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What can I say about this place other than to recount my experience this past saturday?
Upon entering the place, which I have been to before, I notice for the millionth time that it is a total sh*thole. Hey, not a problem, though.
When I walked in, the cashier was laying face down on the floor, facing away from the counter. So I said "hey bro..." no answer. I repeat it. The dude stands up and says "what the f*ck do you want?" I respond, "yo let me get some of that sicilian and throw some pepperonis on it." So the guy complies (didn't wash his hands, didn't put on any gloves, though). I don't care though, the pizza is great.
He throws the stuff in the oven and goes to take a piss, at which point I notice that his shirt says "MOCK THE CROSS" on it. Cool, I think, a death metal shirt. When he returned, on the front was a picture of a demon puking on Jesus Christ (pictured here: http://farm4.static.fl...)
Then I got my pizza, it was DELICIOUS. I was sitting at a table, and I grabbed the chili flakes off the table next to me without asking and the woman sitting there looked at me like "HOW RUDE?!?!" To which I responded "Do you see what kind of place this is?" and continued to eat my pizza.
Airnell is a great place to go if you want some attitude, and some great pizza. So in conclusion, let me ask you to consider one question before you go to Airnell pizza: Do you know what kind of place it is?
I hate walking by Arinell because I always go in and get a slice. If you order a pepperoni slice IT WILL GET HELLA GREASY. I love it.
I feel bad for everyone who complains about the service. I'm actually a bigger fan of the staff here than the pizza. There are definitely some cool dudes working the kitchen and the register. If it's slow, they pay extra attention to your pizza. Got the anchovies last time and the dude who prepared it decided to hook it up with some extra anchovie oil. The end result was delicious pizza.
I've never been to NY... Man, we should have an East Bay Yelp road trip to NY just to compare Arinell's to an authentic NY style.
This is one of my favorite pizza places on a budget. They got huge slices of Neapolitan for $2.75 a slice. Not bad for your money. The crust is pleasantly thin and crunchy, the only downside is that the pizza sauce and cheese are a bit mediocre. Nonetheless, the pizza is excellent.
Another turnoff was the staff, they were unprofessional and they had no problem showing how annoyed they were when I was asking for a bag for my two slices of pizza (it's either that or having them burn my hand when I carry it back to eat). The cashier didn't bother to wash his hands after giving me change and went straight to serving the pizza.
Otherwise the pizza is great.
Haven't actually been here in years...The last time I had a slice was right before I left for Boston and that was in 2004. Does that tell you something? From what I remember, the thin crust was awesome and the price was right...still can't find one as good as Arinell's except when I go to NYC.
I honestly don't know how to review this place because, if I were rating the pizza alone, it would get 5 stars. The service was really questionable, so I settled on a neutral 3.
The pizza is classic NY style: thin, crispy crust, tasty tomato sauce, and greasy cheese. The fresh out of the oven taste is delicious and I burned my mouth because I couldn't wait to stuff my face with it. Out of all the pizza places I've tried in Berkeley, I would say that this one is near the top of my list.
That said, the "service" really turned me off. The two guys working there were acting super unprofessional. Now, I realize that this is a hole in the wall pizza joint and not a 5 star restaurant, but I still expect to not be totally creeped out by the way the employees act. They were bantering (loudly) back and forth and burping in front of customers. When I left and was standing at the bus stop, I saw them BOTH walk outside and light up a cigarette. RIGHT. OUTSIDE. THE. DOOR. When I rode by on the bus, I peeked inside and I still saw customers in there. They were smoking right outside the joint with customers inside. Really?! You can't go around the corner to smoke? Nasty. It made me wonder what kind of things they are willing to do when customers aren't around if they were willing to do the things they were doing when customers WERE around.
Excuse me, I think I need to sanitize my whole body now.
Arinell Pizza is the best place to go for a quick slice with little hassle! Their crust is super thin and crispy. The cheese to tomato sauce ratio is spot on.... and I love the way they haphazardly pile the toppings on.
I haven't had the chance to try pizza in NY so I can't say if it is authentic, but many others have said that it is. Either way, I am lovin' it!
There isn't too much seating, but the nature of the food makes it easy to get seats. Best of all... there is a no cell phone policy!
You'd think I would have tried Arinell Pizza in the 20th century, but somehow I missed out on this gem while at Cal and always put off trying it on my various Berkeley Food Tours. Well, I finally tried it, and all I can say is better late than never!
The cheese slice was just what I imagine an authentic New York slice should be; thin, greasy, and cheesy. It's the perfect folding pizza, it's fresh, and it tastes great (less filling?). The only ding was the cheese tasted slightly off, like it was a tad too salty. A nice cold Pepsi would have remedied the situation, but this is a Coke establishment.
In any case, it was good enough to earn entry into the Berkeley Food Tour rotation. Next time, I'll bring my own Pepsi!
Ughhh I am still dreaming about this place..
I dare you to try and walk by this place without going inside. The smell that escapes to the sidewalk is like a magnet!
Huge slices, real cheap ($2.75 for plain), real fast, and really, really, really good.
Best eaten with a sprinkle of oregano, cheese, and pepper flakes, while standing at the ledge and watching yourself devour the best pizza ever in the mirror.
True NY style is an understatement.
Extra points for having awesomely authentic pizza dudes behind the counter. One had a death metal band t-shirt, one had a shirt that had the Cal logo but instead it said "Hell"
(Heart) Arinell
I would imagine if the pizza came out with a more consistent quality, it would be decent. But the first time I ate here, the crust was beyond crispy--it was practically burnt, which is a guaranteed way for me to dislike their pizza. The second slice I tried wasn't any better. Beyond that, the staff is rude (looks like I'm far from the first to notice that), and them not accepting credit or debit cards is kind of a pain.
If you find yourself in Berkeley and wanting a good slice of floppy, NY-esque pizza, do yourself a favor and go to somewhere like Bobby G's instead.
They have both Neapolitan and Sicilian. And always good tunes on and good guys working there. As much as this is relevant to a pizza shop, the customer service and attitude are excellent. Many a time I went to Subway catty-corner and tried to behave myself and get a veggie sub, only to find myself 10 minutes later at the counter in Arinell's.
Small joint with cute giant neon King Kong type thing eating a giant slice of pizza.
The staff is super friendly, and the pizza decent. The 'neapolitan', which is the thin crust, is quite generous in size and comes with lots of topping if you order a topping. I ordered mushroom and bell pepper and it was yummy. I only wish my pizza had slightly more cheese (but I guess thats what the thick crust Sicilian pizzas are for!)
I grew up in Oakland and Arinell was my favorite pizza in the world when I was a kid. I used to think about how I wanted to work there when I grew up so I could get all the free Arinell pizza I could eat. I used to envy the guys that worked there. I don't envy them any longer but I definitely appreciate the great pizza they make. The Neopolitan cheese slices are the best thing to start with but the thick Sicilian slices are very good too. If you ever have a friend from NYC that complains about the pizza here, tell them to STFU and go to Arinell.
Pro tip: when you're going to a concert at the Greek Theatre pick up a couple pies from Arinell. Sell slices inside to pay for your ticket.
If you are looking for good "street style" NY pizza (you know, the place where you wander in and grab a slice for the road), then this is your place. The crust is thin and perfectly done. The sauce is delicious and the cheese is on point. I didn't find the cheese to be excessively oily, but it IS pizza, so you expect some amount of grease.
In true NY style, the place is not really designed for eat-in, though they do have tables where you can sit. I found it to be clean and relatively comfortable, but again, its not the kind of place where you go "out to eat pizza", particularly for dinner. So run in and grab a slice or call ahead and pick up a pie. The pie is good and the price is right.
Had a friend who used to work here when I went to UC Berkeley. He would sometimes give me some of his free slices. Thin crust pizza, tasted good, and prices were good.
This place is to thin slice pizza what Zachary's is to the deep dish style. I've been going to this place off and on since I was in junior high. We're talking the 70's! Even as a kid I knew this pizza was different. I think the Neopolitan and Sicilian styles are the ones I gravitated towards. The toppings are insane: spices, cheese and flavors that explode in your mouth. These folks know there stuff.
I remember going to this spot and seeing the half-door with some tattooed, pierced, spike haired person serving up the pies! Like I said, this was back in the 70's and 80's. I thought WTF is going on but hey, the pizza was slamming.
I remember many days grabbing a couple of slices on wax paper along with a fruit punch and then trying to find a spot somewhere to just sit down and inhale the stuff. Pizza by the slice as it should be done.
Arinell, man... Arinell. I eat here almost every day.
Slices brought to you by the pizza gods of Valhalla on wings of black metal.
If you don't like this pizza, you're not a bad person. I mean, not necessarily. I won't call that a causal relationship, but empirical evidence suggests a pretty strong correlation. No, you're not bad. You're just an amateur.
You want a box to take your slice out? Wax paper isn't good enough for you? Amateur.
You want service with a smile? Go find a Coldstone Creamery, you lonely amateur.
You want to talk on your cell phone while you eat pizza? Stop ruining Modernity's potential, amateur.
You don't like the pro-Berkeley Marines sticker in the store? Neither do I. But you know what? I don't run Arinell. Go eat some cardboard at Blondie's if you have a problem, amateur.
You blot up grease with a paper napkin? Stop wasting napkins, you amateur.
I bet you carry an umbrella in the rain, too.
YES.
ALl I have had here is the plain cheese pizza
that is always a way to tell whether a pizza joint is on top of its game
Arinell's is the best ive found in SF, berkeley, etc.
and being served by heavy metal fans with some old school Death in the background makes it more special.
If you don't like this pizza, head over to the dominos at shattuck and university since thats where you belong.
Arinell's pizza is only good if you are really, really hungry. I came in on convenience and because I was very hungry. I had a ten minute window of opportunity to grab a quick bite prior to my volunteer shift at the Berkeley Rep Theater two blocks away.
The slices here are big though, and it's basically a heat-and-eat type of place. The cheese slices are all pre-made and if you want toppings they'll be added on before the reheating process. I had pepperoni added to my cheese slice, and the price wasn't too bad at $3.25. I added on a large soda for another $1.75, and five bucks and change later my stomach was no longer yelling out to be fed.
Served simply on a sheet of white paper the pizza slice (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) was very greasy which is usually the norm with pepperoni. The thin but hard cracker crust was kind of bland as was the pizza sauce. The cheese was minimal at best, but it hit the spot. I'll accept mediocre pizza over embarrassing belly noises inside a quiet theater any night.
The place can use a good wipe down too. All of the table and counter surfaces had Parmesan cheese and crust crumbs as well as grease all over them. It appears popular with high school-aged kids. I would have been happy giving these guys 3 stars, but the dude that helped me went to his nose and didn't wash his hands before helping the guy behind me. Thankfully, I already had my hot slice in my hand at the time. Yes, sometimes it's better not to know!
Used to spend 90% of my lunch break in HS driving to Arinell's in downtown berkeley just to get some slices (usually 4 or 5). I haven't been a regular since the turn of the century but I stopped in a few months ago and nothing has changed.
Best pizza in the bay that I've had. ...and I've had my fair share.
PLUS, they have anchovies! ...not to be confused with the movie "Lover Boy." ...pretty random, i know.
I love this pizza! It's so cheesy and crunchy. Whatever topping you get on your pizza, you'll enjoy
I've been going to Arinell since 1979. Can that be 30 years? Wow.
This is as close to classic New York street pizza as you can get in the Bay Area. The whole vibe, from the minimalist, uncomfortable seating to the ambivalent counter guys (they're much more into their head banger music than they are to you), to the "turn your cell phone off" sign on the counter, all scream NY attitude. I once called for a medium take-out pie, only to be told "we don't have any mediums left -- only larges." To which I answered, "Then take some dough off a large and make me a medium." His response: "The owner won't let us do that -- we only have a certain amount we can make every day." Crazy.
But the pizza. Oh, the pizza. The most authentic fold-over cheese slice you can get in the Bay Area, piping, burn-the-roof-of-your-mouth hot slices. Try and get a slice straight out of the oven (as opposed to reheated) if you can to experience all the thin crust goodness. There are better California style pizza in the Bay Area, but this is the best New York slice you'll find.
They don't do delivery and they don't take credit cards.
Authentic NY-style pizza in Berkeley? You got it. Neapolitan or Sicilian, this place will feel at home in Brooklyn.
One of my pet peeves in a pizza is spongy dough. That's why the Sicilian style pizza here just didn't do it for me. Tasted more like a glorified french bread pizza that you'd cook in the microwave. Also I kinda laughed when I saw the two dudes workin here that looked like they were straight outta Metalacolypse but then I thought about it for a second and realized that not one but two guys workin in a kitchen with long ass un-hairnetted hair can't be a very good thing.
Maybe after I try the regular pizza they can get another star or two.
God I wish the pizza here was just a tad less delicious.Then I could turn my back on the surly dipwad that owns the place. But to my undying shame I can't.This is the only place that I have EVER found anything that comes close to the good (great) simple pizza of my beloved birthplace. New York City. I give 5 stars after deducting for the nut job owner.Superb.
Yes, this is the best pizza.
And so my review of this place stood at that short one sentence for some time, and now I'm back to edit this review because I think the small period at the end of that sentence might be lost on many a reader. And also something just happened to me during my last visit to Arinell.
I ordered a large mushroom, garlic, and onion pizza, paid for it, and then went for a 20 minute walk and came back to get my pie. When I came back, the guy says:
"You didn't already pay for you pizza, did you?"
"Uhuh."
"Well, here's your pizza, and here's your money back. It just wasn't up to our standards so your pizza is free."
"Huh? Gee, Thanks!"
Brought my pie home, put it on my pizza stone in the oven for 5 minutes and it was still awesome.
You think these guys take the quality of their pizza seriously? When was the last time you got some great free food because the guy who made it didn't think it was up to his personal standards of excellence?
After a number of friends telling me how good this place is, I finally tried it last week. This pizza blows every other pizza in Berkeley out of the water, the park, and the continent. I got a slice of the cheese Neopolitan and added olives and mushrooms. The reheat process is just the perfect amount of time, just long enough for the flavors to blend and not too long to where the juices from the olives and mushrooms (fresh thick slices too) evaporate. I loved how it added to the flavor.
The pizza is so cheap, too. I wouldn't mind making Arinell's a weekly stop.
Great, huge thin-crust pizza! Aside from the huge slices, everything else is a turn-off. The toppings were plain, and pretty ordinary.
However, my major thumbs down is for the workers there. It was unsanitary how the cashier handled the cash of several customers and went straight to make the pizza without washing his hands, or even wiping them. After ordering 4 huge slices, the cashier even rolled his eyes when I asked for a box. The pizza is alright, but the atmosphere is just a bit grimy and unprofessional.
We have to agree with the one-star reviews here. The fact that Arinell's listing has 4 out of 5 stars is beginning to make me question the credibility of this site.
THIS IS NOT NY PIZZA, PERIOD. Not in style, flavor, or texture. We recently returned from a trip to NYC, and had John's Pizzeria pizza. Arinell's comes about as close to New York pizza as the Warriors come to winning the NBA championship...and our pizza came out of the oven fresh!
Everything folks have said about the workers is spot-on. They pulled the 5 pizza limit crap on us as well. Don't waste your time or money. Trying to find authentic NY-style pizza here is like trying to find Sasquatch in the forest...impossible! We've conceded and decided to stick to reliable favorites like Cheeseboard, Arizmendi, Extreme, & Round Table.
Awesome place for lunch and a quick slice. If you're looking for more ambiance or a group spot, I'd recommend Cheeseboard, but Arinell's is great for something simpler. Pizza is very plain, New York style (but without the cornmeal), with minimal sauce and cheese. I love loading mine up with the pepper they have at the counter...yum.
The guys who work here look like they are about to start a metal band together; there is always hard rock or metal music playing and I see them emo-ingly smoking outside sometimes. However, they get the job done, and done well.
Oh, and they are open late, which is a plus.
Giving this place 3 stars absolutely breaks my heart -- perhaps in my less discerning days as a Cal undergrad, I would've been more than willing to give it 6 stars.
I love the thin crust, love the cheese, love how I still have to dab oil off the top. However, the price is a bit steep for what you get. I remember this place used to be the relief from joints like Fat Slice and Blondies on southside, but I actually needed two slices to feel even slightly full. I remember that this used to be a tiny sliver of a hole in the wall way back in the day, and now it's all industrious-looking and actually has seating inside.
Is that enough to justify a price hike? Definitely. Is the attitude enough to justify itself? Noooope. There are places where the holier-than-though adds to the ambience, and then there are places where there are just plain old a-holes behind the counter. I completely forgot what the Sicilian pizza even was and just casually asked about it as I ordered my two slices. The pizza czar serving me gave me a ripe little explanation that could have sent Mother Teresa out to lobby for looser gun control rights.
I miss ya, Arinell, but you could loosen up just a little bit more. And by 'loosen up,' I of course mean 'stand to be less of dicks now and again.'
HUGE new york style slice. Cheesy and greasy, good value for the money.
Only problem seems to be consistency - sometimes the crust is great, other times it's soggy.
In short, a decent place to get your pizza fix.
Exellent. Woohoo! As good as it gets!
My NY pizza loving yelp friends all sent me in the direction of this pizza place. Yes it had a NY look and attitude but something just didn't quite do it for me. First of all, you can't fold the pizza because its too crispy on the bottom & the toppings really aren't all that flavorful. They're right, it is closer to NY pizza then most of the other places but its not a clone of GOOD NY pizza. It's a clone of mediocre, I was really hungry and drunk at 4am, NY pizza.
The one thing this place did teach me is that I can't eat pizza while also driving a stick up hill. Hey..I wanted to see how it tasted while it was still warm. Luckily for my fellow motorists after one bite I was fine with letting it get cold. Too bad. :(
Arinell's Pizza. Yes, the crust is thin. All the better to fold and eat. Yes, the place is a dive. Yes, the location and parking stink. Yes, the service can be a bit terse. But I can't help myself. I really, really, like their pizza.
Very straight forward review for a very straight forward place:
Best New York Style Pizza in the Bay.
You want melted cheese on a cracker, go elsewhere. You want stew in a breadbowl, go to Zachary's or something. This place excels at NEW YORK STYLE. The crust is crispy at first bite with a hint of doughiness on the chew. When you fold a slice it MAINTAINS RIGIDITY and is not overridden with grease. Hello ladies and gentlemen, what more can you ask for from a $2.75 meal?
Easy choice for a plain cheese pizza. Thin-crust, hot-to-the-touch out of the oven, and no frills.
You actually better be careful when you're handling it because they put it only on wax paper and some grease can burn your hand (or make it smell like delicious pizza all day).
I'm not a fan of getting toppings here because they have to add it just on top of the pizza. Don't be trying to go all "the works" or hawaiian here. This ain't no Dominos!
Don't get it to go. You gotta eat it there nice and hot and just enjoy the pizza in the moment, reminisce about life, realize how screwed you are for midterms, think about that girl you wanna date, and other activities that take you away from reality. I mean, if you don't live around the area and you came down to Arinell to get a slice, you must think it's worth your time so just effin enjoy it!
I guess I never really had a real legit thin-crust slice until Arinell...but I like it. I'll be sure to grab a slice when I'm downtown again. $2.75 per slice is worth it.
I almost got trampled by the long-hairs. Minus two stars for poor customer service.
Three stars for uniformity of appearance.
THE best NY style pizza I've had in the Bay Area, period. Allow me to share it with you in some bullet points:
- Super-thin, almost cracker like crust, that, due to the greasy goodness from the cheese, almost melts in your mouth
- Tasty cheese
- Great toppings
- Cheap price!
- They serve orange soda: this is the drink to get, somehow it matches with the pizzas perfectly
I love to go to this place for quick, tasty, and unmatched pizza experience. Sure, it's greasy, so you can't go there for every meal, but boy is it a special treat. My favorite order is one pizza with anchovies, and one with chopped garlic. Major breath-killer but it zings your mouth. And with the orange soda to wash it down, this is pretty much a 2-slice pizza heaven.
Better than Blondie's, Fat Slice...only bad thing is it's a little further from campus. It's nestled next to the BofA on Shattuck, a little hole-in-the-wall. Go try it out!!
Was in town to visit friends. We wanted to go to Zachary's but, short on time, ended up at the conveniently located Arinell Pizza. We parked kind of illegally but whatever.
Arinell is no Zachary's, but the food tasted superb, the punk-rock dude behind the counter didn't give us sass, and it was probably half the price. Definitely a win-win.
If you live in Berkeley, you owe it to yourself to go back to Arinell because you can!
-A sad Southern Californian Golden Bear
PS: bring a bottle of Purell if you hate greasy finger syndrome
A slice of pizza bigger than the size of my face? New York Style, thin, hot, bubbly and not overloaded with a shitton of grease? In Berkeley? I'm in heaven.
After being here for three years, I realize that Telegraph has simply been the "trial run" for good eats. As a naive little freshman, counselors at orientation would rave about all the great places to eat on Telegraph. Top Dog was to be worshiped, they told me. Uh, it's just a sausage in a sesame seeded bun, y'all. As for pizza, Blondie's and Fat Slice were supposed to be the best and tastiest bang for your buck. Then I learned the next year that it was the best bang for my drunk ass buck. Now I wouldn't think about going there if I were piss drunk.
Point is, people need to venture to the other side of campus and the downtown area to see what delicious, affordable things await them--like Arinell's. $2.75 a slice? C'mon!
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Neighborhood: Mission
Neighborhood: North Berkeley
Neighborhood: Downtown Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
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