Florida Eats Main | Cafe | Coffee Shops | Diner | Drive-in Eats | Fast Food | Mexican Cafes
Neon Eateries | Sit Down | Snacks | Taverns | Florida Main

Arnold's
St. Augustine, FL
Photo and info courtesy Steve/Back on Tack

After a rough day of taking in the Fountain of Youth, Alligator Farm and Ripley Museum, travelers may want to duck into Arnold's Cocktail Lounge. The local dive is located just north of the attractions in St. Augustine, Florida on Route 1 and seems the perfect place to escape the crowds and shake-off the tourist stress.

Safari Lounge
Florida Keys, FL
Photo courtesy Paul Bauke

This sign points the way into the Safari Lounge. Tired of all the sights and wild animals? If you're in the Florida Keys, then this lounge is an option for a rest stop.

Bali Hut
Sarasota, FL
Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack

The Bahi Hut Lounge has been filling peoples tiki mugs for the last 30 years with their "secret" mai tai recipes. The lounge is part of Best Western, although it is in a separate building. Inside is a Polynesian paradise complete with bamboo, palms, and coconuts. The Bahi Hut is on North Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. Locals call it the Bye, Bye H. You are limited to only two mai tais due to their potency.

See a special tribute to the Bahi Hut here.

Many thanks to Steve from Back on Tack for photos and info

Silver King Tavern
St. Petersburg, FL
Photo and info courtesy Steve/Back on Tack

This grand old sign hangs outside the second floor of the Silver King Tavern on Central Ave in St. Petersburg. It is a short walk from Tropicana Field. It is primarily a lunch place claiming to have the "freshest of fresh Gulf seafood" but it does bring in a lot of jazz acts certain evenings and weekends. The older scene it attracts is in sharp contrast to the booming techno club next door. There have been many plans to restore downtown St. Petersburg, but none have passed the city council. Every Friday night they close off the streets for free music concerts called the "Get Down Town Music Series".

Bop City Bar
Ybor City, FL
Photo and info courtesy Steve/Back on Tack

Ybor City is a large Cuban community in Tampa. At one time it was well know for its many cigar factories where immigrants from the island would hand roll stogies. Today it is a Tampa’s club district. The tiny streets, which resemble New Orleans, are packed on the weekends. Bop City is off the main drag of Seventh Avenue. The bar is a simple, concrete, oblong, reggae dance hall. It is shoulder to shoulder bopping in the almost pitch dark. Three buck imported beer from Jamaica is the drink of choice.

Clementi Azucar Lounge
Tampa, FL
Photo and info courtesy Steve/Back on Tack

The Clementi Lounge is on Armenia Ave. in Tampa. They building itself and parking lot were recently renovated, but fortunately the boomerang sign was spared.

El Cap Pub
St. Petersburg, FL
Photo and info courtesy Steve/Back on Tack

Also in the area is the El Cap Sports Pub which has been open for 34 years. They have been voted "best burger" by local publications. The sign, like the Grant Motel's is a classic.

Sloppy Joe's Bar
Key West, FL
Photo and info courtesy Paul Bauke

Here's the famous Sloppy Joe's Bar located in the town of Key West, FL. Sloppy Joe's originated as a saloon back on December 5, 1993 when Prohibition was repealed. Ernest Hemingway was a regular customer at the once called Russell's Bar and encouraged the name change to Sloppy Joe's.

Today, Sloppy Joe's still remembers its Hemingway ties and hosts the annual Hemingway Look-Alike Contest. In addition, the Hemingway Days Festival began here at Sloppy Joe's.

More information can be found at the Sloppy Joe's site. 01-09

Florida Eats Main | Cafe | Coffee Shops | Diner | Drive-in Eats | Fast Food | Mexican Cafes
Neon Eateries | Sit Down | Snacks | Taverns | Florida Main

©1998 to 2009 RoadsidePeek.com, All Rights Reserved.

Page Last Updated January 25, 2009