Now that I have experienced Downtown Crawlers events in both Downtown Tampa, and their newer…read moreDowntown St Pete route, I really enjoy this concept! Using charter transportation to 4-5 bars/restaurants, with a free shot at each stop, this is a fun way to check out several places that I may not have found on my own. I do wish mingling was better promoted; we met a few people at both events, yet I didn't feel like it was easy for those of us more introverted types.
My first experience was in August, after receiving free tickets from Yelp for Downtown Crawlers' Tampa event (last Sat. of the month). Check in was at Franklin Manor, & we found the table quite easily. Markus & Thomas were very friendly, and took a minute to greet us & thank us for coming. For this event, shot tickets were distributed as we exited the bus at each stop so we only received the ticket for Franklin Manor at check in. The shot here was a Green Tea shot & tasted freshly made. I also tried the Manor Frosé, which was fantastic, but pricey.
The next stop was Yoeman's Cask & Lion, which was the only restaurant on the schedule that I'd previously visited. After our shot, which was also made fresh, I had a Bowie cocktail (of course!), and we split an order of Churchill Crisps (fried sliced potatoes) served with ranch & gravy. We sat in the open-air bar area, because the inside dining area was packed with Downtown Crawlers & bar games. At one point, Markus came by & asked how we were enjoying ourselves, which was very welcoming.
Our 3rd stop was District Tavern in Channelside. The shots tasted pre-made here, but I also enjoyed an excellent Bloody Mary. Stop #4 was Rock Brothers Brewing in Ybor, where I ordered a great beer flight; I don't remember having a shot there. This was definitely one of the places I may not have found on my own, and I intend to return.
We ended the day at Pokey's, close to where we began. I really enjoyed the ambiance, although the shots weren't good. We ordered the Paul Mac Cartney Sandwich, which was huge & delicious. I also want to visit Pokey's again soon, as I really liked the vibe here.
Since we'd had so much fun in Tampa, when I saw Downtown Crawlers offering their February Downtown St Pete event (3rd Sat. of the month) for free, hubs & I decided to go again. Check-in was a bit confusing at Park & Rec, as the table was by the exit, and this large restaurant has two distinct bar areas separated by a patio, & a bunch of outdoor games in front. For this event, we received all of our shot tickets at check in. We also learned that our 2nd stop would be Pour Taproom, where we'd receive a 15% discount in lieu of a shot.
While at Park & Rec, hubs & I each had a beer along with our yummy free shot. Our bartender suggested a beer for him, & served both with appropriate fruit slices. Then we found a few Yelpers! Alicia P was with her friend Lisa R, and Joyce X was with her man Adam. As a result, I found the Downtown Crawlers experience exponentially more fun with a small group of six. We chose to wait for the trolley as our transportation, which was a great alternative to the charter/party bus.
At stop #2, Pour Taproom, we encountered a long queue streaming out the door. Unsure of why, I waited in line until reaching the counter inside, while hubs & Lisa R saved us a table outside. Since I'd never been here, I didn't realize the necessity of getting a wristband to access the self-serve beers & wines. Hopefully, the process for distributing wristbands to 100+ people can be better streamlined in the future. I found the beer prices per ounce to be reasonable, so in spite of drinking as many samples as fast as we could, hubs & I saved less than $3 with our 15% discount.
Next stop was Grateful Fed, which is at the base of a large apartment complex across from Tropicana Field. I had no idea this restaurant was here, nor would I have found it on my own. Sadly, the wait at the bar was ridiculous, & a couple of people at our table almost missed the trolley because their wings took more than 30min following a long wait to order. But we also split a chicken quesadilla that was outstanding! The free shot however was horrific. I had a decent buzz at this point, & still couldn't force myself to finish this gross excuse of a shot. Yet, the specialty cocktail hubs chose for me was yummy!
Our final stop was Hofbräuhaus, near where we started. The free shot was just OK. And unfortunately, they were unprepared for us, as we waited over 50 minutes to eat. That said, our food & beers were delicious! The festive atmosphere here was awesome & I want to visit again.
I would do either city's event again, but more likely Tampa as the venues were spread out & not walkable. For me, that is a huge perk of Downtown Crawlers. The DTSP stops were so close together that I could've walked on my own. But, the curation of bars & restaurants for each city's event should not be discounted, & because of that, I thoroughly enjoyed myself at every venue.
