October 02, 2008
The Cubic Zirconia in the rough
Everyone loves Pizza Villa. Why? Because the food is good and the atmosphere is welcoming.
I must've driven by Pizza Villa a thousand times before I knew it was there on the corner of Congress and St. John. A friend suggested we meet there and I was all "Where is that?" Now that I've been, I go all the time.
There are some important things to know before you go. Half of the place is a pizza shop, the other is a bar. You can bring your kids, but they can't hang in the bar. You can bring your drinks to the restaurant side and your food to the bar side. The restaurant will allow you to use your credit card to purchase food, but you need cash for the bar. There is an ATM tucked back between the stairs and the pinball machine.
Who hangs out at this place? Mostly people not in their twenties, however there are some Joe Sixpacks around. The cougars sniff out their Drakkar Noir and love on them. My boyfriend and I were at the bar long enough to tell him to order me a Jameson on the rocks. As soon as I walked to the ATM to get cash, a woman wearing a denim skirt, belly shirt and big hair zoned in on him, touched his arm and said "Oooh. I like your tattoo. Do you have more?"
I would've beat her ass if I didn't think it was so funny. Really, the crowd there is great. I've heard some of the most bizarre stories when eavesdropping in on conversations. The bar is very welcoming, so you'll find all types there. When I say all, I mean ALL. And the owner, Phil Regios, takes pride in their diverse crowd saying "all kinds of people feel welcome here." I'm pretty sure that's because everyone that works there is the nicest person you've ever met.
The most crowded times are between 5-8 pm. Lawyers, plumbers, secretaries and other working folk stop in for a few after a hard day's work. The bar serves draft beer (Shipyard Export, Coors Light, Allagash, Budweiser, HSA and Molsen), local beers are $4.25 and domestics are $3. Pitchers are equal to 2 pints (32 oz) and cost a dollar less than if you'd bought 2 pints of beer. Bottled beers include Woodchuck Cider, Michelob Lager, Mich Light, Budweiser, Bud Light, BL Smoothie, Coors Light, Miller Light, Rolling Rock, Twisted Tea, Corona, Corona Light, Sam Adams, Amstel Light, Heineken, Heineken Light, Becks, Pilsner Urquell, Red Stripe, Geary's Pale Ale and Guinness. There are also mixed drinks, but they don't serve 'em in the tall glass.
If you're hungry, the kitchen is open from 11 am-12:30 am. Menu includes a variety of 10-inch pizzas (Garlic Pie, mmmm), calzones, salads, wings, spaghetti and a variety of sandwiches. You can get your fill for under $10, easily.
After you've eaten, have at the board games - Scrabble (with dictionary), Backgammon, Cribbage, The 80's Game, Othello or play cards. Who's up for Spades? I love Spades - why doesn't anyone in Maine play that game? I'm going to start a Spades tournament up in that piece and then you'll all love Spades. If you don't want to play, watch the game on any of the 5 tellies. A seat at the bar or a nearby table is good for viewing.
There's also a smoking deck on the back. You can take your drink with you, too. You wouldn't expect to see it, but there's a beautiful arrangement of flowers on the prison-style windows. The flowers certainly steal your eyes from the otherwise not-so-savory view of the St. John Street area.
Pizza Villa is the diamond, scratch that, Cubic Zirconia in the rough.
Comments
Great review! I lived next door to Pizza Villa for a couple of years, and becoming a regular there is definitely fun. Even though it's been a few years I still stop by every couple of months, probably my favorite bar in Portland.
Posted by RoryOctober 4, 2008 05:46 PM
Ah the Villa. It took me way too long to discover that place. Good stuff.
Posted by KillerOctober 6, 2008 04:23 PM
Go eat some more bread and cheese. The nation is obese and there is another glowing review for fat and carbs. Bet those cougars would take your boyfriend away if they didn't eat crap.
Ca$h only indeed.
Posted by Daniel HowesOctober 7, 2008 08:37 AM
Go eat some more bread and cheese. The nation is obese and there is another glowing review for fat and carbs. Bet those cougars would take your boyfriend away if they didn't eat crap, and drink poison.
Ca$h only indeed.
Posted by Daniel HowesOctober 7, 2008 08:38 AM
I love the Villa as well! The man above was obviously turned down by a Cougar at the Villa and is very upset about the whole situation. Hey buddy, me and some hot (in shape) friends were gonna have a pizza/cheese stick/dark draft beer/doughboy party to celebrate the fact that we don't fall into the generalized category you speak of, "nation of the obese". Afterward, we were gonna burn a few copies of "Fast Food Nation" and then critique "Super Size Me". If you want to heal your wounds from that whole cougar let-down, you are more then welcome to join us. But, I am gonna be frank, we will be eating red hot dogs.
Posted by Patty O MeanOctober 7, 2008 09:56 AM
Hey Patty enjoy that Heart Surgery from eating all that crap. While your at it enjoy all the other problems associated with Dairy.
Considering a lot of these are female problems you will definitely want to read the list below:
Acid Blood
Acne
Asthma
Attention Deficit
Autism
Baby Allergy
Bedwetting
Bone Disease
Breast Cancer
Brucellosis
Camplyobacter
Cholesterol
Colic
Common Cold
Congestion
Constipation
Crohn's Disease
Death
Depression
Dioxins
Ear Infections
Early Maturity
E-Coli
Fat
Food Poisoning
GMO Milk
Growth Hormone
Headaches
Heart Disease
Heartburn
Infertility
Iron Deficiency
Irritable Bowels
Irritability
Juvenile Delinquency
Juvenile Illness
Kidney Stones
Lactose
Lactose Intolerance
Leukemia
Listeria
Lou Gehrig's Disease
Lungworms
Mucus
Migraines
Mastitis
Menopause
Mood Swings
Multiple Sclerosis
Obesity
Osteoporosis
Ovarian Cancer
Pesticides
Salmonella
Saturated Fat
Stroke
Stomach Aches
Sudden Infant Death
Testicular Cancer
Tuberculosis
Uterine Cancer
Wiscowsinitis
Xanthene Oxidase
Zits
May I suggest
http://www.notmilk.com
TTFN
-Daniel Howes Representing for all the good of the world and fighting evil scum every day.
October 7, 2008 06:08 PM
DANIEL: Your negativity and bad energy will poison you long before food ever will.
READERS: The Pizza Villa is a fun and very comfortable place to be; great pies and fabulous bartenders. It has an eclectic and loyal family (clientele) that has been frequenting the establishment for years. It is a place where good times and sad losses are shared and there is always a game on.
See you there, Cathy
October 8, 2008 09:02 AM
We visited Pizza Villa during our Maine vacation in August 2007. The chicken pizza was to die for. I doubt if there is a drink the bartender cannot mix. Every local should give Pizza Villa a try.
Cal and Ann
Florida
October 8, 2008 09:39 PM
I gotta check this place out soon!
I love a good pizza & beer with friends!
Posted by linquiniOctober 9, 2008 08:23 PM
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OMG! I used to play spades all the time. Course that was way before I was old enough to try a BL Smoothie. (Gag!)
Posted by KarenOctober 3, 2008 01:57 PM