Pony Boy taught us that nothing gold can stay, and that holds true for Boatel, The floating boat…read morecampground has been moved to the opposite side of the marina this year, in much more cramped quarters. Our beloved boat, the New York, New York, no longer occupied a spot with an amazing view of Jamaica Bay -- it was crammed in between the larger Nancy Boggs and the communal grilling area. Last year, the boat bar was covered with a tent, open till 2 AM, featured a DJ and offered several charcoal grills for guest use. This year, the bar was closed and the dock that formerly served as the ersatz movie screen now contains an upholstered Victorian sofa and one gas grill which all Boatel guests must share. This also pushes the heavy-partying contingent right into the heart of the sleeping area, making trying to sleep at Boatel at any point during the dark hours like trying to sleep in a frat house the night after finals are over. Finally, there are several really nice boats in the Marina this year, and I guess to protect them a huge, prison-like security gate has been erected at the entrance to the Marina. The gate is kept closed at all times. The only way to open the gate is with a remote attached to a hubcap. The hubcap is held closely by the very hard-to-find Boatel staff. There is no buzzer or cell phone number any other way of alerting anyone inside you would like to get in, and if you want to leave it is equally hard to find someone to let you out. We liked Boatel because it was a nice place to get away and spend some time on the water. There was always a lot of youthful exuberance, but it was also possible to be a little separate from all that. Now, it's really best just for large groups of people looking to party all night long. The excessive media coverage seems to have attracted a different and more-annoying crowd as well.

True value for cost! We were only in NYC for 3 days and…read morewanted to see more than just tourists sites. Liz Young was prefect for our trip to Brooklyn/Williamsburg adventure. She is knowledgable about history, past and present. Her knowledge of the culinary scene of NYC and it boroughs was so interesting. What a great way to spend an afternoon in Brooklyn and it's many new and old culinary venues. We will do another tour(s) with Liz.

A couple months ago we had the pleasure of having Liz lead our small group of friends through some…read moreof the best parts of Chelsea Market and the surrounding areas. She met us outside with fresh baked muffins (delicious) and explained the history of the different buildings we visited. Much of the Meatpacking District was, at one time, the center of production for the National Biscuit Company (aka Nabisco - see, you've already learned something). She also had great connections with many vendors and I learned more about fine cheese than I ever expected. Excellent experience for out-of-towners or locals looking to explore the city and it's food in a different way. Would definitely tour with Liz again!

Family dinner for my mom's birthday at Gio's Atlantic Beach proved one thing: Italians don't…read morebelieve in leaving hungry... they believe in needing a forklift to get you back to the car. We kicked things off with the Zucchini Fritti--crispy fried zucchini strings that disappeared into marinara faster than anyone would admit. Then came an espresso martini that was absolutely flawless. Smooth, rich, perfectly balanced, and topped with three coffee beans symbolizing health, wealth, and happiness. After one sip, I was ready to believe in all three. For dinner, the veal cutlet Parmigiana over penne with marinara was pure comfort food done right. Crispy, cheesy, and packed with flavor. The Chicken Francese was incredibly juicy, swimming in a buttery lemon sauce over rigatoni that made it impossible to stop eating. Then came the special: Chicken Cacciatore with melted mozzarella, sautéed jalapeños, red peppers, and white wine sauce over spaghetti. It brought the heat--and I happily accepted the challenge. Dessert sealed the deal with a rainbow cookie cake layered with colorful sponge cake, covered in chocolate ganache, and finished with whipped cream. To top it all off, the staff surprised my mom with a sparkling candle that made the celebration even more special. Amazing food, outstanding service, and a great night with family. The only thing hotter than the Chicken Cacciatore was the argument over who got the last slice of cake. That's how you know you picked the right Italian restaurant.

Wonderful anniversary dinner tonight. Hostess Annie made sure we had a great table. Server Dina was…read moreabsolutely on point and attentive. (her desserts are tremendous). Missed our favorite bartender Jamie tonight who makes the best Espresso Martinis, among other wonderful mixed drinks, in the world. Jamie did remember our anniversary with a personal note- so special! Ribeye steak prepared perfectly as requested. Eggplant parm is ALWAYS a winner. Let's not forget the special Stuffed Artichoke app. Music on Thursday's made it an even more special celebration dinner. This restaurant is consistent and the friendly personalities of every associate makes this a very special place. Our favorite restaurant. Give it a try. Full bar. Valet parking. Delicious food. If something on the special menu sounds good to you- get it.You can order regular menu items anytime.

The L. I. S. A. Project NYC…read more I'm not sure about the politics of what's behind this organization. There appears to be some controversy in the Yelp Reviews. I'm just a huge fan of graffiti. I love the color it adds to the city. I love the smile it puts on my face. I like the happy feeling I get inside when I see it. I also like the legal authorization of the activity. For many years it was an offense to express yourself and your artistic talent in this manner. I'm glad Little Italy has embraced this organization and the art they promote. Please Visit Little Italy and keep your eyes open for the murals. They are here, there, and everywhere! I'm posting photos I've taken in the past couple years. I hope you enjoy. I can't wait to return!

Before today, my review would've likely been glowing. The artwork in that's been associated with…read morethem in NYC is almost always spectacular and a welcome addition to the city-scape. Unfortunately I found out recently that they're actually quite shady and manipulative. They don't actually create or curate the art in Little Italy - they pretend to support it, plaster it on their social media, and try to profit from it. At the expense of the actual artists that create the art they're showcasing. They've gotten into legal action with artists over marketing rights for the art that they claim to "support", but essentially want to mooch off of and shake down for $$$. A lot of the gorgeous art, such as the Audrey Hepburn picture on Mulberry St, are examples that they claim to be big endorsers of - but have actually fought the artists over, to win sole rights to commercializing posters etc. They've tried to destroy murals & privately commissioned public art without consent or notification to the artists themselves. Again, mostly for the chance to bring in new art and profit from online sales of merchandise / picture rights. And they're more than happy to block/ban/remove you from any of their social media if you even think of leaving a vaguely negative comment (even a politely-worded one). A word to the wise: good, wholesome, community-minded organizations NEVER block or throttle people into silence because they might disagree with them. And they NEVER treat artists like they're disposable sources of income. This organization does not represent Little Italy in the slightest. Be very, very careful if you're ever asked to work with them. Better yet, stay clear of them altogether.

It can be a little chaotic in here but I sure do love their vodka slice. Other stuff is fine but…read morethat is one of my lesser known city favorites.

On 7/1/ 26, I ordered 4 slices, one with Spinach. Please, Google Spinach Pizza to see what it looks…read morelike cause mine arrived with a just a bunch of what looked like a frozen quality, tasteless spinach stacked up on top of the Pizza! Just sitting on top, no cheese melted on at all! Not like anything I've ever seen in my life! I called, and the owner, who was sarcastic, condescending, mean and preceded to tell me that his Pizza is made like how HE likes it, NOT made with whole leaf spinach that's melted into the cheese! I hung on him, as his entire attitude was terrible for a business person and he was of no help! He actually texted me to tell me that i'm BANNED from getting delivery . I will no longer set foot in that place! The food quality has gotten poor over the years anyway, while prices are high. I paid $30.00 for FOUR slices of pizza that was very thin with very, very little cheese! I scraped off the PILE of spinach, added my own cheese and broiled, it was s little better. Never, ever again! Very nasty person and the food is no longer as good as it use to be.

Okay folks. Ordered in the Spicy Garlic Shrimp. OMG. Absolutely a must. Shrimp, Calabrian chile…read moreoil, garlic, spinach and mashed. Absolutely delicious. Bravo!!!

This place is always busy, no matter the day, and it's easy to see why. The food is delicious, the…read moreservers are attentive, and the drinks are on point. We started with the fried calamari, and for my entrée I had the pork chops--easily some of the best I've ever had. Definitely a spot I'll be coming back to!

I went to the Tastes of Brooklyn event along Franklin Ave. The festival offered ticket sales online…read moreand I appreciated that you could buy tickets without any service fee on top of the ticket price (~$10/taste). Ticket pickup in front of Cent'Anni was easy once I knew where to go, and I found it so helpful that there was a map and list of what each spot was offering. That list was useful in planning what I wanted to try. In the future, I'd recommend that the event hosts try to confirm these listings with participating restaurants a bit closer to the event date, because some of them were inaccurate. One place listed as offering "sliders" served only a single (scrumptious) slider, and another spot listed as offering a "choice of two tacos or a margarita" informed me when I arrived that they weren't offering the margarita after all. I thought the offerings were pretty fair, just wish the list had been a bit more accurate. While I wouldn't recommend Tastes of Brooklyn to someone looking for a "good deal", it wasn't a bad way to share a walk and various foods with a friend while supporting Seeds in the Middle.

I think it was fine, but probably overpriced. Sure, it was for a cause but a lot of the…read moreparticipating vendors were very inconsistent. Some places did food and booze as one stamp, while others made it two separate ones. Some portion sizes were gigantic, while others didn't even give a full slice of pizza. And a few closed up shop early because they were so popular (we ended up with extra tickets that we just spent on half slices of pizza because nothing else was left). The ticket pickup station at the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club was also a bit of a hassle. Not the most centrally located, and their ticketing system was a mess. A lot of manual handwritten notes. That said, I appreciated all the businesses that participated (some of which I've never been to before!), but I wish it were better organized.

I love pizza and this is my go-to spot for a regular slice when I'm being held hostage at the…read moredealership. Their slices have a robust sauce with just the right amount of cheese. Definitely, a solid slice that always hits the spot. However, I feel as though the shining star of this pizzeria is their zeppoles. They are made fresh to order and covered in powdered without turning one's vehicle into snowball crime scene. In about 10 minutes, you will have those Italian doughnuts melting in your mouth. Seeing that many pizzerias have stopped making this delicious treat, I'm willing to stop in every time that I pass by in future. I recommend that you do the same as well.

This business is closed! I reported them to Door Dash because I ordered, they took my payment, but…read morewhen I went to pick up my order there's another pizzeria under construction. I was pissed! This is bad business. Do not waste your time or money ordering from here.