My second visit and once again, my expectations were not too high. This place delivered…read more I went with the Vaca Frita with fried plantains and rice & beans. The only thing missing for me is the hot sauce which is easily added. This is a solid plate of food and on point for other Cuban restaurants I've been to. My wife ordered the Cuban sandwich. It has just the right ration of meat to cheese to bread and was perfectly pressed. If you're looking for a solid Cuban restaurant experience, this is your place!

The Cuban sandwich and grilled chicken were excellent…read more The fries weren't the same when I returned for a second visit. The first time they were amazing, shoestring fries. The second time they were breaded and a bit mushy inside. I'm not sure which is the norm. There is indoor and outdoor seating, which is nice. I wish they had a cilantro sauce for the chicken, like many Cuban restaurants in Miami.

Happy hour at its finest. Stopped in on a Friday afternoon for happy hour. What a delight. The food…read moreand service is amazing. Not only are they attentive, the owner came and checked on us twice. The drinks were delicious and made fresh right in front of us and not premade. The appetizers were authentic and delicious. One of my new favorite spots!

Will return. Many…read moreblack and white photos on the walls are beautiful and interesting. Girls in the bathroom walls are provocatively enchanting. 1958 was the last year that the Cubans existed as a whole on the island. Since then, one million plus hit the roads around the world for a new home. This owner came to US. The stems look nice but are rather thick. Good service with delicious food: Empanada with spinach & cheese Marquitas con Guacamole Croquetas de la Casa Cod sandwich Guajiro - pork All three are great, except the sandwich is tasteless. No hooks under the bar counter. The only handicap is the regular high ceiling. The two men band plays before we left for our opera. Next time Will return. Many black and white photos on the walls are beautiful and interesting. Girls in the bathroom walls are provocatively enchanting. 1958 was the last year that the Cubans existed as a whole on the island. Since then, one million plus hit the roads around the world for a new home. This owner came to US. The stems look nice but are rather thick. Good service with delicious food: Empanada with spinach & cheese Marquitas con Guacamole Croquetas de la Casa Cod sandwich Guajiro - pork All three are great, except the sandwich is tasteless. Using cigar box for bill is cool: The Library in St. Pete uses book No hooks under the bar counter. The only handicap is the regular high ceiling. The two men band plays before we left for our opera. Next time

I had such a good experience at Columbia Restaurant! The restaurant is so beautiful and the…read moreatmosphere is really nice. I got the Chicken Salteado and it was sooo good!! Everything was flavorful and cooked perfectly. Our server Veness was also amazing! She was super sweet, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed. The service definitely made the experience even better. Definitely recommend if you're in Sarasota! I'll definitely be coming back

I love love Latin Cuban Mexican food. I'm from Miami. Columbia was…read moreOne of my favorites. This food experience was a horrible experience compared to what it used to be. It's like they don't even have a chef or a plan or a recipe. The wine glasses have an odor like the dishwasher isn't doing its job. Water stains on the glasses & silverware. No attention to detail. The famous 1905 salad - soggy lettuce and some kind of bottled dressing rather than fresh. My daughter ordered the Paella Marinera ( Seafood lovers Feast) $48 entree with only the shrimp lobster & scallops - UGH! A Huge pile of ugly gross looking GRAY something like risotto - she couldn't eat it and the lobster was gray also. My black beans were thick and just like they came out of a can with no preparation or seasoning at all. My husband ordered the Red Snapper Adelita a $42 entree - instead of being grilled it was battered & fried. The Sangria had a taste of something chemical I can't figure out what it was. Drinkable but definitely not the wonderful fresh fruity brandy feel that it should be - and definitely not enjoyable. I'm sorry to have to say these things - but I don't want your special event to be disappointing like ours was. All I can say is if you loved the old Columbia - DON'T Go here expecting that experience.

Very nice upscale place to have dinner! I went with my mom and we sat at the bar for drinks and…read moreappetizers. The food was as pretty as the decor. Nice ambiance, and a neat plush looking back area with small couches. The bartender made excellent drinks and the service was very prompt. The food was plated with care and everything looked like a work of art. We loved the lambchop lollipops and the ceviche! They have a very tasty menu for both food and drinks.

What an amazing birthday dinner! Travis was wonderful, and made my night so special!…read more Thank you so much, Travis! :)

Best cubun resteront in Sarasota Florida good prices grate service friendly peppel.read more

Our relatives in Florida love this place! I was excited to give it a try. Wow!! Fresh food and…read moreflavors in every bite! Fresh pork with rice, shrimp in sauce with rice and of course, the Cubano! Severs were attentive and friendly! It's a great place to bring the kids! Just decorated enough!

After a relaxing day at Siesta Key beach, we stopped at The Cottage for lunch. I cannot say enough…read moregreat things about this restaurant. It's got a relaxing beach vibe with outside seating and a nice patio in the back with enough shade. I could tell that they host nightly entertainment here with a small stage. For lunch, I ordered the lobster maki roll. I'm not a big sushi fan, but I was intrigued. This lobster roll was one of the best sushi rolls I've had in a long time. Also ordered include the blackened grouper sandwich, billionaire burger, and tempura shrimp appetizer. Our group loved every entree. The cocktails were also refreshing. I really loved my jalapeño watermelon margarita. Our server was wonderful - very friendly and quick service. Definitely an enjoyable lunch or dinner spot!

We booked this place via OpenTable since it received great reviews. We ended up parking next door…read moresince parking was a bit hard to navigate. The parking place had ample parking where you needed a mobile app to pay for your parking. There was a larger souvenir store there if you needed to kill time before your seating. Once it was our time for our dinner reservations, we were greeted and seated at our table. Our waitress was a bit sarcastic or had a witty comments that didn't sit well with my kids. When ordering our foods, the kids asked what type of drinks they had since it was not listed on the menu. She said Coke but didn't elaborate that they had Coke products. Since she said Coke so fast our daughter didn't hear the response and asked her the question again where she just said that's a great question and ignored her and moved on. Food wise - we had the Peruvian ceviche, Peruvian chicken, I think I had a special grouper dish. The food was good. We were able to eat everything and the kids enjoyed their kids burger meals. Outside of the waitress comments, the place placed nice modern music to listen to and had the basketballs games playing on the tv at the bar.

Food was delicious! Service was amazing.....We will have to go back some other time when they have…read morethe music. We are in about 5 PM. Music doesn't start till later.

jR's Old Packinghouse is a decades old mainstay with a "old Florida" feel in Sarasota, Florida. I…read moredropped in after trying to find a local sit-down restaurant for lunch for a party of four on an early Saturday afternoon. The down home digs were homey and inviting and we chose to eat outside in the covered patio out front. The menu is interesting and varied; I'd state some of the food is county-style and some has a Cuban flair. My shrimp entree, which I chose to have, accompanied by rice and beans was very good. My daughter selected the chicken fingers and the portion was hearty and she devoured it. JR's has a special brunch menu and live music regularly so check out their website for information. Check this place out if you like charming-go frills places with great food.

Yet another hidden gem, tucked in a strip on Webber. 'Mom and pop, small friendly Peruvian…read morerestaurant with a variety of mouth watering selections. I chose an entree with flank steak and pasta ; tender meat and wonderful flavors. My server ('owners. daughter is my woman' so I help out) even split my meal into 1/2 eat there and 1/2 take home very accommodating. I can't wait to go back !

I had their ceviche and when it came out, the portion is enormous. But the quality was…read moredisappointing. The fish was chewy. That's no bueno in my book, especially with a ceviche place

Amazing authentic Cuban food! Great service and one of the owners, Luis is incredibly inviting and…read morefriendly. I highly recommend this place.

Best Cuban sandwich hands down! The owner is very nice, gave us some croquette to try and they were…read moredelicious as well. Good coffee. This place is in the Mobil gas station. We will try the pizza next.

The food was very good and the service was excellent the restaurant itself could use some TLC.read more

Mi Tierra is a nice spot to stop in Sarasota to sample Cuban and Colombian food. The staff are…read morevery friendly and eager to please. The Cuban Sandwich was huge and very satisfying! I got a side of rice and beans, which could easily have been my entree by itself! Very generous portions! My wife ordered the Churrasco and absolutely loved it. It came with a salad and rice and beans. I would definitely stop by again. Nice, "homey" atmosphere decked out for the holidays meets your eye upon entering. There are the requisite national flags to add to the international flavor. Thumbs up!