Zio’s Italian Restaurant

So sorry to see Zio’s has closed. They were so friendly with dependable quality and service. Their sausage pizza was the best with fennel seed in the sausage. That’s hard to find.

so sad this place has closed. i went there today to pick up a pizza for lunch and was concerned why the phone kept ringing and ringing, i pull up to see people moving items out. So sad! :(

So sad to say this great pizza spot is closing tomorrow! Many loyal customers have spent the last two weeks planning one last trip to Zio’s. Thanks to the owners and loyal staff for making great homestyle Italian dishes and yummy pizza. This go-​to spot for lunch will leave a definite hole in my foodie heart.

Their signature pizza is a deep dish, and their sauce has big chunks of tomatoes in it. Their restaurant is very clean, and the staff are extremely friendly. It’s such a shame that they’re closing, because they serve up a great pizza pie! This place has been around since 1978, so it’s more of an institution than just a pizza place… Go check it out before closes!

What happened to this place? It has gone way downhill.
I first came to Zio’s for pizza during the 1970s. Their pizza and calzones were great. By the 1980s, they weren’t so great anymore. Still, most of the pastas were good, and the prices were cheap compared with most other Italian restaurants.
I came here recently for my birthday on a Saturday night. The place was dead. The restaurant looked dingy. Even though there were maybe only two or three other tables with people, it took us a long time to get our food. There were seven of us, and none of us liked what we ordered. Not good.
Sorry, Zio’s. You have seen better days, and you have lost me as a customer.

We came with a group of 8, the food was good but the service was horrible!!! Our food took 40 mins, they didn’t give us the salads that the menu CLEARY says comes with our meals even when we asked they sAid they don’t. Then when it came to paying … One guy was helping up us each pay our meals then this older lady comes & tells him to clean. She tells us we are short $ 30 even tho we paid INCLUDED tip
& more… And she wouldn’t let us see the receipt or the money we gave and we were asking nicely Nd she started being RUDE AND LOUD FOR NO REASON and tried to blame us for her register being short. I WILL NEVER COME BACK! This was our first and our last time coming. HORRIBLE MANAGER or whoever she was!

Loved this place for 20+ years… Past 2 times service had been terrible! Slow… No drink refills… Had to ask for my garlic bread that goes with the entrée! At least this time we got the full order of chicken parm… Last time was only given ½ an order!
Writing has been on wall for years… Just announced they are closing July 30 is their last day

My family has been eating pizza here for as long as I can remember. I don’t think we’ve had anything other than their pizza because it’s just too good not to get. Birch beer goes great with the pizza and don’t forget to finish your meal with zeppole– my personal favorite! Oh, also, they no longer offer a salad bar (haven’t for years), but the Greek salad is a good starter and big enough to share.
Why, you might wonder, do I only give it 4 stars? The dining room could use a serious cleaning and sprucing up. I’ve had a difficult time wanting to stay and eat more recently because it just doesn’t seem clean. I’ve never had issues with my food, though, so will continue to come back.

First and last time we’ll choose Zio’s. The reviews on here seemed fairly positive, so we figured we would give them a shot. We ordered very basic Italian fare, a chicken parm sandwich and a calzone, so we figured it would be an easy order to get right.
Ordering was easy and the person taking our order was friendly. We were told it would be ready in 15 – 20 minutes. I headed over and our food was ready when I arrived. There is a takeout entrance, that is somewhat hidden if you park in front of the restaurant. I walked into the dining room to see 2 tables full on a Friday night. I was told where the takeout entrance was and walked around to the other side. The restaurant smelled great when I walked in, so I thought we were in for a good experience. The order was ready and the cashier was quick and friendly.
I got home with my food and was not happy with what I found… Let’s start with the chicken parm sandwich. I have never had a chicken parm sandwich like this. The chicken was grilled, not breaded and cooked in oil. Huh? Going back now and looking at the menu, it says «marinated breast.» I suppose that should have been my indication? Still, never have I seen a chicken parm prepared this way. Based on the lines on the chicken, it was obviously pre-​made «grilled» chicken that was reheated. The bread wasn’t crisp on the outside and was soggy on the bottom to the point that it fell apart the instant I picked it up. The marinara sauce was pretty good and the size of the sandwich was what I expected too. It might have been a half decent sandwich if the chicken was prepared traditionally.
The calzone was a complete miss all around. I’m used to calzones that are about the size of a small pizza folded in half. This was a round ball of dough about 4″ across and 1.5″ thick. Sadly, the size of the small container of sauce was the same size as the calzone. One bite into the calzone told the last part of the story. Completely raw dough. At first I thought it was cheese, but nope it was 100% raw pizza dough.
That was the end of that meal. I called back and spoke with the manager. He was apologetic and offered a credit or a replacement. To be honest, we didn’t want either.
We won’t be back. The search for a decent Italian restaurant goes on…

Our lacrosse team used to eat here all the time after games because of the salad bar and bread. We would also order lots of calamari and panzanella pizzas.
Zio’s is a good place to bro out. It’s also a good place to take your grandparents and great aunts/​uncles for high school graduation. That’s what I did at least. Even though that was five years ago, I recall that my grandmother ordered ravioli.
The tiramisu is not as good as that of the Sheng Kee bakery on Telegraph Ave. in Bezerkeley.
It’s crazy how a fountain drink costs $ 2.50. I remember in elementary school, I liked to go hard and get a can of soda from the teacher’s lounge. Those joints only cost 7 nickels.
Zio’s is a good place to come man. There’s a lot of parking, and there are a lot of bros.
There are very little vegan options, however.

So, I’m from Chicago and as you should know, Chicago has the best pizza in the country. It’s unmatched. I had been looking for good pizza in DC but to no avail. I’ve finally found a place that is above-​average: Zios. While it’s by no means Chicago-​style pizza, it is very good as a whole. The sauce, cheese, toppings and buttery crust are delicious. The prices are good, too. They have lunch specials during the week and the food comes out quickly. I will be going back at least once a month.

We ordered a large pepperoni and some bruschetta, to go. It was ready super fast and we rushed home (5 min away) to eat because we were starving! :) The Pizza was familiar. Where had we tasted this pizza before. We thought and thought… then it came to me. Pizza Hut!!! The crust had that greasy pan pizza taste and the fluffy almost Greek, pizza dough taste. Then my husband remembered seeing pizza pans so there you have it. But honestly, we haven’t eaten at Pizza Hut in 10+ years, but I would rather their pizza over Zios.
We also had the bruschetta which was disgusting. I mean, seriously gross. It was sad and soggy, and the taste was about as bland as you get. Sliced of bread piled high with unripe tomatoes, yikes. Also, THREE tiny slices of bruchetta were $ 6. We couldn’t believe it when we opened the box.
I’m not sure why everyone is raving about this pizza. It definitely wasn’t for us.

I’ve only used Zio’s for take out pizza so that’s what this review will be for. The folks in my office just love Zio’s pizza. It has a very unique crust, not thin, not thick, somewhere in between, but crisp and airy with a perfect chew.
Toppings are top shelf and a large pizza will feed 4. My favorite is anchovies with mushrooms and onions but I’m the only one in the office who will eat this bad boy so I get myself a small with the delusional thought that I’ll eat half and save the rest, followed shortly thereafter by this guilty, yet full, feeling having eaten the whole thing…
Yeah, it’s really good pizza. Prices are about right for such a great product, I’d say they average $ 20 a pie. No, this is not your $ 5.00 pizza pizza. You actually want to eat this one.
They have sodas you can pick up with your take out and I guess we have ordered a few take out salads, too. I wish they offered a take out salad portion for like 5 or 6 people. You have to order either individual or the $ 65 catering take out salad. I need something in between for the folks in my office that want a little salad with their pizza.

Weirdly, I’ve never had the pizza here but I will definitely give it a try based on other comments.
I used to go here 20 years ago for the Calzones, they were fantastic. These days it seems like the time I go is very important. For instance, on a Friday or Saturday night the food is great, Calzones, Calamari, pasta dishes, eggplant parm, basically can’t go wrong with anything. Other ‘random’ times like 3 in the afternoon, I’ve tried getting Calzones and they tend to have a large spot that is nearly rock hard. As someone who cooks, I’m kind of puzzled by this… how can only one spot be hard?

I could give five stars on the fantastic employees alone! I have NEVER had such excellent service even in a fine dining restaurant and looking around the place. everyone was being taken care of.
Drinks re– filled immediately, super nice wait staff… our waitress was wonderful, offered great suggestions as it was our first visit and actually seemed to love her job!
Was quite crowded with a mix of old school regulars who did not even need menus to order, to business lunches to couples enjoying lunch together. As I looked around I saw many items I will be back to try.
Pizza was AMAZING if you like big chunks of tomato in your sauce, and so was the fried mozzarella.
Who ever manages this place should pat themselves on the back for their amazing staff and wonderful cooks! Thank you and I will be back!
Only thing I was not fond of was the buffet unit which was covered in a beach theme with sand and plastic sand buckets and shovels which did not have anything to do with Italian food. I would have rather seen the buffet covered with plants or those big wine bottles or anything to do with Italy but the gorgeous antique cash register in front made up for the not so attractive covered buffet.

I created my Unilocal account for the sole purpose of commenting on Zio’s pizza. I have been going to Zio’s for 20 + years and have never been disappointed. This is by far the best pizza in the DC area without question. The tomato sauce with chunks of tomatoes is incredible and the crust is unbelievable, I recommend ordering well done. I generally stick to the (i) large tomato and cheese pizza, and (ii) the large tomato and cheese pizza with sausage and sauteed green peppers /​or onions. For those who have not been to the restaurant before, try the pizza and you will never order from anywhere else again. The pizzas are huge and are the best value in the area.
If you don’t feel like eating at the restaurant, they have a carry-​out counter right next door to the restaurant where I regularly order pizza to-​go and it is always ready within 15 minutes.

Listen.
This place is great. There is nothing in Gaithersburg. Nothing.
If a certain divinity said, «Let’s flood freaking Gaithersburg ’cause there is nothing there.»
I’d say, «Wait, oh divine one, let’s build an ark for Zios. Seriously, let’s build an ark for Zios.»
I’m sure he would.
This is solid dip dish man. And I have nothing really against Gaithersburg. It’s an alright place. I just knocked it for dramatic tension ;)

I believe that pizza tastes are subjective. Some like thick crust, others thin. Some like a sweeter sauce, others like it more herby. It’s like beauty… it’s all in the eye of the beholder.
Personally, I like my pizza thin with a dry dry dry crust. Herby, lots of sauce and very little cheese. If I get toppings, it’s all veggie all the way… and without olives, thank you very much.
So when my friends told me that Zio’s had the «best pizza EVER», I took it with a grain of salt.
I’m gonna say — this pizza went against almost everything I like about pizzas… and it was pretty damned good! The crust was thick and greasy with a surprisingly wonderful crispy crunch. The sauce was sweet, and the cheese was thick. And yet… and yet… it all came together so well that I was on my third slice before I noticed that this pizza was everything I normally disliked! Yum!
I will say though that, even a practiced glutton such as I did feel uncomfortably full and heavy after eating… but to be fair… I *did* eat half a large pizza. Heh. I’m such a fatty.
Definitely tasty, and will be back. It’s a little pricer then the major pizza chains with their «specials», but it’s worth it.

Zios has the best personal pizzas! The tomato pizza has the chunkiest tomatoes and the cheese is slightly browned. They also have another pizza called the Graeco which has the most amazing flavors! You can add meat but it does not come with meat.
The one thing I REALLY miss about this place is their fabulous salad bar. Soooooo amazing! They got rid of it!!! That was a depressing moment for sure. They had the best ingredients and a one trip salad bar was less than $ 4 which might be why they had to shut it down. I would have paid more!!! It’s hard to find good salads these days. Toooooo baaaaad:(

I will start off with the salads… It looks like your typical McDonalds side salad. Nothing exciting. A little croutons and and a little bacon bits wouldnt hurt to add to the mix.
The garlic bread was your typical Pepperidge Farm Texas Toast. I was expecting something that tasted homemade.
The pizza is a winner though. I would pick the Magherita pizza. Crust is on point. Sauce is good. Sauce was a little sweet which is a good thing.
As for the pasta… nothing to run home to tell mom about. It tasted like box pasta and very bland. I had to add tons of cheese. The meatballs are huge and tasted ok but again nothing to run home and tell mom about. Though while I was about to slice my meatball in half… It almost ran away from me… in which I was about to sing… I lost my poor meatball song lol.
The service is ok. I am not fond of having to ask the waitress for every little thing. Giving customers just one itsy bittie napkin is not enough. What are we to do after the one napkin is used? Wipe our hands on our dates shirt? Though the thought crossed my mind… If my drink is almost empty… do I have to ask for a refill each time? lol.
The tiramisu was a winner… The place is a little bit pricey for what you get. Their prices are almost close to Carabas and Macaroni Grill… so I would have expected better… Overall I might come back but just for the pizza.