On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Carroll St (F, G)
Loading...
Pros: The pizza is great, thin-crust with fresh mozzarella. The owner stands in back and makes it fresh at a table right in the middle of the room--BY CANDLELIGHT! It really is a romantic atmosphere.
Cons: Long waits! It's ridiculous. We don't even bother to try and go after 6:30 or so. Also--some of the tables are VERY cramped uncomfortable. Finally, it's BYOB--but it would be nice to have some other options besides canned soda. Some sparkling water, or iced tea, or SOMETHING. Otherwise, great place--glad it's in my neighborhood.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (1)
Cool (3)
I brought a date here, because previous reviews on Yelp and elsewhere indicated that it was very romantic. That was pretty true--the candlelight dining does create a certain atmosphere, and it's clearly very important to the people at Lucali--when our candle blew out a busboy rushed over immediately to relight it. The service on the whole was excellent.
The wait could be a problem, as could the BYOB, but if you anticipate it it actually works nicely. Stop by, put your name on the list, and while you're waiting stroll the beautiful neighborhood and find a liquor store to buy a bottle.
My big complaint was the lack of toppings. The list changes every night, and the night I went the options consisted of mushrooms, basil, and maybe a couple other vegetables. I love toppings and I like to have a variety to choose from, so ending up with a basil pizza was disappointing, the good thin crust notwithstanding. And despite my best efforts, the night didn't end in romance. I have no choice but to blame Lucali's lack of toppings rather than my own bumbling.
If you like cheese pizza and have better skills than I, I recommend it.
Cons:
The waits are very long (there's only 10 tables here), its not uncommon to be told that its an hour wait to get a seat. I could be wrong but I'm assuming you can call ahead and get a reservation so try doing that and you might avoid the wait. Personally I took that hour and walked a few blocks to Alma (yelp it) and had a couple drinks at their bar.
It's BYOB which I didn't know going the first time and almost everyone here had wine, I was a little jealous.
The menu consists only of a pizza and a calzone with a number of toppings/fillings. You're only coming here for pizza anyway so it's not that much of a con
The prices and quite high at $20 for a cheese pizza. Given those prices I would expect a less smoky environment with fancier decor and a wine selection.
Although my waitress was really nice and beautiful she wasn't too attentive and my water sat unfilled for quite a while
They aren't open on tuesdays and they don't open till 6pm
Pros:
I'm not sure if this is a pro or con but expect it to be darker in Lucali than it is outside. It gives it a dark romantic feel and its cool to see the pizza makers work by candle light.
They might only open at 6 but when they close is the best part. On their times posted outside it says they close when they "run out (of people or product)".
You can see that I gave Lucali's 4 stars and after all the cons you might ask why so high. The pizza here is phenominal, one of the best pizzas I've ever had and no matter what the negatives are this place is still cute and the pizza is worth any downfalls they might have.
When you see a long line forming outside 20 minutes before this place is scheduled to open...You know it has to be amazing pizza! The patrons don't seem to mind the long wait. If you don't get inside the door within 5 minutes after 6, expect to wait another half hour in line.
The space is very small, service is deliberately paced, & reservations are nonexistent. The pizza makers in the back appear to be moving in slow motion flipping dough. If you want them to make you a good pizza, they have take their time in order to do it right.
The ambience is warm & inviting thanks to the candle lighting. The decor is rustic Italian with a little mix of 1950's Americana as evidenced by the dirt stained signage adorning the walls.
If you decide to BYOB, do not bring the expensive stuff here. They do not supply you with the appropriate glasses. Therefore, be prepared to drink wine out of an orange juice glass.
The pizza is exceptionally good. We shared a large plain pie with fresh basil topping. The crust is super thin, light, airy, & crispy. It can get a little soggy in the center, but expected especially when the crust is so thin. It is tasty & surprisingly holds well each time we picked up a slice.
Lacali's deserves to be in the same rank as Denino's or Grimaldi's. I give this place 5 stars for the pizza alone.
It was good, but disappointing due to all the hype. For photos, go to: www.eatbrooklynfood.bl... and click on Lucali Pizza.
Dropped by last night for the first time (just moved to the neighborhood). 7:30pm with two people, surprisingly didn't have to wait at all. Brought a good red wine and ate the 4 dollar corking fee. Shared a large pie with my girlfriend - toppings: mushrooms (porcini?), pepperoni, onions, garlic... not too long a wait for the food, and the waitress was super nice.
Great ambiance - dark and open. Enjoyed looking around, watching the oven. Nice to see the fresh ingredients displayed in the pizza-making area
Couldn't ask for better pizza. Crust was just chewy enough, on the thin side, with plenty of crispy bubbles. Sauce was amazing - just the right amount. Tasty cheese, and the toppings were all great. Pepperoni was amazing - cooked enough to curl the edges.
Can't wait to try the calzone.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (2)
One of the places that makes Brooklyn famous for Pizza - unlike the tourist mills like Grimaldi's Romantic, charming, A real treat. Go early, be prepared to line up and wait, and BYOB.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
It is good but not that good; not worth the trip from the city if that is your question. I have eaten at all the great pizza places in the city as well as in Italy and I can tell you this place has taken a decent pizza recipe, added a wood-fired oven into a old-world decored space and then tucked it all into a somewhat charming block of brooklyn to yield a good experience, but not a great experience.
The service is good, the atmosphere is very good (think back-alley pizza joint in naples that has been around before electricity/uses candle light and marble top tables to prepare the pizza), the pies are good, and the cost is just fine.
If you are in the neighborhood, it is worth the trip but not worthy of the line people wait in for hours to have a bit of the pie.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (2)
I specifically asked to make it hot... The tip was hot but when I got to the crust it was cold again. =(
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
The vibe here is casual and no frills, just like its menu - pizza and calzones + list of toppings, soda, water, BYOB. While it is not the earthshattering slice that at this pt is beyond over-hyped, the woodfired pie is wonderfully thin, blistery, and smokey, with a good ratio of sauce::cheese::toppings. It is wonderful to see the pizza being stretched and baked in the open "kitchen." And the room has an old-timey feel that is authentically Carroll Gardens.
The hype is what is driving everyone here and causing the long waits! So, if you really want to try a pie, get here (1) on a wkday (2) by 6:30 PM and (3) in a group no larger than a 4 top. At that time, the rush hasn't started and the pies arrive in short order since the kitchen is not backed up.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I adore Lucali's lo-fi / keeping it real pizza producing style.
No salads! No mozarella chicken sausage fingers! No stuffed crust! No beer! No wine!
Just pizza. And the toppings - which are whatever they have that evening.
The crust has the perfect amount of charred-ness and the toppings are top notch.
They are BYOB. Although they charge a corkage fee - which seems pointless. As if I was going to drink soda for dinner instead.
Cons? It's crazy packed. All the time.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
The pizza always comes with super fresh ingredients and the calzones are a great tasty take away. Cute little restaurant with some local flavor and lots of kids inside (go later). Take a bottle of wine and a date as it's an excellent spot for romance. The open kitchen makes you feel like you are in Mom's kitchen and part of the action.
Go during the week as you can forget sitting down on the weekends.
I tried to eat here, twice, and twice was denied. Oh well.
We went here on a Monday night, arriving at 9pm. The hostess, taking a pause from her phone conversation, told us we couldn't get table, because they close at 10pm.
Undeterred, I called them the next night to order a pizza -- but guess what, it's a pizza place that doesn't deliver.
I don't think I'll be going here.
Really good, NY style brick oven pizza! It's not as watery as Grimaldi's, and it compares well to Lombardi's. It's probably faster than Artichoke's and Difari's. The ambience was awesome....open kitchen with an old world feel, and sassy waitresses! Wasn't a huge fan of the Calzonne, which was sans tomato sauce.
Advice - avoid weekends if you can....2 hour wait generally, and they are only open for dinner starting at 6pm. I think they are open Wed-Sun also, so Wed or Thursday are your best bet....before 8pm.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
OMG, I LOVE this pizza! I could eat here every day. It's not the prettiest place but the guys making the pizzas in their white t-shirts do kinda distract the eye! The pizza itself is amazing, really thin crust with the perfect amount of cheese and the sauce is SO good! I like how they tell you which toppings are available when you sit, it seems more "homey" like that, less like a pizza sweat shop. The calzones are delicious too, that ricotta cheese, YUM!
Yes there is always a 2 hour wait and the phone is *always* busy but the front staff is very accommodating with that, you can go to another place to have a drink while you wait and they will call your cell phone when the people at your table are ready for their check to give you time to get back there. Ok, so yes it would be much more convenient if there was a bar/waiting area there but I'm sorry, the pizza is so good, its worth it! As the old saying goes "anything worth having is worth waiting for".
Lucali's is a fine establishment however, a bit overrated. The setting is great the people are nice and the service is good. Compared to the other great pizza places in New York, Lucali falls short. DiFara may not have all the glitz and glamour of Lucali but they deliver on the goods and the most important thing, the pizza. If you have a problem waiting for a table then this is not your place and if you decide to take it out, watch out. This is one of the places where you need to eat the food at the restaurant it taste no where near as good at home. Something just goes terribly wrong from their oven to your kitchen table. It is in the top 15 of best pizza joints in the pizza capital of the world but not #1 as others have proclaimed.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
i have been dying to go back since the moment I left. It is simple: there is no more delicious brick oven pizza in New York City - not that I have tried at least, and I like my pizza.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I am a Grimadli's, John's, and My Little Pizzeria (fresh Mozzarella, only) fan. Lucali is good. Pretty good. But not the same. The crust is fan-tastic. The sauce is great, but salty. The cheese is a tad slippery, for my tastes. The cost is not awful, but not great. We spent $42 including tip, "cork" charge and charge for . . . sauce! We ordered a pie and a calzone. Calzone took for-ever to come. Pizza was fast.
First of all I want to mention that I am from Istanbul, Turkey. On my last visit to NY, I took the advice from yelpers. Me, my husband and our two friends from Long Island decided to eat here. We bought a bottle of wine on our way and found the place. Unfortunately there were a lot of people waiting and they said we have to wait for at least an hour. We were so hungry and found another pizza place instead.
But I didn't give up. A couple of days later I draged my husband there again. This time we didn't have to stop at the liquor shop (we kept that bottle) and we were early. So we succeeded to get in. They showed us a really tiny table and we sat immediately. We were happy and all was well untill the pizza came. Well the pizza was too big for that table. They put the tray on a trivet on the table and there were a little room for our plates and wine glasses. We had to move our chairs to the edge of the table, put the glasses under the trivet and tried hard not to knock over the pizza tray while reaching our glasses.
The pizza was all right and the atmosphere was nice. But try to sit at a bigger table even if you're only two people.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
First of all, I really don't know what the hype is all about. We live about 2 blocks from this place and last night was the first time we've eaten there. They have two things on the menu: calzone's and pizza. And they were out of calzones! Not sure what the reason is but I can't image it's enough to really change my review. The service is so-so, the corkage fee was only $5 and the pizza was better-than-average. Amazing? No. The best pizza in Brooklyn? No. The best pizza on Henry Street? No. Sorry, we'd rather get the fresh mozz and marinara down the street at Francesco's.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (1)
Cool (3)
visited Sun evening 6/1/08
This place has no signage, just an 8-1/2 x 11 piece of notebook paper low in the window with faded handwriting that says Lucali with the hours. No problem finding it though, since there was a crowd waiting outside. An hour and a half wait? No problem. We strrolled through the cute neighborhood then got a couple of beers from the corner store.
Lucked out and got a two top with a perfect view of the pizza making table. All the staff, from the hostess to the waitresses, were really nice and seemed to truly want us to have the best experience. I was in heaven with the candlelight and the great music and watching this beautiful man (with tight white tshirt and flour up to the elbows of his muscular arms!) working the table.
We ordered a pie with fresh basil plus a small calzone with garlic and a side of sauce. The pie was excellent with crust baked to bubbled perfection. But, we really made a mistake by ordering the small calzone. Omygod, it was the BEST calzone ever. Light and fluffy with a perfect crust. Looked like he made it with three cheeses. The blend was just awesome. Simple and complex at the same time. Really wish we ordered a large...
Have to say they really have the whole package here - great staff, atmosphere and food! I've been raving about this place to everyone who'll listen to me. Can't wait to go back.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
babes and I were hemming and hawing - should we go to Brooklyn or not? So by the time we finally got to Lucali it was prime dinner time - Saturday night at 8 PM.
What rubes we are! Of course you can't just waltz into the joint that got a 27 from Zagat for food (ok, for pizza and calzones) on a Saturday night and expect not to wait. But I definitely wasn't prepared for what came next...
Rather unapologetically, I thought, the hostess told us the wait would be TWO HOURS!! Needless to say, we'll have to try Lucali some other time, like 6 PM on a Wednesday night.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I have tried to get in here three times and failed. And I live in the neighborhood. What bugged me was how unfriendly the staff was about it all. Sent us away without any apology, and when I asked about how to get in, they said show up at 6:00, which I had, call before 6:00, which I did, yadayada. There's some sort of insiders list or something. They need to learn that you should be generous when successful, 'cause customers have long memories.
The lack of fourth and fifth star is due to location (it's a little out of the way for me), service, and the apparent wait, which I luckily bypassed.
STORY TIME... I arrived to a dark restaurant with a mass of people waiting outside on this mostly barren street in the middle of Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. The group I planned to meet had already been seated, and as I approached their table, they were in a dispute with the waitress about our large party size. In frustration my roommate left and I took her place. So there I was, replacing my roommate, feeling confused, and meeting a whole group of her boyfriend's roommate's friend's friends for the first time just before we're supposed to mangiare. Talk about awkward...
But the first pizza came right away, and it was hot cheesy tomato-y goodness, and all weirdness of what had just transpired was forgotten.
Lucali serves delicious pizzas and calzones at an affordable price. The atmosphere is quaint. The restaurant is small but the rustic decor, exposed brick oven, and dim candle light give off a warm, intimate vibe. I'd come back here if the wait wasn't too long. It is just pizza after all.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
This is without question the BEST pizza I have ever had. It is also the only pizza I have been able to eat in the past 8 years that did not give me acid reflux. That's because they went through many kinds of tomatoes before settling on the one they currently use. They also do not add sugar to the sauce for which my stomach is very grateful.
The crust is on the thin side and when I am very hungry I can eat an entire pie myself. The pies are at their best later in the night when the oven is at its hottest. They tend be a little chewier (rather than crisp) which I find preferable.
The calzones are terrific but best shared as they are very filling. Lucali's really is a neighbourhood joint that became the hot place to eat pizza because of word of web and reviews. This is why the waits can be long but what's a bit of waiting when you are among friends.
Treat yourself to Lucali's. It is well worth the wait!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
The pizza here is outstanding, and the atmosphere is nice and has an authentic feel. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone in the area, looking to have pizza. They also allow you to bring your own alcohol, which is nice.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
i want soooo badly to love lucali!! i'm trying!! granted, i've only done take out so far, but that's because it's so effing hard to get a foot in there.
before moving in, my (at the time potential) roommates (hey, guys!) told me about how delicious/authentic/renowned is it, and i couldn't wait! my first take out experience was soured by the fact that they never called, we never called, and we ended up picking up cold pizza. then, on a whim, i decided to go for one of the calzones i've heard so much about. i think it was garlic and basil. it was good! but they didn't give me any sauce (which i specifically asked for) because they didn't have to-go containers. bwah?! so, the perfect crispy-on-the-outside-but-doughy-on-the-inside crust was good, but would have been better dipped in warm marinara. oh, and i liked the fact that it was flat as opposed to ballooned like most calzones. better crust to cheese ratio!
i'm gonna give it a few more shots. it does look really nice inside. step up your game, lucali! don't let me down.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Went for the first time, food was great, service good. Nice place, will be going back.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Bliss in a calzone! This place is delicious. They only serve pizza and calzones but both are amazing. Best calzone ever! and biggest.
Ive only had take out from here but the atmosphere looks intimate and cozy. It has a low candle lit, rustic feel. Plus they make the pizzas at a little table right in the dining room. If pizza places exist in heaven I imagine they would look and taste like this.
YUM!
This is clearly great pizza and an equally great experience. Romantic mood, not only the dim lighting, the intimate staff, the small tables lit by one small candle, but also the process of hands moving 20 feet away from you in the open air, creating your pie specially for you. I can see the artists' hands creating your circle. They are masseuses for taste buds in waiting. The payoff comes first to my smell, soon after my taste.
It is obvious the love they put into their food. Very likely it is reinforced by the closeness of the entire experience; diners and cooks sharing the 50x25 space. I love the transparency and the togetherness this creates.
In creating a metaphor relative to a pizza pie, it's not a circle that goes from restaurateur to patron and back around, it's the insides, the centers of a Lucali pie; there we are a mix of ingredients together in the same space, overlapping, emphasizing each other's uniqueness; creators, consumers, purveyors, all coexisting in a warm slop of sensual goodness.
People thought this was:
Useful (7)
Cool (4)
Well.. I would only travel to brooklyn for Grimaldi's, but I bought into this Lucali hype... great pizza, and i love the fact that the owner prepa res every single pizza! He's like the "Soup Nazi~" well, not a nazi, but you know what i mean..
Fresh ingredients, simple menu and excellent pizza!! Watch out Grimaldi's!
UPDATE: negative-- I really want to take pix when i go there, but the owner and waitress stares at you with their intimidating "You stop that or no pizza for you!"
People thought this was:
Funny (2)
Gosh I hate it when local (cheap) restaurants get blown up by the NYT or Zagats and Patsy's and the Red hook ballfields are prime examples.
Lines of hipsters and out of towners mucking up a symbiosis well achieved for many many years. Anyway, I heard enough of Lucali's and called up an order and was told to pick it up in a hour (strike one), I get there and am told my order would be another 15-20 minutes (strike two), and see there prices have now gone up since the recent press (strike...two and half). I got pie home and took a bite and I am a huge fan, the wait the price the lines all those bad memories went away with each crisp crust bite, with splashes of charcoal markings, fresh ingredients, basil, olives yum, and I do not even really like olives.
They got me. Damn them! It really is that freakin' good.
People thought this was:
Useful (6)
Funny (3)
Cool (4)
Hands down, this is the best pizza I've had, and I've tried a lotta other places.
Located in the beautiful Carroll Garden. Even though it is somewhat out of the way, I still try to go to Lucali once a month or so. They've still yet to disappoint me. I've brought many of my friends to this place, they always leave by saying "dammit KP, you just ruined pizza for all of us!"
Lucali is a very cozy neighborhood restaurant, perfect for dates, but not so good for big groups because of the space and wait. Their menu is simple: pizza and calzones, and whatever the fresh ingredients they have for the night. I've tried most of their toppings, and no matter how you want to mix them on your pie, it will still come out super tasty. One of my friends actually referred to eating pizza and calzone there as being in cheese heaven, hahaha...
The wait has gotten worse lately due to the publication on NY Mag and a few others. So try that get there early if you want to eat at a decent time. Also, they have a BYOB policy.
Living in NYC has given me the opportunity to try many different pizzas and Lucali's is still my favorite. It is well worth the wait and the atmosphere is worth a visit alone. I also recommend a calzone to go, it heats up really well the next day.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I moved into Carroll Gardens about y months ago and heard whispers about this place but no one knew exactly where it was or what the exact name was.
I finally stumbled upon it about 3 months ago and I must say... it lives up to the hype! The ingredients are super fresh and the pie is just spectacular!
Its BYOB and there are several places around to grab some drink. There is supposed to be a corking fee but I have not been charged it yet...
All in all, a NYC must! I have convinced a few island snobs and I think it may have chipped away at there idea of Brooklyn.
Go there.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
There is a lot of background story when it comes to this place, which I actually wrote out, but thanks to my stupid browser skills, I lost it.
My friends have been telling me about this place now, since it opened. They talked about the ingredients, the real fresh mozzarella. How, it's the only place they'll get the pepperoni, because it's THAT good. They talked about the owner/chef, who measured each and every pizza to his standard, and no one else's.
I cannot describe the anguish these conversations would exact on my body and soul. I have to thank Curt and Slice of New York for helping assuage the torment, but still...
No matter how much they talked it up though, I went last night and the goods matched the praise.
I should give it one star and dissuade others to go there and help my friends who are locals, so they won't have to deal with crowds. But nah...
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (2)
I went to Lucali because of the reviews I read here on Yelp.
When it comes to ordering your pizza you choose from a list of fresh ingredients, don't pass up on the basil.
Yes Yelp, the pizza is very good, perhaps not my favorite in the city, but definitely worth the trip.
However, I think the real stand out here is the *CALZONE*. We ordered the medium. Which was BIG. I can't imagine what a large would look like. But it was perfectly cooked and pre-sliced for the three of us. I can't remember what we chose for the ingredients but the ricotta was sublime. It's been about two weeks since I went and it still haunts me. I mean, damn man, thats a good calzone.
The restaurant was crowded but not too loud, we showed up at the tail end of dinner service and had to wait about 10-15 minutes for a table.
A great atmosphere, very friendly service.
It's obvious the chef has his heart in this business and I'll be back soon with more friends.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Everyone's said all the great things about Lucali already, but it can't get enough stars - the loveliest staff and best ambiance in south BK. The pizza you've heard about - it's divine. Get to know Mark and the waitresses; they are all terrific and it's the sort of place where it's a pleasure and a priviledge to be a regular.
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (1)
Cool (5)
As many other reviews have mentioned, the line here is literally out the door. Unfortunately, there's nowhere in the restaurant to hang out or wait for a table. So expect to stand outside. That said, if you can weather the wait, the pizza is well worth it!
I haven't been charged a corkage fee, but who knows if this is standard or not. Either way, BYOB saves you a bundle.
Pizza toppings depend on what they have in house that day. But everything is fresh.
It's so wonderful to be able to dine away from the usual Smith and Court St. usuals once in a while.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (2)
Not that Lucali's really needs another review, but our experience was as great as we hoped for. Our waitress was great and helpful since we were indecisive. The pizza was great, almost as good as it was in Naples but not quite there. The calzone was amazing. 4 of us split a pizza and a large calzone and we thought we would be hungry after but the calzone filled us up.
I wish they had some special dessert, I would have liked to spend more time there. Maybe next time I'll get espresso. (I think they have it?)
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
13 reviews
