Michael's Original Pizzeria & Tavern

I love this place. It’s a classic neighborhood pizza joint that serves up authentic tavern and deep dish pizzas. The beer selection is great, too. It gets absolutely packed on Friday/Saturday nights so be prepared for a wait around dinner time, they don’t take reservations. I always take friends/family (especially those visiting from out of town) here so they can experience a real Chicago style pizza!

Everything about this place is amazing — the food, the atmosphere, and the people. The pizza is absolutely delicious, the wings are full of flavor, and the salads are always fresh and satisfying. It’s also a great spot to catch a football game, with a fun bar and a lively but comfortable vibe. What truly makes Michael’s special is how welcoming everyone is. From the moment you walk in until the time you leave, you feel taken care of. Great service, great energy, and consistently great food. Highly recommend! Definitely be back for girls night!

Nice place inside, great for a beer and pizza. Staff is exceptional. Pizza by itself tastes like a cheap frozen pizza. Sauce tastes like it came from a can for chips and dip. Cheese is toasted to where it’s a 2nd crust and smells burnt. This was takeout to eat by the lake, which I had to fight off the family from feeding it to the seagulls. Gave it a 2nd chance at home, with no avail. Will go back for a beer at least.

Micheals pizza never disappoints! Wings , fries and jalapeño poppers were absolutely delicious ! Sauce on wings perfect. Tavern style pizzas were sauced with their scrumptious sauce, one had mushroom sausage green pepper. The second was pepperoni with jalapeño peppers. Bloody mary’s so good! Service was amazing⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We will be back soon‼️

Had an awesome Sunday here- we got in really early then suddenly it seemed it was wall to wall packed, the staff was really friendly, they were working really hard and had no problem taking care of our small group. Mario was especially kind and attentive- Beer selection is good, pricing for drinks was much better than some places, and the pizza was excellent, perfect crust and sauce that was unique too- wings (try the buffalo style!) Plenty of big screens for watching the game, and the place seems to have a really great vibe.

Great local bar with great pizza. Can't beat that! Michaels has a good sports bar feel when you walk in. Big bar like set up with plenty of TVs all over to catch any game. On a nice day, which can be rare in Chicago now a days, you can sit outside and enjoy a drink. While I would have liked to explore the menu more I went straight to my go to cheese pizza. Dough is rolled out very thin and has a great crisp to it. Cheese was plentiful and covered the whole pizza. Kinda reminds me of Pats pizza. They are really similar. I will definitely be going back. 100% recommend!

had the large spaghetti and there was so much on the plate!! i didn't expect it to be as big as it was, but it tasted fairly good. no special flavors or anything. the garlic bread that came with it was fairly good also. service was fast. the stuffed jalapeños were also pretty good. visited in august 2025.

I stopped by Michael’s Original Pizzeria & Tavern and it immediately felt like a classic Chicago neighborhood staple — warm, unpretentious, and focused on good food and familiar comfort. The tavern vibe is strong, with wood-accented interiors, friendly regulars, and that welcoming feel you get when you walk in like you belong. The pizza was the highlight for me — thick, cheesy, and loaded with toppings in that satisfying Chicago-style way. It wasn’t the fanciest pizza around, but it hit every comforting note you want: gooey cheese, rich sauce, and a crust that held up well through the whole slice. Service was casual and friendly — not rushed, just the kind of staff that knows people come here to hang out and enjoy their meal. Overall, Michael’s Original feels like the kind of place you go when you want solid, comforting pizza and a relaxed tavern atmosphere without any pretension.

I was in Chicago for only a day and heard thin style the best style in Chicago! And online forums say this is the best spot! The pizza was spot on -- light and crunch and didn't feel gross after eating it like people do after Chicago deep dish. 10/10 would come back for the thin crust.... id pass on the fries though

If you want some good food at a great price and have a game to watch, this is the spot to go. There are a ton of TV's to watch from. I recommend sitting at the bar versus the tables as the service seems to be slower at the tables. But for the prices you get for food and drinks, can't complain too much. We got a 14" pizza with pepperoni and basil ($17.05 + $3.05 per topping). The pizza was delicious, although I felt it wasn't as cheesy as I'd like. I love cheese so I like my pizza to be very cheesy, especially when I grab a slice. Overall, nice crunchy crust and the basil was a perfect topping to go with our pepperoni pizza. The mozzarella sticks ($7.85) and wings ($17.45 for 12) are great appetizers to share for the table. The cheese pull from the mozzarella sticks was even better than the pizza, though both were still fantastic. We later ordered fries ($4.15) as we were feeling a little hungry later while watching a game. The service is on the slow side at the tables. We couldn't always get a refill on our waters or drinks which left us thirsty and for me to drink my friend's water. The food is served quickly as I assume they want that out. For the drinks, it can take a bit to get your drinks or order another round. Even though the service is on the slower side, Michael's is the spot to be whether you want some good pizza at a great price or to watch a game. Definitely the perfect spot for March Madness with all the TV's.

Tavern style pizza that my Chicago bestie Sarju will drive out of his way for. The move is to order the shite pizza and ask for a side of marinara (not red pizza sauce) for dipping. Excellent tater tots and I also quite liked the meatballs, even if the spaghetti and sauce in the dish seemed to be missing something. Great service and fun place to catch a game (or all the games)..

One of our buds is a big fan of Michael's Pizzeria and Tavern, located on Broadway a bit north of Irving Park. My lovely wife and I met up with him on a recent weeknight for dinner and laughs. They have outdoor seating along Broadway and Belle Plaine, but we sat indoors at "booth number one" - a table immediately next to the front entrance. This is a good spot to watch sports on a plethora of screens, check out the bustling activity of pizza takeout orders, and share food and stories with people that you like. The three of us ordered the Michael's Special Pizza, which is a discounted Wednesday online special but not noted on the printed menu, so just ask for the discount price. The tasty thin crust pizza is topped with sausage, mushroom, onion and green pepper. We also split a large Greek salad, to add a bit of nutrition to our meal. They also feature a decent lineup of beers on tap, and they are reasonably priced too.

The daily food deals are great here. Staff is always welcoming when i come here. Very much sports bar ambience. Thin slice pizza is good. Nice crunch and topping amounts is very fair. Mezcalito The drink is too sweet and masks the smokey flavor you expect from mezcal. TMT Decent drink can taste the liquor, not watered down or overly sweet and the price is very reasonable for location

Pizza was pretty good. Sauce had a sweet element & sort of onion aspect to it. This is extremely thin crust so be aware that it's nowhere near as filling as some of the other more doughy pizzas in the city. I'd return just wouldn't rank it amongst the best.

One rainy Sunday we were craving some tavern style pizza and came into Michael's.! Super fun place, especially to watch a game! Service was great as we were immediately seated and our salad and sides came out less than 10 min after we ordered which was great! We got the Cesar salad, sweet potato fries, pizza of course and a few drinks! The Cesar was great, the large is defs enough for 2-3 people! It had more than enough dressing and I loved the croutons! The sweet potato fries are some of the best I've had! Idk how to explain it but they weren't too sweet potatoey! The ranch ( and I'm from Texas so I'm a big ranch snob) was phenomenal!! The pizza was also delicious and came out hot! The 14 inch is more than enough for 3 people! Will be back!

Awesome spot for traditional Chicago style tavern pizza. Cracker thin crust, nicely sweet sauce, and all the usual toppings available. My standard test is picking up a piece by the edge and if it doesn't flop, it's good. And this pizza is GOOD - passed the flop test with flying colors. Great daily specials, including $10 pitchers of beer on Sundays which we were happy to see. The TV set up is out of this world, and it would be an amazing spot to watch March Madness, NFL Sundays, etc. Super friendly staff who were prompt and attentive.

We used Michael's website to order pizzas. We got two pizzas for delivery, A small vegetarian pizza and my partner had the Michael's special pizza. They have two options, Extra Thin & Crispy crust or Extra Thin & Crispy Well Done. Since I didn't really know what "Well Done" would be like, we opted for the regular Extra Thin & Crispy. The vegetarian pizza comes with three topping you pick. I picked green peppers, onions, and black olives. The web site said to expect 60 mins for delivery. After about 50 mins our pizzas arrived. The pizzas were still warm, which was surprising for this really cold night. The pizza is cut straight across instead of wedge slices, so the slices are rectangles sort of. My veggie pizza was great. The crust was thin and crispy, loads of sauce, not too much cheese or toppings. It was the perfect ratio of ingredients. The whole pizza was full of flavor. My partner liked his Michael's special pizza too. Overall great pizza, delivery was not bad, we will be ordering again.

really great tavern style pizza, great prices, neighborhood spot. everything was exactly what you wanted. started with cheesy garlic bread (delicious), a salad, and got one pizza per person which was perfect (maybe a bit much but had no problem finishing). service is great, this place is awesome

Ordered 2 pizzas for delivery. Got the thin crust, and the toppings were really flavorful. The sauce was a bit sweeter than I prefer, but that may be personal preference.

Gets crowded on game days. Fantastic service though. Favorite sports bar in the area. Food and drinks here are great whether dining in or take out. Love the ambiance on college football game days.

Amazing food and service! In my top 5 favorite pizza spots in Chicago. Chill atmosphere. Feels very homey.

It's no secret that I'm a fan of tavern style pizza and I'm on a mission to find my favorite in the city. I ordered for pick up the other night. I got a 12" beef and Giardinera and a 18" Mike's pizza with pepperoni. We also got an order of the buffalo wings. I tried ordering online, but their system was down so I called in. Judging by the tone of the guy that answered they must've been really busy. The place is classic Chicago pizza spot, sports memorabilia and tvs everywhere. I know tavern style is supposed to be thin and this was definitely that. I prefer mine to have a little thicker crust to give more of a bite. Nonetheless this was a solid pizza. The sauce was on the sweeter side which I didn't hate, but not sure that I loved. The wings were decent. Overall the spot was solid, but my search for my favorite tavern style continues.

huge shout out to my girl clert for introducing me to this spot, because i think this is now my all-time fav deep dish!! the sauce is unlike any deep dish i've had before - it's a lil sweet, but pairs with the buttery crust so well! ya know how you will take a bit of pizza & be like, "omg that bite just HITTTS" ? well it happened for damn near 80% of my bites! that is crazy! the thin crust slaps, too! but deep dish is where it's at. ambiance is very casual & sports-centric (lololol i am such a dork). service was nice & you really can't beat the price. i 100% want to come back when i visit next!!

Probably the best taven style I've had. The crust is paper thin, but holds up. Nice sweet sauce and a large helping of toppings. It's a touch expensive for the amount of food. I pounded an entire 14 inch and could have had more. I would for sure come in person here versus delivery. It's an old-school Chicago feel to it. Come for lunch and a game, it's a great way to spend an afternoon.

This is a neighborhood spot in Uptown that we went to for some pizza and beer on a Sunday. It was nearly full and I can see why, great pizza and beer specials. We ordered a large thin pepperoni extra well done and there are Sunday specials! A pitcher of beer was $10. It was warm and festive with flags hanging on the walls. There are so many TVs - every seat is a good seat. I would definitely come back for some tavern food with a group.

Great place! Lots of TVs, quick and efficient service, & good food. The pizza was slightly greasy and the sauce is definitely sweeter than most places

My partner and I decided to stop in because this place was recommended to us. We got the caesar salad and a tavern style pizza with pepperoni and basil. The caesar salad was not good. It tasted like they used mayonnaise for dressing, we didn't finish it, it was that bad. They initially brought out the wrong pizza, and we had to tell them what we ordered initially. Once our correct order came, it looks decent but to be honest, we only finished it because we were starving. Sadly, the reviews are deceiving. There's much better tavern style elsewhere. The service was great and overall they were very friendly and helpful. But the food quality cannot be overlooked.

I'm from Chicago but have been living in Atlanta, for a long time. I always tell me daughter how good the pizza is in Chicago. I'm not a deep dish girl, i like thin crust with quality ingredients. We were home for a visit and wanted to go somewhere we could sit down. I wanted to try Pequods, but we couldn't get in. Michael's came up close to us and was rated pretty good. Michael's is a neighborhood restaurant, not even a mile from Wrigley Field. Like almost everywhere in the city, you're parking on the street with paid parking. Luckily, I was able to find a spot pretty close. When we arrived on a Saturday early evening, it was pretty packed, but we only had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. We ordered Buffalo wings, onion rings and small pizza. It was more than enough food for 2, but we like to eat. Everything came out hot and tasted great! The quantity and quality were on point as well. We received pretty good service, with the manager even asking a few times if we were good. I can see why people give Michael's a good rating! It was a very solid restaurant!

Delicious pizza and French fries and a very kind delivery man. Pleasant experience and can't wait to order again.

Classic tavern style pizza. Thin and crispy just like it said on the menu. Yum!! My father had spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs were delicious too! Recommended for sure!

Great tavern style pizza. The Michael's Special was awesome! Even though we were the first guests when they opened it did take a little longer than we expected to get our food (30 min). The Italian Beef was tasty but wasn't dipped at all. It would have been much better coated in Au Jus.

Sorry for the blurry pic, but the food was amazing! The pizza was thin and crispy and the service was amazing

Best buffalo wings you can get in Chicago. Really crispy. Quick and great service too

Nice cozy place. Friendly service. Pizza was great. Giardiniera & sausage. Decent beer selection.

Our favorite neighborhood pizza and bar! Such great staff and an awesome place to catch a game. Recommend the pizza and we came back from Michigan after living near here to have it again after 5 years away!

At Michael's right now. Still my favorite thin crust. Gonna try the poppers today. Unbelievable how many TVs they have. I can watch all the sports I want. Very cool.

The best burger I've had in a hottt minute. The primo burger was out of this world. The wings and apps are good too. I will definitely bring my family + nieces and nephews when they visit. Good spot for families to grab some good bar food. Hope to come back to watch more games here.

I had a craving for thin crust pizza today. I met my sister & her friend by Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge & drove to Michael's Original Pizzeria to try their white thin crust pizza. We ordered a large white crust w/3 cheeses & added mushrooms, sausage & garlic. The crust was a very good thin crust pizza wo/any marinara sauce. We ordered a side bowl w/marinara which I felt added to the flavor. The crust was good but I didn't see any garlic on the pizza. When I order garlic on a pizza from Lou's there is absolutely no way you're going to miss the garlic. We also ordered the Primo Burger that is a double cheeseburger w/grilled onions, bacon, jalapeños & pickles. Dam good burger. Michael's Original Pizzeria Tavern is a sports bar w/tons of different TV's w/different sporting events & a nice selection of beer, wines & spirits. Nice relaxing environment w/good food, beers & sports

My favorite tavern pizza in the city. It's affordable and a place for everyone. If you are new or visiting Chicago, Michaels is an absolute must. Lots of other items on the menu but I can't get away from their tavern pizza.

the experience I had today was unbelievable I've ordered from Micheal's for years , the food arrived cold. Fries were as if they sat for literally the hour wait I was told . I called them to just let them know the food was cold and Mario was disgustingly rude with a tone in his voice that was unbelievable which he thought was okay to proceed to speak to me and my husband like that . the fact that he said if you want piping hot food come pick it up which we don't even live far from the pizzeria speaks volume on his behavior ! They don't even deserve the one star just a heads up .

Michael's is legendary in the chicago pizza game. They specialize in Tavern style thin crust and honestly do a fantastic job! I've tried their deep dish too but feel like it's a little weak in the deep dish game locally. I'd stick to tavern style! Couple standouts: White pizza: off the charts! Pair it with pizza sauce and honestly one of the best thin crusts I've had in a long time Da Cheezy Beef: Perfection in a sandwich if I may say so. Cheese, Italian beef, hot peppers and for 50c more you can pick garlic bread. (They give an inhuman amount of tots/fries) Daily specials are off the charts!! Highly recommend checking them out. Has like 40+ tvs so a solid spot for games. The patio area is very spacious and dog friendly so overall Michael really hits all the marks when it comes to a friendly yet tasty neighborhood pizzeria.

Michael's pizza is my favorite pizza in the city! The pizza sauce is to die for. The prices are great and they have half priced wine on Wednesdays. The staff is fantastic and so attentive and friendly. This place is a favorite. Also a great spot to watch sports.

This place is charming in its own way. I imagine this is perfect for Guys Night Out. Big TV screens everyone, my bf was in heaven! Perfect sports bar with basketball, billiards, tennis, football, baseball and many other sports playing at the same time. We came during the day so it was quiet but I assume that during the night it gets pretty lively. Also, some of my friends said that during the football season it gets crazy crowded We got two pizzas - one with veggies and Michael's special. The size did not disappoint. They had pretty good taste, the Michael's one had a nice smoky sauce and the veggie pizza was delicious and crunchy. Overall, we are happy with our choice and we will go back again if we are in the area. I wish we had the Day's special as it seems like a better deal but still not a pricy place. Prices seemed fair and the portions were good and filling! Be aware that it takes them 30-40 min to make the pizza so if you are taking it out order well in advance or be prepared to wait a little longer...

Michael's is one of my favorite local spots! The inside is a huge sports bar, tons of tv screens everywhere. There's plenty of seating so it's a good space to go with larger groups, plus there's something on the menu for everyone and it's inexpensive. The servers are always friendly and move fast. The food comes out SO fast! The jalapeño poppers were a good appetizer for a sports bar. They don't have a veggie burger sadly so I usually stick to pizza. But I hear their regular burgers are great.

This is my first time giving one star to pizza place in Chicago, but I could not only eat two slices of the entire pizza. The cooks put TOO much salt on my deep dish pizza and I had to threw it away. The cheese and crust was too salty. You would have thought this was a prank or something because it was so salty. I thought about asking for a refund, but I do not stay close to Michael's Pizza. A deep dish with two toppings cost about $26 plus you get a free one liter pop.

Loved the pizza, next time I'll take it with less pepper, because I ate it all and it was too heavy, at the end. Excellent

The pizza was absolutely delicious. The service however absolutely sucked. Came in on Thursday June 27th it was busy so I get that but we literally had to flag down our waiter for everything from ordering a drink to ordering our pizza and anything afterward. Never once did he check on us. I probably will not return.

Daughter and I had a quick day trip to the Wrigleyville area and ordered a thin crust pie with sausage to snack on while driving back to Indiana.... Fantastic! Dave Portnoy's APP One Bite rated it 7.6 - and we agree! Great undercarriage!!! Sauce and cheese were on-point and you can't beat Michael's sausage! Can't wait to take the whole family to Michael's on our next trip to Chicago!!!!!

Not sure what happened to this place. Used to be my go to, pizza is a shell of what it used to be. Thin as hell, slim on ingredients, should have just renamed the restaurant because it's def not like it used to be.

Very good tavern style pizza. Came here due to the reviews and of course Dave. Would definitely recommend.

Best place for thin crust pizza! Lots of TVs for sporting events and great service even when it's super busy.

We love the wings and pizza. Friendly service. And a good spot to meet with friends a see a game

Great pizza! Mario provided great customer service! We usually go for lunch. This place doesn't disappoint

We were in town for a few days. Wanted to do all the "Chicago" things. Researched several places for pizza. This one caught our eye so we went there. It was awesome. Lots of family works there. Staff was very friendly. Would go back in a heart beat!

I stopped in to this place for my first night out in Chicago and it did not disappoint. I know everyone always goes for the deep dish in Chicago, however I was very interested in Michael's tavern style pizza. It was just the right amount of crispy, with a sauce that was full of flavor and not overly seasoned with sugar or pepper. We went back when we had friends over and tried the deep dish. It wasn't so great that I would seek out this place for a deep dish. BUT what was exceptionally good this visit were the wings! They were big, juicy, and crispy on the outside and tossed in a delicious Buffalo sauce. Both nights we sat in the patio with pitchers of beer enjoying the city and the summertime weather here in Chicago. The inside of the tavern is quite dark and feels cramped (because they're so busy). We enjoyed our time and our server Jesus was friendly and fun. We will be making this a staple go-to as our local neighborhood pizza spot. Pro-tip: check out their week night specials and plan a night out during the week!

They serve terrible, frozen zucchini and other frozen appetizers. Why not serve fresh? It's cheaper. Even their marinara is greasy. Awful.

I like to give the benefit of doubt. The reviews of this place help to drive business. Which is great. However, our experience tend to be not as wonderful. As we waited for our friend, we decided to come here for pizza. I ordered the 12" pizza with fresh basil, green peppers and mushrooms. Joseph ordered his with pepperoni. After we ordered, we waited for more than 30 minutes for our pizza. Already I felt uncomfortable with the wait. I noticed other customers received their orders earlier even though they came after us. So finally, we got our pizzas. The pizza tasted more like crackers with cheese and sauce. I felt a bit disappointed with our pizzas. At least the wait staff came around and asked if we needed anything. They deserve a star just for that. The kitchen staff seemed very busy which explains why we received our orders late. When we requested for boxes, our server gave us the boxes and helped Joseph put together his. But did not even help me put together mine. Over all, the ambiance felt great. The area seemed great. But the long wait of our pizzas takes away from the experience.