The GaYBOR Experience....    Shopping - Dining - Nightlife all in One Stop!

    

Parking & Shopping in GaYBOR

    It's easy to make a whole day or weekend out of a visit to GaYBOR. First start by doing something many of us are not used to. Park your car, get out and start a walking adventure! We suggest the parking lot on the corner of 7th Ave & 15th Street. Jimmy & Penet Parking are member sof GaYBOR, runs the lot and will be happy to point you into the right direction. If your looking for coved parking the Tampa City Garage is right there too. This unique historic brick building architecture and brick streets wows everyone!  Begin with a leisurely lunch. OH hells bells... go ahead and start with a "Sicilian Lunch" at King Corona. What's that your asking?  Share a bottle of wine with a friend and then decide if your really hungry after that!!! Then continue your afternoon of shopping, galleries & museums here. As you stroll down 7th Ave. check out Hot Wax & Kicks on 7th, both stores are full of unique gifts. La France offers yesteryear styles of new and vintage clothing. Island Florists have those specially fresh cut flowers and gifts. Around the corner on 8th Ave is a must stop! The Ybor City Visitor Center the home to the Guinness Book of World Records, "Largest Cigar Box"!!! Several artifacts from the early days of Ybor and a fun short free film presentation. Follow the trolley car tracks down to Centennial Park surrounded by shops & the Ybor City Museum. Definitely take the state museums guided walking tour of the cigar homes & park. They also offer private walking tours of Ybor. Next door is the Ybor Museum Gift Shop. A must do especially if you love cook books, cigar boxes, handcrafts & things uniquely Ybor. On 18th street is The Mermaid Slipper, home to many one of a kind handmade jewelry & gifts. It is famous for the handmade "Sharon Rose Purses" Yes, we have one or two!!!  Move on over to 20th Street & 5th Ave to the H2O Salon & Spa. Voted Best Salon in the Bay 2008! Ready for a rest? Jump on the TECO Trolley Car. Ride all day for just $5. The variety of air conditioned trolley cars will take you thru Ybor then on to Channel Side where the cruse ships dock. Then on to the Tampa Convention Center & back to Ybor City. The whole ride will take about an hour. On the way back to Ybor get off at the 15th Street Station The "Unofficial - Official"  GaYBOR stop!!! Right across the street is The Famous MC Film Festival. The oldest PRIDE store in Florida!  DVD's, Music, Fashion T's & swimwear and handcrafted stain glass. And don't forget the thousands of birthday cards!. Meet Mark & Carrie, Keith, Bill & Larry and Miss Amber too. They all are happy to answer all your questions and give you a VIP map. Directly next doors is Gallery Live. A revolving display of GLBT artists works! WOW after all this it's time for dinner!

 

Dinning in GaYBOR

    The Best of the Best Restaurants are all here waiting for you! The Best Cuban Sandwich is found at King Corona. For French crepes check out L' Olivier's French Restaurant & Cabaret. There is an incredible Moulin Rouge, Vegas & Drag show there every Thur, Fri & Sat at 8pm We strongly suggest reservations. RuPaul & Leslie Jordan are scheduled for concerts. Upstairs is Teatro's on 7th located inside the former casino this is the place for that special romantic dinner. Out side Teatro's door is Centro Cantina. The best balcony people watching overlooking 7th Ave. A whole wall of frozen drinks & great food too! On the other side of Centro Ybor upper deck is Rock-N-Sports Bar & Grille. Our first GaYBOR meeting were held here. Every Tuesday is the "Gay Wing it In Night" all the chicken wings you can eat! Downstairs is Fresh Mouth famous for hamburgers and dinner food & fun. Just one block down 7th Ave is Bernine's on the corner of 7th & 17th. Uptown Italian food. Thru a secret door on the mezines you will find a passage to the privet 3rd floor. perfect for that special Private party! next doors is The Green Iguana. Home to daytime bartender Karen who is everybody favorite!!! Besides having great food, drinks & music they also host several GLBT meting here. A little farther down the block is the first of 3 Pizza parlors. Roma's on 7th, D' Italian & New York New York. All have a different version and we suggest you try a slice at each!! Across the street at 7th & 18th is Gasper's Grotto. In the courtyard is the kitchen. If you smell something good ask head cook Freddie or one of the waitresses ! Every Sunday is  the "Gaspars Booze Cruse" an all you can eat seafood buffet & vodka too!!! Your 'lil Doggies & pets are always welcome at Gaspar's!!! A must do is Mema's Alaskan Tacos on the corner of 8th Ave &18th. the chicken tacos are to die for!!! Especially at 1AM. In this restaurant you will find all the locals and lucky tourists for a true flavor of Ybor culture! Follow the trolley tracks back to the corner of 8th & 15th. On one side is famous Streetcar Charlie's Bar & Grille. Always a Gay get-a-way spot. Larry, Manny, James or Charlie are your hosts.  Here you will find two bars and an event room. The dining room is especially fun when, weather permitting, the patios walls are open to the outside! Daily specials with Chef Darlene in the kitchen. Across the street is The Laughing Cat Restaurant. Award winning Chef Franco will dazzle your taste buds with his Italian creations! Best value for lunch in Ybor is here! The lunch buffet is only $9.95 and you will see all the locales here. At night every meal is individually prepared complete with the WOW factor. So what is our favorite??? We really like them all but the one that we eat at the most frequently is New York New York. For authentic New York style pizza, spaghetti & salads. Their staff always makes you feel at home here! When we have out of town guests we usually go to The Laughing Cat Restaurant. The meals are always consistently great & there is a true feeling of Ybor style here.  Enough at the food it's time to PARTY!!!

 

Nightlife in GaYBOR

    Doing what we do best, the night life can be as uptown as any big city and as casual as your favorite neighborhood place. G. Bar located on the corner of 7th Ave & 14th St is Gay 24/7. There is a special women's party here every Friday.  High Energy Dance &  the very Hottest Dancer's in Ybor!

On the corner of 7th & 15 you will find 2 of our 3 Special Venue Clubs. The Ritz Theatre & Czar's,  these clubs rent out for different events and different people nightly. Czars is 3 huge rooms and was formally the Gay bars;  El Goya, Tracks, Pleasure Dome. On a regular basis they rent out to GLBT organizations like clip Film Festival & The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. The newly restored Ritz Ybor is another huge facility. Divided into 2 med size spaces with bars & one huge beautifully decorated theatre room accommodating 3000+ with complete stage . They have hosted many GLBT events including Theatre, art & fashion shows. A few blocks away is The Crowbar located on the corner of 8th ave & 17th st. Named the Best Venue for live bands in Tampa Bay. Owners Bonnie & Tom are huge supporters of GaYBOR and frequently book GLBT bands, events and Mondays Karaoke . On the patio in the beer gardens you will find Bradley who always makes you feel at home and Ryan (radio emcee Froto) works Sat. Happy Hours 2 -7 PM. Back to 7th Ave is The Honey Pot. The Friday Gay guy party is called "Steam Fridays" and on Saturday is the Lesbian Party called "Tease Saturday" Featuring 3 levels, 4 bars the best balcony on 7th ave, drag shows & Divas and international award winning stage, lights & sound! It just doesn't get any better than this! Guys Underwear Fashion Shows, weekly drag and often famous Diva concerts. It really gets HOT!!! Across the street is The Reservoir a true neighborhood Ybor Bar! All the bartenders party here. Behind the bar is "Momma!" don't tell her it's your birthday if you don't want a real spanking!!! Stop by King Corona for a real cigar and sit in their sidewalk cafe for a beer or sipping fine port wine! Watch the parade of people going by. Into L' Olivier's to catch the 1st or 2nd floor show. If you can't tell by now we are zig zagging our way down 7th Ave! Next stop The Rare Olive. Hundreds of martinis and always great bands & shows. Several times a month The Rare Olive host lesbian parties too! Down the street to Gaspar's Grotto. A fun inside & outside party house for Pirate Krewe's. On the patio you might find a GLBT fundraiser or political party meeting event there!  Across the street is Coyote Ugly. Trust us your straight friends are going to love this bar! You will love watching straight guys behaving badly while the staff make you all feel welcome! Next doors is The Green Iguana. Stop by & check out the bands or stop for a lunch on their sidewalk cafe. Upstairs is The James Joyce Pub. Huge pints of Irish beer. Back to the corner of 8th Ave & 15th st, across from The Crowbar is Spur's. GLBT country dancing on the huge mirrored dance floor inside. Outside is a friendly open air patio. Onto Rock-n-Sports Bar & Grille for a beer or Centro Cantina for a frozen drink. Walk thru Centro Ybor to the corner of 9th & 16th for the legendary Castle. It's always very gay friendly here, especially on Thursdays & Sundays. A real alternative dance bar! Onto the corner of 8th Ave & 15th St. Into Streetcar Charlie's for a drink and see your friends then stop by MC Film for late night great shopping specials for your after hours looks & needs. Two door from MC Film you will find the newly opened Ybor Social Club, open everyday at 2pm. This is the neighborhood bar of GaYBOR! In the basement is the Lifestyles Club! It's time for a slice of pizza or a taco from Mema's! The party continues until 3AM.

 

Spend the Night in GaYBOR

    After all this fun why go home? Stay at the 1st class Hampton Inn & Suites Ybor ( with a Great Savings with the MC FILM or GaYBOR Room Rate ) or The Hilton Garden's Inn both within walking distance right in Ybor. Just a $5 cab fare away is the Howard Johnson Plaza Tampa. More GLBT Friendly hotels to choose from coming shortly! The new Ybor Resort & Spa is set to open in mid April.

 

HUMM....

Did we not mention your favorite store, restaurant, business in Ybor City?

Maybe that is because they are not members of GaYBOR yet. Maybe they haven't  been aware of GaYBOR District Coalition. Ask them to get in touch with us to join. It is that easy.  We Welcome Membership from across Tampa Bay & State. All the GaYBOR members have not only paid the dues of just $75 but have contributed to many GLBT events & fund raisers. Work & Support restaurants, clubs & businesses that support you!

 

For this Community Support, We say "THANK YOU!"

 

That is the GaYBOR Experience. For more info please visit www.GaYBOR.com & www.myspace.com/gaybor. Sign up for the free weekly Internet news letter at www.mcfilmfest.com