Pizza Cheeks — Restaurant in Sioux Falls Township

I was a regular at Pizza Cheeks from the moment they opened, going there every week without fail. The place had a great vibe—not because of the pizza (which, by the way, is just average for the price)—but because of the young host. She was energetic, friendly, and made everyone feel like part of the family. She’d chat with guests, remember your name, and keep the place buzzing with positive energy. It was honestly the main reason I kept coming back and she was there every time!

Then, a few months ago, she was gone. No explanation, no goodbye. Just replaced. Enter the manager—who doesn’t even come close to bringing the same energy. The vibe completely shifted. The place got tense. I’ve seen this manager publicly scold staff, including the new hostess who’s clearly trying but can’t make up for the lost spark. The atmosphere went from welcoming to awkward, fast.

And let’s talk about the manager’s behavior. More than once, she took up an entire booth during peak hours, glued to her phone and computer. Guests asked to sit there, and the host had to turn them away. The young host would’ve handled this by simply asking the manager to move, but that energy is long gone. It’s inconsiderate and just bad business.

As for the food—it's decent, but for the price? Definitely not worth it. There are better pizza places around Minnesota that charge half as much and taste better. For what you’re paying at Pizza Cheeks, the pizza should at least stand out, but it doesn’t.

I’ve noticed the staff still trying their best, but it’s tough when the vibe from management is so off-putting. I’ve been served by the manager, and every time, the mood just drops. It’s like trying to enjoy a meal, but the music’s too quiet to enjoy.

A month ago, I stopped going, and I don’t plan to go back. Pizza Cheeks used to be a place I looked forward to every week; now it’s just a memory of what could’ve been. Until they fix the...

This was our first visit. The hostess was very pleasant and friendly. When we asked for a booth she said she had to check. Upon returning she asked if we could wait a moment while she cleaned one. After seating us she actually thanked us for coming! We loved that little extra touch making us feel welcome and our business truly appreciated!!

Though not a big menu, they have a few pasta, salad and appetizer options in addition to the pizza.

We ordered their Cheeks Deluxe House Pie. Which is basically a supreme. It was very good though the crust was a bit overdone maybe. Crispier than we like anyway, giving it a bit of a cracker feel to us. But we discussed next time maybe asking them not to bake it as long. We would have preferred more sauce for sure for such a crispy crust, and perhaps more toppings would have helped. But it was still very good and we loved their version of a supreme, using sweet yellow bell pepper instead of the usual green! They have two size options - small is 12", large is 18". We got the 18" Cheeks Deluxe House Pie for $32 and it was eight rather large slices! Pop was $3. We did not order any other beverages.

We liked the atmosphere - roomy, pleasant, comfortable. There's a small bar and a small arcade.

Server was friendly though not good on follow up! We realized they were busy but as many times as he walked right by our table, he never asked how we liked the food, if we needed drink refills, how we were or anything else.

Overall, a nice experience with a different hostess thanking us upon leaving! We will definitely return for pizza again and to try...

Arrived at 6:30 pm.

Ordered appetizer 6:40 pm.

Appetizer arrived 6:50 pm.

Finished eating it by 7:00 pm.

Got our pizzas....

Well, it's 8:00 pm and still no pizza.

Had to go elsewhere to get dinner.

Oh, and we have to get our own drinks, while the other server is getting drinks for his customers.

Do. Not. Recommend.

Will not return.

Edit: at 8:15, finally got our pizzas to go. Nothing given for our inconvenience, didn't even comp the appetizer. I know I could have said I didn't want them and just paid for my drinks and appetizer, but I hate wasting food.

Edit 2: I wasn't aware of how short a time they have been open, especially since Facebook reviews go back to 2022.

"But also… reviewing a brand-new spot after one week is kinda like giving a Yelp rating to a newborn baby for not being able to walk yet."

I'm sorry, but it doesn't take being open for a long time to train your waitstaff to treat all customers the same (filling drinks vs making customers do it themselves). Or to not actively avoid an upset customer's table (as our server did blatantly). Or to tell them their food is up next, then serve 3 other tables first. Or imply that they will comp the pizzas but offer to give them to me anyway, then present me with a $90+ bill after handing over the food.

I just wanted to share my honest experience. I've been to plenty of restaurants within a few days of opening, and even when things went badly, I still felt like the employees actually cared about making the experience less awful.

I did not get that feeling from this...