Pizzazz on the Circle — Restaurant in University Heights

We’ve ordered from Pizzazz on the Circle many times, and while the food is good, the service—especially for online pickup orders—has been consistently disappointing. This last experience was the final straw.

We placed an online order, and the confirmation email said our food would be ready in 1.5 hours. Knowing from past experiences that Pizzazz often texts us much earlier than quoted, we tried to be proactive. I even called the restaurant to ask when we should actually come. The person on the phone said to ignore the 1.5-hour window and just come in an hour. Fair enough.

Ten minutes after we hung up, they sent the dreaded early “your order is ready” text—again. We didn’t see it until 20 minutes later, and as soon as we noticed, we rushed there as quickly as possible.

When we arrived, we explained the situation to the “general manager,” someone we’ve seen before who has frankly come off unprofessional in the past, even serving us with alcohol on her breath. This time, she acted combative and dismissive, saying the box still felt hot so the food must have just been finished—then blamed an employee for maybe pushing the text too soon. No apology. No ownership. Just gaslighting and excuses.

We weren’t being rude—we were simply trying to explain how we took extra steps to avoid having our food sit out. Instead of listening, she seemed more interested in arguing. Another employee eventually stepped in and acknowledged they messed up, which we appreciated, but even then, no resolution was offered. No discount, no remake of the food, not even a genuine apology.

We love the food here. But it’s becoming impossible to enjoy it when we’re treated this way. Pizzazz needs to take a serious look at their customer service—starting with whoever is in charge. Being a general manager means owning the experience, not blaming your staff and stonewalling customers who are just trying to work with you.

Until that changes, we won’t be back.

UPDATE after owner’s response:

Wow. I’m genuinely disappointed by how the owner responded here. I left an honest review about a frustrating experience, and instead of taking accountability, they chose to twist my words and publicly mock me.

To clarify: I did NOT demand free food. I shared that I used to tour the country with bands and often received meals comped in exchange for reviews—not to brag, but to show I understand how food service and goodwill can work. I made it clear that we paid for this meal, followed up proactively to make sure pickup timing was right, and still ended up in an awkward situation where our food was sitting and we were treated poorly for simply pointing that out.

We were upset because we tried to avoid this issue by calling ahead—and were STILL met with attitude, zero empathy, and blame. The “general manager” was combative, unapologetic, and argumentative when all we wanted was for someone to acknowledge what happened. It was a major letdown, especially because we’ve been long-time supporters of this place and love the food.

This reply from the owner just confirmed that our experience wasn’t a one-off—it’s a sign of how they handle...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Pizzazz on the Circle, and it was an experience worth sharing. From the moment I walked in, the cozy and inviting atmosphere made me feel right at home. The staff were friendly and attentive, providing excellent service without being overbearing.

The menu offered a wide variety of options, but as the name suggests, the pizza is the star of the show. I ordered the Margherita pizza and was genuinely impressed. The crust was thin and crispy, with just the right amount of chewiness, and the tomato sauce was fresh and flavorful. The mozzarella was perfectly melted and complemented by fragrant basil. You could really taste the quality of the ingredients.

In addition to the pizza, we tried their house salad and garlic knots. Both were fresh and delicious — especially the knots, which were warm, buttery, and loaded with garlic. Their drink selection was also impressive, with a good mix of wines, beers, and non-alcoholic options.

The ambiance was lively but not too noisy, making it a great spot for both casual dinners and small gatherings. Prices were reasonable for the quality of food and service.

Overall, Pizzazz on the Circle is a gem. Whether you're a local or just passing through, it’s definitely worth a visit. I’ll absolutely be returning to try more of their pizzas — and maybe even venture into their pasta dishes next time!

Highly...

The rating is partially based on the take out service and partly on the quality of the food. Called in an order for pick up at 6 pm . The employee said they would text me to pick up but it would be 40 minutes. Generally, I find that the estimates are long and my pick up food is cold so I went a few minutes early and checked in - 35 minutes. I was told it wasn't ready by a young man and so I asked how much longer. I was told 25 minutes. Now to be fair, it wasn't that busy. 2 of the orders were salads. One burger and another hot meal. So I was a bit annoyed that it was another 30 minutes actually until I got my food. I can't speak to all the orders as I was taking it all to a friends to eat but my husband's meal he said was fantastic- Spaghetti pie. My salad was actually terrible. The greens were all wilted and not fresh. The pizzas looked good and I might go back for that but the take out is always a risk and to tell someone 40 minutes and then add 1/2 hour makes you feel that your order wasn't started until you got there or that you salads were sitting out for 40 minutes in their hot kitchen and the hot food was made when you got there. IDK no more...