Still a dump. I tried the pizza back before it closed and wasn't a fan. I gave it a second chance and it actually seemed worse. The place looks dirty and gross. Signs advertising food they dont make in the back. Odd slot machines placed along the back wall. Why anyone would go there to gamble is beyond me. I'm watching a workers sweep flour on the floor 3 feet below another worker making a pizza above. I ordered a large sausage pizza. The pizza was quickly made. That was one star. When I got home and opened the pizza bag. The edges were burnt black on the bottom. So when I picked up the peice, chucks of black burnt crust went everywhere. When I got into the middle of the pizza. The crust was floppy and soggy. I guess this is their signature style. I couldn't image if it had veggies on it. I know people have this childhood fixation of it when they ate there as a kid. I get it. The sausage had real good flavor. Star 2. Good luck to the new owners. I'm sure there are enough fans to keep them around for awhile. . read more

OK, I am the review you need to read about Maria's. Been going to Maria's since the 1980s. Regularly. Maria's was shut down for the past 2 years, it just reopened last mo under new owners. Here is the deal: It's still fantastic, best pizza in Wisconsin. However, the new owners don't quite have it down like old Maria's, but I'm certain they will master it very soon. That's how good Maria's was, the old Maria's was a 10 out of 10, this new Maria's is a 9 out of 10. The old Maria's italian sausage that they put on the pizza was extraordinary! This new Maria's doesn't quite have the italian sausage down yet. Bottom line: the new Maria's is still the best pizza in Wisconsin. read more

First time back since reopening. Not as good with new owners . Lacking flavor (sauce is not as good) Skimpy on the toppings . Overpriced . 9 bucks more than previous owners . Will not go back Just not the same read more

Best pizza around. Business has been purchased and is scheduled to reopen in January 2024 under new ownership. Same food. Same recipes. Same everything. read more

Used to frequent Maria's under the previous ownership. This was not the same. Staff was very nice but the pizzas were not good. Crust was soggy and hard to eat. Too bad. read more

Delicious. Such a treat. The folks working there are super nice and apologetic if they're running behind a bit. The Pizza tastes like the pizza we all remember and enjoyed. We highly recommend going back there. read more

If ever there was a place a person went to out of a sense of nostalgia Maria's would be it. Unfortunately for my situation the nostalgia is all my wifes. Important to know is that Maria's is a cash only type place. I also believe they do not serve alcohol. Your options are water or soda in plastic cups. The pizza is thin crust cooked on a cookie sheet. The crust generally hangs over the edge of the cookie sheet and comes out with burnt crust around the edges. Definitely not the flavor I'm looking for in a slice but some really like that burnt taste. Each to their own. The decor (very religious) with Jesus and Mary photos everywhere, looking right out of the 70's which is likely the last time the place was updated. One of the owners (Bonnie, I think) has worn the same form fitting red dress each time my wife has dragged us here. The dress is straight out of days gone by. Not my kind of place but if you grew up on the south side I can appreciate the affection one might feel for the nostalgia of days gone by. read more

Maria's Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I still respect family owned neighborhood joints, that's why it pains me even more to write this update... Maria's is so out of touch. The place is slow, meat inferior, and selection is just severly lacking. Take more than cash for Pete's sake! Doesn't make sense why Maria's can't innovate just a little tiny bit -- how about stepping into the 90's at least? Who even cares about decor, I only mean the food! The main thing is the food. NO Parking, NO drinks, NO choice on the menu. Dessert has once choice. Sandwiches well really one -- meatball or sausage (not much of a difference here) Grabbed my sanwich to go, paid extra for mushrooms and onions and I was lucky to get 2 minced up shrooms. I'll gladly pay 9 bucks a sandwich, but it should be great. read more

What can I say about this place that hasn't been said? I've been getting Maria's since I was a kid..50's now. If you like thin crust pizza it's delicious. The staff is very nice. CASH ONLY. read more

Maria's Pizza - the front of the restaurant - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Doesn't even seem like a pizza. A layer of cheese with pepperoni and sausage that totally separates from the crust that is soggy. We even put it in a 500 degree oven for 10 minutes to no crispiness. We could tell it wasn't like the old Maria's pizza because of lack of grease on top. Cold getting it home because of takeout. I wish you could just pick up at counter and eat at tables that are right there. read more

I totally wrecked my diet today so we could go to Maria's. My hubby really had to twist my arm! Just kidding! I love this place. I grew up with the one on Greenfield and still consider this my top Milwaukee pizza of all time. The place is a hole in the wall and very kitcy. Pictures of Jesus and Elvis line the walls. The checkered plastic table cloths are signatures of this place. Find a table and get it quick. The Maria's special named for Mama Maria is the bomb with sausage, shrooms, and onion. It is a thin crust with slightly crispy edges. We also had the eggplant strips as the appetizer. The pizza comes out on a large sheet pan spilling over the sides. The pizza is under $20.00 and can feed 6-8 people or four very hungry people. The place is cash only and typically packed so come and be patient. We lucked out today and were seated right away. Bonnie, Maria's daughter still works there along with her brother. They treat you like long lost family. read more

Maria's Pizza - With cheese! - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The most thin crust pizza I've ever seen/ate. Ordered a cheese, sausage, and pepperoni large pie. This pizza was cooked to perfection, had plenty of toppings and cheese. The large was 14 x 18 rectangle and under $20. This is a cash only establishment, but stopping at an ATM for cash is well worth it. I'm not a fan of deep dish pizza, but if this crust was just double in thickness (it's really THAT thin) this would be a 6 star review. read more

Just saying show me better... Milwaukee has some unbelievable pizza (Pizza Man, Zafirros, Ann's, Lisa's) and Maria's is right there. So I'm sorry but the ambience is crazy cool. They love them some Jesus w at least 25 pictures w a few Elvis pics sprinkled in. Bonnie is a dream and her family has served great pie since 1957. No alcohol order a pitcher of soda and eat some amazing pizza. read more

Maria's Pizza - Bonnie is a dream - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Never disappoints. Sure i'll eat pizza from other places, but when I want to really enjoy a pizza, this is where I go read more

Maria's Pizza - Large special w/pepperoni - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This place is very Milwaukee, and Very South Side. The original location was off of Greenfield I think, and then the crew of not so friendly but fun ladies moved over here to Forest Home. The pizza is served on cookie sheets, and has one of the most amazing thin crusts I have ever had. Almost perfect pizza served like the fancy pizza places are doing it these days (on cookie sheets, irregular crust sizes) but without the fancy ingredients. Now, you walk in and sit wherever you can find a spot. Eventually one of the ladies will come over. It is part of the charm really. I was with my brother and his 3 boys for a guys night out. The kids were insane! Our waitress was awesome. She came over and scared the kids and told them not to use all the napkins, toss the crayons on the floor or continue to be totally nut-job kids! Since my brother and I were not being good adults I was happy that she came in and played the "mean lady" role for us. Thanks! :) I love this pizza. It is fun. It is sort of cut, so you tear it with the little white serving knives, and struggle to get a perfect piece. There is fun in the irregular slices one tears off. Flavor. The Specials are the way to go! CASH ONLY Seat yourself. Slow staff. Great old school "on cookie sheets" pizza. No goat cheese here but the crust is amazing. Black Bear soda on tap. This is one of the MUST VISIT Places in Milwaukee. And if you don't like it, they might tell you to shove it. Awesome! read more

Maria's Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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If you are from the Southside of Milwaukee, you know about Maria's Pizzaria. I remember when it used to be on Greenfield Ave many years ago. Actually, when my husband was a kid, he lived blocks away from Maria's and he'd go in with his saved change to buy a pizza. Sometimes he had enough money and other times, when he didn't, they would feel sorry for him and give him his pizza, anyway. Thought that was cute of them :) Now, that's its on Forest Home Ave, it looks and tastes the same! When you walk in, it's quaint, with Christmas lighting and religious Catholic frames throughout. Being Catholic myself, I love it! This place definitely has character. It's not your cookie cutter pizza joint. It's family owned, and the family all work there. One waitress in particular, I remember as a child. She has the jersey makeup, big hair, long nails, and the tight red dress. It's the best! Staff is friendly. Onto the pizza. Hands down, the best thin crust ever! I can eat a pizza on my own-I try not to though. The crusts are the tastiest part. If you want a boring night with mediocre pizza, and non-memorable waitstaff, don't go here! This place is full of personality and has yummy pizza! Try it once and you will return! Cash only read more

Maria's Pizza - The crusts are my favorite! Best thin crust pizza! - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This wasn't as great a place as many reviewers have said. I went with high hopes and was met with a snarky attitude from a waitress, cold jalepeno poppers, soggy pizza and cheesy styrofoam cups. The atmosphere was kinda neat since the business has been around for a long time, but honestly that's the only thing going for it. I'll stick with Balistreri's pizza! Now that's a great pizza. read more

We love Maria's Pizza and have been enjoying it for years. There is something truly special about their pizza (and their history). If you live more than 15min away- dining in is the way to go. Although they do a killer take-out and par-bake business - traveling beyond 15min can sacrifice the quality. Do yourself a favor, plan ahead, and dine in. The sausage and pepperoni- is perfection. I wish I knew where they go it from. So, so, so- good!!! read more

I like my pizza either as thick as lasagna or as thin as a communion wafer. Maria's did not disappoint. THIN and CRISPY! This is now on the take out go-to list at our house. read more

I tried the newly owned Marias pizza this past weekend and the pizza tastes the same. there are some glitches that need to be revised. The dough needs to be stretched at the ends more so it stays thin like the middle and it extends the pizza in size. the large was little short of the original size and i think if the dough person stretches the ends it will thin it and get that extrta length where both ends of the pizza hang over the pans not just one side. Maria always had to do 2 bags to cover cuz the first one only went half way. the pizza i got, the firts bag covered almost the whole pizza but just a little end. that was the first sign it wasnt the same size they used to be . Also the consistancy of the size of meat and where to place it still needs work. there was a large part of the pizza that had nothing but cheese on it and the size was good on some and others were on the small size. with time i'm sure they will get the hang of things and get back on track. I ordered the special which was cheese, sausage, mushroom and onion. there was way too many onions that made the whole pizza taste like onion and everything got lost in the onion taste. I ended up removing the onion from the pizza. then the mushrooms. they were ok but i had a part of the pizza where a pile of the mushrooms and onions were in one small spot like they forgot to be spread. keep in mind that little is more when it comes to additions like the onions, mushrooms,etc. you want them to taste it, but not be overpowered by it. All in all, the pizza was a marias pizza and i will definately be returning again and again. Great start to a new beginning for the new owners. Welcome home to Marias a place where everyone loves your pizza. So so glad you are open and got to carry on this wonderful staple of Milwaukee. Best wishes and keep them pies coming. read more

Long time, family owned pizza joint on the south side. Décor: Jesus pictures and paintings, Christmas lights, fake flowers and Brewer plush toys occupy almost every inch of this place. It's quite schizophrenic. I have never seen so many Jesus paintings shoved into one area, this place is literally saturated with them. Staff: You will most likely see the owner tricked out in an ungodly inappropriate for her age ensemble that will most likely include a tight, short, harlot red dress and ridiculously high heeled shoes with her barely there hair ratted into some sort of platinum bouffant and raccoon eyes. The waitress was not necessarily rude, but more, inattentive I guess. She never checked back on us to see how the food was, only to do a drive by drop off of the check well before we were done eating. Food: Cracker thin crust - check. Lots of greasy cheese - Check. Good as hell -check. We really enjoyed the pizza here and their sauce is excellent. I can't quite put my finger on it but it almost had a slight creamy quality to it, but that doesn't really explain it properly. Whatever it is the pizza was great. We opted for the small, which was a very generous small. It was actually quite large. I've seen pictures of the large pizza and it actually hangs over the edges of the pan, incredible. Toppings are ample. Beverages: This was the only bad thing I can say about Marie's. When the waitress asked for our beverage order I asked if they had Coke or Pepsi products. She told me they had Black Bear which immediately won points with me, first because I LOVE Black Bear products and second I was please they were supporting a local soda company. I enthusiastically ordered a soda. It was brought to the table in a dinky Styrofoam cup with a big helping of ice. The price for this? $1.50. Nevermind that I can get Black Bear soda at area grocery store at a rate of 2 for $1.00. This seriously smacked of highway robbery. Paying $1.50 for less than 6oz. of soda is unacceptable. I'll stick with water next time. Parking: Street parking in a small quiet neighborhood. Not too big of an inconvenience. Pointers: Bring cash! The do not accept checks (which whatever, who does these days) or credit cards. We were not aware of that and luckily had enough cash between the two of us to cover the bill. Also you seat yourself, there is no sign to inform customers of this so if this is your first visit save yourself the time and confusion and just pick a table and take it over. Oh, and they are closed on Mondays, so don't even bother. Overall I would return to this establishment albeit a bit wiser to the soda racket and the requirement of cash payment. read more

Maria's Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We were seriously happy to see Maria's return after the hiatus... with that said, there are a few drawbacks that made the experience a little less charming than it use to be. To be fair, the pizza was decent and tasted like I remember, I'd rate at 7/10 for what it is. Problem is it was luke warm at best by the time we got to eat it. The reason it was not warm is simple. When I called to order they couldn't have been nicer! With that said, it sounds like organized chaos going on there while they struggle to get back on their feet. First they told me it would be a 2.5 hour wait (weekend night 5PM) , then she said it might be up to a 3 hour wait. Then she finally said to be there at 7:30 and it would be ready, I ordered and planned appropriately to be there by 7:15 just to be early. To my surprise, they called me at 6:45 and said my pizza was coming out of the oven and was ready to be picked up. Living 10 minutes away I wasn't prepared for it to be ready 45 minutes early. It kind of ruined the experience to be honest. The garlic bread was burned and definitely not worth the price. Although it was nice to revisit this childhood pizza memory, I won't make the drive or pay $30 for a cold pizza again until they get things straightened out a bit. I wish them luck! read more

it was very dry needs more sauce and they are VERY skimpy with the sausage I hope they improve

you have not experienced MKE pizza unless you have been to Maria's. it has been rated one of the top thirty pizza spots in 2015 by Milwaukee Magazine. Mama Maria established this joint in the 1950s, when pizza was shockingly a foreign concept in America. it has since withstood the test of time. the interior still embodies the spirit of Mama Maria, with its heavy red decor and its religious paintings. my food buddy and I, of course, ordered the 27 inch supreme pizza. it was magnificent - flavorful, fresh, light, and most importantly, addicting. the wait staff was friendly and flexible; we were able to split the pizza, where one half was vegetarian-friendly and the other was meat-heavy. we decided to try the fried zucchini. the bread coating was spot on; unfortunately, the marinara sauce was not noteworthy. it really dampened the appetizer overall. if you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, this is the spot to escape to. the secluded nature of this pizzeria allows you to unwind and lose track of time. read more

Maria's Pizza - mamma mia! - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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This is a very good pizza place. The sauce is mild and the toppings are plentiful. We ordered the small but I would recommend spending the extra $1.50 and order the large. You will have enough left over for the next day. You better get there early if you want to dine in the cozy restaurant. The wall hangings definitely provide character. If you like thin crust this is a MUST visit in Milwaukee. One last word...this place is really busy! PS I forgot to add that they only take CASH! No kidding... read more

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Their pizza is very, very good. Generous toppings and a thin crust that's crispy and not soggy. Only minuses are that, for whatever reason, their pizzas are more greasy than most that I've had at other places, and they don't cut their pizzas into separate pieces. You either have to tear at the pizzas our use your own home pizza cutter to get a separate piece. If it wasn't for these two negatives (for me) and the fact that it's a cash only restaurant, this would definitely be a five-star rating. The pizzas come on a large baking sheet and are certainly generous in size. Definitely worth multiple visits. One of the better thin-crust pizzas in Milwaukee, most definitely. Plan on parking on the surrounding streets if you are dining in. read more

This place is a must try! The pizza is by far one of my favorites. I live 25 miles away and it well worth the drive. The crust on this pizza is paper thin and amazing. read more

This is a Milwaukee staple. The smells, the sounds, the atmosphere. You won't find a better "Milwaukee" style pizza in the city. You absolutely need to check out Maria's pizza. Cash only! read more

Legendary, classic, phenomenal. Definitely a place to check out because they have perfected their menu. We got a cheese supreme with no sausage (vegetarian). Excellent balance of crust, sauce, cheese, and toppings. This is everything a pizza should be and nothing it shouldn't. They also use safe COVID protocol--everyone is required to wear a mask, which I appreciated. A true Southside gem. read more

It was a very long wait time for our pizza. We got our garlic bread almost instantly and it was very very good. The employees were very nice and helpful. When the pizza came out it is one of the best pizzas I have ever had, so besides the long wait for pizza, it was amazing. Highly recommended. read more

Called in an order for pizza and mozzarella sticks and it was ready within 20 min. Parked on the street nearby and walked in and picked up right away. Cash only. I loved the dining area and can't wait to dine in there. read more

VERY RUDE. I called to see if they could provide pizzas for a wedding reception for about 60 people. Both people I talked to cut me off, were very rude to me and just seemed like they were annoyed I was trying to give them my business. Not only did they just lose business from 60+ people but I will be sure to mention my experience with the hundreds of people I serve at my bar. I recommend being more friendly and acting like you're happy to make money. I understand if you aren't able to do what I'm asking. That is why I called to inquire about it. I chose them after doing pizza tastings of all of the recommended pizza places in the area! Out of 8 places, they were my first choice! Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to give them my money ever again. read more

Love this pizza! Went on a regular basis until Covid. Now with carry out only, don't go as often because we live 25 minutes away and the pizza's pretty cold by the time we get home. Crispy thin crust with great quality cheese and delish sauce! Large is only $2.00 more than medium, so we ALWAYS get large so we have left overs. It's my favorite hands down! Try it. read more

Would give it 3.5 if possible. Went on a Sunday night with my wife and we were in and out in about 45 minutes including eating time. The decor is definitely different and the place is pretty tiny but I didn't mind either. Wait staff could have been a little more outgoing but good overall. We started with the garlic bread with cheese and it was super good. My wife wished it came with sauce but we both devoured our pieces immediately. For pizza we got the small supreme minus mushroom. Very good flavors. There could have been more sauce but I do understand that's hard to do on a thin crust. Also, the middle of the pizza was soggy, I had to fold the piece up to eat it. read more

Maria's Pizza - Garlic bread with cheese - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I love this place, I have since I was a kid and my buddy's Dad would bring us here after Brewer games. Honestly, after reading some of the reviews for this establishment I'm really disappointed. Instead of doing a Jean Claude Van Damme-style splits and punch to the private area, I'm going to tell you how it really is. New York and Chicago are pizza towns. They didn't become pizza towns by putting Mac and Cheese on pizza, or calling a basic thin crust "New York Style", or offering a variety of crazy toppings, or stuffing everything into some fancy wood stove, or giving you some fufu whiskey drink to wash down your fat gullet. They didn't give you fancy little furniture or trendy decor to look at or some crazy kale and arugula salad. Those towns battled and focused on one thing- the pizza. This is exactly what Maria's has done and will do until they decide to leave the pizza business. There's nothing fancy about it. Great cheese, a thin layer of slightly sweet sauce, whatever basic toppings you want (i.e. Sausage, pepperoni, mushroom, onions, olives) and one of the best crusts in Wisconsin. The crust is a dusty cracker crust that cooks perfectly in their gas stoves. I've downed a lot of slices over 35 years and I have yet to find any crust like it. This is the pizza your Italian Grandmother who is two generations removed from the Old Country would make in 1955. And it's incredible. Otherwise, you have a small selection of sandwiches and pasta if you aren't feeling pizza, and while these are good the pizza is really where it's at. Come here on any given Saturday and you'll find cars with out of state plates filling up the surrounding streets. This place has an almost religious following and fills up real quick on the weekends. Cash only, so bring it. But this is nothing to really complain about considering there is only about 1,000 ATM's within a three mile radius of here. Also, no beer or hard liquor is served here, but that's what a flask is for. If you want a genuine, unique experience with damn good pizza, this is your place. read more

This place really gets no stars. It has one, because it's required of me in order to write this long overdue review. I'm new to MKE having moved up from the Chicago suburbs, and was having a difficult time finding a good - if not great - pizza place. Yes, I'm a snob. I know what I like: thin, hand tossed, pan, or stuffed. And I'll return if the pizza is good; no matter how far it is to travel. People I work with suggested many places to go (try). So I had a list. Maria's was one of them. One night, I decided to order 'take out.' A simple cheese, sausage, and pepperoni pizza. Maybe I was really hungry and didn't care, I thought it was ok. But I wanted to try it once more before giving my final grade... a dine-in experience. As the night was... A Thursday night with the Packers playing a Thursday night game. This is over a year ago, and is as vivid as if it happened yesterday. I sat down; with a seat close to watch the game. I started off ordering a soft drink, an order of fried mushrooms, and a pizza: cheese, sausage, mushroom, and pepperoni. What happened next is as good a play by play analysis can get... ~ The drink and fried mushrooms arrive. I can't believe my eyes as I receive a styrofoam cup so small; it reminds me of being a kid again playing little league baseball. It was packed full with ice, and after three swigs, the soda drink was gone. Had I known that I could have ordered a pitcher, I would have. The menu and pricing wasn't clear by the menu on the table. As for the mushrooms: they were standard pub grub -- frozen then fried; not fresh or homemade. ~ The nightmare: the pizza came... malformed on a sheet pan. The cheese looked yellow and white, and was swimming in grease. I had one piece, and then one more. I couldn't and wouldn't eat any more. The crust was terrible. The cheese was greasy. And the rest didn't matter. I was disgusted by it, and getting upset that no server came by to check on me... No asking how things were, or if I'd like a refill. When the server finally came, she asked if I wanted a box for the rest. I told her about my experience, and said "no, I'm not taking the rest with me." She did nothing about it and handed me the check. Really? So I go to the owner at the register with the check, and I tell her about my experience. Did she think of trying to correct the bad service, or terrible pizza? I even riposted a second time asking if she'd do anything... non-responsive. I was amazed. Shocked! And rather than waste any more time there, I paid the check, left no tip, and told her I would never EVER step foot in her restaurant, or eat her food again. Nuts! Anyone who eats at this place has no taste for what good pizza should be. You're pathetic when just a few blocks away you could have pizza from Di Stefano's up the way on Forest Home. And great pizza can be had at Ann's Italian in Hale's Corner; or Di Carlo's in Oak Creek. I can't say enough about this wretched place. How rude and insolent. And I'm true to my word... I've never been back. How they stay in business amazes me. But then I see that come November we will be choosing between Hillary and Donald... and that explains it... some people are just stuck on stupid. Don't take my word for it. Try the other places that I've mentioned, and hopefully your taste buds will convince you. If there's one thing I'd like from this post, by the least, would be an heartfelt and sincere apology. And at the most, I'd like my money back. Damn, if I was the owner and heard this plaint, I'd be apologetic and would have made a fresh new pizza... maybe take 20% off the bill or comp the drink + appetizer. Last thing I'd want is an unsatisfied customer leaving my establishment unhappy, or worse: pissed off. It is what it has become. A learning experience. Don't say I didn't warn you. read more

I'll be sending my son here when he goes to Milwaukee this summer. I lived across the street from Maria's on Greenfield as a child - best pizza on the planet. Hello, Bonnie! read more

Where to begin? First, don't go there. Chose to take family after I read article yesterday in Wall Street Journal. I knew a few great places mentioned in article around the country so I figured, article is legit. WRONG! Waited an hour and 20 minutes, once we were seated, to get our food. Folks in the kitchen couldn't be bothered to move faster. I had a direct line on them and they took their sweet time. So by the time it came, I should be blown away. WRONG! Zafiros is far better. Pizza was ok. Just ok. Not wait for 80 minutes pizza. It is just ok. read more

What appears to be a quaint little neighborhood pizza joint is more like an elementary school cafeteria. Be warned: You will not have your own table and you can forget about ordering a beer. Only black bear soda. Now for the pizza. The crust was hanging over and resting on the dirty table when the waitress delivered it. After having one or two bites, I realized there was no sauce on the pizza! When the waitress returned, I asked for a side of pizza sauce. She says they don't normally do that, and I should have requested extra sauce when I ordered the pizza. That is when I replied "I'm asking because the cook forgot to put any sauce on the pizza, or maybe you can just make a new one?" She came back with a side of sauce, reminding me how lucky I was to get it. The sauce was quite bland anyway, and too sweet for my taste. So overall, the only good part to the pizza was the crust, except that it was touching the table - inexcusable. Horrible experience, there are way too many choices for pizza in Milwaukee to waste money and time for this kind of substandard service and quality. read more

As one walks up to Maria's, it appears as an old line, neighborhood pizzeria (which it is) complete with that delightful aroma of baking crust as you approach that franchise operations cannot duplicate. Of course, as soon as you open the door, that wonderful aroma of baking pizza crust instantly overwhelms your poor olfactory system. Don't worry, it'll thank you later. The decor is reminiscent of the tiny Italian joints on The Hill in St, Louis, kitschy stuff abounds, a bad print of DaVinci's Last Supper, a paint-by-the-numbers portrait of Jesus, jig-sawed plywood guitar clocks with decoupaged portraits of Elvis, solid red and solid white Christmas tree lights, stained-glass lookalike lamps made of plastic, Melamine dishes and stamped steel dinnerware and of course, red and white checked tablecloths. Yup, a neighborhood joint! There is one word that best describes the pizza at Maria's: homemade. I'm going to stick my neck out here (I'm pretty much Irish.) If your Italian grandmother made pizza at home, this is what it would be, tasty sauce with just enough spice, sausage and pepperoni that let's you know it's there without overpowering everything else, and a delightfully thin crust, burned around the edges that curls up just slightly. The pizza is larger than the tray it is served on and the pizza hangs over the side. The tray also comes with at least two serrated nylon servers, that's very handy! For some reason, the place was unusually busy the night I was there, the place was jammed and there was a line out the door waiting for carry out. It was worth the wait! Two things to be aware of before you go to Maria's, and you MUST go and try Maria's, there is no liquor license but they serve Town of Lake's own Black Bear beverages. Maria's only accepts cash - no checks! No plastic! Maria's is a south side adventure! read more