Bubba’s 33 — Where Delicious Food & Drinks Meet Great Music & Fun!

From the time that it opened in 2020, Bubba’s 33, the elevated sports bar and restaurant concept from your friends at (and located next to) Texas Roadhouse off S.R. 56, has been a popular place with New Tampa and Wesley Chapel residents for its great food and craft cocktails at very fair prices and its TVs-everywhere sports bar feel. It also offers great music video channels to keep everyone upbeat and having fun.

Bubba’s is a place for everyone from rabid adult NFL and NHL fans to families with young children and the made-from-scratch menu literally offers something for everyone.

Let’s Talk Food First!

The menu at Bubba’s hasn’t changed much since it first opened but that’s probably because so many of the long-time offerings have proven to be so popular.

For “Party Starters,” the Big O’Rings (photo left) are always sliced fresh, hand-battered and fried crisp, served with the delectable Bubba’s sauce (which is like a cross between thousand island dressing and remoulade sauce). Photographer Charmaine George also loves the Shotgun Shrimp, which are lightly breaded shrimp topped with a creamy, spicy sauce and topped with green onions that the menu says, “You won’t want to share.”

Other Party Starters include Crooked Fried Cheese, Layered Cheese Fries, a Chorizo sausage Queso Dip and Crispy Fried Pickles.

Bubba’s also has great wings, available with eight different sauces and two different dry seasonings.

Salad and “Seinfeld” fans have to love “The Big Salad,” which is, like, “a really big salad with a lot of stuff in it.” There also are Italian Chopped, Grilled Chicken (or Chicken Tender), Salmon and Kale Quinoa salads on the menu, but Jannah and I love to just get a side salad with our meals, with Bubba’s zesty balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Our favorite items on the “Hearty Dinners” menu include the Southern Fried Chicken breast and garlic mashed potatoes (I get the creamy white gravy on the side), the California Chicken (grilled chicken topped with avocado, pico de gallo and jack cheese; we also order the honey lime sauce on the side) and the two Texas Roadhouse-quality ribeye steaks — the Grilled 12-oz. Ribeye and the Signature 14-oz. Ribeye shown above right, which is marinated in a StarbucksÂź espresso signature blend. Among the many sides are great sweet potato fries, steamed broccoli and mac n’cheese. 

Great Sandwiches!

Even Bubba’s 33’s Hand-Crafted Sandwiches are special, from the Philly Cheesesteak and Chicken Phillys to the Fried Fish (cod) sandwich, which is fried in a house-made Samuel Adams¼ Boston Lager batter.

Mine and Jannah’s favorite burgers at Bubba’s are the Classic Cheeseburger (we add crispy bacon to it) and the bacon grind bacon cheeseburger. We prefer the Classic because it’s one thick patty, instead of the two-patty bacon grind burgers. 

Charmaine’s favorite is the Bacon Guacamole burger (with sweet potato fries) on the next page. She says the guacamole and pepper jack cheese are perfect complements to the crispy bacon.  

Italian Specialties!

The Meaty Meaty pizza

One of the things that sets Bubba’s 33 apart from most other sports bars/restaurants is its variety of Italian specialties, from Signature Pastas (including favorites like layered Lasagna and Chicken Parmesan Pasta), as well as a huge variety of Homemade, Stone-Baked Pizzas. 

Although, as a native New Yawka, I can’t call the pizzas “true NY style,” I will say that the crusts are always crispy, whether you get the Buffalo chicken, the “Dickie V” (named for sportcaster and former college basketball coach Dick Vitale, it combines Italian sausage, cherry peppers, fresh basil, grated parmesan and a garlic buttered crust. “It’s awesome, baby!”), or my current favorite, the “Meaty Meaty” (with bacon, homemade Italian sausage and pepperoni). There are even “Artisan” options like Goat Cheese Arugula and Italian Margherita pizzas.

And, while I can’t call this a truly Italian pasta dish, our favorite pasta option may be the Chicken & Bacon Mac N’ Cheese (photo below), which features a blend of five cheeses, grated parmesan and sprinkled with bread crumbs.

Music Bingo!

On our most recent visit, Jannah and I attended Bubba’s 33’s super-fun “Music Bingo Tuesday” event. It starts at 7 p.m., is free to enter and you can win from gift certificates for $5-$20 off and other swag. But honestly, it’s not about the prizes. 

Your host, Jerry, gives out Bingo cards with four games on them and each game has a theme (“Guys & Girls,” “Live, Love & Hate,” etc.). Everyone has all of each game’s songs on their cards, but you have to mark them when they are played and there are multiple ways (across, up & down, 4 corners, etc.) to win. You just have to be the first to yell “Bingo” when you complete each way to win. The really fun thing about it is that even if you don’t know all of the songs yourself, no one minds telling you, since no one has the same order of the songs on their cards.

In other words, if you don’t “get” it, go try it!

Bubba’s 33 also has Monday Madness ($8.99 for almost any burger) and Tuesday Pizza Night (when any 12” pizza is just $10.99) specials.

Bubba’s 33 is located at 26340 Silver Maple Pkwy. It is open every day for lunch & dinner. For more info, call (813) 522-5090 or visit Bubbas33.com.

Bubba’s 33 In Wesley Chapel Adds More Italian-Inspired Fare

I have been a fan of Bubba’s 33, located next to its sister restaurant, Texas Roadhouse (just east of the S.R. 56 exit off I-75), since before the location officially opened at the end of 2019. We attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Bubba’s 33’s first Florida location in September of that year, and even though we didn’t get to sample any of the delicious food at that event, there was a great energy that day that I have personally seen flow through the restaurant’s management, employees and patrons ever since.

Our first sample of the Bubba’s 33 menu came in December of that year and the burgers, wings, pizza and other predominantly sports bar-oriented fare we were given that day gave us a pretty good idea of what to expect — always-made-from-scratch food at very fair prices, with great adult beverage prices, too.

New managing partner Joe Vergona has only been with Bubba’s 33 since January of this year, but as a fellow New Yorker, he and I were both excited to see Bubba’s recently expand its Italian options beyond its not-quite-New-York-style (but still delicious) tin-crust pizzas, which definitely are made with fresh ingredients and served extra crispy (the way I prefer).

“We have added an Italian-style meatball appetizer,” the native Brooklynite says, “as well as both a chicken parmigiana sandwich and a chicken parmigiana pasta option. They’re all already doing very well.”

And for good reason. The Momma’s Homemade Meatball starter offers three nice-sized beef-and-pork meatballs in a semi-spicy tomato sauce, covered with melted cheeses and served with spot-on garlic bread for dipping up the extra sauce and cheese. It definitely has been added to mine and Jannah’s ever-expanding list of Bubba’s favorites.

I haven’t sampled the chicken parm pasta dish yet, but the sandwich is a generous portion of breaded chicken strips, topped with a slightly different-tasting tomato sauce and mozzarella and provolone cheeses (I might order the pickle slices served on top on the side instead), plus a generous portion of crispy French fries (or your choice of sides, including fresh broccoli, sweet potato fries, mac n’ cheese, chili and more).

Speaking Of Favorites… 

Although we had tried several of Bubba’s pizzas before, on our most recent visit, Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I were all really excited about The Dickie V pizza, named (of course) for long-time college basketball commentator and Tampa Bay-area resident Dick Vitale.

This zesty, flavorful pizza includes Italian sausage, a hint of cherry peppers, fresh basil, grated parmesan cheese and a garlic buttered crust. As Dickie V himself would (and the menu does) say, “It’s awesome, baby!” 

And, for every Dickie V “Pizzas for Victory” sold, Bubba’s 33 donates to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, so it’s a super-tasty way to support a worthy cause.

Other Italian-oriented items on the Bubba’s 33 menu include strombolis (the “Super” version includes pepperoni, salami, Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, mozzarella, provolone and marinara; there’s also a meatball stromboli), garlic knots (with marinara and cheese dipping sauces), “Crooked” fried cheese, really good lasagne and even an Italian chopped salad (with salami, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, smoked turkey and mozzarella).

Other great pizzas on the menu include an Italian margherita (with smoked tomatoes and basil), the Meaty Meaty, the fresh veggie and the pepperoni. There’s even a goat cheese arugula option I’ve never tried.

And, I also really love both the grilled ribeye and the Signature ribeye Texas Roadhouse-inspired steaks. The Signature is marinated in a StarbucksÂź espresso blend and both steaks are hand-cut and served with two sides.

Our other favorites include the crispy traditional and boneless wings (try the raspberry chipotle or Habanero Heat sauces), the California chicken (grilled chicken with avocado and pico de gallo), bacon grind double-patty and half-pound Angus beef burgers, the bacon mac n’ cheese and Charmaine also offers a happy shout out to the chipotle chicken and shrimp pasta.

A True Community Partner

Bubba’s 33 also is one of our area’s best community partner eateries, offering fund-raising events to local PTAs and other nonprofits, and working with the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, where there’s a Bubba’s 33 MVP of the Month board honoring young athletes, as well as AdventHealth Center Ice and more.

“We really do have something for everyone,” Joe says proudly, “so come check us out!”

Bubba’s 33 (26340 Silver Maple Pkwy.) is open Mon.-Thur., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Fri. & Sat.; and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Sun. For more info, call (813) 522-5090 or visit Bubbas33.com.

NT/WC Favorite American Restaurants

1 — TREBLEMAKERS

Coconut curry grouper

In our most competitive category in our 2020 Survey, where the top five vote getters were separated by just a handful of votes, Treble Makers, one of the first new restaurants to open in The Village at The Grove shopping center, sneaked into the top spot as your favorite American eatery in either of our markets.

While that may seem a little surprising when you consider how many restaurants are now located in Wesley Chapel alone, it’s no surprise at all to anyone who’s eaten there — especially if you’ve enjoyed a delicious dinner and stayed for the dueling piano shows on the weekends or for the live music on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Chef Kevin Maggard’s menu will likely continue to grow and evolve over time, but he already has a lot of favorites from which to choose, including the unique coconut curry grouper and some of the tenderest, best-seasoned steaks in either of our distribution areas. 

I also regularly rave about Treble Makers’ calamari, ahi tuna and diver scallops appetizers. — GN

The chicken wings at Bubba’s 33 are some of the best around.

2 — BUBBA’S 33
The surprise here isn’t that Bubba’s 33 finished #2 in this “Favorite American” category, it was more that Bubba’s only finished as your 17th favorite restaurant in WC despite its great menu and drink and food prices.

3 — BONEFISH GRILL
Bonefish Grill is obviously one of the consistent favorites among our readers again this year, as it finished as both your third favorite restaurant in Wesley Chapel and third favorite American restaurant in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel.

4 — BAHAMA BREEZE
Bahama Breeze Even though a good portion of its menu isn’t necessarily “American” food, Bahama Breeze also was pretty consistent, finishing as your fifth favorite restaurant in WC and fourth favorite American restaurant in both of our markets.

5 — FAT RABBIT
Fat Rabbit in Tampa Palms is a classic American joint. The bar serves ice cold beer, including its own craft brew, the burgers and wings are terrific and the super-crispy tater tots shouldn’t be as good as they are. 

The Next 10, in order of votes: Oakley’s, GrillSmith, Ciccio Cali, BJ’s Brewhouse, Stonewood, Mr. Dunderbak’s, Glory Days, Walk-On’s, Cheddars, Ford’s Garage.

 

‘Parking Lot Karaoke’ Returns To Bubba’s 33 On Wednesday!

For everyone who missed it the first time around, if you were one of those folks who said, “Wow, it looks like they had a lot of fun,” when the Neighborhood News brought what we called “Car Karaoke” to Bubba’s 33 (located just east of I-75 off S.R. 56) back in May, you’re in luck!

The Wesley Chapel Rotary, in conjunction with long-time club member Troy Stevenson of Acme On The Go Billboard Trucks and the print and online editions of the Neighborhood News, are proud to announce that “Parking Lot Karaoke 2” will again be held in the parking lot at Bubba’s 33 on Wednesday, September 9, 7 p.m.-10 p.m. (or later, if there are still singers).

Ah, but no matter what you call it, round 2 promises to be bigger and better than round 1. While I know that some people don’t want to have to wear face masks in public, by holding the event in the Bubba’s 33 parking lot (there will be more tables and chairs set up than last time, too), we can guarantee social distancing.

Plus, when it’s time for you to sing, the microphone(s) will be wiped with disinfecting wipes; we’d also appreciate it if you wear your mask when you sing because, let’s face it, I know I can get a little juicy when I sing — and I also know I’m not the only one.

We’re calling it “Parking Lot,” rather than “Car” Karaoke this time because some folks told us they thought it meant you had to stay in your car to sing. But, while a few folks did sing in their cars last time, most were like our buddy Lochlan (photo, right) because they came over to the Acme On The Go billboard truck, which displayed the lyrics of every song about as big as Lochlan himself — much easier to read than on a TV screen!

 And, I’m also excited to have former Q105 FM on-air talent Allan Hudson Brady as Parking Lot 2’s karaoke jock. Many of you know Allan from his shows every Thur.-Sat. at Joe Whiskey’s (which was still closed at our press time) on S.R. 54, . Allan will be taking sign-ups to sing starting at 6:30 p.m.

And, best of all, our friends Jeff and Crista Dean and the entire Bubba’s 33 crew will be serving the tasty Bubba’s 33 food and drinks we love both inside and outside.

So, come on out to Bubba’s 33 (26340 Silver Maple Pkwy.). It’s a free event, but food and drinks are not free and we ask that you make a small donation to the Wesley Chapel Rotary Foundation every time you sing. For info, call Bubba’s 33 at (813) 522-5090 — GN