There was a lot of give and take at this place, landing me on four stars. The great parts... 1) the gluten free zucchini fries. I don't know the last time I had anything fried with my gluten free diet. It was such a treat and they were really good! 2) knowledge of our server on gluten free options. While there wasn't a gluten free specific menu, she did know her stuff which made my selections easy. She explained the zucchini fries are fried in rice oil separate from the normal friend things and coated in a rice flour. Win! 3) my poke tuna bowl. It came with a fair amount of tuna and everything was so fresh tasting. I liked the sweet chili sauce and was glad that was gluten free since I had to skip the soy sauce. The closer-to-3-stars things...1) my husbands burger was rated by him as just good, not great. 2) my husbands cocktail was also given a good, not great review by him. 3) wish my poke bowl would have had a base of nice shredded lettuce or something. While I loved most of the ingredients I wasn't a huge fan of the black rice. I would come once more and try some other dishes before deciding how repeatable this place is. But it was overall delish, nice outside seating area, and again I really appreciated our server's help with my dietary needs. read more

Boca - Poke Tuna Bowl - New American Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Went on a week night so it was pretty slow. To begin with, the menu was filthy and booth seat hadn't been cleaned, following what looked like children sitting there. That is an immediate turn off for me. Leaves me wondering about the cleanliness of the kitchen. Waiter was nice, but pretty unavailable. Had the poke bowl which was very good, husband had the short rib tacos which he said were tasteless. Overall, cool place, but a one and done for us. read more

We started at the bar for a drink while waiting for the rest of our dinner party to arrive. The bartender was efficient and friendly. When we were seated, the hostess sat us at a high top right next to the kitchen and food station. Since it was our daughter's birthday and we had a reservation, we asked to be seated in a different location. The hostess was very accommodating and sat us at an outside low top. The waiter was very friendly, he was new to the states so his English was interesting. Once we notified him of my wife's hearing impairment, he sat down ear level with her and slowly described the specials. We ordered Fried Green Tomatoes and Lobster Wontons for the table then two of us got the filet mignon, I got the OMG Burger and my daughter's boyfriend got the Sweet Potato Gnocchi. All were delicious and cooked perfectly. The restaurant covered the cost of the desserts which was a nice gesture. Overall we had a great time and most importantly our daughter had a wonderful birthday dinner thanks to Boca Sarasota. read more

Boca - Birthday dinner at Boca in Sarasota - New American Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Service was kind and fast. Ambiance is very nice. Great place for quick drinks at the bar or dinner date.

Boca is great spot in Sarasota that will accommodate late night dinners without having to sacrifice quality. The service whenever I come is always super friendly, and the food has not yet disappointed me. Our waiter provided some of his favorites and also engaged in a nice conversation. Stopped by around 10pm for a late night drink and some snacks. The fried green tomatoes with pimento were delicious savory bites of goodness. I also got the flatbread which was crispy and satisfying. read more

Boca - Flatbread - New American Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Incredible food!! We went here the day after our friends got married and all had a wonderful meal. There was like 25 of us and we were all seated comfortably upstairs. The service was great. Food was amazing. I had the Bucatini with seafood, we had appetizers like tuna tartare, and my fiancé had steak. Everything was incredible! Go here! read more

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The food was very good. We all enjoyed what we chose. The service was good if a bit stressful. Too much to get into but didn't have to occur. On the other hand, it was out of concern that we find the couple we were waiting for but the effort was unnecessary. The ambience was casual and upbeat. Just what we enjoy about Boca. read more

The seafood scampi pasta was great! The portion was satisfying without making me feel stuffed. Nice sampling of lobster bites, shrimp and mussels. The service was really quick as well. Cool atmosphere with a loft + tables on the sidewalk. read more

Boca - Seafood Scampi Pasta - New American Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Decided to take a drive to Sarasota last Sunday. Found this cute place and sat at the bar. There was only one bartender for the entire place but he was super attentive and professional. We had truffle fries and the pig and bees flatbread with prosciutto and honey. It was absolutely delicious. They also have a pretty decent deal on bottomless mimosas. read more

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Love the warm colors of the restaurant. Very comfortable bar seats and I like a bar that has TVs, but in an upscale setting. During our lunch, they opened up the doors which let in a nice Florida breeze ! Staff gave superb customer service! read more

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Will go back very soon. experienced a beautiful lunch with dear friends our server was polite and knowledgeable The food was delicious and healthy . Will go back very soon. read more

If I had to describe this place in one word I would say it's "okay." We didn't have dinner plans and walked around Main Street area until we were too cold to keep going. We were seated at a very bizarre two top table that was inches away from another two top. There was a pole separating the two by nearly 6 inches. While we sat there, two other couples were seated and immediately requested another table, because they clearly thought it was just as weird as we did. The food is fine. We had cheesy corn fritters that were ice cold on the inside. The chicken Milanese was good, but a bit underwhelming. My husband enjoyed his bolognese. Our waitress was sweet. She was a very kind, attentive young girl. She made sure our drinks were refilled and table was cleared timely. It's quite noisy and we had difficulty hearing each other as there was a group of 8 women sitting behind us talking loud. Ultimately, we are new to the area and still exploring to find our perfect date spots or just good food. Honestly, there's too many places to try instead of coming back here again. Maybe it's better for brunch? read more

Just not my style. Didn't care for menu, prices, or ambiance. But I know others like it. So, I'd suggest trying it for yourself.

Boca is a pleasant place. I was grateful to the hosts who could move us from the table right at the servers' coffee station to another table. The best tables, in my opinion, are on the loft - next time I will be sure to specifically ask for one there when reserving. The food was superb! We had burgers and salads, and they were wonderfully cooked/made/presented. I want to try the poke bowl next time. Very attentive service, and not overbearing at all - just perfectly right balance. I found the decor very engaging: the large light fixture is made of crystal brandy carafes of varying shapes as lampshades - stunning. The level of noise was the only thing that I found not to my liking: when at full capacity, it's a lot of people per square foot with almost no sound-absorbing material around. We will be back to give it another shot and try more food off the menu: maybe on a weekday, in the hopes to have it a little quieter. read more

I took a weekend getaway was staying in the area & we decided to check this restaurant out! Loved it! Ambiance was totally happening! Cute place, server was very friendly (kinda reminds me of Anthony Ramos yes the actor ) and food yes delicious! read more

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Have eaten here a few times and all were great. Staff is friendly. Food fresh and good. Lunch on the street as well as cocktails or dinner all wonderful! read more

Great service by Pierce (after a long wait but the place was packed) then excellent food; Tuna Poke Bowl and OMG burger. Noisy but great atmosphere. read more

Boca - Burger - New American Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

I went here for valentine's day with my husband, the food was sub par, but the waiter was most definitely the worst i've had, he was very passive aggressive the whole time, and i get it, it's busy obviously its valentine's day, but the whole time he was mumbling and making faces and then when we decided to leave we didn't get to go boxes( because i did not like what i got) he seemed annoyed and said something that i couldn't understand but made gestures like it was a problem. Overall i probably would have come back to try something else but not after that. read more

Food is not really that good. The ideas are there but the flavor is just not. It's not bad or gross it's just flavorless. The service is amazing and it's SOOOOO cute inside. read more

Came here with my wife for Sunday Brunch today (mid-April). Let's start with the positiive: Boca has a cool vibe. Tables are placed upstairs and down - and outside along the street. The bar looks comfortable and a great place to spend some quality time while downtown Sarasota walks and drives by. The menu is extensive for both food and drink. My wife ordered the Crab Eggs Benedict and I had the "Knife and fork" breakfast, open faced sandwish. Both were quite good. I tasted a bite of my wife's Benedict (I am her garbage disposal) and it was perfect. I ordered fried green tomatoes as an app, but it never came. Now for bad, dear reader, and I'll get to the point: the service was way sub-par. I will not call out my server by name, but it was clear to us that our high top table next to (but not in) the bar was in a server's no man's land. We started with Bloodys and chased them with coffee. The coffee presses came somewhat timely but the drinks took a while. I guess they prefer that you order their "Bottomless Mimosas" and when you don't....um...oh well! Our server seemed sweet and cheerful enough at first intro. Then after we ordered, she disappeared. I mean.....gonzo. She chatted up her tables that were street- side and only bothered to check on us when our food was almost eaten. Note to management: How you direct or manage the workload of your servers is your problem. Please don't make it mine. My waitress did her best to hide it, but my 18% tip was met with a forced smile and thanks. I forced a smile and thanks in return. Will I come back? Maybe. The food, vibe and menu are really cool. Then again....as each year passes in Sarasota, so too, are a number of other establishments in downtown and surrouding areas competing for my business. To be clear, I am not trying to be snarky with this review, but simply straightforward and honest. read more

Alex was knowledgeable, and suggested great choices for food. Great service, great food. Solid choice all around.

2nd time here and loved it as much as last time. The place is so nice and the food is great. Little things that would put it over the top for me . 1-Finish off your cocktails, espresso martini was flat, no foam, no garnish. 2-CHILLED GLASSES would be appreciated. Nothing like drinking a bear in a chilled glass. Please make this change. It will take this restaurant to another level. 3-servers that smile would be wonderful. Just a few recommendations that would make this place my regular go to and my top recommended place. Hope to be able to 5 star it next time. read more

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After reading reviews we thought we'd try this place. My review is not stellar but I'll be honest and start with the good stuff. Staff was nice and attentive, the mood and over all vibe was nice, food presentation was good but was lacking in flavor. Ordered fried green tomatoes. They came out room temperature. The jam sauce wasn't the greatest, little bland and it cut the pimento cheese. This dish would have been great with just the pimento. I had the southern caviar burger with Cajun fries. Asked for the fries to be well done. The burger had descent flavor and was cooked properly but had a ton and I mean a ton of pickled onions. My fries were soggy and not even close to what I asked for. My beer came out with about a 1/5 of it being all head and foam. Probably won't be back here. read more

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April 8, 2023 - Had an Open Table reservation for later but our plans changed and we went earlier (6:15 pm-ish) Our reservation was NOT in their system and there was a little push back like it was 'our' issue. and of course it would have been - except my wife had the confirmation email and screen shot!!!!! We were seated on a high top two seater in the bar area. No outside offered. PS luckily we found some free parking so I was in a pretty good mood about that!! Drinks/martini was the standard $15 for about 4 oz of liquids. Wife got some kind of green grassy lime thing. She said it was awesome. 9/10 We popped for some fried zucchini that were lightly fried (clean grease) and nicely done. A tasty dipping sauce (green goddess dressing) was a perfect compliment. we split it but I must say it was not much of a one person portion for the $$ - 8/10 My wife got the GRILLED CAESAR - Grilled romaine hearts, Parmigiano-Reggiano, bottarga, crispy capers, croutons, lemon Caesar dressing that she had gotten once before and the reason we came here. She again loved it and it was tasty and looked great as well. 9/10 After much searching it was clear NOT a lot of vegan building blocks or vegetarian options so I settled on the KIPOS SALAD - Red peppers, kalamata olives, red onions, cucumbers, radish, (NO feta cheese) , pepperoncini, garbanzo beans, Greek olive oil, lemon dressing. This was very tasty and had very fresh ingredients. If I had it to do over, I would opt for the dressing on the side as this was WAY too wet, too oily and too saucy. but I liked it otherwise. 9/10 Service pretty good, we were abandoned a few times and getting the check was somewhat protracted, probably could have gotten another drink out of us from a missed revenue perspective. my water glass went dry and stayed that way. (I did not order a bar beverage so this was a bummer.) PS no points off but first water galls for my wife was pretty dirty and the water had particles......not from the clean pile. (grimace) taken care of promptly, but noted. This is a good spot in a VERY competitive area of Lemon and Main and etc in downtown Sarasota. read more

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Our server was great, it's adorable inside and you can sit outside if you want as well. Very open concept. The food, was fabulous! Really enjoyed our lunch today. read more

Boca - Brisket tacos - New American Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

This is a great and popular location in downtown Sarasota. Their menu isn't focused, though, with everything from pork belly tacos to bucatini; from ramen to shrimp & grits. Our table tried three flatbreads - the flatbread of the day (Loaded Baked Potato), Pig Lovers, and the Brie and Apple. The flatbread of the day unfortunately lacked flavor and texture, but the other two were tasty! We also ordered the OMG Burger. Very good! The staff were very attentive and great, and the atmosphere is nice (we dined on their second floor). I would absolutely return here again, but try something different. read more

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I was there a couples weeks ago and the service was bad and it was not good because the place is was about to close in an hour . Guy who was servicing us delay too long to ask and bring food / drinks . My rose wine was not cold I was so disappointed I did not ask for food . read more

This is a great place for date night or lunch with a friend. The food is a fresh and a tasty treat for an affordable price. The sangria and espresso martinis were top notch. Our server Jeff was very personable with prompt and helpful service. read more

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The Brussel sprouts were delicious! They had a great flavor to them and the sauce for dipping was also good. The lobster wontons were just okay, not much flavor. We ordered the short rib tacos to share and it came with lots of meat! It had a flavorful sauce in them. The street corn was delicious and rich. We ordered plain fries and they weren't greasy. There is paid parking a long the street. read more

Boca - Braised Short Rib Tacos, Plain fries - New American Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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We go to Boca several times a week. The food and drinks are great! Happy hour has several really good deals for downtown Sarasota! The bar tenders and manager are personable and go out of the way to make sure you have a perfect experience. We'll see you there soon! read more

Deducting a star for the food runner that came out with our wrong order and didn't seem to care at all about making the error. But the bartenders were extremely friendly and made good conversation. I asked if they could make a chocolate martini and they offered a "clear" version without cream - it tasted exactly like what I was looking for! Delicious. The other cocktails were great too, I feel like you can't go wrong with any of them. The pizza was a shareable size. We also enjoyed lobster wontons that were similar to crab rangoon. read more

Boca - Clear Chocolate Martini - New American Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Nice place with very good happy hour. The reason for the three star rating is for the $56 price of the NY strip steak. I'm a big steak person and this is not in anyway worth that kinda of money. If you're a steak person go next door to Hyde Park Steakhouse and get a better steak at a better price. Sorry but this is $30-35 steak and no more. read more

Boca is a solid choice when visiting the Sarasota area. My l party was sat promptly and upon sitting, we got water and ordered cocktails and apps. We parked in the public garage nearest the restaurant with no issue or incident. There was no validation but there is free parking for 2hrs (I think). Food We started with the oysters and brussel sprouts. The oysters were solid and meaty. The sprouts were the table favorite...the maple butter sauce was very akin to brekkie flavors. Not bad but not what i wanted after a day at the beach Sweet Potato Gnocchi was good. I don't think I like weet potato Gnocchi, it's too soft for my taste but the flavor was bright and fresh. Added protein to make a heartier meal. A couple of folks at the table had the burger. All in all it was fine. The atmosphere was nice and it was a great end of Sarasota dinner. read more

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We had reservations. We get there go to our table and wait a while to see our server. So we waited. The place was busy and we waited. We used the extra time to figure out our drinks and appetizers while we waited some more. Once we saw our waitress we put in the order. Soon after we got our water. The appetizers were good. It was a lively crowd. Or spot at the bar service stand and bear the kitchen was very active. The dinners were ok. I would say 50/50 for our crowd on likes vs. dislike. My meal was ok but I wouldn't go out of my way to get it again. The bill adds up, but it is a hip place, and I could see trying it again. had a better experience last time. read more

Boca has an amazing happy hour & is sure to keep your stomach and pockets happy! The happy hour menu consists of several wines and sangrias that are $5 as well as discounted well drinks, and $5 bar bites. The flatbread was huge for only $5. We were thinking the flatbread would be a miniature version for the price, but I don't think that was the case. We ended up choosing the fried green tomatoes & pig lovers flatbread and both were amazing! To beat the afternoon slump I tested out their latte- and it did just the trick! The bartender was skilled in drinks of all areas. The menu also included truffle fries, zucchini fries, smoked fish dip, and so much more! The bartenders are the bar seating were extremely attentive and they were friendly throughout our visit. An employee who seemed to be a manager possibly also came out to check on service and also said goodbye to us as we left. The environment is extremely casual & relaxed, but is also perfect for a date night out or a family or business gathering. If we're back in Sarasota again we will be sure to hit up Boca for happy hour or even their regular menu because we everything sounded amazing! read more

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Had reservations for oct 26. We were told they were running late. When we arrived they were 1/2 empty with servers seemingly struggling to keep up- bar was understaffed for the amount of tables/guests. It took 10 minutes for our server to come over and greet us. We were ready to order she was stressed as could be. Food came out- I was so excited for the poke bowl- well it's poor quality frozen tuna. Terrible texture and lacking sauce and everything was flavorless. Somehow the cucumber had no flavor. Thankfully they doused tomatoes in some soy sauce. Our server was inattentive, though apologetic for the obvious issues in her service, she may have been new or double sat. Either way, brunch here is wonderful dinner is a disaster. read more

Service by Devin was really good. He was super patient with the ladies in our party who had tons of questions. We had calamari and fried green tomatoes for apps and they were tasty. Calamari was well seasoned but we would have preferred the tomatoes would have been more thinly sliced. Our entrees were all delicious. Two had skirt steak with amazing roasted vegetables underneath and topped w chimichurri sauce. Another had seafood pasta with lobster, shrimp, clams and mussels in a buttery lemon caper sauce. OMG. AMAZING. The last entree was scallops which were very large and well seasoned and yummy. The bourbon butter sauce and peas made a surprising finish for this fantastic flavor party. Boca will be a repeat and definately a sure spot to impress others who haven't dined here. read more

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I love Boca. It definitely used to be 5 stars but over the last year or so they have made their portions smaller (especially happy hour) and their prices higher. I know that's how inflation works that why they still get 4 stars. Good place and will continue to go for special occasions! read more

Fun drinks here but definitely slow service. My friend and I came here during lunch time and sat at the bar. For whatever reason the bartender took way too long to even acknowledge we were there. Then we ordered and that was about the last time we heard from her other than receiving the bill. read more

Boca - New American Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Stoped in and Sat at the bar for just a few glasses of wine! Great bartenders and very attentive. Super selection of wine and we found one particular Italian wine that we went back the next night to grab another glass! Next time we visit it will be on our list! read more