7 of the Best Casual Dining Spots in Tampa for New Year's Eve

In Tampa Palms, Stonewood Grill & Tavern on Palm Pointe is a place where all are welcome for New Year’s Eve. This restaurant serves patrons either “tavern-side” or “grille-side” where they can sit in a more casual spot next to TVs or in a more formal setting for New Year’s Eve dinner! Try the bruschetta made with vine-ripe tomatoes, basil, aged parmesan, and grilled garlic bread. Come for a bowl of clam chowder or casual comfort meals like a chicken pot pie. Stonewood also serves high-quality steaks, chops, and prime ribs.

Go to Doc B's Fresh Kitchen at International Plaza and Bay Street for some casual and fresh dining on New Year's Eve! Start your night right with the grilled California artichoke appetizer, and make your way to one of their delicious burgers, sandwiches, or entrees. Face the Dragon Burger which has Monterey Jack cheese, a refreshing giardiniera slaw, crispy fried leeks with a habanero-honey BBQ sauce for a filling meal, or their Tennessee hot chicken that has a side of coleslaw to ease the spiciness of the habanero-honey glaze. More light fare includes the #1 Tuna Salad which has seared ahi tuna, mango, and avocado with a zesty ginger dressing, and The Plate with heirloom tomatoes, sauteed broccoli, fresh kale slaw, and a grilled artichoke and cucumber salad to accompany. Doc B's also has a bar serving wine, cocktails, beer, and some bubbly options like prosecco and sparkling rosé!

Ulele by the Hillsborough River waterfront near Tampa Heights and Downtown is an open yet rustic restaurant that serves Florida-inspired cuisine. Sitting inside or outside on the terrace of their lofty location will bring beautiful views for New Year’s Eve dinner by the waterside. Ulele has a brewery on the premises that serves its own creations on tap. Kick-off dinner with the crispy alligator hush puppies. Enjoy a creamy seafood Risotto mixed with shrimp, scallops, and more. For dessert, try Fortune Taylor’s Guava Pie which has a buttery shortbread cookie crust.

On Swann next to Hyde Park Village, Goody Goody is open for casual diner-style meals for New Year's Eve. Pick a booth or table to reminisce about the year with your friends over a side of fries and their classic burger-- the Original Goody Goody Burger "POX," which stands for pickles, onions, and a secret sauce! Share a milkshake or have a Coca-Cola or root beer float to treat yourself before the year ends, or try a slice of one of their freshly made pies. Goody Goody is here to help you remember the good times of the year by bringing you back to a simpler time in Tampa's past.

Datz on MacDill in South Tampa is a comfortable and casual place to enjoy a New Year’s Eve dinner. Datz’s menu is a newspaper that makes you feel like you’re at home in this indie-industrial restaurant. Have a bite of the Kentucky Colonel, a bowl with garlic mascarpone with bacon confetti corn, cheese, crispy chicken, and creamy chicken gravy. Hot Dogs such as the MacDill Dog are served in a hoagie roll and will fill your belly before the clock strikes midnight. And finish 2022 with funnel fries, topped with powdered sugar and caramel dipping sauce!

Kona Grill on Boy Scout near International Plaza is a contemporary American restaurant that aims to please with a diverse menu but is known for its sushi. Their chicken and shrimp lettuce wrap as an appetizer can lead into the hearty Jambalaya made with crawfish, chicken, and spicy andouille sausage. Also, the pulled pork sliders made with braised kalua pork with BBQ sauce, and Asian slaw on a brioche bun will be a great meal to top off the year.

Besito Mexican in Westshore has a long list of delicious Mexican fare for a casual New Year’s Eve dinner. Come for the classic guacamole made for the table, and ceviche served fresh daily with a side of plantains and chips. Street tacos such as carne asada, fresh pico de gallo, salsa, and queso fresco are also favorites. Besito’s salmon manchamanteles is a filling stew made with roasted salmon, crispy bananas, pineapple pico de gallo, and mole sauce which will give Mexican flair to your Víspera de Año Nuevo!