Live Duval Street Cam 2: The Front of Sloppy Joe’s Bar

This is the view of the bar itself: “Sloppy Joe’s Bar” in block letters across the white-painted brick, the long awning over the sidewalk, and a row of doorways that stay open to the street all day. From here you can watch the crowd come and go, see how long the line is, and on a busy night see the crowd inside through the open doors.

The building

The bar has been on this corner since May 5, 1937. The building is older. It went up in 1917 as the Victoria Restaurant, and owner Joe Russell bought it for $2,500 when his landlord around the corner raised the rent. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. The full story is on our Sloppy Joe’s history page.

What to watch for

• The doors. They stand open to the sidewalk, which is why the music carries so far down the street.
• The sidewalk under the awning. This is where people meet, and where the line forms on big nights.
• The roofline. On New Year’s Eve a six-foot lighted conch shell is lowered from the roof at midnight. This is the camera to have open.
• Late July. During Hemingway Days, dozens of white-bearded men arrive for the Hemingway Look-Alike Contest, held inside. Dates are on the events calendar.

New to the street? Start with the block-by-block guide to Duval Street, check the Key West weather, or find quick answers in the FAQ.