Where Cuban culture became Cuban American history.
Mallory Square · Since 1997
Open daily 11 AM – 10 PM
Join the fun every night
Documented in American Culinary History
El Mesón de Pepe was featured in Food Paradise not simply as a restaurant, but as a living expression of Cuban American heritage in Key West—where food, family, and history converge.
Food Paradise (Travel Channel) — "Meals Over Miami" S14 E2, aired September 2, 2020
Institutional statement
El Mesón de Pepe is not merely a restaurant. It is a living archive—a place where Cuban culture, having taken root in Key West over a century and a half, is honored as Cuban American legacy. Contribution, permanence, and influence define this space.
Cuisine serves as cultural expression. The table at Mallory Square has held that purpose since 1997: a site of continuity, where recipes, rhythm, and ritual carry forward what began in Cuba and became essential to Key West.
Curated exhibits
Those who turned Cuban culture into Cuban American history. Each voice essential; each presence permanent.
Chef, Founder
b. Yaguajay, Cuba
“We didn't bring a restaurant. We brought a history.”
Trained in the mesones of Spain; brought his craft to Key West via Miami. From the Cuban Club to Tony's Grocery to El Mesón de Pepe on Duval (1986) and Mallory Square (1997). His table has been a permanent site of Cuban American Conch heritage for nearly four decades.
Keepers of the Table
1973–present
Three generations in Key West. From grocery and deli to a landmark table at Mallory Square. They did not simply preserve recipes—they turned Cuban tradition into Conch permanence. The dining room, the patio, the music: all continuity. Today, Jose M. Diaz Jr., son of Jose "Pepe" M. Diaz, carries the legacy forward as General Manager and Co-owner.
From the catalog
The menu is living tradition. Select entries below—each with a brief note on how it evolved in Key West—presented as pages from a cultural catalog.
Guest voices
“Came for one mojito, stayed for the sunset and the band.”
“Best spot in Mallory Square for drinks before dinner.”
“The patio at sunset with live music—exactly what we wanted in Key West.”
“Authentic Cuban flavors. The Ropa Vieja is incredible.”
“A Key West institution. Don't miss the Mallory Square sunset from here.”
Ritual & gathering
Sunset, music, and the patio are not amenities. They are continuity—each evening a reaffirmation of place and tradition.
Gatherings
Our historic building at Mallory Square accommodates rehearsal dinners, receptions, and corporate gatherings. Custom Cuban buffets or plated dinners—each occasion rooted in the same cultural continuity we hold in the dining room.
