The last stop on my Fort Lauderdale tour this trip was Tap 42. I hadn’t been there in ages—pre-COVID, back when the all-you-can-drink brunch menu was still a thing. Back then it was fun, sometimes a little ratchet, but definitely memorable.
This time around, it felt like they’d trimmed the excess. The good parts stayed (great food), the not-so-great parts were gone (chaotic crowds). The vibe was more relaxed, more put together.
When we arrived, the rain had just stopped. The staff raised all the outdoor rain guards, and a cool breeze rolled through while we settled in. Our server, Alex, was a gem—friendly, helpful, and quick with suggestions. I went with the BLAZIN’ CUCUMBER. Dangerous choice before a flight, because those things went down way too easily.
We kicked things off with appetizers: the Asian calamari tower and guacamole. The calamari surprised me—it had way more flavor and texture than I expected. The guac was good too, though honestly guac is guac; you can find it almost anywhere.
The real star? The Prohibition Burger. Juicy, thick, perfectly cooked, with solid bread to hold it all together. As a burger lover, I can say it checked every box. I even upgraded my cucumber spritz from a small glass to a pint glass at one point (meat-paw hands needed the upgrade).
For dessert, we split the signature in-house key lime pie. It was spot-on: not too sweet, not too sour, balanced just right. Basically everything you want from a Florida key lime pie.
What tied it all together was the atmosphere. No ruckus, no blasting music—just chill. People enjoying good food and good drinks without the chaos.
And here’s where the Banana Juice Theory sneaks in: not every place needs to scream “best ever” to be worth visiting. Tap 42 didn’t try to oversell itself. It just delivered solid food, good drinks, and a laid-back vibe. Sometimes the real win isn’t hype—it’s finding a spot that knows exactly what it is, and does it well.
As always, this is just the opinion of some Fat Guy from Brooklyn. What do I know? If you want to read more about my adventures in steakhouses or restaurants, click on the words.