Chicago-style pizza off the I-60 freeway

[Jackie]

Hello chowhounds. I am new to California via Chicago via Australia. I was told by my sister-in-law that there was mention of a close as possible to Chicago pizza at a place somewhere off the I-60 highway. Can anyone assist me? I'd like to go this week and I was unable to find anything on the other sites or via the search engine here (perhaps not doing it right?)

Thank you kindly! Cheers-Jackie

[WLA]

At least one of these posts in a previous recent thread on Chicago style thick crust pizza addresses the place you are asking about, plus their are other good rec's here for what has been found to be as close as we can come out here on the Left Hand Coast.

Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[Like-Go-Eat?]

I love Chicago. Here is what I have found here at the Chowhound. Not in any particular order. If you try any please report back.

Pizza

Zelo's Pizza (Cornmeal dough Chicago Deep Dish with a California twist. Do not expect true Chicago Pizza but good)
328 E. Foothill Blvd.
Arcadia, CA
[phone]
North of 210 / East of Santa Anita.

Tony's Little Italy (Said to be the best Chicago Deep Dish near L.A.)
1808 N Placentia Ave Ste B
Placentia, CA 92870-2300
[phone]
East of the 57, North of Yorba Linda, Blvd.

Chicago Pasta House (Said to be the best Chicago Deep Dish in Calif.)
24667 Sunnymead, Blvd.
Moreno Valley, CA 92553
[phone]
http://www.chicagopastahouse.com/
Exit the 60 at Perris Blvd. – just South of the 60.

Petrillo's Pizza (Not deep Dish but very good pizza
)833 E Valley Blvd
San Gabriel, CA 91776
[phone]
Chowhouh diiscussion on Petrillo's Pizza
http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/191314.html

Sandwiches

Taste Chicago (Try the “Combo” Itallian Beef w/ Sausage, also Chicago style Dawgs and Itallian Lemon Ices
)603 N Hollywood Way
Burbank, CA 91505
[phone]
http://www.tastechicago.biz/

Portillo's (First Calif. Location of a Chicago Chain
)8390 La Palma Ave
Buena Park, California
http://www.portillos.com/portillos/look/
Two blocks East of Knott's at the Buena Park Mall.

[David Ford]

Like-Go-Eat!, let me just take a moment before I shift to food and tell you how much that I personally appreciate your posts here. Your diligent attention to detail (restaurant addresses and telephone numbers are so helpful) and the obvious care that you take in offering your wonderfully constructive opinions are a valuable asset to the Greater L.A. Chowhound community for all the right reasons. Because of this, I am happy to say (and I'm sure that I am not alone in saying) that; Like-Go-Eat!, "You are good people!". And thanks for all that you do here.

Now, in response:

Tony's Little Italy is the real deal. I was born in Chicago. And, like yourself, I feel a strong connection with the people and their culture. And in Chicago, food is a key part of that culture!

Anyway, Tony's is really great. Awesome pizza served in a clean and well-run establishment. Nice people, too. You should definitely check it out.

I have been withholding my largely negative opinion on the Chicago Pasta House (CPH) for some time now because I was hoping that my recollection of my two (and only) visits had been unduly influenced by external factors and therefore not an accurate representation of CPH.

Well, let me begin by saying how much I really wanted to like this place. And the food is okay; not bad, but not great, either. On my first visit I had a small deep dish pizza (their specialty) with sausage. Since my standard is Tony's Little Italy, I have been spoiled for pizza of this type. And, not surprisingly, CPH's deep dish was a shadow of the Tony's version. But neither was I really expecting it to be great, either. My reason? The place is filthy! On the walls, the floor, the edges of the tables, the seats, the ordering counter; EVERYTHING has a thin to moderate layer of dust on it! Seriously gross. Outside, this place looks like an old roadhouse that has been closed for years. When I drove up for the first time, I thought I had the wrong address or something. I mean, no joke; we are talking like something out of an old west ghost-town! Unbelievable! Anyway, the place is a joke. I did go back again 3 months later just to confirm my initial impressions. This time, I sat in the back room that I did not see the first time. And I went for lunch instead of dinner as I did before. This time, I decided to try a meatball sandwich and a bowl of minestrone. And neither were bad at all. But I was so preoccupied fighting off an extremely aggressive fly I just could not enjoy myself at all. And the filth is simply inexcusable. Sorry, but that is how my review of this place has to go down. It looks like it used to be great, but at some point several years back whoever runs the place just stopped caring. Sad, but true. What a shame, too; because the food is really not bad.

As far as the other places on your list; I have not tried them. I would like to try Zelo's and Taste Chicago sometime, though!

[The Chowhound Team]

Hi-

Folks, please continue any further discussion of Chicago Pasta House on the California board, where Moreno Valley chow is discussed.

Thanks.

Link: http://www.chowhound.com/california/b...

[Chino Wayne]

You might be thinking of Chicago Pasta House, in Moreno Valley, I've put up the details on the California board, where Moreno Valley chow is discussed

Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...