Escape From New York Pizza

07/30/08

Best Pizza outside of NYC!!!!

by pdxguy76 at Citysearch

I had the opportunity to live in NYC last summer and I remember this pizza joint on the corner of West 45th & 9th Avenue. The guys weren't very friendly either, but hey, its NYC...I found that people are rude who are from NYC, its not they try to be, its the way they are and people gotta realize that the staff at Escape from NY is giving the same service as you'd receive on the east coast...Don't be offended, thats the way it is, you tell them what you want and move on. I don't think the staff is terribly rude but the place is pretty busy so excuse them if they don't have time to chit chat. If you want a great staff and so so pizza, go to Chuck E Cheese, but if you want the best pizza in Portland, go to Escape to NY....Here is the standard procedure..

Walk in and say...Slice of Pepperoni (cheese or whatever they have) or whole (insert kind of pizza here). They already know your ordering a pizza so no need to say, Hi, I would like a pizza please...Chances are, they'll look at you and think, SERIOUSLY? No kiddin idiot.

Go for the experience and seriously, if you can't stand it, then take it to go....There ya go..

07/28/08

tasty pizza, rude help

by unname at Citysearch

pizza slices were good and we were excited about taking home a large combo, but the rude-as-hell woman working the counter has a terrible attitude and prompted us to grab our pizza across the street at pizzicato. good pizza, but won't return because of this experience.

• Pros: good pizza
• Cons: terrible customer service

07/19/08

See it to believe it.

by loungealot at Citysearch

I found this video of Escape from New York Pizza, but City Search won't let me put the link below.

Just Google:

escape from new york pizza video

and it's the first one.

Cheers

L

Give it a try.

03/15/08

Our favorite Portland pizza - very similar to New York pizza as I remember it.

by kenwylie at Citysearch

This is our favorite pizza place in Portland. They are consistently good and their pizza is very New-York-ish with thin chewy crust, red sauce, and garlicy cheese. The atmosphere is laid-back, not romantic by any means, but definitely unique. The staff are not particularly friendly, but they have never been rude and they are helpful.

• Pros: By the slice, fast service, good selection of drinks.
• Cons: Not romantic.

03/08/08

Best Portland Pie...

by zach621 at Citysearch

There are Portland restaurants that are simply iconic and this is one of them. Nestled amongst the boutiques and hipsters of NW 23rd is this grungy amazing New York pizza parlor. I have heard people complain it's dirty, the staff is rude and there is no place to sit. If not sure what people expect from a pizza place called Escape from New York. Part of what makes this place so good and endearing is the fact that it was literally ripped from a NY burrough by the pizza gods and in their infinite wisdom placed down in the heart of upscale Portland to keep us in line, to keep us grounded and spread the gospel of amazing thin pizza by the slice.

• Pros: Most Amazing Pizza ever...and cheap.
• Cons: Parking Parking Parking Parking Parking. You should probably take the bus.

02/19/08

Best New York Pizza From a Former New Yorker

by michellebeth at Citysearch

This pizza could come straight from New York City itself. Excellent hand-tossed crust. Fold it just like you get the slices in New York. I've been craving something similar, but this passed all expectations. The cheese pizza was near perfect (will ask for extra cheese next time) and I will definitely be back!

• Pros: price, taste, quality
• Cons: parking, crowded, limited seating

02/17/08

A perfect pie. Every time.

by ElJeffe at Citysearch

A lot gets said about Escape; best pizza outside of New York, rude staff, nothing to get excited about, wondrous miracle of cuisine... What is it really? In my opinion it's an amazingly tasty slice of pizza in a quirky, unique and totally genuine atmosphere that is always memorable and never disappointing. Is it really the best slice outside of New York? Who knows. More importantly, who cares? It's delicious and that's all that really matters. Is the staff rude? Compared to what? The false smile wearing waiters who couldn't care less about your business at the nearby nation/regional chain? Maybe. Maybe not. I say not: that they're just everyday people like you, me and everyone else and they don't see a need to fall all over themselves to take your order and then forget you until tip time comes. They ask what slice you want, what drink to fill, slide your food over and take your cash. That's it. It's called "Counter Service" and whether Portlanders are used to it or not it's just the way it is. I've also read complaints about their lack of specialty pizzas. Well, if you want those then go to Pizza Hut or Round Table. Escape has opted to make basic, simple pizzas and make them better than nearly everyone else. There is something to be said for perfection in simplicity over mediocrity in complexity. The bottom line? In Portland we are blessed with many unique eateries which can be found nowhere else, and Escape From New York Pizza resides at the top of that list. Whether it's the best New York slice outside of the Big Apple or not doesn't matter. It's good and it's ours. What else can you ask for?

• Pros: Delicious pizza. Interesting, quirky atmosphere. Memorable date spot.
• Cons: Can't think of any.

11/13/07

Great pizza, no frills

by sabrinafair at Citysearch

I used to live down the street from this place and love it. The pizza is always great, and the staff is a no-frills, no-sugar-coated group who's always friendly but not fake, which is hard to find in Portland restaurants. The best things about this place are that it's unpretentious, quick, tasty, and cheap as hell. Not to mention that when I took my fiance here (who's from Italy), he said this was his favorite pizza in the USA..... can't beat that.

• Pros: Pizza, staff, price, location
• Cons: Parking, no cards accepted

10/23/07

It's just pizza...

by gretchy at Citysearch

It's pizza. It's not great. It's not terrible. Better than rocko's, worse than Schmizza. The staff is a bunch of jerks and their inability to take cards is annoying. They have good beers. Try it if you want, but there are 4 or 5 better places within walking distance. I think people are taking this whole authentic NY pizza stuff way way too seriously. Never trust someone who says you can't get a good slice outside of _____. It's ridiculous and they're obviously biased. For the most part, pizza is pizza. The pizza they serve here is just some pizza. Nothin special.

• Pros: Cheap, Good beers.
• Cons: Cash/Check only, Awful staff, mediocre pizza.

10/15/07

rude rude rude. bad service, didn't even get to order

by mtuckra at Citysearch

So, I called to order 2 pizzas for myself and some friends for pickup. The guy was extrememly rude off the bat. I asked him if they had any specialty pizzas; greek, veggie, meatlover style, whatever. He said "what do you want?" "Um, do you have any specialties" I asked again. "I heard that you guys make awesome pizza." His response was, "Look we offer the basic toppings. Call back when you know what you want." We had been on the phone for less than 30 seconds. Well I wanted a sausage, peperroni, and mushroom, along with a Cheese pizza, but I guess I shouldn't have been so rude to ask what they offered. I drove to Zupans and picked up 3 delicious frozen pizzas which I spiced up with some fresh veggies. The cashier was nice, the pizza was great, and I probably spent less anyhow. Skip this joint!

• Pros: none
• Cons: rude, unpleasant, unhappy people