Rusty Pelican Tampa — Restaurant in Tampa

𝐀 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐎𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐲 - 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Rusty Pelican has solidified its status as a local staple over the years, and after my recent visit, it's abundantly clear why this establishment has stood the test of time. It boasts a perfect blend of exquisite cuisine, breathtaking views, and a sophisticated ambiance.

𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 What makes Rusty Pelican a favorite to me (as a former photographer) is that it's the perfect venue to host your most cherished events with an amazing backdrop for weddings, receptions, dinner parties, private events, and timeless experiences. The moment you walk up to the restaurant, you are greeted with a carefully curated story-telling experience. It's a work of art designed with meticulous attention to detail, including the outside entry with a beautiful fireplace and the inside lobby adorned with modern and past history architecture and subtle lighting, which beckons patrons with an air of anticipation. It indeed provides the EXPERIENCE anyone could look for.

𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 The service staff demonstrated a remarkable balance between efficiency and warmth. Our waitress was very attentive, making sure every interaction was conducted with a high level of professionalism. Timing is often the key to a flawless dining experience, and this restaurant mastered this aspect with finesse. I think everyone hates it when the food comes out too quickly, and surely, they made sure everything was timed to perfection.

𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 / 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Presentation - top-notch. The food presentation is elevated to a level of sheer brilliance from the first glance to the last bite; every dish at this restaurant is perfectly plated and presented. However, we know food that looks good doesn't always taste good. This is where the restaurant fell short.

Onion Soup - The initial presentation of the French Onion Soup was enticing – a bubbling bowl of melted cheese crowned with a golden-brown crust promised a delightful, comforting experience. However, the first spoonful revealed an unmistakable and overwhelming saltiness that eclipsed the nuanced flavors one would expect in this traditional dish. Maybe I'm spoiled, as I have sat with a Michelin-starred chef who truly presented the best onion soup I have ever had from the best recipe – thanks Grandma. The most important thing about all dishes is focusing on the showcase ingredient – in this case, onion. Every bite should be focused on the onion. The key mistake I see most chefs make is that they don't consider the natural salt flavors that come with the broth, onion, and especially the cheese. Salt – you should always be conservative. I have dined with many chefs who even try to counter the salt effect of ingredients within the dish. Salt is NOT your friend when you present a dish, and it's a friend for the consumer if they want more.

Broccolini & Crispy Tofu – Another amazing presentation, but the taste made me sour. The dish is described as a Soy Honey Glazed Tofu, Ginger broccoli puree, roasted red peppers, and toasted sunflower seeds. What did I taste? The entire time was sodium. Here's where the chef misfired. Less is More. At the bottom of the dish, there was a POOL of soy sauce. That tells me they doused everything with soy. Soy is an excellent complimentary flavor. It would have landed if they had used soy and honey JUST to glaze the Tofu and maybe used a more balanced sauce with the rest of the dish. While I expected some salt flavoring from the soy, I couldn't taste the ginger puree, red peppers or the "toasted" sunflower seeds. In fact – I couldn't find the seeds.

Overall, my dishes didn't scare me away. I still think they were presented well and cooked well. Just the wrong flavor profile. I have had other dishes at this restaurant, which were all up to par. Besides, the view almost makes you forget about the bad taste. It's still a true gem that deserves every accolade it receives—a genuine five-star experience that leaves a...

We drove up to the valet stand and I stepped out and the valet told me that the parking lot was full and parking is in the parking garage. I told him that it doesn't matter because we are doing valet and he walked over to the driver’s side. My husband told him that we were doing valet and the valet told him that he is telling everyone to park in the parking garage across the street because that is where valet is parking the cars. My husband had the tip in his hand and said are you going to park the car or what and the valet told him, yea I guess. We walked up the ramp to the entrance and there were people everywhere, it looked like a wedding party was just leaving or just arriving but there were wall to wall people in the walkway and lobby area. I found the host station and gave her our name and she went ahead and seated us. We had a table with a nice water view. The interior is dated but there are signs indicating that they are getting ready for a renovation. The service inside didn't get any better. Our waitress was very nice and knowledgeable, but everything took forever. I believe the bar and kitchen were understaffed which was no fault of hers. We ordered our cocktails at 5:45 and we were served our dinner at 7:11. Service was really slow all night. My husband and I ordered drinks while we waited for our other guests to arrive. After about 15 minutes our other guests arrived and they ordered drinks, we still didn't have our drinks. After about 10 minutes everyone at the table was served their drinks and I still didn't have mine. I asked if she remembered my drink and she said yes, but there was a wedding going on and the bartender was busy. I did get my drink shortly thereafter and it was delicious. The bartender makes great drinks they just need more bartenders. We ordered apps and I did like that you can order shrimp cocktail by the piece. The shrimp was very large, cold and fresh. The conch fritters had an excellent buttery corn flavored batter however they had really hard black crunchy bits and a lot of gristle and we couldn't even finish one of them. I've had these other places and I know how they should taste and what the texture should be and these didn't have it. I was very disappointed because the batter was very good. The waitress said she was going to take them off the bill but she never did. Soup, salads and oysters were good. I ordered King Crab. The crab was cut open and halved which was great however it was room temperature and the butter wasn't hot. For $80 I'd like my crab hot. The asiago citrus risotto was soft and creamy. My husband got the stuffed grouper which was hot and delicious. For dessert the waitress brought out a creme brulee with a Happy Birthday chocolate on it and then lit it on fire which was very thoughtful. When we left for the night the valet was...

This review is for their wedding services

To begin with, let me acknowledge the initial appeal that led us to choose your venue for our special day. The picturesque location, elegant aesthetics, and the promises made during our first visit left us with a sense of excitement and anticipation. We are also the third generation of my family to get married at this location, so the venue alone is sentimental. However, our actual experience was marred by several serious issues:

1. Management and Lack of Coordination: The lack of effective communication and coordination among your staff was evident from the beginning. Important details were overlooked, and this resulted in significant confusion and stress on the day of our wedding. Sam Boyle was no where to be found on my wedding day. My mother had to ask around on the day of for the company's landscaper to clean up the area for my venue. To this day I have not heard a word from Ms. Boyle since she received our money. 2)Communication and Responsiveness: We found it incredibly frustrating that our attempts to communicate our concerns and seek assistance during the event were met with a lack of responsiveness and an unprofessional attitude from your staff. Sam Boyle was extremely rude up until getting the money which she was given with no issue. Thank god for your amazing waiters and staff who could see the frustration that was happening with my family. The woman who was folding the napkins( I apologize in advance for forgetting her name) gave me a glass of champagne before my wedding and made sure everything was fine. They were the superstars of the event. They were the reason my guests were still able to have a great time. My wedding vendors could sense what was going on and even commended my mother for standing up and making sure I was still going to get married at the outside location. The weather cleared up and it was no longer wet due to the rain drying up. There was only a small puddle by the gazebo. We entrusted your venue with the responsibility of making our wedding day memorable, and the experience we had was far from what we had envisioned. The disappointment we feel is immeasurable, and it has cast a shadow over what should have been the happiest day of our lives.

We would appreciate your prompt attention to these issues and a sincere effort to rectify the situation. We are open to discussing potential remedies.

We hope that you take our concerns seriously and work towards improving the services and experiences provided by your venue to future couples who trust their special days to you. A wedding is an once-in-a-lifetime event, and the memories we carry from it should be filled with joy and happiness, not disappointment and...