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Lil' Frankie's, New York, NY

Lil' Frankie's

4.6
4.6
833 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian

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2 people
19:00
Booked 22 times today
  • Charming
  • Lively
  • Neighbourhood gem
Italy's neighorhood pizzeria's are known as really casual places to hang out, meet friends, eat, drink and talk. Lil' Frankie's is just that. We offer real Neapolitan pizza, made exactly as it's made in Naples, fresh handmade pastas cooked to order, a wine and grappa list that rivals any in the city, and friendly (never pushy) service - all in a setting designed to make you feel at home.

Our brick, wood burning, oven was handcrafted by a 3rd generation Neapolitan oven builder, brick by brick. It features real lava from Vesuvio and through a unique double dome design, recycles heat to reach near 900 degrees.

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Pizzeria
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu 16:00–02:00 Fri, Sat 11:00–04:00 Sun 11:00–02:00
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment Options
    Cash Only
  • Executive Chef
    Frank Prisinzano

What 833 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Lil' Frankie's is an East Village gem, celebrated for its "fantastic every time" authentic Italian cuisine, especially the outstanding Spaghetti Limone. The vibrant atmosphere and "great vibe" make it a favorite among locals and visitors alike. While service can vary, the food's "amazing" flavor and generous portions shine.

833 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner VIP

    New York City2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food always Slaps(in a good way) been 10 times for the year already and every time it’s always consistent

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  2. Stacey

    Los Angeles3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 4 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always great at Lil' Frankies! Food and drinks were excellent.

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  3. Karen

    Portland9 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 2 March 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    I wanted to love Frankie's because one of our dinner guests said it was their favorite place. They were smart and ordered the Spaghetti Limone, which was fantastic. Their variety of vegetarian dishes was great, which was appreciated. The fried zucchini was light and delicious, not greasy. The bread with the meal had the correct texture but no flavor. We shared a Pizza Funghi and it was good, but not super good. I put the broccoli we'd ordered on top of my slice to give it a little more flavor. I wished I'd just stuck with the broccoli and the pizza. I bet the Heirloom Tomato salad would be good with the pizza. But why do I need to figure out how to give the food more flavor? One dinner guest ordered a Rigatoni Polpettine Ragu and he couldn't finish. Not because it was so large, but because the flavor was bad, like a jarred sauce. This guy eats a lot so, I knew right away that he didn't like it. My gnocchi was just so-so, maybe I was expecting too much. I also barely touched it. The server didn't ask if we liked the food, even though none of us finished and two of us barely touched it. They were very busy and the service was good-enough for that kind of place on a Sunday night, but it was clear they didn't care too much. Weirdly, I ordered grappa and it was $4 more on the check than it was on the menu. I chalked it up to maybe being a different brand, but then they should change the price on the menu. We shared a Panna Cotta for dessert and thoroughly enjoyed it. With all of the great Italian places to eat in the LES, I'll try another place next time.

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 27 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My second time eating at Lil Frankie's and it was just as good as the first. The service was excellent and accommodating. The pizza was fresh, hot & delicious. The menu had just enough to keep it interesting. We also had the burro alici app on their homemade bread, which was a treat. Cant wait to back!

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  5. Peter

    Greater Boston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 17 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We come here every year when we’re in NYC. Service and food are both outstanding!!

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  6. Kelly

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing food, would definitely love to go back. Super great first experience

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  7. Elizabeth

    New York City3 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 9 February 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    I found their prices very high considering it's location on lower East side, strict cash policy and lack of signage for the restaurant. Deserts were all overpriced as were some of its appetizers. For $8 they gave you a slice of garlic bread! For $20 a Sunday.

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  8. nina VIP

    New York City12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 9 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    lovely place to enjoy yummy food! great service and just fun

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  9. cristina

    Chicago4 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 2 February 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Was really excited to try the pasta al limone but I don’t know if I got a bad batch or it was underwhelming, for big groups the give you a very large table you have to yell across.

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  10. Randy

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 1 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was terrific, and the service was good and attentive. Right in the middle of the city is a beautiful spot as well.

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FAQs

Lil' Frankie's offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (212) 420-4900.

Lil' Frankie's is rated 4.6 stars by 833 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 22 times today
Google Map for Lil' Frankie's

19 First Avenue, New York, NY 10003

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Pizzeria
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu 16:00–02:00 Fri, Sat 11:00–04:00 Sun 11:00–02:00
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment Options
    Cash Only
  • Executive Chef
    Frank Prisinzano
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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