Papa Nick's Pizza & Pasta

Papa Nick's was just what we needed! We ordered spaghetti, pizza, wings, and a calzone, all which were very good. The wings are not breaded, and even the "hot" is not super hot. They are huge wings, and were a little on the dry side on the edges, which I really like. The pizza and calzone dough was springy and full of flavor, almost buttery and a little sweet. The spaghetti was nice and they were huge portions. The drinks are done in a cooler inside...you just keep your empties and they add them all up once you are done. We also got to sit outside - they have several places to sit.

Stopped by on our way into Cleveland and everything was absolutely amazing. The guys working there were super sweet and hooked us up on food. Their croutons are homemade and the pizza was to die for. We got baked potato and cheeseburger pizza. Will definitely be back

The owner at Papa Nick's went above and beyond for hospitality, going as far as hunting down a high chair for our baby to use. The food was fantastic and satisfying, we will be eating here any time we find ourselves in the Cleveland area.

Tremendous service! A very personal touch when you come in. The pizza is fantastic. Fresh toppings and lots of them! Thoroughly impressed with the pizza. We also had a salad - giant salad! Fried mozzarella sticks too - battered in house. Everything on the menu is fresh and fantastic. Excellent service and the prices are very affordable/reasonable. I would not be afraid to say that this is the best pizza in Cleveland.

After reading other great reviews, we made Papa Nick's our go to pizza place on our last day visiting in Cleveland. So glad we did! The guy at the counter was super nice when we placed our pizza order. He brought everything over to our table and chatted a bit. While we were eating, Phil, the owner came over to ask how everything was. The pizza was excellent with super tasty dough and a very generous portion of toppings. The sauce was excellent, tomatoey and spiced perfectly and not sweet which is how I like it. We chatted for quite awhile as we had common ties to Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Great guy! Great food. We'll be back!

The gentleman whippin in the kitchen has been making pan in pizza’s for 42 years! This pizza here has crispy crust on the bottom and plus on top! The pepperoni was just to the point of sears crisp packed full of flavor and sauce that complimented the cheese to creamy perfection! It was an absolute mouth watering experience! They offer Pino Grigio that pairs exceptionally well with any combination of meals they offer!

Everything I've ordered is always good. Pizzas, meatball subs, pasta dinners, salads, quick delivery and friendly people! Gotta love them ! A thumbs 👍 from me.

Ordered 2 pepperoni and sausage pizza and two dozens of wings, Spent $72 bucks. The wings were ok, the pizza was really dry there was barely any sauce on the pizza. All though the flavor on the pizza was really good the pies need more sauce!! Drove from Euclid to Lakewood due to the fact I was seeing amazing pictures on Facebook with toppings fallen of pizza I’m highly disappointed ordered pepperoni and sausage there was a lot of pepperoni but barely any sausage. I feel like I was taken. Arcade pizza on Broadway in Cleveland cheaper pizza and much better. Very disappointed in Pappa Nicks after spending $72 hard own dollars. First off Phil Thanks for making this wright. All I have to say is the two All meat pizzas I received from your establishment on 12/16/22 were fenominal or should I say perfect, it was a completely difference experience and the staff was so apologetic. I will be back and be sure to let family and friends know your pies ROCK. The Pizza was fenominal and the best all meat Pizza I ever had in Cleveland Area. Thanks Again.

Ordered the Italian sun and it was delicious and had it with a nice cold beer for dine in. The owner was a delight!

I had high hopes for this place but was disappointed. Ordered a cheese pizza and it had way too much cheese and was very salty. I like cheese but I want to taste more than just that. But hey if you're a cheese fan....

The good- Online ordering through the actual merchant, and not through a third-party, so no added fees. The bad- The " battered cheese sticks" were soggy and garlic bread with cheese was small. The ugly- If you have no issues with dairy skip this part. If you have any issues with dairy- DONT ORDER THE PIZZA! They put like 3 inches of cheese on it- check my pics. Seriously I've been dairy sick all night and I took 10 lactaid pills. You've been warned.

I felt the pizza was underbaked. It was still edible and tasted decent but would have benefitted from being in the oven a bit longer. Sauce was tangy and delicious. Service was fine.

The owner's son, Phil, was friendly and welcoming. Our server, Bobby was sweet, attentive, and efficient. Always checking to be sure we had everything we needed. The food was fresh and wonderfully prepared. The pricing was very affordable. The atmosphere was charming and made you feel welcome and like you were visiting an old friend. It was a great experience, and we would highly recommend Papa Nick's to anyone.

Great old school neighborhood pizzeria. Out of all the local pizza spots, Papa Nicks takes the cake. Good dough consistency, nice light salted flavor and plush bite. The sauce is exactly what I look for in a pizza sauce, a nice balance between salty, naturally sweet tomato flavor and of course a nice acidic zing to cut the nice blanket of cheese sitting on top. A testament to a good pizza construction is if the cheese stays on top of the slice when you take it out of the box, Papa Nicks passes that test with flying colors. The guys behind the counter were awesome, happy to share their knowledge of their legendary craft. If I could give infinite stars I would. All in all, if you want a balanced bite of pizza with a nice punchy finish that makes the next bite taste better, Papa Nicks is your spot! Don't forget to tip well.

We had not been to Papa Nick's in years. We use to go at least once a week for pizza night but moved out of the neighborhood. Well, we are back and tried it again for pizza night. They did not disappoint. We got a plain cheese pizza and a loaded pizza. Both were so yummy. We will go back again. Nice to know they still have great pizza!

I can't believe how bad this option has deteriorated. I have lived in the area of and ordered from this restaurant for more than a decade.. On the plus side, both the person who took my order and the person who delivered it were very professional and good.. kudos to them.. In the minus side.. I feel horrible about wasting food.. But what arrived was disgusting and inedible.. Eggplant burnt., Cheese sticks soggy and not sufficiently cooked

This was the first place I ate at when I moved to Lakewood. As a lover of pizza, I can be critical sometimes, but I have nothing bad to say. Pizza is delicious, reasonably priced, and staff have always been friendly.

If you want a quick but delicious lunch this is definitely the place! The macaroni salad is AMAZING! I had the chicken Caesar wrap and it was pressed so it was warm and wonderful. I will definitely be returning and you should definitely stop in. They are so welcoming! Update: I tried the pizza! Holy crap it is OUTSTANDING! You can tell great care and love goes into each of his pizzas! Next time I'm in Cleveland I'll definitely make a stop here, and you should definitely make your way to lunch or dinner here sometime soon!

First off the hours are wrong, so just call in to check if they're open! My friend and I were craving some pizza and were in the area so we stopped in. Amazing prizes, service, and FOOD! We are on a bench outside due to covid, but our food was brought to us! Pizza was delicious, garlic bread was best I've ever had, and the fact the soda is canned adds to the atmosphere. I'll be back for more takeout and hopefully to dine in soon! Thank you, Papa Nick's!

Ordered over $100 worth of food for a family gathering. The penne Ala Vodka was horrible, dry and tasteless. Same with the regular penne. Eggplant parmigiana was edible but just so so. The pasta fagoli was like a cup full of tomato sauce with a few beans and a few pieces of pasta in it, couldn't finish it, pretty bad. The pizza on the other hand was good.

What happened, Papa Nick? I used to be a regular customer. Loved the pizza. I visited recently for the first time in several years. You've gone downhill. The pizza was doughy and seemed like it had been frozen and defrosted. The sauce and cheese were skimpy. The salad? Soggy and with no other vegetables, just cheese and day-old iceberg lettuce. Thomas wolfe was right.

Ordered Cheesy Garlic Bread, Pepperoni pizza, cheese pizza (with basil +$2.50) and loaded potato wedges. Everything is bad. The basil is a couple burnt flecks when it was labeled as "fresh basil." This was so disappointing.

Hadn't ordered in a while because the food and service were terrible. Spoiler alert, it's still terrible. And got hung up on when trying to order. Pasta is cold and sitting in condensed water. Asked for a meatball and a sausage link got 2 meatballs. Wings were nO better. Garlic Parmesan is literally all garlic.

I've been coming here since I was a kid back in 88. Brought my kids here my most recent trip and it was so fun to relive those childhood memories with my wife and kids. Love papa nicks and always visit when I'm in the area

I'm not sure what grossed me out more: the pasty, tasteless red sauce or the pasty, tasteless middle aged couple humping at the table next to me. I really love that this place has been here for some 30 years, but boy oh boy could the food be better. At least the staff was friendly.

I just ordered chicken Alfredo and the chicken is still cold and the alfredo sauce is definitely generic sauce from a jar and it cost me $17.00. Definitely will never return.

I love the food...I have been going there since the early 80's. When I moved from the neighborhood, but I still go there often. Great food an service. I met Papa Nick back in the day an now I see his son when I go in.

Customer service was great and delivery was fast. But way overpriced "specialty pizzas" and just not that great. If you're looking for New York style pizza this is not the place. Looks are deceiving. The Margherita pizza was oddly spicy and wasn't the typical expectation

I have always loved Papa Nicks pizza, but tonight just 10 minutes ago I received a under cooked pizza, that I paid $16.00 for, so sad they have lost what is important to good pizza

This is a good option for delivery pizza with a savory sauce and chewy crust. Normally we're Angelo's Pizza people, but you get sick of eating the same take-out pizza all the time, right? Plus, while I enjoy Angelo's, it's rare that I like bakery-style, deep dish pie like that with sweet sauce. Also, the past few times we've been the last stop on their delivery route. And you know what that means? Luke-warm, congealed cheese pizza. Yuck. I know they're trying to save time, but I want hot pizza. Papa Nick's helps us with hot delivery pizza because we're so close. Is it the most amazing pizza I've ever had? No. But it's a better delivery option for us, as stated above. One thing I'm not a huge fan of though is how much more expensive Papa Nick's is compared to Angelo's. I believe there is a delivery fee, as well.

First and last time ordering from Papa Nicks! Ordered two sandwiches to go. The person taking the order hung up before I was done? The eggplant parm sandwich was ordered with extra cheese and had almost none? The sandwich was very soggy and the eggplant was tough and undercooked. The chicken parm sandwich was fair at best. The potato wedges were over saturated with rosemary and were not edible. The macaroni salad was very dry and bland. Overall a bad experience. Will not order from them again.

We ordered lasagna and Spaghetti through a delivery service. My husband's spaghetti was mediocre. But my lasagna? Picture lasagna soup, pieces of pasta, ground meat, cheese, swimming around in a red sauce. I started to eat it anyway, though I have never had lasagna that was not layered and intact. I had to stop eating it because I was gagging because frankly it looked like someone had vomited it into the container. When I called to complain, I had to deal with a young woman who said she did not know how to credit it to our credit card. I have to call back tomorrow to talk to a manager. I do not care about the $15, but I cannot just let slide food that looks like vomit.

I would have to say that as a new customer this Pizza was pretty good. I had gone on a trip to NYC last week and ate pizza the whole time I was there. Came back home and my fiancé wanted some pizza. So me with the craving of thin crust, I came across Papa Nicks. It was awesome. But I would've just gave it a little more toast crisp to the crust and maaaan. A-1. But yeah, This was a great pizza.

I don't like writing bad reviews but unfortunately I can't say anything great. The food was okay. The atmosphere was okay. Everything was okay. What hurts me most though is that they have such a good start. For example; the Mac and cheese I ordered smelled amazing! It had those nice toasted little crumbs on top and the cheese itself was decent but it just wasn't complete. It lacked some sort of kick or extra excitement in the flavor. Even if they just added like a hint of buffalo sauce and some fresh celery for example, make it somewhat a buffalo Mac and cheese, that would elevate it to a whole new level. Or maybe even just different seasoning. The buffalo chicken sandwich had a great start too but it just seemed like some things didn't fit in it or it was missing something. It's a shame too, this place has great potential. Great location, potentially good atmosphere, loyal locals. So close, but not quite...

Pizza was wrong. Salad came without dressing. Store credit for my next order which will not happen.

Placed an order through Yelp. Waited 30 mins and then was told it was cancelled. No reason given. Disappointing.

Had some not so great meals here over the years since my initial review, but today's meal reinforced my rating. I was usually in this hood after midnight and the de facto food option was always Gepetto's(Nick's being closed to night owls). They have since demolished Gepetto's and Nick's again rules the Clifton roost(conspiracy?). Today me and the pooch ventured out for Arby's and I thought, you know what I bet Nick's makes a cheesesteak of some sort. They do, and it's pretty good. Came with au jus and fries for the price some shitty Arby's would have cost me. Just had to wait ten minutes. Also got a half sheet plain for my veggie wife. While the area is basically a potholed, torn down buildings warzone presently, by the time of the summer Clifton Arts Fest, I see a very attractive area coming to life. And Nick's will hold it down like they have for decades.

Love it! Seriously. Small. Cozy. Unpretentious. Good, stable Italian cooking. Get the cheese ravioli or any of their pizzas. All are delicious. Nix stix are the highlight of any evening. Nix stix are freaking delicious, buttery, garlicky breadsticks served alongside a deep saucer of marinara. Seriously good eats. There are high-top tables near the front windows which make sitting their in primetime hours a perfect spot to observe a the busy-ness of Clifton Ave after work let's out. Its also quite cozy after the sun droops below the horizon. Not much more to say now. Stop in anytime and you'll probably have a nice time.

I'd rather have store bought pizza from a box than eat this crap. My wife and I like to try different pizza shops so we tried Papa Nick's. Over priced and really bland, absolutely no taste. OMG , put some seasoning in your sauce. The crust tastes like card board. Save your money and go anywhere else.

We grabbed a pizza to bring home from Papa Nick's. We put in our order and then walked over to Big Fun. Our pizza was ready for us when we were ready and the people working were pretty nice. We ordered a pepperoni pizza with mushrooms, some wings and a salad. The salad was good, it was a nice companion with the pizza. The pizza was also good, everything was up to standards. Big floppy greasy pieces of pizza, nice and cheesy, a good balance of pepperoni and mushrooms. The sauce and crust are standard, nothing remarkable.

I have tried a few of their sandwiches. They are really good and plenty of fillings. My only complaint on them is the heavy handed salt content. Really salty. Delivery is quick and food is always hot. Just need to lighten up on the salt and then I'd give it a 5.

I have been in the area for 6 years and the pizzas were usually hit or miss. Sometimes they are too greasy and the cheese slides right off the slice and the sauce is watered down. Instead of getting a pepperoni and banana pepper medium pizza , I just got it without the pepperoni and I notice there are new employee's. The sauce taste incredibly better, wasn't as greasy (maybe due to holding the pepperoni) and it wasn't watered down at all. Was the best tasting pizza I ate from there in awhile.

I love papa nicks! Great staff and service and great pizza! If you haven't tried it you should!

This place gets a lot of negative reviews, and having read them, it seems those were some bad experiences. As a 20 year customer of both dine-in and delivery, I have always loved the food at Papa Nick's. Most of the time we order pizza, deluxe or build your own with a couple of toppings, and it has always been top-notch. My husband and I are both picky about pizza and this ranks up with Angelo's or Frankie's in North Olmsted. When dining in the service can be hit or miss, but we always enjoy our food. Best mozzarella sticks ever, and the meatball appetizer is out of this world. We have had no issues every with delivery, and in current times, when carry out and delivery are the only options, Papa Nick's came through big time this past Friday. We ordered the meatball appetizer, garlic bread with cheese, and couple of entrees. Our order qualified for a free small cheese pizza, so in addition to a delicious Friday night meal, we have leftover dinner salads and pizza for today. I will remain a loyal customer as long as Papa Nick's is around.

Food is good. Service is not good at all. One server for a jam packed place! They give huge portions too so you get what you pay for. Two recommendation, when its 80 degrees outside turn on the air! It was a heat fill tiny space with lots of bodies! Ease up on the sauce on the dishes and pizza.

Coming here is like going back in time 35 years to one of the pizza places in the North Hill neighborhood of Akron where I grew up. Everything I've ordered has tasted like a childhood memory.

Been to this place twice, first time in the summer of 2004 with some out of town friends. It was all around good. We all enjoyed our meals. And here is the reason for the low rating. My boyfriend and I went back, with the same out of town friend, Nov 2008 and the quality of the food had dropped to below standards. The service was fair and that is being kind. the appetizer was cold and flavorless. The pizza we had was barely cooked and I'm still suffering for it 3 hours later. If you enjoy sucking down a vast amount of pepto-bismol you will love this establishment. If not skip this place at all cost. I would head to Pizza Hut before going back to Papa Nick's.

What happened to this joint? Sub-par pizza.. Very pricey... And thin as paper. No way anymore!!!

Weekday lunch at Papa Nick's. The dining room is small, but it wasn't at all crowded. The pepperoni and mushroom pizza was pretty good and the 8 slices (medium, I think) was plenty enough for two hungry diners. Good sauce and a generous layer of pepperoni to boot. I am by no means a pizza aficionado, but the pizza was better than the major national chains, so that's at least one threshold passed in my book. The really great thing was that I made it there, had a leisurely lunch, and got back to downtown in about an hour thanks to the quick service. Downsides? I'm not crazy about getting Coke in a can when I'm eating out.

I am moving back closer to Lakewood and I will be a few blocks from Papa Nick's. I had a few friends that worked here growing up and always enjoyed the pizza. It is nothing spectacular and definitely not as bad as the reviewers on here make it out to be. My family would come here occassionally and nobody really complained. It is a great option for a little neighborhood place to eat.

This pizza place had a very great feel to it. I liked how friendly our waiter was. Pizza was good. I will return.

I do not want to consider myself a Pizza connoisseur but I LOVE PIZZA! When I had moved to Lakewood a friend of mine got me a gift certificate as a welcome to Lakewood present. I decided to order it in one night when I wanted to stay in and was told if I ever got it I had to get the Nix Sticks. So I got an order of those and then just a small pepperoni pizza. When I got it delivered the box by Nix Sticks came in was bigger than my pizza so I was interested to see what my friend had got me into. The first bite was heavenly! They are not your normal bread stick but more of a pizza crust stick. They are some of the best bread sticks I have ever had!! Then I moved onto a piece of the pizza. It was just eh to me. I didn't really enjoy the sauce on the pizza and they barely put any pepperoni on it (unlike this picture I am staring at below while I right this?). I can't decide if the sauce was tasteless or bad but I didn't want to eat any more of it. I had one small slice, wasn't thrilled and went back to the Nix Sticks.

We only ate here because my parents had frequented this shop when they were first married. I'm extremely disappointed we didn't keep driving a little further to Melt! Their pizza is just ok. If you live close and want something to eat, I would check it out, I wouldn't go out of my way to go here though. I wouldn't ever go out of my way to eat here again, but if I had to eat here I wouldn't be too upset either. It was just ok. Our waitress was very friendly, they have an interesting pop selection, the place was pretty clean. The bathroom is in a slightly creepy basement.

Soggy pizza! I think my picture is on here of that soupy Za they handed to me. Had to re-bake the Za in my own oven when I got home and it still fell thru the oven grates! I've seen better pizza in hotel hallways the next morning.

Absolutely love there food! Best pizza around, i drive all the way from elyria just to eat pizza here

I was looking for pizza on Clifton and came across Papa's. So I walked inside and decide to get a slice, Being from New York I didn't think I was gonna like their slice. Boy was I wrong, besides the great and friendly service that slice was delicious! It's nice going to a place and they treat you with respect even if they don't know who you are, that says a lot! So whenever I'm in Cleveland I'm going to stop at Papas!

I stopped in to get a dinner salad for a friend and I. No pepper, extra cheese, extra pepperoni, & extra thousand Island dressing. Beyond the salad the food is so good and the people are so friendly that I have to give them a complete five star rating!