Gasparilla Distillery & Cocktail Bar — Restaurant in Tampa

BEWARE TO THOSE LOOKING TO PARK: The parking lot on the backside of Gasparilla is a paid parking lot that will tow you regardless of if you paid to park your vehicle or not.

I parked at 'Gaspar Rum Lot' and paid Evolution Parking Systems $10.45 @ 7:25pm on 8/16/2025 via the ParkMobile app for time until the lot closed at 10:00pm. Walked around downtown Ybor for 1.5 hours, I got back to the lot @ 8:57pm with over 1 hour left on my timer to see my vehicle was gone.

I called every number posted on the 'TOW AWAY ZONE' signs and the parking company signs and they all rang forever or went straight to voicemail. Finally spotted a tiny QR code posted on one of the signs that takes you to a link to enter your plate # and find where it was taken to.

I waited for Tampa Police to show up because I presumed it was a stolen vehicle. They run some searches and find that my vehicle was impounded but didn't show up in their system for over an hour after it was initially towed. The officers took me and another couple who had their vehicle towed away at the exact same time also to the private impound lot. Got to the lot which belongs to Target Towing and Recovery. I showed them all of my receipts and they said they do not honor those payments and that they were dispatched by the property owner independently.

They ended up making me pay $178.00 to release the vehicle and would only take cash/debit. They would not take credit so you can't dispute the charges.

Get back to my vehicle and notice they also slapped a $45.00 parking ticket on top of all the rest with the citation being "IMPROPER PARKING, NO COMMENT" which was left at 7:50pm. The vehicle then appeared in TARGET R/T's impound system at 8:36pm.

A lot of shady stuff going on between all parties involved here. I was parked in a valid spot in front of a wheel stop inside of a stall. Its very hard to see any markings on the lot in general as all the paint is very faint. The signage on this lot is also very sparse and what is there is sloppy and can be hard to understand for some folks.

I can only presume they 'targeted' my vehicle because it is a Mercedes van with commercial out-of-state plates and they knew I or my company would absolutely come back and pay the release fee regardless. So it was a quick and easy money maker for them. I'm not sure how any of what they did is legal whatsoever, I'm sure much of it isn't. For one, if you operate an after hours towing service/parking lot you are required to have an after hours phone operator/hotline.

All in all, parking at this lot costed me $239.80, getting a ride in the back of a police cruiser and not getting home until nearly 2am.

This has no correlation to the Gasparilla restaurant itself, the staff in there were friendly and helpful in trying to figure things out with me. However, if this lot is named 'Gaspar Rum Lot' and is associated with the restaurant, potential patrons need to beware of this same fiasco...

Gasparilla Distillery & Cocktail Bar is a hidden gem that delivers big flavors in a cozy and welcoming setting. The distillery may be on the smaller side, but it more than makes up for it with its vibrant atmosphere, excellent service, and high-quality spirits.

From the moment you arrive, ample parking makes access easy, and the seating options cater to all preferences—whether you want to sit at the bar, relax in the lounge area, or enjoy the ambiance indoors. The pirate theme is creatively woven throughout the space, reinforcing the brand’s identity and adding a unique charm to the experience. Even their rum carries the spirit of adventure!

The cocktail menu is well-crafted, with each drink packing a punch in both flavor and strength without being overwhelming. We tried several different options, and each one was balanced and expertly mixed. What truly stood out was the staff—friendly, down-to-earth, and exceptionally skilled. If you're open to letting them surprise you with a custom drink, you won't be disappointed.

Cleanliness is another highlight of Gasparilla Distillery. The entire establishment, including the restrooms, is spotless and well-maintained. It’s clear that they take pride in their presentation and guest experience.

Before leaving, we couldn’t resist purchasing a bottle of their coconut rum, which will make a fantastic addition to our collection. Overall, our visit was outstanding, and we’ll definitely be returning soon!

Pros:

Ample parking and multiple seating options

Immersive pirate-themed ambiance

Well-balanced, flavorful cocktails with quality spirits

Friendly, knowledgeable, and engaging staff

Exceptionally clean establishment, including restrooms

Unique rum selections available for purchase

Cons:

Smaller space, which might get crowded during peak times

Limited food options (if any), so plan accordingly if you want a meal

If you’re a fan of craft cocktails, quality spirits, and a unique atmosphere, Gasparilla Distillery & Cocktail Bar is...

Such a great place! We enjoyed this distillery for their tour and tasting. The decor inside is fantastic and played off the pirate theme very well. Their tasting counter is beautiful and you can see out into the production areas right from where we sampled their line-up of sprits. The distillery tour was in-depth and really well done. We were able to get close to the distiller and see the operation up close. We were impressed with the cleanliness of the facility as well as we’ve worked in craft beverage facilities before and know how difficult they can be to keep up with the maintenance and cleanliness in this type of an operation. The spirits were quite enjoyable and they had a few different runs and one vodka for us to try. We really enjoyed their spiced rum and ended up walking out with a bottle. It was an easy choice to make. They do have a pineapple rum as well that was quite delicious. Overall, we would recommend the full experience to anyone interested in distilleries and that process. We’ve been to a few of them and this one is right up there with regard to quality and passion for their product. The team working when we went in were incredibly friendly and were so great about talking through their products. We can’t wait to visit again when we go back to...