This slice joint up by Times Square and Hell’s Kitchen serves up some solid NY style pizza. First, check out the Ride & Review HERE:
I really enjoyed both slices that I tried, and I’ll definitely be back for more. Their “any two slices for $6” lunch deal is pretty great, considering that no slice is off the table. Go big!
ZILLIONS
360 W 42nd St
New York, NY 10036
My wife and I came here as guests of the restaurant. They just opened last week, and they’re the same ownership team behind Atto Prime and Tudor City Steakhouse. Check out my Ride & Review video first, then read on.
Flavor: 9
We had the porterhouse for two. It was pretty great. Excellent crust, perfectly overcooked, and it was very tender. It was a bit mild on the dry aged flavor, and that’s why I took a point.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 9
There’s a good selection of prime cuts here all day long, and everything is aged in-house.
Portion Size & Plating: 8
The plating here is 100% standard steakhouse style, and the portions are all big enough to share when it comes to sides, and most apps and desserts.
Price: 8
Prices have gone up significantly lately in the city, especially for beef. But this place is keeping it pretty friendly compared to others I’ve seen in the area that have really jacked up their prices. A steak for two is still under $120, and most single cuts are under $60.
Bar: 7
The bar here is beautiful, but they only serve wine and wine style cocktails, as they are still waiting for their liquor license.
Specials and Other Meats: 9
There were no real specials read to us, but they did have lamb, chicken, and this absolutely delicious, tender and mild “Serious NY Veal Chop” on the menu. We loved it – 9/10.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 8
Excellent oysters Rockefeller, creamed spinach and truffle creamed corn. I highly recommend all of these.
For the desserts, I say stick with the creme brulee. The others were good, but not up to par with that one. The cheesecake was a close second, but it ate a slight bit salty. Great creamy texture though.
Seafood Selection: 8
Based on what I had (the oysters) this place is legit for seafood. I’d have to go back and try more to really level this section up though.
Service: 10
Service is impeccable here. Nobody does it quite like these lifelong steakhouse and restaurant industry professionals. Great focaccia and toasty table bread too.
Ambiance: 7
They definitely made the best of this narrow space, which, I think, used to be a sort of mini-market, perhaps Japanese. It looked familiar to my wife and I when we were there. Great job on the renovation, and I think the outdoor seating area is going to be awesome.
I can’t wait to go back and try more steaks!
BENNY JOHN’S BAR & GRILL
8 E 48th St
New York, NY 10017
The PR company that helps promote this restaurant invited me in for a free meal in exchange for some social media posts. I brought a couple of other friends from the Instagram food world and we gave it a shot.
Flavor: 9
We had three steaks here. First was the tremendous cote de boeuf, which was roughly 28oz on the bone, meant to be shared among two diners.
This comes out sliced with a hotel herb butter on top. Great presentation.
While this wasn’t dry aged and left a little bit to be desired in terms of texture, it was quite tasty, juicy and nicely cooked. 8/10.
Next up was the dry-aged strip steak.
What this lacked in crust and thickness, it made up for in flavor. The age definitely came through. 8/10.
A delicious crust on this chateaubriand filet mignon for two at 20oz for under $100. 9/10.
Finally, we tried the hanger steak.
This was the winner of the three, especially when eaten with the peppercorn cream sauce. It had a great hard crusty sear on the outside, it was cooked to a perfect medium rare on the inside, and it was properly sliced against the bias. 9/10.
I should also discuss the “Burger Francaise” here, which was a stellar dry aged patty cooked to a nice juicy rare, topped with gruyere, stone ground mustard, crispy fried shallots and gherkins, on a freshly made brioche bun. GO GET THIS!!! It’s a 10, and it was probably the best item of the night.
Their French Dip sandwich, offered at lunch, is killer. While a bit pricey at $34, you will definitely leave there very satisfied.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 8
There’s a lot to choose from here, including some large format items meant for sharing like the chateaubriand. All the meats come from the great folks over at Pino’s Prime Meat Market.
Portion Size & Plating: 8
This place came through with good sized portions. The hanger, for a lighter appetite, is 9oz. The strip is 16oz on the bone, but it felt more like 12 or 14. The larger format steaks for two are just under the 30oz mark. Slightly light, but maybe fine for many diners. The presentation is nice, French and simple.
Price: 9
The pricing here is very fair. $35 for the hanger, $65 for the strip and $88 for the rib eye that’s meant for two people. I like that.
Bar: 8
The bar here is nice, and it was crowded while we were there, even on a nasty weather night. It can get a little cramped since there are high tops close to the back of the bar seats, as well as a row of tables behind the high tops, making for some narrow passing. Otherwise, nice cocktails and great beer and wine selections.
Specials and Other Meats: 9
There were no real specials read to us, but they do offer a rotisserie chicken that I’d like to try next time I go. At the bar, they’re offering 12 duck confit sandwiches per night (until it graces the lunch menu permanently. This was an easy 10/10. Absolutely insane! It’s cooked in duck fat at 165F for 24hrs.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 8
We started with steak tartare, escargots, foie gras terrine and duck pate. All of these were great, but to me what stood out the most was the escargots. They were different than what’s typically presented at other French bistros. I liked that they came in a bowl/tray and had chunks of French bread already soaked in the delicious puddle of herb butter/sauce in there. The fries are also outstanding here, and they pretty much come with every meat item.
The green beans were good (not pictured), but we mainly ordered them just to have some green shit on the table.
On a second trip I tried the frisee lardon salad, which was stellar!
The Paris Brest is nice as well, with hazelnut.
The brest was swapped out recently for the eclair. Similar flavors.
The chocolate mousse was very nice too.
Also really loved this almondy, grapey, blueberryey baked thing called a claufutis.
Seafood Selection: 8
I didn’t try any seafood here, so can’t really rate it. But I think they would do a great job on the mussels given how well they prepared the escargots. I always felt they were similar, in many ways
UPDATE – I tried these large, plump and juicy mussels. They were really nice! Ask for extra baguette to dip.
Oysters also delicious.
Service: 10
Impeccable service here, and the bread game is on point! Just ask for extra butter.
Ambiance: 9
The location of this place may seem odd to some, but I always thought the area had a unique flare to it. Inside, they did a great job with the decidedly “French bistro” space they have, minus one point for the narrow passing areas that I noted in the bar section. I’ll definitely be back!
Side note: Brunch is pretty great here on weekends. Quiche Lorraine, Moroccan Baked Eggs, and Croque Madame – all top notch.
STEAK FRITES BISTRO
496 9th Avenue
New York, NY 10018
Tucked away in a Chinatown alley near the back of NYC’s Civic Center is a little hole-in-the-wall dumpling spot that’s simply called “Fried Dumpling.” I discovered this place while frequenting joints like Wo Hop and Peking Duck House during law school, in the very early 2000’s.
I’ve been coming here for over two decades now, and although my visits are infrequent, every time I go it hits the spot. They aren’t the best dumplings you’ll eat – the dough is a little thick, and the fried crust is inconsistent – but for $5 you get about a dozen, and they’re pretty damn tasty for the price. You can choose steamed or fried. I always go with fried, because they seem to have more flavor from the griddle/flat top. A squirt of sri racha and a shake of vinegar dumpling sauce and you’re all set.
Just a note: There’s no place to sit here. It’s really just for either standing at the small shelf along the side wall, or taking your plastic clamshell to go.
My wife and I used to buy the bags of frozen dumplings they offer, so we could cook them at home ourselves. This place is a gem.
My last visit was during a @NYCZoozClub food crawl. Check out the video below if you’re interested. And use code JOHNNYPRIME for $150 off your Zooz bike at www.zoozbikes.com.
FRIED DUMPLING
106 Mosco Street
New York, NY 10013
A friend of mine asked me about Emilio’s Ballato the other day, and I realized I should probably have a list of “old school” style, red sauce -heavy, Italian comfort food spots in the city. Especially given how we lost some great ones due to COVID-19, like Forlini and Crispo.
I should note, I’m largely ignoring the panoply of mediocre tourist trap restaurants in Little Italy. Yes, there are some old classics there, but the one’s listed below are in another league, in my opinion.
So here we go. These are my favorites, in no particular order.
This celebrity magnet of a restaurant is one of the best spots to score some old school, red sauce, New York Italian food. Aside from their awesome pastas, they also put serious work into their parms and antipasti. Pictured below is the spicy vodka sauce, prosciutto and peas -topped bone-in veal parm, which is commonly offered as a special and even called an “off menu” item to those in the know.
2. CARBONE
A list of old school Italian joints wouldn’t be complete without a nod to Carbone. When you walk in this joint, you feel like you might witness a mob hit! Not in a scary way – because you feel like family when you’re here (take THAT Olive Garden!) – but in a cinematic way. Everything just looks the part, from the black and white tiled floors to the decor on the walls. This place is special, and my favorite items here are the trio of baked clams and their famous spicy rigatoni alla vodka.
3. SANDRO’S
We almost lost this joint to COVID-19. It closed, and everyone was pissed off and upset. But they re-opened in a new location, and I’m so psyched to get back in there to try everything. This joint slings some of the best pasta I’ve had, and all of the good the Italian chefs in town know that this is the place to go when you want a delicious, comforting meal outside of your own kitchen.
4. SAN MATTEO
Right up there in the same neighborhood as Sandro’s is San Matteo, a noted two-time NYCWFF Burger Bash winner, of all things. While primarily organized as a Neapolitan style pizza joint, San Matteo actually serves up some of the most crave-worthy Italian food that I can think of. I regularly need my fix of this place. Everything from their apps to their aged steaks are fantastic. Pizza should be your snack when you go here. Save room for the mains, like their pork milanese!
Relative newcomer to the “old school” scene is Brooklyn Roots. This place is the only spot I picked that’s outside of Manhattan. I know I’ll get some shit for that, since there are lots of amazing places out in Queens and Brooklyn that garner a lot of love for this cuisine. But Chef Tommy is really dialed into the food that I grew up eating. Check out his “Matty Guns” pasta dish. It’s basically a baked red sauce and mozz rigatoni dish that has every kind of meat you can imagine. Incredible portion sizes and wildly affordable prices can be found here. You can’t beat it.
Another new “old school” style joint is Arthur & Sons. This place is red sauce to the core, and it has quickly become one of the hardest places to score a table. Everything with red in it is a hit here. The Parms, the meatballs, the subs, the pasta sauce… They even use cans of tomatoes as planters in the dining room. This is definitely the place to carb-load before a big competitive sporting event.
7. DON ANGIE
This joint is the only Italian restaurant to actually inspire me to go home and cook one of their recipes. Their “Broken Meatball Ragu” is absolute perfection, and it reminds me of Sunday visits to my grandparents’ house when I was a kid. I immediately went home and made it myself the following weekend. They use giant garganelli pasta for the dish, the perfect big floppy noodle for sopping up massive amounts of sauce. Also noteworthy here is the chrysanthemum salad and the lasagna, pictured below.
This place was famously known as the home of $9 Monday night pasta dishes. I’m sure the price has gone up since I enjoyed that special, but it would be worth every penny even at double the price. This place is part of the Altamarea restaurant group (Marea, Ai Fiore, etc.), but it is markedly obvious that it is meant to be their rustic, home cooking style restaurant. They do great burgers and aged steaks here as well.
9. IL CORSO
My friend turned me on to this place just recently. I was blown away to learn that his wife’s cousin owns the joint. They’re from Capri. Let me just tell you: Their lemon cream pistachio paccheri is probably one of the best pasta dishes in town. It’s an absolutely delicious combination of flavors. I could eat this every day, with a side of their fried zucchini and fried castelvetrano olives.
10. IL TINELLO
The owners behind Tuscany Steakhouse also own Il Tinello, which recently just opened a second location on the east side. The move here is to get the trio of pastas as a sampler dish, of sorts. We ordered it as an appetizer because I needed to try some of the meat-focused items from the mains menu. They do a really nice veal rib chop here, if you feel like eating something more meaty.
That’s all I’ve got for you right now. Maybe I’ll update this if I ever get out to those old and somewhat infamous joints in Queens and Brooklyn. But other notable mentions here for old school style Italian food would be Isle of Capri, Becco, Patsy’s, Scarpetta, Marc Forgione, Ornella Trattoria and Parm.
Oh yeah – and it’s always SAUCE. Gravy is BROWN!
I finally got down to Charleston, SC, and, of course, a top priority was to check out Hall’s Chophouse. I went down to visit a law school friend with some other guys from law school, so we went big here!
Also: quick caveat – I think the score for this place would climb with multiple visits. I’d need to get back and try more meats and some seafood, but I can see this place getting in the 95-point range.
Flavor: 9
We tried three cuts: the porterhouse, the tomahawk, and the prime rib. All were excellent, but I think the prime rib took the victory.
The prime rib was a 10/10. It’s wet aged, but rubbed with a Montreal seasoning that really added a ton of flavor.
Both the tomahawk and porterhouse are dry-aged a minimum of 45 days after two weeks of wet aging. These packed a lot of funk, both 9/10.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 10
There’s a great selection of dry-aged beef from Allen Brothers in Chicago. Everything is aged off site, first wet-aged and then dry-aged for 45-days (except for the prime rib – that’s just wet-aged). All prime, and all delicious.
Portion Size & Plating: 9
The meat board plating was really nice for our massive order of three steaks. Portion size is definitely on the large side, especially for sides, apps and desserts.
Price: 8
Don’t expect a cheaper bill just because you’re outside of the NYC insanity! Beef prices have gone up lately, and top notch quality like Allen Brothers being shipped from Chicago to Charleston means you’ll be paying a premium. That said, I thought the prices were all kinda fair, with the exception of the martinis at $26ea.
Bar: 9
The bar here a great spot to hang out. My buddy is there all the time, and I would be too.
My martini was great (blue cheese olives) despite being pricey.
Specials and Other Meats: 8
There were some specials off the menu that all sounded delightful. They have quail and duck for non-beef meat items. One stand out was the bison filet, which you can see here in this short video at the beginning (the very dark colored lean cut, top right). We didn’t try it, but I’m sure it was good.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 9
We started with the bacon; really nice. The tomato on top was a nice twist on this.
The tartare was slightly over worked but it was still really delicious. The table was impressed!
We split a burger for our appetizer, which was really delicious. It reminded me of Peter Luger and Red Hook Tavern – a distinct dry aged flavor that eats more like a steak than a burger. It’s definitely a top five steakhouse style burger for me.
The sautéed spinach was a nice light side.
Loaded mashed potatoes – of course.
These fried okra were a fun change up for side dishes as well.
For dessert we tried the skillet cookie, the lemon cheesecake, and the whisky bread pudding. All were awesome, but the bread pudding was my favorite.
Seafood Selection: 8
I gotta be honest – I didn’t even bother looking at the selections. But the she crab soup that we tried in between courses was fantastic. If you have room, get it!
Service: 10
Service was amazing here. You really can’t beat it. The staff knew everything there was to know about the meat when I pried them, too. Our waiter even asked if we’d prefer a chuck side or loin side cut of prime rib, which I don’t think I have ever experienced before. I was impressed (and of course I went with chuck side).
Table bread was warm and toasty, with a great whipped butter. You know I always have to mention it!
Ambiance: 10
Great spot. There is live music in the main bar room, which is more lively and loud, while the side rooms and upstairs are a bit more private and cozy.
While walking around, I saw Walter Goggins and Danny McBride having a meal, so I sent them a bottle of wine and had the pleasure of chatting with them for a bit. If you don’t know the names, they are the headliners for great shows like Eastbound and Down, Justified and The Righteous Gemstones.
Oh yeah – nice little Michters bottle in the bathroom filled with mouth wash.
This place is the real deal, and if you plucked it out of SC and dropped it into NYC, it would still be a wild success and I’d rank it among the heavy hitting stars here, easily. I can’t wait to go back.
HALL’S CHOPHOUSE
434 King St
Charleston, SC 29403
If you’d rather WATCH this review, check out my ride and review video. If you’d rather read it, then continue below.
That bike makes the city so small. I can get everywhere so fast now. If you’re interested in one for yourself, use my coupon code JOHNNYPRIME for $150 off at www.zoozbikes.com.
I tried two slices here, pepperoni and Sicilian.
The regular pepperoni slice was good. Great crust. The sauce was a little sweet so I was happy to have the pepperoni on there to balance it out with some spice.
The Sicilian was incredible. I highly recommend this. It has a homemade flavor to it, but with pro-quality amazing dough. Light. Airy. Crisp. PERFECT.
I’m usually not a fan of Sicilian because it can get heavy. But I can easily eat a bunch of slices of Fini’s Sicilian. Look at this:
I’ll definitely be back to try some more pies.
FINI PIZZA
305 Bedford Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
I stopped in here with some of the guys from the Zooz electric bike club (for $150 off your bike, use code JOHNNYPRIME at www.zoozbikes.com).
We sat outside, but then it started pouring, so we went inside. The place was nice enough to let us put our bikes into their covered outdoor seating area to stay dry.
Anyway, I tried their burger. I wasn’t crazy about the pickled cabbage on it, but the rest was great. The waffle fries were perfectly crispy with a good spice seasoning on it, like Old Bay/cajun. The egg is unnecessary, but it didn’t make it sloppy or anything. Good crispy bacon, which I broke up a little bit for neater coverage.
I would definitely eat here again if I was in the area. The service was excellent, and the menu was unique. In particular, I’d like to try their pho and banh mi sandwich.
CARLA
2503 40th Ave
Queens, NY 11101
Maple & Ash came recommended by a friend. First thing I saw when I looked at the menu online was an order called “I don’t give a fuck.” For $200 a head, they give you what they want. I thought that was funny, so I was sold on trying this place out.
Flavor: 7
We had the aged porterhouse, called “The Eisenhower.” I didn’t really get much aged flavor from it, and the thing was basically swimming in juices (likely cut too soon after cooking), but it was in fact tasty and tender. It was cooked slightly over in some parts, and slightly under in others.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 10
There’s a lot to choose from here, including, again, items from Japan and various parts of the country.
Portion Size & Plating: 8
The portions here are big, on everything from the steaks to the sides and sweets. They go a little extra here on plating – beyond the usual white plate elegance. The marrow served with the steak is nice; kinda reminded me of stuffed clams (breadcrumbs mixed in).
Price: 6
Another Chicago slam job on the price. I don’t think NYC has gotten there yet. A steak for two here was $225, over $100 a head. That’s insanity!
Bar: 8
The bar(s) here are a little too small for the size and type of crowd that this joint attracts (bros and hoes). They mixed a decent martini though, and the bars were nicely appointed.
Specials and Other Meats: 10
There were no specials read to us, but I didn’t expect much from a place with such an extensive menu. We did try their veal chop as an appetizer. This was much better than the porterhouse for two.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 7
The broccolini was in fact broccoli rabe. Let down. It was also mushy and chopped up into oblivion.
The coconut cream pie was excellent, and the size and shape of the slice was a sight to behold.
Seafood Selection: 8
There’s a lot of seafood on the menu, but we only tried the octopus appetizer. It was okay, but a slight bit snappy and chewy in texture.
Service: 9
Service was very good. Nice waiter, and they seemed to know their meats very well.
Ambiance: 8
I really can’t decide if I want to give this place a 10, or something like a 6, so I’m splitting the difference. I like the idea of a gothic looking steakhouse. They have these wild candlesticks all over the place. The rooms are dark and dim, but loud as fuck from a young crowd. It’s kind of a strange juxtaposition. And then they also have modern touches throughout, which kind of clashes with the gothic stuff. Interesting, to say the least. Since the place is multi-level, at times it seems cramped and small. But they did make the best use of their space.
MAPLE & ASH
8 W Maple St
Chicago, IL 60610
For our second steakhouse visit on our second Chicago visit, we hit RPM Steak. I had heard great things about this place, so it was time to try it out.
Flavor: 7
We had the aged strip steak. It was pretty average. The crust was a little lacking, but peppery at least. The aged flavor was mild.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 10
There’s a massive selection of cuts here, including many from Japan as well as both aged and fresh items. There’s even some cross breed/domestic wagyu items to try.
Portion Size & Plating: 8
The plating for the apps was nice, but the steak plating was average. My steak came with a cherry pepper and a spring or parsley for some reason. I arranged the slices like this to make it look nicer.
The portion sizes were okay, but a little on the pricey end for single order steaks.
Price: 6
Another $100 steak for one, this time even smaller at around 18oz. Woof. I know prices are going up, but this is getting nuts!
Bar: 9
The bar here is really nice, with great signature cocktails. I would have much rather eaten here than at the tables. There’s also a hidden shoe above the lights. Some fashion designer or model hid a shoe or article of clothing in each of the RPM restaurants, or something. My wife saw it up there so we asked the bartender what was up. You can just about see the red heel peeking out on top of one of the light fixtures here (top left):
Specials and Other Meats: 9
There was a domestic wagyu prime rib special here when we ate, which I should have gotten instead of the strip. Or in addition. Oh well. And there are several other items of non-beef variety to choose from, including lamb and chicken.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 8
Oysters. Hamachi. Hen of the woods mushrooms. All fairly good. We skipped dessert, as this was our second steakhouse meal of the night.
Seafood Selection: 8
There’s lots of “sea steak” on the menu here, but we didn’t get to try it. Given the quality of the apps, I would say that seafood is a good choice here.
Service: 9
Service was excellent. Not sure why, but we arrived 15 minutes early to a mostly empty restaurant and they didn’t seat us until 15 minutes after our reservation time. I took a point for that.
Ambiance: 7
I know they went all out here in terms of modern fanciness, but it just felt too corporate. Coming here just a couple of hours after seeing Bavette’s, we were a little let down.
RPM STEAK
66 W Kinzie St
Chicago, IL 60654
