Food
Manatee Ave Just Got a Westbound Burger Habit
Ed's Tavern opened its first spot west of I-75 on Manatee Ave with nine burger styles, wings, daily Happy Hour and a golf simulator suite. I was headed to the island. The fries had other plans.
I had a clean plan: Manatee Ave west, beach parking, salt air. Then someone said "nine burger styles" and my itinerary developed a sudden flat tire.
Ed's Tavern opened its fourth Manatee County location at 7433 Manatee Ave. W. — the brand's first stop west of Interstate 75, per the Bradenton Herald. Gateway energy for West Bradenton, Palma Sola and Anna Maria traffic. Or, for me, a reason to "just peek" that ends with seasoned fries on the passenger seat.
The Westbound Full Stack
The Herald rundown lists nine burger styles, plus wraps, sandwiches, flatbreads, wings, salads and entrees. I am unofficially calling my order strategy the Westbound Full Stack: one classic burger I can defend to my fitness app, one specialty I will not explain, and wings "for the table" that never leave my side of it.
A grand-opening note puts daily Happy Hour at 4 to 7 p.m., with free Bingo on Tuesdays, Music Trivia on Wednesdays, General Knowledge Trivia on Thursdays, and live music Friday and Saturday nights. That is an entire week of reasons to miss the Causeway by seventeen minutes.
Golf indoors. Island still waiting.
The new spot also has a sports and golf simulation suite, with fuller booking details still rolling out, according to that same opening coverage. So yes: you can swing a virtual fairway between wing rounds while the real Gulf waits patiently. Rude of the Gulf, honestly, to expect priority.
Hours from the Herald: 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday. Check EdsTavernFl.com or call (941) 759-1020 before you race over — opening weeks love a soft-launch plot twist.
I will be the one in the parking lot telling friends the beach is "still the plan" while holding a to-go bag that smells like I lied.
