Legendary pizza in Elk Rapids. I grabbed a few slices nearly every day growing up in town, the 7 cheese is something you can't find anywhere else. I really hope that this restaurant stays open somehow, but I know it might be hard without Chef Charles himself around. He will be missed read more

Trust the locals. This is the best slice in Elk Rapids. What more do you need to know? read more

Chef Charles himself passed away in late 2021, so his restaurant has been closed since October and it is for sale. We are all very sad as he was an incredible, beloved leader in the Elk Rapids community. read more

Still doing it right CHARLES! Just took the whole family and all the mom's and kids attending our annual mommy camp... yes I am the token male. That's another story. Proudly wearing the Manny Badge. Not all bad. Went on family night in downtown elk rapids, super busy night. Biked. The pizza... awesome. Try the chef charles if you like it interesting. Greatest deal in town. Pizza slice and a pop, super reasonable. Kids love it. Every year it's "lets go to chef charles." All should relize that the owner is a classically trained chef and seems to love making pizzas. Some may have eaten his food in downtown Detroit at the Whiney? read more

I still consider this the best pizza I've ever had. The pepperoni slice and soda special cannot be beat. Oh, how I long for summers in Elk Rapids... read more

The best I ever had! If loving this pizza is wrong I don't want to be right. The Ruben pizza is crazy. Eating the Chef Charles' signature pie feels like the first time, feels like the very first time read more

I've been coming to Chef Charles' ever since I can remember--15+ years. The seven cheese pizza is live heaven on earth. Every time I have it, it's just like I remember it when I was a little girl. Warm, soft whole wheat crust, flavorful cheese blend and crunchy feta on top make it my favorite pizza EVER. You can't beat the price either! We used to come to Chef Chucks for lunch in high school and it was like, $2.67 or something for a piece of pizza and a soda with free refills! AMAZING. Every time I come back to Michigan, Chef Chucks is a must. Eat Local! read more

Chef Charles is WONDERFUL. He gave me smarties when I went into hypothermia and it saved my life.

Good pizza. Excellent crust and cheeses. The olives were extremely salty, next time I will avoid them.

I come to Chef Charles as many times per year as possible. In my family we have a tradition that every year we go to Elk Rapids Harbor Days and get 2 huge pizza's from Chef Charles to go. FABULOUS pizza, so many toppings and crusts to choose from. The slices are big and the prices are good for the quality and specialty items you get. This place is HOPPIN' in the summertime so you'd better order ahead or get there before the dinner rush. The service is always great- though they are mostly high school teens working their summer jobs. They are fast and efficient! Elk Rapids is a quaint little town that gets rave reviews for their hospitality each year. read more

We are not sure what all the rave was....3 of us each got 3 different pizzas...and the were average at best. Granted none of us ventured on the pesto...maybe that is the differentiator....but frankly I don't like pesto generally. Pizzas seemed a bit under done. All in all...I would eat at Cellar 152 instead. Forgo this one. read more

You may come here for the pizza - and don't get me wrong, it's good - but you are doing yourself a tremendous disservice if you overlook the sandwich offerings. I just had arguably the best Italian sub of my life, served toasted on wonderful homemade bread. Get it and you won't be disappointed! read more

We ordered a pizza and it took 2 hours for it to go in the oven. When asking what took so long we were disrespected by the staff. Do not recommend and will not go back. read more

So we called at 6:30 pm on a Wednesday in August and they would not take our order. Are you kidding me? Summer peak season and they won't support. Weak sauce. read more

Picked up a pizza and salad Thursday night. Thanks Chef Charlie for a great meal. Pizza was awesome and it the spot. Can't wait for the next one. Glad you are open!! read more

My family has been coming here for years and it has always been truly one of the best pizzas in the state. It is just impossible to find comparable pizza anywhere else. Really unique and fantastic - there is nothing else like it! read more

Been visiting Elk Rapids for over 20 years now and Chef Charles is still my favorite! Best pizza around. I love this place!

Consistently very good pizza. Slices available and fresh. May be busy on a Sunday afternoon but the line moves fast.

Great specialty pizza ! We have been eating here for years. Love all the special toppings

The Chef Chalres pizza is to die for. I have been thinking about it since last summer and I am so excited to get it again when I get back to Elk Rapids. read more

Chef Charles offers high grade pizza and subs in a relaxed small town atmosphere. Their pizza dough is really excellent and so is their sub bread. The 7 cheese pizza uses an incredible blend of cheese and it's put on thick. The pesto is some of the best in the area and you can also take it to go. Pro tip! If your doing lunch on the beach a sub from Chef Charles is the perfect go to. read more

It's a tad bit more than 4 stars- I just can't see myself giving it a 5 star rating. I've always had very good pizza here rather it be by the slice or by the whole pie. It is premium pizza and it should be at a premium price, however I still find it to be a little steep- and at times I can find the crust a bit thick. But those are petty complaints- the staff has always greeted me with a smile rather it be during the busiest or slowest time of year. And the pizza is VERY GOOD- substantially better then from a chain restaurant. If you want pizza in elk Rapids CHOOSE HERE. It is the best in ER. read more

Every time I go on a road trip, I prefer to eat in smaller, independently owned eateries instead of chain outlets. This place is a perfect example why. This small unassuming place had 2 of the best pizzas I've ever had in my life. My order was taken by Chef Charles himself and he recommended we try the Chef Charle's and the Burrito Pizza as the vegetarian options. Both pizzas were splendid and the Chef himself was awesome. Highly recommend the place to anyone passing by this lovely lil town read more

The chef Charles pizza is where it's at! His signature pie is delicious. The whole wheat crust was good to me, but my husband did not enjoy it. Cute little pizza joint. The owner and employees are extremely nice! read more

Their pizza has always been consistently great! I personally like the Greek gluten free pizza..

Great pizza, great service and a great price. We walked in looking for something to take to the local beach. They gave us great directions, we are from out of town. We ordered the Charles' special which had artichoke hearts, olives, pesto and pine nuts. Really great pizza. No beer, but there are stores up the street that can take care of that for you. We would definitely visit again if in the area. read more

Out of the bazillion pizza places we have around us in the Detroit area, none come close to appeasing my cravings for Chef Charles amazing pizza. I have to stop in and get a large seven cheese every time I'm up there. Absolutely delicious! read more

The pesto, the pesto, the pesto! I get it; pesto only has 3-4 ingredients, so how hard can it be--well, it is simply the best pesto anywhere. Everything else is great besides. Those complaining about the wait or the owner are themselves the problem and should take advantage of those restaurants offering early-bird specials--or chains. Chef Charles has never been anything but friendly with us--and we are mere summer visitors--and the wait should alone tell you it is worth it. read more

Ok pizza. People seem to really like this place. My guess is they are on vacation and dont feel like cooking so it tastes extra good. I would get it again if I wanted pizza and was near Elk Rapids. read more

We tried Chef Charles' on several recommendations. On food alone, I'd give another star. It lost a star for cleanliness. Strongly suggest getting your order to go. The kids running the place are friendly and helpful. We had the namesake pizza which was well balanced with ingredients. We loved the toasted pine nuts on the pie and the sesame seeds on the crust. The crust holds the ingredients without being thick. The edge of the crust is thick and chewy - perfect for dipping the ends in honey. (Maybe they might consider putting out a couple honey bears out for diners to try it.) We went at an off time and there was still a surprising steady stream of to-go orders. When we left, it was close to 5:00 on a Sunday, and it was really getting crowded. Don't wait until you are starving to order - plan accordingly and enjoy your pie. read more

Love the pizza, sandwiches and salads. When we hang out at the beach in Elk Rapids we always walk to Chef Charles for carry out italian sandwiches for lunch-YUM! read more

Yum! I really enjoyed the Antipasta salad and Taco Pizza! Great food and service!

This will place will work for a take out pizza order when you want to sit by the water and consume pizza and beer. Expect a long wait during the summer. It's general pizza and the local pizza site. read more

First time visit. Went because of reviews. It's a very small, home town pizza place. Nothing fancy at all. One order window and one pick up window whether you eat in or take out. Very small dining area inside. We went Memorial Day evening. There was not a wait when we got there but it filled up before we were finished. Four small tables and two larger tables and also outside tables. The service was good and everyone was friendly. The prices were good. Our salads were very good and so was the pizza. Not the best I've ever had as some reviews said but very good. We will return when we are back up to our cottage. read more

This place is fantastic! The staff is very friendly and the food is amazing. Everything is locally sourced and the pizza sauce is made from tomatoes from Chef Charles' graden! read more

Fantastic pick. You can't beat the price or quality. Boyfriend and I each had a slice and salad with a pop for a total of $11. Antipasto salad was a generous portion with plenty of vegetables and delicious dressing. I suggest the bean burrito pizza. Close to the beach, walking distance, for taking a slice to the beach if desired! read more

I had been looking forward to Chef Charles' and the pepperoni cups for months leading up to my trip to my dear friends lake house. After a splendid Saturday on the water, we were tired and opted to place a carry out order rather than dine In. We were told our order would be ready at nine pm. My good friend arrived to pick up promptly at nine, at which time he was told they had forgotten to make the pizzas. The receipt was sitting there... but no pizza, no pepperoni cups to be seen. The employees had the shop just about closed for the evening. My friend kindly asked if they could turn the oven back on and whip us up our za, but they said it was closing time. One of the employees offered up a veggie pizza but reported that it was her personal pizza to take home after work. I continue to be in disbelief that the pizza shop I hold so near and dear to my heart could disappoint me like this. I understand mistakes happen, but mistakes need to be fixed. A proper solution would have been to turn the ovens back on and quickly make us the pizzas, especially since they could not provide a true reason as to why it didn't happen in the first place. I hate to say this, but next year on our annual best friend trip, we will be taking our business elsewhere. read more

This is the best Pizza period. Home made ingredients, creative specialties, great sandwiches and salads.

This pizza is amazing. The crust is soft and tasty. Theres a good amount of cheese. The toppings are thick and plentiful. I called and wanted to order a pizza 5 min before they closed. I thought he wouldve said they wont do it. But he said no problem! Great place! read more

Called in this past weekend and ordered two pizzas for carry-out. Over an hour wait understandably so, since it's busy on the weekend during dinner time. Was told the pizzas would be ready at 9pm (when they close). Went to pick up and they had no pizzas made for us, but they had the receipt with our order and name on it. Had an entire group of us (with two little ones up past their bedtime) stay in town waiting for these pizzas that were never made. Employees told us there was nothing they could do, that they turned the ovens off. They also suggested another pizza place to go to instead??? Ridiculous customer service, the way things were handled. The ball was dropped by the employees here, and we were left scrambling to find an alternative food option for 8 out of towners at 9pm when places are closed in Elk Rapids. I'm just baffled that there was no attempt to try and compensate for the mistake. The owners should really talk to their employees on what to do in situations like these because this was completely mishandled, and judging by the previous reviews this seems to happen often. read more