Shakespeare's English Pub

Still searching for the best burger, but my search has relocated from Howard County, Maryland to Sarasota County in Florida. Today, my hubby and I visited one of the recommended places on Sarasota Magazine's list of best burgers.

Shakespeare's English Pub is located at 3550 South Osprey Avenue in Sarasota. There are a handful of tables outdoors on the sidewalk, and a few booths indoors along with some tables and bar seating. The interior is quite dark, even at midday, with oldies rock music and Motown on the soundtrack. We arrived a bit before noon on a Saturday, and the place was almost empty. This is not a complaint--I'm not a fan of crowds.

The bartender did double duty, serving drinks and waiting on our table. She was friendly and pleasant. The menu offered many tempting types of burgers with different toppings, including feta, mushrooms, cheddar, bacon, BBQ sauce, and other condiments. My hubby and I both chose the "famous" burger with brie and caramelized onions. I opted for the coleslaw as well as the fries. Although this pub has an impressive list of beers, ales, porters, and stouts on tap, I decided to skip the alcohol since it was barely noon. (We plan to return in order to sample the fish and chips, as well as the brews.)

Our burgers came out cooked perfectly to order: medium rare. 

Served on a soft bun flecked with rosemary, the burger was juicy and beefy. The tomato and lettuce on top were very fresh. The brie was melty but not reduced to just liquid. The onions lent a nice sweetness. This was an excellent burger!

The fries, on the other hand, were only okay. They were very hot and fresh, but nothing special. A burger of this caliber deserves some outstanding fries, and these were more like your typical diner fare.

The coleslaw was also very fresh, but underwhelming with a lack of salt and acid. Why doesn't anyone season their coleslaw enough??? A pinch of salt and a drop of vinegar would have taken this bland side dish to a whole new level.

Overall, I'd give the meal a B+. The burger itself deserved an A-, but the sides dragged the overall grade down.

If you're in the area, Shakespeare's is certainly worth a visit. We will be going back again to try more of their British specialties, and some of the beers, too.