If you're traveling to or through Marathon, Florida, do yourself a favor and stop at LJ's Café for…read morebreakfast or lunch. This family-owned gem was one of the highlights of our trip! My husband ordered the ham, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich, and it was absolutely amazing. We split it but the first thing we noticed it was huge. The sandwich was served on Cuban bread that they bake fresh themselves, and it was some of the best bread I've ever had; light, flaky, perfectly golden brown, and incredibly fresh. Every ingredient tasted fresh and homemade, including real eggs cooked to order, not the processed "fake" eggs you find in so many places. Be sure to save room for one of their homemade pastries. Like the bread, everything is baked in-house, and you can taste the care that goes into every bite. The coffee was equally impressive; rich, smooth, and full of flavor. It paired perfectly with breakfast and kept me coming back for more. What really sets LJ's Café apart, though, is the atmosphere. This is a true mom-and-pop establishment where family and friends work together. From the moment you walk into the small storefront, you're welcomed like family. The service is warm, genuine, and makes you feel right at home. And here's an added bonus for Florida travelers: the air conditioning is fantastic! After visiting several places in Marathon, we definitely appreciated being able to enjoy our meal in a cool, comfortable environment. I can't rave enough about this wonderful spot. If you're passing through Marathon, make sure your schedule allows for breakfast or lunch because those are the only hours they're open. Trust me, you won't be disappointed!

Best coffee I'm Marathon. Very cute place. The service was awesome! Will be going again and again.read more

Being from Florida and a very frequent visitor of the Keys we really wanted a burger. Well let me…read moretell you this place was A M A zing! We sat outside over looking the bay, which was nice. I didn't see any indoor sitting but hey, it's the Keys. Our server was so nice. He was very quiet and consistently smiling! Now let talk food! The hush puppies were absolutely perfect!! They served them with raspberry dip amazing. We both got the bacon cheeseburger. It was perfectly done, charbroiled, so juicy so good highly recommend. My favorite pie is a true key lime pie!! I took a leap and ordered the fried key lime pie....yes yes yes yes!!!! We will be back!

This place used to be a staple to visit. I am officially crossing it off my places to visit. Too…read more many options. Sandwiches are all a carte. Mahi sandwiches over cooked and tasteless. Server didn't check in with us we had to flag him down while he was texting for water refills. My kid loved the quesadilla. Not like the old days.

Ate here 2 times on our week stay, because it was that good. It was packed both times, had pretty…read morelong wait times, but your food is made to order and I don't mind, especially because you can physically see how busy it is and everything is made fresh. Their everything bagel is probably the best I have ever had. So soft and fresh. Me and my husband got the pork roll breakfast bagel sandwich with egg and cheese on an everything bagel and one with bacon as well. We also tried an everything bagel with their homemade chive cream cheese. So good! Their iced coffee is pretty good as well. Would absolutely come back!

Popped in for a quick breakfast yesterday morning, during our way down to Marathon…read more We had read about this place online, and decided to give it a try. The bagels are fresh, and the staff is friendly. Giving four stars because of the fact that we did not get to try the iced coffee or any other coffee options.

This is Jacob this place has the best food in town. I recommend the grouper sandwich. Yummy yummyread more

What a cute spot with a great vibe! The music created the perfect atmosphere, and the staff was…read morefriendly, attentive, and welcoming. We stopped in for breakfast, and everything was great. The service was fast, the food was delicious, and everything came out just right. Check them out and help support the locals!

I bypassed the Lobster Ruben, had the conch ceviche and a fried hogfish sandwich, it was one of the…read morebest seafood meals of my life. Bonus points for the bar next door, and having the tartar/cocktail sauce readily available. Their prices are incredibly low for the freshness and quality they serve up. I can't wait to return to the Florida Keys again to eat here.

We stopped here after snorkeling the sombrero reef for lunch. You order at a counter and find a…read moreseat and they call your name when it's ready. You go around the corner to the bar area to order any drinks. We found a spot outside at a picnic table by the marina to eat. The food is fresh but overpriced. The lobster roll was good but had more roll than lobster. The lobster chowder was better than the lobster bisque I had at a different restaurant but still not as good as what I make at home. I tried the famous lobster Rueben. It was toasted perfectly on rye. It was fine but I think the sauerkraut over powers the lobster when the lobster needs to be the star of the sandwich. The beating I had here was probably the coconut shrimp with mango sauce. It was perfection. Deliciously crispy and the mango chutney was perfect with it. After we finished eating we went into the seafood market to check out their fresh seafood selection and grabbed a pie of key lime pie to go which comes in a little tart tin. It was really good flavored and the crust was obviously homemade. Not your typical graham cracker crust which was a nice change.

We were so glad we booked our stay across the street at Tranquility Bay Resort because it led us to…read morethis gem! This restaurant is an absolute MUST if you're visiting Marathon. Whether you're looking for a relaxing breakfast or a delicious dinner, this is the place to go. We ordered the omelets, which were fantastic, and they came with fresh Cuban-style bread that was absolutely delicious. Pair that with a café con leche, and you have the perfect start to your day. What made the experience even better was the hospitality. The owner, Kenia, came out to visit with us and made us feel genuinely welcome. Our server, Claudia, was an absolute delight, friendly, attentive, and full of positive energy. The food and service were so good that we ate breakfast here twice during our vacation, and we're coming back for dinner tonight. That's probably the best recommendation we can give! If you're anywhere near Tranquility Bay or just passing through Marathon, don't miss this place. Great food, wonderful people, and the kind of welcoming atmosphere that keeps you coming back.

Nice cafeteria with authentic Cuban food staff arguing with each other in a very collegial Cuban…read moremanner Very tasty that's what we ordered on the way back home very traditional. Pan con busted is tasty but had very fatty meat used when pm cooked has fat on the edges A few tables and bar seats inside and various tables outdoor.

What a cool liquor store.. they have a deli that sells incredible fresh made sandwiches made to…read moreorder.. you fill out a slip and they make it how you order it! While you wait they have wines and liquors to see and enjoy.. I got some cbd drinks .. they also had key lime mini pies and key lime pie on stick in a freezer.. yummmmmy! Staff was very nice and greeted us as well as helped us since we had not been before. I was told of this place by a local that loves it for lunch menu! My sandwich did not disappoint!!there's booths outside in a covered area if you wanna eat on site I took mine home!

Complete scam. Charge $19.99 for a 6 pack of domestic beer. Same beer was $11.99 at Publix. Never…read moregoing back.

Excellent food - I recommend the conch fritters and the ahi tuna. If you only have room for 1, go…read morewith the ahi! It's an appetizer, so it's not massively filling, but it is super delicious. Margarita was great, too! Ambience gives off loud, locals mixed with cool tourists. Great dock location. Highly recommend.

Yessir this is where you want to go to relax and have some great food and drink! The 4 of us went…read moreon 12/29/2025 and were so happy to be there again - we've patronized this joint several times over the years and keep coming back. The drinks are made perfectly and there's a large menu to choose from. In addition, the prices are very reasonable. When you first walk in, there's a large wrap-around bar that is usually full to the brim with happy patrons. But don't worry - walk to the other side of the bar and there's a large patio chock full of additional seating. Thankfully, the view from any angle is beautiful because you are... dockside! You are right on the water! Check their social media accounts to see the who and what - because the place is always offering some type of live music act. If you need a low-key, super casual, and relaxing environment - but also want great drinks and fare - then go to Dockside Bar and Grill.