Santos Kitchen and Lounge

I recently visited this Tulum-inspired lounge to celebrate one of my best friend's birthdays, and I absolutely loved it! This spot is perfect for enjoying delicious drinks and great music in a super cozy and relaxed atmosphere. The cocktails were top-notch, and the service was even better--our waitress Lea was incredibly attentive and made the experience all the more special. The food was decent, although the menu was a bit limited since the focus seems to be on the drinks. It's a little on the pricey side, but the beautiful decor and ambiance make it worth every penny. I'll definitely be coming back!

Definitely a vibe like no other in Tampa owing credit to the DJ and entertainment. It was a Saturday night and the small dance floor was packed and an acrobatic performer outside creating a chill, party vibe. There are only a handful of tables inside, so very limited seating available when outdoor temps aren't ideal. I didn't understand how this place got so many negative reviews until I experienced it for myself. They're kind of a hot mess. Our Open Table reservation wasn't honored for some reason. They made us wait an hour for our table in case a table who reserved with a credit card showed up. The server was MIA much of the night running to all the tables, so we sat with empty glasses a good while. The kitchen was quick though and the tacos were good. We were still in good spirits having drinks at the bar, and chalked it up to a lax attitude and mismanagement. Definitely check it out when it's nice enough to sit outside.

Went for the first time to celebrate one of my friend's birthday. The place is nice, really well decorated and had friendly service. At the beginning we sat outside but as it started raining we were told to sit inside instead. However, both environments are really cozy and cute, but definitely would recommend the inside area for when it is too hot.It took a little while to get our drinks and food at the table after ordering, which led us to be a little tired of the place. The music was the same mix being repeated multiple times while there. When the food finally arrived, I have to admit it was great, but honestly feel the prices are too high for the portions and the overall taste of the food. The show and DJ set with drums showed up later on, and it was quite fun. I would probably go back to enjoy the environment during the show, but as a restaurant maybe a little more effort in the food department is needed.

I honestly don't even know where to start, I'm so disappointed in our experience here.I reached out about 3 weeks in advance to plan a birthday party for my wife and spoke with Magda. She told me for a party our size (12 at the time of booking) that our only option was a 4 course pre-fix menu for $75 a person that would also include a free round of shots and 20% off bottles. The reservation required a deposit of $35 per person which I happily paid. I explained we wanted indoor seeing and that my wife had a shellfish allergy. Day of the party, I reached out and confirmed we were all set. Magda said everything was set!Unfortunately that couldn't have been further from the truth. We showed up and they tried to sit us outside, luckily they quickly pivoted when I mentioned we were supposed to be inside.Our waitress then indicated she had no idea about anything Magda sold us on. She called the manager and essentially they were completely unprepared. They tried to offer us 2 courses for the same price instead of 4, which wasn't going to happen.The manager refused to refund my deposit and allow us to just order and pay normally.We finally settled on allowing us to just order off the regular menu and deducting the deposit from the final menu.I wish this was the only issue but it just escalated from here.You would think for the prices that the food would be at least decent but it was awful.Our silverware was a step above plastic, the soda was flat, and water glasses came out dirty. I ordered their chips and guacamole with caviar and the chips were stale. I told the waitress and she said "I would offer to get you more but they are probably all stale".My brother ordered a glass of $20 cab and when he took a sip, it was cheap carbonated sweet wine. When he told the waitress she said "yeah this isn't the place for wine" and he said no I think you just gave me the wrong one and he pointed at the menu to show her the one he had ordered to which she said "yeah we don't have that so they just poured you what we had"......The menu was lackluster so we all ordered either the lamb chops or tacos. The lamb chops were beyond well done and so coated in seasoning that it was inedible. The chicken tacos tasted slimy like it was canned shredded chicken.The pork completely packed seasoning and the "mushroom" tacos literally were nasty canned mushrooms thrown on a taco.When we expressed our disappointment to the waitress she said "yeah I know I wish I could go back there and cook myself". To top it off, they had the audacity to charge me a $35 admin fee for "party planning" even though nobody had any idea of our party when we arrived. They market this "Tulum" experience but the environment was lackluster. We were practically the only people there, the music wasn't good, and there was none of the entertainment they market on social media and it was a Friday night. The manager even showed up at 9pm and didn't bother to come over to our table and acknowledge us or the issues we had. Unfortunately, you can't go cheap when creating an "upscale" restaurant and lounge in Tampa, it won't last. Save your money and go to the hundreds of other places Tampa has to offer.

Sooo, Santos Kitchen + Lounge definitely brings a Miami vibe with its atmosphere. The service was a bit slow, especially with only a few tables occupied, but the waiter did acknowledge it. The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing either. The highlight of the experience was definitely the fire dancers and the lively atmosphere. I've been twice now, and the bartenders I've had haven't quite been true mixologists. Overall, I'd go back for the vibe and a simple drink but would probably eat elsewhere.

Santos Kitchen and Lounge is a vibrant spot known for its lively atmosphere and latin fusion menu. The drink menu offers unique cocktails great to enjoy for a happy hour with friends or on a date. Friday and Saturday nights has a DJ playing making a great place to dance on the weekends.

Santos is a great vibe! We sat outside and enjoyed some food and drinks and it was an overall great experience. The ambiance was fun with music and night life. Our server Lea, was such a sweetheart. She made sure we were completely satisfied and kept checking up on us. 10/10 experience!

Food:3Service: 4Atmosphere:3.5We went into Santos with a Tulum vibes expectations. Cute decor but not Tulum. There was no one in the restaurant. We were skeptical due to lack of people. We ordered a few apps. None were very good. The highlight was the churros at the end of the night. The drinks were pretty light on liquor but tasted great. Our server was great but she was the only one doing all the serving once the places picked up. Poor thing. She was very friendly but could tell she needed backup. Did like the DJ the music was good. The food was the biggest let down of this place.

First time in the area and didn't realize most places you need a reservation. As we were walking to try a different place we passed here and they let us in without a reservation. They are not exactly on the main road, they are in a business courtyard area. We walked so not sure where you would park. We sat outside and it was a nice atmosphere, but the chairs are not the most comfortable. Service was good. The menu is limited, but we were satisfied with the options. I had carne asada tacos (3) and I really like them. I would eat there again and I would get the tacos again.

The environment food and drinks were amazing the waiting was awesome but the DJ was very rude other then that I enjoyed myself.