When I remarked I was going to go to Mineo's for the first time last night my neighbor, who has been a Pittsburgh native his whole life growing up in Homewood, told me it's really good pizza but not nearly as good as it use to be. Without having it from before I still kind of get that vibe. It seems like Mineo's makes some okay pizza but mostly rides on the fame it built up from its past.
The store is small but you don't really dilly dally so it looks like you can usually find a spot before your pizza is done. We did. I ordered a large pepperoni and sausage and received a pepperoni and mushroom. My girlfriend hates mushrooms but the place was so busy we didn't feel like ordering a new pizza so she picked them off. The crust is "okay". It seems like it's trying to be authentic but was kind of on the dry side. In my opinion a good pizza crust should be crispy on the outside and nice and chewy on the inside.
The ingredients were top notch. The mushrooms were good quality and so was the pepperoni. The pepperoni had the full flavor of a true pepperoni. Not that spicy greasy mixture you get from the store or from most pizza places. The cheese was really good and was slightly browned which is cooked better than most places but still not "ideal". The cheese should just be plain dark in some spots. Pizza should be cooked at high heat so give it the texture it was meant to have. However, it still kicks the butt of most places in the city.
The once great Mineo's is still great because it's become almost a cultural landmark of Pittsburgh. It's a shame they seem to cut a few corners because it truly is the makings of a great pizza.