Chicagoist: Northwest Side Restaurant Review: Marie's Pizza and Liquors

chi30

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 02:14:23 -0600

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. Here is a toast to another 60 plus years of Marie's Liquor and Pizza in North Mayfair!

chi30

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 02:08:15 -0600

T Harvey

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 19:47:25 -0600

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.

Amanda

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:41:27 -0600

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if you really think a bunch of hipsters are going to travel up to my old neighborhood for some pizza and wonderfully outdated decor, you are delusional.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.

Matt

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 14:36:43 -0600

You can check out their delivery menu on Grubhub, there's a lot of good reviews there also.

dan

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 21:54:27 -0600

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.

Cliff

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 15:19:20 -0600

Ate there for the first time last night. Amazing. Loved the decor. The pizza was crazy good, and I'll be going back.

navin

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 09:48:51 -0600

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.

Andy

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 09:05:05 -0600

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.

james

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 07:32:07 -0600

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.

Ken Sumka

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 01:10:03 -0600

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

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 23:57:04 -0600

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.

Alfonso Bedoya

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 23:47:33 -0600

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.

CC1st

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 23:33:52 -0600

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!

Marshall Rosenthal

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:18:41 -0600

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!

colleen

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 18:04:55 -0600

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-