Anyway you spin it, Hub feels right
The Hub
719 N Franklin St., Tampa; (813) 229-1553
If you were to take a survey of Tampa drinkers, you’d probably find that The Hub is Tampa’s most beloved bar for its friendly atmosphere and cheap intoxication. It’s where you can still order a premium-liquor drink, one that’s stiffer than a mummy’s corpse, for less than a fiver — and get cheap beer by the bottle.
Over the years, it has attracted generations, still going strong after a move in 2002, when its neighbor, the First Presbyterian Church, bought its original building from owner Jim Smith.
The Hub officially began operation 57 years ago on the corner of Zack and Franklin streets. Its new digs are small but still spacious. The room has black-and-white checkered floors, brown walls, beer signs and plenty of tables. The long, horseshoe-shaped bar with yellowed gold-sparkled Formica reinforced elbows at the original location.
Bartenders and employees have stayed on for several years. They maintain that familial vibe the Hub is so famous for.
The scene, like at any bar, changes throughout the course of the day. By day septuagenarian vets, downtown dwellers and liquid-lunchers relax in a relatively quiet, classic dive bar setting, and in the early evening, professionals pour in and mingle for happy hour. Later on into the night, local musicians, college students and various single 20- and 30-somethings wander in.
A package store on the right sells bottles to go, and the award-winning jukebox on the far left wall offers a 100-proof blend of music, the very best of rock, blues, reggae, country, soul and indie-alternative.
Visits to the Hub accompany all sorts of Tampa rituals. People visit for a drink and conversation after movies at Tampa Theatre or shows at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. The Lightning hockey crowd whoops up a victory or drowns the sadness of a loss. Then there’s Gasparilla — the list goes on.
You can’t beat the conversation at the Hub. Folks sure can wax poetic after three Hub vodka and tonics.
Yes, that’s right: Hub vodka and tonics. In Tampa, the name “Hub” has become an adjective, synonymous for excessively strong drink.
Case in point for what an institution the Hub has become in our community.
— Julie Garisto jgaristo@tampabay.com
Also recommended...
Toma Bar @ Spain
513 Tampa St., Tampa; (813) 223-2831
In a downtown that has tumbleweeds and buzzards (we’re kidding about the first item but the second is oddly true) it’s encouraging to know that there’s a hot spot for swank mingling, great sangria and tasty tapas. Renovated in 2003 by Abell Garcia, the space features a dominant use of white, plus some arches and columns. The Spanish flag hangs above the bar in sharp contrast to the long ice-like bar. The bite-size treats and wine drinks are recipes of owner/chef Maria Castro, a native of Galicia, Spain. Check out the happy hour tapas menu on weeknights and dinner specials on Friday and Saturday.
BackJack’s at Jackson’s
601 S Harbour Island Blvd., Tampa;
(813) 277-0112.
The waterfront bar on chichi Harbour Island offers a front-row view of the Hillsborough Bay and a scene to be seen for Tampa’s upwardly mobile and their wannabe counterparts. Happy hour Fridays pack in the well-heeled hordes, and the specialty martinis are downed often with the bistro’s popular and surprisingly affordable sushi. Regular lunch and dinner menus offer a pretty good selection of upscale eats, and the nationally recognized wine list won the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2001. The real draw, however, is the expansive patio that provides awesome views.
Yeoman’s Road Pub
236 E Davis Blvd., Tampa; (813) 251-2748
Whether it’s evident by the red phone booth outside, the memories pasted around the bar or brews from all the right places, Yeoman’s has character and draws a large and loyal following of regulars. The wonderful draft selection includes brews such as Hoegaarden, Chimay, Smithwick’s and Stella Rogue. Yeoman’s eats also hold up their end of the bar and grill bargain. An upgraded menu features Boar’s Head meats. Besides live music, visit for karaoke and open mike nights. Highly recommended are the semi-regular appearances of ska-reggae act Rocksteady@8. Parking fills up quickly out front.
Newk’s
514 Channelside Drive, Tampa; (813) 307-6395, http://newkstampa.com
Offering a spacious outdoor patio across from the St. Pete Times Forum, Newk’s is also one of the unofficial homes to the Tampa Bay Lightning pre- and post-game parties. Decor-wise, Newk’s has photos of lighthouses and marine life, and actual buoys that hang from the ceiling as you chow down or drink up at turquoise tables. The Buds, Yuengling and Miller control the tap dance, while a selection of Mexican beers keep the tropical flavor going strong on the bottle front. The grouper sandwiches are pretty darn good.
Margarita Mama’s/Banana Joe’s Island Party
615 Channelside Drive, Tampa; (813) 228-7300, http://channelside.com
A little less pricey than many of its Channelside District neighbors, the bar-restaurant is a festive and family-friendly Tex-Mex restaurant during the day and opens its plush velvet room after dark. Frequented by a healthy mix of ages but mostly young and preppy sports-loving drinkers, it offers a wide selection of Mexican beers by the bottle and frozen drink machines churning out slurpalicious intoxicants. Banana Joe’s Wednesday specials can’t be beat: $2 margaritas on the rocks and $3 Corona bottles. DJ Matt “the Bratt” Brady spins crowd-pleasing Top 40 and dance tunes Friday and Saturday for the mobs of booty-shakers on the huge floor.
Stumps Supper Club
615 Channelside Drive, Tampa, (813) 226-2261; www.stumpssupperclub.com
Stumps is what happens when a retro sports bar meets Graceland. Despite a seating capacity of about 250, the vibe is laid-back, and servers are friendly. The club’s Southern kitsch appeals to a little bit of everyone. There are three bars inside, plus one outside. Catch live entertainment Wednesday through Sunday evenings, usually in the form of a one- or two-piece act. Forget fancy umbrella drinks. At Stumps, the signature brew is anything that comes in a bucket. Bring along some germ-free friends to help you guzzle a Bootlegger’s Bucket, which comes with oversized straws and sells for $19.50. What goes with a bucketful of spiked punch? How about a pulled-pork barbecue plate? The menu’s stick-to-your-ribs sides include collard greens, cheese grits and other Southern staples.
