Lazy Lobster — Restaurant in Longboat Key

I decided to stop here with my family on the way back to AMI after spending the day with the kids at Sarasota Jungle Gardens. The restaurant is located in a small shopping plaza in Longboat Key. The location is nice and there is ample parking. The surrounding area is very clean and has an upscale vibe as expected for the area.

Upon entering, we were greeted by a friendly hostess who was very polite and asked us if we had reservations, which we did not. It was a weekday just before 5 pm and there were many tables available. She said they had to get our table ready and it would just be a few minutes. About 3 minutes later she said the table was ready and led us back to a large round table in the back corner of the restaurant. When we sat down, my wife noticed that the table was broken (I thought she meant wobbly) but I checked it and it seemed sturdy enough so I told her it was fine and we sat down eager to enjoy a good meal.

This was our first time dining at this restaurant. We love seafood, especially lobster and crab, so naturally we were excited for the food. Our waiter Gabriel was friendly and greeted us warmly. I ordered an Old Fashioned with Woodford Reserve, my mother had a cosmo with Grey Goose and my wife had a white sangria. The Old Fashioned was terrible, served in a tiny glass that isn’t even a close resemblance to the glass this drink should be served in, and served over soda ice, instead of block ice. There might have been 0.5 oz of alcohol in it and it was way too sweet. The cosmo was average and the sangria tasted like plain white wine…not refreshing and garnished with fresh fruit as a good sangria should be.

On to the food:

We started with the lobster bisque, Caesar salad, and lobster ‘scargot.’ The salad was good (7/10) and the lobster ‘scargot’ is a unique dish which I loved (8/10), however, the lobster bisque (1/10) was the worst I’ve ever had. The broth tasted like it came from a can and was warmed up in a microwave. We ordered 2 cups and a bowl of it. My mother and my wife said their cups were cold, so we had to send them back for hot ones. My bowl was warm so I kept it. The waiter said the difference in temperature is because they came from 2 different batches. Not one, single chunk of lobster. No flavor. No spices. And a squirt of cream that just floated on top. A lobster restaurant needs to have an above average lobster bisque in my opinion, and this place really dropped the ball on that.

My mother enjoyed her 5oz lazy lobster entree. She said the lobster was tasty and the portion size was nice. My wife was not a fan of the lobster roll and said it had too much mayo, and not enough lobster. It looked like a deli salad (i.e. chicken or tuna salad) and not a roll with pieces of lobster in it. I had the lazy lobster mac and cheese (6/10) which was average at best. There was a good amount of lobster in it, so I give it a 6, but I wasn’t a fan of the flavor or texture of the pasta.

We decided to skip dessert. I would say this place is a 2.5/5 star based on this first experience. Definitely not worth the $300+ we spent.

I probably won’t return, but if I did I would skip the cocktails and definitely avoid any and all soups…especially the lobster bisque.

Oh, and as we were leaving I had to slide the table a few inches forward to get out of the corner, and the entire tabletop came off of its support and started sliding to the ground. I held on to it so it didn’t crash to the ground. Luckily, one of the restaurant staff came over and was able to go under the table and temporarily balance it so I could let go. She (and I’m sure others) know that table is broken so why not have it fixed properly instead of rigging...

We went to Lazy Lobster last night for dinner. It’s in a small strip mall on the main drag of Longboat Key. The restaurant has a small bar area and indoor dining, but the patio is where it’s at. It’s secluded and doesn’t even feel like it’s on the street. We waited in the bar with cocktails for a table on the patio. Just because you make reservations you’re not guaranteed a patio table. My husband had a Kentucky Bourbon cocktail and I had the blood orange margarita with salt around the rim. His drink was fantastic, mine was lacking the blood orange flavor as you can see by the color of the drink. Our server was Reina, and she was friendly and engaging and made good suggestions. I was between two entrées and was happy she suggested the lobster dish. We shared the fried clam strips as a starter. They were so light and crispy but still moist, yummy. I loved how they were served with a yummy tartar sauce and in a paper sleeve. Hubby had the potato crusted grouper and I had to go with a lobster dish because, well, we were at Lazy Lobster after all. I went with an old school dish, the lobster thermidor. So delish! Both of our dishes were delicious. The vegetable we chose was brussels sprouts, but I didn’t like them as they were not roasted to a nice caramelization even though I requested them to be well done and charred. I left them on my plate. One of the owners was so hands-on while we were there, clearing plates, making sure everybody was satisfied and saying hello. I really like that. I would recommend Lazy Lobster for sure. Be patient and wait for the patio, though. It only took about 30 minutes to be seated outside. Make reservations, too. I took away a point for the blood orange margarita and the brussels sprouts...

I was having diner at the bar and a couple came in as I was finishing. The couple was a woman with long blond hair and her mate was a older guy with long gray hair. So as it goes I started a conversation with his mate and she was relating to me how tired and long she had been working today and how she had not had a thing to eat. So their meal arrived and her partner turned to me and said "DO NOT TALK TO US!!" Ok so I did not until his girlfriend (mate) spoke to me again and I engaged in a conversation which lead to pictures of her kids & other great pictures. Well the next thing I know the owner or manager of the place ask me to leave???? I did not get it at all ... he ( her boyfriend or mate) was a very maybe influential person here but did not excuse the manger from telling me I have to leave if I spoke to this women again???? I paid my bill - plus and more so left totally blindsided by this comment by the manager (actually in tears) I was not using any profanity or being loud... this other person (mate) of this girl that I was talking to was super controlling & so sorry I did not realize that the owner of the Lazy Lobster was in his pocket as they say.....I will never or recommend another person to this place that type of control is disgusting !!! So insulting when one is singled out as a bad person and has not done any harm...such a sever judgement & this is the demise of Longboat Key. I have been a guest since 1956 - my Grandparents, Mother & now Brother own or owned here. I am sick & sad with the attitudes of Longboat Key. Thank god I live in a way better place then here and you will all fail in the service business if this...