Let's start with the good. These are probably the best slices in the East Village, a neighborhood that hasn't been known for spectacular pizza. Sauce is on the tangier side, crust and cheese are excellent quality. There's just no contest between this place and Cello's or Andrea's, which I'd say are the two next-best options in the EV. Fantastic stuff.
And then... there's kinda everything else about the place. The generic deli-style signage, where the Paulie Gee name is made so small that you wouldn't even know that's what this place was unless you recognized the dude in the graphic. The sidewalk sign and business cards were clearly made with AI... you'd think that a business as well-known as this one wouldn't sign off on that, but who knows what leeway is given to franchisees. They have some operational issues, too. Front door was still locked several minutes after opening time. There seemed to be only two people working there, and by 11:45, the only slices available were cheese and pepperoni. Gotta do better for the lunch crowd. And where's the grated cheese? None on the tables, none in any communal area. Maybe just a slip-up, but I've seen too many pizzerias cheaping out on that particular amenity. Lastly, they're about as far from the subway as you can get in the EV and I imagine that affects their foot traffic. Everyone deserves good pizza, of course, but... man. Moving a couple of blocks west would help a great deal, I think.
For sheer quality of product, they've got it. The EV needs this. They're just not all the way there yet. read more