The Bearded Turtle

Me and my husband and my eight-year-old son stopped by the bearded turtle for lunch and a few drinks and we met Ashley who was tending the bar at the time of our visit. What a sweetheart she is a joy to be around. The atmosphere was fresh and vibrant. She made sure we were well tended to. She’s friendly funny and sweet. The pool was a bonus. My eight year-old son went in the pool, which is really cool. ! We felt comfortable and very well taken care of, zero complaints here. The food is really good. It arrived promptly. Everybody is All Smiles. Thanks for having us.

The Bearded Turtle is such a cute spot, and the free parking is a huge bonus since it can be tough to find in Tarpon Springs. There is plenty of outdoor seating downstairs and a comfortable air‑conditioned area upstairs. We really enjoyed the music upstairs too. It had a fun mix of all genres and added to the atmosphere. Our group of five ordered a variety of meals, including the summer salad with chicken, mahi and grouper tacos, and the mahi tostadas. Everyone enjoyed their food. We also shared drinks, plantains, and yucca fries, which were all great additions to the table. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. Michael took wonderful care of us and was especially helpful with food recommendations. I only snapped a photo of the salad, but everything looked and tasted great. A lovely place for a relaxed meal with great service.

This is a fun little place with decent food, great drinks, great service and a fun atmosphere with a pool. The upstairs restaurant was closed while we were there so we sat at the tiki bar downstairs by the pool and we had fun. I had the Havanna Press which is sort of like a Cuban panini. Delicious! I got the fried plantains on the side, but I didn’t really like the grated cheese they put on it. Next time I’ll ask for it without the cheese. My husband had a smash burger, which was just OK for 20 bucks. Scott, our bartender, was excellent and made me a yummy red sangria. The atmosphere is really awesome and I can’t wait to go back and take a swim and sit by the pool under the palm trees and have a margarita. We did go on a Monday and it wasn’t super crowded. I bet it can get crowded on the weekends though.

We were excited to try this new spot in Tarpon Springs, especially since it’s tucked slightly away from the main congested area and offers plenty of convenient parking — a great start to the evening. When we arrived, we waited at the hostess stand near the outdoor bar by the pool, where a sign clearly said, “Please wait to be seated.” We did just that… for quite a while. Eventually, after looking around upstairs in the dining room and trying to find someone to assist us, we were finally seated. Once seated, things initially improved. We ordered drinks and onion rings as an appetizer, and both were excellent. The onion rings were perfectly seasoned, crisp, and flavorful, and the drinks were well-made and enjoyable. That first round had us optimistic. For dinner, my wife ordered the Grouper sandwich and I ordered the Wagyu short rib pappardelle. We were told the kitchen needed to check whether the Wagyu short rib pappardelle was “available,” which it was — but unfortunately, that’s where the experience began to decline. The Grouper sandwich was under-seasoned and lacked the fresh, flavorful punch you’d expect in Tarpon Springs. My Wagyu short rib pappardelle was equally disappointing — bland, poorly balanced, and simply not enjoyable. It was surprising given how promising the appetizer had been. Our server mentioned that they are newly opened and still working through some issues — including not having a blender for frozen drinks and being short on certain menu items. Based on the dinner, it also seemed like seasoning may be on that list of things they’re still dialing in. We truly wish them well. There’s potential here — good parking, a nice setting, and a solid start with appetizers. Hopefully the staff can pull together, work through the opening kinks, and elevate the consistency quickly. With some refinement, this place could be much better than what we experienced on this visit.

Ashley is an amazing bartender! I ordered tuna nachos, they were absolutely delicious! Ashley’s margaritas are always on point! Love the new atmosphere! Service was great!! Glad to see the pool and hot tub clean and open! Love the table options on the upper deck and around the pool! Great improvements!! Will be back for sure!!