There’s a lot of debate about the best pizza in Chicago. Choosing deep dish, pan or thin crust can be just as taxing as choosing between Gino’s, Lou Malnati's and Uno’s. But sometimes you just need a pizza without all that fuss. We’d much rather skip the hassle of waiting in line to sit in a crowded room of tourists and head to our local pizza joint: Marie’s Pizza & Liquors. There’s rarely a long wait for a table thanks to their spacious dining room that captures all the glitz and glamour of a hotspot in the '60s. Red booths line the walls along the bar and the main carpeted dining room. Mirrors etched with scenes, such as the Chicago skyline, fill in the walls above the booths. Tables of varying sizes fill in the rest of the space underneath several massive crystal chandeliers. But don’t get your boogie nights on just yet; Marie’s is a family place.
The décor can be forgiven, though, because since 1940, Marie’s has been making some of the best thin crust pizza in existence. It’s not fancy; there’s no barbeque chicken or caviar to be found on these pizzas. The "Marie’s special" is their only specialty pizza, and it’s a happy mix of sausage, green peppers, mushrooms and onions. Each pizza is delivered by an attentive waitress on a giant rectangular cookie sheet the instant it comes out of the oven, and it’s so hot that you’re forced to smell and stare at the pizza for a minute before you can even try it.
On this particular visit, Chicagoist ordered a sausage and black olive pizza. The cheese was still a little bubbly, and both toppings were generously distributed on the pizza. Their sausage was in large clumps and was cooked to the point where it was no longer excessively greasy, but also wasn’t dried out. The key to Marie’s pizza is that the crust is so thin it’s barely noticeable. As someone who values toppings over crust, we love it. But our crust-loving boyfriend prefers Marie’s double dough crust. While still crispy and thin by most standards, this crust is more filling and better withstands the weight of its toppings.
If you want to look beyond pizza, Marie’s has a decent selection of typical Italian fare, such as chicken parmigiana and lasagna, along with sandwiches you’d expect to find at any pizza or hot dog stand in Chicago: Italian beef, hamburgers, and pepper-and-egg. But, honestly, we’d skip all that and head straight for the pizza. While the pizza stands above all else, one of the perks of Marie’s is that you can walk into the liquor side of the building, choose a wine and have it served at your table right away. Additionally, they recently added a $4 martini special and live jazz combo on Thursday nights.
When you just need a good old-fashioned pizza without any hassle or goofy toppings, check out Marie’s Pizza and Liquors at 4127 W. Lawrence Ave., just west of Pulaski on the south side of the street. Or, if you’re feeling lazy, skip the décor and order in by calling 773-725-1812.
This review submitted by Meghan Clark.
add to digg
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
email this
add to facebook
add to del.icio.us
Marie's is our friends and family favorite. Pitchers of beer and great pizza with lots of weekly specials. People may think the decor is dated, but who cares, fan's of Marie's love it-
Marie's was the favorite of the Roosevelt High School Class of '57 and many more before.
And 50 years later, it's still a treat!
I went there a few times in high school and I loved the pizza. Definitely a good thin crust pizza place. I pass by them all the time and now I want to go back!
Arrgh. Now the best neighborhood pizza joint in the city will be overrun with hipsters dressed in black and wearing ironic trucker's hats. Hey, I don't think they have PBR, you can just stay in Wicker Park and eat at Piece.
Good thing you didn't mention the over-the-top campiness of the Christmas decorations, or us neighborhood types would never be able to get in.
I love the dated decor. I've always felt that Marie's would make a good setting for a mobster or maybe some sort of murder mystery story.
I used to live a few blocks away from Marie's so I ate there ALL the time. The Christmas decor is amazing and my favorite part of the place is that you have to walk through the liquor store to get into the restaurant, clever marketing. A testment to its quality is that I rarely ate there without the presence of Chicago's Finest which also adds to peace of mind. I miss Marie's.
andy wrote: "I've always felt that Marie's would make a good setting for a mobster or maybe some sort of murder mystery story."
Yeah, because we all know that where there's italian food, there's bound to be 'mobsters' 'connected guys'and a good shooting, et al. I think they keep a pistol in the tank of the toilet, as well.
James: I was referring to the look and feel of the place (note the reference to "dated decor"), not the fact that it's Italian (your own inference). Hell, it could be owned by Germans for all I know.
Now the best neighborhood pizza joint in the city will be overrun with hipsters dressed in black and wearing ironic trucker's hats.
Uhh yeah because Marie's is such a secret to everyone else but neighborhood people 'in the know' err....or something.
Ate there for the first time last night. Amazing. Loved the decor. The pizza was crazy good, and I'll be going back.
My dad used to take me to Marie's every so often, and I have really fond memories of that place. They haven`t redecorated in what, 20 years? so it`s like walking back into my childhood.
Anyways, damn, the pizza is pretty decent there, and I should add that the antipasto is a good way to go (if you like the anchovies and vinegar). It`ll give you something to do while you`re waiting for the pizza to cool.
You can check out their delivery menu on Grubhub, there's a lot of good reviews there also.
haha if you really think a bunch of hipsters are going to travel up to my old neighborhood for some pizza and wonderfully outdated decor, you are delusional. They probably think Mayfair is the suburbs.
My Father and his family have been going to Marie's for 50+ years. Unfortunately I was born and have been raised a few hours south of the City, so I didn't know good pizza until I had Marie's. WOW. Every time we're back in "the hood" we stop in. It's worth the time it takes to get there, not just a short walk from Kennicott and Karlov like it was for my Father and his family though.
My family and I were patrons of Marie's for over 35 years.
As a child, I can remember my dad would bring home a large sausage, mushroom and onion pizza just about every other Friday or Saturday evening.
As a teenager once in a while I would stop there for a slice of pizza and a soda on my way back home from high school.
My family occasionally would stop in and have a pizza at the restaurant before shopping next door at the liquor store on a Sunday afternoon.
Their pizza and lasagna is the best you are going to find on the North and Northwest side of Chicago!
I can remember the late owner George would would be working in the liquor store, he would greet my dad by his first name when we were ready to check out and pay for our liquor.
Since we have moved a long ways away from the North Mayfair neighborhood recently, we have not been able to find a liquor store with the kind of variety, great sale prices or a pizza parlor with that great Chicago Thin Crust Taste!
Next time I am in Chicago I will be making a special trip just for some Marie's pizza.
My family and I were patrons of Marie's for over 35 years.
As a child, I can remember my dad would bring home a large sausage, mushroom and onion pizza just about every other Friday or Saturday evening.
As a teenager once in a while I would stop there for a slice of pizza and a soda on my way back home from high school.
My family occasionally would stop in and have a pizza at the restaurant before shopping next door at the liquor store on a Sunday afternoon.
Their pizza and lasagna is the best you are going to find on the North and Northwest side of Chicago!
I can remember the late owner George would would be working in the liquor store, he would greet my dad by his first name when we were ready to check out and pay for our liquor.
Since we have moved a long ways away from the North Mayfair neighborhood recently, we have not been able to find a liquor store with the kind of variety, great sale prices or a pizza parlor with that great Chicago Thin Crust Taste!
Next time I am in Chicago I will be making a special trip just for some Marie's pizza.