Louie's Backyard

Louie's Backyard did not disappoint. We got in at 7 pm on the 4th of July. We made reservations before we got into town. It's a better-known place for a nice dinner, drinks, and enjoy the oceanfront over the water patio. Food was excellent! I ordered the fish of the day which was the Ancho Chili Crusted Local Grouper with Corn Salsa, Basmati Rice and Green beans. My wife ordered the Watermelon Salad. Both were excellent. We plan to come again before we leave. A place not to be missed.

On a 99f day we sat out on the top deck over looking the water. It was perfectly shaded with a glorious breeze. We did lunch. Bread and water was brought to the table and included Pan Dulce which made us think of a delicious pound cake. The Sand Key Sipper and Louie's Champaign Cooler were perfectly light and fruity for such a warm day. Both were excellent. We had the snapper sandwich where you could choose your side and Green Goddess Salad where you could add your choice of protein. Again amazing. Portions were perfect. Enough to be filling. Server was excellent. Would definitely recommend.

Louie’s Backyard in Key West absolutely blew us away. From the beautifully presented dishes to the perfectly balanced flavors, every bite was incredible. We ordered the lamb chops and sword fish entrees & creme brulee. All are highly recommended! The wait staff was friendly, attentive, and made us feel right at home. And the atmosphere? Simply unmatched — elegant yet relaxed with stunning views. This place is a must-visit for anyone looking for a top-tier dining experience in the Keys.

We tried different places while at Key West and there were only two that we can recommend, Louis Backyard is one of the two. Appetizer, entree and wine were good. With regards to the key lime pie, we also tried different key lime pies, and we ranked theirs 2nd. If you like lots of merengue, this is not the place for you. But the pie itself was tartfully delicious. The only problem with the service, our wait staff was forgetting a lot of things, and he was acknowledging it too that he missed sharing info that he should have shared. I think it is also because he is waiting on so many tables He is constantly running around and by the time he gets to your table, you have been waiting for awhile. But again, overall, a great place to celebrate milestone events of your life.

Made reservations and we were immediately accommodated. The ambience is upscale, romantic and adorable. The service was good. Not superior. The staff was very friendly, but may have been overwhelmed, and small details were missed like returning after the food was served to see if anything was missing (like my knife that had been cleared with the appetizer). I'm still giving it 5 stars because it's not a Michelin rated restaurant, it's a Key West Beach restaurant, so I didn't expect immaculate service. I expected high end "Key West" style treatment, which I absolutely got. I recommend it. My dining partner couldn't stop talking about the Madeira Sauce on his steak all weekend. I got the shrimp and grits, which I was told, has been a house favorite for 35 years. How can you not try the house favorite? Overall it was lovely. It's not a place to catch the sunset, since it's at the Eastern end of the island, even though it's outside. You can catch the ambiance of the sunset, but you will not see the sun setting directly.

Truly, an amazing spot to have drinks or dinner. The view is spectacular and unbeatable in Key West. I recommend going for drinks at the bar or dinner. We dined outside on the deck overlooking the bar and Water. It was pretty warm, but the umbrellas help to keep the direct sun light off you. The main Restaurant is extremely nice and air conditioned with large windows for the tables to view outside and then the outside dining area has a multi tier deck so that you can have a good view of the of the ocean. The restaurant is upscale in terms of menu selection and prices. The food was a little uneven the day that we dined (they had just opened) although you could tell that this place could put out some good food. My chicken with Thai rice was just slightly dry, but otherwise it was very tasty. My wife had the fish tacos and they were OK. I’ll definitely go back as I think Louie’s is creative in terms of its menu and selections and I would love to go for dinner one evening.

My wife and I first dined here in the winter months of 1984 when I was initially stationed at NAS Key West on a "stash tour" right after getting my commission and awaiting orders to flight school in Pensacola. We went back there several times after again getting stationed back at NAS Key West for advanced training in 1986. Since I retired in Florida back in 2005, we now go to the Keys on vacation every year, and almost always have sunset dinner here because the service, the food, and the view is always 5-stars. The prices are not bad at all, and if the weather is good, you'll want to dine out on the lower patio, or on the upstairs porch that has a few small tables for two. We took an old Navy buddy of mine here for dinner during our most recent visit on July 20, 2025, and even though he's a frequent visitor to NAS Key West on business trips, he didn't even know about it. He was super impressed and says he will also become a regular diner there every time he's in town. The restaurant specialize in fresh fish, prepared a variety of ways, and it's always prepared to perfection by their awesome chef. Parking can be a challenge here, so if you are staying on or near lower Duval Street (its southern end) or at the nearby Casa Marina or Southernmost Resort, you can easily walk here in less than 5 minutes. If you are staying up on the northern end of Duval or anywhere in Old Town, I'd recommend just getting an Uber here and back, or taking a leisurely walk back to your hotel or rental accommodation so you can experience the beauty of the Old Town side or back streets and their very cool and beautifully restored historic homes. I would also HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you make reservations here at least a week or two in advance if you can, particularly during the peak season (December to April), or around any of the weekends when there is a large festival or event going on downtown (i.e., Fantasy Fest, Hemingway Days, Key Lime Festival, Veterans Day Offshore Powerboat Races, NAS Air Show, etc.). I'd also time your reservation so that you are seated about an hour before the local sunset time so you get the full experience of watching the color of the sky and ocean change as dusk arrives. It's quite spectacular to watch if the weather is good. In one of the most competitive gourmet restaurant markets in the world here in Key West, this place has stayed in business for over 40 years now because of its view, its management, and its highly trained and professional staff.