Food: Sloppy Joe's Daytona Beach

Sloppy Joe's is one of the most well-known bars in Key West, but the place has always exhibited a streak of shameless capitalism. Ernest Hemingway was a regular customer, for instance, and now his face is unceremoniously plastered on Sloppy Joe's logo (sort of an alcoholic, literary Colonel Sanders). Rubbing salt in the wound, the bar actually hosts a Hemingway lookalike contest every year.

Apparently, someone decided that the historic Duval Street location in Key West wasn't making enough money on its own. Whether by franchise, license, or simple expansion, there is now an official Sloppy Joe's location in Daytona Beach. The place is located inside the Ocean Walk Shoppes, one of those multilevel waterfront tourist-type complexes that house restaurants, movie theatres, and not much else. :


In terms of food and drink, Sloppy Jone's Daytona isn't anything to write home about. The menu is comprised of standard sports bar fare with a Key West twist - the titular Sloppy Joe is decent, the salads are big, and the drinks are cheaper than you might expect for such a touristy locale. Add in a decent beachfront view, and the acoustic punk rock/reggae stylings of Greg Stryker (there's live entertainment five nights a week), however, and you have a fun evening.

2/4 stars