Zachary's Chicago Pizza — Restaurant in Oakland

This is the most consistent deep dish style pizza restaurant in the bay area. I have never been disappointed by their food. Good quality ingredients, good proportions of toppings and overall amount of toppings lend to an ideal deep dish pizza. They have good dough which they have mastered the correct technique to consistently bake with the correct parameters to make it crisp and delicious but not too hard or too soggy. This is especially difficult with an ample deep dish pizza. This is a magic formula of dough recipe with enough fat in it, proper air flow under the pie while in the oven. And just the right temperature and cooking time. This particular restaurant has this careful balancing act dialed in and does so consistently. The important thing to know is that the pie takes time to bake - so you have to summon your patience after ordering. Factor the cooking time into your meal plan. It is truly best to think of it as a dining experience that is an excellent example of the "slow food movement". Understand that the salad / antipasto course is an excellent part of the plan, even if it is not large. Enjoy a beverage and the company of your friends / family that you are dining with and the time will fly by. Excellence of this food type (the deep dish pizza) cannot be rushed. Also adjust your thinking to understand how ample and filling each slice is - it is easily 2-3 times more filling per slice than a normal piece of hand tossed pizza. So when ordering factor that into the equation. Think of it like a casserole almost - so a normal serving for an adult is 1 - 2 slices. This also adjusts the perception of the cost of the pie size VS the cost of the same diameter pie if of the hand tossed variety. So many people will be a bit shocked at the price of a good deep dish with ample ingredients (like what Zachary's consistently serves) VS an average hand tossed pizza from another high quality restaurant... So factor that into your "pizza math" when looking at the menu and the pricing for each size - as well as adjusting the size needed to feed the pizza friends who are sharing your pie. That is my general advice for newbies to the world of quality Chicago style deep dish. Also - pro tip - if you take left overs home, they reheat beautifully in the oven / toaster oven on a baking sheet or slowly in a skillet covered with a lid. I will never microwave a deep dish slice of pie. That is a recipe for soggy crust, over heated cheese and a cold center inside the slice due to the nature of most microwave settings and user styles. If you must use a microwave, partial power is your friend for a long period of time to heat it all of the way through to the center. Or cut it into bite size pieces before reheating in the microwave and pull the pieces apart to assist with the thermal dynamics. Zachary's pizza is also excellent cold due to the flavor profile of the spicing balance of the sauce (which is well seasoned without being too much or too zesty) and the balance of the ingredient ratios and quality cheese they use. In some ways, next day deep dish can be even better than fresh deep dish because the flavors have a chance to mingle a bit more. As a huge cheese fan, deep dish is always extremely satisfying because it is the magical glue that holds the pie ingredients together. A proper deep dish lets the cheese really shine - and the quality and blend of the cheeses used is vital for this black magic to occur constantly. Precooking / sautéeing certain ingredients in advance of the pie assembly and before baking is also necessary for the ideal balance / outcome - also a crucial step that Zachary's understands and embraces... For these reasons I have been a fan for several decades. Having grown up in the vacinity of Chicago, my quest for ideal Chicago style deep dish pizza has been ongoing since leaving the Midwest almost 30 years ago. So I have tried it in almost every city and whenever possible when traveling as well. Zachary's has definitely been the closest to the ideal and certainly the most satisfying /...

Stuffed Chicago style pizza. I checked this off my wish list. I always wanted to try this style of pizza and it was one of those days where I had to do it! Anyway it was a good pie and very filling. I would would have to say that this is the best tasting leftovers pizza I ever ate! I could not finish the whole pie and had leftovers about two days later I put the leftovers in the microwave and Good Lord those were some excellent leftovers ! All in all I like regular pizza so I hope to try their regular pie. I gave four stars because it was good but I like regular pies better. Still a good review. But what I will give FIVE STARS to, were to the young super hero women that were working the counter up front that day. They were all of Amazonian Blue Blood! Like Wonder Woman! I could not believe their work ethic and how they were moving with great importance to get the job done! The owners should be very proud of those young ladies and their Great Work Ethic!! Very Nice to see from an older man. Especially when I see a lot of this younger generation lazy and slow moving as F*?#! But those young ladies made my day. I am a guard and I am paid to observe and report! And I like what I saw. All were young beautiful and in shape and on top of that GREAT WORK ETHIC! One though I believe was Diana and she was wearing a red shirt the day I went in. Super COOL! So to those ladies 5 stars and you gave an old man hope for this world!! I salute...

Zachary's Chicago Pizza is the kind of place that makes you feel like you've hit the jackpot. The pizza ingredients are super fresh and extra flavorful, making each bite an experience in itself. If Chicago pie is anything like this, then count me in!

I ordered the pizza half-baked so that I could enjoy the pie at home right out of the oven. When I finally got to indulge in my fully baked masterpiece, I was blown away by the flavors. The crust was perfectly crispy and the cheese was perfectly melted, creating a perfect harmony of textures and flavors.

The ambiance of the restaurant is trendy and modern, catering to the college crowds just down the road at UC Berkeley. The place has a youthful vibe that makes it perfect for casual gatherings with friends or family.

What really made my experience at Zachary's Chicago Pizza exceptional was the staff. They were super friendly and knowledgeable about the pizza-making process. They took the time to explain each ingredient and helped me make some great choices when building my pie.

All in all, Zachary's Chicago Pizza is a must-visit spot for anyone looking for an exceptional pizza experience. The ingredients are fresh, the flavors are out of this world, and the staff is simply amazing. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a great time and an even...