Mallory Square

We went a hour before sunset , since this place gets crowd. We just happen to be by the set-up for "Cat Man". I do Not recommend the "show" he seemed drunk and keep yelling at the cats. I don't find humor in hold up a cat's tail and shouting at its butt funny. He also ask kids from the audience to stand in a line and yells at them. If I was these kids parents, I would not have allowed them to be treated that way. One of the cat took off running and I was actually rooting for the cat to get away from this crazy guy. There other performers in Mallory Square that much better, even the lady singing off key with a guitar seem less harmless than this guy - and there are better place to see sunset without all the distractions.

If you are lucky enough to be in Key West while the sun is setting, this is a fun place to be. Not only do you get to see the sun set from one of the most Southern Point views, but you also get to enjoy street performers, music, and some food vendors. Be prepared for crowds as everyone has the same idea about catching a sunset here. We are blessed enough to have this be our second time getting to experience this.The first time was rainy and chilly for the area, which seemed to keep some of the crowds away; however, there were fewer performers and vendors because of the rain too. I'm glad we had great weather for the experience this time but do recommend a stop no matter what if you get the chance.

We took a stroll through Mallory square one evening after dinner. There is a lot of action in the build up to sunset so it can be crowded. If you don't care for crowds this may not be for you. Sidewalk entertainment was all around and very enjoyable. You'll definitely see a little bit of everything and a stray chicken/rooster from time to time but then again you are in KW.

We visited Mallory Square as part of our Key West experience, and wanted to see the sunset and some of the local characters. While we were there this extremely arrogant African-American man was trying to claim the prime space for the evening’s entertainment. (His talent, and I use that term loosely, was jumping over a trashcan with a beer can on top of it LOL). He had a helper who danced around on his tiptoes yelling at everybody to come and see this wonderful phenomenon.

I moved off to the side of the square to sit on a bench and just gaze over the water and enjoy the evening. He hated this and started harassing me verbally to come and join his group and mocked me and got the other people to laugh at me. He also kept yelling to the woman sitting on the bench next to mine.

I finally got up and left - long before the sunset. I had no interest in standing up there for a long period of time for his act as I was in pain due to a back injury. I just wish he wasn’t so nasty, as it both shortened and ruined the visit for us. He was truly a nasty little man!

If you are doing a day trip to Key West be sure to stay for the sunset circus at Mallory Square.
The live performances are crazy good and as quirky as Key West. As the sunset starts the performers take a break.
Each sunset earns a huge round of applause, as this is a prime location for optimal sunset viewing.
More performances after the sunset as well as lots of food vendors with fun island drinks and treats, including yummy conch fritters.
Stay put for a while and let the huge traffic rush go in front of you while you enjoy dinner and drinks.

Mallory Square is the perfect place to be for sunset. You can watch the beautiful sun disappear over the horizon and watch the sky change colors, as you sip on your drink of choice and look at the sailboats going by. There are street performers, street food carts, restaurants, and plenty of things to do as you enjoy the sunset. I would highly recommend this experience. We were in Key West with our two young children (5 and less than 1) and strolled them along the Mallory Square boardwalk on two out of the five nights we were in town.

Located at the far end of Duval St., Mallory square at sunset is fun to witness at least just once. Eclectic performers fill the square pre-sunset, as well as vendors. Everything happens at the same time so you can wander around and check it all out. It is also one of the best places to see the sunset in Key West.

Enjoyed the sunset, the street performers, the vendors with their crafts, enjoyed the music from a local bar. This is where the fun is. My young adult/college student children really enjoyed being here with me, too. This is a family friendly area and we did not see anything we believed to be inappropriate for any age while we were here.

If you're going for the sunset you might consider another spot for viewing. Why? At GROUND LEVEL (ie. standing flat on the ground like you have to do) we felt like the island directly in front of Mallory Square hid a lot of the view. If you go, get there 10-15 min before the sunset time just to be sure you don't miss anything because once the sun gets to a certain level you won't see it as well (due to being blocked as it goes behind the island in front of you)

I would look for an unobstructed spot to see it fully. Notice the main photo on this page is taken from a very high angle.

That said, the sky turns magnificent colors and the view as a whole (boats, activity on the water and sunset) is really BEAUTIFUL! (it's like seeing a "10" perfect sunset but there's a "12" view toohaha)

There is fun entertainment, a good shop, and a Cuban restaurant right there that is really good. Definitely go, but if there more than one night try an unobstructed viewing spot too.

Covid: We felt safe here, but that's our opinion. If you're super concerned you shouldn't be wandering around the Keys, eating out, or shopping anywhere really. Most ppl respectfully wear masks but the oppressive July heat makes it rough to do it 100% while outside. We tried to always wear one more out of respect for others than for ourselves.

Some places are strict (some took our temps and gave us sanitizer before entering) while other stores could care less) Mallory Sq. had hand sanitizer stands outside -we used one outside of the main shop right there. It's a wide open space, not overly crowded right now so it's your comfort level.

con: IMO we were turned off by the tarot card readings at a table right there. Why? Let us enjoy the beauty God created!

Great place where people gather by the hundreds to watch the beautiful sunsets. Usually about an hour before sunset the street performers (Fire jugglers, Unicyclists, tight rope walkers, etc) begin gathering to perform. Some nights it’s shoulder to shoulder. Worth the experience and take plenty of photos.