Popular Downtown Tampa Bar Unexpectedly Closes
A very popular Downtown Tampa bar unexpectedly shut its doors for good today. Ciro’s Speakeasy was located at 2109 Bayshore Blvd, Tampa. They shared a surprising announcement on their Instagram stories a few hours ago. I’ve always heard really good things about this place. Now I’m bummed I’ll never get to try it for myself.
Why Did Ciro’s Close?
Ciro’s has been a Tampa staple since 2009. The beverage-centric menu, used traditional and historic techniques of mixing cocktails from the Prohibition period of our country. Ciro’s had temporarily closed in early March for renovations. Due to “structural issues at the Bayshore Royale”, the popular speakeasy had to close its doors for good. In the post, they thanked their loyal guests, staff, and Tampa community for all the support. They also mentioned this “isn’t goodbye, it’s see you later”. So maybe in the future, we can expect to see a rebuild after the construction of the Bayshore condos construction is complete.
With Tampa constantly developing, these high-rise condos are performing building inspections. It’s not confirmed but some Tampa Redditors suspect they may have found structural issues and wanted Ciro’s to cover the costs to repair. It seems that these bars/restaurants below luxury condos eventually run into issues. Last year, the Downtown Tampa Park & Rec closed due to noise complaints from the condo building above the bar.
Like I said, I never got the chance to experience Ciro’s myself. But I only heard good things about the speakeasy. Redditors commented that it was a great date night spot or a unique place to bring friends from out of town. I’m especially bummed that I won’t be able to try their espresso martini, which was made with Jameson Stout, Borghetti, Vanilla, and Cream.
If you go to Ciro’s website, a message will pop up informing you they are permanently closed. But don’t worry, you can experience a similar speakeasy vibe at Jekyll. A new fancy speakeasy that opened up earlier this year. I’ve heard good things about this place but have been warned the drinks are more expensive than Ciro’s.
So if you’re like me, and need to find a new spot for espresso martini’s or fancy cocktails, maybe try these places for your next night out.
Best Espresso Martinis In Tampa Bay
