Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Venice Gardens

My wife and I enjoyed dinner at Michael's on East during our stay in Sarasota. The restaurant has a unique ambiance and an upscale atmosphere that makes for a pleasant evening out. The highlight of our experience was our waitress, Klaudia, who is originally from Hungary. She was surprised when I started speaking Hungarian, and that unexpected connection made our dinner much more enjoyable. Klaudia was attentive, personable, and a big reason why we left with positive memories of the evening. As for the food, it was a mixed experience. We started with the lobster bisque. At $26 a bowl, I was expecting something special, but it fell short of expectations. The soup was delivered by another staff member without spoons, and while the bisque was decent, I've honestly had better lobster bisque in Waterloo, Iowa. The bread service also had highs and lows. The Italian sourdough was very good, but the walnut raisin bread arrived cold in the center, suggesting it hadn't been warmed long enough after coming from storage. On the positive side, the wedge salad that Estee and I split was excellent. For entrées, my citrus soy-glazed Scottish salmon was very good, and my wife thoroughly enjoyed Michael's signature Blue Fin crab cakes. The cocktails were also enjoyable. My Manhattan was well made, and my wife’s virgin piña colada was flavorful and refreshing. Overall, Michael's on East delivered a pleasant dining experience with excellent service from Klaudia, a memorable atmosphere, and some very good menu items. While a few details missed the mark, especially considering the restaurant's reputation and pricing, the quality of service and several standout dishes made for an enjoyable evening. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Great service, good entrées, excellent salad, but a few disappointments kept it from being exceptional.

Impeccable service . Delicious selections. Our waiter Nick was on point. Respectful , conversational. Steaks cooked as expected. Oysters delightful

Excellent food and service! Scott took great care of us. We sat outside, it was our second time there. We'll definitely be going back, often!

This couldn't be a nicer restaurant! Although our anniversary was a month ago, we celebrated our 48th anniversary a second time at CW Prime Our server, Erin was delightful and efficient as could be. What a pleasure. The food was absolutely delicious. This is definitely our go to place for a special dinner once or twice a month.  restaurant The food was absolutely delicious.

We had a nice date night @ Flemings in Sarasota last evening. The food, wine and service by Courtney were excellent, and we look forward to returning in the bear future.