Nightlife in Tarpon Springs

The distinctive harmonies of karaoke choirs pour out of Rum Runners until 3 a.m. every night, drowning out the din of a digital jukebox and the clinks of the bar's bowling pins and pool balls. Rum Runners lures in patrons with its devotion to late-night revelry: an elevated, tinsel-fringed karaoke stage houses a live DJ and flat-screen prompter with cues for air-guitar solos, and patrons weave past arcade games and poker tables on their way to the stocked bar. There, mixologists concoct the namesake rumrunner and dole out a dozen domestic and imported draft beers.

The historic building in which Mac’s Place stands survived two legendary fires, in both 1885 and 1934, yet inside the fires still rage, cooking pizzas, burgers, and po’ boys made from scratch with local ingredients. Nightly specials add variety to the stalwart helpings of homemade macaroni and cheese, and every morning cooks prepare batches of soup as fresh as the eruptions from Yellowstone’s clam-chowder geysers. To add to the inviting atmosphere, heaters make the outdoor patio available year-round, and local musicians play live performances on most Saturday nights.

With its bamboo walls and palm-tree-shaded yard, Supa D Tropical Bar & Grill’s exterior has all the markings of a modest subtropical hut. But come nightfall, throbbing bass makes the bamboo slats vibrate, shattering any notions of an idyllic island refuge. Behind those bamboo walls, reggae, dance-hall, and soca DJs take to the stage, and a spacious sunken dance floor sports vivid airbrushed murals and subwoofers the size of shopping carts.

By day, though, Supa D Tropical Bar & Grill showcases the culinary side of Jamaican culture. Meats simmer in thick curries, and jerk chicken jolts tongues out of their stamp-licking stupor. Additionally, dining companions can cleanse palates with classic Jamaican beverages such as Irish moss, sorrel, and peanut punch.

Belwood’s Irish Pub has a way of making guests feel lucky. Lucky enough, in some cases, to attempt the pub’s notorious Atomic Wing Challenge, which requires one to polish off a plate of blazingly hot Atomic wings in 10 minutes or less. Such a feat earns its conqueror a $25 paid tab and a photo on the Atomic wall of fame. If the wings prove too daunting, there’s always a menu of burgers, sandwiches, fried appetizers, and salads to appease all types of cravings.

If you’re hunting for gold at Belwood’s, it’s best not to look for the familiar shapes of coins. Check the bar, however, and you’ll find 16 draft beers pouring into frosty pint glasses. These glasses clink together in celebration of a well-thrown dart, a pocketed eight ball, or a touchdown displayed on one of the pub’s television.

Coconuts Comedy Club, located in Jack’s Joint since 1998, has been luring in chuckle-seekers for more than two decades with a glittering stage filled with nationally touring comedians. To keep growling stomachs from heckling comedians out of frustration, visitors can mute tummy rumbles with a full menu bursting at the seams with saucy wings, 14-inch hand-tossed pizzas, and brawny steaks.

Wining and dining yourself is easy at Clearwater, whose eclectic menu will mollify even the grumpiest of your taste buds. Begin a romantic dinner for yourself and your cute hitchhiker with a starter of brandied shrimp ($9), hummus and grilled pita bread ($7), or a salsa trio with tortilla chips ($6). Ask your server to whip out the award-winning wine list and double-team your main course with a glass of Borsao ($7) and a chipotle chicken quesadilla ($9); a pairing of pizza margherita ($9) and Vicolo pinot grigio ($7); or, in celebration of the day you saw your first squid, a glass of Marcel Martin Tetê de Cuvée Brut Cremant ($10) and a specialty cinnamon-apple and brie quesadilla ($10). Stop in during the daily happy hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and say goodbye to the sad and perplexed hours with two-for-one house wine, or drop by on the second and fourth Friday of every month for a free wine tasting and live music.