61. Gaspar’s Grotto
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (813) 248-5900
Address: 1805 E. 7th St.
Description: Couldn’t get to Tampa for the Gasparilla Pirate Fest in January? Not to worry—you can get a taste of what you missed all year long at Gaspar’s Grotto. Pirate-y décor and costumed serving wenches, video games and live music—what more could a brigand desire? Well, how about special Pets on the Patio parties the first Saturday of each month, a full lunch and dinner menu, and a kids menu. Gaspar’s Grotto is open every day from 11:30 a.m. to 3 a.m.
62. St. Petersburg Nights
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (727) 644-4839
Address: 6800 Sunset Way
Description: This Russian restaurant and bar features DJ’d music, live belly dancing, and magic shows. Some shows are dinner-theater style, including a Russian Accents variety show. Other times order from the menu and watch Russian videos (with subtitles), and enjoy. Herring Napoleon, Ukranian Borscht, Chicken Kiev, Fried Pirogues, and other traditional Russian foods. Saturday nights, the Sunset Hookah Lounge on the beach offers water pipes. St. Petersburg Nights opens at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and closes Tuesday through Thursday at midnight, Friday and Saturday at 2 a.m., and Sunday at 10 p.m. Check the calendar closely and call for reservations before you go.
63. Ferg’s Sports Bar and Grill
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (727) 822-4562
Address: 1320 Central Ave.
Description: Located near Tropicana Field, Ferg’s has been around since the Rays were just a gleam in Tampa Bay area sports fans’ eyes. But owner Mark Ferguson invested himself in area youth sports and built a following, never losing faith that Major League Baseball would eventually come to St. Petersburg. Today, Ferg’s hosts sports fans of many types, but particularly baseball fans, who stop in before and after home games and come to watch away games on TV. Ferg’s opens every day at 11 a.m. Monday through Thursday, they’re open until midnight, Friday and Saturday they’re open until 2 a.m., Sunday they’re open until 10 p.m.
64. Hattrick’s
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (813) 225-4288
Address: 107 S. Franklin St.
Description: Hattrick’s caters to Tampa Bay Lightning and other hockey fans, but it speaks other sports languages with equal fluency. Set in a three-story brick building filled with sports memorabilia, TV sets, and a video arcade area, Hattricks’s menu ranges from hearty appetizers to hefty sandwiches. Hattricks is open 11:30 a.m. to 3 a.m., with happy hour from 4 to 8 p.m.