DeVito's Italian Specialties — Restaurant in Tampa

We stopped by DeVito’s because we were in the mood for Italian and wanted to explore downtown Tampa during our long weekend stay in St. Pete Beach. Getting into Tampa, though? That’s a journey all on its own. If you’re not doing at least 30 mph over the speed limit, you’re basically standing still. The silver lining? We beat Google Maps’ ETA by a solid 10 minutes — small wins!

Now for the important part — the food and the experience. DeVito’s is a classy, welcoming spot with a cozy yet upscale vibe. I’ll admit, I might’ve been slightly biased — one of my best friends is a DeVito, and that may have nudged me toward giving this place a try. Either way, we’re glad we did.

We started with a couple of appetizers because, frankly, I was starving. The mozzarella-stuffed sausage was a standout — rich, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. The bruschetta was also fresh and vibrant, with the perfect crunch and a generous helping of tomato and basil on top. For our entrees, the dishes kept the momentum going. My wife had the lobster-stuffed ravioli, which she gave a solid 10/10 — and I have to agree, especially since I happily helped her finish it (no leftovers on a road trip!).

Our server was excellent — attentive without being overbearing, and genuinely friendly, which made the whole experience even better. You can tell the staff takes pride in both the service and the food.

All in all, DeVito’s delivered across the board — great atmosphere, delicious food, and top-notch service. We’ll definitely be recommending this place to friends and family visiting the Tampa area. It's worth the drive… even if you have to risk life and limb on the highway...

Dined in the Saturday before Valentine’s Day because my wife was going to be traveling for work on Valentine’s Day. We had a 5 o'clock reservation. I had a touch of roses delivered to the restaurant so they could have them on the table when my wife and I arrive. It was like a herd of cattle when they open the door. They don’t even let you in early to have a drink and relax first. They unlock the door and start running around, like chickens without a head. I can go on, but I’ll get to the point never mentioned a word to my wife trying to have a great time. It never comes. Our waitress most of the time instead of waiting on us she was just taking care of orders to go bagging them up and giving it to people that had orders to go. Approachedthe bar to ask where th food is, she told me it was taken by another Weait staff to another table. She continued to pack to go orders. I sat down right away, and I was approached by the bartender/manager/bus boy at our table, telling me everything is cooked to order, that’s why it takes long…..that’s not what I was told I was told someone took our order. They try to have a high end restaurant…..they need to hire staff to take care of to go orders and not wait tables and take care of to go orders while you are spending $250 to have a nice sit down dinner for two . Even though the food was great, and the atmosphere was good, I will not be back. By the bartender/manager/bus boy’s attitude I don’t think they really care. I left this review on the Resy app never heard back...

I am in town for business, and this establishment is conveniently located across the street from my Hilton. The reviews and menu options initially led me to believe it would be a satisfactory choice.

I began with a dirty martini. Although four different vodkas were listed on the menu, only one was available when I ordered. I inquired about blue cheese martinis and was offered gorgonzola instead, which seemed acceptable. However, the martini itself was not properly prepared, lacking the expected flavor, and the olives were bland, including the cheese-stuffed ones. It appeared as though the olive juice had been diluted, resulting in a lackluster drink.

The burrata caprese and garlic focaccia were the highlights of my meal, and I would recommend both. For the main course, I opted for the seafood ravioli, which was disappointing. Despite the menu indicating it would be topped with shrimp and blue crab meat, there was no crab present—only shrimp and tomatoes. While the three shrimp were enjoyable, the dish did not justify its $42 price tag.

I chose not to send the dish back, especially after witnessing another patron return their osso buco for being bland and not tender. The inconvenience he faced deterred me from even requesting salt and pepper for my meal.

In summary, while the salad and bread were satisfactory, they could have easily been prepared in my hotel room, leading to a more...