Yeah, so date night...late recommended this place to "pre-game" before main dinner spot. This little spot was actually pretty nice, outdoor bar seating off a main road definitely gives you good city vibes, all the wait staff is were attentive. Heard they moving Riverview, so mixed reviews from the great staff...would be 5 star if not for the tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny parking spot, maybe part of reason place is moving to the burbs Drunkin Noodle: presentation on 100...liquor is in thurrr read more

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Although the flies were annoying, and the AC was broken or just not working properly, I'd still come back for the food because it was DELICIOUS! Our server was very nice and checked on us plenty of times. The restaurant is clean, bathroom was neat and smelled good. The parking lot is small but we came on Saturday night and they weren't that busy so my friend and I were able to find parking right away. read more

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Perfect date night spot-we came to get food before going nearby for a concert and it was fantastic. The food.... the food was delicious and the drinks were strong. Yes, the cornbread is a side dish and yes you should buy it because it's worth it. I see why it's their signature. The music was nice-fantastic R&B music from the 90's to now. The margarita flight was more than enough for just the two of us and we left the spot leaning just a little to the left. The waitress was nice and service was on time. I wanted to bring my book club here but was heartbroken to find out they were closing and moving to another place at least 45 minutes away. I'm glad I had the chance to try them out while they were in Tampa. read more

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I'll start by saying there's a lot of room for improvement here but I never want to say too much about a black business because I do really want to see this business succeed. I want to shout out Maria who was our server and it was her first day working. She wasn't supposed to have tables but they were under staffed and she was thrown to the wolves. She did an amazing job in a highly stressful environment and I just want to give her kudos. Aaliyah did our hookah and she was so sweet and she made a great hookah. She was supposed to be the bartender but they had her working all over to make up for the lack of staff. We appreciated her and she was working really hard. We came during happy hour to eat and we had the 2 for 1 lemon drops which were very good! I tried the mango chipotle wings and fries that were on happy hour and they were okay. For entrees we originally wanted the stuffed salmon but were told they were sold out because they only had 6 filets prepared for the night. That was shocking to hear because it was a Friday night so you would think they would have prepared quite a few. We ended up trying the rack of lamb, crab rice and island pasta. The lamb was very seasoned and cooked well and I enjoyed the crab rice, it had a nice kick to it. I didn't care for the pasta, it needed a little more seasoning of some sort. We talked to the owner and he was very friendly and he was definitely helping to make up for being understaffed. He sent us some cornbread to the table which was very kind. The DJ was very good here too and had the vibes right all night. read more

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The food was just average. The only thing we really enjoyed were the Whisky Wings and the Cornbread. The Waffle was hard and cold and the fried chicken had no seasoning. The drinks were not strong and the wait was long with.a half empty restaurant on a Saturday. These wings are appetizers since you tried to comment like I had the wrong restaurant. read more

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We pulled up, got blessed by a DJ who clearly understood the assignment (hip hop and R&B only, thank you very much), and posted up in the outdoor area where the vibe was 10/10, no notes. I ordered the shrimp and grits because I enjoy pretending I'm fancier than I am. They were good -- although a little hot sauce would've really taken it from "Mmm" to "Hold my calls, I'm busy ascending." Rookie mistake. Meanwhile, my wife was out here living her best life with fried lamb lollipops, crab-stuffed polenta cake, and grilled shrimp. Honestly, it sounded like the cast of Finding Nemo got together and threw her a Michelin-starred goodbye party -- and it tasted like it too. Naturally, we washed all this down with two blue margaritas, because why be subtle? Then we responsibly decided it was time to try more cocktails, because life is short and so was our time limit. My wife got a lavender lemon drop martini that basically whispered "luxury" with every sip. I got a smoked old fashioned that made me want to buy a leather jacket and solve crimes. Would 100% come back if we weren't on a ticking clock. If you want a spot where the DJ actually cares about your soul, the food is giving what it's supposed to give, and the drinks have you questioning all your life choices (in the best way), Avenue Blue is where you need to be. read more

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Let me start with the most important part of this experience... Tanisha!!!! The personal service and attention we received from her while dining at her beautiful restaurant was exceptional. She ensured everything we ordered was to our satisfaction and she went out of her wat to ensure I got my bubbles which I thoroughly appreciated Now the reason why you're here and reading this review... the food! We started with the infamous cognac Cornbread they are known for and it didn't not disappont.... 10 out of 10! We moved on to the sampler HH platter: Hor honey wings, chopped cheese egg rolls. And salmon sliders.... delicious. We were still hungry and decided to order more chopped cheese egg rolls (they were that good) and the lump crab meat fried rice. The rice was great and a really large portion but only comes with 2 ounces of lump crab meat so get an additional protein added to the rice. We added shrimp and it was deliciously perfect. If you want good food, great drinks, good ambiance, excellent services, and music and vibes this is your place! Go check them out. read more

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Just in case you don't know, this is the old Rose Bar and they have some of the same habits. (FOOD) So for starters, the food is AMAZING! I will say that the CHEF is back there COOKING! Everything looked so good coming out to everyone. I ordered the Chicken and Waffle Stack which was SOOOOO GOOD! The waffle was perfect. (AMBIANCE) It was cool. The DJ was really good. The music was on point for SURE! The music definitely eased some of my complaints. (SERVICE) is a 2 out of 10 stars. I would say that not only are they short-staffed and need more help, but the servers aren't really skilled in customer service. When I visited, we stood at the door for several minutes while NOONE greeted us, but saw us standing there. Basic training would help this. Everyone is friendly, but the lack of customer service skills is very apparent. Service is also VERY slow. So I don't know if the chef needs more help kicking out orders, but even the drinks came slowly. I WILL SAY THOUGH! The menu looks MUCH better than Rose Bar and the food was actually very good here. I didn't care for the Rose Bar menu or food. I WOULD go here again with a lot more patience. Maybe order a hookah and chill out because it is a nice vibe and the food is on point FR! I commend them for continuing their business journey. Definitely see the improvement. read more

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I believe in great service first. So after we were seated we were greeted by the hostess & the server. The server took our drink orders & appetizers order, after that she brought us all water. We were celebrating girlfriends & a birthday. The music was good but not overly loud so we could still talk. I liked the outside patio as well. Now let's talk food. All the apps was delicious. Then we also enjoyed the main course. Tanisha was an excellent server & hats off to the owner Donny. read more

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This business is permanently closed and has been for quite some time. Renzo's will be the new restaurant at this location.

Great food, and friendly staff! Always have a good time and great atmosphere! Family business show so much love! read more

The food was amazing, the ambiance was amazing but what really made our experience awesome was our Server Tanisha! She was super sweet and really made it an amazing birthday for our cousin. read more

My son took me here for my birthday. I loved the music. The bartender was nice. But the FUNKY BREATH MANAGER and the owner were booty. Her breath smelled like booty and chitterlings. How are you conducting business like that. Then here comes the owner talking about my review was inaccurate. Instead of righting the wrong. He said the review was inaccurate So you're calling me a liar. If I am lying. Why does my son and his girlfriend have food. But my cousin and I don't? It must be his booty we are smelling on her breath. I just stormed out without drinking my mimosas flights. Tampa can have that unprofessional mentality. Food looks good. Set up was nice. But the professional etiquette was very very poor. Only people I know who would turn down money and business are black business owners. Everyone else cater to the customer. People of color cater to being right. F the customer mentality. All they had to do was to serve us. We were there for over 2 hours getting F''d over. I love to see black business rise. But do your people right. Brush your teeth Comb your hair And compromise every now and then to keep customers happy. Not always about your brown but. read more

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Went by for Sunday brunch. Great ambiance and very good food. There was a little bit of a mix up with one of our orders, but the waitress was very apologetic and corrected the issue. The DJ was on point, and the drinks were good. read more

Avenue Blu - The Biggie Breakfast.... - Southern Near Me - Tampa Bay, Florida

My friends and I arrived and had to wait a bit for a table, which was fine. The atmosphere was nice at first--there was a DJ playing some cool music as we walked in. Waters were brought to us, and since it was busy, we ordered our drinks and food right away. However, it took about 45 minutes to an hour for our drinks to arrive. While the drinks were good, they definitely weren't worth the wait. Then, it took another 45 minutes for my friend's appetizers to come out. After that, I was told by the waitress that the dish I ordered was unavailable, and that the replacement would be served quickly. At this point, my drink was warm and no longer enjoyable. Even after that, my friend's main meal still hadn't arrived. The waitress apologized repeatedly, which was appreciated, but then the manager--who turned out to be the DJ--came over. He apologized and said our meals would be covered. However, only the tax was removed from our bill, which felt disappointing. As a manager, it's your responsibility to ensure customers leave satisfied, and I don't think this situation was handled well. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this place. read more

Avenue blue was great. The food was amazing. I love the happy hour specials and the friendly accommodating staff. Outside seating is also available. read more

The food, service and ambiance was perfect for brunch. There an indoor/outdoor bar that offers a nice breeze this time of year. The drinks were delicious. I had the bartender make me a Bloody Mary my way and he nailed it! I had the shrimp and grits which I thought was flavored well and my husband had the chicken and waffles. The chicken was crispy just how we like it. They are pork free so don't expect to get pork bacon. I tried the turkey bacon and it was pretty tasty. They have lots of tv's around the bar to watch the games and we learned that they also show the boxing matches so we will definitely visit them again in the near future. read more

Wasn't sure what to expect, yet I was very impressed. The server was pleasant and knowledgeable about the food. though very sweet, slightly inattentive (she was busy though) But the food.... WOW FANTASTIC!!!!! I had the cognac cornbread as an appetizer and the Island pasta the server convinced me it wasn't too spicy and she was % correct. It was the perfect level of heat. My husband had the lamb chop popsicle and the stuffed salmon. He was very happy with his choice as well. The drinks were also fabulous. Great atmosphere. Overall our experience was wonderful. read more

Love love love! The vibe was on point as you can see. Live music here every third Thursday and the owner is working on adding another band so it becomes biweekly. The wings and fries were on the happy hour menu for only $8! It was the perfect snack size with a cocktail if you aren't starving. A friend had the salmon and Brussels and it was amazing. The salmon was juicy flavorful and not over cooked. I didn't think to take a pic since it wasn't my meal. They have 2 for 1 drinks and $5 wine during happy hour. The wall art is eye catching, made by a local artist GACCI and for sale! I love that type of support. Anyway, our server was attentive and did not disappoint. Go! read more

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Tanisha was absolutely amazing! From the moment we were seated, she was friendly, attentive, and made us feel very welcome. She checked on us consistently without being overbearing, made sure our orders were correct, and had such a positive attitude the entire time. Her energy and professionalism truly stood out and made our experience even better. You can tell she really cares about her guests. We will definitely be asking for Tanisha again next time. Thank you for the great service! read more

I had an extremely disappointing experience at Avenue Blu. I ordered the surf and turf, expecting lamb chops and shrimp as listed on the menu. Instead, I was served steak, which was tough, unappetizing, and completely subpar. When I brought up the issue, the staff showed no remorse or willingness to resolve the situation adequately, offering only a 15% discount for their mistake. This lack of accountability and poor customer service is unacceptable, especially for a restaurant that charges premium prices. I cannot recommend this establishment to anyone seeking quality food or a positive dining experience. The cornbread was the best item. The owner told me he can't resell the steak! Then the owner fixes the menu after the mistake. I ate my sides but to charge me for that awful steak is shady business! Do better read more

Avenue Blu - Not what I ordered and the waitress never came back to see if anything was wrong - Southern Near Me - Tampa Bay, Florida

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Well unfortunately I don't have pics for this review & it's totally different from a couple of weeks ago. I had family in from NC & VA & wanted to bring them here . It was a party of 6 . SIX PEOPLE ! Not even 7pm yet on a Friday night & they couldn't serve us. One of the reasons they gave was that they were short of servers BUT the hostess repeatedly told me that it was due to the rsvps . It was about 8 empty tables outside , 4 empty tables inside about plenty of separate seating at the bar. I asked if we could sit separate(possibly 3 & 3. NO ! .. I asked if we could sit at the bar . NO ! WHAT , you have RSVPS at the bar too ? . I was so confused. I've been to plenty of spots in Houston, DC, LA, & VA like this but I've never had a place tell me they accept walk ins but not tonight bc of rsvps.i asked was it a special event going on, NOPE ! Oh but the last thing , she did mention that we could separate & sit outside but it would be an hour wait to get served. I opted even for just drinks & no food . Nope ! I love supporting black owned spots but I had my one good encounter with this place & wont be back bc what I experienced tonight was some straight BS ! read more

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This is a must-go-to while in Tampa I stumbled upon this restaurant and decided to grab a drink along with some dessert since I had a sweet tooth. The vibe along with the staff was amazing this restaurant exceeded my expectations. I Highly recommend it!" (Sidebar I forgot to take a picture of my drink because I was so in tune with the bartender it slipped my mind) read more

Avenue Blu - Cheesecake - Southern Near Me - Tampa Bay, Florida

Food was delicious. Our first visit of many. Had a little parent's night out for our anniversary. They had a live dj and the food was EVERYTHING. Drinks were hitting. You must try the cognac cornbread. Our waitress was super attentive and she brought out some complimentary cheesecake at the end. We will definitely be back read more

Avenue Blu - Southern Near Me - Tampa Bay, Florida

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Not sure what I expected as it's the old Rose Bar with a new menu and name. So I will start with the good. The bar tenders were on point. Super friendly and on point with drinks. The DJ was also very good. Lastly compliments to the chef the food albeit pricey was also very tasty. So I will start with when I called to make the reservation it was a 50 charge. I've been to Michelin Star restaurants that do not have this requirement. Maybe a 50 dollar hold, however not a charge. (They did apply this to my bill at the restaurant). When we started arriving there were staff out in the parking lot smoking weed. This should have been my first sign to RUN. Yet we proceeded. Lastly we were sat at our reservation time and approximately 45 minutes after being seated a young lady came and stated who our waitress was and that she'd be right over. This in my opinion was horrible service because at this point we didn't even have drinks. When our server came over (who was extremely sweet) she finally gathered our orders and things appeared to move along. UNTIL the food came out. Our food came out at separate times leaving many of us eating while others were waiting. They could have made more money on drinks had she came back and asked. Also 2 people in our party had ordered the buy one get one drink and never got the 2nd drink. When asked about it as we were getting our checks because at this point we were there 3 hours we were asked if we still wanted them. I really tried to like this place. The food is delicious and the vibe is super chill with great atmosphere, however they continue to disappoint with service. 20 years in the industry what you need is training your staff. This will alleviate the majority of the issues. read more

The food, service, ambiance and everything was on point. Taneisha the server was a pro in handling 24 people, from seating, taking order and serving the food at a good time hot. Highly recommended. read more

The ambiance was great. However, the food and service were lacking. A good portion of the menu was sold out. The frozen margaritas weren't made (we had a 6:30 reservation). The food that was available was good, but definitely overpriced. Chicken breast, mashed potatoes and a salad for $20 is ridiculous, no matter how tasty. Our server was ok but the staff had an overall chaotic feeling. I don't see me going back or recommending anyone else go. read more

We had a terrible experience at Avenue Blu. We decided to have brunch there before the Chris Brown concert. This was the worst service I had ever experienced. I had a 2pm reservation and was on time for my reservation. I was seated at a table was wasn't helped for a whole hour. Servers just kept passing by us, not even asking if we wanted water knowing it was almost 100 degrees outside. When our server finally came to our table, she claimed she didn't know we were her table. Doesn't matter whose table it is, general good customer service is if you see a table sitting for a while, ask if they've been helped. Then to top it all off, an hour after we had left the restaurant, I received a notification saying my reservation was cancelled. I will never eat here again. Very unprofessional. read more

customer service "0" made reservation to be treated like a walk in. was told there was an hour wait for food and if I wanted a drink go to the bar. bartender was either blind or acted like they didn't see me , was there for 30 min and got a cup of water and no service read more

My friends and I came to Tampa for the Chris Brown concert and we decided to try Avenue Blu . We arrived at 9:15, waited 30 minutes for our drink order to be taken, another 20 for them to arrive to the table. Our food arrived at 11:20. It was cold and over cooked. Four members of the group ate their food; however, one of the members food was so cold she couldn't eat it. She asked the waitress to speak to the manager. He never came by to speak to her . I am immensely disappointed with the professionalism of the manger and staff. This restaurant could be successful but the lack of concern for the customers satisfaction is disheartening. read more

My husband and I had a great experience! Music was a vibe and the food was on point. We had the following: Cornbread Brussels Sprouts Crab fried rice with Salmon ( so good I ordered another one to go) Salmon The service was wonderful and we highly recommend visiting! read more

stay very far away---don't be fooled by the 5 star reviews!!!!! awful service tables had to be propped up with cloth napkins owner doesn't take responsibility for lack of customer service long wait for food read more

They hate white people, i was racially profiled and my whole group. Do not go here if you are white they will not serve you. Took 30 minutes to even get menus and no server came even after that for another 30 we had to leave when everyone who came after us all got menus and served within 5 minutes read more

UPDATE ----TERRIBLE SERVICE. THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO TREAT THEIR CUSTOMERS!!!!!!! Let me be very clear to the owners response about MY experience at the restaurant. It was one of the worst I've had, and his response has only made it worse. Waiting over two hours for food, getting dishes in random order with no explanation, and having to go to the bar ourselves just to get drinks because our server was completely absent is not just a "busy night"--it's a complete breakdown in basic service. What's truly unacceptable is the owner's attempt to downplay this situation and suggest that I'm the problem. His response shows a lack of respect for customers time, money, and experience. We didn't come to your restaurant to be ignored, do the work of your staff, and then be told to just deal with it. This wasn't a minor issue. It was a failure across the board, and your refusal to take responsibility says more than the service itself. If this is how you handle customer concerns, it's no wonder the service fell apart--because clearly, accountability doesn't start at the top. I won't be back. And I'll be making sure others know exactly what to expect if they choose to dine at your establishment. I booked two reservations 45 minutes apart for my family. Paid a $50 refundable fee for each reservation. I did not request any special accommodations. Our expectation was that we wouldn't be seated together. We've done this numerous times at other restaurants. But at Avenue I was told that the 2nd refundable would not be applied to the reservation because "people" split their reservation up to avoid the $100 non refundable deposit. Avenue Blue set us at 2 tables next to each other and not at our request. The 2nd party of my family arrived. We spent money at the bar. Waited over 2 hours for our food and was asked to be patient because they had a bus load of people in. But the manager would not apply a $50 refundable fee to our reservation which is their policy to do so. Bad business. Me and my family won't be back and I will spread the word about the awful service and the long wait to receive your food. We also had to go to the bar ourselves to get a drink. Our waitress did not take those orders. read more

First time visit to celebrate my sisters birthday and was not disappointed. This Thursday we (7) arrived at 6pm. Greeted by hostess Tanisha whom also was our server. Our server was so attentive, knowledgeable and helpful. The food (egg rolls, wings. Crab fried rice, tempura shrimp) was on point as well as our drinks! The ambience was very nice and the music was at a level in which a conversation could be heard, thank you! This is definitely a spot that I will return for happy hour with friends. read more

Very popular place we got there at 1:30 and parking lot was already packed. Nick the bartender was so nice and attentive. Food took a little long ( they were busy) but was worth the wait . Everything was delicious . The cornbread and grits were perfection. Lamb soft and flavorful . Music was at the perfect level , played a great combination of old and new read more

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Had the opportunity to eat here for brunch, and the food here was amazing! I had the Biggie Breakfast and EVERYTHING on the plate was delicious! I like the vibe of the restaurant and how they pay homage to the culture through the unique artwork they have displayed! The staff was very friendly and the manager on duty today was on top of it! I can't wait to go back to try additional Mr I items! read more

Avenue Blu - Biggie Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs, Cognac Cornbread, Grilled Lamb chops, and Cheese Grits - Southern Near Me - Tampa Bay, Florida

I came in just for drinks, but ended up staying for the amazing appetizers too! The chop cheese egg rolls and bourbon wings were absolutely delicious. The service was top-notch, and Obi was hands down the best bartender all around . My strawberry lemon drop was so good I tried mango as well . Great food, great drinks, great service -- I'll definitely be back! read more

Pros Live Dj Good vibes Very accommodating Friendly staff Food is tasty Cons Parking is horrible Music is too loud on the outside Overpriced Chaotic/unorganized Not enough cooks Horrible wait time Party of 5 arrived at 5 pm; the first serving came out at 6:30 pm. We were served 15-20 minutes apart, so we could not eat together. There were many servers and not enough people cooking. This restaurant has lots of potential if a little more organized. We tried the blackened snapper, stuffed snapper, oxtail pasta, and cornbread, which were very tasty. However, I would not recommend this place due to the price, wait time, and disorganization. Lemonade for $8, not homemade, and $2 ice tea for $6 is bizarre. read more

Food was good, drinks were ok. Cons; service is dreadful, very very slow, took forever to get drinks, hookah lasted about 10 minutes. The place wasn't even that busy. Need new bartenders or more of them, hookah person needs to learn how to make a bowl read more