Tonight's meal was absolutely perfect. Probably one of the best meals we've had lately. Our server was Josh. He explained how everything was cooked and was happy to take make changes based on preferences. For example, fried vs baked vs broiled. We ordered dessert and he took into consideration possible dietary concerns of an older guest. He explained that one topping on the strawberry shortcake was very high in sugar and offered to have it put on the side. Altogether a great experience.
(5)
Mark C.
Been to this place 3 or 4 times. It is a nicely designed place with very good service and good food. But I do have a very BIG complaint. For paying these high end prices the Portions are consistently EXTREMELY SMALL so I always leave feeling like I was taken advantage of.
(2)
Barbara W.
Four of us went last night. It was snowbird season, so reservations were necessary. Pleasant service even though it was crowded. We only ordered main dishes and glasses of wine. The meals came with a hot loaf of bread and we were given an additional one promptly when we asked for it. Total bill for four was around $100. Both people who had the pecan crusted parmesan trout really liked it. My husband had the shrimp tacos which he thought were excellent except he would have chosen to ask for the sour cream on the side if he had known. I had the Seared Tuna Bowl with avocado, jasmine rice and a passionfruit salsa which was outstanding... a good amount of tuna and very reasonably priced ( about $13). It was more than enough for a full meal. We found that wine by the glass was much more reasonable than a bottle unless you want an upscale wine. It is a good choice for a nearby restaurant (5 minute drive) to the local cinema (Galleria 12).
(4)
Beautiful S.
I wish there was a half of star. They would earn that for still having food to prepare. We got "what was left". Overpriced and we were so underwhelmed. Servers were rushing around finishing closing work and loudly (in the middle of dining room) talking about there plans for after work. Waiter was nice enough....seemed embarrassed by the behavior of his less than professional coworkers. Will not go back.
(1)
Day W.
3.5 stars for service. Food was dropped off. Checked on once. Very busy for a weeknight due to the number of snowbirds. 4 stars for food. was very good. 4.5 stars for ambiance. It was a great birthday treat. They have specials on certain days.
(4)
Steve K.
Food was fine but service was POOR We (party of 4) sat at the bar and were basically ignored by a grumpy bartender, the bearded one. We finally got a drink after that waited and waited to place a food order, which we did. Asked if we wanted bread we said yes. The food was delivered separately over about 15 minutes. As we were paying our tab the bread was delivered which we obviously refused.
(1)
Annie F.
The Food was pretty generic and the wait for it was even worse. Maybe it was the location, I am not sure. But I don't think I'll be going back anytime soon.
(3)
Debbie M.
Took my husband for his birthday. Our waiter, Jake, made excellent recommendations and we were not disappointed. The Ahi Tuna was best my husband has ever had. The broccoli was seasoned perfectly. We will definitely go back to this location and request Jake!
(5)
Jon C.
Food was good the oysters where great the service is lacking a tad. Nice to have same waitress service you whole time rather than a different one each time.
(3)
Ruth P.
Our group arrived at noon on Sunday. It was so dark I thought it might be closed. Not crowded which could account for the cold. Tables and chairs were tightly packed. We got our menus and drinks quickly. Then nothing. At 12:45 our orders were taken. At 1:20 we asked when we might get our food and 2 waiters and the hostess came to out table and rudely asked "What do you expect with such a large crowd." There were 12 of us. At 1:40 our food arrived. I ordered the California omelet. The asparagus side was good, the omelet filling tasted old, like bad breath. We are a group of polite, friendly people who meet once a month for Sunday lunch. Bonefish will definitely not be revisited.
(1)
Mark B.
Absolutely great restaurant. The food was excellent and the service was second to none. Our waitress had total control of the situation even when serving our table of 6 and two other table of 8's. Our only issue was that the restaurant was very dark on the inside for eating just after 6 (took a while for out eyes to adjust), and that the tables and chairs seemed awkwardly close together. A great meal though that I would recommend to anyone passing through the area.
(4)
Steve M.
Ive never had a bad experience at bonefish and this one was no different despite our party of 11. I got the grouper with green beans. They mixed up the beans with mash potato which was a bonus for me. The bang bang shrimp was awesome as always and the lettuce it comes on is a delicious salad in its self. Service was excellent, drinks refilled without asking. My only gripe was the lighting which i felt was too dark especially for 6pm. The rest of the family gave great feedback on their meals as i suggested the place. Im sure they will dine here more often now as this was the first visit for many of them.
(4)
Rachel T.
Service was pretty ehh...you don't tell someone with a shell-fish allergy that they picked the wrong restaurant. I'm sorry, I didn't get to choose the place, lucky for him, I really enjoyed my sangrias.
(3)
Jason H.
it must've been an off day.. but the word "busy" is unacceptable in any service industry establishment. i flew in from AK to grab a bite with my sister and two girls. i showed up a little late, but if i were on time, there would've been an incident. from what i understand, my sister and her fam frequent this place often and are on a first name basis with a few of their servers. i can understand a wait of 30-45 minutes of a "busy" day/night, but to have an inept hostess who doesn't take names down correctly or use their own paging system is f'n stupid. that being said, the hostess.. i believe her name was candace, sat numerous parties that arrived after my sister and her two little girls. yea, if i were there when all of this happened, i would've ripped her and the manager a new one. the server, nathan, was pleasant and checked on us frequently but was not overbearing. i don't ask for much from any establishment except good customer service. the food was bland, the drinks were weak, but i come for the service. poor service reflects poor management. i honestly don't know if i'll ever eat here or at any bonefish again. i boycotted applebee's for 10 years, i don't see why i wouldn't here either.
(1)
Jan D.
Service is snooty, but I guess they can afford to be! The food is right on every time we go.
(4)
AaronErin D.
This location is always hit or miss for decent service. We were very excited to have Bonefish put in closer to us rather than driving to Sarasota each time. Happy hour is always crazy, be sure to arrive early or show up towards the end while people are finishing up to grab a seat at the bar. We personally feel the service is much more attentive at the bar, but only by certain bartenders. We would come more often if we knew the service would always be spot on. The food is always very good, and you honestly can't beat the deals during happy hour. There is always a very friendly crowd of customers in the bar. Be sure to keep an eye out on any new speciality drinks on their menu. If they have their watermelon martini be sure to order it.
(3)
Mary G.
It a Chain,, what else can I say. Good in a pinch.
(3)
Bill G.
The location has only been open a couple of months. And it shows. Bonefish Grill is my favorite chain. I love their house wines and most of their seafood is great. But this new location is the exception. The staff is poorly trained, under educated, and disrespectful to their customers. Thin, blond bartender as much as called me a lier to cover up her lack of knowledge about the wine they serve. The Bang Bang Scrimp was over-sauced and had been sitting around for awhile and gone to mush? The National needs to send a swat team back here and re-train the staff.
(1)
Angela K.
I was so happy to see Bonefish Grill had taken over the abandoned Denny's down the street from my mom's house. We were visiting from out of town, and had never eaten at a Bonefish--we were blown away by how good it was! The atmosphere is dark and intimate, with tables in the bar area or in the main restaurant. (One suggestion I'd give management is to install some sort of vestibule outside the front door to block the light--it's distracting near sunset when you're blinded by the sun every time someone opens the door). If there's a wait, you can just grab a seat at the bar itself. Joe, one of the bartenders, served us once and did a great job. They have a happy hour from opening time until 6:30, where you can get a hefty glass of house wine for three bucks (!), or certain mixed drinks for only 2.50. The food itself is amazing. The bread with olive oil and pesto is very good--kind of reminds me of the flavor of the herbs and olive oil at Carrabba's. The caesar we shared to start was plenty for two, and arrived on an ice-cold plate. The dressing was a near-perfect blend of creamy, mustardy, anchovy, garlicky goodness. Lettuce was green and crisp, the croutons hearty and generous. My favorite entree is the salmon, which I get well done. I'm a huge fan of different sauces, and my waitress was nice enough to bring out all four for me to try--pan Asian (my favorite--like a teriyaki), chimichurri (similar to the pesto olive oil with the bread), mango salsa (just okay, but probably the healthiest), and lemon butter (good, but I would've liked less butter and more lemon). All the fish entrees come with a vegetable medley, and you choose your second side. I always get jasmine rice because it has great flavor and I think rice generally pairs well with fish. I also tried the grouper on one of our three visits, which was good too, but not quite as good as the salmon. My husband got the tuna every time we went, and he raved about it. I'm not a fan of raw tuna, so I can't personally vouch, but he was very enthusiastic. They bring you lots of fresh pickled ginger to go with it, and you also get veggies and one side. Another amazing thing we ate was the bang-bang shrimp. The menu says it's spicy, and it is, but not blow-your-head-off hot. We love spicy food and could've stood some more heat value. Really great flavor, though. All in all an excellent restaurant, and the fact that it's located in South Venice pushes it over the 4-star threshold for me. Ask for Donna--she's an amazing server and will take great care of you!
(5)
Christopher B.
Bonefish Grill is always consistently good. Hence their corporate owners. I give them 5 stars!
(5)
Rob I.
Good food, great atmosphere... classy design, and great martinis. I love the bang bang shrimp, and ever dinner has been excellent. I've very happy they have opened up in Venice. And now they have Brunch on Sundays!!! (starts at 11am, but they don't serve drinks until noon) Early or late is best... It can get very busy on a weekend night.
(5)
Taylor C.
I have eaten here a couple of times in this location. The bang bang is always good, as well as the drinks. But the waitors and waitresses need a little help. They dont sound like they know what theyre talking about. We had one waitress that charged us for our Happy Hour Drinks, and began to say that if she has to go back to change the order her manager would get upset...? Well that wasnt our fault. She did however change the order, and as we were figuring out a tip, she stood awkwardly at the table. It was an uncomfortable experience, but again the food and drinks are always good.
(3)
Tricia K.
GREAT dinner place! Bang Bang Shrimp on Wednesdays for 5 bucks was awesome! And there was a lot of shrimp for only 5 dollars! You could eat healthy here or bad whatever your mood! Great seafood! Service could be better, waitresses are a little slow and you wait forever for their bread.
(5)
Cheryl Z.
I am not a fan of chains, and I know people love Bonefish, and go on about the bang bang fish (which I find heavy and greasy), like other's have said it's chain food. I live by the Bonefish in University Park and every time I go to meet someone there - I say it's my last time. This past Saturday I was at the Bonefish on Fruitville and was comparing it to the one in Venice, but no ambiance. I had a filet that was not a good grilled restaurant quality steak. So back to the Bonefish in Venice, FL.... I took a ride with a friend to Venice two weeks ago, we haven't been down that way in awhile and saw the new Bonefish. He had a gift card and it was dinner time. This new Bonefish has lots of ambiance, like Angela said, dark and intimate, very romantic. There are lots of windows all around, if they had a fireplace it would make you think you were in more of a northern restaurant, which reminds me it was freezing the night we were there. We were both dressed in beach casual and that was the only uncomfortable thing, it was so cold! hmmm maybe why I'm thinking fireplace. We sat at the bar area, and it faced out to TV's with the game on. The bar area at this location is more open than the one in UP or on Fruitville road. The food was the same, nothing great. We split the seared tuna appetizer and I got the ceviche for my entry. It was OK, but not like chunks of seafood. I'm doing the no carb thing and it was very hard not to eat their crusty bread. The service was great. If I was a fan of Bonefish I would go out of my way and make the drive down. They also had lovely outside seating, granted it did face the parking lot, but they made it look nice. My 4 star rating is based on the decor and staff, but it was nice enough that I would go to this one again.
(4)
Kristen D.
Cant get enough of this place. There isnt one bad thing on the menu. Honestly. So gooood!
(5)
Ross K.
Quality seafood. This was a little challenging to give five stars to since it is a chain, but my logic is they pretty much have everything perfect. Priced well, great ambiance, and has been very good and consistent the three times I've eaten there. $2.50 gin and tonics and $3 glasses of chardonnay until 6:30?? Tokyo tuna is dead serious. All I could think of to make it a better experience is to add a exterior vestibule to the front door to stop the setting sun from blasting the nicely darkened bar with light. That shows how hard it was for me to find something that could be better. This is a great addition to the Venice food options.
(5)
Laura M.
Darn. Should have known. I was craving Chilean Sea Bass and could not find it on any other restaurant menus in the area, so I looked up their reviews on Yelp and decided to try it out Boncefish since they had received a few good Yelp reviews..... Okay, if you like Denny's, loud music, views of strip malls from your table, and AWFUL food, give it a go. Seriously, this place is a joke. We started with the Bang Bang Shrimp. It was okay, but if you bread and deep-fry shrimp and then slather it with mayo, it will taste okay. It was downhill from there. The complementary bread and olive oil were sad. Our mains were, well, terrible. Hubby's "Dynamite Salmon" had way too much sesame oil (we could smell it before it arrived at the table) and nothing more for flavor. My Chilean Sea Bass was bland, boring, and sad. We decided on a whim to try sharing a dessert since we could not eat our mains,so we shared the Key Lime Pie. Well, Publix does a MUCH better job. All-in-all, a huge disappointment. $100 bucks wasted again in Venice.
(1)
M P.
Just edited this review to make it a bit shorter. Anyway, I was visiting my dad in Florida and we were looking for a nice place to eat. The Bonefish Grill had continually caught our eye, so we decided to try it out. We needed to make a reservation almost 3 hours in advance as the wait times were generally 80+ minutes at night, but when we arrived ten minutes early for our reservation we were seated immediately. The service was very good. The server may have been trying a little too hard to establish the restaurant as a "fancy" place, but drinks were still refilled regularly and he came by regularly to check on us and made us feel welcome. I loved the atmosphere of the place. The lighting and overall feel in the restaurant make it a very enjoyable experience. The restaurant also provides complimentary bread and pesto+oil or butter if you want. The bread was excellent and a great addition to the meal. Anyway, onto the food. The Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer (which is $5 on Wednesdays) was delicious. I could see myself returning on Wednesdays just for that. As for our entrees, I got the Chilean Sea Bass, which is one of the more expensive entrees on the menu, but it was fantastic. The sides (garlic mashed potatoes and season vegetables in my case) were excellent as well. You can pick one of four sauces for your fish, and I got the Chimichurri sauce. I was able to try some of the other sauces, and this one was definitely my favorite. I'm not an expert when it comes to describing the qualities of cooked fish, but the texture and taste seemed great to me, and I'm usually a picky eater. Considering many of the menu items are very modestly priced ($14-$17 or even lower), I'll definitely be checking out this restaurant again back in Colorado.
(5)
Mark S.
Bone Fish is now open in Venice. They are doing a great job - as good as Bonefish gets. Of course, since it is new, everybody is going there and it is busy. We ate at the bar which was fun because the bartender is a great guy.
(5)
Ellen B.
We came there around 5pm on a Friday. Bar area is very dark, they also have a large dining room. We chose to sit outside. Even though the outside dining area faces a parking lot, it's nicely designed and pleasant. We enjoyed the happy hour $3 per glass house wines. the bread is yummy. So is the corn and crab chowder. We had the special that evening which was a multiple grilled fish plate for 2, that also included two salads and two sides. It included albacore tuna, salmon, sea bass, shrimp and scallops. It was very good and the portions were perfect for 2 without being overwhelming. No croutons on the caesar salad. Friendly and prompt service, we will definitely return.
(4)
Eila M.
We all loved the bang bang shrimp we shared, the pork chop was tough,didn't even bring the left overs home. Enjoyed the trout, nice size portion.
(3)
Susan V.
Called in without a reservation and were seated right away. We had the calamari and beef and ginger dumplings for starters - both excellent. My husband had the steak and lobster tail, I had Pompano with crab, and, again, both were cooked perfectly. We finished with a key lime pie, a creme brulee, and rum coffees...what a beautiful meal!! Our server, Melissa, looked after us extremely well, without being pushy at all, and we felt very comfortable throughout the meal. We will most definately recommend Bonefish to our friends and will be visiting again in the near future. Thanks to all the kitchen staff and to Melissa - we had a wonderful evening!!
(5)
Pat B.
Went on my birthday. Gave us a table (made reservations) next to kitchen. Dark and noisy. After 15 minutes, with NO waitstaff acknowledging our table, we got up and left. Next day, wrote to restaurant, no reply. We won't be going back!!
(1)
Mary S.
Went to dinner for the first time Sat night , May 19th, 2012, with 3 other guests. My partner and I put our name on the wait list becuz we could not get a reservation at 1:30 in the afternoon when we called, so we just went in. The bartenders are very slow, and clueless in how to take care of the customers that are not seated in a chair at the bar, as my partner and I waited at least 10- 15 mins to get a drink , while the bartenders walked around clueless, or maybe they didn't want to make money that evening. For example,the female bartender with long brown hair with some highlights underneath her hair sure had time to watch the horse race that was going on instead of making money for the company and tips for herself and her coworkers who we're working that night behind the bar....also took forever to pay the check as well...clueless, slow and unattended service. You should definately have faster bartenders who anticipate guests needs, and can look around and see that there are more customers wanting a drink than the people sitting at the bar, bad service! Finally when we got to our table, I was not impressed with the table arrangements, so close together, seating not comfortable at ALL. Donna was our waitress, she was pleasant and took care of us. Dinner was nothing spectacular, calamari and seared tuna app we're both a little too cooked, but my caesar salad was good. My other 3 guests seem to enjoy their entree's, but this is definitely a restaurant I would not recommend if you want to go out with friends on the weekend. There are definitely better restaurants for great seafood in the Venice area! First experience, Bad experience, and not sure if we will be back! From, Mary S.
(2)
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Address :1681 US Hwy 41 Bypass S
Venice, FL, 34293
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Merrie R.
Tonight's meal was absolutely perfect. Probably one of the best meals we've had lately. Our server was Josh. He explained how everything was cooked and was happy to take make changes based on preferences. For example, fried vs baked vs broiled. We ordered dessert and he took into consideration possible dietary concerns of an older guest. He explained that one topping on the strawberry shortcake was very high in sugar and offered to have it put on the side. Altogether a great experience.
(5)Mark C.
Been to this place 3 or 4 times. It is a nicely designed place with very good service and good food. But I do have a very BIG complaint. For paying these high end prices the Portions are consistently EXTREMELY SMALL so I always leave feeling like I was taken advantage of.
(2)Barbara W.
Four of us went last night. It was snowbird season, so reservations were necessary. Pleasant service even though it was crowded. We only ordered main dishes and glasses of wine. The meals came with a hot loaf of bread and we were given an additional one promptly when we asked for it. Total bill for four was around $100. Both people who had the pecan crusted parmesan trout really liked it. My husband had the shrimp tacos which he thought were excellent except he would have chosen to ask for the sour cream on the side if he had known. I had the Seared Tuna Bowl with avocado, jasmine rice and a passionfruit salsa which was outstanding... a good amount of tuna and very reasonably priced ( about $13). It was more than enough for a full meal. We found that wine by the glass was much more reasonable than a bottle unless you want an upscale wine. It is a good choice for a nearby restaurant (5 minute drive) to the local cinema (Galleria 12).
(4)Beautiful S.
I wish there was a half of star. They would earn that for still having food to prepare. We got "what was left". Overpriced and we were so underwhelmed. Servers were rushing around finishing closing work and loudly (in the middle of dining room) talking about there plans for after work. Waiter was nice enough....seemed embarrassed by the behavior of his less than professional coworkers. Will not go back.
(1)Day W.
3.5 stars for service. Food was dropped off. Checked on once. Very busy for a weeknight due to the number of snowbirds. 4 stars for food. was very good. 4.5 stars for ambiance. It was a great birthday treat. They have specials on certain days.
(4)Steve K.
Food was fine but service was POOR We (party of 4) sat at the bar and were basically ignored by a grumpy bartender, the bearded one. We finally got a drink after that waited and waited to place a food order, which we did. Asked if we wanted bread we said yes. The food was delivered separately over about 15 minutes. As we were paying our tab the bread was delivered which we obviously refused.
(1)Annie F.
The Food was pretty generic and the wait for it was even worse. Maybe it was the location, I am not sure. But I don't think I'll be going back anytime soon.
(3)Debbie M.
Took my husband for his birthday. Our waiter, Jake, made excellent recommendations and we were not disappointed. The Ahi Tuna was best my husband has ever had. The broccoli was seasoned perfectly. We will definitely go back to this location and request Jake!
(5)Jon C.
Food was good the oysters where great the service is lacking a tad. Nice to have same waitress service you whole time rather than a different one each time.
(3)Ruth P.
Our group arrived at noon on Sunday. It was so dark I thought it might be closed. Not crowded which could account for the cold. Tables and chairs were tightly packed. We got our menus and drinks quickly. Then nothing. At 12:45 our orders were taken. At 1:20 we asked when we might get our food and 2 waiters and the hostess came to out table and rudely asked "What do you expect with such a large crowd." There were 12 of us. At 1:40 our food arrived. I ordered the California omelet. The asparagus side was good, the omelet filling tasted old, like bad breath. We are a group of polite, friendly people who meet once a month for Sunday lunch. Bonefish will definitely not be revisited.
(1)Mark B.
Absolutely great restaurant. The food was excellent and the service was second to none. Our waitress had total control of the situation even when serving our table of 6 and two other table of 8's. Our only issue was that the restaurant was very dark on the inside for eating just after 6 (took a while for out eyes to adjust), and that the tables and chairs seemed awkwardly close together. A great meal though that I would recommend to anyone passing through the area.
(4)Steve M.
Ive never had a bad experience at bonefish and this one was no different despite our party of 11. I got the grouper with green beans. They mixed up the beans with mash potato which was a bonus for me. The bang bang shrimp was awesome as always and the lettuce it comes on is a delicious salad in its self. Service was excellent, drinks refilled without asking. My only gripe was the lighting which i felt was too dark especially for 6pm. The rest of the family gave great feedback on their meals as i suggested the place. Im sure they will dine here more often now as this was the first visit for many of them.
(4)Rachel T.
Service was pretty ehh...you don't tell someone with a shell-fish allergy that they picked the wrong restaurant. I'm sorry, I didn't get to choose the place, lucky for him, I really enjoyed my sangrias.
(3)Jason H.
it must've been an off day.. but the word "busy" is unacceptable in any service industry establishment. i flew in from AK to grab a bite with my sister and two girls. i showed up a little late, but if i were on time, there would've been an incident. from what i understand, my sister and her fam frequent this place often and are on a first name basis with a few of their servers. i can understand a wait of 30-45 minutes of a "busy" day/night, but to have an inept hostess who doesn't take names down correctly or use their own paging system is f'n stupid. that being said, the hostess.. i believe her name was candace, sat numerous parties that arrived after my sister and her two little girls. yea, if i were there when all of this happened, i would've ripped her and the manager a new one. the server, nathan, was pleasant and checked on us frequently but was not overbearing. i don't ask for much from any establishment except good customer service. the food was bland, the drinks were weak, but i come for the service. poor service reflects poor management. i honestly don't know if i'll ever eat here or at any bonefish again. i boycotted applebee's for 10 years, i don't see why i wouldn't here either.
(1)Jan D.
Service is snooty, but I guess they can afford to be! The food is right on every time we go.
(4)AaronErin D.
This location is always hit or miss for decent service. We were very excited to have Bonefish put in closer to us rather than driving to Sarasota each time. Happy hour is always crazy, be sure to arrive early or show up towards the end while people are finishing up to grab a seat at the bar. We personally feel the service is much more attentive at the bar, but only by certain bartenders. We would come more often if we knew the service would always be spot on. The food is always very good, and you honestly can't beat the deals during happy hour. There is always a very friendly crowd of customers in the bar. Be sure to keep an eye out on any new speciality drinks on their menu. If they have their watermelon martini be sure to order it.
(3)Mary G.
It a Chain,, what else can I say. Good in a pinch.
(3)Bill G.
The location has only been open a couple of months. And it shows. Bonefish Grill is my favorite chain. I love their house wines and most of their seafood is great. But this new location is the exception. The staff is poorly trained, under educated, and disrespectful to their customers. Thin, blond bartender as much as called me a lier to cover up her lack of knowledge about the wine they serve. The Bang Bang Scrimp was over-sauced and had been sitting around for awhile and gone to mush? The National needs to send a swat team back here and re-train the staff.
(1)Angela K.
I was so happy to see Bonefish Grill had taken over the abandoned Denny's down the street from my mom's house. We were visiting from out of town, and had never eaten at a Bonefish--we were blown away by how good it was! The atmosphere is dark and intimate, with tables in the bar area or in the main restaurant. (One suggestion I'd give management is to install some sort of vestibule outside the front door to block the light--it's distracting near sunset when you're blinded by the sun every time someone opens the door). If there's a wait, you can just grab a seat at the bar itself. Joe, one of the bartenders, served us once and did a great job. They have a happy hour from opening time until 6:30, where you can get a hefty glass of house wine for three bucks (!), or certain mixed drinks for only 2.50. The food itself is amazing. The bread with olive oil and pesto is very good--kind of reminds me of the flavor of the herbs and olive oil at Carrabba's. The caesar we shared to start was plenty for two, and arrived on an ice-cold plate. The dressing was a near-perfect blend of creamy, mustardy, anchovy, garlicky goodness. Lettuce was green and crisp, the croutons hearty and generous. My favorite entree is the salmon, which I get well done. I'm a huge fan of different sauces, and my waitress was nice enough to bring out all four for me to try--pan Asian (my favorite--like a teriyaki), chimichurri (similar to the pesto olive oil with the bread), mango salsa (just okay, but probably the healthiest), and lemon butter (good, but I would've liked less butter and more lemon). All the fish entrees come with a vegetable medley, and you choose your second side. I always get jasmine rice because it has great flavor and I think rice generally pairs well with fish. I also tried the grouper on one of our three visits, which was good too, but not quite as good as the salmon. My husband got the tuna every time we went, and he raved about it. I'm not a fan of raw tuna, so I can't personally vouch, but he was very enthusiastic. They bring you lots of fresh pickled ginger to go with it, and you also get veggies and one side. Another amazing thing we ate was the bang-bang shrimp. The menu says it's spicy, and it is, but not blow-your-head-off hot. We love spicy food and could've stood some more heat value. Really great flavor, though. All in all an excellent restaurant, and the fact that it's located in South Venice pushes it over the 4-star threshold for me. Ask for Donna--she's an amazing server and will take great care of you!
(5)Christopher B.
Bonefish Grill is always consistently good. Hence their corporate owners. I give them 5 stars!
(5)Rob I.
Good food, great atmosphere... classy design, and great martinis. I love the bang bang shrimp, and ever dinner has been excellent. I've very happy they have opened up in Venice. And now they have Brunch on Sundays!!! (starts at 11am, but they don't serve drinks until noon) Early or late is best... It can get very busy on a weekend night.
(5)Taylor C.
I have eaten here a couple of times in this location. The bang bang is always good, as well as the drinks. But the waitors and waitresses need a little help. They dont sound like they know what theyre talking about. We had one waitress that charged us for our Happy Hour Drinks, and began to say that if she has to go back to change the order her manager would get upset...? Well that wasnt our fault. She did however change the order, and as we were figuring out a tip, she stood awkwardly at the table. It was an uncomfortable experience, but again the food and drinks are always good.
(3)Tricia K.
GREAT dinner place! Bang Bang Shrimp on Wednesdays for 5 bucks was awesome! And there was a lot of shrimp for only 5 dollars! You could eat healthy here or bad whatever your mood! Great seafood! Service could be better, waitresses are a little slow and you wait forever for their bread.
(5)Cheryl Z.
I am not a fan of chains, and I know people love Bonefish, and go on about the bang bang fish (which I find heavy and greasy), like other's have said it's chain food. I live by the Bonefish in University Park and every time I go to meet someone there - I say it's my last time. This past Saturday I was at the Bonefish on Fruitville and was comparing it to the one in Venice, but no ambiance. I had a filet that was not a good grilled restaurant quality steak. So back to the Bonefish in Venice, FL.... I took a ride with a friend to Venice two weeks ago, we haven't been down that way in awhile and saw the new Bonefish. He had a gift card and it was dinner time. This new Bonefish has lots of ambiance, like Angela said, dark and intimate, very romantic. There are lots of windows all around, if they had a fireplace it would make you think you were in more of a northern restaurant, which reminds me it was freezing the night we were there. We were both dressed in beach casual and that was the only uncomfortable thing, it was so cold! hmmm maybe why I'm thinking fireplace. We sat at the bar area, and it faced out to TV's with the game on. The bar area at this location is more open than the one in UP or on Fruitville road. The food was the same, nothing great. We split the seared tuna appetizer and I got the ceviche for my entry. It was OK, but not like chunks of seafood. I'm doing the no carb thing and it was very hard not to eat their crusty bread. The service was great. If I was a fan of Bonefish I would go out of my way and make the drive down. They also had lovely outside seating, granted it did face the parking lot, but they made it look nice. My 4 star rating is based on the decor and staff, but it was nice enough that I would go to this one again.
(4)Kristen D.
Cant get enough of this place. There isnt one bad thing on the menu. Honestly. So gooood!
(5)Ross K.
Quality seafood. This was a little challenging to give five stars to since it is a chain, but my logic is they pretty much have everything perfect. Priced well, great ambiance, and has been very good and consistent the three times I've eaten there. $2.50 gin and tonics and $3 glasses of chardonnay until 6:30?? Tokyo tuna is dead serious. All I could think of to make it a better experience is to add a exterior vestibule to the front door to stop the setting sun from blasting the nicely darkened bar with light. That shows how hard it was for me to find something that could be better. This is a great addition to the Venice food options.
(5)Laura M.
Darn. Should have known. I was craving Chilean Sea Bass and could not find it on any other restaurant menus in the area, so I looked up their reviews on Yelp and decided to try it out Boncefish since they had received a few good Yelp reviews..... Okay, if you like Denny's, loud music, views of strip malls from your table, and AWFUL food, give it a go. Seriously, this place is a joke. We started with the Bang Bang Shrimp. It was okay, but if you bread and deep-fry shrimp and then slather it with mayo, it will taste okay. It was downhill from there. The complementary bread and olive oil were sad. Our mains were, well, terrible. Hubby's "Dynamite Salmon" had way too much sesame oil (we could smell it before it arrived at the table) and nothing more for flavor. My Chilean Sea Bass was bland, boring, and sad. We decided on a whim to try sharing a dessert since we could not eat our mains,so we shared the Key Lime Pie. Well, Publix does a MUCH better job. All-in-all, a huge disappointment. $100 bucks wasted again in Venice.
(1)M P.
Just edited this review to make it a bit shorter. Anyway, I was visiting my dad in Florida and we were looking for a nice place to eat. The Bonefish Grill had continually caught our eye, so we decided to try it out. We needed to make a reservation almost 3 hours in advance as the wait times were generally 80+ minutes at night, but when we arrived ten minutes early for our reservation we were seated immediately. The service was very good. The server may have been trying a little too hard to establish the restaurant as a "fancy" place, but drinks were still refilled regularly and he came by regularly to check on us and made us feel welcome. I loved the atmosphere of the place. The lighting and overall feel in the restaurant make it a very enjoyable experience. The restaurant also provides complimentary bread and pesto+oil or butter if you want. The bread was excellent and a great addition to the meal. Anyway, onto the food. The Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer (which is $5 on Wednesdays) was delicious. I could see myself returning on Wednesdays just for that. As for our entrees, I got the Chilean Sea Bass, which is one of the more expensive entrees on the menu, but it was fantastic. The sides (garlic mashed potatoes and season vegetables in my case) were excellent as well. You can pick one of four sauces for your fish, and I got the Chimichurri sauce. I was able to try some of the other sauces, and this one was definitely my favorite. I'm not an expert when it comes to describing the qualities of cooked fish, but the texture and taste seemed great to me, and I'm usually a picky eater. Considering many of the menu items are very modestly priced ($14-$17 or even lower), I'll definitely be checking out this restaurant again back in Colorado.
(5)Mark S.
Bone Fish is now open in Venice. They are doing a great job - as good as Bonefish gets. Of course, since it is new, everybody is going there and it is busy. We ate at the bar which was fun because the bartender is a great guy.
(5)Ellen B.
We came there around 5pm on a Friday. Bar area is very dark, they also have a large dining room. We chose to sit outside. Even though the outside dining area faces a parking lot, it's nicely designed and pleasant. We enjoyed the happy hour $3 per glass house wines. the bread is yummy. So is the corn and crab chowder. We had the special that evening which was a multiple grilled fish plate for 2, that also included two salads and two sides. It included albacore tuna, salmon, sea bass, shrimp and scallops. It was very good and the portions were perfect for 2 without being overwhelming. No croutons on the caesar salad. Friendly and prompt service, we will definitely return.
(4)Eila M.
We all loved the bang bang shrimp we shared, the pork chop was tough,didn't even bring the left overs home. Enjoyed the trout, nice size portion.
(3)Susan V.
Called in without a reservation and were seated right away. We had the calamari and beef and ginger dumplings for starters - both excellent. My husband had the steak and lobster tail, I had Pompano with crab, and, again, both were cooked perfectly. We finished with a key lime pie, a creme brulee, and rum coffees...what a beautiful meal!! Our server, Melissa, looked after us extremely well, without being pushy at all, and we felt very comfortable throughout the meal. We will most definately recommend Bonefish to our friends and will be visiting again in the near future. Thanks to all the kitchen staff and to Melissa - we had a wonderful evening!!
(5)Pat B.
Went on my birthday. Gave us a table (made reservations) next to kitchen. Dark and noisy. After 15 minutes, with NO waitstaff acknowledging our table, we got up and left. Next day, wrote to restaurant, no reply. We won't be going back!!
(1)Mary S.
Went to dinner for the first time Sat night , May 19th, 2012, with 3 other guests. My partner and I put our name on the wait list becuz we could not get a reservation at 1:30 in the afternoon when we called, so we just went in. The bartenders are very slow, and clueless in how to take care of the customers that are not seated in a chair at the bar, as my partner and I waited at least 10- 15 mins to get a drink , while the bartenders walked around clueless, or maybe they didn't want to make money that evening. For example,the female bartender with long brown hair with some highlights underneath her hair sure had time to watch the horse race that was going on instead of making money for the company and tips for herself and her coworkers who we're working that night behind the bar....also took forever to pay the check as well...clueless, slow and unattended service. You should definately have faster bartenders who anticipate guests needs, and can look around and see that there are more customers wanting a drink than the people sitting at the bar, bad service! Finally when we got to our table, I was not impressed with the table arrangements, so close together, seating not comfortable at ALL. Donna was our waitress, she was pleasant and took care of us. Dinner was nothing spectacular, calamari and seared tuna app we're both a little too cooked, but my caesar salad was good. My other 3 guests seem to enjoy their entree's, but this is definitely a restaurant I would not recommend if you want to go out with friends on the weekend. There are definitely better restaurants for great seafood in the Venice area! First experience, Bad experience, and not sure if we will be back! From, Mary S.
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