Get Some Homie: Friday Night Dinner at Homeslice

Megan's Avalance

Friday night, Caitlin and I had a hankering for some pizza. Having lived in Lincoln Park for awhile now, I have walked by Homeslice and seen it from the El dozens of times and have always wanted to stop by but haven't had the chance. Friday, I was finally able to check it off the bucket list! We got there around 7:30 and it was packed, which we were expecting since it was a pizza restaurant on a Friday night. I was surprised when the hostess told us that it shouldn't be longer than a half an hour wait! She took Caitlin's phone number for their handy phone-notification service (much cooler than the traditional buzzer) and we headed over to the bar. 

Whole wheat goat cheese marinara breadsticks ($9)

Upon sitting down we immediately ordered the goat cheese breadsticks, having heard from numerous friends that they were the best thing on the menu. About five minutes after we ordered, we realized that we completely forgot to order them whole wheat! Homeslice is one of the few restaurants around that will allow you to get your breadsticks in whole wheat, and being firm believers that whole wheat actually tastes better (in addition to being better for you), Caitlin and I knew we needed to correct our mistake. We called our waiter over and he was extremely accommodating to go and switch our order to whole wheat after it had already been put it. Props to you, sir! Now, let me say the breadsticks were a REAL treat. First of all, for $8 you get eight breadsticks. I don't think I have ever been to a restaurant that brings that many breadsticks as an appetizer! The bread was hot out of the oven and the beer-basted whole wheat had a very rich and deep flavor. The goat cheese marinara dip was sinfully delicious. The top had a thick and creamy layer of goat cheese that, once penetrated, led to a creamy marinara. Top. Notch.

Ava-Lance pizza ($10) 

For my entree, I decided to order the "Ava-Lance" veggie pizza. The small size is nice for an individual pizza and the $10 was a reasonable price. This pizza in particular comes with artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, mozzarella, provolone, feta, garlic, and olive oil. Just like their breadsticks, Homeslice gives the option to order your pizza with a whole wheat crust (THUMBS UP) which naturally, I went for. To be honest, I was underwhelmed by this pizza. It was hearty, and I ended up finishing the entire thing by the end of the night, but there was something missing flavor-wise. For the vast list of veggies that top this pizza, I felt like it was rather bland. I think it might be lacking in sauce, or some sort of component that brings in the typical "pizza" flavor. My favorite part of the pizza was probably the artichokes. They were very firm and provided a nice texture to the pizza. However, for a dish that includes roasted garlic, I really was not getting the full-array of flavors. Caitlin had a similar experience with her veggie pizza and thought maybe it was because we ordered pizzas without meat. However, I'm a veggie fan and think that veggie pizzas are actually an opportunity for even more flavor than meat-heavy pizzas, so I think that Homeslice is lacking something here. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole-wheat crust. This is a really easy pizza to handle with your hands and the leftovers keep really well.

Caitlin's Moscow Mule and Big Teve

Standard Mule: Russian Standard Vodka, Lime, and Ginger ($9)

Moscow Mules are one of my favorite drinks, saw that they had that one the menu at Homeslice and knew I had to order it. Definitely packed a punch, seeing as I was tipsy after I finished it...not sure if thats because I am a light weight or if the bartender was just being extra nice! It was a perfect size and a crisp palette cleanser between courses at dinner. It even comes in a funky mug, but beware of the disclaimer: you will be charged if it happens to go missing... or let's say accidentally falls in your carry out bag when your leaving. If you feel like you would be tempted to steal this mug or a klepto then maybe I would opt for a beer instead.

"Big Teve" ( $11 )

Overall, I liked the pizza but wish it was not a friday during Lent because I was feeling extra carnivorous! Flavor-wise, I agree with Megan that something was missing, but the whole-wheat crust was great. It was also extra cheesy which made it messy in a good way! The "Big Teve" is topped with spinach, roasted red peppers, red onions, mushrooms, oregano, feta, parmesan, mozzarella, provolone, garlic & olive oil. YUM. They are also very generous with the portions, so leftovers make for a great late night snack! I definitely see myself going back there, but I will be ordering off the meat-lover menu.

Megan and Caitlin's Overall Review of Homeslice Pizza:

Atmosphere: 5/5 stars

The decor in Homeslice is extremely fun as it is designed to look like a log cabin. There is a "backyard" ambience that I bet is even homier in the summer. However, it was very busy and loud, so definitely skip it if you're in the mood for a quiet dinner.

Service: 5/5 stars

The service was speedy considering the crowd and our waiter was extremely accommodating when Caitlin and I decided to be high maintenance and switch our breadsticks to whole wheat. The friendly bartender also gave us free shots of Fireball!

Food: 3/5 stars

While the breadsticks were out of this world, Caitlin and I both felt our pizzas were missing that extra "umph" that Chicagoans expect from their pizza. Although I'd be willing to come back and try one of the meat pizzas, my ideal visit to Homeslice would probably be to order the goat cheese marinara breadsticks for carry-out and then bring them over to the bar ;)

Pricing: $$

The breadsticks are a great bang for your buck, and the pizzas range from $9-$32.