If you have spent more than a single week in Chicago and have not tried a deep dish pizza, you should be absolutely ashamed of yourself! This is the stuff we're known for, so take pride in where you're at and dig in! That first bite should be artfully crafted by one of the members of the Big Four*, and Lou Malnati's is certainly one of them.
What sets apart Lou Malnati's from the other members of the deep dish board is the fact that it's just a little bit different and a little bit... well, more. The owner honed his craft from working at Uno's, where the deep dish idea came from, and then embellished on it. Since Chicagoans are partial to sausage rather than pepperoni, the pizzas from here really focus on that. One full layer is laid out, so not a single bite misses out on that greasy, spicy goodness. The other signature ingredient is loads and loads of big, chunky tomatoes! These pizzas really add a whallop of flavor!
Personally, I prefer to go with a pie that is heavy in onions, and this is one of the few places that not only supplies its customers with the right amount of ingredients (which is A LOT!), but has a working knowledge of how to slice and cook them. This may seem pretty elementary or even nit picky to the pizza novice, but to us pie experts, this is critical! Otherwise, why bother adding toppings if they can't be tasted?
Perhaps the one oddity with Lou Malnati's is its main location, in the northern border burb of Lincolnwood, instead of the city proper. Perhaps the founder unwittingly opened his business here just to prove he really could whip up a pie better than his mentor, and he wanted to prove it with being as far away as he could and still get great business!
So, if you like your pizza so big and dense that it can be exchanged for a spare tire, then be sure to give Lou Malnati's a try. And yes, try the others, too, at least for comparison! Your diet may hate you, but your taste buds will be forever grateful.
* The other three, in no particular order, are: Uno's / Due's, Gino's East and Giordanos.