Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House — Restaurant in Marathon

As a chef with over 20 years in the industry, I’ve dined in everything from roadside diners to Michelin-starred establishments. Rarely have I felt compelled to write a review, but my experience at the Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House was so appallingly disappointing, I feel obligated to warn others.

Let’s start with the food: utterly mediocre, yet priced as if it were prepared by world-class chefs. The sushi specifically the Unagi Kabayaki nigiri was dense, mushy, and clearly not fresh. The burgers? Frozen patties, slapped on a plate with old, overpowering onions that hadn't seen ice water or freshness in days. My entire family felt ill after the meal. At these prices, that’s not just unacceptable it’s inexcusable.

The décor and atmosphere tried desperately to pass as upscale but instead felt like a rundown bar playing dress-up. Fake crystal glasses, inconsistent tableware, silverware wrapped like a gas station lunch special it was chaos pretending to be class. There was no cohesive theme, no attention to detail, and certainly no justification for the prices.

The service was equally abysmal. When politely responding that the meal was “ok,” I was met with disdain as if failing to fall over in praise was a personal insult. Waitstaff stood idle while busboys did all the work. My wife sat with an empty glass for 30 minutes while servers loitered, despite only about 30 tables being occupied.

To top it all off, they had the audacity to automatically charge gratuity for a table of three adults and two kids. That alone speaks volumes about the arrogance of this establishment. Gratuity something meant to reflect appreciation for good service was treated as an entitlement. The total came to just over $18. Ironically, I had planned to tip at least $60, possibly $100 if the service warranted it. Instead, I left the rest in my pocket, insulted by their presumption.

In all my years, I’ve never seen a family of five charged automatic gratuity. It was degrading, pretentious, and self-defeating. They got their guaranteed 18%, but lost what could’ve been a generous tip and any chance at return business.

In short, this place doesn’t deserve the “steakhouse” title. With processed food, mismatched themes, rude service, and pricing that borders on theft, I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. Save your money and your stomach go literally...

This gem of a restaurant is located in Marathon. The restaurant’s relaxed vibe should not be confused with their passion for making great food. The five star experience starts with the hostess who is warm and friendly. If you didn’t make a reservation be prepared to wait. Once seated, I was immediately greeted by my server who was engaging and conscientious about making sure her guests were properly hydrated. The warm bread is delivered to your table with soft butter. While two loaves of bread seemed like it would be enough for a party of four, I imagine if you wanted more bread it would be delivered to you cheerfully. I ordered the calamari as an appetizer. The calamari was good. The mango sauce adds a sweet fruity flavor to the appetizer. The menu is very extensive and one would need to come back a few times to experience all aspects of the menu. While I did not order the sushi, I could tell that it was freshly prepared and it looked amazing as it was being served to other tables. I was here for the steak and lobster. My entree came with two sides. The Caesar salad was very tasty with crunchy lettuce and many croutons. The filet mignon was prime cut and my knife sliced through it like it was butter. The fillet was full of flavor in every bite. The lobster tail was served with hot drawn butter and it was flavorful. The meal also comes with mushrooms which were very good. The other side that I ordered was the sautéed mushrooms and onions. These were well prepared and had a nice buttery taste to them. While I did not order desert, I was able to observe the table next to mine had ordered banana split bomb and it looked very good. I suspect it was good because I did not see any evidence left by my neighboring table that any of it was left to be thrown out. My server was attentive and delightful. This steakhouse could easily hold its own against much more expensive steakhouses. Dollar for dollar this meal was well worth it. I would highly recommend this restaurant. The only downside to this restaurant is that they do not appear to have any outside dining. A minor price to pay for an...

I heard it mentioned before but it's worth repeating. Don't let the carefree, Key West exterior door you this place serves food like it was an upscale restaurant in any major city. My wife and both had steaks for dinner she had the 36 ounce bone in ribeye done in a Pittsburgh med style that turned out perfect, tasty and tender. I had a bone in 16 ounce tenderloin straight up medium rare. Mine was the same, perfectly cooked, wonderful flavor. She had large portions of broccoli and asparagus for her sides and a salad. I got a scrumptious baked potato that was large and round. $129.55 including the tip. Beyond the food the service was spectacular. No sooner was someone done eating and had left when a small cadres of servers came out to take way and reset the table for the next group. It was a really great meal. We came back for a lunch on our way out of the Keys and arrived at opening of 11:30am. The staff were ready to go and sat is promptly. This time I had a French dip sandwich with fries and she had a fried Mahi Mahi sandwich. We were again impressed by the amount of food in our plates. I did not ask but felt my sandwich had 12 ounces of shaved roast. To celebrate our last meal we had dessert. She had the key lime pie and I had the brownie with ice cream. Both came out looking like someone really cared about presentation. They tasted as good as they looked and we left nothing on the plates! That last meal ran around $60 out the door. Both meals I had tea and she had water. If you are in Marathon for any reason and have an hour to enjoy a meal I woul highly recommend you stopping by and enjoying the food, atmosphere...