Bar Scene: Shephard's

(Credit: Ashley Grant)

Photos:

At Shephard’s you get to party at the beach.  Three bars in one location, what more could you ask for?  Tiki Bar, the Sunset Lounge and Wave Nightclub all offer different vibes and because of that can please even the widest variety of club goers. 

Drinks: In the Sunset Lounge, your best bet is the $4 Long Island on Saturdays.  At Tiki Bar any day of the week you must try the frozen drinks.  One of the most popular is the Miami Vice.  This drink layers Pina Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri.  Another popular drink is the rum runner.  Frozen ice cream drinks are also available at Tiki Bar.  At Wave Nightclub you’ll find the cheapest bottle service in the Tampa Bay area-the spies from Shephard’s actually made sure this was true.  Bottles start at just $135. 

Decor: Sand on the ground is typical for Tiki Bar. Oh yes, and you can actually walk onto the beach from the dance floor.  The Sunset Lounge looks more like a restaurant because it is one!  However, there is a dance floor next to all the tables and chairs.  Wave Nightclub features tons of VIP couches on the top level and tables and chairs next to the dance floor on the first level.  Wave Nightclub has been described as having a Miami vibe with the cool lights, silver railings and white couches and chairs.

Insider tips: If you are in the hospitality industry you can bring a pay stub and get a Hospitality Industry Personnel card that will get you discounts on Sundays.  Your cover charge at Tiki Bar is also your ticket into Wave Nightclub. The catch? 18 and up at Wave but 21 and up at Tiki Bar.  If you eat at the restaurant get a voucher to get into the nightclubs for free.  Unfortunately, smoking is allowed at Tiki Bar and Wave Nightclub so watch out for lit cigarettes on the dance floor!

Service: Great.  Considering how busy the 3 bars at Shephard’s get, the bartenders are pretty good at serving quickly and efficiently.

Sounds: Top 40 and high energy dance music for the most part. Wave Nightclub features DJs and on Saturdays 93.3 spins the beats.  At Tiki Bar and Sunset Lounge there are sometimes live bands and other times there are DJs.  The live bands play oldies and newbies when they are scheduled.

Bottom line: Three bars, one location, lots of fun!  This place is the perfect spot to hang out after a day at the beach or a day out anywhere for that matter.

The damage: The specials that the different bars have every night keep the drinks flowing without needing a line of credit.  With $3 24 oz beers on Fridays at Tiki Bar, $3 Opulent vodka/ $3 Malibu drinks on Saturdays at Wave and many other specials throughout the entire week, Shephard’s makes sure you can drink on the cheap daily.  Beware of top shelf shots though.  They will rip the money out of your hands as fast as a pick pocket.  The Johnny Vegas alone is $9. Yikes!

Dress code: The dress code is pretty strict during club hours.  Not following it can get you thrown out!  Just a taste of the dress code: No excessively baggy clothing of any type (shirts must be above the bottom of your zipper, pants and shorts must fit around the waist), no bandanas, doo-rags, skullcaps, knit caps, no profane language is to be displayed on any clothing, no tank tops, no swimsuits.  For the complete list of dress code requirements visit www.blog.myspace.com/waveparty

Shephard’s

619 S. Gulfview Blvd.

Clearwater Beach, FL 33767

www.shephards.com

www.myspace.com/waveparty

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