Shakey's Pizza Sauce

jgp12000 · January 21, 2026, 03:05:04 PM

My all time favorite pizza was Shakey's ours closed years ago, but back 70s-90s it was my goto. The sauce is what made it,the live piano player & carryout draft beer in a paper carton

They had a remote control baseball game on the Wall -good times! I think there are a few in Cali still,I need to go there soon.I read heinz & dolce pizza sauce is close but I need a fix...

https://www.bigoven.com/recipe/shakeys-pizza-sauce-clone/528569

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=518.0

Midway Tommy · January 21, 2026, 04:13:09 PM

Most canned pizza sauces, and a lot of pizzeria sauces, make me swell up like a balloon because of the stupid added MSG (Accent). It's a shame they can't make a decent sauce without adding crap. Our local authentic Italian restaurants that make pizza don't use that garbage.

We make most of our pizzas at home. Our go to canned pizza sauce is Dei Fratelli on plain old boxed Jiffy crust mix rolled down to a fairly thin crust.

I can't stand thick or stuffed crust pizzas.

happyhooker · January 21, 2026, 07:40:58 PM

Ah, Shakeys! I guess I don't remember if the pizza was great or not, but I do remember the big dining area & all-you-can eat buffet. Supposedly quite a few left in Calif. (mostly SoCal) and maybe one in WA.

When I lived in Tucson, there was pizza place near the U of A that served what they called Brooklyn-style pizza. Sawdust on the floor and big telephone cable spools as tables; always had coupons where you got food very cheaply; the pizza was the thickest crust of all time (nowadays, neither my wife or I go for thick crust, which I guess these days goes under the name of Chicago-style). Straw Hat Pizza was a good one too that, also now, is limited to Calif.

For plain old good times, Organ Stop Pizza in Phoenix was the best; one giant dining hall with picnic-like tables where everybody ate to the sounds of an old-time theater organ. I think it still lives, but now in Mesa or some other East Valley locale.

Here in the Midwest, we have Pizza Ranch, which also has chicken and a buffet. They have a super thin crust pepperoni (three kinds of meat). Yes, I occasionally overeat.

Frank

alantani · January 21, 2026, 08:20:35 PM

windy city pizza in belmont, ca!!!!

Dominick · January 21, 2026, 08:32:24 PM

Quote from: alantani on January 21, 2026, 08:20:35 PMwindy city pizza in belmont, ca!!!!

Closed. They went out of business. They weren't in Belmont. They were in San Mateo. Dominick

rcmsangab · January 21, 2026, 11:54:56 PM

Quote from: jgp12000 on January 21, 2026, 03:05:04 PMMy all time favorite pizza was Shakey's ours closed years ago, but back
70s-90s it was my goto. The sauce is what made it,the live piano player & carryout draft beer in a paper carton They had a remote control baseball game on the Wall -good times! I think there are a few in Cali still,I need to go there soon.I read heinz & dolce pizza sauce is close but I need a fix...

https://www.bigoven.com/recipe/shakeys-pizza-sauce-clone/528569

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=518.0

This one is about a mile from our house. Haven't been there since kids left the nest but was the locale of lots of sports and/or other extracurricular activities fundraisers etc. Your post made me curious so I looked at their website and there are still around 50 locations across Southern California. Russ

Maxed Out · January 22, 2026, 12:21:24 AM

We had Shakeys pizza in Lynnwoon(just north of Seattle) back in 70's, and it was a very popular pizza place, then around mid 70's an Italian family opened Sparta's, and the pizza was beyond amazing. Place was family owned and operated by Italians. Every year it was closed for entire month of December, so the family could spend the holidays with relatives in Italy. Hand made crusts, piles of toppings and real cheese, and home made sauce. One piece was like a meal. Its still in business today, but under new ownership of non Italians. Canned sauce, fake cheese, and pizza dough from a restaurant supply truck. Might as well change the name to dominos.

jgp12000 · January 22, 2026, 12:26:26 AM

Thanks Russ & Ted,my fav is canadian bacon/ pepperoni thin crust.Their fried chicken was also good on the buffet.

Maxed Out · January 22, 2026, 12:44:16 AM

Quote from: jgp12000 on January 22, 2026, 12:26:26 AMThanks Russ & Ted,my fav is canadian bacon/ pepperoni thin crust.Their fried chicken was also good on the buffet.

My fave pizza is the same except with pineapple added

Brewcrafter · January 22, 2026, 01:10:30 AM

We still have one here. "Bunch O' Lunch" and don't forget the Mojo Potatoes! We support them because they do a lot of school fundraisers where a portion of the proceeds go back to the school. I could pretty much kill myself on the fried chicken...

For Midway Tommy - we have a brand of jarred pasta sauces around here in stores (looks to be a big brand) that are the best thing I have found next to "homemade". Brand is Raos. But the price (at my local Stater's usually around $9 a jar) makes me just go "from scratch". I'm not bagging on their quality or their price; I think they are worth it in a pinch or in a hurry - just pretty good sauces but they price point makes me do my own unless conditions dictate otherwise. - john

Rocket Dog · January 22, 2026, 04:06:07 AM

I love Shakey's Pizza! There are a few by me in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles. I remember dad taking us when we were kids, and though I am not sure if it was the first pizza I had, it has certainly been my favorite.

The sauce is not the same as when I was a kid. It must have had a lot of yeast in it because, as I got older, it tasted like beer to my young mind. The Shakey's we always visited was in Monterey Park, CA.

Funny thing, when I lived in NY, no pizza ever changed my opinion. I did find a second favorite.... Stromboi. I never found a replacement for it, and Calzones can't compete.

Our order was either two large pies with black olives and pepperoni, or only pepperoni or jalapenos and pepperoni. Full order of fried chicken and mojos. Oh, and don't forget about the pitcher of beers nd frosted mugs

JasonGotaProblem · January 22, 2026, 04:22:21 AM

Pizza always tastes like beef when you wash it down with a beer

MarkT · January 22, 2026, 05:37:05 AM

Shakey's bunch of lunch!

Brewcrafter · January 22, 2026, 06:16:09 PM

Quote from: Rocket Dog on January 22, 2026, 04:06:07 AMThe sauce is not the same as when I was a kid. It must have had a lot of yeast in it because, as I got older, it tasted like beer to my young mind. The Shakey's we always visited was in Monterey Park, CA.

I have experience with this from my previous life. It wasn't the sauce, it is what you get when the dough is allowed to "overproof". Our place had some pretty strict protocols for amounts of dough to proof and time allowed, after which it was supposed to be tossed out. It's usually subtle, but very distinct aroma. - john

Gfish · January 22, 2026, 08:24:22 PM

I love good Pizza. But I don't eat more'n 2-slices at once and I wouldn't eat it before going out fishing on the Sea. It's a mix of ingredients(bread, tomato based sauce, cheese, deli-type meats, vegetables, etc.) that don't digest easily.