Pizza Zero

What a zero! If only I could give ZERO stars!
Oh, and bring your Raid or your neighborhood Orkin Man.
My wife and I sat down and were greeted by a friendly server and offered a free wine tasting. The service was good and the menu looked very appetizing. Unhappily, we did not get to taste anything because we ran out the door after she and I spotted roaches (about a half inch long and bigger) crawling on the wall behind her, on the bench where she was sitting, and a dead one in the crack between the seat and the wall. Where there is one, especially one that comes out in the light with people, there are many.
And after we left, we checked ourselves over and she found two on her blouse!!! How awful!
We just came back from Italy and had loads of pizza there, and the menu and food looked comparable. So if you can stand the roach infestation, go for it. We are realy sorry we didn’t taste the food.

Today was the second time I have been to Pizza Zero. Great Lunch prices but the service was much lower then my First visit. One server for 2 tables.
First it took a little while to get our drink order. Once I received my sandwich, I noticed they put mayo even though I asked for it to be left off, and my friends sandwich had the olives he asked to be left off.
The first time I went in I got the Chicken empanadas it was amazing, Hot and a great crust. This time I got the beef and it had a warm crust but the beef was cold. Over all the flavor of it was good but could have been a little warmer.

Just got take-​out. Place is always empty so I like to give them business. We got a spinach pizza and a mushroom pizza. overall ok, but way too cheesy for me. That is my one complaint.

Upon taking my first sip of beer I felt something in my mouth. What was it you ask? A piece of broken glass and upon closer inspection I found dirt and more small glass fragments on the rim. I told the server, who quickly came back with a new clean mug of beer and said she was sincerely sorry and that the beer was on the house.
Putting that freak incident aside I tried their food. The beef empanadas were delicious while their Molotov pizza left me unsatisfied. The pizza which is said to be spicy did not even phase my boyfriend, the spicy wimp (don’t tell him I said that). It’s kind of odd that their empanadas are better than their pizza considering their name starts with pizza. The chocolate volcano was spongy and didn’t have much of a chocolate flavor.
When we got the check the beer was still on our tab.
Maybe I’ll will come back in a couple months to give this place another try.

Delicious! :) Their empanadas are tasty, and the pizzas even better. I’m a big fan of the one that has brie and mushrooms marinated in white wine, as well as their popeye (spinach) pizza.
My only word of caution is that the other appetizers are hit or miss. My friends ordered the calamari and it was not a pleasant experience for them.
For pizza, though, it’s well worth your time. And the people are very friendly.

I was looking for some New Orleans style food when I stumbled upon this vastly different restaurant. It had pizza, and it was Argentine (my country of birth) so I figured I had to check it out. I had never noticed it before, or heard anything about it, so I guess I took my chances.
I’m glad I took them. The pizza was cooked very well, with a nice soft crust and plenty of cheese (I ordered a 4 cheese pizza, I know that two of the cheese were brie and some sort of blue cheese… very good). They had a multitude of different pizzas to pick from, which was nice. My main complaint (which keeps it from getting a full 5 stars) is that it took a while to get our food, especially considering that the place was quite empty. There’s also wine I believe, and a modest beer selection (I can’t say if it’s good or bad beer, since for one I can’t buy the stuff and two, I only know the tastes of a handful of beers) including Sam Adams seasonal beers.
It was a bit on the higher side in terms of pricing for pizza, but nothing shocking for Bethesda. If you want to find some interesting configurations of pizza, give Pizza Zero a shot and practice your Spanish with the cute waitress.

Haven’t been here since the summer, but when my boyfriend lived in Bethesda it was one of our favorite spots! This is a hidden treasure worth seeking out. Try the special — two decent-​sized pizzas and a bottle of tasty Argentine red wine for $ 35. Cozy atmosphere, good for dates, but not so fancy you couldn’t just go grab a drink at the bar in jeans. Reliable delivery service as well.

Clearly I made a mistake when ordering the pizza rather than empanadas. It was pretty hot outside, so I was already sweaty, and a bit irritable upon entering Pizza Zero. They didn’t seem to have air conditioning, but the ice water that was immediately brought to our table cooled me down.
I had recently discovered the wonder of ham and pineapple on pizza, so decided to order the Tropical. The most flavorful part of the pizza was the pineapple, which I believe came from a can. My boyfriend got the Napolitana, and likened it to Celeste – those tasteless frozen pizzas that my parents would force me to eat as a child. I couldn’t agree more.
I would give the place another chance, as long as it is below 80 degrees outside, and I can accompany my meal with a few glasses of wine.

It’s Saturday night, Labor Day weekend and the streets of Bethesda are surprisingly bustling. Not so with Pizza Zero, which is situated on a very busy street, but just a block down from where all the action is. We went around 8pm and were met with a friendly greeting at the door. I was surprised to see only a few other patrons dining. The dark wood interior is very appealing.
The meal was a hit. Yuengling drafts for $ 2.99. Awesome house made sangrias (red and white) for $ 6. The empanada I had (spinach and mozzarella) was great; brown and crisp on the outside, moist and flavorful on the inside. They are small, but for $ 3 a piece worth a try. You can also get 6/​$ 15 or 12/​$ 28. Their $ 5 house salad is a step above your regular generic salad at most places. Here you get almonds and goat cheese with a light balsamic dressing. Yum!
Lastly, the pizzas. When I first saw my caprese pizza I had the same reaction cameron t. had: It looked like a pre-​made base/​crust; something whipped from the freezer and topped before serving. It’s thin crust pizza with no puffed edges, kinda like a disc. Don’t discredit it though. It was very good (even though I was still tasting the garlic the next morning). If you like cheesy, chewy pizza go to Uno’s. if you want to try something different in a pleasant atmosphere with great service and cheap beer prices, come here.
BTW, go to their website and click on Specials for coupons good for in house dining and delivery.

I don’t know why this place isn’t packed to the gills. We showed up at 8pm on Friday and the place was half empty! It’s cheap (about $ 10 per pizza), the drinks are reasonable, and it has a cool minimalist chic feel. We were seated immediately, and there were lots of big TVs for watching the Olympics. The only downside is that the TVs are HD, but use the SDTV feed stretched out to widescreen, so everything is a little distorted.
We got the $ 35 deal for two pizzas and a bottle of wine. We’ll probably come back a lot (but maybe not for the combo since I’m a cheap date = very drunk after the bottle).
We had the pizza with an egg over easy on it (it was my absolute favorite last time I was in Italy) and the Popeye (garlicky spinach = good!). The former was ok, and the latter was utterly delicious. Thin crust (not quite the gold standard = 2 Amys, but still good), and a good ratio of crust to toppings.
For dessert, definitely get the chocolate volcano cake! Mmm. It was warm, baked on the outside, oozy on the inside, and topped with a mound of piped dulce de leche. Definitely worth $ 5.
Service was good. I think there’s only one waiter, but he’s fast and attentive and keeps your water glass filed.

Definitely worth trying. A bit out of the way — you need to cross Arlington Rd from the Bethesda hotspots to get here. If you are driving they do have restaurant parking out front (only two spaces — but man — that’s money in Bethesda!).
food: fantastic — like pizza only more so — also beaucoup Argie style starters, beer and wine from the pampas — what’s not to like?
décor — flat screens a-​go-​go all showing football — sorry — soccer — what more could you want?
Viva la Quinta brigada !

Very cheap. Dinner was $ 28 including tip for 2 adults & 2 kids. The server was nice, and the food came out relatively quickly.
Here’s the problem. I love Buenos Aires. The food is amazing! Maybe my expectations were too high because the food at Pizza Zero was just ok. The empanadas were tiny, and didn’t look homemade. They looked like they came from a box. The beef was underwhelming, but the spinach & cheese version was pretty good.
The pizzas were a bit bland, but again it didn’t seem like they made the dough by hand either. I kept picturing Gordon Ramsay in my head. During one episode of his Kitchen Nightmares show he visited a pizzeria in L.A. which used pre-​made pizza dough. He freaked out on the chef. I imagined the same scenario in my head happening at Pizza Zero while I ate my pizza.
I would visit again. It’s kid– friendly, without being over run with kids. It’s certainly better than Chuck E. Cheeses ;)

My wonderful friends that came out to see my opening photography exhibit Bethesda, suggested to check out this Argentine-​style grilled pizza /​wine joint.
I was so hungry and I jumped on the suggestion. Especially we went with a guy from Argentinia.
Location is a little odd (it’s surrounded by a bunch of car dealerships). It wasn’t too busy, so we sat down immediately. Too many options of pizza to pick from (about 20 styles). But we spoted this «special» deal, which included two pizzas and a bottle of wine for $ 34.99.
We picked a smoked salmon pizza and the Argentine sausage pizza. They were thin-​crusted pizza, not greasy, just the right about of meat, cheese and dough ratio.
We also got the dessert too — can’t go wrong with Flan with Caramel…
Great place, great food, great friends = great nite! :)
P. S. Check out my next review… we went to Dolcezza Argentine Gelato Café at Georgetown after Pizza Zero to have our second dessert — GELATO!!!

Fun facts about Argentina:
Italians make up the second-​largest ethnic group in Argentina. In fact, during the end of the 19^th century, roughly half of Argentina’s new arrivals were from Italy. Pizza and pasta are thus culinary staples. Furthermore, up until recently, pizza was really one of the only convenience, takeout style foods available.
All this means is that you shouldn’t be shocked when you hear the words Argentinean pizza. It’s not some sort of vile nouveau culinary fusion, like bratwurst spring rolls or borscht burritos. I would never lead you to such a place.
I’ve always wanted to go to Argentina for as far back as I can remember. As a result, I’m always on the lookout for any place offering Argentinean cuisine or culture. When a friend emailed me last week and suggested we get a bite to eat, I immediately thought of Pizza Zero.
My friend and I roll up around 7pm on a Saturday. It’s in a little strip mall right next to a Rolls Royce (!) dealership. Walking inside, I got the impression that this must’ve been a diner in a previous life. It’s deep and narrow, with a tiny bar to your right as you walk in that must have been a coffee counter back in the day. They definitely made it sleek-​looking though, with lots of wood flooring and trim. My friend casually mentioned he had no idea the inside would look so hip given the strip mall exterior, and he meant it as a compliment!
We started off with a bottle of Quilmes (Argentina’s answer to Budweiser without suffering the stigma of, well, being Budweiser) and ordered a charcuterie plate of meat and cheese. It was somewhat predictable (provolone, Romano and salami), but it was still good, and they top it with a grilled Argentinean chorizo.
I opted for the Calabreza, a pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, Spanish sausage and grilled red peppers (though now that I’m looking at the menu, I don’t really recall the red peppers!). My friend had the Veneziana, with tomato sauce, mozzarella, prosciutto and mascarpone cheese. Both were incredible! I’m not a huge tomato sauce person, and pretty much every pizza I’ve had in the DC area seems to go apesh*t with the sauce. Nothing like biting into a slice and thinking how it’s like lancing a tomato-​laden boil :(Fortunately, Pizza Zero uses just enough sauce to add to the flavor without being a tomato tsunami. The crusts were thin and very crispy. You won’t feel out of place using a fork and knife to eat.
There’s quite a variety of toppings you can choose from, including eggs, hearts of palm and chimichurri, a steak sauce with olive oil, parsley, garlic and oregano. Allegedly it got its name from English visitors in the 19^th century who would implore their waiters to «gimme curry» to season their dishes. The corrupted word lives on today.
Buenos Aires is known for its café culture, just like Paris or Milan. That means you’re getting people schooled in the fine art of taking care of your needs and then gracefully letting you dine. It’s totally unrushed in the European tradition. Our waiter was friendly and on the ball, but let us dine in peace. Not once did we feel rushed. Most importantly, we had plenty of time to enjoy our appetizer before the main course. There’s nothing worse than getting your appetizers five minutes before your main course comes out (or even worse, they come out at the same time. WTF?).
The verdict: it’s not often I get out to Bethesda, but the food was good enough that I’d be happy to make a special trip out there just for it. I’d also say it’s a great place to take a date.

RE BUENAAA ONDA!!!
Pizza Zero brought me back to Argentina! I miss it so much and going to Pizza Zero made me so happy and excited. The service was ok. it was a low key Wednesday night and it wasn’t too crowded but the waiter was caught up with some of his friends at the bar and we felt a bit neglected.
I can’t wait to go back for a River soccer game (VAMOSSSSS RIVERRR!). The pizza was great, my friend and I split one chorizo pizza and then each ordered an empanada. The empanadas were great and some of the better ones I have tried in DC. They have quilmes too and a good selection of Argentine wines.
It is not the cheapest pizza, but totally worth it because of the Argentine touch :) I am definitely going to go back sometime soon and hope to try Divino Lounge, an Argentine steak house from the same family chain.

You know, I don’t get it – people have been raving about a place called American Flatbread out in Ashburn, VA, so I made the trek out there one day to try it. It was OK, but I think Pizza Zero has them hands down, and Pizza Zero has been getting no publicity (or maybe I am running in the wrong circles).
I love the crust at this place — I think because they are wood «grilled», maybe the crust doesn’t get as dried out, I am not sure, but it has good moisture. Toppings, I thought we good. Combos on the menu were interesting.
A cold day, though, and the place was really cold. That took away some from the atmosphere.

We came here in exhaustion on a Thursday night after getting lost on the way. The town should consider posting maps around downtown Bethesda. PZ is on Bethesda Ave., but past the main drag beyond the established cluster of restaurants and a few steps past the Giant. There were a few tables occupied when we stepped in, but far fewer than what you’d expect from a new and talked-​about gourmet pizza joint.
When I thought of «Argentine pizza,» I thought of a rustic dining space (e.g. the wood, the exposed brick, etc.) Instead we got infamous techno in the background and a large TV screen showing football. Pretty much the opposite of quiet and rustic.
We ordered glasses of malbec, the #16 pizza with grilled eggplant and several empanadas. Both food and wine were four-​star-​worthy. The empanadas were small, but totally worth a try since they’re made fresh. The pizza are «personal» sized, but we were able to split one and not feel under-​satisfied. I also spied the table next to us ordering a generous pitcher or orange sangria. It looked fresh and yummy.
I give atmosphere and service two stars. The waiter was pleasant, but hard to call for attention (there was only one waiter). They had mixed our order up originally and made the wrong pie. After telling us the right pie would be out in «3−4 minutes,» it really felt like much much longer (maybe 15 minutes?). None of this really bothered me, but between the clubby music and bright television pulsing in my face, the whole experience just aggravated all the little, otherwise forgettable peeves.

Che pibe! Argentine pizzeria in Bethesda!
Something to get excited about right? Well…
2.5 stars
The empanadas were good — and did remind me of the empanadas in Argentina.
The pizza was disappointing. I did like the crust — but it was the only thing that had any flavor. The Argentina sausage had not flavor at all — every sausage I ever had in Argentina was full of flavor… no really impressed — and I really did want to be impressed…

Went there for a weekday lunch. A couple of friends got their lunch special (house salad, napolitana – sp? pizza, and soda all for 9.99!). Their house salad looked realllly good. Instead of just iceberg salads, they had mixed greens (I think I saw some arugula and chard leaves!), sliced almonds, tomatos, and balsamic vinaigrette. Quite a fancy house salad.
Pizzas were good, crust tasty. The napolitana was cheesy. I got the tropical (aka hawaiian). My only complaint was that the ham and pinapple (canned, of course) were huuuge pieces. Each ham piece was like ¹⁄₃ of a deli slice and pineapples were in rings so each slice would have either a concentrated part of pineapple or ham. I would’ve preferred them diced or at least in smaller pieces so I could taste the tropical-​ness everywhere. Not bad, and prices were decent (~10 for the individual pizza).

This pizza place recently opened up off the main drag in Bethesda. The location is kinda odd, actually. I think the space used to be an auto parts store? Dunno. Someone more familiar with this hood would know.
The vibe skews international– complete with a Europop soundtrack and Argentinian soccer (futbol) playing on the televisions. I was with my meat loving friend, so we ordered some empanadas to start off with — filled with olives and ground beef, of course. They were good as the ones I have had at Julia’s and that is a high compliment!
For the pizza, we had the two sausage pie. The cheese was your basic pizza parlor stuff. but the toppings were fresh and tasty. The jalapeño peppers on our pizza weren’t from a can– we saw one of the guys take the pepper and slice it on to the pie.
Service was better than I would have expected at a new-​ish place. I’ll head back in a few months and see if they add different toppings.