Ah... One of the pizza places of my youth. Â In fact, in fourth grade, I at so much pizza there that I emptied my stomach the wrong way. Â I couldn't eat pizza for two year. Â Eventually, they burned down, but rebuilt and opened the current store.
To be honest, in  21 years since I moved out of this area, I've lost a taste for their pizza.  The sauce is good, but on the sweet side.  The cheese is fresh, but again doesn't have must taste.  The crust, on the hand, is quite good.
My people up here often tell me that this is no longer the best Grotto Pizza in NEPA. Â And I know the ones by the Delaware Beaches are much better. Â However, it is a perfectly good place to get some Friday Night Pizza.
Probably not a place I'd ever go if it weren't for the location right on the lake. Â As it is, I end up here a few times every summer, when we're taking a motorcycle ride through the area and around Harvey's Lake.
The pizza has either changed over the years or my taste has. Â Either way, I wouldn't make a special trip here just for the food. Â The cheese tastes like cheddar to me, and the sauce reminds me of a sweet sauce with enough black pepper added in that you can smell it.
That atmosphere is pretty much your standard sports bar with TV's and beer signs. Â It seems to be kept pretty clean. Â The outside deck wraps around a good part of the building, and it's a good spot to hang on a summer day and look out toward the lake. Â Â
This place gets packed on summer weekends when the lake is crowded. Â Seems to be a mix of bikers, college kids and local peeps.
Overall, the vibe doesn't seem all that different from a chain restaurant, for better or worse. Â
Not horrible, but not a destination spot, either.
I don't dig this location as much as Wilkes-Barre because the bar is disappointingly sans Buzztime Trivia (this was not always the case). Back in the day, the bar area had some great pin ball games as well, but those are also gone.
The pizza is pretty good, but come for the outside seating near the lake. Don't forget to feed the ducks your crust at the end of your meal!
I like Grotto for the atmosphere and friendly service. Â Their pizza is okay, but I"m not a huge fan of their sauce...seems like it needs more seasonings and to be thicker, but that's my personal preference. Â Other than that, everything else I've had there to eat has been great ( I love the boneless wings!). Â It's a huge place, with one side dedicated as a dining room and the other end a sports bar. Â I work there doing beer promotions a lot, and the management and staff are awesome!
Review Source:Blech. Â Yes, this is THE grotto pizza, and no the pizza is not that good. Â Or I should say, for what it is worth - it is pretty decent, just not exactly my style. Â You also have to be in the mood, otherwise known as HAMMERED.
I grew up with Grotto - friend's birthday parties, friend's graduation parties, friend's drinking parties... just, not at any of my personal celebrations, because quite frankly, it just ain't that good.
Greasy is an understatement... Sauce is decent, crust comes out more often than not a little TOO burnt...but the cheese....oh, oh no. Â Mass produced, budget-friendly, whole sale, enough preservatives to kill a horse, YELLOW AMERICAN CHEESE?? Oh, yes... Oh no, you say?? Â Watch them make the pizza, first, half a handful of mass produced shredded (shit) mozzarella .... Then. Yellow. Shredded. Cheese. Â Perhaps it's an American-cheese-like-mix. Â I don't care. Â The cheese on this pizza will send you on the vom-train if you, like me, do not care for american cheese .... on pizza.
The location on the lake is always fun, especially in the summer. Â And they are great with kids. Â But you know you've entered the twilight zone when you go to the bar and, the same bartenders who kicked you out when you were under-age trying to get a drink (18 years old) are still working there, and these are also the same bartenders and managers who were around when you PERSONALLY worked there (16 years old)... that was 10 years ago. Â Not that I am hating on a place where the employees don't quit - the staff makes a pretty decent penny considering how outrageously expensive this over-priced garbage pizza is - just, wow.. *continue with twilight zone music*
I grew up in NEPA, I love Grotto, I crave it hard every time I come home from California. I was just in and I could not wait to wolf down a pie. The only complaint that I have it that their crust varies in goodness, sometimes it is amazing and sometimes it is not so good.
Also the wings here rock, the grand slam sauce is so gnar that you have to put it on everything, I am stoked just writing about it!
I have been to probably 6 or 7 different Grotto Pizzas and NO ONE ever believes me that the one in my little home town of Harvey's Lake, Pa. is the original! Â I like this one the best (with the one at University of Delaware a close 2nd!) Awesome pizza and wings, that are always good unlike some places where it can be inconsistent. Â You are right on the lake so you can hang out at the lake all day then get some delivery right to your dock or literally drive your boat right up and park right next to Grotto. Â This place is an absolute Harvey's Lake landmark. Â The Grandslam sports bar is where I usually hang out and its pretty much a high school reunion every time I go, which can be good or bad of course! Â This place is awesome, good for all ages, I try to stop in whenever I'm home!
Review Source:How has no one written a review of the ORIGINAL Grotto Pizza at the Lake yet? Â Wow, I feel pretty special.
This place is a total local landmark. Â Dating back into the 1960's when my parents used to go dances out at Harvey's Lake and get pizza at Joe's Grotto until there was a bad fire, this place has been a Back Mountain institution forever.
First, the pizza - wow, definitely my favorite thin crust option in the Back Mountain. Â Really, really consistent with a great ratio of sauce and tasty cheese with a really crisp, delicious crust. Â If you are feeling more adventurous, the white pizzas are also really good (including the white shrimp scampi pizza...mmm!) although they are pretty heavy on the garlic. Â The wings are right up there with the best in the area. Â Delivery is great and convenient. Â Finally, the sportsbar at the Grotto in Harvey's Lake is a great place to catch up with some friends, have some food and Yuenglings, and watch a good game.
On two other notes I think Grotto is pretty special. Â First, you absolutely must go during the Holiday season. Â They have local businesses sponsor specialty decorated Christmas trees in really ornate over the top fashion and restaurant diners donate money for the best trees and the proceeds go to some really amazing charities. Â Not only is that a good cause, but after you finish off your pizzas, it is really awesome to walk around the restaurant and see like 40 amazingly decorated Christmas trees.
The final awesome thing about Grotto is the boat slips that they have out back for parking. Â There is nothing better than having been on the lake all day tubing or fishing or water skiing, breaking out your cell phone and calling in a takeout order and driving your boat over a 15 minutes later to have a pier-side picnic or walking in and having a nice break from the sun. Â A really cool feature for a restaurant with a truly amazing location!
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,608 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,970 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,309 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,906 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,985 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
