Barstool Sports founder reviews Vegas pizzeria. Did he like it?

When Albert Scalleat, the owner of Dom DeMarco’s Pizzeria, walked into the shop on West Charleston Boulevard on Friday, as Super Bowl weekend began, he saw his manager handing a boxed pie to a man sitting at the bar.

That man was Dave Portnoy, the Barstool Sports founder and probably the most influential figure in American pizza, thanks to his candid no-doughs-barred video reviews seen by millions on social media.

Scalleat recognized Portnoy immediately. “Every pizza guy watches Portnoy,” he said. “He’s the main guy.”

Portnoy headed outside to begin filming his review of the 18-inch cheese pie; the review went live online on Tuesday afternoon. Portnoy immediately drew attention to the name Dom DeMarco’s on the box. Dom DeMarco, who passed away in 2022, owned the legendary Di Fara Pizza in Brooklyn, which Portnoy awarded a 9.4 out of 10.

“Inarguably, Di Fara, top 10 pizza places in the world,” Portnoy said. “If you’re going to put Dom DeMarco’s name on a box, it better knock your (male appendage) off. It better. Because he is an icon, and his name is gold in the pizza industry.”

‘The vibes of Brooklyn’

Portnoy turned to Scalleat, who explained that he had trained with DeMarco in Brooklyn for three years before working out a deal (it took five more years) to open an outpost in Las Vegas, though one named after the Di Fara patriarch and not after Di Fara itself.

“Great undercarriage,” Portnoy said as he hoisted a slice, contrails of cheese stretching upward. He took his famous one bite. Portnoy had no complaint.

“Definitely has the vibes. A little thicker than I remember, but definitely has the vibes,” he said.

Portnoy took several more bites of base and blistered rim.

“You can tell it has the vibes of Brooklyn, and it’s as good as we’ve had out here,” he continued. “I’d like it a little tighter, but still, very good stuff.”

Portnoy thought about giving the pizza an 8.1, then settled on 7.9. While he was in Vegas, the pizza poobah also reviewed Red Dwarf, which offers Detroit-style pizza in east Vegas (7.6), Monzu, which sends out gently rectangular Roman-style pies on West Flamingo Road (7.8) and Sand Dollar Lounge (6.5) on Spring Mountain Road.

Half off at happy hour

After the review, Portnoy and Scalleat headed inside so Scalleat could fill in the backstory of the Di Fara and DeMarco’s connection. Portnoy continued to eat.

If you want to play Portnoy, the 18-inch cheese pie at DeMarco’s is $23. During happy hour from 2 to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, it’s half off. DeMarco’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar is at 9785 W. Charleston Blvd. Visit domdemarcos.com.

Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram and @ItsJLW on X.