For some reason (which was later explained to us), both my husband and my keys suddenly would not work when inserted into our apartment door. Despite a good amount of fidgeting and after the destruction of his Metrocard (tried to break in ourselves), we called Lockbusters and I spoke with the owner, Jay, who was very nice and let me know that his teammate was in the neighborhood finishing up another job. He arrived 15 minutes later and while I finished up a nice dinner a couple blocks away at CorkBuzz, he managed to open the door, and find a small piece of plastic which was stuck inside our lock. He said that it wasn't entirely uncommon for peoples' keys get junk attached to them and then block some of the pins inside the lock. My husband enjoyed his stories and knowledgeable nature and he re-joined me at dinner 15 minutes later. Price-wise, it's a bit opaque (my own fault for not asking for a quote over the phone), but we were charged $140 because it was after 6pm, but apparently it's usually around $90. Not a terrible price considering we would have had to break down the door and replace it otherwise. I would definitely recommend them and use them again when in a jam! read more

During my first 4 months of living in New York, I found myself locked out of my railroad apartment more times than not. When calling a locksmith for rescue is as commonplace as ordering a cup of coffee, the realization does not take long: this city is crawling with locksmiths who prey on the desperation inherent to being locked out. Take it from me- keyless at 2am on the street corner in freezing cold weather is tough ground for bargaining. Jay at Lockbusters gets it. When regaling him with horror stories of my locksmiths past, he shook his head and said "that just ain't right". He seemed like a genuine guy who actually cares about fixing the problem and keeping people safe without taking advantage of the dire situation. I found Lockbusters after moving into a new place and struggling with the stickiest, moodiest lock that oftentimes refused to let me in at all. Jay accessed the situation quickly, actually explained to me what the problem was, and fixed the lock perfectly without shrinking my piggy bank! I don't usually write reviews on Yelp, but I was moved to do so because I know all too well that a good locksmith is hard to find in New York. Jay can handle even the most persnickety of locks, but more importantly he operates an ethical business and offers reasonable flat rates and prompt arrival time. My days of calling a random locksmith from a business card slipped under my front door are over. Superior, honest, handiwork from a local locksmith deserves my rave reviews and future business alike. Thanks, Jay! read more

Lockbusters - Keys & Locksmiths Near Me

Leave it to me to be a drunkass and lose my keys one month into moving into my new apartment after having lived in doorman buildings with extra keys for the past 8 years... Finally decided I needed to get a new lock installed, and called this place on a late Saturday afternoon. When I told him I'd like him to come "as soon as possible" he said he would be able to come the next morning since I'm on the UWS...fine with me. About an hour and a half later he called again saying that he had a recommendation for a place closer to me that could come right away if I would like, since it sounded "urgent". Now THAT is amazing customer service. Jay installed my lock within 20 minutes and I will never use anyone else. Super nice, legit (i.e. non shady), and professional. Even takes credit cards. read more

When I first scheduled to have my lock replaced, no one came to my apt. I thought I was receiving second class treatment because I had a Groupon, but it turned out that the guy had an accident earlier that day. I spoke with Jay and he said he would personally come to complete the job. He was really nice. My security guards were giving us a hard time and he kept a good humor about the whole situation. He also upgraded my lock because of the issue with the first the appointment which I really appreciated. Jay was sweet, professional and prompt. I would recommend him to all my friends. read more

Finding a locksmith without shady business practices is like finding a needle in a haystack. However, Jay and his business are truly just that! I moved into my new condo a few months ago and kept slacking on adding a deadbolt. Having heard that there were rumored break-ins in my building, I knew it was time to get the deed done. Early on Saturday morning I scanned Yelp for a reputable locksmith and came across Lockbusters. I filled out the online form and Jay responded to me in about 30 minutes. He was already in Brooklyn that morning and could be at my place within the hour. Seriously??? Bonus points! When he showed up, he explained the lock he would add to my door and the extra security it would provide. He was extremely professional and made me feel at ease the whole time he was doing the job. Jay, your company is the BEST and I will certainly be using word of mouth to let people know about your company. By the way, you can buy me a slice anytime you're in Bed Stuy!! read more

I'd been meaning to call a locksmith for a long time because my landlord never provided a key to our deadbolt. Then the lock on the doorknob busted and I was locked out of my apartment. I called Lockbusters and they gave me an ETA and arrived on time. Jay was very efficient and was able to identify several problems with our lock. Chief among them was a component of the lock that was broken and had the potential to lock us in had it ever been accidentally engaged. An egregious fire hazard! He informed me that our doorknob lock was in some disrepair though he would be able to get it to work without switching it out completely, though he could do it if I so desired ($150), but advised me that changing the deadbolt lock instead would be more effective and costed almost half as much ($79). He was an incredibly warm and honest guy. He could have just as easily sold me a new knob but instead he suggested a solution that was both cost-effective and practical. We even bonded over our shared relationship with Hawaii, and in the end he didn't even charge me for fixing the doorknob! I wish all businesses in NYC conducted themselves with the same standards and courtesy as Lockbusters. Thanks, Jay! read more

I used Lockbusters today. I found them today on Angie's List and selected them based on their outstanding reviews, professional website, and the fact that they described themselves as, "...Small team of local dudes." When I called someone answered promptly and said they could send someone out right away. I didn't have to wait at all. On the phone they quoted me a price I could afford. I was thrilled but a little worried it would end up costing more. My toddler was locking himself in the bathroom, with me in it, and I couldn't risk it happening again (my older son leaves the door open). David, from Lockbusters, solved the problem quickly and efficiently leaving no evidence that the antique knob had been tampered with. He did both of our bathrooms. Not having to worry about my baby locking himself in the bathroom is priceless! On the way out, Dave noticed our front door knob was missing screws. He pulled two screws out of a box and tightened up the entire lock all as a courtesy. That never happens. Keep up the amazing promptness, honesty, affordability and friendly locksmiths. The boss owes David a drink for his outstanding customer service. This mom of two thanks you and will refer your business to others (unless David is the boss....). Thank you. read more

I've used Lockbusters 4/5 times over the past 3 years and will continue to use/recommend them... They know what they're doing, reliable and friendly. Doesn't get any better, especially in NYC. Muna read more

The best locksmiths in New York City. F'real. My friend locked us out of her apartment tonight and these guys were able to come rescue us within an hour or so. It's hard to find a business that has a solid five-star Yelp rating with 40+ reviews, but Lockbusters really deserves it. They're very trustworthy and I think every one of their customers appreciate how easy-going and upfront they are (gotta love the flat rate). Scott told us from the get-go that if the lock did not budge, the last resort would be to drill through it and replace the cylinder entirely. I feel that most locksmiths would not have tried even half as hard to get our lock to open as Scott did. He really tried his best and even when he had to ultimately use the drill, we recognized that it was necessary and felt quite thankful nonetheless that he had tried to save my friend some money. He taught us a few things about locks in general and was such a professional! Fun fact: I was actually reading some of the Yelp reviews out loud to my friend and Scott, as he was working on the lock, and I would say we all got a kick out of all the reviews that complimented not only Jay's talent for lockpicking, but his good looks. Give Scott some love too! read more

Incredible service, knowledge and attention to detail. Jay is the real deal...My highest recommendation! read more

Lockbusters - Making sure everything's in check. - Keys & Locksmiths Near Me

When a company provides excellent service and does the job as well as I could expect, I give them four stars. I don't believe in participation trophies, and I don't think just doing what I expect is worth five stars. A business or restaurant has to open-mouth surprise me to get five stars. I wish I could give Lockbusters six. Without the use of psychic telepathy, I don't think this could have been easier. I needed a lock on an interior bedroom door for a new roommate. It was a simple request, a budget lock, not exactly a profit center for a visiting locksmith, so I was a bit worried about how much of a hassle and expensive this was going to be. It was neither. We set up the appointment over SMS at about 8pm for the next afternoon. The technician who visited called ahead of time, arrived exactly when he said he would, quickly did exactly what I asked him to do, and he answered a lingering question I had for years about how the doorknobs in my apartment work. I paid with a swipe of my debit card on his cell phone (using Square) precisely the charge I was quoted over the phone the night before. He did most of the work while I was taking an important call from work, getting enough from me to do his work via hand signals and then otherwise leaving me alone so I could take my call uninterrupted. Amazing. I felt like he was someone I had worked with for years. Stop looking through Yelp for a locksmith, you found one. If you happen to run a personal services business yourself, break some lock in your house and call these guys so you can see how this is done. read more

What's the first thing you do when you move? That's right, change the locks. We had several locks to change in our new house and I was worried it was going to be a ridiculously expensive endeavour. Aside from the prohibitive costs my experience has always been that locksmiths are, well, kinda sketchy. Enter Lockbusters and Jay. First and foremost, incredible communication.Because it was a big job in terms of numbers and types of locks we emailed back and forth,including pictures at his suggestion, then graduated to phones and worked out a day for him to come by. Here I should add that they don't usually work in Jersey City but Jay was willing to stop by on a Sunday because he was going to be in the neighborhood and knew we really needed to get these locks changed in order to feel safe in our new home. He gave us prices(crazy reasonable),answered questions and provided the best solutions for all the various types of locks and doors and even suggestions on what we could do to our iron gate for added security. When he arrived he managed to be soooo personable and yet very professional. Speedy, efficient, pleasant, informative and affordable. I can't say enough about what a great experience it was. Thanks, Jay. Don't bother calling anybody else.Seriously.You can thank me later. read more

I found myself locked out of my apartment and just needed to get back in since my keys and spare were BOTH inside. My friends all quickly jumped in with horror stories about how much they had to pay when this happened to them, but after a little yelping, I came upon LockBusters. Jay called me back that morning and despite it being the friday before Labor Day, said that he would stop by on his way out of town. While waiting for Jay I'd run into a neighbor who'd told me his sob story about how this had just happened to him and he had to pay something like $120, but even though my door had some crazy security bar on it, Jay managed to get it open and for only $50! I'm so grateful - it was quick and painless and I'd recommend them to anyone who finds themselves locked out. Lifesaver. read more

Great service. Quick response time. Very fair pricing. Due to unfortunate circumstances, I had to change my locks to my apartment front door. I saw all of these great Yelp reviews and messaged Lockbusters. Jay responded to me within 15 minutes. My appointment was set up in an hour. Alex arrived right on time, changed both of my locks, and was very professional and quick. I know exactly who to go to if I ever need a locksmith. read more

Dean from Lockbusters came out to change a lock in my new apartment- he was efficient and friendly and he even cleaned up after himself! We were having an issue with our doors closing so he helped with that as well. If I need any locks changed or replaced, I'm contacting Lockbusters as they were responsive via my Yelp inquiry and kept me posted about Dean's ETA. Thanks a ton, Dean! read more

Friendly. Fast. Efficient. Cheap. Be nice to them when you call and don't be a douche. Out of all the people in the service industry these guys really don't deserve your shizz and they actually really want to (and like to) help you. In fact, I really had to fight the urge not to ask my guy to keep in touch and go out for beer later. He was just that cool. I'll never call another locksmith again :) read more

Based on his glowing reviews, I decided to call Jay after an unfortunate incident with my foot and a doorknob (you read that correctly -- it's a long story). Jay is the third locksmith I've dealt with here in NY --- and easily the coolest. His price estimates are far lower than the others I've seen. So what's the catch? There wasn't. He was in and out in within 20 minutes. And in the end, he reassured me that the whole-foot-on-the-doorknob thing is more common than one would think. read more

What can i say about these guys that hasn't already been said? They were able to squeeze me in (all the way up in harlem!) the day that I called and didn't charge me an arm and a leg for it. Honest to God, it doesn't get better than Jay. He's polite, he calls when he says he will, he's on time, he's quick and efficient, he's cheap, and he's REAL pretty. Seriously- you can't find anything better in this city. read more

Let alone, with the other reviews it's known he's nice and quick. But, truly one doesn't know, until you experience. He's incredibly reasonable and affordable, with that being said... He's not there to take advantage of people in shitty situation. The kindest man ever. Thank you for helping me out, so I didn't have to sleep in my office. read more

Came quicker than they said he would and had us in our apt. in less than eleven seconds. I don't even know how he did it. Wizardry? Talented and kindhearted. Thanks. read more

Jay helped us in a Courteous and Skillful manner. His ability to perform his job, on time and prepared was a welcomed change of pace. We are Extremely Satisfied with his performance and the quality of product that he installed. We would Highly recommend Lockbusters and Jay. In a large city it is refreshing to have a "Mom & Pop" feeling while keeping the hectic pace and tight schedule of clients. Lockbusters was able to do just that. read more

I was locked out of my apartment, they quickly gave me an estimate and got here much sooner than expected. Very helpful and friendly and couldn't beat the price, would definitely recommend! read more

I recently moved to a new apartment and needed to install a deadbolt. The first time I walked into the apartment with my keys, I noticed that the edge of the door was really tight against the door frame, which made opening the door a bit difficult. Jay arrived to install the deadbolt, and when he saw the issue with the door, he proceeded to fix it to ensure that the deadbolt would be aligned properly. He inspected the door hinges and saw that the door was hinged incorrectly. At NO CHARGE, he rehinged my door before presenting me with several dead bolt options! Lockbusters certainly knows how to provide premium service and build a long-term customer base. A week after I moved in, my brother unknowingly pressed a metal switch in the side of the door and got us locked out. I called Lockbusters and Jay came as quickly as he could. He was out on Long Island at the time and even called to give me a traffic update. I was distraught and angry at my brother for ruining my plans for the evening, but Jay was so accommodating that I calmed down tremendously and was so thankful that he got me back in the apartment without having to break any of the locks/knobs. As you can see, this is the only locksmith with this many reviews. I'm glad I called them based on all the positive reviews. They have my business for as long as I'm in NYC and I'd recommend them to everyone I know! read more

After some intruder scares in my building, I wanted to upgrade the door security to my apartment. After doing a Yelp search, I came across Lockbusters. I had never seen a small business, especially a service based one, have such glowing reviews. I had to investigate further. After browsing through the website and seeing very clear services, benefits and pricing, I made an appointment with Jay the owner through his website's contact form and received a speedy response within 24 hours. I went with a replacement top of the line plate and cylinder retrofit and Jay was meticulous and quick to install it in just over an hour. He reassured me of the benefits of the lock and I have to say it looks damn secure. I definitely have much better peace of mind after seeing it on my door. He also offered to clean up after all the drill debris, but I said it was ok, I could take care of it. I guess I am so used to service guys and contractors leaving most of the mess to me that I wasn't prepared to say yes! Lockbusters gets my unabashed highest approval! read more

I moved to NYC three days ago and locked myself out of my apartment, I had been in contact with different locksmiths all day and the professionalism, value, and customer service I received from Jay is beyond compare from ALL of the locksmiths in the Area. He promptly answered his phone and was clear in his delivery, when he arrived he was able to unlock my door in probably 3 seconds flat, he is such a gentleman and I've never felt more sure allowing someone in my home with how professional he was. To anyone who needs a locksmith for any reason I couldn't possibly recommend Jay enough- he is simply incredible! read more

Jay was incredible. I've never come across such a kind-hearted stranger before... As luck would have it, I got locked out of my apartment the day I moved in, which happened to coincide with the weekend that Jay went out of town AND his back-ups called in sick, so there was no one from Lockbusters to help me out. I could sense that Jay was truly sorry that this was happening, and then referred me to another company and told me exactly what to say. When it turned out they were closed, he told me to let him know when I found someone, and again when I was in my apartment. The guy that did end up showing up at my house immediately wanted to drill, but thanks to Jay I knew what to say to avoid that and another $350+ out of my pocket. When I called to let him know that I was in my apartment and told him what happened, I heard his girlfriend in the background exclaim her happiness over that - that's how nice they are! Just in case this happens again, I've saved his number - I WILL be referring him out to others as well! And may I add - thank goodness for the iPhone and Yelp! app! Thanks Jay! read more

These guys are great - they're going by Affordable Locksmiths (so don't worry if you get a response from a different name). I needed a lock swapped out, I put in a request for a quote online and got a pretty quick response, Jay pinged me right away and scheduled a time to get the work done. When they ran late, I was updated periodically via their blackberry. I wish UPS and cable were so diligent. They analyzed my old lock and door, made recommendations and gave me an option. The work is solid and great service. read more

After having had a very expensive and unpleasant experience ($200 for some WD40 and a lot of banging on my door) with the nighttime locksmith of a company I had done business with before, I was determined to find a new company for the next lock issue I had. With so many glowing yelp reviews, how could I not give Lockbusters a call? I called at the end of the day on Thursday for a new mailbox lock. The owner, Jay, told me there might be a wait as he was all booked up for Friday. I said that I didn't mind waiting a little bit, if I could just get on the schedule. Once he took down my information, he realized that I was a few blocks from one of his jobs on Friday so said he might actually be able to fit me in. He showed up right on time and switched out my mailbox lock in the time it took me to feed my furkids their breakfast. No surprise charges, no extra fees, and wonderful service with a smile. He greeted my pup and showed me pics of his lovely dog, too! He was able to give me receipt on the spot and gave me 2 shiny new keys for my mailbox. It also doesn't hurt that he is very easy on the eyes. Will def be calling Lockbusters for all my locksmithing needs and recommending them to anyone who will listen! read more

Since moving to this city nine months ago, I've been locked out of my apartment no fewer than four times, so I think you'll trust my expertise when I say that these guys are the absolute best. They were on time, friendly, swift about getting me back into my place, and courteous enough not to comment on the state of it. Best of all, unlike the string of smarmy Eastern-Bloc types (sorry, Russia!) whom I've dealt with before, they were upfront about the price, and didn't gouge me for a Saturday rate. read more

Called late last night and got a morning appointment for the following day. Jay was extremely nice and very knowledgeable. Choose Lockbusters because of their reviews and totally grateful; gotta love their flat rates! read more

Ladies of NYC, do yourself a favor and "lose" your keys. You will thank me later. read more

This guy is Amazing. Legit for sure. I had an emergency, called the number... Sent him photos of my locks; he gave me a reasonable price, arrival window and came the same day. He arrived before his quoted time (which worked even better). He came, changed my lock and it took him 2 minutes and 47 seconds. Literally. I timed him lol. The guy is courteous and professional. And has a very fast response time. If you're on the fence, rest assure that this will be money well spent! Thanks Jay!!!! read more

Recently moved and needed a new lock. Turned to yelp for some suggestions and ran across Lockbusters. Luckily, living social was doing a deal and score!! My location was a bit wee out of the usual range but he was okay with it. He ran a bit behind schedule and called to see if I was okay with the delay/time change. It was fine since it was on a Sunday. I have had many locks changed and lockbusters is the best. They are professional and very nice. Pricing is reasonable and installation is quick. What more can I ask for? Woo-hoo!~ What really won me over was that he spoke English and understood me. My past locksmiths always had a hard time understanding anything which made it a chore. You people don't understand what it's like to speak to someone who is a pure blooded old school Italian man who only says the word, "no problem" and "yes". Save yourself the trouble and try lockbusters. They get the job done. read more

Dude. I cannot even begin to explain how much I love the Lockbusters - especially Jay. I was having "psycho roommate" problems and was worried that my old roommate would attempt to break in at any moment after he moved out. I called them immediately following his departure, and they arrived at 10am the next morning. Jay was more than pleasant - he was actually cool to talk to. Like, I'd want to grab a drink with him. He fixed the lock and even helped fixed the latch on our door because it wasn't closing correctly. We joked around, had a good old time, and then he went on his way. For a very reasonable price. I'd totally call them for any issues with doors/locks again. And if I just wanted Jay to swing by and tell me another crazy Craigslist roommate story. read more

Great honest fast service. Put a lock on for me 8 months ago, still great. I recommend to friends and they're not let down either (so I don't look bad.) Keep up the amazing work. Locksmiths are usually the shadiest. These guys are great. read more

WOW! I don't know what else to say. I called Jay on Wednesday and he gave me a great breakdown of what I was looking for, which is was a deadbolt installation. He was very informative and helpful. I called him again on Friday to set up a time and he made time in his schedule for a Saturday installation, in less than 24 hrs! The install was fast and he was super friendly and professional. Jay is quite personable and I really enjoyed having such a nice person to coordinate with. If you need a lock install, you can't do better. I honestly would say that working with Lockbusters has been my most pleasant interaction with a service company in NYC EVER. read more

Jay was great. He was very friendly and courteous, while being professional and FAST! On the day of my appointment Jay had gotten "stuck" on an earlier job which would make him late for our appointment. Jay was was very mindful and reached out to me about an hour prior to our appointment to let me know he was running late and we then rescheduled for later that evening. I truly appreciated this as it allowed me to do other things than just sit around and wait all day for him. When Jay did arrive later that evening he again apologized for the delay and got straight to work. He drilled a new hole in our door and installed a new deadbolt for me in what I would consider a blink of an eye. He was in and out in just about 25 minutes. He even asked for a dust pan and broom to clean up after the job. I would highly recommend LockBusters and Jay to anyone needing locksmith services. read more

I can't recommend this guy enough. Jay is honest and affordable about his pricing, prompt to appointments, intelligent, fun to chat with while he works, and you can just tell is a sincere, nice, really good guy. He's one of the few businesses I recommend without hesitation (and sometimes without even prompting) to anyone I know who's just moved into a new place or is having any kind of lock issue. He's done two units and the main doors in my building so far, and is the go-to guy for me with any lock / door / security issues. read more

Very professional service, highly recommend them, even if you get a slightly cheaper price elsewhere. I locked myself out of my apartment unit one day and they came in less than half an hour to pick the lock on the door. Everyone else I found on Google or Yelp sounded extremely sketchy and wanted to charge an exorbitant rate, or wouldn't even give me a quote until they come in person. Extremely grateful for these guys. Don't hesitate to call them. read more

Jay came to my house exactly when he said he would. I made an appointment at 6pm the night before. He was at my place by 8:30am the next morning. He honored the quote he'd given based on the pictures I sent. He was totally professional and competent. He explained what he was doing and was finished within 20 minutes. I needed the innards of a deadbolt replaced. His quote was on average $100 cheaper than the 5 others I'd requested. I can't recommend Lockbusters any higher. read more