429921 Fri Aug 10 09:11:12 -0700 2007 12 7 Chicago Area 0 2832731 I know there are many threads but the ones I've found didn't give me enough information. I'm coming in from New York for 5 hours or so and looking for a deep dish pizza place by the Art Institute of Chicago for a late lunch. I only have this one shot at Chicago for a deep dish pizza so I wanna make it good. I know there's a Giordanos around there. If this was going to be the only pizza I'm having, would it be the right choice? Fri Aug 10 09:11:12 -0700 2007 93566 kelea 1 2832886 I hear there's a great Sbarro not too far from the Art Institute. ;) Seriously, though, this has to be one of the most frequently discussed topics on Chowhounds' Chicago board. There is Pizano's Pizza at 61 E. Madison, I suggest that you give it a try. I personally don't care for Giordano's stuffed pizza -- too doughy and bready -- but I know that others do. Read through some old threads -- you'll see that there are a lot of opinions on this subject. Fri Aug 10 09:42:34 -0700 2007 2832731 21675 RMA 1 2832892 Giordano's is a great choice! Also right across the street from the Art institute is a Pizzano's which as also good, but IMO not as good as Giordano's. Two other close by options that are also in the Loop (the area immediately west of the institute) are Bachino's & Ricobene's which are my personal favorites in downtown. Have a great visit. Fri Aug 10 09:44:13 -0700 2007 2832731 19135 abf005 1 2832895 I would call it the right choice, and a great choice, but not the only choice. The nearest Giordano's is at Prudential Plaza (135 East Lake Street), 5 blocks north of the Art Institute, or at 223 W. Jackson, about the same distance west of the Art Institute. Giordano's is my personal favorite among Chicago pizzas, but many others are good as well. www.giordanos.com You could also go to Pizano's, at 61 E. Madison Street, which is two blocks north of the main entrance to the Art Institute at Michigan and Adams. www.pizanoschicago.com Either one offers a good representation of Chicago deep-dish pizza. (Other places, including Bacino's, Ricobene's, Edwardo's, Uno's, Due, Gino's East, and Lou Malnati's, are all significantly further from the Art Institute, at least eight blocks walk or more. If your time is limited, Giordano's and Pizano's are both significantly closer than the others.) It sounds like you've already read the voluminous discussions of Chicago pizza at www.chowhound.com/topics/327474 and www.chowhound.com/topics/319254 Fri Aug 10 09:44:55 -0700 2007 2832731 55363 nsxtasy 1 2832912 Added the links.. Fri Aug 10 09:48:35 -0700 2007 2832731 19135 abf005 2 2832985 According to a website I checked, Ricobene's former location on Lake Street has closed, and it is not shown among the locations listed on Ricobene's own website at www.ricobenesfamoussteaks.com The location on Wells, on the far side of the Loop from the Art Institute, is still open. Fri Aug 10 10:02:56 -0700 2007 2832912 55363 nsxtasy 3 2833558 nsxtasy: Good catch!! Your right. I missed that detail, i think because I've always just walked west up Lake street to the Wells storefront which is 1/2 of a block north, opps! 222 N. Wells Street Chicago, IL. 60601 (312) 372-2322 Fri Aug 10 12:08:20 -0700 2007 2832985 19135 abf005 4 2834063 the Lake St location is now a Pizza Hut or something -- horrors! The location at Wells & Wacker is still there Fri Aug 10 14:12:48 -0700 2007 2833558 87093 renov8r 5 2834145 Just to clarify - There is only one location of Ricobene's in the Loop, at Wells and Wacker. The address shown on their website is the 222 N. Wells St. address mentioned previously, but in the Loop, you often have buildings which have entrances (and addresses) on two (and sometimes even three or four) different streets. It's the same place though. And I still think Giordano's or Pizano's are a lot better choices if you're starting out at the Art Institute, rather than walking or cabbing 12 blocks to Ricobene's. For that matter, though, I would take Giordano's even if they were all on the same block. ;) Fri Aug 10 14:32:29 -0700 2007 2834063 55363 nsxtasy 1 2833404 Pizano's without a doubt, their thin crust is fabulous and by no means a 'thin' crust! Go there, you won't be disappointed! Fri Aug 10 11:32:57 -0700 2007 2832731 77974 shu.girl 1 2864303 Thanks for all the info and help. I really wanted to try Lou Manalti's but I just didn't have time to go all the way up that way. I managed to cram in both Giordanos and Pizanos. Between the two, I think I can safely say I am not going back to Pizano's anytime soon. I had a small sausage pizza - the whole pizza seemed just slightly undercooked. The sausage was still a little pink and the crust seemed raw. Not to mention the abismal service from the bar girl who couldn't care less if I was eating dirt. Giordano's on the other hand had great service. Waitstaff was superb and attentive. The individual sausage pizza had a great butttery crust. But the garlic bread was to die for! On a totally different note, I had the pecan praline ice cream and dip & pop next to pizanos, and THAT was the best ice cream ever. I am definitely revisiting chicago soon. Mon Aug 20 19:09:00 -0700 2007 2832731 93566 kelea 2 2864746 Kelea, Thanks for feedback! Glad you liked Giordano's, It's in my top 5. Pizano's and Malnati's however are not.. I still contend that Lou Malnati's & Pizano's are almost indiscernible between the two. And I'm fairly certain that if you didn't like Pizano's, Lou Malnati's probably won't thrill you either. I'm still sorry that the service was sub-par, they usually do a good job in that dept. IMO: Since you seemed to enjoy Giordano's, I think your next best bet would be to hit Bacino's and Ricobene's on your next trip here. I think you'll be very pleased. And if find you have more time available, Gulliver's is the best in town. Let me know if you need directions there on your next trip. Mon Aug 20 22:49:17 -0700 2007 2864303 19135 abf005 3 2865669 All of which, of course, is a matter of opinion. I really don't like Gulliver's (or Pequod's or Burt's) at all. Giordano's is my favorite, but I also like Malnati's (which is indeed similar to Pizano's and Uno's downtown and Gino's East, except for their yellow-colored crust - but none should seem underdone). Since you liked Giordano's, feel free to return - or try similar places like Edwardo's and Carmen's and Bacino's - as well as trying any of these others. Thanks for the feedback! Tue Aug 21 08:53:51 -0700 2007 2864746 55363 nsxtasy