i made that salad.hahahahaha

- by alfredo on Oct 8, 2008 at 12:09 AM | link

Brooklynite-approved! Probably the best we have tried in the Capital Region, due to the superb crust-consistency. (In our opinion, it could use a tiny bit more tomato sauce, but still the best we have tasted outside of Brooklyn.) Thanks for letting us know about it!

- by The Taste Testers on Oct 10, 2008 at 1:14 PM | link

I agree with The Taste Testers about the need for more tomato sauce. I stopped by and had a slice of the plain cheese pizza last night and while the crust was superbly crisp (not greasy, doughy, or soggy), the lack of tomato flavor does not put this pizza in the "best" category for local 'za.

- by chrisck on Oct 21, 2008 at 12:36 PM | link

We would like to thank Celina for adding our pizzeria to her site. We would also like to thank all of our customers! We appreciate the comments. We try to make our pizza with just the right amount of sauce and toppings to satisfy everyone. Not too much but not too little. Of course we will always strive to make your pizza just how you like so don't hesitate to ask for more or less sauce.
Thanks again from the Musumeci Family ~ Marisa's Place

- by Musumeci Family on Nov 3, 2008 at 2:18 PM | link

My Dad took me and my Daughter for pizza at Marisa's Place last month, he told me that it was one of the best Pizzas he has tasted in a long time and that coming from him I thought it has to be good. He used to make Pizzas himself for a living. I had the ham and pineapple, well let me say I must agree with him. I have not tasted a Pizza like that since being in Italy. I personally think the sauce was perfect, to much sauce makes the dough soggy. My Daughter liked her so much she asked her Poppy to buy one for her big sister, who also liked hers.

- by Cristina C. on Nov 12, 2008 at 5:08 PM | link

My daughters loved the pizza and garlic knots. They decided that this is their new favorite pizza and were disappointed to find out that they don't deliver. But I reminded them that it's only ten minutes from home. We brought home an eggplant parm sub for hubby and another whole cheese pizza, which didn't last more than a few more hours. We all agreed that the food and friendly service (Sophie was allowed behind the counter to see a pizza baking in the oven) was top-notch.

Thanks for an excellent recommendation!

- by Marla on Nov 20, 2008 at 3:24 AM | link

We ordered a pizza to go from Marisa's last week and it was delicious. I normally make my own but this was great for those days when I'm just too lazy to make dough. It wasn't greasy at all and the crust was nice and thin. Thank you again for another fabulous suggestion.

- by charley on Dec 3, 2008 at 8:14 PM | link

I'm not a huge pizza fan but after reading all the rave reviews here, we decided to give it a try. And, it was great! It looked like gourmet pizza to me. We had the rusticana which has asparagus, pimiento, and a generous amount of prosciutto on top and another one (can't remember what it's called) that has sausage (also thinly sliced) and rappini. The crust was thin and crunchy. The most important thing that I noticed was that it was not oily (main reason I don't eat much pizza). The owner kept saying he will put whatever we want on the pizza. It's definitely a pizza place I would go back to.
I'm a big eggplant fan too so I'll probably try the eggplant sub you mentioned.

- by josie on Dec 4, 2008 at 11:53 AM | link

The pizza place is owened by my grandpa and he makes the best pizzas in town. I love going there and eating. My favorite pizza is the Sicilian. I'm very glad everone likes the food as well. If you haven't tried it yet, please stop in for some great pizza.

- by Marisa on Dec 6, 2008 at 9:46 PM | link

I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVE MAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRISAS PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :P

- by MARISA on Dec 28, 2008 at 7:22 PM | link

Hey Marisa! Great to hear from you. I took Celina's advice and stopped in for the first time today for a sausage pie. I was not disappointed. You tell your grandpa that since I moved to Albany from NYC 4 years ago, I haven't had a better pizza. Come to think of it, i can't remember many places in the City that can rival his thin crust: maybe Grimaldi's or Totonno's in Coney Island. Hey about a discount for Celinabean people?

- by Ethnogrrrl on Feb 7, 2009 at 7:10 PM | link

Discount? Come on! As a former New Yorker I would order take-out from specialty pizzeria's and the bill would be three times the price of Marissa's. We need no discount, we need Marissa's Place to stay in Guilderland! And this place is soooooooo reasonable for what you get and the area. ------This is a review I posted on Times Union: Now, wait-a minute...where are we? Albany or the Real Little Italy on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx? This is by far the best pizza place in the area. A few weeks ago I ordered take-out with my friends (antipasto, Sicilian Pie and the Vegetarian Sub). The antipasto was a meal in and of itself: creamy mozzarella that is fresh out of the milk (not the rubbery stuff you get in the dairy isle), lots of roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, provolone cheese, various meats, like salami (possibly soppressata). First, this antipasto was amazing, second, the price was fantastic. As for the pizza? Well, their pizza could compete in a taste test with some of the best specialty pizzerias in New York City. The Sicilian came with sauteed rapini, sausage, olives, fresh mozzarella all perfectly balanced on a marinara sauce. At first, I was expecting crumbled sausage, but not this place! This was real, Italian, gourmet slices of sausage. Marisa's place receives 4-stars from a Manhattan & Arthur Avenue transplant. Marisa's place is authentic, Italian, gourmet and reasonable!!!!

- by Danielle L. on May 4, 2009 at 12:57 AM | link

Great NY style pizza!
I haven't tried the gourmet pizzas yet as I make my own. I often stop for a slice or two and the NY style here is the best I've had in the area after moving from Brooklyn five years ago.

I'm still hoping for a real wood or coal fired Neapolitan place but I think the slightly charred crust might be a hard sell around here.

- by Michael Marston on May 4, 2009 at 10:25 AM | link

Sorry. Not happy. Don't like. I think nothing pizza wise is going to please this native LIer.

- by Leslie on May 5, 2009 at 8:30 AM | link

I am one of marisa's best friends and we r hanging out now but marisa's place rox sox and the staff is so nice the food is great her grandpa is so nice we hope u go there 4 some gr8t food!!! peace out marisa,and abby!!! :)

- by Abby on Jun 19, 2009 at 10:43 PM | link

OK - UPDATE I still don't like the pizza but on my return trip my eggplant parm hero was superb, hubby's veal cutlet parm hero was almost tender, (that's good) and Marisa's seems to be the only place for halfway decent authentic Italian Ices. (Not near as good as what you get on L.I. but will make do!)

- by Leslie on Jun 23, 2009 at 2:03 PM | link

I should try the eggplant parm there. I've heard it is good, but never had it. My favorite thing at Marisa's is the Rustica salad. One of the better salads for the price in this area. My favorite eggplant parm in the area is at Via Fresca on Western. Here is a link about them, although when I wrote it I hadn't sampled the eggplant. (one note, I believe they've changed their bread supplier since I wrote this.)

http://celinabean.com/2007/09/via-fresca-1/

- by celinabean on Jun 23, 2009 at 2:58 PM | link

Oh, and I agree about the Italian ices. They are new and were a nice surprise the last time I took the kids in.

- by celinabean on Jun 23, 2009 at 3:00 PM | link

I had a slice here yesterday with spinach, artichoke, and roasted peppers that was fabulous.

Michael

- by Michael Marston on Jun 25, 2009 at 9:23 AM | link

Celina, I love hearing your thoughts on these not-so-obvious places. You've turned me on to Capital Thai and, as of last evening, Marissa's. They are a little bit outside of our usual geographical area, but that gave us an excuse to sit down and chat with the guys on duty while we had our late dinner. I'm sure it would have tasted great after the transport home, but let's be realistic. It's doubtful it would have even made it in the front door. Best pizza Scott and I have had in recent memory. We will be back.
Thanks!

- by kerosena on Jun 26, 2009 at 9:34 AM | link

Hey folks its me marisa! With my friend abby!!!!! I have seen a lot of good comments and thank you soo much!! And some not so good but to the ones not so good thx for coming we apreciate your honesty and are sorry that we didnt come to your liking! Sooo anybody who hasnt came try marisa's place for a different selection! You will love the family right when you meet them! also if you come on saturday i might be there!! look for me!! If iI am not there on a saturday I amm so so sorry!!! So if you wanna meet me look for a blonde with blue eyes and preferbaly converse on her feet!!!! I am 11 years old turning 12 on November 12th!!!!!!

Here is abby!!!
wow marisa you sound mature (we know it is not true)
just joking
you are very mature and likeable
you rox sox!!!:)

- by marisa rose ( owner/who shop was named after) and abby on Oct 9, 2009 at 7:51 PM | link

went to the place, was rather dirty, and was treated rather rudely not like i was a person, more JUST a customer, no hello when i walked in... just... what you want?... i paid, when i was eating, they all seemed to have Crap moods. and my plate wasnt clean when i got it, i had to ask for another and the owner took the plate and started to yell at what looked the dishwasher... i do Not recommend going to eat at this place. they are nothing but rude and disgust...

not even a one star pizza place...

- by dont worry about it on Dec 8, 2009 at 2:35 PM | link

Wow, I have been there many times and never experienced anything like what you describe.

- by celinabean on Dec 8, 2009 at 9:36 PM | link

wow.....the above comment by dont worry about it must be some competition or just a miserable hater with nothing better to do. this place is one of the cleanest around (rather dirty??? -- ridiculous!!). I have never had dirty dishes or heard them yell at employees. The family who owns it are always nice and pleasant and professional. It's rather sad that some people choose to knock something good due to there own issues. Comments from ignorant people should be removed. obvious bull!!
Don't worry Marisa's Place....you guys are great, i go all the time and have heard nothing but good things from so many other people.

- by a real customer on Dec 20, 2009 at 1:31 PM | link

Neck and Neck with Lucia's on five corner's in Rotterdam

"very tasty and thin"

- by Bruno Marrow on Dec 29, 2009 at 4:12 PM | link

I really think the comment by don't worry about it should be removed.
I've been getting slices and take out from Marisa's 2-3 times a week for months and have never experienced anything like the description in that post.

- by Michael Marston on Jan 15, 2010 at 2:20 PM | link

This was the most challenging comment decision I've made yet on celinabean. Perhaps I called it wrong. I totally disagree with the commenter. I swing by Marisa's on a semi-regular basis and have never seen anything like what the person is describing. The tone of the comment seemed viscious to me. I decided to allow it because we have a pretty solid group of people reading and discussing here now, and I thought it might be better in the longrun for the community to police itself (as you guys have done.) I don't want people to feel like they can't say they don't like a place or worry about disagreeing with me.

(btw, If I don't like a place, I don't put it on celinabean. I won't trash a place here. When I do reviews for the newspaper, I will write a negative review, but on celinabean, what you get from me if I don't like you is silence.

I don't love every place I write about, but there has to be something noteworthy for me to mention it in this space. )

But maybe I made the wrong call here. The comment really bothered me. I am open to hearing other opinions on how to negotiate these issues. Give me a day or two to think on it, but I am leaning toward taking it down.

- by celinabean on Jan 16, 2010 at 3:20 PM | link

After chancing upong this review I went to Marissa's last night with high expectations, only to be sorely dissapointed. First, don't go there if you want to sit and eat in a pleasant environment. Two tables are right near the door and it was cold. The other tables are arrayed down a crowded little hallway. Not inviting at all. We decided to take the pizza home instead of staying there.

Now to the pizza. We ordered a simple large pizza, half pepperoni half eggplant. It was not noticable differnet than any of dozens of other take out joints. Soggy and not very tasty. I don't think it had any spices in it at all. When I got home I added some oregano, garlic powder and olive oil and it was improved 100%, but still not worth saving. The leftovers got thrown out. Pehaps one of the personal size pizzas would have been more interesting.

If you want some really good pizza, I would suggest the New World Bistro, Mangia's, or Baba Louie's in Hudson.

- by Joel on Dec 16, 2010 at 12:39 PM | link

I think the pizza here is pretty good. Best in the area. Beats Paesan's, Inferno and I love NY Pizza. I only tried a simple pepperoni pizza so far, but I am planning to go back and try other toppings and pasta.

- by GuilderlandCustomer on Jun 25, 2011 at 6:07 PM | link