Bar review: The Hyde Out's many elements come together in a unique spot – Tampa Bay Times

First, let’s talk about the name. A new bar and club in the Hyde Park area called the Hyde Out? A little on the nose. But there’s also another thing that comes to mind: Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson’s 19th century novella about a man with a split personality.
What does that have to do with this new Hyde Park lounge, which replaced former South Tampa hot spot the Rack in April? Quite a bit.
The Hyde Out is a study in multiple personalities. The menu is part “American fusion cuisine,” part sushi/sashimi and part fancy cocktail lounge. It’s a sports bar, a nightclub, even an after-work dinner or brunch-and-cocktails place — all rolled into one, singular identity.
This place really is a bit of a hideout from the nearby S Howard Avenue party strip. It’s close enough to walk if you tire of pounding music and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, but it’s separated enough that you get the feeling the people at the Hyde Out have arrived deliberately, and not as part of a bar crawl.
There’s an amusingly small parking lot out back, which is, amazingly, valet only. The road-facing exterior is nonchalant and easy to miss, especially if you don’t recognize the Hyde Out’s logo, a stenciled “H” in a box.
Inside, the decor is (surprise!) fusion. In some spots, it’s industrial, with metal fixtures and distressed wood. In others, it’s a posh lounge, with plush booths and intimate lighting. There’s a whiskey bar in the back, a sunny patio strip out front, an open-air bar attached to the patio and a third bar next to a sushi kitchen. One wall is emblazoned with the bar’s motto — “Make drinks, not war” — while another features a stylized portrait of an owl. There’s a pool table nearby, and flat-screen TVs.
Sounds like a mess, but it’s not. The Hyde Out manages its split personalities much better than poor Dr. Jekyll. There’s a heck of a lot going on here, but none of it feels out of place. Watching hockey, eating sushi and listening to a DJ playing house music, all while enjoying an unusual cocktail called the Wabbit, doesn’t feel odd in the slightest.
Whereas the outwardly respectable Dr. Jekyll needed a little liquid encouragement before indulging in his vices via his other personality, Mr. Hyde, the Hyde Out makes the switch from daytime restaurant to nightclub with a DJ, a sunset and some high-end spirits, beers and cocktails (the latter a big improvement over potions).
For the cocktails, expect some unusual concoctions. The Wabbit is made with Michter’s Rye, Blackmaker root beer liqueur, carrot(!), citrus, cinnamon and vanilla bitters. There’s also the Briny Deep (a dirty martini, kalamata-style), the Architect (coffee- and banana-infused Bacardi, pineapple simple syrup and lime, served in a dimpled copper mug) and the recently removed (bring it back, Hyde Out!) Yuki no Hana, which mixed Bombay dry gin with miso syrup, lemon and rose water.
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There’s a solid beer list, as well as many wine options (including Dom Pérignon Rosé, with a hefty, $700-a-bottle price tag). The sake list also is quite extensive. Whisky lovers will go nuts at the selection in the side bar, where many unusual and high-end whiskies, brandies and other spirits reside. This is where you’ll find the Glenmorangie Signet, Yamazaki 18-year, Nikka Taketsuru 17-year Pure Malt and Compass Box Hedonism, among many others.
There’s so much packed into one space at the Hyde Out that it seems all but guaranteed to be a disaster. Somehow, it’s not.
Contact Justin Grant at jg@saintbeat.com. Follow @WordsWithJG.
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