I recently had a Big Top Fin Lager on draft at Ford's Garage. I've had almost every light lager on the market and have a few favorites but this one was exceptional. Easy drinking, great taste, truly a classic lager. Well done! read more

Big Top Brewing - Big Top Brewing Fin Lager - Breweries Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Stopped in on a Saturday afternoon while we were in the area, having seen it but never visited. We had our dog with us -- they're pet-friendly outside on the patio and have plenty of shade! There was also a food truck-style dirty soda vendor, and a kids play area -- for people with kids, or people looking for an NA option, this brewery will have something for everyone. Our server was quick and checked in regularly. We weren't dining heavily, but split a pretzel; my husband decided this provolone-based beer cheese is the best he's ever had. I usually like to do flights to sample several beers, but they were not offering flights. However, they happily poured me several samples to try before committing to a full pour. I enjoyed the wheat beer and the pina colada sour I had. All in all, a really enjoyable spot to kill a hot Saturday afternoon at. We will be back! read more

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We took a trip down to Sarasota for date night and Big Top came highly recommended. After experiencing the staff (Ben is the best!) and the appetizers (wings and the pretzel) we see why this place is packed. The wings were perfectly cooked and so flavorful (It's all in the brine) and the pretzel was soft and perfect for dipping in the amazing beer cheese. I had the Bee Sting pizza which made me a fan of whipped ricotta because is mellowed the hot honey sauce drizzle over fresh toppings. When I got to the crust I stopped and dipped them in this sensational sauce (I could have ordered the crust alone ). My wife had the sliders (she's not usually a slider person) to try something different and she loved them. The mini burgers were not over cooked and the toppings fit the slider perfectly the a tasty bite. I mentioned Ben because he took the time to come and check on us since it was our first time. He is an awesome man with a heart for people which made the experience top notch. If you're in the area and want great food and varieties of craft beer (I don't drink so I couldn't review) stop by Big Top. I will be back. read more

We love this place! Service is amazing! Above and beyond! Cool spot to drink local beer with great food. The Lemongrass potstickers are outstanding. Full of flavor! We ordered the Cobb salad and the Cocky cutlet. Everything was great but -heads up- they put Parmesan in their balsamic vinaigrette dressing. I don't like cheese at all so I sent it back and got cilantro lime vinaigrette dressing instead. Delicious! read more

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Great atmosphere, good food, and a really nice selection of beers. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the place has a fun, relaxed vibe. Definitely a great spot to hang out with friends or family. We'll be back! read more

This kitchen really is above the average bar food. Those wings are exceptional and the pizza is perfect to share or have as a main entree. Reasonable prices make it inviting and love the reservation options. I love that they have creative brewery plus cocktails too. TVs are usually playing the top games too. Music is awesome when it's on. Family friendly with a massive outdoor seating area under the Big Top! Long fully staffed indoor and outdoor covered bars. On rainy days, you can still come and enjoy your meal and a drink. Fun stop with tons of positive energy. read more

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Great massive brewery with plenty on tap To choose from to quench your thirst. Menu has many options and food is way above your typical bar food. They have live music many nights including what it's seems to be a dueling pianos setup. Our waiter was amazing and on point. Great spot to come and have great bites, beers and some jams. read more

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Had a nice time with our friends. We were a group of about 35 and they handled us to perfection. Had the blacked salmon with spinach and rice. Great meal for a sports bar if you're looking to eat healthy. read more

My very first time at Big Top Brewing and the place was very nice! This brewery was huge. They have a very big outside as well as inside. As a restaurant they have a ton of food on the menu. The inside menu is different than the outside menu so beware of that. The outside menu has a lot less food so if you're they're to eat it may be wise to site inside. They beer options are ok as well. Not as much light beers but that's ok. The waiters are on point and food service and timing is pretty fast. Glad I had a chance to check out a new brewery in Sarasota area! read more

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Great outdoor space! You literally are sitting under a big top tent! They have fans mounted to keep you cool on those hot days. Service is great. Attentive and quick. The food is good too! We only had apps this time: We had the Bavarian pretzel, chips and guac (the chips are huge!) I also had a white sangria which was delicious! We're going to go back for dinner for sure. read more

First time customer; wife and myself started with two draft beers, taste was nice while temperature was on the warm side, shared the temperature issue with waitress, she said nothing she could do about it, my response was just letting you know as you might share the info with a manager. The waitress was not a good listener, she talked over us multiple times. God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. Ben (Manager) came over and thanked me for info as coolers were not working properly. Offered me a free beer, I declined. The smash burger turned out to be 4 sliders, meat was very chewy and the fries were basic bland with no seasoning. The food overall was average at best, needs some tweaking. Atmosphere was nice but based on above we will not return. read more

Sunday night - What better place to be than the Big Top Brewery for pizza, salad, and of course a cold brewski!!!! The place is always very chilled and laid back - Plenty of TV's for those who want to catch up on their favorite sports games. The wait staff is super friendly and on top of their game!! The food a step above your typical sports bar type places. The atmosphere is very inviting for everyone including families with kids!! Make it a point to visit this establishment - You won't be disappointed!!! read more

Big Top Brewing - Lunch Combos - Until 4pm - Breweries Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

If you're looking for an amazing environment (indoor or outdoor) and have a genuine appreciation for quality craft beer you must bring your happy ass to Big Top Brewery. It's spacious, inviting, clean, and the art is Top notch. Alex and Courtney were the bartenders whilst I was there, and they were both friendly and engaging. Ben the GM was very approachable and answered my questions with 0 hesitation because he's enthusiastic about the brewery. I drank the Conch Republic Key Lime and the Hawaiian Lion coffee porter. They were equally sensational. Drop in and grab a beer or 5. You can thank me later for directing you there lol. Cheers! read more

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What a fun, spacious, clean place! We sat inside - very tasteful decor with lots of tvs around. Service was prompt and food was delicious. Headliners for us were the pot stickers. A few notes: beer menu only by a QR code!?? Side wall seating, where looks modern, doesn't offer ample foot rests for us vertically challenged types. Had to move seats to make everyone comfortable. All in all, though, a great place that I'll happily patron again! read more

Big Top Brewing - Sliders - Breweries Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Stopped in for a quick lunch at big top brewing. and was pleasantly surprised. Sat outside in their huge patio/ bar area. Great atmosphere! Went with a big top burger that was delicious. I highly recommend ordering this burger. Went down well with a refreshing cold wheat beer. Definitely planning to return and sample more of the menu and their beer. read more

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4 stars because the beer and spaces are amazing. Food experience lost the 5th star: mojo sandwich pork meat was bland. Next visit tried the chicken sliders and using thighs as the meat cut, texture not good, and at skinless breast price. Will definitely return regularly for the beer and inside/outside spaces!! read more

I've had a couple of issues with this place lately. On my last takeout order, they forgot to include my additional side that I was charged for. When I mentioned it on my next visit, the staff member simply said, "sorry," without much else. Today, I tried to order online, but the site wouldn't accept my Big Top Gift Card. It only allowed payment via credit card. I called to place the order instead, but no one answered after three attempts. Then, I tried the "Make a Reservation" line, which was quickly picked up. The person who answered told me they don't take phone orders, but after explaining the gift card issue, she transferred me to someone who finally processed my order. It took a bit more effort than it should have, but I'm glad they eventually took my money. At this point, I'm wondering if this place is getting too big for its own good. They earn the stars because the food is pretty good. They weren't that busy but somehow even taking the order over the phone still had an issue- we received soft fries rather than the cauliflower mash we ordered. Had the Mojo Sandwich and 24 hour brined wings. Those two were pretty good. I'd say your best bet is to dine-in. Grab a beer. Then you won't mind if they mess up your order. read more

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We decided to try Big Top Brewing last night for dinner. What is busy vibrant place. Even though it was a chilly evening the outdoor area was crowded and the inside looked fully occupied. We had made a reservation and did get a high top table right away. In talking with our server this was not unusually busy. And although loud, we were able to hear ourselves talking, so we ended up having a nice visit. Sports on several TVs held my interest while we waited on our food. My wife wanted to start with their Lemon Grass Chicken Potstickers, that took about 15 minutes. Excellent choice, six pieces that we split, and she liked the soy ginger ponzu sauce so much she used some of it on her entrée choice, their Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad. We both ate and enjoyed that large salad. For my entrée I had their Big Top Burger. It had a mild flavor with a soft bun and a secret sauce that remained a secret to me. Fair is fair, my wife had some of my sandwich, and we agreed it was very good. It was obvious Big Top takes the preparing of food seriously. Even though it was busy we received great service. In fact the only negative we could come up with wasn't anything with the restaurant per se, it was the overall parking challenge for the Fruitville Commons shops and restaurants. read more

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Little to no AC in the middle of July in florida, extremely unpleasant to sit in a pool of sweat.

So we had lunch at the new location yesterday afternoon. We wanted to sit outside and there were no available tables, but they did have one available inside which turned out well. The decor was brick modern bar and felt comfortable. We had the guacamole appetizer which was different from your average guacamole appetizer in that the avocado hat a layer of soft cheese underneath (interesting) I'll give it a 7. The parmigiana chicken sandwich that one of my guests had was in the opinion worth ordering again. The pretzel and fondue dip was ok based on one taste test. Lastly the stinger pizza I ordered was a little messy but filled with flavor for those looking wow their taste buds. I give it a 9. I will return. read more

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Love the atmosphere and the big outdoor area. I'm a brewery lover but even if the classic brewery vibe isn't your thing, you'll still love this place. I had the crusted chicken reggiano and it was fantastic. Two in my party had salads and enjoyed them but be warned, they are huge. If you have light eaters in your group you can definitely split one between two people. Another had the cubano tacos and gave it a big thumbs up. Service was solid although not elite. That said, my only suggestion would be to share more about the size of the salad entrees. Salads don't do take home well. read more

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We had a big group and we wanted to sit and chat all night. We had great service and she separated our checks - which was fantastic. We had delicious beer and we enjoyed our food, but it wasn't out of this world. If it had been a little bit warmer, we would have enjoyed to sit outside and enjoy the evening. read more

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This isn't a concert venue and they attempt to be one but they do not have the staff or infrastructure and it's just a big mess. Stay a restaurant and brewery and leave the concerts to others. read more

First time at the new location for Big Top. Love the vibe inside and out! The outside is nice and spacious and had a nice breeze. If you go on Thursdays they have a corn hole tournament but still was not too busy for us to enjoy. I did think it was weird that the food was served in paper products when outside. I was not expecting that. But everything we ate was delicious! The egg rolls were a recommendation from our server and boy was he right! So fresh and flavorful! Definitely dip it in the crema sauce. Also appreciate that they have Mocktails. I am pregnant and It was great to have a fun drink as well as everyone else! read more

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Fun time a dialing pianos. Great service, drink and food is good. Chicken sliders are terrific!

I haven't been to the new location and wasn't expecting much. All the food was excellent. Would definitely go back.

Awesome spot - beer is great and atmosphere is even better. Huge outside area where kids and pets can run around, plenty of shade and a self service bar. You can sit outside or inside - so many tables and service was quick. Food was delicious and I would definitely recommend the salad!!! Can't wait to come back! read more

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We had always wanted to check out this place based on their beer we have had at other venues, but we were blown away by their menu! After being seated, we were greeted by our waitress, Justine, who was excellent. She told us about their appetizers, main menu, and beer selections and was very thorough. We started with the Philly Cheesesteak Nachos, which were good but could have used a layer of cheese between the chips on the tray and the nucleus on top. There were a lot of chips underneath that were completely untouched by any toppings. For our entree, I had the Big Top Burger, which was very flavorful, along with a side of Cuban Black Beans. The Cuban Black Beans were fantastic - a little spicy but with huge flavor and some brisket mixed in, making it perfect. My wife had the Street Corn Chicken Bowl, which she said was delicious and very fresh. She mentioned that she would order it again. We also had the pleasure of being greeted by one of the managers, Ben, who inquired about our meal. We had a very nice conversation with him about their mission to serve great beer with a fresh and delicious menu. Mission accomplished! Ben was very friendly and informative, keeping us posted on their beer brewing schedule so we know when our favorite beer of theirs will be available in cans again. He also invited us back to dine with them. You don't see that kind of hospitality at many restaurants these days. Thank you to Justine and Ben for a wonderful dining and drinking experience. We will definitely be back! read more

Had a great time here! Staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. Service was great! The building itself has a great atmosphere. Interior is large and open with a variety of seating. The exterior has a massive turfed backyard. Amazing place to take the family for a fun night out. Pizza was delicious with a great crust! Chewy and crispy at the same time. Also has thinly sliced garlic on top. The sliders were delicious and perfectly cooked. Patties were seasoned and juicy. Lastly, the Guac was a big surprise! With fresh chips it was so good! Queso base, with Elote toppings and Guac. Probably one of my favorite things. Also came with a delicious salsa verde. We loved this place and will definitely be back in the future. read more

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This is a cool location. Love the building and overall feel. Big Top beer is not my favorite but it's still good. Love to support a local brewery. This is a cool concept with the full menu and dinning. I will say service is very hit or miss. I've gone and sometimes they say they only have one server and it'll be a wait when it's empty. Today however made a reservation, staff were friendly and service was good. Beer- like there Hazy Sky Wire. It's an okay New England IPA and lately I've enjoyed their key lime beer. Food-honestly haven't had anything bad here. Like their take on chips and guacamole with the giant tortilla chips you break, wings are good, finally tried the pizza and enjoyed that, and Brussels sprouts were great. Enjoy this place overall! Give them a try! read more

Grand opening week - had dinner on Thursday. They are off to a fantastic start! We opened with the giant chicken meatballs. They were large and filling, very delicious! For dinner we had the pizza and loved it! Very spicy. The beer and hand crafted cocktail were both very satisfying! The new service staff was very attentive. Love the ambiance, the inside is large, open and noisy like you would expect at a brewery. Small thing we didn't like - the menu doesn't tell us about the ingredients in the food or drinks. Our waitress told us that was by design so that the servers would describe. That's just a terrible idea, and a simple fix to the menus would solve that. Especially for those with food allergies. Will return. With friends! read more

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1 Star -- If I could give zero, I would. We chose Big Top Brewery to celebrate my friend's graduation as a Registered Nurse, and it turned out to be one of the most unprofessional, uncomfortable, and downright embarrassing experiences I've ever had at a restaurant. It all started over a single can of beer. While waiting to be seated, one of our guests grabbed a can from the fridge with every intention of adding it to our table's tab -- something we've done at other breweries without issue. Instead of handling the situation with basic courtesy, Raul (the manager) stormed over and approached the graduate as if she had stolen something. His tone was aggressive and accusatory, completely unnecessary for a simple misunderstanding. We paid for the six-pack and even asked Raul to put it on ice, trying to move on and enjoy our time. But moments later, another woman claiming to be a manager came out and rudely scolded us again -- this time saying we couldn't drink the canned beer on the property. There were no clear signs stating this, and at that point, we'd already been "reprimanded" twice over a beer we had purchased. We had 15 more guests planning to join us, but after being treated so poorly, we decided to take our celebration elsewhere. We left and went to Twin Peaks (right in the same plaza) where the staff was friendly, professional, and welcoming -- exactly what customer service should look like. Big Top Brewery completely ruined what should have been a joyful celebration. If you're looking for a place that values its customers, knows how to treat people with respect, and understands hospitality, skip Big Top and head straight to Twin Peaks. They outshine Big Top in every way -- food, drinks, and above all, customer service. Bottom line: Big Top Brewery is rude, unprofessional, and clueless about how to handle guests. Save yourself the headache and go anywhere else. read more

We met some old friends from Maryland there to catch up with old times. The food service was excellent.

Yummy food and drinks. Got the crusted chicken reggiano---great (I should've ordered extra sauce!). Pesto creaminess and crisp chicken (and enough to bring home!). Hubby got the Cubano Tacos--loved it. I had a great Raspberry lemonade cider. Good service. Only disappointment is for a brewery the drink selection is very small. read more

Big Top Brewing - Cubano Tacos - Breweries Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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I visit Sarasota area about once a month and just found this place. It's awesome. Restaurant set up on the inside w TVs, but the outside is the best part. Long table, picnic tables and fire pit seating. Two fire pits. TVs with sports on and kids moving around. Big area for baggo and other games. Food was great. And the beers and mixed drinks were unique and excellent. The service was top tier but we definitely got the best waitress there. She was amazing with knowledge of all the beers, drinks and food. She was always attentive and chill. Definitely a return visit in the future. read more

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Had my birthday party at Big Top and it was a big FLOP. Service was slow and didn't clean tables well , we had ten people and everyone wasn't happy with there food, some sent it back and although the atmosphere was good I won't be back and btw I tried four beers no IPAs and they all tasted bitter I'll pass read more

Very nice atmosphere- very large outdoor area with TVs and shaded area. Perfect for large groups on a nice day. The inside also looked nice and spacious. Great service. The beers were wonderful. We just had a few appetizers and they were decent. read more

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Love this place! Always great food, drinks and service! The out door bar area is great as well!

Big Top is not only great for the brews but their scratch kitchen is great. I had the tuna appetizer. Cubed tuna on top of a bed of fried rice perfect. And i had the fried shrimp and fish basket. It was a great combo of fried goodness. Go for the beers stay for the food! read more

Excellent food and service!!! We visited for the first time Tuesday for lunch, we sat at the beautiful bar...Zack was excellent!!! We will definitely be back !!! read more