PJ Charlton
“Their Mozzarella in Carrozza is a great appetizer, as well, accented nicely by a white wine caper sauce.”
“I also love it to dip my bread in (that's my small tolerance to alfredo sauce in general).”
PJ Charlton
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
3 reviews
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This place is the definition of tucked away. I'm not surprised that it does not have a ton of reviews, given the location… probably not the funnest spot to head to at night when there's more robust areas!
I work right nearby to the location so I find myself coming for lunch here during the work day. It's fairly quiet in the afternoon hours and this makes it a good location to sit down and make conversation with your party. The service has been great in my few times coming here so far- they greet well and are very accommodating. Absolutely no complaints. I tend to stick to the pasta dishes when I come here… so far, so good! You will find the types of dishes that are typically served in Italian restaurants. I tend to stick to the chicken parm or the chicken alfredo – both are pretty tasty and are done just right.
Decor is nice and they have plenty of seating available. Again, if you come here for lunch or simply for dinner during the week, given the location, I don't find that there would be issues with them being able to accommodate you.
PJ Charlton is quite the hidden gem. And when I say hidden, I'm referring to the fact that it's literally situated across the street from UPS loading docks and outdoor parking garages. Ah, that lovely no-man's-land known as the South Village.
However, I stand by my appointed gem status for this old-school Italian joint. Sure, PJ Charlton, by name, may sound like your friendly, neighborhood Irish pub, but in actuality, this Greenwich St. establishment happens to serve up some of the best Eggplant Parmigiana this town has got to offer. And I understand – this is not exactly a statement to be taken lightly in New York City. Layer upon layer of delicious eggplant form a giant block of an entree covered in marinara sauce and then blanketed with home-made mozzarella. It's as simple as it sounds, but the taste is second to none. And truth be told, I'm not even that crazy about our purple-skinned, ovoid fruit friend, but here it's prepared fork-able, fleshy, and in perfect harmony with its fellow ingredients. Listed as "truly a house specialty" on their menu, well – PJ ain't messin' around.
Their Mozzarella in Carrozza is a great appetizer, as well, accented nicely by a white wine caper sauce. I can also attest to their fish specials, hand-selected fillets that arrive from market-to-kitchen-to-table daily. One black cod entree in particular had me wishing my dish would never end. Yes, I get food anxiety like that. A lot.
While the decor at PJ Charlton is as simple as their offerings (however, without such satisfying result), it has an almost shore-side atmosphere that is somehow still endearing in its own right. Meanwhile, the service can be a little hit or miss. I've seen members in my party essentially be berated for requesting milk in their coffee, because that's "not how it's served in Venice". And, on the flip-side, I've had waitresses here who treated us like dear friends.
As it were, what a dear friend this place has been to this, well, semi-desolate part of the city. In operation since 1981? Who knew? Throw a little background Sinatra into the mix and, I mean, who wouldn't want to be pals with PJ Charlton?
I went to PJ's for a work lunch function. We had a large party, so it was understandable that service would be a little slower than normal. However, not only was it hard to get our server's attention to place orders and get more water, they had to double and triple check some people's orders because they had forgotten to write it down. After placing our orders, we also has a long wait for our appetizers, then another long wait for our entrees. It ended up being a 2 hour lunch, which is kinda ridiculous, especially since we all had to go back to work right away.
I ordered the Mozzarella in Carrozza appetizer and Sea Scallop Scampi. It was my first time having carrozza, so I didn't have any expectations. The presentation was a little weird. It literally looked like a toaster strudel, but instead of icing, they melted a cup of butter and poured it on top. It tasted okay, although the breading was a little heavy on the cheese and the lemon sauce was pretty sour. I love mozzarella, but not a fan of this dish.
The entrees were also mediocre. My dish only had 5 scallops, which was disappointing. Also, the sauce, like the appetizer, was extremely sour. I have a high tolerance for sour, but I was puckering multiple times as I struggled to get through the pasta. The scallops were big but nothing to rave about. Overall, not a great dish. And for the price, the portion was pretty small.
Not impressed with the food, flavors, or service. Definitely won't be back, despite the proximity to my office.
Pros: adds variety to the area
Cons: slow service, bad flavor combinations
Dishes to try: Not sure
Dishes to skip: Sea Scallop Scampi, Mozzarella in Carrozza