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Pizza Papalis
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Ron W. said: "I've been to the warehouse a few times but this is the first time Ive done a review. This visit was no different then the others, it was fantastic. We went on a night when they were packed. We were told it would be an hour wait, so we…" read more »
37 reviews for Pizza Papalis
Review Highlights
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"Next time I will try the thin crust." In 8 reviews -
"...friendly and the decor is sports bar oriented with lots of..." In 3 reviews -
"...when looking at the prices, keep in mind that a small can..." In 3 reviews
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37 reviews in English
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Review from Winston C.
Toledo, OH
12/30/2011
Location: The location is great if you're downtown for an event. They have an upstairs with excellent window seating and second-level balcony that is open when the weather is nice. Try to get seated on the second floor!
Food: Meh, the food is OK. We usually get a thin crusted pizza and it's good, but there are definitely better pizza places in the area. I once ordered pasta and I highly recommend that you STAY AWAY from it. It was so bad that I had to send it back.
The service: It's been hit-or-miss for us. We either have good service or sort of slow service. We've never had horrible service but let's just say they have room to improve. -
Review from Joe D.
Oregon, OH
4/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Thick crust pizza. The best this side of Chicago, not quite Giardano's, but nicer then the 5 hour drive.
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Review from Ron W.
Swartz Creek, MI
4/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
We stopped in for the Deep Dish and it was terrific. A medium was more then enough for 2. In fact I cant wait to dig in to the leftovers. A great pizza.
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Review from Tina D.
Oregon, OH
3/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
The best deep dish in this area. The take and bake option is great for the super busy days. Avoid Mud Hens home game nights if patience is not your thing.
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Review from Andi B.
11/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Our server was great, quickly realizing we were in town for a conference and explained the menu and baking times for us.
Since we were in any rush, we went for the deep dish pizza and having had Chicago pizza, I'd say this is a pretty good version. We also got the flaming cheese because we were intrigued, but it was a block of cheese that became more solid as it cooled - neat but not the best-looking appetizer.
If I ever find myself in Toledo again, I would return! -
Review from Maria A.
Carlsbad, CA
10/13/2011
I was visiting Toledo for a couple weeks and this just may have been my highlight!!! I didnt have to go to Chicago for some gooooood deep dish! Honestly, the last time i had pizza like this was in Chicago. Props to this place on keeping it original!
And lets not forget the best part!!!!!....ICE COLD beer in ICE COLD (and i mean frosty) mugs!!!!! Great prices too! -
Review from Connie R.
Toledo, OH
2/12/2012
LOVE their pizza. I also really like the enclosed porch; love watching the Mud Hens there....great service. They will half bake their deep dish pizzas and have them ready for pick up for at home finishing :) For a "down town experience" along with a unique pizza, must go.
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Review from Pugsley P.
Toledo, OH
10/26/2011
If you've been to chicago and ever had authentic chicago deep dish pizza, you know that this place should change their branding.
The pizza is deep, but the dough was tough to cut though on the exterior and an undercooked soggy mess on the interior. the tomato sauce was really watery without much flavor and the cheese was tough and rubbery very quickly without much cooling. We got aseveral veggies on our deep dish pizza, but we mostly got cheese and just a couple of olives, green peppers, jalapenos and onions over the top, visible before cutting into it. the interior was all cheese with no obvious veggies, nor did we find any upon eating it.
Our bill was nearly $40 with no appetizers and 2 fountain drinks. Our waiter took our order within 10 minutes of being seated. another 15 to get our 2 fountain drinks and 3 waters. And another 65 minutes to get our deep dish pizza.
the place seemed to be loaded with staff, but no one seemed to be working, only chitchatting with each other. We went there at 5pm on a saturday, recently and the place had about half the tables on the first floor empty. the bar was packed, but the upstairs didn't appear to have any guests (at least we couldn't see them before entering the building).
I'm not sure that I'd go there again for a deep dish pizza. The atmosphere is sport's bar with televisions and neon lights. We sat at a comfortable booth, but we (there were 3 of us) could just bearly hear each other and had to shout. It was incredibly noisy, even though the seating was maxed out. -
Review from Stella L.
Toledo, OH
9/8/2011
I had a Calzone here and it was soggy.
I have yet to try their deep dish, so I may be back to give this place another chance. -
Review from Diana S.
Toledo, OH
8/15/2011 19 Check-ins Here
My co-workers and I make Pizza Papalis a regular stop in our downtown lunch rotation. We don't generally have time for a deep-dish pizza (although we could call ahead and have one ready when we arrive), but we've all tried multiple menu items and have enjoyed them. Stromboli, calzone, thin-crust pizza, philly steak or chicken sub, any of the personal-size flatbread pizzas... no complaints.
We've only ever had one bad experience there (a hair baked into a Spicy Chicken Stromboli), and the staff made it right by comping my co-worker's meal AND giving him a $10 gift card for his next visit.
The staff are generally friendly and relatively quick, and attentive without being annoyingly so. The quality and price of the food are what keeps us coming back, though. -
Review from Mike N.
Toledo, OH
12/13/2011
Slow, but worth it. Thin Pizza takes 35 minutes, deep dish 45. Delicious. Try the cookie! Kids can make their own pizza, but its hard to keep them busy for that long. Expect 1.5 to 2 hours total.
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Review from Tara S.
Allentown, PA
11/26/2011
Met up with some friends for a drink here the night before thanksgiving. Pretty much everything else was closed. Server was friendly, place was clean, good crowd but could still have a conversation, my beer was $1! Didn't eat but the pizza looked delicious. Will have to try when I'm in town again.
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Review from faith c.
No more having to drive to Chicago for deep dish pizza. When I heard that Pizza Papalis had deep dish pizza, I was excited but at the same time a little skeptical. Real chicago style deep dish pizza in Toledo?
I had the VIP with sausage added on it and it was delish! It's stuffed with toppings. And the cheese- ahhh, gooey and delicious! And the portions are huge!
One drawback is the wait- it wasn't busy at all (we were one of 2 tables there) and our pizza took 30-40 minutes. The good thing is that you can call in ahead of time.
Great place to get a pizza, especially before/after a baseball game! I'll definitely be visiting there more often in the summer. -
Review from Aaron G.
Lima, OH
Updated - 11/19/2011
I did have dinner here once again and this time the meal was much better. If you want a pizza, get the thin crust and do not order the deep dish. The thin crust was prepared much better and you can see the toppings on it. The service is still good and the restaurant is children friendly.
Listed in: Local restaurants
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/15/2011
What a lousy pizza. The pizza is so thick that it was undercooked on the inside and charred on the… Read more »
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Review from Hank's D.
Holland, OH
5/8/2011
The pizza is pretty good for deep dish.
But they use a ridiculous amount of salt to get it to taste that way. -
Review from Abigail F.
Toledo, OH
1/25/2012
I am not fond of the Chicago style pizza here. But the regular crust style is pretty tasty. And the non pizza menu is good as well.
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Review from Fen Z.
9/7/2009
My friends and I -- severely deprived of artery clogging cheesy and meaty goodness -- stopped in Pizza Papalis, hoping to put an end in our quest for the best pizza in Toledo. Sure, it's a chain. Forget the fact that each slice is served with a generous side of Lipitor. Pizza Papalis serves its purpose quite well: shelling out 1.5 inch thick pies... err... pizzas. And that, [Toledo] Yelpers, is all that matters.
Pizza Papalis is no Giordanos, but it's a reasonable facsimile of proper Chicago pizzas. I'm also not going to lie; my standards have lowered considerably upon moving to Toledo.
The downside to this pizza chain is its wait time: 45 - 50 minutes for a deep dish pizza. Now, folks who know me will tell you that patience is not my virtue. But for these slices of heaven? I'll make it an exception. Unless you're keeling over from starvation the moment you enter Pizza Papalis, I would highly recommend skipping appetizers.
The eight of us ordered a large deep dish VIP pizza, a large thin crust VIP pizza, a large thin crust spinach special pizza, and a small deep dish low fat cheese pizza. I'll give you one guess as to who ordered the last one. The grand total for the four aforementioned pizzas and seven sodas was an astronomical $91+, a new record for most expensive pizzas I've had to date. So, in addition to the long wait time, the prices are not exactly cheap.
What makes this place worthwhile and the pies worth every penny, however, is the sheer fact that the makers do not skimp on the ingredients. A small deep dish does indeed feed 2-3 hungry folks. Half of my party walked away with enough leftovers for at least another meal. Mind you, my party consisted of six guys and two girls -- all with huge appetites. Additionally, the pizza crusts here are legendary. Thick, flaky, hearty, and laced with hints of cinnamon, it complements the big cheesy glob quite nicely. Lastly, my friends were unable to tell the difference between the low fat pizza and the regular pizza, since both tasted amazing to say the least.
As a caveat, check the Mudhens game schedule prior to heading here. On a game night, you will not only be vying for parking spots but for parking spots at inflated rates too.Listed in: 419 Repeat Worthies
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Review from Blake G.
Liberty Center, OH
11/23/2009
Let me get this off my chest right away: I don't like deep dish pizza. Never have. I've even had it in Chicago, still a no-go for me. As a wise man once said, "this sort of thing ain't my bag, baby." So this review is deep dish free.
What's the point of going to a deep dish pizza joint if you don't like deep dish? Well, it turns out they have other stuff worth eating. I ordered a thin crust pepperoni (although others at the table did go for the deep dish). When my pizza first came out, I was worried. I'm never a big fan of round pizza that's been cut in squares; it's just a thing with me. Also it looked a bit like frozen supermarket pizza because the outer edge of the crust was small and rather weak looking. I prefer and nice doughy edge.
I was distracted by conversation when the pizza had come, and I just absent-mindedly started eating. About halfway through my first piece I suddenly realized that the pizza was awesome. The sauce and pepperoni were good, but the cheese was amazing. It had top notch flavor and consistency. There was more cheesy goodness than there was crust (no joke!), and I loved every bite. At any other pizza place you would have to order double or even triple cheese to get that much cheese. At this point I have either grossed you out or whipped you into a ravenous lather. You either are a cheese lover or you aren't. This pizza is for cheese lovers. I was worried at first, but the pizza delivered. I still left the edge of the pizza crust on my plate, but who cares. (Incidentally, the crust under the cheese part was very good; no complaints.)
I should also mention they have stuff other than pizza, but I didn't sample any of it. A table near us ordered salads that looked great as they were carried by our table. I was envious, but the pizza that followed eased my regret. Next time I'll probably get some salad though.
Let's put a ribbon on this review and call it a day: Parking sucks, but what do you expect downtown? The atmosphere is great. Prices are bit expensive, but the pizzas can be split between more people than you'd think; they're filling. Service was very good. The food turned out to be great, despite my first impression. I'll be back. -
Review from Rob T.
Mattoon, IL
3/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
The Yelp reviews for this place seem to be spot on. The pizza I ordered had great flavor and plenty of toppings.
One phrase I don't think I would ever say is, there's too much cheese on this pizza. I was close, the pie was loaded with cheese.
I had placed the order to go and when I arrived the place was packed. I only waited about five minutes and I was out the door.
I have not had Chicago style pizza for about twenty years and after I had began eating I remembered why. I like my crust to be thoroughly done.
Overall I would have to say that this place has good pizza. Next time I will try the thin crust. -
Review from M S.
Cleveland, OH
1/3/2012
Yummmmmm. I love Pizza Papalis! Worth the trip from Cleveland every time I'm in Toledo! Where else can you get delicious Chicago style deep dish pizza with a New York atmosphere? So, so good. Try the bacon cheeseburger deepdish, or even the V.I.P...you will be pleasantly surprised at how delicious it is!
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Review from Brendan W.
Toledo, OH
6/1/2009
Now, I am a biased reviewer because I am employed there, but I believe I can write a review that actually is worth its salt more so than someone else because I know the quality and effort that is put into the food there. The pizza, at first glance of the menu, is a little pricey. However, the ingredients are incredible. We definitely do not skimp on any single product. Everything is made in house, including the salad dressings and the multitude of sauces. The ground beef has a fat ratio of something like 90/10. That in and of itself says a lot about the quality of food. The sausage is ground, not the frozen cubes you find at the majority of other pizza joints. We also make our own deep dish cookies and deep dish cheesecakes. They are absolutely amazing.
When it comes to the dining experience, the process is ingenious. If there is a wait, you place your order, and then by the time you sit down at your table your food comes out right away or within 5 minutes. The table turnover is extremely high which is good for the business and for the customer. A small pizza can feed 2-3 people, a medium 4-5 and a large 6-7. Personally I am filled up with just 1 to 1 1/2 slices of deep dish pizza.
The actual restaurant itself is very family friendly and the decor is sports bar oriented with lots of class. We have two floors, each of which has a bar with garage door style windows that we open up on the nicer days. Also, we have live music Thursday thru Saturday. Come in Monday thru Wednesday and domestic drafts are $1, and Wednesdays kids eat free. -
Review from Benji J.
Seattle, WA
11/12/2010
Let's start with the pizza. Authentic Chicago-style deep dish was very good. Crust was perfect, mozzerella was moist and sweet, tomato sauce could have been a little more robust (a bit more oregano or rosemary perhaps).
Lots of TVs here to see a ball game. The Friday-Saturday live band, Gin Bunny, was better than expected rock cover band playing 70s eighties and 90s rock. -
Review from Tina M.
Auburn, IN
6/8/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Thin crust pizza is good...but wouldn't have had canadian bacon again because it was very salty.....but there is no skimping on the toppings. We dined on a Saturday night and live jazz music made for nice back drop even though the atmosphere is casual. Good service....will have to try thr deep dish pn another day...looks fabulous!
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Review from Griffin W.
Swartz Creek, MI
4/9/2011
I've been here twice, and today I had nothing. But, the time before, I enjoyed it. The 2 of my friends shared a deep dish pizza. Pizza Papalis is very good.
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Review from Tony W.
Clearwater, FL
4/6/2009
This was my first trip to a Pizza Papalis so I guess you could say I had high expectations. My mother suggested we go there for her birthday lunch and since my father had been there several times we figured the food would be good. The restaurant is located within the stadium block, literally about 50 feet away from the fences. The decor plays into the baseball theme with a big city sports bar feel to it.
When we walked in, we were greeted and asked how many. Then the hostess just started walking away without asking us to follow her or any gesture besides the two menus in her hand. The waitress came over shortly and recommended that since we weren't on a lunch break that we try the deep dish pizza, stating that it takes about 45 minutes to cook. Having made that style of pizza on my own, I know that it doesn't take nearly half that time to cook through. My mother had the minestrone soup, which she said was good, but was really more like an Italian vegetable than minestrone as it lacked the beans and pasta typical of minestrone. For our main course, I had the Gourmet Calzone, which seemed like the ingredients of a Greek pita put into a calzone. The dish had a nice, flaky crust but left an unappealing after taste in your mouth. My mother had the Create Your Own Calzone and she said that it was much better.
Pizza Papalis is reasonably priced for a downtown location but the waitstaff seems to need a little more experience with customers. -
Review from Paul K.
Wauseon, OH
6/20/2011
Good Deep Dish Pizza, for not having to drive to Chicago for it, it's great. But still I'm partial to Giordanno's Pizza from Chicago. But this the next best thing in my opinion. Love to come down town and get a pizza and a few drinks and enjoy a baseball game or hockey game.
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Review from Sandra B.
Grosse Pointe Woods, MI
3/25/2009
Finally! Good pizza in Toledo! Being a Detroit native, I have long been a fan of Pizza Papalis. Although it is not quite the same as real Chicago deep dish pizza, it is very good nonetheless. If you have had real Chicago pizza before trying this place, you should expect something a little different (not drastically different, but different). The pizza is really good, and not just their deep dish pizza - their thin crust is good too. Be careful not to eat too much because it will feel like lead in your stomach, but that pain will have come from a pleasurable endeavour of gluttony. For anyone who is looking for good pizza in Toledo, look no further.
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Review from Akhom K.
Toledo, OH
2/13/2009
Opening just about a week ago and what an impression it makes. Driving up to the Monroe from Summit, you can't miss the bright lights. The newest addition to the warehouse district, the diamond glaring in the middle of the night, Pizza Papalis. Perhaps one day Riverfront West willl meet the townhouses near 14th and Adams and a downtown toledo will finally be realized, but for the nostalgic, light-hearted fun and experience look no further.
A two-story establishment with accent lights illuminating the outside elevation, the restaurant cannot be missed. The bar is inviting, open windows lets you see right into the socializing, laughter and smiles of the patrons inside. Entertainment and food? Go up to the second floor for live entertainment starting at 10PM during the weekend. A sick friend wasn't strong enough to climb the two flights of stairs, so we opted for the first available seats downstairs and were seated right infront of the door. So everyone going out could feel sympathy on my soul and those coming in had to reconsider if they were still hungry.
Its great, they have their own line of unique cocktails, but luckily I chose a top shelf long island to help me forget about being putting in the display case. The menu isn't enormous, but its a pizza place. As nice as pizza sounds, my heart melted at the idea of a flat-bread buffalo chicken sandwich and a side of fries. It was a really good sandwich, on taste and the ability to cause a mess. The buffalo sauce dripped down the sanwich, onto my napkin and eventually down my forearm. The feeling of disgust, almost...The sandwich is delicious and the fries were nothing to complain about. All for ONLY $6.95? Really? Wow! The Top Shelf Long Island was made of half of what use to exist at En Japanese all the way at the other end of Monroe. When you need a strong and hard one, this is the closest you are going to get to mind numbing. The jaw numbing drink was bitter but made up for it in relaxation.
Now for the great taste that didn't meat the price, the root beer float probably cost about 30 cents to make and they were charging 300% as their markup. Good but not worth the cost. They also were out of Ginger Ale so the waitress volunteered to mix coke and sprite. We aren't that far away from a place in Michigan that not only drinks, but breathes the carbon in Vernors and a Sprite and Coke cocktail just will not suffice.
It almost took my buzz away that my twenty dollar bill was comprised mainly of my $8 Long Island. Service was not great though, training would of helped as the staff seemed to stumble and interaction with the customer was not acceptable. No method to seating, introduction by the waiter, rarely checked on, nervous bus boy and easily irritable waitress unhappy with people getting in her way. I'm sure that it will all get better with time and comfort. Good luck to the new place in the warehouse distract, I can't wait to introduce other friends to the place. -
Review from Kayla W.
Toledo, OH
11/10/2010
Best deep dish pizza I've ever had. Seriously. It takes a while to make though (usually 45 min), so I suggest calling and ordering ahead, so when you show up you don't have to wait as long, and the pizza will ready or at least close to it. The service is friendly and the beer comes in huge glasses, so order the smaller size if you aren't up for a lot. It is fun to sit upstairs on the deck and have a view of the city, but sometimes they have cover bands and if you aren't up for that, it is best to sit downstairs in one of the booths. The deep dish Papalis Gourmet has spinach, black olives, chicken breast, garlic and feta on it and is amazing. Highly recommended!
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Review from N R.
Toledo, OH
6/9/2010
It is what it is. atmosphere is a little too sports bar for me. if you want real authentic chicago style pizza, the place should be dimly lit... but hey. it's right next to the ballpark. What can i say. the pizza is good if you're looking for a guy buster slice. it's certainly as close as you can get to chicago style anywhere in the area... and while not run by a toledo family, it IS owned by a detroit resident so it's still somewhat local. they dumped a ton of money into the building, and it really ads to the downtown night life. we're lucky they came to Toledo. keep in mind, a pie can take over 45 minutes to come out of the kitchen, so don't go if you're in ANY sort of rush.
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Review from Darlene T.
Phoenix, AZ
6/3/2009
The deep dish pizza is good, but its sooo heavy and filling...but still delicious. The nachos are the bomb-digity!!! Service is ok, really depends on who you have :)
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Review from Rob D.
Toledo, OH
1/4/2010
Pizza Papalis is really solid deep dish for outside of Chicago. I visit the windy city often since my girlfriend lives there and every visit I am sure to swing by at least one of the giants of deep dish while I'm there (Giordanos, Ginos East and Lou Malnati's). While you can find NY style pizza in bars across the country it is quite difficult to find a place that makes deep dish. It's sort of a rare art form. Pizza fanatics must try deep dish in order to appreciate the genre as a whole. I remember watching my dad eat deep dish for the first time last year (he enjoys a good pie) it was like watching a kid eat pizza for the first time. Well enough about deep dish in general lets get to Pizza Papalis. Basically they do a good job. As I said this stuff doesn't hold a candle to the big boys of the windy city but I'll take it being on the windy lake. Prices are not bad and remember for those that have sticker shock at a small or medium $10-$15 a slice or two will fill you up for the day. Toppings are solid but nothing to outlandish. Also newcombers to this type of pizza make sure to order an app because this stuff takes at least half an hour to bake. I've had the garlic cheese bread which was pretty good. Also PP has some great deals during the week including $1 drafts Sun-Thru. (small mugs but still a good deal) Also there are some lunch deals for around $6 that include a personal pizza.It's location downtown is pretty cool as well. In an old warehouse that's literally apart of fifth third field. The biggest thing that holds back the pizza in my opinion is the sauce. It's really bland, just not a lot of flavor. But like I said for deep dish this is (to my knowledge) the only game in town.
The only reason this place doesn't get 5 stars in the service. I've had one bad and a few ok experiences. The ok experiences were just pretty typical (the bartender disappearing for 30 mins when I was looking for another drink, and a server also forgetting to bring silverware after they had been asked a few times). The bad experience was when I ordered a pizza for carryout and arrive and was told that it would be ready in 5 mins. After waiting 10 I asked if it was ready and I was told just another moment. After waiting another 10 mins I finally asked the manager about the situation and the pizza had been ready the entire time sitting on a shelf. The manager just sort of shrugged and didn't really apologize. So service is where they loose a star.
Also I've not had anything but the deep dish, so I can attest to any of the other food, but my friends have gotten the thin crust and the meatball sub (which was large enough for two meals) and they assured me both were pretty good.
There is also live music in the bar area on the weekends occassionaly which is a nice touch. The bar is not a bad option if you're downtown.
I'll be back since no other place in Toledo (to my knowledge) has deep dish and every once in a while after loads of Marcos and Cottage Inn you just need something different. -
Review from Adam H.
Toledo, OH
8/30/2009 1 Check-in Here
Was there a while ago and would love to go back. A small is enough for two people and leftovers for another meal. Keep in mind it takes at least 45 minutes to bake your deep dish pizza so plan your time accordingly.
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Review from Paul v.
Dayton, OH
1/29/2010
As many others have said, they have amazing deep dish pizza. Hands down the best I've had anywhere in Ohio. Good location if you're coming from a Walleye or Mudhens game. Definitely a place you need to stop in to if you're visiting Toledo. Your eyes will always be bigger than your stomach here. You'll want to eat more of the pizza, but it's just not physically possible.
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Review from Sean S.
Toledo, OH
5/21/2010
Deep dish pizza takes a long time to cook but worth the wait. The wings are some of the best in town. Wait staff in the bar was very rude though. One poured beer down my arm and just laughed about it and then had a disgusted look on her face everytine she walked away from our table but had plenty of time to hang out with her friends. Also, my wife ordered a mojito and the bartender took give minutes picking thru black mint trying to find some green stuff to put in with wretched results. Hopefully they will work on quality of ingredients and providing better service.
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Review from Sean M.
Toledo, OH
5/31/2010
Going here an not getting deep dish pizza should be illegal! It is THAT good. Also, when looking at the prices, keep in mind that a small can easily feed three or four people.
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Review from Brent S.
Maumee, OH
7/28/2009
The deep dish pizza is as good as it gets. The location and atmosphere is great!!! The deep dish takes about 45 mins to make but it's well worth the wait, besides who wants to just eat and leave. It adds a nice touch to Downtown toledo and I hope with the new arena more places will open up.
