Primo Pizzeria & Ristorante

Edit: It is with a sad heart that I find myself forced to update this review.

I went to Primo today for the first time in probably five years. I found the the restaurant had changed for the worse.

I was unable to order my favorite dish, a slice of stuffed pizza. It was explained to me that I couldn't order this option from the table I was at. Strange because I'd placed this same order since the 1990s. I was very disappointed since this is just about my favorite food.

I was tempted to leave, but decided to try something else. I ordered veal parmesan. It was not great. The sauce was weak. The veal cutlet soggy. The flavor was off.

Service was ok. Not amazing. We waited quite some time for our check after the meal. I just wanted to leave and forge the experience, but I had to wait quite awhile for the waitress to take our check.

Bill Clinton was president the first time I went to this restaurant. Today will be my last visit. I want to remember it as it was. Not for what it has become.

Original review from 9 years ago, left for context:

I have eaten at Primo Pizza for the past 24 years. In all of that time I have never had a bad experience. The food is excellent (I particularly recommend the stuffed pizza slice) and the service is prompt and courteous. In my opinion this is the best pizza restaurant in Virginia Beach.

Always great! Nice, relaxing dinner ( we went early). Light meal, shared a slice of communal Pizza....always enjoy the Frutta di Mare whether Fra Diavolo or not.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Stuffed, Chicken Parmigiana, Fried Calamari, Chicken Marsala, Mussels Fra Diavolo

Really enjoyed dinner here. The calamari were great, pizza was delicious and our server Emily was fantastic!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

First time visit based on a friend's recommendation. One entree issue that management took care of. Will return again in the future for a second try and different food choice.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Best pizza in VB — and easy online order/pick-up process. Che buono!

Best calamari in the 757!!! The ziti and lasagna are awesome too!!

Food: 5

Service: 5

Our visit to Primo Italian Restaurant on March 5, 2026 was unfortunately very disappointing due to a series of service issues that should not occur in any dining establishment.

This visit also followed a previous experience in February that left us surprisingly disappointed as well, which made this most recent visit even more discouraging. We have dined at Primo frequently for many years and have always considered it a reliable local favorite, which is why these recent experiences were so unexpected. During our February visit, a piece of chicken in one of our meals had not been cooked properly. We quietly brought this to the attention of our server, understanding that mistakes can happen and knowing from many previous visits that this was not typical of the restaurant. When the issue was communicated to the kitchen, however, inappropriate remarks from kitchen staff were made deliberately within earshot of our table and were less than flattering.

During our March 5 visit, our server initially took our order and returned only once with drinks and a shared salad. After that, she never came back to check on the table for the remainder of the meal. Part of our order never arrived at all, and there was no follow-up to see if everything had been delivered or if we needed anything further.

To add to the experience, we were left without proper utensils and were told there were none clean at the moment, which made it difficult to even begin eating what had been brought to the table.

Other staff members moved through the dining room during this time, but no one appeared to take responsibility for our table after the order was placed. When our server eventually reappeared and was made aware of the missing items and service issues, the response was little more than a halfhearted apology before the check and billfold were simply dropped on the table.

Even more concerning was a serious lapse in sanitation and basic service protocol. At one point another server removed a drinking glass from our table and handed it to the hostess to refill. The hostess then handed that same glass—complete with the used straw—to a different customer. The customer began drinking from it, apparently unaware that it had come from another table. After we brought the situation to another server’s attention, it was unclear whether the customer was ever informed of what had happened.

Watching a used glass circulate between tables was alarming and completely unacceptable from a hygiene standpoint.

Our most recent visit was made under the assumption that the experience in February had simply been a fluke. Unfortunately, it appears that was not the case. After being overlooked, treated as an inconvenience, and witnessing multiple lapses in both service and basic sanitation, we left angry and we will not be returning.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 1

Grew up in Brooklyn. We know pizza, and this is the real thing. Well done

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Takeout: ordered online for Superbowl. An hour and ten minutes later my order still showed as being prepared. Drove there anyway to discover restaurant was not busy and my order was sitting there: cold. Also, we paid for extra sauce did the garlic knots and discovered (at home? that it was not packaged.

Service: 1

Favorite Italian place in VB. More affordable to go at lunch. Their specials are great! Always good service no matter how large or small the party. Best pizza I’ve ever had (when the right cook is in the kitchen) I will say I have had several burnt pizzas over the years but they remake them if it’s too burnt.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Excellent place for Italian food

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Absolutely delicious! Our waiter Ryan was wonderful 💕

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Always a fun time at Primo's. The food is always hot and delicious. The service is awesome, especially Allison our waitress. She was there every time I thought about asking her for some tea or anything else. You will have the best Italian meal and time you can have. All the staff are friendly and helpful.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I usually loved eating here, however don’t bother ordering to go. I ordered a regular side salad with honey mustard, they gave me dijon mustard with my salad. I also ordered fettuccine alfredo with shrimp, paid for it and did not receive it. I am very irritated to say the least

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 1

Awesome service and very good pizza!

Food: 5