Sloppy Joes evolved from a local favorite in the Key West area into a small franchise in the state of Florida. Popping up in scattered locations around the state, Sloppy Joes has definitely earned the owners a good deal of money and popularity. One of the branches from the Sloppy Joe family comes from Treasure Island. Unfortunately though if this spot is anything like the spot in Key West, then all of its fame is totally unjustifiable. This Sloppy Joes was a bust, and not even its delightful service and closeness to the beach can save it. The food was pretty bad, and the prices didn’t justify the means.
We have yet to go to the original, but me and Mike are sure that the Key west variation ahs to be much better than this one. Picture this like the younger, more irritating brother that you know will have problems growing up because of his immaturity and inability to go past that. That pretty much describes the culinary experience that was Sloppy Joes: sloppy, and just a quiet mess. Let me just put this out there: the servers, hostesses, and cast involved had nothing to do with our experience. It was purely the chef’s errors that doomed the spot.
For starters, the menu is nowhere near as diverse as the Key West counterpart, which I found rather odd. Even though its lunch, they really didn’t offer anything specifically interesting that distances itself from the plethora of seafood joints in that stretch of road. Nonetheless, I went with the conch fritters and their infamous grouper sandwich. Michael orders the filet mignon, which came with a salad. After a short wait, I got the conch fritters. They were decent, but honestly nothing very special. I’ve had better in many other places, with Crabby Bills being the best example---also in the Tampa Bay area.
Michael’s salad next arrived, and it was a small platter of greens mixed with croutons and dressing. Alright, but also nothing special. The grouper sandwich fit the consistency of our lunch—meh, we’ve had better, doesn’t justify the prices, and also is making us regret picking this joint. I’ve had much better grouper, and at better prices. The fish was a bit cold, and isn’t as juicy as I’m accustomed to. Even worse was Michael’s steak, which was a far cry from mediocre. It didn’t have any of the decent elements that makes a good steak. It might be that we are utterly spoiled seeing the likes of Charley’s Steakhouse and the best of Disney restaurants, but at the same time this steak just didn’t have much flavor or appeal at all. Michael couldn’t even finish it, and the meat barely clocked in at past 10 oz. I barely finished my grouper sandwich, and it wasn’t because I was full. I just didn’t care.
Bottom Line: Funny how when you enjoy something you have a lot more to say, but when the place tanks, you seem to not find the words that can describe the disappointment. Sloppy Joes is an institution and staple of Florida, but the Treasure Island installment has it all wrong in terms of food, proportions, and overall satisfaction. Our server was great, but what he was bringing us was crap. Tampa Bay is full of wonderful places to eat, so if you miss this spot, it’s not like you have no other choices. I have nothing more to say. Just avoid this spot by any means necessary.
Final verdict: Do Not Recommend. Ever.
Sloppy Joes
10650 Gulf Boulevard
Treasure Island, FL 33706-4819
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