Louie's Backyard
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I didn't stumble in but I almost needed to be rolled out. The fresh cornbread and ciabatta bread was warm and tasty. Conch fritters were crispy outside and moist inside. The wasabi and pepper jelly paired nicely. The chicken w/waffle and sausage gravy was excellent as well. 3 nice size pieces of perfectly fried chicken a top the waffle with the sausage gravy in a dish on the side. A skewer of mixed fruit was a nice touch for a garnish. The Uptown mojito was also tasty. Sorry no pictures , I forgot about them when the food arrived. My server was exceptionally pleasant and her timing to check on things was great. The other staff were very nice as well. Outside seating was almost perfect. Thankfully the breeze kept the sargassum to barely noticeable. A great view.
Our favorite restaurant for lunch in Key West. Be sure to make reservations.......unless you enjoy punishing waits. For clarity reservations are really easy, and Nina (our waitress) made some perfect suggestions based on our tastes. Enjoy!
We stopped by on a not humid KW day for a cool drink. Staff treated us very well and the drinks and food were excellent. Selena took excellent care of us and was very nice. She talked us into the homemade key lime pie for dessert after we shared fresh bread with the caprese salad. Everything tasted great. Selena was five star.
This restaurant used to be my absolute favorite stop in Key West. Their shrimp and grits were so incredible that I bought their cookbook just so I could recreate the dish at home. I've made it countless times over the years, and every trip to Key West included a return visit because it was that memorable. Unfortunately, that era is clearly over!! The last few visits have been a huge disappointment.. What was once a beautifully presented, flavorful dish now looks like it was carelessly thrown together. The shrimp and grits that inspired me for years no longer resemble, or taste like, the original. I don't know if the restaurant has changed ownership multiple times or simply lost its way, but the quality has fallen dramatically. To make matters worse, our most recent dining experience was just as disappointing as the food. The restaurant was nearly empty, yet our party was told we had to leave because our reservation time was up. There was no one waiting for our table, and with so many empty tables throughout the restaurant, they easily could have accommodated us elsewhere. It felt unnecessarily rigid, cheap, and frankly arrogant. It's sad to see a place that was once a true Key West gem decline so dramatically. Between the disappointing food, lackluster presentation, and poor hospitality, it simply isn't worth the price anymore. Sadly, this restaurant has gone from being a "must-visit" on every trip to the Keys to a place I'll never return to. There are far better restaurants in Key West that deserve your time and money.
First timer here at Louie's and my goodness the view was perfect. Definitely need to make reservations for dinner here, open table App. worked well. We started at Louie's patio bar along the waterfront and the old fashion was great and my wife said espresso martini was OK.
Dining on the waterfront is the selling point and reason to go here. The menu, while solid is not spectacular but a good cocktail and sunset views make up for it.
We were excited to get reservations here for my birthday dinner earlier this week. Overall the atmosphere and service was great. We started with the bacon wrapped scallops - they were the best I had ever had. Melt in your mouth delicious! My bf isn't big into seafood but tried it and also really loved it! I had the Beef Filet, while I found the amount of sauce on the plate unnecessary - I really enjoyed this dish. The filet was cooked perfectly. My bf had the pork chop and was disappointed. It was so fatty that it just ruined the meal for him. (This is why I deducted a point). We ended with the Creme brûlée - it was good. Not the best I've had but still good. We didn't tell them it was my birthday, so no candles but they do offer that. The drinks were good- again not the best but good enough. I'd go back for lunch and enjoy the views!
Loved visiting this quintessential location. Visited for lunch with dear friends and thoroughly enjoyed our time and our food. The staff is super friendly and attentive from the host to our server. The dining room is beautifully laid out with views to the waterfront throughout. This spit must be on everyone's list and with the
Café de Louie's (upstairs - no reservations needed) Great lil hidden gem in Key West. Different menu from downstairs. Great selections, smaller portions at a affordable price. Indoor and outdoor seating available. My fav dish so far is the shaking Vietnamese beef. So good we came back 4 days later
Didn't eat here; only took in the view and vibes on the afterdeck bar late afternoon. Terry is an asset. While busy, he always acknowledges people waiting. I have seen bartenders put their heads down and ignore. Not Terry. He has certainly built up a following with locals and returning guests. Restaurant nicely decorated inside
AMAZING food and views!!! Ok so we came here for a nice dinner and unfortunately needed to make reservation and the place was booked. Wish we had called before as we walked to the restaurant. Host let us know that there was no space. Wish the host was a bit more professional and also a bit more positive. We asked if we could sit at the bar and in his words "I doubt it but you can check" Glad we did "check" we had an amazing time at the bar bartender was awesome very knowledgeable and service was great! We were able to enjoy full menu right from the deck. Appears alot of tourist come back to this place a see why. The food AMAZING! Great atmosphere! Next time I come will get a reservation for sure. But if you want to just walk back out and see there is a spot for you. Thank you!
This was the best food we had on island all week hands down, also the most expensive (but worth it). Service was wonderful. We did show up for dinner (and I didn't look up to see if there was a dress code but we were by far the most under dressed compared to other guests but no one said anything). My friend and I shared the mahi special and shrimp/grits/green beans/mushrooms. It was so delicious, a little rich I couldn't finish it but would highly recommend, 10/10!
I have been coming here for 30 years and have never been disappointed. The food, service, and Ambiance has always been fantastic. We have dined in the main dining area, The Cafe and at the afterdeck bar. It's has always been fantastic. I would also like to thank Blonde who is just awesome. This is a fantastic place.
I really liked that at our indoor table both seats were turned towards the window for a view of the water. The food was good and the drinks were even better (get the island cosmo). If you can brave the humidity I would definitely recommend sitting outside because I'm sure that close up view of the water was awesome. The swordfish and risotto cake were good, as was the grouper catch of the day. Solid restaurant but food, service, and ambiance weren't enough of a standout to get the full five stars. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
My wife and I chose Louie's as the place to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. We had never been there before so didn't know what to expect. We chose the Cafe upstairs and we're not disappointed. Chef Brandon has put together a terrific menu and our server Blondell was outstanding. You can't beat the view of the water. The whole experience greatly exceeded our expectations. Next time we're in Key West for sure we will go to Louie's. read more
3 years ago
I was looking for a fancier place to have a romantic date night and watch the sunset. Louie's did not disappoint on the food or the atmosphere, but despite what you may read online, this is not the place to catch the sunset. I loved everything about this place. We were originally told they wouldn't be able to seat us outside but when we arrived for our reservation, they were able to make it work and I think we got the best spot in the house. It was secluded and had a great view. Our waitress was really great too, very friendly and attentive. We picked this restaurant because it has a good variety of items. We started with some pretty good bread, and split the salad with blue cheese, apples & pecans. I ended up ordering the swordfish, which was very delicious. My boyfriend ordered the pork chop which was also very good. We opted out of dessert which was probably a bad decision on our part, but that's okay, next time! I'd definitely recommend this Louie's! read more
2 years ago
The restaurant is right on the beach - call for reservations if you want to guarantee a seat inside. If no reservations, the back patio offers open seating. The patio is right against the back of the restaurant and definitely worth the effort to try and get a table. ** Note: even though it's a beachfront place, make sure to review the wine prices before ordering- it's not the sun in your eyes making you think you see $400 - $500 bottles of wine. We had a reservation for two, and had a nice corner spot on the porch. Great views, my date could look south, while I looked east. For appetizers my date had the beef tartare. They said it was "outstanding". My choice was the Florida lobster, braised in a truffle butter with spinach & prosciutto. The lobster was cooked to perfection. Fresh airy delicious bread was provided so one could dip in the buttery creamy sauce - and they do mean buttery. There was not much spinach to see, and indeed there were bits of prosciutto and lots of cream. For our main course, my date had the Grilled filet of beef, with horseradish crust, with twice baked potato. They said "the filet was also outstanding - cooked to a medium temperature with perfection- very tender. The sauce married all the ingredients together. The twice baked potato was cooked evenly and buttery tasty." I had the shrimp & grits, which was rich and very buttery. There were nine nice shrimps, with a few mushrooms, all floating within the grits. I would have enjoyed eating all the grits because they were smooth like farina, but due to the amount of butter, seriously think Paula Deen, I couldn't finish them. I didn't take anything off in this rating for the amount of butter, bc it was delicious. Around the plate were also a few bright green beans - I could have eaten a whole bowl of just those! For me, my choice of a creamy buttery appetizer and a buttery main dish, equaled a LOT of butter - so much so the richness stomped any appetite for dessert. However, my date suggested we try the key-lime pie. I am not a key-lime pie person, but when in Key West one should try the key-lime pie. I am glad I tried it, but would try one of the other desserts next time. The key-lime plate was decorated beautifully. The pie had a graham-cracker crust, no meringue, but instead some whipped cream on the side, with some fresh berries. A full moon rising ended the evening. read more
2 years ago
This place is a must stop if you're visiting Key West, the outdoor sitting over the water is amazing. The atmosphere is peaceful and the staff are always welcoming. Everything on the menu is delicious. read more
This Louie's is perfect. Great view. Outstanding staff from the great This wasn't our first time there. We had been there a couple years ago over the Christmas holiday. Everything was perfect the view was great and the staff was excellent. This is definitely a restaurant that you should check out if you're in Key West. read more
2 years ago
Staff is rude. Food is decent but way overpriced considering the service and terrible seating locations. Why put a table up against filthy stairs? Peoples feet are inches from this table. Unacceptable for a $200 meal. One and done. read more
Hands down the best restaurant during this visit. The building is gorgeous. It is more formal than other places. Kind of has that old world charm to it. I don't think that they have a dress code but I am glad that my wife and I wore some nice clothes as everyone else was. The server was reserved but very helpful regarding recommended food and libations. They have a Cosmopolitan cocktail that was tasty. The other attendants did a fantastic job making sure that your water glass and bread plate were full Best for last...the food was superb. I had the lobster prosciutto stew served in a truffle butter sauce with spinach. It came in a little enameled pot and was rich and tasty. I had the tilefish with a jalapeño mango salsa and red pepper sauce with basmati rice that was freakishly good Dinner for four with 2 appetizers, 4 entrees one dessert split 4 ways and cocktails and a bottle of wine was about $450 with tip read more
2 years ago
We were looking forward to eating here based on past reviews. We started with Octopus and calamari appetizers. Octopus was tasty, but the Calamari was just okay. I had a prime rib sandwich that was fatty with no flavor. French fries were good. The server who has been there for 25 years was curt and not very friendly. Beautiful views. read more
2 years ago
The backyard view was gorgeous, exactly what you'd be seeking for a high class beachside lunch. The banana bread might be the best I've ever had and I was impressed with how the chips were crispy yet soft. A few of us in our group got the snapper sandwich which was good and we had a key lime pie for dessert. The filling was okay but the crust was the best part. The host was a bit rude and off put by our group and was confused that we came in without a reservation even though the restaurant was empty. However our waitress was incredibly kind and warm which made up for the host being rude. Service was prompt and the atmosphere was sophisticated and relaxed. read more
The setting is gorgeous. The staff were welcoming and very friendly. We arrived early and were able to have a drink at the bar before being seated. We shared an appetizer and an entree and both were amazing. Our server was great. read more
1 year ago
Ambiance was great, it was on the beach. The food was on point. The service was very good. However, the cockroach crawling on the wall was very distracting and unappealing. read more
We love Louie's Backyard. We have eaten in the regular dining room, which you need to make a reservation for way in advance. But we also love to eat upstairs in the cafe where there are no reservations, it opens at 5, 1st come 1st serve, and the menu is different, a small plates/ tapas menu. My husband and I ordered the beet salad to share and then we shared lobster risotto and braised short ribs. I wanted dessert so I ordered the brownie creme brulee and I let husband have a little. Everything was delicious. Bteat service and great views. read more
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Amazing ambiance and the prettiest view in key west! The lobster app and the bib salad were both amazing. Beef tartar was not very good- over powering mustard. The shrimp entree was terrible - super bland- no truffle. But, my husband loved his pork chop entree! His favorite thing we had all week. read more
Whenever we go to the end of US 1, we always make reservations to dine at Louie's. There is an endless number of eateries in KW, but Louie's is our only "must do" restaurant. We love that the service is always first class, whatever drink or food you order is always done the way you like and fresh as a new day. Of course, being in Key West, sea food dominates the offerings. Meg loves sea food and tries different dishes each time, but even an old meat-eater like me is always satisfied. This time it was Sauteed Gulf Shrimp with bacon and mushrooms, and a Pork Chop with mashed and veggie. Both meals were amazing. Meg enjoyed white wine while I had an excellent house specialty Mojito that blew me away. If you are lucky to get your reservation early enough you can dine outside by the sea. In some seats at the bar, you can enjoy the sea splashing on your feet if the tide is high. For us, everything about Louie's is just right. I recommend that you try it yourself to see. Expect premium prices for a truly premium dining experience. read more
9 months ago
A secret location behind Louie's restaraunt is their back patio. Gr RAA t bar. You are on a deck with the ocean lapping around you. A dog beach on right. Who could ask for any more paradise. You can order food at bar and just sit back watching and listening to ocean as you enjoy your drinks read more
8 months ago
3 years ago
We did not have a great experience when we stopped in for lunch. We called to make a reservation and confirmed with the hostess, even receiving a reminder VM but they said they couldn't find it when we arrived. We were set inside, which turned out to be fine. But, they are not baby friendly. The host was a little rude and said "they don't do high chairs", which is super inconvenient and creates a stressful eating experience for parents! Lastly, the duck confit had a very bad odor and the texture of jerky. The positives are they have a beautiful view and the restaurant is very classy and clean! read more
5 years ago
We loved this restaurant - a definite crowd pleaser in Key West! First off, the ambiance is amazing - both inside and out - it's one of the few restaurants in Key West that are on the water - I wish we had sat outside, but seats are limited (as you might expect). We did end up sitting at a really nice table in the corner and the service was very good. We started off with a special appetizer of crab, and chips over seaweed salad, and the Boston lettuce and watercress salad with blue cheese, apples, and spiced pecans. Both were delicious. After that, we split their King Salmon dish which was cooked to perfection - nice and crisp on the outside and medium on the inside - delicious. Everything looked amazing. Of all the restaurants I went to in Key West, this was a definite favorite - highly highly recommend! read more
2 years ago
I've eaten here several times and they never disappoint. The views are incredible- I like sitting outside with the beach views. This visit I sat at the bar for drinks well waiting for them to open and our table to be ready and the bartender made me a delicious coconut mojito! She nailed it. Our server was a very kind intelligent man that name has slipped my mind- very helpful throughout the night. I chose the special that was a yellow snapper and it came with an avocado salad and mango sauce. The conch chowder was delicious and was perfectly paired with their house made bird pepper hot sauce- unfortunately you can't buy their hot sauce BUT I was told you can buy their cook book that has the recipe. Dessert was key lime pie and was a perfect way to end the night. Highly recommend read more
2 years ago
Great vibe, food is some of the best to be found in Key West. If you allow them to take care of you, they will. read more
2 years ago
9 months ago
A beautiful, cozy place to have a nice dinner! Louie's Backyard is hosted in a cute little house in the neighborhoods of Key West. The backyard has a beautiful view of the ocean, and the outdoor patio seating is made magical by the string lights in the trees above. The food is delicious and tasty! We started with the steak tartare and seasonal special - the crab and avocado crostini. Both were delicious and the flavors of the crostini were especially crisp and refreshing. For entrees, we got the shrimp and grits and the swordfish with fried risotto. Portions were nicely sized and everything was delicious. We were happily stuffed and too full to try anything for dessert, but I'm sure it would've been delicious! Note: the windows/doors are open in the restaurant so as to enjoy the view but it can get pretty humid and warm so be ready for that! It didn't bother me much though. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Fantasy setting a beautiful Victorian home and terrace on the beach, excellent service with superb food read more
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1 year ago
Solid four or more for delicious beachy nearly haute Keys cuisine but with prodigious portions paired with exceptional expert waitstaff. Front of house and bar staff could use some work, though. They're clearly not on the same level. Lamb chops were everything I'd imagined and I'll just leave it at that. Exceptional. Some say it's some of the best food on the island and they're not wrong. read more
More info about Louie's Backyard
700 Waddell Ave
Key West, FL 33040
Directions
(305) 294-1061
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http://www.louiesbackyard.com
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Ask the Community - Louie's Backyard
Coming in Sept for lunch. Are we going to be miserably hot sitting outside at 11:30am?
People tend to like the outside seating since we are located on the water. Please keep in mind we are closed from September 8 through September 24 for our annual maintenance.
Can they accommodate large parties? We would be approximately 40 people, a mix of adults and children
It is a pretty spread out place, three levels. I would call and ask. They are very accommodating.
Can you see the sunset?
At a certain times of the year you can see the actual sun dipping into the water. Most of the year, however, you see all the colors of sunset on the water.
Is it Pet Friendly?
We allow pets on the bar level only and only during daylight hours. We do not allow pets inside or at the outside main dining sections.
The upstairs Cafe - does it have the sunset views? Can you make dinner reservations for that area?
The upstairs cafe opens at 5, and as of November, was not accepting reservations. We got there right at 5 and there were a couple of tables taken, but there were still 4-5 2 party tables on the deck to choose from where you could see the sunset.…
We are going to be in the Keys (first time),in mid March. Are reservations suggested ? I am the adventurous water, man as wife leas so, will they make a simply prepared seafood meal?.
Too late for this response, but reservations are definitely needed.
Can you watch the sunset here?
You can see all the colors of sunset. It's stunning.
Just wondering if this place is currently open? I've been calling all day because the Internet says that it is, and I would love to come have dinner, but no one is answering…
Their Facebook site says that their office staffing is limited. I would give them a call between 10-4. But they are opening for lunch this Wednesday, June 17 and opening for dinner on Friday, June 19.
Reservations required and how far in advance?
Yes, this is a popular restaurant to so make them as far in advance as possible.
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