I’m a sucker for places that dole out authentic ”road food” – the greasier the spoon, the better (especially at breakfast). So I couldn’t leave the greater Tampa/St. Petersburg area without visiting Skyway Jack’s, an institution near the Sunshine Skyway that’s been open since 1976.

The restaurant’s Southern kitsch vibe hits you as soon as you pull into the parking lot. The windows are decorated with Porky Pig-style cartoons and a monster rooster greets you at the door. Skyway Jack’s claims that it serves 500 breakfasts on a typical Sunday and goes through 2,500 eggs, 400 pounds of sausage, 45 pounds of bacon and 4,000 cups of coffee a week! Not bad for a place that only seats 49 people at a time.

Once inside, you’re greeted by waitresses in politically incorrect T-shirts and a ton of pig paraphenalia. We arrived around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday and were able to get a booth right away. By the time we left at 11, the lobby was filled with hungry brunchers, waiting. The place attracts all kinds – we saw people arriving from church, as well as a guy in fisherman overalls. One guy told the waitress he was getting married later in the day! (Here’s hoping he didn’t have a nervous stomach!)

The menu is scrawled in marker on whiteboards mounted on restaurant’s wall. You’ll find all the usual breakfast standards, plus several with military touches (owner Jack Thomas served in the Navy and was a former cook in the Indiana National Guard). Among the more colorful offerings:. SOS (s— on a shingle), basically creamy sausage gravy ladled over biscuits and served with tomatoes; Anchor’s Away consisting of baked beans, smoked sausage, and cornbread; and An Apple A Day – baked sliced apples with sausage and corn muffin.  

True to the decor, there’s a whole slew of pork options, including pork brains scrambled with eggs: If you’re a vegetarian and squeamish about pig being served up so many ways, you might want to think about another brunch spot (although there were plenty of veg options such as waffles, French toast and pancakes).

Blair and I both ordered the special, a fried flounder filet served with eggs ($7.95). Mine came poached, with cheese grits and a biscuit. Blair went for a cheesy scramble, accompanied by hash browns and a cornbread muffin.

When our plates arrived, we were a little overwhelmed with the sheer amount of food in front of us.

Our waitress lived up to the stereotype, calling us “hon” with a wink and refilling our coffee constantly. “You aren’t gonna need tartar sauce on that,” she said of the fish (though she brought it anyway). 

And she was right. The fish was phenomenal on its own, and even better when sopped in a bit of runny egg. Sometimes places known for their kitsch fail to deliver on taste. Skyway Jack’s did - Blair’s cornbread muffin was so good that we bought two more to bring home with us. Definitely worth a stop – just make sure you are really hungry.