A new Japanese izakaya-style bar and restaurant called Nomibar is set to take over the former Taps space in downtown Tampa, bringing evening dining, cocktails and late-night gatherings to the ground floor of the SkyPoint condo tower. The venue is targeting a late October opening, with plans to welcome guests daily starting at 4 p.m.
Nomibar will occupy 777 N. Ashley Drive, Unit A, the longtime home of Taps, according to Business Observer. The outlet reports that the concept combines evening dining and cocktails with late-night gatherings and private events, positioning it as both a dinner destination and a nightlife spot under one roof. A daily happy hour will run from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and the restaurant plans to stay open later on Fridays and Saturdays than the rest of the week.
What's on the Menu and Who Can Get In
The announcement describes a food offering it calls a Rare Menu, though specifics on dishes or pricing have not been released. Reservations will be available for parties of six or more, the report notes, suggesting the space is built to accommodate groups alongside solo diners and couples.
Age restrictions will shift as the night goes on. Guests ages 12 and older will be welcome during regular dining hours, but after 9 p.m. the venue will be limited to guests 21 and older, per the same report. That split structure signals Nomibar's dual identity as a family-friendly dinner spot early in the evening and an adults-only lounge later on.
Taking Over a Nearly Two-Decade-Old Address
The space itself carries some history. SkyPoint, the 32-story, 380-unit condominium tower where Nomibar will set up shop, was completed in 2007 by developer Novare Group. Taps moved in the following year, in 2008, establishing the wine and beer concept that has occupied the ground-floor unit ever since, according to the Business Observer's reporting.
Beyond daily dining and happy hour, Nomibar plans to host private events including birthdays, corporate dinners, partial buyouts and full-venue takeovers. An exact opening date has not yet been announced, and the announcement did not identify the venue's new owners or disclose the investment behind the buildout.
Part of a Busy Year for Tampa Bay's Bar Scene
Nomibar's arrival comes amid a wave of turnover across Tampa Bay's bar and restaurant landscape this year. Gen X Tavern is set to close after seven years, with its founder hoping to open a new, more elevated concept in its place by October, according to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. Elsewhere in the area, the two-decade-old brunch spot Daily Eats closed in June to make way for Meeting House, a neighborhood restaurant that will keep weekend brunch but lean more heavily into lunch and dinner service. Tampa Bay Brewing Co. also shut its Centro Ybor location this year after nearly three decades in Ybor City, the outlet reported.
Against that backdrop of closures and concept swaps, Nomibar represents one of downtown Tampa's more notable new openings, replacing a bar that had anchored the SkyPoint tower's ground floor since 2008. Residents and visitors looking for details on pricing, ownership or a firm opening date will have to wait for further announcements, as none of those specifics have been made public yet.
