Professor Pizza - Old Town
Old Town, Chicago
Restaurant in Chicago, United States
Book with PearlThe Read
Price
$20–30per person
Dress
Casual
Why go
An easy Old Town choice for casual dining, especially at dinner when the schedule is more flexible. Lunch is a narrower Friday-to-Sunday play, so book this for convenience rather than ceremony; cross-shop Topo Gigio or Old Jerusalem if the group wants a longer sit-down meal with more neighborhood-restaurant feel.
About Professor Pizza - Old Town
Professor Pizza - Old Town is a casual Chicago option with a schedule that is easiest to plan around in the evening. Hours run 4–10 PM Monday through Thursday, 11 AM–12 AM Friday and Saturday, and 11 AM–10 PM Sunday, giving it later weekend flexibility than the early-week schedule.
Use it for an easy evening, not a high-ceremony meal
The clearest planning fit is a casual visit, especially on weekends when the longer hours give more flexibility. Weekday service begins at 4 PM, while Friday through Sunday also include earlier hours. For a food-focused explorer, the practical value is having a direct Chicago option with published hours rather than building the whole outing around a more formal or higher-commitment restaurant.
The dress code is casual, and the schedule is strongest for dinner and weekend plans. If the night needs a more elaborate setting or a longer meal, compare it with other Chicago dining options before deciding.
How to use weekday and weekend hours
Evening plans are the most broadly available choice because Professor Pizza - Old Town opens at 4 PM Monday through Thursday and stays open into the evening every day. Friday and Saturday are the most flexible nights, with hours from 11 AM to 12 AM. Sunday runs 11 AM to 10 PM, making it useful for a lower-key close to the weekend. Earlier-in-the-day plans are only available on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
For broader planning, Our full Chicago restaurants guide is the better starting point if this meal needs to anchor the day. Travelers building a full itinerary can also use Our full Chicago hotels guide, Our full Chicago bars guide, Our full Chicago wineries guide, and Our full Chicago experiences guide.
Planning details
- Location
- 1610 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610
- Reservations
- Book on OpenTable
- Website
- professorpizza.com
- Phone
- +13124710400
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Professor Pizza reads like a neighborhood counter that prioritizes consistency over spectacle. The place leans into an unshowy, classic pizza-shop character: a tight footprint on North Wells, regulars who walk over from nearby blocks, and the sensory shorthand of an oven running at high heat. The writing emphasizes smell and the steady labor of dough and fire rather than plated ceremony, so the mood is approachable and focused: the kind of civic pizza joint that feels familiar to locals. It presents an everyday seriousness about pizza without the formalities of fine dining.
Best For
This is a local pizza counter built for informal gatherings and repeat visits. Its orientation toward neighborhood regulars and a stripped-back service model makes it a natural stop for casual hangouts and small group dinners where the food, not presentation, is the point. The address functions as an everyday option rather than a destination tasting room, so it suits people who want reliably honest pizza over an elaborate night out. Expect a relaxed, unpretentious experience that centers on pies pulled from a high-heat oven and shared among friends.
Ordering Tips
Ordering at Professor Pizza reads like ordering at a neighborhood counter: prioritize the pies. The menu highlights signature items such as the Grandma-style Deluxe Pepperoni, Mozzarella Onion Rings, and the Sicilian Sausage Pizza, and the description foregrounds a wood or deck oven as the primary production method. Treat the visit as pizza-first: arrive ready to pick a pie or two to share with your party, and lean on the names that appear as signatures if you want a quick route to what regulars favor. Expect straightforward, counter-forward service rather than table-side formalities.
Venue details
Ambiance
Moderate noise level with a casual, energetic pizza spot atmosphere.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Casual
- Noise Level
- Lively
- Service Style
- Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Standard
- Capacity
- Medium
- Kitchen
- Modern
- Menu Format
- A la carte
- Dietary
- Gluten-free options
Signature Dishes
- Grandma-style Deluxe Pepperoni
- Mozzarella Onion Rings
- Sicilian Sausage Pizza
Know before you go
Know Before You Go
- Getting there
- 1610 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610
Planning details
Location
Also consider
Where to Go If This Does Not Fit
If the group wants a longer Old Town dinner, pick Topo Gigio. If value and casual group energy matter more, pick Old Jerusalem.
Restaurant context
How It Compares
Choose Professor Pizza - Old Town when ease matters more than ceremony. Compared with Gallucci, it reads as the more casual call; Gallucci is the better cross-shop when the group wants a fuller Italian meal rather than a quick Old Town stop.
SHŌ Omakase is the wrong comparison if the goal is value and flexibility: it is a higher-commitment format, better for diners who want a planned tasting-style night. Kamehachi also works better for a sit-down sushi plan than for a casual neighborhood meal.
For ambiance and a longer evening, Topo Gigio is the stronger Old Town alternative. Old Jerusalem is the better value-minded cross-shop if the group wants something casual but not pizza-adjacent.
Explore Chicago
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Professor Pizza - Old Town guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Professor Pizza - Old Town
| Venue | Location | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Professor Pizza - Old Town | Chicago | No published awards |
| Gallucci | Chicago | No published awards |
| SHŌ Omakase | Chicago | No published awards |
| Kamehachi | Chicago | No published awards |
| Topo Gigio | Chicago | 2025 OpenTable Top 100 Restaurants |
| Old Jerusalem | Chicago | No published awards |
How Professor Pizza - Old Town Chicago Hours & Planning Notes compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I wear to Professor Pizza - Old Town?
Keep it casual. The dress code is casual, and the published hours run 4–10 PM Monday through Thursday, 11 AM–12 AM Friday and Saturday, and 11 AM–10 PM Sunday.
Is Professor Pizza - Old Town good for solo dining?
Solo-dining details are not available. For planning, note that the venue is casual and opens at 4 PM Monday through Thursday, with longer hours on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
