First time visiting and I was pleasantly surprised! I usually don't go for antipasto, but this one was really enjoyable--the lettuce was fresh and crisp, and the Italian dressing was flavorful without being too overpowering. The pizza was also very good. If you like a slightly doughy bite, you'll love it--the crust had the perfect balance of crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Our server was attentive, friendly, and honest about portion sizes, which I really appreciated. I wish I had taken a picture of our food, but that just gives me an excuse to come back--and I definitely will! Looking forward to trying more dishes next time. The place was very quaint, casual and laid back atmosphere....you may want to bring a sweater. read more

First time in a long while since visiting this restaurant. Place was crowded but our companions secured a table before we arrived. We ordered the antipasta salad for two. It was pretty basic. Two peperoncini peppers and a radish adorned the top. There were four sticks of salami, no pepperoni or ham and the salad was covered with cheese. The salad dressing was on the light side and you could barely taste it, recommend you ask for it on the side. I ordered the sausage and meatball splash and my spouse had the rigatoni. Both entrées were just ok. The bread was great and served warm. Our waitress was attentive w/o being a bother. They finally accept credit cards albeit with a surcharge. I've had better meals in the past at Luigis. read more

Luigi's is an Akron institution, and that's exactly the problem -- it feels like it knows that. Nostalgia isn't a flavor, and the pizza and lasagna don't give you much else to work with. There just no story other than some tacky interior decor. Small win that they take card now. But for a place with this kind of legacy, the food should hit harder. read more

Great pizza, but a few problems with the place its self: First, it's VERY crowded, with a waiting line up the sidewalk. That should be an indicator of the quality of the food, and it was. I'm just not in the habit of waiting 30 minutes or more just to ORDER my food, then try to enjoy my meal with all the people yell at each other just to be heard. Plus, there's too many tables for the size of the restaurant. No room to move! Perhaps it's time to expand a bit? Or maybe open another location? Also, they don't take debit or credit to pay for the food.. Cash only! Who still carries cash? They have an "ATM" at what looks like a server's station at the back of the restaurant, but thats just a regular card machine that dispenses a receipt that you have to show the cashier back at the front of the store (while fighting the throng of souls pushing their way INTO the store. C'mon guys... Figure out a better way to control traffic!). Hint: If there is a credit card machine that works in the place, THEY TAKE CARDS! Stop making your customers go through the ringer because you don't want to deal with it. All in all, pretty good food, but I'm not going back there soon. I'm not into the pushing and shoving and cramming into a table jusr to eat a little pizza! I think I'll keep looking for some where I can RELAX at dinnertime. read more

Another Luigi's dinner experience that was pure perfection! We got the salads n cheese ! Large Pepp Sausage Mild Pepper pie. The crust was perfect and crispy like not found very often. The key here is their sauce which is so unique and special. The oven is an antique and has a huge role in their one of a king pizza flavor ! read more

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What a great place apparently a neighborhood gem since 1949. Awesome service and great food. I got the soup and salad Pasta fagiole which I've never had served with a bowl of pasta garbanzo beans and onions. It has a bowl of delicious red sauce to mix in to your own liking. Taking a pizza to go because I'm to full to eat it now. read more

Luigi's Restaurant - Pasta Fagiole - Pizza Near Me - Akron, Ohio

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This is an Akron staple and always goes a nostalgia, blast from the past vibe. The staff are hospitable and run the place like a family, and the food is the greatest price you'll ever find for lunch specials that come with a big portion of food! I'm not entirely crazy about their pizza and salad (which are their most famous items) as both come with too much cheese for my taste. However, it's a great lunch option nonetheless and you won't be disappointed with the amount of food for your buck! FYI - their chicken noodle soup is AMAZING. The broth is so comforting, real fattiness from the chicken, lots of meal pieces/noodles bursting with flavor. read more

Luigi's Restaurant - Tuna Salad Sandwich - Pizza Near Me - Akron, Ohio

Wonderful service! Delicious Food Pizza is 5 stars Consistently great food and service read more

Food was amazing. It was the equivalence of transporting back in time to what it must have been like to the mindset behind the melody of "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" Walk in and wait for acknowledgment to be ushered to a cozy booth beneath the ambience of a hiccup of nostalgia. Brick ledges, open ceiling concept, painted walls, hand painted decorations. The mood of nostalgia is met with coming to in the land from the past with meeting of today's nonchalance towards service, gratitude, and ultimately respect. Food made precisely and perfectly and could not have been made better. The service thoughtful and pleasant and right on point. Where the past meets the present is often where the future is defined and if a restaurant only needed to provide great food and great service then the store would end with high praise and a anticipation of future reunion. However when the past trumps the present then the future seem oblivious and well short of promise. That is where I lay in torment for leaving a 3. The issues. An unclear policy of not accepting debit or credit cards. Ok there is an ATM at the back. Oh ok. Go visit the back and in a narrow space between the kitchen and the dishwashing room you approach a terminal not like any ATM I have ever seen. You enter your card and in first try there's a 10 disbursement and a 2.00 fee. Did I do this right I ask. The gentleman behind me seemed unsure and had been several times. This place seems to always have these issues/ He tries and has the same problem. Then we ask for help Management comes in the form of a relief pitcher in pigtails destined to throw strikes . How can I help. The first pitch. She explains that it just goes through the 10 dollars the first time and then after paying the 20% fee you would need to slide the card again. Strike 1 The second pitch ....... We say so we need to pay 2 service fees. Then this young lady who is the manager says this almost never happens. Strike 2........ So if this never happens how come you just explained the first time that this is what we do when normally when it happens. This pitcher has her pitches in perfect cadence, her scripts memorized, her ability to sidestep responsibility hall of fame worthy. She said we don't own the machine it is not our fault and there is nothing I can do. Strike 3...... Well you don't need to be rude to us and defensive. We are now paying for 4 dollars in fees when there is no clear policy mentioned at any time before you are seated and place your order. I know it's 4 dollars but in 1949 4 dollars meant a lot and quite frankly in today's economy it still does. Ejection Management said not my issue figure it out yourself and walked away: So caught up in between a landslide of expectations excellent follow through on the key components of being in a restaurant that has operated since 1949 at some point you got a question why when a concert just let out a block away you can get seated immediately on a Friday night. Society has changed quite a bit since 1949 and most businesses have actually found that it just makes more sense to raise your prices by 2 to 3% because Cash is not king anymore unless you live and world where Cash is King. Everything about the restaurant was amazing except for the part that mattered the most. Being able to leave with the expectation that I would ever return. read more

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So far, since moving to the area in December, this has been my most favorite pizza yet! But better than the pizza was the staff. They were extremely friendly and really welcoming. My husband and I were gobsmacked by the "small" antipasta salad we shared...it was enormous! The pizza was so fresh and flavorful, and we loved the spumoni ice cream. Our server was down to earth and fast, and all the bussers were busy and seemed happy to be there (unlike a lot of places these days it seems). We can't wait to come back! read more

Hadn't been downtown to Luigi's for a while but stopped on a Sunday evening and was surprised at how busy they were!!! We were seated right away, our waitress was flying around the entire time providing great service and our small combo pasta dishes were delicious and the perfect size after starting with the cheesed house salad with their signature salad dressing! Same old great place we remembered!!! read more

Luigi's Restaurant - Ready for Dinner - Pizza Near Me - Akron, Ohio

What a beautiful sunny day to visit Akron! Our group of 9 got a good corner spot and most of us ordered the pizza and salad combo. I would like to come back and order other dishes. read more

Luigi's is opened until midnight. Nine of us walked in at 11 p.m. after the Nickleback concert. Not being busy, and having been here many many times, we quickly ordered three pizzas and one of the best meatballs. Food came, and it was delicious. Cash only establishment. Good prices. read more

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I ordered half baked pizza to back home up Cincinnati. It has always been good. What the heck! It's not your crust it's terrible. Bring back the original half baked crust. Why did you change it! I'm a loyal customer and not sure if I'd ever come back. Also the salad dressing isn't the same and the salad and cheese weren't the same. So very disappointing. On the plus your staff is great and so nice you accept credit cards. We also did not get bread with our take out salad like we used to get. Go back to what made you my favorite place in Akron. I'll continue to put this review on other sites because I'm that person that finds the changes bad! read more

Well, my last review was written over 14 years ago, so I guess Luigi's deserves an update. It's a classic. At 9:30 PM on a Saturday night there was no wait. I really would not recommend getting anything other than the pizza. The sausage was not very good; a little too spicy and the texture was very weird. The "cheese salad" was just as good as ever. Service is very friendly and efficient. Cash only, so hit up the ATM before you go. I still love the ambiance. It may be a little dated, but it's classic Akron. My parents used to go on dates here and I don't think the interior has changed too much since then. read more

Luigi's Restaurant - If you know, you know - Pizza Near Me - Akron, Ohio

Been dining at Luigi's since the late 1980's and have not had a bad meal or pizza. This week I was in the area, ordered a #3 pepperoni pizza to go and it was bland and lacking tomato sauce. There was thin inconsistent layer of sauce throughout the large pizza. Their sauce is one of main important flavorful ingredients to their meals. Past experiences with their pizzas had a lot more sauce than what was on this piece in the picture. I hope and pray this is a one off experience. read more

I'm not really sure what to call Luigi's, ultimately. It's definitely an Italian restaurant, and it's been there for decades (I want to say close to 80 years, maybe more?). It's an icon, though. A legend. It's the type of place that is both a time capsule of a bygone era, as well as a landmark of Americana that I hope we never lose. I don't mean to wax poetic, but when I first saw the listing on Yelp (we're not from Akron, see...), I knew I had to try this place. The pictures promised a mix of kitsch, honesty, and a "diamond in the rough" location. So, how did it go? Perfection. FOOD: Number one, the food. It was good. Damn good. Like, you've had better Italian in your life, but it didn't matter because this was hitting a spot in your soul... type of good. We split a few things so we could try a lot on our first visit. Pizza, small cheese salad, half meatball-half sausage "splash," and half rigatoni-half ravioli bake with cheese. Everything was wonderful! The sauce is homemade and it's delicious. The bread is made in house as well and it was so good. The pizza had a very pillowy dough, but it was also quite tasty. If Akron has a pizza style, this is probably it. Last, but definitely not least, the famous (infamous?) Akron cheese salad was more flavorful than I expected and quite a tasty starter! SERVICE: I wish I could remember our server's name, but she was a gem. She was the type who, even upon learning this was your first visit to the place, would kneel down at your table, praise all the entrées and dishes, swear occasionally, and touch your shoulder like you were old friends from way back. YOU CANNOT PUT A PRICE TAG ON THAT LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE. DÉCOR: Please look at the pictures here on Yelp. Do you see the Budweiser lamp looking thing? And the "band box?" Again... you just don't find things like that in the wild. And this place is wild! I loved the adornments everywhere! It's practically what led me here in the first place! And yes... the Bud lamp works, and it was spinning that evening. You will tell me, "I've had way better Italian food, even around Akron!" And you might be right. Taste is a perspective, yes? But, you cannot tell me there is another Luigi's around, in Akron... in Ohio... maybe even in the entire contiguous forty-eight. I'll take fun decorations and honest people who clearly love their jobs over a fancy schmancy small plate any day of the week. Fancy dining has its place, don't misread me. I certainly have my own picks for the best Italian cuisine almost everywhere I go. But, if I'm ever in Akron again, you can bet Luigi's in on my "must-do" list. Fancy? No. Authentic? Completely. And I wouldn't have it any other way. read more

We love the throwback ambiance of this place! My go-to is the salad with cheese and the baked lasagna. I really want to try their lunch because they have soup and I love soups! read more

Luigi's Restaurant - Baked Homemade Lasagna - Pizza Near Me - Akron, Ohio

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I didn't get the hype We got a salad, one of their award winning pizzas, & pasta. The staff was really nice, place was cozy, to go order came out on time. read more

If you're visiting Akron, this is the place to stop and enjoy the warm ambience, efficient service, and a reasonably priced meal. My husband always orders Pizza and loves loves it. I enjoy the spinach baked ravioli with meat sauce! I can never pass up the zucchini planks with tomato garlic sauce, Diners beware, sometimes you have to wait in a line to get in as it is popular place to dine. it's worth the wait! read more

Place gets full fast but is worth the wait. The staff was friendly. The food was very good and the portions were great for the price. The decor is interesting to look at. The only negatives during my visit was only one stall was working in the ladies room and it is a cash only. Still very much worth it. read more

After a cold night of watching the last home game of the Zips, we were cold and hungry. Opened Yelp to find a good lace open late that had comfort food along with possible vegan options and Luigi's popped up and I am very happy we decided to check this place out! There is plenty of parking all around. The place reminds me of of a strip store walk up diner with the neon lights in the window and the handing lights. Upon entering the bar along the walk way confirmed that it was a traditional mom and pop stop. We were greeted with kindness and support for the vegan in the family. Our server was amazing. Sorry can't recall her name. She provided us with plenty of opportunities to order and guided up to her favorites. She checked on us and said to take our time. Even though it was late in her shift she kept a friendly smile. Once we placed our food we noticed the jukebox. There was several tables of some older folks so we didn't want to disturb them so we asked if it was loud. Our server said it was the perfect volume and if you play it there is a few show, just look above the door. The curtain will open and a bunch of Barbie's and JI Joes will preform for you. This was awesome! We put a buck in and played 3 songs and for a show. The decor in this place is pretty sweet. Lastly, the reason for being in this neat place - the food! When they say they for cheese, well they for cheese! I order my side salad with no cheese but my daughter for all the cheese on hers. It was a lot. I recommend ordering it on the side if you don't like a ton of cheese on your salad. My husband got a veggie sandwich which was not on the menu but he asked if they could do something vegan and they oblige. The zucchini planks are a decent size for an appetizer. I ordered the baked pasta, ravioli and omg it was so freakin good! I ordered the small and couldn't eat it all so I have leftovers for tomorrow. The prices are very reasonable. This is a must if you are in Akron. read more

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The atmosphere is very unique! Their food is phenomenal! The monster salad is to die for! Standing in line is long and the wait seems like forever, but it is totally worth it!!! As a matter of fact, my family will be there today!!!!! read more

Luigi's Restaurant - Pizza Near Me - Akron, Ohio

Awesome food, great atmosphere, and attentive service! My wife and I goto Luigi's whenever possible!

If you are thinking about going to Luigi's and have never gone.... Quit reading and just go. Its an old school italian restaurant and an Akron landmark. Its fun. Its good. You will not be disappointed. If you havent been to Luigi's in a long time and are just checking in to see what ppl are saying... its the surrounding area is a bit nicer. The block has a nice updated nighttime vibe. When we were there, a band played in the patio next to the nearby hotel... there is more parking and it's all well lit. Feels safe. The restaurant...exactly the same. Still three rooms with the beautiful murals and gorgeous ceiling. Staff still fun and helpful. Prices perfect. Food excellent. There is a reason this place has loyal customers that have been coming here for generations! The food is great. The pizza... it fills the entire take away box. Its topped generously and the cheese they use.... Mwah- chef's kiss. And they never skimp. Their pasta dishes have the right amount of sauce and are always hot and delicious. If you like salad -its none of that shredded lettuce taco like lettuce. Nope. The lettuce is bite sized but not tiny so it holds their delicious dressing and they top it with so much fresh cheese. Its like a mountain! (You can ask for it on the side if you are counting calories others at the table will gladly like to use what you don't want. Oh- you will love Luigi's. Get in the car and just drive there now. read more

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We picked up a pizza and an order of fries to go after seeing a show, the pizza was really good, the dough tastes home made and has that perfect crunch around the edges with the main section being slightly thick and chewy. The cheese was great quality and the look of that place just overall had a fantastic "dive bar" vibe but the service was absolutely outstanding and I mean that as strongly as possible. Everyone was so nice and helpful, everyone genuinely seemed to like their job and care about the place. read more

Inexpensive and delicious, it was a short wait when I arrived on Sunday evening at 5:00 pm but when I left at 6:30, the queue was halfway down the block. And for sure, I know why these folks were waiting! I got the salad to start, yes topped with cheese. Tasty and filling, the small salad is more than enough for one. For main, I chose the half rigatoni and half ravioli which is covered and cheese, served like baked ziti. A nice rich sauce, be sure you're wearing the right clothes for this as it does get drippy. A bit of red pepper flakes brought out the flavor and it was delicious. Have some patience - everything is made fresh. My salad too 15 minutes and the main course took another 25. I wasn't rushed by my waitress at all but they definitely want to turn the tables over. [Review 1355 of 2024 - 274 in Ohio - 22378 overall] read more

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The food was really bland and without flavor, 3/10. The staff was really hard to understand, although they were fast. The ambience was fine and it was comfortable, but the quality of the food just made the whole experience underwhelming. read more

Luigi's Restaurant - Pizza Near Me - Akron, Ohio

True story , today I order a salad, zucchini, and a small pizza , and ask for two cups of ranch. They tell me they don't have ranch, only their house Italian. I pick up my order and quickly rush to McDonald's to buy some ranch cups. The salad, first bites with their dressing 6/10, it's fine, but not great, with McDonald's ranch? 9.5/10, it's Damn great! Next, the zucchini, without ranch 8/10, was exceptional, best I've ever had... With McDonald's ranch? 8.5/10 .... With a higher quality ranch dressing? The sky is the limit but we shall never know. Finally the pizza. I start with the crust and you guessed it, dunked into the ranch. 7.5/10 , not bad, but not the finest. Then I get to the middle of the pizza and it was undercooked due to the large amount of cheese and toppings. That's fine, next time I'll ask for well done. Moral of this overly long story? Make a nice ranch, it won't shame your historic restaurant or take away from the food. You can do better Luigi's , just embrace the ranch! read more

We used to go here for years, and 25 years ago, they were still pretty good. We loved going on the late night. However, we stopped coming here as we noticed as time went on, the food became less and less desirable. Its completely bland. Do they even own spices? They load it up with cheese thinking that will make it tasty, and to some people it may. Not for us any longer. Sad read more

Food is great, atmosphere is great, waitress was great. It was a little annoying when I found out that they only accept cash money. No debit card no credit cards. read more

Wonderful server and friendly staff Cute old school American Italian restaurant. Lots of fun pictures on the wall plus beautiful murals. Food is pretty good. Salad was fresh, bread was delicious (served with butter rather than oil and vinegar), spaghetti sauce (gravy) was pretty basic, I spiced it up with red peppers. Homemade sausage was good, had a softer juicier texture than I expected. Very reasonable prices. Wine was in a small old school glass, but nicely filled to the brim. I much prefer oversized crystal glasses. Overall a good place, I'd visit again read more

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Came in for a late night bite Saturday at around 10pm. Was seated right away. Ordered a small cup of coffee to start. The coffee was with super fresh and delicious . I ordered a small pepperoni pizza. Cooked to perfection. The cheese was thick and pulled with each bite. I can see why folks love it! Beautiful stuff clean restaurant will definitely be coming back. read more

Luigi's Restaurant - Pepperoni Pizza Slice - Pizza Near Me - Akron, Ohio

Luigi's was recommended to be by an Akron native. When I arrived at 4:30 p.m. it was already busy and from where I sat I could see them constantly filling to-go orders. I had to try the salad with cheese..or is it cheese with salad? I ordered the tomato and cheese pie and salad. Warm bread and butter was delivered to my table prior to my dinner. It was very soft with a crunch crust. The salad was good although I should've asked for the dressing on the side as there was quite a bit and a little more than I like. My pizza was served nice and hot. The crust was think and soft with a little crunch on the crust which I really like. Service was pleasant and efficient. I watched all the servers hustle to The atmosphere is like going back in time to a small town where everyone knows each other. There are a lot of pictures on the wall of celebrities who have visited Luigi's. It is cash only, my meal was under $15 and I had half the pizza the next day, what a great value. There is a large parking lot. If you are in Akron I recommend having a meal at Luigi's read more

Luigi's Restaurant - Italian salad with cheese - Pizza Near Me - Akron, Ohio

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Everyone's food was great Served piping hot in a timely manner The waitress was very efficient Will definitely go back again read more

Food was great, and the service was even better! Thank you Lisa Marie for making our experience an enjoyable one! read more

Luigi's Restaurant - Baked Homemade Lasagna with Meat Sauce, and a meatball. Small pizza sausage, pepperoni, black olives, banana peppers - Pizza Near Me - Akron, Ohio

M- yes its true old style atmosphere and the pile of cheese on top. The problem is small and tight. We made the misfortune of a party of 10. Marsha the door guard was not helpful. It became clear we were on shaky ground as Marsha failed to tell us a table would never happen. She passed our party up 8 to 10 times even after we said we could split up. She seated smaller parties in the back of the line. We were left literally out in the cold for 45 minutes. The place is all set up on a table for 4 and the possibility of 6 when hell freezes over. Marsha was the problem here clearly not assisting our needs. They don't take a credit card it's cash only here fellows. So is it the best Italian restaurant or just an old sung song you decide. read more

Wonderful! My wife, mother and I went to Luigi's after seeing a show. My mother had eaten there 60 years ago when she was in college. What an enjoyable experience with great atmosphere and yummy, hot food. The hostess, Cynthia Kathleen, was so sweet and welcoming. She made us feel like we were going to a family dinner! Very memorable and so nice they are open late. read more

Have heard great things about this place VERY disappointed Not sure where exactly they win awards for their pizza - but we weren't impressed Salad was good Service was ok Ambiance is busy and crowded - people seem to love this place One and done for us read more

We loved the homey atmosphere. The place filled up in very short time after our 4:30 arrival. Food was served hot and perfectly sized. Bread was warm and tasty as well. Great family restaurant with a friendly staff! read more