top 10

Zachary's Chicago Pizza

Claim
marker

5801 College Ave (at at Oaks Grove Ave)
Oakland, CA 94618

marker
(510) 655-6385
Incorrect info? Correct your listing
Photos
Zachary's Chicago Pizza - Oakland, CA
Reviews
( 76 )
( 39 )
( 8 )
( 6 )
( 6 )

Best

Worst

Zachary's is too hectic and diners seem squeezed too tightly - seated far too close together. The pizza is ""all sauce"" I'm really not sure why this pizza gets so many rave rev...

Best Pizza Ever 10/9/2003

Zachary's Chicago Pizza is by far the best pizza I have ever had the pleasure to eat. I have been to both Uno and Due in Chicago, and in my honest opinion, I feel that their Chicago-style pizzas cannot hold a candle to Zachary's stuffed cheese pizza. I have also sampled Zachary's many stuffed pizzas and have concluded that it is best to keep it simple. The more toppings you throw on this pizza takes away from the fantastic flavors of the basic stuffed cheese pizza. I'm someone who enjoys a lot of toppings on normal pizzas, but at this venue I feel that too many kill the flavor. The only thing wrong with Zachary's is that there is not more of them. I wish they would venture farther out from the Bay Area! more
Reply | Report abuse |

my first 9/15/2003

when I moved to california about 15 years ago from the east coast my girlfriend took me to the one on solano. I wanted a large (cause guys like large pizzas) when they plopped the large in my hands it was so heavy I almost dropped it. needless to say i ate 2 pieces and chowed the rest later. Their sauce is excellent but the wait is horrible...order it togo! more
Reply | Report abuse |

Anyone for Sardines? 8/13/2003

Zachary's has some of the best pizza west of Chicago, but forget eating there! Order your pizza to go 45 minutes in advance and just show up to slip in the door, grab it and run. The tiny, cramped dining room is hectic and loud. If you like sqeezing between frat boys and screaming children, then this is definitely your place. You can grab a beer at the counter and eat your pie nestled between an odd mix of Univ of Cal Berkeley kids and Rockridge yuppies or, to truely ENJOY this great pizza, order take out. Pros: Great Food, Good Beer Selection Cons: Loud, Crowded, No Parking more
Reply | Report abuse |

Da best pizza period! 8/8/2003

come on now, anybody who likes pizza will like this food. you gotta get the deep dish, it's the only way to go. 4 years of college at berkeley, ate their pizza many, many times, only went to the restaurant once with parents. it was crowded and the service is slow b/c it's so busy. order in and enjoy the pie. the best! more
Reply | Report abuse |

A pizza that's all sauce 8/4/2003

Zachary's is too hectic and diners seem squeezed too tightly - seated far too close together. The pizza is ""all sauce"" I'm really not sure why this pizza gets so many rave reviews. more
Reply | Report abuse |

Great Chicago Pizza 7/19/2003

This is a Chicago-style pizzaria which is a deep dish pizza, don't expect a Pizza Hut pan pizza. This is not a NY-style pizza joint (which is thin crust), so don't expect that here. What you do get is my favorite Chicago-style pizza, better than all the ""great"" pizzarias I tried in Chicago. Sad that I currently live in SoCal and can't get to eat there more often. The only gripe is the place is packed and expect to wait, because the deep dish takes longer to bake. Can't wait to make a trip to NoCal, to get another slice. Pros: great food, good value Cons: crowded, long waits more
Reply | Report abuse |

Awesome Pizza 6/25/2003

I love this pizza. It truly is something to be reckoned with. I will never stop eating these gorgeous stuffed monsters. The sauce is tangy and wonderful. The cheese is abundant and delish. The crust is always done just right. Good beer on tap. The only thing that bothers me is the ""ambience"" of the spot on College Ave. It's small and sometimes overcrowded, especially on weekends. As a result, the staff is overworked and sometimes inattentive. The table waits are long, but the pizza is worth the wait. For the claustrophobic, the half-baked pizzas are good to take home and finish the job. Good seats are found before the dinner rush. Pros: best pizza, best pizza, best pizza Cons: small dining space, overworked staff more
Reply | Report abuse |

Best. Caesar. Ever. 5/28/2003

Yes, yes, the pizza here kicks copious ass, but as of yet, no one has mentioned the caesar salad! This thing is fantastic. It's the most garlicky caesar I've ever had...crispy, fresh romaine tossed with ultra-garlicky dressing (which is not too oily or eggy), tons of aged parmesan, and garlic croutons. This salad is so garlicky it burns. Split one between two people, as it's fairly large, and you want to save room for that pizza! New York pizza is a different genre of pizza entirely, so therefore criticizing Zach's for not being good New York pizza is like complaining that a good wine tastes nothing like beer. It's ridiculous. Zach's makes an incredible Chicago-style pizza. Pros: Great pizza, great caesar salad Cons: long lines more
Reply | Report abuse |

Great Chicago Style Pizza! 5/16/2003

I have lived around the Chicago area my whole life. I love a lot of things about the SF Bay area but one thing I have been missing was good pizza..until I found Zachary's. This really is true Chicago style pizza. Nice thick crust and scrumptous ingredients. It is even better than some of the pizza I have had in Chicago! As to some of the negative reviews that I read... If you want cheese on a cracker (NY style pizza), don't go to a real pizza place like Zachary's. Pros: Real Pizza! more
Reply | Report abuse |

Zachary's great!! 4/18/2003

The deep dish pizza is a wonderful treat, but it's not for everyone. My son prefers the cheese thin pizza, which I think is just o.k. A few of our friends from outside the area make a point of stopping and getting a pizza to go before they return home. For takeout, it can be frustrating trying to get through when their phone is always busy. They do have half-baked pizza. Great value, you fill up faster than a regular thinner pizza. We've been going therefor more than 15 years and it's still yummy as ever! Pros: yummy, great value, consistent Cons: phoning difficult, very busy, somewhat noisy more
Reply | Report abuse |

Best. Pizza. Ever. 3/7/2003

Best Pizza. Piles of fresh ingredients, spices, and good cheese, thick crust and choices for both Health-Nuts (the Good Health pizza) and Bring It On Meat and Cheese Eaters. You can't make reservations, but it makes sense if you see how overloaded they are all the time. If you can, take out your pizza. The wait can be as long as 45 minutes, but it's worth it. Have a beer, and then your pizza pie! Pros: food, waitstaff Cons: street parking, wait time more
Reply | Report abuse |

Best Dam Pizza Period 3/7/2003

I used to live within walking distance of Zachary's. I know live in San Diego and every chance I get I have someone bring down a pie when they are headed my way. When I visit the Bay Area I always make a point of eating at Zachary's at least twice during my visit. Pros: Tasty choices, The atmosphere Cons: Always busy at dinner, Not in San Diego more
Reply | Report abuse |

Well Worth The Trip 3/7/2003

There's only two places to go for an awesome pizza. When in the bay area it's Zachary's Chicago Pizza and in Sacramento it's Zelda's. I'm a big pizza fan, and once you try these places you're hooked. more
Reply | Report abuse |

Overhyped! 2/13/2003

Yuck! This place is the most overhyped ""pizza"" place in the Bay Area. If you love this place, you obviously don't get out of the East Bay/Berkeley much. more
Reply | Report abuse |

What are they smokin? 2/11/2003

I love those last two negative reviews. One guys says you can only get great pizza in New York (niiischh) and the other says Zachary's is not ""real pizza"". You can never satisy those East Coast guys when it comes to pizza. Zachary's keeps winning the peoples choice awards because their pizza is consistently great. I believe Bay Area people are smart enough to know what is good and what is not...and Zachary's is good. Pros: Good Energy, Friendly Workers, Great Tasting Pizza Cons: Crowded, Noisy more
Reply | Report abuse |

Delectable 2/10/2003

The pizza is GREAT!!! I've gone up from LA just to have the pizza here! And have had friends that live in the area send it down to me. more
Reply | Report abuse |

To die for 2/10/2003

Zachary's stuffed pizza is the epitomy of pizza. There are no words to describe this culinary delight. When living in the Los Angeles area, I would have such cravings for this pizza that I would travel to Oakland or Berkeley, just to try to satisfy my cravings. (I would also include a stop at the Buena Vista in San Francisco which is also one of my favorite places.) Now that I live in Nevada, taking a trip there is not so easy, but when going to Monterey to visit relatives, I always find a reason to go to Oakland and again experience the wonderful creations of Zachary's. Oh, if they would only open a store near me! Pros: FUN, CROWDED, NOISY Cons: FEW PLACES TO PARK more
Reply | Report abuse |

terrible stuff 2/10/2003

Zachary's is not real pizza. In fact it is terrible. There is only 1 place in the world to find great pizza and that place is New York! Cons: it's not real pizza more
Reply | Report abuse |

One place to bet on! 2/10/2003

Soon after moving to the East Bay area I was bet a trip to Zachary's Chicago Pizza that I could not attain a perticular mark at a track meet. Having never been there, I didn't know what this bet entailed. I did meet my mark, but win or loose, everyone wins when you are betting a trip to Zachary's!!! I have since moved away, but when I visit, Zachary's is always on the list of ""must do's"" for the trip!!! Pros: quick walk from BART, trendy environment Cons: crowded at peak times more
Reply | Report abuse |

pizza well worth the wait 2/10/2003

great deep dish pizza. well worth the price and wait, but not a place to dine for dinner once a week -- the crouds are horrible. lunch time is the best time to catch some of the best pie in the bay area. warning: if you don't like tomatoes, stay away from the deep dish. Pros: well worth the wait, great ceasar salad Cons: long wait for table, long wait for food more
Reply | Report abuse |
< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next >
Menu for Zachary's Chicago Pizza


Summer SALE!!!:
15% OFF all yearly plans
Use year15 at checkout. Expires 1/1/2021
Editorial

  • The Scene
    In this cozy pizza haven, the incessant din of diners mingles with the clamor of a frantic kitchen. Plaques, posters and other Zachary's paraphernalia emphatically plaster the...

  • 8/25/2005 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Su-Th11-10 F-Sat 11-10:30
  • Payments: Master Card, Visa, Cash
  • Neighborhoods: Rockridge
badge