Mud Puddle Pizza - East Peoria

But then there’s the pizza. The pizza is genuinely good. The crust is impressively crisp while also being somewhat fluffy. The sauce is fantastic. The toppings can be a mixed bag; mine were decent, but I've heard they’ve included lackluster options like canned mushrooms or a pizza with canned tomatoes and dried basil. Plus, there's just way too much cheese. I know it sounds strange, but trust me—there is such a thing as too much cheese, and this place has mastered that. I’ll definitely be requesting less cheese next time. On Friday and Saturday nights, they have live music, which you may enjoy or find bothersome. Personally, I'm not a fan of live bands while eating, but the restaurant has two separate dining areas, so you can avoid feeling like you're stuck at a concert. The service is very friendly but a bit laid-back. You receive your first mug of their delicious house-made root beer and then are encouraged to help yourself to free refills from the tap. You might need to track someone down if you need anything, but the staff doesn’t seem annoyed when you do ask. This contributes to the informal, homey atmosphere, which is actually kind of nice—it feels almost familial. If you enjoy pizza and are on the hunt for the best in Peoria, you might want to give this place a try. Just remember: light on the cheese!

The pizza itself is pretty good, even though I typically don't prefer wood-fired pizzas. They do tend to be quite charred on top, but if you prefer less char, just let your server know. I witnessed them bringing in fresh wood to fuel the oven, so it's definitely not charcoal-fired pizza—it's the real deal. Our server was kind and patient, and the live music added a great atmosphere to the experience. The venue has an old, eclectic charm, though it does have a bit of a smell. Overall, the emphasis on fresh, quality ingredients more than makes up for any downsides. I'm looking forward to visiting again the next time I'm in town.

As much as I wanted to enjoy this pizza, I simply couldn't. When we walked in, the cold temperature almost made us turn around, but we decided to stay. I ordered garlic sticks with cheese, and they were completely lacking in flavor—very bland, and the marinara dipping sauce was just as unremarkable. I really enjoy a strong garlic flavor in my bread, so I was disappointed. I hoped the pizza would redeem the tasteless appetizer, but unfortunately, it didn't! The pepperoni was also lacking in flavor, and the only thing that stood out was the burnt residue from the wood-fired oven. Overall, it was quite unimpressive.

Returned again to Mud Puddle. Pizza was good as always, this time the outside edge was burnt all round, inside of just a little, but it was good. We also got wings, they were tasty with a nice BBQ glaze, but they were small, very little meat on them. The downside, the service was so disorganized. It was very crowded compared to the other times we have been there, so maybe it is just growing pains. Hopefully, they will implement a system that can handle the crowd. We had at least 4 different servers and still managed to be neglected. They never cleared the table of anything and rarely checked on us. I guess all four always assumed one of the other 3 would take care of us. Also, we wanted to try their Mud Puddle, but they were out. They just got their license and could not handle the demand. I will return for some ale and pizza. And hopefully, one competent waitress.

I ordered the tomato basil pizza and it was a puddle of perfection. The fire brick oven cooked our orders with love. The owners have their own style but they are the sweetest people I've ever met while in town. I would definitely go back to try anything they make. There are good souls in Mud Puddles.