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    LJ’s Cafe

    5.0 (77 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 2:00 pm

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    Bistec sándwich
    Amlee S.

    I WISHED I would've experienced LJ's cafe first before having breakfast anywhere else while on my key west trip. Nothing , around this area, truly compares to this little spot established in 2023. As soon as you walk in you're greeting with a smile and warmth. The place's energy is very laid back, homey and unpretentious which I loved. The menu is right to the point and perfectly designed to keep things minimal and at the same time , offer variety without too much complications of choice. Something that was appreciated after making so many choices this week! We got their breakfast egg, cheese, ham + 2 croquetas sandwich and when I say this ks the softest most delicious Cuban bread I have ever had, trust me!!! Also, the sandwiches are HUGE. If you have a big appetite, totally worth it but if you're trying to save some bucks, two people can easily get full with the two halves. Highly recommend splitting one sandwich since they're HUGE or you can take the other half for later. Their coffee was also amazing alongside their pastries. They have guava, pineapple, apple and coconut pastries.

    Menu
    Christine T.

    Cuban coffee at its best. Open at 7-2/3 pm only. Service was quick. Didn't get a chance to try their pastries but egg and cheese bread on Cuban bread is good. One order is good for 2 peeps. Definitely will be back.

    Exterior
    Dell O.

    This is a delicious, clean and efficient little Cuban restaurant on Marathon Key. We had departed Key West very early on a Monday morning in October after a few days vacation. We wanted to make some time heading back to NE FL from Key West but definitely wanted to stop for to go breakfast and coffee well before Florida City. We were looking for a good to go restaurant without having to wait too long. We also didn't want to stop at Starbucks unless we absolutely had to. We definitely didn't want gas station food or a chain restaurant. LJ's hit the spot and didn't disappoint! First, upon entry everything was clean. Second, the counter service was courteous and efficient. We ordered two breakfast sandwiches, a Cuban coffee and an American coffee; all were flavorful and excellent! Lastly, the bathroom was spotless and stocked. I would love to try more meals from this fine establishment upon a return trip to the Keys!

    Authentic Cuban coffee, great souvenir
    Stacy S.

    The best Cuban coffee! Or if coffee isn't your thing they will make you fresh squeezed orange juice. Excellent breakfast sandwiches, pastries and welcoming service, LJ's is the best breakfast in Marathon. Family owned and operated, wonderful people!

    Bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich
    Glenn R.

    The point of this whole review: go to LJ's Cafe as often as possible! I highly recommend it and thank you, fellow Yelpers, for putting this place on my radar. We are so glad we went. The cafe is super clean and well-lit, especially the restrooms. The family clearly takes great pride in their establishment. All staff members are pleasant and happy and greet you as soon as you walk in the door. The food.... OMG it was perfect! She had a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich served on the most light and airy bread. Nothing short of amazing! The bread-to-egg-to-meat-to-cheese ratio was perfect! The sandwich was huge, enough for two easily. I had steak and eggs with toast. The platter included 3 eggs cooked to order and Lord knows how I feel about a 3-egg breakfast! The steak was tender and seasoned so well I skipped the addition of salt and pepper. My meal came with coffee and you can select any of the coffees on the menu to be part of your meal. It's Cuban coffee and I loved it. About the coffee: it's all made fresh in plain sight, right behind the counter. Again, a lot of pride goes into what they serve and sell. You can eat-in or take-out. We ate inside - there is plenty of seating and the atmosphere is cozy and welcoming. There are tables outside if you like. Check my pictures for the latest menu. They serve lunch too as well as fresh made pastries. I would like to come back until I've tried one of everything! I wish LJ's Cafe many years of success and I hope my review convinces you to go there!

    Cuban bacon, egg and cheese sandwich
    Jason P.

    Adorable family run spot. We went for breakfast and everything was super tasty. Friendly staff, service w smiles, makes you feel eight at home. We got the homemade apple and coconut/pineapple pastries. The pastries were all all sooo airy and flaky. I especially loved the coconut/pineapple one. Definitely don't miss it. The cuban breakfast sandwich with it's oozy cheese and soft bread was what we needed to ppwer our morning. Don't miss this awesome breakfast spot while down in marathon.

    Bacon, egg and cheese sandwich and the ham and cheese press. Amazing coffee!!!
    Beth K.

    Wow! Most amazing coffee we've had all trip long. The food was amazing. The Cuban bread was fantastic. We will definitely come back here. The next time we come through.!!! We ate the bacon egg and cheese sandwich and I had a ham and cheese press and we have enough leftovers for another meal. They are huge. So good!!!

    Chicken with rice and black beans and cuban sandwich

    Please note I only give 5 stars to Michelin star restaurants. LJ's cafe is a very good home cook type of cafe. Had the cuban sandwich, coffee and home cooking chicken lunch meal with black beans. The sandwich bread was a little soft, but the meat was very good. Overall, it was good.

    Cortadito con leche de avena sin azúcar!  (Cortadito with oat milk, no sugar)
    Lane L.

    This little cafe is absolutely perfect- Very laid back. Super relaxing. The outdoor seating is really cute, service is super fast too. ++ The owner is extremely kind and helpful- The cortadito con leche de avena is to die for! Both sweetened + unsweetened are delicious. My dad + sister tried the breakfast sandwiches- 10/10!!! They loved them! Highly recommend this restaurant! :)

    Mike K.

    The best Cuban coffee in the Keys! We stopped in this cozy and friendly little place due to the great reviews I read. Friendly service with a smile our coffees were made lickity split. The breakfast sandwich was amazing. Fresh Cuban bread grilled up with ham egg and cheese. They're big so if you're not a big eater it's enough to share. My only comment is that I wish the coffees were a little bit larger or they had free refills. We wanted to come back for lunch but it never happened. The menu looks delicious however.

    Cuban sandwich with cafe con leche
    Laura D.

    Friendly service and delicious homemade Cuban breakfast! The best coffee! Will come back again for lunch!

    Palomilla Steak

    Food was amazing, friendly service and vibe. My partner had rhe Cuban sandwich and I had the Steak Palomilla. Delicious!

    Cuban Sandwich
    Nichole B.

    One of the best cuban sandwiches I've ever had! Large sandwich so shared with my husband. We also got a side of black beans, which were so flavorful and amazing! Pastries are also really good and flaky. Cuban coffee also very delicious. Staff was very friendly and restaurant was clean and cozy. Will definitely be back multiple times!

    Cuban sandwich - a half

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    1 year ago

    Greeted by owner as we entered. Breakfast sandwich on fresh Cuban bread big enough to share. Cafe con Leche was great.

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    6 months ago

    super good food it was the best food I ate in Florida and the meat was delicious and it was very good

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    2 years ago

    Great food and service! Everything was delicious and they were very accommodating. Will definitely be back.

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    2 years ago

    Amazing service and amazing food. So good we came every morning while staying in Marathon

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    2 years ago

    Guava pastry is so so good. The steak and eggs is great. The kids tore it up as well as the adults. The toast is so moist. Highly recommend.

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    2 years ago

    Great food and wonderful service. Great place to relax and enjoy the slow pace of the islands.

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    2 years ago

    Absolutely delicious authentic cuisine! Very close to my MIL's cooking! Highly recommend.

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    2 years ago

    The food and coffee is AMAZING! Super clean and the staff is so friendly. Must try the Cuban. We will definitely be back.

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    2 years ago

    Kind folks running this shop! Excellent quick breakfast (don't skip the meat pie and guava pastry!). Excellent coffee.

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    Hideaway Cafe - Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

    Hideaway Cafe

    4.4(333 reviews)
    5.4 mi
    $$$

    It's one of those hole In the wall treasures. No ambiance. But it makes up for it with the…read morebeautifully voiced Chef Rita. She hummed to the lovely jazz music the whole time. So pleasurable. We had Wild red shrimp wrapped in bacon. Amazing. ! Salad with homemade dressing. Not to be missed. They dont bake their bread. But they do make their own garlic butter Blacked hog fish with capellini. And house special hog fish with vegetables. WOW WOW WOW!!! F R E S H and delicious. Home made carrot cake. Light & spicy. The wine list needs improvement. But great dinner. Going back on Thursday. They recommend The Table. And Franks Grill. We will try them too. Had dinner last night at Isla Bella's Mahina's Restaurant. So boring we knew we had to look for Better And very happily found it.

    Quirky family owned spot with delicious fish but slow service and odd atmosphere inside. 3.5 stars…read more Food: 4 Atmosphere: 2.5 Service: 3 Cost to worth it rating: 2.5 (prices in the higher side ~$40 seafood entrees, $50+ meat) Opentableable: no, need to call Return worthiness: maybe Eve award: most fantastic hogfish Highlights: - Hogfish: transcendent. Delicate, pure amazing. Light egg wash and amazingly fresh and tender local fish I've never had. One I ordered had shrimp as well (was also supposed to be scallops). Choice of pasta or veg (green beans and potatoes). 5 stars - Duck: soy glazed half duck. Hub gave 4.5 stars - Bread: fresh, warm, and slightly seasoned. Would've liked some olive oil with it. 3.5 stars - Generous pour for glasses of wine - Mother son duo was so sweet Midlights - Beef Wellington: standard. 3 stars - Escargot: nice thin cognac sauce with tender escargot but being on a plate looked like it was drowning. 3 stars - Atmosphere: inside a motel like place. Outside had a thin balcony with a few tables for 2, inside very basic and old school with music to match Lowlights: - Long wait for food; we had a 630pm reservation and apps came at 7:30pm, entrees at 8:15pm and we didn't get to leave til almost 9 and skipped ordering - Out of few items and informed us 30+ min after we ordered them (rib eye and scallops) - Restroom downstairs in the lobby and closes at 8 so was a hassle to be let in

    Photos
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    Hideaway Cafe - Fresh flowers on the tables.

    Fresh flowers on the tables.

    Hideaway Cafe

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    Irie Island Eats - Ribs over coconut rice and other fixin's.  This dish was AWESOME.

    Irie Island Eats

    4.6(226 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Healthy dining

    We've been to Key West and have eaten at Blue Heaven so when I read reviews of this place I thought…read moreit seemed like it could have a similar vibe. We got there early morning and there was only one other couple there. We walked around to check out the place before we made our way to the counter to order. They were busy cleaning tables and getting everything ready outside. It was fun to walk around the almost jungle like atmosphere. A couple chickens were walking around too. They have fun tic tac toe boards as several of the tables that can entertain you while you wait for your food to be delivered. We ordered and found a seat at a large table in the back section near the restroom. None of us were certain what we were ordering but I think everyone was pleasantly surprised when it was delivered to our table. I had two baked eggs with chorizo and mozzarella, a hashbrown and a slice of their "famous" coco bread. The eggs were served in two individual foil tins and were delicious. It was almost like a poached egg. You get your choice of two toppings from several options. The bread comes toasted. It wasn't bad but I didn't think it was anything overly special. The hasbrown was almost baked like a casserole and it was a great accompaniment for the eggs. My friend ordered their mango pancakes and she loved it. My husband also ordered a breakfast with a bit of everything and it had a pancake too. He said it was his favorite thing. It also looks like it was baked in a tin and the turned out. It's super thick and very cake like looking. They both said it was light and delicious. Everyone that got the bacon including myself enjoyed it. When I was trying to pick between the sausage or bacon option the gal taking my order said both were good but that they cut their own bacon so I had to try it. It definitely wasn't your typical breakfast bacon! Everyone enjoyed their food and some of us even had some leftovers to bring home for the next day. The beauty of that was the food is served in a to go container so taking it home was effortless. We would definitely come back. I'd like to try some of the trucks in the back at lunch for the fish tacos. Maybe next time.

    On our drive down to key west stumbled upon this place…read more It is very old Florida with outside seating and lots to chickens but a charming spot nonetheless. I got the shrimp bowl and my husband got the tacos. Both were super flavorful and delicious!

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    Irie Island Eats - Açaí bowl goodness

    Açaí bowl goodness

    Irie Island Eats - Our SoFlo salad with grilled Jerk shrimp skewers

    Our SoFlo salad with grilled Jerk shrimp skewers

    Irie Island Eats

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    LJ’s Cafe - cafes - Updated August 2026

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