Lazzara's Pizza Cafe

Lazzara’s Pizza is the real deal Garment District OG. Hidden upstairs on 38th, it’s that old-school NYC spot everyone in the know hits for lunch or dinner. You grab a bite, lean against that little wooden table, and suddenly you’re in a Scorsese movie. It’s the kind of place where stories get told, and the regulars nod at you like you passed some unspoken New Yorker test.The square pie it’s not just pizza, it’s heritage.They are legendary thin, crispy, and full of flavor.The sauce hits that perfect tangy-sweet balance 🍕 but don’t sleep on the Lazzara Salad packed sky high with fresh ingredients and drizzled with their killer red wine vinegar dressing !! The penne vodka, chicken marsala, meatball parm heroes, and chicken Alysa are all top-tier classics that never miss. This place has been quietly feeding us New Yorkers for decades and still tastes like the city we love. 🍕❤️🇮🇹

Nestled in the heart of the city, Lazzara's Pizza Cafe is an absolute gem that transcends the ordinary pizza experience. From the moment you step inside, the aroma of bubbling cheese, rich tomato sauce, and freshly baked crust fills the air, promising a culinary delight. The cozy, inviting atmosphere, complete with dim lighting and rustic decor, makes you feel right at home. It's the perfect spot for a casual dinner with friends, a special date night, or even a solo escape.The real star of the show, however, is the pizza itself. Lazzara's specializes in thin-crust, New York-style pies, and they have perfected the craft. Each slice is a symphony of flavor, with a perfectly crispy-yet-chewy crust that holds up to the generous toppings. The sauce is tangy and fresh, and the cheese is just the right amount of gooey perfection.But it's not just about the pizza; the service is exceptional too. The staff is friendly, attentive, and clearly passionate about what they do, adding a personal touch that enhances the entire dining experience. They're quick to offer recommendations and ensure every need is met with a smile. The menu also features a variety of delicious appetizers and salads, so there's something for everyone.Lazzara's Pizza Cafe is more than just a place to eat; it's a destination for true pizza lovers. It’s an authentic, unforgettable experience that will have you coming back for more. I couldn't recommend it enough.

10/10! Started with buffalo calamari, then linguine carbonara and a pepperoni hot honey pizza! Everything was perfection! Little hidden away and old style inside but that’s part of the charm! Will be back!!

I cannot express how disappointed I was by my experience at Lazzara's. I’ve visited almost all of Dave Portnoy’s/Barstool’s top-rated pizza spots and have never been let down...until now. We visited on Dec 27th at 5:30 PM. Despite the restaurant not being fully at capacity, the service was nonexistent. After being seated, we sat for 15 minutes without a greeting or menus. When we finally flagged down a waiter (tall, curly hair, tattoos) to ask for menus, he muttered, "That's not my job." I have never in my life received such a rude, dismissive comment from a staff member. We should have left then, but we stayed. The red flags continued when the couple next to us sent their pizza back after one bite (Ironic). We ordered the traditional pizza (the one Dave reviewed), and it was genuinely terrible. Worse than Pizza Hut or even frozen pizza. We ended up leaving and going to Angelo’s Pizza to save the night, where we actually got great food and service. Save your time and skip Lazzara's. PS To the waiter with curly hair and tattoos. It is your job and if you don't like it quit. Based on how your attitude you will suck at most jobs and things you try. Change your attitude and you'll see life gets a lot easier.

What a great historic place to have really good pizza and other Italian dishes. You are made to feel like family with the warm welcome and caring service. It's a small place so a bit tight but worth it! The arugula salad (a special that night) was VERY tasty and also very large.

This isn't pizza. It's a cracker drenched in tomato sauce and cheese that is massively over priced. For 6 pieces of this it's $30. They also charge a 3% credit card fee for all your items ordered. The place feels like it's trying to be a Italian fine dining, sports bar, pizza takeout, and apartment. The prices should be much lower for what this is and they could remove the hassle and extra expense of the white tablecloths. I honestly m they're keeping it to mentally justify charging these ridiculous prices for this horrible food.

This is such a strange, charming place. A pizza place in NYC on the second floor? I decided it was weird enough to try. Up a floor and through 2 (3?) doors, and was greeted by a nice gentleman. I sat at the bar, had a beer, and their 3 slice minimum (it’s mainly to discourage single slices I think, but the slices aren’t huge and flatbread isn’t too filling, so 3 slices is a nice size). Huge menu. Tons of pizzas. A few TVs, all playing different things. This place is so hard to describe, but I loved it. Such a unique experience, really friendly staff, and pretty good food. Will definitely come back! Get a beer and sit at the bar, and try different things. Bourdain would have loved this place.

This is the friendliest and kind restaurant I have EVER been in my life and I only stayed there while I waited for take out. Pizza is so unique and tasty. The sauce is delicious and I LOVE my thin crust. Location is so superb. I recommend everyone visit at least once if you're looking for pizza near time square.

Hell yes!! One of the most unique pizzas. I've had the pleasure to eat. Very pricey, but I will be back. It's a bite that will stay with you for sometime.

This. Is. It. This is the pizza spot you don't want to miss! We came across this pizza place a few years ago for lunch. It was SO good. We took a picture of the place and recently scrolled through years of pictures to find this place again. Enjoyed delicious garlic knots, garden salad, and drum roll ...... pepperoni pizza with hot honey ! For dessert, had a Nutella and banana pizza. Everything was Delicious!

A little birdie told us that this is Steven Colberts favorite spot ... One of our travel buds was determined to have a meal here and we decided to tag along. Vibe is super cool You enter at street level and walk up stairs to second level Small spot with the smell of pizza wafting out. Pizzas are deep dish I guess and square. We ordered 2 diff pizzas and shared. Both were super good! One was a lasagna pizza and the other was called the Alorna (sausage bell pepper mushroom) Recommendation was a hit

Pizza was pretty good. Unique size, very thin, crunchy crust. The sauce was a little too sweet and the prices a bit high for the size. It was easy to walk in on a Saturday night. Service was friendly and eager.

What a disappointment! What has happened to Lazzara's Pizza (221 W 38th St, NY)? For years, Lazzara's has been ( a MUST STOP place for my family and me whenever we visit New York. Now it is just HAS BEEN! We have recommended Lazzara's to anyone visiting NYC. I should have realized when we got right in without having to wait! This weekend we had probably the worst pizza and experience ever - the service and the pizza was horrible. The sauce tasted like it came out of a lunchables snack box. The toppings looked (and tasted like melted plastic)! We ordered the Lazarra Special (name only) - prosciutto, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives. We asked for the tomatoes to be put on only half the pie and was charged an EXTRA $3! We didn't ask for additional toppings or more of a topping - we asked for half of a topping! The Garlic knots were horrible pizza was horrible! In my opinion they are struggling to hang on! Cheap ingredients, rude service and lazy presentation! If you're in the City try Rubirosa (235 Mulberry St.) or Adrienne's Pizzabar (54 Stone St). What a shame! I will never go back!!

Pizza was a 10/10 We got pepperoni hot honey and the Frank - so good would go back 10000 times

Was in NYC for a business and my fiancé recommended I try this place because Dave Portnoy rated it well. From the outside, it looked a little sketchy -- but don't let that fool you. As soon as I stepped inside, the vibe completely changed. I waited maybe five minutes to be seated, and the staff was incredibly welcoming and friendly. I ordered a pepperoni pizza (delicious), the calamari (crispy and flavorful), and an Aperol Spritz (solid). Everything hit the spot. The space is pretty small, so if you're coming with a larger group, just be prepared to wait a bit. But it's worth it -- I'd definitely come back next time I'm in the city.

I called 15 minutes to close hoping they could accommodate a to go order. Half cheese. They did and when I got there, gave me a full pizza instead of half and were very accommodating. They didn't have to but they did. And by the way the pizza was perfect. Crispy, great sauce. Would recommend to anybody

The BEST pizza I've ever had. We were here for two days, stopped because of the good reviews on the "one bite" app and it exceeded expectations with reasonable prices. They were so nice and we only ordered a half pizza and they gave us a full for free. The crust was so crispy and the sauce so flavorful with a beautiful cheese. We came back and left the restaurant we were having dinner at after having very mid pizza that had good reviews, just dreaming of this place. The people are very nice and this will forever be a hidden gem. I will come back to New York just for this place. Pictures below is our takeout order, Caesar, and our second pizza we got.

Cool spot but not as good as it used to be. Definitely not a 9.3 on the Portnoy scale.

As a Portnoy fan, I was pumped to check it out. Service was efficient and friendly, the space was compact and lively, the pizza was definitely good, but it's more like an expensive flatbread appetizer with a very thin, almost cracker like crust. You could fold this pizza unto itself and eat as two or three slices. Any normal sized person can easily eat a whole pie. This place is pushing the edges of what a pizza is.

Friday 8:30pm - We came here half hour or so before they closed which I wouldn't recommend as it's nice to be able to take your time ordering especially if it's your first time dining at this restaurant. The pizza is fantastic even though it wasn't what I had in mind . We got the primavera which is vegetables and I really was craving for the cheese . I know it Would be equally as good as the crust is perfect , thin , crunchy on the sides . It's tasteful and the size is just perfect. The place is old school , nothing fancy , rather casual . It's small probably, it can fit about 30 people at best but has a fast turnaround, food comes out within 20 minutes or so after you order . Friendly staff , felt a bit rushed as they were closing . Definitely worth coming back to so I can get a better sense of the food ( cheese pizza next time pls )! Love the speakeasy vibe

Small seating area upstairs. Pizza crust is thin, just crispy enough. We had the Lazarras special with prosciutto and olives.

Great thin pizza, available in half or whole square pies. Friendly service inside, orders are quick to go, toppings and sauce are good. Crust is thin, nice crisp on edges.

This might be the best pizza I've ever eaten! The cause has so much depth and flavor. I just absolutely love this place. Get there around 5-5:30 so you can get a table. It's not a large place.

Ambience: Cozy and cramped but well lit. The food was so tasty you could only hear the music and silverware clanking. Service: Very sweet and attentive service, they were very accommodating and answered all our questions. Food: Pizza crust was perfectly crispy and pizza was super cheesy, eggplant appetizer was so good and meaty. I think I liked the eggplant the best!

Amazing pizza found in an odd yet cool area of where you'd expect to find its it's located in a older row house on the second floor and looks like it's out of a gangster movie due to the beautiful old architecture . Got a cheese pizza and mozzarella sticks both were amazing and El Presdento was spot on with his review.

Can't figure out how they got the rating they did. Service was lacking. The food was a major disappointment. The pasta in the Fettuccine Alfredo was under cooked and stuck together. The pizza was underwhelming. The sauce was okay and the crust was hard and flavorless. A waste of $100 for three.

Surprised there's not more love on here for the chicken parm! This is true old school greatness.

Good food, great ambience. Quiet unassuming little restaurant just a few blocks from Times Square. You have to go up an easy to miss set of stairs to get in. Small dining room with a very cool and cozy retro feel from a century ago. Be prepared to share a table but we were there at 1:00 on a Friday for lunch and it wasn't crowded. Had the cheesy rice balls for an appetizer and was concerned they were overdone because they were pretty dark but the crust was very thin and they were cooked just right. Very creamy and flavorful. Would have liked a bigger cup for the marinara - at least twice as much. Got a half plain cheese pizza, which is definitely meant for one (a fact our waiter pointed out) but we were looking for a light lunch and along with the rice balls it was perfect. The pizza was just a tad disappointing but I'm chalking that up to sky-high expectations given reputation and other reviews. It looks great right off the bat. The crust is paper thin and very well baked and it is plenty stout so no issues with flop at all. Good toasted rim around it without being burnt. Hard to tell what the sauce is like as there is very little but good overall taste. My only issue, and it is very minor, is the crust doesn't have a super satisfying crispy crunch. It's very good, just not the mouth feel I was expecting. So, great experience over all and the knock on the pizza is a bit nit-picky. Would I make this a go-to spot to get pizza in the city? No. Would I enjoy coming back for a relaxing meal when around mid-town, definitely.

Such a great hole in the wall- they have more than pizza, but we just had a whole with extra cheese. It's got a thin, crispy, well-done crust and a slightly sweet sauce. Service was great and the atmosphere is unique. Small number of tables and pretty tight space but not too bad. We loved it and would definitely recommend trying.

Theoretically the pizza is good, but the place doesn't feel (or smell) clean (ironically, the bathroom did though). Even worse, one of the servers seemed totally stoned & out of it. I asked for a cup of water and he brought bottled waters. Never brought our ordered appetizer. Made the chicken pizza and veg pizza (ordered by separate people) (with separate sauces) as a full. Salad was soggily drenched in dressing. Prices are super random (garlic knots cost as much as a pizza? Dessert pizza costs more than regular pizza?). Wine was mediocre. And I just read the notes about the health inspection. With some better management, it could be good. Edit: Immediately after this review, I got a weirdly aggressive private message from the owner telling me to "stop spreading my lies". Zero acknowledgment or care on their multiple bad service misses, yet very pissed I called their prices random. Now the vibe of the entire place makes sense. Just so he stops crying: I would like to clarify that I am referring to what I was told was a 1 person pizza portion that is $11.50. I am a liar to him because I did not compare to what I was told is a 2 person pizza portion at $19.95. Thankfully there are 50 other amazing pizza places in New York.

We all know who brought Lazzara's Pizza to our attention. Based on Dave Portnoy's pizza reviews this was my first must try pizza restaurant and it delivered above par. We ordered the half pepperoni/cheese and it is the best pizza we have ever had. What makes the pizza so great is the square thin crust presentation along with an incredibly flavor packed bite like no other. Appreciate the old school Italian restaurant ambiance accompanied with the great service provided by Ania. One bite, everyone knows the rules! 9.3 credit to Lazzarra's Pizza.

Ok, so we are all about the thin crust. We are Jersey folk, so we are all for a good thin crust. We were in Manhattan visiting for my daughter's 13th birthday, and we came across Dave Portnoy's (the self-proclaimed pizza afficionado) review. We took his word because he reviewed one of our favorite pizza spots in NJ (Federicis). Well, let's just say it was amazing! The ambiance is cute, like a small mom and pop Italian restaurant, with good music. The location was not packed, which we loved, being that we were in NY! The pizza that I loved was the garlic, basil. It had a good amount of sauce and still crispy crust! My family liked their pizza but loved mine more! It's all around great pizza! P.S. 5 stars for this location having a gf crust made from cauliflower! You know I check on that for my son, who has a gluten allergy.

I just returned to PA after finishing a pizza tour that I will never forget... great pies, a couple disappointing "legendary" spots, and almost getting robbed in Brooklyn. These are the staples of a NYC pizza tour. There's enough negativity on the internet so I've decided to only review the crown pizza jewel of NYC. When I walked up to Lazzara, home of the infamously flavorful square pie, I was kind of skeptical. No foot traffic, no line. Just an unassuming sliver of a building tucked between a salon and a sketchy media company. my trip was nearing its end and I was pizza'd out. I'm also not a big square pizza guy. But I reminded myself not to body shame. If the food tastes good, I don't care if the slice is shaped like a shoe. Good food is good food. Don't let the unappetizing photos on here fool you. This is the best pizza in NYC. The sauce packs a blend of flavors unlike anything I've experienced. The meticulous browning of the cheese gives it a tiny bit of extra texture. I expected the pizza itself to be a brick like Prince Street but it's as thin as your standard NY slice, yet miraculously maintains its structure. The undercarriage is so firm you could bounce a quarter off it. This is a miracle pizza. Definitely a must-try.

I'm from the area in NJ but my husband experienced his first NYC trip last December. Since moving away, I was desperate for quality pizza. Last year, we sought out the best pizza in NYC and on our trip this December, we continued the pizza taste testing tradition, but used Portnoy's top ranked pizza establishments as our guide to see whether we agreed. Lazzaros was a 10 block walk in 30 degree cold from our hotel on 28th but boy was it worth it! We ordered 3 slices for take out and devoured it before even leaving the foyer entrance. When we saw photos prior to our visit, I had already figured I wouldn't like it; burnt on the bottom and unappealing looking and we almost skipped it. Boy am I glad we didn't! We still have a few stops in Brooklyn today, but after spending a few days sampling pizza in NYC, and after last year's trip, as well as 37 years living in NJ, Lazzaras is tied as my top favorite pizza at a 10 out of 10. The flavor is unreal, basil was abundant, the crust is amazing (I rarely eat crust but devoured this), and if we weren't so full from a day of eating, I would have ordered a couple pies to go! If I lived in NYC, Lazzaras would definitely be my regular stop.

We had such a wonderful meal here. We came around 7pm on Thursday night after a show and didn't have to wait. First of all, the service was so friendly and welcoming. They really made the experience even better. Lots of drink specials along with daily food specials made it hard to choose. We started with arancini which were hot, crunchy. Tomato salad fresh and perfectly seasoned. We got a half pepperoni half cheese pizza. We decided it was the best pizza we've ever had! Perfectly crispy crust with just the right amount of char along the edges, good proportion of cheese to sauce and good quality slivered pepperoni. We were too full for dessert. We will definitely be back! No pics because we were too busy enjoying our meal

Been here every week since the original review. Perfectly consistent. A+. The waiter Toko treats you like family. Need more people like him everywhere.

Top 20 Pizza in US- found this awesome, unique pizzeria by Times Square. Felt like I was walking into a movie scene in The Godfather... great service and ambiance. Great Italian Chopped Salad with Mozz Sticks. The pizza was very good- square. Excellent pepperoni and sausage pizza. Chicken Lazaro was awesome- olives with mushroom was an amazing flavor! Highly recommend Lazzaro's!

I've been to Lazzara's a number of times now - last night we took some family that was visiting. Everyone enjoyed their meal. I had eggplant rollatin, it was every tasty although to be honest it was only lukewarm. The food has always been great, so I won't complain. The other dishes were Spaghetti & meatballs, chicken parm, fettuccine Alfredo & penne alla vodka. Everyone was pleased with their meals. The service was good & we got seated right away. It's a cute little restaurant, nestled in this little area of a building. It's a place where locals go, which is always a good place to find! I gave it 4 stars because my dish wasn't hot - but it was a one off, and it will not stop me from returning. Every time I've been the food has been delicious!

Some of the best gluten free pizza I've ever had. Top 5 nationwide for someone who travels a lot. They nailed the texture/crisp vibes of the crust and sent me with the flavors. Staff was fun and energetic; they make you feel like you're at a home town restaurant. The atmosphere takes you back in time and gives you a small glimpse of the past. Overall 12/10 kind of place. Would totally fly across the country just to go here again.

It honestly does not look all that impressive but the Lazzara pie is great! I like to think of it as "diet pizza" with how thin and crispy the crust is, an indication of the minimal dough used. Not only is it cracker thin, the sweet tomato sauce and delicately rich cheese pairs and complements each other delightfully. There's also a kick of hot honey oil in there, which is probably that sweet tinge of flavor hitting. In short, really good pizza. One bite, 8.8/10 for me.

We enjoyed our experience with Blake our server. He was fun and attentive to our needs during our meal. I had never had pizza like that before. It was good and different. The salad and rice balls with meat were delicious. It was an unexpected find!

The establishment seemed a little sus but once you get in the service was remarkable and personal and the pizza is stuff of dreams. I strongly recommend this quaint feeling pizza spot

Came here for a pre-theater meal with my partner one evening. A friend of mine had raved about this place, so I was curious as to how it would be here. We got a whole regular cheese pie to share and a small side salad. We thought the pie was really good, but we were a little surprised at how thin and kind of small the pie was. I think 2 whole pies would've been too much for us, but a whole pie was a little too small for us. Service was quick and I'm glad we made a reservation beforehand as it started to get pretty busy by the time we were wrapping up. I'd like to come back here and try out some of their other pies, now that I know what to expect going forward.

Totally unique NY pizza experience! The thin crust reminds you of Chicago rather than NY. The crust is cracker thin and crispy. A tangy sweet sauce. The shredded pepperoni was quite creative. I would definitely go back!

Bottom line: Pizza is good, but I'm surprised barstool gave it a 9.3. We were unimpressed with service. Lazzara's was in a cool spot - tucked up some stairs and in a really unique aesthetic. Shortly after we were seated, a server came to take our order. We just wanted to try some pizza, so we ordered a half pizza with pepperoni. Our server told us that was only enough for one person. We explained we just wanted to try some, so that would be enough. Our server told us that we couldn't dine in then and we'd have to take it to-go. We said that's fine. He then made us get up from the table and go stand by the door to wait. We weren't offered water; we weren't asked if we wanted to order anything else. Just relocated and ignored.

Fantastic little restaurant. The atmosphere complimented the pizza perfectly and the pizza was authentic and top notch. A thin crust (with some char) and a sweet sauce make the basis of their pizzas. Highly recommend for those who aren't satisfied by pizza chains.

One of the best pizzas I've had in my life and I eat a lot of pizza. Hot honey pepperoni was unreal. Pizza was made fast and the service makes you feel at home. Highly recommend

This is a top tier pizza, walk past all the tourists in line for johns (c tier at best). Also Toko the waiter was awesome

Came here after seeing it rated among the top Manhattan pizzas on the One Bite Pizza ratings. I love crunchy thin crust pizzas, so expectations were high as we ventured near Times Square. Served rectangular pan style but thin, I shared a whole pepperoni. The crust was definitely crunchy, and the pizza itself has a nice chew and bite. The sauce is very tangy... almost sweet, which people may or may not like, but we weren't sure if the pepperoni also added to the flavor too. Kind of wish I had gotten just a cheese only pizza.

Very nice small family Italian restaurant. Authentic, tasty and definitely not cookie cutter. The chicken Lazzara was amazing! Their homemade root beer was really good. It did not taste artificial. It tasted like it was made by someone who really cares about the quality. This is a must try. Very friendly servers. Food came out quick, fresh and hot. I recommend that you check this out! It will not disappoint!

Staff was polite and attentive. The restaurant is dark & small but clean and has an "old school" ambiance. It was a hot day and upon recommendation from our server, we ordered spicy margaritas. They were not enjoyable, not spicy and they tasted like a diluted mix. We ordered fried calamari, fried ravioli & mozzarella sticks. The calamari were big but cooked properly, overall the 3 apps were enjoyable. The tomato sauce that was served on the side was a little too sweet for our liking. We ordered 2 pizzas, one plain and one that was half Harris' special (pepperoni, meatball & sausage) and half special of the day (ricotta & eggplant). We did NOT care for the pizza at all. The sauce was overwhelming and the burnt flavor of the crust was also too much. The bites we had with cheese were ok but still not that great. We love thin crust pizza and had high hopes for this place given ratings from others. Perhaps it's us as we do not care for "charred" pies. The flavor of the meatballs/meat on the Harris pie had a heavy breading flavor that we also did not enjoy. Needless to say we won't be dining here again.

Came here because of the infamous Dave Portnoy 9.3 review. It's definitely a unique pizza (square, very flat almost crunchy, sweet sauce, tangy toppings) I typically like sweeter sauces, but I'm partial to deeper thicker crusts. Given that though, my expectations for this pizza was that it would still be foldable like thin crusted usually are. This ones crunch yet kind of foldable, but still required a fork and knife or toppings may fall off. It's overall a good pizza.I finished it all, so it wasn't bad. It's probably not worthy of a repeat visit though. A lot of reviews seem to be negative about the service level. I focus the service to be fine.

Toko was amazing, he recommended the ricotta and eggplant pizza and it was as delicious as advertised. Totally recommend this place for any visitors in New York for a short trip.

In the quest to try Dave Portnoy's favorite pizza in NYC, stopped by Lazzara after a show. We started with the garlic crisps which were delicious and so addictive - great flavor and dough! For pizza, we had a half Buffalo chicken and half regular cheese - since we had to try the basic pizza (Dave makes the rules) even though so many menu options looked great. The crust was very thin - but good - just made it difficult to pick up. We felt embarrassed to be New Yorkers having to eat pizza with a fork and knife, but you do what you have to do. The sauce was intriguing - sweet and tangy at the same time - and definitely unique as far as typical NY pizza goes. Not sure I'd go so far as to rank it at the top of the city, but it was a solid pizza place.

Stumbled across the great restaurant, able to get in before it got very crowded. Great service, friendly, helpful, and just welcoming. Pizza is so good, must try while in New York, great environment for adults and adults with kids. Try the Lasagna Pizza...so good.

Fun hole in the wall vibes on the second floor. $20 for a whole pizza. Split it with my brother and got 3 slices each. Very thin so not super filling. Very unique taste! We got the cheese and the sauce was sweet which was very delicious but different than what we expected!

I like how exclusive this place is. You have to walk upstairs and through a door to get in. I ordered the chicken parm hero. For the price it was huge. Also delicious and fresh. See you again soon! Hidden gem.