Cracked Conch Cafe
4999 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL, 33050
Cracked Conch Cafe Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Marathon for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Marathon for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Marathon for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
4999 Overseas Hwy
Marathon, FL, 33050 - Phone (305) 743-2233
- Website https://conchcafe-hub.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :7:00 am - 10:00pm
- Mon : 7:00 am - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Breakfast
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Emily N.
My favorite place ever for key lime pie, its the best! Lunch options are pretty standard, but it's all good here, good people.
(5)Rozanne D.
Friendly atmosphere and staff. I love conch so this was the perfect place for me. Had the cracked combo - The conch fingers and the ceviche was Awesome! And if you like coconut ice cream, try theirs - you'll never try anyone else's again! Great place, will definitely be stopping here again.
(3)David B.
Not as good as it was in Jan. of this year. We had doz. oysters on the half, the conch plate which had fried , conch ceviches,conch balls they called them ,so so
(2)Miriam L.
Fish melt is delicious and great cole slaw too. No air conditioning but lots of fans and some breeze. Definitely warrants a return visit on another trip. The service is wonderful. Our server, Cindy was very nice and attentive.
(4)Melissa C.
Didn't stay to order after sitting. Walked by 2 tables with hair on them then opened my menu and yep there was hair. Floors we're absolutely disgusting and no ac. For those prices you would think it would be clean. I would never eat in a place that's dirty. GROSS!!!!!!!
(1)Random P.
Can I give it less than one star? I have come here three times as I was on vacation in the keys and each experience was worst than the last. The waitress couldn't care less and the food was mediocre at best. I find more value on the McDonalds dollar menu. Won't be returning.
(1)Juan Carlos C.
Great Conch omelette! Loved the waitress -Linda 1 (there are 3 Linda's). She's friendly, fun, and great service!
(4)Harlan H.
Great meal and excellent service! I started with the new England style conch chowder - very creamy, savory and full of conch and veggies. Next I had the conch sandwich on a toasted bun and it was absolutely amazing. If you're traveling the keys, be sure to add this to your list of stops - you won't be disappointed! Thanks Dyan!
(4)Jean-Yves L.
We drive from Key West and stop at the Conch cafe to have quick lunch. Sandwich were good service fine.
(4)Tammie H.
We didn't get to try the food. We arrived without a greeting and were finally told we can grab a table outside. The server promptly took drink orders but upon receiving the drinks refused to take our food order. Kept repeating she would be back. Over 10 minutes later with 2-3 tables seated and order taken we sat patiently. She never came back so we informed the server we had to leave. She apologized and said no charge for the soda. We think she just forgot about us. We left hungry.
(1)Ernest A.
Visiting the Keys and stopped in here for dinner. Was greeted by a pleasant server in which she said, "sit where you like". The restaurant has elongated vertical windows and we're all open if you don't mind the nice Florida warm weather. Environment with a bar and tables resemble a relaxed diner atmosphere. Between the 4 of us we ordered Red Snapper, blackened and grilled, and fried shrimp. Including myself everyone enjoyed the meals. We topped it off with Key Lime Pie. Pie was good and I would get it again however Florida Keys, in this writers opinion, I have yet to find the best Key Lime Pie other than other parts of the U.S. Our server was hilarious from when we seated ourselves to when I ordered mashed potatoes and the menu showed something else and she said "you can can call it mashed potatoes". I guess you had to be there. Anyway, while we are here vacationing in the Keys we are going back except to try the breakfast. I really recommend the restaurant. I wish I knew the name of the server with the funny and positive attitude. We were treated like locals and not tourists.
(4)Misty H.
Didn't really enjoy this place as much as I hoped to. Wanted to stop in and get a quick lunch and get back on the road but the waitresses need more help. We arrived, sat down and ordered but it took a long time to get our food and another while to get the bill because the staff seemed to be too backed up. What made it worse was we didn't enjoy the food. Conch Capri was too salty and oily. Chicken fingers, too salty. Conch chowders were good but lacked full flavor. To be honest the best part was the French fries, baked potato, and honey mustard sauce.
(2)Stephanie A.
We loved this place! Conch platter, hand-made fish fingers, and obviously homemade New England style Conch Chowder... Everything was hot and awesome. The waitstaff was friendly and the atmosphere was right on. Don't go here for someone to hover at your elbow or for white linens... Go here to eat!
(4)Bill L.
My family and I have eaten at the cracked conch on and off for about a year. The food is actually good most of the time. We keep going back because my young son likes the conch chowder. I usually like to give people the benefit of the doubt. and realize sometimes people just have a bad day but we have had a horrible experience with the staff repeatedly. We have been ignored, snapped at, and the latest, waited 45 minutes for an omelette then when it was finally served it was the wrong omelette. While I was waiting I watched a couple cancel their order and leave. That was not the first time I've seen that happen. Despite its convenience and the chowder, we will not go back. There are plenty great restaurants in Marathon that truly appreciate our business.
(3)Erin W.
Food was delicious and staff was very friendly. Had a conch fritters and a mahi mahi sandwich. There was a light breeze the night we were there so sitting out under the covered porch was absolutely perfect.
(5)Jim M.
Great food! And I mean great! The service was poor and place was dirty. The waitress was very rude, the bill was delayed due to her taking her third smoke break while serving us.
(2)Taschia M.
I came here specifically for the conch and was not disappointed. I was impressed with the menu and the many different ways in which they prepared it. I ordered the conch combo which included conch balls, conch fingers, and conch salad. The portions were bigger than I expected for the price. The fingers were lightly battered and very good. The conch balls were good, but my least fav of the combo. This may be possibly due to the fact I'm used to conch fritters and not balls. They were filled with conch but a little too dense for me. The conch salad was phenomenal. I love the fact it was lime based and not tomato based like my family's recipe. The lime bar makes it lighter and tastier for those of us who like a little tartness. Every bite is filled with lots of conch. This is a no frills restaurant but the service is great and the food is great. The staff is friendly and the bartender aims to please. I will definitely be back for more before I depart the Keys.
(4)Aubrey H.
Don't waste your time here. I pulled over on my way home from key west and was extremely disappointed. I was attracted by the diner flair and outdoor seating. I sat at the outdoor bar and after several minutes was finally approached by a server. I ordered a cup of coffee to start and was given a menu. Ten minutes goes by and I still don't have my cup of joe. I look in and see the server drinking, doing side work, and chatting with the other serving staff. She totally forgot about me! Needless to say I left. It did not bode well for how good the food may have been.
(1)Person P.
The food was better than expected but nothing special. The waitress's were very nice but unprofessional. The bathrooms were very dirty and one of the faucets didn't work. There was also no air conditioning which is very odd for being in keys. It's a great place to stop if your hungry but it's not a place you'd go more than once.
(3)J E.
My wife and I stop by to try the cheesesteak sandwiches I had heard so much about good our waitress Linda young girl with no patience and a little bit of body odor maybe her boss should tell her about better hygiene practices especially when dealing with customers linda was up noxious rude and mean . the meal was absolutely fantastic this service left a lot to be desired . hopefully when I return next year Linda will have improved her attitude or maybe found a job that she is more suitable for. All Linda did was complain about other employees and how special she was too I guess Joe the owner. Well if Joe is the owners Joe we found nothing special about Linda her hygiene her attitude first service all were very very poor will be back till the food was excellent the service was poor
(3)Jack L.
I really enjoy this restaurant. I am a big fan of any restaurant that serves omelets and breakfast items all day. Every time I go here, I get the seafood omelet. It is always filled with loads of seafood like scallops, shrimp and conch. I am not a huge fan of the conch because it is chewy, but the food is delicious. The seating is non pretentious and it has an open and airy feel because they always have the windows open to enjoy the fresh sea breeze. They have both an indoor and outdoor bar for your adult entertainment. I have never had a bad experience here.
(4)Erika M.
I have dined at the Cracked Conch before, many many times in my life. We have vacationed in Marathon for many summers and have stopped in at this locals diner for a clam chowder or a conch salad. My one star review is for my experience on Monday June 23rd. We walked in with our party of 5 and were instructed "round table in the back" with a head gesture. Well, hello to you too. We sat down and waited to be addressed, greeted, etc. And waited. And waited. I said "excuse me" while the waitress walked by and she replied "in a minute" without even breaking her stride or looking back. After I waited patiently for another 5 minutes and said "excuse me" again... I continued to be ignored. A couple that was sat after us were given ice water and read the specials. I gathered up my party to leave. I was not going to wait around and continued to be ignored when I had two hungry children. As we were leaving, our waitress was busy bussing a table. WOW! I'm guessing that those two dirty dishes took precedence over a table of 5 that would probably spend around $100 in food. When I called to ask for the manager to let him/her know how greatly his employees lacked customer service, I was told by the young girl on the phone that they don't have a manager. Okay. So this business is run by two miserable women with zero bedside manner for their patrons? Good luck running this place into the ground. I frequent the Keys multiple times a year and will never set foot in this establishment again! We had an amazing lunch at Brutus Seafood Market with OUTSTANDING customer service! Go there instead and save yourself a grumpy experience from the Cracked Conch! The only crabs you should encounter are at the beach!!!!
(1)John R.
Good local color. Unremarkable food. Kitchen unable to successfully meet gluten allergy. My wife had to stop eating one of the few things on the menu she could eat, a salad, because there was a crouton in it.
(3)Christie R.
Used to love this place. Great cracked conch. But they have really gone down hill. First we had to ask for help with the ants on the table. Then we watched a rat eat the leftovers at the next table. When we told our waitress that they had a rat problem, she replied, "if we got rid of the rats there would be another problem. We're outside." Well, true, and trying to take it with a grain of salt and a slice of lime...but she forgot the margarita too.
(1)Grace M.
Warm, breezy and casual location for breakfast (till 4pm!) lunch and dinner. Seat yourself and order some classic comfort seafood...and don't skimp on the conch! That being said, the service can be considered that of a "tough love" variety.
(4)Christine L.
This place is seriously amazing. My group of 4 friends were late for a flight and had to eat quickly and they were super understanding and accommodating. Great service great food and great memories :))
(5)Maria C.
Pizza seemed like a cheap crust ( frozen and vegetables added ?) Hamburger undercooked and something floating in water. Won't go there again. Nice waitress
(2)Sabre M.
We were on there about 10'ish Sunday morning.... Lady behind bar and 2 waitresses were all very nasty to us :/
(1)Rick G.
Really bad Cuban Coffee but their Fried Conch; Lettuce Salad; New England Style Conch Chowder; Sampler of Onion Rings, Conch Fritters & Calamari; Mahi Mahi Grilled platter; Fried Mahi Mahi Sandwich were fabulous. This little dive is typical of its location. Very laid back, comfortable and the ambience very beachy. A nice place for an ultra-casual lunch, dinner or just a few cold ones after a hard day of boating, swimming, fishing and/or sunning - a pit stop we'll return to.
(3)H B.
Conch balls are nasty! Waitress was not a warm & friendly person! They rush you to place your order & get annoyed if you take to long or ask questions!
(1)Sandy D.
Stopped for key lime pie. We've taste tested a half dozen pies since visiting the keys. This was the best. Could have been a little more Limey for our liking, but still the best! Also ordered both the Manhattan and New England conch chowder. Both were amazing! We all liked the New England best.
(5)Joseph L.
I've been very excited to try the cracked conch cafe after I saw the program on television all about the cracked conch Marcela and conch parmesan. Went on Yelp just to check out some reviews and saw a bunch of bad reviews about this crabby waitress. Either way I was going to go try this restaurant and at this point I was actually hoping that the crappy waitress would wait on us. Upon entering we were greeted with a smile and a friendly hello from shaundra our bartender / server, not what we were expecting. We probably ordered to rum and cokes and ask about what was her favorite conch dish. She proceeded to tell us in her favor was the Marsala... I have to say it was a toss up between the conch parmesan or the conch parm. we decided upon the conch marsala. It came out soon it was absolutely awesome the portion was huge and we devoured every bit of it I highly recommend this place awesome conch and drinks! The twice baked potato was absolutely awesome as well... Only disappointment was we were expecting the crabby waitress........
(5)A C.
We've been here several times and have yet to have an entree that wasn't delightful. Service can fluctuate but we've always had a doll of a waitress. Conch fingers are superb.
(5)Jim S.
Conch Benedict is off the chart. After you order you can cook pounding the coch...tender...not chewy, good Bloody Mary s. We go here for breakfast every trip to the keys (40 times and counting). Classic keys dining with outdoor dining.
(5)Sarah F.
Yes, it's a shack, but the food is great and our waitress was super nice. The key lime pie was delicious, really creamy, really good. They were happy to split a side dish of pasta for my children who couldn't manage a full meal.
(4)Erica B.
Could of been better, but service was seriously lacking people skills. Short, rude and an able to juggle her 4 tables efficiently.
(1)Karen L.
This place is not very impressive by looking at it. However, the service was great from the moment we walked in. Very friendly staff, and the food arrived quick. We ordered the conch melt sandwich and fish melt sandwich, both were fresh and delicious. Key lime pie was great as well. Highly recommend this place if you are driving to or from Key West. Would definitely stop here again.
(5)Bill S.
From the name, the obvious choice here is the conch and it is good. I had the conch chowder and cracked conch and definitely recommend both. This decor is older and not too fancy, but the food is good. They only serve Pepsi and I am a Coke person.
(4)Lew L.
not a lot of ambiance, typical picnic tables. But the food is fabulous. The conch is the best in Marathon. The service is great too. Must be the owners because you can tell they really care.
(4)Karen K.
Don't bother with breakfast. it was horrible. Stale cinnamon roll and bread. Good wait staff though.
(1)Charlene G.
The "Cracked Conch" IS all it's cracked up to be! Service was fast & friendly! The food was fresh & AMAZING! Husband had the seafood omelet - said it was the best he has ever put in his mouth! (& this man knows his omelets!) I had the Conch Marsala. I have never had conch b4 & after the first bite I wasn't to sure I liked it?? Took another bite - then polished off my plate! DELISH!!
(5)Suzanne M.
Yum! We're trying the Key Lime pie everywhere we go and so far, I have to say this one is my favorite because it's the thick cheese cake-like consistency. Soooo good. While we were just popping in for a piece of pie, the menu caught our attention so we got a half order of raw oysters and steamed mussels. I could eat three more plates of their mussels. The atmosphere is laid back and the bar tender was this chill older guy. We're definitely going to stop there again on our way back north.
(5)Harrison L.
Came here just for key lime pie dessert based on an online recommendation and was not disappointed at all, it was great! The waitress knew as we walked in that we were there just for dessert haha. The espresso and Latte's we had were on point as well.
(5)Mary ann R.
We come to Marathon a lot and always ALWAYS eat at the Cracked Conch Cafe. My husband loves their large omelets and potatoes and they will grill me fish even for breakfast. Their fish melt has a huge piece of fresh mahi or fresh snapper and is my favorite. My husband loves their Philly Cheese and their chowders are robust and fresh. It is definitely Old Florida, super casual, and staff can be a bit grumpy, but they warm right up. LOVE the Cracked Conch.
(5)Sue C.
After being recommended by a local went for breakfast on Sunday eat outside food was hot and good prices fair had a western omelette my wife just scrambled bill was$16 not bad very friendly staff we will be back
(5)Chale F.
Great food and very friendly service. Lots of fresh conch and seafood. For the land lover there are great burgers and turkey sandwiches. Daily specials and all at good prices. Did I say friendly service? Very nice and attentive. Go Rosie! Recommend to any one and everyone.
(5)Xianxing Z.
Really enjoyed the Conch Marsala! The owner was very nice and even let us take out a cold lemonade after lunch. Definitely try their special dishes.
(5)Mary W.
Conch chowder was excellent. Got a burger and the kiddo a quesadilla. Everything was well prepared and tasty. Dessert was the best coconut ice cream ever and the key lime pie was delish.
(4)Lyman C.
Great little Dive of a place. Prices are very reasonable! New England Conch Chowder is so good. You can hear the guy in the kitchen pounding away at tenderizing the conch. Got the conch combo (balls, tenders, and ceviche) along with a Cracked Conch Cafe sandwich. All excellent. I will have to come back for Conch Steak Marsala next time.
(5)Danielle D.
Stopped on a whim while driving to Key West... Been thinking about this place ever since! Super casual atmosphere with the most lovely employees. And the food -- THE BEST. The perfect way to kick off the perfect week in the keys.
(5)Jennifer B.
Wonderful local eatery. Highly recommend the conch cafe sandwich-best anything fried I've had in a long time. You've seen the show drive-ins, diners and dives? It's a dive for sure. And everyone knows that's where the best food is. As far as the lack of AC that another reviewer posted? You can see the seating the place has to offer when you pull up. No secrets here.
(5)Dave A.
OK so maybe the conch is OK but everything else at this restaurant needs to go, from the outside this looks like a great local hang out or a convenient roadside lunch stop but when you go in its dirty, old and falling apart. from the warped plywood ceiling to the cheap plastic table cloths. ewww. My wife had conch chowder and a blackened dolphin sandwich and I ate off the specials menu, a turkey melt. I've been on a three day nonstop fish diet and needed a break. Her soup was just OK and the dolphin sandwich (mahi mahi) was good but overly soaked in some kind of hot sauce. My melt was a frozen turkey patty most likely a generic grocery store type that was pan fried and slapped on some rye bread. not great. so then it came time to pay.....$36. Let's All learn from my mistake...drive just a few more miles down the road and go to Brutus seafood market and have not just an OK meal but a great one. Skip the Cracked Conch Cafe.....unless you just want conch in a rundown place.
(2)Jane J.
Late at night and I had my two Tibetan Terriers with me. Stopped here because it was dog friendly. What a surprise!!! Outstanding service. The waitress assisted us in and to the patio with a lovely little fountain and fresh water for my dogs. I asked her advice in ordering. Had the snapper pan fried and it was exquisite! Delicate, cooked just right, obviously fresh caught. Also had the twice bake mashed potato. Once again outstanding. Key lime pie was also exemplar as well as the coffee. If you want a healthy, unbelievably delicious dinner, this is the place to be. I will go again to try many more dishes. Best dinner I have had in the Keys and I come from San Francisco a foodie paradise. This beat SF all to heck. Price was great.
(5)Doray B.
Best meal we had. Conch balls are amazing. So is the soup.
(4)Jeff J.
The service was very kind. The food was inexpensive and as expected for the price. The atmosphere was loud and not appealing. I would much rather go across the street to the stuffed pig.
(2)Faiyaz H.
We were driving up from the Key West and we wanted some lunch and we did not want to eat fast food, we figured we could get Wendys or one of the local places anywhere, we wanted some local food. So we looked up locations and decided to give this place a try, what a mistake. Here is why: The restaurant is pretty much a shack. We walked in and I felt like at anytime the ceiling would fall. There is no air conditioning in this place, but there are fans all over the place. The fans inside appeared to be working fine, but they would not sit our large party inside, instead we were put outside. Above our table there was a fan, the only speed it had was slow. When we asked the waitress about it, she said that is how it is and there is nothing that could be done. Funny thing is we heard some other folks mentioning to the owner that on the internet people had mentioned about how hot it was in the restaurant. The owner responded saying that - what do you expect it is an outside restaurant. That to me was kind of a rude answer, its fine to respond like that but why have fans if the fans are not working. If you are going to be outside in the Florida weather, then have fans that work. We then had to ask for silver ware several times. The quality of the food was horrible. I think the only reason this place is in business is because the locals have no where else to go and have to suck up this crappy place. It is truly a horrible place, my advice don't waste your time. The waitress was rude, the soda didn't taste right. I can go on and on.
(1)Joanna M.
Ate with my family. Unfortunately we weren't impressed with the food. The ladies who were waiting on us were so nice. Food came out fast. But food had very little flavor on something's and too much on others. Expected better I guess.
(3)Susanne A.
Had the cracked conch platter, lots of food...fried. Overall pretty good and tender. Just be forewarned there is no A/C.
(4)Kristina G.
I was told that this was a fun kitchy place to stop on the way to Key West. Fun, meh, kitchy, yes. But not someplace I am likely to stop again. Its kind of dirty and hot (due to no AC etc) but that's not a big deal if the food was great. We were just there for a snack so we had the conch chowder and Key Lime pie. The conch chowder was SALTY. It made me shudder. The flavor may have been alright but I was unable to really enjoy it due to the salt. The Key Lime pie was creamy and actually quite tasty. But the texture was melty almost like it was sitting out on a hot counter waiting to be served. So that threw me off a bit. What got me too were the prices. I mean I guess I figured a place like this would be fairly inexpensive but it was actually pretty pricey. I am glad we just got snacks because I might have felt worse if I dropped the amount for a fine dining experience with this type of atmosphere. If you're hungry and its there, it won't kill you, but there are better places to spend your time and money.
(2)Bill W.
Old Florida - rugged décor, no air conditioning, limited menu. The food is GREAT, the conchburgers are awesome - they are a must try. Also, this is the place for Key Lime Pie.....just stop in for a coffee and a slice of pie, you will not regret it.
(4)Katie W.
Not much to say about this place... it's got a real "mom and pop" feel to it. Don't expect anything too fancy, but the conch burger was good and the key lime pie was yummy.
(3)Tom L.
We went to Key West and decided there was no way in hell we were going to find a place to park OR find a place to eat without waiting 2 hrs. So on our drive back to Key Largo, we read about the Cracked Conch in Marathon. Sounded promising. So we got to milepost 49.5 and there it was. No crowds. No waiting . We decided to test the waters so to speak. So we ordered the Conch Combo... three conch balls, conch fingers and seviche. If we liked that we would order our entree. The prices were considerable higher than anticipated especially from the decor and building antiquity. We got our food order very quickly. (btw, was not that overly crowded) The conch fritters(balls) were really good the conch fingers were tasty. But the conch seviche WAS fabulous. The conch gets pounded on YUM! So we decided to order. The conch chowder (red) was piping hot and delicious. Had an order of conch chowder(white) tasty also. The platters are well stocked with helpings. Two of us decided to share a platter which the server had no problems accommodating. The Fish and chips was tasty also. Lots a french fries however. The fish is Mahi. No room for key lime pie unfortunately. And we did not order cocktails. One order of the Cuban coffee which was quite weak and lukewarm, too much milk or cream. The one thing that really turned me off about the server was she smoked while waiting for the food orders. I am used to the NO Smoking laws from my state so I found that disconcerting while patrons ate and the server smoked close to their table ... but it was outside they say. Smoke cigs then serve our food... Hmmm not a fan of that at all. Our Server, Linda seemed attentive to us and we never had to wait for her. I was going to give the Cafe 4 stars but the smoking thing I could not overlook and the HIGH menu prices were a little extreme, so its 3 instead of 4. I also think they could throw in the cool bottle cozy for free if you spend over $100 for the meal. Would be a nice gesture.
(3)Steve F.
My father in law used to love this place. He made it a point to go here every time were in the keys. But the last two times....terrible. The waitress was the WORST!!!! She made us feel like we were bothering her. And then the conch was over cooked(real chewy) and overpriced. I think that was out last trip there. Try for yourself but we had a bad experience.
(1)Cheryl G.
I just loved the signature menu item, the cracked conch cafe. Very tender and not rubbery. I am not a lover of key lime pie but the turtle cheesecake was great and was homemade.
(5)Bing F.
We always end up stopping here on the way north from Key West, usually for Key Lime pie and coffee. Depending on you meet, the staff can be alternately stand-offish or wonderfully friendly. The Key Lime pie is usually exquisite and the cafe con leche is fantastic.
(3)Peter M.
The biggest and best fish sandwich every time we visit. Plus really friendly service. Can't ask for better!
(5)Chris W.
After reading some of the previous post, we were hesitant to try this diner out but decided to give it a try anyway. We were looking for a place that served the conch steak rather than the small strips or basic fritters. The menu has quite a wide variety of conch dishes. We started with the conch combo appetizer that had conch fritters that had bits of nice size conch with a tasty blend of seasoning, conch fingers ( conch strips with a lite breading) and conch ceviche. We ordered the conch sandwich, garlic mussels, and conch piccata. All the dishes were generous portions and the conch was surprisingly very tender. After talking with the waitress, she asked us if we heard any pounding in the back where the kitchen was and she said that they actually beat the conch steaks to make them tender. For dessert, we had two key lime pies which gave all the previous pies a run for their money (this is the 5th sample pie we have tried) To sum up our experience at this diner, we were pleasantly surprised and glad that we stopped. The waitresses were nice and very helpful to offer suggestions and the food was very good. We were able to try conch in a good variety of ways other than the standard conch fritters
(5)William B.
Eat here. We were hungry and looking for another good seafood lunch after a weekend at the Keys and ended up here, and it was far better than it had any right to be. Some of us had the grouper sandwich, fried or grilled, which is classic-- sheer pleasure on a bun. You should get it too. The other classic thing they serve is Key Lime Pie. I didn't love it as much as the pie at the No-name Pub, but it's still better than most of the Key Lime Pies in my life. Service was overworked, and the waitstaff clearly dote on their favorite regulars more than the tourists who come in off the street, but just be nice and try not to get your feelings hurt and they'l;l treat you well enough.
(4)Heather S.
Fabulous! Fried conch balls and key lime pie. Yum!
(4)Jamie N.
I loved the look of this place, because the more ramshackle, the better the food in my experience. However, the service was pretty awful and I am a patient type. It took a long time to place our food order, and then our waitress never returned to ask if I wanted a refill. She seemed to be the only actual waitress here, while there there was an older lady cleaning up the tables. However, the key line pie saved this experience. It was fantastic. The custard was juicy and it seemed pretty fresh. While conch itself doesn't seem to have much of a taste, which is the house specialty, I recommend coming here for a quick in and out for pie only.
(2)Debbie H.
Our meal from start to finish was excellent! The clams in wine sauce and conch fingers were tasty hot and fresh. Chowders were served hot and also tasted good. Then the main courses arrived: broiled fisherman platter was over the moon! Loved those BBQ shrimp. Mahi mahi and chicken stir fry were also good. Key lime pie was a hit and put the bow on top of this present of a meal. Lynda provided excellent service along with witty humor. Thanks for a great meal experience.
(5)Holly B.
We went for breakfast, and all our meals were fantastic! Homemade potatoes, huge omelettes and eggs Benedicts. Our friends had simple breakfast sandwiches and loved that as well. I had the Seafood Lovers omelette with shrimp, scallops, conch and fish. My man had the Shrimp Scampi omelette. AMAZING! Fresh food, great stop.
(5)Ginger W.
This is such a great place to stop when you drive the Keys!! Try the Seafood Omelette, it's to die for!!
(5)Kelly F.
Had the fisherman platter with fried conch , conch stuffed shrimp, mahi and the Manhattan chowder. Key lime pie was also awesome. Food is great, but in my opinion, overpriced. If you're paying $25 an entree, you expect some atmosphere, and this is just a patio/dive cafe.
(4)Nikki A.
Friendly early morning and late night service. We stopped for an early Sunday breakfast, then went back late the same night for a slice of Key lime pie.
(4)Lakshmi P.
Good Food tasty and affordable. They let you customize the food the way you want to and make sure that you eat here
(4)Bob N.
Two for great key lime pie. Service is more like Elaine's experience in SEINFELD with Reggie's Diner. Food..eh.
(2)Andy E.
Service wasn't helpful at all, in fact, our waitress confused the sh*t out of me... We didn't come for service though - we came for fried conch! I had been driving for three hours by the time I got here so I was tired and very hungry. The fried conch was very satisfying and is the second best I've ever had. They twist the Bahamian-style (just flour) fried conch and give it an explosion of flavor with the seasoning; it sure is delicious. I know it probably wasn't fresh but it tasted like it was! Make sure that you note the difference on the menu between the fried conch basket, fried conch breakfast, fried conch #1, fried conch entree, the list goes on, and it makes all the difference - therein lies the confusion.
(3)Sabby H.
Very friendly service. Don't expect great ambiance or views, but the food is great - as long as you aren't expecting diet food!
(3)David C.
Food is ok but service took FOREVER. It took 2 hours for us to get our food, then our check. Locals receive a lot of noticeable preferential treatment. They will come in after you but somehow be able to get their food, check, and leave a half hour before you. Additionally our elderly waitress was shaking so much that the soup was spilled over the side of the bowl a bit and luckily no main courses were spilled. There are PLENTY of other places to choose from down in the keys.
(1)Christian L.
Arrived here on a recommendation from a friend for the breakfast specials. The restaurant has no A/C so it was a bit warm for my comfort. The place has not been updated and you can tell it has been here for many years. Not a prob, maybe the food will make up for it. As I skimmed the menu, I decided I just wanted to go with a couple of scrambled eggs with bacon and toast. As I waited for my food I looked over my left shoulder to look out the window and noticed a roach on it's back wriggling for life on the floor. It's Florida during the summer and there are a lot of bugs out so I was a little understanding. But if that's what the dining room maintenance is like, I don't want to know what the kitchen looks like. I finished my average breakfast since I was famished and the people I was with didn't seem to mind our visitor either. It was an ok meal but the place itself was a dive. Needless to say I won't be back (even if they put out some roach motels).
(2)Rick J.
Best seafood omelet I've ever had. Small place, excellent food. Fish based eggs Benedict best we've ever had according to my wife, I agree. We will make this an annual stop when we're down for a mid-February winter break trip. We had a party of 8 and we were served promptly.
(4)Leslie S.
I dunno what all the fuss is about; this place is a definite dive. The conch balls were full of shell, the soda machine was out of syrup, our dolphin sammy was bland and watery, and the key lime pie was so gross I couldn't finish it - COOL WHIP, not real whipped cream?! Wouldn't be surprised if the custard was from a mix even though there was a lime tree growing right outside the door. Tourist trap, big time. They get two stars for the servers being nice though.
(2)Kurt R.
Food was bland, over priced and service was awful.
(1)Willy L.
Want a small authentic Keys type of place? Well look no further. This little gem is easy to find right off the highway. Came here looking for a quick and easy lunch with seafood, so I had a cup of creamy conch chowder. All I can say is wow, the best conch chowder I have ever had. Moved on to a 1/2 pound shrimp steamed in beer. Another great selection I might add, shrimp were very tender and cooked to perfection. I wish I had discovered this place earlier in my trip as I would have gone back and explored the menu further. If you are in the area you have to try this place. Lot's of fans so I am guessing in the summer months that might be a issue, but you know what? Its the keys, so be ready for the heat. To wrap it this up, I will be back to this place many more times in my lifetime.
(5)Beatriz B.
I was totally impressed with how good my food was here today. I met up with my aunt, uncle and cousins; and we went here for lunch. My aunt had a chicken sandwich with iced tea, My uncle and I had the red snapper sandwich special. He had 7-up and I had a cafe con leche and water. My cousin Erin had the top sirloin burger with American cheese and Pepsi, and my cousin Jacob had the Philly cheese steak sandwich and Pepsi. My uncle also order conch fritters and we ordered 3 baskets of fries. The food was really good. I passed on the conch fritters, but my sandwich was very tasty, the fries were really good, and the rest of my family loved their food too. This is a definitely come as you are type of place. On the down side, this location only serves Pepsi products, yuck. I am a Coca-cola kind of girl. The ice tea they serve is unsweetened, the chairs need new seat covers, and it is more of an open air restaurant, the doors and windows tend to be left open. The only thing I don't recommend is the cafe con leche. I had to put so much sugar in it, that it was sugar with coffee and milk, just to be able to drink it. Yuck. Another I did not like was the fact that the waitress was kind of a snot when my 12 year old cousin asked if the burger could be cut in half. The waitress barked back no and her reason why. Totally unprofessional and poor customer service. If that was my cafe, and she was one of my employees, she would be lucky to have a job the next day by the time I was done ripping her a new one. Other than that, food is definitely very good here. Plus there is indoor and outdoor seating.
(4)Meg S.
I may be the first reviewer, but thousands have come here before and after I did in March of 2000. While I was hopping from key to shining key I tasted every slice of Key Lime Pie up for sale, and this one beat them all hands down. The custard was an authentic creamy yellow, the whipped cream on the end heavy and rich, and the taste of the pie was sharp and sour followed by a literal squirt in your mouth of sweet lime as the finishing note. I was blown away. The fried conch was awesome too, and something hot and fried always pairs well with Key Lime Pie. It was a very happy, decandent trip and this was an important stop along the way. I hope the pie is still good all these years later - with a recipe like that, they'd be mad to change it!
(5)Cliff M.
The cracked conch is a 1960's style cafe that offers open air seating which is extremely comfortable. The food is delicious, the staff is friendly and the portions are generous. Breakfast is offered until 4 p.m and their omelets are worth trying. The philly cheesesteak sandwich is extremely tasty and large enough to satisfy anyones hunger. The Chicken fingers are fried to perfection and are served with fries and coleslaw with a unique flavor. If you are looking for a quick but tasty meal the cracked conch is the place for you.
(5)Jessica J.
So the fancy-pantsy society muckety mucks and Chamber of Commerce Commandants are gonna hate this place. If, like me, that makes the place all the more appealing to you read on. If the very thought of dirty dining makes the stick in your carefully massaged rear compartment ascend to your jejunum, read no further. The Cracked Conch Cafe may well be renamed The Cracked Out Conch Cafe by the looks of it. Very flea-bitten exterior. Be sure to enter through the patio entrance for full effect. The outdoor area is funk-tastic, especially the homemade fountain in the middle. We dropped in for a snack on a hotter-than-Hades June afternoon. But there is indeed no rest for the wicked. Rather than air-conditioning, the Cracked Conch has opted for a phalanx of fans that adorns the restaurants drop-ceiling of pressed particle board. The long, dark wooden bar looked like the type of place I'd like to get snookered at. And had the hour been later, I might have gone for the gold. Instead, I opted for a single, lady-like Corona, which was served to me in a beer koozy emblazoned with the name of a local, probably corrupt, sheriff's candidate of yore. The low pitched whirring of the fans was backed up by the constant, percussive "thwack, thwackity, thwack" from the kitchen. Apparently they really like to flog their conchs at this place. (Insert lame, inappropriate masturbation joke here.) But in my book, all the racket was a good thing. To me, the cacophony of hammering meant that softly and tenderly, conch was calling, calling for you and for me. So down we sat. The service here was pretty unmotivated. One server was on duty and she seemed more concerned with shooting the shit with the locals than acknowledging likely tourists. I guess this, along with the crack shack ambiance, is why the Chamber types are down on this place. But the server was perfectly nice when when she got around to getting to us. And the fried conch was delicious. Thank you, Hammer Time Band! Other highlights of this trip were a cool "Cracked Conch" stained glass behind the bar. And the fact that the waitress chased me down to return the sunglasses that we left behind. See, she wasn't such a bad egg after all!
(3)Dante B.
The thing that I most appreciated about the Cracked Conch is the eclectic nature of the place and the night that we stopped by was just Keys-perfect to enjoy .. straight out of a zombie movie, the rickety little diner by the side of the road, with the flickering lights, neon signs and the crazy old lady out front.. it was one of those moments when I felt an out-of-body experience and saw that it was indeed a moment to remember. For the Keys, this place is open late. The door says midnight, while the owner told me 11 pm. But, regardless, it's l-a-t-e for the Keys. The place in the evening is usually frequented by the after-movie or play folk, from the next door cinemas and playhouse. We didn't order much; other than desserts and coffee, so I can't really comment on the food or drinks, other than to say that what I saw coming out of the kitchen looked like your typical pub grub. The coffee was good enough, with friendly service and fast refills. (don't ask for skim milk, though, I was thoroughly rebuffed for that stupid idea...) The slow train of locals coming in, combined with the banging of the main door, the howling of the wind and the crazy conversations all around us made for an interesting night. And I'm not one to just sit in diners, but this was one of those places you just couldn't walk away from. There were the four bickering locals, the old fishermen that sat at the bar and told fish stories (to everyone in the whole place), the old lady with the Publix shopping cart that she parked outside, the crazy oldsters down from Quebec spending their kids' money on their new motorhome/luxury palace on wheels who just couldn't quite make it to Big Pine Key, etc. Like a play. And another character enters stage right. In short, decent desserts, a fun place to see locals and engage in some interesting conversations - open late and there's hot coffee on for you!
(2)Trish D.
My husband and I were looking for quick lunch where we could sit outside and Cracked Conch filled the bill. It wasn't crowded at all and we were promptly and efficiently waited on by 2 servers. The conch sampler appetizer was really good - the conch balls are like what other places call fritters. They were good, not greasy. The fried conch was tasty but the best part was the ceviche - very tasty and the conch wasn't chewy. If you're looking for a simple meal and no-nonsense service, try here.
(3)Rob C.
one of those places listed in the coupon books, which is why it was crowded i guess. frantic mother and daughter running a busy front of the house had the conch platter combo to go the conch fritters a bit mushy, conch fried strips much better
(3)Nancy B.
You want local? This is the place. Wait staff is as friendly as you are. Food is terrific - the best fried fish sandwich anywhere. Best black beans and rice too! You want fancy, go elsewhere. You want the real Keys - go here.
(5)Dana M.
Can you say conch? Manhattan, new england, burger, benedict (super yummy), this place was a veritable Bubba Gump of conch! Service was super! Not outdoor seating after all, rather it was on a covered porch with fans, which was just fine. The conch was great, even listening to the chef pounding out the next fritter was fun! Prices were reasonable, but they didn't have real maple syrup. The key lime pie was good, maybe just a little too sweet.
(4)Jimmy V.
DONT GO THERE !!!! This is the worst place i have ever been to. It is dirty, nasty, filty. They had two hold lady as waitress with sweat driping of there forhead taking your order. I walked in order a conch marsala than change my minde and walk out. The place was so horrible that i did not trust them with my food. Would not go there, or refer it to a friend or family member.
(1)Jay W.
Every time I'm in the Keys, the Cracked Conch is a MUST at least a couple of meals. The food is great, we've had all sorts of things on the menu. I like the Cuban stuff. As far as ambience, it's got that terrific old-world-Keys charm to it. Very eclectic, yes. Is it spotless? Heck no! What is, in the Keys? I've been to places a LOT worse down there. Sure there are meticulous places in Key West, and some along the route, but this place is awash in that unpretentious, days-gone-by Florida feeling. Not like you're being sold a manufactured impression of nostalgic Keys...which is what the Keys are filled with now. Feels out of the way for a late-night meal, despite being right on Hwy 1. My only rec is pick an off time, like after 9, for the best experience.
(4)