Chicago's Best Pizza Etc.

[Sunbiz1]

It takes a pizza thread to finally get us to a common point of agreement.

Danny's is very underrated. It' used to be my favorite but the quality has suffered. The crust is terrific. That said, I think the place has gone downhill the last 5-7 years. Since the father died and the son Danny no longer comes to work the pizza has suffered the sin of too much cheese. Yes, you can have too much cheese if it overwhelms the pizza. I used to complain and they finally put a button on the cash register called "wide crust" just for me. Otherwise, they will run the cheese off the pizza and a 1/2" thick. Just too much. But now if I ask for wide crust they dont listen. So I stopped going there.

Truth is I have kinda given up on pizza except for Malnatis which I believe is the best in the world.

If memory serves correct, the owner of Danny's is also a judge now...which explains the quality drop-off. They tried to chain out into Streamwood about 5 years ago, and had African-Americans making pizza on Irving Park Rd.. Of course it didn't make it, and that was the end of the chain experiment.

I grew up near the original Lincolnwood Malnati's, and the Wheeling location is still good. But that one just south of you on Randall was awful, I went there for the sole reason of comparing pizza in this town...and they failed miserably. Part of the problem is the deep dish pans themselves. New places are stuck with new pans whereas the older establishments have the aged cast iron, which makes a huge difference in crust flavor.

Good restaurants in this town are few and far between, hell I can't even find good Mexican...in a town overrun with Mexicans.

BTW, this place is good...except on Sundays when the cook has a day off:

http://www.wee-dees.com/South_Elgin.html

 

[FrenchieBully]

If memory serves correct, the owner of Danny's is also a judge now...which explains the quality drop-off. They tried to chain out into Streamwood about 5 years ago, and had African-Americans making pizza on Irving Park Rd.. Of course it didn't make it, and that was the end of the chain experiment.

I grew up near the original Lincolnwood Malnati's, and the Wheeling location is still good. But that one just south of you on Randall was awful, I went there for the sole reason of comparing pizza in this town...and they failed miserably. Part of the problem is the deep dish pans themselves. New places are stuck with new pans whereas the older establishments have the aged cast iron, which makes a huge difference in crust flavor.

Good restaurants in this town are few and far between, hell I can't even find good Mexican...in a town overrun with Mexicans.

BTW, this place is good...except on Sundays when the cook has a day off:

http://www.wee-dees.com/South_Elgin.html

Are the new pans aluminum? That sucks.

 

[Sunbiz1]

Are the new pans aluminum? That sucks.

As if on cue, the Travel channel ran a special last night on Chicago deep dish...where pans were discussed.

They're still cast iron, but the older and aged pans are much preferred over new.

http://www.pizanoschicago.com/

That's where the segment was aired from.

 

[poncho62]

Not Chicago...but Uncle Lar's in Plano.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 4

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

The correct answer is Joe's Italian Villa.

 

[Sunbiz1]

Yo Brett, try this place...and Nick's burgers as well in Lemont:

[video=youtube;Ic7gzxJHpc8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic7gzxJHpc8[/video]

 

[Axl Rose]

Little Caesars FTW!

gross...i get sick even smelling little ceasars...dominos aswell

chain pizza sucks

 

[brett05]

I'm always up for trying a new place. Didn't see pizza there however Sunbiz

 

[Ares]

I have a Lou Malnati's carry out place in Orland Park and I have not gotten a bad pizza from them (thin or deep dish)

For me, Lou's has been the best, though I did really love Gino's East when I was younger, have not had it in a while now.

Side note, I went to UIUC 2007-2011 and everyone talked up this Pizza place Papa Del's claiming it was out of this world.

Sadly, I just never got anything from there, it seemed more like a sit down place and I kept meaning to try it but never did.

Anyone ever try Papa Del's in Chambana and if so what did you think?

 

[Nail Polish]

If you're in Orland,the original Aurelio's isn't that far...215th and Western...Try their pizza,I'm sure you will like it

 

[brett05]

Side note, I went to UIUC 2007-2011 and everyone talked up this Pizza place Papa Del's claiming it was out of this world.

Sadly, I just never got anything from there, it seemed more like a sit down place and I kept meaning to try it but never did.

Anyone ever try Papa Del's in Chambana and if so what did you think?

It was the bomb. Though there was a lot of bad pizza there so it could be the bomb by comparison. Only Chicago Style place down there when I was there int he early 90's

 

[Ares]

If you're in Orland,the original Aurelio's isn't that far...215th and Western...Try their pizza,I'm sure you will like it

Lol I am near 151st and Lagrange.... thats a bit of a hike, but maybe I will get out there sometime.

I remember an Aurelio's near 115th and Pulaski when I was a kid, we lived in Alsip back then and we tried that Aurelio's once and it was really really bad... I always assumed their pizza just sucked, but then people told me it was one of those "You gotta get the original" situations.

Another bad one was the carry out Palermo's over in Frankfort at Lagrange Rd and Lincoln Hwy..... my god what awful pizza.... was working landscaping out that way in between college semesters and we dropped in there for lunch one day (you could get a slice and a pop and sit inside) and it was ridiculously bad.

 

[Nail Polish]

Yeah...the Aurelio satellites were garbage..Gotta hit the original one

 

[Ares]

Yeah...the Aurelio satellites were garbage..Gotta hit the original one

You ever wonder how satellite locations, especially carry out only, can be so bad compared to original?

I mean its gotta be the same recipe right? Same ingredients, same recipe, how do you create such garbage?

 

[Nail Polish]

The satellites are someone who buys a franchise..The original has the owners on site (usually)..The Aurelio family runs the original as opposed to some guy who buys a franchise and then skimps etc

 

[Sunbiz1]

I'm always up for trying a new place. Didn't see pizza there however Sunbiz

[video=youtube;aT17-eaOke8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT17-eaOke8[/video]

Right in your backyard...deep dish looks awesome.

Notice he used an aged pan.

 

[nickofypres]

Giordano's or Uno's

I'm a tourist. :lol:

 

[FrenchieBully]

It was the bomb. Though there was a lot of bad pizza there so it could be the bomb by comparison. Only Chicago Style place down there when I was there int he early 90's

Yeah Papa Del's was fantastic. It could battle with the best up here in Chicago.



On a side note, at work we had a tastings of Chicago pizzas....

Giordanos- best cheese flavor
Gino's East - best crust
Lou Malnaties- best sauce

Overall Lou's had the better balance of flavors.

Connie's was bleh. Worst at everything.

 

[Sunbiz1]

Yeah Papa Del's was fantastic. It could battle with the best up here in Chicago.



On a side note, at work we had a tastings of Chicago pizzas....

Giordanos- best cheese flavor
Gino's East - best crust
Lou Malnaties- best sauce

Overall Lou's had the better balance of flavors.

Connie's was bleh. Worst at everything.

So who made the original decision on what pizza to include?...lemme guess:

The owner of the company originally from California?.

 

[Ares]

Let me preface with, it was not Deep Dish, it was Thick Crust Pizza....

Anyone here ever try Enrico's out in Frankfort near Lagrange Rd and Lincoln Hwy? (Coincidentally right across the street from that awful Palermo's satellite)

My family was going to Enrico's years before I was even born, so all together we probably frequented the place 3-5 times a year for 30+ years.

They had some tasty thick crust pizza we really liked, but they also had great appetizers and hands down the best Minestrone soup I have had in my life.

Enrico's closed their doors last year saying they were selling their location and planned to move to a new location somewhere else in Frankfort, but they have yet to find a new spot.... sad cause the place was one of my favorites.

Anyone else get out there before it closed?