Upscale Burgers By The Beach
St Pete Beach, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: Burgers, Bar and Grill
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 2/5
Dined in September 2017
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
When you think about the hamburger, it is readily identified with the United States, like fried chicken and apple pie, and it is identified as a particular style of cuisine, namely fast food. Hamburgers are a processed food, first launched in the United States in the 1920s by the White Castle restaurant chain to cater to the new middle class and then later refined by McDonald's in the 1940s. The origin or history of the hamburger goes back to the 12th Century Mongols introducing minced meat to Moscow after invading Russia. By the 1700s with the Russians trading heavily with the Germans, the minced meat was introduced in the port of Hamburg where locals modified it to become a hamburger steak, or they put it between two pieces of bread in honor of the origin of the sandwich from English aristocrat John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who preferred to eat meats in bread so he could play cards without soiling his fingers.
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| Boulevard Burger Patio Bar |
German and Russian immigrants came to America and brought the hamburger with them, where it became our own. With the globalization of food, the hamburger has become an icon in most countries like the pizza is for Italy and sushi is for Japan. At Boulevard Burgers, which is one of the thousands of New American Hamburger restaurants in Florida alone. They sell upscale burgers, seafood, sandwiches & draft beer in a beachy pub with a patio and Gulf views. They have daily specials for half-price appetizers to kid nights, and customized menus for private or large party events. My wife and I along with two friends met for lunch on a warm September day to see what this burger joint was all about and to compare it to other burger-focused restaurants in the area. We sat on the patio which was nearly packed out and the inside dining room was empty, very typical for a nice autumn day in Florida.
Menu:
- Appetizers
- Salads
- Sandwiches and Wraps
- Burgers
- Sides
- Desserts
- Shakes
- Kids Korner
We enjoyed some cocktails and other drinks from Bloody Mary’s, to the Free Dive IPA from the Coppertail Brewing Company, and the Big Storm Ale both local independent breweries from Tampa Bay. The Free Dive is 5.90% ABV with huge hits of citrus and pine aromas layered over a bright malt backbone, and the Big Storm’s Amber Ale has 4.90% ABV and registers as 28 on the IBU scale and is malty, smooth, and well balanced.
We started with their smoked fish spread of Mahi Mahi served on a bed of lettuce, with celery, jalapeños, and crackers. My wife and I enjoy the different creations of fish spread which you can find at many restaurants around Central Florida, especially here in the Tampa/St Pete region. One of the little things we like to do is order it whenever we see it on a menu and compare it to others and created a 6-level chart to help rate the dips for these reviews as seen below.
Fish Spread Rating Chart:
THE BEST - Top notch quality, excellent flavor profiles, memorable presentation, rare ingredients, organic, non-GMO, sustainable, local, immense-colossal quality of fish, and extravagant smoke flavors
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DAMN GOOD - Fantastic smoke, exceptional quality, eclectic flavor, nice display, dedicated local sourcing, beautiful quality fish, possibly sustainable, non-GMO
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GOOD - delicate, Enhanced ingredients, nice flavor, fresh taste, great smoke, common arrangements, in state local, superior quality fish
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BETTER - Nice ingredients, higher-desirable quality, okay flavor and taste, good smoke content, maybe from in-state sources, but possibly a GMO
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OKAY - Nothing amazing, a regular spread, fair quality, highly probable GMO product, might be from the state, most likely not, fabricated or mainstream smoke products
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BAD - Taste old, horrible seasoning, cheap smoke, manufactured, heavy GMO product, not local, bad smell
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After tasting this smoked fish spread which normally is made with grouper or other local Gulf fish, it was nice to see a Mahi Mahi style and would rate their dip at the fourth level or “Good.”
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| Smoked Fish Spread |
The second starter was the buffalo mac and cheese dish, one of two macaroni starters on the menu with the other being the 1980s played out lobster mac and cheese dish. The buffalo was a combination of their macaroni mixed with a spicy hand breaded and fried chicken breast tender, versus a pre-prepared tender like several chain restaurants serve on their menus. The macaroni and cheese were nice and slightly runny just the way I like it though it had a typical Velveeta style flavor to it instead of a nicer sharp cheddar cooked down into the roux. The buffalo sauce from the chicken did add some good flavor to the dish, and something different from a normal mac and cheese, which was a good change.
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| Buffalo Mac and Cheese |
For entrees, my wife enjoyed the Fish Tacos made with grilled local grouper, topped with shredded cabbage, avocado, and diced tomatoes, then finished with a chipotle ranch sauce. The dish was placed into two soft shell flour tortilla’s, lightly toasted and served with a side of coleslaw. The dish was okay, I defiantly have had better fish tacos, and also had a lot worse, so I rate them as average. Other sandwiches and wraps available included a tenderloin steak sammie, Cuban sandwich, shrimp tacos, and a market price grouper sandwich to name a few.
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| Fish Tacos |
Our friends split the Boulevard Cali burger with avocado, Swiss cheese, and chipotle ranch with sweet potato waffle fries as their side. I did not taste this dish, but they mentioned that it was incredible and that of the many times they had come to this restaurant, this was one of the better burgers they had tried.
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| Boulevard Cali burger |
For my entree, I was torn between several burger selections that looked of interest from the Godfather burger with marinara, ricotta, and provolone toppings, or the official 98.7FM No Rules Rock Jesse Kage Burger which came with a patty topped with fried chicken tenderloin, bacon, and cheddar. These selections were both tempting, but I settled on the Sunny Side Up Burger served with Applewood bacon, American cheddar cheese, and a sunny side up egg. I first had an egg on a burger when I ate lunch at a cafe in Bordeaux, France to find out that it was common in France to eat burgers with eggs on them. It had a great taste back then, and here at Boulevard, it was just as good as the French burger.
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| Sunny Side Up Burger |
Overall it was a good experience. The service was a little below the standard that you would expect, but then again, it is a burger joint, upscale style or not, service reflects that.
Dessert:
We did not have dessert on this trip, but from their menu, they have the typical selections of key lime pie and cheesecake that you see on many menus around town.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other Noteworthy Burger Articles and Restaurants:
FLIP Burger Boutique Hip burger chain with the space-age decor, reviewed in Midtown, Atlanta, Georgia
Holeman and Finch Public House Modern gastropub & whole animal cookery in Atlanta, Georgia
Punky’s Bar and Grill Casual LGBT bar and burger joint in St. Petersburg, Florida
The Avenue Eat + Drink Rustic restaurant known for its burgers in St. Petersburg, Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other St Pete Beach restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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New American Cuisine, tapas, and exotic cocktails
St Pete Beach, Florida, USA
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Med-Latin & tapas café with 360 views
St Pete Beach, Florida, USA
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Rooftop Artisan Fusion Bistro
St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA
|
A Few Florida Favorites:
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Bar foods and casual eats
Gulfport, Florida, USA
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A Star Trek Music Experience with dinner
Clearwater / Beach, Florida USA
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The “Last Local Beach club”
Panama City Beach, Florida, USA
|
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Chain eatery for creative pies
Tampa, Florida, USA
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A casual BBQ joint
Bradenton Beach, Florida, USA
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Casual Floribbean and American pub chain
Brandon, Florida USA
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See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience, and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Boulevard Burgers a 2 out of 5 stars, meaning that they were not far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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10
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8
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2
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Food quality
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10
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8
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2
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Plate presentation
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8
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7
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1
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Customer service
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7.5
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4
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3.5
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Alcohol and other beverages
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9
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6
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3
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Total regular points awarded
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44.5
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33
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11.5
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.741573033707865
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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1
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0224719101123595
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.764044943820225
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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2
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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2 of 5 Stars:
76% Rating with a 1 point “wow” bonus
Far above the Average Dining Experience
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine Style:
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American, Bar, and Grille, Beach Food
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Low Carb, Pescatarian, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wears flip-flops!
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Trendy, Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Rustic, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Private lot, or Street meter parking
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant, and nonsmoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€
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Alcohol prices:
$24.00 USD
Boulevard Burger:
5905 Gulf Blvd
Saint Pete Beach
Florida 33706
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 727.201.4906
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We site Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Sun-Thur
11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Fri-Sat
11:00 am - 12:00 am
Happy Hour:
Mon-Fri
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Southwestern-inspired New American fare
San Antonio, Texas, USA
|
Contemporary & elegant eclectic eatery
Johannesburg, South Africa
|
upscale locally sourced seafood eatery with ocean views
Vero Beach, Florida, USA
|
Other Pictures:
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| Dining Room of Boulevard Burgers |
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
