The Best Bars in Tampa

Fisherman's Shack

★★★★☆ 4.2 (24) • $$

"Fisherman's Shack perfectly captures the dive bar ambiance and I mean this fully as a compliment of the highest order.Tye staff is friendly and the drinks are cold. Fisherman's Shack is a place that the locals call their neighborhood bar and again, I mean that fully as a compliment."

Skybox Rooftop Bar

★★★★☆ 3.7 (18)

"Pre gamed my Friday at the Skybox Rooftop Bar Residence Inn at Wiregrass- great way to kick off the weekend!!They've got a menu full of the perfect bar nibbles to enjoy while you wet your whistle! I suggest the Loaded Kettle Chips and Spinach & Artichoke Dip w/ Pita Chips like I enjoyed tonight! If you like enjoying your Funky Buddha with Bavarian Pretzels with Beer Cheese and the Cheers - "where everyone knows your name" feel this is the place for you! And they've got a great selection of bourbons like Macallan and Woodford Reserve! Andrea will take good care of you and make sure you don't leave thirsty! And for funsies Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thirsty Thursdays you can play Shoot Your Shot and try to land a basket from the rooftop bar! If you make the basket (unlike me!) - you win shots for the whole bar!! I met lots of happy patrons at the bar, a few fun regulars and a few staycation-ers!! This spot will fast become a neighborhood hang! If you're in the area or looking for a place to get away for the weekend- def check out the Skybar Rooftop Bar at Residence Inn at Wiregrass! Side note- right now the rooftop bar is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. But always call ahead so you don't hold hours against a brand new establishment in a review cause that's not cool ;)"

The American Legion Post 111

★★★★☆ 3.8 (12) • $

"NOW WITHOUT CIGARETTE SMOKE! How does it possibly get any better than foosball and $3.75 Beam and Cokes? FIVE STARS!!"

Frank's Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (89)

"Stopped at Frank's for breakfast on a Sunday.. was greeted and sat immediately. Ordered Frank's burrito and it was really good - food was hot and had good flavor. Overall pleased with service, cleanliness and food."

Angry Pepper Waterside

★★★★☆ 3.8 (406) • $$

"Really enjoyed the food here! The staff was super friendly, and it was verrrry busy on a Friday evening so we took the last 2 seats at the bar. My friend loves their pulled pork, so we split the pulled pork sliders and he got wings too. The dry rubbed smoked wings were really tasty, and I love when wings aren't greasy. The fries were nice and crispy, and you can't really go wrong with waffle fries! I liked the pulled pork a lot! Their sweet bbq sauce was delicious. Really zero complaints. Prices aren't crazy either. Solid spot for elevated bar food. Bathroom was a little questionable, but once again it was a really busy Friday night."

Beer Shed

★★★★☆ 4.1 (98) • $

"Amazing. This place is so underrated. The beer is cold and cheap. The food next door is yummy and cheap. And the fact that it's right on the river is so nice. We enjoyed our pitchers and watching the boats go by on the river. I could spend hours here! A great dive bar inside and a ton of seating outside. Some in the shade and some in the sun. There is a spot for everyone. You can also pull your boat up so anyone coming from the water can stop by and enjoy a great brew. The service was great too. The bartenders were cheery and friendly. GO TO THIS PLACE NOW! it's the best!"

Green Lemon

★★★★☆ 4.3 • $$

"Never ate here before. Came in with family. The wait was an hour when we arrived but we just thought we'd kill time by walking the strip. Got a text within 15 minutes that our table was ready. COOL!! Seated after checking in. The music was so loud that we couldn't even hear each other talk at the table. So we basically sat in silence. We ordered the trio with chips, salad, queso and guacamole. The chips were really good, they have some seasonings on them so even without the dips they are good. The salsa was the only one my SIL and I didn't like, it tasted like chemicals. For my drink, I ordered the sangria margarita combo and frozen. It was good. For food I got the fajitas bowl which was very good. It's a lot of food so got a good portion of it to go."

Señor Tequila Mexican Grill- Wesley Chapel

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (125) • $$

"Oh. My. Goodness. Give the chef a raise! I ordered the shrimp plate with rice and tostones on the side and I was surprised at how amazing everything tasted. It was easily the best-tasting shrimp I've had in a while. The flavors were flavoring!"

The Retreat

★★★★☆ 3.6 (63) • $

"Retreat is a fantastic local bar that offers everything you could want for a fun night out. The variety of games is impressive--whether you're into pool, basketball, darts, or even trying your luck with the claw machine, there's always something to keep you entertained. The drinks are not only cheap but also well-made, making it easy to settle in and enjoy the laid-back atmosphere. If you're looking for a place with great local vibes and plenty of activities, Retreat is the spot to be!"

The Brass Mug

★★★★☆ 3.7 (25) • $

"It's an intimate concert venue located in north Tampa. They have an outdoor area with a bar but the indoor area is where the concerts are held. They actually get some big names. I came to see Tantric on a Tuesday night. I was surprised at how late they held the concert though. There's parking around the strip mall for the concert."

The Salt Water Hippie

★★★★☆ 4 (55)

"Quintessential Beach dive bar vibes. Big corporations try to replicate this but always fall short. Always great live music, and cold beer. You really can't go wrong spending some time at the saltwater hippie."

Salty Nun

★★★★☆ 3.8 (66)

"Went here for breakfast and I love that it's open earlier than brunch hours. It's a nice and quiet place to grab a bite before the brunch rush. They are very dog friendly with the person seating customers even having dog treats! Our waitress was great and attentive and the service was 10/10. The food, however, leaves a little to be desired. The French toast came with some really good cinnamon butter and when used it was great but the French toast on its own was incredibly bland. The toast that came with the eggs and bacon was SOAKED in butter, it was definitely overkill. The bacon and eggs were fine. The drink I got...I was surprised by how little I got for the cost so I wouldn't recommend the drinks for their value. Overall, I would come back but it doesn't top my list."

511 franklin

★★★☆☆ 3 (29)

"Beautiful new bar located downtown Tampa. As of this review, it has been open for a couple of months. The decor is outstanding very classy, they have a huge bar with bottles of liquor adorning the bar. Also have several televisions as well as tables and booths. The staff are all gorgeous. Service was very good and the drinks are delicious. They advertise that it's 23 and up to avoid some of the younger college crowd. Their hours are Monday 3PM-12AM. Tuesday 3PM-12AM, Wednesday 3PM-1AM, Thursday 3PM-2AM, Friday 3PM-3AM, Saturday 12PM-3AM and Sunday 12PM-12AM. They offer snacks and handhelds as well as charcuterie board for food, but I did not eat anything at this visit. They have a great wine list and mostly Florida brewery beer selections. Their craft cocktails are fantastic with creative names like money for nothing and aspire to retire. I had a glass of red wine and my friend had the. Blind Witness: Redemption Rye Whiskey, Averna, Punt E Mes. Definitely a very nice place to go with upscale service and open late."

Decisions Grill & Bar

★★★★☆ 4.2 (42) • $$

"My husband and I really wanted some beer and wings last Saturday, not at a chain restaurant, but at a homey little bar somewhere. But we still haven't lived in Lakeland long enough to find a place like that. A bunch of people had told me that Decisions, a small bar not too far from where we live, had awesome wings, so we decided to go check it out.Decisions is what I would best describe as a family bar. They've been in business for 27 years, serve beer and wine, and have lots of tv screens for sports. There is a long bar to sit at with a few tables in the first room, then a second room with a pool table and more tables (and more tv screens). It was quiet when we got there, but after a while, a multi-generational family showed up. I thought that was cool. The bartender/owner waited on us and I believed there was one more person working in the kitchen. They had a handful of beers on tap, but it was a decent selection, so hubby had a Yuengling and I had an Avalanche Amber with an order of jalapeño poppers while we waited for our wings. (BTW, they have a freezer by the taps that only holds glasses/mugs for the beer, so all glasses are nice and icy! YUM!) The jalapeño poppers were good.Now the wings? Cooked fresh to order, so they warn you there is a wait time. No worries! They are super customizable - mix & match. I love that. Naked or breaded. Tons of different kinds of dry rubs. Many different sauces. We chose naked wings, Cajun dry rub, and a combo garlic/hot sauce. When they arrived, we were impressed. Cooked perfectly, crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside. The dry rub was tasty, the sauce was excellent. I really cannot wait to go back and try a different combo.We ordered 20 wings and between those, the poppers and 2 beers each, we were pretty full but enjoyed every bite. They had a smallish menu, but there was plenty of different things, enough for everyone."

Señor Tequila Mexican Grill

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (221) • $$

"I am trying to find the best Chile Rellenos in TampaBay area. So hitting various restaurants.The ones at Senor Tequila are decent... pretty good for a chain. Nice egg batter crust, pretty sure they use actual Mexican Cheese (these were cheesed stuffed... no ground beef like some do). The guacamole here is good, as is the Pico de Gallo. Chips and salsa are complimentary and tasty... I like their salsa better than some of the other restaurants I have been to. They do give you TWO chile rellenos unlike some the other restaurants... that actually charge more for a single."

Sand Bar & Grill

★★★★★ 4.6 (8)

"We are locals and were celebrating the 50th anniversary or our 1st date and decided to stop for a sunset drink. Our server, Keith B., was taking photos for a family and we asked him to take ours, which he enthusiastically did. He took others' as well. At first we were going to have just drinks, but after looking at the menu we decided to have dinner. I had the grouper basket and I liked the different texture of the coating, while my husband had the pulled pork sandwich. We both liked our food and were full, so had to take dessert to go. The dessert was a peanut butter/brownie thing. Keith was a great server and super busy, but always came back to check on us. We saw a spectacular sunset and had a nice dinner. The patron next to us asked us "What's wrong with this view?" The answer was NOTHING. It was a great time and we'll be back."

La Tinaja Bar and Grill

★★★★☆ 4 (6)

"I mean who knew there would be a Dominican restaurant in the middle of Spring Hill! The service was nice. The food was good. It's not your Dominican Abuela's cooking but it will definitely do if you are ever craving it. The food is seasoned well."

Charm City - Lake Wales

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (10)

"This is one of my absolute favorites! Lobster bisque is amazing very craveable!!!! Shrimp tacos are amazing!!!! Mediterranean salad with grilled shrimp. Very yummy!!!!! And then there's a crabcakes and crabby fries those are a few of my favorites!!!!!!Service is wonderful everybody is so kind and cheerful!!!Atmosphere is very cheerful! With an amazing view!I very highly recommend Charm City!!!!!"

Willy's Burgers & Booze

★★★★☆ 4 (661) • $$

"Willy's is a great local spot with amazing and affordable food! Most of the tables are outdoors but it's shaded and there's a bar inside. The servers are always so friendly too! Their burgers are amazing! We had the Big Gooey - yum!! I highly recommend trying one! We also had the Caesar salad with shrimp - the salad was huge!"

Bel Mar Saloon

★★★★☆ 4.2 (96) • $$

"We came here on a Sunday for brunch to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday. Knowing that our group can be a little "extra", we phoned in ahead of time to give them a heads up to prepare. By the time that we arrived, they had a table already prepared for us. The room was smaller than I expected, but overall, we were comfortable.Bel-Mar Bar and Grill offers a weekend brunch menu, as well as a daily lunch menu. What really piqued my interest was the $12 bottomless Mimosas, Bloody Mary and Sangria special. Like a true champion, our waitress kept the Mimosas full by the pitcher and was very quick and accommodating during our entire visit.We came hungry and it didn't take long to bury the lone cook in the kitchen. I ordered a burger with bacon and a fried egg. Hands down, this burger was worth the extended wait. It was HUGE and fresh. Definitely I'll be back for that alone.We ordered some Cuban egg rolls, but not enough, they were gone right after they were brought to the table. We also ordered some nachos, then even received an extra order as a courtesy because of the delays in the kitchen. We also shared a large plate of garlic parmesan chicken wings. I typically tend to sway towards baked or grilled wings in lieu of the fried variety, but to my delight, these were delicious as well. My girlfriend ordered the chicken and waffles. They were good, but probably a little too sweet for her. The chicken was decidedly spicy, but not too overpowering. My daughter ordered the cheese quesadillas with ground beef topping. I'm pretty sure that she was licking the plate just after taking her last bite.Overall, I was very impressed by the food coming out of the kitchen. Everything was consistent and no shortcuts seemed to have been taken. The serving sizes were generous and by the end, we had a fantastic meal. After all of the food was on the table, the cook came out to apologize for the food delays. We all have him kudos instead. Keep up the great work!I work in the south Tampa area frequently. I think I'm going to keep this one on my radar the next time I'm in the area for lunch. Pro Tip: Check in on Yelp for 25% off your entire order."

Señor Rita's Tequilería & Margarita Factory

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (81)

"I have to say, this is my second time here and it was much better than my first. The service was not great. We had 7 people at our table and she brought us 3 napkins, that's right, 3 napkins for 7 people. I asked her again for napkins pointing out that she only gave us 3 for 7 people. I believe we asked her five times. We had to also ask for silverware, even before we got our food, and then again after we got our food. She wasn't busy, I saw that she was only at three tables. I've done this job, it's not difficult. She also brought us one bowl of chips and one bowl of salsa for seven people until I told her again that we need more. The service was probably the most frustrating part of our experience.The food was much better than I remembered."

Windward Bar and Grill

★★★★☆ 4.4 (103) • $$

"Try the 3 Daughters local St. Pete Blonde and the Daytona wings. Hidden gem I found waiting for my gf to get her nails done at Color Nails Spa two doors down. Great food. Great daily specials. Great/Friendly service. You can tell it's well run and quality! Loved it. Highly recommend"

Red, White & Booze

★★★★☆ 3.9 (873) • $$

"We stopped by Red, White & Booze on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. The food here is always really good, great outside atmosphere right on the water and very responsive service.Sat at the outside bar which is full service and always seems to have some fun locals hanging around. Service was great and the food was even better. Would highly recommend the Caribbean Stir Fry as it was just off the charts good. Will definitely be going back if nothing else than to order this dish again. Salad and hush puppies were also excellent.Always a fun place and a great place to go if you just want to hang out on the water on beautiful St. Pete days. We'll definitely be going back!"

The Nauti Oar

★★★★☆ 4.3 (77) • $$

"We have been here many times and while all of our experiences have been great, last night's visit was by far the best. We split a 1/2# hot peel 'em Old Bay shrimp, as well as the Feta Whip and a side salad with Greek dressing. FANTASTIC. Seriously, do yourself a favor and try them... you'll want to come back for more. :) Sangria on tap was great and Mom, of course, loved her Pinot. Heads up - they only serve beer, wine or canned hard seltzers, no liquor for cocktails. Servers were very friendly and helpful, but maybe spread a little thin when it got busy. Wide open & airy atmosphere, indoor and outdoor seating. Super laid back... come here and expect to just chill out & enjoy!!!"

The River's Edge Bar and Grill

★★★★☆ 3.7 (139) • $$

"Waterfront, Relaxing, Great ShrimpOn our way down to the Fort Myers area we wanted some light lunch at some waterfront place. We found this place on the internet and gave it a try. It sits right on the Alafia River and according to our server, has had its share of damage from recent storms. More from storm surges than wind, but they are up and running. The neighborhood near the restaurant is in pretty bad shape for the storms. Clearly a favorite stop for motorcyclists based on how many were there on a Wednesday afternoon. Lots of waterfront seating at tables with umbrellas and boaters have plenty of piers to tie up to. For our light lunch we had a Full Order of Peel and Eat Shrimp ($20.30) and the Fried Pickle Chips ($8.35). We estimate this was a full pound of 16-20 size shrimp. They are tossed with Old Bay seasoning and we had an option to get them either cold or warm - we picked warm, with butter for dipping. They also came with a nice zippy cocktail sauce. Great flavor and as we saw, most people coming in to eat ordered shrimp. A few onion rings slipped into our tasty pickle chips basket. A very comfortable place to dine and look out on the water and watch the boaters."

Pye Road Meadworks

★★★★★ 4.9 (15)

"Great atmosphere and setup. Biggest get - the price point is great. They also provide you with 1 oz servings which is great for the higher ABV meads. Their "still" or "traditional" meads are perfectly balanced and their session meads are perfect for the pool. Can't wait for their canning process to go live to take some home. Matt and Deb are great hosts and clearly very well knowledges in their mead making process. People will realize this is outside of Tampa but it is a very short drive or uber to try out some great meads. If you are in the Tampa/St Pete area go cause you won't have better mead in the area. Unless you like getting ripped off from competitors in the market for $15-20 pours. Pye Road pricing is approx $4 for 1 oz and 8 for 3 oz unless it's a session mead."

Chicanes Restaurant & Bar

★★★★☆ 4.1 (196) • $$

"Fabulous night! Filet steak could cut with a butter knife! Seafood pasta was awesome! Ambience is wonderful! We celebrated our 29th anniversary!Thank you Chicanes!"

Salty Dog Steamer & Bar

★★★★☆ 4.3 (37)

"Got to the place around 6:30 on Monday for a friend's birthday dinner. It wasn't too crowded at that time. We were seated right away, which was nice. Service was given pretty quickly due to a waitress came over within 5 min of arriving to get our drink orders while we browsed the menu and odered some appetizers, I ordered the nacho tots, and unsweetened tea with lemon, then one of my friends ordered the lobster bisque soup to share with his date, and they also got unsweetened tea with lemons and his friend ordered a soup as an appetizer with a beverage. The nacho tots were not as expected, which was tots, it was a 3 halves of baked potatoes with the toppings placed from the bottom to top of cheese, chili, and placed in small bowls for it was some salsa, jalapeños, and some guacamole. I took my first bite and noticed that all was good except the potato had been cooked a bit more than i would've liked but after adding the toppings it made it quite a bit better for my taste buds, I felt tho that it needed a bit more cheese also, I allowed one of my friends to have one and she agreed it needed double the amount of cheese and would've preferred the cheese to have been in a bowl or on top the chili also. The waitress was very attentive but not overly like at other places I've been. For my main course I got the roast beef cuban sandwich with a side salad with ranch dressing and au grautin potatoes covered in cheese and bacon bits. Two of my friends ordered the Shepard pie, One ordered the burger sliders and last one ordered the works baked potato, also they were still enjoying the soup, it seemed about 15 to 20 minutes for our dinner to arrive from the time we ordered to arriving in front of us, not bad with about 10 to 15 people in the establishment at that time, My roast beef Cuban was really succulent and juicy even without the dipping sauce however the sauce fits enhance the flavors really well for me, my friends also said they enjoyed her Shepard pie, sliders and baked potato, to further elaborate on my meal, the ranch salad dressing was very thick and tasteful although it wasnt made in house according to the waitress, and I my au gratin potatoes were very tasteful with the right amount of cheese to potato ratio also a nice sprinkle of real bacon bits on top, I just about licked the bowl after in placed them and about half my food in a to go box due to getting full, furthermore while my friends were deep in conversation,I ordered some desert, a very nice piece of oreo ice cream cake, to take home with the other half of my dinner. Over all I,and my friends, enjoyed the food, drinks, hospitality, and conversations, it was a decent experience that I would probably enjoy again to see if they stay on track. I'll be back at least once more ."

Waterfront Social

★★★★☆ 4 (222) • $$

"Came here to eat after a recommendation from our manatee snorkeling tour guide. Highly recommend if you're searching for a spot to eat seafood in the area! The service was phenomenal. I was a little chilly outside and they asked if I would like the fan turned off, after that the temperature was perfect. They have outdoor heaters as well for when it gets chilly. The service was prompt and accurate. It was lovely sitting outside on the patio while watching the sunset. All of the food was delicious and brought out quickly. We ordered: 2 Rum Punches, Gator Bites, Salmon Poke Bowl, Blackened Shrimp Poke Bowl, and Key Lime Pie. I highly recommend trying the gator bites, they taste like juicy chicken nuggets. The seafood all tasted fresh and delicious - you have the option of requesting raw or cooked salmon in the poke bowl. The key lime pie tasted great as well and was plated nicely. Thanks for the delicious dinner Waterfront Social!"

Bar Fly Safety Harbor

★★★★☆ 4.2 (807) • $$

"I finally tried this place out after seeing it while walking around safety harbor. I stopped by during happy hour and ordered drinks and tuna nachos. The tuna nachos were really good, the chips were crunchy, and the tuna and sauces were super flavorful. It was a bit pricey, but the large portion and flavor made up for it. They also have live music in the evenings, which made the experience even better. I will definitely come back again!"

Sal Y Mar

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (371)

"Attentiveness of the waitstaff made me feel like royalty This restaurant sits atop the Aloft hotel with magnificent views downtown tampa. The Aloft hotel has a rooftop pool next to the restaurant. I noticed many of the hotel guests order food and drinks from sal y mar and head to the pool. I ordered the pork belly sandwich with plantains. Generous portions of pork belly. It's topped with a delicious creamy goat cheese spread and garlic toasted buns. 10/10 This is my new favorite tampa spot. Will definitely return."

Byblos

★★★★☆ 4 (474) • $$

"I absolutely enjoyed my dinner at Byblos this past Saturday! This cute restaurant in South Tampa has been on my list for years! Started with the garlic cauliflower- To die! It was simple but soooo garlicky and fragrant, I could not stop eating it. The octopus ceviche was refreshing with the zesty lime juice. The ceviche was more like a salad but it was still delicious. For entrees, we ordered the beef kafta and shawarma (beef & chicken combo). The kafta was flavorful and had pine nuts I think in the seasoning. I would get this kafta again. The chicken shawarma was a little dry and the flavor was off. The entrees came with sauteed zucchini and carrots but no rice. Lavash bread is served with the entrees too. Service was great. We were told they have belly dancing every Friday night! The decor of the restaurant is romantic and has plenty of outdoors seating too. I can't wait to come back."

The Battery

★★★★☆ 3.5 (206)

"amazing service, great ambiance, food was divine! servers gave great recommendations as well!"

Carmine's Restaurant and Bar

★★★☆☆ 3 (585) • $$

"When Ybor City you gotta have a Cuban Sandwich! We found Carmine's. The place has history. Is huge with a comfortable bar.We bellied up starving and thirsty. We waited and waited. Finally the bartender stopped by and dropped menus turned on his heels and he was off to win the came to continue a conversation with bar patrons. No offer of drinks just menus. So we waited again.. finally another stop. We each ordered local beers and then he forgot to pour as he was off to see the bar patrons. A glance caused him to remember.. finally beers. Seizing the moment we each ordered their famous Cuban Sandwich.The sandwich arrived and did not disappoint however the prep time was long and our beers were getting low. The bar patrons were getting louder and the bartender was an instigator. So no 2nd beers for us.3 stars for food1 star for food runner0stars for bartender"

Gerstle's Clearwater

★★★★☆ 3.9 (53)

"The best onion rings! Fresh and hot. Perfect seasonings. We just wanted a snack and this hit the spot. Domestic beers $3. A couple of years ago, happy hour used to include craft beers too.Service was great."