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California Pizza Kitchen

3.2 (137 reviews)
Open • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

California Pizza Kitchen Photos

CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - California Pizza Kitchen

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The BBQ Chicken Pizza. Sauce was a bit too sweet for both of us, and my dining partner didn't enjoy the bacon as much as I did.
Dave J.

The service was very good, but the food left a little bit to be desired. We ordered a barbecue chicken pizza with Neuske bacon on it. My dining partner and I found the barbecue sauce to be a bit too sweet, and my partner found the bacon to be a bit overpowering but I loved it. We also ordered Dynamite Shrimp. It was okay, nothing spectacular. Our server, and his trainee, visited our table often to check on things, and both were affable and of good humor. I feel badly that CPK will be moving out of Northbrook Court soon, as the mall is scheduled for complete closure and demolition. I would probably go back to try a different pizza, but only because the service was above average.

Dakota Smashed Pea & Barley Soup, and chips & guacamole (in the back)
Anne Marie H.

I took my daughter for dinner at CPK, where we were warmly greeted and quickly seated. We had a great server who was attentive and friendly, but also gave us our space. We ordered chips and guacamole for an appetizer, and appreciated that we could customize it (no peppers). Our server also asked if we would like some warm bread, which we immediately said yes! The chips and guac tasted great, which I was happy about because in the past, it was not always that way. The bread was perfect - crusty on the outside, and soft & warm on the inside. The seasoned olive oil that came with it was a nice touch, too. For my meal, I got a bowl of their Dakota smashed pea and barley soup. The temperature was just right, and the soup tasted flavorful, not overly salty like many soups. The only reason I gave this place 4/5 stars is because they used to have a vegan roasted veggie salad with plant-based chicken, and they no longer carry it. More vegan options here would be nice!

Sherwin C.

If you're looking for unique flavor combinations, CPK is the place to go. With a wide variety of options that include everything from BBQ chicken to Thai to Mexican, you'll be able to enjoy something a little different alongside all your traditional favorite pizzas. Service is quick and friendly, and the ambiance feels casual and fun. If you're feeling healthy, you can get most of the pizza options in salad form as well. The pizzas here aren't enormous but it's still filling even if it's a bit pricey for what you're getting. The pizzas are also in general presented fairly nicely and easy to share in a group. Overall, a fun spot to hangout at for a change-of-pace pizza experience.

Karyn M.

California Pizza Kitchen was so popular in the 90s. One of my friends and I make it a point to eat at CPK at the mall, because she as a vegetarian and I as a (mostly) keto diner, can always find appealing options. On this occasion I brought two elderly companions to CPK because they craved pizza. Fairly light eaters, they went for the lunch combo. This is a good deal, as they could pick a 7" personal style pizza with either a salad or soup, or some other iteration like half sandwich or pasta. They loved their margherita pizza and split pea soup and sausage, pizza mushroom pizza and tortilla soup. I enjoyed my cauliflower crust pizza and salad. Pizza came out hot and crispy with light and chewy crust. Soups were hot and hearty and ample servings. I enjoyed my chopped salad with thinly sliced salami and chickpeas. They even brought out a warm loaf with seasoned olive oil. This was a great lunch value and we enjoyed our meal. The restaurant was full (??!!!??) at this otherwise vacant and ghost-town-like mall. It's so sad and eerie at this empty mall but inside at CPK the servers were friendly and cheery and our food was delivered hot and tasted great.

the outside of the restaurant
Ryan D.

My husband and I met a friend for dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. This California Pizza Kitchen is at Northbrook Court. Northbrook Court is under construction and is a bit difficult to get around. But we found CPK without any trouble. Our server was so nice and checked in on us throughout the night. We ordered the Thai Crunch salad, the BBQ Chicken pizza, and the Neopolitan Burrata pizza to split three ways. The salad was yummy and had a nice crunch to it. The BBQ chicken pizza was the standard classic at CPK. The Burrata pizza was superb, with its distinctive cheese. All in all, it was an excellent experience. I highly recommend California Pizza Kitchen!

Me add the res
Chris A.

I've been here a few times and the service was very helpful. Our waiter Mario even recommended pizza we ordered which was the called the California Club. Mario even explained what our order consisted of. The environment is family friendly. I saw a lot of families socializing with one another. I was very comfortable in my booth. I would recommend the Garlic Cream Fettuccine. Very delicious.

bread and oil
Gabby Z.

Great service from the start. Nice young lady worth pretty blue hair. Went on a lunch date with my mom and got served probably 5 minutes after sitting down. Ordered appetizer of white corn guacamole and chips and 8/10 wish there was a bigger scoop of it but the flavors are there. Really good! For entree we got the lunch specials of pizza and salad. First one was the Mediterranean Salad with California Veggie Pizza. 9/10 dough was cooked perfectly and the toppings were very good; mushrooms, broccolini, you name it. Second was a Cesar Salad with Spicy Milano Pizza. Woah 10/10 didn't eat it all because I got full quick but all the flavors were there and it was a tad bit spicy but it was tolerable for someone with low spice tolerance. Drinks we got water and Cucumber Reviver 8/10, refreshing taste, if your into the potent literal cucumber taste then it's for you. Also got the strawberry mango lemonade 8/10, like a bubbly sprite flavor with additional flavors of strawberry and mango. Highly recommend this location.

Shrimp zucchini scampi
Stephen L.

We have found the service here good. Also they have a fantastic shrimp scampi zucchini dish we love! Part fettuccine, part thinly sliced zucchini noodles, and all delicious! Perhaps it could use a touch more lemon and garlic but I still love it for flavor and healthiness. Also they start you with warm, fresh bread and a tasty herb-infused olive oil. We are disappointed they stopped offering vegan chicken. Tossed into other dishes like pasta and red sauce, it was a nice option for our vegan family members but now it's gone.

Pizza oven
Nathan K.

I'm a fan of CPKs. They've even got a great cauliflower crust pizza which isn't a given at most pizza places. So most CPKs are going to get 5 stars from me. But this place feels a little off. The staff seems kind of crabby. We walk in, no one at the host stand. Waiter walks by us and doesn't say a thing. Finally a host comes over and doesn't even make eye contact but just says "this way". The strangest interaction I think I've had in a while being seated at a restaurant. Our waiter was fine but also just seemed grumpy. Alas we had a great meal. Kids eat very affordably at CPKs so that's awesome. Also had Athletic Beer for those of us who aren't drinking alcohol. And pizza was delicious like we'd expect. I also feel like this CPK feels a little more cramped than others. There were 4 of us and it felt like there was not enough space to even have our pizza on the table at the same time as our dishes. Oh well. I'd still come back.

Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower
Pooja P.

I love CPK! I can go to Cpk all the time and my favorite food is the spicy Buffalo Cauliflower- I get it w/o Gorgonzola cheese and extra crispy! I like a lot of their pizzas, I can go for the wild mushroom, tostada and chipotle chicken pizza (sub chicken for avocado if you're a vegetarian!!) Also, you get fresh bread and I always ask for a side of ranch and buffalo sauce to dip with my bread. Lastly, don't forget to get the butter cake with ice cream for desserts. You won't regret it!! The service is always amazing at this location! I'll be back soon!

Watermelon Cooler
sarah t.

The food was not good. The watermelon cooler was too tart and irritated my tongue. Thai Crunch Salad had too many soy beans in it. The California Veggie Pizza was so thin in the middle that you couldn't pick it up to eat without it falling apart. The server personality was very dry and uninterested. I can't recommend this place.

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Ask the Community - California Pizza Kitchen

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Barnaby's of Northbrook

Barnaby's of Northbrook

3.8(495 reviews)
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Barnaby's is a like a beloved local dive bar that you can bring anyone ages 0-100 to without being…read moreside eyed! Yes, I love it here. Everyone loves it here. It's cheap. It's cozy. It's delicious. What more could you want? Order the french onion soup. Get a crispy little pizza. Hell order everything on the menu and you still won't break the bank!

Placed a VERY large pizza order.... surprised not a single box was marked as to the contents and no…read morecondiments (red pepper, Parmesan or oregano) was offered. So sad that one can spend over $300 for pizza and not get what is normal/expected. Makes me not want to go back and the response from the manager was very unprofessional and unexpected. 'You have to ask for it'. I was just the guy doing what my wife told me to do...pick up the pizza. No one even asked us if we wanted the boxes labeled or condiments when the order was placed. Never had to ask for a pizza box to be labeled before and never not asked if I wanted any condiments; especially on a large order. And the price...$23+ for a 14" two ingredient pizza. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: we were told that the large pizza serves 2-3 people...WRONG!!! If they are normal 30+ year olds, 4 people. 2-3 if they are teenagers. Had 5 leftover pizzas. Very disappointing. Would like to tell the owner this story....anyone know who the owner is?

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These guys know how to make pizza.

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Napolita Pizzeria & Wine Bar - Northbrook - Pizza with homemade sausage. Delicious.

Napolita Pizzeria & Wine Bar - Northbrook

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Napolita Pizzeria delivered great food and great service. We came in as a group of four adults and…read morefour toddlers, so you can imagine how busy and chaotic our table was. The staff was incredibly accommodating and friendly the entire time. They made thoughtful recommendations, and we were able to try a nice variety of dishes. Even the kids enjoyed their pastas, which says a lot. Honestly, what more could I ask for? This meal felt like a total success in every way. We'll definitely be back soon.

We stopped in for Restaurant Week after having tried Napolita's Wilmette location in the past…read more Napolita's restaurant week deals are a great value. The portions served are full portions even though the menu is prix fixe. We enjoyed the $45 menu option. We chose the burrata and calamari appetizers. Both were good although the breading on the calamari needed more seasoning. For main courses my husband ordered the gnocchi and I had a pizza. The gnocchi were very pillowy. The pizza was good but too many vegetables made the under crust soft requiring cutlery to eat it. We finished with the cannoli dessert option. The cannoli was good but the ricotta tasted like plain ricotta. The service was attentive and friendly and the dining room has a casual vibe. We enjoyed our meal and will return especially in warmer weather when I believe they have outdoor seating.

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Napolita Pizzeria & Wine Bar - Northbrook - The real stand out here is wine, with lots of choices and even some wines on tap.

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Francesco's Hole In the Wall - Seafood diavolo

Francesco's Hole In the Wall

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Get this! We had a 4:53pm arrival, and 1/3 of the dining room was full! By 5pm sharp, I heard the…read morehostess quote a 45-60 minute wait time. So do what you will with that! My family has dined here twice now and enjoyed both meals thoroughly. A full bar is stocked, and I've enjoyed a strong lemon drop martini here, as well as a glass of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc. Dining area has about 18 tables, so it feels very intimate and cozy. The menu is posted on a large whiteboard and can change frequently. Favorites we've tried are the ravioli (filled with spinach, mushroom, whatever is offered) and chicken picatta. We don't leave with any leftovers. Entrees can range from $25-60 at moderate portion sizes, so it is a spendy meal but worth every penny. Warm bread and butter are served before dinner and the fried calamari is a crispy appetizer that hits the spot. To touch on post dinner... save room because that butter cake is one of our favorite desserts anywhere!! It is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, served with gelato on top/side, whipped cream, and caramel and toasted pecans on our latest visit. Because there is no dessert menu (just what the waitstaff verbally tells you), here's what I can recall from it on our last visit last month: carrot cake, tiramisu, gelato, Oreo cake, banana chocolate chip cake, butter cake. Skip the Oreo cake. It tastes just like chocolate cake (a tasty one with a lovely crumb, just not reminiscent of Oreo at all) with a scoop of chocolate gelato on the side. Can't wait to return!

I'll start with a confession: I don't even like Italian food. And yet, this little hole-in-the-wall…read morehas earned a spot in my top five restaurants of all time. That alone should tell you how special it is. The Food: No matter what you order, it's consistently excellent. The artichokes are addictive--I could eat them nonstop. The branzino is perfection, cooked to a level that makes you forget every other fish you've ever had. The Atmosphere: Small, cozy, and charming. They've done a remarkable job maximizing the space without losing that intimate feel. It's the kind of place that feels like a secret you're lucky to know about. The Downside: They don't take reservations, which means the wait can be frustrating. Timing your visit is a bit of a gamble, but honestly, the food makes it worth it. The Service: Exactly what you'd expect from a team that's been doing this for decades--steady, reliable, no frills. The real highlight is the owner, who personally greets every table to make sure you're enjoying yourself. That kind of hospitality is rare and unforgettable. Final Verdict: Even if Italian food isn't your thing, this place will win you over. It's authentic, welcoming, and downright delicious. A true neighborhood treasure.

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Piero's Pizza - Hot Wings

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I just love Piero's! Their service is great and everything on the menu fantastic…read more If you're not in the mood for pizza I'd highly recommend their Italian beef sandwich.

Ordered a large thin pizza for delivery and it came in about an hour sausage with mushrooms it was…read morepretty tasty and got here in about an hour sausage mushroom was pretty tasty I maybe a bit bland. Cheese had a nice pull crust was ok my first time ordering from Pieros. I guess they are more known for deep dish. My thin crust was decent. Not sure if I'd order again. When we have Lou Malnatia deep dish around I'd prefer Lou's pizza to just about any other deep dish pieros sauce was ok but kinda bland as was the crust. And sausage they chop up the mushrooms but they were fresh not canned which was a plus. Having worked in many pizza restaurants I do prefer fresh vegetables and not canned mushrooms so that was a plus. Decent cheese and sausage was pretty good. And Fairly plentiful it looked good tasted ok. Overall a decent pizza. I just moved to the area. My cousin who lives close to here said the pizza was only ok and he was correct only ok. Worth a try I guess. Large thin 2 topping was around $35. So reasonable price for a decent thin pizza. Worth a try if you're hungry. Way better than than a chain id am say. 8/10 probably. So give Pieros a try you won't be disappointed. Enjoy folks.

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