Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant
10 Beach Dr NE, Saint Petersburg, FL, 33701
Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Saint Petersburg for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Saint Petersburg for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Saint Petersburg for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
10 Beach Dr NE
Saint Petersburg, FL, 33701 - Phone (727) 209-2299
- Website https://www.ceviche.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Romantic
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Angela S.
My husband and I went for dinner and drinks at this Ceviche location last night after being disappointed by the Chillounge event. I really think this is my favorite off the 3 ceviche locations we have been to. The building is beautiful, and the set up inside an out with multi levels really makes for a vibrant atmosphere. Ceviche was pretty busy with a mature crowd. We were able to get seats right away at the bar. We enjoyed good wine, sangria and a few tapas. The seared scallops were my favorite, although my husband is a big fan of the potatoes bravas. You could see the bartenders honestly working their butts off to serve the crowded area, and I still thought the service was okay. I do wish ceviche would offer a few specials on the weekends like they do dinner the week. Ceviche on a Saturday night is expensive, but it's worth it for the food and the atmosphere.
(4)Juliet D.
I'm revising my review only because the service tends to be inconsistent, but the food is outstanding. There's a Ceviche's in Tampa with a menu I find even more interesting, but if you love tapas, you can't go wrong either place. Tapas are little servings of a wide range of unusual hot and cold dishes, so you can try many, and there's something for every palette. For example, try the "ceviche" (signature tapas) in any variety (the shrimp and salmon are both awesome). Ceviche is chilled fish or shellfish "cooked" without heat using citrus juice instead. The servings come chilled in martini glasses with fabulous marinades. The sangria (with apples and fruit) is a lush treat as well. Other dishes to try are the grilled octopus, giant scallops, hummus, meat and cheese platter, and more. The desserts are extraordinary. Try the white cake and berries in cream. I have sampled perhaps 20 different tapas at Ceviche's over the years and they were all phenomenal. I enjoy the ornate Spanish tile and the location of the restaurant on this south-beach-like strip of downtown Saint Pete's Baywalk. Hip and fun.
(4)Lori P.
Great tapas & excellent service! Our waitress Amanda was awesome! She made excellent recommendations & was so personable!
(5)Julie R.
We ALWAYS hit Ceviche when in the Tampa area. The food is simply outstanding, drinks are amazing, Sangria...to die for. It doesn't even matter where you sit, outside has a view and is breezy, inside is dimly lit and beautifully decorated, even the bar is cozy and fun. Hit the Flamenco Room (sp?) afterwards. Super fun to watch the couples dance
(5)Lawrence C.
We scoured St. Petersburg for good restaurants. I couldn't really find a place as good as this. Honestly I can't remember much, because I must have had a pitcher and a half of sangria on my own. I do remember the food being really really good. The ambiance is excellent too. Many people, locals and visitors alike agree as well because this place is always packed. I don't give five stars easily, this place is worth a visit.
(5)Dan M.
Ceviche in St. Pete does a number of things right. Located a block from the waterfront on the first floor of a boutique hotel, it has several options for fresh air dining outside and an overall good feel inside. The menu is broad (two full pages) with a nice selection of traditional tapas along with some more adventuresome choices. On the night we arrived (mid-week) there was lots of energy. It could easily serve as the setting for a date with someone who you actually wanted to interact, or a thankfully refreshing landing spot for snow weary visitors from out of state (like us), or the focus for getting together a noisy group of friends. Also worth calling out is that they do breakfast every day of the week with a small but interesting selection dishes that stand out for their quality and originality. The fruit plate I ordered looked like it was posing for a magazine cover and the crab/shrimp quiche was loaded with seafood. Breakfast is servered in the smaller street level dining area. One off note ... service seems to be slow during busy hours. You might not want to make this the stop for a type A personality with tickets to a show.
(5)D L.
Ceviche has really stepped up their game in the last few months! The food tastes better then ever and the service has been outstanding. We had Leissan today for lunch after a stroll around the Saturday Morning market. We also love Tapas Tiesdays!
(5)Michael S.
Nice place, pleasant staff. The vegetable soup was great. The Ceviche de la casa was lacking fish. It was a lettuce, pepper and onion salad with one shrimp, one scallop and one piece of calamari. Tasty but not ceviche. Even the menu states scallops, with an s. When the waitress asked how everything was, I stated that although tasty it was lacking fish other than what I described above. She just gazed at me with no response and walked away, not rude but without a response. Left hungry.
(3)Joseppie S.
Very good food and sangria.
(4)Kimberly Y.
Before you go, take note of a couple things . The food here is generally very good and there are lots of great selections! Be prepared to wait when its busy and it can get loud. The service is somewhat slow when busy which is most of the time. Keep in mind that this is a tapas bar which means you are getting small portions. When the food comes out.... it comes out when its ready and you may not get all your food at once. If you are really hungry, you may want to pass because the portions are not large and it can cost a bundle to get full. This is the perfect place to meet friends for a drink and app. and sharing is the name of the game.
(4)Janin c.
I never thought they would have a place this good in St. Petersburg FL. I was pleasantly surprised! This place is amazing. I like the fact that while you are waiting for a table you can go downstairs and have a drink while listening to a live band....and speaking of drinks the sangria was to die for!! Absolutely fantastic. Now, on to the food. We ordered the baby lamb ribs which basically melted in your mouth. Cooked to perfection. The spinach salad was delish. we also ordered some type of fish i forgot the name but man oh man was it absolutely fantastic....it might have been the snapper. My absolute FAVE dish had to be the mushrooms covered in goat cheese....there are no words to describe this dish!!! U must try it for yourself! Overall very satisfied with the food and service would def go back when I'm in town!
(4)PT C.
In a few words - don't bother.... The atmosphere is great and the sangria is defiantly good but the plates are mediocre and the service is ssllllllloooooooooooooooooowww. We dined here a total of about 5 times in the last year, really hoping that it was an off night or whatever but it always seemed the same. We had one waiter twice that we nicknamed "Bambi" because he seemed really like a deer in the headlights. After the second experience of having to go to the bar twice for refills and being served the wrong dishes 3 or 4 times by Bambi we made sure to not get his section the next time. All in all, there are much better restaurants within a few blocks of this place that are much more worth your time and money. ---Just to be clear, we've eaten at the Cevice on Howard before and it's awesome. Especially the Sunday brunch- very kick ass bloody Marys and great, great food and service. The St. Pete location really needs to figure out what these guys are doing for their training and emulate it.
(2)Julie C.
Love this place! Perfect for small plates and apps! Great Atmosphere! Wish we had one closer to us now living in New Tampa!
(5)Jennifer D.
The menu is endless and the staff is willing to guide you though it. This place was really hopping one night so we decided we would come back after our visit to the Dali the following day. Great place to go with people that want to try a bunch of different things.
(3)Bill S.
This place really rocks! It can get crowded pretty quickly so try to get there early. The sangria is really tasty and potent. I recommend the Ceviche de la Casa to start. You can make a full meal with the tapas alone. I was drinking and enjoying the St. Petersburg downtown vibe, you can't go wrong here. The wait staff was cool, nice vibe to this place.
(4)Susanne C.
delicious tapas, great sangria. the ambiance is nice. i enjoyed the scallops in the manchego cheese & sherry cream sauce: D-lisch
(5)Marie-Noelle C.
This seems to be a go to place for my me and my friends. I'm really a fan of Spanish food so it's not much of an arm twist to get me to go here. So far everything I've had from the croquetas bacalao to the frog legs (yes, they are in fact very delicious) has not disappointed me. It also, doesn't hurt that I'm a huge fan of Spanish wines as well so their selection is not bad in that department. If you're not into their dry wines, the sangria is also a tasty alternative. It's a very lively atmosphere both upstairs and down, but if you want that sort of loungey feel then downstairs is the way to go. They have live music most nights. I would try and reserve early if you have a big party of people on the weekends because it tends to fill up pretty quickly. Buen Provecho!
(4)Paul K.
Went for the Sangria - was well worth it. Great (and well priced) happy hour menu - the meatballs rocked! Was told about the lower level live bands but did not have the time - was very happy I went back the week after - a cuban band hand the place rocking. Was so into it that accepted an offer to dance and had a great time. The only downside is that is was so popular, that it took a while to get a drink at the bar.
(4)Jessica J.
Reviewing the weekend brunch... Listen! This is not ya mama's french toast! Thick slices of bread with chunks of fruit and raisins and all around deliciousness. If you like the traditional stuff, this might be too fancy for you. But oh my god it's amazing! The sangria is cheap and strong. Oh and we got complimentary bread and pesto which I'm certainly not accustomed to for a brunch. How creative and awesome. Black bean soup was really good and flavorful. I'm typically not a big fan of the food here cuz a lot of it is very heavy, but this brunch just totally turned me into a fan!
(4)Michelle A.
We had a wonderful dinner at Ceviche and exceptional service from our waiter Dan! His recommendations were delicious and all the items we ordered were wonderful.
(5)Jamie M.
I just moved to St. Petersburg so I am excited to try all of the restaurants the area has to offer. Ceviche has a really fun vibe and is great for parties or big groups of friends. Expect lots of noise on the weekends, so if you are looking for a quiet space, this is not it. Forthe price, the food is just ok, not great. I think it is great for $4 tapas on Tuesdays, but pricey if you are hungry and want to eat a meal. I do recommend the patatas brava and the baked goats cheese - both are delicious!
(3)Nadia D.
Great service and atmosphere. Authentic Spanish menu items with a slight fusion of Mediterranean. Menu includes traditions Spanish tapas such as Tortilla Espanola, Patatas Bravas, and Croquettas. But also included ceviches and baba ganoush. Reasonable prices and a nice happy hour menu.
(4)Gigi S.
You know what's better than this place? Every other Ceviche location ever created. Sure, it's the most beautiful location, but that means squat. The live music is great, the dark basement is sexy, and the option of outdoor street side seating is super Miami, but when we all know that food quality and service are what we're paying for and not the architectural beauty of the Ponce De Leon Hotel, then the food must be fairly critiqued. First, our group was concerned that we'd be sick after trying the worst deviled eggs evar. They were hard like plastic. Mark H. finally got his meal after we were all done, and after having spent so much on such an unsatisfying meal we moved on to the basement to drink our dinner sorrows away. The staff couldn't care less, but it was an effective Plan B I suppose.
(2)Megan M.
This place is just... meh. I think this location is a bit worse than the Tampa location. My most recent experience at this restaurant was not good at all, actually. It smelled SUPER weird in there, almost like a mildew-ish/moldy smell mixed with cheap cleaning products (ew). The service was very slow and it was also a bit hot inside the restaurant. Regarding the food, we had the manchego burger, the gambas and guacamole, and the calamares fritos. The best thing was the manchego burger, which would be pretty hard to mess up. The gambas and guacamole was not anything special, and they did not give us enough chips with this [;ate (they only served it with like 5 chips) so there was nothing to break up the slimy consistency after a few bites. The calamari was overly salty and greasy. Overall, I left this place feeling pretty gross. It did not seem clean... at all. I should note that I have been to this location at night and actually thought it was slightly better (maybe more like 3.5 stars), and it's a good date night spot because of the location in downtown St. Pete and the fact that the Sangria is all right. Regardless, I think you are better off hitting up Cafe Alma or basically anywhere else in downtown St. Pete for the price you pay at this place. It just is not worth it.
(3)Yana W.
Went to Ceviche for brunch recently. Been there many times previously, but have avoided it since "the scandal." Had my dogs with me so my friends and I were seated outside on the side walk. Nice server Amanda was very sweet and helpful. The manager has assured us about the cleanliness of the kitchen and even offered us a tour. We settled for his word. I ordered the classic eggs Benedict with a twist and my friends ordered omelets. Mimosas and bloody marys, of course. Don't let the word "eggs" (plural) trick you. There was just one. It was served on a half of croissant. It was delicious, but I was still very hungry after eating it. So I ordered a breakfast bread basket. That was a good choice. Yummy pastries. Love the variety, so I was able to share. My friends loved their chorizo omelets. We had good time eating, drinking, and people watching.
(4)Brett N.
Why 2 stars? Because I hate doing this... but yikes. --- --- --- I really dislike giving out reviews below 3-stars, but there's no way I can justify anything but this after my experience. I hadn't been to Ceviche in years, and when my friend told me her birthday party was here, I was excited to be reunited! It's one of the more popular restaurants in the area, and the last time I'd been, I remember liking it, but it was long before my days of Yelping. Unfortunately, I tried about ten dishes, and thought one of them was good. The rest? Anywhere from awful, to average at best. It was a large group, and food was being passed around left and right. All I know for sure is that the one thing I really enjoyed was some kind of cheesy potato. I ordered the house ceviche for myself, as well as the steak with chimichurri. Both of those things were just utterly terrible. There's no way to sugarcoat it... the ceviche tasted like it had been soaked for 6 weeks in 50 gallons of lemon and lime juice. The steak tasted gamey... I'm not sure if there was goat cheese in there, or that something in the mix just tasted like goat cheese. Either way, it tasted like it, and my taste buds aren't friends with gamey things. As things were passed around one by one, I would take a bite, and wonder... "how does this place remain so popular?" I really disliked everything... including the flan and the coconut ice cream. How does something that simple get messed up? And before I end the review, I just want to say that the menu stresses me out. It seems like there is no rhyme or reason to the layout of it. Maybe I'm just dumb, but I could not figure out the pattern, and it felt like a full-time job to dissect the menu for what sounded the most appealing. Again... this is not why I Yelp. I love giving rave reviews, and hate giving poor ones - see my rating distribution for proof of that. But there is just no way around it... this was one of the worst meals I had in 2013.
(2)Oliver P.
Excellent food in a great setting. We sat outside on the porch, so we had a good view of the fireworks that happened to be on that night. We followed the waiter's recommendations for a lot of what we ordered, and they were great. The only disappointing dishes were the ones we choose ourselves.
(5)CJ K.
My sister and I stopped in here for dinner on our way home from the beach. Portions are small, as 'tapas' would indicate, and more on the expensive side. The shrimp ceviche was very good but not the best I've ever had. And the goat cheese (which in my opinion is missing tomato sauce) could have been better, but the chips & blue cheese crumbles were yummy. And the sauteed spinach (with dates/figs) was delicious!
(3)Ashley M.
Ceviche is great for groups, for a date, for friends, and for family. The food is served tapas-style, so it's great for sharing. As a veggie lover, I get all their mushroom dishes, which are seasoned amazing! Ceviche presents an unique opportunity for you to try many different things over dinner. When I've gone with my meat-eating friends they have all shared pork, chicken, seafood and veggies! I definitely recommend coming with an appetite. They also offer happy hour discounts and I think it's on Tuesday they offer half-price on certain tapas. Also, you HAVE to try their sangria....it's amazing!
(4)Sierra S.
The barely touched glasses of Sangria should have been a clue but we ordered a pitcher anyway. For over $30. It was disgusting. The bartender offered to add sugar syrup. Still terrible. Then added pineapple juice. Slightly better. Then said, what else can I add to make it better? I give her high marks for trying but the moment you start asking the customer how to alter a drink, you have already lost. Oh, and we were still charged for the pitcher. As for meals, the group ordered several things, some eggplant dish, the spicy potatoes, a steak&leeks thing? No one raved about any of the meals. The toasted coconut ice cream was the only thing that was decent.
(2)Julie R.
Comfortable atmosphere, fabulous food, wonderful service and I highly recommend the chocolate cake! So many different options we stopped again the next evening.
(5)monet s.
Overall, the food was good. There were light and fresh options. The patio seating was nice and it is in a great location near the harbor. All of the stars are for the food and the location. However, I am giving only 2 stars because our waiter was really inappropriate with us. I came for a business meeting over dinner. He happens to be a man, and I happen to be a woman. I placed the order and my friend was being a little indecisive. The waiter turns to my male friend and says something to the effect of 'she's really into being in charge. I understand (and points to his ring finger).' I hope Ceviche's can give their staff a lesson in professionalism. Its really inappropriate for them to project their sexist assumptions onto my relationship with the person I'm out to dinner with.
(2)Jean M.
Gross. Good service, ambiance, and drink specials, but seriously the worst tapas I have ever had in my life. I started ordering tapas one after the other before I realized that there weren't going to be any winners here. I left hungry rather than order another disappointing dish. I might be back for drinks, but never again for dinner. If you are looking for a good place to get tapas, I highly recommend going to Vizcaya in Tampa. The food there is wonderful.
(1)Gilberto G.
Have fun! Noisy places can be fun, especially if service and food are excellent! I had the house Ceviche, of course, Pollo al Aji (Chicken in Garlic Sauce, frogs legs, and more! All the Tapas I had were very tasty. The St. Petersburg waterfront appears to be a fun place to go to. I only stopped here for a meal.
(5)Mare G.
Not impressed. Ordered the shrimp and guac, veal meatballs, hummus, and Serrano ham plate....bla. The carrots and celery in the hummus were old. Nothing was good. Pretty disappointing. We should have known by the lack of people going here vs nearby restaurants.
(1)Jessica S.
Fantastic food! My dad and I went and split 5 small plates between ourselves. The menu was a little overwhelming, but had helpful, detailed descriptions. There were lots of vegetarian options which I really appreciate! Our waitress was a sweetheart and I would love to return if I'm ever in the area again!
(5)Stuart F.
Ceviche is a great location and nice concept. I have two concerns that limit my review from being more than two stars. The first is the noise level from the live music I've experienced each time. During my last visit, I used my decibel meter app on my phone and it was measuring a noise level around 90db. That's dangerously loud in my book, and the NYTimes says permanent hearing loss begins around 85db: well.blogs.nytimes.com/2… The music is amplified, and I don't understand why it is amplified to such a high degree. Some businesses are aware of studies showing that people buy more drinks when music is excessively loud, so many places have no monetary incentive to turn it down unless workers or consumers complain. But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and just assume they are unaware of how loud it is, or perhaps my decibel measuring app is way off. Either way, I will avoid the basement until they lower the volume. The other concern is the lack of vegan labeling. They have a gluten-free menu which is nice, but there are actually significantly more vegans in the U.S. than people with celiac's disease. They have a "Vegetales" section of the menu, but it's unclear what is vegan or could be made vegan. Are the veggies sauteed in butter? Are the fried egg plants fried with egg or butter? Is any of the bread vegan? Is the soup made with chicken stock? I basically would have to ask my poor server a litany of questions that, unless they have memorized the ingredients of dozes of dishes, they won't likely know of the top of their head. Why not just have a little (v) next to items that are vegan, or (v*) if they could be made vegan? That would make it easy for consumers and the waiters. It's certainly a unique place in St. Pete, and I hope they stick around and succeed.
(2)Kathy T.
Best margarita ever, outstanding service from Fernando, and a great meal! This is one of my most favorite restaurants ever - a have-to-visit in St. Petersburg, FL
(5)Tiffany H.
My review was for a late night stop for music and something sweet in the downstairs lounge. I definitely need to stop by for regular dinner hours after this visit! I really dig the downstairs lounge, even if it got a little tight on space. I nabbed a hightop with a friend and poked through the menu to find something enticing. And I found it. The tres leche. I haven't had one of those since leaving Miami a few years back, so I guess it was due. The bartender brought it out a few minutes later and it. was. MASSIVE. Like enough for 3 people because it's almost the size of your head massive. And it was delicious. The two of us tried to polish it off but it won. I also got some good coffee to go with it because I'm not a drinker. Really solid cafe latte, too. The only thing that annoyed me was flow, or lack thereof, of the musicians. It's like they would finish a song, wait a few minutes to play the next, and somehow in the middle of that one there would be that obnoxious squealing that happens when a mic gets too close to the speaker. And it wasn't just a one-time thing. I wanted to stay longer but my ears quit and decided it was time to head out.
(4)Alicia P.
Ceviche is such a great concept! The one in Tampa, we thought was really good, however, one of the beef small tapas plates was very obviously not filet as it stated. Wish it were as good as it could be! Sangria is ok, not great. The Ceviche in St Pete is a nicer spot, it's close to the water, we love the dungeon down below, the live music and all is great! I think the food is better at this location, but it's a little scary, so dark....and heard there was a dirty dining review. We're not sure we'll return to any Ceviche any more. :(
(2)Sean T.
We love the food, huge fan of everything I have tried. We always go with a big group and then order tons of different things to share amongst the table. It can get expensive, but never felt like it was overpriced. My wife loves that there are a lot of vegetarian options. Patatas brava are delicious. It's a loud restaurant, even louder downstairs, so don't go expecting intimate conversation. Great place for small groups, 4-8 people, try everything! My wife loves the sangria.
(4)Raisa B.
Great Tapas! The selection of tapas in this place is phenomenal...very hard to choose. The ceviche de la casa is fantastic. Please also don't forget to try the vieiras puerro.
(4)Mike P.
I am new to town and my wife and I decided to stop by Ceviche while walking around the downtown area, we really loved the atmosphere and have never tried tapas. Needless to say, we will definitely be back!! First and foremost I want to say Luci treated us like royalty! I have never had a server who made us feel so at home, she was so attentive and personable. As we looked at the menu we realized we knew absolutely nothing about Spanish tapas but it was no problem because Luci gave us amazing reccommendations. I definitely reccommend the scallops and those potatoes that are to die for!! I usually never write reviews but this restaurant really made a lasting impression, food and service was extraordinary!
(5)Max W.
This place makes me feel super claustrophobic every time I come. Service is fast and the food is good though I must admit that I find myself eating the same stuff here every time I come. Parking sucks so bear that mind as it is St. Pete and plan accordingly. Nice place for grub but just very tight as everything seems forced in with a crowbar.
(4)Michael H.
For a tapas type of restaurant the food is delicious. I recommended it. They also have a nice bar and great outside seating. 4 stars.
(4)Leslie G.
The sangria here is the best I have found so far, whites a little better than the red. But if they add cinnamon to the red it's better :) The food is decent sized for being tapas. The house salad is boring basically all lettuce but the mussels are pretty good. The sauce is most definitely different I'm used to a red sauce. But yummy either way :) It's a bit dark in here so be sure to ring your phone for a light to read the menu. Service is ok... It seems the servers are over whelmed and the place isn't very busy.
(4)Michele R.
usually do not review such popular spots yet i feel obligated to tell you all about rebecca and how one bartender can make or break an eve for all! waltzed in kind of late on a monday eve... empty save for a few bar patrons. asked if hot chocolate was a possibility.... rest of party ordered drinks. half expected the usual no can do. young rebecca is a can do star. she whipped up her first hot chocolate complete with cream and topping! it was awesome and improvised. after a round of appetizers which were so good the bread disappeared... last call had already been sounded and the prospect of additional bread looked grim to say the least... rebecca to the rescue! she made our night and hopefully she will go on to have a wonderful life. attitude is everything. too often staff is by the book and initiative lacks. kudos to the manager who hired her! thank you.
(5)Christina V.
Every plate was a hit or miss. We went for Tapas Tuesday. The prices were great but the food not so much. I loved the potatoes with the aioli and the shrimp that is also in a aioli based sauce. However, the green beans were so so so grossly salty and lemony...They were disgusting. The chicken cooked in garlic and red pepper flakes was gross. It was basically dark meat chicken that just tasted like oil. The chorizo tasted funky. The sauce and potatoes with it were good but the meat tasted off. As usual the red sangria was on point. Also, our server was rushed but the atmosphere was great for happy hour.
(3)Christina F.
I'm going to miss the casual outdoor seating with a view of the bay, but I almost barfed when I read they closed down because dozens of roaches were found in the kitchen. YUCK. They also failed temperature tests numerous times- meaning food, cooked and uncooked, was being stored at unsafe temperatures. This is an easy way to get serious food poisoning, especially at a restaurant specializing in a raw style fish. Totally unacceptable, putting so many customers at risk like that. My husband and I hadn't eaten here in a couple of months, but we were waking past a few days before the condemnation, and I stopped in to use their restroom. I am not surprised to hear now of them being closed down, as the bathroom was terribly unclean. As someone who has worked in the food service industry, a good rule is that back of the house is just about as (un)clean as the front of the house. Beware.
(1)JT H.
We may have been under dressed because we were recommended to seat at the cafe on the corner. It was still nice but the thought of being pushed out of site sucked. The food was Delicious and at first we were skeptical because of the trouble they had gotten into before. We had just stop in to just get drinks and appetizers. The first drink was water down and the second was just right. Other then not actually eating in the origanl restraunt it wasnt bad at all. The server was nice and courtous to our request.
(3)Molly C.
Excellent food. Portions were small.. but they are "tapas" after all! :) visited this place while on a business trip, and was not disappointed.
(4)Yailyn B.
Went for a late lunch. Ordered for my 1 yr old and myself. Got the shrimp ceviche, which was really good; but hard to eat out of the metal martini glass. Though it was very cute. I also ordered a side of Spanish style rice, grilled salmon and the crab cake. The salmon was fantastic,moist and grilled well. The rice and the mojito I ordered where tasty if not basic. My only real critique is the crab cake. It was not a typical run of the mill cake. I love crab cakes but was not a fan of this one. It had lots of crab, it was a little over powering. Overall great lunch.
(4)Frances Z.
Best restaurant in St Pete thus so far. Service was amazing, our waiter was awesome, made recommendations, went through the menu and basically spoiled us all night long. Wow it doesn't get any better than this. Food was just as great! I've been to Spain twice, and I thought I've dined in some other pretty impressive Spainish restaurants, but Ceviche is as good as they come. We will definitely be back during our next trip.
(5)E F.
.....good thing the sangria martinis were strong because that was the only good part about Ceviche. No valet. We had a birthday party of 10....hostess told us to go downstairs and we were left standing there until we found a bartender to tell us where to sit. Ambience is nice but the basement was about 85 degrees. Waitress was awful....full hour in between sitting down and getting first tapas. She forgot drinks, disappeared for over 15 minutes at a time and forgot 2 orders. The food was disgusting. My tapa tasted like cold marinara sauce with toasted bread. Other tapas includes Walmart potatoes drizzled with cheap cheese and spices. Greasy chicken skewers. I could go on. I would never go here again
(1)Catherine R.
After two spectacular meals with two different servers on two different nights of the week, I can confidently apply five stars to this very special establishment. 1) ask for your servers' opinions. they will lead you upon the correct path. 2) order pan con tomate with manchego as dessert. and struggle not to roll your eyes in pleasure at the first bite. 3) wine wednesdays-----50% off all bottle under $75. for REALzies. (There's a 2010 Old Vine Syrah/Garnacha blend that comes in at $18 that will warm even the coldest heart. If you hate happiness, don't order it.) 4) i just, i can't, i wish i could fully explain how well this place does dinners. The menu is expansive and true to the Spanish experience; my colleague and I have both spent some time in Spain, and the dishes stirred up rich memories of traveling adventurously. 5) Some serious whiners have reviewed this place with poor marks, and I would think twice before trusting their opinions. You've got Diana leaving one star because she didn't get free food* and Sierra expecting koolaid instead of sangria**, for starters. If you want free food and koolaid, I also recommend you go elsewhere. 6) A couple other recommendations: lamb shank, scallops with manchego sauce, spinach with garlic, honey, shallots, and figs. 7) I'm mad they haven't opened a store in NYC yet! * yelp.com/biz/ceviche-tap… ** yelp.com/biz/ceviche-tap…
(5)Michelle M.
I absolutely love the sangria and tapas at Ceviche! I prefer dining outside when the weather is nice. I made the mistake of dining downstairs once and it kind of smells like a wet, musty basement. If you come with a group of friends I recommend getting the full sized plate tapas to share with the table. Some of my favorite tapas are the albondigas (meatballs), veal stuffed peppers, any of the steak or pork dishes, and the tuna tartare. Be sure to indulge in the bread and pesto: so good and perfect for mopping up all the flavorful sauces from the tapas! If you save room for dessert the tres leches dessert is out of this world good and large enough to share with several people! Reservations recommended on the weekend, this place gets packed!
(5)Jesseca T.
I went here two weeks ago before a work trip, there was me and my friend Megan meeting my uncle and aunt. We had about 14 plates, averaging $10/plate. There were many vegetarian options, including sauteed spinach, asparagus, etc. There were also lots of chicken options, although a high percentage were fried. The management was great, our server was attentive, and they had a diverse wine list with most wines by the glass around $9-$11. I felt this was a great value in a nice ambiance and would love to come here again.
(5)Jenny A.
Omg I'm in heaven! just had their steak marsala & loved it! I wanted to lick my plate ! The waitress was super nice & suggested a lot of things for us (: super plus! Also the fried potatoes smothered in a cheesy sauce- it's a definite MUST try!
(5)Amie S.
Was good but we were all overwhelmed not really knowing what to expect. This was our first experience with a Tapas restaurant. Food was amazing I had a garlic jumbo shrimp dish and breaded cod dish, both very delicious hard to choose what was better!
(4)Stacy G.
Dinner was a rewarding and delicious adventure! Thanks to a knowledgeable and highly entertaining server that we had in Dan - we tried plates and cocktails that we never would have without his encouragement. Prices were reasonable for the quality of food - I will definitely return next time in St. Pete.
(4)J T.
The ambience was lovely; our waiter was spot on; and the food was amazing! I highly recommend ordering two tapas per person because one will not fill you. The bread and olive oil concoction that they gave us to munch on while waiting for our food was absolutely delicious and addicting. It was fresh, warm, and mouth-watering good. We ordered the tapas that the waiter (Dan, I think) recommended. One was a grilled jumbo shrimp with almonds; the beef tapas cooked with portobello mushroom; spinach drizzled with honey, garlic, and shallots; and veal. They were all absolutely deliciously succulent. It was a packed-full with yum in every bite!
(4)Sunny K.
Omg, carafes of sangria! Omg, white, Spanish anchovies! Omg, braised ribs. Omg, service, ambiance and locale of restaurant. WOW!
(5)Vi B.
Had one of the best times at this establishment! Had large family get-together and the staff treated us like stars. Food excellent-- had several different selections and passed them around the table. Fernando was our main server and he took superb care of our larger brood. Will be going back to this place again
(5)William R.
I wish I could give more than two stars, because Ceviche has a lot of potential. Let me start out with saying the food was fantastic, and a huge tip of the hat goes out to any chef that can pull off serving so many tapas while clearly showing that the food is given a great deal of thought and care. Let there be no misunderstandings - the food was exceptionally good. With that out of the way, let's talk about service. We had empty plates sitting at our table for almost all of our visit. We had to practically beg for drinks to be refilled. Our table was up against a glass wall that would have offered a nice view, if it wasn't for another table pressed up against opposite side. Enjoying a meal is just a little bit harder to do when you're essentially forced to stare at the face of some stranger. Honestly, if there weren't the glass between our two tables, I suspect I would have been severely invading the other couple's personal space. On that note, the whole restaurant feels very claustrophobic in the sense that tables are packed in like sardines (and while I think of it, try their sardines! They're phenomenal!). Our server was extremely hard to get a hold of, which confused me when I found out that someone else delivers the food to the tables. What is she doing? Because if she's not responsible for bringing food, then she's really only around to deliver drinks (which doesn't happen) and drop off the check, right? Unless she is responsible for the whole restaurant, how can she possibly be so preoccupied? Overall, I loved the food, but hated almost everything else. I don't think I'll be returning very soon.
(2)Ken K.
I really like the Higados (Chicken Livers in sauce) and the shrimp ceviche. I also enjoyed parts of the St. Petersburg Grand Prix from the upper front porch, it was a great view. Downstairs, the bar can get packed, but it is also a fun venue. Ceviche has quite a few things going for it, and its in a great spot downtown. At times, though, the service can be spotty....but the Spanish never rush through their late night meals....
(4)Mark F.
I've been to ceviche a couple times but this past Tuesday was the best! My girlfriend and I usually spend anywhere from $50-70 when we come here but on Tuesdays they had good food and drink specials, so we were pretty excited when our server/bartender, Rebecca, informed us of the specials! She shared some of her favorites and they were all delicious! We even ordered dessert (the chocolate cake) although we were pretty full we still finished it. We sat in the downstairs bar because upstairs was pretty full and we were pleased to find out they had live Spanish music playing. It was a completely different atmosphere from upstairs with a dark and sensual ambiance. The food and service was great considering the high volume and the staff made sure we were taken care of! Will be back soon!
(5)Jessica R.
I was only in the basement bar and had a drink. But I liked what I saw very much. Very nice atmosphere and the live music was great. Would definitely return.
(4)Lauren C.
Ceviche is one of my all time absolute favorite restaurants. Although I do Not usually visit this Particular location, I had the opportunity to stop by and enjoy $4 Tapas Tuesday last night. When we arrived, it was already fairly busy and there was a little bit of confusion at the hostess stand, they initially forgot to put us on the list for table but after waiting about 10 minutes we spoke up and were seated immediately. Our server was prompt and friendly and quickly came by to take our drink orders. I ordered the champagne sangria and my friend ordered the red, both winners in our book. For our tapas, I ordered my usual patatas bravas (potatoes with delicious spicy aioli sauce) and baba ganoush, both were excellent as always. Also ordered The Gambas bravas, also with spicy aioli sauce (do you see a pattern here?!). I can't believe I had never tried these before but believe me when I say they are delicious. For dessert, we shared the tres leches cake, which was so huge that neither of us could finish it Besides the amazing food and sangria, I like ceviche for the environment and music that really ties the Spanish themed feel together. I love to come on weekend nights for live flamenco and Spanish guitar music, it really is a great experience. What more can I say? Ceviche simply delivers the best in authentic Spanish tapas and all the beauty of the culture under one roof
(5)Jason T.
Sarah was amazing today- she made our brunch just amazing- love the food!! Service A+++++++++++
(5)Richard H.
Great place! Service was excellent (thanks, Luci), tapa's were delicious (and gazpacho highly recommended). My wife's sangria and my IPA washed it down nicely. The creme brûlée is the best I have ever had. All in all, the best lunch we have had for quite a while - highly recommended
(5)Kit V.
Went to Ceviche for a Saturday "date night" and had an amazing experience. First, service was fantastic. Our server, Oscar, had great knowledge of the menu & cocktails and made wonderful suggestions. Also, his section was slammed with large parties but he was always attentive to our table. The food was great (oxtail and salmon dishes were the stand-outs). Finally, location is great, nice views and very clean. Cannot wait to go back!
(4)Linda G.
beautiful presentation but didn't find the taste was a good as the look. lovely décor in and out but high ceilings indoors made hearing my partner difficult.
(3)Tony B.
I went one day for lunch and we were the only other table other place filled, so we caught it at a great time, the service was awesome, the food was great and the wine, well...it's wine, can't ever be too bad. Bottom line is, I had a great experience and the food was perfect.
(4)Jennifer S.
One of my favorite places to eat downtown. I love the atmosphere of the place, especially downstairs with the great music they play. They have the best sangria. My favorite items to get there are patatas bravas and piquellos rellenos. This is a great place to come and share some dishes with friends.
(5)Caroline D.
Great Tuesday Tapa specials. Red wine sangria is always a good time. We tried two different ceviches and they were both was delicioius. Get the papas bravas, espinacas, champignones del monte, calamares, albondingos, and chorizo on Tuesday Tapas!
(5)Valerie V.
Went to Ceviche for a wedding reception...it was wonderful! The food was sooo delicious! This place beats any tapas place in Chicago. Fresh sangrias, a fun bartender and roomy dining area. I believe the bride and groom hired the live band and flamenco dancer, but if this was the restaurants house band and entertainment then that was awesome! Would definitely return here if I visited St. Pete's again.
(5)Lauren T.
Just ate here for dinner tonight and it was awesome! We loved the tapas. Many different options and very authentic. It almost feels like you are in Spain when dining there. Our server Amber was extremely good. She was friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable about the menu. After a delicious meal, we went downstairs to check out their bar. Very cool atmosphere. It is more intimate and quiet than upstairs. I highly recommend dining at ceviche. If I lived in St Pete I'd be there all the time.
(5)Jim C.
I sat at the bar, because it was busy. The Cerviche of the house was very good (4/5) the mixed meat and cheese tapas was a little disappointing (2/5).
(3)Kip K.
Well, got here at 625pm and put name in and they said 30 minute wait. Almost 2 hours later and no table. Bye bye Ceviche. I won't be back.
(1)Dr Romie M.
Thank u for great service Leisann. We were visiting from out of town w my friend's 3 year old daughter. Got seated without reservation (thank u) outdoor seating on beautiful Sat evening. Loved the mussels in anisette sauce.
(4)Travis S.
This is a place to bring friends and snack on food while you catch up. They focus on quality not quantity, the size of each dish is barely enough for 3 people so I would recommend getting at least 3 per person.
(4)Tracy M.
I am giving this restaurant three stars as it was a very decent restaurant with good service and food, however; it did not leave me with any lasting impressions one way or another. I came to this Ceviche Tapas bar after an Event in the St. Petersburg where we were discussing Ceviche restaurants and I suddenly had a craving for ceviche. I googled a place in the Downtown St. Pete's area as I was staying over the weekend in the area and wanted to explore somewhere new. The service was good as I was seated at the bar with hardworking individuals being pulled in different directions and I received my dish quite promptly. The portion size was a bit small for the price, which at the time was not necessarily a bad thing (at least just the size portion) as I wasn't starved at the time. I am glad I went and got my fix of Ceviche that I was craving at the time!
(3)Nate Y.
Being right next to the hotel I was staying at, it was hard not to stop in this place. Although I did not have a full meal here, looking at the menu they do have a wide variety of tapas. Over the course of my stay my friends and I stopped in at the bar area and the downstairs room where they have live entertainment. First couple times I came here to either grab a breakfast sandwich or sit down breakfast, I could not get served. They don't have enough wait staff (which they were aware of based on the For Hire banners out front). Once my friends talked up the bartenders service was much better. The cocktails are great. The Mojito and Bloody Mary are top notch. We did try several tapas/appetizers and they were well prepared. An example is the breaded calamari. Not overly breaded, crispy, and cooked right. Live entertainment was good too, my friends especially enjoyed it based on their willingness to do interpretive dancing. I've heard it gets very interesting late night.
(3)Len L.
The name said it all. Ceviche was a delight to be at and had a great time eating their food. They are nicely located at the edge of Downtown St. Petersburg and beach drive. We sat down in many of their outside seating - enjoyed the pitcher of Sagria and explored the many little dishes offered. We started with a storm of seafood dishes from a variety of prepared shrimp to squid dishes. The ate as fast as the food hit the table. After a couple of pitchers of Sangria and over ten dishes, our stomach was telling us to quit. We loved every bite and would definitely come back for more.
(4)Tristan S.
Amazing tapas and brunch! Practically ordered every single cold and hot tapas on he menu. House and octopus ceviches are mouth watering and will get you coming back for more! The sautéed spinach with figs are out of this world. Service is excellent and the location very calm and soothing. We will definitely come back again and again!!
(5)Mario C.
Great tapas! Must try: - patatas brava (potatoes w/ an amazing sauce) - crab cake; lots of crab which isn't blended with lots of breading - scallops in a leek and sherry wine cream sauce Not so good: - mushrooms w/ goat cheese - red sangria (way too sweet)
(5)Ron R.
We were looking forward to dining at Ceviche and had heard good things and our niece had recommended it. Visiting from out of town this was our first experience at Ceviche. There were five in our party and we ordered a lot of dishes to pass around and try. We also ordered three brews and two Sangrias. The experience was this: the deviled eggs were rubbery, most of the dishes were extremely salty ( and I enjoy a good dose of salt on my food ). The meatballs were so-so, the scollops were nice and seasoned well as was the stuffed mushrooms, all of the rest was forgettable. Now the real shock...the ceviche. I ordered shrimp ceviche and the others ordered tuna and salmon ceviche. My shrimp ceviche was so salty I could hardly eat it and the taste beyond the salt was very bland. The salmon was probably the best ceviche but again it was very bland compared with ceviche from other restaurants I've ordered from. For a bill that was $200.00 I was expecting a lot better. A lot better!
(2)Zach D.
Looks like the health department closed this place down for keeping their meats over 41 degrees and 25 cockroaches found on the kitchen line. A reporter called for more information and they said they had a "Sewage problem"? Nooooooooooo thanks. Avoid this place like the plague (which it might be carrying). tampabay.com/news/busine…
(1)Katie N.
Tapas Tuesday! I could eat here twice a week and never fall out of love. If you want a quiet dinner, eat upstairs. If you want an awesome bar-feel with live music, head for hell (the basement). Just make sure the artist is someone worth listening to. I've heard some groups that were more sad than anything but most are great. The good: The servers are awesome, the food is delish and the atmosphere is great no matter the occasion. I've gone on other nights, but Tapas Tuesday is definitely my favorite night of the week to go on. The bad: This place is too much fun. I sit down with the intention of having one glass of their white sangria, but soon I find myself thinking "why not two?". Pretty soon, I look up and realize that I've had eight. It happens every time. The Skinny: For the love of Mike, go! You will not regret it, until the morning after.
(5)Paul D.
This place is a friggin gem. Beautiful rustic spanish setting, generous tapas, a menu selection that is massive. This is a fun place to go with others, to watch the people around you. Love the outside terrace just up from street level on a warm breezie day. The drinks don't really shine, nothing wrong with them, they are just house-drinks. That all said, you come here for the well priced and well prepared food in a very relaxing atmosphere.
(4)Brian M.
What a wonderful gem to the Downtown St. Pete area - both for great food and for its cool ambience. Lots of good stuff to choose from on the menu. But to start off, one should definitely try the white, sparkling sangria. Oh so good and refreshing. Light, citrusy and will get you started on the right foot. Ceviche starts you off with bread with an olive oil and cilantro dipping sauce that is quite unique and tasty. As for the food you order, the tuna here is awesome. Pretty much any tuna dish (appetizer, tapas, salad, etc.) here is a treat to yourself and to your taste buds. Same thing with the chorizo. The tapas are very good. The tapas have the right amount of meat to make it a "tapas" dish. All the meats are cooked perfectly and have their tasty sauces and accessories to really make them stand out and please your taste buds and stomach. The paella is to die for. Steamed well and tasty, my only complaint was that there wasn't too much chorizo and chicken in the dish - heavy on the rice but still a great dish. The setting is unique and has that old Spanish look inside and out. It is somewhat darkly lit inside but not too much as to make the restaurant seem dull and cheesy. In fact, since the tables and bar are somewhat close together, there is an energy and vibrant feel. At times it might even seem like you are in on the fiesta with your fellow restaurateurs. The bar, although small, has its own charm and feel to it. Nice drink specials and decent beers on draft. Great food, historical look, reasonable prices, good service, fun atmosphere; thus - 4.25 stars. A must place to eat if in the area or even to travel to on your weekend getaway.
(4)Mark K.
La cucaracha, la cucaracha Ya no puede caminar Porque no tiene, porque le falta Marijuana que fumar. Actually, I think la cucarachas won't leave because the food is so good! tampabay.com/news/busine… The state health department found the cockroaches and the rancid seafood on a RETURN VISIT to see if they fixed previous violations. SERIOUSLY??? Who ignores dangerous health violations in their restaurant? I guess Cerviche Tapas Bar for one.
(1)Elizabeth A.
Girls night out! Perfect spot, outside on the sidewalk. Started with some drinks. Great white sangria & sangria martini; both were nice n sweet & very fruity! Got the aioli potatoes (potatas bravas)which were fabulous; crispy skins & served piping hot! Ceviche de atún was so fresh with lime juice squeezed on top; served in a martini glass for cute presentation. Lump crab cakes had huge pieces of crab! Garlic sherry chicken had great flavor! Chorizo & lamb stuffed red peppers were melt in your mouth delicious! Wiped up the sherry cream sauce with some bread, as it would have been a crime to leave it on the plate! Finally dessert, bread pudding, flan & creme bruleé...all good! Would definitely go back!!
(5)Daniel K.
OK, now that Ceviche was closed for a day, they have painted, updated the wait staff significantly, changed the menu slightly, and unfortunately the food a bit also. Some of my favorite dishes were a bit different....I can't see inside the kitchen, but it makes me wonder if they changed chefs as well. Or maybe, just maybe I caught the off-shift chef on Sunday night (fingers crossed). It's all about the food, the location, the SANGRIA, and the food. Congrats on the new waiters!!! I hope and pray your got rid of that horrid hostess I used to see/hear. Celebrated 3 years eating at Ceviches on 5/5, its a big day for the wife and I, and I am hoping the quality of the food just gets better. For you first timers, if you like Saffron, go Saffron.
(5)Emilio L.
Had the deviled eggs, dolphin in paper, mushrooms in cream, and croquetas. Everything was very tasty but not exactly Spanish. The croquetas were made with panko and a bit too soft but very good. Just not traditional. The aioli was good but more creamy and mayo-ish. Also had the sangria (great) and a local tap beer (also great) Over all, I'd say this place was more of a Spanish influenced tapa bar than traditional. Overall, it was a great experience with a spin on traditional dishes.
(4)Vivian H.
My friends and I chose this restaurant to dine and have couple drinks to wait for our family watching the Guardian of the Galaxy from Baywalk theater. We came here many times because we love the food and the atmosphere. Instead of going to other restaurant for dinner after our family finish watching the movie, we've asked the waitress to save the next table (4 chairs) for our family which included 9 people to come. We ordered so much food and drinks for our party of 15. Usually we won't ask to do it because this is a big and busy restaurant but we love the food and my sister is 9 months pregnant and we have 7 children accompanied in this dining. However the hostess was not very nice when she came to take the table away because she said we couldn't hold the table for that long. First of all she was not very nice to give us the menu, then she came several time to confront us about saving the table too long. There were tables available but why that table that she came to take it back. The confrontation got to the manager and he is very protecting his employee to not reveal her name. He tried to resolve the conflict and we just wanted to continue our dinner so we got it over with. However that hostess probably didn't like us from the beginning because we are just a group of Asian who might not have money or have never dined in a good restaurant before. Luckily we had Olga the waitress who was kind and nice enough to serve us like everybody else. What do I need to complaint? Food and services from everybody were good except the hostess with a very nice floral sun dress and many tattoos on her arms and back who has a terrible customer service. I hope she is a very good employee who is worth to save for. Will I come back? Maybe not. There are many good restaurants in downtown St. Pete will value us as customers. Spent money but traded for humiliation at this restaurant, this won't happen to us again.
(1)S H.
Great for brunch. Sit outside and catch the breeze! Definitely get the potatoes with Aioli sauce and the French toast is a killer!!
(4)Rebecca K.
I've been going to Ceviche since they opened this location. Despite the recent bad press I continue to eat here regularly. The service is the only thing that's hit and miss. The location is awesome and the ambience inside and out is excellent. The food is consistently tasty and the selection of menu items is unbelievable. Some of our favorites are the gambas y guacamole, piquillos rellenos, house salad, mahi mahi azafran and the filetito. Anything in the saffron sauce is guaranteed delicious. We get a large pitcher of white sangria every visit. They do the liquor-soaked fruit in it and prep it at your table: always a nice touch!
(4)Sarah B.
SEXY! SEXY! SEXY! Daniel was *amazing* and helped us pick out the top eats on the menu. But who are we kidding? Everything here is DELISH! My boyfriend and I were in town and popped in to Ceviche on a whim. We were incredibly lucky to be cast with such a wonderful server who took incredible care of us. We both agreed that hands down this was the best ceviche meal we'd ever had and probably the best lunch ever - period! I can assure you it would be a disservice to yourself not to try this restaurant when in downtown St. Petersburg. While Daniel was our fabulous treat du jour, everyone was incredibly kind, helpful, and attentive. Love this SEXY little place!
(5)Michael C.
So for my last meal in Tampa Bay for 2011, I wanted to try something new with my friend in downtown St. Pete. She's been to Red Mesa a number of times, and the Moon Under Water is pretty much my downtown staple. So we broke our molds and went for something highly rated and I'd say it was worth it. As others have pointed out, you will need some time to look at the menu. While they have a few entree-only sized dishes, almost everything else comes in Tapas style, so this is great for friends to share and try a lot of different foods. Definitely come with at least one other person, because averaging $9 a plate can add up. With the huge menu, we asked for some Sangria to start, and for some assistance with the menu. With one side being cold and the other hot, you need some time to ponder and suggestions are greatly appreciated. We ended up with a nice mix of seafood, duck and veggies from follows: -Ceviche de Atun: Come on, you go to a place called Ceviche, you have to try one. This was recommended by our waitress, as well as another waitress at another table. You have to be a fan of lime because it will hit you, but the tuna is nice and acts as a cool, refreshing started. -Berenjenas Fritas: the fried eggplant with honey. Be warned - let it cool off a bit first, but a nice vegetable option. And works with my theory that everything fried needs honey on it. -Pato a la Parilla: Grilled duck breast over a chocolate port sauce. As a fan of duck, this instantly caught my eye. The sauce was excellent and this was the highlight of the meal. -Mejillones Catalan: Mussels in cream sauce. As my friend and I are fans of mussels we decided to try this. The cream sauce was excellent, but for some reason the mussels tasted a bit funny to me. Next time I'll try the clams. Overall a great experience, especially sitting outside in this lovely December warmth. There are just so many items to choose from, I can easily see coming back and getting a whole new list. Might invite some more people so we can vary the selection.
(4)Jennifer L.
Yum, yum and yum. I don't think I will need to eat for about 3 days after my dinner there last night with my husband. Maybe it was because it was our first dinner date since our daughter was born, or maybe it was the pitcher of sangria, or maybe it was the absolutely delish deviled eggs. I wish we could have tried a dozen dishes, but alas, the $100 check was enough. Just a tip, the desserts are huge, only order one for 2 people. I had the bread pudding and my husband had the chocolate cake. The bread pudding was better (or less sweet than the cake).
(5)Julie M.
I walked in and decided I would sit in the bar area. 4 servers were chatting with the hostess at the hostess stand, it seemed they noticed me but nobody asked if I would like anything. After 10 minutes I left. I walked down the street to Calypso and was greeted from the street! Ceviche Offers the worst service. I can't comment on the food.
(1)Lady H.
Enjoy the live music
(4)Sherri K.
Pretty good. The food is actually really good, but there were so many things missing, that it's hard to give a better review. The menu is limited. The tapas plates are sooo overpriced. The pitcher of sangria was more expensive then the by the glass pricing. We barely got 4 glasses of sangria out a pitcher that was over 4 times the glass price. This place just makes no sense to me. The waitress was OK. It was freezing inside - which made me rethink my choice to sit outside, even though it was more windy than comfortable to sit on a patio. There were quite a few ceviche options, but I tried the house ceviche because it had different types of seafood and seemed a reasonable choice. The calamari seemed frozen then fried. It was just ok. The skewers were interesting, but again, just OK. I like the concept, but in this case, stick to what you know: ceviche!
(3)Hillary V.
Good food, amazing layout. I like the atmosphere of the bar downstairs. The staff is okay.
(4)Brian M.
I love this place because of the ambiance. It is always packed and he energy is always good. The tables are very small for a tapas restaurant, wine glasses, water glasses, bread plates, silverware and then a few food plates and you will be lucky if something doesn't get knocked over. The service has always been good but the food can be hit or miss. I'm not going to go into detail about what we ordered. The menu is huge, it can be a crap shoot making the right choices. Good luck!
(3)Joe C.
What is it about Tampa/St Pete having better versions of the stuff we have in Orlando? It seems we only go to Ceviche for Sunday brunch - and that's a shame because their menu is scaled back from the full version. The lunch/brunch menu at this location is different than the Orlando one - mostly seeming to be more expansive. The other big difference is service. Waiters that actually check on you? Waiters that don't disappear for 30 minutes? Waiters that actually refill your water?! WHAT MADNESS IS THIS?! Someone needs to get the staff at this location to come to Orlando and teach them to not suck. Seriously though - service here is excellent. Quick, attentive and friendly. The tables felt a bit small for a restaurant where you're meant to get a bunch of plates and share, but it wasn't anything too terrible. Over a few hours, we ordered a wide assortment including quiche lorraine, the meatballs, calamari (not fried), artichoke hearts, potato chips with blue cheese, chorizo with peppers and onions and a few other things I'm sure I've forgotten. The calamari seemed to have been the biggest hit here - along with the chips. We finished off with some desserts: the chocolate cake and an order of churros. We were all expecting your standard churro, but we were all really floored at just how good it was. I know some people take issue with the serving sizes - and yeah, they could be a little bit bigger for the price, but I still feel you're getting a decent dish for the price. Most of the dishes are appetizer sized and intended for sharing, but each person in the group may only get a bite or two of something. For our group of four, between about 10 dishes, a few rounds of sangria and a couple of desserts, we spent just about $100. Not exactly the cheapest Sunday brunch, but one well worth it. Honestly, if I had any complaint at all, it would be that they really need to turn up the lights in the bathroom a bit. Why is it so dark in there?
(5)Michael Z.
Budget-friendly happy hour wowed with the sangria and flopped with the tapas (some non-fried options would do the restaurant well). The building itself has an old-school charm that makes for an enjoyable dining experience.
(3)Jose D.
If you are visiting downtown St Pete this place is a must stop for good food. Great tapas style rest. The flavors in every dish are incredible. I have had just about everything on their menu and I enjoyed everything. I enjoy the side bar and bartenders always performed great! The Sangria is great - both white and red. Sitting on the deck in the main rest on a spring day is just great!
(4)Thomas P.
Well its a tapas restaurant so we got a ton of small plates and they were all good. It would take too long to go through each one as they have a ton of them! Sangria is good and service was great! Downstairs is a cool place to listen to music, eat some grub, and dance!
(4)Roofy T.
This place has what you are looking for. Young and old, fun and boring, the menu is great for all. Try out the stuffed peppers you won't be disappointed.
(5)Katie M.
LOVE Ceviche. One of my favorite restaurants in St. Pete. We always sit downstairs in the Flamenco Bar, where it's usually less crowded. The food is amazing and you really can't go wrong with whatever you order. But our favorites are the veal and chorizo stuffed red peppers and the meat and cheese plate. Great wine as well! Definately go on Tapas Tuesdays for half priced tapas :) Also, recently dined here for my birthday with a large group and they were very accomodating. Our server was not all that great. No smiles, he mumbled and wasn't very personable. But he was efficiant and I was glad to see our food come out so quickly even though we were a big group. Have had a few other poor servers in the past, but I guess that's why we usually sit at the bar. The bartenders are fun and really nice.
(4)Jenn C.
Great service - friendly, attentive and prompt. Plenty of vegan options - the gazpacho was delicious. The patatas bravas were very well done. The fresh bread with the pesto was absolutely delicious. The spinach was delicious - it was warm and not overly soggy, delicious and fresh. Only disappointment was that the asparagus tapa consisted of three asparagus wands - really? Awww... The pan con tomate was unusual - it was a puree of tomato & garlic spread on the bread (again - 3 pieces) - still delicious, though. We enjoyed sitting out on the terrace - it was really a nice lunch. I'd recommend it if you are downtown St Petersburg - we ended up with more food
(4)Mark W.
Good tapas and good service
(5)Cassandra W.
Gave this place another try the other day. This time I got the Cuban sandwich with the salad, my husband got the Pincho omelette, and we got the black bean soup to split. There was far too much food for me (a good thing), so I gave my husband the other half of my sandwich. I had a more favorable opinion this time. The waitress, Lindsey, brought bread to our table at the start of our meal(last time we had to ask for it). The bean soup was excellent as before, and we got the side of pico to throw in it as well as onto hubby's omelette. Their salad tasted very fresh, and I loved their house dressing. I hadn't noticed on the menu that they add green olives, because imo they don't belong in a salad. No big deal, I just picked them all out. The Cuban sandwich was very tasty as well. As long as you stay away from the tapas, you can come out of here at a reasonable price. I still think they have very weak iced tea, which I forgot to mention in my previous review, so I think they should address that.
(4)Penelope P.
Went here for a post Dali museum late lunch because of all the of pleasant Yelp reviews! Boy, was I disappointed... It felt like the beginning of a Kitchen Nightmares episode. Service was sad. Sangria was decent. Food was disgusting. The house ceviche was straight up yuck-o. Big bummer because the name of the joint. It's really hard to screw up a basic cheese plate. But, they did. Check out the apples it came with: yelp.com/biz_photos/kxOR… I wonder how long those bad boys were sitting out. Mid-cheese plate, the bartender came out and asked us to settle up.
(1)Graham H.
As of this writing, restaurant is currently closed by health inspectors for serious health code violations including storing meat and fish at unsafe temperatures, staff failing to wash hands and 2 dozen ROACHES found in the food preparation area!
(1)Sean W.
Few weeks ago a big party of 10 went to Ceviche on my suggestion because I used to love their location in St.Pete. On a very crowded night we got a table within 5 minutes and were ordering wine when the hostess and head server (?) came and asked us to move to a smaller table, this was a reserved table given to us by mistake. We tried to work something out but they insisted..so we agreed to move and the head server offered us a large pitcher of sangria ($45.00) on the house for our trouble. Once we found four chairs so we could all sit at our new tiny table and finished our meal we find the pitcher of Sangria on our bill. I asked the head server to explain and he told our entire table, with a straight face, "I didn't say it was free, I said I would try to see what I could do and my manager says No." I picked my jaw up from the floor and I asked if the restaurant was under new management and he said it was. I asked to speak to the new manager and wouldn't you know - nobody ever showed up to our table. We paid the entire bill, I told everybody in our party never to come back because whoever is running this place now is incompetent and I am telling you all the same thing. Roaches can be killed, but lousy management means death. They had a good run, but I'm not going back.
(1)Victoria N.
A great spot to stop for drinks on a Saturday night! Gorgeous below-street-level bar with dark wood and velvet wallpaper, and an incredible band, Sombras Falencas (with Javier Hinojosa). Great people watching and the Spanish guitars will get you moving.
(5)Charlie K.
Ceviche gets extremely busy, especially Friday and Saturday nights. Get there early or be ready to wait. Outside of that key tip, you won't be disappointed. Plenty of tapas options makes sure everyone at your table can find something they like. Make sure to get the papas fritas and almost anything with goat cheese in it. Ceviche is a great place to go with a small group of good friends (5 people or so max) and share whatever you might order. After dinner, make sure to head down to the downstairs lounge for drinks and dancing if that strikes your fancy. There's live music and an atmosphere that almost makes you feel like you're in another country.
(4)Poli P.
Great hang out spot. Love the happy hour, ceviche, and fast service, and local live bands.
(4)Tom D.
A great place to have a romantic dinner or bring a group of friends have have a party. We've done it all and ate it all at this favorite stop. After your dinner you can slide downstairs for some flamenco dancing and spicy Spanish wine. I can't speak highly enough of the great food and great service!
(5)Rachel A.
Things really start heating up at night at Ceviche. I was kind of bummed I didn't have friends to hang out with there. It was the liveliest spot in downtown St. Pete. Ceviche has three dining halls: the underground Flamenco Bar, the main dining room, and al fresco seating. On Friday night, it was packed with people having a good time. I did make it out to Ceviche, but for Sunday brunch. It was a totally different atmosphere. Quiet and dead (so sorry- I hate to use this word again for FL). We sat outdoors and had the whole porch to ourselves. We got pretty much every dish off of the menu and a few tapas to share. The Ceviche De Atun had just the right amount of lime for kick and the tuna was not overly fishy (good). The croquetas were kind of off in terms of presentation (Americanized if that is even possible) and the Patatas Bravas were awesome. We could not get enough of those fried potatoes and aioli sauce. I had a Pepito Bocadillo sandwich which was similar to a cuban sandwich. The meat was tough but it was good. Everyone seemed to like what they had ordered and I remember the quiche being extremely large. There was enough to share with the whole table and leftovers. A meal at Ceviche will have you calling for siesta. The service was good although we all found it strange that our waitress gave us seven separate checks. We didn't ask for it that way. Maybe because University of South Florida is down the street and it's easier that way for students? It wasn't a big deal. It was just different. My friend was a gentleman and picked up the tab for all of us. Too bad I didn't get to join them earlier in the week. My friends did hit up Ceviche on a Thursday night and had plenty of fun stories to tell. For them Ceviche is probably 4 star fun. For me, it was 3 star mediocre. I agree with Pamela D on her critique of Basque cuisine. So far, in my experience with St. Pete restaurants, there are choices... just not great ones.
(3)Jamie S.
We've eaten at the Tampa location, which we loved, and fell in love with this one just as much. $4 sangrias! The shrimp ceviche is divine (the steam and chilled one, with lime and cilantro). The ham & cheese on a baguette was delicious! The calamari and red gazpacho (which we had at the other location too) were both great. The service was very friendly, accommodating, and fast. Seating outside is really nice, with a view of the park.
(5)Hyatt G.
Busy place--eg. 45 min wait on a Tuesday. HOWEVER, tapas menu was endless and delicious. Highlights were the salmon ceviche and ceviche a la rus (3 raw oysters with onions and peppers AND a chilled shot of vodka). We had a few plates of these. Calamari was juicy and tender--not so rubbery as usual. Went back for lunch the next day!
(4)Sebastian F.
My wife and I stopped in just before closing to have a quick drink. The bartender was friendly and helpful, and the food was very good. We'll be coming back for sure.
(4)Selena A.
This restaurant absolutely does it right and deserves your patronage. I hadn't been to Ceviche in a while but was, quickly, reminded why this burgeoning local chain has found the deserved success it can claim. The rise of the Tapas style plate has, unfortunately, predicated a rise in mediocre and over-priced bites of drippy proteins and wilted produce. Awful. However... Ceviche brings, in intervals appropriate to Western-Mediterranean dining, plates that are high quality and provide a good volume of food for a Tapas focused restaurant. My fiancé and I are hearty eaters but had to ask for a few take home boxes after 5 tapas plates ordered. Perhaps, most importantly, elements that must be fresh, like rich slices of salmon, tuna and pieces of vegetables and traditionally pickled Spanish accoutrements are savory and clean tasting rather than, as is my complaint with many Tapas/Meze style restaurants, the potentially drooping mess that can arrive to the table. Our server was attentive to drinks and the fact that, as I am sure many patrons do, we wanted to order in rounds, not all at once. (I am stunned when servers at small plate focused restaurants are surprised by staggered ordering.) Yet, she was not constantly hovering... another complaint I have with some small plate-style restaurants. In short, Ceviche, at least outside Mallorca or Ibiza, gets the allure of Tapas. It is (ideally) a sensual, even indulgent experience. I am, in a time when I was almost ready to dismiss Tapas, so very appreciative of this attention and kindness in service and preparation. The only reason for four stars rather than five is that the menu is expected --- it absolutely delivers on those expectations --- but it is expected. That said, we haven't yet tried some of the, expected yes, but more immersive dishes like Zarzuela. That might be the tilting factor to a five star rating. We'll be back to have that experience.
(4)Gregg D.
Our group of nine, in town for business, heard of Ceviche from a local. I'm so glad we went here! Food was awesome...we must have tried 15 different tapas and there wasn't anything I didn't like. The menu is so large, if you can't find something to enjoy you should just stop going out. We sat on the veranda and it was wonderful. Great vibe, energy and feel. Our server, Alyssa, was an A+. Friendly, fast, and super nice. Sangria was awesome and wide selection of other drinks. I would definitely recommend Ceviche for any size group.
(5)Ben V.
Sangria was tasty I thought. My wife didn't think so. The hummus, ceviche, and meatball tapas we had were well below average. We also tried their flan which was absolutely the worst flan ever had. Our waitress was sweet, attentive, and helped us out with directions the best she could. It still not enough because without a doubt never coming back.
(2)Dan R.
Beautiful location downtown overlooking the water. I went for dinner around 8 pm. Parking was challenging but I eventually found a spot across at the park which had meters but its free after 8pm. Two police officers were parked there and we're very friendly so it seemed very safe. There were a lot of people walking around going to the various restaurants in the area. The building looked historic and was Multi leveled and included side walk seating. I choose to sit inside in the lower area which was actually on the ground floor as designed. Mostly it was a bar decorated in wood and leather but there were some large tables. The lighting was set low to match the mood from the live jazz band. They were not that loud and I enjoyed the music. Sitting at the bar with a light crowd the service was perfect. I ordered an appetizer that had greatly impressed me during a visit to their now closed Clearwater location. Chilled shrimp seasoned with cilantro and jalapeños over a bed of lettuce served in a large silver martini glass. Still loved it. So much in fact that I ordered a second one and skipped the entres. Overall a great experience that I will repeat when in town again
(5)Layla M.
I've been here to Ceviche a few times in the last year and I've always enjoyed myself. The service is generally good - though one time the waiter was either on too much caffeine or a little meth, who knows? - but generally friendly and quick. The food, atmosphere and that it's practically 7 minute walk from my place is what keeps me coming back. Love the small plates. I always get the stuffed peppers and patatas bravas standard and then try something else I haven't had before. I brought my family here recently when they were visiting and they loved it. The frog legs were delicious, even though I couldn't help but picture the poor frogs before they met their maker. The spinash sateed with figs and onions was superb. Not a sangria fan, but they have decent beer on tap. They have a triple chocolate cake for dessert that is heaven on the taste buds and probably a sure way to arteriosclerosis. Even though I heard some story about them being closed down for some healthcode violations a few months ago, I keep going back, I'm hooked I guess.
(4)Aly G.
This place is great! Love the bread and all of the tapas were amazing we tried the stuffed pepper with veal, the mahi mahi, and the fried eggplant with honey. The wait staff has been great too! I would definitely recommend this to friends and family visiting!
(4)G H.
Stopped by for drinks and appetizers. Very good and fun to try several different ones. We ordered the House Ceviche and it was good, but I personally just like the shrimp. I'm not a big fan of squid and octopus, which the House one has in it.
(4)Kara T.
I've been to Ceviche in St Pete's 2x and loved it both times. Although it's not listed as kid friendly, I came with my sister, her SO, and my 2 kids. We were able to find a spot near the bar where we could order tapas while we waited (45 mins - it was Sat night during spring break) and the food was outstanding. Service was friendly and laid back despite the mob of people, frenzy of activity, and extreme noise (which came in handy for drowning out the shrieks of my not always calm children). All 3 adults loved the Mana o Mano wine by the glass. The bean, scallops, and lamb dishes were our favorites. The squid with veal and manchego while sounding interesting sort of tasted like chewy lasagne. It was OK but not as good as the other dishes. When we finally got to a table I had switched to dessert and the kids had a space to color. Our server was great with us all and very upbeat. Everything I've every ordered here has been good to amazing, so go ahead and order with abandon. Since my Spanish is nonexistent, I have no idea what anything is called. Just go with what sounds good and you will no doubt be in culinary heaven.
(4)Reesie R.
Ceviche is my absolute favorite restaurant in the world. Yes, I said it. I have NEVER disliked a single dish. My personal favorites are patatas braves, fried calamari, the red snapper, and the lamb shank. Their cava sangria is to die for. Oh, and let's not forget the. almondrado. It was my favorite restaurant when I lived in Tampa and I ALWAYS eat there when I visit. Never had anything close to it in Boston or NYC. Ceviche - I love you! :)
(5)Jacki H.
Tapas Tuesday! I came here on a Tuesday totally by chance and they have an awesome special! I can't believe a place called Ceviche has so many incredible vegetarian and vegan options. The sangria is incredible as well as the service. I got here right at 6 and had no prob getting a table and quick service but by 6:30 the place was slammed and service slowed down. My server was absolutely fabulous. I ordered 3 tapas, but probably could've done with 2. I ordered the Mushrooms, the House Salad and the Artichokes. The Artichokes were a little harsh for me but still very tasty. Next time I'm in St. Pete, I'll definitely be going here! There are so many other things I want to try!
(5)Kate S.
I went here for my birthday and was happy with the experience. We sat outside on the balcony which was a great balance of the indoor dining scenery mixed with a nice view of the street and the illusion of sitting outside completely. The tapa's themselves were good but what I think this place really does excellently are their drinks! Specifically the Skinny Sangria and fresh mojito's . Great place for festive and fun drinks and a bite to eat when you're looking for just a taste of something and not a huge meal.
(4)Phuong M.
Not a bad place to go for some drinks and hang out with some friends. One of my friends took me here because she loved the selection of food. The white sangria was yummy. Definitely get one when you are here, because they make their own and they do a pretty good job. Food was mediocre to me. I felt like the food were a little bit over seasoned. Such as the tuna salad thing, not sure what it's called. But its pretty much tuna soaked in lots and lots of lime sauce. That's pretty much all I tasted, was lime. It was very tart. The braised oxtails were on the salty side. Not a big fan of salty food. The potatoes in this cheese sauce was pretty good if you are a fan of potatoes. I liked them. Another recommendation are the meatballs. It's three types of meat in this tomato sauce. Definitely can't go wrong dipping the bread in the sauce. As for dessert, we got the triple chocolate mousse layer cake. Forgot what the actual name was, but it was divine. Definitely have to get that if you are a chocoholic. Overall, watch out if you are on a budget. These do add up fast. I recommend going on tapas tues! Great service, live music, and great ambiance. A bit loud in the bar area downstairs.
(3)Thea H.
I love Ceviche. It's a wonderful place with terrific food... at most of it's locations. I don't get it Pinellas! Hillsborough/Tampa and Orange county/Orlando got it. I can't WAIT to go back to those locations. But I can't say the same for St. Pete. What's funny is that at least it's not as bad as Clearwater. I guess it's not funny, it's somewhat of a saving grace. What went right: I loved the vibe on the lower level of the restaurant. A duo on guitars playing some background music, a birthday party going on in one corner, and others enjoying food and drink at the beautiful dark bar and high top tables. My boyfriend and I went down there to wait it out for a table upstairs. The vibe was mellow and if the music was just a tad lower (I'm getting old), we would have requested a table in the basement. I'd probably go back just for the mellowness and a couple of glasses of sangria. What went wrong: When called for our table, it was loud on the second/main floor. I felt like I was talking really loud just to be heard across the tiny table (emphasis on tiny). The wait for food was pretty long. I get that it was a Saturday night after 8 but it shouldn't take more than two hours to complete a meal for two unless you're sitting and talking for a long time. We knew we were in for a mediocre trip when the bread was the softer Italian style instead of the crusty Cuban-esque style at both the Tampa and Orlando locations. Must be in the water because Clearwater suffers from the same issue. The food was consistently good. Seems like you get a bit more if you go earlier in the day than late at night. Those delicious $12 crab cakes keep getting smaller as the night goes on. My boyfriend and I have gotten larger ones right at opening in Tampa around 5 or 6. They get tiny at 8 or 9 in St. Pete apparently. The service was nothing to write home about. However, I don't think the service is superior at any Ceviche location. I guess that's the one thing they keep consistent. I really wanted to love St. Pete Ceviche like I love its brethren in Tampa and Orlando. You're not out of the running yet St. Pete but it will be awhile before I'm back. If nothing else, the lounge/bar is superior to the one in Tampa.
(3)Katie Y.
Excellent!! Sangrias were so good-got these only because of the yelp reviews! Great service! Will visit again when in town.
(5)Toni D.
Great Tapas restaurant in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg. I went on a Friday night. It was the 1st Friday of the month when the city festival was going on downtown. So it was pretty crowded out that night. The food was great. I was even surprised that the prices were pretty reasonable. The sangria was very good and only $5 a glass. There are two floors. Downstairs has a live band some nights. I would highly recommend reservations.
(4)Draft M.
In for business. Late night dining. Quality food, great choices and great service. Definitely will return.
(4)Robin K.
Since I have to end my meal on a sweet note, my friend and I walked over to Ceviche by the Ponce De Leon Hotel. This was my first time to this location, I've been many times to the one in south Howard. We weren't greeted when we walked in but that's ok, we weren't really in a hurry. We knew what we wanted to get and eagerly ordered their amazing Tres Leches cake. OMG it's soo freaking good. It's not layered like most cakes, they serve a block of cake soaked in sweet cream, topped with meringue topping and adorned with strawberries and blueberries. My first bite of cake and meringue was heavenly, melted in my mouth. I would def go back for more. Not cheap ($9) but it's HUGE. I'll definitely be back for more of that Yumminess!
(4)Nicole D.
Food poisoning!!!!!! I was the only one to eat the salmon ceviche out of my group of friends and I was the only one to get awfully sick 6-7 hours after I ate at Ceviche. I had cold shakes, nausea, and excruciating body aches AND I couldn't stop vomiting for the next 24 hours. I was tempted to go to the hospital but really didn't want to spend 500 dollars on my co-pay. I called Ceviche to inform them and I was asked a variety of questions and told that I would be given a call within two days to inform me of their investigation. I was also told that they made 18,000 dollars last night and I was the only one to call and to make such a report. Why don't you just tell me you think I'm making this up? Finally, after being asked if I'd like to make any other notes, I explained how I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy and the manager on duty finally apologized. After 20 minutes of questions, he then said he was sorry I was feeling bad and would call me tomorrow with more information. I spoke with the manager today after he called me back and informed me that out of the ten people who ate the sushi grade A salmon in the last three days, I was the only one to get sick. He did not want to take any sort of accountability nor apologize for my awful dining experience at Ceviche. Nor, did he even offer to comp my bill. Nothing to make up for my awful experience at their establishment. Whether I got food poisoning from the salmon or a lemon that was in my soda water or whatever else, the fact of the matter is that the meal I had at Ceviche was the only food I had in the timeframe it takes for food poisoning to manifest. I will never go to Ceviche again, obviously, and I will be calling the Heath Department to make a report. They shut down in 2013 for food safety concerns. It looks like they might have another food safety problem again. Worst. Dining. Experience. Ever.
(1)Sean G.
Our experience was mediocre at best. Started with the house special ceviche, which was average (4/10). Next, we tried the escargot and that was decent but not great (6/10). Next came the grilled octopus which was very bland(3/10). The goat cheese was next which was very good (8/10). Finally, we had the scallops which were also really good (8/10). I think if you picked the right dishes it could be a good dining experience, we just struck out on our first three.
(3)Shary A.
This review is for the "basement" Bar and Salsa dancing available underneath the restaurant. We were feeling homesick (missing Puerto Rico and Salsa like crazy) and looking for a place to get dolled up to celebrate our 6 year anniversary. One of his colleagues suggested this place. The atmosphere, the energy, and the salsa band were excellent. We spent most of the time there dancing Salsa ( or at least attempting to). We split a small pitcher of Sangria for ~$16 and was good for 4 servings. It was a little on the sweet side and could have been a little stronger. So basically It tasted good but i've had better! Overall, we had a great time and can't wait to return but i think next time i will order a glass of wine instead.
(4)Jeff C.
Love this place every time we come. No matter how full I am we always get the Tres Leche to cap off the night.
(5)Aron K.
I must say that we used to be big fans of ceviche but they've really starting messing up something very critical about food.....FLAVOR! We recently tried it out again after over a year of not going and were extremely disappointed in the flavor and quality of the food. I must say that the service was excellent and they even comped our dessert and another one of our plates for a "sauté mushroom" dish that had raw mushrooms in it with no flavor. The best we can do is go back for Tapas Tuesday and enjoy some patatas bravas and drink specials but for a regular night paying full price I wouldn't recommend this place right now, not with so many other legit places within walking distance. The food is rushed and has no love.
(2)Enit S.
This review is strictly for the Brunch menu they offer on Saturday. We arrived at around 11:40 and were wondering if we could still order from the brunch menu and the waitress gave us a look like if we were all insane: "Uh, yeah" and she kinda rolled her eyes. Waitress Princess over here should be mindful that most restaurants have their own policies until how late Brunch runs into the day, we just asked a simple question and there was no need to reply in that sarcastic manner. We order and one of my friends asked for an omelette with tomato, onion, and smoked salmon. He gets his omelette and it's missing the salmon. He let's waitress princess know and she was like, "ummm it's in there, I see it." and my friend forks through it and he replies: "Mam, those are the tomatoes, I know what salmon tastes like and it's not in this omelette" She doesn't say anything and leaves and shortly after a friendly man (who I assume is the manager) arrives and we tell him that they left out the salmon on my friends omelette, I mean it was no big deal but the way waitress princess was determined to make us out to be fools was not cool. They offered $4 mimosas, sangrias and something else I can't remember. I had a mimosa and it just wasn't all that great. My meal of smoked salmon benedict however was really delicious and I loved the use of the croissant in place of the normal Enlish muffins. It really came down to the service part of why they got 2 stars, maybe if waitress princess hadn't been serving us that day things would've gone better.
(2)Patty S.
Nothing annoys me more than crappy service. The french toast is seriously legit and the only redeeming factor, except for the very nice manager. Our food was OK, but when the waiter passes us several times without picking up dirty plates, I have an issue. It also took 30 minutes for deviled eggs and it took forever for the bill. He did not seem to have an issue socializing with another table. Not cool.
(2)Lea N.
We came here for a bday party and we loved the food and the atmosphere. Service was great and their ceviche was tasty and juicy. We had the veggie entrée and their tres Leeches desert. We ended the night in the basement with their flamingo dancers.
(5)Christine W.
Saved this restaurant for our last vacation night in St Petersburg. We also stayed at the Ponce de Leon hotel which is accessible thru the elevator... Dan our waiter was excellent in suggesting the different Tapas and appetizers. The Sangria pitcher is incredible, the food is better than described on the menu. Cerviche is a must try in the "Burg".
(5)Rob L.
Had a previous issue, Brady the general manager contacted me and handled it with great professionalism, I will definitely be back
(5)Fulano D.
Food was great, complaining about The handicap access to the restaurant, we could Not find one.
(1)Will H.
Very unique. Amazing experience. One of the best restaurants in St. Petersburg. Definitely check it out.
(5)Jon David K.
In town for a low key vacation and stopped in here on a whim for dinner. Food was excellent and our server Dan was charming and diligent at the same time. He certainly made our experience enjoyable. Long list of veggie options. Everything we had was delicious. I'll definitely be back.
(5)Wayne G.
Wow a find here in St. Petersburg. My company for dinner is on a strict diet and they have a separate all gluten-free menu of tapas. Every single item was flavorful and satisfying. Our server was exceptional and enhanced the enjoyment of a fine meal. Best meal on this trip so far.
(5)Desiree G.
After a long day, it's very nice to be able to take a leisurely walk downtown St Petersburg and enjoy a fresh delightful dinner out on the veranda of ceviches tap and bar. The ambience dances with the downtown excitement and whether you're in the mood for an appetizer or an entree or one of their decadent desserts, they all tantalize your taste buds and leave you feeling incredibly satisfied. The wait staff is very personable and well versed in their detailed menu. My personal favorite is the sauteed spinach, Salmon, and the creme brulee to finish it off. But whatever you decide you won't be disappointed.
(4)Barinha T.
I used to live in Spain so I know and like spanish cuisine. I ordered patata brava, brava gambas and berenjena asada. I really didnt like berenjena as it was just too much cheese with eggplant and no flavour. The rest I liked a lot but guess it was too much salsa for me and I didnt feel very good later. We tried crema catalana too and it was not like in Spain.
(4)Ryan M.
This review is for the most recent visit I had on Sunday the 30th morning/afternoon around 12 p.m. or so right when brunch was in swing. I brought my wife in for our 7th wedding anniversary for a beautiful brunch to celebrate. Now as somebody who's been in the hospitality business for more than 20 years I understand when things are too busy and tables get forgotten in the rush but when your restaurant is mostly empty except for one table inside and two tables outside with a couple people at the bar there is no excuse for my wife and I to sit almost next to another table and be ignored for more than 10 minutes. We tried, to no avail, to get anyone's attention before walking out the door in frustration. And when we told the gentleman at the door that no one had helped us, he simply wished us a good day and turned back to chatting with two other servers. I had of course been talking the restaurant up to my wife who had never been in, so I felt like a real jack@$$ after the huge let down. Maybe there is a reason you're empty Sunday morning/afternoon when every other restaurant with brunch on beach drive is packed. Fix your service standards!!
(1)Abc 1.
Went here last week for the first time and was not impressed at all. We sat downstairs and it was way too dark and the service was not great at all. The food was super average and portions were small, even for tapas. Very high priced considering the quality of the food. We tried several plates (and drinks) and decided to pass on trying the dessert after being unimpressed by the dinner menu. Also, on the way out of the restaurant, a GIANT roach crawled across the floor- YUCK!
(2)Zachary H.
Ceviche is perfectly located on central and beach dr. The food is great they have a combination of both small plates and entrees is have never had any of the entrees but all the tapas are awesome especially the papas fritas (the homemade potato chips), ceviche de la casa,pollo al Jerez,and espinacas. All of their sangria is great I prefer the cava and red the best and I also recommend spend the extra money for the premium. The service was great and attentive to all of my needs and kept my water glass charged! I highly recommend this place.
(4)Mark H.
This is the Ceviche location that "could be." The old Ponce de Leon hotel is a classic, and the atmosphere here trumps any other Ceviche I've ever been too, even the one that used to be on Gulf to Bay Blvd! You've got great cityscape outdoor seating, nice elevated patio seating, normal interior seating and then a cool-ass basement that really does feel prohibition-like. That's 4 different dining experiences waiting to happen. UNFORTUNATELY, the food and service are severely lacking. In fact, had this been my only Ceviche experience, there would never be a second. Luckily for me, I've eaten at the original in Tampa on numerous occasions, so I know how the food should taste. I'm not sure what's going on in the kitchen here, but they need to be re-trained something awful. I ordered some HUEVOS RELLENOS (deviled eggs) and not only were they lacking any type of flavor, but they were so hard and tasted like they had been sitting in a fridge for days waiting to be ordered. I also ordered some yellow rice with my small plate of PIQUILLOS RELLENOS (stuffed red peppers). The rice came out 15 minutes after everyone had cleaned their plates, so I sent it back. The waiter seemed to not care that the item was so tardy, or that I was unhappy about it. No apology, no nothing. We all passed our plates around the table sampling each other's grub, and none of the dishes were as tasty as at other locations. After we ate, we migrated to the basement bar, where everything was fine. The barstaff was great. Location, location, location! It's the only thing saving this place from disaster. I will definitely NOT return. It really hurts me to give one of my top 10s a bad review, but it's gotta be done!
(2)Kheila L.
I like Ceviche but it really does concern me that they have been closed down twice for pest control. So gross to think about. They do have live music on the weekends and their Sangria is really good. I just think twice about going now.
(3)Marian G.
Love this place.!! If you want great service great sangrias this is where you want to be.. Our waitress Olga and her manager Edward really made us feel special. Hard to find this special attention in a tourist town. I forgot to mention of food ..superb !! But let me mention the sangrias one more time ..definitely the best.
(5)Christina C.
Excellent food, drinks and service. Oscar was very attentive and had a lot of suggestions about the food. We had Sangria, Mojitos and Margaritas, all three were perfect. We sat at the bar and had a great time. I would definitely suggest this place for a first date or romantic evening. The atmosphere and energy of the restaurant is very classy and kind of dark, but sexy? That's the only word I can think of.
(5)Mark P.
We visited Cerviche's on a quiet rainy Friday night and didn't have the same Great experience everyone else seems to have here so we were disappointed. We didn't do the restaurant but rather hit their curbside corner bar and felt a tad ignored. They weren't busy but Mr. Slick, our bar tender, was instead doting on his friends with impressive overly complicated drinks of ostentatious preparation. He even asked us for a lighter. Can you believe the help asking us for a lighter? Why not offer to freshen up our drinks long diluted by ice and neglect? Nepotism at its best, clearly. At $7.50 a Captain and Coke with service in absentia, we moved on. Unimpressed.
(2)Mark C.
Came for brunch on Sunday, French toast was bomb and also had the croissant sandwich with ham. I was a lil piglet, but very good and all for $20...
(5)Ruth G.
went to ceviche for brunch with the family. had the breakfast pastries to start with some morning cocktails. Jessica was our bartender and she showed us a great time with a mind reading trick and great suggestions for brunch. I suggest this restaurant for a great brunch and an awesome time.
(5)Kyle N.
Stayed at the hotel upstairs and decided to try again since the food was so good previously. Even though the service was spotty. This time service was fantastic drinks stayed full and we didn't wait much time between tapas orders. The food was also amazing as usual.
(4)Marie L.
My favorite restaurant (: My boyfriend and I love coming here when we have date nights, I've always had great service and my favorite thing to order is the Patatas Bravas. Their Mojitos are amazing and their staff has always been very sweet and attentive. Love this place so much (:
(5)Marta L.
The server is very nice and professional. They have a beautifully decorated place that's warm and incorporates nature. Some of the decorations were made by the staff which I think it's great. My favorite meal was the arepa con queso y aguacate.
(5)Robin B.
My husband and I were in town for business and referred to Ceviche for dinner. We travel often and love listening to locals recommendations (and yelp of course). This restaurant was one of the best we have eaten at, by far and we frequent Los Angeles and San Franciso eateries. The selection was huge, the seafood fresh, the drinks spectacular and such personal service. Our server Oscar was great and the manager Paul treated us like new family. Every bite was better than the last and with only one night left in St. Petersburg, we went back for more.
(5)Erica S.
Go here. Right now. And get the potatoes. Probably 16 orders. I realize they are just "potatoes" but it is one of the best side dishes I've ever had. Also, great atmosphere. Was there on a Friday in the downstairs part and there was a live salsa/jazz band playing great tunes. Not sure if there is music every night. The downstairs was awesome: super comfy seating and excellent ambiance. Pitchers of sangria, yes please. Plentiful and delicious. We also had the house ceviche with shrimp scallops and fish, which was great. Mushrooms with goat cheese, grilled eggplant, baked goat cheese, cheese plate, I don't know what else but I'm pretty sure we got half the menu and everything was INCREDIBLE. But those potatoes are truly where it's at. Patatas bravas to be exact. I would eat them every day if I could.
(5)Jenny M.
Serious Salsa dancing.... When came, we drank we conquered. The details of this night escape me. Is there another way to describe a successful night. We came here for a graduation party and party we did, we took the waitress word and ordered what she suggested. There was a menagerie of meats and cheeses. good times, good friends, good food
(3)Kim B.
Awesomeness!! The environment is pretty laid back, not too loud. The food is amazing. The chicken that comes in a skillet is super awesome - it's the jerk chicken or something rather. The scallops are ah-maxing. The sauce they use is finger lickin' good! The potatoes with the sauce is pretty darn good too! The Tuna is eh..has sesame oil and seemed a bit salty but the server Dan loves it, we just weren't feeling it. Oh, and Dan was perfect! Service was awesome, he was lively and so attentive. Made this a very pleasant night out!
(5)Cindy P.
I had high hopes for Ceviche, but they were crushed almost as soon as we sat down. We were seated on the porch, which was fine, and ordered some food. Clouds started rolling in, winds picked up, and then, the staff decided to bring down awful plastic coverings on the porch just in case it started raining. They were not tied down properly, and with the wind proceeded to hit any of the customers sitting along the plastic. I was one of those people. No one apologized or tried to tie down the plastic, they just kept saying it was necessary in case it rained. We decided to take the food to our room, and it was mediocre with the only good item being the Portobello rellenos. So very disappointing.
(1)Hayley K.
I love this place. Either place you choose to sit (inside or outside) is great. Having traveled internationally, I love when the cuisine is as authentic as possible and certain dishes here were almost spot on. The small plate concept is fun for sharing with a group. I usually order the house salad. I love the papas fritas...I promise you need these potatoes in your life!! Sooooo delicious!!! I also really enjoy the goat cheese/tomato spread and the tortilla espanola. Drink wise, I'm a fan of the white sangria. A large pitcher easily satisfies a group of 4. The service is usually very friendly and efficient. Love the ambiance of the building as well.
(5)Jennifer F.
Excellent food and the Spanish wine list is impressive. I have eaten here twice in as many weeks and enjoyed everything!!
(5)Lauren R.
What a wonderful experience we had last Sunday at Ceviche! The entire staff was so friendly. The manager came by & greeted our table & thanked us for coming & invited us back when we were leaving. Excellent food! We can't wait to come back.
(5)Jason R.
I remember going here once when I was younger and it did not disappoint this time either. We had the stuffed peppers, crab cake, fried calamari, duck, deviled eggs, and steamed mussels. The dishes were all spread out nicely so that we didn't feel rushed. Everything was prepared perfectly; the duck was tender and not overcooked, the calamari super crispy, the crab cake was almost entirely meat. The best part was that each plate had an original and delicious sauce which kept me dunking bread to savor it all. The plates are pricey for the portions but I don't mind it for the authentic tapas experience. The only downside was they were out of espresso and upon paying the waiter (not me or my girlfriend) realized it was on the bill and removed the charge before he ran my card which I thought was nice of him considering I would not have noticed. Overall Cerviche is 2-2 in my book!
(4)Thomas C.
Excellent variety of great food and drink. Warning: even the "small plates" aka tapas have good portions, so be careful not to over-order. By the way, Alexandria is the BEST waitress ever. Tip her well. #MyTenCents
(5)Peacock M.
We had happy hour at the bar...didn't try the food. Drinks were superb. Good amt of liquor in them and were about 5-6 bucks. The inside was a little dark and would have been more fun if it was brighter and less stuffy.
(3)Steve A.
I've been to the Ceviche in Orlando many times, so it was interesting to contrast this St. Pete location, which has a great setting, elevated one story above the waterfront area. Service was pleasant, and there is a nice offering of wines. We were there on a Sunday for lunch, and I was a bit disappointed at the absence of the extensive small plates menu I'm used to. To me tapas should be more about many tiny tastes, rather than slightly larger and more limited offerings. But I assume in the evening the menu is like the one we're accustomed to.
(4)Karrin P.
I ate here while staying at the Ponce de Leon Hotel for my birthday. The food was delicious with plenty of Vegan alternatives and fun small plate selections. They also have gluten free selections. It happened to be Tapas Tuesday with $4 tapas (the selection was vast and totally yummy!!) and $4 Sangria and $6 Mojitos all night long. You certainly can't beat that. The atmosphere is really fun and sultry and it has more of a nightlife feel. The service is fabulous with a very attentive and accomodating wait staff. You can dine outside and get a pretty nice view of the bay too. It's situated in the heart of the St. Pete scene. You can even walk to the Dali museum from there and get the full Spanish fix! If you're looking for some awesome tapas and a great nightlife scene, definitely hit up Ceviche.
(4)A B.
The place to go when dining out in The Burg. Large menu. Great atmosphere
(5)Anita N.
This is such a great experience. The food was incredible and the service was great. Will definitely go back of in St. Petersburg again.
(4)Dawn D.
Great night at Ceviche's yet again! Excellent service on New Years Eve! They did change their wine menu and have brought in American and wines from other countries than the exotic Spanish wines.
(5)Amy A.
I have been here for dinner prior (which has many great menu options to choose from!) but this was my first time for brunch. It was ok. Not a huge menu. Can get anything from the bar, which was appreciated. I do like a good beer with my breakfast. I would have liked to see more egg and sweet options but everyone liked what they had enough to not be disappointed. Paige, our server was excellent and the ambiance is great. Awesome spot all in all, but I would go there for other meals than brunch next time. I had an open faced croissant. It was fine. I have had much better croissants in downtown St. Pete so I was not terribly impressed but it was not terrible. One of my friends had eggs benedict, and another the omelette. All were ok. I would not discourage someone for going for brunch, but there are better places in St. Pete. I will be back for dinner sooner!
(3)Sean O.
I lived in Spain for a while and can attest to the authenticity of CevÃche's tapas on menu. Great for a group dinner or just a "caña de cerveza" at the bar. Our server Amber was personal, efficient, and helped me select the perfect Spanish beer to complement my tapas. Try the "tabla mixta" to get an introduction to Spanish cured meats and their diverse cheeses. Oenophiles must pay homage to the Tempranillo grape and add a glass of Rioja to their order. Picky eaters will find comfort in light ham and cheese selections while the adventurous can try grilled Octopus and sautéed frogs legs. Conclusion: CevÃche gets two thumbs up.
(5)Joe W.
I highly recommend that you visit Ceviche's in St Petersburg! We went on a Tuesday night, were greeted at the door and immediately seated. Our waitress, Marietta, was a friendly and knowledgeable server. She never hovered or rushed us, but was always available when we needed her. The fried potatoes tossed with spicy homemade aioli, dusted and fried shrimp also tossed with aioli, and the grilled Scottish salmon in saffron sauce were outstanding! True culinary delights! The portions were generous (the largest I've had in a Tapas), perfectly prepared, and very reasonably priced. I almost forgot to mention the warm bread served with olive oil and a mix of herbs . . . delicious! When I inquired about the bar downstairs, the manager personally took me on a tour and described each nights entertainment . . . and no cover charge. We'll be back! If you're in the area, don't miss it!
(5)Michelle S.
We had a good time here. The ceviche was something new for me. Cool place. Interesting menu.
(4)Angel B.
Came in for a late lunch. Patata brava was delicious. Then baderita, ceviche mixto, and mushrooms with goat cheese. Service was fine. Bread was warm right out of the oven.
(4)Will C.
Great atmosphere, great service and great food. So far I've haven't had a bad experience at ceviche Tampa, Orlando nor St. Pete. But I do have to say the food tastes better (my opinion) at the St. Pete location. I have personally never ordered a main entree, so my review its based on tapas only. When I go to ceviche I like to just go ahead and go cray cray ordering tapas left and right. One person could order and finish around 3-5 tapas depending on your appetite. on this trip I started out with the champiñones al ajillo (mushrooms sauteed with garlic), and the bread goes very well if you dip it in the sauce that the plate comes in. Then we moved on to the gambas al ajillo (amazing flavor), gambas a la parrilla (amazing los delish), batatas bravas (potatoes on a creamy sauce "spicy" according to them but is not at all... and its a must), albondigas (meat balls), almejas, ox tail (so tender and flavorful), chorizo al brandy and that was a perfect meal for 3. We ended up satisfied and just right so we can have dessert. Overall this place its awesome and after the food, you can always go walk near the marina.
(4)Arerell J.
Though the service was a bit slow it was most definitely the best ! Everything was seasoned and prepared beautifully !
(5)William K.
AMAZING. The best place in St Pete- hands down. The lamb was on POINT. The scallops were to die for. The most delicious I have ever eaten in my entire LIFE. Our server AMANDA was gorgeous and attentive. Such an amazing experience. We will def be back again and again. The Hype is REAL. This place is beautiful, delicious and perfect. Go here.
(5)Connie M.
I loved the red sangria with the cut up apples. After they've soaked in the wine, they are crisp and tart with a nice wine flavor to them. It was so good, I nearly finished the pitcher off by myself. We ate the grilled vegetables that were so tasty. Also had the snapper and the pork. Wish we had room to eat more. Can't wait to go back and try other dishes. Our waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu and the service was very good.
(5)Nikki B.
Checking the reviews on yelp before my husband and I stopped here would have been a good idea as I have no idea what the heck a ceviche is nor a tapas. We stopped because we wanted some lunch and the place looked nice. Ended up sitting outside, nice but the servers were very slow..... The only thing we saw interesting enough for our tastes off the menu was the Patatas Bravas and Banderillas Mixtas. Both were tasty, especially the Patatas Bravas. Patatas Bravas was a potato side dish with a creamy sauce and the Banderillas Mixtas was a mixture of skewered meats.
(3)Paul W.
Five stars for my first visit and I'm pretty sure this place will live up to my expectations in the future. Take one of the oldest buildings in one of Americas oldest towns add an amazing selection of freshly prepared tapas, a pitcher of sangria and a flamenco bar in the basement, and you my friend have made one happy camper out of this kid! They have a VERY large tapas menu, be prepared to spend some time reading everything over or just throw a dart on the menu and trust that you'll be in for something delicious. Between myself and two others we ordered about 9 selections and not a one was a disappointment. The atmosphere is lively both in the restaurant and in the basement flamenco bar. If the band there doesn't get your body moving you've got no pulse. Ahhhh this place was a blast I can't wait to make my return!
(5)Beebe G.
on my first day arriving florida on business, my colleague and i had a business meeting and met at Ceviche Tapas Bar in St. Petersburgh. we ended up staying for several. we first ordered a pitcher of cava sangria. it was so satisfying to taste! we ordered several tapas which included solomillio a la parilla. the beef was so tender with mushrooms in a cream sauce. super terrific! i also enjoyed the calamares relleno squid stuffed with this veal and chorizo mixed with cheese. omg, i was in heaven consuming this! we had something else with ahi which was okay and the tabla mixta was really great to try. i wasn't able to thoroughly enjoy some of the items on the menu b/c we were talking so much and the dishes left the table so quickly. one moment i was tasting one and wanted another bite but it was gone and so was the plate. i need to return and taste everything! this place takes me back to my enchanting time in spain.
(4)Sue G.
I have tried tapas at Tina Tapa's at Channelside, but,,, this place was so different. I ate things I could not spell much less pronounce so I am going to tell you in lay-men's terms ok? Here goes! We started off with the Hard Cheese and prosciutto on toast. Smokey, salty, very good. My husband ordered the red fish with capers and the chorizo. I had the fillet with blue cheese. We both got the shrimp in garlic and butter. I have to tell you that I felt like I was "chain eating", but I couldn't seem to stop! It was so delicious! OMG I can't even begin to tell you all of the wonderful flavors... All in all, we ended up getting 10 things and awesome flan for desert. The price is what shocked me! $80 bucks for all that food! And it was sooo yummy! I can't wait to try the one in Tampa! Parking was a pain but Worth it. I am no longer afraid of TAPAS!
(4)Ben K.
I visit St Pete on a regular basis and make a point of stopping at Ceviche when I'm here. It has been the first introduction to tapas for a number of my co-workers and they have all come away happy and ready to try tapas somewhere else. The servers tend to be really helpful and personable, to the point they are almost ready to hang out when the shift is over. The only major downside for me is that the food tends to be a little bit bland - good flavors, but things that could/should be spicy aren't and things you expect to be very rich tend to be a little light. They do a very nice sangria, which just seems perfect in south Florida. All in all, very worthy place to eat in downtown St. Pete.
(4)Christie K.
My review may be slightly scewed based on the fact that the company I was keeping was stellar, BUT what an awesome place. We were visiting from Miami and were quite impressed. The food was perfectly portioned and Yummy. Our bartender was attentive and non intrusive and HILARIOUS, Debbie really made us feel at home!
(5)Ted P.
The food was execellent! Our server gave great advice on what to select. Will go back!
(4)Fran B.
Good selection of tapas in a young vibrant atmosphere. Although the name has the word "restaurant", do not expect to order traditional dinner-style plates. IT'S A TAPAS BAR!!! I think food is reasonably priced there (well... some dishes are on the skimpy side, be sure to ask the waitress/waiter the portion size when you order). Maybe it's our luck, the few times we were there, the waiters were pretty knowledgeable and helpful. I have been to both their Howard's location and the St. Pete's one. The Howard's one is the original but I think the St. Petes' one has better food (in fact, it was confirmed by a fellow customer there who is a real Spaniard just arrived from Spain). The St. Pete's one has 3 levels and the bottom is a crowded dance floor with flamenco type of music (at least it was when I was there). I think the place is great and will definitely keep going back.
(4)Jackie G.
i had the gambas al ajillo and the tabla mixta (minus the morcilla, blood sausage made from blood- no thanks) both tapas were good. the gambas (shrimp) were very tender and the garlic sauce that they were swimming in was very tasty. the tabla mixta, was good but it was just 6 small pieces of deli cut meats and 6 small pieces of cheese with some apples and grapes- too little for the price in my opinion. the sangria was by far the best part of the meal. it was sweet and smooth, and made me happy very fast. aside from the food, the restaurant was loud, the tables were too close to each other, the staff was ok, and the decor was nice and spanish-like. i wish that they would have live music on the main floor entertaining guests instead of only in the cramped lower level. maybe the next time i go up to st.pete i'll give it another try- we'll see.
(4)Andy F.
I'm a fan of places where you can try many things in one sitting, and this tapa joint always delivers. On Tuesdays, it is $4 tapas and sangria! Whether you like fish, meat, veggies, or are scared to try weird things like oxtail, you'll find something for you. My favorite is the calamari rellenos, stuffed with sausage and veal. This place has a great vibe and is a wonderful part of the downtown St. Pete culinary scene.
(5)Mr. X.
Everything we ate was delicious. Prices were fair/appropriate for the quality. Service could have been better (this could be a geographic issue, I've felt this way several times in St. Pete). We had to ask to get our waiter a couple of times. We also had to ask for serving utensils for our shared small plates (and then all we got was a regular fork and butter knife). But the food was awesome and the staff was friendly. .
(4)Jack S.
I would agree with the previous reviews about the service and hosting. I booked an inside table for a pretty big celebration (my wife's birthday) and they ended up giving us an outside table (in August!). I had to really fight to get an inside table. That is the only reason for my 3 stars. Besides that, the food is great, the wines are tasty and I don't mind the noise. It's a crowded, bustling taverna. Try the papatas bravas- tiny chunks of potatoes in super garlicy sauce. It's one of our favorites and one of the cheapest on the menu to boot. It's a great way to fill up w/ a cheaper starch to go with some of the more pricey but tasty items on the menu. I have never had a bad thing on the menu. However I wish there were some competition in the tapas category, it might force them to lower prices and get better service.
(3)Foz F.
Went in on a Saturday for an early dinner just after they switched from lunch to dinner. Facility is very pretty and the option to eat outside or in is nice. I picked inside. Server was pretty good but I was faster than he was to kill the cockroach on the wall. Didn't bother me too much because it is not the first one I have seen, but it was right next to the cold food set up area. Great selection of tapas and the sangria was very good. I found the croquettes to be a little tasteless. I would definitely go back again and try some of the other dishes. The more people you bring the better off you are trying different dishes.
(3)Ali K.
Had an AMAZING meal here while visiting a friend. You must start with a pitcher of sangria, both the red and white are great, but I prefer the white. Make sure you try one of the ceviches, the jalapeno one is fantastic. As for other dishes I would also recommend the meatballs, oysters, artichokes, baked goat cheese, and the chicken with pesto and sherry cream sauce. Our waiter was great, wish we would have been seated at a larger table since the dishes pile up quickly! I will definitely come back when I visit next year!
(4)Carolyn E.
My experience at Ceviche was mostly a positive one. The food was completely delightful and as someone who is picky about her sangria, theirs suited my palate just fine. The goat cheese tapas is amazing and so was the salmon, saffron, and mushroom dish we ordered to share. Nonetheless, the music was simply too loud to have a conversation incorporating more than 2 people. According to my lovely dining companions the service is often the biggest drawback here, as it appears they are always breaking in new staff who aren't familiar with the menu yet. (This evening was no exception.) If the food could stand alone, I would have given Ceviche 4 stars.
(3)Mark S.
We went there for a quick dinner on a Sunday. Nice interior. Music gets a bit on your nerves if you are not into spanish/mediterranean folk stuff-they play some consistently "Alibaba-style" music, probably to add to the "mystique" of the place..he..he.... The girl at the reception was pretty arrogant and tried consistently seating us at initially progressively worse tables (next to entrance, bathroom etc...). Only after insisting for several times we finally ended up at a decent table (should point out here, that the restaurant was by no means full when we arrived, i.e. good tables were definitely available...). Food: A large selection of tapas (small dishes) items. Many of them can also be had as a larger dish. Prices range from about $4 to $12 per small dish. Medium hunger will require at least two or three dishes per person to achieve some satisfaction. We had a variety of items ranging from a "crab cake like item" to stuffed small bell peppers and potatoes in garlic mayo as a filler. Everything was pretty good, but not overly exciting. The drinks were good. Some interesting spanish beers and vines. Service: On our end pretty slow. At the end they forgot to bring the last two dishes. After some time the waitress (definitely not her fault...) remembered we might have some more items on order and went to the kitchen to inquire. A considerable amount of time later the dishes arrived and the manager courteously decided not to charge us for them-the right thing to do in such a situation! All in all a not too bad experience...if the staff would get their act together, this could be a very decent place.
(3)Christina A.
I love this place. Great for a romantic dinner or a night out with friends. The Espinacas (spinach) is probably the best thing on the menu. Also the duck in port sauce is one of my go-to dishes.
(5)Shahana C.
This was my first time here all I have to say is WOW! The food was amazing ( I would recommend the scallops) atmosphere was beautiful! Last but not least our sever Dan is the reason we will be coming back again and again. He was very attentive and helped guide us through the menu truly amazing. By far one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in a while!
(5)Mei L.
Came here for dinner to welcome friends who were visiting Florida for the first time but it was also my first time dining at this tapas restaurant. I am impressed by the friendly staff and server who helped us pick out the best entrees for our party. He was also patient to explain to us what everything meant on the menu and the terms. We started out with a pitcher of red fruity Sangria followed by the appetizers of Ceviche de la Casa (not spicy) and Ceviche de Gambas (Spicy!). Both come with similar items like shrimp. La Casa comes with scallions. Both were really yummy! The fish and veggies were fresh. Next we tried the portabello mushroom, different types of cheeses, stuffed squid, a variety of meats served with fresh red grapes... my apologies, I cannot remember the exact names off the top of my head but they were all superb and delicious choices! All of the entrees seemed like tiny appetizers to me so I didn't feel full like my party did after dinner. Needless to say, we did not try any of their desserts and my party wanted to see what else 'dessert wise' there was around Downtown St Pete. But other than that, the food is delicious, come with a group of friends you enjoy being around and eating with. The only thing I would suggest is for proper working ceiling fans for outdoor seating especially during the hot summer here in Florida would really be convenient. Anyone who is looking to open a Tapas restaurant and or needs a great example, take a look at Ceviche!
(4)Hli H.
Love this place! The food is amazing and service is awesome. The hot food comes out to you pipping hot, and the cold food is served well chilled in martini or cocktail glasses. Quality of the ceviche tapas is one of the best in the area. This is a great place to hang out with your girlfriends or grab a light meal before walking around this part of St. Pete.
(5)Jessell P.
Cool ambiance. Ceviche wasn't great but the meat and cheese boards were fantastic. Check out downstairs for some unexpected Afro Cuban music.
(4)Catie M.
patatas bravas, tuna ceviche and the first beef dish i believe it has mushrooms in it all are the best in the world!! the red sangria is very good as well as the service. to top it off the creme brule is to die for. over all very good and TAPAS TUESDAYS!!! cheap amazing food why not!!!!
(4)A N N A J.
Last year, while in St. Petersburg for a conference, our group decided to have dinner at Ceviche. I didn't know what to expect, but I was delighted by the Queso de Cabra, Gazpacho-- even the free bread and herb-oil dip. I was so swoony over this food, I took a cab back *the next night* to get more food to-go. Yes, I ate Ceviche for dinner twice in a row. For the next 11 months, I checked every menu of every Spanish restaurant I passed, in multiple cities, looking for Queso de Cabra. None had it. I would always feel disappointment first, then longing for Ceviche, next. I'm back for the same conference now and I was elated to have dinner for 10 at Ceviche last night. We were outside, near the water and having a blast. Surprisingly, the food wasn't as good as it was in 2009, but I was blissed out anyway, because I had waited so long for my favorite tapas and our group was hilarious. As we finished our third pitcher of sangria I sighed with happiness...until I heard a crash and felt something cold and sticky blanket me. My friends shouted, there was chaos. A waiter had dropped a pitcher of sangria on and behind me, covering me and my new Tory Burch bag with the liquid. It was in my hair, down my back, soaking my dress, ruining my purse. I was shocked, but I shrugged-- it happens. I understand. I tried to dry off via dinner napkins while they cleaned. What hurt and annoyed me was this: no acknowledgment of what they had done. No apology. Nothing. I've been a cocktail waitress. I've spilled my share of alcohol. I've apologized for ruining nice things. A lot of places would offer to pay for dry cleaning, SOMETHING. I wouldn't have taken them up on it-- but I would've been grateful if they had at least offered, if they had owned up to the damage they did to my dress (which will be okay) and my purse (which, sadly, will not). Ceviche ruined my night, not by spilling crap all over me, but by being so indifferent about it. Not cool. And not coming back.
(1)e m.
We had just moved to the area and had looked at online reviews to find a nice place for dinner and drinks after a long day of house hunting. Ceviche kept coming up with med-high reviews. We thought for sure it would be decent. This place was horrible. It was half under construction and smelled like paint--excellent for eating food. We ordered as we went and started with a couple of tapas: obviously ceviche. It was not good. 3 slabs of what seemed like semi-old salmon, cut in huge unappetizing pieces. It tasted like they had taken frozen filets and let them defrost and then served them. All served in a giant martini glass over way too much mixed greens to fill up the empty space where the salmon should have been. The presentation was a joke. It doesn't take much to make something look borderline appetizing. We ordered potatoes in a mayo- based sauce and they were not bad, but they were basically thrown on a plate, sauce everywhere, with chef fingerprints all over the plate and the edges. COME ON. There were only two things that were good about the place: 1. our waitress, a very sweet lady (sounded like she was from Russia) who despite the food and drinks was attentive and cheerful. 2. The downstairs bar that we went to after dinner upstairs. there was live jazz music, it was well lit, and had decent drinks. I will NEVER eat here again, but I might stop in for some jazz and cocktails downstairs. PS Ceviche: CLEAN YOUR BATHROOMS!
(1)Jeremy H.
There's a certain passionate intensity that one feels even upon first ascension of the tiled steps at this sangria and tapas infused palate playground. With your heart racing such as the tachometer of a race driver waiting for the green light, remember, you still need to pace yourself so that you can reach the finish line in one piece. Upon entering the foyer of the main dining area, the life blood of the restaurant flows into your senses' pathways like pitchered sangria (both their Red and White is amazing) flowing into your wine glass -- fully and completely. You might have a wait depending on the night and the crowd, but please understand, good meals take time. Amazing meals also take time -- and are underscored by a four-finger pour of wine to get things moving. Don't hesitate to begin your experience here at CevÃche with a visit to the bar if you will indeed be settling in for a short wait. The art of dining -- enjoying the entire experience without hurry -- is well practiced by many european cultures. If you have trouble with that sort of thing, then perhaps this will be Lesson #1 in your slowing down to enjoy the best things in life. A few of my favorite tastebud tickling tapas are CevÃche de Salmon, Tortilla Espanola, Portobello Relleno, Patatas Bravas and Pollo al Ajillo. You can be sure that the menu is diverse enough -- almost to the point of overwhelming -- to provide options for all taste preferences. Should the main dining area be loaded (this should be a good sign that you should endure the wait, as all of these folk here before you also might know something you don't) and you are offered the ability to be placed in their auxiliary seating area at the west end of the block, the corner cafe known as Pincho y Pincho, then by all means take advantage if the size of your party will allow it. The same service, menu and drink selection is only enhanced by the up close and personal intimacy found at this CevÃche annex. Accepting seating in this less-than-a-block-away dining room is just one step closer to getting you into the music lair to be discussed immediately. If there are any short-sighted individuals reading this, it is now incumbent upon me to make sure you realize that your total CevÃche experience doesn't end when the dinner bill is paid. Don't expect that this playground is only limited to your palate as now it is my pleasure to direct you to the pièce de résistance - the Flamenco room. After having your apetite satiated, you owe it to yourself to head downstairs (below the Main dining area) for live music on any given night that will complete your total surrender to the CevÃche experience. By now, the level of sangria flowing through your veins will be well on it's way to leading your soul (by way of your feet) to a musical ecstasy of sorts as the music rises to a level in your aural nerve that you can't sidestep any more. With bands that offer the best in musical craftsmanship, you can expect to find groups bringing any number of genres from salsa, to reggae to the type of music that even the very name of this four-walled free-for-all belies -- flamenco. Your night is now complete except for perhaps sleeping off the sweet excesses of the evening. Though, depending on your level of passion -- and perhaps the sum total of sangria consumed on a given evening -- your exit path just might lead directly back to your nearby hotel room to possibly press your partner up against the window for great views of the city and some temperature-raising physical activity that doesn't require the aid of a wall-mounted hotel heater -- in the winter months at least. If it's summertime, the a/c just might come in handy. Just sayin'. Don't say I didn't warn you.
(5)Vic O.
Yah, THIS is how it's done! Amazingly fast and friendly service, absolutely fresh and delicious everything! Plus it's in the charming 'Ponce de Leon' hotel, with a lovely veranda above the street. We loved everything we ordered, and wanted what everyone else ordered, too. How do they make it taste so good?! This is our new favorite place to dine. Wish it were closer to home, but SO WORTH THE TRIP! They have a lunch place 'on the corner' of the hotel's street, and another place the server mentioned, of which we didn't catch the address, but will inquire next time. My favorites were the fresh oysters served with a vinegarette of bell peppers and an ice-cold shot of Russian vodka, and the tuna ceviche. Wonderful!
(5)Ganesha B.
Incredible food. Service is on point and overall a great experience!!
(5)Ryan M.
We showed up on a Saturday night without a reservation. We put our name in with the hostess and proceeded to the bar to get a drink (red sangria- of course). Just as we were about to finish our first round the hostess came over and informed us our table was ready. Having eaten at the South Tampa location years ago I knew the deal. We ordered the following: ceviche de la case, almejas y merluza (little neck clams & mahi-mahi), calmares fritos, gambas a la parilla (jumbo shrimp), vieiras puerros (sea scallops). Food, service, and atmosphere were excellent. With drinks and everything we did end up spending a little more then a typical night out. As I check the website to remember what I ordered I see they have a tapas Tuesday, over 30 tapas for $4 each which may be worth checking out.
(4)Ayusa S.
Great atmosphere. Lamb chops were best! Entrees are small and desserts large. Friendly and helpful waiters!
(4)Alex B.
I really like Ceviche. Always a good atmosphere, I prefer to sit outside or or downstairs. This is my favorite place for calamari, and I get the calamari everywhere. The food is a little greasy but we all need a nice treat every so often. The tables are a bit small also, which is probably my biggest complaint (still not a big deal, it just takes some creative plate arranging.) Tuesday is $4 for select tapas and sangria, and I recommend it as a social and gastronomical event. On that menu I recommend the Patatas bravas, calamari, meatballs, and one of the salads is awesome but the bean one sucks so be careful. The sangria is decent, but they haven't soaked the fruit since the first time I've been. If they just put that little bit of forethought into soaking the fruit the night or morning before, the sangria alone would bring me back. So instead I just get water. Now on Thurs, Fri, and Sat nights they have awesome bands and the downstairs bar is an awesome place to go munch a little, have some good drinks and/or salsa dance. I prefer their generally classier and more cultured patrons as well. I have heard good compliments on their brunch. I've had some sort of quiche, I believe it had a variety of mollusks. I think I should have ordered something different but maybe I'm just not a quiche guy. I think that morning was still a little blurry.
(4)Frank D.
The Best.. My favorite Tapas in Pinellas county. Try the sangria.. You'll love it. I order by asking the waiter to order for me.. This way I get the BEST of the BEST they have to serve. Try it sometime.
(5)Pamela D.
If you come here on $4 Tapas Tuesdays and bitch about your food OR the service, your fingers should be removed and you should be banned from ever eating anywhere ever again. Just sayin'. Ceviche is perfectly A-Ok on any day of the week, though I would say it's borderline fan-worthy on $4 Tapas Tuesdays. My experience with Basque cuisine and tapas is primarily from the West Coast, specifically San Francisco and Seattle. So to say that I am spoiled by outstanding Basque food would be an absolute understatement. I tried to leave my pretension behind and just enjoy myself at Ceviche. Once I did that, it was decent. Certainly the atmosphere here is nice, laid-back, but not sloppy. The service has always been good. The decor is nice, and at a glance, the tables are cute. When sitting, however, it's another story. One could argue, perhaps, that the seating for two is 'intimate.' I would disagree and then beat that person over their damn head. Tables for two at Ceviche are like TORTURE. I'm skinny as all hell and barely taller than average. It hurts me to think how uncomfortable it must be for anyone heavier than me to sit at these tables. The chairs are so high that you are rendered unable to cross your legs. Thanks, Ceviche, for making me sit like a DUDE with my legs awkwardly akimbo as I tried in vain to stop our table from rocking from one side to the other as we dined. Small tables + tapas do not a good idea make, just saying. The tapas themselves are not super, but they ARE good and fresh. The only one that I take major issue with is the Pollo al Ajillo. Ugh. If I'd wanted to eat oily fatty parts of suspicious meat, I'd have gone to Panda Express. Nasty. I've had this dish on two occasions and it tasted creepy both times. You can't go wrong with the typical order of Patatas Bravas here, however. Ceviche makes them very well. And if there's a seafood lover in you, and you dislike cheesy biscuits for appetizers, I can't help but stress that you MUST try the Pulpo a la Gallega, which is octopus served over potatoes. Delicious! I've only had one full meal here, because I prefer tapas, but it wasn't as good as the tapas. I ordered the Zarzuela, which is a paella-style seafood stew. Considering how delicious the fish tapas are, I was a bit disappointed that the seafood in my stew tasted bland and was too mushy. Their sangria is also not so good, lacking any kind of edible tasty fruit. Boo!
(3)Jim P.
Awesome(except for the noise level) but after a glass of their Sangria (really good) somehow u don't notice the noise so much. This place is worth going back to, the noise level reminded me of my life in Hawaii where you'd get near a Banyan Tree full of Mynah birds bedding down for the night. the food was really good, the service was good, the Sangria was really good... and best of all -- it's right next door to the Hampton Inn and Suites right in the middle of things.
(4)Michael P.
I have dined here a couple of times before and rather enjoyed myself, however this outing was moderately disappointing. Being that I have previously had a good experience and this visit was late on a Sunday I'm willing to give 3 stars. The service was excellent and very knowledgeable of the extensive menu, that said, several of the recommendations fell short of expectations. Also be aware that the downstairs seating with live music can be a bit loud for those expecting a more intimate or traditional musical dining setting. Avoid the Reggae cover band night at all costs. All of the dishes that were ordered that night tasted somewhat mild and seemed under-seasoned. The one good exception were the Spare Ribs, braised to seasoned to perfection as usual. I've also previously had the Lamb Shank, another braising to rave about. On the down side I must call out the "house" ceviche, this was bland, full of veggies and light on what one might consider the main ingredient, seafood, disappointing for a restaurant called 'Ceviche'. Additional I'd stay away from the overcooked Bon-degas, supposedly made from several meats including lamb none of which were predominately tastable as the whole dish was overpowered by the sauce still containing numerous bay leaves. Maybe 2-4 pitchers of Sangria were in order...
(3)Dawen H.
Extremely high end food presentation which makes the French Toast look like a million bucks. Waitresses were polite. food has luxurious taste without luxurious price. I will definitely go again.
(5)Keith B.
Ahhh, beautiful St Petersburg. It's pretty swell to sit on the porch of Ceviche, looking towards the bay with a nice early evening breeze, sipping a glass of good wine and trying lots of tasty tapas. The cocktail list is pretty extensive. But a taste of 3 different drinks found them to be a little watery and nothing special. Stick with the wine list and several nice selections by the glass. The food, however, more than makes up for the drinks. Try lots of little plates. We found each to be delicious. But the total tab can add up pretty quickly if you're not careful. Desserts are huge. One to share is plenty.
(4)Natalie B.
We stumbled upon Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant while driving around downtown St. Pete. We lucked out with this place! The weather was wonderful and we found an outdoor table in a shady spot to enjoy our lunch. While the breakfast options looked enticing, we decided tapas was the way to go. We ordered the Patatas Bravas (Fried potatoes with spicy garlic aioli mayo); Albondigas (veal and chorizo meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce) and Chorizo y Pimento (homemade sausage with roasted peppers. The only downside: We never got our order of the Chorizo y Pimento! They brought out the first two items and the portion was a lot larger than we thought. Once we started eating, we realized we didn't need any more than the two tapas we were enjoying. So in the end, it was fine, but this is one of the missteps of the meal. Service was a tad slow, but we were on mini vacation, so we really didn't care! Onto the food we had. It was AMAZING! The potatoes were out of this world. The meatballs were much more generous in size that we envisioned. The food plus our spicy bloody marys made for a wonderful welcome to St. Pete! Looking forward to our next trip :)
(4)Nisrine E.
Delicious food, great drinks and a wonderful outdoor seating setting. My favorite things here: 1. the pork shank is fantastic! 2. the tuna ceviche? (i think that is what it was called). It is served in a martini class and is absolutely delectable. 3. the Salsa band and dancing that goes on in the "basement" underneath the restaurant 4. Ice cold (and very affordable) pitchers of white or red (both delicious) Sangaria. Problems? They do have a VERY difficult and long menu to decipher. For a beautiful dinner and a romantic Spanish setting, I definitely recommend Ceviche's.
(4)Christine S.
I heard many good things about this restaurant so decided to have dinner there one night, but that changed fast! It took forever to get seated and because we had such a large party, we had to sit downstairs at a very crowded table! Here comes the worst part.. A COCKROACH CRAWLED OUT OF THE BOOTH AND RAN AROUND AND HID BACK IN! We asked the server for help and when the roach crawled out again, the dumb ass decided to slap it with a plastic menu (like that's going to work)! Okay, so the roach was still alive and kicking and the server spilled all of our drinks all over the table. Already grossed out by the massive insect we decided to leave, BUT not without getting our drinks refilled. The server never came back to clean the mess he mad at our table and the roach was still around us. Needless to say we left, because we felt that this place was no good. Not have cockroaches is one thing, but to spill someone's drink all over the table and to not clean it up so people can have a seat is another. One of the people I was complained to the manager and he just shrugged it off. Sorry, but this is not a place I find to be very accommodating and very CLEAN! Two important things I look for in an eatery.
(1)Anthony L.
The best restaurant I have ever been to hands down. Unbelievable drinks and very well trained and competent wait staff. I can't say enough about this restaurant and its atmosphere as well as the live music downstairs. Anything and everything on that menu sounds delicious and is. I would give it 6 stars If I could. If you're in st Petersburg you MUST go here, you'll be missing out
(5)Marc F.
Being from a city like Miami with so many ceviche places, it excited me to try ceviche in another part of Florida. Since the city holds some of the best fishing around, I expected only the best to be served at the restaurant. It was a good size party, 7 of us to be exact and I went head with the order (listed below), everything turned out excellent! The staff was friendly and courteous, and the restaurant itself seemed very active. We stayed at the hotel above the restaurant so the reservation wasn't a problem for us but a must for anyone planning on going on a Friday or Saturday. Ceviche de la casa (house ceviche, mixed fish) Ceviche de atun (tuna ceviche) Filetito (thin steak) Arroz con pimientos (seasoned rice) Papas fritas (fried potato) Patatas bravas (potato with a spicy sauce over them) Calamari Gambas Romesco Shrimp and to drink (a must) the Sangria
(4)Parker E.
The tapas are out of this world. I loved the snails in a tomato based sauce, the monster shrimp breaded with crushed almonds, and the ceviche was just breath taking.
(5)Hunter B.
Wondering if things have changed since some of the older reviews with lower ratings, or we just had a terrific experience. Whatever the case, a group of us (4) recently dropped in for dinner here on a Saturday, around 7:30, no reservation, just grabbed one of the outdoor tables to enjoy the perfect weather ... and were rewarded with a nearly perfect meal. Service was good. Sangria (red) was very good. And the tapas we had all disappeared quickly. I don't recall every dish, and it probably doesn't matter anyway because you'll like whatever you like, but standouts for us included the octopus, chorizo, clams, and bean salad -- not all in the same dish, of course. Plenty of dining choices in that area, but we'd go back there in a minute and would certainly recommend it if you're a tapas fan like we are.
(5)Melissa P.
Great food. Fun place. 3 different levels. Traditional restaurant dining on lower level. Floor Two offers bar type atmosphere with full dining menu; band began just as we finished dinner. Rooftop bar offers great drinks, beautiful view and a limited menu. We had dinner on second floor. Tried about 8 dishes. Everything was great! White Sangria was fabulous! We will definitely eat here each time we visit Sarasota.
(5)Adam B.
Tapas Tuesday? What can I say? These guys don't have their restaurant, downstairs bar, and corner bistro busy all night just for the deal. Come for the $4 selected small plates, stay for the $4 sangria-- especially the cava. There may have been [slightly] better food when we visited St. Pete, but this was the best overall experience.
(5)Jeff M.
Excellent place in Downtown St Pete. Good food, excellent sangria (pricey but loaded with liquor and wine), and Flamenco dancing on Thursday and the weekends. I recommend the filet with cabrales (Spanish blue cheese), ceviche a la rusa, papas fritas, and espinacas (sauteed spinach with fig, honey and garlic). While you are there have a frozen shot of Snow Queen, excellent vodka and goes great with the flavorful food. # of Times: 25 Consistency: Excellent
(4)AJ W.
Another good...not great rating. I thought the food was good and the sangria as well...I just didn't like the waitstaff pushing the more expensive item menus. It's a pretty large menu with something for everyone...like most tapas places. I liked it. The atmosphere was beautiful, but there was something that didn't sit well with me. The tres leches cake though...was unbelievable!!!
(3)Jeff F.
Delicious. Everything was very fresh and well presented. Loved the salmon ceviche
(5)Kyle G.
I was torn between deciding whether to give three or four stars for Ceviche St. Pete. I gave it a four because it's always a fun spot and they have awesome specials, however the menu is downright ridiculous and will take you 20 minutes to read. The downstairs/basement bar is probably the coolest spot in all of downtown. Very dark and grotto-like, it's usually packed and extremely loud from the live band. It's bearable if you're anticipating it, but be prepared - it might not be your scene. I'd rate the food better than average, but as mentioned - the menu is overwhelmingly long. If it was cut down by about half, it would be more manageable and easier to select items. Tapas Tuesday is my favorite time to visit. Specials on sangria, wine and beers, and 1/2 price ceviche plates. (And we all know how great their sangria is!) While not my favorite Ceviche (because of Sarasota's rooftop deck), it comes in at a close 2nd..
(4)Maria G.
This establishment was very interesting. We ordered 2 tapas items each different. It truly is an appetizer place. Portions are small and enough for 3 people. Pricing was a little on the high side for appetizers. We ate out on patio, and the weather could not be any more perfect! We had a coupon for free sangria, and these were delish!
(4)Jay S.
First timer here! We decided to stop by since the crowd was light last Friday October 7, 2011. It was windy and raining. We elected to sit by the patio. Our waiter was hard to hear, they didnt have the local beer I like, they offered San Miguel instead, pilipino beer? So I elected the house white wine and my date, she had the sangria..and when he returned we order the house ceviche, octopus and potato on tomato sauce, calamari with sausage and cheese and last with spinach salad. Wow! The ceviche was a bit too overdone but wow! We are returning to try more dishes soon. Service was excellent, food was good being we are inSt Pete not in Madrid. I can only imagine if these dishes are that good , I'd like to one day try Spain! You gotta come with an open mind....
(5)Andrea C.
Holy crap this place is delicious! I didn't expect much out of a TINY bar with only outdoor seating - probably because I'm from Chicago and not used to an only outdoor seating restaurant - but I was happily surprised. The Queso de Cabra was so amazing that if I wasn't out in public I would have licked the bowl. The Sangria was very good and, even thought I didn't have any, everyone I was with kept raving about the spicy pappas. (I can't remember the name.) When/if I go back to St. Petersburg, I am DEFINITELY coming here again.
(5)Charles C.
It was my second time there and it was after christmas and the host warned us the staff was short. Well, the service and food was great!!
(4)Ginger W.
This place is definitely "A-OK" for me, which I mean in a positive way. I wasn't really a fan for a number of reasons. I have lived in Spain and eaten my fair share of US tapas too, so I know that tapas can be handled one of three ways: either they are tiny plates on top of your beer (rarely what you find in the US, but typical in Spain), small-medium sized plates on your table individually portioned for each person (happens in the US, but I never saw this in Spain), medium-large sized plates with individual pieces portioned for the number of people in your party (common in Spain and occasionally in US). Thus, it seemed appropriate for me to ask the server, in response to her asking me if I had any questions about the menu, "So, are these individual or group portions?" I was a bit perturbed when her response was to look at me annoyed and say with attitude "They're TAPAS," before walking away. What if I didn't even know what a tapas restaurant was? I mean, I do, but why the attitude? Especially when you know you are working for a restaurant that is an Americanized cultural interpretation of something that everyone might not necessarily be familiar with, or be standardized across American interpretations. The irony of this of course being that some of the portions were actually significantly bigger than others. Nevertheless, I was there in a very good mood from the Dali museum and with wonderful company, so I just waved it off. The same waitress was very nice to us for the rest of the time, so maybe she didn't realize how she came off or maybe she did realize and felt bad. We were there for a late lunch and had the house ceviche, spinach, and house-made sausage. The menu was handed to us, and the tiny corner of the menu that was actually available at the time (3 pm, they were open) was pointed out immediately too. The ceviche was ok. It was flavorful, but not particularly interesting. The chucks of seafood were large, so it was not well mixed. The salmon did not taste like it had been ceviche-d (denatured, technically, but you know the consistency of fish when it's been sitting in the acid and tastes almost cooked). The salmon tasted like smoked salmon lox covered in the citrus marinade. The calamari in it was good. My biggest concern with the ceviche was that it was a tiny portion (about a cup) for a large pricetag ($10), and the whole rest of the oversized martini glass was filled with lettuce that hadn't been exposed to enough of the marinade to itself be dressed. As such, the lettuce after a few leaves down just kinda was..washed lettuce. I make a number of ceviche recipes, and I know there are lots of interpretations of this dish, but this one was not a personal favorite of mine. The spinach was actually delicious, and a very large portion. It was served with figs, honey, and garlic. There was also home-made sausage in a tomato sauce, which tasted just like something I had eaten in Spain. Quite tasty. Another high note of the meal was that my s.o. tried some inexpensive Spanish wine and finally found a wine that he found drinkable (he's a beer guy). So, that was an accomplishment in itself well worth the meal.
(3)Alex R.
The decor here had me very impressed before I was even seated. Very old european styling makes for a warm and inviting atmosphere. The wait staff on the other hand, while very attractive, left much to be desired. Seating is also somewhat cramped, especially since the tables are on the smaller size and the menus are oversized. Food was excellent, drinks were average at best for premium pricing. It seems that the staff really is the weak point of this establishment. Hostesses and servers alike seemed confused, and borderline aloof. Meals came to the table sporadically for the different diners and some entrees showed up at the same time as some appetizers. The same scenario repeated itself with the drinks. Really a sub par staff for what could be an excellent upscale eatery. Overall the experience left our party wanting.
(2)David G.
We have been here many times and the food is amazing as is the service and sangria! I havent met anyone who didnt like this joint! Great place to go with a group of friends or just the "two of you". Heck, you can even roll on up to the bar for a great dinner by yourself...
(4)Shanna D.
I never got tapas in Spain. I was on an athletic trip and we had catered meals. I could see the tapas from the windows of our team bus, but could not taste them. I had to force myself to imagine and in these dreams they tasted of all the delicioso meals I've had at CevÃche. Another great place to sit outdoors on Beach Drive, the marina reminds me of Spain too (the same reason Dali's museum is located a couple blocks South). My favorite picks to mix and match are the solomillo a la parilla, haricot verdes, papas fritas y berenjenas fritas. No worries about speaking Spanish, the staff helps you through it and gives lots of descriptions and recommendations for pairings. I was working with a well-known band playing at Janus on a Saturday night in December; they wanted to travel on foot to a place for dinner. I recommended CevÃche and they came back happy and played a great show. I'm sure I could have played some great games in Spain if I had some tapas like CevÃche.
(4)George O.
I went Thursday night. It was a wonderful night. There were flamenco dancers and traditional Spanish music played by a live band. I had a top shelf long island which I must say was very tasty and very nice! It was a bit noisy, but the crowd was still pretty good. I will definitely visit here again and maybe I will try the famous Sangria!
(5)Devil M.
Four dollar tapas Tuesday, how can you go wrong. Get the mussels in sherry sauce and the clams with sausage.
(4)Victor M.
Awesome authentic Spanish restaurant!!! Very tasty tapas and the sangria was awesome specially the cava sangria!
(5)Eric L.
Excellent small plates on a beautiful porch. Follow it with a waterfront stroll.
(4)Phil P.
Service was awful. They told us 30 minutes wait. Left after 1 hour and 20 minutes. Tables went un-bussed for 15-20 minutes as entire place was packed. Very disappointing. Very unorganized.
(1)Carolynne M.
A little disappointed in this place. Attached to the Ponce De Leon Hotel, the interior was really cool, with the dark wood and the mexican tile, but it was tiny (held 5 tables inside, along with some bar seating, and then 4 or 5 tables outside). We arrived late and just wanted a couple of sandwiches and iced tea. The iced tea was poured hot over ice so it ended up being more like lukewarm tea. We were told the sandwich service has stopped 10 minutes before and we couldnt order because they were all hot sandwiches. Yet, we were allowed to order a bunch of tapas plates that were hot. How does that work? Anyway, BF ordered some meatballs in a sauce which were decent, except very small, as well as the "house specialty" which was a plate of hot, homemade potato chips. They were served with a little cup of blue cheese crumbles. Those were tasty, I had to admit, and probably the best value on the menu. I ordered what I thought was going to be bruschetta, but turned out to be some cold tomato paste on three rounds of bread, sprinkled with pepper. Worth $3.50? I dont think so. My goat cheese turned out to be a much better choice though, it was a warm piece of cheese, served with some chunky tomato and a big piece of warm bread to smear it on. Our waiter was very nice but a little on the ditzy side, he seemed to either be really stressed out about handling everything by himself (which wasnt much since there were only 4 tables including us being occupied) or was just somewhat forgetful. All in all, an OK place, but not someplace I am thrilled about returning to a second time.
(3)Angela K.
I come from Chicago, obviously a city of great restaurants. I live in the Tampa Bay area for four years, and I wish I would've been to Ceviche much earlier than in the last six months of my stay. It is honestly the best restaurant in Tampa. The atmosphere is perfect. The food is perfect. The service was perfect. I would opt for a table outside if it's not unbearably hot. My favorite dishes where the Vieiras y Puerros, Paella Valenciana and the chuletas de cordero. Be careful, your meal can get very, very expensive very quickly. Other than that, Ceviche is one of my favorite restaurants and I look forward to visiting again in August. Don't try to go without making a reservation..most times you are kept waiting even when you have one.
(5)Horn P.
My Husband and I love this place. Best live flamenco band and Spanish dancing around! We try to go every other Friday!
(5)Mary Sherwood S.
Orgasmmic..... Simply the best food I have had in AGES!
(5)Amy A.
From the hostess, to the bartenders, to the servers, all around BAD. First they skipped us in rotation for tables and when we asked about it, they acted weird and then scrambled to find us a seat but weren't apologetic or even remotely accommodating about it. When I asked for a specific alcohol, the bartender quipped she didn't have that and when I pointed out that I was looking at the bottle, she got huffy. Then the server, after we FINALLY got sat, left us sitting for about fifteen minutes and hastily remarked that she didn't 'notice' us there. Don't expect to do courses here, even if you order them in a specific way. It comes out willynilly. They even brought me someone else's food and I started eating it (it was VERY similar to my dish) and do you know they came and took the entree AWAY from me and served it straight to someone else. THE PLATE I WAS ALREADY EATING?@!!@#$#$ Just sat a partially consumed dish in front of another customer....seriously....
(1)Shelle B.
Being a local I have eaten at Ceviche many times, and I have never been disappointed. The food is superb and the menu is so varied and interesting. I think for the money, you get nice sized portion's highly recommend it.
(5)Hillary R.
We had a little bit of a wait so we ordered white sangria in a pitcher, we had them made 'skinny' and they were so good. No difference to us from the usual white sangria. We waited about 40 mins and then were seated on the balcony. It was a great atmosphere, lot's of people watching. We ordered a few tapa's and then split a vegetable paella. The paella was SO GOOD. For 3 of us, we still had leftovers. This is a great place for a slightly more upscale meal in this area.
(4)Julie T.
Although the girls who run the front desk seem completely incompetent and it might take forever to get a table, the food remains my favorite in town. Go on a weekday and you may get both a great table and good service. To the weekend crowd, good luck with that unless you know someone on the inside. BEST SANGRIA.
(5)AdriCachi P.
I am from Miami and this food makes me feel like I am back at home. Every dish is as delicious as the next and the sangria is to die for!
(5)Mr B.
Great scene for drinks and meet/greet activities but even more favorable for group dining with pitchers of sangria!
(5)