Credit: TikisTacoBoat/Facebook
Editor’s Note: This story is part of a series on the floating food vendors feeding Tampa Bay boaters. Read more here.
David and Brenda Crump have lived a life of adventure. After David’s career as a sports TV producer, the couple traveled and sailed around the world. But the simplicity of a hot dog on the water from Nauti Dogs excited the couple enough to start their next chapter.
“We’re both avid boaters and we also love cooking, so it’s a hybrid of our two passions,” David told CL.
With family from Mexico and Cuba, the pair decided on a Caribbean-fusion menu for Tiki’s Taco Boat. Their tacos use fresh fish and shrimp from Don’s Dock, a stone’s throw from the boat at John’s Pass, and slow-cooked and shredded steak, chicken and pork. But they also serve quesadillas, nachos and frozen cocktails, along with nicotine, legal THC products, lighters and sunscreen. So, basically, anything you could ever need for a great day on the water.
Creating the menu was the easy part. Learning how to execute it on a constantly moving vessel, not so much.
“There’s knives in there that are moving around. Trying to prep and stuff, it’s a challenge,” David said.
“We found some little quirks that work for us,” Brenda added, but she won’t reveal what they are. “Everybody’s got to figure it out for themselves.”
It’s the couple’s third year running the boat out of John’s Pass Sandbar. They’re in the same spot from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. every Thursday-Sunday. The setup includes parking for small vessels and floating tables and umbrellas to “dine in” with biodegradable servingware. And they just launched a delivery boat.
“We wanted to create a restaurant on the water,” David said.
After their first year in business, the Crumps lost their home on Sunset Beach to the 2024 hurricanes. They spent the following year in Key West and came back last summer.
“We had a lot of people asking us, When are you going to come back? Are you coming back? What are you guys doing?” David said. “We knew we were always going to, we just had to wait until everything settled down in the waters around the area.”
“We’re going to see our potential this year,” Brenda said.
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Credit: Dave Decker/Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Credit: Dave Decker/Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
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This article appears in June 18 – 24, 2026.
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