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Christopher St (PATH)
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Decided to write this up after a healthy late night debate w/ west coast experts over what makes good pizza good. Apparently I'm missing out on the best pizza residing in newport beach (that's the o.c. for non- cali folk), but that's another story.
joe's is my gave pizza place in the city...why?
Super thin crispy crust, but not too crispy as to puncture roof of mouth (see my other reviews on overly crispy crunchy things)
Thin layer of cheese so as not to slide off when slice is folded in half
Sweet tangy sauce. As a sauce loving person, I usually like more than less however, this one is good enough to satisfy with just an average schmear. Again, not too slidey.
They don't overheat the slices to burn your mouth. Let's face it: when one is grabbing a street slice, it's because you're pretty hungry. So hot enough to eat but not burn is a delicate science.
P.s. Am referring to NY pedestrian street pizza here vs fancy modern Neapolitan pizzas and/or old school full pie joints.
Does Joe's live up to the hype???
These pizzas are made with san marzano tomatoes, which are sweet and a bit tart. They don't add any sugar or salt , They just cook 'em and purée 'em and spread 'em on the thin crust. They also put very little cheese on it so the slice is satisfying but guilt-free. I don't eat pizza often but I'd make an exception for Joe's
Joe's is a winner :)
We were standing on Bleeker Street and my husband was pulling me to Joe's Pizza, and I was pulling him the opposite direction to John's Pizza. Finally, I caved and said we can do one slice at Joe's.
I'll be honest, the pepperoni slice was really good, there was alot of cheese and pepperoni, and it was crunchy throughout.
My only qualms about it was that it was a little too doughy for thin crust pizza. Plus, all the tables were quite dirty.
But they must be doing something right as this place was bustling with customers. I'd definitely recommend if you are on the run and need to grab a slice.
My favorite fresh mozzarella slice in NY. A couple years ago I might've said this was my favorite pizza by the slice until I discovered Pomodoro's Vodka Sauce pizza (ref. profile pic)
Glad they opened up the Joe's in LA... I miss NY. *sigh*
Good NY pizza (according to my NJ-native husband - I wouldn't know, I'm a California girl by way of the Midwest). NY pizza, as I've discovered, is not my cup of tea - but they do what they do well.
Random side note, we were there at 2am (maybe later??) on Halloween and a costume-clad Scarlett Johansson was standing behind us in line. She was getting heckled a bit by drunken patrons, the poor girl.
THE perfect slice of NY pizza, in my opinion. thin, light, cheesey but not too much. the plain is the way to go - keep it simple but perfect.
yes, the exterior and maybe the interior is unsightly but i am ok w/that when it comes to quick, tasty bites. i think thats what keeps it real and separates it from that ultra un-downtown, un-NY triangular park/courtyard thing they've created in front of Joe's ... which exemplifies whats happening to alot of NYC.
Blah.
I went here on a monday evening and they only had cheese and pepperoni slices, which is fine, but it wasn't even good. It was alright, but to have such high ratings I expected it to be a great NY pizza place.
Every pizza place i've tried so far in nyc has been better than Joe's.
Had a fresh mozzarella slice. Not bad.
After enduring a full day in the workplace with a massive headache, stress, combined with a broken heart I needed to a night out in town to clear my head from recent hardship and violent, violate stress. My co-worker and I hopped off West 4th's train for a late dinner at Joe's Pizza in the Village. The quality of pizza is very good up to par to New York standards: thin crust with tasty tomato sauce as I love the mozzarella pizza.
I rate it four stars because it needs to comestic structural changes and cleaning. There are no business cards or take-out menus but the claim "the best pizza in New York" as Joe's Pizza lives it up to par. The price is somewhat reasonable. This pizzera was featured in 2002's "Spider-Man" where Peter Parker was the delivery boy.
I doubt I can add anything to the list of reviews that hasn't already been said.
This is hands-down the best walk-up pizza slice you can get in NYC, or probably in the world. Nothing even comes close. Thin, crispy crust, perfect amount of cheese and sauce. I'm pretty sure it's the sauce that really separates them, because cheese is cheese and dough is dough, right?
Don't waste your time with anything else in the place. The plain cheese pizza is the only way to go.
Look at how much Yelp can teach you. I ended up at Joe's Pizza on Friday because we needed pizza. Nothing cures Beer Belly Syndrome better than some yummy fresh pizza, am I right?
I come here to Yelp the source of my happy tummy, and here it is, being called one of the best slices in Manhattan!
I'll need to go back again when I'm, ahem, in a better judging mindset before bestowing any such honors. But for the popping of my Joe's cherry, I'll say that the line moved fast, the pizza was fresh, and I poured way too much garlic on my slice. Oops.
Best cure for too much garlic? More beer!
Purty good pizza, done the way I like it -- crispy, but not too crispy...not drowning in cheese....and, they're open until 4 am.
Puts the Joe in jonesing - how I long for that pizza when eating West Coast approximations.
Sure you have changed over the decades since I first found and folded your giant slices - moved from the favored corner location with the side window for grabbing and chomping on the go, and even the staff is a total metamorphosis - but praise the lord the pizza is still perfect. Those thin, but not crispy burned, chewy slightly sweet slices bigger then my head just make me happy.
Never change the important stuff Joe's, I'll keep coming back even if I am 3000 miles away.
The pizza's not as good as it use to be but probably better than average. Still okay for a neighborhood slice.
I could only eat a few bites. Admittedly, this was the fourth place I stopped by around Bleecker St. one very late night and was pretty stuffed by time I walked in.
There's a lot of competition on Bleecker St. when it comes to pizza so they need to kick it up a notch.
Cheers!
N.
I think Pizza is just Pizza, but this place is super good! Very impressed!! The pizza was oily but after you got the oil blotted off the pizza was actually very tasty! not bad for 2.50
Despite the gruff exterior, it's one of hte best places for a slice in the city, especially after partying in the area.
Love the mozz slice. Regular slices are good too, a little greasier tho. Sicilian is not bad if you make sure they heat it up.
Best street slice in Manhattan.
Tasty fresh and delicate San Marzano style tomato sauce
Delicious creamy whole milk mozzarella
Thin crispy tasty crust
A perfect balance make this the best slice shop in Manhattan
Joe's along with Di Fara's in Brooklyn, Joe and Pats in Staten Island and Earnie and Louies up in the Bronx offer a bit of pizza heaven.
I highly recommend this place
Spent a week in the Village in mid August and went to Joe's several times. It is a great slice of pizza. If you are really hungry consider getting two. We always paid the extra buck for the fresh cheese slice and it is a great slice.
Never a long wait, even when you look and there is a line. It moves quick.
Just a couple of tables inside but just go out to the park that faces it. Lots of people sitting around eating a Joe's slice or a bagel from next door Bagels on the Square. Definitely recommend Joe's Pizza for a great slice of pizza.
I used to live in New York and so my Pizza preferences tend toward the NY style. Now when I go to New York, especially when I am in the West Village, I have to stop at Joes. Yeah, I know the tourist busses stop there, and the line can be really long. But it's the Pizza that makes me go there again and again. It is nice to be able to just get a slice the way you want it. And a whole pie for a group of people is always a nice choice too. I can't decide whether I prefer a slice with sausage or just aplain cheese slice. They are both just perfect. Most often, there is no place to sit and you eat elbow to elbow with the other pizza eaters standing at the window counter or at one of the tiny tables. Great New York Pizza.
I have dreams about the crust--classic NY thin. Whether plain or with fresh mozzarella, you can't go wrong here. Named as one of GQ's best pizzerias in America, with good reason.
Arrived at Joe's on a Friday afternoon via the E. Even at 2:30pm, the place was pretty packed. Menu was easy to navigate (if I recall, only about 5 items listed). Hewing to a sense of hippie purism, I opted for a slice of plain cheese pizza. A few reviews recommended targeting a fresh baked pie out of the oven, so this was my strategy in approaching the counter, but because business was flowing, my slice came from a pie that had just exited the cooker, so no wait for me! Having not eaten since breakfast (per the hectic schedule of a tourist), I had built quite an appetite, and Joe's Pizza undeniably hit the spot. Thin crust, not overly greasy, solid balance of cheese and sauce.
Ambiance was as expected, a classic hole-in-the-wall establishment. Three guys in white aprons behind a minimalist glass counter, about three-four circular tables and three counters surrounded by upholstered bar stools. Clean enough to eat in, or take out.
All in all, a pleasant experience and my expectations were met!
Agree with all the other reviewers. Joe's is the BEST walk-up pizza slice you can get in NYC. They really do make the perfect Napoleon slice. The inside is small - a no frills joint like Artichoke with limited seating. Though I have eaten at one of the tables outside, I prefer to get it to go and eat back at the apartment. Thank goodness I'm close by!
Yea I'm not sure where anyone is getting that this is the best pizzeria in the city. Its an ok option if you're in the neighborhood and want a quick slice, but even then there are better options. It was more worth it when it was $2; I know 50 cents isn't a big difference, but considering that this mediocre pizza is at the price point of most other pizzerias, it renders it even more unremarkable of a place.
As for the pizza, the tomato sauce is meh, the cheese is ok, and the crust is crisp enough that you can eat it without folding, which I do like. However, the crust is still lacking in flavor. Overall, its just an average NY slice, as there's scores of places that do a much better job in this style. Like I said before, unremarkable and overhyped.
When u go to NYC and u go on the Greenwich Village Food Tour, this is one of their stops. We are so used to North American thick doughy pizza with lots of toppings. At Joes they keep in simple, i tried their pizza with just cheese and sauce on it. It is wood fired so u can taste some of the burn marks, it is quite good.
I had to re-visit Joe's Pizza for a plain slice since I was in the neighborhood after some years of MIA. It's a decent hot & fresh slice with a high turnover of customers. On the thin crust side of the family, but no apparent charring on the underbelly. The cheese & sauce were a bit anemic. When folding & tilting the slice to my 'open garage' the cheese slid off the crust like it was a landslide. Overall a yummy New york slice if you are in the hood, but not worth traveling to for a food destination.
I'm sure you can find a reason to knock Joe's if you want to. The ingredients aren't as fresh or carefully calibrated like those at DiFarra, The oven that cooks the pizza is not stoked with coal like Grimaldi's. The dough may not even be home made.
BUT WHO CARES?
Joe's is my favorite slice in the city. It is always 100% consistent and the place operates like a well oiled machine, no matter how crowded it might be. Slices taste great when the pie comes fresh out of the oven but are no slouch even if they're reheated from an already-made pie. I'm amazed at how crispy they can get their crusts in the same standard pizza oven found in parlors all over town.
Joe's makes a more expensive slice with fresh mozzerella, but the standard slice here is really where it's at. It tastes best laden with oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and grated parm from the shakers that can be found on every counter in the place.
I love to grab a couple en route to a Film Forum double feature...and then one more before the ride home!
for me, it just doesn't get better than a slice of fresh at joe's. the smell alone will get me salivating. even full, i would stuff a slice down.
not for you if you like regular to thick crusts.
Perfect drunk food that's also delicious when sober. The pepperoni is solid, but the mozzarella is amazing. The crust at Joe's is nice and crunchy, and doesn't fall apart whilst eating.
This is the best by-the-slice pizza place I've been to in NY. Ray's doesn't even begin to compare. The crust is perfectly thin and crisp at the same time -- no sogginess here!
We shared a slice of the sausage pizza last night. The tomato sauce here is really good with the perfect sweetness and acidity -- reminds me of Patsy's almost. The sausage was good, but the cheese on the pizza looked like regular grated mozzarella cheese instead of the fresh stuff at Grimaldi's or Patsy's. That's one star off for them, unfortunately. I want fresh mozzarella on every slice, not just on the "fresh mozzarella" pizza!
For pizza by the slice, this place is the place to go. Mine came hot out of the oven, which made it even better. Nice thin crust, a judicious amount of cheese (why do most places feel the need to slather so much on?), and a touch of sauce. A perfect slice of NY style pizza.
My guess is if your at Joe's PIzza you're either:
a. turned away or can't wait in line at John's
b. a tourist
c. drunk
It's perfectly acceptable pizza if your drunk. It's a so-so substitute for John's and if your a tourist it's probably better than the pizza where you came from.
The crust is inconsistent (charred sometimes, underdone others), the cheese is okay and the sauce is bland and water-y. It's not the prettiest place to dine but it is pretty cheap.
Perfectly average pizza, that's open late.
When an entire experience takes only 10 seconds for an order / payment / plating, there HAS to be something wrong! Fortunately, having lived in New York for over 20 years, hospitality at any establishment or operation is something that's certainly not expected. At the end of the day, New Yorkers expect one thing; the product in which they order must suffice ones satiety. Although the consumable may not be world class, it must (at the very least) provide a feeling of substantiation.
Entering [Famous] Joe's Pizza yesterday evening was conducted based on a partial mix of individual choice and forcefulness from the hungered party. To my delight, there was no line, as only one patron stood in front of me. When approach the counter the following transaction was conducted...
Employee: NEXT! ANYBODY NEXT!?!?
Chun: 2 Regular, 2 Fresh Mozzarella
Employee: That's it?
Chun: Yes!
*Employee slams two regular slices on a plate and throws two Fresh Mozzarella Slices in the oven
Employee: $12.00
*Chun throws $12.00 down on the counter
*Employee removes two Fresh Mozzarella Slices after sitting in the oven for just 3 SECONDS
*Employee slams two Fresh Mozzarella Slices on the plate, moves them to the side for extraction
Employee: NEXT! ANYBODY NEXT!?!?
I will admit that the uncanny swiftness for which [Famous] Joe's conducts their daily operations should be applauded. Given the insane lines, excess tourists, and demand exceeding supply, it's hard for any employee to tone down the rapidity for which they're accustomed. Nevertheless, we're here for the pizza, NOT the conversation.
The Pizza...
Regular Slice ($2.50): $2.50 for a slice is hard to come by. Despite the four fold in prices for a 50lbs bag of flour, Joe's still manages to keep prices relatively favorable to the average fan. Consuming Joe's Pizza revealed a slightly excessive (but not burdensome) saltiness derived from the processed mozzarella cheese used to top the pizza. Although the crust was sturdy enough to keep the contents of the pizza leveled, it did not provide the crispiness or charred renderings that's commonly known of the crust. The crust itself was observed as chewy, which blended with texture of the tomato sauce and cheese instead of providing the welcoming textural contrast for which the Pizza is known. Furthermore, the taste of the crust was bland and seemed to mimic the other elements. The sauce used in the Pizza was not plentiful, but rather scarce. From the little sauce that was tasted, it was observed that the sauce had a slight sweetness in the base that's meant to counter the saltiness of the processed mozzarella. But due to its lack of presence, the overwhelming saltiness was able to take precedence. Overall, the pizza did not deliver the quintessential balance in texture and flavors that's known for good New York Style Pizza.
Fresh Mozzarella Slice ($3.50): Perhaps the saving grace of the evening would come in the form of Fresh Mozzarella, sadly, that wasn't the case. Similar in application to the Regular Slice, the only contrast in execution of the Fresh Mozzarella is that the excessive saltiness of the processed mozzarella was substitute by a more velvety and sweeter variety. Consuming this rendition will reveal an excessive sweetness derived from a combination of Tomato Sauce and Fresh Mozzarella. Further consumption will reveal that the flavors of the pizza are sweet, with no contradicting flavors from either herbs or spices. Similar applications from other notables would provide a balance in earthiness derived from spices such as Oregano and Black Pepper or mild saltiness from a robust tomato sauce or sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano. Sadly, Joe's rendition of the classic Margherita was sweet, excessive sweet, and provided none of the flavor or textural contrast that's common with this rendition.
$12.00 in the hole and not one impressive moment was rendered during the Pizza's consumption. For tourists thinking [Famous] Joe's is the Best Pizza in New York, I would highly advise them to seek a palate cleansing and a visit to the neurologist.
Notes on [Famous] Joe's Pizza:
- Pizza is served warm. The Pizzeria is more worried about the turnover than your satisfaction.
- Expect rude (but efficient) customer service. Just look at the 20 to 30 people standing behind you.
- Don't expect any complexity in the pizza, because there is none. The Pizza is BLAND!
- Buy a beverage, that's the most flavor you'll get out of the entire experience.
A friend of mine that lives in Chelsea promised me this place would deliver and that it's quite famous. I was a bit skeptical, but we DID high tail it a few blocks, hopped on the subway JUST to grab pizza. And boy oh boy it t delivered.
Pretty effin' good. HUGE slices at a reasonable price.
Very good for a laid back lazy-afternoon lunch spot, or even a quick-on-the-go snack place. The restaurant itself is SO small (literally the size of a bedroom), so it's best designated a "grab-and-go" spot than a place to dine with a friend or two.
Garlic powder and parmesan cheese condiments flow to your hearts desire.
Really haven't had pizza that delicious and satisfying in a looooong time.
Lived up to the hype, for me at least.
This place has THE best pizza! I think it ranks pretty close to John's and Grimaldi's, except its just closer to NYU's library! =)
It's a really small place, with a few seats. It's more like a grab and go place. The cheese pizza is good. The Mozzarella pizza is the BEST!
It's also right near Rocco's (awesome Bakery!)
This was a pretty solid piece of pizza for $2.50. Nice crispy crust and the sauce and cheese were . . . you know, good. I don't claim to be a pizza connoiseur.
Anyway - the place itself is super small so you'll want to get this to go or go to the park across the street. Good for when you need to shove down some dinner before doing something else.
Cheese slice was good, but I liked the Nonna Maria slice at Bleeker's way better.
Okay, scratch that last review. I realized their regular cheese just isn't outstanding so PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE try the mozzarella.
The mozzarella itself is slightly sweet (not candy sweet, mozzarella sweet) which partners up well with the nice savory sauce. The crust wasn't burned this time and I enjoyed my slice.
I know everyone will read the reviews to this place, go there, and order the regular cheese because it's cheaper but you really gotta try the mozzarella.
My slice was burned through and through. Maybe this is just an aberration from the norm but I was… Read more »
Seriously, what's the big deal about this place? The slices are great, but they're not better than most other pizza places I've tried in the city. They do tend to be a lot fresher, though. It seems I get a slice right out of the oven every time I come. If you manage to get a fresh slice of one of the thick pan pizzas, GET IT. Those are great. Overall, though, as great as it is, it just doesn't stand out to me.
The best stand up "New York Slice." It doesn't need more than that.
I have had an entire pie for take-out and it doesnt travel to midtown all that well. That being said it is still better than most NY style offenerings above 14th St.
This place USED to be my favorite pizza spot. I go here all the time and I went back a month ago and it SUCKED for NY pizza. Not sure what happened but but pizza changed considerably. Maybe they're trying to cut costs w/ cheaper ingredients? No clue, but it def is not worth the hefty price...
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Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: West Village
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Meatpacking District
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: West Village
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: West Village
Category: Pizza
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