Authentic Breakfast Dive
St. Petersburg, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: American Diner
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 1/5
Dined in: April 2018
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Skyway Jack’s rating on Zomato:
Owner:
Jack Thomas
The Skyway Jacks restaurant opened in 1976, in a marina a few miles north of the old Skyway bridge before its collapse when it was hit by the cargo vessel Summit Venture in 1980. Today the restaurant location moved further north onto 34th Street due to lack of parking at the marina and the main road that connected to them was closed to only construction traffic to rebuild the bridge. It took seven years to rebuild the bridge, so the move of the Skyway Jacks business and many others was necessary to survive. The restaurant in the old and new location has been a favorite to locals and through word of mouth to the tourists for classic southern breakfast favorites. It is not a hard restaurant to find as you drive down 34th street, just look for the large rooster, and the cartoon drawings of Porky Pig and others on the windows. The pig is the main theme as there are many pork items on the menu and the servers with a ‘non-pc’ pig on their t-shirts.
Menu:
- Hearty Breakfast
- Eggs and Omelettes
- Pastries and Bread
- Unique and different Breakfast
- Chef Your Pancakes
- Skillets
Lunch:
- Salads
- Soups
- Add-Ons
- Sandwiches
- Pastries and Bread
- Hot Lunches
- Desserts
Skyway Jacks is an authentic dive and great alternative to the chain breakfast restaurants like Waffle House, IHOP and others, thanks to its southern roots and a vast menu. According to the website information on Sunday alone they go through 2,500 eggs, 400 pounds of sausage, 45 pounds of bacon and roughly 4,000 cups of coffee a week. Menu specials are written onto large whiteboards against the wall, and speaking of the menu the owner served in the Navy, so you will see colorful named military breakfast specials mixed in with the southern favorites like the Georgia boy, country ham, grannie’s special, country fried steak, and of course the chicken and waffles. Mix this with several omelet selections like a pizza, western, and a corned beef omelet. Complete the breakfast with several benedict selections which include the ‘Southside Benny’ which my wife and I shared. Two poached eggs are placed over a house-made biscuit split in two, topped with pork sausage patties and a sausage gravy. Finish this with some potatoes and grilled tomato slices. I also order a bowl of grits with the dish. Every bite was like a kid being introduced to a chocolate candy bar for the first time. You could see my eyes light up with each taste of the sausage, infusion of carbs from the biscuit and the soft yellow runny yolk from the egg. The grits, on the other hand, were not very exciting, lacked flavor, and honestly could have used more attention to detail.
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| Skyway Jacks / Southside Benny |
The lunch menu which can also be ordered during breakfast and after 9am includes several sandwiches from the classical Florida Cuban, a patty melt, Reuben, hot dog, and a top-selling six-ounce ‘Jack burger’ along with hot lunches that include clams, veal parmesan, spaghetti, and pork chops. If you feel like eating on the liter side then there are several salads and small sides like the fresh beets and coleslaw my wife and I ordered to go along with that delicious ‘Southside Benny’ dish. To round up the menu, they offered daily specials ranging from chicken and dumplings and assorted fresh sides like mashed potatoes, black-eyed peas, and collard greens. Another great bonus is that every item on the menu is made from scratch, and the recipe database is a collection from family and from customers who bring their favorites for the cook to try as a daily special. No matter your age, you can also enjoy a nice cold beer. If your under 21, then it will be a root beer float, and an Angry Orchard or Blue Moon for those over 21. You can also be a kid at heart and enjoy an alcoholic version of a root beer float.
Over-all we enjoyed our visit and will return. It was very busy which seems to be the norm, and to avoid waiting we sat at the breakfast bar. With it being as busy I recommend they hire more staff as the service was a little below par, or increase customer service training as it did lower the rating from 2/5 to 1/5. This rating is not necessarily a bad thing as they matched an average dining experience to most restaurants, but there is always room for improvement.
 |
| Skyway Jacks / Beet Salad |
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other Noteworthy American / Breakfast / Diner Articles and Restaurants Similar to Skyway Jacks:
Café du Monde Iconic café & coffeehouse serving beignets since 1862 in New Orleans, Louisiana
First Watch Café chain for health-minded breakfast, brunch, & lunch; reviewed in Tampa, Florida
Metro Diner Local diner chain with classic American breakfast and Lunch; reviewed in St. Petersburg, Florida
Stella’s Restaurant Southern-inspired comfort eats and diner in Gulfport, Florida
The Dutch Kitchen Buffet of Dutch and French cuisine at the Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam
The Jungle Junction Zimbabwean & international tastings buffet at the Victoria Falls Hotel in Zimbabwe
Waffle House A Southern 24/7 breakfast chain known for their hash browns, based in Atlanta, Georgia
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other St Petersburg restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
|
Organic Farmers Market in Pioneer Park
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
A rustic restaurant that is known for its burgers
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
Modern café-tavern chain with Greek eats
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
A Few Florida Favorites:
|
Third-floor terrace seafood-centric New American dining
Bradenton Beach, Florida, USA
|
Casual Floribbean and American pub chain
Brandon, Florida USA
|
Multi-day festival and tasting
Key West, Florida, USA
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations, and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience, and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Skyway Jacks a 1 out of 5 stars, meaning that they were an average dining experience like most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Skyway Jacks
|
Max Points Possible:
|
Total Points Awarded:
|
Total Points deducted:
|
Ambiance
|
11
|
9
|
2
|
Food quality
|
11
|
6
|
5
|
Plate presentation
|
9
|
7
|
2
|
Customer service
|
9
|
6
|
2
|
Alcohol and other beverages
|
0
|
0
|
0
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Total regular points awarded
|
40
|
28
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11
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
|
0.7
| ||
“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
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0
|
0
|
Total bonus percentage
|
0
| ||
Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
|
0.7
| ||
Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
|
1
|
**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
|
1 of 5 Stars:
70% Rating with a 0 point “wow” bonus
An Average Dining Experience
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine Style:
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American
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Low Carb, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required, but Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wear’s flip-flops!
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Child policy:
|
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Rustic, Hole-in-the-wall, I Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Public Lot
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Wifi
|
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium to Loud
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Smoking:
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Skyway Jacks is a non-smoking restaurant
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Patio or terrace:
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No
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$$
|
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€
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Skyway Jacks Restaurant:
2795 34th St. South
St. Petersburg Fl.
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
| |
Maître d or host:
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+1 727-867-1907
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
|
Daily: Mon-Sun
5:00 am - 3:00 pm
|
Social Media
and
Accolades for Skyway Jacks:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
|
Taste of tribal Zimbabwe cuisine
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
|
Vibrant Pan-Indian Cuisine
Colnbrook, Slough, Berkshire, England, UK
|
Stylish modern Spanish and global cuisine
Dubai Creek, Dubai, UAE
|
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
