The pizza is the star at Little Star Pizza! Located on a busy stretch of Solano Avenue on the lower portion near the San Pablo Avenue intersection on Albany, California, Little Star Pizza is just one of many locations of this burgeoning franchise from owner Brian Sadigursky, who began his mini-pizza making empire of his signature cornmeal crust deep dish pizzas in a small location along Divisadero Street in San Francisco's Nopa neighborhood. That location has since closed down, but two locations remain, this one in Albany and another along Valencia Street in San Francisco's Mission District. The team also owns three The Star pizza restaurants with locations in Oakland, Alameda, and Portland, Oregon. With all these locations to keep track of what makes people keep coming back for all these wide varieties of pizza pies? It's the dough of course, but it is not just any dough, it is their beautifully crusty cornmeal dough that is cooked to perfection for their Chicago-style deep dish pizza that is what makes Little Star and all of their subsidiaries so worthwhile. I had originally been to this location when they were located literally right next door in a smaller location on the corner. Now, in a much larger location, with floor to ceiling windows that let in natural light on two sides, and their own communal parking lot, where there is a door for direct takeout orders, Little Star Pizza is thriving here in Albany. What brought me and a dining mate back for a first time visit to this newer location was the affordable lunchtime deal that they serve seemingly seven days a week. From open until 3 p.m. diners can order a Personal Signature Pizza either Deep Dish or Thin Crust for only 11 dollars. You can also build your own personal pizza for 9 dollars which is an affordable option. My fellow dining mate and I knew we wanted to select from their Seasonal Specials or their Signature Pies. I decided to order their Personal size All-Star Signature Pie, which was topped with bacon, meatballs, sausage, pepperoni, provolone cheese and served on their signature cornmeal crust, then filled with mozzarella cheese and house-made tomato sauce & finished with parmesan & oregano. My dining mate was intrigued by their Specials menu, and their Personal size Sweet Heat, which was topped with spicy sausage, caramelized red onions, cherry peppers, hot honey and served on their signature cornmeal crust, then filled with mozzarella cheese and house-made tomato sauce & finished with parmesan & oregano. Since both pizzas were so affordable at 11 dollars each, we decided to splurge and order two dessert drinks as I ordered their Golden Gate Orange Soda Float and my dining mate ordered their Dad's Root Beer Soda Float. The wait for our personal size pizzas would be a lengthy one, at least twenty minutes, which for about a nine inch pizza pie, is still a considerable amount of time. But once you do get the pizzas you order, I can report it is well worth the wait, as the pizza has that extra special graininess to it that makes it extra special good. Combined with the fresh tomatoes and an abundance of mozzarella cheese, you cannot go wrong with any type of pizza you order. I liked my All-Star pizza pie with its abundance of meat toppings and I tried my dining mates Sweet Heat pizza pie and it came as delivered as it has a combination of sweetness meets spiciness. Luckily our wait wasn't too long, as we had our ice cream and soda floats to keep us satiated while we waited for our pizzas to be handcrafted. Our total bill was $42.08, which was with tax but before gratuity, which in all reality was very reasonable considering we ordered two rather large personal deep dish pizzas, and our floats were a mere fraction less in terms of pricing. Since they have a Happy Hour on weeknights from 3-5:30 p.m. with reasonably priced cocktails, one-topping pizzas and other menu items at affordable pricing, you better believe it will not be another decade that passes by before I make another appearance. Here's to the continued success of Little Star Pizza, may more locations be in the future, and may their current locations continue to thrive thanks to their delectable Signature Deep Dish pizzas! read more

See all

Went to Little Star Friday for lunch. The place was pretty empty, pretty dark inside and on the cold side We ordered two side Cesar salads which were good. My partner got a personal Sweet Heat pizza, a very value. I ordered the personal Meatball pizza and it was awful. The thing was topped with huge gobs od mozarella cheese. Way too much cheese. I should have sent the thing back but I scrapped off the cheese and went to work. Not very good meatballs and the crust was lame. Def a waste of money read more

I went there yesterday for dinner. Never been. 1) Decor is modern and stylish. Restaurant is clean. 2) Location is good, in Albany, you could easier find street parking 3) Ordered a thin pesto chicken and a Detroi style California pizza, and a wedge salad. 4) Food arrived pretty quick 5) waitress, employees are very nice there. 6) Has outdoor seating, but kind of cold yesterday, so I did not sit outside. 7) Pizza taste so good. Almost as good as pizza in Rome, Italy. 8) Price is very reasonable. I want to go back again and eat there. Highly recommended. read more

Came back here for my pizza fix, and never disappoints. Service here is great. It was a decent crowd but still got seated right away. Servers came a couple times to check on us before we made our order. Didn't take long for the pizza to come. Ate about half of it and took the rest home. read more

Little Star Pizza - Pesto Chicken Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Albany, California

Awesome place! Came in for a pizza craving while my wife had a girls lunch date! Food was great and the host and bartender were on point! It was lil slow before the World Cup match, but once it started it was good vibes all around ! Enjoyed the vibe and quality of the food! Definitely top tier deep dish pizza! read more

See all

I've been to The Star on Park before, so when my wife and I were craving pizza, Little Star Pizza was an easy choice--especially since they have deep dish around and gluten-free options for her. We stopped in early on a Friday evening and were seated right away. The space has a great, casual vibe with plenty of indoor seating and some outdoor tables for nicer weather. Our server was friendly and checked in to see if we had any questions (we didn't), and we got drinks started right away--a local beer from Faction and a Black Basil cocktail. Both came out quickly and were solid. For food, I went with one of their signature pies--the All-Star deep dish. It's loaded with bacon, meatballs, sausage, pepperoni, and cheese... and it's massive. I always go for the 12" because it easily turns into 4-5 meals (no regrets there). My wife built her own gluten-free pizza with a thin crust and really enjoyed it. One thing I appreciated: even though deep dish takes longer to cook, both pizzas came out at the same time, which isn't always easy to do. They also offer a good variety of salads, starters, and sandwiches, which all sounded great--but I was here for the pizza. Overall, great service, excellent food, and a relaxed atmosphere. Definitely a go-to spot for a casual pizza night. read more

See all

I was visiting family out by Albany and was planning on getting sandwiches from Zara. Sadly Zara's closed after a car drive into the Delicatessen. I was in a mood for a sandwich and by brother-in-law suggested Little Star Pizza. He recommended the East Coast Sandwich (combination). My sister and brother-in-law ordered the East Coast Sandwich which they both loved. I ordered a Meatball sandwich which was pretty good. It tasted liked meatballs in a grilled garlic roll. The meatball is sliced so the sandwich is on the thin side. Overall, the nice gooey cheese, grilled garlic roll and meatball created a pretty good sandwich. They have a good menu with pizzas, sandwiches and salads. I plan to drop in again but will try the pizza and see if it is as good as the sandwiches. If you order take-out, you need to walk down the side of the building to the take-out sign and enter that door. The take-out counter is right inside the side door. read more

See all

This review is for their Happy Hour. I have always loved their food. This gives me a reason to love it even more. From 3-5:30 M-F. Great deals on food and drinks. They don't skimp on sizes. I ordered way too much thinking I was going to get a tiny salad and appetizer . Nice personal size pizza for just $7. Loved it. Thanks Little Star! read more

See all

While I was in this area location documenting Zachary's, my OG local guide, said I needed to include Little Star Pizza just down the street from Zachary's Solano location. Little Star is down near the bottom of Solano near San Pablo. Parking is the same limited street parking, though maybe a little better than parking at the top of Solano. I hear Little Star was started by former Zachary's people, so of stands to reason, the deep dish pizza are similar back when there were not many offerings in the East Bay. Inside is all modern and nice and bigger than Zachary's. We ordered the Classic, similar to the deep dish we had a Zachary's, so we could compare properly. All these deep dish pizzas take around 45 minutes, so if you plan ahead and order ahead, your wait won't be so long. The beautiful deep dish pizza came out and was served to each plate. Prices are similar to all the deep dish places. Little Star has another location on Oakland on Grand Ave. The taste experience was fantastic almost to the point where I'd be happy going to either Little Star here or Zachary's depending on the crowded situation. I like the crust either place. Service is good here so no issue there. I'd return to Little Star anytime! read more

See all

It went like this........ I ordered/paid from my phone on the website then headed over since I was already in my car. Parked illegally in front. Walked to the pick up area. Guy was waiting at the register and said my pizza just came out. He offered me cheese and peppers in To Go containers and I was out in less then 5 minutes like a thief in the night and avoided getting a ticket. BOOYA Got the goods home, pizza was exactly hot enough to eat. What I learned..... They have parking behind the shop. Parking gets concerning on Solano, especially on a Friday at 7pm. The pick up area has it's own entrance/exit and it is closest to the back parking area. They have a enclosed heater to keep your pizza toasty until you pick it up. They use non GMO, high quality ingredients and avoid corn syrup. Using locally grown as much as possible. A friend once told me if you are going to indulge, make sure the indulgence has good ingredients. I rest my case read more

See all

Not gimmicky but nice clean well run place with great ingredients. The staff here is always super friendly and it's very very popular around us to come here for your pizza. You get a fresh out of the oven. Or you can eat inside too, which has clean comfortable seating. They also have a wonderful little alleyway that has tables, chairs, umbrellas that you can sit outside on a beautiful day like today. read more

See all

the service was great, the staff professional and humorous. the place was pretty quiet. the pizza was great. read more

See all

The place is nice and the service is good . The happy hour deal is also nice and has many options I got a margarita from the happy hour menu (7$) which was quite good - enjoyed it . I then decided to try out their Detroit style pizza (I think I took the classic) and switched pepperoni with feta cheese . The pizza looked great but...something was off w the dough . Some stale flavor which you typically have if they unfreeze dough vs making it from fresh . That kind of spoiled the entire taste for me . Will probably not come back read more

Little Star Pizza - Detroit style pizza - Pizza Near Me - Albany, California

See all

Haven't been here in years since we escaped California. Stopped for a bite on our way to the airport and ordered our usual Little Star deep dish with pepperoni and roasted garlic. We ordered a small knowing we didn't want to have to pack our leftovers for the plane. Never happened to us before, but our pie seemed to be overcooked - perhaps because of the smaller size. read more

See all

The 2 stars are for the following. We got there at 4 and the happy hour pizza was not being made anymore . They said they ran out. Very disappointed this is the second time this has happened. Will not be going back for a while. read more

Little Star Pizza Restaurant is a Five Star Treasure on Solano Drive in Albany, CA. It is beautiful inside and the food is off the chart excellent. We drove from 3 different cities to meet up and eat here....Reno, San Pablo & Sacramento. It was truly the best pizza we have ever eaten. It was FIRE! Our group of 4 ordered a vinaigrette salad, 2 orders of dry rub chicken wings, we should have ordered 3... Homemade Ranch dressing and two large pizza's, Chicken BBQ Detroit style and the All Star Meat thin crust. Kiley, our server was fantastic and again, ALL THE FOOD, was INCREDIBLE!. If you get a chance to try out Little Star, I know you will be as impressed with the venue as well as the food & service. It was an all around Five Star Pizza Dining Experience and well worth our travels from 3 different cities. We will all meet back up again for another great pizza lunch at Little Star. See you there! Julie A read more

See all

This place is amazing. My family and I go to Little Star Pizza at least every other month. We get the family deal with 2 pizzas and a salad. We usually order the chicken bbq pizza. The family deal is a must, that's why we drive pretty far from the East Bay to have little star. It's popular for our family when we go out with family or friends. read more

Juan is amazing @ Little Star Pizza. Great service with a wonderful staff and excellent food. This establishment caters to adults and the kids. Yummy pizzas & drinks. We love Little Star Pizza. read more

Little Star Pizza - Tomato - Ricotta Crostini - Pizza Near Me - Albany, California

I'm done with Little Star. I have been eating at LS since it opened in SF on Valencia St. Loved it. It was always my favorite pizza in the Bay Area. And I loved the service we got from the people who worked there. But over the past 6 months the overall quality of the pizzas has taken a dive and in the last 3 months I LITERALLY have never had a single order (out of maybe ten) go right. I've stuck with them because of the legacy, but for example I'd have the instructions for the custom pizza applied to ALL the pizzas. I'd have the instructions on the custom pizza ignored completely--and these are simple instructions. "Please do not put tomato sauce on this pizza. Thank you." I appreciate that they have a custom option--my daughter is picky. One time they got it wrong and remade my entire order while I waited for another hour. But yesterday was my last Little Star pizza. I ordered the usual, including a small Detroit style classic. They got two of the pizzas right, but when I arrived the guy at the counter just said, "Oh, we sold out of the small Detroit, check the app to see if you got the refund." How about starting with I'm sorry? I know that it's 9p and you're ordering dinner for your family and you're going to have less food than you planned for--and since this is Berkeley you aren't going to be able to get other takeout food at this time of night--or if you could you would not make it home until 10p." Anything like that would have been thoughtful. "Check your app to see if you got the refund." The order for the thing you were sold out of went through. How about call me when the system makes a mistake like this? You've got my number. Call me and ask if I'd like to get something else instead of the thing you're out of. How about recognize me as a regular customer who has patiently rolled with your errors over and over again without one complaint. How about think about the logistics of someone placing a takeout order late on a Saturday night and what their options might be. There must be a problem with the management. I thought that LS had that under control, but all things eventually come to an end. read more

This quirky, retro-modern restaurant offers a fun and memorable dining experience. The atmosphere blends vintage charm with modern style, creating a lively and unique vibe. We started with a salad and meatballs -- the meatballs were clean, flavorful, and perfectly coated in marinara sauce. For drinks, we had a Star Sunrise (with vodka instead of tequila) and a beer, both pairing nicely with our deep-dish pizza loaded with sausage, peppers, and cheese. The pizza was delicious -- rich, cheesy, and satisfying. Though the place was busy and our server was hard to find at times, the great food and vibrant ambiance made up for it. Overall, a tasty and enjoyable experience worth revisiting. read more

See all

I had a great time at little star pizza, the meatballs were sooooo good.Also the service was good too,for a first time I had a pretty good time. read more

Little Star Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Albany, California

Who doesn't love pizza. This pizza joint was highly recommended in Albany. I hate the parking as it's only street parking. The restaurant is easy to find. Plenty of seats and good for groups. The restaurant is modern and nicely decorated. We ordered two large pizza's. One is a thin crust Chicken Pesto. It was very good but pesto is really strong. We also ordered the Detroit style All star pizza. These were pretty good. We also ordered their large Caesar salad for the family. That was pretty good even if the leaves were whole and had to cut it up. I had a sangria as well and it was good and strong. Service was very good. Prices are little pricey though. They were training a new hire but they still served us well. I think I would come back again if in the area. [82R,2025] read more

Sat at thw bar and had baked wings and roasted cauliflower. Pretty tasty. I'll order the ricotta and feta pie next time.

Amazingggggg pizza, salad and the ranch dressing is to die for!!!!! The service was quick. I ordered through GrubHub. Just great!

Excellent everything delicious pizza great service will recommend to everyone I know!

Came here for the $11 Personal Signature Pizza lunch special and chose a thin crust Carbonara pizza. It was alright, can't say it blew my mind or anything, but it's really hard to be mad at the value for $11. However, I also can't see myself coming here and paying $26 for their regular 12" pizza. It wouldn't have been much bigger than what I got, but over double the price. We were also seated outside where service was quite slow and we felt forgotten often. They also have $7 single topping pizzas during happy hour, which I'd also say is a great time to come. read more

Little Star Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Albany, California

See all

The pizza is so good! I love the all star and their bbq chicken pizza! The service is quick and the staff is kind. It's a good hangout spot and I hope to come back soon! read more

TIP: order half and half to try 2 different themed pizzas! 1 of my favorite spots for a great deep dish pizza. My current favorite specialty is the Deep Brass Monkey which is considered a secret menu item! It has sausage, spinach blended with ricotta & feta, mushrooms, onions, choice of fresh or roasted garlic, such a great combo. The little star deep dish is another classic with spinach blended with ricotta & feta, mushrooms, onions, choice of fresh or roasted garlic. 1 thing I'm sad about Little Star Pizza is that they may have seasonal or limited time specialty pizzas but I usually order online for pick-up and don't see the limited time specialty items which are only written on a board in-store for in-store ordering. Maybe I need to try calling in for my order next time and ask about any current specials! read more

As a kid, Little Star was a decadently filling dinner! The sad thing is that pizza is never on my radar, since I don't eat dairy. But fast forward now, I finally paid a visit since they offer dairy-free options! I made reservations at 5:00 pm for my Dad and me to enjoy happy hour and sit outside with my puppy. That in itself is a pro--vegan-friendly, dog-friendly, and happy hour options! Outside seating is in a small semi-alley, super casual, breezy, and quieter. Inside is quite nice, spacious, and relaxed--I wouldn't mind coming back to dine inside. Service was as expected--friendly and prompt. Dad and I shared a Small White Pie. We subbed the feta with vegan cheese. It was a lighter pizza, fresh with zucchini and tomatoes, and had a nice garlic and olive oil crust. Loved that it was thin crust and so easy to eat! Since it's vegan cheese don't expect any traditional dairy cheese looks or tastes. The cheese pull was nonexistent, it was sort of gooey and greasy, and had a particular taste and texture. My dad was not a fan but had to suck it up for me. I thought it was enjoyable but I wouldn't get it if I didn't need to. We also enjoyed happy hour drinks and he got the happy hour Meatballs. I didn't have any but he ate them all up. Little Star is a small but mighty pizza shop located in the Bay Area plus Oregon. Their location in Albany is popular and a must-visit on Solano Ave. for pizza lovers! Parking is easily found on the street, in the back lot, or the neighborhood. I'll be back with friends, family, and my pup! read more

See all

Little Star Pizza serves genuinely great pizza -- excellent crust, flavor, and quality. Staff and service were solid, and the food itself deserves high marks. My rating is lower because the surrounding parking enforcement situation significantly affected the experience. I received a $50 parking ticket during my visit, which effectively became an added cost on top of the meal and made the visit feel rushed instead of relaxed. I understand the restaurant does not control city parking policy, and this is not a complaint about the staff or food. It's about the overall customer experience in the district. Based on this experience, I plan to avoid visiting Albany businesses for the next six months -- including restaurants, shops, and neighborhood stores -- and will choose Berkeley instead where parking feels more predictable. If the city reviews my appeal fairly and improves the parking experience, I would absolutely return and support these businesses again. The pizza itself is worth it. read more

This was my second time here and I wanted to try something different. I ordered the All-star Detroit style pizza. It was loaded with plenty of meats and perfectly cooked and so filling. I ordered over the phone and the service was great as well as when I dined indoors I will definitelyreturnsoon. . read more

Little Star Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Albany, California

See all

I went to Little Star after a long day at work. It was delicious. I would go back for sure during Happy Hour. It definitely hit the spot and I am pleasantly surprised. I can't wait to go back. Happy hour salad, personal size pizzas and meatballs! read more

See all

I believe in giving credit when credit is due, and man little star hits it out of the park again! On this early Friday night, the place was completely full...line out the door full. Food and drinks were pouring out of the kitchen wicked fast. Happy hour (now 3-530) is still the BEST happy hour in Albany. The happy hour salads are what keep bringing me back. My favorite Greek salad is just $7 and add a glass of wine for $7 and I'm very happy during happy hour. The new cheesy garlic bread sticks made my midwestern husband swoon. Kids love the pizza. Staff are A+. A true local gem. Keep up the great work! read more

Little Star Pizza - happy hour menu - Pizza Near Me - Albany, California

See all

Extremely disappointing- to say the least. VERY thin on toppings, red sauce and cheese.

Always amazing. We love coming here when we are in the bay. The pizzas are always good and consistent.

Been ordering their GF pizza as my go to for years. Have you changed the GF crust? It was pretty bad last night. Super thin and hard. Tasted stale. read more

Decided to try this new place. I've driven past it so many days going up Solano but never stopped. Went in for lunch time. The decor is cute but a little dark. The service was quick. Ordered their personal pizza Old School not realizing that the garlic was raw. That was on me. Had the mixed salad- quite tasty but the walnuts were bitter. Was definitely an interesting meal and I have to go back again to try another pizza and salad before I write them off read more

Man this pizza place was recommended to me by a friend so I was excited to try it but when I got home I found a super long hair embedded in my pizza! Pretty disappointed and it really ruined my appetite.... read more

Little Star Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Albany, California

See all

After I got my haircut yesterday in Berkeley, we came here for lunch. Service was very slow. We had to wait a while to get seated even though they were only two tables that had people seated. I think there was only one staff member walking around at the time. After we got seated we waited a bit until we could get our menus. There's a lot of waiting. Food came out pretty quick. Our waitress was friendly. We ordered a 9 inch All-Star Pizza deep dish. There were six decent size slices in one pizza. All Star flavor is the tastiest because it has so many different things in it. It's probably the least healthy because it has a lot of processed meats like bacon and sausage. It also has meatballs and pepperoni. The pepperoni is really good when it comes out because it's crunchy. Eating in the restaurant is really nice because the crust is perfect and super crispy. We really enjoyed the salad as well. We order a small little gem with candy walnuts but the small size was actually quite large. The Little gems are not that little. You have to cut them in smaller pieces to eat it. All in all, the salad was very fresh tasting and we enjoyed it. Definitely will come back and have more food when we're in the mood for it in Berkeley.. Good clean ambience. The bathroom lighting needs to be better. Very dark in the bathroom but the lights that are on the mirror are too bright. read more

Little Star Pizza - All Star Pizza with pepperoni meatballs sausage and bacon - Pizza Near Me - Albany, California

See all

Got a lot of food ordered and I got 2 ranches. These ass brains gave me 2 marinara sauces and ruined my great day.