Enjoy Tequila Beach, by Day or Night

The day and night at , 7423 Manatee Ave. W., are as different as, well, night and day.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. Both sides blend together as effortlessly as day turns to night — like picking up a drink, strolling from the dining/main bar area and to the back bar with the stage where bands rock out every Saturday night. Last Saturday they hosted Wicked Jester. Rock band Pitbull Toddler, of Cowhead Radio 102.5 FM fame, debuted their new lead singer at Tequila Beach recently. (.)

The back bar doesn’t open until later in the evening on Fridays and Saturdays, but there isn’t any lack of seating, drinks or food otherwise. Nor televisions. Five 42-inch, high-def TVs play various sports programming from behind the front bar, and a 100-inch projection screen, one of the better quality projections in town, broadcasts the game of the day.

Tequila Beach has all the sports packages, including MLB Extra Innings. Diners can watch the games on one of the 42-inch flat screens or watch on private TV from a booth under a softly glowing wicker lamp.

The kitchen is open late: midnight Sunday through Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. The menu is getting an overhaul this month; planned additions include more pizza options, Philly cheese steak, more Mexican food and a mixing up of the sandwich selections.

Currently, the menu has choices for everyone, from starts (chips and salsa, spiced chicken quesadillas, waffle cheese fries), salads, sandwiches (Cuban, Reuben, Cozumel club, lime-garlic-mayo fish), burgers (Jamaican jerk, Mexican, turkey), pizza, wraps, chicken, fish, sirloin and other entrees. Prices range from $7.99 for a wrap or sandwich to around $17 for an entrée or large pizza.

Since Tequila Beach serves plenty of food, smoking is prohibited by state law. Smokers are free to enjoy the large, wooden deck where palm trees rise up from beneath the planks. The deck features eight small tables with umbrellas and three benches. It’s on a side street and away from the traffic of Manatee Avenue.

And, of course, there’s plenty of booze. The draft beers include the domestics, Yuengling and Stella, but the bottled selection is plentiful with more than 15-18 different crafts or imports at any given time. The bottles are served ice cold from an icy trough behind the bar but the selection (Icehouse, Grolsch, Widmer, Oatmeal Stout, Landshark, Dos Equis, Tecate, Corona, Bitburger, Presidente, Sierra Nevada, Shiner Bock and more) is displayed as empties atop the bar for easy reference. Beers cost from $3-$4.25 on a normal day.

Happy hour specials from 1-7 p.m. on weekdays and 3-7 p.m. Saturday offer beers from $1.25 to $2.25, $2 16 oz. domestic beers, two-for-one tall wells and calls, $3 house wines and $4 margaritas.

Tequila Beach isn’t satisfied with just margarita. It has 11 varieties, including its signature margarita, which it pours from a tap. Blueman, Italian, Cadillac, 100% Silver, Dazed & Confused, and Simply Surrender are the monikers for some of the others. They range from $4-$8. The martini list includes seven drinks made with Ketel One or Van Gogh vodkas including the Cosmo, Sour Apple, Lemon Drop, Espresso and Double Espresso. Average cost is $6.

Any Ohio State fans out there? Tequila Beach is home of the Ohio State Sarasota and Manatee County Alumni Association.

IF YOU GO:

Tequila Beach Sport Grille, 7423 Manatee Ave. W., is open 11 a.m. until midnight Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. until midnight Sunday.

AROUND BRADENTON THIS WEEKEND:

• If wine is your thing, make sure to visit one of Bradenton’s Gecko’s Grill and Pub locations at . or from 4-10 p.m. Thursday for Premium Wine Night. Select wines are $3 a glass or $12 a bottle.
• It’s at , 1611 9th St. W. Small draft Bud/Bud Lights are $1 and the rest are two-for-one; same with margaritas. The hometown Marauders take on the Brevard County Manatees at 7 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults, $6 for seniors (60 and over) and $5 for children (12 and under) and military and students with ID. Get your tickets at the box office or click here.
• A new tradition has begun. , 5606 14^th St. W., hosted its first ever Co-Ed Night a week ago and has decided to make it a weekly event. Every Thursday from 10 p.m. until midnight a DJ will announce which FREE drinks are available for the men and which ones for the ladies.
• , 420 301 Blvd. E., is hosting its monthly party this Saturday with pizza and live music. Guests are welcome to bring side dishes. Stop by for cheap, cold beer, a free meal and friendly chatter with a good group of local folk! The food comes out around 5 p.m.
• Free beer! , 108 44^th Ave. E., is a major sponsor of the Bradentucky Bombers roller derby league, and The Distillery is providing free draft beers during the Bombers' bout against Gainesville on Sunday at , 3611 3^rd St. W. Tailgating starts at 6 p.m. until the bout at 7 p.m. and resumes during halftime. Ticket info here. Join the skaters and their friends for a post-bout party at The Distillery.