Coastal Dining with Local Energy

"We went to The Lock N Key on a Monday night hoping the weekday meant a lower customer count. This place is a mainstay for locals and tourists as it gets quite busy during snowbird season. The staff were friendly and attentive, greeting us at the door and always checking during our meal. As for the food, I ordered the Grouper fingers with fries. I found the breading to be soggy on the fish, although the fish was cooked well. The fries were definitely older, the texture felt like they were sitting around. Not the crisp, fresh taste of fries just made in clean oil. I also ordered a crock of the French onion soup. This is the first time I have ever been served creamy French onion soup. Who ever decided to thicken the broth of French onion soup may want to re-think that decision. We left it sitting on the table. To wrap up, the staff were fantastic, the atmosphere was good and they do have outside seating for cooler months, the food was expected for beachfront dining. I will go back to try other things on the menu as this was a pleasant experience."

"I recently dined at this restaurant and was disappointed. The service from the waiter was genuinely attentive. He checked on us regularly and made real efforts to make sure we were comfortable. However, the hostess service felt unorganized and impersonal. We were left waiting without clear communication, and the seating process seemed chaotic. For the food, the oysters lacked flavor, and the crab cakes were underwhelming. The seafood dish with crawfish, shrimp, and sausages was also unseasoned, and the potatoes were undercooked. The only decent item was the steak, which was acceptable, but nothing memorable. Overall, the experience fell below expectations, especially considering the prices. I hope quality improves, because the location has potential."

"The Lock N’ Key was a great experience. We went for an early dinner on a Tuesday evening. We enjoyed happy hour by pulling some tabs to get our drink prices. We ended up getting one of my Stella’s for fifty cents. While we enjoyed our drinks, we ordered a dozen raw oysters for our appetizer. For my entree, I had the steak frites. All of the food was delicious! The service was fantastic and we left full and happy. We will definitely try Lock N’ Key again when are back in the area."

"Delightful restaurant with wide menu options, delicious and plentiful food, and oceanfront atmosphere. Plenty of outside tables and more comfortable interior seating. Billy did a great job as our server. He even warned us that the turtle ice cream cake was monstrous in size! Hmm… Cheese quesadillas were light and tasty. Ample quantity of shrimp, mussels, and clams on the seafood pasta & flavorful marinara sauce. Location is steps away from the beach and sunset was incredible!"

"I am obsessed with this place! The food was fresh, flavorful, and absolutely delicious, while the laid-back atmosphere created the perfect vibe. Great service, amazing scenery, and outstanding food make this a spot I'll definitely be returning to. Highly recommend! I keep dreaming about the pasta I got because I was delicious. Unfortunately I don’t remember the name, but I did take a picture."