Comments on Kansas City Lunch Spots: St. Louis Pizza Time! Johnny C's: 11200 W 75th St ...

Oh, one more thing. Don't bother with the Italian ...

2010-01-30T22:10:13.119-06:00

Oh, one more thing. Don't bother with the Italian beef at Johnny C's. It actually isn't too bad of a sandwich, but it isn't an Italian beef. It is roast beef on a fairly crusty roll, with pickled banana peppers, the ubiquitous provel, and a small portion cup of jus.

DLC, I just felt like commenting on my recent John...

2010-01-25T17:11:28.325-06:00

DLC, I just felt like commenting on my recent Johnny C's experience. I took my friend there the other day...I had no idea he'd never been, but anyway, I got my usual: pepperoni, sausage, mixed cheese, extra sauce (I usually go a little well done but didn't have time). Well, it was great. My friend loved it so much he wanted to come back the next day (yes, we're fat). Let me just say, they screwed up our order - we ended up with a pepperoni & mushroom, no extra sauce, and just provel. I hated it. It was dry and the cheese was cloying.

Now, ordered the way I usually do with the mixed cheese and extra sauce I love it. The "normal" way they serve it...not so much

OK. I've lived in both towns and love 'em both. Tr...

2009-08-22T22:47:05.834-05:00

OK. I've lived in both towns and love 'em both. Truth? I understand not wanting to get next to the provel for those who didn't grow up with it.

HOWEVER, the truth is KC is NOT a pizza town! St. Louis style pizza or not. In St. Louis, you can go many places for a great pizza WITHOUT the provel, just mozzarella on a thin crust, or a chicago deep dish, etc.

If someone opens up a place in KC that has a great pizza (we did go to Waldo Pizza and it was good), they would clean up!

OK. I've lived in both towns and love 'em both. Tr...

2009-08-22T22:46:23.699-05:00

That dried-up piece of crap in your Johnny C's pic...

2009-07-31T20:17:29.357-05:00

That dried-up piece of crap in your Johnny C's picture does not resemble pizza I have ever had from there.

No, Johnny's is not as good as Waldo...it's just *different*. But if I am hungry for pizza it's Waldo's or Johnny C's...nothing else comes close in KC.

I didn't know what the heck that goo was on my piz...

2009-06-26T20:51:32.613-05:00

I didn't know what the heck that goo was on my pizza until I read this review and I didn't know St Louis claimed their own style pizza. But I can tell one thing; ST Louis style pizza is grotesque. I used to work for a company that brought George's pizza in for lunch and it crap then, back when George owned it. He used to drop that crap off. Ugh

Ii grew up on Imo's pizza. It is King.

2009-06-24T19:58:07.818-05:00

Ii grew up on Imo's pizza.

It is King.

Waldo Pizza and Minsky's have pretty good St. Loui...

2009-06-24T16:26:37.126-05:00

Waldo Pizza and Minsky's have pretty good St. Louis style pizza. (Yes haters, I said Minsky's.) Imo's is okay, but the cheese is a little salty.

Just a quick FYI Leo's and George's are related. ...

2009-06-24T14:48:52.311-05:00

Just a quick FYI Leo's and George's are related. In fact, George's used to be called Leo's. I don't know all the details, but they are/were basically the same thing.

I have never made it to Leo's up north but have wanted to. If you make it, please update - I'd be interested in how they compare.

MHP, Thank you for your impassioned defense of St....

2009-06-24T12:29:08.111-05:00

MHP, Thank you for your impassioned defense of St. Louis pizza. I'll put Leo's on the spreadsheet and render full judgment sometime in the (distant) future when I have a hankering for the stuff.

Leo's off of Englewood is a pretty fantastic repre...

2009-06-24T12:18:55.641-05:00

Leo's off of Englewood is a pretty fantastic representation of what I think St. Louis style pizza should be. Then again, my absolute favorite pizza in the world is pepperoni, mushrooms and extra cheese. You see, ladies and gentlemen, I simply don't fuck around when it comes to pizza.

I grew up on Pagliai's pizza in Maryville, so the transition from theirs to Leo's is really just about the cheese. It's creamy, and I like the flavor, but even for me, an admitted fan, sometimes it's just a bit too much. Going 1/2 and 1/2 with mozzarella makes for a pretty good combination.

I don't know how the pizza would be if you loaded it down with toppings, or threw a bunch of sausage on there, because in my mind, only pepperoni, mushrooms (out of a can, none of this dried up fresh mushroom horse shit) and sometimes black olives can go on these thin crust pizzas.

In the end, however, I realize that some people just don't like it--and those individuals are inherently flawed.

The toppings go all the way to the end and leave n...

2009-06-23T09:54:47.272-05:00

The toppings go all the way to the end and leave no crust(at least in DLC's pics). Is that another quality that makes St. Louis pizza unique?

One of the three cheeses mixed into processed Prov...

2009-06-23T09:19:19.143-05:00

One of the three cheeses mixed into processed Provel is provolone, so I don't get the King's point. If anything, the difference between Waldo's mix is using mozzarella instead of white cheddar.

Waldo using their own mix is probably what makes it more tolerable.

Just for the record Provel is the white processed ...

2009-06-23T07:12:41.652-05:00

Just for the record Provel is the white processed cheese used at several places. Waldo Pizza's 'St Louis style' actually uses Provolone, Swiss & Mozzarella mix. Provel & Provolone are TWO entirely different cheeses.

Goofy, My Johnny C's slice was full on provel. Geo...

2009-06-22T22:47:27.497-05:00

Goofy, My Johnny C's slice was full on provel. George's was the " special mix," as they call it. And you're right, a beer and a game of Defender makes everything better. I'm perfectly willing to give it another go.

Hmmm...in the interest of full disclosure, I must ...

2009-06-22T21:55:24.228-05:00

Hmmm...in the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I was born 'n raised in the STL. Please don't be a hater!

So...maybe you have to be weaned on this stuff, but I can't get enough of STL-style pizza (...or Chicago pizza or NY pizza - I'm pretty much equal opportunity when it comes to pizza).

Here's my thought. You should return to Johnny C's at DINNER time (skip the pre-heated lunch triangle crap), order a FULL pizza (a small one will do), which will allow you to have the SQUARE slices. It's the squares that make the difference, dude. And you abso-f'ing-lutely need a BEER with this pizza. And (as several previous commenters have mentioned) it must be consumed immediately, even though this will almost definitely result in the OMG-I-JUST-BURNED-THE-ROOF-OF-MY-MOUTH-OFF syndrome.

And a rousing game of Defender on the archaic video games helps round out the full experience. :-)

p.s. Real St. Louisans NEVER mix provel with mozzarella, by penalty of law.

Love Imo's and Waldo, but I grew up over on that s...

2009-06-22T18:02:43.320-05:00

Love Imo's and Waldo, but I grew up over on that side of the state.

My family is from St. Louis and I grew up eating I...

2009-06-21T22:52:09.663-05:00

My family is from St. Louis and I grew up eating Imo's, Talyenas and too many Washington Park places to remember. Back when it was owned by George, George's couldn't be beat. It would import its provel from St. Louis and love it or hate it, provel is proper St. Louis style. Problem was George was always trying to sell his place and he had an affinity for yelling at customers.

If you like New York style pizza, try Johnny Brusc...

2009-06-20T14:26:48.655-05:00

If you like New York style pizza, try Johnny Brusco's at 135th and Nieman, it is in the strip mall just east of where IMO's is located. It has the new york thin chewy, bagel/soft pretzel type crust with plenty of sauce. It is a chain, but is the best pizza I have had in KC.

years ago IMO's pizza moved here advertizing as be...

2009-06-19T14:32:19.101-05:00

years ago IMO's pizza moved here advertizing as being voted #1 in St.Louis since pizza was invented or whatever. I tried it both here and in STL and it was nasty both times.
Re: Minsky's - it's just as overhyped as every other "KC legends.

Looks like I have a fellow Wolverine in the house

2009-06-19T13:14:45.079-05:00

Looks like I have a fellow Wolverine in the house

I just moved to KC after several years in NYC. Wa...

2009-06-19T13:13:23.535-05:00

I just moved to KC after several years in NYC. Waldo Pizza is the hands down winner. NYC is to pizza what Ohio State is to college football...overrated.

I am local and think Minsky's is awful. My favori...

2009-06-19T13:07:09.313-05:00

I am local and think Minsky's is awful.

My favorite pizza to get is an Italian beef on thin crust from Rosatti's. It should be illegal.

I don't get Minky's either and i, too, am not a l...

2009-06-19T11:15:21.151-05:00

I don't get Minky's either and i, too, am not a local. I did like their BBQ chicken pizza - though it's a been a few years since I've had it. Pizza 51, Grinders and D'bronx are the closest I can find to east coast pizza.

Thanks all. Whenever pizza comes up in this town, ...

2009-06-19T10:53:52.681-05:00

Thanks all. Whenever pizza comes up in this town, people mention Minsky's and Waldo Pizza. Waldo is nice for some interesting toppings, lots of options and good beer in-house. I forgot they have a St. Louis style and it is pretty good now that I think of it.
Minsky's is a KC tradition that I respect but don't think is all that special. Occasionally a pie from Pizza 51 really hits on all cylinders, but it's way inconsistent. Grinders is probably my favorite of the lot but I rarely get over there for lunch.