ABOVE: City Side Lounge, photo via City Side’s Facebook page.
TAMPA | City Side Lounge, which has served Tampa Bay’s LGBTQ community since 1991, reopened its doors Sept. 2 after obtaining a food license.
Described as “your premiere LGBTQIA+ cocktail lounge,” City Side closed to the public by state mandate June 26. The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, in response to COVID-19, suspended alcohol consumption in bars statewide after Gov. Ron DeSantis reopened them June 5.
James Encke, who became City Side’s owner in 2013, told Watermark in July that it felt as if the bar industry was being targeted. “The state closed the bars to combat COVID-19, yet they keep restaurants open,” he shared.
“All the state has done is transfer our customers to another location,” he continued. “The virus does not care if you are in a bar, restaurant, beach, mall or an outside picnic table; if you have a crowd gathered you run the risk of catching it.”
Encke subsequently announced in a video that City Side had obtained a food license to reopen Sept. 2. “I know we’ve been closed for quite some time because of COVID, however, effective today … we will be reopening our doors.
“How is that possible, you may ask,” he continued. “Well, we just qualified for our food license – so technically, we are now a restaurant … we’ve missed you and I hope you’ve missed us.” Watch the video in full below:
City Side’s food menu includes pizza, hot dogs, chips, popcorn and nuts. For customers who do not wish to order food, Encke explains, a bag of chips is included with a drink as a combo. As the establishment now offers food, smoking will no longer be permitted inside. Guests who wish to smoke may do outside on City Side’s patios.
Following its reopening, Encke thanked City Side patrons for their continued support. “On behalf of the entire staff of City Side Lounge, I want to thank everyone who came out tonight to help reopen OUR home,” he shared.
“Yes OUR home, each and every one in our community can and will always have a safe haven and a home in City Side,” he continued. “I am truly grateful and most of all humbled by everyone for sticking with us.”
Read his full message below:
On behalf of the entire staff of City Side Lounge, I want to thank everyone who came out tonight to help reopen OUR home.
Yes OUR home, Each and everyone in our community can and will always have a safe haven and a Home in City Side.
I am truly grateful and most of all humbled by everyone for sticking with us.
I would like to take a moment to publicly thank Todd Kruckenberg, for his incredible skill and love for City Side. It would have been impossible to navigate this Pandemic. Thank you.
To the entire staff, you all are incredible, now let’s get back to doing what we do best…
To Scott Tanner (Stage Hogz) for providing tonights awesome Karaoke thank you, and we all look forward to bringing back to the stage , Miss Many, Conundrum, and Te Monet along with our incredible DJ’s Pedro and TC.
A special thank you goes out to George Carlton, thank you for standing by me, your unwavering support and incredible amount of love and patience with me during all of this, I love you and thank you.
Thank you all again, you have no idea the amount of hope you have restored in me. Thank you all again.
In addition to food service, City Side’s entertainment options have also begun to make their return. Fan favorite Tampa Bay entertainers Conundrum and Te Monet will host a Labor Day drag show Sept. 5 and the former will host Bingo on Sept. 6.
Encke tells Watermark that COVID-19 safety precautions remain in place. Temperatures will be checked upon entry and social distancing adherence will be enforced.
City Side Lounge is open daily from 11 a.m.-3 a.m. For more information, visit its Facebook page and CitySideLounge.com.
