Buddy'z Pizzeria Review

Buddy'z Pizzeria in McHenry, Illinois
Photo Credit: Ryan Magnuson/Mealtime With Mags

Let me start off by saying that I love getting suggestions from friends and family on places to go eat. You guys sharing your food experiences with me allows me to do so with others, so please keep the suggestions coming. With that said, I have been urged by a number of my pizza-loving friends to try a place called Buddy’z Pizzeria in the downtown area of McHenry, IL. Buddy’z is a place I had passed by several times, but never had the opportunity to go in. That changed on Tuesday, as I accompanied a few of my close friends to the neighborhood pizza joint.

Pepperoni and Sausage Pizza
Photo Credit: Ryan Magnuson/Mealtime With Mags

Buddy’z was started by the Scarnato Family in 2005, and has been serving northern Illinois fresh, top quality pizza for nearly 10 years. They describe themselves as “an upscale casual pizza environment”, offering up both pizza and non-pizza options. When it comes to pizza, one can choose from four different styles of crust (thin crust, hand tossed, butter crust pan, and deep dish) and a slew of toppings, or one of their Chicago-named specialty pizzas like the Navy Pier, the Grant Park, or the Soldier Field. Non-pizza options include a number of starters, house salads, wings/chicken, sandwiches, pasta dishes, and other entrees. One can expect to spend in the $15 to $20 on a standard pizza, specialties are more, and at least $10 on other menu items, but based on the quality of the food and the atmosphere, it’s priced fairly.

Having been to a number of pizzerias around the area, I know when a restaurant has done it right when it comes to location and atmosphere. Buddy’z McHenry, which opened in 2010 and is one of the franchises three locations (one in Algonquin and one in Queen Creek, AZ), is conveniently located in a busy downtown area, right along the Fox River. Having river access is a unique feature of the restaurant, as boaters can tie up and come in for a quick bite after a day on the water. The restaurant itself has ample indoor seating and a great outdoor patio area, which is great for a summer night. The full bar and daily drink specials are another added plus to the restaurant, giving people a place to go and relax with friends and family.

This being my first time, I had to get the great pizza I heard so much about. I went with an 18 inch thin-crust pie, half sausage, half pepperoni. The crust was crispy, but not too thin, and had some char on it, which I appreciated. The sauce to cheese ratio was to my liking (I like more cheese and less sauce), and all additional toppings were fresh. The pizza itself was in the $20 to $22 range, which is what you should expect when ordering an extra large, two topping pizza from an upscale place like Buddy’z. I can say that both me and the friend who I split it with left full with no room for anything else. Not even ice cream. I want to give a special shout out to Kristen Sircher, Trey Williams, and Brad Baron for joining me in this food adventure. Thank you for the suggestion and I am glad I got to experience it with you. If you are looking for a great place to get a quality pizza and relax, check out Buddy’z Pizzeria at 1138 North Green Street, McHenry, IL 60050.

Ryan Magnuson is a Baseball/Food Writer from the Chicagoland Area