Marina Jack

My go-to place for my special occasions. The view from the dining room on the second floor is spectacular! And while the food is not, the service and the atmosphere are always top notch. Our waitperson, Robert, added a special dimension to our most recent experience : joyful, enthusiastic and always helpful and considerate. As pescatarians/vegetarians, we three have several dietary limitations, and Robert was on top of that, careful to inform us of any ingredients that might be a problem for any of us. The food is okay, not nearly as spectacular as the view, however. Marina Jack makes you feel welcome and valued as a customer. I appreciated the email after we got home, but I would have appreciated it more, if it contained a link to this feedback page. Just a little thing.

We did the dinner cruise last night and from start to finish it was a wonderful experience, mostly because of the fantastic staff! Our server was Gabriel, and he went out of his way to make us feel special, creating a new table for us when we were too close to the AC unit. He also escorted our son to the bridge, where he got to spend time with the captain and first officer, who were also amazingly kind and patient with all of our son’s questions! The food was wonderful, especially the scalloped potatoes!! They also served chicken nuggets and fries for our son (ask for this when confirming cruise). Overall it was a fantastic experience, with great ambiance, a beautiful sunset, comfortable boat, and exceptional staff. We look forward to returning again this fall!

Great setting right on the bay and marina and the food is good but not great. Crab cake is pure crab and very good but Thai chicken tenders sandwich on a brioche bun is a sweet overfilling mass. Salads were good and pricing OK for the area but certainly no bargain. Friendly and efficient service and well organized.

3 restaurants in 1. There’s one on the mezzanine to the left , then one of on the deck by waterfront. Marina Jack in on the upper floor by the water front. Very nice ! Marina’s Jack offers the dinner and better quality menu. Service ladies were excellent. I had the red snapper that was not whole. I didn’t really enjoyed the snapper but the other food was good. The place is busy for dinner. Not much public parking so the valet service they offer helps.

The food was FANTASTIC!!!! I got the seafood roll and my daughter got the pesto chicken and both were fantastic. Great ambiance and service. Can get pretty busy so luckily we got there early but there were people ready to pounce on our table when we left.

Great atmosphere. Pretty good food. However a few points of improvement. It took us about 15mins to get sat down and we were the only ones waiting (with open tables). Our service was very slow and inattentive. The “special” was $30 more than the other meals and was not great at all. Also my credit card got charged twice erroneously. Could’ve been better. But the view was worth it.

We ate lunch at the blue sunshine patio bar & grill on a Tuesday and had a great time. I ordered the nacho appetizer as my meal and they were the best nachos I’ve had in my life! My husband ate the grouper sandwich, which was good too. There’s a big area for outdoor seating, although when we left around 1pm, there were quite a few people waiting for tables- I recommend coming for an early lunch because of this. Eating on the covered patio in the 70 degree sunny weather was so enjoyable. The waitress was also prompt and friendly. Plus, the park nearby is quiet and relaxing. Definitely would come back here.

This is definitely a hidden gem. The view and food is really good. I had the nachos, blackened mahi and clam chowder. Definitely like the outside seating and will be back for sure.

Blinking sunshine-smiling into the blue. That's how you feel at the Sunshine Blue Patio bar and grill. It's right on the water-with gorgeous views of the surrounding marina and all the beautiful boats and yachts. Truly, the setting is sublime-and you can take the prettiest post-meal walk, drinking in all the seasonal blooms with a stunning downtown skyline backdrop. It's the perfect setting to impress friends and family from colder/cloudier climes. It's right there, on the first floor of the Marina Jacks facility. It's all open to the outside... with the first section covered by a permanent roof... and then two steps down to a lower terrace, right on the water- with a tent roof above. Both are great spots. The part with the permanent roof has seating at the full bar and at tables scattered about. It's louder there-kind of echo'y-but the chairs are comfy. A few of the tables are out in the sun. You still have the view and fresh air and the tables are spread apart. Down in the lower, more coveted spot, there are fewer tables and they're closer together-but it's quieter and you're right on the water. Both locations are exquisite. So, the food. It's a big menu. We started with some warm pretzel sticks which were to die for. I could make a whole meal out of those. They're the perfect texture with just the right amount of salt-and the side of melted dipping cheese is good enough to drink-yumm-o! We also split the grouper fish and chips. The presentation, in a bright blue wicker basket, is so cute. The portions were generous and the fish batter was tasty. Mom loved the cole slaw! The servers are busy--but they are very kind and efficient. The restaurant is super clean and so are the nearby bathrooms. Parking at this beautiful complex is free and the valet is only $1.00. I can't wait to go back-and sip more sunny views-as well as the drinks I spied on the menu. Cheers to more sunny blue days!

When everyone recommends the Dinner Cruise at Marina Jacks, while you're vacationing in Sarasota, you check it out. And we did, and I am SO glad we did!!! If you're thinking about going, do it! You'll need to book it in advance, maybe even a couple of weeks if it's the busy season. They ask for a credit card, but you're not charged until the day of the cruise. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance. The dining area is enclosed, so no need to worry about a cool evening, or less than ideal weather. ( I would take a light jacket or sweater bc of the air conditioning. ) There was plenty of room to sit outside before and after dining. The evening we went out the water was calm, and the ride was AmAZInG! we went through the harbor, viewed multimillion dollar mansions, mangroves, an incredible sunset, the lighted bridge, the city lights and a blood red full moon! AND.THE.FOOD! Prime rib- cooked to perfection, scalloped potatoes, asparagus/broccoli/green beans that were delicious, salmon, salad , bread AND dessert! If you're wanting to see Sarasota, book a trip on this fabulous dinner cruise!

I booked the reservation over a month out for a table for 4. Made a note that stated we were celebrating a 60th birthday and requested a table by a window with a water view. Upon checking in for my table, as it turned out I was the last of the 4 of my party to arrive; still arriving a few minutes early. My dining companions were seated. so I was led to our table. Our table was not near a window or even on a higher level where the water could be more easily seen. I did notice that there were a few tables for four next to a window and noticed that there are high level tables also available for 4. These tables remained available for the majority of the 2 hours we were there. I elected to say nothing as it was not worth moving since the 3 others were seated and having drinks. The point of me sharing this small aspect of the experience to let you know that if you have a special request, call them vs. putting a note online. I am not sure they will care if you call, but it is clear that online notes may not be read and if they are they are not given consideration. Any, to the review. There are three sections to the restaurant. One is a bar, ground level. The next level is for reservations. Not sure where the third level is, but I noticed what seemed to be some event space also on the second level. Having never been there, I went to the first restaurant area, the bar. After looking around it was clear I was in the wrong spot. I walked out. I walked to another door, where I saw people leaving. I found a host stand. The woman at the stand was very friendly but could not find the reservation. I told her that I had confirmed the reservation the day before. After about 5 minutes she suggested I just go upstairs and see if they had the reservation. I walked up the stairs, went to the host stand. They indifferent staff found my reservation, informed me that the others were there and walked me to the table (The table not near the window). I sat down, and my evening started. Allow me to say that our waiter was friendly, informative and did a fine job doing only what he did. He mentioned the specials, took orders. Yet, his lack of probing questions gave me a feeling of not really wanting us there. What do I mean. He took drink orders after sharing the evening specials. Then left. There was no asking if we wanted to start with an appetizer. When he came back and dropped the drinks he went to what do we want for dinner. I ordered first, ordered. I was not asked if I wanted soup or salad with my meal, so I figured it was not really an option. The person that ordered second, having seen the flow, started by asking for a salad. Yes, small things, but small things matter. We all ordered. The waiter came back with fresh bread and asked if we wanted more drinks. Drinks were ordered. After a proper amount of time 4 very beautiful plates of food, our dinners, we delivered. 2 Minutes later the waiter came by and asked us how the first bites were. That was the last we saw of the waiter until dinner was finished. One person did stop by and poured more water - ONCE. (Due to health issues I need to drink a lot of water when I eat, so this one visit was not enough). The waiter came back, left a creme burle for the birthday person, asked if we wanted dessert and left the check. No descriptions of the dessert offerings, no suggestion that we have coffee or tea. I just felt like we were just taking up a table that they wanted for someone else. Let us not offer apps, salads, drinks throughout the meal and ignore the dessert process. We got what we asked for but were never offered or encouraged to get more. The experience was, well, left me feeling unpleasant and certainly underappreciated, especially for what we spent in the one hour and 50 minutes we were there. Being nice and all made a decent impression but by doing only half the job the waiter cost himself a larger tip; we would have gotten apps, more salas or soup, dessert, coffee. We also would have ordered another round of drinks during dinner. One other small note. Three beers were served in heavy glass glasses. Each had an AD, two from Bud Light and one from a company I do not recall. This higher end restaurant was serving beverages in Promotional glasses; fine for a bad, or even a stand-up drink and app meet and greet but all kids of TACKY and TASTELESS when a place has a dress code and their prices. If they want a standard of decorum they to also have a standard of decorum. - So service was fine, but not enough. - Ability to execute simple food sales and live up to common restaurant practices, non-existent - Ability to execute simple reservation request, does not seem to be something they care to do. - Glassware, tacky and very $1 beer night at the local college pub The food was outstanding. All four meals (duck, and a few fish dishes) looked amazing, tasted great. The crème bule was wonderful. The experince as a whole had a bigger impact than the food.

We had an excellent time at Marina Jacks. The food was beyond our expectations and the service was impeccable. We were celebrating a special occasion and asked to sit near the glass windows, but a large party was joining them and they could not. Instead they offered us the next best seating and complimentary drinks. Everything was exceptional. Definitely try the coconut mussels!!!!

Great waterfront location with a large menu that will satisfy every appetite. We tried the chopped Floribbean salad with blackened chicken and tuna poke salad and both were fantastic- very fresh and well prepared.

We enjoyed a late Friday lunch on the downstairs patio, called Blue Sunshine. It was seat yourself, so we chose a table by the water to watch the boats go in and out. I took away a star because it took a WHILE for a server to get to us, even to take our drink order. Once we got our cocktails, they were yummy! We especially liked the jalapeño mango smash. The oysters were large and came out quickly. Overall, a great place to grab a drink on the water if you're in Sarasota! I'd like to go back and try the formal dining restaurant upstairs.

I had a sponsored lunch today provided by my Condo Association vendors. The views from the dining room upstairs is awesome. All the wait staff was very nice and friendly. The lunch was Chicken Marsala or Salmon. Served with yellow rice, green beans and cauliflower, salad and dessert was Chocolate cake and Orange Sponge Cake. It was delicious and everyone enjoyed!

Driving back to Tampa from Naples and wanted to have lunch somewhere on the water. Marina Jacks was recommended by a local person in Naples. The view and feel was great and the food was surprisingly good for a pretty large and kind of touristy place. Definitely recommend for the view. While you will likely be able to find better food around town, you won't find many that have such a view with decent food

The entry is a bit confusing bc there are 3 restaurants inside so important to know which you have reservation for. The ambiance was fine, a little loud but nothing crazy. We atr in the main dining room and had a nice view of the water. Our whole table tried a variety of cocktails and were all pretty good and poured strong. We also split some appetizers and the lobstercargo was the stand out for everyone!! Make sure to soak up the butter with your bread. The macadamia nut ice cream cake was so so--I would suggest a different dessert. This was a great spot to come for Christmas Eve dinner and were able to accommodate lots of large groups. My SO and I also tried another "hot spot" for seafood in area and both felt this was a much better meal all around. I would absolutely recommend and come back.

Went there to celebrate my birthday. It was during weekday night so it wasn't busy but I guess they have less staff too so the service was slow because the guy is also bartender and taking the order. And the bar (inside the restaurant) is at the back. He was super nice though. We ordered Grouper Oscar style. It was so good! They put crab cake on top. It was the best crab cake I've ever eaten. So rich with crab meat. We get cream brûlée for the dessert and it was also good! Food was good. Service was good. We sat at the first floor and they were a big group maybe of 10 other than us and they have little kids so it was a bit noisy. I arrived earlier to enjoy the sunset and moved inside after it's getting dark. It was perfect weather as well!

If I could give more than 5 stars, I totally would! Every single element was perfection. We arrived for our reservation a bit early and waited at the bar. John the bartender was so polite and funny. I had a grapefruit martini that blew me away...so subtle yet equally strong. We were seated in the most picturesque location right by the water with a gorgeous sunset. Our waitress Reggie was hands down the most cheerful and attentive. She has a gift for some reason she knew EXACTLY what we were thinking to order...like a menu whisperer . The oyster Rockefeller, Chilean sea bass and steak was insanely good. This was one of my all time favorite dining experiences. We will go back over and over again.

Great bartender but seats at outside bar are extremely low. A little uncomfortable. You would think a place like this would buy seats that work with the bar itself. Would be a better experience!

My husband and I are on vacation and we came across blue sunshine patio bar at marina jacks . We enjoy sitting at the bar so that is where we headed ! The bar chair and big and comfortable with backs on them and we were immediately greeted by Aaron . He is pleasant and personable and made our time here fun and pleasant . Great selection of food and drinks ! We will be back definitely before we head back home !

We visited on a Saturday night, and passed by dancing and live music happening in the lower level dining area. On that level, there was dockside dining and a separate lounge. (We definitely will return for that!) We dined upstairs, and at check in there was a large aquarium under the stand. We were seated at a beautiful window side table tucked in a corner. It felt private and we were immediately greeted by our server. All I can say is that our service and food was exceptional from start to finish. We were told of the specials, one of which we ordered. All our cocktails, appetizers, main courses and desserts were timed properly. We were never rushed and drinks were constantly flowing. The food was artistic and delicious, and steak cooked properly. We ordered wine and a pomegranate martini and Caesar salads. The kids had Alfredo noodles with chicken and loved them. My husband had the seafood special, which was outstanding. My filet was well seasoned and cooked to perfection. The desserts were exquisitely presented, and equally as delicious. We left in an amazing mood, ready to walk around the bay and bask in an amazing experience. My parents used to dine here in the 80s and loved it. We dined here back in 2007 and also enjoyed it. We were a bit apprehensive to visit, perhaps worried that it wouldn't live up to the hype. I am so glad that it did. We have found another local favorite restaurant, and plan to return again soon.

It's a bit confusing when you first walk in as you see a separate restaurant downstairs. Had to ask around, and they say to go upstairs. Went here for lunch, and there wasn't that many people. Practically no one around. The service was a bit lacking, but I've been noticing that's how it generally is in Florida. Decided to sit by the windows to get a great view of the marina. It makes you feel like you're dining on a boat. I ordered the fish tacos, and it was alright. There is nothing to write home about. I'm not sure if I would like to dine here again as the waitress wasn't that attentive, and the food was subpar. I think the only thing great about the whole experience was the view.

Thank you Sandra. Bring back pecan pie. Atmosphere was wonderful food was fantastic.

This place has a great view of the marina and free parking nearby (as well as paid valet parking). It is also dog friendly on the outside patio. The food and drinks are really enjoyable. The service was a hit slow even though it didn't seem to be super busy. Overall a good experience.

Time from seated to server greeting Less than a minute. Server visit to order drinks and apps 2 minutes. Time to fulfill drinks: one minute. Crowd: light Fulfilled calamari: 4 minutes Time to take order from appetizer served: +4 min 10 min from sit down and we have apps and drinks and order in! Served +12 min - grouper tacos. (Average on flavor, could use more seasoning throughout and maybe less slaw or something that doesn't drown out the grouper, but it was satisfying enough) 15 min double check drinks and if ready to wrap up. Thanks Zuli! Your service was great!

Great beautiful restaurant on the water with amazing views the service was excellent. Adrian did a great job serving us the food, as always, is fresh seafood to the taste of what good seafood should be. I had baked oysters Rockefeller appetizer, and the Grouper Oscar was amazing. See pics. Really would give 4.5 stars.

Logan was very good bartender. Answered all my local questions plus bar questions. Had nachos w/ blackened chicken, very good

excellent Service! bartender was attentive and professional, food is delicious! thank you!

It had been a while since I last dined here. There have been a lot of changes to the outside area. There is a lot more covered outdoor tables. Service - Disappointing. We arrived around 3pm and there was virtually no one at the restaurant. Despite this, it took over 10 minutes to get a menu and take our drink order. I order a soup and was given the wrong kind. After we finished eating we waited nearly 15 minutes before we saw our server and flagged him down to clean our table and give us the check. Food - Below Average. I had the New England Clam Chowder and the Chicken Quesadilla. Both were served warm, not hot. The soup was OK, but nothing special. The Quesadilla was dry and virtually flavorless. Overall Value - a once solid choice for an informal lunch or dinner, this place has become a tourist trap. Quote The Raven - Never More

We haven't been here in quite awhile, and the restaurant is very different. There is now an outside area covered by a tent-like material. We arrived on a Friday at 3 pm and it was very slow. We took a table and waited forever just to get a drink. I don't remember the menu being so limited. There were apps, salads, soups and sandwiches. Lots of seafood choices, which don't appeal to me. I settled on a California Chicken Sandwich. Food arrived extremely quickly, by someone other than our server, who we hadn't seen since he brought drinks. My sandwich looked appealing, but the taste was bland. I love pretzel buns, but this one was super stale. The guacamole was bland and boring. I couldn't even taste the bacon. The fries were the highlight of the dish. Our server was non existent. We finally located him to get our bill and he asked what we had.

Food and service were great! Aaron handled the busy bar well! The rib eye sandwich was fantastic as was the veggie slaw! Definitely coming back soon!

We loved Marina Jack; it easily was the best of four during a recent Sarasota mini-vacation. Initially we wondered if we had made an incorrect choice because the dining room was relatively empty at 630 on a Wednesday night in tourist season. In hindsight, maybe this merely reflected challenging traffic and parking. I'm picky about seafood but the potato crusted grouper was the best I can remember having The sides were outstanding too. Service was competent. Maybe skip the beers as only canned choices were available. A minor quibble at an excellent restaurant.

Beautiful setting on the water with majestic views. Amazing facilities, great bar room. We waited a while for a table. Maybe not ideal for larger groups. We tried to call ahead for days but nobody answered. Again, maybe due to time of night, the service was slow as well. Food was decent. I will go back and try again and hope they do better. Seafood was good.

Blue Sunshine Patio Bar: February 4, 2023 I guess if you keep going somewhere as the saying goes " $h1t can happen". This is my second update and third visit (we ate in the bar, upstairs, and now the back deck) and will be my last for the Marina Jack Restaurants. Today was that day here at Marina Jack's on the back deck. We went on a windy Saturday. Not many diners, but there did seem to be plenty of servers. I got the Quinoa Bowl: Red Quinoa with Chickpeas, Red Roasted Beets, Broccoli Slaw, Mandarin Oranges, Carrots and Pickled, Onions in a Citrus Honey Vinaigrette, Topped with Macadamia Nuts which was actually very very good with plenty of fresh ingredients and beautifully prepared. However, the other 3 in my group (wife and two close friends down from Long Island) got the Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl: Ahi Tuna in our Poke Sauce Over Asian Slaw with Avocado, Mango, Cucumber, Seaweed, Pickled Onions and Ginger, Topped with Sesame Seeds, Green Onions. The girls were busy chatting and eating away and chomping on their salads, while "Dave" went in for the seafood/tuna and starting identifying the heavily gristle'd and significant connective tissue (not marbling or anything close to "sushi grade" tuna. I worked for a Japanese company and had eaten significant sashimi/sushi over those 10 years) He had actually taken a few bite of the tuna and then separated it all out and we waited to flag down our server. Second big problem, while there were about 5 table open between us and his next table, our server was nowhere in sight for most of our meal. Took many minutes when we first arrived we had to ask for place ware, then waited for drinks ORDERS to be taken, then slow drinks and slow service. This should have been the signal to leave, because the deck was about 80% empty???? We checked with the girls who were now pulling their tuna pieces aside as they noticed Dave was not eating and waiting for our server. Their meals were equally sub-standard with very poor sub-standard tuna quality and sinewy connective tissue through the tuna. Finally upon showing the server Dave's plate and him indicating it was unacceptable and not edible, the server took his substitution order. We point out the piled tuna in the girls plates as well as an FYI, but they had eaten most of the vegetable and did not care to order another meal. While we did not get charged for the 1 meal, we also did not have the desire to complain like Northern tourists, nor did we feel the need to summon the manager and make a scene (in my years of reviews on Yelp and my 40 years of international travel...... a server should always have the empowerment and encouragement to GET the manager OR even the kitchen staff and avert THIS TYPE OF REVIEW and now my future avoidance of Marina Jack with my friends and visitors. High ratings and customer service is 'earned' , I dislike being a 'hater' (check my many years as Yelp Elite and ratings profile) but in this case Marina Jack I am disappointed at your product and also your customer service. We had $60 plus of product and food that should never have hit the table.......and your server (and you) don't seem to care. (no need for witty rebuttal or superficial excuses in the court of public opinion, you can respond privately to T@L-y-n-c-h.com +1 (631) 384-5791)

Good ahi tuna poke bowl and salmon blt overlooking water. Wonderful service but the decor could use a bit of an update...parking also tough.

The service was good, as was the ambiance. However, one small crab cake was $21. What we thought was a complimentary piece of Key lime pie ( brought to the table without ordering it) had a $10 charge in the bill. Won't be going there again.

The slowest service ever. Kind server, but it was a constant disappearing act and we just wanted to order and the pay. No extras needed. The patio is a little loud which is not the restaurant's fault as it was clear people were coming off their boats intoxicated and therefore loud. The food quality was good. We had the wings mild and the mahi sandwich with seafood chowder. All items were good. Nothing stellar, but with such a nice view I didn't complain.

We went here to celebrate our good friends Birthday. 15 of us. We ordered from the menu and everyone enjoyed their meal. Our waiter did a great job. The view upstairs is fantastic of Sarasota harbor. Try it you'll like it!!!

This review covers LUNCH only, on a weekday, in "slow season" when it's not packed like it usually is. The restaurant is expansive - two sides, one a bit more formal, a HUGE patio and dock, and a glass walled party room upstairs. The location is key - on the water in the marina next to the big boats...excuse me...yachts. Views are fantastic. Our server was friendly and our tacos and sandwich were good. We sorta lost him while waiting for a check...could have been more attentive with few customers seated. Nice spot on a nice day if your expectations are reasonable.

Food was very expensive for tasting sooo bland. I do not recommend. Very disappointed in this meal. Our meals were very under seasoned for seafood. My husband ordered shrimp scampi pasta but it was made like a very poor attempt at Alfredo. Best part was the water view.

Delicious dinner with great friends last night at Marina Jack's. Our reservation was for 6:45 and we were seated immediately. Every seat in the restaurant had a beautiful view of the water! We all chose a fish entree, group, salmon, and crab cakes, and all were delicious! Our waitress, Sandra, was friendly and helpful. We are already looking forward to another delicious dinner when we return next year!

Have been here a few times when visiting Sarasota. The views are great and that's obviously the main selling point, but the food is really just mediocre and pretty expensive as well. The service can be hit and miss at times as well. You're better off coming for a drink but skipping dinner.

We went on the Easter cruise buffet, the interior is gorgeous and of course the glistening ocean was a fantastic view. It was expensive for 2 people, and once we got onboard, it took over an hour til we could have the buffet food, in the meantime we got a delicious Shirley temple and an alright piña colada, drinks are expensive of course. We walked downstairs and saw some desserts; chocolate cake, cheesecake, key lime pie, along with a big salad bowl and a small buffet. My first complaint (second actually, first was the wait time haha) was that there wasn't enough variety, anyway we got in line and I got everything listed below and then some. I tried the prime rib first, it tasted like any other meat, nothing special honestly, sinew-y, but my worst regret was trying it with their creamy horseradish sauce! Then I tried the ham which tasted just like any ham too, but at least it had an interesting and delicious sauce, I could drink that pineapple cherry sauce. Next up was the Caesar salad, which turned out to be one of my favorite things, easily the best Caesar dressing I've ever had, it's a shame it had to go on such a lackluster salad; croutons were stale and that was literally the only topping. The rolls were boring, onto the sole stuffed with crab and scallops, what can I say, just a fishy and mushy mess, and finally the scalloped potatoes tasted like they just dumped a bunch of that Wisconsin cheese spread with potatoes and heated it up, tasted weird. Lastly were the desserts, these were actually pretty good thankfully; the chocolate cake was extremely rich and sweet (which I love), the cheesecake was basic but not bad, and the key lime pie was divine! Rich, creamy, and sweet with a delicate crumb, I had 2 slices but I could have the whole thing. Overall I'd come back, (excellent date spot, especially at night), and just get what I liked from the first time.

When we got to the restaurant, it was fairly empty. Service took over 20 min to get our drinks and an hour to get our food once we finally got a chance to order. The food is very expensive for the quality, presentation, portions and my boyfriend ended up getting food poisoning from his meal (shrimp pasta-$49). I was VERY disappointed in the whole experience and for an almost $200 dinner, I feel we completely wasted our money. I do NOT recommend this place.

Here's a 3 review about our first ever trip to Marina Jacks. I've lived here full time for 15 years and had never been here and it will be the last time because despite amazing food the service was awful and the charges were excessive. Service: waiter was super nice but not very attentive at all. Barely came to our table throughout the night. Started with him asking us if we were ready to order and we asked if he would come back in a couple of minutes which he confirmed he would be back in a couple of minutes. Nope 20 minutes later he showed back up. Food arrived and was honestly awesome as mentioned earlier but $55 for Grouper Oscar and it was about a 4oz price of grouper, 3 total redskin potatoes and 5 pieces of asparagus. Delicious but left hungry. Our drinks remained empty most of the night costing the restaurant money because we couldn't even get refills of water let alone our adult beverages. We had three birthdays at our table of 7 and they were nice to bring those three free deserts however we had to ask twice for dessert menus for the other 4 people. Those dessert menus came after the birthday people were halfway done with their desserts and by that time it was too late and no one else wanted dessert costing the restaurant even more money. Charges: Marina Jacks website clearly states all parties of 8 or more would be charged an 18% gratuity. Our check came and there was an automatic 20% charge for the 7 of us. I questioned the waiter and then the manager and they explained a new menu had just came out today and they changed that policy. End of the day I work in the hospitality industry and 20% is where I start when I go to tip so the automatic 20% would not be an issue but I get sick of wait staff knowing they get that automatic gratuity no matter how they perform then give crappy service. Not only did the waiter cost the restaurant money but he cost himself money because you get what you give as a server and when you don't give even 10% of your time to a large table because you know you're getting paid you don't deserve an automatic 20% tip. I left no extra gratuity and walked out frustrated because of poor services Also I had heard Marina Jacks was going downhill and maybe it's because of the service because again food was A+. It Showed their decline because at 9PM there were less than a dozen people at the outside tiki area watching the band who sounded good.

Definitely a celebration style venue. We tried to make reservations for Easter evening but they were booked solid days in advance. So glad we had to wait, we found out their power was out that night! First, set the scene, we were seated by the expansive windows, overlooking the harbor. Dolphins we're breaching, mega yachts were berthed next door at the marina, and the the sun starts to set. Does it get any more special? The server, Michael, was a blast and fantastic resource. We asked questions about the offerings and he knew what to suggest and what would be better choices. We started with a side "Harbor" salad, he even recommended splitting one, since we'd have no desire to take back leftovers for the final day of our trip. Nice. For entrees, we ordered Mahi and grouper. The mahi was a very nice portion, cooked to perfection with an outstanding lemon, caper butter bland sauce. The brussel spout side was good, charred a bit with a bacon, Dijon dressing. The grouper, potato encrusted, was also cooked wonderfully. The accompanying rice pilaf and asparagus sides made it a wonderful special occasion dinner. The Asiago cheese topped rolls, were also pretty darn special. Finally, because it was a special occasion, Michael brought us out not one, but two desserts. The first, I'd stopped him at cheesecake, was delicious. But the star of dessert was the flaming Crème Brûlée! A drizzle of Grand Mariner, torched at the table, who needs candle and a chorus of Happy Birthday?!? Seriously?!? All in all, not inexpensive, but it was a relaxing, enjoyable, delicious experience. Highly recommend it.

The location is on the marina overlooking some nice yachts and the water. The food was fresh and tasty. Prices were reasonable for location. The server was courteous and friendly. Would definitely recommend and we will be back!

This is the place to be! The location is beautiful. The Blue Sunshine Patio is right on the water. The view is beautiful. Yachts and boats galore. The margarita was ok. The Patio food was upscale bar food. Definitely paying for the ambience and view- and it's worth it! The server was attentive and friendly. Nothing amazing. Nothing bad at all. Definitely worth giving a try!

Im sorry but ive been looking forward to a nice seaside meal for a while and this was the most saltless, tasteless food ive had in quite some time. Think Luby's, with a view The view is beautiful, drinks were well Made but it took about 15 minutes to get a drink, another 30 for the salad and well we were there for almost 2.5 hours. It was terrible The menus DO NOT MATCH either, I saw a few things i wanted on the google linked menu, restaurant had a different menu w less options Oh and my wife's grouper stunk! Literally. Like a rotten fish market. We were comped a box mix dessert $169 for a cheap retirement home cafeteria meal with a view

My wife and I sat at a table downstairs and had great service. I have decided that this place doesn't need to serve good food, and they don't, because the view is so fabulous, especially if you are into boats. We split a Caesar salad topped with mahi mahi. The fish was fresh and delicious. We should not have bothered with the salad. My conch chowder was the worst that I have ever had. It is pricey but then it is Sarasota and what a view.

First time eating upstairs at Marina Jacks. Which is such a different experience to the sports bar style of downstairs. The wall to wall windows of views is amazing! Service was perfect and the food was delicious! The filets were tender and cooked well, the roasted chicken was so tasty and the fish was cooked perfectly!

Service and waitress was mediocre at best. We were overcharged on two items. They charged us for bringing an extra plate! Atmosphere was too loud. Drinks were watered down with no punch. We won't be going back.

Marina Jack Restaurants is far more than a simple restaurant. It's huge. It contains various dining areas, has a complete marina, Marina Jack II sightseeing boat and other restaurant areas inside like the Deep Six Patio Bar and the Blue Sunshine Patio Bar, where I ate, which though covered with a roof overhead is very open and bright with excellent attentive service. Unlike the Main Dining Room, which has a very nice menu with the likes of center-cut filet mignon and truffle and herb veal chop, the menu of the Blue Sunshine Patio Bar is far more bar food basic with Buffalo-style chicken wings, wraps, and sandwiches with a few surprises like Baked Oysters Rockefeller, which I had. And though nothing close to those of its recipe creator, Antoine's of New Orleans, nevertheless rather good. I also had their Black & Blue Tuna which was a super fresh yellowfin blackened rare with Asian seaweed in a Sashimi style with soy, wasabi, and a camel reduction, which was very tasty.

Came to Sarasota after many years of not living here. Wanted to eat lunch at the patio bar at Marina Jacks. I sat at the bar. It took a while for someone to place my drink order and then food order. I order the seafood chowder which was marginal. I didn't get any napkins with my soup. Service was poor. Won't be back.

Disappointed at Marina Jack's: New Split Check Policy & Missing Menu Items We were very disappointed with recent changes at Marina Jack's. Our group of 12 was surprised to learn upon arrival that individual checks are no longer available, causing a scramble to settle the bill at the end. Knowing this beforehand would have allowed our party to plan accordingly. Furthermore, some favorite menu items, like the delicious salad bowls, are no longer offered. These combined changes make us hesitant to return for future group gatherings. We urge Marina Jack's to reconsider the split-check policy for larger groups, provide clear communication about changes, and consider bringing back popular menu items.

The outdoor patio was great and service solid. The pepper tuna appetizer had good flavor. Coconut shrimp cooked perfectly and Oyster Rockefeller was a bit creamy for my liking and covered the overpowered the flavor of the oyster, but very tasty. The potato crusted grouper was decent. The potato crust was the flavor of the dish rather than the grouper being the star. Try the blackens grouper sandwich if you want the grouper to be the star.