10 unique bar experiences you can have in Tampa Bay
We crossed Central Avenue in St. Petersburg’s bustling Edge District, dodging cars and a group of mopeds. On the other side of the street, a hazy light illuminated a non-descript door in an alleyway. We entered, with hesitation and a small feeling that we were trespassing.
But once inside Bar Chica, the vibe couldn’t have been more warm and inviting. With dusky lighting and comfortable seating, the petit blue lounge at the back of fast-casual Cuban restaurant Bodega was the perfect setting for our small group to ruminate over potent, creative cocktails.
After my years of frequenting nightclubs, dive bars and restaurant bars, niche experiences like the one at Bar Chica are a welcome alternative. There are a couple of strong options across the Tampa Bay area right now, bars that don’t feel gimmicky but do emphasize a certain quiet, intimate, speakeasy vibe.
Here are 10 places to visit.
Jekyll
It’s best to make a reservation (online or phone) to discover this Hyde Park speakeasy. You’ll be texted a password and instructions for entry — leading you to the bagel shop Sesame where you place your “order.” Once inside, you’re transported to a realm where Victorian-style paintings mix with sleek leather sofas and a soundtrack of Golden Age hip-hop. The drink menu comes as a small book, with each featured drink correlating to a famous novel. For example, the Fountain of Youth — a bright, citrusy blend of Dobel Diamente tequila, Sotal Por Siempre, Genepy liqueur, honeydew, lime, cucumber kafir simple syrup and mint — is inspired by “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. Drinks on the cocktail list average $24 each (for real!) but the bar is stocked with multiple options of every spirit, as well as a selection of “Dusty Bottles” (rare vintages) and a wine list. A small food menu features shareables like the gruyere cheese fondue, served with bite-sized bagel pieces, sliced chorizo, Granny Smith apple and carrots. Jekyll carries on the speakeasy tradition in Tampa first established by Ciro’s, one of the city’s first speakeasy bars, which has permanently closed. A Ciro’s pop up event happens at Jekyll in Hyde Park on May 8, where guests can bid on Ciro’s memorabilia with proceeds going to the Children’s Dream Fund. 813-358-3027. jekyllhydepark.com.
Punch Room at Tampa Edition
This intimate bar at the swanky Water Street hotel was the setting for a recent pop-up experience by Barcelona, Spain-based Paradiso. The team from the cocktail bar that’s considered one of the world’s best took over to bring wildly creative concoctions, including one called The Cloud featuring a nebulous coffee-flavored foam, with El Buho Mezcal infused with hibiscus and flax seeds, Altamura Vodka, Amaro Montenegro, dry vermouth, Xilitol Cordial, Piparras and Perrier. The Punch Room does collaborations like this often, making for a diverse experience depending when you go. But even on regular nights, the Punch Room is unique because it exclusively serves punch — and it’s not the kind your friends spiked at the prom. Instead, it leans into traditional flavors and spirits of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico inspired by Tampa’s fictional pirate history, drawing on blends of rum and cane spirits, tropical fruit and spices. Settle into the chartreuse and lapis velvet furniture for close conversation while sipping the Tampa Punch, featuring two types of mezcal, pineapple oleo saccharum, lime, Worthy Park 109 proof rum and coconut sauvignon blanc. 5 p.m.-midnight Wednesday-Thursday, 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday. 500 Channelside Drive, Tampa. 813-221-4600. editionhotels.com/tampa.
Dunedin Mix
The carousel bar is the heart of this new food hall and event space that’s inspired by New Orleans and Paris. It slowly turns while you imbibe, so subtly that it takes about a whole drink before it’s made a full rotation. There’s a happy hour from 2-5 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, featuring $8 Hotel Monteleone (Bacardi, Luxardo Maraschino, grapefruit, Gifford Orgeat, lemon and pink peppercorn) and Sazerac (Buffalo Trace, Pernod, sugar and Peychaud’s) cocktails or $4 Yuengling and glasses of prosecco. It’s devoid of televisions, with the goal to encourage conversation with fellow patrons. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday. 990 Broadway, Dunedin. 727-216-8861. dunedinmix.com.
The Saint
You don’t have to be too virtuous at this St. Petersburg speakeasy — guests are referred to as “sinners” here. But you should make a reservation before entering the confessional, where you give Father the password. Inside it’s as red as Hades, but don’t act like a demon. The vibe is meant to be low-key and conversational, with no smoking or talking on phones. The 60-person venue seats by 50 percent reservation and the other half on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests are asked to limit their time to an hour and 15 minutes. On the robust beverage list are ones themed for the seven deadly sins, martinis, an absinthe service, mocktails, wines and twists on classics like the Fallen Angel, with Angel’s Envy Bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, Gifford Creme de Peche and Giuliana Prosecco. All cocktails are 50 percent off during happy hour, 5-7 p.m. Sunday-Friday (it’s closed Monday). It also serves light and sweet bites. 5 p.m.-midnight Sunday and Tuesday-Thursday, 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday-Saturday. 49 24th St. N., St. Petersburg. 727-258-7626. thesaintspeakeasy.com.
Alter Ego
This music-forward cocktail lounge by Proper House Group just opened on April 19. While the music element won’t necessarily encourage intimate conversations, it still fits the bill for this list. Justin Layman, better known as DJ Casper, is the spot’s music director and has curated an impressive lineup of local and national DJs to set the vibe. Decked out in monochromatic deep red, it has seating for 50 and additional standing (or dancing) room for 30. The cocktails are updated twists on classics, like a Carajillo ($20) made with Don Julio Reposado, Licor 43, cold brew and smoked espelette. There are also zero-proof cocktails, wines by the glass and bottles of top-shelf champagne. 420 S. Nebraska Ave., Tampa. 813-221-9191. 5 p.m.-midnight Monday-Wednesday and Sunday, 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Thursday-Saturday. Reservations are highly recommended. alteregotampa.com.
The Ship’s Hold
Tucked next to Florida-themed pub The Galley (and owned by the same folks) in downtown St. Pete, this nautically-decorated compact bar boasts the largest selection of fine rum and amari (brandies infused with herbs, citrus peels and spices) in Central Florida. In addition to the seriously long list of rum, listed by region, there is also a robust cocktail menu and weekly specials, including Mezcal Mondays featuring 400 Conejos Mezcal with $4 copitas (sipping vessels) and $8 Palomas. It also has food and offers specials like Taco Tuesday, but the best news is that it serves late-night bites until 3 a.m. — a rarity downtown. 6 p.m.-3 a.m. Monday-Wednesday and Friday-Sunday, 7 p.m.-3 a.m. Thursday. 37 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg. 727-575-7071. theshipshold.com.
Bar Chica
In the front, Bodega is the go-to for Cuban food and fresh juices in St. Petersburg’s Edge District. But peek around a barn-style door in the back and find Bar Chica. Try one of the signature cocktails, like the Florida Sour, concocted of Whistle Pig Whiskey, “Piggyback” 6-year rye, orange, lemon, rosemary simple syrup and a red wine float. 7 p.m.-midnight Wednesday-Thursday, 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday. 1180 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Find it on Instagram.
The Catalyst on the Deuces
This bar, lounge and speakeasy will celebrate its first-year anniversary in June. It took over the former space of Chief’s Creole Cafe in the St. Petersburg district known as The Deuces. It’s home to the group Grown Folks St. Pete, so the age demographic of the crowd skews a bit older. The vibes are festive at both the outdoor patio and bar and indoor lounge, where live music and other events happen weekly. Food is available from Sid’s Caribbean Grill as well as a monthly brunch every second Saturday. 11 a.m.-midnight daily. 903 22nd St. S., St. Petersburg. Find it on Facebook.
Bern’s Cocktail Lounge
If you haven’t been to the lounge at Bern’s Steak House since it was renovated in summer 2023, or if you’ve never been, consider a visit. It hadn’t been refreshed since 1998, and one of the main changes is that the bar has been moved to the other side. It’s a modern and sleek update that keeps some of the original touches, like the section of the seating area that includes the same California redwood boards that are found in the dessert room. Through a partnership with art consultants Cass Contemporary, the restaurant commissioned seven oil paintings from New Mexico-based artist Drew Merritt, which were installed in the lounge in April. The paintings evoke the still-lifes and portraiture of the Old Masters, with nods to Bern’s depicted in wine, steak, stone crab claws and an alluring female figure holding a water pitcher. Take them in as you sip one of Bern’s own fine wines and spirits, with labels also designed by renowned contemporary artists. 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday, 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. 1208 S. Howard Ave., Tampa. 813-251-2421. bernssteakhouse.com.
Star Trolley’s mobile Speakeasy Lounge Bus
St. Petersburg-based Star Trolley filled a void when it started in 2020, providing festive transportation for weddings. Owner Richard Novikas started it after he acquired a fleet of trolleys and busses from his father, who was in the manufacturing business, which was responsible for not only the ones in Star Trolley’s fleet, but also those in St. Petersburg’s Downtown Looper. Once business started booming, Novikas considered a plan for his 44-passenger transit bus. Inspired by a trip to The Ringling Museum in Sarasota where he saw an antique circus train car, he turned it into a 1920s speakeasy. Novikas did all the work himself, gutting the bus and building out the bar and seating. About a year ago he started testing the concept and found that people were eager to get a group together, dress up in 1920s attire and hit the road. It’s bring-your-own alcohol, but a bartender who will curate a bar menu can be provided for an additional fee. The bus seats 30 people and you can organize a tour, whether it’s a bar crawl of other speakeasies or just a stylish ride to a concert. Novikas said many people prefer to just stay on the bus and party. star-trolley.com.
