#5 Kaiser’s Pizza & Pub

Location: Gurnee

Kaiser’s Pizza & Pub is an easy, breezy, and family-friendly joint that tosses out fantastic pizzas. I was lured over to Gurnee thanks to Kaiser’s solid 4.6-star rating and legendary all-you-can-eat pizza on Thursdays (don’t be alarmed – it’s not a buffet of stale, soggy pizzas; they whip them up fresh to order).

As for the pizza itself, it’s thin, crispy, crunchy goodness and goes down nicely with an ice-cold beer. Kaiser’s is a laid-back destination, so you’ll find disabled access, family menus, and lots of parking, making sure your visit is carefree from start to pizza-filled finish. 

#4 Ferentino’s Pizzeria East

Location: Lake Forest

Ferentino’s Pizzeria has a lot to offer, but it’s renowned for one thing above all else: Deep Dish Pizza! I haven’t visited the location in person but I keep talking about the flavor-packed pizza I ordered a while back. It was delicious and nicely packaged (which is of the utmost importance when it comes to pizza pie, or else you may well be scooping it out of the box by the forkful by the time it arrives on your doorstep).

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If you do decide to step into their restaurant, rather than curl up with your order on the couch, then rest assured you’ll find a cozy, casual atmosphere over in this Pizzeria in Lake Forest. The pizza is one of the best on the north shore and the artisan bread is a close runner-up for the most delicious thing on their menu. 

#3 Quonset Pizza

Location: Waukegan

Quonset Pizza is a spot in Waukegan that’s determined to be remembered for its damn good pizza. And they’re succeeding – once you’ve tried it, you’re at high risk of becoming a regular patron. They’ll be there to tempt you with their mouth-watering thin-crust pizza at lunch and dinner and they’re even fighting for first place in your freezer with their frozen takeaway pizzas.

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When I visited the restaurant, I saw a customer loading up their trunk with what must have been twenty boxes of frozen ‘za to go. Either they were a doomsday prepper, or they’re just another victim to the cheesy, tomatoey, sausagey magic of Quonset Pizza (not only found in pizza form, but also in their bomber sandwiches). 

#2 Pizzeria DeVille

Location: Libertyville

Here, the food, service, atmosphere, and value are high across the board, earning Pizzeria DeVille second place on my favorite pizza places in the North Suburbs of Chicago. Be prepared to rub shoulders with many excited Pizza-lovers, because the woodfired pies draw crowds from all over the burbs and the city itself.

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A lot of them can be overheard saying that it’s the best pizza they’ve ever had in their life. Why? If only I knew the secret. It’s the dough texture, it’s the sauce, it’s the toppings – it’s everything! All I can say for sure is that I’ll be back. There are endless combinations to try at Pizzeria DeVille, and I’m planning to work my way through them all. Plus, the staff are hilarious and kind; they put you at ease so you can focus on the only thing that matters anymore… Pizza. 

#1 Louie’s Restaurant

Location: Waukegan

With Waukegan winning two places on my list, I can only conclude it’s the pizza capital of the North Chicago suburbs and Louie’s Restaurant is the King. It’s an old-school-style diner with a healthy splash of kitsch from the pink backlight running behind the bar. So sure, it’s cute – but honestly when the food is this good, who cares what the place looks like?

Ironically, despite Louie’s finishing first on my list, it only appears to have two pizzas on the menu. But you essentially build your own pizza, so have fun with it and make sure you order the large (14″). When your creation arrives at the table, you’ll probably laugh nervously and say something like “wow, that’s a lot of pizza”. But mark my words – in 30 minutes, you’ll be looking down at a nearly empty platter and wondering if it’s humanly possible for you to finish it, (and speaking from past experience, the answer is ‘hell yes.) At $10.99 for a regular pie, we can all agree that pizza at Louie’s is both cheaper and better than therapy. 

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