Haystack Pizza

You just can't go wrong here!
This is no-nonsence delicious Italian food
It can get busy and noisy at times but when I'm craving Italian at 11:45 in the evenings, this where I come to pick up a phoned in order, whether it's a personal pizza or a full-on Pasta dish. This restaurant survives for so long by being consistent. If you have eaten here many times for many years, you will sometimes get something unsatisfactory, but those bum dishes are far outweighed by so many of their consistently great meals! This is one of our most prized possessions living in Noe Valley. If you choose to sit down for lunch or dinner, you will be surrounded by a safe yet funky atmosphere. The ghosts of many satisfied customers are everywhere (not talking literally about ghosts, just the feelings of comfort of getting a satisfying meal from one of the best "old-soul" restaurants here in the "Valley of the Noe!)" Highly recommended!

Wow! The doorbell rang & it was the pizza delivery guy. And voila! A piping hot pizza (yes hot) arrived from Haystack. The best pizza there is the simple New York. It tastes just like an honest to goodness New York slice, the delicious kind that you fold & eat. The crust is thin and crispy, the sauce sublime. The cheese is perfect, and the herbs add a subtle flavor. But back to the sauce--it's so good. At $13.50 for a medium pie, this beats pretentious Una Pizza Napolitana by a mile. Sure, UPN is good--but it's twenty-five bucks & Zero Zero is less expensive & just as good. Plus Zero won't shame you for asking for chili pepper flakes. (That's right folks--Una Pizza Pretenciosa doesn't ALLOW any condiments except salt. And I've had pizza in Napoli, & it doesn't cost $25.)

Haystack's NY pizza is the like Napoli's spunky cousin. It looks different, tastes different --but she's just as tasty. Dining in is like stepping back to the Mad Men 60s. Sit with your pals in the back room, and order a a carafe of Burgundy (yes, Burgundy--I told you, it's old school;) & a plate of antipasti. It comes with the usual suspects: salami, olives, pepperoncini. Then get that New York. You'll be glad you did.

Ehh. I know it's a SF staple in this neighborhood but it just doesn't wow me. It's basic pizza. And kinda overpriced. Plus the restaurant feels like they should brush up on their cleaning.

Is this a carbonara or white sauce with some strings of fettuccini!? Just awful. I won't be ordering a second time. Also order garlic bread and it also didn't impress. Huge piece of bread, but not well done.

Sometimes you're just in the mood for an old-school pizza joint. You want booths that are clean but poorly patched with duct tape. You want waiters who look like they've been here for decades. You want a beer selection not much more complex than "draught or bottle". Appetizers that blow your diet.

This place does the trick. Everything is very classic old-school pizzaria. Nothing too fancy, nothing too unique. Just the same pizza shop experience that every generation has enjoyed since Italians became Italian Americans and set up this little slice of Norman Rockwell Americana.

Fried calamari were delicious; though next time I'd ask for marinara sauce (which I'm sure they have) instead of tartar sauce and cocktail sauce. The pizza was a homerun. Not gourmet, just awesome. Server just seemed like one of your Dad's friends who's been running the joint for 20 years.

Really chill, good pizzaria.

Haystack was our neighborhood go-to pizza place growing up. I mean, before I learned how to drive and opted for Milano's or Pasquale's. But whenever I'm visiting the folks, they will still order from here since it's just a few blocks away. I always remembered it as just being okay. Our default toppings are always pepperoni, sausage, and mushroom. Haystack's sausage is unique, but everything else was just average.

Flash forward to present day. This month we've ordered from them twice and I gotta say, something's changed. And for the better! I'm not sure if it's the sauce or the dough. Maybe it's the dough. It definitely seems different. Fluffier. Well, whatever it is, both times we got takeout and both times I ate 3 or 4 slices when I usually limit myself to 2 max. And it's not that I wasn't thouroughly full after 2 slices. It just tasted really good and my mouth kept begging me to keep the good times rolling. And it wasn't just me that noticed a difference. We all did. I think the consensus is that the dough is different. Well, whatever it is, kudos Haystack for improving your pizza. Coming from a person that LOVES pizza and spends a lot of time in Noe Valley, that's a job well done!

I was craving some "Italian" food today so I fired up the ol' Eat24.

I used to order from Haystack back in 2010 and don't remember it being so:
1. Expensive
2. Shitty.

I ordered the chicken parm with spaghetti and alfredo sauce. It came out to almost $19 with tax before tip.

The spaghetti was flavorless and congealed into a giant white clump the second it got cold.
The chicken was dry as hell, the sauce tasted like something out of a jar, and the cheese tasted like cardboard.

I know I know, I shouldn't have expected much but dang, for $19 I expected a little more.

1 star because my fat kid Italian food craving has been satisfied for at least another four months.
2 stars for the sweet lady working the counter.

Had a yummy pizza from here on Sunday. We ordered takeout using their online system and had some issues - better to just call in your order if it's same day.

The pizza itself was very good and I'll order it again. Only complaint is the crust was a little plain. We built our own pizza - a medium with pepperoni, mushrooms, and jalapeños (they were pickled, not fresh). It wasn't New York Style or Neapolitan style, but was more along the lines of Papa John's or Dominoes (but better). The pizza was just shy of $24. A little steep, considering it was just a pizza - but I know Noe Valley rent so they're probably just trying to pay the bills. The medium easily serves 4 people who eat a normal amount.

It's nice to have a local pizzeria a block away here in Noe Valley when I have a taste for pizza.

Prices are reasonable and my personal size pizza was good, cheesy and just the perfect size!!

I'm not some pizza expert so all I can say is this place was on the money!!

Haystack is family owned and run, they take pride in having a clean restaurant, friendly staff and delicious food. Turnover is minimal, we are greeted by name and the quality has been consistently excellent.
My family has been frequenting this restaurant for over 25 years. My dad, who lived in Noe Valley well before I was born still dines here 1-2 a month and chooses Haystack for almost all special occasions or casual dinner when no one wants to cook. The large backroom is great for parties and large groups, we have sat 15 people comfortably.
The ambiance depends on the time of day, pretty relaxed between 4pm and 6pm, later and it's a busy little place BUT you'd never know from the service you receive that there are other people in the restaurant. The staff is always more than polite and accommodating, they know their menu and are always happy to give more information on their dishes.
The creamy Italian dressing can't be beat, at times we order a pint to take home and enjoy later.
Their pizza is arguably the best, pasta is never over cooked, burgers are big and salads are always fresh. Ordering delivery over the phone is easy and fast. Over nearly 3 decades I can't remember a time I didn't enjoy a meal or appreciate the folks that work here.