Good Time, Late Night Hangouts

Seminole Heights might not be your first thought when you're heading out late at night looking for a fun hangout. People typically first consider the night club heavy scenes of Ybor City or South Tampa. However, there are more than a few good nightlife spots in Central Tampa, and there's probably one within a few minutes walk from you.

For this first installment of "The Heights @ Night," we visited some late night eateries: , , , and . He arrived after 11 p.m. on a recent Friday and Saturday evening. Each had it's own unique mix of people that lends a different atmosphere to each place.

turned out to have a good amount of friendly regulars at the counter, and the servers were really nice. That's what keeps people like Rick Ritchey and Cliff Kula coming back. They talk about a broad range of topics from the current neighborhood news to changes in Florida weather.

is mostly a young crowd of people involved in conversation and laughter, but it's just as welcoming to older people. Each section of the bar has a different feeling. There are people playing darts, people talking outside and people meeting others at the bar.

has a cast of regulars that sit at the bar and are eager to tell you just how much they love being there. Diane Vallee likened The Front Porch to Cheers. It really has that everybody knows your name vibe, especially on the karaoke nights (Thursday and Saturday).

has a crowd of hungry people that come from all over the bay to enjoy amazing Mexican food late at night. Though many people regularly eat at Taco Bus, it's different than the other places. It's more personal and better to attend with friends.

The next time you think of going out for some food or drink late at night, be sure to check out these places. You don't need to go far in search of great atmosphere, food and fun.