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Michigan Expats Feeling Lucky About Scoring a Jet's Pizza in Wicker Park

By Alisa Hauser | May 16, 2016 9:42am
 Jet's Pizza at 1811 W. North Ave.
Jet's Pizza Opens in Wicker Park
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WICKER PARK —  Michigan franchise Jet's Pizza opened its fourth Chicago outpost in Wicker Park over the weekend and it was a busy debut, according to manager Doug Pierard.

"It's going well, better than expected," Pierard said on Sunday while behind the counter of the pizzeria, which offers a smattering of booths but is mainly designed for takeout.

Known for its square "Detroit Style" pizzas, Jet's pies are cooked in a seasoned pan and have a caramelized crust but are not as filling as deep dish Chicago Style pizza "where you have one slice and you are stuffed," Wicker Park Jet's Pizza owner Scott Gregerson previously said.

Grand Rapids native James Randall, 25, who lives in Wicker Park, was picking up barbecue chicken pizza on Sunday night at the new Jet's, 1811 W. North Ave.

"We were thinking about where we could eat pizza from and thought wouldn't it be awesome if there were a Jet's here? Then we looked on [Google] and saw one had just opened. It was very serendipitous," Randall said.

When asked what he likes about the pies, Randall said, "The crust is caramelized right."

In addition to pizzas, which are also available by the slice (or more accurately, square) for $2.50, Jet's sells boneless chicken wings, salads and submarine sandwiches, according to its menu.

Jet's locations have been popping up around Chicago in recent years.

Billing itself as the 12th-largest pizza chain in the nation on its website, Jet's has four other locations in Chicago: at 2811 N. Ashland Ave. in Lakeview; 670 N. Wells St. in Old Town3951 N. Kimball Ave. in Irving Park; and 1805 N. Harlem Ave. on the Far Northwest Side. 

On Yelp, 153 reviews for the Jet's Pizza in Lakeview earned the pizzeria close to 4 out of 5 stars.

"This is a counter-service chain from Michigan, but it seems like 70 percent of people in Chicago are from Michigan. They're surrounding us, they're surrounding us," wrote one Yelp member. 

Another Yelp user who suggested ordering an "8 corner pizza with that garlic butter stuff," posted, "I feel bad with all the great pizza options we have in Chicago that I order from Jet's, but it's good."

Gregerson, who also owns Jet's Pizza spots in Lakeview and Old Town, plus two that are coming in the West and South Loop, said Wicker Park was selected for a new Jet's because the area is "young," and with "a good late night crowd."

Currently, pizza fans have plenty of options. The block is already home of Piece Brewery & Pizzeria and Santullo's, a Brooklyn style pizza restaurant that recently added Italian beef to its menu. There is also a Lou Malnati's pizza takeout at 1520 N. Damen Ave. and Dimo's Pizza at 1615 N. Damen Ave., which opened in 2013.

Last year, Toppers, a Wisconsin-based chain, opened in a strip mall at 1658 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Jet's Pizza, 1811 W. North Ave. Hours are 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday and Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Phone: 773-904-8283.

Jet's Pizza, 1811 W. North Ave. in Wicker Park.  [DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser]

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