Today was technically my 2nd visit, my 1st was a day after they opened and I was hoping to buy some fresh made pasta to go with my 'Sunday gravy'. Since they don't really sell JUST the pasta noodles, the very kind manager just GAVE me 2 servings of the fusilli noodles they'd made within the hour. Their marketing savvy and kindness was only trumped by how unbelievable the pasta turned out to be! I vowed to go back soon. We just finished a dinner of their "Nero" pizza and a plate of fettuccine with the "Tevi" sauce, as a close approximation to classic 'cacio e pepe'. Now our only debate is which offering was more authentically delicious. And frankly it's a toss-up. The pasta is incredible. It's amazing the difference a light, fresh-made noodle makes and having a place that does so right here in BloNo is cool as hell. We added garlic and the Tevi sauce had the perfect amount of red pepper spice and really was brilliant, albeit just a bit heavy-handed. The pizza is as authentic as you will find. The brilliantly aerated crust is intentionally complimented with just a few high-quality ingredients. In our case prosciutto, kalamata olives and a balsamic glaze. Served whole to slice it up as u like. It's spectacular. We will definitely be keeping this neweast side gem on heavy rotation. read more

Love the pizza and the pasta is great too! Take friends and family,it's a great place for dinner out!

The concept is great, but the atmosphere is pure honky tonk. The menu items sound great, and they would be if it didn't taste like there is a tablespoon of salt in each bite. I had to spit my food out. If you're addicted to salt and gambling, this is your place for a fix. read more

Best pizza in town - very authentic & not like the other 100 placesin town... staff was attentive and friendly!

Really really good pizza. Service was excellent. Comfortable place to eat. Definitely will come back. read more

The Original Pinsaria - Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

Opening day review. Jitters with online order system and general learning curve aside, very good pizza, excellent sausage and super yum and unique orange chocolate dessert pizza. The concept is similar to Blaze but better crust and also offers pasta dishes. We tried a sausage and cheese pizza, a pasta dish, an arugula salad and the orange chocolate dessert pizza. I should have paid more attention and not got the arugula salad and pasta with arugula in it - overload. Lol Everything was just as described, however, we got the Navona sauce for the pasta and it really wasn't a sauce per se. Had roasted eggplant chunks, fresh cherry tomato halves and whole olives. The FAV was dessert! LOVE LOVE LOVE. And so unique.... You won't find that around anywhere. read more

Although the menu is somewhat limited, the food was amazing. We had pizza and pasta. The staff was sooooo friendly and explained the items. It appeared this was a franchise like restaurant, but it was not. This is the only site. I wish there was something like this in the Chicago Suburbs. read more

Their pizza and especially their dough is PHENOMENAL and the evening service is friendly, but during the day, the people working there seem annoyed with our presence. It is a seriously strange, almost creepy vibe inside. The odd contrasts for dine-in are jarring: It looks in terms of decor like the kind of place that would have awesome wait staff and big groups dining together, carafes of wine... yet they run the place like they long for the days of lockdown; your only option is to eat out of a to-go box if you dine in, and staff seem to begrudge your presence if you do choose to eat there. TLDR: AMAZING pizza, borderline creepy dine-in vibes. Get it to go and take it to somewhere where you can have a la dolce vita vibe: eating inside here is unfortunately quite the opposite. read more

The general manager at this location, Chris McGhee, provided above and beyond service. my boyfriend and I stopped to grab take out and while we were walking in Chris was out taking down the umbrellas. he was very friendly and offered to leave one up for us if we wanted. We declined and walked in to order on their self service system. It was very easy to use and navigate. An employee also came to make sure we didn't have any questions while we were ordering. While waiting for our food, Chris approached and said he could save us a bit of money if we'd like. He then re-did our order using pinsas from their menu and removing editing them which saved us about $5. Very considerate and mindful service! this our first visit and we will definitely return, need to try the pasta next! read more

Easily the best Pizza around, the crust is light but crisp. It's served either individual or a 13" that's enough for 2. The reheating instructions are essential, either eat there or make sure you reheat to go. Sure the pizza would be fine but the best way to eat it is hot. As an aside, the sausage pasta sauce tastes exactly how my grandfather used to make, which was an old Italian recipe. It's really, REALLY, good. Price is beyond reasonable for what you get, the next closest place this good requires a 10 hour flight. I can't wait to go back. read more

Cute little gem in a decent area. Service was great and quick. The food tasted great and the portions were good.

So the way I found the OP, was that I read through reviews until I found one that talked about the crust... For me, the crust is everything! So I found the reviews that raved about the crust, and I can see diners pictures of the pizza, with that perfect, crispy, but still chewy, bubbled, and slightly charred, crust. Ahhh! And the Original Pinsaria delivers! There were a couple of things that I was surprised about when I went the first time. First, it's designed similarly to a fast food restaurant, in that you order at the counter, and then eat in a booth or at a table if you decide to stay, or you just pull up to a table out both, and wait. That part Is always a little odd to me, because I'm getting PRIMO pizza toppings, but I'm eating at what feels like a take-out shop! The decor is kitschy cute, and it's never a long wait for pizza, so it's the perfect place for a fast dinner if you need one.. They bring your pizza out so FAST, that it is hot and wonderful! It's brought out in its own small box, and whether you are eating in or taking it away (I guess that way, you never have to wait for a box or a take out container) it's hot! But swear I can hear that pizza, pretty much daring me to try and get out the door without grabbing a slice out of the box! The pizzaria really caters to the 1 person, 1 pizza, size pie; about 8 inches. I have to say, while it may not look like that much when you get it, only once have I finished one, with 3 out of 4 slices being my norm. The OP offers many topping combos (from a plain sauce and cheese, to more interesting combinations), and they do offer a slightly larger version pizza, but I've never felt the need. They also have the "make your own" topping pizzas, bruschetta, make your own pasta and salads, bread, and a few dessert pizzas. I've ordered their salads several times and I like them a lot. They are not huge, but they really don't need to be! They offer a make your own salad, with toppings like artichoke hearts, candies walnuts, balsamic glaze, several cheeses, etc, as well as more standard salad choices, such as Greek, garden, etc. Their pasta is made fresh there daily, and a few choices of noodles are available. Then choose your topping(s) (marinara, pesto, or my favorite, a little EVOO, some cracked black pepper, a healthy sprinkle of salt, and some grated cheese), add any of the additional toppings, and dig in! I have ordered their bruschetta twice now (out of maybe half a dozen or more visits), and to be honest, it wasn't my favorite. I should start by saying this is not your usual bruschetta. It was tasty enough, but the toppings were sparse and the bread was not cut, so that made it really hard to eat, let alone share as an appetizer! Now, for dessert! They have one of the yummiest and unusual, desserts I've had in a long time, it's an orange and chocolate pizza! Pizza dough, spread with orange marmalade, topped with thinly sliced oranges that have been soaked in simple syrup, then sprinkled with chocolate chips and then a dusting of powdered sugar! Delicious! They also offer a dessert pizza with Nutella, which you can never go wrong with! If you don't like making a lot of decisions, choose from their menu board, but if you do like mixing it up a bit, this is the place to do it! The service is always wonderful, probably because it's always the owner! He is super helpful if you've never been there before, and he is so proud of the food they serve, that you can feel it just talking with him. And with all of the choices available, they have only gotten ONE of my special orders mixed up; very impressive! And, as the OP advertises, the crust is indeed special! Make sure you look thru the customer photos, so many yummy things I mentioned, have been posted by others! So, clearly I recommend the OP and I would say we eat there at least every other week or so. Because it cooks so quickly, i order online and then coordinate the pickup to coincide with when it comes out of the oven, and in 5 minutes we are home enjoying fresh, hot, yummy, pizza! If you enjoy having an interesting array of toppings, or you enjoy trying something new, this is the place for you! But you can still get just a sauce and cheese pie if that's all your craving! read more

I absolutely love this place! Food and service are both great. This will be a regular stop for our family.

Wow, this place is outstanding in food and service. We are staying in Bloomington one night on a trip back home to Iowa. I searched for restaurants around me and came across The Original Pinsaria, and saw it had high ratings. Always best to find a local business rather than a national chain, in my opinion. First thing inside the door, we were met by Chris (later learned he is manager) who greeted us warmly, asking if we had ever been there before. After hearing our response that no, we were just in town overnight and had not visited the restaurant before, Chris began to tell about the difference in their dough, the non-GMO ingredients and the many options on the menu. Then he demonstrated the very cool kiosk on which you can order and pay for your food. I guess other places have this kind of thing, too, but this seemed to offer many options to modify and add ingredients for your meal. Chris added, or you could order from me if you prefer to do that. We did the kiosk. My sister ordered pasta and I ordered the pinsa (pizza). Sorry if o not supposed to call it pizza, I had never heard of pinsa before. You enter your cell phone when ordering to get a text message when your food in ready. Chris came out and cleaned the table we wished to sit at. The food was prepared and ready very quickly and was fresh, hot and delicious. Several QR codes are available on the food packaging and menus. For fun I scanned the one for their social media and checked out their Facebook page. There I learned this business is just new this year (2021). Following chowing down my pinsa, I decided to write a Yelp review, so learned Chris's name. Also that he is manager, this site is their prototype, the owners area from Italy, and they intend to build many more of these across the country. Kind of ironic for me, because one thing that attracted me to this store was that It is NOT a chain with locations everywhere. Thanks to Chris , his staff and the tasty food, I rate this restaurant very highly. I will recommend it and will remember it when traveling thtough town again. read more

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Stopped by on a road trip home from Decatur to Chicago. We picked this place looking for quick Italian and this was a home run. They have pizza, pasta and salads. The service was great. I think it was the owner who greeted us and gave the rundown on the menu. The pizza and pasta are homemade. There were 7 of us and we all had pizza and shared a salad. Every single person enjoyed the pizza. Crispy but tender crust. Highly recommended read more

Pasta was a delicious, so was the bread. Restaurant was clean and the staff was very helpful.

I'm a pain in the a$$ when it comes to pizza and absolutely love this place! The sauce and crust is so good. I just moved to the area from Philadelphia, and this is by far the best pizza I've had in Bloomington thus far. Highly recommend! read more

Amazing service, friendly employees every time, and always spotless whenever I go! I almost never leave reviews but this restaurant has some of my favorite pizza and salads, and has always been great in the year it's been open! read more

The Original Pinsaria - the interior of a restaurant - Pizza Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

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Fantastic service, food, and atmosphere! Definitely coming back here again the next time I'm in Bloomington!

First time here and I really didn't know what to expect. Boy was I blown away. Excellent service, great atmosphere and the food was wonderful. We tried the Roma and the Augustus, both were great. The Roma was light clean simple and perfectly delicious. Tomato sauce and mozzarella with basil on their fantastic crust. So simple but quality fresh ingredients made it shine. The Augustus was a meat lovers dream. Three or four meats on that great crust. Still light and fresh but meaty. Their dessert pinsara was a unique surprise, we had the fruit one, very citrusy and fresh, and the Nutella one as well, Nutella...what else is there to say.. Five stars! I will certainly be back! read more

Absolutely amazing service and the kindest owners. The food was amazing and the ambiance of the restaurant makes me so excited to eat inside post-covid. I heard that they had some issues there first day with online ordering and I would just like everyone to take into consideration how stressful opening days are, especially during times like these. If you had issues that day i would 100% recommend going and giving them a second try. 10/10 food and 11/10 staff. Will DEFINITELY be back!!! read more

The Original Pinsaria - PESTO PASTA - Pizza Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

Today was my second visit. The first time me and a friend showed up a few minutes before opening, so we sat in the car and waited. They waved us in when they were ready for us. Then, he explained the menu for us and walked us through how to order on their screens. The 8" pizza is perfect for one person. We had every intention to eat only half, but it was so light and airy and delicious that we plowed through the whole pizza. I tried the pizza with sausage, Kalamata olives, and a mushroom paté. So good! The inside is decorated as though you're sitting outside in Italy. So fun! I'd love to bring my whole family sometime. read more

In all fairness I tried them on the 1st or 2nd day of their opening. My 20 minute promised wait time was closer to 45 minutes. My pizza was burnt. My pasta was tasty. I will wait a while until the kinks are ironed out and try again. Would like to see this business succeed. read more

This place is amazing. The Pinsa (Pizza) are the best! I had the Gladiator and the #8, both were delicious read more

The Original Pinsaria - #8 pinza - Pizza Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

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Delicious! There bread is one of a kind! Definitely check this place out. Great atmosphere inside as well!

Never had a pinsa until today. The crust was crunchy on the bottom but still chewy. I thoroughly enjoyed the pizza and the service was too notch. I highly recommend this establishment if you're in the mood for pizza. read more

One of my favorite pizza places. Their pizza has less gluten than most, the sauce is very fresh, and the cheese is just right.

A great place with fresh ingredients and amazing food! A top pick for this area. You won't regret it!

Great food and quick service. thank you! The pizzas are thin crust and so very crisp.

Over priced and not all that good. Don't order the salad. Service was good. Bathroom clean.

For an authentic taste of Italy and delicious pizza, this is the perfect place! The cozy atmosphere and the exceptionally friendly staff create a wonderful esperienze. As I was born in Rome, seeing pictures of my home town and listening at the songs I grew up with add an exciting touch. Truly recommended by a true Italian! read more

So delicious! The crust is light with crunchy edges. My husband and I love the Gladiator. If you are looking for something sweet, after your pizza. We've had both the Nutella and dark chocolate with orange marmalade & slices. read more

Very friendly staff. Food was done quickly and it was VERY good. Clearly using fresh ingredients and they sure don't cut corners. Highly recommended. read more

I went and enjoyed the atmosphere and the pizza! I ordered the pizza with pesto on it, but they were dolloped on in piles and it had a different taste that I didn't necessarily enjoy. I do plan on going back though and trying a different kind! read more

This place is super cute. I had the pasta and my friend had a salad and small pizza. The food was very good. I would definitely eat there again. Food is made to order so it takes awhile. I would order ahead if I had that option. The only reason for not 5 stars is the tea machine was not working properly as the tea was orange. Also the amount of waste with cartons is awful. I know they say they are recycling, but data on recycling is only 5% really is recyclable. Otherwise the staff was friendly and helpful. read more

Great pizza that isn't heavy on the stomach. The owner served us and was very genuine and good. The place was new and looked amazing.

Food is always great! Ordering is very easy through the app and is always ready before it says it would be done. Highly recommend!

I ordered the Mostacciano salad for carry out today, which is supposed to have romaine lettuce. This is one of my favorite salads to get in town so I was pretty excited to have it. When I opened the container, it appeared that the lettuce was more like iceberg than romaine. I called and was told that it is romaine lettuce and that they needed to switch to bagged lettuce due to increased food costs. Mind you, they already increased the price of their salads before they switched the lettuce. The employee was really nice and offered a refund, but I'm just not going to go back for a while. This is supposed to be an authentic Italian place and I really have a hard time believing the lettuce they gave me was romaine. At the very least it was poorer quality than what it was before, and there were a lot of bad pieces I needed to pick out. If I wanted a salad that looked like that, I would have bought a bag from the store and made one at home. read more

The Original Pinsaria - "Romaine lettuce" that looks like iceberg - Pizza Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

Loved the "pinsa" at The Original Pinsaria!! After eating there only once, it is of my favorite pizzas in Blono. Crust is crispy, but soft, and has good flavor. Sauce is delicious but I will make sure to ask for extra sauce next time. I had the Augustus (soppressata, or salami) and I will definitely get it again! I gave three stars because our wait was fairly long, we did not receive our add-ons which were crushed red pepper and all of the tables were dirty when we sat down. But having worked in food service, I understand and can't judge by one possibly understaffed day. I wish this restaurant a lot of success! I hope to come back many times. read more

The Original Pinsaria - The Cesar (olives, tomatoes, greens) and the Augustus (salami) - Pizza Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

This place was amazing! They accommodated for our soccer team of 30 people and they were very nice and attentive during our entire time here. The restaurant is beautiful and has lots of space inside and outside for people. The food was fabulous, and the pasta was extremely fresh. Everyone should come and visit this place! read more