The Pub opened a few months back at the International Mall where the Bamboo Club once stood. I have been hearing about their Roast Prime Rib Panini, which includes sliced prime rib, Guinness onions, aged cheddar and bistro sauce on a French baguette ($12.25) and decided to give it a shot. The place is booming with customers and it’s hard not to notice the building while visiting the mall. We put our names in and it took about 45 minutes (on a Sunday by the way) to get a table, but they conveniently send you a text message when your table is ready so you can walk around the mall while you wait. The first floor is your usual pub atmosphere with outdoor seating also available. Upstairs they have specialty self-serving beer, which my good friend The Cheat Seat describes well in his blog. The interior of the place is different from what you’ll find in most bars and pubs in Tampa and a great place to go with a few friends or to kick back and have a drink at the bar.
There were some interesting quotes on the walls there as well.
The waiter was attentive and checked on our drinks a few times during our meal. The food didn’t take too long to come out and was nice and hot when it arrived. My panini (pictured below) was pressed well and the cheese was melted perfectly into the sandwich. The meat was tender, but a little dry. I probably would order BBQ sauce on the side if I had this item in the future. The aged cheddar tasted great. Overall, the panini was tasty but I’m not sure if I would order it again. I think in the future I’d like to try their lamb burger (they unfortunately ran out of lamb that day). The balsamic greens on the side weren’t my favorite type of salad, but were edible.
Roast Prime Rib & Cheddar Panini ($12.25)
My friend’s burger.
Overall, The Pub is a great addition to the International Plaza and has a good variety of choices on the menu for a pub. With friendly servers and an inviting atmosphere, I can see myself visiting The Pub in the future to relax after a stressful day whether or not a trip to International Plaza is in needed.
Restaurant Name: The Pub
Cuisine: European
Address: International Plaza and Bay Street 2223 N. Westshore Blvd. Tampa, FL 33607
Neighborhood: Westshore
Phone Number: (813) 443-5642
Website: http://www.tavernrestaurantgroup.com/
Carlos Eats 