Molten Monkey - Best New Restaurant - 2025 - Madison Magazine

Wow! This pizza is the best I’ve had in some time and I eat A LOT of pizza. I mistakenly ordered the pizzas for the wrong day and when I checked to see if it was ready for pickup noted my error. One quick call and the wonderful Otto straightened it out and the pizza was ready in 30. The flavor! The texture! I loved that bit of resistance when my teeth hit the cheese baked into the sides of the crust and broke through to the light and tangy dough. The pizzas held the generous portions of topping well and were baked to perfection. We sliced them at home (good advice). I highly recommend Molten Monkey. The pizza is amazing, the price just right, and the service tops! Whether you take out or dine in, you can’t go wrong. Will be ordering again soon.

Molten Monkey Pizza was hands down the best pizza I’ve had in a long time. Every single bite was unreal the flavor combinations, the perfectly cooked crust, the sauces… OMG. Truly mouth-watering. You can tell so much thought and care goes into every detail. Start with monkey stik, and whatever pizza sounds good just do it because you will come back! On top of that, the aesthetic is on point and the hospitality takes it to another level. The owner, Otto, is incredibly welcoming and passionate, which makes the experience even better. You don’t just feel like a customer you feel taken care of. If you’re in Madison and you love pizza, this place is a must. Do yourself a favor and go. I’m already thinking about my next visit.

We were welcomed right away & sat at a cozy table for 2 near the window. The pizza choices were outstanding along with the beer/wine selection. The Big Chungus was topped with over-the-top fennel sausage, bacon, ham & pepperoni. We will definitely drive across town to have their scrumptious pies again!

Got my order to go, so I didn't rate service or atmosphere. The cheese sticks and pizza were phenomenal. Crispy on the outside with nice chew on the crust. Great Detroit style pizza.

We enjoyed piggly Figgly pizza was amazing flavor! Was dark and romantic in the restaurant. 6 bar stools and that’s where customers sit and eat! Don’t think you’re going to sit at the bar before you get a table! Host was very helpful and polite!

Husband has been wanting try, hearing great things. We ordered online which was super easy. Order was ready on time and still hot with a 20 min drive. Medium pizza yielded 4 pieces; a little pricy imo. Pizza was good but I wasn’t blown away. Though, if you like Detroit style pizza and supper crispy edges you will definitely like this. The bread was thick, chewy and crispy. They have several specialty pizzas but I liked the pepperoni one the best and would probably stick to standard toppings if ordering again. We also tried the tik tik boom and avo maria. Service was also very friendly. Definitely worth a try if you enjoy pizza and/or Detroit style.

The pizza was awesome! So much flavor and the crust was delicious. Definitely worth stopping by. The meatballs was also delicious. I would prefer more dipping sauce for the meatballs, but the texture was prefect! I can't wait to go back!!!

The pizza is great - the piggly figgly is absolutely delicious. But WOW have the prices gone up. Since Jan 2025 the medium was $18.50, by October 2025 it was up to $22.50, and now January 2026 a medium is $25.50. We understand prices have gone up in this current economy, and we’d love to eat there again, but with the steep increase of over 35% in a year we will have to decrease the frequency of how often we are able to go. Again, the food is great and we do recommend it to others, but it’s not definitely not cheap. EDIT: Updating from 4 to 5 stars. Truly appreciate the thoughtful reply and appreciate that you pay your staff a livable wage. Please continue to make delicious pizza. We will continue to recommend and enjoy!

Best pizza in town. I moved to Madison 3 years ago and have been in the hunt of all the best foods in town. Well, I found my pizza!! Fresh, whole, simple ingredients done to perfection. The dough was soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, and the toppings were all fresh and potent. I had the Heatonism Bot, and I was very excited when I got home and realized how good it was. It was even better in the morning cold for breakfast!!! The service was wonderful as well. Otto, one of the staff, helped me out when I told him about my order that I had messed up placing online when they were closed. The atmosphere inside is really charming too, I love the lighting and their use of color. Molten Monkey is my new go to favorite pizza joint in town.

Best deep dish pizza in town! The hedonism bot pizza is really good and our favorite at molten monkey. You can make your own pizza if you want. The price is really good too considering you will get leftovers if you buy two pizzas and sharing it between two people. They are consistent as well. Before they hand the pizza off the person that gives it to you checks first to make sure they put the appropriate drizzle on top so you're not gonna get a pizza that's supposed to have a hot honey drizzle without the drizzle. My only thing is that the space is small so you're seated a little close to the other people in the restaurant so I just get it to go.

I didn't get any pics because we inhaled the zza! Haha. This pizza is seriously good. For two people we got the Chungus with honey drizzle and WOW- 10/10 recommend. The perfect sized zza for 2 and the honey drizzle seriously puts the crust on another level. Also got a Caesar salad that was a nice add. Can't wait to take my parents here when they visit! YUMMMMM

My new favorite pizza in Madison? My party of 2 headed to Molten Monkey right around 8pm on a Friday and there were a couple tables outside as well as one inside. We took the opportunity for outside dining to enjoy the Johnson St vibes. We ordered monkey styx (cheesy bread) along with the What Up Dough pepperoni pizza. The monkey styx came with a buffalo-esque sauce and we got hot honey to pour on the pizza. Insert drooling emoji. The tap list was quality and I also got a hazy IPA. The service was excellent and the food was high quality. I will be back!

We are big fans of Detroit style pizza so we were looking forward to trying out this new place when we saw the press on it. We were in the neighborhood on a Thursday night and took a chance that we could get a table in this very small restaurant. At 7:30 there were two tables available so we snagged one. Actually all but one table and everyone at the bar were gone within 15 minutes. So arriving later helped. We really loved the decor of the room - green subway tile and really cool light fixtures. It appeared the bartender was running the joint since he sat us, took our order, etc. I started with a beer and we got a small caesar salad to share - it was decent. We then ordered their medium Big Chungus pizza with pepperoni, sausage, ham and bacon. It was very good. The crust was perfectly done in the Detroit style. The toppings were solid. Prices were not out of line for what we got. We will return for our fix.

Can't speak on the ambiance or service really as we did carry out but WOW the food was amazing!!! The crust is so crispy and delicious and the toppings work soooo well together yum yum! It gets crazy busy so I recommend you carrying out and having a great night in with one of the best pizza places in Madison!

We stopped in for a quick bite to eat on a rainy Friday evening. We were lucky to get immediate seating at the bar, which was cozy and comfortable to sit at. Seating is limited. I wouldn't recommend dining in if you have more than four people in your party. The pizza itself was delicious. We had the chicken ranch pizza (has another, more catchy name), and monkey bites. The sauce with the monkey bites (monkey sauce) was unusual, but delicious! I would recommend everything we got. The bar serves wine and beer, so don't expect a cocktail menu. Servers were attentive and helpful, but not overbearing. We appreciated their insight on the menu and the information they shared on restaurant as a whole. We'll definitely be back!

Tried dine in for the first time but we typically do take out, wonderful experience! Seating is limited because the dining area is small, but there is bar seating too. Very cool decor and vibe, and service was great. Tried the big chungus and ordered our favorite starter - the monkey sticks. The monkey sauce is amazing. It's so hard to pick what pizza to order, they all sound unique and delicious!

WOWOWOW! I definitely thought I was going to be let down. I had read a few things saying it was expensive for what you get BUT I will say it's SO WORTH THE PRICE. We started with a Caesar salad and monkey bread. Didn't even get a picture of the salad as we just demolished it. The monkey bread was INCREDIBLE. The sauce that accompanied the bread was the perfect amount of spice and really added a flavor punch. For our main course we shared the Piggly Figgly and Avo Maria. The crust is just incredible. True Detroit style pizza. My favorite was the Piggly Figgly. All the staff said it's definitely the prettiest pizza they have. The Avo Maria was also presented beautifully though. Again, for the price you are getting your moneys worth in my opinion. Not a very big seating area inside so we happened to arrive at a good time. There were tons of carryout orders while we were there! We ended up eating at the bar which worked out well. Pretty dark inside but didn't mind it at all. Can't wait to come back and try Big Chungus!!!

Pizza lovers, this one's for you! Trying @moltenmonkeypizza has been on my foodie bucket list for a minute, and when @racheldeserspring said she was down, we made it a date! Word on the street is Molten Monkey gets BUSY, so we rolled up right when they opened on a Friday evening (pro tip: this is key ). I went for the WHAT UP DOUGH -- a double cup & char pepperoni masterpiece with Ezzo Sausage Company pepperoni and a sprinkle of dried oregano. Made fresh to order, the crust had that perfect crisp, and the cheese pull did not disappoint. Don't be fooled by the slice size... these babies are THICK and mighty. I could only finish half of mine, and that's saying a lot. I'll be back -- worth the hype, the price, and the little wait.

I'm so glad my friend showed me her favorite pizza place. I had the Umami Bomby (added sausage) and it was amazing!! My friend built her own vegan pizza and said it was fantastic.

I took out a pizza on a Friday evening. I had a bit of trouble with the online ordering system. They dont accept order through phone. But after many tries I was able to order. Pizza was ready in about 40 minutes and was kept warm. Tik tik boom pizza was flavorful. The tikka sauce was very nice.

The pizza here is absolutely amazing. It is a super tiny spot, only about three tables for guests, and they don't take reservations but it is SO worth it. They do take out so you can always take it home. The heatonsism bot pizza and the umami Bombay are my favorites but I'm pretty sure every pizza would be delicious.

My review is going to be based on take-out only. I ordered take-out online on a Saturday night. If you are looking to pick up order a head. They were booked out for a few hours, but once I got my food I understood why. I ordered two pizzas; Umami Bomby and Tik Tik Boom; both were fantastic. I love the creative spin to their menu with more options than just your typical pizza place flavors. The Umami Bomby was savory and rich with an amazing tomato sauce as the base. The Tik Tik Boom was creative and my favorite. I love a saucy pie! I ordered my pizza's cut but you can have them whole if you have a longer commute to your eating location. Take-out went great and the food was fantastic. My partner and I are excited to try dine-in soon and try some more options on their menu.

My friends and I stopped here for the first time today around dinner. Our waiter was new but very friendly and recommended a few options for us to try. We ended up going with the classic pepperoni or as they like to call it, the "what up dough". I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did but it was some of the best pizza I've ever had! The crust was the perfect balance between soft and crispy and overall it was flavorful and fun. Looking forward to going back next time I'm in Madison!

It's always exciting to try a new restaurant. I went in a group of 5 on a Thursday night. We arrived around 7:00PM. There was only one table that could accommodate a group of 5, so they asked us to return at 9:00PM. We ordered wine, cider, 4 different pizzas, and a Caesar salad. The beverages were very good. The Caesar salad was quite underwhelming. I was not a fan of the croutons at all. It also arrived at the same time as our pizza. The pizza was very tasty! The crust was the star of the show. I was a big fan of their signature green sauce as well. I do hope they update their specialty pizza options over time. I will probably choose to build my own next time. Overall, delicious pizza, friendly staff, and a small but cute environment. I would certainly return. I can say this place has set my standard high for Detroit style pizza.

We ordered take out from this new Detroit-style pizza joint last Sunday and it was even better than I anticipated!! The crust was crunchy and delicious. Plenty of cheese, sauce, and toppings. We got our pizza uncut, per their website's suggestion, and it kept the toppings on the pizza instead of in the box! I called to make this change and the woman who answered was very lovely and helpful! I'm excited to go back to eat inside their restaurant as the dark vibes were very cozy. Definitely recommend this place!!

The service was great and the pizza with hot honey was fantastic. I highly recommend stopping in.

Ordered to go and my order was ready for pick up at the promised time. The host person checked each of my pizzas to make sure it was right. I ordered a build your own with pepperoni and the chicken bacon ranch. The chicken was super flavorful and perfectly cooked. I wish there was a bit more bacon. Crust was perfectly crispy on both pizzas!

Good/great Detroit style pizza. Nice vibes. Service was good. Pizza was very good. Overall will return when I can and recommend this place to others in the area.

This is one of those little hole in the wall treasures! Small amount of seating with delicious food served. The pizza is Detroit style. So filling and yummy for the tummy! Will definitely go back

Small place but pretty hip. Very good pizza. Friendly staff. Got pizza to go because it was busy but well worth the wait.

WOW!! This may be the best pizza in the state! The menu is inventive, the ingredients are excellent but nobody can touch this crust. I've never had better, including the best Chicago pies. The Monkey is small and will continue to be insanely busy, but it's worth it to plan ahead and order one of everything- it is the very best.

Pizza crust was delicious and topping options were fun and unique. We ordered takeout so can't comment on the ambience.

Excellent dough and exterior crunch. The Umami Bombay was packed with flavor and our favorite. The tik tik boom was good but was missing some kind of punch... maybe pickled onions after it's cooked to be more fresh and crunchy.

Holy sh*t this place is amazing!! Best Detroit pizza I have ever had!! I've lived all over and if you are in town you MUST try this place!! Staff is also amazing!

My review of this place started out as "Amazing" (after having their Monkey Stix starter) and then changed to "Holy s#*@!" (once I had the pizza). There's nothing more to say beyond "just go here. You'll love it."

Awesome Detroit style pan pizza! A medium is plenty for 2-3 people! They have the standard flavors plus unique ones and build your own! Don't forget the meatballs or the monkey sticks for an appetizer!

I am from Detroit and an absolute snob about Detroit style Pizza. This is the real deal! Top notch pizza in every way. Larges are divided into smaller pizzas for maximum crunchy corner goodness!

Great pizza here! I was impressed by the unique specialty options and really enjoyed the two we got. Was glad to see there's meat alternatives for vegetarians or those who don't eat pork. That said, I'm sure even a cheese pizza would be great here since their basics are so solid: light and airy crust, crisp bottom and that Detroit style caramelized cheese edge. This is rich and satisfying pizza that doesn't come off as feeling overly heavy. As others said seating is limited but the interior is very cozy and worth experiencing if you can swing it.

Probably the best Detroit style pizza I've had. The crust was fantastic. I ordered it to go and brought it back to Milwaukee. It was still outstanding. Looking forward to trying it fresh in the restaurant

Amazing pizza. Perfect crust. The pizza really is phenomenal -- I'm usually a fan of thin crust, but this Detroit style pizza and the great service won me over!

Stopped in yesterday evening. This Detroit style pizza is, simply, the very best I've ever had! The General Manager is so gracious and wonderful. The aesthetic of the interior of the restaurant is also quite charming. 10/10 HIGHLY recommend!

The pizza is so amazing. We ordered the Big Chungus that is an all meat pizza. The flavor of the sausage and sauce were exceptional. Service was top notch and we even got to know the owner Otto. Over all we cannot wait to return.

Got takeout! Super fast service and the pizzas were incredible! The crust of the pizzas were perfectly cheese crusted. There was a perfect amount of sauce and the toppings were delicious. I'm usually suspicious of chicken on pizza but the Tik Tik Boom was so juicy! I was so excited to eat the pizza I didn't get the photos right away

It was the perfect Detroit style. Can't wait to try it in house but even pick up is still crispy hot after some travel.

We had the nicest evening! The vibes are super cozy and the color scheme is lovely. The pizza is even better - we tried four pizzas: the Umami Bomby, What Up Dough, Heatonism Bot, and the Piggly Figgly. We also got the avo Maria salad. The favorite was the Heatonism (except I liked the What Up Dough the most). The dressing on the Avo Maria was outstanding!! Overall everything was great!!

I know the prices look a little steep, but the quality WAY outweighs the quantity. The breadsticks and sauce are amazing!! All of their pizzas are perfection!