Jekyll — Restaurant in Tampa

Pleasantly surprised. Low key I was coming in fully expecting to come out as a hater due to some other reviews I read before coming into Jekyll, but I think I’ll eat (or drink) my words on that.

A word of advice before you come: I don’t know what to say to the masses other than this is a speakeasy so make sure to book ahead to get a reservation to get the password. As we were leaving, a group of people were asking us what was the password, like they’d get entry solely with that. They take the password of the night and the name of the person who reserved the time. Definitely get a reservation so you don’t look silly in the bagel shop because you walked in without one.

Going into the black threshold from shop to speakeasy, the walls and ceilings were covered in glorious wallpaper and created such eclectic and moody space. I love the main bar area with all of the spirits on the shelves illuminated with the light in the back, portraits on the wall, and the open space seating. Oh, don’t forget the gorgeous ceiling, that’s my favorite thing in there.

Our server Josh was attentive and gave thoughtful recommendations. It was kind of hard to hear him sometimes due to other groups being in the space and some music yet he answered our questions and described the tastes of the cocktails really well before we had ordered them. Since my friend was doing a Dry January, he was able to have the bartender curate something alcohol-less that fit the flavor profiles of what was on a page of the menu book. It was amazing at how yummy it was for being a mocktail drink! I really enjoyed mine, which definitely tasted reminiscent to a caprese salad (as Josh had described and I was happy with). The presentation of the drinks was nice and depending on what drink you got, there might be a cool device that accompanies the drink. For instance, my friend had one come in a smoked glass house, which I’m assuming will infuse smoke flavor to it. We also saw other guests have like a drip apparatus on top of their glass, which was a super intriguing. At the end of our visit, the bartender came up to my friend to see if she enjoyed her mocktail drink since he had to sub-out a good majority of the alcohol-based ingredients and have thoughtful add-ins that made it taste similar to what the drink would normally taste like. It was such a considerate thing to do and I’m impressed with his level of skill to know what ingredients combined create something similar yet still delicious.

The prices of these cocktails are what I had initially saw on the reviews as the most shocking to customers and the way some of the staff had handled some reviewers’ customer experiences, which I would totally understand and would be mad at if I was on the receiving end of that. For Friday’s experience, I can understand the $20-30/ea pricing for these cocktails because of the attention to detail needed for these bespoke beverages. I think as long as you read the book and are aware that the numbers below it are the prices of the drink, you should be forewarned of any potential sticker shock (see: there’s a bev available for $1300).

Especially coming in knowing that this would be a place where you’d chill, sip and chat leisurely kinda place, my experience last Friday, through the efforts of both Josh and our bartender made our Jekyll experience better than what I’ve read in other reviews. It was awesome how they accommodated my friend who isn’t drinking alcohol but still wanted to come and have a nice beverage with us, and we got to sit back and people-watch and see the cool drinks that come out from behind the bar. I’m looking forward to trying out more drinks here as the year progresses.

There is a lot of parking in the garages of Hyde Park Village or valet across the street. Be wary of high traffic times like...

APRIL 2024: My second visit to Jekyll was a much-improved experience compared to my first. Being a returning customer at Jekyll, I was pleasantly surprised by the improvements that had taken place since my last visit. The service was exceptional, with my server going above and beyond to make sure I had a great experience. They were knowledgeable and gave great recommendations from the cocktail menu.

One major change I noticed was that Jekyll now serves food, although I didn't have a chance to try any dishes. The welcome drink was a nice touch and set the tone for a wonderful evening ahead.

The atmosphere at Jekyll is still as impressive as ever, with the decor adding to the overall ambience of the space. I was seated in a beautiful bench and felt completely at ease throughout my visit.

I had the opportunity to try several drinks, including Lost in Translation, Harker’s Secret, White Rabbit, and Memories of Cari. Each drink was unique in its own way and incredibly delicious. It was clear that a lot of care and consideration went into crafting the cocktails.

Overall, my second visit to Jekyll was a huge success, and I would highly recommend this establishment to anyone looking for a great cocktail experience. I'm already looking forward to my next visit.

NOVEMBER 2023: The ambiance of the establishment is delightful and the elegant decor enhances its overall charm. The music selection also added a lovely touch to the atmosphere. I must commend the staff for their outstanding service, as they were consistently pleasant and friendly throughout the visit. However, although the drinks served were satisfactory, they lacked the flair and remarkable taste that would justify the prices, $32 for one cocktail and $28 for the other. Regrettably, the cocktail Virtue's Vice failed to meet expectations, leaving me feeling underwhelmed, unimpressed, and ultimately disappointed. As a whole, the experience was decent but failed to make a lasting impression that would make me recommend this newly...

As a person who seeks out unique experiences where ever I travel, I am happy Jekyll opened in Tampa. The upscale experience is on par with the best similar places we visited in New York & Las Vegas. However, be sure your expectations are for an experience, not a bar to hang out for cheap drinks. When I made a reservations, there were many things that they explained from the dress code to how much time your reservations was for. I liked that I also received a text message the morning of my visit explaining everything again and giving me my secret password to get in. Well done! They also reminded us that the do not serve meals and only light snacks, so our expectations were established. We arrived at the bagel shop a few minutes before our reservation. We were greeted in a very pleasant manner and offered a complimentary shot. Nice start! We were then taken inside the hidden speakeasy which was laid out in a way that you have some privacy at your table. The environment was upscale and enjoyable. The service was perfect. We were explained the drinks and recommendations for spirits were were interested in. The drink book was also very fun to read. We also liked the list of snack items and ordered two - both were perfect for us. There were in the range of 10 to 12 specialty cocktails on the menu book. They were all unique and we liked watching haw they were prepared at guests tables. We were also offered cocktails that are not on the menu but could be prepared at the bar. We ordered from the menu. The liquor brands were listed and were mostly high end spirits, meaning these are not going to be cheap cocktails. Since we had a limited time, I thought before we went that I would feel rushed. This was never the case. Our server checked on us a good number of times, never too much or too little. I highly recommend Jekyll for an experience on a night out, maybe before or after dinner. It is fun and...