Home Run Inn
7521 Lemont Rd., Darien, IL, 60561
Home Run Inn Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Darien for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Darien for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Darien for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
7521 Lemont Rd.
Darien, IL, 60561 - Phone (630) 739-9696
- Website https://www.homeruninnpizza.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Marty G.
Not true chi town pie but decent. No more no less. Nifty crust
(3)Dave D.
We went there a few hours ago and everything was great, as usual. We were there with a large family group and every person felt like they received individual attention from the wait staff. If every restaurant was run as well as HRI, there would be no reason for Yelp. Highly recommended.
(5)Colleen B.
I'm a pizza snob. It is quite a difficult task to impress me with a new kind of pizza, but I've wanted to try Home Run Inn. See, I remember when they first started selling them at the grocery store (because I worked there when I was 17 years old). I loved the frozen Home Run Inn pizzas more than any frozen pizza I've ever tried. So when the restaurant starting popping up, I wanted to try them. I have heard from others that the pizza wasn't good or that they didn't like it. I was told not to waste my time. But I'm happy that I finally tried it for myself. We were in the west suburbs shopping at IKEA when hunger strikes us both. I remember the Home Run Inn at this location and made up my mind. The service was okay, but not over-the-top friendly. It was a Friday and a late afternoon, so the place was very empty. We decided to order a personal pizza each so we could pick all the toppings we really wanted. Our bill was just about $30 with an appetizer and one pop. We got the garlic bread appetizer and it was huge! Two people could not finish it alone! The pizza was similar to the frozen kind you get at the store, except it was on crack! The personal pizzas allow you to pick 4 toppings and I chose pepperoni, mushroom, garlic, and extra cheese (I forgot to ask for the butter crust). I was blown away by the flavor. It was the frozen home run inn on crack or steroids or something else. I probably wouldn't get the garlic again because there was just too much of it. Overall, I would come back here again and again! There's another location closer to where I live, and I'll be ordering from there in the near future. From one pizza snob, this place makes it to my top 10 pizza places!
(4)Nancy Ann S.
Oh boy....here we go. We arrived at 5:15 on a Saturday night and waited for 30 minutes to be seated when there were at least 5 open tables. We were seated and the waitress took a few minutes to come over to the table to take a drink order. When we placed the drink order we also ordered 2 orders of cheesy bread. This is where it all went wrong. - pizza order had to be repeated 3 times - 20 minutes without a waitress when drinks in the table were empty - we watched the waitress get flustered when we flagged her down and asked where our cheese bread was and she got a manager (in full view of our table) to put in the order that she forgot - one person from our party asked for a manager who said "we are busy" instead of apologizing WE LEFT...here is a lesson. Don't forget a tables order, be honest when you make a mistake, staff properly. None of us will return. Six couples don't need the extremely poor service and lies instead of owning up to a mistake.
(1)Allison F.
Home Run Inn is my family's FAVORITE pizza place. We have been coming here for over 20 years, usually wearing pants with an elastic band, because it's guaranteed that we stuff ourselves silly with thin crust 'za. Toppings are always fresh and plentiful, the sauce is boss, and the crust is crispy...you can't get much better than that. We rarely bring home leftovers. We eat until there's nothing left to consume. If you really want to take it to the extreme, end your meal with an over-the-top Cookie Monster. It's the surest way to have yourself waddling out of the pizzeria. PS. Now living in Indianapolis, I still have access to HRI via their frozen pizzas. The sauce and crust taste the same, but the cheese tastes a tad different. Although it's not the same as a freshly-made pizza, it tides me over until I'm back in the 'burbs.
(5)Amanda S.
We typically go to Bolingbrook but were sick of the terrible service, so decided to check out this location instead. Not only was the pizza as good or better, the service was great! This will definitely will be our go-to!
(5)Natalie D.
We did a small take out pizza for lunch. My mom ate it in the car just outside. We were in a hurry to eat and run bc of a tight schedule. Pizza was ready for pick up right on time. It was hot and tasty. Similar to the frozen kind they sell in grocery stores though. I'm not a huge fan of this particular pizza. I find the crust strange. A lot of ppl love this pizza and I think it's solid but it's not my kind of pizza preference. 4 stars for quality service and a solid pizza over all.
(4)S. P.
Went on a busy Friday night but was able to be seated at a booth (as requested) very quickly. Waitress showed up immediately for beverage orders. When she returned, she realized we didn't have menus - which was all right because we knew what we wanted. We wanted a medium cheese and sausage thin crust pizza. Problem: no medium pizzas. WHAT?!?!? Apparently you do need menus to order here because it's one of these weird places that doesn't have a "medium" size. So it's "small," "large," and "extra large?" Weird. We got "the pizza that is one size larger than the smallest" or (most likely) "the middle sized" pizza - and it was great. Service good, pizza very good, but naming of pizza sizes are odd-as-heck... There was plenty of sausage on it, and the ratio of sauce-to-cheese was great. (It's not as good as 5-star Lou Malnati's pizza, but it's very good. It's way-way-way better than 1-star Giordano's which is bad. Apparently the Yelp-powers-that-be never experienced Giordano's or they'd offer a 0-star rating. See my reviews of both for details.) Went back on a weekday to try the lunch buffet. No one was around the entrance when I entered, so I found a server and said I was sitting myself. I ended up sitting in Jose's section. He was an excellent server! The buffet was quite good, but pricy. I prefer the cheese and sausage pizza - which wasn't on the buffet the whole time I was there. Yet, I found other things to eat. The meat loaf is very good. Since a beverage isn't included (who eats pizza without pop?) the downside is that the lunch buffet ends up being quite expensive. The buffet was around $11 alone. So, it's good and tasty - but not a deal by any stretch of the imagination - or wallet.
(4)Mike O.
For "medium" crust pizza, it's hard to beat Home Run Inn. It's certainly one of the better local chains that I've found around Chicago. Prices are fair and the ingredients they use seem to be of high quality. I've always found the waitstaff at the 75th St. location to be friendly and helpful. The pizza took a bit longer to arrive at the table than expected, but I think it was worth the wait. Over-ordering has its rewards on the day after. Leftovers!
(4)Angela P.
Pizza and beer. Casual. That's what I described to my in-laws when they asked about hosting a rehearsal dinner. Enter: Home Run Inn. Oh, and it was my husband's first job. Anyway, the private party room is big enough to hold 50+ people. The in-laws chose the menu, and did a really nice job. HRI offers endless appetizers, salad, bread, you just gotta ask. The food was hot, and we were served drinks promptly. The only gripe was that there seemed to be only 1 server for our entire party, and he seemed really flustered running back and forth. They should've given him a helper. Who said rehearsal dinners had to be fancy? This worked out really well for us.
(4)David W.
Was disappointed for the first time. Normally the service is great and the food is amazing. Best pizza in the Chicagoland. This was my first time ordering it online. I called to confirm the order and waited 25 mins to pick it up. When I arrived I learned that they had lost the order and still had to make the pizza. Lesson learned...don't order online. Call in the order. Will think twice when ordering pick up from them next time.
(3)Carly H.
Slow service to start. Servers debating whose section I was sitting in. Good service once waiter secured. Clean facility. Good pizza but don't think worth the premium pricing.
(3)Olive B.
One of our favorite pizza's to pick up while we're driving through town. Typically 'enjoy' the frozen type but a hot piping pie from HRI is such a treat. They let me use a $5 coupon for our carry out order - super cool that they honored it - and all staff we spoke with were super nice. Have not tried anything else off their menu but when we stopped on Friday night, the line was out the door so I'm guessing most plates are great.
(5)Rod G.
We tried to eat here 1/11/14 at 8pm on a Saturday night. Didn't happen. 20+ people waiting and at least 4 empty tables that had no activity at all during the 10 minutes we waited. Strike 3 was the 16 year old hostess who interrupted our conversation to tell us that there were 5 groups ahead of us and to be patient. No more chances at dine-in. Going forward carryout only. PS: I received an email from the restaurant administrative assistant asking me to contact her. On one hand I'm glad someone actually reads these, but I listed the date and time I was there and what happened. Unless you tell me that the staff I described was canned, why in hell should I waste my time? On second thought , maybe I'll just go frozen only and save more money.
(1)R M.
It pains to write this review. It is like bidding goodbye to a dear friend who has passed. You see, I have been a constant customer for over 15 years, buying pizza two or three times a month. I have stuck through the numerous price increases because the quality had remained so high. Unfortunately, that quality has now changed completely. I even spoke with the folks in headquarters before writing this chain off. Here is the story. By the chain's own admission, they changed their cook time as of January 2012. We noticed it right away, along with the pizza being about 30% less weight than it had been. When we got this "light" pizza home, the flavors were completely different. Gone was the rich cheese flavor with just the right amount of sauce. In its place was a very, very crisp crust, almost hard. And, overall, the pizza was tasteless, compared to what we had always had. [I believe they changed both the quality and quantity of the cheese, but the management denies it.] We ordered several more times, with the exact same, disappointing, results. When we complained to the on site manager, she was very gracious and actually hand built a pizza for us [this time with something she called "thick" crust---not on the menu]. We took it home. The flavor was still bland, but now we had a THICK, HARD, crust. And, even though it had more dough, it still weighed less than the former product. Very, very disappointing. I then complained to the home office, located in south Woodridge. To their credit, they did call back but really only offered excuses about how they have gone back to the original recipe and crust. I was told they had no complaints about the Darien store, which I found numerous of on this and other sites. I should mention that the person we spoke with did offer to actually meet us at the restaurant and make us a number of different pizzs to see if we can find something we like. Nice offer, all we want is the old pizza back with all its splendor and ease of ordering. I used to always tell everyone I know about this being the best pizza in Chicago. No more. Yes, still a huge step up from the Hut and other chains. Not worth the price if this the quality they are now going to purvey.
(2)don g.
Sorry HR, but you better go back to basics, and get your act together..I don't know if you lost your way and don't care or what????The cheese is too thick, zza againand the sauce is non-existent...I really used to like this place..And I must of visited here at least 20 times!.........PLease re-formulate that pizza sauce to that that tasty goodness I fondly remember...add some spices, sweetnes, or have you quite using quality tomatoes??..I wish I knew..I really want to love this pi
(1)Johnny T.
Great thin and pan pizza! My favorite is with sausage since I don't care for the topping on pizzas from different pizzeria's. My only beef is that you'll end paying a lot more for 2 large pizzas (over $40) than from other pizzerias and their always crowded during the evenings.
(4)SHEILA W.
i'm going to put this in caps so you can see it if you are looking for a reasonable lunch buffet, go here, they are awesome. one time me and galvez went, and she wanted to put cookies in my purse and harper said he was going to tell the waitress on us. that was funny, you had to be there. so she wrapped the cookies in a napkin and i put them in my purse, guess what i found three days later, yepp, the cookies. one time we went and it was a lot of us and we were making the waitress lady mad, she did not want to do our order separately so she was so upset, but we didn't care
(5)Shawn M.
We had a long wait for food on Saturday night and I never did get my Emmett's Pale Ale but I was surprised at how tasty the food was. My chicken pomodoro was incredible, though VERY cheesy. The rest of the families pizzas were delicious. The best though? Cookie Monster. Get one.
(4)Kathleen M.
Last week I took my brand new electric car out for its first long trip. Where did we go? Why to a quilt store, of course. I met two other quilters there and after the fabric fest we needed some nourishment. I suggested we have lunch here. It was quite nice! I had never had the buffet before but I actually liked it and in general, I am not a buffet kind of gal. I had a very pleasant spinach salad with strawberries plus several different kinds of pizza and a brownie for dessert. We had great service and decent iced tea. I would come again for lunch but of course, I would have to buy fabric first. It's a new tradition.
(4)Carla B.
Worst service by host and manager. We had a reservation at 7pm and because not every single person had arrived, they made us wait (standing) even though we had a handicapped person in our party. We've been coming to Home Run Inn for over 50 years. We started coming after White Sox games when it was two steps up and open the screen door. We went to the Addison location many times with a large group and were treated very well until it closed. Disappointed in how we were treated and will not be coming back to the Downers Grove location.
(2)Mike M.
I'm certainly in a minority here, but we just finished the lunch buffet, and I'm being charitable in rating the food Mediocre. The buffet pizza had a leathery, not-very-thin crust. The toppings were, indeed, thin- especially the tissue-thin slices of pepperoni. The wheels were carelessly sliced, so you had to struggle to separate them or pull off the topping off an adjoining piece as you picked up the one you selected. Actually, I did that a couple times and got a little extra cheese and one and one-half more semi-transparent pepperoni slices. The vodka martini was all ice cubes and mostly water after three or four minutes. When we wanted some service, one of the party had to get up and hunt down the waitress. It was the middle of the lunch hour and maybe we visited on an off-day for the kitchen, but we're not going back to check. The one on Ogden Avenue in Westmont has shut down. I'm not surprised.
(1)Javier D.
First and foremost, I would like to say that our dining experience this evening was exceptional. Our server Yezenia was terrific and gave us excellent recommendations regarding portion sizes for the strawberry pecan salad and a fabulous cookie monster dessert that our kids devoured. She had great attention to detail and I will definitely be more inclined to eat at HRI versus our usual carryout routine. The Darien HRI has always been my favorite location since I was a kid growing up in DG. My only suggestion would be for them to start carrying a small craft beer selection. Otherwise our food this evening was phenomenal. We feasted on awesome mozzarella sticks, strawberry pecan salad, 16" half cheese half spinach/plum tomato w/garlic butter crust, and a cookie monster dessert! Job well done HRI!!!
(5)Maggie C.
We came here Friday night at 7pm for dinner - my husband, 2 year old son and me. The hostess told us the wait would be 15-20 minutes. No problem. They said we could wait in the bar. We sat at the bar. Waited. And waited. And waited. There were two bartenders and a bar back. None of them acknowledged us. About 10 minutes after sitting down, the bartender said to the other bartender did you get them yet pointing to us. He said no I will in a minute. Then he proceeds to ask guests around us who is next. Then he sees us and says oh your kid can't sit at the bar and walked away. At that point we told them that their service was horrible and we were leaving and walked out. Decided to enjoy some Chili's down the street where the service is excellent no matter which restaurant you go to. Seriously Home Run Inn? I love your pizza but we won't ever be back and I think I will switch up my frozen selection as well.
(1)Tony M.
An absolute nightmare of a pizza. I fancy thin crust pizza, and clearly New York City is the best. Chicago has some seriously good pizza, sadly, this isn't it. 1. "Sauce" was super acidic, sour, and awfully salty. 2. Crust was greasy, wet, and tasted like a mix of plastic, and cardboard. It was vial! 3.$25 per pie! You have got to be kidding me? Rosati's is cheaper, and less bad. People get so excited by marketing, and smoke and mirrors, that they forget that taste and value are the most important, both of which were seriously lacking here. Best pizza is NYC, Chicago pizza generally sucks, when it's at a corporate level. If you want to blow $50, and feel really guilty afterwards, head over to a casino, or strip club, not Home Run Inn.
(1)Greg M.
Never fails to disappoint. Living in Ohio now, it is impossible to get decent pizza. This stuff is great! Had bacon, pepperoni and sausage pizza with the boy. Girls had cheese only. Oldest had roasted red pepper with pepperoni, onion and bacon. The 5 of us ordered enough for 10 and left with a few scraps for the drive home.
(5)Paul B.
The pizza here is pretty good i always have it when i used to go there, im never going back. Any meal my wife ever had here was not as it was described on the menu. We went there 4 or 5 times but never again. The service sucks. Every time we went there the servers kept getting worse, never once saw a manager or anybody who even acted liked they cared. The prices are fairly high especially when you consider the portion size. Tonights server was very weird. He kept smiling at me in a strange way. I think he would of hit on me if my wife wasnt there. I really like theyre pizza but ill never go to this location again.
(1)G S.
Wonderful pizza on each of my 12 orders. They take yelp coupon. Staff is very friendly. Also go to the lunch buffet. .great selection of hot foods plus pizza at an affordable price.
(5)Alex S.
By far my most favorite pizza out there !!!!! I always order the family cheese, sausage and pepperoni pizza with the cheesy garlic bread and a couple drinks. At about $50 for the meal I cant eat there as often as I would like to. The pizza is almost $30 alone. They have good sandwiches, pasta and appetizers too, but I am a pizzaholic.....lol. Whenever I want to go out for a good meal, I always go here when money allows. They also have delicious frozen pizzas you can buy at most grocery stores.
(4)Ashley H.
I will start off by saying I LOVE their pizza and their salads (their food deserves 5-stars in my opinion)... Their service leaves something to be desired about 95% of the time. Their staff always tends to be a bit on the sour and forgetful side (deserves 2 stars). Went there yesterday with some of our extended family (9 people in total). My brother in law apparently gave the impression of being done with his salad-- the waitress picked his fork up off the plate and set it directly on the table and picked up his plate and walked off.. When she came back he asked for another plate and clean fork--- she was so rude about it! Same thing happened to my husband-- sitting there with a piece of pizza in his hand and the busboy tried to take his plate! Come on! It's 5 o'clock on a Sunday and there are tons of tables! Always make us feel unwelcomed and rushed even though we are literally spending $200 every time we go.
(3)Sara M.
I was saving this review in the hopes that our next encounter with Home Run Inn would be awesome again and everything would be right in the world. Unfortunately, two junky visits in a row makes me feel a little bit more validated in posting my super long, super no-no review. Our booster horror was just when we ordered out an XL pizza using a coupon. Our pizza was definitely not XL and was super over-cooked, cut into super tiny slices to make it appear "larger", and mostly inedible. Cheese was hot and rock solid/overcooked but sauce was cold? I don't really even know how that happens but it managed to happen to our pizza. Sigh, oh well. Now we know things are changing at Home Run Inn and maybe it's not the same great local business it used it be. Original Horror Night Review: What a nightmare our service was last night. What happened Home Run Inn?? I know you're normally excellent, but seriously, I felt like I was on Boiling Point tonight. We were up, we were down, we were back up, and then we sunk way, way, way down...past a point that could be salvaged. We arrived around 515/530 and were seated immediately with no reservation which was nice on a Saturday evening. Our drink orders were taken quickly and beverages were brought to the table. Good. Sans straws. Bad. Another waiter came over a few minutes later with straws. Good! He threw too few straws on the table and scattered away never to be seen again. Bad. We put in an order for appetizers and pizza probably around 545 and they quickly arrive. Good. The potato skins were made incorrectly but it was easily corrected (we asked two be made without bacon and they brought us a whole tray without bacon). Easy fix! So we're eating our yummy appetizers and enjoying our company. And then we're waiting. And we're waiting. And waiting. And finally, it's 6:45 and people who came in way after we did are finishing their pizza. So we nicely ask our waitress if she knows when our food will be out. She gets quickly on the defensive and tells us that it takes awhile to cook, at least 25 minutes, so we need to be patient. That's fine and dandy, lady, but we've been sitting here for an hour now with no pizza to show for it. She says she'll go check on the pizza. We see her come back out of the kitchen and serve two tables their drinks. THEN she comes over to let us know that there was a printer error and our pizzas haven't even STARTED cooking yet and it will be 25 minutes from that point. Wouldn't you want to immediately run over to the table you just royally screwed over and apologize? We'd already been waiting over an hour for our food- now you're telling us it's going to be ANOTHER 25 minutes and you thought we'd be okay to sit tight in limbo wondering where our food was while you served your other tables? And here's my major problem, what would have happened if we didn't bring it to her attention? When would she have noticed? How long would we have been sitting there? Would we still be there right now? WHO KNOWS! When she realized she was bringing food out to customers who were seated after us, she should have questioned where our order was. It should have never been a noticeable issue. From the time we ordered until the time we received our pizza it was just about 90 MINUTES. Big leap from 25. When the whole thing was said and done, we got a pitcher of beer on the house and they took off one pitcher of beer that we had already ordered. It was a nice gesture, for sure, but this was after we griped a little under our breath. Originally they were just going to knock off an appetizer. We felt like at the minimum, a pizza should have been knocked off our order. Honestly, we felt all three should have been knocked off. We were waiting for 90 minutes before our food was served because of THEIR error, which was only remedied because WE noticed it, not their staff. We would've gladly paid for everything else that came within a reasonable time span. We also were waived from paying the obligatory service fee (aka tip) for larger parties. Gee, thanks.
(2)R A.
Great pizza. We always get the veggie and love it. Good service. Will be back!
(4)Jigna J.
Great local neighborhood place to eat with the family. We went for a casual family dinner and enjoyed good service and good food. The wait staff was friendly and attentive. We orders the bruschetta appetizer and the harvest salad. Both were great, highly recommend the salad. We did the lite veggie pizza which was perfect as we were so full already with the appetizers. For a less cheese pizza with thin crust it was quite tasty and had good amount of vegetable toppings. Would definitely recommend for a nice low key family dinner night.
(4)Cristie F.
Eh....Home Run Inn just doesn't do it for me. I guess it never really has. There's something about I just don't like. I suppose it starts with the fact that I'm extremely picky when it comes to pizza -- and good pizza at that. My preggo sister was in town and was craving HRI. So I sucked it up and placed an order for carry-out. I was quoted a time of 20 minutes, so I hopped in the car and headed over. To make a long story short, I didn't get the order until about 50 minutes later. And when I got the 'zas home, they were luke warm. I don't know what happened, but let's just say I'm still fairly cranky about the experience. As for the food - it's just okay. What I do love is the option for the 8" Pizza Lite which is almost cheese-less and has and abundance of fresh basil, plum tomatoes, diced zucchini/yellow squash mix and mushrooms, Italian seasoning and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. It was pretty tasty - and without all the greasy cheese and meat. ((yuck)). I also had a Strawberry Pecan side salad ((Fresh greens with sliced strawberries and praline pecans, tossed with our raspberry vinaigrette dressing)). It was okay - but I had hoped for more strawberries and pecans. Aside from that, the menu offers your standard appetizers ((motz sticks, garlic bread, tater skins)), a handful of salads, some "fancy" pasta dishes, and your good ol' Italian sammies. Meh. Needless to say, Home Run Inn didn't score a home run with me. And although it wasn't a complete strike out, they barley squeaked by to first based. Bummer.
(2)Mark D.
We just had a business meeting at Home Run Inn Pizza in Darien, IL. The food was excellent, especially the huge meatballs that came on the appetizer. The store is newly remodeled, very clean and service was one of the best I have seen. I highly recommend Home Run Inn PIzza. Great Job Dan.
(5)Jeff S.
i absolutely love HRI pizza, my mom used to take us to the original in the city when we were younger, my grandmother lived nearby, so it was a treat for us. My wife and our two friends dined here on 6/20. The food was great as always, but the service was horrible. I think the server's name was Ricardo. We ordered 2 individual pizzas and one large pizza, in addition to drinks for all and a few apps. Needless to say our plates were taken away by the bus boy and also replaced by him. Our refillable drinks were never really filled, unless we asked twice. The food was great, don't get me wrong, but the service was horrible. To top it off we split our bill and told Ricardo how much to apply to each card, heck we told him twice. Of course he messed that up, he charged the incorrect amount to the cards. When he came to the table he almost seemed like he didn't want to fix his mistake, at least from the tone of voice. He finally got everything fixed by the manager, granted it took an extra 15 minutes. Service almost made me not want to pay for anything, and we purchased apps, drinks, pizza, and dessert.
(2)Dave S.
Looking for a great lunch deal in the Western suburbs? Once you have came in for their lunch buffet. you will not need to look any further. Do I even need to rave about their delicious pizza? I think NOT! Get a bunch of varieties of pizza out on their buffet and I am in Nirvana, The restaurant is typically not too busy during the week where thy run out of everything or too empty where everything on the buffet is old. If you had your umpteenth slice of pizza for lunch and want something else, you are in luck as there are numerous other items and a good selection of lighter salads. A trip to the buffet will not break your wallet. My bill was remarkably less than expected. Our server did a good job of keeping our drinks filled and our plates cleared. HRI exceeded my expectations.
(4)Tina G.
Went there for lunch today.... can't give it five stars because I don't eat pizza.... but the grilled chicken entree was amazing! I seriously would never think to order it but so glad I did..... my family will be happy I will finally say OK to going to a pizza place ; ) only wish they had one closer to Des Plaines.
(4)Kevin S.
Pizza was great, one of my favorites! We also had the potato skins, which were also good. The only problem we had was with the pizza taking too long, the waitress told us there was a problem and she was proactive and gave us a discount. The place is clean and waitress was friendly, overall a nice dinner.
(4)Anuj S.
For Chicago thin-crust pizza, I haven't had anything better than Home Run Inn. We just went there tonight, and I really LOVED the pizza. The crust was perfectly crispy. The sauce and cheese were so flavorful. We had ordered two pizzas. One Laura's Favorite and one cheese and onion. Both were excellent, but I prefer to keep things simple. The Onion pizza was just bliss... The service was OK. It could be better; for example they need to pay attention to when drinks need to be refilled and so forth. But the pizza tasted so good, I don't have the heart to dock points because of that.
(5)Jeff G.
Good bye Home Run Inn from a loyal customer of 36 years. We used to enjoy going to the 31st St location when we were kids. We have been going to the Darien location since it opened to dine in and carry out. Tonight we ordered a 14" sausage w extra cheese. It arrived home in a wet box from a soggy crust with less cheese than your frozen pizza. I had two bites and my wife had a piece before we wisely dumped it in the garbage. This was round two. The last time we ordered carry- out here they forgot to make the extra extra cheese pizza we ordered online. Maybe that was a blessing. Bye Bye Home Run Inn.....You have lost your commitment to quality.
(1)Pascal M.
HRI is in a league of their own. Their buttered thin crust is outstanding. Incredibly unhealthy, but I mean, it's pizza. So who cares? Their meat lovers is DA BOMB like DONKEY KONG!!! Pepperoni, sausage, and bacon!!! AWHHHHH YEAHHH!!!!! The service is whatever, I simply love their pizza. The cheese is cooked until nicely browned, the sausage has plenty of fennel, the pepperoni is nicely cured, and the bacon...well...it's bacon. Their crust gets perfectly crisp and is just the right I believe, they make the best frozen pizza around. It tastes almost identical to a pizza from their restaurant. HRI is solid pizza and a nice change up from deep dish.
(5)Theresa C.
This place is dangerous! I work nearby and with the lunch buffet in easy reach, it's a dieter's nightmare. But the pizza is so good, I will gladly run an extra mile on the treadmill. I've noticed the selection on the buffet changes from day to day. If you had to pick a day though, go on Friday. Just trust me. There is more Italian fare to choose from. This is for carnivores only. Our veggie-lovin' coworker tagged along one day and complained about the lack of non-meat choices. Oh well, more pizza for me. I never trust people who don't eat meat anyway.
(4)Pauly S.
Their frozen pizzas are the BEST I'VE EVER HAD...and their fresh ones are just as great, with fresh ingredients, and (I believe) salt-cured pepperoni, which is super... The ambiance here is similar to an Aurelio's, or any other pizza joint, with video games, and the claw game near the bathroom, and a bar area showing sports when you walk in. If you do happen to drink, they don't serve Blue Moon. The waitress offered Budweiser's version of it...which was awful, but she was kind enough to swap it out with something else for free...
(4)Sonia B.
I do have a few complaints, but the pizza we had was very, very good! I was a little surprised with the prices, which were higher than what I expected. They messed up our order and we waited an extremely long time for our food, but they didn't charge us for our meal and they gave us a free dessert! So bottom line, the food was very good and I wouldn't mind eating here again.
(4)Tom R.
Its not good. I normally really like Home Run Inn pizza's but after eating in hear, I think I will save some money and just buy the frozen ones at the store. First I order a 312 beer for like 5 bucks and it comes in a really small glass that isn't even filled all the way. Second they don't really have any interesting appetizers. I am with my kids and they of course want the garlic bread. We get this big huge loaf with cheese piled on top of it and junky artificial garlic flavor - really? Ok then the pizzas. First they are really expensive, like $20 for a 12" with a couple of ingredients. They do give you allot of sausage but to me pizza is not about piling allot of topping, it would be nice if they would use less topping quantity and cut the price. Pizzas where ok, but I think the frozen are better, how can that be? Crusts where tough/old (there on Friday night so no sense to that), and a little over done. Based on this experience I will not go back to the Darien location, I probably will go try the city location (haven't been there in years) and hope its better.
(2)David N.
I've been here a handful of times and have really yet to be blown away by anything. Tried a few different pizzas, appetizers, and their buffet, and have yet to walk out thinking I got what I paid for. I definitely recommend getting the garlic butter crust if you go the pizza route, and if you're in the mood for a fairly inexpensive pizza buffet, skip the franchises and stop here. HRI pizza is fairly unique, but it's hard to say it rises to the level of other South Side pizza joints.
(3)Andres D.
Stay away from the spaghetti and meatballs. Seriously dry and wrinkled if there ever is such a thing. I wondered if HRI hired the lunch room kitchen staff from my elementary school days in the 80's. Prepared fresh was not the name of the game during my recent visit. Our server Joy was a sweetheart and she was friendly. I should have known better then to mess with perfection and attempt to order anything else but pizza. Sorry HRI stick to what you do best. You have "not" lost me as a fan, just raising some concerns.
(1)Monica B.
Not the best and not the worst. Nothing special if you ask me and definetly overrated.
(2)Bill B.
A step up from the average kiddie pizza parlor, Home Run Inn has a nicer atmosphere and more gourmet options. (We had sausage and spinach on our pie.) Their loaf of garlic cheesy bread could make a delicious, inexpensive meal for two by itself... which we briefly considered. The pizza was great when the friendly server brought it out, and it was equally tasty when reheated the next day. TRIVIA: An odd name for a pizza place, "Home Run" was chosen when a mis-hit baseball crashed through the window as the owners sat around trying to choose a name for their newly-opened restaurant!
(3)Carol K.
Not being a Chicago native- all the hype about deep dish pizza is lost on this girl who loves her pizza crust thin and crispy piled high with cheese and toppings. Oh sure, now that I've been here awhile- a deep dish pie has its place- but when I want pizza, I want thin crust and Home Run Inn has one of the best! This family owned business has 8 locations and also sells a frozen version of its famous pizza in 20 states. The second I walk into this location, I am transported back to being a child again as the scents, sounds and sights remind me of a restaurant my dad took me to oh so many years ago. We always have the antipasto salad (so good) and a large, thin crust pizza loaded with lots of cheese and toppings. One of my favorite indulgences! I went for lunch the other day and tried their strawberry pecan salad that was also quite good but could not take the place of the pizza that's for sure! Service is always good and some of the hostesses actually remember me between visits! If you don't like dining with kids- go late as the place is packed with families up until 9 or so. And it is loud, loud, LOUD! But the pizza? Oh that glorious pizza makes it all worth while!
(4)jay w.
I don't understand the hype. It was ok. I like their frozen pizza pretty well. And this place replicated their frozen pizza experience completely. So stay home and save $20. I don't live near Darien, so maybe better places are hard to come by--but try a Nancy's or Beggars if you like thin crust. Their signature salad was delicious.
(2)Dan R.
Classic and unique. HRI is an authentic Chicago pizza that is unlike any other. It is not deep dish (they do have a deep dish item in their menu) and it's not what I would consider thin crust. It is excellent. It is one of two primary place we order from or visit, the other being Connies. I like the doughy crust which makes it standout from all others. The restaurant is typical pizza place with a bar are. They have a great lunch buffer which is a good value and perfect if time is limited. If you like pizza you need to visit Home Run Inn at least once.
(4)Marty G.
Not true chi town pie but decent. No more no less. Nifty crust
(3)molly w.
After countless frozen Home Run Inn pizzas, I decided it was time to try the real thing. I happened to be in Darien so we stopped in. Overall, it was pretty damn good. We ordered the pizza with the garlic butter crust - couldn't really taste it at all. I suppose it just added more calories without any flavor? Other than that, the pizza tasted very similar to the frozen variety, but just a little better crust consistency (spongier? bad word to use, I know). The service was the best service that I have received at a restaurant in a LONG time. Maybe I've just gotten used to bad service? Our waiter checked on us an appropriate number of times, gave me timely refills on my drink, and was just overall very pleasant. If I'm ever back out in the 'burbs, I'll schedule a pit stop here!
(4)Jessica M.
Pretty big fan of this pizza chain - I have been here for happy hour as well as lunch and each time has been good. Service is standard. I didn't enjoy their lunch buffet as much because - as any buffet - it's not made fresh to order and served piping hot. There were several types of pizza and pasta to choose from as well as salad and dessert, which is always important in a buffet.
(4)Morgan P.
I've been to many pizza places, in Chicago and elsewhere, and this is the best. There's just really no comparison. I've been going since I was a little boy, and the quality has been great for as long as I can remember. I always bring out-of-town friends here when I'm back in Chicago, and they love it too. If you want to have some Chicago-style thin crust pizza, you have to come here. Oh, and the frozen pizzas are pretty good, too.
(5)Michelle K.
I grew up on this pizza. Seriously, it has changed my life. ...I really don't know what else there is to say.
(5)Angela F.
HRI is a great place to visit when you're in the mood for a 'pizza parlor' experience. Nice family atmosphere/ambiance, decent service, and terrific pizza. There are a few pizzerias in Chicagoland that offer Italian beef & giardiniera as a pizza topping, and I have to say that Home Run Inn's is one of the best I've tried. Fair warning that it is extremely spicy, but definitely worth a try if you're a fan of the sandwich. Be prepared to wait for a table if you're planning to arrive after 6:00pm...but it's worth it!
(4)Arlene G.
I came here with my coworkers for lunch on 2 separate occasions and I enjoyed both times! We all got the buffet which included different types of pizzas, salads, pastas and other entrees from their menu. It was a good selection to choose from. I really enjoyed their spinach and tomato pizza! They also had good fettucine alfredo with broccoli. The stuffed peppers were pretty good as well. The buffet is $9.99 so it's a pretty good deal for the food you get.
(4)Daphne L.
I grew up on Home Run Inn pizza and had my 11th or 12th birthday party there. It's not as good as my all time favorite, Italian Fiesta, but, it's definitely the 2nd choice. The crust is always crisp, never doughy; the cheese is gooey and delicious. I just wish I lived closer so I didn't have to settle for frozen.
(5)Forza M.
If I had to pick any pizzeria in this area, HRI would be it. I love the taste of their dough. I don't know if it is the water (which is what makes different doughs special for pizza in Italy or bagels in NYC), but it is fantastic. Hell, I'd pick their frozen pizza over almost anywhere in the area (except Phillies and Papa's, which are both good). And this place is a restaurant too. Most pizza places fail when they try to add on, but Home Run Inn has great salads and I even like some of their entrees. I'd recommend this place to anyone.
(4)Eric G.
I had a sampler platter and large pizza. I have had the frozen pizzas before and it is alot better made fresh however I have to say it is just a step up from Chuckee Cheese pizza in taste. Nice restaurant but not really in my top 10 pizzas.
(3)Tim K.
Lunch buffet was a big dissapointment. Home Run Inn gets a lot of hype. The lunch buffet consisted of two soups, three salads, bread and four pizza choices. The spinach and fresh tomato pizza was room temperature. The sausage pizza was a little warmer. ALL the crusts were doughy. One of their "salads" was a bin of chopped romaine. Connie's Pizza has a much nicer buffet. Connie's crust and toppings are better also.
(2)Mike T.
We dined in Home Run Inn once for lunch and we ordered pizzas to go a few times. I'm not very picky about the type of pizza, and I'm willing to eat all sorts of pizza but I do like Home Run Inn's pizza. It tastes good, thin crust style, and after reheating, it still seems to still taste decent.
(4)Dusty K.
I've spoken to many people on the subject of pizza. It's a personal hobby of mine. Many people will generally agree on pizza they like. But it always amazes me how people talk about Home Run Inn. The general agreement is you either love it or you hate it. There is no inbetween. Having grown up eating at this place, and spending thousands of dollars on their frozen pizzas, I am a big, BIG fan of this pizza. One quick note to some of you - if you have ONLY tried the frozen pizza and think you don't have to visit the restaurant to get the HRI experience...you are wrong. The frozen version doesn't taste like the restaurant. Similar, yes. But you have to try the real thing. I love this location too. They have a few party rooms for kid parties if you want that sort of thing. Growing up, I used to play the arcade games that this place has while my parents ordered the pizza. Anyway, HRI has great pizza. The crust is crispy and the cheese is incredibly flavorful. Each slice has the perfect proportions of cheese, sauce and crust. If you want to take a few years off your life, try the cheesy garlic bread as an appetizer. It's so good you will fight for the last piece. Just check your waist line at the door. But this is Chicago after all...live a little. Trust me, it's worth it. If you haven't eaten here, try it. Chances are you will find yourself here often on the weekends.
(5)Lee D.
WITHOUT. A. DOUBT. best pizza in the city know for the best pizza. Incredible, Incredible, Incredible. Really can't say much else, you just have to try it. AMAZING!!! For dessert, one must try the Cookie Monster!!!!!!! Their frozen pizza is just to die for as well.
(5)Michelle H.
What irks me the most about Home Run Inn, is that all depending on which particular one you go to, they don't have the same thing on each menu when it comes especially to appetizers, even though a picture of the particular food appears on the menu. So when we went here, I had my heart set on the amazingly tasty baked ravioli, but kept on telling myself I may not get them. But thankfully they were on the menu, so we got those (which were delicious as always) and an order of the bruchetta (the garlic bread on which it was served definitely made the difference!) along with a small pizza with a garlic butter crust, black olives and pepperoni, The pizza was exceptional as is in any Home Run Inn location, so no complaints were to be had. I was kind of surprised when we first pulled in the lot, because usually this place is packed, But were were there a little too early for the dinner rush, so we were able to really enjoy the meal. But by the time we left, the place was starting to fill up quickly.
(5)Monica V.
I pity those who don't live near a Home Run Inn location. Even though each location's menu varies, they all pretty much have the basic pizzas. The crust is thin enough to focus on the pizza toppings, but sturdy enough to hold them all up; flaky and buttery but with a bit of crunch. I always get the Strictly Veggie; largest size available, of course, which is topped with cheese, tomatoes, fresh basil, and diced yellow and green zuccini. I recommend upgrading to the butter-herb crust for an extra-tasty treat!
(5)Michelle M.
I have loved the frozen pizzas for years and always wanted to go to a restaurant. I went to Ballydoyle in Downers Grove up the street last Friday. (Lemont turns into Main going north.) Days before going, I found that my cousins worked there! So maybe my review is a tiny bit biased, BUT I loved the pizza (frozen) before I knew they worked there. We ordered the Nick's super and my friend asked when we ordered - Who's Nick. We just happened to be seated with his picture! Nick Perrino - the original owner. It was funny. The Nick's Super has Sausage, Mushrooms, Onions, and Peppers. Excellent - I LOVE their sausage. Lots of sauce and toppings perfect! Great variety on the menu and would love to try other things like sandwiches and salads, but have no idea HOW I can not order a pizza! Really want to try the garlic butter crust sometimes! I go to Ballydoyle all the time - probably at least every other month for my Irish bands and I love their food, BUT I can get Irish food anywhere! Real NON-frozen Home Run Inn Pizza I can only get there! I KNOW we will be back! Hopefully soon!
(5)Barbara S.
I love this place. My husband and I used to go there a lot when we were dating. A few weeks ago, we visited there with our 2 young boys and it was just as delicious as always. Their sauce is perfect, the crust is just right, and the service was great. I wish there was a HRI closer to my house.
(5)Monica V.
I pity those who don't live near a Home Run Inn location. Even though each location's menu varies, they all pretty much have the basic pizzas. The crust is thin enough to focus on the pizza toppings, but sturdy enough to hold them all up; flaky and buttery but with a bit of crunch. I always get the Strictly Veggie; largest size available, of course, which is topped with cheese, tomatoes, fresh basil, and diced yellow and green zuccini. I recommend upgrading to the butter-herb crust for an extra-tasty treat!
(5)R M.
It pains to write this review. It is like bidding goodbye to a dear friend who has passed. You see, I have been a constant customer for over 15 years, buying pizza two or three times a month. I have stuck through the numerous price increases because the quality had remained so high. Unfortunately, that quality has now changed completely. I even spoke with the folks in headquarters before writing this chain off. Here is the story. By the chain's own admission, they changed their cook time as of January 2012. We noticed it right away, along with the pizza being about 30% less weight than it had been. When we got this "light" pizza home, the flavors were completely different. Gone was the rich cheese flavor with just the right amount of sauce. In its place was a very, very crisp crust, almost hard. And, overall, the pizza was tasteless, compared to what we had always had. [I believe they changed both the quality and quantity of the cheese, but the management denies it.] We ordered several more times, with the exact same, disappointing, results. When we complained to the on site manager, she was very gracious and actually hand built a pizza for us [this time with something she called "thick" crust---not on the menu]. We took it home. The flavor was still bland, but now we had a THICK, HARD, crust. And, even though it had more dough, it still weighed less than the former product. Very, very disappointing. I then complained to the home office, located in south Woodridge. To their credit, they did call back but really only offered excuses about how they have gone back to the original recipe and crust. I was told they had no complaints about the Darien store, which I found numerous of on this and other sites. I should mention that the person we spoke with did offer to actually meet us at the restaurant and make us a number of different pizzs to see if we can find something we like. Nice offer, all we want is the old pizza back with all its splendor and ease of ordering. I used to always tell everyone I know about this being the best pizza in Chicago. No more. Yes, still a huge step up from the Hut and other chains. Not worth the price if this the quality they are now going to purvey.
(2)don g.
Sorry HR, but you better go back to basics, and get your act together..I don't know if you lost your way and don't care or what????The cheese is too thick, zza againand the sauce is non-existent...I really used to like this place..And I must of visited here at least 20 times!.........PLease re-formulate that pizza sauce to that that tasty goodness I fondly remember...add some spices, sweetnes, or have you quite using quality tomatoes??..I wish I knew..I really want to love this pi
(1)Johnny T.
Great thin and pan pizza! My favorite is with sausage since I don't care for the topping on pizzas from different pizzeria's. My only beef is that you'll end paying a lot more for 2 large pizzas (over $40) than from other pizzerias and their always crowded during the evenings.
(4)SHEILA W.
i'm going to put this in caps so you can see it if you are looking for a reasonable lunch buffet, go here, they are awesome. one time me and galvez went, and she wanted to put cookies in my purse and harper said he was going to tell the waitress on us. that was funny, you had to be there. so she wrapped the cookies in a napkin and i put them in my purse, guess what i found three days later, yepp, the cookies. one time we went and it was a lot of us and we were making the waitress lady mad, she did not want to do our order separately so she was so upset, but we didn't care
(5)Michelle M.
I have loved the frozen pizzas for years and always wanted to go to a restaurant. I went to Ballydoyle in Downers Grove up the street last Friday. (Lemont turns into Main going north.) Days before going, I found that my cousins worked there! So maybe my review is a tiny bit biased, BUT I loved the pizza (frozen) before I knew they worked there. We ordered the Nick's super and my friend asked when we ordered - Who's Nick. We just happened to be seated with his picture! Nick Perrino - the original owner. It was funny. The Nick's Super has Sausage, Mushrooms, Onions, and Peppers. Excellent - I LOVE their sausage. Lots of sauce and toppings perfect! Great variety on the menu and would love to try other things like sandwiches and salads, but have no idea HOW I can not order a pizza! Really want to try the garlic butter crust sometimes! I go to Ballydoyle all the time - probably at least every other month for my Irish bands and I love their food, BUT I can get Irish food anywhere! Real NON-frozen Home Run Inn Pizza I can only get there! I KNOW we will be back! Hopefully soon!
(5)Barbara S.
I love this place. My husband and I used to go there a lot when we were dating. A few weeks ago, we visited there with our 2 young boys and it was just as delicious as always. Their sauce is perfect, the crust is just right, and the service was great. I wish there was a HRI closer to my house.
(5)Dusty K.
I've spoken to many people on the subject of pizza. It's a personal hobby of mine. Many people will generally agree on pizza they like. But it always amazes me how people talk about Home Run Inn. The general agreement is you either love it or you hate it. There is no inbetween. Having grown up eating at this place, and spending thousands of dollars on their frozen pizzas, I am a big, BIG fan of this pizza. One quick note to some of you - if you have ONLY tried the frozen pizza and think you don't have to visit the restaurant to get the HRI experience...you are wrong. The frozen version doesn't taste like the restaurant. Similar, yes. But you have to try the real thing. I love this location too. They have a few party rooms for kid parties if you want that sort of thing. Growing up, I used to play the arcade games that this place has while my parents ordered the pizza. Anyway, HRI has great pizza. The crust is crispy and the cheese is incredibly flavorful. Each slice has the perfect proportions of cheese, sauce and crust. If you want to take a few years off your life, try the cheesy garlic bread as an appetizer. It's so good you will fight for the last piece. Just check your waist line at the door. But this is Chicago after all...live a little. Trust me, it's worth it. If you haven't eaten here, try it. Chances are you will find yourself here often on the weekends.
(5)Lee D.
WITHOUT. A. DOUBT. best pizza in the city know for the best pizza. Incredible, Incredible, Incredible. Really can't say much else, you just have to try it. AMAZING!!! For dessert, one must try the Cookie Monster!!!!!!! Their frozen pizza is just to die for as well.
(5)Michelle H.
What irks me the most about Home Run Inn, is that all depending on which particular one you go to, they don't have the same thing on each menu when it comes especially to appetizers, even though a picture of the particular food appears on the menu. So when we went here, I had my heart set on the amazingly tasty baked ravioli, but kept on telling myself I may not get them. But thankfully they were on the menu, so we got those (which were delicious as always) and an order of the bruchetta (the garlic bread on which it was served definitely made the difference!) along with a small pizza with a garlic butter crust, black olives and pepperoni, The pizza was exceptional as is in any Home Run Inn location, so no complaints were to be had. I was kind of surprised when we first pulled in the lot, because usually this place is packed, But were were there a little too early for the dinner rush, so we were able to really enjoy the meal. But by the time we left, the place was starting to fill up quickly.
(5)Mike T.
We dined in Home Run Inn once for lunch and we ordered pizzas to go a few times. I'm not very picky about the type of pizza, and I'm willing to eat all sorts of pizza but I do like Home Run Inn's pizza. It tastes good, thin crust style, and after reheating, it still seems to still taste decent.
(4)Morgan P.
I've been to many pizza places, in Chicago and elsewhere, and this is the best. There's just really no comparison. I've been going since I was a little boy, and the quality has been great for as long as I can remember. I always bring out-of-town friends here when I'm back in Chicago, and they love it too. If you want to have some Chicago-style thin crust pizza, you have to come here. Oh, and the frozen pizzas are pretty good, too.
(5)Michelle K.
I grew up on this pizza. Seriously, it has changed my life. ...I really don't know what else there is to say.
(5)Angela F.
HRI is a great place to visit when you're in the mood for a 'pizza parlor' experience. Nice family atmosphere/ambiance, decent service, and terrific pizza. There are a few pizzerias in Chicagoland that offer Italian beef & giardiniera as a pizza topping, and I have to say that Home Run Inn's is one of the best I've tried. Fair warning that it is extremely spicy, but definitely worth a try if you're a fan of the sandwich. Be prepared to wait for a table if you're planning to arrive after 6:00pm...but it's worth it!
(4)Arlene G.
I came here with my coworkers for lunch on 2 separate occasions and I enjoyed both times! We all got the buffet which included different types of pizzas, salads, pastas and other entrees from their menu. It was a good selection to choose from. I really enjoyed their spinach and tomato pizza! They also had good fettucine alfredo with broccoli. The stuffed peppers were pretty good as well. The buffet is $9.99 so it's a pretty good deal for the food you get.
(4)Daphne L.
I grew up on Home Run Inn pizza and had my 11th or 12th birthday party there. It's not as good as my all time favorite, Italian Fiesta, but, it's definitely the 2nd choice. The crust is always crisp, never doughy; the cheese is gooey and delicious. I just wish I lived closer so I didn't have to settle for frozen.
(5)Forza M.
If I had to pick any pizzeria in this area, HRI would be it. I love the taste of their dough. I don't know if it is the water (which is what makes different doughs special for pizza in Italy or bagels in NYC), but it is fantastic. Hell, I'd pick their frozen pizza over almost anywhere in the area (except Phillies and Papa's, which are both good). And this place is a restaurant too. Most pizza places fail when they try to add on, but Home Run Inn has great salads and I even like some of their entrees. I'd recommend this place to anyone.
(4)Eric G.
I had a sampler platter and large pizza. I have had the frozen pizzas before and it is alot better made fresh however I have to say it is just a step up from Chuckee Cheese pizza in taste. Nice restaurant but not really in my top 10 pizzas.
(3)Tim K.
Lunch buffet was a big dissapointment. Home Run Inn gets a lot of hype. The lunch buffet consisted of two soups, three salads, bread and four pizza choices. The spinach and fresh tomato pizza was room temperature. The sausage pizza was a little warmer. ALL the crusts were doughy. One of their "salads" was a bin of chopped romaine. Connie's Pizza has a much nicer buffet. Connie's crust and toppings are better also.
(2)Carla B.
Worst service by host and manager. We had a reservation at 7pm and because not every single person had arrived, they made us wait (standing) even though we had a handicapped person in our party. We've been coming to Home Run Inn for over 50 years. We started coming after White Sox games when it was two steps up and open the screen door. We went to the Addison location many times with a large group and were treated very well until it closed. Disappointed in how we were treated and will not be coming back to the Downers Grove location.
(2)Colleen B.
I'm a pizza snob. It is quite a difficult task to impress me with a new kind of pizza, but I've wanted to try Home Run Inn. See, I remember when they first started selling them at the grocery store (because I worked there when I was 17 years old). I loved the frozen Home Run Inn pizzas more than any frozen pizza I've ever tried. So when the restaurant starting popping up, I wanted to try them. I have heard from others that the pizza wasn't good or that they didn't like it. I was told not to waste my time. But I'm happy that I finally tried it for myself. We were in the west suburbs shopping at IKEA when hunger strikes us both. I remember the Home Run Inn at this location and made up my mind. The service was okay, but not over-the-top friendly. It was a Friday and a late afternoon, so the place was very empty. We decided to order a personal pizza each so we could pick all the toppings we really wanted. Our bill was just about $30 with an appetizer and one pop. We got the garlic bread appetizer and it was huge! Two people could not finish it alone! The pizza was similar to the frozen kind you get at the store, except it was on crack! The personal pizzas allow you to pick 4 toppings and I chose pepperoni, mushroom, garlic, and extra cheese (I forgot to ask for the butter crust). I was blown away by the flavor. It was the frozen home run inn on crack or steroids or something else. I probably wouldn't get the garlic again because there was just too much of it. Overall, I would come back here again and again! There's another location closer to where I live, and I'll be ordering from there in the near future. From one pizza snob, this place makes it to my top 10 pizza places!
(4)Nancy Ann S.
Oh boy....here we go. We arrived at 5:15 on a Saturday night and waited for 30 minutes to be seated when there were at least 5 open tables. We were seated and the waitress took a few minutes to come over to the table to take a drink order. When we placed the drink order we also ordered 2 orders of cheesy bread. This is where it all went wrong. - pizza order had to be repeated 3 times - 20 minutes without a waitress when drinks in the table were empty - we watched the waitress get flustered when we flagged her down and asked where our cheese bread was and she got a manager (in full view of our table) to put in the order that she forgot - one person from our party asked for a manager who said "we are busy" instead of apologizing WE LEFT...here is a lesson. Don't forget a tables order, be honest when you make a mistake, staff properly. None of us will return. Six couples don't need the extremely poor service and lies instead of owning up to a mistake.
(1)Dave D.
We went there a few hours ago and everything was great, as usual. We were there with a large family group and every person felt like they received individual attention from the wait staff. If every restaurant was run as well as HRI, there would be no reason for Yelp. Highly recommended.
(5)Shawn M.
We had a long wait for food on Saturday night and I never did get my Emmett's Pale Ale but I was surprised at how tasty the food was. My chicken pomodoro was incredible, though VERY cheesy. The rest of the families pizzas were delicious. The best though? Cookie Monster. Get one.
(4)Kathleen M.
Last week I took my brand new electric car out for its first long trip. Where did we go? Why to a quilt store, of course. I met two other quilters there and after the fabric fest we needed some nourishment. I suggested we have lunch here. It was quite nice! I had never had the buffet before but I actually liked it and in general, I am not a buffet kind of gal. I had a very pleasant spinach salad with strawberries plus several different kinds of pizza and a brownie for dessert. We had great service and decent iced tea. I would come again for lunch but of course, I would have to buy fabric first. It's a new tradition.
(4)Mike M.
I'm certainly in a minority here, but we just finished the lunch buffet, and I'm being charitable in rating the food Mediocre. The buffet pizza had a leathery, not-very-thin crust. The toppings were, indeed, thin- especially the tissue-thin slices of pepperoni. The wheels were carelessly sliced, so you had to struggle to separate them or pull off the topping off an adjoining piece as you picked up the one you selected. Actually, I did that a couple times and got a little extra cheese and one and one-half more semi-transparent pepperoni slices. The vodka martini was all ice cubes and mostly water after three or four minutes. When we wanted some service, one of the party had to get up and hunt down the waitress. It was the middle of the lunch hour and maybe we visited on an off-day for the kitchen, but we're not going back to check. The one on Ogden Avenue in Westmont has shut down. I'm not surprised.
(1)Javier D.
First and foremost, I would like to say that our dining experience this evening was exceptional. Our server Yezenia was terrific and gave us excellent recommendations regarding portion sizes for the strawberry pecan salad and a fabulous cookie monster dessert that our kids devoured. She had great attention to detail and I will definitely be more inclined to eat at HRI versus our usual carryout routine. The Darien HRI has always been my favorite location since I was a kid growing up in DG. My only suggestion would be for them to start carrying a small craft beer selection. Otherwise our food this evening was phenomenal. We feasted on awesome mozzarella sticks, strawberry pecan salad, 16" half cheese half spinach/plum tomato w/garlic butter crust, and a cookie monster dessert! Job well done HRI!!!
(5)Allison F.
Home Run Inn is my family's FAVORITE pizza place. We have been coming here for over 20 years, usually wearing pants with an elastic band, because it's guaranteed that we stuff ourselves silly with thin crust 'za. Toppings are always fresh and plentiful, the sauce is boss, and the crust is crispy...you can't get much better than that. We rarely bring home leftovers. We eat until there's nothing left to consume. If you really want to take it to the extreme, end your meal with an over-the-top Cookie Monster. It's the surest way to have yourself waddling out of the pizzeria. PS. Now living in Indianapolis, I still have access to HRI via their frozen pizzas. The sauce and crust taste the same, but the cheese tastes a tad different. Although it's not the same as a freshly-made pizza, it tides me over until I'm back in the 'burbs.
(5)Amanda S.
We typically go to Bolingbrook but were sick of the terrible service, so decided to check out this location instead. Not only was the pizza as good or better, the service was great! This will definitely will be our go-to!
(5)Natalie D.
We did a small take out pizza for lunch. My mom ate it in the car just outside. We were in a hurry to eat and run bc of a tight schedule. Pizza was ready for pick up right on time. It was hot and tasty. Similar to the frozen kind they sell in grocery stores though. I'm not a huge fan of this particular pizza. I find the crust strange. A lot of ppl love this pizza and I think it's solid but it's not my kind of pizza preference. 4 stars for quality service and a solid pizza over all.
(4)S. P.
Went on a busy Friday night but was able to be seated at a booth (as requested) very quickly. Waitress showed up immediately for beverage orders. When she returned, she realized we didn't have menus - which was all right because we knew what we wanted. We wanted a medium cheese and sausage thin crust pizza. Problem: no medium pizzas. WHAT?!?!? Apparently you do need menus to order here because it's one of these weird places that doesn't have a "medium" size. So it's "small," "large," and "extra large?" Weird. We got "the pizza that is one size larger than the smallest" or (most likely) "the middle sized" pizza - and it was great. Service good, pizza very good, but naming of pizza sizes are odd-as-heck... There was plenty of sausage on it, and the ratio of sauce-to-cheese was great. (It's not as good as 5-star Lou Malnati's pizza, but it's very good. It's way-way-way better than 1-star Giordano's which is bad. Apparently the Yelp-powers-that-be never experienced Giordano's or they'd offer a 0-star rating. See my reviews of both for details.) Went back on a weekday to try the lunch buffet. No one was around the entrance when I entered, so I found a server and said I was sitting myself. I ended up sitting in Jose's section. He was an excellent server! The buffet was quite good, but pricy. I prefer the cheese and sausage pizza - which wasn't on the buffet the whole time I was there. Yet, I found other things to eat. The meat loaf is very good. Since a beverage isn't included (who eats pizza without pop?) the downside is that the lunch buffet ends up being quite expensive. The buffet was around $11 alone. So, it's good and tasty - but not a deal by any stretch of the imagination - or wallet.
(4)Mike O.
For "medium" crust pizza, it's hard to beat Home Run Inn. It's certainly one of the better local chains that I've found around Chicago. Prices are fair and the ingredients they use seem to be of high quality. I've always found the waitstaff at the 75th St. location to be friendly and helpful. The pizza took a bit longer to arrive at the table than expected, but I think it was worth the wait. Over-ordering has its rewards on the day after. Leftovers!
(4)Angela P.
Pizza and beer. Casual. That's what I described to my in-laws when they asked about hosting a rehearsal dinner. Enter: Home Run Inn. Oh, and it was my husband's first job. Anyway, the private party room is big enough to hold 50+ people. The in-laws chose the menu, and did a really nice job. HRI offers endless appetizers, salad, bread, you just gotta ask. The food was hot, and we were served drinks promptly. The only gripe was that there seemed to be only 1 server for our entire party, and he seemed really flustered running back and forth. They should've given him a helper. Who said rehearsal dinners had to be fancy? This worked out really well for us.
(4)Maggie C.
We came here Friday night at 7pm for dinner - my husband, 2 year old son and me. The hostess told us the wait would be 15-20 minutes. No problem. They said we could wait in the bar. We sat at the bar. Waited. And waited. And waited. There were two bartenders and a bar back. None of them acknowledged us. About 10 minutes after sitting down, the bartender said to the other bartender did you get them yet pointing to us. He said no I will in a minute. Then he proceeds to ask guests around us who is next. Then he sees us and says oh your kid can't sit at the bar and walked away. At that point we told them that their service was horrible and we were leaving and walked out. Decided to enjoy some Chili's down the street where the service is excellent no matter which restaurant you go to. Seriously Home Run Inn? I love your pizza but we won't ever be back and I think I will switch up my frozen selection as well.
(1)Tony M.
An absolute nightmare of a pizza. I fancy thin crust pizza, and clearly New York City is the best. Chicago has some seriously good pizza, sadly, this isn't it. 1. "Sauce" was super acidic, sour, and awfully salty. 2. Crust was greasy, wet, and tasted like a mix of plastic, and cardboard. It was vial! 3.$25 per pie! You have got to be kidding me? Rosati's is cheaper, and less bad. People get so excited by marketing, and smoke and mirrors, that they forget that taste and value are the most important, both of which were seriously lacking here. Best pizza is NYC, Chicago pizza generally sucks, when it's at a corporate level. If you want to blow $50, and feel really guilty afterwards, head over to a casino, or strip club, not Home Run Inn.
(1)Greg M.
Never fails to disappoint. Living in Ohio now, it is impossible to get decent pizza. This stuff is great! Had bacon, pepperoni and sausage pizza with the boy. Girls had cheese only. Oldest had roasted red pepper with pepperoni, onion and bacon. The 5 of us ordered enough for 10 and left with a few scraps for the drive home.
(5)Paul B.
The pizza here is pretty good i always have it when i used to go there, im never going back. Any meal my wife ever had here was not as it was described on the menu. We went there 4 or 5 times but never again. The service sucks. Every time we went there the servers kept getting worse, never once saw a manager or anybody who even acted liked they cared. The prices are fairly high especially when you consider the portion size. Tonights server was very weird. He kept smiling at me in a strange way. I think he would of hit on me if my wife wasnt there. I really like theyre pizza but ill never go to this location again.
(1)G S.
Wonderful pizza on each of my 12 orders. They take yelp coupon. Staff is very friendly. Also go to the lunch buffet. .great selection of hot foods plus pizza at an affordable price.
(5)Alex S.
By far my most favorite pizza out there !!!!! I always order the family cheese, sausage and pepperoni pizza with the cheesy garlic bread and a couple drinks. At about $50 for the meal I cant eat there as often as I would like to. The pizza is almost $30 alone. They have good sandwiches, pasta and appetizers too, but I am a pizzaholic.....lol. Whenever I want to go out for a good meal, I always go here when money allows. They also have delicious frozen pizzas you can buy at most grocery stores.
(4)David W.
Was disappointed for the first time. Normally the service is great and the food is amazing. Best pizza in the Chicagoland. This was my first time ordering it online. I called to confirm the order and waited 25 mins to pick it up. When I arrived I learned that they had lost the order and still had to make the pizza. Lesson learned...don't order online. Call in the order. Will think twice when ordering pick up from them next time.
(3)Carly H.
Slow service to start. Servers debating whose section I was sitting in. Good service once waiter secured. Clean facility. Good pizza but don't think worth the premium pricing.
(3)Olive B.
One of our favorite pizza's to pick up while we're driving through town. Typically 'enjoy' the frozen type but a hot piping pie from HRI is such a treat. They let me use a $5 coupon for our carry out order - super cool that they honored it - and all staff we spoke with were super nice. Have not tried anything else off their menu but when we stopped on Friday night, the line was out the door so I'm guessing most plates are great.
(5)Rod G.
We tried to eat here 1/11/14 at 8pm on a Saturday night. Didn't happen. 20+ people waiting and at least 4 empty tables that had no activity at all during the 10 minutes we waited. Strike 3 was the 16 year old hostess who interrupted our conversation to tell us that there were 5 groups ahead of us and to be patient. No more chances at dine-in. Going forward carryout only. PS: I received an email from the restaurant administrative assistant asking me to contact her. On one hand I'm glad someone actually reads these, but I listed the date and time I was there and what happened. Unless you tell me that the staff I described was canned, why in hell should I waste my time? On second thought , maybe I'll just go frozen only and save more money.
(1)Ashley H.
I will start off by saying I LOVE their pizza and their salads (their food deserves 5-stars in my opinion)... Their service leaves something to be desired about 95% of the time. Their staff always tends to be a bit on the sour and forgetful side (deserves 2 stars). Went there yesterday with some of our extended family (9 people in total). My brother in law apparently gave the impression of being done with his salad-- the waitress picked his fork up off the plate and set it directly on the table and picked up his plate and walked off.. When she came back he asked for another plate and clean fork--- she was so rude about it! Same thing happened to my husband-- sitting there with a piece of pizza in his hand and the busboy tried to take his plate! Come on! It's 5 o'clock on a Sunday and there are tons of tables! Always make us feel unwelcomed and rushed even though we are literally spending $200 every time we go.
(3)Sara M.
I was saving this review in the hopes that our next encounter with Home Run Inn would be awesome again and everything would be right in the world. Unfortunately, two junky visits in a row makes me feel a little bit more validated in posting my super long, super no-no review. Our booster horror was just when we ordered out an XL pizza using a coupon. Our pizza was definitely not XL and was super over-cooked, cut into super tiny slices to make it appear "larger", and mostly inedible. Cheese was hot and rock solid/overcooked but sauce was cold? I don't really even know how that happens but it managed to happen to our pizza. Sigh, oh well. Now we know things are changing at Home Run Inn and maybe it's not the same great local business it used it be. Original Horror Night Review: What a nightmare our service was last night. What happened Home Run Inn?? I know you're normally excellent, but seriously, I felt like I was on Boiling Point tonight. We were up, we were down, we were back up, and then we sunk way, way, way down...past a point that could be salvaged. We arrived around 515/530 and were seated immediately with no reservation which was nice on a Saturday evening. Our drink orders were taken quickly and beverages were brought to the table. Good. Sans straws. Bad. Another waiter came over a few minutes later with straws. Good! He threw too few straws on the table and scattered away never to be seen again. Bad. We put in an order for appetizers and pizza probably around 545 and they quickly arrive. Good. The potato skins were made incorrectly but it was easily corrected (we asked two be made without bacon and they brought us a whole tray without bacon). Easy fix! So we're eating our yummy appetizers and enjoying our company. And then we're waiting. And we're waiting. And waiting. And finally, it's 6:45 and people who came in way after we did are finishing their pizza. So we nicely ask our waitress if she knows when our food will be out. She gets quickly on the defensive and tells us that it takes awhile to cook, at least 25 minutes, so we need to be patient. That's fine and dandy, lady, but we've been sitting here for an hour now with no pizza to show for it. She says she'll go check on the pizza. We see her come back out of the kitchen and serve two tables their drinks. THEN she comes over to let us know that there was a printer error and our pizzas haven't even STARTED cooking yet and it will be 25 minutes from that point. Wouldn't you want to immediately run over to the table you just royally screwed over and apologize? We'd already been waiting over an hour for our food- now you're telling us it's going to be ANOTHER 25 minutes and you thought we'd be okay to sit tight in limbo wondering where our food was while you served your other tables? And here's my major problem, what would have happened if we didn't bring it to her attention? When would she have noticed? How long would we have been sitting there? Would we still be there right now? WHO KNOWS! When she realized she was bringing food out to customers who were seated after us, she should have questioned where our order was. It should have never been a noticeable issue. From the time we ordered until the time we received our pizza it was just about 90 MINUTES. Big leap from 25. When the whole thing was said and done, we got a pitcher of beer on the house and they took off one pitcher of beer that we had already ordered. It was a nice gesture, for sure, but this was after we griped a little under our breath. Originally they were just going to knock off an appetizer. We felt like at the minimum, a pizza should have been knocked off our order. Honestly, we felt all three should have been knocked off. We were waiting for 90 minutes before our food was served because of THEIR error, which was only remedied because WE noticed it, not their staff. We would've gladly paid for everything else that came within a reasonable time span. We also were waived from paying the obligatory service fee (aka tip) for larger parties. Gee, thanks.
(2)R A.
Great pizza. We always get the veggie and love it. Good service. Will be back!
(4)Jigna J.
Great local neighborhood place to eat with the family. We went for a casual family dinner and enjoyed good service and good food. The wait staff was friendly and attentive. We orders the bruschetta appetizer and the harvest salad. Both were great, highly recommend the salad. We did the lite veggie pizza which was perfect as we were so full already with the appetizers. For a less cheese pizza with thin crust it was quite tasty and had good amount of vegetable toppings. Would definitely recommend for a nice low key family dinner night.
(4)Cristie F.
Eh....Home Run Inn just doesn't do it for me. I guess it never really has. There's something about I just don't like. I suppose it starts with the fact that I'm extremely picky when it comes to pizza -- and good pizza at that. My preggo sister was in town and was craving HRI. So I sucked it up and placed an order for carry-out. I was quoted a time of 20 minutes, so I hopped in the car and headed over. To make a long story short, I didn't get the order until about 50 minutes later. And when I got the 'zas home, they were luke warm. I don't know what happened, but let's just say I'm still fairly cranky about the experience. As for the food - it's just okay. What I do love is the option for the 8" Pizza Lite which is almost cheese-less and has and abundance of fresh basil, plum tomatoes, diced zucchini/yellow squash mix and mushrooms, Italian seasoning and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. It was pretty tasty - and without all the greasy cheese and meat. ((yuck)). I also had a Strawberry Pecan side salad ((Fresh greens with sliced strawberries and praline pecans, tossed with our raspberry vinaigrette dressing)). It was okay - but I had hoped for more strawberries and pecans. Aside from that, the menu offers your standard appetizers ((motz sticks, garlic bread, tater skins)), a handful of salads, some "fancy" pasta dishes, and your good ol' Italian sammies. Meh. Needless to say, Home Run Inn didn't score a home run with me. And although it wasn't a complete strike out, they barley squeaked by to first based. Bummer.
(2)Jeff S.
i absolutely love HRI pizza, my mom used to take us to the original in the city when we were younger, my grandmother lived nearby, so it was a treat for us. My wife and our two friends dined here on 6/20. The food was great as always, but the service was horrible. I think the server's name was Ricardo. We ordered 2 individual pizzas and one large pizza, in addition to drinks for all and a few apps. Needless to say our plates were taken away by the bus boy and also replaced by him. Our refillable drinks were never really filled, unless we asked twice. The food was great, don't get me wrong, but the service was horrible. To top it off we split our bill and told Ricardo how much to apply to each card, heck we told him twice. Of course he messed that up, he charged the incorrect amount to the cards. When he came to the table he almost seemed like he didn't want to fix his mistake, at least from the tone of voice. He finally got everything fixed by the manager, granted it took an extra 15 minutes. Service almost made me not want to pay for anything, and we purchased apps, drinks, pizza, and dessert.
(2)Dave S.
Looking for a great lunch deal in the Western suburbs? Once you have came in for their lunch buffet. you will not need to look any further. Do I even need to rave about their delicious pizza? I think NOT! Get a bunch of varieties of pizza out on their buffet and I am in Nirvana, The restaurant is typically not too busy during the week where thy run out of everything or too empty where everything on the buffet is old. If you had your umpteenth slice of pizza for lunch and want something else, you are in luck as there are numerous other items and a good selection of lighter salads. A trip to the buffet will not break your wallet. My bill was remarkably less than expected. Our server did a good job of keeping our drinks filled and our plates cleared. HRI exceeded my expectations.
(4)Tina G.
Went there for lunch today.... can't give it five stars because I don't eat pizza.... but the grilled chicken entree was amazing! I seriously would never think to order it but so glad I did..... my family will be happy I will finally say OK to going to a pizza place ; ) only wish they had one closer to Des Plaines.
(4)Kevin S.
Pizza was great, one of my favorites! We also had the potato skins, which were also good. The only problem we had was with the pizza taking too long, the waitress told us there was a problem and she was proactive and gave us a discount. The place is clean and waitress was friendly, overall a nice dinner.
(4)Anuj S.
For Chicago thin-crust pizza, I haven't had anything better than Home Run Inn. We just went there tonight, and I really LOVED the pizza. The crust was perfectly crispy. The sauce and cheese were so flavorful. We had ordered two pizzas. One Laura's Favorite and one cheese and onion. Both were excellent, but I prefer to keep things simple. The Onion pizza was just bliss... The service was OK. It could be better; for example they need to pay attention to when drinks need to be refilled and so forth. But the pizza tasted so good, I don't have the heart to dock points because of that.
(5)Jeff G.
Good bye Home Run Inn from a loyal customer of 36 years. We used to enjoy going to the 31st St location when we were kids. We have been going to the Darien location since it opened to dine in and carry out. Tonight we ordered a 14" sausage w extra cheese. It arrived home in a wet box from a soggy crust with less cheese than your frozen pizza. I had two bites and my wife had a piece before we wisely dumped it in the garbage. This was round two. The last time we ordered carry- out here they forgot to make the extra extra cheese pizza we ordered online. Maybe that was a blessing. Bye Bye Home Run Inn.....You have lost your commitment to quality.
(1)Pascal M.
HRI is in a league of their own. Their buttered thin crust is outstanding. Incredibly unhealthy, but I mean, it's pizza. So who cares? Their meat lovers is DA BOMB like DONKEY KONG!!! Pepperoni, sausage, and bacon!!! AWHHHHH YEAHHH!!!!! The service is whatever, I simply love their pizza. The cheese is cooked until nicely browned, the sausage has plenty of fennel, the pepperoni is nicely cured, and the bacon...well...it's bacon. Their crust gets perfectly crisp and is just the right I believe, they make the best frozen pizza around. It tastes almost identical to a pizza from their restaurant. HRI is solid pizza and a nice change up from deep dish.
(5)Theresa C.
This place is dangerous! I work nearby and with the lunch buffet in easy reach, it's a dieter's nightmare. But the pizza is so good, I will gladly run an extra mile on the treadmill. I've noticed the selection on the buffet changes from day to day. If you had to pick a day though, go on Friday. Just trust me. There is more Italian fare to choose from. This is for carnivores only. Our veggie-lovin' coworker tagged along one day and complained about the lack of non-meat choices. Oh well, more pizza for me. I never trust people who don't eat meat anyway.
(4)Pauly S.
Their frozen pizzas are the BEST I'VE EVER HAD...and their fresh ones are just as great, with fresh ingredients, and (I believe) salt-cured pepperoni, which is super... The ambiance here is similar to an Aurelio's, or any other pizza joint, with video games, and the claw game near the bathroom, and a bar area showing sports when you walk in. If you do happen to drink, they don't serve Blue Moon. The waitress offered Budweiser's version of it...which was awful, but she was kind enough to swap it out with something else for free...
(4)Sonia B.
I do have a few complaints, but the pizza we had was very, very good! I was a little surprised with the prices, which were higher than what I expected. They messed up our order and we waited an extremely long time for our food, but they didn't charge us for our meal and they gave us a free dessert! So bottom line, the food was very good and I wouldn't mind eating here again.
(4)Tom R.
Its not good. I normally really like Home Run Inn pizza's but after eating in hear, I think I will save some money and just buy the frozen ones at the store. First I order a 312 beer for like 5 bucks and it comes in a really small glass that isn't even filled all the way. Second they don't really have any interesting appetizers. I am with my kids and they of course want the garlic bread. We get this big huge loaf with cheese piled on top of it and junky artificial garlic flavor - really? Ok then the pizzas. First they are really expensive, like $20 for a 12" with a couple of ingredients. They do give you allot of sausage but to me pizza is not about piling allot of topping, it would be nice if they would use less topping quantity and cut the price. Pizzas where ok, but I think the frozen are better, how can that be? Crusts where tough/old (there on Friday night so no sense to that), and a little over done. Based on this experience I will not go back to the Darien location, I probably will go try the city location (haven't been there in years) and hope its better.
(2)David N.
I've been here a handful of times and have really yet to be blown away by anything. Tried a few different pizzas, appetizers, and their buffet, and have yet to walk out thinking I got what I paid for. I definitely recommend getting the garlic butter crust if you go the pizza route, and if you're in the mood for a fairly inexpensive pizza buffet, skip the franchises and stop here. HRI pizza is fairly unique, but it's hard to say it rises to the level of other South Side pizza joints.
(3)Andres D.
Stay away from the spaghetti and meatballs. Seriously dry and wrinkled if there ever is such a thing. I wondered if HRI hired the lunch room kitchen staff from my elementary school days in the 80's. Prepared fresh was not the name of the game during my recent visit. Our server Joy was a sweetheart and she was friendly. I should have known better then to mess with perfection and attempt to order anything else but pizza. Sorry HRI stick to what you do best. You have "not" lost me as a fan, just raising some concerns.
(1)Monica B.
Not the best and not the worst. Nothing special if you ask me and definetly overrated.
(2)Bill B.
A step up from the average kiddie pizza parlor, Home Run Inn has a nicer atmosphere and more gourmet options. (We had sausage and spinach on our pie.) Their loaf of garlic cheesy bread could make a delicious, inexpensive meal for two by itself... which we briefly considered. The pizza was great when the friendly server brought it out, and it was equally tasty when reheated the next day. TRIVIA: An odd name for a pizza place, "Home Run" was chosen when a mis-hit baseball crashed through the window as the owners sat around trying to choose a name for their newly-opened restaurant!
(3)Carol K.
Not being a Chicago native- all the hype about deep dish pizza is lost on this girl who loves her pizza crust thin and crispy piled high with cheese and toppings. Oh sure, now that I've been here awhile- a deep dish pie has its place- but when I want pizza, I want thin crust and Home Run Inn has one of the best! This family owned business has 8 locations and also sells a frozen version of its famous pizza in 20 states. The second I walk into this location, I am transported back to being a child again as the scents, sounds and sights remind me of a restaurant my dad took me to oh so many years ago. We always have the antipasto salad (so good) and a large, thin crust pizza loaded with lots of cheese and toppings. One of my favorite indulgences! I went for lunch the other day and tried their strawberry pecan salad that was also quite good but could not take the place of the pizza that's for sure! Service is always good and some of the hostesses actually remember me between visits! If you don't like dining with kids- go late as the place is packed with families up until 9 or so. And it is loud, loud, LOUD! But the pizza? Oh that glorious pizza makes it all worth while!
(4)jay w.
I don't understand the hype. It was ok. I like their frozen pizza pretty well. And this place replicated their frozen pizza experience completely. So stay home and save $20. I don't live near Darien, so maybe better places are hard to come by--but try a Nancy's or Beggars if you like thin crust. Their signature salad was delicious.
(2)Dan R.
Classic and unique. HRI is an authentic Chicago pizza that is unlike any other. It is not deep dish (they do have a deep dish item in their menu) and it's not what I would consider thin crust. It is excellent. It is one of two primary place we order from or visit, the other being Connies. I like the doughy crust which makes it standout from all others. The restaurant is typical pizza place with a bar are. They have a great lunch buffer which is a good value and perfect if time is limited. If you like pizza you need to visit Home Run Inn at least once.
(4)molly w.
After countless frozen Home Run Inn pizzas, I decided it was time to try the real thing. I happened to be in Darien so we stopped in. Overall, it was pretty damn good. We ordered the pizza with the garlic butter crust - couldn't really taste it at all. I suppose it just added more calories without any flavor? Other than that, the pizza tasted very similar to the frozen variety, but just a little better crust consistency (spongier? bad word to use, I know). The service was the best service that I have received at a restaurant in a LONG time. Maybe I've just gotten used to bad service? Our waiter checked on us an appropriate number of times, gave me timely refills on my drink, and was just overall very pleasant. If I'm ever back out in the 'burbs, I'll schedule a pit stop here!
(4)Jessica M.
Pretty big fan of this pizza chain - I have been here for happy hour as well as lunch and each time has been good. Service is standard. I didn't enjoy their lunch buffet as much because - as any buffet - it's not made fresh to order and served piping hot. There were several types of pizza and pasta to choose from as well as salad and dessert, which is always important in a buffet.
(4)Mark D.
We just had a business meeting at Home Run Inn Pizza in Darien, IL. The food was excellent, especially the huge meatballs that came on the appetizer. The store is newly remodeled, very clean and service was one of the best I have seen. I highly recommend Home Run Inn PIzza. Great Job Dan.
(5)S. P.
Went on a busy Friday night but was able to be seated at a booth (as requested) very quickly. Waitress showed up immediately for beverage orders. When she returned, she realized we didn't have menus - which was all right because we knew what we wanted. We wanted a medium cheese and sausage thin crust pizza. Problem: no medium pizzas. WHAT?!?!? Apparently you do need menus to order here because it's one of these weird places that doesn't have a "medium" size. So it's "small," "large," and "extra large?" Weird. We got "the pizza that is one size larger than the smallest" or (most likely) "the middle sized" pizza - and it was great. Service good, pizza very good, but naming of pizza sizes are odd-as-heck... There was plenty of sausage on it, and the ratio of sauce-to-cheese was great. (It's not as good as 5-star Lou Malnati's pizza, but it's very good. It's way-way-way better than 1-star Giordano's which is bad. Apparently the Yelp-powers-that-be never experienced Giordano's or they'd offer a 0-star rating. See my reviews of both for details.) Went back on a weekday to try the lunch buffet. No one was around the entrance when I entered, so I found a server and said I was sitting myself. I ended up sitting in Jose's section. He was an excellent server! The buffet was quite good, but pricy. I prefer the cheese and sausage pizza - which wasn't on the buffet the whole time I was there. Yet, I found other things to eat. The meat loaf is very good. Since a beverage isn't included (who eats pizza without pop?) the downside is that the lunch buffet ends up being quite expensive. The buffet was around $11 alone. So, it's good and tasty - but not a deal by any stretch of the imagination - or wallet.
(4)Shawn M.
We had a long wait for food on Saturday night and I never did get my Emmett's Pale Ale but I was surprised at how tasty the food was. My chicken pomodoro was incredible, though VERY cheesy. The rest of the families pizzas were delicious. The best though? Cookie Monster. Get one.
(4)Kathleen M.
Last week I took my brand new electric car out for its first long trip. Where did we go? Why to a quilt store, of course. I met two other quilters there and after the fabric fest we needed some nourishment. I suggested we have lunch here. It was quite nice! I had never had the buffet before but I actually liked it and in general, I am not a buffet kind of gal. I had a very pleasant spinach salad with strawberries plus several different kinds of pizza and a brownie for dessert. We had great service and decent iced tea. I would come again for lunch but of course, I would have to buy fabric first. It's a new tradition.
(4)Carla B.
Worst service by host and manager. We had a reservation at 7pm and because not every single person had arrived, they made us wait (standing) even though we had a handicapped person in our party. We've been coming to Home Run Inn for over 50 years. We started coming after White Sox games when it was two steps up and open the screen door. We went to the Addison location many times with a large group and were treated very well until it closed. Disappointed in how we were treated and will not be coming back to the Downers Grove location.
(2)Maggie C.
We came here Friday night at 7pm for dinner - my husband, 2 year old son and me. The hostess told us the wait would be 15-20 minutes. No problem. They said we could wait in the bar. We sat at the bar. Waited. And waited. And waited. There were two bartenders and a bar back. None of them acknowledged us. About 10 minutes after sitting down, the bartender said to the other bartender did you get them yet pointing to us. He said no I will in a minute. Then he proceeds to ask guests around us who is next. Then he sees us and says oh your kid can't sit at the bar and walked away. At that point we told them that their service was horrible and we were leaving and walked out. Decided to enjoy some Chili's down the street where the service is excellent no matter which restaurant you go to. Seriously Home Run Inn? I love your pizza but we won't ever be back and I think I will switch up my frozen selection as well.
(1)Tony M.
An absolute nightmare of a pizza. I fancy thin crust pizza, and clearly New York City is the best. Chicago has some seriously good pizza, sadly, this isn't it. 1. "Sauce" was super acidic, sour, and awfully salty. 2. Crust was greasy, wet, and tasted like a mix of plastic, and cardboard. It was vial! 3.$25 per pie! You have got to be kidding me? Rosati's is cheaper, and less bad. People get so excited by marketing, and smoke and mirrors, that they forget that taste and value are the most important, both of which were seriously lacking here. Best pizza is NYC, Chicago pizza generally sucks, when it's at a corporate level. If you want to blow $50, and feel really guilty afterwards, head over to a casino, or strip club, not Home Run Inn.
(1)Greg M.
Never fails to disappoint. Living in Ohio now, it is impossible to get decent pizza. This stuff is great! Had bacon, pepperoni and sausage pizza with the boy. Girls had cheese only. Oldest had roasted red pepper with pepperoni, onion and bacon. The 5 of us ordered enough for 10 and left with a few scraps for the drive home.
(5)Paul B.
The pizza here is pretty good i always have it when i used to go there, im never going back. Any meal my wife ever had here was not as it was described on the menu. We went there 4 or 5 times but never again. The service sucks. Every time we went there the servers kept getting worse, never once saw a manager or anybody who even acted liked they cared. The prices are fairly high especially when you consider the portion size. Tonights server was very weird. He kept smiling at me in a strange way. I think he would of hit on me if my wife wasnt there. I really like theyre pizza but ill never go to this location again.
(1)Jeff G.
Good bye Home Run Inn from a loyal customer of 36 years. We used to enjoy going to the 31st St location when we were kids. We have been going to the Darien location since it opened to dine in and carry out. Tonight we ordered a 14" sausage w extra cheese. It arrived home in a wet box from a soggy crust with less cheese than your frozen pizza. I had two bites and my wife had a piece before we wisely dumped it in the garbage. This was round two. The last time we ordered carry- out here they forgot to make the extra extra cheese pizza we ordered online. Maybe that was a blessing. Bye Bye Home Run Inn.....You have lost your commitment to quality.
(1)Pascal M.
HRI is in a league of their own. Their buttered thin crust is outstanding. Incredibly unhealthy, but I mean, it's pizza. So who cares? Their meat lovers is DA BOMB like DONKEY KONG!!! Pepperoni, sausage, and bacon!!! AWHHHHH YEAHHH!!!!! The service is whatever, I simply love their pizza. The cheese is cooked until nicely browned, the sausage has plenty of fennel, the pepperoni is nicely cured, and the bacon...well...it's bacon. Their crust gets perfectly crisp and is just the right I believe, they make the best frozen pizza around. It tastes almost identical to a pizza from their restaurant. HRI is solid pizza and a nice change up from deep dish.
(5)Theresa C.
This place is dangerous! I work nearby and with the lunch buffet in easy reach, it's a dieter's nightmare. But the pizza is so good, I will gladly run an extra mile on the treadmill. I've noticed the selection on the buffet changes from day to day. If you had to pick a day though, go on Friday. Just trust me. There is more Italian fare to choose from. This is for carnivores only. Our veggie-lovin' coworker tagged along one day and complained about the lack of non-meat choices. Oh well, more pizza for me. I never trust people who don't eat meat anyway.
(4)Pauly S.
Their frozen pizzas are the BEST I'VE EVER HAD...and their fresh ones are just as great, with fresh ingredients, and (I believe) salt-cured pepperoni, which is super... The ambiance here is similar to an Aurelio's, or any other pizza joint, with video games, and the claw game near the bathroom, and a bar area showing sports when you walk in. If you do happen to drink, they don't serve Blue Moon. The waitress offered Budweiser's version of it...which was awful, but she was kind enough to swap it out with something else for free...
(4)Sonia B.
I do have a few complaints, but the pizza we had was very, very good! I was a little surprised with the prices, which were higher than what I expected. They messed up our order and we waited an extremely long time for our food, but they didn't charge us for our meal and they gave us a free dessert! So bottom line, the food was very good and I wouldn't mind eating here again.
(4)Dave D.
We went there a few hours ago and everything was great, as usual. We were there with a large family group and every person felt like they received individual attention from the wait staff. If every restaurant was run as well as HRI, there would be no reason for Yelp. Highly recommended.
(5)Colleen B.
I'm a pizza snob. It is quite a difficult task to impress me with a new kind of pizza, but I've wanted to try Home Run Inn. See, I remember when they first started selling them at the grocery store (because I worked there when I was 17 years old). I loved the frozen Home Run Inn pizzas more than any frozen pizza I've ever tried. So when the restaurant starting popping up, I wanted to try them. I have heard from others that the pizza wasn't good or that they didn't like it. I was told not to waste my time. But I'm happy that I finally tried it for myself. We were in the west suburbs shopping at IKEA when hunger strikes us both. I remember the Home Run Inn at this location and made up my mind. The service was okay, but not over-the-top friendly. It was a Friday and a late afternoon, so the place was very empty. We decided to order a personal pizza each so we could pick all the toppings we really wanted. Our bill was just about $30 with an appetizer and one pop. We got the garlic bread appetizer and it was huge! Two people could not finish it alone! The pizza was similar to the frozen kind you get at the store, except it was on crack! The personal pizzas allow you to pick 4 toppings and I chose pepperoni, mushroom, garlic, and extra cheese (I forgot to ask for the butter crust). I was blown away by the flavor. It was the frozen home run inn on crack or steroids or something else. I probably wouldn't get the garlic again because there was just too much of it. Overall, I would come back here again and again! There's another location closer to where I live, and I'll be ordering from there in the near future. From one pizza snob, this place makes it to my top 10 pizza places!
(4)Nancy Ann S.
Oh boy....here we go. We arrived at 5:15 on a Saturday night and waited for 30 minutes to be seated when there were at least 5 open tables. We were seated and the waitress took a few minutes to come over to the table to take a drink order. When we placed the drink order we also ordered 2 orders of cheesy bread. This is where it all went wrong. - pizza order had to be repeated 3 times - 20 minutes without a waitress when drinks in the table were empty - we watched the waitress get flustered when we flagged her down and asked where our cheese bread was and she got a manager (in full view of our table) to put in the order that she forgot - one person from our party asked for a manager who said "we are busy" instead of apologizing WE LEFT...here is a lesson. Don't forget a tables order, be honest when you make a mistake, staff properly. None of us will return. Six couples don't need the extremely poor service and lies instead of owning up to a mistake.
(1)Allison F.
Home Run Inn is my family's FAVORITE pizza place. We have been coming here for over 20 years, usually wearing pants with an elastic band, because it's guaranteed that we stuff ourselves silly with thin crust 'za. Toppings are always fresh and plentiful, the sauce is boss, and the crust is crispy...you can't get much better than that. We rarely bring home leftovers. We eat until there's nothing left to consume. If you really want to take it to the extreme, end your meal with an over-the-top Cookie Monster. It's the surest way to have yourself waddling out of the pizzeria. PS. Now living in Indianapolis, I still have access to HRI via their frozen pizzas. The sauce and crust taste the same, but the cheese tastes a tad different. Although it's not the same as a freshly-made pizza, it tides me over until I'm back in the 'burbs.
(5)Amanda S.
We typically go to Bolingbrook but were sick of the terrible service, so decided to check out this location instead. Not only was the pizza as good or better, the service was great! This will definitely will be our go-to!
(5)Natalie D.
We did a small take out pizza for lunch. My mom ate it in the car just outside. We were in a hurry to eat and run bc of a tight schedule. Pizza was ready for pick up right on time. It was hot and tasty. Similar to the frozen kind they sell in grocery stores though. I'm not a huge fan of this particular pizza. I find the crust strange. A lot of ppl love this pizza and I think it's solid but it's not my kind of pizza preference. 4 stars for quality service and a solid pizza over all.
(4)G S.
Wonderful pizza on each of my 12 orders. They take yelp coupon. Staff is very friendly. Also go to the lunch buffet. .great selection of hot foods plus pizza at an affordable price.
(5)Alex S.
By far my most favorite pizza out there !!!!! I always order the family cheese, sausage and pepperoni pizza with the cheesy garlic bread and a couple drinks. At about $50 for the meal I cant eat there as often as I would like to. The pizza is almost $30 alone. They have good sandwiches, pasta and appetizers too, but I am a pizzaholic.....lol. Whenever I want to go out for a good meal, I always go here when money allows. They also have delicious frozen pizzas you can buy at most grocery stores.
(4)Mike O.
For "medium" crust pizza, it's hard to beat Home Run Inn. It's certainly one of the better local chains that I've found around Chicago. Prices are fair and the ingredients they use seem to be of high quality. I've always found the waitstaff at the 75th St. location to be friendly and helpful. The pizza took a bit longer to arrive at the table than expected, but I think it was worth the wait. Over-ordering has its rewards on the day after. Leftovers!
(4)Mike M.
I'm certainly in a minority here, but we just finished the lunch buffet, and I'm being charitable in rating the food Mediocre. The buffet pizza had a leathery, not-very-thin crust. The toppings were, indeed, thin- especially the tissue-thin slices of pepperoni. The wheels were carelessly sliced, so you had to struggle to separate them or pull off the topping off an adjoining piece as you picked up the one you selected. Actually, I did that a couple times and got a little extra cheese and one and one-half more semi-transparent pepperoni slices. The vodka martini was all ice cubes and mostly water after three or four minutes. When we wanted some service, one of the party had to get up and hunt down the waitress. It was the middle of the lunch hour and maybe we visited on an off-day for the kitchen, but we're not going back to check. The one on Ogden Avenue in Westmont has shut down. I'm not surprised.
(1)Javier D.
First and foremost, I would like to say that our dining experience this evening was exceptional. Our server Yezenia was terrific and gave us excellent recommendations regarding portion sizes for the strawberry pecan salad and a fabulous cookie monster dessert that our kids devoured. She had great attention to detail and I will definitely be more inclined to eat at HRI versus our usual carryout routine. The Darien HRI has always been my favorite location since I was a kid growing up in DG. My only suggestion would be for them to start carrying a small craft beer selection. Otherwise our food this evening was phenomenal. We feasted on awesome mozzarella sticks, strawberry pecan salad, 16" half cheese half spinach/plum tomato w/garlic butter crust, and a cookie monster dessert! Job well done HRI!!!
(5)Angela P.
Pizza and beer. Casual. That's what I described to my in-laws when they asked about hosting a rehearsal dinner. Enter: Home Run Inn. Oh, and it was my husband's first job. Anyway, the private party room is big enough to hold 50+ people. The in-laws chose the menu, and did a really nice job. HRI offers endless appetizers, salad, bread, you just gotta ask. The food was hot, and we were served drinks promptly. The only gripe was that there seemed to be only 1 server for our entire party, and he seemed really flustered running back and forth. They should've given him a helper. Who said rehearsal dinners had to be fancy? This worked out really well for us.
(4)David W.
Was disappointed for the first time. Normally the service is great and the food is amazing. Best pizza in the Chicagoland. This was my first time ordering it online. I called to confirm the order and waited 25 mins to pick it up. When I arrived I learned that they had lost the order and still had to make the pizza. Lesson learned...don't order online. Call in the order. Will think twice when ordering pick up from them next time.
(3)Carly H.
Slow service to start. Servers debating whose section I was sitting in. Good service once waiter secured. Clean facility. Good pizza but don't think worth the premium pricing.
(3)Olive B.
One of our favorite pizza's to pick up while we're driving through town. Typically 'enjoy' the frozen type but a hot piping pie from HRI is such a treat. They let me use a $5 coupon for our carry out order - super cool that they honored it - and all staff we spoke with were super nice. Have not tried anything else off their menu but when we stopped on Friday night, the line was out the door so I'm guessing most plates are great.
(5)Rod G.
We tried to eat here 1/11/14 at 8pm on a Saturday night. Didn't happen. 20+ people waiting and at least 4 empty tables that had no activity at all during the 10 minutes we waited. Strike 3 was the 16 year old hostess who interrupted our conversation to tell us that there were 5 groups ahead of us and to be patient. No more chances at dine-in. Going forward carryout only. PS: I received an email from the restaurant administrative assistant asking me to contact her. On one hand I'm glad someone actually reads these, but I listed the date and time I was there and what happened. Unless you tell me that the staff I described was canned, why in hell should I waste my time? On second thought , maybe I'll just go frozen only and save more money.
(1)Mark D.
We just had a business meeting at Home Run Inn Pizza in Darien, IL. The food was excellent, especially the huge meatballs that came on the appetizer. The store is newly remodeled, very clean and service was one of the best I have seen. I highly recommend Home Run Inn PIzza. Great Job Dan.
(5)Ashley H.
I will start off by saying I LOVE their pizza and their salads (their food deserves 5-stars in my opinion)... Their service leaves something to be desired about 95% of the time. Their staff always tends to be a bit on the sour and forgetful side (deserves 2 stars). Went there yesterday with some of our extended family (9 people in total). My brother in law apparently gave the impression of being done with his salad-- the waitress picked his fork up off the plate and set it directly on the table and picked up his plate and walked off.. When she came back he asked for another plate and clean fork--- she was so rude about it! Same thing happened to my husband-- sitting there with a piece of pizza in his hand and the busboy tried to take his plate! Come on! It's 5 o'clock on a Sunday and there are tons of tables! Always make us feel unwelcomed and rushed even though we are literally spending $200 every time we go.
(3)Sara M.
I was saving this review in the hopes that our next encounter with Home Run Inn would be awesome again and everything would be right in the world. Unfortunately, two junky visits in a row makes me feel a little bit more validated in posting my super long, super no-no review. Our booster horror was just when we ordered out an XL pizza using a coupon. Our pizza was definitely not XL and was super over-cooked, cut into super tiny slices to make it appear "larger", and mostly inedible. Cheese was hot and rock solid/overcooked but sauce was cold? I don't really even know how that happens but it managed to happen to our pizza. Sigh, oh well. Now we know things are changing at Home Run Inn and maybe it's not the same great local business it used it be. Original Horror Night Review: What a nightmare our service was last night. What happened Home Run Inn?? I know you're normally excellent, but seriously, I felt like I was on Boiling Point tonight. We were up, we were down, we were back up, and then we sunk way, way, way down...past a point that could be salvaged. We arrived around 515/530 and were seated immediately with no reservation which was nice on a Saturday evening. Our drink orders were taken quickly and beverages were brought to the table. Good. Sans straws. Bad. Another waiter came over a few minutes later with straws. Good! He threw too few straws on the table and scattered away never to be seen again. Bad. We put in an order for appetizers and pizza probably around 545 and they quickly arrive. Good. The potato skins were made incorrectly but it was easily corrected (we asked two be made without bacon and they brought us a whole tray without bacon). Easy fix! So we're eating our yummy appetizers and enjoying our company. And then we're waiting. And we're waiting. And waiting. And finally, it's 6:45 and people who came in way after we did are finishing their pizza. So we nicely ask our waitress if she knows when our food will be out. She gets quickly on the defensive and tells us that it takes awhile to cook, at least 25 minutes, so we need to be patient. That's fine and dandy, lady, but we've been sitting here for an hour now with no pizza to show for it. She says she'll go check on the pizza. We see her come back out of the kitchen and serve two tables their drinks. THEN she comes over to let us know that there was a printer error and our pizzas haven't even STARTED cooking yet and it will be 25 minutes from that point. Wouldn't you want to immediately run over to the table you just royally screwed over and apologize? We'd already been waiting over an hour for our food- now you're telling us it's going to be ANOTHER 25 minutes and you thought we'd be okay to sit tight in limbo wondering where our food was while you served your other tables? And here's my major problem, what would have happened if we didn't bring it to her attention? When would she have noticed? How long would we have been sitting there? Would we still be there right now? WHO KNOWS! When she realized she was bringing food out to customers who were seated after us, she should have questioned where our order was. It should have never been a noticeable issue. From the time we ordered until the time we received our pizza it was just about 90 MINUTES. Big leap from 25. When the whole thing was said and done, we got a pitcher of beer on the house and they took off one pitcher of beer that we had already ordered. It was a nice gesture, for sure, but this was after we griped a little under our breath. Originally they were just going to knock off an appetizer. We felt like at the minimum, a pizza should have been knocked off our order. Honestly, we felt all three should have been knocked off. We were waiting for 90 minutes before our food was served because of THEIR error, which was only remedied because WE noticed it, not their staff. We would've gladly paid for everything else that came within a reasonable time span. We also were waived from paying the obligatory service fee (aka tip) for larger parties. Gee, thanks.
(2)R A.
Great pizza. We always get the veggie and love it. Good service. Will be back!
(4)Jigna J.
Great local neighborhood place to eat with the family. We went for a casual family dinner and enjoyed good service and good food. The wait staff was friendly and attentive. We orders the bruschetta appetizer and the harvest salad. Both were great, highly recommend the salad. We did the lite veggie pizza which was perfect as we were so full already with the appetizers. For a less cheese pizza with thin crust it was quite tasty and had good amount of vegetable toppings. Would definitely recommend for a nice low key family dinner night.
(4)Cristie F.
Eh....Home Run Inn just doesn't do it for me. I guess it never really has. There's something about I just don't like. I suppose it starts with the fact that I'm extremely picky when it comes to pizza -- and good pizza at that. My preggo sister was in town and was craving HRI. So I sucked it up and placed an order for carry-out. I was quoted a time of 20 minutes, so I hopped in the car and headed over. To make a long story short, I didn't get the order until about 50 minutes later. And when I got the 'zas home, they were luke warm. I don't know what happened, but let's just say I'm still fairly cranky about the experience. As for the food - it's just okay. What I do love is the option for the 8" Pizza Lite which is almost cheese-less and has and abundance of fresh basil, plum tomatoes, diced zucchini/yellow squash mix and mushrooms, Italian seasoning and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. It was pretty tasty - and without all the greasy cheese and meat. ((yuck)). I also had a Strawberry Pecan side salad ((Fresh greens with sliced strawberries and praline pecans, tossed with our raspberry vinaigrette dressing)). It was okay - but I had hoped for more strawberries and pecans. Aside from that, the menu offers your standard appetizers ((motz sticks, garlic bread, tater skins)), a handful of salads, some "fancy" pasta dishes, and your good ol' Italian sammies. Meh. Needless to say, Home Run Inn didn't score a home run with me. And although it wasn't a complete strike out, they barley squeaked by to first based. Bummer.
(2)Jeff S.
i absolutely love HRI pizza, my mom used to take us to the original in the city when we were younger, my grandmother lived nearby, so it was a treat for us. My wife and our two friends dined here on 6/20. The food was great as always, but the service was horrible. I think the server's name was Ricardo. We ordered 2 individual pizzas and one large pizza, in addition to drinks for all and a few apps. Needless to say our plates were taken away by the bus boy and also replaced by him. Our refillable drinks were never really filled, unless we asked twice. The food was great, don't get me wrong, but the service was horrible. To top it off we split our bill and told Ricardo how much to apply to each card, heck we told him twice. Of course he messed that up, he charged the incorrect amount to the cards. When he came to the table he almost seemed like he didn't want to fix his mistake, at least from the tone of voice. He finally got everything fixed by the manager, granted it took an extra 15 minutes. Service almost made me not want to pay for anything, and we purchased apps, drinks, pizza, and dessert.
(2)Dave S.
Looking for a great lunch deal in the Western suburbs? Once you have came in for their lunch buffet. you will not need to look any further. Do I even need to rave about their delicious pizza? I think NOT! Get a bunch of varieties of pizza out on their buffet and I am in Nirvana, The restaurant is typically not too busy during the week where thy run out of everything or too empty where everything on the buffet is old. If you had your umpteenth slice of pizza for lunch and want something else, you are in luck as there are numerous other items and a good selection of lighter salads. A trip to the buffet will not break your wallet. My bill was remarkably less than expected. Our server did a good job of keeping our drinks filled and our plates cleared. HRI exceeded my expectations.
(4)Tina G.
Went there for lunch today.... can't give it five stars because I don't eat pizza.... but the grilled chicken entree was amazing! I seriously would never think to order it but so glad I did..... my family will be happy I will finally say OK to going to a pizza place ; ) only wish they had one closer to Des Plaines.
(4)Kevin S.
Pizza was great, one of my favorites! We also had the potato skins, which were also good. The only problem we had was with the pizza taking too long, the waitress told us there was a problem and she was proactive and gave us a discount. The place is clean and waitress was friendly, overall a nice dinner.
(4)Anuj S.
For Chicago thin-crust pizza, I haven't had anything better than Home Run Inn. We just went there tonight, and I really LOVED the pizza. The crust was perfectly crispy. The sauce and cheese were so flavorful. We had ordered two pizzas. One Laura's Favorite and one cheese and onion. Both were excellent, but I prefer to keep things simple. The Onion pizza was just bliss... The service was OK. It could be better; for example they need to pay attention to when drinks need to be refilled and so forth. But the pizza tasted so good, I don't have the heart to dock points because of that.
(5)Tom R.
Its not good. I normally really like Home Run Inn pizza's but after eating in hear, I think I will save some money and just buy the frozen ones at the store. First I order a 312 beer for like 5 bucks and it comes in a really small glass that isn't even filled all the way. Second they don't really have any interesting appetizers. I am with my kids and they of course want the garlic bread. We get this big huge loaf with cheese piled on top of it and junky artificial garlic flavor - really? Ok then the pizzas. First they are really expensive, like $20 for a 12" with a couple of ingredients. They do give you allot of sausage but to me pizza is not about piling allot of topping, it would be nice if they would use less topping quantity and cut the price. Pizzas where ok, but I think the frozen are better, how can that be? Crusts where tough/old (there on Friday night so no sense to that), and a little over done. Based on this experience I will not go back to the Darien location, I probably will go try the city location (haven't been there in years) and hope its better.
(2)David N.
I've been here a handful of times and have really yet to be blown away by anything. Tried a few different pizzas, appetizers, and their buffet, and have yet to walk out thinking I got what I paid for. I definitely recommend getting the garlic butter crust if you go the pizza route, and if you're in the mood for a fairly inexpensive pizza buffet, skip the franchises and stop here. HRI pizza is fairly unique, but it's hard to say it rises to the level of other South Side pizza joints.
(3)Andres D.
Stay away from the spaghetti and meatballs. Seriously dry and wrinkled if there ever is such a thing. I wondered if HRI hired the lunch room kitchen staff from my elementary school days in the 80's. Prepared fresh was not the name of the game during my recent visit. Our server Joy was a sweetheart and she was friendly. I should have known better then to mess with perfection and attempt to order anything else but pizza. Sorry HRI stick to what you do best. You have "not" lost me as a fan, just raising some concerns.
(1)Monica B.
Not the best and not the worst. Nothing special if you ask me and definetly overrated.
(2)Bill B.
A step up from the average kiddie pizza parlor, Home Run Inn has a nicer atmosphere and more gourmet options. (We had sausage and spinach on our pie.) Their loaf of garlic cheesy bread could make a delicious, inexpensive meal for two by itself... which we briefly considered. The pizza was great when the friendly server brought it out, and it was equally tasty when reheated the next day. TRIVIA: An odd name for a pizza place, "Home Run" was chosen when a mis-hit baseball crashed through the window as the owners sat around trying to choose a name for their newly-opened restaurant!
(3)Carol K.
Not being a Chicago native- all the hype about deep dish pizza is lost on this girl who loves her pizza crust thin and crispy piled high with cheese and toppings. Oh sure, now that I've been here awhile- a deep dish pie has its place- but when I want pizza, I want thin crust and Home Run Inn has one of the best! This family owned business has 8 locations and also sells a frozen version of its famous pizza in 20 states. The second I walk into this location, I am transported back to being a child again as the scents, sounds and sights remind me of a restaurant my dad took me to oh so many years ago. We always have the antipasto salad (so good) and a large, thin crust pizza loaded with lots of cheese and toppings. One of my favorite indulgences! I went for lunch the other day and tried their strawberry pecan salad that was also quite good but could not take the place of the pizza that's for sure! Service is always good and some of the hostesses actually remember me between visits! If you don't like dining with kids- go late as the place is packed with families up until 9 or so. And it is loud, loud, LOUD! But the pizza? Oh that glorious pizza makes it all worth while!
(4)jay w.
I don't understand the hype. It was ok. I like their frozen pizza pretty well. And this place replicated their frozen pizza experience completely. So stay home and save $20. I don't live near Darien, so maybe better places are hard to come by--but try a Nancy's or Beggars if you like thin crust. Their signature salad was delicious.
(2)Dan R.
Classic and unique. HRI is an authentic Chicago pizza that is unlike any other. It is not deep dish (they do have a deep dish item in their menu) and it's not what I would consider thin crust. It is excellent. It is one of two primary place we order from or visit, the other being Connies. I like the doughy crust which makes it standout from all others. The restaurant is typical pizza place with a bar are. They have a great lunch buffer which is a good value and perfect if time is limited. If you like pizza you need to visit Home Run Inn at least once.
(4)Marty G.
Not true chi town pie but decent. No more no less. Nifty crust
(3)molly w.
After countless frozen Home Run Inn pizzas, I decided it was time to try the real thing. I happened to be in Darien so we stopped in. Overall, it was pretty damn good. We ordered the pizza with the garlic butter crust - couldn't really taste it at all. I suppose it just added more calories without any flavor? Other than that, the pizza tasted very similar to the frozen variety, but just a little better crust consistency (spongier? bad word to use, I know). The service was the best service that I have received at a restaurant in a LONG time. Maybe I've just gotten used to bad service? Our waiter checked on us an appropriate number of times, gave me timely refills on my drink, and was just overall very pleasant. If I'm ever back out in the 'burbs, I'll schedule a pit stop here!
(4)Jessica M.
Pretty big fan of this pizza chain - I have been here for happy hour as well as lunch and each time has been good. Service is standard. I didn't enjoy their lunch buffet as much because - as any buffet - it's not made fresh to order and served piping hot. There were several types of pizza and pasta to choose from as well as salad and dessert, which is always important in a buffet.
(4)Morgan P.
I've been to many pizza places, in Chicago and elsewhere, and this is the best. There's just really no comparison. I've been going since I was a little boy, and the quality has been great for as long as I can remember. I always bring out-of-town friends here when I'm back in Chicago, and they love it too. If you want to have some Chicago-style thin crust pizza, you have to come here. Oh, and the frozen pizzas are pretty good, too.
(5)Michelle K.
I grew up on this pizza. Seriously, it has changed my life. ...I really don't know what else there is to say.
(5)Angela F.
HRI is a great place to visit when you're in the mood for a 'pizza parlor' experience. Nice family atmosphere/ambiance, decent service, and terrific pizza. There are a few pizzerias in Chicagoland that offer Italian beef & giardiniera as a pizza topping, and I have to say that Home Run Inn's is one of the best I've tried. Fair warning that it is extremely spicy, but definitely worth a try if you're a fan of the sandwich. Be prepared to wait for a table if you're planning to arrive after 6:00pm...but it's worth it!
(4)Arlene G.
I came here with my coworkers for lunch on 2 separate occasions and I enjoyed both times! We all got the buffet which included different types of pizzas, salads, pastas and other entrees from their menu. It was a good selection to choose from. I really enjoyed their spinach and tomato pizza! They also had good fettucine alfredo with broccoli. The stuffed peppers were pretty good as well. The buffet is $9.99 so it's a pretty good deal for the food you get.
(4)Daphne L.
I grew up on Home Run Inn pizza and had my 11th or 12th birthday party there. It's not as good as my all time favorite, Italian Fiesta, but, it's definitely the 2nd choice. The crust is always crisp, never doughy; the cheese is gooey and delicious. I just wish I lived closer so I didn't have to settle for frozen.
(5)Forza M.
If I had to pick any pizzeria in this area, HRI would be it. I love the taste of their dough. I don't know if it is the water (which is what makes different doughs special for pizza in Italy or bagels in NYC), but it is fantastic. Hell, I'd pick their frozen pizza over almost anywhere in the area (except Phillies and Papa's, which are both good). And this place is a restaurant too. Most pizza places fail when they try to add on, but Home Run Inn has great salads and I even like some of their entrees. I'd recommend this place to anyone.
(4)Eric G.
I had a sampler platter and large pizza. I have had the frozen pizzas before and it is alot better made fresh however I have to say it is just a step up from Chuckee Cheese pizza in taste. Nice restaurant but not really in my top 10 pizzas.
(3)Tim K.
Lunch buffet was a big dissapointment. Home Run Inn gets a lot of hype. The lunch buffet consisted of two soups, three salads, bread and four pizza choices. The spinach and fresh tomato pizza was room temperature. The sausage pizza was a little warmer. ALL the crusts were doughy. One of their "salads" was a bin of chopped romaine. Connie's Pizza has a much nicer buffet. Connie's crust and toppings are better also.
(2)Mike T.
We dined in Home Run Inn once for lunch and we ordered pizzas to go a few times. I'm not very picky about the type of pizza, and I'm willing to eat all sorts of pizza but I do like Home Run Inn's pizza. It tastes good, thin crust style, and after reheating, it still seems to still taste decent.
(4)Dusty K.
I've spoken to many people on the subject of pizza. It's a personal hobby of mine. Many people will generally agree on pizza they like. But it always amazes me how people talk about Home Run Inn. The general agreement is you either love it or you hate it. There is no inbetween. Having grown up eating at this place, and spending thousands of dollars on their frozen pizzas, I am a big, BIG fan of this pizza. One quick note to some of you - if you have ONLY tried the frozen pizza and think you don't have to visit the restaurant to get the HRI experience...you are wrong. The frozen version doesn't taste like the restaurant. Similar, yes. But you have to try the real thing. I love this location too. They have a few party rooms for kid parties if you want that sort of thing. Growing up, I used to play the arcade games that this place has while my parents ordered the pizza. Anyway, HRI has great pizza. The crust is crispy and the cheese is incredibly flavorful. Each slice has the perfect proportions of cheese, sauce and crust. If you want to take a few years off your life, try the cheesy garlic bread as an appetizer. It's so good you will fight for the last piece. Just check your waist line at the door. But this is Chicago after all...live a little. Trust me, it's worth it. If you haven't eaten here, try it. Chances are you will find yourself here often on the weekends.
(5)Lee D.
WITHOUT. A. DOUBT. best pizza in the city know for the best pizza. Incredible, Incredible, Incredible. Really can't say much else, you just have to try it. AMAZING!!! For dessert, one must try the Cookie Monster!!!!!!! Their frozen pizza is just to die for as well.
(5)Michelle H.
What irks me the most about Home Run Inn, is that all depending on which particular one you go to, they don't have the same thing on each menu when it comes especially to appetizers, even though a picture of the particular food appears on the menu. So when we went here, I had my heart set on the amazingly tasty baked ravioli, but kept on telling myself I may not get them. But thankfully they were on the menu, so we got those (which were delicious as always) and an order of the bruchetta (the garlic bread on which it was served definitely made the difference!) along with a small pizza with a garlic butter crust, black olives and pepperoni, The pizza was exceptional as is in any Home Run Inn location, so no complaints were to be had. I was kind of surprised when we first pulled in the lot, because usually this place is packed, But were were there a little too early for the dinner rush, so we were able to really enjoy the meal. But by the time we left, the place was starting to fill up quickly.
(5)R M.
It pains to write this review. It is like bidding goodbye to a dear friend who has passed. You see, I have been a constant customer for over 15 years, buying pizza two or three times a month. I have stuck through the numerous price increases because the quality had remained so high. Unfortunately, that quality has now changed completely. I even spoke with the folks in headquarters before writing this chain off. Here is the story. By the chain's own admission, they changed their cook time as of January 2012. We noticed it right away, along with the pizza being about 30% less weight than it had been. When we got this "light" pizza home, the flavors were completely different. Gone was the rich cheese flavor with just the right amount of sauce. In its place was a very, very crisp crust, almost hard. And, overall, the pizza was tasteless, compared to what we had always had. [I believe they changed both the quality and quantity of the cheese, but the management denies it.] We ordered several more times, with the exact same, disappointing, results. When we complained to the on site manager, she was very gracious and actually hand built a pizza for us [this time with something she called "thick" crust---not on the menu]. We took it home. The flavor was still bland, but now we had a THICK, HARD, crust. And, even though it had more dough, it still weighed less than the former product. Very, very disappointing. I then complained to the home office, located in south Woodridge. To their credit, they did call back but really only offered excuses about how they have gone back to the original recipe and crust. I was told they had no complaints about the Darien store, which I found numerous of on this and other sites. I should mention that the person we spoke with did offer to actually meet us at the restaurant and make us a number of different pizzs to see if we can find something we like. Nice offer, all we want is the old pizza back with all its splendor and ease of ordering. I used to always tell everyone I know about this being the best pizza in Chicago. No more. Yes, still a huge step up from the Hut and other chains. Not worth the price if this the quality they are now going to purvey.
(2)don g.
Sorry HR, but you better go back to basics, and get your act together..I don't know if you lost your way and don't care or what????The cheese is too thick, zza againand the sauce is non-existent...I really used to like this place..And I must of visited here at least 20 times!.........PLease re-formulate that pizza sauce to that that tasty goodness I fondly remember...add some spices, sweetnes, or have you quite using quality tomatoes??..I wish I knew..I really want to love this pi
(1)Johnny T.
Great thin and pan pizza! My favorite is with sausage since I don't care for the topping on pizzas from different pizzeria's. My only beef is that you'll end paying a lot more for 2 large pizzas (over $40) than from other pizzerias and their always crowded during the evenings.
(4)SHEILA W.
i'm going to put this in caps so you can see it if you are looking for a reasonable lunch buffet, go here, they are awesome. one time me and galvez went, and she wanted to put cookies in my purse and harper said he was going to tell the waitress on us. that was funny, you had to be there. so she wrapped the cookies in a napkin and i put them in my purse, guess what i found three days later, yepp, the cookies. one time we went and it was a lot of us and we were making the waitress lady mad, she did not want to do our order separately so she was so upset, but we didn't care
(5)Monica V.
I pity those who don't live near a Home Run Inn location. Even though each location's menu varies, they all pretty much have the basic pizzas. The crust is thin enough to focus on the pizza toppings, but sturdy enough to hold them all up; flaky and buttery but with a bit of crunch. I always get the Strictly Veggie; largest size available, of course, which is topped with cheese, tomatoes, fresh basil, and diced yellow and green zuccini. I recommend upgrading to the butter-herb crust for an extra-tasty treat!
(5)Michelle M.
I have loved the frozen pizzas for years and always wanted to go to a restaurant. I went to Ballydoyle in Downers Grove up the street last Friday. (Lemont turns into Main going north.) Days before going, I found that my cousins worked there! So maybe my review is a tiny bit biased, BUT I loved the pizza (frozen) before I knew they worked there. We ordered the Nick's super and my friend asked when we ordered - Who's Nick. We just happened to be seated with his picture! Nick Perrino - the original owner. It was funny. The Nick's Super has Sausage, Mushrooms, Onions, and Peppers. Excellent - I LOVE their sausage. Lots of sauce and toppings perfect! Great variety on the menu and would love to try other things like sandwiches and salads, but have no idea HOW I can not order a pizza! Really want to try the garlic butter crust sometimes! I go to Ballydoyle all the time - probably at least every other month for my Irish bands and I love their food, BUT I can get Irish food anywhere! Real NON-frozen Home Run Inn Pizza I can only get there! I KNOW we will be back! Hopefully soon!
(5)Barbara S.
I love this place. My husband and I used to go there a lot when we were dating. A few weeks ago, we visited there with our 2 young boys and it was just as delicious as always. Their sauce is perfect, the crust is just right, and the service was great. I wish there was a HRI closer to my house.
(5)