Lombardi's Pizza and Restaurant Reviews

Loved the pizza and bruschetta! It was a nice place very busy so try to make a reservation if possible!

Long wait, overpriced burnt pizza. Had BETTER pizza in my hometown in VA

Pizzeria "stars" that the boss proudly displays in photo. Personally nothing exceptional. Nice setting, neighborhood too but really not given. In addition to cash only. But hey will be a good memory anyway

Often get take out because it can get crazy but the pie is still one of the best in NYC and that's worth every penny

Great to try out the first American pizzeria. Margherita pizza was fine, nothing I would consider amazing. I've eaten pizza everywhere, this wouldn't come to mind when talking about the best

The original, fantastic pie with great Italian soda.

Slow service and the pizza just plain Sucks. I've had better .99 pizza

Good crispy pizza crust with the coal baking oven taste. The was enough cheese on the pizza to make it gooey and yummy.

Cash only and no food at bar. Not recommended for single dining. No slices, only full pizza starting at $25. Toppings are $4-5 each. Pizza was decent, but had to wait for service.

Lombardi's Pizza advertises itself as being the oldest pizza establishment in New York City, and to my knowledge this is actually true, despite multiple other shops advertising themselves as also being the oldest. This pizza shop has been featured on multiple food related TV shows and specials, highlighting the fact that it is indeed the original pizza joint. My experience there was great, but I think my expectations and the fact that I sought it out based on the fact it's the oldest, forced my opinion to be a bit biased. I was a little put off by the wait times and amount of people gathered outside in pursuit of the few tables they had to sit at. However, I would say the wait was worth it and the pizza was phenomenal. It wasn't the best pizza I have ever had in my life, but it was a very unique experience and had a taste all of it's own that I don't think can be replicated anywhere else. The old brick oven they use cook the pizza in gives it this unique taste. I gave it 4/5 only based on the fact that there are places in the city that I think actually have a pizza taste that is more suited to my specific liking, and at a cheaper price with less tourists to deal with in between getting your food. The wait staff was extremely friendly and I would definitely go back again. I would recommend this place to people who ARE indeed tourists and want a unique experience, but I don't think the locals will get out of it what the travelers do.

Solid rustic pizza at a NYC classic! Great service and relaxed environment. Definitely worth the stop.

Pesto Pizza was awesome! Quick polite service. Crust was chewy but in a really good way.

Does it get better?!?...NOPE! Delicious and historic. I love this place!

Absolutely best pizza Margherita with pepperonis! And we have tried them a lot!

The place is nice and the service excellent, the waiter made an effort to speak to us in Spanish when he realized that we were Latino. The pizza is tasty however it is not the best I have tasted in my life as I was told. If I would recommend it as a classic in New York.

The calzone was amazing! There rest of the group enjoyed the Margherita. It was plenty big enough for 4 to eat on. The restaurant itself was inviting and full of great memorabilia from history. Definitely recommend checking it out!

Traditional pizzeria, little variety of flavors but it is just to keep the traditional. Rich pizza but nothing out of the world. Most of the staff speak Spanish.

Lombardi s is the first pizzeria in the United States, as such, I was quite curious to try it out. I ordered two Margherita pizzas - one large pizza with olives and one medium with no toppings. After about 15 minutes, the pizzas arrived. The pizza itself was thin and everything looked great.
Dough/Crust -
The crust was crispy on the outside and moist and soft on the inside. The actual middle was soft and had a good bit of sauce soaking it. Parts of the crust were burnt a little too much and that did cause some of the flavor to be tainted but otherwise it was fine.
Sauce -
The sauce was exceptional. The right amount of sweetness and tang were incorporated. Perfectly salted and had a great consistency, really brings the pizza together.
Cheese-
The cheese was a bit disappointing.Mozzarella cheese was used on the pizza and simply was not quality. As I examined the cheese on my paper plate, there was a rubbery texture that was off putting. Mozzarella is supposed to have some elasticity, but this cheese almost felt fake. Flavor was almost nonexistent and just brought the quality of the pizza down.

Lombardi's has great pizza. It would be almost perfect if the cheese was improved, otherwise, they check all the boxes and some more.

The original pizza place in New York. With that said, don't come here expecting a real New York slice, you're gonna have to go to Scarr's, Joe's or Prince's Pizza for that. Here they serve up fresh mozzarella on a neapolitan style coal pizza which is sacrilegious to the NY style of pizza, but more authentic to the Italian way. The sauce is made from fresh tomatoes without paste, and they've got the crust dialed in right that it's thin and crisp but never burnt. The meat is incredibly fresh and the meatballs are very tender, but damn if you don't pay a hefty premium to eat at the place Jack Nicholson eats at when in town. It's definitely worth the trip to say you've done it, but in a city like New York where pizza is king, I can't say I'd pay the premium a second time.

Also just an FYI, they aren't "cheaping" out on the mozzarella like some people are saying, that's how a marghretia pizza is made which is the base of it all. This is a neapolitan style pizza which focuses on the balance of the sauce, the cheese, and the crust. Lombardi's hits it out of the park if that's what you're looking for, but it's definitely got a heavy tourist tax on it.

All the way from Sydney to try Lombardi's, and yes, it was fantastic

Was told to stop and try the pizza. Did and was definitely worth finding and tasting. When back in NYC, will being stopping there again

This is my favorite pizza in Manhattan, hands down. Every time I have cravings for pizza, this is definitely the GO TO spot.

They're a little off the beaten path in SOHO but it's worth scoping out and waiting in their sometimes, very long lines. But, don't be discouraged because their establishment is HUGE. I've been there probably 5 times and have been in literally, 5 different rooms. I've yet to be sat in their front room though!

My favorite combination is their Large Original Pizza add their homemade meatballs, mushrooms, and sweet Italian sausage. Their standard pizza is made with fresh mozzarella, red tomato sauce and topped with romano and fresh basil. Perfection!

Their crust is thin, the toppings are plentiful and their homemade meatballs are AMAZING. Full of flavor, just the right amount of sweetness and that firm texture that you want in a meatball.

Total cost with all the goodness described above is $29.50 (not including tax or tip). Pretty terrific, right? Definitely visit, it's worth it!

Good food and great service. Make sure to allot enough time though. Between the wait and the amount of time you'll spend devouring your food, you can expect 1.5 to 2 hours. Definitely a go

One of my favorite pizza places. Crust is perfect, and just right amount of tomato, with fire cooked oven , this place never disappoints.

Caesar salad was fantastic! Pizza was perfectly delicious!!! We will definitely come again!

Pizza. Old world and delicious. Touristy spot and great for a quick lunch.

Absolute rip off pizza $ 30, beer $ 11. Would be fine if it were a special experience. But the pizzeria lives on the splendor of bygone days! Average quality for European standards. Unfortunately not recommended!

The first pizzeria in New York supposedly and yes, it looks authentic but also a bit like a tourist trap. A simple medium sized pizza margherita is $ 22,00 which is really expensive! But...it tasted absolutely perfect and resembled the real pizza in Italy with the thin crispy crust. The bruschetta was also tasty. Cash only, come prepared and bring a lot service was a bit pushy but still friendly.

Tough review for me. My wife and I got the Margherita Pizza. My wife said it was the best she's had, and she really likes Margherita. It's not my preferred pizza, so I thought it was good but not stellar. Prices aren't too awful for the quality. Server and staff is very nice and not too terribly long of a wait.

Inexcusable problems that make me feel like I couldn't fairly recommend it: cash only means I'm not only missing out on regular credit card benefits, but I also had to pay a fee to withdraw cash since I don't carry any on me. There is an ATM conveniently located inside which is nice, but I can't see a reason they can't take card. Additionally, no free drink refills on soda or tea. You have to either ration your drink or pay not a trivial amount for a refill. Also, I found the inner of options a little lacking.

All in all, the pizza ranges from okay to excellent for the price, but not really a good deal. No credit cards or refills hurts it a little more. I wouldn't say it's a rip-off but I can't deny that it's a tourist trap.

The pizza here is the best! There is a great atmosphere of an old pizzeria with the red and white tablecloths, wooden booths and lower lighting. The best pizza pie is the simple cheese pie, it doesn't need anything else to be perfect! The waiter was fine, not overly friendly, but very competent, which was fine with me. Definately worth stopping by if you want a yummy pizza pie!

Pizzeria with wood oven. The pizzas are good. They do not accept card payments.

Service is great servers are attentative although short handed. Problem is for what you pay and level of menu you are getting. Food is cooked nicely but overpriced, cash only, and soze of portion. I miss the old Lombardi I used to go 10+ years ago before they expanded. I understand though, space, labor, etc. are all expensive. Now its for tourists more so than for locals.

Pizza is just Ok! It tastes like every other pizza in town, nothing special.. Very pricy!!

Pizza in NY. Good with a hint of American style. Friendly and helpful staff

If you have been to the location closer to Penn Station you will be very disappointed. Everything ar this location was subpar. From the menu, options, service and flavor. Do yourself a favor and go to the other location.

Exquisite Pizza Nice atmosphere. Good attention. They do not give ticket or invoice. You only pay in cash.

Very delicious thin pizzas in Soho!
Portions are generous!
Great ambiance!
Knowledgeable waiters!
Not cheap but this is New York (everything is expensive)!
Only inconvenience, they take CASH only!

Amazing crust to the pizza. Way overpriced , I guess your paying for the history. The pizza was sorta bland

Expensive. Great experience great pizza. Great service

One pizza was good but cold. One of the pizzas was too cooked and very hard. Not possible to chew the pie only ate the toppings. The service was not nice, you feel pressure to order more than what you can eat and they push you bring the bill fast. It was cold in the restaurant and the service did not accept to provide hot water because they don t have hot drinks on menu.. what kind of restaurant can t boil water when someone is feeling cold and buying food? It was like if the popularity of the place makes the service lower the standards... they don t need to give you good service because anyways many tourists will come again tomorrow... bad vibe .

I think we arrived at the right time. There wasn't a wait at all. Pizza was on point!!!

Cozy place, good service. And the food, abundant and delicious. We couldn't finish it, but the rest, I took away!

Easily the best Italian restaurant in probably entire NYC metro area. The only minus is cash only no credit card accepted policy. Every time I am in NYC I go to this place and pull cash from ATMs beforehand because this place is totally worth it.
Italian soda is a must, calzone is delicious, every pizza offered is superb. Overall excellent place with affordable and delicious food.

The best pizza in New York.

my family was there I recommend them

The bruschetta was to die for! 114 years of making pizza, and this team has got it right. Fantastic pizza in a lovely restaurant - an easy 5 stars.

Great pizza here. Old style thin crusted pizza's are always good. Prices are decent not expensive. Staffs are nice and friendly. Overall great pizzas here.

OMG, pizza doesn't get any better then this. Trust me I've been to Italy. Americans know how to do it.

New York's first pizzeria.
Good pizza, thin and crispy dough.
On your way to the table, you will likely pass through the middle of the kitchen.

best pizza on the east coast. best cheese to sauce ratio. i literally tried so many pizza places. if you dont have good ingredients their is no point. lombardis crust is amazing cheese is amazing, sauce is amazing. please go. you havent lived until.

Good quality food, friendly staff and decent sized portions. My favourite pizza joint in NYC

Excellent place with good quality in its products, the waiting time is approximately half an hour but the wait in the bar is very pleasant.

Old school Italian place with nice house wine. They were not the first pizza place in NY, though they are good. Slightly over priced

Traditional Italian pizza, the cocktails are very well served and with one is enough for the whole dinner. Always better with company. The service is excellent and very friendly.

Nice, simple place. Good pizza and salad. Calzone is outstanding.

Delicious pizza - worth the hype! We got a half white and half margherita with sausage and mushrooms and the meatballs to start. The meatballs are large, served in delicious sauce and are generally good, but it was a little surprising how quickly they came out after we ordered and they were just warm, not hot.

The pizza, however, was amazing! White pizza has no sauce but instead LOTS of ricotta cheese, mozzarella, etc. I strongly preferred the margherita pizza and loved the toppings.

I enjoy a delicious pie like your average glutton and it's always nice to add that it's a landmark. I don't like the waiting in line part of the experience but it's not on food network for no reason. I usually stick with the mozzarella pie but I am sure the other creations are just as lovely. warning there is a wait and if you are looking for non-pretty foldable greasy ny style pizza go to prince st. However if you want a pricey place of nostalgia this is the spot :)

Went with some friends who were visiting. Honestly the worst pizza I've had in NYC. Go somewhere with dollar slices, you'll get better pizza and it'll cost way less

Great pizza place by Little Italy. Authentic American pizzas! Laid back atmosphere. Did not disappoint

Amazing pizza ans service, a great place to visit while touring NYC.