Chicago Deep Dish - Recommendations?

Yefa
Yefa Posts: 1,134
edited August 2009 in The Porch
With all the talk of Philly cheese steaks, I thought I'd start a thread about Chicago deep dish pizza. Here are a few of the ones I've read about. Chicago folks are welcome to weigh in on which ones are their favorites and why.

Giordano's
Pequod's
Lou Malnati's
Gino's East
You see me empty, Sir, do not pause and inquire, simply assume and refill.
- Al Swearengen

http://www.cantstoptheserenity.com
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • drsluggo
    drsluggo Posts: 4,742
    This is a tough one... there are two different pizza types here that most people say are deep dish.

    There is deep dish which is basically a thick crust and pizza toppings on top of it. That is a specialty of both Gino's East and Lou Malnatis.

    Then there is my personal favorite which is stuffed pizza. Its like a deep dish pizza with a 'pool' of toppings on top of it and just an amazing amount of cheese. That is where Giordano's is great, although my personal favorite is Nancy's. Either one is awesome though.

    I know that's not much help, but there are big differences between a Lou Malnatis deep dish pizza and a Giordano's stuffed pizza. Depends on if you like a boatload of cheese on your pizza :)
  • SPEEDY MCCREADY
    SPEEDY MCCREADY Posts: 27,052
    Yefa wrote:
    With all the talk of Philly cheese steaks, I thought I'd start a thread about Chicago deep dish pizza. Here are a few of the ones I've read about. Chicago folks are welcome to weigh in on which ones are their favorites and why.

    Giordano's
    Pequod's
    Lou Malnati's
    Gino's East
    Giordanos for deep dish spinach.....
    Lou malnatis for deep dish sausage....................
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • LikeAnOcean
    LikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    edited August 2009
    all are good from what I hear. I really like Pizzeria Due or Uno. They are supposed to be the most popular.

    I'm not a big deep dish fan though. I like thin, crispy crust.

    Make sure you get a pork chop sandwich at Jimmy's or Maxwell Street.. And Hot Dougs for the supposedly best hot dogs in the world.
    Post edited by LikeAnOcean on
  • drsluggo
    drsluggo Posts: 4,742
    Oh... if you go to Gino's East and like sausage, they have a deep dish pizza that has a massive sausage patty on top. It's awesome - sounds gross maybe, but its awesome. I want to order one right now, come to think of it.
  • PJBuckeye
    PJBuckeye Posts: 1,102
    edited August 2009
    Mine - Giordano's

    My wife prefers Due's

    I hate Lou's b/c we always have it at work, so sick of it
    Post edited by PJBuckeye on
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  • Yefa
    Yefa Posts: 1,134
    Thanks drsluggo. Yes, I read about the two different types of Chicago deep dish. I may try to sample each type once during my visit.
    You see me empty, Sir, do not pause and inquire, simply assume and refill.
    - Al Swearengen

    http://www.cantstoptheserenity.com
  • msjpearson
    msjpearson Posts: 97
    I'm not a local, so maybe my voice should be taken with a grain of salt...However, last time I visited Chicago, I went to both Giordanno's and Gino's East. I'll be back in Chicago for the 2 shows, and if I can only get back to one of those 2 pizzerias, I'm picking Gino's East.

    Mike.
  • drsluggo
    drsluggo Posts: 4,742
    And for the love of all that is good in this world, get an Italian Beef with Mozz cheese on it!!! :twisted:

    It will change your life, although I'm not too sure what the best places are for that in Chicago itself. Portillos is always a favorite, but I've found better in the lonely suburbs.
  • Freddy Arheehar
    Freddy Arheehar San Diego Posts: 525
    Gino's East
  • SPEEDY MCCREADY
    SPEEDY MCCREADY Posts: 27,052
    drsluggo wrote:
    And for the love of all that is good in this world, get an Italian Beef with Mozz cheese on it!!! :twisted:

    It will change your life, although I'm not too sure what the best places are for that in Chicago itself. Portillos is always a favorite, but I've found better in the lonely suburbs.
    Italian Beef/dipped/with sweet/and hot peppers.......

    Outstanding!!!!!!
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • Indifference71
    Indifference71 Chicago Posts: 14,925
    Lou Malnati's for deep dish sausage. It's the best.
  • cincybearcat
    cincybearcat Posts: 16,962
    Freddy Arheehar wrote:
    Gino's East


    Agree...for the cornbready crust...amazing.

    I'd skip teh hug Sausage patty though . ;)
    hippiemom = goodness
  • erebus
    erebus Posts: 631
    This will be my first time in Chicago.

    Any hints on where to stay or avoid, what else to do or see?
    1996: Toronto
    2003: St. Paul
    2005: Thunder Bay
    2008: West Palm Beach, Tampa
    2009: Chicago I, Chicago II
    2010: Boston
    2011: Toronto I, Toronto II, Winnipeg
    2012: Missoula
    2013: London, Pittsburgh, Buffalo
    2014: St. Paul, Milwaukee
    2016: Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto I, Toronto II
    2022: Hamilton, Toronto 
    2023: St. Paul I, St. Paul II
    2024: Vancouver I, Vancouver II
  • drsluggo
    drsluggo Posts: 4,742
    cincybearcat wrote:
    Freddy Arheehar wrote:
    Gino's East


    Agree...for the cornbready crust...amazing.

    I'd skip teh hug Sausage patty though . ;)
    Come on now - where else can you get sausage on a pizza where its literally a gigantic patty that covers the entire thing? :)

    Even if it is crazy weird, its something you can't get anywhere else that I know of!

    That said I still prefer true stuffed pizza to deep dish, but you can't really lose!
  • cincybearcat
    cincybearcat Posts: 16,962
    drsluggo wrote:
    cincybearcat wrote:
    Freddy Arheehar wrote:
    Gino's East


    Agree...for the cornbready crust...amazing.

    I'd skip teh hug Sausage patty though . ;)
    Come on now - where else can you get sausage on a pizza where its literally a gigantic patty that covers the entire thing? :)

    Even if it is crazy weird, its something you can't get anywhere else that I know of!

    That said I still prefer true stuffed pizza to deep dish, but you can't really lose!

    Yep, I've had it. My friend got sick...;)
    hippiemom = goodness
  • drsluggo
    drsluggo Posts: 4,742
    cincybearcat wrote:
    drsluggo wrote:
    Come on now - where else can you get sausage on a pizza where its literally a gigantic patty that covers the entire thing? :)

    Even if it is crazy weird, its something you can't get anywhere else that I know of!

    That said I still prefer true stuffed pizza to deep dish, but you can't really lose!

    Yep, I've had it. My friend got sick...;)
    And you also now have a story you'll never forget ... all because of that magical sausage patty!
  • Gmoney
    Gmoney Posts: 1,618
    Best Cheese deep dish=Pequads
    Best sausage= Giordano's (crumbled sausage)
    Best atmosphere for deep dish=Gino's East on Wells st.

    Best non- deep dish, Piece Pizza on North in Wicker Park
    Further back and forth a wave will break on me, today...
  • SPEEDY MCCREADY
    SPEEDY MCCREADY Posts: 27,052
    i am going to let..............
    solat13
    flagg
    and
    mrs.vedder78

    decide which pizza joint we are going to on saturday......................
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • orangedive
    orangedive Posts: 24
    http://www.exchequerpub.com/

    Go here. Absolutely phenomenal.
  • cincybearcat
    cincybearcat Posts: 16,962
    Gmoney wrote:

    Best non- deep dish, Piece Pizza on North in Wicker Park


    Great call for thin crust!!! And decent beers...it's a microbrewery.
    hippiemom = goodness

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