Half Shell Raw Bar is a seafood restaurant in Historic Seaport, Key West.
Editorially verified August 21, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Signature dishes: Conch ceviche, Broiled garlic oysters
Must order: Conch ceviche and a dozen on the half shell
Tip: Happy hour brings discounted oysters; the open-air room on the water is first-come, so aim for off-peak afternoons.
Address: 231 Margaret St, Key West, FL 33040
Pepe's Cafe has fed Key West since 1909 and calls itself the oldest eating house in the Keys, shucking oysters and baking bread on Caroline Street daily.
Signature: Fresh-shucked oysters, Key lime pie
Order: Oysters shucked to order with house hot sauce
Tip: The 2026 Bubba awards gave Pepe's best mojito and best margarita on the island; happy hour runs 16:00 to 18:00.
Hogfish Bar & Grill sits on Stock Island's Safe Harbor docks outside Key West, frying its namesake fish onto Cuban bread beside the working shrimp fleet.
Signature: Killer Hogfish sandwich, Grouper reuben
Order: The hogfish sandwich with Swiss and mushrooms on Cuban bread
Tip: It is a 10-minute drive from Old Town on the Stock Island marina; go at lunch to watch the boats unload the catch.
Two Friends Patio Restaurant has poured Bloody Marys and broiled oysters under a covered Key West patio since the saloon days, with live music from 08:00.
Signature: Basin Street broiled oysters, Conch fritters
Order: Basin Street broiled oysters, then a Bloody Mary on the patio
Tip: Karaoke runs Friday and Saturday from 20:00; mornings are calmer if you want the breakfast and Bloody Mary combination.
Pepe's Cafe has fed Key West since 1909 and calls itself the oldest eating house in the Keys, shucking oysters and baking bread on Caroline Street daily.
Signature: Fresh-shucked oysters, Key lime pie
Order: Oysters shucked to order with house hot sauce
Tip: The 2026 Bubba awards gave Pepe's best mojito and best margarita on the island; happy hour runs 16:00 to 18:00.
Thirsty Mermaid runs a jewel-box raw bar on Fleming Street in Key West, rotating daily oysters beside local ceviche and pan-sauteed yellowtail snapper.
Signature: Raw local ceviche, Pan-sauteed yellowtail snapper
Order: The daily oyster selection with local ceviche
Tip: Happy hour oysters from 16:00 to 18:00 are the best raw-bar deal in Old Town; the room seats few, so arrive early.
El Siboney is Key West's bilingual Cuban dining room on Catherine Street, ladling roast pork, rice and beans at prices the neighbourhood can still afford.
Signature: Paella Valenciana, Roast pork with mojo
Order: Roast pork with black beans, rice and plantains
Tip: The Paella Valenciana needs at least an hour's notice, so call ahead if you want it; everything else moves fast.
Mo's Restaurant cooks made-from-scratch Haitian Creole food on White Street, the only kitchen of its kind in Key West, with oxtail and goat stew as anchors.
Signature: Oxtail stew, Creole shrimp
Order: Oxtail stew with rice and richly seasoned gravy
Tip: It sits by Bayview Park away from the Duval crowds and closes Sundays; carryout runs until 21:30 on open days.
