Penne alla vodka pizza? Yes please! However, they should definitely be more specific of their pizza/topping choices on the menu. I only knew the above was an option from other reviews and seeing it in front. It seemed a little pricey but the small pizza and an appetizer ended up being more than enough for two people. Bread was good though it was a little burnt and the mozzarella sticks were awesome. Service was impeccable. They treated you like you were eating at a high class restaurant instead of a local pizza joint. The tables could probably have been a little further apart though. The front of this restaurant is extremely misleading and looks more like a quick serve ready-made pizza place. However, this is only the entrance and it proves to be a very nice establishment in the back.
(5)
Lindi T.
Giving one star is generous. The food was cold once we got it, the calamari is chewy, it took an hour and a half and they forgot the Caesar salad, still haven't gotten the salad (2.5 hours more waiting) And they won't answer the phone again. Highly do NOT recommend this place.
(1)
Michelle S.
owner is rude, food is meh, they refuse to accommodate simple requests like "can i have tortellini instead of ravioli with this sauce?". if you are looking for a slice, go a couple of block's down first ave to frank's
(1)
Laura D.
This place USED to be pretty decent when you wanted a slice or your every day go to Italian. we ordered a pie and 2 salads the other night (maybe 09/01/2012) HORRIBLE!!!!! We may as well have gone for a 99 cent slice and bought your cheapest salad dressing in a bottle from the grocery store. In my opinion there's no excuse to make bad pizza in NYC! There are too many good places around to get a slice like that! The pizza was doughy, the sauce was way sweet, the cheese was whatever, and the 'fresh garlic' was just plopped on from one of those jars with chopped garlic. Tell them they need to pick up their game if they want to serve pizza in NYC!
(1)
Je B.
Because I live in the neighorhood I was hoping this could become our "go to" Italian restaurant. Nope! Had the veal parmigiana - it was smothered in a red sauce that seems to be made with the cheapest ingredients. Sadly, the pasta (angel hair) was over cooked and also smothered in that same sauce. I can understand why on Saturday night this restaurant was practically empty. Sad!
(2)
Kate R.
Pretty solid slice. I was waiting with my friend in the emergency room and had to get out and get some air (this is Feb in NYC, we all know what that means for emergency rooms, if it's not the flu that gets you its the scent of waiting room squatters.) I wandered up the block and popped in to grab a bite to eat. They guys working there were SO nice and attentive. I would venture back if I was in the area for sure.
(4)
Dave H.
Somehow I was convinced to try the pizza; better than the other food only in that it was not gross, just bland. Really bland. Flavorless. Waste of money, again.
(2)
Chris A.
Strangely slow service and mediocre food.
(2)
Hannah J.
Why open another bad pizza place? Too bad the food isn't tasty. I also don't like how the guy who makes the pizza smokes right outside of the restaurant. I would never get pizza there.
(1)
J. T.
I bought pizza dough from here, and I made the best pizza in NYC with it. I also used fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and Rao's sauce so those may have contributed to the amazingness as well. So if you need pizza dough, come here, $5 a batch.
(4)
Lorainne L.
Pizza was quite good. Good ingredients and wasn't oily. They made a mistake on our order on a single ingredient and were courteous when we called back and delivered the correct order w/ in 30 minutes. Good people
(4)
Elizabeth P.
This restaurant gave me and my husband Salmanella a few years ago! We haven't eaten there since. Instead we go to Frank's Trattoria on First Avenue between 21st and 22nd. The food is adequate and, at least, they're quite clean!!!
(1)
Pat R.
I love Adriatic. It isl the traditional family Italian restaurant that I remember from way back when with dramatically improved food. It is our go to Italian restaurant and kids really enjoy it too. The staff is so welcoming and they can't do enough for you. You always feel you are at friends' house. The wait staff is very attentive. The up grade in decor is also reflected in the food. The red sauces are excellent and the seafood and sauces are delicious. You can't go wrong. There is a very cozy, welcoming feel at Adriatic.
(5)
konrad c.
For all of the landmark restaurants in NYC that are shutting their doors, there are an equal number of crappy businesses that just won't go away. You would think in an environment where the 2nd Ave deli can be converted into a chase bank practically overnight, marginal establishments would step up their game. The pizza, in a word... Sucktacular. The crust was soft and soggy and the sauce tasted like watered down ragu from a can. The pie I ordered was nearly inedible when it arrived because of mishandling from the delivery guy. Uploaded a pic for anyone wishing to survey the damage. Pasta fagioli is supposed to have white beans and some veggies in it. Their version was the same watered down sauce from a can, but more watered down and dumped into a plastic container with a handful of what appeared to be scissor cut rigatoni, no veggies nor beans.. If the meal was 10 bucks I could completely forgive all of it but at more than twice the price, these guys are fugazy. An $8 pie is preferable to this sloppy mess of an excuse for pizza.
(1)
Jennifer H.
I'm really surprised about all the negative reviews that this place got! I have been ordering from this place for about three years and I would say it's one of my favorite places to order from. I have also dined in before and it wasn't a bad experience. This restaurant is family owned and the people there are all great. Sure, it's not the best Italian food I have ever had, but they are consistent and the quality of their food isn't bad (I have never had the pizza so I can't really say anything to argue that). I personally like the variation - there is so much to choose from for a chicken dish alone. Normally, I would have given this place 4 stars because as I said, the quality is decent but not the best. However, there was one incident that pushed me to give them all five stars. One time, I had placed an order for pick-up and was planning on paying in cash in the store. When I got there, I barely had enough to pay the bill because I forgot to go to the ATM right before. The person ringing me up said don't worry about it and said it was okay that I was a few cents short and that I could get them next time. Obviously it wasn't a huge sum of money, but that kind of customer service is what draws me to this place.
(5)
Darryll S.
Ordered from seamless. Got the Lasagna, Baked Ziti, Calamari and Mozarella Sticks Lasagna. Looked like it was made by a 10 year old and sauce thrown all over it. The layers didnt hold. It did taste decent though Baked Ziti: Pretty simple. Good amount of cheese. But it was just ziti, throw on cheese and sauce and bake. No prior mixing etc. Calamari: Soggy, thin, initially unappetiizing. However they grew on me... im not sure why 0_o Mozarella Sticks: Tastes like frozen food sticks and toasted/fried. Uninspiring Overall mediocre food. Enough to crave italian junk cravings. I probably would of just been as satisfied buying freezer meals and microwaving them, thats how mediocre this place was. And its not super cheap too. Pass for the future :/
(2)
Jim B.
Certainly nothing to look at, but the food is excellent. It's little more than a pizzeria with a cleaned up dining space in the rear. But, the food is fresh and tasty and the staff is friendly and warm. For pizza or typical basic Italian dishes, you can't go wrong here.
(3)
Kath L.
I've been getting pizza here for YEARS and I love it. It's consistently good and reasonably priced. I almost always get take out - there's very few seats (the restaurant is in the back) and I prefer taking it home. I've never eaten at the restaurant; so, I can't speak to anything other than the pizza, but I would be willing to bet that most things on the menu are consistent.
(5)
James A.
There's no heart in this restaurant. The food is all made with the cheapest ingredients, and it's bland. I ordered a peperoni pizza, and the crust has the texture and taste of the cardboard box. The cheese is bland, and the sauce nothing to write home about. For NY style pizza that is 5x better call Fat Sal's on Ave A. I ordered mozzarella sticks, and they were clearly mass produced, frozen sticks that were reheated. I"ve had better from the freezer section at CVS for half the price. For great mozz sticks call Orion Diner on 23rd and 2nd. Theirs are homemade, crispy fried outside, gooey cheese inside. Last but not least, I had a Meatball Sub. It was literally bread with meatballs and sauce. No mozzarella, no parmesan, no cheese at all! I've never heard of a meatball sub without cheese, but I guess if it doesn't explicitly state it then you shouldn't expect it at this place. If you want cheap, this might be your place. If you want quality, look elsewhere.
(2)
Klaus H.
One star for littering my apt building with its paper menus.
(1)
Rilly E.
The plain slice is very simple and balanced. The crust is very thin and crunchy (though once you get to the outer crust, you realize that there's not a lot of chew to it, nor a lot of bread flavor). Sauce is thin and slightly sweet. Cheese is also thin, which kind of irked me at first, but it tasted of good quality. Overall, pretty good. I only wish the price were a little lower (it's 2.50 for a plain slice - tax included).
(3)
Katie G.
We got our ordered delivered, and I wasn't very pleased over all. The price was pretty good for everything (Large margarita pizza, fried calamari, and a house salad) and it came on time, but the quality of the food was not really there. The dough on the pizza was a little chewy, and all of the cheese was falling off the slices. Do not order the calamari. This smelled and tasted like rubber, was soggy and it was not real at all. I would say that it was frozen store bought calamari since they were all in the same circular shape. I try to not be too hard on restaurants as I've worked in them before, but overall I was not pleased, and would not order from here again.
Rohit M.
God these are bad slices.
(2)Kati B.
Penne alla vodka pizza? Yes please! However, they should definitely be more specific of their pizza/topping choices on the menu. I only knew the above was an option from other reviews and seeing it in front. It seemed a little pricey but the small pizza and an appetizer ended up being more than enough for two people. Bread was good though it was a little burnt and the mozzarella sticks were awesome. Service was impeccable. They treated you like you were eating at a high class restaurant instead of a local pizza joint. The tables could probably have been a little further apart though. The front of this restaurant is extremely misleading and looks more like a quick serve ready-made pizza place. However, this is only the entrance and it proves to be a very nice establishment in the back.
(5)Lindi T.
Giving one star is generous. The food was cold once we got it, the calamari is chewy, it took an hour and a half and they forgot the Caesar salad, still haven't gotten the salad (2.5 hours more waiting) And they won't answer the phone again. Highly do NOT recommend this place.
(1)Michelle S.
owner is rude, food is meh, they refuse to accommodate simple requests like "can i have tortellini instead of ravioli with this sauce?". if you are looking for a slice, go a couple of block's down first ave to frank's
(1)Laura D.
This place USED to be pretty decent when you wanted a slice or your every day go to Italian. we ordered a pie and 2 salads the other night (maybe 09/01/2012) HORRIBLE!!!!! We may as well have gone for a 99 cent slice and bought your cheapest salad dressing in a bottle from the grocery store. In my opinion there's no excuse to make bad pizza in NYC! There are too many good places around to get a slice like that! The pizza was doughy, the sauce was way sweet, the cheese was whatever, and the 'fresh garlic' was just plopped on from one of those jars with chopped garlic. Tell them they need to pick up their game if they want to serve pizza in NYC!
(1)Je B.
Because I live in the neighorhood I was hoping this could become our "go to" Italian restaurant. Nope! Had the veal parmigiana - it was smothered in a red sauce that seems to be made with the cheapest ingredients. Sadly, the pasta (angel hair) was over cooked and also smothered in that same sauce. I can understand why on Saturday night this restaurant was practically empty. Sad!
(2)Kate R.
Pretty solid slice. I was waiting with my friend in the emergency room and had to get out and get some air (this is Feb in NYC, we all know what that means for emergency rooms, if it's not the flu that gets you its the scent of waiting room squatters.) I wandered up the block and popped in to grab a bite to eat. They guys working there were SO nice and attentive. I would venture back if I was in the area for sure.
(4)Dave H.
Somehow I was convinced to try the pizza; better than the other food only in that it was not gross, just bland. Really bland. Flavorless. Waste of money, again.
(2)Chris A.
Strangely slow service and mediocre food.
(2)Hannah J.
Why open another bad pizza place? Too bad the food isn't tasty. I also don't like how the guy who makes the pizza smokes right outside of the restaurant. I would never get pizza there.
(1)J. T.
I bought pizza dough from here, and I made the best pizza in NYC with it. I also used fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and Rao's sauce so those may have contributed to the amazingness as well. So if you need pizza dough, come here, $5 a batch.
(4)Lorainne L.
Pizza was quite good. Good ingredients and wasn't oily. They made a mistake on our order on a single ingredient and were courteous when we called back and delivered the correct order w/ in 30 minutes. Good people
(4)Elizabeth P.
This restaurant gave me and my husband Salmanella a few years ago! We haven't eaten there since. Instead we go to Frank's Trattoria on First Avenue between 21st and 22nd. The food is adequate and, at least, they're quite clean!!!
(1)Pat R.
I love Adriatic. It isl the traditional family Italian restaurant that I remember from way back when with dramatically improved food. It is our go to Italian restaurant and kids really enjoy it too. The staff is so welcoming and they can't do enough for you. You always feel you are at friends' house. The wait staff is very attentive. The up grade in decor is also reflected in the food. The red sauces are excellent and the seafood and sauces are delicious. You can't go wrong. There is a very cozy, welcoming feel at Adriatic.
(5)konrad c.
For all of the landmark restaurants in NYC that are shutting their doors, there are an equal number of crappy businesses that just won't go away. You would think in an environment where the 2nd Ave deli can be converted into a chase bank practically overnight, marginal establishments would step up their game. The pizza, in a word... Sucktacular. The crust was soft and soggy and the sauce tasted like watered down ragu from a can. The pie I ordered was nearly inedible when it arrived because of mishandling from the delivery guy. Uploaded a pic for anyone wishing to survey the damage. Pasta fagioli is supposed to have white beans and some veggies in it. Their version was the same watered down sauce from a can, but more watered down and dumped into a plastic container with a handful of what appeared to be scissor cut rigatoni, no veggies nor beans.. If the meal was 10 bucks I could completely forgive all of it but at more than twice the price, these guys are fugazy. An $8 pie is preferable to this sloppy mess of an excuse for pizza.
(1)Jennifer H.
I'm really surprised about all the negative reviews that this place got! I have been ordering from this place for about three years and I would say it's one of my favorite places to order from. I have also dined in before and it wasn't a bad experience. This restaurant is family owned and the people there are all great. Sure, it's not the best Italian food I have ever had, but they are consistent and the quality of their food isn't bad (I have never had the pizza so I can't really say anything to argue that). I personally like the variation - there is so much to choose from for a chicken dish alone. Normally, I would have given this place 4 stars because as I said, the quality is decent but not the best. However, there was one incident that pushed me to give them all five stars. One time, I had placed an order for pick-up and was planning on paying in cash in the store. When I got there, I barely had enough to pay the bill because I forgot to go to the ATM right before. The person ringing me up said don't worry about it and said it was okay that I was a few cents short and that I could get them next time. Obviously it wasn't a huge sum of money, but that kind of customer service is what draws me to this place.
(5)Darryll S.
Ordered from seamless. Got the Lasagna, Baked Ziti, Calamari and Mozarella Sticks Lasagna. Looked like it was made by a 10 year old and sauce thrown all over it. The layers didnt hold. It did taste decent though Baked Ziti: Pretty simple. Good amount of cheese. But it was just ziti, throw on cheese and sauce and bake. No prior mixing etc. Calamari: Soggy, thin, initially unappetiizing. However they grew on me... im not sure why 0_o Mozarella Sticks: Tastes like frozen food sticks and toasted/fried. Uninspiring Overall mediocre food. Enough to crave italian junk cravings. I probably would of just been as satisfied buying freezer meals and microwaving them, thats how mediocre this place was. And its not super cheap too. Pass for the future :/
(2)Jim B.
Certainly nothing to look at, but the food is excellent. It's little more than a pizzeria with a cleaned up dining space in the rear. But, the food is fresh and tasty and the staff is friendly and warm. For pizza or typical basic Italian dishes, you can't go wrong here.
(3)Kath L.
I've been getting pizza here for YEARS and I love it. It's consistently good and reasonably priced. I almost always get take out - there's very few seats (the restaurant is in the back) and I prefer taking it home. I've never eaten at the restaurant; so, I can't speak to anything other than the pizza, but I would be willing to bet that most things on the menu are consistent.
(5)James A.
There's no heart in this restaurant. The food is all made with the cheapest ingredients, and it's bland. I ordered a peperoni pizza, and the crust has the texture and taste of the cardboard box. The cheese is bland, and the sauce nothing to write home about. For NY style pizza that is 5x better call Fat Sal's on Ave A. I ordered mozzarella sticks, and they were clearly mass produced, frozen sticks that were reheated. I"ve had better from the freezer section at CVS for half the price. For great mozz sticks call Orion Diner on 23rd and 2nd. Theirs are homemade, crispy fried outside, gooey cheese inside. Last but not least, I had a Meatball Sub. It was literally bread with meatballs and sauce. No mozzarella, no parmesan, no cheese at all! I've never heard of a meatball sub without cheese, but I guess if it doesn't explicitly state it then you shouldn't expect it at this place. If you want cheap, this might be your place. If you want quality, look elsewhere.
(2)Klaus H.
One star for littering my apt building with its paper menus.
(1)Rilly E.
The plain slice is very simple and balanced. The crust is very thin and crunchy (though once you get to the outer crust, you realize that there's not a lot of chew to it, nor a lot of bread flavor). Sauce is thin and slightly sweet. Cheese is also thin, which kind of irked me at first, but it tasted of good quality. Overall, pretty good. I only wish the price were a little lower (it's 2.50 for a plain slice - tax included).
(3)Katie G.
We got our ordered delivered, and I wasn't very pleased over all. The price was pretty good for everything (Large margarita pizza, fried calamari, and a house salad) and it came on time, but the quality of the food was not really there. The dough on the pizza was a little chewy, and all of the cheese was falling off the slices. Do not order the calamari. This smelled and tasted like rubber, was soggy and it was not real at all. I would say that it was frozen store bought calamari since they were all in the same circular shape. I try to not be too hard on restaurants as I've worked in them before, but overall I was not pleased, and would not order from here again.
(2)