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The champion of sports bars
By RICK GERSHMAN
© St. Petersburg Times, CARROLLWOOD -- When deciding where to watch the big game, sports bar patrons often must decide which features they need and which they can live without. Some sports bars boast numerous big-screen televisions or interactive entertainment such as NTN Trivia. Some include a full food menu, a bar that serves liquor (as opposed to just beer and wine), or the ability to select audio from different TVs at your table. Several establishments provide most of these amenities, but few offer all of them. That's one reason Prime Time Sports Grill, a family-owned operation, stands out. It's got them all covered. Prime Time, which recently opened at 14404 N Dale Mabry Highway, next to Tampa Pitcher Show, packed in the crowds Monday for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' preseason opener. A 17-14 Miami victory failed to spoil the party, as an energetic crowd found this venue definitely is ready for Prime Time. Since North of Tampa has a serious journalistic obligation to keep the public informed, a couple of reporters and a third buddy ate good food, drank beer and watched football at Prime Time on Monday. Their consensus on Prime Time: Six thumbs, way up! Prime Time previously operated for six years at W Hillsborough Avenue, a little east of Dale Mabry. Owners Doug and Denise Craine were considering adding a second location when a kitchen fire gutted the Hillsborough venue last December. So the Craines decided to start from scratch in Carrollwood, where they have lived for 20 years. For the sports fan, the venue's most impressive element is the quality of the projection televisions. The 10 Mitsubishi projectors, which cost about $8,000 each, emit an image that looks clear, vibrant and detailed from every angle, even from directly below and completely to the side. This reporter didn't even realize they were projection TVs until the projectors were pointed out later. Four 8-foot diagonal screens adorn each wall, with two 7-footers on the ends. Though the Bucs played badly, they still looked great on these sets. Individual audio controls at each table allow patrons to choose sound from whichever screen they like, another big plus. Beer specials kept the check reasonable, and appetizers of buffalo-style chicken and shrimp bites were tasty and hit the spot. One member of the party didn't leave a speck behind: Devouring a chicken caesar salad, he scraped the bowl so clean that in its reflection, you could see Brad Johnson getting sacked. Though Monday's capacity crowd had our server, Michelle, constantly on the move, she was consistently attentive, personable and perceptive. Delivering an apple pie a la mode, she immediately inquired whether it was warm enough. Told it could use a little more heat, Michelle took care of it immediately. The pie quickly returned nice and warm, the ice cream still nice and frozen. A minute later, the bowl was licked clean by the Devourer. Prime Time has a large non-smoking section on one side and a smoking section on the other, with a peninsular-shaped bar in the middle. A glass divider separates the non-smoking section from the bar, keeping smoke drift to a bare minimum while maintaining an open view. More televisions line the inside and outside of the bar area. The venue has more than 30 TVs in all, and will be adding a few more, including another big-screen. The menu includes sports bar staples such as wings and nachos in addition to numerous lunch and dinner entrees. Weekdays feature $4.95 lunch specials. Entrees are served until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The rest of the menu, including sandwiches and burgers, is available until 2:15 a.m. every day. Happy hour runs from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, with $1 Budweiser and Bud Light draughts, 2-for-1 house wine, 2-for-1 well drinks and $1 off pitchers. Hospitality workers also enjoy happy hour prices Sunday-Thursday from midnight to close. At a cozy 5,000 square feet, Prime Time is far from the largest sports bar/restaurant in the area. But it fits a lot of entertainment in that space. Many sports-bar devotees consider it a must to have Golden Tee 2002, currently the hottest coin-op sports game. Prime Time has the requisite two Golden Tees and several other video games, including the popular Turkey Hunting USA. Electronic dart boards and two pool tables provide additional diversions. Though Prime Time would seem a natural competitor for the Tampa Ale House, which sits just seconds away, Doug Craine dismissed any notions of competition. "We're not looking to compete with anybody, just to add what we have here in the community," he said. "There's plenty of people to go around." At a glance
Prime Time Sports Grill Hours: 11 a.m.-3 a.m. every day (21 and up after 11 p.m.)
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
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