The Boat Club — Restaurant in Tarpon Springs

Let me tell you a story..... Years ago when I was in my younger years I visited my older sister in Tarpon Springs. She was a longtime resident transplanted of her own volition from Ohio when she was only 19. She had lived there almost twelve years by that time, but on this trip I was finally of drinking age. She loved this little Greek community and the area in which she lived. She knew many wonderful people and so many interesting places to go. I was so jealous. Anyway, she asked me one day if I'd like to go canoeing and I was totally up to it. We launched into the Anclote River close to the Sponge docks and started our way inland. She then asked me if I'd like to go to the Anclote River Boat club which was supposed to be some really neat place where all these big yachts go and I was totally all for it. But as we paddled our way further up the river I began to wonder how those big yachts could possibly maneuver up the river with such a shallow draft. My sister assured me that there was an alternate channel that these big boats took to get back to where we were going. Knowing that my sister knew so many places I didn't question it too much...... As we slowly paddled around the bend coming out from behind the bushes and mangroves growing on the small sandbars in the river, I laid my eyes onto a building that appeared to be sliding into the river. As we came closer my sister instructed me to paddle towards the small pier jutting into the river. I looked to her and said "I thought we were going to the Yacht Club?" To which she responded, "This is it!", with a little jubilation in her voice. I looked about totally confused as to how she could possibly say this was a yacht club. Well the joke was on me. And I don't know perhaps at one point in time years ago this was a boat club of some kind. But I'll tell you what, the cold beer was good. The people were kind and welcoming. I would say a real down-to-earth bunch of folks that I would be happy to party with anytime. Yeah there's a row boat stuck in a tree I think from one of the last hurricanes prior to that visit. And yes I think there's even a tree growing through the building like a Frank Lloyd Wright creation that came to be on its own. The place has a charm of its own that many places today actually try and duplicate onto a new building. Perhaps nowadays a cross between a biker bar and a boat club. But I'd say all are...

Without a doubt, this is the dodgiest dive bar in all of Florida. It is a perfect disaster in the making. I'm fairly sure the only thing keeping the building from falling into the Anclote River is the habit of standing still for over a hundred years. I had the unique pleasure to sit and enjoy a few beers with the bartender, Cici, and a longtime local patron, Mike. Cici was a great host and shared stories about the old establishment, as did Mike. It is unfortunate that these places are getting mowed over in Florida all in the false claim of "progress". I'm thrilled to have found The Boat Club, and truly hope it survives for...

Ladies you will not like it! If you have any class at all this is not the place for you. Place looks like its about to fall down. Bathrooms are nasty, my husband had to stand in front of the door for me to potty. Js. Don't order draft beer they are overly priced. $2.00 for 4 oz of beer. And $20 for a shirt you can pickup for $10 at Walmart. They are a local bar, trying to charge tourist prises. And if they don't know you get a cold shoulder. Not friendly at all. If you guys refer to rustic as DIRTY and ceiling look like is was caving in. Then I guess rustic. Lol I...