Shakey's Pizza Parlor

Joel (Eageralto)

tl;dr - The nostalgia is real. The pizza is very good. If you haven't been to Shakey's since 1982, you owe yourself a visit. The pizza at the Renton Shakey's is pretty darned good, as long as you set your expectations properly. This is not gourmet. This is not trendy. This is the last Washington location of a national pizza chain that was founded about 70 years ago and has been in decline since the 1980's. So think of this place as a predecessor to the current national chains and set your expectations accordingly. The cool thing is that they seem to have stayed reasonably true to their old-school menus and, as far as I can tell, the food seems to be just about the same as what I last had 40 years ago. So if you've ever wondered what kind of pizza west coast kids were eating during the disco era, you can try this for a pretty close approximation. Shakey's pizza features a very dense and crispy crust, tangy tomato sauce with a minimum of seasoning, and (according to their box), whole milk mozzarella for a classic stringy cheese pull. My pizza's meat toppings were pedestrian but flavorful and satisfying. I didn't get the potatoes or chicken, but, frankly, I seldom got them in the past either. The dining area, however, had been nicely updated in the intervening years, although the video games, subdued lighting, and prominent salad bar were subtle nods to a prior era. And, unlike older Shakey's locations, there was no seating around a central fireplace. I didn't expect it, but it would have been kind of cool. Counter service was super-friendly and my pizza was ready before the time promised. A-plus. I paid about $30 for my large pizza, which means that Shakey's isn't going into a regular dinner rotation, but as an occasional memory lane treat, I was happy to pony up the cash. On my personal scale, based on the Portnoy Rules (which everybody knows) and my personal taste, Shakey's is a solid 7.6.

M. P

Got a medium pep with green peppers and a large hawaiian. It was enough for 3 adults and 2 kids and we had leftovers to take home. Pizza was delicious and the decor reminds me of a nostalgic 90's pizza parlor. It was worth the price and we will be back.

Dave Miller

Its just like I remember from my childhood. Crunchy crust zesty sauce spicy italian sausage black olives and pepperoni. This location is the last in the Seattle area. The staff are friendly and efficient. Like to go back to your childhood they will make it happen for you.

Matt Shipman

Pretty good pizza, similar to other pizza parlors. However I'd like to point out in case ownership reads this, that the Shakeys in Japan have got it going on. They come up with fresh innovative recipes every month, none two the same, along with dessert pizzas, using top of the line, cutting edge ingredients. This US store has like, pepperoni and cheese and stuff. Was the pizza I had tasty? Yes. Yes it was. But it's a watered-down version of the Shakeys of Japan. I would love to see management look into this and improve.