At Jackson’s Bistro Bar & Sushi on Harbour Island, Sunday brunch feels like Tampa itself: lively, confident and constantly changing. What looks like a celebration is, in truth, control.
For nearly three decades, Jackson’s has mirrored the city’s evolution. It began as a lone waterfront outpost, became a nightclub when downtown fell quiet and later reemerged as one of Tampa’s most recognized restaurants.
Chris McVety, owner of Jackson’s Bistro on Harbour Island.
“Back then, there was nothing in downtown Tampa,” says Managing Partner Chris McVety. “Jackson’s had to be fluid. We became a nightclub for 14 years because that’s what it took to survive. It wasn’t glamorous, but it worked.”
That adaptability became the restaurant’s greatest strength and its guiding principle.
Its latest brunch concept reflects that mindset, focusing on balance with lighter fare, cleaner ingredients and dishes that feel as good as they taste. The restaurant serves brunch every weekend and will debut Boozy Brunch, a monthly event launching Sunday, Oct. 26, that adds live music and a fresh sense of waterfront energy.
Downtown’s turning point
When McVety joined as an investor in 2014, downtown Tampa was quiet after dark. Harbour Island’s foot traffic was thin and Jackson’s large space demanded creativity to fill tables.
Then the city changed. Towers rose, residents moved in and the waterfront filled with new restaurants chasing the same crowd.
“The demographic now has a lot more money,” McVety says. “You’re talking about young professionals in one- and two-bedroom units. They expect a higher standard.”
He admits the transition wasn’t easy.
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“We had an identity crisis for a while,” he says. “We were trying to be everything to everybody. But that flexibility also helped us survive when nothing was going on downtown.”
What once worked through versatility now requires focus. Reinvention had to mean refinement.
“You can’t just ride nostalgia,” McVety says. “You have to look at who’s in front of you and ask, what do they need now?”
Building back better
The next transformation began during what McVety calls “the coma days,” a three-year stretch of litigation that left the restaurant in limbo.
“It was very stifling to be in high-stakes litigation like that,” he says. “You don’t know your future. And the court system — it’s expensive. It’s not accessible to everyone.”
That experience changed how he leads. “The first thing I ask myself now is, what are we really arguing about? And is it worth the energy?”
The legal stalemate ended with a handshake, not a verdict. “We shook hands on the eve of trial and committed to peace,” McVety says. “We went from fighting each other to a healthy relationship. I’m proud of that.”
When work resumed, the first focus was the patio. The team moved the bar to open the view, upgraded the sound system and installed sculptural banyan trees built in Michigan. Each glows with an acrylic canopy and a drink rail designed to invite conversation.
Jackson’s new bar design introduces natural textures and bold architecture while keeping its focus on community and celebration.
“The question became, what can we do to elevate the experience?” McVety says. “It’s about creating places where people feel comfortable, not crowded.”
Inside, the rebuild focused on culture. After the pandemic, McVety worked to restore structure and accountability.
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“Culture is everything,” he says. “Coming out of COVID, the hardest part was putting structure back into place. You can teach skills, but you can’t teach caring. I look for people who care first.”
He compares rebuilding to learning patience. “It’s like baseball,” he says. “You don’t win with home runs. You win with base hits.”
The patio renovations are now nearing completion, with final touches expected by the end of 2025. McVety says the interior redesign will follow, with construction targeted to begin in 2027.
“The patio has kicked our butts,” he said. “But it’s almost there, and when it’s done, that sets the stage for everything else.”
Lessons in integrity
Resilience at Jackson’s often came through failure.
In 2016, the restaurant was named in the Tampa Bay Times’ Pulitzer-winning “Farm to Fable” investigation, which exposed mislabeled seafood across Florida.
“I was furious,” McVety says. “I didn’t even know it was happening. But I went through everything after that. I don’t want to serve food I’m not proud of.”
He responded by auditing every supplier and replacing vendors who didn’t meet his standards. “Tell the truth and tell it fast,” he says. “I only want to serve food I’m proud of.”
Menus were rewritten, vendors replaced and integrity became central to the brand’s identity. Today, Jackson’s serves hormone-free beef, fresh seafood and vegan dishes that surprise diners, including a watermelon “tuna” sushi roll that often becomes a conversation starter.
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“I bring it out to people and don’t even tell them it’s watermelon until after they try it,” he says with a laugh. “It messes with people’s heads. But that’s part of the fun — giving them something healthy and unexpected.”
In recent years, the kitchen has doubled down on quality and health, eliminating all seed oils except sesame oil, which is used in sushi. The switch to beef tallow, McVety says, has elevated both flavor and integrity.
“It’s better for the food and for the people eating it,” he says. “We wanted to get back to basics — real ingredients, cooked the right way.”
Fresh flavor, local flair: From seafood tacos to signature burgers, Jackson’s Bistro’s brunch menu blends comfort and creativity on Tampa’s waterfront.
Leading with heart
The monthly brunch reflects Jackson’s new rhythm: polished but relaxed, familiar yet fresh. Shareable plates and house cocktails turn Sunday into a social appointment.
Live congas and saxophone replace the old nightclub lights. Drink-tree flights and chef-driven dishes give brunch in Tampa a new flavor and pace.
For McVety, the event symbolizes more than a menu. “We sell an experience,” he says. “The view, the music, the food, the service — that’s the vibe. That’s what people are here for.”
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That experience now extends to the drink list. Alongside champagne and rosé, Jackson’s has built a full lineup of mocktails and low-ABV cocktails as part of its growing commitment to balance and inclusion. “Not everyone wants alcohol with brunch,” McVety says. “We’ve worked hard to give people options that feel elevated, not like an afterthought.”
He says his approach to leadership mirrors his approach to hospitality. “I tell my children the hungriest people are often the ones who didn’t grow up with much,” he says. “They outwork everyone else. That hunger is what drives success.”
The same hunger, he adds, keeps the business evolving. “The biggest threat to us isn’t competition,” he says. “It’s ourselves. Tampa is strong. The demand is here. We just have to keep delivering an experience people want.”
Looking ahead
By late 2025, the newly completed patio will debut as the centerpiece of Jackson’s next era, setting the stage for an interior transformation planned to begin in 2027. Among Harbour Island restaurants, its DNA remains clear: sushi, sunsets and social energy.
Before marketing the overhaul, McVety and his partners focused on the foundations — physical, cultural and even symbolic. They traveled to Texas to select a single barrel at Garrison Brothers and to Mexico to blend a private Patrón, both to be bottled under the Jackson’s name.
“We know exactly who we are,” McVety says. “We sell a vibe. Food, service and ambiance are all part of that experience.”
Jackson’s Bistro teamed up with Garrison Brothers on a private-label bourbon exclusive to the restaurant.
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He says rebuilding trust with guests has guided every decision. “You only get one chance to ask people to give you another chance. We want to make sure when they come back, it’s great.”
That sense of accountability extends to the community. Jackson’s has long underwritten New Year’s Eve fireworks on the waterfront — a cost now shared with neighboring venues.
“When I see the whole city line up to watch fireworks we paid for,” McVety says, “it makes me smile inside.”
The constant beat
Reinvention is not a pivot. It’s a practice built on honesty, patience and the nerve to rebuild without losing your soul. For Jackson’s, that work has turned a complicated past into a foundation for the future.
On Harbour Island, the music still plays. The plates are lighter, the crowd sharper and the view unchanged. In a city full of waterfront restaurants, Jackson’s endures because McVety has made reinvention its tradition — proof that staying power is a craft, not an accident.
Weekend and Monthly Brunch
Weekend Brunch:
Every Saturday and Sunday, enjoy chef-driven plates, mocktails, low-ABV cocktails and waterfront views.
Boozy Brunch:
Last Sunday of every month, noon to 3 p.m., featuring live music, congas and saxophone.
21+ | Limited reserved seating |
For more information about Jackson’s Bistro Bar & Sushi, click here.
For more information on Jackson’s Bistro Sunday brunch, click here.
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