Beloved St. Pete dive bar and restaurant Dead Bob's to relocate to bigger space this winter
/Dead Bob’s is relocating to 6475 Central Avenue, just three blocks away from its current location, in west St. Pete | dead bob’s
A month after celebrating its 10-year anniversary, beloved St. Pete dive bar and restaurant Dead Bob's will continue its legacy at a new, expanded location in west St. Pete.
The down-to-earth neighborhood hangout, known for its affordable menu and late hours, is typically buzzing with locals chowing down on comfort food and watching everything from live sports to mullet hair competitions.
That same energized and funky bar vibe that can always be found at 6716 Central Avenue will carry on just three blocks away at 6475 Central Avenue, the former home of Kay's Family Restaurant.
The current dead bob’s location at 6716 central avenue | St. pete rising
"We never would have guessed in a million years that this place would have taken off the way it did," Dead Bob's owner Ben Scherlis said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising, reflecting on the establishment’s humble beginnings.
Scherlis, who co-owns Dead Bob’s with Bill Hepscher, also owns Dead Bobs Too in Tampa and co-owns The Joint, a neighborhood tavern in the Jungle Terrace neighborhood of St. Pete, with Francesco Balzano.
"Although Dead Bob’s is moving into a new space, we are not changing who we are and have been for the past 10 years," Scherlis added.
The menu at the new location will not change, but the expanded kitchen will allow staff to offer breakfast seven days a week rather than only on the weekend.
The new Dead Bob's will have significantly more outdoor seating thanks to a large 19-foot covered deck running along the length of the building. The expanded space will also Dead Bob’s to host live music.
A rendering of the new dead bob’s, which will have extended outdoor seating and a larger kitchen | dead bob’s
Scherlis, who has 15 years of experience working at and managing bars, had an existing relationship with Kay’s Family Restaurant owners Gzim and Zafi Xheka.
"It was family-owned for 28 years. They were just ready to move onto something else. We first talked about buying the building a year ago, and then we finally sat down," Scherlis said. "We wrote the deal on a paper napkin and turned it over to the attorneys."
Scherlis purchased the 2,030-square-foot building for $1.6 million in July.
Both the newly acquired St. Pete building and the Tampa location, which debuted in early 2020, formerly operated as Chicken Unlimited fast-food chain restaurants in the 70s.
"I know their cookie-cutter layout so when this building became available, I already had the blueprints and knew what I wanted to do," Scherlis said.
The former Kay’s Family restaurant building that the owners of dead bob’s purchased in July | st. pete rising
Despite the existing location’s small kitchen, which only contains a three-foot flat top grill, Dead Bob's has a surprisingly large food menu.
"We don't serve your average bar food. Nobody believes how much food we pump out of this place. It's very high quality," Scherlis said.
While customers can find common bar go-to's like fried pickle chips, wings, and a full bar with beer and liquor, the menu also features more elevated American grub and daily specials such as pot roast, chicken pot pie, spaghetti and meatballs, and smothered chicken.
The cheesy bob, a dead bob’s favorite, stacked with two beef patties and loaded with cheese | dead bob’s
However, the star of the show are the burgers, which have been lauded as some of the best in the state by many patrons.
The Texas Bob is a bacon, jalapeño, and BBQ burger topped with pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion.
The Cheesy Bob is another popular selection stacked with two beef patties and loaded with cheese.
Dead Bob's recently partnered with Fishbusterz Seafood, a seafood wholesale purveyor based in Madeira Beach that supplies an array of hogfish, snapper, and other fresh fish.
Dead Bob’s Bow tie pasta with Mutton Snapper and a homemade Florentine sauce, and zucchini and summer squash | dead bob’s
The breakfast menu features a wide array of dishes, such as chicken and waffles and biscuits and gravy, but also items with a little kick, like the breakfast burritos and tacos, as well as mimosas and Bloody Mary cocktails.
The new location is currently under construction and Scherlis is hoping to debut it in early 2025. The existing Dead Bob’s will remain open until then.
Dead Bob’s was previously owned by the late Mike Anderson, who also owned The Wharf, The Bridgeview, The Reef, Willys, and The Joint.
The restaurant is named after a charming party animal named Bob, a unique character the owners randomly met at a hotel pool bar in Miami Beach many years ago. Bob has since passed, but his larger than life personality is still celebrated today at the restaurant and bar.
Dead Bob’s is open from 8 a.m. to 3 a.m. seven days a week. The kitchen is open until 2 a.m.
Follow Dead Bob's on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on all the latest food specials and updates on the new location.
