50 Best Bars near Lakewood Ranch

“WOW! We went last night while in town for a soccer tournament in Tampa.. Drove out to Sarasota to visit family and my cousin suggested here... and WOW the food was AMAZING! The service was FANTASTIC. The atmosphere was even better. This place is a must while in town!“

“Outstanding. First time customer. Fabulous across the board. I’ll be back. Again .... outstanding.“

“prime rib special was delicious. reservations were at 6:15. it was so loud in the restaurant we couldn't talk to our friends at the table next time, I'm eating outside Then a couple came in with a southeastern guide dog who laid down by my leg I really didn't appreciate this since I am not a dog lover and it is an expensive place to eat.“

“Wonderful & friendly staff. Great burgers“

“I finally discovered a little slice of Hungarian paradise in Florida! From authentic wines and refreshing Hungarian beer to perfectly seasoned dishes and heavenly desserts, every bite and sip feels like home. Truly unforgettable!“

“Such a cool spot downtown, great selection of wine in a casual and easy going atmosphere! We had a great birthday celebration for a friend with a large group and we were accommodated well and had a fabulous French Rose! I highly recommend stopping here along your downtown trail for dinner and drinks! Thank you, Mark and team!“

“Fantastic spot! We went there for lunch today and had a great time. The food was spot on. I wish I had the downtown dip right now! We will be back!“

“Live jams and cold beer! Great spot for friends and good times!“

“Bar Hana is a wonderful place. Cocktails, food, atmosphere and service are each excellent and consistent. Classy yet casual. If you are a seasoned patron of establishments which fit this mold you will recognize the poor reviews for what they are. Bar Hana should be on your short list for a visit to Sarasota.“

“Amazing ambiance and food! Beautiful decor and the culinary presentation is top notch! Anthony Bourdain would be impressed! Julianna was wonderful!“

“Really Great Food ,and service.“

“Awesome spot to hang out. They have awesome food with the best prices around. There are always delicious specials on the board by the bar. They have darts, chess, and tons of board games. Sometimes they have baseball games on which is one of my favorite things about the place. There’s also live music and trivia on weeknights and it’s a blast! Highly recommend.“

“Loved this place for 20 years!❤️“

“Great staff. Family atmosphere like "Cheers". Bartenders are mixologists. Great prices and Specials. Karaoke. Pool and darts with specials on both. Foosball and dome hockey as well.“

“Awesome neighborhood bar!!!“

“I work here and it’s a great place to have a nice cold beer and meet some friends!!“

“Had a great nite with Family & friends. Drinks were cold , bartenders were great attentive, and very personable. I great place to relax , meet people and enjoy being with family & friends!“

“best hole in the wall there is!!“

“Very friendly staff, great burgers, pizza and jukebox. Nice place all around.“

“The vibes are amazing and the owners are great! Its a safe and inclusive space for all that are sober 💕“

“Great local bar. Large indoor bar and some high-top tables. Our favorite spot is the small outdoor bar. Great bartenders. Fun crowd. Always lively conversations happening. Love the recently expanded wine selections. Be sure to sign up for the two for one offer (text alerts on various days for the two for one).“

“Great bar with great bartenders! Ari is amazing! Officially on my top 5 all time for bartenders! Definitely recommend coming to this bar!“

“Alex at Office Bar SQ is super efficient, attentive, and has high energy, I would recommend this bar if you want a relaxed atmosphere.“

“Super cozy, local little pub. I live nearby so brought my boyfriend for a leg of his Valentines Day scavenger hunt to play darts (they have 2 dart boards) & we couldn’t because they have busy dart nights. Call ahead if you have your heart set on darts. So we sat and drank an expensive Guinness! Guess that’s just the going rate these days? Very cozy place, nothing fancy, great little hole in the wall neighborhood pub.“

“My sister came to visit, she's an avid electronic dartboard player. so I went on line and found Coleman's Tavern has several dart machines, we went there for drinks and darts and met a lot of nice people. Coleman's is a nice little neighborhood bar with friendly people and good service. if I lived closer I would frequent there often.“

“Happened across Scalawags after doing a quick Google search of the name while in Sarasota area. Came in about noon on a Wed, just a few mixed age locals there, friendly people, fun and good laughs! Mainly a pool tables and electronic games type bar, dimly lit. Kitchen opens about noon, had a beer on tap and ordered the Grouper Sub, which was great - would get it again. Had another beer. Cash only for Papa Ron's food menu. Bar service is Scalawags, pay separately from food - works for them and me - no problem. Will return!!BTW - The Scalawags name came to mind because of the recent Gasparilla fest in Tampa and also because there is a Scalawags Whiefish & Chips in Mackinaw City, MI that a good friend of mine created, owned and operated for 30 years - serves the BEST fresh-caught Great Lakes Whitefish anywhere! So if you ever go there - you won't be disappointed there either!“

“Great spot! Newly felted pool tables-FREE! Pool tournament every Friday night at 7:30! Great staff! Great food!“

“Great Aerie. Very friendly. Welcome us visitors. Would recommend.“

“Cool place. Darts. Pool. Longest bar“

“Great service and open before Milton“

“It is an excellent place to meet awesome local winners and is supper-friendly. I have been going here most of the week when I am in town. It is a lovely wine store and “a testing wine bar.“

“I had to flag down and one time waited 5 minutes before anyone asked me for another while my empty sat at refill position on the bar. But you might get better service or noticed if you are better looking I suppose. But they where very friendly and made very good drinks.“

“Very friendly, welcoming bar. Come in and introduce yourself around. We like hamburger nights for an inexpensive meal, good conversation and a couple of drinks.

Jukebox, pool table. Pinball seems out of commission though. Patio.“

“great bar makes you feel like home“

“This place is fantastic! The selection is unbeatable, with everything from rare whiskeys to affordable wines and craft beers. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and always willing to help you find exactly what you're looking for—or recommend something new to try. The store is clean, well-organized, and it’s clear they take pride in their business. Prices are fair, and they often have great deals. I always leave here feeling like I got excellent service and value. Highly recommend to anyone looking for quality and variety!“

“Best bar in all of Sarasota!!!!
It's a local spot with true regulars that have been coming here for over a decade!!!
Good ole Charlie may he rest in peace😢
But Jake and Millie some of the OG bartenders still there I love them both!!!“

“Love it here! Best food ever!“

“I had a wonderful experience at the rooftop thanks to Rio’s excellent service. From the moment I arrived, Rio made me feel welcomed and taken care of. Attentive without being intrusive, friendly yet professional, and always one step ahead of what I needed — that kind of service makes all the difference“

“Amazing sundown experience. Started my afternoon at the Tiki bar which was a good call. They were short staffed and helping with orders on the beach. Though Solo, it was a semi quiet bar family and children friendly. Shout out to (Joe) who attended to me and was very attentive. After my meal I went to lounge. Beach waiters were attentive as well i.e water bucket and umbrella etc. I felt well attended to though I did not require much. I want to applaud management towards the etiquette and team spirit the men and women had. I could hear many complaints of orders being skipped or taking too long, yet felt the crew did thier best by compensating in other area's. I do have to say to update the beach lounge chairs they are very uncomfortable.“

“This was my first visit to 8 Ball Lounge..
I was very impressed with all of the options, games, service and management.
The GM, David, kept a great pulse on a very diverse clientele while supporting two amazing bartenders, Ms. Kate & Ms. Anna... both of whom were obviously veterans of their jobs and experts of their craft.
Dart league, pool league, Golden Tee, Punching Bag and a very clean atmosphere!!!
Highly recommend this establishment and staff!!“

“Great place for entertainment! The outdoor tiki is fantastic and the staff are friendly and attentive“

“Amazing from start to finish! Had dinner last night with 4 other ladies and EVERY single dish was my favorite! So hard to choose! The drinks, the service, the menu, the food…couldn’t have asked for a better experience! Don’t miss this place if you’re in town! Thank you Chef Jeremy!“

“Had a great experience at the bar . Our bartender was Dom and he was wonderful, always checking to make sure we had everything and everything was okay, there was a girl (sorry I didn’t get your name, but she was excellent too) the pizza was great and then burger we had was good also. We definitely recommend this place . Never had a bad meal or experience here. Thank you Yard House !“

“Look no further. Delish!! We will definitely return. YUM-a-licious!!“

“The tea house was charming with a different t theme in every room. Service was fabulous, food was delicious, and we were served a lovely ginger licorice lemongrass tea at the end . We sat in the Alice in Wonderland room which we all loved! A special thank you to the owners for meeting our special dietary needs, for taking countless pictures for us and for making our experience one of the best!“

“My wife and I visited Oyster River Rooftop for Valentine’s Day, and overall we had a very pleasant experience. The restaurant is located at the Marriott Hotel & Spa in Palmetto, which really impressed me. The hotel itself is beautiful — easily one of the nicest properties in the area. I also appreciated the added touch of checking in with staff before heading upstairs, since a badge is required to access the upper floors. It definitely gives the space a more exclusive feel.

The restaurant is small and modern — more of an upscale rooftop bar atmosphere that also serves dinner. We were seated outside and enjoyed a wonderful view of the river, which made for a great Valentine’s setting. There was a duet playing live music, which added energy to the evening, though in a smaller space with minimal sound-absorbing decor it felt a little loud at times.

The hostess was very nice and welcoming. I had to smile when she gave “Monsieur” her best shot — I work for a French-based company and speak a little French myself, so I notice those things — but I appreciated the effort to create an upscale ambiance.

Our server was congenial and accommodating. He happily made me a Sangria even though it wasn’t on the drink menu, which I appreciated. His personality leaned more casual than what the restaurant seems to be aiming for, but his friendliness was genuine and well-intentioned.

For food, we started with the Grilled Octopus. It was very tender, though I would have loved a bit more bold flavor. The main courses, however, were outstanding. I had the 16 oz Ribeye with Za’atar butter — cooked perfectly and absolutely delicious. My wife ordered the Chilean Sea Bass, which was equally excellent. We skipped dessert as nothing quite jumped out at us, but we left very satisfied with the meal.

All in all, it was a lovely evening with excellent food and a beautiful setting. With a little refinement in front-of-house polish to match the quality coming out of the kitchen, this place could truly hit the high notes. We would absolutely return — especially for the ribeye and the view.“

“The buffet on Saturdays is excellent!“

“The seafood sampler was delicious- the scallops melt in your mouth like butter. The ocean scampi was good, but the garlic was a bit overpowering. Pleasant staff and comfortable outdoor seating… it was nice for a higher end meal.“