We've got the top Tampa bars, nightclubs for you -- all 100

The folks at tbt*/Tampa Bay Times decided this year for their annual bar issue that they would make the ultimate sacrifice: Find and research the Top 100 bars in Tampa Bay, then name names and declare a top spot. We know some readers will disagree with this list, while others will think it's even insane to try. In other words, we expect you to hate it. But we also expect you'll find some new places to explore and come away with an appreciation for the diversity of our libation destinations.

Here, without further ado, is our Top 100 list:

ULTIMATE PUNK BAR

17. The Emerald

550 Central Ave., St. Petersburg; (727) 898-6054, myspace.com/emeraldbar.

It's probably the coolest place to go on a Wednesday night in St. Pete, thanks to Filth, a party with a good range of older and newer music that turns the place into basically a hipsters' lounge. The rest of the week, it's a top-notch destination for affordable rum-n-Cokes, vodka tonics and a whole mess (and we do mean mess) of punk bands. This is where you're likely to find unapologetic punks like Car Bomb Driver, the Pink Lincolns, Doll Parts or the Semis spitting fire on the tiny bandbox of a stage. When the music isn't live, the Emerald is still crusty but friendly, low-class but high-minded (see the cool art on the walls) and a must-stop for any local wannabe rocker.