Seaside Cafe at the Mansion — Restaurant in Key West

We had a busy day touring around Key West, and we needed to stop in the middle of the day for lunch. We have heard of the legendary lobster pizza they have here, so we had to come and check it out. We walk up and get seated right away. Surprising in the middle of a busy day. And we're seated right on the edge of the water, right off the Southernmost Point. Very beautiful day.

Service was great. Our guy catered to our every need, went out of his way to be overly polite, which was common with Key West servers, I noticed, as was the amount of rich, entitled tourists demanding absurdities. If you're rich and entitled and reading this, please chill out, and be nice to your servers.

Anyway. Food was good and fun!

We started off with the Island Poke Cups (Marinated fresh Tuna, Guacamole, Seaweed Salad in a Ponzu Sauce topped with Sesame Seeds and a Drizzle of Spicy Mayo. Served in Plantain Cups). Probably one of the most fun apps I've had in a while. Amazing tuna and salad inside of the cutest, crispiest little cup you ever did see. Yummy and fun.

Then we moved on to the main event, the The Seaside Café Signature Pizza - Lobster Bianca (Lobster, Cream Sauce, Fontina, Garlic Purée, Fresh Parsley). Lots of lobster, just the right amount of cause, a good cheese to go with the seafood, and the parsley actually sets it off nicely, a little herbaciousness. A nice, quaint little pie.

Overall, we really enjoyed this quick little lunch. Nice, unique items right on the waterfront....

This is my top restaurant experience in Key West thus far. The food was quite unique and had a good flavor. I experienced the truffle fries and lobster pizza. While the latter was a bit greasy,I enjoyed the unmistakable seafood taste that made a unique pizza dish. What was perhaps the most exceptional menu item, however, was their mojito. I thought it was unlike any other I've had; quite herbal tasting, fresh, and very well mixed. This is a drink that'll get you wasted but doesn't taste abrasive. I appreciated the rock candy stick included in it. The overall atmosphere was very welcoming and awesomely attuned to nature (along the key). We were warmly greeted by a local friendly cat that apparently works there and we got a good laugh at the host using a squirt gun to keep the chickens at bay 🤣 staff were pleasant and happy to snap pictures for their guests. We were surprised to find out it's a food truck outside the actual mansion. The setup was impressive and I'll definitely be back to try more items on the menu. Curiously, the prices were more reasonable here than other places I had visited in the Keys. They had a neat sky lounge type bar above the ground level bar and awesome lounge area to wait for your table. We went around lunchtime and found that there wasn't more than a 10 min wait on a Saturday which was impressive. You'll be hard pressed to find street parking, but there's a parking lot nearby that was $25...

The restaurant has an amazing location right on the oceanfront, which creates a beautiful atmosphere for dining. One of the highlights is the presence of charming roosters roaming around the property, adding a unique and lively touch to the experience. The cocktails were delicious, and we enjoyed them thoroughly.

However, the service left much to be desired. We had to wait approximately 30 minutes for a table, which is understandable given the popularity of the spot. However, I specifically mentioned upon arrival that we wanted a table in the front row with an ocean view. Despite this, we were seated in the second row and were told we would be moved if a spot became available.

When a front-row table did free up, I approached the waiter, but they informed us we needed to wait for the administrator instead. This added unnecessary delays and confusion. Additionally, we asked several times for someone to take our photo, and each time, the staff assured us they would but then disappeared. After taking a selfie ourselves, someone finally remembered to assist us.

While the ambiance and drinks were lovely, the overall experience could have been significantly improved with more attentive and...