Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar — Restaurant in Sarasota

A steakhouse is a steakhouse. What separates one from the next? Maybe how they age their steaks, their fancy wine selection, or their ability to make you believe that spending $75 on a piece of meat is a good life decision. But more than anything, it’s the service.

Last night, my partner, my friend, and I strutted into Fleming’s at UTC, ready to indulge. The lovely host greeted us warmly and walked us to our table, entertaining us with fun facts about the restaurant. Cute, right? That is, until I realized she was leading us straight to what I can only describe as the VIP section of the worst possible seating arrangement. A prime spot between the bathroom and the kitchen, where you get a front-row seat to both awkward eye contact with diners exiting the restroom and the chaos of servers dodging each other like a live episode of Hell’s Kitchen. She even joked about a “Gordon Ramsay show,” and honestly, I felt that in my soul she was trying to get away.

I immediately pointed out that the table sucked, and my friend was about to request a move, but I stopped them. I said, Let’s play this out. And let me tell you, I am so glad we did.

Enter John. Our server. The real MVP. If John ever runs for office, he has my vote. If I ever need someone to deliver bad news, I want John to do it. This man was a class act, a gem, a national treasure. He was funny, charming, and just the right level of sarcastic, the perfect antidote to the PTSD we were developing from dodging bathroom traffic.

We started with cocktails. My partner and friend stuck with the smoked Old Fashioned, while I hopped around like a $2 hussy because I like to try everything in one visit to determine if I’m ever coming back. As a lemon drop connoisseur, I kicked things off there. The bread was warm (which I appreciate because cold bread is just a personal attack). Then John sent champagne to our table, because he is a saint.

For appetizers, my partner had the Caesar salad, while I tried the Burrata with Prosciutto. It was salad-like, the mozzarella was fresh, but I’m convinced most of my prosciutto was left in the kitchen. Then came the crispy pork belly, which was so good it nearly brought tears to my eyes.

At this point, I could have finished my night with that blueberry smoothie cocktail with all the bubbles, but I’m ambitious. I soldiered on.

For the main course, we had the Double-Thick Pork Chop, which was so tender it made me question every other pork chop I’ve ever had. We paired it with the Chipotle Mac & Cheese (because why stop at just one artery-clogging choice?) and Fleming’s Potatoes, which were rich and decadent.

Dessert? Oh, we went in. We had the carrot cake, molten lava cake, and the Don’t Be Salty espresso martini. By the end of the night, I was stuffed and slightly buzzed.

Moral of the story: never judge a table by its proximity to the bathroom. Also, if you go to Fleming’s at UTC, ask for John, tip him well, and tell...

I enjoy coming to Fleming’s over the years. This was my first time visiting the Sarasota location and I must say it did not disappoint. The ambiance was great with light jazz playing in the background, subtle conversations going on as well, with a nicely dimmed environment. Upon being seated, Camille P greeted us and was kind enough to walk us through the specials along with reviewing the wines for the evening. She complemented our choices and upon them being served, she was kind enough to ask if we would like to taste the wine beforehand. It was obvious she cared about us enjoying our experience. As our appetizer arrived (burrata which did not disappoint) she promptly arrived to check if everything was to our liking and see if we were ready to order our entrees. We gave our entree requests which she validated our choices (specifically the fleming’s potatoes) and went off to get them in. As we continued to indulge ourselves in the wine, she periodically gave us updates on the status of our food, which we appreciated. After some time, the entrees arrived to which we (my wife and I) had the filet mignons. When cutting into the steaks it appeared at first to be cooked to the right temp, but after another minute it showed they were a bit overcooked. The manager and Camille both took note of this before I even mentioned anything which shows they care about what they serve and don’t necessarily wait around for the customer to complain. Being proactive in these situations goes well above my expectations which I appreciated. She offered to put in a request for a new steak but I declined and thanked her for her kind gesture. Shortly after she offered a free dessert and wanted to ensure our experience is fulfilled and that we leave on a good note. Camille’s service went above and beyond what I have experienced from past steakhouse experiences and because of that, I give this experience five stars out of five. It’s not a matter of how you start, but how you finish and boy did Camille finish strong. PS: We ordered the brownie dessert and it did not disappoint. Thank you for the free...

FIVE STARS FOR TRACIE AT FLEMING'S!

Holy cow (or should I say holy Wagyu?)! Our server Tracie absolutely CRUSHED IT tonight at Fleming's!

Let me paint you a picture: We walked in hungry enough to eat a whole cow, and Tracie took one look at us and said "Challenge accepted!" She guided us through a carnivorous adventure that would make a T-Rex jealous.

The oysters? Fresh as the morning tide and slurped with the enthusiasm of pirates finding treasure. The burrata? So creamy it basically gave us a hug from the inside. But let's talk about the REAL star of the show - that 14oz Australian Wagyu Strip! This beef was so tender it practically melted before it hit our tongues. I'm pretty sure the cow volunteered for this honor because it knew it was destined for greatness.

Our petite filets were anything BUT petite in flavor, and that King Ora salmon was swimming in deliciousness (see what I did there?). The sides were the perfect supporting cast - those Brussels sprouts were crispier than my jokes, and the mashed potatoes were fluffier than a cloud having a good hair day.

But here's the REAL MVP moment: Tracie was more attentive than a helicopter parent at a kindergarten graduation. She anticipated our needs before we even knew we had them! Water glass empty? BOOM - refilled. Need Italian Market recommendations - thats Mazzaros in St. Pete! She's got opinions and they're all correct. Tracie's your culinary professor!

The woman has superhuman powers, I swear. She managed to make us feel like VIPs while juggling what looked like half the restaurant. She's part server, part mind reader - the superwoman of hospitality!

Money well spent for an experience that'll have us dreaming about Wagyu for weeks. Tracie, you magnificent food wizard, we'll be back faster than you can say "medium rare"!

P.S. - That complimentary crème brûlée and fruit cup at the end? Chef's kiss The perfect sweet ending to a...