Both my wife and I had superb lunches November 17th--a salmon and a pot roast preparation as good as or better than any versions we've ever had. The haricots verts were perfect, as were the delicious and attractively presented small sliced potatoes. The ambiance was also very pleasant and attractive. Lunch at Mattison's Forty-One was a great experience.

I'm kinda confused. After reading some mixed reviews, we decided to give Mattison's 41 a shot. In the entryway, I noticed that the variety of plaques and awards showcased on the wall were dated from 2006 - 2009. This made me wonder what happened since 2009 and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. My wife and I made reservations though and we were kindly greeted by the host, who was a consummate professional in his duties, and seated us rather promptly. Having noticed that there was still a good bit of seating available and feeling enthused with the atmosphere, especially the delightful music issuing from the live pianist (who later in the evening would not only play our requests but play them well), I decided to ring a few acquaintances to join us, knowing they were looking for a place to dine as well. Mattison's welcomed the addition to our party and relocated us to a table better equipped to handle the new impromptu arrangements. Our server was incredibly friendly and communicative without being overbearing or making us feel rushed, and the bartender was exceptionally accommodating and clearly a proud perfectionist in his craft, pleasing easily all of the members of my party who ordered cocktails. I cannot sing the praises enough of the food though. It is an understatement to say that a couple of the people in my party are picky, rarely satisfied with their selections. Here though, at Mattison's 41, all of us found ourselves fairly enamored with our dishes. My only complaints, and I'm fishing for these two, is that the salt could be scaled back just a little, as well as the sauce. Still, given the opportunity, I would not hesitate for one second to return and do it all over again. More important, the dishes were perfectly timed, waiting just the right amount of time from appetizer to entree to dessert, which is a really critical practice for me. I strive to savor my food and my conversation, and so I want my appetite whetted and then given some time for it to return just a little before moving on to the next dish. If we can have delightful discussions, a good time, and leave feeling sated without feeling stuffed, then the timing has been well-executed, and that was our experience here. To return to my opening statement, yes, I'm confused. If our experience was not an aberration, I see no reason why I don't see more, recent awards on their wall. Maybe they strayed from what made them so popular then? I don't know because I never dined there prior to this week. But if they did stray, I would most certainly bet that they're back, and if they didn't, I'm genuinely dumbfounded and can only conclude that the award presenters moved on to other establishments just to be fair. Either way, it doesn't matter. Mattison's 41 hit a homerun with us and we'll absolutely make this a staple in our vacation restaurant rotation. Best...experience...in Sarasota so far.

We went for lunch and there were lots of options at a good price. Service was great but it's a little dark inside. Better lighting would be nice