Rick's on the River

Food seems made to order and tastes well. The quesadilla was a little greasy and one of the burgers were slightly pink when it was supposed to be well done. A little bit of a wait time, due to waiting for a server to come to your table, but wasn’t sure if it was just busy/closing hours ? Overall, a nice place to eat and relax by the water without an overcrowded restaurant.

My husband and I had a great lunch here! We got the loaded oysters - they were a little pricier than a couple other restaurants, but everything else was very reasonable so it balanced pretty well. They oysters were good, the drinks were good, I got the fish and chips which were amazingggg! Our server was fantastic, and I always love open air by the water restaurants on vacay. Very enjoyable place!

We got out of the Tampa Bay Bucs game and thought we'd try a spot off the beaten path. I ordered fish and chips. When it arrived, I asked the server if she'd brought the kids' meal by mistake—it was tiny. She said, “Nope, that's it.” I said, “Are you kidding me?” She replied, “Nope,” and we both laughed. Normally I'd send it back, but I just wanted to eat and leave. The fish was a sad excuse, and the tartar sauce came in a prepackaged packet—hardly what you expect from a waterfront restaurant. When she returned, I asked if it was straight from the Gorton's fisherman. She said she couldn't answer that, but at least tell me if it was fresh or frozen. She was honest: “Previously frozen.” From the moment you pull up, the only thing this place has going for it is the water view. It's a total dive, but usually dives serve great food. A waterfront spot should nail at least one thing: either stunning ambiance—luxurious, romantic, upscale—or gritty charm with killer eats. This place has neither. It's a dump, inside and out. Dirt everywhere. The bathroom doesn't even have a real mirror—just a warped piece of metal you can barely see yourself in. It's clearly a boater hangout; people wander off their boats in flip-flops or barefoot. But the common areas outside are covered in crushed oyster shells instead of gravel or mulch. Those shells are razor-sharp—absolute hazards. I can't imagine how many people have sliced their feet open on them. There was a TV out back. We asked if we could watch the football game. They said that one didn't work, then pointed to another one 20 yards away. Good luck seeing that. When the server suggested I try the catfish next time, I said, “You think I'm coming back? Are you kidding me?” This place is a joke. I can't believe it stays in business. We'll never return to this dump.

I like Rick's On Yhe River! Stopped in for.a quick bite with others This restaurant sits on the water. There are boats that dock there. There are two parts to this restaurant There is an inside bar and booths for eating and an outside area with tables and chairs. I noticed that there was a bandstand of sorts for the live music. The decor.is nothing fancy Think decor of a seaside restaurant with bar signs along the walls. When we asked some locals about the place, we were told," It's a hole in the wall but the food is good." They were right! We.had the fried catfish dinners and.the fried coconut shrimp platters All platters cam.out quickly and the food.waa hot.amd crunchy. The French fries waa soo good! They were hot and and.crunchy. I could nott stop eating them..Delicious! Kudos to.the cook who knew how fried foods should be prepared! I took an Uber but there seems to be parking I did not see any children on my visit But there are items for.children on the menu Our waitress was friendly and quick When in town, I would definitely return. . .

The food was adequate. The service was fine. I ordered the coconut shrimp with onion rings and my partner ordered the Mahi Mahi with fries. The fries were obviously the last of the bag, they were small pieces and hard so she didn't eat them. We won't make the trip back. The view of the river is nice.

Won't find a more Florida vibe bar than this! Directly on the Hillsborough River with boat access, this makes it the perfect destination to grab drinks or a bite to eat after a day out on the water. The live music makes the atmosphere entertaining yet relaxing. They have a ton of outdoor seating as well as indoor, both including bars. Everything is served in disposable products, making it an easy clean-up. The wings were pretty good, but the service was fantastic. Always had a full drink with a friendly smile. This definitely felt like a place the locals tend to be at consistently, as it's been in business for 30 years. Parking is a little crazy around peak times, but you can find a space. You just might have to walk a little bit.

Had an absolutely amazing time! Came here to see the downtown 4th of July fireworks and grab a bite to eat. We ordered the fried oyster basket, grilled mahi mahi with fruit cups, and wings. Everything came out relatively quickly considering the place was packed, and the food was fresh and hot. My only complaint is that the fruit tasted pre-frozen, but I could care less about something so trivial.

The oysters was good, but they were so small. It would not even cover 1/4 the cracker. very disappointed, long ways to eat ! would not even have a veterans discount or a senior citizen discount. We are from Tennessee. $25 a dozen not worth that.

Love a good neighborhood bar. Great vide of the water. Outside bar is fun and lively. Bartender/waitress was busy but attentive and told us what people liked and what was good! I loved the fish sandwich and the onion rings.

I honestly wasn't expecting it to be this bad. The food was some of the worst I've ever had. I've never had shrimp that tasted freezer-burned until now -- the greasy breading tasted just like cheap fish sticks. I couldn't even eat it and had to send it back. To be fair, the friend who invited us did warn us, saying, "Be warned, this place's food is really bad." We went anyway to celebrate her birthday and keep up her tradition of getting oysters at Rick's on the River. I tried to give it a real chance. Their margarita tasted like straight margarita mix -- no real flavor at all. The fries were completely tasteless. To top it off, they had a high school rock band playing at max volume, so loud you couldn't even talk to the person next to you. Seriously... BE WARNED.

Out in Tampa, how about we dock the boat on a slip and we came to Rick's and it's got like live music three bars oysters everything we're just not here for food just the drinks baby my mai tai did not have the rum. The piña colada did not have even a cherry. This place is though the vibe they have live music that are people dancing so lots of fun just don't go for the drinks you didn't eat so I can't tell you about the food.

Big menu with dependable apps and meals. We really enjoyed it all. The service, food and location. Definitely will go back.

Busy riverfront restaurant. Fun noisy atmosphere. Lots of boaters here. Live music. Had a buffalo chicken sandwich and my hubby had the fish sandwich. Good quality. Prompt service with lots of refills on my tea!

Took my cousin who was visiting to Rick's so we could enjoy the nice weather and views! Even with only two servers for the whole outdoor patio, they were very nice and very attentive! They served with great efficiency and always checked in on us to make sure we didn't need anything else We were really full by the end of dinner! Might have ordered too much food for just 3 people to share. Chicken wings and coconut shrimp were crispyyy. Oysters were small/medium sized but it fulfilled the craving for me. Sandwich would have been better with grouper if they had it available. I think it's seasonal or only sometimes they have the grouper. Catfish was okay but not something that blew my mind. Come for the chill and laid back vibes. Not for bougie, fine dining.

Service is sloooooow and Happy Hour prices are a joke. For the most part our food was good.

A perfect river side stop! We enjoyed a quick bite after a boat ride yesterday. The service was prompt and the staff were all friendly. They had live music which was super fun! The coconut shrimp were not the best in the whole world, but they were certainly tasty and the prices were pretty reasonable. The chicken Caesar salad was delicious, and the cheapest I've seen in a while. The blackened chicken was juicy and seasoned excellently. The location is the perfect stop for boaters.

Catfish basket was very good & it was a crowd for a Friday right after work but everything was everything!

Great for live music on the water on a Friday night. Good service from Rosie made a difference for us too! I recommend.

Great HH and right on the water. We went there prior to getting on our boat and had the grilled oysters. They were amazing and the price was great! They have a huge bar area and the fact that I love talking to strangers lol it's the perfect spot. They also have an outdoor seating area with views of the river.

The food was to die for! The onion rings was the best I ever had! I loved the atmosphere! You could tell it was a locals hangout which I loved! Our server, although I don't remember her name but she was pregnant at the time was so kind and sweet!

We've been going to Rick's for over 10 years. We've learned by experience to ask the wait staff about some of the dishes before we order. We're crazy about the specials and if you haven't had the chance, try the grouper cheeks. To Die For. Love the chef! Because there is a "season" so to speak for oysters, we always ask the size and looks of them before we order. Works for us every time. This is our lunch hangout and know the staff and regulars very well.

Not likely to return. We've lunch there yesterday - Saturday. The location is great, on the Hillsborough River, with plenty boat slips at 1:30pm. It has indoor and covered outdoor areas. We sat out. All tables are for max 8 people, benches with no back support. The service is slow, both drinks and food - got our food exactly an hour later. Our girl is gracious and lovely. The few waiting staff I saw, are young girls who wear tight outfit (not unifform). I would expect them to be sporty but instead, I feel lifeless. I yielded to a tall girl after bathroom. She opened the door and just left. Ok, maybe she was juggling two drinks on the tray ... I would use my body to hold the door for the next person IF my hands are occupied ... The foods: average bar food. I've Little Neck clams, the two pieces of toast are delicious. Chicken wrap is good. As we were leaving, a band came to set it up. One member wore a Brookly NY leather jacket honoring the fallen heroes on Veterans Dat. I asked him if he was from Bly and he replied a big YES -:). Then asked me if I'm from Thailand or Philippine. I replied, Africa. "Really?" Really sir. Thanks for these who have served.

Seafood was great and fresh! I had some of the oysters which was amazing and the shrimp po boy. The po boy was overflowing with popcorn shrimp and so delicious. It was a really big portion for the price as well. Would also definitely recommend getting the Cajun fries. Service was good and had lots of outdoor seating.

I found Rick's on the river back in August and have been back over 10x since, and I don't even live in Tampa! It is honestly my favorite restaurant of all time and it makes me just so happy to be there. Sitting outside is an absolute must to observe the beautiful Hillsborough river and people watch. I typically sit at the bar if I'm by myself but when I bring my friends sitting right next to the river at a table is never a bad time. I've literally never had a bad experience with service the people are always so nice and the food comes out so quick! My only request is to please bring back the coconut chalices I absolutely love that souvenir cup and need to add more to my collection. As for the food, the oysters are an absolute must. Top 10 oysters I've ever had in my entire life and it's actually the only thing I ever order. You cannot beat a dozen oysters, a side of fries, and 2 whiskey diets for under $40. I always drag my friends here and they never regret it, some great feedback I got was from the burger, fish dip, and loaded fries so you truly cannot go wrong here. We went for the first time on a Friday night so we got to hear the live music this time which I've been wanting to do for a while now. Ricks on the river I'm genuinely your biggest fan I love you and never change please!!

It was a beautiful Saturday, arrived via the boat docks, came in for a snack and a beer. We got the last slip and the place was packed. End up getting some food and no I did not take any pictures, forgot to. The staff is very friendly and everybody was having a great time. Stay just over an hour and then we drove off. Definitely come in if you have time it's always fun to be here!

Our server was so great! Grouper cheeks were very good. We also liked burger and fish sandwich.

Go for the drinks and river view not for the food. The drinks are good and reasonable in price. The service is friendly and quick. It's nice to sit on the river on a pleasant day and watch the boat traffic. But eat before you get there. The food is boring low end bar food. The burger tasted like a bubba burger. The oysters are never fresh, they just look old and brown. If you have to eat get the wings. Wings are hard to screw up. Enjoy the view drink the drinks.

A perfect dive bar on the river! Great location. Lots of space. If you're looking for a place to hang out at in the water come here!!! Good food, good drinks. A full bar and plenty of staff to help out. We stopped in after I got back from my work trip for some Friday evening fun. Some cold beers and appetizers. Very busy for an early Friday evening. Diverse crowd and a band setting yo to play for the night. Check this place out if you haven't already. If you have come back and enjoy this place!

It's "seat yourself." I walked in sat down then waited 20 minutes for two servers to walk past me and never hand me a menu. As I am writing this it's been 30 minutes now and not one person has approached me or given a menu. If it wasn't for me meeting up with a friend I would have left already. The view of the river is nice though and they play nice house music.

It's a good location if you like the water and boats. It's a dive bar more then a restaurant. Unique inside and large outdoor patio seating area. Menu is ok nothing stands out as a wow. The oysters were decent size but the main meal was lackluster and the onion rings and fries lukewarm. Not a great experience at all. Service was good after they finally noticed us sitting at the table.

First time here and the did was great. I like oysters and had six that were really yummy. The service was really friendly and attentive and the ambiance was really casual. Really enjoyed the experience and will be back

It was my first time coming here, while the ambiance was great, there was a disconnect. There was no one in the front to greet or seat us. We had to find our own seats, odd but ok. When we did sat down, our server Madison was amazing, Attentive and sweet. My friends ordered margarita and i had a mojito. Mojito was ok, watered down, didn't really taster the alcohol. We had half dozen Jacked up oysters and half dozen Rick-a-fellar. Jacked up were amazing, spice from jalapeños added a great spice. Overall, it's a fun place to check out at least once.

I ate here recently with a dining partner. We had a cheesesteak and a salad with blackened fish. Both were excellent. The salad was fresh and the blackened fish was as spiced just right, fresh! The cheesesteak was terrific (for Florida). Fresh roll, tangy provolone, freshly grilled peppers and onions, and delicious fries. The cheesesteak came out piping hot! Service was very good. The view of the river is nice.

Ordered a fish sandwich and asked for NO tomato or lettuce. The bartender understood and before handing it to me, said, 'they put tomato and lettuce on it so I'll be right back.' And right back she came. CLEARLY they simply took the lettuce and tomato off and sent the sandwich right back out to me. There was even lettuce still on it and ALL OVER the bottom of the basket. Not to mention tomato residue on the roll. I despise tomatoes but I guess they consider that my problem. I was completely turned off. Zero effort to even hide the fact that they were basically saying 'F*ck you' to me. Do not eat here. The sandwich didn't look like it would have blown me away anyway.

Fun dockside dive bar vibes with lots of outdoor shaded seating and large bathrooms, we hit this spot after a boat day. Service was a bit slow outside but waitress managed a large group of us well. The frozen drinks didn't taste strong but bar food was tasty, particularly the coconut shrimp and the tots. No frills but a good spot to stop in after a long day on a boat.

I was from out of town and expecting more from a docking restaurant/bar. Waitress was not attentive, chicken fingers were dry out, Bun for my sandwich crumbly. Over priced food and a kick in the pants they charge you a service charge for water. How is this place still in businea. I could have went to McDonalds and had better food and service.

Absolutely amazing! Loved the ambiance, very casual and scenic! the food was not bad at all and the service was decent! I would recommend going to Rick's for a casual date night or hang out.

Good Food and amazing service. We sat on the Stools by the bar and our waitress Holly was awesome! She checked on us very often and even helped me choose on a lunch option. Dive Bar feel with great service and good food. Definitely a great recommendation for lunch!

my first time to this restaurant and probably will be my last. I ended walking out the restaurant before I even ordered my food. There was a Lack of customers service.

Enjoyed a pina colada here. Good service on a week night. My guy friend loved it here. You can bring your boat up if you have one. Sometimes they have live music

What a beautiful restaurant to come and have lunch or dinner , the food is awesome. You can come by car or boat there is always plenty of dock space I've never had a problem

That fish sandwhich is something special & the live band was Awesome! Great timely service as well with a nice view

Very nice place to go and enjoy the view! I like how easy the service method is and the food came in pretty fast Next time, I will like to try the oysters to see if they are good!

I had heard about this place from so many people. Granted, it wasn't always regarding the food. Sometimes, it was just the ambiance. It being cool and fun place to be able to get some drinks and the occasional quick bite. Finally made it here, and I wasn't blown away. The service was good. The waitresses were attentive and very nice. They had answers and suggestions, which is nice. It's a cool place to be to hang out and I can see how it would be a great spot for the games too. On this visit we ordered blackened dry rub wings, jalapeño cheddar poppers, and blacked fish sandwich, and blackened fish wrap. Overall total was about $70 including a couple beers. Not horrible, but considering most of the food was bland, it wasn't worth it. The poppers were pickled jalapeños stuffed with some cheddar cheese, the fish tasted like it was frozen and just seasoned with salt and pepper. Bread seemed like it was straight out of store bought version and not the good kind. The wings were decent. Maybe a tad bit overcooked and definitely on the smaller end of wings considering 10 were $17. Everything just kind of lacked some seasoning. Nothing to write home about. Again, the place itself, seems like a cool and fun place to spend an afternoon or a late evening, catch a game, or have a few beers/drinks with friends. Food wise, I would probably respectfully decline another shot.

What's not to love? The food is great and the atmosphere is fantastic. Local spot with great views of the hillsborough river. Family friendly environment. They also have the best bartender in tampa, her name is Jess!!! Go see her!

-0 Had a great boat day with Coco, we decided to stop in for food. Only to find out she was NOT allowed to sit outside away from the main outside food area! Dogs aren't allowed! Should've stayed at Armature Works instead of trying to help a local business

The waitress admitted the Fish Sandwich was made with frozen fish and we both never heard of the type of fish. She suggested the Mahi tuna sandwich which was fresh.... NOT. It was so dry and horrible, inedible and had to spit my first bite out. Husband ordered the chef salad served with old blackened mushrooms and aged iceberg lettuce. We should have known because we saw another uneaten dish left on the table. Too Bad

Let me start by saying, I absolutely love this place, regardless of my four star rating. The ambiance is a typical dive bar feeling. Patrons can pull up in their boat, enjoy a couple drinks, chow down on a shrimp poboy, and hop back on the water. Cool BIG place. Our server, Kayla, has only been working their six months and works like an absolute pro. Exceptional and expeditious service with a GREAT attitude. The steamed oysters with jalapeños (I'm so sorry I can't remember the name of them) are a smash hit. I was so excited to oyster it up so I got the fried oyster platter. The coleslaw was a 10/10. The "Cajun" fries are ACTUALLY seasoned with Cajun seasoning! Crispy and fresh. The fried oysters. They had so much to live up to. The first one was premium. The second, I bit into a mouthful of grit. I figured it may be a one off. Sadly it was not. I ended up chipping my tooth on one and had to give up after. Otherwise I really love this place!!!

Service was ok, food was ok. Had to drive through the hood to get there. Outside seating was good, but a lot of people smoking. Bands music was very loud. One and done.

After a sunset hike on the downtown riverwalk, we stumbled upon Rick's, just a short ten minute drive from Armature works. It was the perfect spot for a low key, no frills dinner. They have outdoor seating by the water and even had live music. The fish sandwiches were great and the prices are very reasonable. The servers were so friendly. It's a perfect spot for a casual weeknight escape after an outdoor workout or day on the water. They also have an indoor bar but our vote is definitely to grab a table outside and enjoy the breeze.

Food is ok, The portions are kids size or should I say smaller. Service was good, didn't get waitress name. Ambiance was decent. Had a live band on the outside

Visiting Tampa and a local suggested we go to ricks for the river view and food. Oysters were fairly large and flavorful - loved the potent horseradish . The catfish and crab ball however weren't so tasty. They were fried hard and lacked identity. Despite the lack of fresh food (ie shrimp cocktail, ceviche, etc), our server Jocelyn was the best and made it experience better. Views of the river were nice and they have large patio outside as well.

Where do I begin? The server seemed as if taking our order was a nuisance. Upon ordering our meal, appetizers came last.... Not sure how that goes but I digress. Things that were ordered (fish sandwich, po boy, wings, oysters). The fish sandwich was unseasoned. The po boy was poor in taste and frost bitten. The wings were nasty. The fries... the fries were old! Let me say that again the fries were old and seemed as if they were dipped in the oil again. Here's the best part. After returning our meal, the table behind us seemed perturbed and found a looooooong piece of hair in their oyster. Safe to say we will not be returning. Oh and the manager had the biggest attitude when we complained about our food. That's all folks enter at your own risk. No stars!

We went by boat for a lovely ride. Floating docks for 30+ boats. Standard bar food, draft beer cold, but no coors light. Nice enough View thru parked cars. Smoking allowed on dining patio was a let down. Our server was extremely friendly and quick with our order.

Great service at the bar! Bartender very personable and funny! Great casual atmosphere on the water. Good barfood and a great bloody Mary!

Rick's on the River is a wonderful local place snuggled on the Hillsborough River. It's is a casual environment with live music on the weekends There is indoor seating and an outdoor bar area as well but with views like these and the cool breeze from The river and fans, sit in the outside dining area and enjoy. Table service is provided no matter where you sit. They com to the table frequently to check on you and your drink. They have a full bar. I had the 1/2 Ricks blackened fish sandwich. It's grouper and amazing. Fresh tomato or custom your own. Fries weren't so great. Really over cooked and unsalted made them leave behind worthy. Hubby had Fish Caesar wrap with fresh fruit. He demolished it. Lol. The fruit was nothing special just mixed fruit. All in all, we love coming here to read and have lunch or just drinks. There is a cool water taxi that's stops here as it circles from downtown and back to Ricks again. It also makes for a nice afternoon or evening adventure to see Tampa in a different light!!

Food is good, service is good. Had the clams and was very impressed. Went on a weekday but was informed that Rick's is a place to be on the weekend. Nice drink selection, and a nice place to have a beer and good food.