HOTLIPS Pizza - Hawthorne

https://onthegrid.city/portland-oregon/hawthorne/hot-lips-pizza

On the Grid : Hot Lips Pizza

"One of six locations in Portland, this local chain offers seriously tasty pies. They tout that the ingredients are local, and this is cool, but mostly it’s the variety that sets Hot Lips above other pizza slingers. Pulled pork. Blue cheese, apple, and walnuts. Vegan cheese. Definitely a good option for vegans and vegetarians looking for more than a basic pizza. Oh, and they make their own sodas, in flavors like Marionberry and Hawaiian Ginger Ale." - Kevin M. Fitzgerald

https://pdx.eater.com/2023/3/28/23659395/hotlips-pizza-closes-three-locations

@eater

Hotlips Pizza Has Closed the Majority of Its Locations - Eater Portland

"Hotlips is strategically downsizing in the hopes that a smaller footprint, 'fewer, moving parts and realistic, attainable goals' will make the company more sustainable moving forward. Edelman and Yudkin will focus on their remaining locations on SE Hawthorne Boulevard and in the Pearl District, the former of which serves as the company’s central kitchen and HQ." - Janey Wong

@goop

"While it doesn’t garner nearly the lines of the more famous Salt & Straw, many locals argue that Portland's best ice cream is actually at Ruby Jewel. They have three locations (one in each major neighborhood, in Richmond, Downtown, and Boise) and while ice cream is as advertised, they’re really famous for their ice cream sandwiches, with flavors like lemon cookie with honey lavender, dark chocolate with fresh mint, and “The Chub,” their way-better take on a Chipwich."

The Portland Guide

"Hot Lips Pizza, Hawthorne by Kevin M. Fitzgerald. One of six locations in Portland, this local chain offers seriously tasty pies. They tout that the ingredients are local, and this is cool, but mostly it’s the variety that sets Hot Lips above other pizza slingers. Pulled pork. Blue cheese, apple, and walnuts. Vegan cheese. Definitely a good option for vegans and vegetarians looking for more than a basic pizza. Oh, and they make their own sodas, in flavors like Marionberry and Hawaiian Ginger Ale."

Christine Samara

Google

Noisy bubble gum chewer's music, I've had a better crust, tomato sauce is lacking full-body Pomodoro flavor. One of their most popular pies, spud and bacon, has too much cheddar and dripping with oil, overpowering the other flavors, The bacon is overcooked and the potato slices should be parboiled to cook evenly, mine were almost raw in flavor and crunch

Joe Reno

Google

*Disclaimer* was order through food delivery app. Wasn't terribly impressed overall. The pizza was too large for the box they put it in. The ingredients on their own were fairly bland but when all together slightly better. Got breadsticks and they were not good. Definitely would not order those again. Pizza I might give a second try.

Savannah

Google

Perfect local spot to grab a pizza on the go. We placed a to-go order to enjoy during an afternoon in the park. Hot Lips Pizza had our pie piping hot and ready to eat. They have a dedicated take away parking spot so pick up was easy. Staff was fast and friendly. You can do a food allergy happy dance because they have gluten and dairy free options available. We found a picnic table and filled our tummies with delicious pizza.

A. Hiram

Google

Hot lips crushes another Vegan pizza 🍕 If you love pizza and are also a vegan then this is the place to go. I will say, the pizza is actually even better the next day after a good crisp at 400° 😋

charlie hascall

Google

I love Hot Lips 👄 pizza! Fresh, local, and made right! Best ranch dressing in town! Owner is a awesome dude to talk to as well!

Karina Miatantri

Google

As a visitor to Portland, I was advised to try this local favorite. Tried a few slices and the bread stick. The vegan slice ($3.75) was my favorite! The vegetables were not soggy at all, it was full of flavour and definitely the most colorful pizza I've seen. The place also has many arcade games and book shelf. I read that they also do writing workshops. It's just a casual yet one of a kind place.

Craig Swoverland

Google

Stopped in yesterday for the first time. Interesting choices. Potato and bacon. Margarita and vegetarian were the chosen toppings. Everyone enjoyed the toppings. Had lots of choices of beer which of course goes with pizza. Soft drinks and other bottled choices also. Had pinball machines for the kids, shared book section and Great Wall decor to look at. Only reason for not giving a 5 star was that it was cold even after watching it come out of the warmer.

Varnishka KJTW

Google

We have been patrons for 11 years and a lot has changed, but the pizza is still top notch. We are not vegan, but still get the vegan slice every time because great food is just great. Heart still breaks about the best soda ever. Marionberry, you were my greatest love.

Veronica L.

Yelp

First time at this place. It was clean and everyone was welcoming. Options to buy by the slice or whole pizza. Vegan options as well.

Flory W.

Yelp

We're only here because we're doing a fund raising for my church, but I was wrong on the date, but we're here and we're also buying pizza for my family that we're visiting, so, oh! well! Surprising to see, there's parking on their lot, here on Hawthorne, when it's impossible to find parking! This is a bonus! I know right away what I wanted to order, and I showed the staff, which pizza it was, using my phone. We were able to order right away. We ordered 3 pizza. They were able to accommodate our half & half request. We also ordered 2 different types of salad. Both of them were pre-packaged in a cooler display nearby. One of the salad, was large enough for 4 servings (2 adults, 2 children). We were a little disappointed that we have to wait 25 mins. for the pizza, hubby should have called ahead (we were the 2nd customers there, 5-ish pm). Everyone enjoyed their pizza, including the picky-eaters and they each have seconds! The sliced onions weren't separated, (ends weren't cut-off) and people left them on their plates, not because they don't eat raw onions, but we didn't have knives.

Waylette T.

Yelp

I hate to give this place a one star due to the circumstances in which I tired it. (Story time) I ran into a guy who needed help with directions, in return for my generosity he bought me lunch dinner par say. We settled for pizza just to cut both our time short. I literally cried at his kindness because why were you so sweet, I hope life is treating you well. Anyways back to my review, one of the servers was extremely rude to my new friend however the female (forgive me if that is not your pronouns) server made up for it, she was a doll. Need I say both our pizzas were so bland, tasteless, stale and BURNT. I tried my hardest to scuff down the pizza to the point even my friend seen my struggle to indulge in such a HOTMESS and told me I did not have to finish it. Lol..like sir I am even more grateful for you

Alex W.

Yelp

Atmosphere: Casual spot with a few TV's Food: Pizza was good. Price: I got them on happy hour which was reasonable. Not sure if the slices are still on happy hour though. In general, not the cheapest but Portland pizza prices are out of control Service: Service was fine Parking: Don't remember

Horatio L.

Yelp

We had a most delicious pizza from HOTLIPS last night! Appreciate all the locally sourced ingredients, good balance of tomato sauce and other ingredients (to me, that's always the downfall for a lot of pizza shops not getting that right), and the crust was the best part, of course. Thank you for taking such care to provide a great product!

Cesar D.

Yelp

So many great pizza spots in Portland. Today we were hopping around the Hawthorne area and decided on HotLips pizza. My favorite type of spot, they have a nice variety of pizza, wine, beer and fountain drinks. They are very kid friendly, lots of seating, you can also reserve a part of the space for a private event. Be ready to bus your own table, no big deal, it's nice to help out. The pizza, is so tasty, nice size slice of pizza options or a full pie. I love the crust, its nice an thin but just has the right crisp level. We had 2 pepperoni slices. The pizza sauce is one of the best that I have tried in Portland within the various pizza shops. We also tried the oversized Parmesan bread stick, it had a little garlic, you can also get your favorite dipping sauce, we tried ranch and side of marinara sauce, to good to pass up. You are greeted with a smile by the staff, the person at the counter was super friendly and very efficient, it was the lunch rush, he did a great job managing the customers. Wish I had a HotLips near my home.

Sabrina H.

Yelp

We've been going to Hotlips forever. I know I'd been before then, but my first memories of going there were walking with my friend's 2 year old daughter who refused to be in a stroller. She just graduated from college! The walk was just right, the pizza great, and they offered good salads, sodas, and beer and wine options. Guess what has changed in 20 years? Very little!! I miss the seasonal berry sodas they made, but the pizzas are just as delicious, the staff helpful and kind, and the delivery is super efficient. Now my son, who is a teen, wants Hotlips all the time. And I have no argument with that!!

Shane W.

Yelp

We tried the 2024 pizza week slice here - Asparagus Ricotta Truffle. It tasted great. We're a little unsure of asparagus as a pizza topping, but otherwise, this slice was fantastic. The house sauces were amazing too.

Samantha E.

Yelp

Stopped in for my birthday slice got the chefs choice & a garlic breadstick. Pizza was nice a crispy and delicious only thing I wish was the marinara for breadstick came hot but other than that was very tasty.

Kymil P.

Yelp

Hot drizzly kinda oily ish but the yummiest (oh you've been a very bad, naughty little) pizza you ever did taste and quick!!! It's good. Recommend standard ready to go pepperoni but can't go wrong. They are super sweet. And yeah, ambiance, idk, I walk with my pizza and it doesn't make it with me to my destination. Nuff said.

Ronn S.

Yelp

Well it's Pizza week in Portland OR and many of the pizza parlors are offering $3 slices and $24 pies . With that said I've been eating lots of pizza and today I tried HOTLIPS Pizza on Hawthorne and ordered two slices of their ricotta - garlic- scallion - asparagus pizza with truffle oil ! If those ingredients don't make you hungry then your not of this world I truly enjoyed my lunch with a bottle of hand crafted root beer... Lastly the crust was perfecto! Bon Appetite Ronn just Ronn The hole in the wall food guy

Billy R.

Yelp

Gluten free pizza was good. We're pretty picky about the crusts, mainly getting our own from a place in Oakland. It's nice to have a local spot that doesn't have a heavy sour dough taste. We got a cheese, spinach and black olive light on the sauce. For our nondairy fam, a gluten free bacon and olive oil. We've already been back. I called ahead to ask what was in their flour and they were really nice about it, even though I gave them an out and said if they were too busy they could tell me to shove off. Drivers like tips in cash.

Yvette G.

Yelp

The pizza itself is alright not the best pizza I've had in Portland but good if you are already nearby and looking for something to grab quick not something I would actively search for though. It is kind of overpriced for what you get and the slices in the pizza are crazy different some are quite small and others are like 3 slices in one. The salad would have been great if their ranch wasn't so watery it was by far the worst Ranch I have ever had. Overall I probably wouldn't recommend this to someone looking to get a good pizza but if you are in a bind and need something it is decent.

Makenna R.

Yelp

Great pizza! They were open on this cold and icy day and hot pizza was the move. Nice people, delicious pizza, and it's a family business! Will definitely go here again. The whole fam loved it and their gluten free pizza crust was the best gluten free crust my mother has had! Yum.

Stephen T.

Yelp

After walking Hawthorne for over an hour, we came upon Hotlips Pizza. It was an easy stop with plenty of seating and a short line. We ordered 4 slices, 2 pepperoni and 2 cheese and we weren't disappointed. The pizza took only 5 to 7 minutes to come to our table. I loved the seasoning, cheese, and pepper shakers which made the slices zing! Great job Hotlips!

Betsy G.

Yelp

Instant gratification at a great price from nice people. Pizza is totally fine in my book. I come often.

Paul K.

Yelp

Too Hot To Boogie! This spot does have some hot pizza and I mean the temperature when it's fresh out of the oven. I've had this place on multiple occasions, typically on Fridays. Every time, I think this pizza can always be better, but it's not terrible. In the great words of my mom, "Not bad". There are so many different topping variations that I have tried and all of them are just okay. There wasn't a topping variation that was out of this world experience. So, if you are in need of a quick pizza, then you definitely want to come to this spot!

Jennifer P.

Yelp

We were sad to realize that our preferred Hot Lips location had shut down. So we tried this location and it did not disappoint. We love Hot Lips pizza and this is our new go to spot. The pizza is the best NY style in the area! Great service, beer selection, seating and service. Thank you!

Adaminski C.

Yelp

So I ordered a pizza w pineapple and jalapeño... the whole pizza had like 6 or 7 slices spread out... imagine a 12" pizza and they put like 1 or two small pieces randomly somewhere. Is the attitude like " hey, not false advertising, I can take a picture and shows it exists?!" Or is the idea it I eat an ENTIRE SLICE IN ONE BITE and I will encounter the tasty spice? "Hey, we said there was a jalapeño on there, mission accomplished "... hey, why don't you add more than a 1/4 of a pepper on there (if that)? Dice them or something, spread them out... if I ordered a specific ingredient and paid for it, why make it so scares? Hey man, it had a slice on there, we lived up to our obligation."

Jane D.

Yelp

Second time the order was incorrect. Pizza had marinara sauce when asked for garlic parm. ( tomatoes allergy). Hot Lips was the best in Portland at one time, but for the cost and distance to go , not worth getting a subpar pizza

Dun G.

Yelp

What happened here? Haven't been in in a while and the food has really gone down hill. The staff is still super fast and kind but the food was really bad. The quality seems to have gone down a lot :( a huge bummer. I'll try again in a few months to see if it was just an off day and put it back up to five if I can but it really seems like the quality has just gone down and the price has gone up.

Carly G.

Yelp

Hot lips is the best. I love it. Nothing can compare to Hotlips. Every employee at every location is kind and understanding and human. Every piece of food is delicious and fresh and amazing. The sodas actually bring tears to my eyes every time. And the ambiance is also great too. I literally love hot lips so much that I could cry. Go here.

Don L.

Yelp

Very friendly staff and the food is great. Passion fruit guava cider is the flex. Music was dope too, they were playing Juicy Fruit by MTume. Will definitely be back.

Keely N.

Yelp

HOTLIPS is my favorite vegan pizza shop in Portland. I'm honestly confused why the ratings are low because they definitely deserve higher ratings due to their delicious vegan pizzas and salads. I'm constantly switching between the vegan supreme and nirvana! super delicious and light.

Kylee H.

Yelp

When you get fresh pizza from this place it's good. Unfortunately the last two times I have gotten pizza from this location it was clearly old pizza they reheated. We were even 5 minutes early for pick up and live across the street and when we got home the pizza was cold.

Heather S.

Yelp

Order yourself a pepperpineapeno and thank me later! Pepperoni, pineapple, and fresh jalapeños. Ask for some house-made ranch if you're into that sorta thing.

Chase M.

Yelp

I will always love hot lips!! It's not the most authentic, but it doesn't want to be. The pesto bread sticks are amazing, I mean beyond good.. see photo The deep dish pizza is great, it's more of a foccacia cheesy bread really as I get it without the tomato sauce, salt and cheese and a topping. Their pepperoni is very very good, veggies are fresh (almost too fresh for pizza) but I am not a huge fan of their standard pizza. Also 5 off 20 coupons for Chinook book gets you a deep dish sheet pizza for 21$ out the door and that's a good deal these days!! A must try are the sodas they make in house and the memosa that uses this same soda plus cheap bubbly wine ;) Great for family and adults alike, we all love pinball. Couches and booths are a big bonus as well IMO. Keep doing your thing Hot lips and we will keep on stopping in for that thick sheet of deep dish pizza love.

Sofyan S.

Yelp

Honestly....The pizza is very dry and stale. Not tasty at all. I'm not sure they care because business appears to be busy. I ordered a vegan slice and a chicken/wheat slice. The cheese and ingredients were not remotely fresh. The crust was inedible. Perhaps, I got unlucky and would have had a better experience had I ordered a personal pan rather than the slices. However, it is the restaurant's responsibility to not sell stale slices. Despite the food, in terms of ambiance this place is great. Really cool minibar displays, paintings, and even pinball machines. Also, the servers were pretty upbeat! Just wish the food was better.

Matt L.

Yelp

Very good pizza. Nice people working. Ambiance was ok: I liked the music but it wasn't really a place to hang and it could really use a nice patio to be useful as a dining spot in this area. Price point is good. Will be back.

Erik K.

Yelp

Great pizza with a great small pizza shop vibe. The staff was incredible, food was priced really well, and the taste was fantastic!

Jennifer L.

Yelp

Stopped by during pizza week for a slice. Nice open place with friendly employees. The pizza had a great flavor and nice crispy crust. Also tried the vegan pizza which had lots of different veggies. A different take on vegan, but pretty good. Gave me ideas for home.

Dan G.

Yelp

It's a solid pizza spot and they also do gluten free pizza which is always a requirement in our house for some. They also have excellent garlic knots...if you are looking for a slice and beer it's an easy spot.

Richard F.

Yelp

Great pizza parlor environment with lots of pinball machines and seating in the main dining room. Friendly staff and unique style pizzas along with the classics to pick from. We ordered the lunch special of a breadstick and a slice of pizza, which for us was the asparagus and bleu cheese as well as one each of the pesto and cheese breadstick. Additionally we tried their fresh marionberry soda. Everything was great and would try other flavors of pizza again.

Valerie S.

Yelp

Ordered Veggie Nirvana. Half the crust was completely burned. Yet pizza soggy in the middle. Ranch dressing for breadsticks the consistency of skim milk. Because pizza was burned on the bottom had to throw it out. Would not order from this restaurant again.

Carolina E.

Yelp

3 strikes. I'm done. Used to be my fave...for a decade. Now the pizza is a slam-bam with very little sauce, burnt crust, minimal, lower quality pepperoni (yes, we can tell when you downgrade quality!). Had to throw out my last two pizzas, they weren't edible. $40 gone. And that was a cheese and a pepperoni. Simple, right? Something has gone very, very wrong at Hot Lips. Won't be returning. Ever.

Jody T.

Yelp

5July20 @ 5:30pm We had BBQ chicken delivered. Pizza arrived on time and slightly warm. Nice chunks of chicken that had a nice bbq taste and good texture. The crust was good as was the bbq sauce which had good spice to it.

Spencer K.

Yelp

I'm no pizza expert but I sure do enjoy a good slice. Its also twice and nice with a beer and a solid price. Hot Lips on Hawthorne is Thrice as Nice with right kinda slice, price, and nice staff. Like that John fellow who works there, is he just like the nicest person in Portland or what? Just a real feel good guy who directed me towards a nice pie option as well as a solid choice on a couple beers. That breakfast pizza is effing awesome... though it seems to be fairly absent lately. Doesnt matter, all their stuff is great and it hits the spot each time.

Connie C.

Yelp

I've been truly impressed by the pizza pie this town turns out, but there's something about Hot Lips that keeps me coming back. Even when I'm not even hungry. Just the sight of the red kissed sign makes me hungry for some of their thin crust pizza. Maybe it's the homemade sodas made from NW fruits. Or maybe it's the cookies baked in house. Or even maybe it's the hot lips bottled hot sauces that I douse the pizza in. Maybe it's the creative toppings like squash sauce, broccoli, pulled pork, and hazelnuts. Maybe it's just that little loyalty punch card. Well whatever the reason...It just can't keep me away.

Hannah A.

Yelp

I order online whenever their system allows. However I was told that my location 'is right on the edge' of stores and then their system resets. About a year ago the manager of this store said to just call and let them know if it's an issue and they will just waive the fee. (I was able to put in 3 online orders, other times it said I was out of range online but not when I call) I hate to call because it's always an ordeal. I would explain the manager said they can waive the delivery fee ($5) because it's not working. They always put me on hold and usually waive it. This last time I called and was putting in my order, letting them know the situation and the person said the computer just reset which must be why. I said it's ok..and proceed to do my order. Then we get through and that $5 charge is there. I question it and was told I can get a discount. I thought it was getting waived and it was. $2.50 discount. I decided to not to order as overall the vegan pizza isn't really worth it. I have to ask for it with very light cheese and sauce otherwise it's almost inedible. (Also, the price of the 10" would vary from time to time)

Carlos J.

Yelp

After a day of tooling around Portland with my family, we decided on some pizza to take home. We ordered two large. They were, in fact, large. Really large. We also got pesto bread sticks. Both pizzas were just superb, even after the hour-long drive home and being reheated!

Nonya N.

Yelp

Rude unfriendly staff will ignore you and continue their conversations even if you are the only customer in the store. The pizza is mediorce at best and way over priced for what it is. So that makes it a typical Portland pizza shop. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else for pizza.

Johnny I.

Yelp

The quality of the pizza is good as usual. I'll probably order again. I ordered it with no olives though. The problem is I got olives. Now I have one person in the group who can't eat the pizza. I regret tipping you 20% when I placed the order. Thanks for ruining her dinner.

Lex J.

Yelp

Workers are very friendly and welcoming here. I had two slices of pepperoni and they were delicious! They use larger slices of pep that are very tasty. Their sauce is good and doesn't taste like sugar. They have a few beers on tap as well. There's plenty of seating here and a decent bit of parking. Pricing could be a tad cheaper but I think I may just start to be turning into my father b/c I may hear a squeak from time to time when I walk lol The service here is great. The workers are friendly and welcoming. We like this place b/c it's just down the street from our apartment so we may be slightly biased. They've got TV to watch the game. Decor is nothing to write home about. Feels like a pizza joint but feels way cleaner than one from back home (NY) lol

James A.

Yelp

great veggie options and all 3 pizzas I ordered were a hit with the folks we got together. Much more interesting variety than big chains.

Eloisa C.

Yelp

They have really good pizza here we came in here wanting to try this place out, nice customer service love the family feel to this place and the pinball machine, the pizza is really good we only ordered the pepperoni since we where not sure if we would like it, it turned out pretty tasty everyone was pleased we will be returning !

Javaun S.

Yelp

I love this place.... best pizza spot in town. Great management, clean, officiant. - JS

Megan M.

Yelp

We got in late and wanted a place to grab a couple slices, and came upon HOTLIPS. If I hadn't been so tired I'd have stayed and played all their pinball machines! I had no expectations for their pizza and was pleasantly surprised. Their regular crust is really good (nice amount of cornmeal on the bottom), and there was the perfect amount of cheese and sauce. I got a slice of the whole wheat crust, too, but was too full to eat it. They also had a good selection of vegetarian and vegan offerings as well.

Nina N.

Yelp

This place truly does live up to the hype. Who doesn't love a crispy pizza with great fresh flavorful toppings and pin ball games to boot. They have an awesome soda, wine, and beer selection. And there are always good deals going on if you're heading in there later in the evening. It's my number one pizza place in Portland and worth every penny!

Leo G.

Yelp

Thanks for being open and serving up really fine pizza at a reasonable price. We appreciate your warm and friendly service. For anyone who doesn't know it's super easy to call in pay in advance with a credit card they'll give you a pick up time you drop by and pick it up at The window Thank you to Elizabeth and all the other really cool people that work there and make it easy to get good food on short notice

https://onthegrid.city/portland-oregon/hawthorne/hot-lips-pizza

On the Grid : Hot Lips Pizza

https://pdx.eater.com/2023/3/28/23659395/hotlips-pizza-closes-three-locations

@eater

Hotlips Pizza Has Closed the Majority of Its Locations - Eater Portland

@goop

The Portland Guide