OT TAMPA SUGGESTIONS

Traveling to Tampa tommorrow for a week at a frinds condo at Harbour Island. Any suggestions for things to do ,dining,New Years ? Thanks, Gregg

You have to go to this restaurant called shells, best seafood i have ever ate. The only thing is there are two of them and there completely different. the one you need to go to is on gulf blvd by clearwater beach. Trust me it is worth it even if you don't like seafood they have amazing steaks.

Tampa has lots of strip clubs where you can request for "back-room" hanky-panky Xction. Used to be all fully nude, and full-contact lap dances for several years, but county laws are subject to change.

You should try and have dinner at Bern's Steakhouse ( http://www.bernssteakhouse.com/bs_frame.htm ). I highly recommend it. You need to make a separate reservation for the dessert room -- they have over 1,000 items in the phonebook-sized dessert menu that features cakes, pies, dessert wines, etc.

Ha ha! I remember going to Mons Venus while I was down in Tampa for business. Be sure to hit the ATM machine before going to the clubs -- the one and only ATM on the causeway charges a $10 service fee!

Harbor Island is next to Channel Side, a recreational area with resturants and clubs and entertainment. There will be fireworks over this area New Years. You can just walk and find most anything you like. (the Carolina Cheerleadres found plenty of trouble to get into). If you want to venture out, try Oystercatchers seafood resturant on the bay near the airport or check out the resteraunts at the International Mall food walk also near the airport. Of course Berns is an experience but take plenty of $$. You could spend the day at Busch Gardens across town.

shells sux - only place worth going is berns - ofcourse take your pick of 100 ballets

which shell you go to theres two and one of them does suck the other is amazing and i just realzed there both on gulf blvd

shells is a chain and its a not very good one - a step above red lobster - there are more than 4 around here... www.shellsseafood.com

It's all about Burn's as far as unique to Tampa (good food). Then there is the typical: Fleming's ect... Just to give you the "culinary climate" of Tampa: It is the first and only place I had the opprotunity ( and I took after several beers) to have fried oreo cookie desert and fried alligator.

flemings sux too..cap grille, berns, palm, shulas are all many times better...berns is only one unique to tampa..great experience..largest private wine collection in the worls..millions of bottles..great to see...

Please keep the good ideas comming ! New Years eve ?? I am bringing someone but I like the way you think Cosmos !

A very nice and unique place to eat in Tampa is Byblos Cafe which is off MacDill. Very hip and incredibly good food. It's a relaxed and younger atmosphere than Bern's and a different menu than a typical steakhouse type place. Every person I've ever taken there has loved it and there usually is no wait, a reservation would be a good idea if you're coming from out of town though). (Just checked out their webpage so ignore all the belly dancers on the site! lol they only come out after 9:30-10PM-ish and it's a traditional middle eastern vibe rather than a 'strip club' vibe). For bars, try Whiskey Park or McDinton's in south tampa as you'll be in the general area. For strip clubs, Mons is WAAY over-rated. blech. The DollHouse is much classier and they serve alcohol. For full nude, go to Bare Assets over in Pasco county. Definitely the best private dances in the country...at least until it gets closed down.

Columbia resturante in Ybor City was always good cuban food

I went to college in Tampa (USF) and I cannot stress the importance of going to Bern's Steakhouse. Make SURE to call ahead for reservations. BY FAR, the best steakhouse I have gone to (Ruth Chris, Ditka's, Shula's, Morton's, Fogo de Chao and others included). Mons Venus, now that brings memories! HA!

Oh yeah!, I totally forgot about that place (great bean soup). My Grandfather told me to go there when I told him I moved to Tampa. He ate there while in the service...that's how much history is there.

For some nice waterfront dinning i suggest Salt Rock Grill in Indian Rocks Beach(it might be Indian Shores) It is a very nice restraunt but not so quiet that you dont want to have fun like say a Ruth Chris. It is also on the water/beach. They have a huge wine selection and great decor... BTW Shells is terrible. Eating frozen seafood in Florida is just not worth it IMO. It is like ordering a steak at Chili's. OK but not what you want when looking for a good steak...

How far a drive is Sarasota ? Any good one night places there ?

There's a Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota.

The story behind my visit to Mons Venus is pretty funny. I used to work for one of the Big 5 consulting companies and had an assignment to work in Tampa for 3 months. My team and I used to fly from DC to Tampa on Mondays and fly back on Fridays. We would take turns renting the car (one week I would charge it on my credit card, the next week my manager would charge it on his, etc.) One night we all went out to dinner at Bern's -- steaks at the dining room then desserts and drinks at the dessert room. We were all pretty tired after the big meal and went back to the hotel after dinner. I was getting ready to go to bed when I got a phone call in my room. It was my manager. Manager: It's me. Let's go. Me: Go where? Mgr: You know. The club. Me: Damn. I'm tired. I was just going to call it a night. Mgr: You have to go. You have the rental car. Meet you downstairs in 10 minutes. So I drove the rental car to Mons Venus and we hung out there for a couple of hours. We had a few drinks, a couple of lap dances, then took off. Fast forward a couple of days later -- expense report time. I get a call from my manager. Mgr: Can you come to my office? I have a question about your expense report. Me: Sure. I'll be right there. I walk over to his office. Me: Is there a problem? Mgr: Yeah, you put down $100 in "miscellaneous tips." What is that for? Me: Oh, that. You remember? You were there. Miscellaneous tips in ones and twenties... Mgr: Approved.

Go to Berns and make sure you order the onion soup... Amazing! Here's a few others (we lived in St Pete until 2 years ago): 4th Street Shrimp Store - nice for a casual lunch, it's in St Pete around 4th street and 24th Avenue Frenchy's on Clearwater beach - casual bar/restaurant right on the beach Lee Roy Selmons by International Plaza in Tampa - try the fried green tomatoes Oh yeah, Mons is quite a place. I haven't been there since the mid 90's but it was a blast back then.

By the way, it has been years but we used to go to Skipper's Smokehouse for some gator tail and beers. I remember them having pretty good gator tails and shrimp and stuff but I may have just been drunk on the beer. http://www.skipperssmokehouse.com

One night as in hotel? Yes, the Ritz amongst others... One night as in dinner reservations? Yes, Euphemia Haye or Ophelia's. They are some of the best. Sarasota also has one of the top rated beaches in the world in Siesta Key...