Skyway’s Chicken And Waffles
St. Petersburg, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: American Diner
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 1/5
Dined in: August 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.
This review is based on the second and third consecutive visits to Skyway Jacks during August in 2018. The first visit was a carry-out order that my wife and I had at home, while the second visit towards the end of the month was dining in.
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
On previous visits, we had staple items from the menu that included the ‘Southside Benny’ which my wife and I shared. This dish was a twist on the typical Benny with two poached eggs placed over a house-made biscuit split in two, topped with pork sausage patties and a sausage gravy. We also can not get enough of their house-made grits which cannot be placed into words and give credit to how they really are. They are some of the best I have had since eating stone ground grit recipes from restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina. Another favorite side item is the pickled beets which my wife ordered as part of the take-out from earlier in August. The beets are very tasty slightly sweet and dark red, going perfectly with any combination.
The Hobo Hash looked of interest with scrambled eggs, mixed with fresh potatoes, chopped bacon, cheddar cheese, onions, and peppers, lightly seasoned, with the eggs cooked to a perfect medium scramble, all served with sausage gravy and a biscuit. The Southside Benny from the April review (linked at the top) was fantastic, but this hash took the cake. Hats off and hands down, why are you still reading this article when you should be getting in your car to drive over there.
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| Skyway Jacks / Hobo Hash |
Chicken and Waffles is a traditional southern food staple that had its origins in the 1300s with the word friquasée, a combination of the French words for “fry” and “break.” This recipe later expanded during the mid-1800s to become what we recognize today as fried chicken. Waffles first appeared during the Middle Ages, as bakeries made communion wafers to compete with monasteries. The waffle was developed using the same method that was used to make the communion wafers, by baking a thin cake between two metal plates The Pilgrims brought the concept to North America in the 1600s, and by the 1930s the first combination of fried chicken with waffles hit the mainstream.
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| Skyway Jacks / Chicken And Waffles |
The Chicken and waffles at Skyway Jacks were served as a typical round waffle, then topped with a double-dip fried chicken breast, then finished with a layer of sausage gravy. You can also get the chicken buffalo style upon request.
My wife had an order of the pickled beets once again, then for entree a tuna melt sandwich on rye with Swiss cheese, we both shared a side of grits with some fried onion rings. I did not taste the sandwich but my wife enjoyed it.
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| Skyway Jacks / Tuna Melt |
Dessert:
We did not have dessert on these visits.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other noteworthy Diners articles and restaurants similar to Skyway Jacks:
A diner is a small fast food restaurant that was created in 1872 in the Northeastern United States, and now has locations throughout the Midwest, as well as in other parts of the US, Canada, and parts of Western Europe. Diners offer a wide range of foods, mostly American cuisine, and have a casual atmosphere, a long counter with bar stools where patrons eat their meals, and late operating hours.
Mad Fish A casual Gourmet American Cuisine restaurant in a Retro-Style Diner in St Pete Beach, 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
Trip’s Diner a local and historical diner named after the owners' triplets in St Petersburg, Florida
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:
|
A Fusion of Thai and Mexican Cuisine
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
A rustic restaurant that is known for its burgers
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
Tavern near the Narvaez historical site
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
A Few Florida Favorites:
|
Waterfront Beach and Seafood Bar
St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA
|
‘Farm to wok’ Chinese-American concept
Tampa, Florida, USA
|
Relaxed waterfront seafood restaurant
Tierra Verde
|
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 1 out of 5 stars, meaning that they were an average dining experience like most restaurants. The first review score was 1 of 5 stars, so they have remained the same from my last visit.
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
|
Total regular points awarded
|
40
|
28
|
11
|
Total percentage — less the Bonus
|
0.7
| ||
“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
Total bonus percentage
|
0
| ||
Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
|
0.7
| ||
Stars Awarded (see chart below)
|
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 at Skyway Jacks:
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American
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Low Carb, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
|
Not Required, but Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
|
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!
|
Skyway Jacks Experiences:
|
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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Skyway Jacks has a private lot
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Wifi:
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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)
|
$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€
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Skyway Jacks:
2795 34th St. South
St. Petersburg, Florida
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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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…
|
Creatively presented high-energy Mediterranean Fare
Denver, Colorado, USA
|
Farm-to-fork upscale local chain for Southwestern cuisine
Austin, Texas, USA
|
Upscale eatery with butchery at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida, USA
|
Other Skyway Jacks Pictures:
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| Skyway Jacks / Sides |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
