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Friendly Tarpon Tavern

4.3 (25 reviews)
InexpensiveDive Bars, Sports Bars
Open • 11:30 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)
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Friendly Tarpon Tavern Photos

Business Info

FRIENDLY TARPON TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Divey
Live music
Good for groups
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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8 months ago

Business owner information

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Friendly Tarpon T.

Thank you for coming by!

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10 months ago

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Friendly Tarpon T.

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2 months ago

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

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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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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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

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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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Photo of Todd C.
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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(331 reviews)
4.8 mi•West Tampa
•$$
Outdoor seating
Full bar

We came here to watch USA play in the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the vibes are amazing. The food?…read moreDelicious. The service? Top notch. Overall, this is a great spot for piping hot food and a good time. I recommend bringing your group here for a fun evening and they have most big sporting events playing on their TVs. I would highly recommend.

Great food, atmosphere and excellent customer service. All top notch in my opinion. Me and my wife…read morelike trying new restaurants every weekend and this one was an excellent choice. It's kinda like a sports bar, which is the best way I can describe it but it's not overkill. They have indoor and outdoor seating and a bar inside and out. We had our pups with us and fyi they are very dog friendly. We both decided on a breakfast burger while I ordered onion strings and my wife had fries with hers. I had some delicious sweet tea and my wife had soda water with limes. The had chicken bowls for the pups that came with a lot of chicken. The service was beyond amazing, our server was always there when we needed her and she check on us a lot but not overkill. It was mid afternoon on a Saturday but although it was fairly busy it was loud. The manager came over and talked to us for a few minutes and he was very pleasant. I don't remember his name or our servers name but the entire staff seemed happy to be there. This business is near the stadium surrounded by a lot of businesses, so use your gps to locate it. I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I strongly recommend it.

Photos
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(102 reviews)
4.4 mi•Downtown Tampa
•$$

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.

Was expecting a run of the mill sports bar. Far from it, lunch time and not too crowded and very…read moregood service. Seated without a wait, as well as the server was there with menus and drink orders. Had the Cuban and very tasty and toasty bread. I am not a fan of Pulled Pork and what was with Salami? Great portion and price point. Would go back as my friend had a Sloppy Joe and it looked great.

Photos
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.

Let me set the scene: it's a Friday night, and the only thing on my agenda is to consume food with…read morea few friends and their kids hanging with the family. So naturally, we decided to summon the mighty powers of Uber Eats and order from the legendary Bellmare Saloon. The moment the doorbell rang, I felt like I just won a food lottery. I've ordered a spread that could feed a small army: Cuban egg rolls and tacos that are about to change my life. First up, the Cuban egg rolls. These little bundles of joy are so good they should come with a warning label: "May cause spontaneous happy dances." It's as if the culinary gods took all the deliciousness of a Cuban sandwich, rolled it up, and decided, "Why not? Let's make it an egg roll!" The crispy exterior gave way to a savory, meaty filling that hit me right in the nostalgia and the taste buds. I grabbed one and suddenly felt like I was at a Miami street party--complete with the salsa music in my head. Now, onto the tacos. These aren't just tacos; they're an adult party in a tortilla. I ordered three different kinds, thinking I could share (who was I kidding?). The carne asada was marinated better than I ever am on a Friday night. And those toppings? Fresh salsa, creamy avocado, and a sprinkle of queso that would make even the dullest of evenings sparkle like a disco ball. I was practically in a food romance; I savored every bite like I was saying goodbye to an old friend. You know the feeling of regret after polishing off an entire pizza alone? Well, I had absolutely zero of that after my Bellmare order. I felt like I'd achieved something beautiful and triumphant, like I just unlocked a new level in the game of life. And let's not forget my delivery hero from Uber Eats, who arrived with a grin like they were my food fairy godparent. If only they could magically whisk away the dishes afterward! So, to anyone contemplating whether they should dive into the deliciousness of Bellmare Saloon via Uber Eats: stop deliberating, hit that order button, and prepare to embark on a flavor adventure that could easily become part of your adulting highlights reel. In the great words of taco connoisseurs everywhere: life's too short for bland food. Treat yourself, and may your weekends be filled with Cuban egg rolls and tacos that don't judge you for not sharing!

Photos
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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