Decatur is known for many things, but pizza is not one of them. So where do you go when you’re looking for a pie to satisfy your hunger?
As Millikin students, it’s hard to find a pizza place where students can go out and enjoy the full pizzeria experience.
So, where can you get quality pizza in Decatur?
We visited six pizza places near campus to find the best one for friends and family to go and have a fun, worthwhile experience.
We rated each pizza place based on four main categories: ambience, pizza taste, customer service, and cleanliness. Then we averaged all three of our scores and compiled a ranking of the pizza places so you can get an unbiased view of each.
We bought a small thin-crust cheese pizza at each place and ranked them accordingly.
Honorable Mention: Lu Lu’s Pizza
135 W 1st Drive, Decatur, IL 62521
Lu Lu’s gets an honorable mention, but we were never actually able to buy any pizza here.
We weren’t able to get pizza at this location because they were short-staffed. When we walked in, an employee promptly announced that they could not sell any pizza and that we would have to come back at a different time.
Safe to say we didn’t go back! So for that reason, they get a 0 in every category.
Brennan: This location was no bueno.
Anna: The yelling was a little out of pocket and annoyed me. However, it is unfortunate we didn’t actually get to eat here.
Chase: It’s a shame. Could have been a contender.
5th place: Domino’s Pizza
Price: $9.29
1119 W Wood St, Decatur 62522
While close to campus, Domino’s lacked seating, making it hard to enjoy our pizza. The location is very hectic and has little to no room when it gets busy.
Domino’s is definitely more of a place to order pizza at than to sit down and enjoy the experience.
While the pizza was cheap, it tasted like it was priced.
Brennan: If I weren’t broke, I wouldn’t eat here.
Anna: I hate Domino’s. Thin crust isn’t my favorite in general, but the Domino’s thin crust was one of the worst I’ve ever had.
Chase: Probably only order if I were drunk.
4th place: Monical’s Pizza
Price: $8.22
348 1st Dr, Decatur, IL 62521
When we entered Monical’s, it had very friendly staff, and the overall cleanliness and ambiance were nice. The location was quite empty, allowing for a more one-on-one bond with the waitress.
However, the pizza was extremely lackluster. It was very greasy, and the crust tasted like cardboard. The presentation of the pizza disappointed Brennan, but since Chase and Anna are accustomed to Monical’s, they weren’t as shocked.
The only reason this pizza isn’t last is that Domino’s exists. If this were a place to just sit down and chill, it would be perfect. But it’s not. It’s supposed to be a pizza place, and yet the pizza is abysmal.
Brennan: The pizza was terrible. $8.22 for a pizza that wasn’t good. I’d rather buy a pizza from Circle K. I see why no one was eating here.
Anna: The atmosphere here was amazing, but the pizza just wasn’t it.
Chase: Eating the pizza without Monical’s French dressing definitely made this a dull experience.
3rd place: Godfather’s Pizza
Price: $14.94
2860 N Main St, Decatur, IL 62526
This was the first location we went to on our pizza taste-testing journey. This location had great ambiance and was overall clean.
The service was also very nice and accommodating. The man behind the table was helpful throughout our time there.
However, the pizza was not great and was the lowest part of our visit. The pizza looked promising, but the fluffy crust was misleading.
The pizza couldn’t match the location’s overall scenery, which is a bummer due to this place being a fun sit-down for friends.
Brennan: $14.94 could have gotten me two luxe boxes. Instead, I had to eat this pizza.
Anna: The atmosphere was good, and the pizza was okay. This is a place that I might recommend if a student wanted to eat somewhere with their family.
Chase: The pizza was mid; however, the service was great.
In 2nd place: The Pizza Place on Main
Price: $9.95
4350 W Main St, Decatur, IL 62522
Pizza Place on Main was above average in every category.
This location was clean, had friendly staff, and more. However, they were just above average. They didn’t really do or have anything special.
It was more of just an above-average experience. The pizza was good, with good sauce and crust, but it wasn’t anything special.
We would 100% recommend going here with some friends. This location has the potential to be special and really be off the charts. However, it didn’t show that this time around.
Brennan: It was nice, I’m not writing home and telling my family, but everything was clean.
Anna: The pizza wasn’t my absolute favorite, but the service was wonderful. The woman serving us made sure we had everything we needed and was extremely friendly.
Chase: The pizza didn’t skimp on the sauce, and the waitress was a delight.
1st place: Sloan’s Calzones
Price: $10.90
129 S Oakland Ave, Decatur, IL 62523
Sloan’s Calozones, located inside Lock Stock and Barrel (LSB), is not usually the place you’d think to go and get food from.
However, we were all quite shocked by how the food turned out. The waiter was very friendly and felt genuine. He started a conversation about our majors and what we were doing, and was very good at listening to what we had to say.
The place was clean, and for what’s mainly a college bar, the pizza is excellent. The sauce is well distributed, and the cheese is delicious. The crust was perfectly crisp and had a nice crunch when you bit into it.
LSB was overall a great experience, and had a well-made pizza. The location would definitely receive our recommendation for all Millikin students.
Brennan: Pizza was good, and the place was nice for what I expected. Truly not much bad to say, 10/10 will go again.
Anna: Pizza, service, and atmosphere were phenomenal. Sloan’s Calzones is truly a hidden gem.
Chase: Loved everything about Sloan’s. As a Decatur native, I believe the new location has evaluated the business in every possible way.
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