Carellis is the only upscale restaurant with an attractive decor outside of downtown, so that alone makes it worth going to. The food is consistently good, the portions are large, the waitstaff was very attentive. I appreciate when the waiter comes by in a timely manner to check that everything came out ok. The biggest disadvantage to this restaurant is limited free available parking and sometimes you can't even get in without a reservation. But overall, I recommend it.
joyce
Our experience was great! We had a party of 7, but our reservation was for 4 and they accommodated us. The food was outstanding and our waitress was excellent! The whole staff was wonderful!
Victoria
Ingrid was amazing!!!! She made our night with her outstanding recommendations. Thank you Ingrid and team!
Jacqueline Bell
The restaurant felt cozy and well-decorated at first, but we were seated in a separate area that had a totally different vibe. The booths were covered in TONS of unnecessary pillows! We ended up piling them off to the side, which felt gross and awkward.
I ordered the gluten-free chicken marsala, which lacked flavor, and my boyfriend’s chicken alfredo was just “decent.” The large menu might be part of the problem. There were too many options and not enough focus on quality. The gluten-free focaccia bread was the best part of our meal. Overall, they should simplify the menu and refresh the decor for a better dining experience.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 5
Austin
A wonderful way to spend my girlfriend's birthday. We will certainly be back. Large portions, yummy food!
Ritvik Nag
Carelli’s — a carb-loading dream in Boulder 🤩
Carelli’s is an “authentic” Italian gem tucked in the heart of Boulder, Colorado.
First time in Colorado, first Italian dinner here — the night before my Boulderthon half marathon. A city full of runners, carbs were calling. I snagged a Saturday 7 PM reservation by phone the night before (do the same — weekends fill fast).
We ended up accidentally going full vegetarian. No regrets.
What we ate: • 🥣 Asparagus & Leek Soup – Light, velvety, a perfect palate reset. • 🥗 House Insalata – Crisp greens, zippy Italian dressing; simple but electric. • 🍝 Angel Hair Alla Olio – A runner’s dream: delicate pasta, swimming in olive oil and garlic, with a sprinkle-as-you-please bowl of parmesan. • 🍆 Eggplant Parmigiana (my dinner partner’s pick) – Bubbly cheese blanket, baked eggplant layers, comfort on a plate.
Complimentary garlic bread showed up warm and buttery but leaned dry — a little more olive oil would have taken it from good to grazie mille! Still, it paired nicely with the pasta’s olive oil bath.
Everything felt fresh, Italian without heaviness — perfect for pre-race fueling. Service was friendly and unhurried; the dining room cozy without being cramped.
Bottom line: If you’re in Boulder (runner or not), book ahead, show up hungry, and expect honest Italian cooking with a few charming quirks. I’d happily come back on my next Colorado visit — whether chasing a PR or just a good plate of pasta.
(Visited September 27, 2025)
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Joe
Remembered it being a little more tasty.. Seemed to lack flavor in dishes and pizza was soggy..
christopher
An outstanding plus is a real gluten free menu. The chicken in the chicken parmigiana needed a steak knife but was chewable - otherwise the food was delicious and priced as expected for a fine restaurant.
Joshua King
Super good and nice for the cost. Very friendly service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Eric
The ambiance and service were great but the food was surprisingly bad. There were three of us. We order a couple of appetizers and each of us ordered our own entree. The salad was oversalted, about a third of it was so salty that we couldn't eat it. As for the entrees, two of them were terrible. One was completely bland and the other tasted like Lipton soup mix and was overcooked. Based on our experience we will not be going back.
Lovely atmosphere with a great looking bar. The food was very tasty. I had ordered the shrimp abruzzo and got the chicken abruzzo but didn't have time to say anything. It was a little loud so maybe our server didn't hear me. She did a great job helping me pick my wine and deal with lots of people on a cu parents weekend and homecoming. I would return.
Andrea Borlovan
I used to love this place, we’ve had every dish in the menu in the past couple years, unfortunately the dishes can be very inconsistent sometimes. Prices aren’t terribly overpriced, but are noticeable when the food is disappointing at times. I think they’ve gotten a new Chef as of the last year, or maybe have the teens running the kitchen because food doesn’t come out the same. The plating is different, the pesto has a bunch of oil, the pasta sometimes isn’t freshly made day-of, chicken is always overcooked or undercooked, and it’s noticeable. Although I love the atmosphere, the servers are professional, table clothes are clean, and the ambiance of lighting is perfect, the food isn’t the star of the show anymore. I do recommend the desserts and drinks though!!! Unfortunately I had to write this review as it used to be our top choice for an elegant Italian dinner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Luann
This is a wonderful restaurant. The ambience was very nice and relaxing. The service was really good and the food was delicious!
Orion Smith
Table was dirty. Hostess came back to wipe and only did half the table? Drinks weak, salad no dressing, pizza over cheesed and soft. After all that I was still excited for my Alfredo, 35 mins after the pizza came and hour after ordering still no Alfredo. RESTURANT NOT PACKED Thanks for the great 4 year anniversary dinner lol.
Patrizia Giassa
I'm Italian born so it's not possible for me to give an American Italian restaurant 5 stars. Having said that, Carrellis is awesome. Good food, excellent service, lovely atmosphere! I love the for poor pit outside. Definitely recommend!
Carellis is the only upscale restaurant with an attractive decor outside of downtown, so that alone makes it worth going to. The food is consistently good, the portions are large, the waitstaff was very attentive. I appreciate when the waiter comes by in a timely manner to check that everything came out ok. The biggest disadvantage to this restaurant is limited free available parking and sometimes you can't even get in without a reservation. But overall, I recommend it.
Our experience was great! We had a party of 7, but our reservation was for 4 and they accommodated us. The food was outstanding and our waitress was excellent! The whole staff was wonderful!
Ingrid was amazing!!!! She made our night with her outstanding recommendations. Thank you Ingrid and team!
The restaurant felt cozy and well-decorated at first, but we were seated in a separate area that had a totally different vibe. The booths were covered in TONS of unnecessary pillows! We ended up piling them off to the side, which felt gross and awkward.
I ordered the gluten-free chicken marsala, which lacked flavor, and my boyfriend’s chicken alfredo was just “decent.” The large menu might be part of the problem. There were too many options and not enough focus on quality. The gluten-free focaccia bread was the best part of our meal. Overall, they should simplify the menu and refresh the decor for a better dining experience.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 5
A wonderful way to spend my girlfriend's birthday. We will certainly be back. Large portions, yummy food!
Carelli’s — a carb-loading dream in Boulder 🤩
Carelli’s is an “authentic” Italian gem tucked in the heart of Boulder, Colorado.
First time in Colorado, first Italian dinner here — the night before my Boulderthon half marathon. A city full of runners, carbs were calling. I snagged a Saturday 7 PM reservation by phone the night before (do the same — weekends fill fast).
We ended up accidentally going full vegetarian. No regrets.
What we ate:
• 🥣 Asparagus & Leek Soup – Light, velvety, a perfect palate reset.
• 🥗 House Insalata – Crisp greens, zippy Italian dressing; simple but electric.
• 🍝 Angel Hair Alla Olio – A runner’s dream: delicate pasta, swimming in olive oil and garlic, with a sprinkle-as-you-please bowl of parmesan.
• 🍆 Eggplant Parmigiana (my dinner partner’s pick) – Bubbly cheese blanket, baked eggplant layers, comfort on a plate.
Complimentary garlic bread showed up warm and buttery but leaned dry — a little more olive oil would have taken it from good to grazie mille! Still, it paired nicely with the pasta’s olive oil bath.
Everything felt fresh, Italian without heaviness — perfect for pre-race fueling. Service was friendly and unhurried; the dining room cozy without being cramped.
Bottom line:
If you’re in Boulder (runner or not), book ahead, show up hungry, and expect honest Italian cooking with a few charming quirks. I’d happily come back on my next Colorado visit — whether chasing a PR or just a good plate of pasta.
(Visited September 27, 2025)
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Remembered it being a little more tasty.. Seemed to lack flavor in dishes and pizza was soggy..
An outstanding plus is a real gluten free menu. The chicken in the chicken parmigiana needed a steak knife but was chewable - otherwise the food was delicious and priced as expected for a fine restaurant.
Super good and nice for the cost. Very friendly service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The ambiance and service were great but the food was surprisingly bad. There were three of us. We order a couple of appetizers and each of us ordered our own entree. The salad was oversalted, about a third of it was so salty that we couldn't eat it. As for the entrees, two of them were terrible. One was completely bland and the other tasted like Lipton soup mix and was overcooked. Based on our experience we will not be going back.
Restaurantji Recommends
Lovely atmosphere with a great looking bar. The food was very tasty. I had ordered the shrimp abruzzo and got the chicken abruzzo but didn't have time to say anything. It was a little loud so maybe our server didn't hear me. She did a great job helping me pick my wine and deal with lots of people on a cu parents weekend and homecoming. I would return.
I used to love this place, we’ve had every dish in the menu in the past couple years, unfortunately the dishes can be very inconsistent sometimes. Prices aren’t terribly overpriced, but are noticeable when the food is disappointing at times. I think they’ve gotten a new Chef as of the last year, or maybe have the teens running the kitchen because food doesn’t come out the same. The plating is different, the pesto has a bunch of oil, the pasta sometimes isn’t freshly made day-of, chicken is always overcooked or undercooked, and it’s noticeable. Although I love the atmosphere, the servers are professional, table clothes are clean, and the ambiance of lighting is perfect, the food isn’t the star of the show anymore. I do recommend the desserts and drinks though!!! Unfortunately I had to write this review as it used to be our top choice for an elegant Italian dinner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
This is a wonderful restaurant. The ambience was very nice and relaxing. The service was really good and the food was delicious!
Table was dirty. Hostess came back to wipe and only did half the table? Drinks weak, salad no dressing, pizza over cheesed and soft. After all that I was still excited for my Alfredo, 35 mins after the pizza came and hour after ordering still no Alfredo. RESTURANT NOT PACKED Thanks for the great 4 year anniversary dinner lol.
I'm Italian born so it's not possible for me to give an American Italian restaurant 5 stars. Having said that, Carrellis is awesome. Good food, excellent service, lovely atmosphere! I love the for poor pit outside. Definitely recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
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