It was only a few years ago when TrebleMakers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant at The Grove was mine and Jannah’s favorite place to eat in Wesley Chapel. And, even though we always enjoyed the dueling piano shows, most of the time, we just wanted our fresh grouper or wahoo or a great steak that we couldn’t get at the local chains.
But, over the last couple of years, many of our favorite items either fell off the menu or the recipes for them were changed, so even though we kept trying for a while, we eventually pretty much stopped going altogether.
But now, original owner Jamie Hess is back partnering with Jason James, there’s a new chef and the place itself has become TrebleMakers Sports Bar & Dueling Pianos, with additional TVs, pool tables, dart boards and Golden Tee Golf, plus some type of entertainment every night of the week and a whole new menu and vibe.
The best thing, however — at least for Jannah and me — is that the restaurant’s new menu has a whole slew of new items and the few we sampled on our first visit were all excellent and will definitely bring us back for more — especially with all the other new “stuff” to enjoy.
Our meal started with a unique bruschetta (left photo), which added a base of creamy goat cheese spread to the usual crispy crostinis, house-made bruschetta and aged balsamic drizzle. I’m not usually a big goat cheese guy, but this was yum!
For our main course, Jannah opted for the Chicken Pesto Bowl (below right), which had a creamy parmesan risotto base, grilled chicken, house-made pesto and garlic lemon butter broccoli and fresh tomatoes, also topped with a balsamic glaze. She loved the risotto and we both appreciated that the broccoli was tender, but not mushy.
I chose one of my old TrebleMakers favorites — the (half) Rack of Lamb, which was four tender grilled chops (I don’t eat lamb rare or even medium rare, as I do steak; my lamb was properly medium for me), with a honey bourbon gastrique (a caramelized sugar & vinegar reduction), crispy fried buttermilk onion rings (Jannah loved those!) and a side of that same delish broccoli.
Other appetizers on the menu include “Boom-Boom” Shrimp, Spinach Artichoke Dip, a Pub Pretzel, Fried Brussels Sprouts and wings (bone-in or boneless).
There also are three salads on the menu, including a Treble Wedge, Chicken Caesar and Mandarin Chicken.
For sandwiches, there are four different Smash Burgers, plus a Blackened Salmon BLT, French Dip, Philly Cheesesteak and The Jolene (fried chicken breast with pimento cheese and bourbon bacon onion jam). Other Bowls include a Steak Chimichurri, Mediterranean and a panko fried Chicken Katsu.
And yes, you can still get Entrée Favorites an 8-oz. filet mignon, orange basil glazed salmon, honey bourbon glazed chicken and fish & chips.
Feel like a lighter bite for lunch? Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-4 p.m., the lunch menu includes smaller portions of many of your TrebleMakers favorites, all just $10-$12, although it costs $2 more to add fries to any of the items. There’s a Chopped Cheeseburger Hoagie, a Shrimp Rice Bowl, Chicken Bacon Caesar Tacos, Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese and more!
If you like to day drink with your lunch, draft beers are either $4 or $5, with $6 glasses of house wine and well drinks, $7 for all Tito’s cocktails and $8 red or white sangria glasses.
Happy Hours are Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-6 p.m. & Sat.-Sun, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., with the same draft beer prices, plus bottles or cans of beer just $4-$6 and $6 seltzers. All Happy Hour “Bar Bites” menu items are just $10 and include Buffalo Dip & Chips, Loaded Treble Fries, Arancini Risotto Balls w/Marinara, 5 Bone-In or Boneless Wings & more!
More Than Just The Food!
But, TrebleMakers is now also a great place to have fun every day! Check out this different-each-day entertainment:
Every time a new restaurant opens anywhere in or near New Tampa or Wesley Chapel, but especially anywhere near the Tampa Premium Outlets — since Jannah and I live across the street from that mall — we always get super-excited hoping that the newest place will end up being “our place.”
But, since most of the restaurants that have opened are the same chain restaurants that open in every major suburb in this country, more often than not, we are disappointed.
Our first glimmer of real hope came when Food + Beer opened in the former location of Shuckin’ Shack (in the same plaza as Chicken Salad Chick) towards the end of 2025.
Yes, Food + Beer is still basically a sports pub, but it definitely has a much more interesting, diverse, elevated and tasty menu than any of the “similar” chains in our area.
Food + Beer is a privately owned mini-chain that started in Sarasota in 2017 and the Lutz/Wesley Chapel location is the company’s eighth. The other locations are spread around Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice and Lakeland, with two more coming soon to Ellenton and West Tampa. Food + Beer was the brainchild of co-founders and friends Mike Whalen and Casey Daniels, who envisioned a casual place with lots of TVs and delicious comfort food conceived and made in a scratch kitchen.
And yes, it has pretty much become mine and Jannah’s local “place.” We stop off regularly for a burger or some wings and quite a few times for one drink after driving home following a Tampa Bay Lightning game. The vibe is definitely upbeat and friendly and Jannah says the craft cocktails at the full premium-liquor bar are spot-on.
So, What About The Food?
I’m so glad you asked! Between us, Jannah, Charmaine and I have been through most of the menu, although there are seasonal additions every quarter. The company’s culinary director Justin Collins (top photo) definitely seems to love his job and the opportunity he has been given to experiment with different flavor combinations.
“And, everyone loves our regular samplings when we come up with new menu items and give our people a chance to try them,” Justin says.
The only drawback for me so far has been the fact that Food + Beer does all of its seafood in the same baskets, while all other non-seafood fried items are cooked in a separate basket.
In other words, I can still eat the wings (which are outstanding!), the fries, the crisp sweet potato tots and the Cuban eggrolls (with tasty mojo pork, ham, pickles and Swiss cheese). Check. I can not, however, eat the fresh catch nuggets, crab Rangoon cheese sticks (right) or the current “Crab Fest” seasonal soft shell crab BLT — even though I’m not allergic to crab or grouper — because they are fried in the same baskets as the Buffalo shrimp, which is seriously a bummer. Soft shell crab is such a favorite of mine and you definitely don’t find it in most places, much less at most “sports pubs.”
Starters — One of my favorite starters is the tender Mexican street corn (below), which is served on the cob, with chipotle mayo, paprika, cilantro and feta cheese.
We all loved the unique tin can nachos, which are indeed served in a tin can (below right) and the chips are covered with tomatillo stewed chicken, white queso, pico de gallo, black beans and corn salsa, with lime crema and pickled onions. You might want to ask for help before flipping the can over to let all the chips fall out, although it is the best way I’ve seen to get all of the tasty nacho ingredients to mix.
Jannah and I also definitely gave thumbs-up to the bacon ranch quesadilla and we did add the optional blackened chicken. The signature jalapeño ranch dipping sauce, “definitely gives everything a kick of flavor,” Casey told me when he was on hand for Food + Beer’s opening weekend.
Nuggets + Wings — My favorite way to enjoy Food + Beer’s wings are to get the plain bone-in wings, which come out super-crispy, and then add whatever sauce you prefer on the side. In addition to the only semi-spicy “House Buffalo,” other sauces include “Stupid Hot,” garlic parmesan, Memphis BBQ, Carolina gold, Nashville hot, blackened and my two favorites — the sweet Thai chili and the teriyaki.
We were all surprised how much we loved the “PB&J” wings (top left), which are coated in a combo of an Asian-style peanut sauce and a spicy jalapeño jelly that definitely has a kick. I again suggest a side of the jalapeño ranch dipping sauce, which pretty much goes with everything.
I’m not usually the biggest boneless wing guy, but marketing director Cassi Knapik suggested we try the Buffalo chicken wedge (left), with iceberg lettuce, chopped red onion, cherry tomatoes, scallion, bacon jam, a 6-minute egg, House Buffalo nuggets and bleu cheese vinaigrette. And yes, all of that actually did work together nicely!
Burgers — I’m not as into a lot of stuff on my burgers as some people, but I am partial to the basic cheeseburger and the Okeechobee Smash burger (with “a whole lotta onions”) at Food + Beer. But, Justin turned me on to a new favorite — the meatball smash burger (right), which is a seasoned patty with caramelized marinara, mozzarella, fresh basil and a zesty parmesan-crusted brioche bun. I’m definitely ordering extra marinara on the side of this one next time!
Handhelds — My favorites are the Legalize Marinara (with scratch fried chicken, marinara, mozzarella, basil & parmesan on a garlic hoagie) and the “That Jawn!” cheesesteak, with shaved ribeye, caramelized onions and house yellow (cheese) “whiz,” although I also had it once with mozzarella — and liked it even better! (I know, Philly fan is threatening to hurt me for that one.)
But, Jannah’s favorite things on the entire menu are the birria tacos (left) — grilled braised beef, Monterey Jack and cotija cheeses, plenty of cilantro, red onion and of course, a traditional consommé dip. I’ve heard people rave about the Cubano and the Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, too, but I haven’t sampled those yet. The “Malibu Barbie” wrap — with chicken breast, bacon, avocado, pico de gallo, spring mix, bibb lettuce and honey-lime vinaigrette in a whole wheat wrap — is definitely on Jannah’s radar.
Bowls & Entrées — We liked the stewed chicken burrito bowl, but my favorite so far has been the tasty Korean bulgogi beef bowl (below right), served over sticky rice with kimchi, pickled veggies and cucumbers, topped with a sunny-side- up egg and sesame seeds. The bulgogi beef is tender and has such a great, semi-sweet flavor.
Platters — These all have items I can’t sample, but there’s one with 6 Buffalo nuggets and 5 fried colossal shrimp, another with five Buffalo bone-in wings and 5 shrimp, and the “Florida Man,” with PBR-battered grouper, gator bites and five shrimp. Please let me know if you try one!
Desserts — There are three deliciously different indulgences, each offering a different style of decadence. First, there’s the “S’more What?,” with a double fudge brownie, graham cracker and torched marshmallow Fluff.
Not feeling chocolatey? How about a bananas Foster ice cream sandwich, which is a Nightingale banana pudding ice cream sandwich with banana caramel sauce infused with Misguided Red Sky Rum, bruléed banana and chopped pecans — oh, and a 151 rum flambé (this one’s for ages 21 + older only).
But, my surprise favorite, because I’ve never really been a red velvet guy, are the fried red velvet Oreos (above). They’re dipped in red velvet batter, fried and topped with cream cheese icing and powdered sugar. The cookies retain some crunch but the Oreo cream inside becomes almost liquefied. Yum!
Daily Specials, Happy Hour & More — Food + Beer also offers a number of different specials, including Burger Monday, when a basic cheeseburger + fresh-cut fries costs just $6.99 every Monday (dine-in only). There’s also Trivia Wednesday: starting every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.; and Wing Thursday, with 89¢ bone-in or boneless wings every Thursday (also dine-in only).
Food + Beer’s Weekend Brunch is every Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and features a Bottomless Mimosa Bar that lets you build-your-own, with multiple juice options and add-ons like gummy bears, strawberries, blueberries etc; available during weekend brunch only.
The brunch menu includes so many great items, many of which we still haven’t tried (but are kicking ourselves for), including chicken & red velvet waffles, and the “Big Country,” with country-fried chicken breast over a split, griddled biscuit with sausage gravy, two eggs cooked to order and your choice of bacon or sausage, just to name a couple.
Lunch Specials at Food + Beer are offered Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and range from just $8–$10.
The New Happy Hour Menu offers daily drink specials from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. and 10 p.m.- close (including $3 “cheap ass” draft beers, $4 wells, $5 calls and $6 premium liquor & margaritas), plus new food specials from 3 p.m.-6 p.m. & 10 p.m.-close — and $5–$8 “bites” like pretzel bites, fried pickles, house Buffalo boneless wings, bacon ranch quesadilla and chips & queso.
Unfortunately, specialty cocktails like Jannah’s favorite Strawberry Feels Spritz (left) and “Casey’s PK” (above right), a unique take on a piña colada, aren’t offered at Happy Hour prices.
Late Night: Food + Beer stays open late, with food served until 1 a.m. or later every night — for everyone, not just you hospitality folks!
In other words, there’s a lot to like about Food + Beer (25026 Wesley Chapel Blvd. extension). For more info, visit EatFoodDrinkBeer.com or call (813) 815-8001 — and please tell ‘em I sent you!
In addition to its more upscale dinner items, The Grill at Morris Bridge on Cross Creek Blvd. has a great new bar menu that includes (above left) Nathan’s Coney Island hot dogs with different toppings, (below left) ham-&- cheese croquettes, (below right) savory meatballs, (lower left) crispy pretzels, (lower right) a variety of bar pizzas, brunch items like (bottom right) Berry Berry French toast and a blackened (or fried) grouper sandwich (below right). (Photos by Charmaine George and Gary Nager)
“This is now the fourth college and pro football season since we opened in 2021,” says The Grill at Morris Bridge owner Frank Gouveia, “and we’re really trying to cater to the local bar crowd that doesn’t want to have to deal with the big crowds and average-at-best food at most sports bars.”
To that end, Frank has expanded his already lower-priced bar menu options to include Nathan’s Famous hot dogs with a variety of toppings, ham and cheese croquettes, zesty meatballs and more.
“My parents sold Nathan’s hot dogs at their restaurant in New Bedford, Massachusetts, as far back as the 1950s,” he says. “So, having Nathan’s hot dogs here is a tribute to them.”
And, they’re delicious, too. I grew up on Nathan’s Kosher-style hot dogs at the one-time chain’s second restaurant in Oceanside, Long Island (the original location was, of course, on Coney Island, Brooklyn) and The Grill’s new Coney Island dog with mustard and sauerkraut definitely takes me back to those days, even though Frank serves them with yellow mustard, instead of the brown mustard I was used to — that must also be a Massachusetts thing. But honestly…yum.
The hot dogs also are available with house-made chili and onions and chili, onions and cheese, and are all served with house-made potato chips for just $6.90 apiece or two for $10.90. The chili is chunky, with just a hint of spice and the melted cheese is a great complement.
The super-crispy ham, spicy capicola and cheese croquettes come four to an order for just $9.90 and the white cheddar cheese is fully melted inside. The croquettes are served on top of a thick dip of parmesan, goat cheese, ricotta and parsley. Excellent finger food.
The meatballs are super-tasty, too, and very tender. They are made in-house from a freshly ground blend of The Grill’s ribeye and filet and served in a light tomato sauce for just $13.90 for an order of two. If you’re looking for something to dip in that sauce, try an order of the freshly baked pretzels (just $8.90 per order). They’re nicely crisp outside (as they should be; unlike at most other restaurants) and pillowy soft inside — and even though they’re served with a melted white cheddar dip, Frank won’t throw you out of the place for dipping them in the meatball sauce, too.
And, of course, The Grill’s Boston-style bar pizza is already legendary and available with a variety of toppings so you can build your own or try the cutely named options, like the New Bedford (with hot chicken, onions, scallions and spicy peri peri sauce) and the Route 140 (with linguiça sausage, banana peppers and onions). The pizzas are hearty, filling and start at just $11.90 for plain cheese.
Other items on the bar menu include cacoila (paprika-braised pulled pork) sliders for $12.90 and a big stuffed quahog (New England clam) for just $7.90. I haven’t yet sampled either of these.
But of course, Jannah and I have tried most of The Grill’s full lunch and dinner menu — all of which is available at the bar, too — so if you’re looking for something else when you visit to watch a game or any other reason, you can enjoy everything from the blackened grouper sandwich (and substitute fresh broccoli for the house-made French fries it comes with) to a delicious shaved ribeye sandwich (served with au jus and creamy horseradish sauce for dipping) to what is still New Tampa’s only bone-in tomahawk ribeye steak for two. There’s also true New England-style clam “chowda,” Jannah’s favorite grilled Caesar salad, prime rib (served Fri.-Sun.) in 12- and 16-oz. cuts, teriyaki-glazed salmon, a great smash burger with white cheddar (served with spicy peri peri mayo) and so much more.
The Grill at Morris Bridge has great food and shows your favorite college and NFL games.
There’s even a great Sunday Brunch menu, with spinach & artichoke dip, sautéed mussels, avocado toast, a charcuterie board and a variety of different eggs Benedict options, including braised short rib, salmon, “Southern” and crab cake “Bennys,” as well as a pancakes, Berry Berry French toast, a Nashville hot chicken sandwich, fried or scrambled egg sandwich and much more.
Try the chef’s super-creamy raspberry cheesecake
The Grill’s kids menu has mac & cheese, chicken tenders, a smash burger and hot dogs, all for just $7-$9. For dessert, there’s bourbon-glazed chocolate chip bread pudding, chef’s creamy cheesecake and different chef’s cakes.
And, with New Tampa’s most extensive wine list, plenty of domestic, imported and micro-brewed beers on tap and in bottles and cans and a true craft cocktail selection (Jannah’s favorite is the sparkling French martini), The Grill at Morris Bridge is the perfect place to eat, drink and be merry while watching Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Bucs (above) or your favorite NFL or college teams.
So, don’t just think of The Grill at Morris Bridge for dinner. Check it out for lunch, brunch and weekend football games, too!
The Grill at Morris Bridge (10920 Cross Creek Blvd.) is open Sun., 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Mon., 5 p.m.-9 p.m., 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. on Tue. & Wed., 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. on Thur. & Fri. & 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Sat. For more information, call (813) 388-5353 or visit TheGrillatMorrisBridge.com and please tell Frank and his crew I sent you!
