Staycation Central

It’s time for summer vacation, but you can’t even afford a pup tent (not that you’d even want to go camping in the Florida wilderness, with mosquitoes the size of condors). Still, the lure of sitting dockside with a frozen drink in your hand while Bob Marley tunes play in the distance is very strong. We have a suggestion: Head to Whiskey Joe’s Bar & Grill (3301 Rickenbacker Cswy., Key Biscayne) for an awesome happy hour that re-creates that experience seven days a week. Legend says Whiskey Joe, a fictitious sailor who travels the Caribbean with his pet alligator in search of fresh fish, cold beer, and a good time (think: the most interesting man in the world goes barefoot), founded this indoor-outdoor compound of fun. Joe loves a good party, so he instituted one hell of a happy hour at Whiskey Joe’s. From 4 to 7 p.m. daily, enjoy half-priced appetizers such as gator tail, coconut shrimp, and chicken wings. Peel-and-eat shrimp and freshly shucked oysters straight from the Gulf of Mexico cost just a buck apiece. And those oysters are so fresh that some come with angry little barnacles attached to them. Thirsty? How about half-priced beer, wine, and well drinks? That means happy-hour prices for beer range from $2 to $4, and $2.50 for the well drinks. If you’re into boat drinks, check out the strawberry margaritas, made from scratch. Regularly $9, margaritas (and all other specialty drinks) are $3 off — plus they come with those little umbrellas. So put your feet up as the live reggae band plays, and make yours a Hurricane. That’s what Jimmy Buffett would do. After all, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere.
Tue., July 31, 4-7 p.m., 2012
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Laine Doss is the food and spirits editor for Miami New Times. She has been featured on Cooking Channel's Eat Street and Food Network's Great Food Truck Race. She won an Alternative Weekly award for her feature about what it's like to wait tables.
Contact: Laine Doss

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