Turtles Restaurant on Little Sarasota Bay..great view and delicious food!

Turtles Restaurant on Little Sarasota Bay: Good Food and Great Views of the Bay!

Turtles Restaurant entryway Siesta Key Florida

Turtles Restaurant on Little Sarasota Bay has been around since 1986. With a spectacular wide view of Little Sarasota Bay and a wide menu, I might add, that includes everything from fresh Florida seafood to nightly specials that may include Prime Rib, lunching or dining on the outside upper deck or lower open sky deck, looking out over Little Sarasota Bay, is magical and scenic as the sun goes down.

On the last visit here with family, who was in from out of town, we celebrated my mother’s birthday and everyone was thrilled with the seating location and great view of the bay as this is one of the few restaurants in Sarasota that has a premier water view. The bay view and seating location helped to make it a festive occasion.

Turtles Restaurant view of Little Sarasota Bay

We were fortunate to have outdoor, lower deck seating and as it grew dark, looking out at the bay, the stars came out overhead, adding further to the ambient glow provided by the deck lights and ensuring that this would be a fine Sarasota dining experience.

I’ve dined at Turtles Restaurant on Little Sarasota Bay for both tasty lunches and delicious dinners. Let me fill you in on some of the outstanding meals I’ve had here!

One of my favorite dinners at Turtles Restaurant is Shrimp and Crab Au Gratin. This is a scrumptious casserole style dish; delicious shrimp and delicate crab meat, topped with cheese and baked in the oven ($11.95). I’ve had this on several occasions and it’s always a special treat for me.

Shrimp and Crab Au Gratin at Turtles on Little Sarasota Bay

Another of the seafood menu items I’ve had the pleasure to dine on is Shrimp and Scallops Alex; shrimp and scallops in a nice creamy red sauce with tomatoes and mushrooms over linguine. It’s very good and filling.

Now, if you’re a streak lover, Turtles Restaurant on Little Sarasota Bay has New York Strip on the menu for $21.95, but Turtles also seems to have Prime Rib on “nightly special” often enough and at a lower price. So if I’m in the mood for steak, I’ll have a cut of their prime rib, done to order.

The lower deck at Turtles Restaurant on Siesta Key

Tip: When your server asks if you’d like soup or salad with your lunch or dinner, ask for the soup, especially if you like Clam Chowder. It’s so good that you’ll wish (as I do) that the serving was a bit larger! Or you can order a fresh garden salad, as either soup or salad comes with dinner as well as fresh rolls, fresh vegetables and potatoes or rice.

Other items of interest on the dinner menu that look tempting include: Roast Long Island Duckling, Rack of Lamb, Fresh Florida Grouper, Lobster Alfredo, Baked Stuff Shrimp and North Atlantic Salmon Pasta, just to mention a few.

Something they instituted at Turtles on Little Sarasota Bay over the recent past is that you can enjoy a bottle of Salmon Creek California Wine with your dinner for a very reasonable $10. During our family gathering we went through two bottles as the wine we selected complimented well the entrées everyone ordered. It was good wine for the price. There’s also full bar service available.

The upper outside deck at Turtles on Little Sarasota Bay

By the way, Turtles features what they call “value meals” Monday through Sunday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Some restaurants call this the “early bird” dinner menu.

The other nice thing about Turtles Restaurant on Little Sarasota Bay is its close proximity to Siesta Key’s Turtle Beach. If you "time" your happy hour or dinner just right, you can walk over to Turtle Beach and watch an awe inspiring sunset over the Gulf of Mexico, before or after dinner. This is one of the few Sarasota Florida Restaurants where you can do this, so it’s a nice “extra.”

Nighttime at Tutles on Little Sarasota Bay

By the way: there’s also a Sunday Brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. but it is not an “all you can eat” style buffet brunch. You get your choice of brunch menu items for $8.50 and there’s complimentary Mimosa, Bloody Mary, Cosmopolitan, or Fresh Florida Orange Juice.

Turtles Restaurant on Little Sarasota Bay offers a wide array of menu selections, fast, friendly and professional service, delicious food and a spectacular view of the bay. It’s hard to top this experience.

Unfortunately they don't take reservations but do have something called "preferred seating for groups of 6 or more. (941) 346-2207

Directions: Coming from Sarasota and U.S. Rt. 41, take U.S. Rt. 41 to Stickney Point Road, head west over the draw bridge and turn left at the first intersection, which is Midnight Pass Road. Follow Midnight Pass Road to the south end of Siesta Key and look for the Turtle Beach Marina on the left.

By water: At Marker 48 on the Intercoastal Waterway, you can come by boat or kayak to Turtles on Little Sarasota Bay, tie up, and have a pleasing meal and experience.

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