We visited Pot Bellies Family Restaurant at 3826 South Himes Avenue on 11 September 2010. This was our first visit, and we found it through the scientific method known in academia as “just drivin’ ’round.”

Inside we found a very bustly place full of pigs. Not the customers or staff, but rather the decor. Pigs everywhere, just like at Skyway Jacks. The wallpaper? Pigs. Those little shelves on the wall on the right? Pigs. Pigs at the front door, pigs on the menu. Pigs!

When we found a seat we immediately started goofin’.

Here’s the menu. Now I’ll share a little secret with you, dear reader. This menu and things like this sort of freak me out. Here’s a pig. He’s presumably cooking pork there in the cooker. He’s quite pleased with himself, and he’s happy to be cooking another pig, perhaps sharing that pig with others and maybe having a little nip himself. It’s perverse to think that an animal would relish in cooking, eating, and sharing others of his own kind.

While we waited we played cars. Note the flying Mater.

We were very lucky today, as our favorite guest reviewer, Mom, joined us. Check out that serious look on her face, like piloting that VW GTSi is the Single Most Important Thing right now. Which it probably was, considering that Marek will run you down if you’re not on your game.

Even our newest TBB member, Ivo, got into the act. When you’re an infant, people just put things on your head. All you can do is endure it.

We had coffee and it was good. Black and bottomless, just the way we like it. Except for Favorite TBB Reviewer Mom, who has hot chocolate because she doesn’t like coffee. Her lone character flaw, in my opinion.

Ivo didn’t have coffee, but he was overrun by spiders. Breakfast spiders everywhere! Lucky for him, the Nephila clavipes is not poisonous.

Here comes breakfast! Mom had the French toast. She would like to report that she did not like it. It was cold and bland.

I offered Ivo the eggs but he wasn’t interested. I found the eggs to be pretty good, though not quite as dry as I usually like them, but good. The bacon was really great. Probably due to the pig fixation.

Marek had pancakes, natch. The pancakes were pretty small, but otherwise were about what you’d expect from a mom-n-pop pancake shop.

When the bill came we weren’t unhappy. Fifteen bucks for all four of us. Granted, Ivo didn’t eat much so he doesn’t really count. So we’ll say that the price, it was right.

Marek paid the bill. Ivo declined to assist. He’s only a month old, so we’ll let him slide this time.

Marek gained a lot of dining room attention for his ability to recognize the register and then wait patiently in line. Nice folks at the next table over were pointing and gesturing to each other with the “oh my goodness, look at that boy” talk. Afterwords I told them that Marek was actually a highly-trained professional.

And of course, when it was his turn he handled the transaction like a pro. Which he is, of course.

Chow was OK on average. Coffee was just the way we like it and had a good conveyor belt delivery. Price was right, folks were exceptionally friendly, and the joint was full of locals. All in all, a fine breakfast. We’re pleased to give Potbellies Family Restaurant a Tampa Bay Breakfasts Four Pancake Rating.