Charley’s Pizza Parlor in Jacksboro, TN

Basic Information:

Pizza: Charley’s Pizza Parlor

Number of Locations: 1

Location Reviewed: 103 E. Cumberland Ln. in Jacksboro, TN (on US 25W/SR 63 3.9 miles east of I-75 exit 134)

Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Charleys-Pizza-Parlor/120612704671774

Date of Review Visit: May 2015

What I Ordered: Small (10”) pizza with Italian sausage and pepperoni; Dr. Pepper to drink

Price: $8.14 (includes drink and tax but not tip)

Photo:

Summary Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

Detailed Review:

Crust: Charley’s Pizza Parlor offers 2 crust choices: thick and thin.  As will be no surprise to any regular reader of this blog, I chose thick.  Charley’s thick crust is different from other thick crusts because it is thick under the entire crust, not just around the edge.  The crust is very chewy with no crispiness even though my pizza was well-baked.  Overall, this crust is not the tastiest, but I got thick crust at no extra charge, so I can’t score it too low.  Score: 7/10.

Sauce: The sauce appears in good quantity.  You can still taste the tomatoes, though only slightly, so the sauce is not overspiced.  I like it.  Score: 9/10.

Cheese: This pizza has plenty of cheese, but the cheese produces more grease than I would like.  Sprinkling on some parmesan helps an otherwise unremarkable flavor.  Score: 8/10.

Toppings: The toppings are the major weakness of this pizza.  Both the pepperoni and the Italian sausage have some spices, but neither tastes like fresh, quality meat.  The Italian sausage comes in manufactured pellets that bounce like ping-pong balls if you drop one.  Fortunately, the high quantity of toppings prevents a disaster.  I have eaten worse toppings, but improvement is needed on this criterion.  Score: 5/10.

Overall Taste: The overall taste is pretty bland but not terribly offensive.  This pizza’s selling point is quantity to fill the stomach, not subtlety to tantalize the tongue.  Score: 7/10.

Pizza Appearance: The large pellet-style sausage really hurts this pizza’s appearance.

Dining Atmosphere: The dining area offers a nice casual-dining atmosphere, but some ceiling tiles show evidence of a leaky roof, and the carpet is old.  The large TV tuned to ESPN is a nice touch.

Customer Service: The service was excellent on my visit.

Monetary Value: I could not believe the price was so low.  I would tell you how much they could raise the price and still have a good value, but then they might actually do it.  Hearty, filling pizza for this price is rare.

The Final Judgment:

Charley’s Pizza Parlor is a local favorite that fills the stomach without emptying the wallet.  They also have a buffet option, but the variety on the buffet is limited, and you really don’t need it at these prices.  I recommend stopping by and ordering off of the standard menu if you are in the area.  Score: 80/100.