Delicious coconut shrimp & ceviche. I love sitting at the bar to enjoy a ruby red martini.
(5)
J S.
Great service, large portions and excellent food. Our waiter Chris was a true professional. My wife's filet medallions were as large as some restaurant's filet mignon. I had the shrimp and ribs special which was amazing. We will make this a regular stop.
(5)
Todd R.
Outstanding food and atmosphere. We sat outside in the screened in dining area and pi quickly forget that you're near a busy road. My wife had the Fish Duo special, which was a Salmon filet with a lobster sauce and a grouper filet with a piccata sauce, served over smoked bacon grits. I had the grouper fish taco with Manhattan clam chowder and cilantro line rice. Not only was the food outstanding, but my wife dislikes grits and I dislike Manhattan clam chowder, or so we thought. Both of us ended up with a clean plate, so apparently even our dislikes can be overcome here. Service was outstanding. We had Amanda H., and she was always there before we needed her, but never lingered or hung around or table needlessly. This is definitely going on our list of favorites. Total price was $33, we also added side salads and had water as our drink.
(5)
Marie P.
Great restaurant! Regardless of growing up on a island and being Italian I'm not a big fish person, but my husband is so we decided while visiting Tampa to try a seafood restaurant. I can not recommend this place enough. My husband had tuna I had filet mignon both were exceptionally good. The service was professional an attentive. Good solid restaurant.
(5)
Erica G.
This place is fantastic. Great outdoor screened in seating. The menu has seafood, steaks and even comfort food like pasta and meatballs. Our server was very knowledgable about the menu and also accommodating to my dietary needs (gluten free). We had the ceviche and tuna appetizers. Both simply delicious. If we weren't in public I may have licked the plate that the tuna was on... Then I ordered the surf and turf. The steak was cooked perfectly and very well seasoned. The table had the steak with mushroom sauce and the meatballs and pasta. All were generous portions and we all had a to go box. The pasta and meatballs dish will feed a table of four or perhaps allow you to take a break from cooking for a couple of days. I will definitely be back to this spot. Parking was very easy as it's in a strip mall and many of the businesses were closed when i was there for dinner.
(4)
Don P.
Great fresh seafood and cocktails at very reasonable prices. This is my second visit when traveling to the area from out of town. The Shang-Hi Tuna was perfectly cooked and was sushi grade. My colleague had the stuffed flounder and was very complementary of its flavor. I'll be back next time I'm in the Riverview/Brandenton area.
(5)
Amanda M.
I'm going to give them a 3 because I don't find them clean, I was seated next to their kitchen when I saw the waitress take the butter from a table that didn't use it for their bread & put in a little bin w. The rest so It can be reused .. Which I found a little disturbing . How ever their coconut shrimp w. Their home made piña colada dipping sauce is amazing ! Along w. Their au gratin potatoes.
(3)
Stacy D.
Service was very good, but none of the staff smiled. They were a little too serious. Food was better than average... Shrimp scampi was great, steak was a little under done and over seasoned, but overall good. We will come back.
(4)
Ashlee M.
Thanks, nice drink.
(3)
Brian W.
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at the Shrimp Boat on Saturday. Falon ( our server ) was very knowledgeable. We both had prime rib, it was as tender as it was flavorful. A glass of Pinot Noir complimented the beef very well. Desert was Turtle Pie. Yummy!!! We will eat there again soon.
(4)
Margaret F.
We went for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. For appetizer we had fried green tomatoes topped with Jonah crab spinach salad with a chive bacon buttermilk dressing. Excellent, tomato was hot and crispy and the salad was cool and crisp. My entree was sea scallops over pesto penne pasta with asparagus. Delicious! Scallops were sweet and tender but the lunch portion had three scallops. For $20.00 I expected at least 5. The server told us they only break even on this dish. I asked how many the dinner portion was and the server said 5. My husband had the shrimp scampi florentine and it was wonderful but again only 4 shrimp. The server was attentive and friendly. We definitely will go back.
(4)
Brian K.
Shrimp Boat has been one of my top go to places. The food has always been great and the service at the top. Prime rib is out of this world! If you go please save some for me. Their pasta dish is also "wow!"
(5)
Anne F.
Shrimp Boat is fantastic! Delicious rare tuna over crab rice that would eat every day, but be careful its a bit spicy for the faint of heart. Soups are good too! They have a nice pianist a couple nights a week but it can be a bit loud.
(4)
Susan S.
My husband and I had dinner there tonight. Service was very good but good was average to poor and not worth the money. He had the prime rib special and it was fair. I had the fried scallops. I felt as if they were frozen like Gorton's fish from the market. Our appetizer, calamari, was the same. Our $50 dinner wasn't as good as the diner fare we were used to in NJ.
(4)
Brandon K.
Man, bad day to eat at this place. Everything was smothered in plastic sauces that were either super spicy or so salty you couldn't eat it. The manager couldn't be bothered and our server had no idea what was on the menu (she was new and there wasn't a trainer in sight)... I guess we will give them a few months and try again. It's so sad though because we really loved this place before and suddenly it's some of the worst food in the area, especially for seafood served so close to the ocean.
(1)
Ricardo R.
This is one of the best seafood restaurants we have ever been. Excellent and fresh taste.
(5)
Laura J.
Great food and not just your typical seafood dishes. We take our friends here when they come to visit. Never dissapoints.
(4)
Ron D.
We loved the food at the original location on Lumsden ave. The food at the new location is even better. The service is excellent ! They offer drinks that you can't get elsewhere... If you liked the original Shrimp Boat, you will LOVE the new Shrimp Boat...It is well worth the drive.
(5)
Jelly W.
I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. The food was delicious however the service wasn't. I had to ask for a server after sitting there for 10 min and then ask for refills. The 5 cheese mac and cheese was very cheesy, always a plus. The restaurant is nice and quaint which is why the service should have been better. Go for the food not the service.
(4)
Amber S.
Food was fresh and cooked good. Service was good. I would go back just to try some different items on the menu. The bar area is great and has some local beers available.
(3)
Herb W.
The Shrimp Boat was recommended to me by one my friends so we took our son and his wife there and it was really good. We went back with my brother and Sister in law and it was still really good. I made a lunch run there with one of former co workers and it was still really good. Then they moved locations and I did a recon run with my Saturday lunch crew and it was really, really good....So I took my wife there to see our favorite local musican Ron Carmichael and it was really, really, really, really good. It was soo good we had to take our desert home. A must visit place if you are in the Brandon/Valrico area and want a nice meal, in a nice restaurant with good music on the weekends....A date night must do!!!!!!!!
(5)
Mysty B.
We love the new location. The food is some of the best in brandon. I highly recomend the fried oysters.
(5)
Dave B.
Friday night eats. We started with the Ceviche appetizer which was divine- my wife's word. Shrimp, scallops, poblano, other veggies accompanied with homemade light tortilla chips which are to die for. My order of Filet Oscar, medium rare, was melt in your mouth delicious. It was prepared on a bed of grilled potatoes topped with bearnaise aioli, sauteed shrimp and asparagus. I would definately recommend and will order again. My wife had the augratin and fried shrimp, baked crab, bay scallops, bacon and three cheeses, baked and served with fried shrimp and includes another side. More food than you know what to do with. Our server, Fallon, is one of the best in the restaurant. Very attentive and a great personality that helped set the mood. If the Ceviche was not enough, Fallon also brought us some tasty ciabotta bread which was very fresh and paired well with the libations. She let us try a couple of home brews and I decided on the Funky Buddha hefeweizen brewed in Daytona Beach. Pours a hazy light amber with thin fizzy white head. Taste is caramelized banana, lightly bready, notes of stone fruit and sweet orange citrus, clove, nice mineral character that helps balance the sweetness. This is really nice! Had an excellent night and would recommend most everything on the menu. The atmosphere is very nice and it is not too loud as you can carry on a normal conversation. If the main dining is full, look to the bar for great immediate seating if you come before 7pm. Happy Reviews!
(5)
Derek F.
Excellent spot! Very clean atmosphere and attentive service led the way as we tried this spot for the first time. Our party was three adults and two children. This array let us try a number of items and get a good feel for the menu. All the seafood we had was good though we didn't try anything fancy on this trip. The au gratin potatoes were amazing as was the Mac and cheese. I would definitely return and would be tempted to try something broiled next time.
(4)
Puii K.
I ordered the coconut shrimp. It was okay. The coconut shrimp itself didn't have a lot of flavor, and the sauce that came with it was too sweet, like icing. My sides were broccoli and bacon & cheese potato pancake. The broccoli was good, but I didn't care for the potato pancake. Inside was nice. It was also very clean. Oh, the service was not good. I only seen our waitress a few times. She didn't come by often enough, or she would have known our appetizer was missing. There are still a few things on the menu I would like to try. I might give then another chance in the future, but not very soon!
(3)
Bo W.
I'm always excited to try new seafood restaurants. Sometimes, you never know what the experience is going to be. It can be really good, or it can be really bad. My experience today was slightly on the bad side. Let's start with the food. Being lunch time, & I was in the mood for seafood, I thought a po'boy sandwich would be the perfect meal for my mood. This was far from a traditional po'boy. Normally, the bread on a po'boy consists of a New Orleans style French bread. I'm not sure what bread they were using on my sandwich today, but I did not care for it. It was a little too hard. Everything else about the sandwich was pretty good. I tried the coconut shrimp, but did not care for that either. It just seem to lack in the flavor department. The service was terrible. As a matter of fact, it didn't look like anyone there was really happy to be there. Our server, Morgan, took our order and then disappeared. Didn't see from her again until it was time to pay. Someone else brought out our food, and when we mentioned our appetizer had not arrived, they didn't seem to care. We never did see the calamari, and asked to have it removed from the bill. If I was writing this review on service alone, I would be writing a one star review, but I'm not going to let the actions of one person (Morgan) dictate my review. It's just not a fun place to go. I left in a bad mood. I think everyone's bad attitude rubbed off on me a little bit. The place is nice and clean, and the food is... well, not great, but not terrible either.
(3)
Cheryl A.
What a hidden gem! My daughter asked me if I wanted to meet her here for dinner & I am always up for trying new things & Wow! So 1st I put our name in for a table, about 10 minutes into our wait a hostess came out & said a high top just cleared in the bar area if you don't want to wait for a regular table. (we were the only party of 4 waiting) What? who does that? That was awesome! But we decided to wait as grandma here doesn't like her legs dangling while she eats. We were seated by a decorative fireplace & some guy was crooning out Pack Rat aged tunes & he was really great at it. Our server 'Brent' was phenomenal! So attentive and patient as we asked questions about drinks & specials (even after he already told us what they were) I liked their twist up on the Shrimp Scampi served in an asiago scampi sauce with bowtie pasta & fresh spinach & mushrooms (outstanding!) We had the shrimp wontons as an appetizer, which were excellent ,they have a touch of wasabi in the wonton with the shrimp, fried & served with the best ginger dipping sauce ever! My daughter got the chef special seafood trio of crab cake, scallops & shrimp & loved it, she actually ate every bit. (which is unusual for her) I will definitely come back to this place, the prime ribs coming out & served to other tables looked like a must try for next time! LOVED their drink menu! And I also saw ice cream served in ice cream parlor dishes & was wishing I wasn't so full because I LOVE ice cream. I am just going to have to bookmark it to come visit again.
Really love this place and their customer service is outstanding. First of all, made a reservation for a table of four. They kindly set the table and put a nice "reserved" sign on their best table for us. It really made me and my parents feel special that they reserved their best table for us. I ordered their stuffed flounder. WOW! Was sooooo good!!!! Stuffed with a delicious seafood filling. I also tried their french martini, was a nice blend of chambord, grey goose & pineapple juice. Quite tasty! Also, tried their calamari. Was nice & crispy not chewy like most places that under cook it. Finally tried the upside down pineapple cake. Was nice and warm with a side serving of homemade ice cream. This is definitely going to be my new local seafood spot. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. Thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience.
(5)
Tori N.
Such good food here, and super cute decor. I've always gotten great service too. The craft beer selection is pretty small, but they had Ballast Pointe Grapefruit Sculpin IPA and that made my day. Get the fried pickles. Just trust me here. They're so good that you won't want to wait for them to cool. I burned the roof of my mouth pretty bad. Worth it. ;p
(5)
Emi T.
We came from Miami to spend Valentines weekend in Tampa. On our last day we decided to come here for lunch before driving back. I would really like to emphasize on service. It was very refreshing to have such good service! Robert was very knowledgeable and made great recommendations. He was very attentive and you could tell he cares about his customers. We ordered the mixed ceviche and honestly, it was nothing special. I felt like there was something missing but I couldn't quite put a finger on it. The chips that came with it were pretty oily and it looked like they were cooked in old oil and were sitting out for a bit. As an entree we ordered the Shrimp Scampi Florentine and a side Caesar salad. Our server was kind enough to separate the salad onto 2 plates for our convenience. The pasta was "okay" also. I felt like it had way too much sauce. I saw other people's scampi florentine and didn't look like a soup. Just like the ceviche, I felt like each ingredient stood out but the flavors would not come together. There was no umami. I will still give 4 stars mainly because of how much I enjoyed service and the food was decent compared to the price. The portions were super big so shareable between two people.
(4)
Tracie A.
Attentive service. Best Seafood Newburg I've had in a very long time. The Crab Beignets were a clever take on a Beignets. Glad to see they stepped up their game with the move. Will definitely be back.
(5)
D K.
I have eaten in their new digs three times for lunch. The food was mediocre, but mostly edible. The waitpersons, however, need to have remedial waitperson training. Two of the times I was there, the waitperson(s) handling our table managed to be rude and overbearing. The first instance, even though the place was not full, three, count them, three, employees tried to take our plates away, even though we were both still eating and had our forks in our hands! The second instance, I quietly asked the waitperson to remind the chef to actually cook the broccoli somewhat. It was inedible. You'd have thought I suggested there was dog food on the table. So, the end result is, I do not go back there anymore. Good luck to any who do.
(2)
Salil J.
Excellent Shrimp and Grits, with an eclectic twist. The Mahi Tacos and Calamari was good too. Great service and a nice decor. In summary, an eclectic gem in the Brandon area...
(5)
Allison W.
Heard mixed reviews about this place but never tried it until today at lunch. My husband and I ordered the specials, Sea Scallops w/spinach and rice and the Prime Rib Sandwich w/au jus. Both were fantastic! Could not finish the fabulous crispy onion rings after eating the generous portions of food. Our server Alexis did an excellent job of making sure we were taken care of without smothering us. Will eat there again soon.
(4)
Michael C.
This is the fourth time in as many years that we've been to the Shrimp Boat, our first time in the new location. Our first trip to the Shrimp Boat was fantastic, they had these lobster shrimp that were to die for, shrimp that tasted like lobster! The food is good, not great and I find the menu selection wanting, I mean the name is Shrimp Boat but they don't have peel and eat shrimp on the menu. I think that is my disappointment with this otherwise good eatery. Tonight I had the 16 oz. prime ribs (I know it's a seafood place right), and the prime rib was good, on par with other similarly priced steakhouses, so that's a bonus. I think its the menu selection that would bring this overall rating up for me.
(3)
Clo K.
Over priced. Small amount of food. Food was good but it's the same as the old location.
(2)
Earleen H.
In the area site seeing. Found SB on yelp and was delighted with food, service, entertainment and atmosphere. Had calamari as my entree. It was fresh and perfectly prepared. My friend had fried shrimp and totally enjoyed those and the coleslaw. No room for dessert.
(4)
David M.
We visited with some friends for the first time in a while after a rather poor first visit. This was MUCH improved, and the food was A+. I had the Shang-Hai Tuna (amazing) and the Ceviche was the best I have ever personally had. My ONLY gripe was the service. Our server seemed to forget about us from time to time and I was wondering if she thought we only wanted to each the appetizers for our meal. After about 20 minutes though she came back and took our order. Yes...we will go back. Hopefully we'll be able to give it a 5th star next visit!
(4)
Kayli K.
Pretty darned good. Everything was fresh, friendly staff, great atmosphere and good seafood (likely the best around these parts).
(4)
Gracie S.
Great customer service and great seafood tonight. I went in wanting oysters so I ordered the fried oyster entree not realizing what they were. When they arrived I was none the happy about what I ordered. Our server was extremely accommodating and I ordered something new. It came out in under 5 minutes still allowing my boyfriend and I to finish at relatively the same time.
(4)
Debborah C.
The food was great. The fried pickles appetizers were spears instead of chips. Very good, served with a spicy dipping sauce. The fried shrimp were large and cooked to perfection. The shrimp scampi was served in a garlicky cream sauce with mushrooms, spinach and bow tie pasta. There was a musician playing a horn softly with the easy listening music. Pleasant and not to loud so you can enjoy a conversation with your table mates. We look forward to coming back again.
(5)
Joey M.
What a great place!!! The food was absolutely delicious!!!! The waiter was very polite and very knowledgable of the items on and off the menu!!! Try the New York Strip Steak or the Stuffed Flounder!!!! I definitely recommend this place!!!
(5)
Katy P.
On Saturday nights they have their "Category 4" menu and it was amazing! It's a 4 course meal with small portions, so great for one person, with wine recommendations on the menu. Every Saturday is a new menu. All 4 items were absolutely delicious and I can't wait to go back a different Saturday night for an entirely different menu! On top of this, they have live music :)
(5)
Tony B.
Excellent seafood and a hidden gem in the Brandon area. Reasonable prices and great service
(5)
Alan W.
A must go-to-spot when I visit Tampa. Love the new location! The food is outstanding! I had tried many dishes from Shrimp Boat and it really is a bang for your buck for quality and portion size. I highly recommend the Shrimp Boat. You will get great food at a great price. Also the chef has a great tasting every weekends. Highly recommend getting the tastings.
(5)
Jacquelyn M.
Off to a great start with a glass of wine on the patio and seated within 15 minutes, however, we sat at our table another 15 minutes (with a 2 year old) waiting for the staff to decide who our server would be. Evidently the large party of 8 was too much too handle for the gentlemen assigned to our table. Luckily our new server, Brittney, brought our food quickly and apologized. Ceviche is still the best in Brandon and the fried dill pickles are the best! Just think maybe management might need more than three teenagers running the front of the house!
(3)
Arielle P.
Okay! I love seafood! This place is an official gem of Brandon for the time being. Arrived during the Sunday night dinner rush around 730pm...got sat at a table inside. It was kinda loud and really cold inside so we sat outside....that was the best idea. So much quieter and relaxed. Overall the food was awesome! I recommend it all! Shrimp cocktail and calamari were very fresh tasting, perfect temperatures. Crab and shrimp bisque was PERFECT. Bacon x cheddar baked grits because grits. Also, the Shanghai tuna dish was phenomenal. BBQ shrimp on top of thickly sliced rare ahi tuna slices on top of crab fried rice. Amazing. The rice especially had big chunks of crab and scrambled egg. Finally, we had the banana cheesecake something tortilla. So good! Bananas and ice cream wrapped up in a tortilla with cinnamon and whipped cream. Wait staff was on point with clearing dishes and running food. Will definitely be back!
(4)
Art M.
It's nice to find a non-chain restaurant with good original food in Riverview. Great food. Great service and reasonable prices. Restaurant is nice and clean. Try the shrimp wonton appetizer and the shrimp and grits are good too.
(4)
Nick C.
This place surprised me. From the name and the surrounding area I was expecting a dive (which I don't mind as long as the Food is good). When I walked in I was greeted by a more upscale atmosphere. I had a seat at the bar and was pleasantly surprised by the level of service and food I received. The bartender was very knowledgeable with both drinks and food. I decided to order the special of the day (blackened mahi on top of lime cilantro rice and a shrimp enchilada). Food was great , prices were as expected for a seafood restaurant, lunch is a good value. Well worth the trip and would visit again.
(4)
Maria L.
Very amazing, and a little pricey, but worth it! Chris is such an excellent server. My husband had an issue with his plate, but Chris got that fixed pretty quick. :) I would definitely recommended going there.
(4)
JP C.
This restaurant has grown into a true dining spot. Since its move to the present location, the food is center stage, a true star. The waiter: Lamarl Collins was so attentive and professional we asked for his business card. Ask for him. He understands the concept of good service. We stopped in for drinks and appetizers. We ordered dishes that can be truly awful if not handled with care. The calamari was hot, crispy and not greasy. It was so good we ordered two portions. Yum. The other dish was fried oysters. Again, this dish was prepared with care. Again, tasty and non greasy. I'll add this establishment to my favorite places to dine in Brandon.
Delicious food! The menu is a little limited and a little pricey, BUT everything was delicious- and the entrees are huge! The drink menu is also good, with some very unique options. Our server was Brad, and he was very polite, knowledgeable, and professional. Great place for a date, but they also accommodate children with a small menu and high chairs.
(5)
Danielle Z.
This original review was from early 2014 and I don't know what they have done but the place is SO much better! We went there with friends ( we didn't want to say no, even though we hadn't loved the place) and the food and service were excellent. We have been back twice since. The flourless chocolate cake- OMG! I appreciate the sign disallowing smoking by the outside seating area too! WHAT is up with the great reviews here? "As good as it gets?" I hope not! Our meal was about on par with Red Lobster. Its passable, it's edible, it's not terrible but its not great either. I had the shrimp and scallops and the scallops were blubbery gross like they had been frozen. My husband had the gratin which was greasy. The people smoking right on the other side of the screen in the outside area should really be dealt with, and I smoke myself so its not like I'm hypersensitive but I don't want that when I'm eating and it was overwhelming- blowing right in our faces. I will say the staff is REALLY nice and we still had a pleasant evening because of our server. We likely wouldn't go back anyway, however. The Colonnade on Bayshore is super dated looking inside, but that is some good seafood. this was- eh.
(4)
Shayna P.
Excellent service! Great food! The Mahi and tuna are my favorite! Also the bartender makes great drinks!
(4)
Michelle F.
I had the stuffed flounder. Only Okay. Lots of sauce that really overpowered the dish. It was stuffed with a lot of shrimp and scallops, which were good and my broccoli was cooked well. All in all, I will try it again, but would order something different.
(3)
Ai-vy R.
This restaurant is amazing. My husband and I started going here when we first moved to FL from NC almost three years ago, back when the establishment was a little hole in the wall bar/restaurant. The have since moved (they took over the spot where the Cheddar Biscuit used to be in Valrico) and spruced themselves up, but their food has remained as high quality as ever. There is not a bad item on the menu, nor a bad seat in the house. My favorite dishes are their crab and corn chowder, the shrimp and scallops gratin, the basic fish and chips plate, and their prime rib special. They have a category 4 special tasting menu on Saturdays - kind of a chefs specialty, four or five course meal for a fixed price. I've never been disappointed by it. They also have live music. Whenever we have guests and want to go out, we come here. Totally the right deicision every single time.
(5)
Dana-donna S.
I am a bit of a food snob and prefer trendy high end restaurants. normally i would pass this place with out a second thought. A friend convinced me to give it a try at there old location. It was a little geriatric and a little rundown but the food was fantastic. actually the food was so good i kept going back even though it was way out of my way. They have moved to a new location and no longer has the run down old look, not that that would have stopped me. i have tried almost everything on the menu all 5 star. just like any restaurant service maybe hit or miss butt the food makes up for any minor service issue or personalty flaw of a server. For what I'm use to paying in south Tampa this place is cheap. my compliments to the chief keep up the good work.
(5)
Daniel B.
Restaurants trying to make a go of it at Plaza Bella have been the urchin children of Bloomingdale for far too long. Not that there have not been some solid attempts over the years, but the location does not lend itself to easy access. Anyone wanting to dine here and deal with evening traffic had best be committed to the cause. Fortunately, the Shrimp Boat offers a dining experience that is worth the effort. Having enjoyed great success on Lumsden Road, the new digs offer the faithful diners who followed them to our doorstep a larger and more accommodating dining room, updated bar facilities and an overall more grandiose appearance. Even the outside atmosphere while waiting for a table is a bit more conversation friendly and interesting. Starting with the bar, the beer taps and bottles have a selection of Tampa standards plus a short but solid line up of micros that rotate regularly. The full bar offers a variety of boat drinks to start you up before dinner and coffee / liquors to slow you down afterwards. Like the other bar choices, the wine list is short but thoughtful with enough variety to compliment everything on the menu. For dinner, I went the surf route while my dining companion opted for turf. The Shrimp Boat does NOT skimp on the shrimp in their Scampi! Good sized and plentiful shrimp, mushrooms and spinach mixed with a lemony touched creamy garlic sauce was served over perfectly cooked angel hair pasta and topped with smooth asiago cheese. The Shrimp Boat offers a good steak as well. The prime rib is cooked to perfection and was light and buttery on the taste buds. For a side dish we tried the cheddar and bacon grits with chives. They were a little on the dry side but served to compliment the saucy scampi. For dessert we took our servers recommendation and had the in-house salted caramel ice cream, which had the texture of sorbet and could, by itself, be a reason to dine here. Live music (on the weekends) adds a dash of date-night flair to a reasonably priced meal of this quality.
(4)
Elizabeth C.
I never write reviews, but I felt this restaurant really deserved one. I started going here when they were on Lumsden and I haven't been disappointed yet. Every dish is yummy and carefully put together. My fiance and I used to go there for the oyster and ceviche, but they are not serving the oysters anymore due to the poor suppliers and their high standards. The drinks are also delish. I promise you will not be disappointed.
(5)
Frank B.
I liked the old location better. The process have jumped upward and the service has slowed
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dessert Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Vanessa M.
Delicious coconut shrimp & ceviche. I love sitting at the bar to enjoy a ruby red martini.
(5)J S.
Great service, large portions and excellent food. Our waiter Chris was a true professional. My wife's filet medallions were as large as some restaurant's filet mignon. I had the shrimp and ribs special which was amazing. We will make this a regular stop.
(5)Todd R.
Outstanding food and atmosphere. We sat outside in the screened in dining area and pi quickly forget that you're near a busy road. My wife had the Fish Duo special, which was a Salmon filet with a lobster sauce and a grouper filet with a piccata sauce, served over smoked bacon grits. I had the grouper fish taco with Manhattan clam chowder and cilantro line rice. Not only was the food outstanding, but my wife dislikes grits and I dislike Manhattan clam chowder, or so we thought. Both of us ended up with a clean plate, so apparently even our dislikes can be overcome here. Service was outstanding. We had Amanda H., and she was always there before we needed her, but never lingered or hung around or table needlessly. This is definitely going on our list of favorites. Total price was $33, we also added side salads and had water as our drink.
(5)Marie P.
Great restaurant! Regardless of growing up on a island and being Italian I'm not a big fish person, but my husband is so we decided while visiting Tampa to try a seafood restaurant. I can not recommend this place enough. My husband had tuna I had filet mignon both were exceptionally good. The service was professional an attentive. Good solid restaurant.
(5)Erica G.
This place is fantastic. Great outdoor screened in seating. The menu has seafood, steaks and even comfort food like pasta and meatballs. Our server was very knowledgable about the menu and also accommodating to my dietary needs (gluten free). We had the ceviche and tuna appetizers. Both simply delicious. If we weren't in public I may have licked the plate that the tuna was on... Then I ordered the surf and turf. The steak was cooked perfectly and very well seasoned. The table had the steak with mushroom sauce and the meatballs and pasta. All were generous portions and we all had a to go box. The pasta and meatballs dish will feed a table of four or perhaps allow you to take a break from cooking for a couple of days. I will definitely be back to this spot. Parking was very easy as it's in a strip mall and many of the businesses were closed when i was there for dinner.
(4)Don P.
Great fresh seafood and cocktails at very reasonable prices. This is my second visit when traveling to the area from out of town. The Shang-Hi Tuna was perfectly cooked and was sushi grade. My colleague had the stuffed flounder and was very complementary of its flavor. I'll be back next time I'm in the Riverview/Brandenton area.
(5)Amanda M.
I'm going to give them a 3 because I don't find them clean, I was seated next to their kitchen when I saw the waitress take the butter from a table that didn't use it for their bread & put in a little bin w. The rest so It can be reused .. Which I found a little disturbing . How ever their coconut shrimp w. Their home made piña colada dipping sauce is amazing ! Along w. Their au gratin potatoes.
(3)Stacy D.
Service was very good, but none of the staff smiled. They were a little too serious. Food was better than average... Shrimp scampi was great, steak was a little under done and over seasoned, but overall good. We will come back.
(4)Ashlee M.
Thanks, nice drink.
(3)Brian W.
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at the Shrimp Boat on Saturday. Falon ( our server ) was very knowledgeable. We both had prime rib, it was as tender as it was flavorful. A glass of Pinot Noir complimented the beef very well. Desert was Turtle Pie. Yummy!!! We will eat there again soon.
(4)Margaret F.
We went for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. For appetizer we had fried green tomatoes topped with Jonah crab spinach salad with a chive bacon buttermilk dressing. Excellent, tomato was hot and crispy and the salad was cool and crisp. My entree was sea scallops over pesto penne pasta with asparagus. Delicious! Scallops were sweet and tender but the lunch portion had three scallops. For $20.00 I expected at least 5. The server told us they only break even on this dish. I asked how many the dinner portion was and the server said 5. My husband had the shrimp scampi florentine and it was wonderful but again only 4 shrimp. The server was attentive and friendly. We definitely will go back.
(4)Brian K.
Shrimp Boat has been one of my top go to places. The food has always been great and the service at the top. Prime rib is out of this world! If you go please save some for me. Their pasta dish is also "wow!"
(5)Anne F.
Shrimp Boat is fantastic! Delicious rare tuna over crab rice that would eat every day, but be careful its a bit spicy for the faint of heart. Soups are good too! They have a nice pianist a couple nights a week but it can be a bit loud.
(4)Susan S.
My husband and I had dinner there tonight. Service was very good but good was average to poor and not worth the money. He had the prime rib special and it was fair. I had the fried scallops. I felt as if they were frozen like Gorton's fish from the market. Our appetizer, calamari, was the same. Our $50 dinner wasn't as good as the diner fare we were used to in NJ.
(4)Brandon K.
Man, bad day to eat at this place. Everything was smothered in plastic sauces that were either super spicy or so salty you couldn't eat it. The manager couldn't be bothered and our server had no idea what was on the menu (she was new and there wasn't a trainer in sight)... I guess we will give them a few months and try again. It's so sad though because we really loved this place before and suddenly it's some of the worst food in the area, especially for seafood served so close to the ocean.
(1)Ricardo R.
This is one of the best seafood restaurants we have ever been. Excellent and fresh taste.
(5)Laura J.
Great food and not just your typical seafood dishes. We take our friends here when they come to visit. Never dissapoints.
(4)Ron D.
We loved the food at the original location on Lumsden ave. The food at the new location is even better. The service is excellent ! They offer drinks that you can't get elsewhere... If you liked the original Shrimp Boat, you will LOVE the new Shrimp Boat...It is well worth the drive.
(5)Jelly W.
I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. The food was delicious however the service wasn't. I had to ask for a server after sitting there for 10 min and then ask for refills. The 5 cheese mac and cheese was very cheesy, always a plus. The restaurant is nice and quaint which is why the service should have been better. Go for the food not the service.
(4)Amber S.
Food was fresh and cooked good. Service was good. I would go back just to try some different items on the menu. The bar area is great and has some local beers available.
(3)Herb W.
The Shrimp Boat was recommended to me by one my friends so we took our son and his wife there and it was really good. We went back with my brother and Sister in law and it was still really good. I made a lunch run there with one of former co workers and it was still really good. Then they moved locations and I did a recon run with my Saturday lunch crew and it was really, really good....So I took my wife there to see our favorite local musican Ron Carmichael and it was really, really, really, really good. It was soo good we had to take our desert home. A must visit place if you are in the Brandon/Valrico area and want a nice meal, in a nice restaurant with good music on the weekends....A date night must do!!!!!!!!
(5)Mysty B.
We love the new location. The food is some of the best in brandon. I highly recomend the fried oysters.
(5)Dave B.
Friday night eats. We started with the Ceviche appetizer which was divine- my wife's word. Shrimp, scallops, poblano, other veggies accompanied with homemade light tortilla chips which are to die for. My order of Filet Oscar, medium rare, was melt in your mouth delicious. It was prepared on a bed of grilled potatoes topped with bearnaise aioli, sauteed shrimp and asparagus. I would definately recommend and will order again. My wife had the augratin and fried shrimp, baked crab, bay scallops, bacon and three cheeses, baked and served with fried shrimp and includes another side. More food than you know what to do with. Our server, Fallon, is one of the best in the restaurant. Very attentive and a great personality that helped set the mood. If the Ceviche was not enough, Fallon also brought us some tasty ciabotta bread which was very fresh and paired well with the libations. She let us try a couple of home brews and I decided on the Funky Buddha hefeweizen brewed in Daytona Beach. Pours a hazy light amber with thin fizzy white head. Taste is caramelized banana, lightly bready, notes of stone fruit and sweet orange citrus, clove, nice mineral character that helps balance the sweetness. This is really nice! Had an excellent night and would recommend most everything on the menu. The atmosphere is very nice and it is not too loud as you can carry on a normal conversation. If the main dining is full, look to the bar for great immediate seating if you come before 7pm. Happy Reviews!
(5)Derek F.
Excellent spot! Very clean atmosphere and attentive service led the way as we tried this spot for the first time. Our party was three adults and two children. This array let us try a number of items and get a good feel for the menu. All the seafood we had was good though we didn't try anything fancy on this trip. The au gratin potatoes were amazing as was the Mac and cheese. I would definitely return and would be tempted to try something broiled next time.
(4)Puii K.
I ordered the coconut shrimp. It was okay. The coconut shrimp itself didn't have a lot of flavor, and the sauce that came with it was too sweet, like icing. My sides were broccoli and bacon & cheese potato pancake. The broccoli was good, but I didn't care for the potato pancake. Inside was nice. It was also very clean. Oh, the service was not good. I only seen our waitress a few times. She didn't come by often enough, or she would have known our appetizer was missing. There are still a few things on the menu I would like to try. I might give then another chance in the future, but not very soon!
(3)Bo W.
I'm always excited to try new seafood restaurants. Sometimes, you never know what the experience is going to be. It can be really good, or it can be really bad. My experience today was slightly on the bad side. Let's start with the food. Being lunch time, & I was in the mood for seafood, I thought a po'boy sandwich would be the perfect meal for my mood. This was far from a traditional po'boy. Normally, the bread on a po'boy consists of a New Orleans style French bread. I'm not sure what bread they were using on my sandwich today, but I did not care for it. It was a little too hard. Everything else about the sandwich was pretty good. I tried the coconut shrimp, but did not care for that either. It just seem to lack in the flavor department. The service was terrible. As a matter of fact, it didn't look like anyone there was really happy to be there. Our server, Morgan, took our order and then disappeared. Didn't see from her again until it was time to pay. Someone else brought out our food, and when we mentioned our appetizer had not arrived, they didn't seem to care. We never did see the calamari, and asked to have it removed from the bill. If I was writing this review on service alone, I would be writing a one star review, but I'm not going to let the actions of one person (Morgan) dictate my review. It's just not a fun place to go. I left in a bad mood. I think everyone's bad attitude rubbed off on me a little bit. The place is nice and clean, and the food is... well, not great, but not terrible either.
(3)Cheryl A.
What a hidden gem! My daughter asked me if I wanted to meet her here for dinner & I am always up for trying new things & Wow! So 1st I put our name in for a table, about 10 minutes into our wait a hostess came out & said a high top just cleared in the bar area if you don't want to wait for a regular table. (we were the only party of 4 waiting) What? who does that? That was awesome! But we decided to wait as grandma here doesn't like her legs dangling while she eats. We were seated by a decorative fireplace & some guy was crooning out Pack Rat aged tunes & he was really great at it. Our server 'Brent' was phenomenal! So attentive and patient as we asked questions about drinks & specials (even after he already told us what they were) I liked their twist up on the Shrimp Scampi served in an asiago scampi sauce with bowtie pasta & fresh spinach & mushrooms (outstanding!) We had the shrimp wontons as an appetizer, which were excellent ,they have a touch of wasabi in the wonton with the shrimp, fried & served with the best ginger dipping sauce ever! My daughter got the chef special seafood trio of crab cake, scallops & shrimp & loved it, she actually ate every bit. (which is unusual for her) I will definitely come back to this place, the prime ribs coming out & served to other tables looked like a must try for next time! LOVED their drink menu! And I also saw ice cream served in ice cream parlor dishes & was wishing I wasn't so full because I LOVE ice cream. I am just going to have to bookmark it to come visit again.
(5)Tweet G.
Positives: friendly service & decent ambience. Definitely a huge improvement from the previous location. Now the not so positive, it's ridiculous not to have any seating at the hostess stand. There is a wall with one single table behind it and common sense would be to knock that wall down and add some seats for your guests. This design flaw means people are crowded in a tiny area, blocking the door and people who are coming and going to the bar. It was mayhem. Now the food, while some parts were good the chefs are sloppy. I ordered the salmon with spinach and cilantro rice. My salmon was delicious, the rice was just cilantro/lime rice you've had at a million other places but what killed my plate was the capers. It seems as if a whole jar was mixed in with my spinach making it completely inedible. So I requested sautéed spinach without the capers instead. What I thought was an easy fix went from bad to worst when I was given a plate of spinach with at least 1/2 cup of OIL on it maybe 2/3 cup. I was mortified. My husband wasn't thrilled with his steak. I felt the au gratin potato portions were off. It was too small IMO. Plenty of room for improvement here. Really could be a nice spot if some passionate cooks were in the kitchen.
(3)Ashley S.
Really love this place and their customer service is outstanding. First of all, made a reservation for a table of four. They kindly set the table and put a nice "reserved" sign on their best table for us. It really made me and my parents feel special that they reserved their best table for us. I ordered their stuffed flounder. WOW! Was sooooo good!!!! Stuffed with a delicious seafood filling. I also tried their french martini, was a nice blend of chambord, grey goose & pineapple juice. Quite tasty! Also, tried their calamari. Was nice & crispy not chewy like most places that under cook it. Finally tried the upside down pineapple cake. Was nice and warm with a side serving of homemade ice cream. This is definitely going to be my new local seafood spot. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. Thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience.
(5)Tori N.
Such good food here, and super cute decor. I've always gotten great service too. The craft beer selection is pretty small, but they had Ballast Pointe Grapefruit Sculpin IPA and that made my day. Get the fried pickles. Just trust me here. They're so good that you won't want to wait for them to cool. I burned the roof of my mouth pretty bad. Worth it. ;p
(5)Emi T.
We came from Miami to spend Valentines weekend in Tampa. On our last day we decided to come here for lunch before driving back. I would really like to emphasize on service. It was very refreshing to have such good service! Robert was very knowledgeable and made great recommendations. He was very attentive and you could tell he cares about his customers. We ordered the mixed ceviche and honestly, it was nothing special. I felt like there was something missing but I couldn't quite put a finger on it. The chips that came with it were pretty oily and it looked like they were cooked in old oil and were sitting out for a bit. As an entree we ordered the Shrimp Scampi Florentine and a side Caesar salad. Our server was kind enough to separate the salad onto 2 plates for our convenience. The pasta was "okay" also. I felt like it had way too much sauce. I saw other people's scampi florentine and didn't look like a soup. Just like the ceviche, I felt like each ingredient stood out but the flavors would not come together. There was no umami. I will still give 4 stars mainly because of how much I enjoyed service and the food was decent compared to the price. The portions were super big so shareable between two people.
(4)Tracie A.
Attentive service. Best Seafood Newburg I've had in a very long time. The Crab Beignets were a clever take on a Beignets. Glad to see they stepped up their game with the move. Will definitely be back.
(5)D K.
I have eaten in their new digs three times for lunch. The food was mediocre, but mostly edible. The waitpersons, however, need to have remedial waitperson training. Two of the times I was there, the waitperson(s) handling our table managed to be rude and overbearing. The first instance, even though the place was not full, three, count them, three, employees tried to take our plates away, even though we were both still eating and had our forks in our hands! The second instance, I quietly asked the waitperson to remind the chef to actually cook the broccoli somewhat. It was inedible. You'd have thought I suggested there was dog food on the table. So, the end result is, I do not go back there anymore. Good luck to any who do.
(2)Salil J.
Excellent Shrimp and Grits, with an eclectic twist. The Mahi Tacos and Calamari was good too. Great service and a nice decor. In summary, an eclectic gem in the Brandon area...
(5)Allison W.
Heard mixed reviews about this place but never tried it until today at lunch. My husband and I ordered the specials, Sea Scallops w/spinach and rice and the Prime Rib Sandwich w/au jus. Both were fantastic! Could not finish the fabulous crispy onion rings after eating the generous portions of food. Our server Alexis did an excellent job of making sure we were taken care of without smothering us. Will eat there again soon.
(4)Michael C.
This is the fourth time in as many years that we've been to the Shrimp Boat, our first time in the new location. Our first trip to the Shrimp Boat was fantastic, they had these lobster shrimp that were to die for, shrimp that tasted like lobster! The food is good, not great and I find the menu selection wanting, I mean the name is Shrimp Boat but they don't have peel and eat shrimp on the menu. I think that is my disappointment with this otherwise good eatery. Tonight I had the 16 oz. prime ribs (I know it's a seafood place right), and the prime rib was good, on par with other similarly priced steakhouses, so that's a bonus. I think its the menu selection that would bring this overall rating up for me.
(3)Clo K.
Over priced. Small amount of food. Food was good but it's the same as the old location.
(2)Earleen H.
In the area site seeing. Found SB on yelp and was delighted with food, service, entertainment and atmosphere. Had calamari as my entree. It was fresh and perfectly prepared. My friend had fried shrimp and totally enjoyed those and the coleslaw. No room for dessert.
(4)David M.
We visited with some friends for the first time in a while after a rather poor first visit. This was MUCH improved, and the food was A+. I had the Shang-Hai Tuna (amazing) and the Ceviche was the best I have ever personally had. My ONLY gripe was the service. Our server seemed to forget about us from time to time and I was wondering if she thought we only wanted to each the appetizers for our meal. After about 20 minutes though she came back and took our order. Yes...we will go back. Hopefully we'll be able to give it a 5th star next visit!
(4)Kayli K.
Pretty darned good. Everything was fresh, friendly staff, great atmosphere and good seafood (likely the best around these parts).
(4)Gracie S.
Great customer service and great seafood tonight. I went in wanting oysters so I ordered the fried oyster entree not realizing what they were. When they arrived I was none the happy about what I ordered. Our server was extremely accommodating and I ordered something new. It came out in under 5 minutes still allowing my boyfriend and I to finish at relatively the same time.
(4)Debborah C.
The food was great. The fried pickles appetizers were spears instead of chips. Very good, served with a spicy dipping sauce. The fried shrimp were large and cooked to perfection. The shrimp scampi was served in a garlicky cream sauce with mushrooms, spinach and bow tie pasta. There was a musician playing a horn softly with the easy listening music. Pleasant and not to loud so you can enjoy a conversation with your table mates. We look forward to coming back again.
(5)Joey M.
What a great place!!! The food was absolutely delicious!!!! The waiter was very polite and very knowledgable of the items on and off the menu!!! Try the New York Strip Steak or the Stuffed Flounder!!!! I definitely recommend this place!!!
(5)Katy P.
On Saturday nights they have their "Category 4" menu and it was amazing! It's a 4 course meal with small portions, so great for one person, with wine recommendations on the menu. Every Saturday is a new menu. All 4 items were absolutely delicious and I can't wait to go back a different Saturday night for an entirely different menu! On top of this, they have live music :)
(5)Tony B.
Excellent seafood and a hidden gem in the Brandon area. Reasonable prices and great service
(5)Alan W.
A must go-to-spot when I visit Tampa. Love the new location! The food is outstanding! I had tried many dishes from Shrimp Boat and it really is a bang for your buck for quality and portion size. I highly recommend the Shrimp Boat. You will get great food at a great price. Also the chef has a great tasting every weekends. Highly recommend getting the tastings.
(5)Jacquelyn M.
Off to a great start with a glass of wine on the patio and seated within 15 minutes, however, we sat at our table another 15 minutes (with a 2 year old) waiting for the staff to decide who our server would be. Evidently the large party of 8 was too much too handle for the gentlemen assigned to our table. Luckily our new server, Brittney, brought our food quickly and apologized. Ceviche is still the best in Brandon and the fried dill pickles are the best! Just think maybe management might need more than three teenagers running the front of the house!
(3)Arielle P.
Okay! I love seafood! This place is an official gem of Brandon for the time being. Arrived during the Sunday night dinner rush around 730pm...got sat at a table inside. It was kinda loud and really cold inside so we sat outside....that was the best idea. So much quieter and relaxed. Overall the food was awesome! I recommend it all! Shrimp cocktail and calamari were very fresh tasting, perfect temperatures. Crab and shrimp bisque was PERFECT. Bacon x cheddar baked grits because grits. Also, the Shanghai tuna dish was phenomenal. BBQ shrimp on top of thickly sliced rare ahi tuna slices on top of crab fried rice. Amazing. The rice especially had big chunks of crab and scrambled egg. Finally, we had the banana cheesecake something tortilla. So good! Bananas and ice cream wrapped up in a tortilla with cinnamon and whipped cream. Wait staff was on point with clearing dishes and running food. Will definitely be back!
(4)Art M.
It's nice to find a non-chain restaurant with good original food in Riverview. Great food. Great service and reasonable prices. Restaurant is nice and clean. Try the shrimp wonton appetizer and the shrimp and grits are good too.
(4)Nick C.
This place surprised me. From the name and the surrounding area I was expecting a dive (which I don't mind as long as the Food is good). When I walked in I was greeted by a more upscale atmosphere. I had a seat at the bar and was pleasantly surprised by the level of service and food I received. The bartender was very knowledgeable with both drinks and food. I decided to order the special of the day (blackened mahi on top of lime cilantro rice and a shrimp enchilada). Food was great , prices were as expected for a seafood restaurant, lunch is a good value. Well worth the trip and would visit again.
(4)Maria L.
Very amazing, and a little pricey, but worth it! Chris is such an excellent server. My husband had an issue with his plate, but Chris got that fixed pretty quick. :) I would definitely recommended going there.
(4)JP C.
This restaurant has grown into a true dining spot. Since its move to the present location, the food is center stage, a true star. The waiter: Lamarl Collins was so attentive and professional we asked for his business card. Ask for him. He understands the concept of good service. We stopped in for drinks and appetizers. We ordered dishes that can be truly awful if not handled with care. The calamari was hot, crispy and not greasy. It was so good we ordered two portions. Yum. The other dish was fried oysters. Again, this dish was prepared with care. Again, tasty and non greasy. I'll add this establishment to my favorite places to dine in Brandon.
(5)Thom M.
This Valrico restaurant tucked away in a strip center offers food that rivals any I have had in the much bigger cities of Orlando or Tampa. Pleasant ambience, professional servers and unique cocktails provided the perfect surroundings for the main event: the food. Started with ceviche serves with freshly cooked pita chips. A huge amount of fresh seafood. It was a little sweeter than most ceviches due to the inclusion of corn and the number of scallops. A few dashes of Himalayan sea salt in the table shakers (!) helped out. This ceviche was not propped up on a bed of seaweed. A very generous portion. Entrees were equally fantastic. The Shang-hi tuna was incredible. Served on a bed of crab fried rice with sautéed shrimp on top of the seared tuna. Genius! Coconut shrimp and the seafood bake were very good. Potato and bacon pancake is the side to go with here. I also got a Pelo dr Perro (hair of the dog) cocktail with pineapple juice, cilantro, muddled jalapeño and rum. Spicy and unique! Desert was incredible as well. Either made in house or imported from Mikes Bakery in Tampa. The banana cheesecake tortilla was spectacular. Worth the drive from nearby Lakeland or even Tampa. Don't pass this one by!
(4)Heather A.
Delicious food! The menu is a little limited and a little pricey, BUT everything was delicious- and the entrees are huge! The drink menu is also good, with some very unique options. Our server was Brad, and he was very polite, knowledgeable, and professional. Great place for a date, but they also accommodate children with a small menu and high chairs.
(5)Danielle Z.
This original review was from early 2014 and I don't know what they have done but the place is SO much better! We went there with friends ( we didn't want to say no, even though we hadn't loved the place) and the food and service were excellent. We have been back twice since. The flourless chocolate cake- OMG! I appreciate the sign disallowing smoking by the outside seating area too! WHAT is up with the great reviews here? "As good as it gets?" I hope not! Our meal was about on par with Red Lobster. Its passable, it's edible, it's not terrible but its not great either. I had the shrimp and scallops and the scallops were blubbery gross like they had been frozen. My husband had the gratin which was greasy. The people smoking right on the other side of the screen in the outside area should really be dealt with, and I smoke myself so its not like I'm hypersensitive but I don't want that when I'm eating and it was overwhelming- blowing right in our faces. I will say the staff is REALLY nice and we still had a pleasant evening because of our server. We likely wouldn't go back anyway, however. The Colonnade on Bayshore is super dated looking inside, but that is some good seafood. this was- eh.
(4)Shayna P.
Excellent service! Great food! The Mahi and tuna are my favorite! Also the bartender makes great drinks!
(4)Michelle F.
I had the stuffed flounder. Only Okay. Lots of sauce that really overpowered the dish. It was stuffed with a lot of shrimp and scallops, which were good and my broccoli was cooked well. All in all, I will try it again, but would order something different.
(3)Ai-vy R.
This restaurant is amazing. My husband and I started going here when we first moved to FL from NC almost three years ago, back when the establishment was a little hole in the wall bar/restaurant. The have since moved (they took over the spot where the Cheddar Biscuit used to be in Valrico) and spruced themselves up, but their food has remained as high quality as ever. There is not a bad item on the menu, nor a bad seat in the house. My favorite dishes are their crab and corn chowder, the shrimp and scallops gratin, the basic fish and chips plate, and their prime rib special. They have a category 4 special tasting menu on Saturdays - kind of a chefs specialty, four or five course meal for a fixed price. I've never been disappointed by it. They also have live music. Whenever we have guests and want to go out, we come here. Totally the right deicision every single time.
(5)Dana-donna S.
I am a bit of a food snob and prefer trendy high end restaurants. normally i would pass this place with out a second thought. A friend convinced me to give it a try at there old location. It was a little geriatric and a little rundown but the food was fantastic. actually the food was so good i kept going back even though it was way out of my way. They have moved to a new location and no longer has the run down old look, not that that would have stopped me. i have tried almost everything on the menu all 5 star. just like any restaurant service maybe hit or miss butt the food makes up for any minor service issue or personalty flaw of a server. For what I'm use to paying in south Tampa this place is cheap. my compliments to the chief keep up the good work.
(5)Daniel B.
Restaurants trying to make a go of it at Plaza Bella have been the urchin children of Bloomingdale for far too long. Not that there have not been some solid attempts over the years, but the location does not lend itself to easy access. Anyone wanting to dine here and deal with evening traffic had best be committed to the cause. Fortunately, the Shrimp Boat offers a dining experience that is worth the effort. Having enjoyed great success on Lumsden Road, the new digs offer the faithful diners who followed them to our doorstep a larger and more accommodating dining room, updated bar facilities and an overall more grandiose appearance. Even the outside atmosphere while waiting for a table is a bit more conversation friendly and interesting. Starting with the bar, the beer taps and bottles have a selection of Tampa standards plus a short but solid line up of micros that rotate regularly. The full bar offers a variety of boat drinks to start you up before dinner and coffee / liquors to slow you down afterwards. Like the other bar choices, the wine list is short but thoughtful with enough variety to compliment everything on the menu. For dinner, I went the surf route while my dining companion opted for turf. The Shrimp Boat does NOT skimp on the shrimp in their Scampi! Good sized and plentiful shrimp, mushrooms and spinach mixed with a lemony touched creamy garlic sauce was served over perfectly cooked angel hair pasta and topped with smooth asiago cheese. The Shrimp Boat offers a good steak as well. The prime rib is cooked to perfection and was light and buttery on the taste buds. For a side dish we tried the cheddar and bacon grits with chives. They were a little on the dry side but served to compliment the saucy scampi. For dessert we took our servers recommendation and had the in-house salted caramel ice cream, which had the texture of sorbet and could, by itself, be a reason to dine here. Live music (on the weekends) adds a dash of date-night flair to a reasonably priced meal of this quality.
(4)Elizabeth C.
I never write reviews, but I felt this restaurant really deserved one. I started going here when they were on Lumsden and I haven't been disappointed yet. Every dish is yummy and carefully put together. My fiance and I used to go there for the oyster and ceviche, but they are not serving the oysters anymore due to the poor suppliers and their high standards. The drinks are also delish. I promise you will not be disappointed.
(5)Frank B.
I liked the old location better. The process have jumped upward and the service has slowed
(4)