Nestled in the vibrant Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, the Chicago Pizza And Oven Grinder Company stands as a testament to the city's rich and evolving culinary history. Located at 2121 N Clark St, this establishment has become a destination for locals and visitors alike who seek an authentic taste of Chicago’s unique approach to comfort food. The restaurant is housed in a building that carries a distinct sense of place, offering an atmosphere that feels both nostalgic and welcoming. It is not merely a place to eat, but a venue that captures the spirit of a neighborhood that has seen decades of change while maintaining its commitment to traditional preparation methods.
The experience of dining here is defined by a focus on quality and a dedication to a specific style of cooking that has garnered a loyal following over the years. By prioritizing the integrity of ingredients and the patience required to craft their signature dishes, the restaurant provides a dining experience that stands apart from the fast-paced nature of modern urban life. Whether one is a longtime resident of Illinois or a traveler passing through the city, the establishment offers a window into the culinary traditions that have helped define the local food culture of Chicago.
Distinctive Features of the Dining Experience
Signature Oven-Baked Creations: The restaurant is widely recognized for its unique method of preparing pizza, which deviates from the standard thin-crust or deep-dish styles found elsewhere in the city. By utilizing individual crocks, the kitchen ensures that each serving is prepared with precision, allowing the flavors of the dough, sauce, and premium ingredients to meld together in a way that creates a rich, cohesive texture.
Historic Atmosphere: Situated in a building with deep roots in the local community, the interior provides a setting that feels removed from the contemporary bustle of Clark Street. The architecture and the interior design choices contribute to a sense of history, making it a popular choice for those who appreciate dining environments that tell a story through their physical surroundings.
Commitment to Traditional Techniques: Rather than chasing fleeting culinary trends, the kitchen focuses on mastering time-honored methods. This dedication to consistency ensures that the preparation of their oven grinders and other menu items remains true to the original vision of the establishment, providing a reliable and satisfying meal for every guest.
Community-Centric Location: Located in the heart of Lincoln Park, the restaurant serves as a gathering point that reflects the character of the surrounding area. Its proximity to local landmarks and its long-standing presence in the neighborhood have cemented its status as a staple of the Chicago dining scene, fostering a sense of familiarity and warmth among its patrons.
A Lasting Impression of Chicago Tradition
The Chicago Pizza And Oven Grinder Company remains a significant part of the culinary landscape in Chicago, representing a bridge between the past and the present. By maintaining a focus on high-quality preparation and a welcoming environment, the restaurant continues to attract those who value authenticity and a genuine dining experience. It serves as a reminder that some of the most memorable meals are those that respect tradition and prioritize the simple pleasure of well-prepared food. For anyone looking to explore the diverse food culture of Chicago, a visit to this Lincoln Park institution offers an insightful look into the flavors and traditions that have shaped the city's identity over the years.
Amenities and More
Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible seating
Assistive hearing loop
Wheelchair accessible parking lot
Wheelchair accessible restroom
From the business
Identifies as women-owned
Service options
Curbside pickup
Onsite services
Takeout
Dine-in
Delivery
Highlights
Fast service
Great beer selection
Great cocktails
Great wine list
Serves local specialty
Popular for
Lunch
Dinner
Solo dining
Offerings
Alcohol
Beer
Cocktails
Coffee
Comfort food
Hard liquor
Late-night food
Vegetarian options
Wine
Dining options
Lunch
Dinner
Dessert
Seating
Table service
Amenities
Bar onsite
Restroom
Atmosphere
Casual
Cozy
Historic
Trendy
Crowd
College students
Family-friendly
Groups
Tourists
Planning
Usually a wait
Accepts reservations
Payments
Credit cards
Debit cards
Credit cards
Children
Good for kids
High chairs
Parking
Free street parking
Paid street parking
Valet parking
Menus
Antipasto
Menu
Popular
PIZZA POT PIE
Menu
Popular
OVEN GRINDERS
Menu
Popular
SALAD DINNERS
Menu
Popular
Others
Menu
Popular
Photos
Reviews Chicago Pizza And Oven Grinder Company
Victoria
30-05-2026
From the moment we walked in, the vibe was inviting and warm. We kicked things off with the Mediterranean bread, and let me just say it was a fantastic start. The flavors were bright and fresh, the bread perfectly crusty on the outside and tender on the inside. A great appetizer to share.
For entrees, I went with the half pounder Pizza Pot Pie (no mushrooms), and my partner had the full pounder (also no mushrooms). Both were wonderful! We still had leftovers. The dough was pretty amazing, it tasted very fresh.
Food arrived in a reasonable window (the server said it would take about a half hour for the pot pie) and the staff was gracious and friendly.
The only criticism I have is that I wish they had more customizations for the pizza pot pie. I would have liked sausage or pepperoni.
But I am definitely coming back to this tasty local place!
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Group size
3-4 people
Wait time
10-30 min
Nikita Tungar
30-05-2026
Tried Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder and had a great experience.
The signature pot pie was rich, hearty, and full of flavour definitely worth the hype. … More
Martin Leroux
30-05-2026
Is it a bit touristy? Yeah maybe but who cares, it's delicious. We got there early so no problem parking on the street and getting a booth. Everything was delicious, great service and big portions. The pie was huge, the sauce delicious and … More
Devodare_Chicago
30-05-2026
Such a fun experience. Nothing like this around. It is such a great presentation, the way they remove the cooking dish and it falls out on the plate. It is very delicious. The sauce is solid. Delicious tomato flavor. More
Whitni Buckles
30-05-2026
Very fun Chicago staple. You can't make reservations, so plan to come early and put your name in. The place now takes credit cards. It pays to study the menu in advance. The pizza pot pie is not really a pizza so much as it is a pot pie with pizza sauce, but it is very good. The salad and Mediterranean bread were amazing. More
Wanderfrolics
30-05-2026
The pizza pot pie I had here was one of the highlights of my visit to Chicago which included a lot of carefully scouted restaurants, especially the most well regarded deep dish pizza places. The pot pie (though not the same as deep dish pizza) was far and away my favorite food I tried on the trip. They topped it with a cheese that I have never experienced before (and I'm quite the cheese fan! 🤩) which was delightfully salty. We arrived at 3:00 p.m. on a weekday and were able to get sat immediately but by the time we were finished with our meal there were about 20 people outside awaiting tables. Contrary to the past, they do accept credit cards now and are no longer cash only. This is a 50-year-old restaurant with a great, dark and historic vibe to its interior and the added bonus of being able to visit the Valentine's Day massacre site across the street. This restaurant is easily combined with an outing to Lincoln Park. Our server, a female with long hair in a braid, was so friendly and polite to us and really contributed to the great experience.
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Noise level
Moderate noise
Wait time
No wait
Wheelchair accessibility
Unfortunately, I believe this might not be a very wheelchair accessible place due to its historic nature and small, tight turns in the entry doorway. I also recall there being one step down into the dining room.
Thomas Studer
30-05-2026
I have been wanting to visit this restaurant for a few years now and I have finally had the opportunity. The items ordered was the pizza pot pie with mushrooms and the other order was the Italian Combo.
I will say the atmosphere is wonderful. The service is out of this world and every member of their team should be recognized!
The food, however, I would rate best as a 4/5. The grinder I believe I have made at home that was better or on par. There was not much seasoning or anything to make it special.
The pizza pot pie is good by all means. I simply don't think it is something I would get time and time again where there are tons of places in the city that I would rate as better.
Would I come back, maybe.
I am glad I came and the memory I spent will be rememebered happily.
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Noise level
Quiet, easy to talk
Wait time
No wait
Recommendation for vegetarians
Highly recommend
Parking space
Difficult to find parking
Parking options
Paid street parking
Zachary Wright
30-05-2026
Visiting Chicago with my wife for a comedy show and we had heard of the pot pie pizza. I love deep dish pizzas and I thought it would be similar. It in fact, is not. It is a pot pie with pizza elements. The sauce is not a pizza sauce but a hearty meat sauce, the cheese was thick and delicious mozzarella, and the crust was lightly toasted. We also tried the meatball grinder sandwich which was so big we had to take half of it to go. If you're in the area and hungry, grab a table if you can. Oh and if you order wine they fill the glass with a generous pour, I had a tasty Chianti.
Price per person
$30–40
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Jay Kemp
30-05-2026
This is a great restaurant. My wife and I saw this on social media and figured we had to try it. From the entrance to the appetizer to the entrée everything felt comfortable, almost like I was at someone's grandma's house. We ordered the bread and the antipasto for our appetizers. They came out fairly quickly. The bread was warm and soft and seasoned with all kinds of goodness. The antipasto was more than enough for a meal for two. We picked our way through the mushrooms and salami and smoked ham and provolone cheese and meatballs until our entrée came out. It was the moment we waited for, the pizza pot pie. It was delicious. The crust was buttery, the cheese was warm and gooey, and the sauce was savory and plentiful. The next time we come back to Chicago we will definitely stop in again.
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Noise level
Moderate noise
Wait time
No wait
Recommendation for vegetarians
Somewhat recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Not sure
Parking space
Somewhat difficult to find parking
Sarah Wertz
30-05-2026
Home of the pot pie pizza. It was really good. The flat bread was great! The dressings were all delicious. Soda, you have to pay for each glass which is a bummer. Tables are small and hard to move food around. Staff is really friendly. It’s worth a stop and the building had a long standing history that you can read about on the menu.
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Noise level
Moderate noise
Wait time
No wait
Parking space
Somewhat difficult to find parking
Parking options
Free street parking
Jon Loftus
30-05-2026
Realy good experience on our first visit. Spending a day in the city is always an adventure for us. Seeing how close we were to this iconic establishment we had to give it a try. I was not disappointed in any bit. We split a Meatball grinder and the smaller sized Pizza Pot Pie, and half the grinder ended up coming home with us (it warmed up beautifully, BTW).
The atmosphere is pleasant. Lots of dark wood everywhere. The seats are good for the dining experience. Service was attentive, when food came they gave us a very nice break while dining, refilling water frequently, and were right there with the check and a to go container when we were ready and not a minute before.
It was a great experience and there is a lot on the menu to explore in future visits!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Wes Zygmont
30-05-2026
We stopped in on the recommendation of a Chicago native. This spot is a Chicago iconic staple. We waited a while to get a table which is common during dinner time. We managed to get seats at the bar while we waited. The drinks were poured … More
Randall Campbell
30-05-2026
Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder doesn’t flirt with restraint. It commits.
Massive portions across the board. The One Pounder Vegetarian Pot Pie arrived … More
Nadja
30-05-2026
Truly enjoyed the experience! Some friends decided to get together and suggested meeting at this place. We didn’t mind waiting. The restaurant is super charming. We decided to order Chicago-style pizza pot pie. It is served in a bread bowl … More
austin grear
30-05-2026
An incredible hole in the wall spot. They have VERY limited seating but the food is one of a kind. They have a very unique menu but every option is the best thing they have. The pizza and oven grinders for entrees are great but the … More
Andrew Kub
30-05-2026
Great food! The pizza pot pie has big pieces of mushrooms, and is filled with almost like a spaghetti sauce but way better. They took about 30 minutes to get and we went at a busy time and had to wait 45 minutes for a table so plan ahead. The Mediterranean bread was amazing and came out quick. I also had their dirty martini with blue cheese olives and it was nice and salty.
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Noise level
Loud, but you can still talk
Wait time
30-60 min
Parking space
Somewhat difficult to find parking
Parking options
Free street parking
Rapha
30-05-2026
First-time visit here on a random Wednesday evening. Was able to snag great parking right on N. Clark, just a bit up the street! Got to walk in without a reservation & was seated immediately!
Their porton sizes (incredibly huge Mediterranean bread, could barely finish half the Pot Pie & then got 3 generous scoops of Tortoni) and menu offerings (can ONLY get sauce if you order a whole salad) does not seem considerate of solo diners. As a weirdo who likes to eat pizza with ranch dressing, I had to suffer in silence for my budget's sake but the pot pie was indeed yummy by itself.
The service was friendly when requesting no mushrooms, they constantly refilled drinks unprompted, & a billing mistake was brought to their attention that they quickly remedied. They send you off with a lil complimentary chocolate treat at the end too!
Overall, Its good enough to say you've been before but seems their offerings are more suited for couples or groups, just fyi
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–40
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Noise level
Moderate noise
Wait time
No wait
walter Thorne
30-05-2026
Ok first im about to be Picky.
Know though this food is "ohh yes, wooo, im so full but i cant not have one more bite"
That said if you wanna a reservation well make it now for 2 to 3 months from now.
If you dont wanna wait in line or at the bar at least 30 minutez , without one. Its worth the wait. But waiting might not be you.
I went on Sunday 10:30 AM for Pizza pot pie, for Meditrian Bread, nd Salad.
Fyi if you get salad you want more than two of anything but ice berg lettuce not cut up very well , it will cost a side charge. But when one of two cuccumber falls off the salad, (cut nd mix the salad) you will be charged for a side of cuccumber. However if you mixe the salad dressing which they refill over nd over yes more please. (Two dressing ok maybe OCD with the only even prime #)
I also recommend not getting the Mushrooms in you pot pie, why well you get two. Stem still in the cap, not cut up to bring the flavor to the sause. We just know cut it up or take the stem out. Whats with this 2 thing. Again go this food is so good im just like why is the stem there.
The meditrain bread your a fool if you dont get some nd more then three of you get two!
The Staff are well dressed, polite, well informed on the menu.
The Bartender was like being in NYC, were the host nd wait staff was as Chicago as the Hardwood nd excellent food smells as you can get.
I dont recommend ordering shoots without having them chilled. Jameson is a room temp wiskey, nd when its 11 out nd you need to warm up. Its my go to. But it was above room temp. That is the only thing i actually am not ok with. Maybe i need to order two for a good temp shot lol.
But its a not miss if your traveling, if like me you live in Chicago nd havent been . Its an over due need to know Pizza Pie .
Remember tell them badmonkeyking sent you.
Enjoy, be ready for a nap.
Maybe with the zoo so close get some animal time in or take a lyft.
Tip your servers at 25% . Enjoy!!
Meal type
Brunch
Price per person
$90–100
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Noise level
Loud, but you can still talk
Wait time
30-60 min
Recommendation for vegetarians
Highly recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Clearly labeled vegetarian dishes
Dietary restrictions
If you can do cheese dont go
Parking space
Difficult to find parking
Parking options
Valet
Kid-friendliness
Definetly
Wheelchair accessibility
Not really good for wheelchair very difficult.
Megan
30-05-2026
My husband and I visited this restaurant during our trip to Chicago while traveling from Southern California. We stopped by on a Saturday around 3 PM in March and, surprisingly, there was no wait!
Inside, the restaurant is very tight and cozy, there’s really no room to spare. The staff were super nice and attentive. Our server took the time to explain the menu and told us what they are famous for, so we ordered the Mediterranean bread and a half-pound pizza pot pie.
The food was delicious and definitely worth trying at least once. That said, now that I’ve tried it, I’m not sure I would come back if the wait were more than 30 minutes, which seems to be the norm. We probably just got lucky that day!
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Reservation
Walk-ins only
Wait time
1+ hour
Recommendation for vegetarians
Somewhat recommend
Parking space
Difficult to find parking
Parking options
Paid street parking, Paid parking garage
Wheelchair accessibility
No
Tracy Allen
30-05-2026
100/10 recommend! We had the best experience imaginable! Five of us tucked in the back corner booth was such a perfect, intimate spot. Every bite of food was absolutely delicious. The service and bartender were spot on. We even took a big sub sandwich home to try. The salad, the bread, the red sauce in the pizza pot pie, the dessert…all of it was fabulous! I woke up dreaming about my left over pizza pot pie. Lol We will be back for sure.
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$70–80
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Noise level
Loud, but you can still talk
Wait time
1+ hour
Reviews Chicago Pizza And Oven Grinder Company