$65 for a Dozen Pizzas with Unlimited Toppings at Bacino's

If you've never had stuffed pizza made with fresh ingredients and real Wisconsin cheese, then what you think is pizza might have been a cunningly disguised pretzel or Richard Belzer's toupee. Today's Groupon gives you a dozen chances to clear the confusion: for $65, you get one dozen pizzas with unlimited toppings (up to $185 value) at Bacino's. For each pizza, you may choose either a large, thin-crust pizza OR a small stuffed pizza. You can order up to two pizzas at a time, be it for dine-in, carryout, or delivery (delivery fee is extra), and all 12 pies must be redeemed within three months. This Groupon is good for the pizzeria's Lincoln Park, West Loop, and downtown locations (sorry, La Grange).

When Dan Bacin opened the first Bacino's 30 years ago, Chicago already had 3,300 pizza purveyors and such a large pizza population that most aldermen were three inches deep and covered in pepperoni. Bacin rose above the mozzarella multitudes by using only the freshest and highest-quality ingredients. The pies are superior from the toppings down to the sauce made from scratch, a mysterious, ethereal substance that's as delicious cooked as it is hallucinogenic raw. Sample all the toppings on Bacino's menu in whatever combinations or quantities you desire. Take your pick of pie-packers including prosciutto, Canadian bacon, fresh spinach, zucchini, eggplant, giardiniera, pineapple, smashed disco records, fresh garlic, and jalapenos (toppings vary by location). With 12 combination chances, this is Chicago's time to venture beyond typical topping tastes and take pizza to strange new places.

If hunger has dampened your creativity, order a pizza with the toppings already selected. Bacino's famously heart-healthy Spinach Supreme with mushrooms, animal-free Very Vegetarian (mushrooms, green peppers, and onions), or the Bacino's Special (a Very Veg with Italian sausage) can satisfy any pizza pro. With a bevy of cozy and cheerful Bacino's locations at your bellytips, you'll have a delicious backup plan for nights when you don't feel like cooking, as well as a warm, gooey, circular ace up your sleeve when out-of-town guests drop in through the skylight.

To redeem, you will use your Groupon for your first order, then Bacino's will give you vouchers for future visits.

Reviews

Gayot lists Bacino's as one of the best pizzerias in Chicago, and the Chicago Reader praises Bacino's stuffed pies:

• ...the stuffed spinach remains famous enough that Bacino's can justifiably boast of offering "America's first heart-healthy pizza." It comes with mushrooms and the restaurant's trademark fresh tomato sauce, and the crust has what it takes to stand up to what amounts to a steaming bowl of cheesy creamed spinach. Add onions, black olives, and fresh tomatoes and it's distinctive even by Chicago standards. – Ted Cox, Chicago Reader

Metromixers give Bacino's a solid 3.5 stars, while nearly 100 Yelpers and six Citysearchers give it four. Eighty-five percent of Urbanspooners recommend the eatery:

• The thin crust pizza was delicious and cooked to crisp perfection. – Stephanie, Metromix
• You feel a little better about yourself after eating Bacino's...because they bake their pizzas. Not greasy, not crowded and super-good. – JackShay_Citysearch, Citysearch