This was the original Seminole Heights blog with commentary about life in and around the urban neighborhood of Seminole Heights in Tampa, Florida. Musings about other topics as my mood permits. The blog is essentially inactive since I moved to Lutz. Go to The Official Unofficial Seminole Heights Blog - www.seminoleheightsblog.com for active content.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Cappy's Pizza Lifts Off
"Holy Cow" were my words as Susan and I saw the number of cars outside Cappys at 6:00 P.M. today.
The opening night of Cappy's SH was amazing. We eat at the south Tampa Cappy's a lot and were amazed at the SH Cappy's. The atmosphere and layout of the SH Cappy's is ten times better than the south Tampa Cappy's and the food is just as good. Can't wait for the beer and wine license to get finished (they have Stella, Hoegaarden, Heineken, and Bass on tap plus plenty of bottled beer). Be sure to check out the amazing patio area.
Waited anxiously for Cappy's. hoping it would be wonderful. Went for dinner with friends and general impression was...super atmosphere. Great attention to decor detail Stupid seating...where do you eat if you are just a single or a couple? No one said Hi or Welcome and no one said, thanks for coming, either at the door or at the table ......food was good enough and prep time was fine, but Stephanos has better Calzones...........and the service was awful. I know alot of it was probably first day blues, but it should have been anticipated. Service, or the lack of it is always the problem in SH.
I hope they regroup and get the service thing handled. No one wants to have to ask for everything and everyone would like to see their waiter/waitress inbetween ordering and requesting the check.
Get it together Cappy's. A great decor will never be enough in the long run! We want you to do well! We need your restaurant!
I knew that this would happen when I saw the number of cars outside on the very first night. You should NEVER go to a restaurant on their opening day, week or month for that matter. It takes a while to get all of the kinks out.
I hope that Cappy's understands to fundamental basics of running a successful restaurant. Good Food, Excellent Service, CONSISTENCY. Cleanliness and reasonable prices.
Opening Day Jitters! Didn't know they were opening Sunday until driving by at 3 PM and saw staff coming in and out - and since we just live down the street - wanted to pop in to look at the menu and welcome them to the neighboorhood. I acknowledged they weren't open but asked for a quick look and in return received a rather icy reception by the owner, who instructed me not to steal the menu, then said "We can't just have everyone walking in here...I guess I'll have to lock the door now" I apologised and welcomed them just the same. I'm sure it was crazy the first day, so felt bad for intruding - and looking forward to my first visit during authorized times - and maybe a warmer welcome!
If you experienced bad service, you may want to give it another try when they've had a chance to get settled. It's their first day!
I've been to the Cappy's on Howard countless times and have always experiencd perfectly decent service, even on the busiest of nights.
Do also keep in mind that this isn't Bern's. Not being a high-class eatery doesn't excuse bad service, but try to let your bill be your guide to service expectations.
have to say without having eaten there that i really like the rocket on the exterior. kinda funky and in keeping with the 'hood. hope the food and service are as good - look forward to at least getting Bass on tap - yummy!
I will definitely eat there. Used to go to the Hyde Park Cappy's all the time, even though the service there was usually terrible and parking difficult. I don't care, the pizza is fantastic.
Oy, this is Cappy's where you get good beer and great pizza at a cheap price in a relaxing environment. The service has never been 5-star but then again who cares it's a beer and pizza joint. Ya, nobody is going to welcome you as you walk in the door because they have the staff do more important things like serve and make food. Sign in, sit down and enjoy. As an SH resident I am just excited to have them so WELCOME CAPPY'S
Another fine example of how, particularly a restaurant-type establishment in Seminole Heights, "If you build it, they will come." I'm most stoked that we now have a sit-down pizza joint with a liquor license in SH, and it should have the license by the time I get back. Most excellent!
Well to all of you who think I am nuts. I have 15 years food service experience. Both on the floor, in the back and the front of the house. Of course we expected service issues the first night. BUT no greeting, and a waitress who literally ignored us and passed our table a million times without asking if we needed anything...well sorry guys, that is service basics, and has not thing to do with being busy. It is how you react to being busy. And that is different. OF course it is not Berns, but it is also not self serve. There are lots of places with similar fare and they manage to have decent service and a greeting.
I fully expect it to get better and definitly will go again. It was simply an observation of a not so great start. BTW when we were there it busy but everyone was seated, not waiting and there were places for more.
Stephanos Calzone is a little smaller, and cheaper,,,,,,,,,,and far better.
We did take out and it was absolutley amazing! I have never tasted pizza that good. Now I can only hope that Ybor will go under and we can get a nice restaruant on that side of the neighborhood. The only negative with Cappy's was the parking issue. We had to park down the street in front of someones house. The homeowner came out and started yelling. But, where else can you park. I think it will be a very short time before neighbors and business complain and have cars towed.
We had a great experience at Cappy's opening night. The tables were perfect for our group of 7 adults. Good atmosphere, great decor. Our server was very friendly and attentive...I'm not sure what might have went wrong for some of the others. As busy as they were, our server was very good about keeping the drinks full, which I always appreciate. Everyone's food looked great, perfectly cooked, and served hot! What a fun place to hang out and have pizza with friends! Thanks Cappy's, we will be returning regularly.
Went to Cappy's last nite about 6:30 PM. Place ws packed. Ran into friends, of course. Asked two others to share a table with us, they asked two others to share a table with us. That took care of the whole table. Service was poor. Our waitress didn't know to ask us if we wanted Chicago style. So, we got our pizza slowly. It was obvious she was new - like the restaurant. But, she was nice and kept the drinks coming.
I'll go back after the liquor license is in. She told us Wednesday. I can wait 3 days.
I went tonight. If the waitress had been any more attentive it would have gotten on my nerves. Although we were there right at 5 and there was only one other table. Food was ok, but the atmosphere makes the place. Awesome place to hang out!
Oh my god how rude! To go and expect the owner to be overwelming nice when you "knock" on the door only hours before they open, and then be offended that you got an "icy" reception. I sorry but you have obviously not worked the retail sector yourself. Try knocking on the door at the mall 2 hours early because you want to see whats on sale and see what kind of reception you'll get. You owe him an apology.
Got 2 pizzas there on Monday night. Both were excellent and not nearly as expensive as Stepphano's. They're going to be in trouble if they don't drop those prices. They need to rethink where they are. This is Florida Ave., not Howard Ave. I like Stepphano's, but Cappy's pizza is better and cheaper. Won't take long for the word to spread. Good luck Cappy's and welcome to Seminole Heights.
WELCOME CAPPY'S Ww went out to Cappy's on opening night with our neighbors and their Firetruck The inside was full so we sat outside. From where we sat, the food and the service were great! Of course our view might have been slightly skewed since we brought our own beer ( we couldn't wait for the license ). the pizza was very good and our attentive waiter, who we saw 4 or 5 times, was one of the owners of the So Tampa store just helping out for the day. It's walking distance for us. We'll be back on Wednesday.
We went on Tuesday night. Salad, Chicago Pizza, NY Pizza, and the service were all outstanding. I can't wait until they can serve beer! I am going to go there at least once a week.
Wow, I went Tuesday night too, but had a completely different experience. Waiters, new but no complaints - always filling up water and updating on wait-time. Ordered lg chicoago style with pepperoni, blk olives and extra cheese. Wait time is long, but would have been fine except the pizza was just plain bad for any money. Purchased crust, more tomato sauce than i've ever seen, and sparse toppings. Seriously, the "thick" crust was as thinner than the tomato sauce layer! To boot, we decided to take it home before it was ready, so they put it in box (didn't fit, so made it fit) and didn't cut it. I will go back to try NY style, but if that doesn't pass, no thanks. I know was opening week, but C'MON! Pizzas are all they do.
We went to Cappy's last night and found it extremely busy. We waited for 45 min. to get a table, but the wait was worth it. The food was great and the waiter we had was friendly and attentive. We'll certainly be going back often.
We went on Saturday. Interesting place inside and out. Good service and food, but what is up with the air temp? A little cooler would be great. The cold beer did help!
The opening night of Cappy's SH was amazing. We eat at the south Tampa Cappy's a lot and were amazed at the SH Cappy's. The atmosphere and layout of the SH Cappy's is ten times better than the south Tampa Cappy's and the food is just as good. Can't wait for the beer and wine license to get finished (they have Stella, Hoegaarden, Heineken, and Bass on tap plus plenty of bottled beer). Be sure to check out the amazing patio area.
ReplyDeleteWaited anxiously for Cappy's. hoping it would be wonderful. Went for dinner with friends and general impression was...super atmosphere. Great attention to decor detail Stupid seating...where do you eat if you are just a single or a couple? No one said Hi or Welcome and no one said, thanks for coming, either at the door or at the table ......food was good enough and prep time was fine, but Stephanos has better Calzones...........and the service was awful. I know alot of it was probably first day blues, but it should have been anticipated. Service, or the lack of it is always the problem in SH.
ReplyDeleteI hope they regroup and get the service thing handled. No one wants to have to ask for everything and everyone would like to see their waiter/waitress inbetween ordering and requesting the check.
Get it together Cappy's. A great decor will never be enough in the long run! We want you to do well! We need your restaurant!
I knew that this would happen when I saw the number of cars outside on the very first night. You should NEVER go to a restaurant on their opening day, week or month for that matter. It takes a while to get all of the kinks out.
ReplyDeleteI hope that Cappy's understands to fundamental basics of running a successful restaurant. Good Food, Excellent Service, CONSISTENCY. Cleanliness and reasonable prices.
Good Luck in the neighborhood!!
We got take out and it rocked!
ReplyDeleteHas Stephanno's dropped their prices yet?
ReplyDeleteOpening Day Jitters! Didn't know they were opening Sunday until driving by at 3 PM and saw staff coming in and out - and since we just live down the street - wanted to pop in to look at the menu and welcome them to the neighboorhood. I acknowledged they weren't open but asked for a quick look and in return received a rather icy reception by the owner, who instructed me not to steal the menu, then said "We can't just have everyone walking in here...I guess I'll have to lock the door now" I apologised and welcomed them just the same. I'm sure it was crazy the first day, so felt bad for intruding - and looking forward to my first visit during authorized times - and maybe a warmer welcome!
ReplyDeleteWe ate there last night...a group of 10...we had no service issues whatsoever and the food was fantastic!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Neighborhood, Cappy's....We're so glad you are here!
If you experienced bad service, you may want to give it another try when they've had a chance to get settled. It's their first day!
ReplyDeleteI've been to the Cappy's on Howard countless times and have always experiencd perfectly decent service, even on the busiest of nights.
Do also keep in mind that this isn't Bern's. Not being a high-class eatery doesn't excuse bad service, but try to let your bill be your guide to service expectations.
have to say without having eaten there that i really like the rocket on the exterior. kinda funky and in keeping with the 'hood.
ReplyDeletehope the food and service are as good - look forward to at least getting Bass on tap - yummy!
I will definitely eat there. Used to go to the Hyde Park Cappy's all the time, even though the service there was usually terrible and parking difficult. I don't care, the pizza is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteOy, this is Cappy's where you get good beer and great pizza at a cheap price in a relaxing environment. The service has never been 5-star but then again who cares it's a beer and pizza joint. Ya, nobody is going to welcome you as you walk in the door because they have the staff do more important things like serve and make food. Sign in, sit down and enjoy. As an SH resident I am just excited to have them so WELCOME CAPPY'S
ReplyDeleteAnother fine example of how, particularly a restaurant-type establishment in Seminole Heights, "If you build it, they will come." I'm most stoked that we now have a sit-down pizza joint with a liquor license in SH, and it should have the license by the time I get back. Most excellent!
ReplyDeleteWell to all of you who think I am nuts. I have 15 years food service experience. Both on the floor, in the back and the front of the house. Of course we expected service issues the first night. BUT no greeting, and a waitress who literally ignored us and passed our table a million times without asking if we needed anything...well sorry guys, that is service basics, and has not thing to do with being busy. It is how you react to being busy. And that is different. OF course it is not Berns, but it is also not self serve. There are lots of places with similar fare and they manage to have decent service and a greeting.
ReplyDeleteI fully expect it to get better and definitly will go again. It was simply an observation of a not so great start. BTW when we were there it busy but everyone was seated, not waiting and there were places for more.
Stephanos Calzone is a little smaller, and cheaper,,,,,,,,,,and far better.
We did take out and it was absolutley amazing! I have never tasted pizza that good. Now I can only hope that Ybor will go under and we can get a nice restaruant on that side of the neighborhood. The only negative with Cappy's was the parking issue. We had to park down the street in front of someones house. The homeowner came out and started yelling. But, where else can you park. I think it will be a very short time before neighbors and business complain and have cars towed.
ReplyDeleteWe had a great experience at Cappy's opening night. The tables were perfect for our group of 7 adults. Good atmosphere, great decor. Our server was very friendly and attentive...I'm not sure what might have went wrong for some of the others. As busy as they were, our server was very good about keeping the drinks full, which I always appreciate. Everyone's food looked great, perfectly cooked, and served hot! What a fun place to hang out and have pizza with friends! Thanks Cappy's, we will be returning regularly.
ReplyDeleteWent to Cappy's last nite about 6:30 PM. Place ws packed. Ran into friends, of course. Asked two others to share a table with us, they asked two others to share a table with us. That took care of the whole table. Service was poor. Our waitress didn't know to ask us if we wanted Chicago style. So, we got our pizza slowly. It was obvious she was new - like the restaurant. But, she was nice and kept the drinks coming.
ReplyDeleteI'll go back after the liquor license is in. She told us Wednesday. I can wait 3 days.
I went tonight. If the waitress had been any more attentive it would have gotten on my nerves. Although we were there right at 5 and there was only one other table.
ReplyDeleteFood was ok, but the atmosphere makes the place. Awesome place to hang out!
We did take out for a pool party. The pizza was hot and crispy. By far the best in the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteOh my god how rude! To go and expect the owner to be overwelming nice when you "knock" on the door only hours before they open, and then be offended that you got an "icy" reception. I sorry but you have obviously not worked the retail sector yourself. Try knocking on the door at the mall 2 hours early because you want to see whats on sale and see what kind of reception you'll get. You owe him an apology.
ReplyDeleteGot 2 pizzas there on Monday night. Both were excellent and not nearly as expensive as Stepphano's. They're going to be in trouble if they don't drop those prices. They need to rethink where they are. This is Florida Ave., not Howard Ave. I like Stepphano's, but Cappy's pizza is better and cheaper. Won't take long for the word to spread. Good luck Cappy's and welcome to Seminole Heights.
ReplyDeleteParking looks entertaining
ReplyDeleteDo they have highchairs?
ReplyDeleteWELCOME CAPPY'S
ReplyDeleteWw went out to Cappy's on opening night with our neighbors and their Firetruck
The inside was full so we sat outside. From where we sat, the food and the service were great! Of course our view might have been slightly skewed since we brought our own beer ( we couldn't wait for the license ). the pizza was very good and our attentive waiter, who we saw 4 or 5 times, was one of the owners of the So Tampa store just helping out for the day. It's walking distance for us. We'll be back on Wednesday.
Yes, they do have highchairs.
ReplyDeleteWe went on Tuesday night. Salad, Chicago Pizza, NY Pizza, and the service were all outstanding. I can't wait until they can serve beer! I am going to go there at least once a week.
ReplyDeleteWow, I went Tuesday night too, but had a completely different experience. Waiters, new but no complaints - always filling up water and updating on wait-time. Ordered lg chicoago style with pepperoni, blk olives and extra cheese. Wait time is long, but would have been fine except the pizza was just plain bad for any money. Purchased crust, more tomato sauce than i've ever seen, and sparse toppings. Seriously, the "thick" crust was as thinner than the tomato sauce layer! To boot, we decided to take it home before it was ready, so they put it in box (didn't fit, so made it fit) and didn't cut it. I will go back to try NY style, but if that doesn't pass, no thanks.
ReplyDeleteI know was opening week, but C'MON! Pizzas are all they do.
Lots of toppings work better on the NY. Try just getting Pepperoni on the Chicago- it is by far the best pizza in town as far as I am concerned.
ReplyDelete"Now I can only hope that Ybor will go under "
ReplyDelete... Real nice. Is that the only place to put a resturant on that street or around there? Why does Ybor have to close for another buisness to open?
We went to Cappy's last night and found it extremely busy. We waited for 45 min. to get a table, but the wait was worth it. The food was great and the waiter we had was friendly and attentive. We'll certainly be going back often.
ReplyDeleteDid you notice the pictures? The cars in front are a Mercedes, Infiniti, BMW, Porsche. We are starting to look South Tampa... OMG, stop the progress.
ReplyDeleteWe went on Saturday. Interesting place inside and out. Good service and food, but what is up with the air temp? A little cooler would be great. The cold beer did help!
ReplyDeleteSo... what's the address and phone # ????
ReplyDeletenm... found it here:
ReplyDeletehere