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Joy Bar

3.9 (21 reviews)
Closed • 5:00 pm - 3:00 am (Next day)

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JOY BAR ATMOSPHERE

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Recommended Reviews - Joy Bar

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Jenga
Melissa E.

A year round Christmas bar, I came the first time as part of Yelp event and returned with some friends a couple years later. I love the decor and fun of this dive bar and played some Jenga while hanging out with friends! Drinks are all bottle or mixed but good prices and my only complaint is the bathroom which was pretty close to unusable.

Boon C.

Great place to host event and drink. The bar has 365 day's Christmas decorations. The eye dizzy Christmas lights that make it unique. This bar has jingle games, pool tables, dart game and more. The round bar is great for single independent visit. I have the Kentucky Blanton Gold Edition bourbon. It is rare to be found. They also run the special flight on the wall like Santa Lap, Best wrapper alive, and more. I enjoy my time there. If you looking for collected Kentucky bourbon, this is the place.

This way, "you filthy animals"...
Jennifer B.

Four calling birds, three French hens, two dollar drinks"... fa la la la la! What a fun place to make merry with friends. Nobody's a "misfit" in this festive Christmas themed bar (though you might spot several "Yukon Cornelius" lookalikes-or maybe the "Wet Bandits"). Located on Armenia, just north of Sligh, not far from ZooTampa... it's an unassuming place, with a liquor store next door. There's a little parking lot-and I'm told you'll get towed if you park in the shopping center across the street-so you might want to carpool, take a ride share or get a lift from Santa (I think there's room to land "up on the housetop.") When we first walked in-letting sunlight stream in, it felt like everyone turned to stare-and it was so quiet, there could have been maybe a record scratch in the background. But we were greeted with smiles and so many twinkle lights-Clark Griswold approved. It's easy to see this place packs both comfort *and joy. There are definitely regulars-but everyone was very welcoming. There's a pool table, darts, beer pong, a Claw machine and holiday touches everywhere... including some intriguing shots ( like Santa's Lap) You can imagine Rudolph and the boys hanging out here after their big run. We didn't get to hang out long, but it was definitely fun-with Touch Tunes going and a good conversation spot-under Santa's watchful eye. I don't think they serve food, but there's a vending machine and we saw people bring in Taco Bell. (Jingle those taco bells!) You don't have to be an elf to get in... but you'll feel all kinds of jolly once you do-and not just because of the four-sided bar, or the spinning "wheel of joy." (Spin for a shot) Go try it out... yule (!) be glad you did.

Merry and mingle at Joy Bar
LaToya L.

Joy Bar is everything. I enjoyed the Christmas themed dive bar. Every corner was filled with Christmas cheer. If you enjoy Christmas cheer then Joy Bar is your place. As the spirits were flowing, the cheer was growing. Go visit Joy Bar for Christmas 365

In the bathroom
Rebecca G.

Like many other people, we heard about this new "Christmas" bar so we had to check it out. I would describe it as a local dive bar that needed to add a theme so they could bring in curious people like us to make the rent. Nothing wrong with that, just know what to expect. I personally like dive bars so I was fine with it but it isn't like an overall all encompassing Christmas experience. They do have really cheap drinks, which is good and the bartender was super nice and polite. Our group had fun because we went as a group after an early dinner so I would recommend going with a group. The parking lot is very small so be aware of theat when you go. Maybe caepool or uber here. There are also signs in the grocery store lot across the street that they tow. There is a taco food truck in the lot next to it so you could also get food there. Feliz Navidad!

Marquese C.

Merry Christmas 365 days of the year here at Joy Bar. This is a really unique bar with pretty good drinks and a merry ambiance! Super nice and polite staff. No food is sold here but there is a Little Caesar's across the street if you are hungry. Parking is scarce but there is a huge parking lot across the street. Be careful crossing the street because there is no dedicated cross walk. Stop in and check Joy Bar out if in the area!

Pool table
Bridgette S.

I love a good gimmick and that is exactly what this is. I love the theme (who wouldn't) and I love the decoration. This is a well lit dive bar with a ton of whiskey and bourbon options. They are connected to a package/liquor store so you can get almost anything that tickles your fancy. They keep it nice and cold but the smell of cigarettes is in the air. The parking lot is a bit tight but it doesn't get too terribly busy on weeknights or during happy hour. The bartender I've seen there twice in a row is very nice and chatty. I cannot wait to come back in December to try their themed Christmas drinks that I simply cannot stomach in the summer or fall. One fun tip- if you get hungry, go ahead and stumble over to the taco truck called Las Tacos Californias- delish!

Pool tables area
Kenz T.

Joy Bar is definitely one of my favorite local places to enjoy some good time with friends. The vibrant theme and decorative atmosphere makes this place a unique experience. They give you lots of different activities throughout the bar to enjoy yourself while they provide an amazing service. As in any bar; you can ask for whatever you want, but they specialize themselves in bourbon and whiskey, and count with signature shots that are delicious. If you go there, ask for the "Santa's Lap" ;)

More fun stuff
Heather D.

Love this dive bar. It is now a Chtistmas themed dive bar...and we are here for it! The decor is fun...lots of holiday themed shots...a $2 dice roll Mystery shot game...pool tables...Xmas beer pong...claw machine...and literally every person inside singing along to 90s songs on TouchTunes. The bartender was great and was laughing right along with us. I heard they would stay Christmas themed permanently. I really hope so. We really had so much fun and love this option in the neighborhood.

Bar interior

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15 days ago

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2 months ago

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10 months ago

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8 months ago

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Trey L.

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11 months ago

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Trey L.

Dive bar bathroom! Thanks for coming in!

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10 months ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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Trey L.

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8 months ago

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9 months ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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Trey L.

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3 years ago

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Trey L.

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2 years ago

Rumors are true. This bar is fun. Great drink prices, fun people and friendly staff.

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11 years ago

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8 years ago

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8 years ago

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Ask the Community - Joy Bar

Review Highlights - Joy Bar

“They're a Christmas themed whiskey bar (365 days a year!), and they also have an incredible whiskey selection.”

Mentioned in 7 reviews

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The Hub Bar

4.0(171 reviews)
4.5 mi•Downtown Tampa
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Stiff drinks, mediocre service and a smelly atmosphere. What more could you ask for from Downtown…read moreTampa's iconic dive bar? It's perfect. Local bands, loud mouths, random strangers leaving drawings on napkins, and oh, the best graffiti a bathroom stall in all of Tampa could ask for! Don't miss this joint like the iconic stuffed opossum for yesteryear.

WARNING: This bar practices favoritism and targets newcomers…read more My friend and I are teetotalers, and we went there for their karaoke night a couple of days ago. Keep in mind, it was just two people: me and my friend. It was our first time there, and the bar was full of people for karaoke night. The vibe was great, but the service was rude. They only show gratitude to paying and regular guests. About an hour into the event, I went up to the bar and simply asked for a water. The bartender told me that I had to buy a bottle and that it was cash only. I said, "Okay, never mind." That wasn't the problem. I understand that they are running a bar and trying to make money. Every type of bar does that. The problem was that the bartender came over to my friend at our table after that exchange and rudely told us that we needed to buy something or leave. That completely ruined the experience for us, especially since it was our first time there. So, we left. We know when we're not welcomed, and this bar did not make us feel welcome. It wasn't the price or the drinks that were the problem. It was the fact that the bar was full of guests purchasing drinks, and many of the guests coming in were groups of five or more. Yet they chose to target two quiet guests, even before the event, and told us that if we were non-paying guests, they would "kick us out" at least an hour into the event. We didn't come there to cause any harm or start any trouble, and we're not bums off the street. We came to have some safe fun and sing a few songs--nothing more, nothing less. If everything had worked out well, we could have come back and purchased drinks next time and even spread the word about how great the bar was. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Be warned: This bar practices favoritism and looks down on non-paying guests. They completely ruined the vibe that night. If you're new to the area, I would think twice before coming here.

Photos
The Hub Bar - What a hefty pour, god love them.

What a hefty pour, god love them.

The Hub Bar - Triple for the price of one.

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Pete's Place South Tampa

Pete's Place South Tampa

4.0(85 reviews)
6.1 mi•South Tampa
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I love this bar. Bury me here…read more Karaoke on the weekend is such a vibe. Gets crowded around 10pm. BOMB bar food. As you'd expect.

Visiting Tampa for the night, my wife and I on a Saturday had started out at Pete's north at about…read more10:30 with the band packing up the bar was inaccessible with obnoxiously drunk young females. So we left for Pete's south. Upon arrival we saw a pretty good mixed crowd. There we chose the smaller bar for drinks and headed for the dart boards. A bit crowded with 4-5 E-Dart boards, but all the young players were respectful and courteous. The only annoyance being staff needed to cross every 10-20 minutes in and out of the back exit and cooler. Bathroom both male and female were pretty gross with piss on the floor and toilets with paper and napkins thrown around. Kareoke, you can barely hear your self over the roar of the bar so you better be loud and confident, having to step down off the small stage to hear yourself. The DJ said it's the system norm. Security were very pleasant and respectful at both bars, we felt a good safe environment and interaction. Food, We were not offered a menu nor was there any indication of a kitchen so it must have been closed? Not sure. The real unpleasant "surprise" comes when you get the bill $178, with titos vodka being labed "premium" pour at $10.50 per pour ×2 with a drink being served out of an 8oz cup filled to the brim with ice a splash of soda and a spit of cranberry: $21... Either our first drinks or last drinks we special because we had -$1 on those? At this point I didnt want ruin the night with hating the players, hate the game. They obviously played the "don't ask don't tell" because until the bill with no posted prices or information, I had no idea what I would be paying. THATS WHAT YOU GET FOR TRUSTING ANOPEN RUNNING TAB. A fool and his money were easily parted. I was pleasant and tipped $30 ca$h. But for a one night tampa experience 6× $21 drinks and 7x $7 beers. We will wait till we are back home in Sarasota to go out... $200 for 2+ hours out. No...

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Pete's Place South Tampa
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The Dirty Shame - Main bar...

The Dirty Shame

4.0(55 reviews)
4.6 mi•Ybor City
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As I made my rounds in Tampa at the various breweries there was one common place that the…read morebeertender and brewers consistently recommended for a night out in Ybor City, Dirty Shame. And here's why: They have a great selection of craft beer on draft, bottles, wine and spirits. Whoever is picking what they put on draft knows beer, because there were a great selection of local beers. The venue is a good size with a lounge area toward the from, the long bar to the right, two pool tables, 3 dart boards in the back and a juke box. They also have a few TVs throughout which when I was there on Saturday night was playing the power rangers. Since they have a Jukebox, you can play your own music. The jukebox though defaults to rock which is probably most played here. Still though because of this the music was eclectic, including someone who played Herbie Hancock. They have an outside area which I passed by on the way in, but didn't go out to check out. The patrons were great, in part because they had someone at the front checking IDs. But also because this is a bar for craft beer enthusiasts and it showed. The service was exceptional. You have to walk to the bar to get service and the two people who were working were very attentive. If you are in Ybor City, you like craft beer and bar games, I highly recommend Dirty Shame.

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 ‍

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The Dirty Shame - Bar

Bar

The Dirty Shame - Dining room

Dining room

The Dirty Shame - Chandelier

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Reservoir Bar - Nice knob creek pour

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4.1(55 reviews)
4.4 mi•Historic Ybor, Ybor City
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Ten years later and I end up back in Ybor on a work trip and of course I had to stop at Reservoir…read moreBar. I arrived in town on Cinco de Mayo and had a free night before work stuff started. I met up with an old friend and we had dinner and drink nearby in Ybor. We called it a night around 12:30 and I was heading back to the hotel when I saw Reservoir Bar and remembered that I loved this divey spot last time I was in town. I stopped in for a drink and the place was packed for a Tuesday, but I'm guessing Cinco had people out partying too. There wasn't an open seat anywhere so I ended up at that little table in the game room by the bathrooms. I figured I would just have a drink and go. That's when a couple guys started playing the punching bag game. Typically that means some meatheads are about to get agro on a video game and end up arguing about high scores soon. But these guys were having so much fun with it and started getting everyone involved. Next thing you know, I've joined in and we're all dropping fivers in to the machine to keep the party going. The strategy and theatrics on how to get the highest score was nothing short of brilliance, but the next day my wrist was killing me from beating on a punching bag at 2 in the morning. 10/10 would do the same thing again!

I have been visiting this iconic spot for over 20 years. Easy drinks, fits the wallet and a vibe…read moreyou can't find anywhere else in Ybor. Quick shooting drinks and shots that make you feel groovy by the time you leave. The bartenders are always quick friendly and nice but don't mistake kindness for weakness. They aren't afraid to tell you're being obnoxious. Two pool tables, come early to stake your name.

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Reservoir Bar - Reflecting on the holidays

Reflecting on the holidays

Reservoir Bar
Reservoir Bar - The selections refresh every few seconds

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The selections refresh every few seconds

Joy Bar - beer_and_wine - Updated October 2026

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