Lee’s Tavern

Best pizza on Staten Island, hands down. The pizza gets an easy 5 stars, however, the place as a whole would not receive the same rating. That said, the service deserves 2-​stars (I’m talking specifically about table service, not bar service), at best. Waitstaff is inattentive, doesn’t give menus unless you ask (as if I’m supposed to have it memorized), after food comes out, they never return, and god forbid you ask for something — the look on their faces says it all. I hate feeling like asking for a refill or a side of sauce just ruined my waitress’s life.

Lees is legendary. Pizza and down home foods and a great on tap beer selection. It’s a SI institution and worth the trip or the wait if need be. Part of the charm of lees is the no nonsense food and atmosphere. Try the pizza — any one of them and have a seat at the bar. It’s authentic NY

It’s ok. Just ok. It’s certainly doesn’t live up to the hype. They service is slow. My chicken salad didn’t have any chicken and the calamari was rubbery. I’d eat there again if I was in the area and starving, but, otherwise, I’d find someplace else.

I love Lee’s. I’m pretty picky with the way I like my pizza but this place never lets me down. Not too saucy or cheesy. Clean tasting and it doesn’t leave you feeling 9 months pregnant after you finish! Yes it does get busy but grab a drink and wait because it’s well worth the wait!

Pizza is decent. Really thin like a cracker. Definitely need a pie and some apps to fill you up. For thin pizza I prefer Joe’s & Pat’s on victory Blvd. Denino’s still remains my fav on the island. Tried the garlic bread which was so so. Nothing amazing. Also tried the buffalo calamari. If your a fan of buffalo wings and blue cheese than order this. Wish I ordered the regular calamari instead.

Bar pies, plain old pizza served in a bar, Staten islanders, mostly Irish alcoholics swear by it, but they are so drunk they think card board with ragu and cheddar cheese is haute cuisine.

This is not your regular pizza place. Very home-​y feeling place. Really enjoyed. Service not great, but the food makes up for it. Nice selection of beers also.

Clam pie!!! Great pizza! Cash money business

One of my favorite places to go for lunch or dinner. One of the best places for pizza. Amazing!!! Its a very small place but if youre here for a date or a girls lunch its a great place. Its usually packed during dinner time so expect a wait time.

Go for the thin crust pizza. Stay to eat the pizza. Leave. One server* (do not recall who but let me not say all, I have had very nice ones too) has an attitude but what else do you expect from a Staten Island pizzeria/​bar? Staten Islanders can be sassy. I didn’t love the wait… and there’s usually a wait… but it is a worthwhile one. I love the white clam pie, recommended highly. Oh, and bring cash.

Pizza isn’t bad if you like wafer thin pizza, tastes pretty good but you need a whole pie to fill you up. As for ambiance, if you like dining in a bar that hasn’t been updated since the mid 1950’s, then you’ll love the place.

I’ve gone to Lees now probably 9x. The pizza is AMAZING. Regardless of how busy the wait staff is they down right kill Deninos by a mile. (Those women are nasty, usually haggard and middle aged, and could careless if they give good service because of it’s name) The pizza is crispy, flavorful and delicious. Never a disappointment. Clam pie along with any other is a win. The calamari is perfectly cooked every time and the atmosphere although ‘bar-​ish’ is still a good time! Love love love Lees!

From the bar to the pizza it is 1 of a kind and I am lucky to be so close
When on the Island its a must
If your from the Island and havent been in move the rock your under and go!

Three & a half positive. Its hard not to love a tavern-​pizzarria, and this one is no exception. Furthermore, as is usually the case, this one is as local as local gets, favor-​wise, never did I get the impression we weren’t the only ones who hailed from the island on any of the occasions we dined here. That alone gets the place into positive review territory. The functional extra star is earned solely on the strength of the buffalo calamari, an exemplary version of the dish, and at the time of this reviews drafting, the best I have had.
Unfortunately, it is the pizza itself which keep it from the extra half stat to a true 4 star rating. I suppose this could very well serve as a personal review of Staten Islands version of a white clam pie, as by every indication the one served here is considered one of the finest of the type. If you, like me, are lucky enough to be acquainted with the white clam pies served New Haven CT, and its environs, you are probably best off avoiding this boroughs rendition altogether. While the often earth shattering pies served up north brilliantly transcribe the essence of great linguine and clams into lightly cheesed or cheesless pizza-​form, the cheese heavy and fishy tasting sloppy specimens found here seem like nothing less then Americaized sloppy messes. Furthermore, the waitresses recommendation of a chicken and hot pepper pie had as its centerpiece dried out chicken, which I more often then not find to be the case when chicken meets pizza. More traditional pizza fares better here, but I would still have to give a significant edge to boroughs old school pizza tavern legend Deninos in terms of quality overall. I will however be back, if nothing else for the buffalo calamari, and will avoid the clam pie here and most anywhere outside of CT moving forward.

This place lived up to its reputation. The calamari pie was outstanding, meatball and sausage pie also didn’t disappoint. But the star of this food show was the white clam pie. This thin crust pizza with fabulous flavors. If your not into the specialty pies you can also get originals like cheese and pepperoni. Highly recommend this place. Will come back B again and again

Lee’s was my family’s Friday night go to place for pizza night out with our friends for many, many years. We loved the pizza (thin crust, cheese first and sauce on top, well done), the fried calamari (hot sauce for me) and especially the clam pie (lots of garlic). But we really loved that it was our place, a real neighborhood joint so to speak. We felt like we owned the back room. All the kids at one table and all the parents at another. Pitchers of soda for us and pitchers of beer for them.
I’m not in SI any longer but I try to get to Lee’s when we are in the area. I bring the kids and my NJ friends to show them see what real SI pizza is all about. And I remember all the good times and all the good people and I am happy to see that it is still a family place for so many.

Best bar pizza you will ever find and delicious homemade dinners and hot hero’s too! Lee’s tavern is a must try for anyone who enjoys good food

I was soooo looking forward to trying this place out. Given one of my bucket list things findings try all the «best» rated pizzas in NY, and given this place had been consistently on al the lists, my expectations were high. We’ve tried Keste, Motorino in NYC, and Razza in JC among others. The pluses: the ambience is very casual, dive-​y, and they have a good beer selection. Also, the sauce in the pizza is pretty flavorful.
Where I was disappointed was the crust – the crust is thin and crunchy, but nothing to ride home about. It was almost a bit pie-​crusty, not in terms of taste, but thickness. I wanted a bit more thickness or chewiness.
All in all, it’s a good neighborhood/​corner bar with decent pizza. The ambience is comfy.

I have a new favorite place!
The pizza here is delicious and I love their sauce. Thin, crispy crust slices that are easy to eat (not messy). I’ve been here several times and it is always very good. The menu is basic and offers some great choices such as, garlic bread, fried calamari, and pizza (with or without toppings).
The place is casual and laid-​back. The bar is in the front as you walk in and there are two video game machines and an ATM on the left side. The tables are towards the back and to the right. I’ve always been able to get a seat here except once when I stopped in on a Saturday night (it was packed) and I didn’t feel like waiting long. You can sit anywhere you like as you walk in and every table has a fresh stack of napkins and paper plates all ready to be used. With no visible sign or address in front, this bar/​restaurant is a true hidden gem.
Lee’s is an iconic place that captures an authentic neighborhood feel with regulars who sit at the bar, photos on the wall that hold decades of memories, and generations of families who enjoy a simple meal together at the table.

There’s a soft spot in my heart for casual, no frills thin crust pizza spots that bring you pizza on a metal tray with ample amounts of paper plates and tiny napkins that you inevitably use up. After leaving New Haven, I had yet to find such a spot until I came to Staten Island. Apparently, the casual thin crust pizza spots are plentiful, but I only came to Lee’s Tavern: it did not disappoint.
My two hungry friends and I came last weekend around 2:30 so it wasn’t packed, but there was a steady stream of people coming in for late lunch. We ordered the Garlic Bread with Mozzarella and a large Everything Pizza with no anchovies. The garlic bread was fine, nothing out of the ordinary. The pizza, on the other hand, was delicious. They piled on the toppings and by the end of the meal, we were all stuffed. I definitely need to make a trip back to Staten Island soon.