Ten Monroe County Restaurants Reported Most Health Violations in 2025

State inspection records for the fiscal year running July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, identified a group of Monroe County restaurants with notably high counts of sanitation and safety violations during 2025 inspections. Inspectors found the largest single tally at Kennedy Cafe in Key West, which recorded 32 violations on its August 13, 2025 inspection. Across the top ten Monroe County entries, inspectors documented a combined 259 violations.

Other entries on the county list included Blu Bistro at 19 Sombrero Blvd., Marathon, with 30 violations on July 31, 2025; Party Cake Bakery at 103200 Overseas Hwy., Key Largo, with 29 violations on October 15, 2025; and Pepe’s Cafe at 806 Caroline St., Key West, with 26 violations on July 30, 2025. Three additional establishments each registered 26 violations: Great Wall Take Out at 82685 Overseas Hwy., Islamorada, on November 19, 2025; Meat Eatery and Taproom at 88005 Overseas Hwy., Islamorada, on September 12, 2025; and another 26-count entry recorded in Key Largo. Vicky Bakery at 97630 Overseas Hwy., Key Largo, logged 24 violations on September 12, 2025. Hobo’s Cafe at 101691 Overseas Hwy., Key Largo, was cited for 22 violations on December 5, 2025, while Hideaway Cafe at 57784 Overseas Hwy., Marathon, and Ocean Grill at 1075 Duval St., Key West, each recorded 22 violations on November 12, 2025, and July 16, 2025, respectively.

Not all establishments on the list were ordered closed following inspection; state inspectors have a range of enforcement tools that include immediate closure for imminent health hazards, follow-up inspections, correction orders and fines. Multiple high-count inspections in a single county can trigger increased scrutiny and follow-up activity from regulators, and they can produce reputational and financial consequences for affected businesses in a region whose economy relies heavily on dining and tourism.

For Monroe County residents and visitors, the practical takeaway is to monitor inspection histories for restaurants you frequent and to be alert to posted inspection results at points of sale. The inspection dates clustered mainly in the summer and fall of 2025, suggesting a period of intensified enforcement or seasonal staffing and operational pressures that can influence compliance. Local business owners should view these findings as a reminder that routine training, improved sanitation practices and timely corrective action can reduce violations, protect customers and stabilize revenue in a tourism-driven market.

State inspection detail pages provide the specific violation descriptions and any follow-up actions taken by regulators for each facility.