Coco's Crush

Brewpub · 423 Poinsettia Ave, Clearwater Beach, Florida 33767

★★★★½ 1 review

(727) 462-2668

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  • ★★★★½ Dreamsicle Endless Summer Crush Crab Dip Visited Oct 21, 2024

    A Diverse Menu of Mixed Drinks, Bar Style Food Menu.

    When I first arrived in Tampa, I had a few spots on my must-try list, and one of them was Coco's Crush, a restaurant and bar with multiple locations along the Saint Pete and Clearwater coastal area. Coco's is known for its signature mixed drinks served over crushed ice, with options for refill cups or real coconut cups.

    I visited the Clearwater, FL location, parking near the beach entrance and walking about half a block to reach it. The restaurant offers outdoor seating in the front, as well as indoor seating surrounding a bar area, complete with multiple TVs for watching sports.

    The menu features a solid selection of bar food, including nachos, tacos, quesadillas, chicken wings, and some seafood items. Although I hadn’t initially planned on eating a meal, it was nearing lunchtime and rather than drink on an empty stomach, we ordered an appetizer. I spotted something I'd never tried before — Maryland-style crab dip served with a Bavarian pretzel. Since crab and fish dips are popular in Florida, I decided to give it a go.

    The drink menu had an array of "Crush" cocktails with flavors like grapefruit, orange dreamsicle, watermelon, peach, and strawberry lemonade. Each drink is made with a mix of liquors, fresh fruit juice, and soda, served over their signature crushed ice. I opted for the Orange Dreamsicle Crush, which was descriped as "Coco’s premium orange vodka, vanilla vodka, freshly squeezed orange juice, triple sec, vanilla ice cream mix, and a splash of lemon-lime soda".

    Despite a bit of a lunch rush, the food and drink arrived quickly. The Orange Dreamsicle Crush was very strong — the vodka flavor was prominent, overshadowing the orange and cream notes, which I was told would taste just like a dreamsicle, but lacked almost any cream flavor. On an empty stomach and as my first meal of the day, it was just a bit too intense.

    While it’s probably rare someone sends back a drink for being too strong, that’s exactly what I did. The waitress was incredibly accommodating, offering a replacement, which she brought out swiftly. I swapped it for the Endless Summer Crush, a mix of Don Q pineapple and coconut rum, fresh orange and lemon juice, and a splash of lemon-lime soda.

    The second drink was more balanced, with the flavors of the juice and rum blending nicely to create a refreshing tropical taste.

    Now for the bit of food that was ordered. The pretzel was served warm with a soft inside and a slightly crisp crust. The crab dip had a pleasant kick of spice, great flavor, although was a touch salty for my taste.

    While I didn’t leave with a new favorite drink or dish, I can say that if you’re looking for strong drinks, this is the place to go. The variety of fruit-flavored cocktails is impressive, and the laid-back atmosphere makes it a good spot to catch a game on TV. Service was good, prices were very fair for being in this touristy area, and I would gladly return to try some other items.

    — Paul