Restaurant food was average (maybe a 2or 3 stars), but the ice cream was UNREAL -- big 5 stars there. Definitely go there for drinks or dessert. Dinner was otherwise disappointing and not very flavorful. Fried Green tomatoes were bland and tasteless. In all, I wouldn't recommend the dining experience -- (they've a squirrel infestation that they must think is cute -- they allow the rodents to parade all about the tables...that can't be sanitary to say the least). Service was average too.
(3)
Debbie V.
Great place for food and a beer. Wonderful Fried Green Tomatoes. Can't wait to go back and try the burger. They will cook it to order and have grass fed beef.
(4)
Cari P.
This place is small and outdoors, but it's a nice and quaint place during the time we went. Has outside bar area, so wouldn't be a place we'd hang out since we don't drink, but the wrap was really good. Would definitely go back after church for lunch again.
(4)
Elizabeth D.
I loved their Fried green tomatoes so good! I tried one of the burgers, it was cook to perfection and the flavor was great. For desert I had cookie dough ice cream, mmmm it was delicious! The seating is all outside but they have fans and misters to keep you cool in the summer heat. The service was attentive and caring. I loved my whole experience there.
(5)
Jorge C.
Great place to have a burger & a beer! Try the corn fritters, they are delicious. Quiet place in Downtown Safety Harbor. If you visit at the right time, you might be able to catch the "open mic night"! Good Music, good atmosphere with great food..Dog friendly also :)
(4)
TootTootTootsie G.
This is a really fun place to come with a group, especially for Wednesday open mic nights, but a place to avoid when it's very hot and humid, because it's an open-air venue. Their fried green tomatoes, topped with goat cheese and chopped red tomatoes, are sensational. They also have fried dill pickle chips in a spicy batter that are much better than they sound. The grilled chicken breast, topped with sour cream and orange slices, is served with lime marinated red onions and black beans and rice. They also have a wide selection of burgers, sandwiches, wraps, and salads. Save room for dessert - the ice cream sundaes are delicious and priced at only $3.95 or less, or you can share an order of nachos dulce, warm tortilla chips sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and topped with soft serve vanilla ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce. They have live music every Friday and Saturday night. The evening crowd tends to be in their 20s and 30s but we "older" folks don't feel out of place here.
(4)
Veronica H.
My husband and I had just gotten back from a long day at Busch Gardens so we decided to get something that was nearby our hotel in Safety Harbor. Plus my brother in law and his wife are vegetarian, so this place had more to offer for them. We went on a Tuesday night, so it really wasn't that busy. Our server was quick to come to us when we got there, but I felt like she didn't really come around much thereafter. I ordered a peanut butter milkshake (which was amazing, btw) and a chicken wrap and hubby ordered some chicken wings. This probably wasn't the best place for him and I to go to because we're kind of picky eaters. A lot of their food had goat cheese or blue cheese crumbles, and I'm not a fan of either, but its our own fault for going here. The other thing was my brother in law's wife ordered a sandwich which was supposed to contain mushrooms and red peppers and it only had one mushroom and didn't have any red peppers in it because they were out. We felt like the server should have at least let her know that they were out. I might stop in next time we go to Florida just to try the fried green tomatoes, but I probably won't try anything else.
(2)
Gary H.
Stopped here at the advise of a friend after a day of kayak fishing. After living in the Keys for more than 21 years, this place was like being in Tavernier at a seaside bar/restaurant only without the water. Come to find out the owners used to own a business in the Keys. Owner was very friendly as was the staff. Food was good and the beer was cold. Great joint
(4)
Sheri I.
Drinks are good, service friendly and efficient, atmosphere...relaxed and congenial....food....ok. Nice to place to stop in anytime of day or night.
(4)
Brad S.
I finally tried the food here after visiting several times for live music and drinking only beer. I was wowed by my calamari salad. Very fresh greens with red peppers under a large bed of crispy, non-greasy, plump calamari, all dressed in a garlic vinagrette. Excellent! The hummus plate is also good: a generous amount of tasty hummus, surrounded by a lot of fruit and veggies and crispy chips of some sort. The sweet potato fries are also something special here. I skipped dessert, but that's one of their claims to fame, so I would not hesitate were I in the mood for ice cream etc. The music on weekends is always great when Greg West plays! The only caveat is the outdoor seating allows smoking, and the smoke drifted my way a little too much. They should ban smoking around food period.
(4)
Brandon P.
Had the southwestern wrap and that is flippen awesome. Highly recommended! Check it out!
(5)
Michaela K.
This is one of my new favorite spots! We've been twice now and had a great experience both times. The first time I got the grass fed burger, and it was PERFECT. The black bean salad that accompanied it was fresh and packed with flavor. The meals everyone else in my family got were all delicious, too! All of the seating is outside, but there's always a breeze and we were very comfortable. The second time we went, it was late at night and they had excellent live music. The atmosphere was like one big party! The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was because the BBQ pork sandwich I got on my second visit was OK but not as mind-blowing as the burger I had previously. The sweet potato fries were AMAZING ... if you go, I definitely recommend ordering a couple of plates because they will disappear quickly! If we move to Safety Harbor like we hope to, we will definitely be Whistle Stop regulars! :)
(4)
Patrick C.
Nice place with a small "downhome" feel that serves up some great Sundaes as well as great entertainment out back. Check it out...you'll be glad you did!
(4)
Brittney M.
My fiancee and I stopped in for a bite to eat the other night and it was AMAZING! The fancier green tomatoes were perfect! deliciously cooked and topped with goat cheese. YUM! He had a chicken and veggie wrap with onion rings that was also SUPER FANTASTIC!!! We'd go back just for those. But add in the laid back vibe, outside seating and (the best) Sangria and youve got an awesome dining experience. My only criticism was the service was lack luster. Not bad...just not good! We will be back for sure!
(4)
Jackie W.
The Whistle Stop is a fun place to go. All outdoor seating. Highly recommend the fish tacos and fried green tomatoes.
(4)
Debi E.
I had lunch here, and enjoyed it. The setting is more tropical than what I had expected. It sits right by a train track. Though I was told the train hardly ever comes by, but when it does they offer fun specials to "toast it".
(4)
Ilana B.
This is one of the best places for vegetarians/vegans in the area and is independently owned, which is pretty much why I gave it 5 stars. The prices are also really reasonable and the menu is large. I have never had anything there that I didn't think was delicious and neither has anyone I've gone with. Definitely give it a go!
(5)
David B.
Great atmosphere at this place they really have a nice outdoor patio and some cool music acts on certain nights of the week. The food and service are hit and miss and their prices are a little high when compared to similar places in Safety Harbor. I liked the food the first time I went, got the pulled pork tacos, but the service was on the slow side, and drink re-fills weren't happening at all. The last couple of times I went the service hasn't improved but the food isn't that great, got the pulled pork tacos and a chicken wrap. Much more grease on both during the second and third visit.
(2)
N B.
I had one of the worst dining experiences in my life at the Whistle Stop. Not only was the service slow, and I mean painfully slow, but when the order was delivered wrong, a woman came from the kitchen and began yelling at us. And when I say the order was delivered wrong, I asked for a chicken salad and was served a bowl of iceberg lettuce with a hot dog cut up on top. Who does that? The "corrected" salad came with the same iceberg lettuce and bits of the original hotdog. I was up charged $6.00 for the salad, for a total of $15.00 WHAT? So disrespectful...fitly...slow.
(1)
Christiaan G.
This place is great, and very unique. It is pretty much completely outdoors, so be aware of the weather. The owners are great, we had a big party there one time, and they let us bring our own music and everything. Sometimes they have live entertainment, open mic's, etc. Also fairly inexpensive overall.
(4)
Matthew N.
This is a cute little locally owned joint on Main Street Dunedin, right near the railroad tracks. Seating is completely outside and the menu sports typical Floridian fair with a large selection of burgers and sandwiches as well as larger entrees like steak and chicken or fish filets. For us veggies they do serve up a Boca burger. Ordering without the provolone cheese should make this item vegan. The wait staff is very attentive and if they don't know something they'll be quick to return with an answer. The food itself is average but the atmosphere is great and a really relaxing affair when the cooler whether sets in.
(4)
Johnny C.
I wouldn't tell you that you have to stop here just for the food, it's not bad it's just not great but the atmosphere and location make it a regular stop for me - on a bad visit you could find yourself next to a busy ashtray, look around before grabbing a seat outside
(4)
Edward L.
The decor was cool and I had high hopes for this place. I ordered a medium grass-fed burger and when it came, there was a very thick, well done crust encasing a very well done and tasteless burger. I was even having trouble cutting into the burger (no bun) with a steak knife- seriously, it was as tough as bacon. the waitress/bartender was apologetic but the kitchen staff was evidently defiant and denied wrong-doing. management took a whole $3 off my bill for serving me literally the crappiest burger I've ever had... I ate maybe 1/3 of it.
(1)
Mike B.
Just had a great meal at one of Safety Harbors local restaurants. The Whistle Stop is a family friendly indoor outdoor gem located on Main St mid way through down town. You have to try their fish taco's and southern sampler. Friendly staff and reasonable prices. Enjoyed the band playing and oh Yeah you can take your four legged friends. That's a plus for us.
(5)
Jeanne D.
This is an outdoor restaurant that has plenty of shade and lots of large fans so I think it would be comfortable for most weather situations. I read in a guide book that it has been open for over thirty years so I was expecting the food to be pretty good. It has uneven quality on the menu items. My companion had the grass fed burger and was happy with it. She thought her potato wedges were bland and unmemorable and I would have to agree with her. We shared a thick shake and it was good, I have had better. My vegetarian burger was awful. It was straight from the freezer, cooked until it was dried out,then a piece of cheap cheese was placed on top (I guess to put moisture back in) and then it was placed on one of those tasteless 100 calorie 'buns'. I did not ask for a low calorie bun and if I was really concerned about calories I would have skipped the tasteless cheese. I had one fried green tomato as a side and the lack of seasoning in the breading material made it bland. The food I had here was bland and needed a lot more seasoning. I had their house beer which was pleasant but I was disappointed that all of their beer is from a large commercial brewer when there are some really excellent craft brewers in this area.
(2)
Christopher B.
This little place is every bit as quaint as its name implies. I mean come on, it is called the Whistle Stop. But of course this stop over along Safety Harbor's main drag is not just as quaint and interesting as the small town that it inhabits, it has some pretty interesting culinary chops. And it is the only place in the pay that I have seen a Paleo Diet food item specifically featured on the menu. Bonus Points. My wife and I had never been to Safety Harbor before and I have to say that this is a real shame. This is an actual small town complete with 1920's style band shell and a walkable main street hiding right in the middle of built up Pinellas. Either the entire town is upscale and yuppy or this is a place where the sidewalks are kept clean, small business are booming, and you don't have to lock your doors at night. I have fought a long battle with the cynic in me and decided to go with the later. I like it. And right at the beginning of Main Street there is a very interesting little place that begs you to stop in and check it out. This is the Whistle Stop. This is an all outdoor restaurant with large shaded patios. We were a little warm but not too bad. That says something for the middle of August in Florida. The menu specifically features fresh and local ingredients with grass fed beef provided from a nearby farm. We ordered some Fried Green Tomatoes, some Baja Fish Tacos, and the Paleo Burger. My Paleo Burger was very good with fresh lettuce, tomato, red onions and slices of avocado on a grass fed beef patty. I wish that they seasoned the patty more but that did allow me to taste that it was indeed grass fed beef. My wife's fish tacos were very good and she raved about them. And of course, my favorite, fried green tomatoes. I can never resist them. They did a wonderful job on the tomatoes though I wish we could get some tomatoes from outside Florida since ours are somewhat flavorless but that is hardly the Whistle Stops fault. All in all they were very good. Something else to consider is that they had a pretty interesting bar menu. Someone there is trying their hand at mixology and it looks like they are doing a decent (If a little on the sweet side) job of things. However, take that with a grain of salt since I can't drink on my diet. However, I used to be a bartender and I was very sorely tempted to take them for a whirl. All in all, I would say that we will be back and so should you.
(4)
Theo M.
This places excels in 3 ways atmosphere, range of food selection, this place has food for the pickiest of pallets and for meat and potatoes person Food quality and presentation
(4)
Jane T.
We stayed near-by over the Christmas holidays and love this quiet, quaint little village tucked away on the bay. We had lunch at the Whistlestop twice. Their cocktail menu is quite original. I had a key-lime pie martini. Perfect for a sunny day and people watching. I had their duck flatbread and their Caesar salad. My husband had their Mexican beans and one of their steak sandwiches. The food was very good. Fresh and service was very cordial. We also had their signature fried green tomatoes. I'd go back just for those! Just a nice outdoor cafe ( sheltered with heaters for any other weather.). Good food, nice surroundings and a dessert menu too. We will be back.
(4)
Marion E.
I love this place! It's a local, it's the place to go. However, last night we were seated in the section near the entertainment. The singer was okay, but, The speakers were turned so loud that nobody could hear each other speak so everyone was screaming at each other.
I love everything about this place. The cute southern charm,the theme,the drinks,etc. It is very chill,and the specialty drinks are unique and refreshing. The place is outside seating only,so make sure the weather is nice,before heading out. The fancy fried green tomatoes are awesome. They have a good selection of craft beers on tap. The service is friendly and hospitable. If you don't hit this place up, you're missing out!
(5)
Emily F.
Crab cakes and fried green tomatoes. Not bad. Crab cakes are excellent. The fried green tomatoes would be a better garnish. It overpowers the dish. Great out door seating for pets. Wonderful service*****
(4)
Michael M.
Great location. Outside. Horrible service. Sit at the bar & wave a flag to get the bartenders attention.
(4)
Andrea D.
Loved the atmosphere, corn fritters were so good, the southwest chicken wrap was so fresh tasting. And the entertainment was one guy who didn't blast the music! It was a great night for all of us!
(5)
Dianna B.
This afternoon, while in Safety Harbor running errands, I decided to spin Yelp and come up with a new destination for lunch. Whistle Stop is where it landed. I've been here before, But I guess I never wrote it up, My bad.. With the sky heavy with rain, I went in and sat on the porch near the rail, the service was Immediate: What did I want to drink? (Unsweet Iced tea) did I have any questions? I was still perusing the menu. While the waitress went away to get my drink, I took a moment to look at the over the menu and never got past the Small Plates menu. They have Buffalo Cauliflower & Fancy Fried Green Tomatoes! So that's what I got. It came out Super quick, The breading on the Cauliflower was thicker than I'd have liked but they were delicious! As for the Fried Green Tomatoes, I'm used to a sauce of some kind served with mine, and these came with none. They were tasty, but there wasn't enough of the goat cheese to make the up grade in price. I ended up passing my Fried Green Tomatoes on to a lovely couple who asked me about them. I'd only eaten two and asked them if they'd like them, they said they would. When I'd finished the cauliflower, I ordered dessert, they didn't have my first choice, but they did have Key Lime pie. It may not have been pretty, but it tasted great!
(4)
Steve E.
Whistle Stop Grill (WSG) is a very fun and very relaxed old Florida eatery sitting under the oak trees along Main Street in Safety Harbor. It's very easy to find this place -- simply put the Safety Harbor Spa in your rear-view mirror and drive along Main Street past all of the restaurants, bars, and retail establishments until you cross the railroad tracks. Immediately on your right is the Whistle Stop Grill. The WSG looks like a small ice cream stand (which it was back in the 50s) with a wrap-around outdoor patio for seating. You'll find a number of 4-tops, high-top bar tables, and long tables that can be pushed together under the canopies to fit any sized group. There is a specific dog-friendly area with wood chip flooring and bowls of fresh water. You'll see lots of TVs around the patio to give you a view of your favorite sporting events, and the WSG has live music and Open Mic nights in the evenings. The food is classic Southern with fried green tomatoes, fried pickles, corn fritters and pulled pork sandwiches. They have a small plates / appetizer menu with seared Ahi tuna, crab cakes, smoked fish spread, and hummus; and a dinner menu with fish platters, rib eye steaks, fish tacos, and various rice bowls. Since I was there on a lovely Saturday afternoon I ordered a small plate of fried green tomatoes and watched some baseball while sipping on an iced tea. The lunch menu also has salads, wraps, salads, and burgers; but after some thought I went with the crab & shrimp burger that was served with a mango salsa and a black-eyed pea salad. Whistle Stop Grill serves homemade milk shakes, malts, sundaes, and soft serve ice cream, along with pecan pie, Key lime pie, and some sort of death by chocolate decadence. This is a great place to meet up with friends, and just soak up the old Florida ambience as you enjoy some delicious food. There are plenty of places to park nearby, and I recommend walking along Main Street after your meal.
(4)
Robbie C.
Have to give props to Lindsey S for holding a UYE at the whistle stop in safety harbor. Can't believe I haven't ever explored this cute walkable town with lots of shops along main st. This place is an outdoor grill and bar with many options to choose from including salads, wraps, burgers, tacos, flatbreads Sammie's and more. With many southern offerings, fried pickles and fried green tomatoes. I went with a veggie burger with avocado added. Made with quinoa, oats, provolone cheese and tomato aioli and served on a very thin bun. Was very good but I wasn't crazy about the cole slaw. It was homemade but had a sweet taste to it. Knowing we'd be heading to a nearby bakery for some sweet treats, I wanted to keep it light but will be back to try more. Dawn the owner, was very sweet and offered us entry into contest to win $25 gc.
(4)
Michele P.
We ate here this evening. The fried green tomatoes were really delicious. I had the kale Greek salad and it was very filling . Also loved the buffalo shrimp !!! So delicious since I no longer eat meat and miss buffalo wings. Pork tacos were yummy acc to my daughter, my son had the bbq wings which he devoured. My husband did not like his salmon, but everyone enjoyed the French fries . Finally the ice cream was heavenly . Our server , Kim was very nice and attentive . Also the young lady singing this evening was an added treat . She had a great voice and her song selections were well received by the crowd . I would definitely return.
(4)
Daisy D.
When I think of a quaint little downtown in Florida, Safety Harbor is the picture of what that would look like. And Whistle Stop Grill & Bar is the perfect kind of place to sit and enjoy the beautiful weather we get blessed with on a regular basis. Don't get me wrong, you will not find me there in June, July or August. But for the beginning of April, it was perfect. We found a seat at the bar as we waited for our party to arrive. There is plenty of seating outside, both covered and uncovered with a mix of tables ranging from four-tops to high tops big enough for ten. I've made the rounds when it comes to Fried Green Tomatoes, so when I noticed one of their menu options was a FGT stack with a Crab Cake, I was pretty confident I knew what I was going to get. We got an order of the Wisconsin Cheese Curds while we perused the rest of the menu. For my beverage choice, I went with my old standby: gin & tonic. The G&T was good, enough gin to know it was there but not enough to overwhelm you at brunch. The cheese curds were delicious. Golden balls of cheese nuggety goodness fried just enough. I think these might be my current favorites. I've had other curds that I like, but these were just that much better. The FGT stack was served with a side of coleslaw. I don't know if getting another side was an option, but the coleslaw was a nice cool bite on this warming day. The FGTs were a sliced a little on the thin side compared to other dishes I've had. The crab cake was the star of the show for me. It was just prepared differently than I typically find and I liked the change. Whistle Stop is a solid 3.5 stars for me. When deciding which way to swing my rating I thought about whether or not I would go back if I was ever in the area. I definitely would. There's so much else to try, but Whistle Stop would definitely be in the running any time I found myself in downtown Safety Harbor.
(4)
Andrea R.
As my first visit to quaint downtown Safety Harbor, I was pleased to pull up to a restaurant with the small town Florida vibe I enjoy. During the pleasant weather months in Florida outside seating is a must on a beautiful day. Whistle Stop fits the bill nicely. A reasonably priced menu took a few minutes to pour through but I finally decided on the Crab and Shrimp burger. The open faced presentation gave me an opportunity to spread the yummy key lime aioli over the top bun. Mango salsa came on the side which was appreciated as it would have made the sandwich soggy prior to my being served. A large portion of lettuce on the bottom bun masked the flavors of the burger itself as well as the condiments and was quickly removed. The burger was accompanied by a nice portion of tasty sweet potato fries. Over all a very tasty meal and I look forward to going back to try more menu items.
(4)
Diane H.
Although a fan of this local watering hole, I was recently disappointed in the ahi tuna. I was given well done tuna, not rare as ordered. They did take it back and offer me medium, but they no longer had any rare or medium rare ( expensive mistake by the kitchen!). Service was friendly but slow. Place was busy, and we sat at the bar. Girls talked amongst themselves rather than clean off the bar and wait on 2 new customers. Usually the service is much better
(3)
Tiffany H.
I wanted to love Whistle Stop, but I'm not quite there. The restaurant is all outdoors, which can be good or bad depending on the weather. I went with a bunch of other yelpers for an UYE and dragged a (formerly) non-yelper with me. The service was fine; I know they were overwhelmed with a large group of people and did the best the could. As for the ambiance and all that... They don't have a ton of decor or anything, but it doesn't really need it. It's just a super casual Florida type of restaurant. The food wasn't all that memorable for me though. I ordered a southwest chicken wrap with a side of fries. I missed breakfast that day, so I was impatient waiting for it to come up and I rudely started working it over before everyone else got their lunch. There wasn't that much about it that I would classify as southwest. It was a chicken wrap though. I would opt out of the cheese next time, as it's just a slice of generic American rolled up in it. It's not melted, it's not shredded, it's just sort of there, being weird. I think I might have to go back and try something else, because for now, it was about average.
Where do I start? Oh that's right... Go here. Yes, I'll put my neck out on the line after the dynamite lunch I had here! To start off, this restaurant is the kind of casual, but still put together look that I'd hope for in a Floridian neighborhood restaurant. Yes, the seating is outdoors, but it's covered so you're not going be be pummeled with uv rays here. My waiter was one of the best I've had. He was attentive yet unintrusive, with a professional but boy-next-door demeanor. I saw him, as well as other servers, give multiple patrons advice and tour guide worthy tips about the area, which I thought was fantastic. It's behavior like that that keeps places like Safety Harbor thriving. My meal was just as deserving of praise. I had the pleasure of eating, or should I say savoring, a Crab & Shrimp Burger. The name doesn't do it justice. The plating was gorgeous, with the burger served open faced. The top half of the bun was drizzled artistically with key lime aioli, meanwhile the other half had a patty topped with fresh mango salsa and lettuce underneath (quite a bit of it, too!) The key lime aioli gives this burger the right amount of kick, while the mango salsa brings its bright, juicy flavors together with crab & shrimp for a result that is nothing short of euphoric. It was everything I love about Florida, bite after bite. The Black-Eye Pea Salad was certainly worth mentioning as well. I didn't know what to expect, but that made it all the better. The peas were firm but not hard, and the diced herbs, onions, and tomato all went along for the ride, complementing the side rather than complicating it. The salad is served cold and I can only describe the taste as refreshing. I will definitely be returning and I'll be bringing the Yelp crew in tow!
(5)
Mary M.
After a hiatus from the whistle stop I decided to drop in for lunch. I had the fish spread-maybe the best I've had and the Cobb salad. The salad was just ok. The worst part of the trip was the service. The server could barely be bothered to take my order due to congregating with the other employees. My bill was $24. I remember what I haven't been there in a while...
(3)
Andrea W.
Another 3.5 rating. I do love fried green tomatoes and there's are perfect... They even had a fried green tomato burger - it was awesome!! I enjoy this cute little place in Safety Harbor, really nice outdoor setting, good beer list, nice place to stop on a motorcycle ride on a beautiful day. If you are here for sandwiches and burgers, you are at the right place - it's a nice place and the burgers are really good (and I'm picky)... Stop by and relax for a casual meal!
(3)
Mary M.
Small plates are our favorites. The ahi tuna is very fresh. The crust on the fried green tomatoes is flavorful. Great live music on Friday nights makes this place great for date night or party with friends!
(5)
Cassandra S.
Great service. Super cute atmosphere. Great, huge, fun, outdoor patio. Lots of tvs to watch football. Great service. Amazing black and blue burger. Sweet potato fries could have used a little seasoning...
(4)
Bethany M.
Oh my. I love this place! I have been here twice. The first time, I learned they were pet friendly. So the second time I brought my wiener dog Gracie. I love when I can do that! The fried dill pickles are so scrumptious I've had them on both visits as well as the veggie burger. I'll tell you why I've had it twice.... organic oats. You can never find a place that wont slap a Boca burger ($3 for a box at your local Publix) on a bun with lettuce and tomato and charge you five bucks for it. I'm impassioned by a good veggie burger made in house! I'm in love with Whistle Stop, their vibe and their menu. I plan on coming back to try the buffalo shrimp, crab & shrimp burger, black beans & greens salad, fried green tomato salad, fish tacos and oh my the list goes on! And I will do it every time with a four legged friend by my side. Oh and my husband too! Love Whistle Stop! My latest foodie find!
(5)
Dave K.
Good bartenders - then it goes downhill from there. This was our second visit to Whistle stop Friday night. One goes to bar, expects bar food - NOT nursing home food with no flavor. Just no flavor, food was either over cooked or they used old/bad oil for frying .. BLAH One goes to bar, expects to have a friendly server - yes I'll have another drink.. no, some newbie with a personality of a rock. Not knowing is one thing and a server can learn, which is acceptable. Not being able to communicate - she needs to go work in a job that does not deal with people. And the music Friday.. not for me. She was about as good as the food. Would I stop there and sit at the bar and order a drink, yes I would. Then leave when it came time to get food.
(2)
Mark H.
Stopped here solely out of gluttony after already eating down the street at The Nantucket Buckets ... Pure gluttony. We really just wanted to stop in and see what the deal was with this place. We were seated in the pet friendly section, which ended up being a disaster because La Chica is highly allergic to pet dander. On the flip side, the waitress asked us if we wanted to move, and La Chica declined. So the sneezing brigade I got to witness later that night was actually her fault. :) We ordered up some SHREDDED PORK TACOS and they were scrumptious. The pork was amazingly smoky and tender. They were served up on corn tortillas with lettuce and avocado and a side of mojo. Mojo is cool, but not one of my favs. They actually drizzle some of it on the tacos too, which was annoying because the tart, citrus flavor doesn't mix well with the smoky pork, IMHO. The dish also came with a small side of white rice and black beans, both of which were delicious. Price tag on the dish and the awesome low price of $2.50 for a huge glass of wine was $14. Good deal! And I will definitely return sometime.
(3)
Sara S.
I love the whistle stops Burger. For the price it is definitely one of the best in the entire Bay area!
(4)
Lisa T.
Just tried for the first time for lunch. No lunch specials. I had the mushroom onion swiss burger with onion rings and unsweet tea. The burger was dry and expensive for lunch ($10). The food was not worth the price. Needless to say, I'm not going back again :(
(1)
Gina L.
The Whistle Stop is a very unique & family friendly restaurant in charming downtown Safety Harbor. We love taking guests here visiting from out of town & always have great food, drinks & service. The owner (Dawn) is amazing & goes above & beyond to make sure customers are happy. A Safety Harbor staple & must try!
(5)
David S.
Surprised that I have not reviewed this place before. The food here is always excellent and they are dog friendly. Lots of dogs out here today. And to the ladies that were with us had their Mamosa and bloody Mary specials and loved them. Very relaxed outside atmosphere.
(5)
Ben N.
There are some irritating things about this restaurant, but not enough to keep me from eating here. All-in-all, it's a pretty nice place to take a family, or even a group without needing reservations. They often run out of ingredients, which has been happening to me for years, there. Also there aren't many/any good beers on tap. For a local business, this tends to be a rarity. All that as it may be, there is a great casual atmosphere that is captured here in a succinct way. The outside seating (covered and with ceiling fans) really adds a creative take on decor and experience. The live music is rather slow paced, usually, but rather up-beat. Though it is often crowded in the dining area due to table placement vs space in the layout, there's never been a problem when my extended family visits and I want to show them a classic slice of Safety Harbor. The staff are friendly enough for a local business. The wait for food can be long, but the glasses don't often run dry, and there is plenty to distract a person from their growling stomach. Also, substitutions are almost always accepted, which is not often seen these days in a small business setting. The menus tend to change often; if not by actual menu change it is from lack of ingredients in the early evenings. If one takes his/her time, he/she can find a few vegetarian options, though there won't be many and it will be mostly from the appetizer portion of the menu. Prices tend to run a little high; ingredients are fresh and the food is pretty good. With these qualities in mind, I don't think a dining experience will be a rip-off. The full bar adds a nice touch, too. Drink specials here can be quite creative and have a local flair to them. But this can add a lot to the bill, as it can anywhere.
(4)
Sierra I.
My fiance and I went last Saturday for dinner and a drink and it was excellent! The food was incredible and there was some local musicians playing. they had plenty of seating and a few heaters on so the temperature was perfect. I look forward to stopping there during the summer.
(5)
Jamie W.
After a very bad ice cream experience here we hesitated to return but since it's the closest place to our house we opted to give them another chance. HUGE mistake! Hot fudge sundaes were on everyone's mind but they didn't have any! Only 4 flavors of hard ice cream were available and the 2 we tried were freezer burned and uneatable! We will not be returning and recommend that you walk a little further for your ice cream fix! One star is undeserved.
(1)
Janelle S.
I'm only giving three stars simply because the food was just so so. Fish tacos were not seasoned at all...Almost like the chef just threw together the some ingredients that sounded "mexican" and never looked at an actual quality recipe for this type of meal. The fish was delicious, but I felt with just a bit more effort, it could have been soooo much better! People come to restaurants to get food they don't want to make at home or want better flavors. This was very B FLAT. My husband's hamburger wasn't cooked long enough as well. It was an afternoon hang before Super Bowl, so maybe the good chef was off for the day. The coffee malt shake we ordered, however WAS BRILLIANT. I loved our server, she was great and the cocktail hour prices were nice. Love the feel of the place and the relaxed vibe. We'll give it another try.
(3)
Kelly L.
Very cute, small town bar and grill. So small town that they let the neighborhood cat weave in and out of your legs as you eat. All outdoor seating with live music on the weekends. Very friendly and attentive service staff. The fried pickles and corn nuggets are amazing, definitely two of my favorites. This place closes at 9 during the week, so it will put a damper on girls night out. Overall a great place though!
(4)
Marinda H.
2nd visit Craving burgers and not wanting to drive very far we visited Whistle Stop again. Tried their 'Top Secret' menu item - Wisconsin Fried Cheese Curds. For nearly $7 we got about 10 super greasy small cheese blobs. I know what a WI cheese curd tastes like and these were not them. This should remain a 'Top Secret' menu item and be invisible on the menu ;) If you want fried cheese curds, hit Dunedin Brewery. Bacon Cheeseburgers here rock! And they serve them on a nice bakery style roll - love when a restaurant puts some effort into the bun. Burgers come with a side option (coleslaw, black eye pea salad, beans & rice, or fruit) - I now LOVE their black eye pea salad and the BF likes the black beans & rice. We had decided we were going to try a pudding shot (sounds disgusting, right?) this time but they were not on the menu - boo! I guess we'll have to wait until winter to slurp down thick pudding with a little bit of alcohol in it ;)
(4)
Mike W.
After coming here many times over the years, it seems the quality has decreased as they've expanded the restaurant. The last two or three times the food has been greasy and not very tasty. I think I'm done with this place. Too many better choices locally.
(2)
Jennifer C.
While I praise this place for being dog friendly and the outdoorsy atmosphere is relaxing, the food is terrible & everything is over priced. We joined the far corner of the restaurant with our pups in tow, to get caught and completely drenched in a normal Florida flash downpour. Since we hadn't finished our dinner, they "allowed" us under the main awning, but constantly reminded us every 10min not to move out of the 5 ft space they had provided us. After ordering my tuna tar tar, I disappointedly left half of it remaining, it was so stringy and tough, I could barely cut it with a knife. Grossed out and disappointed, I decided to try their "amazing" chocolate cake. It was even as disappointing as the tuna. It had the texture of week old brownies and had more of a sugar taste then chocolate. Annoyed, I got my check, and was really excited to have a $39 bill for just myself (including two $9 drinks!) for some crappy meal that left me still hungry and aggravated. I am now home eating a cinnamon cream cheese bagel and find this more tasty than anything I had at that restaurant. I knew I should've seen the reg flag with the low ratings already on yelp. I wouldn't be so mad if it hadn't been so expensive. $40 for one person, ridiculous!
(2)
Pat C.
Over priced u flavorful food. And Five little popcorn size shrimp on shrimp poor boy forget the fried green tomatoes NO taste. Crab cake was good. Grouper sandwich dry and no seasoning ordered blackened. Disappointed. Won't be back.
(2)
Jarrett Z.
Nice, comfortable atmosphere. All dining is under a covered patio deck. It kind of has a Key West dive bar feel to it, which I think is what they were going for. My wife had the Po Boy...it looked like a poor man's shrimp sandwich with a few shrimp in it. Nothing like a Po Boy at all. She would not recommend ordering it, not worth the money. I ordered the Nick's Beast of Burger, which tasted great. I'd definitely order it again, and I'm critical of my burgers. Service was satisfactory.
(3)
Tara R.
Great atmosphere and service, wonderfully menu. The fried green tomatoes could have a crispier crush but hey each to their own, the sauce that goes with it is awesome though! Ahi tuna really good also but could of been thinner slices. Always a go back to place for myself and boyfriend :)
(4)
Hugo M.
Place is ok, informal raw bar. Servers were nice .A lthough we had an odd experience. Manager does not accept customer to not like the food, and refuse to continue serving. He does not have the manners to work the situation out. Very sad.
(1)
Tim R.
Had dinner here for our first time and definitely not the last, the Ahi Tuna salad was awesome, burgers were terrific as well. Had the sampler app and wings and loved it all. Friendly staff as well, loved it and recommend you try!!!
(5)
Morgan P.
I went in with my mother for mother's day. My mother was offered a free mimosa, which the orange juice was warm. Then, I ordered one of their specialty drinks for mother's day. It contained peach vodka and champagne. I thought it would be like a Bellini martini. It came out in a large wine glass with ice. No straw, no fruit. It was so loaded with vodka you could not even taste the champagne. It was terrible. When I told the bartender, she agreed that there was a lot of booze in the drink. And this was supposed to be a mother's day drink. When the bartender told the manager that I sent the drink back, he did nothing. He never came to say anything to us. The food was ok. Then I had to listen to a disgruntled employee complain about her job to the bartender right in front of my mom and I. To top it off, the live music was awful. The girl singing needs to consider another choice of talent, because singing was not one of hers. I used to like this place, but I don't think I will be back after this experience. If the managers don't care about having happy customers, then I can take my money and business somewhere else.
(2)
Sarah L.
We loved the food- we had a grouper sandwich which was HUGE and the artichoke and roasted red peppers sandwich. But we're really good. Love the atmosphere. All open air patio seating on a very pleasant seat. Only reason not giving 5 stars is bc our service was just so so. She kept passing us up while doing her rounds and never offered us more refills, never checked back in with us, etc. But we won't let that stop us from going back- hopefully we'll have a different server next time!
(4)
Virginia G.
Nice casual spot to stop and have a burger and a beer. I love the fried green tomato sandwich, it is simply awesome! Ok, it' s not healthy but it has to be better then a beef burger right? It's a good place where hubby can get his beefy fix and I can get my girly food all in one spot. That;s always a plus for us!
(4)
Marcellus W.
What's not to like about the Whistle Stop? Great old Florida ambience in downtown Safety Harbor. An outdoor bar and patio, but covered and out of the sun. I've eaten here many times and it is always good. The latest was the Paleo burger, and it is highly recommended. The owner sources local grass fed beef and the taste is evident. Lettuce and tomato and fried squash accompany the burger, but no bread, making it a gluten free paleo meal! But if you need the gluten, get a side of the buffalo cauliflower. We sometimes make a meal out of the sides of cauliflower, corn fritters and fried green tomatoes. And beer, of course. The staff and owner are very friendly and attentive. One of our favorite places.
(5)
Heather H.
I was a little let down.. I felt like the star appetizer, the fried green tomatoes were just okay.. Super thin slices of tomatoes with a much thinner cornmeal batter than I'm used to. My buffalo shrimp had the same thin cornmeal fry..the buffalo sauce was good but it either needed more breading or more sauce..the amazing sounding and looking crab and shrimp burger seemed to also have that same cornmeal fry to it and just tasted a little fishy. It was good but in the back of my mind I wondered how fresh it was. Our server was friendly, the outdoor seating was comfortable with the fans. It was an easy place to take out baby. It was super casual and just noisy enough I didn't worry about my baby making a little noise. I enjoyed that this place is local and not a chain but wish I liked the food a little more. The black eyed peas were probably the best item. They do have several seafood and vegetarian options which was really exciting about but now I'm not sure I care to try them. I was there at noon on a Sunday.
(3)
Allison H.
The only thing thaat saves this joint is the location. The tables are sticky and wiped poorly. The drinks at times can taste like soap and the servers are negligent and at times rude. I like the vibe. This place can potentially be a bay area gem. I will be very honest though, if it weren't for the fact that this is one of the few places in safety harbor that serves liquor, it would have shut down long ago. Pair scrappy drinks and some mediocre live music and u will get complacent patrons. I mean a small glass of barefoot merlot (a cheap wine sold at publix for $7.00 750ML bottle) should not be served for $8.00 in a poorly washed cup. Lipstick stains, foggy, finger prints. GROSS! Dont recommend this place at all unless there's a good musician, and u plan on getting shit faced with no budget in mind. Been here five times and each time I am disappointed by something.
(2)
Jeremy O.
Go for tasty, quality food and stay for the great music. This place has a fabulous menu with something for everyone and I've really liked the majority of the dishes I've tried. Even the ones I didn't like were well prepared, just not for me. The shrimp/crab burger is my favorite "bar food" in town. Love that this place supports the local music scene. Best place in town to have a dish, drink and hear a few tunes.
(5)
Richard B.
Our family loves almost everything on their menu. Anytime you can add fried green tomatoes, do it!
(4)
Jim A.
Food was great! Be sure to ask for Kim and order what she recommends! We had the appetizer platter, rib eye steak sandwich and chocolate cake! Wow!
(4)
Marion E.
This used to be one of our favorite local places to take friends but after last nights meal, never again, After sitting a at slanted table getting bit by some kind of bugs, my husband was served a Grouper dinner. The size of the Grouper was like a chicken nugget.The waitress agreed & took the plate back. She came back with the same plate saying the cook told her thats the way its served. My husband sent the dish back & ordered a burger as I had. I on the other hand was served frozen onion rings with my burger. FROZEN IN THE MIDDLE When I gave the onion ring to the waitress to give to the cook she came back & said the manager was already yelling at the cook. I paid my bill when it came, gave the waitress her 20% & we left. We were not offered a credit for a terrible meal. I didn't ask for one, it should be offered. I will tell all my friends & advised everyone I know. I emailed the restaurant after our terrible experience hopeful they would at least apologize, but nothing. Lots of great choices in Safety Harbor, this is not one of them. This used to be one of our favorite local places to take friends but after last nights meal, never again,
(1)
Gigi S.
Love the diversity of the menu, the drink specials, and face-melting dessert options, so I can look past the fact that I'm a long haired bitch seated next to a whirling fan in the smoking area of a dog park. I love dives but there's no getting past my allergies, and hatred of doggy urine soaked mulch chips when I'm trying to grub for the fun of it. Luckily, this was my third or fourth stop so I wasn't hungry at all, and took it all in stride. Wasn't going to admit how delicate I am like some sort of badass, so there I sat in defiance of a hellish allergy attack kindly smiling at someones miniature wookie. Hafta admit, the shredded pork tacos were well done, and I'm Hispanic, so thats gotta stand for something! I will most definitely be Bach!
(3)
Christopher S.
I was not prepared for what would come. We came to try the Fried Green Tomatoes then select items to taste from the menu. With a Dunedin Brewery Red, I was eager to try the tomatoes several had talked about. By sight, I liked the fact that these could not be used as hockey pucks. The tomatoes were lightly breaded, my preference. They were covered with diced red tomatoes and goat cheese. The problem was it was an unbalanced spread. Some had too much, some not enough. It showed a bit carelessness by the "cook." Tomato garnish on a tomato. Interesting. There was an absence of anything that might complement or tone down the acidity!.I asked for a key lime aioli that was available, tried it, and it matched well. We decided to split the Black Beans, Rice, and Pulled Pork Bowl. An unbalanced white rice with back beans immediately stood out. The pork was not quite pulled and minimal! When I started to separate the few clumps, I saw too much fat to the point that it ruined my appetite. I signaled to our server, and when he got to the table, told him to show it to the cook and ask him if he would eat it!. The manager came over and asked if I wanted something else. I told her the meal had actually ruined my appetite. I also mentioned that our server was most helpful. I paid the bill, tipped our young server as if the entree was still on the bill, and left. I saw some great burger options but don't know if I'll go out of my way to try them. I liked the atmosphere, the staff was friendly, but that dish made me blind red. If I do come back, I will update my review and, maybe my start rating. I left disappointed.
(2)
Shawna K.
An Ode to Fried Green Tomatoes, the wonderful movie! Is found at Whistle Stop Cafe, a place so groovy You can get your fried green tomato fix in every which way Fried up plain, in a sandwich, on a salad, or fancy if you say Although Big George isn't out back fixin the BBQ with the secret sauce Whistle Stop is still one of the most charming places I've come across It's all outside seating centered around a big ol bar But you can relax under a roof if you don't want to sit under the stars Service was a little off today at my lunch So I'm glad I wasn't on a time crunch Looking forward to a nightly visit to hear the live bands sing Chill, have a beer, & enjoy the weather this spring!
(3)
Britt M.
Great little place with great food
(5)
Larry B.
This is a pretty odd place; it was built out of/around an old 1960's ice cream stand; they converted the building to a kitchen, and put tables out back. It is now mostly shielded from the weather, so it works ok even when it is cold or rainy. I've been to Whistle Stop dozens of times. The food is pretty good; it's consistent, and things are well seasoned, etc. They have some unusual things on the menu, which is nice. Service is generally quite good, even when they are busy (and they can get busy!!!). In a previous review, I commented that smoke can be a problem, because they had far too much of the restaurant allowing smoking, under the "it's outdoors" provisions of the Florida law. They cut back the smoking areas, though, and it is better. The "dog friendly areas" aren't really very friendly. Dogs are relegated to a dirt floor area, which is also under trees, so your pooch will get pretty much filthy. For a nearby pet friendly restaurant, try Tapping the Vine. Lastly, they are devoted to providing/supporting music, and often have live one or two person acts. Some is good, some less so. Wednesdays is open mike night...be forewarned!!
(4)
Amber D.
Mmm fancy fried green tomatoes. The Whistlestop is a landmark in Safety Harbor. I wish we had room to try one of their awesome sounding ice cream sundaes. We sat in the dog friendly seating..it was kind of overrun by caterpillars...so maybe sit elsewhere.
(4)
Lisa N.
So nice we ate there twice. Was visiting Safety Harbor for less than 24 hours and ended up eating here twice: once at dinner and again at lunch. The food was excellent both times. Both times we had to order the fried pickles. Perfectly crispy on the outside with a little burst of vinegar/pickle when you bite it. The ranch dressing that they are served with was a little on the bland side but that did not take away from the deliciousness. My friends both had the veggie burgers with avocado and I had the turkey wrap with bacon and added avocado for dinner and then the buffalo chicken wrap for lunch. The wraps were sizable and tasty. The sandwiches, burgers, and wraps come with your choice of sides. I tried the fresh fruit and the onion rings. The onion rings were better for obvious reasons. They also had a nice selection of vegetarian and healthier options to choose from. The ice cream is clearly fresh and fabulous. Try a sundae, milkshake or scoop. You won't be disappointed. My friend ordered the chocolate peanut butter shake on both our dinner and lunch visits. The atmosphere is very chill. The tables are all outside on a covered patio. The sides can be pulled down during rain or cold weather. Great happy hour specials and live music. Fun place. I will be visiting again!
(4)
Mark R.
Liked this place a lot, food was good, prices are real reasonable and I love the outdoor seating. This place is good if you want to chill outside, have some drinks, and pair em up with some good food. I love the rustic old Florida vibe they aim at providing. Really just a good spot if you want to have dinner and hang with friends.
(4)
Kailyn F.
Food was very good and menu was exciting. I had a Santa Fe Burger, or something along those lines, and my boyfriend had a burger as well. The cheese curds are killer!!
(5)
Grumpy D.
I was torn about the stars...I didn't want to give it 2 for "Meh, I've had better", because I really don't like fried green anything, so I don't have a baseline to judge...and I didn't want to give it the 3 for "A-OK". because it really isn't. I've never had a bar run out of Budweiser! And I sure as hell wasn't going to drink anything that requires citrus fruit to give it flavor. This place is kinda odd. They don't have indoor seating at all, everything is outdoors, sort of. They use roll down awning for walls (and if there is a wall, no smoking). I think it used to be an ice cream stand in a previous life, near the railway station. They expanded (to be kind) to a full service restaurant. It seems to cater to both the yuppy crowd and the local bar flies. There was nearly a fight at the bar when we were there between two of the regulars...and I was sitting between the two! They do have a fantastic smoked fish spread with fancy crackers. I'm a biker...gimme the Premium Saltines! And their burgers are pretty good also. And did I mention they ran out of Bud?
(3)
Dena P.
Cute little place in safety harbor. I use to drive past it a lot and have only been there a few times for their ice cream. They also provide a few different flavors and also sugar free ones from what I can remember. They have updated themselves so it's much nicer now than before.
(3)
Katie M.
I recently went here for a friend's birthday party. I didn't realize it was all outdoor seating, but luckily it wasn't that hot of a night. We had a nice corner of the restaurant. This place has a great casual, almost divey kind of vibe. Complete with live music from a guy with long hair and aviators. The menu is pretty straight forward, but there were some unique items that you don't always see on menus. A bunch of different apps were ordered for the party...fried pickles, fried green tomatos and corn fritters. I had a bite of each and they were all great. Not too fried! For an entree I ordered the crab and shrimp burger with sweet potato fries. The fries were awesome...I think it's hard to screw up sweet potato fries. But the burger was underwhelming. It was served with a mango salsa and an aioli. The aioli was great, but the mango salsa would have been great with bigger hunks of mango. Also the burger tasted a bit off, but I ate it anyway. I got sick later that night...not sure if it was the food or something else (no, I was not heavily drinking). Our waitress for the night was top notch. She was friendly and funny and kept our big group happy. Props to her! Would I come back? Yes, but I wouldn't make a special trip out. It seems like a great place for a casual group hangout.
(3)
Lauren C.
Creative menu, cool outdoor atmosphere, live music. Lots of unique cocktails and the food is tasty and nicely presented.
(4)
Doug J.
The atmosphere is tiki-hut, old Florida neighborhood eatery. Its one of those "everyone knows your name" places. The food is good and some of it is even healthy. The music at night is never over powering and the talent is local and good. It's not bad sitting outside even in the Summer. My one complaint after several visits is the service. It seems the servers are always over worked and in the weeds and the kitchen is behind every time. If you're in a rush forget it. If you want to relax and have a 90 minute lunch it is worth the effort.
(4)
Michelle A.
Came highly recommended from a person who lives in Safety Harbor. I also read the Yelp reviews before we went. I will say 50/50 on the food. I ordered the black bean and greens salad. Good size but mostly lettuce with some yummy red tomatoes, a few pieces of avocado and some ( canned) black beans dressed with a light vinaigrette. Pretty but the taste was flat. I asked for some honey mustard dressing and this boosted it up in flavor a bit. Definitely not worth $8.90.. My Husband had a BLT with fried green tomatoes. Now this was delicious!! Great Crusty bread, perfectly fried tomato. Seating is all outside which in Florida can be quite uncomfortable. They have plenty of fans about, just choose a table with a fan aimed at you if your going to dine here in the summer. Friendly server, and prompt service but we were eating a late lunch around 2 pm.
(4)
John H.
Visiting from Minnesota and looking for a healthy option, we heard this was a great local bar. The wait staff was friendly. Meals are reasonably priced. And the food is fresh!
(4)
Amanda P.
The setting is very cool. Outdoors, live music, cute bar...Jimmy Buffett feel to the place. Food is moderate to awful. And the bar serves only beer and wine, which would be ok for some places, but this place NEEDS to serve margaritas and cocktails, it is just that kind of setting. If I am going to suffer through bar food, I want a real bar.
(3)
D S.
A cute restaurant that has all outdoor seating. Customers are kept comfortable by awnings/roof and fans/misters are present. The menu items looked really inspired, but items I tried lacked a certain spark. I'm not saying they weren't tasty, but I am saying that Sysco has a bigger hand in the food than actual home cooking. I tried the signature appetizer "Fancy Fried Green Tomatoes". Medium slices of green tomatoes in a crispy coating, covered with "plops" of goat cheese and sprinkled with cilantro. Tasty! Entree was the Surprise Burger, a cheddar cheese filled jalapeno popper was stuffed in the middle. Also on the burger was salsa, onion slices, avocado, lettuce, tomato slices & lettuce. It was a decent burger, but the salsa was missing, and that might have added the zing that was missing. I wouldn't order it again, but I don't regret eating it. The side of Black Eyed Pea salad was entirely too salty, almost inedible. Tasted like taco seasoning mix with some oil as a dressing, mixed with the peas and some chopped onion and tomato. Stick with the fries... The Calamari the Kidlet ordered were a generous portion of lightly battered and fried squid and small slices of green and red pepper. Served with a ginger dipping sauce. Sauce was forgettable, but the Calamari were tasty. We tried a brownie ice cream sundae. Brownie was not terribly tasty and the soft serve was a soupy mess. Skip it. Kidlet had a scoop of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream in a waffle cone. Not sure what the hoopla around the ice cream is, but it was not the best/creamiest I've ever had. My favorite part of the meal? The $2.75 Shock Top pints! Yummy beer goodness! If we lived near here, I'd come back without hesitation.
(3)
Austin D.
SUMMARY: A great spot in cute li'l Safety Harbor, with friendly locals, good beer specials, a great patio, and locally sourced fare. 3.5 stars for some technical glitches HITS: - Grass-fed burger (the fact that they carry it!) - Key lime pie (done well, but would have asked them to hold the marshmallow sauce, which was mostly on the side). - Black eyed pea salad (side) - Ahi tuna salad with "cusabi" sauce; well-seared, nice fresh greens - It's also known for its milkshakes and sundaes from a local ice cream company, but we didn't have those on this trip GOOD, NOT GREAT - Grass-fed burger- they overcooked it the first time (well-done not medium); because grass-fed is so different from the factory output cooks have been used to for the last 50 years, I don't fault them for it. GF meat cooks faster and is typically leaner. Anyhoo, I told our pleasant waitress and she had another one brought out which was cooked properly, but I suspect it had been frozen. (still wasn't as juicy as others I've had). - Fried green tomatoes- I know it's their specialty and I'll be accused of blasphemy for saying such a thing, but it was just okay; they offer different variations to make it more interesting; we had the "fancy" style with tomatoes and goat cheese; I found it still to be a bit wanting; next time I would "go for broke" and get one with crawfish sauce. - Parking lot is small, and there are ominous tow-away signs in the immediate office complex next door (although almost all offices were vacant). We did not get towed. I will definitely return, most likely during happy hour when beers are $1.50!
(4)
Peter C.
This place offers to upgrade your burger to "grass fed" for a few more bucks, and it's your first tip-off that this place cares about the food it serves. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality and taste of the cuisine in a place that looks like it focuses mostly on getting people drunk (it's an outdoor air restaurant/bar that we THOUGHT was mostly bar.) This is by far the best casual restaurant in Safety Harbor and is now a must-visit whenever we go back.
(4)
Shawn J.
Best Ahi Tuna in the Bay area! All of the food is very good. You can tell the owner/manager really cares about quality. Nice "beachy/tropical" outdoor atmosphere. Very casual. We really enjoy this place.
(4)
Lane R.
For a casual, outdoor dinner Whistle Stop is one of my favorites. Happy hour wine prices are excellent (I think $2.50), draft beer is around $1.50 and their food is always great. I keep coming back for the black eyed pea salad. I can't get enough. Such a simple side that they make so well. The fried green tomatoes are great, as you would expect. I'm personally a fan of the Fried Green BLT and the Buffalo Chicken Wrap, but I have never had a bad item. There is live music on the weekend and a portion of the restaurant is dog friendly. What's not to love.
(5)
Stephanie G.
Other than cold onion rings this place was great. Burgers are terrific with good live music and superb service. Not to be missed.
(4)
Denni S.
Disappointed in the burger that I ordered. I will try it again since so many people do recommend it.
(2)
Sarah B.
I am a vegetarian, so I appreciate that they have several vegetarian options. I have had the fried green tomato sandwich, the veggie burger (love Joe's Oat Patties) and the veggie wrap and they were all good. The bean salad is a nice side option when you want something more healthy than fries. Pretty good beer selection. Service has been hit or miss, but overall is fine. We have ordered ice cream from the front window a few times and the service there is terribly slow. After waiting 10 minutes for someone to acknowledge us (I really wanted some ice cream), we ordered 2 Bron's Sweet Sundaes. The sundaes were made by 2 different people and looked completely different from one another. Plus, one was much larger than the other and they gave them to us like nothing was wrong.
(3)
Michael G.
Whistle Stop is my all-time favorite restaurant in Tampa Bay. I've been coming here for the past 15 years and always had a great meal. Though this place only has outdoor seating, it's definitely worth checking out, especially in the Winter. The atmosphere is really nice - maybe you'll even see a train go by. I always get the grilled cheese which is my favorite grilled cheese. On the side I get onion rings which are also good as long as you ask for them extra crispy. The staff are friendly but I think they need to work on the consistency of the food. They used to have a lot more of a ice cream selection but now they only have soft serve vanilla with toppings so I usually go to Cold Stone Creamery or Joey Biscotti for desert. Overall, Whistle Stop is really good and I highly recommend it.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Live Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Wed, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Chuck F.
Restaurant food was average (maybe a 2or 3 stars), but the ice cream was UNREAL -- big 5 stars there. Definitely go there for drinks or dessert. Dinner was otherwise disappointing and not very flavorful. Fried Green tomatoes were bland and tasteless. In all, I wouldn't recommend the dining experience -- (they've a squirrel infestation that they must think is cute -- they allow the rodents to parade all about the tables...that can't be sanitary to say the least). Service was average too.
(3)Debbie V.
Great place for food and a beer. Wonderful Fried Green Tomatoes. Can't wait to go back and try the burger. They will cook it to order and have grass fed beef.
(4)Cari P.
This place is small and outdoors, but it's a nice and quaint place during the time we went. Has outside bar area, so wouldn't be a place we'd hang out since we don't drink, but the wrap was really good. Would definitely go back after church for lunch again.
(4)Elizabeth D.
I loved their Fried green tomatoes so good! I tried one of the burgers, it was cook to perfection and the flavor was great. For desert I had cookie dough ice cream, mmmm it was delicious! The seating is all outside but they have fans and misters to keep you cool in the summer heat. The service was attentive and caring. I loved my whole experience there.
(5)Jorge C.
Great place to have a burger & a beer! Try the corn fritters, they are delicious. Quiet place in Downtown Safety Harbor. If you visit at the right time, you might be able to catch the "open mic night"! Good Music, good atmosphere with great food..Dog friendly also :)
(4)TootTootTootsie G.
This is a really fun place to come with a group, especially for Wednesday open mic nights, but a place to avoid when it's very hot and humid, because it's an open-air venue. Their fried green tomatoes, topped with goat cheese and chopped red tomatoes, are sensational. They also have fried dill pickle chips in a spicy batter that are much better than they sound. The grilled chicken breast, topped with sour cream and orange slices, is served with lime marinated red onions and black beans and rice. They also have a wide selection of burgers, sandwiches, wraps, and salads. Save room for dessert - the ice cream sundaes are delicious and priced at only $3.95 or less, or you can share an order of nachos dulce, warm tortilla chips sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and topped with soft serve vanilla ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce. They have live music every Friday and Saturday night. The evening crowd tends to be in their 20s and 30s but we "older" folks don't feel out of place here.
(4)Veronica H.
My husband and I had just gotten back from a long day at Busch Gardens so we decided to get something that was nearby our hotel in Safety Harbor. Plus my brother in law and his wife are vegetarian, so this place had more to offer for them. We went on a Tuesday night, so it really wasn't that busy. Our server was quick to come to us when we got there, but I felt like she didn't really come around much thereafter. I ordered a peanut butter milkshake (which was amazing, btw) and a chicken wrap and hubby ordered some chicken wings. This probably wasn't the best place for him and I to go to because we're kind of picky eaters. A lot of their food had goat cheese or blue cheese crumbles, and I'm not a fan of either, but its our own fault for going here. The other thing was my brother in law's wife ordered a sandwich which was supposed to contain mushrooms and red peppers and it only had one mushroom and didn't have any red peppers in it because they were out. We felt like the server should have at least let her know that they were out. I might stop in next time we go to Florida just to try the fried green tomatoes, but I probably won't try anything else.
(2)Gary H.
Stopped here at the advise of a friend after a day of kayak fishing. After living in the Keys for more than 21 years, this place was like being in Tavernier at a seaside bar/restaurant only without the water. Come to find out the owners used to own a business in the Keys. Owner was very friendly as was the staff. Food was good and the beer was cold. Great joint
(4)Sheri I.
Drinks are good, service friendly and efficient, atmosphere...relaxed and congenial....food....ok. Nice to place to stop in anytime of day or night.
(4)Brad S.
I finally tried the food here after visiting several times for live music and drinking only beer. I was wowed by my calamari salad. Very fresh greens with red peppers under a large bed of crispy, non-greasy, plump calamari, all dressed in a garlic vinagrette. Excellent! The hummus plate is also good: a generous amount of tasty hummus, surrounded by a lot of fruit and veggies and crispy chips of some sort. The sweet potato fries are also something special here. I skipped dessert, but that's one of their claims to fame, so I would not hesitate were I in the mood for ice cream etc. The music on weekends is always great when Greg West plays! The only caveat is the outdoor seating allows smoking, and the smoke drifted my way a little too much. They should ban smoking around food period.
(4)Brandon P.
Had the southwestern wrap and that is flippen awesome. Highly recommended! Check it out!
(5)Michaela K.
This is one of my new favorite spots! We've been twice now and had a great experience both times. The first time I got the grass fed burger, and it was PERFECT. The black bean salad that accompanied it was fresh and packed with flavor. The meals everyone else in my family got were all delicious, too! All of the seating is outside, but there's always a breeze and we were very comfortable. The second time we went, it was late at night and they had excellent live music. The atmosphere was like one big party! The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was because the BBQ pork sandwich I got on my second visit was OK but not as mind-blowing as the burger I had previously. The sweet potato fries were AMAZING ... if you go, I definitely recommend ordering a couple of plates because they will disappear quickly! If we move to Safety Harbor like we hope to, we will definitely be Whistle Stop regulars! :)
(4)Patrick C.
Nice place with a small "downhome" feel that serves up some great Sundaes as well as great entertainment out back. Check it out...you'll be glad you did!
(4)Brittney M.
My fiancee and I stopped in for a bite to eat the other night and it was AMAZING! The fancier green tomatoes were perfect! deliciously cooked and topped with goat cheese. YUM! He had a chicken and veggie wrap with onion rings that was also SUPER FANTASTIC!!! We'd go back just for those. But add in the laid back vibe, outside seating and (the best) Sangria and youve got an awesome dining experience. My only criticism was the service was lack luster. Not bad...just not good! We will be back for sure!
(4)Jackie W.
The Whistle Stop is a fun place to go. All outdoor seating. Highly recommend the fish tacos and fried green tomatoes.
(4)Debi E.
I had lunch here, and enjoyed it. The setting is more tropical than what I had expected. It sits right by a train track. Though I was told the train hardly ever comes by, but when it does they offer fun specials to "toast it".
(4)Ilana B.
This is one of the best places for vegetarians/vegans in the area and is independently owned, which is pretty much why I gave it 5 stars. The prices are also really reasonable and the menu is large. I have never had anything there that I didn't think was delicious and neither has anyone I've gone with. Definitely give it a go!
(5)David B.
Great atmosphere at this place they really have a nice outdoor patio and some cool music acts on certain nights of the week. The food and service are hit and miss and their prices are a little high when compared to similar places in Safety Harbor. I liked the food the first time I went, got the pulled pork tacos, but the service was on the slow side, and drink re-fills weren't happening at all. The last couple of times I went the service hasn't improved but the food isn't that great, got the pulled pork tacos and a chicken wrap. Much more grease on both during the second and third visit.
(2)N B.
I had one of the worst dining experiences in my life at the Whistle Stop. Not only was the service slow, and I mean painfully slow, but when the order was delivered wrong, a woman came from the kitchen and began yelling at us. And when I say the order was delivered wrong, I asked for a chicken salad and was served a bowl of iceberg lettuce with a hot dog cut up on top. Who does that? The "corrected" salad came with the same iceberg lettuce and bits of the original hotdog. I was up charged $6.00 for the salad, for a total of $15.00 WHAT? So disrespectful...fitly...slow.
(1)Christiaan G.
This place is great, and very unique. It is pretty much completely outdoors, so be aware of the weather. The owners are great, we had a big party there one time, and they let us bring our own music and everything. Sometimes they have live entertainment, open mic's, etc. Also fairly inexpensive overall.
(4)Matthew N.
This is a cute little locally owned joint on Main Street Dunedin, right near the railroad tracks. Seating is completely outside and the menu sports typical Floridian fair with a large selection of burgers and sandwiches as well as larger entrees like steak and chicken or fish filets. For us veggies they do serve up a Boca burger. Ordering without the provolone cheese should make this item vegan. The wait staff is very attentive and if they don't know something they'll be quick to return with an answer. The food itself is average but the atmosphere is great and a really relaxing affair when the cooler whether sets in.
(4)Johnny C.
I wouldn't tell you that you have to stop here just for the food, it's not bad it's just not great but the atmosphere and location make it a regular stop for me - on a bad visit you could find yourself next to a busy ashtray, look around before grabbing a seat outside
(4)Edward L.
The decor was cool and I had high hopes for this place. I ordered a medium grass-fed burger and when it came, there was a very thick, well done crust encasing a very well done and tasteless burger. I was even having trouble cutting into the burger (no bun) with a steak knife- seriously, it was as tough as bacon. the waitress/bartender was apologetic but the kitchen staff was evidently defiant and denied wrong-doing. management took a whole $3 off my bill for serving me literally the crappiest burger I've ever had... I ate maybe 1/3 of it.
(1)Mike B.
Just had a great meal at one of Safety Harbors local restaurants. The Whistle Stop is a family friendly indoor outdoor gem located on Main St mid way through down town. You have to try their fish taco's and southern sampler. Friendly staff and reasonable prices. Enjoyed the band playing and oh Yeah you can take your four legged friends. That's a plus for us.
(5)Jeanne D.
This is an outdoor restaurant that has plenty of shade and lots of large fans so I think it would be comfortable for most weather situations. I read in a guide book that it has been open for over thirty years so I was expecting the food to be pretty good. It has uneven quality on the menu items. My companion had the grass fed burger and was happy with it. She thought her potato wedges were bland and unmemorable and I would have to agree with her. We shared a thick shake and it was good, I have had better. My vegetarian burger was awful. It was straight from the freezer, cooked until it was dried out,then a piece of cheap cheese was placed on top (I guess to put moisture back in) and then it was placed on one of those tasteless 100 calorie 'buns'. I did not ask for a low calorie bun and if I was really concerned about calories I would have skipped the tasteless cheese. I had one fried green tomato as a side and the lack of seasoning in the breading material made it bland. The food I had here was bland and needed a lot more seasoning. I had their house beer which was pleasant but I was disappointed that all of their beer is from a large commercial brewer when there are some really excellent craft brewers in this area.
(2)Christopher B.
This little place is every bit as quaint as its name implies. I mean come on, it is called the Whistle Stop. But of course this stop over along Safety Harbor's main drag is not just as quaint and interesting as the small town that it inhabits, it has some pretty interesting culinary chops. And it is the only place in the pay that I have seen a Paleo Diet food item specifically featured on the menu. Bonus Points. My wife and I had never been to Safety Harbor before and I have to say that this is a real shame. This is an actual small town complete with 1920's style band shell and a walkable main street hiding right in the middle of built up Pinellas. Either the entire town is upscale and yuppy or this is a place where the sidewalks are kept clean, small business are booming, and you don't have to lock your doors at night. I have fought a long battle with the cynic in me and decided to go with the later. I like it. And right at the beginning of Main Street there is a very interesting little place that begs you to stop in and check it out. This is the Whistle Stop. This is an all outdoor restaurant with large shaded patios. We were a little warm but not too bad. That says something for the middle of August in Florida. The menu specifically features fresh and local ingredients with grass fed beef provided from a nearby farm. We ordered some Fried Green Tomatoes, some Baja Fish Tacos, and the Paleo Burger. My Paleo Burger was very good with fresh lettuce, tomato, red onions and slices of avocado on a grass fed beef patty. I wish that they seasoned the patty more but that did allow me to taste that it was indeed grass fed beef. My wife's fish tacos were very good and she raved about them. And of course, my favorite, fried green tomatoes. I can never resist them. They did a wonderful job on the tomatoes though I wish we could get some tomatoes from outside Florida since ours are somewhat flavorless but that is hardly the Whistle Stops fault. All in all they were very good. Something else to consider is that they had a pretty interesting bar menu. Someone there is trying their hand at mixology and it looks like they are doing a decent (If a little on the sweet side) job of things. However, take that with a grain of salt since I can't drink on my diet. However, I used to be a bartender and I was very sorely tempted to take them for a whirl. All in all, I would say that we will be back and so should you.
(4)Theo M.
This places excels in 3 ways atmosphere, range of food selection, this place has food for the pickiest of pallets and for meat and potatoes person Food quality and presentation
(4)Jane T.
We stayed near-by over the Christmas holidays and love this quiet, quaint little village tucked away on the bay. We had lunch at the Whistlestop twice. Their cocktail menu is quite original. I had a key-lime pie martini. Perfect for a sunny day and people watching. I had their duck flatbread and their Caesar salad. My husband had their Mexican beans and one of their steak sandwiches. The food was very good. Fresh and service was very cordial. We also had their signature fried green tomatoes. I'd go back just for those! Just a nice outdoor cafe ( sheltered with heaters for any other weather.). Good food, nice surroundings and a dessert menu too. We will be back.
(4)Marion E.
I love this place! It's a local, it's the place to go. However, last night we were seated in the section near the entertainment. The singer was okay, but, The speakers were turned so loud that nobody could hear each other speak so everyone was screaming at each other.
(4)Roberto B.
Perhaps in homage to Fannie Flag's opus, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café, Whistle Stop Bar and Grill in Safety Harbor is a hippy-chic oasis of good eating. I also congratulate an attentive home style staff that clearly take pride in their work and a chef who pretty much turns out masterpieces with every plate. It wasn't just the handsome Trevor as our waiter that captivated me, the food was seriously some of the best I had on my brief vacation and actually some of the best I've eaten in my 28 years in Florida. First of all, I come from Kansas, we know our beef. I also adore Argentina (having been 9 times) and they know a bit about how to prepare la carne de vaca tambien. The Whistle Stop had absolutely one of the most delicious and well prepared ribeye's I've probably had since I last flew Aerolineas into that austral nation of culinary delights. It cut and tasted like butta - so rich and creamy, yet chewy and yet yielding as I savored every bite... no sauce, chimmichurri or accoutrement(s) required. Earlier snacks of fried cauliflower that resembled and tasted like bar-b-que drumettes and what appears to be a local favorite of duck pizza with balsamic vinegar were truly delicious. Their wine list for such a small establishment is on point and I had memories of mi querido Buenos Aires as I drank a sumptuous Malbec which was a perfect foil to the well prepared steak. A riff on Key Lime Pie substituting the Florida orange was magnificent, each bite brought back subliminal memories of somebody's grandmother preparing such treats for her granddaughter's cotillion - each fluffy bite a cloud of meringue and orange bliss. I honestly can't wait to return not just to visit friends but to repeat that meal.
(5)Amber H.
I love everything about this place. The cute southern charm,the theme,the drinks,etc. It is very chill,and the specialty drinks are unique and refreshing. The place is outside seating only,so make sure the weather is nice,before heading out. The fancy fried green tomatoes are awesome. They have a good selection of craft beers on tap. The service is friendly and hospitable. If you don't hit this place up, you're missing out!
(5)Emily F.
Crab cakes and fried green tomatoes. Not bad. Crab cakes are excellent. The fried green tomatoes would be a better garnish. It overpowers the dish. Great out door seating for pets. Wonderful service*****
(4)Michael M.
Great location. Outside. Horrible service. Sit at the bar & wave a flag to get the bartenders attention.
(4)Andrea D.
Loved the atmosphere, corn fritters were so good, the southwest chicken wrap was so fresh tasting. And the entertainment was one guy who didn't blast the music! It was a great night for all of us!
(5)Dianna B.
This afternoon, while in Safety Harbor running errands, I decided to spin Yelp and come up with a new destination for lunch. Whistle Stop is where it landed. I've been here before, But I guess I never wrote it up, My bad.. With the sky heavy with rain, I went in and sat on the porch near the rail, the service was Immediate: What did I want to drink? (Unsweet Iced tea) did I have any questions? I was still perusing the menu. While the waitress went away to get my drink, I took a moment to look at the over the menu and never got past the Small Plates menu. They have Buffalo Cauliflower & Fancy Fried Green Tomatoes! So that's what I got. It came out Super quick, The breading on the Cauliflower was thicker than I'd have liked but they were delicious! As for the Fried Green Tomatoes, I'm used to a sauce of some kind served with mine, and these came with none. They were tasty, but there wasn't enough of the goat cheese to make the up grade in price. I ended up passing my Fried Green Tomatoes on to a lovely couple who asked me about them. I'd only eaten two and asked them if they'd like them, they said they would. When I'd finished the cauliflower, I ordered dessert, they didn't have my first choice, but they did have Key Lime pie. It may not have been pretty, but it tasted great!
(4)Steve E.
Whistle Stop Grill (WSG) is a very fun and very relaxed old Florida eatery sitting under the oak trees along Main Street in Safety Harbor. It's very easy to find this place -- simply put the Safety Harbor Spa in your rear-view mirror and drive along Main Street past all of the restaurants, bars, and retail establishments until you cross the railroad tracks. Immediately on your right is the Whistle Stop Grill. The WSG looks like a small ice cream stand (which it was back in the 50s) with a wrap-around outdoor patio for seating. You'll find a number of 4-tops, high-top bar tables, and long tables that can be pushed together under the canopies to fit any sized group. There is a specific dog-friendly area with wood chip flooring and bowls of fresh water. You'll see lots of TVs around the patio to give you a view of your favorite sporting events, and the WSG has live music and Open Mic nights in the evenings. The food is classic Southern with fried green tomatoes, fried pickles, corn fritters and pulled pork sandwiches. They have a small plates / appetizer menu with seared Ahi tuna, crab cakes, smoked fish spread, and hummus; and a dinner menu with fish platters, rib eye steaks, fish tacos, and various rice bowls. Since I was there on a lovely Saturday afternoon I ordered a small plate of fried green tomatoes and watched some baseball while sipping on an iced tea. The lunch menu also has salads, wraps, salads, and burgers; but after some thought I went with the crab & shrimp burger that was served with a mango salsa and a black-eyed pea salad. Whistle Stop Grill serves homemade milk shakes, malts, sundaes, and soft serve ice cream, along with pecan pie, Key lime pie, and some sort of death by chocolate decadence. This is a great place to meet up with friends, and just soak up the old Florida ambience as you enjoy some delicious food. There are plenty of places to park nearby, and I recommend walking along Main Street after your meal.
(4)Robbie C.
Have to give props to Lindsey S for holding a UYE at the whistle stop in safety harbor. Can't believe I haven't ever explored this cute walkable town with lots of shops along main st. This place is an outdoor grill and bar with many options to choose from including salads, wraps, burgers, tacos, flatbreads Sammie's and more. With many southern offerings, fried pickles and fried green tomatoes. I went with a veggie burger with avocado added. Made with quinoa, oats, provolone cheese and tomato aioli and served on a very thin bun. Was very good but I wasn't crazy about the cole slaw. It was homemade but had a sweet taste to it. Knowing we'd be heading to a nearby bakery for some sweet treats, I wanted to keep it light but will be back to try more. Dawn the owner, was very sweet and offered us entry into contest to win $25 gc.
(4)Michele P.
We ate here this evening. The fried green tomatoes were really delicious. I had the kale Greek salad and it was very filling . Also loved the buffalo shrimp !!! So delicious since I no longer eat meat and miss buffalo wings. Pork tacos were yummy acc to my daughter, my son had the bbq wings which he devoured. My husband did not like his salmon, but everyone enjoyed the French fries . Finally the ice cream was heavenly . Our server , Kim was very nice and attentive . Also the young lady singing this evening was an added treat . She had a great voice and her song selections were well received by the crowd . I would definitely return.
(4)Daisy D.
When I think of a quaint little downtown in Florida, Safety Harbor is the picture of what that would look like. And Whistle Stop Grill & Bar is the perfect kind of place to sit and enjoy the beautiful weather we get blessed with on a regular basis. Don't get me wrong, you will not find me there in June, July or August. But for the beginning of April, it was perfect. We found a seat at the bar as we waited for our party to arrive. There is plenty of seating outside, both covered and uncovered with a mix of tables ranging from four-tops to high tops big enough for ten. I've made the rounds when it comes to Fried Green Tomatoes, so when I noticed one of their menu options was a FGT stack with a Crab Cake, I was pretty confident I knew what I was going to get. We got an order of the Wisconsin Cheese Curds while we perused the rest of the menu. For my beverage choice, I went with my old standby: gin & tonic. The G&T was good, enough gin to know it was there but not enough to overwhelm you at brunch. The cheese curds were delicious. Golden balls of cheese nuggety goodness fried just enough. I think these might be my current favorites. I've had other curds that I like, but these were just that much better. The FGT stack was served with a side of coleslaw. I don't know if getting another side was an option, but the coleslaw was a nice cool bite on this warming day. The FGTs were a sliced a little on the thin side compared to other dishes I've had. The crab cake was the star of the show for me. It was just prepared differently than I typically find and I liked the change. Whistle Stop is a solid 3.5 stars for me. When deciding which way to swing my rating I thought about whether or not I would go back if I was ever in the area. I definitely would. There's so much else to try, but Whistle Stop would definitely be in the running any time I found myself in downtown Safety Harbor.
(4)Andrea R.
As my first visit to quaint downtown Safety Harbor, I was pleased to pull up to a restaurant with the small town Florida vibe I enjoy. During the pleasant weather months in Florida outside seating is a must on a beautiful day. Whistle Stop fits the bill nicely. A reasonably priced menu took a few minutes to pour through but I finally decided on the Crab and Shrimp burger. The open faced presentation gave me an opportunity to spread the yummy key lime aioli over the top bun. Mango salsa came on the side which was appreciated as it would have made the sandwich soggy prior to my being served. A large portion of lettuce on the bottom bun masked the flavors of the burger itself as well as the condiments and was quickly removed. The burger was accompanied by a nice portion of tasty sweet potato fries. Over all a very tasty meal and I look forward to going back to try more menu items.
(4)Diane H.
Although a fan of this local watering hole, I was recently disappointed in the ahi tuna. I was given well done tuna, not rare as ordered. They did take it back and offer me medium, but they no longer had any rare or medium rare ( expensive mistake by the kitchen!). Service was friendly but slow. Place was busy, and we sat at the bar. Girls talked amongst themselves rather than clean off the bar and wait on 2 new customers. Usually the service is much better
(3)Tiffany H.
I wanted to love Whistle Stop, but I'm not quite there. The restaurant is all outdoors, which can be good or bad depending on the weather. I went with a bunch of other yelpers for an UYE and dragged a (formerly) non-yelper with me. The service was fine; I know they were overwhelmed with a large group of people and did the best the could. As for the ambiance and all that... They don't have a ton of decor or anything, but it doesn't really need it. It's just a super casual Florida type of restaurant. The food wasn't all that memorable for me though. I ordered a southwest chicken wrap with a side of fries. I missed breakfast that day, so I was impatient waiting for it to come up and I rudely started working it over before everyone else got their lunch. There wasn't that much about it that I would classify as southwest. It was a chicken wrap though. I would opt out of the cheese next time, as it's just a slice of generic American rolled up in it. It's not melted, it's not shredded, it's just sort of there, being weird. I think I might have to go back and try something else, because for now, it was about average.
(3)John C.
Great local hometown restaurant a real tradition of Safety Harbor. The food while not being fancy is very good and always consistent I eat here more than any restaurant in the area. The fried green tomatoes are the backbone of the menu and rightly so. They often run out if them.though so order early. I love the grass fed beef burgers, The Santa fé being my favorite. Sweet potato fries are awesome. Great milkshakes too.
(4)Lindsey S.
Where do I start? Oh that's right... Go here. Yes, I'll put my neck out on the line after the dynamite lunch I had here! To start off, this restaurant is the kind of casual, but still put together look that I'd hope for in a Floridian neighborhood restaurant. Yes, the seating is outdoors, but it's covered so you're not going be be pummeled with uv rays here. My waiter was one of the best I've had. He was attentive yet unintrusive, with a professional but boy-next-door demeanor. I saw him, as well as other servers, give multiple patrons advice and tour guide worthy tips about the area, which I thought was fantastic. It's behavior like that that keeps places like Safety Harbor thriving. My meal was just as deserving of praise. I had the pleasure of eating, or should I say savoring, a Crab & Shrimp Burger. The name doesn't do it justice. The plating was gorgeous, with the burger served open faced. The top half of the bun was drizzled artistically with key lime aioli, meanwhile the other half had a patty topped with fresh mango salsa and lettuce underneath (quite a bit of it, too!) The key lime aioli gives this burger the right amount of kick, while the mango salsa brings its bright, juicy flavors together with crab & shrimp for a result that is nothing short of euphoric. It was everything I love about Florida, bite after bite. The Black-Eye Pea Salad was certainly worth mentioning as well. I didn't know what to expect, but that made it all the better. The peas were firm but not hard, and the diced herbs, onions, and tomato all went along for the ride, complementing the side rather than complicating it. The salad is served cold and I can only describe the taste as refreshing. I will definitely be returning and I'll be bringing the Yelp crew in tow!
(5)Mary M.
After a hiatus from the whistle stop I decided to drop in for lunch. I had the fish spread-maybe the best I've had and the Cobb salad. The salad was just ok. The worst part of the trip was the service. The server could barely be bothered to take my order due to congregating with the other employees. My bill was $24. I remember what I haven't been there in a while...
(3)Andrea W.
Another 3.5 rating. I do love fried green tomatoes and there's are perfect... They even had a fried green tomato burger - it was awesome!! I enjoy this cute little place in Safety Harbor, really nice outdoor setting, good beer list, nice place to stop on a motorcycle ride on a beautiful day. If you are here for sandwiches and burgers, you are at the right place - it's a nice place and the burgers are really good (and I'm picky)... Stop by and relax for a casual meal!
(3)Mary M.
Small plates are our favorites. The ahi tuna is very fresh. The crust on the fried green tomatoes is flavorful. Great live music on Friday nights makes this place great for date night or party with friends!
(5)Cassandra S.
Great service. Super cute atmosphere. Great, huge, fun, outdoor patio. Lots of tvs to watch football. Great service. Amazing black and blue burger. Sweet potato fries could have used a little seasoning...
(4)Bethany M.
Oh my. I love this place! I have been here twice. The first time, I learned they were pet friendly. So the second time I brought my wiener dog Gracie. I love when I can do that! The fried dill pickles are so scrumptious I've had them on both visits as well as the veggie burger. I'll tell you why I've had it twice.... organic oats. You can never find a place that wont slap a Boca burger ($3 for a box at your local Publix) on a bun with lettuce and tomato and charge you five bucks for it. I'm impassioned by a good veggie burger made in house! I'm in love with Whistle Stop, their vibe and their menu. I plan on coming back to try the buffalo shrimp, crab & shrimp burger, black beans & greens salad, fried green tomato salad, fish tacos and oh my the list goes on! And I will do it every time with a four legged friend by my side. Oh and my husband too! Love Whistle Stop! My latest foodie find!
(5)Dave K.
Good bartenders - then it goes downhill from there. This was our second visit to Whistle stop Friday night. One goes to bar, expects bar food - NOT nursing home food with no flavor. Just no flavor, food was either over cooked or they used old/bad oil for frying .. BLAH One goes to bar, expects to have a friendly server - yes I'll have another drink.. no, some newbie with a personality of a rock. Not knowing is one thing and a server can learn, which is acceptable. Not being able to communicate - she needs to go work in a job that does not deal with people. And the music Friday.. not for me. She was about as good as the food. Would I stop there and sit at the bar and order a drink, yes I would. Then leave when it came time to get food.
(2)Mark H.
Stopped here solely out of gluttony after already eating down the street at The Nantucket Buckets ... Pure gluttony. We really just wanted to stop in and see what the deal was with this place. We were seated in the pet friendly section, which ended up being a disaster because La Chica is highly allergic to pet dander. On the flip side, the waitress asked us if we wanted to move, and La Chica declined. So the sneezing brigade I got to witness later that night was actually her fault. :) We ordered up some SHREDDED PORK TACOS and they were scrumptious. The pork was amazingly smoky and tender. They were served up on corn tortillas with lettuce and avocado and a side of mojo. Mojo is cool, but not one of my favs. They actually drizzle some of it on the tacos too, which was annoying because the tart, citrus flavor doesn't mix well with the smoky pork, IMHO. The dish also came with a small side of white rice and black beans, both of which were delicious. Price tag on the dish and the awesome low price of $2.50 for a huge glass of wine was $14. Good deal! And I will definitely return sometime.
(3)Sara S.
I love the whistle stops Burger. For the price it is definitely one of the best in the entire Bay area!
(4)Lisa T.
Just tried for the first time for lunch. No lunch specials. I had the mushroom onion swiss burger with onion rings and unsweet tea. The burger was dry and expensive for lunch ($10). The food was not worth the price. Needless to say, I'm not going back again :(
(1)Gina L.
The Whistle Stop is a very unique & family friendly restaurant in charming downtown Safety Harbor. We love taking guests here visiting from out of town & always have great food, drinks & service. The owner (Dawn) is amazing & goes above & beyond to make sure customers are happy. A Safety Harbor staple & must try!
(5)David S.
Surprised that I have not reviewed this place before. The food here is always excellent and they are dog friendly. Lots of dogs out here today. And to the ladies that were with us had their Mamosa and bloody Mary specials and loved them. Very relaxed outside atmosphere.
(5)Ben N.
There are some irritating things about this restaurant, but not enough to keep me from eating here. All-in-all, it's a pretty nice place to take a family, or even a group without needing reservations. They often run out of ingredients, which has been happening to me for years, there. Also there aren't many/any good beers on tap. For a local business, this tends to be a rarity. All that as it may be, there is a great casual atmosphere that is captured here in a succinct way. The outside seating (covered and with ceiling fans) really adds a creative take on decor and experience. The live music is rather slow paced, usually, but rather up-beat. Though it is often crowded in the dining area due to table placement vs space in the layout, there's never been a problem when my extended family visits and I want to show them a classic slice of Safety Harbor. The staff are friendly enough for a local business. The wait for food can be long, but the glasses don't often run dry, and there is plenty to distract a person from their growling stomach. Also, substitutions are almost always accepted, which is not often seen these days in a small business setting. The menus tend to change often; if not by actual menu change it is from lack of ingredients in the early evenings. If one takes his/her time, he/she can find a few vegetarian options, though there won't be many and it will be mostly from the appetizer portion of the menu. Prices tend to run a little high; ingredients are fresh and the food is pretty good. With these qualities in mind, I don't think a dining experience will be a rip-off. The full bar adds a nice touch, too. Drink specials here can be quite creative and have a local flair to them. But this can add a lot to the bill, as it can anywhere.
(4)Sierra I.
My fiance and I went last Saturday for dinner and a drink and it was excellent! The food was incredible and there was some local musicians playing. they had plenty of seating and a few heaters on so the temperature was perfect. I look forward to stopping there during the summer.
(5)Jamie W.
After a very bad ice cream experience here we hesitated to return but since it's the closest place to our house we opted to give them another chance. HUGE mistake! Hot fudge sundaes were on everyone's mind but they didn't have any! Only 4 flavors of hard ice cream were available and the 2 we tried were freezer burned and uneatable! We will not be returning and recommend that you walk a little further for your ice cream fix! One star is undeserved.
(1)Janelle S.
I'm only giving three stars simply because the food was just so so. Fish tacos were not seasoned at all...Almost like the chef just threw together the some ingredients that sounded "mexican" and never looked at an actual quality recipe for this type of meal. The fish was delicious, but I felt with just a bit more effort, it could have been soooo much better! People come to restaurants to get food they don't want to make at home or want better flavors. This was very B FLAT. My husband's hamburger wasn't cooked long enough as well. It was an afternoon hang before Super Bowl, so maybe the good chef was off for the day. The coffee malt shake we ordered, however WAS BRILLIANT. I loved our server, she was great and the cocktail hour prices were nice. Love the feel of the place and the relaxed vibe. We'll give it another try.
(3)Kelly L.
Very cute, small town bar and grill. So small town that they let the neighborhood cat weave in and out of your legs as you eat. All outdoor seating with live music on the weekends. Very friendly and attentive service staff. The fried pickles and corn nuggets are amazing, definitely two of my favorites. This place closes at 9 during the week, so it will put a damper on girls night out. Overall a great place though!
(4)Marinda H.
2nd visit Craving burgers and not wanting to drive very far we visited Whistle Stop again. Tried their 'Top Secret' menu item - Wisconsin Fried Cheese Curds. For nearly $7 we got about 10 super greasy small cheese blobs. I know what a WI cheese curd tastes like and these were not them. This should remain a 'Top Secret' menu item and be invisible on the menu ;) If you want fried cheese curds, hit Dunedin Brewery. Bacon Cheeseburgers here rock! And they serve them on a nice bakery style roll - love when a restaurant puts some effort into the bun. Burgers come with a side option (coleslaw, black eye pea salad, beans & rice, or fruit) - I now LOVE their black eye pea salad and the BF likes the black beans & rice. We had decided we were going to try a pudding shot (sounds disgusting, right?) this time but they were not on the menu - boo! I guess we'll have to wait until winter to slurp down thick pudding with a little bit of alcohol in it ;)
(4)Mike W.
After coming here many times over the years, it seems the quality has decreased as they've expanded the restaurant. The last two or three times the food has been greasy and not very tasty. I think I'm done with this place. Too many better choices locally.
(2)Jennifer C.
While I praise this place for being dog friendly and the outdoorsy atmosphere is relaxing, the food is terrible & everything is over priced. We joined the far corner of the restaurant with our pups in tow, to get caught and completely drenched in a normal Florida flash downpour. Since we hadn't finished our dinner, they "allowed" us under the main awning, but constantly reminded us every 10min not to move out of the 5 ft space they had provided us. After ordering my tuna tar tar, I disappointedly left half of it remaining, it was so stringy and tough, I could barely cut it with a knife. Grossed out and disappointed, I decided to try their "amazing" chocolate cake. It was even as disappointing as the tuna. It had the texture of week old brownies and had more of a sugar taste then chocolate. Annoyed, I got my check, and was really excited to have a $39 bill for just myself (including two $9 drinks!) for some crappy meal that left me still hungry and aggravated. I am now home eating a cinnamon cream cheese bagel and find this more tasty than anything I had at that restaurant. I knew I should've seen the reg flag with the low ratings already on yelp. I wouldn't be so mad if it hadn't been so expensive. $40 for one person, ridiculous!
(2)Pat C.
Over priced u flavorful food. And Five little popcorn size shrimp on shrimp poor boy forget the fried green tomatoes NO taste. Crab cake was good. Grouper sandwich dry and no seasoning ordered blackened. Disappointed. Won't be back.
(2)Jarrett Z.
Nice, comfortable atmosphere. All dining is under a covered patio deck. It kind of has a Key West dive bar feel to it, which I think is what they were going for. My wife had the Po Boy...it looked like a poor man's shrimp sandwich with a few shrimp in it. Nothing like a Po Boy at all. She would not recommend ordering it, not worth the money. I ordered the Nick's Beast of Burger, which tasted great. I'd definitely order it again, and I'm critical of my burgers. Service was satisfactory.
(3)Tara R.
Great atmosphere and service, wonderfully menu. The fried green tomatoes could have a crispier crush but hey each to their own, the sauce that goes with it is awesome though! Ahi tuna really good also but could of been thinner slices. Always a go back to place for myself and boyfriend :)
(4)Hugo M.
Place is ok, informal raw bar. Servers were nice .A lthough we had an odd experience. Manager does not accept customer to not like the food, and refuse to continue serving. He does not have the manners to work the situation out. Very sad.
(1)Tim R.
Had dinner here for our first time and definitely not the last, the Ahi Tuna salad was awesome, burgers were terrific as well. Had the sampler app and wings and loved it all. Friendly staff as well, loved it and recommend you try!!!
(5)Morgan P.
I went in with my mother for mother's day. My mother was offered a free mimosa, which the orange juice was warm. Then, I ordered one of their specialty drinks for mother's day. It contained peach vodka and champagne. I thought it would be like a Bellini martini. It came out in a large wine glass with ice. No straw, no fruit. It was so loaded with vodka you could not even taste the champagne. It was terrible. When I told the bartender, she agreed that there was a lot of booze in the drink. And this was supposed to be a mother's day drink. When the bartender told the manager that I sent the drink back, he did nothing. He never came to say anything to us. The food was ok. Then I had to listen to a disgruntled employee complain about her job to the bartender right in front of my mom and I. To top it off, the live music was awful. The girl singing needs to consider another choice of talent, because singing was not one of hers. I used to like this place, but I don't think I will be back after this experience. If the managers don't care about having happy customers, then I can take my money and business somewhere else.
(2)Sarah L.
We loved the food- we had a grouper sandwich which was HUGE and the artichoke and roasted red peppers sandwich. But we're really good. Love the atmosphere. All open air patio seating on a very pleasant seat. Only reason not giving 5 stars is bc our service was just so so. She kept passing us up while doing her rounds and never offered us more refills, never checked back in with us, etc. But we won't let that stop us from going back- hopefully we'll have a different server next time!
(4)Virginia G.
Nice casual spot to stop and have a burger and a beer. I love the fried green tomato sandwich, it is simply awesome! Ok, it' s not healthy but it has to be better then a beef burger right? It's a good place where hubby can get his beefy fix and I can get my girly food all in one spot. That;s always a plus for us!
(4)Marcellus W.
What's not to like about the Whistle Stop? Great old Florida ambience in downtown Safety Harbor. An outdoor bar and patio, but covered and out of the sun. I've eaten here many times and it is always good. The latest was the Paleo burger, and it is highly recommended. The owner sources local grass fed beef and the taste is evident. Lettuce and tomato and fried squash accompany the burger, but no bread, making it a gluten free paleo meal! But if you need the gluten, get a side of the buffalo cauliflower. We sometimes make a meal out of the sides of cauliflower, corn fritters and fried green tomatoes. And beer, of course. The staff and owner are very friendly and attentive. One of our favorite places.
(5)Heather H.
I was a little let down.. I felt like the star appetizer, the fried green tomatoes were just okay.. Super thin slices of tomatoes with a much thinner cornmeal batter than I'm used to. My buffalo shrimp had the same thin cornmeal fry..the buffalo sauce was good but it either needed more breading or more sauce..the amazing sounding and looking crab and shrimp burger seemed to also have that same cornmeal fry to it and just tasted a little fishy. It was good but in the back of my mind I wondered how fresh it was. Our server was friendly, the outdoor seating was comfortable with the fans. It was an easy place to take out baby. It was super casual and just noisy enough I didn't worry about my baby making a little noise. I enjoyed that this place is local and not a chain but wish I liked the food a little more. The black eyed peas were probably the best item. They do have several seafood and vegetarian options which was really exciting about but now I'm not sure I care to try them. I was there at noon on a Sunday.
(3)Allison H.
The only thing thaat saves this joint is the location. The tables are sticky and wiped poorly. The drinks at times can taste like soap and the servers are negligent and at times rude. I like the vibe. This place can potentially be a bay area gem. I will be very honest though, if it weren't for the fact that this is one of the few places in safety harbor that serves liquor, it would have shut down long ago. Pair scrappy drinks and some mediocre live music and u will get complacent patrons. I mean a small glass of barefoot merlot (a cheap wine sold at publix for $7.00 750ML bottle) should not be served for $8.00 in a poorly washed cup. Lipstick stains, foggy, finger prints. GROSS! Dont recommend this place at all unless there's a good musician, and u plan on getting shit faced with no budget in mind. Been here five times and each time I am disappointed by something.
(2)Jeremy O.
Go for tasty, quality food and stay for the great music. This place has a fabulous menu with something for everyone and I've really liked the majority of the dishes I've tried. Even the ones I didn't like were well prepared, just not for me. The shrimp/crab burger is my favorite "bar food" in town. Love that this place supports the local music scene. Best place in town to have a dish, drink and hear a few tunes.
(5)Richard B.
Our family loves almost everything on their menu. Anytime you can add fried green tomatoes, do it!
(4)Jim A.
Food was great! Be sure to ask for Kim and order what she recommends! We had the appetizer platter, rib eye steak sandwich and chocolate cake! Wow!
(4)Marion E.
This used to be one of our favorite local places to take friends but after last nights meal, never again, After sitting a at slanted table getting bit by some kind of bugs, my husband was served a Grouper dinner. The size of the Grouper was like a chicken nugget.The waitress agreed & took the plate back. She came back with the same plate saying the cook told her thats the way its served. My husband sent the dish back & ordered a burger as I had. I on the other hand was served frozen onion rings with my burger. FROZEN IN THE MIDDLE When I gave the onion ring to the waitress to give to the cook she came back & said the manager was already yelling at the cook. I paid my bill when it came, gave the waitress her 20% & we left. We were not offered a credit for a terrible meal. I didn't ask for one, it should be offered. I will tell all my friends & advised everyone I know. I emailed the restaurant after our terrible experience hopeful they would at least apologize, but nothing. Lots of great choices in Safety Harbor, this is not one of them. This used to be one of our favorite local places to take friends but after last nights meal, never again,
(1)Gigi S.
Love the diversity of the menu, the drink specials, and face-melting dessert options, so I can look past the fact that I'm a long haired bitch seated next to a whirling fan in the smoking area of a dog park. I love dives but there's no getting past my allergies, and hatred of doggy urine soaked mulch chips when I'm trying to grub for the fun of it. Luckily, this was my third or fourth stop so I wasn't hungry at all, and took it all in stride. Wasn't going to admit how delicate I am like some sort of badass, so there I sat in defiance of a hellish allergy attack kindly smiling at someones miniature wookie. Hafta admit, the shredded pork tacos were well done, and I'm Hispanic, so thats gotta stand for something! I will most definitely be Bach!
(3)Christopher S.
I was not prepared for what would come. We came to try the Fried Green Tomatoes then select items to taste from the menu. With a Dunedin Brewery Red, I was eager to try the tomatoes several had talked about. By sight, I liked the fact that these could not be used as hockey pucks. The tomatoes were lightly breaded, my preference. They were covered with diced red tomatoes and goat cheese. The problem was it was an unbalanced spread. Some had too much, some not enough. It showed a bit carelessness by the "cook." Tomato garnish on a tomato. Interesting. There was an absence of anything that might complement or tone down the acidity!.I asked for a key lime aioli that was available, tried it, and it matched well. We decided to split the Black Beans, Rice, and Pulled Pork Bowl. An unbalanced white rice with back beans immediately stood out. The pork was not quite pulled and minimal! When I started to separate the few clumps, I saw too much fat to the point that it ruined my appetite. I signaled to our server, and when he got to the table, told him to show it to the cook and ask him if he would eat it!. The manager came over and asked if I wanted something else. I told her the meal had actually ruined my appetite. I also mentioned that our server was most helpful. I paid the bill, tipped our young server as if the entree was still on the bill, and left. I saw some great burger options but don't know if I'll go out of my way to try them. I liked the atmosphere, the staff was friendly, but that dish made me blind red. If I do come back, I will update my review and, maybe my start rating. I left disappointed.
(2)Shawna K.
An Ode to Fried Green Tomatoes, the wonderful movie! Is found at Whistle Stop Cafe, a place so groovy You can get your fried green tomato fix in every which way Fried up plain, in a sandwich, on a salad, or fancy if you say Although Big George isn't out back fixin the BBQ with the secret sauce Whistle Stop is still one of the most charming places I've come across It's all outside seating centered around a big ol bar But you can relax under a roof if you don't want to sit under the stars Service was a little off today at my lunch So I'm glad I wasn't on a time crunch Looking forward to a nightly visit to hear the live bands sing Chill, have a beer, & enjoy the weather this spring!
(3)Britt M.
Great little place with great food
(5)Larry B.
This is a pretty odd place; it was built out of/around an old 1960's ice cream stand; they converted the building to a kitchen, and put tables out back. It is now mostly shielded from the weather, so it works ok even when it is cold or rainy. I've been to Whistle Stop dozens of times. The food is pretty good; it's consistent, and things are well seasoned, etc. They have some unusual things on the menu, which is nice. Service is generally quite good, even when they are busy (and they can get busy!!!). In a previous review, I commented that smoke can be a problem, because they had far too much of the restaurant allowing smoking, under the "it's outdoors" provisions of the Florida law. They cut back the smoking areas, though, and it is better. The "dog friendly areas" aren't really very friendly. Dogs are relegated to a dirt floor area, which is also under trees, so your pooch will get pretty much filthy. For a nearby pet friendly restaurant, try Tapping the Vine. Lastly, they are devoted to providing/supporting music, and often have live one or two person acts. Some is good, some less so. Wednesdays is open mike night...be forewarned!!
(4)Amber D.
Mmm fancy fried green tomatoes. The Whistlestop is a landmark in Safety Harbor. I wish we had room to try one of their awesome sounding ice cream sundaes. We sat in the dog friendly seating..it was kind of overrun by caterpillars...so maybe sit elsewhere.
(4)Lisa N.
So nice we ate there twice. Was visiting Safety Harbor for less than 24 hours and ended up eating here twice: once at dinner and again at lunch. The food was excellent both times. Both times we had to order the fried pickles. Perfectly crispy on the outside with a little burst of vinegar/pickle when you bite it. The ranch dressing that they are served with was a little on the bland side but that did not take away from the deliciousness. My friends both had the veggie burgers with avocado and I had the turkey wrap with bacon and added avocado for dinner and then the buffalo chicken wrap for lunch. The wraps were sizable and tasty. The sandwiches, burgers, and wraps come with your choice of sides. I tried the fresh fruit and the onion rings. The onion rings were better for obvious reasons. They also had a nice selection of vegetarian and healthier options to choose from. The ice cream is clearly fresh and fabulous. Try a sundae, milkshake or scoop. You won't be disappointed. My friend ordered the chocolate peanut butter shake on both our dinner and lunch visits. The atmosphere is very chill. The tables are all outside on a covered patio. The sides can be pulled down during rain or cold weather. Great happy hour specials and live music. Fun place. I will be visiting again!
(4)Mark R.
Liked this place a lot, food was good, prices are real reasonable and I love the outdoor seating. This place is good if you want to chill outside, have some drinks, and pair em up with some good food. I love the rustic old Florida vibe they aim at providing. Really just a good spot if you want to have dinner and hang with friends.
(4)Kailyn F.
Food was very good and menu was exciting. I had a Santa Fe Burger, or something along those lines, and my boyfriend had a burger as well. The cheese curds are killer!!
(5)Grumpy D.
I was torn about the stars...I didn't want to give it 2 for "Meh, I've had better", because I really don't like fried green anything, so I don't have a baseline to judge...and I didn't want to give it the 3 for "A-OK". because it really isn't. I've never had a bar run out of Budweiser! And I sure as hell wasn't going to drink anything that requires citrus fruit to give it flavor. This place is kinda odd. They don't have indoor seating at all, everything is outdoors, sort of. They use roll down awning for walls (and if there is a wall, no smoking). I think it used to be an ice cream stand in a previous life, near the railway station. They expanded (to be kind) to a full service restaurant. It seems to cater to both the yuppy crowd and the local bar flies. There was nearly a fight at the bar when we were there between two of the regulars...and I was sitting between the two! They do have a fantastic smoked fish spread with fancy crackers. I'm a biker...gimme the Premium Saltines! And their burgers are pretty good also. And did I mention they ran out of Bud?
(3)Dena P.
Cute little place in safety harbor. I use to drive past it a lot and have only been there a few times for their ice cream. They also provide a few different flavors and also sugar free ones from what I can remember. They have updated themselves so it's much nicer now than before.
(3)Katie M.
I recently went here for a friend's birthday party. I didn't realize it was all outdoor seating, but luckily it wasn't that hot of a night. We had a nice corner of the restaurant. This place has a great casual, almost divey kind of vibe. Complete with live music from a guy with long hair and aviators. The menu is pretty straight forward, but there were some unique items that you don't always see on menus. A bunch of different apps were ordered for the party...fried pickles, fried green tomatos and corn fritters. I had a bite of each and they were all great. Not too fried! For an entree I ordered the crab and shrimp burger with sweet potato fries. The fries were awesome...I think it's hard to screw up sweet potato fries. But the burger was underwhelming. It was served with a mango salsa and an aioli. The aioli was great, but the mango salsa would have been great with bigger hunks of mango. Also the burger tasted a bit off, but I ate it anyway. I got sick later that night...not sure if it was the food or something else (no, I was not heavily drinking). Our waitress for the night was top notch. She was friendly and funny and kept our big group happy. Props to her! Would I come back? Yes, but I wouldn't make a special trip out. It seems like a great place for a casual group hangout.
(3)Lauren C.
Creative menu, cool outdoor atmosphere, live music. Lots of unique cocktails and the food is tasty and nicely presented.
(4)Doug J.
The atmosphere is tiki-hut, old Florida neighborhood eatery. Its one of those "everyone knows your name" places. The food is good and some of it is even healthy. The music at night is never over powering and the talent is local and good. It's not bad sitting outside even in the Summer. My one complaint after several visits is the service. It seems the servers are always over worked and in the weeds and the kitchen is behind every time. If you're in a rush forget it. If you want to relax and have a 90 minute lunch it is worth the effort.
(4)Michelle A.
Came highly recommended from a person who lives in Safety Harbor. I also read the Yelp reviews before we went. I will say 50/50 on the food. I ordered the black bean and greens salad. Good size but mostly lettuce with some yummy red tomatoes, a few pieces of avocado and some ( canned) black beans dressed with a light vinaigrette. Pretty but the taste was flat. I asked for some honey mustard dressing and this boosted it up in flavor a bit. Definitely not worth $8.90.. My Husband had a BLT with fried green tomatoes. Now this was delicious!! Great Crusty bread, perfectly fried tomato. Seating is all outside which in Florida can be quite uncomfortable. They have plenty of fans about, just choose a table with a fan aimed at you if your going to dine here in the summer. Friendly server, and prompt service but we were eating a late lunch around 2 pm.
(4)John H.
Visiting from Minnesota and looking for a healthy option, we heard this was a great local bar. The wait staff was friendly. Meals are reasonably priced. And the food is fresh!
(4)Amanda P.
The setting is very cool. Outdoors, live music, cute bar...Jimmy Buffett feel to the place. Food is moderate to awful. And the bar serves only beer and wine, which would be ok for some places, but this place NEEDS to serve margaritas and cocktails, it is just that kind of setting. If I am going to suffer through bar food, I want a real bar.
(3)D S.
A cute restaurant that has all outdoor seating. Customers are kept comfortable by awnings/roof and fans/misters are present. The menu items looked really inspired, but items I tried lacked a certain spark. I'm not saying they weren't tasty, but I am saying that Sysco has a bigger hand in the food than actual home cooking. I tried the signature appetizer "Fancy Fried Green Tomatoes". Medium slices of green tomatoes in a crispy coating, covered with "plops" of goat cheese and sprinkled with cilantro. Tasty! Entree was the Surprise Burger, a cheddar cheese filled jalapeno popper was stuffed in the middle. Also on the burger was salsa, onion slices, avocado, lettuce, tomato slices & lettuce. It was a decent burger, but the salsa was missing, and that might have added the zing that was missing. I wouldn't order it again, but I don't regret eating it. The side of Black Eyed Pea salad was entirely too salty, almost inedible. Tasted like taco seasoning mix with some oil as a dressing, mixed with the peas and some chopped onion and tomato. Stick with the fries... The Calamari the Kidlet ordered were a generous portion of lightly battered and fried squid and small slices of green and red pepper. Served with a ginger dipping sauce. Sauce was forgettable, but the Calamari were tasty. We tried a brownie ice cream sundae. Brownie was not terribly tasty and the soft serve was a soupy mess. Skip it. Kidlet had a scoop of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream in a waffle cone. Not sure what the hoopla around the ice cream is, but it was not the best/creamiest I've ever had. My favorite part of the meal? The $2.75 Shock Top pints! Yummy beer goodness! If we lived near here, I'd come back without hesitation.
(3)Austin D.
SUMMARY: A great spot in cute li'l Safety Harbor, with friendly locals, good beer specials, a great patio, and locally sourced fare. 3.5 stars for some technical glitches HITS: - Grass-fed burger (the fact that they carry it!) - Key lime pie (done well, but would have asked them to hold the marshmallow sauce, which was mostly on the side). - Black eyed pea salad (side) - Ahi tuna salad with "cusabi" sauce; well-seared, nice fresh greens - It's also known for its milkshakes and sundaes from a local ice cream company, but we didn't have those on this trip GOOD, NOT GREAT - Grass-fed burger- they overcooked it the first time (well-done not medium); because grass-fed is so different from the factory output cooks have been used to for the last 50 years, I don't fault them for it. GF meat cooks faster and is typically leaner. Anyhoo, I told our pleasant waitress and she had another one brought out which was cooked properly, but I suspect it had been frozen. (still wasn't as juicy as others I've had). - Fried green tomatoes- I know it's their specialty and I'll be accused of blasphemy for saying such a thing, but it was just okay; they offer different variations to make it more interesting; we had the "fancy" style with tomatoes and goat cheese; I found it still to be a bit wanting; next time I would "go for broke" and get one with crawfish sauce. - Parking lot is small, and there are ominous tow-away signs in the immediate office complex next door (although almost all offices were vacant). We did not get towed. I will definitely return, most likely during happy hour when beers are $1.50!
(4)Peter C.
This place offers to upgrade your burger to "grass fed" for a few more bucks, and it's your first tip-off that this place cares about the food it serves. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality and taste of the cuisine in a place that looks like it focuses mostly on getting people drunk (it's an outdoor air restaurant/bar that we THOUGHT was mostly bar.) This is by far the best casual restaurant in Safety Harbor and is now a must-visit whenever we go back.
(4)Shawn J.
Best Ahi Tuna in the Bay area! All of the food is very good. You can tell the owner/manager really cares about quality. Nice "beachy/tropical" outdoor atmosphere. Very casual. We really enjoy this place.
(4)Lane R.
For a casual, outdoor dinner Whistle Stop is one of my favorites. Happy hour wine prices are excellent (I think $2.50), draft beer is around $1.50 and their food is always great. I keep coming back for the black eyed pea salad. I can't get enough. Such a simple side that they make so well. The fried green tomatoes are great, as you would expect. I'm personally a fan of the Fried Green BLT and the Buffalo Chicken Wrap, but I have never had a bad item. There is live music on the weekend and a portion of the restaurant is dog friendly. What's not to love.
(5)Stephanie G.
Other than cold onion rings this place was great. Burgers are terrific with good live music and superb service. Not to be missed.
(4)Denni S.
Disappointed in the burger that I ordered. I will try it again since so many people do recommend it.
(2)Sarah B.
I am a vegetarian, so I appreciate that they have several vegetarian options. I have had the fried green tomato sandwich, the veggie burger (love Joe's Oat Patties) and the veggie wrap and they were all good. The bean salad is a nice side option when you want something more healthy than fries. Pretty good beer selection. Service has been hit or miss, but overall is fine. We have ordered ice cream from the front window a few times and the service there is terribly slow. After waiting 10 minutes for someone to acknowledge us (I really wanted some ice cream), we ordered 2 Bron's Sweet Sundaes. The sundaes were made by 2 different people and looked completely different from one another. Plus, one was much larger than the other and they gave them to us like nothing was wrong.
(3)Michael G.
Whistle Stop is my all-time favorite restaurant in Tampa Bay. I've been coming here for the past 15 years and always had a great meal. Though this place only has outdoor seating, it's definitely worth checking out, especially in the Winter. The atmosphere is really nice - maybe you'll even see a train go by. I always get the grilled cheese which is my favorite grilled cheese. On the side I get onion rings which are also good as long as you ask for them extra crispy. The staff are friendly but I think they need to work on the consistency of the food. They used to have a lot more of a ice cream selection but now they only have soft serve vanilla with toppings so I usually go to Cold Stone Creamery or Joey Biscotti for desert. Overall, Whistle Stop is really good and I highly recommend it.
(5)