Restaurant Review – Lou Malnati’s

Slowly but surely, I’m making my way through the pizza of Chicago. It’s an arduous task, but someone’s gotta do it. This week took me to Lou Malnati’s. With 48 locations in the Chicagoland area, it’s a Chicago institution. We started our meal with the Malnati Salad: a giant bed of romaine lettuce topped with tomatoes, black olives, mushrooms, salami, gorgonzola cheese, romano cheese, and a sweet vinaigrette. The veggies were fresh and crunchy and the addition of the two types of cheese really added flavor and texture. The best part about going with a big group? Sharing. We ordered two types of pizza, one sausage deep dish and “The Lou” deep dish. It takes about 45 minutes for the deep dish to cook, so it was good we had the salad to munch on. The crust was absolutely delicious; thick, buttery, and flaky. The sausage was so flavorful, it paired perfectly with the rich tomato sauce. The Lou is served on a garlic buttercrust and is topped with spinach, mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, and a blend of mozzarella, romano, and cheddar cheese. This was my favorite! The garlic buttercrust is so tasty, you can really taste the garlic. I am usually a meat lover, but the combination of veggies was so awesome, I didn’t even miss the meat.

We went to the location in Lincoln Square (4340 N Lincoln Ave). This location is very large and has a generous number of tables. We came in with a group of five and had no wait time, even on a Friday night. Hours are Sundays through Thursdays from 11 am to 11 pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am to 12 am. Lou’s does not take reservations. However, if there is a wait, you can pre-order your pizza when you leave your name with the host. This will cut down the wait time for your pizza once you’re seated. You can also order online for delivery or pick-up.