June 30, 2023, Two for dinner before theater at SRT that is so close you could throw a roll to it!! The restaurant is perfectly decorated and tastefully outfitted with table settings, silverware, plates and interior décor that just 'spanks' of elegance and fine dining. Service and attention to ALL details by "Grayson" was exceptional. He is witty, enthusiastic and knew the menu and all aspects of the place!! The bus service was also military, sleuthy and efficient. We started with some very nice breads/rolls and an oil dipping sauce. First Course was the Roasted Garlic Caesar which was VERY nice with luscious greens and nice dressing. 9/10 As well I had the Kale Salad with Toasted Almonds, Dried Cranberries, Sweet Potato and (I held the Goat Cheese), this was a very nice medley of ingredients and textures. I left off the goat cheese for a nice vegan/heart friendly course. 10/10 The mains / second course were the Fresh Catch (Mahi Mahi) w/ Honey Mango Salsa, Grilled Vegetables and Sriracha-Lime Sweet Potatoes that had a very properly cooked piece of fish. the zucchini and squash vegetables were nicely cooked and the sweet potatoes were also el dente firm and very enjoyable. 9/10 I got the Vegan Medley of Roasted Beets, Baby Carrots, Onion, Sweet Potato and Broccoli w/ Balsamic Reduction. This entrée arrived nice and hot! This was a very nice offering and I was happy to see it. I thought possibly a bit over roasted as the sweet potatoes on this entre were dry and hence a little 'tough'. If you look at the picture the carrots are a bit dark and a little dry. The beets were wonderful and they were cooked perfectly. I would definitely order this again, but I might ask if they could keep the veggies more crispy and less cooked. 6/10 We got the Three Course gig as it was just a few dollars more for the dessert. and so the crème brûlée was as expected and VERY smooth and silky 10/10 The Chocolate Mousse Cake was also very nice with a smooth and silky mousse but the cake might have been a little firmer or over baked just a bit? 8/10 Finally the live music was a real treat with a "Matt" on violin playing appropriate and recognizable compositions in a nice dining/background volume. The ambiance and experience here is first rate and the food and service up to the finest levels in Sarasota. YES, we will be back! read more

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An opportunity seized I'll start with the food. I had a three course meal, starting with their Roasted Garlic Caesar Salad, followed by Pasta Carbonara with Guanciale and Pecorino Romano and Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee for dessert. The salad was fine, light and fresh with a slightly creamy dressing. A very good start. I also liked my pasta main course. The homemade pasta was a little dense, each noodle about an inch and a half long, not hollow. While I'm just more used to spaghetti or penne noodles, this was still a very good dish, quite authentic. Finishing off with something sweet, the Crème Brulee was fantastic. After the savory carbonara it was a perfect ending. We liked the restaurant, it was renovated a couple of years ago by new owners. There are a few different seating areas, a patio, outdoors, and I think a couple of rooms inside. Anyway, we sat inside in the room with the bar and enjoyed listening to a lovely singer with a guitar as well as our food. Savor Sarasota is an annual event where lots of area restaurants offer fixed price (prix fixe) dining for a couple of weeks (6/1/23-6/14/23). For this year the prices are 25 for lunch and 40 for dinner. We seized on the opportunity, or used that as a reason, to finally have dinner at Bijou. It had been too long. read more

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Reserved a table on 2/6 for our anniversary dinner which was noted on our Open Table reservation. Sat at the bar for pre dinner drink and service was awesome. Service at the table was below average. Mozzarella schnitzel was unique and awesome. My wife's salmon was just OK. My rack of lamb was good but the Brussels sprouts were under cooked. Told our waitress, who cleaned them off our plate and took them back for additional cooking. Thought this was pretty tacky. Came back and still not completely cooked. When we were done, our waitress finally acknowledged our wedding anniversary and brought over two very small pours of champagne. Not what we expected from a high end restaurant. Will not be back. read more

We had dinner here on a Saturday night, before a performance at the Sarasota Opera. The restaurant is across the street from the Opera. Four of us had a terrific dinner. The food was superb, but the service was impeccable - attentive but not overbearing. The salads were large enough to share, and we had the kale salad with feta cheese and butternut squash. The bread served along with the water when we sat down was warm and delicious. We ordered four different entrees: shrimp and scallops with jasmine rice with green coconut curry sauce, grilled salmon with polenta and glazed garrots, vegetarian chili, and the roasted duck with a farro salad. They were all excellent but the duck entree was enough for two people. For dessert, we had an excellent maple cream tart, strong coffee and delicious mint tea. The ambiance was very pleasant and there was a pianist playing music in the background, but fortunately not so loud to prevent our conversation at our table. We will definitely return. The prices are on the higher side but reflects the sizes of the portions, and the terrific service. read more

Okay, so I've been to this place before and idk why I didn't post a review then... maybe because I wasn't as active with my Yelp review but this place most definitely neeeded one... Ambiance: very small quaint restaurant, it's supposed to be a "candy" place, but someone who's from LA, I'd say, wear as you place as long as you can pay... most definitely my motto Appetizers: we got the beef tartare, butternut squash, garlic roasted ceasar and escargot!! Just order the escargot!! They definitely know how to make it... I expect nothing less since it's a French restaurant Mains: I got the filet mignon with mushroom and herb risotto, but my MIL got the sword fish and my BIL got the portabella mushroom all I could account was delicious!! You cannot go wrong! Service: when I say my water never came in dry, should say a lot about the service. It was amazing!! Will most definitely come back again... read more

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The concierge at the Ritz suggested this restaurant for dinner and made us a reservation... we couldn't have been more pleased with their recommendation!! The minute we walked in it felt so modern, fresh and welcoming. We later found out that it was newly remodeled, explaining the fresh feeling. Our server Gabriel was exceptional! We can't say enough good things about him, but he didn't encourage us to start with the charcuterie board... phenomenal and honestly too much for 2 people (knowing we wanted entrees after!). We both ended up going with the filet as our entree, but we did try two of the 3 side dishes! Being WAY too full for dessert, we can let you know now that it's bc the food was so phenomenal we couldn't stop eating. We can't wait to go back and would recommend this to anyone that asked! read more

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We did the Savor Sarasota menu Apps were good - meatballs, scallop crudo, mozzarella 'schmitzel' - highlight of the meal. Entrees were nothing special - not well spiced - shrimp piri-piri, Cioppino. Dessert - caramel gelato , - yummy - the cake with cream cheese frosting -ok, not great. Not sure if we'll be back read more

A phenomenal duck dinner! I was very impressed with the quality of the duck, the cinnamon beets, and sautéed spinach. The service was fantastic as well. Certainly a gem of downtown Sarasota. The live piano player was a nice treat as well. I will certainly be back! read more

Bijou Garden Cafe - Roasted half duck with orange gastrique. - Wine Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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First visit and loved it. Family went last night 8/2/23. Server Diego was the best. Food was over the top and menu variety was great. We had (4) dishes consisting of Salmon, roasted Duck, Filet & pappardelle with short rib. Appetizers were caesar salad and colossal shrimp. All was over the top. Can't wait to return.... read more

Bijou Garden Cafe - Wine Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

A very pleasant lunch experience. Needed a break from work and a quiet lunch for 1. Had walked past Bijou Cafe and noticed their prix fixe lunch for $16. Made a reservation. Stepped up and was immediately seated. Dining room was quiet and exactly what I was looking for. Started with a glass of Chardonnay, the Le Jardin Cuvee Prestige Chardonnay. Perfect. From the Prix Fixe menu ordered the Soupe a L'Oignon. Very Good. You can't go wrong with melted Gruyere cheese. Was savoring every spoonful when server warned me that a large party had rented the other room and was about to place their food order. So she placed my lunch entree in prior to the large party. Greatly appreciated. Moules et Frites. Very Good. I ate every bite and dipped my bread in the white wine, garlic & butter. I had no room left for the frites. I was refreshed and ready to return to work. read more

Bijou Garden Cafe - Moules et frites - Wine Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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The cosmo was not very good as another reviewer stated. I think more people send it back or never order another. It's such a lovely restaurant, very good for conversations too. Service was good. The brussels sprouts were not cooked enough, and the salmon was over cooked as well. The server did tell me that they" cook" the salmon, so I should have said medium-medium well I guess. We were celebrating a wedding anniversary which they knew about, but did nothing more than pour a 1" glass of sparkling wine. read more

What's their hurry to pressure you to place your order, especially when you mention you would like to eat your 1st course, first??? I was a table of 1. I had more than an hour before I needed to leave, this after getting my first course and beverage. Seemed pushy. For a large size table, I get it. Not adaptable to the situation. Food I did have was very good. But I left after my first course. read more

Bijou is lovely! The atmosphere, staff and overall ambiance make it a favorite. The food has always been excellent and interesting. Tonight's Prime Rib was perfect, as well as the shrimp and scallops in a curry sauce. All six diners throughly enjoyed our meals! The staff is very attentive and eager to give suggestions and explanations. Always bring out guests here! read more

Smug. Condescending. Arrogant, as if they served palatable meals commensurate with their prices. Sterile (against all odds), even in an attractive edifice. Expensive. Amateurish. The smallest portions in each category; appetizers and entrees (are you kidding?), desserts. Where else can you order salmon medium rare and it is delivered well-done, no apologies necessary. And I am a woman who weighs one-hundred and five pounds. Ha. The fifteen-dollar (or more) salad. Three forkfuls. Plenty of great meals that will fill you nearby. Well, have three courses here and then dinner elsewhere. Consider this place as hungry for your money as a diner is for a casual, welcoming outing. Save your money and time. They do. read more

Excellent food, great service, great atmosphere, I don't go very often since they are located in downtown Sarasota...I understand they are doing renovations, so I don't know when they are open read more

Excellent food, made on premis. Dauphinois or French scalloped potatoes best in 100s of miles and plenty of it.

We were vacationing in Sarasota for Thanksgiving week, but we wanted to find a nice restaurant that would serve a traditional turkey dinner. Bijou Cafe did a masterful job. They start by bringing gougeres and rolls. We ordered two glasses of wine (Hook and Ladder Chardonnay), which was delightful. We started with a soup course (a la carte) of French onion soup and a delicious butternut squash soup. They had their regular menu plus a special Thanksgiving menu, so we both opted for the turkey platter. It was a huge helping of sliced turkey, with mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans (nice thin haricots verts), roasted carrots and a bit of sweet potato. Almost like home. We were so stuffed that we shared a single piece of pecan pie. They also bring out some house made chocolate truffles with the check at the end. The service was friendly and efficient. The place was very busy, so quite a few other diners must have decided to forgo the cooking. It was a great choice for a holiday meal. Other choices for the special menu included rack of lamb or a seafood plate. I heard several people at the next table ordering duck with Grand Marnier sauce. Everyone seemed very happy with their choices. read more

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We had a lovely lunch there - the food was great - a lamb pita special, a power bowl, a grouper sandwich (the baguette special), the crème brûlée. The cured salmon sounded interesting, but was a bit disappointing. The atmosphere was great, the service was good. But it was expensive. Be prepared to pay dinner prices for a light lunch. read more

Celebrated my anniversary dinner at Bijou Cafe. My overall impression on the food was mediocre. I learned the owners are from my home country, South Africa. The menu reflected a few South African inspired ingredients but nothing traditional. The food was quite normal, it wasn't amazing nor bad. For starters we had soup and for mains, I had the lamb shank and the wife had ravioli. The food was well cooked but lacked creativity. The decor is tacky and clearly needs an update, I felt like I was having dinner at a retirement function. Based on the type of food and interior design, it obviously caters to a senior market. I think it works well for location and the elderly seemed to embrace the out-of-date menu and decor. The service was top notch, the waitress made great recommendations and was well informed about the menu. read more

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How nice to find a restaurant with excellently prepared dishes, and most inviting atmosphere, and wait staff superbly trained. Our party of four all had a wonderful meal. Each entree was a hit - salmon, shrimp, duck, and chili. But what made the meal so special were how nicely set the tables were - and very well spaced - and the wait staff - courteous, attentive, not removing dishes prematurely (a bad practice at many restaurants). We weren't rushed, but were very well attended to and the meal was perfectly paced so we could make the opera with plenty of time. Thank you to the management. read more

4.5 stars. The food is always excellent. Crab cakes and piri piri shrimp are the best appetizers to go with. Shrimp has a little kick to them and are great to kickstart your meal. I've had a handful of old fashioneds here. They are ok. Closer to straight bourbon than they are to a true old fashioned but it doesn't turn me away. Lamb shank is probably the best dish I have had here and I will continue to order it. Large amount of food and cooked to perfection. read more

I am absolutely obsessed with their shrimp and crab bisque. It's thick and creamy with the perfect amount of sherry and cognac and a decent amount of crab. I thought Tommy Bahama had the best bisque till I tasted this one. I would give this place five stars on its bisque alone, but alas there's much more on the menu that factors into it. This is a senior's dream restaurant. It's quiet, old style fancy, bland food and staff is patient and pleasantly servile. It's reminiscent of an old banquet hall at a country club or perhaps the dining room on the Titanic. The food is beautifully presented and "safe"; it seems to cater to a crowd with an unadventurous palette for flavors by not being too exotic or strong in taste. My husband had the pepper steak, which was peppery and cooked well. The sauce was just bland. I had the chicken paillard, which was heavy with butter but nothing more. I've had brown butter sauce with rich flavor that I would drink it if it weren't so bad for you. (Anyone in DC must try the best chicken paillard at Carlyle!) The amuse bouche tasted like fruity cream cheese and the truffle treat at the end had a stronger refrigerator flavor than chocolate. The winning attributes of this restaurant besides the bisque is the service and outdoor tables. Everyone from the hosts to the servers were over-the-top helpful and pleasant. The restaurant also has a charming outdoor area to dine where you don't see much of the traffic going to Main. I noticed a large flat screen at the bar where it could be nice to enjoy the delicious pear martini and I must say the restrooms were sparkling. read more

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We had a delightful evening at Bijou. The food was excellent, the service perfect and the ambience most agreeable. I couldn't have had a nicer dinner experience and recommend Bijou highly to anyone who is seeking the same. read more

My wife and I have been frequent customers for ten years or so. We returned last night for the first time since the renovations were completed for our Romanic @ the Bijou date. Pros.. food was excellent the wine suggested, perfect... Cons... Gone is the Romantic European softly lit atmosphere with the cozy bar. The new atmosphere is like eating in a well lit dining hall ..gone are any attempts to share a Romantic dinner with your love . The old bar and wall are gone opening up the room to create a large well lit dining hall. The bar moved to the other large well lit dining room. Our table of two was positioned next to table of six whose conversation was a bit loud so gone was any attempt to have a romantic conversation/ dinner. When I asked the main desk if they could lower the lights... the girl answered sarcastically the lights are as low as they can be . The service was good but not great as the wait didn't give the bartender my wife's preferred drink recipe and did replace it. Food, excellent.. Atmosphere , None...Possible return, None Ron Tercyak read more

We happened to walk by this place on our way back to our hotel. Looked at the menu, and decided to give it a try. So happy we did! The food and the service are spectacular! We had the squash soup, the Caesar salad, lobster ravioli and swordfish. Even the bread was delicious. You could taste the freshness in every single dish. If we're ever back in Sarasota, we're definitely coming back to Bijou read more

This restaurant is definitely not what it used to be since it changed hands. Maybe with some time the level of service and food will be raised. read more

The food was AMAZING! Our server was Diego and he was so attentive. They have a seasonal menu so we will return.

Great happy hour and drinks. Very classy restaurant it's all white deco! Live piano! Definitely for a romantic date night

First visit to Bijou Garden Cafe this past Saturday evening. What a fabulous experience! Longtime server, Grayson, took excellent care of us, friendly, efficient, and gracious. Grayson spoke highly of the "bar chef" Patrick, who engaged with us on Bourbon options that we might like. We enjoyed the First Street Old Fashioned and the Always Have Pears Martini to start. Moved on to a delicious house Cabernet and my husband enjoyed another bourbon Patrick suggested. Now to the food! We shared the Colossal Shrimp Cocktail, huge shrimp, more like prawns! My husband found the Miso Salmon perfectly cooked and very tasty. I tried the Shrimp and Scallop dish with rice and an amazing coconut green curry sauce. Absolutely refreshing and spot on! Topped off with their special chocolate delight, Moon Pie, and we were in a definite food coma!! Kudos to Grayson, Patrick, the chef, the delightful piano player, and the whole friendly staff! Top Notch Restaurant Experience! read more

Insultory, management malfeasance. Where can you go for fine dining and be surcharged FIFTY CENTS for each dinner roll (after receiving one per diner for FREE)? Wow. Add One Dollar to my $160 dinner bill just to exercise managerial arrogance. Unbelievable. Our pre-theater dining will never again be at the Bijou. read more

Chef Chris has done it again with a new menu and updated interior. We loved his food!

Bijou Cafe is overall a nice restaurant. More upscale and in a nice part of downtown. I came here for my work's holiday dinner, with a reservation of 4 people. We waited at the bar and ordered cocktails once we got there about 10 minutes before our 7PM reservation. They told us they'd let us know when our table was ready. Once it reached closer to 7:30PM and we noticed that there were some empty tables, we went back up to the hostess and asked if our table was ready. They grabbed menus and led us to an outdoor table that was on the sidewalk, practically on the corner of the street. It seemed to me like they had honestly forgotten to seat us, and then put us at the table that was left outside. Our table was so far away that it almost felt like we weren't even dining at the restaurant itself... We ordered our food with our server, and went on our merry way chatting while we waited for our food. The wait time wasn't overly long, but I'll be honest, I was shocked at how unbelievably small the portion was. I ordered one of the pasta entrees, which is $20, and got a quarter filled large plate. Dessert sizes were even smaller. As surprised as I was by the amount of food, it overall was really delicious. Our server was attentive and personable as well, which is always nice. Overall, the food is good. Drinks were pretty solid. But I really wasn't a fan of our reservation being forgotten about and then having to sit on the corner of the sidewalk. I also think that there should be at least a bit more food for the prices that you are paying. Would I go back?Maybe if I have a fancy date or another work event. But on an average day, I couldn't justify it. 3/5 read more

Another gem has been added to the Sarasota dining scene. Sarasota has many restaurants, but only a few can be considered worthy of the 'dining' attribute...Bijou Garden Cafè definitely makes the cut. Our grandsons were visiting from New York so we wanted to make sure we brought them to a restaurant that would impress. The friendly welcome by the Hostess at the desk, and the elegantly appointed dining room were an indication that we had made the right choice. To start we ordered the Crispy Fried Calamari & Jalapeños with Lemon-Basil Remoulade for the table...excellent! As main course, 2 in our party had the Duck Confit over Purple Cabbage, I had the Lane Snapper with Citrus Gremolata, and the grandsons had the Shrimp Scampi and Boneless Pork Chop and Peach Chutney - every dish delicious and nicely presented. Portions are very generous. We skipped dessert...maybe next time! A shout out to our excellent server Daria, very knowledgeable about the menu and very pleasant...the perfect complement to a wonderful experience. We'll be back and recommend it highly. read more

This was the last night for the restaurant as the owner has chosen to retire. I'm glad that I was able to enjoy the delicious food offered here. I had the lamb shank - fall off the bone and the most delicious sauce. Daughter had crab cakes which were wonderful (I'm a Marylander so I'm particular about all things crab). Boyfriend had the burger which he said was average. The table shared a small au gratin potato which was outstanding. Dessert was a decadent brownie with raspberry sauce and vanilla bean ice cream declared perfection and creme brûlée was as close to Parisian deliciousness as possible. The staff were friendly and sad that things would be changing. read more

Sooooo disappointed in this year's thanksgiving dinner. We came here last year and it was amazing!! So much so that we had to come back again... but wish we didn't. The food quality and presentation was cafeteria style. Mashed potatoes and stuffing served with and ice cream scoop blob. Stuffing was grocery store corn bread stuffing with no added onions, celery, nuts, no added nothing. Turkey was bland. Cookie cuter style with a few dark meat pieces thrown on the plate. Not what we are accustomed to from this establishment. And then to make matters worse.. cream brûlée was undercooked and soupy. We were also very disappointed that their trade mark Gougères were no longer served. Sooo disappointed read more

Went for the Broadway Brunch. It was one of the worse experiences we've had to date. In short, this was a colossal waste of our time and money. There was no show for us to enjoy and the service and food were sub-par. So disappointing! AND embarrassing. No one from the restaurant's management even reached out to us. Inexcusable! The long version follows. Bijou's Broadway Brunch was advertised and we, along with our friends, were looking forward to this event. The event was advertised from 11am-3pm We had 11:30 reservations. We arrived a bit early and were shown to a table NOT in the room the show was being performed. We asked why and were told the performers would come to this room as well. (As the hostess seated every subsequent party in this front room each person complained.) We came for the show. We are not able to see or be part of the entertainment in this front room. We were told the entertainers would come to this room too. They did not! With the exception of an announcer saying they would, and an hour later, a singer sung part of a song and retreated to the main room. As if that wasn't disappointing enough ... In the meantime, a Server stopped by to take our drink order. After a while, a different Server stopped by for our drink order. When we told her someone had already taken it, she left to find out who and we were left with NO service at all. Around 1/2 hour or so later, I asked if someone would send a Server over. Finally our first Server returned. He took our order. Two at our table were served luke warm eggs benedict. My husband ordered bagel and smoked salmon. One half the bagel was toasted and cold and the other half was not toasted at all. I ordered 2 eggs over easy and was served eggs Benedict. My order was corrected and presented along with an untoasted English muffin and frozen butter. The breakfast potatoes were soggy/mushy. Seriously. The Bijou used to present wonderful fare with European service. What happened? read more

Bijou is one of Sarasota's hot spots. Because of it's location next to the Sarasota Opera House it has attracted an arts crowd for dinner. For lunch the room is filled with a "power lunch" crowed. It's fun to listen to tables talk about Sarasota gossip and business. The menu is good peppered with some creative flair. It changes by the season and right now there is a South African dish that is amazing. I just learned the owner is South African so it makes sense that he would have done the dish right. The drinks are always good pours and the staff is friendly. read more

Bijou Garden Cafe - Wine Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Our 16 year old daughter picked Bijou for dinner after her Confirmation. She said the escargot was the best she ever had and my rack of lamb was superb. Our server was one of the best we have ever had. Definitely give Bijou Cafe a try. We will be back. read more

We went to Bijou on a recommendation from my parents' friend and we were not disappointed! It was the last night of our honeymoon and we wanted something special - and we got it! The service was fantastic and the food was amazing (I got the Chicken Paillard, my husband got the Filet Mignon and we ordered a side of the special Pommes Gratin Dauphinoi, which were deliciously cheesy!). The waiter treated us to a complimentary dessert - complete with a huge candelabra! - in celebration of our honeymoon. My Riesling was crisp and delicious - exactly what I like! It was a bit noisier than we expected for a romantic restaurant, but we were still able to have a romantic dinner, as it wasn't THAT noisy. One of the better meals we've had! read more

Fresh, flavorful and plentiful. The food was simply terrific. We dined outside for lunch. Atmosphere was quaint. We had the flatbread and a seared tuna dish, both were fabulous. Coming back for dinner ! read more

Bijou Garden Cafe - Seared tuna - Wine Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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