Pizza Slayer

Montoni's Pizza (5244 Godown Road, Columbus--Bethel Center)

2012-01-30T12:46:00.000-08:00

Hype: Dave drives past this place all the time so we knew of its existence. That's it. Honestly, two other places were closed so we settled on this place.

Scene: Very nice. It is attached to a bar. It was kinda run down. A nice lady was cooking pies and taking orders--a one woman show. She turned the TV to us and put on ESPN.

The Pie:
Crust- Great. Thin, well-cooked. Held up well, except for the greasy middle. That was a peperoni issue though. Alone, this crust was solid.
Sauce- Straight outta the can and not that good.
Cheese- Liberally applied and good.
Peps- Too greasy. Not that good.
Overall-- Not a bad pie if you are hard up or in a bar in Bethel Center that happens to be attached to a pizza shop. Non-pep pizzas are recommended. (3--5)

Taranto's Pizza, 1282 East Powell Road, Lewis Center (614)841-2345

2011-12-10T19:20:00.000-08:00

Hype: Dave heard about this place somehow from somebody. Lewis Center is not the first place on anyone's list of weekend destinations, unless you like big malls and personalized license plates--but for some reason we really wanted to try this place out.

Scene: After driving through an entire zip code dominated by bush-league chain operations it felt nice to sit down in a solid family-owned business. We came in to see a couple of kids finishing up some pie with their dad and other nice stuff. Not exactly a cool vibe in there but very comfortable. I guess it dates back to before Lewis Center sucked. Rumor is that a giant cornfield was there.
THE PIE!
Crust- Traditional Columbus style party thinz. This place was not trying to break the mold in any way, but they got it right. It was a little well done compared to some others we have had. This was a good thing, perhaps.
Sauce- Slightly sweet with barely a hint of Italian Seasoning. pretty good.
Cheese- Liberally applied and a little chewy. Mine kept coming off of the slice in one big sheet. Almost frustrating.
Peps- Nickel sized salty and somewhat curled up.

Overall- Not deviating one bit from the standard of the town this place did not disappoint or pleasantly surprise. It delivered a solid go-to pie for a reasonable price. If I lived up there, and I don't, luckily, I would get this pizza early and often. A good 3--5 pies.

Anthony's Pizza, 602 Pleasant Ridge Avenue, Columbus, OH (614)-231-6628

2011-11-06T04:50:00.000-08:00

Hype: Dave had been itching to try this place out for a while. A lot of people say it rivals the other Bexley pizza powerhouse, Rubino's. We've been getting burnt a lot too, lately, out in Hilliard so a more promising pie was just what the Dr. ordered.

Scene: This is a very small place. It's right off main by Capital U. and the Bexley Library. One or two outdoor tables and a few more inside. An older guy running the show. All signs pointed to good pizza.
The Pie:
Crust- Hand tossed with a nice crunchy outside and airy inside. A good handle to grab while you dominate each slice. I would have liked about two or three more minutes in the oven because it was just a little pale. I like mine a little more brown. Still, it was very good. Cut in to pie slices rather than party strips.
Sauce- Subtle and nice. Basil and garlic, but not overpowering.
Cheese- Not heavily applied. More in the center and fading to the edges, intentionally. I liked it.
Peps- Very good, spicy, salty. Cupped for his pleasure.

Overall: This is a class act shop. No pretense in the shop yet it served up some fancy pie. Good prices too. A solid 4--5.

Flyers Pizza (5466 Roberts Rd. Hilliard, OH) 614-529-0123

2011-10-16T06:29:00.000-07:00

Hype: Our friend Sam is from the west side. He said this was a reliable "go to" pizza place. It has been a rough couple of trips to Hilliard. There has to be a good pizza in this town. We went by Sparano's on Hague Ave., but it is technically in San Margarita, not Hilliard. Bummer: it looked awesome. So, instead of what looked to be some supreme slice, we drove north in to the suburb to end all suburbs.

Scene: Had more of a chain vibe than we expected. Lots of High School-aged kids working in an assembly line. A college-aged dude with AJ Hawk hair and a cut up chin took our order and looked confused the whole time. We sat at the only table in the place and watched about a hundred customers come in and out to pick up their orders. I would not recommend eating in. They had one of those pizza towers on our table but no metal trays to set on it. Oh well. The boxes were nicely decorated.

The Pie:
Crust- Columbus thin. Nicely crispy, but nothing to write home about. Party strips made it perfectly edible.
Sauce- Sweet and somewhat flavorful.
Cheese- I question its authenticity. Very bland and not of the quality we would find at a superior shop. Here is where they were exposed.
Peps- Not terribly flavorful. Definitely lacked spice.

Overall: So far this is the best we have found in Hilliard. If you find yourself there, desperate, starving. This would be a fine place to get a pie. Only under those circumstances would I choose this place. Not bad, in any way. In fact it was an ok pizza. 3--5 pies. Our quest continues, but perhaps we need a break. Help: know of a really good Hilliard pizza?

Luigi's Pizza (5370 Cemetary Rd. Hlliard, OH)

2011-10-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

Hype: We got burned last visit to Hillard so we thought we'd give it another try. A lot of people told us that this was one of the go to places in town, so how bad could it be? Plus we watched Ohio State's weak offense against Mich. State all afternoon...needed a good pizza pick-me-up.

Scene: Clearly family owned. While it was a bummer to drive past the never-ending Cemetery Rd. strip mall, once we got there we found a few posters on the wall, a Ms. Pac-Man machine, and every worker looked related-- good signs.

The Pie:
Crust- Very thin, but boring. This is such a standard path to take in Columbus, how can you get it wrong? Well, they found a way.
Sauce- I tasted lots of oregano, but it was not enough to prevent us from applying tons of red pepper flakes.
Cheese- Flavorless.
Peps- Boring.

Overall: boring. There must be some mistake. People have been hyping this place to us for over a year. Is this mediocrity the norm in Hilliard? I doubt it. The good people of Hilliard like affordable housing, football, and Starliner Diner (quality stuff). Although, they also like the Blue Jackets, long commutes, and Cheeseburger in Paradise: whoah. Our quest is not over. We think Hilliard has a pizza story to tell. There must be something to this no-nonsense town and we will find it. 2.5--5 pies, perfectly mediocre.

Pizza Cottage, Newark, OH (969 Mt. Vernon Rd)

2011-09-06T18:04:00.001-07:00

Hype: I'll be real honest. We totally went to Plaza Pizza first but it they are closed on Sundays--family folk and all. This Newark location of the Cottage is really close so we just went down the road a few blocks and they were open. We were bummed about not getting Plaza Pizza since we hardly ever make it back to Newark.

Scene: It is a large place with a huge outdoor eating space. It was a little rainy so we ate inside. OSU stuff mixed NASCAR on the walls. They also have tons of TV's just in case ya need 'em. Lot's of extended families at the large tables. Very family-friendly atmosphere--with beer.

The Pie:
Crust- This is a very classic Central Ohio thin crust. Party strips hold up well but since the it was so well done it might even hold up in a slice format. Nice work.
Sauce- Again, the classic sweet sauce with lots of dried Italian Seasoning. I like this style.
Cheese- A little bland, but well-applied and in no way bad.
Peps- Salty-spicy and generously applied. Cupped with some not cupped. Good.

Overall: This was not a mind blowing pizza experience but that should not minimize what Pizza Cottage does. They have a nice place with room for lots of families to get together around a good solid pie. Everything about it was solid, and traditional Central Ohio Pizza. A good option if Plaza is closed. 4--5 Pies!

Element Pizza (3rd & Chestnut St., Downtown)

2011-08-21T04:50:00.000-07:00

Hype: A couple people mentioned this place as having some good crust. We sure got burnt last time at Cottage Inn and we needed some redemption pie, so hopefully this place pulls through.

Scene: Element just opened I guess so the minimalist decor made sense. It's in an old bar so hopefully the put the space to good use some day with beers and the like. Not a lot to say here. We were pleased to see a lack of pretense and high prices- as is the case with other downtown area pizza shops.

THE PIE:
Crust- Lived up to the hype. Very, Very good crust. Very crusty on the outside with a doughy, airy interior. See above. Perfectly done, perhaps best in town.
Sauce- Sweet and good, but a little lacking in volume next to the crust and peps.
Cheese- Again, it was good, but a little out of balance. We understand that this is an artisan, fancy pie, but balance is the key to life. Rotolo's uses too much, these guys use too little.
Peps- Nice peps. Salty, spicy, and I guess locally made. We really liked em. They do overpower some of the other ingredients though.

Overall: Powerful peps, strong crust, and nice sauce. Very good pizza. They just opened so you sure won't find $6 drafts of microbrews and dudes in American Apparel tank tops...yet. Hopefully they keep the good thing going-- they have the potential to be awesome. Solid 4--5. This place would beat Yellow Brick in a stare down.

Cottage Inn (Cemetary Road, Hilliard, OH)

2011-07-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

Hype: A couple of people sent e-mails in the past few months talking this joint up. I also had a co-worker or two mention it. We were in the mood for a good pie so we thought we'd give Hilliard a chance.
**NOTE-- We did not yet know that this is a chain from Michigan or that this pizza sucks.

Scene: Cottage Inn sits in a strip mall attached to a supermarket, which is usually a good sign, so we were off to a good start. Once we got inside things went down hill fast. Some kid was asleep in one of the booths. A bunch of teenage suburban rejects, one of whom has a Wu-Tang neck-tat was smoking in the doorway, were working there. Had the tat been Juggalo/ICP related I would have been happy (always good in pizza shops), but Wu-Tang: no. We smelled crappy chain right away, but for some reason kept hope alive. Another hint we didn't take was that it was 70 degrees in there. Good pizza shops (Gattos, for example) are usually hotter than the Amazon Jungle in summer. I almost passed out picking up a good pie from there just last week. Deep dish pictures and Italian scenes painted on walls looked very nice though.

THE PIE:
Crust- Airy and doughy at the same time while being flavorless. If it were good we would have liked the thickness but it sucked.
Sauce- Straight from the can. Tomato-flavored.
Cheese- It was there, but I could not taste it.
Peps- Very ordinary. Very bland. Very mediocre.

Overall: We discussed many questions while eating this pizza:
1) Why would anyone come here?---We don't know.
2) Is this worse than Pizza Hut?---Yes, much worse.
3) Little Caesars?--- Possibly. We refuse to eat LC's so we can never answer this question with confidence.
4) Would we rather eat a Red Baron Pizza at home?---Absolutely. Even if we lived right next to this place we would prefer going next door to the supermarket and just cooking our own Red Baron. It was like when Hungry Howies opened up at the top of the hill. We wanted it to be good, but it just wasn't. This place is absolutely bogus.
5) Is that sleeping kid high, related to one of the workers, or just sleeping here for no reason?

In conclusion, we hear a lot about Luigi's in Hilliard, so we'll do it next time -even without knowing anything about it, I guarantee it beats the hell out of Cottage Inn. This is probably the worst pizza in Hilliard OH. 2--5 pies.

Tristano's Pizzaria (3306 Columbus St. Grove City, OH)

2011-07-01T18:30:00.000-07:00

Hype: People have been talking all kinds of hype about Grove City lately...well at least the pizzas they make. I think we've had three or four people mention it to us in the past month or two so we thought it would be worth the trip.

Scene: The shop was on a pretty major looking street of mixed residential and commercial spaces. Tristano's is in an old house (like Newark, OH's Plaza Pizza) and it has a really nice patio space in the front. Some people were having a cornhole tournament while we were there. I had a good feeling about this. We ordered one extra large thin and one small Chicago style because we don't really know much about Chicago style pizza. I still haven't decided if it is really pizza or just pizza-themed casserole or something like that--so much cheese--overkill.
The Pie: (The thin crust on the right, not that big monster, which was good, on the left)
Crust- very crispy and very thin. Browned perfectly so that it did not submit to the abundant toppings above.
Sauce- traditional Ohio style. Not too fancy but slightly sweet with well-applied Italian seasoning.
Cheese- moderately applied, quality cheese. Not too heavy but in no way lacking.
Peps- cupped and crisp when on top, soft on the bottom. Abundantly applied but not overkill. Very well done here. Pretty spicy too.
Overall: We had the freshly brewed iced tea because of the drive but I must say they like good beers at this place too. We were impressed by all aspects of this shop. Good environment for a beer and many slices. Solid pies--both thin and thick. If I lived in Grove City, I would go here all the time. A strong 4-5 pies!

Carsonie's Stromboli & Pizza (W. Lane Ave, Upper Arlington, OH)

2011-06-13T19:12:00.000-07:00

Hype: Jim and Sean Wright go to the Westerville location once in a while and always have good things to say. We were hyped up about the NBA Finals and wanted some good pizza.

Scene: It's got two parts. We first went in to the bar/restaurant side and didn't get a good vibe. Not a pizza pick-up place at all. A few middle-aged people having dinner with their kids. The nice lady at the door said we belonged in the rear building. She was right. We went in there and knew we were in the right place. Tennagers and a few lifers working numerous pizza ovens. Local sports team posters on the wall. OK.

The Pie:
Crust- Thick and bready. Way too much garlic butter. We don't know if they put it in the crust or on top of the pie, but it was over the top garlic. If you could get past the garlic it was good though.
Sauce- It was there. I know because I had to look. I couldn't taste it though.
Cheese- Tons of it. I had cheese poisoning. But it was really good, so I shouldn't complain.
Peps- I don't really know. They were not abundant and they were overpowered by all that garlic, so it is difficult to say.

Overall: Jim said it was nothing like the Westerville operation. It would have been pretty good had it not been for all the garlic. If you like garlic and cheese (and little else) maybe this is your shop. I prefer a more balanced pie. 3--5 Pies. With heavyweights Rotolo's, Tommy's, Iacano's, and Sparano's in the neighborhood I could not justify getting this pie unless serious changes are made. I hear the Stromboli is way better than the pizza.

Pizza Mart 5413 Sinclair Rd. Columbus, OH (614) 888-5575

2011-05-21T19:29:00.000-07:00

Hype: Somebody told us that this place was pretty good and it got us thinking. It has to be good if it can stay open across the street from Columbus Pizza Icon, Pizza House, for so long, right? We also wanted to go somewhere we thought would be good since our last outing was not so great.

Scene: Two tables, a couple of refrigerators, and two older dudes gave this place a nice feel. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the three cats outside guarding the parking lot. It felt like I was back in Newark.

The Pie:
Crust: Thin. Not the thinnest in town but close. A few air bubble despite the flakiness. Well done.
Sauce: It reminded us a little of Hound Dog's spicy sauce, but not exactly. Perhaps the highlight of the pie.
Cheese: Not overwhelming, but still good. Nothing stood out here.
Peps: Tons of peps. The top ones were toasted the bottom still oily and delicious. Just look at that beauty!

Overall: Pizza Mart might be the perfect example of a Columbus thin-style pie. While it does not break from the thin-crust mold in any way, it might be the top of the heap in this category. Our jury was split 50/50 on whether or not we liked this place, or their better-known neighbor better. We could all agree that it might be the best pizza value in town. Good stuff; a strong 4/5 pies!!!

Mikie's Late Night Slice (15 E Duncan St. North Campus, Columbus)

2011-05-07T14:16:00.000-07:00

Hype: This address has been a pizza place since forever and it never seems to be very good. Mikie's Late Night (same as in short north, I think) moved in because they have a knack for finding idiot proof locations. We were partying up the street and decided to drop by.

Scene: We tried to get a beer at Ledo's to build up our appetite and get in to character, but they wanted a dollar at the door for some reason: guess not. Oh well. So we went over to the pizza shop. They had just finished putting in some nice wood-looking floors to spruce up the place. It looks and smells very Cleveland. They guys are from there and it shows: I think in a good way. If I had come over from a long tour of duty at Ledo's it would have been even better. Everything was painted black. A couple of stools to sit on while you wait.

The Pie:
Crust- Garlic butter basted thick airy edges with semi floppy, but still somewhat firm support for all that cheese and sauce.
Sauce- Sweet but kinda bland. Nothing bad, but nothing to write home about either.
Cheese- Lots of it. Again, just ok.
Peps- Reminded me of Houddog's up the street. Kinda thin and greasy. Not enough spice. The reason they have banana peppers on the "Spicy Ass Pepperoni" is because their peps are weak. Gimmick Pizza.

Overall: If you are wasted on North Campus at 3:45 they are open. It is not that bad, just not too good. I don't know what ANONYMOUS was so excited about. Yes, it is your best drunk food option for a two or three block radius, but that is the only reason I would return. Not something to plan out or look forward to. That said, the guys seem pretty alright and they seem to understand bar economics-- it doesn't have to be all that good. A strong 3--5. There are nights I would have given it 8--5 under strange circumstances.

Bono Pizza (1717 Northwest Blvd, Columbus, 614-906-8646)

2011-04-16T18:34:00.000-07:00

Hype: We were pumped up about this one. Some friends said a few good things about it and a few people wrote to recommend it. High expectations, lots of mystery!

Scene: This is not what we expected. So you walk in to the beverage carry out and look left. I think it used to by a "Coney Island". Remember? They turned it in to a nice little faux Italian kitchen that just serves pizza I guess. It was really small and really crowded with very nice people: a couple Australians, a family, and an Asian guy with two big cans of Coors in front of him he brought in from the carry out next door. We talked about just getting it pick-up but some nice people were finishing up and offered us their table for two. Three of our four sat down at the table. I asked the lady working if she had an extra chair and she obliged--this made it really tight but everyone was kool about it. The placed ruled! Jim went to the carry out (which happened to be right through the sliding steel security gate) to pick up a sixer of a favorite beer. Things were getting even better. By the way: everyone was partying in there. It was like a paradise: a Pizza Speakeasy!

The Pie:
Crust- Laid back, not fully round, airy, soft underbelly due to all the sauce (see below) and crispy edges.
Sauce- Very nice. Herby, especially with all the basil. If you don't like basil you will not like this pizza. We all really liked it. Perhaps the highlight of the pie.
Cheese- Mixture of fresh mozza, asiago, and others. unevenly distributed, and heavy in spots. Very tasty.
Peps- Moderately spicy, yet very flavorful. Plenty of them and also unevenly applied. Also good.

Overall: This place ruled. We washed down the pies with the waffles that they had for dessert. Between the good company, friendly hosts, and comfortable chair we ate some totally good pizza. I will be coming back a lot, I hope, as long as everyone keeps this joint quiet. If we all go hyping it up like Bill Bellamy it will get too crowded and then we can't sit down and eat. Think about it. 5---5. Bono Rules!

A Slice Of New York (Campus Location, N. High St)

2011-03-05T13:57:00.000-08:00

Hype: So Flying Pizza got sold, or transferred, or given, to somebody other than the older mustached Italian-looking guy. We've got a guy on the inside that told us the pizza had changed so we went to see.

Scene: Campus is still filled with meathead tools. The shop looks like it always did except the people behind the counter. The younger kid, that may be the owner was spinning crusts which was nice to see and the lady taking money was just as rude as the old cashiers used to be.

The Pie:
Crust- Here was one of the big differences since the transfer. It was a little thinner and less crusty than the FlyPie of old. It bent. Remember they used to warm up your slice in the oven and then give it to you and you would burn yourself because it was so hot and you could not wait. I used to burn myself every visit because I didn't have the self control to wait. Now it is simply warm enough. Maybe the oven is too cold, maybe the new guy doesn't take the time to wait for it to get done the first time, or the warm up session. Don't know.
Sauce- Lacked kick. Again, this was indicative of what seems to be a lack of attention to detail. Bland. If they have seasonings on the counter for us to apply why can't they just get off of their rear's and dump some in the sauce.
Cheese- Something was different. Can't place it.
Peps- Maybe these were the same, but since they were not done like they used to be it is hard to tell for sure.

Overall: Maybe we're getting old or maybe campus is really losing it's flavor. OSU keeps buying up and shutting down old local businesses in an effort to whitewash the place. This pie seems to be suffering the same fate. The first couple of bites had me fooled, but as we kept eating it got worse. Another thing: they used to have powdered cheese and red pepper out, a few for the tables too, but that's gone now. The little things, you know? It wasn't bad-- just now what it used to be. Get it over with and just sell it to Sabarro's. 3--5 Pies!!!!!!

Borgata Pizza Cafe (5701 Parkville Street, Columbus, OH)

2011-02-13T05:40:00.000-08:00

Hype: Some dude told us about this place in a comment on our last pizza adventure (see NYPD, below). We needed some redemption slices because we've been on a losing streak when it comes to quality pie, so this seemed like a good idea.

Scene: We walked in and immediately knew this was going to be a hit. Everyone looked related; even the 8-year-old birthday party that was occupying every table was a cousin, brother, or nephew of the owner looking guy. Good start. They made room for us as we ordered a 20" pep at the counter. Grandma made cake, brownies, and a bunch of other sweets to help the pizza go down but they left us hanging here, oh well- it wasn't our party. Everyone working there was in the family. A good sign.

The Pie:
Crust- Very thin, but not crispy saltine style like so many other Columbus pies. At the edges it was a little thicker and slightly airy and chewy. I folded every slice. Thin crust cut in traditional huge slices, not party strips like so many other pies in this town. Absolutely excellent.
Sauce- Sweet and very flavorful. A hint of spice probably from the oil from the peps (see below). Again this was top notch.
Cheese- Very evenly applied. Not too much or too little. Real stuff done right.
Peps- Spicy, thicker cut and perfectly cupped. I don't know where they get them but they were perfect. Not overly salty and very flavorful. We always get peps for fairness so I don't know about the other toppings but I will vouch for the ronis at this joint. Try em out.

Overall: This place changed the balance of pizza power for me in Columbus. We all agreed that this might be the best in town. While there is no comparing it to Adriaticos as it is such a thin crust, it does, however, call in to question many of the other thins in town. We loved it. No similar pies that we know about in town.

Our minds were blown!

We went nuts over it! Enthusiastic 5 out of 5 pies!!!!!!

NYPD-New York Pizza Dept. (1644 N. High St.) OSU campus

2011-01-24T18:40:00.000-08:00

Hype: We heard about this new place on campus near the gateway that had just opened and sold slices. It had been a year or so since we went for campus pie, so we figured we'd give it a try. Expectations weren't too high, but you never know, maybe there would finally be a worthy south campus rival to Catfish Biff's.

Scene: Located in the former location of the record store Singing Dog. Remember that place? Me neither. it sucked. Inside there were like 30 people of mixed ethnic backgrounds working in the kitchen, none of them Italian looking. Place was spacious and had a coffee bar off to the side. Huh?

Pie: First off, the slices were luke warm at best, so right off the bat this pie had a bunch of strikes against it.

Crust: not bad. probably the best feature of the pie. crispy, somewhat flavorful, but nothing mind blowing. just not bad.
Cheese: Dry, bland, not to mention cold. Was like it had been sitting in someone's car all night after partying too much at Ugly Tuna.
Peps:I really don't remember.
Sauce: couldn't detect any seasonings or anything else to warrant it a positive rating. think it was there though.

Overall: Slightly better than the Smith's pie we had last week. At least the crust wasn't as flaccid as that shit. If the slices had actually been hot, this pizza might have been alright, but I might as well have been eating left over slices from my fridge from any mediocre chain place. For a Grand Opening, this place really fucked up. Kind of the Singing Dog of pizzas. 2---5 pies just for being pizza.

Smith's Restaurant & Deli (3737 North High Street--Clintonville)

2011-01-17T06:05:00.000-08:00

Hype: They have a big Pizza sign in the window. I went for sandwiches a long time ago and it was ok. Now to try the pizza.

Scene: Deli mostly. We saw a really funny looking square guy in OSU stuff and mom jeans. That was the best part...except the fountain pitcher of Pepsi; that was good.

Pie:
Crust- Sucked. Dave questioned its sexuality. I was offended by his comments.
Sauce- I can't remember.
Cheese- ok.
Peps- Useless.

Overall: This pizza is totally lame. do not eat Smith's Pizza unless you are really hard up for pie.
2---5. It's still pizza. Its really not even worth writing about though.

Enrico's Pizza (5788 Frantz Road, Dublin, OH)

2010-11-15T17:45:00.000-08:00

Hype: We needed some redemption pie. Last week we got to judge a home made pizza contest by CMH Gormand. It was fun and everyone was really cool but most of the pizzas they made sucked. We ate 12 slices and 3 or 4 were good. It hurt the next day. This time were would visit Enrico's--the famous NW Columbus pizza stronghold.

Scene: We counted at least three generations working. Two old ladies, a middle aged lady, an old dude, a bunch of middle aged dudes, and some kids. This is certainly a family joint. There was even a family or two getting some pizza while we were there. We're all about that kind of stuff.
The Pie:
Crust- FANTASTIC. Crusty-crunchy-toasty on the bottom. Filled with integrity, like the Enrico family, yet a little doughy as it approached the sauce. A little thicker than other awesome NW Columbus pizza crusts. This was superb.
Sauce- A let down. Maybe just tomato sauce from the can with no spices, seriously.
Cheese- Very plentiful and good. Traditional pizza cheese just right.
Peps- Medium/thick cut, spicy and salty. Cupped in the heat of the oven which caused mild toasting at the rims. I liked it.

Overall: This pie was very good. A slightly bigger both in width and depth than most NW Columbus pizzas but it still fits the mold quite well. I see why people from Dublin and Hilliard like it so much. 15 inch larges. 4/5 pies.

Fear and Loathing in Old Town East: Yellow Brick Pizza, 892 Oak St, Columbus, OH

2010-10-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

Hype: Everybody's talking about this place. We think it's just because there's nothing else going on in Old Town East. Lots of cool people with nowhere to hang out. Let's see if it lives up to the legend.

Scene: Kitschy 8x10s of Charles Bronson, Charles Barkley, and a Young Charlie Sheen line the walls with at least two Beatles posters and an ad for the Ohio Roller Girls. I guess the management admires Liz Lessner's ability to make CCAD grads feel right at home while they wait tables. It looked like the apartment of three 22 year old girls who had way too much money to spend on e-bay.

Right when we walked in we noticed that they are selling slices for $3.50 each. With beer at $4.50 a draft and hot chicks with straight-out-of-the-brewery-district dudes at every table we didn't feel welcomed. Everything seemed so forced. First an overpriced and ironic hot-dog shop and now they try to take away pizza?
The Pie:
Crust- The only truly weak link in the pie. It was pretty thin for a hand tossed pie, but lacked the crisp needed to either stand up to the toppings, or the texture for a really great NYC fold-up. We could tell they had something in mind with it, but it just didn't work.
Sauce- Fresh and zesty. Tart and tomato-y. Good.
Cheese- Abundant and real. I think this was the highlight of the pizza.
Peps- Pretty good. Some folded, most not. Good spice, but not overbearing.
Overall: The pie was decent, but the environment was custom made for young junior executives to feel perfectly safe, yet artsy in their new cool neighborhood. To make matters worse, we just kept thinking about how we cold be at Hounddog's drinking a pitcher of Bud and eating better pizza for only 10 bucks. Sure we would have to listen to Fugazi again, but the music here wasn't much better. Hounddogs has half the irony for a quarter of the price. Throw in a few pool tables and a dart board and it seems like a no-brainer. If we lived in this hood we'd be creaming our skinny jeans over this place because Old Town East sucks, but we don't so I have no intentions of ever returning to this place again. Josie's is just as far, and Yellow Brick Pizza is no Josie's. 3/5. Should have listened to my old man...

Josie's Pizza (952 w broad st, Columbus, (614) 224-9637)

2010-10-04T17:39:00.000-07:00

Hype: We've been talkin bout visiting this joint for like two years I guess. It just seems so far away and we didn't know if would be good. People said it was, but people say all kinds of things you know.

Scene: It's across the streetish from the Florintine Restaurant. They only have one pizza on the menu. The neighborhood is decently run down. Inside you will find some booths and a lunch counter in the back. Some ladies working looked related.

The Pie:
Crust- Perfect. Thin, buttery, crispy from edge to center. Held up lots of cheese and absorbed abundant sauce effortlessly.
Sauce- Sweet. The ladies were not shy in applying it, but I've had much better.
Cheese- As you can see from the photo they hooked it up. It was nicely brown and flavorful. One problem: they put it over the peps.
Hidden Peps!- They were under the cheese, so naturally, they were not toasty, which made the saltiness less acute than on a NW Columbus pie. They did mix well with the sweet sauce though.

Overall: Nice pie. It was a welcome departure from the north end while still having a thin crust. It's worth a visit. 4 of 5 pies.

Jimmy's Pizza (1484 Oakland Park Avenue, 263-2678‎)

2010-09-10T17:27:00.000-07:00

Hype: Dave's been hearing all kinds of stuff about this place for a while so we decided to try it out. We also wanted to open Season II with a real winner. Expectations were very high and we were not let down.
Scene: We walked up to the place in a strip mall to see some dude working on a motorcycle in front of the laundry-mat next door. Only one Lady was running the show. Right when we walked in she layed down a proposition:
Lady: "Are you the guys that ordered the two large pepperonis?"
Us: "Ugh, yeah."
Lady: "Hey I've got this dumb-ass delivery guy that won't be back for like an hour and I need these pizzas delivered down to my girl on Duncan fast. If you guy's will take 'em down there I'll give you yours for free. Deal?"
Us: "OK"
...five minutes later... Delivery guy walks in. He's way to old to be delivering pizzas, and I don't mean 25. More like 70. Velcro shoes. Shitty van. Old. Our pizza delivery days were already over.
...Instead the lady offers us half price for the pizzas, $10, AND gives us two stray pizzas to squelch our appetites until ours are done. Yes, that's four (4) pizzas for the price of one. This place rules: certainly the strangest 45 minutes I've ever spent picking up a pizza. Too much to tell here, ask Fern.

The Pie:
Crust- perfect. Thin, but not saltine. Typical of North--NW Columbus pies. Uniformly browned to a crispy-flaky bottom and a more moist top, next to the awesome sauce.
Sauce- made by famous Carfagna's gourmet shop. Spicy, sweet, perfectly applied, and not overly done. It does not distract from the rest of the pie. I like it.
Cheese- Fairly typical pizza cheese. This was not overwhelming like the bottom two ingredients. Not to say it's bad or anything though. Moderate application.
Peps- Medium thick cut, salty, not too greasy, cupped. The edges were browned and bottoms still a little chewy.
Overall: As strange as the pickup was the pie was nearly perfect. All of the ingredients worked well together to make a fancy pie, without any pretense. Grade A slices for the masses. 5/5 pies!!!!
***Party Boyz: They have a nice selection of domestic brews at state minimum prices. 24oz. Big Cans for 1/99. Deal

Dante's Pizza Revisited (Indianola Ave and Torrance)

2009-10-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

Hype: It's been a while and I remember liking it. There are a lot of different opinions on Dantes. The most convincing I heard is that it really depends on who's working. Oh, like Hounddogs.

Scene: Still nice. It was dark in there and it was packed with families. They have those tables for two that you can keep stacking together until all twelve people on your youth soccer team are together. Don't you remember?

The Pie:
Crust: No joke this was super good. It was thin and crisp. Partysliced, but even if it were in big slices it would have been man enough to stand up to all of that...
Sauce: sweet n tangy the way I like it. mmm. Lots of Italian Seasoning. They weren't shy about its application either.
Cheese: low point of the pie. I just don't like it. Too much, too gooey. Not enough action in its flavor either. I suspect.
Peps: Nice. Thin and not too oily. Lots of salty spicy deliciousness.

Overall: We stand by our first instinct on this one. Take the whole family, or basketball team and enjoy the family values at Dante's. 4----5.

South Campus Slice Showdown!!! [OSU South Campus, Columbus, OH]

2009-10-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

Hype: It's been too long since we've been to the king of South Campus Party Pizza shops--Catfish Biff's. Since our last visit, two new south campus slice places have opened up: Formaggio, a "Steubenville Style" shop on 13th and High with dollar slices, and a more upscale (by South Campus standards) shop on Chittenden and High that serves buffalo chicken slices along with the traditional stuff. ***note-I will eat buffalo chicken pizza only in Buffalo, NY. Just sayin. It's time to find out if any of these newbies can roll with Catfish Biffs. ***Another note-- Adraiaticos is above this entire conversation. Leave her out of it.
Scene: Minivans with teenage kids dressed to the nines in their best punk rock gear were visible unloading for an apparent battle of the bands from Formaggio's porch. Meth-heads were walking around bird-dogging underage chicks and the streets still smell like half-digested Bud Light and hippie oil. This is the view at both Formaggio and Cantoni's. I did like the workers at Cantoni's a little better than Formaggio's. Steubenville is like a shitty Youngstown and I think the creep working there was inbred--just guessin. Catfish Biff's still has the picnic table with the dorm and basketball court view. The single block off High Street really separates it enough from all of the racket--let's not even begin to talk about the poured concrete outdoor mall from hell that they built down there.

The Pies:

Formaggio
Crust- Crispy and fresh out of the oven. Oil added to the crispness nicely. It is a small, dollar-slice but even if it were big it would have held up. Square (pictured below)
Sauce- Sweet and tomato heavy. Not a lot of spices other than basil were visible.
Cheese- Steubenville style. Fresh, but not a lot. Gobbed in the center.
Peps- Salty, medium sized. Nothing to write home about.
Overall: Not bad. It's only a dollar, so if it is late and you need to mop up the mess, don't hesitate to try a taste. Last time I tasted a little Steubenville late at night I wound up on anti-biotics! 3--5.

Cantoni's
Crust- This is a party-folder straight outta NYC! That's not saying its great or anything they just got the foldability of a New York slice. Good to see. The crust was, however, bland and tasted like a Pilsbury breadstick on the outside.
Sauce- Sweet and tangy. I liked it and it worked with the cheese very well.
Cheese- Not as fresh as Formaggio, but this is a big NY slice, and for what it was it worked.
Peps- small, thick-cut and cupped. tasty.
Overall: Dave liked this the best, James and I thought that it was better than Formaggio, but still not Catfish Biff's. 3--5. Certainly worth a try.
Catfish Biff's
Crust- Doughy with some spices mixed in. Almost a sourdough taste. Not crisp. Weak but satisfying.
Sauce- Sweet and garlicky.
Cheese- Like a cheap date. Perfect for late at night.
Peps- Limp and salty. I love it this way.
Overall- This is the Jeff Fernengel of pizzas. I have every reason to hate it yet I love it like family. Every fall when it opens back up it is a must-eat slice. Still the king of South Campus Party Pie, but with worthy competition.

Hudson Street Pizza (Hudson St, Just East of I-71)

2009-09-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

Hype: I was driving by the other day and saw it--looked kinda promising, but one must use caution when eating pizza next to inter sate highways. In my experience, the less convenient, the better. Though I'm sure there are countless exceptions to this rule.

Scene: There was a huge "Impressionism" poster about impressionism. People of different ethnic back rounds were all working there, together--I'm not saying anything. I'm just saying that this not typical of family-run pizza shops, where usually everyone is related or look like they could be cousins. At this shop there was a white lady, a black lady, and a Mediterranean guy all working there. Hey, maybe they are all cousins--after all, it is the '90s.
The Pie
Crust- Home made. I mean, home made. It tasted like my Aunt Ellen made it. Actually this was somewhat charming and may be the highlight of the pie.
Sauce- Very bland. Very canned. Not memorable at all.
Cheese- heavily applied and not bad. Not great at all.
Peps- Weak, thin, flat, tasteless and shameful.

Overall- Slice one--mediocre in every way. Slice two- not that good. Slice three- lame. Slice four- pizza regret. I would not recommend getting this pie with Clintonville Primo right up the street. Maybe if we were partying harder it would have changed things. 2--5.

Hospital Pizza: Riverside Methodist Hospital

2009-08-16T11:50:00.001-07:00

Hype: I had not really had anything meaningful to eat in about a day. They brought her meals all the time but totally left me hanging!?!?!?!?!? Daddy was hungry so I ducked out to find the cafeteria.

Scene: Lots of people wearing scrubs, lab coats, mixed with rednecks and office dorks. These are not the office dorks of the Short North that wear ties late at night to attract shallow women. These are real, dorky, dorks--like IT guys. Also there are babies, and lots of hallways. Oh yeah, the pie was made by an Asian dude, from Asia. He could not be The President. I'm just sayin.

The Pie
Crust- It was kinda chewy with some air bubbles. Pretty well cooked. No complaints in this department.
Sauce- Flavorless and dried out. I bet this pie had been sitting out for several hours before I got to it.
Cheese- Bland. Boring. There was some of it on there but it added nothing.

Peps- They had other mystery meat on there too. None of it was flavorful at all. I could not tell what it was.

Overall: I was not in the hospital for the pizza. I was afraid of the fish, so I just went with the least worst option. It was pretty bad, but as they say, 'Pizza is like sex. Even when it is bad, it's still good.' 2--5 BYOB.

Terita's Pizza (3905 Cleveland Ave. Columbus,OH)

2009-08-11T16:07:00.000-07:00

Hype: Our friend Jason says that this is favorite pizza place in Columbus next to Dante's. Jason has excellent taste in pizza, so we highly anticipated hitting this place up.

Scene: Its carry out only, but it had all the hallmarks of a family owned pizza shop. There were some old black and white photos on the wall of old Italian guys having fun in the '50s and Italian flags adorning the windows as curtains. It was nice to see that the cooler was stocked with orange crush soda and 40 oz. bottles of malt liquor.

The Pie:

Crust: Soft, firm, but not as crispy as I would have liked. Not extremely flavorful, but not bad by any means. Maybe a little too doughy.

Sauce: Tangy and delicious. May I say refreshing? Many thin crust pies skimp on the sauce in favor of cheese, but not these guys. Just the right amount.

Cheese: Cooked well and clung to the slices without sliding off. Good stuff.

Peps: Cupped, crispy and greasy. Quite tasty. A good amount without being overwhelming.

Overall: The sign says they've been in business since 1959 and you can see why. The pizza has a unique flavor not quite like any other pie in Columbus. A strong 4 out of 5 pies. Also, all of the ingredients were equally distributed which is hard to find in a pie these days. Plus, they have the coolest mascot, the Pizza Man!

Sicilia's Pizza (22 E. Frambes Rd. Cols.,OH)

2009-07-30T14:43:00.000-07:00

Hype:Jim and I were sitting around craving some pie late last week and we saw an ad for this new place called Jimmy's on Oakland Park. We called Jimmy, but the line rang busy for like 20 mins. When the phone actually starting ringing Jimmy wouldn't pick up, so we scanned the saver for some campus dogshit pizza and found this new place Sicilia's. Expectations were low considering this was the former location of some pretty awful pies,(the Funky Monkey, Shankoty's, etc.), but since the price was only $6.99 for a large 14" pie, we thought we'd take our chances.

Scene: We were drunk and it was late so we weren't driving anywhere and got delivery. Being located in the heart of campus you can pretty much guess what the scene was like.

The Pie:

As I previously noted, we ordered a 14" pie. Look at the photo above and notice how much smaller the pizza is then the 12" Living Color picture sleeve. We could have easily slid this pie into the record sleeve and had plenty of room to spare. Talk about shady, false advertising.

Crust: Alright actually. Although flimsy, it had a nice texture and was slightly crispy and a bit doughy. Prob. the pie's best feature.

Sauce: Pretty much non-existent. I did catch some hint of oregano, but there wasn't enough of it on the pie to judge. weak.

Cheese: Way too much. Gooey, stringy and overwhelming. If they had eased off on the cheese a little it would have been way better as it had a decent garlicy substance to it.

Peps: whoa. Don't know if you can tell by the picture, but they were strewn haphazardly about all over the pie. They were literally stacked together in some spots. Very poor distribution. Not much flavor either, just grease.

Overall: Although, this pie had some extremely weak points, it wasn't quite as bad as we expected. It tasted better with each successive slice and if it hadn't been 3-4 inches smaller than the size we ordered, it might have scored a low 3. Due to this fact, it scores a pretty solid 2. This pizza recommended for partying only.

Romo's Pizza (Henderson and Reed Rd, Upper Arlington)

2009-07-06T16:40:00.000-07:00

Hype: Some guy told me about this pizza the other day while I was at work. He liked it and it was close by. I mentioned it to Dave while we were partying with this cat the other day so we decided to do some lunch.
Scene: It has one of the worst pizza locations in town. Its a quarter mile from both Iaconos, and Flying Pizza on Bethel. This is Arlington too, and we all know their love for Donotos. Inside, is a clean, well-lit, newish place with a few OSU football decortions on the walls.
The Pie
Crust- This shit was laced with insane amounts of garlic salt. I don't know if that is the Halal was of making pizza or something, but damn. It overpowered most of the other aspects of the pie; unfortunate.
Sauce- Not a whole lot of it. I did detect plenty of oregano through the cup of garlic sauce on the pizza.
Cheese- Decent, I think. It tasted real. They weren't shy about applying it either.
Peps- Pretty good too. They were fairly large and well applied. Nothing to write home about.

Overall: I hope these guys have something else on the menu that will keep them going, or they can do slice business real well because my car will steer itself to the other local shops instead. 3---5 pies. It's ok.

Adriaticos @ a PARTY!! What else is there!?!?!?

2009-06-28T19:32:00.000-07:00

Hype: We were having this KILLER party. Comfest traffic had us totally locked up but we needed some pie. Who you gunna call?

Scene: Women and children were among friends and other good people. It was nice. Backyard BBQ without the grill. All was well in the world.
The Pie:
Its Adrocks! What else can you say. Salty, doughy, well-seasoned, thickness topped with spicy sauce and enough cheese to stop up a Canada Goose. Dig it?

The delivery guy was fast and agile. He cut though the traffic with ease. Party on Adriaticos.

Hound Dogs Pizza (The Happy Hour Deal?!?!?!?)

2009-06-24T18:15:00.001-07:00

Hype: Somebody told us that Ravari Room/ Houndogs was getting their happy hour shit back together. Here is the deal: we used to go in their all the time--dollar beers, $5 pizzas, Lord of The Rings pinball, and darts. Then things got more and more expensive so we stopped. Let's see if they recaptured some of their glory.
Scene: It's still Houndogs and the Ravari room. Don't get me wrong, but they do have pool tables, pinball, terrible music playing, and darts.

The Pie
Crust- we got smokin' joes. Garlic-butter-herb thickish, chewy crust. Airy in the middle, golden brown. Its all good.
Sauce- Sweet, not spicey. Hints of italian herbs. Does not stand out.
Cheese- Its real. Good tanginess. Lots of it.
Peps- spicey and slightly cupped, but not on all. Fulfilling.

Overall: This is not just a deal...IT'S A STEAL. 10 bucks for a pizza and pitcher of beer. Give it a try. You can get it on either side of the bar. We give this a very strong 4 out of 5 pies.

Come party with us.

2009-06-14T14:56:00.001-07:00

We are going to party with these bands next Sunday. Let's see if we can score some pizza-- or at least some extreme wieners!

Clintonville Primo Pizza (Indianola Ave and Weber)

2009-06-07T20:01:00.000-07:00

Hype: This kittycat told us that we were hungry for some pie. We had a lot of work to do so we thought we'd just get some pick up. Its close to the house and who doesn't like to pizza while they work?

Scene: Its a pizza pick up desk. They do delivery too. It has a family business vibe to it without the portraits of old Italian ladies. These seem to be midwestern folk.

The Pie
Crust- Thin and flaky. It does droop a little in the center, but not too bad.
Sauce- A little sweet and tasty. Good stuff here.
Cheese- They keep it real here. Not Rotolos amounts but a good dose of the real deal.
Peps- Spiced just right, thick-cut and well applied.

Overall: We order two larges and each pizza was not alike. The first was better than the second. This is not the diminishing returns concept from that economics class I failed. The second was underdone. Maybe that's why daddy had a belly-ache and Dave was feeling a little ill. This costs them a pie I think. 3---5. Or on second thought, maybe we should not have ate that much pizza and we are just plain stupid. I've had Primo before and liked it a lot. Maybe they should get that one back?

Boston's Pizza (199 W Nationwide Blvd, Columbus, OH)

2009-05-30T09:18:00.000-07:00

Hype: It was Jim's berfday so we decided to go catch a Clippers game and see the new park. It's perfect--the park, that is. While we were down there we wanted to try out this new pizza place. We had low expectations because it is near the hockey arena and the Short North. Both of these places make me ill.
Scene: A Clippers game, a Christian Convention, and a Jane's Addiction concert were all going on that night so it was like a circus. Luckily we had reservations or we would have been waiting around with all of the other guys in flip-flops, hair gel, and tribal tattoos. Boston's is a combination of 1st Watch, Macaroni Grill, and TGI Fridays. Turnover is very important--along with not offending anyone. Somebody said that this was the first time they had ever felt sorry for somebody that works at a pizza shop. It probably sucks. If you eat here, be prepared to be surrounded by soccer-moms, office-assholes, and their vapid bitches.

The Pie
Crust- Oily. Salty. A lot like pizza hut in the 80's only now I know better. It gave me a belly ache later.
Sauce- I don't remember it at all.
Cheese- This wasn't that bad, but certainly wasn't good in any way either.
Peps- Smokey I think. Highlight of the pie.

Overall: This place sucks the shit out of my asshole. It was not overpriced, but it lacked in every category that makes pizza enjoyable. I felt like I was attempting to get a good meal at an amusement park--which is what I was doing, in a way. The Columbus Clippers deserve better. 2--5 pies.

Rubino's Pizza (2643 E. Main St, Columbus-Bexley)

2009-05-23T17:58:00.000-07:00

Hype: Some guy e-mailed us about this and he made it sound good. He talked up the tradition, peps and SAUCE. I like sauce that has tradition, after all: I am a Hinze. Let's hope he wasn't full of shit...

Scene: This place has tradition. It has a really old school sign out front (see below). Pinball machine, old signs and old people make this family-run place ooze sauce--in a good way. I think the guy that founded it over fifty years ago was old, mustached, and Italian.
The Pie
Crust- Thin. When I say thin I mean the thinnest I've ever seen in my many pizzas. Somehow it did not bend. This crust may look weak, but it is deceptively firm, crisp and perfect. You just don't get it do you?
Sauce- THE BEST SAUCE I'VE EVER TASTED IN MY LIFE, well at least that I can think of now. A little spicy, hints of oregano and not shy. Perfect.
Cheese- They are smart not to over apply. It tastes good.
Peps- Spicy and flavorful. Just a little cupping on a few, but others remained flat. Moderately thick and nickel/quarter sized. Well applied.

Overall: This is one of the Heavyweights of Columbus pizza. Each slice was somewhat unique, but always satisfying. Order a large for yourself and you will have no problem getting it done. I wish I had known about this place ten years ago! A very strong 5 out of 5!!!!

**Dave's only gripe was that he didn't get enough red Mike 'n' Ikes from the vending machine (see below).

Pharaoh's Pizza (Indianola Ave and Arcadia, Columbus, OH)

2009-05-12T13:24:00.000-07:00

Hype: Some of us have been there before. None of us remembered. Duffy put us up to giving it a real taste test so here we go...

Scene: Decorated with authentic relics of ancient Egypt, this shop is not as fucked up as its previous occupier. The space is roomy and clean. I don't remember any tables being in there. All I really remember are pizza ovens and artifacts from the land of the Pharaohs.

The Pie
Crust- What the fuck? Slice-it-yourself pizza? I had no idea that this was the custom in Egypt. Check out the above photo of Jim using his own slicer to carve up the flimsy crust. Bullshit! I guess this beats the cook-it-yourself 'pizza' at the bottom of the hill. Really weak stuff here. I did detect a very faint tone of garlic salt. The same kind I use at home. It was really tough to taste though.
Sauce- Weak. Not much of it. I didn't really taste it.
Cheese- I think we are dealing with Domino's "cheese food" on top of this pie. Ass.
Peps- Weak, flimsy, flavorless.

Overall: The pie was not necessarily bad. It just was in no way good. Not at all unbearable and might do well at a party. Really cheap. I guess there is a reason no one ever remembers eating this pizza. 2---5.

Rotolo's Pizza, [1749 W. 5th Ave, Columbus OH]

2009-05-10T06:46:00.000-07:00

Hype: All kinds of people talk this pizza up like its the fucking president or something. Anyway, we had to pick Jesse up from work because he got hit by an immigrant and his car was totaled so we were out on that end of town already. Dave asked if the pizza was ordered once every 2-3 minutes. WE WERE HUNGRY.

Scene: Mostly just a carry-out place. This is for on-the-go south Arlington, Grandview people that probably work a lot. Not much to say, soda cooler on one wall and a few chairs. Photos of the tradition on the wall: that's respectable.
The Pie
Crust- This crust is well-done, but not overcooked. Party-sized strips stay firm when held at the edges. Good crispness, but not saltined like Tommy's on Lane Ave. Very nice
Sauce- Here is the problem; it was not evenly distributed on the pie. It is traditional Columbus sauce: sweet with good doses of oregano, only on one side. Bummer.
Cheese- Very flavorful and tons of it. This was the highlight of the pizza. I don't remember this from previous outings to Rotolos. CHEESE LOVERS PIE!
Peps- Quarter-sized, thick-cut, a little cupping. Even the ones that were covered in tons of cheese had a good flavor. Plenty of 'em too.

Overall: This pie was a pleasant surprise and WE WERE SUPER HUNGRY. Dare I say this was a 5 out of 5 pie shop? Well it was yesterday. YES!

***Their theme song rules too!! Hear it here!

Planks Pizza (S. High St. in Brewery District)

2009-04-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

Hype- People talk about it all the time. Some good, some bad. It was high time we tried it out officially. It should be noted that when you eat Planks Pizza your experience will be highly dependent on how good of a time you are having with all the beer and whatever else is going on that night. Here we were just catching lunch, so there you have it. Ya know?

Scene- A table of German Village tools were hitting on a table of German Village sluts next to us. Several families were under the roofed in area watching NASCAR or Baseball. I think it was baseball. I do like the patio. Not bad for a sunny afternoon.

The Pie

Crust- Very good. This and the sauce are the highlight of the pizza. Very well done. Crispy all the way through. Thin, like most pizzas in this town and sliced in party-squares.

Sauce- Sweet, sweet, sweet. If you don't like sweet sauces don't eat this pizza. We don't hate on any sauces so we were in to it.

Cheese- When the pie arrived with browned cheese on top I was ready to party, but this was disappointing. Relatively flavorless.

Peps- Large, but not in charge. Try a different topping maybe.

Overall: Somebody summed it up well: "this is drinking pizza." They were right. It is thin and understated. An affordable $11.50 for a large helps too. I think with a million toppings it would be good, but that won't help it in our study. A weak 3--5 pies. Overrated by many people that often have better taste. I guess this is proof that pizza is very contextual. When I'm drunk I often eat and enjoy Chef Boy-R-Dee. It's AWESOME.

Gattos PARTY GO CAVS!!!

2009-04-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a forced to be reckoned with this spring. So is Gattos Pizza! We got together, as we always do, to cheer on Bron Bron, Big Z, and the crew and this time we added an extra TWIZT: a few boxes of one of Columbus, OH's finest pies. GATTOS.
Look at Jason enjoy the Vegetarian options available at GATTOS (corner of Kelso Rd and N. High Street, across from the grocery store). The non-buddhists got Pep pies, and one of their specialties, the meatball pizza!!! Holy fucking shit that was awesome.
The Cavs one. Next time you are in Clintonville and are looking to party stop by Gattos pizza for a slice of life. This pizza is above our review. Have a happy day.

Goodfella's Pizza (Athens, OH)

2009-04-19T06:50:00.000-07:00

Hype: Everyone with ties to Athens, OH talks this pizza up. It is an OU mainstay and right down the street from the Union Bar; a place that knows how to put on a pretty good rock show. Bo Davis and I were ready to give this place a try. Let's see what we find.

Scene: Little corner shop run by OU meathead assholes. It has a few tables and two good benches out front. Puke on the sidewalk out front adds a collegiate touch.

The Pie

Crust- Terrible. Underdone, bland, too doughy. Just leave it in a little longer. It wasn't that busy.

Sauce- Lots of oregano, which I usually like, but this shit sucked. Dry to the point of being almost mealy and one-dimensional. NO GOOD.

Cheese- Frozen

Peps- I didn't taste them, and if I had they couldn't have made up for how bad the dough was.

Overall: Fuck this pizza. Laura B called it "SCROADY." which is some reference to a ball-sack. Bo Davis was disgusted. I was up with doughy stomach ache way past my bedtime. I know this is Athens, late night pizza but even those who were drunk didn't like it. Athens deserves better. If you want pizza in this town go down to that place across from the Burrito Buggy. We haven't had it but its probably better than this asslice. A weak 2-5 pies simply for being pizza.

Profiles of Excellence: French Rockers- Happy Burger

2009-04-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

We sat down and had a few slices with France's Happy Burger. They like burgers, I guess, and pizza. Weird. CHECK IT OUT!!!!!!!!!!

PS: So, France, huh? How is the pizza over there compared to the USA?
well we have italian pizza, which is good but not as good as in italy, but france is a better country so we still have the best deal. otherwise, we have dominos, pizza hut, and it taste the same as american's, and we love it.
PS: Burgers and pizza are both great party-foods. Do you have any other favorites?
barbecue!!!!!!!!

PS: What is your favorite pizza place in France? Do they have patio seating like in the movies?
they mostly don't have patio and that's too bad. we don't have favorite pizza place, pizza is always good, except for turkish pizza, it taste gay.

PS: Yeah, there's a horrible place run by Middle Eastern people here in town called Al Pachino's. Horrible! So, when you are just hanging out alone and you need some cheap and easy food, what is your 'go to' frozen pie?

three cheese kicks ass, bolognaise or magarita, man it's like asking "who would you save from death? you mom or your grandma?" you just can't make a choice.

PS: Any plans for a USA PIZZA PARTY TOUR soon?
not soon but maybe someday, then we will play a show, next day a pizza contest, then a show, then a pizza contest, and so on.

thank you very much.

Check out Happy Burger on myspace and order their record from Douchemaster.

Dewey's Pizza (W. 5th Ave, Grandview 614-487-8282)

2009-04-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

Hype: People have been telling us all about this place. We've heard it was awesome, bad, expensive--all kinds of stuff. We just had to slay this pie!!!!!!!!

Scene: It looked kinda like a fancy yuppified

microbrew-serving bar/restaurant, but it wasn't too bad because you could see the guy hand tossing the crusts. Lots of young girls working there, which could be a blessing or a curse. The menu was filled with really fancy "gourmet" pizza combinations that I can't even remember but we aren't gay so we just got a 17" pepperoni.

PIZZA TIME!

Crust- New York Style Pizza! Foldable, hand tossed, chewy, but slightly underdone. A little crispness on the outside with a chewy crust would have made this crust perfect, rather than near-perfect.

Sauce- This was the highlight of the pie. Sweet, strong oregano, small bits of tomato and all good.

Cheese- Nicely added, good flavor and highlighted the sauce well.

Peps- Low point of the pie. Not bad at all though. Thin and not very flavorful. Maybe they spend too much time worrying about the prosciutto and artichokes.

Overall: Great addition to the Columbus pizza scene. This is a welcome alternative to Ohio-style shops that are all over the northwest end of town. You should stop by! As for price, not too bad. The only reason it was too expensive when your parents took you there is the expensive pizza you ordered. Our pep was normally priced. STRONG 4 out of 5 pies!!!!!

***Party boyz: They serve beer.

Dewey's Website

Ange's Pizza (Karl road and 161, Columbus, OH 614-888-5767)

2009-03-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

Hype: Dave drove past this place and said it smelled good the other day. Sean Wright said he heard it was "good honest pizza." That's about enough. Oh, yeah, I think Wumme Wenders lives nearby.

Scene: Classic Columbus pizza restaurant feeling inside. The Simpson's Arcade game in the back. Lattice wall separating the carryout side from the dining room. A family watching the Snoop-dog bio on E! They left so we could watch basketball.

The Pie

Crust- Saltine-style. It got a little too soft f

rom the pep-oil, but very tolerable. It was nicely browned on the edges.

Sauce- Typical of Columbus pies. Sweet. Hints of italian seasoning and a few, scarce bits of tomato skin. Appropriate amount added.

Cheese- hearty amount. A little tang and nicely browned in some areas.

Peps- lots of them. Good cupping. I don't always like cupping but with this pizza it worked. Kinda thick cut and

Overall: "Good, honest pizza" seems to be an excellent description of this pie. A strong 4--5 on a bright spring day! Check it out!!!!! http://www.angespizza.com

EXTREME WEINER'S Does Pizza (Cafe Bobo, Summit St. Columbus, OH)

2009-03-11T06:13:00.000-07:00

Hype: We heard about X-Treme Weiners pizza a few nights ago and were intrigued. Why would a place that does good dogs try their hand at the other party-food? Didn't someone else give that a shot in the same store? We were up there the other night and gave it a shot.

Scene: Bourbon st. You know... self-delusional asshole musicians, bacterial art-gays, and other losers that have failed to come of age in a timely manner. We fit in fine, unfortunately. Its hot and smells funny. For those that have not been, its a bar.

The Pie:

Crust- Kinda thick, which could be nice but it was underdone and lacked oil, and general taste.

Sauce- Straight outta the can. I hope they spice it up a bit with red or hot pepper, and an entire can of italian seasoning. nice sweetness, let's take it further.

Cheese- Lots of it. It would be better if the pizza were cooked for 5 more minutes at a slightly higher temp.

Peps- Thin and 'alright'

Overall: We are rooting for this pizza but it is still in its infancy. If I were drunk at a party I might have sex with it in the ally. This pizza was ok. It will get better though. Go Weiner's: maybe a 3-5? I think if I were wasted at a show it would be 5--5.

Flying Pizza (OSU CAMPUS LOCATION)

2009-03-09T15:10:00.000-07:00

Hype: We heard about a new shop in Grandview, but Dave was really impatient and I didn't know if I would make it out there alive without eating first so we went down to campus to visit an old standby.

Scene: It is small, kinda hot but classic. College-age kids working behind the counter. It's It's flying pizza--you know. It has a really strange picture on the wall:

The Pie:
Crust: Crispy. Not too thick, not too thin. Perfect.
Sauce: Sweet and tangy with some classic oregano hints.
Cheese: Plenty of it, but not over the top. might it be actual pizza cheese?
Peps: Salty, tasty and fine. Meatiness too.

Overall: FUCK YOUR FAVORITE PIZZA SHOP. THIS IS THE REALIST SHIT. WE TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT THIS CLASSIC COLUMBUS ESTABLISHMENT AND URGE YOU TO GO EAT TWO PEP SLICES FROM FLYING PIZZA CAMPUS LOCATION. 5 OUT OF 5 NO DOUBT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Iacono's Pizza & Restaurant‎ [4452 Kenny Rd, Columbus, OH 614-451-0234]

2009-02-27T20:54:00.000-08:00

Hype: We like NW Columbus-style thinner crust pie and we've only heard good things about these guys. Great name too.

Scene: Take out on one side full-on restaurant on the other. Check out the tables and old-school stuff on the walls. We watched some basketball while we waited.
Pie
Crust--Thin baby. Pretty good at that. This is Arlington. What else do they know around here?
Sauce--Sweet and as expected. Pretty tasty. Could be more exciting.
Cheese--They don't put enough on in this neighborhood. Someone needs to go to the Tri-Village Rotary meeting and bring this up.
Peps--Salty, crispy, damn nice.

Overall: We like it. Not amazing, but pretty fucking good stuff. BETTER THAN TOMMY'S MOTHERFUCKS. 4--5 pies!!!!!!!!!!

Anna Maria Pizza (Bedford Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY)

2009-01-18T09:07:00.000-08:00

Hype: We had been partying for several hours. Some of us were in desperate need of sustenance. For some reason I wanted a Big Mac, but my good friends helped me realize that since we are in the Big Easy we need to keep eating as much Pizza as possible--THANKS GUYS!

Scene: At this hour it was mostly younger, like minded individuals looking for a late night snack. I don't really remember much about the decor, but I do remember an ample selection of pies under a glass counter and some cunt behind the counter asking every customer to order three slices.
Pie
Crust- Crispy all the way through. Good outer edges. Sounds nice too. Salty and great. I didn't have to fold my slice.
Sauce- Not amazing or anything, but tasty. Having just consumed Grimaldi's earlier in the day and having just partied for the last 5-6 hours my judgment on this issues could be somewhat clouded.
Cheese- Decent. More traditional than other Brooklyn--upscale pies.
Peps- Salty and good. Larger in diameter and thinner than Grimaldi's, but ok. This is late night pizza after all.

Overall: This pizza really saved us from what could have been a troublesome morning. It was fast, but, somewhat underwarmed in the oven. We loved it, but, given the moment, who know. PARTY SLICE!!!!! 3--5 .

Grimaldi's Pizza (Under the Bridge, Brooklyn, NY)

2009-01-18T08:03:00.000-08:00

Hype: This pizza had better be good. Arguably the most hyped shop in the world, or at least America this place had a line 15 parties deep in 10 degree weather. Many claim it to be one of the world's finest pies.

Scene: As noted, a line was cued on the sidewalk. No worries, it moved fast: we were seated, all eight of us, in 20 minutes. Once inside we found Frank Sinatra portraits decorating a hot, aromatic, and crowded room made solely to feed as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. The only major problem was the music--Ratatat and shitty Eurodance: what the fuck?

The Pie
Crust- Good crispness on the outer edges. I like the sound this makes. We have discovered that this is the one thing NYC pie does consistently well. The inner-most six inches of the crust was a little flappy. This did cause some distress for Dave. I just thought, "when in Rome..." and folded mine like the many locals. I'M FINALLY FITTING IN HERE IN THE BIG EASY!
Sauce- This is the best sweet sauce we have ever tasted. It is really hard to keep bitterness out of sauce made with fresh tomatoes. Somehow, these dudes pulled it off perfectly. Maybe the finest sauce in the world. No shit.
Cheese- Maybe its just our Newark roots, but I can't get that in to this fresh mozzarella cheese thing. I like traditional, evenly spread cheese a little better. I respect it, you might love it. Our tourguides loved it. It was smooth and nice though.
Peps- Home run! They even cut them just a bit thick to let you know.
Overall: This is one nice pie. Our panel ranged from a three that slid up to a four, and a five the whole time. No one didn't like this pizza. We settled on a very strong 4--5 pie rating. Very good stuff here.

Carmine's (Graham St. Brooklyn, NY)

2009-01-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

Hype: Classic neigborhood Brooklyn by-the-slice shop. This has been recommended to many pizza tourists like us. Came highly recommended by our friend, Personal, last week. It is also close to Doug's and it was like -5 out.

Scene: Charming. Run by Italians. Pretty classy on the inside. Lots of Yankees stuff. It even came equipped with a really large, multigenerational Italian family. Plenty-o-pie stares you in the face from the counter. Choose your slice.

The Pie
Crust--I liked it. Crispy/crunchy outer shell with airy/chewy insides. Foldable. Held up well.
Sauce--sweeter, but nothing to write home about, lacked kick.
Cheese--Really tasty. Some pies came with Ricotta cheese: these bordered on Ricotta overkill.
Peps--We were let down. No peps slices available. I had some kinda sausage and tomato. Good pizza, but what the fuck--no pep slices?

Overall: I bet we just came at the wrong time. We did order a 'stuffed slice' that was mindblowing, but it is unfair to compare a stuffed slice to a ronislice, right.
2--5. This is a Brooklyn slice shop with no peps?????? Tools.

Pizza Roma (Pittsburgh, PA)

2009-01-17T08:34:00.000-08:00

Hype: The best kind--it was served up hot, fresh, and free at house party. We were cold and needed a warm-me-ups.

Scene: Cool party in an old house in some neighborhood in Pittsburgh. 5 bands, lots of people and lots of partying. Keeping warm! They had many cats!!

The Pie
Crust--Droopy, wimpy, not that good. the outer edges were pretty nice though.
Sauce--Tough to remember.
Cheese--pretty good, the crust was so weak that it slid right off.
Pep-- not supplied. n/a

Overall: I would not go to this place or order it with my lady for a night watching Gilmore Girls or anything. This is free party pie and for that it hit the spot. It is very good for giving your stomach something to cling to. 3-5 for the context.

Personal and the Pizzas Talk Pizza About Their Hometown: Hoboken, NJ!!!!!

2009-01-12T18:23:00.001-08:00

PS: So, What's deal with New Jersey Pizza???? Is it like the famous "New York Stlye" or a little different?
P&P: Yeah, it's about the same difference. Ours is a little more good though, cause they got so much a them pizza joints in the city, it's like when you gotta good slice out here, it's a little bit more hard to come by or somethin. Ya know????

PS: What's with foldable slices? Does that make it better or is it just a trademark of that region?
P&P: Where yous from? C'mon!!!

PS: What's your favorite pizza place in Hoboken? The World?
P&P: We like that Filipos place down on 1st street. They got pretty good red sauce. We also got that Benny Tudinos place, but that's like one a them tourist spots cause they got them huge slices. THE BIGGEST IN THE WORLD!!!! They pretty good though. Make sure you don't get that eggplant parmesan sandwich though...it's the friggin worst!!! Wicked worst!!!!When we party in the city though, we usually go to CARMINES up on Graham Ave. That's right kitty corner from my uncle Larry's place, which we always crash at, and that's some good friggin pie. They gotta pretty mean square slice..if yous know what I meanOne time We was in Sweden and they got real good Pizza up there with greek olives and shit and it's all personal style and stuff but they're like real big. You get a whole friggin pie to yerself...and it's spicy and shit and real good..that was a good one. They like that pie up there in SWeden. You can get TUNA on that shit!!!! That's just about too crazy for us though. Tuna on a fuckin pizza!!!!!! C,mon!!! That's how they do it up there though. JEEESSUSS!!! I guess they like that fish up there..

PS: Do you have pizza at all your shows? How does it enhance the experience?
P&P: Everybody loves the pie!! We probably order it like half and half..we're usually pretty broke so it's kinda hard to shell out like 70 or 80 bucks just for the love of it, but we'll do it. We don't care. Everyone loves Pizza and Pop. One time we was all dressed up in haWaiian shirts and coconut tits and all, and then we ordered some a them hawaaiian pizzas and then that delivery chic delivered the pies to us while we was playin with them shirts on and and she didn't know what the hell was goin on

PS: Next to pizza what is your favorite party-food?
P&P: Beer

PS: Tell us about the worst pizza-accident you've ever had!!!!
P&P: One time when I was a young teenage guy I worked at Mr. Pizza Man in Ypsilanti, MI. We were open from 4pm till 4am and it was an old family place and Jack the delivery guy got me wasted more than a few times, I remember. Actually, I remember Jack saved up all his spare coin tips for the whole year once and he had over like $350 dollars just in coin!!! Anyway we used to mix the red sauce with our bare arms..like old wine guys and their feet, we did that with our arms in the sauce in the big old pot. That's why we were the best pie in town.

PS: Thanks Man!
P&P:NO! THank Yous!!!GRACIAS!!!

Personal and the Pizzas Rock!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.myspace.com/personalandthepizzas

Villa Nova Ristorante (5545 N High St, Columbus, OH)

2009-01-10T19:08:00.000-08:00

Hype: None. We just haven't done a new pizza in a while and I drove by this place a while a go. Some people have told us about it and said good things.

Scene: I guess this place is a staple for the South Worthington-- North Columbus family crowd and I can see why. Family owned and operated, good food, great service, beer by the pitcher and decorated like my crazy aunt's with at least 200 copper kettles. I liked the original Pac-Man machine in the doorway but hated the elevator music. Reminded us of the old 'Taste of Italy' in Newark: nice place.

THE PIE

Crust--Thin, but not crackery. A small amount of that cornmeal crumb stuff on the bottom that is common to pizzas in Grandview and Arlington (in fact, many aspects of this pie make it similar NW Columbus; a good thing).

Sauce--A little sweet. Not at all a standout. Quiet.

Cheese--Tasty. Not that much of it but this does not detract from the pizza's taste. It's good.

Peps!--Very good. The curled slightly and were ample. I liked them a lot.

Overall: I found myself totally dominating this pizza. I don't know if it was my hunger or what but it hit the spot. Dave was less hungry as you can see from the photo his side needed my help. We both agree that the Villa Nova is worth a trip. Solid 4/5 pies.

Talking Pizza with Johnny and the Limelites!

2008-12-09T16:40:00.000-08:00

PS: Eat pizza recently? Tell us about it.
Chicago Pizza. They deliver until 5AM. We ordered there after this other place we tried to order from couldn't make the pizza because they RAN OUT OF CHEESE!!! That's how much we love pizza in Chicago!

PS: So, what’s your favorite pizza shop in Chicago?
For the cheap, quick, and good: Bacci's a sweet jam. For deep dish, Lou Malnati's is as good as it gets. Pequod's is also very good, and so is D'Agostino's. PIzza Metro has Sicilian slices and those are pretty good when you're in the mood. Giordano's, Gino's East....you could eat at a different pizza place every day of the year here!

PS: Any favorites in other cities?
Great question. Loui's in Detroit. Classic Slice in Milwaukee. Farotto's in St. Louis. East Side Pies in Austin. Bimbo's in Kalamazoo. Domino's in West Lafayette.

PS: What style of crust are you in to?
Another great question. The Detroit crust is semi-thick Sicilian style with burnt cheese all over it. Mwah! Also, the St. Louis crust is cracker thin, covered in provel cheese. You can eat a ton of it and still be able to party down. Real cities have their own styles of crust. As an American, it's something to feel good about.

PS: Chicago style is so famous. What do you like most about it?
You eat 1-2 slices, and you know that you have just eaten some peetz, no question about it. Also, since it fills you up so quickly, a large deep dish can be your meal for the next 2 days. It's the best tasting pizza coming out of your fridge the next day.

PS: Who serves the worst pizza that you know of?
Pizzeria Uno, in those rest stops along the Pennsylvania Turnpike. It's embarrassing how low the Pizzeria Uno brand has sunk, since it's based in Chicago and all. But the worst pizza's better than the best broccoli. Let's get some perspective here.
PS: What do you think about the relationship between pizza, and partying?
Excellent question. You know you've had a wild party when you wake up the next day, and that pizza you ordered is spinning on your turntable. You know the party's in full swing when you got a slice in one hand, something to drink in the other, and Little Richard playing out the stereo.

PS: Toppings?
Oh yeah. Even anchovies.

PS: We’ve got friends that eat pizza like weirdos. They cut off most of the cheese first or pick off peps that are too well done. I hate that shit! Are any of your friends freaky pizza-eaters?
Our friend Mac Blackout makes pizza sandwiches. He cooks up 2 frozen pizzas, then stacks them on top of each other. He also invented a PIzza Castle. That's when you cook a Digiorno, a Tombstone, a Jack's, a Tony's, a Home Run Inn, a Totino's Party Pizza, pizza bagel bites, and then stick a bunch of pizza rolls all over it, vertically.

Thanks for the slice Johnny and the Limelites.
Stay tuned for interviews with Gattos Pizza, Adriatico's Pizza, and The Pizzas if they ever get back to us.

Snow Day Partying

2008-12-07T19:27:00.000-08:00

Hype: None really. It was snowing and kinda slick outside. We had nothing to do except not drive and watch football all day long. We tried Gattos but they don't open until later. Man that would have been good. We decided to order a large pie and a sub each to get us through the cold.

Scene: This place fucking sucks. It is really chainy and bright. I don't know how so many not-high looking people could all be working in a pizza shop. It is so weird in there.
Pie
Crust- We ordered the Garlic and Herb crust because it is tolerable. It was. Good spice rub, but still; nothing to get excited over.
Sauce- I can barely remember.
Cheese- Actually, this is pretty good. I think they use real cheese. You can taste the difference. Plenty of it too.
Peps- Not awful. Somewhat flavorful

Overall- If you live in range of Hungry Howies you should only get it if Gattos is not open. There is no comparison. 2-5. We had a really good time eating it and we were also really hungry, but this still couldn't elavate the pizza experience.

**Note: We also ate subs. Once again Howies does not come close to Gattos. In fact, Gattos has one of the best Italian or Meatball subs in Columbus.

Portofinos Pizza [1600 Oakland Park Ave, Columbus, OH 43224 (614) 262-2662]

2008-11-16T16:58:00.000-08:00

Hype: We've had this one before. It is great for parties, Buckeye games, and the like. We were hungry after watching some football so we decided to slay a 30 inch pie. Look at the size of that thing!!!!!!!!

Scene: It's on the other side of 71 on Oakland park near cleveland. Not my hood. The guy behind the counter had a Juggalo tattoo. nuf said. No tables.

The Pie:
Crust- Chewy outer handles, crisped well. Foldable inner slices. Very nice.
Sauce- Sweet, with a touch of red pepper for some zest. Excellent.
Cheese- Weak point of this pie. Not bad. It just can't keep up with the other parts.
Peps- Nice. Salty and spicy. Some crisped, some still flat. Very good.

Overall: We endorse this pie for all party events. Never had one smaller than 30inches, but why would we? A very strong 3-5.

Talking Pizza with the Coconut Coolouts!!!!

2008-11-05T10:42:00.000-08:00

PS: Eat pizza recently? Tell us about it.
Always. We are always...ALWAYS eating pizza. For real. The last pizza was a thin crust Red Baron frozen pizza. Pepperoni. Very very good. That and those " Totino's party pizzas" are the best frozen pizzas. Crispy and good to eat...and cheap. The last take out pizza/restaurant pizza was Northlake Pizza here in Seattle,WA. It's an awesome joint with tons of cheese on the pizza....the black olives are chopped and the pepperoni is small and thick.

PS: So, what’s your favorite pizza shop in Seattle?
We like Olympia Greek Style Pizza, Northlake Pizza, A New York Pizza Place (they also make a delicious frozen pizza), Padrino's (they deliver late), Stacia's (gourmet pizza....cream cheese and pepperoni..mmm.), and Bill's Off Broadway.

PS: Any favorites in other cities?
Um...any city that has a good pizza buffet. Oh. Austin,Texas...Mangia, Conan's, and Double Dave's.

PS: What style of crust are you in to?
We like thin and crispy...but we do love a Chicago style deep dish.

PS: What about Chicago Style? Any thoughts on regional pizza varieties?
See the last answer. As far as regional pizza...all pizza is good pizza. It's like that saying....."Pizza is like sex, even when it's bad, it's still pretty good". Pizza is Vancouver is good and cheap...if you catch our drift.

PS: Who serves the worst pizza that you know of?
I don't know. Once in Richmond, Virginia I had a real terrible piece. It was from some chain store. Sbarros is a good example of kinda bad pizza. Mall pizza. We'd still eat it. Again see the respone to that last question.

PS: What do you think about the relationship between pizza, and partying?
They need each other. the are both crucial to a good time. They are both fun! Ask any party animal. Ask 'em.."What is your favorite food?" I bet they say pizza. Or burgers, or hot dogs. But, we bet nine times outta ten...it's PIZZA.
Pizza and partying go hand in hand. Hot dogs, too. Our buddy Justin made us a hot dog pizza. It had chili for the sauce, cheese, onions, and cut up hot dogs on it....oh, mustard, too.

PS: Toppings?
Pepperoni, cheese, cream cheese, sausage, green peppers, onions, meatballs, hamburger, hot dogs, peppers, jalepenos,
mushrooms, canadian bacon, bacon, you know....almost anything

Thanks!

Jet's Pizza [3858 Main St, Hilliard, OH (614) 771-0500]

2008-11-02T08:47:00.000-08:00

Hype: We had to find out just how cloudy Dave's beer goggles were. He's been known to have low standards after tossing back a few if you know what I mean!!!

Scene: We had to drive like an hour to get there. It's way the fuck out in Hilliard--a community that simply eats my asshole--how could you live there? The shop is a chain, and looks it on the inside. You can't sit down. No-necked jocks were working behind the counter. This gave me an unsettled feeling, but I was still excited about dominating that pie!!!!

Pie:
Crust- Very thick, oily, a and fluffy. Very, Very good. Very crisped on the outside and steamy under the toppings. Excellence!!!
Sauce- Lame. Not tangy. I guess it was alright, but that is not how this was hyped. After whatever Dave consumed the other night his judgment was definitely impaired.
Cheese- Alright. A good amount with some flavor. Not worth blowing your load over though.
Peps- Good. Pretty flavorful. Nicely done.

Overall:
Lesson learned. Pizza is contextual. When you are partying a good pizza becomes amazing. When you are not, it damn-well better be good. The pizza Dave ate in Michigan was a 5 out of 5 because at that moment it tasted that good. When we ate Jet's yesterday it was a solid 3-5.

Smokin' Joes [2657 N High St, Columbus, OH--261-4686]

2008-10-30T18:06:00.000-07:00

Hype:
I was a little stressed out so I called up Jim to see if he wanted to do a little pizza/cavs. He's a good friend.

Smokin' Joe's, half of the Hounddog's pizza empire, dominates the pizza scene in the North Campus area. Anything south of Arcadia and North of 17th Ave is Hounddogs territory. Beyond these streets we would go Gatto's and Flying, respectively. It's a little strange subjecting this to review because we eat it almost weekly. I've had some incredible pizza there, both really good and really bad. When you go is key, unfortunately.

Scene:
I don't want to be mean, but it can be pretty shitty sometimes. This trip there was some cheesy LA punk band doing sound check. I cannot express how annoying they were, but I guess it is better than the usual stream of Rage Against the Machine, Jane's Addiction, and Fugazi. The TV was broken by our seat so no Cavs.

Pie:
Crust- chewy, sweet, garlicky, and good. tonight it was slightly dry, but still solid.
Sauce- we always get spicey. That's just what it was. Lots of TANG...
Cheese- weak point of the pie, but still good. tons of it. kinda flavorfu.
Peps- Very good. Nice variation of crisp v. chewy. Spiced and salty. Excellent.

Overall:
Usually this place is really good. However I have had the second worst pizza of my life at Hounddogs. Tonight was good though. A very solid 4 out of 5 from a Columbus institution. It hit the spot.

Of Note:
Ravari room is excellent on weeknights and on Fridays before 9pm. Dollar beers man!!!

Jet's Pizza(39 S. Telegraph Rd. Pontiac, MI or 3858 Main St. Hilliard,OH)

2008-10-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

Hype: There simply was none. I had never even planned on eating this stuff in my life because it looked like horrible chain pizza.

Scene: Okay, here's the scoop. Played a show in Detroit(actually Pontiac, a part of the area)which was located in this huge building with like two or three floors and a thousand rooms or something. Next to the bar, there was this kooky halloween party going on with middle-aged business men, weird party people in costumes and young babes. After playing i tried to sneak in, but security promptly booted me out, telling me it was a private party. About an hour later when it looked like things were dying down, i drunkenly stumbled back in and headed straight for the food table where some blondes in tight clothing served me free breadsticks and hot slices. The score of a lifetime.

The Pie:

Crust: Nice and filling. Thick,heavy Adriatico's style, but dare i say better?

Cheese: Tons. Super tasty and flavorful. Chewy and Thick. Hit the spot. Also,much like the aforementioned Adriatico's. On a level, yo.

Sauce: Good stuff, tangy and tart.

Pep: Nice large slices, just enough grease. Really made the rest of the pizza shine.

Overall: Alright, here's the deal, this pizza was delicious, but due to the circumstances of the evening i may have to reevaluate this pizza because A. I was pretty drunk, B. hadn't eaten dinner C. it was free and D. was served to me by girls. Right now it stands as a 5 out of 5 pie pizza,but I plan on trying to make it out to the Hilliard location asap just to make sure that it lives up to the repuation of that night. There is also the off chance that this pizza may be better in Detroit since i believe this is where the chain began. You know, like Cincinnati's Adriatico's doesn't hold a candle to Columbus' Adriatico's. Shit's weird that way man.

Pizza Terrorism-Al Pacino's Pizza (you don't want to know Olentangy River Rd. Cols, OH)

2008-10-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

Hype: Well, it had a pretty sweet name. Everyone loves Scarface right?

Scene: Located in a Middle Eastern market on Olentangy River Rd., tucked away in the corner are a couple of friendly blokes ready to serve you pizza by the slice. Not the best environment for scoring some killer pie, but if the pizza's good, then i'm not going to complain.

THE PIE:

Crust: eww. greasy, oily, buttery, but only in the worst way possible. Looks like the dudes were drying to dress it up after pulling it off the rack to look more appealing and to add some extra "flavor". Didn't work guys.

Cheese: VOMIT.

Sauce: Is that what they call it? Tastes like some shit they pulled out of a Hunt's tomato paste can from down the aisle in the market. Sick.

Pep: It almost tasted like a pepperoni pizza for a second, but then I came to my senses.

Overall: Some major bogus pizza here. Nothing on this pie even resembled the taste of it. Probably the worst pizza I've ever had in my life, no joke. You could get one of those diet Smart One's veggie lover's frozen pizzas for 3 bucks at the grocery and it'd still be way better than this. 1 out of 5 pies. Truly the 9/11 of pizzas.

Romanceing the Pizza: the short north--pizza?

2008-10-08T14:57:00.001-07:00

She said it would only take a second. I was game. Its so hard to refuse her when she looks in to my eyes. She promised beer, snacks, and a lack of deutche-bags because it was a Tuesday. I caved the minute she asked.

The place was crawling with professional-men, that couldn't even take their tie off on the way to the bar, scenesters, bikedudes, and hip-hop dudes. Everyone had their respective looks down perfectly. It was loud, but I could hear only her voice. Nothing she said mattered to me. I wanted to make out. She wanted pizza. I can never refuse pizza, even at a hellhole like this.

That was no pizza. It was called "Chicken Tandadori Something Something." What the fuck? It was small--one size fits all. I guess they are meant for people to eat while nursing their vodka and cocaines-weight watchers, you know. I was still hungry. She ordered nachos, even they came with straws.
In the short north they won't make you pizza--they'll make you a flatbread.

Panzera's Pizza (1354 Grandview Ave., Columbus,OH, 43212)

2008-10-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

Hype: Everyone seems to like this place. Ate here several years ago but never really with a pizza critical view in mind.

Scene: Nice patio to enjoy your pie on while catching a nice breeze, tho there's no place to eat inside. What does one do in the winter when they want to eat their pie fresh from the oven? hmmm. something to consider. This place could not be reviewed when its cold outside.

The Pie:

Crust: Damn solid. Chewy, firm, not burnt in the least.
Sauce: Great and tangy, seasoned well with some definite oregano flavoring going on.
Cheese: Decent. Not enough though. Biggest complaint of this pie was that it could have used some more cheese on top.
Peps: Oh yeah, this was the high point of the slaying. Flavorful with hints of grease, but not too much. They curled up nicely on the pie, given a nice aesthetic value to the presentation.

Overall: Good stuff here. 4 out of 5 pies. A strong 4 at that.

Catfish Biff's (W. 11th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43201--614-421-7421)

2008-09-24T15:27:00.000-07:00

Remember when you lived on King ave. and partied until 4am six or seven nights a week? Down by 11th you had Appolo's, the other Gyro place in that building, Cluck-U, or Catfish for late-night mop-up duty--how times have changed. Regardless of what happened the night before I would try to catch the Catfish Biff's lunch special the next morning: two roni slices and a Dr. Pepper for $2.75. VALUE!!!!!!!!!

Last weekend they opened back up because the kids are back. This time we drove instead of walked. The picnic table is still there. Sluts are still sitting on the steps, QFM 96 is still blasting killer rock tunes, and that fucking idiot that was in my econ class is still the manager. It was a good time and the pizza is still pretty good. On a by-the-slice basis it is an incredible value.

We opted for an extra large pep pie. It doesn't need a review because the memories tasted better than the pizza. It merits your business. If you don't get drunk with young college students, start.

Pizzano's Pizza and Stromboli (5875 Sawmill Rd, Dublin, OH - (614) 766-0000)

2008-09-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

Hype: We weren't really planning on eating here or anything. We were up in Dublin, OH picking up something that you can only get there. We were going to get some pie in Grandview, but that will have to wait for another day. So we just saw it from the road. It was a stark contrast to the endless suburban shit.

Scene: Looks like they do a lot of carry-out and lunch. I bet the Stromboli and Gyros are popular with the Dublin officeguy set. Best party: Ms. Pac-man tabletop machine. Check it out...

The Pie:

Crust- Neither of us were impressed. Thin, not toasty. Bland. Perhaps purchased frozen from a supplier.

Sauce- Not so great. Bland.

Cheese- GREAT! Lots of it. The real deal. A little browned too.

Peps- Pretty good. Nothing to shit your pants over, but they were toasty, peppy and nice.

Overall: Not an impressive pie, but the cheese, peps, and Ms. Pac-man machine saved the day.

All in all we would rate this place as a 3--5 pie joint!!!!

Frozen Pizza Depression (71 W. Tulane Rd. Columbus, OH 43202)

2008-09-07T11:36:00.000-07:00

Hype: We are poor. We are lazy. These two factors led us to forgo Gatto's, which would have been infinitely better, but at considerable cost. Plus, OSU was actually struggling against the Bobcats of Ohio University. Nobody was willing to go pick it up at a moment like this!!!

Scene: Partying: Saturday-afternoon- buckeye-style. The Big Ten Network is now on cable for the masses. Everyone is glad that we are not with the crowd at Brewsters- good once in a while, but not for routine.

Pie #1--Frucheta (sp?) Brick oven style
Crust: When cooked as directed the crust actually crisps and has a sweetness to it. Not too bad.
Sauce: Also sweet. Some flavor. Not too much plastic wrap in its essence.
Cheese: Almost tastes like cheese.
Toppings: Good. Steve had a supreme and they were flavorful and pretty tasty.
Overall: Its a fucking frozen pizza. 1-5. Way better than pizza #2 though.

Pie #2--Giant Eagle Rising Crust
Crust: Rose to about 1 inch thick. Somewhat of an overkill eh?
Sauce: Burnt the fucking shit out of the roof of my mouth. I could not wait. Dave too.
Cheese: Fuck this.
Peps: Soft, shitty. Flavorless. Bummer.
Overall: I could taste the savings, but we needed food and I got this one a few weeks ago for 2.50 a shot. Once in a while they get super-cheap so I stock up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1-5 pies.

** If you have the opportunity to drink a few Coor's Lights, and eat 1 free pizza and one for $2.50 while watching OSU and partying with your pals, don't pass it up. But man, Gattos would have been SWEET!!!!!!!

Pizza Plus Bexley (2651 E Main St, Columbus, OH 43209 [237-3305])

2008-09-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

Hype: People had been talking this up for a month. We had to see for ourselves. Not only that, but we hadn't slayed a pizza, together, in a while, so it only made sense to do it right. We had very high expectations going in and we were not disappointed!!!!

Scene: The shop has its own parking lot and looks like it could have been a donut shop at one point. Clean interior. The walls were covered in pictures of their pizza--we still haven't decided what to make of that. Lots of teenagers and families inside.

Pie:
Crust- AWESOME!!! Crisp edges and underbelly. Airy and light on the inside. Thick. Slightly sweet. For the record, we agreed that we would have liked to see them make it just a little crisper, maybe another 1-2 minutes in the oven? Just saying!!!!!
Sauce- Just a little tangy. You can taste the dried "Italian Seasoning." Pretty good. Doesn't keep up with that awesome crust though.
Cheese- Good flavor, but not enough. We would like another 2oz on the pie please. It was good.
Peps- They were very good. Spicy, salty and delicious. On the pictures of their pizza they had on the walls they were crisped and folding up as well-done ronies do, ours were not, uncool.
OVERALL-This pie is damn good. We now see what all the hype is about. Maybe we were a little hard on it because the expectations were so high and the price matched--$15+ for a large pep. But it is good. A strong 4-5 pies!!!!!!!
**THEY SERVE BEER, but it is also a little pricey.
P.S. They have online coupons that aren't bad. go to their website. I forget the URL. Use google.

John's Pizza (2104 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60647)

2008-08-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

Hype: We at Pizza Slayer know nothing of 'Chicago Deep Dish.' Would it be fair for us to judge? So we didn't. Our friend told us of Chicago's best thin, John's.

Scene: In a semi-trendy neighborhood (we could tell by the number of girls on bikes, white-T's, Jorts, etc.) this shop is family owned all the way. I think three generations were working while we were there. Remember the Chicago Bear's Super Bowl Shuffle? It was playing on the box!!!

Pie:
Crust- Nice! Crisp edges, somewhat soft underbelly. Thin.
Sauce-Impressive, but sweet and pretty good with noticeable amount of oregano.
Cheese- Too much. It had a pretty good flavor, but too much.
Pep- Consistently soft. Salty and under the cheese!!! I could hardly taste it.

Overall: A pretty good pie. I would come here if it were in Columbus AND...They didn't misplace the peps. The only reason this should be done is if you are making Pizza Casarole. Just because you are in Chicago doesn't mean you have to fuck up your pizza.
3-5 pies. 1 pie deduction for fucking up the pep-placement.

Pizza Shuttle (1827 N Farwell Ave, Milwauke, WI 414-289-9993)

2008-08-23T09:57:00.000-07:00

Hype: Our friends in Milwaukee said it was good. They have like a 50 inch pizza or something for $50. If you and your pal can eat it all you win $500. We didn't want to dance.

Scene: In a hipster neighborhood. You walk upstairs and its like a nice-looking, well lit diner, kind of. Photo machine, indie rock jukebox, neon lights and a bum sleepsitting on a corner stool. I got an awesome T-Shirt for only 5 bucks, after we ate, naturally.

Pie:
Crust- Hand tossed. Sweet, chewy and pleasantly airy. Excellent.
Sauce- Not unanimous here, two of three said it was lacking flavor. The other liked it.
Cheese- This is WISCONSIN, man. It was awesome, no shitting here. They proudly announce on the boxes that their cheese is %100 local WI dairy. You CAN taste the difference. Plenty of it.
Pep- some a little well done, others still soft. Maybe a little salty and lacking kick, but pretty good.

Overall: Good pizza. Split decision. 4 of 5 pies!!!!!!! Do stop in if you ever visit Milwaukee.

***Partyboyz-- Cheap pitchers of draft beer. Do it.

Hungry Howies (2995 N High St, Columbus, OH - (614) 784-9999‎)

2008-08-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

Hype: We were in a serious rush and super hungry. It is cheap. I swear we were not out to score any serious pie. Trust me. It's only a block away.

Environment: Sucks. It's a chain. Questionable from top to bottom. Unpleasent.

THE PIE:

Crust: We got the thin crust because it is edible. It makes saltine crackers look thick. Way to thin!!!!!!!! Little flavor.

Sauce: Somewhat sweet with hints of herbs and spices. Truly, not too bad!! A good amount.

Cheese: Overdone. Good flavor, but maybe a little too much and certainly burnt.

Pep: Flavorless crap. Flat.

Overall: It is pretty cheap, but here is the deal. Each of us slayed an entire pizza our selves. At $7 a pie, why invest, man? A large pep from Gatto's (across the street) is $13 and feeds two. Gatto's out of this pie's league. THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

We give this pizza 2 out of 5 pies. After all, it's still pizza!!!!

Belleria's Pizzeria (128 Graceland Bl. Columbus, OH, 43214, 435-7500)

2008-08-03T21:53:00.000-07:00

Hype: Not much really. We were requested to review this establishment by a Pizza Slayer reader. The fact being that its origins lie in Youngstown was enough to intrigue us.

Scene: Not really scoring any points here. Located in a strip mall in the Graceland shopping center, you can't really get much lamer than that. Upon entering, the atmosphere was extremely clean and full of suburbanite families enjoying a nice weekend dinner, Italian style. No jukebox, funny signs or pinball machines here. A far cry from what we're normally accustomed to. Also, the restroom was freakishly clean. Immaculate, almost to the point of being creepy. They even had an employee checklist up on the wall of who's turn it was to clean. Nothing wrong with being a little on the cleanly side, but this was riduculous.

Pie:
Crust: Chewy and very flavorful. Not too doughy and not burnt in the least. Nice Work!
Sauce: The strongest point of this pizza was the sauce. Not your typical tomato flavor, this sauce had a mixture of green and red peppers thrown into it, giving it a very unique, tart taste. Very refreshing even. Just the right amount of it too. My only gripe with it was that it slid off the slice a little too easily, leaving me with a big pizza stain on my shirt. Oh well, at least it was a black shirt!
Cheese: Not bad at all. Greasy, but not too. It wasn't so filling as to make my stomach feel bloated like a lot of pies out there. Hearty and satisfying. It too slid off the slice too easily, sometimes leaving me with an unhappy, cheeseless slice, but ultimately one of the stronger points of the pizza.
Pep: Can't say I'm a fan of the pepperoni baked underneath the cheese. It detracts from the overall flavor of the pep, leaving you with just a hint of what you could be tasting. Kind of a pep tease if you know what I mean.

Overall: A nice tasting and extremely unique pizza. The pride of Youngstown. This is probably the least punk pizza i've ever tasted, but its a good value if you want something slightly more up- scale. We won't be seeing this one on punker Thursdays, but I would definitely revisit this place once every other month or so. 4 out of 5 pies.

Ohio State Pizza (325 E Hudson St. Columbus, OH 43202, 268-8181)

2008-07-31T19:47:00.000-07:00

Hype: We begin with a quiz. What's cooler-- punk rock or getting pizza? Punker Thursdays ordered two large peps from Ohio State pizza this evening. I'm still recovering from the festivities.

**Let me say this-- Seanzilla swears by this pie, but the rest of us had very low expectations.

Scene: It is delivery so I'll describe Punker Thursdays. I could hear it as I walked down the street. Canned beer, loud punk records and tapes, standing around-not sitting! The delivery guy was dressed like Fred Durst.

Pie:
Crust: Thin. Crispy around the edges, but soft under the toppings. It could be folded like a taco as I hurried to get the next slice before it was consumed by the others.
Sauce: Surprisingly flavorful. I'm not saying it was great or anything but not too bad for a damn cheap punk-pizza.
Cheese: Lots of cheese. Full-flavored. Filled me up and slowed down the party as intended.
Peps!: Very good value. They actually had spice. Worlds beyond the shit we had from Gumby's the other night.

Overall: A good value. Punkest pizza in Columbus. It was foldable, cheap, pretty tasty, and have you seen the inside of the store. Punk. Not uniform agreement by the group, but, 3 out of 5 pies. Better than most of us expected. Certainly worth the money.

Gumby's Pizza (2404 N High St, Columbus, OH - (614) 261-9800)

2008-07-29T18:17:00.000-07:00

Hype: We got a request from that Sam Greghead guy to review Gumby's. We've had it before but never examined it with a pizzacritical eye. Trust me--expectations were appropriately low.

Scene:
It was hot as fuck in there. It is across the street from the Blue Danube, decent neighborhood filled with post-students, drunks, stoners, and losers. We were surprised to find two pinball machines (one Pro Wrestling), and Zombie Raid, or some shit. One of those gun-shooting things. Nice touch!!!

The Pie:
Crust: Reminiscent of the old-school Donato's crust, but with smaller bubbles and a little less chewy. Very bland.
Sauce: Bland, boring. Nothing to say.
Cheese: If there was a highlight of this pie, this was it. Nothing to write home about, but a little flavor, and lots of it.
Pep: Boring and weak. Very little spice.

Overall: It's still pizza and it was cheap. 2 out of 5 pies!!! For late-night only.

Pizza House (747 E Lincoln Ave, Columbus, OH - (614) 885-3121)

2008-07-29T05:05:00.000-07:00

Hype: Seanzilla claims that Pizza House is the best pie in Columbus. His pizza-taste is a little questionable as he dislikes Adriatico's and several other choice pies, but we'll give it a shot.

Scene: Very family-friendly. Very Classy, too!!!! White tile, glass brick, the kind of bar that your dad and your uncles frequent since the mid-seventies. Nicest staff in all pizza--guaranteed!!! Check out the pitcher of soda they gave Sean!

The Pie:
Crust--A little thicker than your standard thin-crust pizza. More air than many of Columbus's thin-crusts, but it is not a thick crust pie. Very interesting. VERY TASTY!!
Sauce--sweet and mildly spicy. Not too much, not too little. I think it allowed the crust and the pep to shine through.
Cheese--also kept to a minimum. Not to say that there wasn't enough though. A little browned and perfect.
Pep--Tons of pep. 4-5 per little square slice. Very spicy. Some soft, some toasted. Made the pie.

Overall:
Pizza House is the shit. A surefire 5 out of 5!!!!
You must taste the pie!!!!!!!!!!

By the way: Full bar.

Cardo's Pizza (2920 S High St, Columbus, OH - (614) 409-9229)

2008-07-19T16:14:00.000-07:00

Last night we ate Cardo's Pizza

Hype: Jim and Sean said it was top notch--boy were they right!

Scene: It is pretty far south on High St. After a little culture shock we got in to it. Nice fishing themed pinball machine to master while you wait for the pie. No AC, so we were sweating our balls off. Local rednecks came in and out. Check out this exchange.

Chuck: "Hey pecker-wood"
Worker: "What's up Chuck?"
Chuck: "I'm drunk. Left the motorcycle at home-got the truck so I can bang shit up."

Chuck gets pizza and swerves out of the shop on foot.
Worker: "Careful sidewinder."

The Pie
Crust: Very crisp, both outside and under the toppings. Perfect!
Sauce: Underwealming.
Cheese: Bold and tangy. Also Perfect! Just the right amount. A little grease on top from the peps.
Pep: Made this pizza excellent!!! A little oily-dave likes. Very spicy and tons of it. Must get peps if you do this pie!!!!

Overall: There was some disagreement, but---> 5 out of 5 pies!! Great Pie! Worth the trip to the south side of town.

**No partying or hippies allowed in this shop!

Dante's Pizza (3586 Indianola Ave. , Columbus, OH)

2008-07-14T19:12:00.000-07:00

Hype: Described by our friend Jason as the most Newark -like pizza in town, we were extremely hot to taste this pie!

Environment: 1. Wood Paneling(reminiscent of pizza joints in Newark) 2. Toppings visible next to the front counter upon entering the premises(let's you know what you're getting!) 3. Killer Jukebox!! Everything from Van Halen to REO Speedwagon. Even Foreigner was thrown into the mix! 4. Neon Miller Lite pizza slice sign. Totally Vintage!!!

THE PIE!!!: Crust-Hinze thought the crust was the best part. Toasty on the edges, yet a little chewy underneath the toppings. Nicely done!
Sauce - Lots of it! Very sweet, with lots of oregano, a hallmark of Newark pizza. Two thumbs up! Cheese - Lots!!! Good n' cheesy. Extremely filling.
Pep-Salty and a good amount of it. At least two per slice. A bit scorched in the oven, giving the pizza a more bacon-like flavor, adding a fine saltiness to the overall package.

RATING: 4 pies out of 5....Nice!!!

Note*** You can get pitchers of Bud/Bud Light for $7.40 if you like to party.