The Venue
5070 Lindale
Drive Northeast
Cedar Rapids, IA
52401
(319) 393-0017
 |
| Four of the Five Participants (plus one extra) Undertaking 3 Large Pizza's |
Happy Joe’s is a regional chain
that is found of the Midwest, especially Iowa.
With locations in six states, you may have one of these establishments near
you. For kids, they are fun, with
ski-ball, racing, and other games where you can win tickets (prizes). The pizza side of the restaurant was also quite
classy, as to attract those of us without small children. It was very clean, and the staff was
friendly. Coupons can often be found in
the Sunday newspaper and in other advertisements around the local
community. On Monday, we found out that
the price of the Larges were $13.99, where was such a great deal. We are plenty to take home!
Take a look at their pizza menu
here, http://www.happyjoes.com/menu.php.
The Pizza
 |
| Large (15"), Pan Crust, Combo Pizza |
Chicago Style: No
Crust Thickness: Thin/Average
 |
| Large (15"), Pan Crust, Taco Supreme Pizza |
Our group consisted of 5 participants; so we ordered three large specialty pizzas. Each of these large pizzas cost us $14 a
piece. They come in small (9”), medium
(12”), and large (15”). The Crust comes
in Pan or Thin.
BLT - Both
hickory-smoked and Canadian bacon with mozzarella, provolone and cheddar
cheeses. Baked, then topped with mayo, lettuce and tomatoes (Large, Thin crust,
$13.99).
Combo - Pepperoni, sausage, salami, beef, mushrooms, green peppers and onions (Large, Pan crust, $13.99).
Combo - Pepperoni, sausage, salami, beef, mushrooms, green peppers and onions (Large, Pan crust, $13.99).
Taco Supreme - Our
famous Taco Joe pizza is loaded with refried beans, taco-seasoned beef, and
sausage, topped with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, black olives, onions, and taco chips. Served with taco
sauce (Large, Pan crust, $13.99).
The Verdict
 |
| Large (15"), Thin Crust, BLT Pizza |
The pizza was cut into narrow
slices. The ingredients were excellent,
and the cheese and toppings were well balanced while the sauce was spare. Some felt that the pizza was the best that
they have had in a long time; however, the pizza could have been served
warmer. The Combo was the least favorite
of the pies, with one participant wondering if it was slightly
undercooked. The Taco and the BLT were VERY well liked along all the
participants. The thin seemed to be the general
consensus as the crust of choice. I felt
that the Pan was similar to the thin, except that it has a large lip at the
edge of the pizza. Because of the
special, we got a great deal at Happy Joe’s.
I would recommend it to anyone who wants a good “taco” pizza; however,
if you are in the mood for a more traditional style of pizza (pepperoni,
sausage, marinara sauce), you might want to try some of the other pizza places
in town first. But if you are in the
mood for a BLT, Taco, or another non-traditional pizza, and want a fun place
for the kids, head on over the Happy Joe’s.
 |
| All Three Pizza's - Sliced Up! |
Here are our ratings,
where 1 = worst and 10 = best.
Overall = 8.30
Cheese = 7.00
Toppings = 9.20
Sauce = 6.00
Crust = 8.20
Overall = 8.30
Cheese = 7.00
Toppings = 9.20
Sauce = 6.00
Crust = 8.20
Venue = 6.40
