Smiling Pizzeria

Best way to describe this is football pizza - wouldn’t necessarily call it thin compared to the typical Brooklyn slice but there’s a decent crisp to it. A prominent amount of grease, though. I liked the flavor combination of the sauce and cheese.

SMART

No website, no social media, no hype surrounding this joint…just pretty simple & standard reliable Brooklyn football pizza. By BK standards, this is the equivalent of Anytown, USA pizza, circular & traditional, somewhat average for NYC. The dough is relatively soft, of medium thickness with a firmish undercarriage, not much flop, minimally charred, neither crispy nor particularly crunchy, aside from the moderate crunch in the crust. While the flavor of the dough is above average, it’s pretty typical-tasting of Brooklyn/NYC pizza. Despite a creamy consistency, the cheese is a fairly generic shredded mozzarella blend, melted well but rather basic-tasting with a slightly salty tinge from the excess oil stalking the surface. The ratio of cheese to sauce is a bit off, with the mozz a tad heavier than the modestly light sauce. A combination of watered down tomato paste & greasy saltiness, the sauce lacks sweetness & seasoning yielding to a more subtly savory flavor. Thickening the sauce would help this pie a great deal, as well as adding some garlic powder or grated Parmesan to bolster the taste. All in all, this is very serviceable, workman-like pizza, plain & pedestrian by most Brooklyn standards but barely above average & filling. While not remotely travel-worthy, this is very solid & even-keeled everyday BK football pizza that will satisfy your hunger & scratch your pizza itch.

Just felt like your average New York slice, nothing particularly yummy about it. Like if I was at a party and this was the pizza I’d just be content. It’s just pizza.

Good NY pizza, crunchy just needs a lil more flavor

This pizza has good taste and flavor. Also, it is crispy on the bottom but not burnt.

Smiling always delivers . Very consistent solid good pizza . Neighborhood spot with so many options this is always a goto when I need pies delivered and guests are always impressed.

Best bite of my life! Dave needs to review this one!

Too crisp/pizza tasted like charcoal a little bit. Super nice guys though.

Grandmas an 8.1, no flop

Not good Frankie

B+++

Decent slice

Served in 2-3 minutes very hot. Medium flop, good quality mozzarella. The crust is the best part of the slice, it has excellent taste and texture. The sauce is decent with zero tang or salt. There is no trace of salt anywhere on / in / around this slice. If the sauce was seasoned properly and the mozzarella was a little better quality this could be in the mid to high 7.0’s. This is a traditional old school slice that is a little smaller than you would expect, but, it packs a good punch!!

This pizza has so much potential but they have air of work to get there. The slice is heavy on the cheese and on top of that it’s greasy not a good look. The undercarriage is nice and well done, but then no love to the crust which I don’t understand how that happens. The sauce is bland as well. Really want to give a better score if they get their act together one day.