"Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."
The Hub Bar is a dive bar located in the middle of downtown Tampa. Â There are no martinis, craft beers, or wine. Â Just potent cocktails with weak mixers, cheap beer, and lots of chain smoking. Â They don't even take plastic *gasp!*. Â Luckily, there is an ATM on location if you don't carry cash.
There is no atmosphere unless you count the homeless people that hang outside the bar. Â Occasionally they enter this establishment and drink and mingle with the customers. Â The jukebox carries every genre of music you can imagine. Â The bathrooms are actually not as bad as I imagined they would be. Â They were dingy, but mostly clean.
I wouldn't recommend this spot for "girls night out", but if you are looking to get trashed drunk on the cheap then this is your spot!
This downtown Tampa staple never disappoints. Â This was my second time at the hub. Â It had been about 4 years since the last time I was here. Â I came to support a friend whose bad was playing. Â And I was not disappointed.
Yes, the drink were strong, but the people watching was better.
My only negative comment about The Hub is that it's a cash only bar. Â No Bueno.
B. Major Grade: Â A
Alright, so my neighbors talk about The Hub Bar very frequently and are shocked every time I tell them I've never been there. Â When the opportunity to check out this dive presented itself, I went for it!
So, honestly, it wasn't as divey as I expected (I have been to some yucky places). Â I was told that I had to go for a liquor drink as that is what they are famous for. Â Wowza, that's what I call a DRINK. Â It burned as it went down.
I also much enjoyed the juke box. Â They had a very obscure playlist in there and I enjoyed looking through the different album. Â I wasn't a fan of the band that was on when I was there, but it seems that they attract a wide variety of musical groups.
Final opinion: Â The Hub - strong drinks, a dive (but definitely not scary), and a fun place to boogie to some good oldies.
Anybody who is anybody knows about The Hub. This is the OG (original gangster) of Dive Bars in the Tampa area.
They serve the stiffest drinks around. A shot of Jaeger is literally a glass full. Ive seen people (who will go unnamed) dancing on the bar in their underwear drinking straight from a bottle of vodka. Good times...
The staff is super cool. The bathrooms are super dirty and have some interesting graffiti. The bands they attract are AWESOME. The crowd here is always right up my alley.
Everyone can have fun at the Hub at any hour of the day or night. This bar does not discriminate. There are all walks of life hanging at the Hub. The strong drinks will have you making friends you never thought you would. This place has an amazing jukebox. There is also a liquor store on site. It can get a little smoky for me but it actually adds to the charm. I love this bar and you will too.
Review Source:TAMPA STAPLE!!
This place has been around since 1946. Â From the looks of it inside, not many renovations have been made. Chairs have holes in the cushions, tables unstable, there is no air circulation and to top it off - it is smoker friendly. Random beer and liquor paraphernalia, Â photography, fliers for events and shows, mirrors and Strong Man mural covers its walls. Bathroom walls are covered in graffiti composed by its many patrons. Floors are filthy. Few friendly bugs make their way into keep you company once in a while. They also offer pinball, Arcade games, and an old school jukebox (it was updated in the early 90's).
The bar is cash only but no worries - there is an ATM available. Drinks are heavily poured and cheaply priced. Â Surprisingly even their well liquors are pretty legit. Â They do own their liquor store next door. Â This is not the bar to grab a beer - although PBRs seem to be pretty popular.
There you will find lawyers, bums, college kids, foreigners, waiters, business men, widows, newlyweds, artists, frat boys, hipsters, rich people, poor people, beauty queens and drag queens. Â There is no generalization in their customer base. It's beautiful really.
Hear they are having live shows there.
Don't forget to take a picture with the Strong Man.
Best Dive Bar in Tampa... hands down. Where else can you rub elbows with homeless people in a laid-back atmosphere? When you walk into the Hub you might be tempted to turn right around. It may make you feel like you are in the part of a crime show where something bad happens that they have to investigate.  It's harmless though. I love the cross section of people. You will find south Tampa types, an older crowd, hipsters and homeless people all coexisting in the smokey, juke box  music filled cave. There's a fooseball table but be prepared to wait. There is always a line of people waiting for a turn. My personal favorite is the Galaga machine.
They have really strong, cheap drinks but I prefer the $3 PBR tall boys. I don't know if that's because I liked PBR or something about this venue leads me to think I like PBR, 90s rock and second hand smoke.
I went in on a random Saturday and discovered the band, Red Rockits. They are amazing and it was the perfect venue to see them. If you ever find out they are playing, GO, and then let me know!
If you are looking for a change in pace you should definitely check out the Hub. Bring Cash, they don't take credit cards!
The Hub is one of my favorite bars in Tampa! The drinks are cheap, strong as hell, and the atmosphere is awesomely dive-y. I usually don't need more than three or four drinks if this place is my only destination and I usually don't spend more than $10, in all honesty. The jukebox is amazing, they have a fooseball table - which is always a win for me - and a lot of amazing musicians play here, too.
In addition, they have a liquor store attached which has proven extremely convenient to me. My boyfriend (at the time) and I frequently stopped in here for a bottle of wine and walked over to the park really late at night to watch the water and talk...SHHH don't tell!!
All and all, its a great place to getting your drink on for cheap, meet some cool and interesting characters and just hang out in downtown Tampa at night (which can sometimes prove to be hard to do).
1 star being shitty, 5 stars being the shittiest, there is a saying that me and my U-Tampa class of 96' friends coined...."all roads lead to the Hub." The only problem I have with the Hub is that it doesn't open until 3 pm on X-Mas! Â Recommend you wear socks, long sleeve shirts and ask that your cocktail be poured in a plastic cup. Â Place has not changed in 20 years and that is what I love about it. Â The Bartenders are the best the free world has to offer. Â If you cant get a solid buzz on 20 bucks, you got problems. Good luck.
Review Source:Cash only. Â ATMs were down, which kind of sucked... but we managed. Â Decent service. Â When it closed they were only trying to kick us out- the not regulars. Â I guess I understand... but man, come on! Â Although, they were nice enough to give us plastic cups with which to pour our alcohol into & walk out. Â So, A-Ok! Â Dive bar is right- kind of shocking to find in Tampa.. but definitely welcome.
Review Source:The diviest dive bar in Tampa. Â Or anywhere. Â And I mean that in the best possible way ever. The Hub has been a mainstay in downtown Tampa for more than 60 years. Strong drinks, smoke-filled, great juke box. I would never recommend a beer here - strong drinks are the attraction. As for safety, I even took my mom here for a birthday party!
Cash only but they have an ATM inside.
The only bar I ventured to during my work trip to Tampa. I was by myself, and not gonna lie, a little frightened at first. I had just told the cab driver to take me to the closest bar. I walked in, and this California girl was shocked to find that  you could smoke in the bar. It was just fine with me, though.
Cheap, strong drinks, and ended up talking to some nice people. Super divey, but that's what I liked about it.
SEEING STARS?
If a celebrity wanted to not be recognized, THIS is the place to disappear into a puff of smoke. Dark, dingy, and dirty; this place gives DIVES a bad name! Â This ONLY rates highly as the 5-star, health hazard, cesspool from hell.
Broken and dirty windows are noticeable as you cross the threshold into a wall of unfiltered smokiness. Â Smokey, noisy, and crawling with the dregs of the lowest of classes, but some do get out of taxis. Â The liquor store next door is only accessible though this entrance ... presumably due to reduced odds of robbery. Â
In all my years and in absolutely total honesty, this is THE FILTHIEST DUMP I have EVER witnessed. Â Hey!!! I've seen "smelly trough type urinals" before, but at least they were equipped with SOME form of Plumbing (I guess no flushing saves a load of water)!!!
Even though State regulations ban concealed weapons in bars, I would not venture in otherwise and then deal with the consequences afterward.
IF you go in, I hope you carry home a lifetime of memories.
Ask if they validate parking for a good laugh.
There seems to be a certain perverse delight in calling this a dive, s**t- hole or nasty room.  A guilty pleasure without peril, simply because the place has cheap, strong drinks, a jukebox with oldies and some diverse  characters as customers....sorta like a quirky Cheers.  Â
I have visited once after Gasparilla, but have seen true dives here, in other US cities and a few international drinking districts. Â Granted this bar is unadorned and straight-forwardly devoted to alcohol flow and smoking. Â But it is not visibly filthy or cluttered, mandatory for dives in my book,and the bartender did not spill ashes in any drinks. Â There is a wide mix of clientele ranging from suits and preppy college types to street guys with backpacks and some dedicated regulars drinking for the long haul. Not many women, and probably not the best place for unaccompanied women. Do not expect fancy cocktails or garnish in your drinks.
Since this is right downtown, on-street parking is tight until it gets dark, so much of the daytime trade is on foot. Â This is not an eating place and they do not accept plastic, so come prepared to drink with pros and have your cash ready. Â My sons & friends like the place as a bar-hopping depot, and I did not feel any urge to leave my beer unfinished but will probably return.
A true downtown landmark....always a great place to stop by when downtown. I love to watch the roller skaters that come in..too funny. As everyone has said the juke box is great .....great very eclectic making it always interesting....
The drinks well...all I can say is the have a generous pour which makes it easy on the wallet too...
This place puts the "hole" in "shithole".
That said, it's one of my favorite bars in Downtown Tampa. There are all sorts of interesting characters, but everyone's friendly and it's always a good time. Bartenders are great too!
Their drinks are dirt cheap, and wicked strong. Two of their Jack & Diet's and I'm feeling no pain. And who doesn't love a PBR tallboy on occasion?
Oh, and leave your AMEX at home, they won't even take your VISA. Bring cash, or prepare to use their stratagically-placed atm.
The Hub is just one of those places...great before going out for the night...great after work...really great as a random place to stop when the last thing you need is another drink...at 2AM. Â The bartenders are always friendly, and if you are looking for reviews of The Hub, then you know the drinks are STRONG! Â They have live music sometimes, but when not, there is a jukebox killed with everyones favorites.
Review Source:The Hub.
Order your poison, and then a mixer - keep in mind the mixer is really just for color. You won't get much of that.
The original bar was moved from around the corner when the had to relocate due to the church buying the old property. I'm STILL mad at JIMMY C**** over that one. *grumbles*
Anyway: The perfect watering hole in downtown to meet/see the most interesting people ever... some of whom have been drinking there since the Nixon administration....
The Hub is poetry in the form of a bar. It is dark and shady and raw and visceral. This could just be the whiskey talking because damn they pour some of the strongest drinks I've ever had. The juke is good, the bar staff is good, the seating is good. It's good, period. Don't get me wrong though, this is a dive bar. If you're not into the nitty gritty, maybe Taps or Fly Bar down the street is more up your alley. But here--the weird mixture of lawyers off work and hipsters out of work, hobos and bimbos and tourists--there's nothing like the Hub. So grab some liquor, say "Hi" to your neighbor, and enjoy some authentic Tampa nightlife.
Review Source:Where does one start? This bar has been around since the infamous days of 911 and has been both a staple and hidden jewel in downtown Tampa. Convienently located away from the crowds and club scenes of Ybor City and Channelside...this bar rocks!
The jukebox is chocked full of great music, the staff are all heavy handed when it comes to pouring a good drink, they even have a package store next door!
Cheap stiff drinks at the dimly-lit bar, but we were here for the liquor store, which is open till 3AM. There seemed to be a lot of regulars at this establishment
First round of stockpiling occurred around 6pm. Prices per bottle were reasonable and the cashier was more than friendly. After we got back to the hotel and consumed our 5 or so handles-worth of booze, we returned late-night for a second harvest. They also had a fridge full of soda and juices in case you need some mixers or chasers. And yes, they do accept credit cards at the liquor store.
The Hub came in clutch for us, as I'm sure it does for the locals in this ghost town known as the Tampa downtown area.
A dump! My coworkers talked me into meeting them here for drinks. I really felt unsafe here. The staff was nice enough but it was so unclean and the crowd was quite mixed, bar flys, punks, wanna be sexy types and old guys. I left after one drink, not finished, and held my purse like a newborn baby all the way to my car! I would not recommend this for anyone!
Review Source:They have REALLY strong drinks here. You get what you pay for. Also, a pretty decent selection of beer. The bathrooms are disgusting and the stalls don't close (at least in the ladies room) but the things written on the walls and doors are legendary. The place is musty and dark and sometimes people roller skate in there.
They used to have a naughty picture puzzle machine but that's gone now which is really sad because it was one of my favorite drunk activities. The juke box WILL play Roxanne at LEAST 10 times while you're there. All in all, it is a great little place to let loose and be yourself. I dig it.
Never having been to Tampa before, I decided to trust the U of T alum in my group when he suggested The Hub. The man knows his way around a dive.
The decor reminded me of a shitty small-town pizzeria. Jute box (interesting selection), lots of video games, and fooseball. Oh, and there's also a liquor store IN THE BAR. I don't know if they have food, but I don't think you want it.
I think PBR tallboys may be the only beer they serve. For $2 each, they don't need anything else. An upper-middle class shot like cuervo or jack will set you back like $5 but I kid you not, they're at least a 3 ounce pour.
The clientele consists of every type of Tampon you can imagine, from 18 year old college hipsters in girl jeans to lonely business travelers to toothless and probably homeless guys, all of whom share a common goal of getting eff-ed up and making bad decisions.
Start your evening here and you're probably in for a bumpy one. Finish your evening here and you'll probably have a rough tomorrow.
Whenever i'm dragged to Tampa on business, i coax coworkers into making hotel reservations Downtown just so that i can hit The Hub (without them).
i don't know if there's a stronger endorsement for a bar than building one's itinerary around it, but if you still need reasons to visit here's some: their prices are ridiculously low (tall boy PBR and enormous shot of Maker's set me back a whopping $7.75), their jukebox brilliantly stocked, their television always showing baseball. best of all, their patrons seem to be a perfect blend of aggressive, depressing, and jovial - on my last visit, an unnecessarily raucous conversation about religion between two drunk dudes led to one yelling "FUCK THE HOLY SPIRIT". another patron joined in, then loudly exclaimed "MUSLIMS ARE IDIOTS!". no one cared. incredible.
oh. also. the bar has a LIQUOR STORE attached to it; you can get your poison of choice to go, a convenience unparalleled by any other establishment i've had the pleasure to visit.
it may be responsible for the worst (alcohol-only) hangover i've ever suffered, but that's a mark of excellence in my book. one of my all-time Top 5 Bars.
Classic watering hole with PBR tallboys on hand always! Â This place is too hip for its own good. There aren't many places where you can sit in a smoke filled bar with barely enough light to read your beer can while listening to Hank Williams and discussing the news of the day with a sleeved out Jazz musician.
Review Source:Please start rounding the prices up or down HUB! Otherwise prepare to get handed change as in COINS back at the bar, haha. It is so random. They pour the strongest cheap drinks in Tampa. It is the bar for working class old men AND aging alcoholic hipsters to pick up liver failure.
But I do enjoy cheap, stiff drinks especially after a nasty break up and The Hub is the only place to go. Perfect for 30somethings with a tolerance. Leave your make-up at home-- it is all about beer goggles.
When I was in college I had a roommate named John Bissett who was an international student from Dublin. Â Every Friday we'd ask him what he was going to do that night and he'd say (in a thick Irish accent),
"I'm gonna find me a nasty room and get fooked."
Obviously this wasn't in Tampa or instead John would have replied,
"I'm goin' to the Hub, of course, you wanker."
Drinks at the Hub are stiff (and served in plastic cups), the jukebox is good, and there's a liquor store in the front so you can take the party with you after last call.
The Hub tends to be the place you go if all attempts to hookup elsewhere that evening have failed miserably and/or you just want to find a nasty room and get fooked.
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