I grew up on Barnaby's, but always rebelled and said that I hated it. Â When my family dragged me away from Chicago back in 2003, I wasn't sure that I'd miss it.
And I hadn't been home in about 7 years until just last weekend. Â And the first thing that I wanted to do was to have Barnaby's, since it was my late father's favorite pizza in the whole world. Â And I did.. and my GOD it was AMAZING. Â The delicious thin crust, amazing cheeses, and the order of fried cauliflower that we had? Â My god! Â It was just divine.
There is plenty of parking outside, though parking really isn't something you have to worry about in the Chicago suburbs.. and even though the restaurant is dark and older, it's very clean and well maintained. Â Looked just like it did when I was little.
I am craving more Barnaby's.. I can't wait to go back home in June for another taste of heaven.
Okay, so. Here's how this goes.
My father worked for United airlines years and years and years ago. He discovered Barnaby's when looking for lunch one day and ever since (As long as I've been alive and longer, which is 23 years) my family has been coming here. That's how good the food is.
The part I'd like to also throw in - I'm west of Gurnee. We will literally drive the 40 miles here JUST for pizza. That alone should explain how good it is.
I've never had a bad experience here and the food has been consistent for as long as I can remember. I will come here until I die or they go out of business. Best pizza on the planet. Period.
We went there after a Wolves game and it was better than I expected. Â I have been to the other locations as well. Â This pizza is awesome! Â It is inexpensive (check their website for coupons) and it is great for families. Â The cashier could be a little happier (maybe a smile). Â Otherwise, when I am in the area I will be back!
Review Source:OMG this pizza is so good. I worked around the corner from here for years, and we always had the pizza catered for lunch. I'm salivating just thinking about it. While I'm writing this review, there are some pictures on my screen saying "Are these photos helpful?" and there's a picture of the supreme pizza, just staring at me. I work in Downers Grove, and I'm having a hard time convincing myself not to just get in my car and drive north to get this carry-out.
I've never actually been inside the place, but had their pizza several times. It's perfect bar pizza. No, it's not deep-dish or Neapolitan style. It's just greasy, gooey bar pizza with chunky toppings. It goes PERFECT with beer.
Barnaby's makes some of the tastiest pizza in Chicagoland. This is a family owned restaurant that caters to families. You also see a lot of softball teams soak up the pizza with a hefty assist from the pitchers of beers. I have dined at this barnaby's location for the last 30 years or so.
I like to place my order while I'm in the car driving over to this place since I'm usually driving from the Schaumburg area. I just recently made a pilgrimage back to Barnaby's and fed 6 adults for $63 (including drinks). I love the sausage, onion and green pepper pizza. They just use the right amount of cheese on the pizza which really puts me in a happy place.
They also have a lot of different alternatives to pizza. Sometimes I get their Italian Beef sandwich during lunch. But 90% of the time I go for the ZA. Every time I bring a newbie into this place, they rave about the food. So do yourself a favor and get some pizza from Barnaby's.
I went there for the first time today with a friend and this review is a combination of both of our opinions.
Pros- The food was actually very tasty and affordable. For two meals with an appetizer and sodas our total came to just over $20.00. I was able to use the coupon found on their site to reduce the bill by $3.00. They also had a considerable number of options although it was lacking in vegetarian choices.
Cons- We dined in and they only had plastic silverware. It was also weird eating there because there weren't any windows and the lighting was far too dim. The staff was also a little dismissive and although all of the other patrons knew how to order it was a complicated process that confused both me and my friend (You place your order in one location, pick up drinks in another, sandwiches in a different place, and pizzas in a forth location).
Overall I don't think I would go back for dine in services but all of my complaints are nullified by ordering take out. My suggestion: Call ahead and take the food to a more enjoyable location and enjoy!
I have been coming here for pizza since the day I was born! Â Where do I start a review, after 41 years of great times here!!!
I wanna start with some of my earliest memories. When we were kids we would stand on our tippy toes to look through the glass to watch the guy make the pizzas. Â This seemed like more fun then eating the pizza. Â It was so cool to stand there and watch the cook and wonder is that our pizza? Recently I was able to show my little one the pizza being made but I don't think she was as amazed as I was as a kid. I'm gonna blame technology and the iPhone for stealing this innocence. Â I still think its cool.
Time has changed for this once successful family pizza chain. Sadly there are only 6 locations still around and only 3 in Illinois (including this one). Â I hope that at least these locations are able to survive. Â
I must say one thing about the pizza! The thin crust is amazing here. I believe it is a corn bread crust because it is so crispy. I also love how they twist the ends of the crust almost like a braid. Â I even taste a little sour in the crust like a sour dough bread. Â I will say that there crust is the most unique thing about this pizza. Â Dare I say I like the crust here because nobody likes the crust anywhere!
Ordering is interesting here. You go to the counter and place your order. You can also pre-purchase your pitchers of beer here but you have to go to the bar to pick them up. The person behind the register gives you a number and you have to listen for that number. Â When they call your number...it means your food is ready and you go back up there to pick it up. Â Very easy...no need for any servers here!
The interior is really dark, in fact there are no windows here, which adds to the mystic of this place. I love the dark wood booths plus a group of 8 can sit in two booths right next to each other which is what we typically do. Â There are also TV's scattered around, so if there is a game on you can watch it.
I also have a Barnaby's jingle burned in my brain! Â "After the game, after the show, all dressed up, no where to go, come to our place, make it your place, for great pizza and more, Barnaby's in Schaumburg!" Why is this stuck in my head? Well when I was in my 20's I directed and edited a TV commercial and had to listen to that song for a week plus. Â Every once in a while I will call my old cameraman and sing the jingle on his voicemail. We will have a good laugh plus the jingle is stuck in his head for weeks! Â I may have to call him today!
What does all of this have to do with my review? Â I guess I am just trying to show how much this pizza place has been a part of my life and it would be sad to no longer have a Barnaby's around. Â I hope future generations appreciate the pizza and the charm that this location has. It is sad to see how many of these locations have closed over the years but I'm glad to see a few are fighting strong. Keep it up!!!
I have been coming here since I was a little nina. Amazing food and service. Love the beers on tap, and they frost the mugs for your beer! Amazing thin crust pizza, never burnt and the flavor is extraordinary. Their jalapeno poppers are great as well as their burgers! Great for families. Love the dimmed lighting. Great for groups of children or the family. Plenty of seating.
Review Source:My favorite thin crust pizza place! Â I think their crust is the best especially when just ordering the cheese. Â The ambiance is family friendly and the workers treat you like you are part of their family as well. Â The burgers are always cooked right and the grilled chicken sandwich is always juicy and not over done/burned. Â I always go back for lunch and dinner (when I am in the area). Â It is very dim and it is rustic, but that is what's so nice about the restaurant!
Review Source:A solid 4 stars for very good pizza in the Des Plaines/Rosemont/Mount Prospect area. Good crust, usual toppings (might I suggest a meat lovers with sausage, pepperoni, & bacon), and reasonable prices. I've passed by this place for years and had good verbal reviews from friends, so I decided that this would be a good spot for an afternoon lunch with some coworkers. We definitely found a new local pizza place for work. Skip the pizza on touhy and manhiem and take a ride down over here....they even serve beer so what's not to like!
Review Source:after dropping a friend off at O'hare I promised my son we'd grab some pizza for dinner. Â It had been a while since having Barnaby's and was so looking forward to it. Â
I can't even bring myself to give them 3 stars (which is what I found this particular pizza to be) bc I just love this place for so many reasons other than the pizza. Â Reality is the pizza could have had a bit more sauce and cheese, simple fix.
Apart from that it is seriously some of the best pizza around, housed in the most awesome Bavarian, Old World style building, straight from the 70's.
Grew up with Barnaby's from childhood and really enjoy it when I can stop and eat at one.
My family and I met at the Schaumburg location for several family get togethers and events. Went to Des Plaines location after driving to Schaumburg and finding out they were closed. Â We enjoyed the meal and the identical restaurant. Â Wish there was one close to me. Â Love their thin crust pizza!
I used to love this place, my family has loved this place since the 70's! Â The food is actually quite good, but the service has been consistently poor the last 5 times we've been there.
Long story short:
They had a promotion 1/2 off all dine in orders. We ordered lots of food, that's how we are. When I asked for a to-go container THE OWNER explained she could only give me 1 container due to the current promotion, "That's why you ordered so much food because of the promotion"... YIKES!
We have been patrons of Barnaby's since the  70's! My entire family goes there (more than 50 people) and we order A LOT!! We always come home with boxes and boxes of left overs and this is the FIRST time we've ever saved money due to a promotion!! The nerve of this lady to imply that we would only buy in abundance when the food is on sale!
What's worse? When I explained that I took offense to her comment because we've been patrons for so long, her answer was "I didn't mean it offensively". That's it, no "I'm sorry if it came across that way..." or  "you're a long time customer and I would hate to offend you..."  NOTHING.
Niles. Schaumburg. Northbrook. That's a list of suburbs where you will find another Barnaby's. I recommend Northbrook, it has the best food and excellent service.
We've been back a half-dozen times since my last review, and their thin crust cheese is still our gold standard. Â The Hawaiian pizza was pretty tasty (salty and sweet) also. And we also had a spinach, mushroom and onion that wasn't too wet (like spinach can get), and delicious.
Barnaby's is still our go-to place when we're hankering for thin crust, and don't want to spend a lot.
I am giving one star for THIS particular location. I was here on a monday night. there were maybe 10 couples there and one larger group so not busy. I order a large pizza and a burger with mozz sticks. The burger and sticks come up right away (as usual)...25 mins go by and and still no pizza. I go up and ask and they say "oh here's the ticket here, it was never put it. we'll put it in now and "rush" the order. It'll be about 12 mins"....20 MINS later, as im walking up to the cashier to get my $ back the pizza is ready. I refuse to take the pizza b/c i had some where to be in 10 mins.
Not at any point did someone say "sorry" offer a discount or even a refund until i demanded it.
NEVER ever going back to this location. I'll stick with Schaumburg Barnaby's. Plus this location has Pepsi products *gag*
I LOVE BARNABY. This restaurant is a pizza staple in the house and in Des Plaines as a whole. My brother wanted to have his 21st birthday party here. The food is delicious and can be served both inside and as take out. Anyone who lives in Des Plaines or visit frequently NEED to come here.
Review Source:Best thin crust pizza anywhere. Â Love the crust-though it doesn't travel well so eat it there. Â Great place to get a couple of families together, let the kids run around and enjoy a few beers as well. Â The old school '70's style English Pub look is so kitschy it's cool again. Â Reminds me of being a kid and going to Shakey's. Â Love it.
Review Source:There's good reason that this place has been around forever, and that delicious reason is thin crust pizza. Easily the best pizza E-V-E-R! Ever. It's the combination of thin, and crispy, crust sitting on a layer of corn meal, cheese that is always  cooked to the point where it's just reddening, and perfectly flavored sauce that is smeared in just the right amounts.
I've been known to take down a whole pizza (or two) by myself.
The weird thing is that even amongst other Barnaby's restaurants (Schaumburg, IL) this one has the best tasting pizza.
Everytime I'm in the area I grab a 'par-bake' (partially baked, so you can cook it at home) pizza to take to my family 3 hours away and I immediately reclaim my position as favorite child.
Oh Barnaby's, how I long for a good Cheese Pub Deluxe with a good pitcher of beer. The pizza is fantastic and I love the fact that you just don't know, nor care what time it is when you are dining in this place. The dark wood decor and the ambiance is as authentic as they come.
This place rocks !!! and it deserves its rightful place in Chicago History.
Although I was *born* in Chicago, I'm not really from Chicago so maybe I don't get it. Maybe I just don't genetically love grease and sausage and more grease and Barnaby's but ew! And emphatic ew! I have never had greasier pizza in my life. My half of the pizza was even cheese and I have now had this pizza on several occasions. Every time I have found it to be a cardboardy mass of cheese and grease. I'll take Chicago deep dish any day over this.
Review Source:Barnaby's has been around forever. Â Theres a reason for this. Â Either its a business front utilized by organized crime to launder money. Â Or in fact, it has the best thin crust pizza in Chicago. Â Decide for yourself.
be warned though, if you disagree, you will find a contract on your head.
I have been going to Barnaby's since I was a little kid. My dad used to take us here on Friday's since he worked across the street and we would go as a family.
We still come here on occassion as this location for me has the best Pub burgers of the locations. We usually go to the Arlington Heights location as it is closer and has the better pizza. I think Ericka you may have had a bad situation as the pizza is consistently good at Barnaby's. Definitely a great place to meet over some good sandwiches and pizza.
Looking at all the reviews I'm probably missing something. I'm not opposed to updating my review, either. A lot of people will probably disagree and think I don't know jack about pizza because I'm from MN. But I know when I like something and I didn't like this.
The pizza was bland. Bland, bland, bland. I couldn't even tell that I was eating a pizza with pepperoni because the meat had no zest. Everything simply melted together to form one ginormous round pizza of nothingness. Even the crumbled cheese and seasoning couldn't save it.
We had a thin (thinner?) crust pizza, so perhaps they have regular dough or create deep dishes that outshine our order. I don't know. All I know is that the crust tasted as if it were a couple sugar sprinkles away from becoming a sugar cookie. What's up with all the saw dust on the bottom of the pizza? I understand you want to keep it from sticking to the oven and the pans, but I found myself wiping off my hands every few moments simply from whatever fairy dust they deemed fit to coat the bottom of the pizza with.
The boss at this one gig I had used work at would order us pizza from here, and everybody would groan, and never quite understood why.
Depending on the pizza place, I've come to notice that if a pizza is outstanding, it usually possesses at least one of 3 qualities: great crust, great sauce or great toppings. I think what makes Barnaby's so good is their thin crust. I think it's made with corn meal and grease which really enhances the flavor of the pizza over any pizza places that make it with flour. Â
For me most importantly, this particular location always did a good job not screwing up my crazy pizza order: Small Vegi #2 with NO CHEESE plus tomato, pineapple & jalapenos (yes it was messy to eat). I don't know how many times a pizza place (especially in the suburbs)would  be completely dumbfounded by the concept of no cheese.
If you're stuck in the nw suburbs and have to settle on a place for pizza, this place offers a good, greasy, satisfying thin crust. I would say the best I've had in the suburbs.
Best pizza, period. It's a lofty statement. Only disappointment is that they don't deliver but that's a minor complaint for such deliciousness.
As stated below, the cornmeal crust is unique and what sets the pizza apart from other places.
I think they finally started accepting credit cards?
Barnaby's is a family owned restaurant that has a very unique flavored thin crust pizza. Â The first time I tried it I was hooked. Â They make their own pizza dough and homemade tomato sauce daily. Â But not only do they have pizza but they have sandwich and side order galore. Â I love my fried foods and this place makes it happen for me. Â Fries, onion rings, veggie baskets, jalapeno poppers, and mozzarella sticks. Â Want soup? Â They got it. Â Want homemade chili? Â They got it (in sesason).
Not in the mood for pizza? Â Try their burgers (cheese extra) BBQ beef, beef/sausage sandwiches, homemade meatballs, or the parmesan, charbroiled, and BBQ chicken. Â Like fish (from the sea, people)? Â They have that too. Â I like the fish 'n' chips, but they also have fish sandwich, a catfish basket, a shrimp basket and a seafood basket. Â The seafood basket comes with fried catfish, filet of cod and shrimp with tartar sauce, cocktail sauce and your choice of hush puppies or fries. Â Order them with a pickle or for an extra buck or two get it with homemade coleslaw and fries. Â You want pizza but the kids don't? Â Whatever... Â They have a 12 and under menu. Â Not only do all of the items come with fries they are all under $3.00.
They have beer and soda on tap along with bottled Corona and Sharp's non-alcoholic beer. Â Like wine with your cheese (pizza) they have Chablis, White Zinfindel, and even Burgundy by the glass or carafe. Â My kids like the pink lemonade but they also have oj, apple juice, brewed iced tea for you non-carbonators.
My husband likes this place too but would always complain about the cash only policy. Â When he had no cash on hand I would stare out the window and wave as we passed by. Â Well now they accept credit/debit. Â So no more excuses spouse o' mine, let's go eat.
This place shot right up on my list for good pizzas the second I smelled it.
The crust is corn meal, not flour. With my first bite I savored it. The crunch with the silky smooth cheese was a great combination. Hell, I didn't even mind the flakes of corn that it left on my pants and hoodies; I wore it like a badge of honor.
I couldn't get over the crust and was amazed how great it is.
I've gone back four times and it still impresses me, but moving on.
What really cemented this place was that on Valentine's Day they had a special. Take a guess....Heart Shaped Pizza. You get less pizza but you get pizzazz. So enjoy those two extra z's on Valentine's Day and feed that gluttonous attitude with an order of it.
I've had to take away a star because whenever my coworkers and I swing in, we get some stares and sub-par service- stuck on lipstick on the waters? Menus 10 minutes after our asses hit the chairs...when there's six tables between four waitresses? Smooth.
Come here if you dig a different crust on your pizza, abundant cheese and a 'we'll get ya when we get ya' attitude from the staff.
This has got to be some of the best thin crust pizza in the area because just the simple mention of Barnaby's gets those that know a drooling and the atmosphere in the room changes to one of HELL YEAH BARNABYS!!!!
when the food is this good, sitting on a crate in an alley is all that you need and anything else better is gravy. Yes its dark, the decor hasn't changed since day one, but neither has the food and that's all that matters.
Consistent thin cracker crust, slamming thin cut fries and cheap pitchers of beer...Oh BABY!
Long ago, when I was still a freshman in college, I went to a New Years party on the north side of Chicago. Â Needless to say I got hammered and woke up the next day nursing a major hangover.
We got up sometime in the early afternoon and we were not ready to face cleaning up the mess, my friend suggested we go to Barnaby's to line the old stomach. Â We got some kind of deluxe and that pizza tasted so good to this wasted young man.
20 years later, I noticed a Barnaby's near my place of work in Des Plaines, and it brought back memories of that hazy New Years day so long ago. Â I decided to stop in and see if the pizza was really all that good or was I just messed up from cheap rot gut and evil herbs.
I'm glad to say that the pizza is still top flight, I ordered what was called a "belt buster". Â The pizza was a top notch thin crust pizza, unusual in that it is not only thin, but also crunchy as well, kind of reminded me of Home Run Inn crust. Â Sauce was pleasant and added to the flavor of the pizza. Â Toppings were a bit on the skimpy side but not terribly so. Â
The restaurant still has that 70's look. Â Thick dark wood picnic tables with solid chairs. Â Place gave the impression of being dirty but it really wasn't. Â But it was dark and probably would have been smokey if it hadn't been for a smoking ban. Â As you can guess, the darkness comes from weak lighting and the fact that the place has no windows. Â Just one big screen TV on one side of the wall to watch the games on. Â Cooking area is wide open and you can watch them make your food. Â Pizza area is on one side, grill in the middle and the bar on the other side. Â No service, just order what you want and pick it up when your name is called. Â Nice friendly staff, fat middle-aged people who seem to like where they work and eat their own cooking.
The dark atmosphere may make the place seem hostile but I highly recommend it for their thin crust pizza. Â Sandwiches and things look good too although I have not had the privilage of trying them.
I will preface this review with the fact that I prefer thick chewy crusted pizza to thin crust style. That being said , I was intrigued by their thin crust pizza , almost like pizza on a homemade matza, I got the sausage and it was pretty good . My son on the other hand said it was ok , and my wife wasn't thrilled with the pizza. My son also got the Chicken soup , which was pretty good as well. I can't say I loved the food here , but everything tasted hand made , and I give this place points for being an old school family place. On the off chance I ever feel like thin crust , I'd probably go here again.
Review Source:On our way to a weekend trip to Minnesota my fiance insisted we pick up a pizza from here for our road trip. Â And boy am I Glad we did!!! This pizza is one of the best I've had, and I'm a pizza-holic!
Their thin crust is to die for. Â It's crispy and their sauce is just right. Â Too bad we live in south side of Chicago or else we would order from here all the time. Â I guess we'll be making a trip down to Des Plaines more often.
Growing up near O'Hare taught me one thing, you can still find good pizza without the Gold Coast prices. So if you're staying nearby, flying out of O'Hare or lost in the Northwest Suburbs go to Barnaby's.
This place has been voted #1 thin crust pizza two years in a row... homemade tomato sauce, corn meal bottom dough....AFFORDABLE! I can't give you a recommendation on anything else their serve but their fries. Oh their FRIES! Thin and delicious!
You can go on their website and print out a $2 off coupon if you dine in Monday - Thursday. They have four other locations in the Chicagoland area. Whoever thought having one windows and one exit door was a smart idea for a pizza restaurant building was certainly  stupid, but who cares. Eat and get out. Or if you're feeling a tad paranoid, carry out.
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