Skipper's Smokehouse

Nicole Longwell

We were there for late lunch on the 16th. I wish I knew the name of the waitress that we had that day. She look like she would have been mixed, with long curly hair that was braided into two separate braids. She was absolutely the sweetest person and took great care of us. We had good food and fun.

Susan Macbeth

Super cool outdoor live music venue under beautiful trees and lights with a variety of different bands each week in a laid back hippie vibe days of the past. From Blues, Jazz, Greatful Dead, Rock you name it we've been coming here for over 30 years and have a great time. There is a restaurant with indoor seating and bar. You can order food and they will bring it to you at the music venue under the stars. Voted 10 best outdoor music venues in the U. S.

Chelsea Ashe

You’re never going to find another place quite like skippers! Me and my girlfriends have been coming here for over a decade, now with our families and kids. The wings and hush puppies are by far the best in tampa, and our server KJ plus their Thursday specials have us coming back every week! KJ is amazing, she knows what we want right when we walk in the door and makes every visitor to skippers feel like they’ve come home. My kids love the outdoor area and all the funky decor and statues. Don’t miss out on this place!

Sarah Smith

I have been to my share of beach side(esque) restaurants. This place is the best food I've ever had at such a location. It looks like hell, it's in an unremarkable piece of town, and when you walk in, it looks like a sketchy take-out place. This is a place the locals keep quiet because most tourists would kill the vibes. There's live music out back right now. I can hear it, enjoy it, and not have to raise my voice to talk to my partner and his 9yo daughter. Perfectly acceptable place (inside at 2100) for kids. But the food! Everything, alligator, oysters (raw and fried), Mahi, grouper, shrimp, and some of the best fries I've come across. Beigneits and key lime pie that make you understand why those desserts are so beloved. Excellent coconut mojito, awesome, awesome staff. I live in Georgia, but this is worth a five hour drive. Do yourself a favor; skip the fancy places with the tourists' prices. This place is the restaurant that you hope your dream vacation will provide!

Missy Prégeant

Great time! The food is always good! I HIGHLY recommend the Onion Rings. Lol We saw Crossfire Creek Band...they are awesome! We were also celebrating a birthday! 💜💜💜💜

Ben C

Great place, really good oysters and fish. Our server was incredible. the only reason that drew a four was I think they're short staffed, and the drinks came out a little slow. Didn't get to check out the live music venue, but it looks like a cool place to catch a concert. Definitely worth a stop.

frances coolman

Went for a Sunday brunch and it was such a nice time! They have live music on Sunday’s for free from 1-4 and we were able to catch the beginning of this, which was super lovely. The place is huge and super cool vibes! I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of it before and I definitely want to come back for brunch again and a night show sometime

Barbara Asquith

Such is an amazing place with a l great atmosphere! Really good food! I highly recommend the grouper tacos! Rumming cokes are always on point! UNCLE JOHNS BAND NEVER DISAPPOINTS! We make it our mission to never miss the show on the first show of the month!

Jenna D

I've been coming to Skippers Smokehouse since I was a child, and I'm 38 now. I went recently and brought my son to listen to some music and eat. He loved it. It's such a laid-back, unique vibe. Don't go here expecting Berns Steakhouse, because it's not. But the food is awesome, the servers are kind and caring, and the atmosphere is casual, flip-flops Florida.

Edward Montana

Best happy hour in town! Everything is delicious.

My new favorite concert venue despite freezing mis pelotas on an unusually cold Florida evening. Easy access to the stage, bar, food, and restrooms. Engaged respectful crowd. James McMurtry is a true professional and genius songwriter.

Met Skipper. Olivia was our server. She was outstanding. The food was hot & delicious. First time there, they deserve 5 + stars. Will definitely be back with friends to enjoy the live band next time.

Awesome vibe! We came for a Tophouse / Crowe Boys show. There was a really cool mix of all types / ages of people hanging out. Again - the vibe is something special. Like a low-key swampy fort where you go to have fun with your friends. We had the alligator tail just to try it, was meh. Maybe if we had tried some real meat would have a different experience of the food... Will have to keep an eye out on upcoming shows and look for a reason to try this place again! If there's a band you like playing here ... Don't miss the chance. Super cool intimate venue.

A Tampa OG icon. If you haven't been here, you haven't been anywhere. I can remember my parents bringing me here when I was you. My dad said it was a hippie joint with good seafood. I think that describes the place today. Awesome music too.

David Bernal

Awesome vibe! We came for a Tophouse / Crowe Boys show. There was a really cool mix of all types / ages of people hanging out. Again - the vibe is something special. Like a low-key swampy fort where you go to have fun with your friends. We had the alligator tail just to try it, was meh. Maybe if we had tried some real meat would have a different experience of the food... Will have to keep an eye out on upcoming shows and look for a reason to try this place again! If there's a band you like playing here ... Don't miss the chance. Super cool intimate venue.

Mel Freeman

I Saw Hayes Carll with his Excellent band play a sold out show, on a Tuesday night, under a full moon at Skippers. Best live music experience I've had in a long time. We also enjoyed the good food, great service, and the coolest crowd. I haven't been to Skippers for too long and last night made me realize how fortunate we are to have this venue in Tampa.

FIRST TIME HERE AND IT NEEDS A REVIEW!\n\nThe ambiance inside and backyard is so fun! The colorful graffiti on the front is pretty cool! At first when you're not familiar with the place you may be a …

FIRST TIME HERE AND IT NEEDS A REVIEW!\n\nThe ambiance inside and backyard is so fun! The colorful graffiti on the front is pretty cool! At first when you're not familiar with the place you may be …

My 2 friends and I had dinner before the concert earlier this evening. We sat inside and were seated nearly immediately. The service was slow but she was serving food over a huge area. 2 of us had …

My 2 friends and I had dinner before the concert earlier this evening. We sat inside and were seated nearly immediately. The service was slow but she was serving food over a huge area. 2 of us had …

Such an old favourite but sad to say not visited in a while due to only being open Thur- Sun. Since covid\nReally good and fresh oysters, seafood combo! cooked \nas requested, lightly fried. Lots…

Such an old favourite but sad to say not visited in a while due to only being open Thur- Sun. Since covid\nReally good and fresh oysters, seafood combo! cooked \nas requested, lightly fried. Lots o…

Here for Sunday Dollar Oysters and beer, what a deal, and live music to boot. We ate on the bar and outside afterwards for live entertainment. Had a Amberbock on draft, $4.50, onion rings, and …

Here for Sunday Dollar Oysters and beer, what a deal, and live music to boot. We ate on the bar and outside afterwards for live entertainment. Had a Amberbock on draft, $4.50, onion rings, and Oyst…

Here for Sunday Dollar Oysters and beer, what a deal, and live music to boot. We ate on the bar and outside afterwards for live entertainment. Had a Amberbock on draft, $4.50, onion rings, and Oyst…

Awesome venue for live music. Fun atmosphere. A very unique and relaxed place to hang out.

Awesome venue for live music. Fun atmosphere. A very unique and relaxed place to hang out.

Excellent service. Found this on a whim before going home and so pleased with the atmosphere, the food. Just a great place for a good drink and some excellent raw oysters and key lime pie. Keri J…

Excellent service. Found this on a whim before going home and so pleased with the atmosphere, the food. Just a great place for a good drink and some excellent raw oysters and key lime pie. Keri Jan…

Delicious!!! We had gator bites, fried okra and a Dozen Oysters! Everything was great! The server was very nice! Also don't forget to try the hush puppies with guava jelly!

Looks are deceiving because it's a great place! Food was great, service was fantastic and prices were very reasonable. I had boiled shrimp, fries, hush puppies and tried the fried pickles. All were…

Looks are deceiving because it's a great place! Food was great, service was fantastic and prices were very reasonable. I had boiled shrimp, fries, hush puppies and tried the fried pickles. All were…

This place is a gem!!! Everything we tried was delicious, try everything. Amazing prices. Great vibe. The fish is all so so so fresh, and the people who work there are very friendly as well. Highly…

I love supporting local businesses and I love oysters mix those together and you have Skippers Smokehouse. They had really good raw oyster deals on Thursdays. You get one oyster for a dollar each…

Great restaurant with a view of the water. The food was delish, service was quick and we loved being on the upstairs patio.

Neat spot and great food. Good place for live music and good eats! The key lime pie is awesome and great service!

Best happy hour around, period. The appetizers are $5 and so are some selected cocktails. Great service, everything is delicious.

Family of 4 we all had different menu items, the gator ribs, are a must! Fish sandwich also a must! Very impressive! Will be back!

Family of 4 we all had different menu items, the gator ribs, are a must! Fish sandwich also a must! Very impressive! Will be back!

IF you like hole in the wall joints with solid food, loud and unpretentious atmosphere, friendly staff and where locals go, then this is the place! This is our second time here and it did not disa…

IF you like hole in the wall joints with solid food, loud and unpretentious atmosphere, friendly staff and where locals go, then this is the place! This is our second time here and it did not disa…

I had a really nice experience at Skipper Smokehouse. The service was excellent — our server was very polite, professional, and attentive. She kept checking in to see if we needed anything and was always refilling our water and drinks. I forgot her name, but she had two-colored hair and did a great job. The food was okay — not the best I’ve ever had, but still good overall. The atmosphere was definitely a highlight: nice music, a good crowd, and a relaxed vibe. It’s a unique place, so it may not be for everyone if you don’t like that type of setting, but it was very much to my liking. Overall, a pleasant experience and a place I’d recommend checking out.

We went to see a band. It's a rustic outdoor setting a variety of seating options. We didn't order food but it looked good. They have cats that hang out there and that was cool. I haven't been to Skippers since the 90's. It was nice!

First time reviewing a place that I used to go to all the time I'm the past and first time since 2014. First thing I noticed was the menu was small. So had the wings and they were good..will probably go back and try some more stuff and listen to a band.

Interesting place. They have cats roaming around which was cute and different. They had a $10 cover to see the band in their giant outdoor venue space. Stage, seating, bars. Seemed like it would be fun to come back to. Maybe not a place I’d come back to specifically for food. But I’m glad I tried it!! The crowd seemed to be mostly on the older side — 40s/50s maybe? Seemed like the place to be on a Saturday night so could be fun to come back and drink here being among the youngest here probably lol. The grouper Reuben was decent, the blueberry BBQ wings just tasted like straight up BBQ.

Went for a bite and concert after. You order when you walk in and sit at a table with a number. Took quite a while, and the server couldn't find us at first (she was looking at outside tables, we were inside) Food was pretty good, fries would have been better if they weren't cold. Chicken tenders were very good! The fried shrimp was good too. The outside concert area was cozy, and you could move around as you choose or stand right up to the stage. Enjoyed our evening listening under the old oaks.

My husband and I enjoyed the nuggets as an appetizer. He had the fried shrimp dinner. I loved the black eyed pea burger with Mac and cheese. Very friendly service! We were planning on staying for the entertainment (a blues artist)but it was cancelled at the last minute.

Thomas Paul

I had a really nice experience at Skipper Smokehouse. The service was excellent — our server was very polite, professional, and attentive. She kept checking in to see if we needed anything and was always refilling our water and drinks. I forgot her name, but she had two-colored hair and did a great job. The food was okay — not the best I’ve ever had, but still good overall. The atmosphere was definitely a highlight: nice music, a good crowd, and a relaxed vibe. It’s a unique place, so it may not be for everyone if you don’t like that type of setting, but it was very much to my liking. Overall, a pleasant experience and a place I’d recommend checking out.

Joanie Petty

We went to see a band. It's a rustic outdoor setting a variety of seating options. We didn't order food but it looked good. They have cats that hang out there and that was cool. I haven't been to Skippers since the 90's. It was nice!

Andrea McDermott

Interesting place. They have cats roaming around which was cute and different. They had a $10 cover to see the band in their giant outdoor venue space. Stage, seating, bars. Seemed like it would be fun to come back to. Maybe not a place I’d come back to specifically for food. But I’m glad I tried it!! The crowd seemed to be mostly on the older side — 40s/50s maybe? Seemed like the place to be on a Saturday night so could be fun to come back and drink here being among the youngest here probably lol. The grouper Reuben was decent, the blueberry BBQ wings just tasted like straight up BBQ.

Mark Joseph

First time reviewing a place that I used to go to all the time I'm the past and first time since 2014. First thing I noticed was the menu was small. So had the wings and they were good..will probably go back and try some more stuff and listen to a band.

N L

Went for a bite and concert after. You order when you walk in and sit at a table with a number. Took quite a while, and the server couldn't find us at first (she was looking at outside tables, we were inside) Food was pretty good, fries would have been better if they weren't cold. Chicken tenders were very good! The fried shrimp was good too. The outside concert area was cozy, and you could move around as you choose or stand right up to the stage. Enjoyed our evening listening under the old oaks.

Charles Lavoie

Very warm and welcoming place, amazing atmosphere and staff is really nice. It has that local pub/shack/diner roadstop vibe that you may like. Avoid if you’re looking for a fine dining experience, this is not it. Do go if you’re looking for authenticity and an eclectic experience ! There are even cats in the courtyard outside, so definitely a place for cat lovers (avoid if you don’t like animals hehe). I wanted to try two iconic foods from the place: fried gator tail and fried green tomatoes. I also had a Caesar salad topped with blacked fish. Everything was really good. The salad had a bit too much dressing for my taste, but that might be because I’m not used to American cuisine. My main regret was that the plates, utensils and glasses were all single-use plastics or cardboard, I wish they had metal utensils and reusable tableware. Nevertheless, would recommend to anyone looking for iconic Floridian dishes and great ambiance!

Teresa Shular

My husband and I enjoyed the nuggets as an appetizer. He had the fried shrimp dinner. I loved the black eyed pea burger with Mac and cheese. Very friendly service! We were planning on staying for the entertainment (a blues artist)but it was cancelled at the last minute.

An absolute staple in the Tampa area. Super quirky - art murals, bumper stickers, and off-the-wall knick-knacks everywhere. Kind of a Cajun bayou feel. Random cats roaming around, picnic tables in sa…

Good drinks, atmosphere and food.. love the live venues and enjoy the atmosphere .. the staff is efficient and makes good recommendations

Anabel Lereculeur

Cool venue with lots of good music shows throughout the year. The food is pretty bad (but affordable), and the courtyard set-up is great and has a good atmosphere. However, please send your Love to the man who handled the ticket booth last night for the Toubab Krewe show (12-04--25). Only an inner misery of abysmal depth can fill a man's heart with such anger and turn him into this poor excuse for a Human being. His heart must have been in his right foot. One can only wonder why Skipper's management would put at the forefront of their business a man who behaves like an angry rat dog on a bad day. Give him a job that does not involve any human interaction.

Nothing was right ! Food tastes horrible! \nDrinks very expensive for the place! \nThe servers were very friendly!

I am being kind even giving them a one star. It might be a great place for a band but the food was the worst. My grouper dinner grilled was obviously frozen, and to make matters worse a five year o…

I am being kind even giving them a one star. It might be a great place for a band but the food was the worst. My grouper dinner grilled was obviously frozen, and to make matters worse a five year…

Horrible service and food. We went there for a concert and the venue for the concert was great but I had the most disgusting hamburger in my whole life. We waited for hush puppies that never came..…

Horrible service and food. We went there for a concert and the venue for the concert was great but I had the most disgusting hamburger in my whole life. We waited for hush puppies that never came…

Horrible service and food. We went there for a concert and the venue for the concert was great but I had the most disgusting hamburger in my whole life. We waited for hush puppies that never came..…

first I ordered a grouper sandwich with a side of mac and cheese and "ice" tea no ice. who serves a grouper sandwich on whole wheat bread? Skippers. It was not only fresh but terrible.ate half of…