(Took Out 07/31/20 FR @ 6:00pm): Sweet... another pizza place close to home!
Living during these COVID-19 times, my roommate and I have eaten a lot of takeout pizza and seemingly exhausted all of our neighborhood options until we came across Cheech's Pizza. I instantly thought of "Cheech & Chong" and hoped their pizzas had traces of marijuana on them; sadly this wasn't the case. However, with any unfamiliar eateries to me, I liked to sample the menu to get a good idea what they were about. Would this pizza expedition prove fruitful!?
PURCHASE
Mozzarella Sticks ($6.99): Six cheese-stuffed fried fat fingers of goodness with a side of marinara dipping sauce, the cheese was endless and easily one of the most impressive mozzarella sticks I've ever had https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=PxRNPa5rlDMphlApT8y6xw&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw!
Vegan Meatball 12" Sandwich w/Lay's Potato Chips ($9.50): No eggplant parmigiana sandwich on the menu (WTH!?), this was a surprisingly good choice filled with a ton of faux-meatballs, diced green peppers and onions, melted mozzarella cheese, and loads of marinara sauce all held together by a toasted submarine bread - this was even good the day after https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=sQpboSuYT3CSDPKk4k_5mQ&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw! The comped snack of Lay's Potato Chips was a nice touch but greedily wished pepperoncinis were also included https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=kcWca6Z6LQ56I5CwtDE_QA&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw.
Mediterranean L Salad ($11.99): A massive garden of romaine lettuce, diced cucumber, green olives, red onions, tomatoes, feta cheese, and a side of balsamic vinaigrette dressing, everything was fresh and easily could've served more than the two of us https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=GRocRfvO2qhdYJa6JuiXPQ&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw.
Veggie 12-Slice XL Pizza ($26.50): A chewy regular crust pizza topped with loads of black olives, green peppers, mushroom, tomatoes, white onions, mozzarella cheese, and pizza sauce, we enjoyed this pizza but nothing about it stood out from the choice of ingredients to the sauce in comparison to other pizza joints https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=nenIMYQIHDUIfGK04ltF2g&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw.
Cinnamon Crunch Pie ($5.99): A very inventive dessert with an assumed homage to the cereal, this was definitely best when eaten fresh rather than the next day but still good nonetheless https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=eRU8sZNGtsJxNn5rJBlQYQ&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw.
SERVICE
During these COVID-19 days, they recommended online orders/payment for takeout (unsure about walk-ups). The order/payment process was simple and fast. I showed up about 30 minutes later with my entire order all wrapped up and ready to go. One very cool and funny thing to point out was their tamper-proof packages https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=BgF-tN0VyU-rTe7yMEZWIw&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw - 'nuff said.
PARKING (Varied; FREE this instance)
Unsure whether or not they had a private lot (I didn't see one), I found parking on a side street at the corner and walked it. Otherwise, there appeared to be plenty of metered parking along the main drag of Hillhurst Ave. and timed parking along the many nearby side streets.
ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE
A no-frills small shop that appeared to be mainly a takeaway joint due to the apparent lack of indoor space (just a handful of tables) but possibly a few tables out on the sidewalk. In its current iteration, there was a tiny pick-up counter with a Plexiglass separation between you and the staff due to COVID-19. The walls were covered with various items while an easily legible price menu hung on the wall behind the counter. Decent natural lighting came through the tinted glass windows and front door while standard electric ceiling lights covered the rest. I didn't notice any TVs but believed there was background music.
ATTIRE
Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops.
OVERALL
Although their sign stated they've been around since 1993, how I've never heard of or eaten at Cheech's Pizza baffled me. The prices were comparable, the food enjoyable, the service efficient, and the menu varied enough (seriously... get an eggplant parmigiana and maybe onion rings!). It seemed they also sold by the slice if you didn't want a whole pie, but unsure about the alcohol situation. Plus, it's always a pleasure to support a mom & pop small business. I found complete value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $67.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 5.0 STARS read more