Hotel Bar

Although this bar has been opened for years somehow it's never been on my radar. Truth is I had never heard of it until last week. We decided to stop in on our way to dinner this past Saturday evening and so glad we did. We arrived around 5:00 and while they had patrons there were plenty of seating both at the bar, tables and booths. By 6:30 it had filled up so this tells me it does get crowded. Pros: happy hour every day 4-6. Drinks were well made. Bartenders friendly, courteous and knowledgeable to substitute ingredients if asked. They allow food to be brought in and they are next door to a couple cafes and restaurants. Different (not a con): absolutely no food. not even nuts. But with the ability to bring in food not a bad thing. I'll definitely be back during the week to see what the vibe is then.

A few years ago this would have been 4 or 5 stars, but I guess cocktail culture is dead in Tampa. I understand the Pandemic hit pretty hard, but this isn't the bar I remember from 2017-2020. Did ownership change? This was my first time back in about 3-4 years, and it's not the same bar at all.Before: a dimly lit, quiet bar with cocktails around $12. Delicious food menu with some of the best deviled eggs I've ever had.I recently visited this past week and the cocktails were in the $15-17 range, which is a bigger ask. They got rid of the cute printed menus for a QR code, although most of the old drinks I remember (Queen Park Swizzle) were still on the menu. It seemed they cut back a little with some of the more unique cocktails, trying to appeal with more standard ones.The music was outdated Top 40 hits playing so loud I couldn't hear the person right next to me talking. While that alone is pretty inexcusable for what I want out of a cocktail bar, perhaps I can give Hotel Bar some grace as far as the lighting goes because they had strung up a bunch of Christmas lights that lit up the bar... but it had none of the ambiance I remembered when it was quieter and calmer and dimmer.The final blow is realizing that the food menu was completely gone.All-in-all, what felt like was a unique and charming bar Downtown (which is no easy feat) has turned into a sports bar. If it wasn't for the location and being an easy-to-meet spot for friends coming across the bay... I probably wouldn't ever be back.

This place was recommended by the bar tender, Justin, at the Gin Joint. The bar was packed but I was lucky to get the best seat in the house at the end of the bar closest to the wall. I did not eat nor did I see anyone else eating. It seemed like a popular place for drinks with friends and work colleagues. I was solo so I was good enjoying the music and people watching while sipping on a cocktail. They had a book directly in front of my seat called cocktails and vinyl that had musical artists of various genres and their signature drinks. I started filling through the rock, chill and dance sections and reading about the artists and their signature albums and drinks. The first one I found was Pink Floyd, Dark side of the Moon and a drink called Total Eclipse. Some of the ingredients seemed a stretch but Mikey, my bartender had all components of the recipe and made the drink to perfection. It was killer!!The first drink had tequila so I decided to stick with that as the main liquor. The next one I found was a drink that was listed for U2. I had never considered myself a fan of U2, at the same time, I knew all the lyrics to their songs. They had a drink called El Diablo that to my surprise Mikey makes frequently so I had him make me one. It was rightfully named due to the active brand ginger beer that had a good bite. I had to teach a class at 8:30 the next morning so I decided to call it a night after my El Diablo. I enjoyed Hotel Bar and will make a frequent stop when in Tampa. Thanks Mikey!

Fun place to mingle or catch up with friends! Our group of five struggled to find seats when we arrived because it was so busy. We made our way to the bar and set up there until a table opened up. The drinks were good but there were less options on the cocktail menu than I expected. Still, enjoyed the drinks, the music, and the company. Would recommend it for a post meal drink, or a pre-game for an evening downtown.

I really like hotel bar! I've been coming here for years, and the drinks are great. It gets pretty packed, but there's a ton of seating (and standing space). Highly recommend if you want a fun bar to check out downtown!

What a great time! Stopped by after dinner on a Tuesday night, and the place was so lively. I'm honestly upset I hadn't been here sooner. The music was on point, and their espresso martini was even better! The cocktail menu is small, but the bar is fully stocked with everything you could want. I'll definitely be back--now that I know this spot exists!

Visited Tampa this past weekend and stumbled across Hotel Bar in downtown Tampa. This is a specialty drink bar. They have pretzels, gold fish, and nuts despite the appearance of kitchen doors in the back. The drinks are very highly priced we ordered a glass of Sauvignon and a double Grey Goose and the bill was $40 with tip. The atmosphere is ok but nothing to write home about. I always want to support small businesses but this one just doesn't fit the bill. Outside of having THE most comfortable bar stools, this place is not worth the cost. It reminds me of an old cigar bar without the cigars trying to be modern but not really getting there. They have a selfie spot at the entrance but it doesn't fit theme. We won't be back.

Drinks are fine but overpriced. As many folks said the music doesn't match the rest of the vibe. The killer is the staff. Unfriendly. Seems like they don't want to be there ... Or don't want customers to be there.

Awesome hangout spot in Downtown Tampa and one of the only places that actually stays open relatively late. They are open until 3am which really helped us since we were in town for a concert and wanted to have a few drinks after. The interior is gorgeous and we were lucky enough to get a seat at a bistro table on a packed Friday night. The tables came with cocktail servers and they were super great and attentive even though the place was packed. The cocktails were great, they ha d a fantastic variety of drinks, but also had skilled bartenders who could whip up whatever you like. The interior is very well done and has a modern and swanky feel. The only issue I had was that they only had one bathroom for each sex and it was a singe room bathroom, so the line get longs fast. Otherwise awesome spot to grab a drink and I will definitely be back.

Kay made my life worth living with the whiskey sour he made me. 12/10 recommend. Please go see him and enjoy his lovely crafted cocktails! TJ was great craic and kept the tunes going for me. I felt so loved. Xoxo gina