This isn't a 4.5 star restaurant, not in Sarasota. It's not even a 4.5 star tavern and grill. 3 is fine - it's "A-OK" as yelp tells us, but it's not any better. Came here with my mom on a Monday night. Having looked at the menu on line, I had a pretty good idea of what I was going to get - their Monday special, Chicken Pot Pie. Disappointing. Mom got a club sandwich. Not sure how she liked it actually, but her waffle fries that I kept stealing were okay, just okay (what? they were fries, and I'll eat okay fries). My problem with my entree was that is was not chicken pot pie. It was a bowl of chicken soup with a large flaky pastry sitting on top (see the picture I posted). I don't know how you call that chicken pot pie. Chicken soup with pastry maybe? Chicken stew? Whatever you call it, to advertise that as chicken pot pie is blasphemy. Taste-wise, it was okay. I didn't dislike it, but I did need to add salt and pepper to it to enjoy it more. It just wasn't anything near a 4.5 star meal. Service wasn't terrific either. Server was pleasant enough, but my mom asked for hot tea when we sat down, and our entrees came out before the tea was brought out. Server came back once about 5 minutes after we ordered and asked if we had wanted anything besides water to drink, and we reminded him about the tea. Then when the entrees were brought out by someone else, we asked that person about the tea, and he told us our server was making the hot water. I would say that maybe people don't order tea much here, but they had a bunch of nice herbal teas to choose from, which leads me to believe this isn't a rare request. Why does it take 10 minutes,or even 5 minutes (after he double checked about the drinks) to get a cup of hot water? Anyway, server was pretty non-existent most of the time. Nice enough guy, just not very attentive. There are better places to eat in the Hillview area of Sarasota. True, the prices are very reasonable, but Ocean Blues or Gecko's are both better tasting and similarly priced.
(3)
Jay K.
This is a nice little eatery in the Hillview area. We've been many times and it had been very consistent. Good food but hit or miss service. They seem to prefer to run one server for the whole restaurant, and occasionally two servers. One server when the place is busy just doesn't cut it (and it's usually pretty busy). I go almost exclusively for the Prime Rib sandwich. It is all kinds of awesome. Last time we went it was sold out which was disappointing seeing that it was still early in the day. That said, our party tried some of the other menu items and eveything was very good (I'm still ordering the Prime Rib sandwich any time they have it!). Good solid food in a casual, laid back bistro atmosphere. Check it out.
(4)
Stephen C.
Always great specials and fresh food. Furthermore, the have cigar city on tap. This is a fantastic causal place to come for a great meal. I'm hesitant to review them because I dont want to have to start waiting! In my top 5 places in SRQ... Service can bea bit slower at times, but usually I am not in a hurry when I go there.
(4)
Dana A.
Great service & food. Our friend is a regular and we knew he wouldn't steer us wrong when he told us to go there. It was great. A true hidden gem.
(4)
Tim G.
One of my favorite places in town. Great food and great service. Definitely worth your while.
(5)
Tim R.
Some mysteries will last forever. Why did Yoko marry John? Does Bigfoot really only drink IPA? And just what is all the fuss about soccer? One easily solved mystery is that of what makes a successful restaurant. A long-lived and well-regarded restaurant will have the following: ~ food of consistent quality prepared from fresh ingredients, ~ competent, thoughtful service, and ~ clean and inviting premises. Easy, right? Well, no. The rise of the celebrity chef, the celebrity restaurateur and the celebrity sommelier (!) pushes the journeymen-style eateries back into the shadows. Food Network stars cash in while the people who actually cook our food day-to-day receive less and less attention. I blame that IQ-shrinker, the television. The big-named restaurants get all the glory because of their marketing machines. Most of us will never set foot in one of them, let alone eat food prepared by The Big-Named Chef. After all, they're off making yet another tv show. (A theme at work here?) So how can you turn your back on the glitz and focus more clearly on your own neighborhood? Start by having a meal or a drink at Knicks. As others noted, this place is the kind of solid local restaurant that deserves more of the limelight. For example, whomever is in the kitchen manages all the fundamentals - that consistency thing. No, the menu's not flashy, but frankly, neither are you. Wouldn't you prefer a caesar salad that you know has been thoughfully prepared every time instead of some weird molecular globule? Can we put a price on a juicy prime rib that's done just so on every visit? And only when you don't receive it (at that fancy place) do you notice how seamless and calm the service is here, and how the folks listen to what you're saying. Food preparation is a bespoke production line, if you follow me. The same dish might go out thirty times in a night, but the truly great kitchens manage to make each one taste as if it's made just for you. So while big city joints might be deconstructing bacon and eggs into dessert, Knick's will welcome you with a smile and a drink, a table and a menu, and your dinner just as you remember it. Oh, and they'll get all seven of your dining companions' plates to your table simultaneously. It's not easy, but they make you think it is.
(4)
S L.
Had dinner recently. The meatloaf was pretty decent. The lettuce wedge was nice. Love the atmosphere. And the wine was good. The service was great!
(3)
Jeff M.
Most fun we had dining out in our weeklong stay in Siesta Key. We left a restaurant down the street (Libby's) because it was stuffy, snobby, noisy and a waiter never came to our table. We walked into this place without reservations, it was packed and they made room for us at the bar. Bartender was fast, friendly and attentive. We ordered wings with 2 sauces, Bbq and Spicy. Both great. Meaty wings. I had Wedding Soup, traditional style, excellent, my wife had a dinner salad and a baked Tilapia entree with 2 glasses of wine, I had 2 Yuenglings and mozzarella flat bread. All for $70 before tip. Great good, fun place, great price. The owners names are Nick and Nicole. Make reservations.
(4)
Lindsey G.
Comfortable atmosphere. Consistently great food and they always have fun specials. The staff is very friendly as well.
(5)
Amy H.
I absolutely love Knick's eat there about once a week they have the BEST burger in Sarasota HANDS DOWN!!
(5)
Brianna D.
They have good fish tacos! I went there on Latin night so it was one of their specials. It came with chips and salsa. My friend had a burger and she said it was really good. The food is good but the atmosphere is also very laid back and casual. Its a family owned restaurant and I was told the family always eat there every night. I also had a slice of their carrot cake and it was delicious! They got it from a nearby bakery and it was made from scratch the same day!
(4)
Emily G.
I love Knick's very much. I have been dining here since day 1 and I don't have a single complaint. The staff is always very kind and always have great service. Even the owner is a great guy and I talk to him on occasion. It really does feel like home there for me. They have not changed the decorations at all since they opened their doors, but that suites me just fine. It is very rustic and cabin like but with the sliding glass door in the front, it really keeps the small restaurant very open. The prices are very reasonable and the food is incredible! It is my favorite restaurant in town.
(5)
Travis W.
Great little neighborhood place. The food was a bit more upscale than just bar food, and very reasonably priced. I was a little afraid because the menu ranged from Latin to pasta, but we found the food very good. I had the gorgonzola filet with mash potatoes and steamed squash. It was cooked perfectly to medium rare and had just enough gorgonzola to act as a nice balance without overpowering the meat. My wife had the split pea soup and the fish taco dinner. The soup was very good and the fish tacos tasty without being too spicy. The service was terrific. Our waitress, Claire, was very nice and helpful in keeping our three year old entertained. It's a small place, so be prepared for a wait if you arrive late, but we found it well worth the visit. Great little neighborhood find, we will return on our next trip.
(4)
Ron S.
Knick's really is a good as it gets.....fine hotel dinning in a local tavern atmosphere. About 80% subdued elegance and 20% rock 'n roll. Excellent food and excellent service.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Intimate Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Happy Hour : Yes Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Todd B.
This isn't a 4.5 star restaurant, not in Sarasota. It's not even a 4.5 star tavern and grill. 3 is fine - it's "A-OK" as yelp tells us, but it's not any better. Came here with my mom on a Monday night. Having looked at the menu on line, I had a pretty good idea of what I was going to get - their Monday special, Chicken Pot Pie. Disappointing. Mom got a club sandwich. Not sure how she liked it actually, but her waffle fries that I kept stealing were okay, just okay (what? they were fries, and I'll eat okay fries). My problem with my entree was that is was not chicken pot pie. It was a bowl of chicken soup with a large flaky pastry sitting on top (see the picture I posted). I don't know how you call that chicken pot pie. Chicken soup with pastry maybe? Chicken stew? Whatever you call it, to advertise that as chicken pot pie is blasphemy. Taste-wise, it was okay. I didn't dislike it, but I did need to add salt and pepper to it to enjoy it more. It just wasn't anything near a 4.5 star meal. Service wasn't terrific either. Server was pleasant enough, but my mom asked for hot tea when we sat down, and our entrees came out before the tea was brought out. Server came back once about 5 minutes after we ordered and asked if we had wanted anything besides water to drink, and we reminded him about the tea. Then when the entrees were brought out by someone else, we asked that person about the tea, and he told us our server was making the hot water. I would say that maybe people don't order tea much here, but they had a bunch of nice herbal teas to choose from, which leads me to believe this isn't a rare request. Why does it take 10 minutes,or even 5 minutes (after he double checked about the drinks) to get a cup of hot water? Anyway, server was pretty non-existent most of the time. Nice enough guy, just not very attentive. There are better places to eat in the Hillview area of Sarasota. True, the prices are very reasonable, but Ocean Blues or Gecko's are both better tasting and similarly priced.
(3)Jay K.
This is a nice little eatery in the Hillview area. We've been many times and it had been very consistent. Good food but hit or miss service. They seem to prefer to run one server for the whole restaurant, and occasionally two servers. One server when the place is busy just doesn't cut it (and it's usually pretty busy). I go almost exclusively for the Prime Rib sandwich. It is all kinds of awesome. Last time we went it was sold out which was disappointing seeing that it was still early in the day. That said, our party tried some of the other menu items and eveything was very good (I'm still ordering the Prime Rib sandwich any time they have it!). Good solid food in a casual, laid back bistro atmosphere. Check it out.
(4)Stephen C.
Always great specials and fresh food. Furthermore, the have cigar city on tap. This is a fantastic causal place to come for a great meal. I'm hesitant to review them because I dont want to have to start waiting! In my top 5 places in SRQ... Service can bea bit slower at times, but usually I am not in a hurry when I go there.
(4)Dana A.
Great service & food. Our friend is a regular and we knew he wouldn't steer us wrong when he told us to go there. It was great. A true hidden gem.
(4)Tim G.
One of my favorite places in town. Great food and great service. Definitely worth your while.
(5)Tim R.
Some mysteries will last forever. Why did Yoko marry John? Does Bigfoot really only drink IPA? And just what is all the fuss about soccer? One easily solved mystery is that of what makes a successful restaurant. A long-lived and well-regarded restaurant will have the following: ~ food of consistent quality prepared from fresh ingredients, ~ competent, thoughtful service, and ~ clean and inviting premises. Easy, right? Well, no. The rise of the celebrity chef, the celebrity restaurateur and the celebrity sommelier (!) pushes the journeymen-style eateries back into the shadows. Food Network stars cash in while the people who actually cook our food day-to-day receive less and less attention. I blame that IQ-shrinker, the television. The big-named restaurants get all the glory because of their marketing machines. Most of us will never set foot in one of them, let alone eat food prepared by The Big-Named Chef. After all, they're off making yet another tv show. (A theme at work here?) So how can you turn your back on the glitz and focus more clearly on your own neighborhood? Start by having a meal or a drink at Knicks. As others noted, this place is the kind of solid local restaurant that deserves more of the limelight. For example, whomever is in the kitchen manages all the fundamentals - that consistency thing. No, the menu's not flashy, but frankly, neither are you. Wouldn't you prefer a caesar salad that you know has been thoughfully prepared every time instead of some weird molecular globule? Can we put a price on a juicy prime rib that's done just so on every visit? And only when you don't receive it (at that fancy place) do you notice how seamless and calm the service is here, and how the folks listen to what you're saying. Food preparation is a bespoke production line, if you follow me. The same dish might go out thirty times in a night, but the truly great kitchens manage to make each one taste as if it's made just for you. So while big city joints might be deconstructing bacon and eggs into dessert, Knick's will welcome you with a smile and a drink, a table and a menu, and your dinner just as you remember it. Oh, and they'll get all seven of your dining companions' plates to your table simultaneously. It's not easy, but they make you think it is.
(4)S L.
Had dinner recently. The meatloaf was pretty decent. The lettuce wedge was nice. Love the atmosphere. And the wine was good. The service was great!
(3)Jeff M.
Most fun we had dining out in our weeklong stay in Siesta Key. We left a restaurant down the street (Libby's) because it was stuffy, snobby, noisy and a waiter never came to our table. We walked into this place without reservations, it was packed and they made room for us at the bar. Bartender was fast, friendly and attentive. We ordered wings with 2 sauces, Bbq and Spicy. Both great. Meaty wings. I had Wedding Soup, traditional style, excellent, my wife had a dinner salad and a baked Tilapia entree with 2 glasses of wine, I had 2 Yuenglings and mozzarella flat bread. All for $70 before tip. Great good, fun place, great price. The owners names are Nick and Nicole. Make reservations.
(4)Lindsey G.
Comfortable atmosphere. Consistently great food and they always have fun specials. The staff is very friendly as well.
(5)Amy H.
I absolutely love Knick's eat there about once a week they have the BEST burger in Sarasota HANDS DOWN!!
(5)Brianna D.
They have good fish tacos! I went there on Latin night so it was one of their specials. It came with chips and salsa. My friend had a burger and she said it was really good. The food is good but the atmosphere is also very laid back and casual. Its a family owned restaurant and I was told the family always eat there every night. I also had a slice of their carrot cake and it was delicious! They got it from a nearby bakery and it was made from scratch the same day!
(4)Emily G.
I love Knick's very much. I have been dining here since day 1 and I don't have a single complaint. The staff is always very kind and always have great service. Even the owner is a great guy and I talk to him on occasion. It really does feel like home there for me. They have not changed the decorations at all since they opened their doors, but that suites me just fine. It is very rustic and cabin like but with the sliding glass door in the front, it really keeps the small restaurant very open. The prices are very reasonable and the food is incredible! It is my favorite restaurant in town.
(5)Travis W.
Great little neighborhood place. The food was a bit more upscale than just bar food, and very reasonably priced. I was a little afraid because the menu ranged from Latin to pasta, but we found the food very good. I had the gorgonzola filet with mash potatoes and steamed squash. It was cooked perfectly to medium rare and had just enough gorgonzola to act as a nice balance without overpowering the meat. My wife had the split pea soup and the fish taco dinner. The soup was very good and the fish tacos tasty without being too spicy. The service was terrific. Our waitress, Claire, was very nice and helpful in keeping our three year old entertained. It's a small place, so be prepared for a wait if you arrive late, but we found it well worth the visit. Great little neighborhood find, we will return on our next trip.
(4)Ron S.
Knick's really is a good as it gets.....fine hotel dinning in a local tavern atmosphere. About 80% subdued elegance and 20% rock 'n roll. Excellent food and excellent service.
(5)