools.
The drinks took a while to make, and that’s a good thing. They were «crafted» just for us and not pre-​mixed, watery, touristy crap.
I had the Ramon Fizz: gin, lemon, lime, cream, egg whites, fleurs d’ orange and club soda. Refreshing and delicious. We sat at the bar and followed the entire process from beginning to end. Our bartender was very professional and did not mind being the center of attention while we watched his every move.
I plan to make this a permanent spot from now on for every Key West trip. There are many drinks on their menu I just have to try.
So many drinks, never enough time.

Thank you thank you thank you.
In a land of cheap frozen drinks and practically-​water beers so appreciated by the legions of tourists celebrating perma-​Spring Break, it is so refreshing to have a viable alternative. Owned and staffed by the geniuses behind the Porch (the bar that shows the island there are more interesting options than fizzy yellow beer), the Other Side is a cool cocktail lounge dishing up innovative libations. While I definitely get the vibe that the bartenders are new to the world of cocktail creations (I wouldn’t ask for an obscure, difficult to make drink), they know their menu well, and what they offer is pretty fantastic. I was very pleased with their Raspberry Thyme concoction and thought their Ramos Gin Fizz was a dangerously easy drinking key lime pie in a glass. They also had options like a classic Negroni for the classic cocktail purists.
The ambiance is old New Orleans, with a touch of fun. They’ve got sofas to lounge in, a chess (or perhaps it was checkers) board, and if you’re feeling particularly sneaky, you may be able to borrow the Cards Against Humanity deck from the Porch across the hall. There are a number of seats at the bar itself, and the bartenders are incredibly warm and attentive.
Definitely avoid the worst of the trashy tourist hangouts and make your way to The Other Side for a quality drinking experience. They definitely fill a much needed niche in the Key West cocktail scene.