Michael’s Pizzeria

So disappointed.
Ordered takeout.
Spent $ 52 on the worst food ever!
They burnt the calzone and still gave it to us!

Everything here was amazing. The service is great, the restaurant is very clean and nice. I recommend the stuffed squash blossoms. Great place for brunch.

Freaking amazing. Love the pizzas here. It was soooooo good. Brings me back to my childhood in Europe. There was this Italian place I use to go to all the time and since I moved back here, I couldn’t find the same taste. Until I found this place of course ! Check it out. Don’t wait. The best.

Don’t order pasta or anything in that group. The food is ridiculously small and expensive.
If you did order plan for a real food somewhere else.
I have no problem with small portions at all. But this one was unbelievable. I literally got 7 pieces of Tortellini in my plate.

It’s was delicious! I ordered the Tortellini pasta and it was very good, I would order it again. Only down side was that the portion was kinda small. My boyfriend got the Margherita pizza and he liked it too, the cheese is very good. We got two regular drinks plus a glass of wine, total came down to $ 45. Not bad. Everyone is very friendly and attentive, even the chefs making the pizza Infront of you.

The pizzas were cooked to perfection along with the pasta. Really clean atmosphere. Great hospitality.

Jay was an awesome server who made great recommendations. We really put all our trust in him by ordering what he suggested and he did not lead us astray! The appetizers were great– squash blossoms!!! And roasted veggies. Who knew veggies could be so yummy?!?
The Margherita pizza was amazing!!!
The seafood bowl was also tasty.
The ambiance of this place was great and the gender neutral bathrooms were actually a very convenient (and clean) option.
Thanks Jay!!!

After visiting Stella in Old City Philadelphia, I have a hard time reviewing Pizzerias because of my predilection for the style of pizza they produce. And there are now decent pizzerias that earnestly work to produce good pies.
Michael’s Pizzeria is part of that hard working, earnest group of eateries that produce good pizza. Their crust is delicious and thin though the oven failed to generate that burnt crust on the evening I visited. The sauce is solid but lacked a little more seasoning. However, their margarita pizza was solid and definitely a top-​tier experience.
The service was a bit on the weak side. I sat at the bar but, sadly, had to constantly wait for water refills and for my beer order. They were busy, however, and that may definitely have something to contribute to the lack of attention on this evening.
The beer list is unique with good craft beers on the list. I’ll have to go with wine on my next visit.

This place has a nice atmosphere and is pretty good. There’s indoor and outdoor seating. The patio also has nice lights and heaters hanging from the top to give it a cozy feel. Staff was overall friendly and helpful. Never had to ask for more water which is always great for me because I drink water like a fish haha.
We ordered the Arancini as an appetizer, which is rice balls stuffed with duck and mozzarella. They give you about 5 balls and marinara sauce to dip it in. THEY TASTE AMAZING.
The pizza was also soooo yummy! My friend and I ordered the Capricciosa and the Pistachio E Stracciatella (this one was my fave, but both were delicious).
I definitely want to come back and try more things on the menu and maybe grab some dessert!!!

I saw several positive reviews from my Unilocalies, and that Micahel’s serves authentic Naples style pizza, so I invited some other Unilocalers, including Mike (Michael) B (eer) of course! LOL. Michael’s addie is listed on 3^rd Street, but is located at the other corner of the walkway from one of my faves, Congregation Ale House. Michael’s is also next door to previously reviewed Beachwood Brewing in DTLBC (DT Long Beach).
Jenn N also joined us, and we ordered 3 apps: Arancini ($ 10 | duck & mozzarella rice balls); Calamari ($ 10); and Brussel sprouts w/​fennel sausage ($ 10). For our pizze, we ordered the carbonara ($ 17 | pancetta w/​two organic eggs), and the porchetta ($ 16). Lastly, we added a pasta of agnolotti di zucca ($ 15 | pumpkin & ricotta w/​sage).
First of all, the arancini were very good. You could really taste the ingredients inside as you bit into them. The only downside was the price vs the portion: 4 Stars. Secondarily, the calamari was OK. The squid was tender, but other than that, it too was overpriced for the portion: 3 Stars. Thirdly, the brussel sprouts were tasty, but the sausage was dry. We had a hard time cutting it to share: 3 Stars.
Before I review the pizze, let me say: Comparing the Americanized junk we ate at Manhattan Pizza that I reviewed on Mon vs the pizze at Michael’s, is like comparing McD’s to an Umami burger. The first pizze that arrived was the carbonara. While the pancetta was a tad salty, the crust had excellent flavor. Most crusts are an afterthought. Another rec would have been to have the eggs on opposite sides of the pizze, and put the eggs on later in the cooking process so they would be more runny: 3.5 Stars. On the other hand, the porchetta was excellent. The pork was rich w/​o being overpowering, and likewise the crust had excellent flavor: 5 Stars. Lastly, the agnolotti, was really good. The pumpkin & ricotta were an excellent combo. However, at $ 15 it was very pricey for the portion: 4 Stars.
Regarding the ambiance, its OK. The space is small inside, and there are tables outside — It wasn’t really memorable: 3 Stars. On the other hand, the service from Erin was fantastic. She was super friendly, and very attentive. In addition, the remainder of the team were nice, and the food came out quickly: 5 Stars.
I agree w/​my Unilocalies that Michael’s makes some very good pizze. However, the overall prices here are very high vs the portions. Another example of this is Mike ordered a margherita to go, and added mushrooms and olives. The additional items were $ 2.50/each on what amounts to an individual pizze. Ouch!!!

I have frequented Michaels several times in the past year. I just ordered delivery through LABite and was dissatisfied with the quality of food. I ordered the Caesar salad and the chopped lettuce leaves had tinges of red on almost all of the leaves which means it’s old. Then I ordered the pesto artichoke pizza and bit into some weird twig or bone. I’m not sure what happened with my order but the quality was definitely lower than my prior orders. Kinda bummed about it and maybe it was an off day but for the price you pay for this food, you definitely expect quality.

After all the hype, all the accolades, I really hope this Michael’s location isn’t indicative of the main Naples location (that I still have yet to visit). Because there is absolutely nothing special about the pizza here. At all. It’s not bad, but at this point it’s extremely par for the course, and there are 1,001 other places that do this style as good or better. Even the arancini is uninspired. The space is generic, bland, and void of any semblance of style.
Meh. Overwhelmingly meh.

Look no further than Michael’s Pizzeria to cure your pie fiendings in Long Beach.
Thanks to Zagat naming Michael’s Pizzeria as the best Pizza pie in the nation it was a mandate that I try it sooner rather than later. It doesn’t hurt that Michael’s specializes in Neapolitan styled pizza — my personal favorite. The small and trendy spot fills up quickly and you are well advised to book a reservation or OpenTable in order to assure a table. Once seated, you are in great hands thanks to the superb waitstaff.
Let’s get to business:
If you only order one appetizer, let it be the Mozzarella E Speck. Slices of cured & smoked Ham surround Mozzarella chunks and then a ladle worth of Marinara sauce floods a baking dish before the lot of it receives the same oven treatment the Pizzas do. The creamy-​salty-​savory-​smoky combination is entirely sublime and provides a wonderful opening act for a pie. Oh — you then can use the leftover marinara for dunking the provided fresh baked bread in. Two appetizers for the price of one, how is that for a value proposition? Both pair well with an IPA or Ale.
The choice in Pizza was a no-​brainer. Michael’s Margherita is a powerhouse of simplicity boasting only Tomato, globs of that wonderful fresh Mozzarella, Basil leaves, and extra virgin Olive Oil. Nothing more, nothing less. The crust has more of a doughy texture than say Mozza or Ortica, yet it still has a salty/​smokiness to it with a marvelous chew. Even with the thicker crust Michael’s still gets a nice toasty char on the outside. The crust along with the superlative ingredients all make for an impressive pie. Easily the best pie in Long Beach and in the running for best in SoCal. Best in America? I am not about to tackle that…
…check this out — the Pizza wasn’t even the best part of the meal.
Micheal may want to think about renaming his restaurant to Michael’s Pasta because they crank out one hell of a bowl of noodles, namely the Linguine Alle Vongole. This utterly delectable number features Manila Clams sautéed with Calabrian Chili Peppers, Plum Tomatoes, and Garlic that is tossed over an al dente pile of Linguine and served piping hot. The freshness of the Clams had me laughing like a madman in the wind and the combination of the Peppers, Garlic and Olive Oil was subtle enough to let the seafood shine — yet still was loudly pronounced in each bite. My god, what a astonishing dish.
Did I have really just have a pasta of this quality at a «Pizza joint»?
No — because Michael’s is so much more than a great Pizza. Don’t just take my word for it. Go and taste for yourself.

I came here on a Friday night around 9pm and to my surprise, the place was dead. I was seated immediately. Our server was very attentive and extremely tall which hurt my neck to look up to his eyes.
I split a Capricciosa pizza with my date and it was out before I could make up my mind as to what else I would order. It was very hot which is good but my date rushed to the first slice and what happened? All the toppings slid right off. Everyone knows you have to let the pie cool down a bit. Especially with these really thin New York-​style pizzas. The toppings were plentiful and the olives were especially delicious. The next plate was the Pumpkin and Ricotta stuffed Ravioli’s. This dish was outstanding. The cheese was phenomenal and the pumpkin purée was sweet and trully balanced out the sharp cheese which had a hint of Blue Cheese. The only draw back was that they only serve 5 pieces which did not fill me stomach. Great dish but a little more food would be nice. Keep that in mind if you order this plate.

Great pizza. Don’t think they could claim the «neapolitan» style, since maybe they don’t fit under all the requirements for that, but their pizza is definitely one of the best I had in the US — and I’m from NYC area, born in São Paulo, Brazil, so I have some knowledge in pizza.
Had the one with sausage and mushroom — great dough, superb sauce and amazing ingredients. And to watch them working in the counter is so much fun!
Their beer menu is also really good… I’ll be back as soon as I come back to Long Beach!

This place was legit! We walked and in and were looking for a table to hold a party of twelve. They had one of those tables where there was a wonderful source of heat emanating from the center of the table! Cool!!! They brought a plate with dough on it for our son and he went crazy playing with it. I thought was neat. They also had happy hour specials that were super sweet! Oh how I miss those, FYI, no happy hour in Massachusetts!
We decided to order a bunch of different pies and appetizers amongst the group. Everything was absolutely delicious! No joke! The service was fast and awesome! They also took the dough that my son was playing with and brought it back as a baked cheese pizza. Seriously, how cool is that?!? This place was the perfect joint for us and the homies.
Totally recommend this place! They had creative and delicious toppings for their pizzas! It will blow your mind. I am a total fan of prosciutto and gorgonzola, so my taste buds literally exploded when all that goodness landed on my tongue! I will totally come again!

Hooray for Margherita Mondays!!! Monday Nights: Buy any pizza, get a Margherita pizza for free! They do charge $ 1 for a to-​go pizza box, if you have any left over — but helloo… a dollar is nothing considering you get a free pizza! You really cant go wrong with any pizza you choose, they use quality meats and cheeses — and that satiny chili pepper infused oil compliments the pizzas so well!
I used to live on Pine Ave. in DTLB and loved that Michaels was in walking distance and loved that they welcome puppy patrons to dine on the patio (most of LBC is dog friendly). I currently live in OC and still make my way to DTLB for Margherita Mondays!

Michael’s Pizzeria in Downtown Long Beach is worth it’s nation-​crazed accolade. This locale is more inviting than Naples even, the other location in that-​section-​of Long Beach — maybe in all of Naples, Italia. After all, many of it’s culinary creations are D.O.P. — which assures «denomination of origin protected» — now, «that’s Italian»!
My favorites are the salad di finocchi, shaved fennel, confit artichokes, goat cheese, pine nuts, orange, and argula — it is tantalizing and hearty — with enough to share. One selection under «Cast Iron» is Anatra — confit duck roasted in their twin-​wood fire-​oven served with potatoes and brussel sprouts. It is culinary art. And the meatballs rival those of my Mom. Wednesdays is pasta night — fa bene.
The Pizze are the stars here — and Julio, Gennaro & Damian are other stars of the celebrity sort, as they spin-​and-​serve them up right. Often yelling «Pizza» in lieu of using a bell. The Team here are gregarious and genuinely interested in each diner’s culinary enjoyment. And Chef Giuseppe can translate any ingredients into culinary art that tastes delizioso.
The Margherita Pizza, with Monday’s being it’s Holiday — every pizza ordered, earns a free Margherita to dine-​in only. The colors of red, green, and white of the Italian flag are represented by fresh tomato sauce; Michael’s house-​made mozzarella; & basil. Try as an additional topping Sopressata (12-​week-​cured dry salumi) or Speck, an old-​country cured & smoked ham from Parma, yup, from Italia. Each of the ingredients at Michael’s are consciously raised or handled, organic in nature, and fresh.
Georde, as one of the Managers, welcomes all and long-​wait or not, makes you feel welcome and appreciated. Her smile and knowledge of wine pairing, with their narrow but small-​vineyard selections, compliments their culinary creations.
Michael’s house-​made gelato is worth a visit alone. Weekends brunch, with live music & $ 3 mimosas, and cast-​iron, wood-​fired egg dishes, and light pancakes or stuffed french toast, make any Saturday or Sunday a celebrated occasion.

As far as Neopolitan pizzas, this is one of the best I’ve ever had. Came here on a Sunday for brunch with a friend. It was a beautiful day, and we sat outside on the patio. The manager was super friendly and accommodating. We tasted a couple of white wines before settling on one.
Started with some cinnamon rolls that were excellent. Soft, warm, and drizzled with syrup. There was a pesto sauce, which I found interesting, but the taste was very mild, almost wasn’t there. You mostly get cinnamon flavor. It’s baked in a cast iron pan, so the outside is slightly crisp while the inside is so soft.
The manager then offered to make a pizza for me. It was a breakfast type pizza, with two eggs, sausage, and mushrooms. One egg was broken, while the other one was complete. Smoked mozzarella. Man, so good! The dough was soft and warm, while all the ingredients came together magnificently. Flavor was bursting. A really spectacular pizza. My friend got some meatballs, I sampled them and they tasted great. Really like the marinara sauce as well.
This place was great — food, service, and ambiance. Would love to return and plan on doing so.

According to the news from a while back, this was the #1 pizzeria rated by Zagat, so I bookmarked it and had the pleasure of trying it a year ago at my first Unilocal Elite Event. It definitely did not disappoint.
Finally got the chance to come back and bring some out of town family and they too were not disappointed.
From their antipasto, there are some meats and cheeses that range from $ 3 – 7, but you can get 3 for $ 12. We had the housemade mozarella, prosciutto cotto (tasted just like regular ham) and prosciutto crudo which was the cured one, very good.
Their pizza crust is thin and slightly crunchy, with a pita taste. The cheese they use is good and does not leave the slice oily like most do. We had the margherita, salsiccia and carbonara. The carbonara is definitely the winner with a runny egg on top, genius!
We also got some items from their cast iron section– clams were ok and a little spicy, Polipo e Patate: roasted octopus was very tasty and «fishy» which I didnt mind. Insalata mista was ok: endive, mozzarella, salami, pickled onions and olives on top of a big romaine lettuce, looked pretty but i prefer my salad chopped.
Housemade gelato is to die for! Pistachio, hazelnut and the salted caramel all taste so strong and are super smooth. The hazelnut tastes just like ferrero rocher but creamy.
Because we ordered the duck confit and they had ran out, the chef sent us complimentary baked mozzarella which was a nice unexpected touch.
Service is on point. Dishes are on the smaller side and a bit pricey for the size. Not sure if its the best pizza I have tried but it sure is very good!