The Castle

Address:	2004 N 16th St, Tampa, FL 33605, USA
Phone:	+1 813-247-7547
Site:	castleybor.com
Rating:	4.6
Working:	Closed Closed Closed 10:30PM–3AM 10:30PM–3AM 10:30PM–3AM Closed

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 6

Elusive Groove

Went to "The Castle" for the first time last night and had a great time up until 10 minutes prior to leaving the venue. My date and I arrived and were greeted by the two wonderful bartenders on the bottom floor who could not have been nicer and more welcoming. Each time I came back to the bar they were right there to see if we needed anything. We drank at the downstairs bar for 90 percent of the night. Then it all fell apart due to the most incompetent and rude manager I have ever had to deal with. We closed our tab at the downstairs bar total of $80.0 for the tab plus a $25.00 tip for the outstanding service of the girls downstairs. We go upstairs to have one more drink before leaving and after the drink I ask for my tab and to pay out...the upstairs bartenders says "There is a $20.00 minimum on a credit card you have to order more drinks or pay the difference in cash." I explained that we had just closed a $100 tab downstairs which put us well above the $20.00 minimum...the bartender says " I dont care what you spend downstairs its a 20.00 minimum and refused to give me back my license and credit card. I asked to speak to a manager and the Fema Nazi from hell appeared out of the mist to "address" my issues. She started off with an attitude without even asking what was wrong. After I explained to her that I was not going to pay another $15.00 dollars to get my credit card back she went saying that there is a $20.00 minimum on credit cards...I explained to this moron that I had already spent over $100 downstairs which was well over the $20.00 minimum...I asked her to show me a sign anywhere near the bar that stated there was a $20.00 minimum which she was unable to do as there is no sign anywhere inside the bar. After arguing with this rude, obnoxious and completely unprofessional "manager" my tab was waived and we went to leave moments later. As we were walking out the front exit the Fema Nazi appeared again and proceeded to say see here is the sign about the 20.00 minimum which is about a 3-inch sign on the darkened entry door that you could not see if you tried. I again explained that I spent over $100 in the bar informed her that maybe they should update their point of sale systems so the bottom floor bars and the top floor know someone had already paid their tab above their minimum. She then proceeded to flip-out as How Dare I a simple peasant tell her how to run her bar. My family has been in the bar business for 40 years so I think I have a bit of knowledge in that area. She then pointed to the door girl and said these two are banned. So a fantastic night which was going perfect was ruined by a horribly incompetent "manager" who has no clue how to treat a customer. Needless to say banned or not I will not be going back until the owners replace this lousy excuse of a manager with someone that understands customer service. 1 star for the manager....5 stars for the fantastic service of the young ladies working the bottom bar...maybe the manager can spend 2 minutes with these ladies to see how you treat a customer.

A Private User

Ive been to a few clubs in the alternative genre, and probably been to about 10 clubs in the Ybor area. This one, however, keeps me coming back. Both staff and patrons are pretty laid back, Space is large, two floors, plenty of dance room, save for the "event nights" where it gets pretty crowded. Old school goth/industrial, 80s, New Wave Pop, there are a lot of different nights for different tastes. Tia upstairs can make any drink - even if they havent been invented yet. Once I asked her for a "fire within" on a cold night, and (although it doesnt exist), she made a fantastic-tasting shot. Having been going here on and off for about 6 years, Id highly recommend if youre tired of the "meat market" type clubs littering the landscape. Good friends, good drinks, and excellent decor. Update: Been going for close to 13 years now, albeit less than my more adventurous younger years. I still try to get out at least once every 3-4 months to this place. While a lot changes, the key bartenders are still there and doing awesome, the DJs are still cranking good tunes, and its easy to make friends or just sit and enjoy the ambiance.

A Private User

Its sad that a place like The Castle is considered to be one of the best nightclubs in the Tampa Bay area. Its true that once, a long time ago, it was a well run establishment and fun place to go. Now, its painful to walk in there and see what it has become. The drinks are average and expensive, the bartenders are nothing special ( just because you wear a corset and thick black eyeliner does not make you a better bartender, girls. Also, you will only get good service if the bartenders expect a large tip... otherwise you might as well be invisible.), their so-called "sound engineers" do not know how to mix music correctly, and a majority of the clientele are obviously paid employees. At about 1:00am, expect there to be people puking or doing drugs in almost every bathroom stall or in the hallway or stairwell! I hope you like clove cigarettes, because your clothes will smell like them for weeks. Seriously, guys.... this place is over-hyped and overrated. Dont let the decor and the fact there is nowhere else to go in Ybor fool you!. This place stinks!!!

Shepard Of War

Love going there. Huge shout out to Desire at the Door! Its 5 clubs in one really. Upstairs Red Room for relaxing and socializing on the comfy seats, (imagine bean bag seats, but on a stool, with just the seat like a bean bag, but stuffed with feathers or cotton instead of beads.) Main dance floor upstairs has the fetishes you asked for. Whipping walls, seating lining the floor and a pretty impressive bar lined up to the north west side. Oh and the huge projectors playing your favorite horror film to the music is a nice touch. Dancers on the 4 or 5 mini stages around the dance floor for show. Downstairs is a normal dive bar atmosphere, really relaxed and casual. Patio outside to get some air and listen to the music. Inside nonsmoking VIP room is really nice, almost looks like a theater.

Matthew Previtera

I went to the Castle assuming there would be a welcoming goth community, outcasts that want to meet and experience new outcasts, but I was awarded with clicks of over pretentiousness Queens and woman that expected every guy that talked to them were hitting on them. Im a gay man and felt very unwelcomed, I will never see this venue again because of atmosphere these people perpetratorated, I understand it is not the owners fault, everything about the venue is perfect, but the bartenders, specifically the female did not provide me with adequate service, providing more to he friends rather than the rest of the bar, resulting in what I saw was many people leaving as I sat and watched. I am very impressed with your show girls, and their costumes, very unimpressed by the the service.

Daniel Lancaster

USED to be a great bar with great music. now they cater to the clear channel crowd, their music and DJ blew big time. "80s Night" was all bootie from 2000 +, and when i withdrew cashh from their ATM and it didnt come out of the machine, I pointed that out to the door person, (this hostile little charmer) who dumped out my drink and escorted me out. SHADY. so to review. 1. crappy service 2. crappy music 3. shady as hell and i forgot to mention 4. FILTHY. DO NOT GO THERE EXPECTING WHAT THIS PLACE USED TO BE. it is now just trying to keep its lights on. IF YOU ARE CASH ONLY DONT BE SO RUDE ABOUT IT.