To say "pizza is life" is an understatement in my world. I'm always bugging my sweetie for more pizza, especially at places we've never been. After dropping friends off, we found ourselves cruising Fremont, hot for a veggie heavy meal. I saw the sign and suggested it. "As long as a salad is involved," was the compromise.
We walk in. The place is cute. They have old-timey Pizza Hut lamps over their front window tables. We were shown a menu of food and drink. Immediately I noticed their wine, particularly their BTG. We ordered a sparkling garganega frizzante and a Lambrusco. These are awesome selections and not found at most stupid chain pizzerias where choices are merely red or white.
Even their beer selections. Nothing against pFriem beer, but every pub in Portland has it. Red Sauce wisely features smaller microbreweries both by the bottle and on tap. (I also noticed some local non-alcoholic beer selections for those who still enjoy a pizza and beer but w/o the Alc. Good on them).
What really sold us were the little touches. Sweetie pointed out each table had a deck of playing cards. The table nearest to us...UNO.
We sat and the attentive staff took our order. We knew what we wanted, the house salad which had much more than boring "spring green mix with choice of dressing." It featured sliced oranges, pepitas, radishes, rainbow carrots and a subtle citrus vinaigrette that did not overpower. The garganega was perfect with it.
Several games of UNO were played. Sweetie cheats so a careful eye must pay attention.
Like many pizzerias of old, each table has a mini rack keeping the pies off the table. I commented that the racks also serve as 1/2 of a warming system if a candle was placed underneath.
The pie arrived. We always order the cheese on a first visit. This allows one to pay attention to the trifecta; crust/sauce/toppings. I immediately noticed it WAS NOT Sheppard's Grain which every local place is wont to use. I get it, sustainable, local, good owners. However, pies made with it tend to be more chewy, less crisp and without the snap when a slice is folded in half.
Without knowing, I suspect they are using Caputo 00 flour or similar. Not an inexpensive choice. Whatever it is, it works.
The char was perfect. Anybody who thinks their pizzas are burnt are idiots and their dogs hate them. The sauce pronounced itself but was not overpowering. The cheese ratio was spot on.
I commented to a staff member how nice it was to see proper char. He commented, "its part of our CHARm. Cute.
Earlier I mentioned lack of candle/warmer under the table rack. It wasn't necessary. The pie disappeared quickly.
The bill advised us a 20% gratuity was already included. Good for them. We added a touch more.
We will return.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Myronda Schiding
Love this pizza! Delicious crust, sauce, and cheese. We had great service, which certainly earned more than a 20% tip. As we played Uno and drank delicious wine, I saw many folks coming in for soft serve. I’m pretty particular about pizza and RS is definitely one of the best in Portland!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cheese Pizza, House Salad
Mark Mojdehi
Good pizza, about the same as Pizza Jerk and many other pizzas in Portland. Pies are more than most others and mandatory 20% tip for take out is absolutely crazy.
Will not return. If you care about workers, share more of your profits.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 4
Emily Van
We have loved eating at Red Sauce. Today we did their Pizza School and it was so fun. Shar is an excellent teacher and Rosie was so helpful. Patri who helped us schedule made it really smooth and easy. We would really recommend eating there but don’t sleep on Pizza School!
Update: The vegan hoagie is SO FREAKING GOOOOOODDDDDD! 🔥
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nick E
The single best pizza in town. High quality ingredients, fantastic combinations.
I’m never not craving it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kathleen Menard
It’s nice to have vegan pizza options in the neighborhood and the hoagies are incredible. Expect to be unamused by the lackluster service though.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 2
Jonathon Paul
One of my favorite pizza spots in the Pacific Northwest. Aside from the great story of the owner and her philanthropy, the pizza itself is worth the trip even if you trek over from the Portland suburbs or Vancouver area. Excellent crust, well fermented & complex in flavor, very mild yet full of flavor sauce, and excellent quality mozzarella. Good service; absolutely love this place; A+++
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Natani Mayday
Forced gratuity should never ever ever happen. Had I knon, I would have never eaten there in the first place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Anthony Yound
4th visit. This place gets better every time I swear! The special tonight was phenomenal. If you’ve never been here, get here!
Great neighborhood pizza spot with friendly staff.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gabriele Fajardo
I’ve always eaten red sauce out on the patio cause having a slice of their pizza and salad in the outdoors is my absolute favorite. Food has ALWAYS been a hit for me. The specials are what get me everytime, but a solid pep pizza makes me happy too. The sundaes and ice cream specials are just the cherry on top. Love that the patio is dog friendly, and Basil was a fan of finding ground scores around. LOL Although I juuuust moved out of Portland, Red Sauce was a staple in my pizza tour of the city. As a consumer, I don’t mind an automatic gratuity! It’s up to the business how they want to share or disperse tips. In my opinion, if that turns you off, there are other pizza places around the city you can go to.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Happyrock Coffee Roasting Co
AWESOME PIZZA! They also teach classes on how to make pizza! They are a valuable asset to the community.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Colt S
I am originally from Chicago, IL and love everything about pizza, and Red Sauce Pizza is the best pizza restaurant in Portland, in my opinion. And yes there is some gratuity tips included in the price, but wouldn’t you want to be sure your staff is able to get compensated what they deserve for their time and energy in making our community amazing pizza? This pizza restaurant is different than most in Portland. The owner really cares about mutual aid and supporting people in our community. Shar, the owner, gave me free pizza during a rough time in my life, and also provided pizza for some mutual aid events in time. If you want good quality pizza, and legitimately good people, go to Red Sauce Pizza.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anna Arroyo
In a town full of amazing pizza, Red Sauce is my favorite. Whenever we have visitors from out of town, at least one night is spent getting take out from here because it is always a hit! You pay for quality. 420 breadsticks a MUST.
Some of the best cheesebread in town.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 420 Breadsticks
To say "pizza is life" is an understatement in my world. I'm always bugging my sweetie for more pizza, especially at places we've never been. After dropping friends off, we found ourselves cruising Fremont, hot for a veggie heavy meal. I saw the sign and suggested it. "As long as a salad is involved," was the compromise.
We walk in. The place is cute. They have old-timey Pizza Hut lamps over their front window tables. We were shown a menu of food and drink. Immediately I noticed their wine, particularly their BTG. We ordered a sparkling garganega frizzante and a Lambrusco. These are awesome selections and not found at most stupid chain pizzerias where choices are merely red or white.
Even their beer selections. Nothing against pFriem beer, but every pub in Portland has it. Red Sauce wisely features smaller microbreweries both by the bottle and on tap. (I also noticed some local non-alcoholic beer selections for those who still enjoy a pizza and beer but w/o the Alc. Good on them).
What really sold us were the little touches. Sweetie pointed out each table had a deck of playing cards. The table nearest to us...UNO.
We sat and the attentive staff took our order. We knew what we wanted, the house salad which had much more than boring "spring green mix with choice of dressing." It featured sliced oranges, pepitas, radishes, rainbow carrots and a subtle citrus vinaigrette that did not overpower. The garganega was perfect with it.
Several games of UNO were played. Sweetie cheats so a careful eye must pay attention.
Like many pizzerias of old, each table has a mini rack keeping the pies off the table. I commented that the racks also serve as 1/2 of a warming system if a candle was placed underneath.
The pie arrived. We always order the cheese on a first visit. This allows one to pay attention to the trifecta; crust/sauce/toppings. I immediately noticed it WAS NOT Sheppard's Grain which every local place is wont to use. I get it, sustainable, local, good owners. However, pies made with it tend to be more chewy, less crisp and without the snap when a slice is folded in half.
Without knowing, I suspect they are using Caputo 00 flour or similar. Not an inexpensive choice. Whatever it is, it works.
The char was perfect. Anybody who thinks their pizzas are burnt are idiots and their dogs hate them. The sauce pronounced itself but was not overpowering. The cheese ratio was spot on.
I commented to a staff member how nice it was to see proper char. He commented, "its part of our CHARm. Cute.
Earlier I mentioned lack of candle/warmer under the table rack. It wasn't necessary. The pie disappeared quickly.
The bill advised us a 20% gratuity was already included. Good for them. We added a touch more.
We will return.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Love this pizza! Delicious crust, sauce, and cheese. We had great service, which certainly earned more than a 20% tip. As we played Uno and drank delicious wine, I saw many folks coming in for soft serve. I’m pretty particular about pizza and RS is definitely one of the best in Portland!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cheese Pizza, House Salad
Good pizza, about the same as Pizza Jerk and many other pizzas in Portland. Pies are more than most others and mandatory 20% tip for take out is absolutely crazy.
Will not return. If you care about workers, share more of your profits.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 4
We have loved eating at Red Sauce.
Today we did their Pizza School and it was so fun. Shar is an excellent teacher and Rosie was so helpful. Patri who helped us schedule made it really smooth and easy. We would really recommend eating there but don’t sleep on Pizza School!
Update: The vegan hoagie is SO FREAKING GOOOOOODDDDDD! 🔥
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The single best pizza in town. High quality ingredients, fantastic combinations.
I’m never not craving it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It’s nice to have vegan pizza options in the neighborhood and the hoagies are incredible. Expect to be unamused by the lackluster service though.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 2
One of my favorite pizza spots in the Pacific Northwest. Aside from the great story of the owner and her philanthropy, the pizza itself is worth the trip even if you trek over from the Portland suburbs or Vancouver area.
Excellent crust, well fermented & complex in flavor, very mild yet full of flavor sauce, and excellent quality mozzarella. Good service; absolutely love this place; A+++
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Forced gratuity should never ever ever happen. Had I knon, I would have never eaten there in the first place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
4th visit. This place gets better every time I swear! The special tonight was phenomenal. If you’ve never been here, get here!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Great neighborhood pizza spot with friendly staff.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’ve always eaten red sauce out on the patio cause having a slice of their pizza and salad in the outdoors is my absolute favorite.
Food has ALWAYS been a hit for me. The specials are what get me everytime, but a solid pep pizza makes me happy too. The sundaes and ice cream specials are just the cherry on top. Love that the patio is dog friendly, and Basil was a fan of finding ground scores around. LOL
Although I juuuust moved out of Portland, Red Sauce was a staple in my pizza tour of the city. As a consumer, I don’t mind an automatic gratuity! It’s up to the business how they want to share or disperse tips. In my opinion, if that turns you off, there are other pizza places around the city you can go to.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
AWESOME PIZZA! They also teach classes on how to make pizza! They are a valuable asset to the community.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I am originally from Chicago, IL and love everything about pizza, and Red Sauce Pizza is the best pizza restaurant in Portland, in my opinion. And yes there is some gratuity tips included in the price, but wouldn’t you want to be sure your staff is able to get compensated what they deserve for their time and energy in making our community amazing pizza? This pizza restaurant is different than most in Portland. The owner really cares about mutual aid and supporting people in our community. Shar, the owner, gave me free pizza during a rough time in my life, and also provided pizza for some mutual aid events in time. If you want good quality pizza, and legitimately good people, go to Red Sauce Pizza.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
In a town full of amazing pizza, Red Sauce is my favorite. Whenever we have visitors from out of town, at least one night is spent getting take out from here because it is always a hit! You pay for quality. 420 breadsticks a MUST.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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