Big Al's Pizza - Hiawassee

"First visit to this restaurant. Currently, it isn't a full-service establishment, but we were informed of that upon arrival. Ordering at the counter was a straightforward process. The large calzone was fantastic and more than enough for two people. The beer was served ice cold. Overall, we had no complaints."

The salad bar was well-stocked, and the soup of the day—roasted red pepper—was fantastic! The views outside are stunning, and the restaurant itself is clean with super friendly staff. It has a no-frills vibe, but the atmosphere is refreshing, and there are plenty of options for seating, drinks, and menu items. As is common in many mountain and rural areas, they do not accept credit cards, which isn’t a dealbreaker for us. I noticed one reviewer criticized the restaurant for this, but I think that's unfair since they clearly state their payment policy at the entrance and on Yelp. So, make sure to bring cash and enjoy a lovely pizza meal in the mountains! We definitely plan to return regularly.

What a wonderful local gem! We shared the Greek salad and the homemade meatball pizza, and both were delicious! The beer and wine prices were also very reasonable.

Make no mistake, the pizza in wonderful and the atmosphere was very relaxed. Our service was excellent as well. My only issue, and it's a big one, is that they only accept cash and local checks. Hiawassee is a tourist destination/pass through, and most people don't travel with much cash for safety reasons. I understand not wanting to pay the fees associated with credit/debit cards, but in 2016 that is a cost of doing business. Their pizza is not cheap (generally $12.95-17.95 depending on size), so I can't imagine the fee cutting too much into the overhead. Instead they have an ATM that charges the user $2.50. They want the consumer to assume their cost of doing business, and that to me is unacceptable. We were very close to leaving and going to another pizza place 15 mins away. I will also add that when I asked for a receipt, I was given a handwritten tab receipt. In my experience, cash only businesses with no formal receipts tend to be operating under sketchy accounting practices. Please bring your business into the modern world.

We were just in the area and wanted pizza and Big Al's popped up. Let me tell you it is one of those hole in the wall restaurants that you will pass thousands of times and never think of stopping at, but it is totally worth stopping and eating at. The buffalo chicken pizza is one of the best I've ever had!