Michael's On East

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Address:
1212 East Avenue
Sarasota, FL 34239

Neighborhood:
Sarasota

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Cuisine:
Contemporary American

Price: $31 to $50

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Michael's On East Details

Dining Style: Casual Elegant
Website: http://www.bestfood.com
Email: reservations@bestfood.com
Phone: (941) 366-0007 x224
Hours of Operation: Lunch:
Monday - Friday, 11:30 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Dinner:
Monday - Saturday, 6 p.m. - close

Happy Hour:
Monday - Saturday, beginning at 5 p.m. in the Lounge

Live Music:
Tuesday - Saturday, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Lounge
Payment Options: AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: Contemporary American, Steak, International
Executive Chef: Jamil Pineda
Dress Code: Business Casual
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Entertainment, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Personal wines welcome, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine, Wine Bar
Affiliations: Dine Originals - Member Restaurants
Catering: In addition to the fabulous Ballroom, Atrium, and Wine Cellar, Michael's has other incredible venues for your parties and special events. Whatever the occasion, Philip Mancini and the staff of Michael's On East are in the business of crating Memorable events. From dazzling galas for 1,000 or more, to an intimate candlelit dinner for two. We pride ourselves on making every event unique, on providing Sarasota's finest cuisine and the best service on Florida's Gulf Coast!
Entertainment: Soak up the smooth melodies as Joe Micals plays jazz and pop favorites in our intimate piano lounge - Monday - Saturday beginning at 7 p.m. A great place to mix and mingle!

Getting there

Cross Street: Bahia Vista
Parking: Valet
Parking Details: We offer both Valet and Self-Parking. Valet Parking is located on East Ave.

A word from Michael's On East

Founded on April 27, 1987, the celebrated Michael’s On East restaurant takes fine dining to another level, offering award-winning cuisine and outstanding service, in an exceptional 1940s supper club atmosphere. Michael's On East was one of only ten restaurants in the nation to be inducted into the… 2009 Nation's Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame, considered the Oscars of the restaurant industry, and recently received their 23rd consecutive AAA Four-Diamond Award.

Upon entering the dining room, you are immediately dazzled by the plush design and inspired décor. The restaurant’s intimate aura, along with its contemporary fare, world-class wine cellar and incomparable service, create an unparalleled dining experience that will give you every reason to keep coming back. Continued

Foodspotting photos

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Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerBest Overall
Diners' Choice WinnerBest Ambiance
Diners' Choice WinnerBest Food

Diner Reviews

"Looks like a local favorite. Food was great went on a Friday night and had the lobster bucket. It was great. Had a piano bar which was fun. Highly recommend."
Dined on 3/7/2014
"Outstanding! Our server Kelly was attentive, helpful and friendly. Appetizers - Oysters and Escargot and Lobster. Entrees - Rib Eye Steak - one of the best steaks I've ever had. Perfectly crusted, sizzling, cooked just right. Diver Scallops with Lobster, Gnocchi, simply spectacular. Side: Potato Fritters - a must try. Wonderfully delicious Cabernet from South Africa with the meal. The wine list is presented on an iPad. If you think this is a gimmick, think again. The way Michael's wine list is presented on the iPad makes the wine selection process a pleasure. Dessert: Key Lime Tart, enjoyed with steaming hot espresso. This was one of the best dinner experiences we've EVER had. Can I give Michael's on East six stars? OUTSTANDING!"
Dined on 3/7/2014
"We like to try different restaurants when we travel, and Michael's was rated highly on Trip Advisor. We really enjoyed our dinner, it was relaxing and special. The menu was varied and different. We started with the beet salad which was outstanding. I had the chicken with spatzels and red cabbage (very good) and my husband had the salmon that came with spicy beets and "forbidden" rice. He was not crazy about the rice (it was black) but the rest was very good. We used GPS to find the restaurant but it may be a little difficult to find -- not too visible from the road we came in on."
Dined on 3/3/2014
"Terrific restaurant for a special birthday celebration. Food was excellent all around. Wait staff is friendly and helpful. Our waiter, Joe, took birthday pictures of us all and offered assistance for the vegetarian diners in menu selection. Lovely event in an inviting and hospitable atmosphere. Highly recommended."
Dined on 2/26/2014
"We have visited Michael's on East twice and both times we have had exceptional service and delicious food! We love the décor, we think the service is impeccable and the food outstanding - it never disappoints us."
Dined on 2/28/2014
"We had a lovely evening, but the prices were mid town Manhattan. I question the value of pricing."
Dined on 2/28/2014
"Despite requesting a quiet table, we were seated at a table the size of a postage stamp in the midst of a number of large parties. We did ask for another table and were directed to a much better spot. Hostess was great. The food was hit and miss. The " signature" onion rings were ok but I don't know what the hype is all about. My wife's steak-au-pav was very good. The pompano I had was good but in a sauce that overpowered the fish. The two accompanying large shrimp were tasteless. The service was terrific. All in all, not a bad meal but in our opinion there are much better restaurants in Sarasota"
Dined on 2/28/2014
"The best meal in Sarasota , beautiful presentation , abundant portions, delicious and unique flavors."
Dined on 2/27/2014
"Absolutely fabulous. Everyone in this Sarasota area should experience the exceptional quality and ambiance of this very special and unique culinary gem. It is one of our favorites and look forward to enjoying an evening every time we are here."
Dined on 2/26/2014
"We had Thanksgiving dinner at Michaels with a large group and it was very good. The atmosphere and service are excellent. My companion had swordfish and it was dry. I had the French meal. I had hoped for raw tuna and it was tuna salad as the first course. The hanger steak was tough. The dessert was very good. We did have very good chicken wings in the bar. I am a retired caterer and have been in the high end hospitality business for over 30 years. We might try again for lunch."
Dined on 2/24/2014
"Everything was outstanding, the food, waiter, and overall experience. We will return."
Dined on 2/22/2014
"We made reservations a month in advance & was told our night would be very special for valentines day. It was anything but special! They sat us right next to the bar & my husband couldn't even sit down because the bar was so packed with people. The hostess didn't even care, she just walked away. We finally had to ask the people behind us if they would please allow my husband to sit down. Then we waited & waited for our waitress (granted it was a very busy night). When the waitress did show up she was very hurried & seemed annoyed with being sent to wait on us. In the meantime my poor husband was being knocked into & pushed by the swarms of people at the bar. The waitress next to us finally took our drink order Too bad! Not so special!"
Dined on 2/14/2014
"I recommend booking for a weekday and asking for a table away from the bar and the piano bar, otherwise I think it might be really noisy. You can't review the menu on opentable, which I think makes it difficult to decide to go here but I gather the menu changes quite a bit. I recommend the fried oyster salad or experimenting from their selection of starters, appetizers and salads or maybe just pick from these rather than the entrees. I mention the salad because it was excellent and to make the point that there are some very unique dishes here. Some very standard steak selections but you can choose a variety of sauces such as béarnaise to go with it. The service was outstanding. I would go there again but it's a gamble."
Dined on 2/19/2014
"My husband and I went here for a birthday celebration on a Wednesday evening. We were expecting a quiet, intimate experience but instead we could hardly hear each other talk over the large company gathering behind us and the piano at the piano bar. The group behind us was giving "speeches" which was very distracting. The food was quite tasty and the service was fine, although it was clear that our server was feeling harassed by the noise and work load as well. Definitely pick another spot for a romantic dinner."
Dined on 2/19/2014
"The steaks were the best we had eaten in years! The sides were delicious and very generous."
Dined on 2/19/2014
"Best wine list in Sarasota , food consistently good, service on top of there game that equals a great dining experience, you will not be disappointed ENJOY"
Dined on 2/19/2014
"The food and service were very good and the atmosphere was romantic. I would definitely go back for a special occasion. It is not an everyday type of restaurant."
Dined on 2/15/2014
"Excelllent experience/ Great food, fantastic service and nice ambience.."
Dined on 2/15/2014
"As ever, the food is outstanding. We shared the very tasty Hoisin Duck Spring Rolls and an excellent special salad (gorgonzola, figs). I had a large, beautifully prepared and nicely sauced pork chop; my wife's veal chop was equally perfect.. Pricey? Oh yes - but you'll remember the delicious food, not the price! The ambience? Classic, uncrowded, quietly sophisticated - perfect for a fine dining experience. But the service, normally excellent, was a major disappointment, almost bad enough to ruin an otherwise perfect evening, I characterize it as "smilingly indifferent". Friendly, smiling - when it was there, But all too often it simply wasn't: no server in sight, and when in sight demonstrating great skill in eye-avoidance. Poor!"
Dined on 2/14/2014
"we live in Naples where we have a zillion restaurants but when we are in Sarasota Michael's is our very favorite!"
Dined on 2/14/2014
"Food was good. The salad for $11.00 was excellent and the calamari was a fine starter with lots of flavor. The Chilean Sea Bass was good but not exceptional. The fish failed as did the over-cooked asparagus. Desert was fine. Ho-hum. Service by Kelley could not have been better. Our seating was too early for me but that was expected given the special day. Our table, though against a wall, was ideal except for the excessive noise from the bar only a few feet away. There was an absence of sound deadening aides and normal conversation was difficult.....romance was only in the eye since the voice was a no-show. We would like to return, on a less eventful evening when we could share a bit of romantic intimacy with the fine food."
Dined on 2/14/2014
"It had been at least ten years since our last visit. The decor seemed the same, but we'll kept - not worn. The service was outstanding, especially for a busy Valentine's Friday evening. We appreciated the filtered water suggestion and would recommend it to anybody. I made the reservation online and communicated my food allergies, which our server acknowledged in the beginning (which pleased me a great deal). Our meals were excellent. Competition in Sarasota in the fine dining category is intense and food of equal or very similar quality can be found in a few other places in town. Menu prices at Michael's are a little high but the level of service ambience and wine list continue to help Michael's stand out."
Dined on 2/14/2014
"I ordered the French Culinary lunch featured for February, the flounder, and my husband had the 18 oz bone in rib eye. Our meals were beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. Our waiter, Brian, is exceptional and we will ask for him when we return! and we will certainly return."
Dined on 2/14/2014
"Michael's is without a doubt the best restaurant in Sarasota. If it was on the water it would be the best restaurant for any and all occasions."
Dined on 2/13/2014
"A bit pricey, but worth it for special occasions. We had arrived at the beginning of the end of the Happy Hour, and were disappointed with the noise level. Once the Happy Hour was over, it was very pleasant and we were able to converse with no difficulty. We enjoyed the piano music during our dinner. The food was top-rate; the swordfish probably the best I had ever tasted as well as the spring rolls. The wait staff couldn't have been more attentive without hovering. In all, a very enjoyable experience and I highly recommend it ."
Dined on 2/5/2014
"We had dinner at Michael's this past Saturday night and had a wonderful experience. Our waiter, Chris, was charming and efficient! We had the Made in America cheese appetizer which was so delicious! Then I had the ahi tuna while my husband had the shrimp and grits. Both meals were outstanding! Such a great night out for us!"
Dined on 2/8/2014
"I just love the ambience esp with the piano bar in the background. the menu has much to offer and the service was seceond to none. Our waiter paced our evening(we were in no hurry) and was always one step ahead of us - we never had to ask for anything."
Dined on 2/8/2014
"Great food, lots of choices! Excellent service and unbeatable monthly special Prefix ."
Dined on 2/7/2014
"The value is high compared to similarly priced establishments. Staff is young, friendly and they are all pursuing advanced degrees (kidding, only kidding). Even on busier occasions they are efficient and polite. They are trained well. Life, the Universe and Everything, maybe not, but they do know the menu. I always enjoy beer and they have a decent (not large) selection. The ONLY restaurant where the pork chop is better than just about any steak, honest. The Epicurean Adventure is a price leader introducing different fare. A bargain of enticements redone monthly. The piano music is a nice backdrop to conversations. Noise damping materials keep your fellow diners from being obtrusive. Does this sound like a recommendation? I think it does."
Dined on 1/30/2014
"Perfect spot for an enjoyable evening. The piano bar is wonderful. This is one of my favourite restaurants in Sarasota."
Dined on 2/6/2014
"This is supposed to be one of Sarasota's upscale restaurants. It was our first experience there. We ordered from the special menu and found it to be OK but not exceptional. The noise level was definitely too loud. Most notable to me was the water was not filtered. Sarasota has very poor quality water as far as taste. My neighborhood pizza place filters the water. The water here was either not filtered or the filters had to be changed."
Dined on 1/30/2014
"We have just been to this restaurant for the first time. The whole experience was amazing. We were made feel welcome and appreciated by the totally professional waiters and staff. The food was excellent with a varied menu. We were entertained by piano and vocals, and finished our evening with a couple of drinks at the bar. Would recommend to anyone looking for that special dining experience."
Dined on 2/4/2014
"Walked in early to lovely individual lighting on tables. As is expected in lesser restaurants, shortly after arriving the lights were dimmed. We found this to be very "tacky" and also very unnecessary since the original light level was lovely and yet comfortable to read menus, see other guests and enjoy the presentation of the food. Shame on them for the glitch in the ambience."
Dined on 2/1/2014
"As always MIchael's on East is a wonderful dining experience. Consistently the best restaurant in Sarasota."
Dined on 1/31/2014
"Usually one of our favorite restaurants. A little disappointed in the reservation system, i.e. we booked at 7:00 PM, had a confirmation from Open Table for 7:00 PM, but the restaurant insisted that the reservation was at 7:30 PM and said our table wasn't ready when we got there. After we fussed a bit, they managed to find us a table, but that shouldn't happen at a fine restaurant. Also, we told them it was our anniversary and they ignored it. In past years, they at least acknowledged it. The noise level was higher than normal, but it was a very busy night. All-in-all, still an excellent restaurant, just a bit disappointing this time."
Dined on 2/1/2014
"Always a very special night out. We love going to Micheal's."
Dined on 1/28/2014
"At the last minute, we needed a table for five and I was delighted that there was one available at Michael's. Even better, we requested - and were granted - a round table. Food was good, wine better and we had an excellent evening. As ever, portions were far too large for we Euroepans...."
Dined on 1/31/2014
"We eat here frequently. Never a bad meal. Always exceptional food and service. Worth every penny and you will spend a lot of them! And again, you get what you pay for here plus so much more! Thanks for making our evenings so much more special!"
Dined on 1/31/2014
"Took three ladies to lunch to celebrate a birthday: 92 years old and still plays golf twice a week! Needed a great place for a great lady. Michael's on East delivered. Met my request for a quiet table, supplied a complimentary dessert and good wishes. I had the Japanese lunch of steak and green tea ice cream. Beautiful presentation and delicious. Birthday lady had the Reuben that she declared was the best she ever had."
Dined on 1/31/2014
"We were given a gift card for Michael's and looked forward to the evening. Started at the bar with cocktails. Always love to hear live piano music! At our table, we had fun studying the wine list. Finally chose a flight. The lobster/escargot starter and breads were excellent! We truly enjoyed our duck and pompano entrees from the regular menu. We also couldn't resist the mac and cheese side, which we shared but still took some home. Sadly, we were so satisfied we did not order dessert. We will be "forced" to return to dine again and share the dessert we have already chosen."
Dined on 1/30/2014

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