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Ratings and reviews

RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere

Details

CUISINES
American, Cafe, Diner
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch
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meals, features
Reviews (781)
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753 results
Traveler rating
436
224
63
22
8
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LanguageEnglish
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Traveler rating
436
224
63
22
8
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All reviews blue dolphin pancakes home fries french toast potatoes sandwich armand's circle worth the wait the wait staff booth
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Reviewed January 15, 2024 via mobile

The food was good, and a good value. Nothing special to write home about, but you’ll get tried and true diner food. The service wasn’t ideal, but good to see them busy during an unseasonably cold season.

Date of visit: January 2024
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed October 24, 2023

This place has the vibe of a casual diner but with a menu that suits both the traditional consumer as well as those looking for something a little different. My husband was looking for something unique and found that in the thai peanut vegetable stir...fry wrap. I enjoyed the Jet's Jewel of a Sandwich which utilized cranberry sauce to really kick the flavor up. In an area of expensive restaurants we found this place to be very reasonably priced and would definitely return in the future if we're in the area.More

Date of visit: October 2023
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Reviewed July 28, 2023

Everyone in my family found the food excellent. We had eggs, waffles, pancakes, omelets, bacon, fruit, and biscuits. The restaurant was a very pleasant surprise.

Date of visit: July 2023
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Reviewed July 26, 2023

Excellent food and service. We had traveled all morning and this was the perfect spot to refresh and recharge for the rest of our day.

Date of visit: July 2023
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed July 17, 2023 via mobile

We had an amazing breakfast at the Blue Dolphin cafe. The service was fantastic and the food was delicious. We enjoyed it enormously.

Date of visit: July 2023
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Reviewed July 9, 2023 via mobile

My wife and I went here for a Sunday breakfast/lunch. Waitress was slow and didn't get the order right. No refill on my wifes coffee or my Coke. The fruit that came with my wifes omelet looked good but wasn't ripe and was tough. The...omlet was fine. I got their chicken club. It was on sliced white bread and the chicken, while large, had little flavor. Definitely mediocre for the price. Disappointed for sure, usually TripAdvisor is more accurate.More

Date of visit: July 2023
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Reviewed March 31, 2023

We visited on a Sunday morning and chose this place because it was near the Mote Aquarium. Street parking is free on Sundays so that was a nice surprise to us. The restaurant is quite narrow with booths on one wall and bar type seating...facing the open kitchen on the other wall. Fortunately, there were a couple of open tables so we were immediately seated, but we noticed there was consistently people waiting on the sidewalk for tables to open up. I ordered the biscuits and gravy ($7.99) which was two biscuits covered with sausage gravy. It looked good, but was somewhat bland even after adding pepper. My wife ordered the Blue Dolphin special ($12.99 for 2 eggs, pancakes, bacon and home fries). She liked her meal, especially the home fries. She added chocolate chips to the pancakes (an extra $1.50) and shared them with me. The chocolate made the pancakes better since they were a bit gummy (stuck together). Service was great with our water glasses being continually refilled.More

Date of visit: March 2023
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed February 23, 2023

We never miss a chance to eat here and made a special trip this year. The staff seems to turn over - at least no one seems familiar - but the food is always good. Fresh fruit, apparently cut in house, and chocolate chip pancakes...too. Good coffee, quick, friendly service - worth the wait outside for a seat.More

Date of visit: February 2023
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Reviewed February 15, 2023

This establishment is a class act. The staff is friendly, professional, and at the top of the service chart. The food is fresh, delicious, and served quickly. We all wished this could be our breakfast every day of our life. The fruit is wonderful and...the menu serves a good selection of eggs, breakfast meats, and potatoes. We visited 3 times and were very impressed with the clean appearance, friendly manager (Jesse) and the food.More

Date of visit: February 2023
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Reviewed January 31, 2023 via mobile

The restaurant was busy; they do a good job moving people through. They were very accurate on the wait time. We had great service. We split a Western Omelette. It was plenty of food for the two of us.

Date of visit: February 2023
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed January 9, 2023

People who lived in Sarasota in the 70s and 80s will fondly remember the predecessor restaurant that used to occupy this space - The Buttery. The Buttery was an old school, aptly named greasy spoon that served up eggs and bacon in a setting that...was not once in living memory actually cleaned. When The Buttery finally closed, locals wondered if the layers of built up grime made it harder to tear out the booths or if the grease helped make the process quicker. The Blue Dolphin was a welcome successor - with a freshened interior and more varied menu. The food is fine, the service was good, but unfortunately the lingering ghost of The Buttery appears to be influencing the current occupants to cease any and all attempts at cleaning. From the sticky menus to the booths and walls splashed with various jams, ketchup and unidentified grease... people missing the unwashed charm of The Buttery will feel as if their long lost love has returned. Diners who aren't looking for that hit of nostalgia might hope that the management of this place decides to do some deep cleaning. From the ceiling and the grubby vents sporting what you hope is simply dust and not mold down to the floors - this place needs a good scrubbing. No idea what the bathrooms look like, we were all too chicken to venture in there.More

Date of visit: January 2023
Helpful?2  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed November 21, 2022 via mobile

The diner was cute. The breakfast was very good. The portions were large. We really enjoyed it. The service was very friendly and didn’t rush you through your meal.

Date of visit: November 2022
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Reviewed November 15, 2022

We came here two years ago on a visit to Longboat Key, and we knew we would want to revisit this cafe. Large, spacious, clean and well run. We had pancakes and french toast, eggs and OJ and coffee/tea for our Sunday morning breakfast.

Date of visit: November 2022
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Reviewed November 1, 2022 via mobile

Perfect breakfast. I had a wonderful omelet and my partner had the French toast. Both were great. Don't miss the home fries. Yum! Service also was outstanding.

Date of visit: November 2022
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Reviewed September 10, 2022

I was excited to meet friends at the cafe as I had not been there for years. Great staff, found a seat right away and waited for my friends. I had the special breakfast. $1.50 extra for choc. chips would buy half a bag. They...were dry at the best. The eggs were ok, and the home fries were also dry. My friends seemed to enjoy their omelet and Ranchos something or other.More

Date of visit: September 2022
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Questions & Answers
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236amyj
October 9, 2016|
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Response from Tyler B | Reviewed this property |
Give them a call. 941-388-3566. What a great way to spend the morning. Early morning walk on the beach and breakfast at the Blue Dolphin. Enjoy!!
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BLUE DOLPHIN CAFE, Sarasota - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Blue Dolphin Cafe

Yes, Blue Dolphin Cafe offers takeout services.

Blue Dolphin Cafe is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travelers:
  • Food: 4.5
  • Service: 4.5
  • Value: 4.5
  • Atmosphere: 4