Walter's Press Box Sports Emporium

Stopped in 1-15-26 at lunch hour not from the area (vacation) Only came in after massage apt in the area. Upon arrival, could tell this is a local bar. I felt like I was at the local “cheers bar” - a few regulars I was able to chit chat with. No one was rude or creepy for a single lady sitting at the bar. I ordered the shrimp. I just wanted a light snack. Struggled to finish. The grease was overwhelming. Standing oil sitting in the basket (see photo) If I’m back in this area, I’d come again to see how the eve crowd is and something different on the menu.

Walter’s Press Box Sports Emporium is exactly what you expect from a classic, old-school sports bar and in many ways, that’s its biggest strength. If you’re looking for a place with tons of TVs, a lively game-day atmosphere, cold drinks, and a local crowd that actually cares about sports, this place delivers. The food is generally solid and dependable. The wings are a standout, with good size and flavor, and the burgers and bar classics hit the spot, especially considering the reasonable prices. While not every dish is perfect every time, most of the menu feels like good value for a sports bar, and there’s enough variety to keep regulars coming back. Drink specials and fair pricing are another plus, especially during games. Service is one of the highlights. The staff is friendly, attentive, and clearly experienced, even when the place is packed. You can tell many of the bartenders and servers know their regulars well, which adds to the welcoming, neighborhood feel. On busy nights it can get loud and crowded, but that’s part of the charm for sports fans. The atmosphere is energetic and unapologetically old-school. TVs are everywhere, making it easy to catch multiple games at once. That said, the interior could use some updating, and parking can be a challenge during peak hours. Those small drawbacks keep it from being a full five stars. Overall, Walter’s Press Box is a great spot to watch a game, grab wings and a beer, and enjoy a true local sports bar vibe. It’s not fancy, but it’s reliable, fun, and still one of the better places around to watch sports especially if you appreciate character over polish.

My flight from Philadelphia was late and this sports bar was one of the few places in the neighborhood that was open at midnight and still serving food! The place is a little run down and felt very local. The bartenders were very polite and friendly. The food was okay.

20yrs ago I used to say their wings were the best and their potato skins too. Our first visit in 15yrs and the quality has gone WAY down. It might be another 15 until we come back. Sad when this used to be my Monday night football hangout from 1997-2001 when I was stationed at MacDill. Maybe coming here around 3 on a non-game Sunday had them off THEIR game. SERVICE was good but I think they stopped putting green onions on the skins like 15yrs ago because of an ecoli scare in Arizona and they STILL haven't put them back on the skins. Time to start bringing them back guys. My original rating was supposed to be a 4ish, but I revised it to a 3. The wings were not well done extra crispy like I ordered and the sauce was not as tasty as I remembered and the wings were pretty dry and largely sauceless. Do better guys. The 5 stars you referred to was mistakenly given and two months ago.

I love Walter's Press Box Sports Emporium. It has all the sports you want on the monitors and serves great food and cold drinks at fair prices. Go on Monday for a burger special!

The best phrase to describe the Press Box is “painfully average”. The place has a full bar and a decent selection of beers on tap. Food offered is the typical bar fare of burgers, wings, etc…the servers are nice but can be a bit inattentive when engaging in a conversation with one of their regular customers. There is nothing inherently wrong with The Press Box but it offers little to encourage a return visit.

Wanted a late night bar food snack on our way home from plant city. Was exactly what we wanted. Potato skins were legit and the wings were done right (besides leaving the wing tip on the flats which being originally from Buffalo i frown upon) but they were still perfectly cooked and the Buffalo sauce was pretty spot on . Would absolutely go back. Pretty extensive menu. And lots pf tvs with all the sports you're looking for

Press Box Bar is honestly a great spot. Their burgers are always really good, and the drinks are even better. The place has a comfortable vibe, the staff is friendly, and everything just hits the way it should. Definitely one of my favorite places to stop in for a good meal and a solid drink.

Katie waited on us and gave amazing service all night. Highly recommend this place! Pop hip hop all night

Walking in was great! We see an amazing tap list scrolling on a screen before the bar. Sitting in the dining area, there was no access to the list. Waitress, Ava, pointed to the table tents and said the list is right there. No beer list to be seen. Sooooo. We opted for soda and water. Not a big deal. The wings were good. Quick turnaround friendly staff. Not very helpful. Also charge extra to use your credit card. Ho hum.

Press Box has been a late night staple for my friends and I for more years than I can recall. We spent so many evenings after work watching games, grabbing a bite or a drink, and catching up over billiards and great memories. In more recent years, I haven't dropped in as often. But I dropped in the other night to grab dinner and catch up with a friend, and the vibe was right during a football game, a lot of the same team members are still there, and the food was still great. My favorite item on the menu for all time is the Couch Potatoes. Steak fries smothered in cheese and onion (I get it without the bacon) and served with ranch just hits the spot. There aren't a bunch of vegetarian items on the menu. BUT the team there will turn any of the salads into a wrap if you ask, and I've done that for years and it never disappoints. It comes with your choice of a side and I can't see tots on a menu and not order them, so tots it was! Perfectly crisp. Huge portion. And a good time overall!

It was our first time here. Hubby & I went last Saturday w/ 9 of our friends. We ordered chicken wings, and they were really overcooked. I ordered Jamaican Jerk dry rub wings, which were barely seasoned. Hubby also ordered jalapeño poppers, which were meh. All of our friends were also underwhelmed with the food they ordered. Service was TERRIBLE. Our waiter did minimal work, and I probably would've given him less than 15% tip if it wasn't automatically added to our bill. I never do that either. Hubby & I are generous tippers, but this waiter didn't deserve it. We had automatic gratuity added into our bill since we had a large group, and some of our friends didn't realize it since they didn't check the bill. Our server should have told us about it. The ceiling of the bar looked really really old. They really need to at least replace the drop ceiling panels. Some of the panels were missing, and they just put flattened out cardboard boxes in its place. Super ghetto. I'll never go to this sports bar again.

If you're looking for a dive bar in Tampa, that has activities, this is IT!!! This is your classic dive bar with fun touches. They have a ton of activities such as darts, pool, and sports simulators. It's also a great place to watch sports, as they have a TON of tvs here playing all of the games. The servers are super sweet and offer a bunch of different great deals depending on what day of the week you go. The food is also quite good for a dive bar, and they have a pretty vast selection of options.

We came here on a Sunday to watch the 1 PM NFL games. The place was packed, which was expected, but we were really happy to find a table for the four of us. We ordered high noon bucket and coors bucket and each ordered an entree for lunch. I had the buffalo chicken wrap and it was not good. It was a sauces chicken finger in a tortilla. We ended up ordering the fried pickles as well and those were good. It is a sports bar, but I don't think that means your bathrooms have to be gross, which was the case. When we were ready for the check, the waitress brought it over and it had additional things on it we didn't order. We let her know, and she fixed it. Overall, the main reason for the three stars is the food experience. I would just recommend this place for drinking. I would not eat here again.

Omg!! They have TRULY! The ONLY place I've been to in the TB AREA that has TRULY! And ABITA PURPLE HAZE!! Yay! LOUISIANA! Literally, best service, friendliest staff, happiest of bartender's and extremely clean! I honestly LOVE this bar and can't wait to come back! I didn't order food because I already ate, but LAWD, the food looks AMAZING! Thanks Dan and Sean!

Great priced lunch specials and good food too. Service was a little slow considering it was not very busy but we were not in a hurry. The Cuban Cobb Salad is my favorite and I get the mustard mayo sauce that goes on the cuban sandwich as my salad dressing. This restaurant sports bar has been a Tampa staple since I was a kid and a great place to watch sports on the many television sets.

Rounding up from 3.5 Stars First and foremost , this is a true sports bar - so come with those expectations. One large room covered in tables , some corners are tighter than others. We were not there on a busy night , but I could imagine it being packed and hard to navigate during a game night. We got multiple types of wings , onion rings, mozzarella sticks , fried mushrooms, to share. We were a fairly large group (8). Multiple beers on tap, some seasonal rotations. (I am a sour girl and they only had one "seasonal offering" but it was served cold and I appreciated the lack of foam. Great service for a calm night - and we had a great time. The floors are a little sticky / slippery, but again, it's a sports bar, you should expect it.

Everything was great, and I had a really great time very reasonable prices but the only thing if I had to complain would be they have no rumchata on four separate occasions *cries*

First time here, was invited by my girls to see the Yankees Vs Dodgers 3 rd game. Exciting place great food out server Sky was superb. I checked in and got my free beer awesome. The ambience was good... Good sports bar to watch your favorite game. Plenty of parking .... They offer finger foods ... what I liked was the chicken wings and their Hamburger was delicious....

Consistently excellent food. They have the best burger and great onion rings with a terrific horseradish sauce. The drinks are always on point as well. Great, friendly service , nothing fancy, but a great place to hang.

Same since I went in the '80's Great ambience with sports memorabilia on the walls. Pool room is a great spot to hang. Service is very attentive, helping each other. The wings are the best around. Thick and tasty.

We being a customer for 20 years and I never see something like this! Our server has no idea what she's doing,she charged my card 3 times always with the wrong check . Unbelievable, What kind of management leave this people to serve a customers!

This place has been spiraling the drain for as long as I can remember. The food is subpar - compared to other sports/wing joints like Hattricks, Blind Goat, & Bel Mar. Almost got towed because I didn't immediately walk into the place and order within 5mins. Luckily I spoke with the tow truck driver before he took off. Nasty work for a dilapidated wing joint on Dale Mabry. The few times I've come have been a reminder why I don't come here often. The trashy tow effort tonight ensures I'll never be back. Nice job Walter.

Nice old school feel sports bar which are slowly fading in Tampa. Good bar food (nachos, mozz stix, etc) and plenty of TVs including a huge one for sports. Good bar area too and service was solid.

Came in to watch a lightning game and eat some delish wings. Had the absolute pleasure of being served by Isabel. She was such a sweetheart, so funny and attentive. Drinks were great, food was incredible. Can't wait to be back.

Typical Sports/Dive bar. Wings are good , TV's, and Top Golf. Local spot for game day...Been around forever!

Not really a lot good to say here. The staff were great. That was a plus, but the menu like the restaurant itself was old and tired and past its heyday. Plenty of televisions like you expect in a sports bar. Just pretty old feeling, worn and tired. The food wasn't bad, but really wasn't great either. There was just nothing exceptional. Sorry, but I failed to take pictures of the menu.

I've been to the Press Box more times than I can count. Not a tremendous feat considering it has been a South Tampa institution since 1978. As best as I can tell, not much has changed in all of those years, except updates to all of the TV's. If you can't get tickets to the game, then this is the place to go watch! There are more than enough TV's pasted along every wall in the building, as well as a large video wall to showcase the main event, so that everyone can root for their favorite team without having to crane their neck very far. Most recently, we stopped by for Game 3 of the 2021 Stanley Cup to root for our beloved Lightning. As we entered the building, it is noted on the front door entrance that they are charging an additional $2 for all wing orders due to a shortage. In this case, I did not particularly mind because the wings were of good size, not like the skimpy ones that some local competitors are serving up in the area these days. To me, it seems like they should just update the price on the menu...the handwritten sign at the door was kind of tacky. I did order the Hot BBQ wings and another order of the Cajun wings. Yes, they double charged me the additional $2 fee, which I feel is a little egregious, but they really did hit the spot! My wife ordered the Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza, but it could more appropriately be titled French Bread Pepperoni Pizza. It wasn't bad, and was plenty cheesy enough, but was nonetheless not what she was expecting. The Press Box is definitely family friendly. My teenage daughter ordered the cheese quesadilla and it was on point. I prefer craft beer myself, but there is not an abundance of selection to choose from. Instead, if buckets of beer are your thing, then you are in luck! Coors, Bud, Bud Light and Yuengling are all well represented. The rest of the menu is your standard bar fare. Wings, burgers & fries, and plenty of domestic beer options. It was a great experience, all in all, especially since the lightning won. The food was quick and friendly, which I did not expect considering the room was at full capacity and the crowd was rowdy. We'll definitely be back to cheer in the home team and celebrate another championship! You can take a deeper dive to the full menu here. https://www.allmenus.com/fl/tampa/384816-press-box-sports/menu/

Great food, great atmosphere. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. I've been here 50 times in the past five years.

We visited the Press Box today and was extremely disappointed. First of all, our visit was around 11am, which is the time they open for business. Our table and at least one other table was dirty. We had to ask for table to be cleaned and dried off. Next, we ordered Wings and Onion Rings. As we began to eat the wings. my felt hair in her mouth. We discovered hair was in our food. The waitress was notified and shown the hair. She offered to replace the Wings. The wings were replaced but the new order seemed to mix in new wings with old wings, adding more drums than flats, unlike the initial order served. We also noticed someone from the kitchen area peeking around the wall, which was unusual and we never experienced that before. The manager never visited our table to offer any apology. In the past, the service level has been better. None of the staff wear any type of hair covering, and that seems unsanitary. This establishment may have lost me as a customer.

Don't park in the lot behind this bar, high chance you'll get towed. Doesn't matter if you plan to get a drink or eat there- you are watched on their camera and if you don't go straight from the parking lot to the bar they will call bilal towing and you'll pay $284 for a completely unnecessary tow. Don't even think about parking in that lot even if you are there for the businesses surrounding them (sunshine foot spa, izakaya tori, etc). The signs are not very clear that this is a private lot for the sports bar only. It looks like a communal lot but is not. Protect yourself and stay away from this establishment.

The food is fantastic!! One of the best places in town for wings. The service was good and the ambiance is what you'd expect from a bar.

The most OG bar in Tampa. Cool local spot, laid-back friendly service. Awesome wings, burgers, and plenty of drank. Pool tables, dart boards, juke box, lots of teles.

This is my absolute favorite wing spot! My husband introduced me to this place when we were dating and ever since then no other wing place even comes close. of course they have other things on the menu but their wings and fries are my favorite. i also love that they are open until super late (3am) so it's the perfect place to grab a late night snack and or drink. we went the night before thanksgiving right before closing time. although it was almost closing time the food and the service was on point. we ordered 30 wings lemon pepper flavor and hot as well as a basket of fries which never fails to please no matter how many times i've gone no matter what time it is! they also have great deals depending on the day of the week and also a great lunch special which has made for the best lunch ever during long days at work. although i've been there many times i've never checked in vía yelp so when i did this time i was pleasantly surprised to see an offer for a free pint of beer! there is plenty of parking right outside the door as well as an outside seating area if you rather sit outside. i tell everyone about this place! no where else comes close! glad to have been able to go for yet another great experience!

My family and I have been eating at Press Box for years and have never been disappointed in any way with their food or service. This time, however, I order from a delivery service. I had ordered a prime rib hoagie and a burger. My wife enjoyed the burger, but the hoagie filling was about half a large piece of fat! I was surprised as they are usually first rate!

Came in at 1:30 am on a Sunday visiting from out of town. This large, yet divey sports bar was within walking distance of my hotel (Tahitian Inn - I recommend). There was lively chatter and outdoor seating and then met with a really large bar/restaurant, not loud but lively even in the early morning hours. There are arcade games sprinkled throughout. In addition, dart boards, a digital jukebox, and two pool tables - both being enjoyed by who i would assume are local regulars. Great vibe. Taz behind the bar was attentive, friendly and a good service professional. I ordered a garden salad with grilled shrimp and some good ranch dressing. I figured it was too late to get food but was pleasantly surprised. Anyway, just wanted to give this place a shout out. I can't think of much or anything at all that they're missing or could improve on.

3.5 stars to my book. 4 stars given. Press Box really has Tampa in the map. It is really local dive bar. Tuesday is the time to visit because theY have 75 cents wings. The food here is affordable. If you have yelp check in, you got the pint of beer free. The bar have pool table, outside seating, juke box for music and more. Many are here is regular. The bar open to late 3 am in the morning. If you need a place to hang out late Aaron night, this may be your place. The bar is a bit rough although I did not see motor cycle rider here. We like the wing we have order. We got cajun dry rub and Parmesan wing. Both wing are great. We also got garlic butter wing. They are delicious too. Service at the bar is ok. Food come out quick even close to midnight.

While the flavor was good (hence 2 stars instead of 1), I got served some of the most deformed wings I have ever seen. 100% batch of quality rejects. This never happens at places that care about the quality of their food. And the place smelled atrocious. I was sitting by the wall and there were almost 30 used napkins stuck to the wall. The waitress said it was from the previous night...I'm like "um OK and you don't clean overnight??" The prices were reasonable but I'd rather pay more for higher quality food and a better experience. I know Press Box is a Tampa staple but they can do better. Unfortunately, I can not recommend.

Best wings in Tampa hands down! Cold beer. The perfect place to catch a game and enjoy some great bar food.

The Press Box is great for drinks and bar food on game day. I visited during the NBA finals and the atmosphere was certainly great for sports lovers. I also advise checking-in while present to receive an appreciation gift. The ultimate sampler is great for sharing as well. I certainly will be back at some point.

Out-of-Towner, felt welcome by the locals, and the bartenders were great! I watched the bartender check every to go order for completeness. Most impressive. Food was very good too.

We love watching sports games here! The bartenders are amazing and the food is so good. Definitely a Tampa staple.

I have been visiting the press box location on S. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa since 1986. I consider this location to be a true definition of a sports bar with fantastic food. I suggest that anyone who is a buffalo wing connoisseur most definitely order wings. Always completely satisfied with large club. Wings that are always cooked thoroughly. There are many types of toppings for them to be tossed in. Personally, I like the hot or teriyaki wings. Plenty of parking behind the restaurant. Grab your favorite jersey on game day and have a beer or a soda with other like-minded sports fan, you won't be disappointed!

A staple sports bar in the south tampa area. I came on a Monday. They offer $7 burgers on Mondays but i got the boneless wings which were okay. I was expecting them to be a bit better since i waited 30 mins for them. I came with some friends for the heat game and the place was pretty busy. Loved the fans that brought the energy, great atmosphere

Dropped in here after a long day at work for some bar food and a couple beers and if you are reading this you should too!! The good: the staff, bartenders were an awesome mix of friendly and fast no glass stayed empty for long and the bar was great. The food. Idk what kind of buffalo wing virgins are complaining about the wings here. All mine were great and the flats had tips. The space. With the prevalence of buffalo wild wings and similar sports bars it can be hard to find a place that doesn't feel like eating in a food court. The Press box is a comfortable and familiar environment that feels like your Everyone's sports bar. Come in grab a drink meet some people and leave happier than you came. The bad: they do have a slightly threatening tow policy that even though I was eating there made me a little scared I would not have a car when I left. No worries I did not get towed but don't park here and walk anywhere else. Look if you're thinking about it then it is 100% the place you should try tonight.

We were in Florida on vacation nearby and came here for a nightcap. Great place great music amazing bartenders. Next time we're in this part of Florida, we're definitely stopping by again.

I am from western NY, and I approve of their wings. It's a laid back, old-school, local vibes bar. If you are looking for a fancy restaurant, this would be a poor choice. If you're looking for a relaxed, old-school sports bar with great wings, good service, and a super chill vibe, this should do the job. From the other reviews, I wouldn't play with them on parking, but if you park to go there, you should be fine.

Tampa icon,l! Solid food, and tap better than you think walking in. If you don't like dive bars and the time that they let their kitchen staff go home, pick up fast food, or ask a bartender for an Uber Eats recommendation. Better yet, go to a chain. FL loves their chains. But real Floridians love their local spots.

Great variety on menu items. Great wings and cold beer. Very attentive server .Plenty of TVs

The food was ok the service was the worst I have soon took order and did see anyone until 20 minutes after the food came out when we went to the bar to see if it was self serve for drink refills Then when we asked for a take out box was told that was being spicy totally unacceptable the place was half full of people

Don't call yourself sports bar if you don't allow people to leave their car their after drinking.

Disappointed that an old memory of a great Cuban sandwich place down Dale was evicted so I went to another old memory, Press Box. Ordered a Cuban after a few beers. When it arrived in under five minutes I was concerned. When the pork fell out of the bread, I was crushed. When I took a bite, the cold pork slapped me in the face. Obviously the chef needs training. One can't F up a great sandwich, unless your last name is Biden.

Straight flames. Celebrated Juneteenth here and they were running a $2 domestic bottle special. Name something more patriotic. $1 chicken tenders were the obvious choice and the hot honey BBQ was top notch. Will definitely be back next year. If you're feeling frisky- try a jagerbomb.

Great place to watch a sporting event! Cold beer and hot wings. Service was good and atmosphere was immaculate.

I was working late until 7pm w/a coworker - desperately needed a couple treats (drinks, drinks!) & made a stop @Duffy's beforehand & we wanted one last drink, so this was our immediate stop after Duffy's closed @10pm. 0.75/wing on Tue. (The price of the wings are good considering it's usually more expensive - saved myself a couple bucks - hell, yes!). The wings (cajun) were different sizes ranging from small, medium & large - was really feelin' the cajun seasoning that night (so good because they don't skimp)! I ordered 10 wings & planned on taking extras home, but ended on eating it all with my coworker. I always check-in when I have left a restaurant, so I forgot to redeem my free draft beer (Yuengling); it was still very reasonably priced - only $3 for a 16oz.! Service was okay - waiter needed to clean his ears. I ordered a Miller Lite, but he gave me a Yuengling instead because he thought I wanted the same beer as my coworker...I was fine w/it & still drank it.

We sat by the bar and ordered 15 chicken wings in 3 flavor- Cajun , parmesan and garlic butter. Some wings were big, some of them were small. They were deep fry and added the sauce. They were crunchy and fresh. My top favorite was the butter garlic wings. The wings were soaked in the mountains of garlic and pool of butter- so rich and good. The bartender provided good service. The date was the last day of 2019 and Tuesday. We enjoyed the special deal on chicken wings. We licked our fingers and left the bones of 15 wings in the tray before we headed to downtown for new year countdown and fireworks.

Not sure the business model here. Is it to serve good food to its customers or just handshake with towing companies that watch people park that are eating at other better nearby restaurants? Wings are average and the sports bar vibes are decent, but when all the boys get wings and head next door for a little more grub we expect our cars to be intact. Parking isn't at that much of a premium and clearly the towing company was sitting outside watching every person who got out of their car...