The food was super Yum! Nice chill pizza spot, service was great! 9/10 would eat again! read more

Rance's Chicago Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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This review is kinda late, but I was down here in SoCal with my crew last week for a week or so and we had tried the other Rance's pizza location and really liked it. We were in the Costa Mesa are before we were going to head out back north and my crew wanted to have this deep dish pizza again. What we liked was the crust was so good. It wasn't overly cornmealish like some of these "authentic" Chicago pizza places. I grew up out here in the west, so I'm used to a more flaky light crust. My first Deep Dish Chicago pizza was Zachary's in Berkeley in the Bay Area. This Costa Mesa location is located just south of the 405 at Harbor Blvd. Go to Baker Street and turn left and it's right there. Easy Parking. One thing you gotta know about the deep dish pizzas, they take longer to cook cause they're just so big and need more cooking time, like maybe 35-40 minutes, depending on how busy the kitchen is. We get a classic combo pizza and have some drinks while we wait. It arrives and oh boy does that look good. Dishing it out takes a little practice, but we're good at that now! Everybody loves the flavor and crust. This isn't the cheapest pizza round, but well worth the price and wait. You want cheap go to Straw Hat or something like that. read more

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This place is a must try!!! Some of the best Chicago style pizza I've had was only in San Diego ... until we found Rance's! The restaurant itself is small and quaint. The decor was street style but simple. The staff was so welcoming and attentive. They answered our questions and regularly checked on my boyfriend and I. We tried the buffalo wings while we waited for the pizza. They were perfectly cooked and sauced. Paired with their own ranch, so delicious! We did the traditional 9" pan pizza with only pepperoni. (You just have to keep in mind, the pizzas take approximately 45 min.) The sauce to cheese to toppings ratio was perfect. The cheese pull was soooooo good! I normally don't like crust, and I ate mine here! Pizza so good, you don't need ranch! I tried an Ube beer. And surprisingly, it was so tasty and refreshing! I wish I could remember the brewery and beer name. This was the Costa Mesa location. They do have another one in Long Beach. Overall a great experience and delicious! We'll definitely be back! read more

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Pizza was delicious and love the variety of pan, deep dish, and thin pizza. The tavern pizza was crispy, flavorful, and had tasty toppings. The pan pizza was good, but I little watering at the bottom of the crust. Service was great even though only one server for the whole restaurant that night. read more

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This Place Is Awesome!! I am not sure where to start on what I liked about this place.. This place was recommended by friends from Chicago.. From the moment we walked in the door we were greated by a friendly employee and he made us feel like we were gonna be taken care of.. The place looks like a pizza shop and has a total pizza vibe inside.. The place was clean and the seating was comfortable.. Ok... On to the food... We started with the bacon artichoke dip.. That was sooooooo good and just the right amount of cheese... Yum Yum... We also ordered a medium thin crust pepperoni pizza (to eat there) and we ordered a medium stuffed deep dish with mushrooms, pepperoni, and sausage to bring home for a dinner in a few days.. The thin crust pepperoni was so good.. I am a pizza snob and this was pretty damn good that I struggled to remember when the last time I had pizza this good..I am being honest too.. The deep dish we did a half bake so it cooks easier in our oven at home.. Smelled good in the car for the 90 minute drive home.. Shout out to Chris.. You could tell he cared about the products.. He asks if you have been there before and then helps you decide the right pizza to make your visit the best.. I liked that.. We had a couple of beers to wait for the pizza.. Thank You Chris M.. for a great visit!! Just remember good food is always worth the wait.. Everything is scratch made and it shows in the product when you are eating.. This place also doesn't break the bank either.. Last thing... The Restrooms are clean.. That matters as it reflects on the rest of the restaurant.. THANK YOU RANCE'S !! You Truly Earned My Future Visits.. read more

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I'm so disappointed in the small thin crust pizza I got today. It's the same exact order of five ingredients: mushroom, basil, red onions, green bell pepper, and garlic. For $24.50, it was the saddest looking pizza (see photos for comparison of my previous time in 2025 compared to today. I felt super ripped off because they put so few toppings. I almost couldn't even see the mushrooms were in there! Also, they completely forgot the basil! They told me the basil is not cut/shredded and not whole... which, is another disappointing change unless the basil she put on top is just a topping and not the baked in version I had previously. For $2 per topping, $3 for premium toppings, the amount they put on the pizza is robbery. I also ordered their small stuffed pan Rance's Favorite ($25.50) today and that came out looking like it usually does, which is why I'm still giving them two stars. It could be the because of who made the pizza today, but I'm still so disappointed. read more

Rance's Chicago Pizza - Small thin crust pizza ($14.50) with five toppings ($2/topping). This was sad compared to my exact order from before. 2/28/2026 - Pizza Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Food was amazing. Takes about 30 to 45 mins for pizzas to come out. But worth the wait, cool little spot to hang out and chill have some drinks sit outside and people watch. The pizza was great, the buffalo wings are huge they are good. But they do have a kick (hot) to them. lol read more

Rance's Chicago Pizza - Buffalo wings - Pizza Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Rance's Chicago Pizza is approved by two individuals that moved from Chicago a few years ago and that really does say something! Delicious pizza, great ambiance, and even better service. My team and I came on a Thursday for lunch and before we came we called to preorder the pizzas so they would be ready when we arrived instead of having to wait 45 minutes. This definitely was the best way to go for a work lunch outing. This Rance's is tucked away in a big plaza and doesn't seem to get too much foot traffic during the week. Plenty of parking. We got: Caesar salad (great), the carnivore (great) and the best seller/veggie pizza (also great). We definitely each brought a slice or two home and needed a nap post lunch! Our server/manager was amazing, we really felt welcomed and right at home - especially my two team mates who are from Chicago. They definitely are new repeat patrons of Rance's! Highly recommend for some deep dish pizza. read more

Rance's Chicago Pizza - Best seller pan with sausage - Pizza Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Very legit...but a bit salty though which may be coming from the cheese?? The stuffed version is just like in Chicago for deep dish. The crust is what makes it come so close--thick yet moist, magic of butter. It is very, very cheesy and appears high quality. The toppings seemed unevenly spread but that is ok. Is it a real 5 like in Chi-town? Nope but pretty darn close esp in Cali and SoCal. Service was responsive and friendly with a spacious and clean space. read more

During a recent visit to Disneyland, we went to Rance's pizza. We can't miss an opportunity to visit this pizzeria. Anytime we are in Orange County. I actually ordered an additional large pizza to take home. They do have take n bake and it was amazing. I shared it with my parents and my brother and we all agree. This is the best pizza hands-down. If you're looking to dine in they have a large dining room excellent service. the Chicago deep dish does require 45 minutes prep time so order ahead of time if you are very hungry or come on in and have a couple of appetizers and some beers. read more

Rances pizza is always top tier and their wings are to die for. So if good food and value are the reason to visit this is your place. However, this review comes because the service at this location is top notch. Everyone was moving and keeping the place going but today we had the pleasure of being served by Chris. This guy was A1 from the moment we sat down until the time we left with not only us but every table he had. Not a chink in his armor. Thanks team for the great experience. read more

Came here after a bit of shopping on a weekday. It was pretty quiet which was kind of nice. Our waitress was very friendly and patient with us as we've never been here before. She took her time to explain the difference between the pizzas. We ordered Bourbon maple wings which came with a total of 6 wings (3 flats and 3 drumsticks) served with a side of Blue cheese. The wings are very tasty ! It has a great balance of sweet from the maple with a hint of the bourbon in the back. It was pretty good! We ordered a medium CSP (garlic, basil, pesto, spinach and chicken) in a deep dish....keep in mind deep dish takes about 30 mins for dine-in, so don't think the kitchen is goofying off not making your food. At least you know it's fresh! After patiently waiting our gigantic pizza comes out! This thick pizza pie was loaded with cheese, tomatoes and spinach! I was kind of searching for the chicken, basil and pesto. It so super filling! After one slice I was stuffed! I gave it 3 stars, just cause of maybe what we ordered. Personally, it was too much cheese and tomatoes for my liking. It was delicious in the beginning, but after a while it got to be a bit much. Overall, this place is decent. If I come back I'd wanna try a different pizza and not as a deep dish. read more

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This is why I love Yelp. Folks give honest recommendations and reviews and you find gems. Went here today for dinner and we totally enjoyed it! The restaurant is nice and local. Very clean and industrial which is cool. Our servers were great, top tier service. We had a Caesar salad to start and it was a nice portion. We had a pizza, medium size, it was a vegetarian pizza, mushrooms, spinach and black olives. We had an amazing meal! The pizza is the best! Wow! read more

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I was hoping for a better pizza. I ordered a deep dish with mushrooms. A big turn off for me was the large chunks of tomato. It reminded me of Lou's in Chicago. It lacked the amount of cheese another Chicago pizza place gives. The dough wasn't as good either. Service was good. I might try the thin crust pie or appetizers sometime. As for deep dish, I'll pass. read more

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I first had Rance's pizza over a decade ago when my physics professor treated our whole class to it. That was also my very first encounter with Chicago deep dish, and honestly, everything else has been a downgrade ever since. Since then, I've proudly initiated many deep-dish rookies by dragging them here, and the pizza has never missed. Even when I take it to-go, it reheats in the air fryer like it was made five minutes ago. I don't usually eat food that makes me question whether I'll need a nap or a gym membership afterward, but once a year I happily make the pilgrimage. Totally worth the food coma. read more

Rance's Chicago Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I first tried Rance's years ago and had a great experience. The pizza had great flavor, baked fresh and was a nice break from the larger commercial pizza establishments. However subsequent visits had not been the best. I once ordered pizza to go with additional pineapples and upon arriving, they said to wait while they get the pizza cut. Then they showed me the pizza to make sure it's what I ordered and I noticed the pineapples weren't added. They had me wait about 10 min to add them. When I went home, the pineapples seemed like they were from a can. I do still enjoy the pizza - the dough and the crust is pretty unique, and more recently ordered the 12 inch thin House Special with no additional toppings. When I got home, one end of the pizza including the crust was soggy but the other end was ok. It might have been due to condensation buildup but upon first bite it tasted and felt doughy, like the pizza might have been a bit undercooked. After sticking it in the air fryer for another 5 min it turned out fine. Therefore, from my experience ordering out has been a bit of a hit or miss. I appreciate that the staff is usually pretty friendly and they are considerate enough to open the box to show you the pizza to make sure it's correct before you leave. They also offer extra cheese and pepper packets. The parking is in the same lot as a few other eating establishments so to get good parking can be a bit tricky during peak hours. read more

Rance's Chicago Pizza - House special - mushrooms, sausage, green bell peppers, onions - Pizza Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Fantastic pan pizza!! The only thing missing was... NOTHING! Great crust, not too much cheese, great service! read more

I recently visited and had a great experience. Chris helped me out, and he was incredibly professional, friendly, and attentive. I loved his recommendation of the Bourbon Wings they were absolutely delicious! The customer service was outstanding, and the pizza was some of the best I've had. I come here every chance I get and highly recommend it to anyone looking for great food and excellent service. read more

This place is great. Marlene is so sweet and helpful!! Liz was our server and she was super friendly too! Overall a great place with tasty food. Just f.y.i. the food takes a while but its totally worth it because its fresh! read more

Rance's Chicago Pizza - Awesome pizza and bacon Artichoke and Bacon Dip - Pizza Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

First time visitor to this location Located in a shopping plaza so plenty of free parking, located next to a ramen shop One main dining area Online ordering and in person dining and phone orders, pending type of pizza anywhere from 30 to 45 min and pending order volume Flat screens for sports Decent beer selection and semi limited too Service was pleasant Much calmer environment than the Long Beach location that appears geared to a stronger following of sports and loudness and camaraderie where as this location was more order to go and quieter setting Food was tasty from the maple bourbon wings 6 pieces 3 drums and 3 wings in a sticky spicy sauce served with ranch Tried the thin small Canadian bacon jalapeños pineapple pizza, nice crunch and festive cut in squares and with a small equated to pieces. Toppings were not skimping at all The deep dish CSP small was hearty but also very oily from the pesto sauce oozing out. Tomato sauce was flavorful and normally don't care for a lot of cheese but this one worked, crunch pull and all I would have rated it as a 4 star but hearing the manager (I assume) and another co worker argue back and forth in the main area was a damper as the sports noise did not suppress their arguing and it went on longer than a few minutes .. sorry very unprofessional from both sides Overall would return back to try other things but atmosphere wise I go to the Long Beach location but for easier parking, Costa Mesa. read more

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Still love this pizza. 14" pepperoni & sausage pan pizza was so good. Super fresh ingredients and lots of flavor. Just wanted to update my review from years ago to confirm that yep, the pizza is still incredible! read more

Rance's Chicago Pizza - 14" Pan w/pepperoni & sausage - Pizza Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Fresh and delicious. Come prepared for a feast because the pizzas are classic Chicago style with all the fixings. Wings are delicious as well. read more

I love this place. Having never been to Chicago, I can't tell you how authentic Rance's pizza is to "Chicago-style" pizza, but I can tell you that this pizza is delicious. Everytime I come into town, I always want to order this...I've very fortunate that my family doesn't really like pizza that much-because then I get to eat the whole pie! read more

Rance's Chicago Pizza is an award winning spot serving up some amazing Chicago style pizzas and more! This spot is located in a plaza with a good amount of parking spots. Inside, they have a nice welcoming setup with about 7-8 tables for seating. Wifey was really wanting some Chicago style pizza for dinner so we knew we had to stop by. For their menu, they have a bunch of different appetizers, base pizzas, and speciality pizzas. We opted to get the Deep Dish Pizza with Pepperoni and Pineapple. Every bite was delicious and it definitely satisfied wifey's craving! Overall, this spot is definitely a must try for those wanting a Chicago style pizza or just for all pizza lovers in general. Keep in mind that the pizzas are made fresh to order so depending on which one you choose, it could take up to about 15-30 minutes for it to cook. All of the staff here are very friendly and welcoming. We will definitely be back next time for some more good eats! There is a reason why this spot has over 1,000+ positive reviews! read more

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I've ordered from Rance's Chicago Pizza before and had good experiences, but this visit was disappointing. This was an online order that I had already paid for. When I arrived, the server handed me a credit card receipt to add a tip, which felt awkward given that the order was prepaid. When I questioned it, he seemed visibly put off. After that, I was still waiting for my pizza. I noticed a box sitting on the counter but assumed it was for someone else. After more than five minutes, the server finally walked over to that same box and then called me over, telling me I would need to cut the pizza at home. The restaurant wasn't busy at all--only two tables were occupied--yet the interaction felt rushed and inattentive. Unfortunately, the pizza itself also wasn't as good as the last two times I've ordered. Maybe it was the service experience that affected my impression, but overall this visit left a bad taste. Probably won't be back. read more

First of all, when we found this place i took my time looking for places to eat near the IKEA from a car show. What caught my attention were the choices, the pictures and reviews. I must say I was not disappointed. We arrived, place was very clean and the atmosphere was very welcoming. We were with family and I splurged for a bottle of wine, and waters. We ordered our food and decided for the deep dish and thin. The menu tells you it takes 30 to 45 minutes for the pizzas and we ordered Rances special stuffed with Jalapeño and added pepperoni as our main course. We started with the buffalo wings and Ceasars salad. Now to the best part, the food...the salad and the wings came out. Let me just say, the wings were like the moment from ratatouille where the critic ate, and brought him to his childhood. Well these wings did that, immediately I told my wife you are going to love these. I asked her what they reminded her of, and she said when we dated. We have been together for 27 years and when we were just boyfriend and girlfriend we had our pizza and wings place and it brought those memories back. 10/10 wings. Ate them too fast I forgot to take pictures. The flow of the food was perfect, we finished our appetizers and enough time to digest before the main course. Here comes the deep dish and thin. Now I've had Chicago style from Chicago and let me say this pizza compares. Not just with look but with flavor. The cheese and sauce and were amazing. Let me just say you will not be disappointed with this spot. Highly recommend read more

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I have only had Rance's a few times over the years. Decided to bring it in to the office today on a whim. An IM about five minutes after people started eating: Wow this Pizza is the Awesome ---THX . Thanks for making me look good. But watch out for that mat at the front of the shop! :D read more

Lemon pepper Wings were meaty and crispy, so good. We got 2 pan style pizzas, one small, one medium. Both were excellent, thick with toppings and super cheesy. Crust was really good also. Spent more than I wanted to, but next time I know to order less as it was very filling! 10/10! read more

Tried this place for the first time. We just happened to have seen it on the food channel a week ago. We happened to be in the area so, we gave it a go. I love pizza. Therefore, when I say this pizza was absolutely AMAZING, IT IS!!! We ordered the House Special Deep Dish and added pepperoni "To Go." We arrived early to sit and wait for the pizza. It takes about 45 minutes. In the meantime, we had a couple of beers and ordered the Maple Bacon Bourbon Wings. WHOA!!! I had never had anything like that before and they were super delicious! The staff were exemplary!!! Super nice and welcoming. This place had a very nice chill vibe. I totally recommend this establishment!! PS. You have to order your deep dish pizza stuffed! You will get the full experience of this pizza!!! read more

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It is hard to get good Chicago deep dish outside of Illinois, but this place comes close. The service was great and Derek was on top of everything - from the phones to drinks. They have a few tables, which are first come first served. Cooking deep dish takes times, so they can fill up as people are waiting. If you are in a hurry, call ahead and get your pie started. It is a shared parking lot, so that can fill up as well. Bring patience and enjoy some great pizza. read more

Finally made it out to Rance's Pizza in Costa Mesa after seeing a TikTok about their Chicago style deep dish, and man... it did not disappoint. Being born and raised in OC, I've always wanted to try a legit deep dish and this hit the spot big time. The wait was about 45 to 55 minutes since they make each pizza by hand and fresh to order, which caught us off guard at first, but once we took that first bite it all made sense. We got the Carnivore and added jalapenos and it was unreal. Crust was flaky and crunchy, cheese was insanely melty like out of a food video, and the sauce had that perfect combo of oregano, garlic, and just enough spice. The bacon really sealed the deal. I was genuinely so happy with my order. The staff inside were super sweet and helpful too when we were choosing what to get. My wife went with the gluten free crust and it was actually really good, crunchy and packed with garlic flavor. Our friends got the house special and were just as impressed. But I gotta talk about the wings... those bourbon maple bacon wings were next level. Sweet, salty, crispy, and just disappeared within minutes. Honestly one of the best wing flavors I've had in a while. This place is a must go if you're in Orange County. Absolute staple and definitely lived up to the hype. read more

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The ambiance was horrible. I had been wanting to visit Rance's for years (well the LBC location), but we reside closer to Costa Mesa. I have had Chicago deep dish in Chicago and also all over the Bay area. There are many places that have a wonderful environment, delicious food, a clean and welcoming space, etc. At Rance's, we walked in, and were not greeted, we had to ask if we needed to be seated, were seated with menus, told later deep dish/stuffed takes about 45 min, it is on the menu also, but just at the get go, I wanted to leave. I kind of wish we would have. There are plenty of great pizza spots in SoCal especially in Laguna and Newport. Anyways, It is in a shopping micromall so nothing very pleasent near by. The point is here though, for excellent food location does not matter, but when you have ehh food (lower than mediocre on the main dish) and you are only driving to the place (Rance's) then it is a problem to me! Once seated, we were approached by our server, about 8 minutes before their happy hour, which is also very confusing for the food, I think the menu can be edited to help guests! Anyways, 2 out of 3 people felt sick after eating here, from the pizza. We will not be back. However, the salad we had and the fries were very good. Not enough to draw us anywhere in there, but I must say those items were very very good. We ordered a small pizza stuffed deep dish and had one piece left over, one house salad which was delicious, and parmesan fries. Our server said the fries were not included in happy hour, which was very bizarre to us, but when we got our bill the fries were on the happy hour. So my experience again, was not good. But, the fries and salad were delicious! Thanks for reading Pictures below. *This is absolutely not Chicago deep dish. It is CA Deep dish. :) read more

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I'm a pizza connoisseur who grew up a couple hours south of Chicago. I've been in love with Midwest/tavern/thin style pizza for all of my 51 years. With my business I've travelled all over the country and have had pizza nearly everywhere. First off, the waitress was awesome, she was slammed all at once and kept on smiling and did a great job...rare these days. Now for the tavern style pizza. There are three key components to a good pizza...cheese, sauce, and crust. I always order half cheese and base my review off of that half. I'll give it to Rance's for the cheese and sauce, very good and very Midwest. The crust missed the mark though. It was, well, dusty I reckon. No crunch, just turned to dust in every bite. Good Midwest/tavern/thin crust pizza is cracker crunchy through and through. If they fix the crust, they would have a winner. read more

Rance's Chicago Pizza - Half cheese for the true test! - Pizza Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I had a deep dish stuffed pizza with jalapeños, pineapple, and mushrooms, and it was so delicious I almost cried. It was a hefty pie, some people might even call it lasagna, but the layers of cheese and sauce were absolutely incredible. The crust was nicely charred with just the right balance of softness and crunch in every bite. It was strong enough to hold everything together when cut, yet soft enough to enjoy like bread. Easily one of the top three places I've been to for deep dish. The parmesan fries were the cherry on top. Highly recommend! read more

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Stopped here on our way to the airport after vacation. Server was amazing and attentive, and the food was delicious. 5 Stars! read more

Ordered the personal pan pizza and cheese bread. They were really good and I will definitely be returning to try their other menu items.

Last night was the first time that we made it here. While the food was delicious, I can't get over the excellent customer service that we received. Our waiter was so friendly and we felt so welcome. We were greeted the moment we walked into the door. come out and support this business you won't be sorry. read more

Great chicken & pesto panini here to get. Welcoming service from a lady who worked here. Nice vibes & fresh taste. Come by to try the food. read more

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Walked in sat down and never got service, a couple comes In after and gets service right away so we Walked out and went to a place that wants to make money. Workers looking sad and not happy place was Kind of dirty. read more

I tried the stuffed pizza again and it was not bad. I got it with sausage, green peppers, and onions. They have some of the best wings around, so big and juicy. They have a constantly rotating selection of craft beers on tap. read more

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