Drove 50 miles to hang out with some friends to we decided to do dinner at MJ's and I was blown away. The service was incredible and the food was amazing! The escargot and crab cakes were good, but let me tell you about the steak and lobster!! Actually there's nothing I need to say other than order the filet and get a lobster tail!!! I'll definitely be back. read more

Michael John's - French-American Steakhouse - Filet and lobster - New American Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

Wow...so very disappointed in this place. I was staying in the area and wanted a nice steak in a cozy atmosphere and this...based on the reviews and pics...seemed to fit the bill. Boy was I wrong. Being a party of one I got squeezed into a corner table with a great view of the kitchen door. Gee.. thanks. Ordered a Tito martini.. slightly dirty. It cane out perfect.. ice cold. This was the best part of the meal. Once you place your order they bring an amuse bouche which in this night was described as a pork and shank stew. Not pork shank..a pork and shank soup. It was decent...albeit it very greasy..and a little spicy. For an appetizer I ordered the duck and truffle pate. It was served with toasted bread...capers and a mustard. It was pretty good. Obviously not made in house and the mustard was simple mustard from a jar. They do bring fresh bread but it was served cold and after my appetizer. For dinner I ordered the Cabernet beef tips with gorgonzola cheese...served with mashed potatoes and broccoli. This dish was good awful. The beef tips were salty ...and sweet..and tough. The potatoes were straight from a box .. the broccoli was both under cooked and brown from age. On top of this disastrous meal was two HUGE onion rings. Not onion straws...huge rings that were completely out of place. That meal got sent back. I reordered....french onion soup. Surely it can't be that bad. Wrong again. It was super thing and watery with way too much Sherry as again...it was both salty and way too sweet. The cheese on top was not a lovely golden brown..it had black spots and tasted burnt. I sent it back and requested my check. The server came back and said no need to pay for anything. I again offered to at least pay for my drink and pate but they were kind enough to say no. What a huge disappointed. On hindsight..when the crowd were all over retirement age and/or British..I should of known it was going to be a bland boring experience. The service ..although efficient..were not well trained. From a waitress wearing super high heels and wobbling around to plates being served and picked up from the wrong side..this place tries to be upscale..but unfortunately will never succeed at it. Trust me..just don't do it read more

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Fantastic meal. I was actually quite surprised that it was as good as it was. I had the house specialty, red meat. It was perfectly prepared, presented, aged etc. Good spot for a special occasion. Great traditional restaurant service. Setting is old world restaurant style. Great place. read more

Delicious food , perfect ambiance and great service ! Everything was amazing, I can't wait to come back and try your French onion soup! I'll definitely be back. read more

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My Divorce Celebration at Michael Johns was superb, as usual. From the wait staff to the Chef you will never be disappointed.

Delicious, fresh quality. Great service and charming atmosphere. Anything my husband and I have have ordered has been great. Top notch steaks and their calamari is generous and outstanding. read more

We have eaten at MJ's quite a few times although tonight was truly mediocre. We were seated next to the bar and it was incredibly noisy. It's season and I understand that, not a big deal. On the other hand, not what we would expect for a $200+ evening. The truly disappointing part was the food. I ordered an 8 oz filet for just shy of $60 and it was very disappointing. It was very thin and in almost 2 parts, see the picture. Where the two sections came together was filled with fat and gistle, inedible and chewy. Next time we'll just head over to Capital Grill, Flemings, or Hyde Park. Totally different league than what we experienced this evening. Too bad. read more

Michael John's - French-American Steakhouse - 8 oz filet, thin and chewy, filled with gristle. - New American Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

Great atmosphere. Steaks cooked perfectly. I had the ribeye, it was melt in your mouth good. My husband has the filet and it was so tender you could almost cut it with a fork. We were celebrating our anniversary and they wrote a message on our dessert. Staff was friendly and attentive. read more

Michael John's - French-American Steakhouse - Special dessert - New American Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

I took my boyfriend here to celebrate his birthday and we were so impressed with everything! The decor was nice, the restaurant was quiet, and it was perfect for a more intimate setting. We ordered a couple of cocktails-my boyfriend got the margarita and I ordered the peach martini. Both were excellent, but the margarita definitely stood out more! For starters we ordered the French mussels in a white wine and garlic butter broth and we each got a cup of French onion soup. The mussels were amazing- savory and cooked to perfection. The broth that they were in was delicious! The French onion soup came out next, which was also fantastic. It was a little sweeter than most French onion soups I've had, but my boyfriend and I thought that it tasted great. For our entrees we ordered the Chicken John and the Cordon Bleu. You get mashed potatoes and mixed veggies with each entree, but we decided to substitute the veggies for their brussel sprouts instead. Everything was amazing! The Chicken John was topped with a creamy goat cheese that went really well with it and the Cordon Bleu was crispy and came with a honey Dijon sauce that we were both really impressed by. The brussel sprouts were definitely worth the up charge- cooked extra well so you get the crisp edges! We shared the chocolate lava cake for dessert. We're both suckers for anything chocolate so this was the perfect dessert for us. They even wrote "Happy Birthday" on the plate! What a great experience this was. Everyone was kind and welcoming, our server was great, and most importantly the food was delicious! read more

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It was our anniversary. As soon as my wife walked in the host asked us if we had a reservation for this evening because they're fully booked. No hi or hello. Nothing. We did have a reservation. Booked it with Resy. Noted it was our anniversary. No one said anything about that. We were seated in the room right next to the Blues Brothers statue. Unreal lol. We were greeted by Jennifer about ten minutes after we were seated. Not her fault. SHE HAD NINE TABLES AT THE SAME TIME PLUS BARTENDED. She did a good job. Chloe was her assistant and she did a good job, as well. Perhaps make the assistants servers so service is a little more speedy? We began with the escargot and French onion soup. Escargot was good. The French onion was super sweet. Seemed like they added a ton of sugar to it. Also, the cheese looked like they took a blow torch to it instead of baking it in the oven. Smelled burnt. I had the delmonico ribeye which was really good. I had the mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. Mash potatoes are not made in house. They are indeed frozen. Creamed spinach isn't creamy. They sauté the spinach and then throw the toppings on it. Lacked seasoning. My wife had the duck. She said the duck was good. She had the same two sides. Same result. For a steakhouse the wine list was lacking. Maybe due to COVID? We live in Sarasota and are use to steakhouses being expensive but for what you got it's very overpriced. Kitchen isn't a scratch kitchen which is very disappointing. Unfortunately, we won't be returning. read more

First time here and we were extremely impressed. Sergio was wonderful from the moment we walked in the door. Very personable and professional staff. I got the hog snapper special and my husband got Delmonico steak. Both cooked perfectly. Came out nice and hot. Veggies were aldente and not all mushy. They also made me a perfect dirty martini. My husband joked that I always complain about something and all I did was rave about this place. If you haven't been... gooooo! read more

Michael John's - French-American Steakhouse - Delmonico steak - New American Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

Great food, nice quiet atmosphere, good service, the bar is tiny, since I'm single I like to eat at the bar where I can have a conversation with others, disappointed, but I will return since the food is good read more

A ten out of ten again! Maddie, our server, was fantastic. The food speaks for itself every time. I had the Le cordon blue chicken and my son had the burger and my husband had the goat cheese ravioli. Fantastic time again! read more

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Amazing. Food was perfect. Staff was amazing. An amazing place to visit and would least expect the location. Don't let the location make you think it will not be that good because all I can say is wow. read more

MJ's is a little off the beaten path but has great lighted parking. The food is good but if you go there frequently it becomes very boring. They need more specials and a-few additional new items on the menu. It's a little on the pricey side and can be extremely loud when sitting in main dining room. They have a well stocked bar and the service is good. read more

So good and such reasonable prices. My steak was so tender and a pretty decent portion. The seasoning/flavor was just right. read more

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Food was delicious! However it is in a small shopping center, so I think people take a drive by. Definitely recommend!

Amazing service! The food melts and your mouth! A seasonal treat for your pallet... the perfect place for a special dinner or if you just want a melt in your mouth steak. read more

Food taste was good but presentation for take out order was disappointing. Onion ring garnish was soggy and au gratin potatoes looked old. I've had much better food here in the past. What happened? read more

Our favorite restaurant for special occasions. Matter of fact we're going tonight! Love the food, the service, everything that makes a restaurant special read more

The food was amazing. The French onion soup is the best you can imagine! Drinks were awesome too! Crab cakes are delectable Lizzy was superb at meeting anything you could want. A five star experience read more

Food was excellent, the service was impeccable and the ambiance is top shelf. The price is a bit on the high side, but we'll worth it for all you get. I started with the mussels, and then a ribeye. Excellent meal read more

I was so stoked to eat here. I really don't eat beef many other places than Bern's Steakhouse and Nero's in Las Vegas so I was ready to indulge in some Prime beef.l, especially since the reviews I have read have raved about it at MJ's. Sadly, the table next to me was loud and obnoxious, making it impossible to chat or enjoy the evening at all. I'm sad that large groups are intermingled with the small tables. This makes for an awkward predicament. The service was good. The steak on par with Outback and the sides and salad were lackluster as well. I really was hoping for more. At $100 for 2 with only one drink each, I expected more. Maybe I will try it again when it is not a crazy time like Valentines weekend. read more

The food is amazing ! I hadn't been here in a few years. My memory was that the food was really good but the atmosphere / decor was below average. For one reason or another, I hadn't gotten back but I had recommended it to some neighbors who loved it. I decided to go for a special occasion recently. What a great experience. Dinner started with the most outstanding amuse bouche I have ever had (sort of a beef & gruyere soup). The Cesar salad was fantastic which was followed by 2 amazing appetizers. The blackened beef tips on a bed of mashed potatoes were perfect and the ginger / chili jumbo shrimp were great AND enormous. The chicken cordon bleu was really good and Gary's ribeye was outstanding. The finale was the chocolate desert with a warm chocolate center. The decor has been updated but still is not up to the quality of the food. Having said that, I will definitely be back. The food is that good. :-) read more

Took my folks there a few months ago. None of us had been before but I recommend it because of word of mouth high praise I had heard for years. The menu items in their descriptions were impressive. The actual food and service was not. We had wine and beers and waters. The servers didn't pick up a single empty glass. Towards the end of our meal there were like a dozen bottles and glasses on the table. I had steak which was cooked correctly but the sides were cold. I their timing was off. Probably plated the sides too early waiting for other components of the meals to be ready. My mom gets sensitive to complaining at restaurants so I held my tongue. Later when we talked my folks also mentioned they weren't impressed. For the cost, this was was especially a slack performance. Its too bad we live just a coulple blocks away. read more

One of our favorites! The dirty Caesar is magic. Steaks and fish are always great. My all time favorite though is the pistachio crusted lamb when they have it as a special. Chef's kiss. read more

We got food to go for my parent's 50th anniversary to take to my mom's assisted living and it was fabulous!!! Cant wait to eat IN the restaurant at some point read more

Our first visit proved to be a good selection. We were greeted sincerely, seated promptly and attended to by three different wait staff throughout out dinner. The atmosphere is soft and rooms adequately lit and nicely furnished. Food: Mushroom Ravioli was flavorful with ample sauce; Strip Steak was delightfully tender and every bit of the 14 oz. described, although the flavor was mild. The sides complemented the dinner. As with most elegant dining establishments, plan on spending about $50/ meal. I wished we had sampled the Lava Cake, but we'll be back. read more

First time here. This will not be my last! This is my new favorite Bradenton/Sarasota restaurant. Atmosphere is perfect. Low lit dining room, with a true bistro feel with wine bottles throughout the three dining room areas. Now the food. First they surprise with a special soup from the chef a. A small teacup serving delivered with warm locally baked bread. The appetizer was a goat cheese Amanda with a reduced balsamic marinara. Truly amazing. The entrees were just as amazing. First, the portions were meant for a king. The pan seared sea scallops were spread over a full plate of two sides made up of local asparagus, roasted carrots, and perfectly steamed broccoli. Now the service...our server, Maddie, who not only served us remarkably quickly on a busy Friday night (Reservations suggested.) she made perfect Old Fashions drinks! Mattie said she worked here seven years. MJ'e is lucky to have her! read more

Michael John's - French-American Steakhouse - Great atmosphere and decor. - New American Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

It's always so nice to find an unexpected surprise when trying a new restaurant (well, Michael John's was new to us)! MJ's was exactly that! We were invited out to dinner and discovered MJ's in a tucked-away, obscure little strip mall. They had absolutely terrific service all around from our changing tables, dropping forks, and some initial indecision about drinks (so many to choose from). My husband and I typically split a meal as we can't eat larger portions - and with no fuss our meal was split in the back and elegantly presented. Typically we decide what we'll order before arriving (and always try to order a meal we wouldn't make at home) - and while it was a toss-up decision as their evening specials all sounded great, we ordered the "Dirty" Caesar salad and Le Cordon Bleu with Honey Champagne Mustard sauce - GREAT choices - along with the Pineapple Upside-Down cake - topped with creamy sea salt caramel sauce! The price was right - and did I mention how great the service was?! Parking is a snap as not only is there a light at the intersection, but the neighboring day-time shops share the lot with Michael John's, and their customers are gone by the time we were there. Wednesday may have been a "first" visit, but it won't be the last! read more

Our first visit to MJ's wasn't the greatest experience. We had reservations at 7:45 and arrived at 7:45. The hostess informed us that our table wasn't ready and pointed to the table that was full of dirty dishes from the previous guests. There were other tables open, and another party with the same number of people behind us came in and were seated immediately. We waited in the entryway for awhile and then they seated us at a different table in the other room. It was a birthday celebration so we brought a bottle of our favorite wine. The waitress didn't formally greet us and asked if we wanted 2 glasses as she walked by. The other staff looked sad, not smiling and seemed everyone just wanted to get out of there. My Delmonico steak was not worth the cost. Honestly I've had better steaks from Costco. I seriously doubt it was prime. A bit tough and dry. Almost resembled a cheaper NY Strip. Nothing about our dinner made us feel like had to come back, which is disheartening because we've heard such great things of MJs and finally gave it a shot for a special occasion leaving us underwhelmed. read more

MJ's was recommended to me by a friend this weekend. So I went there tonight (8/16) for dinner. I arrived at 5:40 for my 5:45 reservation and opted to seat at the bar. There I was met by the bartender / waitress Jennifer. I started with a glass of wine ( the wine list by the glass was robust) Simi Chardonnay, which was served at room temperature, I like it chilled. My second was much better as I asked her to chill me another glass. That was the highlight of my dinning experience. As I did not feel like steak, I settled in on the duck and it was recommended by Jennifer. I also started my meal with a Caesar salad, flavors were fine but the dressing was again warm. When I ordered the duck I asked if I could get in medium rare and I was told that it was roasted and only was served one way. That should have been a huge clue. When the duck was served it was half of a duck, presented on a bed of mashed potatoes and veggies. The duck was over cooked and was so dry. Whatever sauce that was served with duck so good, but not nearly enough. Only eat a fraction of my meal and when I was asked how it was I offered a one work response "dry". No follow on questions or comments from Jennifer. Maybe I order the wrong dish and should have had steak. I am so extremely disappointed with the over all experience I will NOT be back! read more

Superb from start to finish, service was exceptional, We we're 5 people, but if you want intimate this can be your place, Food was absolutely phenomenal. read more

Excellent Service by Liz & her team, They worked seamlessly together. What sets certain restaurants from others is the small things like lemon wedge wrapped in cheese cloth. Like brown sugar brick w/espresso. Like service as noted above. Like beautifully structured sauces with Lobster Gratin & Escargot appetizers. Steak cooked perfectly w/appealing mushroom sauce. Salmon cooked as requested. Vegetables went well with the entrees. If you are a Bourbon drinker there is an excellent selections of bourbons on the wall in the bar. We will return! read more

The food is killer! Very consistent! Try ANY of the lamb dishes! Roasted garlic app is a no brainer and the black manhattans are EPIC!

We hadn't been in a while a decided to have dinner here to celebrate our anniversary; we're glad we did! The staff is friendly and attentive. The food was excellent. read more

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Had an amazing dinner here. Staff is lovely and the atmosphere is very cozy and decorated for the holidays. Best tomato soup and broccoli I have ever had! We had all the appetizers and they were all very good especially the bread and calamari the crab cakes are very good if you like them I personally don't but the flavor was very good. My chicken was seasoned very well and I loved the cream sauce that came with it. Everything complimented each other. I don't drink wine but my friends said that the wine was delicious and paired well with the food. We had a limited menu because we attended an event but I will be back soon. read more

This restaurant is our favorite- we discovered it when we moved here in 2005 and it's been fantastic and getting better every day!!

I simply do not get all the hullabaloo about this place. Heard lots of great things, so decided to bring my better half here for our anniversary and boy was that a mistake! Beer cheese soup tasted like a hot Miller Lite poured over cheddar... Had the Chicken Cordon Bleu and it sure left me feeling blue, LOL!! Chicken was tough and the side of potatoes and vegetables were flavorless. The restaurant feels like it hasn't been updated since the '80s... back when the music was good and I still had hair!! Ha! Anyways... not coming back here. Especially for an anniversary! Depressing atmosphere and disappointing food. read more

We had an amazing dinner here last night. The lamb was outstanding along with the filets. Would highly recommend this restaurant. Their beer cheddar soup is delish. Desserts were also fabulous. Wait staff was very efficient. 5 stars and then some , you have to try this place. read more