Ilona’s Garden Cafe

Excellent place. Owners are extremely nice, and know about all the beers they have. Great selection of beers. Food is very good and inexpensive. Have the burger. It’s huge and seasoned hungarian style. Highly reccomend.

We knew nothing about Ilona’s other than it got rave reviews on
. Being huge beer lovers on a desperate search for «good beer» in Key West, we decided to give it a shot. All I can say is RUN, don’t walk, to Ilona’s.
Located in a back alley between Duval and Whitehead, Ilona’s is truly a hidden gem of Key West. Owners Jack and Ilona rehabbed the building and it it gorgeous. Outdoor seating hosts dining under an enormous Banyan tree. Indoor seating is cozy and romantic. They have a great outdoor bar where you can enjoy a beer. And when I say «beer», I mean the great selection of the craft beer you’ve been looking for.
If you love beer Ilona’s offers a fantastic selection of craft beer that owner Jack rotates out regularly. During our visit, he offered Avery White Rascal (one of my faves), Holy Mackerel’s Panic Attack (10% ABV Belgian), Well’s Banana Bread, Full Sail IPA and about 30 others. There is always something new in bottles and on tap so check back often.
I’ll be honest. At first I thought «Hungarian food? In Key West?» YES! It was surprising how well the amazingly delicious food paired with the beer. We started the evening with Hungarian Nachos (WHAT?) which were superb. Fluffy french fries smothered in spiced pork — really, really good. The entrée menu offers a delightful variety of traditional Hungarian dishes and none of us could decide on just one. So Jack offered up a platter of three dishes with a side of homemade dumplings. We enjoyed Chicken Paprikash (my friend Gregg says its the best Paprikash he’s ever had), Beef Goulash (tender beef cubes with Hungarian spices) and Transylvanian Cabbage (pork cubes smothered in sauerkraut, onions, spices — AMAZING!) My Avery White Rascal wheat beer paired perfectly with everything. And the generous portions will fill you up in no time.
For those of you thinking that this must had cost a fortune — it didn’t. This is probably the most reasonably priced «fine dining» experience that you will have in Key West.
Our time at Ilona’s was complimented by the live entertainment of Dave Bootle. Supported by his keyboard and drum machine, Dave is talented, fun and hilarious.
I really can’t say enough about Ilona’s. It was truly a Key West night that’s going to be hard to top.