Password-entry speakeasies, Ybor rum dens, and downtown St. Pete craft rooms. From Tampa across the bay to St. Petersburg, this is where Tampa Bay takes its cocktails seriously.
The full ranking
Password-entry speakeasies, Ybor rum dens, and downtown St. Pete craft rooms. From Tampa across the bay to St. Petersburg, this is where Tampa Bay takes its cocktails seriously.
CW's Gin Joint (Downtown, Tampa)
Set inside a 1919 neoclassical bank building on N Franklin Street, this gin-specialist bar channels a speakeasy feel with vault corners, embossed ceilings, and a 'gin matrix' tasting experience guiding guests through floral, herbal, citrus, and spice profiles. Business casual dress is enforced; live music runs Thursday through Sunday.
Copper Shaker (Ybor City, Tampa)
A locally owned craft cocktail bar on 7th Avenue housing more than 700 spirits, including 200 whiskeys, in the heart of Ybor City. The old fashioned and espresso martini are perennial standouts, and the truffle fries have developed their own devoted following.
Bar Mezzo (Downtown, St. Petersburg)
An elevated cocktail lounge in St. Pete's EDGE District from the owner of Intermezzo, built around housemade syrups, infusions, and cocktails on tap inside a 1,600-square-foot room with a large covered patio. Seasonal menus and a DJ-and-live-music program on weekends make it one of the most energetic rooms on Central Avenue.
Mandarin Hide (Downtown, St. Petersburg)
St. Petersburg's original craft cocktail bar since 2010, installed at 231 Central Avenue with a chandelier entrance and dapperly dressed staff evoking a Prohibition-era speakeasy. One of Florida's largest spirit inventories and a weekly Tuesday test-kitchen night keep the menu perpetually fresh.
Hotel Bar (Downtown, Tampa)
A swanky cocktail destination at 200 N Tampa Street whose menu pays tribute to classic hotel bar drinks from around the world, poured beneath antique chandeliers and embossed metal ceiling tiles. Happy hour runs daily from 4 to 6pm, and the room is open until 3am most nights.
In Between Days (Midtown, St. Petersburg)
Florida's first Tokyo-style listening bar and craft sake house, tucked into a small house on 1st Avenue South and warmed by intimate lighting and a pair of vintage Klipsch Cornwall speakers. Five in-house sake sommeliers guide an ever-rotating sake and sake-cocktail list alongside French-Japanese small plates; it has been featured in Food and Wine and Wine Enthusiast.
Mandarin Heights (Seminole Heights, Tampa)
The sister concept to Mandarin Hide, transplanted to a mid-century Palm Springs-inspired room on N Florida Avenue in Seminole Heights where bartenders use the bar as a cocktail laboratory pushing theatre and innovation. Wednesday Old Fashioned specials and Sunday espresso martinis have made it a neighborhood institution.
COCKtail St. Pete (Grand Central District, St. Petersburg)
A gay bar and craft cocktail lounge on Central Avenue in the Grand Central District, set on the ground floor of the historic Mari Jean Hotel with disco balls, rainbow lights, and a circular bar at its core. Open daily from noon to 3am with an outdoor patio and a mantra of 'stiff drinks, hard liquor, raging good times.'
Ruby's Elixir (Downtown, St. Petersburg)
Downtown St. Pete's premier cocktail and cigar lounge with a Prohibition-era feel, open since the early 2000s and connected to Central Cigars for a genuinely smoke-friendly room. Live music runs seven nights a week with no cover, making it the longest-running live music venue in St. Pete's downtown.
Morgan's Cove (Downtown, Tampa)
A pirate-themed speakeasy from the Don the Beachcomber team, entered through a wooden door with a red light on N Morgan Street and fitted with nautical carvings and vintage maps. The rum-forward cocktail list, craft beers, and walk-in-only policy give it the feel of an actual privateer tavern rather than a theme bar.
Ranked across 4 sources: Yelp · Ranked by Rating (May 2026); Google Reviews · Ranked by Rating (May 2026); Tampa Magazine · Best of the City 2025 (Best Cocktails); Creative Loafing · Best of the Bay 2025 (Best Bar). Full scoring is on the Methodology tab above.
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