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106 reviews
Neighborhood: Outer Sunset
"The buffet makes all the difference! Loves it. Indian is my all time fav, and since I'm so easy to please, it's hard for me to find bad…" read more »
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Good enough pizza. It's simple, not cheap but not too expensive either. I prefer Escape from NY over Orgasmica for lunch because of the speedy service and abundant inside and outside seating. Neither place has very friendly service; the prices are similar; and I say the pizza itself is edible at both places, although I will give Escape from NY a slight edge. If you're looking for a quick bite during lunch, I nod for Escape from NY.
for my money, this is the best pizza in san francisco. i know, i know, there's (probably) pizza in new york that's 10x better, but we're not in ny. and i want something to look forward to, pizza-wise. for now, give me a slice of mushroom and "you say potato" and i'm happy.
completely unrelated, does anyone else think that lily allen is the coolest female recording artist since blondie/debbie harry? yeah.
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Even though I like the fact that you can order combos with salad and a drink at this location, the pizza is usually underwhelming.
I used to eat here once in a while when I worked a block away. Today I lunched here with an old co-worker of mine and the pepperoni slice I got was limp and had a lot of grease. His pesto slice didn't look too appetizing either.
I do like the Escape from NY location in the Haight, however. They seem to have consistently better pizza there.
If you REALLY need a slize of pizza in the FiDi then this place is convenient enough.
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The pizza here is soooooo yummy! They also have a great slice of pizza, salad, soda combo for lunch. Every slice I've had is super yummy and the crust is delicious. I would totally recommend for a quick lunch away from the office!
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yummy pizza. makes for a cheap lunch which is hard to come by in the Financial District (see review of mixt greens) and better than some other pizza choices nearby (see review of Enzos). Nice area outside to sit, not like i would know, because i always run back to work and eat at my desk....god i am lame!
Good pizza! Yum!
I've tried the chicken & spinach slice and the pesto & potato slice. I love the pesto & potato slice! It's filling and delicious! It also has cloves of roasted garlic, mmm. The chicken & spinach is pretty good, too. $4 flat for each slice, but they do have good deals for lunch time combos and what not.. like pizza slice, drink, salad or two slices and drink, etc.
Will come again when craving pizza during my lunch break :]
Good budget lunchtime fare, and probably my current favorite slice in the area (though I have yet to try the newly opened Pizza Orgasmica location). The high turnover at lunch means the slices are pretty fresh, and I happen to love their tomato sauce. You can get 2 slices of pepperoni and a soda for six bucks, which is a little high for pizza, but cheap for the FiDi. It's also amusing watching middle aged guys in business suits chat up the high school girls who work there on their summer breaks. Get there just before noon on a sunny day if you want to enjoy the outdoor seating, it goes fast.
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while not the best pizza in the world, probably the best pizza within 4+ blocks.
Why are the pizza places around union square/fidi so lame!?
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Have to work at my 2nd job and need some dinner, bento place is closed, don't want Mickey D's, ah yes, pizza. Unusual for the FD after 6, this place is open. Order 2 slices of pepperoni and get some ice tea and I'm set. They reheated the slices quickly. Get to the office and eat, still warm, crust is a little burnt and crispy, just the way I like it, although it is a little too thick to be a real New York slice. It hits the spot, but nothing to rave about. Not cheap either. For a drive by, it works. Hence the 3 stars
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Escape from NY is right behind my work and has yummy pizza by the slice. Convenient and yummy, why only 3 stars? Well, I really dislike their ordering system. They do not give out numbers or take down names, so it creates much confusion and chaos if I have to wait for my pizza to come out of the oven.
I always get pepperoni, a popular flavor, and I do not mind waiting for it under normal circumstances. Due to the lack of organization here, when a pizza comes out of the oven, they just yell out pepperoni. Then everybody and their grandmother run up to the counter and take their slice regardless of who ordered first. Sometimes they run out of pizza and leave us waiting another 15 minutes. Then they forget that we are still waiting and start giving our slices away.
I have not been back here in a long time because of this reason. I know of several others who have had the same experience.
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One time at lunchtime, two of my co-workers brought back pizza from here and I was actually drooling looking at their food.
On this beautiful summer day in the city I decided to walk over to EFNYP and try out their pizzas myself. I love how big the front is, enough for those long lines and pizza waiting. I ordered the potatoes and pesto pizza, which I liked the look of, but knew it was carb-central for me.
With the one slice and a small drink, I only paid $5.50. This is very resonable for the pizza being so large and not a-typical. The service is quick and the employees are nice.
On these days were I treat myself to lunch, I know when I'm craving for pizza, I'll be heading over to here again.
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I love the plaza at 333 bush. Aside from the outdoor seating, you walk up there, and BAM! Pizza! Turn a little to the left and there's a burger place! And what's that behind you? Hot Dogs! You're surrounded by all the grease and sodium that you know you're craving. Give in!
There's a reason this alley was named Trinity St.
This particular EfNY location has the same stuff by the slice as the other locations (The veggie one with feta and artichoke hearts, the potato & garlic, the sliced sausage & pepperoni) and they move customers through there pretty quickly. Also, they stay open throughout the afternoon while every place else closes early, so when your blood sugar levels are tanking at 4:30 PM they're there for you. These things combined are worth four stars or so.
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Updated to 4 stars 06/12/08
I'm bumping this review up a star because I tried the pizza again, it's been over 8 months since my first attempt. I even forgot that I didn't like their Hawaiian the first time. Today, I got a slice of Hawaiian, no soda (no extra calories needed please). It was crispy and the middle was perfect! No soggyness at all. If I weren't attempting to eat smaller portions I could have ordered another slice. I'm hungry just thinking about it.
[Drinks Yogi tea to help me not be hungry.]
I will be back for sure to Escape From NY even though I've never been to NY before...yet.
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10/05/2007
Original Review 10/05/2007
3 stars
The thin crust is nice and crunchy, yet not so hard it hurts your…
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Why am I eating three enormous slices of pizza (2 potato pesto and one chicken veggie) at 3:30 p.m. just after finishing a decent lunch and mere hours before romantic date night out? Well. Let's see...
1. I'm now fully into the MS part of PMS
2. I feel like an animal crawled inside of me and died
3. My Xanax wore off around 2 p.m. and I managed to leave the bottle at home.
4. Stuffing my face was my only alternative to curling up in the fetal position and sobbing over the injustices of my life and womanhood
5. Cutting myself makes me hungry
With that out of the way, I would like to say that this outpost is close enough to my office that I am guaranteed to burn almost NO calories on the walk back and forth to get my fix. Also, this is instant comfort for me and the staff there know that. They even give me sympathy glances and refill my extra large diet coke (the ONLY diet I'm on) after I inhale it all in one gulp while nervously pacing back and forth waiting for my slices to emerge from that hot, heavenly oven. Oh yeah! They're magicians, too. Even the gnarliest dried up, day-old, leatherface looking slices come out of that oven oozing warm cheese and glistening with grease like they were just made. Why do I care if it's not the best tasting pizza in SF? This is the Fidi and I'm a busy stress case- all I need is something warm and gooey to put in my mouth. And I need it fast. And I need it cheap.
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BURNT CRUST IS A NO-NO!
I found myself eating at this place week after week for the convinence and short distances from the company I worked at. I've had much better pizza. Dislike the thin burnt crust but enjoy their salads.
Work-staff, please whipe down the tables? I know it's polite for the customers to throw away their trash but tables still need to be whipped down. And why must the tables be close to the uni-sex bathroom. Everytime the door flings open the fumes come pouring out and I feel like barfing as a scarf down my burnt crust pizza.
Not the one I frequent, but I like it. Other locations have more personality, this one is right in the middle of the financial district. It's clean.
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Very average pizza. Lots of different, interesting looking slices, but almost all needed reheating. For a lunch time slice or two, I'd much rather head to Cafe Vivoli a few blocks away.
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I've lamented the fact there are no good pizza joints down here. This is the best I've come across. Not amazing, but perfect to satisfy that fix.
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Its not the best ... but it works. mmmm. pizza.
You lose one star because I take issue with any joint that has either "New York" or "Chicago" in the title as it sets you up to the highest standard ... for which you clearly do not meet.
but It works ... I'm contently chomping away at my cheese slice and deciding that I'll be back at some point.
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Escape is like my second home.
My friends are always coming here after school for the happy hour deals. A slice of cheese or pepperoni for only $2.50? Cha-ching. Buy 7 slices and get 1 slice free? Cha-ching. Bring one of those coupons off the menu that are buy one slice get one free? Cha-ching. Show up near closing so they give you free pizza so it doesn't go to waste? Cha-ching. A large soda at a reasonable price with free refills? Oh, the deals here are insane.
This place is best from 4 to 6 where it's frequently empty and the happy hour special are in full spring. The place looks great, is always clean, and the music they have on in the background is usually some nice soothing soft rock. It's a nice mellow place to just crash with friends, talk about life, and play a few rounds of cards.
If you come during the lunch rush the place is much less fun. It's crowded, loud, and the prices aren't the same great deal they are during happy hour. To fully enjoy this place you have to come later for the more personal pizza service.
Staff is friendly and agreeable, there is always plenty of pizza condiments to go around. I've never gone there and been unable to get to the pepper, garlic powder, or parmesan that I so needed.
Escape gets a perfect 5/5 Stars for having a great staff, perfect atmosphere, incredible deals, and the most delicious pizza in the city.
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Okay, okay. Definately not the best pizza in the city, but one of my favorite joints to go hang out. I come here with my friends (Robert P. being one of them) after school like thrice a week.
The menu offers a huge variety of slices with a whole assortment of toppings. From anchovies to zucchini/vegetarian to roast chicken to pesto to pineapple to applewood to Canadian bacon and everything in between, Escape has it all. The slices are relatively large for the price (about 2.75 for the pepperoni). Different slices vary in price (3.50 for the Meat Combo Supreme). Lots of cheese shakers and herb and spice dispensers lying around you can help yourself to. Good pizza, free water, lots of seating (outdoor included), warm and cozy atmosphere, music that's easy on the ears, and friendly service makes this one of my favorite joints to chill out at with my friends.
Great place to go during or after those downtown shopping runs.
Only thing that ticks me off is that the place closes too soon, around 5:45 pm on weekdays.
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I'll keep it simple here, folks:
- No, this doesn't resemble NY pizza in any of the ways that people talk about NY pizza. The crust is not crisp at all, and is kind of soggy and thick. The sauce is overly sweet and tomato-pasty (as so many NY pizzas are, come to think of it).
- Yes, it's perfectly edible and satisfying the way so many other average pizzas are. Satisfying and forgettable.
- Yes, you can probably do a lot better elsewhere. But if your company is ordering in and giving it to you for free? I'm not complaining...
What A San Francisco Institution. Now This is My Kind of Pizza!!! Gourmet Veggie sun dried tomato ...artichoke hearts heaven. I have hit every escape location in San Francisco. I see the owners hard at work making pizza taking up the slack. This is a model hard working business. I wonder how much $$$ moolah the Castro Street Location Lost in Food sales Halloween Castro 2007 ...aka RIP CASTRO the non-event 2007. Newsom you fool. You too Heather. ooops I digress.
Escape from New York Pizza contains only the finest ingredients. There is no artificial anything! We make our dough from unbleached flour, use whole milk mozzarella cheese, and our produce is fresh cut daily. You can taste the quality difference! Why do people eat Pizza Hut. That is just so wrong...so is Round Table....aaaargh!
Quick Poor Hungry Foodie in need of nourishment. Look in ANY SF WEEKLY....in the EATS/Food Section. There is always a coupon for a slice of pizza heaven and a soda pop. All for $3.00 bucks and some change. I heart NY. Check out the NYC Big Apple Memorabilia.
PEPPERONI
SAUSAGE
CANADIAN BACON
FRESH GARLIC
PINEAPPLE
EXTRA CHEESE
PESTO SAUCE
FETA CHEESE
JALAPEOS
ROASTED GARLIC CLOVES
BAR-B-QUE SAUCE
FRESH BASIL
APPLEWOOD
SMOKED BACON*
MUSHROOMS
ONIONS
OLIVES
GREEN PEPPERS
TOMATOS
ARTICHOKES
SUNDRIED TOMATOS
ROASTED POTATOES
CHEDDAR CHEESE
ROASTED RED PEPPERS
FRESH SPINACH
BAR-B-QUE CHICKEN*
ROASTED CHICKEN*
YUM!!!! They need to open an Escape in the OMI.West of Twin Peaks. Ho fame ora. I am hungry now!!! They don't even deliver this far out. North Beach Pizza opened a outlet out here on Mission Street. Powers that be @ Escape? I think I am going to have to Twitter in the Owner's Ears.
Infodiva reppin' some good eats. damm I have the munchies now. hahaha Remember OMI Ingleside 94132. I do venture out into other neighborhoods sometimes. Dam there are 138 neighborhoods in San Francisco County. That is quite alot. I love SF the Sco' I love Food. and Escape does it real good.
Ciao Chow
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Seeing the name of the establishment outside I immediately thought of the old movie starring Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken. Predictably I find similarities between the movie and this pizza place; described below:
* Cheap
* A tad bit over-the top (especially the tomato sauce for the pizza)
* Not that good
* Tired and old looking (especially under that heat lamp for who knows how long).
* During the middle thinking, "man this sucks."
* Regretted spending my money on it
* Disappointed after finishing it
In the movie they made a sequel. For the pizza there are other locations around SF. Thanks but I think I'll pass on both.
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Escape from New York has pretty darn decent pizza, especially when you can get a fresh slice. Their garlic, pesto, and potato slice is delicious. I've also become a fan of their eggplant parmesan sandwiches.
When Bistro Burger's lines are out the door, just come straight here and try their new sandwich menu additions.
Just be sure to save a little room for a frozen yogurt at Caffe Ambrosia on the way back to the office.
Honestly, on a nice day, when the lunch rush has worn off, and there's ample outside seating room: a hot Escape from New York sandwich, (maybe even a Corona :) ), and a fresh frozen yogurt - will make any day go by faster.
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It's a life saver for that once in awhile craving or late night project that catches you off-guard.
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I like this place more because of the surrounding area than just the food-- a small florist, a place that carries photos and big prints, the little "plaza" area in the alley, my kind of lunch place.
Food wise, I had the mini-combo which includes a slice of pizza (I had chicken with spinach), small salad, and a small drink-- the right portion for a lunch, something that you won't fall asleep 2 hours afterwards...
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Let's face it, it's downtown pizza. Overpriced and inconsistent. That being said, it's still the best in the area, and has the saving graces of a) 4-6 p.m.happy hour (which used to be 3-6, but now I'm grousing), and b) pretty danged good subs. And by subs, I'm taking the throw one or two of our ingredients onto a semi-stale bun and pour sauce, add cheese, grill. Basically, how any good italian style sub should be.
Exiled from New York:
Not bad, but a sad excuse for NY style pizza. In fact, the best things offered at Escape From New York are pretty damn "California Style." Case in point: the potato, garlic and pesto pizza is relatively tasty.
Nonetheless, fairly uninspired.
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I've never been to New York so I can't quite judge on the authenticity of this place's name--however I do know what I like and this I like.
However the biggest appeal for this place isn't that the pizza is (claimed to be) from New York, but that it operates on New York time. Yes this is one of a few handful of places in the FiDi that one can get order food after the work day is over.
Simply walk in, pick out what you like, and within a New York minute you'll have your slice fresh from the oven. Throw in $2 bottled beers during "happy hour" and you have yourself quite a winner.
Now, let's bring over the concept of 24-hour bars to our lovely city..
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It's your run-of-the-mill Pizza, nothing special. The Fiancial District location has a great lunch special--2 slices of Pepperoni & a small soda for just $5.95. I have also eaten the Pesto Pizza before...it's good but no Pizza Orgasmica. Also, they have a $2 beer special after 3pm which is worth taking advantage of.
They have a good ambiance, playing Air when I most recently visited for lunch.
If you're in a pinch for time and/or money, this is a quick fix.
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3 stars for the food.
1 star for the free slice I get half the time.
Never a disaster but never reaches greatness. It's a good stand-by for lunch and the slice and salad combo is a good deal. Not a fan of the sauce but it doesn't keep me away either. They have a good selection and it's a quick lunch at a fair price given the surroundings.
Good slice at a good price!
Came in during "Happy Hour" and got a slice of peperoni and a Sam Adams for two bucks each. If I worked in the fidi, I think I'd probably hit this place up pretty often.
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Cheap.
Good.
Close.
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i love this pizza ... great meatballs . love the sausage they use, its like no other pizza place. Everyone that works at this location seems to be really cool .. Ive been inside the place a few times , lost of art students that live near by work there .. pretty down to earth, no bullshit ... if your downtown and want a slice ... stop in .. you will not be disappointed.
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A very excellent lunchtime slice indeed.
Free drinks all night at the Shanti Volunteer Appreciation Gala + no real food in my tummy for hours = I am very drunk and need to eat pizza NOW dammit.
My BF and I ordered the vegetarian special, he lives downtown so delivery was fast. The pizza was quite delicious. Good crispy crust (on the outside of the pie anyway), nice meaty olives, just the right mix of tomato sauce to cheese. Being that I woke up this morning with only a mild hangover, I salute you, Escape From New York Pizza.
Minus a star for crust being slightly soggy in the middle.
Minus another star because pizza is my favorite food on the planet, and it takes a lot to impress me. You have to work for it. I need to see some sweat, people.
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This pizza is tasty, maybe not NYtastic but it's good. It would be a great place for lunch except one slice isn't enough and 2 slices is too many. Can you please get some good side salad's in there so I can make this a go to lunch spot?
What's up with people knocking Jersey pizza? Jersey has some good pizza, I'm not even from jersey and here I am sticking up for it. uh oh.
Really close to my office -- well, a block away. Good for a slice, and the small spinach salad with sundried tomatoes and pinenuts is unexpectedly decent. It's a good, quick lunch option. And the goth girl with the bleached blonde hair, black Converse, and the subdued Siouxsie Sioux makeup reminds of me people I used to hang out with in high school.
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I enjoy the occasional lunch slice from this location. Service is very fast and friendly. The pizza gets the job done and is a cheap, filling lunch option in FiDi compared to the $10 sandwiches in the area. I have noticed the slices are often not warmed up quite enough. I'll keep going back, though. At least until the food makes me ill.
