10 Tampa Bay Restaurants That Turn Dinner Into an Experience

Sometimes we go to a restaurant simply because we want something to eat. But in Tampa Bay, there are places where dinner itself can become a little adventure: you can sit by the water, listen to live music, have dinner in a historic district, bring your dog along, or try a dessert you’ve never tasted before.

If you’re looking for more than just good food and want something out of the ordinary, it’s worth looking beyond the menu. We’ve gathered ten restaurants and establishments from the TampaBayTide directory where the atmosphere, concept, location, or format itself makes going out to eat a special experience.

Columbia Restaurant: dinner with a taste of Tampa’s history. Some restaurants are interesting not only because of what ends up on your plate. They’re interesting because of their history and place in the life of the city. Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City is one of those places.

The restaurant is located in one of Tampa’s best-known historic districts, making it easy to combine dinner with a walk and a chance to experience the city’s cultural heritage. For tourists, it’s an opportunity to see Tampa not only through its popular tourist attractions but also through its Spanish-Cuban past. For locals, it’s a good option when you want to show the city to visiting friends or relatives.

In this case, the atmosphere of the neighborhood becomes part of the dinner itself. Instead of an ordinary trip to a restaurant, you can plan an entire evening in Ybor City.

Whiskey Joe’s: dinner with a waterfront view instead of four walls. Location can sometimes matter just as much as the menu. Whiskey Joe’s in Tampa is a good example of a restaurant where the water is an important part of the overall experience.

The restaurant is located along the Courtney Campbell Causeway, so instead of the usual city scenery, you get the waterfront atmosphere that is so characteristic of Tampa Bay during your meal.

It’s an especially good option for tourists who want to experience a relaxed Florida lifestyle. For locals, it’s an easy way to change up the usual dinner routine and make an ordinary evening feel a little more like a mini vacation.

Mutts & Martinis: a restaurant where your dog has plans, too. For dog owners, going to a restaurant often means leaving their pet at home. Mutts & Martinis in St. Petersburg offers a completely different scenario.

The establishment combines a sports bar with a space created specifically for dogs. There’s a waterpark and a dry play area where dogs can have fun while their owners order food and drinks, socialize, or watch sports.

So this isn’t simply a restaurant that allows pets. Dogs are an integral part of the establishment’s concept.

For local dog owners, it can be an interesting way to spend time with their pets, while for tourists traveling with a dog, it can be an option for an evening out with their four-legged friend.

If you’re planning to spend a lot of time outdoors with your dog, we also recommend reading our article about how to help your pet handle the heat. You can find other dog-friendly places in Tampa Bay through the TampaBayTide search.

Kobé Japanese Steakhouse: when dinner becomes a show. If you want something more interesting to happen during dinner than simply waiting for your order, a Japanese steakhouse is worth considering.

Kobé Japanese Steakhouse uses a teppanyaki format: dishes are prepared right in front of guests on a grill. This makes the cooking process part of the entertainment and turns dinner into an interactive experience.

This type of restaurant is especially well suited for birthdays, family dinners, get-togethers with friends, or simply those times when you want to try something different from the traditional restaurant experience.

Bon Appétit Restaurant & Marina Bar: when every table has a view of the water. If an unusual restaurant experience starts with a beautiful view for you, Bon Appétit in Dunedin is worth considering.

The restaurant has been operating since 1976 and is located directly on the water. One of its distinctive features is that every table has a water view. That means you don’t have to hope you’ll get a “good table” when you make a reservation.

But the waterfront view isn’t the only special feature. Bon Appétit combines fine dining, seafood, a piano bar, and live music.

So you can come here not simply for dinner, but to celebrate a special occasion, enjoy a relaxing evening with guests, or simply take in the atmosphere of the water and music.

Ulele: a restaurant with a strong sense of place. Ulele is another Tampa restaurant where the location and connection to local culture are an important part of the experience.

The restaurant is located near the Hillsborough River and combines a distinctive atmosphere with cuisine inspired by Florida and the region’s various cultural influences.

Because of its location, it’s easy to turn dinner here into part of a longer walk around Tampa Riverwalk and Water Works Park.

For tourists, it can be more interesting than simply visiting another chain-style restaurant because the establishment helps you get a better feel for Tampa itself. For locals, it’s a reminder that sometimes you don’t have to travel far from home for an interesting evening.

Hellas Restaurant & Bakery: the Greek flavor of Tarpon Springs. Tarpon Springs is known for its Greek heritage, making Hellas Restaurant & Bakery a good choice for those who want to combine food with an introduction to the local culture.

The restaurant combines Greek cuisine with a bakery and a wide selection of desserts. This makes it easy to turn a visit into part of a full day in Tarpon Springs, walking through the historic downtown area and experiencing the city’s Greek heritage.

For tourists, it’s an opportunity to see another side of Tampa Bay, while for locals, it’s a good reason to take a little trip beyond their usual neighborhood.

Rusty Bellies Waterfront Grill: seafood with the atmosphere of Tarpon Springs. Another restaurant in Tarpon Springs offers a completely different kind of unusual experience.

Rusty Bellies Waterfront Grill combines seafood with a location by the water. So you can come here not only for the food but also for the atmosphere of the waterfront itself.

It’s a good option for those who want to build an entire day around Tarpon Springs: walk around the city, explore the waterfront, and then stop for lunch or dinner.

For tourists, this format makes it easy to combine a restaurant visit with exploring the area, while locals get a simple reason to take a short trip to another part of Tampa Bay.

Bekdash Desserts: when dessert becomes the main event. Not every unusual restaurant experience has to begin with dinner.

Bekdash Desserts in Temple Terrace specializes in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean desserts. Here, you can try Arabian stretchy ice cream, kunafa, baklava, gelato, waffles, crepes, and a variety of coffee drinks.

The stretchy ice cream is particularly interesting—a dessert that is noticeably different from the regular ice cream many American visitors are used to.

So you can come here not after dinner, but specifically for dessert. It’s a good option for meeting friends, an unusual date, or simply when you want to try something new.

Dave & Buster's Tampa - Brandon: dinner plus entertainment. Sometimes the best way to make a restaurant evening unusual is simply not to limit it to food.

Dave & Buster's combines a restaurant, drinks, and arcade entertainment. That means once you finish dinner, you don’t have to decide where to go next. The entertainment is already right there.

This is especially convenient for families, groups of friends, birthdays, and other situations when the main goal of the evening is not simply to eat but to have a good time together.

For tourists, this format can also be a convenient way to combine dinner and entertainment in one place.

An unusual restaurant doesn’t necessarily mean an expensive one. What makes a restaurant unusual can be its location, concept, history, service format, or even the opportunity to bring your dog along.

This list of ten includes waterfront restaurants, historic establishments, teppanyaki, a dog-friendly space, Greek cuisine, Middle Eastern desserts, and restaurants where food is combined with entertainment. All of them offer something more than simply the opportunity to order lunch or dinner.

Still, an interesting concept doesn’t automatically mean a restaurant will be the right fit for you. Before visiting, it’s worth paying attention to the menu, atmosphere, location, and recent reviews. In our article “How to Find a Restaurant You'll Actually Love,” we discussed how to find a restaurant based on your own needs, while in “Don't Trust the Stars Alone: How to Spot a Great Restaurant,” we explained why the number of stars alone isn’t enough to evaluate a restaurant.

If you have a food allergy, choosing a restaurant requires even more attention. In that case, our article “Dining Out With a Food Allergy: How to Choose a Safe Restaurant” may help.

And once you know exactly what type of experience you’re looking for, use the TampaBayTide restaurant directory to find other Tampa Bay establishments. Because sometimes the best dinner isn’t simply the one after which you can say you had a good meal. It’s the one you’ll want to remember the next day.