Live at Dead Bob’s will bring late-night food and live music to downtown Largo
/One of St. Pete’s most popular dive bars, Dead Bob’s, will open a new concept, Live at Dead Bob’s, in Largo next year | Dead Bob’s
Dead Bob’s is heading to Largo with a new name, an outdoor stage, and the late-night hours that helped make the St. Pete neighborhood bar a local favorite.
Owner Ben Scherlis plans to open Live at Dead Bob’s in 2027 at Horizon West Bay, Largo’s new $80 million mixed-use development at 440 West Bay Drive.
The development occupies the northern 400 block of West Bay Drive and combines Largo’s new City Hall with retail and restaurant space, public gathering areas, an outdoor plaza and stage, and a parking garage.
The 2,072-square-foot Live at Dead Bob’s will occupy a space in the parking garage building beside the outdoor stage and public plaza.
It will be the fourth Dead Bob’s-branded location, joining Dead Bob’s in west St. Pete, Dead Bob’s Too in Tampa, and Dead Bob’s Waterfront Kitchen inside the Elks Lodge in Madeira Beach.
Scherlis and his partners also operate Bob’s Side Piece, which opened earlier this year in Dead Bob’s original west St. Pete home.
The Largo location will share the same casual, open-air feel as its sister bars, with indoor and outdoor seating, TVs for sports, affordable drinks, burgers, wings, daily specials, and late-night food.
Dead Bob’s is known for their no-frills, thick-patty burgers | Dead Bob’s
Its menu will be somewhat smaller than the St. Pete and Tampa locations, Scherlis said, but will retain Dead Bob’s best-known staples.
“Keep the food good and the drinks affordable. That’s the ticket,” Scherlis said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “I’ve always stuck to that, and it’s worked.”
The biggest difference will be live entertainment. The City of Largo built a covered outdoor stage directly in front of the restaurant space, offering Dead Bob’s its first real opportunity to regularly host bands.
Scherlis initially considered calling the concept Dead Bob’s Revival, a name suggested during conversations with city representatives about revitalizing downtown Largo. But he landed on Live at Dead Bob’s to reflect the stage and planned music programming.
“I’ve never been able to do it before because I never had the space,” Scherlis said. “The stage is right in front of where the bar is going to be. That’s what really got me to sink my teeth into it.”
Unlike his existing locations, Scherlis said Live at Dead Bob’s will provide two things he has long lacked: ample parking and a dedicated outdoor stage for regular live music.
The City of Largo built a covered outdoor stage directly in front of the restaurant space, offering Dead Bob’s its first real opportunity to regularly host bands | St. Pete Rising
He expects live music primarily on weekends, with a mix of Tampa Bay acts and Florida bands traveling through the area. The restaurant will also help schedule programming at the public stage.
Live at Dead Bob’s is expected to keep the brand’s late-night reputation. Scherlis said he is tentatively targeting 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily, with the kitchen open late, while also serving the lunch crowd from nearby City Hall and surrounding offices.
The Largo City Commission approved the Dead Bob’s lease in a 5–1 vote on August 18th, with Commissioner Curtis Holmes casting the lone opposing vote.
Under the approved 10-year lease, the City of Largo will reimburse up to $414,400 in documented construction costs to prepare the space for restaurant use.
Dead Bob’s will pay for costs beyond that allowance, including kitchen equipment, refrigeration, furniture, and other interior needs.
Scherlis said he had previously considered opening in Largo but was unsure whether downtown was ready for a neighborhood bar.
Seeing the completed Horizon West Bay development, the city’s commitment to filling its storefronts, and the residential neighborhoods surrounding the area changed his mind.
Horizon West Bay is Largo’s new $80 million mixed-use development at 440 West Bay Drive | RIMO
“I’ve lived here my whole life, so I’ve seen a lot of places in Tampa and St. Pete go from nothing to becoming booming areas,” Scherlis said. “When I started talking to the property managers, I could really see their vision.”
He believes the area has room to grow as the city brings more restaurants, retail, events, and activity to downtown Largo.
“I think this area is ripe for growth,” Scherlis said. “The more I thought about it, the more excited I got.”
Live at Dead Bob’s will join Louis Pappas Fresh Greek and Bocelli Modern Italian, both under construction or planned at Horizon West Bay, along with Parlor Doughnuts, Strachan’s Ice Cream, and The Tox.
Scherlis does not see the other businesses as competition. Instead, he believes a mix of restaurants and bars will give more people a reason to visit the area.
“I see us being more of a happy-hour spot and maybe a late-night spot for the hospitality industry,” he said. “The more places there are for people to go, the more reason there is for people to come here.”
Live at Dead Bob’s is expected to open sometime in 2027.
