Apollonia Grill 8235 Cooper Creek Boulevard, Bradenton, FL 34201

"I stopped in next door to get a haircut and had some time to kill. I was just going to have a snack, however the menu options impressed me as well as the prices so I had a meal. I walked in and went right to the bar. Immediately was asked if I wanted a menu and a water. Next, I was asked if I wanted a beverage, I ordered a Titos and soda with a splash of tonic, no fruit. The bartender delivered fresh pita bread with an herb butter and an olive spread. I ordered the Mediterranean Sea Bass, the BRANZINO, it was a great dish. The back bar is amazing, the restaurant was very clean and neat and had great decor. If you like wine this restaurant has a great selection, presentation and served at proper temperatures. The staff could have been more personable and they should offer to teach the guest about the menu."

"UPDATED REVIEW. Once a 5-star review, this is a 2-star review given today's experience. 2-13-2024 We were thrilled to return to make a 40-minute drive to enjoy lunch at one of our favorite restaurants today. Sitting at our usual spot, we encountered met a server new to us. We tried to order our usual: Greek Fries and Beet Salad. We were told Greek Fries are only served during Happy Hour. How difficult would it be to toss some Feta cheese on top of the fries, we wondered. Since we thought the server was new, we asked if we could speak with the Manager. Quite a while later, a woman who was visiting with two gentlemen at the bar made her way over to us. I greeted her with a smile and asked if she was the Manager. She did not return my smile, nor introduce herself, and her tone was matter-of-fact. She launched into “Greek Fries are served at Happy Hour only. They’re really popular, but they are only on our Happy Hour menu, but the kitchen will make them for you.” We thanked her and smiled again. That makes it twice that she didn’t smile in return. As she was leaving, I asked her name. “Jen,” and she was gone. (As an aside, if the Greek Fries are so popular, why not add them to the full menu?) Our modified order, featuring a lamb patty and a Chicken Ciabatta that turned out overcooked and dry, was delivered by our server, who then disappeared. Throughout our meal, both the server and Manager, Jen, were engrossed in a wine tasting with wine reps at the bar, neglecting to check on us. (Check out the photos.) This starkly contrasted with our usual positive experiences at the restaurant's bar, leading us to reconsider the once-glowing 5-star review. INITIAL REVIEW I grew up on authentic Mediterranean cuisine in the suburbs of Metro Detroit. Since moving to Sarasota 10 years ago, I've searched for the food I so miss from our hometown. This is the best restaurant for elevated authentic Mediterranean fare. I just wish I would have found it 10 years ago! Excellent service, delicious Chicken Lemon Rice soup, and hands down the world's best beet salad."

"This somewhat upscale restaurant seems to be a popular spot and busy. Even so, at 2pm on a Tuesday, our party of five was seated immediately (without reservations) and the server was prompt. The menu has a wide variety of Greek and Mediterranean dishes. I thought it was rather pricey but the servings were huge, each plenty for two people. I ordered the dolmades and a small Greek salad. Both were adequate but not great. I liked that the grape leaves were quite tender but I can't say they had much flavor and the sauce was served underneath; I would have preferred the sauce on the side. The Greek salad was OK, but rather skimpy on tomato and olives but considering that the tomato was awful, I guess I'm glad. My wife had the orzo risotto, which was quite good, dressed with garlic aioli."

"We had an excellent dining experience here. Reservations were made easily online and seated right away even as we were a bit early. Food and drink selection was great, should be able to please everyone. All the food and drinks we ordered came out fast and was fantastic. It was all well presented and tasted as great as it looked. We would highly recommend trying this place and we would come back again for sure."

"If you are looking for authentic, delicious Greek food look no further. Oh my goodness- this place is amazing! We spent the week in Sarasota and since we were on vacation we ate out several times- this place was by far the BEST! The food is wonderful, the atmosphere is pleasant and the service is good. Alejandra did a great job waiting on us; she was very attentive and kind. Our food was excellent- some of the best lamb I’ve had. Our martinis were very good also! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!"