50 Best American Restaurants in Tampa

“My very first visit and I cannot wait to return. Everything from the moment we walked in till the moment we left was perfect. The service, food, atmosphere everything was wonderful. I highly recommend visiting, you will not be disappointed.“

“Great experience the decor and ambiance was amazing. Crab cakes, calamari and pork shank.“

“Food is horrible. I ordered the Bayou pasta. It was dry and it had no seasoning. All I tasted was noodles on the first bite. O, they charge 4 dollars for extra sauce for the pasta. Like really! If you ever had food in New Orleans, you will know this ain't it. I don't know what others see in the food. Maybe each location is different. I went to the one in Rockledge/Cocoa Beach, Fl area. All I know is that next time I am "Walking On" right passed this restaurant to another one that's better.... hopefully.“

“Went on 11/19. The restaurant was mostly empty aside from a few customers because it was in between lunch rush and dinner rush. We had great service and pretty good food at a decent value. My only complaint is with the quesadillas. They were a bit too rich and a tad over cooked. Otherwise, we had a great experience!“

“🤤🤗Amazing lunch at On Swann in Tampa today! They accommodated us with a lovely outdoor table for our dog Sofie. After our meal, our amazing server Caroline surprised us with a complimentary Bourbon Bread Pudding, which was incredible! Finishing up our Tampa tourist adventure.“

“Just had lunch there for my son's bday. Couldn't be more pleased. Clayton our server was so gracious and funny . for the amount of food we ordered with dessert. It came under $200.00 so much bang for your buck. Will be going back very soon.“

“This place was so delicious, we came in twice in one week. So impressed with the quality of food and the ambiance. I have been a fan of Bern's Steak House since 2015, however, we have never eaten at their sister restaurant. Last week was our 1st time visiting Haven. It was our son's birthday and we decided to try this restaurant featuring New American small plates, wine & cocktails as per recommendation of my friend. Tuna Sashimi, Hamachi Sashimi, Shaved Beef Taco, Seared Foie Gras, Cheese platter and Coal Grilled Octopus as appetizers were all 10/10. As for the main course we opted in for Glacier 51 Sea Bass (O.M.G.), Arctic Char, 8oz Filet Mignon (perfectly trimmed) and 10 oz Dry-Aged Strip. Drinks, 'Margarita', 'Lemon Drop' and 'Moscow Mule', were good as well with the exception of the 'Duck Duck Jeep' (it was an odd one). We did not try their desserts (both times) as 1st time visiting we brought a cake for our son's birthday, however, we were never super impressed with Berns' dessert room. I know it may sound weird to many as they are known for their desserts, but truthfully, we have had desserts at other local restaurants that we prefer over Berns'. Service by Madeline K. was on point, however, she accidentally forgot to place the main course item for our birthday boy, so he ended up getting his filet about 15 minutes after everyone else received their meals. It did not spoil our night as she brought out the cake with large candle with sparkles and it was fantastic! Our son was so surprised and I was able to capture some awesome pictures of him with his cake and candles. Overall an excellent experience by everyone: valet guy, bussers, food runners, hostesses and the wait staff. We also appreciated the fact that we were seated at a larger table/couch with brighter lights vs more of a romantic, darker tables. Our second time we requested to sit outside which was nice as it was a pleasant evening. Haven's tacos are my husband's favorite in Tampa and we ordered 16 of them that night. If you are not up to dressing up in your best outfits, but would like a nice quality meal, Haven is your spot!“

“Brittani was an excellent server! She brought our hot food quickly and refilled my iced tea! We really enjoyed our meal. It was delicious! Just love the specials! We will be back!“

“Turning 21 and celebrating at Cali was the best combination! I got a free cookie to celebrate! Tay as always was incredible and just brought a smile to my day! Cam was also stellar in making my day so special! Cam was training but frankly I could’ve sworn she was already an active staff member, she was amazing! Joe even came by to stop by and was so sweet! We also spoke with Adam as he dropped off our Hummus and he came with smiles and compliments. What an amazing staff!! Not to mention the food was heavenly! I had an excellent time!🫶🥹“

“Armature Works is one of the most dynamic and visually striking venues we’ve had the pleasure of performing at! The riverfront views, industrial-chic vibes, and modern amenities create such a cool and unforgettable atmosphere. The events team is professional, efficient, and great to collaborate with—making every event run smoothly from soundcheck to final song!“

“I want to give a special thanks to Moe and Muhammad for catering our lunch today here at Advent Health Tampa, we appreciate it dearly; everything was delicious and very well presented.“

“Even though Ellies has great food, great servers and othe help except Pam who was a different story the first time she was our server. She was pretty miserable and I noticed the busers were doing pretty much all of her work. She just took our order. Busers brought menus, silverware, drinks and even did our refills. One of the other servers on the floor brought us our food. We chalked it up to she was having a bad day and even though I wanted to tip the busers, we did tip Pam! Today we got her again and from what we could tell, nothing had changed! Our opinion, if you don't enjoy working with the public, hit the road before you start causing Ellies to lose customers. We will try again, but if we see her coming to us, we will ask for a different server. No one deserves to be treated rudely!!!! We are out because we enjoy good people and positivity as well as a great home diner!!!!.“

“Zamar is the GOAT, had a bad experience with an employee and wasn’t gone for 5 minutes before Zamar called me to make up for it and apologize. THAT IS EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! I will forever be a customer! Wings are phenomenal ❤️❤️❤️“

“Ate brunch here on a Saturday right when they opened at 10am. Food was tasty, orange juice was good. No issues with service. Only suggestion is to not sit another group at the very next table beside us if the entire restaurant is open. Give some people a bit of privacy and only crowd them if it's busy.“

“Stopped in to give this spot a try & ordered the fancy sandwich. Omg so yummy😋 the bread is not store bought, must come from a local bakery. The green tomato, bacon made my taste buds so happy! Give this hidden gem a try, you will not be disappointed.“

“Las hamburguesas son súper deliciosas de verdad, tienen el toque ecuatoriano, el moro de lentejas espectacular la atención increíble, la mesera súper nice y el lugar muy lindo y limpio, el show de Felipito el éxito, me encanta, 100% recomendado 👍🏻“

“I choose doc b for my birthday dinner because we have been here numerous times just for there artichoke appetizer. It is out of this world. The rest of the food was great and the service top notch. Recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for good food“

“It had been some time since I had gone to Cracker Barrel, I got the turkey special on Thursday. It was delicious. Great food, great service. I also bought some Christmas decorations. They are beautiful. Will definitely come back again soon.“

“such an amazing dining experience! from the service to the impeccable food everything from start to finish was amazing can not wait until my next trip down if you have not experienced this place you need to it is a must stop when you are in town!“

“Excellent food and drinks! Great atmosphere!! Super friendly service!“

“Food and service were excellent!!!“

“So glad that we discovered Willa this evening. Can't believe that we hadn't found it previously. But discovering it on a Sunday night turned out to be quite a treat. That is their half price wine bottle night as well as the buy one get one chicken schnitzel night. The schnitzel along with it s. Lemon/ dill potato salad were delicious but the focaccia bread starter may have been the star of the show. And then we followed up with some of their homemade, soft serve and absolutely incredible warm, delicious chocolate chip cookie. Our server, Duncan, was terrific. We will be back!!! Just sorry I did not make any pictures“

“One of my top choices. Super delicious menu. Fun and foreign atmosphere.“

“High quality food, clean atmosphere, and super friendly service—a hidden gem!“

“Great food and service. Our new favorite when in town!“

“The dragonfruit curd dessert blew me away. Our salad was nice and fresh and the cauli crust pizza was spot on.“

“Julisa provided great sevice“

“In a world where everything changes constantly, it is so nice to have one place to go and grab a bite to eat where the food is just as wonderful as it was when you were a teenager, and that’s been a while:-) I love eating at Mel’s and I always leave with a smile on my face.“

“Logan was our server and did a fantastic job helping us navigate the menu and signing up for the wine club. A wonderful delicious experience!“

“District South is the perfect place in a convenient South Tampa location for brunch, lunch and dinner. The menu is full of outstanding dishes for every appetite and combined with a full bar it makes for an outstanding visit. The staff are all superb, professional and friendly, to include Daniela P. who served us recently. Daniela's menu recommendations were perfect and on-point to say the least! We cannot wait to visit again and highly recommend this location to everyone!“

“A+++ service the best excellent service“

“Every time I have dinner at Sacred Pepper, I try something new and never have I been disappointed. This time I tried the Pistachio Crusted Fried Brie with cranberry chutney, balsamic reduction and d toasted parmesan crostini and it was amazingly delicious and also a shareable plate. For dinner I had the Oak Grilled Norwegian Salmon with heirloom tomato salad, white wine butter sauce, and house-made orzo pasta with a side of the Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Applewood bacon and a balsamic glaze. It was all excellent and very flavorful just as everything else has been in my 4 visits here. It's hard to even pick a favorite! Besides the great selection of shareable plates, entrees, sides, and drinks, the decor and ambience are stunning. Then add to that, my server Adam was exceptional, and he was very attentive, polite, respectful, courteous, patient, and he genuinely made me feel so welcomed and valued. He has made so many wonderful recommendations to me over my visits and has even gotten me to try many new things that have all been excellent.“

“OMG! I cannot say enough good things about this place. The food is fantastic, the staff is amazing everyone that I have had contact with seems like they love their job and the Manager Jason he the epitome of a Manager. A huge special thanks th Noel for making our first experience the ultimate we are a forever a customer now.“

“Fantastic food! My grouper was perfect. I haven’t enjoyed a restaurant meal so much in a long time. I’ll be back!“

“Came in after the football game, we flew in from New York and had the best experience at your location. Brooke and Jessica the 2 managers at the front door really made our day. Made us feel welcomed even though we weren’t there for the bucs they did not hold it against us. These ladies made our dining experience so wonderful we didn’t even care we had to wait for a table because it was so busy. They deserve a raise! Go JETS!!!“

“Fantastic place! We celebrated my daughter’s graduation here and had the very best experience. From start to finish they provided exceptional service. Everyone went above and beyond to make our event extra special. The service was amazing, the food was great and beautifully displayed, tables were set up welcoming, and we had plenty of space for our guests to enjoy. I look forward to returning and enjoying another great meal and experience!“

“great friendly fast service with a smile 😁“

“Last Sunday, my friends and I had an absolute blast at Union New American on Westshore—seriously, it was the best brunch ever! If you’re on the fence about checking it out, leap on over! The venue oozes elegance and luxury, making you feel like royalty. But let’s talk about the star of the show: the food! We indulged in a mouthwatering array of delights like the Union Sticky Bun, sushi, the legendary Union Burger, and oh my goodness, the Korean Fried Chicken & Waffles! Plus, don’t even get me started on dessert—yum! The cherry on top? The fabulous service from Jacob and Alena, who made our experience unforgettable, even with the restaurant buzzing with excitement. We’re already planning our next visit and can’t recommend Union New American enough!“

“We ordered the calamari and it was delicious. Woody was also very pleasant and helpful!! Will definitely be back to enjoy more from the menu. Delicious!!!!“

“I was there twice this week, and both times were amazing. We were treated like family. Lorena and Jill were spectacular Sunday as were James and Anna Tuesday. It’s hard to decide what was better: the food, the service, or the comfy chairs. Even KJ who brought our food was especially friendly.“

“Great Food And Drinks Great employees.“

“this is the real deal food was amazing the vibe was really cool but the food was the best I ever had“

“If you enjoy good food when you lose all your $$ highly recommend . Someday !!!“

“Coast kitchen was surprisingly amazing!
I was not expecting such a great steak from a hotel! The service we received from Brendalee was awesome! The cook deserves to be recognized as well! Best steak I've had in a very long time! We are visiting from California, but I totally recommend this place to locals and travelers!“

“Great food with a great purpose. Couldn’t be happier with their service or their mission to help.“

“An Institution in Tampa, for years! Consistency...Food and Service ! Here a secret...FRESH GROUPER and all the fixings, THE BEST !!“

“Chili’s never disappoints! Their burgers are absolutely the best—juicy, flavorful, and cooked to perfection every single time. The cheese quesadillas are another favorite: perfectly melted, well-seasoned, and served hot and fresh. What truly elevates the experience is the service. The staff is friendly, attentive, and always makes sure everything is just right. From the moment you walk in, you feel welcomed and taken care of. The food comes out quickly, and the quality is consistently excellent. Whether you’re stopping in for a quick bite or a relaxed meal, Chili’s delivers great taste and exceptional service. Highly recommended!“

“Cute spot with a beautiful view of Tampa. The cocktails were delicious, and the service was perfect! Good environment good music“

“Great food and service! Amazing work by the chefs. Definitely a fine dining experience“