Amazing staff, service was outstanding. The grouper is SOOOOO GOOOD! They even did my calamari without the jalapeño and I'm so grateful for them! Thanks for the amazing date night! read more

Ulele - Gouda Grouper - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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

Fantastic meal! This was my second time here and it was delicious again. I ordered the soft shell crab appetizer. This was incredible! It was a nice size soft shell whole crab dusted in seasoned flour and flash fried, berbere seasoning, apple cider slaw, roasted garlic datil aioli. Absolutely amazing! For the entree, my mom and I split the seafood risotto. So good and perfect for sharing. It is pan-seared shrimp and sea scallops, butter-poached lobster claw, crawfish tail meat, saffron risotto, charred corn cream sauce and seasonal vegetable. Fantastic! Fresh seafood! Love this place! read more

Ulele - Seafood Risotto - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Ulele is a very fun spot with great food! The location is right by Armature Works and the bay. The service was great with lots of good recommendations. For drinks, we had the springside smash and the highland-rita, very good but strong. We got calamari and clams to start, which did not disappoint. For our mains, we got the trout, grouper, and pork shanks. The steelhead trout was the best; however, you can't go wrong with any of those dishes! To end the meal, we got coconut ice cream, which was a great way to end a great experience! read more

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Julia was absolutely amazing! First experience here with my wife and it was the best experience you could ask for. She was so nice and the recommendations given were great. Drink was awesome, best ribs I've had since I lived in Austin, Tx. Place is very clean and ambiance was perfect for a date. Come here asap you will not regret it. 10/5 stars. read more

Ulele - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Been around Ulele many times but never had the chance to try it until now! Very nice place and location. It is an older building but has a great mix of modern and rustic vins to it. Parking can be a pain here since you have to pay to park and walk a fairly short distance. They do offer valet when available. Service was amazing from the front staff to our waitress. Very kind and upfront about everything. The food was really good and I honestly can't wait to bring the wife here. The flavors meshed very well. I ordered the soft shell crab sandwich and my only complaint is that the slaw was a little too wet so the bottom bun was mushy and it needed a little more sauce. I did ask for more and it helps bring everything together. We finished off with the key lime pie or more of a play on key lime pie. More of a pudding mixed with a tart. But still great lime flavor! read more

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Tried Ulele and overall it was a good! We started with the jalapeño cornbread and chili and WOW... that combo was so good and honestly one of my favorite parts of the meal. I got a mojito and let me just say... she was STRONG. For mains, we got the meatloaf and the seafood risotto. The meatloaf was okay for me personally, I think I would've liked it more with a ketchup-style sauce instead of gravy, and it was a little denser than I usually prefer. The seafood risotto was good but could've used a little more seasoning. The surprise favorite though? The green beans. Those were SO good. The atmosphere was really cute and the location is such a plus since it's right by the bay and close to Armature Works, which made it fun to walk around afterward. Service was great too, our waiter was super nice and attentive, and the restaurant was clean. Overall, glad we tried it! read more

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First time here. This place is awesome. We were 13 in our group and they were able to seat us with no problem. The food was fantastic. We ordered appetizers, one of each. Oysters. Then we ordered dinner entrees. Everyone loved there food. I ordered the tuna rare. OMG. I had to go and tell the chef how great my dish was. This l place was great for a night out or a date for sure. I will come here again when I get back to Tampa. I highly recommend this place. read more

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Food was amazing. We loved everything there that we tried. Disappointed we didn't get the short ribs . We ate family style and shared all the plates because we all wanted to try everything. The waitress was amazing very attentive and offered insight on our orders. The only down side was we sat outside and right in front of the giant fan lol. I don't recommend that. But definitely will stop by next time we are here. read more

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Ulele was a fantastic experience from start to finish. Even before we stepped inside, we were impressed. The area surrounding the restaurant is beautiful and makes for a great place to walk around and explore. Once inside, the atmosphere is just as impressive, and thankfully the food, drinks, and service live up to the hype. My dad and I started with the Gator Tail appetizer. Neither of us had ever tried alligator before, so we were really curious to see what it was like. Turns out, we loved it! It tastes surprisingly similar to chicken and was a fun way to try something new. For our mains, my dad ordered their famous Meatloaf, and after trying a bite, we completely understand why it's one of their signature dishes. It was excellent. I went with Barry's Tomahawk Pork Chop, and it was outstanding. The pork was cooked perfectly; juicy, tender, and not dry whatsoever. The real star, though, was the guava demi-glace, which added such a unique and delicious flavour to the dish. The beer selection was great too. I especially enjoyed the Wedding Beer Berry Lager, which was refreshing and packed with flavour. We also saved room for dessert. We tried the Candied Maple Bacon Ice Cream and the Bourbon Butter Cake. The ice cream wasn't really my favourite; I thought the cornflakes were a bit of a strange addition, but my dad enjoyed it. The Bourbon Butter Cake, on the other hand, was delicious and a great way to finish off the meal. Between the beautiful setting, excellent food, great drinks, and friendly service, it's easy to see why Ulele is such a popular Tampa destination. For more food, drink, and travel reviews, check out our YouTube channel A&M Roam! read more

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What an amazing Friday Evening at Ulele Restaurant!!! The food and service was great. The atmosphere was a vibe. One of the best dining spots on the Tampa Riverwalk. Thank me later. read more

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Ulele is a popular native-inspired restaurant and brewery on Tampa's Riverwalk, known for its Florida-sourced ingredients cooked on a large barbacoa grill, waterfront views, and on-site brewery. Owned by the same family as the Columbia Restaurant, it offers a unique menu with dishes like meatloaf and short ribs, and provides options for outdoor seating, valet parking, and is accessible via water taxi. This place is just amazing from decor to service and ambiance , you'll stay all day lol ! read more

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Great spot to enjoy the weather. And community park. Love the story behind the restaurant. The decoration inside was well done. Service was great. Our server knew the menu well and gave us tips of what to order. I ordered the crab cakes and they were so fresh and tasty. I enjoyed every bite. The okra fries was also delicious very interesting way of making okra. Parking was a little hard to find but once you find it the signs are all over the lot. If you're in town definitely check this spot out. read more

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This time visited the place for a sit down dinner. Outdoors proved to be better suited (a) for the nice atmosphere but (b) as the noise level inside was quite high, challenging non-screaming conversations. The Amarillo ceviche was a great start, followed by the Ulele salad and a NY steak, on point medium-rare and very tender. We could not resist a bread pudding with vanilla which - after a nice walk along the riverway back to the JW Marriott - turned out to be the theme of the visit. PREVIOUS REVIEW Chosen for an alumni reception, this cool and trendy place provided a nice upper deck - secluded from other guests. There were a limited number of snack bites including chicken legs, mini burgers, shrimp cocktails - and plenty of drinks. Had I not had other true dinner commitments, it would definitely have been worthwhile to explore the main menu. PS: Lime proved to be a perfect exploration mode of transportation through from the hotel through Tampa old town ... read more

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I was in Tampa for a conference and was told about Ulele. Great view, festive yet relaxing atmosphere. Our water was great and the food was good too. Will definitely be back when in town. read more

Ulele - Crackling Pork Shank - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Charbroiled oysters. Corn bread. Grouper. Sit at the bar or community table to watch the food prep. If not then make a reservation because this place is always booked. read more

Parking is limited even though they do have a dedicated parking lot for the establishment. Right on armature works property so walkable area and crowded. The actual experience is so-so. Very expensive for not very attentive. Knowing your clientele is very important. We were seated upstairs and 10 mins into our meal they dimmed the lights very low, kind of killing the warm ambience. People complained on the floor and pulled out flash lights to look at the menu and still no change. Ordered two drinks to start with oysters and Mac and cheese to start. Oysters seemed okay and the Mac and cheese for $8 was an absolute gem and steal. Definitely worth getting. The drinks were also phenomenal. Then comes our meals- I ordered seafood risotto and he got short rib. Seafood risotto- didn't seem like a lot, just tastes like sweet rice with a medley of seafood. Green beans are way over seasoned and salty to my taste and my stomach was upset after 6/10 The short rib- delicious no complaints, he enjoyed the green beans. A little spicy with tons of salt. Short rib was soft and tender but no change of knife so expect a butter knife to cut. Not nearly enough mashed potatoes to meat portion but the better of our meals. 8/10 For $200 dollars we've had better service and food so I feel like you're really paying for the location. read more

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We came to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday on a Saturday night and overall had a really great time. I made reservations about 2 weeks in advance which I highly recommended since this place seems pretty popular! There is a park next door so we arrived a bit early to walk around. Luckily, there is complementary valet parking so parking was a breeze. We were seating right away and got straight to eating and drinking. For appetizers, we shared the tuna salad (super fresh) and the gator bites (very unique). We also split the seafood risotto which I loved because we got a little taste of everything - scallops, shrimp, lobster. We also split the pineapple upside down cake which was delicious and some complementary birthday truffles. Our waitress was attentive and provided great recommendations. The ambiance was not quite what I expected. It was a bit more casual than I wanted for a birthday dinner with lots of large groups and casual wear but it was still a great night out. The view of the sunset was great! read more

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Still a solid four star experience. We came at 5 PM on a Thursday after our pre-K graduation. There was 22 of us so each family made their own reservation. Originally we were going to sit outside, because they have a huge open field so it would allow the eight boys under eight to run around while the grown-ups could sit. However, the weather did look like rain and it was hot so the restaurant was able to fit us all inside upstairs instead. They were very smart and put us all in a corner which minimized the disruption to other patrons. I was extremely impressed with our server who got every single dish correct even though she was juggling five different families. I got a Highland Rita, which is their version of a margarita. I don't think it comes with salt on the rim normally, so this is a reminder to self to ask for salt on the rim in the future. It is a strong drink. My husband got two old-fashioneds and his drinks were pretty strong too. They are also delicious. They have really cute kids cups. One kid got a Coke. The other kid got apple juice. Note to self my older child did not like their mac & cheese and only ate a side of fries. My younger son loved the grilled chicken and ignored his fries and green beans but ate all of the grilled chicken. Probably between the two of them we could've just gotten one grilled chicken kids meal. I got the shaved brussels sprout salad and added shrimp. It was pretty good and if I want to eat healthy, this is a good dish to get. My husband got the short ribs and really enjoyed it. I was pretty impressed how the staff didn't really bat an eye handling our party. I think this is a great place to celebrate a (pre K) graduation. read more

The water views, the food, the staff, all amazing. You can sit at the bar and watch the chef sear oysters! read more

It has been a while since I have been to Ulele and here are just a few observations. So that iconic water they used to serve tastes like tap water now. Nothing really special about it. Just hard warm water in a cool vessel. The waiter said it was triple filtered, but it may have been the residue from the dish washer coming through on the glass. They did bring us the good water and it was good and also cold. They don't do flights anymore, but they do do samples of no more than 3 so between the 2 of us we got to try 5 of their beers. I was most impressed by the Green Cannon Ball Tampa IPA 7.5% ABV. Honorable mention for the Dam Buster Weizenbach 5% ABV. But honestly, all the beer I sampled was good and I am a beer guy. The service is great here, but on a weekend like Sunday when they are slammed they still do a good job of keeping it all together. Our server was Matt and he was both responsiveand accommodating. It was definitely 4 or 5 star service l, even with the wait for the food. We started with the soft shell crab app. For like $20 we literally got one crab which was disappointing. Still it was quite good and for an app it was almost worth it. We got the braised short ribs and a burger and did take a while for it to get to the table. Good thing we had drinks and that app or the wait would have been awkward. The braised short ribs was great and they burger was also quite good. Want sure about the pineapple on the burger, but it didn't disappoint. The green beans that came with the short ribs were super al dante equals hardly cooked. Still the food was great. I really wanted to give 5 stars, but honestly, Ulele is a consistent 4. read more

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Ulele never disappoints. From the moment you walk in, the vibe feels intentional -- warm, inviting, and perfectly Tampa. The food is consistently fresh and thoughtfully prepared, with flavors that feel elevated without being overcomplicated. You can tell care goes into every plate. Service is attentive but never intrusive, and the setting along the river makes the whole experience feel like a mini escape, whether you're there for a casual meal or a special night out. It's one of those places you confidently bring out-of-towners to -- and still love returning to yourself. A solid go-to when you want great food, great atmosphere, and an experience that just feels right. Ulele never disappoints. From the moment you walk in, the vibe feels intentional -- warm, inviting, and perfectly Tampa. The food is consistently fresh and thoughtfully prepared, with flavors that feel elevated without being overcomplicated. You can tell care goes into every plate. Service is attentive but never intrusive, and the setting along the river makes the whole experience feel like a mini escape, whether you're there for a casual meal or a special night out. It's one of those places you confidently bring out-of-towners to -- and still love returning to yourself. A solid go-to when you want great food, great atmosphere, and an experience that just feels right. read more

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This pet friendly restaurant is located a short walk away from Armature Works (thanks Jeff) which is off the Hillsborough river. The atmosphere is inviting, with both indoor and outdoor seating. Sadly, there is only one entre option for vegans and no dessert options; the pet menu has more options. My family of carnivores enjoyed their meals. The presentation of each meal was nice. Unfortunately, most of our meals were lukewarm or cold, when they arrived to the table. We didn't complain, we had a large party. The prices for food and alcoholic beverages are standard for the area. Our server was great. Overall, members of my family will definitely go back. As a vegan, I wouldn't rush back for the meal; however, I will sit by the water and sip their spicy margarita. read more

Ulele - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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The food at Ulele was absolutely fantastic. I ordered the seafood risotto, and my guest had the pompano -- both were beautifully prepared with complementary, well-balanced flavors. Every element on the plate felt intentional, and we genuinely left wishing we could lick them clean. It was that good. The drinks were also strong and well mixed, which rounded out the meal perfectly. Where the experience faltered slightly was with seating and service. When we arrived, there were no available tables due to an event, so seating was first-come, first-served at the bar. While I understand hosting events, I was surprised that more space wasn't reserved for regular diners. The staff seemed stretched thin and a bit overwhelmed, which felt more like a planning issue than an effort issue. The decor is interesting -- there are some beautiful art pieces and what appear to be Tiffany-style stained glass windows inside, which add elegance. At the same time, there are sports jerseys and assorted memorabilia throughout the space that don't quite align with the more refined elements. The mix made the overall aesthetic feel slightly disjointed. That said, the quality of the food alone makes Ulele worth visiting. If you go, I'd just recommend checking ahead about events or peak times. read more

Ulele - Florida Pompano - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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We've been fans of Ulele for years because the food and atmosphere are always incredible, but after this weekend it became a place that will forever mean something deeply personal to us. I reached out while planning a proposal to my now fiancée at the nearby park, hoping to arrange a small photo shoot area with champagne before dinner. After one quick email, the General Manager personally called me and spent time talking through ideas and helping make the evening special. Even with that conversation, I was completely unprepared for just how extraordinary they made everything. When we arrived, we followed a trail of rose petals to a beautifully decorated private table waiting for us with flowers, a handwritten card, champagne, and glasses already set. It honestly felt like something out of a movie. The attention to detail and genuine care from the entire team was unbelievable. The manager working that evening and our server were both absolutely wonderful -- warm, attentive, and sincerely excited for us. And on top of all of that, the food was phenomenal as always. I'm still in awe of how special Ulele made the night feel. I truly cannot imagine a better place to have proposed. This restaurant will always hold a special place in our hearts, and we'll definitely be back for many anniversaries and celebrations to come. Highly, highly recommend. read more

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Ulele was absolutely out of this world--an absolute must if you're in Tampa. It's great for large groups and had a nice, comfortable atmosphere that wasn't too loud. The drinks were amazing (highly recommend the house margarita ). I ordered the seafood risotto and it was packed with flavor, plus the portions were huge. Make sure to grab a reservation, this place fills up quickly and would be hard to get seated without. In the warmer months, there's a nice patio outside and would be so nice! The real star, though, was dessert. The maple bacon ice cream was to die for. I honestly could've eaten the entire thing myself. Our waitress was so kind and attentive, with great suggestions throughout the meal. Can't wait to come back! read more

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I was in town for a conference and found this place while on the Riverwalk. This place had a great vibe and energy. I sat at the bar and ordered a meal. The service was great, and they had a nice selection of spirits draft beer. read more

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This place has great food, the indoors and outdoor seating both great, outside you can people watch and has an outside bar. Inside had some stained glass and statues. We wanted to try a little bit of everything, the okra was good but I felt it was on the salty side.My husband enjoyed the meatloaf , in fact he finished the whole thing. It was the perfect size and no left overs. I had the grilled oysters and I usually don't like oysters but these were delicious. The shrimp was just the right size for an appetizer and I wasn't too hungry so it was perfect with the oyster as a meal. Lastly the homemade ice cream was delicious. Aside from the salty okra overall the experience was great! The staff was very prompt, friendly and helpful read more

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Food is fantastic every time! This is one of our favorite places to eat, and hang out. The riverwalk is nice, always something going on and great for the family. Their oysters are the best! Chargrilled perfection with the olive oil drizzle and bread. I really like their chili too. We have eaten prob 60% of their menu and it's all been great food. Definitely stop in and eat. read more

The food..we started off with 2 Hydration Station beers and Shishito peppers, outstanding both My wife had the Water Works meat loaf and it looked like something from Swanson, 2 patties, she was expecting a loaf like homemade but ok. The flavors were there, potatoes needed more gravy but all in all good food I ordered the Mahi Mr Henry, this fish was overwhelmed by the accompaniments, the garlic spinach, corn salsa and green papaya slaw were the stars of the dish. We will go back as we would like to try other dishes and server, Rico, was very attentive and great ambiance, what a place to people watch read more

farmers is very helpful and reliable less money for more coverage. So don't wait switch to Farmers insurance You will save a lot and and you going to be safe with them read more

Love this Tampa staple! Came here for lunch this past weekend and was blown away. I've been several times before, and I've always had a stellar experience. The venue itself is placed perfectly on the outskirts of Armature Works, with beautiful greenery on the patio, and the inside is nicely decorated. The noise levels also weren't too crazy. Our waitress Nataleigh was amazing! She was so nice, attentive, and patient with our party. We started off with a dozen charbroiled oysters, which never disappoint. I was stuck between a few of the sandwiches and she actually ended up showing up the steak sandwich on the specials menu. I went with that and I am so happy I did! The steak was extremely tender and the datil pepper aioli was a perfect addition. Overall 5/5 star experience. read more

Ulele - Steak sandwich - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Beautiful location down by armature works and I learned today it's the same owners as the famous Columbia restaurant! At night they had the gas fires going and it was very pretty. I had to try the meatloaf and it definitely delivered! The sauce was amazing and it was charred and crispy edges. The short ribs I thought were just okay, the meatloaf sauce was better. Service was exceptional and the kind where they box your leftovers for you. Definitely order wine off the menu, I ordered a house Cabernet which has never done me wrong and it ended up being $16 a glass vs the $11 or $12 menu prices for other red wine. read more

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I was responsible for coordinating our work dinner and it was between Ulele and one other restaurant, the tie breaker was seeing the bourbon butter cake on the menu so I selected Ulele (I know, wild! Haha). Glad I did because I would give a 5 star just for the bourbon butter cake! Save yourself some room at the end for this because YUM. I did get the crackling pork shank as my main entree and while really good, I do wish it fell off the bone more. Some part of it truly just fell off and other parts I was wrestling with cutting through, otherwise it was very tasty. Not pictured - aji Amarillo ceviche which had a spicy kick but I liked it a lot. Other contender was the Barbacoa shrimp that were super flavorful. Service was awesome - wish I remembered name of our server but she was fantastic. The restaurant itself is huge. Vibes are like a trendy warehouse with seating upstairs as well and plenty of seating outside. Definitely would come back here again when in Tampa. read more

Ulele - Bourbon butter cake - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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From the Pineapple Fuego drink to the jalapeño cornbread to the oyster Rockefeller to our seafood risotto everything was on point. All that variety of delicious food it was enough to share that entree and feel totally satisfied. I did order Keylime pie to go! I hope it's as good as everything else was! read more

Ulele - Oysters Rockefeller - New American Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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I was visiting Tampa and was taken to Ulele to try and it definitely lived up to the hype! Getting to the place was easy. Traffic isn't terrible, but I can forsee parking being a hasle if you don't know where to go or aren't using the valet. Overall the area is very welcoming and the ambiance of the restaurant is comfortable. The service was also great. Our waitress was very friendly, had great humor, and always made sure we were happy with what we had. Lastly, the food. It was spectacular. The oysters as an appetizer were great. Anything with butter, garlic, and cheese will taste great. I then got the risotto as my main dish and it was also fantastic. It was creamy and all the seafood was cooked properly. Best of all, there was a good amount of protein in it. Overall, this is a must go-to place to eat if in the area. read more

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I was very impressed by the food, staff, and overall ambiance of this restaurant and definitely plan to come back soon. The menu offers a lot of unique options, and I absolutely loved the shrimp barbacoa appetizer. The shrimp were large, juicy, flavorful, and perfectly grilled, served with an incredible parsnip and celery root purée, microgreens, tomatoes, and asparagus. It was easily the standout dish for me. I also tried the charbroiled oysters, which several people told me were a must-have before leaving Tampa. While I wasn't as impressed by the oysters as I was by the shrimp, this was actually the first time I have ever had oysters that I liked, so I may just not be a big oyster person. I also felt the value was much better with the shrimp at $18 for six jumbo shrimp compared to the oysters at $25 for six, especially since the oysters were far less filling despite costing more. Our waiter was super friendly, and I loved the view from the spacious outdoor seating area with the surrounding sculptures, which really added to the experience. read more

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I really like this place! I'm from a Tampa and I really like it. I've been a couple of times but it's been a while for sure. I was excited to go back and retry the food. The staff was very friendly and I loved the food. The river wall outside is great and fun to hang out after. They have free valet parking. read more

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Visited Ulele for Veterans Day and it was quite busy although not running any Veterans Day specials which I thought was odd. We had a 7:30pm reservation and we arrived rather early and didn't get seated til 10 mins after. Service was a bit slow but overall I really enjoyed my meal at Ulele. We started out with some apps, Calamari, Crab Mac n Cheese and the Charbroiled Oysters. Surprisingly the Crab Mac was the star of the show out of the apps. Mac n cheese was creamy and they loaded it with Blue Crab Meat. The calamari wasn't bad but the dipping sauce was not my favorite and I think that is why this dish missed the mark for me. The charbroiled oysters were super flavorful and you should def ask for more of the bread that comes with these for dipping! For my entree I ordered the Filet with mash potato's and green beans and for being a seafood restaurant this filet was phenomenal! It was cooked perfectly and the flavor was also on point I throughly enjoyed this entree! This was my first time being seated upstairs and I really enjoyed this space it seemed more private and intimate than the open downstairs seating. Overall we did have a great experience just wish we could have been seated prior to or at our reservation time. Will definitely be back to Ulele in the near future! read more

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I absolutely love Ulele. It's my favorite restaurant to bring our friends who visit us. The ambiance inside is incredible. It's loud, fun, and the perfect spot for a large party. I love the chargrilled oysters (they're a standout on the menu). Another go-to appetizer is the barbacoa shrimp, which is amazing. For a lighter dinner option, go for the mahi-mahi. Also, the meatloaf here is outstanding; it was even featured as the "Best Thing I Ever Ate". Every visit the staff has been super friendly, welcoming, and helpful with suggestions. The food is hands-down among the best in Tampa. If you're looking for a memorable meal in a lively atmosphere, Ulele is a top choice! read more