The Hideaway Cafe and Recording Studio

Great room for a band, food is good and beer is cold. Say hello to Kristin.
It gets a little loud so don’t expect to be talking much. For the true music lover.

The Hideaway is an intimate setting for concerts with a good sound system. I think that they can probably only seat 60 – 70 people. The quality of the music programming seems to be consistently good.
The have good craft beer, but it’s a bit expensive compared to other local cafes. The pizza that we ordered had a tremendous amount of raw garlic that left us queasy. With a little work on the quality of the food and an adjustment of draught beer prices, I could become a regular customer.

I’ve been wanting to check this place out for a couple of years now and finally had the chance. I went to see Alternate Routes with a couple of friends on a Sun night. The place packs up fast, but because of its size pretty much every seat is a good seat. It is a variation of cabaret low tops up front and then high tops toward the back and then the bar area. Sort of a semi circle set with the stage in a corner. The acoustics are fine. They have a good beer and wine selection. The staff is friendly and stays on it through out the night. We had spinach salad and a few flatbreads, it was all tasty. The brad used for the flatbread is rustic and thick. Enjoy!

We went to see Sundy Best. I couldn’t have asked for a better environment for a up close and personal experience. Even right in front of the stage, the sound was great. We had 2 pizzas and would recommend them to anyone looking for a solid snack. I was a bit taken back at the prices of the drinks though, $ 4 for a Miller light bottle is a bit steep!

We went for the first time to see Sundy Best and didn’t know what to expect from a «listening room.» The place is intimate; only has a capacity of 99 people. Tables were set up facing the stage and it was nice to be able to sit and listen to music while being waited on. Their menu had flatbreads, sandwiches, and salads. They had craft beer on tap along with domestic bottled beer and wine. No hard alcohol here. On the downside, the Hideaway Café has only one single stall bathroom. One total. For men and women both to use so the line got quite lengthy. However, the men were polite enough to put the seat down and the bathroom stayed fairly clean. All in all I had a pleasant experience and would visit the Hideaway again for live music.

I wish I could go more often. The first time I went we were greeted by friendly staff, who made us a delicious sandwich, and throughout the evening checked in on us. The evening ended with everyone having a sing-​a-​long. It was relaxing.
Many of my friends in local bands enjoy performing here, especially for open mic night where they get to test out original music. It’s a unique and intimate experience.

Was there Friday night, charged $ 7 cover. Fine, until I noticed people were streaming in and not paying cover. I felt ripped off. It was over crowded. Then when the girl was singing her mgr got up and for 10min lectured the customers to be quiet so we could hear the singing. Which we could already hear. Owner contacted me, said he was only sorry the artist had to sing over noise and that I could go to another bar to take a load off on a Friday night. not that he was sorry I got ripped off… or that it was so miserable in there I only heard one girl sing and left before the band I Came for played because they were running behind.

First time seeing a performance at this place last night and I loved it. My friends and I saw Tony Lucca of The Voice. It’s small listening room with tables, couches and some bar stools. There is a bar and I think I saw some people eating but didn’t see a menu. The sound is awesome. I can’t wait to see more shows here. I loved the respectful chill atmosphere. Great place to hear/​see great music.

Came to hear music and have a couple of beverages with a friend on a Saturday night. There was a $ 7 cover charge to get in. The band had already began however at the moment, they were talking to the customers.
We began to order a drink and the bartender was whispering to us. We whispered our order back. I mentioned that the whispering was awkward and she agreed.
The band began, they were good, acoustics were great! Throughout the the two hours of our stay, we were uneasy to talk as it was quiet, nobody was talking while the band played.
If you want to hear good live music this a great venue however do not plan to «catch up» with friends without getting looks from other patrons.

This venue is one of the most intimate places to watch live music. Betty Fox is nothing short of incredible. Her band vibes so well, I immediately felt at home in their presence. As a new St. Pete resident, I can’t wait to enjoy many nights to come. The beer and wine selection is up to par, staff extremely friendly and more than enough seating for a «listening room.»
Unfortunately, when we went, it was open mic night. Chris Walker took the stage and proved to be even more of a tool than the previous time I encountered him years ago working in Lakeland. His pompous attitude, overt showmanship, and over all vibe drove me right out of the place.
All in all, I will be back to see Betty Fox in a heartbeat, but will bolt anytime Chris Walker is in the building.

Truly one of the best, and most intimate, places to see live music in St Pete.
They call this «a listening room» and there are «shhhhh» signs on all the tables asking that conversations be taken outside during performances. Fantastic! Really a dream come true…
The owners are clearly passionate about what they do, and it shows in every detail. I was a little bummed that they do not serve hard alcohol, but it inspired me to try an ultra-​premium cider they have on tap.
Perfection!

They’re only open a few times a week (check their website…
) but everytime they are they always have AWESOME live music playing. Even if it doesn’t seem like your style of music, sit down and enjoy it for awhile. I’ve been there mostly on Blues nights and while I don’t listen to Blues ever in my daily life (nor in my iTunes or iPod), its kind of awesome to sit there and jam out to it… they get into it!
They have a makeshift kitchen and even though it’s small, they can crank out some masterpieces… we tried two of their flatbreads (I think they only have 3 to choose from) and I don’t remember exactly what they were, but be assured, you cannot choose poorly here.
They have an amazingly chill ambiance if you’re looking for something different and unique. They also have a good selection of beer and wine to accompany your food and of course, the main course, the live music.
This is definitely a hidden treasure of St. Pete and you’ve probably passed by it before without even knowing its there.

Excellent live music spot. Amazing sound quality, great vibe, you just walk in the door and are happy you are here. Nice wine list, and the flatbread I ate was delicious.
But man, the service on the night I was there was just so bad, it was distracting. It absolutely detracted from my enjoyment. The place was full, but not insane. Food took 35 min. 10 min for someone to take my order at the bar, and she literally served ONE person before me. The 2 bartenders moved around, they weren’t slackers really, but they were clearly not efficient, and did not have enough help. Customer after customer approaching the bar asking where their food was, where their drink was, who was in charge of their table. Bartenders confused about what food goes where and whose check is whose. Complaints about flat beer. Warm beer. Out of wine glasses. Out of some foods. I had the misfortune of sitting at the bar so I could hear every single complaint. Neither bartender cracked a smile the whole 2 hours i was there. They were clearly overwhelmed, seemed unhappy, and customers just staring blankly wondering how much longer they would have to wait. For such a small place, it would not be that hard to manage this more efficiently, maybe a cocktail server and bartenders that stay behind the bar. I watched 3 people stand at the bar for at least 5 minutes with zero bartenders behind the bar while one bartender was in the kitchen washing plates. PLATES. not glasses. Just poorly organized and frustrating to endure.
Don’t go hungry, don’t go thirsty, but do go– go to see some music, sit a table with a full belly, order a bottle of wine so you don’t have to go wait on drinks, or go on a dead night.

Wow. What a wonderful venue to hear quality music and enjoy delicious food and drink. We have attended several shows at The Hideaway, and we’ve been totally impressed each time. Wonderful talent in an intimate listening environment. John Kelly is a master of bringing in great music and overseeing (or making!) delicious food. The Hideway is a gem in St. Petersburg. Go!

OK I only stopped by The Hideaway while eating next door at The Burg for lunch. They were getting set up for the evening. They welcomed me in and showed me around. I was blown way by the clean and comfortable atmosphere. This has to be one of the best venues to see local and out of town music in a night club/​speak easy setting. They do have food (didn’t see the menu). I plan to stop by some evening for a drink and music. So I hope i have more to report soon.

Since moving to Tampa, I haven’t really embraced the local music scene. Or any music really. In Miami I was fortunate enough to enjoy a brew pub that also had live music almost every time I went, and while the Ale and the Witch does have live music, their beer kinda takes my focus for some reason.
For my friend’s birthday, he and his fiancé invited me out to The Hideaway to hang out and listen to one of his friend’s band. Sounded like fun, so I quickly drove over (seriously no one has the right to complain about «how far Tampa is from St. Pete» because the ride took me 15 minutes), parked for free, mind you, and went inside.
The atmosphere is that of the local bar with live music designed for people who appreciate good local music. The place was not filled with drunk college kids, but rather a range of people from late 20s to even 60s just sitting back. Oh yeah, the bar doubles as a recording studio, which adds to the charm and knowledge that you will be listening to something good.
Anyways, the beer selection is limited on draft, but they have a fridge filled with craft beers so even the snob can get something as homey as the band. There is also a selection of pizzas, sandwiches and salads, which my friend said was good, but I didn’t feel like dropping $ 10 on a pizza without knowing how big (curse you Papa Johns and you’re deals).
I recommend checking out at least one of their shows. We got to hear Paint The Town Red and would be willing to return even before they do.

Some friends brought me to the Hideaway for an acoustic performance, and before I even walked in the door, I was in love. Right there, on the front door, it says something to the extent of this is a listening room, please respect the artists and those here to listen by not talking during performances.
Of course, the night we went it was a) St Patrick’s Day, and b) free, which meant that this wasn’t so much followed. But either way, this place is awesome. Its small, intimate, and comfortable, with traditional tables and chairs, as well as very comfy looking couches and coffee tables. There’s a bar in the back, and a small menu, which is apparently new and a result of a recent expansion.
The sound was excellent, and the space was perfect for an acoustic show. They also have a small recording studio in the back. Definitely some place I’d recommend to artists looking for acoustic venues and to music lovers looking for an acoustic show.