We have friends that live in the area that swear by this pizza. They say it is the best in the area. I was up for a chance to give my opinion! There is plenty of parking outside. There is street parking and a parking lot across from the building. The inside of the restaurant is cute, clean, and has an Italian feel to it. Pretty crowded on a Saturday night which is obviously a good sign. Reservations are necessary if you don't want to wait long. Of course we ordered a few pizzas, one sausage and one cheese. Since it was a larger group, we also ordered a few pastas. The pizza was good and the sauce is unique. It's a sweet sauce which was good. Sweet and savory pizza. It has the sweet from the sauce and savory from the cheese. The only thing is, which can be good or bad, I couldn't see myself putting down a whole pizza just because how sweet the sauce is, maybe just a tad to sweet for my tastes. But that's just me. We ordered the Cappalina Christina pasta, which was angel hair pasta with a red sauce and mozzarella cheese. We also ordered the Radiatore pasta with vodka sauce. Listen, the pastas were great. I ate more pasta then pizza. The sauce on both were excellent. The vodka sauce had a wonderful creaminess that has me craving to go back. I will be back again for sure for the pasta and a few slices of pizza. read more

Palermo's 95th - Italian Near Me - Oak Lawn, Illinois

Came here and got the Palermo's Special which was hand tossed. The sauce was a bit on the sweet side. At first it was ok ,but after awhile it was too much. I did like how the dough was crispy and not burnt. The crust was a bit dry though. read more

Palermo's 95th - Palermo's Special - Italian Near Me - Oak Lawn, Illinois

Disclaimer: I worked here for three years in high school. This is Chicago's best pizza. It may not be the most famous, but it is the best overall. Unless you dislike their sauce, which is very sweet. Since they make precooked pizzas you can take home and bake, I have often been tasked with taking their pizzas all over to other states for in-the-know pizza feigns. Aside from pizza, they have excellent dinner entrees. Try the Sicilian grilled shrimp or calamari. read more

Love Palermo's pizza, but their staff is consistently overwhelmed. They seem to pack as many people in as possible while having no ability to keep up. Inevitably, many things go wrong, and after 5 times, repeatedly saying "I'm sorry" just doesn't cut it. They forget to put in your order. They give your pizza to the wrong table. They forget to bring your drinks and ask if you want anything, and you remind them you have asked for a beer 3x now. Not only do they frequently mess up, but they never even consider "comping" any part of your bill for making you wait two hours for a medium thin crust pizza. Despite a great pizza recipe, I think we are done going to my 1980s favorite restaurant. It seems like Friday night is "kid service experience night," and all the adults took the night off. Management is just too blatantly incompetent, or maybe indifferent, to keep coming back and spending good money for a bad experience from a staff that doesn't give a s***. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in the Southwest area of Chicago. The food is delicious, the pizza is best! The service is good and the ambiance is relaxing and enjoyable. read more

Haven't ever been contacted by the owner although they said they'd love to make it up to us. Place is a dump.

I've now come here frequently on Thursday's lately...I stumbled upon this gem while out shopping for clothes ending up having a taste for pizza some good pizza..so I went to my trusty yelp app...boom there it was good tomato sauce and dough. Unknowingly the reviews matched the quality of food and also the service was pleasant...I really love this gem because of the authentic quality of drinks and food while dining.. and I did fail to mention the manager on duty when I dine Mario is very attentive and if there if ever an issue with dissatisfied service or and aspect of your food he will ensure you are taken care of with the correction of anything he can do to make your dining experience comfortable..Great hidden gem read more

We have been here twice. Food was good but overpriced. Portions were ok, seasoning flavor and presentation were decent. The stuffed pizza was definitely a step down from Giordanos and Lou Malnati's. Service was ok the first time and terrible the second. Neither time did anyone bother to ask how our experience was. I don't think I'm coming back since nothing really stands out or draws me in and I think there are much better values out there. read more

Moved to Oak Lawn less than a month ago. Ordered delivery tonight and was easily impressed. Friendly phone service, fast delivery, very friendly delivery person. Did I mention the pizza was amazing?!? Ordered half sausage/half pepperoni. Had a delightfully sweet note to the sauce. Crust was crispy. Toppings were fresh. Cheese was more than adequate. Out go-to pizza spot from now on. read more

I haven't had a bad thing here. As soon as you walk in you definitely don't feel like you just stepped off of a busy street. It's not a huge space, but the restaurant feels so classy and upscale that you still get a sense of privacy at your table. For such good food and service the prices are very low, average price per plate I would think would be around $12-14. They do have a dress policy (you don't have to wear an evening gown but simple things like guys have to be wearing more than a tank top) and are closed on Tuesdays, so just keep that in mind if you plan on going here. read more

Okay - this place is 40 miles from my house and I make special trips there at least twice a year for their pizza. I know - you are thinking - FOR PIZZA??? Yes!!!! This is the most unbelieveable pizza I have ever had in my life. The sauce is sweet (which I absolutely love) the crust is cracker thin, the meat is fresh and the veggies are crisp. Good Lord I am drooling just thinking about it. I have dragged many friends here and they all agree - so far, this is the best in the city - read more

We went to palermos a few weeks ago for a funeral luncheon. it's not the first time that I've been here but it will be the last the service was slow as a snail the food was cold we waited 20 minutes between courses and never did get a pot of coffee. we had an open bar however the bartender was waiting tables along with his bartending duties . when we got the bill the bar bill itself was almost $1200. dollars. the food was around $650.00 plus 225.00 tax and a 328.09 surcharge. What's up with that? The bill came to 2376.00 NOT counting the gratuity. We get slow service, cold food, and way overpriced drinks and they still expect a tip. I gave them a 15% tip which came to 273.00 for a grand total of 2649.52. I feel cheated!! read more

Shame on me for ever looking down on South side pizza... This pizza is great! Crust. Sauce. Proportions. I forgive all Southsiders for Home Run Inn now... Palermo's has just made my best of pizza's list. Word. As far as overly sweet sauce? Hmm, I dont know -I think its perfect. It beats sour sauce with too much oregano. read more

Our flight was cancelled and we had to spend the night in Oak Lawn which, surprisingly, I gotta say is right up there with the Grand Canyon, changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, kayaking with pods of Orca whales off Vancouver Island, or seeing Phish New Years Eve at Madison Square Garden. A night in Oak Lawn is a religious if not an entirely cataclysmic experience. Could it be that Moses wasn't really atop Mt Sinai in communication with God for 40 days and 40 nights but rather just chillin in Oak Lawn? Could it be that old footage of nuclear bomb tests in Nevada were actually common everyday happenings in Oak Lawn that the Government was trying to cover up? I think Yes. Oak Lawn has got its shit together!!!! Which leads me to Palermo's. It was good Italian food. A good pizza in a nice environment, the end. read more

One of Oak Lawn's best known. A small family group for an early Sunday dinner. Valet parking is available and they have a private lot behind the building. Service very good and reasonable Everyone seemed pleased. I ordered the lake perch which I loved, except it was served with a little too much lemon sauce which overpowered what is a light tasting fish. Otherwise it would be five stars. Pricing was appropriate for the quality read more

Best pizza on the Southside of Chicago. Friendly service and great food. For someone who hasn't tried it before, the pizza sauce is on the sweeter side. If you don't like a tiny bit of sweetness, then this might not be for you. read more

I went there on Sunday for a birthday dinner for my son who just turned 31 it was quite a few of us so my wife and I decided to order a pizza just for ourselves so we could take home the leftovers for dinner the next day. I don't know what's going on over there anymore the sauce did not taste the same and I don't know where in the world they get off thinking we should pay almost $40 for an extra large pizza. Our bill is $37.85 for an extra large sausage and pepperoni we did not even have drinks we stuck with the water. That was the last pizza ill ever buy from Palermo's 95th Street. We now live in the Lemont area you can get a far Superior Pizza from Turnabout Pizza for $26 and it will be bigger and better then what Palermo's offered up read more

After surprisingly enjoying a delivery of Chicago-style pizza from this restaurant during my lazy summer days, I vowed to eventually visit the actual establishment that is the home of my second favorite deep dish in the area. The pizza, once again, did not disappoint. Upsides- This time, my friend and I ordered spinach, garlic and mushrooms as our toppings, which were evenly distributed throughout. In fact there was a considerable layer of these veggies between the bread-like crust, melted cheese and the thick, marinara-like, sweet tomato-y sauce that I am so addicted to having. As an appetizer / side dish, we split an order of the antipasto salad. This was one of the better antipastos I have had. I know it seems like a basic, Italian salad, but this went beyond expectation because of the subtle additions and fresh ingredients. For example, the roasted red pepper added an unexpected sweet element to the salty meats and cheeses. Besides exceeding expectations in the quality of dishes other than pizza, the ambiance/decor of the place was not what I imagined. Living in the area for the past year or so, I've always noticed the restaurant on the busy main road of 95th, but the exterior signage and building itself looked pretty outdated and small. However, the interior turned out to be much more charming, spacious and even a bit more upscale with its cloth napkins and wall painting mimicking grapevines. Downsides- What docks the review down to one star is the chaotic nature of the service (granted it was a busy Saturday dinner rush during a holiday weekend). When my friend and I sat down, we noticed right away that she was missing all her silverware and I was missing a knife, but it took a bit of time to get these items for us. In addition, our server seemed a bit frantic and asked another server for help in obtaining our much-needed utensils. Not to mention, the parking situation is a bit of a hassle with very few spots open nearby, especially during a busy period. It is definitely thoughtful of the business to offer the complimentary valet parking. read more

AH Palermo's.......How I used to adore this place in highschool. Ah the bread, Ah the tortellini, Ah the wonderful pitchers of water they bring to your table. Its been almost 6yrs since I started going to Palermo's, and although my taste buds have changed since I was 16 I still enjoy Palermo's for good ole fashioned (and inexpensive) pasta and pizza in a casual atmosphere. *Dont go on Saturday night- its filled with Oak Lawn teenagers going on first dates, who can be adorable, but also a tad annoying. read more

My family moved out of Oak Lawn in 1968. I was driving back from a family visit in PA and stopped in Oak Lawn for something to eat. This was Sunday afternoon. We had to go around the block three times before we found a parking space. We pleased by the ambiance of the restaurant. I ordered a bloody Mary, the one with garlic. It was very tasty. The garlic dressing on the salad was wonderful. My wife liked her spaghetti with meat sauce. The best part of the meal was the thin and crispy sausage pizza. I loved the sweet sauce . The pizza was nice an saucy. Now the only slight negative. The thin & crispy crust was ok and tasty. However, I like a crust that has air pockets, like a saltine cracker. I was hoping that thin & crispy would be like that. We've eaten the leftover pizza both hot and cold, they taste very good either way. This was a good 41 year find. read more

We had my sister's bridal shower luncheon here a few weeks ago, guests are still talking about the great food, drinks and atmosphere! The servers were awesome and very accommodating. We told Dorothy, who is a sweetheart, that we would bring in sweets for a sweet table, she had a table set up for us and another table for the gifts. After lunch, the servers set up chairs by the gift table and had the space set to open gifts, they took care of everything. The banquet menu has several options to choose from and the prices are reasonable. They have a huge parking lot so need to worry about looking for parking. The bartender, Lynette ( I hope I am remembering her name correctly), was very friendly, professional and great at serving and bartending. I would definitely recommend Palermo's on 95th and I will absolutely go back. read more

Beware- the dine in prices for the EXACT same pizza is about 4-5 dollars higher than the take out prices. We ordered the special with sausage, mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers. We added spinach, big mistake the spinach was $5 extra and it was too much spinach. Overall the pizza was very good! read more

Palermo's 95th - Sausage, mushroom, onion, bell pepper and spinach. They added too much spinach. - Italian Near Me - Oak Lawn, Illinois

Palermo's is one of my favorite restaurants in Oak Lawn. I've always enjoyed the food, service and atmosphere, and the meals on the lunch menu are very reasonable (I've only had lunch there recently). I was happy to go there for lunch today with a couple of family members. The service was excellent and the food was great. I had the spinach rollatini and they both had the chicken ravioli. The spinach rollatini and the warm bread served for the table were delicious, and my family members enjoyed the chicken ravioli. I recommend checking Palermo's out. read more

After hearing people rave about their pizza on Check, Please a few years ago, I've been meaning to journey south and check this place out. Whatever posessed me to do it on Sweetest Day WITHOUT a reservation I'll never know, but a good time was had by all. Anticipating a Hallmark-Holiday-Saturday-Night type of crowd, we got there around 5 pm and had a 15-minute wait without a reservation, mostly because they were setting up extra tables for the expected crush of people. Our cozy little table for two was placed in the passageway right outside the restroom, but was pleasant, nonetheless, thanks in good part to our delightful server. After an awesome appetizer of peppers stuffed with sausage, the pizza was only a bit of a letdown since I'm not a fan of sweet tomato sauce and this was almost a bit too sugary for me. But the traditional crust was very nice - crispy on the bottom and soft on top, topped with an ample amount of cheese and some nicely spiced and tasty sausage. Given the moderately high prices, I'm not sure I'll travel all the way back here very often, but I have to say, it was a very nice dining experience and a terrific evening out. read more

I had the regular crust pizza. The server, Melissa, was pleasant; although she was not helpful in helping me be certain the regular crust was the best math to the NY slice. The pepperoni/Spinach toppings was a hit! I would visit again when in the mood for a thinner slice in Chicago. read more

Dined with three others. We all chose Italian dishes, and they were great. We loved our server, Brooke. Please pass on to her that she was excellent in every way. Cheerful and efficient! read more

I grew up near Palermo's and have been going there since the 80s. IMO, they have the best pizza -- the deep dish and the thin crust -- on the planet. The sauce is very sweet, but, I find it is perfect. The deep dish crust is fantastic, you just have to try it. The mozzarella cheese is the best quality I've had on any pizza (and my relatives owned a chain of pizza restaurants when I was growing up and I've eaten a lot of pizza, being a Chicagoan my whole life). It's incomparable -- even in Chicagoland where we have a number of great pizza places. It's perfection. Other menu items, such as pastas, are nothing special. If you go there, get the pizza. Unless you dislike sweet sauces, chances are, you'll love it! Just a final note, a lot of people get confused regarding this Palermo's restaurant and the others in Chicago, Downers Grove and Orland Park. I've been told that the various locations are owned by cousins of each other, but that they had a falling out, so don't expect the various locations pizza to taste the same. I regularly go to Palermo's in Downers Grove, which is very good, but Palermo's on 95th in Oak Lawn tastes a little different and, I find, it is superior. read more

The most authentic Italian food on the South Side! They are known for their sweet sauced pizza with a very flavorful sausage. It is a very unique experience. My husband will travel from Naperville to Oak Lawn in a heartbeat. But I love the Dining room experience the most. It is very hard to get in on a Saturday night. But if you do, it is like getting together with an authentic Italian family. So funny. The caddies pull up for the complimentary valet parking. People watching for sure. I just love it! I personally go for the Cioppino. OUTSTANDING! Service could be much better. But the food makes up for the service. read more

Another regular place for us that I haven't yet reviewed. We came in on a Friday night after a wake. The World Series game, Hawks game, and Bulls game were all on, so we asked for the remaining seat in the bar and were seated right away. The pizza was as good as we expected here. The service wasn't the fastest, but it was packed, so the service was as good as is could be expected. We were never thirsty and the bread tided us over until our pizza came. This is it when it comes to pizza on the southside! read more

Our server Cathy was the absolute worst. I feel like she was a waitress maybe back in 1989, and this was her first day back in the restaurant business. 1) I ordered a San Pellagrino to drink, and she looked at me like I had three heads. How have you never heard of San Pellagrino. 2) The salads took 20 minutes to come out, for some blah Iceberg lettuce with 1 tomoto, 1 cucumber, and some shredded carrots. The Italian dressing was awful. 3) Our entree's came out almost an hour after ordering. My Stepmom ordered Chicken with all white meat which came out half dark/half white. My Father who was there celebrating his 50th Birthday, ordered the Chicken Vesuvio...had some rubbery piece of chicken that had the texture of gum. And my girlfriend got the gluten free pizza, which was sub par. My Steak Vesuvio was also sub par, but very fatty. 4) The Bus boy doesn't know how to correctly pour a glass of water , spilled the pitcher on my Dads leg while pouring it. 5) After all of this , I still had to get up and personally speak to a manger , because our server was in lala land, and only related 1/4 of the issues to him. The manager did take the drinks off the check, but it was still over a $125 check, which she of course added gratuity too, because she knows shes terrible and that's the only way she can get a tip. NEVER RETURNING. Now I know why the owner at the Tinley Park location, doesn't like the Oak Lawn owner. It puts the name to shame. read more

Welllllll.. The reviews on service is true!! Not good. There were 12 of us. Our server was Melissa, and she was very non-chalant and unenthusiastic. Like we were a burden. We had some appetitzers.... we loved the grilled shrimp and calamari, and the stuffed artichokes and the rolled eggplant. Some had the minestrone, too. Entrees were good... nothing special. But the biggest problem, is that they refused to do separate checks!!!! WHY DO RESTAURANTS REFUSE TO AT LEAST GIVE YOU A SUBTOTAL???! It's very difficult to divide up the check.. And for the love of everything sacred: Why do restaurants insist upon one looooong table, instead of a round table??! It makes it so difficult to communicate with the rest of our family. I doubt if I'd be back.. read more

I love your pizza Palermos so much that this rating is as high as a 4-- but you are so unkind when you mess up a deliver/ pick up order. I order probably twice a month and once a year you give me the wrong pizza - that's ok. We all make mistakes. But you expect me to get back in my car to get the right one. You don't offer to rush me out the right pizza like other restaurants that might mess up an order. But that's ok. I know if I wait for you to bring the pizza it will take well over an hour- I did that once and you trained me not to do it again. So I'll leave my guests and come back to get the correct pizza Dear Palermos. But my "right" pizza is always gone and you tell me it will be another 45 min to an hour for another - I have to strongly suggest you maybe put this pizza in sooner- since you are correcting your mistake? Maybe it shouldn't be placed at the bottom of the pile? Which you say you will, and I believe you. Again. But alas, I fell for it again and showed up after 25 minutes and I have to wait 20 minutes more. THEN you expect me to bring the wrong pizza back to trade in. This time I needed to spend 10 minutes negotiating how maybe I could let some of my guests eat the 1/2 that is correct and I'll bring the 1/2 back that was wasn't. And agreeing that then the replacement will be a small since it is only replacing a 1/2. Seriously Palermos?! read more

Giving one star because I can't give zero. First (and last) time ordering from here. Placed order for delivery. Girl on the phone seemed very confused and out of it as I tried to give my order. Had to repeat myself several times. Delivery was on time, but food was cold and wrong. Ordered a pizza that was supposed to be half cheese half veggie. Arrived as all veggie (no dinner for my daughter). The chicken dinner was supposed to have a roll and fries; didn't get either one. I called to complain, and got the same girl. Again, couldn't make a complete thought. I had to repeat the problems a couple times while being put on hold a few times. Asked to speak to a manager and she said she'd have to try to find one. I gave up at that point and hung up. Very disappointed. read more

first time i ordered from palermos on 95th in oak lawn and the customer service was great and the delivery. driver was also kind keep up the great work ! the pizza was fantastic ! read more

There are a lot of things lacking on the South Side, and it is difficult to "defend" it against the North Side because, as of this writing, they are two very different places. That said, in the battle for thin crust pizza superiority, the decision goes to the South Side. No contest. It's not even close, and Palermo's is a major reason for SS dominance. Order the "thin and crispy" crust and find that it is crispy all the way through, covered with a noticeably sweet sauce and toppings that are all equally impressive in their own right. For example, the sausage is homemade and a spinach topping is not just spinach leaves but a delicious combination of spinach and ricotta cheese (I think). Long story short, the quality of the toppings is excellent, and the pizza comes to you looking the way it should: loaded with stuff, hot, and properly browned on top. Portion size is overly generous. We usually get it delivered, but I have been to the restaurant and had a recommendable experience. You won't be blown away by special ambiance, but you will feel like exactly where you are: In an Italian restaurant, on the South Side, eating some of the best authentic thin crust pizza in (OK, near) the city. read more

This place is good and it gets packed! The pizza is delicious (thin crust), calamari was fresh and not overly breaded, and they have a fun and tasty martini list. My husband tried the hazelnut chocolate one and it was delicous (be careful). They serve you with fresh made rustic loafs of warm bread that is delicous. You know the one...a bit crunchy on the outside when you break it and soft within with a bit of steam coming out. Aaaaah. I haven't tried the pasta yet, but it looks very good from the other tables. We had the tiramisu which was good but it needed a bit more espresso in it. Very nice service and reasonable prices. read more

Palermo's pulls through again! I am in the hospital for minor surgery. You çannot eat before the surgery. After the surgery the kitchen was closed! They offered me a day old turkey sandwich. I called Palermo's and ordered a grilled chicken salad. It was so fresh and delicious. I know its just a salad but just a salad from Palermo's is exceptional. It had crispy fresh lettuces,tomatoes black olives cheese,pepperonchinis, the griller chicken and a fresh roll with butter. Thank you read more

I've been to Palermo's a number of times and unfortunately have never tried their pizza so I can't attest to how great it is. What me and my guests have tried were some of their stewed items, pasta and grilled seafood. I've ordered their Osso Bucco and short ribs, which were both amazing. On the flip side their grilled swordfish was dry and flavorless, and their pasta was underwhelming. The service is pretty good and prices reasonable. The atmosphere is laid-back and really nice for a date. Next time I visit, I'll have to try this pizza that everyone is raving about. But other than that, I wouldn't recommend exploring their menu too much. read more

Our server Ryan G was a G. The definition of beauty and commitment wrapped in an outstanding young man. His enthusiasm generated a warm and welcoming environment. However, the food, by no means met even a standard of subpar. In my unprofessional opinion, I think that a third grader can make a better meal. Tortellini was my dish of choice. The supposed cheese on the inside was closer to rubber than a dairy. Shrimp Portofino. What a name. Appealing in name, but the dish itself was not. Linguine sculpted from play-dough and smothered in luscious sauce made from water and red food coloring. Fine Italian cuisine is the opposite of what i would use to describe Palermo's. My intent is not to bash on the establishment of Palermo's, but to instead give my honest opinion. The culture inside is just north of exemplary. Eavesdropping has never been so fun. Overall, the most intricate and desirable consumption I came across was easily the iced water. To anyone out there who is wanting to spend an unheard of amount for a 2nd grades cooking, palermo's is definitely your place. thank you for your time have a great one read more

Normally a review for Palermo's would be much higher. I have lived down the street my whole life and love their pizza. My family and I went here to celebrate my dad's 65th birthday on February 1st. My sister had arranged for the staff to bring out a birthday cake which she had special ordered from a bakery downtown that is special to her and my dad. The kitchen staff accidentally gave our cake away to another party. We were very disappointed but understand that accidents happen. Thankfully a portion of our bill was discounted and we were given some free desserts. What upset myself and my family is that the manager chose not to get involved and instead gave the unfortunate task of informing the table of the issue to the server, even though he was present in the restaurant and fully aware of the situation. As a manager, that is your job. That is what you are there for. Behavior and actions like this give the appearance that you don't care about your customers or even your employees. Leadership is about getting involved and working with your staff. This was not leadership. read more