Russo's New York Pizzeria & Italian restaurant, Katy — Restaurant in Katy

I've been here a handful of times - twice dining in and three times carrying out. I love Russo's pizza and was excited to have a location closer to home; unfortunately, this location doesn't measure up to my expectations. It's still fairly new, so perhaps it will get better.

Lunch - Do not order a single slice. I know they have a lunch special and it seems like a good deal, but what you're getting is a piece of a large cheese pizza that's been sitting under a warmer for a while that they add toppings to after the fact and reheat. This means you get a piece of pizza that is simultaneously burnt and borderline room temperature. If you add veggie toppings, they won't be warmed much at all.

Dining in for dinner - We went on a Monday and got a large cheese pizza for $10. It was pretty good. The crust wasn't consistent in its thickness. Some pieces were the same thickness as a normal hand tossed pizza, rather than NY style thin crust. Other pieces (on the same pizza, mind you) were so thin that the layer of cheese on top was thicker. The "sloped terrain" of pizza dough actually caused cheese to slide into the lower lying thinner crust parts of the pizza, leaving some of the thicker pieces with parts that had no cheese or sauce on them. It still tasted fresh and hot. I didn't care much for the slices that were too thin as they became soggy and were almost impossible to pick up.

Carry-out for dinner - I don't recommend carry out at this point. I've had it three times and only once was it good. They can't fix it for you when you take it home, and believe me, you will probably end up with something that needs to be fixed. The dough was undercooked on one of them, making it chewy and almost inedible. We had to put it in our oven to cook it. Another was so thin that it couldn't be separated from the parchment paper it sat atop without destroying it (was even thinner than my dine-in experience). The other time we ordered the carry-out, it was fantastic. It was as good as the other Russo's restaurants that I've come to love. Unfortunately, that amazing pizza was actually my first experience at that restaurant. It only went downhill from there and has been extremely inconsistent.

If you want to try this restaurant, go on a Monday and ask about the $10 large pizza. At least then, you're only out $10 if you don't like it. You may have to talk to the manager, because our waitress was completely unaware that they had a special. It wasn't advertised anywhere in the restaurant. It seems that management needs to better communicate with their staff. I read about the deal online, but it seems that they need to make their waitstaff aware of the specials as well.

If you'd rather go to a different Russo's where you know the pizza will be good, my favorite one in the Katy area is at I-10 and Westgreen. There is also one at 99 and 1093 that is a...

Went with my wife, father in law, and brother in law for dinner and unfortunately we were all extremely disappointed. I love Italian food and always want to support local Italian restaraunts as they are hard to come across but I am not here to complain or bash this establishment. Instead I would like to give some advice to the owner so that it may improve.

Positives:

1)The staff was friendly and accommodating. When our food arrived my wife did not like her first dish at all and ordered the fettucini alfredo to replace it and they were able to get the food out quickly for her. Also our waiter was very aware of our drinks being full and he was very kind by guiding us through the menu.

2. The atmosphere and decor were very nice and enjoyable

3. The carrot cake was very good

Negatives:

1. Unfortunately the food wasn’t very good. The 5 pasta dishes we ordered were just not appetizing. I had the chicken piccata and my wife had to get a second plate of fettucini alfredo because she didn’t not like her first dish. Neither my brother in law nor father in law enjoyed their dishes either. I ordered a tiramisu for dessert and I did not enjoy it.

2. The menus were dirty and sticky. So much so actually that my brother in law made a comment about it while peeling the menu pages apart.

3. Our table smelled sour. I’m not sure if it was wiped down with a wet rag or if the booth we sat in was dirty but something smelled sour.

Please if the owner is reading this I want you to know that this was the first time my wife and I have visited Russo’s and we are willing to try it again but my father in law was very disappointed because he usually loves Russo’s but he had never been to this location before. He was the one who suggested for us to go because he has been to other Russo’s and really enjoyed them. Maybe the kitchen had an off night with quality control or maybe the chef isn’t that good but the food wasn’t great. Maybe the smell was just our booth and we were unlucky and maybe we should have just ordered pizzas from a pizzeria but we will try again and hopefully have a better experience so we can change our review and...

Very Delicious Pizza but a very very disappointing service for pick up customer. For a small family get-together@home, Ordered online a large & Medium size pizza, went to pick up after 35 mins, they just started prepping. Waited for 15-20 mins. When reached back home, realized one was not done the way we ordered. Called back and was advised to bring the pizza back and they are making a new one ready. Went back after 40 mins assuming they are making one new and the earlier evening experience of wait, they have not started prepping yet. Another 20 mins wait, come on...... the whole plan to seat together with family and enjoy pizza together gone for a toss. Took more than 2 hours from the time I ordered to have my order completed. Understand you guys are busy with your in-restaurant customers but do not forget about your pick up customer. May be one or two customer like us going away will not make any difference to you. You have a great tasty Pizza but please do not give us reason NOT TO HAVE your delicious pizzas. I am responding to owner response. Dear Owner, I just want to make sure I make some correction in your response. I agree, we did called you to tell you that the medium Pizza was not made extra crispy as we ordered as a feedback and our phone call ended after we gave feedback. We didn't ask for replacement/exchange and that was an offer given to us in a following phone call from your restaurant and we did advise that kids have already started eating it as it was a family get together. We were advised that a new one will be made for us as extra crispy (which it was). My concern was the wait time at your restaurant even after order was placed online and coming after 30 mins on both occasion for pick up.

Your Pizzas are really tasty and we do like it Russo Pizza every time we order it but this is second occasion at your place we had this experience of long wait. It is upto you whether you want to take as something you may want to improve. I am just a customer...