Rusty Pelican Tampa is the waterfront seafood restaurant on Rocky Point—fresh Gulf seafood, surf and turf, tropical ambiance, and bay views. People go for brunch by the water, a romantic dinner, a late-night meal after landing near Tampa International Airport, or a private event with a Tampa Bay backdrop. Visit Tampa Bay files the cuisine as Seafood and the style as Upscale Casual, and highlights plates like Key West Black Grouper and Crispy Whole Local Snapper plus Midwestern beef cuts with Caribbean flair on local seafood.
Address: 2425 N Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607. Phone (813) 281-1943. Book through the restaurant’s reservations page. Last updated: November 2, 2026.
First Things First
- Bay views and seafood first—then confirm you booked Tampa, not Miami.
- Brunch Sat–Sun; happy hour in the bar/lounge on weekdays (see hours below).
- Self-park and valet are both listed; put the full street number in the rideshare.
- Reservations accepted—use the restaurant’s own hours when directories disagree.
Location Mix-Up (Tampa vs Miami, TPA vs Terminal)
The same brand name points at a different restaurant in Miami / Key Biscayne: 3201 Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne, FL 33149, phone (305) 361-3818, different hours. Booking the Key Biscayne sunset and then driving to TPA because the name matched ruins the night.
Visit Tampa Bay places the Tampa room minutes from Tampa International, minutes from downtown, and between Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco. That is airport-adjacent, not inside a terminal. You still need a car, rideshare, or hotel shuttle. Rocky Point is west of downtown—not Ybor, not Water Street.
Bahama Breeze at 3045 N Rocky Point Drive East is a different driveway. Put 2425 in the reservation note.
For Westshore shopping before dinner, International Plaza is the nearby mall people mean.
Menu Highlights
Official / visitor-bureau highlights (menus change—confirm on all menus):
- Fresh local seafood with Caribbean flair
- Key West Black Grouper and Crispy Whole Local Snapper (named on Visit Tampa Bay)
- Classic Midwestern cuts of beef alongside the seafood
- Separate menu tracks for food, lunch, brunch, drinks, and happy hour on the restaurant site
I am not freezing plate prices here beyond the visitor bureau’s average-entree figure below—ask for the current menu.
View and Atmosphere
Visit Tampa Bay describes breathtaking views of Tampa Bay and a waterfront banquet, dining, and event facility. The restaurant pitches tropical ambiance for romantic dinners, brunch by the water, and late-night meals. Style: Upscale Casual. Wheelchair accessible per Visit Tampa Bay. Event spaces include outdoor patios and a ceremony gazebo; the Bay Room is described with fireplace, stained-glass, bay views, private entry, and up to 50 guests.
Brunch
On the restaurant’s reservations hours: Saturday and Sunday brunch 10:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m., with dinner from 4:30 p.m. Confirm the brunch menu on the restaurant site before you go.
Happy Hour
- Reservations hours card: Monday–Thursday happy hour 4:00–6:00 p.m.
- Happy Hour menu page: Monday–Friday 4:00–6:30 p.m., Bar and Lounge only (happy hour menu)
Those two restaurant pages do not match exactly on Friday or the end time. Use the happy-hour menu page for bar/lounge rules, and call (813) 281-1943 if your night is a holiday.
Reservations
Reservations are accepted (Visit Tampa Bay lists “Accept Reservations”). Book at therustypelicantampa.com/reservations. For large parties and weddings, contact the events team rather than guessing from directory capacity fields.
Dress Code
Visit Tampa Bay lists style as Upscale Casual. The restaurant site does not publish a separate banned-items dress code that I could confirm—dress to that upscale-casual bar.
Price Range
Visit Tampa Bay lists average price of entree: $28. That is a directory average, not a frozen menu. For live entrée prices, use the restaurant menus. Major credit cards accepted per Visit Tampa Bay.
Parking
Visit Tampa Bay lists self park and valet parking. No dollar amount for valet appears on the restaurant’s public reservations page when I checked—ask the host or valet stand the night you go. Do not confuse this lot with Bahama Breeze’s driveway.
Hours (Restaurant Reservations Page)
- Monday–Thursday: 11:00 a.m.–10:30 p.m. (lunch 11 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; dinner 4:30–10:30 p.m.)
- Friday: 11:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m. (lunch 11 a.m.–4 p.m.; dinner 4:30 p.m.–12 a.m.)
- Saturday: 10:30 a.m.–12:00 a.m. (brunch 10:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; dinner 4:30 p.m.–12 a.m.)
- Sunday: 10:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m. (brunch 10:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; dinner 4:30–10:30 p.m.)
Source: reservations. Visit Tampa Bay’s hours card has disagreed with these clocks—trust the restaurant.
Events
Waterfront banquet and event facility for corporate and social groups (Visit Tampa Bay). The restaurant markets event spaces, outdoor patios, and a ceremony gazebo. Meeting rooms named in visitor materials include Grand Ballroom, Pelican Ballroom, Coral Room, Tampa Room, and Bay Room. Directory capacity fields bounce (indoor seats, total restaurant capacity, and private/group capacity do not all describe the same Tuesday four-top). For a wedding or company dinner, talk to the venue—50 in the Bay Room is the number the restaurant itself stands behind for that room. In-house catering and a liquor license are listed on the visitor-bureau amenities.
Hours vs Directories
Visit Tampa Bay’s hours card has disagreed with the restaurant’s reservations clocks—weekday lunch ending earlier, different Sunday brunch cutoffs, Saturday labeled lunch instead of brunch. People repeat the visitor-bureau hours and then argue with the host. I go by the restaurant’s own reservations page and still call (813) 281-1943 on holidays.
Where People Struggle
First, the Miami restaurant. Second, treating “minutes from TPA” like a terminal walk. Third, hours wars between directories and the restaurant. Fourth, picking the wrong Rocky Point driveway. Fifth, planning a seated dinner off contradictory capacity fields instead of calling events.
It is not Bern’s on South Howard, and it is not a hotel restaurant inside TPA. If what you really wanted was “nice restaurants near my airport hotel,” say the Rocky Point address out loud before you confirm. For a churrascaria night instead of Rocky Point seafood, see Terra Gaucha or Texas de Brazil. Downtown Water Street after a Channelside day is a different errand—Yard House sits in that cluster.
FAQ
Is Rusty Pelican Tampa the same as the Miami Rusty Pelican?
No. Tampa is at 2425 N Rocky Point Drive, phone (813) 281-1943. Miami/Key Biscayne is a separate restaurant on Rickenbacker Causeway.
Do they have brunch and happy hour?
Brunch Saturday–Sunday 10:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. on the reservations hours. Happy hour is weekday bar/lounge service—see the happy-hour menu page for Mon–Fri 4:00–6:30 p.m. Bar and Lounge only.
How much does it cost?
Visit Tampa Bay’s average entree figure is $28. Confirm live menu prices at the restaurant.
Is there parking?
Yes—self-park and valet per Visit Tampa Bay. Confirm valet pricing on site.
What should I wear?
Upscale casual (Visit Tampa Bay style listing).
Final Thoughts
Go for the bay view and the seafood house on Rocky Point; then double-check the city and the street number so you do not end up in Key Biscayne or at Bahama Breeze. For a churrascaria night instead, see Terra Gaucha or Texas de Brazil. For a broader eat list, start with things to do in Tampa.
