Eddie V's Prime Seafood — Restaurant in Tampa

I’d like to preface this review by saying our wait staff and food was excellent. My wife and I came in looking to have a great dining experience at the restaurant. Our reservation for the dining room was at 7:30 and we wanted to get there early so we could have drinks at the bar. When we walked into the bar area around 6:00, we found that about 90% of the seating area around the actual bar had “Reserved” placards in front of the chairs. We saw two open chairs and walked over to ask the bartender if we could sit there. She told us it was reserved and pointed to the placard. We saw that there were open high tops in the bar so we spoke to the hostess and asked her if she could seat us there for drinks. She told us the only way she would seat us there was if we gave up our reservation in the dining room. We did not want to do that because we were looking for a nice dining experience. A lady behind us told us they were being seated and we could have their place at the bar. We thanked her and walked over only to find that their seats were now placarded “Reserved”. We asked the bartender if we could sit there and she asked how long we would be staying. We told her our reservation was at 7:30, and she said that it was fine because the seats we wanted were reserved for 8:00. She subsequently removed the placard and we sat down. Once we received our drinks we asked the bartender what we could do different next time so we could have drinks before dinner. She told us that most of the people sitting in the “Reserved” spots know the bartenders and have their phone numbers. They will text the bartender that they are coming in and they will reserve seats at the bar for them. I have a few issues with the system Eddie V’s has in place. This defeats the whole idea of having a bar at a restaurant. Sitting at a bar has always been a first come first serve area. Having most of the bar area reserved cheats the majority of the customers out of a good dining experience, which is why they came to the restaurant. Secondly, finding out that there was nothing we could have done different to change our experience was completely disheartening. We shouldn’t have to know a bartender and posses their phone number to be able to sit at the bar. My wife and I enjoy going out and eating at nice restaurants. While we may not do that 3-4 times a week, when we do, we have no problem spending $600-700 on that experience. Because of what happened we felt like we were viewed/treated like customers that DO NOT matter. It completely ruined our dining experience and we would...

Highly Overrated. I’ve been here twice before and it was good but nothing memorable or knocking my socks off. However I was given a nice sized gift certificate for Christmas and we had several family birthdays to celebrate so I figured I would utilize that for our family.

I called to make a reservation for 14 which I was told I had to call during very specific times or send an email to do this. Sent email and followed up with a call during that “timeframe” and spoke with sales girl who was somewhat snotty on the phone. Probably a bad day or she is used to dealing with equally snotty people. Who knows but I ignored it. She proceeded to explain a minimum charge per person no matter a child or not and my party was not large enough to have a private room. Fine, I get it. I had only one child so no biggie. BC of the size of the party they required me to fill out an agreement about the minimum pp charge (which is $100 btw), then a deposit secured with a credit card. She encouraged me to pre-order several appetizers to have on the table when our party arrived. She said it looks beautiful for the arrival and they would have it decorated as such. So I ordered one dozen steak sliders and a seafood tower. Well….we arrived at our reservation time and there was nothing on the table to eat. We had a long wait to get anything, at least 20 minutes AFTER the entire party was seated to receive ANY appetizers. Drinks thankfully came out first just before the apps. It was embarrassing. My family was looking around hungry and thirsty. Our table was in the midst of the dining area and it was LOUD. We couldn’t converse with anyone except the person next to or directly across from.

For all of the above reason’s I do not recommend having a large party here unless it’s big enough to have a private room.

Regarding the food: The seafood tower was not impressive. The steak slider appetizer was good and temperature was on point for the steak. My fish was saturated in butter and not very good.

Overall, this restaurant overpromised and under delivered. Noting Our server was very nice and was trying so hard. But he had a lot of tables and was trying to accommodate everyone. I could see the stress of him trying hard but if being over sat by the front of the house a server even a good one can’t perform properly if they don’t have any help. And our server had no help. Poor guy!

Overall, not impressed and would prefer to go to any other Tampa area restaurants. There are plenty to choose from. I don’t plan to go here unless it’s a gift card or a...

🌟 A Night to Remember at Eddie V’s Unforgettable Food, Atmosphere, and Service! 🌟

We recently celebrated our 16 years Wedding Anniversary at Eddie V’s and I can confidently say it was one of the most memorable dining experiences we've ever had. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warmth and hospitality that instantly set the tone for the evening. Our table was decorated with red rose petals and 2 greeting cards congratulating us on our special day. The ambiance was perfect elegant yet relaxed, with soft lighting, tasteful decor, and a buzz of happy energy that made it feel both intimate and alive.

But what truly made the night exceptional was the amazing staff, and especially our incredible server, Kristine Mills.

Kristine was beyond outstanding she was attentive without being intrusive, knowledgeable without being overbearing, and somehow always appeared at just the right moment. She greeted us with a warm smile, congratulated us on celebrating our anniversary and then made it her personal mission to make our evening unforgettable. Her thoughtful recommendations were spot on from cocktails to entrées to desserts and she made each course feel like part of a curated journey.

Every dish was a masterpiece, beautifully presented and bursting with flavor. Whether it was the perfectly made South African Lobster, the seasonal small plates that showcased the chef’s creativity, or the decadent dessert that capped the night, everything was executed flawlessly. Kristine's timing was impeccable she allowed us to savor each moment, all while keeping everything flowing smoothly.

What stood out most was her genuine enthusiasm and how she made us feel like we were the most important table in the room. She even surprised us with a celebratory touch that felt deeply personal and heartfelt a detail we’ll never forget. Her manager Russell also checked in and made sure everything was going well.

It’s rare to find that combination of culinary excellence and genuinely caring service, but Kristine and the team at Eddie V’s delivered it effortlessly. Our celebration was elevated into something truly magical, and we are so grateful.

To Kristine: thank you for your grace, your professionalism, and for making our evening truly special. We will absolutely be back and we’ll be requesting your...