Mattison’s City Grille

Had lunch there Sunday afternoon. 2 ppl at my table had salads and became sick that night. Throwing up a few times. The food was not good at all. The service was good. I will avoid this place from now on.

Great service and great food and should mention fantastic low key music. Make sure to try the lobster chowder, just the right amount of spiciness.

Good place, but in a loud location. The service and kitchen were having a hard time getting the orders correct, which led to a lot of angst and complaining from the clientele. Nothing noteworthy here, just an average joint in old downtown Sarasota.

Their happy hour is such a great deal. 5 dollar martinis and tummy apps… the bruschetta was the best I have ever had. I got a lemon drop martini and it was made perfectly as well. Atmosphere was nice and the bartender was very friendly. My only complaint was the smoking… granted we sat at the outside car it was still so bad. Food and service were on point though!

Hummmm? This has been a staple for bloodymarys and great Sunday brunch, ordered eggs over medium– came out drippy-​white snotty, set them back– no big right? Yeaaaa not so much chief comes out to try to school us. Bad idea– the foody table will not relent, best to apologize for the miss hap and move on bro… Snotty whit is not over med…

Go here for the atmosphere! We usually stick with appetizers and drinks as we people watch and enjoy the music.
Love it at night when the torches are lit and the place is packed with beautiful drunk people.
The food is fine, I have no raves and no complaints.

Okay atmosphere… horrible food. We did not finish our meals and ended up throwing out what we took to go. Could not imagine eating it the next day.

A true outdoor eatery featuring live music and good food… what more could you ask for with your summery weather?
I don’t think I’ve ever been to Mattison’s when it hasn’t been busy… its always swarming with people, whether for lunch or dinner… it’s downtown’s popular spot to sit outside…
Strolling in during the afternoon will be less crowded then on a weekend where all the locals flock here for great music and drinks… and dancing too. Speaking of locals, you will notice a mature crowd here… and. anyone that despises Gator Club, can be spotted here.
Walking by, the view of outdoor tables packed with people may look intimidating…
But do not fear, because they will find a table for you… or you can sit at the rather small bar…
I recommend arriving early (ier) on nights when bands are playing… especially on weekends.
Vibe is mellow… relaxed…and upbeat… you kinda get that bar feel in a restaurant setting.
Great place to meet with friends and perfect spot for a date night… its not ultra casual but definitely not fancy schmancy… average size place on the cozy side…
Ambiance is friendly and inviting, servers are awesome & accommodating… the menu is large and diverse… seafood, brick oven pizzas, steaks, chicken, salads, pasta… they even have Mexican nights… food is a notch above here… it is thoughtful, well prepared and nicely plated. and most of all it tastes great. I’ve never had anything I didn’t enjoy.
My ‘go to’ is their signature Artichokes Esther-​style app. Love these. Crispy, lemony artichokes sprinkled with parmesan cheese… pairs perfectly with a night of libations…
House salad with pine nuts and gorgonzola is another favorite…
I recently had the Short Rib Sliders listed on the Happy Hour Specials…$ 5 apps from 2−6pm!
Really yummy, I especially liked the black truffle oil, so good, tender. and perfect for one.
you don’t want to share this… Sesame Chicken lettuce wrap w/​Kimchi was really tasty too, and I’m not a big kimchi girl…
They also offer Happy Hour Drink specials (2−6pm) with a good selection of Martini’s…
Decent selection of whites, with a few Pinot Grigio’s…and full bar with potent drinks.
They have live bands, and yes people do (and try) to dance here… anywhere they can!
Next to their tables, close to band on the tight dance floor… there is not a whole lot of room for dancing here, but don’t let that stop you, cause it doesn’t stop anyone else!
Great jazz band the night I was here and nice selection of genres coming through…
This is your place to people watch and laugh your butt off at the expense of others.
If your looking for an outdoor restaurant with live music and a decent crowd, this is a great choice.
ps…if you do go to Gator club and get the munchies… come here for some late night snacks, just do it before 12am.

I can’t speak for the rest of the menu, which looked poor to me, but I can comment on the «meal» I did have. I had the Chipotle Steak Salad. This consisted of a bowl of simple greens topped with about two ounces of sliced meat. That was it, aside from the Ranch-​type dressing on the side. This extravagant dish cost $ 17. I’d be ashamed as a restaurant to serve this for any price. And there was «live» music: what sounded like a fourth rate wedding band from the 1970s.

Mattisons City Grill has great outdoor seating. They’ve thought of everything, from heaters to fans. It’s also covered, which shields you from sun or rain, while allowing you to enjoy beautiful Sarasota weather.
We been here before, but only for drinks. So, this is our first dining experience.
We started off with the artichoke appetizer, which was interesting and tasty.
Then we moved on with wings, that were not tasty in anyway. We also had a Caesar salad, that had much too much dressing to be enjoyable.
We really didn’t complain, but our waiter, Drew, mentioned that we didn’t eat our food. Our waiter, I should tell you, was entertaining, personable and excellent. He then came back and removed those two items from our bill. Not only did he do that, but a manager also came out to let us know that the salad had much too much dressing on it.
Their customer service explains why every time we walk by or drive by this restaurant, it is always packed.
We probably wouldn’t have tried it again, but I can tell you we will absolutely be back, because they earned our business. In fact, we would’ve given you two stars, but now you get four. When we come back, we look forward to giving you five.
There is nothing better than fair and good customer service.
Thank you, Mattison’s City Grill.

I had friends in town and we went to The Sarasota Opera House for Sarasota Dancing Stars so afterwards I wanted to take them to The Blue Rooster for a late dinner and live jazz. Well, I was disappointed to find out that the Blue Rooster sold out of tickets for their special event. Thankfully, I ran into another friend at the opera house who advised us to check out Mattison’s (which was only a short 5 minute walk from the opera house).
As we approached we heard the live band playing and was told there would be a 15 – 30 wait. Thankfully, we only waited about 10 minutes before we were seated. The crowd was noticeably «mature» yet they were having a great time. I was excited to see people dancing. I LOVE DANCING!
Our server was pleasant & surprisingly attentive although it was VERY busy. I ordered the grouper piccata and fell in love with the zucchini noodles (they were PERFECTLY made with garlic) and mashed potatoes BUT my grouper was sadly dry & obviously over cooked. I was so hungry I didn’t bother to send it back. My friends shared a house salad & had chicken & pasta dishes that they said they thoroughly enjoyed. Then we all shared a caramel churro w/​vanilla bean ice cream dessert that was fresh & delicious.
After dinner we hung around chatting, listening to music, & enjoying the breeze. The band played a variety of classic songs & when they took a break there was a wide variety of music playing that everyone could groove to. Great atmosphere, fun people, & good food! Nice place to take friends or family who come into town for a little dancing & a fun time.
FYI, the dance area is completely compact but don’t let that deter you from shaking your rump. Can’t wait to go back to shake my groove thang!

It started raining so we ducked in here to stay dry and stayed for food, drinks and music. The hubby chose the meatloaf sandwich and he was very happy with it. Although he did state that he would prefer no cheese or cheddar as opposed to the American cheeses it’s served with. I went with a grouper piccata and was not disappointed. The zucchini noodles were perfectly cooked as was the grouper. The food was pleasantly plated as well.
There was a a guitarist playing for entertainment and he was quite talented.
Service was friendly but a tad awkward.
All together a pleasant experience.

Great place for food outdoors. One of my favorite spots during the cooler season. Love their calimari, burger, and meat loaf sandwich.

Been here 100 times so that should say something. Food here is very good and very consistent. Just had breakfast here again on Saturday and was great again. The biggest need is for gluten free bread. Hate saying skip the toast. Can’t enjoy any sandwiches or have any toast with breakfast. Should just use «GF food services «gluten free bread they supply to other restaurants locally or any of the local bakeries that do great Gluten free bread in Sarasota and then this place would be complete.

Extremely delicious. highly recommended the weekend brunch. stuffed french toast is to die for. great location outdoors. Fast service & very reasonable prices. would dwf. Come back…

With no where else serving breakfast fare on an early Sunday afternoon, Mattison’s seemed like an obvious choice; as the brunch menu was still available.
So I went ahead & ordered the Tuscan omelette. On paper, it sounds like a great place to start, the realisation:
Eggs were under-​seasoned & rubbery. I have never met an unfluffy frittata or omelette until I decided to try brunch. The home fries seemed half way done, I like al-​dente vegetables, but there is a fine line to achieving this goal & in the personification of the home fries, they were a few marks short.
The melons were too green, toast came out burnt, copious amounts of table salt was required to make it palatable.
The location is fantastic, outdoor seating ideal & cozy, but in all honesty, if brunch is the representation of the kitchen’s repertoire, I am at a loss for words as to why Mattisons always seems full, or that Sarasota is populated with undiscerning palettes.

Great downtown location on a corner with outdoor covered patio. Service was excellent and the food was very good. I had the chicken saltimboca and we also had a pizza with artichoke and cheese, both were very good and nice size portions. They have a good selections of wines.

Mattison’s, one of our favorite restaurants in Sarasota! Food is great! I ordered veggie Panini and Jeff ordered a Greek salad with lamb chops. Outside seating feels good on the bones.

The atmosphere is cozy and certainly provides that downtown vibe. Their bruschetta is the best I have eaten so far in Sarasota, but I haven’t eaten at an authentic Italian restaurant yet, either. The food was fresh and perfectly put together. You can tell when the cooks hearts are in it.
I do think that their prices are a little high for what they offer.

While bopping around downtown sarasota (on vacation) on a saturday evening, Mattison’s looked like the most hopping place around town by far. We spotted a live band out on the patio and tons of people dancing, so we decided we had to check it out and see what we were missing out on.
When we arrived, it was a bit past dinner time, so we just ordered some drinks and checked out the environment for a bit. The live band was fun and the crowd was enjoying themselves, but being that we fall into the 20s/​30s age category, my boyfriend and i were by far the youngest people in here. Definitely a spot for the middle aged and up crowd. Nothing wrong with that by any means, as it looked like everyone was enjoying themselves, but just a heads up to those looking for a college aged hangout spot.
The service took a while at the bar as they were really crowded and a bit understaffed. We just ordered beers, so can’t comment on the cocktail making skills of the bartenders, but they were friendly and the drink prices were decent for the area, so can’t complain too much. Since they have a full menu and a nice patio space, I’d likely come back here to try out the food and see how they do in that regard. For now, I’ll say its an «A-​OK» spot to hang on the weekend and do some people watching & beer drinking.