5th time writing this review, it keeps getting removed because the owners don't want the truth out there, here it is again: The original name in Spanish above the door reads: "Knights of The Golden Eagle." Where to even start? Long ago this place was a rest haven for the misfits and rejects of society, now it's a three-ring side-show circus full of wannabe-freak posers, drugs, drama, and treachery. You'll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. Want to relive your high school drama days? (it's worse among the adults than the sub-21 crowd.) The Castle is for you. Want to waste endless sums of money on overpriced entry, drinks, and "entertainment"? The Castle is for you (the dancers alone demand top dollar despite making $18/hr). God help you if you make the mistake of dating from this cesspool of inbred slime. The regulars on Fridays have all fucked each other, so everyone's been with each other by proxy alone. The rest are mostly Jersey Shore reject clones on Saturdays. DO NOT date from here. DO NOT attempt to make any friends here, unless you want to be back-stabbed ruthlessly at every turn then blamed for the privilege. Trust no one in this establishment. Drugs abound here if you're into that, though. Little more than a drug den these days. The staff are one step away from sexual assault with each searched patron that enters. The bipolar c*nt at the front door with the attitude that checks ID's needs to go ahead and overdose on her meds and get it over with. They treat everyone like shit/potential criminals. The bouncers will constantly follow/harass/ask to search you. They frequently let minors with fake ID's in (I can prove this as several have approached me TELLING ME they were minors because they thought I was recording them. I bet the Tampa PD/liquor license association would love to hear about that.) Despite all this, there are still a handful of people that still go/work here (why I'll never understand) that are genuinely good people. Even that number dwindles with each passing week. I say this with a heavy heart as it is far outweighed by everything else here. Oh and as an alternative club, free speech is forbidden here, if you need proof of that, wait until this review gets removed again. If it doesn't fit the hyper Neo-liberal/Hyper-feminist narrative, expect to be silenced, then ostracized. Which is ironic considering this place got it's start as a gentleman's club when Ybor city was founded BY THE CUBAN MAFIA. Only to be reduced to a festering shit-hole for the worst kinds of knar-do-wells Tampa has to offer in Ybor city's back alleys. As a former regular, please, save yourselves the money, time, resources, frustration, and heartache: stay away. 11/16/21 Update - @Kevin G. my reviews write themselves. Don't get mad at the messenger for the message, I've done little more than see this place and the people in it for what it is & who they are over the years I wasted attending it. I guess that's partly my fault as I should've been a better judge of character, but it's honestly no more than a den of snakes. If I wasn't a snake charmer I would be dead already. Nothing to gain from here but an incurable STD and a knife in your back. Oh no one cares? Clearly the business owners do otherwise they wouldn't be trying to silence me. Private messages, threats, pulling my reviews, etc. Point-in-case, stay away from here. Ya know for a place touting "we're accepting of everyone" on the surface that is a bold-faced steaming pile of horseshit worse than political propaganda, but anything to ensnare new pose....errr patrons I guess. Not only are the people here intolerant and most are racist, they cover it up very heavily. I can guarantee you most if not all of the white regular patrons are more racist than far-right extremists they seem to project their prejudices onto 24/7. I knew several of them, they just tend to hide it a lot better. SO many easily offended wanna-be b**ches and their incessant virtue signaling, constantly #MeTooing each other, (even the females!) false accusations flying non-stop every which way all night. Corruption among the owners and staff (wonder why they keep quitting). This place has not improved, I'd say it's gotten worse. Nothing has changed, nor will it until it eventually collapses, as it desperately needs to. read more

I'm 38 and I've been going to The Castle on and off since I was 18 years old. I was a regular for many years before I got married and moved to DC. Whenever I'd come back home I would make at least one trip to The Castle. I have wonderful memories of The Senator, Peter Pan, local weirdos and crazy friends. Occasionally, I would witness some bigots acting out, but nothing that would keep me from returning to my home away from home. I've recently learned of nazis hanging out at The Castle and management being less than vigilant to squash the hate monger's presence there. I've also learned that the management is in the habit of firing staff who express concern about said hate mongers. As an inter-racial woman (Afro-Cuban, Norwegian and German) who is judged on a regular basis by the color of my skin, and as an old school regular, I am hurt that this is what The Castle is morphing into: a den of racists. The days of wine and roses are over. I feel sorry for the regulars (especially the people of color) who don't see the nazis as a problem. I feel sorry for the owner, a Jewish man, who does not recognize the destructive influence the nazis have on goth club culture. I will not be returning to The Castle. Instead, I will hold on to my fond memories and lament over what could have been. read more

I was very disappointed with my visit to The Castle tonight. As soon as I walked in I was treated like trash by the door man. He was very condescending with a major attitude problem but then again I guess when you're fat and hideous and you hate your life and your job you tend to take it out on other people I guess. I will be very hesitant to ever contribute any money to the castle let alone their $20 minimum fee which is basically robbery. People like him should be fired on the spot. End of story. I'm so done. Btw The Castle now attracts a lot of posers and the music selection/knowledge by the DJ's is very subpar. I am no longer impressed. Losers. read more

USED to be a great bar with great music. now they cater to the clear channel crowd, their music and DJ blew big time. "80's Night" was all bootie from 2000 +, and when i withdrew cashh from their ATM and it didn't come out of the machine, I pointed that out to the door person, (this hostile little charmer) who dumped out my drink and escorted me out. SHADY. so to review. 1. crappy service 2. crappy music 3. shady as hell and i forgot to mention 4. FILTHY. DO NOT GO THERE EXPECTING WHAT THIS PLACE USED TO BE. it is now just trying to keep its lights on. IF YOU ARE CASH ONLY DON'T BE SO RUDE ABOUT IT. read more

Used to be a cool place to party in ybor, now the establishment gives absolute power to it's nerdy, fat, ponytailed, goateed bouncers to harass you about standing int he wrong place and grab your girl's ass, inappropriately at every turn. I'll never go back to this dump again and waste my money on this fake atmosphere. Place has seriously gone downhill. Lucky for them my lady friend did not insist on pressing charges. I'd rather hang out at a pickup joint then this fake, wannabee so called " goth" club, which is total crap. Don';t waste your time here. The authenticity is gone lets all admit it. read more

Visited Tampa for the week and stumbled upon this place. Very underwhelming experience. Staff was rude, patrons were very cliquey and judgemental, drinks were weak (and overpriced!) and the facilities made a gas station look appealing. Won't be coming back here next time I visit! read more

i'm 34 and this has always been the best club in town. 3 dance floors and many type of dance music'.; I go only 3 times a year maybe ,' and for the pass 14 years .' always had a good time .'The #1 Best 'Dark & crazy,' punk / goth night club in Ybor . read more

They say this place encourages "individuality." It doesn't. Everyone there is a cliquey bully, including the staff. The patrons are extremely stuck up, and the employees are snotty and rude. I've never felt more unwelcome at any club in Tampa read more

I've never had a whiskey sour with a cherry or so much alcohol like jet fuel( wasn't my first drink of the night either this was down right jet fuel when I asked for woodruff whiskey sour ) music was great drinks were bad. read more

The service was horrible, I was basically ignored at the bar for an hour straight. Staff had a horrible attitude, and patrons were rude and obnoxious read more

great club great place to party however been sexual assaulted there multiple times (in one night at that) but guess it comes with the night life huh read more

Uncomfortable and fake atmosphere. Drinks were overpriced and weak. Nobody there seemed to be having a good time. Complete waste of an evening, read more

This place is so uncomfortable. Patrons are creepy and the drinks are weak. The vibe was just off, i had a horrible time

This place is an over crowded, over rated noise factory. Great for goth kids and people trying to hook up with goth kids. read more

Don't let your young daughters go to this place it's really very dangerous and the staff it's abusive ! Be carefull! read more

Great music, good time and it's all about the music for me so at least the DJ's are well versed in their tastes.

This is the most vanilla club I've ever been in. To say this is a fetish club is to say Elmo is a vampire.

absolute shit. staff was rude. drinks were weak. bathroom and common areas were disgusting

This place is a den of lying snakes and two-faced junkie social moor's. Avoid.