Alabama Jack's

Is it the first stop on your way to the Keys or your last stop on the way home? That's for you to decide. Either way, Alabama Jack's is an institution. It's on a lonely stretch of Card Sound Road — the alternative to U.S. 1 that tourists en route to the Keys hardly ever use. When you reach the sign that says, "This Place Sucks! I Wouldn't Come Back!" you know you've arrived. This dive bar is a favorite with bikers, boaters, and anyone who enjoys a few cold ones and a plate of hot conch fritters. It's not pretty (though the views are). It's not fancy, but it is a piece of old Florida Keys life that's being replaced by strip malls and chain hotels.