Went to Michael John's last night for dinner. Great as usual! I had the blackened shrimp appetizer, and my fiancée had the escargot. The complimentary soup was chickpea and bacon which was delicious. For dinner I had the liver, onions and mushrooms, and he had the chicken Florentine which we both enjoyed. No room for dessert and leftovers for lunch today. Thank you MJ and staff for another great experience! read more

We read the reviews of Steakhouses in the Sarasota Herald Tribune Ticket and were looking forward to an outstanding meal at MJ's. The escargot was excellent and the ribeye was cooked to perfection. However, the garlic butter on the steak was bland and there did not appear to be any or no seasoning. The waitress asked me how I liked my meal and I stated that it was ok she became defensive even though I was not asking or expecting a refund. Signed disappointed. read more

Last night is the first time that I've dined at Michael John's. I was drawn there by the many positive reviews on Yelp. I was not disappointed. My husband and I had dinner with another couple who had been there in the past and had also had a posit experience. Everything about our dinner was perfect. I was at first surprised at the location. It's tucked away in a strip center next to a convenience store. But once inside, I was impressed by the ambience, the respectable distance between the tables, the linen tablecloths, and the excellent service. It was Wednesday night, so the special offered "buy one cocktail get a second for half off." OK, if you insist! The dirty martinis were excellent. Chilled perfectly. My dinner companions likewise were positively impressed by the cocktails, and then of course there was the excellent choice of wines. We enjoyed dinner with the complement of a lovely Cabernet Sauvignon. My entrée was the Filet Pinot, cooked very rare. It was perfect! We shared an excellent chocolate dessert, which added just the right touch of sweetness at the end of the meal. And the cappuccino was wonderful. read more

Heard great things about this Retaurant is thought we would give it a try. Very nice atmosphere, great service and attention to customers. Unfortunately the food was just average. We had Calamari and mussels appetizers that we a little blow average and the steaks were just okay. I was unfortunately disappointed because I was expecting Much more from the food. May give it another try someday, not sure. read more

Six friends came here last Friday night. What a disappointment. Food was just ok but the service was HORRIBLE. It took 3 hours to complete dinner. It was almost an hour before the first food appeared. We were given a little cup of beef stew as an amuse bouche. It was too thick to drink ( no spoon) and was congealed as it been sitting fir a while. read more

Went there for a celebration and had a great time. The place is small and quiet which was what we wanted. The staff is pleasant and efficient. Not a large menu which is good (I heard that places that have a huge selection of items keep everything frozen because of low turnover). I had the Roasted Duck and my friends had steaks. Everyone was very pleased. I would recommend this place for a special occasion or party. A bit hidden but find it - you will be surprised. read more

What an incredible experience from the service the food. Everything from the wine, appetizer to the entree was perfect. Defiantly a new favorite A+ read more

We made a reservation for 2 on Lobster night while back. We arrived a few minutes early and checked in. Another party of 2 with a reservation arrived after us and was immediately seated while we waited in the very small front door area for a table to be cleared. Not exactly sure why we were not seated first but they were seated in the main room and we were seated behind a wall by the bar. Service was lacking from the moment we walked in. There was a large party in the main area and a larger party in the room all the way to the left. There was a gentleman that arrived and sat at the bar that seemed to know the staff. His food arrived quickly and the staff was hanging around the bar talking to him while we were looking around for our server to order more drinks. The food was pretty good but given the service we had not planned to go back. We have recently received a gift card and will now try again. Hopefully the service will be much better and the staffing is appropriate for the number of reservations they have. read more

Great food... quaint romantic atmosphere perfect for date night....chicken cordon blue is to die for! No liquor just beer and wine.

Excellent, probably my favorite restaurant in Bradenton right now. I have been several times and the food has been excellent every time. The only thing better to me than excellent food is when it is accompanied by excellent service and this place has the whole package! Christina was my server and she remembered my drink preference from my first visit and brought it without asking, Incredible! She even recommended an entre based on her memory of what I ordered last time, note that there has been about a month gap between my visits. The atmosphere is elegant but not stuffy, full bar in a side room with a tv at the bar. They own the next unit over and open it up during season when they are busy and has a more casual dining feel with the same full menu. Located in an inconspicuous small strip mall that is just the restaurant and a convenience store, I have passed this place for years but I'm glad I found it now, I will be a regular for quite a while! read more

I love this place so much! The past two times my husband and I have gone we've gotten the same hostess. I'm not sure her name, Young girl brown skinned tall and beautiful. She's very energetic, she checks on you very often. She is like a breath of fresh air, I will definitely be coming back. Also make sure to make reservations! They tend to get busy. read more

I split a 16 ounce rib-eye with a friend and it was one of the best I have EVER eaten. (and we are regulars at Morton's). Tender and flavorful. Ordered a side of Brussel sprouts and I could not stop eating them. Which is sad because there was no room left for dessert. Service was attentive and friendly. I ordered asian slaw and was a little disappointed because it seemed like cabbage with thai sweet chili sauce. There are plenty of other ways to make great asian slaw. The "dirty" caesar was also just ok. I will definitely come back. I do wish they served cocktails, but they have a reasonable wine list. read more

Took my parents out to dinner here last night. Everything was phenomenal. The amuse-bouche soup was delicious. We ordered the calamari for an appetizer, and the marinara sauce it came with was amazing. I ordered the Filet Pinot with potato purée, and wasn't disappointed. My husband ordered the Raspberry and Port Wine Glazed Duck, which he said was delicious. My parents ordered the Chicken Marsala and Chicken "John" and raved about both. It was rather dark in the restaurant, which I'm sure can be romantic, but made it hard to see our menus or what we were eating! My only real complaint was that this restaurant does not have a full bar, and only offers wine and beer. My father was looking forward to a Long Island Iced Tea, but when he found out there are no mixed drinks, he was rather disappointed (he's not a beer or wine guy). I felt bad because the rest of us had already ordered wine and beer, and he was the only one unable to drink. But overall, we loved this restaurant. Absolutely delicious! read more

We went into this place blind. Our first impression was to maybe go somewhere else. It's located in a small strip with a convenience store and another small store next door Well, we are very happy we went in. The place has recently expanded into the empty space next door. The restaurant now occupies 3 rooms. The original is the warmest, with the middle room comfortable and the newest room feeling cold and barn-like. Some wine racks on the wall (like the first room) would be most helpful. The food: she had the steak Delmonico, nicely prepared, topped with a dollop of garlic butter and VERY flavorful, accompanied by silky smooth mashed potatoes. I had the duck. Perfection. Probably the best duck I've had in years. Crispy, not very fatty, and a perfect size serving. The hostess was very nice, professional and welcoming. The fellow we had for a served started off a little pushy, but, once he settled in, turned out to be better. All in all, on a 5 star scale, I'd give 5 stars to the food and 4 stars each to the service and ambiance. We plan to return next year when we're back visiting the area. read more

2nd trip to Michael John's on a busy Valentines Day. Sent flowers for my wife, they were delivered and on our table when we arrived. Impeccable service, perfectly prepared food, rib eye for me, seared salmon for my wife. Both prepared exactly as ordered. Two visits, two superb experiences. Love it. read more

Outstanding service and excellent food. The duck was amazing! We all had a great time at the restaurant and all our dishes were phenomenal. read more

Valentine's day dinner, we had excellent steaks and appetizers. We waited awhile for our table, but was understandable given the date. We have not found many places in this area with this quality of food. Crab cakes where excellent, myself and my wife each had fillet. Really nice atmosphere. read more

Website says $15 corkage. Wanted $26 when we got there. No offer to make good on advertised price. Food was okay - some of it really good - but nothing spectacular. Steak was a little chewy, and hard to cut. Nothing was impressive enough about the meal to make us want to stay for dessert. Doubt if we'll be going back anytime soon. read more

Ditto all the raves. We ate there Saturday night and my husband was so impressed that we are going back tonight (3 days later) for a burger in the bar. The food was well prepared and well presented; the waitress was attentive without being obtrusive;the wine was good and was reasonably priced. All in all, I expect we will become regulars. Trudy R. read more

Went here last Saturday. The food was very good and the portions were large. I had the chicken piccata and it was very tasty.

We were a group of 11, after being seated it took at least 10 minutes before we were offered a drink. Once we got out drinks it took at least 10-15minutes before we were asked if we were ready to order. The restaurant was not busy, which should have been a sign to us since it was a Friday night. Once we ordered it took a long time to get starters and soup was served cold. They advertise that they offer soil samples, but when we asked we were told our party was to big, they could not give us samples???? We ordered and t took 20 minutes for dinner. My cod was terrible and my husbands pasta mushy. The waiter noticed that I did not eat my fish and never even asked if there was a problem or a chance to correct it. the evening was a birthday celebration for two of our guests and there was no recognition or even birthday greeting. I will never return. read more

Tried this restaurant for the first time and was very pleased with the quality of the steaks. Juicy and tender. My only issue was the lighting was too bright for dinner. I like a more intimate setting. But the steaks made up for the atmosphere read more

Best restaurant in the Bradenton area. Small, attentive but not obtrusive service. Crabcakes were the best I've had south of Maryland, no filler. Delmonico steak was delicious, proper temperature.My wife's filet was melt in your mouth. Try the roasted brussel sprouts! read more

I took my fiancé there last night for her birthday. It came highly recommended by my boss, and now I see why! One of the few hidden treasures in Bradenton as you would never know such a wonderful eatery was tucked away in the location it is at. The food is phenomenal, the brie appetizer was delightful and the escargot was one of the best I've ever tasted. We both had the Filet as it was to die for. Each bite was so savory and melted in your mouth. Great steak and not costing "Berns" type of money. The crème brulee was amazing as well and it being only our 1st time, we will be surely going back and telling family and friends about it!! Above and beyond the food beyond absolutely fantastic, the service is what made the entire experience exceptional!! From the young lady that greeted us at the door and to seating us, to our waitress being out of this world, and to everyone always helping each other out and making sure we had everything we needed.....AND WITHOUT EVER HAVING TO ASK FOR IT!! You can tell everybody works well together, they really enjoy their jobs, and their main concern is to make sure that each and every guest has a wonderful experience. Thank you to everyone at MJ's for making my fiancé's birthday special....We will be back and thank you for 1 of the best experiences and food we've had at a restaurant!! read more

We went last night for our anniversary, and it was perfect. Excellent service, and the meals were tremendous. I had the French Onion Soup as an appetizer and the broth was thick and creamy rather than watery like so many other chains. Entree's were excellent, I had the Chicken Cordon Bleu and my wife had the fish. Both were perfect. Had the Chocolate Lava Cake for desert, the cake was warm and was melting the ice cream right into it. Just right! We will be going back many more times. Thank You for helping with a memorable evening. read more

Best seafood and steak in Bradenton and blows away all the chain seafood and steak places. Michael is a master at sauces and soups also and cooks a steak to perfection. The quality of food is one of the best around and service is always excellent. You have to check out this hidden gem and they carry hogfish as seafood of the day at times which is always hard to find. read more

We were so excited about spending Valentine's and our Anniversary there. Not so much anymore. The appetizers were good, the main meal was to say the least very disappointing. First off, we made reservations over 3 weeks prior to VD and was seated in the cramped corner in the back right by the swinging kitchen door. As you can imagine, it was a busy night so the door constantly swung open with the unsightly view of the kitchen and with the heat pouring out in front of our table. They had only 2 waiter for the dinning area which I was surprised on such a busy night. I ordered the Dijon Crusted lamb rare. When they brought it out...there was no crust and it was raw...not rare. It was like they picked up the rack, put some type of cream on the outside and completely forgot to put it on the grill. I literally could not cut through it with a steak knife to separate the bones. I took pics of it and the fat on the rack was still hard and white. I completely lost my appetite. They replaced it with a stuffed flounder with crab which of course took at least an additional 20 minutes to bring out and my husband, of course by that time had already finished his dinner. This dish was also a disappointment. The runny juice from the crab they put on top of the fish surrounded the vegetables and mashed potatoes which made all of it taste very fishy. Not once did a manager....not sure if there was actually one there come by to say he was sorry for the way my meal had turned out. I have eaten at some really awesome French restaurants in NY and Washington DC and this place could not come close. So, after spending $145.00 (with no dessert) We will not be returning. read more

This was my second visit to this brasserie, that is undoubtedly the best restaurant in the Bradenton area and one of the best in SW Florida. The setting is lovely the decor low key, the service attentive without being over the top. They have no liquor licence, but that's good, it means you can BYOW, and they charge a small corkage fee, beer and and excellent selection of wines, try the leathery Dona Paula estates Malbec (even if you are not having steak). More bistros and brasseries should use the BYOB option, it is an incentive not a deterrent. Oh yes they do have food too, the menu is small and many dishes classics BUT every ingredient is of the highest quality, it takes a really bad chef to screw up high quality product. And trust me Mr. John is anything but a bad chef, this guy knows what he's doing. We tried the pork pot stickers - carefully hand made with a spicy dip, huge juicy fire cracker shrimp, the "best ever" French onion soup, baked Brie with honey and candied pecans and a must pear and feta salad. But this IS an American brasserie and even though the fish and poultry looked good, steak is the order of the day here. My friend, who would like to think of himself as one of the world's great filet aficionados had trouble finding words to describe his 8oz, and couldn't remember if he had ever had a better one, but then he discovered the Pinot reduction that came with my filet, luckily there was plenty to go around. He was also rather keen on the scalloped potatoes with Parmesan crust and fresh veggie selection. All in all a "steak to remember". MJ's also has a delicious selection of $7 desserts madeon the premises. Check the web page for different nightly special themes and BTW make a reservation for class and classic food. read more

I hardly ever go to the trouble of writing a review for anything but our experience was so bad that I felt compelled to do so. We went to Michael Johns last night in Bradenton to celebrate Valentine and to celebrate or 19 year anniversary. What started out as a beautiful evening turned into a total disgust. We arrived at 5:30 and there were only a few other customers there all ready. We were seated in a very dimly lit area away from the main area which was a mistake.(Your totally forgotten) The waitress arrived at our table after a long wait and handed us our menus and asked if we wanted something from the bar. When I said no, she left us in a huff not even explaining the menu and the specialties of the evening. After another long period of time, the waitress asked for our order. Waiting another long spell of time, she returned with bread and my wife's Coke. We sat there for another long spell of time, I wanted a refill of my water and the Wife' Coke and had finished our stale 1/4 loaf of bread a long time ago. I finally asked the girl at the bar if we could have our drinks refilled which she did. What we didn't know is that they charge you $2 for every refill of soda which was never told to us. We finally received our dinners. I had lobster which was THE worst I ever ate. It was bland, luke warm at best and I chewed on like a piece of rubber. Fortunately my had ordered a 12 ounce steak which we shared. Our initial waitresses never returned after that. We actually had three different waitress wait on us during our meal. I overhead another customer complain about his lobster. When the third waitress arrived, i complained about how bad the lobster was and she apologized and would management know about it. we received our check which was over $100 for our two dinners and no adjustment for the terrible lobster was made. We will never go back to this restaurant again. read more