Papa J's Pizza Bar and Grill Review – Cheektowaga, NY
score
Papa J's Pizza is on Shanley Street in Cheektowaga, and it's open until 4 a.m.
The order
Joe ordered a large 16-inch cheese pepperoni for $27.72, which is more expensive than others around here. It came with cup and char pepperoni and a little magic dust, but the toppings were a little scared of the edge.
First bite
Hot, chewy and delicious, with a full bite of pepperoni and a ton of beautiful cheese.
Crust, sauce, cheese and toppings
- Crust: A little thinner than a lot of Buffalo pizzas, with a nice crunch and a little chew on the back.
- Sauce: Definitely a little sugar in it. Sweeter than the last bunch of Buffalo pizzas Joe had, but it's working.
- Cheese: A ton of it.
- Pepperoni: Solid. Nice, crispy and charred up.
What would make it better
A little cheaper, and toppings pushed to the edge.
The chicken finger pizza
Joe went back for a large 16-inch chicken finger pizza on a honey sesame crust. Joe says these are real chicken fingers, not the trashy kind, and the mozzarella is fantastic. The blue cheese melts away, so he thinks it needs more of a base. He couldn't really taste the honey sesame crust either. Joe said the chicken fingers alone are worth a nine. He called the whole pie an 8.2, then said he'd knock it down a notch for the missing honey sesame.
The Hawaiian
On a third visit, Joe tried a large 16-inch Hawaiian done in a deck oven, on a garlic parm crust. Papa J's has about a dozen crusts. It's loaded with cheese and pineapple, with shaved ham. The cheese and pineapple are the standouts, and the sauce mostly helps everything slide down. The ham has good flavor but takes a back seat, and Joe wants to taste it more on a Hawaiian.
The verdict
It's a good one. Joe gave the cheese pepperoni an 8.4, and the Hawaiian matched it.
Ranking note: Best Pizza Buffalo ranks every pizzeria by Joe’s score for a standard pizza, so Papa J's Pizza Bar and Grill is listed at 8.4.
Find Papa J's Pizza Bar and Grill
Cheektowaga, NY
