Sarasota

It's a Florida version of a small town, boasting the charm of an affluent Main Street with the cultural and recreational amenities of a major city. Sarasota is the home of the Sarasota Orchestra, the Asolo Theater, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and Ringling Center for the Arts. It's also where you'll find St. Armands Circle, a downtown shopping and dining mecca, and the Sarasota Bayfront, with miles of scenic waterfront parks.
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Top places to visit

1The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art

4.7
(7093)
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4.5
(7371)
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Mentioned on 
14 lists 
Art museum
Nature & Parks
The Ringling Museum of Art is one of the most iconic and well-known art museums in the United States. The museum houses a spectacular collection of art and cultural objects, including paintings, sculptures, and decorative pieces from around the world. It's also home to one of the best circus museums in the world.
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Amazing must experience museum. We took hundreds of beautiful photos and spent a good 3-4 hours here, lots of walking so wear comfortable shoes. The grounds are gorgeous and well kept. The restaurant food was quite delicious and convenient as we were starving after our 1.5 hour drive. I would definitely return especially during the different seasons. The place was decorated so nicely for Christmas. There was a lot to do and see.
Haven’t been here in many years since I was younger. New buildings, everything even nicer than I remember. Took the family for the day when the weather was nice, had a playground in the center in the park and the kiddo loved that. I loved the dioramas of the old circus setups. The grounds are as beautiful as ever and it was a great day to walk the grounds and see the many beautiful types of plants and flowers. As every time I’ve ever been always need more time, just means we will be back soon. There is so much to see, the grounds are worth the trip alone and then the museum for circus items and the art collection. You could easily fill several days or many trips to see it all.
A nice chance to walk around a Franco-Italian piazza from 100 years ago, managed and maintained very nicely. One ticket gets you into almost the entire grounds usually, and my little nephews (7 & 8) and I really enjoyed the Summer Circus Spectacular before making the most of our day. The show was excellent. It’s very intimate in a small theater, no three-ring circus. This is so much the better! The clowns draw you in and make you feel they’ve prepared the show for you alone. The woman from Ethiopia is an incredible juggler, and we also loved seeing the balancing act, acrobats from Ukraine on the double swings, and the acrobat on the long silk rope. We had cheesy macaroni and fish tacos respectively for lunch, but the museum and playground, and we walked through the mansion turned art museum. Fantastic day even in 100 degrees. A great place to talk a walk-and-talk! We bought tickets when we walked up, but we got there exactly at 10AM.
We only went to the art museum ✨️ It was huge and wow, what a selection 👏. We are members of the Bishop and it has a reciprocal admission with The Ringling so it was free. We plan to go back to see the other buildings. There is a ton of cool things to see. Very well done and worth going to. Free parking, and they have a nice Cafe above the visitor center and gift shop. There are many ponds, gardens, and statues(art) outside as well. It is right on Sarasota Bay with beautiful views 😍
Absolutely beautiful place we visited it in the middle of December. Natural setting with beautiful art galleries and mansion which looks like piece of Europe. There are art gallery, botanical garden and the circus museum in one place. For extra cost you can see the first floor of Ringling’s mansion which I found very interesting. The Circus museum has miniature model of the circus from the beginning to the end. I really liked the Glass exhibition.
Gardens are amazing! Went late in the afternoon, so I didn't have time for a full visit. Will definitely be back to see the museum and mansion. Free admission to gardens and museum on Mondays.
This place is much bigger than it looks. It was clean, nice and cool. Lots of great art to look at and the circus to learn about. It will take a few hours to get through this property. Beautiful gardens and property. You are not allowed to take photos inside so I took a few outside.
Worth it! The garden and three museums are wonderful. The view for the Sarasota Bay is stunning. For the exhibition, I love the art museum section, lots of paintings and well maintained for the whole area. Parking is super easy, with plenty of space. Just make sure you are hydrated enough since Florida is always hot!
Loved the gardens and the employees art! Really enjoyed the new glass gallery. Overall, most paintings didn't appeal to me. They have too dark or violent themes for me. I personally like uplifting artwork! I found enough to enjoy to make it a nice visit. I'm glad, however, that I hadn't paid to view the art. The rest of the complex is awesome!
Wonderful collection of circus memories and modern art and other items collected by John and Mabel Ringling. Great incite into their lives as well as the lives of some of the performers in their circuses. The park is large, well kept and beautiful. Plan to spend an entire day here. We arrived as soon as they opened and stayed till close. Still didn't get to see everything tho, so the art museum is a two day trip if you want to experience all of it.
I’m glad to visit this museum during our stay in Sarasota. I learned a lot of interesting facts about cirques industry back in the beginning of 20 century. I couldn’t imagine how big was the scale of running cirques for just one day performance for public. Amazing!! The only sad fact is that the cirques king died completely broke having having such a huge and beautiful collection of art.
This place is awesome. There are multiple museums on the grounds, along with the mansion and beautiful gardens. You can easily spend a full day here in order to be able to see everything. The coffee shop above the gift shop has really good coffee.
5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243, USA•https://www.ringling.org/museum-art

2Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium

4.7
(8433)
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4.5
(4394)
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Mentioned on 
11 lists 
Aquarium
Nature & Parks
The Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium is a nonprofit marine research institution dedicated to studying and protecting the world's oceans. With a focus on research and education, they have a small but passionate team of marine scientists committed to conservation. The aquarium offers unique experiences such as a touch tank with stingrays, a shark tank, and an adjacent mammal center where visitors can observe manatees.
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So much fun! The exhibits are well done and very informative. I like that some were inside, some are outside. The volunteers are helpful and able to share lots of information about the creatures on display. One member of our party has some mobility issues; she was able to move about with ease, access the restrooms, access exhibits on the second floor of each building, etc. A really great experience.
Awesome marine lab and aquarium. Both in and outdoor display are well organized. Kids loved the petting places where they could touch the sting rays, sharks, starfish, sea cucumbers etc Manatees are such a huge attraction. The volunteers and staff are very helpful. The tickets can be expensive but you get 50% off if you have a zoo membership somewhere. You can also get discounts for your boat tours with your mote tickets if you want to do the tour next or later. No food allowed inside but water is welcome. There are places for your to get your water refilled. And a cafeteria in case you get hungry. Expect a couple hours to go over everything. Lot of walking involved for sure. But come have fun with your kids.
This is a very cool place to visit if you have a fear of open water but still want to experience creatures of the sea. The on-site restaurant is a little pricy for being concession stand food, but it is good. One thing that may be an important detail is that the gift shops close early. I love this place and will be back again.
This is a nice aquarium. We got there early so parking wasn't an issue. We also ordered online so we didn't have to go through the ticket line. All we had to do was show the door attendant our phone or proof of purchase. Walkong through the exhibits was easy and straightforward. It would be hard to get lost in this place. They had a virtual tour where you sit in this egg shaped seat and put on virtual goggles. The seat would move as you explored the ocean. It was 6 dollars a person. They also, had many stations for touching marine life for free. Sting rays, a Dogfish, and even little sharks. It was very cool. We also sifted for shark's teeth. I think it was 10 bucks a bag. It was a bag of sand you sifted in running water. You get a handful of teeth and you get to keep the bag they came in. Mote also has gators, river otters, manatees, and live sea turtles. Those are in a different building so be prepared to walk about a quarter mile to get there. We had a baby so we just drove to the other parking lot closer to that building because it was hot outside. Overall the experience was great. Our family highly recommends making to Mote if you're in Sarasota. It's worth trip. Takes about 2 to 2.5 hours to see everything. Have fun!
Before our trip, we heard such great things about the Mote Aquarium. Our visit lived up to the hype and more. On the surface, the aquarium doesn’t seem like much but it’s packed with interesting displays! Some of our favorites included the sharks, eels, river otters, turtles, and alligators. On top of those, there is plenty more to experience. The staff is more than friendly and were always there to lend a hand, give advice, or teach us a mini lesson. We spent about 2-3 hours going through both buildings. Overall, a great trip and experience and a place I think everyone should, especially with kids.
Extremely interesting and educational. Loads of opportunities to interact with the sea life. There are indoor and outdoor exhibits between several buildings. It may be slightly expensive for some. However, what they do with your money is priceless and well worth donating a few extra dollars towards. Especially their research programs. Mote is a global marine science institution, leading more than 27 diverse, programs. Again, well worth the investment. My favorite area was the jellyfish reproduction lab. Great for families and kids. Don’t forget your water if you go in the summertime, especially for the kids, as you need to walk outside to get to other buildings and their exhibits. ENJOY!
Absolutely awesome aquarium and one of my favorite I've ever been to. I'm not from the coast t, so I can't claim to be authoritative on how great it is, but man I loved it. I could have petted a loggerhead turtle! Price was a bit much, but I thought it was a good value. They have discounts if you gave a zoo membership at other locations too, so that helped. They also had a nice aviary to see as well.
Very nice and fun place to walk around. I’m happy that they are trying to keep this place clean. At this place, you can learn about many marine life and see the laboratory. You can touch some of the sea creatures and the staff explains about the creatures. One thing is the manatees place was little dirty Water and couldn’t see them well. Other than that, it was very well managed. Also they have place to sit and eat and souvenir shop
Not sure if it was because I had low expectations for this place, but I was very impressed with this aquarium. The layout flows nicely, with no bottlenecks. Both indoor and outdoor areas are fun and well designed. The food area is well placed, and has a nice menu. Walking to the second building could be an issue during rainy days, though. But once you're there you'll be treated to cool turtle and manatee exhibits. Overall a fun time if you have a couple of hours to burn.
Nice aquarium with two different buildings to check out. Great for kids and adults. They have a kit you can buy for $11 that your kids can sift for shark teeth, fossils, and possibly a Megladon tooth. Was a good time all around. Would recommend stopping by and checking his place out!
I have visited Mote Marine on several occasions, and each time, I feel there is something new that I missed from previous visits. I could stand in front of the octopus tank for hours, watching this fascinating creature who seems to have a personality of his own. The jellyfish are mesmerizing, and the otters are a laughable bunch who want to entertain as they frolic, slide and wobble about. There is plenty to see, and don't miss the rays touch tank or the shark exhibit. We even thought our burgers at the on-site diner were as good as any we've had elsewhere and far better than any of our local fast food joints. If you're looking for summer entertainment for the kids, Mote will never disappoint!
My kids love ocean creatures and this was the perfect place to visit with toddlers. There was a lot to see and touch, which kept them engaged. At first we had trouble parking, until we saw the sign for additional parking. The additional parking turned out to be a great location because we started in the marine mammal center, which was less crowded. Also zoo and aquarium food can be hit or miss, but the Deep Sea Cafe was amazing. The onion rings were the best I've had in a very long time.
1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA•https://mote.org/

3Myakka River State Park Youth Camp

4.9
(31)
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4.5
(3404)
Campground
Outdoor Activities
Basic group campground with fire rings, water & benches in a riverside 58-sq.-mi. state park.
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Its better just putting anything modern away and imagine it being 90 years ago. Get the real feel for the real Florida
Wonderful campground with plenty of space.
it is an incredible park many things to do and visit and enjoy the wildlife
beautiful place for enjoy the nature and the real Florida landscape and animals!
Amazing way to spend Mother's Day...any day really! Enjoyed the narrated boat tour...galloping gators, feral hogs, and fauna galore...something for everyone!
13209 State Rd 72, Sarasota, FL 34241, USA•http://www.floridastateparks.org/

4Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Downtown Sarasota campus

4.7
(4832)
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4.5
(3323)
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Mentioned on 
11 lists 
affordable
Botanical garden
If you're looking for a botanical oasis in the heart of Sarasota, look no further than Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. This downtown campus features 15 acres of lush tropical plants, making it the only such garden on the planet devoted to epiphytic plants. Highlights include an orchid garden and a rainforest for children.
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This place is a gem. Low key, like the rest of Sarasota, but there is a lot of heart in their staging. The variety of plants is wonderful, but the arrangement of scenes and sitting benches is inspired. Many great places to sit and reflect or read. Restaurant has lots of yummy choices, and today there was a food truck, too. Docents are very helpful and engaging. Mapplethorpe show was well done, and helped rehabilitate him for me.
Amazing collection of orchids, bromeliads, and more. Loved the vm a Asian gardens, bonsai, and bamboo. Overall better than most similar places.
Beautiful gardens of all different types with beautiful trails right on the Sarasota Bay. Had multiple bathrooms with easy access and all different places to explore. Cute little gift shop full of nice souvenirs Only trouble was parking as they are doing construction and the parking lot was fenced off and rock. My first time going and it was great! Beautiful!
Wow! This is an absolute must visit for anyone in the area who wants to see beautiful flowers, be in closer contact with nature in a scenic environment, or just have a great time outdoors. There is more to see than I ever thought; photos and its own fame don't do this place justice. You don't need to know anything about plants; the place is so pretty, anyone can enjoy it. That said, there is plenty of information (species' names, etc.) around the gardens to learn from. My wife and I spent 4 hours here on Memorial Day 2022 and we had such a fun stroll, discovering nature and taking tons of pictures along the way. Even though it was a hot day, you could feel the gulf breeze and there was enough shade covering multiple parts of the trails as well as plenty of benches and interesting little spots for a rest stop. It was a wonderful afternoon I will never forget.
What a delightful place to visit, brought my mom with me and when I asked if teachers got a discount,the person working the counter was eager and happy to tell us that teachers are free. They had free valet parking due to construction in their typical parking area, I had a little snack and a drink at the café. Although it was 93° out the breeze from off the water and the shaded areas provide much comfort from the heat. I was a little disappointed to find the greenhouse was closed, even though I had looked on the website I did not know this in advance. But I enjoyed it so much I’ll definitely make the two hour trip to visit again.
Fun day at the gardens with the family. Lots of really fun things to see if you like plants! Kids might have a bit of a tough time here but they still had a good time and enjoyed the koi fish pond. The butterfly gardens were also neat to see. Definitely recommend an afternoon here.
Absolutely beautiful. There are so many plants to explore. Tiffany exhibit was educational and beautiful. Property is huge so wear comfortable shoes and bring a water bottle. On the water, so the breeze is appreciated. Different places to sit and take a moment to soak it all it. You can purchase food and drinks on the property in the adorable house cafe. Seating inside if you need to cool off and plenty outside. A very peaceful relaxing time ❣️
Such a beautiful place to enjoy the beautiful plants and flowers of FL! You can walk out and get a wonderful view of Sarasota Bay as well. Don’t miss it if your visiting.
Wonderful, lush garden that’s surrounded with exotic plants, the ocean, and kind people. The Shelby Gardens is a great place to visit if you’re from out of town, want to spend a day with the kids and family, or just enjoy plants itself. The facility is clean and well managed. When you come into the gardens, you’ll have your car valeted and returned at the end. We just happened to come the day after their newest exhibit opened which included these colorful Costa Rican masks. Plenty of areas to sit and enjoy the landscape. Definitely check it out!
Very nice. We were there during Tiffany Exhibit which was great. Not sure if special large stained glass decor throughout park was there because of Tiffany or they are standard displays, but loved them. Great that it sits along the bay. Orchid section was wonderful. I highly recommend it mostly for adults, not small children though there is a small kids section.
Beautiful gardens. There is an awesome area for kids to play. They have concerts for members and an amazing greenhouse. I love how they always have a revolving collection of artwork that they incorporate into the gardens.
Nice quiet stroll through beautiful gardens. Make sure you take your camera or have your phone ready - lots to capture. Kids area has lots to climb on and nooks for them to explore. Cafe has cold drinks and food. Brst way to spend the day.
1534 Mound St, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA•https://www.selby.org/

5Ca' d'Zan

4.8
(2603)
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4.5
(2187)
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Mentioned on 
5 lists 
Historical place museum
Sights & Landmarks
The Ringling Museum is a large and unique museum in Sarasota, Florida that was first built by John and Mable Ringling. This museum has collections of art, circus paraphernalia, beautiful gardens facing the bay, and their own 56-room mansion.
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Take a walk through opulent history. Ca' d'Zan (house of John) has been restored to its former glory. One can picture the A-list crowd dancing the tango to live music or dining at the magnificent table laden with imported bone china, crystal, and sterling which could be stored in the hallway vault. Around the corner is the bar room with leaded glass windows where guests probably found a fully stocked bar of top shelf liquor even during prohibition. Although the second floor is not open to the public there are pictures in a room at the exit to the immense patio overlooking Sarasota Bay.
Opulent Gilded Age Mediterranean Revival mansion built for a famous circus mogul. It is self-guided and includes an audio tour accessible via QR code. Only the 1st floor and outside are accessible but it is still impressive and there are photos of the other levels at the end. The estate overlooks the Sarasota Bay and the terrace has steps that lead down close to the water - a nice place to take a break and relax. If you’re into architecture, you may find it interesting to see the eclectic array of styles that influenced this house.
I have been to italy and this home is of beautiful italian design. Loved the house and grounds. Beautiful tile patio. Want to come back when more roses are blooming. Check out the roof and the outside walk way to the top bedroom
gorgeous venetian style mansion that was the home of john ringling. we did not purchase tickets to tour the interior, but the the exterior was absolutely stunning. right on the waterfront with ornate details on every inch of the home.
The walk through of this place is absolutely stunning. It makes me think of a more tropical Great Gatsby, from looks and time period! The staff is also very knowledgeable on the specific rooms and decor that inhabit it. You can also sit out on the patio and look out at the ocean (reaching toward a green light if you wish) I will definitely be coming back here, it’s too stunning not to!
The home is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful and well preserved. Stunning views from the bay and stained glass windows. Truly an awesome experience touring through this. However, the staff at the entrance could use some polishing skills. They come off as rude and unwelcoming. I walked in with my backpack and instead of politely asking me to carry it by the handle. They were very rude to be and even raised their voices. Their tone of voice was condescending and not polite at all. Will definitely not be returning due to those older female employees. They need to be retrained they seem to be out of touch with reality.
Stunningly beautiful a must see every room marble crystal intricately decorated from the hand painted ceiling to the inlaid marble walls and floors Loads of History
Absolutely gorgeous. They offer audio tours you can get through a qr code inside the house. You do have to buy a dual ticket to see the home. It is breath taking and completely worth any extra cost. Will come again.
April 2023 Very nice beautiful place. The only first floor open to view. To visit all floors you need to buy tour, which own schedule. The Ca' d'Zan looks amazing outside and inside. It's worth to visit. Next to it there are benches, where you can seat and enjoy Sarasota Bay view. You need to pay $10 addition at the entrance of the park if you would like to view it inside.
monday is partly free. we are the on road trip and it's a good place to stop by. take one to two hour to tour the museum and take a look around outside of Ca' d'Zan. impressive pink print and nice sea view.
Visited Thursday after 5pm. ($15 ticket). we did the museum and the gardens . They had an event where you can buy drinks and hear a live band. The sunset from that place is amazing, I think you can have beautiful pictures from that place and have a nice walk around green areas. The place is beautiful.
5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243, USA•https://www.ringling.org/ca-dzan
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Top places to eat

1Columbia Restaurant

4.3
(3410)
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4.0
(4852)
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Mentioned on 
+4 other lists 
affordable
Spanish restaurant
Columbia Restaurant, which is located in Sarasota, Florida, has been serving Spanish cuisine for over 100 years. The restaurant is always a popular family destination and is known for its roast pork and Cuban-style salad.
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I’ve been to this location twice now and you can’t get a better location/atmosphere in my opinion! I love the open air dining! Both times I had their famous 1905 salad however the first time, they forgot the fresh lemon in the salad which I didn’t realize until the end. I was a bit disappointed because I felt like I hadn’t truly experienced the greatness of the salad in all of its glory. So the second time I went, I made sure they added in the lemon and as expected, it was even better!
Been going to Columbia for years and has always had great experience. I haven’t been in a couple years but my parent visited on October. First thing we noticed was how much the price has increased. We ordered the roast pork holiday special. It came with bread and soup. The bread is always splendid. The meal portion was generous but the roast pork is dry and had no flavor. The sides were delicious. We ordered bread pudding for dessert and it’s one of my favorite dessert. The portion is generous and enough for 2 people to share. Our waitress was great but she seemed very busy. Make sure to make reservation cause it gets really busy here.
This was a good experience. It was very busy, so our service wasn't exactly quick. Looking back we wished we ordered the salad, because that's what the restaurant Columbia is known for. We saw others getting the salad freshly tossed next to their tables and it looked so good. I got the salmon with yellow rice and mixed vegetables. It was cooked to order and I ate everything on the plate. So good! For dessert my wife and I got the monkey bread and it tasted really good.
My husband and I went here for lunch today and were blown away from start to finish! Our waitress, Sierra, was super friendly and attentive. The food was incredible! Even the bread they brought out before food was spectacular. We ordered the black bean cake tapas, gazpacho soup, and their famous Cuban sandwich. The black bean cakes were wonderful, the gazpacho the best we've ever had, and the Cuban sandwich huge - it also came with plantain chips! We shared a flan for dessert that was so light, creamy, and sweet. We had such a wonderful experience!
Great food and atmosphere. Was taking pictures of my food, and my food only and our server looks over at me with a serious face and says "don't take any pictures with me in it and if u do crop me out!" Thought that was a bit unprofessional. But other than that had a good time.
This is a family favorite! Liz was amazing and has only been working there for 2 days as a waitress. We LOVED her! The kitchen was awesome and made my yucca fried upon request and it was INCREDIBLE. Ask for it fried its seriously so much better than steamed. My only complaint for my dish was that the rice was a bit overcooked and on the mushy side. My grandmother's dish contained beef with sausage and the sausage did not have the best texture within the beef but on its own it was tasty. Can't wait to dine in again with Liz!
I highly recommend our server Teddy. He was excellent and very attentive to our needs. The red sangria made at our table, bread and 1905 salad were delicious! Unfortunately the entrees were not as good as usual, otherwise I'd have given this restaurant 5 stars.
I've been there several times, and I'm leaving my review now. Every single time it was a pleasant experience. I love the way they prepare and mix the salad next to us before serving. I can't count how many different plates we ordered as a family but I can assure you it was a lot. If I'm going on vacation to the Sarasota area, I won't think twice going back there. My suggestion is ordering their paella if you like it. It's amazingly tasty!
We had a horrible experience at the restaurant. We ordered 6 different meals and literally everything that we got was tasting awful. Water is from sink, not filtered. One glass was broken. The dining room is furnished very beautifully though.
A great restaurant in the heart of the shopping district. I have eaten at the Original Columbia's restaurant in downtown Tampa. This one was definitely on Par with the original. Great people, great food and a great atmosphere. All of our food was cooked perfectly. Everything was hot and fresh. If you are anywhere near you have to eat here for the food and for the experience.
This was my first time at this restaurant. Despite being busy got in within 20 minutes for lunch. Our waitress, Alice was personable and friendly, she gave us the history of the restaurant as well as the difference between Tampa cuban and Miami Cuban sandwich. We loved dining indoors but having the walls be open to the outside to enjoy the weather and get to people watch. Will return again. Very good wait staff, food was good, especially the bread.
We just had lunch and it was amazing as always especially considering the recent hurricane, Idalia! Many businesses experienced flooding on the circle. The restaurant was clean and ready to go. It was a great dining experience from our waiter Bill to our gift shop hostess, Jill. Bill was amazing sharing the history of our meals. Jill was so lovely, carefully wrapping our pottery purchases for travel. If I could give 10 stars, I would!!
411 St Armands Cir, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA•https://www.columbiarestaurant.com/st-armands-circle-sarasota•Columbia Restaurant reservations

2Yoder's Restaurant & Amish Village

4.7
(7838)
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4.5
(2713)
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Mentioned on 
 
affordable
Restaurant
The Yoder's Restaurant & Amish Village is a great place to have a meal, but even better if you're in the mood for sweets! Every selection on their dessert menu is made with only the freshest ingredients, and they honor the classic traditions of the Amish community. Best of all, it's an old-fashioned restaurant that specializes in hearty American and Amish cuisine.
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If I could give more stars I would. Johnathan our server was knowledgeable and very nice. The food was remarkable. Definitely fresh and homemade. Our table had the meatloaf dinner, fried chicken dinner and the country fried steak dinner. All were fantastic and the side accompaniments, mashed potatoes, fries and hot apples were delicious. Desserts were just as good, egg custard pie, strawberry cream pie and key lime. Portions were generous. Definitely will visit again and recommend that you try them out.
I've eaten here several times and have never been disappointed. Today I had garlic grilled chicken, green beans, carrot salad, and the best cornbread muffin ever. I was trying to stay on the healthy side, then I blew it with a huge piece of chocolate cake. It was so yummy! I did take half of my meal and cake home to have for later. The pies here are great too. Service is always great.
We stopped in for an early dinner and we were very impressed. The service was excellent and we all ordered different entrees and found them all very delicious. We tried their country fried steak, fried chicken, Shepards pie and the grilled shrimp. Our server talked us into ordering strawberry cream pie, butterscotch and blackberry pie. Yum yum. We would definitely come back here again
This is my favorite type of breakfast dinner! Low-key with excellent food! The service is great 👍 quick and friendly always with a smile. The coffee is everything you want in dinner coffee, light roast in a good old fashioned mug. I had the eggs benedict. It was sublime 😋 that dish is a subtle dance between light and airy, and rich. They nailed it.
Delicious food, I couldn't leave Sarasota without visiting this place. I must say the meat and noodles tasted strong, a touch too salty for me, but the consistency and texture were great. The service is fast and efficient. I will definitely come back again.
Road trip and ended up at Yoder's because that's where my partner wanted to go. She heard that it was a great place to visit. She ordered the fried chicken plate and I had the bacon chicken sandwich. The fried chicken looked great and tasted good. It's not seasoned a lot like southern fried chicken. The chicken was crispy and golden brown. She had a side of corn which was good and a good cornbread muffin. I had a bacon chicken sandwich which was also good. All the toppings were fresh and the bacon crispy. The fries were great. I love good crispy fries and they didn't over salt them. The server was very friendly and the restaurant was nice and clean.
Delightful, delusions, fantastic, home cooking. The food is all fresh handmade and welcoming. You can eat there or take it away. The portions are large. I had fried chicken mash potatoes and Mac and Cheese. Their Chilli was spicy good. All excellent. The chocolate cake was so great and large you can eat it for days.
Yoder's is so good, on our 4 days in Sarasota, Florida we ate there three times. Their portions are generous, but it's not a matter of quantity over quality. The food is some of the tastiest home cooking I've had. The apple butter on the table is a treat, and I strongly recommend living your best life by having a slice of pie BEFORE the main course.
The line was out of the door for this hidden gem, and once you are in, you will understand why. The food was as close to home cooking as you can get. Everything that came out of the kitchen made you want to order more. Let's not talk about the pie, we had the banana pie, and words can't describe how delightful this slice of heaven was. This is definitely on the top 10 best places to eat is Sarasota, Fl.
We had breakfast and it was delicious! Good portions for an unbeatable price. Staff was really friendly and they have packed goodies that you can buy and take home. On the right side they have a market with produce and a lot of different products prepared by them, it's a must! And in the left side of the restaurant there's a gift shop, really cute store. Everywhere we found helpful happy people.
Yoder's Amish Restaurant in Sarasota, Florida, is a hidden gem for those seeking delicious comfort food. Their pot roast melt is absolutely delicious, tender, and bursting with flavor. The desserts here are out of this world, and I highly recommend trying the Trio option, which allows you to choose three cream pie minis. It's perfect if you can't decide or want to experience a variety of flavors. On top of that, the service at Yoder's is top-notch, making your dining experience even more enjoyable. With generous portions and excellent service, Yoder's is the perfect place to satisfy your cravings for delicious comfort food in Sarasota.
Old school! Service is welcoming. Food is Yummy. If you're in the mood for home cooked meals, this is it. Large portions. Great pies. Burger was huge and flavorful, and the pot roast dipped sandwich, too. Fries are not pre frozen, really old school goodness. Low ceilings, quaint place. Go HUNGRY.
3434 Bahia Vista St, Sarasota, FL 34239, USA•http://www.yodersrestaurant.com/

3Captain Curt's Crab & Oyster Bar - Siesta Key

4.4
(4276)
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4.0
(2659)
affordable
Seafood restaurant
Captain Curt's Crab & Oyster Bar - Siesta Key is a popular seafood eatery known for its lively atmosphere and tiki bar. This establishment offers a range of delectable dishes to cater to all tastes. Renowned for its clam chowder, which earned first place in the Great Chowder Cookoff at the International Chowder Championships in Newport, Rhode Island, Captain Curt's guarantees an authentic Old Florida experience.
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So.......is all the hype about Captain Curt's Crab & Oyster Bar being the best true?? Is it a experience that you cannot pass up when vacationing in Siesta Key?? After my wife and I finally visited here on our 3rd vacation I would have to say yes 👍. The food here is really good, really good quality. Absolutely delicious and perfectly cooked. Staff was friendly and welcoming. Sydney was out Waitress and was super polite and had good knowledge of the menu and available beverages.She had our drinks and appetizers out to us really fast. We arrived ahead of the dinner rush around 5 pm. So we were able to get a table in about 5 minutes. If you go at a peak time on a weekend like last time that we passed it up because we were looking at an hour minimum to get a table so definitely recommend a off time or day for the visit because it really is that popular. I tried the Coconut Shrimp and the fried Claims for my appetizer and they were both delicious and perfectly cooked. Then I had the Grilled Grouper Fillet for my entrée and it was super delicious and a generous portion. Perfectly cooked and buttery texture. My wife sampled the Gulf Shrimp basket fried, both plates came with generous helping of house cut fresh French fries and the cold slaw was also delicious. Overall I would say a extremely tasty dinner treat for a modest price considering our location. $$ per person. They have a extensive collection of House made cocktail combinations. Also a wide selection of ice cold draft beers 🍻. They also have a extensive menu besides what we tried and we will be anxious to try different items on their menu on our next visit. Definitely a must try if you are a seafood fan like us. I also absolutely love the decore and atmosphere in this place it really has amazing character.
Came in to watch the football game and have a bite to eat and a few drinks with friends. Had coconut shrimp that was fantastic! Tried a cup of clam chowder that claimed to be the world's best. I've had a lot of clam chowder in the northeast and was very skeptical. I will say, it was really good. Was it the best, I don't know, but it is definitely worth having a big bowl. The service was fast and friendly; the food fresh, flavorful and cooked perfect. Overall a good place to go for food, drinks and watching your team on the big screen.
We came in to have some dinner before hitting up the beach and the drum circle. I was excited to try the clam chowder. It was definitely good, I enjoyed the gator better. The food was prepped well, could have used some more seasoning/flavor. They do mention lightly seasoned and they do mean it. We did get some entertainment in the form of some verbal exchanges between the hostess and a server. It almost went down :) They do offer outdoor seating and we had seen that there was live music at times. We were a party of 5 and we were seated immediately, they were pretty busy. I would give them another shot next time we are in town. Enjoy y'all!
The food was just ok. I got raw oysters and they didn’t taste very fresh, I’ve had better since arriving to the area. My husband had the garlic butter mussels and he said they didn’t have much flavor. My son had the crab cake and he said it was good. I did have the vegetables that came with my sons crab cake and they were really good. Their captain Curt’s soda was good as well. Not sure in overall if it’s a place I’d return.
Love going to Captain Curt’s it’s a tradition in our family every year when we’re in town. LOVE LOVE LOVE the clam chowder! I’m from New England area and they have the BEST! A must go to! If you find my review and pictures helpful please give me a like. Thanks for reading!
The restaurant was recommended to us. We wanted something casual because we had been out on the boat, but good atmosphere for my daughter’s birthday. We had a bad experience at one of the other restaurants so we were skeptical. However, everything was delicious we had crabs, blackened grouper sandwich, shrimp and grits, gator bites, oysters and clam chowder. Everything was cooked to perfection!! The services was absolutely amazing the waiter ( I can’t remember her name) was so respectful and attentive! She was good with the adults and kids. It’s hard to find good costumer service after covid so we were so thankful to have her!
Best seafood food in the area. I tried the clam chowder and it really is the best one I've ever had. I also ordered the captain fried extravaganza which was fried perfectly. Server went above and beyond and always checked on us every 5 min even with restaurant being busy. Highly recommend.
I don’t write reviews, but this has always been a pleasant place to come too. I’m a huge fan of clam chowder and order it a lot. This place is in my top 3 clam chowder I’ve ever had. The drinks are fantastic with their own ginger beer and liquors. The remodel looks great and thank you so much to our waitress kaltlin! She was kind and very knowledgeable of the menu and honest of the things she hasn’t tried or didn’t like as much. Every course was delicious! The fresh fish was great! Thanks again!
1200 Old Stickney Point Rd, Sarasota, FL 34242, USA•https://www.captaincurts.com/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Organ…

4Siesta Key Oyster Bar

4.5
(4278)
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4.0
(2564)
•
Mentioned on 
1 list 
affordable
Oyster bar restaurant
Siesta Key Oyster Bar is a casual beachfront establishment with a covered patio that offers a variety of seafood and bar food. With its relaxed atmosphere, live music, and draft beer selection, this spot is perfect for those looking for a laid-back dining experience.
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Awesome happy hour here. Super fresh oysters 3 ways…. Raw, baked garlic butter & Parmesan cheese and fried. Make sure to use the table hot sauce!!! Outstanding service, live music… a really cool environment.
Started off with clams and cheese dip. The cheese dip was missing flavor and poured in some Louisiana hot sauce and took it to a new level while the clams are were very good and flavorful. The seafood jambalaya was just simply amazing!! I could eat the jambalaya everyday if I could, everything was so tender and full of flavor. The shrimp had very good batter and also tasted amazing. The key lime pie was very good as well. We will definitely be back next time we are in Siesta Keys!
This is a very popular spot in Siesta Key so to no surprise it was packed and busy. We did a 30 minute wait on a Saturday afternoon. The atmosphere is cool beach vibes. Our waitress was attentive and helpful with recommendations. The food was warm and portions were fair. Delicious salmon and amazing coco rice. My best friend loved the shrimp tacos. Prices were reasonable to high. Ice cold beer. Bathrooms were clean. Parking was not easy but the beach, shops, and everything else is at walking distance. Yes, give it a try.
I visited this place twice within two months. Both times it was fantastic. There was a 15-20 min wait each time, but we just went to the gift store next door and received a text back. The outside area has live music and feels more like a bar. The bar offers a large selection of drinks. The inside of the restaurant is quieter and a better fit for families and a more quiet chat. The inside bar is unique, with dollar bills nailed everywhere to the walls and ceiling. It is super fun fixing one of your own bills as a souvenir and seeing it there on another visit. Both times we came here the food was delicious. Everything was super fresh. Oysters were delicious, although you won't be full if you are a 6-foot large man, like my husband, so order something additional. Our absolute favorite items are the Tuna Poke, Ceasar salad, Shrimp tacos, and calamari. Each time you can safely order something new and have a great meal. For a family of four with couple of drinks, expect to pay over $120.
Place was OUTSTANDING with the live band . Waiter was VERY attentive always on his game and we got everything we needed almost without asking! Food portions are VERY generous, food came out GREAT. I really honestly have nothing bad to say about this place. We had Specialty baked oysters, fish and chips, shrimp tacos and key lime seafood flatbread . There cocktails came out surprise to us , they are wonderful.Absolutely recommend.
Great location and quick service. It was really busy on Friday night but we only had to wait like 15mins. Service was great and food came out quick. The clam chowder was very good and we loved the grouper bites.
Busy place on the weekends or any holiday. Food is reasonably priced and worth every dollar. They have a nice outside patio that has live music. I would highly recommend if you are looking for a causal place with amazing food and even better service.
Couldn't have asked for better service. Put on a 45 to 60 minute wait when we arrived, but the wait was only 26 minutes. Ordered w/in five minutes (drinks, appetizers, and main course), had our appetizer and drinks in three minutes and our main course 10 minutes. The food was really good and I couldn't have asked for a better waiter than Joe. What blew my mind was the 1/2 price on 1/2 shell oysters. Thank you for the great experience Joe! If I'm ever in the area again I'll come back.
Live band I. The outdoor dining area. Can listen to it inside as well. The atmosphere was fun and light. The food was delicious and made to order. The staff was friendly and on top of the whole dining experience. Will definitely visit again.
This was was okay not the best but good enough the atmosphere was cool and great live music, the inside was even better it was all covered in actual real $1 bills everywhere we got to put out names on our $1 and stapled it to the walls which me and my family thought it was pretty cool. The food was mediocre I did enjoy my fish with coconut rice that was yummy but everything else was okay and even the oysters they weren’t that good and I’m a big oysters girl I’ve had many so I know the taste of a great one but besides that it was a fun cool experience.
We came for a late dinner and the place was still busy. Good portions and delicious, all of them. The service was friendly. The walls in the inside dining room are completely covered with single dollar bills
The scallops and risotto were excellent, very well made. 100% recommend. The rest of the food was nowhere near this level. The Oysters were the quality you would expect for the deal. Cool atmosphere, they had live music going.
5238 Ocean Blvd, Sarasota, FL 34242, USA•http://www.skob.com/

5Owen's Fish Camp

4.6
(3438)
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4.5
(2316)
•
Mentioned on 
+8 other lists 
affordable
Seafood restaurant
Owen's Fish Camp is a great seafood restaurant in downtown Sarasota that serves up some of the freshest and most delectable seafood around. The casual atmosphere and eclectic Florida decor are just a part of what makes this place so special, as is the delicious seafood menu. If you're looking for something different andaddress some cravings for seafood, Owen's Fish Camp is definitely worth checking out!
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Simply awesome experience! When we arrived at 6pm, we’re were told there would be a 2.5 hour wait. My hopes were about dashed. The hostess, a native of my Ohio hometown, convinced us to stay, put our name in, and hang out on the back patio/courtyard. Glad we listened, what a great place to wait. There’s a small hut setup with a grille and cold beverage options, plenty of outdoor bench or picnic table seating. They also offer a limited menu of sitting at a picnic table. We had live music to entertain while we waited. The dinner was amazing, food was outstanding, service was solid! My jumbalaya was super tasty, and my ladies seafood pasta was great! Definitely give this place a try. Located in the heart of downtown Sarasota…but what a great little city.
This is a true gem. The service was outstanding, the food was amazing, and the atmosphere was fun and relaxed. Fresh seafood is all over this menu. Everything tasted amazing and portions were big. Prices were beyond reasonable. You will not find a better seafood restaurant with down-to-earth prices and a super fun atmosphere in this town! Head out back and grab a picnic table (or tire swing) and enjoy a canned beverage while you listed to music. Surrounded by trees and shrubs, you'll forget you're in a posh beach town! Our server was better than some at fancy restaurants. She seemed like she truly enjoyed her job. She made menu suggestions, was attentive, and gave us a 5-star experience. The food was so fresh and amazing tasting. I highly recommend blackened grouper with Old Bay fries and their own twist on succotash.
I was visiting friends who took me to this awesome seafood place. The rustic charm is the feeling you get living down south and feels welcoming and friendly. Our waitress, Bree? who moved from Delaware was awesome, funny, and great with recommendations. My recommendations are blackened scamp (type of fish similar to cod) with dirty rice, fried green tomato salad, and Mississippi mud pie! I can't wait to go back!
We dined at Owens for the first time on a recent trip to Sarasota. The atmosphere is very lively, a little too loud for our liking but not unbearable. We were sat at a cozy table within 15 minutes of arriving. Cassidy was our server and was spot on without missing a beat! The food was very well priced, hot and flavored well. No complaints! My husband was skeptical at first living in Florida to us, it looks like a “tourist trap” but we were pleasantly surprised. I recommend and will be back!
Excellent ambience and service. Best deviled eggs and crab cake we've ever had. Cheesy grits were amazing, jambalaya was OK, there was a bit too much tomato 🍅 in it, almost overwhelming. Drinks were amazing 🤩 . Literally the best Rum Runners we've ever had! Will definitely return, overall amazing experience!
Regardless of the fact that the line to get into this restaurant began forming long before they even opened, and regardless of the fact that they had way more of a demand than they had seats available, they managed to get us seated and served and to fill our bodies with deliciousness without a single error. Our server, Claudia, was AMAZING, and she didn't skip a beat once. She was on top of everything and made our time there enjoyable and easy. The food was incredible, delicious, and came in perfect tempo despite the crazy demand they were dealing with. I witnessed food runners, bussers, and servers working together as a team, and I noticed that their working environment is that of a well-oiled machine. Whatever they're doing to train the servers in there is working, and because of it, the place just flows. I will say that the hostess tonight was seriously short tempered and had a not so nice attitude towards people. It was chaos there from before they even opened, but she is the first person people encounter; she is the face of the restaurant, its representative, and I witnessed numerous people walking away very upset with how she spoke to them. She was short, rude, and lacked any kind of personality, compassion, or understanding. Not a very good person to have in the front of the house greeting people, however, aside from my experience with her, everything was phenomenal. I have lived here for about 25 years and have never been until tonight. Even with the mad holiday rush with it being the night before New Year's Eve, as well as the crazy busy "season", they managed to produce wonderful service and delicious food, and because of it, I will become a faithful customer.
This place is amazing!! I highly recommend this awesome place to eat at while visiting Sarasota!! I love trying new restaurants and seafood is my favorite ❤️ if you get to Sarasota, you guys have to check this place out!! All their ingredients are fresh. The waitress’s are super cute and very helpful!!! They don’t take reservations but… they have this area/bar in the back with live music and appetizers so just plan to stay and I promise the wait is worth it!! Pictured below is the lobster rolls (the best) Boiled hot roadside peanuts Peel and eat shrimp Fresh Grouper blackened with brown butter hollandaise sauce, cheesy grits and garlic green beans Shrimp and grits w/ spicy smoked sausage For Dessert but no pictures.. Bourbon pecan pie with fresh whipped cream!! 
Where do I start about this hidden little gem? My son has lived in Sarasota for a couple years,and never heard of the place... and his girlfriend has grown up here. Both have never heard of this excellent restaurant!! Matter fact they didn't even know the little district where Owen's is located was even here!!! I got the name and recommendation from a work friend and... boy oh boy... Owen's Fish Camp knocked it out of the PARK! From the welcoming atmosphere and top notch wait staff this place has excellence in spades. The waiting area is lively and inviting. All the guests waiting were all like minded and open to everyone around them. LOL the biggest topic of conversation seemed to revolve around how this person or that came to find the place!! The food.... I have been saving this part for last because I want this review to linger like an excellent dining experience should. My group had 4 people who all ordered something different. Every dish we got came as a recommendation from the server. The ladies went with catch of the day recommendations, my son had the Trout (Pecan encrusted maybe) and I went with a chicken dish. Fish isn't normally my top choice when dining out (hence the chicken dish 😄) but dang.... I was disappointed after trying the other dishes. Every one of their fish was prepared beyond my wildest expectations. No lingering after taste, flaky and full of flavor. I overheard the couple behind us gushing about the lobster they had and I was already making plans to come back next time I am in town!!! Make this a stop if you are in the area! You will not be disappointed!
Owen's Fish Camp is an awesome place for fresh fish in Sarasota. Everything they make in house and from scratch. Even the green beans were delicious, which I wasn't expecting. I ordered the Scamp, pan seared with lemon caper butter (you can see the giant capers in the butter which was awesome). The fish and chips with fries are exceptional. Rarely, do we order dessert. However, they said they had apple pie. It was devine. It was like a personal apple pastry with a flaky crust and with actual fresh apples. Worth it! Great experience as always and the staff is exceptional.
This was my 4th time here as a local. We went to dinner around 5:15pm on a Wednesday evening. The wait was about 1.5 hours. They have a very large outdoor space to hang out and enjoy a beverage and light snack from their outdoor bar/restaurant. Once seated the food and service is top notch. Only thing I do not like is the fact that they do not accept reservations. Every time I go, there are people walking away because the wait is so long. Even going early still requires a long wait to be seated. (We were there at 5:15pm for dinner). I’m assuming they do this in hopes that you wait in their outside area and spend more money on food and drinks while you wait. Just seems like an easy way to make more money. All in all, I would still recommend because the food taste wonderful, as long as you have the time to wait for a table.
This place is such a gem in downtown Sarasota. My family and I all went out to celebrate an occasion. We had a great time! The wait was quite long for an indoor table, but that was to be expected. They also won’t seat you until everyone in your party arrives. Also to be expected, but just a heads up! We grabbed drinks at the bar and sat down our back, outside to wait. We were tested for our table about 45 minutes later. I ordered the low country boil and shared it. WOW. It was amazing! Great flavor and some of a kick! It was excellent. The rest of my party ordered; the fried chicken sandwich, burger, catfish platter, and lobster cobb salad. Everyone seemed incredibly satisfied with their meals. We will definitely be back!
I have been wanting to go to Owen’s Fish camp since our last trip to Sarasota and what a bonus to be able to try the Lakewood Ranch location. First off, I get that everyone hates long waits for a table but let me tell you, it is well worth the wait! Starting with the food, service, atmosphere and all that good stuff…only one word comes to mind and that is PHENOMENAL! Don’t wait any longer, RUN! It’s too incredible to sit on the fence! Highly recommended and we will definitely be back again!
516 Burns Ct, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA•http://www.owensfishcamp.com/
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