Counting down Tampa Bay's best bars: And the winner is ...

We'll spare you no suspense: Tbt* is naming the Hyde Park Cafe in Tampa its 2009 Ultimate Drinking Destination.

In 14 years, the Hyde Park Cafe has transformed the South Tampa nightlife scene, turning what was once a gay strip club into the ultimate place to see and be seen in Hillsborough County. Derek Jeter and Michael Jordan have partied there. Ex-American Idol finalist Jessica Sierra was arrested there. And the club's Tuesday night parties are the stuff of legend, yielding more Wednesday-morning hangovers than anyone would care to count.

With Hyde Park Cafe's success, owner Tommy Ortiz has been able to create more popular SoHo ventures, including Cheap and the Kennedy. Lush and exotic, with plenty of nooks for chilling, the HPC is perfect for celebrating your 21st (or 30th, or 40th...) or simply talking up a well-dressed member of the opposite sex.

And hey, check this out: Hyde Park Cafe's Rafael Martinez was voted Tampa Bay's Ultimate Bartender 2009. We swear, we didn't plan it that way. Just goes to show what can happen when a great bar meets a great bartender.

For the full story on the history of the Hyde Park Cafe, including a rare sit-down interview with Ortiz, check out Susan Thurston's story on the club.

After the jump, check out rest of our top 20 bars in Tampa Bay. And if you need a refresher on the entire list, see Nos. 100-81, 80-61, 60-41 and 40-21.

What do you think of our top choice? If you love it, what's your favorite Hyde Park Cafe story? And if you hate it, which bar would you have chosen instead?

2. ULTIMATE SCENE: Czar
1402 E Seventh Ave., Ybor City. (813) 247-6838, myspace.com/czarvodkabar.
Lookit: When you talk about Czar, the word “hipster” is going to get tossed around a lot. There’s just no way to avoid it. Sideways haircuts, thrift-store sundresses, skiny jeans and ginormous sunglasses (yes, even at midnight) — all of these are de rigueur at Czar. On the other hand, the vodka drinks are out of this world. The decor — unapologetic Soviet iconography, chandeliers, sofas, giant video screens and throwbacky white vinyl booths — is part Banksy, part bordello, even a tiny bit South Beach. They’ve hosted tremendous indie rock acts, including Ladytron, Les Savy Fav, Matt & Kim and the Hold Steady, who closed an epic 2008 gig by inviting fans up onstage for a 10-minute rendition of Killer Parties (which is set in Ybor City). And the DJs? Well, if you’re not turned on by A-list DJs like Girl Talk, Diplo, Switch and A-Trak, we just don’t know what to tell you. Czar's crazy-popular Pulp the Party electro night (featuring recently moved from Friday to Wednesday; in its place the club launched Filthy Richard, another dance party that seems to be doing just fine. “It’s really hip, a little left of the center and definitely not for the mall-nightclub crowd,” general manager Sandy Hein said in February. “The more creative types of Tampa hang here.” Czar is a bar that by all rights should be located in Hollywood, or at least Brooklyn — not Ybor City. And yet there it sits on Seventh. Enjoy it while you’re still young enough to pull off a keffiyeh.

3. ULTIMATE BREWPUB: Dunedin Brewery
937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin; (727) 736-0606, dunedinbrewery.com.
The Scottish regalia is fitting, since the stone-walled Dunedin Brewery looks a bit like a highlander’s castle. Equally breathtaking are the ginormous brewing vats inside, which are known for producing phenomenal, award winning beers like the Redhed Red Ale, as well as a swimming selection of seasonal brews (watch out for the Old Mean Stout). An excellent live music setup is a huge plus — a recent Ramones tribute show with several local bands was a sellout — and dogs are welcome at Suds on Sunday, a dog-washing service that includes a pint with each purchase. Our only knock on the place: It’s beer and wine only, no liquor. If we could just order a slug of Glenlivet with our Pipers Pale Ale ... we might be talking about Dunedin Brewery as our new No. 1.

4. ULTIMATE MEGABAR: The Dallas Bull
3322 U.S. 301 N, Tampa. (813) 987-2855, dallasbull.com.
A living, breathing, bucking machine on the skirts of East Tampa, the Bull is Florida’s answer to Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth: A veritable honky-tonk heaven, a place where the only thing sexier than a belle in boots is the intro to Copperhead Road. The numbers speak for themselves: 31,000 square feet (making it Tampa Bay’s largest nightclub), 9 bars, 20,000 patrons a month, $95,000 worth of liquor on hand at any given time. And then there’s this one: $9.95. That’s the cost of a concert ticket to see Joe Nichols, Darius Rucker, Luke Bryan or Jamey Johnson, all of whom have played the Bull in the past year. John Rich and Brooks and Dunn occasionally come by, and have been known to hop up on the stage for surprise sets. The club is clean, secure and friendly — co-owner Lewis Surratt Sr. roams the pool area most nights, hobnobbing with customers — and Thursday college nights can draw upwards of 3,000 people. You’ll still get your cowpokes in Dingoes and shooter shirts, sure, but most of the crowd is college-aged and comfortable. Lest you think the Bull ain’t nothin’ but a country bar, know that there’s an Ybor-esque Top 40 floor on the second level that attracts a fairly diverse crowd. Of course, when all the ladies are line-dancing in skintight Wranglers and tank tops, who cares what music they’re playing?

5-7. ULTIMATE IRISH BAR
The Dubliner and MacDinton’s are a sloshed crawl away from each other in SoHo. Four Green Fields is a mere mile away on Platt. All three are killer Irish bars. But which one is the best? We couldn’t come to an agreement — maybe it was all that Guinness we were guzzling — so we’ll let you decide. In the comments, let us know which of the three you think is the best. We'll publish your favorite in next Friday's tbt*.

Four Green Fields
205 W Platt St, Tampa; (813) 254-4444, fourgreenfields.com.
The oldest Irish pub of South Tampa’s big three and the most prestigious in all of Tampa Bay, perhaps all of Florida, Four Green Fields proudly advertises itself as “America’s only authentic thatched roof pub.” There are also two wooden decks and a bar in the rear outside area. It’s got no TVs, though for monster soccer matches, exceptions are occasionally made. Irish greats such as Tommy Makem, The Prodigals, The Corrs, and Sinead O’Connor have all played Four Green Fields, which has traditional Irish musicians perform every weekend. Perhaps the most Irish thing about Four Green Fields? Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has frequented Four Green Fields, and almost every staff member is from Ireland.

MacDinton’s Irish Pub
405 South Howard Ave,
Tampa; (813) 251-8999, macdintons.com.
MacDinton’s opened in 2002, same year as its chief competitor, The Dubliner. Unlike The Dubliner, MacDinton’s has a liquor license, which it uses to make an assortment of mind-blowing “bombs” that are very popular with drinker sin their early 20s. An expansive booze emporium, MacDinton’s has a large patio and tiki bar plus five more full bars inside. There also dining tables, stage and dance floor. They serve plenty of authentic Irish grub, and show soccer and rugby matches from around the world. Plenty of Irish soccer fanatics show up on game days.

The Dubliner
2307 W Azeele St, Tampa; (813) 258-2257, thedublineririshpub.com.
Laid-back and charming, the Dubliner has been a SoHo favorite since 2002. It’s on Azeele, just off South Howard, around the corner from its sworn enemy, MacDinton’s. The Dubliner brims with charm, and serves 14 beers on tap, but it has one serious drawback: no liquor license. (A Dubliner that opened not long ago in Citrus Park does serve liquor.) A converted house decorated with beautiful Emerald Isle bric-a-brac, The Dubliner has a handsome deck and a total of four full bars including a tiki.

8. ULTIMATE PARTY: Jackson’s Bistro
601 S Harbour Island Blvd., Tampa; (813) 277-0112, jacksonsbistro.com.
On any night of the week, Jackson’s is a fine place to sip something top-shelf, immerse yourself in swank and possibly spot an athlete. The waterfront venue also has possibly the best vantage point of anywhere for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Invasion. And when celebs come to town, they’re sure to drop by. Paris Hilton, Pete Wentz, Ashlee Simpson, Benji Madden and various Playmates have been spotted there. But on Friday nights, Tampa’s sexiest bistro transforms into something more: a pulsating nightclub. Fantasy Fridays offer something for everyone: top 40 music on the patio; ’70s, ’80s and ’90s tunes in the lounge; and house music in the restaurant. Then there are the professional dancers, stilt walkers, flame throwers and magician. And yet, it doesn’t come off like a carny family reunion. The vibe is sleek, sexy — and packed. Mike Piper, president of Pied Piper Productions, which organizes the weekly bash, puts the Friday crowd at 1,600 to 1,800, depending on the weather. Jackson’s is especially popular for celebrating birthdays and bachelor parties, with many folks opting for bottle service at a table or cabana.“We give the people the ability to have a party within a party,” Piper says. At holiday time, Jackson’s pulls out even more stops. Check out Jackson's Third of July fireworks display, and don’t miss the annual Hell-O-ween party on the last Friday in October. At least 2,000 guys and ghouls flock to Jackson’s for the annual $2,000 costume contest.

9. ULTIMATE DESTINATION: Floyd's
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, 5223 N Orient Road, Tampa. (866) 502-7529, seminolehardrocktampa.com.
A few drinks or so at Floyd’s and you’ll think you’re in Las Vegas. Maybe that’s because you’re drinking on Nevada time. When the Pinellas bars close at 2 a.m., drinkers head east to Hillsboough. Then, at 3 a.m., they head to Floyd’s, which, due to the sovereign-nation status of the Seminole Tribe, doesn’t have to stop serving alcohol until 6 a.m. Because Floyd’s is so glitzy, high-rolling and decadent, it would be easy for haters to knock it. But you’ll hear none of that from us. Floyd’s dishes out a genuinely wild party; it’s exactly the sort of place you want to end up when you’re nowhere near ready to call it a night. Celebrities often stay at the Hard Rock (during the Super Bowl, Paris Hilton, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore and the entire Kardashian family stayed there), so you might spot someone famous. And DJs Santana, Kidd Leow and guest artists like DJ AM, Dirty Vegas and even will.i.am always keep the dance floor moving. Go, and you’ll have a good time. Bet on it.

10. ULTIMATE SPRING BREAK HOTSPOT: Shephard’s
601-619 S Gulfview Blvd., Clearwater Beach; (727) 442-5107, shephards.com.
What first opened in 1976 as the Lagoon has morphed from a rather pedestrian lodge to a full-fledged waterfront resort of the highest order. The entertainment complex known as Shephard’s now features a hotel, restaurant, lounge, two killer tiki bars, private beach and a double-level nightclub called The Wave. During Sping Break season in mid-March, it might be the busiest club in Tampa Bay. The bikini contests alone are worth a trip; T-backs and tiny tops are allowed on the private beach where drinking is allowed. The bar brings in performers like Tone Loc, Darude and Blake Lewis for its busiest weekends (Spring Break, Memorial Day, Labor Day), but all year round a steady stream of beachgoers flock to the bar for lazy tunes, Rum Runners and margaritas.

11. ULTIMATE SPORTS BAR: Ferg’s
1320 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. (727) 822-4562, fergsonline.com.
Say what you will about the Rayhawk hysteria that accompanied the Rays’ run to the World Series last fall, but it did prove one thing: Ferg’s is the best sports bar in Tampa Bay. Situated just a deep fly ball from the Trop, this bar was saluting the Rays long before the rest of us. Owner Mark Ferguson bought the joint in 1991, back when the Trop was the Florida Suncoast Dome and the building that would become Ferg’s was just an abandoned Sunoco. He built a sports bar more or less on faith that a baseball team would someday show up. When the Devil Rays finally debuted in 1998, Ferguson was up at 7 a.m., serving breakfast on Opening Day. Over time, Ferg’s has expanded, developed character, built a camaraderie with regulars and turned into the go-to watering hole before and after every Rays game. It’s now a gathering spot for fans of all sports, and they even host cornhole tournaments and other games, but the baseball ties run deep. When the Rays clinched a playoff spot in September, the bartenders at Ferg’s created a drink called Rays Victory Punch, consisting of vodka and blue Gatorade. Yeah, we know ... but at the time, even that tasted sweet.

12. ULTIMATE TAMPA JOINT: Gaspar’s Grotto
1805 E Seventh Ave., Ybor City; (813) 248-5900, gasparsgrotto.com.
Anyplace with “Gaspar” in its name must be a beloved place in Tampa. This one is no exception. Owners Eric and Shere Schiller are super-active in the community, often hosting fundraisers and other benefits at the longtime Ybor bar. Krewes love it, thanks to the pirate theme. But even if you’re not into puffy shirts and beads, you’ll still dig Gaspar’s fun events (Beer Olympics) sporty, eclectic decor and embrace of the animal kingdom — regular Yappy Hours, fishtanks behind the bar, a resident bar cat named Tanker Ray. Schiller once said that if the calico feline dies, he’ll have him stuffed and mounted in the bar. At Gaspar’s, where Tampa’s history is celebrated in every direction, that would feel just about right.

13. ULTIMATE CORNER BAR: The Hub
719 N Franklin St., Tampa. (813) 229-1553, hubbartampa.com.
A Tampa icon, this downtown dive bar has a bad reputation for serving the strongest, most affordable cocktails in the city limits — maybe the entire state! And then there’s the wildly eclectic crowd. Jobless vagrants, UT students, after-work professionals, well-dressed Tampa Theater concertgoers, skinny scenesters, off-the-clock servers and everything in between can be found inside the dark, dank, fabulously dirty setting, sipping from fat glasses of whiskey or chugging cans of cheap beer. In recent months, The Hub has also started hosting live, original music. Which makes sense, since it seems not a night goes by without at least a dozen local rockers coming through the door.

14. ULTIMATE LIVE MUSIC BAR: Skipper’s Smokehouse
910 Skipper Road, Tampa, (813) 971-0666, skipperssmokehouse.com.
Is it a stretch to call Skipper’s a “drinking destination?” Not if you’ve ever sat beneath the Skipperdome listening to the Black Keys, or Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, or Ralph Stanley, or Alejandro Escovedo, or the Red Elvises, or Damon Fowler, or ... look, we could obviously carry this on all day. Skipper’s is one of the 5 to 10 things Tampa music fans love most about living here, a ramshacle roots-blues-hippie barbecue joint whose giant, sandy, picnic-tabled open-air arena incorporates a giant live oak tree. Raining? Head inside and grab a seat at the cozy Oyster Bar, where the walls are covered in band stickers and the conversation is free-flowing and friendly. Old Florida at its finest, it’s like our own little corner of Austin’s fabled Sixth Street.

15. ULTIMATE DIVE: Dave’s Aqua Lounge
10820 Gandy Blvd. St. Petersburg; (727) 576-1091, davesongandy.com.
It’s like a clone of the stevedores’ bar in Season 2 of The Wire. Dirty little blues lounge, popular with the casual Pinellas boaters and fishermen, working-class and unfussy all the way. There’s live music at Dave’s six nights a week, including live blues every Wednesday, and usually on weekends. And it’s got the coolest backdrop of any stage in town — hundreds of gleaming silver CDs affixed to the wall. Not the most eye-popping menu in the world, but hell, it’s got Knob Creek, Ms. Pac Man and Howlin’ Wolf on the jukebox — what else does a man really need?

16. ULTIMATE MARTINI BAR: The Chic-a-Boom Room
319 Main St., Dunedin, (727) 736-5284, kellyschicaboom.com.
This fun, beloved Dunedin party joint sits at the center of the complex known as Kelly’s For Just About Anything, which is a pretty accurate description. The Chic-a-Boom Room is eclectic drinking at its best, with a menu of two dozen colorful “Martoonis,” from the Barry White (Stoli Razberi, Godiva white chocolate liqueur, chambord, $8) to the Ginger Rogers (Yazi Ginger vodka, Stoli Vanil, Sour Apple Schnapps, $8). After a couple of these, we’re liable to wander next door to Blur (another Kelly’s bar), where weekly Drag Queen Bingo nights are the norm.

17. ULTIMATE PUNK BAR: The Emerald
550 Central Ave., St. Petersburg; (727) 898-6054, myspace.com/emeraldbar.
It’s probably the coolest place to go on a Wednesday night in St. Pete, thanks to Filth, a party with a good range of older and newer music that turns the place into basically a hipsters’ lounge. The rest of the week, it’s a top-notch destination for affordable rum-n-Cokes, vodka tonics and a whole mess (and we do mean mess) of punk bands. This is where you’re likely to fund unapologetic punks like Car Bomb Driver, the Pink Lincolns, Doll Parts or the Semis spitting fire on the tiny bandbox of a stage. When the music isn’t live, the Emerald is still crusty but friendly, low-class but high-minded (see the cool art on the walls) and a must-stop for any local wannabe rocker.

18. ULTIMATE ONE-STOP SHOPPING: Push Ultra Lounge
128 Third St. S, St. Petersburg; (727) 871-7874, myspace.com/pushultralounge.
First, take one of downtown St. Petersburg’s most picturesque buildings, the gloriously reinvented McNulty Station. Add the district’s hottest restaurant, the delectable Red Mesa Cantina. Open a nightclub, Push, that feels posh and utterly cool, but not intimidating, and has a lovely open-air rooftop bar. Throw in a more casual bar downstairs, the Mexican-wrestling-themed (!) Lucha Bar. Give it some owners looking to provide creative entertainment options (concerts by Julian Marley and the Airborne Toxic Event, rooftop movies like Breakfast at Tiffany’s and The Birds). And top it all off with the club’s “Recession Sundays,” featuring half-price admission for everyone. Put it all together, and you’re guaranteed to find a date-night combo that works for you.

19. ULTIMATE GAY BAR: G.Bar
1401 E Seventh Ave., Ybor City; (813) 247-1016, thisweekintampabay.com.
For the past couple of years, G.Bar has been an enormously welcome, and enormously entertaining, presence in Ybor City. The fun-loving club has been a major player in building up the GaYbor scene, which now boasts a slew of gay and gay-friendly nightclubs. Out of all of them, though, G.Bar is the one with a line out the door each weekend, thanks to celebrity guests — Lady Gaga played here before Just Dance and Poker Face got huge — and strip parties and dance nights for both sexes. It’s a fun place to get loose, even if you’re straight.

20. ULTIMATE BEACH BAR: The Undertow
3850 Gulf Blvd., St Pete Beach; (727) 368-9000, undertowbeachbar.com.
On weekends, its seems all of Tampa descends on this St. Pete Beach favorite. With two buildings, a patio in the sand and a strange running-water moat inset in the long oval-shaped bar, it’s a delightful place to grab a run drink and some wings. Some nights there’s live reggae, some nights it’s canned. Parking is a real pain (don’t even think about parking in the lot) but it’s worth it when you get there. Beach volleyball and a respectable beer list (more than 150 bottles) add to the attraction.

-- tbt* staff

Okay, now that our list of 100 is in the books ... what did we miss? Which bar do you think deserved a slot on the top 100? Who should have been higher? Who was overrated? Discuss.

Comments

[millertime]

Can't believe my favorite bar didn't make the list. How did the Garden and Lobby Bar get snuffed from the top 100? 2 adjoining bars with a cool outside under a big tree and a jazz band every Friday and Saturday. Of all the bars on the list, it's the one I keep coming back to.

[Perno]

I've never been to the Hyde Park Cafe, but I'd imagine it's like every other club where it takes 20 mins for a guy to get a drink. If that's the case then I'd say it's a horrible choice for "Ultimate Drinking Destination". "Ultimate Club Destination", sure...but not drinking. Just my $.02

[The Truth]

Czar is the "ULTIMATE SCENE". Total BS. Czar is a raging lesbian dance club, not that there is anything wrong with that. They play some decent alternative dance music. However, for you guys wanting to meet chicks and maybe hook up, you are barking at the wrong tree if you go to Czar.

[king o' nightlife]

The Dunedin Brewery rocks!! Should have been #1!!

[MikMcP]

How did a Coyote Ugly bartender be a runner up & the club not make the list?

[Ann]

How did Caddy's on Sunset Beach not make the list? It's crazy packed every weekend.

[paddy]

Where is the 'ultimate pick up milfs to take me home bar'?
or 'tag a cougar tonight' bar?

[Matt]

paddy - The Venue on Ulmerton. No question.

[Robert Caldwell]

Whiskey Joe's. Beach Bar, No Cover, Live Entertainment on the Weekends, Reggae Unleashed on Sunday Nights, 2 Happy Hours per day 7 days per week, Great food. What else could you want in a bar... Not a club, a Bar.

[The TP]

Ha! New York New York didn't make the list! They would be "The best place to pick up trashy older women"

[Bettye Miner]

What about Dirty Nelley's on Centerl Avenue in St.Pete? There are always drink specials, great bartenders and lot's of good people! A cool place to party!

[Mike]

The Venue is at least a top ten, yet no mention at all?

[Mike]

The Venue is at least a top ten, yet no mention at all?

[Mike]

The Venue is at least a top ten, yet no mention at all?

[Mike]

The Venue is at least a top ten, yet no mention at all?

[WhataboutRockaway]

What about Frenchy's Rockaway?