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Famous Ben's Pizza
Category: Restaurants Pizza Pizza [Edit]
177 Spring St(between Broadway & Thompson St)
New York, NY 10012
Neighborhood: South Village
(212) 966-4494
- Nearest Transit:
-
Spring St (A, C, E)
Prince St (N, R)
Canal St (1, 2)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
$20 for $40 Certificate
b j. said: "La Vigna is near work and they have an awesome lunch special - my whole staff loves to get it as take out. The staff is so warm and friendly - best…" read more »
129 reviews for Famous Ben's Pizza
Review Highlights
"My favorite here are the Garlic knots."
(in 13 reviews)
"...have the most incredible Sicilian slice here called the..."
(in 11 reviews)
"Great place in Soho for a slice (or 2) of pizza."
(in 24 reviews)
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129 reviews in English
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Review from heather G.
Los Angeles, CA
11/17/2011
My husband and I had Ben's during our visit to NY last May. We were referred by native New Yorkers.
I have to say it was the best classic NY pizza I had the entire time we were there. We ate at about 5 different pizza by the slice joints. I went basic and had a slice of pep pizza. The red sauce on the pizza was chalk full of flavor! And I was blown away at how amazing the dough was. So soft! The sauce wasn't sweet just perfectly garlic-y and non acidic.
I highly recommend Bens to anyone who wants classic NY pizza by the slice.
I miss NY. :( -
Review from Gloria H.
This is the closest pizza joint that sells by the slice to the hotel. It also opens 'till late.
I'm not sure this is a true representation of what NY pizza should be like, if it is, then I am not impressed.
We opted for the "lasagna" pizza - it was ok, not great. I've definitely had better.Listed in: Pizza! from frozen to…
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Review from Megan M.
Brooklyn, NY
1/14/2012
Ben, by no means, should be famous. THAT WAS ONE OF THE WORST SLICES OF PIZZA I've had out of New York in a while.
$3 for a small GREASY poor excuse for a NY slice. Simply put, it was AWFUL.
#2 reason that Ben sucks balls - His staff behind the counter - No need to be rude buddy just because you hate your job. At least you have a job, asshole.
Bleeker Street Pizza http://www.yelp.com/bi... is a quick walk North and worth the wait over this shit. -
Review from Riccardo S.
New York, NY
12/23/2011
Very mediocre slices, which are terribly overpriced.
Useless seating arrangement.
Do you really need a boat anchor to secure the key to your lav?
$10 credit card minimum, which was made even worse when I took take-away pizza and realized upon getting home that they'd shorted me a rice ball.
The only saving grace is the kind person at the register, but...doesn't really make up for it. -
Review from Emma H.
New York, NY
1/23/2012
This place is alright, not sure what's so "famous" about it though.
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Review from silvia f.
Brooklyn, NY
1/15/2012
Remember the good old days of Imperialism? When visiting a country meant barging in, subsuming the culture and cuisine until it was rendered into little more than a vague notion of its former self, represented mostly by a handful of the nation's original condiments, and also relegating the native people into degrading subservient positions (such as busboy and dishwasher) so they're all miserable and resentful? Well that's pretty much what this place does for Italy.
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Review from Mike B.
12/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
with a lack of inexpensive dining in this neighborhood, the potent sting of winter air, and hunger taking effect after the Yelp Giftacular (really, I'm just a remorseless eating machine), we hit this place up.
all three of us gunned for the stuffed pizza with sausage, ham, pepperoni, mozzarella, and ricotta. 3 types of pork and 2 types of cheese sandwiched between two pieces of thick crispy pizza dough? talk about greasy un-Kosher, un-Halal, and un-vegetarian goodness! I think half my friends list just died a little...
consensus: we all enjoyed it.
interestingly, there was no sauce in the stuffed pizza. you'd think that's a bad thing, but the meats and cheeses mix well enough that sauce would kind of throw it off.
it's not a big place, and it's a little costly for pizza - it was 6 and change for the stuffed pizza and a Snapple - but if you're in the area and in need of a quick bite that won't break your wallet, this is a suitable destination. -
Review from Wendi L.
Houston, TX
1/15/2012
First impression of food in NY. Fast, hot, filling, and GOOD! The place was pretty full but it was still fast and hot. The pizza may not be the healthiest, but that's just what you get for good pizza. Yum. I miss New York.
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Review from Jordan W.
11/12/2011
Pretty good slice
I agree atmosphere is kind of Dive-y
I love the salad pizza here. I have gotten it twice in the past and it was worth it, seriously. You can get one slice and one salad slice
I like to get the salad pizza a little bit heated, at least enough to where to crust is definitely hot, yes there is lettuce on the but i DON'T CARE.
They are open until 12:30 am on saturday night and 10:30 pm on SUNDAYS
SALAD SLICE COST ABOUT $3.65...I am craving one soon actually, maybe not today though, lol. This is my recomendation to try- SALAD SLICE..
Ham and Cheese Calzones are $6.00, check that out too as well.
Covenient Soho location by spring street A train subway stop, then walk north.
I did dislike the limited seating as well, I have to agree with whoever said that. -
Review from Michael D.
SoHo, Manhattan, NY
9/4/2011
1 star
Why?
Poor hygiene and service.
I used to like the food and ignore the poor service until I opened my eyes and saw how awfully unhygienic the employees were. they win because they're one of the very few pizza joints in SoHo but they lose because they're gross and have bad attitudes.
Going to Ben's means you are gross. -
Review from Lee L.
9/11/2011
I really want a 99-cent pizza place to open in the middle of SoHo and put places like Ben's out of business. With Lombardi's not far away and an increasing drift all over Manhattan towards slices for fewer than 100 pennies, I can't believe a traditional $2.95 per slice joint can still exist. On top of that, so few people are coming by this place outside of lunch hour that you know the slices have been sitting around for hours.
Normally that would earn them 3-stars, but I'll drop them to 2 because the cheese is always way too thick and tough, and I've not had great experiences with the staff (inattentive or rude).
In short, if Famous Ben's Pizza and 99-cent Fresh Pizza were both priced the same, I'd still prefer 99-cent fresh; the fact Ben's charges an extra $2.00+ including tax is just more reason to avoid them. -
Review from Alyssa K.
8/20/2011
Awesome Sicilian slices (they're called the "Famous Square"). Very crispy crusts and bottoms, inside is slightly airy, and the cheese is gooey.
I also got a square slice of the fresh mozzarella and basil. It was OK, but the mozzarella seemed congealy and the basil leaf wasn't as fresh as I'd liked. Dough and sauce were the same as the "Famous Square" slice, so I was happy about that. The square slices were each $3.25.
Judging from the other reviews, it looks like most of the other slices are mediocre. Definitely stick to the "Famous Square" Sicilian here!! Credit card accepted only if you spend more than $10. -
Review from Rob D.
8/14/2011
Why can I not give this place "0" Stars.
************************** THIS IS TIED WITH THE ALL TIME WORST EXPERIENCE WITH FOOD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE **************************
The 'other experience' involved eating bugs and something too raw off of a street food vendor in Pat Pong Bangkok, only to be confined to the fetal position for 24 hours, then nursed back to health by a tranny (Julie) with Imodium, soup and joints for the following 24 hours.
After enjoying drinks at the fine and dandy Olive Tree cafe til about 1am, NOT hearing the comedians advice to NOT eat at ASS PIZZA (aka Famous Ben's Pizza), I mistakenly grabbed a slice here on my 4 block walk home.
I awoke with a Bangkok like stomach circus and aptly named ass show that I couldn't leave my bed for a complete 24 hour period, aside from ... ya know. It took me 36 hours to hobble 4 doors down and buy ginger ale and some cashews. Luckily I had some pepto, but sadly no other herbal remedies. It was at this point that I realized the fully furnished place I was renting did have some viagara in the cupboards and even more interesting tickle trunk full of goodies ... but I opted not to go for the little blue pill hahaahahaaa ... it does kinda make you curious tho don't it?!
Anyway ... the most violently ill since bangkok ... DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WHATSOEVER! It ruined an entire week of my life to feel right again, and 36-48 hours of gut wrenching torture. -
Review from Jeff C.
Somerset, NJ
6/7/2011
Are you kidding me? People actually like this place? Seriously??
First, the pizza is "fresh" out of any High School cafeteria. If you consider that good Pizza, then you might like this place. Everyone raves about the Sicilian but I didn't try it nor would I ever go back to try it. I asked for some Parmesan to sprinkle on my slice like I do at every other pizza shop, not here though. They won't even give you any!!
I ordered garlic knots, but if you want sauce it's EXTRA!!! What other pizza shop in the US charges for sauce that is supposed to come with an order.
Last: The Service = Bad. The guys working there are grumpy, belligerent and rude. I like a bit of NYC attitude, but these guys were just complete asses. On top of that the place itself is not very clean and not the least bit enjoyable to eat at. What decor??
I guess this place caters to unsuspecting tourists and NY'ers without taste buds. Don't go to Ben's, it's famously lousy. -
Review from Jiordan C.
San Francisco, CA
I'm not too sure about the price in general, especially considering it's New York City - you can't really throw a rock without hitting a good pizza place. But given its location, Famous Ben's Pizza has pretty legitimate stuff and a range of ices for dessert.
It's trusty pizza, mainly because it's just as good cold. That's an important point to touch upon. Plain slices are safe (the sauce isn't overly sweet and the cheese isn't overwhelming or messy) and if you're feeling bold, then the zucchini/mushroom/something variety is a good choice too.
Plus, there are lots of benches and tables outside, right around the corner. It's great on extra hot days when you can't stand to be packed inside with a bunch of other people scarfing down saucy foods. -
Review from Jess L.
4/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
A solid Sicilian slice.
But why, oh why, was their restaurant space closed during a rainy lunch hour? It made all the patrons pretty grumpy.
Thanks for the fresh pepper. -
Review from Arian A.
New York, NY
4/28/2011
i order Ben's all the time as i live right across the street. I have ordered many a pepperoni pizza simply because it is convenient. I have never had a so-so pizza from there and they consistently deliver excellence in a box.
I even went out of my way to try other places so I wasn't so pigeon-holed with Ben's but I don't like any of them. If you want a solid, slightly thicker pepperoni pizza, it's fantastic.
The only negative thing I can say about them is that sometimes their customer service can be very poor. I once ordered a pizza at noon and it was supposed to arrive at 12:30. Every time i called to check on it after that I got the "Just a few more minutes sweetie" run around and it didn't come until 1:20 nearly. This is only every now and then which is to be expected but they should have offered some kind of compensation especially since I'm such a regular. -
Review from Jose S.
Chicago, IL
10/21/2011
Great choices of pizza or late night munches
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Review from Anastacia S.
New York, NY
9/26/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Um...this is as good as it gets, I've eaten A LOT of pizza, Chicago-style (which is not my cup o' tea), New York style, even Pittsburgh style (yes they have a style, it's actually pretty good but I digress...) and Ben's is THE BEST! I have no idea what they do to make it so good but it's incredible, I can't walk past without grabbing a slice, which is kind of a danger since I walk by it almost daily.... One big helpful hint, grab extra napkins!!
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Review from merdin v.
Elmont, NY
11/15/2011
love when a pizza place open late their regular slice is really Good as well pepperoni slice nice corner on west village affet you wasted in bars
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Review from thomas m.
Brooklyn, NY
12/7/2011
I have been craving a Palermo sicilian from Ben's for about a week. I finally decided to head down there for one. I ordered one and a pepperoni slice to go. When I got my order I found the palermo was cold (I don't even believe the guy put it in the oven). The pepperoni was ok but I've had better. I wanted to come away satisfied but instead I came away a bit disappointed.
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Review from Kristine V.
New York, NY
1/11/2011
It's OK if there is no other pizza nearby, but meh. Too much cheese. The grease soaked thru my bag after two blocks. it sorta reminded my of cafeteria pizza from grade school. Surly service.
And why is the pizza sometimes $3.75 and other times $3? Mystery. -
Review from Carolyn C.
Brooklyn, NY
7/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
The employees are so rude, it makes you wonder how they've been in business so long. I suppose it's because the food is good. The pizza is expensive too. Go to Little Italy if you want good pizza with good service.
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Review from Jess J.
12/27/2010
After years of hearing my NY-bred, midwest transplanted boyfriend lament the lack of a good NY slice where we live, and not really getting it (whaddaya want, I was raised on Chicago-style), I now understand.
We ducked into Famous Ben's after a solid morning of scouring Village record and headshops for grungy hipster Christmas gifts, and I was encouraged by the relative dumpiness/unpretentiousness of the setup...surely, this must mean good pizza, right? I've seen Spike Lee movies. Picked out a slice heavy with mozzarella and basil leaves, and sat back while the no-nonsense guy at the counter popped it in the oven. I was rewarded with creamy deliciousness, fragrant herbs, surprisingly little grease, and wonderfully chewy crust...heaven. I'm going to be pretty sad to leave this stuff behind. -
Review from Christine L.
New York, NY
9/4/2011
I live nearby, and haven't found a close pizza joint that I'm absolutely in love with yet in SOHO. Tried this last night, and it was really good. I still like Arturo's coal oven pizza better, but the large pepperoni slice ws perfectly satisfying.
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Review from Stephen T.
Forest Hills, NY
6/14/2011
Can't say much about their plain slices since I've never had them but their Sicilian "square" slices are incredible. Melted, stringy cheese over a doughy crispy crust. The price could be cheaper but their squares are perfection. Bellissimo!
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Review from Justin L.
6/30/2010
I came here the other day and I was pleasantly surprised. Supposedly this place was the best for sicilian pizza back in the day, but it took a big nose-dive over the past decade or two for whatever reason. Looking at the setup, I saw the Palermo slice: tomato sauce, onions, and seasoned breadcrumbs. I don't like most sicilians b/c they're loaded with cheese, so I opted for this and some garlic knots (it was a Jewy day).
The garlic knots were average; they could've used more garlic flavor and some seasoning, as they were kind of bland. The Palermo slice was tasty though: crisp on the bottom with a nice doughiness and lightness to it. The sauce with the onions was a bit too acidic but good, and the breadcrumbs could've used a bit more seasoning to them but they were also good. The sum total was a messy, unique slice that I definitely would like to have again, but I am reserving a higher rating on this one until I try a few more things. Definitely a good neighborhood place. Maybe Ben's didn't fall quite as far as some thought... -
Review from Edwin v.
New York, NY
6/9/2011 10 Check-ins Here
$3 for a slice could be considered steep but you're where you are and their ices are refreshing, too.
great for take-out to sit by or in vesuvio playground when you're in soho.
yes, that famous-looking person you see having a slice is probably me. -
Review from Mike S.
Newport Beach, CA
11/30/2010
Came across Famous Ben's Pizza by accident really. Ducked in to get out of the rain and it happened to be lunchtime...
Their Sicilian pizza is excellent! Order by the slice or a whole pizza. We ordered a couple slices, one sausage and the other was mushroom and pepperoni. The slices are pretty big. I wouldn't call it the best pizza ever, but we did enjoy it and it was flavorful. We would eat there again.
My favorite here are the Garlic knots. Garlicky goodness! They offer a few varieties of knots. Garlic, ham & cheese and pepperoni.
We got there just before the lunch rush, the line went right out the door.
Go during non peak times. I have read all over how the staff is rude, they seemed fine to me.
If you're in SoHo be sure to stop by Ben's! -
Review from J S.
Brooklyn, NY
1/26/2011
This place has my ideal sauce to cheese ratio.
But you should also try the sausage and pepper roll - it will change your life. -
Review from Sean S.
5/18/2010
I just went to this place for lunch, but the truth is I've been coming here for years. I used to live around the corner. It's pretty damn good sicilian pizza. If you're feeling "healthy" go for the no-cheese slice, which is really amazing. There's garlic on there, and this rich tomato sauce. If you're feeling really decadent I recommend the tomato & onion slice, but be prepared to get messy.
Very tasty, though probably one slice is enough for most people. -
Review from Big L.
VALLEY VILLAGE, CA
5/8/2010
ITALIAN AMERICANS.
Ben and I are the same. Although we wish we had the bragging rights to say we are full on Italian, we have to admit to being only... ITALIAN-AMERICAN.
You see guys, there are a few categories of pizza here. I hate how stupid people think that NEW YORK PIZZA = THIN CRUST. IT DOESN'T! Let me 'splain....
THIN CRUST, FRESH INGREDIENTS AND CRISPY = ITALY
GREASY, WIDE, FOLDABLE, LESS SAUCE = NEW YORK/ITALIAN AMERICAN
DEEP DISH PIZZERIA UNO TYPE= CHICAGO
WHOLE WHEAT, /GLUTEN/FAT/CARB FREE CRUST = CALIFORNIA
Ben's is the best ital-american joint.
The guys behind the counter are no bullshit. Yea, they aren't so smiley, but they're New Yorkers, whaddaya expect?
The pizza is gluttonously delicious and a friggin mouth orgasm for a hangover/day when you're feeling down.
Sicilian slice is redonk.
I LOVE that they have Italian ice too. It's hilarious- I live in California now, and people here have no idea what "Italian ice" is. -
Review from karen c.
Boston, MA
1/5/2009
Ode to Sicilian Slice:
You were mushy,
Squishy
You tasted like tushy
You were cold
old
I'm surprised there wasn't mold
The counter guys were pushy
Rude
And I'm no NY prude
And three bucks
Schmucks
Hey, Ben, your pizza sucks! -
Review from marie m.
Brooklyn, NY
9/22/2010
I don't get why some people really like this place. Pizza is mediocre at best - and a bit too doughy for my taste. But what is totally hideous and unforgiveable are all the various varieties of previously-baked pizzas sitting around waiting for you to order a slice so they can pop it back into the oven and warm it over, and then charge you too much for it. No, no, no, no, NO! Pizza at a pizza joint should be FRESH, re-warmed only as an emergency, say when you have leftovers at home! No WAY am I paying for dried-out, re-warmed pizza that wasn't great to begin with! They should cut down on the pre-made varieties and concentrate on serving a FRESH product. Yecch.
NAAAAAHHH, when I want a truly GREAT Sicilian slice, blazing hot and fresh out of the oven, I'll stay in Brooklyn and head over the L&B Spumoni Gardens - now THAT'S a SICILIAN PIZZA! Not this re-warmed, too-heavy mess. -
Review from Fancypants X.
San Francisco, CA
11/17/2009
Famous Ben's Pizza is now famous to me for a few reasons:
1) it was the lunch stop on our On Location movie tour
2) apparently a "Men In Black" scene was filmed here (here's a shocker, I've never seen the movie)
3) I had one of my cheapest meals EVER in NYC here: the "Men In Black" special: a big slice of cheese pizza & a root beer for $4.25. Awesome.
I don't think I will seek out Famous Ben's for their pizza the next time I am in town. It served it's purpose in my life that day & now we must part ways forever. Peace out Famous Ben's.Listed in: Pizza
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Review from Miriam W.
8/28/2007
Snack had run out of the lamb sandwich and despite the Greek salad, meatballs and dolmas we shared my doppelganger and I were still hungry. Naturally we hopped across the street for a slice, taking our pizza to a table at Vesuvio Park to eat.
As I'm munching happily I hear a faint bird sound. Then my doppelganger starts going crazy saying she wished she had her phone. I'm in a bit of a blissed out greasy pizza state but I hand her my phone. I turn around to find that the bird noises are coming from a man, not a bird. The man's wearing a huge feather on his head and my doppelganger's taking pictures like the Gawker Stalker she is.
I'm not in New York 24 hours and I see the "Bird Man" in Soho! Apparently this guy's a minor celebrity around here. As we walked back to my doppelganger's office he stopped in front of me and cooed. And I mean COOED! Like a BIRD!
None of this would've have happened had we not stopped at Ben's for pizza, which is quite tasty, by the way!Listed in: Best New York Pizza
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Review from Megan C.
9/19/2009
Picked up a pie here the other day. Good dough, decent sauce, fair amount of cheese and toppings but overall not as good as a lot of thee pizza places in NYC but still good.
Date Rating: 4 (7 if you've got somewhere cozy to take it)
Pick up Scale: N/A
Strong Suggestion: try a slice before you buy a whole pie. -
Review from Danielle W.
New York, NY
11/30/2009
Great place in Soho for a slice (or 2) of pizza. My large family/friend outing of 8 were gallivanting through Soho and decided we all were starving and needed a little pre-shop snack. We found ourselves at Ben's Pizza and ordered too many slices and a few garlic knots to tide us over until we actually needed "real" food. We beat the crowd and ordered some pepperoni, cheese, and ham-pineapple pizza slices to enjoy before our evening really started to get busy.
Ben's was great. We crowded in the back of the already tiny pizzeria and devoured our slices. The pieces were large, greasy, and cheesy- just the way pizza should be.
Ben's was fabulous...and after my 2 slices of pizza I was definitely ready for a nice long nap! :) -
Review from Sarah W.
San Francisco, CA
2/24/2009
I was really suprised and disappointed to see the less than stellar reviews for Ben's. Let me preface this review with a few things:
1) I live in San Francisco- home of terrible pizza
2) I was starving, hung over, and hadn't eaten in 13 hours
3) I usually don't really like pizza
With all of that being said.. I REALLY enjoyed my square piece of tomatoes, onions, and garlic. It was thick and yummmy!!! -
Review from Brittany C.
New York, NY
4/28/2008
These guys are a bunch of a-holes! I have no respect for their buisness as they have no respect for their customers!
Don't waste your time at this poor excuse for an italian eatery.
