Recommendations for Tampa
- Thread starter Deemancpa
- Start date
YEP YEP YEP!! Anywhere in Ybor City is good to go. Columbos for a second meal is amazing as well.
theribdoctor
Certifiable.
The columbia in ybor, been there since 1905
And see about a tour at cigar city brewery
And see about a tour at cigar city brewery
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Bern's is definitely at the top of the list. You are going as much for the experience as for the food, which is really, really good. Great steaks, an AMAZING wine cellar, vegetables from their own garden and a wait staff that has to apprentice just to work there. Don't skip the dessert room. Oh for the days when you could smoke a cigar in there.
Ybor City is a must for any cigar-lover. Tampa Sweethearts is a definite stop you will want to make. You can probably expect to see Fuente, Jr. in the store. Just keep in mind that it is not a typical retail shop but really just a small frontage for their mail order store. Still, worth the trip. And while you are in Ybor, stroll through 7th street, visit the other cigar shops (some likely to have rollers working) and stop by the Columbia Restaurant for lunch. Do all of this during the day, 7th Ave is blocked off and turns into a street long bar in the evenings.
If you are in the mood for a little gambling (what passes for slots here, table games and poker), the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is a nice place, though you can find a good card game in any of the race tracks around as well.
Bush Gardens is of course worth a visit if you are into the theme park scene. Mostly rides and some good animal attractions. I have a friend who works there, so if you go let me know ahead of time and I'll see if I can get any behind the scenes stuff set up (no guarantees).
Clearwater and St. Petersburg Beach are not in Tampa of course, but it's a short drive and there are some great restaurants in that area. Frenchy's Rockaway Grille on Clearwater beach is an amazing place to watch the sunset and enjoy some great Grouper and/or she-crab soup. Salt Rock Grille on Indian Shores and The Lobster Pot in Reddington Beach (South of Clearwater Beach and North of St Petersburg) is also amazing, but really there are a TON to choose from. It is also worth a ride on the Sea Screamer to watch the Dolphins jump in the wake. They do a good job of tour guide as well.
Hyde Park and SoHo in downtown tampa are both good eating and night spots.
If you are into golf of course there are TONS of courses in the area. Let me know what you are looking to get out of the trip and I'll see if I can be a little more targeted in my suggestions. Also hit me up if you want to share a smoke while here.
Ybor City is a must for any cigar-lover. Tampa Sweethearts is a definite stop you will want to make. You can probably expect to see Fuente, Jr. in the store. Just keep in mind that it is not a typical retail shop but really just a small frontage for their mail order store. Still, worth the trip. And while you are in Ybor, stroll through 7th street, visit the other cigar shops (some likely to have rollers working) and stop by the Columbia Restaurant for lunch. Do all of this during the day, 7th Ave is blocked off and turns into a street long bar in the evenings.
If you are in the mood for a little gambling (what passes for slots here, table games and poker), the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is a nice place, though you can find a good card game in any of the race tracks around as well.
Bush Gardens is of course worth a visit if you are into the theme park scene. Mostly rides and some good animal attractions. I have a friend who works there, so if you go let me know ahead of time and I'll see if I can get any behind the scenes stuff set up (no guarantees).
Clearwater and St. Petersburg Beach are not in Tampa of course, but it's a short drive and there are some great restaurants in that area. Frenchy's Rockaway Grille on Clearwater beach is an amazing place to watch the sunset and enjoy some great Grouper and/or she-crab soup. Salt Rock Grille on Indian Shores and The Lobster Pot in Reddington Beach (South of Clearwater Beach and North of St Petersburg) is also amazing, but really there are a TON to choose from. It is also worth a ride on the Sea Screamer to watch the Dolphins jump in the wake. They do a good job of tour guide as well.
Hyde Park and SoHo in downtown tampa are both good eating and night spots.
If you are into golf of course there are TONS of courses in the area. Let me know what you are looking to get out of the trip and I'll see if I can be a little more targeted in my suggestions. Also hit me up if you want to share a smoke while here.
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Deemancpa
Hook'em Horns
Great info guys! I'm staying at the Marriott Waterside.....one of our vendors will have a dinner at the Dali Museum, i like this work.
Jason- thanks. It's really up to my wife to decide. If I was solo.....I'd prob. Play poker, golf and smoke all night.....reason I'm not going solo...damn!
Dee
Dee, the Marriott Waterside is a great hotel and a great location. I met Cigar Cowboy there. Just let me know if I can be of more help with suggestions and if you can meet up for a smoke. Enjoy your stay!
Jfire
BoM 9/9' 9/11' 8/12'
If your going to Tampa Sweets...... After drawing up a conversation ask them to see the humi wall just inside the sales office(right at the window upon entering) (Some forbidden X for sale) and beg him for a tour of the office in the basement along with the vault with all the anejo, opus and reg stock.
And my recommendation for food is Island Way Grille in Clearwater! Damn I love that place!
http://www.islandwaygrill.com/
And my recommendation for food is Island Way Grille in Clearwater! Damn I love that place!
http://www.islandwaygrill.com/
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Docbp87
Smoke Into Oblivion
Lived in Tampa as a kid, and my old man worked there until a few years ago. Columbia in Ybor is essential, as is Bern's, for all the reasons Jwrussell said. If I get a chance, I'll find out who the server is my Dad and his buddies like/always sit in his section.
Cigar City Brewery is a must!! Free tours and a great taproom!
Deemancpa
Hook'em Horns
I'm back from Tampa and had a wonderful time. The city exceeded my expectations. Living in Miami and FT Lauderdale for 6 yrs, I expected the usual ills of any big city. Totally different! I could live there!
Besides the conference called NACUBO mostly for finance and accounting administrators. Recap: Berns, Dali Museum(private showing and dinner), met the Fuente Family( nephew and daughter) toured Carlitos private collection!
Berns- got reservations for Saturday night. Being a meatatarian, I was pumped. Seeing the menus, felt like a dissertation 500 pages of wine selections and two-three pages of cuts of steak and thickness was wearing me out. All in all great experience! 300 bucks for four people, including a $55 bottle of wine.
We toured the kitchen and wine cellar - which totaled 900,000 bottles most offsite.
Besides the conference called NACUBO mostly for finance and accounting administrators. Recap: Berns, Dali Museum(private showing and dinner), met the Fuente Family( nephew and daughter) toured Carlitos private collection!
Berns- got reservations for Saturday night. Being a meatatarian, I was pumped. Seeing the menus, felt like a dissertation 500 pages of wine selections and two-three pages of cuts of steak and thickness was wearing me out. All in all great experience! 300 bucks for four people, including a $55 bottle of wine.
We toured the kitchen and wine cellar - which totaled 900,000 bottles most offsite.
Docbp87
Smoke Into Oblivion
Yeah, Berns is an awesome experience. Puts the big chain places like Morton's or Ruth's Chris to shame. Did you spend much time in Ybor?
My old man and brother always stop by Tampa Sweetheart's to grab some Fuente stuff for me when they go down there (go to a few Rays and Lightning games per year)
My old man and brother always stop by Tampa Sweetheart's to grab some Fuente stuff for me when they go down there (go to a few Rays and Lightning games per year)
Deemancpa
Hook'em Horns
I spent about 2 days in Ybor......not much going on during the week. But I had a awesome time at the Fuente shop there. I met the nephew and daughter of Carlito. I took my best of Fuente sampler with me. I spent about an hour or so there. The nephew, can't think of his name, but he was gracious enough to show me around, took me to the basement to see Carlito's private collection of just about everything. Said no pictures, here is one side of the humidor at 55 degrees, pictures of the retail side....packs of BBMF, a few AF13(?),personal smokes of the family which were panatella in size no labels. My mouth was drooling!
Nice family owned business, said they are working on a cigar club/bar in the downtown area.
Bought a few custom rolled cigars from every place I saw.
Nice family owned business, said they are working on a cigar club/bar in the downtown area.
Bought a few custom rolled cigars from every place I saw.
