Great place for breakfast. It is quaint, the service was friendly, the variety was plentiful and the food delicious. All at a cost that will not break the bank. If you are looking for a nice place to grab a quick bite to eat that will fill you up, I would recommend stopping by and telling them you found them on Yelp. We will be back. read more

Always our go to when we visit Sarasota from NJ! Today was no different! This was our 6th time here and we LOVE it! Food is DELICIOUS! Very reasonable and SUPER friendly staff! Highly recommend read more

Good, basic greasy spoon with standard items. Fast breakfast with large portions. Reasonably priced, and a good option if you're near St Armand's. read more

The food was great and the service even better - highly recommend! Had the eggs Benedict and the sauce was outstanding!

It has been awhile since my wife and I have been to the Sarasota/Lido Beach area, but one of our favorite Breakfast spots is still open so we knew where we were heading this morning for our Black Friday breaking of the fast. It is a misty morning and we were thankful to find a spot on Ringling Blvd. Just a few doors down from the Blue Dolphin. As we entered we were also pleased to see some open booths and seating at the counter, our preferred seating location. Friendly warm greetings, beverages ordered and a few moments looking over the specials and regular menu. I selected the Homemade Corned Beef hash with 2 eggs, Rye Toast and grits. A short wait and our food was delivered as ordered. Aft applying my favorite grape jelly to my Rye Toast, I dug in. The eggs were perfect over medium sitting on top of the hash. I got egg and hash in my first fork full. Tasty, but I almost aspirated some of the corned Beef hash as it was finally ground. Earlier visits had us enjoying chunky corned Beef hash, not the case now. (Picture coffee grounds size of hash). I cautioned my wife as she was eating her order of hash, she explained was a bit overdone as well. So next trip back, we are skipping the corned Beef hash and will select a different meat accompaniment with our meal. read more

Blue Dolphin Cafe - Toaster - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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A great small diner for some classic breakfast food. Not pictured: a heavenly biscuit. The Blue Dolphin Cafe is a tiny diner and a great find in St. Armand's circle. There are mostly booths and a counter for you to sit at. They have lots of pancakes and waffle options, but I'm more of an eggs and bacon gal myself. Everything was great and our serivce was good. read more

Blue Dolphin Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Super-friendly staff and decent menu. Don't look too closely at the details though, it's a little unsettling. Men's room ceiling tiles look like they have some type of infection on them so don't look up. Didn't enjoy walking to the restroom, that through hall area looks a little iffy. Probably hard to keep tidy during business hours but it should be. read more

Tried this cafe right after opening this morning, based off of the previous good reviews. Glad we did! Very welcoming traditional diner, we could see the cook preparing our meal. I ordered the make-your-own omelette with home fries. Hubby ordered the egg sandwich with grits. Both were a very generous portion and we couldn't finish either plate! Service was fantastic, one server and one cook for us early morning folks. Bathroom was quite small but clean. We would definitely come back, I have my eyes on the apple cinnamon French toast! read more

Blue Dolphin Cafe - Bar and kitchen area - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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We come to Blue Dolphin every time we come to the area. The service is the best around and the food is always great. We tried the corned beef hash today and it was awesome. We highly recommend this place for breakfast, we'll just have to try lunch sometime! read more

Excellent place to have breakfast when in Longboat Key! Such a nice change of pace from the overpriced hotels. Not a whole lot to choose from in this area so it's nice that the this place exceeded all my expectations. read more

Great food and fast. My husband had the breakfast burrito with potatoes. At least 2 while potatoes were cut up and fried in his plate plus a beautiful burrito. Highly recommend. read more

I ordered eggs with corn beef hash and pancakes. The pancakes were undercooked and the texture was odd. The corn beef hash was dry like crumbled paper. The ambiance and staff seemed tired. They don't have alternative milk options for your coffee. All around this was a sad breakfast experience. And at $70 for 2 people, including tip, I would not recommend this diner for breakfast. read more

The. Breakfast. Spot. They serve up quick, delicious meals. We have been coming here every January for about 5 years and they never disappoint. The breakfast wrap is chock full of black beans, chick peas, sour cream, lettuce, cheese, green onions, and more. It is a vegetarian's dream. And the homefries are large cut and seasoned to perfection. Get a hot tea and you are beyond stuffed for about 11 dollars. The perfect spot to begin your beach day on a full and content tummy/ read more

Came in based on the yelp reviews and we were not disappointed! The breakfast was fresh and delicious. My husband had the special wIth pancakes , eggs etc. and I had country fried steak and eggs. Both were great. The pancakes were so tender they melted in your mouth! By far the best breakfast we have had here so far! read more

Blue Dolphin Cafe - Country fried steak and eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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This is a desired place for breakfast and lunch and featured a line on a Saturday. Decent service. Good coffee. Great food with very large portions. Fluffiest omelet I've ever had. Downside? A general dirtiness pervades. Grossest bathrooms in town. I used one and my spouse another. She did the "hover" over the seat. Using soap seems like a lost cause because the sink, the mirror, the door, the floor; all so gross and dirty. Close shop for one day and do a deep clean, update the bathrooms and a little paint etc! It'd be worth it! read more

The food was awesome, service was quick and it is priced well. The biscuits and gravy were amazing.. definitely would come here again next time I'm in town. read more

Had a delicious breakfast just before leaving town. The ham, onions and green pepper omelette along with oatmeal was big enough to feed two people. Great food and service! Will be back again when I'm in the area. read more

Blue Dolphin Cafe - Steel cut oats with side of milk, raisins and brown sugar! Yum - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Great little breakfast place. Had the dolphin special w pancakes. Eggs. Potatoe and pancakes. Nice little place. Not for ambience but chill and good food. Enjoy nice job blue d read more

I was looking for a place to ah e breakfast after a morning an Lido Beach. I found the Blue dolphin. Good food, good service. Cute place

Wide variety of food items and everything ordered was delicious! French toast , omelettes, fruit,bacon, coffee and reasonably priced with huge portions. read more

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This is a cute little diner in St Armand's square. There are precious few options on this key for breakfast but they serve a good breakfast although service can be shotty. I've been here twice now for breakfast- both times I ordered a Benedict (different styles). I ordered the crab Benedict this latest time. I am a Benedict fiend so I have the good the bad and the ugly. This was good, nothing to write home about because although there was a HUGE and generous portion of fresh lump crab, it was flavorless. It was like the crab was just laid on the muffin right out of the fridge. I was expecting some old bay seasoning or something. My boyfriend ordered a skillet and was just "meh" about it. No foodie bells were being set off for my boyfriend or me so That's why I'm going with 3 stars. it's a good option if you want a break from resort food but don't come out of your way to eat here if you're on another key. read more

Blue Dolphin Cafe - Blue Crab Benedict. They don't fool around with the crab. Overflowing with real crab! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

The Blue Dolphin is another restaurant that is on my "moral imperative must dine here" list when I visit Lido Beach! During season and weekends, there will be a wait. It is a very small diner with limited seating. The food and service are definitely well worth the wait. The staff is very friendly, attentive, and quick! Brandon, our server was hilarious and we bonded over our traumatic visits to the coffee store that was located next door. We ordered the Blue-Fin Crab Eggs Benedict and the Corned Beef Hash. To die for! The fruit was fresh and the home fries and bacon were fried to the perfection. The cornbread was also very tasty and a huge portion. When visiting the area, I would highly recommend stopping in for a bite. read more

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I'm not a morning or a breakfast person, but this place has given me pause to reconsider. When planning a recent trip to Sarasota, friends recommended we try the Blue Dolphin Café. Given that it's located in rather posh St. Armand's Circle, I was worried it would be too upscale and my husband was concerned that it would be expensive. Our fears were for naught. Blue Dolphin Café has a casual, friendly atmosphere and value prices. The café serves both breakfast and lunch. We only had the opportunity to eat there for breakfast. Their breakfast is absolutely delicious! The food is high quality and fresh. I ordered the Fruit Topped Waffle; a Belgian waffle topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries and bananas, then generously crowned with whipped cream. It was a taste of heaven on a plate, truly. When I did the Yelp check-in on my phone, it displayed a message that I would receive a free beverage just for checking in. However, when I mentioned this to my server, he had no idea what I was talking about. You should have seen the look on his face when I told him that I'd just become the "Yelp Duchess of the Blue Dolphin Cafe." Anyway, he spoke with the manager and they straightened everything out. Despite that tiny mishap, the Blue Dolphin Café is absolutely our favorite breakfast place in Sarasota. read more

Blue Dolphin Cafe - Fruit topped waffle - heaven on a plate - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

It's standard to have to wait to be seated at the Blue Dolphin since it is so popular. We thought by arriving before 10 AM we would have been OK. But an Art Show on the circle was drawing many people with the same idea as us. We were told the wait would be at least 45 minutes for our party of two, even though we were willing to sit at the counter if space opened there before a table became available. There estimate was quite good. We were seated by 11 AM. The workers here are quite accustomed to a packed house and moved quickly to wait on customers and get their orders filled. One clever idea that I've never seen before, and I think every other restaurant should adopt, is to use different color coffee cups for regular and decaf. They poured the high octane java into white cups, and the decaf into black cups. There was no mistaking who was drinking what when they came around with refills. GREAT IDEA! Another sign of an efficiently run business is that the prices seemed odd, e.g., the coffee was $2.69. But I think there was a method to their madness. Once the State tax was added to our bill it came to an even $25. No coins to worry about and slow down the cashier. To get to that even $25 we each ordered the Blue Dolphin Special ($8.99 each) - Two eggs your way, two pancakes, two strips of bacon, and home fries. All of it was expertly prepared. Eggs came exactly as ordered, pancakes were nice and light and large, bacon was just the right crispness. Service was courteous, efficient, and friendly. A great place for breakfast all day (they close at 2 pm). read more

Not sure why this is the number 1 breakfast spot. Homemade corn beef was horrible. Bell peppers no seasoning. Potatoes were chunks of undercooked potatoes. Service was subpar had to move to a better server. Frenchs ketchup. Really terrible. Cold toast cold restaurant my advice skip it. read more

Blue Dolphin Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Fan-freakin-tastic! We are new to the Longboat Key area and came for brunch. We were so impressed!! I was so hungry and a little nervous that the egg sandwich might not be enough food... well I was pleasantly surprised! The egg sandwich was covered with cheddar and had a lot of really delicious bacon on it! The breakfast potatoes are awesome too! Coming here will definitely be a new family tradition whenever we visit the family condo down the street! Soooo yummy! read more

Blue Dolphin Cafe - Bacon cheddar and egg sandwich. SO GOOD! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

When you take into account the location, the meal (bfast) and the wonderful staff, their Blue Dolphin Special is the best breakfast deal in the whole gosh darn US. I hadn't been here in 7 months. I walked in and was greeted with a "Hey, it's been a while, how have you been?" WOW! I mattered. The staff here is top noch. read more

Food average. OJ claimed to be fresh squeezed but it was not. Service average. I would find a better place.

Fantastic breakfast and made super fast! Very attentive staff, family owned and run. Thank you!

Small, busy cafe in an expensive neighborhood, with moderate prices and great food. Seems to cater more to locals than tourists. Staff eager to please and accommodate special needs. Great pancakes & scrambled eggs. Amazing potatoes. Eager to come back and try other selections. read more

Came here for lunch today, as I'm in town for a conference. It is a divey mom and pop type cafe/diner located in the circle with lots of shops and restaurants. There is plenty of free parking. The service was very friendly and fast. Most everything on the lunch menu is $10 or less and the portions are good. There were many good looking items on the menu and it was hard to choose what to order. I ordered the Ruben sandwich with the Thousand Island on the side as I prefer to put deli mustard on my Ruben instead. The sandwich comes with a side and a pickle spear. I got the fries as my side. The Ruben was excellent, with the corned beef being very flavorful. The fries were crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside and well seasoned. I would definitely come back if I find myself in the area again. read more

Blue Dolphin Cafe - Ruben sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

A frequent stop, especially when on longboat key. It's a friendly place, prompt service and enough choices on the menu that I can always find something. We have gone their with three different generations of the family. Hoping to bring the next generation soon. Love it. The price is right too!!! read more

Excellent Breakfast! We enjoyed the blue dolphin special Fast friendly service! Don't miss this spot in St. Armands circle on Lido key! read more

Highly recommend this place! Gets busy but worth the wait. My friend had the "all in the kitchen omelette" I had the Blue Dolphin Special, eggs, pumpkin pancakes ($1 to upgrade to these) bacon & home fries. Friendly service and prices up to par. read more

Blue Dolphin Cafe - "All in the kitchen" omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Great for breakfast. I really enjoyed the corned beef hash. Reasonable prices.

Many folks waiting out front but wait went quickly- sent my daughters down to Apricot Lane to look around while I held our place and we were called within 15 minutes. Even with folks waiting, the staff does not make you feel rushed at all. A wonderful dining experience - and they serve Local Tea! Can get Vermont Maple Syrup for a slight add-on, which my daughter enjoyed on her fruit-laden Belgian waffles. Other daughter had French toast and brought some home from the large serving- and I recommend the omelet with grits and toast and home fries. $40 for breakfast for 3 at St. Armand's seems about right to me, and of course we didn't eat again until dinner. We will be back- great food in a lovely local joint. Staff was fantastic. read more

Small cafe that was very busy. Good sign. All booths were full. The hostess suggested that we sit at the bar. We received immediate attention which was nice. I ordered the blue dolphin Café special scrambled eggs with Swiss cheese an hotcakes bacon and potatoes.When mine came no Swiss cheese. but they fixed it in just a couple minutes. Overall great experience. Highly recommend this for breakfast. read more

Blue Dolphin Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Diner food done right! We ate here for the second time today. This place is exactly what you want if you're looking for a stellar diner brunch. No fancy decor, but nice, simple and clean inside. The staff seriously hustles but is also friendly and doesn't make you feel rushed even when there's a line. The food came out quickly despite it being packed on a Saturday morning. The food itself was delicious. Nothing fancy, but you shouldn't be coming here if you're looking for fancy. Coffee was tasty. I had the spinach and feta omelette, which had a ton of both spinach and feta in it, and was perfectly done. The home fries were crispy without being burnt. The SO ordered the luau French toast special. Coconut, pineapple and caramel on top. Quite the treat! I may have had more than a few bites. We got coffee refills to go. We didn't order any booze but I did see one of the servers make a mimosa and they do not skimp on the bubbles! read more

Some work friends and I were down in Sarasota to visit some Target stores and we were staying near the Blue Dolphin. I had read reviews on Yelp and this seemed like a great spot for a great breakfast. It is fairly small inside, probably seats about 75 inside. We got there early for the area, about 7:30. We took up two booths and I ordered a Diet Coke, which was refilled multiple times. Plus! I ordered off the special menu, a blue crab omelet, which came with wonderful rye toast out of a slew of options and I asked to substitute grits, which was no problem. (Love the grits when I am in the south, since you really don't see them in Minnesota too often. I added the Blue Dolphin hot pepper sauce to them and they were fantastic! They had about 5 different Blue Dolphin sauces you could pick from just sitting on the table.) Yummy, just the right amount of kick to their hot sauce! The service was fantastic, always attentive and the food was brought out quickly. The servings were huge, but my only complaint and the reason that it didn't get 5 stars, is that I could barely tell there was blue crab in there. I am sure it isn't cheap, but if I knew it would be pretty sparse, i would have gone with the "Everything" omelet. They actually asked if I wanted butter on my toast, which I did not, and they complied. Awesome! Everyone on the team loved their stuff, my buddy ordered the Belgium Waffle and he was very pleased with how much fruit came out on it. He commented that there were like 2 full bananas even cut up for it, as well as a ton of other fruit. The prices were reasonable and my only other complaint is that they didn't take American Express, which is our corporate credit card, so it is just an extra hassle when we get back to the office to take care of expenses. Overall, for a tourist trap area of the city, we all loved this place! read more

We thought the long line outside waiting for a seat meant this place was going to be great. After waiting 25 minutes, we were seated in a booth and promptly provided coffee. The menu is extensive, with many good choices. Maybe the three of us chose wrong by ordering omelettes, because we were all disappointed. Although they are very large, they are tasteless. I had a western, and there was very little onion and pepper. The Swiss cheese was bland, but the ham was fine. I also had a grilled biscuit, which was over grilled, and therefore very dry. My fellow diners had toast and it was the same way, crumbling everywhere. Service was good, just hoping we ordered the wrong items and that others are better choices. read more