My partner and I came here for our Valentines celebration. We raved the entire time over just how amazing this place is. The atmosphere is busy, but didn't take away from the intimacy shared between my beautiful date and I. They had a violinist who was impeccable & our server was attentive and accommodating. Everything I could have ever asked for in a romantic dinner date. The food was tasty, I got the burger. It takes a lot for a burger to impress me but it was delicious. Highly recommend for casual dinning, or a celebratory event. We will come back
kathryn meeks
Sonata has great potential by virtue of location alone. But they missed the mark on brunch. In addition to the frigid temperature in the dining room that made dining uncomfortable, the French toast was soggy, looked uncooked & unappetizing. One diner sent hers back & it didn't improve. An hour after they opened, Lobster Benny was no longer available. Hot tea was not available. Service was lackluster. After reading the reviews on dinner, we were really looking forward to dining here. It was a huge disappointment.
Robert Mccurdy
We received the best service and the food was delicious. There are many trips back in our future
CrystalK
Food was just okay on this visit and for the price not worth it. Exotic mushroom salad had nothing exotic. Server was attentive and pleasant. Piano music was much lower and enjoyable. Love looking at the water but having no screen to the theaters production and shows find distracting and makes you feel as your in a hotel lobby restaurant. For the price they are charging will be shocked if it makes it if they don't make some changes unfortunately.
Nana Nanna
The food is amazingly delicious perfectly seasoned and perfectly prepared deserts were fantastic who ever is preparing these meals Wow outstanding!!!!! Made with love! Presentation on point!
Cathy Kielar
Excellent Service. Jamie was the Perfect Server Ordered the Gasparilla Salad which was delicious. Atmosphere is so welcoming. Highly recommend
TVernon
Sonata was a wonderful pre-concert treat! The staff were all attentive and friendly. The food was so delicious! They have really transformed the space in the Mahafee theater into a beautiful restaurant. It is a wonderful restaurant on its own, whether you are attending a concert or not.
joylaine
As a first timer, I was looking forward to dining at Sonata before the show. I had the lobster bisque and the Gasparilla salad. The salad was delicious, but pricey. The lobster bisque was a disappointment. It was a thick brown sauce and a couple of very small pieces of lobster. The portion was barely a half cup—certainly not $14 worth. When it came to dessert, I ordered the key lime pie and coffee. The coffee came, but the pie didn't. After about 15-20 minutes, we flagged down our server who informed us that they were out. We ordered the red velvet cake. Same thing happened. At this point the server offered a piece of cheesecake on the house. I think I'll wait a while before trying them again.
RainbowEnergy
Mahaffey Theater's new, upscale, expensive Sonata Restaurant needs a new maestro. Before attending Rick Steves' Europe: A symphonic Journey with the Florida Orchestra, I decided to check out the Sonata's brunch offerings. I sent back two disappointing 'Sammys' and refused to pay for the lukewarm coffee after they could not even get the 2nd cup hot. Their short-rib, grilled-cheese 'sammy' wasn't grilled!?! It looked and tasted like microwaved filling of BBQ short rib meat and mild cheeses (that you could not taste) on barely toasted white bread (which tasted and looked like stale bread). So I sent it back and ordered their version of Roast Beef on Kimmelweck. I am from Buffalo, NY, the home of Beef on Weck, but I enjoy chefs adding creative touches to the basics, so I gave it a try. A Kimmelweck roll is a kaiser roll topped with coarse salt and caraway seeds. Sonata's roll is a Brioche hamburger roll with a bit of salt and no caraway seeds. (What is with these soft sweet rolls being served with everything?) Expecting Boarshead medium-rare roast beef piled high, I was served instead dry, tasteless, tan Arby's-like roast beef with a soggy fried green tomato tucked in. I did not have the heart to even get a doggy bag for my pup, so I sent it back. I decided to try and save the day with dessert and went with the chocolate, coffee-caramel something and coffee. The small dessert bowl of chocolate something was served in the middle of a beautiful, 4" rimmed plate and garnished with fresh mint , a whipped cream tower and some kind of drizzle around it. I was thinking mousse, creme brûlée, but got chocolate pudding with no hint of coffee or caramel for $16. The $16 gin cocktail with a hint of watermelon and lime and topped with champagne was delish. So for $45 (cocktail, pudding, tax and tip), I enjoyed a great cocktail and boring chocolate pudding on a lovely dinner plate with a beautiful view, overlooking St Pete's Marina. Dining out is becoming an obstacle course, trying
MemphisMary
Fantastic experience and food! Chef Ted has done it again! We had octopus, fried burrata, and bread with dipping sauces for appetizers. For main courses the scallops, steak, salmon and the braised short rib with coconut curry mashed purple potatoes was awesome. BRAVO Sonata❤️??
We had an amazing dinner here! I had read some good reviews & some meh reviews. So we weren't sure what to expect. Pleasantly surprised that everything from the service to the drinks & dinner were excellent & worth every penny! It is chilly as I've read in other reviews so bring a jacket & get ready for some amazing food!
Lisa F.
If you want Fantastic service, an elegant atmosphere and excellent food, you can't beat Solano. We went for a big anniversary and were treated so well. Alonzo, the bartender, who was also serving as our waiter on a quiet weekday evening was gracious, said "yes" to he an appetizer special request, personable and efficient. He did not hover, but was there whenever we needed him. We started with cocktails. He said he would make my Manhattan extra special - I don't know what he did but it was extraordinary! For entrees, we had the monkfish and the scallops. Both were beautifully prepared, heated to perfection and delicious. The assistant manager stopped by to wish us a happy anniversary and make sure that all was well. Highly recommended for special occasions. And what day here in St. Petersburg is not a special occasion?
Skye R.
My boyfriend and I had the loveliest date night at Sonata. It was a little belated Valentines date for us, and it couldn't have been more dreamy. We heard about this restaurant through Instagram, it was showcasing the moon art installation and man did it live up to the imagery in the videos and pictures! When we arrived there was a little bit of a wait despite having a reservation, it was only about 15 minutes and we didn't mind because there's a little walk-up bar in the waiting area so we decided to grab a drink and take pictures of the stunning piece of art. The moon is huge, unmissable right when you walk in the restaurant and also easily seen from any table on the 2nd floor where Sonata dining takes place. Once we were seated we were promptly greeted by our waiter, he seemed very knowledgeable about the menu and was quick to give us recommendations based on what we said we liked - he was very attentive and we really loved that. To start the night we ordered the Spreads & Breads and the Braised Short Rib Eggrolls along with a bottle of pinot noir, Belle Glos 'Clark & Telephone' - the wine was fantastic and the spreads and breads is worth going back for on it's own - the gorgonzola fondue that comes out with this platter might be one of my favorite dipping sauces of all time. It's delicious. The eggrolls were tasty as well, but definitely a second to the spreads & breads. For our meals we ordered the Australian Wagyu Burger and the Crispy House Smoked Duck - both of these entrees were mouth watering and we would 100% order them again. The wagyu burger had fantastic flavor and melted in your mouth, that's one hell of a burger. I'm a HUGE duck lover and this crispy smoked duck did not disappoint - the duck itself fell off the bone, it was so flavorful and it paired perfectly with the goat cheese gnocchi and roasted root vegetables - the combination was my ideal dinner meal. We had to order dessert, because the ambiance was so nice we just wanted to savor everything, we ordered the cinnamon swirl cheesecake - if you enjoy cheesecake there's no way you won't love this. It's a perfect shareable size. There was a violinist/pianist/vocalist performing through the night and it really made the restaurant come alive - she was magnificent. Our service the entire night was nothing short of incredible - our waiter was super nice, very personable, and it made the evening feel even more perfect than it already was - service like that is worth noting and he really set the bar high. He also offered to take our pictures for us (without seeming the least bit bothered by it, which isn't always the case) with the art installation of the moon and he knew quite a bit about the installation and wowed us with some facts about the art that we didn't know or read about online! This is a perfect spot for a romantic evening, I would definitely recommend.
Kim C.
Paying a lot for a massive moon, live piano music, small portions and bragging rights. Service was good, but his super attentiveness was a bit creepy. I just don't fit the elitist mold, even though we have the elitist paychecks. $47 is too much for 5 quarter size scallops, 1/2 cup starch and some veggies. I could have made the meal easily at home.
Mike McKeon
It was absolutely fabulous. Be prepared for the prices, but was worth it. Aiden was a great server and the food and drinks were GREAT!
My partner and I came here for our Valentines celebration. We raved the entire time over just how amazing this place is. The atmosphere is busy, but didn't take away from the intimacy shared between my beautiful date and I. They had a violinist who was impeccable & our server was attentive and accommodating. Everything I could have ever asked for in a romantic dinner date. The food was tasty, I got the burger. It takes a lot for a burger to impress me but it was delicious. Highly recommend for casual dinning, or a celebratory event. We will come back
Sonata has great potential by virtue of location alone. But they missed the mark on brunch. In addition to the frigid temperature in the dining room that made dining uncomfortable, the French toast was soggy, looked uncooked & unappetizing. One diner sent hers back & it didn't improve. An hour after they opened, Lobster Benny was no longer available. Hot tea was not available. Service was lackluster. After reading the reviews on dinner, we were really looking forward to dining here. It was a huge disappointment.
We received the best service and the food was delicious. There are many trips back in our future
Food was just okay on this visit and for the price not worth it. Exotic mushroom salad had nothing exotic. Server was attentive and pleasant. Piano music was much lower and enjoyable. Love looking at the water but having no screen to the theaters production and shows find distracting and makes you feel as your in a hotel lobby restaurant. For the price they are charging will be shocked if it makes it if they don't make some changes unfortunately.
The food is amazingly delicious perfectly seasoned and perfectly prepared deserts were fantastic who ever is preparing these meals Wow outstanding!!!!! Made with love! Presentation on point!
Excellent Service. Jamie was the Perfect Server Ordered the Gasparilla Salad which was delicious. Atmosphere is so welcoming. Highly recommend
Sonata was a wonderful pre-concert treat! The staff were all attentive and friendly. The food was so delicious! They have really transformed the space in the Mahafee theater into a beautiful restaurant. It is a wonderful restaurant on its own, whether you are attending a concert or not.
As a first timer, I was looking forward to dining at Sonata before the show. I had the lobster bisque and the Gasparilla salad. The salad was delicious, but pricey. The lobster bisque was a disappointment. It was a thick brown sauce and a couple of very small pieces of lobster. The portion was barely a half cup—certainly not $14 worth. When it came to dessert, I ordered the key lime pie and coffee. The coffee came, but the pie didn't. After about 15-20 minutes, we flagged down our server who informed us that they were out. We ordered the red velvet cake. Same thing happened. At this point the server offered a piece of cheesecake on the house. I think I'll wait a while before trying them again.
Mahaffey Theater's new, upscale, expensive Sonata Restaurant needs a new maestro. Before attending Rick Steves' Europe: A symphonic Journey with the Florida Orchestra, I decided to check out the Sonata's brunch offerings. I sent back two disappointing 'Sammys' and refused to pay for the lukewarm coffee after they could not even get the 2nd cup hot. Their short-rib, grilled-cheese 'sammy' wasn't grilled!?! It looked and tasted like microwaved filling of BBQ short rib meat and mild cheeses (that you could not taste) on barely toasted white bread (which tasted and looked like stale bread). So I sent it back and ordered their version of Roast Beef on Kimmelweck. I am from Buffalo, NY, the home of Beef on Weck, but I enjoy chefs adding creative touches to the basics, so I gave it a try. A Kimmelweck roll is a kaiser roll topped with coarse salt and caraway seeds. Sonata's roll is a Brioche hamburger roll with a bit of salt and no caraway seeds. (What is with these soft sweet rolls being served with everything?) Expecting Boarshead medium-rare roast beef piled high, I was served instead dry, tasteless, tan Arby's-like roast beef with a soggy fried green tomato tucked in. I did not have the heart to even get a doggy bag for my pup, so I sent it back. I decided to try and save the day with dessert and went with the chocolate, coffee-caramel something and coffee. The small dessert bowl of chocolate something was served in the middle of a beautiful, 4" rimmed plate and garnished with fresh mint , a whipped cream tower and some kind of drizzle around it. I was thinking mousse, creme brûlée, but got chocolate pudding with no hint of coffee or caramel for $16. The $16 gin cocktail with a hint of watermelon and lime and topped with champagne was delish. So for $45 (cocktail, pudding, tax and tip), I enjoyed a great cocktail and boring chocolate pudding on a lovely dinner plate with a beautiful view, overlooking St Pete's Marina. Dining out is becoming an obstacle course, trying
Fantastic experience and food! Chef Ted has done it again! We had octopus, fried burrata, and bread with dipping sauces for appetizers. For main courses the scallops, steak, salmon and the braised short rib with coconut curry mashed purple potatoes was awesome. BRAVO Sonata❤️??
Restaurantji Recommends
We had an amazing dinner here! I had read some good reviews & some meh reviews. So we weren't sure what to expect. Pleasantly surprised that everything from the service to the drinks & dinner were excellent & worth every penny! It is chilly as I've read in other reviews so bring a jacket & get ready for some amazing food!
If you want Fantastic service, an elegant atmosphere and excellent food, you can't beat Solano. We went for a big anniversary and were treated so well. Alonzo, the bartender, who was also serving as our waiter on a quiet weekday evening was gracious, said "yes" to he an appetizer special request, personable and efficient. He did not hover, but was there whenever we needed him. We started with cocktails. He said he would make my Manhattan extra special - I don't know what he did but it was extraordinary! For entrees, we had the monkfish and the scallops. Both were beautifully prepared, heated to perfection and delicious. The assistant manager stopped by to wish us a happy anniversary and make sure that all was well. Highly recommended for special occasions. And what day here in St. Petersburg is not a special occasion?
My boyfriend and I had the loveliest date night at Sonata. It was a little belated Valentines date for us, and it couldn't have been more dreamy. We heard about this restaurant through Instagram, it was showcasing the moon art installation and man did it live up to the imagery in the videos and pictures! When we arrived there was a little bit of a wait despite having a reservation, it was only about 15 minutes and we didn't mind because there's a little walk-up bar in the waiting area so we decided to grab a drink and take pictures of the stunning piece of art. The moon is huge, unmissable right when you walk in the restaurant and also easily seen from any table on the 2nd floor where Sonata dining takes place. Once we were seated we were promptly greeted by our waiter, he seemed very knowledgeable about the menu and was quick to give us recommendations based on what we said we liked - he was very attentive and we really loved that. To start the night we ordered the Spreads & Breads and the Braised Short Rib Eggrolls along with a bottle of pinot noir, Belle Glos 'Clark & Telephone' - the wine was fantastic and the spreads and breads is worth going back for on it's own - the gorgonzola fondue that comes out with this platter might be one of my favorite dipping sauces of all time. It's delicious. The eggrolls were tasty as well, but definitely a second to the spreads & breads. For our meals we ordered the Australian Wagyu Burger and the Crispy House Smoked Duck - both of these entrees were mouth watering and we would 100% order them again. The wagyu burger had fantastic flavor and melted in your mouth, that's one hell of a burger. I'm a HUGE duck lover and this crispy smoked duck did not disappoint - the duck itself fell off the bone, it was so flavorful and it paired perfectly with the goat cheese gnocchi and roasted root vegetables - the combination was my ideal dinner meal. We had to order dessert, because the ambiance was so nice we just wanted to savor everything, we ordered the cinnamon swirl cheesecake - if you enjoy cheesecake there's no way you won't love this. It's a perfect shareable size. There was a violinist/pianist/vocalist performing through the night and it really made the restaurant come alive - she was magnificent. Our service the entire night was nothing short of incredible - our waiter was super nice, very personable, and it made the evening feel even more perfect than it already was - service like that is worth noting and he really set the bar high. He also offered to take our pictures for us (without seeming the least bit bothered by it, which isn't always the case) with the art installation of the moon and he knew quite a bit about the installation and wowed us with some facts about the art that we didn't know or read about online! This is a perfect spot for a romantic evening, I would definitely recommend.
Paying a lot for a massive moon, live piano music, small portions and bragging rights. Service was good, but his super attentiveness was a bit creepy. I just don't fit the elitist mold, even though we have the elitist paychecks. $47 is too much for 5 quarter size scallops, 1/2 cup starch and some veggies. I could have made the meal easily at home.
It was absolutely fabulous. Be prepared for the prices, but was worth it. Aiden was a great server and the food and drinks were GREAT!