My boyfriend brought me here because I told him I don't like deep dish pizza and he is trying to convert me. We got a small of the signature pizza and I loved it !!! I'm particular about my pizza but I loved it . The pizza does take 35-40 mi Utes so be prepared . But the outdoor seating is nice! read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Slice of deep dish 1 Small Pizza Pairing - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Trying my 1st Chicago pizza. Looking for a great deep dish pizza, well this is YOUR place to be. My hostess for very attentive and friendly. She also inform me before hand that the pizza takes 25-30 minutes to make if I have time to spend. I got the Malnati Chicago classic deep dish pizza. It was served hot and crispy. I love the crust but unfortunately after 15 minutes later, the cheese begin to harden and I didn't care for it anymore. The bruschetta on the other hand was delicious. I prefer that more I over the pizza. I would definitely visit again when I am in town. read more

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We got seated before the rush - friendly and efficient server. I was visiting and had to have some legit deep dish - and I'd learned the other day that it can take 30-60 minutes for the dang pizza to bake. I tried to call ahead to both say I was going to be dining in AND that I wanted to place my order then and there but the guy who answered the phone didn't seem to understand that and I got hung up on. Undeterred , and since it was close to my hotel, I walked there and gambled that a personal size option would be faster and indeed it was closer to the 25 minute mark. They were able to give me split ingredients so half had one meat and the other had the sausage. It was hard for my inexperienced eyes, and the server's, to identify which slices were definitely not pepperoni... thankfully we don't have allergies. Definitely tasty and for the pieces we took back, it also tasted great after. I'd visit again when in town and try again with calling ahead to sit and eat sooner rather than later though I get that's risky for the restaurant. read more

Hubby and I were visiting Chicago for a few days and had to have an authentic Chicago style pizza! Everything was soooooo good! The food, the salad, the drinks, the service....all top tier!! Pro tip: make a reservation! I'm happy we did cause everyone else was waiting over an hour. Totally worth the wait! read more

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I was so sad to hear this location was closing end of June, 2026. I just flew in from Texas and was staying next door at the Viceroy Hotel. The food was fabulous as always. Having grown up in Chicago, the food is what I miss the most having been away 17 years. All the employees were so nice friendly, I forgot how incredible Chicago hospitality can be. read more

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I'm not typically a fan of deep dish pizza but this pizza was delicious!!! The crust was delicious and the signature salad is AMAZING! I was really debating buying the dressing for the salad. There's also a cute patio for the warmer days and an indoor/outdoor seating option as well. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Deep dish pizza and signature salad - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is one of our neighborhood restaurants for pizza and one of the best in Chicago. 3 of us stopped for dinner in their expansive space on State Street in the Gold Coast. We had the large deep dish Chicago classic which has lots of cheese and sausage. The large is big and left pizza for another day! Michael was a terrific server! read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Chicago classic pizza - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My first time having deep dish pizza and I chose this place as it's widely considered to be the go-to spot for deep dish. Husband and I ordered a small with pepperoni, green peppers, garlic, roma tomatoes, sausage, and hot honey. Deep dish takes longer to bake of course so expect to wait. What came out was a disappointing mess. Because it's in a dish, water from the sliced tomatoes and mushrooms have nowhere to go so you've got a wet dripping pizza. If you are to add any toppings that contain water, it should be cooked a bit first before adding to the pizza. You pick up a slice and the juices are dripping down your arm. There was barely any flavor. If there was any to begin with, the water diluted it. The crust had a nice crisp, but that alone does not salvage this slop. Would never go again. read more

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

We had reservations. We started with the Ravioli Crisps and Three-Cheese Bread. We ordered the Deep Dish Mike's Hot Honey pizza and Deep Dish Chicago Classic (added pepperoni). The Ravioli Crisps didn't have much flavor, but the cheese bread was good! The Mike's Hot Honey pizza was the best! It had a lot of flavor. We didn't think the Deep Dish Chicago Classic had very much flavor. Deep dish is not my favorite type of pizza. I know it's supposed to be a little soupy, but the dough when we went felt especially doughy, like the whole thing was undercooked. Deep dish in Chicago is definitely a must-try, but we weren't super impressed by this place. read more

When deciding on lunch after a long day of shopping in Chicago, we had to try Lou Malnati's after hearing great things! Our server was so nice. We got the appetizer sampler, and the ravioli was definitely the favorite! Everyone loved the pizza and it also made for great late-night leftovers for us. It is affordable too especially for great food! read more

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I had a nice experience here over the weekend with my family. My husband made reservations early so they could accommodate our party of 10 for dinner. They were very accommodating towards the young kids in our group, which is always appreciated. We split a few pitchers of beer, shared bbq wings (which were quite tasty), shared a family sized salad (very good), and had 2 large Lous and a large cheese. Both pizzas were delicious. Looking forward to our next visit! read more

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The food was absolutely amazing and yummy! The service was fast for how busy they were and the outside table was great ambiance for photos while we waited. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Outside dining table - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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As tourists, we got influenced to try the deep dish pizza from Lou's. We were pretty underwhelmed by the taste of this pizza. It was very average and truly nothing special. Honestly had better pizza at Homeslice. The pasta was alright too. I'm glad to have tried it once but would never get it again. read more

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

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When in Chicago... you deep dish like a pro. Lou Malnati's lived up to the hype and then some! We kicked things off with the Malnati's House Salad, because even legends start with greens -- crisp romaine, mushrooms, tomatoes, and that tangy dressing that could make anyone feel healthy before diving into a carb masterpiece. The Caesar salad held its own too -- fresh, crunchy, and perfectly dressed. Then came the personal deep dish that dreams (and probably a few extra gym sessions) are made of -- buttery crust, chunky tomato sauce, gooey cheese, and that signature Lou's magic. It's basically a pizza hug in a pan. The kids' spaghetti with meat sauce disappeared faster than our self-control, which says a lot. And my sangria? Let's just say it made waiting for the pizza part of the experience -- fruity, refreshing, and just boozy enough to make me forget how full I already was. Special shoutout to Ali, our server, who was an absolute gem -- friendly, fast, and made sure our table felt like family. If Chicago-style deep dish is a religion, Lou's is the cathedral. read more

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5 star at-home Lou Malnati's experience. I was feeling lazy tonight and didn't want to brave the frigid air again, so I decided to knock deep dish pizza off my Chicago trip bucket list by ordering in. Though I'm not the biggest fan of Uber Eats, there was a two for one deep dish deal, so I had to. I got a personal size regular (no butter crust) with spinach and it hit the spot. It was cheesy without being excessive, with fresh tasting tomato sauce, generous spinach, and a crust that tied it all together. It arrived hot and was not at all steamed tasting. Seemed like they really have mastered the art of take-out/delivery orders. read more

I have had Lou Malnati's pizza over the years, but my lovely wife commented that she has not. Our shared opportunity arrived the other day when we tagged along with peeps ordering Lou Malnati's takeout from the Gold Coast location on State Street. Although we did not set foot into the actual pizzeria, the thin crust version of The Lou was flavorful and tasted very fresh. Ingredients included sliced tomatoes, spinach, garlic and cheeses, making for a relatively light but tasty bite. The thin crust was crispier the closer you got to the outer edge. I'm not sure what type of salad was ordered, but the few forkfuls of the salad we ate were also quite good. read more

My wife and I are both from Chicago, and Lou Malnati's is in our blood. We love it so much that we hosted our rehearsal dinner at this State Street location in June 2021, and this review is long overdue. We held the event in the private rooms to the right, and it was everything we hoped for. The staff were incredible and helped create a night that felt like classic Chicago, low-key elegant, warm, and genuinely special. We brought in our own tablecloths and centerpieces, and the team handled the rest seamlessly. The food was excellent and a huge hit with our guests. We served salads, pizza, and pasta to give everyone a little variety, and it all felt authentic, thoughtful, and perfectly executed without trying too hard. It was also an outstanding value for such a meaningful event. The service was patient, organized, and generous, and we especially appreciated that they allowed us to earn loyalty points even for a large-scale private event, which felt sincere and thoughtful. We kept the drink selection simple with sodas and a few beers, including Peroni, Corona, and a domestic option (Bud Light, I think?), which worked perfectly for the crowd. This location is unbeatable. In the summer, they open the front to the street, and the energy outside is pure Chicago, buzzing, lively, and right in the center of everything. While this review focuses on a rehearsal dinner, it's a fantastic place to eat, no matter the occasion. It ended up being the perfect spot for out-of-town guests to experience the city, and we'll always be grateful for how special they made that night. Magnifico! read more

Wow. Absolutely delicious pizza. Chicago style. I recommend the deep dish with sausage. The service was also great. The ambience is fine; it's a pizza restaurant. It's nice that they have a full bar as opposed to wine & beer only. The bruschetta is probably the best I've had. I would say that this is a must-try if you are in Chicago. read more

Lou Malnati's deep dish is very tasty, and the service was fast and incredibly friendly. I would not call this pizza traditional Chicago deep dish- it's a bit runnier and thinner than traditional deep dish. If you're a tourist looking for the "real thing," maybe skip Lou's, but if you're just looking for tasty and unique pizza check it out read more

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

I stopped by Lou Malnati's expecting classic Chicago deep dish, but it was a major letdown. The mozzarella bites were actually really good -- crisp, cheesy, and paired with a surprisingly flavorful marinara. But the small Lou deep dish pizza was easily the worst pizza I've ever had. Completely lacking in flavor, and the crust tasted like bland, dry cornbread. I honestly don't understand the hype. If you're looking for good Chicago-style pizza, don't trust the reviews -- this isn't it. The service was fine, but they were clearly understaffed, and so things took forever, and the bartenders weren't very attentive because they were so busy read more

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

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I feel like you have to eat here, or some other type of deep dish pizza, when in Chicago. I'm sure there are some wars and this is probably super touristy, but is so tasty! Just thinking about the pizza is making my mouth water. I'm pretty simple with my pizza, so we just got spinach added to the deep dish and a Caesar salad for pick up. The place is MASSIVE and a lot of people were waiting for tables and take out orders, but we didn't have to way too long, which was good because we were hungry. The crust is not too thick and holds the toppings well. The cheese pull and tomato sauce balanced well with the spinach. Order online or get there during "off"hours (not sure when that would be because we had an early dinner)! read more

With multiple locations, we found one walking distance from our hotel and made reservations online the morning before we went. It was perfect. We were seated 1 min after arriving. We wanted to dabble in a few things so we got a small "Lou's" deep dish pizza with spinach & mushroom, an order of Garlic bread, which comes with marinara sauce, a Malnati's salad (kinda like greek salad), and the beef sandwich with a side of fresh fruit. True to the deep dish, you need to wait like 30 minutes for your pie! We happily ate our app and salad while watching march madness on the screens (thank u!) Wow, I have to say compared to the other deep dish places, this place tops them all! It wasn't cheese soup in a tough crust but really like a moderate thick crust with a nice serving of sauce, melted cheese (that pulls!), and generous toppings. I liked the beef sandwich but it wasn't the highlight of the meal. The garlic bread was nicely toasted with butter + garlic and the marinara sauce was yummy but I prefer the garlic knots I get back home (nyc). The salad was a good balance to have with the deep dish. Hands down, would come back for the deep dish pizza. read more

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We stopped in for a quick lunch and just split a small Mike's Hot Honey deep dish. Our server was super nice and attentive, checking in on us often to assure us our pizza was coming out soon. The pizza was loaded and flavorful with a chewy yet crispy crust. I only wish there was a little more heat from the hot honey. read more

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

Here's the thing with Yelp... one experience is all it takes for myself and many others to write a review. The Infatuation, for example, makes multiple visits. Then again, one is professionally written and curated, and another has this (me) lovable putz writing for free. I say this because Lou's is case-in-point why it's a good idea to make multiple visits. Re-reading the menu after devouring my pizza, I see there are options for a gooey crust, easy on sausage, and heavy on tomato. All of these tie in to qualms I had with the Malnati Classic "as is." So, let's talk about that Malnati Classic. It's not bad, then again I've had better. Where it comes to their crust, I found it was too crisp. I won't go as far as to say it was a potato chip, but it didn't have any noticeable give. Where it comes to the meat (sausage) it was done as a big, honking sausage patty! While I indubitably appreciate when a restaurant does not skimp on protein, this was excessive, as it overpowered everything with its flavor and texture, taking away from the cheese and tomato. I found both a little light, with their flavors somewhat muted, and the cheese not having that signature pull. Though, I was determined to have a good experience. I came back and ordered the classic once again, only this time being a little smarter about what I'd be getting... or so I thought. I requested the Classic with heavy tomato, light sausage, and gooey. Come to find out they are unable to make it gooey, as the sausage would be underdone and thus it would be unsafe to eat. Drats! It also might have been smarter to order something without the sausage, but a signboard at their entrance spoke about a hot-honey pizza with pepperoni and sausage which I wanted to try. The server recommended I get the regular crust instead of butter-crust, as it may have less crispiness. I also requested heavy tomato, and light sausage to ensure I wouldn't be getting another patty. Well, the regular crust showed me why their butter crust is famous... for the regular does not hold a candle to it. While the regular was once again more crisp than I would have prefered, I will give them more points for this pie. The heavy tomato allowed them to shine, and they have terrific flavor, as opposed to the flavorless racquetballs so many places sell. It is also noted that this time around the cheese had some pull, without being a mozzarella stick where you hold one end, and your companion leaves the table holding the other to see how far you can stretch it. Finally, where it comes to protein, the amounts of pepperoni and sausage on this iteration were on-point, and the hot honey helped add a little sweet heat... which is hard for me to say no to! On both occasions, I had the pleasure of enjoying the Chocolate Chip Pizza. This was awesome, and one of the better desserts I've had in a while. The cookie is a perfect balance of dough and chocolate, served very warm with ice cream on top. As it melts and these meld together, you get heaven. Look, I could come back a third time and talk about how the gooey turned out, and it's not impossible that I'd do so and write an update. However, this can be an endless cycle as I attempt to perfect my order. Thus, I feel as though I should judge based on my experience so far. That being: Lou Malnati's is a place that allows plenty of customization. However, some of their default options have execution I don't necessarily agree with or thoroughly enjoy. Because this is more a matter of preference than an issue per se, I won't dock them too many points for that. Plus, the dessert is absolutely killer! In terms of value, considering the prices of everything, I think the cost for a personal Malnati Chicago Classic is reasonable. The service was kind and appropriately attentive for a place like this. In terms of atmosphere, it was what I'd describe as a blend of hip and rustic, but I wasn't super fond of the massive projection screen behind the bar one of those night. Lastly, would be nice if they had some very small bites to nibble on (especially for those dining alone) while waiting 30-45 minutes for a pizza. So, I award four stars as I am giving them some benefit of the doubt. I don't want a matter of personal preference affecting a rating. With this, as I did not find Lou's mind-blowing, but a place with a respectable deep-dish pizza, four stars seem just about right. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Deep Dish Malnati Chicago Classic (personal size) - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This might be my favorite location. Super clean and the interior is nicely decorated. The pickup orders are exclusively in the back portion of the building and can be accessed through the hallway where the bathrooms are located. You can also enter through the back for the pickup which is by the parking near the bank. The food is delicious. We enjoyed the hot dog pizza and would definitely get it again. When we dine in we can't resist getting a salad before our pizza. The drinks were delicious too. Our server was super nice as always. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Aperol spritz - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We came in here post air show as we were starving and needing some food. Now our first mistake was not doing deep dish- instead we got thin crust. I have to be honest - it was one of the worst thin crust pizzas I have ever had. The sauce was sweet, there was too much cheese, and the crust tasted like paper. I like the way they serve it for you (someone cuts the slices in front of you on a pan that keeps it hot) but I would absolutely never eat the thin crust pizza again. We also got boneless wings, the sausage and peppers, and the cheese bites. The cheese bites were good, the boneless wings were WAY too large with way too much breading, and the sausage and peppers were good (but spicy). Our server was quick but did forget our waters a lot when we asked. Apps are ok, thin crust is bad, maybe would try deep dish. read more

This review is for Michigan Ave location (can't find it on Yelp so leaving it here). Best Chicago deep dish. Love the ambiance and they take reservations. Every time I visit Chicago I make a reservation and it's so convenient. Fun place, great vibes and the staff never disappoints. Sausage pizza is perfect - crust perfection. Could be a little more sauce but my still my fav. Maybe I should order a side of sauce next time. Kid options are fantastic. Thanks Lou's - killin it and keeping the bar high read more

I had some out of towners requesting deep dish, so of course we had to go with the best! I love this location!! It's perfect for parties of of any size because it's HUGE with tables of all sizes and some event spaces. Our server, Guy, was a pro. He let us know right away that deep dish pizza takes about 35 minutes to cook, so we place our order asap. He suggested the hot honey special, and I'm so glad he did because wow, this was a new favorite! This deep dish pizza was topped with pepperoni giardiniera, and hot honey. It SO GOOD! We also went with a classic pepperoni and sausage deep dish. We also got a caesar salad. This was my first time trying the caesar from Lou's and it's another instant favorite. We got two small pizzas and the salad and it ended up being the perfect amount of food for a party of 3! read more

The good: Pizza was great! Both pizzas I got were really good. The Lou was perfect, and the Veggie tasted very healthy. Crust was perfect consistency. I don't understand the hate about Chicago deep dish pizza. Ambiance, from what I saw was great too. The bad: The two pizzas cost 83 bucks total. It was really good, but 80 bucks for two pizzas is a high ask. Don't know if it was worth 80 bucks, maybe would get again if it was 60 bucks? (This may be because I got the order on DoorDash) Also, the door to get in was really heavy. Why is it so heavy? read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Deep Dish The Lou and Deep Dish Veggie - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

For our first time in Chicago, we most definitely wanted to get deep dish pizza. We were staying fairly close by and ended up getting that from Lou Malnati's! We walked in and waited for about 15 minutes to be seated later in the evening. I thought it wasnt too bad of a wait, and a server was with us shortly after! We ended up ordering The Lou after a recommendation from our server considering toppings we originally wanted to add. We got a small and wasnt sure if that would actually be enough for 2 people, but it definitely was because of the fact that it's deep dish. I really liked the pizza we had here and I hope to come back next time we're in town! read more

We had a fixed menu with three types of pizza to include, sausage, vegetarian and mushroom. We were in a separate room and had great service. The pizza was very tasty. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Entrance - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was our first stop after checking into the hotel and we had a pleasant time. We were seated immediately and placed our order fast as the deep dish does take about 30 minutes to cook. Overall the butter crust is worth the wait and the pizza was delicious. read more

Moved to Chicago recently and a friend recommended I try this place. Overall good experience. Here's what we ordered: Three cheese bread. Yummy. The sauce was a perfect addition. Came out within 10 minutes which curved our hunger while we waited for the pies. Personal deep dish with no sauce, sausage and onion. I know I know, I'm in Chicago. I should order a deep dish pizza with sauce to get the full experience. I'm not a sauce person, and I've been to plenty of places that can still do it justice. I think in this case, I should've just ignore my acid reflux and gotten the full package. The flavor was there but it wasn't great without the sauce. I'm acknowledging that this is my fault. Personal thin crust with pepperoni basil and black olive. Basil kind of overpowered the rest of the ingredients but overall good flavor. Service was quick and efficient. Nothing too personal or memorable but no complaints. Love the layout and lively, whimsical decor! read more

This location has a pretty swell vibe. A little artificial maybe, but this is clearly a location for tourists and for that it delivers. A great place to meet someone from out of town. Service was absolutely terrific. Don't sleep on the salads. They're huge and genuinely terrific. Their lightness pairs great with some deep dish. The hot honey pizza... or whatever it's called... is just bonkers donkers good. Oof. I don't like pepperoni but goodness gracious does it work here. read more

i really enjoyed this deep dish! the crust was the perfect thickness and the toppings were delicious. the restaurant played good music and service was friendly and timely. i would be happy to dine here again. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - butter-crust deep dish (cheese, spinach, black olives, sliced roma tomatoes, hot honey) - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This North state locations customer service is so much better. Our service cut every slice and placed them all on individual plates. 410 Michigan Ave location is worse. The lady taking the list to seat people has a horrible attitude. Ordered the Lou and the Malnati. Crust was really crunchy and wasn't soggy. Good amount of even flavor. Could have been a better favor of the dough. I am a New York style pizza over Chicago. I've had worse deep dish though. 7/10 read more

A great place to get some Chicago deep dish, but make sure you plan ahead. Lou Malnati's is one of the more popular pizza chains in the city. Between that and the time it takes to actually bake the sheer mass of deep dish, you should absolutely order ahead and make a reservation. Timing is key. We arrived early and ended up popping over next door to have a drink rather than hanging out in the tight waiting area as other diners streamed in and out. The pizza was great! Service was good! This is my second location to have visited and seems consistent. Busy, filling. read more

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

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(Be sure to make reservations!!) First and foremost, the ambience!! My goodness it's beautiful in here! The lighting, the interior design with somewhat of a wood cabin feel. it's all very warm and cozy, great for a Friday night out with friends! The music adds great sense of liveliness and a lowkey-hype vibe. Service is really good as well. Christopher was our server and he was very kind and fun to talk to! Overall great customer service. They were patient with us trying to decide our food and drinks (it took a while because everything looked scrumptious to our hungry eyes!) Now for the food: as an appetizer, I got the Chicago style meatballs and they were just packed with flavor and the texture of the meatballs were just perfect!! The cheese kind of helped to balance out all the spice that the jalapeños added to it. The tomato sauce was flavorful but not over the top, all together very well blended and balanced. The main course was the Chicago Classic Style Pizza and my goodness: it was very filling! It was also very tasty as well! We added jalapeños to our pizza and it was delicious! Notice I said "OUR" pizza- It was very filling. read more

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Lou Malnati personal pan pizza is unquestionably the king of Chicago's deep dish offering for one. This is my favorite Chicago style pizza, I usually order it with spinach and despite the small appearance I always find it to be very filling. Do not miss out on going here! read more

I would not recommend the hot honey pizza !! We ordered drinks, bruschetta, and the Mike's Hot Honey thin crust. We've been to Lou's 15 plus times, consider it a must when visiting Chicago. The Hot Honey had way too much hot honey on it. The pizza also has Jaranara Peppers on it, and they were WAY too hot. I eat jalapeños a lot, and these peppers would make a jalapeños seem like ice cream. I normally take the left overs and give them to a homeless people, but no way I would do that to someone on the street without a gallon of water. The server took our pizza off the bill, we will be back for sure, will never get this pizza again. Until next time. Service was good. read more

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Hot Honey Pizza. If they serve pizza in hell, this is the flavor of it ! We will go back, won't have this again. - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois