Try these 3 restaurants next time you're in Tampa or looking for a great spot to grab some drinks and food with a waterfront view
Salt Shack on the Bay
Salt Shack on the Bay is hands down my favorite spot to go on the weekend or during the week to have some refreshing drinks and food. It is located on Rattlesnake Point off of the Gandy Bridge in South Tampa. This makes the perfect spot to come grab a drink and watch the sunset. It's casual and beachy which I love. If you go make sure you request a table waterside...it's worth the wait. Certain days of the week there is live music too! Fur babies are totally welcome too :)
The only negative thing I have to say about Salt Shack is that they do not take reservations so on a Friday or Saturday night you will actually wait up to 2 hours for a table. It does get very busy there on the weekends so I recommend getting there early and to plan on waiting for a table.
My favorite items are the peel-and-eat shrimp and I love switching up my drink depending on what I'm in the mood for. I've tried their Mai Tai, Rum Runner, Margaritas, Orange Crush, Paloma, Sunburn, Shack's Salty Dog, and the mojitos! You really can't go wrong with any of the drinks. They are all so deliciously refreshing and tropical which totally fits the vibe of this place. They aren't crazy expensive either!
Whiskey Joe's
My second favorite waterfront restaurant is Whiskey Joe's located near the Tampa International Airport. It's super casual beachy bar/restaurant and the location is everything you need and more! You can literally stick your toes right in the sand and walk along the their private beach. People come to the restaurant by boat or car. Whiskey Joe's is a perfect spot to relax, enjoy a few cocktails, and take in the beautiful scenery around you. They have live music too!
I have to say that I have never ordered dinner at Whiskey Joe's so I cannot tell you my favorite menu items, but their margaritas are SOO GOOD!! Unfortunately if you have a fur baby, you will not be able to bring them with you on the beach here. However, you can bring them to their upper deck which is located on the side of the property.
American Social
American Social is a little different than Salt Shack and Whiskey Joe's because you are not sitting directly on the water but you definitely have an amazing view of Tampa Bay. This is not a beachy vibe type of place it's an upper scale casual dining restaurant. They have a great lunch and dinner menu with tons of daily specials. On Tuesday's they have all-you-can-eat tacos and specials on margaritas.
They have an amazing happy hour menu which is my favorite part about American Social. They have specialty cocktails, wines, beer, and margaritas all on happy hour! I usually get the Passion Fruit Margarita, which is so yummy. And if you are as obsessed with french fries as me, then I highly recommend ordering their truffle fries....OMG. They are SO good. This is a perfect spot to come with friends for happy hour to enjoy the gorgeous view that American Social has to offer.
I have been on a mission the past year or so looking for the best restaurants, with the best view, vibes, food, and drinks. I've discovered that it's much harder than I thought to find all of those in one single restaurant. Working in the restaurant industry for so many years has really turned me into a restaurant snob. But these are the top 3 places that I made the cut. I'm sure there's tons more that I haven't even tried yet. I'm super excited to continue exploring the beautiful city of Tampa and finding all the best restaurants/bars to share with you.