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!

I wasn't impressed by the food at all. I had their maple glazed salmon, it was edible. Served with fries, the fries were edible as well. Prices and entertainment was good. There was a live entetertainer when I arrived, it a played a variety of upbeat music. The service was excellent.

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 came here with high expectations based on the great reviews, but unfortunately my experience was disappointing. The coconut shrimp was good but overpriced — we received five regular-size shrimp for $14.99, which comes out to about $3 per shrimp. The deviled crab lacked flavor, and the Rick’s Famous Fish Sandwich was just okay. We ordered a half sandwich, but the waitress initially brought a whole one, then took the plate back and returned with half of the same sandwich. It had already been sitting in front of me for a few minutes, which was not ideal from a food-handling perspective. That completely turned me off. The garlic bread was also burnt. I was going to ask for a replacement garlic bread, but our waitress never came back to check on our table. We eventually had to ask another waitress to find her. At that point, we simply asked for the burnt garlic bread to be removed from the check. Overall, the experience was below average. I was excited to try this place, but left feeling disappointed.

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.

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.

Good location on the river, poor smell. I can understand why people love to hang out at Ricks on the River. It's a great location along the Hillsborough River with plenty of outdoor spots to have a beer and soak up the sun. The food was pretty good - the fries were quite tasty. It's a tad bit expensive for what you get, but the portions are generous. The wait staff was friendly and efficient. My main concern - and it's always a concern at outdoor places in Florida - is with smoking. My suggestion is to sit at one of the tables at the far end of the patio. The other issue is the strange smell in this place, someone should look into it. Waves of unpleasantness. Rick's is fun, the neighbor around it looks a bit runned down now. Just for reference. Thanks

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.

A great outdoor sitting area. Very nice. A great place to look out at while enjoying a meal. The beer selection was lacking. The food was not great. Good at best. The Reuben sandwich was a disappointment. There's a right way to do a Reuben and this place ain't got it. The fish sandwich was ok ... nothing special. The service was good. Very clean place.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

We seated ourselves as instructed and raised the Service Needed sign. Fifteen minutes later, no one had visited our table. As we were getting up to leave to go elsewhere, a waitress finally appeared. Strange way to run a restaurant!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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!

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

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.

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

I brought guest there speaking highly about Rick's. Highly disappointed!!! I gave my information for tattoos to a worker. Then after I leave I get accused of stealing a wallet and said they had a video. One I don't steal, and there is no video. I WILLLL NEVER SUPPORT THIS RESTAURANT, so unprofessional.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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!!!

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!!

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.

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!