Captain Brian's Seafood Market & Restaurant

Elite '08

121

309

Arthur O.

Brooklyn, NY

First stop in Sarasota?

Food.

But where does a family of four (plus an uncle) turn to just after they've just touched down in Sarasota?

Yelp (thanks to free Wi-Fi at Sarasota Airport).

Which Yelper comes through with a seemingly custom-made list for the said family of four plus one?

Steve M.

Excitement levels for trying out Captain Brian's Seafood Market & Restaurant?

My .8 Year Old Niece: N/A
My 3.75 Year Old Niece: N/A
My Sister: 3/5
My BIL: 5/5
Me: 5/5

Satisfaction ratings after trying Captain Brian's Seafood Market & Restaurant?

My .8 Year Old Niece: N/A
My 3.75 Year Old Niece: 5/5
My Sister: 3/5
My BIL: 5/5
Me: 5/5

Clearly, my .8yo niece doesn't really eat real food, so she went on munching on Cheerios and other baby-stuff that my sister packed for her.

My 3.75yo niece enjoyed the salmon dish she shared with my sister.  My sister wasn't too impressed, since the fish was a bit overcooked and she'd only ordered it for her daughter.  

On the other hand, we all enjoyed the lobster & mushroom bisque.  There were huge piece of lobster - most of which ended up in my niece's little mouth - and it was the best lobster bisque I've ever had.

My BIL went with the crab cake sandwich that he could not stop raving about.

I had the grouper Reuben that I couldn't stop raving about.  Possibly the best "Reuben" ever.

The service was so friendly that we all looked at each other slightly puzzled.  I guess we're not used to Southern Hospitality.

Not to be a discriminatory bastard, but when we initially walked in, I thought we'd entered the dining hall of a nursing home.  Even though I'm not a gambling man, I'll bet a lot of money that the food at Captain Brian's is at least 112 times better than what they serve in nursing homes.

Hop on the plane and head to Sarasota.  Captain Brian's crew awaits to serve you.

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review

Elite '08

276

274

Steve M.

New York, NY

This is probably my most favorite seafood restaurant in all of the Sarasota/Bradenton area. It's not on the beach or by the gulf or anything remotely romantically Floridan like that. It's actually a few blocks up from the airport on U.S. 41.

The joint used to be minuscule and the wait could be interminable unless you got there at around 3:30 PM for dinner before the "early bird" set arrived. About a year ago they expanded and their square footage has now more than doubled, making getting a seat here relatively easy. On a Wednesday night at 7 PM in early December (snowbird season), my buddy and I only had to wait about five or ten minutes tonight.

The concept of Captain Brian's is they're a restaurant AND a fish market, so all the fish you'll be eating at the restaurant is pretty much guaranteed to be as fresh as it gets. And in Sarasota, right on the Gulf, fish fresh from the local waters is one of the main reasons for which one would come down here. While we were waiting we checked the fish counter to see what looked best. Then we sat down and ordered.

I had fried calamari and fried oysters. The calamari were as tender and tasty as I've ever had with a good crispy crunch. Nice ring/tentacle ratio too. The Italian tomato dipping sauce was a little thick for my taste, but tastily complimented the calimari nonetheless. The oysters, as usual, were fantastic. Crispy non-overbearing coating and hot, juicy, raw tasting and firm on the inside. Came with a choice of starch (I picked their fresh cut steak fries [real honest to God Russet wedges, fried with the skin on]), some steamed veggies and their wonderful salad bar.

The star of the salad bar is the pickled herring. A big vat on ice, filled with the stuff that would make a NYC kosher weekend bruncher blush! As much as you want to eat, too! This is some of the best pickled herring I've ever had. I think they pickle it right there in the fish market, too. The bar also has really good pasta and potato salads, olives and the usual salad bar fare. The tomato wedges were outstandingly beautiful tonight. Captain Brian's salad bar is always good though.

My friend had the Mahi Mahi which looked wonderful and steamed mussels for an app. He said they were both great and even though he was stuffed after eating half his mussels and all his entree, he returned to the mussels to finish them.

The place is ultra clean and the waitresses are the best. They show up just when you want them to and don't bug the crap out of you. Also, they're funny and personable. This was about my 20th visit to Captain Brian's and I have yet to have even a mediocre meal here. Other menu items you should try are the Ipswich clams, the Grouper, the shrimp and the Snapper, along with the Amberjack and the Pompano. God, they prepare fish well here!

Next time you're in Sarasota and want to impress your friends, take them up here rather than out on the key. For a good laugh, be sure to register their reaction before AND after Captain Brian's. Your wallet will stay in some nice shape too - they're cheap!

The full menu:
http://www.captainbria...

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review

 

0

190

bari l.

Memphis, TN

Simply one of the best local fish markets around....in a rather strange location on north Trial near the SRQ airport in a little older strip mall that backs up practically to the tarmack....

Unassuming, fresh fresh fare....We picked up two huge filets of scamp the other day.....wow....excellent !

Highly recommended for sure !!

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review