Tampa’s Rocky Point restaurant scene is getting a major change as one longtime waterfront concept prepares to make way for another.

Yard House plans to replace the existing Bahama Breeze at 3045 N. Rocky Point Drive East, according to building plans filed with the City of Tampa.

The conversion will bring Yard House to a prominent waterfront location along the Courtney Campbell Causeway and give the growing restaurant brand its second Tampa location.

Darden Plans Major Remodel

Both Yard House and Bahama Breeze are owned by Orlando-based restaurant giant Darden Restaurants.

Earlier this year, Darden announced plans to discontinue the Bahama Breeze brand after determining it was no longer a strategic priority.

Fourteen restaurants were designated for permanent closure, while another 14 — including the Rocky Point restaurant — were selected for conversion into other Darden concepts.

New plans now reveal what is coming to Rocky Point.

The existing approximately 12,200-square-foot Bahama Breeze will undergo a complete remodel and reopen as Yard House.

Current plans call for Bahama Breeze to close in February 2027, with Yard House expected to open approximately a month later in March, although restaurant construction schedules can change.

Yard House Expands in Tampa

Yard House is known for its extensive draft beer selection and American menu featuring burgers, steaks, seafood, tacos, pizza and other dishes.

The brand already operates a Tampa location at 450 Channelside Drive, which opened in 2023 near Water Street Tampa and the Channel District.

Rocky Point gives the company a considerably different trade area.

Located between Tampa International Airport and Clearwater, the area contains a major concentration of hotels, offices, waterfront restaurants and residential development.

The Courtney Campbell Causeway also provides direct access between Tampa and Pinellas County, creating a regional customer base for restaurants positioned along the corridor.

Rocky Point Continues to Evolve

The Yard House conversion comes as the larger Westshore and Rocky Point areas experience significant investment.

Rocky Point has traditionally been dominated by office buildings, hotels and restaurants, but new residential development is gradually creating a more mixed-use environment.

Nearby Westshore is undergoing an even larger transformation.

Midtown Tampa has already demonstrated demand for dense mixed-use development in the district, while the planned redevelopment of WestShore Plaza and the proposed Rays stadium and Hillsborough College redevelopment could bring millions of additional square feet of residential, retail, entertainment and commercial development to the surrounding area.

Rocky Point sits just west of that activity.

Its proximity to Tampa International Airport, Westshore and the beaches gives the area a unique position within Tampa Bay’s commercial real estate market.

Reusing a Proven Restaurant Site

The conversion also highlights the value of established restaurant real estate.

Rather than abandoning the Rocky Point property, Darden is investing in the existing location and introducing another brand from its portfolio.

The site already offers many characteristics restaurant operators seek: waterfront positioning, strong visibility, substantial parking, an established dining history and proximity to hotels, offices and residential communities.

Those fundamentals remain valuable even when the restaurant concept itself changes.

Darden made that point when announcing the end of Bahama Breeze, describing the restaurants selected for conversion as strong locations that could benefit other brands within its portfolio.

Rocky Point appears to be one of them.

A New Chapter for a Familiar Tampa Restaurant Site

Bahama Breeze has been a recognizable part of Rocky Point’s restaurant landscape for years, but its replacement reflects how restaurant companies continually reposition their portfolios around stronger-performing concepts.

For Yard House, the conversion provides an opportunity to enter an established waterfront restaurant location without developing a new site from the ground up.

For Rocky Point, it adds another nationally recognized concept as the surrounding Westshore district enters a period of significant redevelopment.

The restaurant may be changing, but Darden’s decision to reinvest in the property shows the continued value of Rocky Point as one of Tampa Bay’s most distinctive dining and commercial locations.

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