Skins Par & Grill will boast several state of-the-art golf simulators, a high-end food and beverage menu, a retail space and a “clubhouse” vibe, according to owner Jason Barrett.
Located at 1600 E 8th Ave., Suite E200 in Centro Ybor, the new restaurant and golf hotspot will offer several different types of experiences—whether someone is there to improve their golf game, have a quiet dinner with friends, sip on craft cocktails or smoke specialty cigars on the balcony.
Barrett has an extensive background in the local hospitality industry, with almost thirty years of back of house, front of house and management experience. He’s currently working on building out the space that most recently housed Big Storm Brewing’s taproom.
“At Skins Par & Grill, we’re going to be focused on the entertainment and food aspect, as opposed to being labeled as a bar. The kitchen will be specializing in what we call an elevated sports bar menu,” Barrett says. “We want to capture that fine dining-meets-entertainment golf kind of atmosphere.”
Dry-aged steaks, bone-in pork chops and a variety of local seafood will be featured on the restaurant’s “Sicilian and Spanish inspired” menu, alongside a full-service bar with craft cocktails, high-end spirits, beer and more. And since the golf simulator side of the business will be separate from the dining room and bar area, diners won’t be distracted from the sound of thwacking golf balls in the background.
While Skins Par & Grill may be the newest business to follow the hot golf simulation trend, Barrett plans to offer the industry’s best technology to set himself apart from the competition.
“We want the best golf technology that’s available right now, so we’re working with a company called Golf VX Simulators out of Chicago—their technology is far above what everybody else is offering right now,” he says.
Centro Ybor’s Skins Par & Grill will open with eight simulation bays, which can be rented by the hour—with more affordable rates during “off-peak” times. At these bays, guests can expect interactive swing platforms and topographical maps of 350 different golf courses, and can even enjoy a full-service dining experience while playing golf.
Barrett even plans to have a caddy stationed on 8th Avenue for folks that want to use their own clubs but don’t want to lug them through Ybor. Those same diehard golfers may also be interested in Skins Par & Grill’s different golfing leagues, booking a session with a personal instructor, or signing up for a membership that tracks your progression.
“Sometimes sports bars can become frat houses, and we definitely don’t want that at our restaurant. We want to encourage girls and guysto come and enjoy the place equally,” Barrette xplains. “We want everybody to feel welcome,including children and families, too.”
He emphasizes that there will be different events and activities for women and children as well, like a “Jack and Jill” league for double dates and golf instructors specifically for kids.
Renderings depict the upcoming restaurant and entertainment hotspot in Centro Ybor as a large space covered in Kelly green accents, natural wood and exposed brick, with several TVs positioned around its main bar. There will be two different balconies overlooking both 7th Avenue and 8th Avenue, with the latter being designated for cigar smoking and bourbon sipping.
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This article appears in Jun 26 – Jul 2, 2025.