You’re in luck if you’ve been looking for a new place that serves a plethora of delicious, cheap options for dinner. A newly opened restaurant, Pie’s the Limit, allows customers to build their own personal pizzas in a matter of minutes.

The restaurant’s setup is similar to that of Chipotle. When you first walk up to the counter, you are greeted by an employee who loads some homemade dough with a decent amount of sauce and cheese.

With their wide variety of sauce and cheese options, there is a combination that will please even the pickiest of eaters. They have everything from spicy marinara to barbeque or Alfredo in the sauce department, and as for cheeses, options range from fresh mozzarella to Gouda or ricotta.

Once you have chosen your sauce and cheese, your pizza is then passed on to another employee who loads it with all the toppings you could possibly desire. They have chicken, ham, bacon, red onions, jalapeños, tomatoes, mushrooms and so much more.

If you’re too overwhelmed by the topping options and cannot choose, don’t worry. They also have quite a few different specialty pizzas, such as the spicy Italian or the chicken Caesar.

After your pizza is built, you pay, are given a number, and are asked to take a seat. After about five minutes, you’re presented with a steaming hot pizza that is baked to perfection.

And the best part about this place? You can have a specialty pizza – or build your own – for only $7.99. So for eight bucks, you get a delicious 11-inch pizza to either share or keep for yourself.

They also have a few different options for those who might not be in the pizza mood. They have a variety of salad options, pasta and meatballs, carbonara, and basil pesto. Again, any of the options are only $7.99.

When I adventured over to Pie’s the Limit, I decided to stick with one of their specialties: the white garlic pizza. It had garlic sauce, mozzarella cheese, sausage, sautéed mushrooms, and garlic.

I have to say, I was pleased with this decision. The sauce was creamy and the cheese was melted perfectly. However, I do wish the sauce had a little more garlic flavor.

I was able to finish about half of my pizza while there for lunch and ate the rest for dinner that night. So for eight bucks I was able to cover two separate meals, which is definitely not a bad deal.

All in all, I was greatly impressed with this restaurant. Their employees were friendly, their food was delicious, their options were plentiful, and my overall experience was great.

According to the general manager, Jake Lindsay, a senior communications major at UIS, the store has been open since Nov. 1.

“The fast casual pizza concept has been around for several years, predominately on the West Coast. It made its way to larger cities throughout the country and it continues to spread. We have the appearance of a chain, but Pie’s the Limit is the first store. It is owned by the same people who own Lake Pointe Grill and Public House 29. We plan to expand in the near future,” said Lindsay.

“So far, the public has been very receptive of the new restaurant,” he added. “Everyone seems to love the food and the experience that comes along with it. People enjoy getting creative and watching their pizza being made right in front of them. It’s tough to beat an 11-inch, unlimited topping pizza for only $7.99.”

Between Jan. 27 and Feb. 10, Pie’s the Limit will offer discounted pizzas to UIS and Lincoln Land Community College students. If you present your student ID while checking out, you will receive a pizza, or pasta/salad, for only $5.99.If you are interested in viewing their full menu, please visit piesthelimit.com. Pie’s the Limit is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.