Al’s Pizza

Pizza was very good, fresh tasting. Fried ravioli app was great as well. Interior has a nice feel to it, with a nice atmosphere. Can’t wait to try some of there meals! The server we had was attentive and very pleasant. She was on top of all of our needs and was very human, not a server robot like some. All in all, I will be going back sooner than later.

Went with a group from work for lunch yesterday. I’ll start with the positives. Service was great, initially. Atmosphere was clean, casual, and stark/​modern. The salad that came with the ‘buffet’ was noteable as was the dressing selection. It was downhill from there.
We all chose the lunch ‘buffet’ option. This is a fixed price, but instead of self-​serve, you can order up to 3 slices at a time from about 8 different choices. We were told that it is best eaten ‘hot’, and several people commented that there’s was warm at best. A woman at a neighboring table actually sent her slice back to be rewarmed. The dough can make or break a pizza, and unfortuneatly it is the dough that sinks these pies.
When we were ready for drink refills and to place our next pizza order from the ‘buffet’, our server, or any server for that matter, was nowhere to be found.
We were treatesd with a complimentary order

Came with high expectations but left disappointed. Got the unlimited «gourmet» pizza buffet with salad and a drink for $ 8.99. I tried several types but was continuously let down with bland, flavorless pizza. Although the service was decent, I won’t be back. I’ve had better frozen pizzas. Hate to say it… But it’s true.

I wasn’t a fan of Al’s at all…
I ordered a deluxe pizza for pick up. The crust had no flavor, and the toppings didn’t have any great qualities either. Did I mention that the pizza was $ 20??? I’ve had delivery pizza that was more flavorful at half the price!
The toasted ravioli was OK, but it wasn’t as good as it would have been from a true Italian restaurant because the marinara wasn’t very flavorful either.
Just go to the real pizza place down the street.

I heartily agree with another reviewer that this place is lackluster. From the outside it looks slick and modern but once you sit down it just feels like a bit nicer CiCis pizza. When the waiter came by, I asked about the special on craft beers and diverted from my question and told me about the cheap Yuengling special. Not what I asked so I had to ask again.
I don’t think I’m their target audience as it looks like they are going for the bro/​bachelor-​banker type. The food was average and there is something off in the atmosphere. Can’t say I would recommend. Food portions are large though.

went perhaps 3 mos ago now for a late lunch (2:30 or so). Was pretty empty at the time. Tea was good, slice was good, greasy, but really good– and they do 1.50 slices for lunch. Tea was actually more than the pizza, which seemed silly to me. But definitely a good lunch spot for budgets.

I was in the mood for pizza tonight but i just wanted something basic and all of Al’s individual pizzas were specialty pizza. Whatever happened to just pepperoni, sauce and cheese?
Anyway, I went with an all meat calzone and while the outside looked appealing, the inside is where the disappointment came from. With the exception of the pepperoni, the meats were all diced in bits like toppings in an omelette at IHOP. Whatever happened to sliced meats and even chunks? The marinara sauce was also cold.
The beer selection was also disappointing. The only local beer was OMB’s Copper.
The décor was a little weird for me. IT was too bright to be a pizza place and looked kind of sterile in an IKEA sort of way.
Service wise, i wish i had the server at the table next to me because she seemed like she cared. My server did not. He would ask if everything was ok as he was already 3 feet beyond the table and really took no interest in any of my concerns.
There was really nothing memorable about this place for me and I’ll likely keep searching for better pizza/​service/​calzones.

My experience at Al’s Pizza wasn’t bad, just simply LACKLUSTER.
At first, I was excited by the clean, modern design of Al’s. Then, I noticed how upon closer inspection certain elements were skimped on and the place just felt cheap. Like the plastic plates and cups just seemed out of place next to the sleek tiles and modern chairs. Being my first experience at Al’s, these bits were what gave away the fact that this place was only a chain.
We ordered a 16″ pizza with whole wheat crust. Feta on whole, spinach on half, sun-​dried tomatoes on half. I didn’t dislike the pizza, but I wasn’t in love either. The whole wheat option was cool and tasted decent. They weren’t greedy with the toppings, but they better not have been since our total was over $ 20.
Would I eat here again? Possibly if I was meeting friends, but I doubt I’d come again on my own craving anything on the menu.

Let me put this out there: I love pizza buffets.
I went to Al’s on a Friday for lunch. I was a bit confused when I arrived and no one was at the front desk. But was soon seated. The interior is nice & modern looking, but unfortunately this may be where the nice things end.
My idea of a pizza buffet: Unlimited supply of pizza that you stand up and get on your own.
Al’s idea of a pizza buffet: Your choice of unlimited slices of pizza, ordered 3 at a time using a order form that you have to give to your waitress.
To start out with, I ordered a slice of silcilian pizza, a slice of pepperoni and a slice of buffalo chicken. I liked the buffalo chicken after I dusted off the carrot slices (there were carrot slices on my buffalo chicken pizza), and the silcillian was good but I just didn’t like the sauce that was used on the pepperoni pizza. It was now time to order more pizza, so I had to flag down my waitress, ask for an order form, order more pizza and wait for it to be delivered. Just an odd concept to me. I don’t think I’ll be returning. Luisa’s pizza buffet is more my style.

Ugh! Wow… I think of myself as a very fair foodie analyst but my first experience at Al’s Pizza was a dud… to be fair, I did order take out so I cannot speak of the service or ambiance. But, I can say that as I waited for my order I saw several kitchen employees walk into the front door of the restaurant and they looked like they slept in the same clothes as the day before… frankly, they looked unkempt and unwashed and my first thoughts flashed to what the kitchen might look like… there could be a correlation. I would have sent those guys right back home if I was the manager…
OK. to the food… another dud… I ordered the 16″ SPICY CARIBBEAN CHICKEN and it was bland, lacked any discernible quantity of chicken, the crust was comparable to cardboard, and the over-​salted flavor was bland with a hint of pepper and garlic… MYEH! I have to say that I had a stomach ache hours later and I desperately prayed that I didn’t have food poisoning… I did not but if their food can bother my iron-​clad stomach then something is not right…
I also ordered the cheese sticks that looked and tasted like industrially-​flash frozen erasers (yes, I was one of those weird 3 year-​olds once that tasted everything)… while the breading was unique and good there lacked any real amount of cheese in the sticks… I took a bite and there was more air than cheese… I guess their intention was to have the gap filled with the AOK marinara? LOL… I think not…
Anyway… with the huge amount of competitors around their store I think I’ll eat pizza elsewhere…

I am not going to lie and say this is the best pizza I have ever had because its not. It’s fairly decent. But I’m from NY so that’s a decent compliment. Their other food is good as well.
They do however, have the best drink specials anywhere in town. Thursday nights they have $ 1 wine and $ 1 Yuengling bottles. Wed night they have $ 2 featured wine glasses.
They just started a pizza buffet that I can’t wait to check out!

I’m new to the neighborhood and wandered into Al’s looking for good, local pizza. I may have found it in Al’s. The service was good and quick. The pizza was really good too. My wife and I split a pizza and each had a couple of their beer specials, $ 2 draft Yuenglings on Thursdays. The weather was nice, so we sat out on the patio. We’ll definitely be returning.
I was happy to learn they have whole wheat crust, which you can also get as raw dough to take home (Wife and I also like to make homemade pizza with dough that isn’t store bought.).

$ 8.99 for their lunch buffet which includes all you can eat pizza (multiple varieties), side salad and drink. I can’t really load up too much at lunch, so all you can eat places aren’t really my style, but this is still a good deal even if you grab just two slices.
They have a unique way of taking the buffet order, almost like «the Counter» used to do it before it became «Cowfish,» where you check off what you want and how many. Easy. Fast. I chose BBQ chicken (good), Buffalo Chicken (ok) and Sausage (really simple but quite good). Side salad was large with the usual ingredients. Good, but nothing special.
Service was efficient and friendly. In and out. Perfect for business lunches.
The facility was MUCH larger than anticipated and definitely had a modern feel to it. I read other Unilocalers describe it as having «clean lines.» Not exactly sure what that means, but they’re correct :) Outdoor seating was surprisingly plentiful. 5 large flatscreens in the bar area.
Summary: Loved the facility itself, liked the food, liked the service. I’m putting it in the lunch rotation.

We went to Al’s Pizza last night to give it a try since we had a coupon. I expected just another pizza place, but Al’s Pizza completely surprised me. Immediately upon entering, I grew fond of the place. They gutted and changed the entire look of the place from its last restaurant incarnation. It’s decorated in a retro modern fashion, a la Mad Men (or Big View Diner for a local reference).
We got a great, big, comfortable booth. The menus were quite large… and heavy. They have an extreme variety of options; there’s something for everyone. From apps to sandwiches to salads to calzones to pasta to, finally, pizza. Everything looked and sounded so wonderful, and offered at reasonable prices.
This time around, we opted for two extra large (16″) pizzas for our party of five. We tried Al’s White Chicken Florentine pizza and the Barbecue Chicken pizza. Both were delicious, but I especially enjoyed the florentine one. It was so creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor. And the two XL pizzas were «just enough» for the five of us.
I know it sounds like they’re paying me to write this review, but I was just all around impressed by everything there from the décor to the service to the food. We’ll definitely be back, coupon or no coupon!

$ 1 a slice between 2pm-​5pm! Yep, you read that right!
The slices are a good size and they also offer lunch specials around $ 5. Great way to take a break from the office, eat some good food, and keep your bank account happy all at the same time!
I have to agree with Angie and Dion, the staff is super friendly and on top of things! My husband and I were greeted promptly each time we’ve visited and served within minutes by a smiley server.
The interior has been completely remodeled since the tavern days (remember how dark that place was?). It has an open feel and the natural lighting from the windows shines throughout the place. The ambiance is fresh and modern and seats a lot of people.
See you for lunch at Al’s!

Charlotte was in need of this place. A modern Pizza/​Italian place with good prices, good food and great specials. Service is quick and friendly with the manager coming by both visits to make sure that the food was good.
I work in the area and fast places for lunch that are not sandwiches or fast food are few. This place has a great choice of lunch specials for $ 5 including drink. Even with tip it is cheaper than a combo at my normal go to Which Wich. The large patio is nice, too. Especially nice on Thirsty Thursday (Dollar wine and beer).
Other times you can always grab a slice for $ 2 or during the 2−5pm slot the price drops to a buck.
I love the fancy foods on Montford and will always visit my favorite Taco Bell on the same road but it is so nice to have something Not too cheap and Not too expensive but just right.

Dropped in today with a couple co-​workers after deciding it was time to expand the lunch rotation and try something new. First thing to know, Al’s is actually a chain that appears based out of Florida and is aggressively trying to expand (or the back page of the menu boldly advertising franchise opportunities is a gaudy misprint). Still, this is presently the first and only location outside the sunshine state, so it was worth a go.
The interior is quite modern with clean lines, natural stone, neutral colors, and a distinct lack of clutter and (thankfully) TV screens. Booths are extra long and could easily seat six, but allow a party of 4 to really spread out. A separate bar area and outside patio are also available. Clearly a lot went into the up fit here.
The menu is a leather-​bound tome and particularly heavy to hold– but at least it is organized. Subs, salads, traditional italian classics and pizza dominate here. Clearly going for mass market appeal, there is little here that you will not have seen and heard of before. The kitchen is clearly focused on production, not creativity. I was, however, pleased to see smaller lunch portions of entrees and a handful of combos for lunch. No doubt this place will appeal to the lunch time crew punching the clock and those looking to just eat and go.
I tried a meatball sub and salad combo on my visit. The house salad was bright, crisp and came with a very pleasant house balsamic vinaigrette that is made with roasted garlic. Tomatoes were mush, however, and made me glad I didn’t try anything caprese. The sub I had was quite large and the marinara sauce was a highlight: bright, light and fresh. The meatballs, though, were not house made and appeared very pre-​fab. They lacked texture and any independent flavoring.
Given that they put ‘pizza’ in their name, I also tried a slice to see why they boast being a ‘best of Jacksonville’ for so many years. Bottom line: Aside from the marinara sauce, I am mystified. First, all lunch slices are cheese only by default. Toppings are $.50 to $.60 a piece (per slice) and are simply laid on top of the cheese slice before it goes back into an oven and then onto your plate. Again, good for a mass market but a total let down personally.
Also, while the crust is thin, it is utterly devoid of anything approaching tasty. The dough is either completely overworked or lacking of any yeast and time to rise. It was tasteless and just flat. The final product lacked any lightness with air pockets or a contrast in the exterior and interior of the crust. Artisan, this is surely not.
Service was, however, quick and attentive.
So, while there is little doubt Al’s will appeal to those looking to lunch as more of a task than an experience to be savored, it is not a standout. It’s aiming for the mass market and it is not craft food. So long as that’s okay with you, Al’s has you covered in a pleasant environment. If your expectations for food quality are a bit higher, however, I’d continue the hunt, especially in the pizza department.

Ahhh, finally I can make a review for Al’s! A few weeks ago, Dion L. invited Simone M. & myself to the «friends & family» event, & we feasted like queens — see Dion’s review for the low down.
Well today the boyfriend & I went back so that I could get even more «research» for my review & allow him to witness first hand how awesome Al’s is.
As Dion & Rod mentioned, the staff is exceptional. They reminded me a lot of the friendliness & pleasantness that is Chic-​Fil-​a. Even today, as a «regular» customer, they were just as kind. Today, we went with a 12-​inch create your own pizza & had a thin crust with pepperoni, salami, banana peppers, mushrooms, & black olives. WOW. Insanely delicious! This pizza easily feeds two people (we both had two pieces each, with one left over). The toppings… so fresh & look good on the pizza! The cheese is melted perfectly & the crust isn’t heavy tasting. We also had the zeppoli. Those are bites directly from heaven! They remind me so much of powdered doughnuts. And that jelly sauce is a great addition.
The inside of the restaurant is so clean, fresh & modern! I love the organic feel it has. Al’s would be good for a date, families, groups, & friends just hanging out.
Other pluses:
— Patio seating
— EXTENSIVE menu! Salads, sandwiches, appetizers, salad, pasta, ton of speciality pizza choices & options to create your own pizza.
— Prices are super reasonable & they feature lunch specials, $ 1 slice pizza, Monday — Friday from 2 PM — 5 PM, & Thirsty Thursdays, with $ 1 house wines & draft beer.

This place looks GREAT! It does not look like a Pizza place at all and I mean that as a compliment! The Entryway, Bar, Large Dinning Room, Large Patio and Restrooms all look Fantastic! Very Comfortable seating which is important when you order like I do! Very relaxed friendly environment! Sort of Modern décor, like if the person who designed the interior for «Bricktops» had gotten some better skills and ideas when designing this place!
Staff is friendly, accurate and attentive! My caution is to say be careful not to overdo it, yet if you are going to make a mistake err on the side of being overly service driven! It is my guess that it will take longer in any Restaurant for the Kitchen to get up to speed — Seems that would make sense to me!
I have been waiting and waiting for this place to OPEN! You could guess I have no friends and my Family lives far away, so I joined the masses here for the «Official» First day of «Business» to the public here in Charlotte, Yesterday!
The name of the place is «Al’s Pizza», so I order:
Breaded Zucchini Sticks (I learned the difference between lightly Breaded and lightly battered today! I have always wondered about that!) These were Breaded and I found out today I do not like Breaded, still these had a better than good flavor (I had to check them out — What if they had beaten «Nolen Kitchens» «Charlotte Famous Zucchini Chips» WHOA!)! Hey it’s Al’s Pizza, not Al’s Zucchini Appetizer! Still they had a chance to show Charlotte something they have never seen! Hey Al, you still have that chance — HEY, Al go to «Nolen Kitchen» order the Zucchini Chips, at your place cut the Zucchini fries as you do and use a thin light batter instead of breading!
Marinara Sauce was very Tomatoey and I guess since Marinara is a Tomato sauce it is supposed to be — I liked it, even though it seemed Totally devoid of Garlic this was a delicious sauce. If they made some pasta in house I would order it again and still may!
Manicotti tasted very good, had a very fresh taste and I will give it close to 5 Unilocal stars though would never order it again because it tasted devoid of Garlic! I LOVE Garlic and though I do not want to offend people with the way I smell, I expect to drive any Vampires away for 12 hours! No one said this is Al’ Italian food, nor Al’s Italian/​American food, this is Al’s Pizza and they did a Very good job with this dish! YOU may appreciate the lack of Garlic, anyone you work or live with will be thanking Al, if he is not taking my advice on this! The Manicotti was served with Toasted Buttered Garlic Bread and it did have some REAL fresh garlic! Manicotti was GREAT, Garlic bread was A-​OK.
Italian Cold Sub — Oppppps — Al personally assured me next time this would be right! The bread was very good, the Onions were RED + BIG Plus though they were sliced way too thick for me. The Tomatoes were beautiful and had great flavor, the Cheese was probably just right, the meat could have been a little more plentiful and they either did not put any Oil and Vinegar on it or it was just impossible to see and taste (I took the sandwich completely apart twice in front of one of the Managers (Sorry Mr. Manager, that is as bad as I will be (hopefully), my Sincere apologies)! I hope that I did not offend anyone, even a little… My Aim is to help — Charlotte NEEDS some GREAT Pizza, wait I’m still reviewing a «Sub» Sandwich, not a sub Pizza! My waitress (who did a fantastic job of continually answering questions and keeping my (two — that is too smart) large LARGE glasses FULL!) asked if I would like some Oil and Vinegar on the side so I asked if they had some «Balsamic» so I checked it out and it was A-​OK (better than many) which means I would not get it again! Food needs to be GREAT, not merely good!
For Dessert I had the Cannolis (five small Cannolis on a plate, stuffed to order, FRESH, Rich and flavorful)! 5 Unilocal stars!
I got Pizza — 16″ Thin, thin, thin (I like Thin) Crust, first bite and I’m impressed, first slice here is what I liked: The Cheese is just right, I think it is all Mozzarella, if it is a blend it is a good blend. The sauce was good, fairly simple (I’m a fan of Simplicity) though overall the crust (as dough I’m guessing was «overworked») had a semi-​tough texture and bland flavor — I’m no expert on how it is supposed to taste, overall it was good yet disappointing. I’m always hoping for GREAT, not merely good! This is really just the second day so I bet they improve!
This Morning for Breakfast I had leftover Pizza from Al’s. For leftover Pizza heated about 30 seconds in a pre-​heated toaster oven with a brick bottom (I have not owned a Microwave in years) it was better than good and better than many for leftover Pizza
November 2012 Took my Fiancée here, we both had Pasta Dishes Both were very Good!

After my girlfriends and I ordered what seemed like everything on the menu, spent over 4 hours at lunch… we’ve decided this has got to be our new go-​to pizza/​Italian spot!
The three of us went for the restaurant’s Friends and Family preview two days before they open. They’re located in Park Towne, the shopping center across from Park Road, where the Total Wine and Polka Dot bakery is. The space is bright and airy and all of us agreed, fresh. (No remnants of the old Tavern at all.)
The manager told us he really took care in hiring good people to work for him, and we were all impressed with everyone’s friendliness and attentive service. Our water/​sodas were always replenished, and the menu, thoroughly explained. The owner told us everything in made in-​house, and the dough is fresh daily. The pizzas are also baked in a brick oven, not one of those conveyor belt things. BIG plus.
Simone M. and I ordered Greek Salads, toasted ravioli, lasagne and garlic bread, a buffalo chicken pizza, a steak and onion calzone, cannoli and zeppolis. Our friend Angie P. joined soon after and got a house special hand-​tossed pizza.
EVERYTHING was super fresh and delicious. Not greasy and heavy at all. The pizza is just how I like it, really nice and chewy dough, crisp on the outside and the toppings ultra flavorful. I mean, the buffalo chicken pizza is one of the best ones I’ve ever had. My 1000% percent favorite was the calzone. The dough crisp and no undercooked sogginess at all. Lots of cheese and fillings and marinara… ohhhh, I’m drooling!
By the way, the star dessert is the zeppoli. (Did I spell that right?) Imagine about 7 or 8 hot, puffy pieces of deliciousness, a cross between fried dough and a doughnut. COVERED in powdered sugar, dunked in a raspberry jelly sauce. You may consider eating this for the main meal.
Al’s by the way is a Florida pizza place, but this location is the first franchise store to be opened in NC.
Things we learned during our visit:
Monday-​Friday 2−5pm features $ 1 slices of pizza!
Thursday, all day, 1 dollar Yuengling and 1 dollar house wines!
We noticed the lunch entrees were super reasonable. The lasagna with garlic bread $ 5.39 or something close to that. Add a side salad for $ 2.99.
I’m overall really happy with Al’s, and am positive it’s going to be a popular spot for not a lunch with girlfriends, but for families, business people and anybody who just wants to get some yummy food at a reasonable price in a nice, friendly setting.
PS: I really liked the bathroom. Nice modern fixtures and large stalls. Hey, this is important, people!
PPS: We were told delivery would become a reality in the near future too.