If I came here again I would eat pizza. The food was average at best at our table we had the rigatoni Bolognese, carbonara, seafood Fria Diablo, lobster shrimp spinach. Bologonese was pasty. Service terrible 20+ minutes to get drinks and the order was incomplete. Waited so long I finally went to the bar and ordered a beer. Price to value out of wack. read more

Absolutely the best "legit" Italian food around Sarasota. Great service and really good food. We (party of 4) were seated in about 15 minutes on a busy night. Service was really good, atmosphere was great and the bill was so much less than we expected. Owner and hostess stopped by our table to check in on us. We will definitely be returning. There was an artist creating a painting to hang on the wall among the many original and interesting works already there. This place is a "don't miss" dinning spot. Tucked away in a strip mall and not really on the radar makes it a gem in the many choices of dinning choices in Sarasota. Like their staff t-shirts read "Eat your pasta, Mind your business and pay your bill" states it's a real Italian Restaurant. read more

Atrocious. Been there before with my wife and food is mediocre. Attempted to try it with my family and was welcomed with nasty stares and comments. Maybe call ahead to make sure your family would be welcomed. Not sure when a shopping center restaurant turned into a private adults only supper club. read more

Great food, ambiance and real people. My wife and I love this place for two reasons. First it is the closest restaurant to our house. Second it is the best damn Italian food in Sarasota. We got lucky! read more

Cafe Barbosso - Owner / Chef Joe presenting dessert culminating a 7 yes 7 course meal at the "Chef's table". - Italian Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

This restaurant is absolutely one of the best, I have ever frequented! Living in Florence, Italy i'm spoiled and do not like many Italian restaurants, but this is truly a MUST! The Chef Joe Di Maggio Jr, is a STAR You can taste his passion and love in each bite served. Eating at the chefs table goes beyond any dinning experience. It's like eating in his own personal kitchen, and each plate he serves comes a story from his family memoirs. The atmosphere is amazing, Experiencing Live artistry while you eat. And even live music outside for his take out. Chef Joe is a master of all senses! You'd be amiss if you don't try this one! A truly heart felt dinning experience, nothing spared. Exceptional!!!! read more

We had 5 of us dine here on a Friday night (4 adults, one child) and the entire inside had reserved seating so we ate outside. The weather was great so we didn't complain. Overall, the food was fantastic. We did not order any appetizers, but they had bread that was served rather quickly to our table before ordering. I ordered one of their specials, the Day Break Red Snapper and it tasted fantastic. Others at the table ordered the Australian Lamb Chops, Cheese Ravioli, and the child ordered a cheese pizza which could well qualify for an adult size portion! Not one word was uttered about anything tasting poorly! The only complaint I have was that food was super slow to get to us. It took over 30 minutes from the time we ordered for it to get to our table. Overall, I could say that everyone would be pleased to dine there again, and hopefully the service will be a little more speedy next time. read more

Last year this restaurant food was good. I went Aug. 1st and the sauce had no seasoning and tasted sour. It was light red. My chicken parm. was as flat as a pancake and not real big like it used to be. My friend had a pork chop that was a thin cutlet with white sauce all over it. She couldn't cut it. The owner Joe wasn't there. Not a good dinner. Very disappointed...... read more

Yummy! Yummy! Yummy! Was headed out of town and decided to grab a quick dinner before getting on the highway. Reviews looked pretty good, so I called and they were able to get me a table near the bar. This was my first time at this restaurant. From the minute I walked in the door and met Alice, the receptionist, this was an extremely positive experience! Debbie, my server was absolutely fantastic. She was not only very knowledgeable about the wine list and the menu, but gave me a plethora of information about the chef, the artists at work and the artwork that filled the restaurant. This place has a very hip vibe, but can be a little noisy. No matter. Ordered the chopped salad... It was delicious. Perfectly dressed with fresh greens and crisp vegetables. Had a glass of Barbara... Also very good. Then came egg plant Parmesan. I have eaten this dish many times in my life, but I don't think I've ever tasted it quite as good as it was here. Light, airy... Kind of melted in your mouth. It was simply delicious. And, I can't believe I ate it all! Katie, the general manager stopped by my table to say hello and introduce her self. Debbie, my server had told her that this was my first visit and she came by to welcome me. Nice touch! Chef Joe was preparing a special meal for the chef's tasting table, but passed a plate of a sampling to me as well. Nice touch! Then, Debbie came by with an order of homemade tiramisu for dessert, on the house, for my first visit. Again, very nice touch! All in all, I felt like this was an incredibly friendly environment that was genuinely glad I was there. I think they appreciated my business. And, I certainly appreciated their terrific food. A return visit will definitely be in order! read more

Amazing Italian food in a wonderful atmosphere. Art all over the place and they have artists working there the night we went. I had the rigatoni bolognese and it was amazing! Eggplant parm was also excellent as were the meatball appetizer and the garlic bread! We were there off season on a Sunday and it was packed I would recommend getting a reservation. Next trip I will get a pizza they looks great. read more

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We went with good friends to Cafe Barbosso. It was excellent! They had a Savor Sarasota Menu, which included an appetizer, main course and dessert, for $35. It was well worth it! We had Grandma's meatballs, Caesar salad and Antipasto salad for appetizers; Short Ribs with Polenta, Shrimp Fra Diavolo, Chicken Parmigiana and Chicken Piccata for entrees; and Tiramisu, Chocolate Cake and Cannoli for dessert. All were outstanding!! The ambiance is also great. They have local artists who paint in the restaurant; their finished products are for sale. read more

terrific fun place food and service excelllent food!!!! a fun place that serves great food!!! read more

Pizza was good but expensive. We tried various other entrees and had mixed reviews. Avoid-ravioli and chicken Marsala. Veal parm and Bolognese were good. Expensive and portions are smaller than competitors in Sarasota and Venice. read more

Amazing food! Amazing people. The are work is an amazing touch. I have to say this was a breath of fresh air. The chicken Parmesan, eggplant and the tomato pie were outstanding. We loved taking with the waiters and staff so friendly. True Italian food at its finest!!! read more

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Service. Hands down quality. Plus the art work by local artist is amazing and fun to admire from every direction from your seat. The grandma Sunday sauce is silky smooth and full of flavor. We ordered 3 appetizers (so many to choose from). Grilled Octopus on Arugula, risotto balls in that silky sauce and a stuffed pepper that was so good i couldn't share. We got some complimentary bread with oil and herbs - skip it. The bartender was awesome and gave us tastings of wines . It may have been an easy upgrade/charge but it worked. I loved getting an option to try without asking. Went with the higher priced one each time. Shes good! Anyways, ordered seafood pasta and a personal pizza that is more than personal. The crust on the pizza is thin with a hand tossed look. The sauce is mild, the toppings are frEsh. The linguini seemed fresh. Lots of seafood. Not spicy as stated on menu but it was still delish. We sat next to the kitchen and saw some amazing salads and pasta dishes. Be prepared to wait for a table. I think they take reservations too. read more

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Their food is great but their service is bad. Waiters get orders wrong dining in and carry out. And they apologize with tiramisu. That's nice, but I don't eat dessert. read more

Located in a shopping center this Italian eatery is fantastic. The first thing that greets you are the friendly hosts , then the smell, all good Italian food smells. Third, the amazing art work on the walls. Then, we were seated in the back at the surfer bar which was fun, and watched the artist painting. Very unique touch. We had the Italian pizza, very good, chopped salad with chicken, amazing, the beet salad with fresh mozzarella, and Mamas meatballs. We will be back. read more

The only good thing I can say about the place is the decor is great. I had chicken parmesan that tasted like wet cardboard and the pasta with vodka sauce that came with it was over cooked and bland. My husband had chicken marsala that was very bland as well. He said the sauce tasted like marsala wine with mushrooms and corn starch. Never once did our waiter ask how things were. I left my entire meal and the person who took the plate away did not even ask if I wanted a box. Not that I wanted one but that should have been a clue that the food was awful. The bill was $80 for the worst meal ever. Won't go back! read more

Incredible ravioli and chicken Parmesan. The meatballs were great too! Serving sizes are big. The peach Bellini was tasty too. Service was pretty good and we enjoyed the paintings by local artists on the walls. read more

First class all the way. Food's on par with any 4 star eatery in Sarasota. Service is excellent, atmosphere relaxing . Prices reasonable considering the generous portions of delectable dishes. read more

If you're up for an enjoyable, delicious, & entertaining evening park yourself at the Chefs table in Cafe Barbosso. Throughly enjoyed my rigatoni Bolognese (3 meat gravy, created with a little cognac and cream) which was as delicious and mouth watering as it sounds. If you like an outstanding Italian dinner,with a little NYC attitude, then cafe Barbosso, and Chef Joe will exceed your expectation. Ohh don't forget to try a slice of pizza or dessert as well. read more

Awesome! Pizza! Delicious pastas! Great prices!!! We are always treated so well by staff!

Really excellent Italian food here and the atmosphere is great, we loved the art work and it is kind of a sneaky place because you would never expect a place this cool and great to be in the location it is in. Everyone loved their food and I especially loved my lobster ravioli, maybe the best lobster ravioli I have ever had. My wife's rigatoni was incredible as well. read more

Food is out of this world! Chef Joe really knows what he's doing in the kitchen! It's just an explosion of all the right and amazing flavors in your mouth read more

Very pleasant surprise for a place just around the corner from my house. Don't be fooled by the location in the corner of a strip mall. It feels much different after you enter. Great atmosphere with art and martini bar. The food is over the top phenomenal! read more

Such a fun place to grab dinner especially when there are live artist! I had their gluten free pasta and it was so yummy!

Cafe Barbosso is a great restaurant. But it's usually busy so make a reservation. Also great music some nights and and wonderful art work by locals on the wall. read more

Although we are "local", this is first time we tried the restaurant following a bad experience when it was Cosimo's. It was delightful! We all ordered from the "Savor Sarasota" menu and both the "first course" (salads, etc.) as well as the "second course" (entrée) were outstanding! No room for dessert, so we will enjoy at home later! Our Server was very attentive, knowledgeable about the menu and added to a great dining experience. We'll be back! read more

This place is absolutely fabulous, great food, service, drinks and prices. No way to eat it all. I cant wait to come back. Be sure to call for reservations because this place was crazy busy and not open for lunch. We had rice balls for an appetizer, house salad, eggplant parm and lamb shank. Omg! Sooo good! read more

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Wow! What a great surprise this place was! Ending up eating on the patio due to not having a reservation (We called to see if they had dine-in due to the virus. The girl said "yes", but neglected to mention the need for a reservation). That was the only hiccup of the evening. The food was AMAZING! Chicken parm for me, and 10 layer eggplant for my date. Service was fine, but felt a bit ignored being the only table sitting out on the patio. A bit pricey, but worth it. Two thumbs up from us! read more

Great atmosphere, great service, good value. Ordered a Caesar salad which had bacon as an extra option and it was smothered in the fake jarred bacon and tasteless Parmesan. Everything else ordered was great! read more

First time and it won't be the last,and I live in Cape Coral it's worth the drive,1hr.Went there with my daughter, granddaughter and son in law.started with fried calamari the best I ever had, light and crispy almost like tempura,Main courses my daughter had a 10 layer eggplant parmesan, excellent,my wife rigatoni bolagainse,made the right way with a touch of heavy cream,again excellent My granddaughter old time favorite ravioli, my son in law carnivore pizza very good.Now my waitress recommend the spagghettinni carbonara,now Italian restaurant may claim they have the best,well barbossa has by far the best and the classic,served to you with crisp pancetta, cracked black pepper and topped with a raw egg, unbelievably great.Finish with capaccino,coffee and espresso.Had to ask for a lemon rind.And 2 cannolli.Atmosphere very nice, artist painting while you eat,there masterpieces hanging on the wall and for sale,our waitress was excellent, helpful and didn't rush us.Even if you don't live in the area you got to try Barbossa if you don't it's your loss. read more

The food was average nothing spectacular, just average, however the reason I am writing the review is that the 90 minutes we were eating dinner, the same 5 tables were utilized, all right next to each other while 3/4 of the restaurant was empty. They did not even try to social distance the guests. People were seated much too close when the opportunity existed to use the 6 foot apart rule. read more

Outstanding eggplant parmigiana, best I ever ate!! Very good pizza and service!! We will be back for sure! Great place to entertain guests! Highly recommended. Do make reservations, esp on the weekends. read more

Short ribs were great .... be sure to stop and talk with the artists who are painting ....friends had the pasta which they enjoyed read more

After 3 visits over a period of 5-6 months, we will not be returning. Service is pleasant but very slow (particularly at the high top tables), and unless you are obviously a regular, not attentive. Food is OK at best, but there are many excellent Italian options in the area that will make you feel welcome and provide well-made, delicious alternatives. read more

We had a terrific dinner there on Thursday night, 12/2/21. We went w my sister and her husband while were were visiting from PA. They go there quite a bit. Our waiter was Eric. CLearly a guy who loves his job and his restaurant. Food was really great and the atmosphere is a must have. There were two artists there that night and it just made for an amazing evening. Great job Eric. You made us feel like we were in your home! read more

Best restaurant in Sarasota. Chef's table is a wonderful experience. Authentically cooked dishes with a modern twist including fusion cuisines. Make sure to take a look at the specials menu as those dishes are incredible. Beautiful and cutting edge paintings cover the walls. All paintings are for sale. My favorite spot for sure! read more

fantastic meatballs! wow! old school style.... great happy hour also

Excellent food and service. I came here with a group of 11 people and everyone enjoyed their meals. We made a reservation and were seated right away. I highly recommend the Grilled Chicken personal pizza and the manicotti. There is a lot of cool artwork on display while an artist is there painting for all to see. Clean bathrooms and take home containers are biodegradable. Two thumbs up for sure. read more

Few months after we visited the place again. Well, I would rate it between 3.5 and 4 now. I had grilled octopus and my husband went for the meatballs. We were satisfied with quality of both our meals. Will be back one day again. read more