There are plenty of places to down your favorite libations in and around the Tampa area. Neighborhoods like Ybor are known for their nightclubs, Hyde Park for its quaint cafes and bars, and the great neighborhood of Downtown Tampa for a diverse and varied selection of drinkeries from sports bars a stones throw away from our beloved St. Pete Times Forum to awesome hole-in-the-wall bars that are Tampa's best kept secrets. Here's five great ones.
The Hub - Maybe it's just us, but it always feels just a little more awesome drinking in a bar with some history behind it. The Hub in Downtown Tampa is just the place for this. Opened in 1946 as the Hub Liquor and Package Store and then expanded into a piano cocktail lounge, the Hub played host to judges, attorneys, bankers, boxing champions, and even mob bosses back in the day. Now it's a great neighborhood bar known for their "hub pour" making for, arguably, the strongest drinks in Downtown Tampa.
The Retreat - We'll keep the historical theme going and tell you about the Retreat. Opened in 1938, the Retreat once appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most draft beers sold. Formerly known as the Mousetrap and recently re-opened and renovated as the Retreat, the bar now boasts two rooms; one for the bar and one for games including darts, pool, and foosball.
Fly Bar - If the Retreat and the Hub are heavily influenced by the past, Fly Bar is looking dead ahead into the future. A modern space where people can enjoy food and drink surrounded by local music and art, Fly Bar is a great gathering spot for young professionals in Downtown Tampa. Enjoy a pint from their impressive selection of microbrew, import, and domestic beers or sip on one of their signature cocktails like the Fat Cat Daddy with midnight moonshine, creme de cassis, and pinot grigio syrup.
Four Green Fields - Four Green Fields claims to be the most authentic Irish restaurant in Tampa and they may be right. Serving up traditional Irish fare including corned beef and cabbage, shephards pie, Irish soda bread, and more, Four Green Fields will have you feeling green in no time. Or, kick back, enjoy a pint of Guinness, and catch some live music if that's more of your thing.
Hattricks - What would a list of great bars be without one sports bar? Ranked as one of the top 10 sports bars in the country be ESPN, Hattricks is the destination for sports fans in and around Downtown Tampa. Enjoy the big game on high-def TVs all around the restaurant or down a few at happy hour and walk to the Forum to catch a Lightning game. Whatever you do, it's bound to be fun.
