**9/1/26:** I am reposting this because I suspect the owners have successfully had my original review ghosted or hidden. I could still see the review from my account, but it was no longer visible to others.
L&I has now decided to give the owner THREE WEEKS to apply for a streetery license and 14 days to obtain a Food Preparation & Serving license, with no fines being assessed. In effect, the city has allowed the business to occupy approximately four parking spaces without a streetery license for roughly a year, while imposing no financial penalty for that violation.
That raises a simple question: why?
**9/1/26:** Since my original review, city records show multiple health inspection violations, and Marina's Pizzeria appears was confirmed to be operating without the required Food Preparation & Serving license since opening.
The restaurant also appears to have occupied 3 to 4 parking spaces on Frankford Avenue 24/7 since opening last year without the required streetery license. At times, it has also obstructed the sidewalk with outdoor seating that does not appear to have been properly permitted.
Most concerning, the owner has publicly stated that the business has the required licenses, while available city records contradict those representations. That raises serious questions about transparency and accountability, particularly when the business is serving food to the public.
After I began raising questions about these issues, I also experienced repeated hostile interactions with the owners, including being called a "loser" and a "racist" on multiple occasions on various platforms including my social media, and Joey Lessler contacting my employer. Over literally warning people where they're spending money didn't bother to apply for any of the necessary licenses to run a restaurant in Philadelphia for almost a year.
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The 100+ inorganic reviews on opening day and a trickle since have soured the place for me originally, but thought I'd stop by and give the place a try.
The prices are more reasonable than Shackamaxon, but pricier than Vince's. As someone who grew up in Brooklyn and has eaten several times their body weight in pizza, here's my honest take on the flavor.
The slice has good weight and a proper New York-style size. Carriage is solid, with enough structure to hold up without flopping over, it doesn't shatter like a cracker. There's a nice crunch and it feels almost complete.
That said, the standard slice was noticeably too salty, and it wasn't just from the Parmesan sprinkled on top. The cheese was slightly burnt and lacked much chew or that stretch you'd expect from mozz right out of the oven. There's more work needed to improve on flavor. I'd return in a few months to see how things improved, and maybe sooner if I was in a pinch for pizza, but otherwise I'm ordering from the veterans in the area for now.
In response to owner: "Maybe it's a little salty from all of the garlic salt and oregano you poured on it. If you'd like I'm happy to give you a free slice. Just come by and mention this. Thanks"
Garlic powder and oregano aren't salty, nor did I "pour" it. The saltiness was coming from the slice itself. I would suggest you listen to your customers and not pay them off with food if you want to run a successful business. I was offering straightforward feedback, not looking for a free slice, but I appreciate the response. read more