Meatball Shop...Anyone?

[smokeandapancake]

Has anyone been yet? I'd love to hear about it.

[nativeNYer]

omg. the menu is hilarious.

http://nymag.com/restaurants/menus/pd...

[smokeandapancake]

i know! im totally craving a meatball slider though....sounds perfect.

[iluvcookies]

OK I REALLY have to try this place! Love the menu too.

[princeofpork]

Spicey pork meatball with mushroom gravey, yum

[nativeNYer]

try anything else?

[guttergourmet]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/377614

[Lau]

place is packed like every night, i walk by it every night when i come home from work...its getting great reviews on yelp (negative reviews seem to be around service and waits), i want to try it after the crowds chill out a bit

http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-meatball-...

[jgelfand01]

Got take out from there Sunday night - "naked" pork meatballs with tomato sauce, "naked" chicken meatballs with the parmesan cream sauce, and a side of risotto. Both meatball / sauce combinations were very good. The chicken meatballs were very tender and flavorful, the pork meatballs were a little soft for me (I prefer my meatballs with a minimum of bread crumbs) but flavorful. The risotto was a little crunchy and not particularly good. Next time I'll probably order online to avoid the wait, but the food was good.

[Lau]

do they deliver? i live super close to this place

[Elaine Snutteplutten]

Very just OK. Had a spicy pork meatball hero with provolone and classic tomato sauce. The bread was excellent, the meatball fine but bland -- just a touch of red pepper spicing it up, and the sauce unmemorable. My friend had same combo with beef, and had similar reaction.

The no "mix and match" policy on meatball orders is annoying -- obviously, it would be interesting to try more than one type.

Service was abysmal -- waitress kept disappearing when new drinks, check etc. were needed, and the noise levels intolerable even by NY standards.

It's not going to make me forget the meatball parm at Esposito's on Court Street, or even many a lesser meatball sub.

[LaLaLisa]

Went there on Sunday afternoon and completely agree. For being a meatball place, the meatballs are far less than I was expecting. I got three sliders so I could try three different kinds: the chicken (with mushroom sauce), the salmon (with tomato sauce) and the special lamb (with yogurt sauce). The salmon was barely spiced and COLD in the middle. Chicken was tasty, and I might order again but the sauces were quite bland. Also ordered "polenta" which was more like grits with a gross puddle of orange oil on the top.

The ice cream sandwich was by far the best part of the meal. The chocolate chip cookies are buttery and delicious, and the chocolate "brownie" cookies hold up very well. Caramel ice cream is to die for.

[Julie McCoy]

Was there Saturday lunch and went with take-out due to the potentially long wait. Group of 4 had a combination of beef and chicken, a la carte, hero and smash. All 4 of us were in heaven. Never had a meatball so moist and delicious. Arugula and apple salad a perfect side. Very flavourful and served by the nicest people. Definite return-to spot.

[BLover33]

just had lunch there today! group of 5 and we were all very satisfied. The basil pesto with chicken meatballs is delish. definitely worth going to try

[menton1]

This place is getting high marks on the blogosphere... any new updates? Sounds fabulous! Also saw a blurb about it on some FN show... And they are open until the middle of the night? (4AM).

Boy, has the LES ever come up in the world in the last 5 years!

[Lau]

its really good, im going to write a post on it soon

[sam1]

i went this past summer. the meatballs are underseasoned. they couldnt even make an ice cream sandwich taste good.

this place is for the tourists...let them enjoy it.

[coasts]

i'm guessing you're not the key demographic. last time i was there, my friend and i were seated dead center at the long table - maybe it seats 20 people. on either side of us sat 9 girls, all 20 something and gorgeous. would i return? yes. if i remember, they even serve food!

in all seriousness, it's a great option at it's price point. the meatballs aren't as good as my grandmother's, but no ones are.

[sam1]

well said...i was with my girlfriend...food still sucked though.

[GoodGravy]

The secret is the chicken meatballs w/ mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy. A tad salty but still tasty. Finish it off w/ an ice cream sandwich.

[Blumie]

When craving a great meatball sandwich and not in the mood for the insane waits at the Meatball Shop, walk around the corner to Frankies, on Clinton Street, where $10 buys you an insanely delicious meatball sandwich in a warm and cozy setting. (I order mine with a side of crushed red pepper to add a little spice.)

[Lau]

the key to meatball shop is to get take-out although i have the luck of living walking distance...take out takes like 10 mins

[Hey19]

frankies 17 is good, but that bread always falls apart. In general Ill take F17, but if it has to be meatballs, Ill prob go to TMS.

[menton1]

Are the waits long on weekday lunch as well? How long?

[Lau]

weekday lunch isn't bad at all, weekend isn't either if you get there early like 12

[Simon]

food was decent (lamb meatball special, green salad w/ meyer lemon, braised cabbage) but service is annoying, volume loud, and the metal chairs along the wall are torturous...would consider takeout, maybe, but nothing i'd go out of my way for...