The Independent

I’m going to keep this short because I was only here for an hour on Saturday. I came here to grab a few beers with friends and it was quite fun. The building itself is an old autoshop made into bar, which gives it a very hip and young vibe. There are plenty of seats inside and outside.
In regards to the drinks, they have a pretty good selection of beers. They are reasonably priced so you won’t break your wallet coming here either. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to try their food, but that just means another reason to come back!
If you’re looking for a chill place to go grab a drink with friends and want to escape the craziness of SoHo and the dirtiness of Ybor, then head over to The Independent!

Cheese plate:
This place is 5 star establishment however I gave the cheese plate a 1. I understand that it uses the cheeses available that day. However, I would expect maybe a heads up that the only cheese left is Brie. I am no cheese expert but I treat myself with a cheese plate in hopes of trying something new. I am sure this was not the normal plate but at least make me aware. I would of sent back if I wasn’t in the bathroom at the time And friends didn’t start consuming. That being said apply your $ 15 to another dish.

Nice atmosphere– $ 1 off happy hour
Has beer and wine only but a HUGE selection of beer
Good food, not your typical bar food, rather upscale foodie bar food ;)
Open for all meals (BLD), and the breakfast room/​counter area smelled fabulous.
Great place to meet up with friends and enjoy a beer n snack.
Also, almost every night, they have something special– movie night, live music — check it out

Gets two stars because the service was great and staff was very friendly, food was not very good. maybe we came on a bad day. I ate there and ordered a togo item for my husband. I asked the girl working the counter to pick the most popular thing out of the German section for him and it was literally just a pretzel and a piece of sausage in a box.

Laid back vibe with solid food and an assortment of drinks. The perfect place to grab a cold beer and sit out in the shady outside area, watching cars go by. Hope to visit again before I leave in a few days.

Came here for a light lunch and beer, didn’t leave disappointed. It’s a counter service bar, so grab a menu, have a seat and once you’ve browsed over the menu head back to the bar to order. I was looking for a seasonal flavored draft beer, not much to choose from but that doesn’t mean I didn’t find a great pick
With the help of the bartender I decided on a sour (never heard of these from where I came from lol) I really enjoyed the sour beginning but nice beer finish. For lunch I chose the caprese panini with prosciutto. After I added salt and pepper, it had just enough pesto to be a nice flavorful lunch with its nice crusty bread.
Looks like on Unilocal this place offers some live music at night, I would really enjoy returning to this little Indie bar for a good music vibe.

I’ve been dying to try this place!
Walked in today and stood there waiting to order, behind one guy who appeared to be in line. When the female employee came around the side of her station and mentioned her new truck I realized these two were just having a chat. I waited 60 seconds more, almost stunned, then turned around and walked out.
It was about 1:15 in the afternoon, and although I happened to not be in a rush I just couldn’t wait for the only visible employee to end her personal conversation.
It could be that I’m just not cool enough for this place though. It’s not in my neighborhood, I didn’t look like anyone else there, so I probably just didn’t belong. So I’m giving myself 1 star on this visit as well.
Not a great welcome, obviously…

If you’re into craft beers and a laid back atmosphere, look no further than The Independent.
Located in the «up and coming» Seminole Heights section of Tampa, this place embodies Tampa’s surprising craft beer scene. With several local and not so local on tap beers, and even more bottled, this place has a fantastic selection
Upon arrival, there are several indoor and outdoor tables to choose from. Patrons can order at the bar and have a seat wherever they want. They serve food as well, but on this occasion we were just there for the brews. Several bar goers had dogs with them, and waitresses were bringing them dog bowls (full of water, of course), so it appears that they are quire pet friendly
Parking is limited but there were several spots on the side street. If you’re looking for a place to come drink, hang out, and relax with friends this is definitely a spot worth checking out. If I lived down here, I could see that being my place of choice on a weekend (evening or even afternoon).

The Independent is one of my
Favorite spots in Seminole Heights
I look forward to chillin’ on their patio
On some cooler Tampa nights!
They’ve got an amazing selection
Of craft beers on tap.
Enjoy a few too many,
And it’s time for a nap!
What’s even more impressive
Are the bottles kept in the cooler.
So many rare, hard to find beers…
Pardon me, I’m a bit of a drooler.
They also offer some food,
Tho I have yet to eat here.
There’s usually one thing on my mind
And that one thing is beer!

If I lived in Seminole Heights, if be here all the time. It’s perfectly unfussy.
We took the kids for dinner after a couple of drinks and outdoor games at Southern Brewing. We have a fam of 5 so drinks and food for everyone can get pretty pricey. Here, you can get a REALLY good sandwich and a couple of drinks without breaking the bank. I had the Cuban and it was pretty darned good.
We usually walk away with a bunch of leftover food and to go boxes (which is a waste most of the time/​no one eats it). I liked that portions were big enough but not obnoxious and the kids liked their food so much, they actually ate everything.
Not sure if it was the owner/​manager, but whoever helped us out was super nice. So you don’t look like a list puppy dog — order at the bar, they do not do table service (at least on Sunday when we were there).

Stopped in today for lunch before a meeting. Really haven’t spent a lot of time at the Independent, but the times that I have been I have enjoyed.
This was no exception. The Independent is just another wonderful reason that living in Seminole Heights is so great.
I ordered the chicken salad sandwich on a croissant with a small (and I mean small) side of pesto pasta salad. The croissant was served warm, which I really liked.
The sandwich was good, the chicken salad a bit dry, but tasty. The pesto salad was nothing too special and only about two fork fulls. I had a root bear to drink… after tip about $ 14.00– which is a little pricey for the amount of food.
The staff are very nice and helpful. My friend ordered the BLT, which supposedly is really good to. He loved it! It was tempting, because I do like me some bacon.
Though I didn’t have an alcoholic beverage, their supply of craft and standard beers is really impressive.

We came, we had a beer. I’d like to try the food next time. I think my expectations were too high for this place because I have heard so much. Seriously it’s just a small bar with a patio and attached coffee shop. I wasn’t disappointed but I wasn’t wowed either.

This was our first stop coming off the road from a long drive from Texas. Nice people, laid back atmosphere. That patio would have been nice, but for some reason there were alot of flies that day which brought us back inside. I notice that it is dog friendly so that was cool for the pet loving set. The chairs inside could be a bit more comfortable in my opinion. I was not «wowed» with my Pulled Pork Tacos, they were a little bit skimpy to me. My husband enjoyed his Cuban Sandwich & the house made chips. I did enjoy my wine & he enjoyed his beer. I could see how this would be a cool spot to hang with friends.

Tampa really, really needs more places like this.
This place feels more like Portland, Oregon than Tampa, Florida. (and, as someone that left one for the other, I mean that in a good way)
Tons of great beer on tap and in the bottle, nice outside patio, laid back, dare-​I-​say «chill» atmosphere. This is one of those places where most of the people serving you will probably have a tattoo, or 16.
I got the Cuban, I thought it was good, not great.
I feel like the fantastic beer and the relaxing atmosphere more than made up for this though.
I’ll definitely be back.
If I were ever forced to move back to Tampa (oh Lawd, no), I would definitely find myself a place in Seminole Heights.

Very establish bar. Every weekend is party at the front porch. People are gathering on the outside and have a good time with a boo. Independent has it character of the neighborhood bar. Very lively there.
We were there for the Nate Najar Quartet jazz music. This jazz team is well known in the Bay Area. Our share table has some people from St. Pete came here just for this night. This bar has many musicians performed here before. This is my first time to Independent and I like it due to their crazy bar tender. Nothing better to sat at the bar and see all the drink fly out from the bar. Sometimes you can chat to your neighbor and enjoy the music. I like it not too loud but the music is still can be appreciated.
They have some of bar food and good selection of local draft beers. I like it they post the percentage of the content of alcohol. You can know your limits when you order it if you have to drive home.

We drove by this place many times. Tonight we officially walked into Independent. Because my favorite musicians were playing there. I agreed with most of the reviews, the food, the drink the atmosphere were all good. I and everyone there were enjoying the amazing live Jazz music, plus the yummy food and drink. I can’t think of a better way to spend my Sunday night.

My review is for the café at the Independent and subject to change once I try the actual restaurant.
I was looking for a place that was open a little later than some of the other indie places in Seminole Heights to just hang out for a bit. Their menu and hours fit the bill, so off we went!
The café is separated from the restaurant so you don’t have too much in the way of cross-​pollinating by diners from next door. The seating is pretty limited and not especially comfortable, so it’s not somewhere I would want to hole up for the sake of getting work done. The baristas were cordial, but not especially friendly; they did just enough to make me feel okay being there.
I ordered a café au lait. It was okay, but I’ve had better ones elsewhere. The mr. ordered a cup of tea, which he had no complaints about. Nothing really stood out though, and it felt a bit pretentious for what it is. I would have left them a 3, but they get an extra star for later hours.

This little unassuming spot on Florida Ave is one of my favorite low key hangouts. It has a great atmosphere, with great people to make it that way. Always packed, but in a great way, it is less a place to go do serious drinking and more a place you come to have conversation and chill.
To me, this is the perfect place for a group get-​together because their menu ranges the full spectrum. It is an equally good place to get a great craft beer as it is to get a great coffee, and they have wonderful snacks and sandwiches (and baked goods!) to go with whatever mood you are in. I love this chill place whose mood really matches the Independent name!

Center on the hipster/​craft beer scene in Seminole Heights. Not a brewery, but great rotating taps and practically best craft bottle collection in town. Great outdoor patio. The café serves food which is quite good, yet Cappy’s pizza is next door.

Updating my review to 5 stars as The Indie has become my favorite hang out.
Aside from the fact that I can walk here (and frequently do so), there are many reasons that I love this place. The outdoor atmosphere is a great place to spend an afternoon. They have a huge selection of craft beer and have recently started adding more and more wines so I can have whatever I am in the mood for. The food has really stepped up a notch, as well, and I really enjoy their many sandwiches and salads. The Spinach and Feta Grilled Cheese is excellent!
What I like most about this place, though, is what a friendly atmosphere it is. I often find myself sharing a table and chatting with complete strangers. The bartenders are always very nice even when I am being indecisive. I’ve had a lot of good times at The Indie and am excited for more to come.
Pop in yourself on a Sunday night for Sundays for Sinners — a really great night for live music and fun!