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Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria

4 star rating
based on 402 reviews

Category: Pizza

Neighborhood: North Park
3448 30th St
North Park

(between Upas St & Myrtle Ave)
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 295-1720
Hours:

Tue-Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Attire:
Casual
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Price Range:
$
Good for Groups:
No
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
No
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
No
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Good for:
Lunch, Dinner
Alcohol:
Beer & Wine Only

402 reviews for Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria

Review Highlights   

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"By far the best "Chicago" deep dish pizza EVER." (in 186 reviews)
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"It contained cheese, sausage, pepperoni, meatballs, and Italian beef." (in 36 reviews)
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"This is the ultimate in "Chicago" style pizza in San Diego." (in 5 reviews)
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Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites'
Photo of Craig R.

Elite '09

289

202

Craig R.

Long Beach, CA

5 star rating
11/17/2009 2 photos

To start off my 200th review I have a quick question for all you Yelpers out there.
What is about 8 inches long and weighs a little over a pound?
I know what you're all thinking. Get your minds out of the gutter please.
Man you Yelp folk have dirty minds.
I'm talking about is a slice of stuffed pizza from Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria in San Diego.

If you think one slice is huge, you should see what a whole stuffed pizza looks like. It comes with 8 slices and weighs a little over 8 and a half pounds. My girlfriend and I tried to be adventurous and finish a whole one by ourselves.
Did we finish it? Yes, but it took two days.

I had heard from some locals that Lefty's was one of the best pizza joints in all of SD. After I looked up Lefty's on Yelp, and saw all the pictures of their famous stuffed pizza, I knew that this place was going to be amazing. Since their website claims that it takes over an hour to make a stuffed pizza, I called up the restaurant early in the morning and told them what kind of stuffed pizza I wanted and what time I wanted to pick it up. It is almost like a reservation because you tell them what time you want your pizza to be ready so that when you get there your pizza is ready and waiting. They also ask if you if you are planning on dining in or taking out. We choose to dine in.

My girl and I showed up at Lefty's a few minutes early because we were told that they only have a few tables in their restaurant and if we wanted to eat there we should show up a few minutes before our pie was ready and grab a table.
It's a good thing we did because the place is tiny. On the inside they only have about 3 small tables and on their patio they only have 4 tables. Once seated we only had to wait about 5 minutes for our pizza.
Our pizza was huge. I knew there was no way that we would be able to finish this pizza in one sitting.

The pizza we ordered was called the stuffed meaty pie. It contained cheese, sausage, pepperoni, meatballs, and Italian beef. Their stuffed pizza has two layers of delicious, crispy crust, and is topped with tomato sauce. The middle of the pie is packed full of the ingredients you ordered. Even the crust is stuffed full of mozzarella cheese. Each slice is so big and messy that is almost impossible to eat it with out using a fork. Our pizza tasted phenomenal. Every single bite contained lots and lots of cheese, meat, crust, and sauce. The stuffed crust was probably my favorite part of the whole pie. The outside of the crust was super crispy but the inside was doughy and contained tons of gooey cheese. This was by far the best stuffed pie I have ever had.

You can tell that they take pride in their pizzas because the chefs came out and asked us how we liked our pies and thanked us for coming in. This place seems to be very popular because during the 45 minutes we were there people were constantly coming in and picking up their orders.

If you have never tried a stuffed pizza before then I highly recommend you stop by Lefty's and get yourself one. Just make sure you come with more then one other person because there is no way that two people can finish off the job.

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Photo of Juliana Dakota S.

 

1

3

Juliana Dakota S.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
11/11/2009

fucking amazing.** every time i grace this establishment with my presence, they grace my tummy with the best pizza i have ever had. not to mention they have pbr. ON TAP. i try to branch out, really i do, but seeing as i am a traditionalist when it comes to the pizza pie, i tend to land on the pepperoni deep dish pretty faithfully. you may have to wait awhile if you go in on a busy night, but the other clientele will keep you amused. trust me. it's in the heart of the North Park hipster skinny-jean-scene. the patio is cozy and the owners are amazingly friendly.  do yourself a favor and try it now if you haven't.

**keep in mind that while i love pizza, i do not consider that thin crusted crap to be pizza. it's good, mind you, but it does not fall into the same category of deliciousness that is served up piping hot from a well seasoned deep dish pan.

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Photo of Joel M.

 

0

1

Joel M.

Chula Vista, CA

4 star rating
11/11/2009

This is one hidden gem that not much people knew about until they opened up the second branch up in Mission Hills.

If you want authentic chicago style deep dish pizza and hot dogs... this is the place to be! I was introduced for the first time to one of the best, mouth-watering, melt-in-your-mouth, foods ever... ITALIAN BEEF... roast beef never tasted so good...  u have to try their italian beef sandwich when u go there.. they roast the beef with herbs for hours.. then dunk the meat in au jus... place it in an italian roll and drizzle somemore au jus... I could seriously drink that au jus..HAHA ...

there deep dish is good.. I suggest getting it with homemade sausage.. bacon ... and italian beef.. with extra sauce
they sell flatbread pizza there.. but dont fool around there with that... deepdish is the only thing u need

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Photo of Eric C.

 

1

3

Eric C.

San Diego, CA

3 star rating
11/22/2009

Hmmm... I wish I could give it 2 and a half stars. I live pretty close to this place and was told by my roommate that the pizza is delicious, so I decided to check it out.I went with one of my friends and we both ordered slices and some PBR (btw PBR from the tap only tastes a little like piss). Well needless to say it's not all its cracked up to be in my humble opinion. the pizza wasn't bad but it just wasn't awesome either and when I asked for a cup of Bleu Cheese not only did they charge me for it but it was like the Wishbone squeeze bottle shit! UGH!. the atmosphere (what little there is) is definitely Chicago inspired but needs a thorough dusting, like seriously... so since its so close and the pizza comes in ample quantity I probably will return at some point... like if luigis on 28th across the street from the Turf Club in golden hills burns down!

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Photo of smatty s.

 

0

1

smatty s.

San Diego, CA

1 star rating
11/15/2009

This is possibly the worst pizza in San Diego.  I went there with my girlfriend because she had heard from someone that works there that it was a great pizza place.  Wrong.  The service was horrible. It took the staff about 50 minutes to get a burnt thin crust pizza done (the cheese was brown and crispy over the entire pizza).  They must have been fondling themselves in the back because they were not busy in the slightest.  The few people that were there managed to get their deep dish pizzas 20 minutes before our thin crust despite the fact that they ordered after us.

The pizza did not taste good and toppings were sub par.  I don't understand how so many people on here love this place.  Maybe i ordered the wrong thing or maybe this place sucks and only people with shitty palates write reviews.  

I recommend not ever thinking about going to this place unless you want to waste $25 dollars on an overpriced turd of a pizza.  I would not eat there if i was given the pizza for free.  I am only giving them one star because they did manage to serve something, a turd pie.

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Photo of Darian M.

 

144

75

Darian M.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
Updated - 10/16/2009 1 photo

Alright, small update.

Today, I had ordered the stuffed Monster of the Midway, I actually prefer the deep dish. I thought this was only decent, the giaradiara (Sorry for spelling error.) overpowered the thing, and the sauce was kind of too savory, not as sweet as it was before. It costed 30.00 which isn't bad, nor good, considering that two slices of this thing can feed a starving Ethiopian boy.

Now 3 and 5 balance to a 4. Im still a fan of Lefty's, but im not coming soon, because my pizza cravings are satisfied(I now have a craving for Senor Mango's and Yogurtland.) Besides, I haven't been to Bronx yet....

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 5 star rating
    10/10/2009

    Best pizza in San Diego!

    I have been thinking about what to eat for a whole 30 minutes on Yelp. I… Read more »

Photo of Daniel S.

 

11

20

Daniel S.

San Diego, CA

1 star rating
10/14/2009

Just because it's fashionable to like Lefty's doesn't mean you should suckle its tits and go on-and-on about how good its pizza is.  This place isn't even top 5 pizza within a 3 mile radius.

Not only that but the food is overpriced.  I paid $5.50 for a hot dog expecting a monstrous wiener and instead got some pathetic 3 inch piece of shit on a burnt bun.  Weak.  

If you happen to be in the neighborhood, give it a try.  If you are stumbling home drunk from one of the nearby bars, give it a try.  But for the love of God, don't go out of your way for this place.  You will be disappointed.

Note: I think this place deserves 3 stars but I'm giving it 1 to offset the homer reviews.

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Photo of Wyatt S.

 

0

5

Wyatt S.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
10/25/2009

As far as Chicago style, this is the best deep dish i've had in san diego, and quite possibly anywhere. Its pretty deep, and I add authenticity points because they put the sauce on top. The sauce is also amazing. I've had the pepporoni and the meaty deep dish, and both were good, but surprisingly, the meaty was a little too gangster on the meat scale for my likes, so now I just prefer the pepperoni, but it was still really good!
     I havent had their regular style, but for regular style i have to stick with The Venetian in the Point loma area.  But dont worry Lefty's, you guys still make a pretty damn good pie!

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Photo of Joshua K.

Elite '09

89

115

Joshua K.

La Mesa, CA

5 star rating
Updated - 9/26/2009

Still the goods, just wanted to update to add to my best sandwiches category..........

The Roast Beef with Provolone and Hot Giardineria is SUPERB.
I was delighted at how frickin' good the Grilled Veggie is too.  Zucchini and all the fixin's and pesto sauce!  Droooool. (in a good way)  So, every once in a visit, I only get one slice of 'za, and I'll get one of my favorite sandwiches in town.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 5 star rating
    10/15/2008

    Must consume pizza.  Whenever the question is pizza for us, the answer is Lefty's.  Most of their… Read more »

Photo of Danny D.

Elite '09

16

191

Danny D.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
Updated - 10/12/2009

I finally had the stuffed pizza.

It is an affront to God. In the good way.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 5 star rating
    4/5/2009

    Is there a site where I can just rate restaurants based on the cute girls behind the counter?

    Being a… Read more »

Photo of RON C.

Elite '09

342

155

RON C.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
8/31/2009 1 photo

Best Chicago Style Pizza I've had in San Diego

I've always wanted to see the hype of this pizza spot from all you Yelpers! Thanks for all your reviews.
Came here last week after work and once again North Park is a very convenient place to reside with all these wonderful spots around to eat.

As soon as I walk in you'll see nothing but Chicago stuff from Chicago Cubs to Chicago Bears! The place looks very clean inside and have a patio dining area outside. A few tables inside but I only came and ordered to go. The girl with glasses took my order haha so descriptive, ordered the 2 Slices and a soda for $6.50 . They do take Credit Card.

The pizza is yumm so declicious I would definitely come back for more. Peace Yelp Heads!

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Photo of Zack P.

 

0

13

Zack P.

Jacksonville, FL

3 star rating
10/10/2009

Lefty's pizza is like a beautiful woman, everything you've wanted to be with --and she loves you back-- but she is just awful in bed.

The ingredients are right, the cheese is right, crust is close, but for some reason when it all comes together it doesn't do it for me.
Lefty's tries.  They really do.  I give them all kinds of credit for that.
That being said, there was just something missing.

This is coming from someone who has eaten many a pizza from Giordano's and the like.

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Photo of ben g.

 

90

56

ben g.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
8/25/2009 1 photo

Yeah, so I went deep dish, so what?
Actually, this is why "so what". . .
Spinach Supreme: spinach, mushroom, basil, elephant garlic.
So this is Chicago style, huh?...nice. I don't even like basil, I'm just not that kind of "herby" guy, kna'mean? But the spinach, mushroom and elephant garlic made you forget about the basil, if you're not into it. Tasteeeee!

Peeps are friendly. Patron's are cool. Not too much small talk, which is cool for a pretty quiet Filipino like myself. Saw the "pizza by the slice"...got two cheese thin crust (oh yeah!)...and one deep dish pepperoni. Both yummy. The sauce is flavorful on the deep dish cause there's a lot more of it. I was kinda scared of the elephant garlic being too strong, but no it wasn't. But the thin crust doesn't top Bronx in my book. I don't even think they had whitestone. But, and there is a but, I still haven't gone to Luigi's. Which my friends from the East Coast say is better than Bronx. So the taste test continue.

I'm not complaining. Just measuring the difference between the tasty pizza joints in town. You got others? . . .holla at yo' boy Ben. So I gave in and bought boo her deep dish pizza. She said it was worth the money and the drive around.

Ohkey! Juutaykeeteesseemang!

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Photo of Brian T.

Elite '09

86

70

Brian T.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
8/16/2009

LEFTY WINS!  LEFTY WINS!  LEFTY WINS!

There are very few things in life that I know, but food is one. Primarily pizza of all varieties done right.  I will refrain from news headline pun here.

Lefty's pizza is amazing in every way. The trinity of pizza is achieved by this fine establishment.  As always, when trying a pizzeria for the 1st time, I must order the basic and try to get an entire pie to see what I am dealing with before throwing toppings on it.

Now that time and time again I have come back to Lefty's and thrown on toppings, I still am partial to the plain at this place.

Crust:  Being a Chicago style joint we are talking deep dish black metal pans. Black metal like Bathory or Living Colour or like an a Blacksmith hammering hot metal on a black metal anvil which I sometimes like to imagine all of the aforementioned in order to distract myself while my stomach churns waiting 35-40min for the pie to be bestowed upon me. It is usually the dude from Living Colour listening to Bathory really loud while hammering metal against an anvil as sparks radiate in sharp bursts. Oh, and he is making a kick ass broadsword to cut my pizza the right way. Damnit! Now, I am back on pizza and my stomach.  The experience of smelling pizza for that long while waiting on yours can be a painful, but it is well worth it. The crust is crunchy, a bit flaky, and dare I say on the lighter side for Chicago. It is not oily at all and the bottom is dusted with cornmeal.

Cheese:  What comes next on a Chicago pizza is cheese, not sauce. If someone says otherwise, they are fvckin liars and should not be trusted watching your cat, dog, guinea pig, boa, or houseplants when you're out of town. Lefty's is very generous with the cheese. Tons of coma inducing gooey bliss. This is where the pizza gets really heavy, but this is the way it should be for Lefty's.

Sauce:  If Jesus was a food, he'd be Lefty's sauce. I can't recall ever having a better sauce so perfectly matched with a pizza. Not saying that it isn't out there or I haven't eaten it, but as soon as I take a bite my mind goes blank and all I can think is how great this sauce is. It is simple--tomatoes, basil, maybe a bit of garlic.  It is sweet, juicy, tangy, and savory.

While this style pizza I might not be able to eat for every meal, they way I could eat Luigi, it is one V.I.Pizza, and possibly the best overall pizza in town.  Actually, I'd say Lefty and Luigi and Sicilian Thing are tied for me at the top. They are all different and all excellent in their own rights. After that I really don't know or care to eat many other pizzas.

Also, see Amber C.'s review of Lefty's, since it documents the first taste.

The only thing that Lefty's can do better, is get Old Style on tap instead of PBR. Note: I asked them about the lack of Old Style and they told me it was due to it only getting as far as AZ before it shot way up in cost. Maybe eventually some distribution deal will pan out.

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Photo of Victoria S.

 

0

9

Victoria S.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
10/30/2009

I love me some lefty's! Deep dish is always great. And I love a lot of pizza sauce, which they have. The place is usually crowded and it's small, but isn't much of a problem for me.. I'm never disappointed. I don't know what Chicago's pizza taste like, but the BF says it's the closest they have out here compared to home. I say give it a try of you haven't already.

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Photo of Thom P.

 

0

12

Thom P.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
10/26/2009

If you are from Chicago or have ever lived there then you know that Pizza and Italian Beef sandwiches don't get any better than in Chicago.  Lefty's is about as close as it gets West of the Mississippi.  Their deep dish pizza will make you think you are sitting at Gino's East, but without the snow.

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Photo of Mark R.

Elite '09

29

75

Mark R.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
Updated - 10/19/2009

Look I am no Pizza snob, more of a pizza SLUT!   I will eat pretty much everything on the menu in this place.  The deep dish pie pizza is really as good as they say yuuuuummmmm..  Give them enough time to bake it right for you though give them time to make it perfect.  I haven't been to the Mission Hills one yet, but I bet my bottom dollar that it is the shizznitt.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 5 star rating
    8/13/2008

    Da Bomb, this place is hands down the ultimate best Chicago Pizza.  When you don't know where to… Read more »

Photo of Ron E.

 

15

54

Ron E.

Long Beach, CA

3 star rating
7/23/2009

So I'm kinda torn on this one. If i could give it three and half stars, i would, but i think a return visit is in order to see if they can sway me one way or the other. I'm not the biggest thick crust pizza fan, but i'd heard and read a lot about the place, so if the pizza can stand up on it's own, sans hype, i'm a fan.

The chick and i got there around 8ish and peeped the menu for a few minutes before placing our order - a deep dish pan pizza with pep, Kalamata olives and sausage and a few Stellas. The place is tiny and having to stand around either outside or inside as you wait to score a table is somewhat of a bummer.  

After about 40 minutes of waiting our pizza finally came out, piping hot and smelling goooood. While the pizza itself was good, nothing about it blew me away. Except for the crust! Thick and doughy, this was the best part about the pizza. The chick didn't approve of the tomato sauce that left a small pool in the middle of the pizza. She forgave them afterwards though for remembering her name as we left, asking her how the pizza was and thanking her for coming in. I was apparently chopped liver. The staff was genuinely nice and even obliged to bring me a small side of ranch despite their warning me not to dump it on the pizza. After two and a half slices i was done, my stomach could take no more and we were about to have pizza for the next few days.

Im really wondering how the pastas, FRIES and sandys are...thoughts? feelings?.....i guess i gotta head back to find out.

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Photo of Sandy D.

 

2

15

Sandy D.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
8/15/2009

I'm proud to say my husband and I were some of their first customers at the original shop in North Park and although the food was AMAZING we were worried they wouldn't make it because the location seemed to be a pizza shop cemetery. Thankfully, we were worried for nothing because business is booming (congrats on the second location in MIssion Hills!)

Order a slice of the Chicago style (so authentic!) with a side of fries. I know it's a strange combination but their fries are some of best I've EVER had.

You need more info?

They treat their customers like friends and the prices are very reasonable.

Two huge slices and a soda for $6!

Parking is not great but who cares!!!

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Photo of Frank A.

 

0

7

Frank A.

La Mesa, CA

5 star rating
10/23/2009

3 words for you to sum this place up:  BOMB ASS PIZZA.  

Went to Chicago recently in search of the same stuff and had no luck even though my bro took me to the "best" pizza joint in Skokie.  Not even close to how good this place is.  The sausage is extra amazing too.

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Photo of Carlos M.

 

0

5

Carlos M.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
9/9/2009

Come here bout once a month and love it...

I always order the special which is 2 deep dish slices and a coke for like $6 bucks, you can't beat that deal.

I tried the Chicago Beefs and they were great too, give em a shot...

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Photo of LALALolita d.

 

16

71

LALALolita d.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
7/23/2009

Holy stuffed pizza!!!  
I was never a fan of the big P until my short stint in the windy city convinced me otherwise. No joke -I think this pizza is better Chi-style pizza than I ever had actually in Chicago. (I'm headed back east in a few weeks to taste test--Ill get back to ya...)
PS: Do not waste your time with thin crust or deep dish - it does not compare to the amazingness that comes from 2 layers of dough and cheese
PSS: Might want to fit in a workout or 2 before hand *(see above--2 layers people)
PSSS: Call ahead --it takes hours -yes hours (about 2 when we went) for the stuffed specialties
Lefty's: if your reading this make the topping pieces bigger -that's it -that's my only gripe, I'm not even gong to mention the 2 hr wait, that's how good your pizza is

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Photo of Melissa A.

 

6

28

Melissa A.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
8/5/2009

Lefty's is by far the best deep dish pizza I have had outside of visiting Chicago and parking myself at Giordano's and Gino's deep dish pizza restaurants!

I love the Chicago look and feel of the place, and nothing beats the fresh out of the oven pie!  As it is a ton of food, I now eat a few pieces fresh, and freeze the rest for later use, and found that to be stellar!

If I had a speedy metabolism, I'd eat here daily!

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Photo of Kylo A.

 

2

4

Kylo A.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
10/16/2009

Hands down, the BEST pizza here in San Diego.  I was hooked from the first time I had it.  Friendly, helpful service from the staff and they offer military discounts!  A couple of the staff members asked a few times...only once did I get the discount.  :-)   Otherwise, the inside dining space is small, so check out the patio instead. I'd recommend Lefty's to anyone looking for good pizza.

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Photo of Mel B.

 

71

90

Mel B.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
8/20/2009

Wow, this place has been super yelped...why not add another?

Great pizza, great service, good prices, super small place.

Spinach artichoke bread was excellent!

We'll definitely be back!

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Photo of Annie H.

Elite '09

77

76

Annie H.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
6/26/2009

I love pizza and I am willing to try any kind, shape, style...anything.

We ordered 2 slices (thin) of sausage pizza, and 2 Italian beef and sausage combo sandwiches. I loved the pizza! I need to go back and try the deep dish from what I hear. You can also call you order in, which cuts down on the wait. Also, there isn't much room to sit and dine. They have a few beers on tap, and the staff is very helpful.

It is a little pricey, but well worth the quality and yummyness!

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Photo of Tiffany R.

 

3

10

Tiffany R.

Chula Vista, CA

5 star rating
8/7/2009

THIS SH*T IS LEGIT!!

My parents grew up in Chicago & I've grown up eating the best the Windy City has to offer. I used to feel like I've been missing out by living in San Diego. NOT anymore :) They offer the best deep dish pizza. No scrawny $5 generic junk. Why are you still reading this? Seriously.. call in your order & go!

(kind of) down side: My dieting days are doomed :(
plus side: I can save my $35 s&h from buying frozen Chicago pies & just come here

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Photo of Jaime P.

 

0

7

Jaime P.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
10/10/2009

"THE BEST PIZZA IN SAN DIEGO"  I am originally from NY, so topping that pizza is hard to do, but Lefty's did it. The deep dish pizza is to die for.  They also have a great array of different menu items to choose from that are just a tasty and delicious.  You will go to pizza heaven with this pizza.

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Photo of Bri R.

 

4

13

Bri R.

San Diego, CA

3 star rating
6/18/2009

After reading stellar reviews of Lefty's I decided to give it a try. So I convinced my starving friends that it would totally be worth the wait and gave Lefty's a call. After placing the order for three pizzas and two orders of fries I drove over to pickup the eats.

First major disappointment, the price. I placed my order over the phone and the person forgot to tell me how much it was going to be. And to make this even more dramatic the last time we all had pizza it was three $5 pies from Little Caesars. So, needless to say when they blurted out $80 I was like WHAT? After going through the itemized list I was stunned, that's the most I've paid for pizza EVER. So I reluctantly handed over my credit card and paid the bill.

Second major disappointment, one of the pizzas I ordered was a meaty deep dish and it was super greasy, so greasy that the grease oozed out of the corners of the box and onto my car seat, wa wa wah.

Third major disappointment, I bust open the pizzas to discover there are ginourmous tomatoes all over the top, it kind of looks like a drunk person ate about 6 whole tomatoes and then proceeded to thrown them up all over the top of the pizza. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate well-crafted pizza sauce, but this was just straight tomatoes on top, flicking off the huge ones was necessary.

On the plus side their pizza was super filling, once piece and I was full. On the downside that means there was no way me and my friends could eat it all. Even though we ate pizza leftovers the entire weekend I'm pretty sure about $27 of pizza ended up going bad in my fridge. It was definitely a learning experience, I'll try Lefty's again, but this time I will be prepared.

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Photo of Bruce L.

 

2

8

Bruce L.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
10/23/2009

Went here for a quick bite of lunch with a real estate client. We each ordered a slice and a draft Pabst Blue Ribbon on this unexpectedly hot day. The super sweet cutie girl behind the counter said to me that the sausage slice I'd ordered was small, would I mind if she gave me a second slice? Who could object? Somehow our bill for 3 slices and 2 cold refereshing beers came to only $9.50. So naturally I overtipped.  The pizza was fabulous. The beer was cold. The girl working behind the counter was cute. If that's not a perfect lunch then I don't know what else to say.  If my life was as perfect as that, I'd have been elected President of the United States for 6 straight terms and nobody wouldn't noticed that I'd been violating the constitution for 16 years in a row.  I've never been to Chicago. So I won't get into whether this is the most authentic Chicago style pizza. I had to take 1 star off because of the flies buzzing around. There's a dumpster next to the place and it was a hot day - I guess it couldn't be helped. But I'll eagerly return to Lefty's. Like tomorrow maybe.

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Michael S.

San Diego, CA

3 star rating
8/12/2009

Went here the other night after my friend raved about the fantastic reviews this place has received. We got there a little late, so they weren't able to make our group an entire pizza; we all had to settle for single slices.
The pizza itself was decent. However, I was expecting more out of the "Chicago style pizza". Having been to "Gino's East" in Chicago, this place pales in comparison. If u want some good Chicago style pizza, go to Unos in Fashion Valley instead.

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Patrick E.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
6/21/2009

I'm no pizza expert by any stretch. All I have to use in comparison are little known pizza establishments such as Pizza Hut and Papa John's. But the deep dish at Lefty's is great! Just as good as every other review says it is. My pizza was super cheesy, just the way I like it. Full pies are a tad pricy, especially with more than a few toppings, but is not too bad when split between a few people. They have Newcastle and some other beer on tap, along with a decent selection of others in bottles.

One minor gripe: seating. Let's do some simple math here. More diners than there is dining area equals lots of standing patrons and a crowded sidewalk. One guy even ate his meal from the electrical box outside on the sidewalk. So be prepared to pounce onto one of the few tables outside once one of them becomes free.

Aside from that, Lefty's is awesome and is definitely on my places-to-eat-at-again-sometime list.

Oh, and as an aside, make sure the cap on the crushed pepper shaker is on tight before you start shaking away or you'll be like my friend who ended up with a plate of red pepper with a slice of pizza somewhere in between and an eventual asshole on fire.

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Thinh T.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
10/9/2009

This place is great!  2 deep dish slices and a soda for under $7 bucks?  You can't beat that.  One of the workers actually took 50 cents off because one of my slices was a tad bit smaller.  Try the spinach and mushroom!  It is amazing!

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Elite '09

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108

Dom H.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
5/16/2009

Came here with a looker that I wanted to impress. Left with Newcastle Brown Ale all over my white dress.

Baby was a well-fed hot mess.

Good pizza. Not too legit to quit, but Lefty's could sucka serve Chicago-based Giordano's its deep dished ass on any given day.

Plus: Fresh, quality ingredients adorn these tasty, made-to-order pies.

Minus: Da Bears mementos adorn the walls of this cramped, hotbox purveyor of palate-pleasing pies.

Word to the wise: Order your slice of heaven to go unless you dig beer baths and knee-jerkingly haunting reminders of why you evacuated the Midwest.

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Sean C.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
5/23/2009

I managed to drag my hung-over ass to Lefty' for the first time today.

Strike up the band and sound the alarms... authentic homemade food.

Lefty's is the type of place you find... you like alot..  so you keep wanting to go back to try something else.

Maybe I'm just super hung-over and delusional right now or this might be my favorite place to eat in San Diego.

Go fuck yourself Luigi...

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John S.

Spring Valley, CA

5 star rating
8/6/2009

I'm not from Chicago, but this stuffed pizza is the best I've had--next to "The Flying Tomato", Denton, TX.  Not a real eat-in spot unless you grab a table outside because inside is New Yorkish.  Where ever you eat this pizza, it's worth it.  My fave is the stuffed sausage (crumbled).  The cheese is just OMG!  Bring company and leave your diet at home--each slice weights about a pound!  

Oh, call ahead --it takes an hour to prepare this wonderful beast.  

I heard the hot dogs were good too.

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Maureen J.

La Mesa, CA

5 star rating
7/7/2009

I'm originally from Chicago and when I was told about this place my husband (also a Chicagoian) and I ate there that night.

AUTHENTIC CHICAGO PIZZA!!!! Some resteraunts try to say they make it but Lefty's is the REAL DEAL!

I love going in there and feeling, even if it is just for a moment, that I'm back in the Windy City. Chicago team pics and gear all over the walls, maps of the city, small but, in my opinion, cozy.

Best pizza topping: Susage! The only way to go with a Chicago pizza.

Must have starter: The loaded fries. I get cravings for them! Good with cheddar cheese but if you want a little tang, get the blue cheese.

Gotta have it at least once: A Chicago hot dog with the works (the only way to have a dog) and an italian roast beef.

Know that this place gets very busy later in the day. Order the pizza ahead of time or get there a little early to get a table since it is a small place.

***If you are in the military, let them know! They will give you a military discount.***

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C C.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
6/18/2009

Be on the look out for seating outside or a small table opening up; other than that, great atmosphere, interesting decor, and phenomenal pizza.

We got the deep dish; and having been used to BJ's pizza, this one is better. More of a homely, fresh made by somebody taste; not pumped out of a factory by some corporate restaurant drone.

We were also told that the sandwiches, burgers and salads were very good.

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Clayton K.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
8/6/2009

Opening  hours are horrible....  Come on you open up for lunch at 12 make it at least 11.

But boy do I love their food

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Ben F.

Springfield, PA

3 star rating
7/30/2009

I knew a guy that had dinner here every single day for months and only tried the pizza. He would have kept going if he didn't move out of SD. I guess some people like it, but it's not for me. I had 2 pieces of deep dish today and 2 about a 3 months ago. I wasn't impressed then and not now.

The staff is nice though and price is just right.

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