Sloppy Joe's Bar - You want to visit the most famous bar in Key West? Go to Sloppy Joe's on Duval Street and pull up a stool. Listen to live music, sip a cold one, or have a burger. Sloppy Joe's was originally located on Greene Street, and that's where Ernest Hemingway spent his time. Same bar, different location. This confuses lots of folks, but let's set the story straight.
The owner of Sloppy Joe's, in 1937 when it was still on Greene Street, had his rent raised on him. He moved his bar across Duval Street to a former restaurant and continued to call it Sloppy Joe's, where it still stands today. The former spot is still a bar. It's called Captain Tony's Saloon. Of course, both bars claim to be Hemingway's bar. They are both iconic bars of Key West. They are both great bars, so why not visit both? Visit both and decide for yourself which version of authenticity you want to follow. The bar that's now called Sloppy Joe's is a large, white open building on the corner of Duval. It's much bigger than Captain Tony's Saloon and pretty loud, too. It's large and airy, while Captain Tony's Saloon is dark and cramped (but still excellent!). |
