37 Best Cocktail Bars in Sarasota

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

“Food is off the chain delicious . Absolutely loved our first time there ! Great server in Alaura too!! 10/10“

“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“

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

“Authentic location, awesome atmosphere, strong drinks…“

“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.“

“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 🥳“

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

“Oh my goodness, Sarasota has finally stepped up its game with this phenomenal restaurant. Not only was the food absolutely incredible, the service and the presentation was top notch. Prashanth was our server and he also gave us top notch service. even the other staff members came to talk with us and see if we needed anything. We will be back. Run don't walk to try this delicious place“

“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.“

“What an amazing hidden gem! Aidan was incredible, taking care of every table with ease, and PJ was so personable and friendly. The cocktails are truly unique and delicious, and the food was generous and full of flavor. Cozy, welcoming, and unforgettable. We'll definitely be back!“

“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!“

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

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

“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. ❤️“

“I have been to several locations, all have there own cool vibe to them! Food is excellent! Drinks well balanced! Sunday Brunch is a must!“

“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!“

“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.“

“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.“

“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!“

“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!“

“Love this place. Great live music.“

“My husband and I had a delicious dinner and superb service by Julie our server. We always look forward to our dining experience at Caragiulos.“

“The service was great. The Cuban bread and stuffed pepper appetizer was amazing. My seafood cannelloni was great. My companion found the beef tips overly salty, which they offered to re-do, and brought a complimentary flan as well. A beautiful setting!“

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

“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 stayed at the Ritz for our vacation in sarasota. And ate at the restaurant for lunch one day. They have an exceptional seafood menu. My husband got the fish tacos and very much enjoyed them. I'm vegetarian and the options were limited but the bartender was kind enough to discuss with the chef options to help accommodate my dietary restrictions and they made vegetarian tacos. Which was such a nice gesture. The tacos were filled to the top and the flavors actually worked well. They bar tender was great!“

“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.“