Ultimate local dive bar in Sarasota. Staff are so kind and food is incredible- steamed right in front of you. I had the oysters from Louisiana and the special shrimp Poboy. Great spot for some quality seafood read more

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Are you a fan of beer? How about seafood? THIS PLACE IS A MUST TRY! I am in love with their food. My husband and his mom got the hot dog and loved it. We ordered crab legs, oysters, cheese bread and shrimp. Everything was cooked to perfection and 5 stars. I love how nice the servers are at Monk's Steamer Bar. Inside is great as there's lots to look at and plenty of TVs. The bar area is cool especially since you can see them steam everything. There's indoor and outdoor seating. This place is a must when you are in Sarasota, FL. I highly recommend coming here because they have great food! read more

Monk's Steamer Bar - Inside - Sports Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Go every time we visit Sarasota. The mussels are awesome The staff is great Good vibes very low key Well worth a visit read more

Even if the food was good, which it isn't, I would never return. The owner is rude and obnoxious. Eat across the street for a decent meal.

Awesome...awesome...and did I say awesome??? Best service from Thomas! Oysters, crab legs, shrimp...alcohol...run, don't walk!

This is one of my most favorite places. They steam cook the whole menu right in front of you, if your sitting at the bar. Haha The service is great. They all have been here forrrrevvverr. Minus one or two. But they remember your name and happy to see you. Hell I moved to Tampa 3 years ago and they still knew me. The ambiance is just what it should be. It's a local bar near the beach with regulars all over the place eating fresh steamed mussels, shrimp, oysters, clams, crab and more. When you are in Gulf Gate in Sarasota this is the only steamer place to go. read more

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Super limited menu. Believe there is no real kitchen. They weren't fans of my "Service Dogs" read more

Too bad I can only leave 5 stars, or I'd rate this place 10. The monkey Eller oysters are as good, if not better than local oyster Rockefeller. The Bloody Mary was exceptional. Same for our wait service. read more

Great seafood... great service! Keeping the menu small and simple means EVERYTHING on it is done to perfection. It's a cute unassuming spot in a strip mall. These were the fattest oysters I've had outside of New Orleans read more

The server was nice and gave us good service. What I thought was unique was the kitchen was the bar. They made the food at the bar and sever drink which was the first time I saw that. The food was not good at all . Also not a big menu. read more

Monk's Steamer Bar - Oysters Monkefellas - Sports Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Seriously love this oyster bar. I've been here a handful of times and I always have a great experience. It's divey, no-frills, and all about the oysters. If you're not a fan of oysters, get out. Just kidding! There are other seafood options and very limited non-seafood options, but the oysters are really the star here. They're raw oysters are amazing and their version of Oysters Rockefeller is simple but tasty. Monk's helped me out with for my husband's surprise graduation party and accommodated about 20 people comfortably in a semi-private section with impeccable service throughout our whole time there. We'll continue to keep going back! read more

Monk's Steamer Bar - a plate of oysters - Sports Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

We tried to sit outside. Not ADA compliant. No wheel chair ramp. Will report to the American disability act. They are illegal. The owner screamed at us with our legal disability dog. Demanded we disclose the disability, which is absolutely illegal. We gave our legal paperwork. The owner refused to look at the paperwork, screaming across the bar at a 75 year old woman. I wish i would have recorded. read more

Well I was disappointed. It's a bar where you can get steamers, it's not a place if you want seafood and get a drink. You can see the hummus platter is Boar heads from Publix. The combo platter had mussels, clams, crawfish and snow crab. Mussels and clams were good. Snow crab was tasty but sparse. The Cajun crawfish was a bust. If you've had Cajun crawfish, you will be disappointed. So this place is a four star if you're going for drinks and want some steamers. But if you want seafood with a drink, I would go elsewhere. Thus my rating, I'm not a drinker. read more

Monk's Steamer Bar - Hummus platter - Sports Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Service was great!! We sat outside, as the inside was a little dark & Chilly. But we got great service. read more

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The food and the staff are amazing! It's always a good time sitting at the bar, Pineapple and the guys are hilarious! The crawfish, oysters & shrimp never disappoint. Try a Tang shot, or 2!! read more

3/27-sat outside. Service was outstanding. No displayed prices on draft beer and found out that a Big Top Amber Ale cost $10, while wine was $8 a glass. Not sure that I ever paid more for a draft beer than a wine pour in Sarasota. Food was OK. Did not receive an itemized bill when paid and I am not happy when restaurants do not share it. Not our type of food and beer is way too expensive to return. read more

I loved the steam shrimp. The service was fast and the server was very nice. I will be returning.

First time here, brought by a Philly classmate from high school (we are class of '77) who has been here with his wife a few times. He played and like hockey and I was surprised when I saw Bill Barber's Flyers jersey hanging on the wall!!! This place reminded me of Blue Point Crab House in Philly that had been around since the 1940s. Nothing fancy, nothing extravagant. Beer, booze, and seafood. The bar staff does it all. Kitchen and bar right there in front of you. We got some steamer clams and some raw oysters. (I just moved to FL from Long Island so I can claim to have some of the best in the country for both). These were FRESH, cleaned, shucked and prepared perfectly. Seasoning was awesome (not too much...just some subtle flavoring) The clams broth was all so perfect with sliced roll with melted cheese. The horseradish and cocktail sauce was also a nice quality condiment/accompaniment if needed/wanted. Service - stunning and friendly. We never wanted for anything. One got a great beer, and I got a Heineken 0.0 served cold and with a chilled glass. Everything was done right. Everywhere it counted this place was clean and ship-shape. I tipped well, we had a number of beers each, a dozen oysters, a dozen steamers and we got out of there under $70 beans. Coming back with the wives in the near future. (sorry no photos - clams and oysters aren't really that photogenic anyway? (snicker) ) read more

Very good food served quick and hot! They actually steam the seafood right there at the bar. $9.95 for 2lbs of steamed mussels! The Monk Bread is great for sopping up the butter and juices. Drinks very reasonably priced as well. Friendly service rounds it all out! read more

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I like the Monkafellers but I prefer the fresh, raw oysters which is their specialty.

I was so excited to go to a real Florida oyster bar, so Monks it was! I've been 3 times! I loved the atmosphere & the oysters are local, not quite as flavorful but a dozen won't break the bank! Sad part was the rude shucker or bartender, 1st time I let slide but the other 2 was not just a bad day, it's just the way it is I suppose! Anyway, go enjoy, sit at a booth and get the shrimp, it's delicious! read more

Great for the price. It's a bar that used to be smoked in so there is that musty old cigarette smell inside. It's a fun place to get alot of seafood and not be afraid of getting your hands dirty while eating. read more

They are Open on Christmas! Had 6 guests leave today and not a single thing as far as leftovers go. Nothing on Siesta opens until 5pm, so this was well worth it. read more

Monk's Steamer Bar - Open on Xmas!!! - Sports Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Dive bar that serves steamed seafood, raw oysters and seafood bisque. The ambiance is dive barish with clean bathrooms. The service was adequate but rushed. Mixed drinks were fair. Raw oyster were very good but the steamed mixed platter was disappointing. 30% of the clams and mussels were closed. We ordered two orders and one was considerably spicier than the other. We had to ask twice for more napkins. No bibs supplied. If I go back it would only be for a beer and oysters. That's if I go back. read more

Great food and service. Always fresh and chill Vibe , I always take friends and family there

Delicious parmesan oysters. Crab legs were also very delicious. Our platter of steamed mussels and clams were very fresh and tasty. Friendly customer service. read more

I give this place 4.5 stars rounded to 5. It is a simple place, not much on menu but that is ok. Anything you choose will be good. The oysters are some of the best I've had in the area...might be #1. Good place to come for a drink and share an appetizer, especially if there's a game on tv. read more

Not my cup of tea monkafellrs was just oysters and Parmesan cheese! and the cheese was half melted. And the oysters had a smell. so they didn't seem fresh. So when the waitress brought them out I could smell them it was hard to eat them. Bathroom was clean read more

Monk's Steamer Bar - Sports Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Stopped in here after a round of golf. Simple menu with great results. Man the oysters were incredible. Great bar scene and a great spot to catch a game. Highly recommend. Don't expect a big menu tho. Mainly just sticks to the basics and they deliver wonderfully. read more

Best seafood ever . Nice staff great price . I've been coming here for 20 + years . Fast service and good food read more

Monk's Steamer Bar - Sports Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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What a fun place. The bartenders are great, fun and very helpful. Simple menu but wow-so good. We had mussels, clams. And crawfish. Get some monk bread to soak up the juice. We will be back with a crowd. The bloody mary's can be made with Clamato. Not too spicy and smooth. They come with a great garnish of shrimp and you can add your own spice. Great find! read more

Monk's Steamer Bar - Sports Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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It's not fancy but the food is amazing and the service has been great. I went twice in the first two days of visiting sarasota! Oysters, muscles, shrimp and their take on Rockefellers (aka Oysters Monkefellas!) are incredible. They source high quality ingredients and take pride in what they do. Large portions too! Makes for a great value. read more

First things first, this is NOT your fancy touristy seafood house and this is why we love it. Don't expect frills and fluff here. Just very fresh shellfish steamed right in front of you in the simplest of ways. The business model here is nothing short of genius. There are maybe 8-10 items to choose from (most are shellfish), no side items and it's all cooked in two steamers at the bar. You want oysters? Yes, those are there too, kept at the bar under tons of ice and shucked to order. Simple and delish! We started out with a dozen of their Prime raw oysters ($21) out of Louisiana. And, I have to admit I was skeptical, as I have a fondness for my New England or West Coast. We were promised by the bartender, these were the "best" oysters we would ever have... and he was right. No way were these gulf oysters! They were briny, large (but not too), and the consistency was perfection! They were so good, we ended up ordering another dozen. We also tried their version of Oysters Rockefeller. This consisted of butter, garlic and parm cheese, all steamed in one of those steamers. Again, FABULOUS! Lastly, we had their steamed peel and eat shrimp. I'm not a huge shrimp fan, but these were quite good. Again, simple with just butter, garlic and old bay seasoning. Served hot with a few wedges of lemon on top for squeezing. Part of the reason we love coming to this place is the bar staff. They are hilariously entertaining. It's obvious there are many returning locals to this "dive" bar and they are also clearly here, not just for the food, but also to see their favorite bartenders. Service was attentive, even though the place was pretty packed. Again, if you're looking for cloth napkins and wet naps, this is not your spot. But, if you're looking fresh, unadulterated seafood check them out! *Tips* *There is NO FISH served, just shellfish* *Make sure you ask for their famous dessert, "better than Reese's" made by the owner's wife.* *Download the AMI Music App before you go so you can listen to your tunes on their jukebox* *Great for watching Games. Tons of TV's all over this place* *Strong, well-made Margaritas* *Even though items are sold by the dozen, they will sell you half a dozen* Ambiance 7/10 Service 8/10 Food 9/10 Value 9/10 read more

Wanted to try this restaurant but was rudely greeted by a older man who said no dogs on patio including service dogs!! Clearly he dose not know the rules of service dogs maybe management should educate him!! Hardly anyone eating there! And by other reviews and hardly anyone eating there on a Friday night it was probably a blessing in disguise's read more

If you enjoy good, fresh reasonably priced shellfish, Minks is a MUST. Fun and attentive staff, ok TVs, but the drinks are always made very well. read more

Best place to go for great oysters. Never a small one served. The only place I will eat raw oysters. They don't have a Rockefeller but have a monkerfeller choice, full of melted parm cheese on top. Lots of other raw bar choices, soups, rolls, and for non oyster lovers you can get a hunk of cheese and sausage! read more

Hole in the wall where you can get the best steamed mussels I have ever had. We sat at bar for front row show of oyster shucking and steaming of the shellfish. My friend had the raw oysters, he loved them! I had the mussels. Also had seafood chowder and monk bread. All delish!! If you're in Sarasota and you like fresh shellfish....this is place to go! Casual sports bar vibe. read more

Monk's Steamer Bar - Steamed mussels - Sports Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Kickback, casual, fun and yummy food in basic ambiance : no frills, fast service. Located near South Siesta Key bridge on mainland.

We tried the Monkafellers and a dozen lightly steamed oysters and they were so good. My hubby was stoked to find a place that finally had lightly steamed and not a bunch of dirty oysters. This was our third oyster eating date in search of the best local place to get them. We found our winner ! They were also super on top of the service. It has "dive bar coziness" ambiance. read more

Decided only to have a drink, I was with my father who is 60 years old and has health conditions we had one Jack and Coke and my father wanted a oyster shooter , a bald tall man that was serving us asked us to leave because he accused my father of being drunk and falling a sleep he was simply resting his eyes and enjoying himself and the scenery read more