Mean Deans Local Kitchen

  4.7 – 1,910 reviews   • Restaurant

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Thank you for voting us Bradenton’s Best Top 3 All-Around Restaurant! Also recently voted the number 2 Hidden Gem in Bradenton by readers of the Bradenton Herald. Polished casual neighborhood restaurant serving award-winning recipes in a comfortable environment. Specialties include Fresh Fish, Lobster Lasagna, Filet Mignon, Goat Cheese Bruschetta, Cedar Plank Salmon, Baby Back Ribs, Rosemary Fig Chicken, Drunken Cuban Sandwich, Gator Bites, Gouda Burger, Peanut Butter Pie, daily chalkboard specials and more!

✔️Breakfast ✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out Mean Deans Local Kitchen 34207

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Reviews

TJ H
After reading the reviews, I was hoping for a better dining experience. Unfortunately, the food was just average and nothing particularly memorable. Prices ranged from $15–$20 per person, which felt a bit high for the overall quality. They do offer complimentary rolls with homemade butter, which is a nice touch, but the rolls are on the smaller side and could use some improvement. On a positive note, our server, Alex, was excellent—attentive, friendly, and truly spot on with his service.
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Olivia Colford
Wow! Seriously- that was all that I could say after every bite here… If I could give 500 stars, I would. This place was hands down the best place I have ever been.
We had the spinach dip and I think we could have licked the bowl clean it was so delicious.
I had the short ribs and I wish I could put into words how amazing it was.
We had the key lime brûlée and OMG. So insanely tasty.
Our service was incredible… Linda knows what she’s doing and was professional, kind, funny, and knowledgeable.
Our experience was one that left us wanting to come back every day.
This place is a must try. Dean and his wife know what they’re doing and they do it perfectly!
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Dain Vossar (Galaxy Wanderer)
A bold choice, this visit was—and the Force rewarded it.

At Mean Deans Local Kitchen, the Buffalo gator bites landed first: crispy, tender, and perfectly sauced, with just the right kick to wake the senses. Strange to some, legendary to those who try—galaxy-level delicious they were.

Then came the lobster lasagna. Rich, indulgent, and balanced with care, every bite layered with comfort and finesse. This dish does not whisper; it confidently uses the Force.

Service throughout the mission was excellent—friendly, attentive, and welcoming, like a well-run cantina should be.

Adventurous eats, expertly executed, and a crew that knows their craft. Return again, I will.
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T
Mean Dean’s was much busier than anticipated when we arrived, but we were still seated immediately in a pretty quiet spot. The wait staff was very prompt, friendly and attentive. Ryan, our server, was an absolute joy. She had great recommendations and was 1 step ahead of us the whole night, despite the crowd.

Now, we don’t drink, but there was a nice cocktail and drinks menu. There was also a mocktails section that hand a handful of great choices. I got a Faux Fashioned (very good ) and my partner got a sparkling lemonade based drink, which was also very good.

For starter we had the app sampler. Roasted brushless sprouts, bora bora shrimp and deconstructioned goat cheese bruscetta. Each of these were great, the shrimp was the winner out of the 3. It was very lightly breaded and cooked nicely. Good flavors and texture.

I ordered the shrimp and grits. The flavors were quite good, it was well seasoned and the shrimp was cooked perfectly. The grits were a bit dryer than I prefer, but that sometimes happens with goat cheese.

My partner ordered the osso bucco, which was very very good. The meat was seasoned and cooked wonderfully. They also ordered the 5 cheese mac, which was fine!

Lastly we ordered dessert. Their special was a butterfinger and kalhua brownie. The alcohol was baked out of it, which was good for us. It was good, though typically I dont order brownies from restaurants as I don’t find them interesting. If you are a brownie kind of person, then this should be your go-to here. The portion was generous and it was well made.

I ordered the key lime creme brulee. The creme brulee itself was well made. Good texture, nice flavor. Lime might have been an odd choice for something that is warm/burnt. The sauce was a little wild, but visually fun! This ended up being the favorite dessert out of the two.

Lastly, we took a French bread pizza home for our kid. She said it was good! The kid’s menu is more than reasonable. Apparently they also have a dog menu if you eat at the outdoor tables.
Our total ended up being approximately $130 before tip. [2 mocktails, 1 soda, appetizer sampler, 2 entrees,1 extra side, 2 desserts, 1 kid’s meal.] This felt more than reasonable to me, considering the quality of the food and our overall experience. Definitely give this place a try.

Additionally, Mean Dean’s also participates in G2H2, which is always lovely to hear!
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Gabrielle Aukscunas
We got in from a long travel day and were starving so we quickly googled restaurants near me ( Sarasota airoport) and mean deans popped up…we are SO happy we went! It happened to be a Thursday so they had happy hour all night, the spicy peach maragarita was 10/10 if you like a perfect amount of spice and not too sweet. The food was top notch We were starving so he brought out hot out of the oven rolls with bourbon maple butter, then our meals came and we devoured them! Amazing fresh and from scratch food! A must go if your in bradenton!
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Elizabeth Somers
So glad we found this restaurant when we were staying nearby. I was pretty sure it would be special from reading the menu online and I was right. We enjoyed our food (the filet and the shrimp and grits) as well as a couple of different types of cocktails like the toasted coconut key lime martini, the candied bacon old fashioned and the sangria. Will definitely be back on our next visit.
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Cindy Hodge
Amazing as always!!! The black bean white chicken chili was SO good!! Mahi Mountain and Bourbon short ribs were unbelievable!! Veronica was very kind and attentive, she explained all of the appetizers and was Great!! Thanks Dean and Michelle hit it out of the park again!!
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Liza Teixeira
We came in for dinner and everything was delicious! From the handmade bread with mango butter to the key lime brulee I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. And our server Alex was great, very attentive and personable. Would definitely recommend! We had the gator bites appetizer and dinner was marsala meatloaf and drunken chicken pasta.
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justine jackson
Wonderful, and delicious meals. Original recipes and fantastic service, Alex was amazing!! He really made our experience special. We are from out of state and wanted to try some local cuisine. We picked the right spot! Highly recommend Mean Deans!
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Dan Stanisevschi
We went to Dean’s Kitchen near Sarasota yesterday, and honestly, this place blew us away. I had the blackened scallop special served over mashed potatoes, and it was absolutely phenomenal. Perfectly seared scallops, buttery smooth potatoes, and a balance of flavors that just worked. Easily one of the best seafood dishes I’ve had in years, no exaggeration!!

My fiancée ordered the Thai pasta, and I can confidently say that was the best peanut sauce I’ve ever had on any Thai dish. It was rich, flavorful, and had just the right kick without being heavy. Every bite made you want another.

We started our night with an appetizer suggestion from Matt, our server, the world-famous artichoke dip, and it was INCREDIBLE. You have to try this if you go. It’s not like the usual versions you get elsewhere that are just loaded with cheese and turn into a brick five minutes later. This one stayed smooth, creamy, and perfectly dippable to the very end. The chips even had a dusting of Parmesan and black pepper, which added that extra touch that shows they care about the details.

Service was just as good as the food. Matt was friendly, attentive, and gave great recommendations that made the whole experience even better. We left full, happy, and already talking about coming back.

If you’re anywhere near Sarasota, make a point to stop by Dean’s Kitchen. Between the incredible food, great atmosphere, and top-notch service, it’s a spot we’ll absolutely be revisiting. A hidden gem that deserves every bit of praise it gets.
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