I recently returned to my hometown of Hollywood, Florida and was overwhelmed by the amount of renovation being accomplished. I always refer to Hollywood, Florida as “the other white meat” because it continues to be South Florida’s best kept secret. Let everyone migrate to Hollywood, California. Hollywood, FLORIDA has it going on.
The boardwalk at Hollywood Beach has been completely refurbished to include quaint street lamps and manicured retaining walls that separate the sand from the walkway. There are some big condominiums being built along Hollywood Beach including a development by some guy with the last name of Trump.
Head inland just a few blocks and Hollywood’s “Downtown” district is on the brink of being remade into an area that may one day rival the Art Deco District of Miami’s North Beach.
I couldn’t believe my eyes; this was a city that was pretty much left for dead after being hammered by a hurricane or two in the mid-1970’s. Now showing signs of being all but re-born to tune of nearly 150 million dollars in renovation and investment.
A few things haven’t changed though. And that includes a handful of restaurants from my carefree youth. I don’t know if I need to thank the mayor or what, but I was as hocked as I was thrilled to hunker down in several eating establishments that I was convinced would never survive out of the 1970’s, let alone the 1980’s, 1990’s and beyond.
At the top of my list of “Restaurants you wouldn’t Necessarily Bring Your Mother To” is Tark’s Clam House (1317 S Federal Hwy, Dania FL 33004, Phone: 954-925-8275). I notice that now it calls itself “Tarks of Dania”. I always knew it as just “Tarks”. It was already old when I frequented it and that as back in the mid-70’s. It is so small you can’t really call it a restaurant. It has a bar you can sit down to. And a few tables. And a small parking lot. It also has the mouth mouth-watering fried clams I even laid eyes on.
I pulled off of South Federal Highway – which runs like an artery all the way from Boca Raton to North Miami and stepped inside Tarks and it was 1977 all over again. The sweltering South Florida heat as checked in at the door and replaced with an ice-cold beer and a heaping plate of fried clams. Tarks offers fried clams, raw oysters and combination fish plates and you can eat-in or take out. You and a friend can eat well for less than 20 dollars and that includes the beer. Tarks is a “I’ve-been-frying-at-the-beach-all-day” kind of place as opposed to a high-priced “impress-your-girlfriend” kind of place. But who knows, if your girlfriend rides a Harley she’ll probably feel right at home. In my book, Tarks is THE place for fried clams and is right by the beach and nestled in a small parking lot between Hollywood and Dania. Check the map and check it out.
Next up is a little hole in the wall place called “Le Tub” (1100 N. Ocean Dr., Hollywood FL 33019
Phone: 954-921-9425). For you culture lovers out there “Le Tub” means “The Tub”. And sure enough Le Tub is earmarked by an old 18th Century bathtub mounted up on a pole. Le Tub sits rights on the waterway that parallels Hollywood Beach. I’m not quite sure how to classify this place. It reminds me of a houseboat. There’s an upstairs area with a balcony that overlooks the waterway as does its downstairs lounge. But lest you think we’re talking about some rambling oversized nightclub, you’re wrong on all accounts. Le Tub is small and almost always packed.
When I was lot younger and a lot less worldly, I’m sure I thought Le Tub some hang out for the rich and famous. It really is just a hangout for those that enjoy a glass of wine and pleasant surroundings. I recommend a tray of raw oysters and a cool glass of Cabernet. Not too long ago GQ Magazine rated the hamburgers at Le Tub as the best in South Florida. I’m not too sure of that as I never ate a hamburger there. But if you want subdued surroundings, soft music and great seafood then you came to the right place. Definitely a night spot. And just a tad bit pricey. I swear, Le Tub has the same handful of palm trees at its entrance that they did 30 years ago. And they still have the same trash dumpster sitting practically right outside their entrance. I would not call Le Tub “trendy” by any means.
On the same side of the street and less than a hundred yards away from Le Tub sits another historic eatery: The “Flicker-Lite” (Flicker-Lite, 1014 N. Ocean Drive, Hollywood, FL 33019, 954-922-4232). The Flicker-Lite still sits squeezed in between a laundry mat and what used to be a 7-11, now turned into an ethnic grocer. An old neon sign hanging in its store-front window spells out the name of this dive. The Flicker-Lite used to have the best cheese pizza in town. And some of the coldest beer I ever gulped down. It also has a few pool tables, and if you have a tattoo and two days of stubble growing on your chin you’ll feel right at home. The Flicker-Lite will not win any awards for “Best Appearance” but they must be doing something right. You don’t survive in South Florida on looks alone and THIS place proves it.
Despite Hollywood’s nearly 150 million dollars in renovation and investment that I spoke about in the second paragraph; Tarks, Le Tub and the Flicker-Lite seem to have been neglected or forgotten about, or maybe Hollywood’s city planners were just too scared to go inside. Come to think about it, I’M not entirely sure why I decided to go inside any of these places either. The lure of cold beer and fried clams (but probably the cold beer) was just too strong).
Certainly Hollywood, Florida offers more upscale fare when it comes to dining out, An honourable mention goes to the Transylvania Restaurant, (113 S. 20th Ave, Hollywood 33020-4520, tel: 954-929-0777) as authentic a Romanian restaurant as you’ll ever find in South Florida and the
Istanbul – Turkish & Mediterranean Restaurant, (707 N. Broadwalk, Hollywood, FL 33019, 954-921-1263) where you’ll find al things Turkish and right on the beach as well.
But if you want to roll your sleeves up and talk to the locals about how much cement you poured the other day or the size of that catfish that you just can’t seem to reel in, then check out Tarks, Le Tub and the Flicker-Lite. Three of the best places to site and eat that Hollywood, Florida have to offer.
