Eat like a pro! 16 best restaurants for great food while watching sports in Sarasota area
Following our picks for the best restaurants excelling at burgers, pizza, and wings in Sarasota and Bradenton, it's time to focus on the best places to enjoy these great foods and many more while watching sports, now that football season has officially started in all of its gridiron glory.
You will find 16 restaurants, each featuring numerous televisions for watching the big game and serving some of the best comfort foods in the region. Many of these establishments are community institutions dating back decades, while one of the places on the list opened just a few months ago. Presented in alphabetical order, here are my favorite sports bars in Sarasota and Manatee counties.
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Bortell's Lounge
10002 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria; 941-778-5487; bortells.com
Bortell's Lounge, on the north end of Anna Maria Island, offers a huge, full-liquor bar surrounded by tables and large TVs with renovations taking place when I visited last month that will give guests the opportunity to dine and drink in a new inside/outside area fitted with a garage door. Regardless of where you sit at Bortell's, though, be sure to order their expertly seasoned, big and juicy burger simply called The Beef. I'm also a fan of their wings, "fried thumbs" (chicken tenders) and pizza.
Brewster’s Gastropub
1454 Main St., Sarasota; 941-343-2380; brewstersgastropub.com
One of the best restaurants in downtown Sarasota, Brewster's Tavern on Main Street excels at everything from wings to burgers to fried chicken sandwiches, with their long bar an ideal place to watch the game while sipping on a craft beer or cocktail. In addition, there are tables including ones in the covered outdoor area where you can also view the action on a big screen.
Clancy’s Irish Sports Pub & Grill
6218 Cortez Road W., Bradenton; 941-794-2489; clancysirishsportspub.com
For good times regardless of how your team performs, go to Clancy's. Equal parts Irish pub and sports bar, with a "freaki-tiki" out back and covered stage to host bands, Clancy’s also serves top-shelf pub grub. Favorites include their Reuben sandwich, and highly addictive Clancy Rolls, which are egg rolls filled with corned beef, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing. You also can't go wrong with their burgers, which are among the best in town.
Cortez Clam Factory
10104 Cortez Road W., Bradenton; 941-798-9898; clamfactory.com
Billing itself as a "five star dive bar," Cortez Clam Factory is also a first-rate sports bar, live music venue and seafood destination located just outside the commercial fishing village of Cortez. Favorite food items include the New England clam chowder, steamed clams, and pulled pork sandwich, which were all on the limited "summer menu" when I visited in August. Also, be on the lookout for the smoked pork potato skins, which have been popular for years and reappeared as a recent daily special.
Evie’s Tavern & Grill
4725 Bee Ridge Road and 1560 Main St., Sarasota; eviesonline.com
The locally owned Evie’s chain that debuted in 1997 features two great locations for watching sports while eating like a pro, and while I'm sure the one on Bee Ridge Road is also appealing, you just can't beat the Main Street destination in downtown Sarasota. There are TVs everywhere, with a full-liquor bar and an extensive food menu of tasty pub classics including wings, pizza and "build your own burgers." Plus, if it gets too rowdy, you can always walk next door to sister business Molly's Pub and relax with a pint of Guinness and elevated, Irish-inspired cuisine. Watching the game at home? Consider Evie's on the Run on Clark Road for takeout orders of the restaurant's wings, pizza and more.
Food + Beer
Multiple locations in Sarasota and Bradenton; eatfooddrinkbeer.com
Food + Beer, which originated in Sarasota's Gulf Gate district in 2018 and now boasts five locations across Sarasota-Manatee, with another in Lakeland, recently unveiled new branding that includes the tagline "Florida's Neighborhood Hangout & Sports Bar." This locally owned restaurant group has thrived thanks to clever and creative takes on comfort food classics like burgers, wings, and a variety of other pub grub favorites, including their fried Buffalo chicken sandwich, cheesesteak, and hand-breaded chicken nuggets.
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Ford's Garage
295 N. Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; 941-803-3673; fordsgarageusa.com
Founded down the road in Fort Myers, headquartered up the road in Tampa, and with a Sarasota-Bradenton location at University Town Center, Ford's Garage is best known for its dazzling build-out with its vintage automobile theme paying homage to Henry Ford and delicious burgers. However, you will want to begin with an order of Ford's Classic Wings. Cooked to crispy perfection, they can be tossed in Buffalo, bourbon barbecue, or, my fave, Nashville hot sauce.
Gecko’s Grill & Pub
Multiple locations; geckosgrill.com
A local tradition dating back to 1992, Gecko's has six restaurants spread across Sarasota and Manatee counties all offering a family-friendly setting for watching the big game either at the full-liquor bar or one of the many tables, including outdoor ones at many locations. Menu item favorites include the house-made "blue cheese" chips, loaded potato scoops, wings, and burgers.
Jaxx Sports Bar and Grill
1035 Hasko Road, Palmetto; 941-479-7816; jaxxsportsbarandgrill.com
I have no idea what I was thinking when I compiled my list of the best restaurants for chicken wings and left off Jaxx, a hidden gem of a sports bar in Palmetto that definitely serves some of the tastiest wings in the region. During a recent Wednesday night visit for trivia with Cap’n Mitch Stewart — which I won alongside my wife, Kristin, by the way — I had no less than four orders of wings and they were all outstanding: Buffalo, Cajun dry rub, Jamaican jerk, and Cajun heat, which if forced to choose, would be my top pick. Jaxx also serves exceptional hand-formed burgers that pair nicely with their hand-cut fries or chips.
Joey D's
Multiple locations; joeydsfl.com
Chicago fans have been gathering at Joey D's to root for the Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Bulls and, of course, ”Da Bears” — while noshing on Windy City food faves like deep dish pizza, Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches — since 1994. Joey D's started in Bradenton and maintains a flagship restaurant there on Manatee Avenue West along with locations in Venice, Palmetto, and Sarasota by Bee Ridge and I-75. Philly fans, take note: In addition to top-notch pizza, wings, and their variety of Chicago street foods, Joey D's also serves a first-rate cheesesteak on an Amoroso's roll.
MVP - My Village Pub
5200 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key; 941-777-6787; mvpsiestakey.com
The locally owned Above the Bar Hospitality Group operates a variety of popular restaurants and bars throughout Sarasota County, with a particular focus on Siesta Key Village. One of their standout establishments in this area is MVP, a sports bar that boasts over 35 TVs spread across both indoor and outdoor seating areas. The centerpiece is a full-liquor bar with stools and tables where you can enjoy the game or simply watch people strolling along Ocean Boulevard. MVP's winning food roster includes freshly baked Big Daddy Pretzels, the irresistible B.L.T. dip, char-grilled (or fried) wings, and burgers, including their inspired version of the Big Mac.
Oak & Stone
Multiple locations; oakandstone.com
The Sarasota-founded Oak & Stone family of restaurants, which includes a downtown Bradenton location featuring one of the area's best rooftop bars, are also great spots to watch sporting events, with plenty of TVs to gaze at while seated or perhaps as you pour a craft beer from the self-service wall. Oak & Stone's awesome array of comfort foods includes their thin-crust artisan pizzas, a couple of creative burgers, and slow-roasted oven wings, which now come in various flavors such as "Sweet Seoul" with sweet chili gochujang and "Asian Zest" with honey-lime sriracha. However, my favorite remains the O.G. Buffalo wings, topped with blue cheese crumbles and green onions, and served with a side of ginger honey mustard for dipping.
The Parrot Patio Bar & Grill
3602 Webber St., Sarasota; and 7230 52nd Place E., Bradenton; theparrots.com
Located at the corner of Webber and Beneva, the original Parrot in Sarasota offers 32 TVs, plus an open-air patio with a stage where you can enjoy live music. They also have a popular location in east Bradenton. Parrot boasts a full bar and some of the best pub grub in the area, including genuine Buffalo wings you will want to pair with their equally excellent Buffalo dip to kickstart your feast before sinking your teeth into their first-rate beef on weck sandwich: thinly sliced roast beef on a fresh kummelweck roll, served with a side of horseradish for smearing and au jus for dipping. Kudos to owners Jeff and Melanie Gambino, originally from Western New York, for nailing these Buffalo classics — and more dishes on the extensive menu!
Slim’s Place
9701 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria; 941-567-4056; slimsplaceami.com
Located on the northern end of Anna Maria Island, Slim's Place is the prime spot in Sarasota-Manatee for fans of Philadelphia's legendary sports teams and street food. Start with the warm soft pretzels accompanied by Slim's show-stopping house-made cheese whiz and an order of the jumbo wings that are mojo-marinated, grilled, and served whole. You can't go wrong with their pizza — especially the "Italian Lovers" with salami, capicola, and ham — but be sure to save room for their Philly Special. It's a traditional Philly cheesesteak on a fresh Amoroso's roll with more of that habit-forming cheese whiz and provolone, mushrooms, onions, and hot peppers for the perfect kick to complement the cheeses and thin, tender cuts of beefsteak. And not that you need any more suggestions, but Slim's also serves homemade meatballs smothered in "gravy" and mozzarella on an Amoroso's roll, and it's easily among the top meatball subs that I've tasted in the region.
Wolves Head Pizza & Wings
1837 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch; 941-251-4028; wolvesheadpizza.com
Nestled in the corner of a Lakewood Ranch strip mall with covered sidewalk seating out front, Wolves Head is an intimate, lively spot with a beer and wine bar and a dining room featuring 15 flat-screen TVs. The hand-tossed New York-style pizza and wings, which are fried and then charbroiled, are the stars of the show and among the tastiest pizza and wing pairings around. You'll also want to consider saving room for Wolves' signature nachos, consisting of homemade "pub chips" topped with white bean chicken chili, tomatoes, real bacon bits, sour cream, jalapenos, and shredded cheese. During the same visit earlier this month, which quickly turned into an epic feast, I also couldn't stop eating their Buffalo chicken sandwich featuring expertly fried chicken on a soft and flavorful Kaiser roll.
Yard House
115 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota; 941-536-0778; yardhouse.com
Founded in Long Beach, California, and now operated by the Orlando-based Darden Restaurants, Yard House made its Sarasota-Manatee debut in April with a massive location in University Town Center's East District, just across from the UTC Mall. I have made three visits, and each time Yard House has been packed — classic rock blaring and sports on the many TVs — with the servers, bartenders and kitchen staff deftly catering to the crowds there to order from "world's largest selection of draft beer with 130 taps" (sorry, I didn't count 'em) from the full-service bar and a ridiculously large menu that seems to have a dish to pair with every brew. Typically, I'm turned off by such extensive menus — how can one kitchen get that many things right and keep 'em fresh? — but Yard House manages.
I've probably tried half a dozen dishes, with standouts including the perfectly crispy wings tossed in a sweet-mild-heat "whiskey black pepper" sauce, the Wisconsin fried cheese curds, and the hand-breaded chicken tenders. Most impressive, so far, though, were the burgers, and as much as I loved their beef burger, it was one pork dish that really grabbed my taste buds. The Kurobuta Pork burger features a slab of juicy, flame-kissed Snake River Farms Berkshire pork topped with thick, crunchy cuts of "spicy" candied bacon, white American cheese, arugula, and house-made "blueberry ketchup." I would've liked some more heat on the "spicy" bacon to offset the sweet blueberry sauce, but all in all, it's one of the more deliciously distinctive handhelds I've had recently.
Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: best restaurants bars for great food while watching sports in Sarasota
