Award-winning

Ulele

Name: Ulele
Address: 1810 N Highland Ave., Tampa, FL, United States, 33602
Telephone: (813) 999-4952
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.8

4.8

12957 Reviews

$31 to $50

American

Top Tags:

Ulele (pronounced you-lay-lee) celebrates the vibrant fusion of ingredients from Florida waters and land once home to many Native Americans, including the legendary young princess Ulele.

Located on the Hillsborough River in Tampa Heights, 400 yards from the Straz Center for the Performing Arts. Indoor and outdoor waterfront dining. Lunch and dinner daily. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Featuring intricately flavored, visually appealing dishes prepared on our 10' round barbacoa grill.

Ulele operates in the lovingly re-imagined 1903 Tampa Heights Water Works building, which also includes its Ulele Spring Brewery to provide a number of craft beers on tap. Next door to Water Works Park.

Casual attire is fine, but we don’t allow sleeveless shirts on men in the indoor dining rooms.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Nov 28, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 225 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Contemporary American, Brewery
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 11:00 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–11:00 pm
Phone number
(813) 999-4952
Website
http://www.ulele.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Contactless Payment, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Patrick Quakenbush
Private party facilities
Ulele has several areas for dining that may be used for business meetings, social affairs, wedding events, charity functions, etc. These include inside the restaurant or outside in the beer garden, on the upper patio deck and on the riverside lawn (tents available).
Private party contact
Emily Johnston: (813) 513-2661

Location
1810 N Highland Ave., Tampa, FL 33602
Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
Neighborhood
Tampa
Cross street
Henderson Avenue or 7th Avenue
Parking details
Ulele offers complimentary valet after 5 p.m. Fridays, lunch and dinner Saturdays and Sundays (with Ulele validation). There also is street parking near the restaurant, and a free private lot on Doyle Carlton Drive (southern extension of Highland) across from Water Works Park)
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Popular dishes

What 12,957 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.8Service
4.7Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Tampa / Central Florida West
Most Booked
Tampa
Great for outdoor dining
Tampa
American
Tampa
Most Booked

12,957 Reviews

J
Janey
Exclusive
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
overall5food4service5ambience5
We got there and hour before closing but our waiter, Red, was very enthusiastic to serve us. Although the place was emptying, I felt the service would have still been exceptional with Red. The food - we had the Fried Green tomatoes, the Mac n Cheese app, The Oyster sliders, Mahi and Redfish - all were delicious. I would not recommend the fried okra - it was too charred for my liking. I would definitely return and try other items on the menu. Great dining experience, great food, atmosphere and service.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Tampa
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service4ambience5
Celebrated my son’s 25th. Food was delicious and the server was good.
Is this helpful?
ML
MLKeyWest
Key West
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall4food3service5ambience5
Limited menu. Food was good but my cheeseburger was undercooked. 😟
Is this helpful?
SG
SteveG
Tampa
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Ulele is always a wonderful place to go with friends!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Tampa
10 reviews
vip
5.0
10 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was excellent as always and Xena provided great service to myself and my family.
Is this helpful?
DS
DianaS
Coastal Georgia
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
Fabulous food and a casual riverside energy. I will definitely be back!
Is this helpful?
M
Mark
Nashville
4 reviews
3.0
4 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall3food3service4ambience3
Simple fare, cool neighborhood, too big of a space to be somewhere I would return. Felt a bit too much like a chain restaurant.
Is this helpful?
d
drewh
Chicago
13 reviews
vip
4.0
13 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall4food4service5ambience4
A positive overall experience . the service was excellent and the food was very good.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Philadelphia
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
The short ribs are delicious. The drinks are also really good
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JJ
JaJlmfl
Orlando
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Ulele is always a favorite of ours when in Tampa Downtown and yesterday did not disappoint. Our waitress Mariah was great and we thoroughly enjoyed a leisurely dinner outside on the lawn as the sun set. I love the fact that each time we come there are new seasonal dishes to try.
Is this helpful?
DB
DianaB
Tampa
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
We were given an awful table by bar and restrooms. We had reservations and are regulars since first opened. We then asked if we could eat outside with Shanti as our server. The Wait was too long so the four of us took a table upstairs which was better with Nick as our server. My husband and I ordered vodka martinis and when served realized they were warm. UNACCEPTABLE! Nick asked if we wanted them reshaken??? Drinks we already tasted put back in a shaker??? We will always return but this was not our best experience.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Tampa
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
overall3food3service4ambience5
Server was great and made our birthday special. food was nice and hot. took about 50 minutes to come out. It was good but nothing special. espresso ice cream was the best part
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JR
JosefinaR
West Palm Beach
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
overall3food5service4ambience3
We had two huge tables near us that were celebrating birthdays so they were screaming a lot. Other then that great service and great food
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L
Larry
Washington DC
10 reviews
4.0
10 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall4food4service5ambience4
Ulele is a great restaurant that I have eaten at many times. The fish/seafood entrees are very good and nicely portioned. (I’ve not eaten their meat or chicken entrees.) The waiters are responsive and efficient. Their oysters and sea bass are a standout.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Tampa
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
overall4food4service4ambience4
Everything was great except the accommodations we had to sit outside because we had 14 in our party and it was rainy and cold. We did have reservations however Only 6 allowed n the reservation.
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CJ
CarolynJ
Chicago
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
We love outdoor dining at Ulele’s for the quiet atmosphere. And our favorite dish, the Florida Pompano, was once again super delicious.
UleleResponded 3 days ago
Thank you for the great review and feedback, Carolyn! We are so glad that you enjoyed another great meal with us and we look forward to your return!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Tampa
5 reviews
2.0
5 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall2food4service1ambience5
We were celebrating my wife birthday. The food was good but it was a bit embarrassing that the waiter never acknowledged it was my wife birthday even though that was made aware to that team. Our food took longer than expected where the waitress update us multiple times and we still waited over 40 minutes. It was also a long delay for the waitress to notice that we were done eating and waiting for the check while trying to keep a toddler entertained. I really hoped for a better experience but this definitely fell short of that and it was not a good experience to celebrate my wife’s birthday.
UleleResponded 3 days ago
We are sorry to hear that your recent visit was disappointing, especially since you were celebrating your wife's birthday. We would like to share your feedback with our operations team so that we may improve training. Please email us with the best contact information where you can be reached. Thank you.
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TS
TedS
Orlando
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Birthday celebration for my wife. The experience was first class. The views of the river topped off a perfect night.
UleleResponded 3 days ago
Thank you for choosing to celebrate your wife's birthday with us, Ted! We are so glad to hear that it was a great experience and we hope that you will dine with us again soon!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined 7 days ago
overall2food1service4ambience5
Everything was salty. Completely gross and barely edible.
UleleResponded 3 days ago
We are sorry to hear that you were disappointed with your meal. We would have been glad to remake or replace any items that you were not enjoying as we never want to see you leave unsatisfied. We hope you will decide to return in the future so that we may have another opportunity to impress you.
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AD
AndreaD
Tampa
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful food and service….The best seafood risotto ever!!
UleleResponded 3 days ago
We appreciate the great review and feedback, Andrea!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Atlanta Metro
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Erica was amazing! It was my birthday and we had a big table. She didn't miss a beat! Very attentive and we were all very happy. Food was delicious!
UleleResponded 3 days ago
We are so glad to hear that you had a great birthday celebration with us! Thank you for sharing your compliments for Erica! We hope that you will dine with us again soon.
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JF
JenniferF
Greater Boston
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Esteban was our waiter and he was the best !!!! From the greeting to the suggestions and overall table etiquette- he was top notch !! The food was amazing, best meal in Tampa!! This will be our go to every time we visit!
UleleResponded 3 days ago
We appreciate the 5 stars and great feedback for your meal and your server Esteban! We look forward to your return!
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P
Patk
Greater Boston
16 reviews
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on November 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a wonderful experience from the time we entered the restaurant until we left. A bit expensive, had a wonderful time.
UleleResponded 3 days ago
We are so glad to hear that you enjoyed your visit, Pat. We hope that you will dine with us again in the future!
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KK
KamilK
Tampa
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on November 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
As always, everything has been great and definetely recommended.
UleleResponded 3 days ago
We are so glad to hear that you had another great dining experience with us, Kamil! We appreciate the recommendation for a visit!
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t
tarah
Tampa
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was fabulous and Dan the bartender is great. He made me a drink since they didn't have what I had originally wanted. It was very creative and very much appreciated. We had 4 in our party and everyone was impressed by the food quality. Great place!
UleleResponded 3 days ago
We appreciate the great review and feedback for Dan, Tara! Thank you for sharing!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
If you’re ever passing thru Tampa, Ulele won’t disappoint!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Tampa
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Phenomenal in every way! Our third time and we will be back!
UleleResponded 3 days ago
We are so glad to hear that you had another great visit with us! Thank you for your feedback. We look forward to your return!
Is this helpful?
JP
JasonP
Tampa
34 reviews
vip
5.0
34 reviews
Dined on November 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great Sunday lunch in a fabulous location. My wife had the wedge salad and I had the lobster roll with a side of corn both leaving room for signature ice cream, candied bacon and frosted flakes ... outrageously good. Perfect weather as we sat outside on the patio with our newly adopted Cavalier. Savana our waitress was great !
UleleResponded 3 days ago
We are so glad to hear that you enjoyed your lunch on our patio, Jason! Thank you for the great feedback on your meal and service. We hope that you will dine with us again soon!
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RB
RoyceB
Tampa
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on November 19, 2023
overall4food2service5ambience5
Selection is limited, but if you're willing to try something new this is a great place to check out for lunch or after work happy hour.
UleleResponded 3 days ago
Thank you for your review and feedback, Royce! We appreciate the recommendation for a visit.
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R
Robin725
Tampa
57 reviews
vip
5.0
57 reviews
Dined on November 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our server was great. Really took care of us. I have some difficult food allergies and he made our experience seamless. Food was great! Butter cake was delicious.
UleleResponded 7 days ago
We appreciate the great review, Robin! Thank you for sharing your feedback on the attention to detail shown by your server. We hope to see you again soon!
Is this helpful?
AB
AmyB
Tampa
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We celebrated my husband’s birthday. We had the pompano, seafood risotto and short ribs. The service was excellent and my husband was given a box of beautiful truffles with a card signed by the whole staff. Of course, we had to try the pineapple upside down bread pudding. Don’t miss this dessert! It was delicious as was everything else! Thank you for a special evening!
UleleResponded 3 days ago
We are so glad to hear that you and your husband had a great birthday celebration, Amy! We hope that you will dine with us again soon.
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MJ
MelodyJ
Tampa
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on November 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
We drove from St. Petersburg to Tampa to have the chargrilled oysters. They are absolutely delicious. It was a beautiful day and we were able to sit outside. We will be back.
UleleResponded 7 days ago
We are so glad to hear that our oysters are worth the trip, Melody! Thank you for your feedback!
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DM
DebM
Baja California Sur
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on November 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We thoroughly enjoyed sitting outside. We had a great server, and both have fish. I had mahi , and my friend redfish, both dishes were five star.
UleleResponded 7 days ago
We are so glad that you both enjoyed your meal, Deb! Thank you for sharing your feedback, we hope to see you again soon!
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S
Stunna
Miami
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Took my mom on her birthday. This was our first visit. The ambience was really cute & cozy with alot of upstairs and downstairs seating. The menu had a great selection especially for seafood lovers. The food was flavorful & tasty. Our server Josh was awesome and pleasant. Oh and lots of available parking including valet. I would definitely recommend to others
UleleResponded 7 days ago
We are so glad to hear that your mom had a great birthday celebration with us at Ulele! We appreciate the great feedback and recommendation.
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D
Denice
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Beautiful property. Valeria was excellent. She had great recommendations. The Expresso ice cream... OMG!!!
UleleResponded 7 days ago
We are so glad to hear that you had a great visit, Denice!
Is this helpful?
ME
timMEB
Orlando
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on November 17, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
We were very happy with our decision to have lunch at Ulele while in Tampa for the day. The restaurant is beautiful! Service was impeccable! It was great to see management on the floor. Our appetizer was not hot so may have sat a while in window. Our entrees and dessert were delicious! Wine list is top notch! Hope to return for dinner!
UleleResponded 3 days ago
Thank you for your great review and feedback, Tim! We would have been glad to remake your appetizer if it was not served at the appropriate temperature. In the future, please do not hesitate to let us know if there is anything we can do to improve your dining experience.
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s
sarahl
Toronto
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
My friend and I were in town visiting and saw the great reviews and made a reservation. The restaurant lived up to the hype. The energy is excellent and the style is cool but approachable. We sat upstairs inside, and it was a bit louder than I would have liked - worth it for the high ceilings and open environment. The food was so good. We splurged on stone crab (lucky it was in season), the seafood risotto was packed with seafood, jalapeño muffins so good (even the next day), Mexican street corn flavourful, and the salad huge with bright yummy dressing. Wish we were visiting longer, there were so many good looking dishes. Highly recommend, enjoy.
UleleResponded 3 days ago
We are so glad that you made it in for a visit while you were visiting Tampa, Sarah! Thank you for the wonderful review and feedback on your meal and experience. We appreciate the recommendation as well.
Is this helpful?
ZE
ZachE
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on November 17, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Ulele was a very good experience overall. We were greeted promptly with water and good service. They had delicious wine from Spain. First we ordered the Calamari which did take a long time but that’s understandable for a busy Thursday night. We did not receive and bread in the meantime, some restaurants do, some don’t so I’m not sure if we were supposed to or not. My only real issue is the Calamari came out delicious, but about 2 bites into our appetizer is when our entrees came out. I felt a little rushed in that sense which is not a good feeling when you spend over 100 dollars , pre-tip, on dinner for two, especially when you’re 2 college students who only get to eat out once in a blue moon. Overall it was delicious though and I loved the chocolate espresso ice cream! I would definitely go back but maybe not at such a busy time.
UleleResponded on November 18, 2023
Thank you for your review and feedback, Zach. We are sorry that the timing was off on your courses and you felt rushed between appetizer and entree. We do not have a complementary bread service but do have jalapeno cornbread muffins with butter for purchase if you would like next time. We look forward to fully impressing you during your next visit.
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RB
RobertB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food. Great ambiance. Great service. Ulele is one of my "go to's" when I have important visitors in town.
UleleResponded on November 18, 2023
We are so glad to be on your list of favorites for impressing guests, Robert! We look forward to providing many more great experiences for you in the future!
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BM
BethM
Greater Boston
46 reviews
vip
5.0
46 reviews
Dined on November 16, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience4
There are lots of new restaurants in Tampa, however, when we are in Tampa, Ulele is always at the top of our list. Generally, i ask to eat outside, due to rain we sat inside. Thanks for the great evening!
UleleResponded on November 18, 2023
We are so glad to hear that we stay at the top of your list, Beth! We look forward to serving you again soon!
Is this helpful?

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Contactless payment available

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

Ulele offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (813) 999-4952.

Ulele is rated 4.8 stars by 12957 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Nov 28, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 225 times today

Order delivery or takeout

1810 N Highland Ave., Tampa, FL 33602

Dining areas

Additional information

Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
Cross street
Henderson Avenue or 7th Avenue
Neighborhood
Tampa
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 11:00 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–11:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Contemporary American, Brewery
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Ulele offers complimentary valet after 5 p.m. Fridays, lunch and dinner Saturdays and Sundays (with Ulele validation). There also is street parking near the restaurant, and a free private lot on Doyle Carlton Drive (southern extension of Highland) across from Water Works Park)
Payment options
AMEX, Contactless Payment, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Patrick Quakenbush
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.ulele.com/
Phone number
(813) 999-4952
Private party facilities
Ulele has several areas for dining that may be used for business meetings, social affairs, wedding events, charity functions, etc. These include inside the restaurant or outside in the beer garden, on the upper patio deck and on the riverside lawn (tents available).
Private party contact
Emily Johnston: (813) 513-2661

Ulele

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

100 Tampa / Central Florida West Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

50 Tampa Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

The Best Bars for Foodies in Tampa

Popular dishes

Seafood Risotto

Blackened Redfish

Coconut Ice Cream

Menu

What 12,957 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing

Screening

FAQs

Does Ulele offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Ulele restaurant rated?

Is Ulele currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

100 Tampa / Central Florida West Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

50 Tampa Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

The Best Bars for Foodies in Tampa