Lou Malnati's Pizzeria

This is the place to go to if you’re visiting Chicago and must try ONE deep dish pizza. The crust is crispy on one side and soft on the other, the sauce is perfectly balanced, not too sweet, not too savory. And the cheese comes with a crazy pull (it got annoying at one point). The staff were friendly and super efficient. 10/10 def recommend.

If you like Chicago deep dish, or if you want to give deep dish a try, this is a good stop for you. This is a Chicago institution and the pizza reflects that. Be warned, the slices are a meal themselves. My wife and I shared a small and we still couldn't finish the pizza. Service is a bit slow, but that's typical for deep dish pizza. They do take reservations here which I recommend because the place gets very busy. They also have a kids menu with non-pizza options for picky kids like ours.

🍕 The atmosphere at this Lou Malnati’s is warm and welcoming, with a cozy, classic Chicago vibe that makes you feel right at home. It’s the perfect spot to sit back and enjoy some truly iconic deep dish. Their classic pizza is absolutely amazing—crispy, buttery crust, rich tomato sauce, and perfectly melted cheese. A must-visit when in Chicago!

This was my first time trying deep dish pizza and obviously I picked this top rated restaurant for it. I did not make a reservation because I didn’t know which part of the town I will be in around dinner time so I did walk in. It was a little over an hour wait till I got a table. Good thing is, they have some benches so that made the wait time tolerable. They ask you to order your pizza while you are waiting so you don’t have to wait for your pizza for too long after you are seated which is a good thing. I had the calamari as starters and it was really tasty. The seafood sauce was really good. For deep dish, I ordered the vegetarian one and the sausage one. Frankly speaking I didn’t like either. The vegetarian one specially had so much tomato that it because extremely soggy. It was way too tangy and not enough cheese. Service was alright. Servers were really busy so they did the best they could. The energy at the restaurant was really great though. Lots of people, enjoying food with their friend and family, conversations and laughter. It felt nice.

This is the best pizza I have ever had! They delivered to our hotel and called us when they got close so we could meet them to get it. They ensured we had plates, silverware, napkins, and toppings (cheese & crushed peppers). The pizza was cooked perfectly, and the cheese pull was unmatched! We got the pepperoni deep dish and highly recommend it. The pepperoni is fresh and seasoned well, and the sauce is gorgeous. If you are in Chicago, you HAVE to give it a try!

Visiting Chicago for the first time so Chicago deep dish pizza is a must try (they said!) After watching tons of YouTube videos, most people claimed that Lou Malnati’s is the best so I went. The first branch I visited was 40 minutes wait for a table and 30 minutes wait for take out. I didn’t want to wait so I went to the one by my hotel which is this place. I got a Deep Dish Malnati Chicago Classic ($38.25) and a Personal Deep Dish Mike's Hot Honey ($15.25). My food came out later than estimated time. Staff were friendly enough to let me know about the delay. I was really looking forward to seeing how amazing the food is BUT It disappointed me. The pizza was too wet, the sauce didn’t taste anything special, the crust was bland and really hard as a rock. Some sausages tasted old and smelly. Very little meat for the price and so not worth it. Personally I prefer Detroit style pizza over Chicago deep dish pizza.

Nice atmosphere from a decor standpoint. Really good pizza, but the onions made it watery. We were there early enough to beat the rush, but when the tables filled it was too loud to hear ourselves think.

I wanted a good and high quality deep dish experience. This place did not disappoint. I ordered The Lou off the menu and the crust was crispy and crunchy, there was a burst of savory tomato and a lot of cheese. I loved every bite and the leftovers the next day.

I am officially a fan of Chicago deep dish. I tried to fight it every step of the way because I had grown up on NY style pizza, but Lou's was absolutely delicious! We got a large Malnati Chicago Classic ($37.89), which was my favorite. I've had deep dish before in the Bay Area, but they don't do it the way that Lou's does. I also got a personal pie of the Lou ($15.19), which was also good but not as saucy as the Malnati. Definitely a must to try if you are in Chicago! I only had time to try one deep dish place and I'm really glad it was this one.

Ordered takeout. Deep dish veggie. Thin crust The Lou. Wish I would have done it the other way around. Deep dish The Lou and thin crust veggie for next time. Always dined in, but first time take out. Both pizzas were ready on time after placing online order.

great pizza and our server was super friendly but i docked a star because it took over an hour for the food to come out. i appreciate the freshness but it was a too long of a wait! lovedddd the lou pizza (mostly veggies) it was so good. the classic was alright i didn't love it. everything was very warm and filling and comforting!

After 5 years of trying Chicago's deep dish pizza scene, I've decided I'm done ordering Lou's. It is solid, but I feel it is a solid notch below Giordano's. The pie crust is very pie-like, which I find offputting. There isn't as much cheese, nor is the tomato sauce as tangy. The house salad, with the house sweet vinaigrette, is quite nice and huge in portion even at the medium and not family option.

Food was very underwhelming and under seasoned. Our waitress was all alone but was not attentive. This food was mediocre and it took over 45 minutes to come out. Disappointing. Skip on this

Love this place. Grew up in Chicago, moved five years ago. Had lots of Chicago pizza in my life and this is one of my favorites!! In town for business and we went here. Totally worth every bite. Awesome.

Long time since I've had a deep dish experience. But, the garlic Parmesan boneless chicken wings and my chicken Caesar salad stole the show this night. I appreciate the salad not drowned with dressing and was a generous portion. Wings were well received. Our deep dish pizza had an absolutely delicious crust. We had the Lou. Very good, but a little too much moisture for my taste. Nevertheless, a good effort. The crust made up for it. Also, gorgeous design of the ceiling. Turned a square box into an j retesting space.

First time here! We had pizza at least once a day on our 5 day journey here. We tried to do a pizza tour we made up! Haha The personal deep dish had pepperoni, garlic, and sausage, we also ordered a small cheese thin crust. Not pictured that we ordered was the BBQ chicken salad. My fiance really loves cheese and he did not like the thing crust pizza. He said the dough tasted like cardboard and it just was not great. The deep dish pizza came out wrong with mushrooms and we had sent it back, just to get the same deep dish with the mushrooms picked off. We thought it was a little weird and they sold it to us like they got us a new pizza, but we could very clearly tell. So overall the pizza in my opinion and the weird service we got it was a 3/10. The BBQ chicken salad on the other hand! Wow wow wow. The salad is the only reason I'm giving 2 stars and not 1. We ordered an entree salad and it can feed 3-4 people if you are also getting pizza. I stuck to the salad and my fiance had the pizza. Servers were very nice and quick with items we needed, but like I said the picking of mushrooms off the pizza rubbed us the wrong way and I'm not sure we will be coming back after that.

When in Chicago...... This restaurant is part of a small national chain of pizza joints. I have been to one of these in Indy, but had to see what the flagship Chi-town version had to offer. They are known for their Chicago-style deep dish pizzas, but they also have thin crust. There is metered street parking available in front of the restaurant and within a reasonable walking distance. The restaurant has a huge dining area that is split between two areas, with the hostesses station being in the middle of the two. It was very clean. In addition to pizza, they serve salads, soups, lasagna, spaghetti, sandwiches, penne, and bowtie pasta. The hostess and our server were very friendly. The server was also attentive and accommodating. My group ordered a thin crust and a deep pie along with a Caesar salad for the table. It took about 30 minutes for them to prepare our pie. They brought the salad out well before the pizza. I loved the salad. It was so good. We tore through the salad like a hot knife through butter. It was gone within minutes. It is a must if you are eating here. I ate the deep dish pizza. It was very tasty, packed with flavor and delicious. I got a side of hot honey to drizzle over my pizza. mmmmmm. The pizza was very filling. I did not even eat dinner that evening. I really enjoyed my meal and highly recommend checking this place out.

Man what a place! You have to get on line through Yelp or you'll wait forever. This place is the real deal deep dish and evidently the spot to go after the Chicago Marathon. While you wait in line you can preorder your pizza because it takes a while to come out. The place is standard and you're not packed like sardines. Our waitress was friendly too. The pizza is incredible. The crust is soooo good and crispy, the sauce is on point and it's so filling. Had to eat it with a knife and fork because it's certainly messy. While I won't be returning to Chicago for a while, I would totally come back here for their classic deep dish pizza.

Lou Malnati's was my first dish in Chicago and it did not disappoint. Our server was so nice and helpful in navigating the menu since there were so many great options. We decided on the create your own deep dish and salad both were amazing!!! It did take a while for the pizza to come out but I really liked it! It was perfect. The decore and service made you feel right at home. I'll definitely be going back on my next trip and I would even say I prefer this place over giordanos

Overall good, not great. Maybe 3+. We had the Lou and Malnati deep dish pizzas as well as house salad. First, everything was huge. The salad was fresh and was a nice mix. The pizzas were good. Overall, I would characterize it as a solid choice but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.

Lou Malnati's is more classic chicago deep dish than Giordanos, but don't ask me to pick between them because they're both amazing. Lou's buttery crust is out of this world and i love tucking into a delicious pie from Lou Malnati's in the seemingly endless cold months in chi. A chicago staple and a must have.

I'm from Orlando so I'll make this quick for travelers.... Service- Servers plate your first slice of pizza, very friendly and accommodating Pizza- On the heavier side( you know what you came for). The sizing charts are accurate for the pizza. Fantastic pizza. Sauce- Very fresh. Slightly aromatic and bright red. I didn't get to check all the locations but this one was just fine!

Came here for traditional Chicago deep dish while in town, on several recommendations. We did the call ahead to get on the waiting list, and were seated shortly after arriving, so definitely recommend that. Was a bit weird to order our pizza before we even sat down, but made the service a bit faster. The pizza was just OK. We ordered a cheese deep dish and a Chicago classic, neither had a ton of flavor and were lacking basic seasoning like salt and pepper. Was really disappointed, since this place had been recommended by so many people.

I traveled all day, landed and did some work and had not eaten anything, so I decided to walk nine blocks from my hotel to have after 14 years my second gluten-free Chicago deep dish pizza. On this occasion, I went to the famous Lou Malnati's Pizzeria on State Street. The place was packed already and when you enter, you can pre-order your pizza before you get seated. I waited 20 minutes and got the A table. Since it's been 2000 miles and 14 years, I decided to have the classic: Lou's lean sausage, extra cheese, Vine ripened tomato sauce on a trademarked buttercrust crust. Service was excellent and attentive. Unlike my first one 14 years ago when I ate the whole pizza and had to walk the entire greater Chicago area or I was going to explode, I could only eat half. But what a half. This is what I'm talking about. A treat for someone who is Celiac to again experience a Chicago deep dish pizza. Well played Lou.

I was your classic tourist wanting the "Chicago Deep Dish Pizza" experience. This place was a waste unfortunately and the only letdown of our trip. Go look through my other reviews - I rarely rank places low. The service was very slow. The pizza was just not good. Everything stuck together and tasted pretty bland. Not sure if this was due to the personal pizza sizes (we did this to try their two flavors) or if it was an off day. I'll just help anyone wanting a good deep dish experience - go to Pequod's pizza instead.

Great pizza. Great service. I used delivery once also. Quick and accurate. No complaints. Went to the Malnati's on Lincoln.

We got two pizzas and they were slightly better than the deep dish pizzas I have had in NorCal. This wasn't our first time at Lou Malnati's but for some reason we felt the taste was off and not om par with their previous pizza's quality.

Very small personal pizza but crunchy and delicious laid-back spot, lots of seating. Service was okay. I enjoyed the pizza more than I thought -- crust was definitely like a pie which I enjoyed but understand why other reviewers don't find it enjoyable

Ohhh myyy gosh!!! They said when visiting Chicago you have to try their deep dish pizza. I already had tried that but what I didn't know was that they also offer the "tavern style" pizza cuts that I fell in love with today. I got "The Lou" which comes with their tomato, cheddar cheese blend, spinach, and mushrooms. It was out of this world! The "tavern style" comes with a thin crispy crust that gives a nice crunch when you bite on the crust but if you bite into a square piece in the middle of the slices it is a bite of thinly sliced perfection. I am now an avid fan of Lou Malnati's tavern style pizzas!

Christina was my server and she was amazing. I dined in by myself and didn't need much attention but she still made sure I had everything I needed and was very attentive to her other tables. I order a personal size Lou Pizza and I can honestly say it was the best pizza I've ever had. The restaurant itself feels genuinely authentic and would be great for families, date night, or even to dine by yourself

Great food! Our server Cam was great... and busy. Yet still managed to take good care of us and those around us. I wanted deep dish Chicago style pizza... perfection. Tasty crust, fresh ingredients, and lots of flavor. My kids had ravioli and spaghetti, which i implemented the dad tax and had a bite of each, also very tasty. We got there early (5ish) and still had to wait for a table, but when we left... wowsers, it was packed! I didn't realize it was a local chain until looking for the restaurant again, but it still has that local one store type of vibe.

Heard really good things about Lou Malnati's, and had to come by! A Monday night didn't mean much for business because it was absolutely packed. My party made a reservation ahead which allowed us to be seated really quickly. Also, we called ahead about 30 minutes before our reservation so that the restaurant could get the deep dish pizza cooking (it takes a very long time to cook so I would recommend this). I'd never had deep dish pizza before, and didn't know what to expect. The pizza was phenomenal - we ordered the classic and the veggie. It was absolutely delicious, although extremely rich and filling. I was stuffed after eating one slice, and I came in hungry. We also got their salad, which was really great too. Really great spot, and a must-hit if you want to try deep dish.

I went during conference season so the wait was a whopping 1 hr 45 minutes. Me and my friend just waited at a nearby bar, but what was nice was that we were able to preorder our pizza we didn't have to wait long after being seated. Super warm and inviting atmosphere. We got the gluten free deep dish called the Lou...and well I'm going to be honest I wasn't a fan. Too much cheese for me personally, so maybe I'm just not a deep dish person. Glad I got to try it though!

I surprisingly enjoyed the deep dish pizza here. Being from NY, I'm more of a thin crust pizza gal. I've had deep dish pizza before but it had been awhile since I've been back to Chicago so I had to get my fix in. Came on a Saturday during lunch time and there was a 20 minute wait. Fortunately, you can pre-order your pizza while you're waiting as it takes over 30 minutes to be made. I opted to make my own personal pan deep dish pizza and had it with sausage, pepperoni, mushroom, and jalapeños. I was a bit concerned I ordered too many toppings but it was just right. The cheese is at the bottom of the dish, then the toppings, and finally topped with tomato sauce. The butter crust was crispy and tasty. I easily finished my whole pizza and was fully satiated afterwards. My one friend got a thin crust personal pan pizza with mushrooms and olives and it was just ok. Definitely not like a thin sliced NY pizza so don't bother ordering it if you love NY pizza. My other friend got the personal pan deep dish Lou pizza and she enjoyed it but couldn't finish the whole dish. Overall, service was good and the deep dish pizza was great so would definitely recommend this place when visiting Chicago!

It was packed during late lunch. I had a reservation, I highly recommend. We were greeted with a smile and the hostess confirmed my diet needs that were in my reservation notes. There two well lit dining areas. We sat on the left side and enjoyed learning about the family history through photos. Pizza! You can order a personal size. The crust was the best part. It literally went bite, chew slowly with eyes closed and repeat. Shay was our amazing server. Watching her with the other guest was a treat. Cutting pizza, serving and never sweating. Amazing to me.

Ive been to Chicago plenty of times and haven't tried deep dish. So when 18 of us were in town from all over the country we had to go to the best in Chicago! The deep dish was absolute perfection! My friend and I got our own personal pizzas paired with Modelo beer. The service was astounding. I can't wait to be bac

The deep dish pizza was super flavourful and had just the right amount of cheese. It's definitely one of the best deep dish pizzas in Chicago. Service was good and the ambience is decent.

My team came here for a nation meeting and conference and our manager took us out to Lou Malnatis pizzeria because, you have to when you're in Chicago! The service was quick and the food was delicious. Exactly what you might expect from Lou's and from a deep dish pizza. LOTS of cheese! We even purchased a few to fly back home with us to Hawaii! You are able to purchase them and have them shipped as well!

The deep dish Malnati classic was delicious but a bit overrated since the crust was crispy but I wished the crust had more of a buttery flavor. Plus, it took over an half hour after ordering to get deep-dish pizza which was quite an experience.

A must for when you visit Chicago. This came highly recommended from Chicago regulars. While there are various locations, you can probably expect an hour wait on most days, but they do let you know that you can place the order ahead as it does take about 30 minutes to bake. We ordered the original deep dish and the vegetarian, and my preference was the vegetarian. We also ordered the salad for the table, which could probably fed about 6-8 people so we left a good amount behind.

One of the best pizzas I've ever eaten. I ordered a personal deep dish on my way to the airport. I had to eat it when I arrived home, but when I say it's full of flavor... Oommgggg. Its sooo good! If I knew that it was this good, I would've eaten here sooner during my visit. The customer service was good even though my order wasn't ready on time. I definitely recommend this spot.

No military discount Salad was good Hot honey wings was good Pizza the one with spinach and mushrooms taste like air. But I'm not a fan of pizza. They took it off my check since I didn't eat it. Customer service was good. Not sure why 8 wings cost more then a pan pizza but what ever ok.

This was my first time trying chicago style deep dish pizza & I can't say Lou Malnati disappointed me at all. Our server was kind and interactive with us. The place is lively with an industrial atmosphere. Although I will say it can get quite loud and difficult to hear your table mates. The malnati salad was a delicious starter to order while you wait for your pizza to come out. The chicago classic had a nice crust & delicious sauce that left me satisfied.

I've been to Chicago multiple times, and Lou Malanti's has the best deep dish pizza. You cannot beat their buttery crust. Service was quick, and they give you the option to pre order your pizza while you wait to be seated (however the guy that took my pre-order forgot to put it in) all good though, pizza came out relatively quickly

I was told that Lou Malnati's was the way to go for excellent Chicago deep dish pizza. I was told right. I learned that they take reservations and I recommend making one-- the place is always packed. Fortunately, if you don't make one, you can pre-order your pizza when you show up (it takes 45-55 minutes for a pie to come out) so that you don't have to wait too long once you are seated. The pizza is worth the wait. I had the Chicago classic deep dish. The crust is buttery and delicious while the sausage was well seasoned. If you're feeling especially voracious, the small pizza is plenty as it technically serves two people. For dessert, I had the chocolate chip pizza and it was fantastically decadent: a large, soft, and gooey chocolate chip topped with freshly made whipped cream and ice cream. It was amazing! I can't wait to visit when I'm in Chicago again.

Arrived with a 20 minute wait! But so worth it because The Lou Deep Dish pizza is so delicious! When we went it was during lunch time so a lot of people and a lot of birthdays. So our order did take some time to come out! Definitely will return when visiting Chicago again.

We had a reservation and we still had to wait like an hour and a half. Appetizers were good and the wait. But the pizza took forever and was probably a 6.9 out of ten. So really I don't recommend it. You so cheeks get rid of your restaurant it's cheeks bro come on - review from my 9 year old

Underseasoned pizza dough, slightly undercooked. Crushed tomatoes for the tomato sauce had good flavor and texture

CHICAGO - Nice lunch @ nice value. The wife and I lunched here on a Friday, midday, as we were doing the Chicago tourism thing (side note: the Chicago Architecture Center boat tour? Thumbs up) and I was insistent on getting Chicago-style deep dish. LM's has a nice lunch deal - $15, personal prize pizza and a dude house salad. Good pizza - thick and a nice crunch to the crust, sauce tomatoey and not annoyingly sweet like some places. Good sized salad and lots of vegetables, not just lettuce and a bit of shredded carrot like a lot of places do. Only downside? *Coated* in dressing. Like, a lot. The State Street LM's near Millennium Park was clean and quick and staff - Jillian - was friendly and efficient. We'd return easily. 4.33 stars.

We knew we would not want to wait with the crowd, so we ordered ahead. The pizza was ready exactly on time and was amazing. We have tried all of the deep dish pizzas and Malnati's is one of my favorites.

Lou Malanati's Pizzeria was our second pizza stop and first deep dish stop in our Chicago trip. We wanted to secure our table and so we made a reservation ahead of time! We were given the menus and water as we got seated in our table. We looked at the menu on the way to the restaurant and so we already decided what to get! We got The Lou and it came around 20 minutes after we ordered. The minute it came, we devoured it. We got full after sharing one deep dish and wow. We are a fan of deep dish. The sauce was perfect and loved how it was so flavorful. My boyfriend and I thoroughly enjoyed it and is missing it now that we're back in Cali.

The pizza was good. The Malnati salad was better. Our server was great. Overall, probably the next pizza spot I've tried so far in Chicago.

Wife and I walked the 9 miles here from Jackson Park on a 15 degree day in the bright sunshine. So we were hungry. We were seated right away, and ready to order soon after. We each had a house salad and split a small Lou's, which is a deep dish veggie, basically. The salads, we agreed, were goodly sour, balsamic-wise, and exceedingly refreshing. The pizza was delicious and satisfying, and enough for the two of us. I didn't prefer it to the deep dish stuffed spinach back home in Seattle, at Delfino's. But this was comparable. Shay took care of us by providing fantastic service. Rock music on the sound system.

Came here on a recommendation. I ordered the personal size as several reviewers said it was more than enough for 2. Ehhh... I don't know about that. Let me say, I didn't taste the buttery crust. It kind of tasted like a sourdough ... not sweet or buttery at all. This was my second visit to Chicago and my second try at deep dish. I just don't really think it's my style. Service was good. I will say, I did find a hair in my piece of crust (baked in) but didn't make a big deal about it and I'm sure it was an isolated issue. Just something I felt should be mentioned. I'm not one of those people that freak out... I was done anyway, so when I saw it, it wasn't a biggie.

Ordered online for opening pickup on a Tuesday. It was a coworkers birthday. Lou Malnati's is our go to. We love the thin crust pizza, always a treat. The house salad makes the meal! We always ask for the salad ingredients to be pre-tossed prior to delivery and 8/10 times it's never done. That makes it difficult for an office lunch. Otherwise the food is always delicious.

Not my favorite pizza spot in town. I know a lot of people love the deep dish here so I may have to give it another try. You can tell its a favorite by how many people are always in line to eat here. But, in my opinion, the pizza has always been soggy and a little greasy. Ive tried their veg deep dish and my husband has tried one of the meat ones. Was definitely underwhelmed.

After hearing from multiple people that Lou Malnati's serves the best deep dish pizza in Chicago, we decided to try it for lunch, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype. We ordered the lunch special, which came with a small personal pizza and a salad. The salad was decent, but the pizza was a letdown. It didn't feel like a true deep dish--lacking in flavor and just not what we expected from such a highly recommended spot. We were hoping for a memorable Chicago deep-dish experience but left disappointed.