AJ’s Offers More Than Pizza

Walking into , I saw a busy counter with guys flipping pizzas and to my right, a seating area awaiting customers. If you're , don't worry, as AJ's has a full menu of dishes from the grill, such as gyros, pasta and entrees that you would find in a fine Italian restaurant.

In addition to dining in, they also have take-out, free delivery and a new online ordering system that owner AJ Jashari said has brought in a lot of new customers.

Jashari has been in Butler for 13 years but has been doing business for 20 years, starting out in Oakland. After his rent tripled, he said he had had enough and found the location in Butler that has “been a gold mine, I love it here,” he said.

The dining area is casual dress and from the pizza side, there are many different specialty slices or pies available including items like Lasagna Pizza, Shrimp Scampi Pizza, and Cheeseburger Pizza. Looking over the extensive menu, something caught my eye-Cheese Steak on garlic bread with potato and brown gravy. I was intrigued.

For an appetizer, my husband and I ordered the zucchini sticks ($5.25) which comes with 10 hot breaded zucchini strips served alongside sweet and chunky marinara sauce where you can see the chopped garlic that gives the flavor of the sauce a fantastic taste.We usually order the “Mac & Cheese Bites,” another customer favorite, which are fried triangles of macaroni and cheese. Each bite makes me feel like a kid again.

I started with the tortellini soup on this night which had cheese flavor in the broth and bite-sized tortellini. While I did not get overwhelmed by it while eating the soup in the beginning, the pepper must have all sank to the bottom and towards the end it was a tad too much for my taste. My husband loves the pizza at AJ’s, so he began with a slice of plain pizza while waiting for our dinner.

For dinner I asked the waitress about the Cheese Steak and she said that she personally had never had it, but a lot of people come in and order it, and that it seems to be a customer favorite. I was sold. So I ordered the seven-inch sandwich ($6.95) and my husband ordered the gyro ($6). Items are not served with a side at AJ's, but you can add fries for $1.50 more.

Once my meal arrived open-faced at the table, I was even more curious about how it would taste. I folded it up and took my first bite. Picture your typical “Jersey Disco Fries.” Now combine that with steak and a burst of flavor from the garlic bread. It was different from anything I have ever tasted. The flavor of the brown gravy on the sliced potatoes combined with onion (you can also add mushrooms and peppers) and steak, mozzarella cheese and the garlic bread tied together the sandwich.

Every Monday and Tuesday, AJ's offers a special on large pie for $8.99. This restaurant is BYOB.

AJ’s Pizza is located at 12 Main Street in Butler. Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 10 p.m.