Perfect place to enjoy a beautiful day looking at the canal. Yes, the tables outside are a bit wobbly. Yes, it might be breezy. But there is so much more to enjoy... the place is pet friendly. One of the many times I have eaten at Cafe Dufrain, there was dog birthday party been celebrated outside, hats and doggie cake and all the fun shenanigans. There are always the usual happy hour faces at the bar since it is a popular hangout of the neighborhood. Families enjoying the day, glass of wine in hand as they watch their kinds play unafraid in the street's roundabout. Cafe Dufrain has a great selection of beer, spirits and wine. The beer with a hint of vanilla is delightful. They make really great Old Fashions and Muscow Mules. Their sangria is nice, but nothing to rave about. The food is consistently excellent: Short Rib Mac and Cheese, Empanadas (different flavors each day to keep it interesting), Mussels, chimichurri steak, duck burger... the home made ice creams... yum. The bar might get quite busy at times... but it is "the island" slow vibe...look out at the water..pet the dog staring at you...check out the attractive yuppies... chill.

Loved everything about this establishment. We were headed to the restaurant across the street from Cafe Dufrain, but due to the 2-hour wait, we decided to try this place. We were VERY happy with our decision. We had Truffle Brussels sprouts, pork ribs and tuna tartare as shareables - all were amazing! For the entré we had the pork belly fried rice (beyond awesome), beef bolognese (equally yummy), salmon Bi bimpop (? spelling), which was good, but we weren't too excited about this dish. Oh, arugula salad was very good too! Jen was our server - you can tell she loves her job, she's really good at it and had great suggestions. Also, the chef was able to accommodate dietary allergies without sacrificing the taste. Highly recommend this restaurant and were we glad that the other place wasn't ready for us.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

After trying to eat here on three other occasions (we went when they were closed or the wait was too long for a table), we made reservations tonight. We arrived @725 for our 730 reservation and waited a few minutes for the parties in line to be attended. The hostess was pleasant and offered us a table outside that had only one chair, but promptly added another one for our party of two. So far so good!...fast forward 25 minutes and no one sever has even greeted us. Noticing that even the tables around us hadn't seen a server in the same period of time, I went to see the hostess. She apologized and told us the server would be with us in a few minutes. She also brought us water and reassured us the server would be coming. Another 15 minutes went by and nobody came. We left. I wish this restaurant continued success, but we won't be among their customers.

Hit or miss 8 of us met for dinner prior to a show. My Argentina steak dish was great, my brother in laws shrimp and grits was pure salt, my partners chicken was dry as a bone and the brussel sprouts resembled and tasted like charcoal briquettes . 2 others ordered burgers - the burgers were ok, but 1 had soggy fries and the other had super crispy fries. Another friend ordered the salmon with no issues and the last 2 had salads with chicken. Once again, one chicken was perfect and the other probably needed a few more minutes on the grill. The atmosphere is nice; however, the service is slow and our waiter had all our checks wrong, even though we told him prior to ordering who was with who. He never ever stopped back by to see how our dinner was and we had to hunt him down to get our checks. Finally, the prices are on the high side for what you get.

Live on Harbour Island. Thought we would give this place a second chance. last experience wasn’t good. This was worse. No hostess, waited 20 minutes then finally approached the bar to try to get some help . Place was not busy. He called over a waitress who took us to a really nice table outside. That was the last we saw of her or anyone else. No water , no menu no service at all. Waited another 30 minutes. We decided to leave. My wife approached the girl that seated us and told her we were leaving and explained why. The waitress looked at us as if she was seeing right through us. There was no manager on duty and the owner was not on site. The employees there didn’t care at all . We will never go back . Place is apparently on auto pilot. Not worth the aggravation. If I could give zero stars I would.

When you live in Harbour Island in Tampa and your just not feeling like taking the arduous 10 minute walk over the bridge to the many channelside food options and you can't even do the 6 minute walk to American Social (super noisy) or Jackson's (expensive), well this 3 minute walk is made for you. It's a nice spot right on the river directly across from the Amelia arena. Tables both outside and inside with open air. Simple but diverse menu - couple of chops, fish, pasta, burger. Slightly over priced for the portion but just super convenient and pretty peaceful. Can't say I love the people that bring their dogs to sit outside with them but, it is a very good choice.
Service
Dine in
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

I asked for Baileys on the rocks and they gave me something else. Either they mixed it with cream or they are putting cheaper Irish cream inside a Baileys bottle. The taste and the color were off. I added photos so you can see how light the drink was compared to the color it should be. If you know your drinks and you suspect they gave you something else, they probably did. And they charged for Baileys as well. That’s against the law and hope they get caught if I’m right. I was a cocktail server for 20 years and that’s my main drink and I know that was definitely not Baileys. The one photo is my drink and the other two are examples of the real Baileys. I even took out the ice right away and it wasn’t that either.

I called asking to speak to the general manager and i was very rudely rushed off of the phone and told not to call back by one of the servers who goes by the name of Adam i'm not sure who's training them to answer the phone but he was very rude and i can't believe i even considered spending my money at a place where the servers don't even know how to use proper phone educate. this is the first time in 25 years of me living on this green earth that i have ever left a bad review before i even set foot in a place i was calling to book a group reservation for a dinner party to celebrate my new engagement but since he was so rude i'm just not even going to waste my time or money.

I am so sad to say this place has gone downhill over the years. What happened? I used to love to come here, but not anymore. The brussels were still good but the rest of what we ordered was very bland. The chicken had a strange texture and taste and I couldn't even finish my meal. The drinks were flat. Ordered a Moscow Mule that was flat and overly sweet..no copper cup either. The view is nice but that is about it. Service was slow and never removed plates from the table. For the quality and service it is so overpriced. Regretfully spent over $100 on a disappointing Mother's Day meal. Sadly we will not return here anymore.

So this place has an online menu that is absolutely not the same as the menu when you get there. This place is cool for what it is. It was my first time there, but was highly recommended by family. They didn't have the brussel sprouts they I was told about and some other things. I probably will give this place another try. Great area for pics at least. It's right on the water. They have a heater above the outside seats which was much needed at night. FL is getting colder.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 3
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4

This was a place that has a St Pete feel and vibe to it. You can eat outside, enjoy the water, enjoy your company and really relax for a moment. The location is a little difficult for parking, but I don't fault the restaurant, it's just the area. There is a garage within walking distance from here. Afterwards, you can walk along the boardwalk in either direction and continue to enjoy the peaceful scenery around. Really a great place with good food. Our service was spot on, enjoyed that. Come try this place out, you won't be disappointed.

Blandest food I have ever tasted. Like c'mon guys, bbg beef with fat still on it and grizzle that nearly cracked my teeth and choked me. The pork taco was like eating water with texture it was greasy yet somehow edible. The price wouldn't bother me so much if the had flavour. I will note that the veggies and chips were fresh but it should be considering the price. Cafe Dufrain can fix this problem by changing the way they're cooking and seasoning. They probably wont because chefs think they know best.

We had a reservation for 7:40. We arrived at 7:40 and we were told we’d have to sit outside. So we took the table and waited. We waited for 25 minutes, then asked the hostess if we were going to have a server. She came back and took our order. 10 minutes later we were served drinks. 20 minutes after that we received our food. We had a Cuban and buffalo shrimp. The food was very good. We ate and waited. Our server never returned, so we went to the bar and paid our tab. So yeah, we won’t be back.

This place is absolutely terrible. The food is the most bland and expensive food I've ever had. They must not believe in seasonings! This is the kind of restaurant where the food has to be doctored up at home. Wow! I mean I don't mind spending a little extra money on the experience but I feel they charge more just because of where the restaurant is located. Just because you're on Harbour Island doesn't meant you can serve any old thing and think its good lol. Come on guys you can do better.

They have a great view and atmosphere. Unfortunately we went here on a Friday night and they sat us when they probably shouldn’t. The server was so busy, she never returned after our food was served. The food was hot and very good. The bench we sat on had torn cushions and no back just wood. Not very comfortable. Id like to try it again when it’s less busy.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Features
Dine in: Yes
Outdoor seating: Yes

What a relaxing space and a great place to sit and take in views of Garrison channel and the downtown skyline. Plus there is usually a nice breeze in the evening. We stopped in for a couple after dinner drinks and dessert. They have a decent micro craft beer selection and mixed drinks. The best part about this place is the outdoor seating which over looks Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park. At night it is spectacular to see the downtown lights of Tampa and take in the cool autumn breeze!

We went there after a Bush Gardens day and it was very relaxing and great to have the waterfront vibes. Plus that happy hour was very nice ! Service was good and efficient. Great drinks and nice menu- we had the local shrimp tacos with Truffles Fries ( I had better truffle fries) and the Dufrain Steak burger with the truffle Brussels sprout…. and they were the bomb! Will come back- that Smokey Margarita was « FIRE » very unique and spicy, and the Dufrain Royal cocktail delicious.

I ordered the chicken sandwich which tasted fantastic but....the chicken was the size of small tomato. It was so thick that it looked like a ball on a huge bun and would not stay on the bun for nothing....even after cutting it and trying to eat it, I gave up and just started cutting it into pieces and eating with a fork. The homemade chips were way too salty...and I love salt. Service was a little too slow for my liking but he was nice. The menu is WAY too limited..

We went with a party of seven and no one loved anything they ordered. It’s too bad because the outdoor seating is lovely. Our waitress was distracted and forgot an entire meal for someone at the table. While waiting for our table we tried to get drinks at the bar, but the people behind the bar said they weren’t making any drinks…seemed odd because we were able to get drinks at our table.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30

I’ve always wanted to go here but seriously the worst service I’ve ever had. We had a reservation and still waited 20 minutes before I went over to the bartender to ask if anyone could take our order. He said someone would be with us soon. Nope... finally the hostess took our order after I tracked her down. Seriously, it wasn’t that busy. We did get our food which was good but our server never came back so back to go to the bar to pay my tab. Very sad experience.

Went here for a Vakentines Day date. What a great place. The staff is fantastic. The cocktails are awesome. Try an Elder Bison! You will not be disappointed. We had a fabulous time, very romantic. Although we made poor dinner selections I'm giving it 5 stars. I'll save my reasons for later. I plan to return and give these guys a second chance, which is rare for me, because with all of the options we have in Tampa you really only get one chance.

Small cafe on harbor island, short 12 minute walk from Marriott across the bridge. Our server, Adam was friendly, attentive and knowledgeable of menu. He gave us excellent suggestions. We ate outside at a very small table, probably too hot for some but there was a decent breeze and we are locals so it really wasn’t that bad, for us. My go to when I want to change it up and not go to the Watervue. Good place, great food and cocktails.

Fantastic waterfront cafe with a lovely interior and professional staff. Our group of three ordered the steak burger, cali chicken sandwhich, and the veggie burger (me). All three were very enjoyable, with amazing flavors and great chips on the side. The veggie burger specifically was fantastic and didn't try to mimic meat, which I personally really like. I would definitely recommend checking this place out!

Walked in. Hostess sat us in the back patio. We waited....and waited....and waited. We watched all of the waiters and waitresses stand behind the bar and chat. And we waited. Stull no service or acknowledgement. So we gathered up our menus, gave them to the hostess (who happily took them without attempting to find out why we were leaving)...and went to Datz Tampa. Major FAIL Cafe Dufrain

Are you a foody? Good. This place is a gem. Chef smokes his own meat, selects and prepares his own organic, local produce, and makes fabulous food. The staff is very welcoming, the beer and wine is excellent, and the food outstanding. Please go out of your way to sample the wares of this place, and encourage the individual, special attention that only a small local place can give.

I just ordered takeout and got a burger with fries and an order of wings, it’s all outstanding! If you try this place out, there’s a good chance you might interact with Melissa, she works behind the bar and is amazing! I haven’t been here in over six months, and she remembered my face when I came in, that type of customer service, you don’t find often! Can’t wait to go back!

Disappointing! I have no idea what happened but I have always enjoyed eating here. Our waiter was awesome but the food was terrible! Two or three thing I asked about were changed out a couple weeks ago. I got home and got sick on the food I ate. Location, wait staff and atmosphere great! A good place to stop for a drink but I'll pass on any dish with meat in it next time.

We stopped here while we were out on the boat. We just rolled in for a quick cocktail and a snack. Got the Bacon Braised White Bean Dip. Phenomenal!!! Amazing presentation. Comes with chips, crustini, celery, and carrots served on a wood board. It was totally outstanding. The service was on point. Very friendly bartenders. Drinks were generous. Definitely recommend!!

Great location across from the water! Food was amazing! I got the homemade hummus for an appetizer. It was delicious and came with red pepper, feta, caramelized onions and olives. I got the shrimp tacos for my meal and they were the best I ever had. The Hemingway martini was also really good. The staff were super friendly. All in all, it was a wonderful experience!

I had so much fun providing our Photobooth services to a holiday party this past weekend. The staff was the best & most attentive of any event venue I have ever been to as a vendor. Every single one of them was so kind & full of positive energy. Highly recommend this event venue mainly because they have incredible staff & you can’t beat the view of the city.

Stopped in for lunch yesterday to find a fresh new menu! Tried a trio of slider burgers that included: Short rib, turkey, & duck. All were amazing but the duck was outstanding. We also tried a Peruvian style salad that was fantastic and full of flavor. Everyone is always so friendly and the service is great. Looking forward to try the new dinner menu.

Had a wonderful meal there before the Bolts game. Baked goat cheese app was delicious. Had never considered pairing goat cheese with marinara but will certainly do it in the future. My burger and my wife’s Bolognese were both top notch. Staff was friendly and attentive.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–100

I was extremely dissatisfied with the service and food at this location. My son had lemonade which tasted like it was from a powdered mix and the sangria wasn't any better. The food was just ok, nothing exciting. Even though they were not busy we waited almost 20 minutes for our server to come and ask us even for our drink orders. Won't be back.

I had my boyfriend's 40th birthday party here Iast weekend. The service, food & atmosphere was perfect! Thank you for making this evening one to remember! Thank you to our 2 server who took care of our party of 30 perfectly & to the owner and manager Uma for all your help planning. It was a success!! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

We went on an appetizer tour of the Tampa Riverwalk, and this location was a highlight. Our waiter Kyle was great, we asked for recommendations around the area and he provided us great ideas for our travel. We had the goat cheese stuffed peppers, and the truffle fries, both were amazing and highly recommended.

Cafe restaurant on harbor island where the locals hang out with the neighbors and the passersby alike. I was disappointed that their menu is changed from what's it's shown in the restaurant profile. Beautiful view of downtown Tampa and the waterfront.
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30

Food was delicious & our server Shelby was very attentive w/o being intrusive. The truffle fries were hot, fresh & so tasty we saved the chimichurri aioli for the house-made chips that came w/ our blackened grouper sandwich. The attention to detail is refreshing here...even the iced tea is fresh-brewed.

If you haven't tried their food, you're missing out. Everything on their menu is delicious and it's a wonderful place for the whole family.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Nice little place on Harbor Island- some outdoor seating available facing water. I tried the fish tacos which were very good, and a side of their truffled brussel sprouts- incredibly delicious! Our server had recommended them when asked about side dishes- YUM …

Great location, quaint little spot near the waterfront with tasty food and good customer service! Definitely make reservations, the place is small…which is nice. Food was well-prepared…steak was cooked perfectly…and nicely salted. Definitely recommend this place!

A great little place to eat the food was excellent. Also it seems to be a place that's friendly to dogs, and it has outdoor eating
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Food was passable. Had the tacos and fries. Taco dish had o my 2 tacos. There were bunch of tasteless fries though. Tacos themae6was decent. The server wasa bit off that evening. In a hurry and not attentive or amiable. The ambiance is ordinary cafe style.

I feel like this place would've been worthy of a 5 star when it opened, but over the past few years it hasn't been as good. Still a decent spot to go to, just not top of my list like it was at one time. Rotate through some of your old menu items.

I had friendly helpful server. Did a good job up selling without trying to get me to buy something I didn't want. Food really amazing. They twist up traditional with great flavor. Even the fries were not your normal. Very classy. Little pricey.

Been here many times, food and service never disappoints. Make sure to grab reservations as their dining area is quaint. The bar is first come first serve, which is nice because you can usually scrap together some barstools if there is a wait.

This place was absolutely divine! From the appetizer (the ribs) to entrees (we split the bbq pork and tuna bowl), to the side of smoked gouda mac and cheese. It was all fantastic. Wish I lived in Tampa. I would become a regular in a heartbeat!

This place is in a wonderful location, beautiful views. I do feel it's a bit overpriced for what you get. The food was decent, small portion.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 3
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5

Food was very good. At the end of our meal, our server came to our table quite upset about something else and began snapping at us. He started out with a wonderful attitude, but ended the evening pretty badly for us. Not sure what happens.

Came here on a family vacation and forgot my wallet. The server found it and put it up for me and everything was still in there. There are still good people in this world and they work here. Thank you! P.s. the food was DELICIOUS

Wow, how often does a place live up to the hype? The kitchen brick chicken with grilled brussel sprouts and bacon sweet potato hash with a crispy fried sunny side up egg, simply fantastic. Great casual and friendly place.

Burger was bland and dry. Prices were not accurate ($20 lunch w/o drinks.) My colleagues were similarly disappointed with their lunches. River front was nothing to write home about, their are better views nearby.

Great food and good prices! St. Louis ribs, crab rangoon nachos, mac and cheese, drinks...it was a great time!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Came for a lunch meeting because I wanted to go somewhere new. The place is refreshing with a great view during a sunny day. The food was great as well as the drinks. Parking isn't the best but it's acceptable.

We went to Cafe Dufrain last week on the way home from st Pete and decided to give cafe Dufrain a try we were not disappointed and can’t wait to go back our server was Adam he was very efficient and attentive !

My food was good but the menu selections were extremely limited. Only found one item on the menu, and it was a Cobb Salad, that I was slightly interested in. Wine and server were great, but wouldn't go back.

My best friend and I went to have lunch to celebrate our respective birthdays. I've never had fried brussel sprouts before. They were very good. We enjoyed the food and our server, Brad, was great.

Great food, awesome happy hour, lovely little waterside spot. Jen H in particular is absolutely fabulous- excellent service with a warm and welcoming vibe. Try the smokey margarita- *delicious*!

We went here for a holiday party. Small place on the water with nice views. However, the food was terrible tasting, bland and dried out. The service was subpar and I would not recommend it.

Some good options, however food was not on par with past experiences. I'll try it again in the future see if they are back on their game. Nice City views though, and the staff was friendly.

Food Menu is half page long, and the only things on there are priced through the roof. Service took long time, chairs inside are uncomfortable and hardy on your rear. Not sure will return.

2 drinks - margarita and they were out of the island splash, so got a royale. Reasonably priced, no pizazz, no ambience. Basic. Just basic - but will try again since its walking distance.

The Mac and cheese is bananas! So good. Good beer selection and mixed drinks too. Will definitely come back. Atmosphere is casual, open air. Very good food. Will definitely come back.

Salmon was way over cooked. This should never happen at what is supposed to be a top restaurant in the area. The only thing worth eating was the donut desert haha it was awesome.

wonderful little spot, great service, and a happy staff. our server, Doug, was super helpful, efficient and hospitable. would totally recommend to anyone in the downtown area.

Outstanding food, service, and atmosphere. The seafood tasted fresh, and the vegetables were full of flavor. Our server was fast, competent, and friendly. I shall return!

These folks know how to cook your fresh catch, Wait staff is above and beyond friendly. They all treat you as if they known you for years. Definitely be returning again.

Attended a Holiday party there on Saturday. Great experience. The staff was super friendly and attentive. Food was awesome. I will visit again with friends and family.

The food was great with fun appetizers like the Philly cheese steak wontons and crab ragoon nachos! Delicious nachos! Everyone at the table enjoyed what the ordered.

Used to love this place but last time we went every item wasn’t very good at all. We got a lot of things on the menu and didn’t like anything except the drinks.

To keep it short..left after waiting 40 minutes for anyone to come to our table, despite having a reservation. Needless to say, we left and won’t be going back.

Pros: good location, great reservation system Cons: Slow service this night, food was mediocre, prices are too high for the quality of food. Won’t be back

Great place to go sit outside on the water and get some quiet. The ambiance is terrific. I only had a simple salad so I can't speak much to their food.

Amazing food, charming atmosphere and attentive staff. Great cocktails, too. Second time coming here and I will definitely come here again. More

Had fish tacos and a burger with brussel sprouts. Food good, service good. The missing star is because the bathroom could have used a cleaning.

Great array of food, good atmosphere. Always enjoy coming here. Haven't had anything bad yet. House made ginger beer drinks are worth trying!

Nothing special. Veal was unimpressive and bland; wondered if it was frozen. Ginger beer was smooth with only a slight bit of spice, not bad.

Best restaurant in downtown area! Food is fantastic, views are amazing and the staff is so friendly! I recommend Cafe Dufrain to everyone :)

Went for dinner. Staff was polite but service was slow. Moscow mule was too sweet and the steak was terrible. Not Worth the price tag.

$17 for a chicken sandwich and fries that were subpar. Staff is nice, but won't be eating here again unless it's a company paid event.

I love the location, with amazing outdoor view, warm ambiance, fresh and tasty salad and sandwiches. Definitely deserves a 5 star!

Chef did an amazing job. Hook em and cook em. We brought in a fresh catch of shark and he pan seared the meat wonderfully. …

Great service, wide menu variety, and meals are good. Nothing really negative to say about this place for casual downtown dining.

Amazing food and view. Construction close by and slightly difficult to locate in a vehicle. 10/10 would recommend for food taste!

For Tampa its a nice place with decent food. Though crackers rather than bread speaks volumes. Nice area for a walk afterwards.

Great experience and quality food that tasted amazing! Loved their happy hour options too. Nice place close to the water. More

Blake the bar tender took care of us at the bar and the crab Nachos were Fantastic... See you Wednesday..... Da Painters.....

Good food and a great location. Food is ridiculously over priced. $19 salads and $14 burgers for lunch, foods not that good.

Food was great. We enjoyed steaks and shrimp cocktail. Drinks were amazing. Relaxed atmosphere and friendly serving staff.

Good casual place by the water downtown Tampa. Good draft beer, burger was very good. Waitress was great! Good atmosphere.

As a Tampa native of over forty years, I'm a little shocked to say I just had the best Cuban sandwich in my life here.

We enjoyed our salad w/salmon. Very generous portion of salmon. Great views of downtown Tampa across the Channel.

Delicious food and great wine selection. I had the shrimp tacos and they were amazing, definitely recommend.

Food was amazing. Service excellent with a beautiful view. Shrimp tacos to die for. Really fresh and tasty.

I really loved this laid back venue on the riverwalk! Nice chill vibe , good music, drinks and finger food

Awesome atmosphere on the river and really tasty food! Not to mention local craft beer and delicious wine.

Fine location with amazing outdoor view, loved their yummy food and salad, kitchen service magnificent!

Excellent food and service, but definitely on the steep side. It has a decent view of the river too.

Sitting outside having crab crusted Mahi and a local craft beer while enjoying the view was amazing.

Drinks great, service great. Food not so good
Food: 1
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

We tried the crab ragoon nachos they were delicious. I also had the salmon salad it was amazing.