If you’re looking for the secret ingredient in the crabby patty recipe, Parrot Key Caribbean Grill in Ft. Myer’s, Florida won’t budge. They even have pirates on staff, ready to take the secret to the grave.

What kid wouldn’t like the Parrot Key? Families were all around us, with kids absentmindedly nibbling on sweet-potato fries as they checked out the brightly-colored wooden parrots decorating the room. Choices from the kid’s meal are the usual stand by, with the exception of fish and chips and crabby patties (a smaller-portion crab cake than an adult-size meal).

When the top-level deck bar is closed, kids are welcome to do a little exploring on their own (don’t worry, you can see them from the restaurant as you linger with dessert or a rare moment of quiet to finally finish an entire meal). The Pieces of Eight pirate boat docks in the same marina, and we had fun venturing out to take a look and shopping for booty in the gift shop. Even though the restaurant and cruise are slightly off the beaten path, the detour is worth your time.

Take one look at the booked-solid evening entertainment calendar and you may want to consider an early-evening family meal (or leave the kids with grandma and grandpa and come back for more). Coupons for food are easy to spot in the various pamphlets and maps that are distributed all over the area. And if you are visiting during football season, and happen to be a Packer’s fan, a home-away-from home awaits you (probably the only time a cheese hat looks good with any Hawaiian print shirt).

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