The suburbs don't usually inspire much confidence when someone tells you they're taking you out for…read morepizza. More often than not, you're looking at another tavern-cut pie, a dozen televisions screaming sports highlights, and a menu designed by committee. Safe. Predictable. Forgettable. Then there's Woodfire. I ended up here with my family celebrating my son's second birthday and was immediately reminded that every now and then, hidden among the endless strip malls and chain restaurants of the Chicago suburbs, you'll stumble across a place that actually gives a damn. The Vodka Pizza arrived looking almost too good to touch. Almost. Hot Calabrian vodka sauce. Fresh mozzarella. Shallot. Pepperoni. Ricotta. Basil. A combination that sounds familiar enough until that first bite lands and the heat punches through. Not the fake, watered-down, suburban version of spicy that restaurants use to avoid frightening anyone. This pizza has conviction. It has backbone. The Calabrian peppers make their presence known immediately and refuse to apologize for it. Good. Food should have an opinion. The crust, charred, blistered, beautifully imperfect, comes from house-made dough cooked in a wood-fired oven that sits like the beating heart of the restaurant. Every pie carries those little marks of fire that remind you an actual human being made it. Not a conveyor belt. Not a timer. Fire. Flour. Skill. And speaking of things that deserve respect, let's talk about the bar. Kevin has become something of a local legend in Dundee. The kind of bartender whose name gets mentioned before the cocktail list. The kind of guy who understands that making drinks isn't about pouring alcohol into a glass. It's hospitality, theater, craftsmanship, and just enough mischief to keep things interesting. Still chasing the heat from the pizza, I ordered the Spicy Flamingo. A dangerous drink. Sweet enough to invite you in. Spicy enough to keep you paying attention. The kind of cocktail that disappears faster than you intended and leaves you contemplating a second before the first one is gone. Around us, bussers moved through the dining room like a pit crew at Daytona. Tables were cleaned before they looked dirty. Empty glasses vanished. New guests were seated. The machine never stopped moving. Then there's Chef Mason. It's obvious someone in that kitchen understands the difference between cooking food and feeding people. There's technique here. Knowledge. Discipline. But thankfully none of the self-important nonsense that infects so many restaurants once they start believing their own press. Woodfire isn't trying to change your life. It's not trying to educate you. It's not trying to be the coolest restaurant in the room. Like Ferris Bueller, it understands that life moves pretty fast. So instead of chasing trends, it focuses on making exceptional handmade pizza, memorable pasta, serious cocktails, and creating a place where people actually want to spend an evening. In a world full of restaurants desperately trying to be something, Woodfire succeeds by simply being exactly what it is. And that's a hell of a lot rarer than it should be.

Woodfire fits naturally into the heart of Dundee -- relaxed, welcoming, and easy to enjoy. The…read morepizza is the highlight, bringing a fun, flavorful approach that works well for both casual nights out and group dinners. The pasta and appetizers are solid across the board, and the drinks round out the experience nicely. It's the kind of neighborhood spot that may not try to overreach, but consistently delivers a good time and a satisfying meal.

ZZA Factory delivers standout Detroit-style pizza -- thick, crisp-edged, and unapologetically…read moreflavorful. The menu leans into classic comfort dishes, elevated with a subtle Chicago twist that keeps things interesting. It's confident, satisfying food that doesn't try too hard. It just works.

My second time being here to service was good good. The food was good and the place is clean.read more

After all these years, our first trip to NP&P. Really, REALLY cool inside....old barn siding…read moredecorate the walls along with an amazing array of stuffed fish and wildlife, very warm and cozy. Our server Nancy (I guess she's been there quite a while) couldn't have been nicer and very attentive without being overwhelming. 4 of us in our group, the one couple ordered fried mushrooms for a appy, nice and crispy, done to perfection. We ordered mozzarella sticks...had to be the best ever!!! We then each ordered the "double decker" pizza with sausage and mushrooms. Never heard of such a thing and wow, such great flavor, done just right with a perfect amount of sauce, cheese and toppings. Wish it was closer to us but it's worth a trip back! Well done Nick!

Service is very slow, on the waiter side. The food was very good and came out very quickly! Very…read morecute spot, perfect for a chill evening out with the kids The peanuts are a cute touch to keep the kiddos entertained. The establishment itself is also very neat, lots of cool things to look around at! Would recommend just not if you're in a rush to grab a check lol!

HOLY SHEET! This is THE BEST PIZZA I have had in this area EVER. I'm not exaggerating. Stop reading…read morethis review and just go there.

We got take out, the pizza is too good! Really well done, perfect in the middle. Really nice…read morecustomer service. Love the horror decor! Must dine in next time but the pizza was perfect anyway! Next day too! Highly recommend trying this yummy pizza joint!

This place hits the spot every time! Great prices, great pizza! Me and my friends come here often…read moreespecially if we're having a party. 2 for $5 slices is unmatched especially in this economy

$5 for 2 giant slices at any time of day? Enough said! Best deal I've see ln anywhere. Any 2…read moreslices that they have on the rack and they have at least 4 different pizzas to choose from. I've tried their meat lover, cheese, sausage, supreme and giardiniera. I would recommend trying the giardiniera if you like a little kick to your pizza but honestly you can't go wrong with any of these choices. One thing I would say is that their crust is pretty thick and doughy but that's fine with me cause I like it thick ;)

This is the greatest little local place EVER!! The food is sooo good and the staff is amazing!…read moreD.J., Keegan and Ben are so attentive and fun, great vibes all around! Fun slots and darts, too! Can't say enough good things about this place, our absolute favorite

I keep coming back for the Detroit style pizza. It is really good! Also good, the salads,…read morepotstickers, mozzarella sticks, burgers, fries, wings and pretzel bites. Their sauces and dressings seem to be homemade and all really tasty! It is just sometimes service isn't so good. Sometimes the food is meh. The beef sandwich was dry, the chicken fingers overcooked and Cuban sandwich ok. I just wish they were more consistent. I joined the rewards program and have taken advantage of that. They also have lunch and happy hour specials.

This is a family friendly sports bar serving pizza,sandwiches,pasta and salads…read more We have been to their Batavia location before so we knew their pizza was good! The South Elgin location is located off Randall Rd. We went on a Friday night to take advantage of their Happy Hour drink specials. Beers 3.25 and Martinis 5.25. They also have a wine special. Our server (Sage) was super friendly and did not rush us even tho they were pretty busy. (And loud) We had their cheese fries as an appetizer and they were fresh and not greasy at all. My wife had the 10 inch GF Supreme pizza and I had the 12 inch Sausage Pizza. Both were loaded with cheese and had good flavor. There was more than enough for leftovers. Prices are very reasonable. With another location in St. Charles,Riverside Pizza and Pub is definitely worth a place to checkout when in the Western suburbs.

We were craving pizza and came in during happy hour on a Friday night and got the last booth. The…read moreplace was filled with lots of families. There are tv's everywhere so you won't miss the game. Our server was nice and didn't rush us yet was attentive. Their thin crust is great and I appreciate that they offer gluten free crust too even with a specialty pizza. Lots of families were sharing salads along with their pizzas or burgers and they looked good and a generous size. There is a pool table but not being used when we were there.

i had an orgasm eating here their deepdish pizza is soooo good and their pizza is soooo good. 10/10…read moreI'd fly from California to Elgin rn to have their pizza. The wait is a bit long but its soooo worth it, service is great tho. idk wtf Ambiance means. but 10/10 def take a hot babe here to impress her.!

Sad to be leaving a review like this. I try very hard to be positive...I used to love this…read moreplace...sadly something has changed. About a month ago I ordered three meals from them. When I called I was very disappointed to hear they discontinued my staple, The Grinder on garlic toast. Oh well...I am flexible... I was exited about the chicken parmesan sandwich in garlic toast, we also ordered a chicken Alfredo, Italian beef and fries. To start with my chicken parmesan WAS NOT on garlic toast (which I paid extra for) the chicken was overcooked, dry and strips. Ate about three bites. The fries we under cooked and soggy and the chicken parmesan had NO flavor. Italian beef was neither good nor bad... Well, anyone can have an off day so I decided I would just stick to their pizza which historically had been delicious. Fast forward to today, I was returning for a 2.5 hour drive and thought I'd treat myself to a delicious pizza for today and preparing for tomorrows incoming snow storm. I picked the pizza up and headed home. Sadly, I should have checked it there before leaving...the bacon was all burnt (tasted burnt not just looked burnt). Yes, I did pick off most of the burnt bacon, but got $30+ for a picked up pizza that is not really ok with me ... beyond that the crust was soggy and I couldn't really pick up the pieces to eat them. It will be an extremely long time before I order or go there again. Makes me very sad as this used to be a staple of mine and it is SOOOO close to home. Good luck if you choose to give them a try...