Rising Tide Tap & Table at the Cove Review

I don’t get to go up to Port Canaveral often, but now I have another reason to go back there! Rising Tide Tap & Table is a foodie spot that opened a little over a year ago and we finally got a chance to try it.

I found this restaurant to be a lot more exciting than the other ones at the port. Instead of the same old seafood lineup, Rising Tide Tap & Table serves flatbreads, tacos and much more. It reminded me a lot of Ocean 302, but a little more laid back. Our first visit here was on a gorgeous spring night about a month ago and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Location and Atmosphere

Riding Tide Tap & Table is located at Port Canaveral in The Cove. This is the spot home to the Exploration Tower and a variety of bars and restaurants. It’s a pretty nice area by the water, where you can see the cruise ships leave and enjoy some fresh seafood.

Unlike most of the other restaurants around here, Rising Tide Tap & Table is not on the water. It’s located in the middle of the port area next to a small pond. This still gives a scenic view of the exploration tower and made for a beautiful sunset. The only bad thing about the location is that once it got dark, we got bit by mosquitos. There’s plenty of indoor seating to avoid that, but it’s hard to choose that on such a nice night.

The space is very large and has a modern coastal vibe. There’s plenty of space for parties of any size indoors and outdoors. Rising Tide Tap & Table also features a very long bar with tons of local beers on tap, hence the name.

Our Experience

We were sold on this place as soon as we saw the beer selection! There were so many from all over Florida and a few from other parts of the country. The prices were very affordable too, with some pints being only $3.50!

Another place I’ve been meaning to go to is Bugnutty Brewing in Merritt Island, so I decided to try one of their beers. I got the Zeus will Smite Thee, a tropical IPA. It’s not the best IPA I have had, but $3.50 for 7.2% ABV beer and some tangerine flavor was good with me! Andrew went with the Skyways Hazy Double IPA from Green Bench Brewing, one of our favorites in St. Pete. We do not get a lot of their beers, so it was exciting to see this one here!

For food, Andrew and I shared two things like we often do. We got the $13 shrimp tacos and the $12 Apple Scratch Fried Chicken Sandwich with fries. Both meals were a good size, although the three tacos could have used a side.

The sandwich was the winner for us, even though we loved both. It had habanero pepper jam and pickled green tomatoes on top of the crispy chicken. The bread was a toasty cornbread brioche that balanced out the flavors.

The tacos came with barbacoa spiced shrimp, avocado crema, picked red onion and queso fresco. This was a tasty combination! It did have the usual issue of shrimp tacos being hard to eat with the shrimp always falling out though. Overall, it was a fresh and unique dinner that was affordable as well. Our friends also got sandwiches and said they were delicious!

Drinks at Rising Tide Tap & Table

If you aren’t in the mood for food, this is an excellent place to just come by for a drink. They have so many different kinds, from beer and wine to frozen drinks and craft cocktails. Rising Tide Tap & Table also has dozens of TV’s all over the walls, so you can enjoy a game with your drink or just take in the view. The appetizers menu has some fried items ideal for snacking on while watching a sporting event. This includes calamari, onion rings and kale blossoms

The beer selection is a highlight though because they have over 60 beers on tap and dozens of can options! Again, the fact that you can get some well-known craft beers for $4 was also pretty surprising to me. The rest of the drink menu is relatively cheap as well with cocktails and frozen drinks being under $10 and wine being sold by 6oz, 9oz or the bottle.

The Rest of Menu at Rising Tide Tap & Table

This is one of those restaurants with a menu that appeals to a variety of tastes. You could come here a dozen times and always get something different! In addition to the fried appetizers I mentioned, there are also fresher appetizer options. The ahi tuna tartare is a favorite, as well as the salads and the tortilla soup.

For main dishes, the menu is the same for lunch and dinner. They have five different flatbreads, four types of tacos, five mains, six sandwiches and six burger options. There’s usually one plain option, with the rest having their own unique ingredients. We really debated getting the Pork Belly Burger with barbecue fig jam or the smoked pineapple mahi sandwich, but we will have to try those next time!

Unfortunately, options for vegetarians are very limited here. They do have a white bean and lentil burger, a couple vegetarian pizzas and some salads. It would be nice if they could get Impossible Burgers or some type of vegetarian patty to use on their burgers.

From the reviews I’ve heard, the Chocolate Pretzel Cheesecake is heavenly. There are also three desserts that sound pretty interesting if you want something sweet after dinner. However, I prefer to go for soft serve at the nearby Fat Donkey in Cocoa Beach.

Specials and Events

Most of the menu is under $15, but the restaurant frequently had specials if you want to save a few dollars! This includes a daily happy hour from 3-6 with $3 well drinks and $4 margaritas and sangria. Happy Hour at Rising Tide also features small plates for $7 and under including popcorn chicken and loaded chips.

Tuesday is a fun day to come here because it’s Taco Tuesday! Tacos are only $3 each on Tuesday, so you will save around $4 off of the normal three taco meal and they have new featured tacos every week. There’s also tons of margarita and tequila deals and live music to celebrate.

One of the most unique things Rising Tide Tap & Table has offered since they opened is food and beer pairing dinners. They serve five small plates that go along five beers from a brewery for $45 per person. Past dinners have included delicious sounding options like a Pepper Short Rib topped with Burnt Habanero Cocoa Caramel and paired with a Mexican Stout! If you like craft beer, definitely check to see if they have any local pairing meals coming up.

Know Before You Go: Rising Tide Tap & Table

I had been getting a bit tired of the old restaurants at The Cove, so I am glad to see Rising Tide Tap & Table switching it up! This restaurant is pretty appealing for a variety of different occasion and I hope to be back for some more tacos and a beer soon! Here’s everything you might need to know about this Port Canaveral restaurant.

• Rising Tide Tap & Table is opens at 11 AM every day and closes at 11 PM Sunday through Thursday and midnight on Friday and Saturday.
• Happy Hour is every day from 3 PM to 6 PM.
• There’s plenty of room so you won’t need to call ahead for reservations unless you have a really large party.
• Seating is available inside and outside although you might want to wear bug spray if you go at night.
• Dogs are not allowed either inside or outside.
• They offer take out, but I recommend staying for the atmosphere!

Have you been to Rising Tide Tap & Table or any other restaurants at The Cove before? This area is always a fun place to see the cruise ships leaving Port Canaveral! If you are looking for other places to eat in Cocoa Beach and Melbourne, check out my Ultimate Space Coast Travel Guide here! I’ll be back next week with another favorite Cocoa Beach restaurant of mine.