Di Fara Pizza

Possibly the most famous pizzeria in Brooklyn, Di Fara's Pizza has been serving its loyal customers for decades. The owner, Dom DeMarco, makes each and every pie himself, meaning there will be extremely long waits for a pie that is made carefully. What makes Di Fara different from other pizzerias is that Dom uses imported ingredients from Italy on all his pies, and even adds a little flavor to your pie before its handed over.

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Pizza Overall Grade: A-

Cheese: 5

Sauce: 5

Bread/Crust: 4.5

Presentation: 5

Pizzeria: 2.5

Service: 1

Before coming here, I checked many reviews of the pizzeria, and most them obsessed over how Dom makes his amazing pizza. I have to say, this was the best slice I have tried, by far, because of the delicious ingredients and homemade feel the pie had. Seeing Dom make my own pizza and add mozzarella, fresh cut basil, and a little bit of olive oil was definitely an experience itself. Yet, the slice I had was even more incredible. The cheese was delicious, especially with the extra mozzarella on top. The sauce was very rich, and some parts of the pie had pieces of tomatoes, which were really tasty. The bread and crust were really thin and acted as a perfect complement to the rest of the ingredients. Also, the freshly cut basil added even more flavor to the outstanding pie.

Despite having amazing pizza, Di Fara's Pizza does have a few problems. For one, the lines are extremely long. Customers can wait from half an hour to an incredible three hours for their pies. Also, the venue itself is pretty small, so a large group of customers can get disorderly quickly. In fact, the service at Di Fara's is friendly but loosely structured, although they have taken initiative to fix this problem. The last complaint I have about Di Fara's Pizza is that it is very overpriced at $5 a slice and $28 a pie. Even worse, the pies are smaller than your usual pies, so you are getting less for your money.

I gave Di Fara an A- because they had the most delicious pizza I have ever tasted. The service at Di Fara, however, was terrible. The long wait and chaotic atmosphere of the pizzeria, along with the price of the pizza, are all factors to consider when visiting this pizzeria.

Di Fara's Pizza is located at 1424 Avenue J on 15th Street.

Phone: (718) 258-1367

Take-out, Eat-in, No Delivery

Cost of Slice: $5       Cost of Pie: $28

Dept. of Health Grade: B

Honorable Mention: Square Pie

Koronet Pizza

Koronet Pizza is located on the Upper West Side in a small pizzeria. This size of the venue may be misleading, since the size of a slice there is enormous. Every pie is made extra large, which is the norm at Koronet and for its customers. You definitely won't see people ordering a couple slices here, one is big enough. I dare anyone to try to eat this pizza with just one hand.

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Pizza Overall Grade: B

Cheese: 3.5
Sauce: 3
Bread/Crust: 4
Presentation: 4
Pizzeria: 3.5
Service: 4

Koronet is distinguishable for one reason: their gigantic slices. I had never eaten or seen a slice so big before. At Koronet, every pie is made the same way, so you better come hungry. The pizza itself was pretty good, I liked the cheese more than the sauce though. The bread and crust were crisp and cooked well; it was able to hold the big slice together. The slice itself also looked great, resembling what a classic pizza shop slice should look like. The service at Koronet was great too, I got my food quickly from a friendly employee. Koronet has many pies prepared for peak hours, so you won't be waiting long.

Although I like the pizza at Koronet, there wasn't anything special about the way it tasted. It was very plain, which can sometimes be both a good and bad thing. Plain is good when you try to serve good pizza, but being exotic and taking risks is what makes the good pizza into the best pizza.

I gave Koronet a B because I really liked how big their slices were. That definitely helps the pizzeria stand out from others in the neighborhood. However, I think the slice was very ordinary and not rich in any aspect.

Koronet Pizzeria is located at 2848 Broadway between 110th and 111th streets.
Phone: (212) 222-1566
Take-out, Eat-in, Delivery (Free)
Cost of slice: $3.75 (Jumbo Slice)
Dept. of Health Grade: A

Grimaldi's Pizzeria

One of the most famous pizzerias in Brooklyn is Grimaldi's, which is right below the Brooklyn Bridge. If you have ever been to Grimaldi's, you know that there is always a long line to get in the restaurant, even if you want to order to-go. For the locals and antsy tourists, the wait is worth the whole experience.

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Pizza Overall Grade: B/B+

Cheese: 3

Sauce:4

Bread/Crust: 4.5

Presentation: 3.5

Pizzeria: 4

Service: 2

Grimaldi's definitely has that 'famous pizzeria' feel to it. As soon as I got there, there was a long line outside of the venue that has become customary. The pizzeria itself, once you finally get in, is more like a small restaurant rather than a pizzeria. When I got my pizza, I really enjoyed the bread and the crust of the slice I had. It was made just right, so that it was not too soft nor too hard (or burnt). The sauce and the cheese were pretty good, but definitely not amazing. Still, the pizza itself was good enough to have its own restaurant.

I didn't like how the employees at Grimaldi's were unapproachable and pompous. I sensed that friendly service was not a priority for them because they know their dedicated customers will come back anyway. It might be the excessive tourism that they get, but a hospitable business should always come across as friendly. I also didn't think that Grimaldi's lived up to the hype. I always hear suggestions for Grimaldi's, but I wasn't too impressed with what I ate. On another note, the pizzeria was cramped: almost every square inch of space is used there

I gave Grimaldi's a B/B+ because the pizza was good, but the service was terrible. Also, I didn't think that it fared as well as the others I tried, even though it was much more hyped than the others.

Grimaldi's is located at 19 Old Fulton Street in Brooklyn.
Phone: (718) 858-4300
Take-out, Eat-in, No Delivery
Cost of Pie: $14
Dept. of Health Grade: A  ‎

John's Pizzeria

Hidden within the bright lights and excessive tourism that make up Times Square, John's Pizzeria seems like an ordinary New York City eatery from the outside. Once you enter, however, you will see how deceptive John's Pizzeria is, housing an enormous restaurant that is consistently packed with guests. I had been to John's before, and I was really looking forward to my first visit in over a year.

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Pizza Overall Grade: A

Cheese: 5

Sauce: 4

Bread/Crust: 4.5

Presentation: 5

Pizzeria: 5

Service: 3

Wow. My experience at John's pizzeria definitely topped my previous visit to John's, and possible my visits to all of these other pizzerias. When entering John's, one might not expect to see a two-story restaurant inside with a huge wall mural, along with decorative art nearby each and every table. When the pizza arrived to the table, I was astounded by how great the pizza looked. Even though they are responsible for satisfying a large crowd, John's pizzeria was able to serve me and my friends two perfect pies. The funny thing is, the pizza tasted better than it looked! The cheese was my favorite type of cheese: one that is both stretchy and flavorful. The cheese really trumped the sauce, but the sauce was good too. The bread and crust were very thin and acted well as a support to the pizza itself.

The only thing I can complain about John's Pizzeria was the service. Our table was confused at one point because one waiter told us refills were free when another said they weren't. Also, the food took longer than a normal pie usually takes, but the venue was busy that night. Another thing is that the pies are smaller than usual, even if you order a large pie.

I gave John's Pizzeria an A because the pizza and the pizzeria were amazing. I would definitely come here again to enjoy both the beautiful scenery and the delicious pizza. It was so good, after our meal, we had to order another pie!

John's Pizzeria is located at 260 W44th Street, between 7th and 8th avenue in Manhattan.

Phone: (212) 391-7560

Delivery, Take-out, Eat-in

Cost of Pie:   Small (13.75)    Large ($15.75)

Dept. of Health Grade: A

Goodfellas Pizzeria

Goodfellas Pizzeria has been raved about for many years, but many people do not want to take the trip to Staten Island. Goodfellas is known for making a variety of delicious pizzas in their brick oven, such as their Pizza Alla Vodka or their Sally Pizza(pizza with lemon garlic chicken and other toppings). If that's not enough, Goodfellas has won the title of "World's Best Pizza" at the International Pizza Expo a few times.

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Pizza Overall Grade: A-/A

Cheese: 4
Sauce:5
Bread/Crust: 4.5
Presentation: 2
Pizzeria: 5
Service: 4

After a long trek to see Goodfellas Pizzeria, I have to say the trip was worth it. The service was great because I was greeted by friendly employees and I got my food in a reasonable amount of time. Goodfellas Pizzeria has plenty of space to sit in its restaurant, even for large parties. Despite all this, the best thing about Goodfellas was the pizza itself. The sauce was much richer than any other sauce I had tasted. It seemed like a sauce that was only used in expensive dishes rather than a pie of pizza. The cheese was also great because it had a lot of flavor. The bread and crust of this pizza was very thin and had a light smoky taste, thanks to the brick oven.

The only thing I did not like about Goodfellas Pizzeria was the presentation of the pie itself. I had a bad impression from the start with a messy pizza that had random blobs of cheese and sauce, but after trying the pizza I did not hold a grudge.

I gave Goodfellas Pizzeria an A-/A because the pizza was very, very good. I think the presentation of the pizza will turn some people away, but it is definitely worth eating. Heading out to Staten Island can be a drag for some, but this pizza is one more reason to head over.

Goodfellas Pizzeria is located 1718 Hylan Boulevard in Staten Island
Phone: (718) 987-2422
Delivery, Take-out, Eat-in
Cost of Pie: Individual ($7.50)     Square ($12.50)      Large: (14.99)
Dept. of Health Grade: A

Honorable Mention: Sally Pizza

Pizza Belongs To Us

Here is an excerpt from Alan Richman's article in GQ where he talks about the United States' takeover of pizza. Richman has hunted for the country's best pizza, a challenge too large for me (until later). Read what he has to say and comment on what you think. Also, don't forget to vote on the poll related to the article. I personally think he makes a strong argument.

Alan Richman:

"Italians are wrong. Not about cars or suits. About pizza, and they’re not entirely mistaken about that, only about crusts and buffalo-milk mozzarella. They’ve got the tomato part right. Pizza was created by the Italians—or maybe by the Greeks, who brought it to Naples, but let’s not pile on the bad news. Right now it justly belongs to us. We care more about it. We eat more of it, and unlike the Italians, we appreciate it at dinner, at lunch, and at breakfast, when we have it cold, standing up, to make hangovers go away. Italians don’t really understand pizza. They think of it as knife-and-fork food, best after the sun goes down.

Pizza isn’t as fundamental to Italy as it is to America. Over there, it plays a secondary role to pasta, risotto, and polenta. To be candid, I think they could do without it. Not us. Over here, it’s one of the few foreign foods we’ve embraced wholeheartedly, made entirely our own.

The simple truth is that pizza in its most primal form—cheese, tomato, crust—is perfect food. It’s good for vegetarians, even though it contains no vegetables. It’s good for us meat eaters, chiefly because we don’t care much for vegetables but also because pizza is one of the few foods where the absence of meat isn’t missed. (Although, when I think about it, a little sausage never hurts, especially if it’s crumbled up rather than sliced.)
It’s the absolute best food for sharing (unless you’re in love, in which case we’re talking about an ice cream cone). It’s the healthiest of treats; the strictest mother wouldn’t argue that pizza is bad for kids. It’s the most versatile delivery food, because it reheats much better than Chinese, and if you accidentally burn it, pizza is still good. Most important, at least to me: Pizza gives pepperoni a reason to exist.

A word here about Naples, the home of Italian pizza. That’s supposedly where the pie reaches its pinnacle, in a distinct and idiosyncratic style that some American pizzamakers—let’s resist calling them pizzaioli, as the Italians do—are trying to emulate. They’re going for hotter ovens, puffier crusts, and weepy buffalo-milk mozzarella on top. I’m not impressed. Not by the genuine pies in Naples, and usually less by American imitations, although the mission has a certain nobility of purpose.

I’ve eaten in Naples. From the ancient, brutally hot ovens emerge pies that most Americans wouldn’t recognize. The crust is charred and puffy in spots but tragically thin and pale beneath the toppings. The sauce is chiefly chopped tomatoes, sometimes fresh and sometimes canned, but almost always vivid and bright. (Those San Marzano tomatoes are as good as advertised.) The cheese is mozzarella, but the Italians are proudest when they can substitute fresh mozzarella from the milk of buffaloes and label their pies Margherita DOC. (It sounds like a wine thing, but it’s also a pizza thing.) In my opinion, buffalo mozzarella is pizza’s second-worst topping, exceeded only by whole anchovies—no hot, smelly fish on my pies, thank you. After that, those pizzaioli guys add oil, lots of it, and more liquid is precisely what tomato pies do not need.

This is what happens when a Neapolitan pie comes out of the oven, after it’s been cooked a remarkably short time: The nearly liquefied glob of buffalo mozzarella—now resembling a snowman melting on a warm March afternoon—has become runny. Water drains from the tomatoes. Oil joins the flood. All that excess liquid has to go somewhere, which is why the bottom crust turns to mush, not that it was ever particularly crispy.

This is why Italians need a knife and fork. This is why our pizzas are better than theirs."

Lombardi's Pizza

Lombardi's Pizza claims to be the first pizzeria in New York City. Legally established in 1905, Lombardi's has been serving up pizza for over 100 years in the Village. As if their claim to fame was not enough to attract customers, Zagat rated Lombardi's pizza as the best pizza on the planet. With such an impressive resume, I was excited to see how their pizza was.

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Pizza Overall Grade: A-

Cheese: 3.5
Sauce: 5
Bread/Crust: 4.5
Presenatation: 5
Pizzeria: 4.5
Service: 5

Lombardi's Pizzeria has been nominated for many awards and prestigious honors for a reason: it serves great pizza. When my pie was brought to me, it looked both delicious and elegant. The sauce was very rich and tasted like tomatoes, the way good sauce should taste. The bread was very thin and firm, which helped keep the slice from falling apart. The pizzeria at Lombardi's is very nice with an 'old-fashioned' restaurant style. There were two main areas to eat, so there was plenty of space for a large number of customers. The service at Lombardi's was fantastic as well, my food was made and served quickly by a friendly waiter. It seemed pretty clear that all the waiters at Lombardi's were the cream of the crop.

The only thing I didn't like so much about Lombardi's pizza was the cheese. Although it was very stretchy, I couldn't really taste the mozzarella. I believe the taste was hidden by the sauce, and one ingredient should not hinder another. Also, the restaurant itself was a little cramped, even though there were plenty of places to sit. If you do visit Lombardi's, be financially prepared. The cost of everything there is more expensive than usual, most likely because of their achievements (pizza is served by the pie). Don't make the same mistake I did: I went alone.

I gave Lombardi's an A- because I really like the pizza and the service. The price, however, was asking for a little too much from me, even if I were to go with a friend.

Lombardi's Pizza is located at 32 Spring Street in Greenwich Village.
Phone: (212) 941-7994
Delivery, Take-out, Eat-In
Cost of Pie:   S  $16          M  $20
Dept. of Health Grade: A

Honorable Mention: Calzone

New Park Pizza

New Park Pizza is one of the most famous pizzerias in Queens. For decades, New Park Pizza has been serving up pizza behind the window to its loyal customers in Howard Beach. The formula for this pizzeria is simple: Just make good pizza. They do so by spending all their time making pizza pies; don't come here if you are looking for a hero or some garlic knots. Their devotion to good pizza is what keeps residents of Howard Beach and sometimes other New Yorkers coming back for more.

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Pizza Overall Grade: B+

Cheese: 4
Sauce: 3.5
Bread/Crust: 3
Presentation: 2.5
Pizzeria: 5
Service: 5


My trip to Howard Beach was a little far, but New Park Pizzeria accommodated me. There was plenty of parking space for those traveling by car, and inside the pizzeria there are many tables to sit and eat. New Park Pizzeria does not like to lavishly spend money on the pizzeria itself but rather on making good pizza. Some are turned off by the picnic tables that are used for eating, but I believe they bring an old-fashioned family style of eating to the pizzeria. The service at New Park Pizza was great because of their dedication to making only pizza, which means more slices in less time. The pizza itself was quite good, with a great layer of cheese covering a tasty sauce. The sauce was interesting because I could still taste the tomatoes that it was made from, which is unusual for some slices of pizza. The pizza is made in a brick-oven, which helps bring out the unique taste of their pizza.

I didn't like the presentation of the pizza because it was a little messy. I also thought that the bread and the crust were a little overcooked, which is the style that this pizzeria runs by. The smoky taste of the bread distracted me from the rest of the ingredients. However, I did like the thin layer of bread that is special to New Park Pizza.

I gave New Park Pizza a B+ because the pizza venue was fantastic. I definitely feel welcome at New Park Pizza, and I can be assured that I will have space to both park a car and sit inside to eat. The pizza was good too, but I did not like the smoky taste of the pizza's crust.

New Park Pizza is located at 15671 Crossbay Boulevard
Phone: (718) 641-3082
Delivery, Take-Out, Eat-In
Cost of Slice: $2.50
Dept. of Health Grade: A

Patsy's Takeout Pizza

Patsy's is arguably the most famous pizzeria in Harlem. There are two separate places where pizza is sold: one in a restaurant and one in a small space for take-out pizza. I trekked my way to the take-out Patsy's to try some of their famed pizza. Many say Patsy's is so great because it is cheap and affordable (slices are only $1.75).

*****NOTE: Pasty's Take-out is different from Patsy's Pizzeria Restaurant. I will be visiting the restaurant soon and giving a completely different review with its own grade *****

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Pizza Overall Grade:  C-

Cheese: 3
Sauce: 3
Bread/Crust: 1
Presentation: 1
Pizzeria: 2
Service: 3

I have to say, I was completely surprised by my visit to Patsy's Take-out. The first thing that struck me was the slice of pizza itself. Despite being cheap at a mere $1.75, the slice was smaller than a normal slice of pizza. Also, the pizza crust was burnt black on one corner, along with some patchy spots of missing cheese. The pizza itself was not too bad, however, I could not get over how burnt the crust was. The pizzeria itself was not spacious enough for even three people to eat inside, since there was a randomly placed vending machine inside the small venue. The service was pretty good, my food was fresh and made in a fair amount of time.

Another important thing I noticed was that the Department of Health Grade was missing. Either the pizzeria did not post it up on the front window, which is illegal, or they did not receive a grade yet. I checked online and saw that they had 11 violation points, which corresponds to an A (More than 28 points requires the venue to be shut down).

I gave Patsy's a C- because my experience was horrible. Not only did the pizza look bad, but it was not as good as I expected. I may have had the wrong pie or visited the wrong day, but what happened is now set in stone.

*****NOTE: Pasty's Take-out is different from Patsy's Pizzeria Restaurant. I will be visiting the restaurant soon and giving a completely different review with its own grade *****

The Patsy's Take-out pizzeria I visited is located on 2287 1st Avenue (Between 117th and 118th Streets).
Phone: 212-534-9783
No Delivery, Take-out
Cost of Slice: $1.75
Dept. of Health Grade: N/A (8 violation points, corresponding to an A)

A Note To The Readers

I would like to begin by thanking everyone who has visited my blog. I really hope this will help some of you decide on where you would like to eat pizza, or perhaps challenge my own review on a pizzeria. The blog seems like a success, with only a few posts I have a couple hundred views.

As I continue to update the blog, which will have at least two new reviews by the end of the week, I would like to ask you, the reader, to become more involved with my senior initiative. I have seen a few comments and I have received few recommendations, but the more contact we have the better. If you agree or disagree with a review, please make a comment on the blog post. Any commentary is helpful, especially personal anecdotes of certain pizzerias.

I obviously cannot visit and review ALL of the recommended pizzerias, but I will try my best. If you have suggestions for the blog, e-mail me.

Here are some suggestions that I will be implementing into the upcoming blog posts:


-Dept of Health Grade (Already updated)
-Picture of the slice itself
-A shout-out to those who accompanied me to a pizzeria
-Using Google Maps to locate pizzerias

Thanks again for reading, check for more updates throughout the month!


-Daniel Ortega

Rosa's Pizza

For residents of Queens, Rosa's is a household name. There are three locations that all serve excellent pizza: one in Maspeth, one in Middle Village, and one in Ridgewood. The Rosa's I visited today was in Ridgewood, but all three are very similar in taste because the pizza is made the same way. Rosa's became famous years ago for it's sicilian slice, which had the sauce on top of the cheese. This unusual style of pizza sparked so much business for Rosa's that it had to start a second restaurant, and then a third. I have been a customer of Rosa's for a long time now, so reviewing this slice of pizza was no trouble at all.

Pizza Overall Grade: A-

Cheese: 4.5
Sauce: 4.5
Bread/Dough: 3
Presentation: 4
Pizzeria: 5
Service: 5

Rosa's is well-known for a reason: it has both great pizza and great service. The pizza itself looked very appetizing, despite being greasy. The cheese on my slice of pizza was delicious, melting in my mouth, not too stretchy or too hard. One of the amazing things about Rosa's pizza is the sauce that they use. Unlike other sauces, Rosa's sauce is sweet and a little tangy, which adds a lot of flavor to the slice. Still, the sauce is secondary to the thick layer of mozzarella cheese that covers it. The pizzeria at Rosa's is fantastic because there are many places to sit, even on a busy night. There are plenty of tables and booths for couples, small families, and large parties. If you decide to eat at Rosa's, you can take a seat and be waited on or order your food to go. There are at least 4 employees behind the counter every time I go, so long lines and waits are never a hassle.

There isn't much I can complain about Rosa's, but the bread and crust were not as good as the sauce and cheese of the pizza. Also, the bathrooms aren't in the best condition but they are useable.


I gave Rosa's an A- because the pizza and the venue were great. The mix of cheesy pizza and a special sauce really tingled my taste buds, and I can't wait for the next time I go to Rosa's. I recommend you go to Rosa's sometime soon, especially if you are in Queens. With three amazing locations, there's no excuse for not going.

The Rosa's Pizza I visited was located on 6265 Fresh Pond Road at Metropolitan Ave.
Phone: (718) 497-7672
No Delivery, Take-Out, Eat-In Service
Cost of Slice: $2.35
Dept. of Health Grade: A


Honorable Mentions: Grandma Sicilian Slice, Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza

Famous Famiglia's Pizza

Famiglia has a franchised name with the local pizzeria feel. With a few locations around the city, Famiglia has become a familiar name for most New Yorkers. I found that the Famous Famiglia Pizzeria located on West 96th Street was recommended more than other pizzeria on the Upper West Side. Intrigued, I ventured my way to see whether or not their self-proclamation, "New York's Favorite Pizza" lived up to the hype.


***This rating was done upon request of a close friend, and despite this being a franchise, I reviewed this particular location***

Pizza Overall Grade: B

Cheese: 2
Sauce: 4
Bread/Crust: 5
Presentation: 2
Pizzeria: 2.5
Service: 5

The pizza itself at this Famiglia was pretty good. The sauce was much better than the cheese on the pizza, which is sometimes great when the sauce is well-made. The bread and crust of this slice of pizza was paper thin, yet it made an incredible impact on my lunch. At this Famiglia, the service was excellent. The food was both prepared quickly and served with a smile by a very friendly staff of employees. Many regular customers had clearly grown close to the pizzeria and its employees, something that is essential to a great pizzeria.

One of the things I didn't like about the pizza was that it looked messy when I received it. Famiglia receives a lot of orders everyday, so they cannot prepare their pizzas to perfection. Still, I never like seeing a slice of pizza with patches of missing sauce or cheese. Also, the pizzeria tables were quite dirty. With my order in my hands I looked for somewhere clean to sit, and I could not find a spot that had been wiped down.

I gave Famiglia a B because the pizza was pretty good, but it was not incredible. The pizza and the pizzeria seemed to messy as well. The pizzeria did receive an A for its health inspection though. Nevertheless, I was expecting more from Famiglia, but maybe its franchised name might make it more difficult to keep expectations high. If you are around the area, definitely have a slice, but I would not go out of my way to eat this pizza.

Famiglia is the official pizzeria of the following:
-The New York Yankees
-Six Flags
-Hershey Park
-Madison Square Garden
-Palms Hotel and Casino

Famiglia is located in 25 different states with over 20 venues in New York City. 

The Famous Famiglia Pizzeria I reviewed is located on 734 W 96th Street at Amsterdam Ave.
Phone: (212) 749-1111
Cost of Slice: $2.75
Dept. of Health Grade: A

The Original Mike's Pizza

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UPDATE: Mike's Pizza is no longer in business
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Mike's Pizza is one of the most popular places to eat for Dalton students during school hours. For some, the pizzeria's proximity to the school makes the whole difference. For others, the pizza is what truly matters. As a regular Mike's customer myself, I know both of these factor into my decision making every time I go out to eat. The pizza itself, however, will be the main consideration in this review.


Pizza Overall Grade: B+/A-

Cheese: 4.5
Sauce: 3
Bread/Crust: 5
Presentation: 4.5
Pizzeria: 2.5
Service: 5


One of the main reasons why I love Mike's pizza is because of the cheese and the crust. There is a perfect thin layer of cheese that is both not too cheesy and not too light. The crust is always sturdy but crisp enough to crack and keep the pizza intact. The sauce isn't the richest but the cheese masks its taste. Mike's is also great for always giving a great looking slice every time you order. Slices from Mike's don't ever fall apart or get messed up when being cut from a pie. One thing that keeps people coming back to Mike's is the great, friendly service. The food is always prepared quickly, as pizza should be. There is also a 'Dalton Special' at Mike's, where you can get a slice of pizza and a small fountain drink for just $3.

In Mike's Pizzeria, there isn't much space inside to eat. With only 4-6 chairs, there is rarely space to sit and eat with company. It is also hard to navigate when there are about 8-10 people trying to order and eat their pizza.

I gave Mike's a B+/A- because the pizza's taste and friendly service were outstanding. Mike's has a few issues with space, but aside from that it is a great place to have a slice of pizza.

The 'Original' Mike's Pizzeria is located on 1315 Lexington Avenue between 88th and 89th Street.
Phone: (212) 369-9000
Free Delivery
Cost of slice: $2.50
Dept. of Health Grade: A

Honorable Mentions:
-Chicken Roll

How the reviews work

For every review, I will begin with a brief introduction of the pizza and pizzeria. Then I will rate different aspects of the pizza on a scale from 1-5, 1 for bad qualities and 5 for excellent ones. Overall grades for the pizza and pizzeria will not be a mere average of the ratings. Rather, I will use the ratings as a guide, along with my experience, to give an overall grade for both the pizza and the pizzeria. Overall ratings will be given letter grades, since many readers would associate letter grades with the ratings(a 3 is not a C).

'Presentation' refers to how the pizza slice looks when you receive it.

Below is an example:

Imaginary Pizza:

Overall Pizza Grade: B

Cheese: 4
Sauce: 2
Bread/Crust: 2.5
Presentation: 5
Pizzeria: 4.5