Tried Sciortino's pizza again the other day because my family wanted it. Â There was a change in the taste, not quite as sweet but the crust was so thin you couldn't pick up the slices without losing most of the topping. Don't know if they spread it too thinly or what but it's difficult to eat and actually soggy making it even more difficult to pick up and try to eat without making a mess including on yourself. Â The prices have gone up and the quality declined since I had been there a few months ago. Â Gave it a go but I'll return to real Italian pizza. Â Sorry.
Review Source:I went down here to celebrate my brother's birthday with my family, as he recommended the place to us, and I was not disappointed!
We started off getting mozzarella sticks and fried calamari as appetizers. Â Mozzarella sticks were average, but the fried calamari was delicious. Â The calamari was crispy and flavorful, just the way I like it. Â In general, I personally like the way Italians make their fried calamari, and Sciortino's does it right!
Now for the pizza; it is unique in the fact that the sauce has a sweet kick to it. Â The thin crust makes it crispy, which is the way I like my pizza. Â I tasted more of the sweet kick in the normal pie. Â The other pie we got was the cheese steak pie, which was great in it's own right, but I would rather get the regular pie with normal toppings so I could try some unconventional pizza with "sweetness".
Just note, you can order a pie with EXTRA sauce, or make it EXTRA crispy. Â So if you like the uniqueness, go for it!
As for the atmosphere, it has a simple yet "Italian" ambiance to it. Â Nothing special about the tables and such, but the decor does make you feel like you are in an Italian restaurant!
Yes, the sauce is sweet. Thats what makes it special. Thin crust. Burnt on the bottom (in a good way) but soggy on top depending how many toppings you get. Love this stuff. Cheese is tasty. Give it a try. You'll either love the sauce or hate it. Street parking only. I only know one person who dislikes this pizza, so chances are you'll be a fan.
Review Source:A large & lively Bar in the front,
Family restaurant in the back,
whether or not you'll like the pizza seem to be up for debate depending on if you like your sauce sweet or not.
I would visit more often, but they serve their pizza with the cheapest paper plates,
I'm like WTH your a restaurant, Not a slice stand on the boardwalk,
Give me a Real Plate!
Ordered Mozzarella Sticks (5/5), Chicken Barley Soup (2/5: had no taste), 2 Sodas (0/5) replaced them with 2 bottles of beer, and a large pizza  1/2 pepperoni (4.5 /5). Food was good, the sauce is sweet and not your typical pizza sauce but that is what makes this pie unique.
Soda tasted like watered down cough syrup; exchanged it for bottled beer.
The server spent more time SITTING at a table with her friends then serving us.
Then there is the décor. Inside was filthy. Dust all over wall shelves and fake flowers. Tomato sauce stains on walls It has not changed since this place opened 15 years ago as a seafood/American cuisine restaurant. Now it is Pizza and Pasta but the shore décor doesn't fit.
This place could use Robert Irvine and Restaurant Impossible make-over!
Â
Bottom line: GET YOUR PIZZA TO GO!
A few of us got the sampler, chicken francaise, pizza, and some more. Â
Shrimp in the poppers were cold like they were frozen then heated. Very small portion of chicken without pasta or bread and was just with some broccoli and cherry tomatoes. Didn't have salad dressings also. Just balsamic and Caesar. Slightly burnt crust also. Food was ok, not bad enough to send back but not impressed for that price. Waitress was great tho.
Someone I work with told me about this place and since it was close to where we live, Â my wife and I gave it a try. I have to agree with Kristen M. I don't get it either. It is definitely some of the worst pizza I've ever had! The sauce is ridiculously sweet and the crust wasn't good either. If you're a pizza lover like we are, this is NOT the place for you. If you want a delicious regular pizza try the Linwood Inn in Linden. It has a wonderful sauce and the crust is crispy and delicious. The Grandma pie or the fresh mozzarella pie at Krispy Pizza in Old Bridge is also very good if you prefer that kind of cheese over the typical kind used at most pizzerias. Ask for extra basil (if you like that herb). For brick oven style, Brooklyn Brick Oven in Hackensack and Edgewater or Grimaldi's in Hoboken are both excellent. If you're going into the city, Patsy's is also wonderful. For thin crust nobody beats Pete & Elda's in Neptune, but ask for it to be made crispy. They also have the BEST fried calamari we've found. It's always very light and tender with your choice of mild, medium or hot sauce. Federicci's in Freehold makes a good thin crust pizza as well, but they bug the crap out of me by giving you a tiny glass of iced tea, then charging you for a refill!!! Get with it. Give me a bigger glass or at least one free refill. I just don't like place that nickel and dime you.
As Kristen M. said, this place has many fans. It still must be a popular place since it's been around for quite awhile. Obviously some people like their pizza this way. Since I worked in a pizzeria year ago I know they add some sugar when making the sauce, but these guys have gone way overboard! Think catsup sweet! Maybe the other food is decent, but I would not recommend this place for pizza. I think just about any mom & pop pizzeria in Jersey would be a better choice. You'll see others raving about their pizza, so obviously pizza is a very subjective food. We don't care for it, but if you feel the need, give it a try for yourself. Then see who you agree with and perhaps write your own review.
There is an identity crisis going on inside the restaurant. Â Is it a Seafood? Â Is it Italian? Â I wish I could redecorate and make it look like Little Italy in Wildwood, NJ. Â It would be soooo much better.
In reference to the food: Â
Calamari was a 9
Pasta was an 8
Pizza 7
Caesar Salad 10!
It's a great Italian restaurant that just needs (a lot) of interior love. Â If you close your eyes and eat, the food should taste much better!
Another benefit is the fact that they have a bar. Â So you can celebrate your birthday with a dinner and then head to the front and have drinks.
It's more like 3.5/3.75 stars to me but:
In a town that has countless pizza places and bars that serve a pretty good bar pie this place does well for itself. Although its not the same as its Perth Amboy location hints of the original still are there in the tray pie. The sausage tray pie is very good  and it's a bit on the sweet side so the sauce is more neutral vs acidic like. I never get anything else so it wouldn't be fair to review anything else on the menu.
I just don't get it. Â WHY do so many people love this place? Â I have friends who order from here often and swear by it, but I just do not like this pizza. Â It's so sweet! Â It's some of the worst pizza I've ever had. Â That being said, it has many fans. Â If you like your pizza to taste like a bowl of sugar fell in the sauce, this is for you.
Review Source:Still one of the best thin crust pizzas we've ever enjoyed...the fresh sausage and sauce is incredible, but I must sadly admit that the rest of their menu is lacking and pales in comparison to their pizza. Go for the pizza, but for entrees I'd keep looking....although i hear they're bringing in some new talent to update their menu, so i'm optimistic. Â For now, however, I can say it's one of the finest tasting thin crust pies I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying. Â The one in Perth Amboy is a smaller version, with only a few tables, but the oven and recipe are surely shared, for it's equally as impressive. Â Some nights I even think the one in Perth Amboy is better...but that may due to my missing the "good ol' days" when it was in it's original Amboy site.
Review Source:I don't know what all the hype is about. The pizza sucks in my opinion. Possibly the worst I've ever had. Anytime I've ordered it, it's been burnt and greasy as hell. The dinners I've ordered are usually bland and lack any flavor(chicken francaise comes to mind). The BEST thing I've ever had from here is the pork sandwich and a salad.
Review Source:Warm, family style, great service, and wonderful food.
I WISH New York pizza tasted like this. I've been having their pizza since I was little (back in their old location before they moved) and am glad to say it hasn't changed. All the food is good, but the pizza is the best pizza I have ever had in my entire life.
Their sweet sauce makes me feel at home, it's that wonderful feeling of what happens when food is made with love and made to taste great. I crave it all the time..be careful, you might get addicted.
Let me clarify my star rating: Â I am a fan of the pizza, no hesitation there. Â Their sauce is some of the best I've ever had. Â So sweet and just the right thickness. Â The rest of their food is questionable. Â Flavorless entrees such as the Chicken Romano and even the ravioli which they drench in cheese for an extra $1.00 in hopes that you won't notice its blandness. Â The Chicken Caesar salad was a nice size, but the chicken was tough. Â Stick to the pizza here and be aware that though they try hard, the waiters and hostess are quite young and have very little training in the area of genuine customer service. Â The manager (I'm assuming that's what he is) is lovely and visible, but his staff is sloppy, chatty out on the dining room floor, and lack personality overall.
Review Source:I love the pizza here!!! They have a sweet sauce which not everyone loves but it is a perfect combination with their crust and cheese! Plus you can get a pint with your pizza, best combo ever. I've had the calamari which is super good. And last time I went my bf wanted chicken parm pizza they made it special for us with breaded chicken and it was banging, makes me wanna go back and get a chicken cutlet.
Review Source:I lived in South Amboy for 2 years and Sciortino's was one of my favorite spots to get pizza. The sauce is amazing and it reminds me a little of tomato soup! I only wish the bottom was a little bit crispier! Either way, great place...I was in town this past weekend and had lunch there. So good!
Review Source:Ah i know my family will disagree with this one, honestly.. the pizza wasn't bad, it just doesn't happen to be the kind of pizza i like. If you like crispy pizza, definitely go somewhere else. It is very soft here. Don't get me wrong, its not bad but if you like crunchy like i do, you won't enjoy every bite. The sauce, i think, is what gets people here because its fantastic! Its got a sweet kick to it. Something to try out if you aren't picky like me..
Review Source:Wow! Â Who knew I only had to travel to South Amboy to get a Great brick oven pizza! Â This is a as great as the pizzeria I go to in Hoboken called Grimaldis! Â We did a local pickup there! Â The staff was very nice and welcoming as we entered. Â They actually knew my brother in law when we got there, since he became a regular there. Â When my brother in law called the box of pizza "heaven in a box" he wasnt joking! Once I opened the box I actually heard angels singing! Â I said to myself, where is that sound coming from? ;)
 Now, taking the first slice of "the works" pizza, you soon realize this isnt just any pizza.  This is something special.  The tomato sauce has a slight sweet taste to it.  The red peppers and homemade sweet italian sausage complements the slight burnt crust from the brick oven.  The taste is exhilirating!
 My first slice of the garlic pizza was amazing.  The fresh baked garlic was perfect!  It still has the same sweet tomato sauce taste!  I cant wait to go back here in South Amboy so I can try another topping.  Maybe order "the works" again, as well as "garlic topping with pepperoni".  See you in a few weeks Sciortino!
I've passed this place a hundred times, and thought it was just a bar that served pizza. Man, was I wrong. It's the total opposite. Now I realize that it's a pizzeria that serves beer!
I went in around 5pm and asked the friendly staff for a take-out pizza with The Works. Literally 10 minutes later, a guy comes out of the kitchen with this white box with no pictures or logos, just a plain white cardboard pizza box. I was almost fooled. I thought I was about to eat an average pizza, but when I got my first whiff of what was inside, I was hooked!
The only thing I heard about this place was the crazy good, sweet sauce of the pizza. These critics know what they're talking about! Because I could actually smell the sweet sauce through the box, and I could just tell it was gonna be something different. It seemed like every ingredient on the pizza went perfectly together like a jigsaw puzzle. The sweet Italian sausage, peppers, mushrooms, and onions all complemented the sweet sauce. The wifey and I actually ate the slices while standing up at home. Yeah, we couldn't even sit down; that's how excited we were! The crust was nice and crunchy. I was never a big fan of thin crust, but I loved this so much that I'll start eating it from now on whenever I get the chance. The only slightest negative I could mention was that the center of the pie got a lil soggy from the mountain of toppings. Maybe we wouldn't have had this problem if we ordered a plain pie or just one or two toppings. All good, at least we know they're generous! Can't wait to try this "Heaven in a Box" again!
p.s. I'm salivating already while writing this review.. lol
I've lived in the area since I was born, always passed by Sciortino's, friends have told me to go, and yet I have never been till recently. Â Boy have I been missing out. Â I had a pie with sausage (awesome homemade sweet sausage), mushrooms, and basil. Â Let me just say I've been to some amazing pizza joints in NYC but this pie was right up there with them if not better. Â I highly recommend everyone to come here and order a pizza, you won't be disappointed.
Review Source:This is by far the best pizza place in Middlesex, and one of the best in all of NJ. Quality product leads to great food. Great sauce, great pies, great sandwiches on great bread. Most of all the sauce is sublime.
It's funny that anyone would actually bring up ambiance and service to me. It is a pizza place with a bar. It's clean and that's all you could ask for. There are little Italian relics and pictures. The service is is exactly as I would expect in a neighborhood Italian pizza joint. It's totally adequate concidering these high school girls get tipped on pizza.
I'm not saying service and decor don't matter, but you dont go to Harbor Light for those things. You go there for fantastic pizza and sandwiches.
I have been going to sciortinos for over 30 years (including the old perth amboy location, heck i have a 'save sciortinos' t-shirt), my parents went there when they were kids, all told its probably about 50 years of sciortinos.
I cant say it enough, this is hands down the best pizza I have ever had. Â
anywhere. Â
period.
I've brought lots of nay-saying friends who insist their own favorite place is better. Â not one of them has left without changing their mind.
im getting hungry just thinking about it.
I travel around NJ looking for the best pizza and sciortino's has surpassed them all! I really don't want to order from anywhere else. Â I have even tried to duplicate their sweet sauce and can not. Â They crisp their crust so nicely too. Â My advice to anyone that is taking out the pizza, leave minimum 30 minutes or else you will sit and wait. Â If you drink, there is a decent bar there as well. Â Enjoy
Review Source:The pizza here is good - there is a certain sweetness to the sauce. I've gotten different pizzas when I was here - cheese, mushroom, sausage, always good and not overpriced. Â The ambiance and decor is very reminiscent of Maggios in Revere when I was growing up. Â Thanks for the memories.
Review Source:The pizza here is amazing as well as the cheese steak and chicken parm..which is all I have had from their so far. Â I have only taken out so I can't tell what the service is like in there but we almost always get our meal right away while picking up.
The only thing I don't care for is the fries. Â Lacking taste and a little too soggy.
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