The bang bang chicken at Shiso Crispy didn't just steal my attention. It robbed me, took my wallet,…read moreand I'd gladly help it escape. First off, the crunch is so loud it could qualify as a sound effect in an action movie. I took one bite and half expected someone to yell "CUT!" The chicken itself is juicy, but let's be honest it's really just a vehicle for that bang bang sauce, which tastes like sweet, spicy, and "text your ex you've changed" all rolled into one. I told myself I'd share. That was a lie. A bold faced, shameless lie. The plate hit the table and suddenly I turned into a territorial raccoon guarding its last meal. By the end, my fingers were sticky, my dignity was gone, and I was seriously considering ordering a second round like I hadn't just embarrassed myself in public.

Shysters. The tuna dish was 19 dollars. Was a good dish and my gf got it a few times. Now it "was"…read moresuddenly 24 dollars and is half price for 12. Kind of weird but okay. This is a new dish, if you can even call it one. Literally two slices of tuna, no side of sauce which it's supposed to have, a bunch of old cabbage for filling (even though the new container is half the size as it is), and what could be nothing else but soggy potato chips (yes, literally they put in chips, I don't even know how else to put it except it literally had chips in it). Pathetic. Completely pathetic.

Oak & Ola has become our go-to restaurant for large birthday celebrations, and they exceed our…read moreexpectations every single time. We've celebrated multiple birthdays there with groups of 20-25 women, and they always make the experience feel effortless. While many Tampa restaurants require deposits, minimum spends, or limited menus for large parties, Oak & Ola simply welcomes us with open arms and genuinely seems happy to have us there. The service is consistently impeccable, the food is both beautiful and absolutely delicious, and the restaurant itself offers a gorgeous atmosphere with stunning waterfront views. It's clear that every detail matters to them. They reserve a special table for gifts, have even printed custom "Happy Birthday" menus for us, and on our most recent visit, Chef Margaret came out personally to wish the birthday girl a happy birthday. Our servers were phenomenal. They anticipated every need, kept everything running smoothly for such a large group, and never missed a beat. Coordinating a party our size is no small task, yet they made it look easy while making every single person feel cared for. If you're looking for a restaurant with exceptional food, outstanding service, and a team that truly knows how to make guests feel special, Oak & Ola is one of the very best in Tampa. We can't wait for our next celebration there!

Had a wonderful first-time experience with Dane as our server. Both our hostess and Dane did a…read morewonderful job with customer service and helping us feel welcome and informed. The restaurant has a modern ambiance with varied types of table seating including outdoor and lounge style. Perfect for a date, celebration, or gathering of friends. The most important thing-- the food. The food is unique and delicious. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that the chef was James Beard award recognized, and rightfully so. Our table ordered many of the items on the menu as well as specialty cocktails and there's only one thing that wasn't impressive- the gulf fish. Otherwise, all items were delectable and provided complex flavors. My standouts were the pork belly, the beet and crab salad, the duck confit special, the hogfish (and I'm not even a fish person!), the chicken Milanese, and the toffee pudding. You must go here and try these dishes! Overall, it was a wonderful experience and I look forward to returning.

Went to Flor Fina for brunch with my buddy Tony and we had a wonderful time. Wanted to make sure…read morewe called out the folks who made it such a delight. The host who greeted us Michael, our server Danielle, the manager Christian & bartender Ashley. Looking forward to returning again soon.

I feel like this restaurant deserves a 2.5 The ambiance is…read morecute and the bar tenders were very nice and fun. Drinks were great. The food was good but inconsistent. My husband and I ordered the same thing but they tasted very different. We both got medium steaks, the one he got was a proper medium while mine medium rare to rare. The host made us feel incredibly unwelcome. We asked for a table and she informed us there weren't any (which is fine, a little attitude but I get it we didn't have a reservation) so we went to the lounge area. While there, we saw online that they did have availability so we booked. We spent over 30 mins in the lounge and no one took our order. When it was time for our table the host was aggressive as soon as she recognized us, said that the system online was wrong and that there are no tables. So we went back to the lounge.. honestly to figure out where to go next. Shortly after we got a message saying our table was ready, when my husband asked about it, she told him to sit back down that she will tell us when it's truly ready. Anyways, she came back reluctantly, saying that I guess people canceled so we can go in. The server was nice but was rarely there and would take a long time doing things like bringing menu.

Best food I've had in my life. Amazing atmosphere and beautiful dishes of food.- Kaleb Brunsread more

Quite the interesting place... not just based upon food but the location, the ambiance and the…read moredecor. Located just north of Downtown at the south end of the Heights... and it's great. Plenty of parking along the roadways, and in the nearby parking lots for the neighboring Water Works (city park) and Armature Works (food hall and social venue). They had valet for years but I'm not sure they still offer the service. The venue is huge... large red, brick building with outdoor sitting and a bar but they also have outdoor art to be impressed, a pond with fish for kids to admire, overlooking the Hillsborough River and lovely gardens (and all of it is maintained impeccable). The interior is industrial and a bit masculine but the views outside and more exhibits of art balance the atmosphere. Love the exposed kitchen and the glass wine enclosure under the stairs. The menu, as it was explained to me, was inspired by the indians that inhabited this area originally. I've been here numerous times but even with this latest visit, all my visits have been limited to lunch. Some of the dishes I have truly enjoyed: NATIVE CHILI: Not the typical ingredients but excellent nonetheless... rather than just beef and bean (as I am used to normally), this chili had alligator, boar, venison, duck, ground chuck and cranberry beans. CLASSIC BURGER: Ulele offers so many delicious dishes but sometimes a simple player is the way to go and the burger here does not disappoint... great balance of meat to cheddar cheese and those pickles are on-point. WATER WORKS MEATLOAF: I grew up loving meatloaf even though no one in my family made a good one (always ordered in restaurants); trying this one sets the bar to a new level... I'd enjoy that cabernet garlic demi-glaze all day everyday. PULCO CARPACCIO: Thin slices of octopus with a sauce that is rememberable (except for the name). Not sure if on the menu or if it was a special. As a fair warning, it does come off a bit touristy but the food is along with the atmosphere/decor is excellent...

I will definitely rate my meal a 5/10 as I normally order this multiple times a week. I will…read moredefinitely not be ordering this as much because the noodles have completely changed from the old noodles. The old noodles held the sauce better and now with the skinny noodles, it has completely changed and it's absolutely spicy. It's not OK to change the noodles without telling the customer as well. The thicker noodles hold the sauce way better! Lychee martini is always amazing -- Thanks to MATT! He is consistent and always makes it well balanced drinks. Also great customer service. Please bring back the old noodles for the spicy teriyaki please please please!!

Popped into WAGAMAMA, a popular WATER STREET restaurant for dinner and it did not disappoint…read more My server Veronica was on her A-game. I started the evening with their chili Margarita. It's a spicy one but adds a nice kick to the meal. Tonight I enjoyed the pork potstickers and for my entree, I had the steak Bulgogi. Love, love, love the dining experience tonight and can't wait to be back!

True Food Kitchen had the good sense to plunk itself down in the middle of Midtown. It's in the…read morebeating heart of that mixed-use development and it's good for your beating heart, too. This place is fresh and healthy and makes you feel good about eating good. The first time I was here, it was a gorgeous "Florida winter" day so we sat outside-lunch on the large patio. This time, with a different group of friends, we were inside-on a Saturday evening. Glad we had a reservation. Because it was bustling and humming. But the vibes were still happy and healing. (As were the cocktails! The spicy pineapple margaritas are fantastic!) My fiends each ordered something different: a burger for one, a salad for another and a pizza for yet another. They were each delighted with their choices. I went for two appetizers: the charred cauliflower... which was excellent (those dates!) and a seasonal butternut squash soup that was unforgettably good-it satisfied both stomach and soul. One friend savored a Manhattan and two were all into the lavender matcha. Four completely different palettes but the same happy feeling. This was a good choice (thanks, Michelle) True Food Kitchen prides itself on fresh, quality ingredients and you can taste it. The menu isn't huge, but the variety is good and the flavors are tremendous. The interior is bright, with lots of windows and interesting seating. It was a little loud in there, but that's to be expected on a Saturday. I don't remember if there were desserts-we were so full, I don't think we even looked. I owe it to myself to go back and check. Midtown is so easy to park at (free garages!). And you can walk off your calories at the nearby shops (sadly, William Dean chocolates is closing this location, soon) I'll be back soon!

My husband and I visited true Food Kitchen to try their Valentine's Day set menu…read more We were also there during happy hour. The service was so bad. It took so long to get our drinks. We only ordered beer and wine so it should have been simple. The red wine on happy hour is awful!! The food on the special Valentine's Day tasting menu was decent but they messed up our order then simply removed from the exact same plate the meat that we did not want leaving small pieces of the meat and sauce on the salad. We love the location as it's convenient to our house, but the food has been miss more times than hit at this place.

**Sunda -- Asian Fusion (2nd visit)**…read more Went back to Sunda specifically for their limited-time Caviar Sunday, and it did not disappoint -- but let's start with the food that came before it. We opened with the **tiger shrimp tempura** -- candied walnuts and a creamy honey aioli. Smaller than I expected, roughly half-dollar sized, but tender, sweet, and generous in portion. The candied walnuts and honey aioli combo leaned sweeter than a classic honey walnut shrimp, with a little bang bang shrimp energy minus the spice. Trying to pace ourselves for dessert, we kept the rest light: the signature crispy rice (Wagyu and spicy tuna versions, split two apiece), The Great White (escolar), and the lemongrass beef lollipops. The Great White was well-balanced and delicious. The lemongrass beef -- sliced NY strip wrapped around a lemongrass stalk with ginger soy -- was solid but not a standout; the lemongrass flavor was subtle and the chili barely registered. Fair warning: it comes out well past medium-rare since it's wrapped and cooked that way, and the server didn't ask for a temperature preference. Good, but not something I'd reorder. The crispy rice was tasty but not a personal favorite -- the Wagyu and spicy tuna toppings themselves were great, just not sold on the crispy rice base. The standout of the savory round was the lobster Wagyu roll -- lobster and Wagyu tataki with a duck pâté aioli, sort of a surf-and-turf sushi roll. Pricier than the other rolls, but the combination justified it. Definitely ordering that again. **Now, the main event: Caviar Sunday.** Our server mentioned this particular caviar brand is a favorite of a certain pop star's, which was a fun detail. The tower itself was a showpiece -- diced and quartered dragon fruit, lychee, blueberries, crispy rice balls (first time trying those, loved them), plus passionfruit and ube sauces on the side. It came with turon (Filipino plantain egg rolls) and vanilla ice cream, essentially a build-your-own sundae kit with caviar mixed in. Caviar with ice cream sounded strange going in, but the salt-sweet balance worked. Genuinely unique, and I'd order it again without hesitation. It's not cheap, but it's roughly half the price of their standalone caviar entrée for the same amount of caviar -- so relatively speaking, it's the smarter way to get it. Service was excellent throughout -- good pacing suggestions so we didn't over-order before dessert, and when we couldn't finish the tower, our server packed the leftovers carefully on ice so we could enjoy round two at home. My one regret: ordering a double espresso with dessert. Good on its own, but it clashed with the tropical, ice cream-heavy flavors -- that one's on me, not the kitchen. Sunda remains a place I'll keep coming back to.

Crispy Brussel sprout - First time having very yummy! I ate so much of this and the portion was big…read moreBulgogi roti tacos - roti taco shell was very crispy Crispy rice Wagyu - my favorite as always Panang beef short rib - I enjoyed this! The short rib was Pork belly sinigang - the pork was good but it wasn't mind blowing Lychee bloom - non alcoholic drink very refreshing

Armature Works is one of my favorite spots in Tampa! It's the perfect place for lunch with so many…read moredelicious food options all in one location. The atmosphere is always fun and welcoming, making it great for families, friends, or even a casual date. I also love that it's pet-friendly outdoors, so you can bring your dog along while enjoying the beautiful Riverwalk views. There always seems to be something happening, from live music and markets to seasonal events, which makes every visit a little different!

As someone who visited Tampa as a tourist, Armature works is a must-go-to food court area, it's a…read morepretty popular place teeming with people, and there you can finds all sorts of foods such as Sushi, drinks, BBQ, ice cream, there's even a place there that has carnival food, or what I went there for, Cuban food. The Cuban sandwich and flan I got there were amazing, and the people were friendly, something I've noticed with people in Tampa in general shout out to them. Overall it had a good vibe, an old fashioned sort of style of interior with stuff to do all around it, the World Cup was also going on so in the back of the building there was a watch party with a giant screen for the Argentina V Switzerland game, which just gave me the feeling of "hey, this place is awesome they even do screenings in their back yard!"