Had the opportunity to meet the owner, Phil. Really nice guy who Trully loves what he does. We had great conversation about how he ended up here in Key West and it turned into him buying the property in 1982. From one foodie to another this place has great food. Phil suggested we try the conch chowder as he has had the same chef for quite a few years. Norm Van Aken had a stop in his career here. Terry the bartender is a true professional. Decor inside is beautiful and not a bad seat in the entire restaurant. Dog beach right next to the fanboy loud deck view of Key West for all dog lovers. We will be sure to come back. read more

Recently revisited for an entree dinner with my girlfriend to give it another try. We decided on the Cracked Conch, Beet Salad and Seared Tuna over Soba Noodles. OMG... All so delicious and of course the view was amazing and the service was very good. IMO... Skip the small plates and have dinner out back in the dining area. Wish now we wouldn't have waiting so long to go back. read more

We came upstairs to the café and had exceptional service and incredibly delicious food and drinks! The truffle lobster risotto and skirt steak tacos were amazing. The Louie's TnT and LaPaloma were also delicious! read more

Wish I could give it less than one star, beautiful setting, chef's are great but service ruins it every time. I asked my wife to marry me there and we will never be back. It was a part of my life and keys trip for years. Hopefully things will change read more

NYE dinner was exceptional. Louie's was one of a handful of places not offering an overpriced fixed price menu. The oysters, empanadas, and grouper were delicious. Service was excellent. read more

Amazing food with a lovely view of the ocean - and the service was even better (ask for Johan!) Our new favorite spot in Key West!

Let me explain Louie's to you....it is really 3 restaurants in one. Louie's Backyard is actually a historical, renovated Victorian beachfront house; the first floor is the restaurant. There is an outdoor patio/deck that is an extension of the restaurant. In the main house there is a 2nd floor Upstairs Deck/Wine bar that is a Tapas type restaurant. This review is solely for Louie's Upstairs. Louie's "upstairs" is seated on an availability basis,no reservations taken and they serve tapas and "small plates" type menu. The perimeter of the second floor/upstairs is an outdoor deck composed of little tables for TWO. We were a family of 3 so we were unable to sit outside. Keep this in mind........for a couple, these seats are fabulous...romantic....spectacular view. We had to sit in the enclosed/indoor portion of the restaurant which was really lovely. I know one Yelp reviewer described Louie's as "quaint" and I really couldn't disagree more. Louie's has this air of sophistication and understated elegance. The decor is zen like simplistic .....driftwood, candles, capiz shell artwork. They had a beautiful Pottery Barn type chandelier in our dining room, and grand ceiling fans. I loved the feel and vibe inside. I can definitely undestand some reviewers who complained about the "snootiness" there. The maitre'd was a little condescending in directing us upstairs, (I don't even think he made eye contact) but our server was friendly. Keep in mind, Louie's is within walking distance of the Waldorf Astoria/Casa Marina resort....so that is the kind of clientele you are likely to run into there. No sunburned, surfer dudes in flips flops. On to the food!!! Of the small plates we ordered: ~Bread basket (Yes! they charge you for bread!). Skip this! Although it is supposedly "baked to order" it tasted like dry Italian bread to me. ~Flaming Shrimp Ouzo: Skip this! Although nice shrimp, they basically tasted like they went swimming in a vat of vodka ~Pork meatballs with crispy polenta/marinara: Holy crap! One of the best things I have ever tasted in my life. ~ Grilled Mongolian bbq lamb ribs: Fantastic. Tender, nicely marinated, just enough fat to contrast the crispy flavored skin. The table next to us ordered the Broiled Feta cheese with flatbread and the Duck Confit pizza that both looked tantalizing! I would definitely try these next time. After a week of eating from food trucks, Louie's was such a welcome indulgence: Romantic, sexy, sophisticated and low key at the same time. Next year we plan on going for brunch. Come by for a drink, for a tapa, for the view. read more

Love. A bit off the very beaten path of Duval Street. Should have gone here every night! The outside patio is awesome. Very chill. Great place to watch the sunset. Excellent place for a drink after dinner too out on the patio. Not your scene if you're looking for the mad drunkeness of the north end of Duval. And the super friendly chef even took us to his local hangout afterward. Now that's hospitality! read more

Food was great, service was lousy. Go to see dog beach, don't bother with the bar.

Solid food in a great atmosphere. Our favorite part was our extremely knowledgeable and helpful server. He gave great recommendations and knew all about the food and wine on the menu! We recommend having a drink at the bar in the back for the sunset and going in after for dinner. Portions are very generous, and sauces are on the creamier side. read more

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What's lovely - the view and the breeze. What's not lovely - the rude bartender and wait staff. This French wanna be restaurant is a hard pass. read more

Heard rave reviews from friends and read all the great reviews on here. And I would have given this place 4 stars, but I have to give it 2 for the following reasons. We arrived for dinner seating at 8. We were seated immediately at an interior corner table on the outside deck. It was hot at our table with absolutely no air flow. Despite the ceiling fan and the apparent ocean breeze, our table received cooling from neither. We endured it until our appetizers arrived as we thought we just needed a moment to acclimate. We were obviously uncomfortable and sweating, yet the waiter (who was otherwise very nice and professional) merely told us its June and basically that we should deal with it by jumping into a pool after our meal was over. There was no attempt to relocate us to another table or to an inside table (which the A/C would have been a godsend at that point). Once our entrees arrived we were so sick from sweating that the food was not enjoyable. For the amount of money one has to shell out for dinner (our bill came to $130 for two people) being stuck in the seventh circle of hell, obviously uncomfortable and not even having our requests for re-accommodation entertained was completely unacceptable. To make matters worse, upon leaving, I advised the manager that he should not seat people at the table we were at, he basically laughed and said there was a ceiling fan and the ocean breeze. Yes the food was tasty, but being stuck in the seventh circle of hell in a clearly second class seating accommodation made the whole experience truly torturous. If you go you will like the food, but be very weary of interior corner tables stuck in a stagnant corner of hell. read more

Don't let the name fool you. We went expecting picnic tables on a grassy lawn and found a white tablecloth dining experience on a deck overlooking the ocean that served 5-star food. We shared a mix of small plates including lobster in beure blanc, Boston lettuce salad, prawns in clam sauce with pernod and saffron, and cracked conch, tender and fried to perfection. Dessert received our Key Lime Pie rating of 2 on a scale of 1 (best) to 5. Waiter Ryan was friendly and informative, and now knows the difference between palm trees and palmettos (ask him!). A highly enjoyable meal and location. Don't miss it. read more

With a name like Louie's Backyard I really wasn't expecting much, so was a little shocked upon arrival. Louie's is actually pretty charming and is set in an older Victorian home (looks like someone may even live above it). The indoor dining area is classic and romantic as is the outdoor dining area. The nice thing about sitting outdoors is that you are on a dock right on the water so it makes it really peaceful when you hear the water in the background. My boyfriend and I arrived here pretty late for Key West dinner standards - very close to 10pm, so we were nervous that we were too late for dinner. Luckily the owner was nice enough to promptly seat us outside. The food here really exceeded my expectations. To start we shared duck liver wrapped in bacon and shrimp croquettes. Both were delightful, full of flavor and quite filling.. luckily we hadn't eaten much that day. For dinner I had the lamb chops and he had the steak - again, both were cooked to perfection. I didn't think I'd end up ordering red meat while in Key West, but as soon as we walked onto the back deck I smelled delicious red meat so just went with my senses and am so glad that I did. For dessert we shared a brownie brulee, which was interesting because it was like creme brulee with a brownie on the bottom. After we finished our bottle of wine we slowly meandered back to Casa Marina where we were staying...needless to say we were full to the brim. Great ambience, amazing food and fantastic service! read more

Service was terrible. We wait for over an hour n food never come in. They just keep serving other tables n just keep saying some problem is going on in the kitchen. No apologize or nothing. To be honest the appetizer was good. But almost two hours to get it. Bs. I will not recommend this place when I get home. Bad n slooooooooooow service read more

Loved my lunch at Louie's! The food, service and view were all great! I had the fish tacos and they were just what I was looking for to truly experience key west! read more

For Key West, this was great! I've always found it hard to find really great food in Key West. The location is wonderful and the service was just as good. Had the Hogfish special and it was delicious. It's also one of the few places on the island where I wouldn't show up in shorts, tanktop and flip flops. read more

Great place for cocktails as the sunsets. The food is so-so. My husband had the catch of the day and it was totally devoid of flavor. I had the gulf shrimp and grits. Shrimp cooked well, but grits a little on the lumpy side. Our white wine bottle was not prechilled, so we ended up with warm white wine (putting it on ice didn't get it cold enough). Really expensive for the quality of the food. I would come back for the view, but just for drinks. read more

Second time we've eaten here in 2 years. Brought a friend here for the water view. Mini burgers-medium was overdone, more like well done. French toast with bananas-good, but overpriced & not that special. Once my friend snarked back at a snarky comment the waiter gave us, service improved greatly. I recommend getting a table at the top of the deck, better views over the rest of the deck & the bar. That's where we sat last year (prior to me yelping). This year with 3 in our party, we had to be seated lower. read more

Beautiful views but food was way overpriced. Service irregular.

Best Mojitos in town! There is nothing better than sipping the best mojito while watching the most beautiful sunset in the world at Louie's Backyard in the Keys. A very nice patio overlooking the ocean. It was so relaxing. Bartenders were very friendly too. read more

Waaaay over priced for the food they serve. The service and the ambiance are excellent for a romantic date. The 3 ppl that were with me had the shrimp and grits which were pretty good. I had the salmon and it was good. The creme brûlée was delicious. Prob won't be back but it was a good experience. read more

Upstairs has awesome tables for two along an outside deck that's about 3-4 feet wide. It's more causal - which is our style

When you consider ambience, welcome, service, and food, it's hard to find a better place than Louie's. Here and there in Key West, you may find some of these, but not all as here. Reserve a table on the deck and enjoy. read more

Four of us lunched today. Three ordered Asian chicken which was their favorite. One ordered poached eggs with crab cake, potatoes and hollandaise sauce. The eggs were practically uncooked and there was no crab cake. The chicken dish was soggy with little taste. The waiter seemed bored and indifferent. Time for Louie's to stop taking clientele for granted. read more

Was really disappointed with their brunch menu. Ordered their steak and it was over cooked and tasted horrible. Dessert was the best part of the meal. Service was ok. read more

The ocean view from the deck is picture perfect and the linen tablecloths add another nice touch, but, although the food was good, for the price of the entrees I expect to be wowed and I wasn't. We started with the chickpea tortellita with shrimp, crab, avocado, and orange. We divided it four ways. My husband and sons enjoyed it, but I found my fourth was mainly "pancake" and I was left wondering where the shrimp and crab had gone! Three of us ordered the fresh catch which was hogfish prepared with a lobster sauce over ordinary white rice. For $37 I want something that I'd be challenged to recreate at home! The other entree was tamarind glazed duck breast with tomato spaetzle and braised collard greens. I'm not a big duck eater but my husband thought it was over-cooked. Again, lacked wow factor. The wine and coffee drinks were good! The waitstaff were attentive, but while refilling our waters every three sips, the server also managed to miss the glass almost every time so that some always fell onto our bread plates or the table. The setting gets 5 stars, but I prefer a less "stuffy" atmosphere where the waitstaff is more relaxed and conversational and the food feels worthy of the $$$'s! read more

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Went there after our sunset cruise for a few drinks. The ambiance was wonderful!!! Drinks were priced right. Bartender was very friendly and accommodating!! A nice spot to close out an evening. read more

Louie's was recommended to me and had high ratings here, so I had high expectations - they were not met. It was odd right from the start as we had a reservation, but the host/maitre de was borderline rude. I asked if sitting outside was an option and he gave me a haughty look/tone and said, "Your reservation is for inside." Despite having the reservation, they seemed to struggle to find a table for us and we had to wait 15 minutes or so in the bar (despite seeing available tables). Once we sat, a large and obnoxious group came in and sat right near us. The manager argued with one of their party about the number in the reservation; the entire group was very loud. And we had the same waitress, who was clearly overwhelmed with the group. We received appetizer and salad fairly promptly...though our white wine was not chilled. Then there was quite a long wait between salad and main course. By the time the main course arrived, we had polished off the bottle of wine - and we weren't guzzling it! The yellow snapper special was outstanding, but I just had a bite. Unfortunately, I went with the salmon (by the way, the menu on their website is not the current menu). The menu said something about grape-leaf wrapped, but it wasn't. It was a salmon fillet and not cooked anywhere near medium, so I had to send it back - maybe the second or third time in my life I have ever sent something back. The waitress did get us a complimentary glass of wine (after the meal was done), but it was too little too late. I think the issues came from the other people in the restaurant, but considering this is pitched as one of the best restaurants in Key West (and priced accordingly), I would recommend going elsewhere. read more

Went in with my wife for just a desert and the hostess tells us it's only for dinner party not just desert the seating. Ridiculous!

Food was good (shrimp & grits), but not as good as many other restaurants on the island. The bigger issue was our server, he was terrible.

Great bungalow style restaurant on the beach. Loved the food! The special of the day was the grouper over wild rice and veggies. It was perfectly seasoned and a good portion. Ill Be Back! read more

A beautiful location right on the water in a darling old home! Louie's Backyard makes everything from scratch-every sauce, every piece of bread, everything. They make Pullman loaves to make breadcrumbs out of! They actually buy fish especially to be the 'special' unlike other restaurants that use the daily special to clean out the refrigerator. You can be sure the food here is hand crafted and full of soul. Conch fritters are a must-try as are the daily specials. Sit outside and enjoy the food and the view! read more

This restaurant has the views and ambiance for sure, right on the water. It is on the expensive side so it is a nice place to go for a special dinner or a special occasion. We sat on the patio over looking the lower deck, note that the lower deck area is where smoking and dogs are permitted. We could smell the cigarette smoke even on the upper patio. We had the grouper special which was very nicely prepared and a couple of mixed drinks. I felt the lunch was marred when the waitress tried a sales pitch on her anti-aging product she is marketing from her phone. Not very professional or appropriate in my opinion. read more

Stopped in for drinks by the water. The inside was very nice and beer prices were pretty reasonable. The view was nice but that's about it. The patio bartender was barely sociable and they wouldn't even let eat on the patio. No beach access. Don't think I would go back. read more

We had reservations and were sat down fairly quickly. Waited 10-15 minutes with no service attended. While a party of 15 were waiting, sat quickly and attended and we were still waiting. We got up and walked out. No one asked or even stopped us on the way out. We then realized we forgot our car keys, which went back inside and greeted a hello and was ready to be seated. They did not even notice. Definitely NOT coming back! Not a happy client! Horrible service! Doesn't even deserve a star! read more

Not the place we remember over the last 20 years Champagne warm Room inside warm as they kept door open to outside Conch not hot Waiter no personality Sad report on one of our all time favorites read more

In the hopes of fairness, the food we had was excellent and in the dozen or so time we have dined there each time was as good. A relative purchased my a gift card. Admittedly, I was irresponsible and it was lost - yes, by me!! We had our meal and several days later we called and asked if we could somehow replace our gift card for our next visit. We were told they treat gift cards the same as cash. However, the card (mailed and not electronic) did have a number on. it. I asked why then why it could not be invalidated and a new one issued. The very nice person who I was dealing with said they get busy and it was cumbersome to continually check the numbers (why then number them?). Nonetheless, she asked I provide proof of purchase (a bit embarrassing as I needed to advise a relative we lost their gift - but I did so). The first documentation provided was void an element they were requiring. I then resubmitted the document that was proof of purchase with the requested data. Today, I received this: On Feb 4, 2020, at 11:09 AM, Louie's Backyard lbackyard@aol.com wrote: Good morning, We appreciate the time you and Yoshi have taken to show the purchase of your wife's gift certificate. Our policy states that we treat our gift certificates as cash. As your original message states, you accepted responsibility for the loss of the gift certificate. We understand this is not 100% to your liking and we appreciate your understanding of our restaurant's policy's and procedures. Thank you. Phil Tenney Owner Louie's Backyard I replied to Phil asking for a copy of his policy and procedures (as for them to be valid they need to be written somewhere). I did not receive a reply nor am I anticipating one. Moral of the story - Phil is perfect and he excepts you to not loose anything because his unwritten policies and procedures (not perfect when they aren't in writing) says so. read more

If your in Key West and you want a meal in a great setting this is a great option. I wouldn't consider it a must but a strong consideration. Louie's is a well kept restaurant on the water with glass doors leading out to a full deck and bar area. Would I return? Definitely - I might consider a few places before returning that I haven't been to yet but Louie's is unique in its location, experience, and the food doesn't disappoint. read more

Louie's is a must stop for either lunch or dinner while in the keys. The afterdeck is a great place for a cocktail and the outdoor dining on the ocean is one of a kind. Food is great and service is always solid. Dont miss it! read more