Local restauranteur Dave Burton looks to add to his successful Downtown Tampa and Seminole Heights concepts with Gen-X Tavern, a unique 80's and 90's-inspired restaurant and bar for America's lost generation. The oft-forgotten Generation-X'ers landed between the much larger generation groups of baby boomers and millennials, but now there’s a spot for them where Kurt Cobain, Michael Jordan, and Madonna reign supreme.
The Gen-X Tavern will remind diners of the pop culture and news events of the time. Decor includes tube TVs, neon graffiti, and old-school arcade games. The nostalgia won't stop there; servers will even display their old AOL account names on their nametags.
Burton already has popular downtown restaurants in Tampa Pizza Company and Holy Hog Barbecue, while in Seminole Heights he owns Heights Fish Camp and Melt Shoppe. So when a broker looking to fill an almost 3,000-square-foot storefront in the Bank of America Plaza between Ashley and Tampa Streets reached out to the native Tampanian for another idea, Burton was ready to bring Gen-X Tavern to fruition.
"It's the perfect spot for Lightning games, and it's so close to the University of Tampa," Burton said to Tampa Bay Business Journal. Located right next door to the European Wax Center, the spot is perfect to appeal to the downtown lunchers and happy hour enthusiasts, as well as the night bar-hopper crowd.
The menu is still in the works, but plans are to stick to the basics — burgers, tacos, finger foods, and a salad selection to appeal to the business lunch crowd. Retro-themed entrees like the Sue Ellen Ewing and Magnum P.I. burgers will enhance the menu, while adult Capri Sun drinks and specialty cocktails will also play off the theme. (Naturally, bar specials will be displayed using an overhead projector.) Trendy evening events will play a role with trivia nights, mixtape nights, and prom nights.
With a planned ribbon-cutting in spring 2018, you'll be drinking a toast to Maverick while listening to the soundtrack of The Breakfast Club faster than you can find those parachute pants and do the Running Man.
Gen-X Tavern adds its niche to the plethora of happy hours, bars and restaurants that make up the downtown Tampa scene. With so much to do, the grand opening should be highly anticipated! Keep up with more information on this and many other locations and events in the 813area by subscribing to this site. It’s free!
Photo by Sandro Katalina on Unsplash
