Late night decision to grab dinner and the Drunken Poet did not disappoint. From the moment we walked in the door, greeted and taken back to our table. Our server was friendly and made an amazing recommendation. Ordered the Clear soup. Came to the table hot and well flavored. Then ordered the pineapple shrimp fried rice. Lots of pineapple, and yummy rice served inside a hallowed out pineapple. The table ordered several sushi rolls. I tried - The Hulk and Lucas (with cucumber). Both fresh and great flavor. Definitely would order again. First time here and will be back. Absolutely recommend for lunch or dinner, date night, business or girls night, read more

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Met some local family here for a Christmastime meal. The restaurant was playing holiday music, it was modestly but classily decorated and we enjoyed a glass of wine before ordering. Our waitress was exceptional and guided us through the iPad menu to a wonderful and diverse selection of meal options for sharing. We had one from (almost) each section of the menu for a fun combination of flavors. Our group leaned into the vegetarian bowls and had drunken noodles, Kang of Massaman, Spicy Fried Rice (we kept the spice separate to meet individual spice preferences), Veggie Pad Thai, Sweet Potato Makimono Roll, the Mild Spicy Main Street Roll and THE BEST Crab Rangoon we've ever had - there is a reason they say the Plum Sauce is famous. Would definitely recommend. read more

Excellent green Thai curry w/ tofu. Very flavorful. Friendly staff, convenient location downtown. Highly recommended. read more

Drunken Poet - Green Thai curry with tofu. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Not child friendly. The women was annoyed of our child's presence and giving bad looks.The fans in the restaurant are so dusty they look like they have a grey carpet on them. Food tastes like they dump white sugar in almost every meal. Everything is so sweet it might as well be a dessert place. read more

Yelp's overall score is 3.4. I strongly disagree. We had curry puffs, agedashi tofu, and crispy duck. Everything was excellent. The tofu, though excellent, is not a good value. Everything else was. Decent service, and a nice atmosphere. We will definitely be coming back! read more

2/18-sashimi was good with hugh slices and hot wasabi. pork gyoza over cooked. Fresh roll had one piece of chicken and shrimp, complained about it and it fell on deaf ears. Expensive wine with small pours. tempera was good. won't be back. read more

The 3.4 is a very low rating for the quality of food here. Service and vibes were also great. Rating it a 5 to help their overall rating but I would give it a 4.3. Sushi rolls were fantastic and Pad Thai was some of the best in the area. They do not have a full bar, just beer, wine and saki. read more

I went to Drunken Poet Cafe 4/15/26 and was served two Singha beer beers that were expired -- one since 2023 and the other since 2025. When I politely informed the server, he responded that the beers were not expired and that the one from 2025 was still fine. On top of that, I was still charged for both beers. The food was good, but this experience was very disappointing and concerning. read more

Been around for quite a while in midtown Sarasota. This spot serve's sushi as well as Thai cuisine. Restaurant is a no frills spot, staff busy but pleasant when they get to you. Decor, table and chairs and somewhat popular with locals. The ambience is loud and filled with busyness. Our party of four chose Thai dishes, Pad Thai for most of us along with Shushi and appetizers. No complaints. Give them a try read more

Chicken pad Thai is not typical - noodles are very thin and needed extra peanut sauce flavor. The Crab Rangoon was also unique - had a strong curry(?) flavoring. I wouldn't order again. read more

I had a lovely lunch with my family at Drunken Poet. The ambiance was great, I liked the decor. The service was attentive. My favorites were the Thai chicken wings, and the sushi rolls were quite good as well. Looking forward to trying more dishes next time! read more

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Just discovered this place. First time I found exceptional, sushi, and food in one place. People felt snce my wife won't eat sushi but loves Thai. Best pad Thai I've had. Perfect amount of sauce. read more

Small storefront Thai Restaurant on Main Street. Sitting offers tables for 2, 4, 6, and 8. Menu is on a tablet and offer starters, sushi, Thai entrees and Thai sides. Pricing is higher than most Thai restaurants in town. Music is loud and server tend to be robotic. My husband loves the Queen Kong sushi plate. He says it is a unique dish and loves the freshness. I tried the Chicken satay. They were tiny pieces not like in their menu picture but their sauces were flavorful and made the chicken taste better. The Pineapple Fried Rice comes with shrimp, pineapples, peanuts, cranberries, onions, and cilantro. It served inside a half pineapple. The flavor profile is distinctive and creative. Parking is horrible in downtown and I questioned why I was dining here. read more

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What isn't there to love about this place? Everything about it was so perfect. Amazing tasty food. Warm and welcoming service. Beautiful interior vibe that makes you feel at home. And the digital menu system is pretty neat--it allows you to see your food and learn more about what to order, very cool. I got the pad gra pow with pork and fell in love. It was a perfect portion size and absolutely tasty. It was seasoned well and a 3/5 spice level was quite manageable and added a perfect kick to the dish. We were served quick and had a super pleasant experience. Will be back for sure read more

June 7, 2024 - 2 for dinner. I like this spot and its decor and after parking the Main street theme. Service was not great. The menu iPad was not working and we were told to break out our phones? The menu is 'stupid' large and complicated. I would prefer to see the items one makes well and the customer can always take off or add or swap items. With all this variety you would think there would be more vegetarian or vegan non fried/tempura, fat and oily, or animal product meat/fish items?? Ultimately we found a few things and made it our own. Long delay on the apps and then the entree can piling out before we were even finished. Asking for more napkins, getting more water, even getting another alcoholic beverage al took time and detracted from the 'dining' experience. Food was good. even with the barrage of entree delivery it was just warm, so must have been sitting and our leisurely waiter finally saw it and brought it out? May try this joint out again on a long from now rotation when we hit the theatre, but not a stand out amongst a LOT of Main Street and Sarasota competition???? read more

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4 had lunch. Everyone enjoyed what they ordered. Service was joyful and quick. The tastes were tantalizing. The Thai Iced Tea was scrumptious. It was reasonable for lunch. Will go again. Nice surroundings. read more

Bland and overpriced, over $60 for two dishes, one Pad Thai with veggies and tofu, one Green Curry, with veggies and tofu. No extras. Neither were good and would normally pay about $15 for each. read more

Service is great- very nice people Food is outstanding and the atmosphere makes dinningbtherebaxpleasgure read more

Food was way overpriced and less than average - $24 for Fried rice?, soupy garlic chicken, soupy Sweet and sour chicken and not much Chicken for the price. Crab Rangoons super small and filling unexpected curry flavoring - not tasty. Very disappointing read more

Went here on a Friday night with a group of four for a late dinner, super fun vibes here and awesome service! The waiter was so sweet and gave us plenty of recommendations. We split three rolls and a pad thai. My favorite was a tie between the Lucas and the Fiery Roll. I definitely recommend substituting cucumber for cream cheese in the Lucas Roll (a recommendation from our waiter). The food came out quick and absolutely perfect. I would definitely come back next time I visit Sarasota! read more

Drunken Poet - Left to right: Fiery Roll, Zak Roll, and Lucas Roll with cucumber instead of cream cheese - Sushi Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

This is in downtown Sarasota. We were there on Valentine's Day. Decor is unusual for a Thai restaurant, more like a pizza place with dark wood. Service was knowledgeable and attentive. Food was delicious and authentic. read more

Still love this place and come back to it every time I visit! I really look forward to their sexy man rolls and love their mango sticky rice. It's really the only place I come back to numerous times in Sarasota. Service is always quick and lovely and the spot itself has really interesting decor. read more

Loved loved our experience here! The sushi was amazing. Every roll we got....chef's kiss. The ambiance was romantic and swanky. The location is superb for a date. Wish we lived closer. It was perfect! read more

Drunken Poet - Spicy Tuna, Lucas roll, Fiery roll, Sexy Woman roll (back to front). Loved it all!!! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Ordered delivery from Drunken Poet for the first and last time tonight. Drunken noodles, chicken wings, crab Rangoon, two sushi rolls, and green curry. Only thing with flavor was the green curry but it was strangely watery. Hard pass. read more

Food - Good, Service Marvelous, Ambiance cool After walking through the Door Turn around and look up. Librarish. A must, do drop in. Enjoy read more

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This place was BANGING. Amongst the table, we ordered a bunch of dishes including the curry puffs, crab rangoons, pad Thai medium & hot, curry fried rice and the queen Kong, limeade and thai tea. Everything was phenomenal, the pad Thai was maybe the best I've ever had. I can't recommend this place enough, truly. I will caution that the server said the sushi would take "a bit longer" than everything else. When someone says something like that, I think maybe 5-10 minutes, but in fact, no. The sushi took at least 20-25 minutes longer. Like everyone else had already eaten and finished their food, their plates had been cleared and we still waited some before I got my sushi. It seems like a bad system honestly and they should either fix that or stop offering sushi in my opinion. I'm still giving it 5 stars though because the food was really that good. read more

Drunken Poet - Queen Kong (allegedly) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

my asshole aches and i just got off the toilet, to write this, so let's get back to where we started. The decor is decent, and the service is okay, but don't be fooled--the red lighting is just a cover-up for the dirty, unwiped floors. This place took the easiest Asian cuisine staples and somehow managed to ruin them. First impressions: We started with an empanada that came drenched in sweet chili sauce--an overused and lazy choice. The seafood curry was curdled, with a recycled taste similar to spoilt breast milk , like it had been sitting around for a while. The crispy duck? Soggy and smothered in a substance resembling crude oil and the duck was gooey but hard like beef jersey that has been rehydrated in mucus The only redeeming feature? The plain white rice. The fried rice was a distant second, but even that wasn't worth writing home about. We ordered several appetizers and entrées to share among seven people, only to end up with a $400 bill. Absolutely outrageous. This wasn't just overpriced--it was daylight robbery and self-inflicted pain. my asshole has been puckering for the last hour and a half, Wiping feels like putting 250 grit sandpaper on my hot burning hole. Sarasota, it's time to retaliate and boycott this place. The only reason to come here is if you truly hate yourself but bring your own peptobismo and diapers read more

Probably the worst Thai food we've ever had, if not the worst restaurant food we've ever had. The Tom Kha soup with vegetables & steamed tofu had 3 tiny pieces of tofu & the broth was water with a drop or two of coconut milk. The salad was a joke. If you're looking for Thai, keep looking. read more

In for lunch and first time. Terrific menu of fresh sushi and a bevy of traditional Thai dishes in a casual but classy space. It's on the small side, but offers ample seating at the sushi bar as well as a large table for up to eight. Our Tampa Rolls were delicious, fresh local grouper in tempura batter and my wife's Sexy Man roll, while a personal insult, was delicious :) The cold sake recommended by the staff was a perfect accompaniment. Corkage is $25 but they do have a wide selection of wines available. read more

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I've been waiting to try it...loved the name. Small restaurant ...busy at 6...busier at 7:30. Reservations are recommended here. Nice menu... some items on the pricey side... we decided on the red curry and drunken noodles (pork). Heat was ordered at between 5 and 8... it had a kick, but not much at that level for me. The curry was weak in flavor. It's not a complex layered curry flavor like I'm used to. The drunken noodles (I'm on a journey for the best in town....still looking) noodles were good, not great. Street parking lot pay parking lot...not expensive...unless you forget to check in and pay. Too hot to walk around tonight ... but Sarasota Main Street - downtown is a nice vibe at night. read more

The ambiance is really cool in here. Our waitress was great, and when we expressed interest in their beers, she had amazing recommendations that tasted great. The sushi and stir fry's were also awesome. read more

I attended this place on a food tour. It was a hip looking spot with a sushi bar and a poem written on all walls. They served authentic Thai cuisine along with a long list of different types of sushi. Their overall menu was actually very extensive. We sampled a sweet potato roll, California roll, red curry, and a vegetable pad Thai. The sweet potato roll was tasty. It came out nice and warm. The California roll was decent. The imitation taste of the crab was powerful here. The highlights for me were definitely the red curry and pad Thai The curry was light and spicy when the Thai chili powder was added. I believe that was the name of it. The chef herself brought that out for us. The pad Thai was also delicious, light and simple, but filled with flavor. Will I go back? Yes. read more

Drunken Poet - Red Curry, Pad Thai, California Roll & Sweet Potato Roll Sampling - Sushi Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

I loved this restaurant for 5 years . Yesterday we had a meal there and because they had duck and noodle soup I ordered it to go . Almost died of shock when I saw that it was almost 40 $ on bill but hey it's my fav . When I opened it with great anticipation today I was shocked !! 4 very skinny and over fried pieces of duck . Mostly bone . The noodles were very hard and almost no garnishes . The broth had absolutely no taste . Yuck ! Pic included. VERY DISAPPOINTED read more

Drunken Poet - Sushi Bars Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

First walking in the atmosphere is super relaxed and inviting. Staff greeted me with a huge smile and was very accommodating. My server was dispatched immediately and took my drink and appetizer order. Intrigued, I ordered the crab Rangoon for an appetizer. Not traditionally a Thai dish, they put their own spin on this Chinese classic, by adding a dash of curry powder in the mix. I will be hard pressed to eat crab Rangoon without that little nugget of deliciousness added, in the future. I ordered the Pad Kee Mao which, following in line with the rest was absolutely fantastic. The layers of flavor and textures in this dish was an explosion of yum. Perfect mixture of raw and cooked vegetables added to this Thai classic. The restaurant was super clean and all the staff I saw interacting with the people were very friendly and engaging. read more

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Great service! Great Thai food! Cool ambience! They even made a dish for me that wasn't on the menu. A coconut curry with pork and noodles. Delicious! Fresh and steaming hot! We also had Pad Thai which was great, and a very large portion, and a superb sushi roll called Lucas which had spicy tuna, avocado, and salmon! It was a meal in itself! Great portions. I also love the seaweed salad in ginger dressing! Fantastic! Definitely recommend this restaurant! Great location, ample parking on street. read more

We went to dinner on President's Day, so parking was easy and free. The restaurant is cozy, and we were seated promptly. We had two different soups including wonton soup and they were absolutely delicious. They fit the bill on the cold evening. Our main dishes were the Pad Thai with chicken, and Penang Curry with Shrimp. Both were excellent. The prices are very reasonable. We have eaten here before and enjoyed this visit as well. We definitely will return. read more

Sorry to say I moved away and came back and I remember a good meal at the drunken poet. The sushi specifically, the sexy man roll was delicious; however, the chef's specials at $36.95 are better at a cheap Chinese restaurant. I ordered the crispy duck not only was it not crispy, it was overdone and served w/carrots and cabbage, 2nd entree chicken pad, just ok ,one roll and one tea with tip is $100. Told the waitress it looked nothing like the photo and she said, yes this is it. They have lost my business, won't be back, don't mind spending money on good food, this was awful. read more

Dad and I wound. Up at Drunken Poet for lunch, by accident. We'd been aiming to go to the French place across the street, but it just looked like too much and we were parked on the opposite side and I LOVE Thai food and sushi and Dad thought Drunken Poet was the place he usually gets his fried rice from, only with outdoor seating. (Mom and Dad ONLY do outdoor dining...) By the time Dad realized we were not at the restaurant he thought we were at it was too late and we got to eat at Drunken Poet! (I don't think his preferred fried rice spot has outdoor seating.) First, the service. Really, excellent. SUCH A GOOD VIBE. I basically just stuck my head inside to ask if we could eat outside and was met with exactly the kind of energy that I look for when I eat out. POSITIVE, WELCOMING. Dad was annoyed I didn't grab us menus, but I wasn't sure which things were menus because, turns out, the menus are tablets. I had never seen that before. Look, I live in Vermont. I run my Diner's POS on an iPad and have been doing that for 10 years. When I started there was only one bank in the entire state that worked with tablets. People still write checks in Vermont. So when they gave us the tablets I was basically amazed! Took me a few minutes to figure out how to navigate through to find what I wanted to order. And I have to assume there is a print type option for those who are not tablet proficient." Or, honestly, I'm sure our waitress could easily steer diners through the menu without even a print version. She was GOOD. We ordered Edamame and Veggie Spring Rolls to start. Both were very good. This might sound strange, but the Edamame were really LARGE and steamed perfectly. I appreciated that. The Spring Rolls were long, thin and crispy. Served HOT. Very tasty. I decided to try two sushi rolls but kind of failed by ordering two spicy rolls. Which were, in effect, identical except for their "main ingredient." The reason that happened was because there was spicy Conch and I was super excited to see a local ingredient like that. But there was also spicy crawfish! And I couldn't make myself pick something else. Drunken Poet's spicy sushi roll game is strong. I was tempted to also order the spicy mussel, but we were only on lunch so I held back! Both rolls were inside out, rolled very well, cut perfectly. Each piece was bite sized. Which is what a piece of sushi should be: one good bite. Then I had Pad Thai with Tofu. Which, thankfully, was more "lunch portion size" than full on dinner. Because I was clearly attempting to eat myself to death. Pad Thai was very good, very tasty, triangles of tofu were fried just right and everything was piping hot when it made it to our table. Delicious. GREAT service! My type of place! read more

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Extremely good food. Big menu to choose from as well. We had service right away. We will go again for sure

I ordered pad Thai take out with shrimp and was pleasantly surprised at how amazing it was. It is so flavorful! (It is not spicy-For those who are looking for that) read more