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TODAY — THE WING HOUSE - Bad

Down Hill Slide at Both Locations…

Date 2015 - First Impression  

LOC: ONE   Sports bar once known for chicken wings, games on TV & scantily clad servers, plus event nights.
ADDRESS: 7369 Ulmerton Rd, Largo, FL 33771
Hours: Open ⋅ Closes 12AM
Phone: (727) 530-9799

2015 BR…  stands for Before Research, I admit I was in love with the most expensive part of the chicken. The wings sell for more money than any other parts per weight or wastage.  In 2015 most wings were US chickens, that has all changed.

With that said, these were some of the next to the best wings in 2015 I have had in the Tampa Bay area, the home turf of Hooters.   But it did not last too long after they expanded.

Larger, fresh, hot, juicy, and the house medium sauce was easy on the tongue and, gentle on the tummy.  As one who cooks and writes about food, my palate might be a hair above most. 

I started working on an article about Wings and it has been more of a treat than real work at times and very disappointing at other times.  Some places did not have a clue and I did not give them credit here. Waste of my time and your money.

2020 — Needing An Update:  Actually hitting a new place every two to three days, making comparisons, and I have to be honest. So far no one touched in service, smiles, presentation, quality, versus  HOOTERS. There were also…  Lots of disappointments, and I have noticed some folks praised places, some with big names that frankly really don't stand up. They must be from another universe if they thought their wings were good. 

Frankly we found lots of the following, undersized wings, overcooked, burnt and drowned, over breaded, small portions, dried up, chiller burn...and some sauces that smothered most of the imperfections and infuriated the Maalox Gods.  

Some are mentioned in my other reviews and not just a one time test, I go back three times. The Ulmerton location was pretty good with wings at one time. Unfortunately after the sale, things went south and the other location on Gulf to Bay was worse. Really bad.  

So far to be honest, I will tell you, two things effect how wings turn out.  How fresh and kept under temp and how the help is trained.   When my article the Best wings in Tampa Bay came out, I let it all hang out.  Now new owners and not impressed. The WING HOUSE is somewhere between second and third dropping like pants at the Chicken Ranch in LAs Vegas.

Pro Football - It Was Pro Food  —  Ker Had Good Food — This location of Wing House and subsequent other locations was started by Crawford Ker, a former college and professional football player for the Cowboys and Broncos.  He kept a tight ship.  

Those guys can eat, and it's reflected in the menu and preparation. That explains the fifty wing size plater, two of us tried to nail it one night and I was stuffed. literally had to be carried out.   The remnants were great the next day. He got it right and made a good presentation and product. 

They were known for their chicken wings and award winning hot sauce, but the WingHouse is more than that. New TV’s all over the place with the latest sports and major event packages.  Almost every week is a specialty night with various events, like custom cars and cycles, a sports special on PPV or salute to the troops.

They serve roadhouse American entrees. The burgers were huge, the sandwiches plump and more ways to serve chicken in salads both for the volume eater and the diet inclined lo-cal aficionado. Veggies, pasta and Their "boneless wings" are available grilled for the healthy folks. 

They have a full, really full, full-service bar, a nice selection of liquor cocktails and major domestic, imported and specialty beers.  We went there three times, different folks twice and the last trip was a solo, excellent, excellent, consistently good. I had the wings, in medium sauce, the boneless,  I won’t tell you how many, and a cold Corona served with the lime.  And the winghouse girls,  a takeoff of Hooters but very pleasing to the eye — 

THEN THEY SOLD OUT TO A CORPORATION — I wrote nice things about this place —  But something changed, and we learned along time ago don’t worry about the Rattlesnakes rattle, it’s the head of something  thats sets tones and change and thats what you fear.  Corporations do not run businesses well, they are top heavy and isolated from their constituent's.

House Of Cards  —  Since then a corporation bought out the Winghouse, basically everything has stayed the same as far as this location for a while but the food is what is in question at their two location.  A two store operation became a massive chain and Ker obviously walked away smiling.  With a nice paycheck, but I had noticed changes… a fast stop at store one got me the B team for wings, sliding…downhill… 

The World Famous Winghouse Girls  —  Just as with their main competition, which is Hooter's there are the girls.  Part of the food industry is presentation. How the food looks when it comes out of the kitchen.  I can safely say having it delivered by a nice looking server is better than having it served by Morticia.

Their uniforms, are not as scanty as you might think but are form fitting. There were nice forms fitting those costumes. It might not make everybody happy BUT, they are beautiful, they smile, they have great personalities, my server was very intelligent and worldly.  Her name was MAYA.  

CATERING —  I don't believe the church group does eat in and may go the takeout route. i di attend one event catered by them with wings.   No one says Church groups don’t like wings or beer, some just do it so you can’t see.  

On their menus and webpage, Ker writes:  Our version of "The Girl Next Door", The World Famous WingHouse Girls specialize in being "brilliant on the basics.” 

Their great service, positive attitudes, and pretty smiles make WingHouse the ideal place to be a sports fan…  No argument from me, pass the Ranch dressing please.

For Guys Trying To Score  —  I like these places when I go mainly with the guys, because its like most sports bars noisy and gals see the servers as competition or are just overwhelmed.  Not a date place.  And thats a mistake in volume and dollars, not that we want to make it void of sports and the collusion involved with sports but women can be sports fans as long as they don’t have competition.

SUGGESTION:  Take your honey to a nice quiet romantic place with good wine, atmosphere, light music and choice words.  This is not that place.  Wear your best camos, scrape the mud off your hunting boots, shower, mind your manners and use the knife and fork, and a spoon for the soup, no slurping the bowl, take off your ball cap and show off that grease parted hair, offer her a glass of wine to go with your six Budweiser’s and try using a glass.  She’ll be impressed.

Wing House OF Pinellas Park

7790 Us Hwy 19, Pinellas Park ( County)

• Board Code: 200  District: 3  Region: 34
• Licensee: ARC WINGHOUSE LLC
• Business: WING HOUSE7790 Us Hwy 19, Pinellas Park (Pinellas county), FL, 33781. 
• License Number: SEA6213542
• Inspection Number:  3036356     Date:  July 15, 2020

🔥Disposition  —  Number of Violations   8  - 17 —  Emergency Order Callback Not Complied
(Facility Temporarily Closed) Emergency order recommended, Not Complied

Wing House OF Clearwater — Location Two — 

LOCATION TWO  Sports bar known for chicken wings, games on TV & scantily clad servers, plus event nights.
Address: 2640 Gulf to Bay Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33759
Hours: Open ⋅ Closes 12AM
Phone: (727) 724-9464

Shellacking  —  I'll tell it what it was... it wasn't what it was years ago... this place has changed, maybe when the ownership changed.  It was a slow night. Disappointing on all counts.  But just down the street Hooters was mobbed.  

And it’s really the managements fault, the help has to follow the rules  but when the emphasis is on costumes and boobs and butts on young girls, a couple looking underage,  hawking customers at the front doors I lost interest in the food as the food was worse.  I go to restaurants when the emphasis is on food.  I go to shows at Straz theatre for entertainment, and I would go to the Chicken Ranch in Vegas if the need warranted it.

Food Inspection Failed    Jan. 19, 2022

Administrative complaint recommended  (Follow-up Inspection Required) 
20 Violations  -  Inspector's Notes

• Basic - Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Black staining in marks inside of ice machine. **Warning**
• Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drink on prep table of cook line. Employee removed **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**
• Basic - Floor tiles missing and/or in disrepair and/or in disrepair. Cracked floor tiles in back three compartment sink area **Warning**
• Basic - Food stored on floor. Box of bread and tater tots on floor of walk-in cooler. **Warning**
• Basic - Food-contact surface not smooth and easily cleanable. Interior of ice machine has indentation marks **Warning**
• Basic - In-use utensil in non-time/temperature control for safety food not stored with handle above top of food within a closed container. Handle of scooper touching ice in ice well of small bar. Employee removed. **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**
• Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris. Burnt debris on exterior of pan lid used to cover cooking food items on grill. **Warning**
• Basic - Old labels stuck to food containers after cleaning. On clear storage containers on drying rack of dish pit area. **Warning**
• Basic - Outer openings not protected during operation and vermin and/or environmental cross contamination present. Roll down gates up at small bar. Employee closed roll down gates **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**
• Basic - Soiled floors on cook line with grout build-up in cracks. Floor area(s) covered with standing water. On cook line and back prep area. **Warning**
• High Priority - Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. 0 ppm. Discussed with operator to have machine serviced or primed. **Warning**
• High Priority - Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands. Employee pulled up pants and then handled clean cooking utensils. Discussed proper hand washing procedures **Warning**
• High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. Employee handled phone and then put on gloves with no hand wash. Discussed proper hand washing procedures **Warning**
• High Priority - Establishment operating without a license from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Operator must obtain a public food service license from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants within 60 days. Submit a license application and payment to DBPR/Bureau of Central Intake Unit, 2601 Blair Stone Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0783. To apply online or obtain an application for license visit http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/ **Warning**
• High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. 3 live flies hovering above batter station of cook line that holds flour and chicken during order preparation. 3 live flies on bus tub that holds bagged bread on cook line. 1 live fly on wall next to handwash sink of cook line across stove top. 3 live flies on cooling rack outside of walk-in cooler that has cooked chicken wings. Flies did not landing on food. Operator moved cooked chicken wings to walk-in cooler. 7 live flies on wall and ceiling tiles next to walk-in cooler. 9 live flies on ceiling tiles above three compartment sink area. Approximately 10 live flies in single service storage area landing on exterior of cup boxes. Approximately 12 live flies in dish pit area hovering and landing on drying racks. 3 live flies hovering at front line server's station area. 10 live flies behind indoor bar on walls and hovering near drought tap. 2 live flies hovering in server's station area that is not in use. **Warning**
• High Priority - Presence of insect or other pests. 4 live ants crawling on wall next to two compartment sink across three compartment sink. 4 live ants on prep area in server's station that is not in use **Warning**
• High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Reach-in cooler across fryers and stove top on cook line: cut tomatoes 47°F, coleslaw 54°F. Foods temping out are on the top left portion. Discussed with operator to maintain lid closed or place in ice bath Double door reach-in cooler across frying station: Mac and cheese 49°F. Technician showed up during inspection to repair cooler **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**
• Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Handwash sink across grill has steel storage container inside of it. Employee removed. **Warning**
• Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. Handwash sink next to three compartment sink **Warning**
• Intermediate - No soap provided at handwash sink. Both handwash sinks of cook line. Operator placed soap at one of the hand sinks **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**
• Count Violation
• 1 + Time and Temperature Control - potentially hazardous / time / temperature control for safety foods (PH / TCS)
• 1 + Food protection, cross-contamination
• 3+ Hands washed and clean, good hygienic practices, eating / drinking / smoking
• 2+ Food-contact surfaces clean and sanitized
• 3+ Hand wash sinks, hand washing supplies and hand wash sign
• 1* Dishwashing facilities; chemical test kit(s); gauges
• 3* No presence or breeding of insects / rodents / pests; no live animals, outer openings protected from insects / pests, rodent proof.
• 1* Current license properly displayed
• 1In use food dispensing utensils properly stored
• 1Food-contact and nonfood-contact surfaces designed, constructed, maintained, installed, located
• 1Non-food contact surfaces clean
• 2Floors, walls, ceilings and attached equipment properly constructed and clean; rooms and equipment properly vented
• Hide Inspection Detail

Foodie Mistake —  I had nice clothes on and didn’t want hand food, I should have ordered the regular wings as the boneless wings were chicken chunks hard as a rock and overcooked bad.  It was knife and fork, sharp knife at that. I did not order any more.  It was my first time back to Clearwater after eating at the Origional KERS Largo store more often, which was better for years. I expected better, I was hungry, me bad.  It was like 11.00 dollars for KFC rejects.  

They were on a lower level than the Colonels worst, the Louisiana Box Nerd, and the Popeye freak show.  OK, I'm a critical person who just happens to write and photograph about food and they were horrid.  Zantac horrid.  Shortest review on food I ever did… I walked out disappointed, food poor, service too young to be there, loud TV’s and lots of beer on special. and celebratory sports yelling.  Not a family place

Staff - I’m Puzzled  —  The Clearwater store appeared to have much younger girls working there, Legal yes, a good thing no.  I looked it up.  Legal Age for Drinking/Serving Alcohol In Florida  - The legal drinking age in Florida was raised from the age of 18 to 21 in 1987, when all states adopted the age of 21.  However, Restaurant servers can be 18 and can also Bartend  — 

Places change with ownership, the younger, now very young girls in fake costumes are still present and greeter standing in the doorway.  Some even younger, some about the age of my girls grand child, whom I would disown if I saw her running around dressed like that.  

Reminded me of the street girls in the far east — and that was a war and people dying for food.

Nice kids, obviously need the job and money but this will not get them to Hollywood, even Hollywood Florida —  but distressing or dis-dressing. Before any of you comment about my disdain for their  costuming I’m looking at it from a business standpoint and as a matter of fact.  I report fact, not fiction and it’s cheap exploitation. 

Do not call me a prude,  I am an Ex-Playboy Club Photographer having worked with the immortal David Chan, the first Dean of Photography at Playboy.  They were a class act,  not an ass act,  way before the exploitation of today.  I’ve shot more boobs than you can wet - dream about.  And good at it.

But these were professional models and with all the negative press, the Playboy club had stricter rules on costuming the girls in bunny outfits Clearwater Beach on a weekend or school break.  They were nothing more than french cut bottom ( high on the hips only)  and a push up top, nothing else showed.

Some themes grow old with age, and this place was like junior varsity compared to the competition of the other bigger name wing joint called Hooters just down the street.  Even Hooters changed their costumes to more conservative and last time I went in I saw families chowing down.   This is tough times due to the Covid-19 , greeters not needed to stand by thee door to the street.  It just looked cheap.   

May I suggest a few things to management who obviously don’t get it, times change, they need to be in something just as cute but a bit more mature.    And I noticed there was not one woman in the place. The only one left with date after I sat down, that left the score at fifteen beer guzzling men to no women.  
Has it occurred to management that women customers like wings too.  So fifty percent might not care for your approach to the serving of chicken parts.

Ninety percent of the ladies I interviewed at other places did not feel comfortable in a “ Place like that” feeling that the mini girls were more important than the food.   It would make sense to change image and ego for more couples dinners and baskets to double your audience, good family night kids eat for free,  and If I owned it I would divide the building for couples nights etc.  

You can change a lot, half price on drinks on ladies nights, couples nights, bring a friend her first drink is free, that how you build business , not using kids as bait. 

Bottom Line:  If I want to look at bottoms I would go to the beach —  And if you need a bar image change call John Tapper.