Big Top Brewing Company at Cock n’ Bull is a neat sports bar with indoor (many tv monitors showing major league games), outdoor under the roof and an open air backyard where smoking is allowed, for performances. They started out when there wasn’t craft breweries in Sarasota vicinity. Their beers are decent and I like the fact that they use real glasses, even for outdoor section.
Beauties, dogs and someone’s birthday whose friend brought many vanilla and chocolate cupcakes. It’s a good party.
This band Dead Set, that playing Grateful Dead music at 7pm, isn’t as decent as the one that played at Skipper’s Smokehouse two weeks ago.
The tasting room in the front, restaurant located in the back. Simple decor, pleasant vibe, good food and decent service.
We got there at 4:50 on a Friday without a reservation – I forgot – and are seated within 15 minutes, despite many empty tables.
The staff is friendly. Their first restaurant was opened in 2005 and this one in 2021 (?). Their winery is in Ohio or Illinois (? – getting old, can’t remember …), and buy their grapes, instead of growing it – so there isn’t a bad year so to speak. Two reds we tried are good – Merlo and Cooper’s Red. Schott Zwiesel glasses are nice.
The bread is good and warm but not the whipped butter. My tuna appetizer is good, however, is bit sweet. Chicken is fine. Gumbo came a little cold, my friend loves his food HOT, asked them to heat it up.
“We don’t have microwave. We’ll have to remake it from scratch.”
“Oh, never mind. Just put it in a box, I’ll take it home.” They served him another one rather quickly and took it off the bill.
