For years and years, Nello's has always satisfied with a tasty pie. Be it thick or thin, large or small, the portions and ratios of toppings to crust has always been consistent and on spot on, which puts Nello's among some of the tastiest pizza restaurants in the East Valley.
My go to pizza choices typically lean towards the original crust, which is to say that it is deep dish pan style. Not quite Chicago style deep, but pretty darn close. The crust tends to be cooked to a lightly browned, nearly done consistency for most every pie made. I would say however, they tend to lean towards slightly under, rather than over, on the cook of their original crust. However, both styles of crust yield a pleasantly satisfying texture, thickness and flavor, and at least have some tooth to them that stands up well to the ingredients heaped on top.
Another favorite is the house salad dressing. It certainly goes well with most any style of salad ordered, however it often times doubles as an extra bit of saucy flavor that somehow finds its way onto my slice of pizza. More often than not, I'll just put that slice of pizza nestled right up to the salad, all on the same plate, creating my own version of what west coasters do when they put their salad atop top their pizza. I can also say that the marinara sauce is very tasty and is good on the side for heaping on extra goodness.
The service is certainly congenial, and prompt. I've really never had a bad experience in all of the times I've gone -whether it be a large party or small. Lunch and dinner you can't go wrong: sandwiches, salads, calzones and pizza's are all very tasty. There is a good selection of beer and wine, even local flavors on tap and in bottles too; there is something to complement your meal, if you're not sure, just ask - I find the staff very helpful.
Both locations are often busy, and it's no surprise, because the food and service are quite good . . . and they've been doing it since the 80's, so there you go!
Overall: 4 stars
Food: 4.2 stars
Service: 4.3 stars
Cleanliness: 3.8 stars
Value: 3.8 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars