Lefty's Pizza Kitchen

Anyone who doesn’t give 5 stars doesn’t know what they’re talking about. The thin crust is unbelievable. Better than anything else you’ve ever had. You like Lou’s or Pequods deep dish? This is as good if not better. If you don’t love this pizza you should stick with Dominos. LOVE this place. We have it every Friday since we moved here 3 years ago and it’s never disappointed. If you’re looking for something fun to do they let kids make their own pizzas on Mondays!

We were in Chicago for a week traveling from California and decided to stop and eat at Lefty’s. We were not expecting much but we were blown away by the pizza we ordered! By FAR the BEST pizza we’ve had in our lives. Our server was an older gentleman but he was so kind and made sure we were well taken care of. We’re seriously considering making another trip out to Chicago just to try this pizza again. I was kind of heart broken to find that there isn’t a location in CA. I would definitely recommend this dinner to anyone!

Delicious. Carmelized deep dish crust. The crusty deep dish edges are on purpose, it's packed with amazing flavor! Very attentive service. Really good buttery thin crust too.

This has got to be some of the best pizza I have ever tried. The customer service was amazing and I could not recommend this place more.

Lefty's in the best in town. Skip Lou's and get the Italian Beef and Giardinara from here. Fresh tomato sauce is sweet with the perfect blend of I-talian seasoning. They missed the beef on our order and made it right! Good people, better food, great neighborhood joint.

Pizza was 30 minutes late and completely cold. Probably tasty if it was hot, but it’s on them to deliver hot food

Arguably the best thick pan pizza (medium deep dish style) in entire Chicagoland area. I'm reluctant to write a review because I don't want the secret to get out and then prices skyrocket.

Great place for pizza. Very Delicious and reasonable price! Thank you Guys.

The pan pizza is always great! They definitely use a quality sausage. I've been there several times.

One of the best Chicago deep dish pizzas ever! I always order from Pequod's when I come to Chicago and was advised these owners come from there. Their's rivals Pequods and dare I say exceeded my expectations. Delivery was super fast, too!

I am a Pizza Girl all the way. So i like trying new pizza places. OMG!!!! Their pizza is amazing!!!! I ordered a Personal Pan Pizza with Sausage, Pepperoni, and Mushroom. When the pizza came you can tell right away. Quality ingredients for sure! I am definitely going back to try more stuff on the menu. Its a small place tho. Street parking. Service was great! Oh also I was surprised but they have wine!

I finally tried Lefty's. This will be my go to pizza place from now on. Ordered online and showed up early. I was just going to sit in my car until the time came, but someone came out to my car when I pulled up. I told her I still needed to pay and she took my name then came back to take my card. She was so kind! A+ for service! My pizza came out early and pipping hot! It smelled so good. I hard time resisting eating during my 10 min ride home. The pizza was crunchy, yet chewy and soft. A bit salty, but pan pizza is usually salty. The flavors were great. I'm so glad I finally gave Lefty's a try!

I'm a tough critic for pizza but I think this was really good. Had a 10" pan with perfectly charred edges. Nice and tangy, fresh sauce. The cheese had a great taste. Very good sweet peppers, but the sausage wasn't my favorite. A lot of food for $20. A sharp pie that was a bit firmer and tidier than I thought it was going to be lol. No flop, nice chewy dough, good crisp on the bottom. The edges are really, really good. Eager to return.

Burt lives on. When Lefty's is at its best, it's five stars. However, the quality and service are extremely spotty. There have been many mishaps, an extra star awarded for making up for them, but about a third of our orders have some kind of problem, whether it's dried out and overcooked, wrong orders, or something else. I still prefer Lou's, but Lefty's is a nice change, and if you catch them on the occasional good night, their pizza is fantastic.

My pizza arrived oozing out of the box. Took it back and waited for the reorder. Box was wet and the crust was soggy. Second time this has happed. Unacceptable for a $50 pizza

Delicious pan pizza and one of the best North Shore pie spots available. Will definitely be coming back, and (likely) bring out-of-town guests. Service is very good and super helpful. Outdoor seating during warmer months is ideal - yet more enjoyable when its outside of nearby Metra rush hour. Strongly recommend!

I give Lefty's two stars because I actually really enjoy their pizza, both thin and pan, and we've been sorely short of good pizza in mid and east Wilmette for years. However, due to the owners responses to people questioning their masking policy, I will not be returning. When an owner degrades a customer for disagreeing with something, or complaining about staff or food....well, it's unacceptable, and it doesn't matter If they are right, wrong, or of differing opinions. I personally don't care if employees are masked when I'm ordering take out, but will never go to a store/restaurant where the owner/s or employees seem to default to name calling and belittling when dealing with a customer complaint.

Don't believe the hype. Been wanting to try Lefty's for awhile. Comparisons to Pequad's and Gulliver's are highly exaggerated. Pizza was very meh. Dough was too thick for a thin crust. Edges were crisp. Worst of all, by the time we got to the middle, it was impossible to pick up the pieces! The dough literally "ran" as if undercooked. We could only eat the edges and threw away the middle. Sorry. Going to JP's.

Very good crisp pan pizza, loved the char sausage, sweet flavorful sauce, not heavy like Malnaties. Owner was very nice and even gave kids free suckers after. Good time!

Great little place! Never been to Wilmette and we stopped for pizza and we loved it. Excellent staff and service, felt really welcome and comfortable. Sat outside on a beautiful day and really loved the pizza.

Moved out of Illinois years ago. In wilmette and ordered a sausage. Good pizza and service.

Deliciously crisp crusted spinach, olive and mushroom pizza. Delivered quickly to our door by a courteous young man on a very cold night .

Stay away from Lefty's. This place is a scam. We ordered a pepperoni pizza and went to pick it up. When we got it home, there were no toppings - just a plain pizza. Called and asked for a refund and they said there was nothing they could do. Steer clear.

Great slices. Very rich crust. Unique recipe. Wish they were open for lunch every day. Worth a visit.

Found this place on yelp, incredible deep dish pizza! The server was very very sweet as well.

How have I not reviewed Leftys yet. There deep dish pizza is outstanding. So filling and gooey and crispy edge all at the same time! Tip- try their cheese curds and fried pickles. 5 stars for fabulous customer service too. I'll update with photos soon, my kids and I crush the pizza so fast that each time I haven't had a chance.

If you like burnt pizza, this is your place. Pizza is meh. The manager is the absolute worst. So rude. Do not eat here.

Best pizza in Wilmette guaranteed. AND they have local craft beer and great wings. Not overpriced. Best tavern style Chicago pizza in Wilmette.

John Munao owes his pizza talent to Burt Katz, "Father of the Caramelized Pizza Crust," and former owner of "Burt's Place," in Morton Grove. Burt Katz life story. https://drloihjournal.blogspot.com/2020/05/paying-homage-to-restaurateur-burt-katz-the-inferno-gullivers-pequods-and-burts-place.html

Great! Quality ingredients, charred crust . Great location in downtown highland park.

First time ordering Lefty's and it will be last. Pizza arrived greasy and burnt. We ate because we were so hungry. Leftovers going in trash. So disappointed

Don't come here. Don't want to wait in a line that this place deserves. Great pizza. Caramelized crust. Service is A+. Smaller seating area so plan ahead. We came on a Tuesday night and it was perfect. I love this pizza. Might be the new go to.

Just happened to stop by. I ordered the chopped salad, shorty got a cheese pizza . Both were very good. The salad was MASSIVE and tasty, the pizza had a buttery crust and was perfectly cooked. Personally, i thought the salad was underpriced for the size and quality of product. I'm glad we stopped in, support small businesses!

Lefty's has some truly wonderful pan pizza. However, they need to do a better job maintaining the bathrooms as the handle for the sink in the men's room was missing.

My family loves Pizza and it is a once (maybe twice) weekly tradition at our house to get it. We are very dedicated to our Lou Malnati, but we decided to try out Lefty's and I'd say they have some good competition now! We ordered the pan pizza with roasted bell peppers and pepperoni on top. I just have to say the sauce is amazing! Its very rustic, darker, and a bit thicker then other pizza's I've had. The sauce Made the pizza for me and there was alot of it. I ate about 3 large slices myself it was so good! I enjoyed the toppings and cheese too, which there were plenty of. The crust was a little bit uneven so some pieces were not as crisp on the bottom. Heating it up in the oven seemed to help that. I do not love the crust on the pizza. There really is not any, but the outer edge is too charred for my taste. The cost is comparable to other pizzerias in the area, so I think I will give Leftys some more of my business. I'd like to try their thin crust next!

This is our favorite pizza place on the North Shore. The thin crust is so, so, so yummy! Think Lou Malnati's thin crust, but better (buttery, biscuity, not dry and matzo-y like some places.) The toppings are fresh and good quality, and the people are so friendly. There is absolutely no reason to get Domino's if you live anywhere around here and can pop in to Lefty's! They deliver too :)

Terrible customer service - rude and controversial - if you like peace with your pizza - DO NOT SUPPORT this place!

Ordered a sausage pan and a thin pepperoni the other day. The pan is similar to Pequod's and the thin is not super thin but also not doughy. Both were fantastic. I will be ordering here more often. Very impressed!

My belly is happy! An outstanding version of a Chicago pan pizza with crispy, chewy, caramelized crust. Zesty sauce, gooey cheese, pepperoni was high quality. Crust texture and flavor lean slightly towards a Lou Malnatis coming from a Pequods's base. Great pie! Delivery was much faster than timeframe I was quoted when ordering! I would have given 5 starts, but by the time I payed and tipped for a large, 1 topping... I was over $30! (- 1 star). Overall, very satisfied with the online order process, delivery and the pizza! Maybe put a coupon out on your Facebook page or something for those regulars in the know? p.s., this review was posted by a lover of Pequod's pizza for 20+ years. This Lefty's stuff is legit!

wanted to order a few slices of piZza at 1:15 today and was told they sold the last slice and there are no.more but we could buy a whole one. So they couldn't cut a few. Slices from that. They adv slices. 10-2. Very poor management. Customer is not always right at Lefty's. We will not come back

First time- ordered a plain cheese and a pan sausage for pickup. What can I say but delicious -when I'm visiting family again I'm thinking it's a must for pizza night or any night. Young and old really enjoyed

I like Lefty's. Good food, nice staff, everything you could want. You have some great customization options, so you're not stuck to a 1 type fits all pizza.

Lefty's staff is very friendly and helpful they make sure you feel welcome and unhurried. The pan pizza is phenomenal with a great selection of toppings. Similar to Burt's and Pequod's but conveniently in the North shore. But lefty's dough to cheese and sauce ratio is so much more on point then Pequods and Burts. 100% recommend!

Solid thin crust pizza, and I hear a new location coming to Highland Park. Great experience highly recommended.

Let me start by saying I'm not a fan of any kind of deep dish....until I tried Lefty's pan pizza! Oh my goodness- the caramelization and flavor are top notch! The pizza is always hot when I pick it up and they take extra care to wrap sides of ranch so they don't spill. Keep it up Lefty's!!

We asked the server if we should get pepperoni or sausage pizza, and he far and away recommended sausage. They apparently go to a special place in Chicago to get it. And it was so good! I'm drooling now just thinking about the pizza. Don't bother with the Caesar salad... It's a small place, so be aware of that if you take a large party. It was a nice day when we went, so we were able to sit on the sidewalk, thankfully. The server was really cool in the beginning, but we were then forgotten about for long periods of time. He even apologized for it (but didn't change the behavior). We now prefer to get takeout here.

I ordered pizza tonight. They delivered a sausage pizza instead of the vegetarian that I ordered. When I called, they said they would send a replacement within 45 minutes. An hour and a half later (and two and a half hours after I had placed my original order), the replacement pizza arrived -- and it was a sausage pizza yet again. When I called, they were completely unapologetic and just stated that the delivery driver must have picked up the wrong order twice. Do not order unless you are willing to deal with an unbelievable level of incompetence and lack of professionalism.

I came here on a very cold wintery windy night with my husband and there was only a table in front of the door, other than that, our service and food were great. The owner used to work at Pequod's or Burt's (both similar styles) and he made the crust slightly thinner. But the same great fresh ingredients. I have had the pan pizza and the thin crust and like them both a lot. It's the crispiness I'm after and they have it! The other thing besides being in my neighborhood already is that their salads are so much better than Pequod's or Burt's so do give them a try!

Hi lefty's please read this coming from a long time lefts customer. Please consider going back to a REAL delivery driver. SLICE SUCKS. Today's driver is 45 minutes late, the pizza was warm at best. The driver was friendly but did not even address the fact she was 45 minutes late. With our family choosing to pay for more expensive craft pizza since we have had this service from pizza hut before im terribly sad to now have to find a new pizza place... :( Curtis

I like nicely carmelized crusts not burnt pizzas. Um no. Liked my first order here But when I tried it a second time, the pizza was just plain WAY over cooked. Next!

First timer with extremely high expectations. Having eaten pizza for a long time all over from Due's, UNO's, Pequods, Gullivers and even Papa Dels. Lefty's is the new king of pizza. Our server, George, self proclaimed right arm to lefty made us feel at home from the moment we sat down. I wanted to see what the thin crust was like since my pizza habit has added to my waistline. This is the best. The crust, the sauce, the cheese is ALL PERFECT. It was the perfect combination of all my favorites in pizza. Unbelievable good!! Home run!!!

First time trying them...... and it was DELICIOUS! They were also gracious and accommodating to us as newcomers to the town. Definitely eating there again.

I tried their thin pizza for the first time. Really liked the sausage, pepperoni and especially the cheese. Next time I'll try the pan pizza for sure.

Best pan pizza in the area, charred cheese on the crust is absolutely delicious. The sausage is top notch. I highly recommend you give them a try.

So, I love their pizza, but won't be ordering again due to my experience there last night. There is a sign on the door outside to wait and someone will come to help you. I waited a bit outside and observed all but one employee behind the counter and preparing food without masks or with the mask under their chin. THEN....a teen male employee with his mask around his chin, blew his nose while working the counter and proceeded to wipe his runny nose on his hand twice. ....never washing his hands and then handing my pizza box to the older man who was helping me at the door. There should be no surprise that I declined my pizza and told the older man why. There was no apology....he merely opens the door and yelled in "hey..... (teen boys name), put your mask up. How about go wash your hands and then the counter he touched with his snotty hands. Just couldn't stomach eating the pizza after I saw this......hope this behavior improves. I love your pizza, but can't risk getting sick.

TERRIBLE customer service. Friday night, ordered pizza on phone told to pick it up in an hour. Drive there to be told it's another 30 minutes. Why wouldn't you call to let us know?? "Don't know what to tell ya, we're busy. Come back in 30". Have tried this place 3 times and won't be back. Customer service is an issue each time. Pizza is ok, but not worth the aggravation with the staff. Avoid this place until management figures it out.

Highly recommend the thin crust. Have only done take out or delivery. Suggest Well-Done and No-Cut as it preserves the pizza when not being consumed at the pizzeria. Sketchbook Beer available to-go is a nice touch.