In search of the best pizza available, my family and I were drawn into Rebel Pies from the title “Michigan’s Best Vegan Pizza.”  

In the Russell Block building in Muskegon, it appears at first glance to be a nice restaurant for date night, but as I walked in further, the realization that this was simply not a place for me became utterly more evident. Although, I’m sure it is enjoyable for some, it simply is not for me.

The sublet encompasses a bar, coffee shop, and pizza counter suited for a night of drinking. The building itself is of modern yet rustic taste with exposed ceiling pipes, cement walls, and wood floor boards. But the people who attend are far from classy; most are found drinking heavily and yelling over the loud punk rock music, making it quite the unique family experience.

We went immediately to the back to order our pizzas in an attempt to relieve ourselves from the heavy metal bar, which was draining the optimism out of the day. As we made it back to our barstool table, the wait was seemingly forever. As the wait continued, and our time was furthered into a 45-minute stretch, the high expectation of “Michigan’s Best Vegan Pizza” was drowned out by the realization that this was most likely a big mistake.

When the pizzas were finally baked, prepared, and delivered to our table, the opinion evolved rapidly into the previous optimism. The first pizza was an unawarded one, called ‘Vegan Bomb.’ It had a bulky amount of onions and mushrooms, putting two of my least favorite flavors together, but it also had a plethora of other flavors tying in to make the pizza a flavorful masterpiece I did not expect to enjoy. It was promptly eaten three-quarters of the way,  making me begin to wonder what else was hidden in this tiny pizza counter. So, autonomously the decision was made to order the awarded pizza: the Black Hole Sun.

The bar environment put a damper on the sophisticated pizza, so we decided it would be best to take it home. By the time we were home, we were hungry enough to eat the award-winning pizza. It was cold and frankly, soggy. It lacked coherent flavoring, and suddenly the number of mushrooms and onions became excessive; it was quite a letdown, especially considering the pizza’s esteemed title .

Rebel Pies was an adventure, to say the least. To disregard all negative connotations on the environment it was placed in and focus solely on the dish, it was spectacular for what it was, but not so spectacular that the 45-minute drive was worth it. But, if you’re ever in Muskegon and are unsure of what to eat, call ahead and pick up a pizza from Rebel Pies. This way you get the pie, without the vibe.