Papa Pete’s

If you have not had this pizza, you are definitely missing out! Hands down, this is the REAL best pizza in Kalamazoo!

Past its adobe slabs, the local pizzeria and live venue Papa Pete’s welcomes patrons with a gruff doorman, two pool tables surrounded by college students, and a pale violet backdrop with a silhouette of a 1930’s gangster holding two tommy guns – possibly Papa Pete himself.
The venue sits at the end of the Kalamazoo Mall, connected to its sister restaurant, The Blue Dolphin. While both restaurants are owned by the same old Greek family, the Papa Pete’s plays upon the Italian gangster trope.
It unifies its ambiance by selling hand-​tossed pizza and entertaining newcomers with the common dive bar aesthetic: bathrooms with broken doors, brusque bartenders, and a three piece rock band taking frequent cigarette breaks.
Speaking of cigarettes, even with Michigan’s smoking ban it’s not difficult to imagine the fumes of smoke hovering against the venue’s dim incandescent lamps and its noisy neon lights. If not for supporting local music and to eat cheesy pizza, the reason to visit Papa Pete’s is to taste a different slice of Kalamazoo.
While their hand-​tossed pizzas are delicious – and they are actually hand-​tossed – they are slathered in grease. Nevertheless, they are affordable, especially when splitting an order between friends – which would rack up a few bucks per person for an equal share.
This isn’t a bad review: Visiting Papa Pete’s for its first time may not be the most welcoming experience, but it will be an interesting one. The place reeks not only of grease, but of stories to be heard. The reason why it didn’t score higher is because it may not be everyone’s cup of tea – or, better put, slice of pizza.

I feel like this is one of the best secret, but not too secret, pizza places around.
When I’m feeling like I want a quick, inexpensive, and oh so deliciously cheesy pizza pie I give Papa Pete’s a call. I’m not sure if the older gentleman I often pick the pizza up from is the owner, but I absolutely love his service. My first time picking up from him he asked me if I had tried their hot sauce made in-​house, I had not, so he insisted on sending a container of it home with me and the pie on the house.
Dang, that sauce was spicy and I was hooked!
To this day, if Papa Pete’s is open, that is where I’m getting
my pizza.

Amazingly quick delivery for kzoo. Piping hot charred thin crust pie with twice the rounds as the other guys at an affords price. I was pleasantly surprised to open the box and find a tasty sausage mushroom and olive pie

While Papa Pete’s may be a dive bar, the entertainment is nearly always a hit. Big names with big crowds are drawn here. They host a Salsa dance night, DJ Open decks, Metal bands, Jam bands, Folk artists, and a lot of Electronic music artists. The pizza is fantastic especially for the price. While the place could use a good cleaning, that’s really the only downside. The pool tables are good, the food is good, the drinks are at a good price, and the service is friendly and familial.

Bad even for a dive bar. Wasn’t impressed with the staff or the service, rude and unprofessional. Could also use a serious cleaning. Didn’t try the food because I wouldn’t have trusted that staff to make it.

One will either like it or lump it — depending on the entertainment, mostly electronic, jam, rock, and metal shows. The night I went, I knew the band (folkgrass style), so use that info as you please. Looks a bit rundown, attracts a younger crowd — again, depending on the entertainment. Has two pool tables. Serves pizza and beer. There will be an cover charge.