I have held off writing the Bent Prop Bar & Grill review for a while because I wanted to give a new place a fair shake. Located in Cudjoe Gardens, I really wanted to like this place since it is close to my house and the area could use another good restaurant. Unfortunately, my second experience was only slightly better than my first.
Several months ago, we ate here with a couple of our friends. My food was very unremarkable. I actually cannot even remember what I had. And, for me that is pretty unusual. Our friends thought that their meals were just okay, and certainly not worth the high prices charged. I do remember my husband ordered the burger and it was awful. He said it was like eating a hockey puck. And the waiter, who was a young kid and also one of the worst servers we have ever experienced, seemed offended when he was asked for ketchup.
Fast forward to last week when we met another couple of friends here for dinner. We explained to waitress that we had a really bad first experience and she promised this one would be better. And it did start off that way. The weather was perfect, so we were comfortable being seated outside overlooking the water…
The Food
We each ordered a sangria while we perused the menu. I love sangria, but I have to say that this version was pretty bland and I would not get it again. For dinner, my husband and I split a wedge salad. For our entrees, I decided to try the shrimp and grits and my husband ordered the fish and chips. Our friends also split a wedge salad and ordered the stuffed lobster and the catch of the day. I was impressed with the wedge salad. It was actually a half head of iceberg lettuce. And, the house made blue cheese dressing was very good. The smoked bacon, heirloom tomato and red onion were all nice complements.
My shrimp and grits were probably the worst I have ever had.There were too many competing flavors that did not meld together at all. The smoked gouda grits themselves were tasty, but with all of the other things on the plate, they really were not enjoyable. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, but the seasoning that was on them was horrible and made eating them unenjoyable. The andouille sausage was okay, but the tomato broth that covered them had a strange taste to it that did not pair well with anything.
My husband faired much better this time with his pick. He said that the Mahi-Mahi was likely the freshest fish he has ever been served at a restaurant, and as a professional fisherman, he is very picky about his fish. I loved the hand cut fries that were served with the fish. The coconut slaw was not a crowd pleaser though.
The Experience
Our friends enjoyed their meals which were beautifully presented. As the night went on, our waitress was less and less attentive. We had to wait for water refills often, and she always seemed annoyed about refilling our glasses. My husband does drink a lot of water, but that is no excuse for the lack of attention.
At the end of the meal, the waitress asked if we would like the bill split and we said yes. Our friends’ bill reflected their meals and our bill had our meals and our friends meals on it. It took at least 15 minutes to flag down the waitress again to ask her make the necessary correction. And then we did not see her again for about 30 minutes. So, we sat around after the meal for nearly an hour to cash out. Not a great closing to the experience.
When all was said and done, our salad, two drinks and two entrees came to $98, plus tip. Not awful, but not great for what I would say was a subpar experience. Plus, on the end of the receipt where the suggested tip is printed, the options given are for 28%, 25% and 22%! I am all about tipping 20% to 25% for great food and service, but to not even have 18% or 20% as options is insane to me. Luckily, I can do math! If, and that is a big if, we go back to the Bent Prop, I would probably just stick with a salad and hope for better service.
More About Key West
If you are staying in the Lower Keys, or just want to take a beat from Key West for a meal, I would opt for one of the other restaurants there such as the Square Grouper or Broil. For more information about things to do and see in our island city, go to our Key West Web Site. You can also visit our Key West Events Calendar to see upcoming special events. And for more restaurant reviews check out our restaurant review section of this blog as well as our restaurant reviews at www.gotothekeys.com.
Island Genn – Your Key West Concierge
