Lou Malnati's (Gold Coast) After Work / All Ages / All Types / Beer / Dinner / Food Specials / Good for Groups / Groups / Happy Hour / Italian Restaurant / Lunch / Moderate / Outdoor Area / Pizza / Pizza Place / Sandwiches / Smart Casual / Snack Food / Street Parking / TVs / Take Out / Wings

I'm quite familiar with the pizza. In fact, I think I'm more in tune with pizza than I am with members of my own family. That being said, I'm most familiar with the NY style (also known as the jumbo slice)--thin crust, huge slice--and have only had a Chicago-style pizza at chains like Pizzeria Uno, so I was stoked to experience the real thing while visiting Chicago. Lou Malnati's definitely was the ideal place for a true Chicago deep dish encounter. We ordered the cheese and spinach, and my boyfriend, who is a Chicago native, insisted that we also get the cheese and sausage. Both pies were spectacular. My allegiance was formally to the great NY slice, but, after my LMP expedition, I am now a deep dish girl (friends, insert dirty puns here).

Whether you swear by Neapolitan style, or you're a loyal fan of the New York-style slice, there's no denying that the Chicago-style deep dish pie here at Lou's is one amazing example of pizza. This place is what my college memories are made of. There were few things better than going out with friends and sharing a savory three-cheese bread appetizer and a buttery Malnati Chicago Classic deep dish pie. The sausage and butter crust here are what makes Lou's stand out from the other deep dish joints in the city. Here, a complete layer of sausage blankets the Chicago Classic pie, accompanied with plenty of cheese and sweet tomato sauce. I don't like sausage pizza, but I will go out of my way to get it here when I'm in Chicago. The buttery crust makes the pie flaky and is far superior to the crusts served at the other deep-dish outlets. Other recommendations include the aforementioned three-cheese French bread and the Malnati salad; the generous amount of salty salami bits make it a killer salad. If you go during dinner hours, there will almost always be a wait. Fortunately, the hosts will let you (even encourage you) to order a pie in advance because it takes about 40 minutes to cook. That way, you can spend much less time waiting for your pie once you've been seated. Lou Malnati's is a Chicago institution and a "must try" destination if you're hitting up the Windy City.

My Advice: Chicago is famous for many things, however deep dish pizza is somewhere around the top of the list. Lou Malnati’s does not only offer some of the best deep dish pizza on the Gold Coast, but it also rivals all other restaurants for best deep dish pizza period. So my advice is go here and go here often. Need to know info: Despite being the largest Lou Malnati’s restaurant, it is still consistently crowded and the pizza takes awhile to cook so don’t come here planning on a quick meal. Who’s Hanging Out Here: At the bar, the crowd will generally be a bit older, probably 30s-50s, but in the restaurant itself the crowd includes everyone. Families, teens, college students, blue collar workers, high-powered businessmen and celebrities can all be found at Lou Malnati’s as it is simply a Chicago staple. Cocktails & Cuisine: Cocktails are pretty standard as far as full-service bars with a couple beers on tap goes. The cuisine is obviously highlighted by their pizza, however the Malnati’s salad and the calamari are both dishes that are worth trying. What to Wear: Don’t wear athletic shorts and a tank top but there is really no dress code here. Jeans and a t-shirt are perfectly acceptable; as is a suit and tie. What Does it Cost: Lou Malnati’s isn’t especially cheap but you won’t have to break the bank to eat here either. The pizza is fairly expensive but everything else is pretty cheap. When to go: Go at anytime. They’re open for lunch and dinner, with the dinner crowd being larger. It’s not a bad place to watch a game as it’s such a Chicago tradition to eat at Lou Malnati’s that it just feels right to eat their pizza while watching Chicago sports.