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Primo
Categories: Restaurants Pizza Restaurants Italian Pizza, Italian [Edit]
1106 8th Ave(between Spring St & Seneca St)
Seattle, WA 98101
Neighbourhood: First Hill
(206) 547-7466
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
80 reviews for Primo
Review Highlights
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"The crust here is a marvel in itself." In 22 reviews -
"The delivery was very fast and very friendly." In 19 reviews -
"And the chop salad is amazing." In 4 reviews
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80 reviews in English
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Review from Jen P.
5/15/2012
Some of the best pizza in Seattle - hands down. The one with Lil Mama's peppers was outstanding. Cute & cozy neighborhood joint with very attentive service.
World's better than my normal go-to spot, Amante's.
That being said, you can imagine my heartbreak & disappointment to discover that I am outside their delivery area by less than one block. Their customer service was so outstanding in their restaurant, I was shocked they were unable to accommodate my request when I called and asked for an 351 ft exception. I hope they reconsider. -
Review from Private C.
San Francisco, CA
5/21/2012
Ordered delivery from Primo tonight. I'm new to the area so I was seriously trusting Yelp for some guidance and was terribly disappointed. Called in a phone order asking for a pizza with half 'Margherita' and half 'Romulus' with a side of garlic bread. Now this sounded like a delicious duo, so I was stoked.
They said it would be an hour, which was totally fine. The delivery guy called to make sure they had taken down my address correctly and was very friendly.
He arrived in just under an hour, and to my dismay handed me an all Margherita pizza, not half and half. I told him it was not what I had ordered. Apparently my order ticket read "half margherita/half margherita"... and no one thought that might be wrong?
The delivery guy was super friendly and apologetic, I certainly didn't blame him. However he only half handedly suggested that they could maybe make a note on my account for a future discount or something.. A little meek.
Then came the icing-on-the-cake-of-disappointment..
The pizza sucked. I don't really understand how a pizza with such simple and delicious ingredients can have so little flavor. And same went for the garlic bread.
Listen, I like food enough to be pretty accepting. This pizza, and experience was a complete let down. -
Review from Jen B.
Updated - 4/12/2012 14 Check-ins Here
A great 7" pizza and house wine for under $10 during happy hour lured me here... unfortunately, these hours are limited to 5-6pm. Fortunately, I live and work in close proximity and the fact that it isn't so crowded keeps me coming in when I feel like sneaking away from work early.
I love this neighborhood tucked place, so don't come here and ruin it if you're douchey. But if you do, try the Caligula, tis my favorite pizza here.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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2/21/2012
One of the guys that worked there actually called to apologize and to say thanks for being patient,… Read more »
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Review from David B.
Seattle, WA
4/8/2012
During my time living on First HIll I've seen several restaurants come and go from this location. It seems like Primo finally figured out just what the neighborhood needed, and I couldn't be happier about that.
The restaurant is comfortable, with good lighting. The service is friendly and attentive. And the food, perhaps most importantly, is delicious. I've had the pizza a number of times, but my go-to has become their happy hour caesar salad and stromboli. I'm hooked.
It's also worth mentioning that Primo does a great job of providing service to groups. My wife and I hosted out rehearsal dinner there and they were great about accommodating our large group.
If you're looking for a place to get a quick bight to eat, have a comfortable (unpretentious) drink in the neighborhood or watch Monday Night football or another sporting event, Primo's your spot. -
Review from Ace C.
4/10/2012
Primo was the first stop of the weekend for a rehearsal dinner for one of my best buds. The places was full of lively people. Most of the people that were there were for the wedding party. I think we took up most of the bar. The other people were just patrons sprinkled around drinking and enjoying their food. None were discouraged by how much noise we were making, mostly coming from me. They seemed to take it with a grain of salt, adding a laugh or giggle here and there.
The employees were very friendly, attentive and respectful of our needs. I never had an empty glass. For as many people that were in our party I think they handle things the best they could.
I had a wide array of pizza from them, which was worth every inch that it added to my waste line. The peperoni pizza spoke to me a little louder than the other selections, so I kept answering it. I'm more of a meat and potatoes guy so I skipped on all the other dishes on the table.
Another visit it certainly in order to get another perspective to see if I really liked the place or I had one too many beers. -
Review from Robert A.
Downtown, Seattle, WA
5/13/2012
I am disappointed to write this review. Primo's is a small neighborhood place and I enjoy patronizing such places. For the record, I've had many decent meals at this wonderfully charming small restaurant. But I can no longer recommend Primo's to my friends. The service and food is wildly inconsistent, excellent one night and downright awful the next. The last straw for me was a takeout pizza that tasted like cardboard with sauce. I paid for extra cheese and literally the pizza had almost none. The irony is this place can and has done better for its customers but some nights they just decide to coast and not try. I was a regular here but no more. I can't take the risk that yet another $25 pizza will taste worse than a $4 frozen one and that is no exaggeration.
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Review from Nancy H.
Marysville, WA
4/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
The service was really slow. It took forever for the pizza to show up and when it finally got here there was a hair IN the pizza. The salad was wrong and when they brought the salad back in the third try there was no apology.
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Review from Alec B.
Scottsdale, AZ
5/2/2012
Ordered delivery. They took 2 hours, delivered a cold pizza. That's fine, I understand restaurants get backed up sometimes, though I was quite hungry. What I wasn't fine with is the one little request I had was not fulfilled - to substitute chicken for the sausage. I am allergic to pork and almost bit into this pizza because some moron at this restaurant didn't think to put the request on the ticket. Combining the fact that I couldn't order dinner anymore (it was after 11) and was left extremely hungry, with the sausage, this place gets a resounding 1 star for total lack of attention to detail. The pizza did smell good though.
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Review from Skillet C.
Waynesville, NC
5/4/2012
It's hard to say what impact this site has made on small restaurants like Primo but I have to think that they must pay attention. I don't travel a ton but when I am out of town I use this app to lead me to places just like Primo. First of all let me say that I've only written a review once before and tonight I feel more than compelled to do so again. Nice environment, good lighting, nice little bar, but most importantly outstanding service. When you're out of town you want good food but maybe more than anything you want to be treated well and have a nice time out. The folks at Primo go above and beyond to provide you with this kind of experience. So I ordered a stromboli with anchovies and a few other things and got one with all the other things but artichokes rather than anchovies. It was good. Exactly what I wanted with the exception of the anchovies. When I mentioned it to the guy at the bar his reaction was as if I told him they had put a turd in it. In retrospect I wish that I had not said a word. It is so hard to find folks, organizations, etc. that take pride in what they do. The folks at Primo do. Most folks come to Seattle and see the needle and the flying fish at the market and have a beer. After a few days I wanted something comfortable and low key. Primo exceeded my expectations and are exactly what someone should do after a couple of days in town. BTW they only charged me for a couple of beers and took the stromboli off the check. Seattle is a great town and I look forward to bringing my wife to the city. I will be sure that we go to Primo when we come back. Well done guys.
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Review from Yvonne R.
I feel it's going to be dangerous to live so close to an AWESOME pizza place. We have come here on almost a weekly basis. The crust/dough is really good and the toppings come plentiful and are of good quality. I always say I will try something else on the menu but we end up getting pizza anyway.
Side note: the happy hour stuff is okay...tastes good, but not actually a deal. $5 wings for 5-wings...a wing deal is 50 cents or less per. Anyway, that's one mistake I make once.
I think I saw a Groupon instant deal for this place, must check it out!
The Yelp check-in for $2.50 beer was not useful for us since they ran out of that specific beer...lame. -
Review from Arun K.
Mercer Island, WA
3/17/2012
We tried the large Julius pizza and ordered from the Quarter Lounge a block away. I was told to wait 45 minutes for delivery which was a little more than I wanted to wait, so I went and picked it up my self in 30 minutes. The piiza was good and we finished it pretty fast. The chicken wings were $1 each and perhaps some reheated Costco brand - not happy about it, but then I should have know better than trying wings at an Italian joint.
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Review from Alison V.
11/20/2011
I was here for a rehearsal dinner prior to a wedding. That being said, the place was full of people kind of milling around on one half and the other half was people trying to enjoy their dinner. The folks not part of the party seemed to be pleasant and not bothered by our little event going on, including toasts, etc.
The staff was friendly, but seemed slightly overwhelmed. I imagine with a normal dinner crowd and people remaining at their tables, they'd be great.
Their salad was ok, but the pizza was delicious. I tried a few different kinds - pepperoni, hawaiian, and a veggie one - and was happy with each of my slices. I wish I lived closer so I could try them out again! -
Review from Mia C.
Seattle, WA
10/22/2011
(short story.)
I ate the Marius pizza, died, then went to heaven.
The End.
************************************************
(long story.)
Recently moving to First Hill, I was looking for some exceptional pizza to go with some good rental flicks and a bottle of TJ wine. Upon reading reviews local to my 'hood, I came across Primo's. Some of the ratings were iffy, so I wasn't really expecting more than just good pizza.
My was I in for a pleasant surprise.
I ordered the Marius, a blend of sweet vinegary roasted peppers and porky spicy sausage. Together was an insane flavor bomb that was just the ticket. The crust was perfectly chewy and thick at the edges, the cheese oozed- and this doesn't happen often- it tasted as good as it smelled.
Admittedly, I had to wait on a Friday night for my pizza. I called my in earlier for pick up and it was a 50 minute turnaround order. It was worth it though, for piping hot pizza that tasted super-fraj.
Primo's is in a secluded little leafy residental street with no parking (be warned- I parked illegally). The inside does have a veneer of "posh" with a bar right in the dining area, vintage crystal chandelier, and an adorable tiny courtyard patio in the front complete with stone bench. Not your average brew hall with dirty counter. I could see coming back here with a group of people to order one of their large pizzas, but most likely, I will order pizza for pick up or use their free delivery. -
Review from Dublin Fitzgerald K.
Seattle, WA
3/18/2012
Fast. Friendly. Pick up. Deliver. Really great pizza. Friendly staff.
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Review from Kathryn M.
Anaheim, CA
8/26/2011
I haven't been this disappointed in pizza in years.
Let me say the delivery gentleman was friendly and quick, which was nice. That's about it.
The pizza dough was not fully cooked. Around the crust wasn't too bad, a little doughier than expected but otherwise ok. The middle was almost like a soup-soaked bread with cheese and toppings. The sauce was mediocre. The cheese was almost flavorless. The veggies had no seasoning or flavor in their own right. It was a little like eating solid air.
The breaded ravioli was VERY good, but a rip off at a dollar a piece; I paid 7 dollars and expected more than 7 small pieces. Heck, even just 3 or 4 more would have sufficed and made this a redeemable part of tonight's meal. But no, still a waste of money. Also, the marinara sauce was cold; rule number one of decent food service, serve hot food with other hot foods, in almost all cases it compliments the flavor better and doesn't distract your palate from the contrast in temperature.
The artichoke dip consisted of 25% uncooked garlic (why not roasted?), 50% vinegar, and 25% filler. I didn't taste any artichoke at all. Even the little bread-things were uninspiring, almost bland.
If it cost a little less, I wouldn't be as angry as I am, but at $42 for a medium pizza and two sides and delivery tip, I almost want to chase after the delivery guy and demand a refund. I hate to make the comparison (local-owned should always trump mass market), but at $35 I could have got a far more flavorful and filling meal from a mass-market chain-store pizza place.
If they put a little more effort into the food, it would be well worth the price. Either whoever came up with the recipes has no taste buds, or whoever is preparing the food isn't following the recipe correctly or is doing a half-arsed job at it.
Save your money; go anywhere else... -
Review from Tony S.
El Mirage, AZ
10/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Walked over from the Renaissance hotel since it is only a few short blocks away and ordered some takeout to bring back to the hotel. Found the sandwich to not really be to my liking. Baked Italian sandwich that was a little bit too much pepperoni tasting for me. (Was there anything else on here other than pepperoni? I could not tell).
I would probably give them another chance if in Seattle again as their service was friendly and dining room looked fun with TV's etc. Seemed like a nice friendly place to hang out. For me, I just wanted food and ended up being a little disappointed in the menu. -
Review from Kalani G.
Seattle, WA
7/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
The pizza is reeaaally good here. I mean don't get me wrong, it's not like it's 'OMFG it's the end of the world and this is the last meal I'll ever want to eat' good, but it's definitely very VERY good. The crust, sauce, and cheese were in such a damn near perfect balance. And goodness, that crust had just the right texture to it too. Not too soft, not too crunchy/crispy.
They name most of their pizzas after Roman deities, emperors or historical/mythological figures. I giggled. Then I stopped and realized maybe a grown man should not giggle. At least out loud.
I only wish they had a better variety of beers to pair (even though PBR and Mac and Jacks are still decent go to's) and wish they put as much love in their salads as they do their pies.
I love the look and feel of this place. It's very spacious, the tables are large/roomy and the staff is super friendly. It's also nice to note they can accomodate larger groups as we had around 15 people in our party.
I'll definitely be back to try out that Stromboli and pasta.
Oh, and that chandelier. Awesome.
One more thing, don't forget to check-in with your yelp app. You can get a secret special deal. -
Review from John S.
Seattle, WA
10/30/2011
The evening began with a parking spot right in front of the restaurant. A couple stars right there, though that will probably never happen again. The awning and the restaurant set back from the street had an old school feel, so another star. They should play that up further.
Four stars were assured when I had the slightly fiery Caesar (pepper?), we split an order of gnocchi with pesto in honor of my grandmother who regularly requested I pick up an order en route to her little apartment years ago in another state, and a Faunus, which I considered to be dessert.
Lose the TV.
I wouldn't drive across town for Primo, but if I were in the area, it's on the list.
The night ended walking across the street to hear the Bad Plus at Town Hall. They get five stars. There was a guy there dressed like the Karate Kid. He gets two. -
Review from Tom K.
Chicago, IL
6/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I would have given this place 4 stars if it wasn't for thte lack of service.
A coworker and I arrived right at 10pm after a long day of work. We were surprised and happy to see that happy hour had just begun again. 5 buck 1 topping pizzas, strombolis, etc.
I ordered the 5 dollar special pizza with prosciutto and it was delicious. I live in Chicago so I've had my share of good pizzas and this a tasty, well cooked pizza. My coworker orderd a pepperoni and said his was really good as well.
I also had the calamari which tasted fresh but seemed a tad undercooked. It could have been in the fryer for another minute.
We also had the toasted ravioli which was cooked well and tasty.
And they have Mac and Jack on tap, can't go wrong with that to wash down the za.
The decor is actually really neat. I couldn't tell for sure but this may have been a hotel lobby at one point. -
Review from Erin H.
Medford, OR
7/21/2011
I searched for a near-five star pizza place in Seattle and found Primo. I thought for sure that this place was going to blow my mind, so I was a little surprised to discover that the pizza was similar to California Pizza Kitchen. The crust was tasty, but certainly not mind-blowing as the near-five star rating would have you believe. For some reason my crust was all wet on the bottom--blech.
I don't want to bash on Primo, but I have to take issue with the UNRIPE tomatoes that they used for my margherita pizza. Pink and mealy tomatoes with green seeds, really? Why does it only occur to me that if that if produce isn't ripe--don't use it!? I ended up picking them all off and just eating a fresh basil pizza. If I had known that this is what I was going to do, I would have just ordered the happy hour $5 one-topping pizza instead of the $12 margherita.
The server seemed a little unfriendly, especially after I decided not to get a drink because they were out of the vodka I wanted. The restaurant was cute, but what was with the R&B playing in an Italian joint?
I will say, though, that the Caesar salad I had was the BEST I've ever tasted. I don't know what they did to it, but I could have eaten that bad boy all day long. The dressing had a little peppery spice to it and I enjoyed it.
All in all, I won't try Primo again. Not because it was really bad, but because I'm not from Seattle. When I am able to get here I want to wallow in all terrific food that my home town doesn't have. This one just isn't worth it. -
Review from Caliope S.
Seattle, WA
8/25/2011
I ordered delivery, so I can't comment on an in-house dining experience. However, I have to say that the pizza was delicious! I ordered a small (10") Faunus pizza which had to-die-for caramelized red onions in a balsamic reduction, basil, and goat/ricotta cheeses. It was amazing, considering it lacked typical pizza ingredients like tomato sauce and mozzarella.
I also ordered the tiramisu for $5 to bring my order to the requisite $15 minimum for delivery. It was not even close to the best tiramisu I've ever had- I'm pretty sure it had Hershey's chocolate syrup on it- but it was edible and cured my craving for something sweet.
I appreciated that the delivery was within the quoted time and that the delivery guy was friendly and didn't expect a tip (I tipped anyway), but was sad to hear him tell me I'm out of their delivery zone even though the website I ordered through (grubhub) said I was within it. FYI, I'm in the 98109 zip code. Guess I'll have to make the trek over to Primo next time I crave this pizza...which I'm pretty sure will be sooner rather than later! -
Review from Angela M.
Seattle, WA
7/27/2011
The space is pretty, if awkward. The service is slowish but SUPER friendly. The prices were startlingly low.
We ordered a caesar and a Brutus. Caesar: blech. I'm fairly certain that everything in it was a bulk purchase from Costco or Cash 'n' Carry. Totally uninspired and bland.
The pizza: the crust (as in, the exposed, untopped edge of the pizza) was delightful. Airy, crisp, the perfect amount of doughiness. The rest of the crust/dough was a soggy, mushy mess. The toppings were virtually flavorless (how does one find flavorless italian sausage and pepperoncini??) and the red sauce was so minimal as to be nonexistent.
Altogether, a disappointing dining experience. I'm not sure why it has such high ratings (the quantity:price ratio?) but I'd definitely not recommend the pizza to anyone who likes a tasty pie. -
Review from Naurry K.
3/28/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Do you remember that Onion article "Taco Bell Announces New Menu Item from Same 5 Ingredients"? I feel the same way about Italian food. "Oh look, dough, tomato sauce and cheese with a different name." But for some enigmatic reason, their stromboli is 10 times more delicious than their pizzas. (Their pizzas are very delicious too.)
Knock off 1 star because the stromboli can only be had during happy hour because it's "too hard" on the staff. (WTF? Can you imagine El Gaucho saying they're not doing steaks anymore because it's too hard on the staff?)
Anyhow, the interior is nicely done, intimate, like I'm in the lobby of an apartment building (which I'm pretty sure it was at one point) and the location is awesome. (I just tell them it's across the street from Town Hall.) And the food's still really, really good. -
Review from Thai D.
4/29/2011
I've been hearing about this spot for a while, and I've been meaning to check it out. My landlord runs the spot, so I've seen updates on Facebook, and my neighbors who've been have had good things to say (with the caveat of "I'm not just saying this because he's our landlord").
Me and my girlfriend made the walk over from my place to Primo, which is about 1.5 miles. It's a bit of a walk for pizza, but we figured, we're gonna have a healthy supply of carbs to walk off, so why not? It's got a nice decor, with a classy old-euro feel of a dining room with a big chandelier in the middle that actually works with everything. There's also a good bar with TVs for sports at the back of the room.
We actually didn't order any pizza, and instead had the pear gorgonzola ravioli, a plate of wings, and stromboli. All were quite good, and I especially loved the stromboli. It's a shame the stromboli is only available during happy hour, but they have a light night happy hour, so it's not too small of a window of opportunity. The toppings (we got red peppers, garlic, and italian sausage) were top notch, and the crust was delicious! Next time, I'm trying the pizza. If the stromboli is this good, I'm willing to bet the pie is just as excellent! -
Review from Jason M.
Seattle, WA
2/14/2011
I love pizza. No. . . I'm obsessed with it. I've traveled the country looking for great pizza, sampling the "best" in every city I visit. Ray's, Uno, Gino's, Pisanello's. . . If it's great, I've been there. I was lucky enough to go to college just blocks from two of the best pizzas in the country. . . but then I moved to Seattle.
Now, Seattle is a beautiful city with some absolutely outstanding food, but pizza is not its strong suit. I've tried about everything there is to try within 200 miles of here and, well... it's been disappointing. There are a few bright spots to be sure, but just never anything great. Pizza is like a 3 legged stool - you have crust, sauce, and cheese, and you have to get them ALL right simultaneously or down you go - straight into mediocrity or worse. And toppings, no matter how good, fresh, organic, or natural they are, can't save a pie with a poor foundation.
But at Primo. . . they got it right. They have darn near perfect crust - bubbly with a nice tight bark and soft and chewy inside. It's not strongly seasoned, so it doesn't dominate, but it has enough flavor to balance and complement the sauce. The only thing that troubles me a bit is that they tend to throw it a bit thin in the center, which can lead to overly floppy slices, particularly on a larger pie. The red sauce is nice and simple, with a decent amount of acidity that seems rare in Seattle, and its not overburdened by oregano or garlic. The cheese. . . it's your standard upscale mozz - certainly acceptable and strong enough to prop up the rest of the pie, but not as good as it could be and has a hard time caramelizing properly - they could improve by experimenting here.
Toppings? Well. . . good pizzas don't really need them, but Primo does a solid job with them as well, using fresh meats and veggies that are a step above your standard fare. Some of the toppings are really great (try the sausage!), and some are just okay, but you can't really go wrong because the base is so good. Primo does a solid job with the rest of the menu as well. The salads are actually quite good, with very fresh greens and creative, house-made dressings. The stromboli is great and the subs are decent too!
Overall, Primo offers one of (if not the) best pies in Seattle. I gave them four out of five stars because there is a bit of room for improvement, but know there isn't another pizza in Seattle that I would give more than three. If you like pizza, you owe yourself a trip to First Hill. If you love pizza, you should go right now! They're open late! -
Review from Amanda B.
Seattle, WA
2/21/2011
I am in love! I love is place, my boyfriend and I just moved into the Lowell and we stopped by this place when were scoping this place out and they had only been open about 2 weeks. My absolute favorite is the Meatball Sub and the Baked Penne Pasta it's so yummy with the meatballs cut in half so you can actually eat the sandwich and the pasta is just perfect with their sauce, and they ass a lot of sauce which I am a big fan of.
I really enjoy all their pizza as well. Basically this is my favorite place in Seattle so far!
One thing I don't like is they are not open earlier. They used to be open for lunch, but they aren't now and it's disappointing. Especially when I am craving their ceasar salad! -
Review from Elinor D.
Seattle, WA
The best pizza in town! They delivered to my hospital room in the pouring rain at 10 pm, and the delivery guy was so nice and my pizza was piping hot!. Fresh quality ingredients, try the Gladiator.... it's delicious!
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Review from Melissa O.
Seattle, WA
4/10/2011
They deliver to Madison Valley!
Yay! -
Review from Laura B.
Seattle, WA
10/29/2011 1 photo
11pm rolled around, and I'd already previously checked to see who delivered and what minimum amounts they required... I'm not much on Seattle pizza. I have yet to really find the stuff dreams are made of, but then... I came from a place with 250 toppings, ALL good (seriously) and choices on crusts, likewise ALL good... here, you get whatever they throw at you, be that too thin to carry any substance (really, I can take my own bacon press to pita and make it crispy if I want to eat cheese on a cracker) or soggy mush. Primo is, like Pagliacci, going for hand-tossed, a bit closer to the soggy end, very chewy, and overall bland. No seasoning at all in the dough, just... the most generic bland bread ever. That said, that's not always bad--it allows for sweeter AND saltier ingredients and can always be dipped in marinara.
What I got, all with super-friendly service (that I've only otherwise had at Stacia's in Greenwood and Pagliacci in Queen Anne), were a stromboli with chicken, artichokes, and mushrooms (only $6.95, NO complaints on the price!) with ample and very good marinara served alongside and a medium faunus (their description: Ricotta base, caramelized red onions, goat cheese, sweet balsamic reduction, and fresh basil (no red sauce or mozzarella) with roasted red peppers added--that was, because of the added peppers, $18.95, kind of steep since the amount of goat was minimal... either that or their goat is bland. I like ricotta, but so much of that, so little of the onions... well, it's just not a lot of substance for the money and the ricotta wasn't the stuff of my dreams, Italy-imported sheep milk yum. What I think I need to do is specify "lots of toppings, lots of balsamic, orgasm me with flavor" and pay however much that costs. Now as for why I DIDN'T go with Pagliacci, for whom there's a review by me on here somewhere, is they dropped a lot of what made them interesting--they have so few toppings compared to before. I was sad. Still, I was, for the first time in a few years, truly CRAVING pizza so Primo took the craving and gave me something that wasn't that cheap crap a la Mario's where it's only suited for drunken salty indulgence to absorb all the alcohol in you. Whatever you do, ask for a side of marinara to dip the crust into unless you have birds to feed.
Oh, and that stromboli? Be cautious in getting juicy stuff in it--the bottom was soggy, not gross sog but more like oil/cheese fat drippings/vegetable liquid got through in the time between there and here. Still, even if I hadn't started with it, worst possible scenario would be that I removed a layer of bread on the bottom or ate it with a fork and knife. Again, not so plentiful on fillings, but I'll gladly pay an extra few bucks to have them bulk it up next time. I paid $27 plus a $6 delivery tip because they were nice enough to go through the gate, up the elevator, and to the 7th floor to bring it to me while some have basically said I need to wait at the door downstairs, which made me cancel orders.
Anyway, I'm attaching a photo of the food. It LOOKS burnt, but have no fear--I *HATE* burnt food and this wasn't the least bit charred in flavor. I will be doing more business with them, especially since they delivered stromboli to me, which while not at the level of Stacia's calzone was definitely good for me living downtown with so little that's actually decent. -
Review from Aubrey P.
Seattle, WA
2/27/2011
This place is kind of hidden away on 8th, where it's almost impossible to see any sign of life unless you're directly in front of it. That's why, after living on First Hill for 2 years, we just finally found it.
In just two experiences (one delivery and one dine in) it has become my favorite pizza on Cap Hill/First hill. It's not the best pizza I've EVER had, but it's very solid. Good crust, excellent flavors.
Dining in there is a treat. The staff is super nice and attentive. The vibe is very casual and neighborhoody. We'll definitely be going back!
My only nit-pick is as a lighting designer: They need more bright accent lights on the table areas. -
Review from David N.
Seattle, WA
6/25/2011
We were dying for some italian-american style food and lucked into finding Primo. Yummy meatball parm sandwiches and a sharable caesar did the trick and we'll be back!
One other note: We ordered online with special instructions, and the order was filled perfectly and right on time. This should be a matter of course, but when it comes together flawlessly and you have a hungry family to feed, reliability is key. Great job, Primo! -
Review from Ana H.
Seattle, WA
3/26/2011
My boyfriend and I do pizza night every Friday. We are huge pizza buffs and have not found a place that compares to our favorite (Trackside Pizza) which is all the way in puyallup. We decided to try Primo for our Friday pizza night a few months ago seeing as it is right around the corner from our place.
The best pizza in the area! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Primo for saving us from continuous, less than average, Friday pizza nights.
Everytime we have gone the food is great and the service consistantly exceptional. Two very important things in a restaurant!
The owner is always there and offers such friendly and great service.
Such a pleasent suprise to find this hidden gem just around the corner :) -
Review from Bob M.
Fairport, NY
11/5/2011
After spending the day walking around Pioneer Village and the stadiums we were looking for an off the beaten trail. No tourist restaurant. First mistake was to ask the Concierge at the Grand Hyatt. He doesn't know about Primo. Then Yelp led us to "Primo" . Looks like the entrance to one of the old hotels. A white awning canopy with the name Primo and Cocktails. What a pleasant surprise. Converted Hotel or old Apartment building lobby done over to make an intimate dinning room and small bar. Sit anywhere, not crowned and a waiter, RMO, initials that was right there for our drink order, some great appetizers and we ordered. They have what looked like absolutely delicious home made pizzas from their stone hearth oven, but we settled for some Caesar Salads, fresh, and icy cold romaine with just the right amount of shaved parmesan cheese. I order off the menu a wonderful pesto and linguini, my family ordered spaghetti and meatballs and a baked ziti. All was delicious not overly tourist type potions and some garlic bread to add a nice compliment to the meal. Oh!, great appetizers with Stuffed Jalapeños and an Artichoke Dip with garlic toast.
Here is the key. Go up the hills to the neighborhood restaurants and support them down the hills and you are in a franchise restaurant and a line.
Primo was Primo! Thank you. -
Review from Hai Yen N.
Seattle, WA
2/3/2011
Some of the best pizza I've had in a long time!
The crust here is a marvel in itself. The right amount of crispy and chewy, I would eat the crust plain it's so good! The cheese was so meltingly perfect and produced the right amount of hold for all the toppings. These pies are also saucy. Rawr. Just kidding. No really, they are saucy and I love it that way.
We ordered an 18" Brutus: sausage, onion and peperonici. We scarfed it down in under 15 minutes. I felt like I was on Man v. Food and I didn't care if anyone saw me being a ravenous beast.
The room is beautiful but loud. Service is okay but for pizza this good I really don't care. -
Review from Ernie G.
Los Angeles, CA
7/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Primo is a cozy little Italian themed pizza restaurant located in Downtown Seattle, just two or three blocks from quite a few hotels (including mine). The restaurant is laid out in a casual fashion with a crystal chandelier adorning the middle of the restaurant. The furniture is of a nice wood appearance with the tables closely spaced next to each other. A full bar sits in the back of the restaurant, which is better described as "the middle" because the place is not that big. Interestingly enough, there is no artwork on the white walls, which takes away from the ambiance. Instead, one will find framed mirrors on the walls which tends to give the restaurant a little more open feel. There is no hostess, so, upon first walking in, you may be greeted by a server or bartender and told to sit wherever you'd like.
Upon perusing the menu and observing the other patrons, it became obvious to me that the restaurant specializes in pizza. The menu also contains a selection of salads, sandwiches and pastas. I decided on the Four Cheese Ravioli and added a side of meatballs. I also ordered a carafe of cabernet sauvignon. The wine was palateable enough, which was reflected in the "house" pricing.
The entree was served with a couple slices of garlic bread. The plate was visually appealing, tasting as good as it looked. It featured a tangy, crushed tomato sauce and a very nice and flavorful cheese ravioli pasta, which was delicious. The meatballs were a nice compliment to the dish and actually very good with an almost crispiness to them.
The overall atmosphere of the restaurant was nice with about 12 customers on a Sunday Evening. The server was very pleasant and attentive. Despite being an Italian restaurant, there was reggae music playing in the background which detracted from the overall experience for me a little. I suppose the music could have been worse (to my taste), so, the mellowness of the reggae wasn't completely a deal breaker.
Over all, Primo is a good restaurant offering nice Italian style dinner off the beaten path of the downtown fray. Will definitely be back to try the pizza! -
Review from Carole H.
Seattle, WA
5/23/2011
I don't remember ordering attitude with my pizza. Too bad because the pizza was quite good--the crust was good and the toppings were well balanced and flavorful. The salad was substantial.
The food rates a 5 aka really good, but the server's attitude was bad. When I order pick up, I don't expect service to be a factor. But, they forgot my salad (I don't know how since I ordered online) so I had to remind them about it and then forgot to put the meat on the side, which the guy I double checked with on the phone said would be perfectly ok.
No explanation, no apology and definitely no smile.
My bad--I didn't look inside the stapled, waited-for-bag with the salad to confirm. My pizza was getting cold.
Sometimes bad attitude spoils the taste of good food. -
Review from Connie S.
Seattle, WA
4/13/2011
If you like an old style atmosphere, with pizza and pasta, come to Primo. I was with a big party of 30, with my Japanese Meetup group, so it was a bit noisy since this restaurant has low ceilings. If you want to take your date to a more quieter place, this wouldn't be it if it's crowded.
I had the spaghetti and meatballs. It was basic with no mushrooms or veggies. It comes with garlic bread, which was good. So I should of asked for a side of mushrooms, but forgot. I didn't try the pizza, but I think it might be better.
Primo is across the freeway from downtown and is convenient for those who don't have a car or if you need to take a break from Virginia Mason Hospital. I did find it hard to find free street parking on a Thurs. evening.
There's outdoor seating when the weather is more sunny. -
Review from John E.
Seattle, WA
4/3/2011
Review Update:
I had a fantastic pizza from Primo a few weeks ago. My pizza was in my apartment in 15 minutes!!!
With pizza like this, I think my pizza search is over.
I wonder if they'd deliver to Ballard?
Cheers,
John
Previous review
Having just moved to downtown from Redmond, this is hands down better than anything I've been able to find there.
Good pizza is about good ingredients and you can taste the difference at Primo. The pepperoni and mushrooms were especially good and tasted fresh.
The crust was homemade and right consistency/chewiness for a good pizza crust.
Would have given them 5 stars, but the delivery guy got lost and the pizza was luke warm. I'm not sure how that happened since I live on Olive in a major building.
This is how I'd break down the experience:
Ordering online: 5 stars
Sauce: 4 stars
Toppings: 4 stars
Crust: 5 stars
Delivery: 3 stars
Good luck in your search of the perfect pizza!
John -
Review from Leah B.
2/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
We FINALLY managed to make it over to Primo this weekend.
The location alone makes it hard for me to want to go out there. I was happy we did.
I LOVE the interior design. The rounded ceiling and chandelier are really pretty. We came around 10:30 and just the bar area and a few tables were taken.
The waitress was really nice and joked around with us.
We got a 14" Ramulus (totally fine for 2 people and still have leftovers). I really liked it. Their crust is great.
The guy who boxed up our remaining slices kind of botched the job, but oh well.
I'd want to go back w/ a bigger group next time. -
Review from Jeff S.
Oakland, CA
5/8/2011
Gluten-free pizza, delivered to your door. What's not to like about that?
I had the chance to try their Apollo, Spartacus, and Margherita and they were all very good. Fresh ingredients, the right balance of toppings (I don't like crazy overflowing pizzas), and better than average gluten-free crusts.
Delivery could have been faster and they neglected to give any utensils or napkins one time (headed that off the second time by asking for those when I ordered), but definitely a very good find.
