Lou Malnati's, Lincoln Square
174 people recommend, 55 warn against itvia r/chicagofood, r/chicago, r/AskChicago, X30 comments cited below
The comments cited below are a sample of the full tally across 46 threads.
What people say, in short
Across its Chicago locations, Lou Malnati's has a strong following for deep dish and butter crust, while its lighter, crispy thin crust earns its own recommendations. Opinions split on consistency: some diners report disappointing pizzas or variation between locations, while others say their usual order remains excellent. The Lincoln Square location should not be taken as a promise of identical results at every branch.
Address
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, 4340 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
At a glance
- Signature dishes
- Deep dish, Thin crust, Butter crust
- Opinions divided
- Yes
Nearby on this map
Other places on this map closest to Lou Malnati's, Lincoln Square, as the crow flies.
The evidence
Every point below is paraphrased from a real public comment, ordered by how much the community engaged with it. Caveats and negatives are kept in — follow any link to read the original for yourself.
- Recommendsu/Here4daT in r/chicagofood · Apr 2025taste
Loves the thin crust and especially enjoys the buffalo chicken pizza.
- Caveatu/iahoover in r/chicagofood · Dec 2023taste
Says the pizza was underwhelming and barely warm, would not recommend.
- Recommendsu/Intrepid_Reason8906 in r/chicago · Apr 2024taste
Calls it their favorite deep dish, praising tomatoes, cheese and dough together.
- Mixedu/HiImDavid in r/chicagofood · Nov 2025consistency
Wicker Park location usually solid but most recent pie had short thin crust.
- Recommendsu/karydia42 in r/chicagofood · Jul 2024taste
Switched to thin crust after an accidental order and prefers it, describing a crispy take on their deep dish.
- Recommendsu/Da_Stallion-JCI_7 in r/chicagofood · Mar 2024
Lists it among good pizza spots.
- Recommendsu/Jeeperscrow123 in r/chicagofood · Mar 2026taste
Recommends Lou's Chicago style with butter crust.
- Recommendsu/JakeLake720 in r/chicagofood · Jul 2025consistency
Says their deep dish tastes exactly the same as it always has.
Show all 30 cited comments
- Recommendsu/Qtarant777 in r/chicagofood · Apr 2025taste
Calls it underrated and loves the light airy crust.
- Recommendsu/southpaw303 in r/AskChicago · Aug 2026
Native Chicagoan recommends Lou's.
- Recommendsu/ProStockJohnX in r/chicagofood · Feb 2025
Says to just go to the Wrightwood Lou Malnati's for deep dish.
- Recommendsu/Short_Pin_6243 in r/chicagofood · Nov 2025taste
Acknowledges quality varies by location but calls a recent Lincoln Park pie phenomenal.
- Recommendsu/howieinchicago in r/chicagofood · Apr 2025taste
Thin crust with sausage and spinach is a delivery favorite.
- Mixedu/ChoderBoi in r/chicagofood · Aug 2026taste
Says it tastes as it did decades ago but criticizes new specialty pizzas nobody orders.
- Recommendsu/Additional_Ad741 in r/chicagofood · Apr 2025taste
Loved the thin crust on first try after living here 42 years.
- Recommendsu/BlondBadBoy69 in r/chicagofood · Mar 2026
Answers Lou's.
- Recommendsu/GimmeShockTreatment in r/chicagofood · Jul 2024taste
Calls Lou's their favorite for both tavern style and deep dish, despite foodie friends.
- Recommendsu/Wuffie1968 in r/chicagofood · Mar 2026
Answers Lou's all day long.
- Recommendsu/CurvedTVGreen8788 in r/chicagofood · Mar 2026taste
Says both are good; likes Lou's crust a bit better than Giordano's.
- Recommendsu/sMo089 in r/AskChicago · Aug 2026
Calls Lou's the best chain.
- Recommendsu/mateorayo in r/chicagofood · Apr 2025taste
Says the thin crust is very, very good.
- Recommendsu/stacecom in r/chicagofood · Jul 2025taste
Calls the thin crust underrated and their go-to.
- Recommendsu/XNamelessGhoulX in r/chicagofood · Jul 2024taste
Calls the thin crust probably the most underrated pizza in the city.
- Recommendsu/shavedaffer in r/chicago · Apr 2024taste
Praises the thin crust and calls the butter crust special.
- Caveatu/Rugged_Turtle in r/chicago · Apr 2024consistency
Says quality varies and the Lincoln Square location is bad.
- Caveatu/Ray_blatzer in r/chicagofood · Nov 2025consistency
Well done order came undercooked with sausage covering only half; got refund.
- Mixedu/ayemimi in r/AskChicago · Mar 2026taste
Calls Lou's alright but mostly just market-covered.
- Caveatu/Dazzling_Ad9982 in r/chicagofood · Nov 2025taste
Awful undercooked deep dish from Wrigley Building; won't take tourists again.
- Caveat@amma_jamma on X · Oct 2026
Calls it a tourist trap and advises against going for deep dish.
- Caveatu/UnusualFruitHammock in r/chicagofood · Apr 2025consistency
Says quality varies by location and the Wicker Park one is bad.
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Freshness
Details last checked 10 Nov 2026. Recommendations reflect what people said at the time; confirm current details before you go.