Russo's New York Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen | Briar Forest — Restaurant in Houston

The pizza was good, filling, fresh, and cooked to my standard. Upon entering a empty restaurant, we were greeted with seemed like friendly staff and questions were answered, though there was a slight barrier of accents that kept things going smoothly. After deciding what pizzas we were ordering, the cashier at the front takes our orders. I walk away after ordering my pizza to observe the desert bar, something I don't recommend anyone getting as they looked unappetizing, the cashier asks us what drinks we want and I come back over to state water, just water for "ME". As the guy is grabbing the cup, my boyfriend then states "Add another cup for me." At no point, did anyone state/ask what the second cup was for, neither the guy or my boyfriend. Food is paid, we find seats and head to the fountain. WATER IS DISGUSTING!! DO NOT DRINK THE WATER! My tap taste waaay better I promise you. My boyfriend then proceeds to get a soda. We sit and I notice nasty glares coming from the cashier that helped us. I did not know why, but continued to chat away. As I tasted the water, the cashier came with bread. I politely ask if they have bottled water and he just goes off about my boyfriend getting soda. We could barely understand what he was saying at first with the angry tone, so I'm thinking he is going off about the water and how we have pay for the bottled water which we were fine with doing. I get up and state forget it after the back and forth, I'll get my own water and proceed to get water from my car. I come back and now the manager has came into the picture to attempt to diffuse the situation. He asks what's wrong and I state the water is not good. He explains it's filtered and was so proud of it but IDC, I tell him to taste it, it's disgusting. He doesn't taste it BTW. The cashier behind the counter then inserts himself into the conversation, this time we can clearly hear what his gripe is about. He says we lied about the cup being used for soda. No one LIED. No one CLARIFIED either what was going into the cup. That is an angry little man that works there. It got pretty loud in there. Loud to the point I had to raise my voice over his and everyone else to get this place in order because we were not stealing no soda, nor are we about to sit here and argue with employees after the fact that my boyfriend is swiping his card for the damn thing. Just because you don't have a brain to ask to clarify things, doesn't make it right to be nasty. It was a simple misunderstanding. No one got the one up on you. Will not be back ever. All they do is stare at you while you eat like creeps pretending to watch TV. I locked eyes more times than I could count with the manager. Creep. Only person that should be working there is the cook, fire the rest, just put a tablet for self ordering, it will be smoother and less awkward I promise! Take out only

Edit: For the silly response for the owner, NO ONE WAS ASKING FOR FREE DRINKS. If you read the review, it was how your cashier reacted to the misunderstanding. We said we would pay for the bottled water. He kept yelling and we could not understand what he was saying so I got my own water thinking he was upset he had to ring us up again. It was never about paying anything, it's how he tried to yell at my boyfriend. You fail to see I had to yell at all of you in your establishment to get everything in order. All you and your silly cashier do was escalate. My boyfriend never raised his voice over yours and that cashier. Free drink, free pizza, free oil change, idc what was free, the review was coming regardless because of how it went. You also failed to mention how you was being a creep watching me while I was eating my pizza. You and that silly cashier. But go on, act like this was about a...

I came to the Russo's Pizzeria on Briar Forest on Sunday March 11. This by far was the worst service I have ever experienced. Not only were the employees unprofessional but they were rude. I ordered a to go pasta that I was not satisfied with so I came to return it practically untouched. I returned to see if I could get a different dish for the same price since I did not eat the pasta. I was told no and that if I wanted another dish I had to pay for it full price. I did not come in to receive a discount nor did I come in to get a refund I just wanted food. I left with neither. I will not be returning to this establishment and neither will my friends. Not Only did the employees belittle my friend and I they handled the situation completely horribly. The assistant manager or the delivery man, not sure which one he was but he was Indian man they would not give me his name was the nail in the coffin to why Russo's will never be getting my service again. The whole time of the exchange he was on his cell phone texting and talking over us, he kept saying, " you read the menu right, there is nothing we can do for you guys". I feel like he was being extremely racist and sexist when all we wanted was food. The situation escalated to the point where I wanted to speak to HR, so by all means I will make sure gets out about this Russo's. In addition I will find the people I need to speak with about this situation, I have never been so disrespected in my life and I will be sure that any person to come next will not have to be in a situation where they feel the way me and my friend felt. The people you hire will be the reason people...

I just recently moved back to Houston from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and I ordered from this location twice since the beginning of August on Uber Eats and I have been very surprised by the quality of the pizza from them. Both times When I lived here before I ordered from Russo's New York pizzeria in Galleria and another location, I can't remember where they were and the food was good, but the pizza was much better from this one better flavor more sauce. Although to be fair, I did pay a dollar extra for more sauce. I'm originally from Rochester, New York, so I can testify that they do have good pizza even by New York standards. I haven't been back to New York in some time since I left over 10 years ago. So I don't know if it's still this good there. Just to clarify the pizza in New York in general, not this chain. This means a lot to someone because I am a very picky eater. Taste is important to me since I only have 4 senses really to use. Because I'm blind Anyone looking at this review? I recommend you get the fresh basil on your pizza. It just goes well with extra sauce. The cheese is stringy. They must use the high-fat mozzarella and not that low fat stuff which is like eating cardboard. I don't like that. I will order again as soon as my money is right. I've just moved into a new apartment so I can't order it right now but I can't wait to start ordering it again in a couple of months. I hope this review finds someone well and that they will go and try this joint. If they haven't had this...