Low-key the best pizza spot in Oakland. Just like the best taco or burrito is all about the little details, like nailing the tortilla, they nail the bread/crust here. It's fluffy where it needs to be, crispy where it needs to be, and it tastes like good bread instead of just filler/structural-support. All the other stuff is good too, but that really stands out to me above any of the other spots in the East Bay. I miss wandering inside for a slice/beer happy hour special, but takeout is good for now. I guess I have noticed with takeout sometimes the edges are a bit too burnt, I wonder if that's because of high-volume or because I'm ordering smaller/personal-sized pizzas now. Just the one knock, but I don't recall that happening before quarantine. read more

Not the same since the change of ownership. I guess I didn't support the last owners enough by ordering more often, sad. The new pies are O.K., but they remind me of CPK or Pizzaialo if you like limp pizza. http://www.yelp.com/biz/pizzaiolo-oakland?hrid=yMYTC7JvYjv9oYi4RWL-5A I will give it another try but not tonight, I was so in the mood for a Tiger pie. read more

The pizza deserves two stars; that third star is for its great location, close to Lake Merritt and the laundromat. The crust was flavorless and although there was some nice pesto on the pizza, they went and put tomato slices on it. I love tomatoes but that is so unimaginative. Seriously, tomato slices plunked down on top of a pizza just fail. read more

Leaning Tower - The crust ain't all that - Pizza Near Me - Oakland, California

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Waited little over 20min after my order said it was ready to pick up, when i got in nobody bothered to help me even though the same chef walked past me twice bringing in creusants and didn't ask me if i had been helped... 20 min later an older white Guy walks in and someone comes out immediately and they ask him for his order name and serve him immediately ... yea i just asked them to refund me and not coming here again. read more

This spot just keeps getting better. If you didn't have a good experience here in the passed I recommend giving it a chance again. I can tell that they are passionate about using fresh ingredients, keeping a new and diverse menu, having friendly staff, and getting orders out quickly. What more can you ask for from your local pizza joint? The salads are giant and the crust on the pies are delicious. My favorite is still the mushroom. Highly recommended! read more

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Sauce and cheese occupied a small portion of the pizza in the middle. Leaving a couple inches of inedible crust at the edges. Crust was a bit burnt which didn't help either. Detroit style pizza was better. Tastes like focaccia bread not crispy at the bottom. read more

Leaning Tower - Cheese pizza with extra olives - Pizza Near Me - Oakland, California

I'm a local and come to this spot ever so often when I want a good pie. They also are forgiving of loyal customers in the event that you make a mistake or order on the wrong day. They don't make you feel bad they just accommodate you and move on. Because of this they will always have my business. Thanks Leaning Tower for the amazing customer service. read more

Best pizza in Oakland hands down. Not even close. Also great service, they called me early to tell me if I wanted the could fire the pizza earlier. read more

Everything is perfect here. Fresh ingredients, and made with love. A true hidden gem. Best pizza in the town. Period. read more

Ordered at 11:40am. The online order confirmation said the order should be picked up and ready after 12pm. It's now 12:30pm and haven't gotten our order of a small pizza. I think the food here is great that's why I come back regularly but the service takes a long time, which is strange especially when I'm the only one here waiting. read more

It was very chill when I got there. The guy that helped my out was really friendly. They serve pizza by the slice, but you need to ask what pizza they have available. I was hoping there might have been a Detroit style, but there wasn't. I got two slices of pizza and he ended up giving me a bonus slice. I also got a pint of Portland Cider Sangria. Apparently they just tapped it today. It was super good and refreshing on this hot day. I was also told that they have a happy hour. Get a drink on tap and get a free slice of pizza. I didn't ask more about the happy hour other than that it ends at 6pm. Definitely worth checking out. I'll most likely order delivery from them in the future. read more

Leaning Tower - Pizza Near Me - Oakland, California

Leaning tower is a great pizza choice around lake merrit because there arent too many! We usually get just the cheese pizza and love it! On another occasion, I accidentally placed an online order on Sunday when they were closed and after reading my receipt it said that it would be ready monday morning at 8am. I messaged them through yelp to please cancel the order and the next morning my card was refunded! Thank you so much i really appreciate it! I really expected no response so that was amazing, you guys rock! read more

So glad to have some detroit style pizza in the East Bay! I ordered the pepperoni and added basil and arugula- so tasty! Curbside ordering was super easy too. read more

Leaning Tower - Pepperoni Detroit style with basil and arugula added - Pizza Near Me - Oakland, California

My favorite pizza place! I'm from Detroit and their Detroit style pizza is better than any I've had. Their crust is what makes the pizza so special. It's really crispy cheesy and the sourdough makes it very chewy. The crust is thick but it's so good that you'll want to eat the crust more than the toppings. read more

I have been waiting too, too long for this. From one star in 2008 to well beyond five stars today. I knew for awhile that this place had completely changed. I followed them on Instagram, I saw how beautiful and 'correct' their pizzas were. But I hadn't eaten them! I make my own great pizza at home, so I just never got around to it. What a shame. This was among the best pizza I've eaten anywhere in the world. Had Detroit style with pineapple and Serrano. Perfect in every way. And the burrata/pistachio, also so, so good! I was ready for disappointment, as my expectations were high. So, so impressed! Thank you guys for proving your passion and commitment read more

My husband and I usually get pizza here about once a month when we're too lazy to cook for ourselves. The ingredients are high quality and we love the sourdough crust they use. The staff is super friendly and most of them are from around the neighborhood. I run into the mother of one of the guys when walking my dog and SHE's even super friendly. I know some people miss the cheap pizza that was here before, but the new owner has definitely improved the quality, which is my preference any day. I will say that updating the interior has not been a priority for them. It feels a bit run down, but we always get our pizza to go so we don't mind. And, like I said, it's good pizza. The pizzas only come in half size or full size and the full size is huge, which is great if you want leftovers, but for two people a half pizza will usually feed us for dinner. read more

I used to love there pizza! But recently ordered a cheese pizza and it was not cooked all the way the pizza was doughy and so soggy it was really disappointing. I really loved there pizza I want to like this place but not a good experience. read more

I have lived in the area for 19 years and came here when there were other owners. Today I learned that it's run by a new owner and the Pizza is AMAZING!! It's thin crust like I get in Italy all the ingredients are fresh , But most of all the crust is amazing because it's a sourdough crust for those of you who love sourdough which is me.. And it has just the right crunch to it as you bite into It. They have specialty pizzas which are unique and fantastic my favourite is the mushroom. The interior of the restaurant has not been changed since the old owners so on that note I would say it does need some updating. But the owners and staff are super nice and very welcoming. On a nice night you can eat outside. A great neighbourhood pizza place. read more

*NOTE* I have not experienced this restaurant dining in - only for takeout. I highly recommend doing a custom order with their vegan cheese! They use Miyoko's and it is so creamy and fresh and it is 100% way better than disgusting Daiya cheese that most places carry. For those vegans who have not tried Miyoko's, it looks VERY similar to regular cheese, so you might even have to double check that it wasn't mixed up. Their sourdough crust is also really great but I would suggest requesting less or no char unless you like the black cancer-causing bubbles on your crust (not my fave). I would definitely get pizza from here again! Maybe even tomorrow... and the next day... One suggestion for management: consider getting Yves vegan pepperoni. It tastes just like real pepperoni and it goes really well with Miyoko's and mushrooms. :) read more

The 5 stars aren't just for the honestly amazing and delicious pizza. They are also for how wonderful and kind the staff are. We get pizza here all the time and everyone is SO nice. And the other day they gave me extra slices, because I told them I was buying it to bring to a lady who was unhoused. Nice and kind too, and the pizza is the best! read more

Delicious!.... just relocated here and had friends over, we walked up after ordering online. Mushrooms with fresh cut chives. Soooo good. Thin crust with a yummy chewy texture at the end. Highly recommend. read more

Usually they have wonderful pizza and pretty friendly staff. This time around we received extra pizza slices on top of our pizza- which I'm not complaining about, it's just a little strange. Additionally, we ordered two 1-Pint white claws with our pizza. Unfortunately, they only had one 1-pint and one 12 oz. This would be fine, except for the fact that I paid for two pints, and there was no way to be refunded for the extra amount I paid, or to be given a substitute. I love this place, it's just sad that they tend to be out of items on a regular basis. read more

Leaning Tower - Large pizza, mozzarella, pepper mix, arugula, and basil - Pizza Near Me - Oakland, California

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3 years later and it's gotten better! A must for me whenever I'm up in the SF, Oakland area. Try the pizza. It's been perfected.

I hate having to write a review like this. Our family lives just down the block so Leaning has been our go to pizza joint for the past 5 years. Just found out about the ownership change and I want to be happy for Isaac because he seems like a really nice guy. However, that being said, if they continue to use the current crust recipe we're going to have to take our recurring pizza biz elsewhere. It's hard like the crust on a baguette. Like slice your mouth open hard, eating pizza is not supposed to hurt. Thin crust is nice but only if it can support the weight of the toppings. Limp pizza is no fun at all. Also the new toppings selection makes for puddles of grease all over which we all felt was kinda gross. The staff was friendly enough but I'm there for the food, seriously. Isaac, I hope you read this and adjust your recipes accordingly. Cheap, greasy meats and cheeses and stale bread hard pizza crusts will do you no favors in this neighborhood. You will lose a fair portion of your customer base. Follow the rule of, "If it ain't broke don't fix it" and go back to what was real. read more

Leaning Tower - Sad pizza slice is sad... - Pizza Near Me - Oakland, California

Just consistently not good pizza. I don't know how others are so into it but every single time I've had it, it's been terrible. This time even just a simple cheese pizza...crust hella burnt and the one piece that wasn't burnt was hella salty. The pizza was thin and so oily. Why tf would someone pay 23.99 for this? I've lived in Oakland for over 7 years and they are just consistently not good. Don't waste your time or money. I keep trying to give y'all more chances but not after even a cheese pizza being shitty ugh read more

Ordered some takeout pies last night. Meat pizza: light on the meat toppings and cheeze. Flimsy, doughy crust that takes way more work that it should to chew it. Overcooked and on the burnt side. Mushroom pizza: soggy and doughy crust. Both pies edible but not very good. I've been going to LTofP since '93 and the ownership, at that time, put out a great product. Under new management, over the last few years, the quality of the pizza has definitely gone down, IMO. read more

The pizza was just ok. My crust was burnt and the customer service is horrible. There are way better places in the area. read more

Leaning Tower - Burt crust and Horrible customer service!!!!! Will never return!!!! - Pizza Near Me - Oakland, California

I. LOVE. THIS. PLACE. My psuedo-sister-in-law makes a point of coming to our house whenever she visits the Bay Area just so we can order pizza from Hadi and his crew. The Tops is certainly one of their best offerings, but for simpler folk the margherita is to die for. Add some onions and you've got heaven in a cardboard box. The prices are great. The service is friendly. It's a neighborhood hangout and a place where the locals can get together and do some neighborhood planning. Other great combos I've come to know and love from LT? Linguisa, garlic and onions... Sausage, green pepper and mushroom... man, I could go on and on and never stop. Delivery is always fast (granted, I live a block away) and service has never been slow for me. I'm there at least once a week in person and probably order at least once as well. In addition to the pizza, Leaning Tower offers supergood sammiches and yummy pastas. I love the lasagna! And the garlic bread is superyummers, too. The on-tap beers are delightful- they carry a selection of New Belgium Brewing Company beers (most famous for the Fat Tire) and get the seasonal brews, as well. Wintertime means 2 Below (yum!) but I can't wait for it to be summer again so I can have some SkinnyDip. Don't forget to try the "wonderful" desserts- the cheesecake is always on point. read more

Leaning Tower - Pizza Near Me - Oakland, California

Pizza here is amazing! The mushroom and garlic specials are our favorite pizzas in the Bay Area. These guys have been working on their dough game for a long time and make everything from scratch. A hidden gem in Lake Merritt. Salads are super gourmet and delicious. Meatball sandwich looks awesome. Can't wait to try it! Great beer selection too. Keep it real, buss your own table. read more

Leaning Tower - Half mushroom special and half arugula special. Amazing!!! - Pizza Near Me - Oakland, California

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Fantastic pizza experience. I'm a big fan of thin sourdough pizza crusts with a crispy, blistered outer edge. Had a Margherita pizza with sausage and it just hit the spot... wet on top, dry on the bottom. Perfection! read more

This is my go-to pizza place around Lake Merritt. I especially love the mushroom pizza and the Detroit-style. I can respect a place with an open kitchen where you can see the chefs cooking the pies up fresh. The outdoor cafe seating is great to sit at and sip a beer in the spring. read more

Leaning Tower - Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Oakland, California

The Leaning Tower heard my concerns and addressed them accordingly. The establishment contacted me and invited me back to have a second try. The pizza was awesome. Exactly what I had envisioned on my first trip there. Thanks so much and I look forward to ordering more of your delicious thin-crust pizza. read more

Management is incredibly rude. The entire staff is hugely lacking in customer service skills with the exception of this one cool Indian guy I never see there anymore. Tried ordering on post mates once (even though I love a block away) and they deliver d the wrong pizza. I explained that I'm a regular and asked if there's anything they could do, and they refused to even attempt contacting the delivery man. They kept my money and I went pizza-less for the night. Also took 4 friends there once. We all ordered two slices each. We all got the same sizes on the same plates. My girlfriend got one regular sized slice with one SLIVER as her second slice. AND it was on a different plate than the rest of ours. When she went up to complain, the guy asked "did you want your slices to be the same size?" What kind of question is that? ...They waited for her to finish eating her regular sized slice, and then came and gave her another SLIVER, claiming that two and two make one whole slice. Also, apparently they only let yuppies use their restroom. If you're under the age of 25 and don't look like a technocrat, don't plan on being able to use the potty here! read more

Leaning Tower has been a favorite spot of ours (me and my partner, pictured here) since moving to Oakland 5 years ago. We are especially fond of their Detroit style pies, but the classic, thinner crusts are also amazing. I consider myself to be a bit of a pizza snob having grown up in the Boston area and then living in Brooklyn for 4 years, and Leaning Tower lives up to the standard! Great crust and always great toppings. Lots of veggie options, and they also have good vegan cheese available. It's an especially fun spot in the summer since it's only one block up from Lake Merritt--pizza picnic! They also do a happy hour deal with a slice and a drink. Can't recommend LT enough! read more

Leaning Tower - Pizza Near Me - Oakland, California

Wow! Leaning Tower knows how to make a great pizza! The crust is perfect and fresh ingredients makes all the difference. Did I say the crust is perfect? I'll say it again, the crust is perfect! read more

This place makes great pizza. The Red Pepper pie is my favorite. I also think their Detroit style pizza is some of the best I've ever had (Better than New York's Prince Street Pizza IMO). The Market Salad is delicious, and they offer some nice beers and cider on draft. Nice to sit outside and watch the neighborhood or bring a pie to lake. read more

Leaning Tower - Red Pepper Pie, really good. - Pizza Near Me - Oakland, California

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Still ordering take out pizza from Isaac at TLT. Delicious thin crispy sour dough crust topped with whatever you want. You can't go wrong here. Take out only. read more

For context, I have pizza tattooed on my arm. That's either how much I love pizza, or how poor my judgement is, you decide. At any rate, this place's Detroit Pizza is my favorite pizza in the world. When I first tasted it, I uttered the words "I've spent my whole life searching for my favorite pizza, and now that search is over." I might have even cried. read more

This is my favorite neighborhood spot for high quality, thin-crust sourdough pizzas. Every pizza I've had has been perfect! I love their Burrata special with walnuts, burrata, figs (or dates?), caramelized onions, and a big helping of arugula. Their mushroom, Hawaiian, and margharita (spelling?) pies are delicious too. I have yet to try their Detroit style, but if it's anything like their thin crust I'm in for a treat! Their coffee shop on weekday mornings are legit too (Haddon Hill Coffee, but I'll write a separate review for them!). Keep up the good food and friendly service, Leaning Tower! read more

Leaning Tower is the only REALLY close restaurant to my house -5 minutes on foot. I developed a grudging symbiotic relationship with the former proprietor because I'm very lazy and have small kids to feed. It was a happy arrangement. When they sold to the new owners, I was really bummed, but again developed a fondness for the new model over time. The new pies are hand tossed and have limited gourmet ingredients, and this is a good approach for a changing Oakland. I am keen on trying the seasonal offerings, and my babies have come to peace with the fancy cheese hand tossed. Ah, convenience in Cleveland Heights. I'm still a fan. read more