Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana

I can’t say enough about this place. It’s trendy but gives off elegance. You can tell they put a lot of thought in designing with all the detail. It’s small but spacious at the same time. From a date night out to a large gathering. Superb customer service and absolutely no waiting time. Food is divine best pizza ever. I just can’t say enough about this place. It’s definitely worth the price and to me the price is right for this pizza and service.

The pizza is great tasting but WAY to expensive. I would rank them a 5 if the price was right.

Incredible pizza, staff and atmosphere! Try the white pies and the buffalo mozzarella. Best part– their certified Italian ovens (gorgeous things) cook the pizza in 90 seconds!

This place makes a great flavorful pie and cooks at I think 900 degrees for maybe three minutes. It’s true to form from my understanding of a true Napoletana pizza. The crust is flimsy but I’m a sucker for the wood fired flavor, and you can taste the freshness of the ingredients used. My only drawbacks for this establishment is the atmosphere is a little sterile and blah, but I was by myself and there to eat not necessarily for the ambiance. It would also be nice if they had beer or wine, but I believe you can BYOB/​W. All in all, I am a fan and will keep going back. Good Job Pizans!!!

When a moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie… that’s dumb, it doesn’t even make sense. But when Pizaro’s Pizza hits you in the face well that’s amore! The good kind at that! I’ll eat just about any type of pizza but there is a special place in my stomach for Napoletana pizza. I remember spending a summer and Naples and well pizza just has not been the same for me since then. There are only a few places in Houston that get it close enough but not as close as Pizaro’s. I decided to make my way finally to this place only to discover what I have been missing. The owner greeted us as soon as we entered and was very friendly. He went through the menu and made some suggestions. He even let us sample some of the cheeses which were very fresh and delicious. We ended up ordering a ceasar salad and a margherita pizza, which is one of my favorites. The salad was very tasty and not drenched in Ceasar which some places tend to overload. Now the true star of this review, the pizza! If I could find the words to even say how I feel, all I know is that one bite took me back to those summer days spent in Italy. The tomato sauce itself combined with the mozzarella and basil just really brought everything together. The crust was perfect I just kept wanting to chew on it! It is truly a great pizza. I would recommend ordering one for yourself, don’t share!

Some things in life are more enjoyable naked. Pizza? Not one of those things. I want my pizza to be generously loaded with toppings– not so heavy that a thin crust can’t support it, but enough to have goodies in every single bite.
The pizza here is my recurring nightmare of being back in middle school, walking around the hallways naked while all the kids point and laugh. Nude. Bare. Exposed.
«We only use the finest ingredients.» While I could taste the premium quality in the crust, I couldn’t help but wonder where the rest of the finest ingredients were. Spicy salami and pepperoni sure sound enticing, but they were so few and far in between that I couldn’t even really taste them. We paid extra to add crimini mushrooms and red onions to our Calabrese pizza, so I was expecting a little more of a return. They honestly looked more like they accidentally got on our pie while making another glorious, fully loaded pie.
Sometimes, I do opt for a simple slice of cheese pizza. Maybe authentic Italian pizza is supposed to be light on toppings. But could they have at least given more than a few scattered pools of mozzarella? Most of this pie was naked. Have you ever seen the word naked so many times, and not felt turned on? This is just unnatural.
The one saving grace is the customer service. All our interactions with the staff were pleasant, and the pizza was ready within minutes during a Sunday night dinner rush.
For a $ 22 pizza, it wasn’t very filling at all. My boyfriend can REALLY eat p… izza. He could’ve easily finished this entire 12″ on his own and still been hungry.

I had high expectations for this place as it’s been on my bucket list of Houston restaurants to try out and I loove brick oven pizza but… was kinda disappointed on my visit here. Parking is ample and located behind the storefront off of Montrose Blvd. There are plenty of tables, good for groups and families and has a very casual feel to it. Once you walk in there are menus readily available and you order and pay at the register and grab a number so your meal can be delivered to your table. The staff is super welcoming and the food comes out hot and quick!
My husband and I opted to each get the lunch special which included an 8″ pizza with one topping and a side salad. I got a caesar salad with a garlic margherita pizza. I chose this because I wanted to taste the margherita pizza on it’s own without having meat to mar the taste because I believe that anything with meat makes things taste 75% better (what can I say, I’m a carnivore). Unfortunately, I was pretty underwhelmed with my garlic margherita pizza. The pie itself was ok, simple and crisp with fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce– but really was nothing special to brag about. My real disappointment was the pizza crust– it was thick and chewy– not thin and crispy as I expected a Neapolitan pizza crust to be. Meh.
My husband got his pizza with a sausage topping and that was really delicious! If I ever come back I would definitely get a pizza with more meat and specialized toppings. Again, the crust on his pizza was thick and chewy… definitely one of the few times I’ve had leftover food on my plate.
Another positive/​negative: this place is BYOB, NO alcohol is served here. If I wanted to randomly pop into this place and have wine with my meal, I’d have to first go to the liquor store to purchase my booze. BYOB is cheap and convenient for lots of people but to me… it’s just another headache to remember to take with me to a restaurant… sometimes I just want ONE glass of wine with my meal and what’s the point of opening a whole bottle for that?!
All in all, I’d most likely come back to try their Specialty fancy pizzas but only if I could share with a group of friends in case I’m disappointed by those as well.

We wanted to try a new pizza place for date night. $ 8 for a plate of romaine lettuce and some dressing with REALLY hard croutons isn’t super worth it. And the pizza was pretty $$$ for what we got. Don’t think we’ll be going back, will try out other places first.
*Edited this down to 1 star after a private response I received. Sorry my personal opinion wasn’t favorable to this establishment.

Pizaro’s pizza is definitely one of the best I’ve had. My boyfriend has been a huge fan of their pizza for few years, and he had ordered it once (from the Memorial location) for dinner, but I ate it an hour after it had arrived, so it was lukewarm. My opinion at that time was that my boyfriend was crazy for loving a pizza joint that had mediocre pizza. However, I have recently changed my opinion.
We came here recently on a Sunday evening, and it was nice and quiet with few other customers dining there. We ordered the garlic flat bread and a pizza with sausage (unfortunately, I do not remember the name). Our plan was to eat half of both orders and get the rest to go, but that did not happen because we finished everything. The garlic flatbread arrived quickly, and it was so warm and delicious. The pizza arrived shortly after, and it was equally delicious. W didn’t even stop to talk while the food was on our table. It was that good.
My advice is to dine in and enjoy the pizza immediately after it’s ready. That’s when you can really enjoy the deliciousness of Pizaro’s pizza.

Great pizza place. The ambiance was great because it was welcoming to all. Stop by after a formal event or show up in your pjs and you wouldn’t feel out of place on either occasion. Probably the fastest service I’ve experienced in a while. The pizza was at my table within 5 minutes of ordering. I tried the Fume pizza and was not disappointed. It’s a BYOB location with a corkage fee: $ 3 per wine bottle or 6 pack, or $ 0.50 per beer bottle. Leave your cork screw and glasses as home since they will open your wine bottle for you and provide the drink ware. Overall a great place to have a relaxed quiet meal or catch up with friends and family. Highly recommended

I came here for lunch on a Friday and was happily surprised.
Highlights:
— Pizza was good and reasonably priced. Great lunch specials.
— Quality of food was good.
— BYOB! Houston is definitely lacking in the BYOB department and Pizaros stepped up in the Montrose area… finally!
— Clean. The whole restaurant is not that big but it was very clean for how busy the place was
— Friendly staff

Sorry, Piola & Dolce Vita are magnitudes better, magnitudes. Also the polpetta should’ve sung with bright San Marizanno tomato flavor. It did not, at all.
There’s a reason it’s empty on a Saturday night.
They make such a big deal about being authentic Naples pizza, maybe they need to do a spot check, because this was very underwhelming and a weak echo of Piola’s crisp yet chewy super thin crust. Spongy crust makes true pizza lovers sad and Napolitanos furious. Unless it improves drastically it’ll be miscarried nine months from now.

I’ve been waiting for this location to open and now that it is here I can’t imagine not having it in my life as frequently as I have it now. Yes, I used to drive to the West Houston location to grab a pizza to bring home. It smelled so good that the pizza never makes it home… pull the car over and eat it on the side of the road type thing!
Here’s the deal: customize your pizza however you like but I highly recommend getting a side of truffle oil to dip the crust into or drizzle onto the pizza. It is a whole new other dimension of goodness. Also, still love the perfectly crafted caprese salad with the bufala upgrade! Still BYOB so bring your favorite wine for a nominal fee.
Glad to have Pizaro’s in the inner-​loop! Yummy pizza and the friendliest owner!

Was deciding between good old trusty Pink’s or trying out Pizaro’s this past weekend and Pizaro’s won out. Parking wasn’t too bad on a Sunday evening and we ordered the potato and mushroom pizza after the owner’s recommendation. We also ordered the special of the day which was a white pizza w marinated/​herb tomatoes. Both were excellent. Crust was chewy on the edges but thin in the middle and flavor was all there. Can’t wait to try all the other pizzas!

Tried this location for Pizaro when it first opened a few months back and decided to give them a second chance.
First time around we made the mistake of getting the pizza to go. We ordered a margherita pizza with sausage and garlic. On the 5 – 10 minute ride home, the pizza had gotten a bit soggy in the box. Still tasted good but could have been crispier.
This time, we ate the pizza at Pizaro and it made a big difference. We ordered the same pizza (margherita with sausage and garlic) and it was out in just over 90 seconds. It was much crispier and not soggy.
We’ll be back and will dine in again.

Really nice people. Feels like a local eatery.
If you like thin crust pizza New York style, you will really like this one
Got the Calabrese and were very pleased.
Ingredients all tasted very very fresh.
Took some getting used to the fact you get menu then go to counter to order then they bring it to table when ready.
For those of you who have seen me post how good Super Chicken is, this is kind of the same concept place for pizza. Seems to be great friendly people who work here and use high quality ingredients!
Acoustic make it a kind of loud place being it is all hard surfaces.
A little pricy but prob on par with area and what they prob have to pay for location.

The same week Pizaro’s opened, news came of the new Grimaldi’s opening in City Center, and that was all over Eater and Culture Map. Which got me thinking, why do so many Houstonian’s want to go to chain New York and Chicago pizza joints, that can’t possibly be as good as the original’s in their respected cities. Both the original Grimaldi’s and Gino’s East are great, but the locations here are shells of the original’s. When there are true local places, which are amazing to begin with, like the first Pizaro’s, and now their wonderful new location? I don’t get it? Embrace what Houston has to offer, not what is imported from other cities.
I have always enjoyed the original. I just don’t get outside the loop vary often, so this location is perfect for me. My usual here is always the Margherita, but on first visit I decided to go with the Salsiccia e Funghi, which is great. Fresh mushrooms and good, slightly spicy sausage. Though next visit I still had to fall back to my Margherita. Oh man, the simplicity on this is amazing. So clean and fresh. Is this some kind of Occam’s Razor for foodies? When the simplest is the best? I think so. Maybe my favorite pizza in Houston.
Über fresh mozzarella, tangy tomato sauce, and that perfect crust. Slightly charred and perfectly chewy, and gets a little soggy towards the middle. Though anybody that complains about soggy crust here, just does not understand that really fresh mozzarella when heated this much and this quickly releases a lot of liquid. So stop with that complaint already. Neapolitan is not street food, it is not meant to be eaten by the slice, or meant to be put in a box to go. It is perfect for the sit down lunch, which is also quick and filling without making you feel weighed down the rest of the day.
Order at the counter, take a seat, and the pizza comes out in less than five minutes. The owner has been in both of my visits greeting and talking to people at tables. Just a great local spot.

I say Pizaro like Bizarro Dr. Quinn kept screeching ‘BIZARROOOOO’ through the classic Sealab2021 episode «Bizarro» because everyone can use a little more [adultswim] in their life if they didn’t catch it the first time around in the early aughts; or they just seek a fond memory of lost, simpler days.
This is Pizaro’s second location. They are originally from way out in the burbs OTL where there is less competition than where the nouveau riche, regular people interested in food, and the hipsters congregate at the edges of Montrose, Fourth Ward, and Midtown. Within a few minutes’ drive they are competing against Luna, Dolce Vita, Piola, Tiny Boxwood, Luigi’s, Gotham, Star, Pink’s, Pepperoni’s, and Pizzeria Solario just to name a few. Sure they all do slightly diff things, but at a certain point it’s still just pizza on pizza crime.
You walk in and it is a simple, stripped down space. They did not go overboard on pieces of flair. The real estate they are sitting on is very expensive near the gay bars of traditional Montrose so that begins to explain some of the higher prices. You order at the register so it’s not a hostess/​white tablecloth/​waiter place.
This place instantly lost a star because their real life rules do not match up with their online rules. Their online menu says lunch special until 2pm. Without equivocation. I rearranged my Friday schedule to get here just before 2pm to snag the special. But guess what, it ends at 1pm. It don’t say that online sweetheart. If you want nonsensical dick rules, at least be up front about it on your website girlfriend.
So instead of $ 8.95 for a nice 8″ cheese pizza with pleasing crimini mushrooms and a side caesar salad, I had to get a 12″ regular pizza, or leave. Margherita is my go-​to at Piola and everywhere else besides Dolce Vita that doesn’t have an eggplant option, so I went with the margherita for $ 14.07 with tax. The plain cheese pizza is the same price, but you can add toppings with upcharges. The priciest normal pizza off the menu is $ 18 unless you throw down your serious Eurobucks for the Iberico ham (a $ 10 topping that lets everyone know you have too much money and need to be parted with some of it since you don’t understand pizza is a cheap and casual pleb food for when you are happy [read: happy you blazed that dank ass weed.])
The margherita is good — but it is not great. In fact it is unremarkable. For $ 14 on pizza I expect to have a little stronger reaction like I do to cheaper pizzas at Luna, Piola, Gotham, and especially at Dolce Vita where that melanzane tasted so good first bite I needed someone to pinch my nipples and spit on me more than usual. At best this is something I would expect from Amy’s (a good frozen pizza brand) for less than half of the price at the Whole Foods frozen section, at worst I would be disappointed that this was $ 14 just a few blocks away from Dolce Vita’s melanzane and even Piola’s far superior margherita since I would have preferred those options if I knew the lunch special was not in play.
The perfectly done Napoletana has that wet spot in the center that prevents you from manhandling the pizza and folding it into more of a calzoneish street food — with the wet spot being wet, you need a fork and knife at Dolce Vita to maintain structural integrity. Here I could fold this bad boy and go for a stroll around the block with it. This doesn’t bother me. I pace angrily and brood working through a particularly difficult project with upcoming deadline.
The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN) was founded in 1984 in Naples, Italy to certify pizzerias that use the proper ancient artisan traditions of authentic Neapolitan pizza. They have several requirements to get this cert. Pizaro is working to get their cert. I would be curious if after the cert is attained, if somehow that elevates the remarkableness of the food just like a magic swish of a fairy’s wand, or if it means nothing to the rest of us.
While I was overall disappointed given «the buzz» online, Pizaro’s saving grace is how quick this pizza is ready to go — 2 minutes! And not the gentlesir’s familiar sort of 2 minutes which is followed by 90 minutes of crying and apologizing afterward.
Addendum: After deliberation I ended up reducing them a star further. I received a private message on Unilocal from a blank profile purporting to speak for Pizaro’s. Another elite confirmed this individual likely had authority to speak for Pizaro’s even though her last name isn’t an H (Hutchinson family owns Pizaro.) This is a flagrant Unilocal faux pas, as it was from a private Unilocal account NOT THE BIZ ACCOUNT THEY ARE SUPPPOSED TO USE IF THEY WANT TO COMMENT. And they continue to /​not apologize/​for their menu fuck up, but instead imply I have trouble reading or understanding English. Again, nowhere online did that menu say «only Memorial» for 2pm — and now you are losing internet points for how you handle customer service. You have 1 last Unilocal star to gamble with here.

When I heard that BYOB Pizaros was opening on Montrose in walking distance of my house, I was VERY excited! We finally got to try it last Saturday, a group of six of us got together and enjoyed the pizza we had heard oh so much about.
The most important part, the pizza, was delicious. I had heard prior to our visit about the quality of their ingredients and toppings, and the owner made sure to remind us while we were waiting in line. As everyone else mentioned on here, the owner is a very nice guy and very passionate about his product. It’s nice to see a business where then owner is so directly involved.
Between the six us, we tried the caeser salad, caprese salad, truffle flat bread, margherita (with prosciutto added), the Salsiccia e Funghi, the Calabrese, and the Nutella dessert pizza. Everything was delicious, fast, and the quality I had expected after everything I had heard. The flatbread was actually my favorite part. Definitely recommend trying the dessert pizza if you’re a Nutella fan. It’s a simple pizza but the freshness of it coming literally out of the oven and straight to your table within seconds makes it really special. Same goes with the freshness of the pizza.
Is it my #1 favorite pizza place in Houston? No. Depending on what I’m looking for (whether it’s flavor, ambiance, value, etc.) I have other places in Houston (namely Piola) that I would choose before Pizaros. To be fair, this is also because getting a super fresh, authentic Napoletana style pizza is not the top on my pizza priority list. Especially now that I’ve had it. It’s great, but I prefer a pizza that is more flavorful, a bit thicker, and heavier toppings. That’s just me!
If getting the freshest most authentic Napoletana pizza is your top priority, this is most definitely the place for you. This probably is the best spot in Houston for those criteria.
Cons:
— $ 7 corking fee per bottle of wine
— $ 2 corking fee per beer
— Everything is served on paper plates. This seems kind of tacky considering the cost… but whatever
— The amount of food you get for the cost (or, the amount you pay for the amount of food you get, however you want to look at it) doesn’t seem very fair. Even with such fresh ingredients, I don’t feel the 12″ pizzas we got were worthy of their $ 17 price tag.
— The pizza is very thin (as it’s supposed to be) and one piece can be easily folded over and eaten in two bites. This isn’t a deal breaker, but just something to consider — if you’re looking for a bang for your buck type of pizza place — keep looking, this isn’t the place for you. (Collina’s, on the other hand, may be! Cheap, delicious, and no corking fee!)
If you’re going to BYOB, make sure to bring a bottle of wine worth a $ 7 corking fee (had I known, I would have grabbed the $ 30 Pinot from our wine rack instead of the $ 12 Pinot). They advertise this BYOB a lot but do not advertise the corking fee. Being a BYOB nut (especially when planning a big group Saturday night dinner) this was definitely a big olé let down.
Be prepared to either eat a little or spend a lot. The amount of pizza you get for the price makes this place more expensive than both Dolce Vita and Piola. They claim to be a «no nonsense» pizza joint. While the concept may be no nonsense (order at the counter, paper plates, pizza cooks in 90 seconds, etc) the pricing certainly is not. Value is not their strong suit. The only reason I would see for eating here over other top pizza spots in the area is because you absolutely have to have an authentic Napoletana pizza.

*H-Town’s best Neapolitan-​style pizza now available inside the Loop *
My pizza-​loving family and I have been eating at Pizaro’s original Memorial location for the past 4 years. It’s our go-​to spot for lunch, after hiking in Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary. My hub says Pizaro’s Neapolitan pizzas are the most authentic he’s had anywhere outside of Italy, where he’s spent time in Sicily; the Aeolian Islands, Tuscany, and Milan & the Piedmont. And these are strong words, b/​c there were plenty of Italian expats turning out truly excellent pizzas in London, where we lived before we moved here.
I wouldn’t know. I’ve never even been to Italy. But man, do I love Pizaro’s pizzas. So I’m thrilled that Pizaro’s has finally opened a location inside the Loop.
Like the original restaurant, Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana 2 offers a basic selection of Neapolitan pizzas, purportedly made from high-​quality ingredients. They also make a mean Caesar salad. This is made only w fresh romaine lettuce, a tangy, homemade sauce bursting w anchovies, croutons, & freshly-​grated Parmesan.
And as at their original location, Pizaro’s 2 is BYOB, so the wine you drink w your meal can be as good as you want it to be, at whatever price you can afford.
What’s changed is the setting. Whereas Pizaro’s original location is a modest, unassuming, family-​friendly, some might contend lackluster space, Pizaro’s 2 is comparatively trendy, w wooden tables, metal chairs, exposed duct work, & industrial fittings. The minimalistic décor suits the restaurant’s bare bones menu down to the ground. And it isn’t so impersonal that it’s out of keeping w Pizaro’s identity as a family-​owned, family-​run restaurant. The only downside is the lack of a patio, here. Our family prefers dining alfresco.
Regardless, our Margherita pizza was simply outstanding. It may even have been better than that at the Memorial location. Even our über-​picky 4 year old son loved it.
This is especially critical, as the Hutchinsons are facing stiff competition, here in the big city, notably from Dolce Vita Pizzeria & Enoteca, which like Pizaro’s serves up Zagat rated Neapolitan-​style pizza. Both are perennial favorites of Alison Cook. Though neither is presently VPN-​certified (
). Co-​owner Gloria Hutchinson says her husband, Bill is working on this.
The reason to choose Dolce Vita over Pizaro’s is the sheer number of menu options. One need not get just pizza there. Unlike Pizaro’s, Dolce Vita offers a range of warm vegetable dishes; salads; fish; meats; cheeses; pastas, as well as cakes; gelati; & sorbets for dessert. Pizaro’s fare is simpler, options more limited, and it’s ambiance – «eco-​friendly» paper plates & all, decidedly casual. Pizaro’s is a pizzeria; Dolce Vita, a semi-​upscale restaurant.
But there’s no doubt that I prefer Pizaro’s pizza. So does my hub. The reason is the crust: it’s lighter, w a chewier center & a crustier exterior. The sauce can’t be beat, either. Its flavors are bright, zesty, & super fresh. Toppings at Pizaro’s & Dolce Vita scream quality & freshness, in ~ equal measure. And whereas Dolce Vita offers bufala mozzarella on its Margherita pizzas that is richer & creamier than Pizaro’s plain olé house-​made mozzarella, this comes at a price. Dolce Vita’s Margherita pizza is even costlier than its Vongole one, and it’s a whopping $ 3 more than Pizaro’s Margherita pizza – yikes. Frankly, for the price, I prefer Pizaro’s fresher-​tasting mozzarella, anyway. For those who don’t mind paying extra for bufala mozzarella, this is available, here, for an added $ 4, making Pizaro’s Margherita pizza $ 1 more than Dolce Vita’s.
In all, if you’re looking for the better meal, choose Dolce Vita. If you’re looking for the tastiest, most authentic Neapolitan-​style pizza, inside the Loop, try Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana 2. And sadly, for now, if you’re looking for VPN-​certified pizza, you’ll have to travel to the Dallas-​Fort Worth area.
So I guess you really can’t have your pie, & eat it too. At least not in Houston. Not yet. But once the Hutchinsons’ restaurants are re-​certified, Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana 2 will be a practically-​perfect casual, family-​owned & run Neapolitan-​style pizzeria.
UPDATE (5÷1÷15): Went back to Pizaro’s, & while there, I spoke w owner Bill Hutchinson about his corkage fees, which I feel were too high for a pizzeria. Bill explained that the rent for his Montrose restaurant is 5x times higher than that for his Memorial one. He also apologized, thanked me for my feedback, and promised he’d consider it.
By the time we’d finished our lunch, Bill had decided to reduce his corkage fees, & had posted them in his front window, beneath his BYOB sign.
These are:
$ 3 per bottle of wine
$ 3 per 6 pack of beer
$ 0.50 per beer
If this is what it takes to keep Pizaro’s afloat, I’m personally okay w it. And the fact that Bill considered my feedback makes me feel even better about continuing to give him my business.