[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great pizza, great atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We always enjoy our visits here. The pizza has a smoky, crispy texture and taste. And the thin crust is the best. This is the only place in Wilmington we get pizza. We were seated quickly just after they opened on a weeknight and service was great. Lovely server, she answered questions and explained the special NY style pizza option for this night. We decided on a chopped kale salad to start. Very different and so good. Next was pizza. I had the margharita and we got a construction zone pizza. It's the build your own, with red onion and mushrooms and red sauce. Everything was really good. Food here is always consistent and tasty. They are only open at dinner hours, except the weekends, so keep that in mind when you decide to visit. Reservations recommended for weekend nights. read more

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BEST PLACE EVER. The food, the service, the vibes.. incredible all the way around. I'll be sad when I move away

First timer here. Went with a local before catching a show at Greenfield. We didn't have a reservation and grabbed the last two seats at the bar on a Saturday night. We got the house salad, roasted Brussels and a classic 1/2 cheese, 1/2 pep. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great service, friendly staff, awesome old school pizzeria decor mixed with rustic vibes.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Forgot to ask for well done za but flavor was great. read more

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We arrived at 4 pm on a Saturday. Even though half the tables were empty, we were told it would be 30 minutes for a table since there were reservations. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Thankfully, we grabbed two seats at the lower bar, which allowed us a clear view of the bar and the wood burning pizza oven in the kitchen.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We split two pizzas. First came the Jimmy Pesto with a vodka sauce base, mozz and parm cheeses, pesto, chicken, and speck. I'm a sucker for vodka sauce and pesto, and they came together beautifully. The crust had a little bit of char on the outside, good crispiness. I would definitely recommend this one. Also, we got the Carbonara pizza, which had to be remade, I'm guessing it was burned the first time. But it was nice of the staff to be honest about it. This pizza had an olive oil base with mozz and parm, garlic chicken, egg yolk, pancetta, thinly sliced red onion, and parsley. Truthfully, it reminded me of the old roasted garlic chicken pizza that CPK used to sell. Truthfully, the pancetta could've been a little more crisp. Also, there were a few too many bubbles around the pizza as well. I saw the sweet potato cheesecake on the dessert menu, and could not resist. It came on an oatmeal cookie crust, and I always appreciate cheesecakes that aren't on a standard graham cracker crust. The filling was rich and creamy. Plenty of cookie crumbles were scattered on the plate. The only thing I would have added was a little caramel drizzle over the top or even some whipped cream on the side to bring it altogether. Very fun place to go, staff was friendly and engaged well with us. Sure, it's more expensive than a typical pizzeria, but I respect the quality ingredients that you can't find just anywhere. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Awesome atmosphere, excellent service, great cocktail menu and the NY style pizza 10/10 Bennys nailed it![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] So many great house speciality pizza as well. Pasta-Penne ala Vodka perfect portion and the pasta just like the provinzanos nana made. Recommendation to make a reservation this place is a Wilmington staple. read more

This place is a stellar find for true Neapolitan pizza lovers. Hands down one of the best we've had anywhere. Tucked off the beaten path in Wilmington, it might not turn heads from the outside, but once you're in, it absolutely shines. Service was excellent from start to finish, and the food had that "crafted with love" feel. The apps set the tone right away. Mozz tots were light, fluffy, and melt-in-your-mouth good. Nothing like the standard version. Garlic knots came fried, airy, and flavorful without being drenched or heavy. Both were familiar favorites with a unique twist. And then the pizzas. This is Italian-style Neapolitan done right. Perfect dough with that slight chew and char, quality cheese, balanced sauce, and fresh toppings. You can tell these guys know the craft and care about every detail. One of the best pies we've had, period, and we'll be coming back every time we're in town read more

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This has become a household favorite! Friends or family coming? Take them here! The Caesar salad is drool worthy (looking at you, shaved brussels) and if you happen to be gluten free, that deep dish is out of this world. I've always had exceptional service and the food simply can't disappoint. read more

This place never misses! The Caesar salad and chicken parm appetizers are a must! The staff are very friendly and attentive. I'd recommend making a reservation because it does get crowded. read more

Benny's Big Time Pizzeria - Pizza Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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A great first time experience! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Stopped in on a Saturday night around 6, they seemed pretty busy but managed to make room for us, the atmosphere was full but inviting.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our waitress was amazing and checked on us often, the food came out fast and was amazing. We struck up a conversation with the table next to us and we will definitely be trying the grandma style pizza next time! We got a plain cheese pizza and small Ceasar salad to share, all of it was amazing and we'll definitely be coming back with the rest of the family soon! read more

Benny's Big Time Pizzeria - CONSTRUCTION ZONE cheese pizza and small BENNY'S CAESAR - Pizza Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

For the price, it's good pizza. But honestly for the high price point, it's not 5 stars. I do have to give them credit where the credit is due, the drinks were phenomenal and the service was very commendable! [[HIGHLIGHT]]We overall had a nice experience and would go back for a date night, but I honestly think I would be choosing to sit at the bar over the dining booths because it was loud enough to feel like a bar atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] P.S. I wish every restaurant served pizza on massive leftover tomato cans like this place does. read more

Benny's Big Time Pizzeria - Pizza Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

One of my favorite places to eat in downtown Wilmington! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance is great[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and the food is even better.

Saturday 1/18/25 around 330pm: Service varied from rude to cocky to gracious depending on who we were interacting with. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance was not jazzy. It was boisterous in a bar room brawl type of way.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Food was just okay. To start off, we were basically asked, "what we wanted" or "why were we there" by the "Hostess" when we arrived. Since there was not a line or any other customers waiting, she had no reason for not seating us, so seat us she did...in the very back corner of the restaurant at the galley pass thru. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were not only hit by staff as they passed by, we were often asked to move up closer into the corner when food was being served to other tables.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were also told by our waiter that the large tomato sauce can was the "tip jar" and we could just put cash in there whenever we were ready to leave. This was long before the food had even arrived. Overlooking the cold greeting, horrible seating arrangement and odd waiter behavior was our first mistake. ***[[HIGHLIGHT]]water glass & plate were dirty~should've left[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]*** Actually ordering food, waiting on it and then eating it was our second. Bright side of dining experience: We ordered 2 draft beers and thoroughly enjoyed them. Highly recommend giving Flying Machine Brewing Company Alta Mar Mexican Lagers a try but not necessarily from here. You can find them at Harris Teeter. We ordered Mushroom Bruschetta for our Starter and it was just okay. Barely warm bread and mushrooms were cold. Gorgonzola butter is the star here. You can easily make this compound butter at home. For our pizza, we played it safe with the Space Jam. Not sure why it's called that but crumbled meatball sounded like a good choice for meat topping. Pizza wasn't fully cooked, very pale bottom crust and barely browned edges. Note: Menu informs you that pizza takes at least 20 minutes to cook properly. Ours was out in about 10 minutes. Meatball had good flavor. I did not properly finish the pizza as I couldn't eat any of the undercooked "cornicione". No leopard pattern here. I had such high hopes for this experience and was seriously craving good pizza. I've been a fan of Viv's for a long time. I think they should've stuck with the Boiler Room vibe on this one. Save yourself the headache, this pizza is simply not worth the hype of Vivian Howard's name. It's closer akin to Ben's art. IYKYK Pizza is not true Neapolitan (Napoletana). There is only one pizzeria in North Carolina that is certified by the international organization AVPN and this ain't it, y'all. Also, for those that order this pizza 'To Go/Pickup/Delivery' and then give bad reviews, you should know better. Neapolitan~style pizza should be eaten immediately due to the thin crust. Otherwise center is a soggy mess & often sticks to cardboard. read more

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Absolutely amazing! My husband and I were able to get a table at Benny's Big Time Pizzeria and I now understand why it's always booked. The service was great and the food was outstanding. I wish I could eat their house salad over and over. We split a large house salad and it came in a huge bowl that I thought there was no way we would finish, but we ate every bite. Then my rigatoni alla vodka came out and it was perfect. Everything was so fresh and I could not recommend it more. If you are looking for a delicious meal in a homey, inviting restaurant then try them out. read more

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Already one of my favorite restaurants in Wilmington. SCHEDULE a reservation. It gets busy quick and all for the good. The food, service, menu - all pretty amazing. An assortment of pastas, sauces, flavors, ingredients. As for their pizzas which include red and white sauce listings. The salad itself was impeccable. Large, could feed 3-4 people even. Tossed and dressed perfectly with all the best ingredients you want in a salad. The pizza was the main thing I had my eye on. Came out perfect - sauce, dough, pepperoni, and the chili were actually pretty spicy but still very edible. The service was great, very kind and attentive. Highly recommend, and guaranteed to visit again. read more

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Perfect pepperoni Neapolitan style pizza! Delivery was fast with DoorDash. Fried Mozzerella was surprisingly interesting but delicious.

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great atmosphere for families[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], great pizza, great salad! We all love to eat here every time we are at Carolina's Beach, grandkids, their parents, and grandparents read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance the food everything is amazing[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] my fiancé and I came here the 1st day of our vacation and we immediately knew we were going to come back 2nd time here omg the food delicious!! It's so good it's gets packed! read more

This spot exceeded any expectation we might have had. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The vibe is incredible.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food divine. Service impeccable. The garlic knots were a sweet surprise- you can still kiss your sweetie without fear after enjoying them! The pesto on our pizza bathed my mouth with flavor. You will enjoy! read more

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Benny's Big Time Pizzeria has been on my list for a while so I was excited to give this place a try. Since this was my first time ordering I'm going to be a bit lenient just in case they just had an off day, but this review is also brutally honest! I ordered the Tony Pepperoni w/Calabrian Chili Pepper and asked for it to be extra crispy. The bottom of the pizza didn't seem extra crispy, and when you picked up the slice you can tell that it wasn't indeed extra crispy. The sauce and toppings had good flavor. I'm a huge pizza lover, and a good pizza always starts with the crust & sauce, and the "NOT" crispy crust is the main reason why I'm giving this place a solid 3 out of 5 rating. It definitely wasn't worth the $26 I paid for a 14" pizza. I've tried 4 other pizzerias, this being the 5th, around the ILM/Wilmington area and this place would be tied with 4th & 5th place out of all of those other restaurants. Service seemed to be fast & friendly, which was a definite plus! I don't want to be too harsh, but maybe I caught this place on a down day. read more

Benny's Big Time Pizzeria - TONY PEPPERONI - Pizza Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Amazing experience all around! I highly recommend making reservations because the place was busy. We ordered a small Benny's Caesar salad and garlic knots for appetizers. The salad was the perfect amount for two people. Benny's puts Brussels sprouts in it. I am usually not a fan of that vegetable, but it tasted really good in the salad. It probably helped that some parts were fried. The garlic knots were also fried. Everything tastes better fried! For our entree, my husband and I shared the 2021 Space Jam pizza. Again, this was the perfect amount for two people. Their pizzas are Neapolitan style so the crust was lightly charred. Our server was super nice. We were in a party of six and sometimes people weren't the quickest ordering, but she was extremely patient. Seating was close together, but it didn't feel that anyone was intruding in my space and I couldn't hear any conversations from other people's tables. The bar area was really cool. Be prepared to parallel park because it is street parking. read more

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Always an enjoyable pizza when we go to Benny's big time pizza. A lot of items are on the menu, but we love it when we can find a woodfired pizza. My wife and I went for the pepperoni and banana peppers on the pizza. Can't say anything bad about this place. Service was fantastic and the place was very cozy and inviting. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Love this spot!! It's cozy, perfect atmosphere, great music![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] And the service is top tier honestly. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We ate at the bar and it was lovely![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The baretender named Diane was so attentive and went above and beyond to get the weekly specials menu for us to take home! Loved the pizza and chicken parm app! The spritz drink was lovely too! Definitely a great spot in town read more

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Best pizza I have had in a long time. We had three types of pizza, cheesy bread and brussel sprouts plus dessert. All of the dishes were amazing. Service was exceptional, this was our first visit and she made us feel right at home like we were family. Atmosphere is casual and laid back with an open kitchen concept. Highly recommend!! read more

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This place has the best pizza I think I've ever had. I've had the meating of the minds pizza and I've built my own pizza. The hot honey they have is so good and I thought it was so cool that they let you put vodka sauce on the pizza and it's delicious btw. Also, I saw Benny's featured on this popular show called the summer I turned pretty and I was like omg it's that amazing restaurant. :)) read more

Benny's Big Time Pizzeria - Pizza Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Went back to Benny's to try lunch and everything was excellent. Our waitress was kind and the staff were very welcoming. They offer personal size pizzas at lunch time which is great! They had a wonderful musical playlist and a chill atmosphere. read more

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First time here for us. We sat at the high bar. The bartenders were friendly and welcoming. We split a Meating of the Minds pizza and garlic knots. I also had the Caesar salad with yummy Brussels amd house made croutons. We left to go to a show at another bar, but we weren't feeling it, so we came back here for Amarottos with cherry chip and cappuccinos with biscoff ice cream. We will definitely be back! read more

This place is a great option in Wilmington. The garlic knots are incredible. Highly recommend.

Recently celebrated birthday dinner with a party of 10 - Pasta, pizza salads & red wine were all spectacular. And our server Mia was fantastic! Thanks for a great night! read more

The food never disappoints and we always have an overall wonderful experience whenever we go to Benny's.

Came on a Sat night around 6:30 and the place was already packed. Fortunately, we were able to get seated (4 of us) at the end of the bar. They have some local brew options that was a good start. We had the Meating of the Minds ($20), Pizzaiolo Special ($20) and the Flo ($18). All of us really enjoyed the pizza's....but we tended to like the red sauce pizza's more than the white sauce. Crusts were a little burnt....but it seemed to be inevitable to get the interior of the pizza cooked properly. Service from the team at the bar was good. We would come back again! read more

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I go to Benny's a LOT, and every single time, it's worth it. The servers are so friendly and some of them have memorized my order at this point! Absolutely my favorite pizza from anywhere, hands down. The wait takes a bit, but it's always perfect when it comes out and I love having leftovers to enjoy later. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It is always clean, the bathroom is always fresh, and even at busy times when the restaurant is loud, I never feel overwhelmed.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I seem like an industry plant here, but really, I just adore Benny's and I genuinely do recommend it to people who ask for pizza places or just eateries in general around Wilmington. It's just that good. read more

This place was recommended by a nice waiter at Blue Ocean and he was spot on! We ordered the fresh mozzarella and the pepperoni pizza. The mozzarella was pillowy soft and delicious and the pizza was so tasty. The crust was perfection ! read more

Chelsea is one of the best bartenders I've seen! Always so friendly and drinks are always good! She made menu recommendations that were delish. The pizza is so good probably my favorite pizza place in town! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Cute decor and a unique set up great place for a date night or family dinner![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

My go to when I want next level anything. Love the Kevin McAllister and roasted sprout Ceaser. Locally sourced ingredients. Great service

So I moved to the area about 6 months ago and have tried several pizza spots and although I've had some very delicious pizza, I think this one is my very favorite so far it had amazingly delicious flavor lets be fair I didn't try the plain pizza I got the Talk'in shiitake white pizza and I truly can't wait to go get it again!!! The center of the pie was lacking a little in firmness but the rest and the crust was chef's kiss !!! I went in to pick it up and the hostess was very friendly and helped me right away ! The atmosphere was also really nice I think I will dine in next time they really have my vote I loved it so much !!! read more

Pizza is good. Extremely skimpy on the toppings for the money. Honestly Papa John's is far more generous.

Pasta was delicious and so was the pizza, will definitely be going back, our first time there we were given a free pizza coupon ! Great service! read more

Very impressed with the food this time. Ive been 3 times and this time was the best by far. We had the pork belly bites, super delish paired with some pickled onion. Love that! The house Caesar is way more that was is expected. Super tangy dressing on a fresh greens, Brussels and more. The fungi pizza was light and tasty. We paired it with a side of tomato sauce which really kicked it off! The rigatoni was okay. It felt a little undercooked. But good flavors. The inside is bustling and vibrant. The service was amazing! Not a huge fan of the cocktails I sample. All a little on the sweet side for me but other than that all and all it was a good experience! read more

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Minus a star - meeting of the mind's pizza has to be the worst pizza I ever had in my life. My sister could've made that on an easy bake oven. Looks nothing like the picture on the menu a waste of $26. read more

Top quality fresh ingredients and top customer service Thank you to all the staff. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great vibe[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]