Your Essential Guide to Sports Bars in Tampa, FL
The view of the field, court, or track from a Tampa sports bar is really something else. There’s something electrifying about watching the Buccaneers or the Gators play on big screens over the bar in the company of a pumped-up crowd. Of course, the energy you get all comes down to the bar you choose. That’s why we knew it was time to rank the eight best sports bars in Tampa, Florida.
Riveters Tampa
2301 North Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL
(813) 723-5197
Every game is more riveting at this beloved Tampa sports bar. This eclectic, classy spot with just a hint of nostalgia serves up scratch-made meals and hand-slung cocktails in front of big screens. The hellcat wings offered up beer-brined, dry-rubbed perfection as our appetizers. Riveters serves up an impressive dinner menu that features pineapple-marinated steak, bacon-wrapped meatloaf, buffalo chicken tacos, and classy burgers. We were also impressed by the cocktails and frozen drinks with creative names. While they all looked delicious, it was the Air Raid Lemonade that won us over with its special blend of vodka, liqueurs, and citrus juice.
Duffy’s Sports Grill
1580 North Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL
(813) 875-7340
Duffy’s has happy energy. You’ll feel like you grew up in the neighborhood even if it’s your first time stepping foot in Tampa. This sports bar gets all the points for its incredible appetizer menu. We were instantly obsessed with the amazing mozzarella firecracker shrimp. Our table was also smitten with the calamari starter served with spicy cherry peppers, tomato basil marinara, and spicy bayou sauce that washed down nicely with El Jimador classic margaritas from the drink menu. Duffy’s also has a crowd-pleasing menu of burgers, wings, BBQ ribs, sandwiches, steaks, and chops.
Social House
6310 North Florida Avenue, Tampa, FL
(813) 321-2329
Social House had us at Caribbean sausage mac & cheese. It was delicious! In fact, everything on the menu at this sports bar was surprisingly sophisticated and scrumptious. The arugula burrata salad as a starter was an especially pleasant taste adventure. Social House also has steaks, burgers, sandwiches, chicken and waffles, and gator bites. Wines, beers, and yummy tequila-based cocktails round out the list of reasons why this place is worth checking out when cruising around to find a sports bar in Tampa.
Hattricks
107 South Franklin Street, Tampa, FL
(813) 225-4288
Hattricks is known by everyone around Tampa as the spot where people gather before events and games taking place at Amalie Arena or the Tampa Convention Center. Anyone stopping in for a light bite before an event will be more than satisfied by an appetizer menu that offers roasted duck poutine, Bavarian pretzel sticks, lemon pepper grouper nuggets, smoked fish spread, and lightning chicken dip. While Hattricks doesn’t get overly fancy with its main menu, the combination of salads, wraps, and burgers is more than enough to satisfy a table. A drink menu full of bourbon, rye, cocktails, and beers brings it all home nicely!
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux
1140 Gramercy Lane, Tampa, FL
(813) 771-7100
Starting with the artichoke dip was a great choice! Trust us when we say you’ll be scraping the bottom of the bowl when it’s done. Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux ranks highly for those looking for an understated sports bar with really tasty food. The hand-patted burgers were especially delicious. Something that came as a surprise was that a good portion of the menu here is devoted to classic Southern favorites. Our table was excited about the voodoo shrimp and grits, crawfish étouffée, and fried catfish. Of course, it’s the drink menu at this sports bar that will really rock your world. Guests can browse a full page of signature mixed drinks, house pours, wines, beers, and more.
Thomas P’s Sports Bar & Patio
12836 Henderson Road, Tampa, FL
(813) 803-9464
In addition to being a great sports bar, Thomas P’s is also secretly one of the best spots for pizza in Tampa. While this bar gets pretty busy, there are plenty of televisions to share. Starting off with the big soft pretzel, Rueben rolls, and boardwalk fries was a great decision that started the night on a high note. Next, it was time to try Thomas P’s “skyline” pizza featuring sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, and garlic sauce. Our table also enjoyed some fried “baskets” with grouper, shrimp, or chicken tenders.
North 30 Sports Pub & Grille
11402 North 30th Street, Tampa, FL
(813) 999-8280
North 30 Sports Pub & Grille offers tasty, eclectic food in a setting with tons of big screens. We had to start with the house-made tortilla chips after spotting them on the appetizer menu. We enjoyed them with the calamari and hummus plate. The rest of the menu features classics with fun flavor fusions. Most people will probably be happy with nothing more than a plate from the “jumbo wings” menu. Everyone else will be glad to see burgers, wraps, salads, soups, and pasta plates.
Prime Time Sports Grill
14404 North Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL
(813) 393-1531
Prime Time is a top spot for wings and screens in Tampa. We loved that pitchers were priced for a long night of watching the score with friends. The menu represents classic “sports bar” fare that consists of burgers, wraps, salads, and sides. While the food is definitely delicious, we felt that it tasted better simply because of the great ambiance and energy of this place.
For more recommendations on where to eat and drink in the city, check out our Tampa page, here!
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