Jimmy's Pizza Cafe — Restaurant in Jefferson Township

I just ordered and was delivered a 20" build my own pizza. I really wanted it to be delicious. I read some reviews and had hoped for the best. This business, Jimmy's Pizza Cafe, does offer a 10% military/police discount which about covers the enormous tax rate in Chicago. I spoke with a pleasant enough woman on the phone while ordering it. She told me that the crust was hand made and that the fresh mozzarella was delicious. So what did I do? I chose sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, spinach, chicken and it came with some of the usual sauce and shredded mozzarella that pizzas tend to come with. The pizza with delivery ($3) plus the tip ($3.20) cost $45.00 (with the 10% discount applied already). I opened the enormous box. The visual presentation was pleasant enough. I slipped two pieces onto a blue ceramic plate, hunkered down in front of a movie and eagerly took a bite hoping for a super satisfying taste to wash over my taste buds... It was so bland. So very very bland. Nearly tasteless. I chomped into the somewhat tough and overly chewy "handmade" crust. It was utterly dissatisfying! I was so hungry and so desirous of some good pizza. I am originally from NY and I have had some excellent, excellent pizza in my life. This was just not it. Not at all. I managed to slog down two slices, as I was totally famished, and I was so unhappy. The chicken was in small 3/4" x 3/4" x 3/16" squares and they were so dry. Not fund to chew or eat at all! There seemed to be no seasoning not any sort of noticable " pizza" zest to it at all. I dusted it with some black pepper I. Hopes that it would assist the blatant blandness. To no avail. Even the crust edge was unpleasant to try and chomp, chew through. I will not get another expensive and tasteless pizza from there again. Sorry. I would much rather write a pleasant review but my experience with this bland and tasteless oversized disc has left me without the words and experience I had hoped to have had... If you opt to try this pizza from this business, I certainly hope you have a better...

I am highly disappointed with my first experience. My girlfriend and I decided to try a new restaurant in the area and are all about supporting local establishments in the communities. With that being said...Pizza was on the menu tonight and we saw Jimmy's Pizza Cafe on Chicago's Best, recommending the pizza. So we ordered a large half pepperoni, half sausage pizza with the garlic knots. We wanted to pick up the pizza to ensure quality, even though we only live short drive away. As we entered the restaurant it was clean, bright, and smelled pretty good. The young lady asked for our name, and retrieved our order. Now this is where things started to take a turn for us. To verify we received the right order the young lady opened the box to doubled check the pizza was ours!? Ok....I work in the hospitality industry and I feel that was an unnecessary steps to open the box right in front of us to verify our order. Not only should the box have been labeled, but from her opening the box, it releases all the heat and depreciates the value of our pizza. We get home and we were anxious to try this new place. First my girlfriend excitedly opened the bag with the garlic knots. They were ice cold, hard, had two scraps of basil as garnishment, and was complimented with cold marinara sauce which should've also been warm. Not even putting them in the microwave softened the knots. She took one bite and that was it for those. Then we moved to the pizza. Upon first glance the pizza looked dry, and as we pulled the pizza apart, the bottom of the pizza was burnt and the pizza was chewy and tough. We didn't want to waste the $31 we just spent on this, so we attempted to eat. Eventually finding ourselves just scraping the cheese off one slice and putting it on another to help cover up the burnt taste of the dough. I'm not here to destroy a local small business, but to point out discrepancies in hopes for improvement. Hopefully they will make a better impression on the next couple who watched the show in search of good...

In a city where deep dish dominates the pizza conversation, Jimmy’s Pizza Café stands as a delicious defiance a love letter to the foldable, grease-kissed slices that define New York’s most iconic street food. Nestled in the Lincoln Square neighborhood, this unpretentious gem doesn’t just serve pizza it serves authenticity.

Let’s start with the Bianca. A white pie with no red sauce, it’s a test of balance and restraint and Jimmy’s passes with flying colors. The crust is textbook New York: thin, chewy, and crisped just enough to support the toppings without flopping under pressure. A blend of mozzarella, ricotta, garlic, and olive oil creates a silky, decadent flavor profile that’s rich but never overwhelming. Each bite is a reminder that when done right, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

The Pepperoni slice, however, is where Jimmy’s shows its mastery. The cup-and-char style pepperoni crisps to perfection, their edges curled into salty, spicy chalices of flavor. The mozzarella is molten and stretchy, the tomato sauce bright and balanced not too sweet, not too acidic. The crust has that unmistakable NYC swagger: thin, pliable, with just the right amount of crackle at the base and a cornice (outer edge) that’s airy and golden.

What sets Jimmy’s apart is the dedication to the New York tradition. These aren’t Midwestern interpretations. These are bona fide NYC slices the kind you fold in half, chase with a fountain soda, and eat while standing at a counter. It’s the closest you’ll get to Manhattan without hopping a flight.

In a city defined by cheese-laden, pie-like pizza, Jimmy’s Pizza Café is a bold, brilliant outlier a place where New Yorkers can feel at home and Chicagoans can get a taste of a different, equally valid pizza gospel. Don’t sleep on this place. Jimmy’s isn’t just making pizza it’s...