Pitfire Pizza — Restaurant in Costa Mesa

This place is a little difficult to review because there are so many variables to deal with. I think I'll just break it down by category:

Food: I've only ordered pizza here. I'm kind of/sort of a pizza snob, and I like their pizza very much. The brussells sprouts and bacon pizza is highly recommended, but unfortunately, it's seasonal. It's time to put that on the regular menu. The size of the pizzas are made for 1 individual. They're perfect for a person with a healthy appetite; someone with a smaller appetite should be able to take a slice home.

Beer: I heard this place was going to cater to beer geeks. It doesn't. They serve a selection of fairly middle of the road craft beers (a step up from most places), but if you're the type of person who shops restaurants based on the tap list, you'll be left wanting. EDIT: they are sort of improving in this area.

Atmosphere: It's a bit odd that you order, pay, take a seat, then somehow end up with a server again. I get it because you need to order more drinks, but it can feel a bit disjointed. We also had 3 different servers throughout the course of our dining experience, which didn't really help matters. That said, I do like the atmosphere. There's a quasi DJ spinning an iTunes playlist on his laptop on weekends, the room is big, and open, and the ambiance is such that you would feel comfortable on a casual date, or a quick meal with a few friends.

Parking: They have a large parking lot.

Service: I found the people working here to be friendly and helpful. It's a young, energetic crowd. There's lots of turnover; I'm a regular, but it's hard for it to feel that way with a rotating staff and management.

Policies: They have a no corkage fee policy, which is great. I asked a server if I could bring in a special bottle of beer and she said, "I can't see why not. We have a huge "YES" on the door for that very reason."

Unfortunately, she was wrong. The policy is only for wine. Beer enthusiasts are left in the cold. I asked for an explanation because my corked bottle of beer that I brought in was more special (and expensive) than the $6 bottle of wine the person behind me in line was holding. The manager simply said, "sorry, it's our policy. Only wine. No beer."

Pie Society (speakeasy in the back): This is a fun touch. They have classic cocktails along with their own craft cocktail creations. They run about $10-12 and are modest in size. They have a limited food selection that is slightly different than what you get in the main restaurant. Drinks take a long time to come, even when it's fairly slow, so keep that in mind when ordering.

Bottom line: Except for the few criticisms that I mentioned above, I like the place, and I recommend checking it out. It's a great addition to what is already a nice selection of...

My visit to Pitfire Artesian Pizza was an absolute nightmare! On Sunday, May 21, 2023, my buddy and I thought we'd grab a late-night bite at this so-called pizza joint. Little did we know, we were in for a series of disappointments and a demonstration of the worst customer service imaginable.

We entered the restaurant approximately 40 minutes before closing time and were greeted by the sight of an elderly woman desperately seeking assistance. It was evident that she had been waiting for help for quite some time, but the indifferent staff showed no regard for her presence. How can a supposedly customer-oriented establishment blatantly ignore someone in need?

After what felt like an eternity, I took it upon myself to intervene since I was slightly taller than the elderly woman. Finally, I managed to catch the attention of a rude and angry gentleman who approached the register. Instead of addressing the woman with basic human decency, he berated her without even bothering to look at her. He barked at her, "You're not going to eat here, you're gonna get it to go, right?" while impatiently rushing her into making a decision.

To make matters worse, this gentleman turned his attention towards us and arrogantly assumed that we, too, were opting for takeout. When I informed him that we intended to dine inside the restaurant, he responded with a curt and dismissive tone, saying, "Only if you eat fast!" How dare he treat paying customers with such disrespect and disregard for their experience!

The most infuriating part of this entire ordeal was witnessing the appalling treatment of the elderly woman. No individual, regardless of their age or circumstance, deserves to be treated so callously. It was a clear display of the staff's lack of empathy and basic human decency.

I vow never to set foot in this establishment again. Pitfire Artesian Pizza has lost a customer for life due to their abhorrent service. If they have any desire to salvage their reputation, I suggest they adjust their store hours on Yelp and Google to avoid inconveniencing and angering paying customers. Furthermore, the establishment's parking lot, windows, and front doors were absolutely filthy and neglected. It's high time they prioritize cleanliness and make an effort to create a welcoming environment.

In conclusion, Pitfire Artesian Pizza at 353 E 17th St, Costa Mesa, CA 92627, is a disgraceful establishment with terrible customer service, a complete lack of empathy, and a general disregard for cleanliness. Save yourself the frustration and disappointment, and find a more deserving place to satisfy your...

Great unique pizzas in Costa Mesa. I got the green eggs and ham, and it's spinach, eggs, ham and cheese, no tomato sauce. The eggs were cooked perfect, runny yolk for a sauce. Thin crust and crunchy. It only takes a few minutes for the pizza to cook. They also let you add more toppings if it's on the pizza already. You get a sausage and mushroom pizza, you can have them put more mushrooms on it. I thinks that's right, somebody else can go and correct me.

This place was only open for business a few weeks before I went there. It's quite a mess. You go to the counter and order and pay, but then your waiter will take the rest of the orders and give you a bill. The pepper flakes and cheese shakers were covered in butter and nasty. They need to do a better job of cleaning. They are working out some of the kinks still but in the end the pizza is worth it.

Chaos, new place but good food. They only have a few tvs so it might not be worth going to for sports, but if you want to sit down and grab a decent...