Teak Restaurant

Teak is easily one of the best spots on the St. Pete Pier. The location is unbeatable, and the service was friendly and attentive from start to finish. As for the food—wow! The crab cakes are hands down the best ones I’ve ever had. We also tried the fried calamari, which was completely amazing and perfectly crispy. The Cuban sandwich was incredibly tasty with great flavor, and the steak frites were cooked to absolute perfection. Highly recommend stopping here if you're out on the pier. We will definitely be back!

20% COMMISSION WARNING - Upon sitting you down at your table, the hostess provides a card explaining that the restaurant has recently switched to a commission and service charge model for paying their staff. They go on to say how they want to provide their staff with a "living wage" and this is how they will accomplish that. They also state on the card that you are able to offer an additional tip to your wait staff at your discretion. What a way to start your dinner. While I always tip 20% for good service, and usually 18% for mediocre service, The idea that a fee will be added to my bill whether or not the service is amazing or terrible is very irritating. The staff has no incentive to provide excellent or even average service because they know that service charge is going to be paid regardless. As the business owner, if you truly do want to pay your staff a living wage then just pay them the living wage. Price your product appropriately and let your customers decide if they want to provide an additiinal tip. There is no law requiring you to underpay your staff. There is no law requiring you to pay them less than a living wage. There is no law requiring you to pay them a lower wage because they receive tips or in this case commissions. In my situation, that mandatory service charge irritated me and caused me to not order as much food and/or drinks. My wife and I the previous evening went to a local seafood place (no commission there). Our bill at the seafood place was $151 including tax. I left a $30 tip. The next night we ate at Teak and because of your 20% commission model our bill was $95 before tax and commission. Your team's 20% commission was $19.10 and my total was $122 after tax. So by your 20% commission model you actually cost your team likely $10 or so less than they would have received otherwise. And, of course less revenue for the restaurant too. The food is actually great, I was very impressed with the food. The atmosphere is great, also very impressed with the atmosphere. The view is amazing. The commissioned wait team is just average at best. But starting off my dinner being told that I was going to be paying a 20% commission whether I like it or not was very off-putting and really rubbed me the wrong way. So, as the customer, if you are okay paying a mandatory 20% commission, the food's great and the view is wonderful. Just don't expect the service to match. In our case the waiter was fine but he was certainly not the caliber that I would expect when I'm being forced to pay for that service. People in most parts of the world think that our American tipping culture is crazy, this kind of restaurant policy brings that crazy to a whole new level.

Teak is an absolute must-visit! The views are simply breathtaking and create the perfect atmosphere for a relaxing meal or drink. The vibe is unmatched—whether you’re enjoying the scenery, spending time with friends, or just taking in the beautiful surroundings, it’s an experience you won’t forget. One of the best parts is how easy it is to walk to, making it a convenient stop while exploring the area. Between the stunning waterfront views, great ambiance, and overall experience, Teak is easily one of our favorite spots. Highly recommend stopping by and taking in the incredible scenery for yourself. We can’t wait to return!

THERE IS NO AC HERE. CHUCK PRATHER IS MAKING HIS EMPLOYEES AT TEAK WORK IN INHUMANE CONDITIONS! YOUR TEAM SHOULD HAVE AIR CONDITIONING CHUCK. IT’S DISGUSTING WHAT HE’S DOING TO HIS EMPLOYEES. IT HAS BEEN OVER 4 DAYS. ARE YOU KIDDING ME, IN THIS FL HEAT?! If I were your employee I would have organized a strike or quit. It’s already hot enough working in a restaurant when the AC is blasting. Those poor chefs in the kitchen, making amazing and delicious food for us while cooking themselves alive as well. As soon as we stepped off the elevator we were hit with a wave of heat. It was cooler in the elevator and outside. I made my reso months ago and was never informed the AC had been out for 4 days leading up to it. We would have gone elsewhere but after the long walk there and it being the 4th of July, we decided to stay. Luckily, we brought our own mini fans and thank goodness we did. Teak should be shut down until the AC is back up and running. We could not believe the staff is being forced to work in such conditions. You’re already walking all the way down the pier in the heat to get there, which also has no shade; It’s not like any other restaurant where you can park and walk 10-20 feet to the door. Same goes for the employees; they can’t take a break in their air conditioned vehicles or catch a break outside, it’s just STICKY DRY HEAT, inside and out! I really hope the food they’re receiving for serving is staying at safe temperatures for consumption. Hello health department. Also, OSHA, does this not violate the general duty clause? I wouldn’t call the current hot conditions healthy or safe for the staff who are there working all day, especially the kitchen staff! Plus, FL humidity, there’s likely mold growing in the walls and bacteria growing/spreading in the bathrooms. They do have large fans set up and fans for the kitchen staff, but they’re really just blowing the hot air around. If you’re not sat near a fan, good luck. We moved to a table almost directly in front of a fan and were all still sweating. Also, all of us born and raised in FL, so it’s not like we’re not used to the heat. Despite the lack of AC and poor working conditions, the staff and manager Alex still provided amazing service and excellent food. Alex went above and beyond to make us more comfortable and really turned the night around for us. Alex offered us cold appetizers, frozen drinks, and cold desserts to help cool us down. I was excited they had gluten free pasta and really enjoyed it. The kitchen staff were already going above and beyond working in the heat and still putting out great food, but even more so when they decided to make my pasta again as they were worried about cross contamination. They cared more about me getting sick later, than how hot they were feeling in that moment (and days previous). Alex wished there was more he could do, so Chuck, why don’t we put Alex fully in charge, give him more leeway, allow him to take over for you, as he clearly really truly CARES about Teak, his team, and the guests dining there. If it wasn’t for him, and the kindness of his team, and great food from the kitchen staff, we would not be going back. We’d be boycotting all things Chuck Prather which is the entire pier and the Birchwood. I’d like the reply to my review to say that the AC is fixed and the staff will never be put through that ever again. And I will call and speak to Alex to make sure it’s true! I hope it will be soon, like today, or I’ll be making some other calls and leaving more reviews. Get it together, Chuck.

The food and views were great. A lot of gluten free options and mocktails available. We had strawberry daiquiri, garlic shrimp with pasta, green beans, and the sesame crusted salmon with shiitake pineapple rice. Our waitress Talia was lovely and the manager checked on all of the tables as well.