Hey friends, my husband and I are going to NYC for his bday this year and I’m trying to find the best pizza experience that speaks to his personality.
He likes a really old dive bar, and I’m looking for something where we can post up at the bar and eat some decent pizza. He likes super thin crust, but it doesn’t have to be the best in the city. A good enough vibe will sell him on the pizza.
For reference, one of his favorites is Marie’s Pizza and Liquors in chicago.
Here’s a few pics of it to get the vibe I’m looking for:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.onlyinyourstate.com/illinois/maries-pizza-and-liquor-il/amp/
let me know if you have any ideas!
by Kitchen-Nebula6013
23 Comments
Joe and Pats in the east village is the thinnest and is great. Side note, their Italian chicken soup is ELITE. Tons of dive bars around there. Doc Hollidays and Sophie’s (terminator filmed there) to name two.
I really think the best of both worlds will be for you to go to Billymarks and bring in pizza: Pizza Suprema is within carrying distance, and Billymarks is one of the very very best dives in NYC.
Just for clarification since you’re from Chicago, when you say he likes thin crust, are we talking tavern-style, square cut pie?
I think you’ll be most successful if you bring the pizza to a dive bar. Most don’t have an issue with that at all. I recommend getting super thin crust pizza from Posto in Gramercy and carrying it over a block to paddy maguire’s. Very old, very divey, tons of crap always hanging from the ceilings, Liam is one of the best bartenders to shoot the shit with.
ETA after your pizza you could also take a short walk down to Pete’s tavern and/or old town bar. Both great places; old town is divier.
Alligator Lounge in Williamsburg (Brooklyn) is a dive bar that gives you a free (and surprisingly good) pizza with every drink. Here’s maybe a better option though — Kettle of Fish in the West Village (Manhattan) is probably my favorite dive bar, and they allow outside food. The bar is within walking distance to four of the best pizza places in the entire city: John’s, Joe’s, L’Industrie and Bleecker Street. Just order a pie from one of those places (L’Industrie is probably the one with the thinnest crust) and go to town.
This is NOT thin crust, but ace’s has a bit of the atmosphere you’re talking about imo
John’s of Bleecker doesn’t have a bar, but it’s pretty much what you’re looking for in all other respects.
Man the old 3 of cups basement was perfect for this. RIP.
Emmett’s on Grove. Not the biggest dive in town, but you’ll love the pizza and the scene.
[Arturo’s on West Houston](https://www.arturoscoaloven.com/) has good pizza and vibes. It’s not divey per se but it looks very old-timey.
Not super thin crust, but he would love the vibe at Ace’s. Really fucking good Detroit style pizza and good times.
sam’s on court st in brooklyn
Paulie Gee’s Slice shop.
Too bad the old Scar’s is no longer. It would have fit the bill.
I haven’t been in years but Eleven B (on, you guessed it, 11th and Ave B) has good pizza and a bar you can sit at. Not that divey but pleasantly old school. Lots and lots and lots of bars in the area if you want to hit more spots afterwards
Roberta’s has vibes but not sure if it’s the style of pizza you’re looking for. Also kind of a hike
Lees Tavern
Just going to recommend Best Pizza in Williamsburg. No bar but they have drinks. You have The Commodore down the street and Pete’s Candy store a few blocks up.
How about one of the places in the Vezzo/Posto/Gruppo family? They feel like bars and have super thin crust pizzas.
https://www.nycthincrust.com
Paulie Gee’s slice shop, has a kind of retro diner vibe with tv’s for sports and beer on tap. It’s not super divey, if you’re looking for that dark and dingy vibe, but if it’s the kind of cozy Americana aspect he likes then this is it.
Odd as I just recommended this in another thread but Sam’s in Brooklyn may be the vibe you’re looking for. It’s been around since 1930 and the vibe is stuck in the 70s.
The pizza is not super thin crust but it’s good and the chicken Parm is too notch.
[The Charleston](https://www.charlestonbarbrooklyn.com) is right off the Bedford Av stop + sister to Alligator Lounge. Free/$1 personal pie, and skee-ball in the back.
used to have a great old-school jukebox with lots of decent rock/country but now they have a touchscreen one 🥲
A thing that might be being glossed over from NYCers here is that it’s totally normal and acceptable to order delivery or bring in food to any bar. Find the right dive bar, then find the best pizza near it. You don’t have to find a location that does both.