Pitfire Pizza Company

My co-workers and I would go to Pitfire at least once a week. It's quick...you order at the counter and then seat yourself. My favorite lunch dishes are:

-Tuna Panini
-BBQ Chicken Salad...no longer on the menu =(

They also have a stamp card (I believe you buy 10 items and then get 1 free) & also have a KCRW discount.

Pros: Quick for lunch, KCRW discount, happy hour

Cons: Sometimes very crowded at lunch & recently changed menu

Posted 05/03/09

I'm all about Italian and Japanese food. I'd be perfectly fine with going to Pitfire Pizza one day and sushi restaurant the next. The pasta and pizza are unbelievable. Check it out!

Posted 03/24/09

Went to this restaurant for lunch, with a colleague. I had the turkey meatballs with their special tomato sauce and my colleague had a sausage pizza. We both loved our dishes. It has a very cool decor and they offer daily freshly made Sangria. Huge selection of beers and wines. The staff shared with me there is a happy hour during Monday - Friday. Our firm may check it out after our busy season.

Pros: Excellent Spaghetti & Turkey Meatballs

Cons: Not enough booths

Posted 03/23/09

I'll start off by saying the food here is very unpredictable and usually bad. Living upstairs I've had many of the same dishes and pizzas over and over. Sometimes the pizza is OK, sometimes burned and nasty with little ingredients. One time the Dixie Chicken was too saucy, another time there was no sauce. The steak panini comes raw on occasion and has the texture lions must get when they eat zebras. And the worst thing is you order from a register after waiting in line all to find out there is no seats available if its busy, just like at a fast food joint. With what this place charges you should at least be seated and have a wait staff with menus at the table. Instead you stand in line and wait on others to figure out what they want to eat from the paper to-go menus. Then they give you a bacteria coated number to put on your table, only for someone to bring you the wrong food. Im not even gonna get into how poor the delivery is...Oh yea and if you aren't walking distance, remember to bring $10 dollars for the only parking available. The patio is Nasty and not maintained and is also the site of the incident that makes me hope they take this low quality business out of my building forever.

I was on the patio with a friend having a pitcher of overpriced beer when I witnessed an old homeless man assault a couple eating at the table next to us. He threw an object at the man, then whipped the man's girlfriend in the face with the bamboo like shoots he ripped out of the planters bordering the patio. This bum was obviously out of his mind but very aggressive and not provoked at all. The man attempted to stop the bum by grabbing his hand, and the bum immediately fell to the ground as if he was seriously hurt. It was an obvious scam but the bum layed there screaming that he was hurt and people then started paying attention inside and out. The so called owner came out after being told there was an incident and started screaming at the man as if he assaulted the bum and was in the wrong. This argument went on for a few minutes. I couldn't believe this owner who didnt even see the incident was yelling and accusing this poor couple who were actually the victims, so I spoke up and said excuse me I saw the whole thing, and the owner says "shut your mouth I didn't ask for your input", I said "who do you think you are talking to me like this Im just trying to tell you what happened actually witnessed it", then he gets in my face as if he was gonna fight me and says he's the owner and then told all of us to leave and don't come back. We were all so outraged that we eagerly waited for the cops to show up to make a report. Of course they were just as worthless at getting anything done..I've never seen such an unjust thing happen in my life, and Im ashamed it happened in my building.

Pros: Happy Hour prices...

Cons: Non happy hour prices..service...food...

Posted 03/22/09

Great food, although the ingredients on the menu look yummier than what is actually on the plate. Overall the pizza is ok, and service is only slightly better. I've had the food delivered four times and each time there was a problem. They've forgotten an item, or the pizza is cold. For the most part, ordering over the phone with a credit card is a nightmare. It's so noisy in there and they can't hear your order or credit card. I've had to repeat myself many times. If you're gonna have lunch, go there rather than ordering... the food is better and you won't have to yell on the phone (that includes ordering online, as the system is not fool-proof).

Pros: Fresh ingredients

Cons: They just can't get the service right

Posted 02/05/09

A friend of mine and I decided to tread the infamous Art Walk in DTLA and stumbled upon this place. It was conviently located on our tour of the galleries. Let me just say it was amazing!
After reviewing the menu selection (all gourmet inspired food) We decided on on sharing a garlic steak panini and a Mediterranean salad. The ingredients were fresh, the food wasn't expensive and the atmosphere was great! Try their sangria.
Hint: Although parking can be a nightmare in Downtown, I found out that parking is free on the street meters after 5 p.m. on either Spring or Los Angeles. Just a couple blocks from Pitfire.
Check it out!

Pros: The Steak Panini, Sangria, Ambience, Service

Cons: Finding Parking

Posted 01/17/09

Same thing happened to me re: weird hours. Showed up at peak dinner hour and was turned away - even as I stood motionless meeting their cold hard gaze. I said, "Huh?" because their hours were clearly posted as closing at 10. I asked what time they closed since the business hours, as advertised, did not comport with the dismissive look they were giving me to just scram. No pizza for me. Looks like I will never know if this place is good or not, and I certainly won't bother again since parking is a total clusterphuck they don't care to fix. Totally rude. That's no way to run a business especially in this competitive pizza market.

Posted 11/29/08

We showed up at Pitfire on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. after driving from Silver Lake and searching for a parking spot (which isn't easy to find on a Saturday night downtown) and were rudely told, "We're closed" as soon as we walked in the door. The hours on the door indicated they were open until 10:00 p.m. and when I inquired, the guy at the register, in an even harsher tone said, "We aren't busy enough," despite the fact that the seating area was half full. I guess they considered it half empty. With this type of practice and rudeness it is no wonder that they "aren't busy enough" on a Saturday night. I guess they have never heard of sending some workers home in slow times. Instead they close down completely and act like it is your fault when you show up. This may be the only option for pizza downtown but I will never go back especially when Silver Lake offers great pizza at "Tomato Pie" or "Hard Times."

Pros: None

Cons: You never know if they will be open when you get there

Posted 11/29/08

I've been a big fan of Pitfire from the get-go. I've been enjoying their pizza since discovering the North Hollywood location over 8 years ago. This is my go to place for pizza in LA and I truly feel that these guys rival some of the best places in the country. Great crust and inventive toppings. I'm a pizza freak and have made pilgimages to most of them. I frequent the downtown location and must admit that for a while there they seemed to be having some service issues. I too have had a few botched deliveries and was ready to throw the towel in on the downtown location. Well, I was recently downtown for a show at the Geffen and dropped in with a large group. The manager couldn't have been more accommodating, the food was excellent and everybody was happy. This company has it's act together and whatever problems they may have been having with the downtown location seem to have been addressed. I recently ordered online and that worked perfectly too. Someone's paying attention and it shows.

Posted 09/14/08

I live downtown and have been coming here on occasion since it opened. Last night was indeed the last night for me. There were tables that needed cleaning that sat uncleaned for most of the time I was there. The help seemed apathetic and half-asleep.

They have remained out of their premium draft beer for over a week. In the past they have run out of glassware and have served beer in plastic cups. They continually fail to go "heavy" on a topping, even when I offer to pay extra.

To add insult to injury, their pizza is expensive. It is decent pizza, and I have never had bad food there per se, but it isn't anything to rave about either. It seems like the place is tired already. Unkempt and perhaps poorly managed. Good luck, cuz I ain't going back...

Pros: it's in the neighborhood

Cons: it's not getting any better

Posted 03/25/08

Today was my first visit to Pitfire Pizza Company in downtown LA. After reading all the great reviews I was very excited and hungry for pizza! Parking was a bit of a dilemma as the nearby construction took most of the street parking and the parking lots were atrociously expensive (e.g., $7 - 9 to park). I was heavily opposed to paying $9 to park to eat a $9 pizza, so I circled around until I found a parking spot. Unfortunately this meant we arrived at the restaurant right at noon and the line was practically out of the door. But to be fair, the line moved relatively quickly and the wait gave us a chance to decide on what we wanted: the mushroom pizza (assorted mushrooms, balsamic roasted onions, 4 cheeses, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme)(yummy and fresh, great crust); the house salad (field greens, romaine, asiago cheese and croutons with balsamic vinaigrette) (nice vinaigrette lightly drizzled over salad, great nutty asiago cheese); the anti-pasta salad (arugula, red onion, salame, asiago cheese, tomatoes, etc.)(again, very fresh, nicely balanced flavors). I also had a wonderful viognier ($6 a glass) that went very well with the pizza and salads. Service was friendly and efficient. Overall, a great experience - I would definitely come back for lunch, and even dinner.

Summary: Pitfire Pizza Company was a great place to grab affordable, fresh, yummy food. They specialize in pizzas, pastas, paninis and salads, with fresh, interesting ingredients. They also have a special seasonal menu that focuses on farmers' market ingredients. You can check out their menu on their website. There are 3 locations (Downtown LA, N. Hollywood and Westwood).

Pros: Fresh, delicious, creative food; Efficient Service,

Cons: Parking

Posted 01/11/08

wonderful freshly made pizza dough, very flavorful crust & toppings. nice selections of wine available too. tough to get much service instore once you place order.

Pros: freshly made dough, crust, pizza, wine

Cons: service, parking

Posted 11/11/07

I'm fed up with this place. I never written a negative review, but tonight they've just ruined our dinner... I tried calling in an order to go... If it's after 9 p.m., they'll just leave you on hold because they don't want to deal with your order. But don't listen to the hold music which suggests placing your order online... They'll charge your credit card, ask for gratuity up front and then just forget about your order and/or completly screw it up (even though it's spelled out). If you try to call and ask about it, you'll just get left on hold again.

Also, beware of their surprise ingredients. Many times, what you order might have an ingredient added in that's not on the menu. (ie: the garlic folded chicken has heaps of onions, but onions aren't listed on the menu!) This is really annoying, especially once there's something you don't like or are alergic to deeply melted into the cheese of your pizza or tossed into your salad.

However, I must say that the pizza is freakin delicous and their salads are amazing. They've got the right idea, but they need to work on their customer service.

Pros: Good pizza. Excellent salads. Downtown.

Cons: Surprise ingredients. Poor delivery service. Slightly high prices. No parking.

Posted 10/11/07

this is the best pizza i have ever had. a must try place

Posted 07/22/07

I am so excited that I dsicovered this place. I live downtown and I love goling here or ordering their amazing food for delivery to to go. It's fresh, healthy and convenient for us downtown dwellers.

Pros: Location, Food, Variety

Cons: Parking

Posted 07/17/07

This place is great! Not only do they have great pizza, but the salads and starters and amazing also.
The pizza crust is light and sweet and the toppings are fresh and full of flavor. The atmosphere is very stylish, yet casual with plenty of seating. All of this paired with a friendly, helpful staff make this a real treat. Enjoy!!

Pros: Fresh & healthy ingredients, choices = a total thumbs up!

Cons: You might not ever be going back to what you thought was your favorite pizza & salad place!

Posted 07/01/07

Ambience is very relaxed and service is excellent. I ordered the Tuscan Pie Pizza - a unique blend of potatoes, onions, and blue cheese - so amazing. And, the cashier told me that they get most of their ingredients and products from the famers' market. Don't leave without trying their chocoloate chip cookies to conclude your meal with. You'll be so happy.

Pros: Ambience, price, and food

Posted 06/25/07

I was surpised to find such a fresh and happening place downtown during the lunch hour. Beautifully and thoughtfully designed restaurant, yet very casual and prompt service. Outside area too.
The food arrived fast. The pizza was so delicious, the crust was truly the yummiest I have ever had. - I didn't want to stop! Fantastic fresh organic vegetable toppings-- artichoke was great.
.

Pros: Atmosphere, Service,

Posted 06/25/07

These gourmet pizzas would be great for vegetarians but there aren't a lot of options for meat lovers. I tried the Pitfire sausage pizza that used freshly made sweet sausage. The sausage was quite good but there wasn't enough of it... there were only a few chunks of it spread across my pie. Also, Pitfire doesn't use tomato sauce, instead they have chunks of tomato on top of the cheese. This would be fine if not for the sourness of the tomatoes.

I did enjoy the airy crunchy crust of the pizza. Service was also amazingly quick, it took less than 10 minutes to get my pizza. Also try the watermelon lemonade that's made fresh daily.

Pros: Quick Service, Plenty of Seating

Cons: No Parking

Posted 03/29/07

Well, this is by far the best pizza in LA. Trust an Italian. I mean, you are not in Napoli but it is the best that LA offers. My girlfriend and I (both Italian) go there often and we really like the dough. And, most important thing, the tomato sauce doesn't sound American ;-)))...
Try it and let me know. If you find something better in LA keep me posted (I've tried basically all of them, I think)
Ciao!

Pros: Very good pizza, not a formal place, cheap, value for money, parking

Cons: nothing

Posted 03/27/07

I like this place a lot. It's such a cute place to hang out or touch base with friends and having pizzas that are not so heavy on your stomach. I had shrimp pizza and it was good.

Posted 03/19/07

WOW! What a treat to find this place. AMAZING food - woodfire oven pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and a ROCKING wine and beer selection. I was forced into Jury Duty for 3 months downtown and the places to walk for lunch in that area of downtown absolutely sucked. I ventured over to 2nd and Main and found this gem. Fast service, excellent selection of food and a great glass of wine to give me courage for the afternoon of very exhausting lectures on the law. My fellow Jury members and I quickly became regulars and I go there now for lunch or dinner if I'm in the area. They even do deliveries on those cool 2 wheeled standing scooters. FUN! Great to see downtown coming around.

Posted 07/05/06

I live a few blocks away and they deliver, but after visiting a couple of times I haven't had the urge to order or go back. Its not that the food was all that bad, it just wasn't all that spectacular either. Service was mediocre at best both times and it seems to be a hang for students with laptops since they have wifi. The location isn't bad, the only parking is on the street as far as I could tell, and the interior is modern and comfortable.

Its still relatively new and they are applying for a liquor license so they will probably have beer and wine in the future. I wouldn't rule it out and will return in the future to give them another shot, they are just low on my list of standards downtown.

Pros: clean, comfortable

Cons: parking, service

Posted 06/30/06

This place is a true gem. I was so happy to find a place that combines real cool atmosphere with some of the best food I have had anywhere. Their pizza is so good it makes all the others seem mundane. Beautiful artisan crust with flavorful toppings golden and bubbly with just the right amount of charred bits on top. You have to try it. My favorite was the Pitfire Sausage. But I can't wait to go back and try more. Can't miss.

Pros: Organic Items, Great Design, Cool Music

Cons: Only open til 10:30, Can get crowded

Posted 03/27/06