Best restaurants near me in Sarasota Springs, FL

What a great find! Tucked away in a strip mall but quite the gem! Food, service, drinks- all fabulous!

We visit Cooper’s Hawk often and always have a great experience. On this visit nothing has changed. Our wine came out quickly, appetizers were hot and delivered before the meal as expected. My husband had the pork chop and grouper from the “surf and turf” selection. He thought they were both delicious and served hot. I had my usual, soy salmon and was not disappointed. We had seen some of the reviews from a few days ago and expected delays…. Not so. Considering the busy time of year, Cooper’s Hawk has their act together.

Second visit, this time for the set menu on Christmas Day. A wide selection was available, including a halibut special. The lobster bisque was excellent, as was the duck a l’orange. The latter was better than the usual dish, since the sauce was served on the side, leaving the skin crispy, but the inside tender and moist. The halibut was also very good. In both cases, the portion size was very generous. Overall, an excellent experience and great value.

My only regret is that I don’t live closer so that I could experience this fabulous restaurant more often. Glenda took great care of us, and we sat outside on a beautiful night. I highly recommend the scallops, Caesar salad, the tuna entree and the skirt steak with plantains. This was a special anniversary for us, and the dessert- a chocolate confection of mousse with a hard chocolate shell- was divine. Thank you, Selva, for a memorable evening!

On Dec. 2nd, 13 of my friends met me at Connors in Sarasota to celebrate my birthday at 3 p.m. It was a total surprise to me. Our waiter was Isaah Mills...He handled all these women with ease and with a smile. He even cut my birthday cake and handed it to my friends. All of us commented about his personality and nice smile and his friendly manner. I just had to mention that about Isaah as frequently a diner does not experience such royal treatment. On December 24th, my husband and I went to Connors for an early dinner and again we were treated like royalty. Our waiter's name was Jake. He also was very friendly and made sure we did not need anything . I live in Venice and I have recommended Connors to everyone. I have lived here for 7 years and I have been to Connors 51 times and never once was disappointed with any meal or service. Happy New Year to all the nice people who work for Connors. Nan Miller