Undertow is a hidden gem. We came here to enjoy some drinks while watching the sunset. The staff was welcoming and friendly. We got freshly made pina coladas, they were so good. The bar was fairly busy, but had plenty of room for us to sit and enjoy the beautiful views. They have a lot of fun games you can play too. The prices can't be beat! The bathrooms were nice and clean too. We will definitely be back. I'm not sure about the food, I didn't see a kitchen or food menu, but we just came for drinks! @living.with.reg read more

Undertow Beach Bar - Pina Colada - Bars Near Me - St. Pete Beach, Florida

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I really wanted to love UnderTow because the beach bar vibe is spot on, but the experience was bogged down by some head-scratching policies. We brought a cooler (and while I totally understand why those aren't allowed inside) the staff made us trek it a quarter-mile away to a random sign rather than offering a convenient solution. The real kicker was leaving: despite being steps away from the street, we were forced to lug the cooler back through the sand and around the building rather than just walking through the parking lot. The logic just wasn't there, especially considering we spent over $150 on drinks while we were there. It's not like we weren't supporting the business; we were happy to pay, but we didn't appreciate being treated like an inconvenience. Also, as someone who isn't a "hardcore" environmentalist, seeing the beach littered with plastic straws was disappointing. I thought I found shells in the sand twice, only to realize I was digging up plastic. Great spot for a drink, but be prepared for some frustrating hurdles and a lot of plastic waste. read more

Undertow Beach Bar - Bars Near Me - St. Pete Beach, Florida

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I sat at the bar, paid to play two songs. Got the complete wrong drink. Each song started and the bartender pulled out a remote and skipped them. I watched her do it. It was weirdly sneaky, but I happened to be in the right spot. I said something and she was literally like "oh, did you play that??" They also have signs behind the restaurant on the beach, restricting access from the public. I just dont stand for any of it. read more

The most rude and entitled staff I've ever encountered. They think they're entitled to a tip even if they are ridiculously rude. I'm the best tipper I know. But they didn't deserve it and I got kicked out for it. Gross place with gross people read more

Nice chill atmosphere where we were able to pull together some tables and play card games on a Saturday night. Obviously the drinks are way overpriced and the chicks showing off their bods behind the bar are a bit crazy. Beware of them doing shots with customers - they climb up onto a bar on the ceiling, swing upside down, splash the drink the guys face and then slap him. Strange indeed. Not for everyone... read more

Great place to watch the games and sunset! So fun for football Sundays, all the games are playing in tons of TVs, also the free hotdog can't beat it read more

Undertow Beach Bar - Beach - Bars Near Me - St. Pete Beach, Florida

Cockroach in the bathroom, overpriced drinks, nearly 50 minute wait for food which was mediocre at best. You can do better than here. Sign post placed in the beach saying they own the beach (no they don't?) was also annoying enough to convince me to write a review. read more

Undertow Beach Bar - Beach sign saying the wet beach is private property - Bars Near Me - St. Pete Beach, Florida

The Tampa Bay area has faced a lot of challenges over the last several years that it's still trying to recover from- covid, hurricanes and recovery, inflation and rising costs, etc. The last thing we need is a local property owner blatantly and illegally(!) antagonizing our tourists and beachgoers by trying to privatize our taxpayer-funded beaches. To make matters worse, ownership is taunting locals who are angry over their efforts. Since tourism tax revenue is down 35% in St Pete Beach in the last year, owners Paul and Karen need to worry about how to attract more people to our beaches, not drive away the ones who are here. read more

This bar has the potential to be an awesome spot. Unfortunately, the bartenders are extremely rude. We had a large group come in for a family reunion pub crawl. Some of us are sober, pregnant, or can't drink for medical reasons. When my husband and I ordered a Diet Coke and water from the bar, the bartender was extremely rude and made a rude gesture towards me and my husband. We still tipped $5 on a $1 tab, because people in the service industry deserve respect. Unfortunately, this visit earned this review since I want everyone to be well aware of the type of service you can expect here. read more

Horrible food. Super greasy, dirty tables and bathrooms. There are tons of great beach bars, don't waste your time at this dive!

Dirty as hell! Stay away! I got a beer with fingerprints all over the glass and watch the server bring it with her FINGER IN IT. After they brought me the wrong food we left and never looked back. Danger - stay away. read more

Bad frozen food and different prices for different people. . Who thinks they own the beach. ???? read more

Undertow Beach Bar - The Undertoe Bsach bar say they own the beach?? Not good for locals or tourists!! - Bars Near Me - St. Pete Beach, Florida

Great spot, right on the beach. I thought the prices were reasonable as well. TVs inside playing sports, etc.. No parking available here. Staff was fine, did not have an issue as others did. read more

guy standing in the parking lot "trying to help people park" is absolutely useless. guy is the most disrespectful and rude person ever. He will only help you park when they are out of season looking for customers, guy has no clue what he's doing. read more

Food: meh, service: terrible, and the atmosphere wreaks of cliche. But the worst part is the way whoever owns this place thinks they own the beach in front of the restaurant. The law in Florida is clear that all beaches are public up to the mean high tide line. These people rudely and illegally tried to tell folks on the beach that they were on private property. If people want to set up their chairs, umbrella, and cooler in front of this bar, the law says they are allowed. Shame on the Undertow. read more

I used to really like this place, gorgeous setting on the beach. But recently the prices have gone up quite a bit. I ordered a small glass, maybe 3 ounces of house Chardonnay and it was 8.50. Too rich for me. read more

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Location is great, right on the beach. Parking can be a little nightmare, but as long as you acknowledge you will stick to their premises you should be fine. Not sure do they serve food but drinks are really limited. Ordered cocktail myself its so watered down, not even drinkable. Staff was friendly. Would only recommend location and view really. read more

Great beach bar, right on the beach. Fast and friendly service at the bar, and full liquor so grab a shot and a beer then hit the amazing beach after!! read more

Staff is extremely hostile off the bat. They block off the entire beach in front so patrons can't spread out and set up. If you have a backpack or chairs (which most people do when the go to the beach) an angry man with white hair who is obviously miserable with his own life, is waiting at the front of the parking lot to accost you and say you're not allowed in. The bartenders aren't the friendliest either. They don't seem to understand that by not letting people set up in the beach in front of their bar, they're really alienating customers. None of the other beach bars that don't offer private cabanas behave this way. They could be making a ton of money being one of the few beach bars that's open since the hurricanes but they're really shooting themselves in the foot here. People go to the beach for a laidback vibe and this place is anything but. I was just there for 4th of July weekend which should've been busy for them but it was dead due to their militant and unfriendly policies. Yikes. read more

Do NOT recommend. Walked here to grab a drink. The bartenders, which i would not label them as bartenders since their qualifications are "opening a beer top", were rude and just stared. When i asked what the favorite frozen drink was to make she replied with "NO". How embarrassing for them and the establishment. That is not bartending. You are basically a beer girl with zero bartending skills. We are visiting from a city who has exceptional cocktail bars and amazing service. Not this . I did get a pina colada if you want to call the grocery store liquor and pre made mix with ice. Surprised she was willing to do that. Don't call yourself a bartender. It's an insult to actual bartenders who know how and want to make mixed cocktails. Avoid. Listen to the reviews. They are legit. read more

Undertow Beach Bar - a drink in a cup on the beach - Bars Near Me - St. Pete Beach, Florida

Unfriendly staff. Unfriendly security. Wouldn't recommend if you're looking for a nice beach bar.

I went to meet my friends on the public beach near The Undertow Bar with my professionally trained service dog. Although we did not step foot near their bar, an older male staff member approached me inappropriately and accused me of not having a real service dog. From the very beginning, I calmly stated that I would leave, which I did, but the situation escalated unnecessarily. (I was there for about 10 minutes in total) He asked me a series of inappropriate questions about my dog and my disability. Despite not being legally required to answer, I complied--I explained the specific task my dog is trained for, my disability, and confirmed I have proper documentation. Even after this, he continued to press me, treating me in a demeaning and disrespectful manner and forcing me to leave. As I walked to grab my purse, he went to block me as if thinking I were going to walk into the facility to leave. Which I never did, never was, and never will - I was just grabbing my bag on the beach to leave. The laws protecting service animals and people with disabilities exist for a reason, and this behavior was both unacceptable and against the law. Given this experience, my family and friends--who witnessed the discrimination firsthand--will not be visiting this establishment in the future. My deep disturbance reflecting the disrespect of all service animals warrants at least this review. I do not support businesses that fail to treat individuals with disabilities and their service animals with the respect and dignity they deserve. I hope this facility educates their staff on ADA compliances and the importance of treating all individuals with basic respect and humanity moving forward. read more

I was apart of a large group that called ahead of time that arranged a 5k tab. upon arrival they denied entry to all of us despite everyone being 21+ we drove 3 1/2 hours to spend the day here. Terrible service, it was gross the way they treated us. Cursing, shouting, and telling us to leave after being there for under 5 minutes. I wouldn't recommend anyone going here. read more

I started going to the Undertow in the 1980's. My family has and still has 4 weeks of timeshare per year around 200 yards down the beach from this place and it has been my daily hangout while on vacation for decades. I have seen this bar change a lot over the years. It used to be one of the coolest places to be on the beach and had a great vibe. This is no exaggeration when I say I literally spent 5-6 hours every day there 2 weeks in May, 2 weeks in August every year. I don't leave the beach once I'm there for vacations. No amusement parks or attractions. Just hanging out doing nothing is my kind of time so the bar daily became part of my routine, and I enjoyed the heck out of the Undertow for years and years. It's a family business and I know 3 generations of the family by name and have called them all friend before. I don't go there anymore. The list of reasons is long and has built my disdain for the place over the years slowly but surely as each thing/new rule came up. Rude barmaids/staff that act like you are an obstacle instead of a customer. Fenced off the beach Took out the jukebox because snowflake barmaids got triggered over some songs that international tourists played. Now the barmaids play their own playlists off their phones so the music is not for anyone over 25. (This is one of the big ones to me personally) High prices (nowadays) Smiley's is gone so no great food anymore Did I mention rude barmaids? Customers are 90% local rednecks/fishermen and are easily offended. Tourists don't seem welcome anymore like they used to be. It seems more like a private club. Don't go at night. The locals got annoyed by a tourist one night and he was found on the beach later beat to death. Oh yeah, RUDE barmaids need to be mentioned. read more

Great place to go if you are into the bar scene. There is actual beach access affording tables to watch nature and the white sands of St Pete Beach in Florida. Drinks are a little pricy but no unaffordable! read more

Went in a couple days, looked nice. But the water downed drinks were terribly over priced. Would not recommend.

A quintessential Florida beach bar, located on St Pete Beach. A great place to spend an afternoon if you need a break from the sun. The drinks are cold, the atmosphere is laid back. If you decide you want to crank it up a notch then order an upside down shot from one of the bartenders. It will most definitely spice up your day. read more

Undertow Beach Bar - Bars Near Me - St. Pete Beach, Florida

No, just no. Save yourself and someone you love. I walked in off the beach. Easy money, right? Yeah, easy money that just walked out the door never to return. PLEASE CALL JOHN TAFFER!!!!! You can't serve $7 drinks and charge $12 After asking for a top shelf drink, I got a sub-well watered down version. The exact same drink we bought earlier at Crabby Bills was tons better than this swill. Listen to the reviews. The five star reviews are fake, created to lure you into the spiders web. Seriously, when you are actually a bar tender, you don't have to wear a bikini for tips. Bartending is an art. Why wasn't the man pretending to be a bartender wearing a bikini? I might have given him a better tip! read more

Hello, Thanks for checking out my review. Food is my favorite hobby, I do not cook at all, so I'm constantly on the hunt for something amazing to eat and writing about it is my second favorite hobby... I hope it helps you as you find your next meal. Enjoy and good eating!! I always rate a place by 5 categories ranging from 1 - 5 stars and why. (Atmosphere, Service, Food, Price & Overall Experience). Atmosphere: 5 You couldn't get a better beach bar! It's on the water parking right up front, multiple bars and an upstairs bar too. Lots of Adirondack chairs, out door showers to rinse off the sand, outdoor games. The bars have a little moat with a current in it and little floaty toys to play with your other bar friends and the staff is all in bathing suits. Service: 5 There are several staff members all around taking drinks checking on you and again all in bathing suits. Food: While the don't have a kitchen there they do have lots of menus for places that will deliver there. Thought that was pretty cool and convenient. Price: 4 We had 6 cocktails for $40.00 bucks before tip. It's not bad and especially for the touristy spot your in I would have expected them to be more. Overall Experience: 4 This is a great place to spend the day or evening at with lots of options of things to do. It would be great if they did have a kitchen but again we saw people ordering from the pile of deliverly menus they had there. read more

Great place. I guess we hit their happy hour. Drinks were extremely reasonable contrary to what I'd heard in the past. Good TVs for sports etc. Beach right out the back. What could be bad? Recommend for a great afternoon out. read more

I love coming here specifically to see Emily and Izzy they're my two favorite hottest bartender. they provide excellent customer service hottest beach bartenders come here for them read more

The ultimate Florida dive bar on the beach. Cheap drinks. Great music. Nice beach out back. A little lazy river sits in the middle of the bar and you can watch the mini rubber ducks float by while you're enjoying a cheap beer and watching the bartenders give shots to college kids who act like it's their first drink ever. (Photo below) read more

Undertow Beach Bar - a man hanging upside down from a ceiling fan - Bars Near Me - St. Pete Beach, Florida

I brought my service animal in, the manager came with a sign yelling that he was a pet not a service animal. I offered to show him paperwork (which I don't have to do). By law- you are allowed to ask if they are a service animal and what services they provide. He continued yelling at me and I told please call the police if there's any issue. The police came and they told me he wanted to trespass me. i told the police he is a service animal and the service he is trained to provide. I was sitting with my boyfriend on our first drink causing no issue. When we were walking out he yelled "anything to get entitled people out. Owners are allowed to kick anyone out." He was clearing kicking me out because of my service animal and even said it was because I was "entitled". I would love not to have my issues that cause me to have a service animal, apparently that makes me entitled!? 100% complete disregard for service animals and those with disabilities. DO NOT go there. read more

Well , loved to watch the football games and decided to go somewhere different. The first set of skinny margaritas were subpar and virtually no tequila we also mentioned this to the waitress and she didn't offer a credit or another drink. Be careful when ordering drinks because our bill ended up being $250. The shots were $14.72 each. And I mean a shot ! Went to Hurricanes and O Maddie's and maybe $ 9:00 at the most. Mind you 250 no food , you go up and order because the waitress is impossible to get . Honestly Never complain , if I go back , No mixed drinks .. beer only . read more

Exactly what you want a beach bar to be. Not much more I need to say. I do wish the parking situation was a little better.

kept the barbecue guy outside is amazing. His food is to die for.! Isabel does shots hanging upside down from the ceiling. It's a must.

On the beach but not a beach bar. They have two full bars, billiards, games and cute girls in bikinis. The inside bar has a unique moat flowing through it. The back doors open up for scenic views of the sunset over the water. The sand is right outside. I enjoyed my first visit until I went out back and saw the patio. It looked like a compound! Locked gates with a door bell, rules signs plastered all over the inside and outside of an ugly fence. It was such a buzzkill. Before I could kick back and admire the beach with my cold cider, I was faced with; "Patrons only" "Private property" "Private beach" "No alcohol" I wasn't allowed to drink on their private beach property, which didn't make sense for a beach bar. Seems like they want you to look but not touch the beach. So many rules were against bringing beach items. No backpacks, beach bags, knapsacks, thermoses, containers or coolers. Do they honestly expect customers to carry handbags while wearing a bathing suit? I had a backpack with me, which I used to carry the clothes I took off. Call me crazy but I drove there fully clothed. The rule "management has the right to search any and all bags," seemed a bit invasive coming from a place that demanded such privacy. No fighting or gambling rules made sense but "no angry or racist music" and "management has the right to skip songs without refund," seemed unnecessary. Perhaps they should axe the jukebox full of offensive music options. How they lack control over their own music selection in 2017 is beyond me. Then the rules got personal... "No sagging pants or hats worn sideways." That doesn't seem racist at all. Oh, and "men must wear shirts after sunset." That doesn't seem sexist at all. I guess they're okay with women being topless as long as their hats are facing the right direction. The funniest rule besides "no foul language," is "no attitude." You are forbidden to have a stance of any kind. Ha!!! Just take it to Yelp, my friends. In reality this business contradicts the image they portray online with promo photos. Facebook page shows beach volley ball court and girls having fun in the sand with liquor bottles, beers, ice buckets, and beach umbrellas. Three stars for a really nice day despite the jail vibe and sign pollution. The bartender was a sweetheart and made my friends and I great drinks. Most of the reviews this year are 1 star and pretty appalling. The owner should seriously reconsider what he/she really wants. There are smarter and sexier ways to be exclusive. read more

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My fav beach bar in all of Tampa Bay. Service is always on point and Em and Victoria are the best.

They have no food. "No working kitchen". So don't believe they menu. There is n parking. Took sun runner to go there. Walked a couple blocks. read more

Great beach bar with great service. Emily is so friendly and such an efficient bartender. Go for happy hour or sunset views.