A throwback, bomb shelter style venue with poor sound, a seating chart that is utterly inefficient and maddening, and a parking lot that guarantees you're going to be waiting a while. Never again. read more

Welcome back! A very good facility with a great stage and worth every penny for our first post COVID concert.

Huey Lewis and news! This is an amazing venue! The sound I incredible, staff was knowledgeable and attentive. Loved it loved it loved it!!!!! read more

My family attended a concert at Hard Rock Live on 10/11, and enjoyed it so much we saw it again at Ruth Eckerd on 10/13. The shows were both good, but enjoyed the RE show so much more! RE is a fantastic place for both performance and comfort. HR got nothing on you!! read more

Ill ding them 1 star for not having a middle aisle to allow for easier entry and exit, but beside that, I really do like this venue. If I had to guess I believe it holds about 2,000 people. I have seen some great smaller acts here (Ray LaMontagne) and some big names too. There isn't a bad seat in the house and the acoustics are great. Yes, parking can be a bear, but there usually is a police officer sitting out there by McMullen Booth who controls the signal, making exiting much easier. They usually have tickets for a discounted price closer to show time if they aren't sold out. It's worth getting on their mailing list. read more

Comfy booty seats Mesmerizing orchestra Can drink in your seat! I can't speak too much to this place. According to all the banners on the light poles as you drive in, this is a happening place: comedians, so you think you can dance, and some musical people... My experience was pleasant, a trip to the symphony. I though that the venue was a nice size, comfy, no bad seats, but pretty dated 70's-ish decor. I guess it's part of the charm. $4 root beer, and if you want to save, check in and get the bogo offer! I was too late and spent $8 on soda. Maybe sneak in some bourbon next time? Well, they do check bags, but I'm not sure what they are checking for with this blue-haired crowd. Anyway, the symphony was a delight. And when it was over we got out as fast as we could since apparently the parking lot is like the apocalypse getting out. Seriously, this is not where you want to be when aliens attack. You'll be trapped forever. I would def return. read more

Rated one star because that is the minimum allowed. 1. Parking is terrible, unless you like sitting in your car for an hour after leaving a venue with only 2180 seats. 2. Many of the volunteer staff are lazy and useless. The last time I was there, the staff were nice enough to let a few friends come in to stand behind us and talk throughout the show (until I told them to shut it). When I asked someone to take care of it, they asked me who they were hurting standing there. Really? 3. Their website service provider either does not have the bandwidth needed when tickets go on sale for a top act or the person running their ticket sales does not have the brains to notify them ahead of time because the site always goes down when tickets go on sale to the public for someone popular. Either way, you should not sell tickets through a site that cannot serve a few thousand page requests at once. 4. Seeing concerts here is completely lame unless you like sitting down the whole time. Seriously, I have been asked to sit down. Apparently, you can only stand and enjoy yourself if you have tickets in the first few rows. 5. They should not even sell tickets in the upper levels for comedy shows because you cannot see anything and you will miss hearing parts of the show too. read more

Saw a show with Joe Bonamassa on Friday. This was our first time at this venue because we live 3 hours away. I really wish we lived closer because I love this place. Parking was easy and FREE, unless you want premium parking. They serve beer, wine and mixed drinks that aren't cheap but, on par with other venues of this nature. The acoustics are wonderful! The ushers were so nice and friendly! My biggest (maybe only) ding is the same thing others have mentioned. There is no center aisle. My husband and I sat in the first two seats of our row. There were probably 75 people (maybe more) in our row. And I think every single one of them came by us at least twice during the show. Luckily though, there is enough leg room that they could pass by without you having to get out of your seat to let them through. Other than that though, there's not a bad seat in the house! Would highly recommend this venue. read more

Just enjoyed the Evening with Cleese and Idle, first time at Ruth Eckerd. We got there early so free parking was available close to the entrance. The lobby area is a bit cramped for the early crowd waiting to get in and again at intermission where the lines for refreshments block lines for bath rooms. The auditorium is medium-large but not having a middle aisle means those in the center have to navigate lots of knees in rows of 70 and more. Acoustics were fine as long as the performers did not mutter or lapse into thick British acccents. Gettting out at the end of the show was easy if you are near and aisle and do not linger for curtain calls. A traffic light on the highway facilitates left turns to return to Tampa. read more

I've been here three time. Once for a play and twice for concerts. All different experiences. I have to say I have 2 major problems with this venue. A) While it's a more intimate setting, the fact that there is no middle aisle is pretty annoying. If you are smack dab in the middle of the aisle to have to climb over a lot of people just to go to the bathroom. My friend didn't want to drink b/c of this problem. Every time I've been there, I've been fortunate enough to sit close to the aisle, but I would imagine that if I were in the middle, I would do everything I can to avoid leaving. B) I also find the inside pretty confusing. We asked a volunteer where to find out seats and even she a had a bit of trouble. That being said, I do like how much smaller it is compared to other venues. I like to go to plays and concerts so it was nice to feel so close. read more

In my life I have never seen an event center so poorly run the flow of traffic in and out of the venue. Had dinner across the street and took over 45 minutes to park. Absolutely ridiculous! read more

Ruth Eckerd Hall - Performing Arts Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

I saw a band perform in the Margerete Heye Great Room, a smaller and more intimate space with a beautiful ceiling and chandelier. The acoustics were okay but not great- the space seems better suited for a wedding reception. The chairs, though they were the kind that are temporarily placed, were padded and comfortable. The staff were all very friendly and the restrooms were adequately clean. I'd give this place a higher rating, but the bar was a major disappointment and not at all up to par with the sort of atmosphere one would expect from an otherwise classy venue. It rather resembled a concession stand at a baseball game, complete with overpriced chips and candy bars, plastic cups of cheap wine that were being sold for $5 (about the price of what the bottle would cost) and basic beer for $9. The liquor selection was bottom shelf and also overpriced. Waters and soda were $4 and the line was very long, so not worth the wait. read more

Ruth Eckerd Hall might get some good shows, but they are one of the most inconvenient venues I've ever had the misfortune to visit. The staff is great (very friendly and attentive), almost every seat has a fantastic view of the stage, the acoustics are good, and they host an interesting variety of events..... but the seating is absolutely horrible. Basically, everyone sits in these incredibly wide rows with no center aisle; this means that during the entire concert you will be constantly contorting your body to accommodate streams of tipsy baby boomers, who alternate between having incredibly tiny bladders and being hell-bent on buying one more drink, the current song be damned. Plus, let's just hope they don't ever have a fire there, because that's going to be a real mess. I don't know how on earth it managed to pass inspection, or who designed it that way in the first place, but whoever he is, someone needs to go find him and slap him. And don't get me started on the parking situation there, because it is a nightmare requiring cunning, speed and a willingness to leave early and trample old ladies as you run to your strategically parked car in the hopes of getting out in less than an hour. Of course, you will fail and swear never to come again- at least until the next time one of your favorite bands makes the unfortunate decision to play there. read more

Ruth Eckerd Hall - Ray Lamontagne - Performing Arts Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

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Very old looking,and extremely inconvenient to get up & go to restroom, you literally have to walk down the entire isle of what seems like 60 people just to get out of your seat and I felt extremely uncomfortable interrupting all those people ‍ needs a full renovation, the carpets are dirty and so are the seats . read more

This place is badly in need of a remodel and is not on par with the other performing arts centers in the Tampa Bay region like the Straz or Mahaffey. Upon arrival parking is very unusual. There is only one way in and one way out so it can take a lot of time to park or leave. If you want to be punctual to your show please consider this as part of your schedule and if you need to be somewhere after, definitely allow a lot time to get there. Once you clip your ticket and enter the building you will notice a small lobby area that is not really conducive to mingling with others attending the show. This part of the experience needs to be addressed because at big shows if feels very claustrophobic. Also you will notice a color palate from 1979, they may just be waiting for this style to make a comeback. The access around the building is not the easiest to navigate with narrow entry ways and tight spaces around the vending. In the past they never had enough venders to attend to the need but this has been addressed over the past few years. Thanks to whomever made this change, now i can get a few drinks in less than 30 minutes. Once you enter the main auditorium you get more of the same style, old and outdated but once you arrive all of that sort of disappears because it is a great auditorium with great sound and acoustics. I have enjoyed 30 plus shows and events here and can say there is not a bad seat in the joint. The only issue you may have is the long rows of seating so if you are on or close to the aisle where many people like to sit, you may have several unwanted people coming and going during the performance. Something to consider when purchasing your tickets. Overall, i wouldn't pass up an opportunity to see a show here due to proximity of my house but there are more updated performing arts centers in Tampa to see a show. read more

Yep, update! Since my first review, I've seen Joe Satriani and this past Saturday night, B.B. King! The shows just confirm my original review. REH is the go-to place for me to see anyone perform! read more

The good... It's a very large theatre. It seemed like any seat would be a good seat. I didn't see anything that would cause an obstruction to one's viewing. There were loads of bars so waiting in line for a drink was a non issue. And the bars had beer, liquor, and wine. The women's restroom had a bunch of stalls , so there was no issue there as far as getting in and out of the restroom quickly. The bad... There is no middle aisle so getting out of your seat is a mess. I have social anxiety about scooting out down the aisle in front of people to get out, so my ass stayed seated the whole show. Also, parking was a hot damn mess. We went to Chappelle's comedy show, and there was a 7:30 and a 10p show. The traffic situation as the early show left and the late show arrived was a disaster. And also, there was no real direction as to how to wait in line to get in when the doors opened. But overall, once I got past my stress of the vast number of people I had to wade through, I was pleased with the theatre. read more

Got to see Brian Wilson and band last night at REH. It was a fantastic performance by the band even though Brian's voice is failing. The crowd was so forgiving and it was so uplifting to see the respect and love shown his way. Brian gave it his all and I feel blessed to have been a part of it. read more

I've been here a few times, and it's a very nice theatre / music hall. I have seen one concert and two shows. The seats are spaced nicely, but there are very few ways to get to yours. If you, like me, purchase an aisle seat, be prepared to get up a hundred times for people to get to their seats. The stage is placed perfectly though, so you won't miss a thing. The seats in front are also fitted lower, so there is no "big head" in your way. The acoustics are great, sound is not an issue, not too loud, not too low. Parking is super easy, and it's a big lot. We got into the queue easily, and even going through security, we moved fast. I reviewed the brochure of upcoming events, and they have something for everyone. As I said, I've been here three times already, and I guarantee I'll be back! read more

Awful seating, rude staff. Drinks are way overpriced. Looks like a run down auditorium. Awful!

Took them 3 weeks to get back to me regarding refunding the cost of two tickets to a show cancelled by ruth eckerd hall not by me. They use the excuse of a pandemic that killed nearly 50,000 people nation wide to be tardy in refunding money for tickets i bought in January. I would never suggest that tickets be purchased in advance since a refund is a game to these people after they cancel a show. The board of directors should be ashamed to allow this to go on. Pathetic customer service. Do not buy tickets in advance from these people. read more

I used to go on field trips to Ruth Eckerd Hall in elementary and middle school. My perception of this place has completely changed. I would never go back to watch any show there, even if it was someone I was dying to see. The stress of going in and out of the parking lots is enough to ruin anyone's mood and even induce so road rage in some of the drivers around you. The whole experience puts a real sour taste in your mouth. I went for the late night Dave Chappelle show. Of course he was hilarious!! The ticket said the show started at 9:30p but it really didn't start until 10:30p. Not sure if this is normal but I know this has never happened to me when going to Straz. Overall, I wouldn't go see anyone or anything at this place. Stick to the Straz!! read more

I went to see my very first Broadway show, 'Memphis' at Ruth Eckerd Hall last week. I booked my tickets online and got charged extra $ 15 for convenient fee. No idea of the meaning of convenient because I still need to drive there to pick up the tickets. I can't choose my seats online so I got signed to DD row and paying as much as Level one price. Doesn't seem fair. Theater is medium size holds around 2000 seats. Staffs are helpful and manage the crowds well. Reception area sell beer and wine cost around 6 to 8 dollar, you can bring your drinks to your seat. The sound efforts are acceptable even though our seats were not closer to the stage. Seats are comfortable to sit on and good leg space. Each row are elevated so everyone has a clear view of the stage. Plenty parking spaces on the premises. The issue is to get out after the show. Two lane road is not enough to handle traffic. Give 20 minutes at least to get out your parking lot assumed no accident involves. The show was great and I have no complaints of having a theater close by. Good restaurants On Enterprise road just few blocks away, such as Cameral Cafe, Bonefish Grill, Thai Spice, Anthony's Coal Fire pizza, Japanese sushi bar, India food..etc. Give yourself one hour prior to the show so you get your parking space and have a glass of wine. Dress code is little more formal than usual Florida casual. read more

I recently attended a free 97x concert (that was supposed to be acoustic, but turned out to be more) at Ruth Eckerd Hall. I was a little worried at the venue because I think of Ruth Eckerd Hall as more of a play house and blues theater. The only previous time I had visited was my 2001 High School graduation. The parking was pretty awful. They had us to drive entirely around the building and we lucked out with the spot we found. The staff was also rude and "snooty". I don't think they were used to such a young (and drunk!) crowd. Despite the attitude, they were efficient. Ruth Eckerd Hall is getting 4 stars for the acoustics, comfortable seats, well thought-out internal layout (there are doors every 2-3 levels to exit) and beautiful venue alone. Expect attitude, but a great night. read more

Based on two recent concerts: Our primary complaint would be about parking. We were unfortunately unable to arrive more than 15 minutes before each concert. Parking in both cases was a nightmare especially the Diana Krall event. We basically parked illegally and it took 45 minutes to get out of the concert with little assistance from parking attendants. Also, in respect to the Diana Krall ticketing, we called ahead to exchange tickets for better seating not realizing there was no middle aisle in the theater. The box office indicated that we would need to come to the box office personally to exchange with no mention of a fee to exchange tickets. Upon arrival the "customer service" person ask if we were informed about a $10 per ticket fee. I said no, which was true. After some conversation between her and a supervisor she said it would be $10 to exchange at which I repeated that I wasn't told that there was a fee. She said "Well, I'm telling you now". OK, perhaps there was a better way to state it like, " Sorry, there is nothing I can do about the fee." How about not being so rude next time! We also saw Paul Anka in concert a few days earlier. Same issues with parking but as a professional musicians we were very disappointed in the quality of sound production. There was so much reverb on his voice that it sounded like he was singing in Grand Canyon. Plus, the bass and drums were so hot that it you could barely hear the horn section. The volume was up to "stun" for most of the concert. On the good side Mr. Anka and Ms. Krall were very good in spite of the distractions. We would be hard pressed to return to this theater! read more

A wonderful small venue with incredible acoustics. It makes for a wonderful experience and evening. No matter what style of performance.

This is still the best venue to see live music in Central Florida and always worth the drive over from Orlando. We saw Joe Bonamassa here last night and the service was, as always, excellent. Valet parking is still excellent and everyone working the event was professional and helpful. Joe Bonamassa rocked the house with amazing blues guitar and the crowd was awesome, super energy and polite with minimal smartphone usage. They also had some really nice cold Fat Tire beer on tap to round out the experience. We will always try and get seats here for shows whenever artist, timing and opportunity come together. read more

Best venue for concerts and plays in the Tampa Bay Area. Acoustics are great in just about any seat. Staff is polite and helpful.

We attended many music concerts here...a wonderful venue. Appreciate the free parking and ease of getting in/out in a timely manor. My one big gripe is the fact you can't reach them on the phone. If you've purchased your tickets via the Internet, then later have a question - good luck trying to reach them. I've been dialing their number ever 3-4 mins. For almost three hours, and all I get is a busy signal. Either add more employees, more phone lines or both ! read more

Went to Chris Cornell concert. Really nice setting, parking was easy. They had a metal detector, which put me at ease. Food trucks and band in courtyard before show was awesome. Ok....liquor here is SUPER expensive, like $12/draft beer expensive. I get that. But a volunteer (or manager, or both, not sure...let's just call him angry old dude) SCREAMING at Doug the bartender not to serve said $12 beer to customers who have been waiting in line for 10 minutes because the show's about to start? Buzz kill! We paid $50 per ticket and another $30 each on beer and you're screaming, literally screaming, at your employees in front of us? Not cool. Thanks Doug for acting professional. If you got fired, call me. I have a job for you. My boyfriend is insisting bartender was David, not Doug. Whatevs...he was at the bar by the downstairs east lobby bathrooms. read more

Loved Amos Lee last night! What a fantastic musician and entertainer. Was thoroughly expecting awesome music - did not expect his interaction with the crowd to be so entertaining! The set up and sound was great. Parking is always readily available and easy to get to - plus if you are not afraid to walk- parking by the exit enables you to get out in a timely fashion. There are several ways to support the mission of Ruth Eckerd Hall, one of which is to join at the Producer status and receive a variety of benefits as well as complimentary beverages - soda and/or alcohol while at the show. Check out the opportunities on their website, www.rutheckerdhall.com. read more

Be aware that you will be charged a "donation" fee for any online ticket order on the Ruth Eckerd Hall website unless you opt out of the donation. Very underhanded way to raise money. read more

Great show and concert hall! I brought my mom for her birthday because she loves the Gypsy kings. One of the best shows I've seen live by the way. I hope they keep coming back I will definitely bring more people back for future events or shows. read more

I feel as if Ruth Eckerd Hall is becoming very dated. Their events are about the same price as the Straz, yet the facility is not as well maintained. Nor are facility's offerings the same. Going to the theater should not be comparable to the movies. I don't understand why popcorn and snacks are served and allowed to be consumed in all areas a besides the outside halls. During the ballet I attended (a recording was utilized over a live orchestra) I felt the speakers were dated and blown out... read more

We saw Steve Martin and Martin Short here and the show was amazing 100/100. The venue on the other hand has a few draw backs. The lack of a center aisle means that every time anyone to use the potty, or get a drink, or stand up in general they interrupt every person in the entire row twice, once going out and once coming back, times that by how huge each row is and it happens far too often. I understand its a "feature" of that theater but having something unique that is annoying is not a feature. The parking lot also took us over an hour to get out of, even after staying and buying a shirt and taking some pictures. Ruth Eckerd Hall is okay, be careful where you select your seats. read more

The children's summer program at Ruth Eckered hall was both entertaining & educational for the youngest member of our family. We are happy to see that Ruth Eckerd hall reaches all levels of patrons and much more than just music is offered. read more

Great place to see any performace! I took my daughter to see her FAVORITE band Panic At The Disco here, everyone was up and dancing, but there was no crowd pushing, and we could still see! When she went to the restroom, a band member from the opening group was wondering the halls and gladly posed with her for a picture. I went to see Bill Engvall here as well, we were worried about our seats because we lucked out and bought them a few short days before the show. However, it was an awesome time! You could see the expressions on his face but yet we were far away to see the entire stage. I have also attended several "broadway" shows and again not a bad seat in the house! I recommend seeing all types of shows at this venue! read more

Over priced seating!! Lousy sound system that was a complete blur of noise. Seating was fine if you paid top dollar. Careful who you go see, its overrated. I speak from experience since I have been there eight, count `em 8 times and it is NOT consistent in quality. Sure, I have been there eight time cause I love music but I am basically not satisfied. read more

First visit to REH to see a living legend...John Prine with Amanda Shires last night (Dec 15,'17). Fantastic show! Beautiful theater. Reminds me a lot of the Van Wezel in Sarasota. Sound quality was remarkable, and the ample FREE parking was a welcome treat! I'd also like to see a break in the aisles so you aren't forever up and down with people coming and going...but that's really the only ding I would mention. Great pre-show band outside under the big tree. Lots of friendly volunteers to get you where you wanted to go. Kudos. read more

We were at the Joe Bonamassa concert on Feb 25. Joe was amazing. The venue was not. We pad $300 per ticket for 3 seats. The entire concert we had people getting up to go get drinks. This was happening in the row in front of us as well causing people to stand in front of us and blocking our view. As the evening went on, the people in our isle were so drunk they were falling on us going back and forth. I tried contacting Ruth Eckerd admin and did not get a response. This was the second event we went to there in the past 2 months. Martin and Short seemed to be free of this type of activity. The bar should be closed during the concert. I guess the Halls desire to make more money superseded the experience of their patrons. Don't think we will be back. read more