Restaurants near Sarasota Bradenton International Airport

Our go-to place for special occasions (last night Valentines) so we’re very fond of this quaint restaurant in downtown Sarasota except last night it was so busy that some items seemed to have slipped through the cracks. The food is always great however last night wasn’t as great. The service was excellent for us but we noticed other tables were not as fortunate. The prices seemed to have been adjusted for the Valentine’s menu (adjusted meaning RAISED), for we each had a meal, (Grouper / Pork Oso-busco) nothing fancy) a glass of wine and shared a dessert with one complimentary basket of bread (NOT even a house salad) and the bill was $175! A bit pricey if you’d ask me.

We enjoyed a lovely dinner at Dry Dock for Valentine’s Day. The restaurant was busy but the team had everything under control. We were greeted immediately and taken care of promptly at the bar for cocktails as we waited a very short time for our table. Our server was informative and efficient and went above and beyond to make us feel at home and understand the menu. Our food was amazing The snapper served right off the grill and the side veggies perfectly cooked. The jambalaya was piping hot and delicious. No room for dessert this time but the key lime pie was so tempting! 5 ⭐️

Ocean Prime has wonderful food and service. Rebecca was awesome! It was our anniversary and we were greeted with a glass of complimentary champagne when we entered. We sat in the outside section that is covered and has screens, ceiling fans and heaters for all types of weather. I’m not sure how warm it would be on a warm summer evening, but it was perfect last night. The noise level where we were seated was fine, but as we left we noticed the noise inside was quite loud. There were alot of people at the bar which probably contributed to that. As a senior, I’m not sure sitting inside would be pleasant for those that may have difficulty hearing. Our view was good but they are beginning to construct a large condo building right next door to the restaurant. So I have concerns about the view while they continue to build and am unsure what it will look like when the construction is complete. And while everything was almost perfect, the price is also out of this world. For 2 people to have a couple of drinks, one appetizer, 2 mains with sides and 2 desserts, and parking, the price was almost $500 before tip. All that said, it was a wonderful anniversary dinner. Thank you Ocean Prime!

We dined on the outside - the street tables set up to accommodate all the Valentines diners and it worked out perfectly. Although very busy we were waited on by David reasonably fast. The food was fantastic. With all the activity in Sarasota we joked we got dinner and a show (some pedestrians were quite amusing) at HP Always a treat and never disappointed ❤️

This remains our absolute favorite restaurant anywhere in the world. We had Tuna trio, Seabass, mousse in chocolate shell and my husband had paella. Every bite was scrumptious with the best flavoring. Our pear and Manhattan martinis were also fabulous. The waiter was beyond the best as we celebrated year 55 of engagement. He recognized it, had a card and rose for us and a free dessert. What a wonderful dining experience.