Papa Gambino's

The best pizza around, I drive 40 miles just to get their pizza lol

The pizza is meah. Average at best. I've lived here (Bangor) for 51 years. This is my first taste of Gambinos. No..... Soggy and gas station quality Parking: Bangor

Good, real pizza.

TLDR: Expensive, bland flavor, building needs a deep clean, short wait, friendly staff - simply not like the past We recently got a pizza from Papa Gambino’s (PG) on Hammond Street, but it wasn’t the first time visiting here. I haven’t eaten here in a few years, not because of the food, but due to not being in the area nearly as much as before. Therefore, we gave it a try. We haven’t tried the State Street location as of the posting of this review, but it’s unlikely that we will in the future. I am not sure whether they changed the recipe in recent years, but I recall the food being far less greasy, more flavorful, and more affordable. Upon entering the location, it’s clear that it’s dated by the classic walk-in refrigerator door, blackened pizza ovens and stainless steel wall, and the cramped, unorganized layout of the location (card reader behind the counter and feet away from the register). They also replaced the few tables they had in the corner with a larger drink cooler and a deep freezer. However, the location is in need of a deep clean. I observed greasy cardboard boxes labeled and used for storing pizza pans, the front of the pizza ovens looked like someone attempted to scrape them clean and gave up, and the floors, walls, and mop boards behind the counter were discolored with dirt and grime, specifically around the eyewash station. The staff were pleasant, dressed professionally, and were quick to serve us. PG has a large menu to choose from with many options that looked good. We settled on a simple 16 inch pepperoni pizza. I didn’t look at the price on the menu and got surprised when I paid $19.50. Compared to other local places, even ones with 18 inch large pies, this is one of the most expensive pizzas in the area. I understand the cost of everything has increased in recent years, and I don’t mind paying an extra dollar tor two to help a local business, but a simple pepperoni pizza for nearly $22 after tax felt like a stretch for what we had received. The wait time of approximately twelve minutes was extremely reasonable, though. The pizza smelled good, the toppings were evenly distributed, and the crust ring was consistently sized all the way around. It had a considerable amount of grease on the top, which should be noted for those that do not like that. It was hot, and the cheese was stringy - we had our hopes up. Though, within the first few bites, the taste and ingredients were not enjoyable. It’s in the opinion of the author that the pizza was no better than a slice served up in a school cafeteria. I don’t doubt that the dough is fresh like PG promotes, but it simply tasted cheap. It was very similar in texture, consistency, and flavor to that of the store bought, dry mix dough packet we had used the week before. In fact, it tasted like the whole thing was made from ingredients you could pick up at a local grocery store. The sauce and cheese didn’t have any notable flavors, and I couldn’t pinpoint any seasoning or spices if they were present. It was bland. Eating it brought flashbacks of the stuff I ate at high school. For selling individual slices for $3 each, in comparison, I’d have to choose between here and a Circle K gas station. Eating at restaurants and getting takeout is a desire we share to have food that we cannot easily replicate at home, more than it is out of convenience. While this pizza wasn’t bad, it was disappointing for a restaurant-grade establishment. For half the price and minus the pizza oven, we could have made the same pie. The staff were good and helpful, but at the end of the day, we go for the food. If PG did change the recipe within the last few years, they need to change back. If not, I’m sad to see it go downhill. It wasn’t like this before. This simply tasted cheap and depressing. Best regards, M.R.

Ordered this sandwich a 100 times , the number 22 , what I got tonight was a joke . Looks and taste worst than subway. I drive an hour for this joke , so freaking mad it’s not funny. Has zero veggies , barely any meat , no mayo as asked for. Massively disappointing . Will NEVER come back, someone owes me $49 for dinner and $ 40 in gas .

Our go to in town!!!

Employees were very friendly , cashier was cute and quirky adding to the down home pizza joint feel. Love Gambino's have ever since I was a kid.

Not what it used to be