Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: pizza (99) dish (45) Chicago (43) deep (43) crust (29) wait (22) time (21) good (20) sauce (17) order (16)
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  • 5/5 Tom K. 1 year ago on Google
    The best Chicago deep dish pizza I’ve ever had. Service was perfectly attentive and with a smile. What is special about the crust is you can tell that they proof it properly and you can taste a little bit of the yeast and the texture is perfectly textured. Also the crust is not excessively thick. Also you can get a chunky tomato or non-chunky tomato sauce on it. Don’t miss this version of Chicago deep dish pizza.
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Brett D. 4 months ago on Google • 621 reviews
    There was a bit of a wait, but it was worth it. Best deep dish pizza I’ve had. It’s touristy I’ve heard, but we really enjoyed it. Small pie was enough for 2 of us. When in Chicago, do the deep dish.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Cristina 1 year ago on Google
    The place was pretty cool, I ordered a single size Deep Dish pizza and a single size Deep Cookie. I needed to wait a little for a table, and once there in the menu I saw that the average for a deep dish pizza was around 30 minutos. I think that it is a lot, specially if you are a party of one and you're not interested in something else. The waitress suggested me taking first the desert in order to avoid waiting a lot, so I did. To be honest I am not sure if I like the pizza or the pizza' style. It seems to me to crunchy. But the dessert was to die for it. I wish it was bigger than it was.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Thuc Anh N. 2 years ago on Google
    Ordered a small deep dish for 2 and it turned into 2 meals! The restaurant was giving a homey cozy friendly vibe with lots of photos of the family. The pizzas did not disappoint. We order with spinach and sausage and it was a great balance. The crust was really buttery that goes really well with the cheese.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 John H. 2 years ago on Google
    Dine in, take out, or delivery pizzeria. We had the Lou deep dish with added pepperoni. The small size easily feeds two adults. Crispy outer crust and hearty inside. Very good pizza for a reasonable price. Prepare to wait atleast 35 minutes after you order. Opt to order ahead with your phone if you are running short on time.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ruth R. 7 months ago on Google
    Our 2nd time coming to this place because the flavors do not disappoint!. We love the crunchy, crispy thin crust pizza as well as the toppings. I love the flavor of the tomato sauce used for the pizza and dipping sauce. The ranch is also delicious. I recommend the combination platter as a great appetizer option because it has a little bit of everything and the verity is delicious. They do offer alcoholic beverages but don’t have mixed drinks only beer, wine or cocktails in a can. We did not have to wait to be seated and all the staff were friendly and attentive. Our server was great as well. Parking is usually not hard to find but not free. Delicious food overall and nice time.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Tonya J. 8 months ago on Google
    Chicago Deep Dish - yes! In town for the first time and read the reviews and we just had to do what the tourists do. Here is my review… Pizza was very tasty. We ordered the small Malnati classic and had a few pieces of the pizza pepperoni for one of our guests since she did not like sausage and we all decided to share. Crust was not saturated with sauce and the pizza was seasoned very well. It was very cheesy and served hot and fresh. We loved the Lou’s side of our pizza way better than the pepperoni. Took a while to cook as you would imagine. We would have loved a little bit more sauce on the pizza or sauce on the side that we could dip the crust and pizza in. You will get full fast! Seated quickly. Servers here were friendly. Pay and street parking available.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Jerica G. 2 years ago on Google
    Great place to grab a quick bite! We went on a week night and it wasn’t too busy for dine in but there was plenty of take away orders. We ordered the three cheese bread and a medium deep dish with various toppings. Do note that if you make your own pizza that each topping is $3 each which seems a bit high for some onions. The cheese bread was better to us than the pizza. It was an okay place. Hi
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Miki (. 1 year ago on Google
    Brought my girlfriend here for a local cuisine specialty and they did not disappoint! The service was great, the food was great! Overall awesome experience for her for an out of Towner (London) Don’t sleep on their wings!!! For a pizzeria place people often don’t try their wings and it’s definitely a must have. I love the vegetarian deep dish (the Lou) this is coming from a meat eater!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Thomas Jacobs I. 1 year ago on Google
    1st time in Chicago & I had to try some authentic Chicago Deep Dish pizza & this spot didn't disappoint. The bruschetta was fresh & the bread wasn't to hard. A lot of times when I get bruschetta the bread is just too hard to go with the wonderful ingredients. Their bread was perfect, not to soft not too hard. The pizza was the perfect size & was excellent. I have a trip scheduled for Chicago next year with the family & I can't wait to take them by here. Only reason for the 4 star was the service. Coming from a customer service background this is always a sticking point for me. I look at a lot of variables when rating on this (area of country, culture, setting, etc) The staff wasn't bad or rude but I didn't feel "welcomed" as a tourist which was known by them. After being around the area for a few days I noticed that this seemed to be the attitude of the area. So it is what it is. Being from the south my southern hospitality definitely comes with wherever I go & I look at that as a critical measurement when I go to an establishment, how do you make me feel when I come in to your place. Overall it was still a great "authentic" Chicago experience
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Shelley F. 2 years ago on Google
    Our waiter was nice and let us know ahead of time that the deep dish pizza takes 30 minutes to bake. The restaurant clearly has an efficient system in place to reduce wait times. However, the pizza itself is quite overrated. The butter crust wasn't as flaky or flavorful as I would like. Out of the two pizzas I ordered - The "Lou" and The Malnati Chicago Classic, I preferred the Lou. The Malnati has a LOT of lean sausage, however; the sausage lacked any type of browning or crispiness. I believe the sausage is placed raw into the pizza and cooked within the layers of cheese, sauce, and crust. I felt the same way about the mushrooms and spinach on the "Lou" pizza - cooking and browning the ingredients before placing it into the pan would add more depth and flavor, or at least placing them on the very top so they can brown in the oven.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Hannah S. 2 months ago on Google • 355 reviews New
    Such a tasty deep dish pizza at Lou Malnatis! I had a Lou, personal size: three cheeses, tomatoes, mushrooms and garlic spinach. All with that buttery crust. Very tasty and fairly quick and very friendly service. Fun!

  • 4/5 ARI K PRODUCTION (Arian K. 2 months ago on Google • 288 reviews New
    We had a fantastic experience at Lou Malnati's! The Chicago-style pizza was a delight – the crust was perfectly flaky, and the toppings were fresh and flavorful. Our server, Katie, was not only attentive but also incredibly nice and demure, adding a personal touch to our dining experience. The ambiance and service made our visit memorable, and I can't wait to come back for more of their delicious pizza.

  • 5/5 Alonzo A. 2 months ago on Google • 59 reviews New
    In town for the weekend, staying at a hotel close by. Had dinner plans lined up on both days at 2 fine dining spots. Both spots were closed. I'm assuming the weather was the cause. In comes Lou's to save the day. Negative 7 degrees outside and my pizza was delivered to my hotel, hot, timely and delicious. Ordering online was easy and quick. Shout out to the team for delivering delicious food when a lot of spots were not. Thank you.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 April K. 2 years ago on Google
    We heard from one of our Uber drivers that this is the place to go to for authentic Chicago deep dish and after trying this place out I can agree with my Uber driver that this is the place. The restaurant was clean, and the staff were really nice! We ordered for an appetizer some wings which were so good and crispy and then we ordered a small create your own deep-dish pizza, and for trying deep dish pizza for the first time this place was really good!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Selena W. 2 years ago on Google
    The Caesar salads was blended really well and fresh! Even better than the personal deep dish. The personal deep dish was okay but worth trying if you eat it with a tourist purpose. Tiramisu was okay and could have more liquid and coffee flavor.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Neha S. 1 year ago on Google
    In my past visits to Chicago I had tried deep dish at Giordano’s and have since decided thin crust is the deal for me. During this visit I decided to try Lou Malnati’s thanks to all the rave reviews. Let’s just say it exceeded all our expectations. Of course I didn’t order deep dish so this is not a review for the Chicago signature pizza! We ordered a made to order garden vegetarian thin crust and bruschetta. This was after a 50 min wait thanks to the several people ahead in line of us. The wait was totally worth it. The flavors from garlic and basil burst beautifully on our tongue, one of the best made bruschetta served on golden bread. The thin crust pizza was brought to us and sliced real time. Wish I could post a video of it. That experience combined with the flavors and an impeccable crust sealed our second take out order next day. The check for a medium pizza with five toppings and bruschetta was about $47 minus the tip but well worth the experience!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 suzanne p. 3 months ago on Google • 16 reviews New
    We had the Malnati sausage deep dish pizza, house salad and minestrone soup. It was delicious!! The soup was a little salty but still tasted good. The server was attentive and receptionist as well.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Mikey 1 year ago on Google
    Wow, not often do you find a dish that really lives up to its fame! Lou Malnati’s one of the original Deep Dish Pizza family-owned restaurants. It’s now expanded all across Chicago & beyond! We were lucky to stay close to its popular South Loop location for a carry out meal. Lou’s Chicago Classic comes with savory lean sausage, thick layers of mozzarella cheese, vine-ripened juicy tomato sauce on a butter crust that was crunchy & pillowy at the same time. The whole combination was just heavenly! The cheese pull was nearly endless. We made sure to return for the same meal the next day because it was pure indulgence. There is quite a lot of history and debate about whether Lou Malnati’s came up with the first Deep Dish Pizza. However judging by the crowd, customers just care about the delicious flavors. In fact, the restaurant even offered frozen options to fly out coast to coast! Too bad I’m in Canada.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Amanda F. 2 years ago on Google
    Service was great. Seated quickly. The calamari was very good. We got the Lou deep dish and I just felt like it was missing seasoning, the ingredients made it watery, but the crust was nice and crisp.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 brazil? 2 years ago on Google
    Wow. I am impressed. While pricy it is definitely worth it. Pizza is the best I’ve eaten and the tomato sauce is straight out of heaven. Be sure to expect long wait times of an hour to get in and another hour to get your food. Keep in mind we went during the busiest times. Trust me it is worth it. Simply amazing.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Grace M. 4 months ago on Google
    The wait here on a Saturday night is insane but the restaurant has a good system of allowing you to order pizzas ahead of time so when you finally get seated your pizza should be close to or already done. The thin crust pizza with sausage and the spinach mix was good but I wouldn't argue it was exceptional. I personally did not like the crust; because it was baked in a cast iron pan there was a lot of oil or butter on the crust. The other half of the table ordered a Chicago style deep dish with sausage. They finished the pan so I assume they enjoyed it. They did mention it wasn't as good as other pizza places around town. The biggest deterrent has to be the price, the base price of the pizza was very high and it was around $3 or $4 extra (depending on the size) for every topping after cheese. For the price, not worth it. The service was excellent throughout the entire experiencd from putting our name in with the host, to pre ordering, and table service.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Nathan W. 1 year ago on Google
    I asked Google maps for deep dish pizza near me and off I went. I passed at least 4 pizza places on my 20 minute walk from my hotel. When I got there it was a 10 minute wait. Ok no problem. The ask you to order your pizza while u wait cause it takes awhile for the pizza to cook. Good idea. I wanted wings for an appetizer and was worried the pizza would beat the wings out, but no it was timed perfectly. The wings were a bit over cooked and small. For the price I won't order them again. But my deep dish was exactly what I hoped for. Definitely recommend and be back.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Daniel G. 2 months ago on Google • 134 reviews New
    I'm so happy to find a gluten-free deep-dish pizza! Our server, Shay, was great and made our experience very wonderful. The atmosphere was great and the restaurant was clean and nice.

  • 2/5 Mehraz K. 2 months ago on Google • 51 reviews New
    Had high hopes from this place as it’s one of the most popular places in Chicago. We were very disappointed. Got a small deep dish with buttercrust and chicken sausage (it smelled bad tasted terrible, worst form of chicken ever). We don’t eat pork sausage hence had to pick this option. We were able to eat the pizza removing the sausage, the crust was good and the service was great. Although, we did let our server know who didn’t care to either accept our feedback or offer an apology. We weren’t looking for him to comp us or refund, just wanted to let the restaurant know and acknowledge their shortcomings. I’d like to give it another chance something without the chicken and maybe it’ll be better.

  • 4/5 Natalie U. 3 months ago on Google • 51 reviews New
    Lou Malnati's, a renowned pizza spot in Chicago, offers a solid dining experience that earns it a 4 out of 5 stars in my book. 🍕 The meatball pizza was a standout, showcasing flavorful meatballs that set it apart from the typical pizza fare. However, the overall atmosphere left me feeling like I was in a standard chain pizza joint rather than a uniquely Chicago experience. While I lack extensive knowledge about Chicago pizza, I'd likely recommend Lou Malnati's to fellow tourists. The service played a significant role in the positive rating, with warm welcomes from the hosts and attentive service throughout our meal. Despite a 50-minute wait for our pizza, which may be par for the course when ordering multiple pies, the service remained commendable. In summary, Lou Malnati's delivers on taste, particularly with its meatball pizza. While the ambiance may lack a distinctive local feel, the service compensates, making it a suitable choice, especially for those exploring Chicago for the first time. 🌆🍽️ #ChicagoEats

  • 4/5 Daniel G. 1 year ago on Google
    As a New Yorker. This was my first time having Chicago style deep dish pizza. And it did not disappoint. The restaurant environment was great. The Garlic Bread appetizer was amazing, it was some of the best garlic bread I have ever had. The wait for the pizza was a bit long, but it was worth the wait. The deep dish crust was outstanding and all of the toppings sauce and cheese mixed with the tomato sauce was perfect. Overall a great place to go for pizza. And when I return to Chicago I will be eating here again!

  • 5/5 Bongsung K. 2 years ago on Google
    very nice. we ate salad, calamari and pizza. it's good. I love salad and pizza.

  • 5/5 Brian B. 2 years ago on Google
    The pizza was good. Had a deep dish with traditional toppings and the appetizer combo. They were busy so make a reservation if you want to be seated when you arrive. Pizza was 30 mins from order time.

  • 5/5 Srikumar I. 2 years ago on Google
    Highlight: The best deep dish Chicago style pizza!!! This is a great place close (walking distance) to the navy pier in Chicago downtown. It is open till late in the evening so it's a good place to go to after touring the downtown in the evening and visiting the Buckingham fountain and the navy pier in the beautiful evening lighting. The place has ample seating, and I didn't have to wait in line to dine in. The staff is very friendly and when I called in beforehand to check if there is wait, they were prompt in responding and guiding me. I had to wait a little before the waitress came to my table to take the order, but I was in no hurry so it worked out well. Once my order was taken I was attended to promptly as the food was ready. The bruschetta was really nice , the bread crisply done, and their parmesan is really flavorful. The highlight of the evening was ofcourse the deep dish pizza which they serve in a personal size as well which makes it very convinient for a single person dining. Lou Malnati's offers customized cooking and flavoring for the pizza so I was able to order a well done butter crust pizza which was totally worth the wait and the price. I had first tasted deep dish at Giordano's and ended up hating it for it's long wait, pizzas bready texture and an improper balance of sauce , but the pizza at Lou Malnati's was totally different. The garlicky buttercrust with it's parmesan kick was crisp and loaded with flavor in every bite and was perfectly balanced with the right amount of pizza sauce and cheese and vegetables. All in all I would 100 percent recommend you to visit this place and give Chicago's deep dish a try while being able to customize how you want the pizzas crust to be flavored and cooked.

  • 5/5 Scott N. 2 years ago on Google
    Great service and food, the desert chocolate chip cookie was an extra special treat!

  • 5/5 Judith M. 1 year ago on Google
    Although it was a considerable wait, there are other things to do to pass the time. You can order ahead as the deep dish process takes some time. But hands down this is one of the best pizza chains in Chicago. I will be back. Through enjoyed the staff and the dessert.

  • 5/5 Oliver H. 2 years ago on Google
    The staff was friendly & attentive. The food tasted amazing, but the pizza had to much cheese for my liking, but that’s normal. Clean place & very nice environment. Perfect place to come to get some original Chicago pizza.

  • 5/5 Jason C. 1 year ago on Google
    This was my first time having Chicago style pizza. I went here on a friend's recommendation and I wasn't disappointed. I'm a big guy and I couldn't only finish half of the small. The butter crust added to an already amazing pizza.

  • 5/5 Sandra N. 4 months ago on Google
    Great place. Was recommended to us so we can try authentic Chicago Pie and it did not desapointed. We took the bruschetta for appetizers and shared a small pie. It was more than enough food and it was excellent. The pie takes 45 min to an hour to be made so we were able to place our oder while we waited to get a table.

  • 5/5 Doctor Bryan S. 1 year ago on Google
    My wife, my two children, and I visited Chicago for the first time in April of 2022. We have been in the NYC area for the past four years, and I do have a pizza spot in Brooklyn that is some of the best pizza in NYC. However, we have had good deep dish pizza before, and we were more than willing to try this different style of pizza (even though some New Yorkers get very angry about the topic of deep dish pizza) and try to find the best deep dish in Chicago. Lou Malnati's was the second place at which we got deep dish, and was actually my favorite out of the three. As a family, we thought that the pizza we got at Lou Malnati's had the best sauce out of all three. The service and the ambiance were all top notch. We had some really delicious pizza at Lou Malnati's!

  • 5/5 bryan d. 5 months ago on Google
    The pizza was really good here. We got the classic deep dish and then a thin crust with pepperoni and sausage and jalapeños. The wings were really good as well. They also had cutwaters which was a bonus.

  • 1/5 Ann G. 5 months ago on Google
    The size of the personal pizza is laughable . I seriously thought it was a joke so much so that I had to open the tiny little box at the pick up counter. I visited this location a few months ago and remember having a good enough experience to return. After this I can’t justify waiting a ridiculous amount of time to get a flavorless deep dish pizza and still be hungry. This pizza was meant for a toddler but priced for a grown person. I happily paid for several toppings even for the butter crust! so when I took a bite I expected more flavor than what you get from a generic frozen pizza you heat at home. The woman at the counter looked at me like I was crazy for questioning the size of the pizza well now I’m questioning why they are not if they handed me a pizza that wasn’t even worth a one star review when I paid close to $30 also I am quite sure there was no pepperoni even though they charged me for it. 😂 Funny thing is I’m not even upset I’m actually laughing at the audacity of that person and the restaurant. You’ll probably have better luck elsewhere!

  • 5/5 Rebecca M. 5 months ago on Google
    Fast, friendly service and great pizza! Had the Malnati Classic and will try the spinach one next time! Got the medium that serves 3 (6 slices total, 2 per person). Crust was buttery and crispy/soft in all the right places and the tomato sauce was tangy but not too thick or heavy.

  • 5/5 Christopher K. 1 year ago on Google
    On a conference trip like many people before we asked our Waiter to give us "The Chicago Style Pizza" - his enthusiasm to share his food was apparent as he reviewed the top items on the menu. He guided us to the Lou which had some mushrooms, spinach, roasted tomatoes, etc. While I wont make any claims as to where this style of pizza lands in comparison to other pizza styles (New Haven, New York, Greek, Rhode Island, etc) what I can say is when I followed up with a pie at Pizanos near the convention centers it was night and day. This pizza was bright, complex, flavorful, and downright engaging to eat. It shone through as exceptional in it's class. If I find myself back in Chicago I won't hesitate to return. Kudos to the Waiter, the Pizza, and staff for a superior experience.

  • 5/5 Kate S. 10 months ago on Google
    Very good pizza. I got personal size with chicken sausage, onions, peppers and mushrooms. Well done and with extra sauce. No problem getting a table around 3pm on Saturday. I liked better than Giordano’s where I got same thing. About $30 with tip for a six inch pizza. I think each topping is too expensive and all adds up.

  • 3/5 Ryan N. 7 months ago on Google
    Lou Malnati's Deep Dish Pizza: Not My Favorite I tried the Classic and the Lou deep dish pizzas from Lou Malnati's. They were the perfect size for two people, but I was a bit disappointed with the taste. They were not cheesy enough and generally underwhelming. However, I did like the friendly service and the convenience of being able to call in my order in advance. Overall, I would say that Lou Malnati's is a decent option for Chicago deep dish pizza, but it's not my favorite. I would recommend trying Giordano's instead but that's also the only other pizzeria in town that I've been to.

  • 5/5 David L. 1 year ago on Google
    My first ever Chicago style deep dish pizza! And Lou's did not disappoint. I will be recommending this place if anyone asks me for places for Chicago deep dish pizza (I like Lou's more than Giordano's). Be aware that the pizza takes 20-30 minutes to make!!! Not a grab and go pizza spot. Next time I'll be trying the Lou since I heard its better than the Malnati! Food The Malnati, or the Chicago Classic, is a deep dish pizza that was cooked perfectly. A good amount of sausage slices and tons of tomato sauce on top. The crust was super good and cooked very well too. Compared to Giordano's crust, Lou's is WAY better! Deep dish pizza is very interesting because it's feels more like you are eating pizza flavored pie. Atmosphere Casual atmosphere and definitely feels like the interior caters to tourists. There's a map of Chicago with a great big metal sign with STATE ST on it. Noise level pretty average with casual conversations in the back at lunch time. Pricing My first ever Chicago pizza so don't have much experience to compare the prices to other Chicago pizzas. The small pizza (says it serves 2 but I ate the whole thing) was $21 and definitely filled me up. Service Service was super good. My server explained any questions I had and was very friendly. Estimated times for when the food would come out were given and I never felt like I was wondering when the food would come out. Other Located right on State street and within walking distance from many hotels in downtown Chicago.

  • 5/5 Michael S. 1 year ago on Google
    Very solid pizza! Carlos was my sever and he did a great job! I enjoyed the crust a lot. So many places around the world try to replicate the Chicago deep dish but you can’t beat this pizza in Chicago. Is it the Chicago city water used to make it or other? I’m really impressed.


Call +1 312-786-1000 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Delivery
    • ✓️ Takeaway
    • ✓️ Kerbside pickup
    • ✓️ No-contact delivery

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