After trying and failing three times to eat at this restaurant because either they run out of dough(within one hour of opening)or the wait time is so ridiculous that we don't even care anymore anyway! we were fortunate to finally get the chance(thanks to the pizza gods because that's the only way to get it if you're lucky)yesterday and sadly I got alot of mixed feelings. now I have to get to the nitty gritty We ordered the Margherita pizza, and it came out hot and fresh. The dough was cooked beautifully it had cripsy and soft texture, but that's where it ends. The sauce is embarrassing, tastes raw and watery, and the only note I got out of it was salt. It actually seemed like it was having a hard time sticking to the dough, but there wasn't much of it on there in the first place. The cheese was flavorless. I really couldn't even tell it was there if not for the texture. The pieces of basil were just sitting there really with no purpose, and if you happen to bite one, they were too large, and the taste would be overpowering, and all you would taste is basil. I also don't get the theme of the restaurant. The waitstaff wears soccer jerseys and jeans, but they serve you asking if you'd like sparkling or still water like an upscale restaurant would. There's Latin music blasting in the background for ambiance, but is this supposed to be fine dining Italian? I am very confused about the theme or vibe of the whole place. It's quite off-putting. So, to the first time costumer reading this, I'll say it's definitely overhyped from the articles you read, and the wait is not really worth it. I'm not saying it's terrible and dont ever eat here, because obviously alot of people love it and thats great but i think it's just okay. It's not really worth it to go out your way. there's no fomo to be had. Also little thing that turned me off was the waitress tending a table next to us forcibly took a Gatorade bottle away from a toddler because its not their policy to have other drinks besides theyre own I thought that was very rude to do to a baby and a bit over the top I don't think a Gatorade bottle would of hurt your image that bad to depreive a toddler of their sugary beverage but hey, that's just an opinion.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 2
Mayukh Chakraborty
- ⭐ Swift Order Service: Despite the long wait time, the order service is impressively quick, ensuring minimal time spent hungry.- ⭐ Limited Menu Options: While choices are limited, each item on the menu is crafted with care and precision, focusing on quality over quantity.- ⭐ High-Quality Dough: The pizza dough stands out for its perfect balance of chewiness and crispiness, setting a high standard for Neapolitan-style pizza.- ⭐ Flavorful Toppings: Whether it's the classic Margherita, the bold Mariana Rustica with Mozzarella and Nduja, or the unique Oven Roasted Potato and Onion Pizza, each topping is bursting with flavor.- ⭐ Must-Try Nduja Addon: The inclusion of Nduja, a spicy spreadable pork sausage, is a must for adding a delicious protein element with a kick to your pizza.- ⭐ Worth the Wait: Despite the lengthy wait time, the exceptional taste and quality of the pizzas make every minute worth it, leaving a lasting impression on your taste buds.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: D O C Margherita
Chanel C.
The pizza here was very good - definitely a more unique type of pizza and they definitely know what they are doing. The cauliflower appetizer was also very delicious. The service was phenomenal. The staff also was wonderful at refilling waters anytime they got low which was much appreciated. The ambiance was okay - nothing special. Also, the music in the restaurant is kind of loud and while I enjoyed the throwbacks, it was a bit distracting for a small restaurant. Also they should develop a reservation system or call ahead. Since they are so small and only have about 40 seats, you will have to wait awhile in the evening. I would give 4.5 stars if I could though because the food was great - it is more other elements that could use some work.
Kimberly K.
Fabulous spot for fresh and delicious Neapolitan pizza. It's a cute small spot and you must line up before 5 pm to ensure you get a spot.
Claudia Manzo
The food here is exceptional. Our waiter was very nice and attentive. My one constructive feedback- we had 3 different serve members come by the table at least 10 times within the span of 10 minutes asking to clear our plates. I’m a slow eater, and honestly found it kind of rude to constantly be asked “are you done here?” When there was clearly food left on my plate and I was actively eating.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Eliyahu Kheel
Honestly, this is the best pizza in Maryland. Probably my top five pizzerias I've had anywhere.Unfortunately, it took me many visit attempts to be able to try it. It doesn't take much to accept reservations or to add people to the wait list over the phone/internet. That would help people not have to wait in the cold or potentially be turned away. And no quality would be sacrificed. The difficulty of visiting this place especially when I live an hour away makes it so I'll likely not return despite how good it is unless they change their reservation/wait list policies.
Laura Parra
Very bad costumer service. After calling them to make sure It was ok for me to go at 830 I drove 38 min and when entering to the restaurant they told me no more pizza. Had to head back home 38 min more. Really
Service: 2
Fabian Albiar
Pizza is ok not worth the wait...
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Hannah Choy
What a great addition to the neighborhood. Their pizza is fantastic, great wine list (short and sweet), unpretentious vibe, and the staff was amazing and so nice. Their desserts were creative and worth a try. Could work on their playlist though ngl, but that was the only meh thing about this place! Definitely on going on my list of “must eat places” whenever I visit Maryland.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Al M.
I've given this place several tries over several years. The pizza is ok, but not as special as many seem to think. Overpriced and overhyped.
Inferno is an Oasis in the desert that is suburban dining. It is clear that the quality of every ingredient is taken seriously, and the pizza is as good as any we have tried around the world. We lived in NYC for 10 years and as a pizza snob, this place could easily hang with the best in NYC. The service is excellent, and the only thing I am upset about is how long we waited to go here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Addy Grinnell
Get here early in service if you want to get in. This place is very busy and has very tasty food with some creative dishes. We really loved our appetizers like the sunchokes and fennel salad. We tried 4 of the pizzas and all are worth your time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nara Srini
Very small dining area. Cramped.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Margherita, Vanilla Soft Serve with Caramel
James R.
It's a different beast that what Tim Conte and I grew up with (both from Connecticut..). But the char and the crisp exterior and chewy crust is really really good. It's a bigger crust than Sally's or Pepe's, but he put his own spin on it... very good for the suburbanites of DC. In all the years I lived in the DC area in the 90s...pizza was generally horrid, fortunately you can thank the New Haven imports (Pepe's and Inferno) for rectifying that.
Kara Kline
I really want to love this place. The food is amazing, the service is the best this town has to offer. I just spent $160 for their tasting menu and it is underwhelming. Adding a salad or giving bread…putting some table cloths, flowers and candles on the table would make a huge difference. I spent the same amount at Iron Gate in DC this past weekend and left full, with leftovers and a hand written card from the server. Something is just missing- if you want the night to feel exclusive (have to sign up for email invites just to get an invite to make a reservation) make it feel exclusive. Then maybe I would be a repeat customer.
After trying and failing three times to eat at this restaurant because either they run out of dough(within one hour of opening)or the wait time is so ridiculous that we don't even care anymore anyway! we were fortunate to finally get the chance(thanks to the pizza gods because that's the only way to get it if you're lucky)yesterday and sadly I got alot of mixed feelings. now I have to get to the nitty gritty We ordered the Margherita pizza, and it came out hot and fresh. The dough was cooked beautifully it had cripsy and soft texture, but that's where it ends. The sauce is embarrassing, tastes raw and watery, and the only note I got out of it was salt. It actually seemed like it was having a hard time sticking to the dough, but there wasn't much of it on there in the first place. The cheese was flavorless. I really couldn't even tell it was there if not for the texture. The pieces of basil were just sitting there really with no purpose, and if you happen to bite one, they were too large, and the taste would be overpowering, and all you would taste is basil. I also don't get the theme of the restaurant. The waitstaff wears soccer jerseys and jeans, but they serve you asking if you'd like sparkling or still water like an upscale restaurant would. There's Latin music blasting in the background for ambiance, but is this supposed to be fine dining Italian? I am very confused about the theme or vibe of the whole place. It's quite off-putting. So, to the first time costumer reading this, I'll say it's definitely overhyped from the articles you read, and the wait is not really worth it. I'm not saying it's terrible and dont ever eat here, because obviously alot of people love it and thats great but i think it's just okay. It's not really worth it to go out your way. there's no fomo to be had. Also little thing that turned me off was the waitress tending a table next to us forcibly took a Gatorade bottle away from a toddler because its not their policy to have other drinks besides theyre own I thought that was very rude to do to a baby and a bit over the top I don't think a Gatorade bottle would of hurt your image that bad to depreive a toddler of their sugary beverage but hey, that's just an opinion.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 2
- ⭐ Swift Order Service: Despite the long wait time, the order service is impressively quick, ensuring minimal time spent hungry.- ⭐ Limited Menu Options: While choices are limited, each item on the menu is crafted with care and precision, focusing on quality over quantity.- ⭐ High-Quality Dough: The pizza dough stands out for its perfect balance of chewiness and crispiness, setting a high standard for Neapolitan-style pizza.- ⭐ Flavorful Toppings: Whether it's the classic Margherita, the bold Mariana Rustica with Mozzarella and Nduja, or the unique Oven Roasted Potato and Onion Pizza, each topping is bursting with flavor.- ⭐ Must-Try Nduja Addon: The inclusion of Nduja, a spicy spreadable pork sausage, is a must for adding a delicious protein element with a kick to your pizza.- ⭐ Worth the Wait: Despite the lengthy wait time, the exceptional taste and quality of the pizzas make every minute worth it, leaving a lasting impression on your taste buds.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: D O C Margherita
The pizza here was very good - definitely a more unique type of pizza and they definitely know what they are doing. The cauliflower appetizer was also very delicious. The service was phenomenal. The staff also was wonderful at refilling waters anytime they got low which was much appreciated. The ambiance was okay - nothing special. Also, the music in the restaurant is kind of loud and while I enjoyed the throwbacks, it was a bit distracting for a small restaurant. Also they should develop a reservation system or call ahead. Since they are so small and only have about 40 seats, you will have to wait awhile in the evening. I would give 4.5 stars if I could though because the food was great - it is more other elements that could use some work.
Fabulous spot for fresh and delicious Neapolitan pizza. It's a cute small spot and you must line up before 5 pm to ensure you get a spot.
The food here is exceptional. Our waiter was very nice and attentive. My one constructive feedback- we had 3 different serve members come by the table at least 10 times within the span of 10 minutes asking to clear our plates. I’m a slow eater, and honestly found it kind of rude to constantly be asked “are you done here?” When there was clearly food left on my plate and I was actively eating.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Honestly, this is the best pizza in Maryland. Probably my top five pizzerias I've had anywhere.Unfortunately, it took me many visit attempts to be able to try it. It doesn't take much to accept reservations or to add people to the wait list over the phone/internet. That would help people not have to wait in the cold or potentially be turned away. And no quality would be sacrificed. The difficulty of visiting this place especially when I live an hour away makes it so I'll likely not return despite how good it is unless they change their reservation/wait list policies.
Very bad costumer service. After calling them to make sure It was ok for me to go at 830 I drove 38 min and when entering to the restaurant they told me no more pizza. Had to head back home 38 min more. Really
Service: 2
Pizza is ok not worth the wait...
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
What a great addition to the neighborhood. Their pizza is fantastic, great wine list (short and sweet), unpretentious vibe, and the staff was amazing and so nice. Their desserts were creative and worth a try. Could work on their playlist though ngl, but that was the only meh thing about this place! Definitely on going on my list of “must eat places” whenever I visit Maryland.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I've given this place several tries over several years. The pizza is ok, but not as special as many seem to think. Overpriced and overhyped.
Restaurantji Recommends
Inferno is an Oasis in the desert that is suburban dining. It is clear that the quality of every ingredient is taken seriously, and the pizza is as good as any we have tried around the world. We lived in NYC for 10 years and as a pizza snob, this place could easily hang with the best in NYC. The service is excellent, and the only thing I am upset about is how long we waited to go here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Get here early in service if you want to get in. This place is very busy and has very tasty food with some creative dishes. We really loved our appetizers like the sunchokes and fennel salad. We tried 4 of the pizzas and all are worth your time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very small dining area. Cramped.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Margherita, Vanilla Soft Serve with Caramel
It's a different beast that what Tim Conte and I grew up with (both from Connecticut..). But the char and the crisp exterior and chewy crust is really really good. It's a bigger crust than Sally's or Pepe's, but he put his own spin on it... very good for the suburbanites of DC. In all the years I lived in the DC area in the 90s...pizza was generally horrid, fortunately you can thank the New Haven imports (Pepe's and Inferno) for rectifying that.
I really want to love this place. The food is amazing, the service is the best this town has to offer. I just spent $160 for their tasting menu and it is underwhelming. Adding a salad or giving bread…putting some table cloths, flowers and candles on the table would make a huge difference. I spent the same amount at Iron Gate in DC this past weekend and left full, with leftovers and a hand written card from the server. Something is just missing- if you want the night to feel exclusive (have to sign up for email invites just to get an invite to make a reservation) make it feel exclusive. Then maybe I would be a repeat customer.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5