Heights Seafood Co: A Not So Traditional Raw Bar

Yeah, poke is trendy, but some places do it better than others.

Heights Seafood Co, 2019

FaceBook is amazing. The community pages around Tampa inform me of all sorts of cool things opening around the city. Heights Seafood Co was one such discovery. As Stormy and I were sitting around and looking for something to eat, we realized that we had heard some amazing things about this place and that we should probably check them out. That time was now! Fun little side note, if you look the address up on Google Maps, the building will show while you're traveling down Florida Ave, but it will not show if you go down one of the side streets. Created a fun experience when the time came to actually go to this place. But you didn't come here for that!

Seafood, 2019

Heights Seafood Co is more of a meat market than it is a restaurant. They have an amazing selection of seafood and the gentlemen behind the counter can tell you exactly where it is from. We were informed that they try to stay as local as possible, but that can't always be the case. Fair enough. One thing is for sure: Their seafood is very fresh! However, as with most businesses in the heights, their parking is awful and the space is small (though they managed to get quite a bit in there given the size). There are two tables inside to create the "restaurant," while the rest is used as a market. They sell a lot of different teas, lemonades, and flavored waters that fall under the "organic" labels. I'm not complaining, as the teas I had (in the rare instance that I allow myself some caffeine) were really good. 

Spicy Tuna & Spicy Salmon Poke Bowl, 2019

If you do choose to eat here, keep in mind that the menu is very small, but the combinations are seemingly limitless. And since I always have trouble finding the menu, I'll post it here for you to find online: 

Menu, 2019

Stormy and I both chose to do the 1 base, 2 scoop poke. I started with the rice and added spicy tuna and shrimp to my bowl, then topped it with radish, jalapeno, avocado, seaweed salad, among other leafy goodness, and topped it with the citrus ponzu. Allow me to state, for the record, that my meal was incredibly spicy. That comes from a guy who can handle a moderate amount of spice. The heat did not stop me from eating, however, and I managed to get it all down. Now, keep in mind that this is essentially deconstructed sushi. The fish is served raw (except for the shrimp, which is steamed). The easier drinking drinks that they served (lemonade and waters) complimented the meals nicely, while I found the teas to be a little on the heavier side. This is just me and your experience will probably vary. 

Salmon & Tuna Poke Bowl, 2019

Stormy, being the picky eater that she is, decided on a tuna and salmon poke bowl with rice, complimented with wonton crisps, almonds, avocado, among other things, and topped with a toasted sesame soy sauce. We did find that the salmon had more flavor than the spicy tuna did, but both were excellent additions to the shrimp. I found the rice base to be a bit on the boring side, so I'd personally suggest the mixed greens. 

Inside, 2019

Things to know before you go:

- This is Seminole Heights. The parking, as always, sucks.

- The restaurant portion is really small. This is more of a lunch counter than a stay and eat.

- Try the jerky while you're there.

- Stormy says eat the avocado.

Where is your favorite place to get poke? Did you try the spicy salmon? Leave a comment below. If you'd like more information on Tampa, check out my YouTube Channel and if you'd like to support my efforts, don't hesitate to buy a shirt from our Spreadshirt (we have new designs!).  Also, don't be afraid to click subscribe and you'll instantly be notified whenever a new entry is posted. If you'd like to meet other people who love Tampa, consider joining our Facebook Group. Thank you all and I will see you next time!