Lou Malnati's Pizzeria

Pizza restaurant · North Center

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria

Pizza restaurant · North Center

3

4340 N Lincoln Ave, Lincoln Square, IL 60618

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Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria by null

Highlights

Lou Malnati's offers a delicious dive into classic Italian fare and signature Chicago deep-dish pizza, celebrated for its buttery crusts and rich flavors.  

Featured in Eater
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4340 N Lincoln Ave, Lincoln Square, IL 60618 Get directions

loumalnatis.com
@loumalnatis

$$$$$$ · Menu

Reserve

Information

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4340 N Lincoln Ave, Lincoln Square, IL 60618 Get directions

+1 773 654 4000
loumalnatis.com
@loumalnatis
𝕏
@loumalnatis

$$$$$$ · Menu

Reserve

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outdoor seating

Last updated

Feb 20, 2025

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@onthegrid

"It's true. This is the best deep dish pizza in all of Chicago. Not Gino's East or Giordano's like tourists tend to think. Located right on the edge of Lincoln Square and North Center, Lou Malnati's opened their 42nd location here in May 2015, and we couldn’t be happier! The walls are retractable and open during the warmer days. We love both their thin crust and deep dish, but they're known for their deep dish. It has a buttery crust, cheese layered in the middle and sweet chunky tomato sauce piled on top. They have a big bar and plenty of seating, both inside and out. Eat in or take it to-go and eat it in Welles Park right across the street. After, walk over to Tiny Lounge for a cocktail or two. Tip: If you order sausage, there are two different types they use. 'Sausage Pieces' which is crumbled sausage that's sprinkled all over or 'Sausage' which is a thick solid sheet of sausage that's laid on top." - Knoed Creative

On the Grid : Lou Malnati's Pizzeria
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@onthegrid

"Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, Lincoln Square. It's true. This is the best deep dish pizza in all of Chicago. Not Gino's East or Giordano's like tourists tend to think. Located right on the edge of Lincoln Square and North Center, Lou Malnati's opened their 42nd location here in May 2015, and we couldn’t be happier! The walls are retractable and open during the warmer days. We love both their thin crust and deep dish, but they're known for their deep dish. It has a buttery crust, cheese layered in the middle and sweet chunky tomato sauce piled on top. They have a big bar and plenty of seating, both inside and out. Eat in or take it to-go and eat it in Welles Park right across the street. After, walk over to Tiny Lounge for a cocktail or two.Tip: If you order sausage, there are two different types they use. 'Sausage Pieces' which is crumbled sausage that's sprinkled all over or 'Sausage' which is a thick solid sheet of sausage that's laid on top."

Chicago
test
@eater

"A wildly popular local chain with 56 locations in the Chicago area, Lou Malnati’s still puts out a top-notch pie — in both deep dish and tavern style. Favorites include its “Malnati Chicago Classic” (sausage, cheese, tomato sauce, buttercrust). Place an online order for delivery or carryout." - Naomi Waxman

Where to Order Pizza for Carryout and Delivery From Rogers Park to North Center - Eater Chicago
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Travis Greer

Google
The service was great...friendly and pleasant. The Pizza was fantastic. I highly recommend Lou Malnati's Pizzeria. I was just traveling through Chicago, so I asked a local, where is the best place to experience "Real Chicago Deep Dish Pizza", Lou's did not disappoint.

Ania Leus

Google
Messy & slow service. We came on a Saturday for lunch, and it wasn’t very crowded. Even so it took more than 5 minutes to get seated. The tables had crumbs and pizza sauce stains. The plates even had crumbs on them and the utensils were disgusting. We would’ve asked for the table to be wiped down if the waiter had come over more than to just take our order. The pizza took close to 50 minutes when it was supposed to only take 30. The pizza itself was very soggy and lacking in flavor, which is unlike the usual Lou Malnati’s experience.

Dr. George E Barsa

Google
I usually don’t review franchises places since we all tried it and we already know it ! However this place surprises me with the clean environment and really great service! The went above and beyond to correct a small mid understand in my order , it’s really hard to go out for eating when you have 3 kids at hand ( you know the craziness)they still clean my little boy mess and have been so nice to all my kids ! Definitely we will be back again thank you all Lou Malnati’s staff and management for everything!

Aaron L Raber

Google
I was wanting to try some Chicago style deep dish. The food here was so good. I ate way more than I normally would have. Couldn't get over how every bite was just an explosion of flavor.

Michael Hatton

Google
Wow! Never had a Chicago-style deep dish and this was an incredible introduction. Thank you Emma and to the kitchen staff for an amazing experience. We will be back!

nasser mansour

Google
I recently had the pleasure of trying Lou Malnati's pizza, and it was nothing short of fantastic. From the first bite, I knew I was in for something special. The crust was perfectly buttery and crisp, holding up the generous layers of rich tomato sauce, gooey cheese, and high-quality toppings. Each ingredient was fresh and flavorful, coming together in that classic deep-dish style that Chicago is famous for. What really stood out was the balance of flavors—no single component overpowered the others, making every bite satisfying and delicious. The cheese was melted to perfection, and the sauce had just the right amount of tang. It’s easy to see why Lou Malnati's has such a strong reputation; this is a pizza experience you won’t forget. If you're a fan of deep-dish pizza or just looking for a great meal, Lou Malnati's is a must-try. Highly recommended. !

Jay Villeneuve

Google
Went to experience the "famous Chicago experience" while in town. The service was great and the deep dish crust was good, but overall it was pretty underwhelming. Boneless wings were good. I'd say 3.5 stars as one of our party was a hard pass and an another was just ok.

Spencer Clark

Google
I went to get some classic Chicago style deep dish pizza. The place was very well maintained, food was amazing, and views were outstanding. And our waitress Jessie did an amazing job with making sure we were all satisfied!!

Jenny C.

Yelp
I rarely write reviews but I felt compelled to do so...I was absolutely thrilled to share how incredible (and above exceptions) my group party for my daughter turned out. We had 50 guests and from start to finish, I am thankful for the exceptional help by Billy and her team in making this party a success! The atmosphere was filled with joy and laughter, the ambiance was cozy. The food was delicious and the staff was attentive. A special thanks goes out to Felipe and Vanessa for their dedication and enthusiasm. It really makes a difference when you know that they genuinely want to be there and take care of you! My teenager daughter commented "My party was so much fun and much better than I expected". Thank you to Lou Malnati's at Lincoln Square for helping me give my daughter a beautiful send-off to college!

Desiree A.

Yelp
We ordered ahead of time and had the best deep dish in Chicago! The staff was nice and answered our questions over the phone. We didn't eat in the restaurant but ordering online was easy.

Kevin D.

Yelp
A nice location, good service and apps, but only an okay pizza. In Chicago this time around, and there's a few things I got to try when I hit the city. The first up was a true Chicago deep dish pizza, so I found the closest place around to get one and made the trek. The location's pretty nice. It's mostly street parking but I think there was a lot not too far away. They have a nice terrace area and some roll-down openings to let some air in. Our server was nice but did take a while to get to us. The place recently opened so there wasn't many people there. The slow service would be a deterrent though if I was expecting expediency. We get the bruschetta and wings to eat while we wait for the pizza to cook. The wings are delightfully crispy and not overcooked. the hot honey was a little spicy, but not overly spicy. was more honey forward than spice. The bruschetta was great. garlic-y, fresh, with good tomatoes and just enough cheese to give it the salt it needed. Then came the pizza, which the server promptly took slices out and put on our plates. They ruined the picture, but it's a whatever. If this is Chicago style pizza, then I can respect the form but I am not a fan. The crust was very crispy, very cracker-like, with the flavor of butter. I really liked the sauce, the tomatoes were bright and fresh and the sauce was seasoned perfectly. The cheese was there, but very much just straight up mozzarella. The sausage "disk" that surrounded the pie was pretty novel but didn't really add anything other than a dense meat layer. Everything was executed correctly, the pie was cooked properly and everything was seasoned well. But this style of pizza is not my preference. It felt like I was eating a ritz cracker pizza with a sausage patty on it. Pricing wasn't too much. If memory serves, came up to 60 for a medium with two apps. A little pricy, but a fairly thick pizza. Overall, this location does a good job of representing Chicago's pizza style. They use fresh ingredients and have a good attention to detail. It's not for everyone, but it's a good place to try.

Dave G.

Yelp
Excellent service. We placed an order for 4 pizzas and two salads. Everything was correct and the order was ready when promised.

Ineke S.

Yelp
Went here for lunch with my sons. I had never had deep dish pizza and was worried I wouldn't like it - seemed like too much! What we liked: - very friendly server - The "Lou" was very tasty - not as heavy as I expected with a nice amount of spinach so at least you can convince yourself you're getting some of your veggies in - the butter crust is VERY nice - we also ordered a thin crust pizza with sausage and tomatoes - it was delicious What wasn't perfect: - the ravioli with sauce (maybe a bad idea to order pasta at a pizza place?) - it's a long wait for the deep dish (they do warn you, though)

Eric W.

Yelp
if you're looking for Chicago style deep dish, the only chain that I typically recommend is Lou Malnati's. It is also the few places where the salad is on par to the pizza. remember that most pizzas take about 40 minutes in the oven so make sure you give yourself enough room to get appetizers or drinks beforehand. This is right of LINCOLN SQUARE and North Center neighborhood. I personally am a big fan of this location because in the summer it has an outdoor space that connects right into the indoor section . My experience with the servers here has always been top notch. #pizza #deepdish #chicago

Paul J.

Yelp
When it comes to the great Chicago deep dish debate, I am a solid Lou Malnati's supporter. And the North Center location is as good as any. The servers were friendly, and the pies were warm, buttery and cheezy, exactly what I expected. We also got a fresh, crisp salad to balance things out. A great location when you're feeding a hungry band of college kids - we got a table for seven, no problem. And the drink refills just kept coming to help us wash down the pies. Just writing this review makes me want to go back and grab another slice!

Lina D.

Yelp
I love Lou's but this location needs to fix their delivery service- and I ordered straight from the Lou's app. Waited over an hour only for the app to say my order was "delivered" when it was not. I called the location and after being on hold and hearing automated messages for 5 minutes, the only thing they could do was blame Uber Eats (even though I ordered directly through the Lou's app) and re-make the order to send it out via their delivery people. It's now been two hours since my order and still nothing. This is not the first time either, over an hour and a half is very standard as far as delivery from the location goes. Sucks to say because Lou's is some of the best food.

Jocelyn G.

Yelp
First time trying Lou malnatis. It was good, but I prefer Pequods. If you're looking for a deep dish with a less bready crust and a sauce more like crushed tomatoes, then this is the place. I do like that you can get the pizza cooked well done here

Jason K.

Yelp
I love Lou Malnatis. I grew up eating Lou Malnatis. I was excited when Lou Malnatis opened a store nearby. That being said i feel its impossible for them to get any order right 9/10 times the order is wrong. Talked to Ed the manager of the store he was sad "the order wasnt up to their standard" sadly Ed the order was up to your standard which is disappointing. I still love Lou Malnatis so order from a different location

Tony T.

Yelp
It looks Malnati's has decided to outsource delivery to third-party companies. This would be fine - if it worked. However, we've tried to order twice recently (once from the Evanston location, and once from the Lincoln Square location), and each time has been such a disaster that we're not going to order anything from them again until they start delivering their own food once more. We wouldn't have received the Evanston order at all if we hadn't given up and picked it up ourselves after a fruitless 90-minute wait. We tried again Saturday from the Lincoln Square location. After ordering successfully, we received multiple contradictory text messages saying "Delivery instructions were incorrect" (they weren't) and "Delivery Times have been changed" - both requiring phone calls to Malnati's staff who thought we wanted to change our delivery instructions (we just wanted our pizzas). The person on the phone said the company is experimenting with a "hybrid" delivery system. This "hybrid" might be great - if it worked, and if it didn't cause stress for customers who aren't even sure their orders are going to arrive. Here's the best part: when ours finally did arrive Saturday, and we were eating it, we received a message saying the order had been canceled! (Before this message, we received one in Cyrillic text that we couldn't translate.)

David B.

Yelp
Exhausting problems with the app and the pizza that used to be our favorite is awful now. Never again

Doug G.

Yelp
I just ordered thru uber eats.....arrived delicious, fresh and amazing! I love lous....the only deep dish pizza i love actually...(the classic... with sausage) sooooo good. Easy to warm up and crust crisps perfectly. Well this time I also ordered a thin crust as ive never tried before. Lou's is kind of known for deep dish so wasn't expecting it to compare but these are ALSO amazing. I tended to think of Lou malnattis as a chain so my expectations were never that high....but they have the BEST foods....pizza, wings and apps, salads etc. I am always impressed when I go...or order carry out or delivery. Thank you so much Lou malnatti people. The efforts and care u put into your food. Really appreciated and noticed. 5 well deserved stars

Aesha E.

Yelp
I am surprised that I've never reviewed Lou Malnati's before. This one opened up in my neighborhood several years ago and since then it was the go-to for pizza. I haven't had pizza much in the last two and a half years so I haven't used them as much. I'll be honest: Lou's is my favorite pizza, at least for deep dish; they use more tomato sauce than I like, I think. But their thin crust in particular is really good! Tonight we ordered and because they were going to be a few minutes late (really few, like 5-10) they have us a call and let us know. They offered us a small token of appreciation due to the inconvenience and that was completely unexpected but very much appreciated.

Adam S.

Yelp
Was in town for a boy's weekend with friends from all over the country One lives in the area and the rest of us wanted to try Chicago deep dish pizzas He took us here and it was great. I live in NJ so know good pizza and this did not disappoint If looking for a good spot a must go

Kathy J.

Yelp
We were so disappointed in both the deep dish and thin crust pizzas we ordered. The deep dish was not served hot (it was close to room temperature) which was very odd since it took over 30 minutes to bake? and the cheese/sauce/sausage was inconsistent on each piece (i.e. my slice had very little cheese while my sister's slice had a lot of cheese and very little sauce). The thin crust pizza (pepperoni) was slightly warmer and we enjoyed it more. Our server and the staff working were very nice, so gave 2 stars for that but due to the high cost and poor food quality we will not dine here in the future.

FreeDom ..

Yelp
The deep dish pizza and the wings are hands-down the worst pizza and wings options I've ever had. Both were bland, and the pizza was sauce-less and the sausage gross. I'm extremely upset we spent $70 on delivery and it was trash... The pizza wasn't even cut into slices! We had to do it ourselves.

Ashley K.

Yelp
I love Lou Malnati's, it's a family favorite. But I've now had 3 bad experiences in a row at the Lincoln Square location to the point where I won't order here again for takeout. My last order was simple: cheese with half mushroom, picked it up on time and the box was just about soaked through on 3/4th of it making the pizza soggy with one half covered in the delicious tomato topping and the other half just about absent of it. The order before that I had to call them 30 minutes after expected arrival to learn they never scheduled a driver, pizza was real cold but they offered 4 peace cookies. The time before that they missed ingredients/butter crust request. It's confusing because Lou's is a standard! But I'd recommend takeout from another location.

Celine P.

Yelp
Lou Malnati's didn't disappoint! Came here with the fam, there was a group of 15 of us, we ordered ahead prior to coming to sit. When we went there it wasn't busy at all. Don't know if everyone can just call ahead and sit. It took us 30 minutes to get there and all 7 pizza's weren't ready! We started with a Malnati Salad and it was delicious! It has a sweet vinaigrette and everyone in our group enjoyed it. We ordered two and came in two massive bowls and let's say there was nothing left! Pizza was good! It was my first Chicago deep dish, the crust was thick and good however wish there was more sauce!!! I also had the thin crust veggie, it was yummy as well. I felt crush was too crispY but that could be a preference; I love softer chewy pizza! I def will get a Malnati Salad and a deep dish next time!

Paul T.

Yelp
Always great when you're in the mood for deep dish. Staff is very nice. Parking situation is a little crazy.

Angelita M.

Yelp
Ate here before going heading to our AirBnB. Cute place, good pizza, tradition when visiting the area (:

Paul G.

Yelp
Wow how the mighty have fallen!!!! Have been chasing that late night Lolla Sausage pie for years. I'm done trying!! Lettuce was wet making the dressing ineffective. Boo tomato tomato. Ordered pizza well done and uncut what I got was a soupy undercooked mess. Flavor was not up to par either. I have found no consistency at Lou's over the past few years. Don't order through the Yelp app it's at least 20% more expensive. Caveat emptor.

Jacob J.

Yelp
This review is not about the pizza. Lou's is good Chicago style, though every Chicagoan feels differently based on where they grew up and which style of Chicago pizza they have had most. From this location I prefer Lou's thin the most so when I carry-out that's what I tend to order. If you are a tourist visiting Chicago there are a number of pizza favorites to try and while Lou's is one of them, this location doesn't have to be your first try. If you plan on drinks prior to the pizza, have at it. If a family or group looking to dine more than drink, you may experience some long wait times that have nothing to do with employee census. The restaurant is beautiful conceptually. Along one side of the building are garage doors and when opened to the public ( those walking past), it feels like a different sort of dine-in experience. From the door to the rear of the restaurant, there is a 'flow.' If you happen to visit them during warmer weather that is when you'll get to feel the greatness of this location. The smiles on those enjoying the pizza (when it finally arrives) and its design aesthetics. This location in beauty outshines many of their sister locations. Maybe it's limited to my experiences when dining in, their serve times are disappointing. The amount of time needed for a waiter to make rounds, that first initial discussion before drinks and apps hit the table and ability to remember orders and fulfill them. Chicago style pizza needs time to bake unless you always order thin. That length of bake time can be filled with appetizers, drinks, etc. But one has to remember to bring them to the table.

Erin N.

Yelp
Went on a Thursday and it was not busy. Good selection of beers and the deep dish was ok. I did prefer the thin crust though. Personal preference!

Barb N.

Yelp
I brought four friends visiting from out of town who were excited to try "Chicago-style" pizza. I'm not a deep-dish fan, but I know people seem to love Lou's. We left very disappointed. Only four of us initially received what we ordered; the waiter didn't bring anything out for the fifth. No one was impressed with the food--it got a meh at best. I ordered a medium thin crust pepperoni and got a medium cheese pizza that was bland and undercooked. We were there for a good amount of time, but the waiter never asked if we wanted drink refills. As we were taking care of the bill, he brought me a small pepperoni pizza no charge, but it was also undercooked, and we were on our way out. I don't know if it was bland because I just gave it to an unhoused person. I won't be back.

Jason Z.

Yelp
No matter how you like your pizza you have to give Lou Malnati's deep dish pizza a chance. This deep dish pizza is the standard at which deep dish pizzas are measured. The service though leaves a gigantic opportunity for improvement. A server should be aware that there are several items that should be brought to the table and that a customer should not have to ask for. When serving a large party and really any sized party please be aware of the following. There should be enough plates and silverware for every person at the table. The cheese and crushed red pepper should be on the table. The chances that at least one person out of 6 is going to ask for it should be rather high, don't ask if you can bring it, just bring it. Same thing with water, water is relatively inexpensive, please refill my glass don't wait until I'm out. Finally let's talk about napkins which I assume cost the restaurant money but can you at least make sure that there is at least a few extra on the table? No reason to wait for someone to spill something first. When I asked for another drink and it never came, did you forget? I'm literally trying to give you more money but you didn't even come back to the table soon after taking my drink order for a second drink to even remind you. You did come back with the check though, just not my drink. If the restaurant was crowded maybe I could understand but many of these concerns are fundamental and were definitely missing. It was important to show our out of town guests a great experience at a famous deep dish pizza restaurant with great food. I just didn't think that I was going to also show them poor service at the same time.

Ava B.

Yelp
AMAZING!! Some of the best food I've ever had, they also can ship pizzas across the country with GoldBelly! So yummy!!

Tom G.

Yelp
You can't go wrong with Lou Malnattti's, everything is good, we usually go with the "Lou's Special" but we also add Italian Sausage. The medium size is just perfect for two persons, two pieces at the restaurant and one piece each to take home. I order Blue Moon beer, it's always fresh and cold. I ordered our pizza a tiny bit well done because I've had their pizza that was a little undercooked although it seldom happens.Their staff is always pleasant and helpful. Ask the server to add your "reward points" on your Lou Malnatti's app.

Max C.

Yelp
this place is amazing it's super good the service amazing the food amazing like it's so good no complaints at all!! And my waitress was super nice and it felt really nice and comfortable.

Phil S.

Yelp
09/07/20 - Labor Day my brother, sister and I were looking for a place to eat pizza. We bounced a couple of places around but eventually decided to go to a tried and true place where we knew we would have excellent pizza. Lou Malnati's has 57 restaurants in the Chicagoland area and I have never missed w/their butter crust deep dish pizza. We decided to go w/the Malnatis pizza w/Gorgonzola, Romano cheese, tomatoes, onions, garlic $ & mushrooms. We also added black olives. We ordered the Malnati's salad as there is a 30-35 minutes wait. This salad is delicious and a meal in itself. It comes w/Romaine lettuce, Gorgonzola cheese, Romano cheese, spinach, mushrooms, onions, garlic, black olives & pieces of volpi salami and a sweet vinaigrette dressing. As were were eating the salad it suddenly dawned on us that there wasn't any sausage on this pizza so I went to the kitchen and asked if we could still add sausage. Unfortunately the pizza was almost done so we were kind of resigned to eating the pizza wo/sausage. The pizza even wo/ the sausage was delicious. As we were chowing down and almost done eating Mike the manager came out of the kitchen w/a medium Malnati's butter crust pizza w/sausage, how cool is that. He comped us the pizza. As we were finishing up Mike wrapped the pizza to go. What an awesome thing to do. The food as usual was excellent and the service went way above and beyond the normal service. This is a smallish Lou's but the design is very clean and contemporary

Bob O.

Yelp
Sent a message through their app, of course no one responded, sent another and of course no one responds. Only go here when i have to. Poor service-talking about pre ordering for dine in. Told them when we were coming and we'd order appetizer before the pizza. So the pizza comes out first. But at least it was kinda warm...and the appetizer actaully had a few more things than cheese curds. They can learn things from bacinnos

Bleu W.

Yelp
We love Lou Malnati's and as such our family has dined here for many years, always having a positive experience. This gathering was no different. Our server was Ian, a newly adopted addition to our fun family. Ian is knowledgeable, kind, and helpful (and patient with our party of 8). We ordered several deep dish pizzas, mozzarella cheese sticks, and salad. Everything was fresh and delicious. Thank you for taking care of our family. We look forward to gathering here again soon.

Susan S.

Yelp
Lou's is always the best. We ordered a Lou's special and thought we added sausage but when it came out we realized we didn't after we finished our meal . Mike came over and gave us a pizza on the house . Unbelievable, customer service. Was fantastic. Food is good as always . He packed our pizza that I had to have a sliver of the pizza with sausage and as he's wrapping it he lines it with plastic. I thank you so much for your generosity and the pizza. Wow .

Karol M.

Yelp
I've eaten quite a lot of pizza in my life, but none that compares to Lou Malnati's deep dish. Not even close. Maybe it's the buttery crust, or the generous fresh toppings, and it's definitely got something to do with the indescribably delicious, perfectly seasoned marinara sauce, and the fact that this is actually a deep-dish pizza that requires being eaten with a fork and knife. But every time I visit Chicago, I've got to make at least one visit to a Lou Malnati's. At least one. And there's always enough left over for lunch the next day. I'll have to stop my review there for now, because I'm not currently in Chicago, and I really want one of their vegetarian pizzas. They do deliver, btw. Just not hot and fresh to Austin. But put Lou's on your list of must-visit places while in Chicagoland. They have multiple locations around town with beautiful classic dining rooms and friendly servers. Save room for dessert.

C Y.

Yelp
Safe for diners who are allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. Always delicious - our favorite pizza in Chicago! Excellent sauce and crust, fresh tomatoes.

Mark L.

Yelp
A great chain with some of the best pizza in Chicago. However this location is a black eye on the establishment. Poorly run, both dine in and carry out. Dine in service is abysmal and delivery is always 30-45min late time and time again, carry out almost always results in pizza that's not even cooked half way and 20min behind pickup. I'm sorry but this location needs to be better managed and put under a microscope.

Joy D.

Yelp
This pizza was DELICIOUS! We are pizza snobs from California and Nevada who used to manage a pizza joint. We are not easy to please but were determined to find an authentic pizza place for our daughter to try her first Chicago pizza! Our Uber driver recommended this chain, and WOW! The Pepperoni one was perfect! We stowed away part to take home to her brother and dad the next day, and they loved it too! Mom was sick and it was a cold rainy night, so their minestrone soup was a lifesaver! So delicious!! The delivery late Saturday night was quicker than expected too. All around love this place - We will be back!

Mike D.

Yelp
I've lived in Chicago for 20 years and this is the worst Lou's I've ever experienced. (And actually, the only bad one, so that says a lot.) Ignored at check-in for 5 minutes, cold hot appetizers, lukewarm and very bland pizza with already hardened up cheese (and barely deep dish). At one point someone accidentally turned off the lights in our half of the dining room and LEFT THEM OFF. We had to ask twice for the lights to be turned back on so we could see our $35 pizza and $35 bottle of wine. The barn door to the outside patio was also wide open during most of our meal on a very chilly evening. Another patron, after asking staff several times, finally got up and closed it themselves. We thanked them. Don't bother. Truly the bottom of the deep dish barrel.

Kathy L.

Yelp
Just received delivery order: small cheese pizza, personal deep dish, and meatball sandwich with fries. The fries were good. The cheese pizza was gross - seriously reminded me of the pizza we had at my high school cafeteria in the '80s, or maybe something from a 7-11. See photo. The deep dish was meh - definitely wouldn't order again but I wouldn't call it gross. Just low-to-mediocre as it was rubbery. Meatball sandwich was okay - if you love cheese (there was an overwhelming amount of it). A little bland but not horrible.

R O.

Yelp
Used to be our favorite, the quality has gone downhill. Pizza still very good but the appetizer suck. We always order the deep fried platter...last few times came out cold. And last time it seemed it was all cheese curds. Will never order that platter again. They raised the price on this item and cut back. Bacinno is now our go to pizza. Quality so much better on the appetizer, plus their spinach stuffed pizza excellent.

Maggie C.

Yelp
The Lincoln Square location is absolutely horrible. Our order was marked as delivered, which it was not. When I reached out to Grubhub, I was informed the order was canceled, even though the tracking showed the delivery had been picked up and was on its way. this has happened multiple times from this location and they claim it Grubhub's fault. They accept no responsibility.

Jan S.

Yelp
Because of all the hype for this restaurant I tried it and was hugely disappointed and was a waste of money. My pizza arrived uncut, warm, was thin cut and hardly had any cheese. My topping I asked for was sparse. I contacted them and they wouldn't resolve with a refund or credit. I thought that people should know about my experience.

Joanna M.

Yelp
Love this particular location, we had great weather so the doors were wide open and felt like you were sitting outside. We had great service for our large group of 12- which was split between 2 near by tables because of covid rules. The pizza is excellent of course and the wings and salad were also tasty!

Cindy B.

Yelp
Ordered pizza tonight and it honestly seemed as if they took it out of the oven at least ten minutes early. We were home in less than ten minutes and it wasn't warm enough to eat without reheating. It also seems the amount of sausage on top was very skimpy in comparison to other times we have ordered. Not a great experience.

Paula N.

Yelp
First time trying Chicago style deep dish pizza and had tons of people recommend Lou Malnati's so we stopped by on our last day. It was incredible!!! We ordered an appetizer to start (forgot the name but it had spinach and cheese inside I believe). I ordered a personal Malnati Chicago Classic, which came with their famous sausage, and the Lou's. The pizza was so so delicious. I've been thinking about it nonstop since I've been back in Atlanta!

Simon K.

Yelp
Great pizza, but an overall mild flavor profile since the sauce isn't too rich. Makes me prefer some other Chicago pizza places that have more bold sauces. However this pizza is still undeniably good. The special called the Malnati Chicago Classic is my favorite with a layer of ground sausage across the base of the pizza. The other special called The Lou is good. The thin crust with mushroom and onion is also good. Great ambience with accordion style windows that open up to the outside.

Chris S.

Yelp
We were starving for lunch and wanted to have a bit of deep dish pizza while in Chicago, so the recommendation was Lou Malnati's. We arrived after the lunch hour, so no crowds. Waitress took our order right away, informing us that our pizza would take about 30 minutes to cook, because that's just how long it takes. (You'd think they'd have a better plan than that by now, but okay?!?) Pizza came in 30 minutes and I'm not sure whether we were just ridiculously hungry at that point, but it was amazing. I'm a Nee York pizza guy, so this is obviously quite different, but still tasty. Dough was buttery, sauce was more of a simple tomato sauce with little 'gravy' feel to it, sausage/pepperoni were nice and overall, a great pie. I still will always prefer NYC thin pizza any day, but this is a good spot for those who want to grab a not so quick deep dish.

Paige D.

Yelp
If you're looking for true Chicago deep dish and have never tried it, I highly recommend a Lou Malnati's. We got the classic which had a layer of sausage, I think that was the best option. I'm a true thin crust lover myself but had to try the deep dish. It was good but it's like turkey on thanksgiving, yummy once or twice a year. You definitely need a group to finish off a large pizza. Make sure you have time though, the larger the pie the longer it takes to come out.

R M.

Yelp
Our first trip to Chicago and a friend brings us here! We are excited to try/eat/savour Chicago deep dish pizza. Our server, Angel was and is a complete Angel! We were very impressed with her down to earth approach and professionalism. You don't get service everywhere like we received that evening! Serving our salad & pizza. Just taking care of us like it should be! Now let's talk pizza. We ordered the sausage pizza. We were not disappointed with flavor, quality and presentation. Ingredients tasted good, fresh with great flavor. Needless to say we were impressed, and had an amazing experience. The downfall we will find it difficult eating any other pizza!