No the base doesn’t get soggy. Yes you could probably pick it up but it is definitely fork food. How good you think it is might be directly tied to how much you like cheese.

Locals say they don’t eat it but I have my doubts. There’s just so many places to get it. I hope this makes one of them mad enough to run the numbers on tourism vs deep dish establishments because I’m curious but not curious enough to hyperfixate.