The Mahaffey

What a stunning venue.
I’ve been a lucky girl and been invited to the Mahaffey on 2 occasions during the past year.
the last was a week or so ago when I received a last minute invite to see The Florida Orchestra perform Sting. Yes please!
The venue is stunning. Acoustics divine. I love the area overlooking the bay. The huge windows are beautiful and add to the ambiance of the room.
I did find the bar prices a little high for not so great wine. Nice pour though. The bartender was quite charming also.
I left enjoying my evening, even though the performance I found a tad unusual and not what I was expecting. I left hoping for a bigger sound from the Orchestra. They seemed to fall flat against a quirky lead for the «band.»

Stevie Nicks
The beautiful sultry songstress and goddess of rock
We had the pleasure of seeing her when she played at the Mahaffey theater. Her voice was in great shape some artist as they age lose their voice, not Stevie.
My favorite song that she sang was Landslide such a beautiful meaningful song filled with inspiring lyrics.
She’s also a great poet writing all her own songs based on things that have happened in her life.
I go to concerts quite a bit and enjoy many different genres of music. She’s one of my favorite female vocalist. I will see her one more time hopefully she will return to Florida. The acoustics in the theatre are very good. I like that it’s not like a huge stadium much more quaint and ambience is nice.

After having a company Christmas party here a few years ago where we used the atrium that faced the water, my return for an actual performance last night confirmed how I like this place much more than Straz in downtown Tampa.
Virtually everything here looks better and more welcoming than other similar venues in the area. Customer service at ticket windows, concessions and at entrances was high quality.
Mahaffey is more intimate and the seating areas are simply more accessible than Straz or Ruth Eckerd Hall for that matter. If you’re in the middle seats across those big rows on the floor of Straz or REH, you better not drink at all… because you are pretty much stuck there unless the entire row wants to get up and head to the lobby with you.
Acoustics at The Mahaffey are very good. The sound is clean although our visit to see The Florida Orchestra left us craving more of the orchestra itself as we attended their tribute to the music of The Police.
The small rock band that fronted the orchestra for this performance overwhelmed them and it was tough to hear the orchestra itself. While the lead singer absolutely has a voice to replicate Sting, he was way too physically active on stage. I haven’t seen someone so emphatically lift one leg up and down since watching an NFL quarterback try to get a snap from center out of shotgun formation with the play clock winding down.
His interaction with the audience was also extremely awkward. After eight songs, he unplugged his guitar and walked off stage to indicate an intermission rather than communicate this appropriately with the audience.
Guess we shouldn’t be surprised that he was out of his comfort zone backed by an orchestra because he introduced the members of his band only just two songs in, something traditionally done much later in the show, and he clearly did not even know the name of his keyboard player.
Also, while it is common for theaters to bring in local disc jockeys to introduce shows like this, this DJ from «The Eagle» who spoke on stage before the music started was an embarrassment. He looked as if he was dragged in after happy hour drinks at The Hanger across the street and read from a sheet of paper that looked like it had been crumpled up in his pocket since he arrived at work in the morning.
Look forward to returning to The Mahaffey for another TFO performance next season where we receive and enjoy more of the true orchestra experience.

Beautiful theater and venue, inside and out. The view of the water is absolutely gorgeous! I did not have any issues with parking or getting out of the parking lot after the concert thankfully.
The concert we attended was well organized and fully staffed. From ticket pick up at will call to getting inside to being shown to our seats by an usher– everything was smooth and went without a hitch! And there was never a long line at any of the bars. Seats were comfortable and view was great from where we were sitting. Acoustics were good– we could clearly hear all of the performances.
This was my first time at the Mahaffey and I am already looking at their event schedule to hopefully attend more events in the near future. I had such a great time!

The Mahaffey is a beautiful performing arts venue. Meticulously maintained and well-​staffed, I think this is a great venue to watch a performing arts performance. It is located adjacent to the Salvador Dali museum and in view of the water in St. Pete, a very pretty location.
I like the layout of the modern theater and that it has two functional floors. The seats are fairly comfortable although not spacious. The bathrooms are nice and clean. I haven’t had to park at the Mahaffey so thankfully I avoided the (often-​told) horrendous parking situation.
All in all a very nice venue to enjoy a show at. Check the website to see what shows are being offered.

Finally got a chance to go to the Mahaffey Theater to see the Disney Live show. Hey we’re very organized with redeeming my tickets, and pointing us in the right direction for our seats. The seats were comfortable and I could tell there didn’t seem to be any bad seats in the theater. They had a great sound and there was no problem hearing the performance.
There is a bar with drinks and minimal snacks. When we went they also had a PDQ vendor selling chicken fingers deals with drink and chips for $ 5.
All in all, it was a nice experience at the theater, and I would definitely come back.

This is a nice modern theater with stage, balcony and private box seating. Quite comfortable although not the fancy leather seats and recliners at some movie theaters. Also large hall spaces and entry area as well as upstairs space for parties. A nice venue and the staff was friendly and helpful.

Beautiful venue and I love that the view is pretty good from any seat. I was up in Balcony B and was still able to see perfectly. The acoustics were pretty great. The people around me were a tad obnoxious but that has nothing to do with the venue. Parking was a bit of a nightmare getting out, but could be worse (at another venue I’ve been to cars were double parking in the garage and no one could get out for half hour, so the 10 – 15 this took seemed easy!). The ushers were nice and helpful, and the seats were comfortable (though I wish the arm rests moved).

The Mahaffey Theater is a beautiful venue inside and out. There were food and drinks for sale inside. All of the staff were friendly. We enjoyed the show very much. The seating was cramped and the chair was uncomfortable for me. This will not stop us from returning.

5 stars for the beautiful venue and variety of entertainment–
This venue is really beautiful inside and out. Parking isn’t really an issue and it can range from only $ 5 – 10. There is a lot of room outside to wander about and check out the Dali Museum as it’s right next door. Inside of the Mahaffey it’s organized very well with two floors and several full liquor bars on each floor for convenience. We’ve been several times in the last two years and we’ve sat in all sections of the theater and I can tell you that all seats are really good for the Florida Orchestra. If you’re seeing a different performance such as a comedian or illusion show, you might want to be closer to the stage such as the Orchestra area. A side note: If you’re over 6’1″ your knees may touch the seat in front of you.

Theatre and staff are great! They could deal with some better shows/​acts though. But, I suppose that’s an unfair statement from a New Yorker, what with Broadway and all. The theatre has great acoustics and there truly isn’t a bad seat in the house.
Oddly, their advertising is atrocious. I never know when they have shows unless I go out of my way to search. What’s going on in their ad department? It’s a theatre!

I didn’t see a show, rather I was here for Creative Loafing’s 25^th anniversary awards… and…drum roll please… I WON Readers choice for Best Actress of Tampa Bay!!! How can I not give 5 stars???

Top notch!
That phrase describes everything about this place. Great location and close to interstate. Customer service is the best feature. I have been here multiple times, I have never experienced anything less than stellar service. If you are looking for food, the generally will have some sort of catered food. The venue hosts a wide assortment of events: concerts, plays, magic shows, kids events basically anything that can go on a stage. There is something for everyone. Also located next to the Dali museum, show up early and check it out. Fantastic venue with great customer service.

The Mahaffey is a beautiful event location in downtown St. Pete. It is located right next to the Dali with a beautiful view of the water. There is a large open area as well as a theatre. I was here for Best of the Bay so did not get a chance to see the theatre, but enjoyed the large open area. The bartenders were very nice and pleasant and it was a great location for such a large event!

Came to the Mahaffey for the 97x craft beer fest over the weekend. What a great place to hild this event. Im used to the beer festival events typically being at some way to big or way to small area that there is really nothing to it. Not the case with this event. This place is very nice. Really enjoyed oyr time here. The landscape on the outside was awesome as well. The Mahaffey staff also did a wonderful job and were very helpful. The location is also a huge bonus. Whatever event you may be here for it is super convenient to grabbing some food or cocktails after the event. We walked for here to a bar down the street and only took us about 8 minutes or so getting to also check out some of St. Pete. Really cool place.

I saw the Nutcracker ballet here in December and it was absolutely wonderful; what was not wonderful was the cramped seating, apparent lack of parking, and allowance of drunken guests to interrupt the show.
The seats barely left room for your knees and you are forced to stand if someone needs to get to their seat. There seems to only be street and meter parking as well; a theater this large should really have their own lot so that you aren’t forced to circle for 20 minutes. What really grated my gears the most was the intoxicated group sitting directly behind me. They were very loud, they kicked/​knocked into the back of the seat several times and were texting with full brightness on their screen– isn’t it an usher’s job to correct or remove this behavior? It was very distracting and really took away from the experience.
I would still come back to another show or event here, but it definitely isn’t my favorite.

From my experiences at the Mahaffey, I love it and will continue to love it.
My first time here was probably more than ten years ago for a children’s fairy tale play. I thought it was kind of silly but that is more of a critique of the content rather than the Mahaffey itself. I think I was probably too old to be watching that play…
Anyway, that impression left its mark on me for years until I returned two years ago to watch Boyz II Men. That was awesome. Of course, it was a crowded show, but the ushers are so professional and courteous, and people don’t get obnoxious or crazy here. It’s a classy place– so act appropriately!
A few months later, I took part in another silly event at the Mahaffey, but this one I enjoyed much more– Wheel of Fortune tryouts. What an experience! I like that the Mahaffey hosts such a variety of events.
And very recently, we attended the Cirque Dreams Holidaze show. Wow– breathtaking, edge of your seat, palm-​sweating stuff. I had a great time!
I look forward to my next visit.

Hubby took me to see Ira Glass for my bday and could not have had a better time. The venue is perfectly situated. One of the most beautiful areas in St. Pete.
We used valet and that got us in and out super quickly. I suggest it as I did see some crazy carlines forming up for the mass exodus.
Studsband was worried the seats wouldn’t be good as we were one if the last rows. There is something about this theatre that makes it feel big and small at the same time. We actually felt like it was a good view of the stage and sound quality was very good. Seating was «intimate» up there — took away a star for this. The service was awesome everywhere though. Bartenders were quick and made an attempt to connect with everyone they were serving. Drinks were good.
Might try this next time: you can order food from around the area and have it delivered to the theatre. You can eat you dinner and take in the great view — there is a bar right there so you can have a drink with dinner.

Why 3 stars? Because of the parking and cramped seating.
— — —
When you’re waiting outside the Mahaffey, it’s as picturesque and classy as can be.
But when you’re sitting in the upper deck, be prepared for almost zero room in between your seat, and the seat in front & next to you. Probably the most cramped I can ever remember being in any sort of arena.
And the parking afterward… no better way to kill a buzz from an awesome comedy show, than by taking 30+ minutes to get from your parking spot to the free road. Awful. Whatever system this is, it needs to change.
Sorry for the extra grumpiness.

Great theater for a concert but I feel like they misrepresented their in-​house food options.
First time seeing Queens of the Stone Age, absolutely loved it. Five rows from the stage so can’t comment on the acoustics — just loud :) Easy to get here, easy parking, friendly staff.
Lopping a star off because of food (lack thereof). The Mahaffey sent me an email a week before the show which boasted all of the local restaurants, which would even deliver to the theater (if you ordered five days ahead). They also advertised that The Moon Under Water, a local spot, would be serving food. Great, I thought — I would be coming from Brandon and picking someone up along the way, so he could just go right to the theater and get dinner and not worry about being late if we stopped for food.
Once we were inside, we were disappointed to find that MUW was only serving two things — curry chicken and rice and cheesecake. I had the curry chicken and rice, which was tasty and only $ 6, but my friend wasn’t feeling it and went without the entire night. The only other options inside were snacks from the bar. While this is not surprising — many of these venues are not outfitted with sports-​level concessions — I just feel like the offering of MUW were oversold by the theater. To me, there’s a big difference between «serving up choice items from their menu» (their words) and «serving two things from catering trays» (reality). Not the fault of MUW, enjoyed the food and wouldn’t want to convey ill will towards the establishment.
Tl;dr — enjoyable venue, will return, eat beforehand.