SALT Bar & Table — Restaurant in Brandenton Beach

We made a reservation at 4:30 on a Friday evening for 9 adults and a toddler and the earliest we could get a table reserved was 6:45. We arrived a couple minutes early and were seated immediately. The back patio is beautiful.

We were met with very pleasant employees. Even the valet attendant was super nice. Our waiter Sean was absolutely amazing. He was fast, friendly, funny, honest, sincere and attentive. His recommendations were spot on. Every item we ordered was spectacular and perfectly presented. The 8oz grouper was by far the best I’ve ever had. The sauces and seasonings were so so good. The blackened Ahi Tuna that my son ordered melted in my mouth. The rice stir fry that came with the Ahi was surprisingly savory and unique. The Shrimp and Scallops with linguini was very very good. The clam chowder was unlike any I’ve ever had with full clams in their shells included! The Brussels, Shrimp Cocktail, and Caesar were very well made. The crab cakes were the best I’ve had. The key lime pie was wonderful and I don’t usually care much for key lime pie. The salted caramel gelato was so good but a little melted on arrival. There plenty of gluten free options for my daughter including the Island Poutine which was very tasty. We all shared it.

Our drinks were refilled often because there was a dedicated drink attendant always zipping around!

The million dollar margarita was incredible but beware: it’s $50. Sean warned us as one of us was ordering their 2nd. They opted for the $18 margarita instead. Thanks Sean!

We loved our entire experience so much that we will come to Salt every time we return to Anna Maria Island. We are even talking about coming back next week before the end of this vacation!

The ambiance in the restaurant is peaceful and elegant.

We will be sure to ask for Sean every time...

A COMPLETE NIGHTMARE!!!!!!

If I could give zero stars, I would. This was hands down one of the WORST dining experiences I’ve EVER had. The food took an incredibly long time to come out—far beyond what’s reasonable—even though the restaurant wasn’t particularly busy. We didn’t have our waters filled until we brought it up, and the food was not of good quality. The custom birthday cake we ordered also had a HUGE dent on it when brought out that was not there prior to entering the restaurant.

Things went from bad to worse when we tried to split the check. Our server not only got the checks wrong, but argued with us about what we had ordered, insisted we were mistaken, and then had the nerve to accuse us of being rude. His behavior was so erratic and unprofessional, it honestly felt like he might have been under the influence of something. He was jittery, confrontational, and completely disconnected from the basics of customer service.

This place seriously needs to reevaluate its staff and service standards. Hospitality was nowhere to be found, and we walked out feeling disrespected and completely baffled, and once we brought up our concerns the server who also claimed to be the manager got loud and got into several of our parties faces. The rest of the staff did not seem to care nor intervene at the confrontation that was happening. Do yourself a favor and eat somewhere that treats people with common courtesy and professionalism with...

Went to Salt for the first time this week. Overall it was good, I would go again but I'm not chomping at the bit to do so. I had the fresh catch tacos, and the sauce was amazing. Only complaint there was I asked for the corn tortillas and they brought them on flour. I didn't feel like waiting for it to be remade, so I just scraped the filling out and ate it that way. My boyfriend had the burger. The burger itself was good, but he said the bun was too firm and he didn't like that. Rum punch was delicious though.

Regarding the restaurant itself, it's appealing to the eye. The AC was struggling to keep up when we were there, so I don't know if they were having trouble with that or if that's just how it's going to be in the middle of August. I was also concerned about the chairs. I am not a large woman, but those little circle chairs where the arms wrap around - my hips were touching both sides. I had to take my phone out of my hip pocket because it was uncomfortable. My boyfriend is athletic with large thighs from lifting and he said his were touching too. I was happy I didn't visit with certain of my friends as they absolutely would not have fit in those chairs and there was not a larger chair nor a booth in sight, so I'm not sure what would have happened in that situation.

Overall, this is a solid choice, but probably not the...