10 Michigan Pizza Spots Where Getting A Reservation Is The Real Challenge
Michigan might be famous for cars and Great Lakes beaches, but the pizza scene here is absolutely fire.
I learned this the hard way when I tried calling five different spots on a Friday night only to hear the same answer: fully booked.
These aren’t your average chain restaurants—they’re legendary pizzerias where locals guard their reservation slots like golden tickets, and tourists quickly discover that getting a table requires serious planning, patience, and maybe a little luck.
1. Fricano’s Pizza Tavern – Grand Haven
Ever tried booking a table here on a summer weekend? Good luck with that. Fricano’s has been slinging pies since 1949, and their paper-thin crust topped with caramelized cheese edges has created a cult following that borders on obsession.
The secret to their popularity isn’t just the pizza—it’s the vibe. Walking into this place feels like stepping into your grandparents’ favorite hangout, complete with wooden booths and zero pretension. They don’t take reservations for small parties, which means you’ll join the hopeful crowd gathered outside.
My advice? Show up early, put your name down, and explore Grand Haven while you wait. The pizza is absolutely worth the patience, especially when that first bite hits and you understand why people plan entire vacations around eating here.
2. Michigan & Trumbull Pizza – Detroit
Named after the old Tigers Stadium location, this spot serves up Detroit-style square pies that’ll make you question every other pizza you’ve ever eaten. The crispy, cheesy edges alone have spawned Instagram accounts dedicated to documenting their golden perfection.
Snagging a reservation here requires strategy and speed. They book up days in advance, especially for weekend dinner slots. I once refreshed their booking page for twenty minutes straight just to score a Thursday evening table—totally worth the finger workout.
What makes this place reservation-worthy? Beyond the legendary pizza, the atmosphere celebrates Detroit sports history with memorabilia covering every wall. Families, couples, and groups of friends pack this place nightly, all chasing that perfect bite where crust meets caramelized cheese meets tangy sauce.
3. Supino Pizzeria – Detroit
Tucked in Detroit’s Eastern Market, Supino serves Neapolitan-style pizza that’s caused more than a few people to miss their afternoon meetings. The wood-fired oven cranks out pies with perfectly charred crusts and toppings so fresh you’ll swear they were picked that morning.
Reservations here disappear faster than free samples at Costco. The dining room is cozy—translation: small—which means limited seating and high demand. I’ve watched people literally run from the parking lot to grab walk-in spots.
Pro tip: if you can’t score a reservation, try visiting during off-peak hours on weekdays. The lunch crowd thins out around 1:30 PM. Their white pizza with garlic and ricotta is the stuff of dreams, and the crust has that perfect chew that keeps you reaching for another slice even when you’re completely stuffed.
4. Buddy’s Pizza – Detroit
Buddy’s practically invented Detroit-style pizza back in 1946, and they’ve been packing tables ever since. Their signature square pies feature Wisconsin brick cheese spread to the edges, creating those irresistible caramelized corners that crunch when you bite into them.
Getting a weekend reservation at the original location feels like winning a small lottery. I called three weeks ahead for a Saturday dinner and still ended up with a 5:15 PM slot—basically senior citizen dinner time, but whatever works.
Multiple locations exist now, but they all maintain that same commitment to quality that made Buddy’s legendary. The sauce goes on top of the cheese, which sounds weird but creates this perfect flavor balance. Families celebrate birthdays here, couples have first dates, and out-of-town visitors make pilgrimages specifically for these pies.
5. Loui’s Pizza – Hazel Park
Hazel Park’s best-kept secret isn’t really a secret anymore, which explains why getting a table here requires calling ahead with military precision. Loui’s has been serving Detroit-style squares since 1977, perfecting their recipe while the rest of the world caught up.
What sets Loui’s apart? The crust achieves this magical balance between crispy bottom and fluffy interior that seems scientifically impossible. Their pepperoni cups up into little grease pools that pizza purists absolutely worship.
Reservations fill up fast, especially Thursday through Sunday. I showed up once without calling ahead and the host just laughed—not meanly, but in that knowing way that said I’d made a rookie mistake. The wait was ninety minutes, but watching pizza after perfect pizza emerge from the kitchen made standing there totally bearable. Plan ahead or prepare to wait.
6. Luigi’s – Flint
Flint knows pizza, and Luigi’s represents the gold standard that locals measure everything else against. This family-run spot has been feeding Flint residents since the 1950s, creating a loyal customer base that guards their favorite tables like family heirlooms.
Booking a Friday or Saturday night table here means calling at least a week out—maybe two if you want a decent time slot. The restaurant isn’t huge, and regulars have their preferred spots, which limits availability for newcomers trying to experience the legend.
Their thin crust strikes that perfect balance between crispy and foldable, topped with a sauce recipe that’s remained unchanged for decades. I drove up from Detroit specifically to try Luigi’s, and honestly, the two-hour round trip felt completely justified after my first slice. The atmosphere is pure neighborhood charm, where servers remember names and kids grow up requesting Luigi’s for birthday dinners.
7. Mootz Pizzeria + Bar – Detroit
Mootz brings serious Neapolitan pizza game to Detroit’s downtown scene, complete with imported Italian ingredients and a wood-fired oven that reaches temperatures hot enough to blister your eyebrows from across the room. Their commitment to authenticity has created reservation demand that borders on ridiculous.
Downtown location means business lunches, date nights, and pre-event dining all compete for limited seating. I’ve watched couples argue over who forgot to make reservations, standing awkwardly in the entrance while perfectly cooked pizzas float past their disappointed faces.
The pizza here features that characteristic leopard-spotted crust with a soft, pillowy texture that true Neapolitan pies demand. Fresh mozzarella, San Marzano tomatoes, and basil combine into something that tastes like a vacation to Naples without the airfare. Book ahead or risk eating somewhere decidedly less amazing while regretting your poor planning skills.
8. Pizza Papalis – Detroit
Pizza Papalis serves up Chicago-style deep-dish in the heart of Detroit’s Greektown, which sounds like culinary treason but tastes like heaven in a pan. Their thick, buttery crust cradles layers of cheese, toppings, and chunky tomato sauce that require a fork and serious appetite.
Greektown location means tourists, theatergoers, and casino visitors all compete for tables alongside locals who know what’s up. Reservations disappear quickly, especially before Red Wings games and weekend evenings when everyone suddenly remembers they’re starving.
I underestimated how filling deep-dish could be and ordered a medium for myself—rookie mistake that left me taking half home in a box. The crust alone could serve as a meal, golden and flaky like the world’s best pie crust. Smart diners book ahead, come hungry, and maybe skip lunch to properly appreciate the ridiculous amount of deliciousness that arrives at their table.
9. Silver Beach Pizza – St. Joseph
Situated near Lake Michigan’s shores, Silver Beach Pizza has earned “best of Michigan” recognition that transformed it from local favorite to tourist destination. Summer weekends see reservation lines that rival theme park wait times, with beachgoers and vacationers all craving their famous pies.
Location is everything here—you’re minutes from sandy beaches and sunset views that make waiting for pizza feel almost meditative. Almost. The reality involves hungry families, sunburned tourists, and locals who know to call ahead or face disappointment.
Their pizza strikes that perfect balance between crispy crust and generous toppings, with flavor combinations that go beyond basic pepperoni. I visited during peak summer season without reservations and learned patience I didn’t know I possessed. The pizza eventually arrived, hot and perfect, making the wait worthwhile. Book ahead, especially if visiting during summer months when everyone within driving distance remembers this place exists.
10. Cloverleaf Pizza – Eastpointe
Cloverleaf claims to be the birthplace of Detroit-style pizza, a bold statement that locals take seriously enough to pack this place nightly. Whether the claim is historically accurate matters less than the fact that the pizza is phenomenal, as the kids say.
Getting a reservation here means competing with generations of families who’ve been coming since the 1940s. Grandparents bring grandkids, creating multi-generational pizza parties that occupy tables for hours. Weekend prime time books solid, leaving newcomers scrambling for off-peak slots.
The square pies feature that signature crispy cheese edge that defines Detroit-style, with toppings distributed evenly across every inch. I finally scored a Thursday evening reservation after three failed attempts and understood immediately why people guard their spots fiercely. The sauce, the cheese, the perfectly baked crust—everything combines into pizza perfection that justifies the reservation hassle completely. Plan ahead or prepare for disappointment.