Rudino's Pizza and Grinders -- Lunch Time Treat

Restaurant: Rudino's Pizza and Grinders
Location: 2000 South Blvd, Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28203
Click here for Google Maps (simply fill in your address)
Website: Official Web Site
Telephone: 704.333.3124
Food Selection: Pizza and Grinders
Health Score; Didn't see it
Hours:
Monday-Saturday: 11:00am - 4:00pm
Sunday: CLOSED
Monday - Friday: Pizza BUFFET! 11:30am-1:30pm


The Initial Walk-In:

I am so glad my co-worker brought this restaurant to my attention. Solid. All I can say. You go there for pizza and grinders. This is a cool pizza joint and I'm glad I found it. While it is along South Blvd, it is secluded. You walk in and the cash register is right there. The high-rise tables (no skirts ladies) are to your left and the traditional tables are to your right. During the buffet hours, the buffet area is to the right. It's clean and does not try to be anything, but a pizza place.

Course of Meals:

Lunch Time: Seat yourself

Main Meal: Lunch Buffet -- all you can eat with drink (sodas, water, tea).

So, it was my day off from riding the bike and it was raining, so I went to town with the pizza selections. I enjoyed pepperoni, BBQ chicken, cheese, ham/pepperoni/meat, and cheesy bread sticks. Which I topped off with a slice of cinnamon "pizza". I think I had a total of nine slices.

All the pizzas were light, fluffy, airy, and smooth. I have never had a pizza that had an "airy" taste/feel to it and it was great. It was not too heavy on the stomach. The sauce was great. It was smooth and light once again, but it had a sound flavor to it.

My favorite pizza was the BBQ chicken. Out of all the BBQ chicken pizzas I have ever had, this ranks right up there. What I like about Rudino's is the hot sauce taste it has. It is not just BBQ. It has a hot sauce foundation. Thumbs up!

Atmosphere/Ambiance:

The atmosphere is laid-back. At lunch, you seat yourself. They have televisions around the place with ESPN. Rudino's has a mill-feel to it. Brick foundation and they have an open ceiling where you can see the vents, but they are clean and give it a pizza-joint feel. They have murals of old-school Charlotte on the main right wall to give some history to the restaurant. Overall, Rudino's has a simple atmosphere. You can take your kids here, meet friends here, or just grab a bite to eat.

Server/Staff:
As it was a buffet, there was not a real need for a server. However, when we paid for the buffet, the host asked if there was any pizza we would like/ what our preferences were to ensure they had what we wanted. That is great customer service right there. I was very pleased.

My Complaints:

*As I just found out about this place, I'm curious why they do not have longer hours. While they are not in the heart of "Uptown", I would love this pizza late at night.

What's Special about Rudino's:

*Awesome pizza that is light/fluffy
*You come here for pizza... you get great pizza
*Inexpensive

Closing Everything Out:

My buffet total was $9.00. I ate nine slices of pizza and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The pizza tasted great. Probably the only downside of Rudino's is you will eat more than you would want to because it is so good. I am so glad one of my friends took me here! You have to check this place out.

~the RESTAURANT GUY