There's always been that debate whether or not deep dish or thin crust pizza is better. Having had both in their respective famous states, I prefer the deep dish. So I was quite happy to have been brought here while my friend and I stayed in Berkeley. BUT the wait is extremely long and the place is overcrowded. Walking in just to put our name down to be seated was like swimming against the current in a river. Once we've were seated we were promptly taken care of by the server and we decided on 2 large pepperoni and sausage pizzas with extra cheese & sauce. It was....a party in my mouth. ahha. The pizza was all sauced up, by that I mean it was entirely covered in sauce and the crust was nice and crispy but not hard. Was it worth it? Definitely. Haha. Good pizza is on a whole different level than the pizza you get from Pizza Hut or Dominoes ( bleeeh). read more

First off, I want to thank the hostess. My gf and I had walked next door to look at books and she found us at the bookstore and said our table is ready! I've been to many places where they'll call for 2 minutes and if you're not there - they will pass you up. Props to you! I also like the fact that if you're dining in, you can at least order ahead in time knowing that your table won't be ready for another 30 minutes. So the moment you sit down your food and your face will be smashing into it no more than within 5-10 minutes of sitting down. Food in face. Food in mouth. Service was fantastic, very attentive and they even box it for you. You can just see every worker, even in their faces (unless every single one of them are good liars) that they love it there. They believe in Zachary's and deep dish pizza!! I love that! So deep dish, Chicago-style pizza. How does it taste? Lovely. Is it better than it is in Chicago. No. Is it close? Sure...is it closer than Little Star in SF? No. I love little star pizza. Zachary's just isn't rich enough in flavors for me and Little Star provides some cornmeal on the bottom of their crusts that makes it super crunchy! Sorry, I don't mean the review to compare Zachary's with Little Star. But, Little Star is my go-to place if I want deep dish pizza and they are in my book the standard for the bay area. Nonetheless, this place is pretty darn good and you should check it out if you're in this hood! read more

I've never actually eaten IN the restaurant so this review is based solely on take out - both baked and half-baked. I love Chicago pizza (although I view it in a totally different category than thin crust NYC or Neapolitan or California pizza). I would say that Zachary's crust is not as good as Chicago deep dish or the crust at Little Star, but the toppings/ingredients (since they're not really on top, are they?) are fresher and much better than Little Star or any place I've tried in Chicago. We did the half baked option last time since we wanted to eat at home and we live in SOMA - great choice. Unlike the frozen pizza option at Zero Zero (don't waste your money), this was a great way to go. Enjoy the deep dish in your own home after heating it up 20-30 minutes - tastes just as good. read more

Update! Having recently tried all of Chicago's best deep dish offerings including Giordano's (the one next to the Peninsula), Lou Manati's (the hubbin thought it was Illuminati until we got there) , Uno's (at one of the vendor booths in the convention hall) and Gino's at Ohare (just not good), I'd still give Zachary's solid -- solid five stars. My usually order to go on departure day from OAK to SNA: two large half baked, whole wheat spinach & tomato. One for the sister and bro-in-law who are always the most gracious of hosts. The other for the hubbin who loves it almost as much as me for bringing it home. Tip - microwave one minute per slice works just as good as firing up the whole oven. read more

Great Pizza and Great Service! It's our go-to when we go to Berkeley for a visit. read more

My love for deep dish began with my first bite of Zachary's pizza. One of the best pizzas. But since being introduced to Little Star, I have to say they have one up on Zachary's because of the crust. It's a small place but no worries their servers are great. They can get people in and out quickly. read more

AMAZING PIZZA!!! The best deep dish pizza I have ever had! This place is a definite must go! My favs: Zachary Special Mediterranean read more

Wow it took me 315 reviews to finally write a review. So I gotta say I love all kinds of pizza but I don't choose to compare one against the other. Comparing thin crust new york style to chicago style is like comparing apples and oranges. Regardless I've been coming here for a good 21 years literally and by far it is one of my favorite pizza places. In terms of taste it just can't be beat. I love the sauce so much I'll ask to purchase it in a container and take it home to eat with bread or to make my own pizza (gotta ask for the stuffed pizza sauce). But here's the thing. For as many pizzas as they crank out I've never had a bad pizza. Of all the places I've been to everyone has a hit and miss night. Not once have I ever came away thinking hmm not a good day or night. I always walk away feeling like wow that was effing good. Can you tell I love this place? I live in SF and on more than one occasion I have driven across the bridge to fulfill my cravings. read more

Warning: If you get a deep dish pizza, you are going to have to wait. They're not kidding about the 30-45 minutes. My other tip: you can order half-half on the deep dish pizzas (good to know because we wanted both the bbq chicken and their mushroom-spinach). I had this two years ago when I was spending a summer in Berkeley, and I've been dying to go back. Oh man! Still amazing! Whatever you get will be smother in a layer of tomato sauce (but I love tomato sauce), but there will still be plenty of cheese and other ingredients. The crust is amazing... The only major complaint about this location is that there is no 3G or wifi. read more

Great Place! Can get crowded at times but more often than not the pizza is worth the wait. read more

I visited San Francisco about a month ago to see family friends in Albany and attend a job interview, and when I asked for any restaurant recommendations, this is the first place that I was told to go to. After ruling out all other possible dinner options for the evening, we eventually decided that this would be the best place to go. At first glance from the outside, the restaurant seemed like a small hole in the wall restraunt in an area of Berkeley that could be easily compared to a small town's Main Street. Because it was a Friday night, the restaurant was naturally crowded and the parking in the area was really limited, but thankfully, we were able to find a spot right outside the restaurant. Despite its small appearance from the outside, the space inside of the restaurant is relatively spacious and can accommodate a decent amount of people; although, I am quite sure that the demand often exceeds the space. I have been to pizza restaurants in Chicago, and although I hate to compare restaurants to others -- I believe every restaurant is unique and should have its own identity -- the decor and ambiance inside of Zachary's immediately brought back memories of Giordano's (on a smaller scale, of course). Although the wait was only 20 minutes, the only gripe that I seemed to have was that there was very little room for people to wait for their tables to open; for most of the time that we waited, I had to move around to avoid the dinner crowd that was trying to edge their way inside to place their order. But, nevertheless, this can be easily overlooked. For our dinner selections for the evening, we chose Zachary's Stuffed Special the Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed -- both in medium sizes. When the pizzas were first delivered to our table, both looked a lot like the Chicago style pizza that I had not had in years; my mouth was, of course, watering. The first pizza that I tried was Zachary's Stuffed Special, and I was not disappointed at all. The taste and texture of the pizza is almost exactly what I know Chicago Pizza should be! The Spinach and Mushroom pizza was just as appetizing and I was very satisfied with the fresh ingredients and the generous portions of the vegetables in every bite. The only thing different that I noticed was the pizza's presentation with the generous baked tomatoes placed on top of the pizza instead of the typical cheese toppings that most people are typically used to. Although I found the tomatoes to be rather overpowering at times, I believe that it greatly contributed to the overall taste of the pizza, which was phenomenal. Although, I was not in Chicago, I really did feel like I was having that authentic experience of being there by having a slice of Zachary's Pizza despite the more than 2,000 miles difference in distance. Overall, I would definitely recommend this restaurant, but I would suggest that anyone who goes there should either arrive a little or late early before the lunch and dinner crowd arrives, because the restaurant can get very crowded. read more

Zachary's Chicago Pizza - Zachary's stuffed pizza - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

Yum! My favorite pizza place ever! We always get the chicken deep dish pizza, and it has never failed me. Its even good the next day! And the day after! The crust is so good, and the sauce, the basil, the chicken... oh my I can have some more right now! Both Zachary's near Berkeley are small, so must go early! And also ask for breadsticks because those are amazing too! read more

All I have to day is you MUST try this pizza... the spinach & mushroom deep dish is the best of the best.... Super crowded, but worth the wait... get your pie to go read more

In a word, DOPE. I've eaten deep dish Chicago pizza all over the country and the only place I like as well as Zachary's is Pequod's in Chicago. Pequod's wins for crust and Zachary's wins for the rest of the pie, especially the awesome chunky tomato sauce. Get your favorite toppings, but pepperoni gives it the spice and tiny bit of greasiness that I like with a pizza, especially one with so much of a tomato base as this one. I have eaten Zachary's for 20 years and still can't find a better Chicago style. My only complaint is the crust, which is a bit on the chalky side. I do think that Little Star has developed a nicer crust, but don't be fooled by those saying that Little Star's deep dish is better; it's not. If Zachary's ever stole the caramelized crust from Pequod's and kept their sauce and cheese, I might not ever eat another pizza again. Oh, and get a lunch special sometime with the thin crust pizza and a nice green salad with vinaigrette. The thin crust pizza has an awesome crust (better than the deep dish). Racer 5 is on tap, as well, right now. read more

Chicago pizza right here in CA! While traveling after dinner decided to try this place. On a full stomach it was still delicious! My husband finally found his Chicago pizza right here in Cali! read more

Zachary's Chicago Pizza - Chicago pizza in Cali!!! - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

Zachary's Pizza is always the place to go in the east bay if you want a great deep dish. Usually the spinach and mushroom is a good choice for deep dish and anything else is good for thin crust but its not the ~best~ thin pizza around. Anyway, seating is nice and the service is usually great! Servers are always sweet, attentive and cheerful. A+ for service! The price range is definitely high for pizza but you're paying for quality here so it is to be expected. However if you're expecting super cheap 10$ costco price pizza this is not the place. Sometimes it does get a little crowded here but nothing too crazy. Definitely will always be down to grab a slice of Zachary's though! An amazing pizza place. (: read more

Their chicken deep dish is my fav pizza of all time from any pizza joint. Their thin crust is good too, unique crust. I'd eat here once a week if I could, best pizza ever. read more

Zachary's Chicago Pizza - Chicken deep dish thats how we do it - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

Years ago I was blessed with the EXPERIENCE that is Zachary's. I moved further north and am back! Wahoooo! My first dining experience to celebrate being back in The Bay was this FINE PLACE and I introduced my niece to AUTHENTIC Chicago Style Pizza. She loved it. I loved it. There is nothing else to say. Just as delicious as I remembered. read more

Zachary's Chicago Pizza - Pepperoni and sausage pizza, YUMMMMMM! - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

Thanks to Facebook marketing we found out about this place. The Yelp reviews made it an instant choice. Zachary's delivered on Chicago Style Deep Dish in Oakland. Excellent service and food. read more

Zachary's Chicago Pizza - Carne Deep Dish. More than enough for two people. - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Can't go wrong with Zachary's! Whether you get a deep dish or thin crust -- it's all amazing!

Been coming here for over 15 years. Always order the ceasar salad and a deep dish. Recipes haven't changed much and the quality is still the same. The service is great as well as the ambiance. Don't let the negative reviews stop you from eating here. Yes the prices have gone up but I'm sure rent has gone up being in a prime location. Also people finding things in there food like hair, fragments etc! But hey accidents happen and unfortunately it happen here. Don't act like anyone hasn't drop a piece of there hair on there food at home. Just saying a lot of people are quick to judge over nothing life threatening. Other than that it's a great local pizza joint to have every once in a while, the wait is long on busy nights but it's expected. Read the signs for directions and don't be like some yelpers complaining they didn't know were to go to order or sit down.. commonsense to look for hostess when looking to dine at a restaurant.... read more

Hard to give anything less than raving reviews. I've dined here my whole life and there are few better pizzas to be found. Stop searching, it's pizza time read more

I've always been really impressed with this place. They always do an excellent job with service. Couldn't recommend it more. Go get your food from here. Five stars. read more

This is a great place to grab a tasty slice of pizza, or to dine in. I love the chicken deep dish pizza, it's a great pie to share with a group. read more

I have to say this is one of my favorite pizza places in the Bay Area . Food and service is always on point . If I could come here more often , I would . I make up reasons to go to the East Bay so I can visit this restaurant. read more

Fabulous! Great quality. Order fully baked and take it home. No delivery. We even ordered deep dish with spinach and mushrooms and NO cheese; it's now my favorite way to order deep dish at Zachary's! You can order ahead and it'll be ready for pick up. They don't accept payment over the phone cuz they say it's not a secure line. Whether you order deep dish or thin crust you'll be happy! Quality ingredients make every pizza a great pizza! read more

Love Zachary's. Will go again. One of our favs. We always get the deep dish pizza. We eat it there and enjoy the restaurant too. Can't wait to go back for more delicious pizza. read more

Best pizza ever!! Try their pepperoni and jalapeño combo! They also offer vegan and gluten-free options.

Yum, pizza! deep dish! Zachary's won many award for their pizza. The place is always packed, yes, its famous, but more in part due to the amount of time it takes to get your pizza after you order it. It's 20-45minutes for your deep dish, compound that with the number of table they have, and the customers, the queue to get a table adds up significantly. Yes you can order ahead of time, when you arrive you put your name down, got to the cashier to pre-order your pizza, when you get your table, you hand the waiter/waitress your number and they send it to the kitchen to finish cooking the pizza. Or, you can take the pizza to go, or get a frozen one to heat up at home. Either way, call ahead if you know what you want and save time.... Can't go wrong with their selection. read more

5 star pizzas. Fresh ingredients and a great change for typical pizza joints. I subtracted a star because Zachary gets REALLY busy. Being in Berkeley, the parking situation leaves a lot of be desired. To sum things up, 5-star food, 1-star accessibility read more

While the best way to enjoy this unbelievable taste sensation is to order a fresh one and eat it there, their take-out half cooked options are fabulous as well... and if you buy a couple of them ahead of time to stock your fridge with, you will never have the desire to wait around for hours to get a mediocre pizza-wannabe again. Ever. In fact, the thought might even repulse you. Yeah, it's that good. read more

Zachary's, I first been here almost 10yrs ago on the recommendation of a UCB student. If you know people that go to UCB, they should know about this pizza joint, which is close to campus. Their deep dish Chicago-style pizzas are very very good. At peaks hours of the day, the wait reflects their success in the pizzas. The ingredients are very fresh. All of their specials are a no brainer. When their pizzas are fresh out of the oven, it is very good. But when you take home the leftovers, and warm them up in the microwave the next day, its only ok. Likewise, leftovers are always like that. If you can't stand the wait, they sell precooked frozen versions of some of their pizzas, which you can bring back home and cook in the oven. read more

I used to think this place was the best thing EVER since sliced bread before I moved to SF. But then I found Little Star. Similar pizza, better crust, and on my side of the bridge. So while this place is still great, I no longer feel the need to pay bridge toll for Chicago-style pizza. My last experience at this Zachary's was subpar. We had to wait 20 minutes longer than we were told (over an hour, I believe) and the crust was kinda soggy and the pizza was a little cold since we waited longer than expected and the pizza was ready before us. My blood sugar was way down and I was turning into a bitch when the waiter came by so I asked if there was time to get a salad before the pizza got out since we waited so long. I think he thought I was madder than I really was but he gave us free salad and drinks. It was very nice of him to take care of us like that and I really appreciated to know there is still good customer service in the world. Also, if at all possible, get multiple small pizzas instead of a large one. I think as the pizzas get bigger, the quality of the crust declines. That may be why my crust wasn't so great last time I went. read more

This place is good. It is real good. Second best Chicago style pizza in the Bay Area (2nd to Little Star). With over 200 reviews there isn't much more to say. Of their three locations, I think this is the 2nd best. The dining area is a little tight. read more

Absolutely love this place! My boyfriend and I used to drive up from Fremont and order two...one to take to eat cold while watching morning TV. Hey, he was Netflix obsessed. I never wanted to see a TV ever again after that ended. Ooh, does Netflix have a yelp page? The walls are decorated with patron painted posters. Inspiring - to eat pizza.. read more

Zachary's Pizza on North Side is so much better than the one on South Side. For one, you don't have to wait for an hour to order. Secondly, you don't have to sit elbow-to-elbow with some stranger and have a long line of hungry pizza-craving students drool and stare at you while you eat your pizza. The North Side branch is usually bustling, but never so crowded that it's uncomfortable to be there. The pizzas are delicious and since it takes about thirty or forty-five minutes for them to cook, it's a nice place to go with people you like and want to have a longish dinner with. I'm not a big fan of pizza crust in general, but I gotta say, Zachary's crust is pretty damn good. I love their pizza hot and fresh from the oven, but my favorite way to eat a slice of Zachary's pizza is the next day, cold from the fridge. Mmmmmmm....cold Zachary's... read more

Zachary's secret? They put crack in their pizza. Well, atleast I think so because I can't stop thinking about it since I ate there. I went with a group of people to check it out because I was reading about it on several websites. We decided on a stuffed crust...Zachary's special pizza with the sauteed mushrooms and spinach. We added pepperoni to the punch too. At first I was surprised to see the sauce on top...but NUMMY!!! One bite and I was hooked. The crust is light and crunch...but definitely buttery and there's a perfect balance of cheese toppings and sauce. Did I mention the waiters are totally friendly and kicked ass? I loved their recommendations and the spinach salad with bacon was great too. If you're ever in Berkeley...RUN to Zachary's. They totally rock and I can't wait to go eat there again the next time I'm up in Nor Cal! read more

I've been eating at Zach's for a long time. I agree with some Yelper's, in that not every experience will be at the five star level. For example, I have had a chorizo pie that was only so-so. On the other hand, I've had six-star experiences at Zachary's, so I give them the benefit of the doubt. I am not a New Yorker, but I did live in NYC for a while. I've been to Chicago, a number of other pizza Meccas in America, and have sampled the dish in a few places throughout Italy. I believe Zach's is the best pizzaria in the world. read more

As a New Yorker it's rare for me to "swtich sides" and go Chicago. There was a wait when we arrived at the restaurant, but we went back to the counter and got some beer and ordered 2 small stuffed pies for the 5 of us. I really appreciated the ability to order BEFORE we sat. Since it was cold, we waited inside and it was a bit of dance in the little hallway as people passed us to get up to the counter. When we sat down, our server was a serious gal who seemed a little disappointed that we had already ordered at the counter. With the pre-ordering we thought it would speed up the process, but the pies took longer than expected. Maybe we were so hungry and just ogling everyone's else's that it felt like forever. The pies are placed on stools by each table and once ours arrived we ordered more beer and dug in. We got the Good Health and the Mediterranean. I found the Good Health to be a little bland, but the Mediterranean was delicious. And hugely filling. In fact, we took home 2-3 slices. My buddy Robin is having a good lunch of leftover pizza today. And I have to say, I'm a little jealous. read more

By far the best pizza in the Bay Area. Just try and pick up a pizza on any given day of the week without calling in and you will experience how in demand this pizza is. The deep dish/stuffed pizza is amazing, almost too much, but their sauce is the best anywhere. You can taste the freshness of their ingredients in every bite. Do your self a favor and call your order in, you will save yourself a lot of time and frustration. If the phone is busy, and there is a good chance it will be, just keep trying you will get through. Happy eating. read more