Mod Pizza, a casual pizza food-chain restaurant, opened on Aug. 25 in the Willowbrook Town Center. Being that the Willowbrook Town Center doesn’t have any pizza options nearby, the opening of Mod Pizza was definitely a great idea.

“Our first store opened in the state of Washington in 2008, but we started making our way to the midwest in 2015. The one here is our 252nd store, so we’re the number-one fastest-growing food chain in the midwest,” said Jennifer Rosio, crew member.

Right when I walked in on a Saturday night, the second night of their grand opening, I noticed it was busy and had a lot of energy radiating around the restaurant. It was bustling and had a loud feel, but it wasn’t loud enough where you couldn’t hear the person next you. A crew member greeted us right when my friend and I walked in to explain the menu to us. The atmosphere was lively, and the employees seemed to be having a great time working with the customers.

At Mod Pizza, you’re allowed to order from the specialty pizzas they have on the menu or simply build your own pizza. They offer a variety of three different sizes, which include a 6-inch, 11-inch, or even a mega (two 11-inches on top of each other). After picking a size, you’re allowed to choose unlimited toppings, free of extra charge. The system is similar to Chipotle’s where you order on the counter and pick it up once it’s ready.

Samia Douedari
“I love working here because the people are great, and the manager is super easy going. I also love the Mexican pizza here,” said Tatyana Brown, crew member.

I decided to go with one of their specialty 11-inch pizzas and tried the ‘Caspian,’ which included tomato sauce, mozzarella, barbecue sauce, chicken, red onions, and gorgonzola. I was able to watch them make my pizza as they slid it down the toppings bar and asked me how much I wanted of each topping. Then, they tossed it over to the natural oven to cook it for about five minutes.

Overall, the ‘Caspian’ was amazing. The crust was super thin but had the consistency of naan bread, which is chewy and smooth. The toppings were all cooked very evenly and tasted very flavorful. The crust was flexible enough to fold each slice into a little sandwich for a less messy experience. I would definitely recommend this pizza.

My friend ordered a ‘Maddy,’ which is simply a plain cheese pizza, but she added olives and extra mozzarella to hers. She also ordered a small caesar salad. You’re also allowed to add however many toppings you’d like in any salad, free of charge.

“The pizza was yummy, and it was perfectly cooked. It was fast, but it tastes like it took a lot more time to make it. The salad was also flavorful, and I was glad that they offered gluten-free options,” said Tatum Lovelace, senior.

All in all, I definitely enjoyed Mod Pizza, especially for a brand new pizza experience in the area. It’s a great place to simply hang out with friends, for the atmosphere is super chill with energetic and funny employees.

Mod Pizza is located at 7135 Kingery Hwy, Willowbrook, IL 60527.