Wild Indian Saloon: A Gutsy Bar With Western Feel

When Quentin Tarantino is ready to make a film starring a group of modern-day Native American avengers, the would make a more than fitting set. The interior has elements of classic biker bars and western shoot-em-up saloons wonderfully infused with the billiards and live music we all love about Largo’s dive bar scene.

That’s not enough to get a bar into a Tarantino film, though.

The saloon made headlines a few years ago for putting this message up below its street sign for July 4:

"U.S. Indian Policy, Kill Them Hang Them, Exterminate Them All, Enjoy Your Independence, You Earned It."

Other than the historical smack, what can we take from this outrageously eye-grabbing message? The people that run this place do so with guts. And with the way the bartenders pour drinks, it’s fair to say they haven’t lost their nerve.

As a liquor lover, it’s refreshing to watch Bob the bartender make drinks stronger than you would at home.

They must be expensive, right?

From 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., wells are $2 and after that they jump up to a whole $2.50.

In Bob’s words, “we’ve got the cheapest drinks in town.”

Everyone behind the bar chats jovially with customers and not just in the way of a  quick a joke or light up your smoke sort of way. The line between customer and employee sis blurred, but Bob somehow checked in with everyone to be sure no cups stayed empty.

Dancing on the bar is a relatively frequent occurrence. A regular points out that Bob usually instigates it, and while he doesn’t agree, he doesn’t deny it either.

It’s easy to see how someone would become a regular at the Wild Indian Saloon. They keep the place interesting by going further than just offering live music on the weekends.

On Monday and Wednesday there’s free Texas Hold'em. On Wednesday the bar offers an open jam with bongos and acoustic guitars on stage. If you don’t have an instrument, you can still come out and play—there’s enough of them to go around.

Thursday is ladies night and there’s live music on Friday and Saturday nights. Bob described the music as “usually rock” with the occasional heavy metal band performing.

The Tampa Bay Lightning game had customers yelling “Go Bolts!” The well placed and sized television screens made it easy to keep up with the game. This is valuable in a bar that doesn’t make sports its main attraction.

The jukebox played a lot of country music. As a side note even if you're not a usually fan of country music it suits the bar well. When Johnny Cash came on, more than a few people started singing along. The Wild Indian passed this all-important test of country music taste.

While there are a lot of decent places to drink in Largo, this is the first one I’ve left knowing it wouldn’t be my last visit. From the way everyone walked down the bar and shook hands on the way out, it was obvious there are a lot of regulars.

In the words of one customer that goes by the name Bobcat, “I don’t have to watch my back here…it’s all family and friends. All local people.”