We recently dined at Rance's Chicago Pizza, hoping to enjoy some classic deep-dish. While the staff were friendly, our experience left much to be desired, especially regarding service, food quality, and overall satisfaction.
First, the wait was incredibly long. Despite ordering two small and one large deep-dish pizzas, we waited over 45 minutes for our food, with no explanation for the delay. There were only 2 other tables there.
When it finally arrived, we were excited by the presentation—the pizzas looked visually appealing, with vibrant layers of cheese, sauce, and toppings. However, the crust was a huge letdown. It tasted suspiciously like pre-made dough, similar to a store-bought, tube-style crust rather than the freshly-made, buttery crust we expected in a deep-dish pizza.
On top of that, the crust and overall bake seemed undercooked. After waiting 45 minutes in the oven, it should have been thoroughly cooked, yet it was doughy and somewhat raw in parts, especially under the toppings. This became apparent when we both suffered from stomach issues later in the night, enduring severe diarrhea likely caused by the undercooked dough.
Finally, a minor yet notable issue: when it came time to pay, the server handed the check to my date, despite my name being clearly printed on the card. This small act felt awkward and somewhat emasculating, making the end of the meal even less pleasant.
Overall, while the presentation of Rance’s pizzas is enticing, the lengthy wait, questionable crust quality, and uncomfortable service left us disappointed. This experience was far from what we expected, and unfortunately, it’s not a place we’ll be revisiting. Total bill after 18% Tip was $100. Not worth it for me.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Stuffed Deep Dish Pizza
Oz Bay Area
Serious pizza eating folk wanted at this joint. These pies are no joke two slices in and you are heavily contemplating asking for a to go box. Well worth your dime and drive really close to the I-5 about 2 miles away, tops.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Hector Madrigal
Came in, was greeted and told I could set where ever I liked. There was no other customers other then the ones that where seated already. Waiter comes over and tells me to move tables so they can have room just incase a bigger group came in. Make it makes sense I’m a customer why save tables??
Julia Schluper
We were craving deep-dish style pizza and are so glad we found this place! We each ordered a 9-inch personal pizza and had plenty to eat, with leftovers. Derek was extremely welcoming and attentive! He made sure we knew about the wait to make a custom pizza which was about 45 minutes. We had the meatball appetizer and enjoyed the atmosphere with sports playing on the TVs until our food arrived. All the food was delicious, and exactly what we were craving! I definitely recommend this for anyone who enjoys deep-dish pizza!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Stuffed Deep Dish Pizza
Angel Rincon
I’ve never tried a deep dish pizza and I guess I still haven’t! I tried the classic deep dish but it was the pan style so I hear that’s not the official deep dish style. But regardless it was so dang good. It still seemed like it had that deep dish feeling behind it, and we also tried some wings and everything came out in a timely manner. I also got to try an IPA but I only recognized the soda jerk machine for the beer, it wasn’t on the menu and the waitress apologized for leaving it off our selection but hey at least these peepers work and I was able to order a delicious voodoo ranger beer that just caught my eye. ;)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
HabanaGoodTime
Best wings I've had my entire life. The pizza is good, but I would come here for the wings. I also got amazing customer service from Liz. I would definitely come back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bourbon Maple Bacon Wings
Yusuf mohamed elshahed
Oh my god it was so good, I’ve never had Chicago pizza before so I didn’t know what to expect, but I was so pleasantly surprised. The wings were SO good I had to order them twice, I shared the small pizza with one person and it’s small diameter wise but it is THICK in the best way. I definitely r commend this place. So so good and valid
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
John Myers
The Stuffed Deep Dish Pepperoni pizza was delicious! There's a bit of a wait while your pizza is hand crafted; this is not fast food. Call in in advance if you are short on time. As for appetizers the artichoke dip is so good very savory and filled with garlic and herbs. The little breads were perfect!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Stuffed Deep Dish Pizza, Artichoke Dip
Philip Gomez
This pizza was amazing! I could eat this everyday. The crust was perfect. The amount of sauce was perfect. The selection of toppings was on point. Just perfect. Leftovers were just as good or better.
Vegetarian options: You can select vegan cheese to be added to the pizza.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicago Pizza
Abby L
Love our server Natalie! We’re here for a birthday visit and as always super happy with our deep dish pizza , the food, the service and the atmosphere is perfect! Thank you for a delicious meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicago-Style Pizza, Deep Dish Meat Pizza
I didn't realize their were 2 locations. I went to the one in LB and it was cool because they had an outdoor patio, and lunch special was pizza by the slice. I pulled up at this location and didn't notice a patio. I was greeted by a very pleasant lady name Natalie. This was during lunch time which was fairly busy. Natalie managed the FOH with such ease. Lunch special was a personal 1 topping pizza $1 for add'l tpn. Ordered a "side salad" You see how huge it is!! Pizza was chicken and spinach. Freakn amazing! Golden, buttery deep dish crust is what I needed. Pop in and be prepared to have good food & good vibes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicago Pizza
Abigail Lopez
Love our server Natalie! We’re here for a birthday visit and as always super happy with our deep dish pizza , the food, the service and the atmosphere is perfect! Thank you for a delicious meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicago-Style Pizza, Deep Dish Meat Pizza
Fary Zareh
The dough or bread part is unlike your typical pepperoni pizza. Strange tasting pizza. Cheese is kind of burnt and bread part is unusual but not in a good way. I expected more in quality and taste after doing a google search for best pizza in the area. I did not enjoy the pizza.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
J D
Just called, girl said “They don’t sell by the slice.” WTH? C’mon man, not everyone can eat an entire nor afford a whole pie. Back to my usual spot.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Brock Lewis
Ordered takeout from Rance’s Chicago Pizza and loved it!! I ordered the classic cheese deep dish. I feel like a simple pie is the best way to see if a place is legit! The top part of this pizza is definitely the crust! The crust is buttery, thick, and rich. The sauce is also on point at Rance’s. I know there isn’t a whole lot of deep dish spots in OC, but this one should be near the top of the list!
We recently dined at Rance's Chicago Pizza, hoping to enjoy some classic deep-dish. While the staff were friendly, our experience left much to be desired, especially regarding service, food quality, and overall satisfaction.
First, the wait was incredibly long. Despite ordering two small and one large deep-dish pizzas, we waited over 45 minutes for our food, with no explanation for the delay. There were only 2 other tables there.
When it finally arrived, we were excited by the presentation—the pizzas looked visually appealing, with vibrant layers of cheese, sauce, and toppings. However, the crust was a huge letdown. It tasted suspiciously like pre-made dough, similar to a store-bought, tube-style crust rather than the freshly-made, buttery crust we expected in a deep-dish pizza.
On top of that, the crust and overall bake seemed undercooked. After waiting 45 minutes in the oven, it should have been thoroughly cooked, yet it was doughy and somewhat raw in parts, especially under the toppings. This became apparent when we both suffered from stomach issues later in the night, enduring severe diarrhea likely caused by the undercooked dough.
Finally, a minor yet notable issue: when it came time to pay, the server handed the check to my date, despite my name being clearly printed on the card. This small act felt awkward and somewhat emasculating, making the end of the meal even less pleasant.
Overall, while the presentation of Rance’s pizzas is enticing, the lengthy wait, questionable crust quality, and uncomfortable service left us disappointed. This experience was far from what we expected, and unfortunately, it’s not a place we’ll be revisiting. Total bill after 18% Tip was $100. Not worth it for me.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Stuffed Deep Dish Pizza
Serious pizza eating folk wanted at this joint. These pies are no joke two slices in and you are heavily contemplating asking for a to go box. Well worth your dime and drive really close to the I-5 about 2 miles away, tops.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Came in, was greeted and told I could set where ever I liked. There was no other customers other then the ones that where seated already. Waiter comes over and tells me to move tables so they can have room just incase a bigger group came in. Make it makes sense I’m a customer why save tables??
We were craving deep-dish style pizza and are so glad we found this place! We each ordered a 9-inch personal pizza and had plenty to eat, with leftovers. Derek was extremely welcoming and attentive! He made sure we knew about the wait to make a custom pizza which was about 45 minutes. We had the meatball appetizer and enjoyed the atmosphere with sports playing on the TVs until our food arrived. All the food was delicious, and exactly what we were craving! I definitely recommend this for anyone who enjoys deep-dish pizza!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Stuffed Deep Dish Pizza
I’ve never tried a deep dish pizza and I guess I still haven’t! I tried the classic deep dish but it was the pan style so I hear that’s not the official deep dish style. But regardless it was so dang good. It still seemed like it had that deep dish feeling behind it, and we also tried some wings and everything came out in a timely manner. I also got to try an IPA but I only recognized the soda jerk machine for the beer, it wasn’t on the menu and the waitress apologized for leaving it off our selection but hey at least these peepers work and I was able to order a delicious voodoo ranger beer that just caught my eye. ;)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best wings I've had my entire life. The pizza is good, but I would come here for the wings. I also got amazing customer service from Liz. I would definitely come back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bourbon Maple Bacon Wings
Oh my god it was so good, I’ve never had Chicago pizza before so I didn’t know what to expect, but I was so pleasantly surprised. The wings were SO good I had to order them twice, I shared the small pizza with one person and it’s small diameter wise but it is THICK in the best way. I definitely r commend this place. So so good and valid
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
The Stuffed Deep Dish Pepperoni pizza was delicious! There's a bit of a wait while your pizza is hand crafted; this is not fast food. Call in in advance if you are short on time. As for appetizers the artichoke dip is so good very savory and filled with garlic and herbs. The little breads were perfect!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Stuffed Deep Dish Pizza, Artichoke Dip
This pizza was amazing! I could eat this everyday. The crust was perfect. The amount of sauce was perfect. The selection of toppings was on point. Just perfect. Leftovers were just as good or better.
Vegetarian options: You can select vegan cheese to be added to the pizza.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicago Pizza
Love our server Natalie! We’re here for a birthday visit and as always super happy with our deep dish pizza , the food, the service and the atmosphere is perfect! Thank you for a delicious meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicago-Style Pizza, Deep Dish Meat Pizza
Restaurantji Recommends
I didn't realize their were 2 locations. I went to the one in LB and it was cool because they had an outdoor patio, and lunch special was pizza by the slice. I pulled up at this location and didn't notice a patio. I was greeted by a very pleasant lady name Natalie. This was during lunch time which was fairly busy. Natalie managed the FOH with such ease. Lunch special was a personal 1 topping pizza $1 for add'l tpn. Ordered a "side salad" You see how huge it is!! Pizza was chicken and spinach. Freakn amazing! Golden, buttery deep dish crust is what I needed. Pop in and be prepared to have good food & good vibes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicago Pizza
Love our server Natalie! We’re here for a birthday visit and as always super happy with our deep dish pizza , the food, the service and the atmosphere is perfect! Thank you for a delicious meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicago-Style Pizza, Deep Dish Meat Pizza
The dough or bread part is unlike your typical pepperoni pizza. Strange tasting pizza. Cheese is kind of burnt and bread part is unusual but not in a good way. I expected more in quality and taste after doing a google search for best pizza in the area. I did not enjoy the pizza.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Just called, girl said “They don’t sell by the slice.” WTH? C’mon man, not everyone can eat an entire nor afford a whole pie. Back to my usual spot.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Ordered takeout from Rance’s Chicago Pizza and loved it!! I ordered the classic cheese deep dish. I feel like a simple pie is the best way to see if a place is legit! The top part of this pizza is definitely the crust! The crust is buttery, thick, and rich. The sauce is also on point at Rance’s. I know there isn’t a whole lot of deep dish spots in OC, but this one should be near the top of the list!
Food: 5
Recommended dishes: Stuffed Deep Dish Pizza
Loading...