Regarding pizza, this place is no better than Pizza Hut. If you like that, you'll LOVE this place.

You have to order ahead if you don't want to wait forever for your pie! Lou Malnati's is a Chicago staple. The practically invented deep dish pizza. Seriously one slice is a lunch. Two slices and you are stuffed for the rest of the day. The seasoning is perfect on their pies (these aren't pizzas, they earn the pie designation!). The location was super convenient to major retail stores on Michigan Ave's Miracle Mile, the decor is exactly what you would imagine it would be for a Chicago deep dish pizza place but with a step up over the competition for the comfortable seating compared to the other guys. If you haven't tried it you need to do so. It's as Chicago as the Cubs and the Bears. read more

Very classic ambiance, typical old Chicago look. They have seats ranging from chairs to booths. Great thing was that they had a booth for 2. We ordered 2 personal pizzas - The "classic" pizza was amazingly tasty. Sauce was rich, tangy with a flavorful bite of the sausage. The " Lou" pizza which was spinach and mushroom and garlic - this one was not as tasty. The tomato sauce in "Lou" was overpowering everything else. It's a good option for vegetarians, but not the best balance of flavors. read more

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Was highly recommended to come to Lou malnatis to try deep dish pizza for the first time and it did not disappoint. I love that this location is open late so I was able to come here right after a late night flight. Location is a little confusing to find at night but manageable. Took the elevator to the restaurant and was seated immediately. Ordered the malnati Chicago and the malnati salad. Keep in mind that it takes about 45 minutes for a deep dish to be ready so be patient lol .We received our salad and it was delicious especially the vinaigrette. I literally scrapped my plate. When we got our pizza and took the first bite I loved it! I loved that it was super saucey it was the right amount of meat,cheese, and veggies. I can't wait to come back on my next visit to Chicago read more

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Lou's is the first time I tried deep dish pizza from Chicago and it didn't quite live up to the hype for me. Even though it was the chain that was most recommended to me, I didn't think it was life-changing. My friend and I got the classic and margherita pesto to share. The personal size was the perfect portion. I couldn't get over how buttery and crunchy the crust was, I was not a fan. The twisted lemonade was yummy and sweet! I didn't think the wait was too long. Glad I tried it to say that I tried it. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Personal - Deep Dish Chicago Classic and Small - Deep Dish Margherita - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I enjoyed their deep dish pizza well enough. The crust is crunchy and thick and holds up well to the sauce. The sauce seems house made as it has a strong taste of fresh tomatoes. Tasty, but I personally prefer a more robust marinara. The cheese was very thick, gooey, and was a typical pizza mozzarella. Our waiter was not great. We were there at 2:30 on a weekday in a sparsely populated restaurant and he still took a long while to service us. I am a server as well and he could have just been having a bad day. Prices were higher but not robbery considering location. Good choice to check off having decent deep dish, but not the best. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Medium - Deep Dish Pepperoni - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was my second visit to Lou Malnati's, and after coming back again on another Chicago trip, I ended up bumping my review from 4 to 5 stars. This time I skipped the deep dish and ordered the lasagna instead. It was rich, cheesy, comforting, and honestly perfect after a long workday downtown. The sauce definitely leans sweet, which I personally liked, but I know that can be hit or miss depending on what style of red sauce you prefer. The bar was completely packed when I arrived, which says a lot on a random Wednesday. Even having to grab a table, the service was great. read more

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Just arrived in Chicago from Los Angeles and felt since it was my first time in Chicago I had to get deep dish pizza. It is a small place with an upstairs that I did not see how large it was. The decor was pretty straightforward. Staff were all friendly but it seemed like they were stretched thin. We loved the bruschetta and Caesar salad. The hazy rotating beer was good. However, we were not that impressed with the pizza. It wasn't bad, but not that impressive. Prices seemed reasonable. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Deep Dish Malnati Chicago Classic - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Pro tip: pizzas take 45 min to cook. First off, make sure you understand that there's a difference between deep dish and a NYC slice. Once you have that understanding, get your taste buds ready and pull out the fork and knife. Highly suggest the OG Chicago pie -- a buttery and flakey crust, despite being thick, with a layer of cheese, then tomatoes, and some carefully layered in sausage. Yum!! Two slices was more than enough to feel satisfied. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - The original on top, large for 4 people. - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Obviously when I found out we were going to Chicago, I knew I absolutely had to try deep dish. And I also knew I wanted to go to a Lou Malnati's location, since that's the chain I'd heard about the most. We showed up without a reservation on a very busy evening, so it was almost an hour of waiting before we were shown to spots at the bar, which suited me just fine because I'm always okay to sit at the bar. I felt like a cocktail and the Chicago-Style Bloody Mary ("Tito's Handmade Vodka, house tomato mix, pearl onion, tomato, Sport Pepper, pickle spear, celery salt rim") sounded quite tasty. And indeed it was. The balance of flavors was nicely done and the alcohol level was perfect. (I should also mention I'd been waiting for my chance to try the infamous Malort liquor, so when I spotted it on the shelf, I asked our super friendly and helpful bartender for a shot. She gave me a little smirk when I asked for it, which I thought was amusing, and then offered up a generous pour. It was...interesting. I'm glad I tried it but it's not something I need to ever drink again.) The star attraction, of course, was the deep dish. We opted for the Malnati Chicago Classic ("Made with Lou's lean sausage, some extra mozzarella cheese and vine-ripened tomato sauce on Buttercrust") and it was phenomenal. It was so cheesy and delicious, and that sausage was top-notch. I enjoyed the heck out of it, and I can safely say it even exceeded my already-high expectations. I'm so glad we hung around for Lou Malnati's. It was totally worth the wait. read more

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Out of curiosity I decided to place an order for pickup because I always see lines for this place. To be fair, I haven't yet had "chicago deep dish" so my expectations were pretty high since it's supposedly the bomb-diggity. So I called ahead at 1:05pm to ask about their lunch specials since I saw it advertised on social media but don't recall details and the fella who answered the ordering line said "I don't think we have anything like that", when I said I saw it online he said "well maybe you are right but I don't know about it".... Okay so you work the ordering phone line! How do you get paid to work here and not know or even care enough to find out? That is seriously lazy. Anyhow, with pure curiosity I decided anyways to order a deep dish personal sausage pizza with red sauce and cheese. The website said $14.99 and I could use grub hub or pay at pickup. I opted for pickup since it's just a short walk. I walked over. They wanted to charge $19.98 at pickup and I asked why while showing them my phone with website pulled up. I was initially told because I added sausage. Well I didn't add anything. I just ordered the standard sausage pizza. Logically I asked to see a menu. Their in-house menu also showed they do in fact offer a lunch special which includes a personal pizza with salad for $15.15 so I showed it to the cashier. I said so for 16-cents more I can get the salad too, I'll do that. She looked confused and said "oh you don't want this pizza then?" She was about to toss it in the trash can. I smiled politely and said "yes I'll take the pizza and for an additional 16-cents I'll also take a side salad". Then she proceeded to tell me salads are $15 and up if I wanted to order it and it might take about 15-20 minutes extra because they were busy if I wanted to wait. So I pointed to the menu's lunch specials, she said "let me get a manager". Omg. The manager came out, I said "can I just get this special which includes the personal pizza and side salad for $15.15 to go?" She replied "I'll do it for you this time, but you would have needed to place your order that way if you wanted that". I went on to explain I asked about it over the phone but the order-taker didn't know about any lunch specials so I just ordered the pizza" the manager smiled and said "no problem, I'll talk to my staff" and proceeded to offer me a complementary beverage. Well, I got home, opened the bag and the pizza was cold, totally dripping in grease and not even cut. Also quite small, it's smaller than a standard salad plate and $15.15+ tax. I put it in the oven for a few minutes. It was only ok, not very cheesy and honestly nothing to rave about plus with all that ordering headache I don't think I will ever bother going there again. Couple of things: train your staff to know what specials are available. Consider keeping pizzas warm until customer pickup. Truthfully most people probably would have just walked out empty handed with all that ridiculousness. I definitely did not feel it was worth the price, and my sanity was tested. Maybe I'm not much of a Chicago deep dish fan afterall. Meh! At least I gave it a chance. read more

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In Phoenix, when a friend and colleague of mine comes to town for business, we typically take a work lunch at Lou Malnati's Pizzeria. From the delicious deep dish Chicago-style pizza to the lunch specials to the great service, I've been impressed with the pizza taste and uniqueness. Since I was traveling to Chicago with that same friend and other friends, it only made sense that we did the same in Chicago. Five of us made a reservation on Open Table and went to this location last Saturday for lunch, and we enjoyed the food, the service, and the ambiance. When two of the five of us showed up at the time of our reservation, they offered to let us sit down in the dining room, though we waited until at least two others arrived before sitting. The servers were attentive with ordering, and we received food and drinks in a reasonable amount of time. We did get a bit confused with two Lou Malnati's locations in River North (as the other is on Michigan Avenue), and our Chicago local who joined us went to the wrong location first, but they were close enough to walk between. This location is open Monday through Thursday from 11 AM to 11 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 12 Midnight, and Sunday from 11 AM to 8 PM (though it's possible the Sunday hours close earlier just because tomorrow is Easter). I thought it stayed open in general on Sundays until 11 PM. While there are many kinds of pizza, there is something special about Chicago-style, which has flaky, buttery pizza crust, an exclusive sausage blend, vine ripened plum tomatoes from California, and Wisconsin cheese. There are at least 60 locations in Chicago, 2 in Wisconsin, 2 in Indiana, and 6 in Arizona. You can also use the app or the website to order pizzas to ship nationwide or local delivery orders (or pick up orders). You can join Lou's Rewards by going to https://www.loumalnatis.com/rewards. Each time you eat at Lou Malnati's, you earn 10 points for every dollar spent, and then you can use the points for different rewards. You get a free small pizza for your birthday and a bonus pizza for signing up. You also will get personalized offers throughout the year and are the first to learn about anything new at Lou's. I certainly recommend that you try this amazing pizza, especially if you have never had Chicago-style pizza before! read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went out with a group for the obligatory deep dish experience. A friend recommended this location, and we head a pretty great time. Entering the building and coming down the stairs had me thinking this was a much smaller place. But then we turned the corner towards our table and the whole place opened up. We took a few minutes to discuss the menu. As we had some vegetarian party members, we had to figure out what we were ordering. We went the pesto deep dish, and a thin crust with pepperoni. We also grabbed a few appetizers, since the server informed us the pizza could be up to 40 minutes wait. The bruschetta and the mozzarella bites were both solid choices. We ate every last bite. When the pizza arrived, the server cut it up for us and served us our heaping slices. The sauce was, in my opinion, the star of the show. For the deep dish, we could have used a bit more pesto. Plenty of bites we could barely tell it wasn't just a plain pie. For the thin crust, the pepperoni kind of overshadowed the amazing sauce. But still very yummy. We all had a bit of a sweet tooth, so we couldn't leave without trying the chocolate chip pizza, which comes in a little pan of its own. The cookie was great, with a nice finish on the bottom and sides. The ice cream was already a bit melted when it got to us, so perhaps it needed to be served a bit more quickly. All in all, I'd eat here again, but I think I'd like to try some alternatives as well. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - A slice of pesto deep dish - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Good food. Phenomenal service. Beautiful atmosphere. I have zero complaints about our experience visiting Lou Malnati's. It was mid-afternoon when we visited and I'd gone online to make a reservation prior to our visit, but that wasn't really necessary. We were greeted warmly by the hostess and shown to a booth in the back room...far away from the cold draft of the front door. Our server came over to take our drink orders right away and we ordered a Caesar salad to share. I found it odd that their Caesar comes with tomatoes, but it must be a Chicago thing because I saw that on the menu of another pizzeria that we visited while in town. The salad was delicious and we enjoyed every bite of it. We also ordered a small pepperoni pie (deep dish) and were surprised at just how small it was. It was almost like a personal size...but let me tell you, the personal size is tiny! One slice of the small pie nearly took up the space of the entire personal sized pie that we took home with us. While in-store, I signed up for their rewards program and got a coupon for a free personal sized pie, with some stipulations. It was to-go only and you had to spend at least $10, but our dine-in order could not count towards that total. It had to be processed as a separate transaction. That was no problem for us since we were headed back to our hotel and had a full kitchen there, we decided to order wings along with our free baby-sized pie to-go. The wings were phenomenal. Top tier. A+. Highly recommend! I actually preferred the sausage pie that we took home over the pepperoni pie, and that's not usually my vibe. I think something about the grease in the sausage lends itself to the moisture of the pie. The pepperoni pie was a little dry. Overall, we loved the atmosphere and the service, so we would definitely come back again in the future. read more

I love Chicago. I have been several times. It is a great City, but I have to admit I did not go to Chicago to get the best deep dish pizza to be had, I ordered it, flash frozen, from a website called Goldbelly. It is the best website for great food and other things. It all comes when promised and it is so frozen. There are clear instructions on what to do with the expensive pizza you just bought. We are hooked. We are now also hooked on Lou Malnati's deep dish. It is the best deep dish you will ever have and there is enough to feed 4 people. They are ever so deep filled with the best sauce and cheese and the crust is so good. You just have to try it. It is just perfect. I called them to thank them for the great pizza and they were so very nice and hope we will come to Chicago soon and I think we will. I have seen photos and the place looks so cute and fun. Enjoy. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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When in Chicago, getting deep dish is a MUST, so my husband and I made our way to Lou Malnati's with high expectations. We came on a Saturday night and there was a decent sized wait for our party of 2. If you plan to order a deep dish pizza, it also takes a while to come out, so plan accordingly. On the day we went, everything was especially slow (our app took 30+ minutes after we ordered), but the waiter was nice about it and gave it to us on the house. Now onto the food...we ordered a small "The Lou" to share. Overall, it was good but I was a bit underwhelmed. I've had deep dish pizza before (at this same restaurant 5+ years ago) and even back home in California and I felt like I enjoyed those experiences way more. I'm not sure if it was because the pizza I ordered lacked marinara sauce (which is my fault for ordering that) but I don't think I'd go out of my way to order it again in the future. We ordered the mozzarella sticks as our app though and was super impressed by those! Overall, I feel like maybe Lou Malnati's has become too popular and commercialized where the quality of food has gone down. If you're looking for a mind blowing deep dish pizza, I'd recommend maybe looking elsewhere. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Mozzarella Bites - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Worst service of any place I've ever been... I came with my family on Wednesday night and we enjoyed the food but we ran out of water for a while and no one ever bothered to check on us. I asked the waiter with short blonde hair for water and he didn't even look at me. Just walked passed me and said "I'm going to use the restroom." Afterwards, he left the restroom, exited the other way to avoid our table, and never got back to us again. If you don't wanna serve customers, don't be a waiter. read more

Came from NorCal to Chicago and wanted to try the famous deep dish pie. We were so disappointed. Our deep dish pie came out flat about a half inch high and had minimal cheese pull. It's as though there was no yeast in it and I've had flat pies the same height. It also came out warm not hot. It's as though it was one that wasn't picked up so give it to us. Too bad that sometimes shops rest on their laurels. Woulda rated it lower but didn't want to ruin ratings. When you order ask how deep it will be and how hot it will be. read more

food: the hot honey pizza was good service: nice staff, got to go though ambiance: got to go read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - hot honey pizza - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cute little authentic Chicago pizza place large pizza deep dish cheese fed six girls with two slices left over! Busy, but they were able to squeeze us in! read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Large - Deep Dish Cheese - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The story is built into every inch of the building. A neighborhood place with a world class reputation. They have been around for what seems like forever and that experience shows. The servers were friendly and fun. The pizza has so much flavor and the setting, with exposed brick and views it to the local scene, make it a spot I can't wait to return. read more

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We sat at the bar. Pizza and Salads were good. Service from bartender Sean was outstanding!

I was happy to try another deep-dish pizza spot and this one was just a few minutes' walk from our hotel. We called ahead to make sure they had availability for a group of 3 and were given the go-ahead. It was a Friday late-afternoon in between lunch and dinner rush, so we showed up to a relatively empty restaurant, though we were asked to either wait 30 minutes due to limited staffing or sit at the bar. Despite the slightly more awkward configuration, we had excellent service at the bar with a very friendly waiter who gave us great recs for his favorite deep dish recipe and the size to order. We ended up going for "the Lou" and the penne ala Malnati to split. The small pizza came out to 4 slices, and I really enjoyed the toppings, though the crust was too dry and hard for my taste. I'd still call the pizza decent overall. The only downside is that the pizza took about 30 minutes to prep, but that seems to be typical for most deep-dish orders. The pasta was nothing super special, but we all ended up pretty full afterwards! read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Penne ala Malnati - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Everything was to die for... service was wonderful. Pizza met expectations. That salad and wings were AMAZING. I am glad I got the Chicago deep dish experience. Everyone was there to enjoy food. Loved the atmosphere The wait was long but you can stroll and explore while waiting. Would recommend this. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came in around 7PM and were told the wait for dine-in was about 2 hours, but they offered their hot & ready personal pizzas instead. Honestly, the staff was great, super friendly, efficient, and we had our food almost immediately after paying. Even by the time we made it back to the hotel, the pizzas were still hot and fresh. That said... I genuinely do not understand the hype behind this place. For how famous it is, the pizza was incredibly underwhelming. The cheese had absolutely no flavor and was oddly plasticy, the crust was bland, and overall it just felt like overpriced tourist food rather than anything memorable. We paid $82 for three personal sized ready to go pizzas, which is honestly insane for the quality we received. Service was excellent, but the food itself was a huge disappointment. I can appreciate the history and popularity, but this felt much more like a tourist trap than a "must have Chicago pizza" experience. The locals we talked to afterward pretty much confirmed the same thing. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Personal Personal - Deep Dish Pepperoni - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Our server, Elayne, was a gem - great recommendations and even better service. We were a large group which can sometimes be a pain, but we were so happy to be seated with Elayne. The pizza was - unsurprisingly, based on local recommendations -fantastic. Thick crust and I expected it to be dry, but it was actually perfection and so flavorful. The cheese was gooey, the sauce was well seasoned, and the each bite was a treat. Definitely recommend this casual neighborhood spot for a deep dish experience! read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Should definitely be on your stop as a pizza place to try while in Chicago. Service was great and the food was excellent. Many a pie to choose from here so pick carefully. read more

First time in Chicago, so of course I had to grab some deep dish. Lou Malnati's was definitely the most recommended to be by everyone. It is a beloved pizzeria famous for their unique buttery crust. This was probably one of the things I was looking forward to most on my recent visit! My friend and I got a reservation in advance, which I highly recommend. When we got there, there was a 1.5 hour wait for guests without a reservation (and this was on a Monday night). The pizzas take roughly 30-40 minutes to bake, you are allowed to put in an order while you wait for a table so it is ready when you are seated. The interior has a nostalgic feel to it with lots of Chicago memorabilia throughout. The service was decent although it could have been better. It was very busy and they were definitely on top of that. We were seated and able to put in our order about 10 minutes later. No one really checked on us throughout our meal, but I feel like that is normal as this is more of a casual eatery. I do like how they cut the pizza and serve the first slice for you though! Overall, the service was friendly and efficient, they just didn't interact with us much. As I said above, the pizzas take at least 30 minutes to bake. It is wise to order some apps while you wait. We ended up getting a Caesar salad and the ravioli crisps to split. The Caesar salad was just right with crispy romaine lettuce, tomatoes, shaved Parmesan, croutons, and Caesar dressing. This hit the spot, nothing too special but a great way to start the meal. The raviolis crisps feature light-as-air crispy ravioli served with marinara. These were excellent and not heavy or greasy at all. The sauce they came with was amazing with great robust flavors. For our pizza, we ordered a small deep dish Malnati Chicago classic. The Malnati Chicago Classic is made with Lou's extra lean sausage, extra mozzarella cheese, and vine ripened tomato sauce on Buttercrust. Wow, was this quite the pizza! This was like nothing I'd ever had before. The sauce was phenomenal and worked well with the savory sausage. There was just the right amount of cheese, I even got a cheese pull! And the crust...omg buttery and yet crunchy at the same time. Truly unique and I can see why it is so appealing. I was very impressed with this pie and understand the hype around it. The pizzas are filling, a small was perfect to split between two people. We left with no leftovers. All in all, Lou Malnati's is a cult classic for a reason. The buttery crust is like no other and it is really good. The sauce on the pies was actually my favorite part though! Everything about their pies are perfectly balanced and there isn't too much sauce or cheese. The appetizers shouldn't be looked over either, both the salad and ravioli crisps were tasty. The service is decent. I would recommend coming here for some deep dish while in Chicago. I know I'll be back next time I'm in the city! read more

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I was looking forward to coming to this iconic pizzeria. It is located down a side street and when you enter, you walk downstairs to the restaurant. It's very cool, and hip and you can smell delicious garlic cooking in the background. You should definetly make a reservation. Otherwise, you are going to wait quite a bit to sit. We had a reservation and our table was ready promptly. There are many selections but we were here to try the pizza. We ordered the classic cheese, the "Lou" and the margarita pizza (that has pesto). We were promptly greeted by our server, brought drinks and were told that the pizza takes about 40 minutes- so relax, enjoy and spend time interacting with your group. The pizzas did take 40 minutes! Once the pizza was served there was no time that we felt pressured to rush or leave, despite the waiting crowd hungry for a table. Unfortunately, we rarely saw our waitress again, so drink refills were a problem. Now the pizza...was good. But, I wasn't that impressed. I felt NY pizza was clearly tastier, and hit the spot way more than the deep dish pizza. Truthfully, growing up on Pizzeria Uno, I think that pizza was definitely better. This crust, which is really what this shop is known for, was like a hard pastry. It was good but not great and I didn't leave craving it or ever thinking I would have a reason to return. The ambiance was awesome. The table space and seats were roomy and comfortable. The bathroom was a mess, and that was after only being open an hour. The pizza didn't wow me and that is either for one or two reasons....1) the pizza was just in fact ok or 2) I am a New Yorker through and through our pizza slays! read more

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Lou Malnatis never disappoints - this is casual staple Chicago deep dish pizza, fresh ingredients, creamy mozzarella, crushed tomato sauce, the Italian sausage is so good with no fennel, and of course the signature butter crust. Now people all over the city may argue over other pizzerias or tavern over deep dish. But for me LM is sincerely good. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had a fantastic experience at Lou Malnati's Pizzeria -- South Loop, and I can confidently say it lives up to the hype as a Chicago deep-dish classic. From the moment you walk in (or open the box if you're doing carry-out), the aroma of buttery crust and rich tomato sauce hits you. It's exactly what you want from an iconic deep-dish pizza. First time here, it was everything I expected and more. The deep-dish itself was outstanding: the crust has that distinctive buttery, crisp edge while still staying satisfyingly doughy inside, and the sauce and cheese were flavorful and fresh, without being overwhelming. The balance of toppings was just right, and every bite felt like a proper Chicago pizza experience. In addition, the ranch dressing was so good! Hard to find good ranch dressing, but by far, this place does it right! I'm glad I stopped in as there's so many options around the city. Not only was the food delicious, the staff is super attentive and friendly. The atmosphere was clean and comfortable. If I am ever back in Chicago, this place is worth returning to. Pizza is one of those foods that can't go wrong until it does. This place doesn't go wrong!! read more

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The food is yummy!! The pizza is different than a normal deep dish stuffed with cheese and sauce. This one, Lou's Special, had yummy substance. Upon entering you're greeted by someone and either there's a wait time to sit or you may order to go or wait at the bar if there is space. I opted for the bar but it was busy, then opted for take out. When ordered was told there's a 30 min wait for the pizza to be ready.... Bar emptied within 8 minutes of waiting and I sat down to eat my pizza. Kudos to the Bar staff is super chill and nice! Also, the take out girl was very kind! Well worth the wait. read more

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Yummmmm this place was worth the 1 hour wait. Nice pizza place near the river in downtown Chicago. We had deep dish pizza, salad and dessert! Great tasting, super friendly server, fun atmosphere. That's how a Chicago pizzeria should be! I'd go back again! read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Caesar salad - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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One of a number of locations around the city, this location on Wells offers everything you could hope for. Metered Street parking and Limited garage parking is available so coming by foot or by Uber is highly recommended. We arrive just before peak hour rush and we're able to grab a seat at the bar where dinner is served. Plenty of wonderful beers on tap, a nice wine selection, and full bar is available as well as plenty of NA options. Our bartender/server was super friendly and attentive. We ended up ordering the Lou Malnati's original salad, which was absolutely fabulous and sized easily sized for two people. This was a great lead in to a medium deep dish pizza that could've fed 3 to 4 people depending on how hungry you are. We ended up taking some with! Great service, friendly people, good food, and pretty good pricing for a very filling meal with adult beverages in downtown Chicago. read more

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Ended up here on St. Patrick's day weekend after all the fanfare (and snow) and the place looked like a ghost town. We must have just been the first of the day bc after we sat, people came in and they didn't stop coming! We ordered the big Italian salad (yum) and two personal size deep dish pizzas and it was the perfect amount of food for two weary travelers. Will definitely make our way back next time we are in town. read more

Soooo good! Long wait for food but they tell you this ahead of time! It was cooked so perfectly and the staff knew what they were doing! read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Original Lou pizza - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Upon arrival, we were seated quickly. The restaurant was very clean and quiet. The service was great! Our waitress was nice and attentive. The pizza was perfectly cooked and seasoned. I thought the pesto was an especially nice touch because it had a good amount of saltiness which added to the pizza. I topped it with some Parmesan and red pepper flakes but it was phenomenal without it as well. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Small Gluten Free Deep Dish Margherita Pesto Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My first experience with Lou Malnati's was back in 2016 when I came with some college friends. We got the Lou, Classic & Pepperoni all deep dish and it was amazing! Fast forward to 2025 and I'm back in Chicago getting the same things! Their deep dish pizza is so good and so worth the wait. There's no other place that serves as rich and flavorful pizza with quality meats and crispy thick crusts. I feel like it sorcery how they get their crusts and undersides to stay crispy despite all the cheese and sauce that goes into the deep dish pizzas. In the 3 times I've eaten here and over 9 different pizzas that I've tried, none of them had had a subpar taste or soggy crust. Out of all of their pizzas, I recommend getting the classic! It's a classic for a reason. read more

My visit to Lou Malnati's proved to me that this establishment truly IS worth the hype!! While in Chicago, I knew Deep Dish Pizza was a must at some point, even though I was admittedly a bit skeptical on liking it. Lou Malnati's is one of the most common recommendations for a deep dish spot, so decided to give them a try. A was NOT disappointed!! We came around Happy Hour time at 5pm, and while there was a short wait, we were seated soon after in an upstairs area that was dimly lit and kind of had a nostalgic vibe to it that takes you back in time! In addition to a small Malnati Chicago Classic deep dish for two, we also go some of the $5 draft beers and $5 Mozzarella Bites from the Happy Hour! The Mozzarella Bites were perfectly prepared and a delight to bite into and get SUPER satisfying cheese pulls! I also appreciated the large cups of sauce, including ranch (which we requested). The Deep Dish Pizza itself was AMAZING! Obviously VERY cheesy and so provided for plenty of fun cheese pull moments! I was also surprised by how despite being full of cheese, sausage, and other toppings, nothing felt too heavy or overpowering. One slice for each of us was more than enough to get us full, and we kept the other half as left overs. Great portions and value! Our server was also very friendly and we enjoyed chatting with him. Lou Malnati's is a great spot! Nostalgic vibes inside, great service, value, and delicious Deep Dish Pizza!! I highly recommend visiting when in Chicago! read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - The Deep Dish Malnati Chicago Classic - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Recently went to Lou Malnati's with a party of four and had a great experience. We made a reservation for a weekend evening to beat the rush, and even though there were still seats available when we arrived, it felt good knowing we had a spot secured. We started with the traditional BuffaLou Wings and ordered a medium Malnati Chicago Classic along with a small thin crust Mike's Hot Honey. The wings were a solid opener and came with eight pieces, plenty of ranch and celery, and easy to split among the four of us. It was my first time trying Chicago-style deep dish, and while the crust and dough were doughier than I expected, the ingredients tasted fresh and surprisingly not too heavy. The sausage, cheese, and tomato sauce all came together really well. That said, the Mike's Hot Honey thin crust stole the show for me. The slight kick from the hot honey, a little zest from the giardiniera, and the crisp crunch of the thin crust made every bite balanced and flavorful. We came hungry and left stuffed, with a slice of each pizza for leftovers. Overall, a great spot to check out for authentic Chicago pizza. read more

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