Parlor you are not a 5 star joint, you have 5 star attribute but the whole thing is about a 3.5 star review… So I am sure you are asking yourself, «Well then B why are you giving it 5 stars, I mean come on a quality reviewer like you doesn’t throw stars around for nothing?» (I used quotes because I know that is exactly what you are thinking) Well its a couple of reasons but the biggest being I found my love there. We met at this location 4 years ago. Any place that brings you together with your favorite person is a lock to get 5 stars in my opinion. Secondly, they are closing at the end of the month and sounds like they got a raw deal. Now onto the location… its dark and dirty in an awesome way and they have pinball. The pizza is good, I absolutely love the crust. The beer is frosty cold. But this place shines with music, the bands can be hit or miss but its always a good show. The jukebox is top notch… it is up there with Casinos. By far the best punk jukebox in the city. You should make a stop by before the end of the month and pay your respects to a great pizza joint(they still have the location on Guadelupe that is also good but this place will always have a special place with me).
Ashley S.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Austin, TX
Not your typical pizza place. This grungy hole in the wall pizza joint is one unique spot. Lets face it, this is pizza for punk rockers. So I find it hard to imagine any other type of music playing here. And thats fine because it suits. There is a jukebox full of nothing I want to hear. Sometimes there may be a live band playing at the entrance. The inside is dark and a few places to sit other than at the bar. The outside patio is an «L» shape and its nice that somehow we wound up in the shaded part. They sell pizza by the slice(only cheese and pepperoni) for $ 3-$ 3.50. Its a thicker sort of pie and if you’re into that kind you will love it. Their menu is vast and has many vegetarian options as well as gluten free options, for a couple bucks more. They even make pies for vegans(though I’m still not sure what the difference is, other than more expensive) which I suppose is noteworthy. So if you’re vegan, this is the place for you. Every single pizza can be made vegan style. I like building my own because they have many options for toppings and interesting specialty pies when I’m feeling brave. Even though I’m quite partial to well… everything in this area, I have to give it 3 stars. I definitely say its a must try, for its different unique flavor, style, and the wide variety of customers they attract adds for good people watching.
Alex H.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Austin, TX
Some of the best pizza in Austin! This dive-y nook doesn’t look like much from the outside, but none of the best places do. Quality crust, crispy on the outside, and chewy inside. Full flavored sauce, cheese, and topped with quality ingredients. Somewhere in between the New York style thin crust and Chicago deep dish, this pan-style will leave you satisfied, palate and belly. Bring your wallet though, the quality food comes with a slightly heftier price tag than the discount, cardboard-tasting competition around town. Austin isn’t known for pizza, but this one is certainly a rose among the weeds.
Pizza H.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Austin, TX
It’s really hard for us to not like a place that features a mural of Alice Cooper’s better days on one wall and a mural of LA punk legends Fear on another. But alas, these reviews are not about whether or not the folks that run The Parlor are driven by the same musical demons that we are(but they are of course). So putting that aside we ventured into the North Loop location of The Parlor for some late night grub and some live punk music listening… and we came away very happy that we did. So first off you should know that the family run Parlor has two locations in Austin: Hyde Park & North Loop. We have yet to check out the Hyde Park location but we have been told it is a little more toned down than the one we frequented on this night. Honestly we here at PizzaHunt could care less about that seeing that these guys appear to do most everything correctly and are true to their DYI ethos. On this night, the place is packed for a local show so ordering over the reverb of the guitar proved to be impossible. No worries, the tattooed pizza maker/bartender/server hooked us up with a pen and paper so we could scratch it out. We opted for the typical large with cheese and pep(the norm for our reviews). However, adventurous pizza eaters should note that The Parlor is well known for their vegan pie and they have some other interesting combo’s on the menu. The Parlor also has a handful of beers on tap and a decent soda selection(and of course a never-ending supply of PBR cans). After ordering we headed out through the back door to the dimly lit and fairly quiet patio. Pizza talk ensued as we peered at a nearby crew get a behemoth pie dropped off at their table. Oh man… we hadn’t seen a pizza with that much muscle since we left the motor city. We were officially anxious. A few minutes later our order arrived(via extremely helpful aforementioned guy at the counter) and we looked on in disbelief. Thick ass dough… check. Cheesy… check. Ample supply of pepperoni… check. But… did it flow??? Yes. In our opinions if you are going heavy on the dough you have to go heavy on the sauce and cheeses while keeping the quality high. This is typically where most non artisan pizzas go wrong. The Parlor lays it all on the line. The cheese tasted like 100% mozz, the sauce had a hint of sugar and onion, and the dough was yeasty tasting like it was fermenting since the last time Alice Cooper had a hit. It worked. Essentially The Parlor has the traditional hand-tossed pizza we have been most accustomed to seeing in the mid-west down pat. I am sure there are folks around Austin who won’t and probably don’t appreciate what The Parlor is providing, but our crew was pleased as hell to get a manly pizza for once in this town. A large pie will likely feed 4 adults if everyone is really hungry. If you think you are in for another thin-crust, pseudo NY or Cali style pie… you are mistaken. A pretentious free, no frill’s, semi-thick, hand-tossed pizza in Austin? Yep. This pizza is hearty and I am guessing that Alice and Lee would want it that way as well. Love it to death.
Kari M.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Austin, TX
The Parlor is a gem. I feel like it’s nearly impossible in Austin to find places like The Parlor anymore. It’s got a touch of grunge to it that I just love. Something about it says We don’t give a crap if you like us or not. Painted on the wall is «We Don’t 86 you, You 86 yourself»(or something of that affect). I’ve been here to see so many of my friend’s bands play. I’ve been here for midday snacks, for dates with my hubby, for group hang outs with my friends. Their options on the menu are ridiculous. I have never had a pizza here that I didn’t just absolutely love. The ingredients are fresh and dynamic. You can pick a pizza from the list or make your own. Love is an ingredient they will add for free :) They have vegan options as well which is a big deal for a lot of my friends. I love the small patio out back behind the building. I feel like I’m hanging out some where that I shouldn’t be. Big white brick walls with awesome graffiti painted on it, lights strung across the alley and heaters when it’s cold. The bartenders are really cool too. I’ve been there before when they had to break up fights, kick people out, and deal with the cops. They are some cool dudes. Check it out!
Trevor R.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Austin, TX
If there are pizzerias in hell, I’ll bet they’re just like The Parlor on North Loop. Small, dark, hot, and very, very red. But from this filthy little punk rock crevice between a vintage store and a sex shop comes pizza so amazing that it’s obviously based on some diabolical pact. And the devil doesn’t f#ck around with thin crust margherita bullshit; these are thick, bready pies topped with chunky artichoke hearts and scorching hot fresh jalapenos. My favorite is called Gunnar’s, which has fresh garlic and spinach along with the artichokes and jalapenos. The flavor is so huge I forget that it’s vegetarian. Fortunately for us flame-averse undead, there’s a good selection of cold beer on tap and in bottles. There are usually Lone Star and either Fireman’s 4 or a Live Oak beer on tap. And if you can’t take the hard-rocking interior and the heat of the pizza oven, there’s a pretty nice back patio for leisurely enjoying some pitchers with your pie.
Jeremy W.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Austin, TX
I have been here exactly one time. Not 0.95 times, not 1.001 times, exactly one. During that one time, I ordered exactly 2 beers. Not 1.97 beers, not 2.0345 beers. Exactly 2 beers. While drinking those 2 beers I peered at the jukebox for exactly 2.35 minutes. Not 2.229 minutes, not 2.376 minutes. Exactly 2.35 minutes. In that time I realized i know fuck-all about Texas country music. This made me happy because I like to go to places that make me realize I will never be a Texan. Frankly, I like places that make me realize I am an outsider. At the Parlor I talked with exactly 1 bartender. Not 0.097 of a bartender, not 2.444 bartenders. Exactly 1 bartender. That 1 bartender was entirely pleasant to talk to. I plan to go back and sample the pizza at some point. It is unknown at this time exactly how many pizzas or fractions of a pizza I plan to consume. Rest assured, when I do, I will give you my exact feelings about what I consumed.
Scott R.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Austin, TX
While punk rock + pizza isn’t the first thing I think of when I hear the name«The Parlor»(I think of fancy Victorian-era British people drinking tea to chamber music), the skull and bones logo and grungy décor certainly clear up any initial misunderstanding. I’m partial to any North Loop bar/restaurant but have to say that their pizza is mediocre at best. The combination of thick crust and overwrought cheese is more in line with a jam band’s ethos vs. the 3-minute or less song ethos of punk rock.(A punk rock slice should be heroin-addict thin with a lot of red pepper flakes if you ask me). Recommendation: Eat ahead of time but if you have to, just get one slice. Beer selection is okay. Music quality depends on the night but the volume is consistently loud. The back courtyard isn’t spectacular in any way(especially if you’re coming directly from Phara’s otherworldly courtyard) but it’s a welcome oasis for your ears.
Troy B.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Austin, TX
This has classically been one of my favorite places to grab a slice and a beer in Austin. The northloop atmosphere is a unique part of Austins ongoing tradition. Great bands, great pizza, great people.
Crystal S.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Austin, TX
Great pizza, not-so-great music a lot of the time. The pizza outweighs the music though, luckily. The staff is all very nice as well. If you’re just wanting the Parlor pizza experience, you should check out the Hyde Park location off Guadalupe(I don’t really understand why their locations are so close to each other).
Alex C.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Austin, TX
I dig the Parlor. They have lots of veg-friendly pizzas with things like artichoke and gorgonzola, they have a great jukebox, and the service is friendly. A surprisingly complete beer selection for a punk-rock pizza joint, too! I like the back patio at this location — inside tends to be either too hot(from the pizza ovens) or too loud(from some high school punk band). Don’t get me wrong — I like live music, just generally not with my dinner. Personally, I like the current crust(which is made fresh daily at the North Loop location and driven up every morning). The pizza is some of the best in town — I’m inclined to like Homeslice and Mangia more, but they’re very different styles of pizza. Rockin’ Tomato is more on par, but they lose the punk atmosphere which I hold dear to my roots. On the other hand, RT delivers and the Parlor doesn’t. Why four stars and not five? I always spend just a little more than I think it was worth, and while I dig the pizza, most of my friends seem to think it’s average. So like AP said — the beer is cold, the atmosphere great, and *I* think the pizza is damn good. They get my repeat business, and I hope they get yours too.
Stephen E.
Évaluation du lieu : 1 Washington, DC
The pizza is mediocre. The jukebox is awesome. But I swore off this place last year after years of going. It can attract a crowd that thinks it is «punk rock». More frequently it is drug addled drag worms. We were threatened with assault and rape by a crowd of drunken losers at 6 in the evening, in after work for a beer. We did not know these people. The parlor staff did not seem to care. We have different definitions of punk rock.
Justin B.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Chicago, IL
This place makes me regret selling my map to the Fountain of Youth. Man, if I still had it, I’d be hanging out at the Parlor a few nights a week. I’d drink cheap beer, watch my friends’ bands, and smoke cigarettes. I’d pine to do things barely out of my reach. I’d be a stranger to consequence. I’d have serendipitous urban adventures. Four stars because I texted Ponce de Leon and he never texted back. But I’ll probably keep trying to get a hold of him.
Jessie R.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Austin, TX
We were on a mission the other evening for some late night(ok, it was only around 9:30, but we’re getting old…9:30 for me these days is late) eats and drinks and had so far come up empty. The Flying Saucer? A quick walk-in and walk-out told us all we needed to know. too douchey and too loud. The Parlor on Guadalupe? No Parking and no seating. The Parlor on North Loop? Third time’s a charm. The pizza is solid, and the beer is cold. The live music was loud… really loud, and as we weren’t here for the show, we sat out back on the patio so we could enjoy conversation with friends. The only drawback? The hipster death stare that I got as trying to enter and leave the restaurant through the front door. The band was playing right next to the door, and you’d think I killed the poor hipsters’ cat by the look I got while walking in front of them to exit. What is this? The opera?
Snarko M.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Austin, TX
I’m Sicilian. My uncle in Pittsburgh holds city title«best pizza» every, single year(that’s min-NAY-oh, not MINNY-oh, and I will not argue with y’all he’s my friggin’ uncle I can say his name). Yes, I’m saying I’m a snob. I hate 19⁄20 pizza joints in this town. I’m also vegetarian. Note: even a vegan can eat here. Crust: 8⁄10. Sauce: 8⁄10. Toppings(choice and what you get): 10⁄10. Service: 10/10, considering. Could use more staff, but who couldn’t in this«economic climate»? If veg, note they make their own fake meats, and the pepperoni is to die for. Doesn’t taste like pepperoni; tastes more like, «yum»! I truly appreciate the band treatment as well(I’m entourage for a band); a place this«small» is rarely so accommodating. Oh, yeah. Great jukebox. PS and Edit: Sorry they’re about to close, due to money-hungry landlords who raised the rent beyond what the building is worth. A pox on you, for doing that. I’m certain their other locations will stay great, but sorry to see this one fold from greed.
Allison P.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Austin, TX
I don’t know if the Parlor made me feel old or nostalgic. The Parlor reminds me so much of a place I used to hang out at in college. And if I were in college, I would probably be a regular here. I dig the vibe a lot. Very, very laid back and cool. The prices seem plenty cheap too. Several beers and wines to choose from. I can’t say the pizza is the best I have ever had. Its is served up on a super thick crust.(Did anyone go to Mama’s Pizza when they were a kid? Its reminds me of that pizza). I don’t know what I was thinking when I ordered a medium pie for me and my man. We didn’t even eat half of it because it was so filling. Now I know for next time just to get a slice!
Kevin N.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Austin, TX
Man there’s a lot of speed metal in the jukebox here, at least I couldn’t help but notice the speed metal song-to-any-kind-of-song ratio that was cranking while we sat. That said, the medium sized pepperoni pizza we feasted on was thick(man, that’s a lot of dough), rich and pretty tasty, actually, and we set it off with a round of beers. It’s clearly a place that’s frequented by regulars, and the approach of staff seems to be both familiar and casually friendly, which seemed fitting. There are a good number of beers on tap to be had(looked like 15 – 20 or so on two walls), and they’re pretty quick with a new pour. And that jukebox? Well, aside from the Tom Waits number that seemed both rustic and spot on in setting the mood, most of what I heard was thrashtastic. My time at The Parlor may have been a brief interlude, but it won’t be my last one. Worth a spin.
Erik W.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Austin, TX
The pizza was phenomenal. The atmosphere was interesting. The mural of Alice Cooper was awesome. Seriously though, how can you run a legit pizza joint with only 3 beers on tap! I’ll definitely be back though. They make vegetarian substitutes for all of the meats that you can put on their pizza.
George R.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Austin, TX
I would give this place 5.25 stars, if I could, because they are friendly, courteous and competent people running the place and they have Mighty Holy Pizza. They need a South Austin Location. I’ll bet I could buy a franchise pretty cheap.
Susie G.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Austin, TX
I was stuck at the parlor during a block party in a deluge of rain that seemed like the storm of the century. Despite the downpour, the bands playing outside the parlor continued, the audience rocked out huddled under one small blue tarp and some old folks danced int he rain to the music. Huddled inside the parlor people of all ages drank cold beer and downed pizza, the smells of which were other worldly at that point. I don’t like the atmosphere. Its too dark for me, although the paintings on the walls are kind of cool. Pizza slices are about 3 bucks… and this is certainly one of the most unique pizza joints in all of Austin. Stop in for a bite on your tour through the north loop area.