Ybor City - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Ybor City
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Ybor City, once the cigar capital of the world, is a vibrant neighborhood in Tampa that boasts an exciting nightlife and delicious food. You can explore the historic district on a walking tour to learn more about the architecture and immigrant history, or indulge in a food tour that takes you to Latin and soul food restaurants. As the sun sets, the area transforms into a lively entertainment district where you can do a pub crawl, dance the night away, or catch some live music. To get there, you can hop on a free streetcar from downtown. There's also a weekly local flea market. – Tripadvisor
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  • FP29ml
    Mobile, Alabama92 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Tampa’s Cuban Connection and Historic Center
    I’ve been visiting Ybor City for since my parents took me when I was a child and I recommend this neighborhood to anyone that visits the area. This is the first place I ever tried Cuban sandwiches (back in the day from a food truck) as well as black beans and rice from the Columbia and those tastes set the high standard to which I hold all others. Here you will find good food, coffee, music, fun shops and engaging history. While people often compare the main drag to New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, I beg to differ. There is quite a different and unique vibe going on here and if you enjoy cigar culture or Cuban culture or history, I’d say it’s important not to miss this area. Yes, there are quite a few nightclubs and bars on 7th and it can get somewhat rowdy and loud at night but no more so than any other main street featuring such an array and variety of entertainment in the evening.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written June 28, 2023
  • mike1046
    93 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Neat Neighborhood
    Neat Part of town with a lot of places to eat and drink. You have to pay for parking or park somewhere on the TECO line and take the Streetcar, when we were there the line going into Ybor City was free. Overall, just a nice place to walk and look at the sights.
    Visited March 2023
    Written July 19, 2023
  • phat_dawg_21
    Alpharetta, Georgia15,058 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great Entertainment and Dining District
    We have been visiting Ybor City since the 1980’s when we lived in Tampa, so we have seen its ups and downs. This was our first visit in ten years, and we were very happy with the current vibe. The streets were clean, there is more informative signage including historical markers, Street Art, the buildings are being restored, the Saturday Market was well attended, and there are more restaurants and clubs than ever. We really enjoyed our three night stay.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 28, 2023
  • Steven L
    Upper Marlboro, Maryland39 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Definite Cuban vibe, a must visit!!!
    Had a great time visiting Ybor City via the streetcar. I have never been to Cuba but I assume this is the closest to the real thing. I love the cigar shops, the Cuban food, music, tattoo shops and lots of food options. Definitely a half day visit when visiting Tampa.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written December 30, 2023
  • SGcvn69
    Munhall, Pennsylvania1,167 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Photographic Area
    Half the store fronts are occupied. Looks more like a nightlife area. Beware of “public” parking lots! Pulled into one where they wanted $10 for the day. There is not much to see that you will spend all day there. Street parking is available and much cheaper! The architecture is beautiful and definitely what you expect a Cuban area to look like! There are quite a few cigar shops. Some are beautifully hand rolled! A few have demonstrators in the windows. Definitely an art! If you’re not clubbing or smoking, get your pics and go elsewhere unless the cigar factory tours are open again. They were still closed for me thanks to COVID, plus it is January.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written January 4, 2024
  • VanillaAce
    Saint Simons Island, Georgia1,005 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cigar lovers paradise.
    Visit the original cigar capital of the world. Explore the many cool cigar bars and lounges while watching individuals hand roll cigars. You can take a trolley to the area. If you love cigars, you must visit!!
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written January 14, 2024
  • Jeremy D
    Key West, Florida25 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great little town
    We love visiting this little town! My partner and I were staying downtown and we walked there. There was a parade in town that we got to enjoy and we loved the History tour as well as the Ghost Tour that goes in the Cuban Club. We will be back again.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 14, 2024
  • wcstory
    Boston, Massachusetts398 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Midweek not much to see, but a quaint historic area.
    We stopped by the area mid week to see the murals and historic district. We weren't at lunch or dinner time so we didn't visit any of the eateries, though there were a few. Mostly we cruised the main streets looking for the murals. If you're not going to walk the main street I'd plan on a 45-60 minute visit. We had to drive around looking for the murals
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 16, 2024
  • Traveling Biker
    Fayetteville, North Carolina253 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Good atmosphere.
    What’s there to say!? Ybor City is full of history, roosters, cigars shops, bars, and restaurants. It is a definite must place to visit when one is in or near Tampa. We will definitely come back.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written March 24, 2024
  • MNM1011
    Decatur, Illinois3,053 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sights, Sounds, Colors...and chickens!
    We took the trolley from Downtown to stop #1. From there we visited the Saturday market which was a wonderment of music, colors and chickens! We then walked to the Columbia restaurant for a an awesome lunch. Then we walked west on 7th avenue...enjoying the sights and sounds, and stopping at a shop to see them rolling cigars. We really enjoyed our short visit and plan to come back!
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 6, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles3,105 reviews
Excellent
1,183
Very good
1,101
Average
516
Poor
199
Terrible
106

Carolyn M
Defiance, OH5 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
Its was a cold Tuesday. Wanted to do the museum. It was CLOSED! Lady at the visitors center was very nice. Suggested we take the free streetcar ride. After waiting 20 minutes we went one block and operator announced they were having trouble and to get off and ride the city bus. Not what we came for. Came to see what the area cigar business was. Basically it is just bars. Came for history not drinking disappointed.
Written January 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

The_Concierge_8
Trinidad and Tobago3,562 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
This place is amazing! So many preserved historic properties with stunning architecture, many still occupied by shops, restaurants and bars. This is the beating historic Cuban center of Tampa and you’ll still find a buzzing cigar and coffee trade.

We were initially toying with the idea of staying in downtown Tampa but decided to stay in Ybor City instead and we were totally glad that we did.

A block in every direction from our lodgings met with dozens of dining options! We had the most amazing sushi and fruit lollies in Ybor City!

Visit on a Saturday morning to check out their local market, scour the shops, pick up a souvenir in the fantastic Visitor Center, stroll through Ybor Centro plaza and stop for a cold locally made brew at Tampa Bay Brewing Company! There is so much to do and see here, you’ll need at least 3 days to enjoy it to the max!
Written January 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hofe751
Armenia, Colombia48 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2021 • Couples
When I booked a local hotel at Ybor City I had expected more of a Cuban/Latino vibe then what I got. Yes, there were cigar shops galore, just about on every corner in fact. There was the Columbia Restaurant which was simply amazing. I would recommend the paella or stuffed grouper. But lacking was real Latino vibe which was promised in the articles I had read prior to my trip. Instead, it seemed more urban. More canned, less authentic. In fact my wife and I ran into very few Spanish speaking people in the neighborhood. Maybe my expectations were to high. What was cool however were the free roaming (and protected) chickens. Their Gene pool dated back to the 1800’s when Cubans were in fact the majority in Ybor city. When you come, stay at the Haya, eat at the Columbia, and, if your into hand rolled cigars, have one of those. But don’t expect an enclave of Cuban or Latino people, music, shops or clubs.
Written March 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Scip
Little Egg Harbor, NJ360 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Couples
In the past this place was a quaint little city with lots of people frequenting all of the bars and restaurants. You could hear the music from all of the establishments in the street. It was a fun place and also not too far from the cruise port. It is now a sad ghost town with no people and closed up
Shops and restaurants. This town is hurting not sure if it’s the cruise industry that drives people to come here but there was no one around. So sad. I’m hoping that once things get back to some sense or normalcy and/or cruises start up that these businesses will be able to survive.
Written August 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

FP29ml
Mobile, AL92 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Family
I’ve been visiting Ybor City for since my parents took me when I was a child and I recommend this neighborhood to anyone that visits the area. This is the first place I ever tried Cuban sandwiches (back in the day from a food truck) as well as black beans and rice from the Columbia and those tastes set the high standard to which I hold all others.

Here you will find good food, coffee, music, fun shops and engaging history. While people often compare the main drag to New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, I beg to differ. There is quite a different and unique vibe going on here and if you enjoy cigar culture or Cuban culture or history, I’d say it’s important not to miss this area. Yes, there are quite a few nightclubs and bars on 7th and it can get somewhat rowdy and loud at night but no more so than any other main street featuring such an array and variety of entertainment in the evening.
Written June 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DiverM
Jupiter, FL585 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2021 • Family
We stopped here after an enjoyable visit to the Plant museum which is a hotel from the 1800s. We walked around Ybor and had dinner at a pizza place. Parking is reasonably priced at about $1 per hour. Most of the action seemed to be on one street. We visited on a week night and there were not a lot of people.
Written January 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mike1046
93 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023
Neat Part of town with a lot of places to eat and drink. You have to pay for parking or park somewhere on the TECO line and take the Streetcar, when we were there the line going into Ybor City was free. Overall, just a nice place to walk and look at the sights.
Written July 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roberts69
Northampton, UK18,820 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023
We visited historic Ybor City in Tampa on two separate evenings to dine at one of the many great restaurants that can be found there. We enjoyed walking the streets that were lively and fun with music in bars, neon lights, cool cars, great old buildings and great people to watch. There are cigar shops a plenty where you can sit out front and enjoy cigars in the area that is historically the cigar capital of Florida. Definitely the place to go if you want some fun and action.
Written March 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CabKings
Tampa, FL540 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022 • Couples
Ybor (pronounced e bore) is an area that was the center of Tampa with Cuban immigrants making hand rolled Cigars. Now the area is a hub of night life for young people after 10pm but is experiencing a shift into a residential area teeming with nice restaurants to attract all ages. Hotel Haya is a fantastic new hotel on the North end of 7th ave ( the main street in ybor). Great restaurant named Flor Fina and a nice bar with live music and a Cuban vibe. Barter house is a very good restaurant across street from Hotel Haya. Santo Stefano is a great new restaurant on the South end of 7th that is a 100% authentic Sicilian restaurant . Great rooftop bar, valet and self parking available. Reservations needed. There is the old guard restaurants The Columbia (since 1905), Carmines, Gaspars Grotto ( good bar, outside patio , live music and dogs welcome) and many other coffee shops, greek restaurants, bars, tattoo parlors something for most everyone. 15-20 minutes from airport. 5 minutes from cruise terminal, 5 minutes to Sparkmans wharf, Amalie arena, Marriott waterside.
Written March 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Selah B
Winter Haven, FL90 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021 • Couples
Quaint by day lit by night. So much to take in. Definitely a must do after 7pm. There is every kind of restaurant, formal table service, grab-and-go, outdoor seating, bars, hookah lounge, cigar joints, live music, DJ's and more. Plenty of parking but I recommend using the free trolley system.
Written June 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Ybor City - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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