Sei Pizza Bar

Hailed as the second-best pizzeria by the 50 Top Pizza USA list, I put Pizzeria Sei on my list as a must-try during my latest trip to Los Angeles. However, I left disappointed with my visit, especially after trying several other pizza restaurants on this list that absolutely lived up to the hype. Sei is in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood, unassumingly sitting on the corner of the block. The restaurant is very small. It features a bar that surrounds the kitchen area, along with a few tables. They accept reservations and walk-ins, and they also seem to do a lot of takeout orders. Not being able to make a reservation for three, we decided to get there early on a weekday to grab a seat. We waited about ten minutes for three seats at the bar. The menu has plenty of options, featuring both classics and more unique pizzas. We ordered one pizza per person with the intention of sharing all three, and went for a mix of classic and fusion, opting for the Margherita, Ruti's Pizza, and Mala Lamb Sausage. It took about 20 to 25 minutes for the pizza to arrive at our table. Visually, the pizzas all looked amazing. The crust was really puffy with plenty of color contrast on the plate. Upon picking up my first slice, I immediately noted the floppiness of the pizza. The center of the pizza collapsed, causing some ingredients to fall off. This carried into my thoughts on the texture of the crust. In the Margherita especially, the bites towards the middle of the pizza were really soggy. The texture was borderline unpleasant. Maybe it had to do with the amount of sauce they used, but I found that the Margherita was the only pizza we ordered that was really problematic in this aspect. And while the Ruti's and Mala Lamb pizzas were still floppy in the middle, they weren't as soggy. Despite this, it was clear to me that Pizzeria Sei cared a lot about their ingredients. The natural flavors of each component in every pizza shone beautifully. The tomato sauce had a really nice, sweet, and tangy flavor, and all the herbs were aromatic and flavorful. I found the Mala Lamb Sausage pizza to be the best. The flavor profile was well-balanced and unique in addition to the crust being the best. As I ate closer to the edge of the pizza towards the crust, the texture improved drastically. The crust itself had a light crunch but was overall very chewy, and it was finished with high-quality olive oil. Combined, these drastically improved the pizza. Was Sei the second-best pizza in the US? For me, it definitely wasn't. However, they offer a unique crust style hard to find elsewhere in the US, along with creative dishes that make Pizzeria Sei worth a visit. If I were to go again, I wouldn't order all of the pizzas at the same time. From the second the pizzas hit our table, they grew soggier, and as they cooled, all of the pizzas were mediocre. I understand that this style of pizza is required to be eaten immediately, but it is also something to note and plan for.