The highly anticipated pizzeria, Zeeks Pizza, officially opened its doors Friday in the Morgan Junction to dozens of hungry West Seattleites.

According to president and partner Dan Black, the restaurant was slammed right away. So many pizzas were on demand that delivery service had to be suspended for the evening.

"We’re probably three-times busier than we expected to be tonight,” he said.

It’s easy to justify the frenzy when you take a look at Zeeks’ menu. It features no less than 25 pie combinations along with a build your own pie option.

Cary Calkins, a restaurant guest who enjoyed the Dragon pie, said that considering the amount of people Zeeks had in attendance, the staff and service was excellent.

Black, who was delivering pizzas to eagerly awaiting guests opening night, said the goal for the West Seattle location was to create a quintessential neighborhood pizza joint.

“It’s important to be a great place to gather, serve good pizza, great beer and wine, but we also know that it goes beyond that," said Black. "Being a member of the community; that’s what we’re about.”

Upon entering, guests are greeted by smiling hostesses before being seated in the large, spacious dining area. There is an outdoor deck strung with soft, string lights available for warmer Seattle days and nights. Bar seating is also an option. But one of the more unique aspects of Zeeks is the open kitchen.

There, guests can view the artful skill of pizza dough tossing on display behind flour-dusted windows as chefs assemble their chosen pie.

However, don’t expect to see only cheese and pepperoni pizzas being prepared. Zeeks offers a wide variety of “eclectic” combos. According to Black, Zeeks was the first to experiment with non-traditional pies back in 1993.

For example, guests in the mood for a touch of Thai can try Thai One On. It loads chicken, bean sprouts, carrots, fresh cilantro, mozzarella cheese, and peanut sauce on top of a secret-recipe crust. But purists need not fear…there are “classic” pies such as Hawaiian and Ultimate Pepperoni available as well.

Could there be a West Seattle pie featured on the menu soon? Black said yes, a contest will be held this summer to create a pie the neighborhood can call it’s own.

This location marks the seventh Zeeks restaurant in the Seattle area and the owners are excited to become a part of West Seattle’s local scene.

“We’ve wanted to be here for eight years,” Black said. “We know that we’re at one of the heart and soul corners of the neighborhood and we intend to be a good neighbor and a good part of the community.”

Zeeks is located on the corner of California Avenue Southwest and Fauntleroy Way Southwest. Hours are Monday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Guests can order pizzas to go by phone, 206-285-ToGo, or on-line at www.ZeeksPizza.com.