Organ Stop Pizza

Our last evening in the East Valley was spent with friends Barb and Rene at the Organ Stop Pizza restaurant. In five winters of visits to the Mesa area we had never eaten here, although several campgrounds had tag-along trips on a regular basis. So I figured it was time to see what the hoopla was about.

Winter season hours begin at 4 PM and when we arrived at 3:45 PM there were already people lined up in front of the door. Hmm, I thought: either the pizza is fabulous or this organ show is pretty good. You enter the lobby of the building and order your pizza/salad/appetizers at the counter and then find a seat until your number lights up on the "ready" board. All the lower tables had reserved signs so the four of us went upstairs to find a seat. I will say that if you go, find a seat at the center section upstairs, because you miss a lot if you sit on the side walls which is where we sat.

At 4:30 sharp the lights dim and the huge Wurlitzer organ starts to rise from below the center podium, slowly revolving as the organist plays. There are 6000 (yep, thousand) pipes creating a phenomenal outpouring of music that at times vibrated the floor beneath our feet. This is not a good place to meet your friends for casual conversation because once the music begins it is LOUD. The organist was extremely accomplished, the variety of pipes and boards that comprise the organ created the sound of a full orchestra and there were puppets and bubbles and dancing lights and sing-alongs and boy, what a show! All this for the price of a pizza, which was pretty good too.

Put this one on your list of places to see.