Review: The Lure – South Tampa

Introduction: Spring Break in Florida
Review:  American Airlines (ERJ-140) Economy Class – Wichita Falls to Dallas
Review:  The Club – Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
Review:  American Airlines (A321) Economy Class – Dallas to Tampa
Review:  The Café by Mise en Place – Tampa International Airport
Review:  The Lure – South Tampa
Review:  Delta Airlines (A321) Economy Class – Tampa to Atlanta
Review:  The Club – Hartsfield Jackson/Atlanta International Airport
Review:  Delta Sky Club – Hartsfield Jackson/Atlanta International Airport
Review:  Delta Airlines (737-700) Economy Class – Atlanta to Fort Walton Beach
Review:  The Crab Shack – Fort Walton Beach
Review:  Mama Nu’s Kitchen – Fort Walton Beach
Review:  American Airlines (CRJ-900) Economy Class – Fort Walton Beach to Charlotte
Review:  Admirals Club – Charlotte International Airport
Review:  Admirals Club – Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

My coworker and I had some time to grab a quick bite to eat near the base on our second night.  We wanted to go to Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, but we could not find it even with the use of Google Maps. We stumbled upon The Lure, a seafood restaurant, located a few blocks from where Beef ‘O’ Brady’s should have been located. Lure is situated in southeast Texas, approximately 20 minutes north of MacDill Air Force Base and 15 minutes south of Tampa International Airport.

The Lure - TampaThe Lure-Tampa

Parking is limited at the restaurant, as there were approximately 12 parking spots available. I was greeted by a friendly host/manager when we entered. He offered a table but we chose to sit at the bar.

The Lure-Tampa
The Lure-Tampa Bar
The Lure-Tampa
The Lure-Tampa Bar

Lure had a funky vibe, I actually liked it. To the right of the main bar was a sushi bar with a small seating area.

The Lure-Tampa

There was another small seating area to left of the main bar.

The Lure-Tampa

The Lure-Tampa

If sitting inside is not your speed, Lure had outside seating.

The Lure-Tampa

We were quickly greeted by the bartender.  If you remember, I wrote about her assuming my sexuality in a previous post.  She explained the Happy Hour menu and asked if I wanted to try anything. I asked what the most popular beer was and went with it. It was a surprisingly delicious blonde beer.

The Lure-Tampa
The Lure-Tampa Happy Hour and Brunch Menu
The Lure - Tampa
The Lure – Tampa Blonde Beer

The bartender then provided a very large menu…there were way too many items. I decided to try the Lava Drops and spicy Tuna roll. The Lava Drops were nori and rice balls stuffed with spicy kani salad and cream cheese.

The Lure-Tampa
The Lure-Tampa Menu
The Lure-Tampa
The Lure-Tampa Menu

The Lava Drops were delivered in less than five minutes. They were really tasty. I especially liked the spicy mayo on top.

The Lure-Tampa
The Lure-Tampa Lava Drops

The spicy tuna roll was delivered a few minutes later. I did not like that my tuna and coworker’s hunter roll were delivered on the same dish, it was really weird. I have never had this situation occur with any other time in my life.  Why did they serve us on the same plate???

The Lure - Tampa
The Lure – Tampa tuna roll and Hunter Roll

The spicy tuna roll was bad, I mean terrible. The rice was dry and very hard to eat. While the tuna was not fresh. I did not bother finishing the dish.

Final Word

I never would have known about The Lure, if I did not stumble upon it.  While the ambience was nice and the Lava Balls were tasty, nothing else stood out to me.  The spicy tuna roll was not fresh as I would expect, especially in Florida. I would visit The Lure again, but only to have a drink.

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