One of the last places you would look for a good pizza place is in the strip mall attached to a gas station. But that’s exactly where Times Square Bistro & Pizzeria is located. Snuggled between a Mobil and a liquor store (a few blocks from the Allen-Bradley Clock Tower), Time Square’s main goal is the quick by-the-slice type service. But don’t write them off as a strictly slice place; there are a few other surprises in this strip mall pizzeria.

The restaurant’s walls are decorated only with a few pictures depicting New York City scenes and related imagery. It doesn’t work in making you feel that this strip-mall pizza joint is actually in the Big Apple, but I guess it fits in the theme. There aren’t a ton of tables, but I imagine the seating is adequate for the restaurant’s location.

On top of serving New York style slices, you can also order a full pie. A variety of sandwiches, calzones and pastas are also on the menu. In addition to all of the Italian goodness, there is also a surprisingly large selection of chocolates and other desserts in a display case to the right of the pizza counter. Apparently the owner also runs a chocolate company on the side and wanted to squeeze some of that in here too. They looked pretty fancy to me, but I’m no Doctor of Chocolate.

THE GOOD: While the location is kind of odd for a pizza place, I actually like the convenience. The reason I stopped in was because I was getting gas while heading across town, and was going to pick up some beer from the liquor store. Being able to stop in and grab a quick bite to eat without having to make an extra stop was pretty awesome. The slices are big and they come with a garlic roll of some kind as an added bonus.

THE BAD: The pizza was a bit too greasy for me. I folded my slice in half to eat it and grease dripped onto my pants. That shit took like three washes to get out. Not fucking cool. But if you’re careful not to drip on yourself (or just blot off some of the grease with a napkin), this really isn’t a big deal.

TRY: First off, try to not spill pizza grease on yourself. It’s a lot easier to just be careful than it is to try to get that shit off your jeans. If you’re a dessert person, try some of the chocolates or other delicious creations that are also available.

RATING: Gremlins 2

I’ve never personally been to New York, but from what I understand this is a pretty decent example of the pizza style typically found there. With the gas station and liquor store in the same strip mall, there’s a good chance you might be stopping here anyway. Give it a try.