1. Friendly Tarpon Tavern

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Tampa, FL

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Friendly Tarpon Tavern

4.3 (25 reviews)
InexpensiveDive Bars, Sports Bars
Closed • 11:30 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

Friendly Tarpon Tavern Photos

Business Info

FRIENDLY TARPON TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Live music
Divey
Happy hour specials
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Friendly Tarpon Tavern

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Hot dog and tots
Chelsea O.

Friendly Tarpon is a true hidden gem dive bar in Tampa. It's got everything you want in a no-frills spot--pool tables, darts, table games, and just the right amount of grit. The bartenders are always extremely friendly and keep the vibe laid-back and welcoming. As far as bar food goes, the hot dog is a top-tier glizzy--simple, classic, and surprisingly legit. Perfect place to kick back, play a few games, and enjoy a solid dog and a cold drink.

Orlando M.

Great Friendly Tarpon atmosphere. Definitely one of the best pizza I've had in Tampa. Nice a crunchy. Service and beers are great!

Lori S.

Wonderful, laid back atmosphere, nicely decorated, friendly owners and server, great chips and queso, delicious rum and juice concoction, really good music

a can of lagunha lite
Brad S.

Maybe youve passed by this place on Gandy Blvd in South Tampa a million times. Next time, stop in. Its a great fun bar. Not exactly a dive, but with a similar feel. Its very clean and smoke free. The inside is warm and woody. There is a cool back patio where you can relax and watch games, if thats your thing. Not mine. The bartenders are all old school. The drinks are strong and prices are low. Restrooms are clean. Parking in front is tight. But apparently you can park next door at ABC Liquor and not get towed. There is live music on weekends to enhance the overall vibe.

Sharing a good time watching college football with family!

LOVE... small, local bars! This one has promise... it thankfully changed owners and now is getting a makeover. Reasonable beer and wine prices... bar bites as well! J.j. and Katie (bartenders) are super sweet and fun!!! Pool table, darts and a small stage in back for live music.. and of course T.V.'s ... inside and outside.... Go by and check it out... you may want to be one a regular... I do!!

a can of beer and a surfboard

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3 months ago

My favorite local bar! Everyone is so down to earth and different social events each day.

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8 months ago

Business owner information

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Friendly Tarpon T.

Thank you for coming by!

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11 months ago

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Friendly Tarpon T.

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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Friendly Tarpon T.

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2 years ago

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Friendly Tarpon T.

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2 years ago

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Friendly Tarpon T.

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4 years ago

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5 years ago

Helpful 3
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3 years ago

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Friendly Tarpon T.

Thank you, Laura! We are glad you are one of our regulars :)

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3 years ago

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Friendly Tarpon T.

Thank you! Glad to hear you will be back. Come see us anytime!

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6 years ago

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2 years ago

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Friendly Tarpon T.

Thank you so much for coming!

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

Great place to drop in, hang out and watch football! Indoor has a fun vibe and outdoor porch with tvs and a stage for local live music.

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Friendly Tarpon T.

Thanks, Laura Jane!

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5 years ago

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5 years ago

Awesome owner and staff, reasonably priced drinks, great music and sports on all TV's...my favorite!

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9 years ago

Helpful 2
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7 years ago

Helpful 8
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6 years ago

Great place to watch football. You can sit outside and watch the games. Good prices and friendly people and excellent service.

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9 years ago

Friendliest beer joint in the Gandy area. Rays game is always on. Cold beer and pet friendly. Cheers to that!

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8 years ago

Great bar, excellent staff that will take care of their patrons! A must go if you like dive bars with character.

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9 years ago

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8 years ago

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Ask the Community - Friendly Tarpon Tavern

Review Highlights - Friendly Tarpon Tavern

“As first time customers at Barefoot Billy's, we cannot say and thank you enough for showing our group a great time and making us feel right at home.”

Mentioned in 3 reviews

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Riveters Tampa - Riveters at Night

Riveters Tampa

4.3(334 reviews)
4.8 mi•West Tampa
•$$
Outdoor seating
Full bar

I came and I conquered attending the pre-game festivities for the Tampa Bay/Minnesota game in…read moreSeptember (all the way from Minnesota). It was noted online that this is the place for Viking fans to meet up and the Vikings fans did not disappoint. They showed up in droves ready to pre-game, eat, and cheer for their team. The staff on the other hand were not as prepared and/or staffed accordingly. We did try to put our name down for a table but by the time we got called we finally found 2 stools at the bar. The staff was pulled in so many directions but they all handled it like champions and everyone was so polite. We had Christina and another lovely bartender (cute petite blonde) on our end closer by the entrance that helped in that corner around mid-day. One of the bartenders says she has never seen it as busy as that day in the 3 years she worked here. Wow! Go Bikes Go! I had a bunch of sun cruisers until they ran out of those and then I went to surfsides. They are so delish and my new fav drink at a bar. They also ran out of Coors Lights at one point as well as Miller Lites. We also ordered food. I had the dry rub wings and they were to die for. Some of the best wings I've ever had in my life...no joke! Sorry I ate before my phone ate.

We stopped at Riveters for lunch after landing at TPA and had a really good experience. Parking…read moretook us a minute to figure out since there isn't really a dedicated parking lot, but once we got inside, everything was easy. It's a cute place, the service was good, and our food came out quickly. Everything we ordered was good, and it made for an easy first stop after getting into town. We'd definitely consider coming back.

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Riveters Tampa
Riveters Tampa - Lots of TVs

Lots of TVs

Riveters Tampa - Inside bar area.

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Inside bar area.

Top Shelf Sports Lounge - Top Shelf Breakfast Burger available for brunch in downtown Tampa

Top Shelf Sports Lounge

4.3(104 reviews)
4.4 mi•Downtown Tampa
•$$

Great wedge here, just add the blackened chicken and you've got yourself a quick lunch. Go the…read moredistance with stuffed blue cheese olive martinis and a Cesar too for dinner. The service could be a little more attentive but that's what happens in downtown during lunch. The play all different games on the TVs here and there trivia nights certain days of the week. I participated and won! Great little spot away from work.

Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3pm-7pm Late Night Happy Hour…read moreSunday - Thursday 10pm-Close Taco Tuesday - 4pm-Close Wing Wednesday - 25% off wings; All draft beers $5 Wednesday's Trivia night starts at 7:30pm Ladies Night - Monday & Thursday 6pm-close Live music last Friday of the month 6pm-9pm Sundays 50% off your bill for first responders, nurses, teachers, military, & restaurant workers Ok, now I listed off most of the specials on the big sign right before walking in. However, I've been pretty underwhelmed every time I've come here. I really want to love their wings, but Hattricks is just in another stratosphere compared to everywhere else in Tampa Bay. I got 16 wings for $30 - 25% = $22.50 and I had half "soon to be famous" and half garlic parmesan. I thought both were just okay at best. I also tried at $14 dirty martini. It was pretty standard. And I tried the $15 espresso martini. I would not order an espresso martini here again. I enjoyed playing trivia and there are a bunch of TV's to watch a game. I guess I need to try something here other than wings. I don't know every time I come here I always wonder why I'm not at Hattricks instead. Automatic 20% tip added onto your bill if you forget to close out.

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Top Shelf Sports Lounge - Seating

Seating

Top Shelf Sports Lounge - Soon to be famous grilled wings

Soon to be famous grilled wings

Top Shelf Sports Lounge - Top Shelf Breakfast Burger available for brunch in downtown Tampa

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Top Shelf Breakfast Burger available for brunch in downtown Tampa

Bel Mar Saloon - EXTRA SAUCY!

Bel Mar Saloon

4.2(97 reviews)
1.9 mi•South Tampa
•$$

We came here on a Sunday for brunch to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday. Knowing that our group…read morecan be a little "extra", we phoned in ahead of time to give them a heads up to prepare. By the time that we arrived, they had a table already prepared for us. The room was smaller than I expected, but overall, we were comfortable. Bel-Mar Bar and Grill offers a weekend brunch menu, as well as a daily lunch menu. What really piqued my interest was the $12 bottomless Mimosas, Bloody Mary and Sangria special. Like a true champion, our waitress kept the Mimosas full by the pitcher and was very quick and accommodating during our entire visit. We came hungry and it didn't take long to bury the lone cook in the kitchen. I ordered a burger with bacon and a fried egg. Hands down, this burger was worth the extended wait. It was HUGE and fresh. Definitely I'll be back for that alone. We ordered some Cuban egg rolls, but not enough, they were gone right after they were brought to the table. We also ordered some nachos, then even received an extra order as a courtesy because of the delays in the kitchen. We also shared a large plate of garlic parmesan chicken wings. I typically tend to sway towards baked or grilled wings in lieu of the fried variety, but to my delight, these were delicious as well. My girlfriend ordered the chicken and waffles. They were good, but probably a little too sweet for her. The chicken was decidedly spicy, but not too overpowering. My daughter ordered the cheese quesadillas with ground beef topping. I'm pretty sure that she was licking the plate just after taking her last bite. Overall, I was very impressed by the food coming out of the kitchen. Everything was consistent and no shortcuts seemed to have been taken. The serving sizes were generous and by the end, we had a fantastic meal. After all of the food was on the table, the cook came out to apologize for the food delays. We all have him kudos instead. Keep up the great work! I work in the south Tampa area frequently. I think I'm going to keep this one on my radar the next time I'm in the area for lunch. Pro Tip: Check in on Yelp for 25% off your entire order.

Good sports bar with bar food at a fair price. You can dine in, pick up, or have delivered via food…read moredelivery apps. There are seating options indoors and outdoors with plenty of tvs on at all times. The table shared the Famous Matt's Mix wings, which are wings seasoned with a mix of garlic parmesan, hot (buffalo sauce), and cajun seasonings/sauces. They mostly take like buffalo with parmesan cheese but are good. For my main I had the philly cheesesteak with curly fries. It was alright but not my favorite. The cheesesteak was small and the cheese was hard/ dried out. It left me feeling hungry and I ended up ordering more food to go with my dinner. I've previously had the quesadillas and wraps and would recommend those over the cheesesteak; specially the blackened chicken quesadilla and the chicken caesar wrap. When I arrived and checked in on Yelp I was surprised to find a 25% off offer which was very nice.

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Bel Mar Saloon - Exterior Sign

Exterior Sign

Bel Mar Saloon - Philly cheesesteak

Philly cheesesteak

Bel Mar Saloon - Matts Famous Mix (Buffalo, garlic parm & Cajun) Bone in Wings

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Matts Famous Mix (Buffalo, garlic parm & Cajun) Bone in Wings

Friendly Tarpon Tavern - divebars - Updated October 2026

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