Thank you "savor sarasota" for introducing le to an incredible hidden gem! RINGSIDE. I highly recommend this exciting new dining experience off Lido Beach - Ringside is/was a perfect 10 during our "savor sarasota" visit. From Jesse - the hostess with the "mostess", to Raven, our refreshing and outstanding server, to Scott, food & bev. mgr, who took the time to quality check our table....they really are passionate about a positive guest experience...OH, and lets "not" forget the exceptional entrees and desserts. A simply divine dining experience. !!! YUM !!! The bonus is the upscale cirque/circus theme and cheerful/whimsy decor througout. Both the main floor lobby lounge and restaurant offer beautiful beach and shoreline views through floor to ceiling windows. This just might be...the "Greatest Show On Earth" read more

First, let me talk about the atmosphere. This restaurant is tucked away on the lower level of Cirque St. Armands, and I had no idea it was even there. From the moment you walk into the hotel, the vibe is fantastic. Whomever designed the hotel (at least the lobby and restaurant- I can't speak for the hotel rooms) fully embraced the circus theme, but in a sophisticated, chic way. Think bright colors, bold patterns, and fun decorative touches throughout the space. The restaurant itself is beautifully designed. We sat in a semi-circular booth with drapes that could be closed for privacy, though we left them open since we were just enjoying a girls' lunch. For lunch, I ordered the fried fish tacos. The portions were on the smaller side, though I'm not sure if that's because it was lunchtime or if that's the standard serving size. There were three tacos, which ended up being plenty for me. The fish was cooked perfectly, and the pineapple chutney on top was absolutely delicious--just the right balance of sweet and salty flavors. The meal also came with a side of truffle fries, and honestly, I've never met a truffle fry I didn't like. Overall, the service was fantastic, the food was delicious, and the ambiance was outstanding. I'd like to go back to check out the dinner menu one evening. If I do, then I'll update because I'd sure like to give this place the 5 stars that I feel it almost earns. read more

Ringside Restaurant - Fried fish tacos with pineapple chutney, and a side of truffle fries. - Seafood Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

We highly recommend this gem of a small restaurant. All 4 of us rated the food as excellent. The service was excellent and the restaurant design and atmosphere were first class. And the proportions are each big enough for two people. The view from the restaurant was a vey pleasant surprise. We could see the beach and the water and very little of Ben Franklin drive. We will come back again and again. read more

Charming circus-themed restaurant near St. Armand's circle. Menu is small but curated. If you are coming with your special someone, ask for the very private tables a deux with red velvet curtains! My friends shared the seafood tower for the first round. I had the Caesar salad and the diver scallops with farrow risotto. All was perfectly made. We skipped desert since we had holiday treats at home. Would love to see some rotation in the menu but it's a perfect place to watch the dramatic Florida sunset! read more

Ringside Restaurant - Caesar salad - Seafood Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

See all

Fun atmosphere. Great food! Came here for a spontaneous birthday dinner for my husband and we were happy we did. The bread with fondue and baked Rockefeller oysters served as our appetizers. WOW. I'd never had Rockefellers that good. We shared the grouper and the salmon for our mains. Lovely flavors and so unique. Our waitress brought out a dessert of choosing for my husband (on the house) which made the night extra special. He picked the molten brownie with ice cream and paired it with an espresso. Delish! Such a great vibe and wonderful people. Our waters were always full and the host gave us tons of helpful tourist spots to check out for the remainder of our trip. Would definitely go back. read more

See all

A quick day trip to Sarasota and we found this gem! This restaurant is located inside the gorgeous Cirque St. Armand's Beachside Hotel. The design, decor, and food here are stellar! The steak frites sounded so delish, we both ordered it. Our cocktails were also very good along with our service. The staff is super friendly and the host was sweet to let us pick our exact table with a few for lunch. Definitely worth going off the Main Street to eat here! read more

See all

Loved this restaurant. First of all the booths are super cute and it's nice all around. Instead of an alcoholic drink I chose the "nojito" and it was the best flavor. I picked the salmon and was very good. The sweet potato it lays on was also very flavorful. My friend had the octopus which I was told was very good and gnocchi which was a bit dry (did try this) read more

Ringside Restaurant - Onion skillet bread with Asiago fondue and cinnamon butter - Seafood Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

If you are looking for a special place for a date night Ringside is it !! We just came back from enjoying the savor menu but you can order anything off reg menu The cool lounge had a lovely musician and the dining room Has intimate quiet tables for 2!! Highly recommend ! Just awesome!! read more

Ringside Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Beautiful themed restaurant with a curated and interesting menu. Beautiful gulf views. Service was great. If anything...the lobster Benedict was too large for 1 person and I wish they had an option to order a 1/2 order of this. Had dinner and breakfast here, 3 people and different items, everyone was happy with the food.. read more

The pros: The decor is pretty awesome. The circus theme is done tastefully without being tacky. The food is good. It's not over the top amazing and it's overpriced for what you get but it's good food. The drinks are top notch. Whoever is crafting the cocktails deserves a raise. The cons: The service. Oof. This was a doozy. Asked for a recommendation for dinner and he just read the entrees. And they didn't have my friend's top 2 choices for dessert. He was slow and not attentive. All around just not good. We made the drive from St Petersburg to try something new and we won't be back. read more

See all

Fun atmosphere and really good service in this "hotel" restaurant. We had breakfast-French toast, lobster Benedict, waffle, and two egg breakfast. Large portions and very fresh. The bread was really good and also the potatoes that come with the egg meals. Great with lace for a fun brunch, lunch, or dinner and right across the street from the beach. read more

We had a fantastic lunch here. The best Cobb salad I've ever had in my life and my wife had a delicious grilled chicken sandwich. I was very surprised by the diversity in their menu and the quality of the food was second to none. The views from the dining room are fantastic as well. We will absolutely be back soon! read more

Ringside Restaurant - Cobb salad with lobster and crab and the grilled chicken sandwich. And an amazing view! - Seafood Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Today we visited Ringside at Cirque St. Armand's-a circus themed restaurant inside the boutique hotel! We went for breakfast and had a great time and meal! They had a great kids menu as well as some good choices for adults-I chose the Tuscan toast that was delicious! It had prosciutto on it with a poached egg and arugula salad! Beth made an omelette and Little Man had bacon and eggs! It was quiet and the vibes were bold and colorful as well as comfortable but upscale! You sit looking out at the lido beach-ocean! A fun experience with a great and attentive service! read more

See all

Sunday lunch at Ringside Restaurant was exceptional. Dani was our server and he was incredibly kind and genuine. His warmth and attentiveness made the whole experience feel relaxed and welcoming from the moment we sat down. The drinks were fantastic and clearly crafted with care. The food was elevated and creative while still feeling approachable. The St. Armands Cobb did not disappoint. It was fresh, vibrant, and full of flavor. The real star of the afternoon was the ambiance. Sitting across from Lido Beach, Ringside embraces Sarasota's circus history with bold, maximalist style. The interior decor is layered, playful, and full of personality while still feeling thoughtfully designed. It captures the spirit of Sarasota's circus past in a way that feels lively and memorable. A wonderful spot for Sunday lunch and a great addition to the St. Armands dining scene. read more

See all

I would say the aesthetics were incredible but the buck stops there. Food was mid and price was high. Lunch was just fine nothing great. Wish we went elsewhere but the ig posts were tempting. read more

Had dinner last evening here with a total of four of us. Our waiter was outstanding! Gave great advice on choices of food to try! We started with the whipped feta appetizer and the meat and cheese board both were outstanding! The two gentlemen at our table ordered the seafood cocktail was outstanding as well! One person ordered the salmon entree which was very well liked and two of us had the gnocchi which had lots of vegetables in it! I ordered the rack of lamb that had a crust on it. It was very good but the lamb had a lot of fat on it. I would have preferred they trimmed some of the fat off the lamb before they added the breading. It was a very large order for one person to eat. The red cabbage that came with it was outstanding it was sweet and had golden raisins! Our guests were very impressed with this restaurant! Will definitely return again read more

Server, ambiance, and food. Loved the musician when we were in the lobby bar and would highly recommend they have playing year round.

Tried Ringside for the first time today. It was a big hit with all 22 ladies. The atmosphere is lighthearted and fun. Very nicely decorated in upscale circus theme. We sat at 2 long tables which was perfect. The speciality cocktails were a treat. The menu was rather small but the food was delish. Everyone enjoyed their lunch and all said they'd be back again. Nice job handling our large group. Kudos to the staff. read more

The hubby and I came here for lunch and enjoyed the ambiance. The staff was great and accommodating since I have food sensitivities. I ordered the grilled Scottish salmon salad minus the pistachios and creamy balsamic dressing and substituted plain balsamic vinaigrette. It came with a side that you can choose from four different sides but cautiously I went with their seasoned fries. The hubby had the fish tacos made with a crunchy batter and chose truffle Parmesan fries. My husband said it was delicious. He also had the crème brûlée, which he also enjoyed. It had almonds which is uncommon and tasty. The only complaints I have is that the menu was limited and did not offer gluten free, dairy free or vegan alternatives. And, the chairs in the very cute two seater booth really needed some cleaning and not just the crumbs that were sitting on top of them. Nothing spoils a restaurant more than lack of cleaning between patrons. read more

Unique place great for a date night. Service & staff were great. Food profiles were thoughtful and creative. Vibes 10/10. read more

See all

We met friends here as I was so excited to try this new restaurant. The restaurant is beautiful, however everything else we all 4 found very lacking. The service was SUPER slow, and all 4 dishes were subpar. We had expected sooo much more than this hyper touted restaurant. Sorry, but we will NOT be recommending The Ringside until some serious changes have been made. And yes, we complained upon checkout as $267 felt wasted. read more

The food is delicious, we've had wonderful servers and bartenders, and the ambience decor is so cool.

One of the best grouper tacos I've ever had. Don't be in a rush but the ambiance is amazing.

ambiance is a very nice setting-service is very bad-disorganized reservation desk-very slow drink service-server did not inform us of 1appetizer and 2 entrees not available until we placed orders for them-never refilled water-brought one wrong entree-noticed other diners complaining- took forever to get the check-food was very good but not good enough to go back again. Too many other better choices in the area as we are year round residents. read more

Lovely looking restaurant, facing out onto the beach, and the hostess tried to seat us at a table that looks out onto a WALL. Why there is even a table in that position, I do not understand. The hostess said we were welcome to wait in the lounge, clear on the other side of the lobby. She also couldn't tell us how long we would need to wait for our table. She also neglected to mention we could eat at the bar( which we ended up doing) the kitchen and bar are at opposite ends. It makes you wonder who designed the layout. The food is very good, even though I think the menu is limited. I guess when making a reservation, let them know you don't want the table that looks at the WALL. read more

We called this restaurant at the last minute on a Friday night and were able to secure an immediate reservation for 6. Upon stumbling in soaking wet from a rainstorm, we were greeted warmly and offered towels by the Concierge, Toni who was absolutely amazing, attentive, and had no idea how bad our night had been, striking out a different restaurant that was unable to accommodate my wheelchair bound mother. Toni's kind, warm hospitality was very much needed and so greatly appreciated. The food, the service, the wait staff, were ALL stellar. Oh yeah and the cocktails were awesome too! Visit this place if you're able! It's beautiful and they take care of their patrons! read more