Clearly a place that doesn't have to be as good as it is. Their location is great and their food is better!

By land or by water, it has inside and outside seating with water views. Excellent peel and eat shrimp and crab cakes.

We took the dog and headed up to Mar Vista's pretty setting on the bay looking forward to the calamari we have always enjoyed there. We were so disappointed by the big tasteless rings that seemed like something pre-prepared by Sysco. Where was the great calamari we used to have? We also ordered Shrimp Scampi and the Scallops Mar Vista... More

Very relaxed waterfront dining with a varied seafood selection. There's chicken and steak selections with some standard salads. The food is well made and nicely presented. The crowd is a mixed Longboat elders with the tourist families. The entrance is dive bar mode but the waterfront literally on sand and grass or under the 130 year old Banyan tree is... More

Fortunately everything was already said in the article title..................but as I now found out, I have a 100 character minimum....so.....ahi is great....burgers wonderful.....salads crisp and tasty.....should I go on.....nope, I've met my 100 character minimum.......

A must have on a trip to the beach in Florida is a grouper sandwich and Mar Vista did not disappoint! We had a table overlooking a small beach and a long dock on the Bay. There are small trees with twinkle lights and large fans to keep away those pesky bugs that sometimes come out at dusk. Mar Vista... More

Loved this restaurant on Longboat Key. It is the one restaurant that we returned to during our week in Sarasota. It has a lovely position on Sarasota Bay and outside seating under fairy-lit trees. There is a no bookings policy but the half hour wait with a drink in such a lovely setting was hardly a chore and would keep... More

Mar Vista does have a dive bar image, but its not that at all, the porch, live oak gardens, sand, dock, amazing bay views, and the ability to have boaters tie up and come into the gardens for great food and service is a plus. We discovered this place in 2012, and have made long boat key a side bar... More

The setting is spectacular but,sadly, the food was not very good. I believe the building is being improved.and this can only be good as the whole place looks run down. The outside space under the trees is lovely. However, my meal was probably the worst I have had since I started coming to the area 10 years ago.