Sharkey’s Square Pizza

Not for me. I tried this place with high hopes everytime. unfortunately, I don’t think they have the traffic to keep their slices fresh. Besides the reheated pizza, their sauce gives me heartburn everytime. It’s a shame because the staff is friendly and I would love to support my local pizzeria.

Hello. I was in Stagnate Island (I mean Staten Island, sorry) today visiting family and they informed me that their is a Pizza place (supposedly owned by the original owners of L&B in Brooklyn) and that I should try it.
So I took a ride down the road and saw that the sign says «under new ownership».
Now we all know that the can either be a really good or bad thing, right?
Though I cannot say what the pizza tasted like prior to new ownership, I can tell you that the pizza was an absolute disappointment, regardless of whether or not you are comparing to L&B or just a «regular» pizza place.
The sauce was a good attempt to imitate L&B (I have no doubt it is coming from the same supplier), and perhaps with a little work they can nail, but it just was not their.
The ingredient that really put the nail in the coffin was the cheese. The cheese was greasy and had an almost «plastic texture» and flavor to it. If you have been to L&B, they put actual REAL slices of cheese in their pies and this place surely does not.
I am sorry to say, but I would highly suggest that you skip this place if you are pizza aficionado /​fanatic like myself.
And to reiterate, even if I was not comparing the pizza to L&B, I would still skip this place.
If I had to sum this pizza up in just one word: Ich!

finally a great L&B style square on SI. crust not too thick or bready, sauce well balanced sweet and tart, e travel cheese a must. also a fantastic chicken roll on their on point all be it limited menu. fast delivery time (granted I live within the same zip) a bit pricey but definitely a monthly treat.

I move no so long ago to Staten Island and my hubby is a fan of Sicilian squares and pizza in general. Casually this place is close to our house so we decide to ask for a delivery. We got a great surprise!!! Their pie was actually really really good. The sauce is nice and sweet and they are generous with the chess. We don’t miss the Sicilian squares from Brooklyn any more!!! ;)

Having eaten l&b for 60 years I was pleasantly surprised by the square. Obvious in the extreme this is a decent copy, with the bridge toll at $ 15.00 you may as we’ll eat this.

Woke up in the mood for some great pizza, Love the squares! The square is a must try if you love pizza.

Ordered a pie from them yesterday and received it no problem. Ordered again today and the boss calls me and says «you live too far and we’re busy» why deliver one day and not the next? Not exactly the best way to keep customers.

My wife and I went to the new «Square» pizza shop located on Annadale road just a block away from the Annadale train station. This place just opened up and needless to say, when we found out a new pizzeria was going up we were both disappointed. This will be the 4^th pizza place in a 2 block radius.
Anyways the pizza wasn’t anything special. It was a little greasy and the bread didn’t have much of a taste to it. Sauce on the pizza wasn’t bad, but otherwise we’ve had better. A regular thin plain pie, which I think was smaller than other pie’s, costs $ 13, so the price is kind of high for a pie that my wife and I were able to finish off with no problem.
Finally, the dining area is nice but was very loud for only having 3 other tables full. Also, the owner was having an issue with one of the wait staff and could’ve dealt with it privately instead of in the dining area.

The Fried Calzone is a «MUST» the best on SI… No need to go to Spumoni Gardens the Sicilian here is «Much Better»…

We found that we were right next to this place again, so we thought we would be fair & give the pizza another chance, as some of our fiends said they enjoyed their slices. So we went in again & tried some of their Square, regular, & specialty slices, at a little past lunch time. This time, the slices were slightly better, however, in the end, still disappointing.

Tastes good enough. Beats crossing the Verrazzano for some real squares!

Let’s tell it like it is. I have been to this location 4 times-​all four times there were consistencies-​pizza was never fresh out the oven and the square was dry. They have executed the proper form, and the same pans and ovens as L&B-but the pizza is not as saucy or benchmarked as L&B.
As I stood waiting for my pizza to be reheated in the height of lunch hour-​exactly 12pm-​I was given the choice of a corner or a side there were no middles left!!!
The pizza looked as though it was sitting for a while but im pretty sure it was only because the pizza didn’t have much sauce on it.
As im waiting for my pizza there is a woman sitting at the table closest to the register opening letter about a lawsuit from who else but L&B! Lol looks like they are not letting them get away with stealing the concept so easily-c’mon lady bring your private mail to a private place! Hahaha
It’s just so frustrating because the pizza is Almost there but not quite!

Oh man, oh man is this pizza good! I’ve been to L&B’s plenty of times and I can tell you that this pizza is better! I had a few slices left over from a box and popped it into the freezer. A week later and they tasted just as good!

So obviously L&B still has the best square slice hands down, the place is a great alternative for those Staten Islanders who can’t make it over the bridge.
I thought the pizza was delicious, and the staff was nice and friendly.
So if you are on Staten Island and find your self craving a yummy square slice of Sicilian pizza this is the place to be.

Pizzerias in NYC are a dime a dozen. Some have been around forever, while some come and go without even being noticed. So generating a buzz prior to the opening of your pizzeria is a great way to increase your chances of survival.
A quick lesson here. Many Italians moved from Bensonhurst to Staten Island when the Verrazano Narrows Bridge opened in the mid 1960’s. Ever since then they have been going back to L& B Spumoni Garden, L&B for short, for their one of a kind Sicilian slices.
Now that you’ve been schooled let me get back to The Square. Word spread around that pizza that tasted just like L&B was coming to Staten Island. If you’ve never been to L&B let me describe the Sicilian slice. The cheese is underneath the sauce and the pie is slightly undercooked so it comes out, for lack of a better word, moist. Their Sicilian slice is unlike any other I’ve ever come across. Potentially, until now.
And so the rumors began.
One of the guys that worked at L&B stole the recipe and is opening his own place on Hylan Boulevard.
–or–
Somebody stole the pans that they make the Sicilians pies in. Those pans are the original ones used since L&B started making pizza.
So the rumors were flying and no one knew which if any were true. The only thing for sure was that everyone wanted to try The Square and find out for themselves. If they could get L&B without having to pay the $ 13 toll on the Verrazano. Imagine that? Nostalgia for free. Well, without a toll anyway.
I tried a few squares (Sicilian) of The Square and have to admit that it is very close to that of L&B’s.
But don’t let me decide for you. You be the judge!

I am by no means an expert on Sicilian slices. Actually the first time I went to L&B’s in Brooklyn, I was utterly disappointed probably because the Sicilian slice caught me off guard. But now that I’ve given Sicilian slices another chance and I know what to expect, I like them.
Yesterday I visited The Square since L&B’s is too far of a drive. I liked it enough to order another slice to go. The sauce is a little sweeter and the pizza comes out only mildly hot (which is also a plus since it didn’t burn the top of my palette like the ones at L&B’s).
All in all, I liked it. I won’t ever call it «pizza,» it’s more like Texas toast with marinara sauce and cheese on it. At $ 2 dollars a slice, it’s worth it. But they jack up the sodas at $ 1.50, so that’s where they screw you.
I will most likely revisit L&B’s soon and give them another try and another review.

In the shadow of Salvatore of Soho, how is The Square even visible?
We decided to give The Square a shot and when you travel with a bunch of foodies someone, if not everyone, will whip out a camera. It’s bound to happen. Well The Square did not get the memo and became very paranoid and protective. However, I do not know why they wigged out.
The Square’s square pizza tasted doughy and raw. It was of poor quality and execution. Maybe this type of pizza is not for me, the same way Keste and Motorino do not rock my boat. I’m actually a little saddened because from reading the other reviews The Square is compared to L&B Spumoni Gardens. I have been wanting to try that place forever. I could not finish my slice and none of my friends wanted to polish it off either.
So what’s to guard The Square? You have mostly favorable reviews here. If it’s your secret recipe, I won’t be telling other pizza parlors. I guess you’re guarding yourself from people like me. Don’t worry, I won’t be back. I know better to stand in the sun with Salvatore.

Went to The Square this past weekend for lunch. I tried a pie a few weeks ago, and found it to be too soggy after driving it to my place.
I was pretty excited to try it in the restaurant. I ordered one slice and a calzone. The slice came out of the oven luke warm. As I waited for the calzone, I watched the mexican gentleman behind the counter eating. He then continued to LICK HIS FINGERS…
I was ready to bail if he handled the calzone. Luckily someone else grabbed it .
GROSS!

In my opinion, it should be taken for what it is and not in comparison to L&B or anywhere else. Since it’s L&B-style, like the other reviewer said, it is inevitably going to be measured against L&B — human nature I guess.
I really liked it, regardless.

This review is for Fan #97
People will invariably compare The Square to L&B Spumoni Gardens, but only because the composition of this style slice is so rare that L&B actually became famous for it. People expecting the same magic from this Staten Island square will be disappointed though: The Square doesn’t do the gooey, luscious center like Spumoni Gardens. How this soon to be institution stands out is the strong and dynamic sauce.
Although open less than a year, the revolving door of customers taking out half and complete sheets is a testament to how good the pies are. It’s not a traditional restaurant, but a casual place to grab a slice for you or the entire extended family and go. I found myself open jawed looking at the beautiful black bakers oven, which, although only 25 year old, looks like it’s from the turn of the century.
On a block where Salvatore of Soho, Nunzio’s, Trattoria Romana and Goodfellas are within a mile and a half of each other, to compete with Bleeker Street, this section of Hylan Boulevard might be the pizza capitol of NYC. I still say go to Salvatore of Soho, but if there’s a line, come here for the appetizer.