Deathwatching: Cronkite Pizzeria Closes
Monday, July 16, 2007
Sunday, 6:20 P:M; One hour and twenty minutes after its posted opening time.
On schedule, Lower East Side subterranean pizzeria (note photo below, of how uninviting a stairs-down entry way can look in the wrong light) Cronkite has closed its doors for good. Saturday night was their last dance. As for the local color, it goes something like, "TONIGHT WILL BE CRONKITES LAST NIGHT OF OPERATIONS!!!! tHEY HAVE OFFICIALLY SHUTTERED! THIS IS 100% TRUE." Indeed it is. And sad, too.
Cronkite Status: CLOSED Time on the 'Watch: 17 weeks Prognosis/Analysis: Sub-par pizza in an under designed, below grade dining room is a recipe for disaster. The name didn't pull its weight either. Kamali, she's all yours. UPDATE: As noted by our in-house Lower East Side historian, it couldn't have helped matters that they were forced to remove their in-view-of-Schiller's neon signage a few months back.
Having eaten here only once, I can tell you it wasn't the basement or the pizza or the prices. ...except maybe the wine flight that was completely over priced.
It was the completely inept service. I mean without a clue and arguementative to boot!
The room was so completely loud we could barely even hear how little the waitress ( i'm sorry, server) knew about the menu. I guess that's what happens when the sound of a loud bridge and tunnel birthday party bounces off the bassement cement walls.
I disagree with the previous review. I had eaten at Cronkite on at least 6 different occasions with at 14 of my friends, who all loved it. Granted, I wasn't crazy about the basement but the food was delicious and the waitstaff was always friendly & competent. I will miss it.
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