Came here on a not too hot Saturday afternoon and ordered the "sweet heat" shrimp basket. Love that…read morethey offer hush puppies as a side instead of fries. Our order was ready in about 10 minutes, which was perfect. The portion size was larger than I expected, and that was a nice surprise. The cole slaw and homemade pickles were a good addition. My teens loved the heat on the shrimp, but they were a little spicy for my littlest kiddo, who couldn't have cared less because she was busy eating all of the hush puppies.

I went to this place back at the end of August…read more I had the shrimp po' boy and added the seasoned fries. The po' boy was decent, particularly for Tampa Bay, but was anything to rave about. And the seasoned fries were so coveted with Lowry'a that they were almost inedible. The saltiness was by far overpowering and really dampened the meal. Given the price of the meal, I was all that impressed and wouldn't consider the price equivalent to the food level.

Friends brought me here to celebrate another friend, and it was such a lovely experience!…read more1. I was obsessed with the view--whether the curtains were down during sunset or opened afterward, the atmosphere was beautiful. 2. Jason is the BEST! Not only was his service outstanding, but he also shared so many interesting behind-the-scenes stories about the restaurant. 3. There are so many great options on the menu that one visit definitely isn't enough to find your favorite. You'll need to come back and try more! 4. Before leaving, I made a wish in the garden. Now I have another reason to return: to try more dishes once my wish comes true--hopefully soon! Definitely a place for a special celebration.

Updating my experience this evening from 5 star to one as we were attempting to celebrate my…read moremother's birthday. I have been visiting the 1905 restaurants and their family of brands for over 25 years. I've been to the Columbia so many times that I could probably draw you the layout from memory. That history and loyalty is exactly why yesterday's experience was so disappointing. Yesterday, we were celebrating my mother's 64th birthday, and I chose Casa Santo Stefano because of the superior service I've received in the past, the excellent quality of the food, and because my company,, typically books Casa Santo Stefano for events and has never given me reason to doubt the brand. Unfortunately, my experience with my family yesterday was more than disappointing. Valerio dropped the ball in so many ways at our table. We repeatedly went without water, at times for more than 10 minutes, and I was constantly looking around for him. My mother's Moscow Mule took approximately 20 minutes to arrive. When I jokingly asked if he had gone to Moscow to get it, he told me they "didn't have any cups." That was difficult to believe when the drink was clearly sitting there long enough for the cup to become heavily sweated and the ice to melt. I also began noticing that Valerio seemed far more attentive to a table of 10 young women who had just arrived. He was taking their photos, laughing with them and engaging with them, while our table was repeatedly forgotten. The situation with dessert was particularly upsetting because it was my mother's birthday. Valerio asked whether we had seen a dessert menu, and I told him we had not. As I got up to speak with the manager, a kids' ice cream dessert was brought to our table instead. We wanted to look at the dessert menu, order a few things, and have the restaurant sing Happy Birthday to my mother. That simple experience was completely missed, and it was something we had genuinely been looking forward to. On top of everything, the air conditioning was not functioning properly in the restaurant, which made an already uncomfortable experience even more difficult. I appreciate the manager Ty, giving my mother a box of cookies and a handwritten card from the staff as we were leaving. Unfortunately, by that point, the damage had already been done. What bothered me most was that Valerio never seemed to appreciate the significance of the occasion, never apologized for the repeated service issues, and ultimately dropped off the check and walked away. I simply do not understand how this happened, particularly on a day when the restaurant was not even especially busy. I believe Valerio needs additional training and guidance, particularly in the level of hospitality and attentiveness expected from a restaurant carrying the 1905 Family of Restaurants name. I want to emphasize that I am not writing this because I have turned my back on the brand. Quite the opposite. I am writing because I have been loyal to this brand for more than two decades, I genuinely believe in what the 1905 Family of Restaurants represents, and yesterday's experience fell so far below that standard that I feel compelled to say something. My mother's 64th birthday only happens once, and unfortunately, instead of leaving with another wonderful 1905 memory, we left disappointed. I sincerely hope this feedback is taken seriously, not simply as a complaint about one server, but as an opportunity to make sure another family celebrating an important occasion does not have the same experience.

I had the best service I've ever had at a restaurant! I think her name was sierra but when…read morestruggling with allergies she made me feel very safe and seen! She was also very funny! Will be back!

My daughter always wanted to try a seafood boil so we came here after the last day of our cruise…read more We had a lot of time to kill before our flight so we took the trolley from the aquarium stop. We were the first customers and the inside is small but clean and cozy. Staff was friendly. We ordered the snow crab feast and a calamari appetizer. The calamari was ok it wasn't seasoned. The snow crab feast came with coleslaw, corn, potatoes, and 4 pieces of crab leg sections. It was good but not great, the pieces didn't come out of the shell very easily and the pieces we did get out were pretty small, but we enjoyed the flavor and the experience very much.

We had a wonderful dining experience at the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City today (September 4th…read morearound 4:00 p.m.). Our waitress, Luisa, was absolutely fantastic, attentive, and welcoming. We ordered the legendary 1905 Salad, a classic Cuban sandwich, and iced tea--everything was fresh, perfectly prepared, and delicious. The beautiful, historic atmosphere is always a treat, but it's the top-notch service from staff like Luisa that truly makes a visit memorable. We will definitely be back and will be asking for her section!

Birthday lunch w my friend Traci. The restaurant is beautiful. Kelsey was our server. Fabulous and…read morevery personable. ten plus! . Food was excellent!.

I have been so excited to try this place, and was so disappointed by the service today…read more I made a reservation for the "chefs counter" and when I arrived was told that the air-conditioning was out I probably didn't wanna sit back there. So I sat at the bar outside, which was fine, except for the fact that the Bartender was overwhelmed and as a result The service was horrible. They have a happy hour menu, but I chose not to order off of it and I ordered the regular shrimp cocktail which came on a plate and each of the shrimp were cut in half? I ordered West Coast oysters and they were warm at Best even though they were on ice, which made me leery to eat them. Based on the fact that I didn't eat the oysters and the shrimp were meh at Best I would've liked to have ordered something else, but was never given the opportunity to. By the time, the Bartender finally came back around and I asked about the taco of the day on the happy hour menu. She informed me the happy hour was over. I ordered a cocktail and the Bartender told me it came in a can, which seemed odd and then she said no wait that's a beer. If you want to go and try it at your own risk, I would not go on Sunday,

The happy hour shrimp tacos here were pretty delicious. The bartenders were friendly, accommodating…read moreand provided great service. Nothing like catching the breeze on a nice day and enjoying some happy hour specials on 7th Ave in Ybor. This spot is a great addition to the area offering a twist compared to what is currently available in the area. Hoping to try the flatbread on my next visit!

9.26.2025 Yesssss!!…read moreI knew when I visited Tampa, I wanted to find a Black Owned Business !! BINGO!! I got it right the 1st time yall!! I located this business on Yelp (of course). I made a reservation, and went to Ybor to visit. It was easy to locate. I found inexpensive metered street parking. It was a short walk to the establishment. We arrived. We were immediately seated upon arrival. This place was a whole vibe! The best seating! Every section looked like VIP!! We were assisted by Jillianne who was professional, super sweet, and had all the details about the menu. Collectively, we ordered the following. Get Your Roll On (Jerk Chicken and more in an empanada) - Well plated, VERY tasty, fulfilling A la carte: Catfish & Braised Collard Greens - Seasoned amazingly, huge portion size, very good. The music was right on point!! We truly enjoyed ourselves. I'm so glad we visited this business. I highly recommend !!

Went here on a night we wanted something casual after a stretch of fancier meals, and 7th + Grove's…read moresoul food menu caught our eye. Fair warning: this place has two personalities -- a restaurant side and a much louder dance-party side that share the same building. We opted for the restaurant side, which was surprisingly not busy despite the earliest reservation we could get being 7:30pm on a weeknight. The menu blends classic soul food (fried chicken, mac and cheese) with a strong New Orleans Creole influence -- gumbo, jambalaya, fried seafood, cornbread. Portions are enormous. We started with the deviled eggs ("D'Evils"), topped with fried chicken bites and lemon pepper dust -- excellent and surprisingly filling for just four halves. We also got the Nolia Clip, a vegan gumbo base loaded with fried shrimp, crabmeat, turkey sausage, and a full catfish filet -- essentially an entree-sized bowl on its own. For entrees, the fried chicken plate ("Let's Stay Together") was a standout -- moist chicken, crispy crust, great mac and cheese and collard greens, though the cornbread muffins were bland and watery-tasting. My jambalaya ("Burning Blues") turned out to be nearly identical in ingredients to the gumbo appetizer we'd already had, just a bit thicker and in a bigger portion -- worth knowing before you order both. We left with a full meal's worth of leftovers and zero room for dessert. Food quality was great across the board (minus the cornbread), and portions are a serious value. Service was the weak point -- slow to seat and slow table-side all night. Good pick if you're after soul food with Creole flair and don't mind a leisurely pace.

Stopped in on a Saturday afternoon while visiting Ybor. Sat in the open air outdoor section which…read morehas a covered bar and plenty of tables. There is also an indoor space with bar and more tables and the brewing tanks. We were allowed to sample some beers before making our drink choices. A full kaleidoscope of styles is available as well as full bar. One of our group ordered an espresso martini! They have a full kitchen and great menu. After we finished lunch we headed inside to grab some merch. Some cool stuff and had some assistance with picking items and sizes. Will be planning to stop here again next time we are up n the area!

Tampa Bay Brewing Company in Ybor City offers a wide variety of options across both food and beer,…read moremaking it a solid stop for groups with different tastes. We sampled the local Reef Donkey brew, which definitely lived up to the hype--smooth, flavorful, and well balanced. A great choice if you're new to their beer lineup. We started with the hot pretzel served with queso and mustard. It came out warm, soft, and perfectly salted--ideal for sharing and easily one of the highlights of the visit. The pizza was generously topped and very cheesy, which we appreciated, though the quality of the sausage could use some improvement to better match the rest of the ingredients. We also tried the hot chicken tenders with hot honey drizzle. Flavor-wise, they were decent, but the portion size felt closer to boneless wings than tenders. The fries were hot and crispy, but overall the chicken itself could benefit from a crispier exterior. Worth noting for future guests: the Red Eye cider buffalo sauce comes with a $1 upcharge. Overall, this is a fun spot with a strong beer program and solid starters. Hoping to return in about six months to see improvements and refinements to the food offerings, as the potential here is definitely there.

Not a local, but I've visited this place every time I've been in Tampa because I just enjoy the…read morefood so much. The fish, alligator bites, chicken - doesn't matter what protein it is - all taste fresh and delicious. On this visit, we tried the soft shell crab and couldn't get enough! The combination of spices and ingredients were well paired. Even our salad was on point. Adding 4 stars because although the food was great, the drinks selection was not on the same level. If you're not a drinker, the mocktail I tried was also average (a bit on the sweeter side), so be sure to ask your server for recommendations. Service was great and because they get so busy the service is efficient. Our server was nice, helpful, and energetic. Recommend reservations, to avoid long waits!

Exquisite food, good vibes and the oysters were to DIE FOR. Kudos to our chef and server of the…read morenight. Ulele sits right at the end of the Riverwalk. Ample space to sit outside and you can't go wrong with a Frosé from the outside bar.

First time visiting but definitely will be going back often since I've just moved to the area!!…read moreLove the owners professional and they get you in and out quick!! I got a 1/2 doz XL cleaned paid $36.50 not bad at all!! Crabs were meaty and good I didn't eat nothing else that day lol forever a CARB HUT CUSTOMER! They accept cash ebt and cashapp only loved that simple and quick transaction.

Only 1 mile from my house. Bought 1/2 dozen X-jarge blue crabs. Went home and cooked them. I was…read morestuffed! I'm from Maryland, and know good blue crabs. All males, $35 half dozen, $70 whole dozen. Not cheap, but worth it. Highly recommend.

This rooftop bar at my hotel had a beautifully classy ambiance, with soft lighting and a great view…read moreoverlooking downtown Tampa. It's definitely a lovely spot to unwind. That said, the service left something to be desired. There appeared to be only one waiter/bartender managing the entire space, which likely explains why he seemed overwhelmed and not particularly welcoming. He took my order without much interaction, and the overall experience felt a bit lacking. I kept my order light and went with the fries and garlic sauce, but the sauce leaned more sweet than savory, which wasn't quite to my taste. I paired it with a glass of Cabernet, which I did enjoy.

Great spot, very small but excellent bar and good food. I got the Cuban sandwich, it was very good…read morebut too heavy on the mustard for my taste.