Pinocchios Pizza & Subs

Pinocchio’s is a counter service pizza joint near Harvard that my friend was raving about. Oh, Zuckerberg used to come here, and this celebrity and that celebrity. Which made me very excited to go. «Like, oh my gosh, I cannot wait to eat the VERY same pizza that Zuckerberg ate!»
The pizza was great, on its own merit. There were a number of vegetarian pizza options, but I went with a slice of tomato + basil and a slice of veggie. Both came as the deeper dish, Sicilian style pizza.
Pinocchio’s did so many things right. Pinnochio’s felt authentic, despite photos of celebrities on its walls. It was only a few bucks for two slices. The crust was exceptional, and I grew up begging my mom to purchase Smuckers Uncrustables. The two men behind the counter were engaging, asking questions to everyone in line. In front of us, they asked a student what he studied and two girls where they got their bubble tea. By the time I was at the register, we were already talking about where I was visiting from.
My only complaint is that the pizza tasted like it had been sitting there or reheated. An unfortunate consequence that comes with the convenience of pizza by the slice, I guess.
I would visit again if I were in the Boston area. I doubt my photo will ever adorn any restaurant’s walls. «This was the Noodles & Company that Chris went to in high school,» just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

A good place to eat slice of pizza or whole pie. Prices are good. People are very nice and funny. Pizzas are tasty.
****
Un endroit vraiment sympathique pour manger une part de pizza ou une pizza entière. Le personnel est très gentil. Rapport qualité/​prix très correcte. Placette très sympathique à l’extérieur pour la dévorer.

My dad took me here when I was younger and it still tastes just as good today. If you’re looking for some delicious Sicilian style pizza, look no further. I’m kinda of a purist when it comes to pizza so I recently had the two slice special with cheese and pepperoni, both delicious. But while we were eating, some younger kids came in and ordered buffalo chicken slices that also looked great. Guess I’ll have to fly back to Boston to try it! This is one of the few great places left in Harvard square.

This place is a classic! Came here 4 years ago, and still nothing has changed. Still the same hole in the wall found in an unsuspecting alleyway. The front register guy (potentially the owner?) was very friendly with my group. The food is just as great as I remember. Their Sicilian slices special can’t be beat — 2 huge slices for $ 6 is just awesome. And their pizza is great! Their cheese was amazing, and the Rossa was also very tasty. You can tell a lot of care went into these recipes and even though they practically mass produce their pies due to the amount of volume they have, there is still quality. A must for anyone visiting Cambridge!

Whenever I have the drunchies (and often when I don’t), I crave Nochs. The tiny establishment is tucked away down a side street in Harvard Square, and often at midnight or 1AM it shines like a brightly lit red beacon at the end of a long, snowy, and dark tunnel, calling me forward. The inside is unassuming with a couple of small tables and chairs, and some framed photos on the wall of accolades and a newspaper clipping proving that Mark Zuckerberg came to eat here when he visited Boston. Often when it is late, there is a long line of college students, but the pizza at the end is so worth the wait.
Nochs offers both traditional and Sicilian pizzas, but the vast majority of people opt for their Sicilian style. The best part of the pizza is the crust, which comes out of the oven piping-​hot, thick, and crispy with an audible crunch. It forms the perfect base for the layers of tomato sauce and thick, melted cheese on top. My favorite toppings are the pepperoni (this is a quirk of Nochs — they always put 4 pepperoni slices on each piece) and the tomato basil.
If you are craving good pizza, definitely stop by Nochs if you are in the area.

Quality pizza places are hard to come by in Boston. My boyfriend and I came here on a Friday night around 1AM. Beware that this is drunk college kids time at Pinocchio’s, so the place can get very loud after 12AM. It’s a pretty crowded spot at night, but the pizza at the end of the line is SO worth it. We got two slices each — both were amazing but almost too much food. I’ll definitely come back the next time I’m hungry around Harvard!

A must stop anytime I am in the Boston area. Tastes like college, lasting friendships, and love. Best hots for sandwiches anywhere.

Best pizza in Harvard Square. All the guys that work there are super friendly and laid back.
Pizza Rosa, Veggie, Spinach, and Tomato Basil are my favorite slices.

I love your cheesesteak, your buffalo chicken pizza, your no-​frill homey environment, and the fact that before 1am I can always count on you for big delicious bites.

I always thought Sicilian was a curse word where I grew up (Jersey). Ask for Sicilian in a place and they will politely show you the door. It’s thin crust or get the &?%$ out of my establishment.
So I felt like I was cheating on my state when I walked into Pinnochio’s. All I saw, or at least, all I had eyes for were the vast sheets of Sicilian. I blushed as I ordered, worried this was all some elaborate sting operation, and the Jersey SWAT would rush the building and take away my citizenship. But no, I paid 6 bucks for two gigantic slices covered with mushroom and zucchini.
And if this is what cheating is like, then I’m getting me an Ashley Madison account because this stuff is delicious. The crust is the main feature here, it’s got that tang to it that I’ve only tasted when I made dough myself. Bite through that rough exterior and you get pillowy greasy goodness inside. Zucchini makes an awesome topping, I don’t understand why more pizza places don’t go that route.
Now I have a reason to go to Harvard Square! And then leave immediately after, because it’s Harvard Square.

I’m Sicilian-​Am. GET THE ROSA.
AGAIN:
GET THE ROSA.
Don’t mess with the other stuff.
Listen to people speaking in Italian and Spanish. Enjoy your food. Avoid looking the photos on the wall of Mark Zuckerberg directly in the eyes.
No bathroom.

I think that this place is great for hot subs but don’t come expecting super high quality food because really they are more of a bang for your buck kinda place.

My favorite pizza spot in Cambridge/​Boston. So affordable! Crust, sauce, toppings are just right. So delicious and is what you want in a pizza. As a student it was a staple haven’t found anything like it and when I return to Cambridge for visits Pinocchio’s is a must stop.

Casual, affordable, and tasty Sicilian-​style Pizza.
After 5 years I have finally returned to Pinocchios. Everything in my previous review generally applies and while the prices have increased a bit, it is still pretty cheap. I am writing an update because while trying their pizza again I had a few insights I wanted to share.
1. The pizza visually looks great. It has this homemade quality to it. The cheese looks real, the sauce looks tasty, the bread looks crispy. You know it will taste good before your first bite.
2. Sometimes less is more. In my previous review I complained that the pizza did not have enough toppings. I have made quite a few pizzas in these past 5 years and restraint with toppings can lead to a better pizza.
3. You can tell if a pizza is good if it is still good when it is cold. The pizza here is typically reheated, which is usually fine, but one of my slices did come out a bit on the cold side. While freshly baked pizza is probably still the best, the fact that my cold slice was still delicious speaks to the quality of the product. Try eating a cold slice from a popular chain and it will pretty much taste like cardboard.
A must try if you are looking for a late-​night snack in Harvard Square.

Was driving around Boston today and was dying for a slice of pizza! I decided to go to Pinocchio’s I have never been there in awhile. When I arrived there was a steady flow of customers but the line moved fast. It was hard to chose between all the delicious options but today I went with peppers cheese and pepperoni! It was delicious as always!
Love this pizza place! Definitely a must try! I have been going here for years, the pizza is always consistently great! They have pizza slices ready to go or you can order your own hole pizza! Highly recommended!

While I was studying in Cambridge, Pinnocchios was my go-​to spot for quick, cheap and tasty pizza. I must have gone here at least 40 times, and I almost always got the 2 slice special. I’ve tried pretty much all the slices (regular and Sicilian) and my all time favorite has got to be Tomato Basil. Sausage, Peppers & Onion, and Spinach & Tomato are a close 2^nd. The subs are also pretty grub. The inside is rather small so seating options are limited. However, service is pretty quick and most customers (busy students) seem to prefer eating on the go, so it never gets that crazy in there (unless it’s raining!) Also, there is NO bathroom! If nature’s calling, try next door or across the street. The next I’m in H-​Sq, I’ll definitely have to pay you guys a visit – for old times sake! Thanks for all the memories and, of course, all the delicious pizza!

I love Pinocchio’s possibly more than my family.
This may be the best pizza in the world. I still prefer Chicago style but Pinocchio’s is a close second.
It’s impossible for me to pick a favorite slice. The buffalo, spinach, BBQ, and pesto are all great choices. The crust is magic — it’ll mask any deficiencies in toppings, so don’t fear being adventurous and try something weird.
The pizza is worth a special trip.

I may have rated them a little better but when I got there they lost my order and we’re puzzled as to what happened. Fortunately they fixed up a pi they had cooked and I only lost about 15 minutes of my Father’s Day with my girls, however, who knows how long it was sitting there.
I got a side of pizza sauce but they have no containers that seal so it was in a little plastic water cup with a rubber band and wax paper for a cover. Not the ideal cover if you are walking across Harvard Yard with it (see photo).
We tried the pepperoni, hamburger, tomato and basil. It was okay, not as good as I remember it being last year. It was not cooked extra crispy of course as it was not our pizza.
The pizza was a bit in the greasy side and tasted okay. We will try them again as they have been really good in the past.
See photos.

I actually ran in front of a cop car when I saw this place since I heard about it from the Harvard students.
The police woman flagged me over, and as my friends watched, I was stunned by how she didn’t look like any cop I’ve seen before.
She was a cute Jennifer Garner type, and though that’s not my type, it caught me off guard.
She let me off with a warning and my friend was joking that she was too hot to be a cop.
Agreed.
Anyways the thick slices here are solidly okay. What brings this down to 3 stars is that it’s just lukewarm. So think of a thick slice of bread with slightly cold sauce and lukewarm cheese and slightly cold pepperoni.
I’m not a lukewarm or cold pizza fan, that’s why I asked them to heat it up extra hot.
If this is extra hot, I hate to see what their normal warm time is.

Best late-​night snack for Harvard students and locals alike. It’s known that Boston goes to sleep a bit early, so gotta head over before the last-​call.
Tomato & Basil pizza is a classic and a must-​try. Cant go wrong with the others, either, if you’re a true pizza lover. Subs were pretty solid, too. What makes it more memorable is when you randomly run into a couple of your drunk friends late-​night cause it makes great stories to tell.

The pizza here is good.
If you are drunk however, the pizza here is FAN-​FRIKKIN-​TASTIC.
It’s greasy, crispy and there’s plenty of cheese. And yes, the pieces are square. The style is kind of like a tamed-​down deep dish pizza; it’s thicker than a regular slice of pizza, but not on Chicago-​deep-​dish level.
It’s good, try it for the novelty of Harvard Square, but let’s not get crazy, there’s definitely better (sober) pizza to be had.

The pizza is delicious! There is a decent selection of different pizza toppings from the regular stuff like mushroom, pepperoni, cheese, etc or more exotic flavors like Buffalo Chicken, BBQ chicken or Artichoke hearts. You can order the whole pie or by the slice.
I came here late Friday night and they had run out of a good portion of flavors, but I tried the Buffalo Chicken, Sausage, and Onion and Pepper. I liked them all, but I liked Buffalo Chicken the most. The crust was perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I totally recommend this place if you are looking for a quick bite or late night munchies. A big slice of sicilian pizza for about $ 3 YUM.
The place is small and doesn’t have too much seating, so I don’t recommend coming here with a large group.
Also, did a little pizza hopping that same night and tried Ottos right after (also in Harvard Square), definitely liked Pinocchios a lot more! The pizzas are very different from both places. Ottos was also good, but it’s a little more expensive and doesn’t have that yummy crispy crust and soft dough on the inside.