Sloppy Joe's Key West

Sloppy Joe's Bar in Key West

Sloppy Joe's Bar was born on December 5, 1933, the day prohibition ended. The bar was destined to go through two name changes and a sudden change of location before it would become today's Sloppy Joe's Bar.

Joe Russell was the original proprietor and the bar was then named the Blind Pig located in a rundown building that Russell leased for three dollars a week. Updo the addition of a dance floor, the name was changed to the Silver Slipper. The bar was a place of shabby discomfort, good friends, gambling, fifteen-cent whiskey, and ten-cent shots of gin.

It was suggested by Ernest Hemingway, a favorite patron of Russell's bar from the start, to change the bar name to Sloppy Joe's. The new name was adopted from Jose Garcia's Rio Havana Club which sold liquor and iced seafood. Because the floor was always wet with melted ice, his patrons taunted this Spanish Joe with running a sloppy place...and the name stuck. This bar & restaurant has become a Key West institution.

More bar than restaurant, Sloppy Joe's continues to serve up bar-food in their lively atmosphere during the daytime. Very popular attraction with the day crowd seeking sandwiches, cold drinks, burgers, and other indulgences. And yes, they do serve a good "sloppy joe". Live music gets louder as day goes on.

201 Duval Street
Sloppy Joes menu