Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant is making a return to the Tampa area.
Originally debuting in Tampa in 1997, the Spanish restaurant is owned by restaurateur Lee Karlins, president of Caledon Concepts—the group behind Ceviche and its sister restaurant, Rococo Steak.
The new location is set to open inside International Plaza at 2223 N. Westshore Blvd. Another Ceviche location currently operates in St. Petersburg.
The restaurant previously operated on Azeele Street in South Tampa and earlier thrived on Bayshore Blvd.
“It just wasn’t doing well. It was really off the beaten path and we closed that one [Azeele Street],” Karlins told What Now Tampa. “We have been looking for property in the Tampa area for years. The International Mall, it’s like an A+ site to be at for restaurants.”
While the area features several standout restaurants, Ceviche sets itself apart with its distinctive cuisine and dining experience.
“Sharing and having a good time and good experiences is what tapas is all about. The way we serve food, it’s different from everybody getting all their entrees at one time–food keeps coming out as it’s prepared. It really gives people the opportunity to be able to taste and try all the foods that are coming to the table,” Karlins said.
The team updated Ceviche’s menu during the pandemic and is inspired by Barcelona’s coastal cuisine.
“The menu is really tried and true to us. We kept all the original recipes that were 27 years old, and that we still have today, but we tweaked a lot of the recipes and plate presentations. We really got to modernize the concept,” he said.
The new Tampa location will feature many of those dishes but may also introduce larger entree options such as aged steak, Spanish steak and ribeye. The restaurant also plans to offer a lighter lunch menu with items like Spanish tacos, sandwiches, tostadas and empanadas.
“It’s made from scratch. All desserts are homemade. It’s very prep intensive for our team. Tapas food comes very fast at the table, so it allows us to get food out to guests extremely quickly. Everything is made-to-order. Nothing is pre-packaged,” Karlins said.
Wine will also play a key role in the dining experience.
“We’re building a massive wine room. It’s going to be a really big feature on one wall, 12-foot ceiling. It’s going to be a sight to see,” he said. “We plan on expanding the wine list. We’ll have probably around 10,000 bottles from all over the world with a focus on Spain.”
The restaurant’s interior will showcase its own unique flair at the new location.
“In the past, the Ceviche’s always looked a little bit different from each other and we’re going to keep that same velocity moving forward. It’s never going to be cookie cutter or look exactly the same,” Karlins said. “The feel in the building is not a typical old school Spanish traditional feel. The new restaurant in Tampa will be a little more modern.”
Construction began in February, and Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant is scheduled to open in July 2026. For updates, visit the restaurant’s website and follow along on Instagram and Facebook.
