Best pizza in Cincy area...where?! (Cincinnati, Dayton: moving, electric, commute)

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by Supplicationjam

I had Marion's Thursday night and I can't see why Dayton residents rave about it. It's right across the street from Westshore Pizza and very near Aponte's and Dewey's. The quality doesn't come close to the others I mentioned. I love Dewey's, especially the Edgar Allen Poe, Green Lantern and Ryan's Inferno, but when it comes to traditional ingredients, Aponte's is it. I've not tasted a better handmade sauce and the thinly sliced Italian sausage can't be beat...

I've already heard some other vibes asking what all the fuss is about, nothing special, etc. We are going to try it out next Tuesday evening. If it is just run of the mill Aponte's and Dewey's will clean their clock. Even Domino's new pan pizza is coming up the scale for the price. I think the pizza wars are on here in Mason.

I can understand having to go to a counter to order. But the fact when ready they don't even deliver it to your table is to me below second rate. Marion's is one huge building and hopefully not soon a white elephant to plague Mason.

[GearHeadDave]

I am sure it has been mentioned but I like

Brooklyn Pizza and Pasta
9797 Montgomery Rd
Cincinnati, OH 45242

New York Style - they use quality ingredients and you can taste the difference.
Not a New Yorker but I hear it is authentic.

[GearHeadDave]

Originally Posted by Sarah Perry

I'd say Italianette's crust is medium. They use good quality ingredients, and I enjoy all their toppings, but they're the only pizzeria I know of where the bacon topping is half or whole slices, not crumbles. Delicious.

With a couple exceptions, hubby and I have basically quit patronizing the casual, sit-down category of chain restaurants like Carraba's, O'charleys, etc. Not for any kind of ideological reasons, the quality and value just isn't there anymore.

Off topic but those chain restaurants are really going downhill, here is so much competition now they have to reduce quality to the bare minimum. No doubt some will fail it's the free market in action, at least in this industry it still works.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by GearHeadDave

Off topic but those chain restaurants are really going downhill, here is so much competition now they have to reduce quality to the bare minimum. No doubt some will fail it's the free market in action, at least in this industry it still works.

I totally disagree with you. The chains are definitely feeling the competition from the independents and regional chains. The Domino's near us has defrinitely upgraded their product, So has Pizza Hut. The only one I feel has fallen backward is Papa John's. I get quite frustrated when there is over an inch of exposed crust around the edges with nothing on it, no sauce, no toppings, no nothing. But overall I feel the chains are improving due to competition.

[siggy_monster]

Originally Posted by GearHeadDave

Off topic but those chain restaurants are really going downhill, here is so much competition now they have to reduce quality to the bare minimum. No doubt some will fail it's the free market in action, at least in this industry it still works.

this is gospel. Chains suck and are only getting worse. deweys and adriaticos have good pizza tho

[kjbrill]

Since I have mentioned it several times in this thread felt compelled to report on our initial visit to Marion's in Mason. Myself, the better half, my brother and SIL made our initial visit this evening. The first thing which stood out is as impressive as the building is on the outside, the inside looks like a large cheap cafeteria.

The brother and SIL decided on a large double cheese pizza plus an auxiliary double order of anchovies on 1/2 of the pizza. He likes anchovies she does not. The wife decided on a spaghetti, meatballs and mushroom dinner which included garlic bread and a salad, so I just went with a small deluxe pizza. Since you have to go up to a counter to put your order in and pay for it, the SIL and I did that. They give you a cash register receipt with an order number on it, when they call out the number you have to go to the counter to get your food and bring it to the table.

First thing I noticed when we got back to the table was the SIL had been charged for 2 pizzas. I said this is not what you ordered, you ordered 1 pizza with a double side order of anchovies put on one half of it, go back up to the counter and get it corrrected. Next thing I know the SIL is up at the counter and eventually they brought at least an assistant manager out. She is explaining to him what she ordered versus what she had been billed for and to correct it, refuinding the excess charge. Eventually he at least corrected the charge and refunded her money. The cashier stood there like she had no idea what was going on.

Shortly my number is called and I go up to the counter to pick it uip. First thing I noticed was I had ordered a spaghetti dinner which comes with garlic bread and a salad. I see the garlic bread, but where is the salad? They ask what dressing, I reply ranch, and they go and scrape up a salad. Then I noticed, I ordered and paid for a spaghetti, meatball, and mushroom dinner. Where are the meatballs? Back they go with that plate and toss 3 small meatballs on it.

By the time we got back to the table the pizza was cold and dry. My pizza order was the only one they did not screw up and it tasted about as good as the cardboard it was served on. My wife said the spaghetti and meatballs were not even equivalent to something out of a can. At least from the grocery we would have served them hot.

By this time the place is filling up with long lines from the doors. That is when we recognize how much like a Chuck E Cheese's it is, noise and all. We looked at each other when we left and exclaimed that is our one and only visit to this disaster.

For the prices paid, Dominos or Pizza Hut either one would have beat the Hell out of this.

[Supplicationjam]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

By this time the place is filling up with long lines from the doors. That is when we recognize how much like a Chuck E Cheese's it is, noise and all. We looked at each other when we left and exclaimed that is our one and only visit to this disaster.

For the prices paid, Dominos or Pizza Hut either one would have beat the Hell out of this.

I tried to downplay our disappointment with the place but when it comes down to it, it's really bad. Sorry you got the service end of bad too. If you don't mind frozen and canned quality ingredients, Campioni's gives you better tasting pizza at that level and a better experience. There are too many pizza places near there, making great pizza from fresh ingredients, that I don't see this place busy after everyone gives it an initial shot.

[flashes1]

KJBrill: are there a lot of games for the kids to play at Marion's? Do they play music? It sounds like it's a place geared to parents with young kids. If so, I'm not surprised since it's in Mason. If you don't cater to kids, a business won't last long in Mason.

[flashes1]

We went to Mello Mushroom in West Chester over the weekend. We are huge fans of the one in Hilton Head so we've been anxious to see the one near us. Upon entering, my first impression was that it's a lot smaller than the one in Hilton Head.......and there were a lot less cool big Mushrooms and stuff on the walls. But there were a lot of TV's so the Dads can watch sports, but I was generally unimpressed until the pizza came.....Wow...was it good. It had this pretty thick crust that had a whole-wheat look and feel that I've never seen before. We got the equivalent of their Meat Lovers pizza. It was one of the best pies I've ever had.....and I'm sitting here at 8:30 in the morning, salivating at the thought of it.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by flashes1

KJBrill: are there a lot of games for the kids to play at Marion's? Do they play music? It sounds like it's a place geared to parents with young kids. If so, I'm not surprised since it's in Mason. If you don't cater to kids, a business won't last long in Mason.

I don't recall seeing any games nor music. As I commented, it is like one big open area cafeteria, with some low half dividers separating the walking areas, but an overall feeling of being completely open and the noise to go with it.

Our greatest disappointment was with the food. They grind the toppings so fine you can barely tell what anything is. If they actually use any sauce it is a mystery to me, since the three pizzas we had were so dry the cardboard they were served on would have tasted about the same. As I commented earlier, my brother and SIL decided on what I believe was identified as a super cheese pizza with my brother wanting some anchovies ordered and put on 1/2 of the pizza.

When the cashier rang it up I thought whoa that is way too much money. My SIL being the milktoast she is just went ahead and paid it. When we got back to the table I asked to see her sales receipt. I exclaimed Bev they charged you for 2 pizzas when you only asked for 1, go back up there complain and get your money back. I will give her credit, after the cashier was obviously a brick she asked for a manager. After some time explaining what she had actually ordered versus what she had been billed for, he credited her the dfference. But apparently once an order is entered they have zero ability to track it.

A short time later they call her number, and present her with the two pizzas she had originally been billed. Some time later they come and deliver the pizza she originally ordered, must have some sort of back order system. The result should have been great except we all felt the pizza left a lot to be desired. No, let me restate that, the cardboard it was served on was just as edible.

I have watched this building go up for months, quite impressive. In fact I felt this place is going to wreck havoc with the other pizza places in town. I had never visited one of their Dayton area establishments and thought hey we are getting a new player in town.

Now that I have experienced the product, my condolences to Dayton, if this is the best you have got, my sympathies.

Expecting something much better and woefully disappointed with the result. I recognize you have only been open a week. But any discerning management, this being their 9th store, would make sure its startup goes smoothly, bring in experienced personnel from other stores to insure that.

Maybe Dayton style pizza is skimpy sauce. But no sauce, dry as a piece of cardboard, I don't think so.

I will get off of my soapbox now, but my concerns for the future of the other many pizza places in the Mason area totally dissipated after I experienced this product. My concern is now whether Marion's will be able to pay the heating bill for that large building this winter based on their ongoing patronage.