LouisvilleLunch.com

I’ve always really liked Spinelli’s and our last visit was no exception. This place has got (almost) everything I like in a restaurant: a)Good Food b)Good Atmosphere c)Good Service…well, 2 out of 3, as they say, ain’t bad.

Spinelli’s pizza, when ordered by the slice ($3.00 + $0.25 per topping) barely fits on the paper plate that it’s served on. It’s a big hunk o’ pie, with a buttery thin New York (or Philly, I assume) style crust. I’d like to have something to dip the large flat crust in, however. I don’t know, it’s good, but needs something at the end of the slice to moisten things up a bit. That sounds weird, doesn’t it? When you order a full pie, it’s almost comical how large it is – 20″ is a lotta pie, especially for the money!

I tell ya, I truly think Spinelli’s has the absolute BEST french fries ($2.50) in Louisville. Apparently this is a Philly tradition – pizza and fries. They reminded me a bit of BBC’s fries (minus the garlic that I typically order there). The fries seem to have a lot of batter on them that really crisps up and gets all bumpy and delicious while keeping the potato inside perfectly soft. Man…just thinking about them makes my mouth water. A little Sammy tip for you: Sprinkle some parmesan cheese on them…while they’re still really hot. To. Die. For.

The other items on the menu are also spectacular. The white pizza (Mozzarella, Ricotta and Garlic – $15), while a bit bland is a nice change from traditional pizza. The signature Philly Cheese Steaks are of course, great. One of my favorite sandwiches there is the Chicken Cheese Steak ($6.50), while there’s not both Chicken and Steak, it’s a great mix of cubed chicken with tons of cheese (White American, Provolone or Cheez Whiz) on a tasty hoagie bun. Their stromboli’s, even the small, are enormous and filled with tons of cheese and toppings, err, fillings.

Jam insisted that we get an order of Fried Oreos (4 for $3.00). I had never had them before and as decadent as they sound, I didn’t put too much of a fight. They came out super hot (duh!) sprinkled with Powdered Sugar. The batter was fluffy, and the Oreo inside was like no Oreo I have ever encountered. It was reduced to a crumbly chocolate cookie while the cream turned into a gooey mess. I’m not saying they weren’t good, but for some reason, I expected them to be a TON better than they were. I only ate one.

Jam decided to let me write this review, because he told me that all his review would say was: “Don’t ever eat a huge slice of pizza, an order of fries, 2 Diet (yes, Diet) Cokes and 3 fried Oreos in one sitting.” Well put, Jam! Be sure and put your Cardiologist on speed dial next time.

So with all the positives here, I’m sure you’re wondering what the snarky “2 out of 3” comment was all about in the opening paragraph. The service here is hit-or-miss. It seems like some of the employees are worried more about looking more like punk-rock-tough-dudes than taking care of the customer. There, I said it. You know, I love the whole Bardstown Road scene. Absolutely LOVE it! But c’mon…show some love for the customers! We paid for that new tattoo you just got. (ha ha…I’m kidding! But seriously, show at least a little love? Please? For Sammy!?)

I think in the short time that Spinelli’s has been open, they’ve become a Bardstown Road tradition, especially for the late-night crowd. So much so, that they were forced to add more seating by taking over the old Acme Ink building next door, a while back. Keep growing, dudes!!!

Rating: 8/10

Cost: $18 and some change for Jam and I
Address: 614 Baxter Ave. | Louisville, KY 40204
Phone: 502-568-KOOL (yes…KOOL…ha ha! I love that!)
Website: www.spinellispizza.com