Courtesy of Skipper's Smokehouse
Enjoy cold pitchers of beer at Skipper's.
Hours: Tu.-Th. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., F 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sa. noon-11 p.m., Su. 1-9 p.m.
Price: $$ = Entrees $11-$30
Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, American Express
Type: Classic American, Seafood
Blues musician Lonnie Mack calls Skipper’s Smokehouse “the club that washed ashore.” Located in North Tampa, Skipper’s has grown from a small smokehouse takeout joint with weekly jam sessions to a full-service restaurant with world-class music. Skipper’s even has a licensed talent agency and they bottle their own Capt. Tom’s Scorch Bonnet Pepper Sauce. The menu is Florida eclectic: think black bean gator chili and farm-raised catfish, grouper, oysters, clams and shrimp served fried, steamed and, of course, smoked.
In addition to the food, Skipper’s presents a nightly parade of live music featuring mostly blues and reggae, with other styles thrown in occasionally for good measure. The Avett Brothers, BoDeans and the Black Keys have all played there, among hundreds of other musicians, and every Thursday night is Grateful Dead night.