Big Mario’s opened at the end of last week. On Sunday, a sign on the door said “We sold too many pizzas,” and Big Mario was taking the night off. The ravenous patrons of Neumos, the Comet, the Wildrose, etc. would buy any kind of inexpensive, over-the-counter food; the roasted-corn stand has been doing a brisk business, and roasted corn isn’t a drunk person’s fondest wish. Pizza by the slice was bound to fly out the door; the good news is that Big Mario’s pizza is actually good.
Big Mario’s crust is thin but not floppy, except at the very tip; the bottom is toasty-colored, and a slice may have a blackened blister or two. The sauce is proper: almost salty, almost sweet, and sparingly applied. Toppings are not oversown; the pie with thin, tender slices of potato and dots of pesto is especially good. The prices—$2.75 to $3.75 a slice—are steep for Seattle, but the slices are huge.
Big Mario is a real person, as well as a real old-school pizza-man; he moved from Naples to New York in 1964, then worked in and ran a bunch of pizzerias there. The capitalist cabal that owns Big Mario’s—the owners of Caffe Vita/Via Tribunali, Moe Bar/Neumos, and the 5 Point—has Big Mario working on-site, where his accent lends authenticity to the operation. Big Mario is also on the walls at Big Mario’s, almost as big as life: In the front is a photo of him looking extremely fashionable in a white three-piece suit, red shirt, and gold chain circa 1971, while in the back is a latter-day Mario losing his mind with joy on the occasion of Italy’s 2006 World Cup victory.
Big Mario’s, the place—shoebox-shaped, a little bigger than shoebox-sized, where an auto garage used to be—best suits ’71 Big Mario. It’s a brand-new dive bar, if such a thing is possible, with brown pleather booths, a brown-and-gold mottled overhang above the bar, and vintage UFO-style light fixtures salvaged from the basement of the Rendezvous in Belltown. Further decor is provided by old backlit beer signs: In the front, it’s Miller Time; from behind the bar (overseen by a ceramic monkey), you are advised that Burgermeister is “SO MUCH MORE REFRESHING”; one of the bathrooms would like to remind you of the existence of Molson. There is a cross-eyed, mouthbreathing topless lady suffering from elephantism of the bosom painted on black velvet. Nearby is the stack of records for the (in-use) turntable and a shelf full of board games. The only modern-day giveaway: the flat-screen TV. If you asked a set designer to build you a dive, you’d be pleased with this result; same thing if you just wanted someplace for a slice and a beer. 
Big Mario’s, 1009 E Pike St, 922-3875
Coming from NY I had high hopes for BM. I was really really disappointed. I had two slices, a reg old cheese slice and a pepperoni. IMO the large slices were awkward and unnecessary, but I am sure will be great when I am drunk at 2am. I would rather a substantial crust than a paper thin falling apart monster sized slice. The cheese pizza was rolled out so thin that half of the pizza was just cheese and sauce and the pepperoni was charred to a barely edible condition. I will check back though to see how it goes. I just hope Mario really trains the staff making the pizzas. It really is an art form!
$2.75-$3.75 is steep for a big slice of pizza?
Coming from the NY area (grew up in SW CT, routinely down in NYC many weekends) I had high hopes for BM. I was very pleased.
It really tasted like me to very typical NYC pizza. I think everyone is spoiled on lush artsy pies like Pagliacci around here. Sometimes a cheeseburger is just a goddamn cheeseburger, and doesn’t need to be a grass-fed Kobe burger with magic seasoned bacon and ethical blue cheese. Sometimes it’s just ground chuck with a shitty bun and American cheese and ketchup, but damn: it tastes RIGHT.
That’s what a good NYC pizza is to me, and that’s what Mario’s tastes like. Right.
IMO Big Mario’s.
The thin crust and texture are near perfect. Crunchy yet not hard on the bottom with even texture all the way to the end (the pizza bone!). Above this is moist crust/dough via (perfect, not too spiced not too sweet) sauce soaking into it.
The amount of cheese is also near perfect, not too much too little, either direction can ruin a good slice. This pizza tastes like legit NY pizza.
HOWEVER: These prices are steep for how small (volume and shape) a product one receives. A NY slice is a lot bigger, YET, often can be a bit cheaper tasting. Not for the hungry lunch goer, but more for the perfect-hit the spot- late night drunk snack. Grab it on the way home and it cures…
CHARGE LESS OR MAKE THAT SLICE A LIL’ BIGGER. THIS IS NEW YORK PIZZA AT SEATTLE/CAP HILL PRICE. YOUR CHOICE.
P.S. Lovin that no bullshit menu.
For once I’d like to read a review of a bar/restaurant that is NOT with-in a 10 block radius of the Strangers office.
Lose the TV and its a keeper.