What do you think is the best in LA? My old favorite in SF is not as good as it was.
The best Chicago-style deep-dish in the world might not be made in Chicago any more, either. The original Uno’s was fantastic when I first had it in the 80s, but it went downhill. Obama’s favorite is (or at least was while he was in the White House) from St. Louis.
I haven’t been local to LA in many years, so I’m sure my knowledge is out of date. I really liked Hollywood Pies, though they were surpremely inconvenient for me.
Farther out, Tony’s Little Italy in Placentia was quite good. Down in San Diego there used to be Berkeley Pizza (a copy of Zachary’s, itself a copy of Malnati’s), but they didn’t survive the pandemic. Lefty’s did a decent one, and also did Italian beef pretty well. Up the other direction, Paxti’s is a CA chain that has outlets in Santa Barbara and, I think, SF. Haven’t had them in a while, but they were pretty good as I recall, and VERY reasonably priced, which helped.
In the Bay Area, there’s Zachary’s, of course. Little Star is EXCELLENT. There’s also Old Chicago in Petaluma, which, again, it’s been YEARS, but for a while, when I was living in Marin, they were the closest available choice.
Here in Sacramento, we have Chicago Fire, which is perfectly acceptable, and Zelda’s, which used to be quite good, but the son has taken over and I think he’s cheaping out on stuff. Quality has suffered and he’s kind of a dick to boot. So I keep a frozen Gino’s in the garage freezer for emergencies, and just make my own.
Zachary’s was the best deep-dish in the Bay Area when it was the only deep-dish in the Bay Area, but it’s not great, has a tendency to be soggy with too much tomato sauce and that unfortunate top disc of undercooked dough.
Little Chicago and its successor Little Star were the best for a few years but went downhill.
The Star and Blue Line, which split off from Little Star, are OK but Little Star is better. Though The Star in Oakland is a very convivial place so I go there sometimes anyway.
Paxti’s, which started in SF, is OK, I’d have to go back to say whether they’re better than the current Little Star.
I’ll admit to not being a Chicago pizza connoisseur but, while I have the attention of a few, I was wondering how Rance’s Chicago Pizza ranks. I have been to the one in Belmont Shore, Long Beach a couple of times years ago and liked it but I have virtually nothing to compare it to.
I was at that same Rance’s in Long Beach many 8-9 years ago. If I remember right, they’re serving a fairly decent pie with a hint towards a Burt Katz / Pequod’s ‘carmelized cheese’ crust. I liked it well enough, but I don’t know that I ever went back. LB was a bit of a haul from Glendale, though.
I am far from a Chicago deep dish expert.
The one I had at Gino’s East was expensive and was scant on the toppings. I could pick it up no problem. And it was expensive. Which would e been fine with me if I got something semi decent.
(Edit: My comment on another thread:
… insanely crappy deep dish pie I got from Gino’s East here in Sherman Oaks the ONE time I tried them.)
I enjoyed the deep dish at Union Pizza far better.
this place was f’n terrible. I regret bringing my coworker here to “check it out”. Pretty sure I lost all credibility for restaurant suggestions that day.
Are their Italian beef sandwiches any good? Any intel?
I know someone from Chicago who ordered pizza from there every week. Tavern style.
But she was an idiot grifter. So I don’t trust her nor her opinion. TMI. Lol
Tavern-style’s a variation of thin-crust.
Yeah, I know. I guess I wondered if it was any better at Gino’s East.
Masa of echo park is not bad
I agree. I used to live within a quarter mile, and we went all the time.
We had this several times when I lived in HB from the Costa Mesa location. Pretty good, but I always thought Tony’s was better.
It’s been a few years but I enjoyed Tony’s in Placentia for Chicago pizza casserole. Haven’t tried Masa in Echo Park but heard good things
Blackbird on Melrose. Besides the great crust, they have really good toppings, particularly the sausage.
If I remember right, one of the partners used to work at Little Star, which was also my Bay Area favorite. There’s some resemblance.
I wanted to like Masa more than I did. The interior of the restaurant certainly had the right vibe, and they had pretty good crust, as I recall, but for whatever reason, I remember strongly preferring Hollywood Pies.
Incidentally, Casa Bianca in Eagle Rock does an excellent pizza that I find highly reminiscent of neighborhood pizza joints back in the midwest. I might be imagining it (it’s been YEARS) but I think they do it tavern cut…
I haven’t had a good tavern pie in a long time will have to check it out.
Hollywood is good too but as I recall you had to wait.
I’m not a huge fan of Chicago style pies, I actually think they taste better reheated kinda like lasagna.
I’m also not the biggest deep dish fan, but Masa was a decent version.
I really like Hollywood Pies. Doughbox is great too.
Hollywood Pies is closed but has hinted it might reopen. Dough Box might be your best bet right now. There’s also Gino’s East in the Valley.