Pi Gallery Bar

This is my absolute favorite pizza place in Chicago! You can’t beat their salads, pizzas, and drink deals. My boyfriend and I come here at least once a week — it’s our go-​to restaurant.

Very neat place. We came by around 9:00 p.m. and surprisingly, only two people were at the bar. They have a decent beer selection, and amazing pizzas. Not deep-​dish, but I consider that a good thing. God, the pizza here was to die for. We got the veggie and it did not disappoint (beautiful balsamic sauce on there). I had a pale ale brewed by Blue News that was particularly notable. For more description on the beers, see my beer blog
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The owner was very friendly, introduced himself, and played fun music all night. We had a great time here. I highly highly recommend this place. This is where the cool kids hang out.

Great happy hour specials! $ 3 drafts, $ 4 vodkas and ½ off Scotch

Delicious crispy wood fired pizza! And great weekday drink specials. We walked in thinking it was strange because we were the only ones in here (given it was early on a Tuesday night) but we loved it! I had a $ 3 Victory golden monkey, Waldorf salad, and three cheese pizza– all delicious. Highly recommend, plus you get great views of the city by the window seats. Service, music, and ambience were great too.

We came here by chance due to Zed 451 rooftop not being open and the rainy weather. If they are trying to drum up business, I would suggest working on the signage as it was difficult to figure out which entrance was theirs.
When we got upstairs, we almost left because of a peculiar smell, but decided to stay due to the other stellar reviews. Initially the service was good. Our server was super nice and engaging. Unfortunately that died through the night and we would have long periods where our server was MIA (note: there was only 1 other table there).
The food was somewhat disappointing. We got the artichoke dip with what looked like pita strips (was told they were pizza crust and garlic butter). That first bite was both shocking and excruciating. The bread was so chewy that we could barely bite/​chew it. We were told this was normal. I think it was undercooked.
We also got the margharita and meat pizzas. They were strange in presentation in that both were very oddly shaped (supposed to be circular). Taste wise, nothing special. The crust could have used a little salt. or maybe that garlic butter. To top it off, it took over 30 min to get our pizzas.
Hopefully things will get better, otherwise no intent on returning.

Friday, 8PM. I think my husband and I must have come on an off-​night based on all of the previous five-​star reviews. We did NOT have anything near a five-​star experience. Either way, we won’t be coming back nor would we recommend this restaurant to anyone we care to impress. It’s probably fine for tourists.
To start, it’s worth recognizing that restaurant competition in Chicago has grown fierce and that as a consequence average, middle-​class consumers like my husband and I have become increasingly sophisticated and difficult to please. With that said, the strange, chewy, preheated «Dr. Octopi» starter was an immediate red flag. It was pungent, fishy and clearly very old and dressed with an overpowering asian-​style dressing. We told the waitress about the fishy smell and taste of the microwaved octopus, however we still found it on our bill when dinner was through. So, I guess that was the nail in the coffin.
More over, after we let the kitchen know about the octopus, we received our bill right away – not two bites into our entrée. Real subtle.
We also ordered the «Notorious P.I.G» pizza, which was decent – no complaints. We also got the «Garden the Interruption», which was a fairly basic caprese salad for $ 8, but the tomatoes were barely pink and too firm! Heartbreaking. My «La Pistola» Mescal cocktail was good, fresh and well-​made – that I recommend. Other pro: service was nice and attentive.
Our bill total before tip came to $ 55.69 for the pizza, tomato salad, octopus and cocktail. Best wishes to the restaurant, but if you’re a Chicago resident spoiled rotten by this city’s spectacular food scene you will regret spending your hard-​earned money here.

Two visits one review:
Very nice, really liked their food. My friend had an octopus dish she couldn’t stop raving about and another friend and I had their seasonal «root» pizza which was also very good. They also have craft beers on draft. Looking forward to their «spring» seasonal pizza.
Check out the stairwell… it’s just a very cool image.
Another advantage to this place is its location. Quite a few bars nearby and 2 on that very same block.

Great pizza! We went with the square root of Pi, super fresh, full of veggies, thin and perfectly crunchy crust, we gobbled it up super quick! We also had the Dr. Octo[pi] for starters, and it was so perfect. I’m weird with textures sometimes, but the octopus was grilled and marinated so well I forgot I was eating tentacles.
Didn’t got with a cocktail this time around, more of a beer gal. Instead paired my pizza with the Anderson Valley Blood Orange Gose, a delicious and refreshing sour beer. The only thing I wasn’t crazy about was the ambiance. The layout is kind of weird, we were smashed up against the wall in this tiny two-​top table. Would still return though if I was looking for a high-​end pizza experience!

The good: Food was great! We got the «jersey shore» and the «oh, dawn-​a» pizzas-​both cooked perfectly and good flavor with the latter being really unique. The meatballs in the appetizer were piping hot and really good, better than I’ve had in a while.
The bad: Their service left a lot to be desired. There was no one in the place initially and the server was really nice and helpful, then one or two other parties came in and she was spread too thin and everything kind of went downhill. Pizzas came out about 20 min apart, couldn’t get a refill of water or new plates… this may be worked out when they get in their groove and will re-​review when I stop there next!

I really wanted to like this place! We walked in around 7pm on a Friday night it was kinda dead. The layout was bizarre (a few tables in the main dining area, a back area that seemed to be a party room, and a front area with a lounge and two tables). No bar area, just a visible food prep station with a few stools. The salad that I order was really soggy and the pizza was very, very bland. We ordered the Margarita pizza and there was hardly any cheese on it and the basil was burnt. I really love thin crust pizza but this was like eating a communion wafer with a dab of spaghetti sauce. On a higher note, our waitress was super nice!

The food here was surprisingly really good. The pizza is a very well done thin crust. The crust is Light and does not take away anything from the toppings.
We had the el cinema cocktail. The bartender made it in front of us with a popcorn foam and buttered tequila. Not sure how he did it but he served me caramel buttered popcorn in a glass. Awesome!
Oh and if you like mescal tequila, make sure you ask for the back story on the bottles of Mescal Vago they have.

Here for buy one get one pizza night. Had the Notorious PIG and the Jersey Shore. Both were incredible! Also, the cocktails can’t be missed. I got one called the Bourbon Babe and it comes with fresh candied bacon. New fav place for the area!

Update: The entire staff has turned over. The food we reviewed no longer exist. The attitude is no longer welcoming but intense «we don’t care if you stay or go». We are done here and it’s sad to see the below review nullified. RIP PI.
Immediately greeted by Nick, chief/​owner/​manager, you understand why this will become a staple of my fiancé and I’s local stops. He greets with kindness and an immediate knowledge of cocktails that rivals the best in the city. Personally, I order a spicy margarita which is made to perfection. The wine selection, expertly chosen by Alyssa the wine manager, was enjoyed by my fiancé. Great mix for all tastes!
Food. Pizza is a prized possession simultaneously enjoyed and judged as harshly as the Blackhawks in game one of the playoffs. What separates PI from the fray? The sauce. One of the best in the city. Get away from the Giordano trash and join the educated masses who like quality flavor and proper proportions of flavor to compliment their food. We look forward working our way through the menu.
Our suggestion: the Wizard of Mozz.
Appetizer of choice: Meat Ballah, Shot Callah
Secret drink off menu: the Millennium Falcon. An extra hot margarita.

This restaurant is great and desperately needed in the area. I can’t wait to enjoy the deck this summer. We had the Notorious PIG and Oh, dawn-​a pizzas. Both were absolutely delicious. I’m really looking forward to exploring the rest of the menu. The staff is great, very nice and very knowledgeable about the food.

Highly recommend for River North locals looking for a place to hang out where you can actually get to know the staff and feel like a regular. Visited several times in the first couple weeks Pi was open, and have enjoyed the service and getting to know the staff (manager, servers, and even chefs) as much as the food and drink.
All the food I’ve had (a few of the pizzas and the meatball appetizer) has been really good, and look forward to making my way through the rest of the menu. I like that the menu is very small and focused, so you can be confident that anything you try is likely going to be good.

Had the «Dr. Octo[Pi]» for an appetizer. Good, flavorful! Had the «Square Root of Pi» pizza with root veggies — very different, original & delicious! Staff was very friendly and genuine.
Only reason it isn’t a 5 star review is lack of more options, in particular vegetarian + weaker vodka drinks.
Gorgeous interior! Very original and unique! Worth a try, definitely!

I’m new to Chicago and have been on the hunt for a few good locations near my office for drinks and dinner after work a couple nights a week. I was wandering down N. Clark when I stumbled upon Pi Gallery Bar (quite literally, I tripped on the sidewalk as I was distracted by their light show beaming from the 2^nd floor window).
The atmosphere is warm and inviting, while also being modern and sleek. The staff is courteous and responsive, and the food, well, let’s talk on that for a minute. If you’re in the mood for something traditional with a twist, this is the place to go. The menu is small, but I’ve always believed when you specialize in something, the quality is most certainly better. Chef Donna Allers is a testament to that. The brick-​oven pizzas are to die for (I tried 2) and if you’re feeling daring, go for the Mac & Cheese pizza (I can’t remember the neat little name for it). You won’t be disappointed. It was like a tiny, cheesy rave in my mouth. Exploding with flavor and cooked to perfection.
Overall, I loved this place and will DEFINITELY be back, many times. I don’t know much about Chicago, but I do know good service and great food; this place boasts both.

Excellent food, good service, well-​made drinks, tasteful ambiance, not expensive.
There were only a few hiccups they need to work out which I attribute to the restaurant being newly-​opened (e.g. any bar that features cocktails needs to have olives!) but the very minor issues such as this are far outweighed by its positive attributes and certainly not enough to bump it down to four stars.
A delicious and needed addition to the neighborhood.

This bar was a refreshing escape from the typical bar scene. It’s not a sports bar or a place for cheap Red Bull, but the real magic of its place is the quality of content.
The selection of beers, liquors, and cocktails is some of the best of any bars I’ve ever been to from New York to San Francisco. The best and most valuable part of the selection here is the advice and suggestions from the staff.
The other very unique quality of this bar is the breadth and quality of conversation. There are people here who can talk on science and art in the same breath and décor that inspire provocative intellectual conversation.
I definitely recommend it and will be back soon.

A must go place for people actually passionate about anything they are doing. Art or science.
It’s an unique bar catering to the Critical Thinker. It has really Knowledgeable and friendly staff. You can chill there and talk about pretty much anything you are passionate about and you’ll probably find someone you’ll relate to.
The cocktails are amazing. The bartender actually knows what he’s doing and is passionate about it.
100% would go again.

I was here for the grand opening last night with some of my friends.
This place has a lot of room to hang out, mingle, and just plainly to have fun with your friends.
Nice lounge ideal for a night of cocktailing with your friends. A added plus is the wonderful artwork on the walls.
If you like whiskey and bourbon flavored cocktails then you are in for a treat.
The service is attentive and fast.
I had the Neopolitan style pizza titled «the wizard of Mozz» which was a mixture of a thinly sliced tomato, fresh basil, mozzarella and some kick ass tomato sauce. I ordered it with extra cheese instead of oregano because I am not a big Oregano guy.
They have 5 other pizzas that I will return to try. First of many visits.
This is one fun place to hang or spend time with your friends. This lounge heas a different vibe than other spots in River North if you are looking for a place to go.