Sunset Pier

Specialties

Located where Duval Street meets the Gulf of Mexico. Enjoy the most spectacular view and setting while sipping on tropical drinks. Our specialty sandwiches feature handcrafted bread from local artisan bakery Cole’s Peace.

History

Established in 1983.

What we now call the World Famous Sunset Pier, home of the Sunset Pier Bar and Grill, is one of the oldest, if not the oldest pier, and definitely the oldest continuously used structure in the Florida Keys. In the late 1830’s not long after the settlement was founded, a pier was constructed at the far northwest corner of Key West. The inbound and outbound tide runs swiftly through Key West harbor, between the West end of the island and what is now called Sunset Key and Christmas Tree Island, and just as that current passes the Northwest end, and what is now the site of Ocean Key, there was a nice calm eddy that made a perfect place for sailing ships to safely tie up away from the currents, while the water movement kept the shoreline deep.

As early as 1836, old woodcut prints show a pier at the site. Undoubtedly the pier has been rebuilt dozens of times throughout the years, but the next mention of this location is in about 1856 when slave ships, captured by the Union Navy tied to the