About - The Bearded Turtle
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Offerings
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Cocktails
- Wine
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We had never been here before and were looking for a place to enjoy some drinks and possibly get some food. It is tucked away, so it’s out of the bustling of the main area, which is great! We went during the wine walk event, that Tarpon Springs was holding. Not busy at all. The hostess wasn’t very friendly or happy, seemed rather bored and just wanted to go home. The male bartender was very nice and upbeat, he was great! I noticed the food from the other customers and it didn’t look all that fresh and people weren’t finishing their meals, so we decided to just get a drink and leave. My drink was good, nothing special. Not much on tap if that’s something you are wanting. Not sure if I will be returning or not.
The staff was great. Eleni was an amazing bartender. I was craving a spicy drink. She cut jalapeños for me and made me a wonderful cocktail off the menu. The food was great and the hostesses were bubbly and very helpful. The owner Rich found a shirt for us as well as shook my hand and introduced himself. He acknowledged and gave full attention to my wife as well. This will be a must stop every time we visit. Thank you Rich and staff for a wonderful first experience.
We were excited to try this new spot in Tarpon Springs, especially since it’s tucked slightly away from the main congested area and offers plenty of convenient parking — a great start to the evening. When we arrived, we waited at the hostess stand near the outdoor bar by the pool, where a sign clearly said, “Please wait to be seated.” We did just that… for quite a while. Eventually, after looking around upstairs in the dining room and trying to find someone to assist us, we were finally seated. Once seated, things initially improved. We ordered drinks and onion rings as an appetizer, and both were excellent. The onion rings were perfectly seasoned, crisp, and flavorful, and the drinks were well-made and enjoyable. That first round had us optimistic. For dinner, my wife ordered the Grouper sandwich and I ordered the Wagyu short rib pappardelle. We were told the kitchen needed to check whether the Wagyu short rib pappardelle was “available,” which it was — but unfortunately, that’s where the experience began to decline. The Grouper sandwich was under-seasoned and lacked the fresh, flavorful punch you’d expect in Tarpon Springs. My Wagyu short rib pappardelle was equally disappointing — bland, poorly balanced, and simply not enjoyable. It was surprising given how promising the appetizer had been. Our server mentioned that they are newly opened and still working through some issues — including not having a blender for frozen drinks and being short on certain menu items. Based on the dinner, it also seemed like seasoning may be on that list of things they’re still dialing in. We truly wish them well. There’s potential here — good parking, a nice setting, and a solid start with appetizers. Hopefully the staff can pull together, work through the opening kinks, and elevate the consistency quickly. With some refinement, this place could be much better than what we experienced on this visit.