Grillsmith - Midtown South Tampa

I used to visit their other location in South Tampa quite a bit for happy hour with one of my girlfriends, when they shut down we were bummed to see them go. When I realized they reopened just a bit further up on Dale Mabry I wanted to go back and check it out. A few weeks ago I brought honey for dinner here, mostly because I wanted to check it out. The décor is way nicer than the old location and you can tell it has been updated. I made a reservation for a Saturday evening- once we got there it was obvious we did not need one. The place was not busy at all. I think they have not been open long, also they are right next door to a Carabbas. I personally prefer this place to Carabbas any day. Anyhow, we started with some cocktails. I got the Mahalo and really liked it. We decided on the mussels for our appetizer and I was happy to find the mussels were fairly big and also tasted fresh. For my entrée I went with the chicken marsala- one of my favorite dishes. Honey got the chimichurri steak and chose a double side of fries- he loves steak frites! We both really enjoyed our dishes. We both ordered a glass of wine with our meal and got them with our meal which was great. For dessert our server recommended the Key lime, one of honeys favorites! It was really good! Our server was attentive and very nice. I was just back here this past weekend with some girlfriends and tried the Chicken Milanese this time and was blown away! It was delicious! This time I happen to make it for happy hour and tried their FL old fashioned- I am not a whiskey drinker at all and found these to be delicious! I had 3!!! Yes I regretted it the next day! I think this establishment is great for happy hour with friends or just to grab a nice sit down dinner. The prices are fair and the service seems to be great. More importantly based on my 2 recent visits I found the quality of the food to be consistent.

I came here for brunch today and was very impressed with the food and our server Zoe (I think that's his name) was very kind, attentive and fun. We ordered and enjoyed wings, crab & shrimp cakes(divine!), Caribbean Pumpkin Crab bisque (very flavorful and smooth!), shrimp voodoo (super delicious!) and the shrimp & grits(AMAZING!!!!) I will definitely be back and spread the word!!! Also, the music they play throughout the restaurant provides a good vibe (neo-soul)! Kudos to the person with the awesome playlist. My whole experience was a 10 out of 5. :)

Why would I rate this place 5 stars? Because I cannot find one single meager thing to complain about. Nothing. Actually, I can't even think of anything that I would consider 'average'. Everything is awesome! Recently stopped by for brunch (GO) with a group of friends on a Sunday. The waitstaff was 100% outstanding and our group of about 15 people was readily accommodated in the bar area. Most of us enjoyed the $10 bottomless bubbles deal and the mimosas kept flowing from 11am-3pm. The food was phenomenal!! Everyone loved their orders. I opted for the regular menu and had the spicy thai shrimp with a side of the jalapeno mac and cheese. Oh man, that mac and cheese was to die for...and $4 for a large side!??? YASSS. All prices on the menu are really reasonable and presented in a gourmet way. While this is a chain restaurant, they do not present their food this way. It is personalized and they go above and beyond to make sure flavor and presentation are amazing. Bring a date. Bring your friends. Bring your family. Lots of seating inside, plenty of parking in the back lot, nice ambiance lighting, clean and new setting. Good food. Amazing staff. Excellent food and drink options. Why wouldn't you go?

Stop for brunch with friends on the way to the airport. I like that they take reservations rather than having to wait in a brunch line. We liked the menu choices. We started with the voodoo shrimp. Nice flavor and a little kick to it. We used all the bread that came with it to soak up the sauce! The portions are big so we split some meals, like the crab and shrimp Benedict. Two perfectly poached eggs on crab cakes and hollandaise sauce poured over top. The smoky BLT was a big sandwich and the Smith Scramble came with eggs, potatoes and bacon. They also have bottomless mimosas!

I've always enjoyed Grillsmith even since its earlier days in South Tampa. I was sad to see it leave and thrilled when the establishment returned. I think it's a good neighborhood spot to bring the family and a great place for brunch, lunch, dinner and happy hour. They have you covered. Atmoshphere is warm, open and inviting. Staff from the hostesses to servers, chef and management has been attentive and friendly. Favorites for me are hands down the Crunchy Ahi Tuna, Blue Crab and Shrimp Cakes, Bourbon Salmon Salad, Chicken Gorgonzola Flatbread and the Filet Tip Egg Rolls, in that order. I scoffed when a friend ordered the Wild Mushroom Meatloaf. This makes it on my fave list. It is delicious. The Smoked Salmon Bruschetta is a miss for me. I find the onion to be overpowering and the salmon is really soft. They toss it in a vinaigrette and I wonder if it sits in the mixture to long. For lack of a better word I'll say it is slimey. This is a regular pop in place for me to have a good reasonably priced meal. Welcome back Grillsmith.