Rafael’s Pizzeria

I’ve eaten at Rafael’s many times. I’m not a fan of overly-​priced big chain pizza places, so Rafael’s is a nice spot. I’ve never eaten there (I always take my pizza to go) so I can’t speak on the dine-​in experience. Their pizza is delicious, though, and they always have a 2-​for-​1 special on large pizzas. Soft crust, good amount of toppings, and it tastes good reheated.
I’ve never had anything here but their pizza, but their menu is so extensive, their entrees are probably frozen TV dinner-​type entrees. No way they’re cooking all that stuff back there in that small kitchen. But, again, I don’t go here for their sandwiches or entrees or salads. I’ve never been disappointed with their pizza.

We used to eat at Rafaels a lot.. The last six months or so they have raised prices and the food is not as good. I got pizzas tonight (5÷24÷15) and the cheese was burned and they forgot the pepperoni! Probably wont be back anytime soon.

Slower than molasses in the wintertime, with better than you staff… not friendly or inviting, waited 49 minutes for two sandwiches

Love the food! The pizza is really good. It is a tad greasy when trying to reheat, but it is really good!
They have sandwich options on the menu as well. They have really good vegetarian options, which my husband and I really like!
The prices are very reasonable, which is good for us cause we tend to go here with the whole family.

Fantastic pizza! Very laid-​back atmosphere. Good black bean burgers. Great price and friendly! Thanks!

The bread was wonderful. My pasta was a disaster. My fettuccine noodles were so overcooked they were mush. The sauce had zero taste. An employee watched wordlessly as I threw away 95% of my meal. I will not be returning. Rafael’s should be ashamed to serve paying customers this trash.

We enjoy eating here. It’s just kind of a fun place to take the family after work on a Friday night. There is a big menu to where everyone is happy. I really like the deal that includes a couple of pies and a salad. I grew up on NY style pizza and this isn’t it but it is good for Tennessee pizza.
The only thing that I think would make it better is for them to sell pitchers of good olé cheap domestic beer. No beer, bottles or draft, is sold here.

Double cheese pie, Margarite pie, 3 cheese pie. All extremely different flavors. All a very good value. All it’s own kind of thing versus a different type of pizza. Literally my favorite pizza. NYPD is second, but has my favorite fettuccine Alfredo when the right people make it. So I shouldn’t have made the comparison? All of life is rated based on comparisons. Rafael’s isn’t going to make me a huge calzone quite the same way as NYPD and NYPD is not going to magically learn how to make double cheese pie or 3 cheese pie the way that I like it. I like both of these places and the comparison is inevitable because they both really know what they are doing. Rafael’s has the benefit of many years of nostalgia particularly concerning the double cheese pie, which I would buy and eat in high school.
Oh and the Soddy location won’t necessarily make you some of those pies. So we never go there as that is what we are looking to order and the Collegedale one is well practiced at it.

This review focuses just on their pizza for the food portion.
My wife and I have lived in the Ooltewah area for four years now, and this is our favorite place to go for pizza! We always take advantage of their buy 1 large 1-​topping pizza, get one free! We think the pizza is great! I rate it four stars because while the taste is very, very good, it is quite greasy. Don’t expect a crunchy crust either, as I wouldn’t say it’s soggy, but it’s doughy. If they could make it less greasy with a crunchy crust and keep the original flavor, I’d probably rate it five stars, but give it a try before you decide! It’s very tasty!
The interior isn’t bland, but nothing fancy either. It’s a pizza parlor. Feels like it could be cleaner, especially around the hot sauce/​eating utensils bar.
I’ve never had a problem with the staff. They seem nice, but not too many smiles are seen. The food comes out at a good rate, and I’ve never had to send anything back.
I haven’t tried anything else from this place, as the pizza is always at the top of our list to get here. I’ve seen people order other items, and they seem to be good-​sized portions. Prices seem reasonable as well.
Come give Rafael’s a try!

I have been here a few times and never overly excited only out of convenience! As someone stated Tennessee doesn’t know what good pizza is… true…only that it is a good value. I haven’t had anything worth ordering twice. I hate to be negative about the whole experience but I will not return! The girl at counter is down right rude and hates her job… twice I have experienced this! First time I thought well maybe her cat died or something… next time just as nasty! She needs to get another job before she runs more people off!!! Food is average at low best and I understand that people like large portions at good values but I think there is better out there.

The prices are good and the service is very quick. The food is tasty, but a lot of it is on the greasy side.

This place used to be okay. However, the last few times I’ve ordered from here my food has been terrible. I ordered cheese manicotti last week, for example, which is a regular choice for me. The cheese inside was grey and rubbery, obviously old. That is one of many bad experiences my family has had here. We won’t be going back until they hire someone who can keep it clean and fresh.

Not bad. The food is ok and so is the service. I typically get the chicken platter and french fries. It’s not the greatest chicken. I prefer the chicken platter at Gondolier, but it is still edible. Overall I give it a 3 out of 5 stars.

Not for real pizza lovers.
After living 24 years in Pittsburgh, very close to some REALLY good pizza joints, I guess I’m spoiled.
I tried Rafael’s as a after work, take-​home pizza. The place was PACKED. Either people in Tennessee don’t know good pizza, or they really don’t want to order from Domino’s or Papa Johns nearby.
I usually gauge the quality of the pizza starting with the crust. In this case, it was doughy and overly thick.
I disposed of half of the pie.

I suffer at the expense of liking this pizza so well. The crust is so dense and oily, the cheese is so thick and yummy, the sauce is so delightfully delectable that I always get sick off of it. The gents who run this joint are always so mannerly and the pricepoint is just right. I always get the plain cheese, but the mushroom and onion is not bad either.

Burned down, hope they rebuild.

I was in Collegedale on Oct 1 visiting family, and my mom told me about this eatery. She said she had been wanting to try it, so we did. Wow! First off, the prices are unbelievable. $ 4.95 for a meatball calzone that would easily feed two people, and it was good! Mom had the $ 6.95 chicken quesadilla, which comes with a salad, and she had enough left over for another meal.
I noticed that they seem to sell more pizza than anything, which is a not-​as-​deep version of the Chicago deep-​dish pizza. They looked really good, so the next day, we decided to try one. I ordered a medium vegetarian pizza, and two small salads. I drove down to pick it up, only to find that all pizzas (except personal size) are BOGO, and the «small» salads are huge. We had enough food to feed 6 people, all for about $ 25.
You just simply cannot find a better value anywhere, and the food is very, very good. Great place to take your family. Great, fast service as well. Best kept secret in Chattanooga!

Great food here just sometimes they mess up a call un order