What is the best restaurant in the Tampa Bay area, regardless of price?

Question

My husband and I are celebrating our one month wedding anniversary and want to go somewhere amazing.

Answer 1

Bern's

Answer 2

There is only ONE answer:

Bern's Steak House

It is absolutely fabulous!

The food is excellent, as is the service (and advice, on wine, food, portions, etc.)

Of course the steaks are great.  But so are the other entrees.  

And the vegetables are absolutely fabulous!

They have their own farms and ranches!

The prices are no worse than any other fine restaurant!

(In fact, Bern's is a lot cheaper than many inferior places.)

It's so good that we actually include it on our itinerary and travel plans, whenever we are anywhere near Florida, and make a detour to the Tampa area just so we can eat there again.  (We live in NY.  My neighbor recommended it, several years ago, and we've been there about five times since!)

Leave plenty of time, and don't miss the tour of the kitchen.

After dinner, be sure to go upstairs, where they have special enclosed private booths for dessert, cordials, coffee, etc.

(And check out the bathroom, in the desert area.  They have a very special automated toilet seat, that you've just got to see to believe.)

I think they open for dinner at 5pm, every day.

It's on South Howard Avenue.

(Not the greatest of neighborhoods, but it's OK:  sorta industrial and a bit run down, but still safe enough to park on the street.  And once you're inside, you won't care about the nearby buldings.)

Be sure to make a reservation.

The phone number is:  813.251.2421

If you want to make it a long evening, arrive earlier than your reservation and go wait the lounge (upstairs, to your right, after you enter).  Like each of the other rooms, there's lots of interesting decor.

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P.S.  Here;s another suggestion:  Check out "Landry's" too.

It's right at the beginning of the causeway (Rte. 60, I think) that goes West from Tampa across to Port St. Lucie, etc.

Landry's has excellent seafood, good side dishes and apps, nice decor, and reasonable prices.

But definitely go to Bern's for your special, anniversary dinner!

(Then hit Landry's for fun, the day after or before.)