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Spring St-Lafayette St (6)
Bowery (J, M)
Prince St (R, W)
Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
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I used to live near this place. It was always jammed, so I never went in. The same goes for Pink's Taco on La Brea in LA... but I digress.
The pizza is NYC, old school thin. They've got great toppings. The wait isn't too unbearable.
It's a fun place to grab a traditional slice of pizza.
Food = B+
Service = B
Atmosphere = C-
Overall = B
So I heard a lot about this place
"It's the oldest pizza place in the US... "
"It's always jammed pack etc..."
"The best pizza in the world... "
The first two statements are probably true. Not sure about the third. Don't get me wrong, I really liked it. Their pizza was fantastic! In my opinion it's just not the best in the world...
A friend of mine told me Lombardi's was a staple in NYC. I had never heard of it, so we decided to check it out. Now I know why there is so much hype. The pizza was simply fantastic - no frills, nothing fancy, just basic coal oven pizza with simple ingredients. The crust stayed perfectly crispy throughout the entire meal and my arms weren't drenched with oil. The mozerella cheese was so fresh and tastey. I also would recommend the house salad because of the homemade dressing...how can i describe this....it's like being punched in a face - POWWWW!!! So much flavor, oh so good. Lombardi's lives up to the hype - best pizza in town.
Tip: Cash Only so be sure to hit up the ATM beforehand.
People thought this was:
Another redundant Yelp review but I need it for my own reference!!
So I've done the Grimaldi's thing and the Lombardi's thing and I would have to agree that I see them equally. The styles are relatively similar and I would have to praise both for their fresh toppings. They're both different from your typical NY hole-in-wall pizza joint because it isn't as greasy and tastes relatively healthy.
Lombardi's restaurant is bigger so the wait may not be as bad. Actually on a Monday night, I waited about 5 minutes. Pizzas come out fast and Italian sodas are a delight to drink too (tell them to be less generous with the whip cream though otherwise it'll take up half your cup). My pizza toppings included pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, and spinach... pretty standard I would say. It came out delicious but I do think that Grimaldi's pepperonis are more flavorful. I did notice some extra charred-ness on the crust though but it was negligible. A large pizza with the toppings I got ended up being about $26.
As for ambiance, Lombardi's has two levels - the main floor which is kind of old school and wooden and the lower level which is a well-furnished, quieter basement. Service is top-notch.
Quick tid bit for dat ass: Lombardi's is one of the oldest eateries in NY and the oldest Pizzaria in the USA. Get your permission slip signed & take a historic field trip. Maybe you'll learn a thing or two....smart guy.
Thin crust pizza just does not get any better than Lombardi's. Wait time is acceptable. Space is old school...duh! And the pizza is phenomenal!
Lombardi's is a solid 5 star....until i try something better. Keep praying i don't fellas.
People thought this was:
749 reviews already? I guess I just make a quick comprising...
TOMATO APIZZA ARE STILL BETTER.... but not by much
Came in from our flight after 1PM. We were starving so my wife and I decide to walk from our hotel in Chelsea to try and hit Lombardi's. After the long walk and wait, we get our pizza around 3:30. I'm not even hungry anymore, that time had already passed. Oh, and I'm from Chicago. So I had every reason to hate this hyped-up pizza they profile on Food TV all the time.
Well, it was simply fantastic. While I was eating it, I struggled to think of where I've had a better pizza - I couldn't so I just kept eating. Maybe there's better pizza than this in NY, but there definitely isn't in Chicago - there are a million places trying to imitate this style of pizza in Chicago and they just plain fail.
My only annoyance was not directly related to Lombardi's. We were surrounded by idiot tourists who couldn't contemplate that they are CASH ONLY. Stupid, it says that all over the menu and there are ATMs outside and INSIDE the place. Don't argue with them because you are too dumb to notice - the terms are clear. And definitely don't argue with them if the table next to you had just argued with them. I feel bad for you natives that have to deal with these idiots all the time.
This is NOT New York street pizza, and that's a good thing. Like most things in the city, the average pizza is overhyped and underwhelming. This Little Italy pizzeria, however, easily makes up for 100 crappy Ray's because this pizza is the. Real. Deal.
Loaded with fresh toppings, made to order at a sit-down atmosphere, no rush, and great for groups and out-of-towners, this is THE place for pizza in Manhattan. The awkward, U-shaped layout around the kitchen and oven makes for some cramped times (particularly right before showtime in the Village theatre scene), so get there early. You WON'T be disappointed.
FOOD: Great pizza and other Italian fare. I don't even LIKE white pizza, but one bite of Lombardi's concoction made me wonder what I've been missing for so many years.
SERVICE: A little crazy. The place gets packed and hot, so don't blame them. Remember to tip well: they remember regulars.
For Anchovy-lovers, this is truly the best pizza in the city. Fresh anchovies, lightly cooked into the cheese, with fish flavor that isn't overwhelmed by salt. Mmmmm-mmmmmmm.
People thought this was:
Best pizza in the city either goes to this place or Grimaldi's.
That being said, what separates this place from Grimaldi's is the lack of a wait time. My friends and I were promptly seated and our order was taken after a short while. We got a pepperoni pizza, which was delicious. The pie was piping hot, and all the toppings felt were fresh. If I lived in the city, I'd definitely go here more often than not.
People thought this was:
2 stars seems slightly low but the saying says "Meh. Ive expected better" and that is literally how I felt. I guess I pumped myself up for so long and expected such amaziness from this place that when it was not happening, I was sad.
I went on a weeknight and was seated immediately, walked through the entire restaurant to the back of the second room. Shared a pizza with sausage and mushroom and it was plenty to eat for 2 people. Slightly undercooked which I generally like but something just wasn't doing it for me. Edible for sure, even pretty good, but deliciously the best pizza in town, it was not. I also got a sangria which was a sad excuse for one. A tiny cup, no fruit, no buzz. Boo. Waitress was not receptive to us being there at all.
Side note, they only take cash but "luckily" you just have to walk outside to the ATM.
People thought this was:
I start with a warning: If you come to Lombardi's, you will NEVER settle for regular pizza again.
I stepped in on a rainy day, feeling curious as to whether this really beats out Grimaldi's or not (not too much of a difference). The place is well-illuminated and the service is on-point. The waiters are all very nice and talkative, and the area where the pizza is made is open, so anyone can see and take pictures of it.
The one thing I hate about these old-world pizza parlors is that they don't serve by the slice, or serve pies which can *easily* be consumed by one person. Thus, I chose to get their $15 pie, which is actually about the size of a regular pizza pie. (I guess it's a good thing that I haven't eaten pizza for about a month prior to then, right?)
The pizza is as good as it gets. The sauce is a little sweeter than Grimaldi's, but still has that great, natural taste. The bread is nice and soft, and the mozzarella is phenomenal. If you're a beer drinker, this probably goes down very well with Peroni; I just had water. (A sin, yes I know!) I ate the whole thing with absolutely no problems and no regrets.
In short, it would be a sin to not eat at Lombardi's, Grimaldi's or Patsy's at least once. Few can say they match up to this.
This pizza joint was on my friend's massive things to eat list for NYC. I thought it was one of those places where you can walk in and get a slice of pizza to go. But it turned out that it's a sit down restaurant where they make your pizza fresh when you order. That kinda set back my stomach a little since I was only planning on taking one bite just to say "I had NY pizza."
We ordered a small Margherita pizza with extra sauce and mushrooms. It come with fresh mozzarella cheese chunks all over the pizza and the crust is crispy and moist. I loved it! We ended up finishing up the whole pizza. Can you say fatty? Burp! It was worth every last calorie. You definitely have to try this place if you're in NYC!
LOVE it here! Every time I visit NYC I make a stop here. It's a must, the salads are great and the pizza is AWESOME
i typically try to steer clear from the thin crust pizza (which means the ones from pizza hut/dominos and other chain pizzarias) but obviously I've never had a LOMBARDI'S PIZZA!
Everything tasted so fresh!
Everything was so good!
Though the crust was a bit on the chewy side - I still ate it all! (Which, again i normally dont)
This would be what I call a real pizza because it doesn't leave your mouth feeling all drenched in oil (hey and sometimes that's fine too).
I walked pass their brick wall oven as well!!!!
Only thing was my little glass of sangria costed way more than it should have been =(
Can't believe I've lived in NYC for 5.5 years and I've never been here. But now I have and I was missing a lot! This is some crazy good brick oven pizza that has the freshest mozzarella and tomato sauce ever. The way to go it to start with the house salad. The dressing is making my mouth water just thinking about it - it's that good. This is a standard pizzeria and it delivers.
COULD NOT wait to eat at this place! It's definitely a NY pizza place you want to check out. I read on the menu that this place was the first licensed pizza place in America. We actually didn't wait long. We probably waited longer for our waitress to come and take our order.
We ordered the 18" pizza which came with 8 slices. Garlic roasted spinach and meatballs (beef and pork) as our toppings. The slices were the most thinnest pizza slices I have ever had in my life. I loved it. I had to fold them up so none of my toppings would fall off. The cheese was so soft. Not the rubbery kind we have in LA. We had juicy meatballs and the spinach was full of garlic flavor. It was heavenly!
This place is bigger than you think. We sat in the front and I thought it was small as heck but one of their employees led us through this long maze through their kitchen and to the back. It was still a narrow long room, and the tables and chairs were totally cramped, but it wasn't too uncomfortable. This place was definitely a winner.
Next stop. Grimaldi's!
People thought this was:
How historical! Incidentally, this is the first pizzeria in the US.
I read in a Lonely Planet guide that this was the oldest pizzeria in the city. I concluded that if it's the oldest, there must be something really great about since it's still standing. (Okay, that could be faulty logic, but it was super crowded, too!)
We were seated within 5 minutes and served right away. Our server was very friendly and prompt; not to mention purdy :)
We ordered a small pizza with pepperoni and mushrooms. I was pleasantly surprised with the variety of mushrooms; I'm no expert but I'm guessing it was portobello & porcini, which made for a different, non-typical-American ( white button) flavor. It was hot and delicious and we had no problem polishing off the pie in its entirety.
I know everyone's pizza expectations are different, but this pizza was fantastic to me. It does not taste like New York/American pizza. No, this one brought me back to Napoli, which is why I'm giving it 5 stars.
At the end of the night, we paid for our bill, which I thought fair because of the wonderful pizza and experience I had here. Upon request, our server also recommended a place for dessert. All in all, a great experience and I'd come back next time I'm in NY :)
Lombardi's has the best think crust pizza I have ever eaten, bar none.
The pizza margherita is to die for. I've never tried anything else on the menu because it could not possibly top the simplicity of the pizza margherita.
The history of being the countries first pizzeria is a bonus to the delicious food.
My friends and I were visiting the city walking around exploring the different neighborhoods. We had dim sum in Chinatown and decided to walk to Little Italy. We decided to spend the latter part of the day in Little Italy but realized that Little Italy was very small and boring. We wanted to have dinner here so we decided to just hang around a bit. We ended up having an early dinner at like 3 pm at Lombardi. We noticed a line and we started talking to them. We found out this is one of the best Pizza in town so we decided we're going to eat here.
I'm glad we dawdled in Little Italy and found this place. They did have the BEST pizza I've ever eaten. The sauce is great. The toppings were fresh and great.
I came back a second time when I was in NYC and it wasn't as good as the first time around. It might have to do with the toppings. I chose different toppings this time around.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!! Meatballs on pizza! Life doesn't get better than that. Thanks to http://Yelp.com our whole trip to New York was filled with "Good Eats".
THANK YOU YELP!
I LOVE NY!!!
This place claims it's the best in NYC and appears on many top 10 pizza place lists. What can I say? Average american pizza. No better than pizza hut as far as I'm concerned.
See my review of John's Pizza for more.
(Actually a 4.5.......what's up with no half-increment ratings for users Yelp?)
Great, original Pizza.
It's excellent and definitely the oldest (you can taste this from its oven -- all in a good way of course).
I would say its the best pizza I've had, NEXT to Pizzeria Mozza in LA. I'm not sure if everyone would say this is the 'best' pizza in NYC however, as some people are obviously not afraid to voice that on here.
For me it was one of the best i've had, but at the same time it's the only NYC pizza staple I've experienced....If I had the other famous ones around this city, not sure if i could keep telling you that this is 'the best in NY.'
Bottom line though, this is definitely a must try if you are a pizza lover.
Great thin crust with a great sauce, which is what really stuck out at me...the flavor of the tomato was amazing.
Food: Lombardi's is what you get if Grimaldi's looked at itself in the mirror. Everything is opposite. I prefer the pizza at Grimaldi's because it is baked better. The pizza here comes out limpy and the crust flat and doughy. The ingredients (mozzarella, sausage, onion, and mushrooms) here are top notch. Clam pizza had sparse clams and after a few tries I've decided that any seafood on pizza is generally not a good idea. The sauce is laid out well, doesn't overflow as you eat.
Service: Average service, which is more than Grimaldi's. (FYI, no credit cards accepted)
Drink: Had a few problems once, ordered a pitcher of coke which was flat. Told them, and they replied that its being changed right now and we will get another one. Came back, it was flat and told them again. They said sorry and came back with root beer, wtf? Tired of asking, I simply just don't care, but I can imagine if they try to pull that with someone who cares or doesn't like root beer.
Crowd/Ambiance: Old school Lombardi's was much better, had more character. The expansion allowed for increase space, more tourists, resulting in higher revenue, but sacrificed on the rustic, original feel. What carried over was the claustrophobic seating and table space.
People thought this was:
I really had not found a pizza place in Manhattan that I would be a repeat customer of (bearing in mind I rarely eat pizza so am quite inexperienced in this genre). I will definitely be returning to this spot!
We went for lunch at work and got 3 pizzas (2 big/1 small) for six adults: one garlic sauteed spinach, one meatball/pepperoni, and one plain. This was more than enough food for all! We really had to stuff our faces to finish.
There is a good amount of seating due to what I have read was an expansion. We sat in a patio-type room on the 2nd floor and it did delay service a little bit, but overall server was really nice.
The pizza was delicious and not under/over cooked at all --- spot on! The meatballs (pork/meat combined) were the single best thing about Lombardi's... they were absolutely amazing. CASH ONLY.
I will be going back soon!
People thought this was:
Here are my two cents on Lombardi's. You should go and not because it is well known amongst the tourists, but because they really do make a good pizza. I had the regular Neapolitan. The qualities that really stood out were the moderate thickness of the crust (not super-thin Neapolitan) and the chewiness. I'm a big fan of texture. The toppings were all fresh, without going into too much detail. As I recall the prices were in the moderate zone $10 to $20 depending on the size and toppings, not quite cheapo... In the final analysis, my visit was very satisfying. A word on the dining room: this pizzeria is located inside a late 19th or early 20th century tenement building, so seating is quite tight inside. Remember to breathe in when walking in!
Lombardi's is good for its convenient location-close to Chinatown, Soho and subway station 6.
Some friends and I ordered a 8 slicer with various toppings. I'd say that the pizza was alright. Nothing to rave about. I would much rather prefer to order set pizzas such as a Hawaiian pizza, combination pizza, etc. or how about a new concoction that would bring some glory to Lombardi's name?
Service was really bad. Our waitress was rude, impatient, and showed a sliver of a smile only when it came time to tip.
Back to Round Table Pizza and Blondie's I go!
People thought this was:
Eh. I went now a few times (friends and family visiting and wanting to give them NYC pizza) and each time I am less impressed. Now, that is not to say that the food isn't good, its just that it definitely is not the best pizza I've had in NYC.
Its too long a wait for pizza that isn't the best ever. Its all touristy, too. I'm glad I went at least the one time, but I don't plan on going back unless it is insisted upon.
i have to say I'm quiet disappointed with the pizza... This always happens when you have too high of expectations.. I've been wanting to come here forever..
We have party of 8.. on a sunday evening.. it was not hard to get a table at all that's a ++ we ordered clam pie .. I personally think it's a little bit too dry.. plus it takes forever .. hence service was slow
I'm not a pizza expert here but I've tasted better pizza before.. My overall experience here wasn't as good as I expected.
People thought this was:
Almost worth moving downtown for. I like visiting my friend Francisco -- he's an awesome guy - but the fact that he lives in the delivery zone means I'm a lot more willing to stray from the cozy confines of the UWS to visit. Thin crust, with a perfect ratio of sauce to cheese and exquisite toppings to finish it all off. Right up there with Grimaldi's as the city's best. Normally, I'm anti-chain, but how about an uptown branch?!
People thought this was:
America's First Pizzeria? Huh. Who knew. Obviously with a credit like that to the name you should expect to wait in a line full of tourists clamoring for one of nyc's best pizzas. Using a coal burning oven, Lombardi's puts out some delicious pizzas. My plain ol' margherita pizza could have used a tad more cheese, but overall very good.
People thought this was:
An NYC classic. Don't bother coming here with locals, just wait until your friends come to visit and want to taste NYC pizza. It's right in little italy and they use fresh ingredients from local delis.
If your friends are adventurous, try their clam pizza... it's delicious and not something you can get in most places. Don't get dessert here, just go across the street for some rice pudding at Rice to Riches.
People thought this was:
I expected better. I thought that the oldest pizza place in the US would make the most amazing pizza. But I was sadly mistaken. It was average at best. Good atmosphere, friendly staff, and good portions keep it at 3 stars.
Everyone and their mother's co-worker's cousin's mother-in-law's step brother talks about Lombardi's like it's the BEST pizza in the world. It's not!
After all I've read and heard about it from reviews and people, I decided to eat here during my stay in NYC in early September 2009. The place was packed! Thank God the wait time was only 15 minutes or I would've dodged out of there.
There's only 2 real choices: Gennaro's Original Pizza and Gennaro's White Pizza. We ordered the original, half with cheese & pepperoni and other half with cheese & tomatoes (because I don't eat meat). I have had SO MUCH better. The sauce was lacking flavor, there was barely any cheese, and the pizza overall wasn't baked well. I've tasted better pizza in New York New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. I thought I'd have better pizza in the real New York, but I guess not.
Also, the fountain drinks are not bottomless, this is just absurd to me! I had to slowly drink my root beer so I didn't run out. There's also a Cash Only policy which is crazy! They'd make so much more money if they accepted debit and credit cards. The wait staff were not friendly, but not mean either. They just took our order and never really bothered to ask us for anything else.
The pizza here is not at all special in my book. What a waste.
Update: Had to tack on an extra star, since I had a slice of margherita pizza during Scott's Pizza tour and this slice was much better than my first visit! Still not the best pizza in the world but the second time around was better than the first. Also, the watery slices from the first visit were actually caused by the spinach we added so avoid this topping at all cost!
Pros: Historic and pizzas are relatively healthy/fresh tasting
Cons: Too many to list, but lets itemize to make it easier to read...
Hostess/Seating: The "no reservations" and "will only seat full parties" policies work well for the restaurant, but SUCK for hungry customers. The way they "structure" their seating is by groups less than three, greater than or equal to 5, and inbetween. If you are in the wrong category (as I was for a party of 4) you will feel betrayed by customers who came in 3 minutes ago who are being seated before you even after a 30 minute wait (on a TUESDAY night!). Bring some snacks to keep you from re-enacting the movie "Alive" with your dinner party while you wait.
Wait Staff: I've never seen such a crowded restaurant with such a skeleton crew. There were tons of black shirts filling water glasses, but only one white shirt that night, who didnt even emerge until we had been sitting for 10 minutes. At that point i was already chewing through my arms. When we were finally graced by the dull waitress' presence, she messed up the order as she repeated it back to us. Luckily my co-worker caught and corrected her. Note that we only ordered 1 large pizza for the 4 of us to share so it wasnt rocket science.
Food: Cancel the drumroll. If I liked my toppings to fall off the slice on its way to my plate, I'd come back. if I liked my slices so soggy, that I cant even fold it in half the proper NY way (had to fold the pointed end towards the crust, THEN fold in half...imagine if you will the process of making a paper airplane) then I'd come back. But, I can't say I'm a fan of water logged pizza folded like origami and more toppings on the table than in my stomach so I WONT be coming back. Ever!
Why the 2 stars: It was cheap, so at least I didnt feel ripped off. Also, my gf showed up after we already started so she was perched on the window ledge in the back room, and a waiter with extreme concern on his face came by to say "OMG honey do you want me to get you a chair? I'll be right back". If it wasnt for him, I was going to lean towards 1 star. Shame on the straight waiters, and all waitresses of NYC! I exaggerate but you have to admit it is rare to find restaurant staff who actually cares like this particular guy.
People thought this was:
This is what all pizza should taste like! Forget that deep dish stuff. best pizza hands down. everything that i can possibly think about this place has been said in the hundreds of reviews. This place is a must see if you're ever in NY.
People thought this was:
Still a darn good pizza but has lost some quality after the expansion. I'm not sure if the increased volume/turnover is what's caused it but it's not quite as good as it was back in the day. We still get pepperoni and garilc pizzas there sometimes and enjoy it though. The fact that are grandfathered in for a coal oven is a huge advantage b/c it affords the pies get a nice crust.
That being said, it's definitely worth a visit if you're not from the city b/c it's the oldest pizzeria in the country. It's old school and proud of it!
Went here yesterday for the first time in my quest for the perfect pizza. This place is probably the best pizza I've ever had.
My tip is to try the Clam Pie. It's basically just the crust of the pizza with tons of clam pieces, garlic and cheese. The crust on this was perfect. Sprinkle some lemon and enjoy.
The regular pies were also pretty good. I liked that they didn't charge us extra when we asked to spilt the pie with different topping choices on each side(unlike Grimaldis). The bottom of the pies had minimal carbon soot that sometimes appears on pies made with brick ovens, I appreciate that. Definitely go here. Recommended wholeheartedly.
People thought this was:
I have seen the top of the pizza mountain, and it is Lombardi's! Oh my god. It's not the cheapest, but this old-school place is the perfect venue for out of town guests to experience how good pizza can be. Old-school? Yeah. It's the oldest pizza joint in America.
For me, the clam pie is the treat here, lots of fresh clams and garlic, over their signature brick-oven crust? It's like a fine seafood meal, on a pizza.
Best thin crust on the East Coast?
Gotta try it, right? I arrive and there's already a line out the door...I'm thinking to myself..."G'damn@*#($#@tourist trap"...but that's just it! How can the first pizza parlour in the US NOT be a tourist trap? The interior is cute and clean, and the prices aren't too bad - around 20 ish for a small pie with half italian sausage and half handmade meatballs, cheese, and mushrooms over (plus 2 drinks).
A very good thin crust, not too doughy with a good crust (not breadlike, but not crunchy like crackers either - a good medium). The sauce was tasty, but not overpowering and there wasn't TOO much cheese (I like). Definitely less greasy than Artichokes, but overall, a very different style of pizza. It struck me as being a very "gourmet" pizza, if there is such a thing. I myself prefer something a little less frou-frou, especially for a pizza joint. Tasty, but definitely a very tourist atmosphere - nothing wrong with that though...
definitely one of the better thin crust pies i've had, so really, a four star rating from a girl that eats pizza less than 3x a year :)
People thought this was:
Visited this pizza place as we wanted to try some NY-style pizza and what better place to try it than at the first pizza place in America!
We came in late (around 10 PM) for some dinner and there was still a lot of people there. They make their pizzas using a coal-style oven, so, that definitely interested us!
We got a medium pizza and added pepperoni, sausages, onions and mushrooms to it. It came out pretty efficiently (10 mins) and the pizza was very tasty, the thin slices were great, and the price was reasonable! The service was decent and I'd definitely see myself going to a pizza place like this! The neighborhood pizza place, the history of the place, the good pizza... all good positives!
Definitely like! New York Pizza is definitely Great!
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