First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery operates a full-service restaurant and craft brewery in Key West, Florida's historic 1927 Pan Am birthplace building. The single-location venue serves tourists, private event hosts, and local residents through dining, craft beer, weddings, and signature events such as LobsterFest.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1927
- HeadquartersKey West, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery does
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery operates a full-service restaurant and craft brewery in Key West, Florida, situated in the historic 1927 building recognized as the birthplace of Pan American World Airways. The single-location venue markets itself as the "Southernmost Brewery in the USA" and is operated under Keys Restaurants Group alongside sister properties Bagatelle and Nine One Five. The business serves three overlapping customer segments: destination tourists, private event and wedding hosts, and local Key West residents.
The core offering combines a full food and beverage menu with on-site craft beer production across multiple event venue configurations with reported capacities ranging from 60 to 350 guests. The technology stack is standard restaurant SaaS — Toast Tab for online ordering, OpenTable for reservations, and UserWay for website accessibility — with no proprietary platform or AI components. Recurring event programming (Sunday Funday) and signature events (LobsterFest) sit alongside private-event bookings with food-and-beverage minimums.
Revenue is generated through four mechanics: in-restaurant dining, craft beer wholesale and retail, private event and wedding bookings under minimum-spend pricing, and ticketed/special-event programming. Demand is captured through OpenTable and the company website, with off-premise demand extended through Toast Tab. The go-to-market relies on Key West destination tourism traffic, sister-property cross-promotion within Keys Restaurants Group, and event-host lead generation rather than any disclosed B2B sales motion.
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery
- Legal name
- First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery
- Website
- https://firstflightkw.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1927
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery operates a full-service restaurant and craft brewery in Key West, Florida's historic 1927 Pan Am birthplace building. The single-location venue serves tourists, private event hosts, and local residents through dining, craft beer, weddings, and signature events such as LobsterFest.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Full-service restaurant and craft brewery
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Special Occasion & Destination Restaurants (THAFACAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- All-Day Dining Restaurants (THAFACAJ)
Keywords
Where First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Key West
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Food and Beverage Sales: Daily restaurant revenue from lunch (11am-4pm), dinner (4-10pm), and Happy Hour (4-6pm) service. Menu includes kitchen offerings, craft beers brewed on-site, wine, cocktails, and specialty drinks.
- Craft Beer Sales: Revenue from original beers brewed on property including Sunset Clipper (Citrus Wheat), Old Havana Red (Amber Ale), and Captain Maverick IPA. Beer sold by the glass (10oz/16oz) on draft.
- Private Events and Weddings: Revenue from hosting private events including weddings, corporate events, and celebrations. Three venue spaces available: Treetop Terrace, Canopy Garden, and Whole House. 22% gratuity and 7.5% Florida sales tax added to all special events.
- Special Events (LobsterFest): Annual LobsterFest event featuring ticketed experiences. 2026 Beats & Brunch at $99 per person with tax and gratuity additional. Starting price of $500 for LobsterFest 2026 participation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LobsterFest 2026 Beats & Brunch ticket |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LobsterFest 2026 general |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Private Event Venue Rental |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
First Flight operates a full-service restaurant in Key West, Florida, serving daily lunch, dinner, and happy hour with a kitchen menu, cocktails, wine, and house craft beers brewed on-site at the Southernmost Brewery in the USA. The venue also hosts private events including weddings and corporate functions across three configurable spaces (Treetop Terrace, Canopy Garden, Whole House) accommodating 60–350 guests.
Product overview
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery is a full-service tropical destination restaurant and events venue in Key West, Florida, operated by Keys Restaurants Group. The core offering is a multi-space restaurant (lunch, dinner, and happy hour) featuring a unique historic building formerly Pan Am's birthplace, paired with the Southernmost Brewery in the USA. The venue's products include the main Garden Canopy Dining area, the on-site Southernmost Brewery producing original craft beers, the themed Crash Bar (with an aircraft wing bar surface), and dedicated dining and bar spaces including the Treetop Deck. The portfolio also includes a Wedding & Private Events service with three configurable spaces — The Treetop Terrace, The Canopy Garden, and The Whole House — serving groups from 60 to 350 guests. Seasonal and recurring sub-brand offerings include the annual LobsterFest festival and the weekly Sunday Funday family event. Online ordering is handled via Toast Tab. Keys Restaurants Group's sister properties, Bagatelle and Nine One Five, operate as separate venues under the same parent company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery (Main Restaurant) Full-service restaurant in downtown Key West, Florida offering daily lunch (11am-4pm), dinner (4-10pm), and Happy Hour (4-6pm). Includes garden canopy dining, a second-floor Treetop Deck, the Southernmost Brewery, and the themed Crash Bar within the historic Pan Am birthplace building. Targets tourists, local residents, and event guests.
- Southernmost Brewery
Companies that use First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature1 record
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- BagatellecoreSister restaurant under Keys Restaurants Group. Located in Key West, Bagatelle offers an additional venue option for private events including the Moon Lounge and historic balcony overlooking Duval Street. Can accommodate parties from 30-250 people. Cross-promoted for wedding and event bookings alongside First Flight.
- Nine One Five (915 Duval)coreSister restaurant under Keys Restaurants Group offering additional event venue options for private parties. Listed alongside First Flight and Bagatelle as part of the Keys Restaurants Group portfolio of Key West wedding and event venues.
- Keys Restaurants GroupcoreParent company that owns and operates First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery, Bagatelle, and Nine One Five. Manages all three Key West restaurant properties and coordinates cross-property wedding and event bookings through mykeywestwedding.com.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sloppy Joe's Bar: Landmark Key West bar and live-music venue on Duval Street, drawing similar tourist traffic. Comparable as a high-traffic, alcohol-anchored Key West hospitality venue targeting walk-in visitors.
- Tavern N Town: Upscale Key West hotel restaurant and bar serving a similar mix of visitors and private events. Comparable as a full-service restaurant with bar and event hosting in the Key West tourism market.
- Nine One Five (915 Duval): Third Keys Restaurants Group venue in Key West, jointly cross-promoted for weddings and private events through mykeywestwedding.com. Same parent, same downtown Key West tourist trade, same events-led revenue mix.
- Hogfish Bar & Grill: Local Key West full-service bar and grill offering craft beer, casual fare, and on-site fishing-boat tie-ups. Comparable Key West hospitality operator with bar-forward, casual full-service model.
- Blue Heaven: Iconic full-service Key West restaurant with strong tourist pull, outdoor garden dining, and live entertainment. Directly comparable as a destination casual-upscale dining venue competing for the same Key West visitor and event-host segments.
- Louie's Backyard: Historic upscale Key West oceanfront destination restaurant with private event/wedding hosting. Comparable as a heritage-driven, special-occasion dining venue in the same tourism and events economy.
- Pepe's Cafe: Long-standing full-service Key West cafe and breakfast/lunch institution serving both locals and tourists. Comparable as a heritage Key West restaurant operating in the downtown leisure economy.
- Bagatelle Key West: Sister restaurant under Keys Restaurants Group at the same destination-wedding and Key West dining market. Operates the Moon Lounge and historic Duval Street balcony for 30-250 guests, directly comparable in venue-rental, catering, and full-service restaurant model.
Others
- Mallory Square Sunset Vendors (e.g., Cafe Sole / Conch Republic): Cluster of Key West food and beverage operators concentrated around Mallory Square tourism. Comparable only as adjacent Key West destination F&B operators competing for the same tourist trade.
Broad incumbents
- Hard Rock Cafe Key West: National brand-themed restaurant and bar in Key West targeting tourist foot traffic. Comparable as a high-volume, alcohol-and-merch-driven Key West tourist dining venue, though operated by a much larger parent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery social profiles
Digital presenceFirst Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery
What does First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery do?
First Flight operates a full-service restaurant in Key West, Florida, serving daily lunch, dinner, and happy hour with a kitchen menu, cocktails, wine, and house craft beers brewed on-site at the Southernmost Brewery in the USA. The venue also hosts private events including weddings and corporate functions across three configurable spaces (Treetop Terrace, Canopy Garden, Whole House) accommodating 60–350 guests.
Is First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery a public or private company?
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery founded?
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery was founded in 1927. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery based?
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery is headquartered in Key West, United States, in the North America region.
How does First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Food and Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are craft Beer Sales, private Events and Weddings and special Events (LobsterFest).
Who are First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sloppy Joe's Bar, Tavern N Town, Nine One Five (915 Duval), Hogfish Bar & Grill, Blue Heaven, Louie's Backyard, Pepe's Cafe and Bagatelle Key West. Mallory Square Sunset Vendors (e.g., Cafe Sole / Conch Republic) is listed as an others. Hard Rock Cafe Key West is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery have an API?
No public API is recorded for First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery.
What industry is First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery in?
First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery's product category is Full-service restaurant and craft brewery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAK, Special Occasion & Destination Restaurants, with a secondary code of THAFACAJ, All-Day Dining Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.