Barnaby's

The wings are deep fried and come out golden crispy good. The Barnaby’s tavern style is great. The crust is crunchy. You can taste the quality in their ingredients, such as the sausage, pepperoni, green peppers, and onions. The ration is is right. Plus the cheese is doesn’t produce puddles of oil, like some places that opt in for lower quality mozzarella cheeses. If you haven’t had tavern style pizza, you gotta get you some Barnaby’s.

The crust is excellent, with delicious taste and great flavor. Old is gold. I've been coming to this place since I was a kid, and it still amazes me. However, the restaurant could use some improvements in lighting.

To start, I am looking for a new pizza place since I recently moved nearby. After trying this restaurant, I’d rather eat cardboard. I ordered a large pizza with half pineapple, half cheese. Do you know what got delivered to me? Pepperoni and cheese. I ordered 3 tenders too, do you know what I got? 5 chicken cutlets. Pizza tasted terrible. WAY too thin and greasy. Chicken cutlets were alright, not the best or the worst. Fries were cold, not even salted properly. Service was terrible. I had to drive to the restaurant to pickup the re-ordered pizza and the cashier didn’t even acknowledge me for 5 minutes. Didn’t even thank the customer or apologize for THEIR mistake. Restaurant is very dated. Horrible experience and horrible food. Highly do not recommend.

The place is nice, nothing fancy, but a good place to go eat pizza with your family and friends. I ordered 1 pepperoni and 1 half sausage and pepperoni, the pizza was good. We also ordered wings, fries, and some fried vegetables. The fried items were over cooked which made them taste salty, wouldn't recommend unless cooking time is adjusted. All in all, it was an okay experience, with good pizza.

We had an "old school" get together. We had almost 30 guys from our growing up neighbor. Some of us have known each other for more than 60+ years. Some of us had not seen each other in over 20 to 30 years. We had a great time reminiscing old times and watching the the Bears game. The owner/management treated us very well...And the Pizzas were good!

The best pizza restaurant in Niles everything is clean the food is very delicious the food is fresh The prices are cheap The menu is extensive The parking lot is large and free. there are different types of beer There are different types of drinks for children I recommend this restaurant for the whole family

What a unique place , If you want a delicious Tavern style pizza this is a solid choice. The crunchy crust and sweet sauce is a a good combination. Expect a self serve service ; Pick up your pizza when ready and head over to the bar for your choice of beverage and off to your table choice . I enjoyed everything about this place.

The food tasted awful!The marinara sauce was ice cold,it was a horrible experience compared to the Arlington heights location. Also the crushed pepper and parmason cheese was stapled in a little baggy. The chef was using no gloves touching all the pizza. Also the plates were the size of my 10 year old sons hand.the fryer was dirty. The drink service spot gave you a pitcher with ice which makes you have less of the drink the mozzarella sticks were burned and tasted awful I will not be coming back to this spot ever again lastly they forgot about half of my order

Not the cleanest of restaurants and the service sucked! Good thing the pizza was tasty. It was a dark and dingy atmosphere for our lunch date and the food took a while to be served. If you are a first timer here, you will be put off by the lack of friendliness and order concept. Even when you order food at one counter and pay for it, you then have to move 15 feet to the left to the bar area to order and pay for drinks. No soda refills at $3 per small cup. The restaurant really looked like a sleazy pizza bar with no ambiance. The parking lot was pretty empty and the only clientele inside looked like they slept in the parking lot the night before. NOT GOING BACK!!!

Barnaby's undeniably has OG status with countless regulars dating back generations. Nostalgia lifts up solid restaurants like this to legendary status. The pizza though is honestly pretty bland. Not much zip from the sauce or flavor coming from the sausage and pepperoni combo. The cheese lacks flavor too. I wouldn't hate seeing this pizza at a Superbowl party, but not one of my favorites. Respectfully 3.45 stars.

Skip the Chicago deep dish, this thin crust pizza is what I crave when I'm in the Windy City. I'm a NYC girl but can appreciate good pizza that isn't New York style. Barbaby's crispy cracker-like crust, salty cheese and dark restaurant atmosphere contributes to some of my favorite memories in Illinois. I visited this location in particular right before the holidays and boy was it busy, but completely well worth the wait. Good food takes time, and especially if it's a busy evening I recommend calling in your order for when you get there (yes, even if you're dining in.) This will 100% make your experience that much more enjoyable, otherwise, you can find yourselves waiting for a minimum of 30 minutes just for a pie of pizza. If you're looking for good bar style food, this is your go to. Stopping at Barbaby's is a non negotiable for me anytime I'm in town & is such a great family friendly restaurant!

Cute little no frills place. Looking for a dinner spot in the area came across Barnaby's. Bar is in one area and food ordering another counter. You bring your sheet upto the counter to order. My friend and I split a large pizza and it was a good amount for 2 with just a little leftover. I enjoyed the sausage a lot. They only provide small paper plates (small as in only one small square fits on a plate) and small napkins. For a small spot they have a decent craft beer selection. Beer served in old school mugs. They also have pepsi products. They accept cash, visa, or Mastercard. They have a sign that says no Amex. If you like tavern Style Pizza, definitely recommend!

Came here NYE with family, it's become a tradition. The pizza never disappoints! The crust is perfect and the pizza isn't too greasy. We always get their fries too! Plenty of space inside and parking outside. Highly recommend and can't wait to go back.

Meet a friend here for lunch. He ordered the pizza and I ordered the pub burger. First I have to say this place is old school and DARK. We sat as close to the windows to get some light. Since it was our first time we were confused on how to order. Finally the guy behind the counter gave an order form to fill out. We received our food the pizza was scalding hot and my burger was just meh. I grabbed a piece of pizza and it was delicious, my burger on the other hand ate as dry. I came to the conclusion that I ordered the wrong thing. As I started to ask for more slices of my friends pizza. The burger can with a pickle, lettuce and tomato. The fries were okay. Crispy but without a lot of potato flavor. I would go back again for the pizza, but I can definitely skip the burger.

This place was okay. The pizza itself had a weird chewy dough texture, and strong yeasty flavor like it had been overly fermented. Though the toppings seemed fresh enough. The booths were gorgeous wood, stained glass, it looked like nostalgia in there. If the crust were better I would go back.

Old school Chicago pizza place. Parking lot is ample but congested. If you go on a Friday night, take a deep breath and be prepared to wait for people in the way. Inside is dark wood and darkly lit. You order food at the counter directly ahead of the entrance. To the left, you can order drinks separately at the bar. They call your number over the loudspeaker and if you order appetizers or sides which are ready faster than the pizza, they'll announce those as soon as they're ready. The ambiance is fun and chaotic, with a lot of energy. The noise level on a Friday night is deafening and impossible to hold a conversation even while shouting. The employees work incredibly fast but never seem harried by the speed nor by the chaos. Easy to place the food order. The bartender didn't remember all the types of beer on tap but was willing to give me a sample of one. Food is perfect. The pizzas are unique - super thin crust with the braided edges. Definitely a must try.

Come here for the pizza. Everything else is a crap shoot, but the pizza never disappoints. They use Chicago Scala sausage and serve up a unique, cracker crust, tavern-style thin crust pizza fired in old school ovens. It still boasts a dark, cozy tavern like vibe, albeit slightly marred by a generic, meh interior/exterior update a few years back. Top it all off with the crankiest, baldest proprietor on the entire north shore, and you get an authentic Chicago pizza experience you won't forget.

I admit I was skeptical.. but we had three families there and we had fun. The tables setting and space were unique but it has character and the food were good. They have lots of sides for options which came up quick after you order at the counter, and a bar with very good seltzers. Host was friendly and you have to order up at the front and they'll call your number when ready. Quaint and warm and fuzzy...

Best of Northwest suburbs...when 30 years ago?!?!? The crust was old and ridiculously tough absolutely inedible. The cheese was sour and sparse. You used to be slamming with the bikers years ago...I see why they don't come anymore...the pizza sucks!! My Father worked there and helped with the sauce recipe which used to rock. I even worked there in highschool boy... has the level of quality totally has disappeared

Just smth about the crust wasn't it. Like it was a pretzel. Nice ambiance. Food took ab 30 mins.

This is the best thin crust pizza around!!! Sandwiches are amazing as well. Cute and cozy and wonderful staff

Barnaby's is an old school pizza place and it reminds me of pizza places from when I was growing up. Just good basic no nonsense place that's affordable and great. So I used to go to the Barnaby's back in the day when I worked at Motorola in Arlington Heights. I guess I forgot about it, and it somehow came to my mind on father's day recently. I went there and enjoyed it all over again. I mean, Niles is the one that's closer to me now. So the pizza is a great tavern pizza. Super crispy. Good sauce. And all. The appetizers were decent as well. And all for a really strong value. I hosted a birthday party just 2 days ago here and had 5 large pizzas for 23 people, a few pitchers or beer, coke, diet coke, etc. All for a great value. Now... There are some tradeoffs. You order the food at one counter and you have to order drinks at another. Everything is pretty much self-service, which may not be for everyone. That means getting your own plates, napkins, forks, etc. Soft drinks don't have refills, which is probably the most annoying part. So it's not perfect, but the value you get is because of the reduced staff and this model. So... It's a tradeoff. For me... The pizza is excellent and I enjoyed it. Loved it. If you want old school great food with really nice staff and super-cooperative attitude. One thing that's a bit of a challenge with a large group is that the tables are really benches and fixed. It's fine. I'll be back.

Located in the Chicago suburb of Niles, Barnaby's Family Inn is a historic pizzeria/tavern that brings true nostalgia. I've been eating pizza here since the 90's. Truly great thin-crust Chicago style pizza. 5 out of 5 stars.

Been coming to Barnabys since grade school. It was our go to for end of basketball season pizza. "Party harty st Barnabys" was one dad's signature slogan. Either way I'm giving it 4 stars because the pizza has changed a little. The crust isn't what I remember. However everything else is on point. Pepperoni and japlapeno pizzas are solid go tos. But regular cheese, pepperoni or sausage are all great. The cornmeal on the bottom and crispy crust are awesome. If you can ask for well done, the better. And it's always good fresh, but I like their pizza also a bit cold from the fridge too if I take any home. It brings out that yeasty taste that I used to love in their crust. Now that I think of it, that's what has changed. Bring back the slight yeasty, rested pizza dough taste, and get that folded crust back up to optimum crispiness and Barnabys will be back to late 90s glory. Idk maybe more moisture in the oven? Great pizza tho. And for anyone being an ass about the bald gentleman behind the bar, if that's not what you expect when you walk into a tavern, then don't go to taverns and don't go to Barnabys. You can be smug and smell your own farts at Panera or something. PS - he's a nice dude.

This place used to be iconic. I remember going here on a Friday night with my friends, putting all our money together to buy a large pepperoni pizza and a pitcher of Pepsi. Extra red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese on the side. Chalula or Tabasco if they had it. They had other good options too. Their woven buttery crust was legendary. Unlike any pizza I had before, it was like a thinner version of home run inn (Chicago pizza eaters will know what I'm talking about). TRUE CHICAGO THIN CRUST TAVERN STYLE. That was a long time ago. Today, barnabys is a sad remnant of what it once was. Quality is gone. Not worth the price. Also there used to be a really weird older white dude that worked there, he was the worst, not sure if he's still there.

The pizza crust is way too hard. The pizza itself is flavorless the pencil and paper ordering system is terrible and outdated.

This is a review of Barnaby's in Niles. 1) Watch what they actually charge you- this seems to be a common theme. 2) In the pizza-making area, there is almost ALWAYS a chubby pizza maker eating pizza right in front of the oven. There is always a woman drinking soda as she assembles the pies. Big Department of Health No-No. 3) The pizza tastes good- not nearly as great as it was 40 years or even 20 years ago....it is no longer a "destination" place for my group of friends. 4) The pizza is overpriced by about $5 - $7 for a large. 5) The people working here are not "friendly". They don't seem to smile, say "hello", or even greet you. A strong positive: They really seem to use less salt than nearby pizza places. For example, if I eat at Burt's Place, I better have a pitcher of soda/beer/water or I will get dehydrated.

We have been going to Barnaby's for decades. I haven't been in a long time and we decided to try it on a whim. What a great decision, Barnaby's is as good as has always been. The cornmeal crust pizza spectacular. Their sausage is so good and the way they apply it to the pizza is unique and their own signature flavor and method. Even carry out it stay crispy and delicious.

I ordered a large pizza for pick-up yesterday. When I arrived, the place was exceptionally busy with numerous families dining in. The pizza was ready on-time. The staff was nice and the place appeared clean and well lit but the problem was the pizza itself. When I got it home, the pizza was sticking to the box. I mean it seriously sticking to the cardboard box. Maybe they should consider putting something between the pizza and the box to prevent its sticking. I also found the crust to be rather hard.

Great place for pizza and beer. Haven't been here for quite some time and I'm glad I went back. The pizza was not like I remembered as the crust was not as crispy as it used to be. But the pizza was still top notch. I have to compliment the friendly bartender, who by himself made it worth the trip. He was great! Such a nice guy with his delightful banter and jovial attitude. As it turned out, the bartenders sister worked there too. They said Barnabys has been in the their family since the mid 70s. No wonder why they call it "the family inn". I love patronizing family businesses. Il be back.

Always a good pie. Friendly staff always welcoming. One of the few of barnabys left. Pizza made like the neighborhood pizzeria

Love this place. The pizza is very good and always the same. And the beer is cold. Larry is an institution and a great guy. Family friendly

So good! Thin crust only with a thick twisted edge, sauce is really good. So much cheese! I love the way it is all dark wood on the inside. Good food!

Barnaby's is a throw back place in the best possible way. My wife and I took the kids here, because we had enjoyed it in the past but hadn't been there in years. When you walk in you feel like you've been transported back in time with all the wood and the seat yourself and walk up window to order. It has that large eating area great for large parties, and a bar as well for a beer or two with your pizza. The person at the bar was very friendly and accommodating considering my kids couldn't make a decision on what they wanted to drink and the food was ready pretty quickly considering it was quite crowded. We ordered 2 pizzas because we can never agree on toppings and that was perfect because they have a 10in and a 14in. My wife and kids had a pepperoni and I had the "special" sausage, peppers, mushrooms, onions and olives. The crust is amazing! Thin and crispy and mine stayed stiff even wall those toppings on it. We also got mozzarella sticks and cheesy garlic bread both were fine, not bad not great. The pizza was definitely what stood out. All things considered we are definitely going to take the family back. I loved sitting in the wood booth watching a game having a beer and eating some amazing pizza.

Been here numerous times since the original and they have been on point every time. Amazing pizza. Down to earth, genuine service and a throwback in the best of ways. I'd advise any and all reading this, to try Barnaby's

If you're not familiar with Barnaby's, they are known for their pub style pizza. Pub style pizza is well known in the Chicagoland area and has become the local pizza style of choice contrary to what most people associate with Chicago pizza. It's has a crispy thin crust but has some similarities to NY style pizza. Barnaby's has several locations scattered throughout Chicagoland. They used to have the 1/2 price pizzas on Monday nights but got rid of it pre COVID. The service is usually quick and the atmosphere caters to families. Everytime I've dined there, it's been with my family so I can attest to it's family oriented nature and environment. The pizza scores with the best of them as the taste of the pizza is memorable. Crispy crust, perfectly melted mozzarella cheese and a host of toppings that form almost all types of pizza combos you can think of. The place isn't fancy nor are there any bright lights or high tech signs showcasing their offerings. They are simple and deliver what they know best, pizza.

Barnabys pizza has been a staple in the Nikes Community for three decades. Is is a no frills pizza place with homemade pizza that is made to order. They have a braided crust that is unique and reminds me of a pretzel twist. Their pizza crust is unique and hard to describe. A definitely must eat in establishment. The prices vary depending on the specials but be prepared to spend some money if multiple pizzas are ordered . I thing the 10 inch pizza is enough for two kids accompanied with a side. Can't wait to try one of their sandwiches. Remember to check website for weekly deals. A must try at least once location

We hosted my mom's 100 birthday party here last weekend. (It is one of her favorite places). The staff could not have been more helpful and gracious. All the food was fresh, hot and delicious. Restrooms were nice and clean with plenty of parking. The rest of the restaurant was lively with lots of families enjoying themselves. Thank you to Barnaby's of Niles for making this momentous celebration so wonderful.

I used to go here as a kid with family for pizza nights. I remember always being rather excited about those pizza nights! I don't live by anymore, so its been a while since I had the pizza. I had an appointment nearby and wondered if they had any take-home pizzas. To my delight, they have par-bake pizzas for take out! Rather than the pizzas already already prepared for sale, the par-bakes are made to order. This is convenient since you can make whatever pizza you want this way. They just sell it in the condition before it is baked. I ordered a large pepperoni & sausage to take home to my happy fiance. The tavern is just how I remember it - dimly lit and filled with wooden booths. There is a large counter up front to place carry out orders. I was told the par-bake would not take long and it didn't. I only waited a few minutes. It was torture smelling the pizza in the car for my long ride home. The heat up instructions are simple, 15 minutes at 400 degrees. The pizza was delicious! Tasted so fresh and the crust was perfect. They do not skimp out on the toppings at all! The crust is a perfect combination of crunchy and chewy. We gobbled it up. If we lived in state, Barnaby's would be a regular spot for it. Grab a par-bake if you don't have time to dine in, you won't be disappointed.

When we get lists of top 20 pizza places for the Chicagoland area from the Tribune or Eater or Chicago magazine - believe it or not - Barnaby's makes the list!! But - those glowing reviews are for the Northbrook location, only. Huh?? I've Saved that location by the way. The Niles location is never mentioned but from what I've read in the reviews, their pizzas are comparable, if not identical. And they should be, after all, this is a chain (having recently found out that they're in Tallahassee too)...and they should be following the recipes for consistency and pizza integrity. Luke S. Points out that one notable difference is that the Niles location "braids" the other crust - and that's the Niles pizza maker's signature for these fine, cracker like crust, tavern style - thin style Pizzas. I've been here at least 3 to 4 times, mainly during football season and these pizzas go really well with beer and a good game, while dining in. This last time, we could have dined in (the COVID restrictions had been lifted) but decided to eat the pizza (onion, mushroom, green peppers, sausage and pepperoni) at home. Wow, the pizza was heavy, and piping hot and still very crispy despite the 10 minute drive. It was so flavorful and the ingredients were so abundant!! Thank you Larry (owner) for the warm welcome and for sharing your Barnaby's history and knowledge of the franchise. Hope to be back ASAP!!

I use to like this pizza so much but lately their dough has been really tough not sure if they changed ingredients or what but il give folks caution when eating the pizza as the dough can possibly hurt your jaw as u try to chew...

Great pizza. Larry manager is really great. Very old school. 2 year old niece loves to watch pizza guy behind glass flipping dough. Have been going there for years. Meet there every Friday after her gym class. So fun

My favorite place for thin pizza. My family has been going there for over 40 years and they never fail, we love their onion rings as well.

The best thin crust pizza and burgers hands down. Their prices are very reasonable, you can absolutely save a lot of your money here than going to other places! They have so many customers daily. Reason being is their recipe, stone brick cooked ovens, and service. Barnaby's is the best in this area. Truly a gem. Consistent, high quality, flavorful pizza. Also, very affordable and fair serving. Can't wait to go back and explore their menu.

Always a wait for the pizza, but well worth it. Piping hot & delicious. Pitcher of Coke is $8..

My overall rating is 4 stars, but I feel there's a lot of undeserved one star ratings here - "BaLd MaN mEaN" - give me a break. So a 5 star just for you, bald bartender guy, you poured us a solid pitcher of suds. Hadn't been inside a Barnaby's since the des plaines one shuttered. Got some tasty fried mushrooms and a cheese and sausage pizza. It was a tad overdone, but otherwise just how I remember. Crunchy crust, good tangy sauce, plenty of cheese and fresh Italian sausage. Inside was classic Barnaby's, wood paneling, etc. Bathroom was clean. It did take us a minute to find a table that wasn't kinda sticky. Anyway, I'll be back.

My dad instilled a love for Barnabys from a very young age. We would always split a pizza anytime we were up in Chicago. This is where I fell in love with tavern style and green river. I can finish an entire pizza all by myself it's so good. It's so thin and the crunch is amazing, the crust is crimped so perfectly. Love this place and I love you dad.

This is literally the best thin crust pizza in the Chicago land area Also the best crust I have ever had.

I've been coming to Barnaby's for years. I enjoyed their pizza much more when Carol was running the show . Last night while dining inside , I noticed one of the cooks / delivery driver's w/ a Biden /Harris 2024 sweatshirt on. Not a good look when the restaurant industry , and consumers have been decimated by Biden and inflation prices. Regardless of your political opinion, it's never a good idea business-wise , simply for the fact you will lose 50% of your customers. To make matters worse, when leaving the parking lot, the same guy wearing the sweatshirt is a delivery driver for Barnaby's , and on his bicycle he has a sign of Biden /Harris all lit up, that says vote Democratic! When I order out, I don't want people's political opinion, nor do I want them telling me who I should vote for. Needless to say this will be the last time I order pizza or dine at Barnaby's!

Best pizza been going to this place for 40 years.The pizza is great it's not a huge restaurant,but great food.

Waited a half hour for our pizza Got up to inquire they could not not find our order. The order taker asked if we paid. Not only did we pay, we tipped the order taker $2 and said Merry Christmas. They gave us fries and immediately thereafter came out with a horrible pizza. I went back up and the order taker went to the bar. She didn't know I was behind her. She said to Larry, now she complaing about the pizza. Yeah because it sucked. Terrible lady, terrible customer service, terrible pizza. Good luck. Our favorite go to sucks now.

Overall a delicious meal, just not the most helpful staff. Parking was east, right in front of the building. When we got in there was no sign or anything saying "seat yourself" or "please wait for hostess to be seated" so we lingered in the front entrance awkwardly for a few minutes before I asked about seating. One of the employees said we can sit wherever but didn't explain the menu situation which we later found out because I again went to ask someone about that. You order up front (drinks on the left at the bar and food at the right side) and there aren't any signs making this explicitly known... Anyways the food was pretty good! I liked the mozzarella sticks a lot! The pizza was very gooey and had lots of toppings and there were only TINY paper plates available so it was a mess! Overall, decent food, not as crazy about the pizza as I thought I'd be from everyone raving reviews but service wasn't great so I'm giving it 3/5 stars.

Lots of people love this place for various reasons, and I wouldn't try to refute them. The pizza simply isn't for me. I commend them for doing something different than dozens of other outfits in the area; the product just doesn't tickle my fancy. The crust is extremely dense, thin but hard and dense. The sauce is sweet and the cheese seems to be a blend with something orange like cheddar. The cheese texture reminds me slightly of that abhorrent Provel that they use in St Louis, but not nearly as bad as that, just a hint of slickness with an unusually soft bite to it. Vegetable toppings are big and chunky, which I appreciate. Thumbs up for super-fast delivery on a Sunday evening: they beat the low end of their estimate by eight minutes.

Love the one on Caldwell in Chicago. Nice family place eat in or take out always good pizza.

I'm bummed writing this as I had such great memories growing up and coming here with my dad who passed away. Was feeling nostalgic and 8 months pregnant craving pizza so brought my 1.5 yr old here to enjoy dinner. Unfortunately it seems this place is No longer the happy, family friendly place I remember where my dad enjoyed beers in a frosted glass and us 4 kids played with leftover pizza dough. I ordered my pizza and was instructed to place my drink order at the other counter. I proceeded on to the other bar counter for our pops and was met by a not-so-friendly man who seemed displeased to be helping me. Begrudgingly he poured us our two pops and water for my son and I proceeded to my table. When the pizza arrived, the order was wrong but I was too nervous to ask them to fix. When I ran out of pop and asked for a refill, he said "no refills". I finished my sons water too and was too nervous to ask for a refill of water even. I initially came to Yelp to see if it was just me that he wasn't fond of but was comforted to know that this was the experience of many people who came to the pizza joint. I thought at first that he may have been racist as I'm half Asian and my mom (who accompanied me) 100% Asian. Such a bummer, but don't think I'll be visiting Barnabys ever again. Even though I do love the crust.

I grew up on this pizza and it's a lifetime all time favorite for me. I just love the super thing crunchy crust. If you are from Italy or have ever even spaghetti you have to try this. Food ten service ten ambiance fifteen (extra points because I grew up near here) cheers.!

These people and there reviews is hilarious. We need a new app that only has " real " reviews. It should be ALL about the food and not bs big onions , or not evenly spread olives. Lmao the food is good. That's all you need to know. It's a good pie w/ a great sauce and crust