Chef Shane Dabney of Marina Jack is preparing for the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, beginning with one of the largest Thanksgiving celebrations in Sarasota. As his culinary team prepares turkeys to fill the plates of 450 Thanksgiving dinners next Thursday, the kitchen also prepares for a regular dinner service of their extensive menu. A longstanding tradition of Sarasota residents and their families, the waterfront holiday dinner is a special way to give thanks. “We usually see 800 reservations on Thanksgiving day. Our first seating is at 11:15 in the morning and we have tables all day and into the evening,” said Chef Dabney. “Everything is scratch-made, the turkey, herb sausage stuffing and all of the sides. The full menus for The Dining Room, the patio and the Deep Six Lounge are offered all day, so if you’re not into turkey, we still have options. But we usually serve up 25 cases of turkeys.” Reservations are available on Thanksgiving Day by calling Marina Jack.

“One of our busiest nights of the year is always the night of the Holiday Boat Parade,” In a few short weeks, Marina Jack will fill nearly every table in at its prime location to view the glittering boats passing by. To celebrate this yearly tradition, Chef Dabney has prepared a gourmet three-tier prixe fixe menu of some of his favorite dishes. “There’s really something for everyone on the menu,” he said of the meals that will be available on Saturday, December 12 for guests watching the parade. “We will serve some really nice salmon, a pepper crusted prime rib, filet mignon, Chilean sea bass, an elegant grouper dish and of course we’ll have a surf and turf option or twin lobster tails.” Each tier of the special menu comes with an appetizer, soup or salad and dessert. “This is one of our busiest nights of the year, on par with New Year’s Eve and the fourth of July and we really look forward to seeing our customers that have made this a family tradition return year after year,” said Dabney.

Following a similar suit of the December 12special menu, New Year’s Eve is a special night. Overlooking the brilliant fireworks along the bay, tables are Marina Jack will have various fine dining options. “We aim to have every plate set for dinner service by 11:30 pm so that when the fireworks begin, they’re the star of the night and everyone can enjoy them without interruption.” Those looking for an outdoor venue to watch the fireworks can order from the regular menu of food and drinks at the Blue Sunshine patio along the marina. “It is a really fun place to watch the show,” said Dabney.

Regardless if diners are looking for a way to celebrate the holiday, or to make any night of the week a special evening with one of the most iconic views of Sarasota, Chef Dabney and his team will be happy to see you. To make reservations for the holidays, call Marina Jack for seating availability, 941-365-4232.  

Marina Jack is a member of Nosh, the SRQ Magazine content marketing program for local restaurants. 

Marina Jack | 2 Marina Plaza | 941-365-4232 | MarinaJacks.com