The Crow’s Nest staffers review Blackjack Pizza; the newest offering from Bay Features inside the University Student Center.
Photo by Matthew McGovern
By Irena Mesa and Matthew McGovern
Bay Features, located within The Market at The Reef, is one of the few dining options that students have at the University of South Florida’s St. Petersburg campus. Thus, there is pressure to perform and deliver a tasty, fulfilling, and affordable meal for students.
The newest addition to Bay Features is Blackjack Pizza, providing a tasty alternative to the dining hall for students. The revolving door of restaurants is a welcomed continuation of the program implemented by the university before moving to its new foodservice provider, Chartwells, in the Fall 2025 semester.
The menu includes 5 different flavors of wings, personal and shareable-sized Detroit-style pizzas, salads, cheesy bread with a marinara dipping sauce, and a cinnamon bread that, for us, stole the show.
In this, the first iteration of Crows Review, The Crow’s Nest staff reporter, Irena Mesa, and Arts and Life Editor, Matthew McGovern, sat down to review each item on the menu on a five-crow scale to assess whether or not Bay Features has pulled through to provide an adequate product for student diners.
Detroit Style Deep-Dish Cinnabread – $9
IM: The gooey cinnamon bread was easily the star of Blackjack’s menu for me. Their traditional pizza dough is topped with a cinnamon sugar mixture, with frosting drizzled on top. While it is a very sweet treat, the indulgent cinnamon sugar is balanced out with the dough it sits on top of. (5/5 crows, no notes)
MM: It would be a challenge in itself to hate on a doughy, sweet, and equally salty dessert. Shareable, chewy enough so as not to melt in the mouth, but not so much to be a challenge to eat. An instant classic. (5/5 crows, no notes)
Detroit Style Deep-Dish Cheesebread – $9
IM: Out of the savory options on the menu, the cheesy bread stood out to me. Cheese and bread is always an amazing combination when done correctly, and Blackjack does just that. The melty cheese is perfectly soft, and the crust provides a nice crunch to go along with it. It tasted even better with the marinara sauce, which gave it a nice tangy punch of tomato to go along with the rich dough and cheese. (5/5 crows, no notes)
MM: An army of staffers and friends felt it necessary to conquer the cheesy bread from Blackjack Pizza. It was a perfect introduction to the lacy, amber-colored crust bordering the pillowy interior of the pizzas to come. This is a genre of food that is simply difficult to hate. On the basis of personal preference, I would reach for the classic cheese slice before the cheesy bread, though. (4.5/5 crows. Would prefer a cheese pizza if I were alone, but would order cheesy bread to share with friends)
Detroit Style Deep-Dish Cheese Pizza (or 1 topping pizza) – $9
IM: Ranking just behind it was the cheese pizza, which is very similar to the cheesy bread. The only reason I ranked it behind the cheesy bread is because the sauce shifted around, leaving some bites with a glob and others with none. I will also note that the deep-dish style of pizza that Blackjack makes isn’t for everyone, but it is done quite well. (4.5/5 crows, no notes)
MM: I am partial to a New York-style thin cheese slice as my favorite kind of pizza, but the square slices from Blackjack did not disappoint. The sauce-to-dough-to-cheese ratio was spot on. It reminded me of a bygone era where a Little Caesars hot-and-ready pizza was still five dollars and did not taste like cardboard. (4.5/5 crows, no notes)
Detroit Style Deep-Dish Pepperoni Pizza (or 1 topping pizza) – $9
IM: Next on my list was the pepperoni pizza. It ranks below cheese pizza on a personal preference more than anything, as pepperoni isn’t a go-to topping for me. However, the pepperonis were spread a bit unevenly, leaving some areas with clumps and others without a single slice.
We ordered a large pizza, which is two small pizzas put together in one box. The small pizza isn’t tiny, but with the slice size, it can easily be shared or enjoyed as leftovers the next day. (4/5 crows, no notes)
MM: It may have just been my slice, but my pepperoni slice was a bit doughy and underdone in the center. I am of the belief that when this sort of thing happens when I order out that a bit of grace should be given to the person preparing the food. With this in mind, this was a solid slice. To echo Irena’s take, I would have enjoyed a few more slices of pepperonis. I’m happy to report that the influencer-favorite ‘pepperoni cups’ did make an appearance on this pizza. (4/5 crows, needed more pepperonis and a bit more time in the oven)
Regular-Size Greek Salad – $9
IM: The Greek salad was also pretty good, but not much of a standout for me. The dressing was light and refreshing, and it had a good spread of toppings with an even amount of each. The portion size was large enough to be split amongst multiple people or be split into two separate meals. (4/5 crows, solid)
MM: To me, this was the sneaky banger out of everything that our group ordered. My frame of reference for exceptional Greek salads are those including potato salad, which this did not have. Sliced beets added a pop of color and earthiness, while the classic Greek dressing, feta cheese, and banana peppers made for a balanced and solid option. (4.5/5 crows, great for a refreshing meal on hot days or a light meal in general)
8-Piece Medium Buffalo Wings – $13
IM: I was pleasantly surprised with the wings that we ordered. The wings were a good size, and the meat was both moist and tender. The skin on the outside was crispy and cooked perfectly. For me, the only drawback was the sauce. The medium sauce had a light kick to it, but it was also quite greasy. The ranch dipping sauce had a lot of flavor, and it was a good size for someone like me who enjoys a lot of ranch and sauce on anything. (4/5 crows, no notes)
MM: There was something left to be desired with Blackjack’s wings. I prefer a crispier exterior than what we were served. A bit more care to the sauce-and-toss that takes place before serving would have gone a long way as well. The medium buffalo sauce that we chose lacked the vinegary punch that is characteristic of buffalo sauce. These were not the worst, but certainly not the best wings I’ve ever had. (3/5 crows, lacked crispiness and zip in the sauce)
Overall Ranking: 4.5/5 Crows
Overall, the portion sizes and pricing make Blackjack a great option for students who want a change from The Nest.
The pizzas and beyond are a breath of fresh air, being housed in Bay Features. Judging by the number of black-and-white pizza boxes that students and staff can be seen walking around campus with; our food review team is clearly not alone in this thinking.
