Every town with a river needs a Rick's On The River - a popular seafood restaurant with boat access. Now there is a water taxi from downtown coming to Rick's on its route to the Art Museum and Stratz Center. The food is good; the prices average; and the service is friendly and fairly quick even when the place fills up. Warning: on the weekends and some nights the outdoor tables will all be occupied and you'll have to eat inside, which is a shame when it is a beautiful spring afternoon in Tampa. read more

Old school river front bar. Good food, live music. Next to a boat laucnh. Very convenient.

We went to Rick's last night for only our second time and our first time was a really long time ago (only because we live so far). In fact, we just realized that our first time was apparently the year they opened (the front mural says 1994). Anyway, we still loved it. You just have to have your expectations correctly calibrated to enjoy Rick's for what it is... a somewhat divey Tampa staple with easy boat access, a very casual beachbar-like indoor/outdoor atmosphere, live music, cheap drinks, and better than average bar food (mostly fried fare). It's a very Florida place, a lot like Skipper's Smokehouse but with a boat dock. The only reason I give these kinds of places 4 stars instead of 5 is because it's just not fair to rate them as highly as fine-dining restaurants with unique recipes prepared by master chefs. Even so, there's a time and a place for everything, and Rick's is a place to have a good time. read more

Wonderful food and service. Great view too! We had the oysters, cheese garlic bread, and cheese fries. All were great! read more

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Order the dry rubbed wings! Looking for a great bar - and I mean bar - food, drinks, atmosphere - where you can sit outside by the water and relax like there is nothing else in the world? Rick's is your place! Watch "experts" maneuver boats like it's their first day, listen to the band on the right days, and get your picture taken with Captian Morgan! It's all there! We love Rick's! read more

This is a true hidden gem of Tampa. Found it by accident last year when attending Gasparilla. Great food, great service, fun place with music and very, very, reasonable prices! read more

So my sister and I recently went to Rick's and decided to sit outside on the patio and we sat for at least 20 mins without being offered a menu or even a glass of water even though it was hot outside. Furthermore my sister went to inquire about the wait and if it would be better to sit inside but she was told that they're "short staffed" and it would be another 20 minutes before we would be helped but ironically for them being short staffed as they claimed three other parties that came in AFTER us were immediately helped and brought menus as well as drinks. Soon after leaving I called to speak to a manager and Ms. Ashley only told me that she was sorry that happened but offered no type of resolution and after seeing multiple other people complaining about the same situation I'm convinced they don't care so I will no longer be returning and I will make sure nobody I knows goes to this place!!! read more

Let's be frank, you don't come here for the food. It's greasy bar food. You come here to hang out, throw back a couple of beers with your friends, and the exceptionally, usually, quick service. First time I've been where a server never approached my table, ever, to bring beers and take orders. I eventually had to order for everybody from the bartender and then request things from the bartender, to include the bill. Crappy service all around today. The service is the only thing you have going for you and if you don't have that then what's the point? read more

Love the terrible slow service and now missing two water taxis. Whether Nikkole is just a bad server or Rick's doesnt supply sufficient staff, will not be back with the six top of what are normally very good tippers here for a river experience if you ever want to make it out. Very disappointing Rick's! read more

Rick's On the River is a great place to kick back and relax in the inside bar. Jenifer is an outstanding bar tender. If you like live music, the outside deck overlooking the Hillsborough River is the lively and fun. If you want to escape the heat and live music, the inside bar is an amazing contrast. read more

Rick's On the River - Jenifer at Rick's On the River is the best bar tender! - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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We waited over 45 minutes for someone to come take our order. We stopped a waitress and ask to order saying we had waited over 25 minutes at that point waiting to order she replied if you've haven't been waited on how did you get your drink? We had ordered drinks from the bar. We waited another 15-20 before asking another waiter if we could please get someone to order with. Several tables got up and left due to not being waited on. Very disappointed in the manner of the staff and service here. read more

Food is alright. But your staff really need to stop telling people that they can bring beers on the water taxis. I get that they can't allow outside alcohol because they sell it, but I don't appreciate you guys lying to me to make that extra sale. read more

I would give this place zero stars if the system allowed me too. What a dump! Run don't walk away from this place. I should have listened to all of the reviews that I've read. We ordered potato skins as an appetizer, they are frozen and microwaved. My girlfriend ordered the chicken philly sandwich which was dry and rubbery and served with fries that were cold and brown and looked they were cooked in one month old oil. I ordered the fish finger dinner, which wasn't any better. The fish was also dry and rubbery and the coleslaw was absolutely disgusting, warm and tasted like dish water. I really feel bad for our server, as today was her first day of working the floor. I gave her a piece of professional advice and suggest that she seek a job at a different restaurant. This is the epitome of a dive bar. I can assure you I will NEVER be back. read more

Our servers name was Heather she was out standing!! She was very tentative communicative and I go home and very pleasant. Atmosphere was very nice next to the River. Food was delicious!! Highly recommend read more

We've been to Rick's on several occasions and never been disappointed - however, we don't come here for fine dining. Rick's is a dive bar but the BEST kind of dive bar you'd ever want. They're on the river and have beautiful views of downtown and the storied Hillsborough River. They also offer boat slips and they're an established stop for the Tampa Pirate Water Taxi. They have a very decent selection of macro brews and local micro brews. Their menu offers a solid list of seafood favorites, including catfish and a very yummy grouper sandwich. We have only ever experienced good service and tonight we had GREAT service! We appreciated our server, Tabatha, she kept the beers rolling and our glasses filled. I read through some previous reviews and people complained of bad service and cold food. I'm sure that's a possibility when they're extremely busy - and they do get busy often. But give them a chance, if for no other reason than to enjoy a cold adult beverage while taking in some gorgeous river views. read more

Rick's On the River - Those gorgeous river views I was telling ya about... - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

The only redeeming thing about the place is the live music, and it's not the best around by any means. They obviously pay the musicians very little, because they are not that good but it's the only reason to go to Rick's on the River. The service is terrible, you can't get a servers attention to save your life, and then you have to specifically tell them exactly what you want. I ordered a guiness, and after about ten minutes it was brought out in the can, no cup or glass.... no menu was offered. I felt as though I was bothering the staff by being there. read more

Rick's on the river was exactly what I expected. I perfect place to launch your boat or stop by if you are cruising on the Hillsborough river.This place gets backed on the weekends. Perfect place to stop and get a drink or a beer. They have an awesome happy hour from 11 to 7. This is a great place to come see the game and grab some drinks. Now on to the food, there are a lot of seafood plates which are great. I had the oysters and blackened grilled grouper sandwich. I also had the cajun fries which are delicious. It's definitely have the dive bar atmosphere but you will have fun. I would recommend if you are a boater or are passing close. read more

Beautiful day and location on the water. However, the food was not that good. Need to upgrade food quality.

Four of us went for lunch and started with the fish dip & dozen oysters and it was good. You don't get much fish dip at all for your money. Two of us had the Ricks Famous fish sandwich and it was average. One had the oyster poorboy and another had the wings. Lauren was our server and did a great job. There is only one dessert choice and it's not made by them so we passed on it. What this place really has going for it is the location on the river. read more

I wish I could select 0 stars but that's not how this works. Tonight we gathered with family from out of state. And had drinks and food. My pregnant niece ordered BBQ wings that came under cooked and BLOODY. We showed the waitress who said "wow that looks weird" she took the wings back to the kitchen I suggested she remove the wings from the bill of $140.39. The wings are $7.99. Her very rude manager came out to "educate me and my family" on the difference between "pink" and "BLOOD" at this point I got so angry at her smug attitude I decided not to argue with her idiotic comment we paid the bill and left. No apology no remorse no concern for my pregnant niece. I will never eat here again. read more

Been here twice. First visit was great. Music was above average, service was average, but the food was awesome. It was a Thursday night. Then we decided to go the following Monday. Music was absolutely terrible, service was as bad as I've ever had anywhere, and the food was good but not like before. We will probably return at some point if we can overcome the memory of how bad the service was. I asked for mustard and ketchup for my hamburger. They brought me one little packet of each. Very disappointing, especially after being so impressed on the first visit. read more

If you aren't a regular be ready to be passed over if the place is busy. Decent food, ok service. Food comes out pretty quickly. Upscale dive bar would be best way I could describe it. 3.5 read more

Laid back chill place. Good live simple music and good bar food. Grouper cheeks are good but they run out quickly. Good place for oysters too. Pick a spot, relax and go with the flow. Have fun. read more

5 Star service. Can't remember the woman's name but she was awesome. Great recommendations and sense of humor. 4 Star atmosphere. It's a bar on the river. Know that going in and you're set. Seating inside and outside but you're really "on" a parking lot. The river is on the other side of the parking lot. 3 Star food. Hey, it's bar food. It's really quite adequate and we liked everything - oysters, shrimp po-boy, and buffalo chicken sandwich. read more

Very laid back place. Food is OK Inside and outside dining options. Right on the water. Interesting crowd and vibe. They serve drinks and food on paper plates & cups, which I thought was strange - but OK. read more

After hearing good things about this place, I was excited to check it out with several friends. I was not impressed. It took over 2 hours to get served, the food was so so at best. I had the fish sandwich and had to keep checking to see if there was indeed fish on the bread. The manager was very rude and by his attitude, we all thought he would have rather we left. I don't think anyone in our group would suggest this place as a meeting spot again read more

Consumer beware. We had the Raw Oysters back on June 2nd. I am on day 10 of a severe rash believed to be from the Oysters. I called the restaurant only to be told they were too busy to talk to me and would have a manager call me back. That was last week. I am still waiting on that phone call. read more

One of the worst dinning experiences I have ever had. Staff was very rude and did not do their job. The food was alright but the staff made it have a bitter taste in my mouth. I would not recommend to anyone on vacation or any locals in the area. read more

If I could I would give this place 0 stars. I rarely eat bar food, but I wanted oysters and didn't feel like going anywhere fancy. I was hoping this place would be a gem based on google reviews. Honestly, I haven't had food this bad in years. The oysters smelled so bad I wanted to vomit and the taste was comprable. The service was sub par. The staff looked like they hated their life. Ricks famous sandwich was maybe a 5/10 and that's being generous. My boyfriend had fish fingers and it looked like a 5 year old cooked them. The fish sandwich at McDonalds is probably better. I have never written a yelp review as I'm not usually a hater or critic, but this place deserves it. read more

Took over 35 min to get waited on and that happened after talking to a manager. Service did get better but still slow. Food was reasonable. Warm when reached table. Fries were a little soggy. Seem to be under staffed. Did not see managers expedite service. read more

If you're motorboating on the Hillsborough river, you have to stop at Rick's on the River! Its a relaxed riverfront pub where raw oysters & classic bar bites are complemented by live music daily! Ricks on the river has a Happy Hour 11-7 Mon-Fri with $3 bud light drafts and $4.25 well liquor drinks. They also have a large tropical drink selection that goes for cheaper than most other places including $6.50 Rum Runners, pina coladas, mud slides, strawberry daiquiris, rum punch, mojitos, margaritas, sex on the Beach, and mai tais. Service is relaxed and can be slow sometimes if it gets busy. I've had the oysters, blackened grilled grouper sandwich, Philly cheese steak, and shrimp po-boy and they were all pretty good. Instead of regular fries as a side item, I recommend asking for the Cajun fries. They're pretty good! Theres a boat ramp here so it's a good place to start and end your boating. You can also pay to store your boat here if needed. Theres a cool old painting of Tampa land marks along the river over by the bathroom worth checking out. The crowd consists of a lot of boaters, old people, and even some rednecks. The decor or the bar is about divey and old fashioned. They have a bunch of TV's if you want to watch the game here. If you have to drive here, you have to pass by some pretty sketchy ghetto areas but this place really never has a ghetto crowd. Just keep your doors locked and dont stop on your way over! The live music isn't the best here. They play a lot of old stuff but not any of the newer acoustic stuff. Your only boating stops on the river are Sail Pavilion or Rick's on the River. Sail Pavilion is more expensive and doesn't have live music but has a better younger crowd. There is plenty of parking available onsite and Open boat slips for docking your boat. read more

Rick's On the River - Motorboatin to Ricks on the river! :) - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I'll never go back. We had a couple drinks as a casual family reunion and we were "cut off" wtf we did nothing!!!! Never going back and I told the manager, not to be disrespectful but as a courtesy! ! read more

Called ahead to check market price on oysters. Arrived shortly after and the server sat us at a table on the patio. She brought us our drinks and took our order. We ordered oysters & salad. 25 minutes (!!!!) later, the server came to the table and informed us the restaurant ran out of oysters. 25 minutes later! We left. read more

Great atmosphere. Fair prices. Good music. Love the combo platter. Hats off to Rachael and Adam from Atlanta. What an awesome young couple to share a table with. Sat at a great table near the water. Nice view. read more

Went there tonight as a matter of fact with my wife and kids. They wouldn't give us the time of day and decided to make us wait for service, tea, food and a waitress/server/other names I can't use . After awhile she actually took the order and that was it. I dropped a twenty on the table for the "empty" drinks and left. The place was out of everything, where they and essentially the POS restaurant that everyone hear's so much about wouldn't give us the time of day. I post a one star review but I know lots of people that matter in Tampa and will tell them what happened. Bad news spreads fast. Most live on Davis Island, Avila and Bayshore Blvd. Rick's is spoiled, doesn't care anymore and has outgrown it's roots. The beginning of the end of this place I wouldn't hit a hog in the ass with. Hope it goes under. The place has turned into a proverbial s....hole. I would like to hear from the manager/owner or whatever but why, they are the problem not the solution. I will be making phone calls and will get some people fired for this BS. Screw me, okay, mess over my family and you pay. read more

The good things about this place is that it's on the river, has a live band and that it accommodates large groups . Other than that the food and drinks were horrible (aside from the oysters) and the "service" was the worse I've ever experienced. The server was not rude, she just seemed lost and incapable of acknowledging guests, taking orders, or even distributing the checks. The ladies room was filthy so I question how clean the kitchen is kept. read more

Worst service ever...beer took 30 minutes to come. Missed half our food order. Manager apologized

Good little dive joint with tons of outdoor seating right on the river. They have boat access and to say the best part of this place is the people watching is putting it mildly. They also have live entertainment. Their food is standard dive bar type food so don't go for the food. Go for the drinks and the people watching and you won't be disappointed! read more

An added star for hosting yesterday's unofficial YELP River Crawl event. The kitchen manager accepted an advance order of sample apps so they were served immediately after we were seated at reserved tables for 16. Individual orders were taken efficiently and served in time for out to eat, drink and get back in our e-boats in about an hour, allowing us to meet the rental return deadline...or close enough to avoid a late fee. The apps were great,,,I love the smoked fish spread and enjoyed the fresh-made potato chips with artichoke/spinach and French Onion dips. My Reuben was also excellent and other YELPERS seemed to enjoy their dishes as well on a perfect day on the deck. read more

Spent an evening hanging out, at the end of the night when we were trying to pay our bill the staff tried to pin strangers drinks on our tab, held our credit cards.. And even called the police to settle the matter... What a horrible experience. Go to The Getaway or Hula Bay instead. I will never go here again! read more