Mike L.
Yelp
For as awesome as Tony's Pizza Napoletana and their pizzas undeniably are, trying to get a table is a decidedly less than awesome experience. Not that it should be unexpected - it comes with the territory when a restaurant is so popular and heavily praised. What's more, it's not actually difficult to get a table - you just have to be willing to wait. However, I used to wonder how much faster it really was to order your pizzas to-go. You'd definitely avoid the wait for a table, but your food would still have to come out from the same kitchen. Except, little did I know, there's been a Slice House (with its own kitchen) right next door this entire time! Which now begs the question - how in the world did I not know this before??
In a way, coming here is like ordering directly from the back of Tony's. The space is pretty tight, with just enough room for a couple of people to order at the register and a couple more time wait in line. As such, you'll typically see a crowd standing around outside, but don't be deterred - most folks seemed to get just a slice, so orders come out pretty steadily. In total, I think it took about 45 mins for my order to come out, which isn't that much longer than some of the neighborhood joints I go to
-- NEW YORKER - Pepperoni, House-Made Calabrese, Fennel Link Sausage, Ricotta, Garlic, Oregano, Pecorino Romano, Mozzarella, Tomato Sauce...$36
(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/tonys-coal-fired-pizza-and-slice-house-san-francisco-4?select=0AKEJ_ZAhMHUadEXXDN2uA)
All in all, pretty decent! The trio of meats were great and I liked the bit of ricotta that was sprinkled throughout. but I wish this had some vegetables, even if it was just onions or bell peppers. As for the crust, it wasn't bad, but it was a got a little soggy towards the center.
-- CLAM & GARLIC PIZZA...$37
(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/tonys-coal-fired-pizza-and-slice-house-san-francisco-4?select=pzjRWNaw-Q5apUTxrrfFYQ)
Visually appealing, but rather underwhelming in taste. While the pizza had a nice, garlicky flavor, there didn't seem to be a lot of clam meat (Amici's has more, for example). Also, in an unexpected twist, the crust on this one was oddly tough and bland.
Much like their stature, one thing about Slice House that's notably different from Tony's is that the menu here is comparatively modest with just a half dozen pies and a handful of sub sandwiches. However, as it turns out, you can also order off of the menu from Tony's, which is handy if you're not all that enthused by the limited offerings here or if there's something from Tony's that you just really want to try. It also would have been helpful to know beforehand, as it very well would've changed my order (and possibly my experience). Alas, I guess it'll just have to be something for me to keep in mind the next time I come here...or just to order straight from Tony's directly.
THREE AND A HALF STARS rounded down for now (feels like ordering to-go versus eating immediately was part of the problem, so this very well could change the next time I'm here).