Great food, great drinks. I had a jalapeño margarita that was really good. The kids were happy too.

Friday night is pizza night in our family and Pizza Nova did not disappoint. They have a beautiful wood fired pizza oven that's hard the miss once you enter the gates of pizza paradise. Friendly servers, good menu, good selection of beer and wine available. I opted for the bowl of minestrone soup. Chocked full of delicious vegetables. My sweetheart had the roasted beet salad. Did you know that beets are good for boosting blood circulation? We ran a half marathon the next morning and we always look for a beet salad to give us that edge. We do wish the salad had more beets than what we found. Good daughter had the pepperoni white pizza and boyfriend had the arugula pizza sans prosciutto. No pictures of tonight's dinner. You can imagine what a bowl of minestrone soup looks like, and a beet salad with tender green leaves and burrata cheese. And pizza well it looked like a good pie. read more

We've been here several times. The food is pretty good. The drinks, thin crust pizza, and Greek salad with chicken are our main attractions. We typically enjoy some drinks from the bar, but today our visit was a bit disappointing. We ordered Makers Manhattans dry (using dry vermouth instead of sweet.) I noticed the server squirting simple syrup into the mixer and I asked about it during service. She said she added a little bit. I asked for a new round without syrup and remarked that they never made it like that before (nobody ever does). Side note, a Manhattan is made with bourbon, vermouth, bitters, and a cherry - never syrup. Maybe she was thinking of an Old Fashioned? The unfortunate moment came when the server was completely unapologetic. She made a beverage incorrectly, but her facial gestures insinuated that we were picky complainers. All I would expect is a simple apology and there was nothing even close to that. The next round was much better. However, she didn't care to follow up and ask how those were - she just went on break and made us somebody else's problem. Fortunately (!), the next server was much more customer oriented which improved our overall experience today. This second server followed up checking on our food order and made sure we had everything we needed. She also made a proper Manhattan! read more

Came here with some friends to get some food and I ordered the $6.50 pizza during happy hour. A margarita pizza and added sausage. It was pretty good and decent pizza but nothing special. The service was good though, the bartenders were very sweet, patient and kind to everyone. The restaurant was starting to get full with families and people at the bar. I wish I could have tried more on the menu! Definitely will be back. read more

Pizza Nova - Margherita Pizza with sausage - Italian Near Me - San Marcos, California

This location has been great each time I'm here. From the wonderful and attentive waitresses to the funny and hard working bartenders! That's why I keep coming back. It's not just pizza! Come down and give it a try. Patio is lovely except on hot days. Tons of seating inside and it's always clean. Looking forward to coming back. Thank you for being a staple in the neighborhood and for employing hard working competent staff who truly care about delivering great service and being kind. read more

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I was hungry myself and I wanted to get something to eat at a new restaurant in San Marcos that has a Restaurant Row in this specific area it is past the San Maros Civic Center. I went inside the True Care Office to ask for these directions. Maria at the front desk told me since I was dropped off by a Uber Driver this morning at 10 a.m. I will have to walk on foot and it will be a (15 minutes) walk from their office to this Pizza Nova Restaurant. I was wearing these black zipper lace up boots. I was not wearing these proper shoes to walk this long distance that was toward the Pizza Nova Restaurant but I was really hungry/. I was willing to walk this long way. I told Maria to give me the directions to this Pizza Nova Restaurant because I love eating Italian Food. I wqs also wearing a thick insulated creme coat, stretch blue jeans and a red long sleeve top. I decided to walk on foot in my black zipper and laced up boots. These boots has cushioned heels to give support to my feet. I left the True care Office at 12 p.m. today and I started walking on the sidewalk and I past the San Marcos Civic Center. There was extremely a lot of traffic driving really fast in the opposite direction of me. I walked halfway then I had to stop on the sidewalk to rest for a few minutes and I was very tired. Then I started walking again on the sidewalk toward the Pizza Nova Restaurant. This was NOT a (15 minute) walk. This walk was a really far distance. It took me (30 minutes) to walk on foot toward this Pizza Nova Restaurant. Because I walked inside this Pizza Nova Restaurant at 12:30 p.m. I saw there was a lot of Pizza Nova's customers who were eating outside at these dining room tables that has these clear plastic doors all around their outside dining area. I wanted to eat inside because my Italian Food will get really cold within (5 minutes), because this weather today was very cold and really windy outside. My Italian Food will stay hot for a long time period when I dine inside their restaurant. As soon as I stepped inside their front door there was a line about 5 people in front of me waiting to be seated for an available table for their lunch time meal. When it was my turn at the front counter. I talked to, I don't remember this server's name but she has platinum blonde hair, blue eyes and she was wearing a nose ring but she had a really upbeat and friendly personality to me and everyone she greeted in taking their orders today. This wait time was (10 minutes) I sat in the front lobby on a cushioned sofa waiting for an available table. This blonde hair woman server with a nose ring, I placed my order with her she was very personable to me. My order was The Works Lunch Pizza. It was the (10 inch. size) the price was $16.50. I also ordered the Best Salad these ingredients includes dried cranberries, mixed greens, dried walnuts, gorgonzola cheese, tossed in apple cider vinegarette. I ordered the small salad. The price is $7.50. My soft drink was the regular size Sprite. There is no price list on this Sprite beverage on their website. Then I bought 2 large Chocolate Chip Cookies I saw at the front counter. The price is $2.00 each. The Total is $4.00. I gave my server his Blonde hair woman with the nose ting a $3.00 tip. My total order cost was $27.68. This Pizza Nova Restaurant prices are kind or pricey. But I have eaten out at a Pizzeria Restaurant in Oceanside, CA and their Pizza Prices are higher than this Nova Pizza Restaurant prices. I believe these prices are set up by the owners of this Pizza Nova Restaurant. The Works Pizza was really delicious tasting. The Best Salad was one of the best salads I have eaten in a long time. These hot Garlic Rolls were really soft and chewy on he outside. These Garlic Rolls paired really well with this Lunch Pizza and Salad meal I ate today. I ate one of their soft baked Chocolate Chip Cookies it was loaded with Chocolate Chips and it was very yummy. I received excellent customer service from Adrian the manager working at the front counter, Naomi was one of their servers who as working very hard at her job today and Dante was very friendly to me. Dante was serving his customers and he smiled at me when he passed my table. My server she did an excellent job also in taking my orders today. Their Pizza, Salad, and Dessert was very flavorful and really delicious. I highly recommend this Pizza Nova Restaurant. read more

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Came here for first visit yesterday. Brought our dog and ate on the covered patio. It was a very warm day. If calamari appetizer is on the menu, we get it, so we've had calamari at a lot of restaurants. This calamari is one of the best we've ever had! We also split a pepperoni, sausage and mushroom pizza (yum!) and lasagna. Took plenty of leftovers home too. (Sorry no pictures). So good I forgot to take photos! We will definitely be back! read more

Pizza Nova - Calamari appetizer - Italian Near Me - San Marcos, California

Feels like things have gone downhill at this location. Last few visits the pizza has been undercooked. Opted for a salad this visit hoping it would be better, salad came out with blue cheese, which wasn't on the menu. Server offered to bring me something else, but I don't like wasting food. Didn't offer to take it off the bill, no discount or anything. Pretty poor customer service. Probably won't be returning to this location, everything has just fallen off from food to service. read more

Pizza Nova is a great choice for lunch or dinner. Very friendly workers and a great atmosphere. I highly suggest Pizza Nova's lunch special.

Julia was the sweetest!! She made our whole meal feel extra special with her bubbly energy and kind smile. She was super attentive (without hovering) and made us feel so taken care of. She had the best recommendations and just made the whole vibe fun and easy. Honestly, she turned a regular dinner into such a happy little experience. Definitely ask for Julia if you want amazing service and good vibes! read more

We ordered Pizza Nova and BBQ Chicken. Both pizzas were delicious and perfectly cooked!! The crust was just right, and the combination of flavors was top notch. The staff and management were beyond friendly and outgoing. My family been coming here for sometime and been telling me to try it. Can only recommend this place !!! read more

I have never seen employees so terrified to give customers a side of sauce without the owner's approval. When I ordered from this establishment, I asked for a side of sauce. It wasn't on their online menu and there were no other way to order it BUT to ask the employees. The poor girls that were working seemed so apprehensive about the sauce that it really made me wonder...who exactly are they working for? What kind of business owner(s) run their place in such a way that their own employees are too scared to add a 50¢ cup of sauce to an order for a party of people on a Friday night? My heart goes out to the ladies I spoke with. I hope they find better employment. It was almost as if they were held hostage over a condiment (that cost 50¢). They quite literally feared losing their job if they added it to the order without credit card confirmation. What kind of restaurant owner is that stingy over a cup of sauce they couldn't be bothered to add to their To-Go menu? If anything, this business should be more concerned with the BROWN LETTUCE they serve in their salads than the cups of sauce they are asked to include because they can't be bothered to update their menu. It's a shame. I've been enjoying this establishment since I was young. Yet, to see how it's really being run has been disillusioning. This company cares more about 50¢ than it does their customers that have been dining with them for over a decade. I suppose I'll have to support other pizzerias in the area that don't care more about profits than personal connections. Two seconds on the internet will easily tell you that...there are many other pizzerias in the area that will gladly add sauce to an order without making their employees feel like they're going to lose their job if they aren't rude to their customers for adding a basic item to their order. read more

First time Oder of Margarita pizza...worst pizza I have EVER had... and I'm 83 years young ‼. I could almost see through the mazarella cheese and 8 pieces of what appeared to be VERY thin frozen tomato slices. WILL NEVER USE OR RECOMMEND read more

Service was terrible. They looked like they don't know what they were doing. We were served food without utensils, It took so long for our server to check in with us so I asked another server for our check, he looked at me like he didn't want to talk to me. I wasn't expecting a great service for the price of food but it was terrible. read more

Been here a few times and the garlic balls vary pretty constantly each time. Sometimes they're good and sometimes they're too dense and seem a bit undercooked. Meatballs were fantastic and I'm split on the pizza. It's good but often too salty and just misses the mark a little bit. It's good quality but just lacking that little extra that would make them my favorite. I do really like that the small is the perfect size for one person (with a little left over if you're a light eater) so we can all get our own personal one. read more

I tried the Lunch Special and picked The Best House Salad with the Thai Chicken, and it was so delicious!! The salad is a good portion and has the perfect amount of dressing. The pizza is a personal sized one that has a thin crust and lots of yummy toppings!! I had my lunch with water and paid $16.81 (before tip). It was so so good!! The service was great too, everyone is so friendly there! The ambiance is casual. read more

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My nearby Go-To for quality pizza and Italian food. Offerings are well-made and affordable. Service is efficient.

Everything was blah, except for the service. That was awful! If I'm remember correctly my servers name was Harris. Would not and will not recommend. read more

So glad we have this place a second chance. It's right off the freeway, great location. Pretty large patio. They do have a lunch special and I think maybe a happy hour too. Their bread knots are Fricken to die for with a hint of rosemary. And don't get me started on their pizzas - I will start drooling. Definitely go and check this place out read more

Pizza Nova - Best salad - literally sooo good! We shared this with 3 people and the small puzza and it was perfect - Italian Near Me - San Marcos, California

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This place is so close to where we live but we did check it out till recently... and we wish we came sooner! The food was really good the two times we've been here. The service was very friendly. The prices were reasonable. The place was nice to dine in too! (Patio area got a bit hot today.) For the food, try their rosemary penne pasta, Arugula prosciutto pizza, truffle Portobello pizza, best salad, chicken strips and the meatball sub. Oh! Also we had the best fried calamari here! It was crispy on the outside and soft inside without any chewiness or stringiness (I just created a word.) When there's a restaurant that served up great food for all the dishes we ordered, that means we will be regulars. See you there! read more

Pizza Nova - Delicious rosemary bread - Italian Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Much better than average food here. Service is very friendly. Based on the negative reviews, a lot of people seem to think this is a Michelin-starred restaurant. It's not and it doesn't pretend to be. Get over yourselves, people. It's a family friendly spot and the food is solid. They also have plenty of local beers on draft plus a full bar. Happy hour is all day on Sundays, which is cool. Pizzas are really good here and so are the salads. You get a free mound of garlic knots when you arrive, which is a great starter. Everyone loves the calamari appetizer, and it is good. The artichoke spinach dip with crusted bread slices is also good, although not amazing. The Italian Meat pizza is loaded with toppings and is excellent. By the way, the kid's pizza is fairly large making it a great value. The interior is nice and they have an attractive patio, too. Good food, friendly service. read more

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First time. I had the lunch special small Caesar and small angel hair Pomodoro. They were ok. Not bad, mediocre I'd say.

We've been going to this place a lot and the food is always great! However, the beer selection is poor. Breweries I have never heard of, it's hit or miss. No Pizza Port, Ballast Point or Stone brews represented. I've even requested Stone and I'm told the manager refuses to consider them at all! As a result we sre going there less even though the service staff is terrific. read more

We've been eyeing this place for a while! We went there for lunch today and it was so good! We ordered calamari, a couple of lunch specials, a kids meal and the chicken piccata. The lunch specials are a really good deal and their "best salad" really is one of the best! Their lunch special pizzas are 7" and we tried the bbq chicken and pepperoni/sausage/mushroom.. both were great! My chicken piccata was so good, and it came with veggies and the option of risotto or angel hair. Last but certainly not least, their calamari is AMAZING. I'd say top 3 out of all calamaris I've ever had! Also, can't be mad about complimentary garlic knots!! Our server was very attentive and friendly, and they had plenty of outdoor seating on this beautiful day! We'll definitely be back to try their white pepperoni pizza and get some more calamari during happy hour, which is 3-6 Monday - Saturday and SUNDAY ALL DAY!! read more

Pizza Nova - Chicken Piccata - Italian Near Me - San Marcos, California

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The best pizza crust/dough in the area. Pizza, nova salmon pizza is one of the best pizzas in the area as well friendly quick as well.

We went tonight (Saturday) and got there at 8:20pm. They close at 9pm. Hostess says let me ask if we're still seating people. Was kind of odd as it was still 40 mins to close. Eventually she did seat us but at 8:28 no one had even come by or said hi or anything so we got up and left. Just felt very unwelcome. Disappointed they didn't honor their hours, that's just bad management in my opinion. They avoid a 1 star rating though because we have eaten there twice and it was pretty good. A little on the pricier side but we get it. Would probably give them another shot at some point seeing that we live nearby. read more

I got Uber eats ordered tonight. My favorite local pizza place in vista closed permanently so my husband and I are on the search for a new favorite. I ordered us a couple of white pepperoni pizzas and a Caesar salad. I recognize things can get cool via delivery so I added one star more to my review to be kind but this was the worst pizza I've ever had. I have hundreds of reviews on Yelp and rarely a negative one. But the 3 of us had one slice each and couldn't even finish that. It was chewy and I did not enjoy any of it. The Caesar dressing was incredibly sour. Way too tangy. Damn I hated this. read more

Pizza Nova - Pepperoni White Pizza - Italian Near Me - San Marcos, California

We just ordered a variety of items for delivery. This has to be the most bland food I've ever eaten. My husband and son said the pizza was good so that gets two stars. The bolognese was almost dry. There was hardly any sauce. I got the broccoli penne and it had zero flavor and was dry. I will not be returning to this place. read more

Bought food here to support my kids school fundraising. I ordered for other items and two kinds of pizza but for some reason I only brought home one by mistake. Fail. I immediately called and even get to speak to a manager. He asked if I wanted anything for the trouble and I asked for tiramisu cause it was my birthday a few days ago, i was so excited! Hubby came home with the other pizza and with a different kind of dessert instead. Fail. I could never win that night. LOL. But hey, regardless we always come back here whenever we can and we love this place. Servers are always friendly! read more

We have enjoyed both take out and dining in. Food is always delicious and plentiful and service is excellent.

Love the garlic bread rolls the best and their salads and pizza is delicious! The staff is very courteous, kind and thoughtful.

Ordered the works pizza, best salad, garlic knots, and fettuccini pasta w/shrimp. The salad was awesome. The works pizza was soggy on the bottom and the fettuccini pasta was on the greasy side. Service was okay and can't rate the ambiance because we took it to-go. read more

Visited 8/8/2022 After being advised that this place was a great find by a Foodie Friend and Food Reviewer (Dan Edwards) I decided to check it out. I wasn't disappointed in the least. It's a nice place with lots of seating inside and a nice patio outside. There is also a small bar with a fair amount of Craft Beer, Wine and Cocktails. The House Craft Beer was Cold and Refreshing. The staff were very nice, friendly and helpful. Also a nice menu to choose from. Today I chose for a starter A bowl of Lobster Bisque along with The Complementary Garlic Buns. Very Tasty Bisque with some nice sized pieces if Lobster and The Garlic Rolls were perfect to get into the soup. For my Entrée I chose The Tomato Basil Angel Hair Pasta with added Goat Cheese and Shrimp. The sauce was very nice with just a tenge of spicy and the Goat cheese just gave that little extra zing. The Shrimp were cooked perfectly And the angel hair pasta was perfectly al dente. I will definitely visit again. It's worth checking out. read more

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Sorry I didn't take picture I ate my food before I had a chance. I went in around happy hour, they have a decent happy hour menu. $2 of draft, half off appetizers. I made it in time for lunch special. I had the Caesar salad and 8" pizza. The Thai pizza was great, wee bit spicy but nothing that took away from taste. The salad was amazing. They have a good variety of items on the menu. They have an outdoor patio that is welcoming weather permit. Will definitely be back. read more

I did a pick up order at this establishment... What's funny is I got everything except a pizza from "Pizza Nova". I've had their pizza prior to this time and I'll just say it's not bad but not the best. But let's get to this recent pickup order. Let's start with the starters: 1. The Caprese salad was was not at all what you'd expect. It was the most bland I've ever had and just not well executed. 2. The calamari was good but got cold very quickly. So if you're doing a pick up, be aware that the crunch and heat leaves very quickly which leaves more to be desired. 3. The meatballs were a star in this meal... I'd go so far as to say you should get the meatballs no matter what else you order because it'll make your experience worth while. They were hot, fresh and very tasty. Main dishes: 1. The spaghetti and meatball were great but because of the meatballs. The marinara was a bit bland for my taste, but the tasty meatballs debated this dish. 2. The chicken piccata was on point. The surprise here was the taste of wine in the sauce which I didn't mind and actually I appreciated. You could actually taste the hint of wine making a paring and even more pleasurable experience. The veggies in this dish was fresh and cooked to perfection. Try it!!! 3. The Fish and chips were great. Due to this being a pick up the crunchiness left pretty quick on the fish and the fries, but let me tell you this. They were both flavorful and hot. The fries were great on their own with no ketchup needed. The fish was super meaty and paired well with their house made tartar sauce which elevated this dish even further. All and all... give Pizza Nova a shot... of you don't like pizza, they have plenty more tasty options for you. read more

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This place is overlooked. It didn't come up when I searched for restaurants nearby, but there are definitely reasons to come here. I've been coming here for a long time actually. The garlic knots are great, and it's surprisingly one of the few local places to get a decent lobster bisque. Love watching the kitchen handmake the pizzas. The decor is giving Wolfgang Puck circa '92 so I hope some changes are made so they don't close. Just a lot of places are obviously struggling right now. read more

Pizza Nova - Bar area. Local craft beer, wine, and liquor. - Italian Near Me - San Marcos, California

It's always a good time to have a bite at Pizza Nova in San Marcos. Consistently delicious with great service and atmosphere. The Roasted Garlic appetizer is a must and has been a family favorite of ours for decades. Happy hour features half price appetizers and some drink discounts as well. Check it out! read more

Pizza Nova - Pizza - Italian Near Me - San Marcos, California

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I haven't been to this spot in years but for a family birthday celebration we decided to come dine here. We use to order to go from here pretty frequently but it was nice to dine in. They don't do reservations but you can always call in and see what the wait is. For a Friday night it wasn't very busy so we were able to walk in and get a table easily. I ended up ordering the chicken piccata which comes with angel hair pasta which is my favorite. It was good but was lacking a little bit of flavor or seasoning I couldn't really point it out. I just added some salt and pepper to add a little something. The pizzas look incredible and I did end up having a slice from the one my brother ordered. Starting your meal with those garlic knots are the best and who doesn't love they the first basket is complimentary! There's plenty of in door and outdoor seating which is nice to have the option as well. I'm sure we will be back again since we have been going for years. read more

Excellent service, food was on point, manager was very helpful to his staff and it was very clean. I feel confident to recommend to my friends. read more

It's difficult to think of some of these franchise restaurants as anything more than 'alright.' When you've been to one, it's difficult to get excited about going to another. You know what the place looks like, you know how the food is going to be, the most you can hope for is that some favored dish is about the same as you remember. Food is carbon copied by design, approved by corporate, and ordered from specific vendors so there's little difference from one Pizza Nova to the next. This means that a disappointing meal at one is sure to be just as disappointing at another. So, when the best you can order still pales to what you can make at home (for usually a 1/5th of what they charge), the most you can do is roll your eyes whenever that place is suggested. The best that can be said about Pizza Nova is that the table bread is fantastic. Buttery, salty, garlicky, and nearly bite-sized, they could easily substitute as a meal and you would be happier than many other at the table. Pizzas themselves are okay. The novelty toppings, such as the Gorgonzola Pear, are better selections; as the Pepperoni and Sausage options are generally too greasy without adding any real flavor along with that fat. Pastas are hit and miss, as the noodles are usually well cooked, but aren't seasoned well and are missing the richness that a good Alfredo or Garlic Cream sauce needs. And with the exception of the Chipotle Lime Chicken, I don't think I've had any salad on the menu I've ever thought of ordering more than once. I seem to remember good things about the Meatball Sandwich, but they've since been supplanted by just as tasty and cheaper options at sub shops nearby. In the end, Pizza Nova is an edible option. It may not entice me as the thought of a new, locally owned spot opening down the street, but I also won't vehemently turn it down every year or so when someone suggests it. read more