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Diversey (Purple Express, Brown)
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Gf and I went to pats pizza early on a Friday evening. The place was empty at the start of our dinner. When we got our check, we looked around and saw every table had at least 3 kids. Holy cow! Pats is the new chucky cheese. Be warned.
The caprese salad was weak. We went with pasta and we were satisfied. The food is good and reasonably priced but not anything to write home about.
OK.... so.. I would consider myself a deep dish lover but Pat's thin crust is on the verge of converting me. I ordered Pat's for delivery this past weekend and was very satisfied.
It didn't take very long for delivery
Their mozzarella cheese sticks are awesome!
The salads were very fresh and I really liked their ranch.
The pizza was great! We got half Pat's special and half tomato and garlic. mmmmmmm. I will definitely keep their number in my phone for future pizza loving.
For those central Illinoisans who miss their Monical's pizza, this is the closest I have found in the city to the amazingness that is Monical's. Unfortunately there is not sweet and tangy french dressing to top your pizza with, but it's the best that can be done.
This pizza is thin crust and gooey just right. If you are looking for thin crust, and you can't get Monical's, this is where you should go. (If you don't know about Monical's, I am so sorry-- you must take the trip down to Manteno, Illinois as that I believe is the closest one to the city).
Pat's has tasty thin and crispy pizza that has the perfect balance of sauce, cheese, and toppings. Delivery only took about 30 minutes on a Friday night. However when I went to pick up a carry out order I had to stand around awkwardly for a few minutes before anyone noticed me! The carry out and delivery menus have coupons which are attached to my fridge for future use. :)
I can't say anything about the pizza at this place, which judging from the other reviews rocks. This review is based solely on my order of their "Garbage Salad". I got it as take out and my very large stryofoam conainter was packed to the gills with tons of yummy steamed veggies: broc, carrots, cukes, plus tomatoes and onions. It also had two hard boiled eggs in it. The salad normally comes with ham and turkey breast and american and provolone cheese, but I opted to just stick with the healthy stuff. I wasn't disappointed, The salad was so huge I was able to share it with a friend and still have left overs. And I'm a girl from Nebraska who always cleans her plate. I will definitely be getting the salad again!
When I lived on Barry and Clark, my roommate worked for Pat's on Sheffield. He would bring Pat's home 3 or 4 times a week. First time I ever had shrimp on my pizza. At first, Pat's wasn't my favorite pizza in Chicago but it grew on me. We always had some Pat's in the fridge.
This review is for my trip to this Pat's in March of '09.
I went by myself as I was just a visiting (sigh, I miss you Chicago).
I got a small SMOP. It was pretty good. Not quite what I remembered. I *am* a fan of crispy crust and I often go on rants against NY style doughy pizza now that I live in FL. But this crust was a tad too crispy.
Not to say there was anything wrong with the pizza. It was done well. The cheese was great. The sauce was a little too sweet for me. These are matters of taste not quality. The quality was there.
One of my first jobs was at a pizza place in Indiana, working for an old Chicago pizza cook. I remember the painstaking care he would take finding and mixing the right brands of mozzarella cheese. Each brand had a different characteristic. One would burn too easily. One would taste too salty. He would mix three different ones to come up with the right formula. People don't appreciate the detail that goes into a good pizza.
I uploaded a couple of pictures of my pizza. Note how the crust lifts up around the edges. It's that thin and crispy. Also notice the good amount of cheese on it. These are characteristics of a Chicago thin-crust pizza. I like a little more cheese on my pizzas and I like it to come to the edge. The best pizza is one you can't eat until it cools a little and congeals!
Pat's is well worth the visit. You decide if it's your favorite or not. Many people have. I'd say for me, this is review is:
5 stars for quality
3 stars for my personal taste
4 stars for service
So, about 3.5 stars? (maybe an extra .5 star for old time's sake)
If your thing is thin crust pizza, than this is your place! This pizza is seriously thin!!! But it's the kind of pizza you have to eat right out of the oven. If you have it delivered it gets soggy, since it is so thin. Go and eat there and have the thin crust. Absolutely the best.
The low rating is primarily for the poor delivery service. As far as the pizza is concerned, it's a great thin crust which reheats amazingly well. The crust is buttery, not cracker-like and the mozzarella is very tasty. I recommend eating in the dining room. They even accept the menu coupons ($2 off a large pizza) in the dining room, which many places do not.
Pat's prices have gone up since March or April so make sure you know the exact price over the phone before the order is finalized (see below).
Delivery tale is as follows:
First time they messed up I was sent a large cheese instead of a large pepperoni on a Saturday night. I called and was told a new pie would be sent out free of charge. Problem solved. Nonetheless it was a mistake.
The second mistake came on a Sunday afternoon after I ordered the same thing, large pepperoni. I was quoted one price on the phone which apparently was from the older, cheaper menu, and it seems no tax was added. When the driver arrived the bill I received jumped from the quote of $16 to over $22. I told the driver I would not accept the order. After running in circles with the manager over the phone trying to get the price knocked down (by the way not a great English speaker and NOT the person that quoted me in the first place. He was nowhere to be found) I realized it was a dead-end and the order was terminated.
As with most delivery, hit or miss. I recommend taking the time to eat at the restaurant and leaving delivery to bargain places like Domino's.
Me and my boyfriend were looking for pizza because even though we had pizza the day before, we didn't get enough pizza parties in elementary school. We went into Pat's on a whim; it's in a dark area of Lincoln and we only noticed it because we were starving.
Roger Ebert claims this is "the best thin-crust pizza PERIOD," and I am inclined to agree with him a hundred times over. And I don't usually agree with him (not since he gave Ace Ventura: Pet Detective "2 thumbs down"), but he's right on this one.
The thin crust was perfect, just sliiiightly burnt, not too crunchy, not too soggy, and it made the cheese stand out wonderfully. In short, Effin' Badass. We inhaled it.
The only odd thing I noticed is that the place was empty except for one other table of people. I mean, a quiet setting is nice, but I was surprised it was empty on a Thursday night. With pizza that good, it should have been at least half-packed.
Long story short (too late), go to Pat's, get the thin crust, and bring a date. Neither of you will be disappointed. And bring a pen, too! That butcher paper on the table top ain't just for pizza sauce!
That's twice now that I came to Pat's feeling grumpy and slightly chilled from an unexpected shower. (Nature - you're messing with my Friday night plans. I am not amused, you hear?)
I came in with my roommate and her boy (BTW, guys, thanks for letting the single one tag along on your "date") at around 7:30 last night. We were immediately led to a booth and taken care of by our server. Water and drinks were delivered in seconds. Impressive, especially given that every other table and booth was filled with customers.
We ordered the baked goat cheese appetizer (Yum! It came seriously close to dethroning my affection for La Dolce Vita's goat cheese app) and two thin crust pizzas.
I've got to admit, I'm not the biggest fan of thin crusts, but Pat's convinced me of its worth. We ordered a roasted tomato, basil, and onion pizza, which my roommate and I split. Her boy, on the other hand, proceeded to have a sausage, pepperoni, and peppercini pizza. Now, why someone would ruin a perfectly good pizza with the addition of peppercini, I don't know. But I can tell you, that once I picked those suckers off, his pie was delightful.
Our waiter was attentive without fawning over us. He had a great sense of humor and despite our lingering over the scraps of our dinner, he did not try to hurry us along.
I'll be back, but only after I've gone back to get my deep dish pizza fix satisfied. I can't abandon my preferred pie, after all.
hands down the best damned pizza in lincoln park. order takeout or eat in you wont go wrong
Struggled with this rating. Really would like to give it 3.5 stars. Went here for a birthday and thought, another pizza joint, big deal. I was pleasantly surprised with their thin crust pizza! It is some of the best thin crust that I've had in Chicago. The crust is super thin, and not crispy like a cracker like some other places. It was excellent! I don't know about anything else that they serve here, but the pizza is good. I would consider ordering for delivery if i lived closer. Nice neighborhood place.
Imagine if you will, a snowstorm. Two cousins get hungry after the third bottle of wine, and decide that maybe it's time they ordered dinner.
This is her favorite pizza place both for dining in and delivery, so she took control of the situation and ordered for us.
I've seen the bad reviews, so I am guessing we were super lucky this time, the pizza arrived in about 45 minutes, hot, and totally delicious.
The spinach and cheeses went really well together, as with the rest of the wine we drank that night.
Later on, while walking home, I almost fell flat on my back because of all the ice. I don't think the pizza had anything to do with that, though.
So I will be ordering from here again, hopefully they won't let me down!
Pat's really is great thin-crust pizza, it IS a little bit greasy, but it is salso one of the few pizza places that have other things on the menu that are good, entrees like pasta. The pasta dishes are not cheap but they do come with salad and garlic bread. Delivery has been good.
Pat's is, by far, my favorite thin pizza (their 'pan' is thick crust, not stuffed, and just so-so)....order extra sauce (if you are a 'sauce person'--theirs is delicious) and well done. The crust is VERY thin, so don't go nuts w/the vegetables then bitch that your pizza is soggy. And although it sounds anathema, try the Taco pizza (it's double the thin dough, refried beans, taco meat (!) salsa, cooked, then cold lettuce and tomato on top--get it with jalapenos, too). Fabulous.
I LOVE their pastas (Paglia Fieno, fettucine alfredo and the lasagna, when available, are all excellent) and their sandwiches (burgers, BBQ or Italian beef, the chicken parm is fantastic, though expensive) are great. With dinners, order the 'round bread' (Turano) w/red sauce instead of the garlic bread, and any of the soups instead of the (bland) house salad. Their 'specialty' salads (Pianetto or garbage) are yummy, too.
Two minuses in my book: first, a large thin 'special' (4 ingredient) pizza, delivered, is about $30 by the time you give the driver a decent tip. A little steep, though you can tell them you have a $3 off coupon (the driver won't ask for it). Price is worth it, though. Second, get the damn website menu up and running already! They've had time to post pictures of the interior of the restaurant (who cares?!) and (mostly old) accolades, but still no menus?! You're hurting yourselves by not having it up there. If people don't have your menu, they'll look on-line and if it's not there, guess what? No order.
Haven't eaten in the restaurant since they moved from Sheffield (and people who bitch about decor here are morons--it's a PIZZA place, and fairly nice as they go--if you want decor, hit some chi-chi place in the west loop).
As everyone else has said, the thin crust pizza is awesome.
If I eat Pat's food, we try to do it in the dining room because then you can get the fresh baked bread. This bread is like a form of heaven, and it's basically carb-crack. Add butter to that, and it's like it 1992, I'm at a rave and I am one-hour into some, er, mood-enhancing substance.
If you go on a Friday or Saturday night, you generally get some olives and cheese as a free appetizer, and the cheese is like heroin and it has the potential to start fights if you don't share it equally.
I do think that their salads are overpriced for what they are, and yes, the pizza is pricey, but the pizza is worth it.
This is also good for bringing out-of-town guests because they feel like they are having a real Chicago experience.
The main downside is that I generally don't see any LPT's. Too many carbs?
My review makes me sound like a former drug addict. I will work to find other analogies in the future.
But seriously, that bread, OMG.
STICK WITH THE PIZZA
It's really my fault. I should know better than to order an entree from a pizza joint. I knew it as soon as the words 'chicken marsala' rolled off my lips.
45 minutes later the delivery guy shows up and then the fun began. What to eat first? The rubbery bread, the wilted salad, or the chicken marsala swimming in grease with exhausted prehistoric looking mushrooms.
Lesson learned.
Is this the same Pat's as the one on Sheffield / Belmont area ? I think it is. Maybe it's the fact they moved locations that it didn't taste as good as I remember....it had been prob a good five, maybe seven years since eating here and while not bad, it didn't wow me as it used to.
Good thin crust, toppings and cheese pretty solid but could have definitely used more sauce.
As a transplanted east-coaster living in chicago, i began to miss what pizza actually tasted like. No offense to all of chicago, deep dish is great, but i would call it more of an italian/pizza-inspired pie than a Pizza....if you know what i mean... Either way, Pat's is quite good!
Environment: I didn't eat there, i ordered it for pick up. It looked very comfy and well lit inside.
Service: Larry on the Phone was kind and helpful with the menu. I told him it was my first time ordering from Pats and I asked him what I should get- He said "Try our pepperoni pizza. Thats really what we're best at. I'll staple a menu to your bag for later, so next time you'll know what you want to get." He told me to pick it up and exactly 20 minutes later i showed up and it was waiting for me. P.S. go to the side door for pick ups, not the main restaurant.
Food: Good Pizza, cheezy, cut up into squares across the whole pie. (I prefer slices coming from the middle, but meh...). Ample pepperoni all over the place. For take out, they wrap it in a bag and the hot air inflates the thing.
Bathrooms: did not test
Cost: $18 for a large pizza that was more than enough to feed two people
Good spot!
I got this one night when I had been drinking, and I walked home with it. It isn't far to my house, but it was raining. The takeout doesn't come in a box; it is a little catrdboard circle with a bag around it...luckily I got home before the pie got soaked!
Thin crust was very, very tasty! I really liked this pie.
It's kind of weird ordering takeout here, you go back through the dining room and sit in the kitchen. I really don't care about that, it's just strange. At least I know the kitchen is clean!
The thing that does bother me is that the toppings were not what I ordered. It seems to me, though, that this place is all about the wafer thin crust. I have to admit, it's pretty good!
The best thin crust pizza in the city bar none. This does not mean you must try it. I just like the place and the food. Pizza is such a subjective thing. But as far as I am concerned if you live near here you ought to try it and I am sure you will be pleased.
Good pizza, but....
I made the mistake of ordering food for delivery; I ordered non-pizza food. I ordered an Italian beef which was dry. I even asked for the Au jus to be included but nope, it was dry as a napkin. The fries were soggy and seemed microwaved. The meatball sandwich was also probably microwaved and covered in boring sauce. The only decent thing was the chicken strips, which I could have made myself from the grocery store. Yuck! Chef Gordon Ramsay would not approve of this meal, especially seeing that the sandwiches were around $7 each (not including the $2 cold fries).
That being said, on a separate occasion I ordered thin crust pizza which was very good but too expensive.
I grew up in St. Louis, land of "ketchup on a cracker" pizza, so when I had Pat's pizza at a friend's house, I was thrilled to find something close to the pizza I grew up eating.
The pizza is delicious. The service? Not so much. I have never eaten in the restaurant, but have ordered delivery for myself exactly two times. The first time the delivery driver made some rude comments about my cat. Ok, inappropriate, but whatever. The second time? I ordered a small cheese pizza and a soda, and the guy taking my order goes "that sounds like a lonely night." Since I didn't appreciate their running commentary on my personal life, and I'm not one to get easily offended, I have chosen to never eat here again. Too bad for you, Pat's.
For thin crust pizza I'm a Pats guy. It is delicious. They do jardinera on there pizza's as well which I love. I have been here several times and only ordered the pizza because it is so good even though they do pastas as well.
This pizza is real good. Have only gotten takeout, and the cheese.
I'm practicing succinctness.
This was an attempt to find cracker thin pizza for my mother. The sausage and sauce was great. It was a thin crust pizza but it wasn't cracker crispy like she wanted. I'd order it again for sure.
We also tried toasted ravioli and a four cheese pasta. I'd tell you to stay away from the pasta for sure. There was way too much gorganzolla cheese which was not tasty at all warm (and I am a cheese lover). The toasted ravioli had a type of bruschetta on top which was way too much vinegar.
I'd order the pizza again for sure.
I've heard people rave about this place.
I don't know why.
The pizza is bland and flavorless. Its like Dominio's ugly step-child.
The pizza was a hit! Everybody loved it and kept asking, where is this from? Great thin crust pizza. Sweet sauce, really thin crispy crust. The cheese is balanced and not slopped on. I will definitely order again.
For someone who's really picky with their pizza. I LOVE PAT'S PIZZA! I dined in to check it out. Really nice dining area, great waiter service, amazing mozzarella sticks! Probably the best mozzarella sticks so far. The best thin crust pizza ever! And the biggest soda cup evera lol I could barely finish it. Check it out, it's great!
I've had Pat's many, many times... it is ALWAYS my go to delivery joint for thin crust late night pizza. It's my favorite thin crust in the city and they usually get it to my house in a timely manner, piping hot and with no attitude about my 3 story walk up condo.
It is unfortunate that I didn't review them sooner because my rating would have been much higher, but this rating stands on service (or lack there of) alone.
We ordered Pat's last night at 7:00 (on the dot) hoping to be fed and full in time to watch the new Entourage at 9pm.... well by 8:15 when no pizza had yet to grace my doorway you can understand why I had reason for concern. I called Pat's to find out the pizza just left with the driver and should be here any second...
Well I guess Pat's measures seconds with the big slow hand and not the big fast one because I waited another 30 minutes before calling them... AGAIN...
More apologies... More BS... More "it's on it's way, any second now..."
At this point I told the manager to forget it... I already had a PB&J and you can keep your damn pie. He said NO it was already coming and would "be there any second" - so I tried negotiating... fine charge me for the pizza, but don't bring it here since I don't want it now, let me have a credit and you can have a shot at get things right next time. NOPE. Really?!?! Wow... that is just extremely poor business practice.
He insisted the pizza would be free of charge anyhow due to their ridiculous level of incompetence and it should truly be there ANY MINUTE NOW...
Well my pizza rolled in at 9:34pm (over 2 and 1/2 hours later) AND with the wrong toppings. I called them (yes, I'm a phone nazi) just to give them an fyi and I was hung up on. Shiiiiiiiittttttttttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh and although I don't love green peppers and onions... I really don't love that they charged my credit card this morning even more.
Every place has an off night... it's the law of averages. That's why you have to be prepared with a plan on how you handle the recovery and not piss off your customers. My tummy's utmost devotion to Pat's will be crushed, but I can't see giving another cent to a place that treated me like this.
I catch myself drooling thinking about Pat's. I had read reviews on Google Maps when I was trying to find a location within walking distance to my old apartment. Got a large cheese pizza which, if you use the website beforehand will notice, there is a $3.00 off coupon for. If you have the extra bucks, you can opt instead for a free six-pack of pop. Either way, the pizza is so spectacularly good it leaves you feeling like you got a steal. Best thin crust, and I am very picky with my pizza. If you're a fan of Pizza Hut or Domino's I'm guessing you won't be amazed, but if you're a true blue Chicagoan who knows cracker crust is the real Chicago pizza-- you will be back for more.
Also try the Pumpkin ravioli.
I'm glad when I move I will be within good distance of this place. It's fabulous!
I meant to head to Chicago Pizza, but met my friend here instead. I don't recommend it. The decor is bad, and the pizza worse.
We ordered a veggie pizza with spinach and it had fresh spinach on top of it. I mean UNCOOKED spinach, just dumped on top. My caprese salad was bottom of the barrel. Dried spices used, no fresh basil, and it was the middle of Summer.
No thanks. Never again for me.
Let me tell you a little something about Pat's Pizza and Ristorante... They serve the BEST bread this side of Little Italy. In fact, it is better than my Italian grandmother's homemade bread -- well, that would be if I actually had an Italian grandmother. Mine's Swedish; I guess that's cool, but her Swedish rye bread is no match for Pat's little round bundle of warmth and yeasty goodness. The owner told me that it comes half-baked from a local bakery. At which point they finish baking it and serve it straight-from-the-oven to your table! Oh my sweet Lord, my mouth is watering just typing this review.
Anyway, I'll also mention that the pizza is good, but better as take-out late from the kitchen (they're open till 2:00 on weekends). It's a great cap to a drunken binge. Also, eat in on Monday or Tuesday night. All wine (and it's a pretty good selection for this small restaurant) is half-price. Pair it with one of the many awesome pasta dishes or entrees. I've tried nearly half of the menu and haven't found anything I didn't like, yet!
OK - I know I live in Chicago and people claim our pizza is the best in the world if you like that junk with the sauce on the top and a pound of crust on the bottom - but I don't like it. I never have, I never will, and I think Chicago-style deep dish is disgusting.
What a breath of fresh air when I stepped into Pat's Pizza several years ago and found the best thin crust pizza I've ever tasted! The crust is so thin and crisp it's like a communion wafter with toppings! The pizza has the perfect amount of sauce, toppings and cheese and is served best piping hot with large amounts of crushed red pepper.
Being a regular (2-3 times/month) I've tried several of the Italian entrees here, as well, and can say I always go back to the pizza. Their Italian dishes are generous portions, but if you're at Pat's, you better be there for the pizza. The one exception is their fried calamari, which is pretty basic stuff, but never disappoints in the appetizer department.
Their delivery, carryout and dine-in service has always been spectacular for me, so I'm sorry to hear other Yelpers bad experiences. If you're a fan of thin crust - you've found your new home in Chicago.
Best thin crust pizza I have had in the city. I have tried so many too. Service is weak, telephone ordering service is rude and delivery is slow.. this place needs to take a look at operations because the product is soooo good. I wish they had the service to match.
We've actually only walked by it, paused, and intuitively kept walking.
Although I've never eaten here - I feel like I have because I know the feeling:
Still hungry? The restaurant is closing down all around you while you try to eat - even though their stated hours mean you should be leisurely enjoying your meal.
Of course you take the bread home! And hope you brought your big purse or are wearing big pockets (if you're really prepared - you have lined them both with premium-quality baggies and Vanity Fair napkins...)
The wine IS a problem - I used to gulp down the rest while standing up (the spouse eager to get outta the damn place) but me with one hand moving glass to lips - the other - fingers pressed white on the table (for balance and restrained anger.)
But that was back when I mostly drank white wines. Now I'm tending towards the reds and the gulping is more hazardous. When it dribbles down your chin making you look like a poorly bred 10-year old and staining your new cream-colored cashmere cowel-neck.
And the pizza - - there's no bloody box and who wants to wreck their jacket and/or purse over a now cold pizza that doesn't even sport your favorite toppings.
No, I've never actually been there and yet I have so many times in other places.
This has got to be the BEST thin crust pizza in Chicago. Please note, I am not comparing this thin crust to the one I reviewed at Spacca Napoli, since that restaurant offers a different style of pizza (from Naples).
Since the pizzas are so thin, and they run small, it often makes sense to order the large or extra large, even if you don't expect to eat too much. My friend and I (both 2 girls) would eat a large easily and neither of us eat a lot.
By far- our favorite pizza in the city. Pat's crust is super thin, and the sauce is a bit sweet. We tried Pat's after hearing several friends rave about it. And now we are hooked.
Downside... pizza is a bit expensive. You also have to LOVE thin crust pizza. Which we do. But definately worth a try.
Though a bit more expensive than most places, Pat's Pizza walks the awesome line between thin crust and deep dish... it's delicious but has loads of cheese. My friends and I also had their chicken wings (pretty freaking good, especially for a pizza place) and their mozzarella sticks... which were delicious, a heart attack on a plate, just like they should be!
Very good cracker-thin pizza. When I picked up the carryout box I didn't think they had put the pizza in it! It is super lightweight pizza. I asked for extra sauce but didn't get it. hmph. I would order from there again but next time they better slather on the sauce!
Kids Eat FREE on Thursdays!
Oak Park, IL
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Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
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Category: Pizza
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Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Pizza
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