It is with great sadness that I report we will NEVER BE RETURNING TO BRIANDI'S after 20+ years of loyalty. After Charlie (the founder) passed away, the remaining family seems intent on insulting his memory. Experienced on our last visit... A couple left because they were never waited on after being seated. One loaf of bread came out still cold in the middle (frozen not fresh). Our last group member was served as others were almost finished, and all he had was spaghetti with meatballs. Beloved dishes did not include all the listed ingredients and others were sparse. Meatballs were full of filler and had an off taste. Steaks had been allowed to sit and were not hot and were past the desired doneness. Fries also sat and were soggy and limp. I cannot stress our sadness at all this. read more

Hidden gem. Food great and portions are large. Parking lot not wheel friendly. Stone parking lot.

We've gone to Briandi's twice and both times had an enjoyable meal. The place is small and we had to wait, briefly, for a table. The servers were fast, so once seated we had our drinks and appetizers. The first time, we each had a dinner, which we took half of them home. The second time, we split a dinner and it was plenty! I enjoyed the calamari (light coating, nice squid) and the spaghetti with meat sauce (good sauce flavor). read more

My friend Scott was visiting from Michigan and wanted to try out this restaurant. We heard many good reviews from our neighbors. I ordered the Veal Pizziola and it was tasteless. The veal and pasta was buried in sauce. Also the portion was HUGE. Too much food. I believe the same sauce is used for everyone of their dishes. If they give me 10 minutes in the kitchen I can teach them how to make a much better sauce. The veal was too thick and chewy. Just so you don't feel my review is unfair, my friend, Scott, from Michigan, order their pasta with white clam sauce and it was delicious. I know, since I ate the leftovers after he departed. read more

briandi's restaurant. My husband and I went to this restaurant today, if we wanted to we could have walked to it. It's always nice to find a mom and pop Italian restaurant. We walked in, some really great pictures on the wall, they were playing Frank Sinatra. Laura the waitress was very nice. My husband did the early bird special and I did the regular. It said it came with salad or soup, It cost extra to get a Cesar salad. That wasn't too bad. The bread came, with the had muscles we ordered. My husband asked for some olive oil we were told that we would have to pay an extra $2 She told us we could dip our bread in the muscles. At that point we had ordered a $40 bottle of wine. And some Pellegrino water. We felt they were nickel and diming us. it didn't end there, they added like a 4% tax onto the bill, they called it an adjustment because we didn't pay cash. I felt like we were in California because that's the only place I've ever seen something like that done. We asked Laura what was this, she said it was on the door as you were coming in. At that point we were very upset. And when it all comes down to it the food was not very Special. Like I said we felt like we were been nickel and dimed. They only have 10 tables in here and they are very busy in season they told us there's a wait of two hours outside, I would never even wait 15 minutes for this. I guess they just don't wanna take care of their local customers. As we walked out the door we told them this was the first and last time we would come here. read more

My wife and I stopped for early dinner after a visit to Venice. Old roadhouse style building dripping with history of its past. The small parking lot was full as was the dining area except 1 table waiting for us. Prompt friendly service, traditional Italian fare, multiple spaghetti options, veal, chicken and fish entrees. Sauce, sausage and ravioli made in house and delicious. Very enjoyable meal in charming old school setting. Will return when back in the area. read more

Nice Italian! The waitress got my order wrong, buy out dinners were all 3 delicious and they communicated well about ingredients for my son's allergies and made him pizza sauce special without dairy. We will be back. read more

This is REAL Italian, family-run and amazing. We're Italian and we like hole-in-the-wall places that feel like home. Briandi's is the real deal!Stop by before 6pm for early bird specials. Enormous portions, fabulous food, and great service. read more

My husband and I had the best tasting pizza and Buffalo wings here since moving to Florida four years ago. They make their own pizza sauce, dough, and Italian sausage and the flavors are amazing. We prefer thin crust but their one size 16" pie wasn't too thick covered with their delicious sauce. The wing sauce was authentic Buffalo (where both I and the owner grew up) and rivals the original from The Anchor Bar. I'm not sure why there is another restaurant's huge billboard sign on their roof, while their own ugly yellow sign is plastered on the side of the building. This place deserves a beautifully carved sign circled in lights high on their roof so it can be seen from the road!!! read more

I really wanted to like this place. We came in early before the crowd. Why people pack in here I don't know. Also the 'we ate here three times in one week' review baffles me. Let me say: the food was 'ok'. Not terrible but not good either. Really not good at all actually. The portions are too big , except for the Calamari appetizer. So I'll go through it. We had fried calamari as an appetizer. I'll give that 5 stars for not being over cooked...it then gets 2 stars for lack of flavor. I don't really want to have to dip calamari in sauce for it to have any taste whatsoever. The bread that people are going crazy about is flavorless as well. Absolutely needs to be dipped. That's fine. I had the Sicilian Fish and my husband had Fish and Shrimp Primavera. If you like steamed frozen vegetables thrown into a 'dish' you may like the Primavera. Both dishes had zero marrying of ingredients. The sauce on the Primavera dish was weird. Not creamy, not buttery and light but a weird tangy in between salty conglomeration. The piece of fish was done well though and not over cooked. I guess you ask why even 3 stars. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. It was a friendly cool little place and maybe they make other stuff better. Waitress was very nice. Maybe their cheesy pasta dishes are better. read more

Absolutely love Briandi's!! Great atmosphere, food is amazing, portions are very generous, and their bread and garlic olive oil is so good and made fresh to order! read more

Food was great. Portions were enormous. We could have shared one entrée. Service was good. Small family feel. read more

Briandi's - Italian Near Me - Nokomis, Florida

Food was very home style and very good. Meatballs are great. Eggplant parm was great, bread was fantastic, lasagna was very good. Service was friendly and attentive. I would absolutely go back. I recommend this if you are looking for real home style Italian food. Place is small and inviting. Very charming atmosphere with old Jukeboxes and cool original black and white pics on the wall. Briandis has been around since 1942 and looks like they may have remodeled in 1948 lol. You should check it out, it's worth it. read more

Would love to give this place an honest rating. Walked in on a Wednesday night at 6:45pm. One table was open, a few were leaving soon. Were given a 'one moment' by someone. Two tables got up. We kept trying to get someone's attention. Kept getting ignored. Kept getting ignored. Eventually just left. Good for them that they're so busy I guess? Maybe advice would be to hire another person when it's crazy! read more

Our family stopped here for dinner and we loved it! We had the lasagna, tortellini Parmesan, and linguine with clams. Our waitress Jennifer was so kind and helpful. We will definitely be coming back here. read more

Briandi's was a step back to the yesteryear mom&pop itialian cucina, where everyone is welcome and treated like family! The food is great and always hot from the chef's kitchen to your table. Portions are WAY big, so plan to take half home to tomorrow's dinner. The house wine is very smooth and obviously not a cheap variety. I think you'll enjoy your food and experience at Briandi's; give it a try! Larry Venice, FL read more

Mom & pop shop, authentic made fresh great food, service, friendly atmosphere, rat pack & 50s music, home made bread w olive oil w toasted minced garlic in it, 3 draft beers, wine, no dessert wines though. Small place go early during snowbird season, from steak to fish to all Italian large severings bring an appetite! read more

Order pizza and wings tonight! Fantastic! Great take-out! Best pizza in the Venice area.

This restaurant is such a gem! We found it on Yelp after only finding places with very long wait times. It had good ratings - and now I know why! There was no wait, they were very friendly and fantastic service. First you're served with a small loaf of fresh baked bread along with the seasoned dipping oil. It is the best combo I've ever had! Then I had the minestrone soup - again, excellent. My husband had the french onion soup and loved it. For dinner we split the eggplant parmesan. The servings are gigantic and the food is excellent. When we were leaving my husband said he was so glad he let me decide what to share. He never would have picked that - but he loved it!! Yummm! read more

Reminds me of an old local neighborhood family restaurant. Seafood pasta had a large, varied amount of shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams and calamari with garlic, oil and wine sauce. The only negative was that they automatically sprinkled cheese on top. Veal piccata was tasty and very tender. Both dishes had copious amounts of pasta with excellent sauces. read more

Thank you for making a fine pizza !! Very close to what I was looking for, thanks to Lauren !!!!! They will try to make the pizza the way you like it... Probably the best pizza in Sarasota county . Very much like the finest of Rhode Island, Massachusetts area!! The place is a cute little place . Very clean and they make you feel welcome.. read more

I'm the type of person who will have fish at this particular Italian place cause they know how to cook the fish perfectly. I had more than I could eat in one sitting. The salad was crispy and fresh, and so was the fresh bread. read more

Really nice classic, a little heavy Italian meal. A really fun spot. Try he homemade sausage was yummy. The salad was traditional.

Just Go!!! Small incongruous place. Killer Italian food!! Great service!! Go Hungry!! read more

We have gone numerous times and everything is always excellent. Get the mozzarella sticks! Owners are wonderful!

So delicious! The hubs and I were in the area for our anniversary and came here on the recommendation of a few locals we met at a pub up the street. O.M.G The chicken parm was divine. The wait staff was welcoming and the prices were reasonable. We'll definitely be back! read more

Very Simple: I drive and fly from my farm near Columbus, Ohio: One of my favorite places anywhere. And, I get Around...that's the way it is! read more

Best pizza around. It's not a thin New York style but more of the thicker, heavily sauced and cheesed New England style. My family eats here at least once a week. The staff is very friendly and welcoming. read more

Went because a local sent us, and it was nice. The family is from Buffalo, and this restaurant could have been transported directly from there. The whole family was in the bar chatting with the regulars and made it seem like every small town family place you've ever been in. Anyone from the NorthEast would feel right at home. read more

I am very critical of Italian food and this was Delicious!! We tried the chicken wings and they were great. Crispy and plenty of buffalo sauce. Rigatoni and lasagna was awesome. Plenty of meat sauce. Portions were plus sized. My grandmother would be pleased. Service was great. Delivery of food was perfectly timed. read more

Excellent place for great Italian. All Italians love bread fresh out of the oven!! Lasagna is awesome Shrimp fri Diablo awesome soup is good and so is salad. We go at least twice a month. Quality n portion great but most important consistency . Only better place for Italian is my kitchen! read more

Absolutely amazing food! The service was a tad slow but the wait staff was very friendly and the food more than made up for it! The Manhattan mussels were the best I've had and the Sicilian fish was delicious. Huge portions too, consider sharing a dish! read more

Use to be great. Burnt pizza with large amount of oregano is not good. Had always been one of my favorite places to eat. But this is the second strike, last time pizza was under cooked. Get it together or stop cooking. Will no longer recommend to friends or return. read more

Briandi's - Burnt pizza in out takeout box - Italian Near Me - Nokomis, Florida

My wife & I went there 1/18/14 they start you off with the softest light hot Italian bread with an oil& erb dip. My wife had lasagna ,she had enough for 2 more meals at home. I ordered veal parmigian with spaghetti ,the best I ever had. 4 large pieces of veal.awsome food. With 2 beers& a wine the bill came to 37.50 read more

One word to describe the food, wonderful! Would have given 5 stars , but the atmosphere lacks with regard to the inside set up, which is small. The food is very good. The calamari is one of the best I have ever had, and the pizza is to die for. I had fish that was could perfectly. Do not let the outside stop you fro going in. read more

We ate here 3 times in one week. Yep. 3 Times. Have been coming to this area for 20 years and have driven by Briandi's a million times without ever seeing it (small, unassuming, easy to miss). It caught our eye driving back from Sarasota one day, so we decided to stop in. Best decision we've made this year. By far the best Italian restaurant in the Sarasota area. Highly recommend the steak with fried potatoes! Can't say enough good things about the waitstaff- felt like visiting family. The owners are in the back doing all the cooking, too. How often does that happen anymore??? 4-6 the early bird menu is available... again, try the steak! read more

A 3 is generous. We vacation in this area every year (for the last 12 years). If you are looking for cleanliness or good service, do not eat here. This visit, the server actually said, "don't suck those (drinks) down, I don't have time for refills." She did however give us refills, so you have to take the roughness with a grain of salt. My husband loves their hot Italian sandwich, so this is must stop for him every trip. I have tried a variety of pastas over the years. I would recommend sticking to the pizza and sandwiches. read more

Great place, wonderful food! Got lucky and was seated in Lorin's section, fast friendly staff, two thumbs way up!

Loved the atmosphere of the old-time restaurant, however, the food was less than mediocre. The sauce was way too sweet for my liking and the veal just plain out didn't taste that great. My wife ordered a pizza and it was really bad. The pizza only comes one size, a 16 inch, she had a couple of slices and we ended up throwing out the rest. The service here was great but the food needs much improvement. Unfortunately I will not be coming back here. I am giving this two stars because of the great service and atmosphere. read more

This was our first trip to Briandi's though we've lived in Venice for 11 years. We have been missing out on a fantastic restaurant. The waitress's make you feel comfortable and are knowledgeable on menu items. Owner was on site. Price are very reasonable. Loaf of bread delivered hot out of the oven. Salad was good. The blue cheese dressing excellent (I over heard the waitress telling another customer Briani's make their own Blue Cheese dressing). This is the 1st restaurant I've finished my salad prior to the entree being served. Huge portions of lasagna and ravioli. We didn't have room for the deserts. During our visit there was 6 tables of diners. I didn't find it loud. The previous review described the decor accurately. 5 starts did not include alcohol. read more