So I lived in North Denver (oh, sorry "The Highlands: to you gentrified folks there now) years ago (late 80s) and had pizza from Carl's once before. Driving in the area again this weekend, my wife and I decided to go "old school" and visit Carl's for pizza. SO GLAD WE DID!! From the red vinyl booths, to the very friendly family running the place, to the old Northside men who "met for lunch" in the back room, this place is DEF old school legit AND the pizza to my surprise was QUITE tasty! When you're tired of chains and hipster places in Denver, go back in time to Carl's.... If you prefer McOliveCarraGiannos, do NOT go to Carl's! read more

When I was a kid we'd drive by Carl's on the way to Elitches. One day we stopped and absolutely loved the pizza. The sweet/tangy sauce, flour-ry crust and homemade sausage made a great pizza. Granted, Carl's isn't going to show up on any Best Of lists in Denver, but that's alright. It's a great local North Side joint that also has a great sandwich called a Little Immigrant, and good pasta. read more

We live 1.2 blocks away and I'm embarrassed to say it's our first visit in the 8 years since we moved to the north side. We ordered a delicious green pepper, sausage and pepperoni pizza which was delivered with 2 Stellas by a welcoming employee. We will definitely go back and try other menu items. Carl's reminds me of the way things used to be, as it lacked pretentiousness. One of the best pizzas in Denver bar none read more

Haven't had pizza from here for a while. They knocked it out of the park! Pizza was plentiful on toppings and delivery was super fast. There's a reason they've been around so long. An oldie but a goodie! read more

I've been here about a dozen times, and the food and service is consistently good. This is not a fancy Italian restaurant for the yuppies, but a traditional neighborhood restaurant serving wholesome comfort food. Yuppies from downtown will find fault with everything from the decor to the server's tattoos, so if you're a yuppie go elsewhere. Finally tried their pizza. I was lucky enough to live within walking distance of Angelo's on 6th and ordered mostly Angelo's pizza over the past five years, because it was the best in Denver . . . but now they sold to some dipshit who decided to "modernize" by taking a sledgehammer to the wood fired pizza oven, so I've been looking for pizza elsewhere. Having spent years in New York, I don't like settling for substandard pizza, which is most of what's available in Denver. Carl's pizza is better than the new "improved" Angelos, and better than most of the other Denver pizza I've had, but it is not perfect. Toppings are fresh, quality, and dispensed generously. Sauce is good, and there is an ample amount of it. Crust is good, with the potential to be great if they ever transition to a wood fired oven. Cheese is good, but a better quality of cheese would really make this pizza shine, taking it from "very good" to "outstanding." Large pie is about the size of a medium pie elsewhere, but the price is very fair. I got a large thick crust with three premium toppings and after tax it was only twenty bucks, and well worth it. Meatballs are not listed as a topping, but are available by special request . . . and the meatballs here are excellent, as is the sausage. If they offered a larger size of pie and upgraded their cheese blend, this could be one of the 5 top pizza places in Denver. If they installed a wood fired oven it could be THE best. As is, pizza is very good, B+, which is better than 80% of the other pizza places around here. I need to drive 20 minutes to get to Carl's, and there are better pizza places closer to me, but I'd rather not deal with the parking situation Downtown or in Cherry Creek on a Friday or Saturday night, because fuck Cherry Creek and the people who congregate there . . . but I digress. Pizza is good, very generous with the toppings and sauce, cheaper and better than "new improved Angelos," and everyone on staff is doublecool. I will definitely continue to order pizza from here, as well as their outstanding meatball subs. read more

Before I was born, there was Carl's Pizza. It's a staple in the neighborhood, even before the Northside (Northwest Denver) was called Highlands. I remember when growing up, every other Thursday was dad's payday. Typically we had pizza on payday, and usually it was from Carl's. My dad took my mom there when they were dating. I've taken several young ladies there while we were dating, one of which I asked to be my wife. I even delivered pizzas for them during a blizzard. Carl's rocks. Nothing commercial, no chain store feel. Home made sauce, home made dough. Hell, even home made sausage. Its all stayed constant, the only thing that's changed is the price, but i don't blame them. They have to keep up with the economy, Don't we all. Word. read more

This place is so old and I love it. It hasn't changed, and it has that amazing "hole in the wall" kinda feel. Plus, the food is GOOD! A bit pricy, but you do get really excellent portion sizes. Service was great, quick on refills and requests. Will definitely be back for when I'm craving chicken Alfredo! (Try it, it's amaze) read more

My mom still lives in the house that I grew up in (and that she grew up in!) just a half block from Carl's and we still love going here. In fact, the current owner was a cook there when I was a kid so he really knows his way around the kitchen. I don't get in as often as I'd like but she went every week for several years with my aunt and the owners knew them by name and always took great care of them. My aunt is gone now but my mom still eats there as often as possible. My favorite order is a sausage and mushroom pizza. Carl's sausage is the best! How I wish they delivered to the north suburbs - nothing up this way compares to Carl's or, my other favorite, Edgewater Inn. read more

I got off work late one night and tired and didn't want to go home and cook so I figured I wouldcall up and order a carry out pizza, the woman on the phone took my order and I went to pick it up. I took my pizza home and found it to be undercooked, the cheese on top was falling off, and the dough underneath the sauce was like mush. I called them back up and asked if I could get another pizza, and the woman on the phone told me she would make me another one. When I arrived the second time, I was met with a very rude woman at the front desk who told me "oh you're that guy". I told her the pizza was undercooked when she asked what was wrong with it, and she examined the pizza and proceeded to scold me telling me that "this is how we make them here" She then tried to tell me if I wanted it cooked more next time I would have to order it "well done". When she came back out I asked her if she could make it right since I had to make a whole trip back. This is when the woman got very upset with me and she proceeded to tell me how the pizza was made ok and it was my fault... eventually after a few words were exchanged she told me very sarcastically "sorry but thats how pizza is made" I told her, "no you're not sorry, I can tell by the way you're treating me" A few more ugly words came my way from this mean woman "I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do the manager isn't even here" so I basically just told her "ok well tell your manager when he gets back that you just lost a customer". And I left. I will never return. Pizza is overpriced and the staff is worthless. If I could rate it 0 stars I would. I want my money back. read more

This place is the bomb. Great Italian cuisine and awesome pizza. Friendly staff, moderate prices, outstanding service. Kat, one of the servers, is the best. If there were a higher rating than 5 stars, this place would get 6! You won't be disappointed if you stop by for dine in, or carry out, or utilize their delivery service. ****** read more

I like Carl's Pizza. They catered an event that I went to and their pastas and meats (sausages and meatballs) were beyond delicious. Going to their restaurant, I was able to find out about the pizzas as well. Never had a bad meal from Carl's. I even ordered 12 pizzas from Carl's that I picked up and brought to Lakeside for my son's 5th birthday party this summer. They were all ready on time and exactly as ordered and were sooooooo much better than the standard chain pizzas you often get at birthday parties. I have said it before, and I will say it again, when there are places like this around, why would you go to a tasteless chain? To save a few bucks? What are your taste buds and your health worth? If in the area, Carl's Pizza is a destination of mine. read more

Let me preface this re-write by saying this is not the best pizza in Denver by critical standards. Reviews are only opinions guided by more than stats and objectivism. For me, this is a sentimental fav. Like my first guitar was a total POS but I still have it and I know what we've been through together and I'll not be tossing it at anytime in the poop-can. So if the five stars seems out of place, there's a reason(s). Make no mistake, this is a good not too thin crispy crust pizza but like my old review said, we've got history. Just thought I should clarify. K? read more

Carl's is by far one of our favorite restaurants in all of Denver! Sausage sandwiches and Vanilla Coke! Always our go-to! Family friendly and positive staff, great food and fun vintage vibe! Hope this restaurant stays unchanged for generations to come! read more

Well, Carls has been a family favorite for a couple of generations in my family! I was just in before Christmas and was super happy with the place even after all of these years. Had a great little lunch with my Mother right before Christmas and we were waited on the always delightful, pretty blond waitress with the braids. Oh I am so so bad at names - I AM going to make an EFFORT to remember this sweet, friendly and awesome waitresses name next time for sure! On this trip we both enjoyed the spaghetti parm with the homeade noodles. It was fantastic. The pasta was served perfect - al dente, the cheese was baked to perfection all over the top, and they gave us a super enormous sized serving, which I took home and enjoyed for a couple of days after I visited! Love Carl's delicious homemade french fries and blue cheese dressing. Great side dish. For the first time EVER though on this visit ONLY - I was not too happy with the minestrone soup. It tasted like it came from a can this time and I did not even eat anymore after I took one taste of it. Carl's usually has the most fantastic homemade minestrone soup with giant piece of cabbage in it, thinly chopped carrots and vegetables galore. SO, I do hope they go back to the old minestrone that I have loved for many years. Car's has some amazingly priced lunch specials and over the years I have enjoyed the chile con carne for lunch, eggplant parm, and the cool individual slices of pizza they offer Mondays only for lunch. I have never been disappointed with any of the lunch specials. They make my absolute favorite grilled cheese in town. One of the waitresses told me that their grilled cheese are actually very popular and highly requested and I can see why. They are huge and I am not sure what they do to make two slices of bread and american cheese taste so damn good - but whatever it is your cooks do - keep doing it. The place has looked the same forever and a day which I noticed many Yelpers don't like, but I think it feel nice to step back into a pizzeria from the 1950s - way before my time, but fun to get to feel what the patrons back then saw and felt when they visited. Red booths, Frank Sinatra mirrored picture on the wall (adore ole' blue eyes), and comfy booths - it's basic but always fun. I love how the patrons are so nice and will almost always talk between booths and share comraderie that is never found in 2012. Takes you back in time definetely. I always leave Carls with a big smile on my face and I can't say I leave hardly any other restaraunts in the Denver ares with a grin, plenty of food to eat for the next day and pretty light on the wallet. Stay in business forever and all of your waitress are so hard working, super sweet, efficient, and go out of their way to always say something cute or funny and rescue me even when I am having a bad day. (: The cooks always come out to say hi and even wished us a Merry Christmas. Now only thing you can do for me is go back to the old minestrone recipe Carls. (; read more

Been going to Carls since 1986. John is now the owner and they have the best ever. We drive from Littleton quite often just to eat there and so worth it. We are going there today for lunch and will have enough for Dinner. Never had anything that was not amazing. Can't wait for lunch. See you John. Deb read more

I'm pretty picky when it comes to pizza. I'm not into the cardboard with toppings or the gourmet goat cheese with leeks topped with a caramel apple tofu drizzle scene. Carl's is a neighborhood italian joint. Nothing fancy, nothing gourmet, But good food, good serice, and easy on the wallet. I was saddened to hear Carl had passed away a couple of years ago. But the place hasn't lost any of his touches. I'm really not a fan of minnestrone soup, but it's good here (especially with any of the sandwiches on a cold day). The spaghetti is homestyle. And the pizza definitely hits the spot (good crust, good sauce). One other suggestion when you go. Try to imagine it's 1953, you're driving a Cadillac El Dorado, wearing a shark skin suit. That's it, the Robert Deniro look going on. Enjoy the food and pretend you're in Good Fella's - doesn't get better than this (except maybe doing the same thing and pretneding you're with the Rat Pack at Bastien's... but again, another review). read more

Nice little 24 hour diner. Stopped in for a slice of pizza on the way home from the near-by jazz bar. Was informed that they didn't sell pizza by the slice, but was assured that should I order a whole one, it would knock my socks off. Opted for a sausage sandwich instead. It knocked my socks off. Be advised about one thing: apparently, at night, on the first Monday of the month, they clean their floors. Didn't bother me much, but there were chairs up on the tables and the look of minor construction about it. After paying, I accidentally walked out with the nice waitress' newspaper. Sure didn't mean to do that. Feel badly about it. read more

I need to preface this review with the warning that I am biased because this is one of the it spots for my parents. (I actually feel like I might be here because of the romance that blossomed here.) Anywho it's a pretty small little place with two rooms that would probably seat around 30ish people and a small back room that can fit about 10 kinda comfortably. The pizza is thin crust and usually has a little of the high heat blackness to it, although it no pizza napoletana it's still tasty. I also am pretty fond of their pasta particularly their Eggplant Parmesan which is always super crispy and thin sliced. They also have a pretty mean minestrone soup which is I'm pretty sure is home-made given the postcard sized slices of cabbage. It doesn't have any pasta in it, but I still like the hearty-ness of it with all the veggies and lentils. The chocolate coke is pretty tasty although I'm pretty sure the only secret ingredient is hershey's syrup, vanilla and cherry are also available. read more

This is a great place to go for pizza. We went here with some friends, and ordered a plain cheese pizza, which was really great. The crust was perfect, and it had just the right amount of cheese without being greasy. My husband ordered the spaghetti marinara, which was spectacularly sup-par, super bland and very basic. Our friend got the "Little Immigrant," which isn't labeled as a sandwich on the menu, but he decided to be adventurous and get the "full loaf." It looked great--fresh with loads of cheese and meat. Vegetarians be warned: they don't offer a marinara sauce without meat in it. Our server offered to substitute pizza sauce on a spaghetti dish, but we thankfully passed and went for the pizza. Long story short: Get the pizza. read more

Sadly, this was the worst take out pizza I have ever had. It was poorly cooked with crust kind of like cardboard. The cheese was uneven and it was like they threw on the pepperoni and the olives as they took it out of the oven. After hearing so many positives about it being old school Italian pizzeria, I wanted to think it was going to be awesome. I would order Domino's 10 out of 10 times if my choice was between Dominos and Carls. Huge disappointment. There are so many good pizza places in Denver...steer clear of this one. read more

OMG I need to vom right meow. After a night of heavy boozing and philandering, pizza sounded like the bee's knees. This pizza was the opposite of bee's knees. I would have been happier with a $3 frozen pizza from the grocery store. The most flavorful part was my salty tears and the crust tasted stupid. Overall, horrible decision, waste of money and calories, I wouldn't order this pizza for my worst enemy. I'm very disappointed in you Carl. For shame! read more

Old school Denver goodness. I met friends that live in the area there last night. I'd heard good things about Carl's from neighborhood old timers. I'm glad I went: ~ Carl's has a unique pie. It's not NY thin crust but it's on the thinner side versus Chi style. ~ Homemade sausage, Italian and Blue cheese dressings -- all great check them out. ~ Service was excellent. We had a party of 15 and we never lacked for anything. Overall, if you are looking for a good hole in wall that is completely unpretentious, with good food, and great service -- check out Carl's. read more

I haven't had Carl's pizza yet, but their immigrant sandwich is great! Soo meaty! The sandwich rolls here are quite nice and chewy. Carl's has a nice cozy family restaurant feel, nothing fancy but that's just fine. I'm definitely looking forward to pizza next time. read more

I recently had a Little Immigrant sub (which is not even labelled as a sub or sandwich on the menu; it just says Little Immigrant, half loaf or whole loaf). It was the perfect balance of meat, cheese, veggies, dressing, and the bread, oh the bread. My mouth is watering just recalling this delicious meal. It may be the best sub I ever ate. You can get just the very fresh filling by ordering the antipasto. By the way - I asked for spaghetti "al dente" and the waitress had no idea what I meant. The standard at Carl's is overcooked spaghetti. The baked spaghetti may solve that problem; I hope so, but I have not tried it. read more

Delicious sausage and pepper sandwich. Talk about a time warp. Straight back to my 1950s childhood. This is "bulk Italian" food at its classic best. I think they hired the female help from Mystic Pizza (the movie). read more

You get caught in a tough spot when you adamantly subscribe to the mantra of "buy local" and use it to steadfastly, almost stubbornly cling to your support of independent, neighborhood businesses. Because when that relates to a restaurant it often means you're putting on your patient face to deal with something that costs more than you can get elsewhere and service that may have a poor attitude or drag their feet. All endured in the name of being principled and sticking to your guns. That predicament does not apply here. Carl's is a cute northwest dive that's likely been in this very spot for decades, when it wasn't hip to give these unique local places your business or even back when people did because it was just down the street and Papa John's wasn't. What blows you away upon being seated at one of the dozen-plus booths inside is how attentive the service is. I came in the late afternoon and at the time was the only customer, however right after ordering the place started filling up. Yet the waiter service never lagged. Phenomenal. For a place with "Pizza" in the name, the menu branches out to plenty of other families of mostly Italian cuisine. Still, I had pizza on the brain, and the pie was outstanding. Shiner Bock on tap too - always an added bonus. I could have driven by for years and always put it in the back of my mind as a place I could try, but reading reviews about it here really propelled me to make it a point to go. Was not disappointed an ounce. Another Yelp success story. read more

We really miss living in North Denver. Carl's has been a solid pizza joint for many years. No matter how long it's been since the late time it's always awesome pizza!!! If you are in North Denver stop in for a great pie! read more

Cozy little Denver joint, the AM staff smiled and told exactly what to order! Parking is limited and behind the building.

Loved this little hole the wall Italian joint! They fill your wine glass to the tippy top! A+ in my book! They also do spaghetti to go! How awesome is that?! Service was spectacular! Spumoni was on the house - and it was amazing! We will definitely return! read more

Carl's Pizza - They don't skimp on their pours! - Pizza Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Sauce was a little tangy today! Pizza is good but definitely noticeable after many years of eating the same pie!

Old school pizza place. One if the LAST vestiges of Old North Denver left. Im the sausage, either on a pizza or the sausage sandwich has been a family favorite since the 1950s. read more

I finally got around to trying Carl's as I have just moved into the hood. I still have not been inside as we did a carry-out order and Matt went to pick it up. I had read about this place on here and have seen all the great reviews and I really really wanted pizza after finishing the half marathon (hey, I deserved it!) We ordered a large (which is only 14 inches) and the total came to $15 with one topping. This place is a little expensive but the pizza was decent. It wasn't as thin as I was hoping for so maybe I should have gone with Pizza Alley if I wanted it really thin. I would call this pizza a bit thicker than normal thin but not as thick as deep dish. It was a tad heavy on the sauce and I couldn't eat the crusts. I liked it but wasn't floored by it. I do like that Carl's is somewhat of a NW Denver institution and I'll certainly be back to dine in soon on other things. However as far as pizza goes I may have to pass on that next time. read more

Carl's has been in Denver for over 50 years, and you can tell by the fifties style decor that it probably hasn't changed much over the years. It's a great local place with one of the best calzones anywhere. The pizza is good, but the calzone is the the stand-out. read more

We've been getting pizza from Carl's since we moved to the 'hood 5 years ago. It's always, always consistent and never disappoints. This is not a gourmet pizza joint. You won't find toppings like chicken breast. roasted red peppers or kalamata olives. But you WILL find GOOD, simple, pizza with plenty of big, fresh toppings (no nasty canned mushies or specs of gr. peppers). The sauce is rich and flavorful. The crust is (frankly) unremarkable, but a nice, simple base for the zesty sauce and thick layer of cheese and toppings. EVERY time we order our pizza it is the same. Hot. Fresh. Delicious. Most of the time it's just what the doctor ordered after a long day. P.S. Order a side of meatballs too. You won't regret it. read more

No school like the old school. Great service! Great food! This joint has been the same since I was a kid in The Northside! Don't change a thing! read more

Definitely my favorite Italian restaurant! Always good and good service! Family is always happy to eat there!

I've been going to Carl's Pizza since I was probably about 7 years old and I'm 28 now. I don't live in the area, but I always recommend this place. I don't care what anyone says, this is my favorite pizza I've ever eaten and I've had pizza all over. The crust is plain, but I like it because it's simple and crunchy. The sauce must be good because in most places I tell them light on the sauce, but no need for that here. The toppings are delicious and fresh especially the Italian sausage. I like to order the super (pepperoni, mushroom, sausage, but exclude the onions). It's not the most expensive, but not the cheapest and when I'm craving outstanding pizza, I drive to Carl's. read more

Homemade sausage for the win!!!!

Well, we did eventually try the pizza. I'm not sure what the hype is...the taste/consistency reminded me of frozen pizza. I am keeping the 4 stars b/c the rest of the food is great plus they have a good beer/wine selection. I still recommend them, just not the pizza. read more

Yum Carl's Pizza! Carl's makes most everything in house, like their homemade sausage (It's the Best!) Homemade sauce, homemade minestrone, everything is made fresh. The dough is made fresh daily, you can tell the difference. The pie's are a little on the pricey side, but you get what you pay for. The is one of my favorite Pizza joints in North Denver; if I didn't live so far I would get it every week! The crust is perfect, not doughy, not too chewy, it's just right! The sauce has just the right amount of kick (very authentic) the sausage is in a league all on it's own.. So when you're in North Denver you gotta have some Carl's Pizza! A+ read more