Geno's Pizza — Restaurant in Pigeon Forge

I wish I would even be able to say this "pizza place" was mediocre, but no. Garage from start to finish (STAFF, FOOD, SERVICE) I'm also on vacation with my family. So me taking time to make this post because it was indeed that DISAPPOINTING, says something! I made an online order around 11 pm and decided to go in a pick in up in person. Thinking the final price given seemed alittle high, so wanted to find out for myself. I walked up to the door at approx 1130pm (5hwy closes at 12midnight that night and the door was locked. So I stood there for a minute or so thinking i came to the wrong place....finally seeing an employee (renee) and she let me in. She said it was just about to come out and ran to the back to grab the "special cheese bread" and what was supposed to be a gluten free pizza with steak, onions, extra cheese and bbq sauce for the base. The told me the total for just those 2 things was 34 dollars and change, which I took a minute and did the math. Then asked Renee why is it was so (high/expensive) She said "ohh that's an issue we have told the owner/manager numerous times. The online menu shows that you gey up to 3 toppings on the gluten free crust and says NOTHING about an upcharge on this type of pizza anywhere on the menu. Renee then continued and said, well each additional topping beyond the cheese is $2 per topping, to which I was taken back and ask, so the gluten free pizza is $20, to which she answered yes...(see pics below) what she proceeded to show me was an undercooked pizza pie with undercooked onions and just looked like a very sad pizza pie in general. I then said that's false advertising and a poor representation of their brand. Then asking who the manager/owner was to which she replied his names John. I then said could he please call me the next day and talk about this issue and said I would prefer to talk to a manager then putting a negative review on line. To which Renee responded, well John really "won't care about a negative review, he doesn't really pay attention to that kind of stuff and it doesn't bother him" I was taken back and was like "really, he doesn't care about customers....ok". She then proceeded to say, well thats the price, do you want me to take off the pizza, to which I responded, yes. "That's a poor excuse for a 20 dollar gluten free pizza." She then took down my number, I payed for the cheesy bread and went on my way. After returning to our hotel room, the cheesy bread was just medial, at best. It tasted cheep, crust premade and cheese slighty fake and nothing special. Pretty sure I could have gotten something that tasted better from the frozen section at the dollar store. Did I ever hear from "John" the next day, NOPE. But according to Renee, John doesn't care about negative reviews ANYWAY and doesn't bother him if people complain. Thank goodness I didn't pay for delivery for the garbage cheesy bread and the rude service to boot. BEWARE of the upchanging from what the menu says and the complete lack of understanding or really don't even care attitude from John's staff, I see no reason why this place even exists. Shame on Geno's and John for not caring enough about their business or their product. Make sure your employees even care just alittle and maybe they might be able to handle customers issues in a tactful manner. It's sad you have your adds on hotel key cards luring in unsuspecting travelers (victims) looking for a even a decent pizza and an East meal, but receiving anything but that and rude staff to boot. The money will come my friend...CARE ABOUT YOUR BRAND, YOUR PRODUCT AND YOUR CUSTOMERS and maybe you might see more business. Coming from another business owner that serves pizza as part of my menu....DO BETTER! GOOGLE...

We were in Anakeesta for the day and a big storm rolled in. We didn't have a chance to eat dinner, and had to wait over two and a half hours to get down off mountain due to lightning. There were no restaurants open (not even fast food) but we saw that this place was still open. We walked in and there was a small line, with people spread around waiting for food. (O should have taken the cue from their unhappy faces and left right then. We waited in line for 45 minutes to TRY to place an order. The older woman working the register was bouncing around doing God knows what (nothing related to getting orders or cashing out). She started a conversation with one gentleman ordering about old TV shows and vacations she and her family have taken. As we waited the line grew and grew. Thought maybe it was because the food was so good, but turned out it was a lot of OTHER people stuck on Anakeesta and this was basically the ONLY place open. The line SLOWLY crept forward and we were the next to order. The gentleman at the counter had been waiting over an hour and a half for his food,had kids in the car and wanted to know where his food was. THEY COULDN'T EVEN FIND AN ORDER FOR HIM, but told him they were working on it. He asked for something different (obviously they couldn't) and then he asked for his money back. THEY REFUSED TO REFUND HIM HIS MONEY because his food was already being prepared!!!! (AGAIN, THEY COULDN'T EVEN FIND HIS ORDER, YET WERE CONFIDENT IT WAS BEING PREPARED) As this madness was going on another customer walked in. At this point the lady at the register asked if everybody in line had already ordered and was here to pick up. Most of us said no .... to which she replied "well, if you haven't ordered you need to leave. We are busy and we are closed now. No more orders." AFTER WE WAITED IN LINE 45 MINUTES TO TRY TO ORDER!!!!! (The restaurant was still open for another 40 minutes per their operating hours, but decided to just stop taking orders. I get that they were busy, but letting people stand in line INSIDE their establishment THAT LONG to THEN say they stopped taking orders was ridiculous. HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. AWFUL...

Well, butter my biscuits and call me a possum, I ain’t never had a slice o’ pizza that made my taste buds holler like a hog in a hailstorm ‘til I moseyed into Geno’s Pizza Joint! This here’s a place where the grub’s so good, it’d make a preacher cuss on Sunday.

First off, lemme tell ya ‘bout John, the feller runnin’ this outfit. He’s finer than frog hair split four ways—kinder than a coonhound pup and slicker than a greased pig at the county fair. John ain’t just slingin’ dough; he’s craftin’ pies with more heart than a widow’s prayer meetin’. You can tell he’s got a hankerin’ for makin’ folks happy, and his pizzas are proof he’s got the know-how to back it up.

The pizza? Lordy, it’s hotter than a two-dollar pistol and tastier than a mess o’ fried catfish. The crust’s crispy as a fresh dollar bill, but soft inside like a warm hug from Mamaw. The sauce? Sweeter than a peach plucked right off the tree, with just enough tang to make your tongue do a jig. And the cheese—well, it’s stretchier than a tall tale at a fishin’ camp. I got me a pepperoni pie, and them little meat circles was scattered ‘cross that pizza like stars in a holler sky.

I reckon the supreme pizza’s busier than a one-legged man in a butt-kickin’ contest, piled high with fixin’s—onions, peppers, sausage, and whatnot. Every bite’s like a barn dance in your mouth, all the flavors twirlin’ ‘round like they’s courtin’. Ain’t no skimpin’ here neither; John loads ‘em up like he’s feedin’ a whole passel o’ kinfolk.

The place itself’s cozy as a quilt on a winter night, and the folks workin’ there’s friendlier than a speckled pup under a red wagon. John’s always flittin’ ‘round, checkin’ on folks, crackin’ jokes, and makin’ sure everybody’s grinnin’ wider than a mule eatin’ briars. He’s the cat’s meow, that John, and his pizzas are the bee’s knees.

If you ain’t been to Geno’s Pizza Joint, you’re missin’ out worse than a rooster in a henhouse with no hens. Get on down there, grab a slice, and tell John this ol’ hillbilly sent ya. It’s so good, it’ll make you wanna slap your granny—but don’t, ‘cause that...