Cute little place. Waitress was very pleasant and helpful. We thought the food was very good, our dining companions felt it was great. Highlights were the escargot and the onion soup. We would go back but it's probably not our first choice but our friends would go back in a heartbeat. Small wine list, but the choices we made were very enjoyable and worked well with our entrees. The place is small and intimate. Tables are close. Perhaps too close as the diners next to us inserted themselves into our conversation without any hesitation. It kind of ruined the vibe for me. They seem to have a loyal following as the waitress seemed to recognize patrons as they entered. read more

Nothing good to say. Food ( both had beef bourguignon ) awful. No taste except wine & not a tasty wine. Beef - some tender & some chewy. Cheap crap. No bacon/lardons, which any good bourguignon will contain . Carrots burned. Dauphinoise potatoes had NO DECTECTABLE CHEESE!!!!!!!!! Wine list pathetic. Probably the worst meal we've ever had in Sarasota. All the other customers were obviously regulars, whose taste buds must have become fossilized. Also, the owner presented the check & refused to give me privacy to add the tip!!! What a jerk. read more

As a local resident of Sarasota I'm ecstatic I discovered Rick's Bistro. Rick Drai helms a classic gem of a restaurant. A small, intimate restaurant reminiscent of a a true French bistro in the north of Paris. The menu provides traditional moderately priced offerings with a couple of specials daily. There were 4 of us and everyone was presented with a truly competently prepared and delicious meal. The vegetables were bright, simple, and perfectly cooked and the au gratin potatoes were well balanced. The beef bourguignon(rich, extremely well balanced, melt in your mouth tender beef stew), filet mignon au poivre(perfectly cooked with excellent brandy peppercorn sauce), and the special of veal calves liver(perfectly cooked, divine sauce on side with Caramelized onions, greaseless crisp bacon is optional but HIGHLY recommended) were absolutely outstanding; all mirroring the classic bistro food in certain regions of France. The crepes Suzette were perfection and divine! The chef and co-owner Michele Drai hails from France. She prepares to order and the results are perfection! Service is impeccable, friendly and intuitive. This is a family operated restaurant and they run their restaurant with great pride using the highest quality of ingredients and the preparation is perfection. We dine out often and now Ricks is at the top of our list. read more

Rick's French Bistro - Beef bourguignon - French Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

I'm usually a bit disappointed by French restaurants in Sarasota, but not at Rick's. Everything was superb!

Haven't been there for several years. It hasn't changed when we went there in January 2026. The owners are older, but the food is the best French food in Sarasota. I hope they stay open, but they are older and I know they wa t some free time for themselves. GO NOW WHEN THEY ARE STILL OPEN! You open the door and you go into a little bit of a French Bistro. read more

Arrived here on New Years Eve without a reservation due to a problem at another French restaurant. They gladly made room for us at a small center table. They started with Amuse Bouche! We bought a bottle of CduR wine plus Lamb Chops and their Special, Fruits de Mere. Plus we had desserts too and they comped after dinner drinks. Great unexpected experience. Merci, Rick & Michele. Bon Annee. read more

The food here is delicious! So well made and authentic. This is a very small restaurant so you definitely need reservations. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but don't let that deter you. This is a charming restaurant in an old school kind of way. Recommend!! read more

The place is dated -- furniture old and uncomfortable. The stench from the kitchen (grease traps) and bathroom area is overwhelming. Rick's definitely needs a makeover. There is no charm to sticky plastic table covers and rickety chairs. The food is oily and everything looks gray. We had a 5 PM reservation and were the first table to order and eat. We were told there was only one (1) portion of the special available. Richard posted a special on the board and only had one serving?? Leftovers?? There is no ambiance here at all. read more

Only gave a 3 star rating because of the timing issue of the kitchen. I of course, realize that the food is made to order. However, as soon as your order for drinks and dinner is taken, immediately thereafter a salad is presented giving the impression that its all premade. Subsequently at least in our case there was an irritatingly long delay for the food to arrive. In this instance, the delay was slightly in excess of one hour, which I consider inexcusable especially since the entrée was the special of the day and not all tables were populated.Perhaps if the complementary salad or appetizer was served a little later, it might have helped. I must complement the chef for the quality of the food. The server was definitely efficient and courteous, however, it would have been appropriate to comment on the timing. We will return hoping that this will not reoccur read more

This restaurant is a hidden gem in Sarasota. We recently enjoyed a beautiful family dinner. Authentic French flavors across the board. Our server, Amira, was exceptional and brought such joy to our experience. The cassoulet was delicious and the escargot appetizer was classic. The restaurant is small and intimate. So if you are looking for a fairly quiet, intimate, delicious French meal, I highly recommend this restaurant. Bon appétit. read more

We visited Rick's French Bistro on a bustling Saturday night, drawn by the cozy, traditional vibe and a craving for classic French cuisine. With only about eight tables, the bistro was packed, mostly with older couples who, like us, seemed to appreciate its mom-and-pop feel. The checkered plastic tablecloths, a modest bread basket, and a no-frills menu make it clear: Rick's doesn't aim to pamper or impress, just deliver authentic, home-style French food. My friend, who's French, ordered the steak au poivre--a main reason for our visit. While my shrimp dish was tasty, the options for non-meat eaters were limited. And though the prices were on the high side (the steak was $45, my shrimp $34), we looked forward to a nostalgic meal in a quaint setting. Unfortunately, our dining experience began to lose its charm. The bread and salad were lackluster. I had hoped for a decent wine selection, but with just a handful of uninspired reds, we opted for the $48 Bordeaux, which was underwhelming. When I tried to chat with Rick about the wine options, he quickly dismissed my questions, which dampened the evening. He was unengaged and visibly uninterested in our presence, showing no enthusiasm or hospitality--just a brisk response that made us feel unwelcome. The portions, too, felt stingy--especially the potatoes au gratin, which was a tiny square accompanying my shrimp. By the time dessert came (the fondant au chocolat, which was thankfully delicious), we'd had a mixed experience but were still enjoying our night. Then came the real letdown. As soon as we finished dessert, Rick swooped in with the credit card machine, urging me--in French--to "hurry up" and swipe my card without even presenting the bill. This brusque approach left me uncomfortable and unsure of the charges, which turned out to be $189. When I politely asked to confirm the amount, Rick dismissed me, even suggesting I needn't return. I still do not have a bill to check or even understand if a tip was automatically taken out. Our waitress was kind and I would have liked the time to leave a proper tip. In the end, while the setting and some of the food were reminiscent of a simple French café, the lackluster wine selection, the indifference of the owner, and the abrupt finale left a bad taste. It's a shame, as we'd wanted to love this place, but Rick's curt demeanor and lack of hospitality mean I'll take his advice and not return. read more

Extremely disappointing! We went there tonight with 3 other couples. The entire evening there was one other table of 3. Our waitress was very attractive and nice but the kitchen was so slow! Pate was not particularly good, meals were good but relatively small portions which is fine. At the end of the evening the waitress said they could not do separate checks for each couple. Okay, we got 2 checks. When it came time to pay we couldn't split a bill on 2 credit cards. We have to mail a check to our friends because we didn't bring cash. Also, the owner stood behind the counter and never even came over to see how our meals were. We are all in our seventies and I can assure you that we were nothing less than polite. We go out often to all sorts of restaurants and we will never return to Ricks. read more

Rick's thankfully delivers Sarasota its own delicious drop of France. The quaint atmosphere teleports you directly to the cafe lined streets of Paris. The food is rich, delicious and made with the love we wish we received from our mothers. I recommend the french onion soup and the beef bourguignon, and the escargots are the softest most tender pieces of heaven. You know the food is authentic, when half the conversation is in french. Bon appetit! read more

A nice evening It has been years since I've been to Rick's and fond memories led me to add a visit to my Christmas list this year. It worked, and we stopped in for dinner this evening. They offer a somewhat short menu, yet I found it easy to find something I wanted to try. They also had a few specials. I decided on their Onion Soup and for my entrée, Beef Bourguignon. The soup was not salty as I expected. My wife picked up on the taste of vinegar, too much for her, fine for me. I liked it, including a crunchy top with the melted cheese. I also liked my Beef Bourguignon, the meat was fork tender and the veggies good. The dish also included a small square of sliced potatoes. The sauce was ok. While I did not find the dish memorable, it was fine and I'm glad we stopped in this evening. Rick's is a small place, kind of hidden away along Siesta Drive at the east end of a long strip mall, across from Westfield Southgate. They have been in business for a very long time, but it would be easy to never know about this restaurant. That said, the place was fully booked this evening, so they are doing just fine. Service was very good, and the meal moved along nicely. There was just one moment when we wanted to order the soups but also wanted a little more time to decide on our entrees, and learned we needed to order both at the same time. Something to do with kitchen scheduling. I read in one of the other reviews Rick's had an inexpensive corkage fee. I saw $19 on their menu, doesn't seen too reasonable to me but I honestly don't know what a typical charge would be. Just wanted to mention that in case it matters to you. This is a local restaurant, and it is always good to support local businesses. read more

Rick's French Bistro - Beef Bourguignon - French Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

A true "Gem"... Loyal to French Bistro tradition; pleasant an welcoming Owners & staff, very good food, no fuss but excellent! Rare these days to have authentic French foods! Thank you very much and very best wishes from a true Parisian! read more

Family owned businesses are the best!!! This one is absolutely delicious Escargot is the best!!!

My wife & I celebrated our 17 anniversary at Rick's, our first visit. The food was spectacular & the wine incredible. We had a delightful dinner & look forward to our next visit....which should be soon. read more

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Absolutely Sarasota's best restaurant! Consistently excellent food & service. Try the daily special (& dessert)! Then transport yourself to a charming bistro in Paris while still in Sarasota. read more

Visited Saturday evening with some friends for the first time, and was not disappointed. This cozy, yet intimate bistro has all the right feels, not to mention, the food was beyond delicious. The salad, entree and dessert was fabulous and the overall environment was comfortable. Not once did I feel rushed to eat, pay and leave. Instead we were greeted with smiles, served amazing French cooking and left talking about the night for the rest of the evening. I will most definitely be back. read more

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Charming, intimate bistro serving wonderful food! The cassoulet and beef stew were delicious. Everything from the Parmesan crackers and bread to the orange crepes was delicious. I regret not placing a second order of the cassoulet to take home! read more

What a wonderful find! This truly authentic French restaurant was amazing. Everyone of us (6) thoroughly enjoyed every course of our dinner. The pate was the best I have had since Paris and the duck was brilliant. We each chose different entrees so we could sample but it was difficult to share, it was too delicious. The crepes were outstanding and the cappuccino with fresh whipped cream took the entire experience to a new level. We will quickly become regulars. Thank you Rick & especially Madeline for a lovely & delicious evening. read more

solid Sarasota dining choice. Limited menu with traditional french fare. Escargot and chicken dish were great choices read more

Rick's French Bistro - Escargot - French Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

We had dinner at Rick's Wednesday evening for the first time since the pandemic hit. (We were not in Sarasota for the past couple months.) We have been regulars at Rick's since we moved here about eight years ago, and have always loved it and have never been disappointed. I'm thrilled to say that the record remains absolutely unblemished. Both Rick and Michele (the chef and also Rick's wife) have taken all measures for their customers' safety, including their wearing masks at all times. The food was fantastic, as is the norm - we had escargots appetizers, the regular menu sautéed crevettes a la Marseillaise (sautéed shrimp with garlic and brandy) and the day's entrée special, sautéed crevettes with spinach and cheese stuffed ravioli that were light as air. The Languedoc chardonnay was an excellent accompaniment to our meal. The service was all provided by Rick and Michele, and was - again, as always -- perfect. Can't wait to go back ASAP, and suggest that anyone who hasn't been fortunate enough to go to Rick's do the same. Although we can't cross the Atlantic to get to France right now, we are not sacrificing when we have it in our own backyard. P.S. - New menu items have recently been added (steak frites!), and the desserts are also dynamite. read more

Whatever the special is, get it! Last night was Fricasee Chicken with lobster , shrimp, artichokes, and mushroom with some of the most delicious scalloped potatoes! I LOVE THIS PLACE! It is tiny but the food is fabulous! Always! Had escargot appetizer but was tempted by the hot Brie with apples and walnuts. Next time. Orange crepe for dessert but next time Creme Brûlée or one of the others. Wine and beer only. Ricks is at the end of a strip mall on Siesta Drive. And Rick will be on hand to greet you. His wife is the very talented chef working her magic in the kitchen. Do go. So worth it! read more

Absolutely delicious. I had the filet mignon and my wife had the boeuf bourguignon for our entree. We started off with the garlicky escargot and finished with the creme brûlée. Everything was amazing I especially liked the filet. We will definitely return when back in Sarasota. read more

Rick's French Bistro - Filet Mignon - French Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Such a cute little restaurant. We had the escargot and the liver. Everything was amazing. Highly recommend.

I have been a patron of "Rick's" for some 18 years and have never been disappointed. The service is efficient and friendly and the atmosphere is authentic. Every dish that comes from Madam's kitchen is superb. Stars??-Not enough in the sky to do Rick's justice. Anthony Kemp P.S. Please disregard the above or I will never get a table! read more

What a great find! Really small with about 30 seats and 10 tables. Very authentic! Small but decent wine selections. Great specials. Our favorite bistro in Sarasota. read more

food is magnificent. staff and owner incredibly rude. if you're going to drop $175 for a meal, spend your hard earned dollars elsewhere.

OUTSTANDING!! Our favorite venue, is small, unpretentious intimate dining with a menu that keeps us coming back. Has the best fillet this side of anywhere. read more

There is something just so cozy and familiar about Rick's French Bistro. It kinda feels like you walked into your BFF's (Best French Friend's) house and their mom (who just happens to be an amazing chef) whips you up a rustic French feast. Yeah, you DO have to pay at the end, but, if you're like me, you'll have to hold back from giving Chef Michele a hug on the way out!, she's just so sweet and endearing! We found the ambiance charming and the food expertly prepared: After we shared a plate of pate (very rich and rustic), I had the lamb chops; so tender and flavorful. My husband enjoyed the mixed grill (off the specials board), which he devoured. Stuffed as we were, we could not resist sharing an order of profiteroles. So good! If you enjoy smaller 'chef-owner' restaurants which are big on character and low on pretensions, give Rick's a try. read more

Authentic intimate little French restaurant reminiscent of my favorite Parisian bistros. Excellent escargot, Fr Onion Soup, and beef bourguignon. The house salad and homemade dressing is yummy, warm fresh baguettes come with the meal. Owners very charming! read more

Rick's French Bistro - Authentic, intimate little French restaurant reminiscent of my favorite Parisian bistros. highly recommend! - French Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

This is one of our very favorite spots It's a tiny restaurant with Rick serving as maitre d' and Michele, his wife, as chef. There is no bad meal here. The portions are not huge but they are always delicious. Michele's Beef Bourguignon is always a favorite but we have tried almost every dish - except the liver - though friends have eaten it and have reported that it is delicious. Highly recommended. read more

Absolutely fabulous dinner! All of the dishes were cooked to perfection, with high quality ingredients. The location is quaint and quiet. Service is very friendly and professional. Deserts are out of this world! Skip all of those high-priced pretentious places and get some delicious, authentic French cuisine prepared by real French chefs. I only wish they could open one near where I live in Texas. read more

Don't waste your time here. Very poor attitude and poor food. I recommend anywhere but this place

First time at restaurant. Service was terrible. No one mentioned anything about specials or menu items. If someone would have come back to our table after taking our food order we would have ordered a glass of wine or some water!! The filet mignon and lamb were both very tasty. The escargot was poorly cooked and looked like someone dumped 1/4 cup of raw minced garlic on the top. When the waiter came to clear the plates I told him and his response was that it was one of their best dishes!!! I doubt we will return given the service and their lack of response to my poorly cooked meal. I was very disappointed and had hoped to have a better experience. read more

It's been a while since I've been to this restaurant but we were pleasantly surprised tonight. Our dinner which was the special was really top-notch. It was seasoned perfectly and the portions were good. Looking forward to returning. read more

This was simply the best eating experience I have ever had. The owners are delightful. The atmosphere is warm and romantic. The food left me speechless. I will always judge crème brûlée against Rick's. The filet sole was the special...and boy was it special. My wife had the filet mignon and it was succulent. Bravo read more

One of the last french places in USA really home cooking like it's done there boeuf bourguignon to die for it melts in your mouth I always make it a point to visit when I'm in town read more

Rick's French Bistro - French Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Finally we tried this long established French bistro with friends who have been there several times. Well we're going to make it a habit because everything was beyond awesome! We shared the Pate, the Brie both great! Salads were equally delicious. For those who like calves liver this is your Go To Place! Beef Bourguignon OMG!! & lamb chops all DEEEElish reservations a must. Dessert was a chocolate delight-fullness too. Small, intimate & reasonable. read more