Manhattan Bar & Grill

This is a great bar, often not that crowded with a nice covered outdoor patio, decent food and good drinks. This is the kind of place were they know how to make a drink, if you know what I mean. I dig.

My mom lives not far from this restaurant and is a regular. So whenever we visit, we end up here at least once. I’ve never been a big fan, but there are always lots of people in this place — especially seniors in early for the dinner specials.
Earlier this week, during a short visit to Sarasota, we went here again. It’s under new ownership and I’ve got to say the place has improved significantly. Now remember, this is a place that caters to the senior crowd in terms of food, and the cheap drinker crowd in terms of cocktails — don’t expect this place to ever be a lot more than that…
Saying that, my mom had the $ 9.95 Tilapia dinner special. She got a large, crisp Caesar salad, A big portion of steamed cauliflower, a good-​sized fluffy baked potato, and a really large hunk of tilapia — a little over-​cooked for my taste, but she though it was perfect. All in all, I think she’d give her dinner at least 4 stars.
Me, I messed up and paid $ 14 for an over-​cooked frozen battered hunk of fish purported to be grouper, a load of shoestring potatoes, and a small bowl of chopped cabbage that was supposed to be cole slaw.
The place is clean — there are a lot of dinner specials, and they allow smoking out on their deck. Service is good, and the staff caters to the seniors pretty much.
I would have rated this two stars if it hadn’t been for my mom’s pleasant experience.

Living in the shadows of the newly opened Big Al’s restaurant Manhattan Bar and Grill is an often overlooked lunch destination around our office. Regardless of the closed appearance from the outside one should step foot into this gem to enjoy all that they have to offer. I highly recommend starting with the French Onion soup as it is some of the best I have ever eaten. The steak sandwiches and burgers are good choices as well.
You should also ask for a seat at one of Shannon’s stations when you come in. She is one of the most «friendly» server’s I have ever had the pleasure of being serviced by. Be sure to tell her that the guys from GF said «Hello». And hey, if you can build a good website she might have just the «job» for you. Overall the prices are fair, the food is good, and I recommend this spot for those looking for a quick lunch or a «stiff one» at the bar.