Colony Grill — Restaurant in Norwalk

My girlfriend and I went here because our coworkers raved about the pizza. I got a hot oil pie with mushrooms and she got the same with the addition of "stingers." The service was good and the decor, focusing on veterans from the area, is tastefully done.

The pizza, however, is sub-par. Especially considering the restaurant prides itself on making this one dish. The pizzas are baked in a shallow pan that has been oiled or buttered. This gives the crust a buttery taste and pan-fried crunch. That is certainly the appeal, but that's exactly how a chain like Pizza Hut would make their pies. The top has a thick layer of oil, as I expected. I can see how young kids would like this, and I think it is a suitable style for something to nibble on at a bar with beer. My coworkers ask the wait staff to bring shakers containing cheese, pepper flakes, and garlic powder - evidence that the flavor profile of the pies is underwhelming and they need to be seasoned.

However, my girlfriend and I just do not see the appeal of it on its own merits. We saw people arriving to take boxes of these pies away to eat at home. It's like a very thin Pizza Hut pizza that does not travel well and cannot be eaten left over (we didn't finish ours and were told by the staff they get soggy and that's why they don't deliver). It is a type of pie I might expect to see at Chuck E Cheese's or at a rural college bar. New Haven and New York-style pizza joints abound in this area....

It's been a while since I've had Colony Grill and first time at the Norwalk location! We ordered takeout online on a Saturday night and it was about an hour wait. However, the online ordering system tells you that so we knew what to expect. They also have indoor dining available and the dining space is quite large with lots of social distancing. I think next time I would opt for dine-in so we can enjoy the pizza straight out of the oven!

As pretty much everyone already knows, the Hot Oil pizza is a must-have from here. There's something just so unique about the hot oil, I love the kick that it adds. My husband loves super spicy so we also got the stingers. Admittedly, that was too much for me in terms of spiciness but it's easy enough to just take them off. I would have been fine with just the hot oil. We also got a pie with anchovies.

Just so you know, the pies are pretty small and thin crust so as a rule of thumb I would say that one pie is for one person. In my opinion, the "well-done" option is the best in terms of crust crispiness and...

I’ve always enjoyed the pizza at this place, but unfortunately, my last visit was a terrible experience. I went on St. Patrick’s Day, and the restaurant was very crowded with long wait times, which I understood. However, that night, I became extremely sick and had to call 911 due to severe food poisoning. After speaking with my doctor, I needed an IV, and I later found out that others who ate there also got sick.

I called the manager the next day and spoke with Chris, who initially said he would investigate. However, I never received a follow-up and had to call back myself. When Chris finally responded, he dismissed my concerns, saying it was likely norovirus instead of food poisoning—despite not being a doctor. He also made unnecessary comments about my receipt and offered a gift card, which I declined because I don’t feel safe returning.

I hate leaving negative reviews, but this experience was unacceptable. If you choose to eat here, just be cautious. I hope the restaurant takes food safety more seriously to prevent this from...