Yes, I know this is a topic that causes much consternation, but I’m going to ask it anyway.
24 years in Illinois and 7 months in Chicago, and I’ve never had deep dish pizza. My parents are coming next weekend, and I figured it’s time to give it a shot. We’ll be hitting up an architectural boat tour in the afternoon, and then I figured we would grab some pizza for dinner. Really, anywhere between the Loop and Lincoln Square is good with me, as long as it’s near the Brown or Red line.
My personal favorite is Gino’s East.
Others will surely recommend Lou Malnati’s, Pizzeria Uno, and Giordano’s. I listed those three in order of my preference, but none of them are bad. You should eventually try them all and pick your own favorite. Have fun!
I’ll go for Lou’s since you can’t make it up to Morton Grove and the best deep dish pizza at Burts.
The top contenders have all been mentioned, and they are all good, but Bacino’s should be counted among the best as well. And you might as well add Edwardo’s to the list, too.
I enjoy all of the ones noted (except for Bacino’s and Burts, which I have not tried), though I might suggest Pizzeria Uno, simply because it’s the originator of the genre. The original restaurant is at Wabash and Ohio, two blocks from the Grand / State stop on the Red Line (Pizzeria Due, its sister restaurant, with an identical menu, is another block north on Wabash).
Of the ones mentioned I would rank them thusly:
The top four are all really close in my estimation. I’m not a fan of Lou’s but that’s just personal taste (and I haven’t had Lou’s in at least fifteen years, so maybe it’s better now). My personal favorite is Carmen’s, but I don’t think they have any locations downtown; in my day they were only located in Evanston and near Loyola.
You won’t really go wrong with any of these.
One thing to consider is whether you prefer cornmeal crust or your usual type of pizza crust. Lou Malnati’s and Gino’s East use the cornmeal, the others use the regular stuff.
BTW, Chicago’s Pizza ain’t bad. It’s more of your delivery type places, but it’s still good stuff.
Oh…and since you’ve never had deep dish before…a large deep dish and a large thin-crust are NOT THE SAME!!! Heh…years ago my wife and I were having lunch at Pizzeria Due, and at the table next to ours was a couple from Manhattan who ordered a large pie. When it came out (really, I think they needed a forklift to deliver the thing), they had this look of horror on their faces…classic! They each ate one slice, and when the waiter offered to box up the rest for them…“NO!!! No, thank you!!! Just take it!!!” heh…
Oh…and just so you know…since you mentioned that it has to be near the Brown Line…
Pizzeria Uno and Due are both very close to the Grand Red Line stop.
There’s a Lou Malnati’s near the Fullerton Red/Brown/Purple Line stop.
There’s a Chicago’s Pizza right by the Wellington Brown Line stop, and I think another one near the Irving Park stop…again, it’s not a place you’d go to if you like a regular restaurant, it’s more of an order-at-the-counter, take-it-to-your-seat kind of thing, but it’s still quite yummy.
Giordano’s has a location right by the Belmont Red/Purple/Brown stop.
Gino’s East is off the Chicago Brown Line stop.
Another vote for Gino’s or Uno…I like both places, though I prefer New York style pizza to Chicago style. Still, if you are in Chicago it’s almost sacrilege to have anything other than deep-dish Chicago style pizza.
-XT
Do you want to give them the tourist experience, or simply the pizza experience.
The first couple of times we came to Chicago to visit my son, he took us to Uno and Due so we could get the full Chicago style pizza experience.
The next couple of times he took us to Lou Malnati’s and Gino’s.
All of them are good, and if you and your parents have never had deep dish, I don’t think you’ll quibble over the minor differences. Personally, I’m a little partial to Gino’s, but I wouldn’t turn down any of them.
I have to say, I’m a little surprised to see the recommendations for Uno’s. I’ve never lived in Chicago, but I am a fan of pizza, and I’ve liked Uno’s since I was a kid. But it’s a national chain and they sell their pizza in grocery stores now. Is it still a high-quality pizza? I know that the restaurants are branching way out from pizza – the one near my house isn’t Pizzeria Uno, it’s Uno Chicago Grill now, and the pizzas are kind of buried in the menu. My wife, who’s not a fan of their pizza, has tried some of the other menu items like pasta and chicken and found them sorely lacking. I still get a pizza for myself sometimes, but I thought they would have lost their cred in Chicago by now.
I’m glad you brought this up. It’s a pet peeve of mine. The pizza served nationwide at “Uno’s Chicago Pizza” or whatever they call it IS NOT UNO’S PIZZA. The pizza at Pizzeria Uno’s in downtown Chicago is wonderful, iconic, historic, and yummy. The crap they serve at Uno’s all over the rest of the world is, well, crap! Nothing alike.
Just to elaborate on that: Uno Chicago Grill (the restaurants which you find anywhere else but downtown Chicago) is a separate company (based in Boston, IIRC), which licenses the name and recipes from the owners of Pizzeria Uno (and Due). The original two restaurants aren’t part of that company.
Exactly. I’ve eaten at the faux-Uno’s in Boston and the one in DC and they are nothing like the original. The one caveat I’d say about going to Uno’s is that the last time I went there the line was unreal…well over an hour wait. But the pizza is definitely very good for Chicago style deep-dish, and it’s worth going to.
I’d recommend the sausage pizza…it’s wonderful.
-XT
Interesting. So I’ve been eating pizza at Uno’s since I was a kid, but I’ve never actually had a genuine Uno’s pizza. Good to know.
My personal faves are Gino’s or Uno/Due. When I have out of towners, it’s one of those.
Yeah, neither Uno nor Due are big places, and they get very busy during tourist season (i.e., now). If you’re going at this time of year, if you can work it so you’re going there at lunch, or not on a weekend, it’ll probably help.
Good to know. I’ll avoid them them. How are the other places?
Regarding the wait, Uno/Due’s will take your order when sign in so that they can start making your pizza before you sit down. If you manage to get a table right away, you’re still looking at a 45 minute wait for the pizza (this is true of any Chicago pizza place). Try not to fill up on beer and appetizers!
Surprised nobody has mentioned Pizano’s. I used to absolutely love their pizza at the location near Wrigley, which unfortunately has shut down. They still have two city locations, one at 864. North State (exit the red line at Chicago and walk two blocks north on state) and one in the loop at 61 east madison (super close to any el line that passes through downtown)
I have NOT been to either of these locations yet, so I cannot vouch 100% that they are as good as the wrigleyville location. But its definitely worth a shot.
Just an fyi, Pizano’s is owned by Rudy Malnati, Jr, son of Rudy Malnati, who started Pizzaria Uno and is credited with inventing deep dish.
Rudy Malnati Sr.'s other son is of course Lou, who started Lou Malnati’s, which is now run by his son Marc.
So, 4 of the biggest deep dish places in Chicago (Uno, Due, Lou Malnati’s, and Pizanos) are basically working off the same family recipe (with some tweaks)