October 10, 2007

Pete’s Pizza

I've sat and thought… and contemplated… and brainstormed… and I'm still having difficulty figuring out just what to say about Pete's Pizza.

Pat's Pizza You see, just up the street from Crabbby Kim’s, Pete's serves up some of the best thin-crust pizza in the city. The crust is firm and crisp… and very, very dry, which you'll either love or hate. My family and I have held more than one graduation celebration in their spacious (recently remodeled) dining room, ordering several pizzas that were easily devoured. The tomato sauce is applied lightly, allowing ingredients like ricotta cheese, hot giardiniera, roast beef, or pepperoni to really flourish.

All wonderful, right? Here's where I'm torn though. Pete's also offers a wide selection of pasta, salads, pork chops, ribs, and sandwiches…. none of which I'd go for. In fact, if given the option, I'd never voluntarily dine at Pete's again.

Here's the deal. My friend and I were looking for a place to have dinner, and I suggested Pete's because he had never been there before. I had always had good experiences with their pizzas, so I had full confidence that it would be a great dining spot. The host seated us at a booth, and after looking over the menu, we waited for someone to take our order… and waited… and waited. Mind you, the restaurant seats about 200, and there were only four other tables that were occupied, two of which were already dining, so I didn't understand what the hold-up was. We waited at least 20 minutes before someone finally paid any attention to us.

20071010b The house salad I was served before dinner was a joke. Some wet leaves and a couple of tomato wedges is not what I consider a salad. Green peppers? Carrots? Cucumbers? Anything! And while I appreciate that my lettuce was washed before I received it, I don't want my salad to be swimming in water on my plate.

Okay, so the salad was a miss. How was dinner? I had decided to go with the giambotta, grilled homemade Italian sausage with roasted peppers and potatoes in a white wine sauce. It was pretty good, actually. Lukewarm, but good. Again, we had service issues. Our waitress never came back to check on us or refill our drinks. I felt embarrassed that I had even suggested Pete's. And after reading a few reviews, I'm saddened to hear that I'm not the only one who has experienced problems with their wait staff.

So, with all this in mind, I say… if you want some of the best thin-crust pizza in town, call Pete's Pizza and order in. And I'd suggest only the pizza. You'll be better off.

Photo credit: Pete’s Pizza

Pete's Pizza ($): 3737 N Western Ave; 773-463-7770
Delivery Hours
Mon ' Thurs: 10:00 a.m. ' 12 midnight
Fri ' Sat: 10:00 a.m. ' 1:00 a.m.
Sun: 10:00 a.m. ' 12 midnight
Dining Room Hours
Tues ' Thurs: 11:00 a.m. ' 11:00 p.m.
Fri: 11:00 a.m. ' 12 midnight
Sat: 12 noon ' 12 midnight
Sun: 12 noon ' 10:00 p.m.
Free parking lot
Public trans: Bus # 49, X49, 152
http://pizzapetes.com/

3 comments

3 comments to Pete’s Pizza

  1. Alex
    October 10th, 2007 at 4:16 pm

    Bad service really irks me and can ruin even a good meal. But when you combine bad service with a bad meal that is when I would probably ask for the manager.

    I’ve served before so I expect at least reasonable service when I go out. Everybody makes mistakes but it’s important for a server to apologize and rectify the situation when it does happen. But since I’ve served before I usually find myself tipping 15% on mediocre/bad service. If they’re flat out rude that goes out the window but if the service is great I tip 20-25%.

    And it sucks when you take someone to a place where you had good experiences and it turns out to be a total let down.

  2. Matt B
    October 11th, 2007 at 1:47 am

    I consider myself to be fairly easy to please. I’ve come across some rotten customers in my day, and I have no intention of acting like a spoiled brat. But you’re right, when even the basics aren’t covered, it can put a damper on the whole experience.

    I just felt bad having to caution people about this restaurant’s service because their pizza really is good… but is it worth the test of patience? That’s up to the individual.

  3. Chicago’s Ten Best Pizzas 2007
    January 30th, 2008 at 7:02 am

    [...] Pete's Pizza. I have two words for you: order [...]

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