Mr Gatti's Pizza — Restaurant in Fredericksburg

I recently gave Mr. Gatti’s a 5-star review, which is why it was our first choice for hosting my nephew’s wedding rehearsal dinner. Unfortunately, our experience on this occasion was deeply disappointing and frustrating.

We first contacted Mr. Gatti’s on January 30, 2025, to inquire about reserving a party room for the Monday evening before the wedding. Management informed us that, according to their policy, party rooms for events held on Mondays through Thursdays are available on a first-come, first-served basis at no cost and cannot be reserved in advance. While this seemed risky for an event as important as a rehearsal dinner, we trusted the information provided both over the phone and on their website, which clearly stated the same policy.

To avoid any confusion or last-minute issues, we made several follow-up calls leading up to the event. Each time, we confirmed that nothing had changed and were repeatedly assured that the rooms were available on a first-come, first-served basis, with no reservations or fees required. On the day of the rehearsal, we even called again to check availability for our party of over 40 adults and children. We were told there was ample space in the party rooms.

As our guests arrived at Mr. Gatti’s and began to settle in with their food and drinks, everything seemed to be going smoothly. Party Room 2 was occupied; however, Rooms 1 and 3 were available. We began what we hoped would be a relaxed and celebratory evening.

However, shortly after everyone was seated, an employee from Mr. Gatti’s entered the room and confronted the mother of the groom, demanding to know why the room had not been paid for. This confrontation was loud, unprofessional, and completely unnecessary. Despite our multiple confirmations that no reservation or payment was needed for weekday events, we were told we had to vacate the room immediately. All 40+ of us—paying customers—were forced to interrupt our dinner, gather our belongings, and relocate.

I was shocked and appalled by the employee’s tone and attitude, particularly toward the groom’s mother, who had taken every step to ensure we were following the restaurant’s stated policies. The situation was mishandled from start to finish, casting a shadow over what was meant to be a joyful family celebration.

As someone who has regularly driven over an hour to dine at Mr. Gatti’s in Fredericksburg, I am incredibly disappointed. The conflicting information between staff and the website, the lack of accountability, and the blatant disregard for customer service have completely changed my view of this establishment.

We placed our trust in Mr. Gatti’s to help us celebrate an important family milestone, and that trust was broken. I will not be returning—and I will make sure others know about our experience.

Update: I emailed the email below- multiple times- and never received a response. I did, however, receive a very stern phone call from a manager at the location, who drove home the fact that I will never visit this location again due to their idea of how customer service should...

As a person who is not really a fan of pizza buffets, this was my favorite Mr. Gatti's that I've been too. We are from out of state and decided to just eat simple. Our Mr gattis in louisiana does NOT have such a large salad bar nor does it have mac & cheese or potatoes.

Location: away from the main street hustle, but only a 5 minute drive. Gps took us there. Decent sized parking lot. Not crowded.

Atmosphere: open, multiple rooms. Pay when you walk in. Sat ourselves where ever we wanted. Self serve drinks and buffet. There is an arcade in the back. There were 3 different seating areas/rooms with different stuff on TV (cartoons/news/sports). I didn't feel too close to others eating, which I appreciated.

Staff: very friendly. The cashier told us about the rewards program. They constantly had staff clearing/cleaning tables. They announced when they put out fresh pizza.

Food: awesome salad bar (lettuce, tomatoes, egg, okra, cheeses, bacon bits, ham, diced onions, fruit, baked potato fillings, whipped cream, jello, dressings, etc); mac & cheese; pasta and sauce; cheese bread; pizzas; desserts. I loved their salad bar & saw multiple guests come in and simply order the salad bar to-go (I think it may be a lesser charge). Their mac & cheese was good. I also enjoyed their strawberries & grapes. My husband liked their pepperoni & meat pizza, cheese bread. Tried their cinnamon rolls but they were just too sweet for me.

Price: felt a little too pricey. $12/person (adults ages 15-59), drinks are an extra charge. For 2 adults with drinks it was about $28. I heard families come in and pay $60 total, which felt ridiculous knowing young kids never eat enough at a buffet to get their money's worth.

Overall, good for a pizza buffet because of the great salad bar and extras (mac & cheese and baked potatoes). This place would do amazing if it had awesome specials (b1 adult g1 kids buffet; free drink with...

• Great smell, great taste* From upstate NY, and was getting homesick for pizza that wasn't thin as cardboard. So thankful I saw their pizza sign while driving by.

After turning around and going inside, I was greeted kindly and was helped through the menu to grab some takeout. I can get overwhelmed easily, and with her help, I had no problem choosing their BBQ pizza!

After a short 15-minute wait, the tantalizing smell of the pizza was in my hands. They gave me napkins and a few to go packets of cheese, as we exchanged goodbyes. I was so excited to eat it that I could barely get outside... all just from the smell at this point!!!

AND...I didn't wait...I was only a few minutes away before I dug in while driving! If the smell wasn't good enough, the taste, complete with an appreciated amount of toppings, was amazing! It was definitely a little on the messier side because I dug in immediately. BUT-- That was my bad! I've worked in pizza shops and regularly make it at home now, I really should have let it sit a few more minutes to set. And once I did....Oooooh that 2nd slice held together like a champ and was dreamy!!

Hope to come back and visit when I can check out the game area. Also, I really would love to check out the buffet as well. Even though I didn't eat in the restaurant, I immediately noticed how clean and attentive they were to the buffet area. Overall, great stop...