Pepe's Cafe

Our first stop in Key West was Pepe's Cafe. We had chosen our destination well in advance... and we weren't disappointed. The service was very friendly and professional. We were served delicious coffee and a great American-style breakfast. The place itself has a unique atmosphere and a strong sense of time, as evidenced by the photos of its guests hanging around it... including Ernest Hemingway. It's worth a visit for a coffee and a trip back in time.

Please take my review with a grain of salt – as I only tried their Keylime pie. However, their Keylime pie, in my opinion, is the best Keylime pie I’ve ever had, anywhere. The crust is perfect, the pie filling has the a delicious Keylime flavor, and the texture is perfect. If you’re looking for the most traditional Keylime pie, I think this would have to be it.

What a hidden gem! This rustic, slightly divey spot has so much charm and character. The food portions are huge and absolutely delicious — every bite felt homemade with love. And the key lime pie? Hands down the best I have ever tasted — creamy, tangy, and unforgettable. Definitely a must-visit!

This is another funky key West place to eat. It also runs on island time and does not rush. The way that we had was kind to my mother and was attentive to all of us. I had the bread of the day and it was wonderful. This is a good place to get a cheap breakfast. At 7:00 we had no problem getting seats. Around 8:30 it looked like it was full and people were waiting. Fyi

Clean is not the scene here. Food was okay, oysters are cheap. I wanted to try their signature hot sauces but they were caked in fruit flies. Nice place to try but a one and done

If you look at this place from a certain angle, while trying to avoid the Gulf Coast sun from blinding you, it almost looks like it is closed. It wasn't until we got really close to it that we realized that it was fully functional. As we got closer, a friendly voice welcomed us in and directed us to the bar. Once we got there, Katie Mae simply knocked our socks off with her sense of humor, conversation, and knowledge of the island. Of course we ordered the $1.75 oysters and my friend ordered what's considered the best Mojito in town. My beers were cold and frequent. We truly enjoyed our two visits to Pepe's during our Key West adventure.

The Reuben fantastic, though perhaps a bit smaller than anticipated. The salad with blackened fish was truly wonderful. There was ample parking available in the paid city parking lot across the street during our visit.

Pepe’s has a really cool vibe and was a place we were genuinely excited to try while in Key West. It is one Key West's oldest establishments. It's a little run down looking on the outside, but don't let that deter you from stopping in. It is a smaller place, so they had a hard time seating larger parties while we were there. I would not recommend this restaurant for parties exceeding 4 people. We had a reservation (which is recommended), but unfortunately didn’t get seated in the "dining" room and were placed near the bar instead. That was a bit of a bummer, as it was noticeably louder than we expected and didn’t quite match what we had in mind. Because of the bar seating and overall atmosphere in that area, it kind of killed the steak vibe for us, so we opted for burgers instead. The burgers themselves were delicious and well-prepared, so no complaints there. One thing worth noting, though, is that Pepe’s doesn’t offer fries. The sides lean more toward classic steak and seafood pairings—think mashed potatoes and broccoli rather than casual burger sides. They were good, but it might be helpful to review the menu in advance so you know what to expect. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable, which we appreciated, and did a great job explaining the menu. However, service fell a little short when it came to attentiveness. We never received any drink refills, and our server wasn’t nearby enough for us to flag down, which was disappointing, especially given the price point and overall reputation of the restaurant. That said, we’d absolutely be open to giving it another try on a future visit. Hopefully next time we can snag quieter seating.

OMG! The best of the best oysters in the Keys! We got the same bartender 2 years in a row and she knows exactly what we like... 1/2 shells and a steamed platter mixed. You have to get the jalapeño margarita!! it's fire! DELICIOUS!! Can't wait to see her again. See you soon!

The steak melts in ur mouth/all the sides were amazing & prepared perfectly/ The atmosphere inside the restaurant is cozy and welcoming with wooden benches and creaky wooden floors We were served immediately, and all of the servers were on point

Pepe's Café in Key West is the kind of joint that laughs in the face of Yelp trends and cocktail menus with smoke machines. Founded in 1909, it's the oldest restaurant in town, and it wears its history like a badge of honor--or maybe like a tattoo you got in your twenties and never regretted. This is a place that has survived hurricanes, changing mayors, and enough Parrotheads to fill a Jimmy Buffett convention. Walk inside and you know immediately: this isn't tourist Key West. This is local Key West. Mismatched chairs, bartenders who've seen it all, and regulars who look like they might have once arm-wrestled Hemingway for the last mojito. The food? Those stuffed oysters should come with a warning label. They're addictive--one plate turns into two, and by the third you're bargaining with yourself about cholesterol levels and whether living forever is really worth it. The rest of the menu follows suit: hearty, unfussy, and honest. No gimmicks, just flavor that sticks with you like a sunburn after a Duval Street crawl. Service is laid-back in the way only Key West can pull off--nobody's rushing, but somehow your plate still shows up exactly when you want it. Order a drink, let the world slow down, and remember that this is the southernmost point of America, where schedules go to die. Why four stars instead of five? Because perfection would ruin the charm. Pepe's isn't about polish--it's about character. And character it has in spades. Come for the oysters, stay because Pepe's has been feeding Key West's soul for over a century--and still does it better than anyone else.

Amazing place!! Must stop every time we're in Kw. Service is phenomenal and their oysters are off the charts!!

We spent the week in Key West with friends and decided to try this for breakfast. What a great choice. The place is really cool, the service was great, the food delicious! They fed 6 of us, everyone was really happy with their choices. Next time I'm back to KW (there will be a next time!) I will definitely eat here again!

This place has a great Happy Hour between 4-6 daily, with 1/2 price raw oysters and good drink prices. There's seating inside and out, but being it was so hot today, the dark-lit inside was packed. The walls are covered with historic photos of the area, and it has a dive-bar feel. We got a couple dozen raw oysters, some baked oysters Florentine and some mussels. The raw oysters were tasty, but tiny. My friend didn't think they were worth the 80 cents apiece we paid for them. I liked the cocktail sauce, plus the generous serving of horseradish they provided, but it was not enough as it was served in a small oyster shell. The baked oysters were heavy, with too much cheese on them. I started to eat the oysters without the spinach and cheese topping as it totally masked the taste of the oyster. I was not a fan of the mussels either. Four were unopened and not edible, and I was fine with them not being replaced. The white butter wine sauce affected both our stomachs in a negative way, which put off our dinner plans for later. I was not a fan and would not order that again. We have 5 days here, and though it's a good deal, I can say we won't be returning.

Favorite restaurant in the Keys. The most authentic Floridian ambiance and experience. On our trip we visited for both breakfast and dinner because it was just that awesome. There is so much history in the walls of this establishment and the dishes never lack in quality and flavor. We went a bit earlier in the evening to heat dinner crowds and then visited the next morning during peak breakfast hours- service did not disappoint no matter the time or type of environment.

One of Key West's oldest eating spots and I've loved it since 1991-it's pretty consistent. The ambience is charming and unique but it's not a big place so you may have to wait for a table. The service is efficient but friendly, making you feel welcome and at home. My favorite meal there is breakfast, but if you're a Thanksgiving fan, go any Thursday of the year for a full turkey dinner. Notably, they have the best Margaritas in town. Many others try but none measure up!

Worth the wait!! Great brunch and the coconut bread was delicious!! Fun atmosphere with pleasant staff.

I was looking for more of a whole in the wall place with delicious food & I found it! It's hard to eat clean when you're on vacation & most places in Key West have very carb heavy restaurants. The food at Pepe's Cafe was fantastic & the corn bread was made from scratch. They brought that last & I didn't even get to take a photo because we all jumped on it. Service was quick, meal prices were fair & the atmosphere was chill. The only reason I'm giving it a 4 star review is because the bathrooms could be cleaner.

Dropping 3 stars. Saw another review that said fantastic breakfast steak...not the case. It's a cut of meat cooked on the flat top. No seasoning. Disappointing but the bar tender was very nice along with the staff. Typical vibe inside for key west.

I really, really wanted to love this place based on all the recommendations from fellow Key Westers, but we just couldn't find anything remarkable except for the atmosphere. It's definitely a Key West vibe right down to the uneven brick flooring, but on the day we visited there was little else that stood out to us during our dinner experience. The service was slow and not very engaging, and the food made no lasting impression (good or bad).

The place was packed for happy hour, appeared to be under staffed. Glad they took and we had reservations. Party of 5, we all enjoyed the heck out of 88 cent oysters. The shrimp were delicious. $1.50 beer, $6.00 margaritas, keep in mind those are happy hour prices. The place is very cute. Make reservations

First of all, love the ambience and the smoked fish dip. Superb! However, when we ordered our mahi-mahi sandwiches, the buns they came out on, were rather soft and broke down at about the halfway point so you had to eat the sandwich with a fork. Really needs a stronger bun because I hate when my sandwich falls apart like that and I was being very very careful with it or so I thought. I also just ordered the sandwich grilled and it was fresh but kind of tasteless, possibly the chef forgot to put the spice on it. I don't know. I just remember them being tastier last trip. I guess I should've ordered it blackened. The coleslaw was as good as usual.

Finally made it back to Pepe's after a few years. The ambiance was everything I remembered and loved about the place. Casual with a fun and welcoming vibe. Upon entering, there was a very young "hostess" seated to the side that we weren't really sure if she was working or not. She got us seated and all was good. Our reservation was at 6pm and the place was hopping upon our arrival. Glad we had a reservation as we watched several people get turned away although they were able to accommodate some walk-ins. Our server was helpful and explained specials, etc. our bottle of wine arrived quickly, followed by appetizers and our entrees. My husband had oysters medley for a starter. He ate all 6 of them and enjoyed the variety. For dinner I had the Surf & Turf which was a 5 ounce filet mignon and a lobster tail. It was served with 2 sides of your choice. I had the rice and a baked potato. It was perfect. My husband had the Snapper Pepe style. He was in the clean plate club for sure and raved about the flavors. Your entree comes with cornbread which we living refer to as "cornbread cake". It is truly like a dessert it is so delicious. It has a smooth texture and is just so good! If you haven't been here before I would add it to your list. It is steeped in history that makes it that much more special. Bonus: a few chickens wandering around to complete the ambiance.

Very disappointed. Food was so bad it could not have been a one off. Whoever was working in the kitchen on Saturday 10/4/25 had no cooking ability at all or just didn't give a/f Seafood trio was over cooked and dry and covered in a tasteless white sauce. Rice and asparagus had no flavor or seasoning at all. Awful dish. The New York strip was not seasoned at all and tasted low quality. This dish came with a terrible brown gravy that tasted like flour and salt. Side of mashed potatoes had no flavor or seasoning at all. Service was just okay. Place was not busy at all at 6:30 PM on a Saturday night. We did not eat much of our meals and ended up eating somewhere else about an hour later. Will never go back here again. My friend an I joked that Chef Ramsey should do a Kitchen Nightmares here.

BALANCED KEY LIME PIE Let me start out by saying this place has my favorite key lime pie in key west. Came in 10 minutes before the lunch switch. Since we wanted lunch the waitress said we would have to wait about 10 minutes to order and tell us the specials. After being told this, someone walked in and had no problem ordering a takeout order. We ended up waiting 40 minutes for our waitress to come back. For lunch we had oysters and a burger. The burger was nothing special. The key lime pie has the best balance of tart and sweet. Wish the pie had a slightly thicker crust and whip cream not out of a bottle. Overall, I wish we had better experience.

Love this place for a casual meal, whether breakfast, lunch or dinner. Meals are delicious and plentiful. Our favorite spot is right at the bar where you'll always be entertained by the tender out the locals. Specials of surf and turf and even the simplest of BLT are great. The oysters are perfectly cleaned and reasonably priced. Stop by and enjoy the patio.

This place is excellent! I had the breakfast burrito and my wife had the cream cheese and scallion omlette with the snickerdoodle bread. Of course we topped them off with amazing cocktails: Bloody Mary and margaritas! Service was excellent and prompt! Atmosphere was old island Key West! Amazing place to eat.

Ironic key west place. Amazing food and I love the small back bar. Great bartender and draft beer

Their happy hour oyster special is the best on the island. They have 88cent oysters and their oysters are good. Half of the place is outside and half is inside with AC. Their margarita is the best one on keywest also. My wife is very picky about her margaritas and she loves the ones they make there. This place is the second oldest restaurant in florida. #1 is Columbia in Tampa. They sell all kinds of food including breakfast but the only thing ive ever had was oysters. And ill keep going there for happy hour oysters every time im in keywest.

While in town we looked for a tasty local restaurant and made a reservation online. We arrived right on time at 7:30 pm, and they didn't seem to have a list of who made reservations the same day. We were seated outside, while it was chilly and windy, and got our jackets from the car. I ordered the filet mignon, medium and got it cooked well done. The filet was fatty and didn't taste good at all. The food was well below what we were expecting; and would not recommend this restaurant if you are looking for great service and amazing food. Overall, we were underwhelmed.

We were at Pepe's two weeks ago while we were on vacation and I'm still thinking about it. My husband and I shared the French toast and the sausage and gravy, and I can say the pineapple was the best pineapple I've ever had in my life. Staff was great and we got a photo of the famous booth!

This place bugged me. We came to Pepe's for Sunday breakfast, having heard good things about the history of the place, their house made breads and traditional foods, like the steak sandwich. Their board outside listed what sounded like delicious tacos with steak. They were out when we tried to order. And the house made bread was "chocolate, basically a brownie," the server said. What they did have plenty of (inside, not out), was gnats and fruit flies EVERYWHERE! I'm not talking about few, they were everywhere. This will not be a return to place for me, as I prefer not to swat while eating. The server was sweet and the cream cheese omelette was delicious but the atmosphere was less than ideal.

French toast, coffee and a great Bloody Mary. The breakfast of Key West champions. There's a reason this place has been in business for so long and no visit to KW is complete without eating and drinking at Pepe's.

Pepe was the restaurant that I was most excited about for our Key West trip because of its history and what I have read. It is cool to come to a place with that much history and has been standing since 1909!! How many restaurants in Florida could do that? Or even in the entire United States!! 1) Food: I had peeled shrimps because I am not much of a steak person, and I do not eat fish. For my partner, I recommended blackened fresh caught of the day for him because I spent half an hour reading all the reviews here. He went with my suggestion, and the fish came out PHENOMENON! Guess what? I was the one who kept eating his fish. Did I say I don't normally eat fish? Yes, I did. I normally can't stand the fishy smell but this fish was an exception!! I think because the fish was so fresh!! You could taste the freshness inside, while the outside is so flavorful!! This speaks volume for the quality of this dish coming from someone who doesn't eat fish!! 2) Service: both the host and the waitress were very nice and welcoming, especially the host! We made small talks and we asked her for recommendation if we want to stop by for breakfast. She even showed us how to walk to Duval st from there. 3) Setting: we were sitting outside. There were plenty of seatings, so maybe that's why they didn't ask for my name when I mentioned I had a reservation? No big deal, the point is reservation might not be needed. We chose to sit outside so that we can look at sunset as we enjoyed our dinner. I love Key West so much that I already planned for another trip. We will definitely come back here, and I will get a blackened fresh caught of the day myself (so that I don't have to steal someone's yummy food)

Came for breakfast and we had a great experience overall. Our server and bartender were very friendly and attentive. I got the simple two egg breakfast; the bread of the day was apple fritter and it was outstanding! I would have taken a loaf home if I could. My partner was a fan of his eggs Benedict. The coffee was better here than at other similar diner places and the tequila sunrises were also good. If you're a hot sauce fan, they offer a good selection including some that are homemade that you can purchase. I ended up buying the chipotle one. Only minor complaint was the hostess was unfriendly and seemed to have a bit of an attitude.

Best Food In key west! We visited two weeks and tried just about every place and found this place THE BEST PLACE and Most reasonably Prices. BEST OYSTERS AND INEXPENSIVE compared to many places, nice sized too!! They have a great variety of food but their seafood was our favorite. They also have a sister Restaurant called Two Friends AMAZING FOOD!! And Voted Number 1 place BLOODY MARYS!! They were never t wrong. We ate there everyday for breakfast after we found this place on our second day!! Music there is pretty good too Great Service at both places we are going to these two places next year for our meals. A MUST TRY you will NOT REGRET IT!!

Updating my review for Pepe's dinner. My first visit 2 yrs ago was so fantastic, we recently came back a second time. The dinner this time was sub-par. The fish tasted frozen and the pasta was flavorless. Also the service was slow, but I have more patience for that since we're on island time. Since our second dinner experience makes us not rushing to return anytime soon, I'll rate 3 stars for "A-OK" so it'll average with my prior 5-star review. I think 4 stars for Pepe's is good. Again, for dinner only , I haven't tried their breakfast. But I'll be back to try it and will update the review ! I keep thinking about how amazing that first dinner was, so can't count them out just yet!

We had chicken Florentine and alfredo with blackened chicken. The cheesy garlic bread that came with the pasta was amazing. Everything was pretty good. The cornbread, included with meals, was ok. The key lime pie was the best we had in Key West. The crust tastes like there's a hint of ginger in it, and overall was amazing! Or, like it was made with Biscoff cookies. The key lime martini needed graham crackers crumbs on the rim, just felt like it was missing something.

Very friendly hostess and waitstaff. The food was delicious but then again, everyone in our family had cheeseburgers (in paradise)! We sat outside in a dining room that could best be described as an outdoor space covered with a tin roof (my recollection anyway) and filled with furniture from Goodwill. Is that bad? No, this is Key West, and this particular restaurant is part of the history and charm of the city. Harry Truman apparently used to come here and I can see why. It's an easygoing place with an uncomplicated menu and uncomplicated people both working there and dining there too! You should put this place on your list of places to visit again and again!!

Service was fast and friendly although we asked for waters 2 times and never got one. Best thing here are all the fresh squeezed drinks, but they should exclusively focus on this. Oysters were by far the worst oysters I've ever had and I'm from Indiana. Dry like someone dumped out the liquor, very warm, sandy and dirty, etc. We got the seafood entree special which came with snapper, 3 shrimp, and 3 scallops. First of all, we were missing a scallop but I was not upset about less food after trying the meal. Slimy boiled or steamed fish smothered in thick creamy crab sauce. Legitimately tasted like wedding or airplane food. One of the priciest meals I've had here and easily the worst. We went to a Cuban sandwich shop after to get the taste out of our mouths and were able to salvage the night.

key west pinks on happy hour! Get a fresh margarita and all will be well. Staff are lovely and service is fast.

Good breakfast place. Ordered lox, turned out to be a big portion. Friendly host. More beachy ambience.

Fast friendly service, A+ oysters and Bloody Mary's. It's an authentic Key West spot, put this one on your list to hit at least once while in town. I also love the fun facts on the menu - this place is full of history.

Had the Turkey dinner, it was actual roasted Turkey with gravy, dressing mashed and veggies.

Food was pretty good. The service was good. I wish they served breakfast a little longer but when on vacation you just go with the flow.

2nd time dining here. The first time we had breakfast and it was amazing so we opted to redo the experience! The service is good, we were lucky to have the same waitress both times. This time around my husband had the smoked salmon and he raved about how good it was. I had the breakfast special tacos, they were a little disappointing. The cheese was kinda clumped up in one spot, quac was very pulsed, meat was minimal; it just wound up to be a very wet taco. Key lime was perfect, best in Key West in our opinion.

Update So sad to write this What happened? Service is terrible Nasty attitudes and dirty menus and silverware Time for a change of staff Season is coming - now's the time Still a great happy hour

Waited with many others for a table which took quite some time. Busy, popular spot obviously. We finally got called and had a table in the covered patio area. The breakfast food was tasty. The home fries were hard so we didn't eat them. The kind manager came over and said he was sorry. He was aware of the issue and trying to correct it. He was nice enough to take both sides off of our bill. Their blueberry pancakes (short stack) are quite large and delicious, proved to be worth the wait. Staff was friendly despite the crowds. Sorry no food photos! Ate it before thinking about taking a pic! lol

Sucks to have to give such a bad review to a place I've loved for 20 years, but here we are. There was chewing gum - yes, chewing gum - on the silverware in the little pack of silverware they give you. Waitress didn't seem to really care and just handed us a new one like we didn't just get silverware with gum on it. Two of us ordered cream chipped beef and, for some reason, it took our server about 25 mins to tell us they didn't have it. Then I ordered an omelette with a dose of bacon. Bacon never came. Anyway, I'll miss you Pepe's but I'm done.

We knew we wanted to go here and we searched for the address. We thought we had arrived and discovered we were at a different Pepe's close to Mallory square! We left and went to Caroline street where we had intended to go. The oyster sampler was awesome! They also have a wonderful fish sandwich. We sat at the small bar as the restaurant was fairly crowded. Enjoy and make sure you're at the right place!

The happy hour special is a good value but the raw oysters were served room temperature which was very dangerous.

Came for breakfast per a recommendation. We were not disappointed. There was just a little bit of a wait around 10. Olga was the hostess and Kelsey our server. Both were very friendly and properly attentive. They have an open air courtyard type of area and an inside with booths. A chicken is wandering around - just like everywhere else on KW. We had mimosas, a French toast special, and eggs with a delicious smoked sausage. And they take Apple Pay which was good because we had just finished a jog and didn't have cash or credit on us.

Thursday is Thanksgiving dinner. Choice of other veggies if you don't want peas. Choice of mashed white or sweet potatoes. Gigantic portions! Cornbread included. The gravy is a bit salty. Service was wonderful!

Best restaurant in all of Key West! Great menu, great staff and the freshest oysters on the island! I highly recommend coming by Pepe's for Happy Hour! You won't be disappointed!

Been coming to Pepe's for years. Last review was over 10 years ago. Glad to say the food here remains consistently good. Breakfast or lunch can have you waiting for a table at this historic Key West place. If you score one of the high tops in the back of the outside dining area you catch a breeze from the huge fan in the rear of the restaurant. The bar is always active and the Bloody Mary comes with olives, pickled bean and spear of asparagus. The daily special bread continues and my favorite is the coconut. When it comes to breakfast favorites their eggs Benedict are possibly the best on the Key. The Canadian Bacon slice is generous. Another delicious dish is the chipped beef over toast. Service is always good even when the bartender is doing double duty.

Awesome happy hour oyster specials along with cheap draft beer. The service was quick and the staff were knowledgeable. Small place so expect to wait if you're a larger party.

Pepe's breakfast is consistent year to year. I'm glad to see they finally put the potato patty on the menu, it is way better than the home fries. Ana took good care of us, coffees and waters were always filled and refreshed. Their home made bread always tastes like it is made from scratch with seasonal ingredients. This one is pumpkin. A dense, pumpkin flavor. A bit dryer than some of the other breads, but still quite tasty.