Margaritaville Restaurant - Key West — Restaurant in Key West

Oof not a good showing for the "original store & restaurant"...we arrived early about 430-445 and only on person was helpful at the door and she was part of the wait staff. We got seated and placed our orders, nothing extravagant. The only tasty food with got was the nachos but it's like we got the bottom of several bags almost every chip was about the size of a quarter. My wife's burger was decent, cooked perfectly, but to the patty was quite small, my three year old got the kids shrimp and it tasted terrible, like maybe they need to change their fryer oil. I had the crab cake sandwich and man o man was I disappointed. Absolutely tiny crab cake, and probably...no definitely the worst I've ever had. I ate two bites and couldn't stomach another, the waitress never asked how we were liking our meals or anything (they were not busy what so ever) so eventually she came back to clear plates and as she was taking the appetizer plates I asked her to take mine as well, she gave me a puzzled look and I said the crab cake was terrible and she laughed right then and there...next time she walked by I had to flag her down and have her take the plate. At no time was any form of "what can we do to make it right" offered or even sorry you didn't like it. She did ask if we wanted boxes when she brought the bill, a resounding no from my entire family... I never got the chance to talk to the manager as one was never seen and I was so angry by her lack of caring that I thought it best to go ahead and just leave. If anyone cares to verify my story my bill number is 50068.

Update!!! Followed the formal complaint process and have heard absolutely nothing. They could care less about providing a good customer experience, I hope my honest and thorough review is seen by many more and they'll actually change...

I’m not sure how this place was in it’s hay-day, but I was definitely expecting more as it is a major landmark for many Key West vacationers and Jimmy Buffet enthusiasts alike.

The food was basic. Nothing extravagant or even flavorful. Each person in my party ordered something different and none of us were overly impressed. There are much better places to get reasonably priced food. The drinks were fairly good, however.

The service was good! Our waitress was kind and attentive. They were understaffed when we went so the waitstaff was stretched pretty thin. As long as you have patience, you will get what you want/need.

When we arrived, they restaurant was preparing for a live singer on their stage. This was not an issue other than the fact that the music that was playing was turned up so loud that you could not hear anyone at the very small table tops. We had a party of 4 and the waitstaff even mentioned how loud it was. Would note to turn the music down until it’s time to switch to the mics for the live music.

Also, I did not enjoy the staff running around taking pictures of people in an attempt to sell postcards. It was difficult to hear exactly what they were wanting to do due to the music being loud and the settings on the camera made everyone look stark white. Most people in the restaurant want to eat a meal and listen to music…not get bombarded with flashes and an obvious attempt to make a few extra bucks on top of already...

I have been to Margaritaville Key West more than once. After roaming the streets in the beating sun for several hours, my group decided to take respite in the cool shade, artistic Island atmosphere, and awesome Jimmy Buffett music, which spells Margaritaville. Marina was our waitress, and she was a hoot! Not only was she attentive, fast, courteous, and sweet, she had a great sense of humor, and would go off on a tangent or two, when connecting with one of my family members on something. At one point, I had ordered The Key Lime Pie Martini. Now this drink was a bit more than the Margarita you want my brother had ordered. So, when she first set down the overflow of what couldn't fit in the glass, the initial look on my face must have been priceless. My initial thought was, "So small, compared to others, this must really be darn good!" Well, she caught the expression, and u didn't know if she was going to spoil the rest of the drinks, or pee her pants. I swear she had to almost bite her lip to stop from laughing. Then when she explained everything to me, once the drinks were set down, we shared a great laugh. She was a delight, and an asset to our day. The drinks and a slice of Key Lime pie were darned good too. When in Key West, you've got to stop here!

Also, I've had the jambalaya her many times; my...