This is pizza with the potential to be good but just isn't. I picked up a couple pan slices -- plain cheese. The sauce was good and has a "classic" flavor but there wasn't enough of it. It was like a light seasoning that gave the otherwise flavorless pizza what taste it had. The dough itself was dry. A little more salt and a drizzle of olive oil would go a long way. The space is well-laid out with plenty of seating but it was eerily empty. On a weekday dinner time -- when the pizzeria a block over was full -- Garcia's was dead. Do they just not try to get customers? read more

Living in the past - 1 of 2 Come on, we all live in the past to some degree, with some doing so more so than others. That said, this college town is a part of my past and something that was surreal to me most of the time I was there. However, with school and stress, you look for ways to mitigate the negativity - food, friends, and funny jokes, mostly of the inside and irreverent variety. As for the food, Garcia's was one of the eateries that handled that part of the equation for me. Garcia's Pizza used to be on Green Street in Campustown and I recall eating lunch there a fair bit. After not setting foot in the 61820 for at least two decades, I thought I could handle it. I did handle it, albeit with a short visit that revealed a lot of change. Newer mid-rises, which seem to be popular with foreign (graduate) students, now stand in Campustown and moved Garcia's out to the west side where the town gives way to shopping centers, (then) newer apartment complexes, and cornfields. Garcia's used to be in this woodsy and glassy hippie-dippy stand-alone locale on Green Street and, inside, it paid homage to another era with its mezzanines and, if I recall correctly, a fireplace. Now, it's in a stout building in a large outdoor shopping center. The reason I'd go to Garcia's was for their stuffed pizza and, on occasion, for their "Gutbuster" pizza. Not once did I order a conventional crust pizza because I had made the acquaintance of the stuffed pizza and the "Gutbuster" and I liked them. I believe I would get my slice in tandem with a small salad and a soft drink. Either of these slices of pizza filled you up, and, depending on which way the wind from the South Farms was blowing, might push you to want to take a snooze, which was dependent on whether or not you had a class. I was going to flex with the situation, find their new location, and woof down some Garcia's pizza. The menu had the "baby stuffed pizza" for one for a nice enough price and I also had a small salad and a soft drink. The stuffed pizza was fine except that it didn't have the rich and moist taste I once recall. The tomato sauce and the herbs seemed to compete with the taste of the ingredients I prefer. It was a good, and definitely filling, but not quite what I remember that would pull me back in for lunch at least once a week. The current store is spacious, they've kept the the menu items and the overall theme, the interaction with the employees was forgettable, which usually means it was fine, and I was able to look at paraphernalia that was present back in the day. I'm talking about their trademark hot air balloon with their fonts and slogans. Additionally, there is at least one outdoor seating area to one side of the store. This experience was very different from the Campustown experience, but I was glad to still find Garcia's and walk down "Memory Lane" ... in addition to feasting on some stuffed pizza. read more

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So, the pizza and the bread sticks were great. $4.00 for that salad was to much. Also, the state of the store was horrible, old and needed a deep clean and a refresh! There was on one person working in back, I had to wait 30 extra minutes for my food. read more

I have been eating at Garcia's for 40 years. I've eaten it all of their locations in champaign-urbana. Hands down, it is some of the best pizza you will have anywhere, regardless of whether you like thin crust or thick crust or otherwise. Garcia's is all handmade, with outstanding ingredients. It is served in a rectangle, and has just the most wonderful edges and textures and tastes, with a pizza sauce that is unique, natural, and delicious. It might be the last location that they have right now, but it's been around for, again, 40 years, this place is unique, not a cookie cutter shape restaurant, has a lot of memorabilia from the company, and just has a nice Vibe about it. The owner is often there, and if you ask to meet him, you'll have the most wonderful conversation. I have felt that once in a while, the restaurant could be a little bit cleaner, but I'm not going to take any stars away from that because Garcia's Pizza is absolutely incredible. There is plenty of parking there. Bathrooms are fine. Customer service is outstanding. Garcia's Pizza in a pan is a must visit if you're passing through Champaign-Urbana or going to the university. read more

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Yum deep dish & good crust Fun staff Not the wood multilevel fantasy-land of yore, but at least they've kept quaint elements of history to give it some local & nostalgic feel. read more

Horrible! Omg! Pizza was cold but burnt! Not the same and just don't get it! Or don't get it delivered! Disgusting! Ugh!

Pizza had weird slimy substance on it, Crust was freezer burnt, and pretty sure owner allowed squatters to live in the bathroom. The old senile worker was a jack and couldn't hear someone screaming in the bathroom. We had to wait a hour and a half for half of our food and then the worker had the audacity to tell us the restaurant closed in 10 minute. They had a good pinball machine. Don't recommend. read more

Garcia's Pizza In A Pan - Atrocious pizza that is egregiously overpriced. - Pizza Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

I found out a few years ago that there was one Garcia's location remaining, other than apparently a licensed location in Decatur. We found ourselves on the way south around lunchtime and for nostalgia's sake decided to stop for lunch, having not been to a Garcia's since the early 2000s, I'm thinking? I used to frequent the Peoria location at Northwoods Mall, which opened in 1981. It was on the lower level of the mall around the corner from Aladdin's Castle, but had two levels! The place had lots of wood, with railings and cozy seating areas. I had no history with the Champaign location; I was just there to eat the pizza again and maybe catch a glimpse of the past. Walking in to the unusual looking storefront, it smelled like a proper pizzeria. We walked up to the counter and the menu signage was a blast from the past. Back in the day, I think I always ordered a cheese slice but this time I went for sausage. My husband added a pair of breadsticks to his sausage slice order. We sat by the fireplace and waited for our meal. Other than the fireplace, the interior was pretty nondescript and some of the garbage receptacles, bathroom touchpoints and salt shakers could have used a wiping down. But the pizza! I thought this would be a meh, it's not as good as I remembered it experience. But it was great! The seasoning was soooo good. They should bottle it and sell it. The crust had a hint of sweetness, and the perfect crunch to the bready bottom. The breadstick was unextraordinary and reminded me of Fazolis but the marinara dipping sauce was super tomatoey and zesty. THIS is how I remember pizza tasting in the 80s. I thought this visit would be one last hurrah and a farewell to Garcia's, but my fandom has been renewed and I'll be hoping to make it back soon. read more

Garcia's Pizza In A Pan - a hot air balloon - Pizza Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Whenever I pass through the area I try to stop by for a Gutbuster slice. So far I haven't been disappointed. Loved their pizza back in the seventies and I still love it today. read more

Garcia's Pizza In A Pan - Flying Tomato Brothers, back in the day. - Pizza Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Been eating Garcia's for years. Ordered Gutbuster pan well done. Love the buttery yeasty crust (focaccia like), always a good amount of tomato sauce, could have a bit more cheese. With the Gutbuster's 4 ingredients always a different tasting bite. Place is barely surviving but great lunch special slice and salad. read more

Garcia's Pizza In A Pan - Gutbuster's pan well done - Pizza Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

I'm a long time patron of at least 40 years. As other friends I know have stopped coming around because "they're not the same", "the dough is frozen", etc, but I've stuck with Garcia's. Partly out of nostalgia, but mostly because I still love the pizza and the ambiance. But even I have limits. I'll just post a photo from what was served to me through the drive-through this last visit and you can be the judge. read more

Garcia's Pizza In A Pan - Bruh. - Pizza Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

I was so excited to go there today. I took a completely different route home to Chicago from Indianapolis just to go there. When I was in college (30 years ago) it was my favorite pizza place. As soon as I walked the smell came back to me and I could not wait to order my pizza. Totally worth the extra 70 miles to my drive. I wish I could tell you how it tasted. I stood at the counter for 7 minutes. Yes I timed it. Two people were in the kitchen and did notice me. Not a word, they didn't even a acknowledge me. One was for sure a manager or owner but still nothing. If that was a manager the owner needs to fire him. If that's the owner with that kind of rudeness I hope you go out of business. This happened at 11:35AM on 9/30/22 read more

Tasty pizza. The place is a little run down, but so am I. I come here for the excellent pizza. If you want a new building and lousy pizza, I'm sure you can find that elsewhere. I repeat, they have excellent pizza. read more

Pizza was dreadful. Sure it had bread sauce and cheese. The bread was awful and there wasn't enough sauce or cheese to make up for it. I had two bites and abandoned the food mission. read more

What happened Garcias ? The pizza isn't like it was when I lived in Rantoul back in the 70s and 80s.The inside of the store was absolutely under cleaned and not kept up to date. As far as the quality of the pizza...Rock gut,And Im sorry to say I can't go back. Finally let the name of Garcia's live on as one of the best pizza places to eat, and not milking it for all it's got to kill the name in a humiliating way. read more

I have absolutely loved Garcia's Pizza for 37 years ever since experiencing it in college on the campuses of Illinois State University & the University of Illinois. The atmosphere is hip and the service is fast, especially if you order that famous Garcia's rectangle slice. (One slice is sufficient, for me, because of the thick crust, and perfect amount of toppings. However, I do remember in college going back up to the counter for seconds, simply because the first had absolutely melted in my mouth.) Their pizza had such a unique taste that we, as college students, even on a budget, would just HAVE to go there at least once a week to have a slice of that hot, fresh-out-of-the-oven, soft, yeast-rich thick crust with oozing cheese! The prices were always reasonable, and they still are. The whole pan pizzas are stuffed with goodness, and I've actually had one sent to me all of the way to AZ, from my sister-in-law. Yes! It was THAT awesome! While we were visiting Champaign, this Christmas, my son and husband brought home some slices of Garcia's pizza, and while they were there they ran into Ralph Garcia, himself. (See the photos that they took for me.) read more

Okay, so this is an odd review. I searched on Yelp for this pizza place because I had a nostalgic yearning for my college pizza joint. It popped up on my review list, so in brief: Garcia's pizza was a go-to pizza at University of Illinois. Thick crust, slightly sweet along the lines of Round Table. Decent pizza, great hours. read more

Garcia's Pizza used to be a U of I classic! I join many other reviewers to say I am sorry to report it is not at all the same pizza. Our classic pizza hardly had any sauce, could not even taste the cheese. Parts of the pizza did not even have sauce. I would beseech the flying tomato brothers to return to their original recipe! We miss Garcia's Pizza by the slice!:( read more

Oh, Garcia's Pizza in a Pan, where did everything go wrong? The story of Garcia's is similar to the story of drug kingpins in 1980s Miami. From humble beginnings, they climb their way to the top of the world, build an empire, but then everything comes crashing down. As a boy, I remember the excitement of seeing the Garcias Brothers fly over our house in their hot air balloon (yes, the owners of Garcia's had an actual fucking hot air balloon, shaped like a tomato). There were around seven Garcia's Pizza joints in Champaign-Urbana, and everyone knew that Garcia's pizza was the best around. Now, nearly twenty years later, the empire is long gone. There is one Garcia's restaurant still clinging to life, but just barely. The old hot air balloon van is parked out back collecting rust. I can only imagine that the Garcia brothers are living paycheck-to-paycheck, forgoing bill payments so that they can afford pot and blow (just a guess). The pizza is still good (+ 3 stars), but put this restaurant on the critically endangered list. I don't see it surviving for much longer the way things appear to be going. read more

Garcia's Pizza In A Pan - Pizza Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

I have lived most of my life in the Champaign area, and back in the 1970s this place had pizza on a par with Papa Del's. The pizza was among the best, especially when fresh out of the oven. Somewhere around 1981, things started going downhill -- they tried to speed up the cooking process, to the point where the dough was still uncooked in the center, and then they changed the sauce recipe (think Rocky Rococo, that's where the sauce recipe went), and it just kept getting worse from there. I remember getting a slice of mushroom in 1983, and found a small pebble as a pizza topping. All I can say is this -- I cannot recommend this place at all. read more

OMG, WTF happened to this place? This was a staple at the U of I, when you grew out of the dorms and meal plans ... they had four or five locations, just on campus, one iconic location on the second floor of the main bookstores, where students and faculty alike lined up from 11 to 2 that wrapped all the way out the sidewalk. Everything changes, but this place is a shell of itself. read more

I'm a veteran of Garcia's Pizza in a Pan since the early 70's when my siblings would bring their leftovers back home after football and basketball games. Quite good. When I lived in Indiana for ten years, it was always a treat to come back and have Garcia's. Very very few places in Indiana could come close to the quality of pizza as they did. To this day, when my adult kids come to see me from Indiana they most always request a visit to Garcia's to enjoy their pizza and to take a slice home. As usual, the pizza and breadsticks were great! No complaints here. read more

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Have been going to this pizza place probably around 50 years liked it as a kid and still have to go once a week for a couple slices. Same unique taste that I've not found anywhere. Gut stet is my favorite. read more

I used to LOVE Garcia's. It was definitely a staple of mine when I was in school. They actually used to have a location right on-campus, and that's where I used to go. That's been closed down since then. Oh man... at night, they used to double their slice size... wow... good times. I've been to this off-campus location a couple of times. Same pizza... great value. My high-school teacher used to come down for Illini football games and take all his former students to Garcia's after the game. Again, good times. You just can't beat memories like that. read more

It's too bad that I have to give this business a 2 star rating because the flavor of the thin crust Gutbuster was very good. However, I had a difficult time finding the 2 kinds of meats that were supposed to be present on this pie. The interior of the restaurant was very dirty as was the kitchen. The server did not wear gloves while handling the pizza. The pizza business is very competitive. This business needs an overhaul! Don't waste your time with this place! read more

An ex used to work there. They had issues with black mold and had to close for a few days while they painted over it instead of actually fixing it. The owner had a bad coke habit and every paycheck my crazy ex got would bounce because the owner spent it all on coke. Apparently if you accidentally dropped a pizza on the floor, you picked it up and cooked it and served it anyway. read more

As a U of I alum I was looking forward to enjoying this college favorite from the 1980's. There is only one location now on Mattis and I ordered my favorite stuffed pizza. It was not at all what I remember from school. Clearly the flying tomato brothers are no longer involved and current owners seem to have no pride in their location or product. Very sad... but time marches on. read more

Best Pizza I ever have tasted. 41 years ago in Rantoul Illinois- Same fabulous taste today in Champaign!

I ordered online and when I arrived I was told it would be a couple more minutes. When I got home I was super disappointed. It was burnt. The bottom was 3/4 black and cheese was brown. I picked this up to take home which was a half hour away. Never again. read more

1 hour. And 50 mins to get Luke warm pizza. I would avoid this place at all cost. I keep trying to give it another chance because of what it once was and it disappoints every time. read more

I wanted to order a pizza to pick up for dinner so I didn't have to deal with cooking. I called this location and this is the conversation: Me: Hi! I would like to place an order for pickup. Me: Hello? Surfer dude: Dude!! I was supposed to be off at 2:00 and no one is here. Me: What? Surfer Dude: Seriously, no one is here and I'm leaving. Me: Um....OK Surfer Dude: There is no one here to make a pizza. I'm leaving!! Me: OK. Bye. Why did you answer the phone if you knew you were leaving?? I just couldn't give them one star for this because it was comical. Not to mention it fits so well with what is expected from Garcia's Pizza. If your a townie, you know what I mean. read more

I miss Garcia's. Best pizza with a thicker crust :) I remember the many chains across college campuses and their unique charcuterie. Plus the flying tomato brothers ballon at Illini games read more

24 years since I last tried and got a large stuffed pepperoni pan pizza. With no recollection of how it tasted like 24 years ago as it was bar food on what always felt like the outskirts of Green Street, it reminded me a lot of Lou Malnatti's Pan Pizza from one of the good locations in the Chicagoland area (there are more bad than good Lou locations, but that is another review). The location was a little dated, but product looked well prepared. The crust was crispy and a good balance between cheese, topping, sauce, and crust. Not one element dominated the pizza, which I find is not always the case with other pizzas. The large stuffed was enough for two adults and a kid. Not the best value (reason for one less star). Was $23 for the large stuffed with pepperoni. Large was not all that big and I'd consider it a medium stuffed at other locations. Also go the bread sticks which both kids enjoyed so much, they add the whole order so I was not able to try. Worth trying out and looks to also be an enjoyable quiet place to dine in. read more

Sad to see this place go down the tubes. Yes, in the 70's we enjoyed Garcia's pizza almost weekly. Now, I might never go back. Our pizza was promised for 3PM. We ordered salads and soda and sat down. We split salads, so I needed extra forks. Went to the counter to ask for them and was told that they needed to be washed. Really?! They were brought out to us shortly. After noticing at 3:15 that the pizza hadn't arrived, I went to the counter to ask about it. Ralph (Flying Tomato Brother) said it had 3 more minutes to bake. When I reminded him it was to be ready at 3:00, he said he was working ALONE and had an unexpected rush (Really?!). Told him he should have let me know when we arrived. (Pizza was ordered about an hour earlier by phone.) Got a (free) pitcher of soda and sat back down. Pizza arrived approximately 10 minutes later. Any way...after a few unhappy experiences, we enjoyed the heavy weight stuffed pizza. Don't know if I'll ever go here again. Shame to see this place in the state it is in. Needs Restaurant Impossible (Food Network)! read more

Great pan pizza. Love their sauce. Garcia's is a central IL institution and I hope they are around for years to come.

Life Changing Pizza I know pizza. I love pizza. Thick crust, thin crust, new york style, chicago style, whatever. And Garcia's pizza is awesome. I've been eating it as a kid and since I've moved away from Champaign, it's always been a treat to visit this place when I come back. I always get the Slice Special. You get one (generous) slice of their pan pizza, 2 breadsticks with cheese dipping sauce, and a soda pop. It's the perfect amount of food and it's straight up delicious. I can't attest to the other reviewers who have beef with the owner and management. They've always been nice to me. One time one of the employees walked out into the rain to get my order because the line at the drive thru was so long. Overall, I highly recommend you give this place a shot. It's quick, delicious and cheap. Even the haters of this place agree the pizza is good. read more

Went in for lunch, should've just kept driving. The restaurant is so dirty that I am considering calling the health department. The floor, the walls, tables, chairs haven't been cleaned in a long time. The pizza came out luke warm, which is a mystery if it just came out of a 500 degree oven. No napkins or silverware were brought out, even the plates seemed dingy. Won't be back. read more

Used to be excellent in the 90's...but the service has definetly changed! A 45 minute wait for pizza slices is nuts. Workers didn't know how to work the computer...credit card machine is in one place, computer in another, pizza maker was broken...HIGHLY disorganized. The pizza is still delicious and the employees were busting their tails, but they need some serious organization to compete. read more

Decent pizza - plenty of toppings, but nearly no sauce. Thin crust was a perfect balance of crunch and soft dough. Breadsticks were dry and bland. We got a bacon and spinach large pizza, and it took 4 of us to finish it. Overall, more substance than you get elsewhere, but it wasn't great by any means. Update: 2/29/08 I've gone back here a few times since my original review, and every time that I do, their prices have risen... Not once, but 3 times in a row. They were already expensive compared to other chain pizza, but now outrageously so. It was $18.45 for a large, thin crust, 2-topping pizza (with nearly no toppings, actually). The carry-out menus have clearly not been updated in a year or so since I was quoted over the phone different prices than the ones in my hand. Frustrating since you can get the same pizza for 1/2 as much elsewhere, AND everywhere else has a larger selection of side items (here: cookies or breadsticks) and toppings (here: 6-7 basics). read more

I have loved Garcia's pizza for many years, eating it as student at IL State, class of 80. The location then was next to Watterson Towers. The place was classy, clean, good sized and had little slices of heaven, great pizza with a unique taste, which I had with cold apple cider. The place was busy, one would wait in a line of 5-10 students. I always recommended the restaurant to out of town friends and they always thanked me for the suggestion. Once when I visited after graduation, I was shocked to see that the location had closed. How could a busy restaurant, serving such a great product, close? Yesterday, I drove to the last remaining location to revisit my past. WHAT THE HECK! I visited the shabby location at noon and the dinning area was almost empty. The "pizza" was tasteless and the sausage on my slice of sausage pizza were so tiny I almost couldn't see them. I had driven many miles for nothing- for an illusion. What the heck happened? Did I care more about the pizza than the owners? At least they can't take my memory from me. I will remember the flying tomato brothers in my dreams, youthful, and kindly proving a great alternative to the horror that was dorm food in the 70's. read more