The Rack

I must have the worst luck with this place.
Sushi is a step above store-​bought in texture and flavor. I have had it several times and I’ve never thought to myself «I should come back and have the sushi again.» It’s three stars at best.
However:
Blackened chicken/​cheese pasta was so salty it turned me into a pirate. Drinking-​water-​for-​days salty. Couldn’t tell I was eating anything else but salty salty cheese. If you’re pretty drunk this might taste better, I don’t know.

I like the Rack, especially on Saturday night which is Ladies night… they have good specials. They used to give half off appetizers but I think they stopped doing that and now just do drink specials. Since they started doing that I go there less since I’m more of an eater than drinker, but If I want to chill and catch up with friends I like to go to The Rack and maybe even play a game of pool.
Some of my favorite menu items include:
The meatballs with marinara sauce.
The SoHo wings with salt and pepper.
The hummus platter.
and The grilled chicken and asparagus dish (I think its called Healthy or Gym platter).
All of their sushi has been good.
Also when you park, they take the price of parking off your bill when you give them your valet ticket so that’s nice. The music they play here is usually good too.

I used to HATE The Rack. It is known be flirt with being as douchey as the Hyde Park Café. I’d honestly avoid the AUCD on Fridays. It’s super crowded and you might get puked on by a UT Student. However, the all you can drink for ladies on Saturday is a great place to hit before you go out at night!
I go to the Rack primarily as a restaurant. I like that they have a wide variety of food. I’ve got a picky eater as a roomie and best friend so it’s great because I can get sushi and she can get a burger. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the sushi’s quality. All the rolls that I’ve tried have been solid, some even great. The yummy dip is a great appetizer. It’s essentially spinach artichoke dip with crab baked on top. I’m not sure how that couldn’t be good! The reason that the Rack isn’t getting 4 (or even 5) stars is the service. I’ve been to the rack 3 or 4 times over the last couple of months. The first time, the service was good even though it was crowded. The next times we had the same waitress and it was awful. Last time I was there, I refilled my tables’ waters twice after she would run past our table without looking up (even though it wasn’t particularly busy). I also went to the bar to get another drink after waiting for 15 – 20 without being able to track her down. I wish I had her name because I don’t think the service of the restaurant is necessarily bad. I got my drink at the bar really fast.
The rack has a fun, young atmosphere and great specials almost every day of the week. It’s also conveniently located if you plan on hitting up Howard for a night out afterwards! I recommend it for a change of pace or if you’ve got someone who wants Mexican, someone else who wants American and yet another who wants Sushi. There’s something for everyone!

So wayyy back in the day when I was in school (sike, 2010), The Rack was packed with young professionals and, in general, folks who wanted to have a good time. Their sushi (especially their Volcano roll) was off the charts & it seemed to have a good business model working: Great sushi + pool tables = good business.
Fast forward wayyy later (3 years, really) their sushi is just above average and crowd traffic is probably the same (went on a Monday), but something is off. Only one of the four full-​priced rolls (didn’t know about the Thursday $ 20 unlimited rolls + $ 5 parking deal) I ordered where I would call delicious: the Shangri La roll. Due to the jalapenos, it has a spicy kick to it that lingers in your mouth.
Volcano roll, eh. Crunchy salmon, eh. Rainbow, eh. Kinda disappointed; I know they can do better.
Oh, and by the way, the bathrooms were not exactly cleaned properly.

I live a hop, skip, and a jump from The Rack, so I wish I were more of a fan. It’s sort of 2 ½ stars. It’s not terrible, it’s just not that good, either. The atmosphere is fine, seems to be fun most nights, crowded inside and slightly more low-​key outside on the covered patio. People-​watching the HPC crowd is really the number-​one reason to sit outside at The Rack. Unfortunately, the drinks and food are just meh. Sushi is so-​so, I don’t think they ever actually make the cocktails on their menu, and the real killer is the service. Again, meh.
If you want great sushi, head somewhere else. If you want cheap beer and a few pool tables to enjoy it around, go, and get the best thing on the menu, the sweet potato fries.

ended up here late at night and hungry. first impression, walk through the pool tables and overhear some wicked conversations «OMG, thats like… his third DIU this year becky!» yeah, seems like this is the spot where you end up if youre drunk and hungry but it also seems like to spot to go get drunk and then eat.
we got a high table and stools and shortly, a very cute and smiley waitress came over with some menus. the menu is interesting. sushi rolls and burgers. most of the people in my party got sushi rolls. posers. i got a burger. i asked my waitress if it was juicy and she said ‘its really good and juicy’ so thats what i got… with sweet potato fries. respek.

I’m from Chicago so I’m not used to dining at sports bars who have sushi so I have to say that when my friends brought me here (they live in the complex across the street and are regulars) for dinner when I requested sushi. However, I was totally surprised and impressed when not only was the bar food delicious, but the sushi was outstanding. Now, I’m not saying it’s gourmet Nobu-​like grade, but the rolls are creative and the fish wasn’t old/​fishy smelling. The Green Hornet roll is not to be missed.
Also, and for whatever reason I can’t put my finger on, this place has the most amazing hot wings. The sauce is spicy, but not overwhelming and the blue cheese is out of this world. I don’t know what they put it in (I suspect ranch), but we all were licking our fingers just for the blue cheese.
Great fun place with decent service, good prices, and billiards. Can’t be beat in the Hyde Part neighborhood.

The Rack has been a place I’ve envied for being able to almost separate it’s douchey late night crowd, from it’s AYCE regulars in a space that is far too small to house an eager billiards, crowd the frat kids and seasoned sushi veterans, but sometimes it’s caught slippin…(Hyde Parkers are starved form any real pool to be had) A vast difference from it’s Brandon crowd where they have a respectable space, but then the bar area still manages to smell like puke. I love you Rack, but sometimes I wanna kill ya.

I probably would rate the rack a lot lower if I came here as a bar. I am not a fan of it late night. It’s a weird set up and douche-​tastic crowd. Plus, for a bar that named itself after a pool term, playing pool really is an afterthought here. But, I don’t one here for the bar, I come to EAT!
Went to Rack with my sis tonight for sushi and as usual it did not disappoint. This has become my go to place for sushi in south Tampa. We split the Hot Rock and a salmon roll. Both were awesome. The price isn’t cheap, but to that bad either. They have a lot of seating and it’s not too crowded if you go early enough. 6:30 on a Thursday was perfect.
I can’t comment too much on the drinks since I haven’t drank at Rack in awhile, but I seem to remember a pretty decent choice of wines and buckets of beer for football games. But, really, yo should come for the sushi!

Quality of food has gone way down… This was a great place at one time for sushi, but not anymore.
Drink specials are good.

I have lived a couple of miles from the Rack pretty much my entire life, and I just went there for the first time over the weekend! We went on a Friday around 8pm, and it was definitely busy. There were only 2 of us, so we were able to be seated right away. The menu is very big, including, sandwiches, salads, entrees, and even sushi.
I opted for the sushi, and it was pretty tasty. I think that their specialty rolls are a little pricy though, averaging $ 13 – 16 a piece. Seems a little bit steep to me. They do have half price sushi on Wednesday nights though, so I will have to go back for that!
My husband ordered the seared tuna entrée, and it was great. The tuna portion was very generous, and was cooked perfectly. I will definitely be back!

I enjoy going to The Rack for sushi and drinks! I haven’t actually had anything aside from the appetizers and sushi but have heard their other menu items are good as well. They have a great ½ price speciality roll special on Wednesday nights. They also have a $ 3 martini menu for Saturday night ladies night – all 6 of them are delish but I especially like the Dreamsicle.
There are times it is packed and hard to get a table but if you go early enough or later in the evening you can easily get a table. They do have pool tables and a side bar to mix things up. They have TV’s around with sports on and a patio with a good amount of seating. It is a couple blocks from the main bars on Howards which helps make it a better crowd.

Haven’t been to The Rack in quite a while, but went back for the $ 20 all-​you-​can/​drink deal last Thursday. Parking is a problem, and limited to either a valet service for $ 5 at the restaurant, or $ 5 parking in a lot next door. Either way, it’s a bad deal. I don’t like being forced to pay for parking at eating establishments; it really gets my goat, but what are ya gonna do?
Moving on, the place was jam-​packed, and the wait staff handled the crowd swimmingly. No complaints there. All of the food we ate, which included sushi, fries, quesadillas and a burger was all good. The only item that fell a little short was THE RACK BURGER. they charged us $ 10 for this average-​at-​best burger. The patty tasted like one of those frozen beef patties you’d get in bulk from Wal-​Mart. You know, 50 patties for $ 10.99 or some crap. Needless to say, I’d steer clear of the burgers here.
Want to play some billiards? Good luck. They only have 4 small bar tables, and they were monopolized all night. We brought our pool cues for nothing because there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in Haiti we’d get on one of the tables. I’m a little confused about the name of the place, which clearly implies that it’s more pool hall than restaurant, when clearly the opposite is true.
Would I go back? Sure, but not with the expectation of getting to actually shoot some pool, and I would definitely not order a burger.

The worst service EVERY SINGLE TIME. They turn servers pretty quick, but the ones they choose are usually the same – terrible, but good looking.
That being said, I keep going back. The food is good, and the menu has something for everyone. The $ 20 all you can eat and drink special is a great deal. Also, they have hospitality night on Sundays (50% off for hospitality workers).

Let it be known far and wide that I f***king love the sushi here! They’ve got a great variety of traditional rolls and some creative offerings as well. My favorite is the Hot Rock… This roll turns me into one of those annoying people who pronounces Italian words with an Italian accent… deliciouso! I hate myself.
The place can get a bit popped-​collar-​douchey if you know what I mean but that’s mostly on the weekends. They’ve got some amazing hospitality specials and their regular happy hour is pretty good too.
Look, I’m no sushi connoisseur; I just approach sushi like I approach wine: If it tastes good then it’s good dummy.
P. S. Great hummus.
P. P. S. Forcing people to valet is horse sh*t (I recommend going at lunch time to avoid this douchebaggery).

Parking at this location sucks. It appears to be valet or nothing at all, and will cost you $ 5. I _​loathe_​valet parking, it is the most ridiculous sh*t ever invented. If you are visiting The Rack for AUCE/​AUCD for $ 20, then you do not get reimbursed for that $ 5 you lost in the ridiculous parking lot. The food is just decent, even though it is made fresh to order. There is a variety of about 10 – 15 or so items to choose from and four of those being sushi rolls.
Wondering about the atmosphere? Well, it looks like a dive bar and the waitresses look like angry Hooters girls. They will ignore you, especially if you are over the age of thirty and don’t appear to be loaded. However, through all of that, we managed to get a really sweet waitress that was fast and friendly– and really let us take that $ 20 special and run with it. Everyone in the party had a great time, but it was more of the company than the atmosphere.
Probably won’t be coming back anytime soon, but it was $ 20 well spent. Watch out for the drunk guys in Affliction T-​shirts, they like to «get the party started,» there. But, not in a good way.

I didn’t actually get to eat here but from what I experienced I don’t think I’ll ever be back. I drove to tampa to meet with a friend for some sushi and this isn’t a typical sushi place. It’s more of a bar and it was packed. I wasn’t sure what we were supposed to do and told the waitress how many people we had and she just plainly told us we had to seat ourselves. It was so crowded neither of us wanted to go into that hassle so we ended up leaving and I’m glad we did because one car we valet was left on, doors open and in the middle of the street.
Never again.

I’m not sure this is a «solid» 4-​star, but having been to the Brandon Rack I have to say this gets the extra for that alone.
Now, I’ve been in here a couple of times but I’ve never eaten. Why? Because by the time I make it to SoHo around 10 or 11 this place is PACKED. There’s no seats, the ability to move has been greatly reduced and the service is lacking enough on the drink front let alone for food. And yet… I still like the place.
I’m not sure if it’s the layout, the drinks, the prices (for SoHo), the music, the pool, the company I bring with me or what, but I find myself returning time after time.
Note: The last time I was in was early, I sat in the small bar in the back and the bartender was fantastic. Not only did she suggest a really good drink, but she even made a small taste of it for me before I ordered to make sure I’d like it. Great service is a great review, ladies and gents. No joke!

Not exactly sure how we ended up here on a St. Paddy’s Day… possibly avoiding the crush of amateur drinkers enclosed in cyclone fencing at 4 Green Fields. This is an improbablecombo of a pool hall that specializes in sushi. So we tried their special of the day that squirted lots of green wasabi on some mild sushi rolls in honor of a Welch-​born missioner who had a grudge against snakes. Actually pretty good, plus a nice menu of beers.
Not a bad place but clearly more oriented to college/​hipster/​Yuppy types, and fairly loud. I suspect they offer no AARP discounts but tolerate elders who spend well and do not irritate the regular crowd.

Stopped by The Rack on Tuesday night for some food and drinks. It was crowded inside so I went outside to sit at a table. I wanted something warm since it was cold outside. I tried a small size of one of their Gekkeikan warm sake ($ 6), it wasn’t that good. I’m not a sake expert though… but it was hard for me to drink it.
I decided to have a California Roll to try and mask the taste the sake gave me. The California Roll was less than average. $ 5.95 is quite an expensive price for that roll and they put avocado and cucumber in it (I despite cucumber in my sushi because the water inside detracts from the taste). When I requested the cucumber to not be used in my roll my California Roll came out with barely any avocado in it (a small hint of green) and the rolls were disappointingly small in size as well. I was going to order more sushi, but after this roll I decided I was better off not ordering any more. The Rack used to be my favorite place for sushi, we’ll have to see how it is next time I visit.
After my California Roll I got my check and headed inside to sit at the bar. The bartender there was really cool and made my experience much better. They had a special with a high-​grade of Tequila for a reduced price and I got my drink and a soda for only $ 5. Not bad. Too bad I didn’t just sit at the bar to start my night. There was a 21^st birthday party behind me and they were wild, but the bartender had it all under control. Too bad I can’t remember her name, but she was cool!
The Rack now has a $ 20 unlimited menu from 7pm-​9pm Mondays-​Thursdays. It’s a deal because most of the rolls at The Rack are pretty expensive and you get sushi, small plate appetizers, wine, liquor, and beer. There are specific choices you have (check out their website for more… but I really need to try this soon). The Rack in Brandon has the same special from 9−11pm so you could dine at one location and then head to the other when time runs out.
This unlimited menu has now appeared around other South Tampa businesses and now Cheap and Koto are offering $ 20 unlimited specials as well. A good trend to start around Tampa! Now let’s get some more half-​off sushi deals around town too!