Reviews & Ratings for Santarpio's Pizza

05/28/11

worst pizza in Boston

by Metz at Citysearch

Awful. The worst restorant experience I can remeber. The all-male abusive waiters will shove you around the place like cattle to fit new clients, all of whom, like me, must have read the fake reviews that SANTARPIO CORP must have posted on the Web; yes, SANTARPIOPIZZA dot com is a chain, not the cozy neighborhood piza place they try to portray on the adds. When you get there, you will eat burnt pizza and pay through your nose or else. If you don't tip the abusive waiters above the 15% rate they will confront you on your way out, implicitly threatening you, making you fell terribly unconfortable. Don't ever go there !!!

02/02/10

A Classic Old-Boston Pizza Joint

by hiddenboston , Citysearch Contributor at Citysearch

When a waiter mutters, "Whaddya want" and writes the order on a greasy piece of paper or a napkin(!), you can pretty much be assured that you won't be having a fine dining night. And perhaps that's what makes Santarpio's so special. It is so completely unpretentious in an old-Boston sort of way that it is at once memorable and, yes, even lovable, kind of like a crusty uncle who's always telling you to stop doing whatever it is you're doing.

Don't come to Santarpio's expecting a varied menu. To paraphrase the comedian Buddy Hackett, the menu consists of two choices: take it or leave it. About all you'll find on the menu here is pizza and skewers of lamb and sausage. But that is plenty, as the pizza has a delicious crust that is heavy on corn meal and a particularly zesty sauce going nicely with the greasy cheese, while the meat skewers are so tasty that some people forsake the pizza entirely to make the skewers their meal.

Some folks are turned off by the Elks Lodge atmosphere of Santarpio's and the sarcasm and rudeness of the waiters, but to me, this is all part of the charm of the place. Indeed, there are fewer and fewer of these old-school joints in the Boston area each year, which is an absolute shame. I know that people seem to either love or hate this place, but put me firmly in the "love" category for Santarpio's.

• Pros: excellent pizza, old-school atmosphere
• Cons: long lines, atmosphere that may turn some people off

11/14/09

Overrated

by araboi at Citysearch

The atmosphere was good, but the pizza sucks. Over-rated. The pizza came out so soggy that it just flopped over and fell apart. We also waited 1 hour just to get in, and 1 hour just to get our pizza. I'd rather have Papa Johns.

11/05/09

santarpio's is the balls

by gambino at Citysearch

i honestly don't even understand how anyone, can honestly write a bad review on the place. im a top flight italian chef and i can say that you can not beat this pizza. loved the old school atmosphere in this place. die hard boxing fan and loved all the boxing posters and memorbilla. cant be beat, cant wait to go back.

• Pros: their pizza is as good as it gets, love it
• Cons: nothing

05/02/09

Great Food

by EBo1216 at Citysearch

This is a great place to get no frills pizza. The waiters and bartenders for fun to talk to and have been there for years!

• Pros: Pizza
• Cons: nothing

03/18/09

HORRIBLE SERVICE

by Hellome at Citysearch

Okay..Honestly...the pizza was pretty good BUT the waiter was horrible. He was rude, unattentive, gave me the wrong beer, threw our silverware on the table, didn't say hello or thank you(or anything else but "OK"), interrupted while we were placing our order to talk on his cell phone(yes, he really did) and, to top it off, my back was to the waiter station where they kept the bus bucket so I was lucky enough to get splashed in the back of the head with some liquid(God knows maybe it was someone's discarded beer) without even so much as an apology.

I was very disappointed and I have NO idea what all the hype is about..Not worth the effort to get there!!!

Bottom line: DON'T GO THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

11/09/08

Terribly rude service; average pizza

by lucianoFromRome at Citysearch

I am from Italy, and I realize that American Pizza is different then traditional pizza - but I don't get the hype about this place. It's a completely average American style pizza. The remarkable thing about this place is the terrible service - i'm not asking for much, but a bit of politeness should be a given.... I asked the waitress what kind of cheese they use (the menu states simply "Italian cheese") - she did not know, and was VERY upset when my wife & I asked (politely) if she would let us know. The staff complained in front of everyone about the customers without even trying to hide their discontent.

I understand that these small local popular places have their own character & charm for being layed back & "no frills" - but rude service is unacceptable anywhere - from fast food dives to 5 star dining.

I do not recommend this place at all.

• Cons: service

09/27/08

Best American style pizza

by Fooooooooooooood at Citysearch

This is the best American style pizza I have ever had. Everything is fresh, delicious and affordable. Lamb kabobs make a great appetizer. It is a little annoying that they only accept cash, but it's worth the effort to stop at an ATM. It's really close to the Airport subway station which is nice.

• Pros: Great Pizza!
• Cons: cash only

09/24/08

Never miss when I'm in Boston

by jessielynn99 at Citysearch

I am not from Boston, (LA native) but I have friends who live there and whenever I visit I have to go to Santarpios. The last time I visited was in February and there was a line outside waiting for tables. I braved the freezing rain for 40 minutes, it was completely worth it. I love love love the pizza and the sausages from the grill. The service is classic diner or deli style with a personality I can only describe as Boston. Do not miss Santarpios when you get to Boston!

• Pros: Fabulous Pizza and Sausage
• Cons: Not enough tables so you have to wait

08/01/08

After 100 years, this convivial Italian pizzeria still charms newcomers and longtime neighborhood regulars with the basics.

by Eric Grossman at Citysearch

The Scene
Locals, some of them of Italian lineage, flock to this local institution to soak up the atmosphere. Some posters and photographs hanging on the windowless wooden walls date back to the restaurant's days as an all-male establishment, serving slices for five cents apiece. Local characters sip at a long bar, while diners take a seat in wooden booths. Smoke from the grill intermingles with amiable chatter, Frank Sinatra tunes and the aroma of authentic, homemade Italian marinara. Friendly waiters snag any opportunity for a good wisecrack.

The Food
Pizza comes in one size: Large (12 inches). A small amount of cheese and lots of wonderfully sweet, fresh-tasting marinara cover a crust of medium thickness. The list of toppings sticks strictly to the basics. Charred lamb chunks and large, juicy pork sausages are surprising additions to the otherwise exclusive pizza menu, but customers love them as sides or appetizers.