Big Deal Pizzeria

Former Location

475 Monroe Avenue, Rochester NY, 14607

Status (as of 2022)

Closed

See Gone, but not forgotten

Big Deal Pizzeria was a pizzeria that opened in May 2009 in the former Sal's New York Pizzeria. This is one of many pizzerias on lower Monroe Avenue.

On February 8, 2010, employees found the body of owner Kevin Wratni in the restaurant's back office. Police investigated the death as suspicious. ¹

Comments:

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2009-05-20 16:45:18   So I'm having a couple of cocktails at O'cals last night and realize I need to eat or I'll lose those $5 pitchers. Staggering out the door I see Big Deal Pizza. I got a big slice for $3 and kept 20 bucks of beer down.

I know pizza always tastes good when you're drunk so I went back today for lunch (pregame planning). The pizza was as good as I remembered it. I got the Buffalo Chicken. The crust was fresh. A little crunchy on the bottom, but not paper thin or burnt. The sauce was flavorful, but not over powering and there was plenty of cheese and chicken.

The guys working all seemed to be having fun and like each other. They were friendly without being annoying.

They're open until 4:00 am on Friday and Saturday.

I'll be back. —HappyDrunk

2009-05-25 16:06:56   I'd say it's the best pizza place in the monroe/park ave area.

I had a slice of pizza and a dozen wings. The pizza was great and fairly large for 3 bucks. Wings were done perfectly, good sized wings, and they scored big points with me when they asked if I wanted the wings regular or crispy.

The place is extremely clean and has a bakery. There's only a few places to sit and eat, and no tables (only stools and counter tops).

This is my new favortie pizza place. —Logan100

2009-08-13 10:02:28   I agree with Logan100; we got a flyer in the mail with coupons for this place, and we decided to try the large cheese pizza with 20 mild wings. The pizza was just the way I like it, properly cooked all the way through, no grease on the bottom of the crust, which was nice and dry (but not crispy; this is not thin crust pizza, which I do also like), and a nice general thickness to the whole thing. The edges were not huge like some pizzerias, so they didn't skimp on the topping, like some places do. I think this pizza is a lot better than Papajohn's. The wings also were cooked all the way through, delicious, and actually more zippy than I expected (but that was ok as I like hot and was merely trying to accommodate a wimpy friend sharing the meal). I'll definitely be buying from them again! And the delivery guy was really nice, so I felt good about tipping him on top of the delivery charge. —KatieSchmitz

2009-10-14 14:14:37   I ordered a calzone from Big Deal for lunch today. While the $2.50 delivery charge was unexpected and seemed a bit excessive (I only live 4 blocks away from the place), the calzone was excellent and HUGE. It's easily 2 meals, possibly 3. I think it's the biggest calzone I've ever attempted to eat.

One other minor gripe is that their selection of toppings isn't great. No spinach or artichokes? Still, I definitely prefer Big Deal to most other pizza shops in the Monroe Ave area. . . perhaps with the exception of Acme. —GrahamSaathoff

2009-10-26 13:32:42   On Friday night 4 friends and decided to get BIG DEAL garbage plates, result of garbage plate = food poisoning. This place shouldn't leave their mac salad out all day, and expect for the mayonnaise to not go bad, we all were vomiting uncontrollably and one friend even defecated themselves. by far the worst experience ever! The people who run this place are ASSHATS. —NipsyRussell

2010-03-19 13:45:11   I had a slice from here the other night and I actually prefer this place over Rookies any day. I will be returning for sure. —Chef

2011-01-22 17:12:12   My favorite local pizza delivery place (Pizzeria Americana in Brighton) appears to have closed so I am attempting to find a replacement. I gave Big Deal Pizzeria a try. I ordered a medium pizza and chicken fingers & fries basket. The pizza arrived quickly and the chicken and fries were good. However the crust of my pizza was burnt. Not just well done, it was burnt. What otherwise would have been a good pizza was ruined by the burnt crust. I don't expect I'll be ordering from them again. —DominicFeira

2011-02-11 00:11:52   I've been a Big Deal customer since they opened in 2009. They have a superior product to most other pizza shops in the area, and the food has always been exceptional. I have been a loyal customer both at lunch hour, and late nights (and early mornings as well!), and they have never failed to impress.

That being said, I had the misfortune of placing an order tonight. The first person who answered the phone seemed new and had no idea what she was doing. Ok, that's to be expected I guess. It was all downhill from there. I was informed that someone had ordered a pizza 3 months ago under my name, never picked it up, and thus I was "blacklisted" from ordering. After calmly explaining that I had nothing to do with the mysterious order (and also the fact that I've ordered since), I was talked to very rudely and hung up on by the manager on duty. Not once, but twice when I called back and attempted to order again despite the misunderstanding.

After having someone else order, we were then subjected to nearly raw burgers and slightly rancid mac salad, which was mostly thrown away. My partner is pregnant and I wince to think of what could have happened if she had ate much at all.

We didn't bother calling back and complaining because of the complete hassle it was to even order.

I work at a restaurant in the area, and we treat our customers with respect, and do just about anything to ensure they don't spend their money at one of the many other choices in town. Big Deal's new owners might do themselves well if they heed the old restaurant adage that a happy customer might tell one or two people about their good experience, but an unhappy one, according to studies, may tell up to 20. I have friends that drive up from Mendon just to get a Big Deal slice...

Best of luck Big Deal, ill take my friends reccomendations and my business elsewhere. —RoryKetchum

2011-11-28 15:45:25   I went to bid deal a few nights ago with some friends. The pizza was soggy, mac salad was old and crusty, and the chicken sandwich made mcdonals look gourmet. The service was the worst I've encountered in Rochester. The workers are rude, aloof, immature, and worst of all extremely racist. I was very uncomfortable eating in the establishment while the workers shit talked previous customers and people who walked by the store. —Swagrochester

2011-11-28 17:34:31   The pizza there sucks and the service is horrible. They are racists and called one my black friends a n***er after he bought a slice. I would recommend Acme right down the street over them. Acme has better pizza, they sell cocktails and have a much better atmostphere. —Usarmysarge