It's unfortunate that Lockbox is closing soon due to new ownership of the hotel and an impending full renovation. My friend and I came in on Friday for lunch and a birthday celebration. Except for one couple who were finishing their meal, we were the only ones there. Regardless we had fantastic service and tasty food with the gorgeous downtown views available from the huge windows. I ordered the fried chicken sandwich, which was HUGE, juicy and crispy. The fries were delicious, a very generous portion and very well seasoned. Since we were celebrating we ordered 2 desserts: the olive oil cake and the 10th birthday celebration cake. The celebration cake was a bit dry, but the olive oil cake was fantastic with a lovely combo of strawberries and pistachio cream. A really amazing cake I wish I could have more. Bye Lockbox! Thanks for the memories. read more

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We've had Yulia as our server several times now and she's absolutely stellar. Friendly, personable, and does a great job. Shes amazing and they should pay her more! Lockbox is where you come for one of the fanciest breakfasts in Lexington. The food is executive chef serious business quality and most everything is made from scratch. Sadly, I didn't take pictures of most of the food we've had there, but it is always hands down amazing. They legitimately have the best Irish breakfast potatoes I've had in Kentucky. It's hard to explained but it awakens something deep in my Celtic DNA that makes me yearn for more potatoes. They're crunchy on the outside with a nice seasoning but soft on the inside. The decor is generally very bizarre and a bit of a turn off but we'll overlook it and give them a 5/5 due to the consistently amazing service and food. It's like visceral "art" and sometimes it's genuinely off putting. But if we have to deal with tacky "art" for a banger meal, that's ok! read more

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I'm starting with four stars, but will probably go back and try some more dishes to try to push this spot up to a five. I think the possibility is there. The vibes and the ambiance is cool and modern, with art adorning the walls (it is inside the 21C art hotel after all). Tables are well spaced out and benches are comfortable. Open and full of light, this is a great space. Service was attentive and helpful. I started out with the sausage balls, made with creole hot honey mustard, dill, and chili. The texture was really hard and while the sauce was tasty, the sausage ball itself seemed to lack flavor. Next time I will probably try to pimento cheese, which the server said was supposed to be very good (he couldn't speak personally because he's not a pimento fan). For my entree I had the pork belly. And I think I am the problem here, not the dish. It's fatty and rich, as pork belly is supposed to be, but it felt so very greasy to me. I ate very little of this, and this is where my fifth star falls off. I should have gone with the burger or berry beef culotte. I also had a side of fries, which as others have noted, are crisp and well seasoned. They were delicious. They have a nice little cocktail list. I had the hattori hanzo, mad with haku vodka, smoked paprika, pineapple shrub, and pineapple juice. I love pineapple, so I loved this drink that was heavy on the fruity flavor. I also had the temper tantrum, made with gin, grapefruit, lime juice, and thyme. A little sweet, a little bitter, which was perfect for this gin lover. It might have been my favorite. And the Scarlet Manhattan, made with old forester rye, scarlet apertivo, angostura, and orange bitters, it was the perfect smoky end to the night. Looking forward to coming back and adding that fifth star. read more

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We went for the daily brunch and ate family style. The chilaquiles verde was out of this world. The depth of the flavors in the layers of food was off the charts. The farm egg frittata with the acidity of the accompanying salad is a perfect pairing. The only drawback for me was the smoked salmon toast as it was too overpowering the dish. As it was a workday, we added mocktails that were fun, festive, unique and delicious. read more

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Got two drinks, two appetizers, and two entrees and everything was incredible. Appetizers and entree - each individual component was well seasoned and well executed. The service was excellent. Enjoyed every single part of the meal. read more

Super unique spot inside a 21c hotel - these are very cool and unique art-forward hotels - used to live near one in another city. We stopped in after a conference with a group of 8 and got seated right away. We were a very indecisive group yet our server was a rockstar, remembering every change (without writing anything down) and getting everything right as it came out to the table. We opted for a bunch of apps to share (the cornbread was particularly memorable, as well as the delicious crunchy sweet potato dish), then I went for the pork belly as my main, which was stellar. All around terrific dinner here - would highly recommend. The cocktails were also excellent! read more

I ordered an expensive Flounder dish and the fish had obviously been waiting around far too long in the refrigerator. It was way past its prime. Very fishy. read more

Our table ordered appetizers that delighted: chicken fried beef cheeks, sausage balls, hamachi crudo and charred squash. All 4 of us thought a different one was the best (I was a toss-up between hamachi crudo and beef cheeks). Do not miss these starters. Then the entrees appeared: rye pappadelle, chicken schnitzel, flounder and a steak. Bravo to the kitchen! They were all praised at our table. We ended with a couple of desserts. If you love chocolate, don't miss chocolate torte. Wow. Service was attentive, not intrusive. Lovely place for business meal or special date night. read more

Came for Sunday brunch and what a total hit it is! Wonderful old hotel ambiance with amazing food. We had the grilled banana bread and chicken schnitzel, both the die for especially the grilled banana bread. Get yourself some when you are in Lexington! read more

Had dinner and breakfast at this elegant hotel restaurant. Poor quality on my wife's sirloin. Very slow and poor timing on service. Worst of all by far was our breakfast experience. Food was fine, but we were charged for each coffee refill. Evidently this is their policy, and we were no informed beforehand. $20 for lackluster coffee! Do not recommend. It's a shame because the hotel is great. read more

Lockbox - Coffee charge and tough sirloin - Southern Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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The cocktails were delicious. Service was friendly, but slow and disjointed. They had the best french fries any of us had every experienced...texture was incredible. All our meat was overcooked and plates came out at different times. The ambiance was lovely. So I would go back but not for meat or speedy service. read more

Lockbox - Southern Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

If you're ever in Lexington, there's a really special restaurant that is located in the art museum hotel that is somewhat tucked away from all the other bars and busy areas in town. This is where you find Lockbox - special in and of itself because of the modern art pieces that are so beautifully decorating the space, but the food is so amazing and also really well done. I had a really hard time choosing from the menu which looked to have so many farm to table and fresh ingredients so I opted for the French onion soup the roast pork, and the beet salad, highly recommended by the server. I thought all the portions were going to be more appetizer sized, but when I got them, I was incredibly pleased to see how large they were and for the price. For somebody coming from LA this could not beat! And since I was staying in the hotel, they also treated me to a special little shot of bourbon whiskey, which is a Lexington Kentucky specialty. This complemented my meal so nicely and in an environment that was so beautifully designed. I also heard that brunch can't beat. I will definitely check this place out every time I'm in town to be able to try more of their menu in the future. Service was top notch, you feel like you're visiting someone's home and feel so welcome! read more

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Really high quality food and service. A bit pricey for what they offer but the consistency and quality is really high level. It's not quite the highest end but it's really good higher end dining read more

Was staying at the 21c hotel, grabbed lunch here since I was too lazy to go anywhere else. The restaurant was so empty for Saturday lunch, I was 1 out of 2 tables during noon - 1:30PM. Service was great. Ordered chicken schnitzel and a side of fresh fruit. The chicken schnitzel was really good when they first brought it out, so hot, crispy and juicy. But I decided to the salad that came with the chicken plate first and by the time I returned to the chicken the texture was so rubbery, so surprising it changed that much. read more

Really amazing space. Excellent service, sparkling clean, talented and interesting museum space, awesome menu.

The food is excellent, we have gone here several times just to eat their fries. They are the best. Service was good and ambiance was fine. read more

Lockbox - Fruit over French toast, excellent. - Southern Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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Food: The food was great! For an appetizer we got the Shakshuka appetizer and it was delicious, every one of us cleaned our plates. For meals we got The Shrimp and Grits, it's a little bit of a heavier meal but it was delicious and earns the title of the best entree we ordered. We got the burger, frittata and the chicken sandwich as well; all were pretty good but not showstopping. Service: We were sat promptly but all the staff was not really conversational, not that that's a bad thing just something to note. Food came out a little bit slow as well but it was worth the wait. Ambiance: the ambiance was amazing, basically in an art museum, really cool vibe in the center of downtown and right across the street from the courthouse. Super fun! 8/10 experience and would definitely come again! read more

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Lockbox may be inside of 21C Museum Hotel, but it's more than just a hotel restaurant. During our weeklong stay here we dined in once and ordered room service twice. Everything we had was delicious! Room service orders were delivered within 30 minutes and had everything we needed to enjoy our food. The food was always hot and delicious. Our breakfast here on the last day of our stay was in a group of about 30 people. The service was great and they handled our large group well. They even asked how we wanted checks split up at the end. The hours here can be kind of odd so definitely check their site. Breakfast is available at 7am on weekdays, but on the weekends it's brunch only which doesn't start until 10am. This was a huge bummer our first rainy morning there after arriving at midnight the night before. They don't offer weekday lunch either. The prices here are so reasonable! Even my Midwestern parents thought it was inexpensive. We were all pleased to have this restaurant in our hotel. Our favorite item here was the Biscuit and Gravy and we ordered it every time. Oddly, this is only offered as an a la carte item instead of a meal. The biscuit was flaky and flavorful. The sausage gravy had a delicious, peppery flavor with plenty of crumbled sausage. The Warm Griddled Banana Bread was so good! It was toasty on the outside with flaky, sweet banana bread inside. The Gem Lettuce Salad was huge with fresh ingredients. The dressing was light and refreshing. Side cups of fruit were plentiful with fresh fruit. Even sides of toast came with tasty jam. Lockbox is a solid breakfast/brunch spot if you find yourself in this area! read more

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Every now and then you visit a place that the food matches the pictures and the comments. The food here is excellent. It's modern American southern cuisine and they hit all the right notes. My burger, first and foremost, was perfect is every way. A hand made fresh meat patty blending flavors with pickles, hot red onion and their version of a 50s style drive in sauce served on a buttery crisped brioche bun that was just the right size. The flavors all came together in a menagerie of happiness. I also ordered a side of charred broccoli which was neither soft nor crunchy nor burned. It was perfect. The Pimento Mac and Cheese was creamy and pimento-e or exactly what you'd want to experience. The cheese was crusty on top and was never dry. The blend was made and baked with care in mind. The service was good and attentive and the drinks were just ok. I wouldn't suggest going for the cocktails. The food was out of this world and it's clear the chef and/or owner put a lot of thought and love into their product. The touch of providing cotton candy with the check is a wonderful accent. Highly recommend this place if in the hood! read more

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The food is amazing, the service is not something to brag about. They weren't rude or anything but the waitress we had took a long time to even come to the table and ask to take our drinks, only checked on us 1 time and then gave us our check. The food in the other hand was amazing. The ambiance was great as well. The service just really doesn't match the restaurant vibe. I left a 20% tip but I usually leave 25%+ so like I said, it's not bad but not good. read more

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I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised with the meal I had at Lockbox tonight. I was just in town for a day and did a little Yelp search and was intrigued by the menu recently shared online. The local lettuce was so fresh and tasty with grilled peaches, blackberries, burrata, and all kinds of other goodies. The Parisian Gnocchi was earthy, salty (in a good way), and ever delicately creamy. I also enjoyed the Barley & Bay cocktail was elegant and grown up. Thank you for a wonderful meal. read more

I always cook Thanksgiving dinner but when I saw the incredible menu at Lockbox I made a reservation. I decided to give takeout a try (although I regret missing the beautiful atmosphere and perfect service). Top restaurants often provide "minimalist " offerings, but the Lockbox came through with an abundant cornucopia of delicious dishes. We ordered the brisket and turkey dinners. Plentiful appetizers, four sides and deserts accompanied the main courses. It was evident that great care was given to planning each harmonious aspect of the menu. Lockbox offers uniquely crafted items that are impressive yet accessible. A signature of Lockbox is the quality of the ingredients and the artistry used to design and prepare each dish. I'm so glad that I took the day off from cooking and I want to thank the very talented folks who worked hard to make that possible. My mother's vintage china was a perfect backdrop for this Thanksgiving feast. I am grateful that we have this amazing local treasure in Lexington. read more

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Not in a hurry to go back, but it was fine for brunch today. Limited brunch menu. Used Open Table to book the reservation. Out of the 4 of us, 2 would order what they got again to eat--the cheeseburger and the eggs Benedict. The sausage breakfast sandwich was too salty. The salad Nicoise lacked seasoning and was just bland. The bloody Mary's were too spicy. The crispy potatoes were delicious. Someone next to us got the banana bread with cream cheese frosting, which looked amazing. Bathrooms were clean, but you have to go a level down. I didn't notice the elevator until it was time to come back up. Taking that flight of stairs down was tough in heels. If we do come back to the Lockbox, we will probably hang in the bar area and just have drinks. The art on the walls was also interesting and the staff was friendly and generally attentive. read more

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My daughter took us to the Lockbox on Christmas Eve. The first pleasant surprise was that the food was reasonably priced. Then came the excitement with course after course of delicious food you won't find anywhere else. The "special" starter was goat cheese perogies. As former Clevelanders, we looked forward to this flavor-packed little pasta and it didn't disappoint. Served with a little onion jam for sweetness, this had tang without sourness. There were 5 pieces, which caused stress among the 3 of us as we all wanted more. Then, I had the duck pasta, my daughter had fish, and her Dad had lamb. All very nicely cooked and presented. The fish was mildly seasoned with dill and served with cauliflower and other things in a sauce. Lamb was very tender. I shared a sweet dish of colorful squash between us all. It was perfect. We also took advantage of the restaurant's wide selection of wines and cocktails. At the end, 3 desserts were offered. We tried all of them, and can't decide which was best. The bowl of 3 unique ice-creams included goat cheese flavor which tasted wonderful with the chocolate torte. A lemon pie that was slighly caramilized and chewy on top was served with olive oil flavor ice cream. Different, but we were determined to have and adventure. This meal was a key part of our holiday. Thank you for your creativity and great service. We will be back. read more

I first want to say that our server was top notch and the restaurant is beautiful. However, that didn't make up for the overpriced, bad food we were served. It also did not make up for the fact that I was charged for two shots of bourbon in my old fashionds, even though, that's not how I ordered them. When we arrived, we parked in the valet section, but no one came out to greet us. My husband had to go inside to find a valet. The valet told him we could just stay parked where we were, but didn't have to put money in the meter. NOT SO. It was 6 pm, and the meters charge until 7 pm. Anyway, on to the food... I ordered the Panseared Flounder with cauliflower, brown butter vinaigrette, almond, castelvetrano olive, preserved lemon. Sounds delicious, right? The flounder was so overcooked, it was literally difficult to cut with a knife. The rest of the dish was mediocre at best. My husband ordered the Marksbury Pork Belly with pesto roasted mushrooms, butternut, kale chip. He liked the taste of the pork belly, but the "roasted mushrooms" were cold and frankly inedible. I had a decent view into the kitchen from our table and witnessed the sous chefs standing around chatting and on their phones. It's no wonder our food was mediocre. We will not be returning. read more

The old fashioned was made with Ky Straight ice, always a nice touch. The charcuterie board was really tasty and the cheeseburger was decadent. So good! We sat in the bar area which had a relaxed vibe, and checked out the art in the lobby and the downstairs area after we ate. read more

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The food here is great. Really enjoyed the crab bisque. Service is prompt. The space is open and the decor is interesting and eye catching.

Staying in the 21C hotel, didn't have high hopes for the limited breakfast menu. But it was excellent. Smoked sausage was very tasty, appeared home made. The crispy (paprika?) breakfast potatoes, great. Side of sausage gravy also good. Great service from a young lady with the prettiest hair. read more

Lockbox - Lockbox breakfast with eggs over hard, extra side of gravy! - Southern Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Food was fantastic, ambiance was amazing, and the service was awesome. Would 100% recommend! read more

Lockbox - Lockbox Cheeseburger Scrambled eggs Whipped Labna Toast Shakshuka - Southern Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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I had dinner at the Lockbox with a colleague when we were attending a conference. The food was delicious, and the portions were generous. We split a salad and split an entree, and it was enough for us. The service was very attentive and fast. It's a great setting with unique architectural features. read more

Ate at Lockbox for breakfast on a Saturday morning. We stayed at the hotel there and had reservations for right at opening. We a were seated right away and were surprised when a famous couple from HGTV was seated at the table next to us. We tried to give them privacy and not "fangirl" while they had breakfast. Anyway, service was great and food was very good as well. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before taking a tour of Ashland just down the street. read more

Lockbox - Breakfast hash - Southern Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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When we visited Lockbox, we didn't know quite what to expect, but we went away having enjoyed a completely delicious meal and a wonderful overall dining experience! To begin with, the atmosphere was really cool; there was a lot of fun art and the overall vibe was both laid back and fancy.  The wine list was fairly short, but it had a number of what looked like really nice selections, and the prices were surprisingly reasonable. Everything we tried that night was great, but the best dish by far was the Pork Chop.  It was brined, and so thick it was almost ham-like; quite unusual and completely exceptional! The service was warm, welcoming, and friendly; the prices were surprisingly low given the overall quality of the dining experience.  Highly recommended! read more

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Came to Lockbox because I heard they had a really good burger but I was disappointed. The picture on the site showed lots of cheese on the burger but it did not taste like any cheese was on it. Also, I ordered it medium well but it was more like well done. If I were to go back I would get medium. The fries, which I was so excited about (I love fries!), were overdone and hollow on the inside. I sent the fries back and the fresh batch was better. They were not overdone but still had a hint of old grease flavor. I sat at the bar because they were booked with reservations. There was a big group at the bar of out-of-towners at the bar that were just huddled around (some waiting on reservations). I say this because it may have contributed to the slow service. Overall, the service was not too good. The only item I received without waving the bartender down was a glass of water when I first sat down. After that I had to get her attention to order a glass of wine and food. She was not friendly but she was not rude either, except when I had to send my fries back because they were fried so hard that only air and grease was left (at that point she seemed annoyed that I asked for a fresh batch). After 10 minutes eating the fries she asked if they were better. Not sure if the busyness contributed to the service but it definitely could of been better. read more

The 21C restaurants are visually great with everything you would expect to experience at a top notch restaurant and then you get to the reason you are there if dining and it all falls apart. Service was above average, ambiance great and food just all around middling to bad. Considering the prices this should not be the case. Cannot recommend this location or Cincy or Louisville and I have had meals at all of them. Two on my companies dime and one during a wedding reception. Love the hotel, art installs, service and ambiance, but the food absolutely does not match the rest of the experience at any of these locations. Recommend for the hotel experience but not the restaurants at all. read more

Beautiful space inside an old bank ! Our breakfast of a granola bowl and a frittata were perfect . Service was impeccable.

My wife and I were downtown on a Friday night looking for a dinner spot but had no reservations. We were able to grab a high-top table in the bar area and still order off the complete menu. They have a fun, imaginative cocktail list that changes regularly, a comfortable bar area, and the regular dining room is also a nice experience. We've eaten here several times over the years and never had a bad experience. The food is really good. The menu is small but changes regularly and always has something for most anyone. And, after dinner, you can walk around the 21C hotel art exhibits. This is a must-visit spot when you're in downtown Lexington. read more

My birthday dinner...well I have a soft spot for this place! The people are so kind and the ambiance is pretty chic for Lexington! I have spent the last three birthdays here. Next year, I would like to eat in the vault, maybe for lunch!!!! So, the vote from the table was that the burger was the best dish of the evening. The fries were a touch too oily this time, but every one was crispy! I had the salmon, well cooked. Wish I had tried the carrot soup and the fried oysters, but it would have been too much food. The biscuits are ALWAYS a yes, but better with jam and butter than the pimento. I MISS THEIR CAULIFLOWER SOUP! (It is about 2am right now. I am going to bed.) Don't miss this place, it is special! read more

Lockbox - Catfish - Southern Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

I will start this review by being honest- both times I have been to dinner at Lockbox it was because we were trying to dine someplace else but the wait was too long! That being said, both times I have been to Lockbox I had a wonderful meal and great service. On my most recent visit, I had the cauliflower dish and it was ab-so-lute-ly amazing! It had lentils and a chimichurri sauce, which I wasn't quite sure what chimichurri was when I ordered it, but it was delicious. A liiiiiiittle heavy- but very fresh tasting- perfect for a spring menu. I should add that the cauliflower served was a substantial amount! Easily half of a head. We had the order of doughnut holes to split for dinner and those were great as well- we loved the dipping sauces! The drink menu is very long and extensive- good for some, overwhelming for others- myself included(!). Its also made with metal and is very heavy; which I think makes it difficult to pass back and forth to others at the table. The restaurant is downtown, so with that comes parking difficulties as well. If you haven't dined at Lockbox though I definitely recommend the experience! The space itself is truly beautiful- I love the colored glass on the ceiling when you enter! read more

Lockbox - cauliflower entree April 2019 - Southern Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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Came here for dinner after a forced family reunion. Me, my brothers, cousins. We were a bit rough and the place was striving to be upscale and refined. Not sure it pulled it off, but we had fun seeing each other for the first time in years. The drinks were spot on. I can recommend the old fashioned and Manhattan though I'm sure the bartender can kill most anything. I started off with the Country Ham & Cheese Hushpuppies. Do not get these. They tasted as good as any other home made hush puppy but had no flavor of ham or cheese but were very pricey for less puppies than you would get at Long John Silvers. The Diver Sea Scallops more than made up for it. Exceptionally flavored and cooked scallops over a weird rice meal with brilliant sugar snap peas. This was GOOD. I went with the PB&B cake after. It was decent but I wouldn't try it again. Seemed too dry, but maybe that's how it should have been. The waitress was fantastic as was all the staff. At the end the manager came to check on us. This was maybe the first time a restaurant manager didn't sweep by like a seagull not really wanting to know what goes on. He was fully engaged and interactive. Kudos to him. read more

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Definitely re vamped their menu and had a small, but satisfying selection. Great variety for all preferences from vegans to meat lovers. The waitress was not noticeably attentive to our needs: water cups were empty for awhile, two people ordered steaks and didn't get their steak knives. We had to ask for a lot of things that we felt they should have noticed. The "gem" salad was by far my favorite item I had. The bok choy entree did not have a ton of flavor, but still thankful they had a vegan option that wasn't just pasta. They have re done the inside decor and that also stood out. Fun trees, lighting and darker, rich colors to set the intimate atmosphere. read more

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