Krust Pizzeria

Funny story with this place. My family and I came here to get a bite to eat a few weeks ago before heading to Petco Park for the Giants/Padre’s game. Once we sat down, the waiter greets us very friendly and hands us the menus which were plainly printed on a sheet of copy paper. He promptly apologizes for their lackluster appearance and proceeds to tell us that they are under new ownership and have an all new menu and the finished versions are not in yet. Fine, no problem there. I order a meat lover’s calzone which was fine. My wife had a turkey club which, all though she has had worse, she wasn’t too thrilled with.
I noticed that the wait staff kept asking us about the quality of the food they were serving, which normally i don’t have an issue with and usually applaud, but this time it just seemed like there was a hint of worry and self consciousness for a lack of a better description. I have been to other places under new ownership that didn’t appear to be so concerned about the experience we were having. The whole experience was nothing to complain about, but I just found it kinda fishy.
Long story short… I come home from work one day, get on Hulu Plus, start watching the episodes of HOTEL HELL («The Keating») that I missed, and low and behold Krust was on the TV getting none other than the classic GORDON RAMSAY treatment of F-​bombs and insults! It all made sense now. I had no idea that Krust was recovering from such a bruised reputation! According to Unilocal,Krust is now closed for good. I found it to be decent enough to revisit, but I guess it couldn’t survive such negative publicity. Too bad.

Wow… so impressed with the quality of the pizza here! In fact, we were so impressed that the next time we came to the area, we literally went out of our way in order to pick up some more pizzas to take home, ha ha ha.
The crust is AMAZING… this is not your ordinary thin crust! So good, so tasty, no excessive corn meal bothering your fingers, and crunchy — but not dry like a cracker at all. The sauce is delicious and the veggies SO fresh! I’m not a vegetarian but would order the veggie pizza with olives ANY day! Yum-​my!
They’ll make you whatever you want, however you want it, and have been so accommodating. The staff was lots of fun too, who doesn’t love that?! Krust will definitely be our go-​to pizza place in San Diego from now on.

Pricey for Pizza, but really good.
Very good crust, soft, fresh, tasty.
Had the 10″ meat lover: very good
10″ Hawaiian: good, but did not have any bacon
Cesar salad: lots of chicken (a little over charred but good), not too much Cesar dressing
Very good, I will definitely go again (with a coupon) and would recommend trying it

We had a free pizza slice from this place from checking in with Unilocal woo hoo!
It was pepperoni, sausage and sopresata.
The crust was nice and thin and all the flavors were really good.
Not really an Italian pizza but delicious nonetheless.
The problem with the Gas-​lamp district is that its kind of like going to Cabo. There are so many places vying for your business that you don’t know what to do. When you boil it all down most of them are so so.
The Pizza here was ok but not stellar, if you really want great pizza in San Diego jump in your car and head to Bronx Pizza. Its the best

The supreme thin crust is money! The mushroom pizza with bacon and a fried egg… pretty bomb too!

I don’t know what it is but I really like this pizza. There is nothing fancy to it, it’s just a good flavored thin crusted pizza with just enough pepperoni (or whatever your topping), cheese and grease. The crust is also cooked to perfection: soft but with a little crunch, just enough that it folds in half just perfectly so you can walk and eat.

best thin crust i’ve had in san diego thus far. nice light and very crispy. I like it better than bronx and sicilian thing in hillcrest.

Looking for some grub to clear out the foul taste of an apricot hef (yup, you read that right — a fruity hef) that I got swindled into trying, I stopped at Krust hoping for an appropriately greasy solution. I wasn’t expecting Famous Rays, Famous Original Rays, Original Famous Rays, or any of the other iterations, but a decent slice would be nice.
The krust was crispy in just the right way. The sauce had a little kick. The staff were courteous enough as they told us that they ran out of cups (that’s 2/2…hmmm, can we say forced drink purchase?) and we handed over $ 8 for a coke and 2 slices *cough* For the the best pizza in my life, maybe that would be reasonable, but for pizza at 2am? I think the last time I was here it was over $ 5 for 1 slice and a coke. What the gaslamp needs is a decent late night place to eat. But I digress…
Excellent food at a inflated-​more-​than-​usual price, even for downtown. I will probably come back here (as I apparently already have) on those late late nights when I’m craving a good slice of pizza, but for the rest of the nights I’ll probably buy an extra beer instead… a non-​fruity one, of course… or maybe a cosmo. We’ll see. I’ll keep you posted. I know you’re curious. Why are you still reading this. Seriously, still reading? Wow, you need to get out more. Hey, you should give me a call. Cheers.

This pizza is terrible. 4 of us ordered a cheese pizza and all 4 of us agreed on that. The best part about the pizza… maybe the crust? Save your money and go elsewhere! Anyone who tells you it’s good pizza, doesn’t know good pizza… never will return to this place again.

I begin my pizza reviews with a caveat… I am a pizza snob. Full-​fledged thanks to New York City, Chicago and Europe. Now, when it comes to pizza, «best» is extremely subjective… kinda like our attraction to people of the opposite sex. Some people like thin crust, some won’t eat anything but thick. Some people like traditional toppings, while others prefer crazy combos. Some people like heavy cheese, some like just a touch.
Here’s my idea of the perfect pizza… thin to medium crust with just a hint of salt, lots of homemade sauce made with fresh herbs, minimal cheese (preferably fresh mozzarella), and 1 – 3 toppings (not usually meat, but I can be won over by some good pancetta).
Housed in a building designed by Pininfarina (the same people who design for Ferrari, Maserati, Rolls Royce, etc.), I have to say that Krust does a damn good job for a California pizza joint. The crust and the sauce are made fresh, the variety of traditional and California-​esque toppings are good quality, and the cheese is respectable.
Interior seating is limited, but there’s a nice patio so you can people watch while you munch. Great $ 6 lunch special…

Pizza was decent, for 2 slices and a drink for only $ 6. It’s hard to find a place for lunch in the area on Sundays because most of the cafes are brunch only.
Here’s what kinda threw us off: we walked up to the front where the hostess was standing and talking to some other worker who was just chilling at a table. The place was empty save one group of 4 who were drinking coffee and orange juice, and looked like they just finished breakfast. When I told the hostess «for 2,» she merely said, «Just go through there and order your food, then you can come and sit outside,» and went back to hanging out with her buddy. Um. ok. So we go through the restaurant door where it’s clearly just a quick order for pizza. What if we wanted actual food other than pizza? Where did that other group get their menus and other food from? We were pretty confused, but I was also super put-​off by the girl’s nonchalant attitude. Sorry to bother you, I just thought you could seat us since you know, that’s your job and all. My bad. We ended up just sharing the pizza deal and going off to wander around and find somewhere better to eat. The pizza was just alright, though the girl who helped us inside was nice and cheery. Maybe she should train the hostess.

Husband and I went here as part of the «Bites, Brothels and Booze» tour. He had the meat-lover’s equivalent and I had one with spinach and tomatoes right out of the oven. We both thoroughly enjoyed the pizza.

I had a large slice of pizza at Krust courtesy of it being one of the stops on a So Diego evening tour, and it was quite tasty. They describe their pizza as the best hand thrown New York style thin crust … I’ll let my friends from NY and Jersey be the judge of that. I do know that I really liked their pizza, even though I’m usually more a fan of deep dish/​thick crust. We were able to choose from a good variety of the pizzas on display – all looked fresh – and I was not disappointed in my veggie pizza. It was loaded with all kinds of fresh vegetables, nice big pieces. Really hit the spot.

Dear Krust…
Your crust sucks.
Have a great life.

Not a bad deal for 2 slices and drink for $ 6 during the lunch hours or $ 8 bucks during the dinner hours. I just ordered 2 slices of cheese and was offered the the 8 buck combo, and I was like… sure…I guess.
But had I actually performed a cost basis analysis on each slice and a drink, it would just have been cheaper if I bought it separately and not the combo deal… clever and sneaky staff you.
And still, the pizza wasn’t that great. For a plain cheese, it wasn’t pleasing at all. Even with the basic ingredients of cheese, sauce and crust, it didn’t hit the mark. It would probably taste better if you had more to drink prior to coming in.
This place is shared with the Bistro Italiano next door. Couple of tables inside and several outside. The staff seemed bored, though friendly.

Stopped in here for a quick lunch. The pizza was cooked perfectly, with the right temperature, right amount of cheese, and perfect amount of toppings.
The service was very friendly and discussed the different styles of the pizzas.
The pizza on display also actually looked fresh unlike a lot of the other places that you can grab a slice.
I will be back and tell friends about this place.

The only reason I gave this place two stars is because the guy who was working seems to be a genuinely swell dude.
Best friend, her son and I went in here thinking, «It’s something different and there has to be something a nine-​year old will like. It’s a pizza place, after all!»
My shrimp and lobster bisque-​oh my! One bite into the tiny shrimp and it was like liquid metal pouring into my mouth. Not wanting mercury poisoning that particular day, I decided to abstain. The flavor of the bisque altogether was just no bueno!
My friend’s $ 10 salad. Umm, where’s the salad? Tiny. She had to go back to get the things she asked for (and it wasn’t a Greek salad despite their claim that it is). Hint: Go to Nicky Rotten’s, spend $ 10 and get a huge, awesome BBQ Chicken Salad or something!
The nine year old’s meatball sub was mushy.
We all decided we should have tried the pizza. Who knows? Maybe it would have been a lot more decent than what we had, and a lot more worthy of the money we spent-​no wasted-​at this place. Though, doubtful.
I won’t be back, and I’d encourage others to take themselves down to Ciro’s or, well, anywhere else for pizza in the Gaslamp rather than risk the disappointment you’re almost sure to leave with when dining at the overpriced Krust.
(Another Hint: If you want some good (and safe!) bisque, go across the street, sit at the bar and have the lobster bisque at Blue Point Coastal Cuisine).

Too bad for Krust, it was my second stop in the San Diego quest for good-​pizza-​in-​close-​walking-​distance of my hotel. I had just tried the pizza at Fifth Avenue New York Pizza up the street, and comparatively, this pizza was indeed crusty (and stiff).
I got the plain cheese, which tasted a little strange to me, maybe because it was overcooked. Sauce had a spicy kick to it, which I didn’t expect either. However, kudos for very friendly and cheery customer service.
Here’s what I had to say about Fifth Avenue Pizza:

As I’ve said before, I’m a pizza snob, and have high expectations.
So having a good breakfast, walking around Old Town, migrating back to the Gaslamp, hitting more than a few bars, and 10pm rolls by pretty quickly. I remembered I haven’t eaten since breakfast, and the stomach is making some complaints. So our group is hanging out people watching at a bar, so I figure I’ll just walk around and find something edible and bring it back to the bar.
Stumbled across Krust, and ordered a pizza (didn’t Unilocal it first, or I may have skipped it). We ordered healthy… pepperoni/​sausage, well done. Paid a VERY reasonable price, and hit yet another bar while we waited for it to be done.
They actually came in and delivered the pizza to go in the bar! That got them a star right there.
Took the box back to where the friends are hanging, and while a bunch of folks who had been drinking since noon is perhaps NOT the best just of how good a pizza is, the box was empty in five minutes.
My opinion was a bit lower (or my standards are higher?). I think Krust uses substandard cheese and what tastes like canned tomato sauce. The meat was ok (not great, but not bad).
So for the moment, it worked out. As a destination? Not a smoking chance.

I came here for lunch and I had The Keating salad here. The prices are very reasonable (for a nice meal, it’s not fast food prices.) I paid $ 10 for a salad of spring greens, Gorgonzola, pine nuts, and more (it would have been $ 8 but I added chicken for $ 2) I heard that their pasta is really good too. But, I haven’t tried it yet. I have to leave something for my next visit. =)
The customer service is good. They were cordial. I am not sure what happened at Nicole’s visit. But, she doesn’t even have a picture posted on her profile. So, I don’t trust her-​haha!