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Welcome to Lil Frankie’s

Lil Frankie's, located in New York, is a charming Italian eatery known for its simple yet delicious dishes. With a cozy atmosphere and friendly staff, this restaurant offers a variety of options, including vegan and vegetarian choices. Standout dishes like the Pasta Limone and Margherita Pizza showcase top-quality ingredients and authentic flavors. The Fried Calamari and Tiramisu have been highly praised by customers, adding to the overall dining experience. While some minor issues with waiting times and seating have been noted, the exceptional food and inviting ambiance make Lil Frankie's a must-visit spot for Italian cuisine enthusiasts.

Lil Frankie’s: Reviews & Ratings

Jason p.
Jason p.

Had a great experience at Lil Frankie's. Really enjoyed the meal. Pasta Limone is simple but delicious. Pizza marinara was the same, simple but delicious. The flavor in the sauce was incredible...you didn't miss the cheese at all. Tiramisu was also good. The only item we ordered that I would not order again was the lil Frankie salad. It was a little odd, more like a sample of vegetables than a salad and the greens in the middle were not even dressed. As far as atmosphere, it's super cute and the waitress was very nice. 100 percent I will return. There are so many things we didn't order that we want to try.

Terry T.
Terry T.

We walked into Lil' Frankie's, having not been for a few years, and we are SO glad we returned. For many years, it was our go-to for weekend lunches, pizza with our friends. This particular Saturday at 7 pm, the joint was already jumping. There are various rooms at Lil' Frankie's; your experience might differ depending on where you sit. Everyone enters adjacent to the bar, which, if memory serves, is first come, first serve. Adjacent to the bar is the main dining room with seats in the hall and the back; Frank would put tables on the ceiling if he could figure out how. Through an adjacent door is the Pizza oven room with a few large booths and some other tables, and then you enter "the back," which is a long and narrow seating area with an outside patio. Don't worry; it doesn't matter where you sit; you are here for the food. We ordered a bottle of wine ASAP (Gavi, a dry Italian) and the fried calamari. It was exceptional; I might even go so far as to say the Calimari alone is worth the trip. Crisp and crunch with a soft, delicate interior is difficult to achieve with squid. The tomato sauce is tangy with just the right sweetness, and suffice it to say, a huge hit is our table. Not wanting to mess around, we filled the table. Two chicken parmigiana, a spaghetti limone and a pizza prosciutto Di Parma w/ agugala. On the side, we had the Spinach al Forno and some steamed broccoli (which was a little soggy). Otherwise, everything was exceptional, and we loved every bite. Make reservations as soon as possible and make them often. Don't forget because you will be the one who loses out.

Jordan W.
Jordan W.

Finally was able to come here. Great spot. We split the $80 bottle of borolo which was great. The meatballs were ok, we should have done them with a base as they are more of a topping than a base. The pizza and burata were great. Service was top notch. Bring cash!

Alison N.
Alison N.

This place is a must!!! So cute and the food was soooo good!! We came for the Spaghetti Limone and it didn't disappoint!! I went for to a food coma for almost finishing it. I will be back the next time I'm in New York!!!

Kati B.
Kati B.

I've ordered pickup and delivery a few times from here but finally got the chance to go in person with a small group. We ordered a bunch of things to share and nothing disappointed. This is a great place to go for a casual dinner with friends and all of the food is quite shareable. We had garlic bread, pizza, ravioli, and chicken parm. Looking forward to going back again and trying more!

Melissa R.
Melissa R.

I will start by saying- first time I didn't look at reviews because so many people have recommended this place Came here on a Saturday afternoon, it was empty, the weather was nice so we were seated outside. I guess they had just finished cleaning their covered outdoor seating area and the smell of bleach was so unbearable that we had to be seated by the entrance of the restaurant If you go here, do not sit by that red door. People were going in and out of there every 2 minutes and it just became annoying after a while and there was also a smell (Mary Jane) that would come out from the inside For the food we waited almost an hour and change. I wish the waiter could've given us that heads up because we asked for everything to come out together. But he didn't mention this after 40 min of us waiting for the plates we ordered and then atleast got us the salad. For drinks, that came out right away. I appreciated him letting me try the orange wine before settling on it. For even for their complimentary bread, we waited 30 min after the drinks Actual food: we ordered the roasted chicken, rigatoni with mini meatballs, salad and the eggplant The chicken had an amazing sauce, the chicken itself? Not seasoned too much. So we made sure to dip it into the little sauce for each bite. The pasta was amazing! The eggplant was also good, we just had to ask for their volcanic salt to give it that extra flavor. But if you're not a fan of salt, the eggplant would've been fine by itself I appreciate their wine bottle option- pay for what you drink. Never heard of that in NY so that was cool

Jennifer N.
Jennifer N.

My friend and I just arrive to New York and we were starving. The first place that came up near us was a Lil Frankie's. When we got there was pretty packed so I knew it was gonna be good. We ordered the fried calamari - probably one of the best calamari's I've ever had. We ordered the antipasto plate and it was absolutely delicious. The variety was amazing. Lastly, we ordered some pasta with broccolini - so delicious and garlicky. I'm definitely coming back here. I'm still thinking about the calamari.

Mrinalini K.
Mrinalini K.

Great drinks, great service, good food! Went here with a party of 10 and they were very accommodating. Although the table was a bit tight, it was really vibey and cozy. Menu highlights include the lemon pasta (thought this was overhyped and would not order again) and eggplant. In my opinion, their Margharita pizza, white pie, and calamari were the best things we had. A bummer that they're cash only- especially when you have such a large group.

Johnny N.
Johnny N.

After spraining my ankle pretty badly in my 10pm mens league game, my roommate and USC Basketball Hall of Famer took me to Lil Frankie's to cheer me up and ease the physical, but more importantly, the emotional pain. We were playing like someone's dog had just died right before tip off, so I tried picking up full court to give us a jolt of energy and my right ankle paid the price. We were meeting at the restaurant the next night and I got there a bit before he did because he would have beat me up if I was late. At 8pm on a Wednesday there was a 40 minute wait. When it rains, it pours smh. I texted him to tell him we should go somewhere else and he just sent back "I'll meet u there." He arrives a few minutes after and greets the hostess with his trademark ear to ear grin that would get even get Alex Pereira to crack a smile, and all of a sudden a table opens up for us outside. He's like that. The heated patio outside is super mellow and informal, reminding me of an authentic Italian dining experience. No extra razzle dazzle, just QUALITY food. Some of these Italian spots in NYC are doing waaaaaaay too much lmao. We started off with a Margherita Pizza, and split the Spaghetti Limone and the Ragu with baby meatballs. I am a sucker for a plain Margherita pizza, as I think it really shows the quality of ingredients. There's no hiding subpar ingredients in a Margherita Pizza, and this was the most authentic one I have had in NYC. The sauce was DELICIOUS. I have had so much Ragu over the past few months, that this one didn't particularly stand out but it was good. But this Spaghetti Limone though... TALK ABOUT A STANDOUT! Normally, I find Spaghetti Limone sauce to be overwhelmingly creamy, but Lil Frankies take on it really found the goldilocks scenario. We were obsessed. In contrast to the authentic aura and food of Lil Frankie's, the wait staff seemed like they weren't really interested in engaging with us. Which is fine. It's not like they were rude or anything close, but in my experience at these kinds of Italian restaurants the wait staff makes you feel like they have known you for 20+ years upon initially walking up to your table. It really is just a me problem of letting my expectations get too high for no apparent reason. After dinner, a rush of anxiety flooded to my prefrontal cortex as I heard someone a few tables over mention it was all cash. I shared this concern with big bro and he just calmly pulls out a wad of hundreds, whips one out and puts it on the table and nonchalantly looks a me and says "you ready?" I know you are inevitably wondering if I am going to close loop about my ankle, my dear reader, so I will tie it up with a nice bow. My nickname in high school was "Wolverine," because I rejuvenate so quickly. I'll be back on the hardwood next week. All in all, Lil Frankies has crept into my top 5 italian food places in NYC, with Da Andrea still holding tightly onto that #1 spot. THANK YOU LIL FRANKIE AND THANK YOU TO THE MUCH LESSER KNOWN BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT BIG FRANKIE! I'LL BE BACK SOON! IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov__

Location

Lil Frankie's is a charming Italian pizza spot located at 19 1st Ave in New York, NY. Known for its casual atmosphere and fantastic food, this restaurant offers a variety of options for diners to choose from. Some of the key features of Lil Frankie's include vegan and vegetarian options, outdoor seating, a full bar, and happy hour specials.

Having received rave reviews from customers, it's no wonder why Lil Frankie's is a popular choice for pizza lovers in the area. From pasta dishes like Spaghetti Limone to pizzas like the Margherita and Prosciutto Di Parma, the flavors at Lil Frankie's are sure to impress.

Customer favorites also include dishes like the fried calamari and the eggplant, showcasing a wide range of options for diners to enjoy. With excellent service and a cozy ambiance, Lil Frankie's is the perfect spot for a casual dinner with friends or a special night out.

So, if you're in the mood for delicious Italian cuisine and a great dining experience, be sure to check out Lil Frankie's. You won't be disappointed!