Post Kitchen and Bar — Restaurant in Florida

A Refreshing Pause at The Post Kitchen & Bar

I wanted a light lunch with a soft, refreshing drink. I’m in the Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida area for a 40th wedding renewal celebration, and while shopping at UTC Sarasota, I came upon a restaurant that caught my eye—The Post Kitchen & Bar, located along University Parkway. It’s one of many dining options in this bustling shopping district.

This dining-and-retail Mecca spans two counties—Manatee and Sarasota—and crosses into two municipalities: Bradenton and Sarasota.

The Post is a quaint establishment, beautifully designed with a modern flair. Outdoor seating is abundant, and the indoor space features a well-stocked bar and tastefully arranged tables—spacious, inviting, and warmly decorated.

We were greeted and seated immediately by a charming hostess.

While the menu wasn’t as expansive as I typically prefer, it offered several options that caught my attention. Given the sweltering heat—105° with the heat index—I knew I didn’t want anything with alcohol.

They have a beautiful open bar, and I was able to order a Strawberry Mojito—alcohol-free and absolutely exquisite. Light. Refreshing. Just what I needed. It hit the spot.

Within seconds of being seated, we were introduced to our waiter, Josh H. Ask for Josh—you’ll be glad you did. He was attentive, clean-cut, outgoing, and a natural conversationalist. He knew the menu well and made us feel immediately at ease.

We began with a delicious Tomato Bisque. It was nothing short of amazing—rich and flavorful, yet perfectly balanced. Nothing overpowering—just well-seasoned perfection. Honestly, I could have had that soup alone and been completely satisfied. I even suggested they consider a roasted mushroom version in the future, and Josh promised to pass the idea along to the chef. Make sure to try it on your visit.

For my entrée, I ordered the Chicken Madeira—and what a fantastic choice it was! Everything about it delighted me. The portion size was just right—not too much, not too little. The gravy was divine, and the chicken breast was tender and flavorful. The dish came with whipped potatoes (exactly how I like them), mushrooms, carrots, and asparagus, all layered beautifully. The vegetables rested on the whipped potatoes, beneath the chicken and gravy. Every bite was harmony. My palate was in food heaven.

It was the perfect place to relax and unwind after stepping out of the oppressive heat.

My godmother enjoyed her meal just as much. She ordered a beautifully prepared seafood salad—a vibrant mix of shrimp, lobster, and crab over zesty spring greens, topped with diced mango and avocado. It, too, was accompanied by that incredible Tomato Bisque.

To end her meal, she ordered a slice of Key Lime Pie, which I now deeply regret not ordering myself. I tasted a bite after we’d already left the restaurant—and wow. I’ve never had key lime pie prepared like that before. It was subtly sweet, bright, and irresistibly smooth. Definitely a must-order for dessert.

The Post Kitchen & Bar in Bradenton is an absolute must. From the atmosphere to the service to the food itself—everything came together to make our...

I had high hopes for this restaurant, but unfortunately, the service and food did not meet expectations. While our server (her name started with an "A") was pleasant when she was actually present, she was extremely inattentive throughout our meal.

After our appetizers arrived, we needed salt, pepper, and another drink, but our server was nowhere to be found—we had to ask the bartender to track her down. Another server (not ours) eventually brought our drinks and even cleared our used appetizer plates, something our actual server never did.

While waiting for our entrees, our water glasses remained empty as our server walked past us multiple times without acknowledging us. Once the entrees arrived, we realized we needed fresh silverware since we had used ours for the appetizers. Again, we had to flag her down just to get something as basic as clean utensils.

I wanted another cocktail, but finding our server was nearly impossible. After our meal, I ordered a cappuccino, which was served lukewarm without sugar or a spoon. When I asked for sugar, it took her a while to bring it, and I had to stir my drink with a knife.

Frustrated, I finally asked to speak with a manager. His response? "Oh, but she’s so nice to guests." While friendliness is appreciated, it doesn’t make up for neglecting an entire table. My husband and I both work in the restaurant industry, so we know that attentiveness directly impacts customer experience and revenue. Had the service been better, we would have ordered more drinks and deserts.

As for the food, it tries to be high-end but falls flat. The flavors were bland, and the menu seemed scattered and unfocused. For a restaurant that wasn’t even busy (this was at 3 PM), the lack of attention to guests was unacceptable. We spent over $250 on lunch, and it makes me wonder if our service suffered because we had two kids with us. Regardless, for that price, we expected much better. We won’t...

We decided to take our sister to this restaurant when she arrived from Buffalo. We had seen the overall rating for this place, but thought maybe being that it was a fairly new restaurant people were being a little overly critical. We were wrong. This place is the most ridiculously overly priced restaurant for the quality of food being served. I cannot emphasize this enough. Example: My wife ordered 2 Tito's and soda, as did my sister. I had a glass of merlot. We had the worst brussels sprouts app. probably on the planet. Cold, hard, tasteless. My wife ordered some sort of tuna/avocado meal. It came on a bed of cold, disgusting rice minus the avocado. When we questioned the server, he said he would check with the "Chef". He then came back and said that it was mixed in with the tuna, although as my wife looked through it there was no evidence of any avocado. My sister ordered a salad with the chicken protein. When it arrived it had a tiny piece of beef on it instead? I ordered their burger, cooked medium. It arrived at our table over cooked, with a small bowl of wannabe cold string fry's. So... .ready for the best part? The total bill, minus tip was 130.58. This for a salad, a burger, and a joke of a sushi bite. Oh, I forgot the drinks. So, in conclusion, In my humble opinion this place SUCKS. Save yourself a boat load of cash and hit up Glory Day's or walk those 50" next door to 5 Guy's. This way you won't be feeling as though you were just financially violated. Just wondering what this place will...