Beso, Sarasota FL

Great food and good atmosphere. Large bar area and great bartenders: Unfortunately we found the red-headed manager to be super rude. He came up to us to discuss another experience at a sister restaurant and he was pretty rude and condescending. Not a great ending to a pretty decent experience at a newer restaurant with good food.

We sat in the upper area. It was WAY too loud. Will definitely go back but will sit downstairs.

Lot’s of great stuff on the menu, but make sure you try the carrillada, gambas, paella, and last but NOT least, the flan. You will not be disappointed.

I really enjoyed my meal at Beso. The paella (Valencians would be jealous), charcuterie board, patas bravas, gambas, fried artichokes, etc.were excellent.

Carolina was amazing. She took great care of us and gave us excellent tips on which tapas items to choose. She’s such a fantastic person and we loved seeing her again. We sat outside on the patio and enjoyed a relaxing dinner in downtown Sarasota.

Richie provided an 11/10 experience. Not just service… from recommendations, professionalism, and experience he was truly incredible. A night to remember for my trip to florida to visit mom. We will ABSOLUTELY be back and we will be asking for him!

Carolina was our server. She was outstanding! Very personable and knowledgeable about the menu. We sat outside and enjoyed the atmosphere. The food was amazing! Loved everything. We will definitely be back.

Creative Spanish tapas.great drinks.

Atmosphere needs a kick up.may be some live music!

We had Carolina as our server and she was fantastic! This is our third time at Beso and we have requested Carolina every time. This is an amazing new addition to the Sarasota dining top 10 list. We love tapas and love everything about Beso. Great atmosphere and food. Having Carolina guide our choices and help us navigate the amazing menu has been amazing. What a treat to come to Beso!

This was our 2nd visit. It was excellent. We love the food and drink here. Gambas Ajillo is so good. We tried Alcachofas Fritas and I’d recommend them too. Try it all. It’s good stuff. We got lucky, Luis took care of us again. He is a great guide. Jeffrey made us feel special.

An honest review of Beso:

Food:
The menu is extensive, with a good variety of tapas. Most importantly, the food is FANTASTIC. Honestly, we didn't have a dish we didn't like.

We ordered:
- Pincanha (10/10 - decadent)
- Croquetas (8/10 - only b/c I don't love deep-fried food)
- Gambas Ajillo (10/10 - delicious)
- Potatoes Bravas (10/10 - the best I've ever had!)
- Queso de Cabra (12/10 - I could eat this every day)

Drinks:
They have a variety of cocktails and wines. They don't offer draft beer but they have a decent assortment of bottled beer, including Estrella.

The bartenders introduced us to a new Spanish wine, which was delightful, although I can't remember the name of it.

Service:
We sat at the bar. The bartenders, Yahir and Cynthia, were great. They were attentive, knowledgeable, and accommodating. Outstanding customer service and bartending skills!

Beyond the bartenders, the managers and hostess were also fantastic. They have customer service nailed down at Beso!

Ambiance:
The decor is such a vibe! Sarasota needs more places like this. It's modern and hip with a romantic edge. The artwork is also fun.

It's a perfect place for a date night.

Location:
It's located in downtown Sarasota, directly across from Hyde Park Steakhouse.

Parking:
Parking can be annoying in downtown Sarasota, but you can find a spot nearby, either on the street, in a lot, or in a parking garage. The best option for Beso is street parking.

Overall:
We'll be back to Beso. We LOVED it. The food, service, and ambiance are all 10/10. Well done, Beso fam!

I can’t brag about the artichokes enough, SO GOOD! Diors was so kind and inviting + he makes a mean mojito on that alone. A great place to enjoy quality time with someone that’s not as noisy as a bar or restaurant, the vibe is so different. I’ll be back soon for sure.

The food was ok but it took forever to come out and when I asked about the missing food the waiter tells me “oh well tapas come out when they are ready, ” like I’ve never had tapas before, I just came back from Spain I know what tapas are. The service was very slow and the prices are outrageous. The portions are very small even though they are tapas they are really small. Sangria usually comes in a big glass, and they give me a tiny little glass. This place is trying to turn tapas into a bougie, pretentious, upscale thing which is the total opposite of what tapas are about. I realize it’s an upscale area of town but Bricks bbq down the street does not have a pretentious environment at all which is the way it’s supposed to be because it’s bbq. Columbia restaurant also does a much better job, brings out the tapas on a carrousel all at once and the environment is much more lively. When I had tapas in Barcelona they came out quickly and multiple plates at a time so that everyone can share and pass them around, not one little plate at a time for 5 people and they also gave double the portions of what this place gave. On top of that the atmosphere is stuffy and pretentious, it needs some Latin music or something to add some rhythm and make it more lively. I hope this place takes my recommendations seriously and improves if I come back.

Overpriced, LOUD, Not very authentic or tasty Spanish food. Paella very disappointing. Wrong rice, shrimp and meat Dry, too many hot peppers. Not tender. Not delicious. Had 6 other tapas. Not much better.

Should've just ordered pizza for dinner. It's not even worth the time to write on all the issues with the experience at this place. $400 dinner with mediocre service and recipe book tapas, I've had better meals at Waffle House.

Food was amazing! Our server Kimberly gave us an A+ experience
with such great recommendations and service. We ordered 6-7 tapas and all were delicious, you can just pick any tapas and you will be happy with any selection. Dessert was delicious, really enjoyed the churros with chocolate. We eill definitely return soon.