District of Pi

4/3/2018

• 1 check-in

I can't believe it's taken me so long to finally check out District of Pi. I was born and raised in the Midwest and Chicago style deep dish pizza is la creme de la creme (the best of the best).
I have tried pizza from highly rated restaurants all over NOVA and DC but nothing compares to the flavors of home...until District of Pi.
My husband and I dined here with a friend who is also from the Midwest. We all loved it and the verdict is that their deep dish is better than some of the places in Chicago.
Moving on to our experience, we arrived on Saturday at 3 and we were quoted a 30 minute wait. We luckily only waited 7 minutes.
Other yelpers recommend the garlic bread so we started with that. It doesn't look like much, and the bread isn't fancy. However, the roasted garlic is divine and the soft butter makes this appetizer one you will remember.
The pizza came out incredibly quickly. The deep dish was glorious, every bite of the cornmeal crust was savored. We ordered a custom pi and topped ours with Italian sausage and pepperoni...perfection.
I'm overjoyed that I've found my favorite pizza restaurant in DC.

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  The perfect slice

  The perfect slice
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  Custom deep dish, Italian Sausage and pepperoni

  Custom deep dish, Italian Sausage and pepperoni
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  Garlic bread, a must!

  Garlic bread, a must!
• See all photos from Emily M. for District of Pi

4/1/2018

This pizza place is really good for a casual snack, a lunch, or a sturdy dinner. When I stopped in, my mother and I got a few appetizers to much on and really enjoyed the selection. There were these small green pockets of vegetables, crusted and baked that were amazing, I don't remember what their name was, though. We also shared the vegetable platter. It was good, but nothing too extraordinary.

The prices are a little high for casual fare, but it seems par for the course in this area of D.C.

3/31/2018

It's a good thing that the food was great and our waitress was wonderful, because the hostesses were VERY rude.

We were told there was a 25 minute wait and were sent a text with a link to Yelp that showed our place on the wait list.  So we went to the bar and then started to notice that even though there were still 4 people ahead of us on the list there were many empty tables. I went up to ask and was cut off mid sentence with "I called your name!" I tried to say we didn't hear and we're watching the app. She interrupted again to instruct someone to take me to a table upstairs.

Despite the excellent food and wait service, I'll never come here again. Why is there a wait at all when there's 15 empty tables? Why employ hostesses as your front line for customers who feel entitled to treat customers rudely.

I tipped the waitress very well - I hope she doesn't give any of it to the hostesses.

4/4/2018

• 1 check-in

Well this joint was jumping for sure, Imagine us going on PI day (3-14 for those who don't know). The servers, greeters, bartenders, and chefs were working at full speed and the people and orders just kept coming. We were happy to get a table and patiently waited for each step of the service routine. Well I don't know if it could have been done better, and for some their patience may have been short. I guess I give them the benefit of the the doubt and would surely like to try again on a not so auspicious day. We were all good friends so the long chat suited us just fine. The food was reasonably nice, and the appetizers really helped extended our ability to wait.

3/22/2018

• 1 check-in

District of Pi/Pi Pizzeria was in the zone during my visit.  So this is how it went...

I am not the biggest fan of Chicago Deep Dish, I love Chicago House but I don't love nor hate deep dish pizza.  As a result, I have nothing to say about Chicago vs. New York.  Not getting into that.

The space is a lot bigger than I imagined.  From the outside it didn't look as big nor as nice as I would see once I got inside.  It was spacious and everything was in the right place.  Let me see that menu right quick....

I ended up settling on the Smashed Scallion pie.  It is a white pizza which I can say isn't my favorite style and since I didn't specify, it came thin crusted.  The reason that this was the pizza for me was the Hot Honey that read in the ingredient list.  I was debating just choosing my own toppings and all that and then having Hot Honey as the flourish on top.  Because I was a part of a party of about 12, I did not want my pizza mucked up so I kept it simple with Smashed Scallion.

For the size, I went small because I didn't want to go smack around all those 12 people by eating a large all by my lonesome and I made the right decision.  A hungry person could finish off a Small or you could order that and take a slice or two home.  Their Smalls aren't that small.  With me, honey I ate the whole thing and loved it.   Nothing much to say other than that.  

Next time I will probably choose my own toppings and have that Hot Honey involved of course.  I will even try the deep dish.  District of Pi/Pi Pizzeria made the best first impression possible on me.

p.d.  I ate there and still don't know the name of the place.  910 F Street NW is the address. I don't know if it is like the MCI Center/Verizon Center/Capital One Arena or dine in and take out got different names.  I really don't care.  5 Stars from behind the arc.

3/17/2018

• 1 check-in

The pizza is cool, it's Chicago Style. They also offer thin crust pizza but it has a cornmeal dusting in the dough, reminiscent of Chicago style dough but not as heavy in the cornmeal category.

I've been here twice. The first time I came I had a Chicago style deep dish, which was pretty good. The second time I visited I tried the thin crust pizza....meh. Chicago style is definitely their thing.

Aside from their specialty pies, PI has a build your own pizza option. I like the vast quantity of toppings available with the build your own pizza option, but buyer beware- toppings are $2/pop, so don't go crazy. If you're a veggie lover like me, $2 adds up quick!

I can't remember my waiters' name, but I sat at the high rise tables in the bar area on my last visit, and my waiter was simply amazing. I loved him. Despite forgetting one of the toppings on my pizza, his charisma and charm was through the roof! I'd go back just to see him. He was such a pleasure. The thing crust pizza, not so much.

3/5/2018

After a spontaneous tourist day in DC, my boyfriend really wanted pizza before our 3 hour drive home to Philly. And if you haven't heard...we have pretty good pizza in Philly. After a quick Yelp search, trusty fellow readers led us to Pi.

Even though it's a huge restaurant, there was a 10 minute wait on Sunday afternoon around 3. We were a little nervous that the pizzas were going to take a while because there were a few empty tables around us. We ordered the chips and dip to hold us over just in case. They definitely surprise you when they come out. It's a sealed paper bag of artisan potato chips and a small cup of onion dip.

By the time we looked at the menu, we quickly knew we wanted the Green Greek salad and Maplewood pizza. The salad came out so quickly, they brought it out with the dip. I decided on this one instead of the Caesar because of the banana peppers. Loved those and the artichoke in this salad! I do wish the green goddess dressing was more flavorful with the herbs.

The pizza arrived not too long afterwards we were done our salad. The thin crust is just that but there is a thick layer of cheese. We loved the crumbled spicy sausage. It was very flavorful without being overly too spicy.

We were pleasantly surprised by our experience. It was interesting to see deep dish pizza on their menu too. We thought about trying it, but I'm going to Chicago for the first time in a couple months and didn't want to ruin my experience.

3/30/2018

Good gluten-free pizza options here and it's right by Ford's Theater! They do carry-out as well (check the website to see if they deliver in your area, no delivery in DC). Highly recommend the deep dish (not GF) if you're really hungry/hangry! Solid selection of beers on tap!

2/23/2018

• 2 check-ins

District of Pi is a pizza oasis. I am a pizza person.  I love love love pizza.  My favorite type of pizza is Chicago Style, Deep Dish Pizza.   Prior to today, Giordano's in Chicago was the only restaurant I trusted to make my favorite pizza.  I have tried many, many restaurants who claim to make Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza.  I have been disappointed over and over again.  All of that ended today.   I waltzed into District of Pi for lunch today.  

I am so pleasantly surprised by District of Pi.  The restaurant looks like a pizzeria complete with Red and White checkered napkins and wooden tables, but with a touch of class displayed with the presence of chandeliers.  

Now to the food.  I ordered District of Pi's signature Cornmeal Deep Dish Pepperoni Pizza.   When my waitress Sherry brought the pizza to my table, my eyes lit up in joy and disbelief.   My first thought was, "Could it Be?"  This pizza looks like an authentic Chicago Style Deep Dish pizza.  

The crust is solid & crispy.  I bit into the pizza. The crust was crispy and crunchy.  The marriage of cheese, pepperoni, and sauce made me dance in my seat.   The sauce is flavorful.  I can see and taste the Italian seasonings in the sauce through every bite. There are chunks of tomatoes in every bite of pizza.   I enjoyed this pizza so much.  

I am so happy to discover District of Pi.  I can now have Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza in Washington D.C.   I look forward to my next visit

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• See all photos from Keiristin H. for District of Pi

3/27/2018

I went earlier today with my friend around 3 in the afternoon, long after the lunch time rush. My friend and I order water, drinks and a deep dish pizza. We received our water, about 30 minutes later we still hadn't received drinks nor food. Neither one of us had seen our waitress. I was able to flag down the manager, I believe his name was Dre. We told him the issue, he brought out our food and drinks. We ordered dessert and he offered to comp it. The food wasn't piping hot and fresh out of the oven like it should have been.

I observed the room and noticed we were the ONLY Black people in the dining area. I saw our waitress, she saw me, looked shocked and turned around to walk to the register. The next time I saw her, she was helping the White family at the next to us. She was kind to them, put their leftover pizza in a box and told them to have a great day. All my friend and I got from her was water. I didn't get the name of the waitress, she was Black and she looked to be in her early 20's but her customer service skills were horrible. The waitress was prejudice plain and simple. The one saving grace was the manager, Dre, but his waitress needs better training if she gets overwhelmed when two Black women are seated in her section.

12/1/2017

• 1 check-in

So I put feelers out there amongst locals to see where I could get real Chicago-style pizza.  The responses ranged from dumb (go to Chicago) to downright hilarious (Pizzeria Uno).  Fortunately, most people pointed me to District of Pi.  I went to their DC location as I was headed to a hockey game later that evening.

First off, the staff could not have been any nicer. From maître d' to bartenders (we sat at the bar) everyone was fabulous even though the place was packed to the gills.

We were directed to the "South Side Classico" as the optimal Chicago-style pizza by our bartender/waitress.  Went minus-mushrooms as I'm not a fun guy (ba dum dum).  FWIW, the wait for the pizza was totally acceptable.

Now...the pizza.  Yup, this is pretty dang close to true Chicago-style pizza. The primary thing that drives a Chicago pizza to be a Chicago pizza is THE CRUST and this place has-it-nailed!!!  Cornmeal crust is the requirement and amazing cornmeal crust is what they deliver.  It's golden-brown, crunchy, and perfect.

The toppings were all fresh and well seasoned.  The tomatoes did not seem to be from a can or jar but actually prepared in-house (I say "seem" as I can't verify that but can attest to the fact that they were very tasty).

If you can't make it out to Chicago to scratch your pizza itch, then District of Pi is the place for you. I'm most definitely going back.

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  Can you say "deep dish?" Deeeeeeep dish! (sorry about the poo-poo focus)

  Can you say "deep dish?" Deeeeeeep dish! (sorry about the poo-poo focus)
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  Cornmeal crust? You betcha!

  Cornmeal crust? You betcha!

3/23/2018

This was the worst experience we've had at a pizza parlour. The hostess aka the Table Nazi was rude, mean and just a horrible person!!!

The service actually gets worse.

The waiter didn't want to be there, in fact he spent more time in the bathroom then serving our table. When we got the bill we paid cash to speed up the departure as we couldn't wait for our waiter's bowels.

The food was okay, service sucked as the employees just didn't want to be there.

Shame.

2/9/2018

• 1 check-in

I have been here several times for different meals. The pizza is tasty and drinks are cold; service can be slow and inattentive and not all of the menu items are great. The chips and dip are often soggy and soft and the garlic bread is definitely unexpected. You are served a roasted head of garlic, bread, and butter spread. I have never expected to "create" my own garlic bread at a pizza place, and honestly it was annoying, messy, and difficult.

The (deep dish) pizza itself is tasty. The cornmeal crust is crispy and rich, and the toppings are plentiful. However this is still nowhere near authentic deep dish - it's a pretty shallow, albeit tasty, pizza. Maybe I had too high hopes, but the garlic bread alone is enough to turn me off. There is plentiful tasty food nearby and I would recommend trying elsewhere if possible!

3/31/2018

What's wonderful is that you can smell the luring aroma of delicious pizza the closer you approach this restaurant. The smell is so good that you can hardly wait to be seated, and the elevated pizza stands that you see on everyone's table makes it all the more harder to be patient for your turn to eat! The red and white gingham table settings add a retro flare, and is reminiscent of Pizza Hut, when it was an intimate, family restaurant. But it doesn't take long for guests to feel the tightly-compact space this restaurant is barely occupying. Navigating this restaurant requires the flexibility of puddy. Be prepared to say or hear "excuse me" dozens of times before leaving. This is also a very loud and noisy restaurant that seems to attract large families with children.

As you're waiting to be seated, another noticeable (and strange, at least to me) characteristic about this restaurant is the stark difference between the guests and the servers. Except for the bar staff, watching the odd social dynamic was like going back to the 1950s, seeing a restaurant so incredibly segregated. It was very uncomfortable to watch people who look like me running around waiting on people hand and foot, especially since I'm used to eating at places like Bus Boys and Poets with a much more diverse and balanced representation of both guests and waiters.

As far as the pizza is concerned, Pi Pizza is on trend with other pizzerias of the day, allowing guests to "build their own" customized pizzas. The niche of this pizzeria is its signature cornmeal crust, which I thought was too grainy for my taste. However, I was impressed with the crust being made of whole wheat. Offering this healthier alternative is awesome and rare! And considering the crowds of people that were coming in the restaurant on that day, the pizza I ordered was prepared at lightening speed.

Overall, I didn't like the social ambiance, a major turn off (and depressing to watch). Although the pizza was OK, I didn't enjoy the pizza enough to endure an hour-wait, by the way, episode of Gone with the Wind.

3/26/2018

We ordered delivery from District of Pi. I was pretty impressed! I'm from Chicago and was pretty excited to try the deep dish. I got a cheese pizza with extra sauce. It was not bad at all - it could have used some more cheese, which I will try next time.

We also got a thin crust pepperoni pizza. Super good! Not too greasy and I really liked the pepperoni.

On the side we got a Cesar salad and the spicy pickles - both were great!

We will definitely be ordering again!

11/6/2017

• 1 check-in

This is solid good pizza. The drinks are not bad either.

I had the seasonal special Korea Town, which was a korean inspired pizza with bul go gi beef, julienned vegetables, and after cook kim Chi. I went with the suggested crust which was whole wheat and I think it gave a nice depth to the flavor. It was a really delicious pizza and the small was filling for a party of 2.

The beer selection is pretty good too.

Would come back.

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  The one slice of the korean pizza seasonal special that I managed a photo of. Was really tasty!

  The one slice of the korean pizza seasonal special that I managed a photo of. Was really tasty!

3/28/2018

• 1 check-in

On a whim we decided to go after a long day walking around the National Mall and seeing museum's. I can honestly say that we were not disappointed with any of the dishes or the service. The meatballs and Pi Bites appetizers hit the spot while we waited for our table. But once we got our deep dish pizza and the kids got their thin crust we were blown away by the quality of the food. The deep dish has it's cheese on top of the crust and the toppings are on top of that which makes the flavors just explode when you eat it. It is now one of my favorite pizza places in the USA! We wish we had one at home just like it! Thanks for the great experience and the awesome food!

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  Dinner after a great day wandering around the museum's.

  Dinner after a great day wandering around the museum's.

4/4/2018

Went here during our DC trip and it was good and reaaally packed. The host service wasn't very good, I think maybe they're check in system wasn't working?? They were writing everything down and skipping over people and everyone was complaining. We ended up grabbing a seat at the bar and my boyfriend ate standing up. Bar service was good, pizza was good.

3/10/2018

• 1 check-in

Great beer, drink, and pizza selection. We tried the maplewood thin crust with added bacon and pepperoni... it was great. I would recommend at least one large for two people. We ate the majority of it.  The BLT salad was a great appetizer to share. The small salad is meal size for one person. I'll def be back. Cards and cash accepted. Due to the location parking sucks so I suggest preparing yourself to look for nearby parking, metro or Uber.

3/28/2018

I LOVE pizza, and this place did not disappoint. There was a 5 minute wait time and the staff was very friendly. Unfortunately, they ran out of Garlic Rolls but the waitress suggested onion dip & chips as the appetizer and it was surprisingly good. They have different pizza options, but we chose original thin crust (comparable to regular style pizza). They allow you to chose different pizza. I would definitely recommend this place for anyone looking for a good pizza spot.

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  Grove 2.0 & East Loop

  Grove 2.0 & East Loop
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  Onion Dip & Chips

  Onion Dip & Chips