Big Ed's Pizza — Restaurant in Oak Ridge

in February of 1970. However, the famous Oak Ridge institution actually got its start in 1961 in Huntsville, Alabama, as Big Ed’s Pizzaria. In the late sixties, Huntsville’s poor economy prompted the Neusels to sell the pizzeria and, after spending a brief time in Greyling, Michigan, relocate to Oak Ridge where they converted the old Service Drug Store into “Big Ed’s Pizza”.

The menu at Big Ed’s Pizza is simple – just pizza and beverages, including beer – because Big Ed insisted, as only a Marine can, on always using high quality ingredients for his pizzas. A man of few words but with a kind heart befitting his large stature, Big Ed loved running his pizza place until his passing in 1998, usually from his spot at the back of the bar. He left behind a legacy of hard work, generosity, and his tradition of high quality pizza that his son David accepted and continued with the same passion as his father. David, who served in the Navy and then worked at the Oak Ridge plants before taking over the restaurant, summed up the appeal of Big Ed’s Pizza this way, “The care we put into the product is the biggest secret behind the pizza; if we can’t do it right, we don’t do it; we’re here to satisfy the customer.” In October, 2013, David passed away unexpectedly. Since then, David’s wife, Melissa, and Jon Harris, General Manager, have upheld Big Ed’s longstanding traditions.

We continue to make both our dough and sauce fresh in the restaurant using Big Ed’s original recipes. We also make our own sausage, with Big Ed’s unique blend of spices, and our own hamburger in the restaurant to ensure both are very lean. Our mozzarella cheese, made to Big Ed’s specifications, is shipped direct from Wisconsin and shredded daily. We even chop our fresh produce daily and smoke the chicken for our BBQ chicken at the restaurant. By doing all this extra work ourselves we can oversee and control the quality of our pizzas’ ingredients.

The restaurant’s atmosphere is unique, including booths from the original Service Drug Store. Customers can watch pizza makers in the open kitchen (originally the drug store’s lunch counter area) make their pizza by hand, slide it in the stone floor gas ovens to bake, then cut it into slices with large scissors (which Big Ed found was the best way to cut a pizza) before serving it to the customer or placing it in a paper bag for pick up. The décor has all been given by grateful pizza fans or depicts honors and awards received throughout the years. Big Ed’s walls and display cases are packed with portraits, trophies, flags, awards, and other memorabilia, including many military photos and souvenirs, from all over the world. Some photos show individuals wearing a Big Ed’s T shirt (featuring the distinctive caricature of Big Ed himself), which is the advertising medium Big Ed preferred over more conventional methods such as television and radio. Big Ed’s Pizza has won many awards over the years, including USA’s “Best Pizza in Each State”.

In February 2020, we celebrated our 50th anniversary of making and serving pizzas in Oak Ridge. We are very grateful to all of our guests for continuing...

Updated Review for Big Ed's Pizza (as of July 20, 2023):

It is with regret that I must say that my recent experience at Big Ed's Pizza was far from satisfactory. As someone who has enjoyed their pizza multiple times in the past, it pains me to see how the restaurant seems to have declined in several aspects, particularly in terms of service.

Upon entering the establishment, it was evident that the staff lacked the warmth and friendliness that one would expect from a place with a good reputation. The greetings felt mechanical, devoid of any personality, and the lack of eye contact was disheartening. Our party of 7 was seated relatively quickly, but it took 10 minutes for the waitress to even approach our table to take our drink orders. Her demeanor suggested that she was bothered by our presence, which instantly set a negative tone for the entire dining experience.

Unfortunately, the lackluster service did not improve as the meal progressed. The wait for our pizzas was longer than expected, and when they finally arrived, one of pizza's was prepared with the wrong toppings. When we brought this to the waitress's attention, she didn't seem to care, not even acknowledging the mistake and walking away. The absence of any attempt to rectify the situation or offer a sincere apology left us feeling ignored and disheartened.

After what seemed like an eternity, another employee came to our table to address the issue with the incorrect pizza. Although they offered a 50% discount, the delay and lack of communication had already dampened our dining experience. As the meal progressed, no other staff member approached our table to check on us, refill drinks, or address any concerns we might have had. The waitress simply disappeared, and could not even be seen walking around to any other tables.

As the evening wore on, we decided to take matters into our own hands and walked up to the register to settle the bill. We mentioned to the cashier the disappearance of our waitress, to which she casually responded that the waitress was probably on a break. The cashier's indifference and lack of concern left us feeling unappreciated and disappointed in the overall customer service.

In conclusion, Big Ed's Pizza seems to be relying too much on its past reputation and has undoubtedly allowed its standards to slip. The once pleasant and friendly atmosphere has been replaced by a disinterested and unenthusiastic one. The lack of attention to detail, slow service, and dismissive attitude from the staff are aspects that should not be overlooked. Sadly, based on this recent experience, I will have to reconsider whether I will be returning to Big Ed's Pizza in the future. It is my hope that the restaurant takes this feedback constructively and makes the necessary improvements to restore its former reputation for excellent service and...

Great Pizza, Horrible Service. The restaurant was fully staffed the night we visited. We were promptly seated. That's where the fast attentive service ended.

After 15 minutes, I had to go find a waiter. They acted annoyed that I was bothering them. I interrupted their personal coversation with another staff member.

Two tables who came in after us got waited on while we were ignored.

It took 25 minutes to get our first soft drinks.

It took 30 minutes to get our first beers.

While waiting for food, I counted about 10 staff that were working outside of the kitchen. Most of them were standing around doing nothing or goofing off with other employees. No one came to ask us if we needed refill (or anything).

After 50 minutes, we had Pizza. The kitchen was doing their job. It was hot and fresh. Looked great.

The server who dropped the pizza off immediately ran back to chat with other staff. We had no plates or anything else. Had to get their attention again.

They brought the plates and forks and again forgot to ask if we needed more drinks.

When they finally came over to ask about drinks, it was 10 minutes after closing. I got another beer, too. It came out 7 minutes later in a glass that was so hot it almost burned my hand. Needless to say, my first sip of beer from the new glass was warmer than the last sip from my first glass. This was either deliberate or amateur.

When we were done eating, no one came to give us the check. I had to go to the front to ask for it.

The food was really tasty, but the staff working there were objectively bad at what they do. They give off the impression that they just don't care about you and you are interrupting social time that's more important than your business. Every interaction is strained, sarcastic, or slow. It's almost like they wish someone else would help the customer so they can get back to laughing and playing in the back while the entire dining room is waiting for them.

I've been here twice now. The first time was insanely busy, so poor service gets a pass. But this second time, it wasn't busy at all and service was still poor. Expect to be treated like you don't matter, to wait longer than necessary, and to eat some pretty good pizza, if they ever get around to...