It's crazy that we ended up going here because all day I was thinking about how much I wanted seafood. But my partner-in-crime kept suggesting Mexican. Behold... Surf Shack! A random but interesting American mixture of both with a beachy twist. We went late on a Saturday evening and really our enjoyed fajitas and quesadillas.
In no particular order, the good things about this restaurant:
1) Cool-looking
2) Great service
3) Pretty quick food
4) Decent prices and good specials
5) Delicious
Our server was great. They brought us chips and salsa literally the moment we sat down. Did I mention those were delish too? When she asked me how my food was all I could say was "I'm going to die. This was so good."
And here's the best part, they are dog-friendly! Heck yeah I'll be back.
Delish casual lil spot! Sat at the bar both times and their complimentary chips and salsa are great. Happy hour 3-6 with $1 off anything. Had the bacon cheeseburger, pork and fried fish tacos and all were on point! Several other menu items I'd like to try too! Everyone is super friendly and will make you feel like a regular!
Review Source:Surf Shack is sort of a hidden local gem. Â My favorite part about this place is $2 Taco Thursdays, every taco is $2 and they are very good (my favorite is the Bonzai Beef!). Their salsa is one of my favorites I've had, although their chips could be a little more fresh. Â I loooove their pineapple mint tea and they also have lots of cocktails/margaritas/sangrias to choose from. Â They always switch up their specials which makes it interesting. Â The atmosphere is awesome! Surf boards hung to the ceiling, Jack Johnson music in the background and surf videos playing on a huge projector you really feel like you are at the beach!
Review Source:Disgusting. Totally different seasonings than normal tacos or fajitas. Stinks and there is no flavor. Although they were nice and helpful to try and offer me something different and make something special but honestly. Tacos and fajitas are suppose to have thick red sauce and zest. Mexican style. Otherwise don't call it a taco! I don't like this place and rate the food a zero but the service is a ten. Just my honest opinion.
Review Source:I tried the long board fish tacos which were good but rather small in size. Â Next time I'd probably opt for the 3rd taco for $3 more, but it can get pretty pricey for a workday lunch (especially if you include a beer). Â Nice atmosphere though, service was prompt and friendly. Â A lot kids with mom (I imagine with school ending for the year soon, there will be more kids), so the indoor area can get pretty noisy...
Review Source:Beware: On specials nights, there are a lot of kids and pets running around the outdoor seating areas which can get a tad messy when young flippant servers wipe the table crumbs onto the seats. I'd gladly sit in all the crumbs they desire as long as they offer those delectable little $2.00 tacos. That's a lot of flavor for 2.00. The wings aren't crunchy on .50 wing night, so Ballyhoo's is still best, and fajita night isn't consistent just yet with some fajitas served looking all sad and smokeless, or lightweight on meat, but the salsa is pretty good, and I can't seem to stay away..Fat, or Fiction?
Review Source:I'm currently staying in Tampa with my husband while he's here on a business trip. We started using yelp to find good eats and wanted to find a good seafood place. Yelp recommended the Surf Shack and with 4 stars, we thought it would be perfect. We went around 5 pm so they weren't busy at all. Our waitress, Rachel, was nice enough but very slow. She didn't ask us if we'd like an appetizer, had to write down our order even though we were one of two tables in the place, and was very slow to bring us our food. While the food was delicious, I was dissapointed with the portion size of my side dish and the temperature of the food. All of our food was lukewarm at best. My husband didn't get his side dish and when he asked about it, Rachel informed him that they were out of it and making some more which I felt like was something she should have told us when she brought the food. If we're the only patrons in the restaurant, I would expect our food to be delivered in a timely fashion and to be piping hot when we receive it. Again, the food was super yummy but I won't go back to the Surf Shack.
Review Source:Dinner Jan 9
 Continued consistency on salsa !  Made from scratch and you can truly tell how fresh it is, got to be a top 3 of my favorite salsas of all time.
 Had the Fried Green Beans appetizer last nite.  These are made from scratch fresh green beans, hand rolled and lightly battered to order.  They came out of the flash fry very crisp and light.  What I liked best was that you could actually taste the green bean, it wasn't just a bunch of batter.  The accompanying dipping sauce was very unique and suited the green beans very well. Hats off to the Surf Shack folks for developing their own sauces and dressings and not using something pre-made from a can or jar!
I have been back five or six times since my last review. I see a few negative reviews for portion size and kids. I can see that being an issue. Depending on what you get the portions aren't huge and there are a lot of families inside, but I still find their food delish. Everything is so fresh and flavorful! Today I had a new special; chicken enchiladas {tender chicken thighs with TONS o' flavor}, and I'm sorry but I dream about their buffalo chicken egg rolls! The rice bowls are tasty, too! Honestly nothing they have isn't something I couldn't make it home but something about the freshness and their prices keeps me going back.
Review Source:The Surf Shack has quickly become one of my new favorite bar restaurants. The prices are extremely good, especially if you go on one of the many nights they have specials.
I can say with certainty that Surf Shack has some of the best wings in town. They are much larger then you will normally find at most restaurants, and are always nice and crispy. There is a varied amount of sauces. One of the best features is that they will allow you to split the order, so when my wife and I go, I can order hotter wings for myself, and my wife can have something with less of a kick.
The rest of the food is great, and this is one of the few places were I would actually order fish tacos. I've only ordered a few items other then the wings, but every time the meal has been excellent. The burritos are an item I would recommend to someone going for their first time.
The service is very good. You are greeted promptly upon entering and the servers are always on top of filling drinks.
Another big plus is the restaurant is extremely clean. I enjoy the open layout, and the fact that they can open almost the entire front of the store when the weather is pleasant is great.
Over all, this is a great restaurant for a date night, or a night out with the family.
I just recently made it to Surf Shack for the first time. I have driven by it a few times and heard a lot of good talk, but had never actually gotten there for a meal. I like being greeted with chips and salsa that way I have time to peruse the menu without my hunger pains getting the best of me.
It happened to be a Thursday when I was there so $2 tacos. Yay! I went for the surf and turf and the pacific pork. The surf and turf was tasty, the crispy onions were a great touch, but I didn't really taste the chipotle pesto. The pork was delicious very juice and the pineapple salsa was yum. I also had a glass of red mango (?) sangria which was good and pretty strong, but not great. I might go for another drink next time. Happy hour is only until 6 so get there early!
As another review has mentioned I did notice a lot of children running around the restaurant. Strange. But that won't keep me from coming back.
This place is great! Â I've been twice now on taco Thursday (where all tacos are $2 each) and the service and food were always great. Â The location really does an amazing job of making themselves stand out in a strip mall and making you feel like you're at a stand alone restaurant. Â
I've had several of their tacos, my favorites were the bangin' shrimp and the filet mignon tacos. Â They're both phenomenal! Â Also, the free chips and salsa they bring at the beginning is as fresh as it gets. Â You can even taste the fresh cilantro in the salse, wonderful! Â I've also had their raspberry lemonade (which came with free refills) and it was amazing! Â I let my friend try it and she immediately regret ordering her beer haha.
I would definitely come here again and again!! Â Great local gem of a restaurant!
My girlfriend and I decided on a casual night out with some friends of ours, and we went to the Surf Shack in Westchase for dinner & drinks. The place is fantastic, and as a matter of fact, we're still sitting here as Brittany "helps" me type this review on my tablet. Â "Don't forget to tell everyone about...." Â Hahaha
The decor is fabulous! From the outside you see the bamboo fence enclosing the outdoor patio, and then you step inside to see the surfboards hanging from the ceiling, the cascading waterfall behind the bar, and lots of happy people chillin' in shorts & sandals. The decor is a classic California fish taco stand, and these folks didn't miss a detail.
Thursday night turns out to be $2 taco night, and what a lucky find for us. We ordered a variety of beers, many were on tap, and several were what I'd call "specialty" brews. The waitress brought us their free chips and salsa while we took our time pouring over the menu. We started by sharing the Ahi Poke appetizer and an order of chicken wings between the four of us, and then went straight for the tacos. I remember trying bites of fish tacos, bangin' shrimp tacos, bonzai beef tacos, and surf n' turf tacos. Lordy, they were all good!!!! We tried their homemade slaw and also the mac n' cheese for the sides, and then forced ourselves to have a couple of cold frosties while we all compared notes on the food.
An excellent find in the middle of Westchase at the Publix shopping center - corner of Linebaugh and Countryway.This is a great place to just kick back and relax.
We'll definitely be back!
(OK, this would be the place where I pass the tablet around the table for everyone to read the review and make suggestions....)
Excellent. Â Â Party of 4 and we were pigs when eating here. Â
What we ordered:
Pitcher of sangria - it was large and had fruit in it. Â Would get again $20
Chips and salsa- very good flavor. And it's free!
Wrap- chicken the waiter recommended it and it was the special. $5
Thai Chicken - portion was big and it was tasty.
Fish tacos- good
Another wrap - good
Chicken wings - with two of their sauces mixed. Â Nice flavor
Desert:
Cannoli with chocolate cookie dough filling. Â Would go back to the restaurant just for this! Â It was melt in your mouth good. Â
Atmosphere: Â Chill with a surf feel. Â Very cool display behind the bar. Â
I can't wait to go back.
It appears that I can't let a Thursday pass me by without taking advantage of taco Thursday.
We arrived around 845 and still had to wait 15 min. Perfect timing though since at 9pm all alcoholic beverages are half off. Oh and did I mention they have magic hat #9 on tap!
We ventured off the regular menu and ordered a special-edamame hummus with freshly fried pitas.
The pitas were fresh and hot and the hummus was good although a bit salty.
We chowed on the complimentary chips and salsa and then my belly was full so I just had one taco: Â my go to Tiger Shrimp. FANTASTIC as usual.
And to top it off, our server Tabitha, was one of the best. Attentive, pleasing and all around great. Ask for her, you won't be disappointed.
We ate here about a month ago based on the reviews and would have to say that this is the first time we have been led astray by Yelp. I had the tacos which were marginal at best, not just a small portion, but missing the jicama ingredient, as well. Definitely was very unimpressive and we won't be back. That being said, there were a bunch of families with young children there so perhaps that is the clientele they cater to.
Review Source:I've eaten at Surf Shack twice now, and didn't have an outstanding experience either time. The first time the food was just okay, and the salad seemed like something I could make at home for a lot cheaper. The second time my fiance and mom didn't like their food at all (they got the fish tacos and said that there was hardly any taste of the actual meat), and while mine was okay, I ended up getting a little sick from it, I think.
They do have really great fries, though, and a menu selection that is sure to please any eaters. I would go back and give it another try, as there were other things that looked good, and I'm not past assuming that I had two fluke experiences.
My girlfriend and I were looking to try something new. Generally we eat in Town N' Country or South Tampa, but just looking and read the reviews we saw Surf Shack.
Now I love driving through Westchase. It's such a beautiful area - clean roads, well groomed forested areas with tall, thick trees. You feel like you're in central Florida more than a neighborhood of Tampa.
So we pull up to the shopping center, pretty average Florida things - a Suntrust, a McDonald's, a Publix - and then we see a line of interesting places including the Surf Shack. As you walk in, it feels more like a place that should be in City Walk or Downtown Disney, but no, its smack dab in the middle of Westchase.
Take a while to look over the three menus - daily specials, drink specials, and the regular fare. Took us a while, but we decided to splurge and get:
-Pork Sliders: 3 sliders full of pulled pork, fried onion strings and slaw. These weren't too bad, but you had to get a bite with pork and onion for it to really impress.
-Longboard fish tacos: lightly fried, make sure you balance out the chipotle sour cream or you'll get bites of bland and bites of WHOA!
-Tiger Shrimp Tacos: again, very lightly fried (like the breading could just fall off) and again, make sure you get the aioli spread evenly.
-Bonzai Beef Tacos: I wanted these because I was debating these and the Mongolian Beef Bowl. Went with the Tacos and they were the best of the three. Slightly fried meat, great veggies and the sauce is what makes it.
HERE ARE THE BIG NOTES: All entrees come with a side of slaw. The slaw sucks. For $0.99 you can switch it out for anything. GET THE MAC & CHEESE. Honestly some of the best M&C I've ever had. The cheese is thick, creamy and flavorful. If they ever have a special on Lobster Mac & Cheese, I'll be there.
While waiting for your food, make sure to look around and take in the ambiance that really makes this place. They have a surf video playing along one wall. Behind the bar is this great water tank with constantly flowing water. And above you are a bunch of different surf boards.
This was a nice place to go, but considering their Taco Thursday special - $2 Tacos - I think I might throw together a UYE to this place to really splurge.
Surf Shack is awesome dude! Took my parents there for lunch on a Sunday. The Buffalo chicken egg rolls are hands down the best appetizer I have ever eaten. They somehow get the outside to have the same texture of a crispy wing. Volcano shrimp was delicious but could have been more spicy. The Longboard fish tacos are great! We also had the fish buritto. Very tasty. Our server Tabitha was super friendly and sweet and our food arrived very quickly.
Review Source:When you walk into the Surf Shack you feel like you've left West Chase. From the large water wall at the bar to the loop playing surf footage, Surf Shack is the perfect name for this joint. I swear if you close your eyes you think you'll be looking at rolling in instead of cars in the parking lot.
Surf Shack is very close to work and it's reasonable prices make it a go-to for the occasional lunch out. The chips they give you when you eat in are really good. They are light and crispy and have a slight seasoning on them. The salsa isn't out of this world but it's free so I'm alright with that. I have sampled a variety of their tacos but the surf and turf are my favorite. It may be that it's the only place I've been that you don't have to choose between steak or shrimp, but they got it right. The chipotle pesto is really good but it's messy so be careful. The banging' shrimp taco and delicious as well. My only complaint is the fried ones make them unhealthy and the grilled taste a tad fishy. The filet mignon tacos are a little more boring but the steak is always cooked right. The best thing about the tacos is Taco Thursdays! They have $2 tacos and drink specials.
Aside from the tacos, my coworker always gets the mongolian beef bowl and she is obsessed. I have tasted it and agree that it's good but not to the degree that she does. Â To each her own, right? The shrimp sliders are good. The bread on them is a bit too thick for my taste but if I take the top of the bun off it's just right!
Overall, I'm a fan of this place. It's nice that it doesn't try to be anything more than what it is- a causal, chill place to grab a good fresh and fast food.
As soon as you take a seat at this place you feel like you're on the beach in california. All their tacos were great but the korean bbq and shrimp were definitely my favorites. Price is right and they even have specials on the tacos all the time.
This is probably one of my favorite restaurants in Tampa, what a find and a must visit any time i'm back in Tampa.
Fantastic little place!
If we rated businesses on decor alone, this place would be a freaking 10. Â Surf boards on the ceiling, liquid walls and massive glass garage doors? Â Really? Â Well-played, Surf Shack owners... Wellllllll-played.
Okay, we weren't starvin' Marvin' so we didn't really thrown down Golden Corral style on the menu, but the two ordered items were fan-freaking-tastic. Â Item one, LONGBOARD FISH TACOS. Â Oh you like fish tacos, playa? Â And you think the ones they serve up at Bonefish are righteous? Â GTFO then because Surf Shack has officially locked down the fish taco market. Â Each taco has what amounts to about half a damn COD fillet, lightly breaded and fried to tender perfection. Â Topped with pico de gallo? Â Hell yes. Â Don't think about it, just go order some--TODAY. Â Item two, AHI POKE. Â WTF is that, you ask? Â It's Ahi tuna, red peppers and cucumbers tossed in poke sauce and served with won ton chips. Â I don't even get down with Ahi tuna too much, but this was some delicious grub. Â The tuna was ultra tender and very tasty.
As for the beers, they had a pretty wide selection including KONA Longboard Lager, which I had never heard of, but it was really good.
The only possible negative about this place could be the overwhelming amount of children. Â It's a fun atmosphere sandwiched somewhere between adult and family dining, so an intimate date might be tough to pull off on the wrong night. Â With that being said, we had no issues, complaints or problems with anything and plan on returning! Â I'd give a 5, but I have to throw down here a few more times to check for consistency.
UPDATE--------------------------------------------Â----------
I have been back and seen the light! Â Everything pans out, so I've updated this 4 to a 5. Â
Last Thursday, we made a cameo for "Taco Thursday," where all the tacos are $2 each. Â This gives you the flexibility to sample the tacos on the menu without committing to an order of two for $6 or $7. Â I've got to admit that this was one of the better dinning decisions of 2012 thus far! Â Surf 'n Turf taco--amazing. Â Filet mignon taco--tender and fan-freaking-tastic! Â Bangin' shrimp taco--an instant favorite for me and I don't even like shrimp. Â
Go buy you some!
Cool atmosphere. Â
I like the fact that the menu seems to fit the decor (some lighter fare, tacos and a kind of California cuisine) and the prices are also in tune with what you get. Â
Try: Â The rice bowls. Â
Pass on: Â The guacamole. Â Way too overseasoned for a dish that should let simple flavors shine.
We popped by for dinner and had a reasonable but not particularly memorable time.
This strip mall location is decorated with surf boards and they play a surfing movie. Honestly, it's hard to get in the surf mood in a strip mall. Perhaps if the floor was made of sand and we were getting sun burned...
The food was good, not great, and the prices were a bit higher than I expected for what we got. The solution had to be alcohol but even the $28 pitcher of sangria was weak.
I had the chipotle port sangria and it was good. Â Mom didn't really love her grub, she had the longboard tacos. Â I had the Baja chicken burrito. Â It was great and it still tasted pretty yummy the next day. Â I'd like to go back, but convincing Mom to go with me may not be my best bet. Â She just really didn't dig it., not even the decor.
The one thing we agreed on: the slaw was yucky. Â I'm not a fan of slaw anyway and this just seemed to acidic. Â Mom thought it was too bitter.
This is the type of place that Westchase has been missing. Finally getting away from the local norm, the owners of Stonechase have a great concept here. I wouldn't start using words like dude or hang ten (whoops I did it)  but it is a seafood concept restaurant  that has great fish tacos, and yes they even have a great burger. Its new and exciting and they have been really explorative as far as flavors and types of fare so you really can't go wrong. They opened up the first of December so they have pretty much worked all of the bugs out and they have even added a canopy for the outdoor area. If you are looking for a nice place to have happy hour then you have found a great one, full bar, micro brews and hand held foods make the "High Tide" visit worth the trip. Kowabunga Dude! (Ok sorry again).
Review Source:Went here for my last meal in 2011 and boy am I glad I did. Â I read reviews on yelp and wanted to have a nice, but decent-priced meal with my husband on New Year's Eve. I found Surf Shack under the "new hot bussiness" portion of yelp and as I read other yelper reviews, I couldn't resist going there immediately.
The ambiance inside is soooo nice! Â As soon as you walk in, you feel like your in a really nice, expensive restaurant...then as you walk closer to the dining area, you see a nice, casual atmosphere with beautiful wicker chairs and nice tabletops with white booths and a huge mural. Â Seems like there very environmentally friendly, as well...which is always a plus. Â Napkinds are wrapped in eco-friendly wrappers and the bags and boxes they give you to take home your food in are green ones! Can't beat that! Â The menus are really modern and nice, too. Â I loved the place from the minute we walked in. Â I was just hoping that the food was just as good.
We decided to order two appetizers and a meal each. Â I also got a blueberry beer ($5) and a passionfruit lemonade (kind of tasted like pinapple juice and five alive). Â We ordered the buffalo chicken egg rolls which were absolutely amazing. Â They had a crispy outside and a perfectly cooked piece of chicken inside with just a touch of heat. Â We also ordered the buffalo wings (10 per order). Â For me, they were too spicy...but my husband LOVED them. Â He likes a lot of heat. Â I'm sure if they had mild, I'd be game...but the buffalo was just too spicy for me.
For our entrees, my husband got the buffalo chicken salad and he liked it, except that it comes with bleu cheese dressing and the description on the menu says nothing about being smothered in bleu cheese dressing...so he was kind of upset about that because he doesn't like bleu cheese. Â I got the surf and turf tacos and they were really good. Â I wasn't as pleased with the entrees as I was with the appetizers. Â For me, the sauce on the tacos was wayyyyy too cilantro"ie". Â I'm not a big fan of cilantro and that's all I could taste in the sauce...so next time, I won't get anything with that same sauce on it.
We ordered the california cannolis to go as our dessert and they were interesting...good, but different. Â Not really anything like the traditional italian cannoli I am used to. Â I must say, I like the italian cannoli much better.
Other than that, our waitress was extremely friendly and I like the atmosphere very much so. Â I think we'll definitely go back to try other menu items. Â If nothing else, I'll go back just for the buffalo chicken eggrolls!
It's too bad we're moving soon-we'll be far away from the surf shack! :-(
Authentic surfboards and colorful scuba flippers adorn the walls, making the overall feeling of this place ultra-casual. In this laid-back haven where Jack Johnson tunes make an ideal dinner soundtrack, unless it's a Thursday night, when you'll find live music on the patio. Surf movies play on a giant screen on the wall, sports are on TV in the bar area, which has a cool blue, aquarium-esque glow to it.
We started with the Ginger Lime Sangria and a beer brewed exclusively for Surf Shack, called the Shack Red, paired with an Ahi Tuna Poke appetizer -- bite-sized chunks of citrus-marinated tuna with cucumber slices and chiles, served with wonton chips and tangy Asian vinaigrette. Â We also tried the Pipeline Tacos, with grilled cod, thinly sliced cabbage, and a chile-tomatillo salsa. Â On the side was a "surf slaw" with bold flavors of lime and cilantro. Everything on the plate tasted fresh and healthy. The Kahuna Pork Bowl was another tasty entree, with orange chile pork, stir-fried with pineapple, carrots and red bell pepper atop citrus rice (also can be ordered with brown rice, which I appreciate.)
They have some great happy hour deals, and half price drinks from 9-close. We will definitely be back. This is a welcome addition to the Westchase restaurant line-up!
California Fish Taco's at their best!
Having just moved back from Southern California I've missed the style of the food and of course the fish tacos! I've eaten here twice since they've opened and have tried every taco on the menu (I recommend the homemade hard shell style)! My favorite is the Bang Bang Shrimp and the Bonsai Beef Taco... but to be honest they have all been so tasty & flavorful that I can't choose a favorite.
They have $2 tacos on Thursday, Half priced drinks after 9 PM and kids eat free on Sundays! Even if this place wasn't right in my neighborhood (Westchase) I'd still be a die hard fan!
HAVE TO TRY IT OUT... IF YOU HAVEN"T ALREADY!!!
This.place.rocks! It opened to the public on Friday, Dec 2nd and as of yesterday, Dec 6th, my boyfriend and I have been there 3 times. He gets the chicken burritos "shack style" which means cheese and salsa added on top. He says that it should be mandatory that they serve it that way because of how good it is. I've gotten the Veggy Bowl twice now. It's enough food for 2 meals, and oh-so-delicious. And for only $7.95 you can't beat it. I also got the seafood stack which was awesome, but I probably wouldn't get again because of the deep fried tortillas. But the seafood was so fresh so don't pass it up if you like that sort of thing. Same goes for the Volcano Shrimp appetizer.... ya just gotta try it and see how good it is. The chefs here are culinary masters!
Now that I've raved about the food, I gotta tell you about the staff. They are just about as nice as it gets. Our first visit we had Parissa (I think I'm spelling that right), and she was very attentive and had a great personality. She had a smile on her face the entire time, and definitely made us enjoy our visit.
Considering we've eaten there every other day since opening, I think it's safe to say I highly recommend this place. I think you will find that it will soon turn into your second home as well. Can't wait til my next visit...tomorrow =)
I was lucky enough to be invited to a VIP soft opening of Surf Shack  tonight. This is the little brother of Stonechase Brick Oven Bar & Grill (in the same strip mall) and Zimzari in Trinity. the decor is "radical dude! " Surfboards hanging from the roof, a big screen playing surfing scenes and a large garage door that opens to bring the outdoor seating indoors and vice versa.
Think bar food and bowls to go with a nice bar with a great selection of beers micro brewed, domestic and imports, I also sampled the sangria which was addictively good. Tonight I sampled the chicken wings which were crispy and tasty, the chicken and veg table dumplings were huge and came with a sweet and spicy chile lime dipping sauce. My personal favorite was the tacos, the fillet mignon tacos were amazingly tender, I was also a big fan of the "bangin shrimp".
Thursdays is sure to be a big night as it's $2 taco night. A pretty cool place that's fun and has some yummy food.
So if you're in the mood to go tubular and catch a narly wave or to "Live Free... Eat Coastal" Â you may have found a new home.
Enjoy!