Today, I went back to this small eatery, in a little strip mall on Hillsboro Ave, in Tampa because I had such a fantastic meal a few nights ago. So, I wanted to go back, not just because the food was fantastic, but to see if they would be consistent in their delivery. I wanted to see how food quality and consistency in their service would hold up at one of the busier hours of the week (Friday for dinner). I am so pleased to say that food was absolutely on point. To say THIS FOOD WAS FIIIYYYYAAAA ‍‍ would be like saying: The Atlantic Ocean is a nice swimming hole! This is the very first time, I am having difficulty finding the words to describe just how freakin' good this food was! To put the icing on the cake, service was delivered with a smile and the food was so good last time, I ordered two dinners so that I would have plenty of leftovers, while I'm visiting Tampa over the next few days. I ordered two of the Chef specialties, one was the lamb chops again (but I forgot to ask them to change out the mac & cheese for the mashed potatoes) and the other was grilled lobster served on top of shrimp and grits. The real mistake I made, was tasting the mac & cheese. I am a little sensitive to gluten so I tend to avoid pastas. But let me tell you ... that sh*t was sooooooo good ... I decided it was worth the impending stomach ache if I continued to eat it and so I ate the whole thing!! Overall, I felt like the quality and quantity of food makes this moderately priced restaurant an amazing value, as well. Considering they are serving plates of lamb chops, lobster, crabcakes, and other gourmet eats, I felt the overall value is excellent! The two plates I ordered were enough to make a little more than four meals for me. Well, I guess a picture tells 1000 words... So, check them out and don't forget the donuts for dessert!! They were literally the perfect sweet treat and the perfect ending to some really unbeleivably good meals! Thank you Outside Kitchen! I'll be back every time I'm in Tampa! read more

See all

I was in town and I tried this place and was not impressed. The Mac and cheese had a funny taste. I ended up throwing it in the trash and going somewhere else. I don't think they care for certain races to come in there. I watched the front person set my food on the counter behind some plants on the counter and leave it sitting there for a while. Then they motioned for me to come up. I was surprised. I travel all over the country and this is the first time I have ever encountered people not wanting me to be there. I don't care about where places are located, I care about people's reviews. The reviews on this one was a fail. It's sad. read more

The Outside Kitchen - Garlic lamb chops, mac and cheese with shrimp. I ended up tossing in the trash and going somewhere else. - Diners Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Get there now! The Outside Kitchen has been my favorite stop on my Tampa food tour thus far. I ordered the lamb chops and shrimp mac & cheese. The flavors on this entire plate was delicious. The food gave me Caribbean vibes. Everything was excellent. The customer service was also good. I decided to dine in so I could enjoy my food hot. They have music playing in the dining area. read more

See all

Delicious!!! And such great options from Lobster to crab cakes. From shrimp to cheesesteak egg rolls. This place is incredible!! Great portions and flavorful food. Will not disappoint. read more

Dug the vibe. I'm not a big fan of the nacho style of cheese sauce, but it wasn't bad, just not what I prefer. So I was a bit thrown when that was the base of the shrimp pasta. The meals were not what we expected, but they weren't bad. I would recommend this place based off the fact that everyone has a different taste ; and the locals seem to love it.. The flow of traffic never stopped read more

See all

The place is small, but quaint. The music playing was from the radio with commercials. Nice station, but using Pandora or other streaming music sites would avoid the breaks. I ordered the glazed salmon with shrimp and garlic mashed potatoes. My husband ordered one of the chef special, parm crusted lamb chops with shrimp and garlic potatoes. Ordering was counter style as well as food pick up. All food is prepared to go style, which keeps clean up simple and makes taking your leftovers convenient. My only takeaways are the salmon was overcooked and the music was too loud. read more

See all

The food was amazing. We had the Outside Burger, Lobster and shrimp pasta and pink lemonade. The staff was nice. It's small inside but not bad. read more

The Outside Kitchen - Shrimp and Lobster Pasta... Yum! - Diners Near Me - Tampa, Florida

HOLY S***!!!!!! This is the BEST restaurant in Tampa bf and I have ever tried... and we've tried a LOT!!! The food (chicken cajun pasta & the smackin mac) was actually INSANE. huge portions, we shared 1 pasta dish and 1 side of mac and left waddling out with so much food to spare! we know what we'll be eating later. ambiance was so homey. great music selections. very clean interior. guy at the counter was super sweet and let us take all the time we needed to select a meal! WE WILL BE BACK!!! we want to try the oxtail pasta SO bad. please bring it back!! read more

The Outside Kitchen - Diners Near Me - Tampa, Florida

See all

Yummmmmm! I loved the $20 special of shrimp pasta and chicken wings. I opted for garlic parm, as that's what the cashier recommended. I am a saucy kinda gal and loved the sauce on the wings and the sauce on the pasta. Shrimp were a good size too! The blue raspberry lemonade was divine and tasted like better koolaid ($5). Worth the wait! read more

The Outside Kitchen - $20 special - wings and shrimp pasta - Diners Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Stopped in to The Outside Kitchen and was not dissatisfied by any means! The options on the menu are plenty so I had a hard time deciding on what to get. I ended up going with the Seafood Supreme (teriyaki salmon, shrimp, and garlic mash) as well as a side of mac and cheese, and a blue lemonade. The price point all together was about $30+. With that being said, it was some of the best salmon I've had. The food was a solid 8.5/10. There was a long line when I went in during lunch time, but it went by quickly. The staff was friendly and was sending out orders at a great pace! The inside of the restaurant was very cute and they were playing great R&B music. I highly recommend stopping in if you're in the area. read more

The Outside Kitchen - Diners Near Me - Tampa, Florida

After seeing this place on Instagram multiple times, I had to check it out. It is located in a shopping plaza with little parking so I had to circle a couple of times to find a place to park. It is a small and nicely decorated spot. The music playing in the background was on point. The line was long; however, it did move pretty efficiently. The wait for food was not bad either. The food itself was outstanding. Definitely met the expectation I had in my mind from watching the appetizing videos on Instagram. I will definitely recommend and return anytime. I am in Tampa. read more

The Outside Kitchen - Teriyaki salmon with shrimp mashed potatoes - Diners Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Omg all I can say is delish! The portions were plentiful and all of the food had so much flavor! I was afraid that some of it might be spicy, but it was not at all. We took our food to go since they were closing when we arrived. We got so lucky that we were able to place an order. Our cashier was so nice! The restroom was super clean! That's really tells a lot about an establishment. Though the restaurant was a bit out-of-the-way for us. It was well worth the drive and I will visit again next time I am in the area. read more

See all

Food was disgusting !! Second time coming here service was terrible everyone acted like they had an attitude , woman with glasses at cash register rushed someone just to order red flag right there , lamb chops , Mac and cheese and baked beans with disgusting I've been throwing up since yesterday , went to Tampa general hospital they confirmed I have FOOD POISONING never again with you guys . Mind you my meal was also $68.38 and that was NOT worth it at all , y'all should be ashamed of y'all selves and it's supposed to be black supporting the blacks . Ambiance just please . read more

The Outside Kitchen - Expired Lamb chops , Mac and Cheese , Baked Beans that are loaded with - Diners Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Food is amazing best in the city 10/10 I highly recommend if you're new in town look for eatery with your family the outside kitchen always hit the spot read more

Chef J.Magic is serving up incredible meals with off-the-charts flavor at Outside Kitchen in Tampa. If you're in Tampa, you MUST give them a try. Every single dish was absolutely mind-blowing. Here's what we had: ~Blue lemonade ~Pineapple lemonade ~Garlic Parmesan wings- The sauce was finger-licking good! ~Jerk ribs-they were seasoned so nicely, the sauce was fantastic, and the ribs were super meaty! ~Deep fried lobster- This was my first time having fried lobster and I have to say I've been missing out! The breading was so full of flavor, the lobster tail was huge, and the garlic butter sauce was absolutely top-notch. I'm drooling just thinking about it and this was probably my favorite dish of the day. ~Cheesesteak egg rolls and shrimp rice - The cheesesteak egg rolls with the sauce was unforgettable. They were stuffed with meat and had ooey cheesy goodness and fried nicely. My second favorite bite of the day! The rice was also very good and the shrimp were so tender and jumbo! ~Lamb chops and shrimp mac and cheese- The sauce on the lamb was yummy and that Mac and cheese was fire! Each bite was so cheesy and creamy. ~Strawberry donut cake-Great sweet treat that reminded me of those strawberry shortcake popsicles! I can't wait to go back to Tampa and eat here again!! read more

See all

Outside of my "food zone", this small neighborhood Kitchen has the food battle won with it's succulent array of dishes. It's all about the flavors and seasoning, I guess you can call it, "Kickin'"!! My choices on my first visit were the Lobster and Shrimp Pasta. A heavy-laden to-go box chock-full of lip-smackin' goodness. Lobster was delicious but a tad dry, shrimp were plump, juicy and savory. The large portion of tasty pasta made it difficult to stop. Next was the Crabcake, a loose and rapturous delight that I enjoyed like a dessert. A chance FB post by a local man who frequents small neiborhood places with soulful food brought my attention to a group of places I plan to explore. This one gets a hearty 5 stars for it's food. Next, I'm getting the lamb chops! Come get you some!! read more

See all

**Rating 3.5/5** I recently visited The outside kitchen for lunch and had a mixed experience. Here are my thoughts: The restaurant has a cozy and inviting atmosphere, with pleasant decor and comfortable seating. The dim lighting added to the ambiance, but it was a bit too dark for my liking. The service was average. The staff could have been a little bit more welcoming and friendly for a first time visitor. Also as well as explaining what comes with the meal The food was a mix of hits and misses. The Philly cheesesteak were good, the shrimp on the rice were veryyyyy good I believe they were tossed in teriyaki. The yellow rice was over seasoned.The salmon was ok it was cooked to my liking but could have used a little bit of seasoning in my opinion. The seafood pasta the lobster and shrimp were good, but the pasta was over cooked as had a taste as if raw seafood was sitting on top. Given the quality of the main courses and the portion sizes, I felt the meal was a reasonably priced Overall, my experience was just okay. There were some enjoyable aspects, the service had room for improvement I might give it another try in the future, hoping for an improved experience read more

See all

The Grilled Oysters had cheese baked inside and they were huge. Very tasty I should have gotten a 2nd order. The lobster Mac & cheese was also very good with the shrimp that was Not over cooked and juicy. The fried salmon was good but over done to my liking. Overall I would go back and get a double order of them oysters to start off. read more

See all

This place has a potential to be really good, but my first visit today was disappointing. I spent $50 and got the grilled lobster and shrimp pasta and the cheesesteak eggrolls. I wanted to eat there so I would eat the food at its freshest. I got my food and immediately sat down to eat. I started with the egg rolls and they were warm, not hot. If they would have been more freshly made, they probably would've been amazing. Some sort of dipping sauce may have helped also. Next, I had the lobster and pasta. The overall flavor was good, but just like the egg rolls, the meal was only warm and not hot. The pasta taste like it had been premade an hour ago and was all stuck together and my lobster could've been much hotter. I couldn't even eat all the lobster because they give you the cheapest plastic silverware that bends and breaks instantly so I couldn't even get my $30 lobster tail out of the shell. Overall, the flavors were great, and if they had just served it hot, it could've been amazing. Sidenote, the meals here are not cheap, so please spend a few cents more and give customers some utensils. They can actually be use to eat the food. read more

Customer service was excellent & staff was professional & I can appreciate the southern hospitality. When I arrived I was the 3rd person in line so that was a plus because I have seen lines outside. I waited a while for my food & was told they ran out of grits for my fried salmon orders which was fine because I wanted to try other sides. The salmon was fried to perfection & I wasn't a fan of the mac & cheese the smell from the seasoning kept throwing me off. The rice was delicious & the shrimp was a nice size & had the same smell from the seasoning on the mac & cheese. The portion sizes of my two salmon dinners was well worth the $22 each. What more could I ask for! They gave me two strawberry bunt cakes because of the grits not being available & the cakes were yummy delicious! This is a cute little spot with a nice vibe. read more

See all

The food here is awesome. The place is small and they only have 6 tables. However, oh so worth it's read more

The Outside Kitchen - Glazed lams chops with shrimp Mac n cheese. So good!! - Diners Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Overall best food in Tampa the crab cake is better than anything you ever tasted if you haven't been here don't walk don't run FLY !!

I was passing thru downtown one afternoon and saw this place was in a new location. My brother has raved about it for a while and I just somehow never got around to checking it out. Let me start off by saying, I believe I may have shown up towards the end of the day when they were preparing to wrap up their lunch shift. It was like 3:30pm. I ordered the seafood rice with crab and shrimp from the menu. They told me they didn't have shrimp and could give me crawfish instead. I LOVE crayfish so I said BET. (This was interesting to me since nothing on the actual menu featured crawfish). Additionally, I ordered mac and cheese and the vegetable of the day, which was sautéed green beans. After i placed my order, I was also informed they were out of crab and they could sub salmon. I'm thinking to myself at this point, this is a totally different meal now, but I'll vibe with it. My total came up to $37. A bit pricey but, what the heck, it could be worse. I waited in my car maybe about 15 minutes for my order to be ready and by the time I was walking back up, it was sitting on the counter bagged and waiting for me. When I got home, I noticed i never received the green beans (rookie mistake on my behalf, leaving without confirming my order). The seafood rice was pretty good. No complaints, aside from the fact I would have preferred crab to salmon. The mac and cheese, unfortunately, was one of my least favorites from a black owned establishment. The top was really crispy because it featured a cheese that didn't melt well and I didn't enjoy the flavor at all. With all this in mind, I'm still open to give them another try on a day where I get there earlier for fresher options. After all, it's not like a food truck has a kitchen to store an excess of prepped food to replenish a low stock. read more

Great food. The wait wast too long. Menu isn't too big or confusing. Great atmosphere and the people were friendly

You have to check their instagram account for the menu as it changes each day. It was easy and quick to order and get my food. They have a few tables and chairs under a covered area if you want to sit down and eat instead of taking it to-go. They give you a good size portion of food and the prices are reasonable. I got the shrimp and steak with rice. There's a lot more steak than shrimp. The seasoning on both the shrimp and steak is wonderful. The steak is a little more well done than I would prefer but overall still a great plate of food and I would try their other dishes. read more

See all

Food was decent, nothing special. Took pretty long to come out but the place was packed. We did eat there and the tables were dirty; I had to clean it myself. Floor was sticky. Very far from where I live so I probably won't be back but I'm glad I knocked it off my Tampa Eats bucket list! read more

The Outside Kitchen - Wings & shrimp pasta.. I can't stand the tails being left on in pasta. - Diners Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Good food to say the least! The food truck was right off Hillsborough ave, next to a building they seemed to be working on for a restaurant. I ordered the jerked chicken wings with shrimp and rice. All for about $20. It was a bit of a wait but it was well worth it. Pics below. read more

See all

Amazing tasty well seasoned soul food. The menu changes daily. We went to try the ox tail pasta we saw in an instagram video but they didn't have it. We weren't disappointed though, what they did have was great!! Counter staff was very friendly and helpful. read more

See all

Food was great and atmosphere was great! They played Beyoncé's Renaissance album . Great vibes

The food, service, and Ambiance are amazing. I love going to eat here because the food is top notch and they give you a big portion of food. read more

See all

Food is delicious. They will grow out of this space their in because it's great food and service. I had the lobster and shrimp pasta. My husband had the jerk ribs with garlic mashed potatoes. Nice little upscale restaurant. read more

The Outside Kitchen - Jerk ribs - Diners Near Me - Tampa, Florida

See all

My daughter, a foodie like me, only better had found review on the Outside Kitchen and wanted to try it. When we pulled in the strip mall parking lot, its outside storefront appears hide the culinary gem hidden beyond the front door. Upon entering we're welcomed to smooth R&B from a large video screen playing R&B videos on the rear wall. I felt a relaxing at home kind of vibe immediately, there was a menu on the wall as we stood in a short line to place our order, (you can dine in or take out). When it was our turn, we we're greeted by a warm smile from the lovely young lady who took our three orders. We wanted to try the oxtails, but it was not the menu that day, so it just another great reason for us to return. After placing our order, and getting our drinks from the cooler, we we're given a number, while we sat and waited. The eclectic group of patrons were all smiles, with the anticipated delight of receiving their order. It was an upbeat and pleasant group coming and going picking up, orders to go, our sitting down to eat. After they called our order number, and we returned to the table, upon opening the box I was blown away by not only how delicious it appeared, but also by the amount of food served, forget about those small portions on big plates often found at some fine dining restaurants. These were some serous eats! Forget about diets, this is where fine cuisine meets mama's home cooking. It has favor, it has soul, it has purpose, to fill you up with the most creative and tasty food that will excite your every taste buds. Do not let the store from fool you, else you will miss one the best hidden dining experience in Tampa Bay. read more

The Outside Kitchen - Lobster and Shrimp Pasta - Diners Near Me - Tampa, Florida

See all

My first time going here and definitely won't be my last! I told everyone about this place My favorite is the smackin' cheese it's soooooo delicious. The vibe is chill, restaurant is clean (which is huge for me) and the employees are friendly. Definitely 10/10 recommend read more

Food was awesome, quick, and the portions was enough for a late night snack. Wish I didn't eat my food so fast I would've presented a photo.

Food was yummy, good customer service, quick service. Quantity of food was large and decent for price of the meals. Recommend light oil for veggies because they will be heavy if saved for later. The dining area is small but ample space with a sitting area for waiting. I only recommend that if customers are not eating in they should reserve the table for others and to ensure management makes others aware. This was a little hidden jewel we found on Facebook before visiting the area. read more

See all

Food was good, it all kind tasted the same tho but overall not bad. I would return for another try.

All thought they have the best food im not a big fan of the hours I think it should be open way later on Friday & Saturday especially with it being summer time now you guys should think about it read more

The food was absolutely delicious and the Mac and cheese was really mouth watering with tons of flavor. Shrimp and chicken wing combo really filled me up and worth every penny. I waited too long to try this place. Service was on point and food was still super warm so I was able to taste all the great flavors of each item I ordered. I've seen them at the fair and I've heard of this place a year or two ago but I know they have been around for a while now and I see why now. Don't wait go check this spot out read more

The food was amazing very flavorful great atmosphere 10 out of 10 service was good. It's a must have.YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOUR MISSING GO CHECK THEM OUT read more

See all

We heard about this spot on Tik Tok. I love BBQ so we had to go. I ordered the ribs, lobster and I think mac and cheese. The servings was huge. The food overall was good but alittle on the rich side. The ribs had a sweet glaze on it. I prefer less sweet flavor. The lobster was done just perfect. The mac n cheese was good just too rich in seasongs. The wait staff were nice. It's a nice little spot very casual. read more