Bern's Steak House Tampa is a well-known restaurant in Hyde Park, located at 1208 S Howard Ave, Tampa, FL 33606. The restaurant is known for its prime steaks, which are cut to order and dry-aged in house for 5 to 8 weeks. Guests also find oysters, escargot and 22 different caviars on the menu.
If you want a restaurant in Hyde Park with a long history, Bern's has been serving guests since 1956. The business started on Howard Avenue as a small luncheonette and grew over the years into several dining rooms. Today it is still run by the Laxer family, and the restaurant describes each visit as an experience rather than just a meal.
What to Expect at Bern's Steak House
The restaurant is built around three things: perfectly aged steaks, a large wine collection, and the Harry Waugh Dessert Room. Bern's stores more than half a million bottles and 6,500 labels from around the world. Some are kept in an on-site cellar held at 50 degrees, and others are kept in a temperature-controlled warehouse.
Every night, guests can order a red, white, sparkling or fortified wine by the bottle or choose from more than 150 selections by the glass. The by-the-glass list includes dessert wines and port. Many bottles are current vintages, while others are older and rarer.
The dessert room was built in 1985 using redwood wine casks to create 48 private rooms. It offers nearly 45 desserts, including 15 flavors of homemade ice cream and sorbet, along with artisanal cheeses and wines, ports, sherries and madeiras.
The History Behind Bern's Tampa Restaurant
Bern and Gert Laxer moved to Tampa in 1951 after visiting Bern's aunt, who ran a Chinese restaurant here. They were planning to move on to California but ended up staying. In 1953 they bought a small luncheonette called The Gator Juice Bar, which served orange juice, coffee and cold sandwiches.
The luncheonette grew into a restaurant and then moved to 1208 South Howard Avenue after the Laxers bought the Beer Haven bar. They chose the Bern's name by reusing letters from the old Beer Haven sign. Over time they bought neighboring shops and expanded from one dining room to eight, with about 350 guest seats.
Today, David Laxer, the couple's son, runs the restaurant. He also oversees Bern's Fine Wines and Spirits retail store and the Haven restaurant. The Epicurean Hotel, a Marriott Autograph Collection property across the street, was later developed as part of the Bern's family of businesses.
Planning Your Visit: Hours and Contact
To book a table, call (813) 251-2421 or visit bernssteakhouse.com. Reservations can be made online through the website. The restaurant asks that you call ahead to confirm hours before you visit, since they can change.
The dining room dress code is business casual to semi-formal. Guests in more relaxed clothing may be seated in the lounge area instead of the main dining rooms. The restaurant also only seats complete parties, because late arrivals affect the reservations that follow.
Tips Before You Go
- Dress business casual or semi-formal for the main dining rooms.
- Bring your whole party, since parties are seated only when everyone arrives.
- Ask about the wine list if you want a bottle or a glass with your steak.
- Save room for the Harry Waugh Dessert Room.
If you are planning a special dinner in Hyde Park, Bern's Steak House in Tampa is worth calling ahead for.
