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Arinell Pizza
Category: Restaurants Pizza Pizza [Edit]
2119 Shattuck AveBerkeley, CA 94704
Neighbourhoods: UC Campus Area, Downtown Berkeley
(510) 841-4035
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
322 reviews for Arinell Pizza
Review Highlights
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"I love the neopolitan (thin crust) pizza." In 80 reviews -
"Excellent thin crust NY style pizza in a hurry." In 50 reviews -
"A slice of New York in a left coast college hippy town." In 42 reviews
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322 reviews in English
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Review from Michelle C.
Belmont, CA
4/29/2012
Pizza is not bad here. I was on my way to an event and walked by and the smell, made me do a full turn around. All of a sudden I realized I was hungry and wanted a slice of pizza. Two rocker guys were working behind the counter, talking about a Slayer concert. Pretty amusing to listen to. I ordered my slice of cheese pizza at $2.75. They put it in the oven like Pizza My Heart does. And then wham I was on my way to my event. My cheese slice was good and tasty, I inhaled the whole thing. End of story.
Ca$h only!
Place is small, don't plan on a large pizza parties here. Mainly for take out. -
Review from Ira S.
Berkeley, CA
Most reminds me of New York style pizza of all Berkeley's great pizza places - both the Neapolitan Slice and the look and feel of the place.
I'd give it most-like-New York pizza ... but Gioia's is my favorite in Berkeley. -
Review from Gabrielle T.
Oakland, CA
3/30/2012
I used to love Arinell's SO MUCH. It's hard to get a thinnish slice of decent pizza (ahem, Blondie's... FAT Slice, take note!) around chea. But sometime last year (yeah, I know, I'm majorly late with this review) I went in because I had a serious hankering for a slice and was waiting to pick my mom up from somewhere nearby. Since she hadn't finished running her errand, I perused for parking for hella long and decided to grab a slice. When I walked in, there were two people in line in front of me. At that moment, my mom called and told me she was ready. I gave her a simple "Alright, love you, see you in a sec", and thought nothing of it. But when I got to the cashier, a scraggly-faced gentleman informed me that they have a "No cell phone use" policy, pointing his dirty digit at a pretty obvious sign just to the right of the register. I apologized and smiled as best as I could, given that he had now irritated me. And do you know what this pissant man said to me? He said, "Just don't let it happen again." Like he was my coach and I had gotten caught on the juice or something. Like he was my mom and he had just picked me up from the drunk tank at 3 a.m. I seriously took two steps back from the counter and just said told him to forget it. I've never been back since, no matter how much I miss their savory cheesy flava.
The only reason you're getting two stars, Arinell's, is because I can't deny the deliciousness of that pizza. But I have my limits. -
Review from mark w.
Los Angeles, CA
5/15/2012
Arinell is where I learned to love pizza. Seriously I grew up in Southern California and never much cared for pizza. Then I spent some time living in an apartment above Arinell. Terrible apartment but seriously wonderful pizza.
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Review from Pari P.
What says college food more than pizza? Arinell Pizza is located conveniently in Berkeley and sells pizza for $2.50 a slice. Perfect for those college kids who are tight on cash and taking out student loans up the wazoo.
It's been described as neopolitan and New York style pizza but not quite. I have had both and the crust isn't the same. At Arinell's, the crust is a little doughier with more chew. It's also a little greasy. Normally, grease equals flavor in my world but not for pizza.
Arinell's Pizza isn't quite true California pizza with fresh toppings and it's not quite neopolitan or New York style pizza. It's still good pizza with huge slices and for cheap. Not bad for the college student who probably chooses cost over flavor. -
Review from Tim C.
Berkeley, CA
3/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
I found out why this place is so good:
The servers don't wash their hands in between handling money and moving the pizza. Their slices taste like cash money. -
Review from Willson D.
Berkeley, CA
4/23/2012
If you're in the mood for tasting a bit of the big apple without having to change time zones, Arinell's is a quick and convenient place to get it. Slices are nice and big and makes it illegal to not perform the customary grab and fold when you're about to take that big bite. The flavor, grease level, texture and crust is decent and hits the spot when you're in the mood for that thin crust. Though not the best thin crust pizza you can get, Arinell's is certainly a place that I would recommend for a quick satisfying bite.
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Review from Daniel P.
Northridge, CA
2/13/2012
The pizza is good, not great. But that has a lot to do with the fact that they reheat the pizza, since it is sold by the slice. Arinell Pizza isn't a place that I would go out of my way to get to, but if I am in the area I'll stop by and grab a slice or two.
I would recommend anyone in the area to stop by and give it a try. -
Review from Ayelet D.
Oakland, CA
2/28/2012
Every time I walk into that hole in the wall I feel like I entered a time warp... Mullets, spikes, Metal blasting in the back...the same consistent pizza I remember for over 30 years.
It's the closest thing to Stromboli's you'll ever find on the Left Coast...really. Cash only, no delivery, just Neo or Sicilian. Fresh ingredients, good dough, lightly sauced.
They pre-bake cheese pizzas and serve the slices heated up with ingredient(s) of your choice. If you don't want it reheated, just ask. It's also worth ordering up a pie to go, one slice is never enough. -
Review from Sarah M.
Berkeley, CA
1/17/2012
OH BABYYYYYY...gimme that hot-n-fresh pie.
OK, former Jersey girl here to talk again about pizza, and this time, I'm not going to WAX NOSTALGIC about how much "better" all the food is on the east coast. I'm just gonna say this:
This is the best "NY style" pizza I have had since moving to California 4 years ago. It's so close to perfect, it is RIGHTTHERE. We took my hardcore NJ father there last night, and even HE liked it. They are generous with the toppings, and their dough is paper thin- yum! YUM!!
I wish they took debit cards. If you need pizza in Berkeley, look no further. This is the place. -
Review from Isaac H.
Fresno, CA
4/9/2012
This pizza is so good. Love this pizza. Only giving you four stars because they don't take debit cards.
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Review from Anthony L.
Berkeley, CA
3/20/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Oh, Arinell's! How I really want to give you 5 stars, but in my heart I just can't. First, all of the goodness: They make AWESOME pizza! They start with a tasty cheese pizza base and then you can add whatever extra toppings you like. The base cheese pizzas are made fresh throughout the day and even if you "just" get the cheese, you won't be sorry. Additional toppings can be a little pricy (since they are charged per slice, so two pep and olive slices will run you "Cheese + 2 Toppings" twice - which makes sense, but it's still a pricy). The one nice thing about the toppings, at least with any veggie topping, you get a LOT of them, so we order a cheese an olive, you get enough olives to realistically cover two slices. As another bonus, they serve both thin and thick style crusts (though they don't make as much thick crust as thin, so it might be out if you go in late). The sauce is flavorful, but not too spicy - this is why they provide a lot of extra pizza-condiments on the tables; garlic, red peppers, parm cheese, etc.
One thing to keep in mind if you are planning on eating there - they have very limited seating space; 4 small tables I believe. During lunch, you'll see many a student just nibbling their slices outside on the street or bus stop. If you are lucky enough to get a seat - eat quick - there will be folks just eye-balling you waiting to get is as soon as you start chewing your last bite. I've even had folks offer to clean up our trash for us, just to "help us" get out more quickly.
So, with all of that goodness and positive build-up, you must be asking yourself "Why the heck is he docking them a star?!" It's the same reason that I'll sometimes give a 4-star place that extra 5th star: quality of service. Arinell Pizza has some of least friendly (nearly rude) service folks I've ever seen - from the part-time workers to the owner. I've heard many an argument that "they are just trying to run a business and don't have time to be nice" and "that's just their 'New York' attitude", but honestly, it doesn't hurt anyone (nor does it take much time) to say "Thank you" or "How may I help you?" (Rather than: "What do you want?"). I also question their hygiene rules, I've seen one person run the register, take a customer's cash, turn around make their slice, help another customer and once done with both customer (providing change/receipt and giving them their slices) walk out to the front of the store and clean up the tables and trash can. I can only HOPE that when he went back he washed his hands - but since I didn't see a sink anywhere I'm not 100% confident about that.
I've been eating at Arinell's for years and I plan on continuing to eat there, but when I go in I know what to expect now, both in the quality of food served (great) and the level of service (not-so-great). I would highly recommend them; lunch, dinner or just a "snack slice", you can't go wrong.
PS: I should mention that they only take cash - no credit cards, no checks, no IOUs. There is a Bank of America ATM just next door, so if you need some cash hit it first. -
Review from Julie T.
Novato, CA
2/14/2012
Hands down the best pizza I've ever had!! What I love most aside from it being incredibly tasty is that even a simple slice of cheese is as good or even better than any other loaded with ingredients. It's a thin slice that isn't overwhelmed with tomato sauce with simple fresh ingredients.
This is a great little hole in the wall casual pizza joint that I highly recommend if you're in Berkeley. Oh yeah and it's cash only. -
Review from Marcus M.
San Francisco, CA
3/30/2012
If you're looking for a quick eat before German class (or whatever class you're taking), this is a good place. Cheap, quick eats with substantial portions. The seating is sparse and calculated to move people along.
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Review from Heather C.
Walnut Creek, CA
12/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Cheap, simple pizza place. Good location to dodge in and grab a slice of pizza and continue to stroll. If you have ever been to Vancouver Canada, this place reminds me of something you would find there. That city seems to be littered wtih places selling pizza by the slice and are open late.
Arinells Pizza is large, thin and tasty. -
Review from Jessica C.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2012
The pizza is okay. They pick a slice and put the toppings on and reheat it. Some people like it, but I am not a big fan. Unfortunately my favorite pizza is not the NY style. I read a lot of reviews praising this place, but I am more of a Chicago style pizza lover.
One thing I liked about this pizza is the taste. So I would recommend you to at least give it a try. -
Review from T B.
Berkeley, CA
5/2/2012
This is the best pizza in Berkeley. I think it's even better than Zachary's Chicago Pizza. It's so thin and flavorful! Definitely reminds me of New York style pizza. Unfortunately this place is cash only, doesn't stay open very late, doesn't have great nearby street parking, doesn't deliver and is really expensive. I think a medium pizza with pepperoni was $24 and when I got home I found that they had forgotten to put the pepperoni on it! They give you pretty big slices if you order by the slice, but they give it to you on parchment paper or wax paper and if you want a box for those slices it's an additional 25 or 75 cents or something like that. And it's a huge box. They have a little sit down area, but its nothing special. I am not a huge fan of the place itself, but they have amazing pizza. I crave it and it makes my mouth water just thinking about it. It just tastes so delicious.
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Review from David S.
Pinole, CA
12/7/2011
If this is New York pizza, I would be there in a se... bye guys!
But seriously, I ordered the thin crust one and had mushroom placed on it. It was ultra fresh. they served it on a paper like thing but man I could eat this on anything. -
Review from Doris L.
Napa, CA
4/29/2012
My new favorite thin crust pizza. Loved the crust, crispy without being burnt. Just the right amount of toppings. Not too much to make the crust soggy, but enough so it wasn't dry, either. I had the Neapolitan Regular, my husband had pepperoni and we were both very happy with our choices.
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Review from Elliot W.
Berkeley, CA
4/20/2012
Pretty much what everybody else says. Tasty thin slices at a good price. The atmosphere has grown on me, personally.
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Review from Lia P.
10/8/2011
New York Style Slices in Downtown Berkeley!
Arinell's is literally right next door to my job so I frequent habitually. They make the pizza fresh, a few times a day and I know this because I can smell it in my office!
The pizza itself is delicious. The place is always clean. The guys that work there are super laid back, sweet and eye-pleasing. You can either eat while standing and fold up your pie slice or take a load off and sit down and relax.
It is a classic, Americana pizza joint that wouldn't make Downtown Berkeley whole. -
Review from Kevin C.
Berkeley, CA
4/19/2012
seriously nearly NYC style. nearly. it's the only pizza in Berkeley i can say i crave.
went here once to get a couple of slices - without my son, which ended up a good thing. one of the (now former) employee's swore incessantly, including while taking my money. it had nothing to do with me and had been happening previous to me getting to the counter. something about the person before me really set the guy off. i found it rather "true-to-berkeley" but would have had a hard time with it had my son been there. -
Review from Attila T.
Los Angeles, CA
10/11/2011
This place has got to have the best New York style pizza west of New York! I believe it to be the most underrated pizza joint in all of Berkeley (though Berkeley does have a lot of great pizza places, to be fair), I think a lot of students are just not really aware of its existence since it's kinda tucked away on the West side.
$2.75 for a slice of YUM. It's more if you want toppings but a plain cheese slice with some parmesan, crushed red pepper and dried oregano sprinkled on top is really all you need...SO DELICIOUS, I am craving a slice right now!! I've never tried the Sicilian slices, I've heard they're not that great...and I'm a thin crust girl all the way, anyways. -
Review from G N.
San Francisco, CA
9/2/2011
This place has been serving up thin crust pizza slices in Berkeley since 1975. And it is remains the best place in the bay for real New York style slices. I came here after a very annoying day dealing with traffic court.
Where can I find some quick and tasty food? A little light bulb went off, and I turned and headed down shattuck like a heat seeking missile.
The pepperoni slices were more delicious than I even remembered. The neapolitan crust was perfectly thin and crispy. So I ordered a second slice to go with my root beer. That came to $7.50. After chomping down those two slices, and finishing off the soda while driving down University, I finally felt a sense of calm.
Arinell's delicious thin crust pizza is quick working stress relief!Listed in: Berkeley
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Review from nicole s.
Los Angeles, CA
2/17/2012
Try to find a better NY style pizza on the west coast. Just try. (And if you do, please tell me all about it.)
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Review from Anthony L.
Brooklyn, NY
12/15/2011
This place is hit and miss but mainly average NY style pizza. I'm Italian-American, born and raised in Brooklyn, NY so I know NY style pizza. The pizza is average and at times better then average. The main problem I have with Arinell's are the employees. They are mostly alternative types that are adverse to combs and general hygiene and rude. It is very difficult to find authentic NY style pizza outside of the NYC area and the Bay Area is not known for good pizza.
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Review from Katarina M.
Berkeley, CA
9/17/2011
Have tried the plain Neopolitan twice.
The first time, the guy reheated the pizza to finger-burning hot. 'Twas delicious - crisp and thin and melty. "Wow, this place has been closer to me than cheeseboard all this time and I never knew!"
The second time, the pizza had probably been taken out of the oven a few minutes ago and the guy didn't reheat it for me. It was lukewarm, slightly floppy, and just meh.
I would recommend buying one slice of reheated pizza at a time - the deliciousness and temperature of their Neopolitan slice are exponentially related (increasing return on temperature). -
Review from Andrew S.
8/9/2011 7 Check-ins Here
Pro
Pizza was hot
Crust was crispy
Large pepperonis
Quick service
Accessible location
Nonfranchise
Cool seats
Natural type ingredients (no sugar/msg in the sauce)
Con
Expensive
Slices aren't as large as you'd think
Not a lot of substance (lots of crust, not a lot of cheese, tomato sauce
Decision: good change of pace from cheeseboard and zacharys and significantly better than la vals and blondie's -
Review from Chris K.
5/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Not bad, not amazing for a quick service pizza. Can get expensive if you're very hungry.
Here's a tip... try nearby Jupiter's pizza for a lot cheaper and better, may have to wait 10 mins more though -
Review from Cesie A.
8/2/2011
omg. this pizza is heaven!
Came here yesterday on my way to bart. Smelled it from outside and I had to go check it out.
I couldn't decide whether to get the neapolitan or the sicilian but went with the thin crusty neapolitan (sicilian is thick like a fat slice of bread).
I ended up getting it without toppings which was perfect. It came out super hot and crispy (yum) and I couldn't wait to eat it. It was such a perfect piece of pizza. I ate it so quickly. I immediately texted me dad after eating it that he has to try this place next time he visits (he's obsessed with NY style pizza).
Only con--it's cash only and a bit pricey by the slice+toppings. -
Review from Jenna L.
Berkeley, CA
5/23/2011 1 photo
3.5 stars --
I went here because my boyfriend was craving NY-style pizza like how it is for him back home, and I must say the place doesn't disappoint. Personally, I haven't had MUCH New York style pizza but this place is pretty darn good! I prefer the Sicilian deepdish over the thin crust, but both are pretty amazing... especially since you can customize it however you want (by adding toppings for an additional price). It starts off at 3 bucks for the Sicilian and 2.75 for the thin crust (with 50-75 cents for each additional topping).
Service is not really available and seating is limited.
Try it at least once, but don't stop by when you're too hungry 'cause it would get a bit expensive for extra slices! -
Review from Tim W.
7/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's a shame that so many people at Cal don't know about this place. Arinell's straight up serves a tasty no-frills NY style pizza. I was writing this review, which made me crave this pizza so much that I went and bought a slice. The Neopolitan slices are large, super-thin, and perfectly chewy and greasy. I wish the crust was a little bit softer though. The Sicilian deep dish is great as well.
Sometimes, when I'm eating at Cheeseboard or any other pizza joint, I try to fold my pizza like I'm eating a Neopolitan slice, but it's just not the same...Listed in: Pizza Pizza
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Review from Amanda N.
4/25/2011
4.5 stars. Out of so many good pizza places in Berkeley, this has to be some of the best NYC-style pizza around. Location is the main deciding factor for where I get my pizza from, so I always get a slice from Arinell's when I'm walking down Shattuck. Good place for game days.
It's simple and there really isn't much else to say - get a slice or two and enjoy.Listed in: Go Bears!, Best of the Bay
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Review from Chico W.
San Francisco, CA
6/28/2011
Damn good pizza. Period.
The Neapolitan here is better than sex. Screw the cheeseboard and those other greasy places around town, this place is legit. -
Review from Derek F.
Alameda, CA
3/20/2012
Hand's down, the best New York style pizza by the slice in the Bay Area. I've had authentic, good New York pizza to attest!
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Review from Wen Y.
Berkeley, CA
5/27/2011
This place is like the pizza version of the soup-nazi from Seinfeld, but I wasn't bothered by it at all. I think it gives the place character. It's a no nonsense pizza joint. There are pretty much two things on the menu: the Neapolitan slice and the Sicilian slice. Every slice pretty much come with cheese and sauce, then you can customize it by adding whatever topping you want.
I got the plain Neapolitan slice. I've always wanted to try NY pizza. I don't really know how it differs from other types of pizza. Since I'm a novice, I can't really give a full review on the pie but to me, it was pretty darn good. The crust was thin and crispy. The sauce was not as sweet as say Bobby G's pizza around the block (not a good or bad thing, just depends on your tastes).
For me, the pizza was a bit oily, but I guess most pizzas are. I would have liked the crust to be chewier and a bit less crunchy, but I'm not sure what the NY standard is.
Overall, a pretty good pizza joint. Not my best slice of pizza ever, but that's just personal tastes. -
Review from Aaron R.
Berkeley, CA
3/10/2012
I go here 1-2 times a week if I need a quick slice. All in all they have some great pizza, but they get 4 stars since they aren't always consistent. Sometimes they'll put my pizza in the oven for 5 minutes, sometimes they don't at all. I tend to like a firm crust, and without the oven, its just not firm enough.
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Review from Chandra D.
Delano, CA
7/24/2011
Solid pizza. My boyfriend, another couple, and I stopped in here to get a slice of pizza. My boyfriend and I each got a slice of pepperoni and our husband/wife duo shared a slice of cheese pizza.
Pros: Pizza: Large slices, cheap, quick, easy, piping hot. Establishment: cool decor and condiments available on the side (choose from oregano, Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes)
Cons: Pizza left out and toppings simply added to the slices and then tossed in a huge industrial oven. My boyfriend and I went with the Neapolitan because the Sicilian pizza looked like it had been out for awhile.
Customer service: No hassle, but won't win any awards. The homeboy behind the counter didn't smile or greet us, but was quick to get us our slices and made our half orange half Sprite drinks without a problem. He didn't look as if it was a good day to make pizza.
Overall: If you're in the neighborhood and want a slice of pizza the Neapolitan slices aren't too shabby. -
Review from Tina N.
Oakland, CA
4/20/2011
As an original east coaster, pizza in california was traumatizing for the first several years I was here. Then I found Arinell's. I'm not willing to go so far as to say that it is exactly like NY pizza, but it is BY FAR the best in bay area. The crust is thin, the mozzarella is the right thickness, but the sauce, oh man the sauce is perfect. California pizza consistently makes sauce that is too sweet. Pizza should have a slightly tangy taste from the sauce and arinell's is the ONLY place that I have found that makes good sauce. And as for the limited toppings, pizza should be awesome on it's own and arinell's cheese slices are as close to perfect as I've had out here, their pizza doesn't need to be disguised with a load of crap on top.
As for the whiny people who have complained about service, get over yourselves. It's a pizza joint, if you want to be waited on hand and foot go to a full service restaurant. Plus, a little surly behavior is good for the atmosphere. Though, I've been more than a dozen times and have always had great service. -
Review from Mike S.
Los Angeles, CA
1/24/2011
You're barely employable, and you decided that you're going take your whiteboy-with-dreadlocks frustrations out on the poor people who stumble upon this place?
Go to hell. Your pizza tastes like oil and cheese on cardboard.
