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Name: The Art of Pizza
Address: 1801 Baltimore Ave, Kansas City, MO, 64108
Telephone: (816) 421-1888
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.55

The Art of Pizza

1801 Baltimore Ave, Kansas City, MO, 64108

(816) 421-1888
Store is closed

The Art of Pizza Menu

Beverages

Soft Drink

IBC Soda

Bottled Water

Italian Soda

Chocolate Egg Cream

Soft Drink

IBC Soda

Bottled Water

Italian Soda

Chocolate Egg Cream
Starters

French Fries

Garlic Knots

Mozzarella Sticks

Fried Raviolis

Bruschetta

House-Made Potato Tots

Chicken Wings

French Fries

Garlic Knots

Mozzarella Sticks

Fried Raviolis

Bruschetta

House-Made Potato Tots

Chicken Wings
Salads

House Salad

Large House Salad

Caesar Salad

Strawberry-Spinach Salad

Antipasto Salad

Chef Salad

Greek Salad

Caprese Salad

Caprese Salad Sandwich

House Salad

Large House Salad

Caesar Salad

Strawberry-Spinach Salad

Antipasto Salad

Chef Salad

Greek Salad

Caprese Salad

Caprese Salad Sandwich
Hot Sandwiches and Plates

Gyro Sandwich

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

Meatball Hero Sandwich

Chicago Style Beef Sandwich

Sausage and Peppers Sandwich

Chicken Parmigiana Sandwich

Chicken Parmigiana Plate

Eggplant Parmigiana Sandwich

Eggplant Parmigiana Plate

Gyro Sandwich

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

Meatball Hero Sandwich

Chicago Style Beef Sandwich

Sausage and Peppers Sandwich

Chicken Parmigiana Sandwich

Chicken Parmigiana Plate

Eggplant Parmigiana Sandwich

Eggplant Parmigiana Plate
Cold Sandwiches

Muffuletta Sandwich

Vegetarian Delight Sandwich

vegeterian Italian Delight Sandwich

Super Italian Hero Sandwich

Muffuletta Sandwich

Vegetarian Delight Sandwich

vegeterian Italian Delight Sandwich

Super Italian Hero Sandwich
Pane Stuffata

Stuffed Bread

Stuffed Bread
Pizza

Pizza Slice

Cheese Pizza Slice Lunch Special (No slices after 6)

Fully Loaded Pizza Slice (No slices after 6)

Meataholic Pizza Slice (No slices after 6)

18" Cheese Pizza

Meataholic Pizza

Fully Loaded Pizza

White Pizza

Margherita Pizza

Pizza Slice

Cheese Pizza Slice Lunch Special (No slices after 6)

Fully Loaded Pizza Slice (No slices after 6)

Meataholic Pizza Slice (No slices after 6)

18" Cheese Pizza

Meataholic Pizza

Fully Loaded Pizza

White Pizza

Margherita Pizza
Calzone

Calzone

Calzone
Stromboli

Stromboli

Stromboli
Dessert

Beignets

Beignets

Healthy Meal suggestions for The Art of Pizza

Beverages

Soft Drink [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

IBC Soda [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bottled Water [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Italian Soda [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chocolate Egg Cream [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soft Drink [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

IBC Soda [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bottled Water [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Italian Soda [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chocolate Egg Cream [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Starters

French Fries [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Garlic Knots [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mozzarella Sticks [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Raviolis [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bruschetta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House-Made Potato Tots [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Wings [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

French Fries [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Garlic Knots [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mozzarella Sticks [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Raviolis [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bruschetta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House-Made Potato Tots [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Wings [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Salads

House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Large House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Caesar Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Strawberry-Spinach Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Antipasto Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chef Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Greek Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Caprese Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Caprese Salad Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Large House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Caesar Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Strawberry-Spinach Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Antipasto Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chef Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Greek Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Caprese Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Caprese Salad Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Hot Sandwiches and Plates

Gyro Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meatball Hero Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicago Style Beef Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sausage and Peppers Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Parmigiana Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Parmigiana Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Eggplant Parmigiana Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Eggplant Parmigiana Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gyro Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meatball Hero Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicago Style Beef Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sausage and Peppers Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Parmigiana Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Parmigiana Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Eggplant Parmigiana Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Eggplant Parmigiana Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Cold Sandwiches

Muffuletta Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetarian Delight Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

vegeterian Italian Delight Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Super Italian Hero Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Muffuletta Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetarian Delight Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

vegeterian Italian Delight Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Super Italian Hero Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Pane Stuffata

Stuffed Bread [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Stuffed Bread [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Pizza

Pizza Slice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese Pizza Slice Lunch Special (No slices after 6) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fully Loaded Pizza Slice (No slices after 6) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meataholic Pizza Slice (No slices after 6) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

18" Cheese Pizza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meataholic Pizza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fully Loaded Pizza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

White Pizza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Margherita Pizza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pizza Slice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese Pizza Slice Lunch Special (No slices after 6) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fully Loaded Pizza Slice (No slices after 6) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meataholic Pizza Slice (No slices after 6) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

18" Cheese Pizza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meataholic Pizza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fully Loaded Pizza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

White Pizza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Margherita Pizza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Calzone

Calzone [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Calzone [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Stromboli

Stromboli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Stromboli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Dessert

Beignets [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Beignets [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

Angela K.

There's nothing that irritates me more than businesses who don't religiously abide by their advertised hours. It's kind of a self-fulfilled prophesy, no? Or a vicious circle. You want to leave and close early because there's no business, thereby pissing people off who show up to find you closed early. So these people will probably never try to go again during later hours, making you want to leave early and close. It's a bad habit of downtown businesses that I wish would go away. So, now that I've bored you with my pet peeve, I'll tell you about how I called The Art of Pizza on a Saturday at 4pm. I'm in charge of the social activities in my condo building and we were having a pool/pizza party that night. I decided to have The Art of Pizza delivered because I know it's pretty good and I wanted to support a local business. So I figure if I call at 4pm, they should be able to get a few pizzas over here by 5pm. And their website says they're open until 10pm on Saturdays...no problem, right? A guy answers and I ask him about placing an order for delivery. "I'm closing up," he says brusquely. I check my watch, then glance back at the website and say, "Oh...well..." and couldn't get anything out before he asks me what I want. I tell him about the pool/pizza party and am just about to get my MAD VOICE on when he says, "No problem, I'll cook them up quick and run them over myself after I lock up." Well, ok. That took all the steam out of my sails. He did, indeed, deliver the pizzas himself. I'm pretty sure he was the owner of the place. Said he needed to get to the Westport location because of the art fair. And all I kept thinking about was the poor people who would show up at this downtown location, thinking they'd get some pizza and he'd be closed. The pizza was pretty good. I'm not a fan of cornmeal on the bottom of the crust, but the pizza was tasty and a big hit at the pizza party. I'm a cheerleader for downtown businesses so it pisses me off when they just screw it all up for themselves. I think it's asking a lot of people to read your mind to know if you might be open or not. The hours you post should be the hours you do business. Period. Great pizza, though! And they deliver!
(4)
robert m.

We ate here on New Year's Day, pretty much because we couldn't find anything else open. We called ahead just to make sure they were open, and then went down about 20 minutes later. Apparently there wasn't much business because he asked us if we were the ones that called (or he just asked everyone that came in). The 2 person booths were pretty small, but since no one else was there we switched to a bigger one (but i think the table was broken). Anyway, we were talking with owner and he seemed pretty cool. Since it was just 2 of us, we tried to get him to make a small pizza, and he said he did the best he could (although, it was the size of the tray so i don't think it was any smaller than any other pizza he makes). we also got a salad, and it was very good. As for the actual pizza, it was quite tasty. A little on the greasy side, but nothing a few napkins couldn't help. I would definitely go back, and next time i'm trying the garlic knots.
(4)
Vera G.

Definitely reminds me of New York except the decor is very fancy for a pizzeria :-) Reheated pizza by the slice rules because it's cheaper and faster than fast food. It's not meant to be gourmet, just delicious and filling. I don't know how to describe the taste of a floppy NY slice to someone who's never had it, but the Art of Pizza uses the magic dough, sauce, and cheese combo that replicates it perfectly. The Stromboli is filled with well-spiced sausage and is soooo good too! The pastas are okay - could use a bit more flavor maybe. Overall, great comfort food in a chill atmosphere. One star off because one time we saw the waitress ignoring a table of teenagers for 30 minutes. They even ordered politely once they were actually served. Sheesh! But for us older folk the service has always been really great.
(4)
Reed N.

The Chicago beef was okay. Let's just say it wasn't Chicago, though. To to fair, can you even get Chicago beef in KC? Yes, you can. At Pizza Man in Lenexa. But even then they don't dunk the whole damn thing in the jus like I like it to be done. So what you are left with is a Chicago French Dip. That's okay. It's still good, but not the same. I need to come back and review on the pizza here. That will probably bump it up a star.
(3)
Andrew K.

My experience at Art of Pizza reminded me of the legend of how the QWERTY keyboard layout came to be. Back when they were first making typewriters, many of them used a keyboard that was in alphabetical order. But as users typed, the machines would jam. The keys stuck together because people were typing too fast, and the machinery at the time couldn't keep up. So in response, the designer changed the order of the keys, spreading the frequently used letters apart so that users would slow down. The typewriters of the day worked a bit better, so that system was popularized, and now today, even on our computers and touchscreen phones we are stuck using an outdated setup that is inefficient and makes no sense for modern users. Anyway, Art of Pizza. I've been here a few times. Most recently, for First Fridays. Hungry and drawn to the place by a large sign out front that said "Pizza by the Slice", I went in to order. The man behind the counter said, "sorry, you need to wait for a table." I replied, "Oh, no, it's ok - I'll just take a slice to go." He said, "No. We don't do that." "But your sign says pizza by the slice." "We sell it by the slice, but you have to eat here at a table." "But I don't need a table, just a slice of pizza." Surprisingly angry, he responded, "Do you see all these people waiting ahead of you? They are also waiting for tables. This is how the system works, otherwise it is too busy." I was genuinely confused. "Look, I'm not trying to start anything here, but every other pizza place I've been to that says it does pizza by the slice offers it to go." "When you own your own pizza place, you can do it that way." Right. So that was rude. Turns out, that man was also the owner. As a pizza enthusiast, I'm all for having my food made by cantankerous old Italian guys, but come on. Looking at the long line of people waiting to sit at a table for their slice of pizza, I left. As did many people behind me. Two months later, my sense of logic was being outweighed by my sense of hunger, so I decided to try again. This time, a nice woman behind the counter informed me that no, they still don't sell slices to go. When I delicately asked about it, she seemed a bit scared that the owner would overhear. Apparently he has it in his head that the point of sale system or whatever it is they are using can't handle the volume. So they have people sit down to slow the line and reduce demand. (Slice. Paper plate. Why is this complicated?) I lucked out and got a table just after people had paid their bill. So I sat down. People came in behind me, now waiting. A waitress came by. Ordered slice. Waited for slice. And when it came, it was in a box. To go. Because that makes sense. I could have eaten it at the table like I was apparently meant to, but I decided to leave and let the people waiting who were actually going to eat a full meal. I think the girl behind the register may have been trying to do me a favor, but the fact that she was afraid of being found out by the owner should really speak volumes. The extra steps and ceremony were a waste of everyone's time. It was embarrassing for everyone involved. Streamlining this process to move the people who just want slices through the door would allow them to have the tables occupied by customers who will be spending way more on whole pizzas and drinks, and increase the volume of slices they can move. Which you think would be great for business. Or just take down the "pizza by the slice" sign on First Fridays so that obnoxious customers like me don't come in with their confusing questions. As for me, I'm not mad at Art of Pizza, I'm just absolutely fascinated (which is why this review is so long). And I've learned something new about myself - I learned that my favorite pizzas are ones that are made with logic. Logic and pepperoni. I never knew that was a factor before. The pizza itself was okay, not bad, nothing exceptional, and certainly nothing that would merit the laughably absurd experience. There are plenty of other pizza options in this town, whether across the street at PizzaBella or down at the plaza with Johnny Jo's (which is the best New York-style slice I've had since moving here from the East Coast). We may not be able to fix the QWERTY keyboard, but we can at least fix this. Upgrade your system. Sell more pizza. Make more money. We'll all be happier for it.
(2)
Charlie B.

I'm so over the bad service at this place. The owner is a slob and has that "idgaf" attitude, the waitress today has about as much personality as the fake cheesecake. I called for a pizza and they said 25 minutes, so I arrived 10 minutes late, and here I sit, 45 minutes later, still waiting.. Only 2 tables in here, and not even a single acknowledgement for the delay or offering me a drink while I wait -- nada. My final review after many years and many chances is that the pie is good, but it's not worth the "f you" attitude. I draw the line when you order a pizza at 11 am on a Monday and it's still this dysfunctional.
(2)
Neil T.

They bill themselves as "New York-style" pizza, and they're certainly similar to what I've had up there. As a dopey Midwesterner, I disqualify myself from making any deeper comparison. What I can tell you is that, aside from any question of perceived authenticity, this is the single best pizza I've had in Kansas City since moving here six years ago. Pizza isn't something this city does especially well. If you want barbecue, you're more than in business, but for almost any other kind of cuisine the frequency of awesome places drops from every few miles to every few school districts. The northland, where I live, suffers from particularly severe chain-rot, and I'm glad to have a job that takes me close to downtown and its lunch options - though my favorite pizza actually isn't concentrated there: one is in the northland (Leo's, St. Louis-style), one downtown (Art of Pizza, NY-style), and one on the southern tip of I-435 (Rosati's, a chain, incredibly). I guess that when pizza isn't your city's signature dish, you're as likely to find a quality pie in one region as in another. So, here's what I'll say about The Art of Pizza. I won't give elaborate descriptions of all the individual ingredients; that kind of reviewing can be valuable, but I find that it's not terribly useful for someone looking at trying a new restaurant. What I ate here was a well-assembled thin-crust made with what tasted like some damned fine ingredients. My personal topping tests - sausage, mushroom, and spinach, the three easiest to screw up - were all passed with flying colors. And if I can slip my monocle on for a second: food, like anything else, has character. Chain pizza's is usually indifference. This pizza's was pride. Its designer clearly cares about what he's doing, and his idea of a good pizza apparently lines up with my own. And, well, it seems New Yorkish. The drive from my office to Baltimore Avenue is a gauntlet of stoplights, but I gladly make it for this. Hopefully I've provided some motivation here. I can't superimpose TAoP on top of various bonafide NYC joints, but I can tell you it's some good stuff. Try it!
(5)
Lauren G.

Great place with a cute art vibe. Decent beer selection but no draft beer. The salads where a good size and the slices where nice and loaded with your choice if toppings. Great place for a quick and cost friendly lunch! Also next to some great art shops and RayGuns!!
(5)
caitlin j.

Stumbled upon this place and what a lovely surprise. NY-style pizza in KC, apparently. Sadly they were out of pizzas by the slice due to the time of night but the owner whipped up some delicious garlic bread knots with marinara for dipping and didn't even charge me because he felt bad they were out of pizza... Not that you should go here expecting free food, I mean, a guy's gotta make a living. According to rumor, this place stays open til 3.30am on weekends, serving full menu til midnight and 'by the slice' after that til close. If true, this means I'll be hungry all through First Fridays thinking of that tasty sauce. Oh yeah... going back for the pie.
(4)
Rick K.

I had a slice, it was fresh and good. The sauce was awesome. They were trying a new wing recipe and brought me free samples. Tasty and perfectly prepared. I'll be back.
(4)
Ryan A.

I was saddened when I rolled by this place for a slice some time ago and it was closed. I thought for sure it was a goner, a victim of pizza overload in the area. Too many pizzerias in a confined space, I thought. I'm glad to be wrong, because the pizza here is delicious. The New York style pizza at the place around the corner from Art of Pizza on 18th Street is really good, but despite being called New York style, it's not New York style in the way I tend to think of it. Art of Pizza nails it, though. Floppy, slightly greasy crust. Slightly sweet and spicy sauce. This is exactly what I expect from New York-style pie; and, of course, it's sold by the slice. The service can definitely leave something to be desired; it didn't used to be unusual to walk in and have the owner be the only person working, and if he was in the back making pies, you just had to stand there and wait. If you were lucky, he might acknowledge you with a, "Hang on, I gotta get these pies in the oven!" Friendly enough guy, and I can't really begrudge a fellow for wanting to finish what he's doing before coming over and taking my order; it's when on my very first visit he tried to dissuade me from ordering a couple slices because he was "out of slices" and would have to "make a whole pizza" and he "wouldn't sell the rest of the slices" because lunch was over that kind of bugged me. Isn't that a risk you take when offering slices? The sign didn't say slices were only available during certain hours (although I have seen signs say that elsewhere). In any case, he did sell me two slices, and they were awesome. He just didn't really want to. On subsequent visits, I noticed he'd hired some help. Probably should have done a more thorough job of interviewing candidates, though, as the lady I dealt with on two different occasions was absolutely clueless. Haven't been there in a while (since I thought they were out of business) and in the time since I'm sure his lone server position has turned over at least once. Need to get back.
(4)
Angela P.

Every time I go back here I love it. Consistently good.
(5)
Ted M.

Ordered a large pizza to go over the phone, not knowing that it would be gigantic. I was pleased to discover that this New York style pizza is the best pizza in the city. I'm a huge fan of the thin crust and would love to go back for a slice during lunch.
(4)
Brian K.

I was in KC for onething09 and we went out on foot in the cheek-numbing cold in search of a place to grab an early dinner. What did we find? THE ART OF PIZZA, a little NY-style pizza joint nestled in downtown Kansas City!! Loved the name... I figured that the owner/chef must be passionate about pizza!! Turns out he definitely was. TAOP is owned and run by a pure blooded New Yorker that moved to West LA, California then moved out to KC to escape the busy life. Apparently he was working alone that night and he asked if we minded using paper plates to safe himself the extra work of doing the dishes haha. We were happy to save him the trouble. If I can remember correctly, we had the White Pizza and the Fully Loaded Pizza. I'll never forget when he said in his recognizable new yorker accent, "See, you gotta get it right. In NY you never order a whole pizza, you order a pie." A valuable lesson learned. Both the pies was pretty darn good and the owner's funny comments along with the company of friends there made it even better.
(4)
Kelly R.

To be honest, the food was worthy of 5 stars. My group and I (4 ppl) split an 18' pie on our own and it was plenty of food for each of us. Pefect size and the new york style was dead on. Quality ingredients and really tasty pizza!! We also tried the garlic knots which were heaven smothered in garlic and Parmesan, and the strawberry salad which was also really good. The prices were decent, too, so that was nice. Here's where our experience could have been better. The service was atrocious. Immediately when we walked in, there was only one other couple in the restaurant and we got a bit nervous considering it was a Saturday night. It took a few minutes, but the waitress came up to ask our drink order. They only serve wine and beer, so I asked what wines they had. The waitress responded with, "Whatever he got that day." I assumed 'He' was the owner. When I said, "do you have a reisling", she looked confused and had to shuffle over to the bar and check out each of the wine bottles. When I realized it wasn't one I wanted, I declined and had water which seemed silly considering the trouble I just went through. She didn't seem to know what beer they had as well and couldn't tell us anything about the menu. We asked how much the toppings were, she said it was on the menu. It wasn't. When we asked again, she responded with, "I think they're like, .75 or something?" I'm starting to wonder whether she really worked there or not. Then, she got our order wrong, but to be fair, we asked for 2 toppings on the whole pie and a 3rd topping on only one side. That could have been a little confusing and she was too busy thinking about how much she hated her job. Overall, the food was fantastic, the atmosphere was a bit dead, and the service was barely there, so if I were to visit again, I'd just have to prepare myself for the latter. The new york style pizza might just be worth it.
(3)
Celeste L.

This is one of those places that took some time to grow on me, but now that I've settled on what I like to order, I'm a fan. Their lunch special isn't exactly cheap, but you get an enormous slice of pizza, a good-sized salad and a drink. If you're lucky, they have homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing on hand. I've also discovered that they have ridiculously delicious lemonade, but sometimes they run out. The pizza is New York style with a bread-y crust. I used to order the pepperoni, but it's pretty greasy so I switched to getting the cheese pizza. The service is, well, very New York. If you can wrap your head around that in advance, you'll have an easier time of it. I always walk in and get my food to go, so I have no opinions regarding their delivery or dining room service.
(4)
Joseph L.

Im giving this only 4 stars because this review is based on one visit only. Im from the east coast and Ive been searching for real NY pizza. This place is the closest it gets in Kansas City. The sauce, cheese and hand tossed crust remind me of the typical no frills pizza joint I know and love. If there is only one criticism, the crust should be a little thinner, but the actual taste of the pie is absolutley the real deal. Anyone from Philly, NY, NJ will be able to identify this as being *real* pizza. Dont be thrown off by the grumpy pizza maker. Its a small price to pay for authentic NY pizza.
(4)
Matt D.

I would have to say that The Art of Pizza certainly has some of the best New York style pizza in KC. They use quality ingredients, solid dough, and it's hand made to order. I was also impressed with our server. She did a great job (we had a party of 10) and there were two other filled tables. She was the only server and never let our drinks run empty. She did a great job. The only down side is the overall size of the dining room. It's pretty small, having maybe 8 or 9 tables plus some limited bar seating. Overall, I would certainly recommend it to anyone who wants a solid pie in the KC area.
(4)
Jeff E.

Perfect combination of crust, toppings and that wonderful sauce!!! Next time we're in KC we will definitely be stopping by for some of the best pizza I've ever had!!
(5)
Lauren G.

Great place with a cute art vibe. Decent beer selection but no draft beer. The salads where a good size and the slices where nice and loaded with your choice if toppings. Great place for a quick and cost friendly lunch! Also next to some great art shops and RayGuns!!
(5)
Guillermo V.

The services is crumby but its the best take out pizza in KC. I also wouldnt really call it NYC pizza as it is a little too thick for that but man it is delicious. You can really tell they use good ingredients.
(5)
Guillermo V.

The services is crumby but its the best take out pizza in KC. I also wouldnt really call it NYC pizza as it is a little too thick for that but man it is delicious. You can really tell they use good ingredients.
(5)
Bridget D.

We came in at around 5:00 PM on Holy Saturday. We were the only customers at the time. The place is very cute and has a nice patio on the back. I got a slice of pepperoni pizza it was pretty good. The crust was crisp and had the taste of a brick oven. The sauce was excellent and the pepperoni and cheese tasted fresh. We had great service. Along with the pizza we had apple streusel. It was very good. I haven't had many to compare it to but it was a great snack. I will be stopping by again.
(4)
Neeca B.

It was friday night around 6pm, stunning weather so we grabbed a corner on the back patio. Noticed we were surrounded by flowers and growing herbs and veggies.Our family of three all got calzones and salads. The crust was crusty, soft and chewy, I really loved the flavor. My hubby said it needed more salt but i thought it was perfect. I added pesto to mine and was also brought some fresh on the side and noticed it was the good stuff made that day, crazy good. Owner came out and told us if we wanted to add any of the herbs from the garden growing around us to anything we could, like the basil but it was already in the calzone. Everything tasted fresh really. Waitress was perfect
(5)
Matthew G.

Being from the NY/NJ area and searching high and low for real NY Pizza my search is finally over. This is the place for all you transplants and for those who want to try real Pizza. Met the owner and had a great conversation with him. Crust was perfectly thin and pizza had a nice crisp to it. Absolutely loved it and will definitely go back soon.
(5)
Amanda L.

I went here tonight while attending Kansas City's first Fridays Art event. The pizza is pretty good (New York style) and the staff seemed to do their best to accommodate the packed house. Our waitress did act as though splitting the ticket among our group was a lot to ask for, which was a bit odd but overall a pretty decent experience.
(3)
Ben S.

they do not deliver. my star rating is invalid as they don't deliver
(3)
Lauren H.

One of my favorite pizza places to go to!!! Highly recommend it! Also they have yummy cake for dessert that we loved!
(5)
Mary S.

We just moved here from NYC and have been trying desperately to find a good place for pizza. The Art if Pizza has been the best pie we've had since moving to the Midwest, but is is still not NY pizza. This will be our "go to " pizza place while in KC, but it will never be true NY pizza.m
(3)
Nikki M.

There are so many reasons why I love The Art of Pizza... 1) This is REAL New York style pizza. The owner knows his stuff and has the accent to prove it! I went in and ordered a cheese pizza, he says "No, see you order a cheese pie!"... Got it! The works pizza is by far the best pizza I've had in my entire life! And I've eaten a lot of pizza given I'm dating a pizza addict. 2) The caesar salad is amazing, and cheap! 3) On the menu you'll see beignets. Now I love Beignets so when I saw this I was very excited. When I tried to order some he said "no, let me make you something better". What he brought me was called a Zepplie, the same concept as a beignet but made with ricotta cheese in the middle. Oh my goodness...I'll never be the same. Little puffy sweet pastries covered in powered sugar heaven! 4) Bread-sticks with cheese IN them! Enough said! 5) They remember me when I come in. The owner always says "Hey its Bettie Page". I mentioned once that I loved the White album from The Beatles, now it always plays when I come in to eat. Now that's some service! Here are the few draw backs: 1) They have weird hours. If you call at 7 at night and ask what time do you close the answer will likely be "when do you want me to close". 2) Its small and dont attempt it on a First Friday unless you have an hour or more to eat. Go early if you want a table. 3) This guy cooks the food all by himself and only has one waitress. So it's not going to come out super quick. Go when you have plenty of time or call ahead to order. For me the drawbacks dont compare to the quality of the food. If I want good pizza, this is where I go. The ingredients are fresh, the food is always hot because it was just prepared and didn't sit under a heat lamp for an hour. I can honestly say this is the best pizza in Kansas City!
(4)
Mary H.

Very disappointed here. It was a busy First Friday in the Crossroads, so the slow service was expected--our waitress was hustling. For slices, one topping only on First Fri --ok, I get that. Yet for the price of $3.75, I got a rather small slice that was precooked with some generic mozerella cheese thrown on top. The paper plate and plastic utensils are very cheap, the knife won't work to cut the crust. But the worst part was the bathroom--the toilet bowl hadn't been cleaned in...who knows how long? The one star is for the fresh chewy crust. Go to D'Bronx if you want great NY style pizza.
(1)
Terra M.

This place is wonderful. The pizza is, like many of the reviews have suggested, simply delicious. The crust is perfect and does indeed have that edibility that you can only normally seem to find in the very wee hours of the night when NYC seems to be sleeping and only two things are really bothering you: Where did I leave my undies and where do I get a good slice of pie? YUM. It is funny to hear purported east-coasters complain about the service. Why is this funny? Two reasons come to mind more quickly than two bees in the mating season: One: This sort of thing isn't supposed to matter to the folks who make it on the east coast and subsequently look down on their Kansas City brethren for living here. (scuse' me? You're here, too!) OR, worse, the people who have visited and come back as if they are the Naked Cowboy. Two: The guy who makes the pizza and answers the phone is the coolest person ever ... ever. If he is rude to you then you suck. Simply put this is head and shoulders the place to get pizza if you are remotely close and they are open.
(5)
Bridget D.

We came in at around 5:00 PM on Holy Saturday. We were the only customers at the time. The place is very cute and has a nice patio on the back. I got a slice of pepperoni pizza it was pretty good. The crust was crisp and had the taste of a brick oven. The sauce was excellent and the pepperoni and cheese tasted fresh. We had great service. Along with the pizza we had apple streusel. It was very good. I haven't had many to compare it to but it was a great snack. I will be stopping by again.
(4)
Audra R.

I was meeting my husband downtown on a weeknight to have a bite to eat before an event. Stumbled into this place and looked around, didn't say a word. The guy behind the counter (the owner I'm hoping?) stopped the conversation he was having with the patron at the counter to inform me I was in the wrong place, your friends aren't here, but please by all means look at your phone... It was the strangest, most rude encounter I've had in a restaurant possibly ever. So, no, I didn't try the food because the guy verbally dressed me down and threw me out in front of probably a dozen patrons. But, yes, it appears that this guy is famous in his yelp reviews for rudeness. Big shocker for "authentic ny" anything. One thing he did succeed in is ensuring I will NEVER go back.
(1)
Sara S.

This place was recommended by our hotel staff. The food was terrible. The pepperoni pizza was horribly greasy. My kids wouldn't touch it. I had the calzone and it was flavorless. I'm not certain there's any herbs in the sauce at all. The inside was a mushy mess of ricotta cheese and hardly any mozzarella. My husband ordered the sausage and pepper sandwich. The sauce again was bland, the peppers were barely cooked and the bread was so hard/crusty that it was inedible. It was a complete waste of money and I had horrible GI upset that night.
(1)
Todd L.

Stopped in on First Friday. They were very busy, which I understand. A very rude waitress told us they were not seating at all and when we looked confused, rudely told us we had to leave! All she had to do was be nice about it. Will not return.
(1)
Brad D.

As a NYer, I will give my stamp of approval. If they had a way to get NY tap water, they would get five stars. Slices are properly sized, crust is thin, taste is authentic. The only problem I had was I ordered a two topping pie. Knowing the pie costs 15.95, I wasn't sure how the bill came out to $25. Little pricey for a pizza pie. However, I will be a return patron cuz it is that good.
(4)
Erinn M.

This place is amazing!!! I called in our 18" fully loaded pizza and within 20 minutes it was ready to be picked up!!! ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! The thick crust and abundance of toppings really made this pizza a chart topper. Sausage? Onions? Black olives? Cheese? Check!! Not to mention, the owner is an awesome guy.
(5)
Mark D.

My experience was the opposite of everyone else's. I had great service and thought the pizza tasted like it came out of a Chef Boyardee box. If this is the best pizza in KC the bar is really low. And oh yeah, I was the only one in the place after the lunch rush and the chef/owner came out, picked up the last brownie that was for sale and started playing with it. He ran it through his fingers and then put it back on the tray to sell. I don't think you could pay me to go back.
(1)
Jennifer C.

Back again. Had more Fried Rav and Pizza. Took my son with me this time. He loved the pizza.
(5)
Neeca B.

It was friday night around 6pm, stunning weather so we grabbed a corner on the back patio. Noticed we were surrounded by flowers and growing herbs and veggies.Our family of three all got calzones and salads. The crust was crusty, soft and chewy, I really loved the flavor. My hubby said it needed more salt but i thought it was perfect. I added pesto to mine and was also brought some fresh on the side and noticed it was the good stuff made that day, crazy good. Owner came out and told us if we wanted to add any of the herbs from the garden growing around us to anything we could, like the basil but it was already in the calzone. Everything tasted fresh really. Waitress was perfect
(5)
Matthew G.

Being from the NY/NJ area and searching high and low for real NY Pizza my search is finally over. This is the place for all you transplants and for those who want to try real Pizza. Met the owner and had a great conversation with him. Crust was perfectly thin and pizza had a nice crisp to it. Absolutely loved it and will definitely go back soon.
(5)
Amanda L.

I went here tonight while attending Kansas City's first Fridays Art event. The pizza is pretty good (New York style) and the staff seemed to do their best to accommodate the packed house. Our waitress did act as though splitting the ticket among our group was a lot to ask for, which was a bit odd but overall a pretty decent experience.
(3)
Ben S.

they do not deliver. my star rating is invalid as they don't deliver
(3)
Lauren H.

One of my favorite pizza places to go to!!! Highly recommend it! Also they have yummy cake for dessert that we loved!
(5)
Mary S.

We just moved here from NYC and have been trying desperately to find a good place for pizza. The Art if Pizza has been the best pie we've had since moving to the Midwest, but is is still not NY pizza. This will be our "go to " pizza place while in KC, but it will never be true NY pizza.m
(3)
B Y.

Went today for the first time. After driving from the suburbs to downtown got there at 7:35 to find a handwritten sign on the door that they were closing at 7:30. Wonder if I'm the only customer they lost and if they care.
(1)
Amy R.

I am sorry but we had a horrible experience at The Art of Pizza. I hate having to write this but I am going to. My boyfriend and I went in on a Friday night. There were several tables that hadn't been cleaned so we found an awkward one in the middle of the place. The waitress was friendly but the cook was yelling at her. It was so chaotic and we waited quite a long time for our food. I want to like this place but I don't. We both left with HIGH anxiety, it was a horrible experience.
(1)
Hangon S.

My experience here was superb! Love the fact that you can custom order individual slices. Takes a bit longer but beats that heat-lamp B.S. I ordered a salad and a slice. Server was more than pleasant. Menu has nice touches of humor ( poking fun at St. Louis pizza - LOL ) Slice was top notch. Rarely can one find that kind of crust in the metro.
(5)
Rachel B.

Here's a story of bad service, a lazy kitchen, & mediocre pizza...... I called in an order at 11:40 with a co-worker. The employee said it would take 20 minutes, so we walked from our office to the Art of Pizza around noon. My coworker's order of garlic knots and side salad came out ten minutes after we arrived. However, my one slice of veggie pizza took 40 extra minutes-what?!!!! Not sure how one slice of pizza could take an hour to make. We noticed that several people who came in after us had already been served, AND besides the fact, we called our order in twenty minutes before we even arrived. I asked the sever several times where it was, and she kept reassuring me it was coming right out! It finally came out, and at that point my lunch break was over so I took it to-go. When I got back to my office I noticed the slice was completely loaded with veggies with a bit of barely melted cheese on top. One bite revealed that the veggies were not cooked-the peppers were still crunchy. As i took a second bite, the whole mound of veggies and semi-melted cheese fell off my slice to reveal a slice of cheese pizza underneath. Essentially, I waited an hour for them to take an already cooked slice of cheese pizza, throw veggies and some extra cheese on top, and reheat it for 60 seconds. If I didn't have such a busy afternoon full of client visits I would have taken the slice of pizza back. I am not sure if this is an isolated experience, but I definitely won't be returning....Don't waste your time or money here when there is WAY better pizza right across the street!
(1)
Sarah W.

I am in a pizza food coma heaven! This is what NY style pizza is all about. Be ready to eat it for a few days too, since it only comes in one 18" size, but totally worth it. I would have given five stars, but they don't deliver.
(4)
Kyle L.

I've only been once and it was a pretty enjoyable experience. I have to give the guy credit for not getting annoyed with us (party of 4) arriving around 10 mins before close (which was earlier than we had expected). We ordered a salad and the four of us picked at it and it was quite good. Followed it up with just a simple pepperoni which was pretty wonderful and made well. My only complaint? Drink refills were a little slow since it was just the one guy (the owner) working and he was doing some closing up stuff.
(3)
Caleb L.

Great little pizza shop. I think one of the coolest things about The Art of Pizza is that the owner (I think his name was Vito) was there preparing everything himself and greeting customers. He's everything you would expect from an Italian pizza shop owner; dark hair, stocky frame, a belly of a man who's been in an Italian family his whole life, and a "never met a stranger" attitude. The first trip in, I ordered a Philly cheese steak sandwich and the garlic knots. The sandwich was HUGE, and the serving of g'knots was very generous as well. I made it through about 1/2 of the food and I tapped out. Both dishes brought me guilty delight, knowing that it had to be one of the most calorie and fat-packed meals I've had in a long time. I really enjoyed both, but I will say the beef used in the Philly wasn't that great. My taste buds saw past the beef because of all the melted cheeses and grilled onions, so it by no means ruined it for me! 2nd trip in, I tried a calzone. I was very pleased with the calzone, both in taste and presentation. It was not near as much bang for the buck as my previous meal. I was able to eat the whole thing without feeling overly full, and it was about the same price as the sandwich and knots. I still want to order a whole pizza from here; I guess I just didn't feel like pizza when I was there. I will definitely be back to check out more of the menu, though. The owner also makes the desserts from scratch, and they look amazing. The atmosphere is kind of cool also, like an old time diner. This place gets my recommendation!
(4)
Carlos D.

I had driven by this place a couple of times and a coworker highly recommended the Philly so I gave the place a shot. I hadn't read any reviews prior to my visit and I had no idea what to expect. I can't remember what I ordered, but whatever I had was greasy... Too greasy. We had to take the food back to work because we waited nearly 50 minutes. We decided not to order pizza hoping we would have time to enjoy our meal at this really cool and jazzy restaurant. Maybe having to wait a long time added to my disappointment, but I think it was a bit too pricey as well. I'll give it another shot. This time, with time to spare.
(2)
Joey T.

The Art of Pizza is no gallery or high society joint. Perhaps, it should have a different name, so people are not mislead. I've lived in NYC and New Jersey and this is THAT pizza. If you have had east coast pizza you know what I mean. I have had many pizzerias claim to serve NYC style pies. In all my travels throughout the mid-west, I couldn't find it. A guy at work here in KC gave me this tip. I told him "no way"..that everyone claims to have that special NYC "it". He said it was the real deal, so I gave it a try. I knew when I walked in that I found a special place. It reminded me of the city. That smell. That blissful smell. It's not in show. It's in the dough. (sorry). What I'm saying is the owner doesn't give you a lot of glitz, and fancy furnishings. He gives you original NYC pie. The crust, the sauce, the size, the oil (seeping out, have napkins), the cheese (which is how a lot, if not most east coast pizza is served) Just cheese. Never a fork, especially if your the mayor of the city. Hold the huge slice in half and go to town. The crust you will finish. It's a part of the slice you look forward to getting to. Through my experience of trying to find NYC pie, I'm convinced it's in the crust. Like a special water is brought in from the Hudson or something. This isn't the closest to NYC pie. It's it!
(5)
Matt E.

The Art of Pizza needs to work on the Art of Customer Service. I haven't even attempted to do business with The Art of Pizza for over three years, after the situation that resulted in my previous review. But after having a number of friends swear to me that it's the best pizza ever, and then seeing them canvass my neighborhood with flyers advertising delivery, I decided that maybe it was a time to let go of my grudge and give them a second chance. I had been wrong about other businesses before, so who's to say I wasn't wrong about The Art of Pizza. Turns out, I wasn't. I ordered delivery yesterday, and they did improve over last time in the terms that they actually took my order and sent a driver out. But the weird thing is, they quoted me 25 minutes, which is like lightning fast for pizza. Dubious, I said OK and waited. For an hour. I call to check in, and the guy on the other end of the phone simply says "well, he's been gone long enough to get to your place!" I answer that yes, he HAS been gone long enough, but that doesn't change the fact that he hadn't ever made it to my house. He then says "well he's been gone a long time, so I don't know what else I can tell you. Is your apartment difficult to find?" Never once did he say "i'm sorry" or act like it was an issue that the time was double what they quoted, even if that time was unrealistic. I'm not unreasonable, I just want to deal with people who act like they know how to solve a problem, or are at least concerned enough to try. About 10 minutes later, the pizza arrives. The driver is a nice guy. I'm not mad at him, 25 minutes for a pizza is unreasonable. An hour+ may be a touch long, but it's a bit closer to reality. Now the pizza itself. Though it's my third attempt in my life to eat it, this was my first opportunity to chomp down on a slice. Meh pretty much sums it up. The toppings were large and plentiful, but I think the sauce is bland. Additionally, the crust is very chewy, which I find unappealing. HOWEVER, many of my friends swear by this place. I think it's woefully overrated. So there you go, my 2nd (or 3rd?) chance for The Art of Pizza was a marginal improvement. I mean, I got the product. But the very average taste isn't worth the hassle or the attitude.
(2)
Larissa S.

It was a quiet Saturday evening and my friends and I were on our way to catch a show at the KC Improv Festival. We decided on Pizza that night and wanted to try something new. The place was empty but that just means quicker service! It was interesting to see that PizzaBella across the street was hoppin' and no one was here! The pizza was great and the price was great! We had so much pizza left over even with 4 people eating it. I think the thing that makes it is the sauce. Delish! This is definitely a slice of NY pizza in the Midwest! I would definitely recommend giving it a try.
(4)
JenelleandJustin L.

We have been there quite a few times and have been happy with our food every time. We have had the Chicago beef sandwich, which is pretty tasty. We have also had a few different pizzas with various toppings. The pizza is huge, great sauce..not too much, and good (not sweet) crust. The owner is there and makes the pizza and sandwiches fresh and while he's not the warmest, most friendly person he is knowledgeable and what you would expect from an Italian pizza shop owner. This is definitely not the place to go if you are in a hurry at any time of the day, the food is fresh and made to order (unless you get a premade slice for lunch) so expect to wait. Since there is usually only the owner and one other person working it may take a bit for them to make their rounds.
(4)
Jessica E.

It's a bummer that so many people have had horrible experiences at AoP. Last month, we seriously went once a week Wednesdays or Thursdays (depending on what we were doing that eve). The very first time we stopped in for a meal was totes random and for multi-tasking purposes. I desperately needed WiFi and food before an event starting within the next hour and half. I was instantly attracted because of the free WiFi. Admittedly, the "relaxed" attitude of the guy working was almost off-putting. He was very abrupt and upfront, not at all welcoming. Usually I would be annoyed and maybe I was just so relieved to find a place I could work that I ignored it. We were instructed to sit wherever we wanted and then he left us alone until we were ready to order. I like that--- no BS, no fluff, just forward and direct. It worked in this case. We ordered a custom pie with feta, mushroom, spicy sausage and I'm sure other misc things. We also ordered a plate of garlic knots. Garlic knots were meh. TOO MUCH GARLIC. I felt like Buffy after the fact. The dough was chewy like my fellow yelpers have described but again, I liked it. The pizza was HUGE, way way WAY more than enough. What more could I ask for? It's pizza, in my opinion, it was delish! That first night it was just our party of 2 and another couple but the next week on a Thursday was rather busy. I think it's pretty hit or miss on if its busy. It's always the same guy working the front desk (is he the owner? I don't know). He is the epitome of "NO BS." He warmed up to us a few visits later but be forewarned... he's not exactly spewing out great customer service. Actually, in retrospect, I am pretty surprised at myself for my fondness of Art of Pizza. It's not the best pizza I've ever had and it's definitely not the best customer service I've ever received...BUT I've had such a relaxing, chill, fun time every time I go and the rapport (after he warmed up) of the "host" is seriously hilarious/amusing.
(4)
JJ W.

Stumbling around the Crossroads District, I came up on The Art of Pizza. It's a quiet little shop that makes you feel like you'll be getting a nice slice for a good price. And that's pretty spot-on. However, the service was mediocre at best with only one person handling all the duties. The food was pretty tasty though and despite the low-key service and loneliness of the joint, it felt like a place worth giving a second chance.
(3)
Tim M.

Been driving by this place for a while on my drive home. Finally decided to try a lunch there. Went on a Friday at 11:30 and it was pretty quiet, a few people eating and coming and going. There was only one young woman working out front but she was handling things well. She quickly came and took our order and checked on us a couple times while eating to see if we needed anything else. I picked up the lunch special which is a drink, salad, and slice of pizza. I got the house salad which was a little better than your typical house salad which is iceberg lettuce and a slice of tomato. My slice of pepperoni, daring huh, was covered in pepperoni but wasn't greasy. Sauce has a little bit of sweetness to it which I liked. Friend I was there with had the Gyro which looked awesome, he said it was as good as it looked. I'll definitely head back to try some other items such as the Gyro and Stromboli.
(4)
Danielle S.

Maybe it was the fact that none of us had a proper lunch and were ravenously hungry after a day of dancing, and maybe it was the fact that we were all feeling pretty good and celebrating a few victories at our competition, but The Art of Pizza hit the spot on a Saturday night in KC. I'm a huge fan of Ricos Tacos Lupe on Southwest Boulevard--so much of a fan, in fact, that I went three times when I was in KC six months ago. My sister is also a huge taco fan, and as it was her birthday on Saturday, we were planning to eat there for dinner on Saturday night. The moment I pulled up, though, I howled in defeat. "CLOSED", said the big, bold letters on the front door. After consulting my friend, she recommended Art of Pizza as a reasonably priced place nearby for cheap eats, and Yelp agreed. There's a few parking spaces in the back that I was able to snag, mostly because we were the only folks in the whole place for a good chunk of time. That's a pretty big contrast, my friend said, to First Fridays when Art of Pizza is slammed. The counter service was attentive and personable, and we were ravenous, so we decided what we wanted pretty quickly. We settled on a half-veg, half-pepperoni pizza and ordered the garlic knots to share. First off, those garlic knots. Oh. Mah. Gah. Imagine the best garlic bread you've ever had, and then imagine it EVEN BETTER, because that's how these little butter-drenched, heavenly guys tasted. Served with marinara sauce, the five of us were each able to have two with some left over. The pizza itself was pretty equally amazing. It was gigantic--the menu said 18" but I had my doubts that it was that small. It isn't really New York style pizza; it doesn't have the famous cracker-thin crust that NY pizza is known for, but it IS delicious. The toppings were spread with a heavy hand generously over the pie, and one slice was plenty for dinner. The damage was $28 for an app and a pizza, and it fed five people with two huge slices left over (which were happily consumed for lunch the next day). The next time I'm inevitably in town, I'll still try for Rico's, but I'll have Art of Pizza as a quick backup in case their wonky "whenever we feel like it" hours get the better of me again.
(5)
Andi E.

They have WiFi now! You have to ask for the password, but it's fast and it works. I've eaten here several times, as I work across the street. The only downside - the food is VERY slow. I waited 50 minutes for a calzone once. Now I try to go at 11:30am or 1:30pm (the edges of lunch), when they're not so busy. Still, it often takes 30 minutes from ordering to receiving. It's worth it, though. The waitresses are always very sweet, and they don't mind someone clogging up a table with a laptop. They check in frequently and are cheerful. I've introduced several other people to this little diner, and they've always been pleased, as well. It's a great spot for lunch.
(4)
Eli B.

Thank goodness for a place like this on First Friday. At first our group questioned the First Friday menu. They limit choices to a single topping or the works - no in between. BUT when the pizza came up quickly we were happy knowing this kitchen had figured out how to handle the crowds. Food was very hot and tasty. We also appreciated the fact that they didn't jack the prices up for a special event. We will be back.
(5)
Jake C.

If there's one thing I love, it's New York pizza. Don't get me wrong, I like all types of pizza, but there's something about a big greasy thin pizza that makes my mouth water. Unfortunately, I haven't found a lot of good NY style pizza since leaving FL. Add Art of Pizza to that short list, because their pie was AWESOME. I found myself in Crossroads for first Friday last week, having gone for the Kultured Chameleon event (which was awesome). My genius self decided to skip eating that day, so I was pretty famished by the time we walked the few blocks to the restaurant. There's a nice little patio out back, but there wasn't an employee there to be found, just an open gate. The other two people in my party weren't sure if we should find a seat and wait for someone, or go in through the front, so we chose the front. Obviously, being first Friday, it was busy. We weren't greeted by anyone, or told to head to the patio. Nobody offered us a menu or any direction, so we walked out the back towards the patio and snagged a table. Their menu was limited due to first Friday (Pizzas, slices, garlic knots, and fried ravioli) which was ok with me. I can understand limiting your menu so your restaurant can run more efficiently during the rush, smart move. About 5-10 minutes later we had a server come by. No introduction, no small talk, just asked what we wanted to drink and then was off again. Drinks came another 5 minutes or so later, and we were noticing that there was only one server for the patio, and he was MIA for the majority of the meal. We ordered a large (18") pepperoni pizza, and an order of garlic knots. We sat outside, drinks nearly empty, for 30 minutes before our garlic knots came out. No apology for the slow service, again, no small talk, nothing. Now, I get that you're busy, but that doesn't give an excuse to ignore your customers. Thankfully, the knots were at least tasty. Another 15-20 minutes pass and our pizza finally arrives. Dishes here are all disposable. Paper plates, plastic cups, etc. I have no problem with this, but if you're going to be serving me greasy pizza, at least have napkins at the table and plates that won't soak through with grease. Both of these things were absent from Art of Pizza. We had to ask for napkins, and when they were brought out we got ONE EACH. The plates soaked through with pizza grease by the second slice. Had that pizza not been DAMN GOOD, I would be giving this place a MUCH lower rating. Service was attrocious, unprepared, and unhospitable. The food was good, but I definitely won't be dining in here again.
(4)
Greg L.

The.only thing artistic about this pizza joint is its location. Pizza and calzone were mediocre at best. My friend and I were served each other's calzone but the toppings were so non-existent we didn't realize it until we were half way through. Even the kids were unimpressed with their pizza. Dinner menu is pretty limited if ordering for yourself which was excerbated by the fact that they didn't have bread for sandwiches. Seems like place might be okay for a quick and cheap slice during lunch break. Won't be going back.
(2)
Susan N.

Once in awhile I get a hankering for pizza. Good pizza. Preferably NY-style pizza. In my quest for the latter, I found out about the Art of Pizza - a pizzeria started by a guy from Brooklyn. So I went. The good: When I ordered, the slices came out oozy and hot, just the way it should be. The crust was a nice thin crust. None of that kooky corn meal on the bottom that the Greeks and Yugoslavians look to put on there. It wasn't a super thin crust but thin enough to be a true NYC-style pizza rather than Italian-style, so you get just a bit of that chewiness. The sauce was good. Flavorful with a mild sweetness to it. And the cheese was piled on top in greasy perfection. It was the perfect blend to just fold over and eat. The bad: The slices I got looked like they were cut from a smaller pie than I'm used to. Normally slices come from an 18" pie. These look like they came from a 16" or possibly 14" pie. While I could fold them over, it didn't look like there was much to fold over. Also, there was tax on the pizza slices. I know they're supposed to tax it but I'm so used to having the tax built into the cost of the slice. Maybe just a pizza pet peeve of mine. And why no oregano or garlic powder? Every proper pizza place needs to give customers the option of garlic powder and oregano. I don't think you even have the right to call yourself a NYC-style pizza place if you don't offer those as options. The ugly: Service. Try hiring someone that wasn't hit over the head with a stupid stick. I came in and immediately asked for two slices (I was starved!). The cashier then stands there. I'm looking over the menu because I was curious what else they have. When I look back at her, she then asks me what I want. Uhhh, didn't I just tell her? I said, "Yeah, two regular slices." To which she responds, "Anything on them"? No. How did she miss my order the first time when she acknowledged it (and I was the only one in the place)? Two slices = two regular plain slices. If you're not sure, verify it. Don't just stand around looking silly. She'd never survive a day in a real NYC pizza place. The verdict: Honestly, if this place was in NYC, it would just be an average place. It's a cute venue but you don't really go to a pizza place for the venue. I would go here if I were nearby but wouldn't go out of my way for it. But being that it's KC, I will surely be back.
(4)
Meagan L.

Excellent pizza and a cute pizzeria. The owner served and greeted us and chatted with us after. We ordered a build your own and it was outstanding! The crust was crispy but not too crispy and the serving size was ample! We also enjoyed the garlic knots and he gave us extra which was very nice as we were feeding the whole family. Highly recommend this joint. If your going to spend your money go for private restaurants. The owner was friendly and engaging and the restaurant was clean.
(5)
Mick B.

As a NY resident, I admit this is about a close as you're gonna get to NY-style pizza. Great stuff. The guy is often running the place by himself, so don't panic if there's a bit of a wait. Worth it.
(4)
Alicia R.

It's a cute shop with nice New Yorkish-style pizza. Only complaint was lack of syrups for specialty drinks. We ordered a white pizza with mushrooms and artichoke hearts, and it was quite good. I especially liked the crust - I would like to go again and try a pizza with red sauce. Was disappointed that chicken was not on the toppings list, but that's just a personal favorite. I wanted an egg cream, and my friend a raspberry peach Italian soda, but they only had the right syrups to make us both raspberry Italian sodas. I have heard of egg creams on rare occasion and was excited to try one - maybe next time. The advertised all-you-can-eat pastas on Mondays sounds pretty fun, too. I really enjoyed the interior - cozy with pretty lights and plants. There is one TV, which at the time was nice as they were airing the Big 12 Tournament. Server was nice.
(4)
Fred L.

Wow what a pie!!! Went there yesterday, and owner was very friendly and said to go with the pie, best you can get in KC. He was for sure right its the best you can get here in KC. I have been to new york, with an Uncle who lived there for many years, our favorite pizza out there is PizzaLand in New Jersey, which is featured on the front scene of the "Sopranos", After years of trying to find a similar pizza, I can say Art of Pizza is the real thing, and we thought that the Art of Pizza was better than Pizzaland. These are the real toppings, real high grade pepperoni, real top quality cheese, to many places switch out for the cheap cheese, they may have a Ny-style crust, but are using inferior cheese and inferior pepperoni. The pie was nothing short of awesome, and something I had been looking for years. I saw an article about the place a while back and have been wanting to get down there was in the area and really enjoyed our food and talking with the owner, What a place where the owner makes all the food himself, this is like being transported to a pizza place out in New York or New Jersey, after eating the food, you feel like you traveled out of town, and this kind of food isn't usually found here in kc, when it comes to pizza. Then at the end we tried the Chicago Beef Sandwhich. Wow it was incredible. I haven't had a Chicago Beef from Al's in chicago, but have heard how great that it is, I have had a couple places that said they had chicago beef and none of them were any good, after having this sandwhich, now I can see why people rave about this Chicago Beef from Al's in Chicago, this was a Huge Sandwhich, with some of the best tasting herbs on the Sandwhich, and truly best sandwhich I have had in a long time. Garlic Knots were also awesome, The owner was so friendly and was fun to talk with. He even let us try the meatballs, and they were incredible, besides the pie, ezcited to try chicken parm, and some other sandwhiches, I loved his red sauce and want to try the pasta on monday nights. Truly a real gem of a find here in KC, and a super pie, and overall wonderful food, can't beat it when you have an owner from New York, cooking your food himself and making sure the food is awesome.
(5)
Bill C.

As far as NY style pizza goes this place sets the bar. I have had a lot of real NY and Chicago style pizza in my life. Yep he makes pie right back there. There is no frozen ingredients. You should really try the Strawberry, Pecan, Spinach salad too. I am a repeat customer. We actually have a number great pizza places in the area. But this is the best.
(5)
Lilian O.

I'm not normally a pizza fan but this place dishes out an amazing white pizza! During the weekday, the shop closes at 7 PM and stops serving pizzas-by-the slice after 6 P.M. The traditional NY-style pizza is available by the slice and is smaller than the ones you'd find in NY. If you want to try one of those white pizza bad boys, you have to place an order for the whole pizza which runs $18.95. My fiancee and I definitely can't down a large pie, so the owner whipped us a smaller version of it for us and charged us half the price. It was still huge and we definitely could not come close to finishing it. Since it was past closing time and we were the only ones in the shop, we boxed up the rest to go. The owner insisted that we could stay and enjoy our pie and that he was in no rush to leave. We spent quite some time just chit-chatting about random things - why he got into pizza making, former careers, and reminiscing about New York. Cool guy with the full-on New York accent to boot too. Though the styles of pizza are completely different, I much prefer The Art of Pizza than the pizza place across the street. It's a no-frills shop that serves excellent pizza that takes me back to New York.
(4)
Michelle F.

I've never had a bad meal at Art of Pizza. The food is always great, it just takes for-ev-er to get. If you're on a tight lunch schedule, call ahead and get it to go. Today I had the lunch special, house salad, slice and a drink for $6.95. My husband ordered the meatball sub. We both really enjoyed the food. The meatball sub was so big he only ate half, the rest will hopefully be my lunch tomorrow!
(3)
Elaine D.

The Art of Pizza is horrible. If it's gone out of business, good, if not I'd never know because I won't set foot in the place again. The pizza itself was memorable only for the giant puddle of grease it generated. The atmosphere is tacky and gross. Particularly the cheesy fountain that gives the whole place the aroma of a moldy book. The staff was the reason I'll never go back.
(1)
Megan M.

I haven't actually had NY style pizza myself. The closest I ever got was New Jersey so I don't have a frame of reference to say if it's authentic but the pizza is stellar. Their garlic knots are delicious but you will want to ensure you will not be kissing anyone or can find your way to brush your teeth. They are full on flavor and so piping hot. Friends met for lunch the other day and while it took longer than your average sit, stuff your face in five minutes flat, and leave joint, we had a great time talking with the owner. He happened to be the only one on staff, which of course made service slow but we drank our beers and enjoyed ourselves. The wait was worth it with slices so big, they covered the plate. Covered with pepperoni and gooey cheese. Their calzones are delicious. Crust is crispy when you bite into it and then it gets nice and chewy like a great made pizza dough. The sauce is so good as a dipping sauce and also on the pizza. Not too hot, spicy or too thick. So if your in the mood for something a little better than your Hut, Papa or even the Domino, have the time and can enjoy a great little local business, come by Art of Pizza.
(5)
Steve M.

Agree with many of the reviews - this is definitely a great pizza place - just like you'd get in Brooklyn! Vic is great. Is he a typical Brooklyn type guy? You bet. Does he say hilarious stuff right to your face? Yep. The first time I went in, and told him what I wanted on my pizza, did he say, "Nahhhh, you don't want that on your pizza" and then proceed to tell me why I wanted something different? Yes he did. And he was right! Great food, hilarious owner and I keep going back and back. Oh, and the Calzones and Strombolis are WAY good, too.
(5)
John P.

I'm a pretty big fan of New York style pizza and think this is some of the best NY Style in KC. The pizzas only come in one size but it's huge and will last you a couple days I'm a big fan of the owner who is a real new yorker with a real new york accent.
(4)
Adam S.

Really great New York style pizza! Comparable to any standard pizzeria you would find in NY. As good or better than Da Bronx at a cheeper price and the slices are huge.
(5)
Colin N.

The owner is an asshole. Reading the other yelp reviews, Its almost comical to see how horribly he treats his customers .. Part of me wants to like him for it bc of the consistency. large angry Italian men can be funny and mean .. But this owner is just mean and awkward. I ordered a large pizza for take out. They say 30 mins. I get there on time and they hadn't even started the pie. During my thirty minute wait at the bar, the owner for openly yells at his only staff member because a larger party in the dining area moved a couple of tables together .. This confused a number of patrons, made things uncomfortable. So 30 minutes goes by, I had already paid, the pizza is ready and I ask the waitress for ranch.. She gets it, hands it to me Then the owner then snarls at me "Ranch costs extra!" I froze. The waitress butts in and says " I gave it to him for free bc we didn't get his pizza in on time.. He already paid" The owner then says in an unbelievably shitty shitty tone... in front of other customers!! he singles me out and says, " well next time you come in , ranch costs extra!" I wanted to tell him to just stop , stop being so dang unhappy and don't publicly embarrass me in front of other customers man. There simply can't and won't be a next time bc his pizza, although tasty (i love all pizza) isn't worth the risk of being openly called out for not paying for a miniature cup of ranch. Lol As if I didn't already feel bad enough for ordering an entire large pizza for myself ..
(1)
James S.

Stopped in for Pizza before walking back to the hotel. Guy behind the counter seemed to be a manager or owner. Either way he was very rude. I asked for a root beer and he said they weren't cold. I asked if that was because they just got put in the cooler or if the cooler was turned off (I was wondering if ordering something else would be cold or not). He quipped, "it [broke], if you have any other [complaints] write them on a piece of paper." I was taken aback but oh well I just asked for a cup of ice with my drink. Problem solved. Then strike two came: I overheard the server at the bar complaining that two guys made her remake her drinks after she gave one the diet and one the regular. They had already taken sips so no swapping germs. Sounds legit, right? Not to her. She couldn't believe they couldn't just swap drinks since it was only just one sip! Gosh!... Hope they don't have the same philosophy on cross contamination and bacterial infection back in the kitchen! Anyhow, the food hasn't come yet but bad or good at this point what difference does it really make? Oh, did I mention the guy at the counter was sitting on a stool eating his own food the entire time working the register? ... Just got the pizza. Not gonna lie, pretty righteous pie!
(2)
Angela M.

Wow! I'm actually offended by the food here. This place served absolute bland, undercooked, canned crap... Charged $30 for it while all three at my party got sick. Also, nowhere does it say that you can't order just a slice. At 7pm a family walked in. With the sign very clearly saying they close at 10pm, the owner said "you don't think you're getting food here do you?! We're closing" - after a little bit of resistance from the family... They left unhappily. My last review was too kind. Goes to show... If you have a bad feeling about a place, definitely don't go back. If there was any better way to warn people never to eat here - I'd waste hours spreading the word. In fact, I think we're going to repeatedly request that the health inspectors check this place everyday. Not even the dude of Hell's Kitchen could save this place.
(1)
Rachel E.

Peace out, portion control. I stopped in for lunch at The Art of Pizza with my dad and boyfriend last weekend after moving down to KC. With all of the box carrying, furniture lifting, and cleaning we had been doing, the three of us had worked up quite the appetites. We had met our match with TAOP. I ordered their chicken parmigiana sandwich and it was practically the size of my face. My sandwich was decent, but nothing to write home about. The one thing I will say, is for roughly $8 it was a ton of bang for my buck. The guys were happy with their sandwiches, although they sang similar tunes on the taste. Not bad. Not stellar. Great value. I'm new to the neighborhood and definitely plan to give The Art of Pizza a few more go's!
(3)
Travis B.

I was only in there for under 10 minutes to pick up a to-go order, and everyone on staff, include the owner/manger was incredibly rude. Openly hostile to customers. I don't care if the pizza is good or not, I won't be back.
(1)
Todd H.

This pizza is delicious! The meat head was loaded up with delicious toppings. I think their crust is also very good. The place is smaller and yiu can get by the slice pizza till 6:00pm this is a great little spot for a good piece of pizza.
(4)
Billie H.

Working in the area and trying new places has been a treat. The Art of Pizza is probably my new favorite place that I have tried. My first visit I went with the muffuletta. Never having one, I am not sure how it rates in the muffuletta category, but in the sandwich category it rates fanfreakingtastic! The sandwich was enormous. Seriously a great value at $7.95 as it will be multiple meals. Or in my case a great lunch and amazing feat of gluttony for the hound. The flavors were incredible. This is a sandwich that will make you 'mmmm' with each bite. After talking to the owner, he scolded me in a nice way for not trying the pizza on my first visit. "You always try the pizza first when going to a pizza place." Like I needed any encouragement to step back by, a few days later I was there trying the pizza. I went with a meataholic slice. Meataholic is an understatement. I have made my own pizzas and never filled them with the abundance of toppings that The Art of Pizza does. I felt like I should kneel and praise the glorious mounds of meat. (.... just keep going, no commentary needed....) Again, for just under $5, this is a fantastic deal. The pizza dough was perfect and carried the heavy load of toppings quite well. A nice thin crust. The toppings are definitely the star here and not a mouthful of dough like a lot of places. The service is friendly, although maybe a little hurried with only one person staffed to wait during lunch. The owner really takes pride in the food he sends out and is very friendly. They have a patio I haven't checked out yet, but would probably be great on a nice day or evening to enjoy some beers with your meal. They have some good specials, unlimited pasta on Mondays, daily slice, salad and drink combo, and others. I am going to have to work on my self control working a block away from The Art of Pizza otherwise I would be there every day! Check them out!
(5)
Vera G.

Definitely reminds me of New York except the decor is very fancy for a pizzeria :-) Reheated pizza by the slice rules because it's cheaper and faster than fast food. It's not meant to be gourmet, just delicious and filling. I don't know how to describe the taste of a floppy NY slice to someone who's never had it, but the Art of Pizza uses the magic dough, sauce, and cheese combo that replicates it perfectly. The Stromboli is filled with well-spiced sausage and is soooo good too! The pastas are okay - could use a bit more flavor maybe. Overall, great comfort food in a chill atmosphere. One star off because one time we saw the waitress ignoring a table of teenagers for 30 minutes. They even ordered politely once they were actually served. Sheesh! But for us older folk the service has always been really great.
(4)
Colin N.

The owner is an asshole. Reading the other yelp reviews, Its almost comical to see how horribly he treats his customers .. Part of me wants to like him for it bc of the consistency. large angry Italian men can be funny and mean .. But this owner is just mean and awkward. I ordered a large pizza for take out. They say 30 mins. I get there on time and they hadn't even started the pie. During my thirty minute wait at the bar, the owner for openly yells at his only staff member because a larger party in the dining area moved a couple of tables together .. This confused a number of patrons, made things uncomfortable. So 30 minutes goes by, I had already paid, the pizza is ready and I ask the waitress for ranch.. She gets it, hands it to me Then the owner then snarls at me "Ranch costs extra!" I froze. The waitress butts in and says " I gave it to him for free bc we didn't get his pizza in on time.. He already paid" The owner then says in an unbelievably shitty shitty tone... in front of other customers!! he singles me out and says, " well next time you come in , ranch costs extra!" I wanted to tell him to just stop , stop being so dang unhappy and don't publicly embarrass me in front of other customers man. There simply can't and won't be a next time bc his pizza, although tasty (i love all pizza) isn't worth the risk of being openly called out for not paying for a miniature cup of ranch. Lol As if I didn't already feel bad enough for ordering an entire large pizza for myself ..
(1)
James S.

Stopped in for Pizza before walking back to the hotel. Guy behind the counter seemed to be a manager or owner. Either way he was very rude. I asked for a root beer and he said they weren't cold. I asked if that was because they just got put in the cooler or if the cooler was turned off (I was wondering if ordering something else would be cold or not). He quipped, "it [broke], if you have any other [complaints] write them on a piece of paper." I was taken aback but oh well I just asked for a cup of ice with my drink. Problem solved. Then strike two came: I overheard the server at the bar complaining that two guys made her remake her drinks after she gave one the diet and one the regular. They had already taken sips so no swapping germs. Sounds legit, right? Not to her. She couldn't believe they couldn't just swap drinks since it was only just one sip! Gosh!... Hope they don't have the same philosophy on cross contamination and bacterial infection back in the kitchen! Anyhow, the food hasn't come yet but bad or good at this point what difference does it really make? Oh, did I mention the guy at the counter was sitting on a stool eating his own food the entire time working the register? ... Just got the pizza. Not gonna lie, pretty righteous pie!
(2)
Angela M.

Wow! I'm actually offended by the food here. This place served absolute bland, undercooked, canned crap... Charged $30 for it while all three at my party got sick. Also, nowhere does it say that you can't order just a slice. At 7pm a family walked in. With the sign very clearly saying they close at 10pm, the owner said "you don't think you're getting food here do you?! We're closing" - after a little bit of resistance from the family... They left unhappily. My last review was too kind. Goes to show... If you have a bad feeling about a place, definitely don't go back. If there was any better way to warn people never to eat here - I'd waste hours spreading the word. In fact, I think we're going to repeatedly request that the health inspectors check this place everyday. Not even the dude of Hell's Kitchen could save this place.
(1)
Rachel E.

Peace out, portion control. I stopped in for lunch at The Art of Pizza with my dad and boyfriend last weekend after moving down to KC. With all of the box carrying, furniture lifting, and cleaning we had been doing, the three of us had worked up quite the appetites. We had met our match with TAOP. I ordered their chicken parmigiana sandwich and it was practically the size of my face. My sandwich was decent, but nothing to write home about. The one thing I will say, is for roughly $8 it was a ton of bang for my buck. The guys were happy with their sandwiches, although they sang similar tunes on the taste. Not bad. Not stellar. Great value. I'm new to the neighborhood and definitely plan to give The Art of Pizza a few more go's!
(3)
Travis B.

I was only in there for under 10 minutes to pick up a to-go order, and everyone on staff, include the owner/manger was incredibly rude. Openly hostile to customers. I don't care if the pizza is good or not, I won't be back.
(1)
Todd H.

This pizza is delicious! The meat head was loaded up with delicious toppings. I think their crust is also very good. The place is smaller and yiu can get by the slice pizza till 6:00pm this is a great little spot for a good piece of pizza.
(4)
Billie H.

Working in the area and trying new places has been a treat. The Art of Pizza is probably my new favorite place that I have tried. My first visit I went with the muffuletta. Never having one, I am not sure how it rates in the muffuletta category, but in the sandwich category it rates fanfreakingtastic! The sandwich was enormous. Seriously a great value at $7.95 as it will be multiple meals. Or in my case a great lunch and amazing feat of gluttony for the hound. The flavors were incredible. This is a sandwich that will make you 'mmmm' with each bite. After talking to the owner, he scolded me in a nice way for not trying the pizza on my first visit. "You always try the pizza first when going to a pizza place." Like I needed any encouragement to step back by, a few days later I was there trying the pizza. I went with a meataholic slice. Meataholic is an understatement. I have made my own pizzas and never filled them with the abundance of toppings that The Art of Pizza does. I felt like I should kneel and praise the glorious mounds of meat. (.... just keep going, no commentary needed....) Again, for just under $5, this is a fantastic deal. The pizza dough was perfect and carried the heavy load of toppings quite well. A nice thin crust. The toppings are definitely the star here and not a mouthful of dough like a lot of places. The service is friendly, although maybe a little hurried with only one person staffed to wait during lunch. The owner really takes pride in the food he sends out and is very friendly. They have a patio I haven't checked out yet, but would probably be great on a nice day or evening to enjoy some beers with your meal. They have some good specials, unlimited pasta on Mondays, daily slice, salad and drink combo, and others. I am going to have to work on my self control working a block away from The Art of Pizza otherwise I would be there every day! Check them out!
(5)
Reed N.

The Chicago beef was okay. Let's just say it wasn't Chicago, though. To to fair, can you even get Chicago beef in KC? Yes, you can. At Pizza Man in Lenexa. But even then they don't dunk the whole damn thing in the jus like I like it to be done. So what you are left with is a Chicago French Dip. That's okay. It's still good, but not the same. I need to come back and review on the pizza here. That will probably bump it up a star.
(3)
Andrew K.

My experience at Art of Pizza reminded me of the legend of how the QWERTY keyboard layout came to be. Back when they were first making typewriters, many of them used a keyboard that was in alphabetical order. But as users typed, the machines would jam. The keys stuck together because people were typing too fast, and the machinery at the time couldn't keep up. So in response, the designer changed the order of the keys, spreading the frequently used letters apart so that users would slow down. The typewriters of the day worked a bit better, so that system was popularized, and now today, even on our computers and touchscreen phones we are stuck using an outdated setup that is inefficient and makes no sense for modern users. Anyway, Art of Pizza. I've been here a few times. Most recently, for First Fridays. Hungry and drawn to the place by a large sign out front that said "Pizza by the Slice", I went in to order. The man behind the counter said, "sorry, you need to wait for a table." I replied, "Oh, no, it's ok - I'll just take a slice to go." He said, "No. We don't do that." "But your sign says pizza by the slice." "We sell it by the slice, but you have to eat here at a table." "But I don't need a table, just a slice of pizza." Surprisingly angry, he responded, "Do you see all these people waiting ahead of you? They are also waiting for tables. This is how the system works, otherwise it is too busy." I was genuinely confused. "Look, I'm not trying to start anything here, but every other pizza place I've been to that says it does pizza by the slice offers it to go." "When you own your own pizza place, you can do it that way." Right. So that was rude. Turns out, that man was also the owner. As a pizza enthusiast, I'm all for having my food made by cantankerous old Italian guys, but come on. Looking at the long line of people waiting to sit at a table for their slice of pizza, I left. As did many people behind me. Two months later, my sense of logic was being outweighed by my sense of hunger, so I decided to try again. This time, a nice woman behind the counter informed me that no, they still don't sell slices to go. When I delicately asked about it, she seemed a bit scared that the owner would overhear. Apparently he has it in his head that the point of sale system or whatever it is they are using can't handle the volume. So they have people sit down to slow the line and reduce demand. (Slice. Paper plate. Why is this complicated?) I lucked out and got a table just after people had paid their bill. So I sat down. People came in behind me, now waiting. A waitress came by. Ordered slice. Waited for slice. And when it came, it was in a box. To go. Because that makes sense. I could have eaten it at the table like I was apparently meant to, but I decided to leave and let the people waiting who were actually going to eat a full meal. I think the girl behind the register may have been trying to do me a favor, but the fact that she was afraid of being found out by the owner should really speak volumes. The extra steps and ceremony were a waste of everyone's time. It was embarrassing for everyone involved. Streamlining this process to move the people who just want slices through the door would allow them to have the tables occupied by customers who will be spending way more on whole pizzas and drinks, and increase the volume of slices they can move. Which you think would be great for business. Or just take down the "pizza by the slice" sign on First Fridays so that obnoxious customers like me don't come in with their confusing questions. As for me, I'm not mad at Art of Pizza, I'm just absolutely fascinated (which is why this review is so long). And I've learned something new about myself - I learned that my favorite pizzas are ones that are made with logic. Logic and pepperoni. I never knew that was a factor before. The pizza itself was okay, not bad, nothing exceptional, and certainly nothing that would merit the laughably absurd experience. There are plenty of other pizza options in this town, whether across the street at PizzaBella or down at the plaza with Johnny Jo's (which is the best New York-style slice I've had since moving here from the East Coast). We may not be able to fix the QWERTY keyboard, but we can at least fix this. Upgrade your system. Sell more pizza. Make more money. We'll all be happier for it.
(2)
Audra R.

I was meeting my husband downtown on a weeknight to have a bite to eat before an event. Stumbled into this place and looked around, didn't say a word. The guy behind the counter (the owner I'm hoping?) stopped the conversation he was having with the patron at the counter to inform me I was in the wrong place, your friends aren't here, but please by all means look at your phone... It was the strangest, most rude encounter I've had in a restaurant possibly ever. So, no, I didn't try the food because the guy verbally dressed me down and threw me out in front of probably a dozen patrons. But, yes, it appears that this guy is famous in his yelp reviews for rudeness. Big shocker for "authentic ny" anything. One thing he did succeed in is ensuring I will NEVER go back.
(1)
Brad D.

As a NYer, I will give my stamp of approval. If they had a way to get NY tap water, they would get five stars. Slices are properly sized, crust is thin, taste is authentic. The only problem I had was I ordered a two topping pie. Knowing the pie costs 15.95, I wasn't sure how the bill came out to $25. Little pricey for a pizza pie. However, I will be a return patron cuz it is that good.
(4)
B Y.

Went today for the first time. After driving from the suburbs to downtown got there at 7:35 to find a handwritten sign on the door that they were closing at 7:30. Wonder if I'm the only customer they lost and if they care.
(1)
Amy R.

I am sorry but we had a horrible experience at The Art of Pizza. I hate having to write this but I am going to. My boyfriend and I went in on a Friday night. There were several tables that hadn't been cleaned so we found an awkward one in the middle of the place. The waitress was friendly but the cook was yelling at her. It was so chaotic and we waited quite a long time for our food. I want to like this place but I don't. We both left with HIGH anxiety, it was a horrible experience.
(1)
JJ W.

Stumbling around the Crossroads District, I came up on The Art of Pizza. It's a quiet little shop that makes you feel like you'll be getting a nice slice for a good price. And that's pretty spot-on. However, the service was mediocre at best with only one person handling all the duties. The food was pretty tasty though and despite the low-key service and loneliness of the joint, it felt like a place worth giving a second chance.
(3)
Jennifer C.

Back again. Had more Fried Rav and Pizza. Took my son with me this time. He loved the pizza.
(5)
Charlie B.

I'm so over the bad service at this place. The owner is a slob and has that "idgaf" attitude, the waitress today has about as much personality as the fake cheesecake. I called for a pizza and they said 25 minutes, so I arrived 10 minutes late, and here I sit, 45 minutes later, still waiting.. Only 2 tables in here, and not even a single acknowledgement for the delay or offering me a drink while I wait -- nada. My final review after many years and many chances is that the pie is good, but it's not worth the "f you" attitude. I draw the line when you order a pizza at 11 am on a Monday and it's still this dysfunctional.
(2)
Sara S.

This place was recommended by our hotel staff. The food was terrible. The pepperoni pizza was horribly greasy. My kids wouldn't touch it. I had the calzone and it was flavorless. I'm not certain there's any herbs in the sauce at all. The inside was a mushy mess of ricotta cheese and hardly any mozzarella. My husband ordered the sausage and pepper sandwich. The sauce again was bland, the peppers were barely cooked and the bread was so hard/crusty that it was inedible. It was a complete waste of money and I had horrible GI upset that night.
(1)
Todd L.

Stopped in on First Friday. They were very busy, which I understand. A very rude waitress told us they were not seating at all and when we looked confused, rudely told us we had to leave! All she had to do was be nice about it. Will not return.
(1)
Erinn M.

This place is amazing!!! I called in our 18" fully loaded pizza and within 20 minutes it was ready to be picked up!!! ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! The thick crust and abundance of toppings really made this pizza a chart topper. Sausage? Onions? Black olives? Cheese? Check!! Not to mention, the owner is an awesome guy.
(5)
Mark D.

My experience was the opposite of everyone else's. I had great service and thought the pizza tasted like it came out of a Chef Boyardee box. If this is the best pizza in KC the bar is really low. And oh yeah, I was the only one in the place after the lunch rush and the chef/owner came out, picked up the last brownie that was for sale and started playing with it. He ran it through his fingers and then put it back on the tray to sell. I don't think you could pay me to go back.
(1)
Matt E.

The Art of Pizza needs to work on the Art of Customer Service. I haven't even attempted to do business with The Art of Pizza for over three years, after the situation that resulted in my previous review. But after having a number of friends swear to me that it's the best pizza ever, and then seeing them canvass my neighborhood with flyers advertising delivery, I decided that maybe it was a time to let go of my grudge and give them a second chance. I had been wrong about other businesses before, so who's to say I wasn't wrong about The Art of Pizza. Turns out, I wasn't. I ordered delivery yesterday, and they did improve over last time in the terms that they actually took my order and sent a driver out. But the weird thing is, they quoted me 25 minutes, which is like lightning fast for pizza. Dubious, I said OK and waited. For an hour. I call to check in, and the guy on the other end of the phone simply says "well, he's been gone long enough to get to your place!" I answer that yes, he HAS been gone long enough, but that doesn't change the fact that he hadn't ever made it to my house. He then says "well he's been gone a long time, so I don't know what else I can tell you. Is your apartment difficult to find?" Never once did he say "i'm sorry" or act like it was an issue that the time was double what they quoted, even if that time was unrealistic. I'm not unreasonable, I just want to deal with people who act like they know how to solve a problem, or are at least concerned enough to try. About 10 minutes later, the pizza arrives. The driver is a nice guy. I'm not mad at him, 25 minutes for a pizza is unreasonable. An hour+ may be a touch long, but it's a bit closer to reality. Now the pizza itself. Though it's my third attempt in my life to eat it, this was my first opportunity to chomp down on a slice. Meh pretty much sums it up. The toppings were large and plentiful, but I think the sauce is bland. Additionally, the crust is very chewy, which I find unappealing. HOWEVER, many of my friends swear by this place. I think it's woefully overrated. So there you go, my 2nd (or 3rd?) chance for The Art of Pizza was a marginal improvement. I mean, I got the product. But the very average taste isn't worth the hassle or the attitude.
(2)
Steve M.

Agree with many of the reviews - this is definitely a great pizza place - just like you'd get in Brooklyn! Vic is great. Is he a typical Brooklyn type guy? You bet. Does he say hilarious stuff right to your face? Yep. The first time I went in, and told him what I wanted on my pizza, did he say, "Nahhhh, you don't want that on your pizza" and then proceed to tell me why I wanted something different? Yes he did. And he was right! Great food, hilarious owner and I keep going back and back. Oh, and the Calzones and Strombolis are WAY good, too.
(5)
Hangon S.

My experience here was superb! Love the fact that you can custom order individual slices. Takes a bit longer but beats that heat-lamp B.S. I ordered a salad and a slice. Server was more than pleasant. Menu has nice touches of humor ( poking fun at St. Louis pizza - LOL ) Slice was top notch. Rarely can one find that kind of crust in the metro.
(5)
Rachel B.

Here's a story of bad service, a lazy kitchen, & mediocre pizza...... I called in an order at 11:40 with a co-worker. The employee said it would take 20 minutes, so we walked from our office to the Art of Pizza around noon. My coworker's order of garlic knots and side salad came out ten minutes after we arrived. However, my one slice of veggie pizza took 40 extra minutes-what?!!!! Not sure how one slice of pizza could take an hour to make. We noticed that several people who came in after us had already been served, AND besides the fact, we called our order in twenty minutes before we even arrived. I asked the sever several times where it was, and she kept reassuring me it was coming right out! It finally came out, and at that point my lunch break was over so I took it to-go. When I got back to my office I noticed the slice was completely loaded with veggies with a bit of barely melted cheese on top. One bite revealed that the veggies were not cooked-the peppers were still crunchy. As i took a second bite, the whole mound of veggies and semi-melted cheese fell off my slice to reveal a slice of cheese pizza underneath. Essentially, I waited an hour for them to take an already cooked slice of cheese pizza, throw veggies and some extra cheese on top, and reheat it for 60 seconds. If I didn't have such a busy afternoon full of client visits I would have taken the slice of pizza back. I am not sure if this is an isolated experience, but I definitely won't be returning....Don't waste your time or money here when there is WAY better pizza right across the street!
(1)
Caleb L.

Great little pizza shop. I think one of the coolest things about The Art of Pizza is that the owner (I think his name was Vito) was there preparing everything himself and greeting customers. He's everything you would expect from an Italian pizza shop owner; dark hair, stocky frame, a belly of a man who's been in an Italian family his whole life, and a "never met a stranger" attitude. The first trip in, I ordered a Philly cheese steak sandwich and the garlic knots. The sandwich was HUGE, and the serving of g'knots was very generous as well. I made it through about 1/2 of the food and I tapped out. Both dishes brought me guilty delight, knowing that it had to be one of the most calorie and fat-packed meals I've had in a long time. I really enjoyed both, but I will say the beef used in the Philly wasn't that great. My taste buds saw past the beef because of all the melted cheeses and grilled onions, so it by no means ruined it for me! 2nd trip in, I tried a calzone. I was very pleased with the calzone, both in taste and presentation. It was not near as much bang for the buck as my previous meal. I was able to eat the whole thing without feeling overly full, and it was about the same price as the sandwich and knots. I still want to order a whole pizza from here; I guess I just didn't feel like pizza when I was there. I will definitely be back to check out more of the menu, though. The owner also makes the desserts from scratch, and they look amazing. The atmosphere is kind of cool also, like an old time diner. This place gets my recommendation!
(4)
Meagan L.

Excellent pizza and a cute pizzeria. The owner served and greeted us and chatted with us after. We ordered a build your own and it was outstanding! The crust was crispy but not too crispy and the serving size was ample! We also enjoyed the garlic knots and he gave us extra which was very nice as we were feeding the whole family. Highly recommend this joint. If your going to spend your money go for private restaurants. The owner was friendly and engaging and the restaurant was clean.
(5)
Mick B.

As a NY resident, I admit this is about a close as you're gonna get to NY-style pizza. Great stuff. The guy is often running the place by himself, so don't panic if there's a bit of a wait. Worth it.
(4)
Jessica E.

It's a bummer that so many people have had horrible experiences at AoP. Last month, we seriously went once a week Wednesdays or Thursdays (depending on what we were doing that eve). The very first time we stopped in for a meal was totes random and for multi-tasking purposes. I desperately needed WiFi and food before an event starting within the next hour and half. I was instantly attracted because of the free WiFi. Admittedly, the "relaxed" attitude of the guy working was almost off-putting. He was very abrupt and upfront, not at all welcoming. Usually I would be annoyed and maybe I was just so relieved to find a place I could work that I ignored it. We were instructed to sit wherever we wanted and then he left us alone until we were ready to order. I like that--- no BS, no fluff, just forward and direct. It worked in this case. We ordered a custom pie with feta, mushroom, spicy sausage and I'm sure other misc things. We also ordered a plate of garlic knots. Garlic knots were meh. TOO MUCH GARLIC. I felt like Buffy after the fact. The dough was chewy like my fellow yelpers have described but again, I liked it. The pizza was HUGE, way way WAY more than enough. What more could I ask for? It's pizza, in my opinion, it was delish! That first night it was just our party of 2 and another couple but the next week on a Thursday was rather busy. I think it's pretty hit or miss on if its busy. It's always the same guy working the front desk (is he the owner? I don't know). He is the epitome of "NO BS." He warmed up to us a few visits later but be forewarned... he's not exactly spewing out great customer service. Actually, in retrospect, I am pretty surprised at myself for my fondness of Art of Pizza. It's not the best pizza I've ever had and it's definitely not the best customer service I've ever received...BUT I've had such a relaxing, chill, fun time every time I go and the rapport (after he warmed up) of the "host" is seriously hilarious/amusing.
(4)
Sarah W.

I am in a pizza food coma heaven! This is what NY style pizza is all about. Be ready to eat it for a few days too, since it only comes in one 18" size, but totally worth it. I would have given five stars, but they don't deliver.
(4)
Kyle L.

I've only been once and it was a pretty enjoyable experience. I have to give the guy credit for not getting annoyed with us (party of 4) arriving around 10 mins before close (which was earlier than we had expected). We ordered a salad and the four of us picked at it and it was quite good. Followed it up with just a simple pepperoni which was pretty wonderful and made well. My only complaint? Drink refills were a little slow since it was just the one guy (the owner) working and he was doing some closing up stuff.
(3)
Eli B.

Thank goodness for a place like this on First Friday. At first our group questioned the First Friday menu. They limit choices to a single topping or the works - no in between. BUT when the pizza came up quickly we were happy knowing this kitchen had figured out how to handle the crowds. Food was very hot and tasty. We also appreciated the fact that they didn't jack the prices up for a special event. We will be back.
(5)
Danielle S.

Maybe it was the fact that none of us had a proper lunch and were ravenously hungry after a day of dancing, and maybe it was the fact that we were all feeling pretty good and celebrating a few victories at our competition, but The Art of Pizza hit the spot on a Saturday night in KC. I'm a huge fan of Ricos Tacos Lupe on Southwest Boulevard--so much of a fan, in fact, that I went three times when I was in KC six months ago. My sister is also a huge taco fan, and as it was her birthday on Saturday, we were planning to eat there for dinner on Saturday night. The moment I pulled up, though, I howled in defeat. "CLOSED", said the big, bold letters on the front door. After consulting my friend, she recommended Art of Pizza as a reasonably priced place nearby for cheap eats, and Yelp agreed. There's a few parking spaces in the back that I was able to snag, mostly because we were the only folks in the whole place for a good chunk of time. That's a pretty big contrast, my friend said, to First Fridays when Art of Pizza is slammed. The counter service was attentive and personable, and we were ravenous, so we decided what we wanted pretty quickly. We settled on a half-veg, half-pepperoni pizza and ordered the garlic knots to share. First off, those garlic knots. Oh. Mah. Gah. Imagine the best garlic bread you've ever had, and then imagine it EVEN BETTER, because that's how these little butter-drenched, heavenly guys tasted. Served with marinara sauce, the five of us were each able to have two with some left over. The pizza itself was pretty equally amazing. It was gigantic--the menu said 18" but I had my doubts that it was that small. It isn't really New York style pizza; it doesn't have the famous cracker-thin crust that NY pizza is known for, but it IS delicious. The toppings were spread with a heavy hand generously over the pie, and one slice was plenty for dinner. The damage was $28 for an app and a pizza, and it fed five people with two huge slices left over (which were happily consumed for lunch the next day). The next time I'm inevitably in town, I'll still try for Rico's, but I'll have Art of Pizza as a quick backup in case their wonky "whenever we feel like it" hours get the better of me again.
(5)
Andi E.

They have WiFi now! You have to ask for the password, but it's fast and it works. I've eaten here several times, as I work across the street. The only downside - the food is VERY slow. I waited 50 minutes for a calzone once. Now I try to go at 11:30am or 1:30pm (the edges of lunch), when they're not so busy. Still, it often takes 30 minutes from ordering to receiving. It's worth it, though. The waitresses are always very sweet, and they don't mind someone clogging up a table with a laptop. They check in frequently and are cheerful. I've introduced several other people to this little diner, and they've always been pleased, as well. It's a great spot for lunch.
(4)
Larissa S.

It was a quiet Saturday evening and my friends and I were on our way to catch a show at the KC Improv Festival. We decided on Pizza that night and wanted to try something new. The place was empty but that just means quicker service! It was interesting to see that PizzaBella across the street was hoppin' and no one was here! The pizza was great and the price was great! We had so much pizza left over even with 4 people eating it. I think the thing that makes it is the sauce. Delish! This is definitely a slice of NY pizza in the Midwest! I would definitely recommend giving it a try.
(4)
Joey T.

The Art of Pizza is no gallery or high society joint. Perhaps, it should have a different name, so people are not mislead. I've lived in NYC and New Jersey and this is THAT pizza. If you have had east coast pizza you know what I mean. I have had many pizzerias claim to serve NYC style pies. In all my travels throughout the mid-west, I couldn't find it. A guy at work here in KC gave me this tip. I told him "no way"..that everyone claims to have that special NYC "it". He said it was the real deal, so I gave it a try. I knew when I walked in that I found a special place. It reminded me of the city. That smell. That blissful smell. It's not in show. It's in the dough. (sorry). What I'm saying is the owner doesn't give you a lot of glitz, and fancy furnishings. He gives you original NYC pie. The crust, the sauce, the size, the oil (seeping out, have napkins), the cheese (which is how a lot, if not most east coast pizza is served) Just cheese. Never a fork, especially if your the mayor of the city. Hold the huge slice in half and go to town. The crust you will finish. It's a part of the slice you look forward to getting to. Through my experience of trying to find NYC pie, I'm convinced it's in the crust. Like a special water is brought in from the Hudson or something. This isn't the closest to NYC pie. It's it!
(5)
Jake C.

If there's one thing I love, it's New York pizza. Don't get me wrong, I like all types of pizza, but there's something about a big greasy thin pizza that makes my mouth water. Unfortunately, I haven't found a lot of good NY style pizza since leaving FL. Add Art of Pizza to that short list, because their pie was AWESOME. I found myself in Crossroads for first Friday last week, having gone for the Kultured Chameleon event (which was awesome). My genius self decided to skip eating that day, so I was pretty famished by the time we walked the few blocks to the restaurant. There's a nice little patio out back, but there wasn't an employee there to be found, just an open gate. The other two people in my party weren't sure if we should find a seat and wait for someone, or go in through the front, so we chose the front. Obviously, being first Friday, it was busy. We weren't greeted by anyone, or told to head to the patio. Nobody offered us a menu or any direction, so we walked out the back towards the patio and snagged a table. Their menu was limited due to first Friday (Pizzas, slices, garlic knots, and fried ravioli) which was ok with me. I can understand limiting your menu so your restaurant can run more efficiently during the rush, smart move. About 5-10 minutes later we had a server come by. No introduction, no small talk, just asked what we wanted to drink and then was off again. Drinks came another 5 minutes or so later, and we were noticing that there was only one server for the patio, and he was MIA for the majority of the meal. We ordered a large (18") pepperoni pizza, and an order of garlic knots. We sat outside, drinks nearly empty, for 30 minutes before our garlic knots came out. No apology for the slow service, again, no small talk, nothing. Now, I get that you're busy, but that doesn't give an excuse to ignore your customers. Thankfully, the knots were at least tasty. Another 15-20 minutes pass and our pizza finally arrives. Dishes here are all disposable. Paper plates, plastic cups, etc. I have no problem with this, but if you're going to be serving me greasy pizza, at least have napkins at the table and plates that won't soak through with grease. Both of these things were absent from Art of Pizza. We had to ask for napkins, and when they were brought out we got ONE EACH. The plates soaked through with pizza grease by the second slice. Had that pizza not been DAMN GOOD, I would be giving this place a MUCH lower rating. Service was attrocious, unprepared, and unhospitable. The food was good, but I definitely won't be dining in here again.
(4)
Greg L.

The.only thing artistic about this pizza joint is its location. Pizza and calzone were mediocre at best. My friend and I were served each other's calzone but the toppings were so non-existent we didn't realize it until we were half way through. Even the kids were unimpressed with their pizza. Dinner menu is pretty limited if ordering for yourself which was excerbated by the fact that they didn't have bread for sandwiches. Seems like place might be okay for a quick and cheap slice during lunch break. Won't be going back.
(2)
Mary H.

Very disappointed here. It was a busy First Friday in the Crossroads, so the slow service was expected--our waitress was hustling. For slices, one topping only on First Fri --ok, I get that. Yet for the price of $3.75, I got a rather small slice that was precooked with some generic mozerella cheese thrown on top. The paper plate and plastic utensils are very cheap, the knife won't work to cut the crust. But the worst part was the bathroom--the toilet bowl hadn't been cleaned in...who knows how long? The one star is for the fresh chewy crust. Go to D'Bronx if you want great NY style pizza.
(1)
Neil T.

They bill themselves as "New York-style" pizza, and they're certainly similar to what I've had up there. As a dopey Midwesterner, I disqualify myself from making any deeper comparison. What I can tell you is that, aside from any question of perceived authenticity, this is the single best pizza I've had in Kansas City since moving here six years ago. Pizza isn't something this city does especially well. If you want barbecue, you're more than in business, but for almost any other kind of cuisine the frequency of awesome places drops from every few miles to every few school districts. The northland, where I live, suffers from particularly severe chain-rot, and I'm glad to have a job that takes me close to downtown and its lunch options - though my favorite pizza actually isn't concentrated there: one is in the northland (Leo's, St. Louis-style), one downtown (Art of Pizza, NY-style), and one on the southern tip of I-435 (Rosati's, a chain, incredibly). I guess that when pizza isn't your city's signature dish, you're as likely to find a quality pie in one region as in another. So, here's what I'll say about The Art of Pizza. I won't give elaborate descriptions of all the individual ingredients; that kind of reviewing can be valuable, but I find that it's not terribly useful for someone looking at trying a new restaurant. What I ate here was a well-assembled thin-crust made with what tasted like some damned fine ingredients. My personal topping tests - sausage, mushroom, and spinach, the three easiest to screw up - were all passed with flying colors. And if I can slip my monocle on for a second: food, like anything else, has character. Chain pizza's is usually indifference. This pizza's was pride. Its designer clearly cares about what he's doing, and his idea of a good pizza apparently lines up with my own. And, well, it seems New Yorkish. The drive from my office to Baltimore Avenue is a gauntlet of stoplights, but I gladly make it for this. Hopefully I've provided some motivation here. I can't superimpose TAoP on top of various bonafide NYC joints, but I can tell you it's some good stuff. Try it!
(5)
Carlos D.

I had driven by this place a couple of times and a coworker highly recommended the Philly so I gave the place a shot. I hadn't read any reviews prior to my visit and I had no idea what to expect. I can't remember what I ordered, but whatever I had was greasy... Too greasy. We had to take the food back to work because we waited nearly 50 minutes. We decided not to order pizza hoping we would have time to enjoy our meal at this really cool and jazzy restaurant. Maybe having to wait a long time added to my disappointment, but I think it was a bit too pricey as well. I'll give it another shot. This time, with time to spare.
(2)
Susan N.

Once in awhile I get a hankering for pizza. Good pizza. Preferably NY-style pizza. In my quest for the latter, I found out about the Art of Pizza - a pizzeria started by a guy from Brooklyn. So I went. The good: When I ordered, the slices came out oozy and hot, just the way it should be. The crust was a nice thin crust. None of that kooky corn meal on the bottom that the Greeks and Yugoslavians look to put on there. It wasn't a super thin crust but thin enough to be a true NYC-style pizza rather than Italian-style, so you get just a bit of that chewiness. The sauce was good. Flavorful with a mild sweetness to it. And the cheese was piled on top in greasy perfection. It was the perfect blend to just fold over and eat. The bad: The slices I got looked like they were cut from a smaller pie than I'm used to. Normally slices come from an 18" pie. These look like they came from a 16" or possibly 14" pie. While I could fold them over, it didn't look like there was much to fold over. Also, there was tax on the pizza slices. I know they're supposed to tax it but I'm so used to having the tax built into the cost of the slice. Maybe just a pizza pet peeve of mine. And why no oregano or garlic powder? Every proper pizza place needs to give customers the option of garlic powder and oregano. I don't think you even have the right to call yourself a NYC-style pizza place if you don't offer those as options. The ugly: Service. Try hiring someone that wasn't hit over the head with a stupid stick. I came in and immediately asked for two slices (I was starved!). The cashier then stands there. I'm looking over the menu because I was curious what else they have. When I look back at her, she then asks me what I want. Uhhh, didn't I just tell her? I said, "Yeah, two regular slices." To which she responds, "Anything on them"? No. How did she miss my order the first time when she acknowledged it (and I was the only one in the place)? Two slices = two regular plain slices. If you're not sure, verify it. Don't just stand around looking silly. She'd never survive a day in a real NYC pizza place. The verdict: Honestly, if this place was in NYC, it would just be an average place. It's a cute venue but you don't really go to a pizza place for the venue. I would go here if I were nearby but wouldn't go out of my way for it. But being that it's KC, I will surely be back.
(4)
Alicia R.

It's a cute shop with nice New Yorkish-style pizza. Only complaint was lack of syrups for specialty drinks. We ordered a white pizza with mushrooms and artichoke hearts, and it was quite good. I especially liked the crust - I would like to go again and try a pizza with red sauce. Was disappointed that chicken was not on the toppings list, but that's just a personal favorite. I wanted an egg cream, and my friend a raspberry peach Italian soda, but they only had the right syrups to make us both raspberry Italian sodas. I have heard of egg creams on rare occasion and was excited to try one - maybe next time. The advertised all-you-can-eat pastas on Mondays sounds pretty fun, too. I really enjoyed the interior - cozy with pretty lights and plants. There is one TV, which at the time was nice as they were airing the Big 12 Tournament. Server was nice.
(4)
Matt D.

I would have to say that The Art of Pizza certainly has some of the best New York style pizza in KC. They use quality ingredients, solid dough, and it's hand made to order. I was also impressed with our server. She did a great job (we had a party of 10) and there were two other filled tables. She was the only server and never let our drinks run empty. She did a great job. The only down side is the overall size of the dining room. It's pretty small, having maybe 8 or 9 tables plus some limited bar seating. Overall, I would certainly recommend it to anyone who wants a solid pie in the KC area.
(4)
Jeff E.

Perfect combination of crust, toppings and that wonderful sauce!!! Next time we're in KC we will definitely be stopping by for some of the best pizza I've ever had!!
(5)
Fred L.

Wow what a pie!!! Went there yesterday, and owner was very friendly and said to go with the pie, best you can get in KC. He was for sure right its the best you can get here in KC. I have been to new york, with an Uncle who lived there for many years, our favorite pizza out there is PizzaLand in New Jersey, which is featured on the front scene of the "Sopranos", After years of trying to find a similar pizza, I can say Art of Pizza is the real thing, and we thought that the Art of Pizza was better than Pizzaland. These are the real toppings, real high grade pepperoni, real top quality cheese, to many places switch out for the cheap cheese, they may have a Ny-style crust, but are using inferior cheese and inferior pepperoni. The pie was nothing short of awesome, and something I had been looking for years. I saw an article about the place a while back and have been wanting to get down there was in the area and really enjoyed our food and talking with the owner, What a place where the owner makes all the food himself, this is like being transported to a pizza place out in New York or New Jersey, after eating the food, you feel like you traveled out of town, and this kind of food isn't usually found here in kc, when it comes to pizza. Then at the end we tried the Chicago Beef Sandwhich. Wow it was incredible. I haven't had a Chicago Beef from Al's in chicago, but have heard how great that it is, I have had a couple places that said they had chicago beef and none of them were any good, after having this sandwhich, now I can see why people rave about this Chicago Beef from Al's in Chicago, this was a Huge Sandwhich, with some of the best tasting herbs on the Sandwhich, and truly best sandwhich I have had in a long time. Garlic Knots were also awesome, The owner was so friendly and was fun to talk with. He even let us try the meatballs, and they were incredible, besides the pie, ezcited to try chicken parm, and some other sandwhiches, I loved his red sauce and want to try the pasta on monday nights. Truly a real gem of a find here in KC, and a super pie, and overall wonderful food, can't beat it when you have an owner from New York, cooking your food himself and making sure the food is awesome.
(5)
Bill C.

As far as NY style pizza goes this place sets the bar. I have had a lot of real NY and Chicago style pizza in my life. Yep he makes pie right back there. There is no frozen ingredients. You should really try the Strawberry, Pecan, Spinach salad too. I am a repeat customer. We actually have a number great pizza places in the area. But this is the best.
(5)
JenelleandJustin L.

We have been there quite a few times and have been happy with our food every time. We have had the Chicago beef sandwich, which is pretty tasty. We have also had a few different pizzas with various toppings. The pizza is huge, great sauce..not too much, and good (not sweet) crust. The owner is there and makes the pizza and sandwiches fresh and while he's not the warmest, most friendly person he is knowledgeable and what you would expect from an Italian pizza shop owner. This is definitely not the place to go if you are in a hurry at any time of the day, the food is fresh and made to order (unless you get a premade slice for lunch) so expect to wait. Since there is usually only the owner and one other person working it may take a bit for them to make their rounds.
(4)
Angela K.

There's nothing that irritates me more than businesses who don't religiously abide by their advertised hours. It's kind of a self-fulfilled prophesy, no? Or a vicious circle. You want to leave and close early because there's no business, thereby pissing people off who show up to find you closed early. So these people will probably never try to go again during later hours, making you want to leave early and close. It's a bad habit of downtown businesses that I wish would go away. So, now that I've bored you with my pet peeve, I'll tell you about how I called The Art of Pizza on a Saturday at 4pm. I'm in charge of the social activities in my condo building and we were having a pool/pizza party that night. I decided to have The Art of Pizza delivered because I know it's pretty good and I wanted to support a local business. So I figure if I call at 4pm, they should be able to get a few pizzas over here by 5pm. And their website says they're open until 10pm on Saturdays...no problem, right? A guy answers and I ask him about placing an order for delivery. "I'm closing up," he says brusquely. I check my watch, then glance back at the website and say, "Oh...well..." and couldn't get anything out before he asks me what I want. I tell him about the pool/pizza party and am just about to get my MAD VOICE on when he says, "No problem, I'll cook them up quick and run them over myself after I lock up." Well, ok. That took all the steam out of my sails. He did, indeed, deliver the pizzas himself. I'm pretty sure he was the owner of the place. Said he needed to get to the Westport location because of the art fair. And all I kept thinking about was the poor people who would show up at this downtown location, thinking they'd get some pizza and he'd be closed. The pizza was pretty good. I'm not a fan of cornmeal on the bottom of the crust, but the pizza was tasty and a big hit at the pizza party. I'm a cheerleader for downtown businesses so it pisses me off when they just screw it all up for themselves. I think it's asking a lot of people to read your mind to know if you might be open or not. The hours you post should be the hours you do business. Period. Great pizza, though! And they deliver!
(4)
robert m.

We ate here on New Year's Day, pretty much because we couldn't find anything else open. We called ahead just to make sure they were open, and then went down about 20 minutes later. Apparently there wasn't much business because he asked us if we were the ones that called (or he just asked everyone that came in). The 2 person booths were pretty small, but since no one else was there we switched to a bigger one (but i think the table was broken). Anyway, we were talking with owner and he seemed pretty cool. Since it was just 2 of us, we tried to get him to make a small pizza, and he said he did the best he could (although, it was the size of the tray so i don't think it was any smaller than any other pizza he makes). we also got a salad, and it was very good. As for the actual pizza, it was quite tasty. A little on the greasy side, but nothing a few napkins couldn't help. I would definitely go back, and next time i'm trying the garlic knots.
(4)
Lilian O.

I'm not normally a pizza fan but this place dishes out an amazing white pizza! During the weekday, the shop closes at 7 PM and stops serving pizzas-by-the slice after 6 P.M. The traditional NY-style pizza is available by the slice and is smaller than the ones you'd find in NY. If you want to try one of those white pizza bad boys, you have to place an order for the whole pizza which runs $18.95. My fiancee and I definitely can't down a large pie, so the owner whipped us a smaller version of it for us and charged us half the price. It was still huge and we definitely could not come close to finishing it. Since it was past closing time and we were the only ones in the shop, we boxed up the rest to go. The owner insisted that we could stay and enjoy our pie and that he was in no rush to leave. We spent quite some time just chit-chatting about random things - why he got into pizza making, former careers, and reminiscing about New York. Cool guy with the full-on New York accent to boot too. Though the styles of pizza are completely different, I much prefer The Art of Pizza than the pizza place across the street. It's a no-frills shop that serves excellent pizza that takes me back to New York.
(4)
Michelle F.

I've never had a bad meal at Art of Pizza. The food is always great, it just takes for-ev-er to get. If you're on a tight lunch schedule, call ahead and get it to go. Today I had the lunch special, house salad, slice and a drink for $6.95. My husband ordered the meatball sub. We both really enjoyed the food. The meatball sub was so big he only ate half, the rest will hopefully be my lunch tomorrow!
(3)
Elaine D.

The Art of Pizza is horrible. If it's gone out of business, good, if not I'd never know because I won't set foot in the place again. The pizza itself was memorable only for the giant puddle of grease it generated. The atmosphere is tacky and gross. Particularly the cheesy fountain that gives the whole place the aroma of a moldy book. The staff was the reason I'll never go back.
(1)
Megan M.

I haven't actually had NY style pizza myself. The closest I ever got was New Jersey so I don't have a frame of reference to say if it's authentic but the pizza is stellar. Their garlic knots are delicious but you will want to ensure you will not be kissing anyone or can find your way to brush your teeth. They are full on flavor and so piping hot. Friends met for lunch the other day and while it took longer than your average sit, stuff your face in five minutes flat, and leave joint, we had a great time talking with the owner. He happened to be the only one on staff, which of course made service slow but we drank our beers and enjoyed ourselves. The wait was worth it with slices so big, they covered the plate. Covered with pepperoni and gooey cheese. Their calzones are delicious. Crust is crispy when you bite into it and then it gets nice and chewy like a great made pizza dough. The sauce is so good as a dipping sauce and also on the pizza. Not too hot, spicy or too thick. So if your in the mood for something a little better than your Hut, Papa or even the Domino, have the time and can enjoy a great little local business, come by Art of Pizza.
(5)
Nikki M.

There are so many reasons why I love The Art of Pizza... 1) This is REAL New York style pizza. The owner knows his stuff and has the accent to prove it! I went in and ordered a cheese pizza, he says "No, see you order a cheese pie!"... Got it! The works pizza is by far the best pizza I've had in my entire life! And I've eaten a lot of pizza given I'm dating a pizza addict. 2) The caesar salad is amazing, and cheap! 3) On the menu you'll see beignets. Now I love Beignets so when I saw this I was very excited. When I tried to order some he said "no, let me make you something better". What he brought me was called a Zepplie, the same concept as a beignet but made with ricotta cheese in the middle. Oh my goodness...I'll never be the same. Little puffy sweet pastries covered in powered sugar heaven! 4) Bread-sticks with cheese IN them! Enough said! 5) They remember me when I come in. The owner always says "Hey its Bettie Page". I mentioned once that I loved the White album from The Beatles, now it always plays when I come in to eat. Now that's some service! Here are the few draw backs: 1) They have weird hours. If you call at 7 at night and ask what time do you close the answer will likely be "when do you want me to close". 2) Its small and dont attempt it on a First Friday unless you have an hour or more to eat. Go early if you want a table. 3) This guy cooks the food all by himself and only has one waitress. So it's not going to come out super quick. Go when you have plenty of time or call ahead to order. For me the drawbacks dont compare to the quality of the food. If I want good pizza, this is where I go. The ingredients are fresh, the food is always hot because it was just prepared and didn't sit under a heat lamp for an hour. I can honestly say this is the best pizza in Kansas City!
(4)
Terra M.

This place is wonderful. The pizza is, like many of the reviews have suggested, simply delicious. The crust is perfect and does indeed have that edibility that you can only normally seem to find in the very wee hours of the night when NYC seems to be sleeping and only two things are really bothering you: Where did I leave my undies and where do I get a good slice of pie? YUM. It is funny to hear purported east-coasters complain about the service. Why is this funny? Two reasons come to mind more quickly than two bees in the mating season: One: This sort of thing isn't supposed to matter to the folks who make it on the east coast and subsequently look down on their Kansas City brethren for living here. (scuse' me? You're here, too!) OR, worse, the people who have visited and come back as if they are the Naked Cowboy. Two: The guy who makes the pizza and answers the phone is the coolest person ever ... ever. If he is rude to you then you suck. Simply put this is head and shoulders the place to get pizza if you are remotely close and they are open.
(5)
John P.

I'm a pretty big fan of New York style pizza and think this is some of the best NY Style in KC. The pizzas only come in one size but it's huge and will last you a couple days I'm a big fan of the owner who is a real new yorker with a real new york accent.
(4)
Adam S.

Really great New York style pizza! Comparable to any standard pizzeria you would find in NY. As good or better than Da Bronx at a cheeper price and the slices are huge.
(5)
Kelly R.

To be honest, the food was worthy of 5 stars. My group and I (4 ppl) split an 18' pie on our own and it was plenty of food for each of us. Pefect size and the new york style was dead on. Quality ingredients and really tasty pizza!! We also tried the garlic knots which were heaven smothered in garlic and Parmesan, and the strawberry salad which was also really good. The prices were decent, too, so that was nice. Here's where our experience could have been better. The service was atrocious. Immediately when we walked in, there was only one other couple in the restaurant and we got a bit nervous considering it was a Saturday night. It took a few minutes, but the waitress came up to ask our drink order. They only serve wine and beer, so I asked what wines they had. The waitress responded with, "Whatever he got that day." I assumed 'He' was the owner. When I said, "do you have a reisling", she looked confused and had to shuffle over to the bar and check out each of the wine bottles. When I realized it wasn't one I wanted, I declined and had water which seemed silly considering the trouble I just went through. She didn't seem to know what beer they had as well and couldn't tell us anything about the menu. We asked how much the toppings were, she said it was on the menu. It wasn't. When we asked again, she responded with, "I think they're like, .75 or something?" I'm starting to wonder whether she really worked there or not. Then, she got our order wrong, but to be fair, we asked for 2 toppings on the whole pie and a 3rd topping on only one side. That could have been a little confusing and she was too busy thinking about how much she hated her job. Overall, the food was fantastic, the atmosphere was a bit dead, and the service was barely there, so if I were to visit again, I'd just have to prepare myself for the latter. The new york style pizza might just be worth it.
(3)
Celeste L.

This is one of those places that took some time to grow on me, but now that I've settled on what I like to order, I'm a fan. Their lunch special isn't exactly cheap, but you get an enormous slice of pizza, a good-sized salad and a drink. If you're lucky, they have homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing on hand. I've also discovered that they have ridiculously delicious lemonade, but sometimes they run out. The pizza is New York style with a bread-y crust. I used to order the pepperoni, but it's pretty greasy so I switched to getting the cheese pizza. The service is, well, very New York. If you can wrap your head around that in advance, you'll have an easier time of it. I always walk in and get my food to go, so I have no opinions regarding their delivery or dining room service.
(4)
Joseph L.

Im giving this only 4 stars because this review is based on one visit only. Im from the east coast and Ive been searching for real NY pizza. This place is the closest it gets in Kansas City. The sauce, cheese and hand tossed crust remind me of the typical no frills pizza joint I know and love. If there is only one criticism, the crust should be a little thinner, but the actual taste of the pie is absolutley the real deal. Anyone from Philly, NY, NJ will be able to identify this as being *real* pizza. Dont be thrown off by the grumpy pizza maker. Its a small price to pay for authentic NY pizza.
(4)
caitlin j.

Stumbled upon this place and what a lovely surprise. NY-style pizza in KC, apparently. Sadly they were out of pizzas by the slice due to the time of night but the owner whipped up some delicious garlic bread knots with marinara for dipping and didn't even charge me because he felt bad they were out of pizza... Not that you should go here expecting free food, I mean, a guy's gotta make a living. According to rumor, this place stays open til 3.30am on weekends, serving full menu til midnight and 'by the slice' after that til close. If true, this means I'll be hungry all through First Fridays thinking of that tasty sauce. Oh yeah... going back for the pie.
(4)
Rick K.

I had a slice, it was fresh and good. The sauce was awesome. They were trying a new wing recipe and brought me free samples. Tasty and perfectly prepared. I'll be back.
(4)
Ryan A.

I was saddened when I rolled by this place for a slice some time ago and it was closed. I thought for sure it was a goner, a victim of pizza overload in the area. Too many pizzerias in a confined space, I thought. I'm glad to be wrong, because the pizza here is delicious. The New York style pizza at the place around the corner from Art of Pizza on 18th Street is really good, but despite being called New York style, it's not New York style in the way I tend to think of it. Art of Pizza nails it, though. Floppy, slightly greasy crust. Slightly sweet and spicy sauce. This is exactly what I expect from New York-style pie; and, of course, it's sold by the slice. The service can definitely leave something to be desired; it didn't used to be unusual to walk in and have the owner be the only person working, and if he was in the back making pies, you just had to stand there and wait. If you were lucky, he might acknowledge you with a, "Hang on, I gotta get these pies in the oven!" Friendly enough guy, and I can't really begrudge a fellow for wanting to finish what he's doing before coming over and taking my order; it's when on my very first visit he tried to dissuade me from ordering a couple slices because he was "out of slices" and would have to "make a whole pizza" and he "wouldn't sell the rest of the slices" because lunch was over that kind of bugged me. Isn't that a risk you take when offering slices? The sign didn't say slices were only available during certain hours (although I have seen signs say that elsewhere). In any case, he did sell me two slices, and they were awesome. He just didn't really want to. On subsequent visits, I noticed he'd hired some help. Probably should have done a more thorough job of interviewing candidates, though, as the lady I dealt with on two different occasions was absolutely clueless. Haven't been there in a while (since I thought they were out of business) and in the time since I'm sure his lone server position has turned over at least once. Need to get back.
(4)
Angela P.

Every time I go back here I love it. Consistently good.
(5)
Ted M.

Ordered a large pizza to go over the phone, not knowing that it would be gigantic. I was pleased to discover that this New York style pizza is the best pizza in the city. I'm a huge fan of the thin crust and would love to go back for a slice during lunch.
(4)
Brian K.

I was in KC for onething09 and we went out on foot in the cheek-numbing cold in search of a place to grab an early dinner. What did we find? THE ART OF PIZZA, a little NY-style pizza joint nestled in downtown Kansas City!! Loved the name... I figured that the owner/chef must be passionate about pizza!! Turns out he definitely was. TAOP is owned and run by a pure blooded New Yorker that moved to West LA, California then moved out to KC to escape the busy life. Apparently he was working alone that night and he asked if we minded using paper plates to safe himself the extra work of doing the dishes haha. We were happy to save him the trouble. If I can remember correctly, we had the White Pizza and the Fully Loaded Pizza. I'll never forget when he said in his recognizable new yorker accent, "See, you gotta get it right. In NY you never order a whole pizza, you order a pie." A valuable lesson learned. Both the pies was pretty darn good and the owner's funny comments along with the company of friends there made it even better.
(4)
Tim M.

Been driving by this place for a while on my drive home. Finally decided to try a lunch there. Went on a Friday at 11:30 and it was pretty quiet, a few people eating and coming and going. There was only one young woman working out front but she was handling things well. She quickly came and took our order and checked on us a couple times while eating to see if we needed anything else. I picked up the lunch special which is a drink, salad, and slice of pizza. I got the house salad which was a little better than your typical house salad which is iceberg lettuce and a slice of tomato. My slice of pepperoni, daring huh, was covered in pepperoni but wasn't greasy. Sauce has a little bit of sweetness to it which I liked. Friend I was there with had the Gyro which looked awesome, he said it was as good as it looked. I'll definitely head back to try some other items such as the Gyro and Stromboli.
(4)

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Address : 1801 Baltimore Ave
Kansas City, MO, 64108
Phone (816) 421-1888
Website https://www.theartofpizzakc.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:00 am - 7:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes

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Pizza

Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.

Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.

Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20^th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.

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The Art of Pizza

1801 Baltimore Ave, Kansas City, MO, 64108

The Art of Pizza Menu

Beverages

Starters

Salads

Hot Sandwiches and Plates

Cold Sandwiches

Pane Stuffata

Pizza

Calzone

Stromboli

Dessert

Healthy Meal suggestions for The Art of Pizza

Beverages

Starters

Salads

Hot Sandwiches and Plates

Cold Sandwiches

Pane Stuffata

Pizza

Calzone

Stromboli

Dessert

Angela K.

robert m.

Vera G.

Reed N.

Andrew K.

Charlie B.

Neil T.

Lauren G.

caitlin j.

Rick K.

Ryan A.

Angela P.

Ted M.

Brian K.

Kelly R.

Celeste L.

Joseph L.

Matt D.

Jeff E.

Lauren G.

Guillermo V.

Guillermo V.

Bridget D.

Neeca B.

Matthew G.

Amanda L.

Ben S.

Lauren H.

Mary S.

Nikki M.

Mary H.

Terra M.

Bridget D.

Audra R.

Sara S.

Todd L.

Brad D.

Erinn M.

Mark D.

Jennifer C.

Neeca B.

Matthew G.

Amanda L.

Ben S.

Lauren H.

Mary S.

B Y.

Amy R.

Hangon S.

Rachel B.

Sarah W.

Kyle L.

Caleb L.

Carlos D.

Joey T.