We ate at Lou Malnati’s in Brookfield twice in one week. That’s the review, really — with four people and a week’s worth of dinner options near Milwaukee, going back a second time is the only recommendation that means anything.
We were there for a basketball camp, staying nearby, and this became the place we ended up after the long days.
Quick answers
- Yes, it’s open. Lou Malnati’s closed three of its five Wisconsin locations in February 2025 — Greenfield, Oak Creek and Waukesha. Brookfield stayed open as the full-service restaurant and bar; Fox Point continues as carryout and delivery only.
- Deep dish takes 30–40 minutes. Baked to order. Order it the moment you sit down.
- Order the Malnati Chicago Classic — sausage, mozzarella and their tomato sauce on the buttercrust.
- Portions are large. We took leftovers back to the hotel both times.
- Go before the dinner rush — it makes a real difference to both the wait and the noise.
Where to stay in Chicago with kids — our quick picks
We haven’t stayed at these three — they’re what I’d shortlist based on where they sit and who they’re built for. Our three real Chicago stays are further down. Some links are affiliate links, which may earn us a small commission at no cost to you.
Is Lou Malnati’s Brookfield still open?
Yes. In February 2025 Lou Malnati’s closed three of its five Wisconsin restaurants — Greenfield, Oak Creek and Waukesha. Two remain: Brookfield, which is the full-service restaurant and bar, and Fox Point, which is carryout and delivery only.
If you’re driving out expecting a sit-down deep dish near Milwaukee, Brookfield is the one.
What we ordered
Across two visits:
- The classic deep dish — sausage, mozzarella and their tomato sauce
- A vegetable deep dish — mushrooms, onions and spinach
- Drinks, and a dessert shared between the four of us
Both times the portions were generous enough that we took leftovers back to the hotel. That’s worth planning for if you have a fridge in the room — it turned into the next day’s lunch after camp.
The buttercrust, and what makes it different
Lou Malnati’s is built on its crust: a single base, flakier and richer than a bread dough, crisp where it meets the tin, with the sausage and sauce layered on top.
That’s the difference from Giordano’s, which makes stuffed deep dish — two sheets of dough with the cheese sealed between them, sauce over the top. Lou Malnati’s is less of a pie; more a pizza with high sides.
Lou and Jean Malnati opened the first one on 17 March 1971 in Lincolnwood, Illinois, which makes it the older of the two recipes — Giordano’s followed in 1974.
The 30–40 minute wait, and how to handle it
Deep dish is baked from raw when you order it. You can’t shorten it, but you can plan around it:
- Order the pizza first, before you’ve read the rest of the menu
- Order an appetiser at the same time so the wait has something in it
- Arrive before the dinner rush — earlier means a shorter wait and a quieter room, both of which matter with tired children
- Or order online for takeaway, which is the right move on a night when nobody wants to sit in a restaurant
What it’s like with kids after a long day
This is why we went back. After full days at camp, the boys wanted food that didn’t require anything of them, and a deep dish you share off one pan is about as low-effort as a restaurant meal gets.
It’s a full-service restaurant rather than a fast one, so the wait is real — but the room is relaxed, the portions mean nobody has to make decisions, and leftovers solve the following lunch.
Where it is, and what’s nearby
Brookfield sits west of Milwaukee, close to where we were staying for the camp. If you’re doing the same trip, the two posts that go with this one:
- Country Inn & Suites Brookfield — where we stayed, and the hotel of the trip we’d book again
- The Milwaukee Bucks summer camp — why we were there
Would we go back?
We did, within the same week.
Planning the rest of the trip
Chicago with kids: our complete guide
Where to eat in Chicago with kids
Our 3 days in Chicago with kids
What the whole Chicago and Milwaukee trip cost
Lou Malnati’s Brookfield: FAQs
Is Lou Malnati’s in Brookfield still open?
Yes. Lou Malnati’s closed three of its five Wisconsin locations in February 2025, in Greenfield, Oak Creek and Waukesha. Brookfield remains open as a full service restaurant and bar, and Fox Point continues as carryout and delivery only. We ate at Brookfield twice during a week at a basketball camp near Milwaukee.
How long does Lou Malnati’s deep dish take?
Thirty to forty minutes, because deep dish is baked to order rather than reheated. Order the pizza as soon as you sit down and order an appetiser at the same time to cover the wait. Arriving before the dinner rush makes a noticeable difference to both the wait and the noise in the room.
What should you order at Lou Malnati’s?
The Malnati Chicago Classic is the signature deep dish, made with sausage, mozzarella and their tomato sauce on the buttercrust. We had that and a vegetable deep dish with mushrooms, onions and spinach. Portions are generous enough that we took leftovers back to the hotel both times we went.
What is the difference between Lou Malnati’s and Giordano’s?
The crust. Lou Malnati’s makes buttercrust deep dish, a single flaky, butter rich crust with the sausage and sauce layered on top. Giordano’s makes stuffed deep dish, with two layers of dough and the cheese sealed between them. Lou Malnati’s opened first, in Lincolnwood in March 1971, and Giordano’s followed in Chicago in 1974.
Is Lou Malnati’s Brookfield good with kids?
Yes, and it worked well for us after full days at a basketball camp. It is a full service restaurant, portions are large enough to share off one pan, and leftovers covered the following day’s lunch. The main thing to plan around is the thirty to forty minute bake time, so arrive before the dinner rush.
Where is Lou Malnati’s Brookfield?
In Brookfield, west of Milwaukee in Wisconsin. It is the only full service Lou Malnati’s left in the state after the February 2025 closures, and it takes reservations as well as online orders for takeaway.
