Zachary's Chicago Pizza

My favorite pizza place! more

I'm originally from the Rockridge area of Oakland,now living in Florida.Whenever I go home to visit I call Zachary's about five seconds after I'm in my rental car.(Their number is programed into my phone)So when I get there my pie is ready.Five minutes later I'm in heaven.My mother thinks I'm crazy but I need this pizza as much as I need air when in the Bay Area.If you are not as fanatic as I am then you just would'nt get it.But if you can find a better pizza anywhere in the S.F. Bay Area please let the world in on you find.If you choose to eat at the restaurant make sure you free up some time to wait(45 minutes to an hour is not uncommon)but worth twice that amount of time for what you will encounter when they bring you your pie.I think I just talked myself into going home for a visit. :) more

I've never lived in the East Bay which is probably why I've never liked this pizza. My former boss thought it was a huge treat to buy us Zachary's pizza and force us to listen to him talk. I didn't like the pizza so I bowed out of the talk as well. I know it is very popular pizza, but I don't get it. It just seemed like pizza to me, and just okay pizza at that. more

Those are all fine places but it depends what kind of pizza you want. The best is Zachary's in the East Bay. Okay so it isn't SF but it's worth a trip over the bridge and to stand in line. Little Star on Divis runs a close second for Chicago style and it's all about the crust here. That Uno in the Marina should have closed as it was nothing close to the real Uno in Chi-town. more

My problem with Zachary's isn't the massive crowds and almost impossible wait, it's the (related) fact that people seem to worship this place. It may be the only one around (for all I know) that serves stuffed Chicago-style pizza, but that doesn't mean that much to me. I love their pizza sometimes, when the cheese is good and the sauce is savory and full of those big bites of tomato, and the toppings go well or are left off; but there are times when the sauce is overly sweet and flecked with funny herbs that just aren't working, like an overdose of oregano, and the crust has gone soggy and... those are the days when I wish people wouldn't gasp "Zachary's!" like bosomy heroines waiting in filmy nightgowns for handsome vampires to woo them in some bad horror movie. more

Zachary's Pizza is simply to die for. There are currently two locations in the bay area, and both are famous for serving the best stuffed Chicago style pizza this side of the west coast. Unlike most pizza places that serve the same old thin pies with their own little twists like stuff crust or odd toppings, the thing that makes Zachary's pizza so special is the style of the entire pizza itself. Their pizzas are literally an inch tall. They're stuffed deep with fresh cheese, toppings, and sauces that actually sit on the top of the pizza. Because of the spectacular quality and high demand of their pies, Zachary's is always crowded (expect 30 minute waits for seating and phone lines that are always busy), and is more expensive than your average pizza parlor by $5-$10 per large pizza (however, a large from Zachary's actually feeds 3-4 full grown adults till they can no longer move). If you haven't yet, give Zachary's a try. They have a store in Berkeley and in Oakland. more

Ok, so pizza is such a difficult thing to "rate", as everyone has his or her own take on what a pizza should be. One east coaster here mentioned that she didn't like the fresh chunky tomato sauce and missed NY-style pizza. Ironic - the fresh tomatoes are the reason I like the pizza - and I'm not into the NY-style, Chicago-style, St. Louis-style thing. Hell, I couldn't even define what any of those mean (except St. Louis-style which I can whole-heartedly say sucks!). All that said, I think Zachary's does really good pizza. I'm not nearly as enamored with is as all the people I know who claim it to be the best stuff in the world, but like I said - pizza is a very individual taste. Rodey actually LIKES St. Louis-style pizza! Go Figure! So, if you're in Oakland or Berkeley and in need of pizza, this is definitely worth a shot. Then come back here and let everyone know what you think! more

Everyone in my neighborhood (ie, Rockridge) loves this place. I miss East Coast pizza. My beef is this. The sauce has big chunks of tomatoes and is not a sauce afterall. Such a letdown. Every time. Most of my friends who appreciate Zack’s seem to go for the deep dish. Not me, but it sure seems popular. So if you go to check out what all the hype’s about, try a deep dish. And then don’t come crying to me. more

California’s best pizza has gained a following around the world and has even been featured in the Wall Street Journal. The pizza is worth the drive from anywhere and is prepared in Chicago deep dish or thin crust style. Seats are difficult to find, especially during Friday and Saturday nights or when UC Berkeley is in session. Slices can be ordered at lunch or you can take a half baked pizza home in the middle of the day to finish for dinner. The pizzas are very filling but totally worth getting. more

I doubt you could find a single person in the East Bay who wouldn't say Zachary's makes the best pizza. Mind you, it's not NY thin crust. Their deep dish Chicago style pizza is what makes them famous. The ambiance is energetic and noisy. Excellent place to people watch. There can be a long (1 hr) wait Thursday through Saturday nighs. But worth the wait. Even better is to order pick-up (they don't deliver). more