Joe Benny’s

Came here for dinner with my family and it was great. A few friends of mine told me about this place and gave it a try. It’s a small, cozy place with a really nice atmosphere.
The staff here was friendly and the food was delicious. 5 stars!

Pizza was very good. Thick crust. However their capacity to make pizza is ridiculously slow. They warn you about their inability to deliver food in a reasonable time. I can be patient but this was ridiculous. maybe an off night but I think not.

I’m a fan of Italian culture, to include their amazing cuisine. After talking with some Über drivers, I got a recommendation from several of them to come to Joe Benny’s in Little Italy of Baltimore. I didn’t know there was a Little Italy in this town, and I made time to come here the other day.
Joe Benny’s is found within a house converted into an eatery. It has a cozy feeling, and the staff is warm and welcoming. I sat down and was given a menu. I do not drink often, but this was a good time to have some wine. I ordered some pinot noir, which tasted very smooth. I had two glasses, and they matched perfectly with my meal.
I ordered a focaccia with various toppings. The focaccia was but into three pieces, of which I ate two and took the rest home. The food was above and beyond delicious. I shared the photos with my friends and family back home in Los Angeles, and they unanimously agreed that the food looked delicious.
After I was done, I paid my check and was out the door. I will definitely be back to try out their other offerings. This place is now one of my favorites in Baltimore, and marked the start of my invasion of Little Italy.

Such a great find! We almost ate at a boring Inner Harbor restaurant but are so glad we didn’t. This is a tiny place but we got there early on a weeknight and were seated right away (but it did start filling up by the time we left).
We had the Bocce and the pasta (this month’s special was with roasted eggplant), which our server recommended. Everything was fresh and delicious. We then got the blanco e nero (peanut butter) cream puffs and ended up ordering a 2^nd helping because they were THAT good. Love little places like this with truly fabulous food!

I stopped by Joe Benny’s for dinner with my parents tonight at around 5pm after visiting the National Aquarium. I saved Joe Benny’s for this purpose because of its proximity to the aquarium, inexpensiveness, and family-​friendly menu, and it didn’t disappoint!
For our main course, we ordered two pizzas: the plain and simple (basic marinara and mozzarella pie; $ 10) and the Angie (white pie with mozzarella, prosciutto, and arugula; $ 13). These two pizzas represented both ends of the taste spectrum – boring but safe (my mom) and interesting but more risky (me).
Although we were told that the pizzas are personal sized (they’re 10″ in length), ordering two of them allowed each of us to have two slices. For us, this was sufficiently filling given that the pizzas are focaccia-​based, and unlike the next table over, we didn’t walk out with massive leftovers.
I greatly enjoyed the flavor profile of the Angie – the prosciutto was savory but not overpowering, and the pepperiness of the arugula was masked by a light dressing of balsamic vinaigrette. The pie also had a nice variation in texture, ranging from chewy and toothsome (the focaccia crust) to smooth and stringy (the cheese) to crunchy (the arugula). As Sicilian pies go, it was a delight. While I didn’t sample the plain and simple pie, my mom, who’s a picky eater, enjoyed it and said it tasted good.
Per my request, we also ordered the cream puff dessert ($ 8), and I’m glad that we did! We ordered the current variation on this dessert, which was covered with chocolate peanut butter mousse and Reese’s crumbles. Despite how decadent it sounds, it was actually quite light and not overpoweringly sweet. Even my dad, who’s not much of a dessert person, enjoyed it.
The atmosphere of Joe Benny’s is very much hole-​in-​the-​wall in the best way, complete with kitschy (but not over the top) décor and a narrow dining area with relatively few tables. The service was fine – nothing special, but no complaints, either.
Needless to say, we were quite pleased with our dining experience at Joe Benny’s. We all greatly enjoyed the food, which can be a challenge when trying to find a restaurant that satisfies both the conservatism of my mom’s palate and the adventurousness of mine. If you’re visiting Inner Harbor, give all of the high-​end restaurants and chains there a pass. Instead, walk a few blocks east to Little Italy to experience a less touristy neighborhood and some homestyle cuisine at Joe Benny’s – you’ll be glad that you did!

Ugh… if you’re looking for pizza done right in Baltimore, come here.NOW. My boyfriend and I were on the hunt for the best brick oven pizza in Little Italy and this place kept popping up. At first I was skeptical, since this place only does pizza on focaccia. Plus I’m from New York, we do pizza one way and it ain’t on a slab of focaccia. Since we were both craving brick oven pizza, we decided to go somewhere else before venturing to Joe Benny’s. Looking back I totally regret this decision because Joe Benny’s is out of this world and I wish I had walked in with a completely empty stomach to devour more of their delicious food!!!
When we walked up to the place a few customers were coming out and were speaking with the owner telling him the food was better than what they ate in Italy when they visited. Curveball, the owner is straight from Italy too! So after overhearing this, we went inside. The place is SMALL! Only a few tables in the back and about 8 seats at the bar, but it’s cozy with a really fun, homey atmosphere. They have a nice selection of homemade cocktails, wine, beer and soda. I ordered the Italian margarita and it was great. A little sweet, but it did the job.
This place boasts «the best balls on the block» so we had to order the meatballs to see if they lived up to their self proclaimed title… and boyyyyy did them balls live up to their fame. Their balls come in a few different styles. We went for the one covered in sauce and burrata cheese, because who could really say no to meatballs covered in gooey mozzarella cheese? After that we splits a focaccia pizza. The pizza is large enough for 2 – 3 to snack on and comes in 4 precut slices. Usually I’m not a fan of focaccia bread, but this place is a friggen focacciaria, how can their focaccia pizza possibly be bad? (And, yes if you were wondering, apparently a «focacciaria» is a thing, and it’s amazing). They make their focaccia every day in house, everything’s fresh. If you’re in Little Italy and don’t stop in here, you’re crazy. Do yourself a favor and stop in, say hi to the wonderful people working the joint and order some balls and pizza!

Fabulous first time experience! This place is awesome!
Stumbled in alone on a business trip which can sometimes not be great – and was welcomed to a very friendly and welcoming bar right at the entrance. The goodness started with the wonderful bartender who was lovely and the Sicilian Screwdriver. The owner made sure to say hello and was extremely friendly as well. The bartender recommended the Sharini for my dinner and she did not steer me wrong — AMAZING! Delish. The cocktail list was extensive and totally up my alley. Anything featuring Tito’s and/​or prosecco has me at hello and they have several choices in these categories. Also had the JBs Hard Lemonade which I will be recreating at home as my go to summer drink.
To top off all of the well poured drinks and tasty food — the other singles and pairs (locals and other first timers) at the bar were wonderfully friendly which made for a delightful dining experience for a loner from out of town. I will be back! Thanks Joe Benny’s!

Joe Benny’s is a focacceria, meaning that they specialize in a thick bread Sicilian pizza. Their menu has many different topping combinations for their pizzas. I personally had the «Bocce Focaccia» which is topped with spicy meatballs, sausage, pepperoni, salami, tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. I really enjoyed it but is it very heavy. Another member of my party had «the Angie» (focaccia with mozzarella, garlic infused olive oil, Prosciutto and topped with arugula and balsamic). We shared and I can say that i really enjoyed it because it was lighter and refreshing in contrast from the greasy, salty goodness of the «Bocce Focaccia». The rest of my party also had the «Fiore» and the «Plain and Simple»; both were very good.
Overall the food and the service was excellent. The only downside was the one hour wait but we didn’t mind because we wanted to try the place. It’s totally understandable given the place only has about 24 chairs. They don’t accept reservations so get there early or try to get one of 8 seats available at the bar.

Joe Benny’s was near the top of my list as I scoped out restaurants to try during a work trip to Baltimore, where I had never been before.
After walking a little over a mile from the Hitlon next to Camden Yards, I was clubbed by a sidewalk sign advertising the biggest balls on the block. Well, OK.
I ordered the Kordellini, which includes the aforementioned big ball meatballs, pepperoni, tomato sauce and mozzarella.
Three large rectangular pieces arrived on a wooden board. The bread was very good and the toppings were tasty.
The staff was extremely friendly. My waitress even asked where I was from, sensing from my unmistakable western accent that I wasn’t from Balmer.
It was a great meal and a nice evening.

They do focaccia and they do it well! big portions at good prices. It is small on the inside. Staff was friendly and helpful. I had one of the sausage pizzas which was excellent. I think I ate it for 3 meals it was so heavy and filling. Just writing about it I am drooling! We had the sloppy roe to start which was meatballs over burrata which was excellent. For dessert they had key lime cream puffs which were light and not overly sweet. I very much enjoyed the whole meal.
They do have a full bar and good creative drinks. I would definitely recommend. Just know that orders are cook at the time of ordering so does take a bit of time, but soo worth it!

Small cozy dining spot in Little Italy that earns the best reviews in this neighborhood for focaccia pizza that is unbelievably tasty. It is hard to get in. Go early. Or you can put in your name and phone number and stroll around or get a drink before they call you. I say this because it’s not easy to get in but it’s worth it!!!
Why is it worth it? Mouthwatering focaccia, nice people and good Italian inspired cocktails. The family that runs it welcomes you and apologizes massively for any wait. We, being new, ordered three focaccia. There are 18 or so different types, starters and salads, and Panini as well. Ours were a plain and simple (cheeses and sauce), the Benny (eggplant, olive and something else), and the Bocce (all meats including their famous meatball, spicy sausage).
The focaccia are fluffy, but chewy because of the large pile of Caramelized toppings that they pride themselves on. They are 10 inch served on little boards but filling. Three was glutinous for two hungry adults and a little boy.
Honestly the friendly cozy atmosphere makes this the hottest place in Little Italy. They seated us at the bar and it was a good time watching folks come in to say hi, put their names in. in hope.and talk with the chefs and bartenders.
Go.

OMG! What isn’t to love about this place? It was a phenomenal experience all around. When I say all around, I’m taking about staff that really care about the customer, excellent food and drink, and an inviting atmosphere. Oh, and the food… Spent at least 10 minutes deciding what to eat — because I wanted everything!
My boyfriend and I decided to take a visit before heading to the Baltimore City Lights event (another must-​see!) and because of the fantastic reviews. We were told there would be a wait, so we sat at the bar and ordered drinks. We ended up staying at the bar, right by where they cook the food. The «kitchen» is not necessarily open for everyone to view, but because we were sitting right by the cooks, I watched how much the owner cares about the quality of food, and overall experience, his customers are having. Can’t speak highly enough of Joe… Such a friendly guy, very engaging with his customers. I’ve never met an owner who appears to genuinely care so much about his business.
The food: where to start??! What shouldn’t you order??? We ordered the bruschetta and two focaccia breads/​pizzas. They aren’t regular pizza, they are served on focaccia bread. As a thick crust lover, I was very pleased! The menu is simple yet each dish is unique.
Can’t speak highly enough of our overall experience here… If you don’t check it out, you’re missing out! Really is worth the 5 stars.

What a great place! Our waitress was apparently an owner whose name appears on the menu. I got a local beer, my wife got a cocktail that was ok, not amazing. But you don’t go to an Italian foccociaria looking for a cocktail.
We ordered a sloppy roe to start. Imagine melty mozzarella cheese, amazing meatballs, focaccia bread, and justice. Then we got a focaccia, and a panini. Both very good. All in all a very good meal with excellent service. She even drew a pic of us as newlyweds.
We will be back.

Wow. A spot with 5 stars and over 220 reviews! Of course I had to stop in! This is a small Sicillian restaurant with focaccia. They only have pasta certain nights but it’s no big deal! My husband tried the king Con which I’m not a sausage lover and I actually took some of his meal! I had the homemade meatballs with sauce and cheese to die for! (The sloppy rowe)
Overall a great atmosphere with very friendly staff and they really do treat you like family. If you come to Baltimore, believe the 5 star reviews bc this place meets expectations!

Hungry and tired? Perfect spot to stop by and grab some cheesy saucy focaccia (not pizza) to hit the spot. We ordered the meatballs, the pancetta, and the comotto magic. All three were perfect. What else can you want? Meat, cheese, tomato sauce and soft fluffy focaccia. Good amount of protein for those that need meat.

I was around the area and was hungry, saw this place on Unilocal,saw the 5 stars with 200+ reviews which caught my eye.
Parking around the area was pretty easy for us. We parked a couple blocks down where the residential area was.
For starters, we ordered the Mimma’s meatballs. The meatballs were very tender and the marinara sauce on the meatballs were tart. The focaccia bread on the side was a good complement to go with the meatballs and the marinara sauce.
I ordered The Pancetta which is goat cheese, onions, and pancetta topped with arugula salad. The arugula and the goat cheese went so well together. The focaccia was warm and fresh (they make everything from scratch so it takes a while for the food to come out).
We also had the Comott — O’s Magic which contains sausage, peppers and onions, tomato sauce and mozarella. Likewise, it was tasty.
Lastly, I ordered a house cocktail. Honestly, I don’t remember the name of it but it contained Limoncello and white grapefruit soda. It was plenty sweet and it wasn’t strong which worked out well for me.
Everyone here treats you like family, and they were very friendly and on point.

My brother in law and his brother met me on the harbor to grab dinner before a movie. The goal was — something different, unique to baltimore, inexpensive, only a few minutes from the theater and had wine. Joe Benny’s jumped to mind.
I hadn’t been yet, so I was trusting to all the wonderful Unilocal reviews. And they didn’t disappoint.
Joe Benny’s is a laid black, trendy place in Little Italy. The «pizza» is focaccia. We ordered three, which were each conveniently sliced into 3 slices, so we shared. I’m not going to go over how each one was because they were all amazing. Even with the wine, the price was reasonable. The staff was friendly, and we left extremely happy.
A few points on getting the most out of your experience.
Joe Benny’s is not always fast. Go here for the experience, and be okay with your food coming fast or taking a while. You won’t know which. So relax, you’re getting good food a reasonable price.
The line: This place is small. This place is awesome. So, people come here. Come early, come late, or just be prepared to wait. We got there around 6 on a friday, and got the last available table. People were waiting the entire time we were there.
The food: Get the focaccia. Its what they are known for, and why you are here. One per person is a light dinner, so don’t be afraid to throw in an appetizer.

Words cannot express how much I enjoy everything about Joe Benny’s. The food is out of this world and the staff makes you feel like family– I am never disappointed when I visit.
I highly recommend everyone and their mom checking this place out.

Baltimore Trip #1
One of the most exciting things about traveling to a big city is looking through their reviews for restaurants. Am I right? Because I am all about Unilocal,my friend gave me the task of finding amazing food for our trip. Our first stop was Joe Benny’s Focacceria (JB) in Little Italy. With nearly 200 reviews and a 5-​star average, I was looking forward to trying it out.
Joseph Gardella is the owner and chef of JB, grew up in Maryland, but took summer trips to Sicily to visit family. That’s where he learned how to make focaccia pizza, which is a specialty in that part of Italy. Gardella decided to bring a new twist to Little Italy with his Focacceria – the first and only one in Baltimore – and opened JB in April of 2014.
Like most of Little Italy, JB is located inside a row house, and the interior is extremely small, with about 20 seats (the bar might not be included in that). Even with all of that and arriving on a Friday night, we were immediately seated. I love the décor and the comfortable space – very intimate – but the noise was quite loud. We sat right next to a speaker and we almost had to yell to each other to talk. I admit that I am very sensitive to noise these days, but I can’t be the only one who wouldn’t like a speaker right by their head.
Mimmas Meatballs – JB’s meatballs and focaccia pizza is their thing so I had to try their meatballs. I decided to go with a small plate (small plates are also popular on their menu). It came with three meatballs, sauce and knots. The best part was the sauce – rich, flavorful, and the perfect balance of acidic and sweet. The meatballs were good, just different because they use ground pork along with their ground beef. That small plate was quite filling! It didn’t wow me, but it was still tasty. 4*
The Burrata Focaccia – My friend ordered pizza, and since she’s not a big meat eater, she went with The Burrata – fresh Burrata mozzarella, tomato sauce and basil. She loved it. I, however, thought it was good, but again, didn’t wow me. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if it had some meat on it like meatballs. I love focaccia bread, but I’m not sure I’m a big fan of it as a pizza crust. Her/​Me 5*/3.5*
Service – Our original server (Sarah I believe) was wonderful. She had a great vibe and definitely made us feel comfortable. But somewhere along the way, she disappeared and we had a new server I guess. Nothing was ever said. The new server was nice enough, but something was off. When we finished our meal, there was a big sell to try and get us to order dessert. It was a bit annoying – maybe they get a big bonus if they sell a certain amount of desserts? Started off with a 5*, but ended up with a 3.5*.
No matter the little things I complained about, if I lived in Baltimore, I would be a regular customer at JB. It’s really unfair of me to give them a true rating and review after one visit, but I don’t know if I will ever be able to return. With that said, I highly recommend you check it out on your own. It’s a charming little place, served with good quality food, and it will remind you Sicily. Make sure you say hi to Joe when you walk in the door as he’s usually right there cooking. Arrivederci!

I have been wanting to try the food at Joe Benny’s for the longest time and yesterday I finally got the chance. Italian food is hands down my favorite cuisine, but it’s hard to find authentic Italian food that’s not just your standard chicken alfredo or lasagna.
Joe Benny himself welcomed us at the door as we entered the cozy little restaurant. From the food to the drinks, there is a huge selection of food to choose from, all of which sound amazing! They are famous for their foccacia pizza and they give you some foccacia and olive oil to nibble on while you ponder on what to order. I decided upon the peach bellini and the Sharini which is topped with sausage and burrata mozzarella. I was so satisfied with how fluffy the foccacia was and the creaminess of the burrata just melted into the pizza. It was super filling and I even had some to take home for some good olé leftover pizza for breakfast the next day!
I only got to speak to Joe Benny for a little bit since he was so busy but I could definitely tell how passionate he was about his food and restaurant! I will definitely be returning to Joe Benny’s in the near future.