The Chicago Pizza Tavern Where It's Extremely Difficult To Get A Reservation

One of the toughest dinner reservations to get in Chicago isn't for a new high-priced gourmet restaurant or the latest eatery from a famous celebrity chef. Instead, it's a small pizzeria called Pizz'amici, which is regularly booked up weeks ahead of time. Demand has been high since the restaurant opened in November 2024 and hasn't eased. Meanwhile, it has just 42 seats and is open only from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays. That leaves hopefuls with the option of trying to get a reservation as soon as they open 30 days in advance, or taking a chance as a walk-in and potentially waiting as much as two hours or more.

Pizz'amici, whose name combines "pizza" with "amici," Italian for "friends," has been drawing customers with its tavern-style pies (yes ... Chicago-style pizza is more than just deep dish) made with quality local ingredients. In addition to having a super-thin crust, round Tavern-style pies are distinctively cut into small square pieces.

Husband-and-wife owners Billy and Cecily Federighi began their journey a few years before opening Pizz'amici by making pizza in their apartment and offering it for free on Instagram. That led to opening first one actual shop and then another, earning buzz and media attention along the way, before establishing the restaurant.

Pizz'amici turns out hundreds of 14-inch pies each night, which feature a thin sourdough crust and a blend of mozzarella and sharp provolone. Rather than offering a menu of standard pies, the restaurant asks patrons to build their own; however, it recommends limiting selections to three toppings (perhaps to keep the thin crust from becoming overloaded). As of March 2026, the most expensive topping is the house-made Italian beef at $5. Other premium additions, such as sausage and pepperoni, are $4, while mid-range options like artichokes and spicy giardiniera — a classic pickled vegetable relish — are $3. Simpler items, such as garlic and jalapeños, are $2.

For appetizers, diners can order classics such as Caesar salad, meatballs in a sausage ragù, and roasted eggplant caponata. In an unexpected and expensive departure from the rest of the menu, there are two kinds of caviar, served with potato chips and crème fraîche. A dessert called Bang Bang Cannoli Pie, and a few gelatos and sorbettos, are available to end dinner on a sweet note. Italian wines, and a limited number of beers and cocktails, appear on the drink menu.