Nothing like the drop in your stomach when you realize you locked yourself out. I did this on a Friday night, hosting GUESTS for the weekend, with a non-responsive super and landlord closed till Monday. Doesn't get worse! I first called a different neighborhood locksmith. After looking at the door, he says that because of the security bar on the doorframe, he'd have to more or less break in, ruin my lock, install a new one. Told me $400. I said no. I didn't know WHAT I was going to do but I felt like this guy was bilking someone in a tight spot who couldn't assess the problem herself (as locksmiths and mechanics are wont to do). This spidey sense was CONFIRMED when, after my initial no, the guy slashed the price to $200. At that point I straight up didn't want to do business with him (liar!) and sent him away. Ten minutes later he calls me back. Says he can get me into the apartment for $150. But "get into the apartment" wasn't a figure of speech--he meant it literally. He'd break my lock, let me in, then leave. A broken lock for $150, wow, what a deal!!!! At this point, a neighbor on the street gives me the number for AJA. I'm not expecting them to pick up since it's after business hours. But I got a hold of someone there just as he was, well, locking up. I explained the situation, the security bar, all of it. He came over right away and picked the lock in less than two minutes. "The younger guys don't know how to do this," he said. Cost me less than $200. Thank god I called AJA for a second opinion. If this happens again, they'll be my first call. But not planning on it--heading there today to make an extra set of spares! read more

Difficult to trust them. Won't be going back. Advising residents in our building to avoid. After being quoted $3/key for making 4 duplicates of 3 different keys ($36), I was told the total would be $75. "Oh yeah", says the guy behind the counter, "one of your keys is actually $13 to duplicate." Now I understand when mistakes are made, but a) telling me after you make the key that the cost is 4x what you quoted is NOT an honest mistake AND b) my neighbor told me, THEY DID THE EXACT SAME THING TO HER , just 3 months ago. Quoted $3/key, made her duplicates and then changed the price on one of her keys to $13 each after they had finished. Bait-and-switch anyone? read more

Don't trust quotes from this place, they don't stick to them. We were quoted $179 for a repair, then billed $350 without any notice.

I told the man I needed duplicates to a Medeco key, and he said great. All key makers know that Medeco is a specific kind of key. He said he had the blanks for it. He made me 3 duplicates, which cost $20. I brought them home and pulled them out to discover they were not Medeco keys but a brand called Angol, which DO NOT work in my lock. So I'm out 20 bucks and will never go to this place again. Lesson learned. I was scammed and won't make that mistake again. read more

AJA Lock & Key - Keys & Locksmiths Near Me - New York, New York

Responsive, flexible, good pricing. I live in an old; fairly high-end bldg and needed new locks cylinders. AJA didn't try to sell me something I didn't need, just the basics. Gave good advice. Quoted a good price over the phone and stuck to it even though the technician had to mess with the old lock a bit to get the new cylinder to fit. Technician (Brian) was friendly, careful, and patient. read more

I had 2 truly terrible experiences with AJA locksmith. Experience #1 they installed a lock that did not work and never fixed it. Experience #2 They installed an electric strike that works with an intercom system. After 2 months the electric strike broke. I called Jimmy who said they only guarantee their work for 3 months. I explained the work was done 2 months ago and that the door could not close. Jimmy said he had no one to send. I called Abbye Locksmith who sent someone. It turned out the electric strike had been installed improperly and was missing the mounting plate. Abbye Locksmith fixed the problem. I tried to reach Aaron at AJA but he never returned my calls. AJA Locksmith - incompetent and unresponsive. Never use them. read more

I came here to get three keys made. The 2 standard keys were about $5 each while my bigger key was almost $20 and it took him a little time to find a match. Luckily he had it, which isn't too surprising considering the main wall is lined with unique key models. He did say that every once in a while, he doesn't have a model though. He was pleasant and accepted credit card as payment. He tacked on a fee for using a CC, which he said is 4% (but he rounded down for me). My keys work great and I am very pleased. read more

Jimmy made me a mutilock key that was almost impossible to copy by anyone else. He cut the key perfectly off the damaged key. It now works better than the old one. The shop was great, very friendly, well stocked, and excellent pricing. and the customer service was above and beyond excellent. This is a great neighborhood business, I highly recommend AJA for all your locks, keys/ locksmith service here on the upper west side. Thank you, Jimmy. You saved me from being locked out of my apartment over this weekend. read more

I've used them for some basic locks and they did a decent job albeit expensive. I then had a much more sophisticated lock door need and they installed some cheap lock and fixture that barely lasted and they charged me a fortune. Like total crap lock that didn't last. I knew it when they installed it would not last but they asssured me it would and of course it didn't. Terrible experience. read more

Quick and easy service to have keys made. Friendly staff. Easy to get to location on the upper west side.

The employee who made my keys was great. The owner who dropped in and wouldn't let the employee finish working on my keys and insisted that all of the owner's random questions about paperwork be looked into and answered immediately was not so great because I ended up waiting an extra 10-15 minutes longer than necessary. The employee tried - repeatedly telling the owner, I'm helping a customer, can you give me five minutes please? But like a child, the owner insisted his needs be met first (dear reader, these were not urgent questions), until he was satisfied and left. And then the employee could go back to helping me. read more

AJA Will steal your key and tell you that "you made a mistake." I paid $2.45 to accomplish nothing other than obtaining a bad mood. Thank GOD I had a second key or I would be locked out right now. INSTEAD, use Sky Locksmith & Hardware*** Unlike AJA: -Sky Locksmith DOES have a return policy -The hands of the Sky Locksmith key maker are visible to the customer Not only did Sky Locksmith not steal my key, but they also gave me a free mask when I realized I left my house so quickly that I had forgotten to bring one. **Sky Locksmith and Hardware HIGHLY RECOMMEND is located at 2212 Broadway (between 78th and 79th streets, on the east side of Broadway). Their phone number is 212.288.7773.** It is worth the extra 81 cents and the trip out of your way to Sky Locksmith to not be scammed. AJA was right: I did make a mistake. Never again will I hand a key cutter my key that is not on a unique keychain that I own. read more

I usually don't write reviews, but was annoyed enough with my experience to add one here. Yes, he got the job done, but the locksmith arrived significantly (read: hours) late, claiming that I didn't confirm my appointment. He asked to use my bathroom, and was very nosy, commenting on the apartment and asking questions about rent. After he left, I noticed that the bolts he had screwed in to put in the new the lock were hanging out and not screwed back in all the way. All this, after paying hundreds of dollars. Should have done more research on this company before hiring! read more

This place used to be on Amsterdam in the high 70s. Love them, Big Jim is the best. He's friendly, and super helpful. Would recommend to anyone. Accepts credits card with $10 min read more

Really great and quick service, also very affordable! Much better than any of those kiosks you find in BB&B

My OLD building NEVER gets renovated . . . so, I've had the same OLD mailbox and same OLD key for 40 years! It's looking bent and it is harder to turn, making me very concerned. I took it into AJA and showed it to a very polite guy. He said that he definitely COULD duplicate it for me, but that I might have a problem turning it (since the original was so out of shape.) He told me to bring it back, if I had problems, and he would make adjustments. I fully expected to have a problem! Why not, right? I got home and tried it out. It turned easier and much more smoothly than the old one! Obviously the material used at AJA is quality. Thanks, AJA! read more

Is it weird to have a favorite key place? NO. The employees were so helpful, kind, and quick with their service. I was googling the closest key copier and found this wonderful gem! I came in expecting to wait about 30 minutes (like what one does at Lowe's) and ended up getting in/out in less than 5 minutes. Is it possible to love a key duplication service? Yes. read more

Sam fixed my back lock to match my front door lock. It was quick and not that expensive considering. These guys know what they're doing. They've been in business for years. Another company told me it was impossible to match the lock to my front door key. Baloney. Sam did it in a half hour. I will only ever use AJA. Fabulous! read more

I traveled down from Washington Heights because of the Yelp reviews on this place- y'all were right! Professional, friendly, fast, inexpensive service AND when I got home for the big test and the keys worked flawlessly. I even stayed after to chat because there was such a nice, warm vibe in there. What a great neighbourhood place- I just wish it were in my neighbourhood! Certainly worth traveling for- these guys are wonderful. read more

This is a wonderful, reliable locksmith company. I went in late one afternoon with pictures of our damaged front door knobs and by the following morning, I had new door knobs and plates expertly installed at a fair price. I can't recommend them enough. If you want high quality work at a competitive price, this is your company! read more

I needed to get three keys copied. Came in and was out in less than five minutes! The service was great. The guy was super friendly and helpful. The keys were duplicated in no time and they were definitely inexpensive compared to other places I've been to. Don't go anywhere else, especially if you live in the area. There's no need. AJA is great, quick, and the keys worked great! read more

I had to make 2 sets of duplicate keys. The gentleman and his wife (maybe) were super friendly. They made my keys in less than 3 minutes. I also purchased 3 colorful rubber key rings. My total came out to be $9.10 for 4 new keys plus 3 rubber rings. This place is very economical and fast. In addition to making duplicate keys, the store is full of door knobs and other accessories. read more

I went in to get some keys copied, and went there after finding out they had the best rate in the area. But I just had a fantastic experience. The guy was super nice, quick, and straightforward. Plus I just love being in there. It's a good old-school workshop, and all the old signed photos makes being in there like a walk down memory lane, especially if you grew up in the 70s or 80s. I could totally see myself going in there just to de-stress. The bottom line: Nice, honest people who do great work deserve great reviews. read more

This is not the most glamorous place or review, but I just wanted to leave a note about my positive experience here copying keys. I um, may or may not have lost almost all my spare keys to my apartment and I knew I was going to get hit with a hefty fine from my apartment building. I needed exact key copies and I needed them fast. This store can be easy to overlook, but the one guy working there made the key copies in front of me in two minutes and multiple copies came out to less than $10. Aside from key copying, this store also stocks basic hardware store supplies, so if I lived closer it would definitely be a good place to know about. read more

Quick and painless. Jimmy's a great help and keeps you entertained with his stories while you wait for your keys to be duplicated. Credit card accepted for purchases over $10. read more

Updating, as the price of a key copy has increased more than two fold within the past three years. Went in to get three copies of a standard key. Total including tip came out to about 16 dollars, over $5 dollars a key. The people inside are still very polite, which is appreciated. Tip: $10 minimum on credit card transactions! read more

Super duper fast and friendly service! I was just a little surprised by the cost - $10 to make a copy of a key? Maybe it was the type of key I brought in, but I'm used to paying about half that amount for a key copy. Also, they're available 24/7 for emergency service, which is a +. read more

This has to be the rudest and most incompetent locksmith in the City. A key I wanted copied had to be done three times. These people are certifiably clueless. Not only are they ignorant, but they are nasty and do not stand behind their work. Unless you are looking for a horrible experience, try any of the other locksmiths and hardware shops in the immediate vicinity. read more

In the six years I've lived in New York, this is the only place I've been able to get duplicates that actually work. My parents, who live in Connecticut, even get their duplicates here. Though I now live in Brooklyn, I still venture uptown to take care of my key related issues. When I lived on the UWS, they were always quick to respond to lock out calls - even late at night. Prices are super reasonable and the staff friendly and helpful. read more

Quick, cheap, polite, what more can you ask for? $6 for a door key and a mailbox key plus a new key ring. Oh, and it took literally 20 seconds. A++ read more

Oct 14, 2017 is my nightmare. I accidentally dropped my keys down the elevator shaft in my apartment. I contacted landlord and building management trying to obtain master key ASAP, but seem useless. I waited for a week and still couldn't get my original keys back.....it keeps bothering me since I can't access the building freely. Luckily, I found this store via Yelp & received a prompt response from the store owner. He is super Professional and knowledgable person. I got my master keys copied~ Yay U save my life & troublesome read more

This place is amazing. Got a key duplicated in literally 30 seconds and it was under $2.

I traveled all the way from the Bronx because they were the only hardware store that could replicate my unique key. I have tried places in lower Manhattan and in the Bronx and this was by far the nicest, fastest service. The owner was so pleasant. I look forward to sharing my experience here with my friends. 5+ stars! read more

Don't bother using Aja Lock & Key. They miss appointments and don't have the courtesy to call to say that they are going to be late until well past the schedule appointment time. There are plenty of other locksmiths on the UWS. Save your time and use one of them. read more

Outstanding exterior door handle installation. Locksmith secured permission from the building super before moving ahead with the job. Super told me this is unusual in the building; most just proceed without getting approval. Very happy with the look and ease of use. Knowledgeable, reliable and reasonable! read more

Excellent. Had to get new keys for my friend's security lock (all of them were lost during a freak accident involving the 1 Train and a 30ft tall camel) so needed to get brand new ones made from scratch. 55 bucks, quick service, all work perfectly. read more

No one showed up. I was stuck outside on my new apartment. Terrible service do not recommend.

I totally agree with all the 5-star ratings. That place is amazing! I needed three different kind of keys (five keys in total) and it took them less than two minutes to duplicate them and I paid not even $12. Quick, friendly and very good prices. read more

They did a very good job on a non-standard repair. The strike on my door broke due to metal fatigue and had to replace it with a custom piece. When it did not quite fit They had to return to the shop to make additional adjustments. They also noticed that the door was not hanging properly and made some adjustments to correct that. All done quickly and efficiently. They adhered to their original estimate. I found them very diligent and a pleasure to deal with. read more

Fast, professional, truly a local Upper West Side business and not some "guy-in-a-truck" search engine scam. Highly recommended!