Last summer, Houston pizza chain Gold Tooth Tony’s opened its doors at a new Bellaire location.

With two other locations in Montrose and the Heights, the restaurant offers its signature deep dish Detroit-style pizza and a variety of unique, flavorful toppings to customers. Its close proximity to campus and its discount offered to Bellaire students make it an appealing place to get food after school, but just how good is it? I visited to find out.

Pepperoni Pizza – 7/10

Although Gold Tooth Tony’s offers some creative topping options, it’s important to establish a good baseline, and that’s exactly what I did by trying out a classic pepperoni pizza. It cost $16.50, which isn’t cheap but is reasonable for a large dish like this with high quality ingredients.

Although it seems like a basic option, it sets itself apart by being made “Detroit-style,” meaning the pizza is in a steel pan with sauce being ladled on top. If you like to have a thick crust with your pizza, this is the place for you. Between the filling, deep-dish crust and the only size offered being a large 8” by 10”, you should expect to have plenty of leftovers, even if you come with a friend.

The food came out really hot and fresh and the first thing that struck me when I bit into it was the sauce. Although messy, it was tangy and very enjoyable. The toppings were great as the pepperoni was crispy and flavorful. The authentic Wisconsin brick cheese was delicious and perfectly crisp on the edges where you can really feel the crunch that the deep, yeasty crust provides. Dipping my slice in their garlic butter instantly took it to the next level. The crust was a little chewy and flavorless near the middle, however, but it didn’t significantly affect my enjoyment of the dish. There’s nothing radically different about this pizza, but it changes things up in a satisfying way, especially if you’ve never had this style of pizza before.

“The Griz” – 8/10

After approving the pepperoni pizza, I decided to take it up a notch by trying one of their specialty pizzas. Topped with chicken, bacon, charred pineapple, ranch and their special grizzly sauce, The Griz is not for the faint of heart. It’s an explosion of flavor, with the pineapple, ranch and sauce all being prominent in their own ways while still complimenting each other and balancing each other out. The result is a sweet, spicy mess that tasted great but took me a while to actually finish because it was such a sensory overload.

It comes at a price of $19.50, which is bumped up from the price of the pepperoni for its plethora of toppings. I’d recommend The Griz for anyone who’s not afraid to try something a little different from traditional pizzas and doesn’t mind a bit of a mess. If you like bold flavors, then you’re sure to enjoy it.

Pizza Tots- 5/10

Classic sides Gold Tooth Tony’s offer include garlic knots, garlic bread, salads and macaroni and cheese balls. However, as one of the more creative sides, the pizza tots feature tater tots smothered in cheese and olives. I had high expectations when I ordered these, but I wasn’t completely satisfied. The olives were too overpowering, the potatoes didn’t have much flavor themselves and the cheese wasn’t as melty as I’d expected. While they weren’t quite what I had envisioned when I ordered them, they still paired well with pizza sauce and were a solid choice of side. I’d definitely recommend trying the Pizza Tots if you love the taste of olives, but they just weren’t for me with their $12.50 price.

If none of these dishes appeal to you, other options include Meat Lovers’, Detroit Supreme, Vegetable Lovers’ and even the “Mac Attack is Back,” which is topped with homemade macaroni and cheese as well as bacon.

After seeing what Gold Tooth Tony’s has to offer, I think that it’s absolutely worth trying. The two pizzas that I tasted were both wonderful and made with care and with ingredients that I could tell were high quality. Plus, the 25% discount that they offer for Bellaire students make this restaurant a difficult one to pass up.