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Snapper's Grill Serving Up Comic Relief

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By Mark  Schantz | The Suncoast News

Published: October 18, 2008

PALM HARBOR - Snapper's Grill is celebrating its 20th anniversary by serving comic relief in North Pinellas.

Brothers Nabil and Sherif Basta recently opened a comedy club adjacent to their restaurant at 36657 U.S. 19, north of Alderman Road. They are trying to fulfill their ambition of creating a one-stop entertainment center for the Palm Harbor area.

Nabil, who is known as "Paul," said their business concept is giving people a place to gather, eat and drink from full-service menus, watch sports, listen to great live music, relax at an outside tiki bar and now see some great comedy acts from around the country.

The secret to their success, especially in these tough times, is to be consistent, loyal, sincere and humble, said Paul.

You have to be really loyal to your regular customers and staff. You have to be consistent in offering friendly service and great food at affordable prices. Most important you have to sincerely care about people, you can't just pat someone on the back and make believe. And you have to be humble, he explained.

In these times, you have to offer food and drink specials that demonstrate you are trying to give people a break.

Paul, who relocated to Florida about 20 years ago from Cairo, Egypt, where a home he still owns overlooks the top of a pyramid, said he was instantly attracted to the Tampa Bay weather and its friendly people.

Every few years he and his brother made improvements to Snapper's, based on the desires of customers and staff. That has helped it evolve into a one-stop entertainment center, he said.

They totally remodeled the inside bar area, providing more seating and adding an outside tiki deck. They remodeled the front of the building and this year opened a comedy club.

This year he collaborated with Artie Fletcher, "New York's Bad Boy of Comedy," to bring in acts from around the country on Friday and Saturday nights.

Dustin Diamond, who portrayed the nerdy Samuel "Screech" Powers on the '90s teen sitcom "Saved by the Bell," recently preformed at the club. This weekend the classic rock group My Back Pages performs on the Tiki deck, while Fletcher and actor-comedian Chipps Cooney perform in the Comedy Club.

Steve Netta and Darren Moore, both seen on Comedy Central, perform the weekend of Oct. 24. Then on Halloween weekend, comedian and "X-rated hypnotist" Doug MacCraw is in the spotlight.

Shows start at 8 p.m. Admission to the show, which provides adult humor for people 18 and older, is $10 a person.

Fletcher said his friendships and contacts in the comedy world enables the club to attract the best and newest name talent touring the area.

The club has been so successful that plans are to offer a second late-night show on Friday and Saturday nights.

On Thursday nights aspiring comedians perform during an open mic night. In addition, the club has Fletcher teaching lessons on comedy writing and performing Tuesday nights.

The great thing, Paul said, is that while comedy is going on inside the club, there is live music on the tiki deck and people are eating and watching sports inside the bar. You don't have to go to different places, you can spend the whole night here, he said.

Snapper's is open from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m., offering a happy hour starting at 11 a.m., along with lunch and dinner specials, he said.

"Bigger better food, bigger better laughs," touts the restaurant's Web site.

For more information or to reserve a seat at the Comedy Club telephone 727-937-3737 or visit the Snapper's Web site, www.snappersgrill.com>.

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