Bars, Community, Events, Lifestyle, Oakland Park

Ugly Sweater Contest: Local Bar Gets in the Spirit!

Question: What do you get when you mix great independent beers, delicious flatbreads, and ugly holiday sweaters? A fun filled night at Fat Tap Beer Bar and Eatery!

As Oakland Park grows there are more and more options for great places to eat and drink. Fat Tap Beer Bar and Eatery is one of those places. So let’s not waste any more time or words, let me introduce you to Fat Tap Beer Bar and Eater!

This unique beer bar serves the best brews from independent South Florida breweries. Owner Robert Robayna opened in September 2018 in Oakland Park, and is known as a hidden gem for those with a distinctive beer pallet.

Hidden it is, because its not easily visible from the road. So consider yourself notified about Fat Tap! It is located at 830 East Oakland Park Blvd, and can be found in the back of the Primavera Plaza on Oakland Park Blvd. between 6th Avenue and Dixie Highway.

With 25 beers on tap, more in bottles and cans, and flavors changing with the season, you won’t have any problem picking a favorite! They also offer artisan sodas and wines for those of us that don’t speak beer.

Spoiler alert : Keep your eyes peeled for future articles with suggestions on the best local beers available at Fat Tap. Sign-up for our newsletter now to be alerted.

But there is more than just beer at Fat Tap. The bar has Trivia, Locals Night and events all week making it a fun place to visit any day of the week. This week in honor of the holidays, the bar hosted an Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest. It got ugly at Fat Tap but it was a blast!

Ugly Sweater Contest: Friendly Environment for All Ages

Alex and Erin Acosta came in with baby Oliver for the local’s night and were thrilled to be part of the ugly sweater contest too. “They have great sour beers here, and with the amazing flatbreads, we’ve become regulars”, says Erin holding up a frosty glass.

Barbara Klein and D’Aun Clark have been residents of Oakland Park for over 22 years, and have been coming here since it opened, and have met lots of other locals here. Both agree that “Between the outdoor seating, the friendly staff and great menu options, this place is a hidden gem!”.

Supporting Local Business

While Alyssa Ingram and Ryan Oxen reside in Fort Lauderdale, they said that even if they were in Pembroke Pines, they would make the trip for these great beers. They frequent Fat Tap several times a month. Ryan says “It’s all about the beer. Robayna gets the best beer from all over, and it feels good that we are supporting local breweries.”

Tough Competition

The competition was fierce as patrons brought the ugly with style.

But by 9:00 PM the ugly sweater contest had dwindled down to five contestants with a $100.00 Gift certificate to Fat Tap up for grabs. The winner was chosen by the patrons, and at the end of it all a festive Santa Dress won the prize.

There is a chill vibe to this place overall; whether here for a meet up, shooting the breeze at the bar, or joining the ugly sweater contest, all are welcome. The décor is fun, the staff is friendly and with all the great food and drink options, the toughest choice is what to order next? Luckily Ingram had the answer on that: “Stay thirsty and drink good beer! You can’t go wrong here!”

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About the Author

Kim Hill

Kim is a South Florida native with a background in Non-Profit work, Special Events, Public Speaking, Community Outreach, and Development. Oakland Park has been her home for 20 years. She is a creative catalyst who enjoys creating win-win relationships on whatever project she puts her mind to. She is involved in Animal Rescue, Art events, C.E.R.T., and an American Red Cross volunteer. In her spare time, she does photography, writing and the outdoors.

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