Grimaldi's Under the Brooklyn Bridge.....Worth the Hype?

In my opinion....nope!  Don't get me wrong, while Grimaldi's pizza is a pretty solid pizza, it really is not worth the trouble to get there and get a pie.  First, it's a bit hard to find parking around the area right under the Brooklyn Bridge.  There's also no subway stops close by.  I actually needed to be in Chinatown, and like many tourists, walked over the Brooklyn Bridge.  When we got there it had just opened and there was no line yet.  Tip:  If you're going to go there for lunch make sure you go before noon to get a table!  We went on a Wednesday and at 11:45 were able to get right in.  The lines can get crazy even on weekdays.

The great thing about the pizza is the price.  The base price for a large cheese is fairly reasonable at $14.  The way it works is that you can pick a topping for $2 to $3 each.  We picked fresh garlic, sausage, and fresh basil.

The cheese and tomato sauce were both pretty good and so was the crust, though I wish it were a bit thinner.  The fresh garlic and basil was a great combo for the pizza.  The toppings they offer tend on lean on the traditional side, such as mushrooms, olives, pepperoni, onions, etc etc.

Here's a shot of the whole pie....

Grimaldi's is a very traditional pizzeria and even has a very old school pizzeria feel, including the furniture and decor, but for a city that prides itself on pizza, Grimaldi's is hardly the best, but not the disappointment that Lombardi's (the oldest pizzeria in NYC) was.   It's a bit more of a tourist than foodie destination.

Grimaldi's  
19 Old Fulton St
(718) 858-4300

Brooklyn, NY 11201