Antonio's Flying Pizza

I grew up eating pizza at Antonio's. It is awesome. The best in town. The pizza is not cheap but soooo good. I usually get it to go because otherwise you end up with not so great service from a waiter that reminds you of Furio from the Sopranos.

Pros: Best pizza

Cons: bad service sometimes, expensive

Posted 09/03/09

Being for the NYC/New Haven, CT area, I am beyond spoiled when it comes to pizza. I believe Houston has some of the best food in the U.S., but it was difficult to find good pizza.

However, Antonio's Flying pizza was fantastic. Service was excellent and the pizza reminded me of being back in NYC. Being a big fan of pizza I surely breathed a big sigh of relief after going Antonio's.

Pros: Pizza and service was excellent

Posted 06/08/09

Over priced, decent service, rolls are good but scarce. Salad was great. Eggplant was more egg than plant, not good at all.

Posted 03/05/09

I was planning a birthday party to be held at this restaurant for 12 people. When I called to make the reservation, I was informed that they do not seat large parties (more than 8), and that we could come and wait for individual tables to become free if we wanted. They told me that the house would be busy at 6, and that it would be too hard to get a group table. The manager that I spoke with was not very friendly.

In addition, I also found out that they DO NOT DO SEPARATE CHECKS. Only one check would be given.

I had a party here about 6 years ago, and it seemed fine... I suppose things have changed since then.

ALL IN ALL- I would suggest not going here for a party of any sort, or a group function, unless you plan on waiting for a while and being separated, and paying in cash. This seems to be on par with the last several reviews regarding bad customer service....

Cons: bad service, no split checks, groups cannot sit together

Posted 12/08/08

Antonios has good food, but their service needs some work. I do not understand why they go on a wait when they have seating areas in the middle and back of the restuarant. They could a least have a bartendar so one could enjoy a beverage whil waiting due to lack of good staff and good management. They should take notes from Carrabba's on Voss.

Pros: Good pizza and lasangna

Cons: bad service

Posted 09/01/08

I am from the northeast so I consider myself familiar with good, New York style pizza. Unfortunately, Antonio's Flying Pizza was only able to capture the unpleasantness of New York city drivers. I took my girlfriend to this "restaurant" with the belief that we would at least be served. After a 45 minute wait, we were seated and ordered our drinks and food. (chicken francese, baked clams, and a large cheese pizza). Another 45 minutes later, we noticed the family that was seated after us had already been served. After complaining to our inattentive waiter, the chicken francese and baked clams showed up 15 minutes later without an apology, or an explanation. The pizza was MIA. The clams were mediocre and the chicken was soggy. The prices, however, were high. After complaining again for not receiving the pizza, it showed up with enough grease to lubricate an engine. We will never go back. For better food and prices, go to Romano's on West Gray.

Pros: The silverware and dining room appears to be clean

Cons: The food, prices, ambience, service, value, pizza

Posted 06/13/08

I am very picky and eat here all the time . They are always nice and the food is great . The restaurant is clean and nice .

Pros: great food and service

Cons: not the prettiest place but clean

Posted 04/23/08

I am reading some of the negative reviews and cannot believe it. I have eaten at Antonios probably 50 times and have never eaten a bad meal. If you are looking for fast, cheap food, then go eat drive thru junk. Antonios is fresh ingredients that take time to prepare. I never understand these people who go to restaurants and want everything "fast". What is the deal with that? Go eat fast food if you want your food in five minutes for under $5. The pizza, antipasto, pesto, and meatballs are some of the best around. Do not be discouraged by bad reviews - THIS PLACE IS LEGIT.

Pros: Authentic Italian food actually made by Italians!

Cons: None really, other than they are closed Sun & Mon, but the family needs time off

Posted 02/18/08

Hi All,

If you want to be insulted go there. I have heard very good things about this restaurant. I had a dinner over there and the food was "AWEFUL" but I had a close friend which I didn't want to ruin his night. So I called the manager the other day and they were supposed to call me back. After a while I called again just to follow up and the so called "Manager" was rudely said "He wouldn't believe me and it was your problem!!" I asked him to talk with Antonio and he mentioned that "Antonio is busy and wouldn't talk with a customer!" Well I was so frustrated that the manager (he wasn't Antonio I should mention). They think they have the best food ever and they can say whatever they want. But trust me I know very better place with cheaper price and definitely more respect.

Cons: aweful food, Rude manager

Posted 02/07/08

We drove out to Antonio's Flying Pizza because of the positive reviews here on citysearch. These reviews that claim anything good about the pizza must have been written by the owner's. The pizza is garbage. There is nothing special about this pizza that you couldn't get out of a frozen pizza pocket. Honestly, it may not be the worst pizza I've ever had, but it certainly comes close. Very uninspiring! I wasn't even upset that the couple that came after us were well into their salad before we even got our water, because I was hopeful that the pizza would be good. I didn't care that the hostess was unfriendly. Maybe she was having a bad night. Maybe her goldfish died...who knows? I didn't care, I was very hopeful of the pizza. So disappointing! Please don't go here for pizza unless all of the other pizza joints in town have been closed due to the strongarm of Antonio's mofia hitmen - weird, insider vibe in there. This place is terrible!

Posted 11/23/07

On a Tuesday evening, the hostess immediately led me to a table without a reservation. The waiter arrived promptly to take my order. The menu was more extensive than I expected, so I asked for additional time to peruse their selections. Although this casual booth-lined restaurant advertises itself as a pizza specialist, ninety percent of the menu consists of various Italian delights. I was in the mood for pizza when the waiter returned several minutes later, so I ordered a large pizza with pepperoni, black olives, and bell peppers. Perhaps he took my menu a little too quickly without asking if I wanted an appetizer--a minor issue indeed. The pizza arrived within what seemed like 10-15 minutes and it was certainly above average. The chef did an excellent job of re-creating what one would expect to be served in an Italian cafe'. Perhaps it would have been amazing if I had been in a different mood on a different night. While I would recommend New York Pizza if you are around downtown, Antonio's is an excellent choice if you are in the Galleria/Chimney Rock area. You can't miss the large neon sign in front.

Pros: Food, Service,

Cons: Location, Neighborhood,

Posted 09/17/07

Yes, the wait can be a little long on a Friday or Saturday evening...but good things come to those who wait! I'm an Italian New Yorker and I'm telling you by far this is the "real deal"! None of that "foo foo" Carraba's food. This is real, simple downhome Italian cooking. Antonio is always there, making the pizza himself and he has a wonderful personality. I don't have a particular recommendation as everything I've tried is wonderful..although the linguinie w/ red clam sauce is my favorite (REAL clams in the shell, not canned). It's a little pricy but you get what you pay for! And besides, who wants to skimp on a good meal! Try it...you won't be disappointed.

Pros: Nothing too fancy...very family oriented.

Cons: Too far from my house!

Posted 07/17/07

It was a Saturday night and we decided to Antonio's for Italian for a birthday. We had out-of-towners and we thought it would be nice to have a 'family-style' dining experience since it has been years since we dined here. The wait turned to 40 minutes, not because it was crowded but because the hostess was unattentive. We had to seat ourselves after I tracked the hostess in the back at the bar. No apologies, no smile.
The waiter, Mike, was short and non descriptive with any of the dishes. When I asked him for the 'special's, I cannot believe he gave me a look and replied "What do you mean, like, discounts on food?"
I cannot belive this! The drinks took a long time and the service from the moment we walked in was horrible.
The calamari was as if it was from a frozen package, the tirimisu was tasteless. The waiter did not want to risk his tip because the bill came out with the desert in the middle of the table and finished off with "The gratuity is included".
Gratuity is included if we had a party 6 or more. There was only a party of 5. As we walked out, no good-byes, no thank-yous, no smile. I cannot believe we wasted an evening at this place.
I will never return here again and I will continue to post this review in every site on this over-priced restaurant.
***to save you the trouble, the best tirimisu (huge portion to share, too) for just under $10 is at Buca di Beppo on Buffalo Speedway, great atmosphere and comprable prices for what you get. Carrabba's restaurant is a better family-owned Italian restaurant with impeccable service. (family owned only at the Kirby location and Voss/Hillcroft location)

Pros: are you serious? Probably watching the pizza guy spread cheese on pizzas for 40mins.

Cons: The hostess, the greeter, the waiter and the price for horrible service and quality.

Posted 02/28/07

my very first choice for new york style pizza. if you love seafood definitely try the baked clams. a favorite for new york italians! on saturday nights get there EARLY to avoid long waiting time.

Posted 11/14/06

I've never had a pleasant dining experience because the servers are never in a hurry to take care of you. I finally decided to try take-out since they do have good food. Big mistake: the owner yelled at me in the restaurant when I asked for an extra side of spaghetti sauce. I even said I would pay for it, but he lectured me to never do that again. I was very confused, so I'll do him a favor and stick to Carrabba's on Kirby when I crave Italian food.

Pros: Good food

Cons: Poor service

Posted 07/27/06

Yes, the service has declined. Yes, the menu is pricey. Yes, the waiters are all spanish speaking immigrants.

So what!

The food is great and you can't eat anything close to it in this city.

I can tolerate the bad and the ugly to enjoy the good.

Pros: best pizza, best antipasto, best rolls

Cons: so so waiters, pricey, no gelato

Posted 04/17/06

Antonio's is nestled in the heart of 1/100 of the busiest parts of Houston. I believe that Antonio's is the epitome of Italy. I've never been to Italy, but my mom's friend is from there... maybe I should get her to see. Anyway, the pizza is amazing... nothing like Pizza Hut (which is gross) and the spaghetti isn't bad either. The french bread is amazing as well. I highly recommend this place, however try to make reservations if its possible. Another reviewer said that they don't see lines out the door anymore. Everytime I'm there its as busy as can be! One complaint though, is it is maybe a bit too Italian. Most of the waiters can't speak good English. A friend of mine said "You can always tell an ethnic restaurant is good if there's those kind of people eating there". There's only REAL Italians eating here.

Pros: PIZZA, BREAD

Posted 11/28/05

as one that began going to antonio's in 1973 i have fond memories of many great meals. last night however, i took my family to celebrate a big occasion and we found the experience PAINFUL. The service was the worst I have ever had in a restaurant. The food had declined to something not worth a remembering. The real tell tale sign of decline was that the restaurant used to have long lines out the door all evening. This night, there were empty tables and immediate seating. It looks as if change has not been good here. We won't return. By the way, it was over priced, adding insult to disappointment.

Pros: the dinner did end

Cons: service was terrible, food was not good, it was a poor value

Posted 11/18/05

Years ago, Antonio's flying pizza was known for something!! Slowing yet noticeably has lost it's touch!!! a bit Salty and funny tasting mushrooms!! Using canned mushrooms on a pizza!! What happened to using fresh cut mushrooms. Nice quality there!!! Nice to go eat but once in a blue moon!! Last times i have gone, has been forced!!!

Pros: Knowing it, was nice, once!!

Cons: parking, service ok

Posted 11/07/05

incredible food. you can't go wrong here; i've been here several times and have yet to be dissapointed by a dish. great alfredo, but the garlic spinach and artichoke pizza is the best!!! wonderful service and nice family atmosphere. comfortable place and delightful dishes!

Pros: food, service, atmosphere

Cons: salads are mediocre

Posted 08/21/05

My family and I love Antonio's Flying Pizza! We have never had a bad meal there and we crave the pizza. No one make better pizza! I almost hate to let more people know about it because I don't want it to get too crowded! We certainly have to get there early on the weekends. My favorite dish other than the pizza is the veal with mushroom sauce. Have it with a glass of the house Chianti and it's perfect! It's just really fresh and good tasting family Italian food.

Pros: Inexpensive

Posted 05/01/04

I love Antonio's Flying Pizza! I was introduced to Antonio's about three years ago and have never been disappointed in anything about Antonios. Let's just say their pizza puts Dominos and Pizza Hut to shame!

It's a kid friendly place and that is so important as I have two-year old and the service has always been friendly and supberb.

True Italian food with true Italian hospitality - give it a whirl, you will not be disappointed.

Posted 01/20/04

If you live in Houston and have never had a pizza from Antonio's, WHAT IS UP??? Been to New York, Chicago, Denver, all the great pizza places. None can compare with the taste and quality of this pizza!

Pros: Taste, Atmosphere, Service

Cons: none

Posted 12/11/03

Being a ex-New Yorker, it was hard to find Pizza that fit the order back in the 80's. Antonio's provided the best then and still does today.

Posted 10/18/03

While waiting for a seat, families were telling of how they came as children and had pizza dough tossed around the restaurant. That doesn't happen anymore. The atmosphere was still fun, though. It has the classic Italian restuarnt red-and-white checkered tablecloth look. You can watch them hand-toss the pizzas. The food's okay.

Pros: Fun atmosphere

Cons: Crowded, Average Food

Posted 07/18/03

I've been going to Antonio's for 15 years, and it's by far the best Italian food in the city, and certainly the most authentic! Everyone raves about the pizza, but when I go, I can't even eat the pizza because the other food is so fantastic!! It's my favorite restaurant in the world, and I have spent every birthday there for the past 15 years. I recommend it to anyone who loves food!!

Pros: food, atmosphere, food

Posted 04/22/03

Truly wonderful family dining experience. Fabulous food and waitstaff. The flying pizza making is a treat to watch.

Pros: Good Food, Kid Friendly, Great Waitstaff

Posted 03/06/03

Hand tossed dough makes the "flying" pizza a show and makes the oven baked dough light and crispy.

No conveyor belts here! Tried them all and keep coming back to Antonio's

Pros: Quality of food, Great pizza, Variety of menu

Cons: Limited parking, Always crowded

Posted 03/06/03

Pizza, Service, Prices, and Atmosphere were great. Will be going back again.

Pros: Price, Pizza, Service

Posted 03/01/03

I'VE TRIED MOST OF THE PIZZA PLACES IN HOUSTON AND I FOUND 2 THAT HAVE THE BEST NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA... ANTONIO'S IS NUMBER ONE. OUTSTANDING PIZZA AND OUTSTANDING SERVICE.

Pros: BEST PIZZA, BEST SERVICE, BEST ITALIAN AMBIENCE

Cons: OPEN MORE RESTAURANTS

Posted 02/09/03

They have the best calzones, great pizza, and a laid back atmosphere. Very friendly staff.

Posted 02/04/03

Good and fun place to go. Better from the other places and I would go here again

Pros: Good Service, interesting place, Good Lunch

Posted 01/16/03

I love eating here..... first tried because of convienence, I ended up recommending Antonio's to many! Love the pizza makers at the front who hand-toss the dough, and fly it through the air. Definately a crowd-pleaser! The food is always wonderful, and the feel is that you're at an Italian family's home for a good, hearty meal. Enjoy!

Posted 01/03/03

The first time I went here, it was for a double date. The food was great, the atmosphere was really nice, and the staff was really nice. I did not have pizza there the first time. They have a lot of great food...pizza is not all they make.

Pros: great food, great service

Cons: little expensive, styled in the 70's

Posted 01/01/03

Antonios is AMAZING AUTHENTIC ITALIAN PIZZA! Owned by Antonio and his family, they make an awesome meal whether its pizza, pasta, or any fine italian meal. If you want authenticity- then antonios is the only way to go!

Pros: great food, inexpensive, authentic

Posted 12/05/02

Finally an Italian restaurant, that feels like an Italian restaurant! The food is always excellent, the service is also always great. The manager is almost always there and always happy to greet you. I would without a doubt recommend this place to eat. :)

Pros: Very Friendly, Great Service, Good prices

Posted 10/21/02

I married and moved to Houston in August of 1975 and somehow immediately discovered Antonio's Flying Pizza. It was and is "AWESOME".

In the "Divorce" I go Antonio's! Ha!

My nephews were born and they were introduced to Antonio's. One night while we were there one of them asked, "is there another pizza place in Houston?" In unison all the adults said, "NO!!".

It is FABULOUS.

Posted 10/20/02

The Food is the BEST!! The pizza is out of this world.

Posted 10/13/02

they have way to much salt on there pizza's
never been back, didn't try any thing else, because I tasted salt for weeks, drank tons of water to kill the taste, didn't work

Pros: good service

Cons: to much salt

Posted 09/24/02

This is a wonderful place to eat. The staff is friendly and the food is yummy. The only negativething I have to say is I think the pasta a little over priced, but the pizza is a great deal.

Pros: great atmosphere, the best Pizza, friendly staff

Cons: pricey pasta

Posted 08/07/02

Great pizza...the entree dishes are good too...small place but cozy..

Posted 07/28/02

pizza toppings are unique and fresh. served piping hot and couldnt be better! antonios has been around forever and i can see why!

Posted 07/11/02