The vibes are there 100%. Cocktails were pretty okay,…read morenothing super great or crazy but still a solid drink. Fries were delicious with the herb salt on them and of course the dipping! But go for the ambiance.

I really like this spot overall...Alter Ego has smaller, moody dark vibes that feel super cool,…read morewith good cocktails and great music. It's got that all-around fun, energetic atmosphere that makes it a solid choice for drinks. Not sure how it is during the week, but it would make for a fun date night spot to grab some cocktails. That said, I had a real hang-up the last time I went with my girlfriend around Christmas. They tried to hit us with a $10 cover just to get in, on top of $15-20 cocktails. I don't mind paying for a nice spot, but the cover felt absurd, especially since it wasn't even busy. The bouncer said we could make a reservation to avoid it, so I did...and then he made us stand outside forever before letting us in. At that point, we should've just left, but since my friend had never been, we stuck it out to try the themed Christmas cocktails. Once inside, there was a two-drink minimum per person, which is kind of crazy. It feels like they jip you either way...cover or no cover, minimum spend or not. While waiting outside (for no real reason, since it was empty), we chatted with a party of six who came straight from Ash (the sister restaurant upstairs). They'd just spent over $1,000 on their meal and were still getting charged a cover to enter Alter Ego. That's poor business, don't force extra fees to guarantee money when good music, drinks, and vibes should bring people in naturally and make them want to spend. There's plenty of places on Water Street with great (and I'd say better) cocktails where you're not forced into minimums or covers. The Christmas cocktail menu was disappointing too, poor selections and way too sugary. Love the potential here, but the strict policies really turned me off and made me want to go elsewhere next time.

Great service the bar tender made me mezcal last word. It was amazing. My friend ordered the…read morechocolate cake. Highly recommend pairing it with the espresso martini. The decor is so cute with all the green trees. We loved being able to play pool on the yellow pool table.

The perfect after dinner dessert pairing: espresso martini & chocolate cake…read more The best espresso martini Milagro resposado tequila ever! Located inside The Edition, the far back hotel bar surrounded by lush green plants. Ordered with a slice of the chocolate ganache cake. Comes with fruit garnish on the side. Entire cake is literally creamy truffle ganache but not as soft as mousse. Tastes just like a huge portion of the inside of a gigantic decadent creamy chocolate truffle ball... the best part of any truffle ball! After spending several hours on a roof top pool, dinner at Boulon with a couple of friends, we meandered here. While I was scarfing down this ganache cake, they were playing a few rounds of pool. The service is professional & spectacular. The interior is like a green plant conservatory, spa vibe scents.

The ambience of this place is wonderful - sort of a dark and velvety speakeasy…read more The cocktails are themed to North America, with different options themed to the US, Mexico, and Canada. We tried a handful of items from all three menus - the standouts were the Jalisco and Ontario. All items were highly inventive. Service was extremely attentive. We were welcomed promptly, offered a (non-alcoholic) welcome drink, and given a walkthrough of the menu with special attention given to items that align with our tastes. This is a fun spot, I'm sure we'll be back.

The punch room is gorgeous!! I love the velvet! Drinks and service are always spot on. This is a…read moregreat pre or post dinner spot. Very romantic.

This is our spot! Love the sushi at Arts Club. The cocktails are so unique and always done well…read more One is my favorites is called White Lotus. We love the ambiance and DJs in the Red Room. Alex is the best server! Thank you for always being so friendly and making us feel welcome. We love taking friends here and always enjoy nights spent here.

Now this place is interesting... located at the Edition Hotel on Water St. it's located at the top…read moreof the curved stairs. It's an intimate, sexy setting. Very velvety and silky. The DJ was the highlight for me. Somehow he mixed urban with techno and it was a little bit of everything for every personality -- I loved it. The food and drinks were my LEAST favorite thing about the place, but I would surprisingly go back on a date or a cute night out with some my boo to enjoy the intimate vibes. This place is EXPENSIVE! $28 for a French 75 -- so correction, the price was my least favorite thing about this place. So along as you have a good budget, you should be good.

The bartenders really know what they're doing at Hotel Bar! I'm not usually a dirty martini person,…read morebut one of them took the time to ease me into it with just a slightly dirty version! You can tell they're skilled and actually care about your experience, not just making drinks. Oh and they have bar snacks now! It's not included with your drinks like in Europe. You have to order separately and they come in the most adorable tray for $5! The music is always on point, which honestly makes a huge difference in the overall vibe. Also, I love their hours...it's one of those places you can count on when you're not ready for the night to end.

From the moment I walked in, I was treated like I wasn't wanted there. No greeting, no attempt to…read moretake my order, and no basic customer service whatsoever. I tried to be polite and patient, but the staff was rude from the very beginning and made it clear they didn't want to serve me. To make it worse, I was kicked out for absolutely no reason. They claimed I "argued" with them, which is completely false. I never raised my voice or caused an issue--I was simply responding to their hostility. Instead of owning their behavior, they chose to make something up and remove me. I've never experienced such unprofessional, disrespectful treatment at a bar. If you're looking for a place where you feel welcome or even acknowledged, this is definitely not it.

What a DOPE, PIRATE THEMED, speakeasy to go to grab some delicious drinks! Totally blown away!…read more Tucked, downtown Tampa you enter through a secret bookcase door and you enter a very low key pirate bar! Lighting is dim, which is part of the concept. (Auto flash is needed for pics) The joint, is VERY CLEAN! The staff is awesome and very attentive! They understand process. The drinks are SOOO WELL MADE! I had a Zombie as my first drink, and it is very well presented and STRONG! I prefer,my first drink at an establishment to be strong cause then I can lighten it up later. Then I had a Rum Barrel, not as strong, but well presented and delicious! Note: Prices for drinks are worth every dime! They have a small food menu, but everything on the menu looked delicious, but I did not eat there. This speakeasy is attached to a British pub which I went for food after. (Review to come) All-in-all great spot to come and have a drink you are well treated, appreciated and just a fun experience! I will DEFINITELY come back here for a delicious drink and DEFINITELY will try something off the food menu. I'll just make sure next time I won't go there after a big breakfast lol! Five stars alllllll day long!!!

These are the coolest places in Fla. Secret cryptic entrances with a speakeasy like ambiance…read more Hidden passages and a clear throwback to the days of prohibition. With all that was going on, it's a wonder we could find the exit after all the drinks. The pirate theme was the caveat. A perfectly dimmed atmosphere and willing performers that can conjure up delicious delights. The red light and point on music only enhanced the experience. Plenty of signature drinks, a dozen different beers and even a few dishes are offered. They stir a nice whiskey sour. It's really what suits your fancy. Fear not. They have mocktails, too! 12/25

Stopped out here for a quick lunch on water street as it's been in my cross hairs for some time…read morenow, so glad I did! Tried a few quick bites a first for the oysters as well as the fried pickles, hands down the oysters were the best part, only complaint is there was only 3! Since I wasn't super hungry after that I just got the Cuban sandwich which, I have no complaints about. Bread was tasty and the flavor overall hit the spot! They had manhattans on the menu so I gave that a go, it wasn't exactly what I would expect for a manhattan as it was too sweet, but that's okay still good enough to drink! They do have large ice for my old fashioned friends if interested for an upcharge. One thing I didn't expect of this restaurant was how huge it really is, multiple dining rooms as well as outdoor seating. You shouldn't have any issue getting a table but can always reserve to be sure! Overall happy with the experience and would certainly go again

My group and I visited Tampa for the BTS concert (of course) and were searching for a brunch place…read morethat served oysters. We went on a Saturday, which was bustling with people (always a good sign), so I recommend making a reservation beforehand. The food overall was as good as breakfast foods can get. It was good, but nothing out of the ordinary or anything so unique that made me want to come here again for brunch. The same sentiment goes for the oysters that we had. This restaurant does not do MP and has a fixed price of $13 for 3 oysters. The sizing of the oysters was on the small side, so it was a bit pricey, but our waitress offered to let us organize them by the regions in which they came from, so that was a nice touch. They were extremely fresh and very delicious. Now, we ordered the Thai Curry Mussels as an appetizer, but it stole the show. Easily the best dish in our spread. The curry sauce was seasoned perfectly, with a hint of sweetness from the bell peppers and saltiness from the mussels. It was the perfect combination of flavors. It is paired with a soft, buttery garlic bread that soaks up the curry quite well. The sauce was so delicious that we asked our waitress for some more bread to finish the sauce off! I would solely come back to this restaurant for this appetizer alone. Overall, the ambiance of the area was very nicely decorated, and the restaurant had soft lighting with large windows to let the sun come through. Our waitress, Cassidy, did a wonderful job. She was very attentive and definitely elevated our experience. + GET THE THAI CURRY MUSSELS, Y'ALL!!!

Boulon is by far one of my favorite restaurants in Downtown Tampa. The ambience is 10/10. The…read morerestaurant has something for everyone. If you want a relaxed time, a weekend brunch or week night dinner is for you. If you want an eventful night out, Friday or Saturday night is for you. The service is always 10/10. Similar to the vibes, the food is above and beyond and there is something for everyone. Boulon is constantly refining their menu with fresh and creative new menu offerings so you are bound to find something you like.

Came here for a girls' dinner and had a really nice time overall, but mixed feelings about the…read morefood. I ordered the steak frites and honestly, it didn't hit for me. The steak was a bit dry and pretty chewy, and it lacked flavor. The sauce (some kind of brown pepper sauce) was actually really good though, and the fries were solid. One of my friends ordered the same dish and felt the same way, even though she still cleaned her plate. My other friend got a Caesar salad with shrimp and crab cakes -- both were really good. I'm usually not even a crab cake person, but theirs surprised me in a good way. She said the shrimp was cooked perfectly too. The ambiance is definitely a highlight -- we sat outside on Water Street with nice lighting and a great vibe. Service was good, and the bottle of wine we got was great as well. Overall, we had a great time, I'd just probably try something different on the menu next time.

Ok. For context I'm a foodie and a snob when it comes to restaurants. This place is just plain…read morecool. Little speakeasy. Little high end restaurant. I am also a sucker for egg white drinks. If you've never had one you are not living. Then there is the wine. They have Cade from Howell Mountain. So hard to find and one of the best. I will come back every time I am in town. It is way up there on my lists as I travel.

This post is based on my second visit to this restaurant. My husband and I did enjoy it the first…read moretime around and immediately thought of who to bring for our next visit, which was the reason for this visit. We originally planned on bringing some family here for their anniversary but that plan feel through so we made it into a friends catch up dinner. Right off the back LOVED our server Nimah. She was funny, helpful, and attentive. And they are on top of refilling your water so you will never go thirsty. I'm not much of a drinker, so I don't have much to say on that matter. The ambiance was nice. A lot of eclectic paintings on the walls. And loved the outfits of the servers. Very 20's speakeasy. There is a live jazz band that started performing at 7 pm. They were good but at some points it was a bit difficult to speak and listen to those at your table unless you got really close. My meal hit the spot. We started with a charcuterie board for the table. It had a lot of great options like dried apricots, actual honeycomb pieces, and my most favorite cheese, some Brie cheese. The only thing was there was only 4 pieces of bread, one for each of us, which wasn't enough but I guess it made sense not to fill us up too much. For my main meal I had the sweet potato salad which was very tasty and the sweet potato risotto, which a little spicy kick. The only thing I missed was the Brussels sprouts and potatoes but was told that was from the previous chef. But they serve you enough so you definitely will have left overs. Not a big fan of eating in the lounge areas, those are best just for drinks and maybe desserts. But it's definitely a great place to people watch. You will definitely have a meal and a show no matter what. Hopefully can schedule another time to bring my family because I know they would love it.

Great experience overall. The service was friendly and attentive, and the location is super…read moreconvenient for me to walk to living nearby. Perfect for meeting up or stopping by after work. I just wish the happy hour selection was better and quite small, but the $12 burger and beer deal is great. Expanding the happy hour menu could bring in more business earlier and create a more lively atmosphere before the evening rush. Definitely a solid spot with room to improve.

Lunch with friends at this cute restaurant was lovely. We were going to sit outside, as they have…read moreseveral tables, but it was just too chilly so we ate indoors instead. We were seated at the corner table so we were able to people watch. Our server, Brianna, was super nice and very attentive. I never had to ask her for a refill on my Coke Zero; she just kept them coming! We started with some shareables for the table. Kung Pao Brussel Sprouts which were done just right. We also ordered a half cheese, half pepperoni pizza to share. I've never had a "Columbus-style" pizza before. If you're wondering, the crust is somewhat thinner than most pizzas, but not a thin-crust pizza. The toppings are spread all throughout the pizza to the edge, and then cut it in squares (Tavern style). It was very tasty, with a slightly sweet note. My hubby and I ordered the Cobb Salad (without bacon) which was delicious. I really liked the onions on it. It was very fresh and they served a generous portion. Hubby ate the whole thing, but I had the rest of mine for dinner. So good! Two of our friends ordered the Truffle Mushroom Smash Burger and they loved them. I tried my buddy's tater tots, which he ordered with his French Dip. They were nice and crispy, but could have used some kind of flavoring, like Parmesan or truffle. Doesn't mean I didn't eat them all! LOL. The restaurant looks small when you enter, but in addition to the front dining area and bar, it has two additional dining areas, as you walk towards the back, and another bar. If you find yourself in the Channelside area, you should definitely try out Small Giant.