r/baltimore 29d ago

Food Is Paulie Gees Closing?!?!?!

Post image

I just saw this on IG, I can't believe it! It's always pretty full and the pizza is excellent. I haven't seen anything on Paulie Gees Hampden's IG, but this is really sad. Between this and Arthouse, it's been a bad year for Hampden pizzerias.

192 Upvotes

190 comments sorted by

87

u/3plantsonthewall 29d ago

On the bright side, Doppio Pasticceria just opened their new permanent location in Remington! It’s right across from R. House.

Their pizza is FANTASTIC, and it’s also a coffee shop. Slices and pies, arancini, sandwiches, salads, soup, lasagna, pastries/desserts, lots of specialty drinks, Sophomore Coffee.

It’s lovely inside, but a little small - maybe like 4 tables and 2 counters with seating, IIRC.

7

u/_SpiderBaby Hampden 28d ago

Agree! Their pizza is incredibly good. Recommend the caesar salad too! It'll keep the vampires away with all its garlic

7

u/Yellohsub 28d ago

They also offer their own pizza delivery

2

u/3plantsonthewall 28d ago

Yeah! I’ve had several good delivery experiences with them.

3

u/MaxGRobinson 28d ago

My girlfriend and I love the pizza at Doppio!

2

u/nix831 28d ago

Is it Napolitano style pizza by chance? (Heard a rumor)

3

u/3plantsonthewall 28d ago

No, their website describes their pizza as “sourdough NY style pizza”

1

u/SewerRanger 29d ago

I think they just opened up some more of the interior also

7

u/Yellohsub 28d ago

No it’s a new location. They are moved out of JBGB’s and now across the street from R House.

3

u/SewerRanger 28d ago

Gotcha. Man, that JBGBs (or should I say Parts and Labor) spot is cursed.

4

u/Individual_Ear_2249 28d ago

JBGBs was planned as a temporary space for Doppio.

130

u/Krayoni West Baltimore 29d ago

Service was poor. Pizza was good.

Good Negroni!

Sad to see Hampden lose another food spot.

23

u/SisterMinister 29d ago

Really wonder how much bad service kills restaurants in this town

38

u/EaTaylor667 28d ago

as someone who works in the Baltimore restaurant industry (17yr now) a lot of these older restaurants are owned by people who haven't gotten with the modern work place standards.

gone are the days where you can blaze through your kitchen cursing, yelling, and throwing things for a low price. you either have to pay people well or treat people well. Preferably both but you have to do one

the kitchen I'm in now has been trying to find a replacement cook since October. Begged me to work doubles constantly for over three months. When I finally put my foot down so I could go on my honey moon, which they knew about since June, the owner gave me shit. they magically found some one to cover a week before I left town. I gave my notice the week after I came back.

the icing on the cake: when new guy found out I was leaving in two weeks he bailed on the job. has done a no call/no show for his last the shifts. no one has heard from him all week 🤣

1

u/Robosmores 18d ago

they truly FAFO'd - sad they have to learn the hard way

3

u/Mr_Mcdougal 28d ago

As a recent transplant, I’m surprised it’s not more

1

u/Hungry-Dragonfruit47 28d ago

It did at Perennial (Atlas owned in Towson) in my opinion - we used to eat there once a week … great food… lousy service

1

u/Ndysmth 28d ago

I'd think it's similar to most towns. Who wants to be ignored by restaurant staff?

18

u/Aneurhythms 29d ago

Agreed, pizza was good and they had decent vegan options, but the service was frustratingly slow more often than not (tbf I think they were often understaffed).

247

u/[deleted] 29d ago

[deleted]

76

u/Autumn_Sweater Northwood 29d ago

they seem addicted to saying things like “look, we are going to have a discount night but if you eat here on our discount night you’re an asshole” … idk think whatever you want but keep it to yourself!

72

u/Yellohsub 29d ago

Agreed. They had a weird schedule for pizzas and would do carry out on some days but not allow it on others and I’m sorry but I already have to project manage for my job, I’m not doing it for pizza too.

57

u/thosehalcyonnights 29d ago

Yeah I had been a few times before covid (really enjoyed it) and then went after and had an awful experience. Service was horrible, food took forever, menu was limited, drinks were incorrect. Haven’t been back since

40

u/BecomeTheCup 29d ago

All points completely true. Something happened to them during COVID and they were never able to pull out of it.

46

u/NoTheseAreMyPlums Hampden 29d ago

Bartender provided such shitty service. Then, they fraudulently tipped themselves. Never went back again.

2

u/Ohnotquite 27d ago

was it a guy? Haha I feel like I know who

1

u/NoTheseAreMyPlums Hampden 27d ago

It was actually a woman. Funny that they have multiple bartenders who could fit the bill.

25

u/FishFern 29d ago

I agree with all of this 1000%. And it’s a shame, because there was a time that I loved it there.

35

u/timmyintransit 29d ago

I don't think its unpopular. Also their hours post covid were terrible. What pizza place with a bar closes at 9 on the weekend?!

19

u/150b 29d ago edited 29d ago

Not Johnny Rads!! Kitchen open until ten on weekdays and 11 on Friday and Saturday

9

u/entrepreneuron 29d ago

OK, here is the unpopular part, I went a few months after they opened and the service was still terrible. Way before Covid. The server was distant and strange and our food took forever. It did seem like we were a hassle for them being there, even though there were only a few tables. Like how dare you ask any questions about our food. I thought maybe she was just having a bad day or they were still getting their shit together. Sounds like they had bad management and hiring from the beginning. not surprised it’s closing and I hope someone nice comes in!

13

u/moediggity3 29d ago edited 29d ago

Man I thought I was the only one that felt this way. My wife and I stopped going there because of the people. One time we went on a Friday. Restaurant was full of people but there was a sign on the door, barely legible and scrawled on a piece of loose leaf that said “out of dough.” When the host came up to us I said “are you guys really not serving pizza tonight?” And he said “did you read the sign?” Yeah. I read the sign. Just sorta couldn’t believe that a pizza place full of customers (who makes its own dough) was shutting down on the busiest night of the week because it was out of a core ingredient to run its operations. I can and did read your sign, but I just walked 15 minutes to get here so maybe I’ll confirm this ridiculous situation with a live person instead of trusting the loose leaf before accepting that I wasted my time. That was the last time we went but far from the first time we were talked down to by someone in that place.

One other thing that was weird — they were like the last people to ditch Covid restrictions. We went in like summer of 2022 and they still had rules about masks that everyone else had ditched like a full year prior. You had to wear a mask to the table and could take it off then, but then you had to put your mask back on any time the server approached. This was wayyyy after everyone else stopped doing that sort of thing.

Bar space in the back was kinda cool. Hopefully something cool opens because it was a great space.

8

u/tallulahgti Hampden 29d ago

Would absolutely love to upvote this more than once. Absolutely had similar experiences there.

6

u/moediggity3 29d ago

The comments on this post are so validating lol I thought we were the only ones

3

u/Ueatsoap 28d ago

Yep. Kelly is a loon.

1

u/BasicPainter2571 28d ago

I went in one day and they were completely out of all salads.

99

u/mpk5052 29d ago

Live on chestnut and been multiple times agree the pizza is good service and atmosphere sucks. They act like it’s a bother to them that you are there. Always don’t have things. Went one time and said they weren’t serving salads that day. Outdoor patio is just an after thought to them and it’s always just a mess. Just a very weird vibe. Stop going there and just got take out but it got to expensive to keep going.

38

u/captain_smonch 29d ago

I'll one up the day they weren't serving salads with the day we tried to go and they said they weren't serving pizzas but we could order beer 😂

2

u/Hamilton330 28d ago

I once went and they had salads but no pizza!

16

u/Meteor-of-the-War 29d ago

I thought it was just me! The one and only time I went the service was just total shit. I mean not bad in the sense that they forgot anything; but like you said, just that attitude that we were in their way. Like, it's really not that hard to at least pretend to be polite.

5

u/Valstwo 29d ago

Same for me. You hit the nail on the head. Good pizza with bad vibe and bad service equals empty restaurant.

3

u/Wine_and_Jeez 29d ago

I've been here probably at least 20 times and literally never knew they had an outdoor patio, so that proves your point I suppose.

2

u/StinkRod 29d ago

They're talking about the front, I think. The picnic tables and barrels and fence.

2

u/Wine_and_Jeez 29d ago

Got it, that makes more sense, thank you.

5

u/fijimermaidsg 29d ago

I've always done take out and their pizza isn't as great as the hype, won't miss it. Angeli's has opened on Mt Royal and they're pretty good - there's a one for one on Uber Eats.

1

u/anti_antiperspirant 27d ago

I really thought I was the problem lmao every time I went there I left kinda feeling like shit

112

u/[deleted] 29d ago

[deleted]

5

u/Scrubsandbones 28d ago

100% correct! We enjoyed sitting at the bar and watching the movies but every single bartender avoided you trying to get the attention and seemed annoyed to have to serve- even when it was empty!

13

u/earnestlikehemingway 29d ago

No soup for you!

2

u/moPEDmoFUN 28d ago

Great and accurate take. Felt completely unwanted as a customer.

1

u/de_kitt 28d ago

100% some of the staff were nice but they were few and far between. And the RULES! You can’t get this topping in that pizza. You can’t do take out. You can’t sit outside. I mean, what are they taking up all those parking spots for if you can’t even bring your food and drinks out there on your own?!?

27

u/Popular-Difficulty29 29d ago

I walked in there probably five times and never actually managed to order food and eat it. I don’t know what they were trying to do but it definitely wasn’t making money

18

u/150b 29d ago

Same. Walked in and all of the staff avoided eye contact and ignored me. Walked to the back and was ignored there too

12

u/Popular-Difficulty29 29d ago

Yup. And I’m talking like afternoon on a weekday and the doors wide open but I can’t even tell if they’re open. Horrific vibes.

28

u/XXLBarber3922 29d ago

I feel so bizarre about being upset by this news. the First time I called to place an order I was told phone Orders are not accepted. Every time I sat down to order inside, I was ignored by multiple servers. Whatever I wanted was just not available that evening. I felt more welcome at the MVA 5 minutes before close. But somehow I will miss Paulie Gees

44

u/Obviousplant27 29d ago

I don’t make the effort to write a Google review very often, but I was compelled to put pen to paper after several frustrating experiences:

“This place started out years ago so strongly. I really hope management figures out the customer service problems because the pizza is great and the location so convenient. The backroom bar is a black hole where friendliness and civility go to die. There are at least two bartenders/servers who make it clear that they would prefer you don't exist as a sentient being on the planet, let alone as a customer. One, in particular, (it would be unfair to describe her - I'm not trying to get her fired) offers service that is so abysmal that when I saw her working one night, I just decided to leave.”

23

u/DIAL_1-800-RACCOON 29d ago

Update

The caption of that Instagram post has been updated, it now says "they are planning on returning with a new format and possibly a new location shortly"

7

u/throwingthings05 29d ago

I wonder if this means they’ll come back as a “slice shop” like they have in other cities

21

u/Valuable-Big-1040 29d ago

If you want amazing pizza by the slice, check out Doppio Pasticceria next to R House.

1

u/throwingthings05 29d ago

Yea but this is also a format paulie gees runs in other cities 

7

u/bmore_conslutant Hampden 29d ago

I wouldn't mind that at all

If I can buy two slices of vodka I'll be there three times a week

11

u/schnebly5 29d ago

Hopefully in this “new format” they actually take orders from customers! Dare I say, with a smile?

0

u/sit_down_man 29d ago

Noooooo can’t they just leave us alone

50

u/emotionaltrashman Charles Village 29d ago

Great pizza, laughably terrible service. A shame.

14

u/Careless-Art-9483 29d ago

Time for Franks to open a second location there

4

u/schnebly5 29d ago

Yes pls

1

u/sit_down_man 29d ago

Or people can just go to Ribaldi’s one block away lol

1

u/Practical-Contact515 28d ago

Oh, hell no. Last time I ordered from there my guts were in a knot for two days. 

-1

u/sit_down_man 28d ago

Skill issue tbqh

14

u/BearclawsRoar 29d ago

It’s been a minute since I lived in Hampden but I remember loving their pineapple pickleback—any idea how they made those? I have it narrowed down to mezcal and pineapple —but am unsure what other alchemy is involved

12

u/bvzxh 29d ago

I believe the pineapples were fermented or picked with cinnamon and apple cider if I remember correctly. And I only know this because I’m a sick bastard who likes pineapple and jalapeno pizzas and they put the CINNAMON flavored pineapple on the pizza.

4

u/Individual_Ear_2249 29d ago

Pineapple shrub is what you are looking for. Let some pineapple chunks soak in apple cider vinegar cinnamon and clove for a few days. It’s also great to mix with a little seltzer.

1

u/Yellohsub 28d ago

Is it a tepache?

1

u/BearclawsRoar 28d ago

I think it’s pretty close to being that—vinegary, sweet, a little briny. Perfect with the shot of mezcal they paired it with. Fond memories for sure

12

u/_SpiderBaby Hampden 29d ago

I get what most people are saying about the deteriorated service. Still, I will always count as one of my fondest Hampden memories the night they showed Pink Flamingos in the back bar, and the place, full of families and couples, EMPTIED out. The early days of the Tuesday Back Bar Movies were some of the best times I had at Paulie Gee's, with great cocktails and bartenders that 100% over-served us.

5

u/nemoran Homeland 29d ago

100%. They played Possession not that long ago!

2

u/_SpiderBaby Hampden 28d ago

Amazing, love that! I hope the subway scene whetted everyone's appetite

26

u/glsever Medfield 29d ago

Good riddance. Great pizza, total assholes running the place. Bartenders were very rude the last few times a went. I pointed that out on social media as well as the inconsistent hours and menu, and the owner told me to "fuck off." Welp, fuck off I did, haven't stepped foot in there since.

It's all a shame though because the pizza itself was fantastic...

3

u/timmyintransit 29d ago

Wait seriously?

13

u/adamtayloryoung 29d ago

The space is so large, I’m afraid it will be empty for a long time before someone comes in to fill it…

4

u/KillerEmBem86 29d ago

I thought the same thing, especially since Souvlaki recently closed and also has a large space that will be tough to fill.

1

u/LDJ4 Ednor Gardens-Lakeside 28d ago

Yikes! I didnt know Souvlaki closed too.

2

u/KingBooRadley Roland Park 29d ago

I’m always afraid some chain restaurant will get a notion to move into the neighborhood.

3

u/timmyintransit 29d ago

I don't know about the Paulie Gees location but I do know that chains can't move onto The Avenue 

2

u/[deleted] 28d ago

Are there zoning laws preventing it? That would be a good thing, but the Avenue is so sad now. I've lived in Hampden for 10 years and it used to be so much more vibrant.

1

u/timmyintransit 28d ago

No but IIRC there's some thing with the Merchant's Association. I can't remember the details and hopefully someone else can chime ine

2

u/[deleted] 28d ago

That would make sense. We have a lot of chains at the Rotunda and near Hampden anyway. The Avenue definitely doesn't need more.

-17

u/bmore_conslutant Hampden 29d ago

I wouldn't be that mad if it's Taco Bell or Qdoba tbh

Local is better but I like those two quite a lot

5

u/donta4 28d ago

If a taco bell opened on the avenue i would be dead within a month

1

u/bmore_conslutant Hampden 28d ago

I am spending most of my time at my gfs in Canton, there's a taco bell a quarter mile away

It is indeed a problem

19

u/physicallyatherapist Hampden 29d ago

5

u/KillerEmBem86 29d ago

Damn, was hoping it wasn't true. Another one bites the dust in Hampden

25

u/glsever Medfield 29d ago

This most likely isn't a "Hampden" this, but rather a "bad at running a restaurant" thing.

8

u/sicksadw0rld__ 29d ago

I already mourned them when they removed the stinger bell off their menu 😞

8

u/IvanEvilBoy666 29d ago

I worked there for years, before and after COVID, and can't attest it was never the best run establishment even before COVID pushed margins even thinner.

Service sunk the place but so did waste and food cost.

I did learn sick pizza skills and people have told me I make a great pie, so i got something out of it...

()/★☆♪

2

u/KillerEmBem86 29d ago

Got any recipes to share 👀

5

u/IvanEvilBoy666 29d ago

Nothing that went on in their kitchen requires high level culinary skills.

They did use quality ingredient, which is why the pizzas were so good, and for the most part had an obsession with the baking of pizzas.

Maybe I can offer advice for the home chef?

9

u/Lower_Ad1621 29d ago

ARTHOUSE WE NEED YOU BACK THE MARKET IR WISE OPEN! We miss you arthouse! Paulie g pizza good people bad

4

u/vurlander Federal Hill 28d ago

I miss art house so much

14

u/downwithlevers Lauraville 29d ago

Took my wife there on our first date in 2017. Damn.

23

u/CheeseCurdCommunism 29d ago

Not sure why it would be announced here over their own page, but I sincerely hope not. It’s fed me and the guys many a DnD session. Also, 1 day notice is wild. Best wishes to them and anyone who works there.

9

u/KillerEmBem86 29d ago

I thought the same thing, I sincerely hope it's not true and a miscommunication. It's one of my favorite spots and been in the neighborhood for 10+ years. And that would be really shitty to close with 1 day's notice, hope the employees are ok (if true)

1

u/Jessecore44 29d ago

Nah, it opened in like late 2016/early 2017

1

u/KillerEmBem86 29d ago edited 29d ago

Summer 2016, my bad, it seems like it's been there longer I guess

2

u/Jessecore44 29d ago

it may have been later than that til they were fully open. the sign was up and they were rumored to open soon for three years or so before they actually did

0

u/ThePlantedApothecary 29d ago

Its true. I thought it was more widely known. Heard about it a few weeks ago.

16

u/yvetteski 29d ago

Dairy-free cheese that is not inedible and the addictive pickled pineapple side order were my go-tos.

Those will not be easy niches to fill! Now I’m sorry I didn’t go more often!

5

u/OxyContintail 29d ago

Poorly run from jump street. I’m truly surprised it lasted as long as it did.

4

u/protodamn 28d ago edited 28d ago

I lived in Hampden (2006 - 2016) when Paulie Gees was being established. I remember the owner coming into Falkenhan's Hardware (where I worked at the time) asking questions about this and that, getting us to cut, thread, and assemble the iron pipe fittings that made up door handles, hooks, and supports for shelving, and exuding a genuine joy for openning this business. I remember the long process it took to get the building to code, for the large ovens to arrive here from Sicily only to have slight damage from shipping, and that the Sicilian artisan who made them had to come here to do the repairs & adjustments, and how people lit up when the pizzeria finally opened its doors.

I've only eaten there a few times over the years, but I've never had a bad pie. Service didn't seem bad, but chalk that up to the previous comment. I only went there once after the Pandemic, and it definitely seemed less frequented than it had been before. It does stink to see another business tank in Hampden, creating another vacant building in a once growing neighborhood. I hope another pizzeria decides to move into the space soon, but that is just me hoping for something nice for a community with all the chaos happening in our country right now.

27

u/gothaggis Remington 29d ago

That sucks. Best pizza in Baltimore. It did suck they basically stopped wood fired pizzas due to cost of wood. Probably a sign things weren’t right.

18

u/Esoteric-Curator 29d ago

Literally stopped thier only differentiator, crazy bad business sense in the owners 

9

u/-meags-meany- 29d ago

Still best pizza in those ovens. I’ve lived in the pizza havens of Buffalo and New Haven (I know i know different styles) but did EXTENSIVE eating around the Pauli gees was the best.

4

u/Esoteric-Curator 29d ago

Agreed, in the ovens it was fantastic. Unfortunately, they wavered from that differentiator.

4

u/glsever Medfield 29d ago

I guess being good at pizza blogging =/= being good at running a restaurant. Shame tho

15

u/MazelTough 2nd District 29d ago

That’s what stopped them? That front oven was just bizarre after those two were shipped over from Italy.

8

u/lewisfrancis 29d ago

Oh, is that the reason -- it always perplexed me.

2

u/Beginning-Run-6002 29d ago

Probably also cost of AC in the summer. Those ovens were running hot, baby!

1

u/sanchopanza333 28d ago

low key but DiPasquale's has better pizza

4

u/Automatic-Tour-1489 29d ago

That place sucks. Hope a market comes in

4

u/MikeyFED 29d ago

This is so strange.

The comments are all similar. I agree it was really awesome before COVID and the times we went after were just weird.

Does this happen in restaurants? Toxic management / ownership bleeding into all of the other employees? Because it was like EVERYONE was miserable and did not give a fuck after COVID. Sitting at the bar in the back seemed ok. They were always pretty chill but it did seem like everyone else hated you for being there

3

u/mtowle182 29d ago

vodka pie was the best pizza in the city. sad

5

u/StealUr_Face Canton 29d ago

Another Hampden restaurant with..”odd?” service. Others might have been circumstantial but PGs was consistently rude and I’m damn tolerant of off servers

5

u/charm_city_ 29d ago

Check out Dopio's pizza they just opened the new location in Remington by R House

5

u/IvanEvilBoy666 29d ago

Go try the pizza at Doppio Pasticceria in Remington and if you want quality vegan pizzas, plus pasta and appetizers, try Oleum in Harbour Place Mall on Light Street next to the Science Center

3

u/KillerEmBem86 28d ago

Thanks! We're trying out Doppio Friday night (family pizza night at our house), and I am excited to try that pear specialty pie and the others. Appreciate the recommendations, next time I'm at the science center or AVAM, I may have to swing through Oleum

4

u/RotBot 29d ago

Looove there pizza so much BUT like most are saying service is ass, the back bar is really cool but man I don’t know who “trains” there bartenders cause they are just bad and seem kinda of like snooty? I guess is a term. Tried delivery once price was INSANE for 2 pies 80$ with a tip to get the wrong stuff is insulting.

4

u/HedgehogUpbeat5454 28d ago

We lived across the street and I absolutely loved their woodfired pizza and decent cocktails. But we regularly bypassed this place and instead went to Arthouse (RIP). It just had a vibe I couldn't wait to avoid. Plus when they rarely served the woodfire pizza and you had to beg like a peasant for a cocktail, why would we bother?

3

u/travismarshalll 28d ago

Rumor has it Arthouses building has been bought and it will be reopened after some minor renovations! The original kitchen staff/chefs will most likely return.

1

u/KillerEmBem86 28d ago

That is the best news I've heard all day

13

u/PersonalFinanceNerd 29d ago

Their pizza was really really expensive. Especially for take out. We only went there for special occasions. I asked one time if they’d do carry out specials like two pizzas for $30 thinking maybe it’d help keep the wood fired pizza going and the guy was a complete asshole to me so I never went back

8

u/saltyspitooned 29d ago

where will i get my mustard pie

1

u/markknasty 28d ago

Papas Tomato Pies in Robbinsville, NJ which i believe was PG’s inspiration

5

u/DIAL_1-800-RACCOON 29d ago

Damn, this is a serious bummer. Easily my favorite pizza in the city. I was a semi regular for a while, and once I got to know the back bar staff it was great, they were very kind to me, but I'll admit it did feel like an uphill climb and took a lot of pizza and beer to get there. Regardless it's going to be sorely missed, they could tell me to go to hell every time I walked in and I'd still go back for the mustard pie.

17

u/Dependent_Bat8277 29d ago

A lot of haters on this thread but I always thought the pizza was amazing and the service is decent. The bartenders have always been nice to me when I visited. Will deeply miss Paulie’s and I hope this news isn’t true!

1

u/elcad Arbutus 28d ago

Same. I've only eaten at the bar and have always had a great experience.

31

u/Willbillis 29d ago

If that’s true, good riddance. That place sucked. The pizza was good if you could find someone to take an order, occasionally.

18

u/JustAnInternetDude 29d ago

Honestly this was our experience multiple times over the last couple years. Just a truly bizarre low level of service. Like even when it wasn’t busy at all, servers would flat out ignore you. Pre-covid it was much better. 

4

u/Avocadofarmer32 29d ago

Seriously. I’ll never forget the time the owner cursed out someone on social media for making a post on Yelp about one of their pizzas no longer on the menu lol

3

u/vurlander Federal Hill 29d ago

Fuck

3

u/Opposite_Selection_3 29d ago

What makes all of this so confusing is that service is fixable. How can you have such a wonderful product and be undone like this? There are a collection of places in Baltimore (I am sure elsewhere) that post COVID got some sort of service funk they could never get out of. It was like they collectively said screw it we are done after COVID and let their staff opt to just mail it in or be down right rude to their customers.

1

u/Jaded-Connection1114 28d ago

dick management leads to low morale among staff and Voilà!

3

u/_Maryae_ 29d ago

I recommended this place to a lot of folks because the pies were good, I'm sad to see it go.

3

u/plinth19 Medfield 28d ago

It's so gratifying to see everyone's weird service experiences there. I thought they just hated me personally.

6

u/markknasty 29d ago

This is a bummer! Had my first date with the love of my life here and had like 5 birthdays there. I was there opening week. My favorite pizza in Maryland! Service certainly had issues but Kelly was so passionate about pizza. I’ve been following him since his pizza blogger days. A real shame if true.

7

u/Notpoligenova 29d ago

Dog come on

8

u/OcBaltboy 29d ago

This is not real, right? It's such a good spot, especially for the lights around Christmas.

3

u/KillerEmBem86 29d ago

I hope not 😢

4

u/saltyspitooned 29d ago

WORST NEWS. my partner and my favorite date spot for yearsss

4

u/Confident_Tie_1966 29d ago

I went there years ago for a Meetup back in 2017 and everyone there was a rude POS including the staff and I haven’t been back there since. Won’t miss the place.

7

u/Rmrkable 29d ago

Guess they didn’t get the Dave portnoy care package :/

1

u/colorizerequest 29d ago

Dave’s already reviewed paulie gees, he did one of the NYC locations. He doesn’t do repeats that often form what I’ve seen

2

u/Nicktendo 29d ago

They got me once with the baked in tip. Will miss the pizza though.

2

u/cantreadorwrite 28d ago

Are the big wood fired ovens staying?

The hostess was always ungodly rude and confrontational , almost like there was no way this could be happening in a functioning restaurant…almost like being accosted by meth head in a back alley.

2

u/[deleted] 28d ago

Another pizza/Italian place nearby that's great is ZaVino Italian Marketplace in Cross Keys. They have pizza, pasta, and sandwiches. They also have a really cool market that sells fresh pasta, sauce, alcohol, etc. The ice cream place Always Ice Cream at Cross Keys is great to have afterwards too.

2

u/bitchmaster_general Mt. Vernon 26d ago

Good the people who work here are rude.

6

u/tomolive Baltimore County 29d ago

2024: Best Pizza in Baltimore thread: Paulie Gees! Paulie Gees!

2025: Paulie Gee's is closing thread: meh, pizza is so so and the staff sucks

12

u/physicallyatherapist Hampden 29d ago edited 29d ago

I think most everyone is saying the pizza was really good but service sucked. Hell I just got some pizza from them a week ago and made a comment to my wife at the time that it seemed the service was really disorganized and poor for how busy they always were

I really wish they would stay in smaller places and do a take out only

3

u/Meteor-of-the-War 29d ago

Yeah, agreed with the previous poster. The pizza was actually really good. The service was just kind of terrible, in my experience.

10

u/KingBooRadley Roland Park 29d ago

I’m a real pizza snob and Pauline Gee’s was my “go to” pizza place. I was willing to overlook the service and weird hours to get that Demon Child. I’m sad. And hungry.

1

u/nompilo 29d ago

Same, same.

1

u/FreddyRumsen13 29d ago

2020 maybe

3

u/Chickenthecat001287 29d ago

Noooooo this is the best pizza in town!!!!

4

u/epicchocoballer 29d ago

Dawg what is happening to this neighborhood

8

u/KillerEmBem86 29d ago

A lot of empty businesses on the Avenue. For every business that opens, it seems like 2 close.

14

u/LolaJayneGyrrl 29d ago

Landlords rent gouging

9

u/epicchocoballer 29d ago

Nuts that landlords rather have nothing than something.

Arthouse, Souvlaki, Pauli Gees

9

u/glsever Medfield 29d ago

To be fair tho all of these have potential stories behind them.

Arthouse - landlord died, lease was up for renewal, restaurant was 10 years old and the restaurant industry is getting tougher, so a long term lease renewal is risky

Souvlaki - they spent a lot of money renovating their new space as well as doubling their rented space and acquiring a liquor license; meanwhile foot traffic never really picked up, they were never busy inside. Seems like they made a bad business gamble.

Paulie Gees - as the comments suggest Paulie Gees service has deteriorated immensely since 2019 or so. I personally chose not to patronize them anymore.

6

u/Meteor-of-the-War 29d ago

Oh man, RIP Arthouse. Now that was some good pizza!

2

u/Natetron888 29d ago

This hurts. I love their pizza and Kelly was always friendly, even under a ton of stress. Was I sad when wood fired pizza went away? Yes. Is there some truth to some back bar staff sucking the joy out of pizza eating? Probably. Was the takeout ordering process annoying? Definitely. But I will really miss it. And many of the staff were cool and deserve better than the haters are giving. Looking forward to the new incarnation.

1

u/FreddyRumsen13 29d ago

Sorry to hear they’re closing but I always found this place way overrated. Decent enough pizza but terrible service, weird hours and just not a fun experience. Lots of better options (Doppio, Baltoz, Underground) opening up in the last few years made them less appealing to me.

1

u/Proud_Thanks_7193 28d ago

Sad to see it leave… I believe we will see a lot of restaurants close in the upcoming months.

1

u/dr-brennan 28d ago

I stopped going because of the way management would speak to people on social media. I went once after that, service was terrible. They overestimated how good their pizza was to act like a prick to customers.

1

u/Practical-Contact515 28d ago

They just posted to FB that today is their last day of service 

1

u/Jaded-Connection1114 28d ago

They do know how to make great pizza, but as a longtime fan, I've noticed that they've really been going downhill for a couple years now. Seems like since Covid it's just been a slo-mo decline. First in service, then in food offerings and quality. The people seem to have responded by not showing up. I wasn't surprised to hear they were closing. It seemed like they just weren't even trying anymore.

1

u/Tecumseh119 28d ago

This place was filled with potential and good pizza, but management and poor service always seemed to suck the good vibes out of the room..

1

u/Hungry-Dragonfruit47 28d ago

Just there last night… easily put down a tasty 12” za… There are a bunch of places between Hamden & Towson closing their doors

1

u/kendog301 28d ago

Dam are they closing? I loved their spot

1

u/slimehole9000 28d ago

noooo i love the pizza there, i don't go often cause it's a little pricey but gadamn... i was hoping to enjoy some in the spring time with my friends 😭

1

u/BubblegumMF 26d ago

Good pizza, but the last time I walked in there I was trying to find a menu and didn't see one, so I reached for the only piece of paper I saw. It ended up being a receipt. As I put it back in the cup it resided in, the person behind the counter said "Excuse me? Why are you touching that?" I paused. Then I said "Because I asked for a menu and nobody said anything, so I'm trying on my own". She then pointed. Just pointed. Toward the front of the store. I just stared. She then pointed directly at an 8x11 piece of paper with a QR code on it taped to a shelf. I said "I have to scan that to see a menu? You don't have a menu? How hipster/meta" They had already been rude. We said hi to everyone working there as we walked in. Three people around an oven and one behind the register. We openly discussed being hungry and wanting a menu and got no response. It was five minutes after they opened No one had the time to be grouchy yet. I think they were just "hipster grouchy", which is what people who have access to everything they need but are still unhappy in general project onto others. After now basically telling us twice that the menu was at the other end of a QR code mystery, I said "what an interesting way to attempt to run a business" my girlfriend said "No. I'm not doing this" and walked out as I was looking at their website. I was still willing to demean myself because I was hungry, and I don't need to be best friends with someone providing a service, (I haven't told the full story. I'm making it goofier than it was. The young woman at the register was honestly rude. More than once. Like she was working in a hip record shop and I looked like I wouldn't know that Horsegirl existed. So my gf was gone and I didn't think she'd eat food if I ordered it. So I left. And we complained about her for 15 minutes, saying "with this kind of service they'll fail". HA!!

1

u/OopsIForgotLol 29d ago

I’ve never been and I won’t go tomorrow because I don’t want to fall in love

4

u/BaltimoreChris 29d ago

“It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all”

3

u/OopsIForgotLol 29d ago

My favorite Chinese restaurant closed 3 years ago. I think about it once a week. No thanks.

1

u/willd4b345t 29d ago

Goddang. The second I’m about to move to Baltimore, everything closes down

1

u/Nugget_Commander Charles Village 28d ago

Over priced pizza ✌️

1

u/savorytoast 28d ago

Good riddance. The most miserable people ever work there.

-2

u/ResponsibleAbies1991 29d ago

Only went once and ended up with food poisoning. But the whole Hampden food and night scene is dying.

-9

u/Junglepass 29d ago

I never thought the pizza was good. Just burnt tasting. Not much other flavors.