Restaurant Name: Bruno’s
Location: 4212 Brown St. West Lafayette, IN (map it)
Phone: (765) 743-1668
Cuisine: Pizza
Review: I love getting reader recommendations, so when an email came in saying I just had to review Bruno’s, I hopped right on it! (It helped that I had a coupon for free Bruno dough.) So tonight we went there for dinner; it seemed just the thing for a wet, rainy evening.
Unlike the other time we tried to go there, this time there was no wait. We were seated right away and given menus. Apparently Bruno’s is a very popular place for sports fans, as there were TVs in every direction and sports paraphernalia on every inch of each wall.
The menu had not only pizza, but pasta, salads, sandwiches, and other items called “Bruno Specialties.” I usually opt for one of the specialities, figuring that the people who make the food know best, but as this was a family outing, we went simple and ordered a pepperoni pizza. (And our free Bruno dough.)
The drinks and Bruno dough came out pretty quickly, and I found the dough rather tasty, if a little greasy. My kids were big fans, eating more than we did. I’d like an opportunity to try out a few other dip options for the dough.
We ate our dough and waited for the pizza and it took quite a while for the pizza to come out. It didn’t seem that busy and our order was pretty simple so I don’t know what the hold up was. Service overall was a bit spotty all night, and I do recognize that usually has more to do with a particular server than the restaurant. Our server wasn’t great or particularly friendly.
The pizza finally came. It wasn’t cut into triangles, but into narrow rectangular slices. Interesting option and the kids really liked it. I really enjoyed the taste and flavor of the pizza; it was really good. I was a little less enthusiastic about the goop factor. Not sure how else to describe it, but the dough was floppy and the pizza was very limp. It made it harder to eat, but we ate it all.
Overall, I definitely think it warrants a second try. I’d like to try some of the specialities and see if the pizza is generally floppy or if we hit a bad night.
Kid friendly: Yes
Price Range: $10-$20 for pizzas
(4.86 out of 5)
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I ate at Bruno’s while I was house hunting in 2006 and had some ambrosial spaghetti carbonara. After I moved here, I went back for another plate of pasta and heard (I think) that in the meantime Bruno had died. The second helping of carbonara was gluey and inedible. I wonder if it just went down hill after the founder wasn’t there to keep an eye on it? It was so bad that I haven’t been back, several years later. Haven’t tried the pizza.
In my experience the pizza is about how you described, but I still enjoy it! It is a particular favorite of the Purdue sports fans, so don’t try going on the evening of a football of basketball game unless you have a reservation. There are several dishes here that I quite like and was going to offer as recommendations, but I can’t think what they are….
Bruno’s is still owned and operated by the Itin family, the same as it has been since 1955. We are proud to serve our guests and we strive to do our best. If you have any comments, questions or complaints, especially in regards to the quality of food or service, please do not hesitate to let us know. We appreciate your feedback, good or bad, and it is most benefical to let us know immediately how we can improve to make your experience more enjoyable. Ask to speak with a manager, or directly to one of the owners! Thank you all for your reviews!