I've been coming here since I was a small child, when it was at the Golden Triangle. The Duty's have been dishing out good food and good service for as long as I can remember.
This is one of the first places my hubby & I went on a date and now we love going there as a family!! Our son loves to play the games and the pizza can't be beat!!!
Good pizzerias possess the following qualities: a good atmosphere, welcoming staff, easy access, and, most importantly, tasty pizza.
The atmosphere of Poppa Rollo’s is one-of-a-kind. Customers are greeted by a glass trophy case filled with artifacts pertaining to Baylor University. These are also strung along the walls. The floors are wooden and worn, conveying a comfortable, lived-in atmosphere. The pizza parlor is furnished with vintage booths splashed in Baylor-green paint and jukeboxes. Several large-screen televisions are placed around the dining area, playing black and white cartoons. These features give the parlor a retro feeling; eating here is like taking a step back into the past.
The wait staff of Poppa Rollo’s holds a friendly, familial attitude. This surprised me on my first trip here. My server sparked up a conversation about my visit to Waco, showing her interest in making me feel welcome. Employees are more focused on the customers than they are on making a profit.
Poppa Rollo’s atmosphere is lessened by its ease of access. Coming to Poppa Rollo’s guarantees spending a decent amount of time sitting in the waiting room. This delay cannot be amended through calling ahead either as Poppa Rollo’s does not accept reservations. As a result, the waiting area gets very cramped.
The patience exhausted in the wait to be seated is rewarded in the pizzas. Poppa Rollo’s makes pizza with light crust and heaps of cheese. The options for toppings are endless; everyone can find a pizza that they like here. Pizzas come in a variety of sizes too. Poppa Rollo’s also offers a number of specialty pizzas. My favorite of the original creations is the “Taco Pie Pizza.” This pizza is covered in gooey mozzarella cheese accompanied by taco spices, sausages, shredded lettuce, cheddar cheese, and diced tomatoes. I was pleased not only with the taste, but with the originality of the pizza. Such a pizza cannot be found anywhere else. Poppa Rollo’s offers more specialty pizzas like Spinach Alfredo, Pop’s Four Cheese, and the Gourmet Vegetarian. These pizzas epitomize the essence of Poppa Rollo’s: delicious and original.
Poppa Rollo’s is not simply a restaurant, but a dining experience. The atmosphere, the staff, and the food are inviting. Poppa Rollo’s, however, is very inconvenient in its wait to be seated. This disadvantage is counteracted by the quality of food and service. Overall, a meal at Poppa Rollo’s is one to be treasured.
I've tried this pizza place three times and have walked away very full, and satisfied. And yes, the service is incredible slow. But if you aren't necessarily in a hurry, there's not a big problem. The pizza portions are huge and I've normally split a large pizza with a big group. Watch out though all your sausage lovers - these little pieces of sausage have a tendency to fall off your pizza since the cheese doesn't hold them onto the pie. I like this local joint and will probably go back.
I can't think of anything in Waco that's as ridiculously cheesy as the Pop's Four Cheese pizza here. I'm talkin' gooey, wonderful, "does this ever quit stretching out into longer strings of cheese and actually separate itself from the rest of the pizza?" kind of cheesy. It's fantastic. Rollo's has some other good specialty pizzas, but the Pop's Four Cheese is my usual.
The interior is...well, kinda dark and dirty. There's stuff everywhere, and it always looks a tad dusty--enough so that even I notice that it's dusty. But, hey, I'm not eating the decor, so as long as it doesn't fall into my food, I can't complain too much.
The pizza here is the best in town. Service can be hit or miss. I've had really poor service once or twice, but in recent months, the service seems to have gotten much better. The wait staff has been friendly, and the pizza (unless you order something complicated, like the Texas-shaped crust) doesn't take an unreasonable time to arrive. I'm happy with the improvements!
It's been several years since I've ventured into Poppa Rollo's, partially because I never once had a good dining experience there. I know so many Wacoans consider it a local institution, but I think they're delusional. The pizza is OK, but it's certainly not good enough to overcome the agonizingly awful service. In probably half a dozen trips to PR's, I doubt I ever waited for less than 45 minutes for a pie.
And what's with the nonstop Little Rascals marathon? It may seem kitschy once, but after a while you'd prefer the owners to change the channel to something from the 21st Century.
If you truly want the best pizza in town -- and you don't want to wait until tomorrow before it arrives -- bypass Poppa Rollo's and head over to Rosati's instead.
I agree with tyebarrett1, the service can be slow, but the pizza is great.
I like to go in with a game plan. Order pizza bread right off the bat (you'll need it if you are super hungry when you get there) and a pitcher of beer. That should tide you over till you pie arrives. Be prepared for TONS of toppings if you go with meats. They don't mess around at Rollo's!
