7th + Grove — Restaurant in Tampa

7th & Grove is a soul food restaurant in Ybor City and the food is magnificent. Here is the Oxtails & Grits.The Deviled Eggs with seasoned chicken is a delicious appetizer. Also featured photo is a dish named Rock The Boat with Fried or Seared Catfish + Creole Pan Sauce + Braised Collards + Gouda Grits + Fried Okra The drinks are named after artists like Ari Lennox and of course one of the strongest drinks is this one the "Megan Thee Stallion" packs a kick with tequila for even the experienced drinker. What makes this restaurant special is the vibe and atmosphere. Sports on the televisions screens and a DJ playing hit R&B and chill vibes. The staff makes you feel at home and it has a feel like Atlanta Styled restaurants but with it's own flavor. It's quite the popular hangout spot in Tampa with events constantly going on. If you plan to dine on the weekends it's definitely recommended to make your reservations early becuase the line is wrapped around the corner on the weekends to get in to the amazing brunch vibe. I witnessed some of the most beautiful people traveling from surrounding counties to visit the restaurant on the weekend. If you live in the Tampa area or planning a visit be sure to add 7th & Grove to your itinerary.

7th & Grove, located in Ybor City, is an exceptional restaurant that offers delicious soul food. Among the standout dishes are the Oxtails & Grits, and the appetizing Deviled Eggs served with seasoned chicken. The Rock The Boat dish, featuring Fried or Seared Catfish, Creole Pan Sauce, Braised Collards, Gouda Grits, and Fried Okra, is also worth trying.

One unique aspect of the restaurant is their drink menu, which features beverages named after artists such as Ari Lennox. The "Megan Thee Stallion" drink, made with tequila, packs a punch even for the most experienced drinkers.

The ambiance at 7th & Grove is what sets it apart from other restaurants. The establishment has a lively atmosphere with sports games displayed on the television screens, and a DJ playing hit R&B and chill tunes. The welcoming staff adds to the overall experience of feeling at home. Although the restaurant has an Atlanta-style vibe, it has its own unique character.

7th & Grove is a popular spot in Tampa, with events frequently taking place. It is advisable to make reservations early, especially on weekends, as the restaurant is known to be busy. I observed people from surrounding counties traveling to the restaurant, making it a must-visit place in the area. Make sure to add 7th & Grove to your itinerary when visiting or residing in...

I’m originally from Washington DC area. Born and raised, My wife is born and raised in Tampa. We are an interracial couple. (I have to add that for anyone else in the same situation.)I love bringing her to businesses that offer African American culture/food because that’s what I am used to experiencing everyday back home. Not so much in Tampa in my experience. I heard about this wonderful establishment and decided to go and take her on a date for the day. Me and my wife came down after making reservations. We had been trying for over a week to get in there. My wife finally got a reservation and we went yesterday. We walked in to a semi busy restaurant it is Easter holiday weekend and waited for a host for about five minutes at the front entrance. We were not greeted with a smile but we just sat down anyways. The server introduced himself and served us cold ice waters. Then he returned 30 minutes later to just take our drink orders. Then we waited another 30 minutes and no drinks again. When we asked where are our drinks, he proceeded to tell us he forgot to enter the drinks in the system. The food came out before we even had our first round of drinks or appetizer. Like we at Outback Steakhouse or something crazy. My wife ordered the shrimp and grits and of course it was cold and the shrimp was under cooked. I told her don’t eat those. My Georgia Peaches French toast was burned and semi cold. We were hungry. We had one drink each he never returned after first round to see if we wanted another one. Or any more water, it was a pretty sad meal. We each had one drink and one meal. The meal was blah at most. We shared a devil egged appetizer and one glass of water each. “It took him forever to return with the bill so we could get out we felt hostage at a horrible prank joke or something. It was so uncomfortable. Tables were getting empty around us but we could not get this guy to come back to our table. The Bill was around 105.00, I paid and tipped 20 percent. I didn’t complain and we left. Not my fight, if you run a business and don’t care about everyone then we won’t return. It was like two weeks to just get a reply via text for a reservation and the experience was even worse. A complete and absolute waste of time for two people that drove from Tarpon Springs. I’m a busy man and my wife is as well. I am very shocked at the lack of care that was taken by the server and the meal being burned, cold and under cooked was even more upsetting. Just overall bad...

My family and I chose to dine at 7th and Grove in celebration of Juneteenth, as we wanted to support a local, Black-owned restaurant. Unfortunately, our experience fell short of expectations.

Upon arriving, we, along with a few other parties, waited about 5-7 minutes at the host stand with no staff at the host/hostess stand. We were later informed that the restaurant was short-staffed due to several employees calling out that day, which we understood. A young male staff member eventually came over to greet us, ask for our party size, and begin handing us menus. However, before he could seat us, the female owner abruptly interrupted him to ask if he had taken another table’s order. He replied that he hadn’t yet, as he was trying to seat guests and eliminate a long at the front of the restaurant. She then proceeded to list the table’s order (incorrectly, missing a few items), and walked off without acknowledging or greeting the guests still waiting, including us. There was no apology for the delay or even a basic welcome. The young man apologized on her behalf, told us to sit wherever we’d like, and informed us it would be at least 15 minutes before someone could take our order. There were two available tables: one too small for our party and one that still had the previous guests’ dirty dishes. We chose the larger table and waited, assuming someone would clean it shortly. Unfortunately, 15–20 more minutes passed before a dishwasher came out to clear the table and quickly half wiped it down. Still, no one came to take our order, not even a drink order. After another 10–15 minutes, we saw another group (who had been seated after us) get up and leave. We soon did the same.

We are strong advocates for supporting black-owned businesses, as a black family ourselves but it must also make sense to do so. That means good customer service, a clean environment, friendly and respectful interactions (especially from leadership), quality food or products, and fair pricing. Unfortunately, this experience lacked the most basic level of customer service, particularly from the owner which was exremely disappointing.

If this establishment hopes to build lasting community support, it starts with acknowledging and valuing every guest who walks through the door. A little kindness and consideration go a long way. As of now, we’re unsure if we’ll return to give it a...