Lilly’s Pizza

Disappointed. Walked in for first time and sat at bar of the empty restaurant. Has to grab our own menu and 4 staff walked all around us. One was standing playing w the loud music and when we asked how to order they said we won’t take our order until you stand infront of the register. Place was empty and the register is one stool away. Get some new employees who fixe a rip. They could have at least said welcome grab a menu and when your ready I will ring you up at the register. Music is the staffs choice and blaring. Ps the dough tasted like it came from a can. Otherwise unique fun atmosphere.

Sullen girl taking orders, missed 1 pizza order, overcharged for drinks. No apology, almost defiant attitude. Pizza nothing great. Won’t be back!

Come to Lilly’s for classic «university-​style» pizza. I made that term up. But what do I mean?
First, it means good pizza. You pay a fair price to get pretty great ingredients that are local and organic on a hand stretched base. They have a huge number of topping choices and it will get a bit pricey if you’re just rattling off toppings. They have 20 multi-​ingredient specials that will help keep a standard 16″ down to about mid-​20 dollars. Don’t worry about 16″ being too small, they are generous with toppings and the giant puffy crusts will really fill you up.
The crust tends to be less glutenous, so is more bready than chewy — but it is still yummy. The base is also the classic floppy taco-​it-​in-​half style than crispy.
Second, it means divey atmosphere. Come inside if you love to be sonically assaulted by whatever the employees like to listen to, which at the time was skull-​piercingly loud dubstep. Or maybe someone was torturing a cat. There is a tiny outdoor dining area, where you sit next to idling cars of patrons picking up pies and the whizzing traffic on Glenwood. Also, be prepared for the garage-​sale tables still cluttered with dirty dishes. The walls tend to be plastered with posters and out-​of-​date fliers, all topped with a musty smell. Hey, it’s college town atmosphere.
Third, I love young employees who are grim, bewildered, and just trying to get through the day. It’s par for the course. Perfunctory is fine for me as I’m not asking for wine pairings.
Lilly’s gets five starts for her pizza, but gets negative 1 stars for hygiene, and gets a pass on the surly service because — hey, it’s university pizza.

Lily’s is a Raleigh classic. You can count on nice but horrendous service, salad greens that appear to never having been washed, great house dressing, and a pizza that looks interesting and has an uninspiring taste. It’s grunge chic décor is scarily dirty looking, and none of my family could find the restaurant’s cleanliness rating.
Last night it took them 45 minutes after we ordered which was 15 minutes after our pizza finally came to our table, to inform us they were out of pasta, as I had ordered the fettuccine special. They were nice enough to reduce our bill significantly, but overall it was one of the worst dining experiences ever.
The funny thing is we didn’t get too upset and just kept telling ourselves“we already know that this is what Lily’s is like”.
Oh, did I mention the ice cold marinara sauce?

I have to amend my review. The pizza is still awesome, if you can actually get it. We’ve been given the wrong pizza for take out (with a whopping $ 7 refund for our 40 minute round trip drive to get our ACTUAL pizza).
Another time they gave us ours, but never brought out our friend’s pizza (they had to go request it from the counter), while completely losing our 3^rd friend’s order. We waited for well over an hour.
The pizza is delicious, but I don’t know if we can justify going back.

Service was terrible, staff was unattentive. Waited an hour for a medium pizza. Pizza was below expectations. We’ll go to mellow mushroom next time and get good service and a 20 minute wait for a delicious pizza.

One of my favorites!!! Fuzzy duck salad all day! And my husband gets the calzones, they are huge! I feel like it’s enough to feed an entire family!

I get that this place has good food, but that’s not really an excuse for crappy services. I ordered my pizza at 7:50. They told me 35 – 40 minutes when I called in. I try to give this place extra time so I showed up at 8:35. I ordered two small pizza and a side order. I came in asked for my pizza, they couldn’t find it because it was put under an incorrect name. Not a big deal, stuff happens. I just told them what I ordered and they found the the order. I paid for it. They give me the pizza. The side order is missing. I had just told them my order and paid for it. I asked, «wasn’t I supposed to have a side». The lady asks me again what I ordered… the order I had just paid for. I tell her again. She sends a guy to the back to find the side order. He comes back and says something her. She then tells me it will be a few more minutes. The guy then takes my two small pizzas away from me and puts them on the rack behind him. Didn’t say anything to me, just took them. Okay… cool… I’ll just stand here.
10 minutes pass.
I eventually go back up to the counter and ask how much longer its’ going to be. I get an explanation that the side order takes longer than pizza and it should be a few more minutes, which is what they told me previously. No apology or anything. I continue to wait, because a) they have my pizza and b) I’ve already paid for it. After another 5 minutes of choking on smoke and listening to drunk people at the bar area, I get the pizza and side and get it home .The small pizzas are cold because they have been sitting for half an hour, but it’s still good. That’s the thing, the food is good and it’s why I keep coming back. I’ll probably take this place off my go-​to pizza places as there are other good pizza places in raleigh with good service. Or maybe it’s a place you should go when you aren’t in a hurry and you want to sit outside. I may not be hipster enough for Lily’s.

Don’t come here expecting New York Style pizza and typical toppings. Do come here expecting an eclectic ambiance, plush fluffy crust, and unique flavor combos that will delight and surprise. The colorful interior and casual outdoor patio are a perfect gathering place for friends and family in a casual, come-​as-​you-​are environment. Laid-​back service and seating invites no frills fun before a movie or night out downtown.

Finally tried this place and was not disappointed. I would normally balk at the slightly higher than avg prices, but it was worth it. Aside from almost dying of smoke inhalation, it was a good experience.

This place smells like garlic and I’m totally fine with it. I mean, it reeks of garlic. But I like garlic.
I like the lunch specials and that I can get a giant slice and a drink for a good price. I like that they have giant salads and all kinds of ingredients and that it doesn’t matter if you’re vegetarian or whatever, you can definitely find something to eat.

So I’ve been coming to this place for 5 years and I love it. I stumbled upon it because I was in search of a good gluten free pizza. When I first came in I was so upset by the nonchalant hipster staff never seemed to want to address my concerns or questions much less crack a smile. But after I had the first pizza, I was hooked (and that was their gluten-​free version!) The ingredients are clearly organic and fresh. There is none fresher in town and dare I say for quite a distance.
I finally came to just ignore their hipster ways and enjoy the pizza. Thankfully, after they see you a few times they start to soften up. I come here with my boyfriend, my girlfriends, my parents. Anybody I can bring to Lillys, I do! I always order the super super. If you are typically a fan of the meat lovers then will love this EVEN MORE. I’ve also had the Dantes lnferno which I like as well but the Super Duper is by far my favorite. Each of the meats shines through season to perfection. So often you go places and the hamburger on the pizza is dry and flavorless. But not here. You can tell that these ingredients are not your run of the mill pre-​packaged ingredients. These ingredients were thought out, tried and tested before being placed on their absolutely delectable fluffy crust with the perfect balance of sauce and cheese.
I have also had a few of their salads including the Cesar and the pear salad both of which are highly fresh and come with homemade dressings as well.
My only other critique of Lillys is that they often run out of things like crust and cheese. Really and truly, This is more of a pro than a con as it shows that everything is freshly made and prepared.
I’ve been here a few times when this occurred but honestly the potential reward is worth the risk something being out of stock.
This is the best pizza in Raleigh hands-​down. If you’re new to the area I wouldn’t even stop anywhere else before trying Lillys. The ones that come in second on my list are still a longshot compared to Lillys. They are worth every penny.

Oh no, very average pizza.
Please, do not pile on the toppings. It is unnecessary, I ordered the Thai and pesto pizzas, both personal size. The pesto and its toppings were excessive and slid off my pie. The Thai was better but again, why pour on mountains of food? What a waste. I felt bad but it was too much.
The flavors were decent and I lived the funky space. But the pizza was overwhelmingly heavy, we only ate half.

As long as you don’t mind waiting and smelling like a pizza joint when you leave then Lilly’s is pretty darn tasty. I’ve been a fan for many many years, gosh if I could only remember my first visit to Lilly’s, that’s how long I’ve been coming here:)
I love their pizza and all the choices you have to choose from. They make some unique pies and tasty apps, salads, and wings as well. The pretzels are awesome as well as their pita with hummus and artichoke dip. Ohh I’m getting hungry just writing this review. They also serve a lot of good beer and you can get a pitcher. If you are looking for vegan or veggie options you are in luck, because Lilly’s serves both.
If the weather is nice and you can grab a seat outside then do it, or your eyes are going to burn and you’ll never be able to get the smell of smoke out of your hair (from the pizza ovens). I’ve gotta say the service can be awfully spotty here so know that going in.
Order up front and they will call out your name and deliver your food to you. The patio is dog friendly and great for people watching. Looking for local pizza then Lilly’s is an awesome place to check out, no it’s not NY pizza but it’s got it’s own unique flavor and quirky pies to choose from.
My latest visit I ordered the Sir Walter it was pretty salty with all the prosciutto di parma so not sure I’d order it again but I loved the mushrooms and smoked gouda. The wings are huge and pretty tasty as well but I think my favorite part is their homemade blue cheese dressing.

The best pizza I’ve had in the triangle area since I’ve moved! I’ve heard of Lily’s and finally ordered two slices to go for lunch. The lines were long to even get take out, so if you’re in a rush I wouldn’t recommend coming here. When I say ordered two slices, I really mean half a pie, since the slices are huge! They were more than generous with their portion sizes.
I got cheese pizza, and a slice with mushrooms and truffles on it. This pizza was delicious! The pizza tasted fresh and hot. It really made me feel it came right out of the oven. The sauce and crust has a sweet taste to it, which I am obsessed with. It was different than your normal pizza crust, and it was a pleasant change. The veggies were cooked perfectly. The seasonings and cheese had my mouth watering for more with each bite. I can’t wait to go back to Lily’s to try more of their speciality pizzas. I’ll definitely be back here sooner than later.

I feel like I am really missing something here. While the pizza is good and unique, I feel like I can get the same quality and variety from Mellow Mushroom.
I am not a fan of having to order at the counter and then finding a seat. You spend so much time in line waiting and then you spend a lot of time searching for a seat. The lack of cleanliness is the biggest turn off for me. When we went there were tables full of trash but no one busing them, flies everywhere, and I wouldn’t even try to go to the bathroom there. They really need a makeover to actually make people want to come in.
I will say that if we lived close, we might be willing to get pizza to go, but other than that, I don’t think I will be back to Lilly’s.

Loved this pizza spot. Before I get into the review, I’m knocking a star off because I thought it took a taaad too long for our order to get ready and the inside décor is kind of hit or miss. If you’re really into the eclectic-​ness of it, then you’ll like it. If not, in can seem a little too hodge-​podge and the smell of oil from the kitchen is a bit overpowering if your table is near the kitchen. Anyway, minor details that are easily overshadowed by the deliciousness that is Lilly’s Pizza.
They have a really creative menu of pizzas (and other things like salads, calzones etc.). Wish I had discovered this place sooner and not one week before moving out of North Carolina so I could’ve tried more pies. The crust is onnnnnn point too. We tried the Aristocrat and the Mr. Green Jeans. The medium size is perfect to split between two people. We shared two mediums between 3 hungry people and it was perfect (had a bit leftover). In hindsight, I wish I’d realized that you could just do half and half with a large pizza. Anywayyy, if potatoes on pizza is one of your favorite things to eat ever (if it’s not, it should be.) then you must try the Aristocrat. I think the sweet caramelized yellow onions really seal the deal on this pie.
The Mr. Green Jeans is a great vegetarian pizza; the veggies could’ve been cooked a little more. But you’ll definitely feel less guilty eating this pizza because it felt light and not greasy from oil and cheese –essentially felt like a fresh salad on a yummy crust.
A must try to satisfy your pizza needs!

Ok it took me a bit to get to this review so here goes!
I managed to get a parking spot in the teensy weensy parking area between the businesses. Yay me!
All of the reviews I have read and the photos I have seen here of this place matches it 100%. I was not surprised in the least with what I saw. A couple of tables with the previous occupants trash on it but with only a handful of people in the place it was somewhat easy to ignore.
I went with a cheese pizza after chatting with Rose L regarding how much easier it is to judge a pizza joint on it’s pie by seeing how well it does a cheese pizza. Well what do you know. apparently the guy across the counter follows the same principle because he said almost exactly the same thing. So I settled in to wait… and wait… and wait. Lucky I had a book. I kept wondering why it was taking more than 10 minutes until I realized that the same two staff members kept taking pizza after pizza after pizza out to the small group outside. Finally one of the staff who spent a few minutes wandering around the store and outside with a pizza wandered over and asked if I was Eric… oh. Well. In this case sure I am.
This pizza sure is cheesy. They do NOT skimp on the cheese. And I am perfectly fine with that. There was just enough sauce on the pizza that it wasn’t overshadowed by the cheese. The crust… puzzled me. I wanted to instinctively say NO due to… ummm… something… but no, I liked it. I would definitely have it again. The sauce too was different. Not tangy from what I had expected from previous reviews and not as sweet as I thought it’d be. It may have just been because there were no toppings to add their own flavor to the sauce. Not the best cheese pizza I’ve ever had but I would definitely come here for a cheese pizza over every other pizza place I’ve been to in this area except for perhaps the Mushroom of the Mellow persuasion… at least until I try a cheese pizza there and make a more fair comparison.
Happy cheesin’!

This is my favorite place to get pizza in Raleigh. The selection of pizzas is great and everything is freshly prepared with awesome ingredients. The Super Duper is the best choice if you’re a meat lover, and the meat they use is top quality. I also enjoyed the Dante’s Inferno and South of the Border, which are BBQ chicken and Mexican chicken pizzas, respectively. The black bean sauce on South of the Border is awesome, and the pizza is spicy too. The Aristocrat (artichoke chicken) and Sir Walter are also great choices. The Sir Walter has roasted garlic and smoked gouda, making it the strongest flavored pizza in my opinion. The Hawaiian Punch is also good if you’re looking for something a little sweeter.
Overall, the pizza is great here and my favorite in Raleigh. The dough is thick and fluffy, but not too filling. The pizza dough and fresh ingredients really set Lilly’s apart from the other pizza places around Raleigh.

I’ve been to Lilly’s pizza a few times now and it has not disappointed me yet. My problem with the place is that ALL their signature pizzas sound delicious, and I hate making decisions. But so far I’ve discovered that you can’t order wrong because everything IS delicious. So far I’ve tried the Super Duper, South of the Border, Hawaiin Punch, Sir Walter, and Dante’s Inferno. The ingredients are always fresh and it makes alllll the difference.
This time we ordered a medium pizza, with half Dante’s Inferno and half South of the Border (cheaper and just as much food as 2 smalls). The South of the Border has some heat to it, so if you shy away from spicy food then you’ll want to try something else. It may sound weird to have black bean salsa on a pizza, but Lilly’s finds a way to make it work. Dante’s Inferno is probably a little closer to what you would find at other pizza joints, but Lilly’s packs on the toppings. They also have one of the best pizza crusts I’ve ever had. Fluffy and tasty!
As for the atmosphere, it is never lacking. The place is always packed, making it almost impossible to find a table. The line is often out to the door, so if you come in at the dinner rush then you are in for quite a wait. Parking can also be a pain if you come at prime time.
(Added bonus: It is across the street from Hayes Barton Café where you can pick up an amazing dessert when you’re done stuffing yourself with delicious pizza)