Retreat

Absolutely love the vibe of this historic dive bar. The staff is HILARIOUS, attentive and fun! Always a good time, good drinks, good laughs! A regular stop of us on a night out in Tampa.

I came into this bar with a group of friends to play darts and support a local spot, but we were met with unnecessary hostility from the bartender, Jeremy. My friend had just turned 21 a week ago and brought his valid ID, which Jeremy questioned and then demanded a second form of ID with both name and date of birth. Despite showing credit cards, a student ID, and even offering a photo of his passport, Jeremy rudely dismissed everything, insisting on a physical copy of a passport, which is unrealistic to carry on a night out. While we understand the importance of verifying age, there’s a respectful way to do it — and Jeremy made it clear he didn’t want us there from the start. He was unprofessional, condescending, and created an uncomfortable atmosphere for no reason. We weren’t being loud or rowdy — just wanted to play darts and enjoy the night. It’s disappointing to be treated so poorly at what’s supposed to be a welcoming neighborhood dive bar. We won’t be returning, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone looking for a laid-back and respectful environment

A true hidden gem of downtown Tampa. Every time we come here the vibe is great and the staff is amazing! They have my favorite beer on tap, darts, pool, basketball and just overall a great spot to hang out with friends. Definitely a must visit if you’re in the area!

The bartender Josh, did a great job making me feel welcome. I travel frequently and meet al types of people. The people in this bar are authentic! I can't wait to return with my family.

White bartender refused service to my friend who is brown because they “don’t accept US passport IDs” IF YOU ARE BROWN QUEER OR A PERSON OF COLOR DO NOT COME HERE

Good local spot. Fair drinks, fair prices. Good for couples or a small group of guys or gals.

Definitely in my top 3 favorite bars in Tampa! The staff is knowledgable & the drinks are good. There is smoking inside, so be aware when you go, but the drinks are inexpensive & there’s a jukebox, so there’s all kinds of music for everyone! Darts, pool, video games & a food truck on the weekends make this a great spot to hang out!

GREAT SERVICE, TOUCH TUNES, THREE POOL TABLE, DARTS, ARCADE GAMES AND CHEAP ENOUGH WELLS! Please bring hot dogs back, drunk me would love that.

Cozy place, kinda hipster without the attitude... great food and wine/beer selection... thd Ringlings would be proud.

Fantastic happy hour and ambiance. The service is what I appreciated most. The staff is extremely attentive to their customers and always make time for good/fun conversation with anyone that comes through their doors.

I went on opening day years ago when I went to UT. Prior it was a dive bar. Love this place. Recently went back and stopped in for a pint. Just like the old days.

Hands down one of my favourite bars in Tampa! Jeremy and the staff are awesome, definitely made us feel at home. We will definitely be back, highly recommend!

Atmosphere is great. Plus the taco truck is a bonus. My review needs at least 85 more characters to post

Best prices and staff around! So many studs with beards work here! And a few pretty ladies also! Check it out and try a Murphy bomb!

Easily one of my favorite bars in Tampa! A true Tampa staple! One of the oldest bars in Tampa, with lots of charm, overly adorned walls, the old school mirror behind the bar, fair priced drinks, and college students in and out. Whats not to like.

The Retreat was the perfect ending to an amazing girls' night! The staff is amazing and the atmosphere is fun! We had a great time playing pool and dart boards with great drinks from the bar. I would highly recommend it!

Best bar stop on way home . To the best place to live Valhalla (D.I.) great bartenders and lots of eclectic people

Extremely poor service, bartender told us to "get the f*** out" after he denied my 30 year old friend's US issued foreign ID

Went the other night, left my debit card there on accident .. picked it up in the morning.. my tab was $31. My bank statement says $55. They tipped themselves over 70%- I'm also a bartender at another nearby restaurant and we'd be fired for doing this. So if this restaurant allows this, that's INSANE. Good luck I won't be back ever to this establishment, that's complete fraud

If you like smoke.... It's the place for you! Great people! Dive bar..great prices. 20 and older...

Review 300, woot! This is a fun dive bar in Tampa that's laid back, serves good drinks, and has a chill ambience. After leaving a different place that didn't have great service, we ended up here and it was a welcome difference. The bartenders were friendly and the prices were much more reasonable. It was a great spot to end our evening in Tampa! I'd definitely come back next time I'm in town.

To the retreat!!!! That was our motto, in the 90s. We created this place, as it is today. The way times go, and "progress". Back then the area was much less built up, and the original retreat was a complete dive bar, and we loved it. UT was tiny and crappy, and there were Lloyd 5 bars in walking distance with 3 dollar pitchers. The crowd was different, mostly dock workers and a few of us hanging with them. The feel was similar, but kitschy. You can smoke there, so if you doozy like that, don't bother going in. Good drinks, nice bartenders, original artwork. Totally cool.

Most amazing bar in Tampa, hands down! The bartenders are helpful and courteous! They are truly caring and want everyone to have a good time. This bar has some of the best locals in it! The locals will seek out newbies and speak with them, making sure they have a good time. Very friendly and happy place. Please make this a stop during any trip to Tampa, as it's living history

MY FRIDAY HAVEN! I've been coming to The Retreat for years and now come here after work on Friday's with coworkers. For me the downside for me is that people can smoke inside however it's important to those who do it. For me, I leave smelling like an ashtray however it's worth the company when I'm with my friends. The bartenders are attentive and talk like they've known you for years. I love this joint because It feels chill and divey. I usually get beers on draft as they are cheaper during happy hour. It's hard to just have one beer here.

Had a great time here while I was in Tampa. Bar reminds me of a 50s diner. Good drinks, cool atmosphere that's like two places in one...music in the back and more chill in the front. Our bartender was Kaitlin and she was amazing. She was super friendly and accommodating. We enjoyed her so much we doubled back the next night. Whenever I make it back to Tampa, I will be stopping in here. Thanks for a great couple of nights.

Classmates recommend to come and check out this bar. It's an ok bar. That have good happy hour. They only have one red wine which was cab, so that wasn't a Problem for me, I believe they have two white wines and the rest are mainly beer. They were only allowing 6 people per table, they came to check on us often which was nice. Service was good and quick. They don't have any food. I would return again. The only thing I wasn't a fan of is smoking inside. That's the first bar I see that have smoking inside other than that it was great.

I love a good dive bar! You can smoke inside. There are a few tables outside and three pool tables in the other room. The drinks were average price. Music was a little too loud. I could not hear my friend 2 bar stools away from me. Younger crowd. Coach Cooper, Killorn and the Stanley cup showed up which was pretty cool!

Perhaps I'm bias because back in my college days, this was my go-to. I went to the University of Tampa from '04-'08 and back then this bar was the most convenient and affordable place to spend your meager income. I recall (well, barely remember) so many Wednesday nights having $1 Bud Selects or $5 pitchers after class and then stumbling my way back to my dorm on campus. It was a dive and the best place to gather any night of the week after class. It was always crowded and loud. Now it's quite different. I went here on Saturday night with a fellow UT alum for cocktails. The bar was relatively empty and the crowd was older and more mature. I think I may have seen a total of 5 college kids over the course of our time there. The bartender was fantastic and told us about the history of "The Trap" and his experience over the years. This place has evolved into a very nice bar located close to The Oxford Exchange and there is a nice pizza place next door (TamPiz). I had a dirty martini, which was made well. Not gonna lie, it felt weird ordering anything other than a crappy beer, but I wasn't up for a PBR on this particular night! Although PBRs were only $2! Whether you're a college student or a mature adult looking for a nice place to sit down and have a drink near downtown, the Retreat is appropriate. It has evolved from a rowdy, dingy college bar into a classier downtown drinkery. I approve :)

Rude staff, terrible service, bad pool sticks, horrible felt, skips songs paid for on the juke box and will not refund money. The list goes on absolutely atrocious place 0/10 would never go again.

So appalled! I walked to the bar to order a cocktail and the bartender named "Josh" immediately said "What can I get you nigga?" Do people really think this is a way to address people?! I was so embarrassed! There was an African American individual beside me and he heard it as well. He was livid. Don't bring your business here.

AMBIENCE: 8/10 SERVICE: 10/10 BAR PRICES: 10/10 All of the bar tenders are excellent and personable! A great place to unwind. You can actually smoke cigarettes inside!

One of the better and cleaner dive bars in Tampa. Good drinks and drink prices. Nice welcoming atmosphere.

Horrible treatment , incredibly discriminatory , denied my ID AND passport which I only happened to have because of my recent traveling. Claimed that they were both fake despite them matching?? Like what? Also said the two photos of me weren't the same person because I wasn't Smiling in one?!!! Wth. Honestly shocked they're able to keep a business afloat with this kind of logic. Oh well, place was a dump anyways.

Would rate with no stars if possible, stopped in for a beer one night with a friend and bartender Jeremey was unbelievably rude as he proceeded to call my friend's real ID fake even though it had successfully scanned, passed the blue light check AND she had two other forms of ID (credit card and passport) to prove it further, all with which Jeremy was incapable of doing the basic abilities of a bartender and denied her of service in an incredibly rude manner. He then proceeded to kick my friend out who was not creating a scene or acting up but just simply asking why he refused to serve her (with which he could not answer). Awful service, the bar itself was physically disgusting and an unwelcoming environment.

An absolutely fantastic place! Our casual hangout. Come for the drink specials! Pool, darts, shuffleboard, basketball and our favorite......Golden Tee Mini Golf! The bartenders are the BEST. Great for pre and post event drinks!

The most anti veteran bar I've been to. I've lived in Seattle, NYC Miami, Dublin. The 4th of July the staff was horrible. We asked for green tea shots and they said best we can do is Jamison. They then forced us out. I got a silver star and they told me I was a horrible human. Please contact me at 509two-nine-five-1855. Please don't go If you are a vet

This was a cool find that we stumbled upon one night. Not in an obvious location but definitely a cool local dive bar, more upscale than most. Has really good drink specials and pool (pay to play). This is nice place to stop for after work drinks.

The waitress was very rude and didn't know what a Real ID looked like. She was rude from the start and refused to double check our guests ID. The place reeks of cigarette smoke. Overpriced drinks and poor lighting. If you want your night ruined, hit up the retreat!

Would give 5 stars, but smoking is allowed inside. Used to go here years ago when I attended UT, stopped by this past Saturday while bar hopping in DT Tampa. Drinks were good, bar tender was attentive.

Great bar, great bartenders, fun atmosphere!!! Mel and Jeremy are amazing!! Always have a wonderful time when I stop in. :)

Good dive bar in walking distance to downtown Tampa and north Hyde Park. Smoking is allowed inside which might be a turnoff to some. Otherwise I recommend.

Do not go here! If I could give this bar a negative rating I would. The bartender was so disrespectful when asking for my ID and whenever I presented him with it he asked the other bartender to put the black light on it and when I jokingly said something about it he told me to leave since "I had an issue with being carded" I did not have an issue with him nor getting carded but the fact that the bar had 4 people in it and when I walked in and he purposely humiliated me and then kicked me out the bar because I joked about him ID'ing me is ridiculous. The amount of disrespect the bartender has for individuals is alarming.

We went on a Wednesday night, its right across from university of Tampa, so there's is going to be a younger crowd. I aboslutely loved the place, it was very chill and they played great music. Its a place to go when you just want to chill with friends at a bar. They had $10 all you can drink and $8 pitchers, like I said this was on a Wednesday so I'm not sure if its the same on all the other days. I would definitely recommend this bar to a younger crowd, you can smoke inside for those who smoke and there bar is big enough plenty to sit and drink a beer or two.

Ehhh. Limited beer selection adheres to inexperienced palates. Your usual Stella, Magic hat, etc. Average. Liquor selection is better but it is a rarity when bars don't offer one. Plenty of seating at the bar, a couple high tops surrounding it. There is a room on the other side with two pool tables and a dart board along with two booths. Tampa staple to be fair, around since 1938. Holds Guinness World record for most draft beers ever sold. Decorations aren't half bad but nothing outstanding. Bar allows you to smoke inside - noted.

Great happy hour! The staff are friendly and the drinks are great! The service is fast and the environment is fun!

This is pretty much a college bar. Upon walking in, I realized I hadn't been to a bar like this in a long time. One room has the bar and the other room is wide open and lined with couches. We ended up playing a game of beer pong. Why? Because they have a beer pong table. Over all, this is a good spot if you don't mind smoke. I have quite a headache this morning just because I'm not used to going to smoky bars. Very laid back vibe here and the beer is CHEAP. 5.50 for 2 beers!? Yes please.

I have been going to this bar since my college years and its only gotten better. Jeremy is an outstanding manager, professional, fun and welcoming. This bar has a very relaxed atmosphere, and depending on what time of the day you go, you'll find all sorts of awesome crowds. It is one of the few bars left around here that have indoor smoking, but there is outside seating option as well. Overall, this is not a typical "college bar". Almost all nights are 21+, the music is well rounded, the bar tenders are mature and professional. In fact, the only thing that makes this place "college friendly" are their amazing drink specials and the option to play fun college games. And... that its right across from UT. But seriously, who doesn't like drink specials and some entertainment!! ;)

One of my favorite bars in the area. Lots of drink specials... but my favorite part, 3 pool tables located in the back. Super clean felt and one of the cheapest pool tables around. Plenty of space to move around. Fun music with an option for touch tunes. There's also darts and a few other games available.

Best local spot for a cheap happy hour and a fun environment. 3 full pool tables golden tee darts and a basketball machine. Sunday and Monday nights are for hospitality and you are more than likely to run into someone you know here too. Make sure to take a merp bomb while you are here and don't forget to tip your bartenders.

This bar is kinda cool. Cheap drinks and they got pool tables and games. Although the service is bad i like it

Walked here from Mise en place, great place by the way, for some after dinner drinks and instantly regretted it. The atmosphere here seemed fairly chilled and it looked like a great way to end the night. Unfortunately looks can be deceiving. The drinks we ordered here were barely alcoholic. I asked for a Johnny Vegas and felt like I got a cup of kool-aid instead. After the disapointing drinks, we decided to play a round of pool which was fun while it lasted. I decided to break off and play some darts while the rest of the group played pool and that was where my night came to halt. A guy on the board next to me was clearly drunk and man handling the darts, shooting them off with excessive enough force to make them bounce off. I did little but aproach the board when the bouncer walked up to me and proceeded to tell me, "you need to stop tossing those darts like a jackass" I tried to explain the situation but he was not having any of it and got quite mouthy which just aggravated me and caused me to start arguing. Needless to say, the whole thing could have been avoided with the proper aproach. My night ended right then and there and soured me on the place as a whole.

This is your kind of bar if.....you smoke or don't mind people smoking inside right next to you. Prices and atmosphere are ok....but this is not the bar for me would not return.

Number 1 go to bar I Tampa, beat drink specials by far!! Pool tables, darts, beer pong, bags. You name it the Retreat has it!

This was very nice. I believe his name was Shane . The manager was there as well with her dog ....I fed her a bunch of combos....drinks were good and cheep!!! Thank you from tom and Colette from Illinois

At last! We found it! Our Holy Grail, a cheap, borderline divish (but not total dive) with cheap beer, great specials, and good bartenders! The bar is very comfortable (I hate bars without foot rails!!) because I managed to sit there for almost 4 hours on our first visit. You can't beat $2 domestic drafts. Is this a snooty, craft ale bar? Nope, it's not. But we have plenty of those around here. This is a bar to drink cheap and sing along with the juke box. And I love it for being just that!

Great bar on the divey side. Drinks are cheap and atmosphere is chill for happy hour.

If you havent been in a while you are missing out. More space. More pool tables. Good mix of new bartenders and old favorites. The specials have been changed, and a certain promotion company is no longer involved on Thursdays and Fridays.