I love the pizza here. Â The scratch made sauces make a huge difference and they offer plenty of fresh toppings.
The draft beer selection is also good and the beer menu describes the beers in detail.
Overall this is a fun little pizza place in a quiet corner of Alexandria with great pizza and beer. Â I also think the prices are very reasonable.
I eat at DRP occasionally, although I end up being disappointed on one level or another.  Pizza's are usually good, although I have noticed inconsistency rom one day to the next.  Other menu items are average or just plain pathetic.  Last time I ordered an eggplant dish that was about 4 bits of baked eggplant, although it was sold as an entrée.  It was served in a 4" iron pan.  That is an "entree" that can fit on 4 square inches!  I thought they accidentally brought me an appetizer.  They were good enough to take it back and bring me a pizza.
Stick to the Pizza's and keep finders crossed.
No clue on why the low rating - great service, tasty pizza and decent beer selection. Â What's not to love? Â On our first visit service was great and at one point our server came out to let us know that our pizza got a little over cooked, he asked if we wanted it (explained it wasn't burnt...but the crust did have a few "darker" spots just from the cooking process in the oven - but it wasn't burnt persay), we replied that we weren't too picky but it was our first visit...so....well he immediately said - if it's your first visit, sorry but I insist on waiting - and they bought us a round. Â Pizza came out shortly after that no problem and I'm so glad we waited b/c the crust (honestly my fave part of any pizza) was perfect. Â I appreciated his honesty b/c they were busy....it would have been easy to just give us the burnt pizza and call it a day. Â
The couple next to us got sandwiches that looked delish - gonna get that at some point if I can stop myself from ordering pizza every time!
Fabulous pizza! Â Generously topped pies and a great (rotating) selection of brews... Last night was my first-ever Del Ray Pizzeria experience, but the bf is a regular and I know we'll be back. I want to try the BLT pizza next time.
I'm puzzled by some of the more malicious reviews here. Don't let them keep you away!
WE LOVE DRP!!! After another fun and delicious meal there last night, I feel compelled to Yelp! The staff is awesome - Sean, the GM, and Mikey, the server especially. The bartenders are wonderful too! I love their pizza crust - it's on the thin side and crispy. Last night we had the Tropic Thunder pizza - sausage, pineapple, jalapenos, pepperoni, mozzarella. It was delicious, and the leftovers were even better for breakfast this morning. We love that we can walk here, which we do often in the summers with our dog. We eat here once a week, at least. It's such an asset to our community!
Review Source:The local scene seems like a lot of fun...but as far as pizza goes, this is pretty expensive for nothing too special. In fact, the pizza was quite small, with a less than generous portion of toppings.
Still searching for the end all be all pizza in the Old Town/Del Ray area...this isn't it.
We love Del Ray Pizzeria. Â It's a go-to restaurant on the Avenue when we're in the mood for pizza (or not in the mood for cooking!).
We always start with an order of frickles. Â We used to get them at Del Merei, and were thrilled to see them on the menu here.
I've been pleased with all of the sandwiches, salads, and pizzas I have tried. Â The Hawaiian pizza may be my favorite though. Â The beer selection rotates periodically and there are always nice selections on tap. Â
The service is friendly and attentive, but not rushed. Â It does get busy and sometimes there is a wait for a table, but there is usually room at the bar to have a drink to pass the time. Â Your table will probably be ready before you finish that drink!
DRP has been a great addition to the Avenue, and I look forward to going back again soon!
Even though this is called a pizzeria, this place actually has a chef. Â I love the pizza so I never graduated beyond that until tonight. Â My buddy and I both had the beef stroganoff. Â This is not your mother's beef stroganoff (thank the good lord because I would not pay $17 for my mother's beef stroganoff). Â Yelp Nation, this was lick-the-plate delicious stroganoff! Â And If I were at home, I would have licked the plate. Â And I would pay that much again for this dish. Â
  When you visit, pay particular attention to the plates of food coming from the kitchen to other tables.  All of it really looks delicious.  You will be saying to your dining-mate, "oooh, what's that?!  Ooooh, what's that??!!'
One last word; Â The waitstaff here is very very nice. Â I have had some wonderful conversations with them. Â Will always engage you. Â Will always answer your questions.
Nice place. Really well-laid out, cute bar area, good seating options.
Nice server/bartender at a quietish time during the week (lunch).
Good pizza. Not Pupatella orgasm good. But good. Dough was just right--as someone wrote, it's chewy/elastic now. Cons? Not enough, and not very exciting, red sauce. Toppings--pretty good. A bit pricey though.
Had a draft beer and it was tasty.
My boy really seemed to enjoy it, but he also really likes papa johns, which as a parent you can't avoid that stuff since they serve it at every frickin kid party. Â I will say that it's not bad, the regular style. Â Not too chewy or dense so my 3 year old could eat it easily. Â Now if you're not 3 years old, you might find other things to harp on. Â Like they say, they are not Chicago, or New York style, but their own, and that's what it is. Â But I like New York style more.
I also ordered the kids tenders from him, but they were way too overcooked and he spit them out.
I feel indifference to DRP. Â At first I wanted them to do well. Â But this was the first time I've been back since my first review of it, and I honestly wouldn't miss it if another place came in its place.
Letter D:
I'm a big fan of Del Ray Pizza. Â Only been twice, but both servers were friendly, and the pizza was excellent. Â It's one of the best pizza places in the DC area.
The first time I went was in May for a date. Â The date went quite well, but the server was very helpful in our decision.
The second time I went was last Wednesday, when my friend from Arizona was in town. Â He enjoyed it as well.
Quick update: Â
Though i usually get the items NOT from the pizza menu, last night we said hell with it and got a "Get 'em to the Greek" pizza (think gyro pizza) and "Tropic Thunder" pizza (meats, pineapple). Â Thin crust.
They've changed their dough recipe. Â It's more elastic and chewy, not dense and bready anymore. Â It was like a mix between a pan crust and Neopolitan style. Â The seasoning was perfect, and the sauce level was just right - issues I've had in the past with their pizza. Â I was actually impressed. Â We kept saying to each other, "This is the best pizza I've had here." Â I can go further and say it's the best pizza I've had in Del Ray. Â I have a pizza weakness, and this is now dangerous because it's just down the street...especially considering we're regulars already.
They're also finished with being punished by the Del Ray Mafia, and there is outdoor seating again. Â
I love that the customers are mostly our neighbors. Â [soapbox] Who, incidentally, don't drive there or need parking. Â Unlike a certain establishment that sells frozen treats down the street that brings in tons of people in cars from outside the neighborhood that spill out onto the sidewalk and up/down the block and in the park because there isn't enough seating. Â But hey, they don't need to make more parking available. Â Yeah, loopholes... Â No offense to the establishment, as their Door County sour cherry sundaes are to die for. [/soapbox]
I really want to like this place. I keep going back because it is local but the food is severely lacking.
First on the name: the place is only a pizzeria in the way that Pizzeria Uno is a pizzeria. Its really a family restaurant that makes several American-style foods (including dough disks with stuff on them).
The pizzas are completely unseasoned and the dough is quite thick and hard - if you have to add salt to a pizza and saw through it with a knife, that may be an indication that you are actually eating a hockey puck with ketchup on it. And every time I go there I try a new pizza and end up needing to add salt to it to make it palatable.
I was curious about the off-menu fried pickles, too. There is probably a good reason they aren't on the menu. They are just an oily mess.
The beer selection is good enough, and if it wasn't for the freezer-food I might actually make this into one of my bars. Otherwise, the service has usually been okay.
And this doesn't alter my ratings one way or another, but what is up with the layout of the place? Were they trying to make the seating arrangements deliberately random or was there some structural reason why the restaurant is set up that way? Not a complaint but it is a little odd.
When I first arrived at the restaurant I advised the hostesses that there would be three in my party and that the other two would be arriving soon. Â When she was getting ready to seat me I asked if we could have a booth. Â She explained that they hold the booths for parties of 4 or more and since we were only 3 they would seat us at a table. Â You should note that the tables seat 4 as well. Â A short time later a group of 4 came into the restaurant and they seated them in the booth - you should also note that they could have just as easily have been seated at the table with 4 chairs where I was seated. Â The entire time we were eating there was at least 1 booth open. Â This is completely unacceptable behavior. Â I can understand if it is crowded, but it was 6PM on a Sunday night and the place certainly wasn't full.
As I was waiting for the others to arrive I checked on Yelp to see the reviews. Â I was curious as to why it had only 3 stars. Â The meal that I had justified the 3 star rating. Â The pizza was mediocre at best. Â I also had asked for my pizza to be well done and it came out barely done. Â It isn't a place I would go back to for pizza.
Regarding the beer, I was impressed with their selection and enjoyed a nice glass of beer from their draft list. Â Additionally, the waitress who waited on us was very pleasant and professional. Â If the food and the hostess had both been of better caliber then I certainly would consider making this a regular place, but I can honestly say that I likely won't be back. Â There are much better pizza places in the Arlington / Alexandria area.
What's with all the love from Washington Post? Even before the President made his famous stop here, this joint was voted one of the area's best places for pizza by some major area newspapers/magazines. I just don't get it. To me, Del  Ray Pizzeria is like that It Girl everyone is sweating that you think is just plain-looking. The pizza is okay, nothing to write home about.. It's not bad, but it's definitely not noteworthy either. The ambiance is okay and  the service can be painfully slow, even on a lazy weekday. Warning: never ever get the butternut squash soup! It is so disgustingly sweet. I like my butternut squash soup chunky, creamy and savory so this cloyingly sweet puree was just unbearable.Maybe this restaurant morphs into a different creature in the evening hours...That can be the only justification for all that praise.
Review Source:We love DRP! Â Great place to grab a bite with friends or family, or to have a beer & watch the game. Â The staff is great - very friendly & efficient service.
As the name suggests, they do pizza well & offer a nice variety of toppings - but you may be surprised by their meaty burgers & fresh salads....always with a side of tater tots! Â Great selection of beers that change regularly, served up in a lively environment. Â
Insider tip: the FRICKLES aren't on the menu, but are without a doubt the house specialty....don't miss out!
GLUTEN FREE REVIEW*
Being a gluten free person, I was surprised to here they had gluten free pizza, I wish they openly advertised that.
The gluten free pizza was a bit small but good. And they even have tomato free options for those who are nightshade free. The gluten free crust (compliments of happy tart bakery 50 feet away) was amazing! It wasn't bland and tasteless like most GF pizza crust, and it was well balanced between crispy/soft.
The service was excellent, although I'm sure on a busy evening it is probably a bit slower.
The only downside is is that the pizza was rather small, so I suggest ordering a salad to go with it, if ordering gf pizza.
Ill start off with saying that there are very few places in del ray I've been overly impressed with. Not to say that I don't enjoy them, but it's more of a " take it at face value" kind of thing. Drp is one of those. The atmosphere is great, as it the staff. We went in on a slightly cold day and were surprised at how paced the place was. We sat in the bar area and were quickly served. We started with wings, and immediately informed that the the kitchen had just left to get fresh wings so we might have to wait a few extra minutes. No problem here, love waiting on fresh food.
The wings were pretty good, but nothing out of the standard. We also got personal(?) size stromboi's since we were starving. Those were delicious, and in my opinion, better than the pizzas that were to follow.
The pizzas were nothing special. My wife liked them because she is a fan of low key food. I on the other hand, love spices and flavors to take charge. I was less than impressed with the pizza, especially since it boasted fresh Mozzarella. I'll certainly give them another try, because the potential was there, just not delivered through. Maybe it was a bad day, or maybe I made a bad choice.
It pains me to write a two star review for this place. Â The service was attentive, and ultimately ended up taking care of us, but what needs to be said...needs to be said:
Their pizza sucks.
If it was just a place that had pizza on their menu, I could give them a pass. Â Calling themselves a "pizzeria" holds them to a higher standard. Â We ordered a large deep dish with mushrooms, sausage and pepperoni. Â The crust was of the bisquick variety...dense, no taste, and no texture. Â It seemed slightly underdone, so it had a bit a a yeasty smell. Â It just wasn't good.
The sauce wasn't much better. Â Just a thin smear...I couldn't really get much of a taste. Â The mozzarella was extraordinarily stringy, and certainly would have benefited from a bit more time in the oven. Â The mushrooms were fresh, the pepperoni was unremarkable, but the sausage was ground into greasy little bits. Â Sausage on a pizza should either be sliced or in nuggets.
We each took a slice, had a few bites, and decided it wasn't worth eating. Â We didn't send it back, but when the server came by to check on us, we told her we were done. Â
"Box?" Â
"Nahh", we replied. Â We told her we honestly didn't care for the pizza. Â Thankfully the salads were decent, so we didn't leave completely hungry. Â Ultimately, the manager comped the price of the pizza (without our asking) which rates pretty high in my book. Â Unfortunately, without a serious overhaul of their pizza recipe, I just don't see us going back for their pizza.
In the end, the prior yelp reviews were accurate. Â I'm a bit surprised--the place is always crowded and lively, particularily the bar.
For a better Pizza in Del Ray, head up the street to Sapore D'Italia.
I had a nice dinner here with my girlfriend. Â The server was efficient and friendly enough. Â Despite the restaurant being a pizzeria, we got pasta and thought it was pretty good. Â I got a salad with japapeno dressing that was unexpectedly bland. Â
Business on this summer night seemed pretty good. They were showing a lot of international soccer on the television.
Oh Del Ray Pizzeria, if not for the DB bartender we encountered this would have been a four star experience.
Came here on a packed Friday night to watch the VCU-Richmond game. The place was packed full of uppity DelRayers ready to wake up Saturday morning and run 5 miles before hitting up the Farmers Market. Still, I liked the atmosphere quite a bit. It had the feel of a nice pizzeria at the beach, and they had plenty of tvs to watch whatever game tickles your pickle.
My girlfriend took a seat at the bar while I awkwardly hovered around other tables to get a close look at my Rams in action. The mutton chopped bartender couldn't have been more rude to my girlfriend when she asked him about their light beer selection. He seemed abhorred that anyone (even a 24 year old female) would want to drink anything other than a 9.0% IPA. He took a real attitude. Dude was just as bad when I asked him about switching off the Montana football game no one was watching. Talk about a stick up his ass. Thankfully we soon got a table and no longer had to deal with him.
With all of that being said you're probably wondering how this place ended up with a 3 star review. Well, the hostess switched the game near our table for us with no problem, our waiter was funny  and laid back and nothing like the db bartender, and the rest of the experience  was just what I was looking for.
Par for the course, the gf and I shared wings, and pizza, sipping on some burrr. The wings were good and big, but not great by any means. We got something like a supreme pizza that was surprisingly good. I ate way too much and loved every minute of it. Total bill for a large specialty 'za, wings, and 3 beers was $41.
VCU blew out Richmond too. Good night it was.
The bottom line: decent food, generic atmosphere, questionable staff.
I've been to Del Ray Pizzeria a few times and the food is fine. Â Except their pizza, for some reason, has absolutely no salt in the (thin) crust. Â It's texture is very good but flavor is lacking. Â
I remember the wings and salads being tasty and I believe there is a fairly decent beer selection.
Almost every time I've been, however, it seems like the staff is actively unfriendly. Â Not antagonistic or incompetent, at all, just not friendly. Â I'd rather go somewhere genuinely smiley:)
Maybe for take-out or a seat at the bar (I've never sat there), but I won't rush back.
A pleasant surprise.
I rely on my Yelp Monocle to vet new restaurants for me and was thus highly suspect about trying Del Ray Pizzeria - especially when Cheesetique, my favorite place in the area, was just a stone's throw away. But then I realized it was Monday and Cheesetique was closed, so my compadre and I ended up here.
We came at a good time. The chill, spacious dining room had only about 2-3 other groups inside. Our waiter was attentive and professional, warning me that the deep dish "smokin' hot chick" pizza I wanted would take a little while in the kitchen. Although I was making it a Diet Coke night, I was impressed by the beer menu, which was small but featured great selections from Allagash to DC Brau.
Our food came out in 15 minutes, despite the waiter's warning, and it was pretty tasty. Matt's nachos were, well, nachos, but certainly not bungled. My pizza's smoky chipotle tomato sauce nicely complemented the jalapenos and gouda that came with. Total bill was a reasonable $14 apiece.
The dinner wasn't anything revelatory. DRP makes a big deal out of how their deep dish isn't New York or Chicago style, it's their own--by which they seem to mean that they make the kind of yeast-and-a-stand-mixer 4-ingredient dough you can find on AllRecipes, then give you a whole lot of it. It was yummy in a way most people could easily reproduce themselves. But hey, pizza dough is time consuming, and DRP certainly doesn't overcharge.
Not impressed. I'd rather grab a pie from HomeMade and eat in my own home.
We've been here three times. The first time was a weekday lunch time. I was in a hurry, so the four of us ordered quickly -- I ordered a salad. Despite being one of only a handful of tables, it was 45mn before we saw food. My salad was very uninspiring, but the Mister was very happy with his meat lover's pizza. Our friends had pretty middle of the road experiences.
Went back a few days later after work. Much more crowded, although we actually got our food faster. Our table was terrible and an over enthusiastic AC vent. Service was unattentive and unmotivated while the noise from the bars and warring televisions was louder than I'd like. I had another salad and had the sense to order dressing on the side, which was an improvement.
Our third - and likely last - visit was about two weeks after that. I finally ordered pizza, bbq chicken. I was excited because I hadn't had pizza in ages and bbq chicken is my favorite kind of pizza.
Once again, it was FOREVER before we got served and our drinks were left empty for long period of time. But finally our pizza arrived.
Quelle disappointment! While the Mister's 'traditional' meat pizza was a solid three stars, I was served the most disappointing, dry and bland bbq chicken pizza I've ever experienced. There was... nothing on it. Just a few drops of bbq sauce, some dry chicken and a stingy half handful of cheese.
After finding HomeMade, I see no reason to darken the doors of Del Ray Pizzeria again. You can do better, Del Ray!
Listen to the reviews.
I was hesitant to try this place because it only received 2.5 stars but we were hungry, already in the area and the restaurant was busy so we didn't think it could be that bad. WRONG. One of the worst dining experiences I've had - I should have just gone to a Mickey D's drive thru.
First up, the hostess was young and inexperienced - not the best way to greet your clients or make a good first impression. We wanted to sit outside but she seemed extremely hesitant... saying well it might storm so "it's up to you". So we said, ok fine, we'll sit inside. She said you can pretty much sit wherever you like... we asked for the booth and she said "I'd like to keep that for bigger parties, do you wanna just sit here?". Now, if you already have it in your head where we should sit, why bother giving us a choice?
We waited close to 10 min for our server..... the restaurant was quite busy but certainly not at full capacity.
Ordered the spinach and artichoke dip as well as a large Shroomin' Pizza. The appetizer took maybe 20 min to be served. I didn't ask for a four cheese souffle, it's a spinach and artichoke dip for cryin' out loud. And by the way, during the 20 min we had to wait, the booth seat (that was being "kept for bigger parties") was offered to a man with his two daughters under 5 - yes they are a party of 3, not 2 but 2 children barely a person make so technically, that was a party of 2 as well AND because we were seated right behind the hostess stand, we had a lovely view of the young hostess tugging at her white denim mini all evening.
Anyway, our pizza came out and I should have guessed that it was going to taste as bad as it looked. The crust looked under baked, the cheese was just melted - not browned at all and mushrooms looked overcooked. But hey, appearances can be deceiving. One bite and I was ready to go home. Tasteless, bland and just downright insulting. The pizza dough was completely flavorless, the sauce was plain mediocre and the mushrooms didn't even taste like mushrooms... it had a bitterness to it. I don't think they bother to season anything, I don't even think they've even tried eating their own food. We asked the server if it was meant to taste that bland.... he said he'd never tried it but has never received any complaints - I don't think anyone has ever tried it based on what they served up.
We paid and left with a really bad taste in our mouths. The service was unimpressive and the food even worse. How do restaurants like these stay open? I hate to have so many bad things to say about an establishment but in all honesty, they have given me nothing good to write about.
In all seriousness, listen to the reviews.
I was looking forward to trying this place out and left disappointed. It's super cute and has a good selection of beers. That was the best part the beer. I wanted something basic and simple so I got an individual margarita pizza. For $13 I was expecting better. It was okay, but just okay. Nothing special.
I realize it's delray, but there were a million kids in there and it was super busy. It was very loud. One table in particular just let their kids scream without doing anything. I wanted to go over there and ask what's wrong with them? Best form of birth control ever. So I realize they were busy etc, but the service was ridiculous slow. We were there for 2 hours for pizzas and beer. Kinda out of control.
I recommend walking down to Homemade Pizza because the pizza is a ton better and you can eat it in the peace and quite of your own home.
This place has a very nice ambiance - welcoming and down to Earth, which is perfect for the Del Ray neighborhood. Â The service was very prompt and friendly. Â The beer list is quirky and varied in styles, with a lot of micro brews, which made me very happy. Â
We ordered a deep dish supreme clientele pizza. Â The toppings were very fresh, and they tasted great. Â We didn't think the pizza as a whole was very good though. Â There wasn't enough sauce, and the crust was very thick. Â It wasn't really browned on the bottom (we would have liked it to be a bit crispy.) Â In general, the pizza was just missing whatever it is that pizza is missing that you make at home. Â Know what I mean? When you get pizza at a good pizza place, there's always something about it that you can't seem to exactly replicate at home. Â This pizza tasted like it was made at home.
We hear that the other menu items are very good though, so we'll come back and give it another try. Â I really want to give them another chance for me to adjust my rating!
We've been curious about this place since it opened, and then closed, and then opened again. Went on a Friday evening around 7pm. Had to stand near the wall at the bathrooms waiting since the bar was packed - we don't mind waiting for a table but felt bad about being nearly on top of some diners. The floorplan should be revised.
Cut to the food - yum! We shared the spinach salad with basil goat cheese and strawberries. Then we split a large sun dried tomato pizza - double yum! It had sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, basil, and artichokes. And the artichokes were large and plentiful! Considering that those types of toppings usually cost more, I think it was a great price.
My only complaint/suggestion is that they need to do a better job with their beer list. Just listing the names does nothing for figuring out what the beer type is, and when your server is busy and not as knowledgable, it's a shame to waste time asking and having him/her run back and forth for answers. (and in the end, still get it wrong.) Â I'll all for clever names but some help please! At the least they could categorize the beers as "hoppy", "porters", "fruity" etc.
Note - my husband is a vegetarian so I default to scouring menus for him. Obviously pizza works and is delicious, but there are really no other solid entree options when it comes to the pasta choices.
We've lived in Del Ray for nearly three years now and should have been smart to wait til after 8 to head out for dinner - this is definitely a place where groups come with their little kids but it was very cleared out by 8pm.
We'll go back, and I'll probably want the exact same pizza.
Like every other business in Del Ray, this little pizza shop has has a charming atmosphere and coziness to it. Â Unlike most of the others, that's all it has.
My friends and I were greeted when we entered and brought water and menus almost immediately. Â Unfortunately, that was the highlight. Â Our server came back after about five minutes with our menus, then in another five to take our drink orders.
Looking at the nearly empty bar, I wondered if the two beers sitting on the other side belonged to us and was tempted to just walk over and ask the bartender. Â I should have. Â Another ten minutes or so went by before our server returned, we ordered the "butcher block" pizza, and then he remembered to bring over our beers. Â
One positive note: Â The beer selection, while small, offers some good choices.
The pizza, while satisfying to two people who hadn't eaten all day, was best described as underwhelming. Â The prosciutto was overcooked and the sauce was tasteless. Â Everything else was well-prepared but not exceptional in any way. Â
The sports bar part might be worth going back for to watch a game if you're looking for someplace low key. Â But unless you're in Del Ray already and don't have a car - and don't feel like hopping on a bus... or calling a cab - there are plenty of better options nearby.
I was looking forward to coming to this place as the owners & the folks who work there are known in the neighboorhood, but unfortunately I was VERY disappointed. To be short, this place is not very good at all. The food and service are way below average. Â The service is far from friendly, seemed rushed, servers were confused, did not know the menu, nor the drink selections well and were not attentive to the table, i.e. clearing plates, filling water glasses, etc. So that was a huge bummer - bad service always brings a place WAY down. I had high hopes for the pizza, but alas, it as not very good at all. Both the thin and thick crust lack any flavor. The sauce is bland and tasteless & the cheese and toppings are VERY skimpy...lending to a very boring and flavorless pizza. Isn't cheese supposed to be the highlight of pizza? (not at this place)
The overall atmosphere is nice, cozy and comfortable; but they are having an identity crisis ... restaurant or sports bar??? Go to hang out and watch a game at the bar, but if you are looking for good food in Del Ray, this place is not it. I hope they improve and remain optimisitic, but there is only so much time you can give a place.
I am sure this place will survice, based on the owners, but NOT on the food.
Sorry, Del Ray Pizzeria, I really, really wanted to like ya.
My fiancée and I met some friends here last night.  He and I arrive early; we order drinks.  When our friends arrived, they order drinks and waited for 15 minutes to receive them (still with no water) when we decided to pay and eat elsewhere.  We couldn't find our server, so we asked the host for the check.  There are so many choices in Del Ray, why deal with bad service?  He apologized and asked if we'd reconsider if he helped us?  We agreed after being guaranteed it wouldn't take a coon's age to get our food, too. The host went above and beyond the call of duty, doting on us and comping our first course.  Alas, the food wasn't so great and the wine is not good (I tried several with my friend).  I won't go back: there's great pasta and pizza down  the road at Sapore d'Iitalia (try it, if you haven't already!).  And, there are sports bars all around. Â
In short:
* Â The pizza isn't anything to write home about.
* Â The services wasn't great, but that can be expected with new restaurants, I guess.
* Â It's really noisy; it ties to balance being a sports bar and a family restaurant (strange combo). Â There's no separation (except steps) between the 'sports bar" and pizzeria. Â
* Â So many wines, why buy bad ones? Â Especially with Evening Star down the road with great by the glass wines and access to the entire wine stock in their next door store, Planet Wine. Â
* Â Mixed drinks that require juice, it comes from a the fountain/soda spickot...yuck.
Alas.
Let me start by reminding everyone that new establishments always have kinks, and this is no exception.
I've only been here three times. Â The first time was actually a wonderful experience. Â I noticed SEVERAL kinks that I'm not going to bother mentioning since everyone else already has. Â The pizza was good, not great. Â It was what you'd expect at a neighborhood restaurant, but not on par with what a Pizzeria should be. Â That being said, I'm not a deep dish person so I haven't tried that, it could be a marvelous taste sensation for all I know. Â The service we received was fantastic and I'd go back for that alone.
My second visit was also quite good. Â I tried a burger this time, just to get a feel for the rest of the menu. Â My friend thought it was perfect, I thought it was a typical neighborhood restaurant burger. Â The service wasn't as great, but it was much busier and I was in the bar area (note: not actually seated at the bar). Â The atmosphere had improved at least. Â It seems something had been corrected with both the sound and the lighting, which I appreciate. Â
My third visit was for salad at the bar and it was good, nothing spectacular though. Â Service was great, staff remembered me, and people seemed to be more comfortable there than my previous visits. Â
I've met the owner a few times around Del Ray, have met a manager there, and know one of the bartenders. Â As such, I can promise that at least some of the staff genuinely cares about your experience and attempt to perform in a manner which reflects that. Â I mentioned how what we experienced should be considered a soft opening; well, looks like someone listened because it closed and reopened. Â I have yet to try it since, but hope to soon!
This place has great potential and I hope it continues to improve. Â Give the little guy a chance, try it out for yourself!
Having only lived in the area for a week, I can't comment on how things were under the old management (which apparently seems to be 'bad' to 'quite bad'). Since the reopen, though, this place is great.
The beer selection is smallish but seems to be in flux as they try to settle in on a final bottle list. The beers tend to be on the boring side, but it's a comparatively good selection for the area.
The menu itself looks spectacular, and although I've only had a couple of items they were of high enough quality that I'd go back to explore more. As far as the pizza goes, the dough and toppings are decent enough but the sauce is definitely the highlight.
The bartenders are definitely friendly. They can tend to get a bit overwhelmed during the busier periods, but it seems to have been getting better daily. Good neighborhoodly crowd, too.
My partner and I were looking forward to a new pizza place. Â It's new and really the only pizza place in Del Ray. Â We arrived at 6:15, and it began.
Our server was just ridiculous.  Didn't know anything about anything -- and was keeping everyone waiting, not just us.  Asked him what beer was on tap?  "I don't know." Asked him if they had Oktoberfest, "I dont' know."  My partner looked up and over into the bar -- yep, they had it -- we ordered it.  We also ordered a deep dish pizza. I got  a caesar salad.
My salad came out twice one in 20 minutes, another  50 minutes later.  Could only handle one. Â
At 7:30, we inquired about our pizza -- "I'm waiting for it" was the response. Â Well ,yeah pal, so are we. Â And we waited and waited. Â Finally at 8:00 p.m. I went up to the kitchen and found the manager. Â Told her the situation. Â Pizza was still cooking. Â 8:05 Â got the pizza and got it to go. Â Enjoyed a slice or two -- but definitely have had much better. Â Â
Pros:
Not a bad atmosphere -- kind of liked the bar. Â Would consider drinking and appts.
Manager - was nice, but overwhelmed. Bus Boy -- nice kid.
Beer. Â I like Octoberfest. Â But, can get it elsewhere.
The other patient guests -- everyone was trying hard to be nice as they waited.
Cons
-- Fire the waiter. Â He's out of his league
-- New restaurant, but the design of the kitchen is a BIG con. I've worked in a kitchen for five years. Â They will never be able to handle a full house with that design (and we were about 3/4 full).
-- Caesar salad -- really nothing special, Â Sbarros like.
-- I got the sense they could be new to the restaurant biz. Â
-- Pizza was okay -- almost as good as Armands. Â a little chinsy on the toppings.
Overall, I like rooting for the little guys -- hope they figure it out and may try it again in a few months depending on what i see on yelp.
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