How cute is this place ??…read more Originally found on Yelp however I was not prepared for such good food nor vibes ! My party and I got the band for unlimited mimosas and buffet style food ... this food was sooo darn flavorful and filling ! The drinks were tasty as well(many options of mixed drinks outside of the mimosa) Staff was pleasant , sweet and professional which you don't see to much of lately in businesses. Cali love ! We will be back and tell everyone all about it ! Thank you for the amazing time !

I happened to stumble across this place while looking for places to have brunch in Tampa. It's a…read morenice urban social restaurant and bar. It has 2 sides. A full service bar and restaurant on one side and a lounge type atmosphere on the other side with a live DJ. They play a variety of rnb and hip hop from old school to modern day. I really had a nice time. The reason only 4 stars was due to the host not being actively present at the reception area when you walk in. He was too busy on the lounge side dropping it like it was hot and helping the bottle girls "hold" the sign. We stood at the host stand upon entry for a while until someone went to get him from the other side. The food was just "ok". For the price of the food I expected more. I had the lemon pepper honey wings and the chicken and French toast. The wings were not cooked through and served in a bowl which made it very difficult to eat. It came with 2 cornbread muffins that were dense and very dry. The French toast was great. I opted for the one with peaches and icing. It was great. It was served with chicken tenders. Again, in a bowl, which made it very difficult to cut, as I had to dig in the bowl. They were ok, a little on the dry side, the breading was falling off but they were edible. The drinks were flowing and the vibe was good. No complaints there. Would I go back??? Yes, I'll probably try something different on the menu. I feel like if the service was a bit better, more attention to detail on the food and the plating of food was different it would have earned 5 stars. But I had an overall nice time.

A unique, one of a kind cafe/tea house/lounge/bar that is not to be missed in Tampa. As the name…read moresuggests, the decor is incredibly spooky, featuring scary statues, pictures that change on the walls, and furniture that looks like it all belongs in a haunted house...all located in renovated former Baptist church. But other than being one scary venue, Spookeasy has food and drinks that are worth hanging around for while you take in the spookiness of the place. A full coffee bar, they already have my name on it, but they also feature sandwiches, snacks, salads, and other bar food. While I came here for a Death Cafe event, I decided to make myself comfortable by getting myself some food and lattes. Thankfully, the place serves up food that makes a visit here worth more than just a quick look around. I got myself a hot marshmallow flavored latte, and a breakfast sandwich. The latte was delicious, and I loved the marshmallow flavor I got with it to give it a more unique taste perfect for winter. It gave me just the right kick while I waited for my event to start. The breakfast sandwich seems simple enough, bacon, eggs, cheese on toast, but each ingredient was thoughtfully prepared to make one filling meal. I can tell the egg is fresh cracked and the bacon was perfectly crispy, all held together by two slices of thick toast. I also loved the fries that came with it, well seasoned with cheese sauce AND melted cheese, so I was pretty occupied and well fed during my meeting. The staff here is great, laid back, and super-friendly to talk to. They have a good vibe about them that makes me want to come back to haunt--er visit them, haha, Death Cafe meeting or not.

Esrom is an absolute standout at Spookeasy Kava Bar…read more We were initially told by the bouncer that we had to leave because there wasn't a place to store my electric scooter. Esrom caught wind of the situation and immediately went out of his way, came outside, and told us he would personally store my scooter so my girlfriend and I could come in and enjoy drinks. That level of care is rare. He didn't have to do that -- but he chose to. On top of that, once we were seated, he brought us games to play and made sure we were having a great time. It's extremely uncommon to see someone who genuinely cares about their job and the customer experience to this extent. Esrom is a huge asset to this establishment, and that kind of hospitality doesn't go unnoticed or forgotten. Because of him, we'll absolutely be back.

I love the castle but they kicked us out an hour early on March 8th because of daylight savings…read moretime. We were hoping for a good time just to be kicked out an hour early because of something out of our control. Frustrating experience.

Immediately upon entering the line, a man with a zipper mouth mask walked past us and was pacing…read morethe line. We got in, it was quite empty to start but got crowded quickly. A mix of individuals, some older people (including one man who looked like a ghoul [trench coat, white hair, pocket wayxh]). Nothing wrong with this, in fact quite interesting, until we saw some soldiers (who appeared to be legit Castle security) walk past us, including one in an SS Nazi uniform. The frat men continued to multiply, and were very loud and obnoxious. In the back was some sort of BDSM spanking exhibit with a man in a furry costume doing the spanking. We stood close to this exhibit as loud "industrial noise" music played. I would akin this music to a spoon banging against a pot. There was a man who appeared to clearly be fent folding amidst the dance floor who proceeded to catch a random girl's twerk... And stared at us with beady eyes. Before going downstairs, I accidentally bumped into someone and he hissed at me, which was interesting. Okay guys, stick with me, we're getting to the best part. After all of these events, we go downstairs to the basement (or dungeon). Pleasurably, they were not playing industrial noise. Actual songs with lyrics! Yay. Early 2000s alternative. The dungeon had a bunk bed sort of set up where many different individuals seemed to be having a sensory break, other than the frat boys who were posing on top of it and flipping off of it. As we continued our observations, we noted two older gay men dressed as a cop and a prisoner. One laid down and the other began dancing right in front of him, akin to some sort of ritual. We soon after spotted a shirtless Marshmello across the room, which was quite exciting. Lots of shirtless men parading around, some with the leashes of their skinny asian girlfriends in hand. Before leaving, we finished up our people watching by observing Lisa from Genshin Impact, Sasuke & Sakura from Naruto, and Inosuke from Demon Slayer enter in highly realistic cosplays. In our state, we could not rationalize that these people were not actually from the show as the DJ conveniently decided to play anime OSTs as they entered. We also believe we spotted Shadow the Hedgehog. Not sure of this. Final note-- the people who would come in and greet each other by dancing at each other. Very interesting and something we had never seen before. It was like witnessing a different reality. To sum up The Castle experience, this is like a place a parent would have a nightmare of their child coming to. Would return!

Loving this bar - just can't stand the smoking inside :/ Seems like all bars in Ybor that do not…read moreserve food allow smoking inside. Ugh! Still love it though, just don't stay as long as- it gets to be too much smoke ‍

One of the best bars i found in ybor always casual always welcome never had a bad time hereread more

Ok, I'm so happy I finally tried this place. The ambiance, the service, the food were all top tier!…read moreThey had live music and he sounded amazing. I can't wait to come back.

Stunning Speakeasy Vibes, but the Menu is Carb-Heavy, the entrance to Madame Fortune is pure magic…read more You enter through a small shop and ring a bell at a hidden bookshelf door--it feels like a true secret spot. The interior is cozy, dark, and incredibly unique. We arrived early while it was still quiet and sat at the bar. Our host/bartender/server, Chanel, took care of us. While she was pleasant, the service felt a bit disorganized and it took quite a while to receive our drinks, which was surprising given how few people were there at the time. The Food: The flavors are definitely there--tasty and with a nice Caribbean kick--but the composition of the dishes left me disappointed. I ordered the Oxtail Shepherd's Pie ($35), and while the flavor was good, it was overwhelmingly mashed potatoes and corn bread. For that price, I expected more than just a few small pieces of oxtail and a tiny portion of cooked greens and onions. The Verdict: If you love carbs and cornbread, you'll be in heaven. However, the menu feels like it needs a modern touch. There is only one salad option, and the meat-to-starch ratio is way off. I'd love to see more protein-focused options and fresh greens added to the menu to balance out the heavy sides. Great for a drink and the "wow" factor of the hidden door, but the value for the food isn't quite there yet. Also a lot of fried food, which I rarely eat.

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.

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.

We had such an incredible experience at this cigar lounge that we had to come back for a second…read morenight! From the moment we walked in the staff was very welcoming and the atmosphere was warm, and relaxing. The drinks were fantastic and well made, the best we had in the city. What really made our experience was the outstanding service, especially Maria. She was bubbly, welcoming, and genuinely kind. She made the experience top notch. Her friendly energy really elevated the entire experience. Every staff we encountered was knowledgeable and friendly, it makes you feel right at home. Between the great drinks, laid back vibe, and great music selection, it's no surprise we came back the next night. Highly recommend for all looking to relax and enjoy a night out with an elevated experience.

Sterling Cigar Lounge is a really lovely place to look over 7th Street while in my case my husband…read morehad a good cigar at a reasonable price, I enjoyed a glass of wine. Our server Gabby was great. Cigar Aficionado has given this gem the best of Ybor twice. Tim and I think Cigar Aficionado should look beyond Ybor when judging Sterling. We visited on a Monday about 5:30 so there was a steady crowd but not packed like I understand it gets. Thanks Gabby!

A cute little rooftop bar with the entrance hidden away in the Bulla Gastrobar Restaurant. It's got…read moresomewhat of a view of Tampa and has relaxed, low-set tables to lounge on while you sip and chat. Can get relatively busy after the 5pm workday, but I do like how they offer happy hour. I ended up getting the Sangria Blanca and the Bougie Palmer this time around. The sangria was light and refreshing, not overly sweet like how other white wine sangrias can be. I like how they added berries in it to add a decorative touch. The palmer was well-balanced and more citrus-y than it was fruity. Also pretty refreshing for a hot day. I've noticed in general that most of the drinks here are mixed well; they don't err on being too sweet or too strong, just well-balanced with the flavors not trying hard to dominate one another in the drinks.

Great, chill rooftop bar on top of Bulla! The bartender made some really great margaritas!read more

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