I haven’t been in a while but others here have reported a steep decline. One the other hand, they opened a Manhattan branch, so you can do an updated compare-and-contrast with Joe’s new location should you so choose.
There’s a parallel thread going you may want to keep an eye on.
Frankie’s, Piccolo Angolo which I haven’t been to in a long time but used to be a load of fun and seems to still be going strong, Carbone if you want spendy, and Parm which is actually good for being very casual.
Not red sauce but also good for a big family meal is Il Buco which I mentioned already, as, surprisingly, is Via Carota because of its side room (we were seated there this summer with no wait when we showed up with 7 people, but I believe you can reserve it).
+1 Scalinatella especially in white truffle season, but it’s a staid UES vibe (and higher price point — at that level I have a soft spot for the original Il Mulino).
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Paging @vinouspleasure for your pizza question.
