Walk the whole length of Bournemouth Pier and the town slowly recedes behind you until there is water on three sides. Key West is what you find at the end: a wide, glass-fronted restaurant and bar with a terrace jutting out over the sea. Few places in Bournemouth make the view the whole point quite like this one.
The food
The cooking is relaxed and coastal rather than formal. Lunch, plates to share, snacks that go with a drink and a long cocktail list form the core of it, and once people have taken in where they're sitting, fish and chips is what most of them order. Gluten-free dishes are flagged on the menu and there's a separate children's menu, so mixed parties usually find something for everyone without fuss. Drinks are given as much thought as the food, which fits how the place is actually used: people settle in for a couple of hours rather than eat and go. Menus change across the year, so download the current one from the website before you head out.
The setting
The dining room is large, light and unfussy, designed around its windows. The main attraction, though, is the terrace outside, a big open deck under parasols that gets sun for most of the day and glows in the evening. Locals will tell you the sunsets from here are the thing to see, with almost nothing between you and the horizon. Don't expect a hushed corner restaurant. Live music continues year-round, alongside tribute acts, comedy nights and DJ sets on Sundays, and the space is often booked out for birthdays, weddings and private functions. For a scenic lunch, arrive earlier in the day; for atmosphere and a soundtrack, come later. In rough weather the terrace closes, which is worth bearing in mind over winter.
Where it is
Key West stands at the far end of Bournemouth Pier, approached from Pier Approach in the town centre. The pier is flat and level from start to finish, so it's an easy walk with a pushchair or wheelchair, and no toll is charged to go out along it. The restaurant sits directly above Bournemouth Beach, making it an obvious stop after a morning on the sand or a walk through the Lower Gardens. There's no parking on the pier itself, but several pay-and-display car parks in the centre are a short walk away. If you're planning a longer day of eating and drinking, our food and drink guide lists what else is close by.
Good to know
Dogs are welcome both inside and on the terrace, with water bowls on request, which is unusual for a sit-down meal on the seafront. There are baby changing facilities, and the ground-level entrance has a small ramp and wide doors. In summer and on event nights it's wise to book ahead, and groups can generally reserve an area, subject to availability. Opening hours change with the season and the weather, so look at the venue's own listings before walking out along the pier.