Enzo's - Brooklyn, NY - Family Fare

Enzo's Pizzeria and Restaurant

Brooklyn, NY

Dinner

December 26, 2009


The Set-Up - We went to this casual Italian restaurant with our son and his family during our East Coast trip during the summer of 2008. I remembered it as one of my favorites and suggested a return on our recent Christmas visit. A bonus - on a cold, rainy day we rode the subway from Penn Station to within a few feet of the restaurant's front door on Prospect Park Ave. in Brooklyn.

The Meal - Most of Enzo's food is served "family style". Fried calimari and got us started. Our granddaughters love this offering, which you don't see much on the Gulf Coast. We also shared a large salad that was pretty tasty. As an entree, we got a family portion of chicken and pasta dish with a creamy red sauce. The granddaughters split a pizza, which they ate almost none of after filling up on calimari. I added a single order of meat ravioli, which wasn't as good as the chicken dish. My daughter-in-law probably ordered a vegetarian dish, but I don't remember specifics.

Ambience - Enzo's is about what you'd expect for a place that calls itself first a pizzeria and then a restaurant. Nothing fancy. Last summer we sat on the back patio, which seemed more special.

The Check - We fed seven (five adults and two children) for about $125. We paid cash so I don't have an exact amount.


The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - four (ravioli pretty ordinary; calimari pulls the average up)

Drinks - three (beer and wine only; Kay enjoyed her chianti)

Ambience - three (brick walls, familyesque)

Service - four (good, but not special)

Price/Value - four (efficient ordering would help; we probably bought more food than we needed)


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking

My summer 2008 experience was better, but Enzo's is still a good choice for families with small children and large groups who can share the family-sized portions.

Other Issues - This is a relatively new location for Enzo's, whose main restaurant is elsewhere (King's Highway) in Brooklyn.

Enzo's does not accept credit cards.


Travel Tip - The New York Metro's F-train's Prospect Park station is almost at Enzo's door.

217 Prospect Park West
(between 16th St & Windsor Pl)
Brooklyn, NY 11215
(718) 499-3150