64th Street Spot -- Food: Excellent, Service: OK.
Written: Dec 26 '05 (Updated Dec 26 '05)
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Pros: Every dish was perfect!
Cons: Table facing bathroom, reluctance to take order in advance, not the best service.
The Bottom Line: Food. GREAT GREAT FOOD!!
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| moire123's Full Review: John's Pizzeria |
I convinced the powers-that-be to have our office holiday party at a restaurant instead of the usual in-house shin-dig.
I've always wanted to try John's Pizzeria. The pretty dark blue awning adorned with delicate white "Chistmas" lights always catches my eye, leading me to read, "John's Pizzeria, Not by the Slice!"
From the outside, John's seems like more of a Pizza Restaurant rather than a Pizza joint. During nice weather, they even set out a chalkboard, reminding customers of their "Garden Dining in Back!"
The intrigue with the place was apparently shared with my 9 co-workers, as it was chosen for our out-of-office luncheon.
My boss decided it would be wise to phone our order ahead of our arrival. This way they could be prepared for the large party, and we wouldn't have to extend our lunch hour even longer beyond that which was necessary (even though it's a holiday, we can't neglect our work.) At first they refused to take our order ahead of time, with the excuse: "Well, what do we do if you don't show up?!"
This sounds like a valid argument, but then one must think: 1. if that's how all restaurants did business, where would the delivery service stand? One could just as easily not answer the door, or send the delivery to a false address, just as one could not show at the resto. 2. If they were really concerned about it, they could've easily have requested a credit card number over the phone to ensure that they would be paid.
In the end, they didn't request a credit card, and my boss was persuasive enough to convince them to take our order.
I was a little bit skeptical upon our arrival. The interior was very much like a typical fast-food pizza place (perhaps a slightly higher quality of booths and tables) rather than that of a restaurant. The place was rather spacious -- or it felt spacious, since there was only one other customer besides us in the whole place. (It's probably more crowded for dinner.) But with all of these empty tables, I was curious: why did they set us up right in front of the bathrooms!? We were so close to them, that those seated on that side of the table, would be forced to push their chairs out of the way, if someone wanted to enter the loo. And those on the opposite side were forced to find a way to avert their eyes as anyone exited, to the sound of toilet flushing. (Perhaps it's just me, but It seems rude to stare at people when the exit the loo.)
Fortunately the food was delicious! I don't know what I liked better! The margherita pizza had the perfect amount of fresh mozzarella, spread evenly on the thin crust. Little spots of browned cheese decorated each slice with perfect balance. There was a little too much oil, as it leaked down on to my hand, each time I bit into it. But, that's OK!
But what about the eggplant parm? Or the spinach and ricotta cheese ravioli topped with the sweetest tomato sauce? YUM! I wish I had some right now!
We were able to persuade them to change a couple of dishes (the eggplant parm and the ravioli) from entrees to be suitable for sharing between 3-4 people. The food arrived quickly, but unfortunately, despite 2 requests, the only server there, kept forgetting to provide serving spoons. (I got up, and caught him before he left the kitchen area, and successfully received them then.) Also, clearing of the tables was slow. I took it upon myself to move over empty dishes and pizza trays to the empty booth behind us.
You can find the menu for this restaurant on: http://www.menupages.com.
Prices are typical for pizza in nyc. $12-$16 for a pie. $8-$12 for an entree.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Lunchtime is a good time.
I can't decide what's best: Eggplant Parm, Spinach & Ricotta ravioli or the Margherita Pizza.
Don''t hesitate to clear your own table.
Best Suited For: Kids and Families
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Epinions.com ID:
moire123
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Location: NYC
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
This is the perfect outlet for my pet obsessions.
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