39 Best Cocktail Bars in Sarasota

“This is truly a very special place. The food, wine, service and ambiance is exceptional!“

“Not sure why I waited so long to try Beso. Table of 5, tried 12 different dishes. Each offering was a hit. There was nothing that was just ok. We also tried all of the sangrias, each was very unique and we struggled to find a favorite with those too; each drink was so interesting and good. Some favorites the liver mousse (never thought I’d say that), anything chimmichuri, the artichokes, the croquettes… honestly I don’t think you can go wrong here. We also slide the seasonal paella, chicken tikka masala, wonderful and actually lighter than I expected which was welcomed. We ended the night with their flan and it’s honestly the best I ever had. Service was great. We kept our server, Matt, busy running plates and he really helped us pick some great dishes. The owner, Jason, spent some time at our table and we really learned what the restaurant was about. The night was a great way to share an experience with family and friends. Can’t wait to go back!“

“Great happy hour at Brine the other day after a successful closing on my clients condo. Opted out for a nice Absolute Cosmo $8 and 6 happy hr oysters, Sweet Lucy that evening. Decided to have more 🦪, picked a variety along w Lemon crush cocktail . Light delicious dinner in the books. Looking forward to trying other things on their delectable menu.“

“Wow! What an impressive evening at every level. Do not hesitate and book this restaurant for your next food adventure. The moment you walk into this establishment, you know the vibe is cool and these people know their food & spirits. The food is incredible and different than the typical Sarasota restaurant that has the same boring food offerings. I was impressed with the Iberico pork dish and unusually amazingly flavored vegetables and spices that accented the smoky, tender pork. The yuca side dish was similar to a potato but more flavorful and crispier mixed with an addition of corn, pickled cabbage and other vegetables. I haven't found a dish that impressed me more in recent years. The crispy salmon was a "oh wow" moment for my friend, who hails from the Pacific Northwest as do I, where Washingtonians know a thing or two about salmon. This restaurant provides your palate something different and if you're a veteran of dining out constantly, this is a welcomed change from the ordinary. The New York steak included an amazing demi glaze exploding with flavor and had the perfect consistency which can be a challenge to make right but State Street Eatinghouse + Cocktails got it right. I highly recommend the fried Brussell sprouts appetizer as they were a flavor explosion in our mouths. The bacon amplified the sprouts with the accompaniment of the balsamic glaze. My friend's husband and mine, who usually don't like this vegetable, were pleasantly surprised and ate more than the obligatory "try one" bite. State Street Eating House + Cocktails is owned by the same people that introduced us to tapas restaurant "Beso", which I recently tried, and awarded it my "Best Restaurant in Sarasota" award. This restaurant belongs in the "Restaurant Hall of Fame" of Sarasota or even US restaurants. I love it! My waiter, Dana, was super attentive and impressive. His vast knowledge of the drink and food menu was spot-on and his candor and expertise added to the whole evening's experience. What an amazing restaurant! I can't wait to book my next reservation and I'm kicking myself for not trying it sooner. Cheers! Dietary restrictions: I appreciate they were mindful of my cow's milk allergy which makes eating out difficult since most dishes have butter and/or cheese. Thank you for helping me feel confident about eating here.“

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

“Very friendly people and wonderful service. I love every single one of the bartenders…they all rock!!!!!!“

“This is my drunk honest opinion, if you don’t like cigs get outta hereeee. Vibe is great tbh, the people who come here really don’t give af so just be yourself. Don’t bring lameos here, they got full bar, sports on tv, pool table, touch tunes. Bartenders chill af. Come here with your friends and catch up. Leave your partners at home. Eat popcorn and smoke a cig. Watch out for the step outside ;)“

“Hotel food is usually not that great. However, we ate lunch here a couple times and it was really good food. I had a burger and a turkey sandwich with fries. The burger was juicy and the turkey sandwich was flavorful. I would definitely eat here again for convenience during meetings at the hotel.

The staff is friendly. However, getting service was slow even when they weren’t busy.“

“Nice atmosphere & food was delicious“

“Ka Papa is a true gem serving the vegan community of south Florida! These guys clearly are experienced in working with plant cuisine: the tastes brought forward in their dishes speak for themselves. I had the vegan escargot appetizer which was surprisingly buttery, rich & appetizing! We also had a fettuccini & mushroom dish which was to die for & the recommended plant protein steak with mashed potatoes - one of the best vegan steaks I have had in my entire life (vegan since 1992, so somewhat of a veteran vegan here). We had cake & ice cream for desert & felt like we flexed the menu heartily. For a weeknight the place was busy & service was on point, I can’t express how much I genuinely appreciated the terrific experience at Ka Papa!“

“Incredible food, drinks and service at Veronica's Fish and Oyster Bar last night for our Anniversary 💍🍾🥂 Highly recommend! We shared the octopus appetizer. My hubby had the skirt steak. I had the whole branzino (not pictured BC the photo was too blurry) it came with the Greek salad. We shared the wild mushrooms and the roasted Brussel sprouts. They also have a fabulous selfie mirror in the ladies room 😍 Our waitress Alexandra was amazing and even brought us a free dessert to celebrate 🥳“

“Found this restaurant by accident. It was really good. Mike and Quin are a dynamic duo. They made our experience so much fun.“

“Our favorite restaurant when we come to Siesta Key. Had dinner last night, my husband had the skirt steak, I had the pork tenderloin..Both were perfection. Be sure to make a reservation.“

“Authentic location, awesome atmosphere, strong drinks…“

“Lunch was very good. Yesika (Jessica) was attentive and quick to fix a kitchen mistake. I recommend this if you are looking for something in Sarasota UTC area.“

“First I want to start by saying I am not easily impressed but every now & then the Universe will grant us an inside look at how things could be when we operate in LOVE & gratitude. I had to have my new car serviced & had a less than pleasant experience at the dealership. It threw me into a less than desirable energy. It affected me. My partner suggested to “let’s take a walk down the street and grab some coffee” (probably to calm me down). When we got to the coffee shop he looked up it was closed. The lights were off & we didn’t see anyone in there nonetheless he grab the door to see if it would open (it didn’t). I was upset that we now walked down a busy street (me wearing wedges) to get coffee and the place was closed. I started walking off when out of nowhere the door opens to the coffee shop & the most friendly face peaked out & said “We are closed but I can’t let you leave disappointed, come in & I will serve you”. I was in disbelief. The shop was clean, the lights were off and this man opened his shop JUST FOR US. He goes on to tell us that he is the owner of the shop and his employees had already left and that he hasn’t fixed coffee in over ten years but he was going to take our order anyway. He proceeded to make us our desired coffee (all 4 orders were specialty orders-not regular coffee) …. All 4 of us couldn’t believe it & to make it even more beautiful, all 4 of us said it was THE BEST COFFEE we had ever had….. seriously, hands down and there isn’t even a close second…. The coffee was AMAZING. He allowed us to come into his shop after he had already closed it down, dirtied it up for us, allowed us to sit inside and drink our coffee AND conversed with us for a good half hour, telling us of his bad car dealership experiences, his wife and just joking with us. Had a smile on his face THE ENTIRE TIME while making our coffee and talking to us. His name is Rami. He is the owner of Compa Craft Coffee & Cocktails & also owns the pizza place across from it (I believe it is called Origins). My takeaway- it only takes ONE PERSON, one energy to affect many. I went in there with a negative energy & left with a life lesson, a living, breathing example of how LOVE can change the masses and the best coffee I have ever had my entire life. THIS human is what I aspire to be and his energy is what I aspire to encompass. Rami changed 4 lives with only a smile & a giving heart and doesn’t even know it. ❤️“

“Sage never disappoints and we love how the chef always loves to change it up. Not only is the inside beautiful but phenomenal rooftop bar. And the wait staff are always top notch.“

“10/10 recommend! Rese is the best ask for her if you want great service 🩷“

“I had an excellent experience at sushi bay! Ayu, our server, did a fantastic job. She was attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed. The service was top-notch, and I will definitely be returning. Highly recommend!“

“Great overall speakeasy experience!“

“I had the pleasure of discovering this restaurant while in town from Chicago for business, and I’m so glad I did! As I was looking at the menu, the owner, Michelle, kindly approached me to see if I had any questions, which made me feel immediately welcome. I decided to step inside and try the special of the day.

Faith, my server, was absolutely wonderful and went above and beyond to accommodate all my requests. The Caesar salad and filet I had were among the best I’ve ever tasted—truly exceptional.

If you’re just looking for typical hotel food, stay there. But if you want an outstanding meal paired with warm, attentive service, you must come to Element. I would gladly return to this town just to dine here again.

Thank you for such a memorable experience!“

“Delicious food. Pizza 🍕 is so good. Friendly service.“

“Venice location: our 1st visit! Friendly service. Delicious burger and fries. Yummy chicken tacos. Love a la cart sides, so we can order what we want instead of wasting food we don’t want. Will be back many more times.“

“This place is my all time favorite. The lava rock is just a neat experience overall. They have a unique variety of sushi rolls as well. I’ve been there probably over 20 times and it’s just amazing. ❤️“

“Best brunch in town. We always recommend Made to out of town friends.“

“One of the best meals I've had! I'll be back for the Camarones Al Ajillo!!“

“Amazing food and staff!! Outdoor dining and inside.“

“The food and service is incredible here. The wait staff is always friendly and a great place to enjoy all that St.Armands circle has to offer. I recommend a pitcher of Sangria with a 1905 salad and cuban sandwich , have never had a bad meal yet.“

“This place is incredible! I felt like I was in Italy as far as food and atmosphere goes. Hands down best pizza I’ve ever had and all the pasta is homemade. The place was full of Italians, true Italians which is always a good sign. Highly recommend!“

“Most autenthic italian restaurant in town!“

“Bricks BBQ in Sarasota was an unforgettable dining experience! From the moment we walked in, we felt warmly welcomed by our waitress, Sasha. She was incredibly sweet, with a bubbly personality that made us feel right at home. Her recommendations were spot-on, and thanks to her, we had an amazing meal! The food was outstanding—true BBQ perfection. To top it all off, Carmen Forte Music set the perfect atmosphere with some fantastic live music. This place is a gem in Sarasota, and we can’t wait to come back. Highly recommend!“

“Best martinis ever….Stop by and see Henry!“

“Staff and food outstanding every time we come here. Nothing better than here.“

“Love this place. Great live music.“

“Visited Forked at Waterside twice this week. The first experience was for lunch. I choose the Polo Club and started my lunch with a Bloody Mary at the bar. Very attentive bartender as our server. The waffle fries were great as well. Several days later went with another group of friends for breakfast and again had great service. You will love their rather extensive menu ! Check it out you won’t be disappointed ! Enjoy !“

“We chose the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and it turned out to be an unforgettable experience from start to finish. Every member of the staff was exceptionally courteous and attentive, making us feel genuinely welcomed and celebrated. Our dinner at Jack Dusty was nothing short of extraordinary—elegant, delicious, and filled with thoughtful touches. The entire team went out of their way to wish us a happy anniversary, but it was Jennifer who truly made the evening magical. She orchestrated every detail with grace and precision: our glasses were never empty, our meals were perfectly prepared, and the pacing of the evening was flawless. Her warm smile and genuine care made us feel incredibly special, and her presence elevated the entire experience. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Jennifer and the entire Ritz-Carlton Sarasota team for making our anniversary celebration so memorable. Your hospitality and kindness will stay with us for years to come.“

“Wonderful service and delicious food Friday night. Table of 7. It was perfect.“

“Excellent food, atmosphere and staff. Britney is excellent and our new BFF!“

“Don’t go solo. I was seated in a corner used for extra chair storage away from the main part of Restaraunt. No one else at 2 tables. Plenty of empty tables in main part. Made me feel like I had BO oh well. Plenty of other places where they let you sit with everybody else.“