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116th St (6)
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Waaayyy different from the other Patsy's. If you are limp from the other locations, don't even think of making comparisons to the original. They really sold out when they started licensing the name...
The historical coal oven keeps them in business all the way in East Harlem. This should be a pilgimage in the same manner a trip to Di Faras is - but with much less frustration (and slightly less payback).
A thin crust, nearly soupy cheese plus tomato sauce and a killer flour caked crust. It's a masterful cheese pizza. This is the reason New York is known as THE City.
We decided to eat at Patsy's, and as I looked over the menu, was surprised to see more than just pizza. There were tons of pasta entrees as well as "secondi" plates (chicken and meat dishes). We decided to start with a caesar salad which was large enough for four of us to share. The salad had delicious croutons and the fact that 4 of us could split a $7.50 salad really made it a deal.
We started ordering the pizzas, and our server James, highly recommended a fresh mozzarella and basil pie. We decided to skip his recommendation and go with just a plain pie and a sausage pie. Both pies were delicious, and the thin crust allowed us to keep stuffing our faces with slices - without feeling super full. Still hungry, we went for a third pie and James again suggested this fresh mozzerella and basil pie. This time, we listened. This pie was excellent and would be first on my list next time I return to Patsy's. I'll be honest, I'm typically a white pizza kinda girl because I don't like a lot of tomato sauce, but I actually enjoyed the marinara sauce at Patsy's.
Each pie ran about $12, and each topping was an additional $3, which wasn't too bad. As I mentioned, this isn't like your normal pie on the corner, so keep in mind you may have to go for an extra pie. James warned us that many times if people are hungry, they can polish off a whole pie easily by themselves. I have to commend our waiter though for being honest with us regarding portion sizes - even when asking about how large the salad was and seeing that I was with 3 guys, he could have probably talked me into 2 salads, but he didn't try to oversell us and let us go at our own pace.
I think my roommate Alex said it best: Patsy's is New York pizza.
If you think you are going to catch a glimpse of fireman driving down the street in Harlem, you're wrong. The truck will be parked and all of the guys will be sitting inside of Patsy's. Mmm. Pizza. And firemen. Patsy's is actually great for families, friends, and large groups. The menu has everything from salad to pasta but if you visit it is essential to order one of their pies.
I went in to try the plain cheese pizza. I was assured that it would be different from the other Patsy's in Manhattan. How different could it be? Well for one, it looks larger than the other Patsy's pies. Now that I think about it, the menu in Harlem is slightly different than the other Patsy's. There is only one size pie offered. If you stay basic and get only one pie, it will only set you back $12.
The plain cheese pizza was thin and lighter than air. I call it diet pizza. Its so thin you could eat tons of it but still not feel full or fat. The pizza was piping hot and the cheese sort of oozed off of the dough. I wasn't sure if I should eat my pizza with a fork and knife or fold it in half so I did both. Once I got to the middle of my slice I was able to pick it up. The sauce is great. It's thinned out but full of flavor. Some of my companions complained of the pizza being "soupy" but I think it was just oil from the cheese. Actually if we had gotten this pizza with pepperoni, I think it would have been even better. A little pepperoni grease goes along way...maybe even to five stars.
If you happen to plan on going to Patsy's in Midtown, skip it. Stay on the 6 train and ride it all the way up to 116th. It's not that much further and the pizza at this Patsy's is much better.
*bonus point - you may even get to sit next to firemen. HOT!
In it's day, this original Patsy's location in Harlem was the platinum standard of pizza. It's what every pizzeria in the country aspired to be.
I haven't been here in awhile and thought it was time to return to the mecca. I heard stories that the pizza just wasn't the same anymore and had to see for myself.
I have to say, the rumours are true. The drop off in quality is unbelievable.
The pizza was undercooked, the sauce was thin and watery, the cheese absolutely flavorless.
Having a coal oven does not guarantee a good pizza anymore. I felt guilty about downgrading the original John's, also a coal oven pizzeria. However, me giving Patsy's 2 stars is absolutely generous as I have had better pizza out of state.
The oven is the same so I can only assume Patsy's is using lower quality ingredients or the pizzaiolo just doesn't have a clue.
This only reinforces how great Dom DeMarco of DiFara's really is. DiFara's uses a gas oven but also uses the best ingredients he can get his hands on. For true pizza lovers, go to Brooklyn. There is a reason why NYers are willing to wait in line at DiFaras.
Cheers!
N.
This place is an East Harlem must-see. The prices are so cheap and the pizza is amazing. I love this place
Patsy's is the best of the old NY pizza giants that I've tasted (still need to visit Grimaldi's and the original Totonno's when it opens). Not located in the best area, but they have coal oven slices for $1.75; nuff said. Those slices are great, but you really need to grab a pie inside with fresh mozzarella and basil. Well spiced, great sauce, great fresh mozzarellla, and ample, well-distributed basil. So good I've eaten it cold the next day :) Definitely still worth a trip, especially with the Giglio festival in East Harlem coming in a week or so
Edit: I'd like to acknowledge that there are definitely some consistency issues based on talking to a few friends of mine; I have not experienced this but granted I don't get to go very often. I will definitely investigate this next time I go.
this place is worth the trek. in a previous administration, would pick up a pie on the way to shelter island every FRI. it would be long gone before we left queens. that was the plain pie...
current administration, we went for sit down. service is friendly, prices VERY reasonable, and pizza tasty, real thin-crust NYC pizza. this is the ambiance i really like, old school, low-key. one insalata siciliana, one ricotta/meatball pie, one plain pie later, 4 happy tummies.
i've been to several of the others around the city; they are fine, w/ exception of the one on 23rd in chelsea, which has OK pizza, but for some reason i just do not like. but, at least once, go uptown, almost all the way to the triboro/JFK, and go to the original.
How does one choose His/Her last meal anyway? I'm terrible at making those decisions but I'm confident I'll know the meal when it's time to eat that last one. So, I've narrowed it down and one of my Top 3 Contenders is at this Patsy's location in Harlem since it's never crowded and you can always snag a table. I also realized the pizza tastes better because it is one of few Patsy's that has the necessary oven required for amazing pizza.
My perfect meal is:
*A glass of really jammy merlot or their sangria (depending on the season)
*Organic Tossed Salad, covered in totally addictive balsamic dressing of the Gods. Sop up remaining sauce with bread.
*A pie with mushroom and onions...charred black around the edges, caving in the middle with cheesy goodness, sweet sauce and chewy dough.
*Tiramisu the way nonna used to make. Saturated with espresso.
That's it....my last moments on Earth will definitely include onion breath. Perfection.
I feel cheated, very cheated! I love pizza and practically grew up on pizza while living in Rhode Island. Little did I know that practically all sauce is loaded with sugar. It was not until Patsy's did I learn that sauce consisting of fresh tomatoes is the way to go. I also realized that coal oven pizza has a delicious flavor.
Oh they also have other things on the menu that are good.
Thanks Patsy for taking my virginity!
So I've been really getting into this whole Yelp thing, and it didn't take long for me to realize that every good Yelper-- heck, every good New Yorker-- should have a well-formed opinion about where to get New York's best slice, and there are certain places one is expected to start. I may still be getting my sea-legs on Yelp, but even I have long been aware of big guns like Grimaldi's and Lombardi's. While compiling a comprehensive list of other important pizzerias, I discovered that Patsy's shares a pedigree with these giants of the NY pizza scene, so I decided to put it on my to do list. Of the three pizzerias, Patsy's was the most accessible: not only is it the closest to my apartment, but the pricetag is a mere $1.75 for a slice, and the dining experience does not include a two hour wait time. How can you go wrong?
Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, Patsy's does go wrong, and at the very foundations of their pizza! Perhaps it comes down to a matter of personal taste, but I guess I am just not sure how the term "perfectly charred" applies to a pizza, unless it's meant to mean "not charred at all," which I suspect is not the case. I like the "step in time" number from Mary Poppins as much as any good child raised on steady diet of Disney and Nickelodeon should, but I wouldn't want a sooty pizza even if Dick Van Dyke himself served it to me while tap dancing at a tea party on the ceiling.
I would have gone for three stars even with the charcoal-taste, but the pie is so thin and flimsy that you have to fold it in half, which causes the coal dust to really take over, to the point where I could barely taste the sauce or the cheese, which to be fair I think was fairly tasty. Sadly, there was soot on my tongue, charcoal on the roof of my mouth, and only a hint of tomato and mozzarella sliding down my throat.
Bottom line, pizza is OK, but the coal dust is kind of a deal breaker, especially when the main draw is the coal burning oven.
Pizza was great and I loved the restaurant space - open, airy (incredible for ny) and same as it probably once was when it opened. Also loved that you can pick up just a slice next door.
The first time I ever set foot New York City in 2002 I remember thinking the night we arrived that my husband was nuts when he wanted to walk from our Ramada at Lexington & 30th to Times Square. I was like, "Are you nuts? At night? We'll be mugged at least five times." So when my "New York for Dummies" 2002 guide touted Patsy's in East Harlem I thought to myself "I like pizza but not enough to die for it. If we went I'd give us only a 50/50 chance of returning alive."
Of course I was *ridiculously* silly thinking any of these things. I'm sure I'm not the first out-of-towner though to have those perceptions. One of the great things about New York is feeling safe walking around the city any time of day or night.
(I think my pre 2002 perception of New York is based on my memory of driving through the city when I was 12. It was 1985 and my parents pointed to a car on the side of the highway that had been stripped. I remember thinking, "I hope our car doesn't break down because we'll just have to leave it for dead" as though the daily risk of driving in NYC was your car getting stripped if it broke down.)
But I still had never been to Harlem. So this year on my fourth visit we walked the entire length of 125th St. from one side of the island to the other. It was less "living on the edge" and more "buy some scented oil from my table" and "come to Old Navy." We walked to Patsy's in East Harlem and even though it was dark when we left we never felt unsafe in Harlem and East Harlem at all.
On to more important things like the pizza.
We shared a plain cheese pie for $12. That would be cheap even where I live in San Jose. The cheese to sauce ratio was perfect, and the sauce had good flavor. The cheese wasn't fresh mozzarella but that's OK because surprisingly it doesn't always yield the best taste.
The crust was yeasty and flavorful. At the time my husband lauded the crust as one of the best ever I thought it was a little too chewy. Then we ate at Lombardi's the following night and I was struck by how their crust was better texture-wise, but taste-wise it was bitter. I'd rather have Patsy's. Plus, there were plenty of open tables. One of the benefits of visiting a place that's not in Little Italy is that half the tables are actually available.
Patsy's is now my favorite pizza in New York, maybe the world. It's Famous Fat Dave's favorite, too. I've heard the other Patsy's locations are not as good.
My Greater NYC Pizza Rankings:
1) PATSY'S, EAST HARLEM
2) Lombardi's, Little Italy
3) L&J's Spumoni Gardens, Bensonhurst (Brooklyn)
4) Grimaldi's, Fulton Landing (Brooklyn)
5)Star Tavern, Orange (NJ)
6) John's, Greenwich Village
7) John's, Upper East Side
This place is great. The atmosphere is mob-italian, and the pizza is thin and cheesy. It's best to go with a few people and split a pie, but they also have a full italian menu. Not to be confused with the other Patsy's, the Harlem location is superior.
Pretty good pizza
and the price isn't too bad.
Out of the way, though.
One of the best things I've put in my mouth, and I've put a lot of things.
I ate the whole pizza by myself, and ordered another to take home. And it even tastes great cold. Ahhhhhh.....
The place to get an authentic New York style pizza. Not kidding. My native friends insisted that my California ass try real NYC style pizza. When here, you have to get a cheesy slice! I sent photos of these back home and was the envy of my crew (ha,ha) for days! I got the traditional cheese pizza at the recommendation of my mentor, East Harlem native and food aficionado. She wassoficionado right...I miss this place already. Loved the old school feel of the place, it looked like someone was going to walk in at any moment and shoot us all down like in the Godfather. I loved it.
my favorite pizza place in Manhattan. HANDS DOWN.
I've been frequenting this place since before I started high school. I mean, when my family first drove to this place, their restaurant was just a broken-down sitting area where you ate amazingly thin-crusted pizza. Now, the restaurant is a legit restaurant with Bentleys parked in the front!! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that baby blue Bentley. Well, it makes sense since Patsy's pizza is so delicious.
I admit, I am biased towards thinly crusted pizzas, but because the tomato sauce is so savory, I think this pizza will please almost everyone. I usually just devour 2 or 3 slices of the plain, I sometimes get pepperoni or the mozzarella but I'm going to warn you that the mozzarella gets a bit watery. Just try the plain first, that's all I'm going to say.
P.S. If you're going to sit down, I also recommend the portabella mushroom salad.
Though I've been living here more than a year, I'm a sucker for New York food history - especially the evolution of pizza. And why not? New York is allegedly home to the best pizza in the States [and maybe the world!].
Now, what are the foundations of this home? Clearly the base is all the original places: Lombardi's, Grimaldi's, Patsy's... wait, did I say Patsy's???
Yes, Patsy's once contributed to the pizza reputation of New York. I'll admit that. But, it no longer deserves the respect it once heralded. The pizza crust was thin, light, and had some char, but the center of the pizza was noticeably under cooked. The sauce was too sweet, and it unpleasantly dominated the flavor. The cheese tasted store bought. To quote a former reviewer (as well as one of my eating companions), the experience overall was "meh."
To describe it even more precisely, the crust tasted more like pita bread than pizza crust. If they're attempting to draw attention to the possibility that pita was an origin for pizza, they succeeded. As a New York Pizza parlor, however, they failed.
Another pizza joint New Yorkers swear by. Had the overpriced Asparagus to start. The pizza itself was A-OK but I just can't get with the soggy middle. Traditional ingredients only.
I've been to both the take out pizza section and the regular restaurant and I have mixed reviews. I'l start with the bad first. DONT GO to the pizza take out if you dislike people jumping in front of you in line or worst yet, the fat boys making the pizza just giving your pizza to the guy who came in 20 minutes after you. Although The greasy looking guy behind the counter ignorantly called me a fag in spanish to his work mate thinking that I did not know whahe was saying.
The restaurant section is a bit more welcoming to patrons. The service is waaay better and the mushroom ravioli is pretty decent.
I'm in love, and her name is Patsy's. When I was touring the neighborhood, before I officially moved in, I could smell Patsy's on the street. It smelled delicious.
Even though I tried it my first few weeks here with bestie Kim Yarmo, I wanted to wait until I actually ate at the restaurant before writing my review. The first time I tried to do this, it got brutally aborted; they do not accept credit cards, and I did not have the proper cash on hand to pay for a full meal. Once more, the type of neighborhood I live in... it's probably good never to be walking around with Patsy's dinner money, if you catch my drift.
A few months later, after a bad day of work, I did have the money. I decided to indulge. It didn't disappoint. Their pizza is good; everything else is better. I got some sort of mozzerela appetizer that kind of made me die inside a little... that's how good it was. I had chicken parm, since this is the dish I compare all other to. It was scrumptious. I know they're are a few Patsy's around New York, but if I ever have someone coming to visit me who wants my neighborhood experience, I think Patsy's is definitely the place to go. It's great. Try it out.
This is the best pie I have bad in the city. The crust has a perfect char which is missing from many other competitors. I always order one cheese and one onion pie and everyone always eats the onion pie first. The only way you can ruin this pie is to order it take out. It is so thin that it cools very quickly and then you are at home with a cold pizza and no way to get it back to its original glory. Best thing to do here is to put it in a non-greased frying pan and heat it up like that. Anything else will make it soggy or too crispy. But my advice is take the trip and sit down and eat.
NOTE: the other patsy's around the city are not the same. They are under different management, different menus, the pizza is not nearly as good and they cost twice as much.
Years ago I thought the pizza here was awesome. Now it is nothing special to me. I found it strange last night that I ordered and my pizza was on my table within 5 minutes. The neighborhood is really sketchy too. I won't risk being mugged again for average tasting pizza.
My favorite pizza spot of all-time. I used to go here after playing some street ball at my friend's house in El Barrio.
Don't need to say much more than that!
Spineless.
You've read them before. People who don't have the conviction to call a spade a spade. Those who can see visible signs of decline, but cling to their memories and try to brush it off as inconsistency. "You must go to the original location", they rationalize. It still has that elusive and much coveted coal oven which makes their pizza smoking... I am sorry, I don't know what substance these critics were smoking, but Patsy's can not truthfully be in any serious foodie's Top 10 pizzerias of NYC. They do NOT make the upper crust. In fact, they hardly make any crust at all!
'Tis true. Patsy's pizza is fresh and one of the cheapest options in the city. It is light, despite the heavy concentration of sauce AND cheese. Thin, yes, but, crispy n chewy??? H to the No!!!
Crust? What crust? No discernible char, no fluffiness at the rim, no bubbles, and "Olsen Twin thin" to the extent that olive oil had seeped through. It wasn't just soggy, on one of my visits, there were actual holes in it! The crust was one of the blandest I've tasted, though to be fair I've had some great ones lately. This is the only thin pizza that I've eaten, where the cheese was almost sliding off and it would be an absolute mess to eat, were it not folded. The Perfect New York Style pizza?! Please, give me a break! You can't have great pizza without good, tasteful crust.
Hardly having traveled north of 100th Street on the East Side, the walk was the more novel experience. As I soaked in the charms of the (Spanish) Harlem neighborhood, I was intrigued by Patsy's eclectic clientele. From teenagers on dates, to groups of friends, from old ladies using walkers (and polishing off a pizza between them!) to families, given the affordable pricing it's like a come one, come all invitation to savor Patsy's rich heritage.
But, to stay in the big league, you have to perform day in and day out. You've slipped if you can't even get the basics right. And, you have to be absolutely retarded to publicly post a sign that says, "Experienced Pizza Man Wanted".
In the world of Citizen McCain, I guess that would be "Joe the Pizza Man".
Once upon a time, I cared about "experiencing" the City. I had just moved to New York, and was willing to trek all over town for the "best" pizza, the "best" Thai food, the "best" Indian, etc. And of course, the "best" food is always the furthest. So nevermind that Patsy's are all over Manhattan, I had to go to the original location- in Harlem. I dragged my friends with me, giving them the whole "Frank Sinatra used to eat here so it has to be good, obviously" bit.
We walked 40 blocks from Museum Mile and arrived, famished, at the empty, run down restaurant. And long story short, the pizza was...ok.
Canned tomato sauce, thin mozzarella slices, thin crust. But that was all.
3 years later, I know better. The end.
Being from Chicago, I don't really know much about classic NYC pizza. If I were to judge from this experience, I would say it's about the exact opposite of Chicago's style... thin, coal blackened crust, a light smattering of sauce and cheese and a layer of grease. However I do know what's tasty, and this was one tasty pie. My favorite part had to be the crust... thin, with a slight crisp on the outside, yet... somehow fluffy on the inside. What an interesting contrast. Overall delicious food, and a clean and cozy atmosphere. If I go back in NY, I'd return. And I must endorse this Patsy's location, apparently being the grandparent of a chain by the same name... and anyone from Chicago knows that the crappy Uno's Bar and Grill chain can't hold a candle to the awesome superiority of the original Uno's on wabash. So make sure you eat at THIS Patsy's.
WOW , here they really know how to make pizza. Just thinking about the crispy crust, tangy sauce and melted chesse makes my mouth water.. mmmmmm
OMG ! Let me write the words out - oh my God..man let me tell you this is one of the best things New York has to offer. This place was referred to me by a friend after he found out I lives in Harlem and that I never been to Patsy's nor ever heard of it! This is the best pizza I have ever tasted in my entire life. It's flavorful, light, and thin crust. The next day after I had it I had a pizza party that evening to introduce it to some friends. They all felt the same way as I after trying it. You gotta go.
Meh. To be honest, I was not super impressed with this place. I'd heard all about it's fame and I was really excited to live only a few blocks from one of The City's fabled "great" pizzarias, but alas, I think things have gone a bit downhill since the legend was created.
Don't get me wrong, the pizza was fine, if a little bit bland and a little bit soggy, but it is definitely still a better option than Domino's or Pizza Hut but...eh. It's the best we have in the neighborhood but if you're able to travel for your pie then I suggest you do so.
Seven slices of pizza.
Yes, seven. Not my proudest moment.
Between four guys, we had three pies, and could've had another. The pizza is thin and not greasy, so the slices are easy to pound down. Make sure to let the pizza settle alittle (I know, it'll be hard), but the cheese will just slide off on ya if you don't wait. The crust was burnt crisp, but it was still still chewy; perfect in my opinion. The service was amazing and the price was reasonable. Very nostalgic eat-in experience. Best pizza I've had in New York.
The ORIGINAL Patsy's. The best.
Three blocks away from my apartment. Dollar-fifty slices!
Yes, it's in East Harlem. Yes, that means fewer people and more pizza for me.
Perhaps it is a little out of the way for some people, but if you get the chance, you must try this original Patsy's. Although similar in style to the Patsy's chain, this pizza really tastes quite different, and that difference is for the better (and I like the chain)! The crust is slightly burnt and the ingredients fresh and yummy. Additionally, there's no line. Although not my number 1 Pizza place in the city, it easily is in the top 5. Make a trip here, you won't be sorry!
I had heard a lot of hype over Patsys, which typically puts me off, however since I just moved in 2 blocks down from it, I thought I should give it a shot.
So glad I did!!!
The service was excellent! A friendly and attentive wait staff that kept the drinks full and had a great sense of humor. Our party of 4 ordered a cheese & tomato pizza, a meatball pizza, a garlic & mushroom pizza and an order of calamari. We thought the pizzas where personal size, so you can imagine our shock when 2 people show up with 3 large pizzas at our table! No worries because the leftover slices where packed up nicely for us to take home. The calamari was probably some of the best I have ever had. The sauce it comes with really compliments it, add a little bit of lemon and you have a little piece of heaven in your mouth.
I am so happy to have the original gem just a few blocks away :)
I'm in New York on a job for a few months, so I'm trying every pizza I can. I was excited to give Patsy's a try and overall, I think it was about as forgettable as the cast of Real World Miami.
I was going to sit-down and order my own pizza, for the best experience, but it only came in one size which was too big for my appetite, so I ventured three doors down from the main restaurant for a couple of slices.
When I walked in, they were pulling a pepperoni out of the oven, so I excitedly ordered two pepperoni slices, only to be denied like a pack of frat boys at an a-list club..."plain" was the only thing available by the slice.
So they cut me off two slices straight from the oven. The taste was ok, nothing, special. The slice was droopy and only when you get towards the bottom crust did it hold up. I know people rave about the "char" on the crust, but it just kind of tasted like burnt bread to me in spots. The cheese was fine and the sauce was just run-of-the-mill sauce. It was cheap though, still tasted good (most pizza does to me) and had a cool "old school" vibe so I still rate it three stars.
If you're in the neighborhood, I think it's worth a try. But if it means trekking via subway and bus way out of the way like I did, I'd say it's not worth it. But that's just my opinion.
The best slice in New York. Bar none. Plus, $1.50 a slice??!! You pay almost double that for a chewy, doughy mess from most other places in the city. I'm pretty sure they can charge so little because they own the building...if they don't, they are totally insane to be using a huge portion of their space to store old boxes!
The sauce is absolutely orgamsic. I always get an odd, faint note of lobster in the sauce. Not sure what that is but it is without a doubt light years ahead of any other sauce I have ever had. They guys who work there are pretty cool too, but they will NOT take any shit because they are so busy. Almost a bit of a soup Nazi vibe, but you deal because the slices are so F-ing good. A pie is still $11!!!!!! for the best pizza in Manhattan. Go with the mushroom and sausage pie and be prepared to eat the whole goddamn thing in one sitting. If they ever close I will fire bomb every dominoes in NYC.
I've had great slices at Patsy's just minutes after having not-so-great slices. It's a shame that they're not more reliable but the good slices are REALLY good. The crust is thin and airy with just the right amount of char. It's a real New York slice.
A real draw of this place is its slot in pizza history. Pasquale "Patsy" Lancieri attended the esteemed School of Lombardi's (53 1/2 Spring Street) until leaving to open his own spot in what was then East Harlem's Little Italy in 1932. They continue to be the only coal-fired brick oven in Manhattan that sells pizza by the slice.
Not to mention, their slices are just $1.50. In these trying times, when slices are hitting $2.75 and even $3 a good slice under $2 is a real treat.
It's important to note that this location of Patsy's is unlike ANY of the others. While they feature exposed ducts and pale yellow walls, the original spot is an old school restaurant with classic photos and decor. Its pizza is totally different. Please don't make the mistake of visiting a more conveniently located Patsy's instead of making the swift trip to East Harlem.
A pie a cheapass could love, I recently went to East Harlem Patsy's Pizzeria, located on 2287 1st ave btwn 117th & 118th 10035 for a super thin pie. A pie at Patsy's is a whooping $11 a size of a large and there is only one size you can choose. However the pie is so thin this 17" in diameter is good for about 2 people, depending on how hungry you are.
We got a pie with 2 toppings, anchovies and Italian sausage each topping cost $3, not so cheap but the pie is only $11, so it sort of works out that it is very affordable, especially if you like it plain. The pie had a perfectly crisp yet soft and airy, elastic crust and just the right amount of charring. The charring effect comes through with the old-style coal-oven adding an extra flavor of complexity; mix all that with sweet marinara sauce milky cheese and salty anchovies makes Patsy's an inspirational pizza experience and a top notch eatery.
Besides the pizza I really enjoyed the vibe of the joint, everyone is a local New Yorker with a sprinkle of tourist, next to our table were a 4 guys having lunch and you can tell they have been coming here for years. They were joking with the waitress and discussing the greatness of Carlito's Way just like one would imagine, there is even a painting of Frank Sinatra on the wall in his honor - how much more New York can you get?
Best pizza I've had in New York. Note to people going "all the way to Spanish Harlem" for the pizza - what are you doing ordering mushrooms and crap on the pizza? If you're feeling really adventurous, order it with mozzarella and basil - but otherwise leave it to the regular cheese pie. That oven's so hot it cooks the pizzas to slightly charred perfection in like 5 minutes. Wonderful stuff.
They lose one star because the order taking guys are assholes.
Oh, and the takeout room is the entrance on the right - don't go into the restaurant to order a pizza or slice for takeout.
In the eternal search for perfect pizza, we took our quest to the original Patsy's - all the way to Harlem. All the reviews say that if you want to find the best you have to visit the original location because of their coal-fired oven (now illegal). The dining room was sparse, but that's probably to be somewhat expected in this part of town at an off hour (around 2pm). Still, there was a decent crowd, perhaps a sign of good things to come.
The pizza was actually unique to those that had come before. Amazingly light, even for such a large pie. I'm not sure I had ever had such a light crust before. The only problem was that it was a bit limp. The flavor was good, don't get me wrong, and I'm glad that we went, but it wasn't something that made me want to go back. If you love pizza, you'll probably want to try it. If you just like pizza, you might want to skip it. But we're glad we did.
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Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Murray Hill
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: East Harlem
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: East Harlem
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: East Harlem
Category: Steakhouses
Here are my fave places to go that combine bargain…
Places you need to avoid wasting your hard earned…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Somehow, these eateries have no shortage of lines…
Used to be My local dry cleaner, watering hole,…
This list will grow multiple times over. I do not…
So you're scared to leave your apartment, huh?…
Food withdrawal syndrome. Symptoms:…
