Best pizza in Cincy area...where?! (Cincinnati, Dayton: houses, cost, dining)

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by Ohioan58

Marion's in Mason is already winning converts:

Marions just doesn't look appetizing to me from the pics they offer on their menu. Plus, the largest pie they sell if a 13"? WTF? That's barely a medium. 16" or more is getting into large territory. I think I'll pass.

[kjbrill]

Glad to see I did not overreact. If this is Dayton's best they need to reconsider. As I stated before we found absolutely nothing redeeming about the whole operation, starting with the cafeteria appearance, the multiple lines to serve ourself, the noise, and the rest. But the worst was the product itself, what is that crap they put on my pizza?

If the good people of Mason continue to support this place I will be discouraged. A definitely inferior product, how can the people of Dayton exclaim it is great? I just don't know.

I just had to come back it looked like Alpo on the pizza. My sentiments exactly.

[Ohioan58]

Marion's is: overbearingly proud of its illustrious history in the Dayton area, tone deaf to customers, and stuck in a specific business model and way of serving customers. They're not about making you happy, they're about following some old fart's business model from 1948 or so to the letter.

You see, they're GREAT because, in the 1970s, actors like Paul Lynde and Robert Goulet and Barbara Eden would perform with the Kenley Players at Memorial Hall in Dayton, and after every performance, the entire cast would go to Marion's, either on Shroyer Road or on N. Dixie, pictures of the cast with Marion's managers would be taken, and the pictures would be framed and hung at either restaurant.

That is what makes Marion's pizza great. (you think I'm kidding? )

I don't think I have seen any color pictures in those frames. I think they're all B&W. That right there should date it.

I happen to have grown up on and loved Marion's from the days when take out pizzas were sold over the counter in a waxy paper bag that was folded up in a tent shape and stapled. Marion's milks the uniqueness of their product and their name for all it's worth. I feel stupid for salivating over their pizza but I do anyway.

Reach Magazine (we just got ours) here in Warren seems to run a Marion's 25% off coupon in every month's issue.

[Ohiogirl81]

Who said anything about Marion's being "Dayton's best"? Either you like it or you don't. I don't like Marion's, either. Live and let live.

[Ohioan58]

Alpo!

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by ohioan58

alpo!

roflmao!

[Getmeoutofhereplease]

KJBrill,

I mentioned the same things you're saying about Marions about a year ago. Actually, my post was removed by a moderator. Perhaps it was because I was negative about it. I simply predicted it would not go over in Cincinnati and it's simply not very good pizza. I really think it must be an acquired taste because some people (not the ones we know) from Dayton love it. Perhaps the moderators felt I was just "trolling". Your thoughts match mine completely on the subject. Tried it once, never going back. I run in the little gym across the street from it a couple times a week. As a treadmill runner, it gets kind of boring. I can tell you that the car count has consistently gone down every week since they opened. People have tried it once and said, "never again". Can't understand why they would need such a big place. Perhaps the high school crowd on the weekends will carry them through, I don't know. It's not that I wish bad for them, but BW3s parking lot is already a lot busier during lunch. Personally, I just don't think think it's that good.

[kjbrill]

I certainly was not wishing Marion's in Mason to do poorly. Watching the building go up over a period of months I thought wow that is big for a pizza joint. I had not been to one of their stores in Dayton, but had read about how successful they were. So it was one of the biggest disappointments with a new eatery I have had in some time. I basically like pizza, but found their product below fair, down to poor and close to inedible. I just don't understand it. As far as an acquired taste, when there is virtually no taste I am not likely to acquire it. People can knock LaRosa's and their claimed sweet tomatoey sauce all they want, but at least it delivers a taste.

I have also noticed the dropoff in cars at Marions since they opened. The first couple of weeks it was crowded as expected with a new establishment, especially one which took so long to open, people are curious. The people I have encountered who have gone there virtually 100% agree, way overrated, I did not enjoy it, and I am not going back. So I am trying to determine what is wrong. You can overlook less than stellar service in a brand new place, new employees, etc. You might say the same should be true of the product, but this is where I disagree. This is not an operation just starting up out of the clear blue sky and doing business on a hope and a prayer. They have been in business for a long time and should certainly be smart enough to put their best product forward, even if that involves temporarily bringing in employees from their other stores.

I just could not believe the product. Perhaps the only other pizza I have been more disappointed in was CiCi's. Come to think of it, there are none of them left close to here either.

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by Getmeoutofhereplease

I simply predicted it would not go over in Cincinnati and it's simply not very good pizza.

Perhaps that's just it. Dayton's market for restaurants is not the same level as Cincinnati. Now that doesn't mean that Dayton does not have good restaurants. Check out El Meson for a restaurant that ranks high in Cincinnati as "worth the drive."

But I think you have to have good pizza to be competitive. Frankly, having lived in Dayton and being a foodie, there were few pizzerias in Dayton that were good. Pizza Factory and Flying Pizza were probably my favorites. With Cassano's and Marion's on my avoid list.

Living in Cincinnati, I can say there are no shortage whatsoever of good pizzerias and there are variety of styles. There are many places that have excellent pizza here. And I still would avoid Marion's.

[Ohiogirl81]

I think Marion's might be an acquired taste, much like Skyline. It may take some time for people to acquire it.

I like Cassano's, but not Marion's. Go figure.