Watervue Grille- Downtown Tampa- Harbour Island

4/19/25 This was my first visit to Watervue. It was okay, but other options are better in my opinion. The crab cake was actually pretty good. The mahi mahi (pictured) was okay, but we also ordered the scallops which were disappointing. The scallops were tiny and over cooked without much flavor. We may have just had an uncommonly negative experience but we'll probably choose other restaurants before returning to Watervue.

Wish it was closer to the water but they have no control over that. They were out of the dish I wanted by the time we arrived. However, the service was amazing, as well as the dish I decided to order. We'll definitely be back!

Had some of the best seafood dishes I’ve had in Tampa, so glad to have stumbled across a local spot with great outdoor views! Will be back for sure, great happy hour drink deals as well.

Been to this restaurant a few times and I've always had a great experience. We visit this restaurant when we come back for medical visits at Tampa General hospital. Today we tried the crab cake sandwich. This sandwich is so delicious and well balanced with its flavoring and garnishes. This is our go-to meal from this point forward. The french fries were hot, tasty and totally on point, as well.

We took a client to get dinner here, and it was a great experience! Our waiter was amazing and made sure we were taken care of the entire time. Their Brussels sprouts were perfect, calamari was some of the best I’ve ever had, and their fish and chips were also amazing! Everything about this place was great- from the food to the atmosphere to the service! 10/10

Perhaps my expectations got the better of me, but i was thinking shrimp in florida for this price would be amazing... ordered the shrimp and grits, the flavors were delicious, but the shrimp were so small and few, the dish was mostly grits. I am skinny, so after crab cake appetizer, the shrimp dish, and a beer i left feeling full, but a larger person might have left hungry. The atmosphere and view were relaxing, and staff were attentive and friendly.

I had a beautiful experience dinning here on a Saturday night. Arrived around 8pm for a party of two with open tables outside. The bar seating and outside seating are first come and the inside tables are reservations. The food was delicious, staff was friendly and attentive. The location is fantastic with parking garage across the street and view of the water. It was a perfect evening for the outside seating. After eating you can walk the water and rent some scooters. I recommend!

I recently dined at Watervue and had their seafood pasta dish, and it was absolutely divine! The combination of fresh seafood and perfectly cooked pasta was a true delight for my taste buds. The flavors were balanced beautifully, and the portion size was generous. The ambiance of the restaurant was also very cozy and inviting, adding to the overall wonderful experience. The service was top-notch, with attentive staff making sure everything was perfect throughout my meal. I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for an exceptional dining experience. Five stars all around!

Had some of the best seafood dishes I've had in Tampa, so glad to have stumbled across a local spot with great outdoor views! Will be back for sure, great happy hour drink deals as well. A little pricy but perfect for a date night out; quick service since it's a smaller spot.

Location is cool! It's right in channelside - just over the bridge from our hotel (Marriott). The place was clean and not very busy for lunch time on a Friday. We thought it would have a bigger seafood menu given photos online and the name, but it only had calamari, mussels and a crab cake sandwich. The calamari needed seasoning... definitely was frozen not fresh. Which was disappointing for someone from a landlocked state. I wouldn't likely recommend it but it's fine.

One of my favorite restaurants in Tampa! This place is especially wonderful for seafood, and the quality is always super fresh. The place is spacious, with lots of outdoor seating to enjoy the waterfront. This makes for the perfect sunset dining experience. The waiters and bartenders are always attentive and provide excellent service.

Another great place for a drink on the water in Tampa. Loved this location and laid back atmosphere. Great seating inside but we chose the sunny outside high top tables, they do batch make their cocktails, so it's hard to substitute anything unless it's off the menu. Service was good and the menu looked nice and varied. Just here for the drinks, but we did sneak in an order of the grilled biscuits. Wow, these work well with a drink! Nicely grilled served with butter and jelly. These melted in your mouth. Delicious. I'd love to come back here and eat a meal, food looked really good. Nice reasonable prices too. If your looking for something casual but good check this place out.

Watervue was lovely! We went here on a whim while on vacation before we went to the aquarium. Because it was a weekend, we were able to get street parking near by. The interior was very clean and bright, and the tables outside were just a few steps away from the water. The server was very friendly. Food was good too, but I'd go back for the views!

my mom and my dad and my sister went. Everything was amazing. The server took care of we needed. He was there. He gave us free five free water. Beautiful background when you eat. ask for Greg.bye five stars

Convenient spot for brunch, lunch or dinner on Harbour Island. If you are looking for something more low key than Jackson's or American Social, this is a great neighborhood spot. It's not usually super busy and food comes out quick. We had breakfast recently, the breakfast tacos and the breakfast bowl and it was pretty decent. Great view of Amalie Arena and they have some outdoor seating.

This is a cute, chic restaurant with a beautiful view of the water on Harbour Island. I highly recommend it for date nights or catching up with friends. The service is friendly, and the food came out quickly. Their charcuterie board is not the most aesthetic, but all the basics were there! We got salami, prosciutto, a variety of cheeses and bread, and jam. For my main entree, I had the seabass, and it was great! Parking is a bit tough here, so I recommend walking or scootering if you can. We ended up having to pay $20 in the garage, so plan ahead if you don't want this to happen to you!

We enjoyed our meal here and liked the view. It is nice to visit, but didn't necessarily blow us away. Our service could have been better. Nonetheless, the scallops were really delicious and they have great offerings on their menu. Parking is a little difficult here as well. I recommend ubering, or walking if you live in the area.

Overpriced local eatery menu changes at will. Food lacked seasoning. Service was ok at best.

Had lunch here on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Tampa, Florida. The weather was outstanding so we decided to sit outside on the patio. It has a great water view with boats constantly floating by along with views of the Tampa skyline. Now for the food and service, which were both outstanding. Our server Louis, really provided us with some of the best service we've had in a very long time. He was very attentive and almost anticipated our needs. The food was also very good, panzanella salad with a huge piece of salmon and I just went with a burger. They were both tasty and fulfilling along with some calamari with a sangria. Our tab was about as expected with no complaints. So with the service, view and food I would strongly recommend this place. If I had a complaint it would be the parking. There is parking in a garage but we were lucky to find one near the restaurant.

Came here on Friday night. We had to make a reservation. We sat outside which was very pleasant, gorgeous view. Service was nice and friendly. Menu has lots of fish options so if you like seafood, it's a good place for you. We had blackened tuna to start and it was absolutely delicious. We loved it very much. Salad with mozzarella cheese was pretty good, not unique just a god fresh salad. My husband had pecan crusted pompano with mashed potatoes. It was amazing! Great fish, cooked to perfection. Loved it. I ordered scallops with rice. I loved the scallops but rice was very average, seemed like not very flavorful. I had a Virgin cocktail which was overly sweet. Overall pretty good experience with a very pleasant view. Loved dining there. Will be back.

This is a smaller place along the canals in Tampa. The menu was limited and higher priced than desired but it was cozy and the staff were pleasant when they came around to assist. We were not overly impressed with the food but by no means was it bad. It was good but a little overpriced by my standards. Probably not a place I would revisit but still enjoy my stay while I was here.

Delicious. Fun location. Helpful staff. Pretty interiors. The meal we had here was exquisite. I loved all of it. We would totally come back!

We came here on a double date, and it was a great spot on Harbor Island. With a waterfront view and fresh seafood selections we enjoyed our evening. The bar had a lot of fun cocktails to chose from. I enjoyed the margarita. The grouper was amazing, the portion size was big. Calamari and mussels were also good to share. Loved being able to walk back to downtown and burn off some calories.

Dinned here for a low key dinner along the harbor. Salmon entree was better than the mahi, which was a bit on the dry side. Entree portions were small for the robust price points. In fact my hubby looked disappointed when he received his food & later ate a snack to feel satisfied. The atmosphere along the waterfront was excellent. Would return again likely for drinks & atmosphere.

Beautiful restaurant with great service. Food and drinks were delicious. Dog friendly patio seating. The only thing there needed to be more light for dinner time. But would definitely eat there again.

Came here with a large group from work and we were offered indoor or outdoor seating. We chose indoor as it was hot outside. Service was good, our waitress was very pleasant and gave plenty of drink and food recommendations. The drinks were very good, everyone in the group seemed to enjoy the bvarious cocktails they had available. As for the food, some pretty mixed reviews: We got goat cheese and the pesto pollo flatbread as appetizers, both of which were solid. I personally really enjoyed the goat cheese. For entrees, here are some highlights from the group: 1) Mahi - this was mine, and I really enjoyed it. It was cooked well and had a lot of flavor, and the Brussels and seeet potatoes were good too. I'd recommend this. 2) Pan Seared Scallops and Misoyaki Glazed Pork Belly - 3 people ordered this, and all had very similar reviews. The book Choy tasted reheated, as if it was pre-cooked. The rice was a bit undercooked and hard, the scallops also seemed underdone. The pork belly was fantastic, though. 3) Char-grilled Ribeye - "it's fine" 4) green chili mac and cheese - "pretty good" The view was nice, looking out over the water. This is why you come to a place like this, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the food wasn't amazing, but it's generally fine.

Took a short walk from the Westin after asking for dining tips from the valet they pointed me here. I was not disappointed. Had the smash burger and fries and enjoyed both. I'm in town for business so will give this place a try for dinner and update my review as needed.

We were in town for a business meeting and we were a party of 7. Can't say enough about the quality of the food. Appetizers were absolutely fantastic. I had the catch of the day which was a grouper it was fantastic. Abby was our server. She was awesome. She was fantastic checked on us throughout the meal. Great spot with great food and even better service. You can't go wrong.

For friday evening we booked the reservation at Watervüe Grill. Watervüe Grill is a beautiful restaurant with an amazing decor and water-views. They have their own bar and offers seafood for lunch and dinner. When we entered the restaurant at the register we were seated on the table and greeted by our server Faith with menus and water. After exploring the menu we decided to order Sangria for the drink, Red Chill Rubbed Corvina, Butter Braised Potatoes and Shrimp & Grits. The service was also good and first I got my drink i.e. Sangria which was home made. Soon we got our food too. The shrimp and grits was good in taste with shrimp perfectly blackened. The fish and potatoes was also good. The seafood was good. The portions were good but not quite worth the price. A great experience with the waterfront views.

Been here for dinner and happy hour a handful of times. You really can't beat the views of the garrison channel. The food all has great flavor and the portions are generous. I've only ever had the flatbread once, because they are always selling out, but it was delicious. Cry baby cafe next door is undergoing renovations, so Watervue is now opened for brunch. Tried the crab Benedict the other day with some mimosas and it was the perfect way to start a Sunday. The service is attentive and the servers make great recommendations.

Always a great spot! We came here for date nights almost weekly. From 4-7 they have half off any drinks. The food is fresh, yummy and delectable. The wait staff is efficient and helps with recommendations and new menu options. Our favorite spot!

Absolutely phenomenal! Seems to be a real hidden gem! The reviews did not disappoint. Not only were the views fantastic but every single dish we ordered was amazing. We were celebrating a birthday and had a party of 8. We made reservations prior to arrival. When we got there we were greeted in a friendly manner and our table was ready. We had a beautiful view of Tampa Bay and Amelia Arena. It was happy hours until four and the drinks were on point. The peach bourbon drink was my favorite being that I am from Atlanta. During Happy Hour drinks are half price. We had appetizers and entrees. The Mussels and The Fried Calamari are to die for. We had several different entrees that were tantalizing to the pallet. We finished with Key Lime pie that was the perfect combination of sweet and tangy. This I can say was a excellent experience, our waiter was exceptional as well. The dining room and views were quit pleasing to the eye. You can all hop on and off The Tampa Taxi at Watervue which is stop number 4.

Just a short bridge over from downtown Tampa into Harbour Island is all it took to come here and enjoy what we thought will be a lite nosh before our flight to NY. I had been eyeing Watervue on Harbour Island for my family as well as my nephew-in-law and his wife for lunch, but since our trip was an extremely short one, lunch without the newlyweds before flying, was in order. I almost feel Watervue is a hidden Harbour Island gem because there weren't that many people dining in. Or maybe it was the time we came in. But its full frontal view of the water, adds a dramatic pop when you're dining in or out. Randy was a sweetheart over the phone and she gave me the green light for my party of 5 to come right over. Watervue's layout is grey, black woods, glass windows (and lots of it) and the hexagonal dark grey tiles, add another showy pop. The menu is simple, not incredibly big- but sounds very nice. Hubs loved his sandwich Cubano that was filled with perfectly thin sliced meat. His auntie had the Fish & chips and loved it, hub's sister had the Lobster Fritters, her 12 yr old grandson had a burger and I loved my Arugula Salad topped with Shrimp, my Truffle Brussel Sprouts with Parmesan cheese were exceptional. I also ordered the Lobster Fritters- but they should've been called 'Lobster Hush Puppies'. No ill feelings- I just expected a bigger lobster presence in the 'Fritters' because they were either microscopic or had the 'flavor' of lobster. Good though- with that slight crunch outside and moistness inside. Randy was awesome and was patient with my sister-in-law's grandson's burger request. Overall, the food was awesome and Watervue offered us a moment of calm before heading to the airport.

What a lovely restaurant in Harbor Island. We went for dinner on a recent Saturday night with a reservation. The outdoor area has a nice mix of high top and traditional tables, with a view of the channel. Inside, where we were seated, is modern and chic. We started with the fried calamari, steamed mussels and charcuterie board to share. All were well prepared. The calamari was crispy and perfectly cooked. The broth for the mussels was so good that one of our party was drinking it out of the mussel shells. The charcuterie board was tasty, with a good selection of items. I had the cold smoked, char grilled ribeye. It was perfectly cooked with a good hint of smoke. And it was just the right size. The potatoes were creamy and delicious, and the spinach, while sautéed, still maintained great texture. This truly is a beautiful location for a meal on harbor island with a menu that makes it worth the trip.

We came to Tampa for a 5-day Caribbean cruise and we came a day early and were looking for a dinner location. This one had 4 stars and pretty good reviews. We were seated outside and served water (with no ice) in a carafe on a wobbly table. My wife ordered the salmon with jasmine rice and green beans. I ordered the rib-eye steak medium rare with mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach. First the good. The mashed potatoes and spinach were excellent and my wife loved the green beans. Now the bad. My wife stated that the salmon was better at Texas Roadhouse and the rice was bland and dry. My ribeye was supposed to be medium rare, but came out closer to rare and had a lot intramuscular cartilage which made it tougher to cut. I'm glad this place is not local to us because I would scratch it off of the list of places that I recommend. If you get the chance to eat here, go somewhere else.

Visited this restaurant based on the reviews. Had a reservation for 7 and were seated right away. Atmosphere is great and service was awesome! The waitress was attentive and recommended dishes as needed. We came here for the fish dishes and pretty much ordered mostly fish courses. We started with the mussels, calamari and crab cake appetizers. They were all good; most preferably the mussels and calamari! The crab cake was a small portion for the price you pay and not worth it. All 7 of us ordered the shellfish combo and every single one of us loved the dish. Just the perfect portion of food; thank you Chef! Customer service 5/5 Atmosphere 5/5 Calamari 4/5 Mussels 5/5 Crab cake 1/5 mostly due to portion size; there is a lot more to share with the other two apps than the crab cake. The Shellfish Combo 10/5; cooked to perfection and tasted delish! Great spot for an intimate date or a family gathering. Highly recommend!

We didn't realize you needed reservations, (tourists!), but they were able to get us seated. It was extremely loud as the large party in the front got drunker and drunker. We were a party of five. Between us we had two fillet mignons with tiger shrimp, the mahi mahi, the swordfish, and another fish dish that I'm blanking on the name of for some reason. We also got a crab cake to share. One of the steaks was cooked right, but the other was way over-cooked. They were both supposed to be medium. They said they tasted okay though. The mahi mahi was good but the dinner eating that said it was getting more spicy the more she ate. The one I can't remember said hers was fantastic, so of course I can't remember that one. *eyeroll* I had the swordfish. I'd never eaten it before and it was fine. A little bland, but okay once I covered it in lemon. It came with sweet potato gnocchi which was a little weird. It was definitely over-cooked and rubbery, but okay. The sangria was tasty! Overall, I'd say 7/10. We also would've like our waiter to be a little faster. He was in no hurry, for sure.

Food was good - excellent fish albeit fried not grilled - good attentive service and nice ambiance m

Food was great!! Drinks were fantastic!! Service was impeccable!! View was GORGEOUS!!!

We are staying at the Westin right by the bridge where two very big, very popular restaurants sit right on the water next door. they look like fun places with great views but the yelp reviews told me the food was just ok. On a walk I passed by Watervue and thought it looked nice and cozy with great views also. Yelp told me the food was the star. So was Yelp right? Emphatically yes. We had a big lunch so stuck to a couple of Appetizers and a salad, first we had the smoked fish dip. This one was clearly home made and fresh served with toast (almost like a cracker but home made) and sliced jalapeños. We also ordered the mussels. These were a huge hit, fresh plump and served in a broth that was delicate but full of flavor. It had just a hint of wine or liquor and was served with an excellent bread.I have ordered this dish in Belgium and France and have had no better. For a salad we a mozzarella, tomato, cucumber salad with a very nice light vinaigrette and home made croutons. For desert we wanted something light so passed on the chocolate cake and went with our waiter's Recommendation of key lime pie, this was up the standard of the test of the meal. They have a nice tight wine well curated wine list. There is indoor and outdoor seating all with nice water views and bar seating. This just proves the adage to get off the main drag and look for the gems hidden on side streets. I'll be back to try some of the mains as they sounded great. Bottom line if you want a big bar scene to have a few beers and catch the game go to the other places. If you want a great meal in a great ambiance with good service..... come here

This downtown Tampa restaurant on Harbour Island, sits directly over the Garrison Channel from their ice hockey arena, Amalie, which is not far from the Tampa Bay History Center. The restaurant: has simple line and airy, good service and decent food. But the lettuce in their chopped salad is old, with yellow edges. Gosh. The Tortoise Creek Pinot Noir is pretty good.

Was in Tampa with a friend who was in town for work. We decided to check this place out since it was close to his hotel. The service was on point. The ambience was a nice setting. Not to fancy but not your mom and pop either. The food was fantastic. Everything we ordered. We devoured and it made us want more. We selected this place for the seafood. And it did not disappoint. I would definitely go here again when in the Tampa area.

Love this place! Megan is the best server. Any of the seafood dishes are amazing. We asked for substitutions of accoutrements with our choice of fish and they gave us many choices. Favorite app is tuna tartare. The Lotus cocktail is our favorite drink.

While staying at the Marriott Waterside my wife and I walked over the Watervue for lunch and enjoyed it very much. Located on the waterway we had a lovely view (hence the name of the restaurant). Warmly greeted by the hostess we sat inside along the large window as all outside seating was taken. Our server was nice and professional and knew the menu well and answered all our questions. My wife ordered the Caesar salad with added grilled chicken and I opted for the Smash Burger. Both were excellent. Wish we had time for a return visit during our short stay in Tampa, but for sure the next time we visit, Watervue with be on the list

This was our favorite brunch location. First, the menu was changed and now they don't open until 11 on Saturdays and seemingly closed on Sunday. Pulled up and it was closed. Really, really disappointing.

I live walking distance to Watervue Grille and it's such a treat! They have a really good happy hour until 7:00 everyday except Sunday with half price draft cocktails, draft wine and select beers. They also have a selection of half priced appetizers. My absolute favorite appetizer is the southern pimento cheese spread. Please don't stop at happy hour though. The "fork and knife" entree items include a nice selection of the of the best fish in town. I love to dine outside and lookout at the water. The Harbour Island waterfront location could not be better. I have always had excellent customer service, the staff and owners are amazing. If you local you have no excuse, go check this place out. If you are visiting, this is definitely a top restaurant close to downtown and worth a trip.

Visited here on a Tuesday and was very pleased! The food was delicious, the views and atmosphere were pleasant, and the service was quick. We made a reservation but there would have been room for walk-ins. Will be keeping this place in mind for future meals downtown. We parked by Sparkman Wharf and walked over, a nice option on a pleasant evening.

Food was excellent! Service was great. The fried calamari was so tender it melted in your mouth. The seafood pasta was so fresh and just the right amount. No one left anything on their plate!

Do not get the beef carpaccio. Ours was missing more than half the recipe. So disappointed in our drinks too. My man lost points taking me here! lol kidding but yeah, I won't be back. I should've taken a picture but there wasn't much to take a picture of.

Great staff and quick to a table even though early for a reservation. Beautiful location right on the waterfront with city and water views. The Ahi and Tuna were outstanding with perfect preparation and presentation and we highly recommend the Key Lime. Unfortunately, the drinks were another matter. Very weak Old Fashioned with crushed ice. Ordered a dirty martini and not really sure what I got. Sent it back and couldn't drink its replacement. Recommend sticking with something out of a bottle or a tap or take your chances like I did with the mixed drinks.

I can't believe I didn't photograph the delicious blackened mahi sandwich I enjoyed. Mahi can be dry but this was tasty. The blackening is mild, which is what I wanted. There is a nice view of the river with seating outside under umbrellas and inside.

We used to love this place and it was our go to breakfast/brunch destination. The new menu change is a big miss and the hash browns are a joke. Bring back the tots!

I ended up here after a colleague suggested it as a must have when visiting tampa. The atmosphere was amazing and the view.. OMGGGGGGG. THE FOOD WAS JUST AS AMAZING. I definitely be back for finish my journey through the menu.

Ever go to a place and spend $40 for a couple glasses of wine and finger food mid-afternoon AND ACTUALLY REGRET IT?! I felt totally ignored and barely tolerated and left begging for my check by "attitudinal servers"?! Welcome to the Tampa Water VUE Grille! Don't go there...horrible server attitudes abound in entire wait staff! Friday; 12/8/23; 3:15 pm....and owners were AT THE BAR!

Made a reservation, told us our table would be ready in 10 minutes. after waiting 1/2 hour, they dragged a plastic table, plopped it in front of the kitchen, and told us that was our table....immediately walked out. Awful service. Run away from here. No food is that good, to be dissed that way... No customer service whatsoever... I'd give it no stars.

On my recent FL work event (aka "food tour") I had to stop by one of my fav relatives of Cafe DuFrain. I was happily greeted by name, after a 10-month absence, by Ula (ooh-lah). Personal service is the best! As you know, I am a bar sitter, and reconnected with bartender Gage. He is a former Seattle-ite and quick to reminisce about some of my food experiences there. Chef Mike circulates the tables to ensure all is well. If I ever move to Tampa, I will be on Harbour Island, and a regular at Watervue and Dufrain. I had the fish dip which ranks well compared to dips from former Bahia Cabana in Fort Lauderdale, and a hole in wall place in Key Colony. My entree of mussels... is it wrong to want to drink the broth? See you on the next go-'round in early 2020!

First time visiting Watervue Grille, not to bad. Went for a team meal and our service was awesome. From the appetizers to the desserts, every dish was amazing. I'm a huge dessert junkie and ohh goodness was the sea salt caramel cheesecake to die for.