Carl S.
Yelp
According to our credit card records, we went to Patio Pizza 11 times in the first nine months of 2025. We had been going there since it opened. That doesn't make us regulars, but we liked it. It used to be a pleasant place with nice pizza. There was a chill, neighborhood vibe about it. You could have a conversation with friends over a pizza and beer.
A few months ago, they got a new manager and things started to deteriorate. "Neighborhood" started to give way to "loud and raucous". On our last visit, as it had been more and more often, it was loud enough that we couldn't talk to each other across a two-top without screaming.
Then somebody on the staff turned up the volume on a ballgame on TV to try to drown out the din. Which, of course, only made the people trying to talk yell that much louder to compensate. At this point, it was painfully loud. My ears were still ringing a day later. And I had my noise-cancelling earbuds in.
Two men at a nearby table complained to the manager about the noise. My wife chimed in, yelling "It's too loud!", accompanied by a "turn it down" gesture. The manager (not tall, bald, glasses, bulbous nose, beard) yelled at her, "No ma'am. That's just the way it's going to be!". Arrogant tone. Nasty expression, aggressive posture. Not, "I'm sorry, may I reseat you to a quieter table outside?" Just "That's the way it's going to be!".
I then started a conversation with the guy. Full disclosure - it was not a nice conversation at all. Really not a nice conversation. That tends to happen when people are aggressive with other people's spouses.
I told the guy that he didn't have the right to be rude with customers like he was. To which, his response was....... "Who's being rude now? You're y e l l i n g !!!"
Yelling. Yeah. About that.
The sound level in the joint was 102dB, according to the sound meter on my phone. If that's accurate, that's about 64 times the sound energy that OSHA allows industrial workers to be exposed to. (85dB is the limit. Energy doubles with each 3dB increase. Google it.) At that level of noise, permanent hearing loss can occur after less than 15 minutes of exposure. (Again, Google it.)
Do not go to this establishment if you value your hearing health.
Don't go to this establishment if you don't want to be treated arrogantly by this manager, or if you don't want to see him treat others badly. This wasn't just an off night for him. I've witnessed or heard complaints of him behaving rudely towards customers, employees, and business associates on a number of occasions. The consensus would appear to be that he's just a .... difficult personality.
People in the neighborhood have told us they think Patio Bar and Pizza "can't decide what it wants to be". If that means they have pivoted to being a screaming sports bar and need to part ways with their original clientele, I guess that's OK. Whatever.
Just be aware that it's not the place it once was.
If you're an employee of Patio Pizza, the phone number of the Fort Lauderdale area OSHA office is 954-424-0242.
P.S. Usually, I only leave glowing reviews of places that I think deserve it. As much as it pains me, sometimes I have to suck it up and leave one like this. For the same reason.