Rosie the Riveter – Lunch with a Theme in Tampa

My adorably pregnant, bandana-clad server, Rebecca said, “I’m amazed how many people don’t know about Rosie the Riveter. People mispronounce the word.”

I was a bit incredulous and stuttered, “Really?”

“Oh, yeah. Last night I had a guy in here who thought ‘riveters’ were the type of bombs that they dropped from the planes during World War II.”

Doing my best “Captain Obvious” impersonation, I said, “That’s a big part of history, though. That was the first time women left the home in large numbers and got paying jobs outside the home. It changed society forever.”

“I know” Rebecca said, “As a Mom, I want my kids to know about that part of American history.”

Rosie the Riveter and Strippers?!

This conversation probably sounds like I was in a library, but in fact, I was picking up my to-go order at Riveters American Bar & Restaurant on Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa, Florida. I was drawn to Riveters because it was only a 10-minute drive from the Tampa Marriott Westshore (my base of operations) and because of the unique theme and menu.

I was, quite frankly, rendered speechless by the irony of the restaurant’s location. Afterall, the paradox of a restaurant with a women’s empowerment theme being next door to, and sharing a parking lot with, a huge UFO-themed strip club (called 2001 Odyssey Nude) is hard to miss. There was a huge UFO on the roof, by the way. I suppose that’s another essay for another time, though.

The Atmosphere

Inside Riveters diners are treated to an airplane and factory theme with airplane parts on display and industrial-looking furniture. There are also a handful of images of Rosie the Riveter, including this fantastic modern take on her image that I just love.

A large outdoor bar, courtyard dining area and performance stage add to the fun on weekend evenings. I was there on a weekday afternoon, though, so it was very quiet and fairly empty. I ordered an appetizer and two burgers to-go from a menu with theme-appropriate names.

Our Appetizer Selection

I spent a little extra ($12.95) on an order of French Onion Bombers because they sounded too good to miss. Picture fried wonton wrappers stuffed with prime rib, corned beef, frenched onions, and white cheddar cheese. The exteriors are then sprinkled with coarse salt. Then menu says the five pouches are served with Thousand Island dressing (yuck) for dipping, but I thought the dipping sauce was much more delicate and delicious than standard Thousand Island dressing. This appetizer was our favorite item of the day. Creative and scrumptious, that filling is not-to-be-missed.

Our Rosie the Riveter Lunches

My husband ordered a Bomber Burger ($10.99), which comes on a Brioche bun with bacon, cheddar and house-made BBQ sauce. He requested his burger cooked medium and it was perfect, which is so unusual. We are constantly surprised at how common overcooked burgers are. The extra crispy fries were a big hit with my French fry addict too.

I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried the Breakfast Burger ($11.99). This burger is served on a croissant and boasts some unusual toppings (Dijonnaise, bourbon bacon jam and an egg) in addition to the more typical toppings (lettuce, tomato, pickle, and cheddar cheese). The menu calls for a sunny side up egg and I asked for mine to be a bit more done. Unfortunately, they overdid it and there was no yolk left at all. Perhaps the heat of the burger continued cooking it while I drove home and I would have had a perfect egg if I had eaten in the dining room. Just like my husband’s burger, mine was perfectly cooked.

This burger was so close to a perfect 10. . . and then it fell apart (literally). The chef got creative and served it on a croissant, which was supposed to be toasted. However, the croissant couldn’t stand up to a juicy burger with jam and other wet toppings. When I picked it up to take my first bite, there was no bottom bun. There was a small amount of gummy, nearly non-existent mess. I think that mess started out its life as the bottom half of my croissant. While I applaud the chef for the creativity, it just did not work. I rated it and 8 out of 10 instead of a 10 out of 10.

Other Creative Menu Options

I suspect Riveters isn’t one of the restaurants in Tampa that you’ll hear about often. That’s a shame because the food was darn good. If you’re a vegetarian, they offer a veggie burger or a choice of two salads, or a vegetarian French Onion soup. They even offer gluten free buns! It may look like a bar, but the chef is clearly much more creative with his menu than just traditional bar food. If you go, let me know how the grilled Catalina Chicken is (topped with goat cheese, spinach, capers, and sundried tomatoes).

Rosie said, “We can do it!” She was right. You can do it. Grab your polka-dot bandana and get going. Just be discrete with your camera phone in the parking lot since parking is around the side next to the strip club.