North End Pizza — Restaurant in Idaho

Maybe this was an off night, but I just WASTED $ 22 on a little, cold pizza. I called from the road to order because I had a craving for North End Pizza. I told the guy that answered I was 45 minutes out and even did the math and told him what time I'd be there. I was there within 2 minutes of the estimate and yet the pizza I picked up was ice cold. To make matters worse, I had two people that work there walk by me at the host stand without saying anything, not even a "be right with you." So I walked to the end of the bar near the kitchen and waited for one of the two employees there to say something. The bar tender walked right by me towards the kitchen and again said nothing, and when the waitress pulled her head out of the dishwasher, complete with foggy glasses from the steam, she lower her glasses and looked at me without saying a word just waiting for me to assume she wanted to know. I said I ordered a pizza to go. She did not reply but rather turned and heading towards the kitchen telling someone in there that Paul's here for his pizza. Another couple of minutes and my pizza walked out to me with the pay slip on top. The person that brought it again said nothing. I put my card on top of it and moved it toward the bartender who...wait for it, said nothing but did take the card and run it. Before giving the card and slip back to me he paused next to me to finish he conversation with the couple sitting next to where I was standing...that are leaving at 6:00 AM on a flight to head out to the US Open. Congrats by the way, that's awesome!!

I HATE writing negative reviews, and if don't believe me after reading this please scroll through my reviews and you will find mostly 5s and well over a million views of my reviews. I tend to only write a review if I have something good to say, buy this failed even basic average customer service, let alone Customer Excellence that I had to say something, and for $ 22 for a tiny little 12" pizza it would reasonably expect the entire experience to be amazing!!

It is unfortunate to have this experience at a place I used to like and have often recommended!! Neither of those things will be true...

The outside appeal to this establishment is the reason that we went. We parked on 13th street and walked up and down the two sides looking at all of the places to eat before making our decision. We didn't intend to eat here, we just knew that we wanted something downtown but not the hustle and bustle of the city center, so we decided on Boise's north end. In the Northend, you'll find old-style residential homes and a block of fun places to eat and drink, a nostalgic candy shop, a toy store and much more.

The restaurant has a modern look, which drew us to it. We crossed the street and into the Pizza place we go. This place is much more than pizza! They had many televisions playing football and pleanty of seating. There is a large bar in the middle. Seat yourself and the menus are already on the table so you don't have to wait. Our server brought us water, with no ice, and asked us if we wanted anything else to drink. We did get ice when we got a refill.

We ordered-- the menu has appetizers (photo attached), sandwiches, pizza, and a few more items, but not a whole lot more. Looking at other tables the pizza appears to be a hit. I ordered the turkey meatball appetizer.Three very large meatballs in a well-balanced marinara sauce topped with a (small) piece of mozzarella cheese. The meatballs were very flavorful and spiced with herbs and had a good flavor. I only ate one and took the other home where they were just as good the next day. My only complaint is that I would have liked more cheese.

My dining companion got the meatball sub with chips. He was a fan of the sub but not the chips. They tasted hard to him and they made his teeth feel as if they were going to break because they were hard. I didn't try them, so I will take his word on it. The meatballs, also turkey, were just as good as the large meatball appetizer only smaller in size.

The prices were fair as the meal for two was under $20....

Every neighborhood deserves an excellent pizzeria, and Hyde Park is no different. Fortunately, just where you’d hope it would be, sits North End Pizza. This doesn’t just check the boxes, friend; it offers MANY fine .. er, offerings. Most often a single or with just one other soul, I’ll pony up to the rock-solid horseshoe bar, perhaps Boise’s only such bar? Well, it’s expertly tended, that’s for sure.

A Boise pizza bar is going to have a hecuva beer selection if it’s up to our snuff.. Bingo! NEP nails so many details, that is very little wonder that you will see, when walking by, through its windows, a large crowd of diners, families, young couples, misc. groups SMILING. Having perhaps, the TIME OF THEIR LIVES. Well, done NEP.. Well done.

Disclaimer: the author does NOT want his pizza well-done. He orders it al dente.

P.S. A colleague, apparently aiming to temper my enthusiasm for NEP ‘ZA .. did inform me that the restaurant was part of a combination, y’know one of those deals where it’s like “Dontcha know? Dontcha get it? It’s the SAME OWNERS as such and such. They also run X, Y, Z… Soooo,,, change your mind, Mr. Small Biz? I bet you regret INCLUDING THEM IN YOUR WILL for heaven’s sake?” And my response, after some reflection, after an additional bite (or two or three) did reply: "not even a tiny bit BUD!"...