10 Chicago Pizza Spots So Good, Scoring A Reservation Feels Like Winning
Chicago’s pizza scene is legendary, with devoted fans willing to wait weeks for a taste of their favorite pies.
I’ve spent years hunting down the most sought-after tables in the Windy City, often refreshing reservation apps at midnight just to snag a coveted spot.
From deep dish temples to thin crust havens, these pizza joints don’t just serve food – they create experiences worth planning your entire Chicago trip around.
1. Lou Malnati’s: The Deep Dish Dynasty
My first bite of Lou Malnati’s butter crust nearly brought tears to my eyes. This pizza institution has been serving Chicago’s definitive deep dish since 1971, and their secret family recipe remains unmatched.
The wait for a table often stretches beyond two hours on weekends, with locals and tourists alike braving Chicago’s notorious weather just for a chance to sink their teeth into that caramelized crust. I once spotted a couple who’d flown in from Japan specifically to try this legendary pie!
Pro tip: Call ahead for their pizza-to-go service and skip the line – though nothing beats the experience of watching that first slice being pulled from the pan, cheese stretching endlessly toward the ceiling.
2. Pizzeria Portofino: Riverfront Pizza Paradise
Snagging a summer reservation at Pizzeria Portofino feels like winning the lottery. Perched along the Chicago River with breathtaking views, this sunny spot serves up crispy, thin-crust pies inspired by the Italian Riviera.
Last July, I waited six weeks for a riverfront table, refreshing their reservation page daily until a cancellation popped up. The coal-fired pizzas arrive with perfectly blistered crusts and bright, seasonal toppings that transport you straight to coastal Italy.
Summer tables book up months in advance, but winter visits offer a magical snow-globe atmosphere with heat lamps keeping things cozy. Their spicy diavola pizza paired with an Aperol spritz might be the closest thing to Mediterranean bliss you’ll find in the Midwest.
3. Giordano’s: Stuffed Pizza Sensation
“You’ll need at least 45 minutes,” warned our server at Giordano’s when we ordered their famous stuffed pizza. Unlike traditional deep dish, these monsters pack a second layer of dough above the toppings, creating a pizza pie that weighs as much as a newborn baby.
Crowds form outside their flagship location hours before opening. My Chicago-born friend insists we make pilgrimages here whenever I visit, claiming the cheese pull from a Giordano’s slice is “better than therapy.”
Founded by Italian immigrants in 1974, Giordano’s has become a Chicago institution where reservations during tourist season are harder to get than tickets to a Cubs playoff game. Their Special stuffed pizza, loaded with sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, and onions, is worth every minute of the wait.
4. Robert’s Pizza And Dough Company: Artisanal Dough Wizardry
Hidden along the Streeterville neighborhood’s quiet edge, Robert’s Pizza and Dough Company feels like stumbling upon a secret society dedicated to fermentation perfection. Owner Robert Garvey spent years developing his signature dough – a crispy-yet-chewy canvas that’s earned a cult following among pizza purists.
Weekend reservations typically vanish two weeks in advance. My favorite memory here involves convincing the bartender to squeeze us in at the counter when every table was booked solid for a month.
Their fennel and sausage pizza, crowned with caramelized onions and a hint of orange zest, showcases why Robert’s has become the pizza insider’s pick. The open kitchen lets you watch the dough masters stretch and top each pie with surgical precision – dinner and a show in the most delicious way possible.
5. Forno Rosso: Neapolitan Pizza Perfection
The 900-degree wood-fired oven at Forno Rosso creates pizza magic in just 90 seconds. This West Loop gem earned official certification from the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana – basically the pizza equivalent of a Michelin star.
Owner Nick Nitti imports his flour directly from Naples and maintains a sourdough starter that’s older than most of his customers. The restaurant only seats 38 people, making Friday and Saturday tables nearly impossible to secure without planning weeks ahead.
During my last visit, I watched an elderly Italian couple close their eyes in reverent silence after tasting the Margherita DOC. “Just like home,” the woman whispered to her husband. That authenticity explains why pizza enthusiasts treat securing a prime-time weekend reservation here like scoring front-row concert tickets.
6. Pizano’s Pizza And Pasta: The Insider’s Choice
Chicago pizza royalty runs through Rudy Malnati Jr.’s veins. While his brother operates Lou Malnati’s, Rudy created Pizano’s with a crust recipe that some whisper came from their mother’s original formula. The thin crust here achieves the impossible – crispy enough to hold its shape but tender enough to make you forget deep dish even exists.
Celebrities and politicians frequently occupy the wood-paneled booths. I once waited three hours on a snowy Tuesday just to try their famous thin crust with sausage after Oprah called it her favorite pizza in Chicago.
The State Street location stays packed with locals avoiding tourist crowds at bigger-name spots. Smart Chicagoans book weeks ahead or befriend the bartenders who occasionally find space for regulars. Their butter crust deep dish deserves its legendary status, but the thin crust is the true hidden gem.
7. Zazas Pizzeria & Taverna: Tavern-Style Revolution
Square-cut tavern-style pizza might be Chicago’s best-kept secret, and Zazas serves the ultimate version of this local favorite. Their impossibly thin, cracker-crisp crust shatters with each bite, while toppings extend right to the edge – no wasted real estate here!
Owner Brett Nemec worked at some of Chicago’s most prestigious restaurants before opening this Lakeview hotspot, bringing fine-dining precision to neighborhood pizza. The intimate space has just 24 seats, making weekend reservations about as rare as Cubs World Series wins used to be.
My Chicago-born friends swear this tavern-style pie represents the city’s true pizza heritage better than deep dish ever could. Their specialty Detroit-style pan pizza (available only on Wednesdays) creates such demand that the online reservation system frequently crashes when new slots open up each month.
8. Sharpies Pizza + Cocktails: Hipster Haven For Pizza Connoisseurs
Neon lights and vinyl records set the mood at Sharpies, where pizza meets nightlife in Chicago’s trendy West Town neighborhood. Reservations here have become status symbols among the city’s food influencers, with weekend tables booked solid within minutes of becoming available.
Chef Billy Federighi combines sourdough expertise with unexpected flavor combinations that shouldn’t work but absolutely do. The “Honey Badger” – topped with sopressata, hot honey, and pickled jalapeños – creates a sweet-spicy-salty trifecta that haunts my dreams.
Their handcrafted cocktail program elevates the entire experience beyond typical pizza joint territory. I scored my first reservation by setting a calendar alert for exactly 30 days before my anniversary, then refreshing their website repeatedly at midnight when new dates opened up. The effort was worth it – their Detroit-style pies with caramelized cheese edges might be the best thing I ate all year.
9. PIZZ’AMICI: Sourdough Sensation
PIZZ’AMICI might be Chicago’s most exclusive pizza experience – just eight tables in a converted Bucktown brownstone where Chef Tony Quartaro crafts sourdough pies with fanatical attention to detail. His 72-hour fermented dough creates bubbles and char patterns as unique as fingerprints.
Reservations open on the first of each month for the following month and typically disappear within hours. My neighbor set three alarm clocks to secure a Saturday table for her anniversary, treating the reservation like winning concert tickets.
The seasonal mushroom pizza, topped with foraged fungi and house-made ricotta, showcases why this tiny spot has developed an almost cult-like following. Each visit feels like being invited to a secret dinner party where pizza happens to be the star. Their no-substitutions policy might seem strict, but one bite explains why you should trust the chef’s vision.
10. Gallucci: Grandma-Style Pizza Worth The Wait
Grandma-style pizza rarely gets the spotlight in Chicago, but Gallucci’s rectangular beauties have created a reservation frenzy unlike anything I’ve seen. Chef Joe Gallucci’s focaccia-like crust – thick yet airy with crispy, olive-oil soaked bottoms – supports simple, high-quality toppings that let premium ingredients shine.
Located in an unassuming Wicker Park storefront, this 30-seat gem releases reservations at midnight on the 15th of each month. My phone’s calendar has a recurring reminder labeled “Gallucci Pizza Battle” to ensure I never miss the opportunity.
Their signature pie combines house-made fennel sausage with hot honey and pickled peppers – a combination so perfect I’ve attempted (and failed) to recreate it at home countless times. The BYOB policy creates a dinner party atmosphere where strangers often end up sharing drink and pizza recommendations across tables.