Carly’s Bistro

This is where I like to bring my friends when they’re visiting from out of town. There’s something on the menu for everyone, the prices are very reasonable, and we’ve liked everything we’ve ordered. They have vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-​friendly options. Tasty cocktails and good beer selection, too.

Nice neighborhood friendly bar, high top seating, bar, outdoor patio facing the art community and low lighting for that artsy bar feel. I had the pear sandwich which sounds weird but it was amazing! The chips served on the side were delicious and the Papgo Orange Blossom beer paired with it made this visit a yummy one!

I’ve been coming to Carly’s since around 2008, and I try to stop in at least a few times a year. It’s not hard to do, considering Carly’s is one of the few good restaurants in its part of town with an excellent and full late night menu — even during the week!
The service is quick and the sandwiches are always generous with the toppings, and served on really great bread. My favorite is the Cuban. The drinks are top notch and reasonably priced. Don’t forget to check out the specials board when you first walk in — it’s easy to overlook, but always has something amazing on it.
Carly’s also is a great place to come for lunch or weekend brunch. The quality and service seems to be consistent. Recent street improvements by the city of Phoenix allowed Carly’s to add a large, shaded patio. It’s one of those few restaurants around here that seems to get better with age.

I went to Carly’s Bistro with a big crowd of mystery readers and writers to attend an event called Noir at the Bar, where a few of my friends were reading. It was a fun reading, and I was surprised by the massive turnout, most of which seemed to be local (I was with a conference crowd, mostly from out of town, staying at the depressing Hyatt Regency a few blocks away). We filled the restaurant and had a good time.
The space was charming and comfortable, with plenty of seating and an ample bar. It was a little bit warm, but otherwise pleasant. Service was great – a couple servers circled the room taking care of everyone even during the reading. Bar service was good, too, and the staff kept good track of our tabs. I definitely ordered at both bar and table in like three different transactions.
The drinks were excellent. There was a great selection of draft beer, including the Stone Delicious IPA, which I ordered as soon as I saw it on the menu, forgetting about the loaded Bloody Mary I’d seen on Unilocal.I had to get that for my second drink, and it was glorious, a small meal in a mason jar. The Bloody Mary was spicy and flavorful on its own, but I was really taken by the «garnishes” – a skewer of salami, olive, and cheese; a whole pickle spear and a stalk of asparagus; lemon and lime and seasoned salt on the rim.
My actual meal was decent, too. I got a Santa Fe panini, with warm roast beef, chipotle mayo, green chili, and pepper jack on an onion challah roll. Nothing amazing, but a solid, filling sandwich, and I really enjoyed the side of orzo pasta salad, which was bland on its own but strangely tasty with the sandwich.
I’d be surprised if I came back here again – I’m not local, and this isn’t quite a vacation destination – but I had a good time at Carly’s. I appreciated the attentive service and the quality drinks, and would probably swing by now and then if I lived in Phoenix.

I love Carly’s. I have been a fan since my first prickly pear margarita back in 2005. Now what I don’t like about Carly’s is that it has gotten so much more expensive! I spent almost $ 30 for 3 drinks. I used to spend a heck of a lot less. But gosh, that prickly pear margarita is damn good. :) I also tried their michelada and that was pretty tasty too!
The hummus is my favorite food to order here but again, it can get pretty expensive. It must be the location? If you are looking for a chill place to relax and have an after work margarita or beer, this place is pretty nice.

You know what, this place is too far away from Los Angeles. The drinks are pretty good. The food is warm enough. But the 8 hour drive to eat here makes it not worth it in my honest opinion.
Try the tomato soup I guess. But honestly after driving for that long, when you taste the soup. It’s like this is good, but now I have to drive back.
I got a grilled cheese to go, but I spilled it in the car. Well not spilled it, but like the cheese got on the steering wheel and then I dropped it. I just think they should say how long it takes to get there on their website.

I have been coming to Carly’s for several years, usually as a jumping off point for a downtown adventure. This has always been a great neighborhood bar, the recent patio expansion has really put it over the top.
Sometimes they have The Walking Dead on the little tv on Sundays which is great if you like gore while you’re eating, which I do. My wife does not though because she is weird, but we won’t go into that right now, I’ll tell you all about her over the coming months and years.
My favorite sandwich is the Santa Fe, there’s just something about those green chillis and pepperjack cheese that make me want to stab a zombie in the skull.
The staff is always nice, def not hipster service, good music. The patio is also nice for people-​watching the 1 day a month when people are gallivanting around Roosevelt for First Friday. I say people but what I really mean is the throng of teenagers roaming around.
7 thumbs up.

We went in on sunday to have some lunch. Most places were packed due to it being Valentine’s day but this place wasn’t. Located in the super dope area of Roosevelt Row, my girlfriend and I decided thats where we’d settle for a bite.
In a place that can hold maybe 75 people comfortably, they have the tables jammed in there. You’re literally elbow to elbow with the neighboring tables. Service was slow but exceptional considering there were only to people on the floor waiting on customers and being bartenders.
The food was fantastic! No complaints there. Delicious tastes melted in my mouth and once again another Roosevelt Row restaurant earned my stamp of approval! Definitely try the place out on a slow day and order the pear sandwich!

I picked this place for lunch because of the name ;)
We were pleasantly surprised with how good it was too! Hands down the best tomato soup I’ve ever had. The grilled cheese paired with it was really good too! My boyfriend was happy with his meatball sub too. Even the root veggie chips on the side were delicious!
There’s a free parking lot right behind the building too.
I recommend this place if you’re in the area for lunch.

Was driving around downtown Phoenix when we saw this place. No one was inside but my girlfriend wanted to try it out and we’re both so glad we did. The waitress was cool and nice but not over the top. We had the Mediterranean bruschetta; so good. For dinner she got the salmon asparagus salad and I got the chipotle chicken sandwich, both were amazing! The beer selection was really good, but my girlfriend didn’t enjoy any of the «fruity» drinks and has yet to find one she enjoys. She does like the wine though.
The view is awesome and the whole area has a cool vibe, we go back about twice a month. So glad we found this diamond in the rough.

A fun place to go downtown for lunch and drinks with friends. Less expensive than some of their competitors nearby.

We stopped in after being down in the art district…
Happy hour on a Saturday!
We ordered our drinks… when the bloody marys came out I was astounded at their beauty! Salami/​cheese/​olives AND asparagus!
We also ordered the spinach artichoke dip and the trio hummus/​tapenade platter.
That spinach dip! So cool and refreshing! it came with plain crostinis… yum! And the hummus came with grilled pita, and I believe freshly made potato and sweet potato chips!
Cool easy atmosphere!
Will definitely be back!!!

This place is super cool looking on the outside, nice art and a great outdoor patio. We went for Sunday brunch which could be fun for day drinking as they have ½ off wine, but alas we did not partake.
We shared a veggie burrito which was super nutricious but could have been seasoned better, but the side of pico de gallo and fruit made it overall a pretty good meal for $ 6.
I was excited when our server told us they only sold espresso, but then remembered I seldom ever trust a U. S American to make my coffee so I opted for an Americano, which was a wise choice. The cappucino bae got tasted and looked like it came from an automatic machine, and not actually prepared by a barista. The Americano was tasty though, albiet a bit on the weak side. Our waitress mentioned if we wanted it stronger that was fine, which was lovely.
The only problem is that they were $ 3 for the americano and $ 4 for the Capp. If i buy a $ 4 cappucino i want creamy milk and the obvious remnants of a solid crema, so this was disappointing.
They had a cool saxaphonist there so I would think it would be a lovely place to come in the afternoon or evenings to enjoy their extensive beer and cocktail menu.

Definitely will be returning for their bloody Mary’s and their grilled cheese!
Bloody Mary give it ⁸⁄₁₀ love the variety of toppings. And the grill cheese was probably one of the best I’ve ever had literally been craving it ever since, the only thing I didn’t like about the food was the tomato soup… It was just really bad like I’ve had better from a can… And the texture was off
Was a great meal and friendly service… Until the check came and the server miscounted our change… An apology would’ve been nice instead of just blowing us off

I had a first time experience at the bar at Carly’s the other day and I was a fan of the place. Small and cozy is how I would describe the atmosphere, with a bit of hipster vibe thrown in there. A small staff of 2 was working the bar and the tables. They don’t have too many tables to offer so this made sense. Both of the employees were personable and friendly and they set a good tone for the experience.
They offered a good variety of interesting beers and wine and they had a full bar. House liquor was only $ 4. I had a wine special which was $ 6 and the price of the beers varied.
I would be interested in coming back to try their food, since a lot of the sandwiches sounded appealing to me and I enjoyed the experience.

First time at Carly’s Sunday afternoon after visiting Radish at the Desoto Market!
After enjoying a $ 7 IPA and a $ 10 cocktail at Desoto… we decided we wanted a decently priced Bloody Mary. So, my roommate suggested Carly’s. I guess they used to have $ 4 BM’s on Sunday’s? But that has changed to $ 6 now when you buy 2. Not bad since they add lots of garnish (if you’re a veg head, make sure to ask for no meat or cheese).
We also ordered the hummus trio which came with red pepper & regular hummus & this olive Tapenade (which is to die for!) served w/​grilled flat bread & terra chips for $ 8.
Next, we ordered a Beermosa to share with a shot of Bourbon (for an extra $ 2)! I definitely recommend it! Super strong and worth the $$!
Needless to say, after that trip to Carly’s I left with a full tummy and had a good buzz going on! I can definitely see myself coming back for some drinks and their vegetarian options!

Came in for the second time, this time for a late lunch. My boyfriend had the turkey melt and the Tropic King Saison and I had the Southwest Chicken sandwich and a glass of Desert Eagle Red. Both sandwichs were awesome he liked the Saison, the desert eagle was just ok. *didn’t think to take a quick pic of the food, I just wanted to get it in my face. My bad*
There’s cool art on the walls available for sale, the server is personable, and they have offer brunch on the weekends which I need to come check out. All in all, it’s a cool, clean little place and we will stop in again when we’re in the neighborhood.

First time eating at this joint and I’d come back for sure. It’s tiny but I think that’s what makes it Carly’s. Service was on-​point! Prices were decent. Menu is simple — sandwiches and salad, you really can’t go wrong. I ordered the Reuben and a salad — no complaints. Lumberyard Brewing Company was there, too and gave away some freebies. All in all, a great spot to hit up if you’re in the area and they’re open late, too!

Four stars means I would visit this spot again.
I liked Carly’s as soon as I walked in because it was dark inside, but you could still see the street and people walking (not 110 degrees today) outside. Not sure why I could hear Mexican and R&B music playing at the same time, but it wasn’t a distraction because I was hungry. I ordered the grilled three cheese and tomato soup (forgot the name).My only complaint about Carly’s is when I order a grilled cheese sandwich, I am expecting the cheese to be melted (see pics). Is it just me or am I being too picky. The stacks of delicious cheese (brie included) made up in taste for not being melted. The tomato soup is best I have in a long time. Tasted very fresh with just enough tang.

Carly’s doesn’t look like the type of place to get a meatball sandwich so good that it makes you question everything you thought you knew about a decent meatball sandwich. But it is that place.
I wouldn’t call this place a diner or a dive or a café, it’s like a weird hybrid of all three minus the trash food you’d find in a dive. I don’t think this place owns a deep fryer or fries anything for that matter. Instead they put their focus into a small menu of well crafted small plates, sandwiches and wraps.
The meatball sub is my favorite-​the meatballs are tender, the sauce is killer and the bread is pillowy-​soft. I always get the green salad because unlike other restaurants where the side salad is a sad pile of wilted greens, Carly’s serves up a simple salad that’s always crisp and never sad with the best balsamic vinaigrette I’ve had in a long time.
Service can seem apathetic at best sometimes but this isn’t a wait on you hand and foot type of place. Seat yourself and expect average service from mostly friendly staff. I prefer to sit at the bar and have always had quick and mostly attentive service there but have found it to vary when sitting in the dining area.
They offer a pretty decent happy hour and daily specials that you can find on a chalkboard stand outside of the restaurant. If you’re looking for a casual dinner in the Roosevelt Row area, this place has you covered.