I love Up The Creek Grill | Seafood & Steaks. Cool Places 2 Eat constantly scours the Tampa area searching for the perfect dining experience. I find that at Up The Creek every time I return.

Whether its lunch, dinner or drinks, Up The Creek does it all exceptionally well. Like the name suggests, seafood and steaks are Up The Creek Grill | Seafood & Steaks' specialty. Whether I'm eating their blackened tilapia with a Creole Alfredo lobster sauce or the hand-cut filet, I find both equally appetizing. But the menu offers more than just seafood and steaks, like refreshing cocktails, flavorful salads and addictive desserts.

On my first visit, I found myself smiling before I had a single bite. Because the minute I stepped in, I felt like I had been transported to a rustic fish camp. The restaurant has a spectacular 400-gallon saltwater aquarium and the walls are covered with charming memorabilia including fishing trophies, rods, reels and waders. Another thing had me smiling - their attentive wait staff. Having worked as a server, I wouldn't recommend a place that didn't have stellar service to match an outstanding menu. After all, good service is the most overlooked part of a dining experience, but one that can make or break a guest's visit. Up The Creek didn't just meet my expectations, they exceeded them.

You know what else exceeded my expectations? Up The Creek's tropical cocktails. As a man, I'm not supposed to order anything fu-fu, but I have no qualms about ordering Up The Creek's Summer Freeze. It's a blue strawberry daiquiri, and it's amazing. To satisfy my more masculine cravings, I opt for the Big Island Cooler, 22 ounces of tasty Long Island-ness.

The Upside Down Lobster Martini or Fried Pickles are both great starters in my book. Blackened Tilapia Alfredo or Cedar Planked Salmon. Both are dynamite. That's right, I said dynamite. The hand-cut 12 ounce rib eye is just mouth-watering and I recommend adding a lobster tail. Why add a lobster tail? Besides being delicious, why not? The broiled seafood trio with Grouper, Lemon-Lime Shrimp and Jim Beam Salmon is also delicious.

I make room for dessert by not finishing my dinner. I don't care what my Mom says. I box up my leftovers and eat them for lunch the next day. It's like dining out in your cubicle. My top picks are the Fried Cheesecake Goblet made with granola-crusted cheesecake that's flash-fried and served in a goblet with strawberry sauce and whipped cream. The Deep Dish S'mores are second to none. A rich, gooey chocolate cobbler is topped with roasted marshmallows, caramel sauce and graham cracker sticks.

Bottom line, Up The Creek Grill | Seafood & Steaks is unforgettable.