We decided to come here based on the yelp reviews. Got there around 6 and it was packed. The hosts were friendly. One great thing is you can order your pizza while you wait to be seated, and then the food comes out quickly after you are seated. This really helps streamline things. We ordered an arugula salad which was simple and good, and then had a half BBQ chicken half Zachary special pizza. Overall the pizza was good, I personally didn't care much for the crust, and thought the tomato sauce was a little watery, but would eat there again. Loved the artwork on the walls too, and is great for a family outing. read more

Zachary's Chicago Pizza - Half BBQ + half zachery - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

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

This pizza is so amazing! If you go, you HAVE to get the stuffed pizza. It's what they are famous for. A bunch of my friends have told me about it, but I was more inclined to go hearing it from a bartender all the way in San Jose! Yes, that's how good it is. We ordered the stuffed pizza with artichoke hearts and salami. It was so delicious! They organize their pizza a little differently, like the toppings were on the bottom, then cheese, then sauce. It all ends up in the same place anyways. :) The tomatoes were so good and perfectly seasoned. I could sit there all day and eat these tomatoes. It's not your normal pizza sauce. It's chunky with huge bites of tomatoes...my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Bottomline, everybody needs to go here!! read more

If you love Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza, this is the place to go. Zachary's is a tiny pizza joint in Berkeley ( 2 other locations, Oakland and San Ramon) and the place is packed from the moment they open. We went at 2pm on a Saturday and there was wait. The wait did go by pretty fast. My sister and I had the Zachery's Special and the Chicken and both were delicious. The serving sizes are large so a slice and a half is plenty. I should mention that Zachery's has won many awards for Best in the Bay and got good reviews from Zagats. For those of you who do not like Chicago style pizza, Zachery's also has regular style pizza which is just as good. I would say although some may argue, it's the sauce that makes this the best pizza ever!! Do make sure that your lid is on tight when you are shaking on the peppers or the cheese or you'll have a pizza that looks like the photo :) read more

Just had Zachary's again for the 7 millionth time last night. I love (LOVE) this place. I am in love their stuffed spinach and mushroom pizza, it's like the love of a good woman. I always wonder why I can't eat this every day. Then I realize, as with anything delicious, if I did, I would be the size of a house. Then my friends and family would need to forklift me everywhere I wanted to go. And that would be so sad. But if you live in the 'BAY' or surrounding area and never have gone to a Zachary's ("GO!!!"). I highly recommend stuffing your face with any of their stuffed pizzas. The regular pizzas are great too but "stuffed"...AAAAAhhhhhhh... those are awesome (As I wipe the drool from my chin). read more

Simply... THERE IS NO BETTER PIZZA IN THE BAY AREA! Deep dish...doesn't matter at all what you have on it, it WILL be delicious. I have been here dozens of times, and I have never, ever been disappointed. If there are 2 of you, a small is more than adequate, no matter how hungry you both are. You will still likely have at least 2 slices to take home! read more

This place makes amazing pizza, and i HATE pizza. What sold me is their lactose-free pizza. The special dough that they used constitute as cheese and you can't even taste the difference! The only downside about this place is the wait time and the price. If you're hungry and on a budget, I suggest not going here. read more

This was the first time I've eaten at Zachary's. I've heard so much about it through Yelp and my dad, but I never really understood why it was so good. Well, after my experience there, I understand why now. This is perhaps the best pizzas I've ever eaten to date. I tried the half Zachary's Special and half Chicken Pizza. That sauce was totally bomb! There was huge pieces of tomatoes in it, and it was also sweet which is a major plus for a tomato sauce. The ingredients were definitely fresh. The sausage tasted like sausage. The chicken tasted like chicken! In the world of processed foods where there is no character in any of the food items anymore or it just tastes like...salt, this distinction sticks out. That crust was also great. There was a nice crunch to it and it still maintained its structure despite having all those ingredients on the top! The service is also superb. You can order your pizza in advance while you wait for a table! Since the wait time is about 30 min for a table on a busy night, this is a smart plan on their side. The waiter was courteous and attentive, constantly coming to our table to ensure everything was cool. Overall, great experience from start to finish. I will most definitely come back again! read more

On the whole, a fun and tasty experience. I get a kick out of hole-in the wall pizza joints. The pizza itself was delicious, if lacking a little in toppings. There really isn't much point in getting a thing crust pizza here since it would just be ordinary and you can get that anywhere. The reason to come here is the deep-dish pizza which brings a whole new meaning to "pizza pie." It was really tasty, heavy in tomatoes and cheese, but a little light in the other toppings we ordered (mushrooms and pepperoni). My big complaint with this place (and the reason it got 3 stars instead of 4) is that the wait is insane! i think we waited outside for about 30 mins for a table. Ok, so a place can get busy during the evening rush, I get that... but there needs to be some sort of waiting area. read more

Zachary's is a Berkeley institution. People speaking ill of it on Berkeley streets are greeted with scandalized looks, and should fear of being publicly stoned. Such a level of intolerance is surprising considering that this is the same town that lets naked people attend college. But I digress. Zachary's makes dome great deep dish Chicago style pies. It's entirely possible to have a slice and have to take the rest home for later. The crust is awesome, the ingredients high quality. The place can turn into a bit of a zoo on Saturday evenings so know what you want before you place your order, especially if you're ordering at the counter. Note that i did not give it 5 stars. Someone hide me from Berkeley!!! read more

Hate to be one of the only non-five star reviews, but I gotta disagree with those rating this place 5 stars. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy this pizza as much as the next guy. Honestly good, decent Chicago-style pizza. About as close as you can get to the real thing on the West Coast. But I guess I'm biased in that I grew up on Chicago pizza. There's a place in my town that does pizza almost exactly like Zachary's, but the sauce is better (Zachary's sauce is too sweet for my tastes) and ratio of bread to toppings is more balanced. Maybe Zachary's just feels like a sham to me or something. Plus, you're guaranteed to wait a really long time unless you call in your order. Which is part of the beauty of Chicago-style, I guess. It takes a long time to bake properly. But the problem is exacerbated by the lack of tables in there (both locations are really small and cramped). And it's expensive. I know, I know: "it's a good price for the amount of food you get." But it's still really expensive for pizza. This is not to say I won't be back. Quite the contrary; I don't get home to the Midwest that often. This is the best I can get around these parts. read more

Wow this is great pizza, yum...spinach and mushroom! I have been wanting to come here since my friend had them cater her wedding - yeah! Even fantastic as leftovers the next day, that is what my intentions were when I ordered. Great place for a group of friends. Try the Hop Stoopid Ale if you dare one of the most bitter beers! If you like Zachary's, you need to try Chicago Fire in Folsom, CA - I gave that one five stars! read more

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

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Locals only tip... The deep dish pizzas take a long time to cook. Call in your order while you're on your way and tell them you'll be eating there. This will seriously cut down your wait-time! FYI... this place is known for their deep dish pizza's. The guy several reviews down (Richard W.) tried the thin crust (which he didn't like so much). I've tried the thin crust, and it's not that bad (but no where near as good as the deep dish). Check out his other ratings... classic! I had my 12 birthday party here. read more

A very authentic Chicago pizza in the Bay Area! In a State filled with foofy thin crust light, no sauce pizza (which is good sometimes but not when it is the only thing around), this is the perfect, lots of cheese lots of sauce pizza... enough cheese to make you almost lactose intolerant. Brings tears to my eyes and makes me want to go to the below freezing weather of the Windy City... Dare I say it reminds me of Gino's East? Parking can be a challenge but being away from the area makes it almost part of the charm! read more

I checked out this place while staying in Berkeley and though I've never had Pizza in the Chi Town (I cant speak for authenticity), Zachary's was the best pizza i have ever eaten. I ordered the basic Pepperoni Deep Dish and I was munching on it for days. Whenever Im visiting Berkeley this is my go to Pizza Spot! read more

Look, this place is as good as everyone says. It's that simple. I'm told by employees at the College Ave Zachary's that this Zachary's location (as well as San Ramon) have better pizza. At this location the pizza came out faster and hotter, but admittedly, they don't have the amazingly high throughput operation you'll find at this Rockridge district (Oakland) location. Zachary's is an institution. It's a winner with everyone. For the free weekly awards (San Francisco Bay Guardian and SF Weekly, East Bay Express), their name is already on the award, in pen, for future years. Their regular pizza is extremely good, but most people come for their multi-layer stuffed crust pizza. And boy are they rewarded for doing so. 2 layers of fresh stewed tomatoes, plentiful fresh mozzarella, a deliciously crunchy, yet chewy crust which an excellent amount of oil to keep it interesting, spices added into the stewed tomato layers (clearly basil is one of them and it works despite my slight dislike of basil). It's just an explosion of pizza goodness in your mouth. I strongly recommend the Zachary's special for composition and flavor. It's got Sausage, green pepper, onion, and mushroom. You get a better deal on this pizza than by buying the individual "toppings." If you're a vegetarian, the Mediterranean special (A mixture of red bell peppers, green olives, artichoke hearts, feta and jack cheeses) is also very good. Service is shockingly efficient. Zachary's has their own method for training workers. They actually prefer to hire people with no experience to train them in their own method. It's not busy here so it's not hard to get fast service, but it's still much faster on average than any other restaurant, even a non-crowded one. The Chicago style pizzas require something like 40 minutes to cook. Drink beer, cruise along Solano, have a salad, enjoy the company of whomever you're with in the meantime. I believe they also serve a fairly uninspired iceberg lettuce based salad as well. You're not going here for the salad. Street parking isn't too bad. Service isn't just quick, but friendly and helpful. Truly one of the extraordinary food experiences in the San Francisco Bay Area. People actually drive to the East Bay from San Francisco to come here, a rarity as so much good food can be found in San Francisco and most people see the East Bay as inferior (particularly if they live in San Francisco). I recommend going to the Rockridge (College Ave) location at least once to experience the full splendor and energy of the place, then if you wish a more low key experience, try this much less crowded location. The College Avenue location also has a pretty neat collection of basic wall art devoted to Zachary's. It's worth a see at least once. Also, if you order for pick-up for some stupid reason, you will be given a price for the pizza that doesn't include tax. It's really the only bad thing about the place. Prepare appropriately. Zachary's is also a co-op and employee-owned. It's not a chain. Quality is diligently controlled with great success read more

Love their deep dish pizza. I love the chunks of whole tomatoes in their sauce. And cheese is soo cheesy. But the thing I love the most is their consistency. Every time I go here, the pizzas come out the same: awesome, baked to perfection. I've never had a bad pizza/experience here. Do note that there will most likely be a wait if you're dining there, plus it takes about 45 min for the pizza to bake. But it's well wort the wait. read more

I visited Zachary's with my family on a Sunday afternoon around 1ish. It was crowded (why shouldn't it be it's a very popular restaurant in Berkeley) but we were helped right away by the hostess. Note: if you want a regular pizza (regular crust) it's about average wait time for them to make it, but if you want a deep dish then plan about 40 minutes. It worked out perfectly because while we were waiting to be seated (there were 9 of us) we were able to order our pizzas. We were seated after about 25 minutes and the staff was awesome. They cut and serve the pizza to you (we tried to do it ourselves, but they insisted) and there's free refills. The pizza was just OK ( I didn't like how they piled the tomato sauce on top) and I don't think it's really Chicago style pizza; I would call it pizza layers. It's a good place to go! read more

They sell some goooood pizza here. Pizza lovers, if you haven't tried this place out yet, you don't know what you're missing. I've tried only two out of three locations so far (this one and the one in San Ramon), and they are equally as good. Same great quality and taste in both locations. Only difference was that the one on Solano Ave was quite packed when we went and sitting was limited. The San Ramon location was more spacious. Either way, you are getting the same great pizza they are known for. First time I went there, they had a cheeseburger pizza, one of their in season menu items that changes every now and then. I wish they still had this pizza because it was delicious, probably one of the best pizza's I ever ate. During my second visit, we ordered the Zachary's special (all toppings are mentioned in their website). Oh man, this was amazing too. The crust was my favorite part. It had this sort of flaky, crispy texture to it that is unique to Zachary's. Add some freshly grated parmesan cheese readily available on each table, and you got yourself a happy tummy. 5 starts for great service, amazing food, and an overall unique change when it comes to the ordinary pepperoni pizza you are used to. read more

I've been to Chicago, and I've had all their "Famous" deep dishes... Lou maldonies nastiness, all of them. Chicago they use old frozen veggies or something that makes their pizza, suck. Zachary's is AMAZING!!!! It doesn't compare to Chicago deep dish... It blows it away! And what is better is how consistent it is. On the peninsula there is Rainbow greek pizza which is wonderful... sometimes. Zachary's is amazign every single time, but the wait does suck, but it is well worth it! read more

This is in regards to their vegan "stuffed crust". Firstly, I want to make it clear that it was D E LI C I O U S!! However, on the website it says their stuffed crust large pizzas are 22$...I was charged $29. It also took at least 45 minutes to make(which they said it would; 30-45, so I wasn't bummed about that). Basically, if you don't have 45 minutes and 30$ to buy a pizza...go to lanesplitters instead. Cheaper, and much faster. read more

I am an East Bay native and have been going to Zachary's since long before I can remember. Though I have not always appreciated their deep dish (all that sauce was off-putting to a small child), I am now a full-on fan of everything they do. I love that the place is employee-owned and operated (such a Bay thing to be), and they have the option to purchase half-baked pizzas if you want to get home quickly and have fresh, amazing pizza in your pjs. My favorites: Deep Dish Spinach and Mushroom (of course!) BBQ Chicken (deep or thin) Most of their seasonal pizzas (Spring specials are usually FANTASTIC) Mediterranean (thin; I haven't tried it deep dish yet) and even their Good Health pizza! By the way, they now do gluten-free crusts and vegan pizzas. WHAT?! I like both East Bay locations, but I have a particular fondness for the Solano Ave location because I receive the best service there and usually the line is a lot shorter (too far from UC campus). read more

I'm a big fan of Zachary's because they have a pretty decent gluten-free pizza. The best I've tried in the East Bay. The only bummer is for the size of the pizza it is a bit expensive. Staff is always friendly. They've got pretty yummy salads too. Place is always packed!!! read more

Great sauce, great toppings, friendly service, and even vegan options for those unlike myself. My only beef (overstatement, but still...) is the crust. It's fine, but certainly not a strength of the establishment. I'll give them credit for not making it super oily though. It will never be my favorite pizza, but I will absolutely go there again. Capiche? read more

The pizza here is amazing. They have great slice options for lunch time and take away. About a week ago, my family and I decided to dine in. Unfortunately, there was a misunderstanding between our party and the waiters. However, I spoke to the manager and she was very helpful with explaining the situation. She was very polite and patient and never made us feel like we were annoying for speaking up. Will definitely be back! read more

My cousin brought me here for a really nice casual talk just to hang out after a long while. Did not expect she would take me to such a nice place. The deep dish pizza is one of the best I have ever tried, so worth it =) read more

You definitely gotta be in the mood to eat this stuff, but it's heaven sent when ya do! Careful when ya go though-- it can definitely get crowded with long lines. Nooo one likes that, but ya do what ya gotta do for deep dish Chicago pizzaaaa read more

Definitely a must-try if you are in the area! Chicago style pizza meaning the cheese is under the tomato sauce! (different but SO amazing because the cheese is gooey but not burnt) The crust is very crunchy - which is definitely my favorite part! They bake the pizzas when you order which takes about 30-40 minutes. If you are STARVING, save yourself some agony and call in before so that your pizza will be ready when you get there! read more

Three words: Deep-Dish Heaven! Go for the deep-dish style pizza when indulging in the greatness which is Zachary's. I recommend the pepperoni & cheese, cheese straight up and a very surprising, yet scrumptious veggie option, mushroom & spinach. I repeat, the mushroom & spinach is a delicious meal whether by itself or if you're balancing out your meat-heavy pizza spread. What makes this pizza so amazing is: 1) the hearty, super-fresh tomato-y, yet peppery goodness which is their sauce 2) the high-quality dough which is ever-so nicely golden-browned, with the optimal levels of light crunch on the outside and softness on the inside layer 3) top-of-the-line cheese in generous portions and 4) fresh quality meat and veggie provisions. DONE! Do Zachary's for, dare I say it, a comparable or BETTER deep-dish experience than one might have in the Windy City itself. Side note: They don't take reservations at their Berkeley and Oakland locations but they do in San Ramon. read more