Keg South

Miami, FL - Dixie Highway is one of the oldest roads in the United States.  Built in the early 20^th Century, it originally spanned over 5700 miles connecting Ontario, Canada to Florida City.  Major interstates like I-75 now run along the original roadway, but in Miami there is a stretch of US1 that is still known as Dixie Highway.  Running from the end of I-95 in Coconut Grove, to the beginning of the Overseas Highway just south of Homestead, Dixie Highway is lined with great spots that are sure to leave you Floored by Food.  Among them is Keg South.

     

Keg South has sat right on Dixie Highway, just a gas station south of SW 104 Street for the last 50 years.  What a tremendous accomplishment!  This resilient little local’s hideaway has survived Hurricanes Cleo, Betsy and Andrew, and outlived The Playboy Club, Eastern Airlines, Pan Am, Burdines, the 1800 Club, and Parrot Jungle (Jungle Island just isn’t the same).  For 50 years Keg South endured development, urban sprawl and change by simply not changing.  Keg South has been a mainstay to Miami’s East Kendall and Palmetto communities, serving the same great food and cold beer year after year.

This place has a real speak-easy-feel to it, with its main entrance hidden away in a back alley.   When you make your way to Keg South you need to head east on SW 104 Street off US1 and make an IMMEDIATE right onto an alley that runs between a Shell gas station and an old glass lined office building.  Follow the gas station’s white concrete brick wall and make a right into the small parking lot where a little house sits set back against Dixie Highway. 

Keg South: Cold Beer, Death Dogs & Keg Burgers

The hidden back-alley access to the Keg South has been a treasure to locals in the know, and a damn shame to the timid passersby.  I will admit that Keg South can appear to be a little intimidating to a first timer.  As you walk off that alley and pull open the port-holed solid grey door, you are swallowed by the Keg’s cave like darkness.  Once the door closes behind you and your eyes begin to adjust, you’ll sense the warmth of the cedar-plank lined walls, feel the grain of the time-worn oak planks under your feet, and the closeness of the low, dark brown, tongue-and-groove ceiling above your head.   Continue to make your way in, past the old arcade games, and come up on the lone pool table.  An old CD loaded juke box used to sit against the far wall playing your favorite southern rock and country music.  Today a modern digital sound machine hangs in its place, but will do the job just the same.  Grab a stool along the old L shaped bar, settle into one of the old wooden bench tables or sit up on one of the little high-tops against the far wall and pick up the Keg South menu. 

The best way to describe Keg South is as a simple, fun, fast casual little bar.  The Keg was fast casual before anyone knew what fast casual was.  Patrons walk in, seat themselves, place their orders at the bar, pick up their own food at the bar, and bus their own tables by placing empty baskets, mugs and pitchers on the bar.  While you are up at the bar you are sure to be impressed by the size of Keg South’s huge kitchen.  Just kidding, there kitchen is actually very small, so if they are busy it may take a few minutes to get your food order out, but sit back and enjoy your cold beer.  However long the wait, I promise you it will be well worth it.

Restaurant consultants will tell any gastronomic entrepreneur to keep their menu simple and just make a few things really, really well.  They must have used Keg South as a case study to develop this philosophy.  The Keg’s one page menu is limited to a handful of appetizers, a little burger, a big burger, a hot dog unlike any other, chicken and fish sandwiches, and one-way wings.

Cold Beer Here!!!

Start off with one of their appetizers, like the smoked fish dip.  Keg South serves it with soda crackers and sliced pickled jalapeños.  I like to take one of the crackers, spread a little smoked fish dip on it, place a jalapeño on top and hit it with a dash of hot sauce.  These little starter bites go great with their cold beer.  I swear Keg South serves the coldest beer anywhere.  It may be the result of an extra cold keg cooler or caused by the constant supply of frosted mugs, or a combination of both.  Either way you are very likely to encounter that moment of beer drinking nirvana when your bottom lip feels the chill of the glass and your top lip comes across a floating sliver of ice just as you take your first sip.    

Jumbo Keg Burger, your more than just a Burger, your my friend!

When was the last time you had a really good burger?  I’m not talking one of these new super-chef creations with fried eggs, pineapple, ostrich meat, nacho chips, jalapeños and cheese sauce, or pulled pork piled over a beef patty with onion strings and sweet bbq sauce.  Don’t get me wrong, some of those dressed up patties are great, but I’m talking about a burger so good it doesn’t need all them fancy fixins.  I’m talking Jimmy Buffet style, “I like mine with lettuce and tomato, Heinz 57 and ….” well you know how the song goes.  Keg South makes two burgers, a 1/3 pound Keg Burger or a ½ pound Jumbo Keg Burger.  Their simple burgers are grilled over an open fire and can be served with a slice of cheese.  Add ketchup, mustard, mayo, lettuce, a slice of tomato, raw onion and a couple of pickle slices to dress it up old school. That’s the extent of topping options you’ll be given, but that’s all you need.  The Keg Burgers are just simple, delicious and consistent day after day.
 

One-of-a-kind Wings

How about Wings? Everyone offers them hot, medium or mild.  Some places have taken the basic three flavors and added them to a list of crazy offerings with Jamaican spices, tropical fruit bbq mixes, or Asian fusion upside down flavors.  Keg South, like their burgers, keeps their wings simple.  They only make them one way, Awesome!  The Keg’s special process takes big meaty wings through a flash fry, a swim in their secret hot sauce and finishes them off on the grill to add a little char-grilled flavor.  Served with a side of Ken’s Steakhouse blue cheese dressing for dipping and you are set.  No greasy mess, no tiny little baby wings sitting in a puddle of cold sauce.  These simple wings are so good they will have you driving across town to get your fix, just like I do.

You aint never had a dog like this

Keg South makes a great dolphin sandwich too.  It’s so good that it goes fast, so don’t be surprised if they are out of Dolphin.  When they do have it, try it with a slice of American or Swiss.  Their chicken sandwich is pretty good to.  Try this one with sautéed onions and melted Swiss.  Then there is the Death Dog.  Hands down one of the best hot dogs you’ll ever have.  They take a hot dog, grill it to perfection, slice it down the middle and top it with ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, sliced jalapenos, a slice of American and a slice of Swiss and finish it off with a touch of hot sauce.  I have been going to Keg South for years and didn’t have my first Death Dog until this last weekend at Keg South’s 50^th Anniversary party.  Wow, I had no idea what I was missing.  It was Outstanding!

Fresh Cut Awesomeness

All of Keg South’s burgers and sandwiches are served in a basket over a bed of Ruffles potato chips.  However, if you are a French fry lover like me, be sure to ask for an order of their fresh cut fries.  Let me stress the FRESH here with these fries.  They’re never frozen, and each order gets no less than three Idaho spuds that find their way from a wall mounted fry cutting press into a bath of hot oil.  Order them well done, to get the best fries you have had in long time.

Keg South is opened everyday from 11 am to 10 pm.  Be sure to stop in for lunch if you find yourself nearby.  Maybe if you are not too busy this weekend, and happen to be anywhere in South Florida, you can take a ride down Dixie Highway and find your way into the Keg South.  Share some wings with friends and grab yourself a Jumbo Keg Burger.  Once you’re done, I’m pretty confident, you will have been Floored by Food.