Mad Pie — Restaurant in Honolulu

Saw the Instagram reels about a new pizza place and decided to check it out. Got there around 7pm and there was a line out the door and every seat inside was packed.

Stood in line for maybe 10-15 mins before making it inside. Staff was working hard to get orders out and by the time I got to the cashier, only cheese and margherita slices were available, which was fine because I was interested in the margherita. Got a chocolate chip cannoli too just because it was there and being made fresh to order.

Got my slice and cannoli to go and went outside to eat on one of the tables since all seats were taken inside.

The margherita was good but not mind blowing. Cheese tasted balanced, crust was solid and delicious, but I felt like it needed a bit more mozzarella. Also from a personal preference, I think cut/shredded/chiffonade basil distributes the flavor more so than full leaves.

As for the cannoli, it was amazing having been made to order. The pastry literally exploded in a puff of powdered sugar and cream when I bit into it. There was a pistachio option but I went with chocolate chip; the chips weren’t too sweet or too bitter which was nice.

Would like to go back and try more slices once the “new place...

Got a slice of pepperoni with a side of their OG Buttermilk, and a caesar salad.

The good: solid pizza with a great crust. Love that they use the pepperoni cups. Good sauce/cheese/topping ratio. The pizza is the star here.

The bad: the caesar was slightly worse than a Caesar from one of those snack kiosks at the airport. The salad consisted of wilted romaine, bread crumbs (literal crumbs), tiny white flecks that might have been cheese, and a weak dressing. I know that the focus here is on the pizza, and they do that really well, but a salad this bad shouldn’t even be on the menu.

As for the buttermilk dressing, it just wasn’t for me. I was expecting a classic buttermilk ranch, and while it had the elements of a classic ranch, it was also full of chunks that I think were pickles. The pickle flavor was overwhelming and IMO, ruined the dressing.

TLDR: good pizza, bad caesar salad, og buttermilk is an acquired taste.

I plan on coming back to try different slices but will stay away from their...

Originally hailing from the East Coast (North Jersey-Raised, by a Bronx-raised mom & Brooklyn-born dad who'd bring me to the City as often as possible,) I Know high-quality pizza when I see it. The taste just confirmed what my pizza spidey-senses suspected, it was delicious! I'm so glad I followed my gut and bought 2 slices.

In terms of the actual location, there's this nostalgic retro-futuristic, homey, warm ambience. It has that trust-worthy hole-in-the-wall pizza joint/diner feel but upgraded and polished. The chairs look straight out of a 70's sci fi movie! The atmosphere, the hospitality, the portion sizes, all of this truly makes Mad Pie a Slice of Heaven.

It's been YEARS since I've had pizza I can confidently endorse on-island, and I gladly recommend Mad Pie- especially to those who are wondering what the buzz is about. The hype is worth it.

Big Mahalos to the staff & owners for all you do, and I hope you all (as well as anyone reading this) has a...