Restaurants

Going to Siesta Key, what are some good/excellent places to eat. We love good crab legs, lobster, mahia mahia and of course steak.

Can anyone give some heads up on places to eat and to avoid. Price isn%26#39;t necessarily an issue, but if it is going to be expensive, I want to be full when I leave.

Restaurants

The Lobster Pot for seafood, esp ';LOBSTER DUTCHESS'; stuffed w/shrimp crabmeat, etc.

Steak everywhere, Japanese JOTO, pricey RUTH%26#39;s CHRIS, FLEMINGS

Italian, GABIANOS, FERRARIS.

If you don%26#39;t find it in this area, you don%26#39;t want it.

Restaurants

Shells Seafood is a chain down there, but it%26#39;s great!!! My experience with Capt. Curt%26#39;s was horrible...wouldn%26#39;t go there again!

Barnacle Bills is a local restaurant chain. Very good. (mainland)

Bonefish Grill is also good. (mainland)

On the south end of Siesta is Ophelia%26#39;s on the Bay though it%26#39;s pricey. Blase Cafe is nice.

I would also check out the restaurants on the Sarasota page on TA.

~SRQgirl

In Sarasota we found a great Italian Buffet. Bella Cucina. They have a web site www.ItalianBuffet.com They literally had everything, from steamed mussels to homemade meatballs to shrimp alfredo, homemade pizza and prime rib. We felt that we had stepped into Little Italy. This is a true gem. Don%26#39;t go to Sarasota and miss this one!!

wow that Italian place looks great (atleast the menu does :) and elcheapo also, will try it! thanks :)

libbyswin...it%26#39;s been a year since we were there, but it was absolutely wonderful!!! Hope your experience was as good as ours!

Also Shells Seafood had a deal going with the Holiday Inn I was staying at. On certain nights they had discounted meals available for guests of the HI. Depending on where you stay, that may be available to you.

Have a great trip!

We absolutely loved the Lobster Pot. Crab cakes with fresh mango sauce....WOW. And amazing coffee afterward.

We did NOT like Walt%26#39;s Seafood Restaurant/Fresh Fish Market.

The market had been highly recommended to us so we figured the restaurant would be great, too. The smoked mullet spread was the only thing really edible. Everything else was solid grease on paper and styrofoam and eaten with plastic.

And... quart containers of tartar sauce stationed on each table in a room that had to be at least 85 degrees? Ewww.

We just returned from Siesta Key, it was out second trip and we are already planning next year.

By far, the best place we went to was the Blase Cafe and Martini Bar. It doesn%26#39;t look like much from the road, but it is decorated beautifully and there is an outside deck adorned with flowers and lights. The food is a little more upscale (prices are too), but it is a big step up from the bar food you will get at the Daiquiri Deck or the Siesta Key Oyster Bar. We left stuffed and satisfied. It%26#39;s right in Siesta Key Village.

Have fun!

Patty from Boston

I agree about Blase Cafe, and can also recommend Maximo%26#39;s--1/2 block off Ocean--both are excellent

Ophelia%26#39;s is wonderful, as is Michael%26#39;s on East, the Silver Cricket (both is downtown Sarasota)--all three are very upsacle, if you%26#39;re into that.

I have also enjoyed Zoria%26#39;s and you should consider trying some of the Amish cooking of Sarasota. I%26#39;ve been to Sugar and Spice, and one other. They have good %26#39;ole comfort food that is delicious, plentiful and reasonably priced.

I don%26#39;t recommend many restaurants since I am so picky, but Bella Roma in Siesta Key is AWESOME. As good as Italy. Make reservations (and their online menu is outdated).