Have visited this place many times. Great service, atmosphere is outstanding for the water views and for children the best! Pet lovers, take your babies. read more

Parking is limited even though they do have a dedicated parking lot for the establishment. Right on armature works property so walkable area and crowded. The actual experience is so-so. Very expensive for not very attentive. Knowing your clientele is very important. We were seated upstairs and 10 mins into our meal they dimmed the lights very low, kind of killing the warm ambience. People complained on the floor and pulled out flash lights to look at the menu and still no change. Ordered two drinks to start with oysters and Mac and cheese to start. Oysters seemed okay and the Mac and cheese for $8 was an absolute gem and steal. Definitely worth getting. The drinks were also phenomenal. Then comes our meals- I ordered seafood risotto and he got short rib. Seafood risotto- didn't seem like a lot, just tastes like sweet rice with a medley of seafood. Green beans are way over seasoned and salty to my taste and my stomach was upset after 6/10 The short rib- delicious no complaints, he enjoyed the green beans. A little spicy with tons of salt. Short rib was soft and tender but no change of knife so expect a butter knife to cut. Not nearly enough mashed potatoes to meat portion but the better of our meals. 8/10 For $200 dollars we've had better service and food so I feel like you're really paying for the location. read more

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We came to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday on a Saturday night and overall had a really great time. I made reservations about 2 weeks in advance which I highly recommended since this place seems pretty popular! There is a park next door so we arrived a bit early to walk around. Luckily, there is complementary valet parking so parking was a breeze. We were seating right away and got straight to eating and drinking. For appetizers, we shared the tuna salad (super fresh) and the gator bites (very unique). We also split the seafood risotto which I loved because we got a little taste of everything - scallops, shrimp, lobster. We also split the pineapple upside down cake which was delicious and some complementary birthday truffles. Our waitress was attentive and provided great recommendations. The ambiance was not quite what I expected. It was a bit more casual than I wanted for a birthday dinner with lots of large groups and casual wear but it was still a great night out. The view of the sunset was great! read more

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Continued our tradition of bringing out-of-town guest to Ulele for dinner. Once again, we had an absolutely fabulous meal and excellent service from Bella. My California friends enjoyed the chili and raw oysters and for the first time I had the Meat Loaf - which was so good!! Keep doing what you're doing because it works... We'll see you again soon. read more

Ulele - Meatloaf - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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This place has great food, the indoors and outdoor seating both great, outside you can people watch and has an outside bar. Inside had some stained glass and statues. We wanted to try a little bit of everything, the okra was good but I felt it was on the salty side.My husband enjoyed the meatloaf , in fact he finished the whole thing. It was the perfect size and no left overs. I had the grilled oysters and I usually don't like oysters but these were delicious. The shrimp was just the right size for an appetizer and I wasn't too hungry so it was perfect with the oyster as a meal. Lastly the homemade ice cream was delicious. Aside from the salty okra overall the experience was great! The staff was very prompt, friendly and helpful read more

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It has been a while since I have been to Ulele and here are just a few observations. So that iconic water they used to serve tastes like tap water now. Nothing really special about it. Just hard warm water in a cool vessel. The waiter said it was triple filtered, but it may have been the residue from the dish washer coming through on the glass. They did bring us the good water and it was good and also cold. They don't do flights anymore, but they do do samples of no more than 3 so between the 2 of us we got to try 5 of their beers. I was most impressed by the Green Cannon Ball Tampa IPA 7.5% ABV. Honorable mention for the Dam Buster Weizenbach 5% ABV. But honestly, all the beer I sampled was good and I am a beer guy. The service is great here, but on a weekend like Sunday when they are slammed they still do a good job of keeping it all together. Our server was Matt and he was both responsiveand accommodating. It was definitely 4 or 5 star service l, even with the wait for the food. We started with the soft shell crab app. For like $20 we literally got one crab which was disappointing. Still it was quite good and for an app it was almost worth it. We got the braised short ribs and a burger and did take a while for it to get to the table. Good thing we had drinks and that app or the wait would have been awkward. The braised short ribs was great and they burger was also quite good. Want sure about the pineapple on the burger, but it didn't disappoint. The green beans that came with the short ribs were super al dante equals hardly cooked. Still the food was great. I really wanted to give 5 stars, but honestly, Ulele is a consistent 4. read more

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Love this Tampa staple! Came here for lunch this past weekend and was blown away. I've been several times before, and I've always had a stellar experience. The venue itself is placed perfectly on the outskirts of Armature Works, with beautiful greenery on the patio, and the inside is nicely decorated. The noise levels also weren't too crazy. Our waitress Nataleigh was amazing! She was so nice, attentive, and patient with our party. We started off with a dozen charbroiled oysters, which never disappoint. I was stuck between a few of the sandwiches and she actually ended up showing up the steak sandwich on the specials menu. I went with that and I am so happy I did! The steak was extremely tender and the datil pepper aioli was a perfect addition. Overall 5/5 star experience. read more

Ulele - Steak sandwich - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Ulele never disappoints. From the moment you walk in, the vibe feels intentional -- warm, inviting, and perfectly Tampa. The food is consistently fresh and thoughtfully prepared, with flavors that feel elevated without being overcomplicated. You can tell care goes into every plate. Service is attentive but never intrusive, and the setting along the river makes the whole experience feel like a mini escape, whether you're there for a casual meal or a special night out. It's one of those places you confidently bring out-of-towners to -- and still love returning to yourself. A solid go-to when you want great food, great atmosphere, and an experience that just feels right. Ulele never disappoints. From the moment you walk in, the vibe feels intentional -- warm, inviting, and perfectly Tampa. The food is consistently fresh and thoughtfully prepared, with flavors that feel elevated without being overcomplicated. You can tell care goes into every plate. Service is attentive but never intrusive, and the setting along the river makes the whole experience feel like a mini escape, whether you're there for a casual meal or a special night out. It's one of those places you confidently bring out-of-towners to -- and still love returning to yourself. A solid go-to when you want great food, great atmosphere, and an experience that just feels right. read more

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This pet friendly restaurant is located a short walk away from Armature Works (thanks Jeff) which is off the Hillsborough river. The atmosphere is inviting, with both indoor and outdoor seating. Sadly, there is only one entre option for vegans and no dessert options; the pet menu has more options. My family of carnivores enjoyed their meals. The presentation of each meal was nice. Unfortunately, most of our meals were lukewarm or cold, when they arrived to the table. We didn't complain, we had a large party. The prices for food and alcoholic beverages are standard for the area. Our server was great. Overall, members of my family will definitely go back. As a vegan, I wouldn't rush back for the meal; however, I will sit by the water and sip their spicy margarita. read more

Ulele - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Always a great place to grab a bite with out of town guests. This is one of those restaurants that is unique to Tampa, so it is always a good idea to bring out-of-town guest here. Also, since it's so close to Armature Works, you can always stop by Armature Works before or after. They do have their own parking lot that is south of Ulele, so it is easy to park there and bring your ticket to get it validated. Make sure you make a reservation. Even on a Tuesday night it was completely packed. We originally had five on our reservation and a 6:45 PM seating, when we update to six people the only available time was 715. And this place was quite crowded. We started with a ton of appetizers, my favorite was the Shishido peppers. I thought the shrimp was OK, the mac & cheese was actually quite good, but I'm not a huge carbs person so it wasn't amazing enough for me to get again, the cornbread was OK but also not amazing. For my main I got the mahi-mahi. I found the fish to be kind of dry. I did like the corn slaw and the garlic spinach was delicious. So overall I probably wouldn't get this dish again, but it wasn't bad. I got an espresso martini which was on the sweeter side. It did the job though of keeping me awake for this dinner. The decor of this place is beautiful and everything seems to have a story. Service was great. Overall, although I never seem to absolutely love the food here, I always like it enough that I recommend this place to people. read more

The food at Ulele was absolutely fantastic. I ordered the seafood risotto, and my guest had the pompano -- both were beautifully prepared with complementary, well-balanced flavors. Every element on the plate felt intentional, and we genuinely left wishing we could lick them clean. It was that good. The drinks were also strong and well mixed, which rounded out the meal perfectly. Where the experience faltered slightly was with seating and service. When we arrived, there were no available tables due to an event, so seating was first-come, first-served at the bar. While I understand hosting events, I was surprised that more space wasn't reserved for regular diners. The staff seemed stretched thin and a bit overwhelmed, which felt more like a planning issue than an effort issue. The decor is interesting -- there are some beautiful art pieces and what appear to be Tiffany-style stained glass windows inside, which add elegance. At the same time, there are sports jerseys and assorted memorabilia throughout the space that don't quite align with the more refined elements. The mix made the overall aesthetic feel slightly disjointed. That said, the quality of the food alone makes Ulele worth visiting. If you go, I'd just recommend checking ahead about events or peak times. read more

Ulele - Florida Pompano - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Ulele was absolutely out of this world--an absolute must if you're in Tampa. It's great for large groups and had a nice, comfortable atmosphere that wasn't too loud. The drinks were amazing (highly recommend the house margarita ). I ordered the seafood risotto and it was packed with flavor, plus the portions were huge. Make sure to grab a reservation, this place fills up quickly and would be hard to get seated without. In the warmer months, there's a nice patio outside and would be so nice! The real star, though, was dessert. The maple bacon ice cream was to die for. I honestly could've eaten the entire thing myself. Our waitress was so kind and attentive, with great suggestions throughout the meal. Can't wait to come back! read more

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Amazing restaurant! It's been on my list for a while and I'm glad I finally gave it a try. I tried their salmon that came served with roasted corn and spinach and it was delicious. The food took about 20 minutes to come out and the restaurant was filled so it was a little noisy and hard to hear the person I was with. The server was polite though and she made sure we were comfortable and enjoying our food. I wish I got a better picture of inside but the outside does not do it justice! It's a nice vibe inside. read more

Ulele - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Everything about this experience was top-notch!!! I can't recommend this place enough. My wife and I have gone through some bad spells of overpaying for food that isn't worth it lately. However, this was worth every penny. Literally everything we had from beer and martinis to dessert was amazing! I highly recommend and will go back next time I'm in Tampa. read more

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Brought two visiting friends here to celebrate one of their birthdays, and boy did I make the right choice! Our reservation was at 7:30, and in March that meant we sat down just in time to catch the stunning sunset through the big glass windows. We started with the charbroiled oysters; absolutely delicious. The bread for soaking up the toppings from the shell was a nice touch that completed the dish. All three of us ordered the seafood risotto. I'd been hyping it up for months before they arrived, and it made me proud as a host. The risotto was absolutely amazing. Creamy, rich, and loaded with seafood, with the green beans also coming in a generous portion. We also ordered the Fuego street corn (on the cob!) after noticing so many tables around us had it, so delicious! The corn is sweet, the seasoning is delightful, no wonder it's a favorite. Since we were celebrating a birthday, we went with the key lime stack for dessert. Great tartness, a delightful treat to share after such a meal. I also want to highlight our server, who brought out a beautiful box of chocolates for my birthday friend. It absolutely made our night. The chocolates were all the same flavor, but the different colors made the box look stunning. An amazing experience. A must if you're bringing visitors! read more

Ulele - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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One of my favorite places in the Tampa Bay Area. All locally inspired. High quality dishes that will impress your family, friends, or a first date. The service is very good, the staff are on it for all your requests. Please keep this place in mind when visiting the Tampa Bay Area. read more

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Beautiful location down by armature works and I learned today it's the same owners as the famous Columbia restaurant! At night they had the gas fires going and it was very pretty. I had to try the meatloaf and it definitely delivered! The sauce was amazing and it was charred and crispy edges. The short ribs I thought were just okay, the meatloaf sauce was better. Service was exceptional and the kind where they box your leftovers for you. Definitely order wine off the menu, I ordered a house Cabernet which has never done me wrong and it ended up being $16 a glass vs the $11 or $12 menu prices for other red wine. read more

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From the Pineapple Fuego drink to the jalapeño cornbread to the oyster Rockefeller to our seafood risotto everything was on point. All that variety of delicious food it was enough to share that entree and feel totally satisfied. I did order Keylime pie to go! I hope it's as good as everything else was! read more

Ulele - Oysters Rockefeller - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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The restaurant was beautiful and right on the boardwalk. Calamari and oysters were fantastic. They even put my companions drink in a Togo cup so he could enjoy on our walk. read more

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Came in on a very rainy night and it was still pretty busy. We sat at the bar and noticed a number of drinks available. We ordered the Frose drinks and a Mac and cheese appetizer. The portions are huge so we were unable to finish it but had our hearts set on trying the Pompano. The flavors were good and dill the portions were large. Left full and happy! read more

Ulele - Short rib Mac & Cheese - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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I was very impressed by the food, staff, and overall ambiance of this restaurant and definitely plan to come back soon. The menu offers a lot of unique options, and I absolutely loved the shrimp barbacoa appetizer. The shrimp were large, juicy, flavorful, and perfectly grilled, served with an incredible parsnip and celery root purée, microgreens, tomatoes, and asparagus. It was easily the standout dish for me. I also tried the charbroiled oysters, which several people told me were a must-have before leaving Tampa. While I wasn't as impressed by the oysters as I was by the shrimp, this was actually the first time I have ever had oysters that I liked, so I may just not be a big oyster person. I also felt the value was much better with the shrimp at $18 for six jumbo shrimp compared to the oysters at $25 for six, especially since the oysters were far less filling despite costing more. Our waiter was super friendly, and I loved the view from the spacious outdoor seating area with the surrounding sculptures, which really added to the experience. read more

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I was responsible for coordinating our work dinner and it was between Ulele and one other restaurant, the tie breaker was seeing the bourbon butter cake on the menu so I selected Ulele (I know, wild! Haha). Glad I did because I would give a 5 star just for the bourbon butter cake! Save yourself some room at the end for this because YUM. I did get the crackling pork shank as my main entree and while really good, I do wish it fell off the bone more. Some part of it truly just fell off and other parts I was wrestling with cutting through, otherwise it was very tasty. Not pictured - aji Amarillo ceviche which had a spicy kick but I liked it a lot. Other contender was the Barbacoa shrimp that were super flavorful. Service was awesome - wish I remembered name of our server but she was fantastic. The restaurant itself is huge. Vibes are like a trendy warehouse with seating upstairs as well and plenty of seating outside. Definitely would come back here again when in Tampa. read more

Ulele - Bourbon butter cake - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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I was visiting Tampa and was taken to Ulele to try and it definitely lived up to the hype! Getting to the place was easy. Traffic isn't terrible, but I can forsee parking being a hasle if you don't know where to go or aren't using the valet. Overall the area is very welcoming and the ambiance of the restaurant is comfortable. The service was also great. Our waitress was very friendly, had great humor, and always made sure we were happy with what we had. Lastly, the food. It was spectacular. The oysters as an appetizer were great. Anything with butter, garlic, and cheese will taste great. I then got the risotto as my main dish and it was also fantastic. It was creamy and all the seafood was cooked properly. Best of all, there was a good amount of protein in it. Overall, this is a must go-to place to eat if in the area. read more

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I really like this place! I'm from a Tampa and I really like it. I've been a couple of times but it's been a while for sure. I was excited to go back and retry the food. The staff was very friendly and I loved the food. The river wall outside is great and fun to hang out after. They have free valet parking. read more

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I was in town for a conference and found this place while on the Riverwalk. This place had a great vibe and energy. I sat at the bar and ordered a meal. The service was great, and they had a nice selection of spirits draft beer. read more

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Visited Ulele for Veterans Day and it was quite busy although not running any Veterans Day specials which I thought was odd. We had a 7:30pm reservation and we arrived rather early and didn't get seated til 10 mins after. Service was a bit slow but overall I really enjoyed my meal at Ulele. We started out with some apps, Calamari, Crab Mac n Cheese and the Charbroiled Oysters. Surprisingly the Crab Mac was the star of the show out of the apps. Mac n cheese was creamy and they loaded it with Blue Crab Meat. The calamari wasn't bad but the dipping sauce was not my favorite and I think that is why this dish missed the mark for me. The charbroiled oysters were super flavorful and you should def ask for more of the bread that comes with these for dipping! For my entree I ordered the Filet with mash potato's and green beans and for being a seafood restaurant this filet was phenomenal! It was cooked perfectly and the flavor was also on point I throughly enjoyed this entree! This was my first time being seated upstairs and I really enjoyed this space it seemed more private and intimate than the open downstairs seating. Overall we did have a great experience just wish we could have been seated prior to or at our reservation time. Will definitely be back to Ulele in the near future! read more

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I was visiting family in the area and we went to Ulele. We sat inside during dinner service and it was quite loud and hard to hear one another. I knew it'd be bustling as it was a weekend night. The service was good, and the waitress we had was friendly. The food and drinks are fun and delicious at Ulele. I ordered the Chef's Steak which was $32. It comes with an 8 oz Hanger steak aged a minimum of 21 days, with an avocado "Jimmychurri", roasted fingerling potatoes and seasonal vegetable which in my case was green beans. It was delicious. I love eating steak at restaurants but Ulele's steak was tender, and each dish component went really well together to make a delicious cohesive dish. I ordered the Ulele Sunrise drink which had tequila, muddled cucumber, mango puree, triple sec and simple syrup. I really enjoyed it! A fun tidbit: there's a unique menu item of Native Chili that has alligator in it for the adventurous types. I did not order this but a loved one did and they really enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend Ulele! read more

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Love the design and statues surrounding the restaurant. The story and mative American motif was both beautiful and inspiring. Maddy was a super wonderful person and the food was amazing. Short rib and potatoes-filling and delicious. Really enjoyed the experience. Right next to the river walk. Would have been great for the digestion but I was ready for bed. read more

I absolutely love Ulele. It's my favorite restaurant to bring our friends who visit us. The ambiance inside is incredible. It's loud, fun, and the perfect spot for a large party. I love the chargrilled oysters (they're a standout on the menu). Another go-to appetizer is the barbacoa shrimp, which is amazing. For a lighter dinner option, go for the mahi-mahi. Also, the meatloaf here is outstanding; it was even featured as the "Best Thing I Ever Ate". Every visit the staff has been super friendly, welcoming, and helpful with suggestions. The food is hands-down among the best in Tampa. If you're looking for a memorable meal in a lively atmosphere, Ulele is a top choice! read more

While visiting a very close friend in Tampa, I had the pleasure of dining at Ulele and it was an amazing experience. From the moment we arrived, I was struck by the stunning ambience. The interior was jaw-dropping, beautifully designed with care and creativity. We started with the broiled oysters and okra fries, which were divine. For my main course, I had the seafood with creamy risotto and it was perfectly cooked and flavorful, I'm still thinking about it because each bite was mouthwatering and satisfying. Service did not miss a beat from check in, to departure. The location added even more magic to the evening. Our walk to the restaurant was charming in itself, with the surrounding area decorated in a whimsical fashion that made the experience feel more special. Although I don't live in Tampa, I would absolutely return to Ulele in a heartbeat. I can see why my friend insisted we go. If you find yourself in Tampa, don't miss this gem. read more

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Excellent food. Seemed rushed. Otherwise, good service. When making the reservation, I put anniversary as I was told they don't make a big deal about it. Just a box of candy. Well, they didn't make a big deal. They did nothing. I'm guessing because we were two men, they chose to ignore it. Don't worry, we'll still be back. read more

The food is delicious, the portion sizes are great, the service is classy and the ambiance is gentle and inviting to all. 10 out of 10 highly recommend and the reservation is worth the wait my friend! read more

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The food here was just ok. I had the crab cakes and charbroiled oysters. The taste of the oysters was very strong and not what I'm used to in Louisiana. I had the seafood risotto as a main course but actually didn't like it so i returned it and got the short rib which was good but not great. The restaurant has a nice ambiance because it's down on the water in Tampa. The staff were also very nice. read more

My wife and I met up with friends while in Tampa at Ulele. The food was quite good and the spaciousness of this restaurant impressive. And if that wasn't enough, there's a cute storybook theme found outside which makes for a nice place for families to gather too. read more

Ulele - Spacious ... And yummy food too. - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

First time visiting Tampa and a friend recommended this place. I ordered a fish dish also got a maple cake. Every dish was delicious. The service was great. I was there on a Sunday, so less congested. They also have a grassy area for kids to play in the patio section. The place was clean and kept up. Try it. Hopefully you can see and magnify the menu read more

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Every single time we come here for dinner we are met with every expectation. Always attentive staff. Always amazing food. Always a great time. We love coming here whether it's for a birthday, a business meeting, or just because date night. read more

Ulele - Charbroiled Oysters - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Always have such an amazing time when I'm here the food and atmosphere and environment is always a 10/10. White is good. Staff is always be friendly as well. read more

Birthday outing was fantastic. Recommend the Gator, cornbread and okra! Hadn't been there in ten years. Still a solid place for chow. read more

Ulele - Okra, Gator, and Cornbread! - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Let me just say--divine doesn't even begin to describe the brisket mac 'n' cheese I had at Ulele. Creamy, rich, cheesy perfection laced with tender, smoky brisket... it's the kind of dish that makes you close your eyes and pause mid-bite. Yeah. That good. We didn't have a reservation (rookie move, I know), but the staff was super accommodating and we were lucky enough to grab a spot at the food bar--no wait, no problem! Honestly, watching the action in the kitchen added an extra layer of flavor to the experience. Service was chill, efficient, and friendly--the kind of vibe that matches the atmosphere: upscale but approachable. The interior is stunning, and you really feel like you're in a space that respects both history and creativity. Ulele continues to prove why it's a Tampa staple. Whether you're here for the ambiance, the elevated comfort food, or just need an excuse to indulge in that brisket mac again (guilty), it's worth the trip every time. read more

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Oh my goodness...what an awesome find I had from yelp on my last business trip to tampa! It was busy on a Tuesday evening in june 2025- but they had ample outdoor seating for walk it's without reservations. Dining im the heat isnt a big deal to me, and I ordered a cocktail that was refreshing and a bit sweet- unfortunately I forgot the name of it. I had just flown in that afternoon and was starving! I couldn't decide between the meatloaf and the pork shank- I am so happy my waiter convinced me to give the pork shank a try! I have never had pork prepared this way! It reminded me of oso bucco! There was a delicious cranberry sauce with it too that was sweet and tart and really balanced out the savory and salty pork. Absolute perfection! They do validated parking for a lot down the street and I was able to enjoy a nice after dinner stroll alongside the water and through the park on the way back to my car. Tampa's food scene is impressive and the next time I am in town I need to come back and try that meatloaf! read more

Ulele - Pork shank! So crispy and tender - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida