Courthouse Pizzeria — Restaurant in Medina

Google needs to update the rating system and allow for half stars. Two was dislike and three was okay. I felt it was somewhere in the middle.

I've lived here for 11 years and have been dying to find a great pizzeria. Back home in Michigan, I was spoiled in the Flint area and had at least four to choose from. Anyhow, when this establishment opened, I was so happy ... until I got there.

At 6 p.m. on a Saturday night, the place was packed with people ... some of whom were in-store dining, while many others were waiting for take out, but occupying tables, leaving those that wanted to dine in wondering where they could sit, OR, circling like vultures waiting for someone to finish and get up from a table. It was those moments that provided frustration as multiple parties dove to grab a chair before someone else did. The table I was lucky to grab was in the very back, adjacent to the restroom (complete with OPEN door, so you could see the toilet) and allowed me to dine with a squad of flies.

As I waited for my pizza, I began circling (vulture like), waiting for someone to get up from a table closer to the front of the store, so I could move from the Island of Misfit Diners. Fortunately, just before my order was ready, an elderly couple began to move from their table. Before I could leave anything to chance, I swept in as the husband departed the table, asking the wife if they were done. She said they were and as I pulled out a chair, she smiled and said, "Good thing you moved you as quick as you did!"

Once seated, I waited for my pizza - 16-inch, with pepperoni, sausage and banana pepper - to finish baking. When ready, the girl behind the counter began shouting my last name throughout the restaurant so I could go collect it. Fresh from the oven, on a hot, metal tray with nothing to carry it but my hands. Not wanting to drop the piping hot $25 pie ... yes, $25 for a 16-inch, three-topping pizza ... I put a heavy dose of napkins and paper plates underneath the tray to transport my meal to the table.

Arriving at the table, I noticed they cut the pizza only twice, so that the pizza is quartered. Hey, I'm all for new things, and I guess the New York-style slice is supposed to be cool, but I don't want to shovel a quarter of a pizza down my throat at one time. And good luck getting back to the counter to ask for another round of cuts. Between the people lined up to order, those hovering around to pick up an order, and those trying to find a table to sit at, you're better off sucking it up and dealing with it. And to top it off, I needed to cover the uneaten portion of my pizza with paper plates in order to keep the flies off of it.

All that said, the pizza was good. The toppings were very generous, and the combo of tomato sauce and pesto was very tasty. The crust was also good. A smidge on the thin side, which I enjoy, but to be that thin, it needs to be a tad crispier. It would have been a good $15-$18 (total) pizza. But $16 PLUS $3 for EACH topping? For that price, I was expecting to be BLOOOOOWN away, which I was not.

And all the crew (mostly teenagers) does for you, is take your order at the counter and bellow your name when the pizza is ready. If I'm paying that much, I'd like some service. I can get a tastier pie, for less money, with a waitress, back home in a full service restaurant.

They need to revamp the pricing and do something about the fly population ... before the health department shuts them down!

In summary, good pizza, but not worth the price, nor the headache of playing "table roulette" with other diners or the...

I had such high hopes for this place and have been excited to try it since they opened. When I walked in last night I already had a bad feeling....the place looks un-done and is kind of a mish-mosh of decorations. There are a few small tables with red and white checkered table cloths, and then the whole kitchen and counter area is open and just looks weird. There are pizza boxes stacked up in the back of the room on chairs and the soft drink fountain counter is cluttered. It looked like it wasn't open for business yet and this was just a trial night. But I tried to look past all of that---I've eaten some delicious food in some questionable looking establishments before, so I wasn't totally turned off.

Patrons order at a counter and then just wait for their order. Again, not an issue since everything is made to order, but there isn't any room for people to wait and the area gets crowded around the tables, which would be annoying if I was trying to enjoy a meal there. Also odd is that on the right side of the counter there was a worker rolling fresh dough----with no sneeze guard or any covering separating her and the food from the customers. If I would have seen anyone cough or sneeze I would have high-tailed it out of there immediately as I would have been COMPLETELY turned off.

I ordered one slice of cheese pizza to go. The chalk board menu indicates that they have a variety of toppings, all at $0.75 extra. Not an unfair price, but I decided I would keep it simple with just cheese, so I could really taste the dough and sauce.

My order took about 10 minutes to prepare---a bit lengthy, but again, if I am getting an amazing made-to-order fresh piece of pizza, something I could handle. All orders come on flimsy paper plates and my to-go order was no different. It was placed in a box on a paper plate. It was not visually appealing and looked like some cheap piece of pizza that one would get from a school cafeteria---it had mounds of orange grease all over it, minimal cheese, and it looked like minimal sauce. Once I tried it it was barely edible---it TASTED just like school cafeteria pizza---the crust was thin and tasted like cardboard (was also burnt in several areas), cheese was minimal but not fresh mozzarella, and the sauce was barely there, but what was there had no flavor---not even a tomato flavor, just a red glaze. Yuck.

I am beyond disappointed with this place. Maybe I just had such high expectations but a place that solely specializes in pizza (there is nothing else to order other than bagged potato chips, drinks, and sno-cones---totally odd by the way)....but a place that specializes ONLY in pizza should turn out a DARN GOOD piece of pizza. And this place did not even make an average slice of pie.

The slices were HUGE---which is great if they tasted good and they are only $4 a slice. I see some reviewers have complained about the price. Personally, I am all for paying a higher price if I am getting higher quality, but again, this place just...

Short version: This may be the only place in Ohio that you can get real NY pizza and it tastes really great!!!!!! I mean really great!!!!! And by the slice!! I have friends who are vegan. Believe it or not, they also have a vegan pie!

Long version: Any time you are 20 min away from this place you are doing yourself a disservice if you don't stop. Buy a slice or two while you wait for your pie. There are several places that try NY style and there might be one or two who could be considered in the ballpark in Ohio other than this place. But hands down, this is the best pizza for NY style around. Toppings are fresh. The cheese is great and isn't overly salty like the chain restaurants (which make you want to drink a gallon of water). It's cooked in an old school oven. I like my crust more crispy so can hear that crunch when I fold the slice in half (but not burnt) and all I need to do is request it. Nothing like taking a bite of a thin slice and having it remind you of fresh baked bread with quality toppings!

You can buy the dough and use it at home. I love calzones, but they don't have them there (I wish they did with the ricotta and mozzarella mix if anyone there is reading this!). I take the dough home and make them myself. One dough is enough for 2 good sized calzones or stromboli. By yourself you could get 3 to 4 out of it. All their crust styles are really good, but to me the NY style is the best.

I love this place. Not only is the pizza great, the service is really good too. The staff is friendly and easy going. All pizzas are hand tossed. All dough is made in house. If there is a downfall to this place, it's the size of the restaurant. It's not a huge place, but it has been busy every time I have gone. Ironically, I have never really had to wait more that 5 min as people move through quickly. But if I am going to give it any kind of negative that would be it. But hey, if they are that busy that they are putting butts in seats that frequently you know it's not just me who thinks this place is great! Now, if I could just get them to make NY Bagels, I may never have to go back to NYC!

Summary: Don't miss this place. Best NYC pizza you will find. Great service, great food, best NYC...