The revival of the iconic Don the Beachcomber brand has entered a new chapter with the opening of the first Gantt Reserve Collection bar in downtown Tampa. A sneak preview of the Morgan’s Cove speakeasy was held July 13, with the official public opening announced July 18. The hidden door swings open daily at 4 p.m.
More below: Speakeasy celebrates Tampa’s pirate past
LIVE REVIEW: The experience | The cocktails | The menu
Tampa-based 23 Restaurant Services launched its first Don the Beachcomber venue in February in nearby Madeira Beach, a full-service 250-seat restaurant with South Seas decor and many traditional Tiki flourishes. It’s tucked into the Cambria Hotel, just a few blocks from picturesque Gulf of Mexico beaches in tourist-friendly southwest Florida.
* Previous coverage: Don the Beachcomber grand opening in Florida is a smashing success
Another large restaurant – considered to be the brand’s flagship – is in the works for Hamlin, near Disney World in Central Florida. This ambitious, ground-up buildout is not expected to be finished until next summer. Other restaurant locations are planned, but in an effort to expand the brand in a quicker (and less costly) manner, 23 Restaurant Services announced a creative new “brand within a brand” concept in April.
* Previous coverage: Don the Beachcomber announces new bar concept, three upcoming locations in Florida
Gantt Reserve Collection bars will be much smaller, concentrating on elevated cocktails and immersive decor. The themes will vary based on location, but all will try to maintain the high standards established by Donn Beach (born Ernest Raymond Gantt), when he created the world’s first Tiki bar as a speakeasy in 1932.
Indeed, it didn’t take long to get Morgan’s Cove up and running in just three months after the announcement. There are many reasons for this, which we’ll detail below. The next Gantt Reserve Collection bar won’t be open until early 2025.
Marc Brown, president of 23 Restaurant Services, says he hopes to open the yet-to-be-named speakeasy-style bar in February in a space adjacent to the company’s Ford’s Garage restaurant in Plantation, west of Fort Lauderdale. There will also be a speakeasy located inside the Hamlin restaurant, a tribute to Donn Beach’s original Dagger Bar.
* Previous coverage: Upcoming South Florida location uncovered
We were privileged to attend a sneak preview of the Tampa bar on July 13. Mahalo to Brown and his team for the exquisite hospitality. Following is a comprehensive recap.
Speakeasy celebrates Tampa’s pirate past
To simply call Morgan’s Cove a speakeasy concept with a nautical theme would be paying a disservice its spectacular execution of modern design and mixology. It would also understate its importance to the future of the Don the Beachcomber brand.
Based on what was on display during the preview party, the team behind this highly immersive watering hole has delivered admirably on the Gantt Reserve goals. “We believe that if Donn could have lived another 100 years, he would have continued to push the boundaries of the craft cocktail genre, creating unique and experiential bars and restaurants,” the website states.
Recognizing the diversity and eclectic tastes of the modern bar-going public, the restaurant group wisely created a concept that will feature a distinctive design and menu at each location. While the Don the Beachcomber restaurants will follow a familiar Polynesian Pop template, that will not be the case with the Gantt Reserve Collection.
Tampa’s history and the location of the inaugural speakeasy both informed its theme. The bar is at 210 N. Morgan St. in a city that since 1904 has celebrated its swashbuckling past with the Gasparilla Pirate Festival, attended annually in January by some 300,000 enthusiastic revelers.
The fest celebrates the city’s most infamous buccaneer, José Gaspar (aka Jose Gasparilla), who plundered nearby seas until a fateful day in 1821. Confronted by a U.S. Navy ship in disguise, Gasparilla reportedly tied himself to an anchor chain and jumped into the sea, never to be seen again.
Morgan’s Cove honors not only its address and city, but the centuries of pirate lore from the 1650s to the 1850s that includes the infamous Henry Morgan. Commissioned (and later knighted) by the king of England, Morgan seized Spanish ships and invaded Spanish colonies throughout the Caribbean. (Note that the street is named not for the pirate, but for Brig. Gen. Daniel Morgan, a Revolutionary War hero.)
It’s therefore appropriate that this modern-day den of iniquity is located in a space adjacent to the Yeoman’s British pub, which stands like a sprawling colonial settlement at 202 N. Morgan St. Conveniently, the 23 Restaurant Services headquarters are in the same building, presumably strategically located to quell any uprisings between plunderers and privateers.
In reality, it was relatively quiet and everyone was quite friendly when we visited for the July 13 preview and dined at the restaurant, proper name Yeoman’s Top Golf Swing Suite. We noticed that the computerized POS system already featured both brand logos on its main screen, one of many efficiencies that the location offers.
The Yeoman’s kitchen provides the small bites on the Morgan’s Cove menu. And while there is no apparent interior connection for guests, it would be easy to pop back and forth between the two via their main Morgan Street doors. A robust meal is encouraged before you enjoy the many potent cocktails created by the 23 Restaurant Services director of beverage, Marie King, and her team.
But first, you’ll need to find the Morgan’s Cove entrance. In true speakeasy style, there are no posted signs or a street number. The website provides one simple clue: “Look for the wooden door and red light.”
That’s where the magic begins, thanks to Southern California designer Daniel “Tiki Diablo” Gallardo and his crew of artists.
The experience: An immersive den of mythical creatures
Upon entering the framed wooden door at 210 N. Morgan St., you encounter a nondescript hallway lined with weathered paneling. The nautical rope adorning one wall is the only clue of what lies ahead.
Further down the winding hallway are the restrooms, far removed from the bar and the only major criticism we have of the entire space. The lack of theming inside is jarring after spending several hours in the bar. Based on the location, we assume that the facilities are shared with some of the back-of-house Yeoman’s staff, but we sincerely hope that the loo can be enhanced with at least some rudimentary nautical theming.
It’s hard to find fault with anything else, beginning with the clever “hidden entrance.” No more than 15 feet from the streetside portal, we were greeted by a staff member who began to show off a dusty collection of booze housed on shelves in a small alcove on the right.
Among the tattered bottles are obscure labels such as Old Quaker, along with more recent brands including Barcardi and Skipper. He pointed out a handle protruding from a middle shelf and encouraged us to turn it.
Give it a hearty pull and the shelf becomes a door, magically granting you access into an old-time saloon that pays homage to mythical sea creatures. We posted a video of the entry experience shortly after arriving on July 13. Watch below, or directly on Instagram and Facebook.
You’ll enter another hallway, this one heavily themed with wood, stone and ominous lighting. A red glow illuminates a cache of weapons.
If you didn’t know better, you’d think you were entering an updated version of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. At the end of this short hall, you hang a left and enter Morgan’s Cove proper.
The first room features comfy red leather chairs and a large booth that can seat eight or more people. Illuminated by a chandelier, it’s easily the most secluded area of the bar. Dark green and tan wood surrounds you, along with nautical rigging and vintage weapons on the walls.
An impressive scale model of a historic ship sits inside a case on a large shelf that dominates the wall that separates this space from the rest of the bar. Of course, we’re in the Captain’s Quarters, envisioned by Gallardo to welcome guests into the world of Morgan’s Cove.
The veteran Tiki artist and themed bar builder, who is bringing the new Don the Beachcomber restaurant spaces to life, posted a chronological video of the Captain’s Quarters on his Instagram page, from conception to completion:
But you haven’t seen anything yet. Step beyond the Captain’s Quarters and you enter the main room, its high ceilings and walls filled with sea-faring artifacts providing a spectacular wow factor. Before you even look up, you can’t help but marvel at perhaps the bar’s signature feature: the 4-foot-high panels all around the room at eye level, bas relief plaster pieces by Florida artist Patrick Vassar that depict evil mermaids and mermen, a giant octopus devouring a ship, and other mythical scenes of disaster on the high seas. Vassar did the sculpting and carving, then handed them off to Gallardo for finishing by the on-site team. Click here and here to see the work in progress.
Two walls are lined by rustic wooden tables and chairs, accompanied by comfy red booth-style seating. To the left is the large bar, with a dozen or so seats on high stools. The back bar, also designed by Gallardo, fits the theme perfectly. Liquor bottles sit in small cubbyholes, surrounded by model ships, weapons and dozens of nautical artifacts.
We spoke to Gallardo at the preview on July 13, but the busy artist couldn’t stick around long. He was due to leave the following day for his next job. He’ll return to Florida when it’s time to build out the Gantt Reserve bar in Plantation, which he said he’s already designed with a “Clipper ship” theme.
Gallardo credits Georgia artist Dave “Basement Kahuna” Wolfe for the “set design,” strategically placing countless artifacts to create an authentic looking space. Wolfe also staged the rope work and other nautical touches.
Gallardo’s wife, Stephanie, also helped create some of the interactive elements on the top shelves, including a lighted treasure chest. The middle shelf around the room contains historic items sourced from Tampa, he said.
The wall at the end of the room features a faux fireplace, plus a signature piece created by Texas artist Jason Straughan, aka The Boozy Doodler. Lit in deep blue, the diorama includes detailed models depicting an iconic Caribbean scene featuring a ship docked at an exotic port of call.
When you belly up to the bar, don’t forget to look up. High above the bartenders is what appears to be an actual great white whale skeleton created by Vassar. The ceiling is loaded with sails and other artifacts that look like they were salvaged from old vessels.
Much of the decor actually came from Gallardo’s own collection, he said, pointing out several items high above our heads that he acquired from Oceanic Arts before the venerable restaurant decor provider closed its doors in 2021 after 65 years.
Gallardo used another source to secure some other one-of-a-kind items for Morgan’s Cove. If the windows high on the wall, lighted from behind, give you a distinctive Pirates of the Caribbean feel, it’s for a very good reason. They are reportedly props from the Hollywood films, which Gallardo said were probably used in scenes featuring Jack Sparrow’s Black Pearl.
Other artists and craftspeople who worked on the project include Richard “Rum Ricky” Tokiyeda from California, and carpenters who did the faux finishing. Gallardo said he hand-picked the team and scheduled their work to maximize his and their time.
The entire buildout took nine weeks, Gallardo said, a timeframe “typically pretty unheard of.” When the project was announced in early April, a photo shared at Tiki-A-Go-Go in Orlando showed just basic framing of the walls and bar with the new flooring just added.
The 1,800-square-foot space was formerly a pizza restaurant, which was totally gutted when 23 Restaurants took over. Everything had to be removed or covered, including the streetside windows.
The concept was right up Gallardo’s alley. “I love nautical,” he said, adding that he also loves high ceilings, which are not often found in secluded speakeasies. “It was constructed like a Tiki bar, but it’s nautical,” Gallardo explained.
While some might group Morgan’s Cove into the Tiki bar genre, mainly because of the cocktails and immersive atmosphere, Gallardo considers it to be “a straight-up nautical bar.” And he should know since those are his two major design styles.
For Gallardo, “Tiki and nautical have been going hand-in-hand since day one.” He cited The Mai-Kai and Oceanic Arts as his biggest influences. When the Whittier, Cailf., decor supplier shut down, Gallardo ended up with some of his most prized possessions, he said.
It was a treat to share a grog with Gallardo as he pointed out some of the unique items around us, including the large pieces from Oceanic Arts. Look for the whaling oar and the sail above your head before and after the threshold into the bar area. There are also several “Easter eggs” that reference Don the Beachcomber, but he said he’d rather have people find these on their own.
One of the more subtle parts of the design may go unnoticed to many. Gallardo takes every aspect of the decor seriously, including the area behind the bar. “The back bar is the jewel in the crown of a bar,” he said.
At Morgan’s Cove, the bar features bottles housed on small shelves that appear to be part of a vintage galley inside a ship. Gallardo says he was inspired by “pub windows from an old English tavern.” Look closely and you’ll see that they’re curved and painted blue, like windows in a pub.
He also took inspiration from one of his first large design jobs 20 years ago, the gift shop at the Mission Tiki Drive-In in Montclair, Calif., circa 2006. The venue sadly closed in early 2023.
Here’s a new video, posted by Gallardo on July 16, of the finished space:
- Check out Gallardo’s Instagram and Facebook pages for more video and photos of his work over the past several months.
On top of the decor, the lighting and sound design add another layer of immersion. No outside light enters the space, so it’s dark enough to allow for creative colored mood lighting. It’s also highly functional, with many old-school lanterns (containing modern LED bulbs) keeping the light levels just high enough to allow the bartenders to work and guests to peruse menus without needing flashlights.
The July 13 preview party was fairly raucous, so we weren’t able to fully enjoy the background music, but we did catch snippets of the soundtrack created by California musician and musicologist Jonpaul Balak. Best known as the bassist in Tikiyaki Orchestra and multiple modern surf bands, Balak is also Marie King’s husband and creator of the exotic soundtrack you hear at Don the Beachcomber in Madeira Beach.
When we spoke at that restaurant’s opening in February, he was excited about creating something different than the usual Tiki soundtrack for Morgan’s Cove, hinting at a “creepier” direction. We did hear quite a bit of the instrumental surf bands you’d expect, such as Satan’s Pilgrims and Messer Chups, but also a good deal of dark and sometimes rowdy off-genre songs that fit perfectly.
When was the last time you heard Iron Maiden’s epic Rime of the Ancient Mariner anywhere? Other eclectic artists and songs on the nine-hour playlist: Bad Brains (Sailing’ On), Cocteau Twins (Sea, Swallow Me), The Cramps (Surfin’ Dead), and The Beatles (Octopus’s Garden). You’ll also notice the requisite sea shanties and pirate tunes to spice things up. Balak is definitely pushing the boundaries of what a Tiki bar soundscape can be.
There were likely more than 70 in attendance at the July 13 preview party, but the space never seemed crowded. King and her bartenders did a yeoman’s job in keeping up with all the cocktail orders, which were coming fast and furious. Check out our review of the drinks and menu below.
Like Don the Beachcomber in Madeira Beach, a lot of thought and planning went into the logistical design. There’s plenty of space to move around and not feel cramped, for both guests and staff. Even so, Brown said they hope to foster a more low-key, speakeasy vibe by limiting capacity. Gallardo, the designer of the concept, also had input into crafting the guest experience.
There are 48 seats and overall capacity of 66, Brown said. The goal is to have most guests seated, when possible. Morgan’s Cove is open from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays through Wednesdays, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. Entry is limited to ages 21 and older. Check the website for more info.
The cocktails: Taking Tiki to the next level
The artists who created the immersive space weren’t the only craftspeople responsible for making Morgan’s Cove a top-notch cocktail bar. Marie King and her team have perfectly executed a modern craft cocktail experience, with a distinctive Tiki flair.
As promised during the introduction of the brand in April, King has built a menu that’s “more elevated” than the already top-notch offerings at Don the Beachcomber. She touted the prospects of offering more glassware, more ingredients made in-house, a more expansive menu, plus more classics.
* Listen to Marie King on a recent Shift Drink podcast
King, who has decades of experience as mixologist and manager in Southern California’s venerable Tiki bar scene, appears to have delivered on all counts. During the sneak preview, we sampled immaculately garnished Tiki cocktails featuring coffee-infused Campari, acid-adjusted orange juice, coconut-pandan cream, and plenty of high-proof rum.
Before we take a deep dive into the menu, here’s a synopsis and ratings of the cocktails we enjoyed at the July 13 preview party, crafted by King and hard-working bartenders Kevin Clark and Kala Tollzman. Both came from Don the Beachcomber in Madeira Beach. Cocktails were rated on our usual 1-5 scale and based on taste, presentation, creativity (when applicable), and faithfulness to the theme.
The stars are not to be confused with the 1 to 4 skulls (aka Donn’s Strength Index) that each tropical cocktail is awarded on the menu itself. Representing “mild,” “standard,” “sneaky” and “strongest,” these gauges of potency are identical on the Don the Beachcomber menu in Madeira Beach. This would be a wise move if it were to become the standard across all DTB and Gantt Reserve bars. It would assist not only newbies trying to regulate their intake, but also veterans seeking out drinks in their wheelhouse. For instance, if I know I can easily handle a 4-skull Navy Grog and Zombie at one location, I might seek out the same or similar drinks at the future locations.
In determining my plan of attack, I decided to concentrate on the elevated and reimagined classics that I know are close to King’s heart. We prefaced these with the bar’s more simple signature drink, then ended with a reverential Don the Beachcomber classic. Not one was a disappointment.
Gaspar’s Grog (3 skulls, $15) – Planteray O.F.T.D. rum, passion fruit, honey, allspice, fresh lime and grapefruit. The bar’s signature drink, named for the infamous pirate José Gaspar, is appropriately a riff on Donn Beach’s Navy Grog. King switched it up a bit, adding passion fruit and a bolder rum, the 138-proof O.F.T.D. I found it rich and decadent, but also well balanced with just enough sour and dry notes to balance the sweetness. The perfect addition to the classic menu. Rating: 4 stars
Pandan-Killer (3 skulls, $14) – JM Blanc rhum agricole, Planteray Stiggins’ Fancy pineapple rum, coconut-pandan cream, acid-adjusted orange juice, topped with cinnamon and nutmeg. To say this is an elevated Painkiller would be an understatement. The sweet and cloying 1970s-era Caribbean drink gets an infusion of craft ingredients and technique yet retains its original intention. The agricole rhum and pandan challenge the palette and push the drink in new directions. Served in a large snifter, it also looks (and smells) great with its pineapple garnish and dusting of spices. Rating: 3.5 stars
Columbian Jungle Bird ($14) – Hamilton Jamaican Blonde rum, coffee-infused Campari, pineapple, fresh lime. A seemingly simple riff on this favorite of the Tiki revival is taken to the next level by the infused Campari. The coffee mellows out the bitter liqueur and works perfectly with the rum and pineapple. I told King that this was perhaps the best Jungle Bird I’ve ever had the pleasure of tasting, and she gave me a small sample of the Capari. I’m by no means a fan of the Italian apertif, but I love coffee, so I could sip that neat anytime. The infusion yields a very dark, rich coffee liqueur. This is not a new concept, but King executes it perfectly in this cocktail. Rating: 4.5 stars
Mac Nut Pearl Diver (2 skulls, $14) – Don Q Reservea 7 rum, Planteray O.F.T.D. rum, macadamia nut, acid-adjusted orange juice, MC Gardenia Mix / brown butter, spices, honey. Duplicating Donn Beach’s Pearl Diver is already difficult, but upgrading and enhancing it takes creativity and skill. King introduced the drink last year at Tiki Oasis in San Diego, but that was just a tease. She has perfected the ingredients and presentation for Morgan’s Cove, resulting in a rich, creamy and spicy version that’s arguably better than the original. There’s a lot going on here, but it all works in harmony and there’s no buttery aftertaste whatsoever. The simple presentation in Beachbum Berry’s Pearl Diver Glass is appropriate and classic. Rating: 4 stars
Demerara Dry Float (2 skulls, $13) – Hamilton Demerara 86 rum, maraschino liqueur, passion fruit, rich cane syrup, fresh lemon and lime, float of Hamilton Demerara 151 rum. After all the creativity and boundary-pushing of the first four drinks, I wanted to close out with a Donn Beach classic that needs no tinkering. It’s served in the traditional frozen glass with an ice cove, 151 float on the side. Flawlessly mixed and executed. Rating: 4 stars
Eats: I was smitten with Devils on Horseback, which appeared on small plates throughout the evening along with several of the other dishes (see menu below). It’s hard to imagine a more perfect bar bite: Jumbo dates wrapped in thick-cut bacon, stuffed with goat cheese and fig jam, then drizzled with a balsamic glaze and rosemary-fig hot honey. This pairs especially well with strong citrusy drinks like Gaspar’s Grog.
Exclusive: The Morgan’s Cove menu
The slim menu, which is large but not too unwieldy, is hard-bound and looks as if it was made of cork from a rum bottle. Its eight pages – arranged on four tall pieces of slick paper in a three-ringed binder for easy updating – are packed with enticing offerings. Following is a breakdown. Click the images for larger views.
Cover plus pages 1 and 8: The first page introduces you to the Morgan’s Cove concept with a streamlined version of the story on the official website. It also includes an overview of Donn Beach’s mixology style along with the strength index.
The back page of the menu includes lists of five wines, 10 beers, and five small plates. Four of the wines are served in a 6-ounce glass ($12-$14), and all are available by the bottle ($39-$48). The bottled and canned beers ($7-$9) include local and Florida microbrews in a wide range of styles, plus one non-alcoholic option.
The “Eats” menu features the aforementioned Devils on Horseback, plus Gochujang Glazed Wings, Sesame Seared Tuna, Krispy Brussels Sprouts, and Firecracker Shrimp. (Prices range from $12.99 to $17.50.) The same sprouts dish is served at Yeoman’s, where we enjoyed it before the party. We’d also recommend the wings (unique to Morgan’s Cove), which fellow guests devoured with gusto. The tuna and shrimp also appear to be available only at the bar. Overall, I like the approachable yet wide-ranging food offerings that can easily complement the vast cocktail menu.
Pages 2 and 3: Here’s where anyone who appreciates a neat sip will want to turn first. Page 2 contains a concise list of nine agave spirits (tequila and mezcal), 10 brown spirits (bourbon, whiskey and rye), and 13 rums and rhums (spanning most of the major Caribbean islands, plus Spain and three offerings from Florida’s Siesta Key). Suggested sips from the latter list include Chairman’s Reserve – The Forgotten Casks (St. Lucia), Mount Gay X.O. (Barbados), and Clement 10 Year (Martinique). It’s no surprise that more than just rum is put in the spotlight. King has spoken about the need to appeal to connoisseurs of all spirits, and this menu accomplishes that. I just wish the rum offerings were just a bit more focused on new premium offerings instead of the same old, same old. Many of these also appear on the DTB menu in Madeira Beach. But I also understand the need to streamline costs and appeal to a broad audience, so I can’t be too critical.
Six “rhum thapsodes & tropicals” get the spotlight on page 3, ranging from $12 to $15. Four (151 Swizzle, Serpent’s Fang, Demerara Dry Float, and Donga Punch) are Don the Beachcomber classics that appear to be presented either in their vintage form or with a minimal enhancements. On our next visit, we’d like to try the riff on the Cobra’s Fang featuring house fassionola, acid-adjusted orange juice, and the falernum produced by Florida’s Luau Lads. Cucumber Caliente, a spicy tequila drink that should appeal to Margarita fans, is one of King’s originals from Madeira Beach. The signature Gaspar’s Grog, as noted above, will speak to fans of classic Tiki cocktails.
Pages 4 and 5: The centerspread features 12 tropical cocktails, a nice mix of elevated and reverential classics ($12-$18). There are three non-rum drinks that also appear in Madeira Beach: King’s Honi Honi (bourbon) and Skrewy Nui (mezcal), plus the classic Saturn (gin). All appear to feature different brands of spirits, and the Skrewy Nui includes acid-adjusted orange juice. King also uses this craft technique to replace the lime-OJ combo in the classic Nui Nui, a Donn Beach original also featured in Madeira Beach. The Hurricane and Rum Barrel appear to be the same in both locations, though the Morgan’s Cove menu once again calls out Luau Lads falernum by name in the latter.
With one small small rum swap, the Navy Grog and Zombie (both Donn Beach classics), along with the Mai Tai (Trader Vic’s version), appear to be the same in both bars. Don’t take this as a negative, however. King and her bartenders have perfected those recipes so there’s no real need to mess with them.
Exclusive to Morgan’s Cove are a reverential version of the Jet Pilot (Donn Beach called it the Test Pilot), plus King’s modern take on two similarly rich and creamy, yet very different classics. We enjoyed both the Mac Nut Pearl Diver (a wonderful twist on Beach’s Pearl Diver), plus the Pandan-Killer (a highly elevated version of the simplistic Painkiller featured in Madeira Beach).
Pages 6 and 7: Leaving the tropical world (but not entirely), we arrive at a catch-all assortment of 16 classic cocktails broken down equally into four broad categories (priced $12-$15). There are also five zero-proof, alcohol-free mocktails ($10 each) that use many of the same craft ingredients, sans booze. The “Cane” section includes two reverential rum standards (Hemingway Daiquiri, Queen’s Park Swizzle) plus two with a caffeinated twist (Espresso Old Fashioned, Columbian Jungle Bird). We were blown away by the last one (see above), but all are worth further investigation.
The “Brown” drinks include the Black Cherry Old Fashioned (bourbon), Not Your Trini-Daddy (amaro and rye), Sidecar (Cognac and Cointreau), and Whiskey Sour (bourbon). The first two push the envelope while the latter two stick close to the classic recipes. The “Agave” options show off King’s flair for punching up tequila and mezcal drinks with creative flourishes. Her El Diablo includes ginger-infused syrup and ginger ale, while the Paloma employs house grapefruit cordial. A modern classic, Naked and Famous, hews close to the original with Strega replacing yellow Chartreuse. We’re most enticed, however, by what appears to be an original that brings tropical influences to the forefront. Pineapple Fuego features Spicy Ghost Reposado Tequila, Siete Misterios Mezcal, coffee, cinnamon, pineapple, and fresh lime. This will be on the short list on our next visit.
Finally, the “Clear” category is represented by the Army/Navy and Last Word featuring overproof London dry gin. The former is elevated by a house orgeat, while the latter uses a house lime cordial along with Dolin Génépy le Chamois Liqueur instead of Green Chartreuse. The Cucumber Gimlet, which can be ordered with either vodka or gin, is enhanced by bergamont and the lime cordial. Lastly, intrepid spies can order a classic Vesper – shaken, not stirred – with either Ford’s gin or Stoli vodka. Among all of the above, only a more rudimentary version of the Hemingway Daiquiri can be found on the Don the Beachcomber restaurant menu.
Overall analysis: It’s worth noting that of the 34 featured cocktails on Morgan’s Cove menu, just 11 can also be found in Madeira Beach: Cucumber Caliente, Honi Honi, Skrewy Nui, Saturn, Nui Nui, Rum Barrel, Hurricane, Navy Grog, Zombie, Mai Tai, and Hemingway Daiquiri. Though we hear that some bartenders there are adept at making off-menu versions of Donn Beach classics. It makes sense to keep some menu continuity, but also try to provide differentiation between the two locations.
The common thread, of course, is cocktails that can be traced back to Donn Beach himself. There are 10 on the menu at Morgan’s Cove, compared to 11 in Madeira Beach. If you need a handy list, they are: 151 Swizzle, Serpent’s Fang, Demerara Dry Float, Donga Punch, Jet Pilot, Mac Nut Pearl Diver, Nui Nui, Rum Barrel, Navy Grog, and Zombie. The last four of those are featured at both locations.
Breaking down the menu further, there are 18 rum cocktails, six with tequila or mezcal, five with gin, four with bourbon or rye, and one with cognac. If you must, you can replace gin with vodka in two of the drinks. To be fair, we saw a fair number of drinkers at the preview party ordering vodka cocktails, and the bartenders were happy to oblige. They can likely make anything you prefer from the well-stocked back bar.
The Morgan’s Cove logos and menu were designed by 23 Restaurant Services creative director Justin Peterson, the man behind much of the imagery on the Don the Beachcomber merchandise and also the Madeira Beach menu.
We chatted with Peterson over drinks at the preview party, where he gave us a rundown of the merchandise in the works for Morgan’s Cove. There will be Zombie and Mai Tai glasses, custom swizzle sticks, and an enamel pin, he said.
While there won’t be a ton of offerings, he did reveal that a custom mug is also in the works. Everything except the mug is coming soon, he said, adding that the merch will be available at Shop.DonBeachcomber.com as well as at the bar.
Also in attendance July 13 was Jennifer Paci, director of new restaurant openings for 23 Restaurant Services. She’s been busy with the expansion of the group’s other brands, but she had a hand in the Morgan’s Cove logistics and had nothing but praise for the staff and the quick opening.
In addition to Morgan’s Cove, Yeoman’s, Don the Beachcomber, and Ford’s Garage, the Tiki Docks concept continues to thrive. This waterfront and boater-friendly concept – more “Florida tropical” and less traditional Tiki – will be opening a third location in Florida this fall in Port Orange (near Daytona Beach).
These appear to be booming times for the hospitality group, but also times of strategic expansion with an eye toward profitability. We look forward to going along for the ride at Morgan’s Cove and the future Don the Beachcomber and Gantt Reserve Collection bars.
Yeoman’s and Morgan’s Cove will be hosting a Halfway to Gasparilla Party on Saturday, July 27, from noon to 5 p.m. Get early access to the bar and free sample cocktails while you celebrate Tampa’s favorite holiday. Tickets are free but limited. Click here for more info.
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