Viento Kitchen & Bar - Zota Beach Resort

The staff is pretty good but the waiting time is absolutely horrible. We were a group of 13 people and we’ve been waiting for over 90 minutes before we even received our starters. We finally got our main courses. We ordered a few burgers, some of them cooked medium-well, and some of them well-done. Additionally, one medium-well burger was supposed to be without the sauce. I ordered a well-done burger, but ended up receiving a medium-well one. As it turned out, everyone else got a medium-well burger, but we didn’t know about that until we tasted it, because our servers had no idea which burger was whose. Little did I know that I would also not get any sauce, because the order was so messed up, and it was too late to exchange it with the right person. I ended up truly dissatisfied.

We had dinner here the night we arrived. Both of our entrees were mediocre - spaghetti bolognese could have been from a jar and the guanciale was tough. We asked if we could split a salad - the waitress was surly, asked what we were ordering first, then failed to tell us that she would tack on a $10 plating fee to split a $14 salad. My drink had no bourbon in it (bourbon has a distinct flavor). There are many wonderful restaurants on the key. This is not one of them. We did have a great view of the sunset, which they did not screw up. The hotel is otherwise well run by the way.

Vieto Restaurant had a great vibe and an even better view—absolutely stunning at sunset. The service was wonderful and very attentive. We started with the brie appetizer, which was delicious and a great way to kick off the meal. For our main, we shared the chicken and gnocchi. It was good, but we both felt it needed a sauce or something extra to bring it all together. One big downside: the no-see-ums made it hard to enjoy the outdoor experience, so I’d recommend sitting indoors after sunset. Lastly, I ordered the warm chocolate cake listed on the dessert menu but was served a cold one instead. The waiter was just as confused as I was and said the menu was incorrect. For a high-end restaurant, that kind of mistake felt surprising

Staying at the Opal Zota Beach Resort and after a long day of travel, we decided to eat on property at Viento Kitchen and Bar. What a great choice that was! Beautiful restaurant with fabulous views of the Gulf. Service was attentive and knowledgeable. Our server suggested all of the best options and we fortunately followed. The crab cakes are made in house and were perfectly crisp on the outside and filled with lush crab meat inside (no tiny shells either). Also had the homemade daily focaccia bread…also amazing. Although feeling a little full, we had to try the halibut entree and the fish tacos. Halibut was prepared to perfection with a side of au gratin potatoes….mmmm!! The chef came out and checked on our experience. Humble and talented gentleman. Don’t miss the mint chocolate martini and the Zota-Rita! Would suggest eating here any time.

Amazing place to dine! My boyfriend and I were staying at Zota and decided to try viento and it was amazingly delicious. Hands down best gnocchi I’ve had, different & unique taste. The service was great, our server was very nice and explained the menu very good. 100% recommended. Desserts were also great!

I had such a lovely experience here with my family staying at this resort. For dinner we started off with the calamari and chilled ahi & crab. They were both very delicious, I highly recommended the chilled ahi & crab - the pineapple mixed in really well with the flavors of the fish. Main entrees included the filet, salmon, and SHRIMP A L'AMERICAINE. They were all delicious, everyone enjoyed their meals. It was my first time having risotto and it was delicious with the shrimp/lobster cream sauce. Amazing flavors. The 10/10 FINISHER was the creme brûlée, holy cow!! It was just perfect. We ordered one but it was so good that we had two. Highly recommend eating dinner here. Had a great time.

Had an awesome time at Venti Kitchen and Bar! Sharon was our server and she was amazing—super friendly, attentive, and always made sure we were taken care of. Food and vibe were great too. Definitely coming back!

Everything about our experience here was excellent. We ordered the Filet Mignon and the fettuccine Alfredo with blackened chicken. We were beyond impressed. Honestly, best meal we have had in a long time. The view was also beautiful. Sad we didn’t try this restaurant until our last night!

We've only eaten here for breakfast- a couple of times. Food was enjoyable. Eggs were cooked perfectly. Fresh fruit was tasty. We were able to sit out on patio overlooking the pool both times. Super enjoyable and relaxing. Our waiter was pleasant- and was much friendly the second time we ate there. Very clean, quick service. Not so busy that we could just relax and take our time.

This was a real Christmas adventure for a night out on the enclosed screened balcony with nice heated large lanterns, we were served appetizers first with the servers going around to make sure you were served, there was a nice bar with friendly staff to help and assist you with whatever your favorite food or drink. Then our meal was served and it was very delicious, everything was served hot and in a very nice and quick manner.

Had breakfast here. Fantastic omelettes! Great cheese grits, bagels. Flawless service. Pleasant view outside. Pricing is resort typical. Will definitely go back.

Excellent staff and service in a comfortable, beautiful environment. Great food selections. Excellent bar with dramatic sunset views.

Great food and drinks! Make sure to get the smoked old fashioned. The inside of the restaurant has a bar as well.

The food is really good, but customer service is really good and the ambience is perfect because it's a sunny beautiful day. This hotel is really beautiful and has kind of everything. Lunch dinner pool hot tub, beach palm trees. Definitely a good spot to be.

If you are staying at Zota, this is your in-house dining option. Breakfast, served upstairs in the main restaurant, was excellent, good service, good food. Lunch, served either at the poolside bar or poolside patio offers plenty of suitable lunch choices. The bar serves up lots of tasty cocktails and an adequate wine selection. We ate dinners at nearby outstanding restaurants like Maison Blanche, and Bamboo Island Bar so cannot comment on dinner. Wine list is decent. Views are lovely all around at every meal.

Service is very nice, but extremely slow. Found this randomly as I thought the place looked nice and it does. The food was good, but steak over cooked, lobster a bit dry, and they didn't have the bottle of wine we wanted. One of our appetizers never came out. I'd give it another try and maybe even stay at the resort next time, but maybe just come for lunch instead of dinner.

We loved eating here when we stayed at the Zota Beach Resort for my birthday weekend/Memorial Day weekend. We are here almost everyday for breakfast and dinner. The service and the food were amazing. They made it work despite being understaffed. The views for Sunset are absolutely gorgeous. We only ventured out one night to a different local restaurant for dinner and regretted it. The fish and dessert at Viento were a lot better. Hope to be back one day!

Love it for breakfast and dinner. Beautiful views from the outside patio. Food is always good and fresh and service is always friendly. Will definitely be back.

Food was good. We love the crab cakes. Service was great too very attentive. The ambiance was nice. We were glad they were still open when we got there.

Very slow service in an almost empty restaurant. It took half an hour to being us cold meze after waiting at least 20min to have oir order taken. The food is mediocre.

The food was delicious and the servers amazing. We had breakfast and dinner at Viento and were never disappointed. Thanks to everyone who helped make our stay so enjoyable

I believe in beginning with a positive and ending with a positive. The Forccocia bread was amazing. It was supposed to have Mediterranean seasonings. However, there was oil, butter, and some green stuff. No Mediterranean spices or seasonings. It was our daughter's wedding dinner, she, hubby and son in law all ordered the ribeye steak. The three of them did not eat their steak as they were too tough and resembled a sirloin steak not a ribeye [ son in law is a chef] The veggies were looked unappetizing , and some were cooked others not. I ordered the filet, came with mashed potatoes, and Brussel sprouts. I got three Brussel sprouts, cut in half. Side salads were ok, but overall, we will not be returning to this restaurant.

Nice atmosphere , there was a beautiful view of the sunset during dinner.The food was delicious and presented nicely. I had the pan seared grouper, which was out of this world. The crabcakes had so much crab meat in it. Austin, our waiter was very attentive and friendly, as well as quite the cutie.

Unfortunately, this restaurant is heavily overpriced and one of the worst meals our family has had in awhile. I wish I could give a better review, but our meal was not great. I got the shrimp/lobster pasta. The pasta was egg noodles, butter, and a few Italian spices. It lacked flavor, was barely warm, and the noodles had congealed like they had been sitting out all day. The shrimp were also tough. We also got the spinach/artichoke dip and it was all cheese where it was breaking the chips when dipping. My parents got the chicken and it was also dry. There are way better options in Long Boat than this place.

Breakfast is great but dinner only so-so. We ate breakfast here for four days of vacation and it was consistently delicious with great service. Dinner service wasn't great, our server was MIA for a good 15 minutes...the ahi and crab appetizer was lacking in flavor but the Garden salad was tasty and fresh. I would return for breakfast- especially the avocado toast, but skip this restaurant for dinner. Also, lunch is delivered at the pool- good club sandwich and great fries but chicken fingers obviously a frozen product.

Just arrived at the Zota Beach Resort on Longboat Key, FL. Needed a quick place to eat after a long day of traveling. This was a pleasant surprise. This was the spa restaurant. My wife wasnt that hungry so she ordered the Mezze plate. Portion was huge and fresh. They charged extra for the Pita. I guess it's their Gluten Free option.. I had the Tomato Parmesan Soup and the crab cakes, both were great. Tasty, fresh and just the right portions. Ok, so I got the fresh grouper dish..."Newman"! Looked spectacular, cooked perfectly....absolutely tasteless. It was such a shock? I didnt understand how they achieved that. No seasonings, no herbs, no taste, nothing reached out to grab me. What a shame. Chefs, nice job, but next time, make sure to taste the food before sending out.

Charcuterie was fabulous. The fig jam was delicious with the bread, cheese, and meats. The toasted coconut martini was also delicious. Outdoor seating was enjoyable. Service was slow. We were going to order entrees but decided not to because it took so long for our servers to return.

I would not recommend this place, when Andrea is behind the bar. Not 100% sure what went wrong where. I came at 2148, the place is empty. It's just Andrea. No eye contact, nothing. Just standing behind the bar counting her money. I kept looking at her, since the sign said "wait to be seated", still nothing. Finally some other chick came out, allowed me to sit at the bar. A couple minutes later she looks up at me and asks me if I want a drink. I asked for the food menu, and for her to make a mock-tail. She laughed and asked what that is. I proceed to tell her, a non alcoholic drink. She's responds with an attitude and says "I know what that is". She went back to looking at receipts. Mind you the kitchen closes at 2200. I sit and wait for her to finish. She continues with attitude and asks what I want to eat. I order the tuna and crab stack. The tuna had an odd taste. I smelled it. Tuna should never have a smell. The crab has shells. And the rice is crunchy. I asked her to make me a cucumber breeze without alcohol, she says she has no thyme, or lemon. I asked if she at least had agave. She smirked. I looked up to see her name on her shirt, and as soon as I did that, another patron walked in, and instantly she's at his service. Also, I know we're in Florida, but you shouldn't ever talk in your native language around patrons.

Delicious shrimp and risotto! They also have the best burger in town. The restaurant is modern and decorated beautifully. We sat outside and the view of the pool is stunning.

I couldn't bring myself to rate this restaurant any more than a 2. The biggest turn off with the restaurant, unfortunately, is the food. Everyone in my party ordered chicken, which arrived incredibly dry. I let our server know and he responded perfectly (thank you Jack). We sent our plates back and hoped that something new would come out shortly. 45 minutes later and nothing. I find that to be unacceptable. Not to mention that the dryness of the chicken is not worth $27. As much as I love this hotel, I will not be dining here anytime soon.

Staying at Zota so we had breakfast here. Service is tediously slow, like I had to flag down our server at one point because she hadn't come to us in ages slow, but the food is good. I got the breakfast croissant and can't complain - well cooked eggs, lots of ham, and a flaky and tasty croissant. My mom got an omelette and enjoyed it too. The breakfast potatoes are crispy and GREAT. Probably my favorite part of the meal. They have Coke products. You can't beat the view of the pool with the ocean behind it. Beautiful place to start a morning.

Stayed at the Zola and stopped in the restaurant for dessert & coffee. No one was in the lobby area to help us; the bartender finally went to find someone to help. They couldn't even figure out how to serve us and recommended instead that we take our dessert to go. At that point (thankfully) a waitress helped us place an order. My hubby's raspberry dessert was good but my key lime tart didn't pack well so by the time I opened it in the room it was a mess. The good thing about this restaurant is the open coffee bar in the mornings. Of course we did pay for it as part of the daily resort fee so it wasn't actually "free". Note to the food & beverage manager--you don't have any options for daily free creamers in the restaurant/bars; however the hotel does have creamers as part of the coffee condiment kits. Please add a non-dairy option.

Had breakfast here twice while staying at Zota. Food was very good, however waiting 45 minutes for eggs when there were only two other people in the restaurant really sent me into a tizzy. If you're not hungry and want to waste an hour of your day, I say go for it.

I had the chef special sea bass with mushroom risotto. Our server was kind to my daughter and patient while we looked over the menu.

Service in the restaurant is not great! When people are vacationing they want to enjoy themselves and have a good time, great food, accommodating and smiling staff, not a crabby attitude and faces. The food was very good, it wasn't the best we've ever had but it was good. To your staff; make the vacation experience special for your guests, not regrettable. The staff need some serious polishing of their hospitality skills. Especially for a hotel that's privately owned and not known to many outside of Sarasota, FL or Midwest. They should always practice nothing but superior level of customer service! Good luck!

I think I was literally served chefboyardee in lieu of bolognese but the wine was okay

The insalata della casa Salad was very good. It especially went with the fish sandwich I got. Good flavor and taste. Would come back and order again.

Big yikes overall. We had to wait quite awhile at the host stand to be seated. Once seated, nobody stopped by our table until the manager (Marcos) noticed we hadn't been attended to. We both ordered a latte, mine came out in an espresso cup because they ran out of larger glass cups, yet I was charged full price for mine - there was a clear difference in sizes, oh and they were lukewarm at best. We ordered a Belgian waffle and an eggs Benedict which were not spectacular but still tasty. We requested the check and we think the waiter assumed we were staying at the hotel and we had to flag down another waiter to run my card. Now for the other fun part. A seagull was bothering other patrons frequently as the patio is open air. The wait staff was so lazy on cleanup, once the seagull got one piece of leftover food from a recently vacant table, we were swarmed by 8 seagulls and a crane. I had to physically stand up from my meal to fend off these birds with another patron, looking around for ANY employee, and there was absolutely no priority from the waitstaff to clean this table up. The food actually being tasty (great breakfast potatoes) and Marcos are bumping this review to a 2/5 from a 1/5. Edit: I went back and asked for a refund for the lattes. I spoke with the manager, Olivia, who was kind and explained some wires that were meant to ward off birds that clearly weren't working, but unfortunately did not speak towards her inattentive and absent staff during this incident. I have not changed my rating

Our breakfast was delicious and you can't beat the gorgeous views!! Definitely recommend.

Service was lacking even though we were the only table there, so there was no reason for the service to be poor. Nice decor inside and it has outdoor seating if you want a view of the pool area. Prices were extremely high for what they served and for the size of the plates. I guess since this is a restaurant in a resort there's usually a big markup. Drinks were pretty good but cost about $12 and took a long time to be served. I order the bucatini carbonara which is an incredibly cheap dish to make and they were charging over $20 and only served about a cup size of it with a couple pieces of chicken on top. My friend order the ravioli and same issue. My husband ordered the ribeye which was an ok size with some potatoes but it definitely wasn't worth the $40 they charged. We also order calamari for an app and it was chewy and soggy. I did appreciate that they served some complimentary bread because we were starving.

We stayed at the resort for the weekend. Came to the restaurant a couple times. We had a larger party and collectively probably ordered everything on the menu. Food was decent enough. A little pricey but to be expected at a hotel. My biggest problem was the service and an incident with the wine. Super super slow even to get drinks much less food. It's not a big restaurant so it's confusing why it was so slow. We ordered a decent bottle of $160 wine and after pouring our glasses it was clear it was almost ice cold. I hadn't noticed it in the little sip I took to taste it when the server popped the cork. Not being petty and was not gonna send a open bottle back. I'm giving this review 2 stars because on the way out I approached the manager about it and explained that they may wanna keep the red wine somewhere it doesn't get so cold he literally did not even acknowledge me. Response was extremely dismissive and very rude considering we tipped well and did not complain about the wine during our meal. Food was decent tho

The Restaurant is open till 10 which makes it a great later night option. The cocktails are great but overpriced. Main courses like the grouper and snapper have been good in the past but you're better off going to mar vista or shore or even new pass grill for goodness sake. The filet mignon is the best thing on the menu and still overpriced. The flat breads are terrible. $17 for a piece of frozen bread with cheese popped into an oven with, 3 pieces of pepperoni and four sausage? What a disappointment. Come here for the drinks and ambiance but don't go out of your way if you're looking for good food on longboat key. You're better off going to chart house or even Harry's continental kitchen.

Avoid. Let's start with the acoustics. Slate floors, lots of glass, dry wall ceilings make for a terrible acoustic experience. Even the staff complain. Come here only if your intention is not to speak with your dining partner. (Good for dinners with the former spouse). Next, the folks who answer the phone speak English only as a second language. My name may not be John Smith, but they completely bungled the name, number of people, but they got the time right --- just barely. Now the coup de grace. We got there, they only had a table at the insufferably noisy bar. We waited twenty minutes and then they said they just couldn't honor the reservation. We're done here. You don't treat people that way and run a successful restaurant. Maybe someone new will teach these clowns how to run a restaurant at a resort. Until then, we will not be back.

I am shocked to see former reviews on this restaurant . We had the best time at this restaurant tonight. Totally unexpected, enjoyable surprise. We were staying at Zota Beach Resort for one night while transitioning to another stay. We were tired and feeling lazy so my hubs suggested checking out the restaurant in the hotel. Not my thing, fought it, but not having to dress up won out and we went. First, we went at sunset and the view was ooh, la ,la, (see picture). We sat at the bar and had a really enjoyable bartender who took great care of us. Nice selection of alcohol if spirits are your thing. Lots of wine as well. We thought the food was yummy, nicely priced and ample. The look was sleek and contemporary but warm. You do not have to be staying there to dine. Go before sunset, grab a set on the balcony and have a memorable experience. Will be back.

These are probably due to covid restrictions: the selection was limited even though it was open buffet. The taste was so so. The wait time was long and there were obvious inefficiencies.

We stayed at Zota and had breakfast and dinner at Viento. The breakfast buffet was ok. They do have an omelet station. However, I think the buffet is a bit overpriced for what is served. The patio area does give you a pretty view of the beach which is nice. For dinner, everyone at the table enjoyed their meals. Our waiter was super sweet and helpful. He made great drink recommendations. If you are staying at the resort I'd say give Viento a try for dinner, but I'd venture out for breakfast if possible.

My daughter ordered spaghetti and meatballs and this is what the meatballs looked like. Nuclear microwaved in the middle and completely inedible. We brought it to the attention of the restaurant and they didn't even offer to cook new ones or comp her meal. Very disappointing.

Not worth the $$ snapper dry and fishy experience nothing special either barely had any service actually yelled across the bar as I'm sitting at a table in the bar "what do you want to eat?" The help talking loud to each other the entire time I'm trying to eat. Very disappointed I was splurging wanted a nice great tasting quiet dinner didn't get either. No sunset place to go or watch sunset from the bar sorry not at all what I expected :(food tasted pre-made I won't be back sorry you should try just alittle here..:

Just wanted to update my experience at Viento. We decided to go back and try it again and were pleasantly surprised. We ate at the bar with very attentive bartenders/servers. Not only were the drinks top notch but the food and service were outstanding! There was a full menu at the bar. After that, we visited the restaurant twice for their delicious breakfast bar. Omelettes to order were available and prepared by Johnny. Soooo good! Each time, food was great and the service outstanding. I am glad we tried the restaurant again after a not so great experience. I do believe they were just having a bad evening and it was not the norm. Thank you management and staff for such good experiences!

We had the best dinner at Viento Kitchen! The food was amazing! Great portion size, hot, and delicious! The service was great as well! Wish we were staying longer so we could go back!

Prices are totally unreasonable. A 12 oz. bone-in rib eye, $40.00 A 6 oz. filet, $34.00 The lobster ravioli I ordered had NO lobster. Ordered chicken wings, horrible as there were still feathers on them! The service is completely lacking. Strongly suggest that one seeks food at another establishment.

We came here for breakfast and it was sub-par to say the least. Service was not good and took forever to get our food and check. Skip this place for breakfast, theres better options!

Great view from outside seating. Gia usually is the bartender and she makes great drinks (according to my hubby) the burger was amazing and Cesar salad with chicken was so fresh. Also wings were perfect!! And homemade chips.

Food was amazing!! Steak could have been cut with a fork and not sure what the sauce was on it, but would love that recipe!! Great food and the ambience was second to none. Beautiful Gulf view. Can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu!

So, we were there twice in one week-and weren't even staying there. First time there ordered a few appetizers-calamari and the burrata. They were good, but expected the burrata to be cold, not in a skillet with tomatoes sauce. Had a salad for main course with shrimp-that was delicious! Our server Sabrina was very nice and professional. Then we went back a second time. We luckily got the same server...then it crashed. We ordered appetizer of three spreads which came with pita bread. Then she brought out a bag of fresh made bread on top of that. A lot of bread! Would be nice to get a healthier option with the spreads given the restaurant is on the beach. Then the salad we ordered we wanted a burger on it. THEY CHARGED US $14 to put a burger on the salad!!! The menu had options of shrimp, chicken or salmon and none of them exceeded $8. WHAT A RIPOFF!! The burger was cooked very well and the server was apologetic, but honestly...we won't be back. It's a relatively newer restaurant serving LBK-we are part time residents and trying to bring business during off season. Now is the time to learn what works. Management is NOT PRESENT AT THIS PLACE!! If you go...be prepared to be overcharged and have heavy food.

View and location are spectacular, but that is provided by Mother Nature. We have stayed at several Opal resorts in the past with amazing experiences. We were definitely received with mixed reactions from an overworked and exhausted staff. Tried ordering three different menu items that they were "out-of". Room service was a minor disaster. Charged for items not received and food was cold. Again, staff was very apologetic, but they can't do it all. Just expect more from a higher end resort. Food quality and price are not well-matched. If further reviews show an increase in staff and change in restraint quality, would consider returning.

Is a ok restaurant to be in a beautiful resort I just wish they have more variety on the menu.