Armand’s Chicago Pizzeria

I am very upset that this location has closed! I haven’t eaten at this location Since January 2013, so I was shocked to see that it closed. I came to Unilocal to read the reviews on the other locations and was surprised at some of the bad ratings that were given. That is what led me back to the Unilocal reviews of this particular location because I had so many terrific experiences with this location. I see that a lot of folks still gave this location a bad review, which tells me that it is safe to try the other locations.
I have come to the realization that people will be fickle even with the best, so sometimes these sites are misleading.
The only thing that I can agree with in the low ratings is the ambience of this location (it could have used an update to its dungeon-​like feel.). Everything else was superb! Up until now, I didn’t realize that Armand’s advertised their pizzas as «Chicago style.» This pizza can never be compared to a nasty Dominoes or Pizza Hut pizza. I even read a review where someone was praising places like Olive Garden (and this place is disgusting,) but they did not care for Armand’s. I guess it all boils down to different taste. I always got the Meatzza with extra sauce (and had red peppers added) it was DEEEElish! Nothing ever tasted stale, the sauce is very good, and the best thing is that the pizza can be re-​heated in the microwave without tasting gross! Any pizza that can be consumed whether hot or cold is a good pizza.
While this location is closed, I am sure the next location will produce the same results.
***Caution*** In 2010 I did try the Armand’s in DC on Massachusetts Ave. (by Union Station,) and it wasn’t too good. I think this was because it was almost closed for the day and It was a massive crowd in there, I find that most restaurants that I have taken chances on at the close of business, tend to have poor tasting food. The solution to that problem is to eat at a restaurant way before they close.
All in all, Armand’s is a great pizza place. It’s not what I would call a Chicago style pizza, but one of the best options compared to the other travesties in the area.

Good riddance.

Best pizza in DC, if you like a good thick crust.
We often get pizza for takeout here, and that is very simple call them 202.363.5500 and tell them what you want and go from there.
The staff is helpful, though sometimes a bit clueless, as they always have trouble understanding how to apply their own gift certificates. But they work hard and are very customer friendly.
Enjoy!

I just can’t say enough good stuff about this place– we had dinner there the other night with friends– the bill was cheap (2 pizzas and a pitcher of beer for under $ 50-​with tip!) The waitstaff was nice– we had a great time and the pizza is SO GOOD.

I’ve only gotten take-​out here, but the pizza is really, really good. I’m a fan of deep dish, and they do a really good job. I went in one time, and they didn’t have take-​out menus for people … strange. I’m not sure why people don’t rate this place higher, the pizza is amazing.

I have yet to go to Armand’s and not be totally satisfied! Having roots in a city that prides itself on excellent pizza, Armand’s would stand up to virtually anyplace in my experience. OK – at Armand’s the ambiance is a little bit pub-​ish, a little bit pizza parlor… you won’t be bowled over by the décor or fancy trappings. Just sit back, order up, and get ready for a fabulous old-​school pizza. The crust (regular — what I always get) is just right — crispy as it should be, not soggy. Toppings are generous and coverage is good — no big wheel of useless crust around the edge (take note, Papa John’s!). I took a friend who is addicted to another local pizza chain (the «L» word) and I made an instant convert! Plenty of street parking nearby, or take the Metro Red Line to Tenleytown and walk a few blocks down Wisconsin Ave. Either way, you’ll be rewarded!

After a busy day in DC, I had to grab a lot of pizza’s to go. This was not my choice place to go, but rather a friend who is local, so we stopped to pick up four pies with different toppings.
To be fair, I have only had the pizza here the one time so maybe it’s an off time for them, but I was not impressed with them. It was a NY style pizza that had no grease, but also no taste. It was better than a pizza buffet like CiCi’s or cardboard pizza from Little Caesar’s., but there was no flavor to it.
This pizza just does not pass my pizza test. What keeps it from being one star was the fact that there were no bugs, or hair in it, nor did it make me puke or crap shortly thereafter its consumption. While not bad, there is jsut nothing special about it.

Armand’s is no longer the great restaurant of my youth, but it still makes a great Chicago-​style deep dish pizza. I took a pizza home today – the traditional deep dish with mushrooms and pepperoni. It is still wonderful, but no longer rivals what you can find in the great city of Chicago. On Mondays you can get any size pizza and up to 5 toppings for only $ 9.99. This place needs a serious renovation. I no longer enjoy eating here. It is painful to me to see a former DC and Rockville legend fall to such depths. In my Georgetown undergraduate days we used to Metrobus it up Wisconsin Avenue to satisfy our cravings. The New Yorker in me has a hard time accepting deep dish pizza. However, if you get the Monday special and enjoy a pizza from Armand’s you will enjoy a different type of pizza, and perhaps rekindle some great memories from the past.

Oh dear sweet baby Jesus there was a full bar.
We had just done a-thing-that-I-can’t-really-talk-about-in-the-event-that-the-people-the-surprise-is-for-is-reading-this-review, and while it was fun, I *desperately* needed a drinkipoo. I had planned on taking everyone down to Chef Geoff’s, but this place evidently had memories for the gang I was with, so I was overruled and we came here instead.
Upon sitting down, we immediately flagged down a server to ask if they had adult libations. Fortuantely they did, and as one member of the party ordered a margarita, I decided to make life simple and order one too (and I didn’t even quiz them to ask if it was made from a mix or from scratch… from the taste of it — it was a mix). Our drinks came out quickly, but one sip of the margarita tasted off… like it was lacking something… something called TEQUILA. So my husband flagged down our server again, and ordered 3 shots of tequila (so the two of us could pour the extra shot into our drink… my husband just needed a shot of tequila… ahaha).
Although our drink orders came out quickly, it took nearly 45 minutes for our 3 medium pizzas to come out. Since this was about 4pm it was pretty empty so I’m not quite sure why it would take so long to get our food (especially since the party that came in after us got their pizzas before we did), but before I could muster up the energy to complain, our food came out.
As my husband noted, the pizzas were not as thick and deep-​dishy as it used to be, but from the uncomfortable heaviness that settled in my tummy for the rest of the night, I can tell you that even though it may not be as deep, it’s still as filling and still as solid.
The pizza was decent, the drinks were better after we doctored them up, and the service was a slow (not just waiting on the pizza, but several times we had to search to flag our server down — and we were one of three tables in the entire place… it was so slow I was never able to place my order for a second margarita), but still, not bad… just not quite sure what the hype is all about…*
***note*** I’ve had Armand’s pizza before, but I’m not quite sure what the hype is about *this* Armands. It wasn’t that spectacular or amazing. It was basic Armand’s pizza… with slower service. Still, if you’re a fan of the pizza and don’t mind a long wait, this place is perfectly fine.

We used to go here when we lived over by the Cathedral in the District. Last night my wife had a craving for Chicago style deep dish pizza so we headed to Tenleytown coming in from VA. There used to be an Armand’s in VA but it closed about two years ago and after visiting this Armand’s we think we know the reason why.
It was a Thursday night and they seem to have a good carry out business but the dining area was empty at 7:00. The place feels a little ragged about the edges (it needs a renovation) but we decided to eat in. They call themselves a Chicago Pizzeria but the deep dish pizza we got was similar to a Pizza Hut pan pizza and no where close to a Chicago style deep dish. We asked if the order was correct and the waitress said yes this was their deep dish. It was not how we remembered it from our last experience there. We were informed that the recipe for deep dish pizza had changed. It has been a few years since we had been back to this place but during that time, the place feels like it has lost its soul. The facility is a bit tired and the food is now average and nothing extraordinary hence the two stars.

I can confidently say that anyone who gives Armand’s one star is not only mentally retarded, but they have no idea what good pizza is. I have consulted with neurosurgeons, and they consistently agree that lobotomy patients all express a common hatred of delicious deep dish pizza.
Armand’s is not Geno’s East, Pizzeria Uno, or Lou Malnotti’s. This is not in dispute. Unfortunately, haters and misinformed Chicagoland natives keep dishing out the hate on this place, assuming it is trying to copy the Chi-​town deep dish style, when in fact it is a deep dish all of its own.
Remember when Domino’s first came out with deep dish pizza? It was not a tomato pie, 7 inch deep chasm of tomato sauce and cheese. It was a pizza with a thick crust and a ton of cheese, with a baked-​in ring of deliciousness. Nobody bitched and moaned that it wasn’t an «authentic» Chicago pie, because nobody expected Domino’s to even try for that. This is the mindset you need to have when you are eating Armand’s. It’s not a clone of Chicago pizza, It’s a DC version of a midwest classic.
It’s a pizza with a thick crust, good sauce, and a massive load of cheese on top. Anybody who objects to this is of sub-​par intelligence. That is all there is to say. People who don’t like Armand’s are the same people who voted for Bush in the second election and thought that we could find the weapons of mass destruction if we just kept looking. They are the people who think that the world is ending in 2012, and that Elvis is alive and hanging out with Tupac. In short, they are retards.
So please, don’t be a retard, and get a pizza from Armand’s. You won’t be disappointed.

Wow, I really love the pizza! I would rather take it home then dine in again.
The atmosphere wasn’t very comfortable and the staff didn’t seem very
inviting. They were kind of moping around and looking bored. We went on
Friday night and there weren’t many people dining in but there was a lot of people picking up their orders. Finding parking on the street wasn’t bad.

Let me just say to all you pizza haters about Armand’s not being «real authentic Chicago pizza»: DUH. It’s not in Chicago, so what did you expect? Stop complaining.
For me, it’s just nice to have some place convenient to AU (I’m a student) that has pizza that makes me feel like I’ve actually eaten something as opposed to a piece of thin bread with cheese on top (Pete’s) or a mass-​produced greaseball (Dominos/​Papa Johns).
For me, the sauce is kind of sweet and the crust isn’t quite buttery/​flaky enough, but it does the trick if you’re sick of all the east coast-​style thin pizzas.
Seriously, the pizza here isn’t bad. It’s just not fantastic, especially if you’re used to some real Chicago pizza (a la Edwardo’s or My Pie). But like I said earlier, it sure hits the spot if you’re missing that deep dish goodness.
Also — I found that $ 16 for a medium sized, mediocre pizza was a little much and their EagleBucks machine was down :(Maybe that’s just because it was summer but it was very disappointing.

This is the most baffling restaurant I’ve found on Unilocal.I read 1 star ratings contradicted by 5 star ratings. Some reviews state that Armand’s is inedible and a blight on the land. Others state it is sublime. I took a big risk ordering it for an office party (Chicago themed!) without trying it before hand. Ordered two large cheese and garlic pizzas. It was a terrific success. So, let’s set the record straight on Armand’s here and now, kids.
First, my creds: From Illinois, Chicagoland for several years, ate more than my fair share of genuine Chicago pizza, including Gino’s East, Giordano’s, Connie’s, and other fine establishments. And, thanks to the preservation of the saints, I escaped by what several Nintendo Wiis have defined as a body mass index only marginally above the optimum.
Second, the pizza: Chicago pizza has a distinct smell to it. The yeast creates a specific flour aroma, even while it is in the box. This is not duplicated by other, wimpier pizzas. Armand’s does have that smell. Chicago pizza has a firm, crisp, vertical rim for a crust. Armand’s is pretty close, and acceptable for a carry out pizza. Chicago pizza is occasionally stuffed, with the sauce on top. Armand’s is not. However, it is still a Chicago style deep dish pizza.
Verdict: This is a good pizza joint. They have a very nice pizza, and the parlor is very quaint. Staff got me out quickly and everything was ready when requested. They have a nice little bar, their own beer on tap, spacious windows, outdoor seating. I’d love to go back sometime. Minus one star, because it is not fully authentic Chicago pizza. There are differences with the dough consistency and composition, the crust is slightly different. If you don’t like thick crust pizza, don’t eat here. And definitely don’t rate it poor because of it. Rate Armand’s on its merits as a deep dish pizzeria. Let’s step it up, Unilocalers. More earnest criticism, less hatorade.

What I want to know is who is the fat guy on the mural painted inside of this joint, and why is he wearing a genie outfit and holding a 5 foot long sandwich? Is this supposed to be some local legend, the Paul Prudhomme of Wisconsin Ave? I also want to know why they ran out of the chicken stuff in the buffet? So that all we had was pizza and salad. Hell I can get that at Shakey’s.
Armands seems to be less than the sum of its parts but it does raise all kinds of interesting questions. Another one would be, who thinks this pizza can pass for authentic Chicago style. I can do this well in the frozen food section.
Now yeah what did I expect from a heat lamp buttet? Not much. But at least the service was courteous and prompt.

When I was a young child I was first introduced to crack…(it’s DC after-​all) but as I looked up at the sign of my provider I quickly realized that it was PIZZA that I was addicted to (not crack) hurraaaay!!!
With that being said, I’ve discovered so much about this magical place called Armand’s…first of all, if you do not like their Veggie pizza, then there’s something wrong with you and yes, I will judge you upon that simple fact. That’s all you need to know, they have this rad salad bar and $ 7 all you can shove in your mouth thing from 4p-7p…it won’t hurt your wallet and you’ll be one happy Mo Fo afterwords… because you will go straight to sleep… did someone say ITIS?

They say that pizza is like sex, even when it’s bad it’s good. Not so much at Armand’s.
#1. This is NOT real Chicago style deep dish pizza. It’s just THICK and bland and horribly dry.
#2. What little sauce there was on the pizza had no flavor.
#3. The cheese was bland and the toppings almost non-​existant.
#4. The guys I was with eats EVERYTHING and a lot of it. He barely touched his food. That’s saying a lot.
#5. Take your money and save it for a cheap ticket from BWI to Midway for the weeeknd and get soem real Chicago pizza.
We ended up taking out leftovers home, which were a lot and gave them to a homeless man on the way to the Metro. We were afraid he was going to throw the pizza back at us. Yeah, that bad.

Horrible delivery service. Have tried them a couple times and always have something go completely wrong, and end up staying hungry.
Pizzas almost always never made exactly to order, and deep dish is a joke. Pizza hut has got a deeper crust.

So for lunch at work today, we ordered Armand’s. I usually end up with a sub or the lasagna, but I figured I would go in for a Meatzza pizza, and I have to tell you… I don’t even wanna finish my second slice.
The point’s already been made that this is FAR from Chicago-​style pizza, but it’s not even that. The crust is DRY – like stale bread-​dry – and the point of me wanting a meatie pizza is so that I can feel like I’m going to die of greasy goodness. This pizza isn’t quite doing that for me. The toppings, I suppose, are okay. The sauce… isn’t bad, but it definitely leaves much to be acquired. I dunno man. I won’t be getting pizza from them again, that’s for sure.
Their lasagna is pretty good. It’s never going to be Bertucci or Olive Garden, but it’s still good. Definitely would’ve preferred that over this pizza. Oh well.

In NW DC Armand’s IS pizza. There is no other place to go.
I have been going there for as long as I can remember; back when Swenson’s was across the street!
It’s the best.