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Name: The Original Gino’s East of Chicago
Address: 162 E Superior St, Chicago, IL, 60611
Telephone: (312) 266-3337
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.50

The Original Gino’s East of Chicago

162 E Superior St, Chicago, IL, 60611

(312) 266-3337
Store is closed

The Original Gino’s East of Chicago Menu

Appetizers

Minestrone Soup

Soup Of The Day

Garlic Sticks With Dip

Cheesy Pizza Bread

Toasted Ravoli

Bruschetta
Salads

Family Style Salad

Caesar Salad

Antipasto Salad

Tuscan Harvest Salad

Chicken Cobb Salad
Deep Dish Pizzas

Cheese

Cheese & Our Famous Sausage

Cheese & Pepperoni

Gino's East Supreme

Meaty Legend
Thin Crust Pizzas

Cheese

Cheese & Our Famous Sausage

Cheese & Pepperoni

Cheese & Spinach

Gino's East Supreme
Sandwiches

Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich

Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

Meatball Sandwich

Italian Sausage
Sweet Stuff

Fresh Baked Cookies

Cannoli

Brownies

Rice Krispie Square

Roat Beer Float

Healthy Meal suggestions for The Original Gino’s East of Chicago

Appetizers

Minestrone Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soup Of The Day [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Garlic Sticks With Dip [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheesy Pizza Bread [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Toasted Ravoli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bruschetta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Salads

Family Style Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Caesar Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Antipasto Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuscan Harvest Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Cobb Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Deep Dish Pizzas

Cheese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese & Our Famous Sausage [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese & Pepperoni [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gino's East Supreme [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meaty Legend [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Thin Crust Pizzas

Cheese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese & Our Famous Sausage [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese & Pepperoni [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese & Spinach [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gino's East Supreme [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Sandwiches

Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Parmesan Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meatball Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Italian Sausage [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Sweet Stuff

Fresh Baked Cookies [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cannoli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Brownies [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Rice Krispie Square [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roat Beer Float [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

Frank R.

OK, Let me preface this! I grew up in NYC eating New York Style Pizza. Having said that, I LOVE PIZZA, so on this recent trip to Chicago, I decided that we were going to try the best pizzas within walking distance of our hotel in the loop. We stopped at Giordanos and the wait was 2 and a half hours!! So our hotel concierge suggested our next stop Gino's East of Chicago. LONG waiting lines on a Saturday afternoon, maybe 40-60 minutes. I get up to be seated and a young guy walks up through the queue and get ahead of us with 4 people. He got out of a cab, snuck through the line along the wall and then signalled in his 3 other buddies and talks to the host seating people. The host puts him on the bench to be seated next and I said, this guy just walked up and wasn't in line like everyone else, whats up with that? He said, he told me he was next and now there's nothing I can do about it, he's already waiting to be seated....so much for a good start to dinner. The restaurant looks like it caters mostly to tourists as that was all that I met inline and looked like seated around us. Once inside, the walls were covered in "white-out" graffiti, you could ask for a bottle of white out and put your name, date anything you wanted really on the walls, on the seats, on the chairs, kind of a unique experience....EXCEPT for the bathroom walls, which are nicely tiled, and strictly off limits to graffiti. We sat down and ordered a Ironworks beer and a locally brewed beer. Our waiter Zach was quick, attentive and competent, nice guy! My wife and I ordered our small deep dish sausage pizza and all we added was onion.. About 45 minutes later the pizza arrived., not bad timing considering the place was pretty busy. In spite of the long lines outside, there were at least 3 tables in our areas upstairs that had no customers seated. It may have been a lack of servers, or lack of bus people, but certainly there shouldn't be empty tables while you have the hour plus waiting lines outside. On to the pizza...the crust was a little past golden brown, a little dark for my tastes but maybe that's what you get when you get a small pie. Zach served us each a slice and the cheese was adequate, not too little, but certainly not excessive. The sauce was plentiful and had kind of a sweet tomato taste to it, the onions were powerful. The sausage was almost non-existent. I had multiple bites where I didn't get any sausage at all and my wife mentioned that while I was thinking it, so for what that's worth. The crust was very thick and hard, I don't mean crispy, I mean hard and dark. We both ate the pizza and left the part of the crust that goes up the side of the pan. All in all, the flavor of the sauce was great, the tomatoes were sweeter than I expected. The onions were very strong onions and almost overpowered the entire pizza, picking some out helped a lot and we enjoyed the pizza. The local beer was great and they have a good selection that goes great with their full bodied pizzas. The bill came and I was surprised. It cost us $36.** plus tip for 2 beers and a SMALL pizza with not very much sausage. I looked on the website and found that the prices are SIGNIFICANTLY higher here that at other locations. I'm sure some of it has to do with location, and some of it has to do with this being a tourist area. 13.60 ($15.85 as we ordered) locally compared with $20.50 at my location, ($2.75 for onions??? what the hell kind of onions are you putting on a small pizza for $2.75???) on a SMALL pizza, come on...All in all, in the spirit of being fair, I rated the pizza 3 stars based upon crust hardness, the great sauce, sausage that was tasty but sparse and good beers and the touristy pricing knocked it down a bit. My wife and I are not big eaters, but when you pay $40+ for the smallest pizza and two beers and don't even have any leftovers to take back to the hotel it doesn't deserve a great rating. On to Lou Malnati's in two days to try another Chicago institution! Looking forward to that with renewed enthusiasm!
(2)
Mary E.

My husband and I are visiting Chicago this week, and decided, based on reviews and some friends who have been to the area, to stop in to Gino's East for some Chicago Deep Dish. We were here on a Wednesday night, so we didnt really wait long at all, even though the place was packed!! We ordered a small deep dish, which is 4 slices. We werent to hungry, we had a super big lunch at Goose Island Brew House(check out that review as well), so we figured that a small would be enough. We ordered the Ginos East Supreme. It came with pepperoni, sausage, onions, peppers and mushrooms, super hearty, yet another reason we ordered a small. It took about 50 minutes to get our pizza, which, they tell you when you sit down. The deep dish takes between 50 to 60 minutes and the this crust takes about 45. So if youre in a rush, you may want to reconsider and come back when you can sit and enjoy yourself! The pizza was super delicious, just not my style. I'm a jersey girl, I like my thin crust! The pizza was very flavor full though and perfectly cooked. The crust may take some getting used to! Not your traditional new york/jersey doughy crust, but more of a cornmeal crust. Still delicious! The atmosphere is really cool! Make sure you ask for a marker so you can "graffiti" the walls!!! Enjoy!
(4)
K S.

Sad to say this use to be one of my favorite places until I ordered a specific pizza with sausage only on half as I told the order taker I am a vegetarian and the other person eats meat. I said please make it very obvious which side has the meat. When I received my pizza not only was it a $30 pizza which is insane for a medium size but also every single piece of the pizza had a few pieces of sausage that you can tell were just tossed about like they didn't care. I followed up with 2 different people at Gino's and still nothing has been done. Now its time for an honest review. See what happens when you treat customers poorly, you get a bad review. It would have been 3 stars because of the food but now its 2 because of the lack of care.
(2)
Didie P.

As a visitor, consensus says this is the pizza place to try. I'm not a huge pizza fan as bread is scary to my thighs, but I was in Chicago; I had to try the deep dish! The line was out the door, in the sunshine, so yes, I was starving by the time we were seated only to be told that everything is made to order so it would take 45 minutes. It was worth the wait, yo. Le Boyfriend and I got the spicy variety with patty sausage. It was literally a giant patty of sausage... like a layer of spicy sausage. Looking at my slice of pie was like analyzing the sediments of the grand canyon where the sausage epoch might have lasted 10,000 years. The taste was great but the sausage was a little overwhelming. The crust was the behhhhhst--oh my goodness. It was slightly flaky/crumbly. Kind of a delightful combination of cornbread, pie crust, and pizza dough. We couldn't finish it the whole pie, but it was still good a few hours later as a pre-bed mini feast in my hotel room.
(4)
Terry M.

Was in Chicago for business and my wife came with me so we stayed the weekend for fun. Wanted a Chicago deep dish pizza and Gino's was recommended to us and it was 2 blocks from the hotel. As good as could be. The line was out the door, but they still managed to get people seated with 20 minutes or so. I went in and grabbed a couple of beers for the wait and there were open seats at the bar so we just sat there and ordered. The bartended was terrific. Kept everything moving, was efficient, and made good recommendations. The pizza was excellent. As a warning though, it is very filling. We only ordered a small and still had pizza left over. So come hungry!!
(5)
Critical S.

Yes, I did the touristy thing and came here to eat this past weekend while I was in Chicago. 45 minutes to an hour to wait for a pizza? Nice schtick, but the pizza wasn't worth it.
(2)
Dwayne O.

Ordered the Meaty Legend Deep Dish, meat coma on pizza dough. Ingredients are very good and the crust is a dry flaky dough. The service was pretty good considering it was on July 4 and everyone in Chicago was walking by on their way to Navy Pier to see the fireworks. We walked in with no wait and was seated upstairs. All the deep dish pizza in Chicago has lived up to their billing so that is a high standard that I put them at. Gotta try this pizza if you are in Chicago.
(4)
Tom F.

In town from Houston for table hockey tourney and wanted to try one of the famous Chicago pizza spots. I like deep dish pizza but wasn't crazy about the almost cornbread like crust. Toppings were great but just didn't care for the rest. Tossed the Leftover to go box shortly after leaving. Maybe my expectations were to high but it still would have only bumped the review up another star.
(2)
Carrie G.

My hubs loves loves loves this place. It makes him very happy to go here. He used to live in Chicago, so he has been here a lot. I like looking at all the graffiti, and the pizza is pretty good. You will have to wait almost an hour to get your food, so don't have any plans for anything soon and you will be fine. Everyone wants to be here, as it is an historic landmark. The prices are ok for a pizza place, and you will get enough food. It is very filling. There is usually a very long line to get in, so if you want to avoid that, come in on a weekday well before dinner time.
(4)
Johana M.

The appetizer was good. We had the spinach sticks (good), crispy ravioli (good), bruschetta (loved) and the calamari (the sauce was gooood). As far as the deep dish .. Eh. The crust was too much and the pizza itself was alright. The place is cool looking and the staff was very nice.
(3)
Mari A.

I know, I know, I know how could I.. meeeh. It didn't wow me all that much. BUT to be fair, I'm not a deep dish pizza girl. That's why my two friends and I ordered a small deep dish and a medium thin crust. It's CHICAGO; so OF COURSE I had to try a deep dish, so why not try from the #1 place that EVERYONE keeps talking about. Another friend who had been here a few times already raved about the Spinach deep dish. So we got a small Spinach deep dish and a combination thin pizza. I was already thinking that the deep dish wouldn't make me switch sides. But I guess I was expecting the thin crust to be fairly good. I wasn't overly impressed. I would have much rather gone back to South Loop and pizza hopped with their tavern style pizza in that area. I do love the vibe in the place though, the writings on the brick walls were fun to take pictures with and the hosts and waiters were all really nice. I probably wouldn't come back if I was to vacation Chicago again, but I'd put up the suggestion to a deep dish loving friend if they ask. ;)
(3)
Kari O.

GOOD PIZZA - RUDE STAFF We came here for dinner and had a large party, the host said we can wait in the bar area (which is what we did) and the security guards were SUPER mean. We saw tables that were opened and thought it was open seating. We asked one of the busboys and he said it was open seating and we could sit there, so we did. A few minutes later an angry security guard yelled at us telling us to move. The bartender who helped us was really nice and let us order some appetizers at the bar but i cant say much for the jerk security guard.
(2)
Phil D.

Came here for a lunch special and gotta say, if you're looking for a sampling of Chicago Deep Dish at a low price, Gino's East can't be beat. for $6.25(which becomes $8 after tax and tip), you get a personal deep deep pizza(cheese, sausage, or pepperoni), and a side salad. So how is the pizza? Well, for a true experience you really want to split a full pie with a few other people(or try to tackle it yourself, if you're feeling gutsy). From what I experienced here for lunch though, I can comment on the components of the pizza itself, particularly the crust, tomato sauce, and cheese. The crust here is solid; crispy and flaky while still maintaining it's integrity in the middle. Also the sauce, as compared to Giordano's, is a little sweeter. I actually prefer this balance of sweet and savory, so that was thumbs up for me. Additionally the sausage ordered is delicious and altogether balances the pie pretty well. May update this review when I try out a full pie, but from what I've had, I imagine they nail it with the crust and pizza sauce.
(4)
Jason H.

Every time I go to Chicago, this is where I have to get a pizza. We usually go to a few other places, but this is my spot. There is no better pizza in Chicago for me. The deep dish is unreal. This time I took a large frozen one home, so I can enjoy it tonight! You won't be disappointed here and the location is fantastic. Do yourself a favor and go check it out.
(5)
Baris A.

Service is sooo late, music is sooo loud, noise is sooo high. Taste; still we don't :/
(1)
Randoll C.

My second day in Chicago, the stars were all in alinement. Got to Gino's East around lunch time, to try their deep dish pizza so that I could have something to compare it to the deep dish pizzas that restaurants here in LA, claim are authentic deep dish. A line, but somehow, my party of five was seated within minutes. Seated in the dining area next to the bar - there are several dining areas to include outdoor seating as well as upstairs too. No arguments in the group about what to order and we all shared a medium pie with a few appetizers. The appetizers we agreed on were the calamari and the hot wings. I didn't care for either. The calamari was well done and the batter had a chalky taste. The hot wings weren't spicy hot - seemed like standard chicken wings basted in sauce. The pizza was a different story though. But first the service - awesome. Friendly, helpful and funny. She was even honest with her feelings about the other deep dish restaurants in the Chicago area as she had worked a few of them before Gino's. Attentive even with all the large parties in her section. As for the pizza - I only had one piece not because I didn't like it, but because it was that filling. The cooks that cooked our pie have the process dialed in as the pie was cooked perfectly. Not over or underdone and I could even eat it with a fork and knife, as opposed to a spoon. The flavors didn't even need any extra cheese or hot peppers for flavor. The service and the pizza alone made me a fan of Gino's. Decent bar with a few crafts, local and not. Bartenders seemed friendly and had some nice heavy pours.
(4)
Maureen P.

Walked in and walked right back out. The hostess Za-Kia was extremely rude. We walked up, she doesn't say a word. I asked are you taking names? She said no, just sit down. Than very rudely came over to tell us there was room for us upstairs. I said goodbye!
(1)
Hamad A.

This waiter I had was soooooooo rude, it is like he served us for free. Food was not that great. Hint, you should be papered that you would wait for at least 45 min till you have your meal.
(2)
Wei V.

This place was our first stop on the Bobby's Bikes, Bites and Brews tour, which supposed to be one of the best pizzerias in Chicago. I learned that their crust was made out of cornmeal and I loved it the most so far among the other deep dish places, which wasn't too hard or dry. This place had a big American flag in the middle of the room on the second floor and a lot of writings on the wall. I would visit here again to try the other items.
(4)
Kate S.

Ordered the italian beef sandwich, cheese bread appetizer and caesar salads since it was an hour wait for a deep dish carryout. Food was pretty good, and they were really good about giving us perks when the kitchen messed up our order and we had to wait. Within walking distance to a lot of hotels downtown. Definitely call about an hour ahead if you want to do carryout or delivery.
(3)
Ashley R.

SO FREAKING AMAZING. Apparently there are three (if I remember correctly?) types of deep dish...do your research and try them all while you're out in this area whether you're here just to visit or for a long term venture...duh, it's a must.
(5)
Nikki T.

As you can tell from my last review someone that is really close to me LOVES to eat and knows their way around Chicago! So in an effort to "when in Rome" I obliged. Another place someone wouldn't stop raving about was Gino's Pizza. We arrived around 5 p.m. on a Sunday and it was raining but that wasn't a deterrent for other pizza lovers because there was still a line. We decided to valet (but in Chicago are there any other choices?) and got a spot right in front of the restaurant which was great since it was raining. We waited in line outside (under an awning) for about 10 minutes. Not a bad wait at all. Upon entering we were able to sit down in the order in which we would be seated for a table. Our waitress was polite and personable. We were torn on what type of pizza to get. We knew we wanted deep dish - but couldn't decide between a meat lovers or classic. She suggested getting half and half - PERFECT! We ordered chicken nachos as an appetizer and O. M. G! That could have been the meal. A huge portion made it enough to share. The chips were light and crispy and the chicken was shredded so I had enough room for at least one slice. And man, am I happy I left some room. I'll admit it - the pizza was damn good. I've had similar deep dish pizzas before but never this type of crust. This crust looked like cornbread. It was delicious and surprisingly light and soft. The environment is what I would expect in any pizza place; a mix of families, couples and friends - all looking to enjoy a night out with pizza. They have a tradition here where you can write your name or whatever you want on just about anything you want. The chairs, the wall, the ceiling, the booths. I didn't have a permanent marker with me so I missed my chance but next time I'm putting our names on the wall! I
(4)
Alana A.

Famous! But...for what? I've heard about this place for years. On all those TV shows and all those people telling me that I have to come here when I finally visit Chicago. Well I'm here now and......what? Not impressed. Ok, yeah it's cool. It's cool in that it's ginormous. It's cool in that there is writing ALL OVER the walls. Pretty hip and cool. But that's pretty much it. The pizza? When it arrived, just that small piece, I thought, is this all? Very bland and tasteless and the dough seemed undercooked. Service wasn't the best. Lacked much attentiveness overall. I remember having my pizza sitting in front of me and just waiting and waiting and waiting for someone to bring me something I needed, while my pizza just sat there getting cold. It's also SO LOUD! Not fun. This place is no big deal. I don't know what all the fuss is about. If I were to visit Chicago again, I'd definitely skip Gino's.
(2)
Jamie H.

Everyone said to try Chicago style pizza. The concierge at our hotel recommended the Original Gino's East. No wait, we ordered salads to start which were amazing especially the mason jar caprese. They recreated the original pizza for us as it's no longer on the menu-sausage patty with spinach. Pizza was solid but nothing life changing, the server said pizza takes about an hour came out in 45 minutes. Sliced and served for us. Service was average nothing amazing but solid.
(4)
Elena N.

2.5 STARS I needed something small and quick since I was having a super early dinner at 5p. While on vacation I like visiting restaurants that I can only find in those areas. So in Chicago, that included Gino's! Since it was only me eating, I decided to get the Lunch special. Mon-Fri, 11a-2p, you can get the following for $6.25. Served with a luncheon salad, cup of soup or potato salad with a foundation drink: -Mini deep dish pizza - cheese, pepperoni, sausage or mini special of the day -Hot dog with fries I ended up getting a Luncheon salad and a Mini deep dish pizza with pepperoni. The salad was actually really good. Lettuce was crisp and fresh. The mini pizza was a let down. Due to the size, you couldn't get much cheese, sauce and pepperoni in there, so the pizza felt like it was mostly crust. There wasn't that saucy cheesy goodness I love about deep dish pizzas. If it wasn't just me eating, I would have gotten a small pizza and probably enjoyed it more. But the mini deep dish was a fail!
(3)
Lauren B.

I have little experience with deep dish pizza. I've been to Chicago once and I've had deep dish once, so I might not be the best judge. But, I love pizza and I love now love deep dish. I'm a little disappointed that I don't have much to compare it to, but I thought Gino's was delish. We actually ordered take-out -- we stayed at the Mile North next door and about 50 steps away, so we called ahead in anticipation of a 45-minute wait. We ordered on a Sunday night around 9:30 and it was about a 90 minute wait for a table. Delicious pizza. A pie that's a pizza. One piece was enough for me, and I saved the other for lunch the next day. I'd definitely recommend it, but I'm looking forward to trying other deep dish joints when I'm back in Chicago!
(4)
Nick S.

Do you like pizza. If yes you'll be in heaven. If you don't like pizza you will after going here. We're from Boston so we are far more used to thin crust pizza. However, the 35 minute wait in line outside, which we were told is less than usual, the 10 minute wait inside and the 1 hour wait while our deep dish pizza was being made and cooked was well worth the total wait time. It was spectacular. We got the sausage patty, covers the entire pizza, and red pepper. Omg it was sooo good with the Dirty Bastard ale. Wish we had this restaurant around here. Do not miss this place when you're in Chicago.
(5)
Suzanne O.

Gino's used to be my go to deep dish pizza place until I discovered better places. Of the big pizza places in Chicago, my ranking is as follows: 1) Lou Malnatis 2) Pizano's 3) Ginos 4) Uno/Due 5) Giordanos Since this is deep dish pizza, crust is obviously very important. I've always loved the cornmeal crust, which is why I keep coming back. Most other places do a buttery crust, so Gino's stands out in this regard. This crust is a littler drier and more crumbly than other places, but it has great flavor. The tomato sauce here is decent, but just not as good as Lou's. I'm boring and always go for the cheese pizza, but there are lots of different toppings to try. The last time I was here we got half spinach/half cheese, and they weren't cheap with the spinach. There was actually too much spinach! I've also had the famous sausage patty, but I'm personally not a fan. It's about a quarter inch thick and covers the entire pie, so it's a lot of sausage! I've also had a few salads here- antipasto and tuscan harvest salad. The antipasto salad is not at all worth it. There's just big slices of cheese, tomato, and meat on iceberg lettuce. No thanks. The Tuscan harvest salad however was pretty good with apples, gorgonzola and raspberry vinaigrette. I think the atmosphere at this location is what makes it so fun. You can write all over the walls, and they are literally covered from floor to ceiling. And if you ask the waiters, they'll give you a marker to use on the wall. Overall, good pizza, but if you're only in town for a short time and have to choose one pizza place, I'd go for Lou Malnatis.
(3)
Shelby H.

I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. I was happy - and surprised - that there was no wait when we arrived at about 6 PM on a Monday evening. We ordered the antipasto salad to start and it was sad. The lettuce was a little wilty and the toppings were lacking. We ordered the supreme pizza with pepperoni. The pizza itself was not any better than the deep dishes I've gotten from chain restaurants where I'm from in Michigan (Pizza Papalis and Uno). There just wasn't anything special about it. The crush was a corn crust rather than the white crust I'm used to, which was just ok. The only reason why I don't give it a lower rating is because the service was very good.
(3)
Kara P.

Deep dish is a top 10 experience in the Windy City. Now with the big deep players why did we venture here ? 1. Lou Malnatti's has a great online ordering, you can get it shipped to your house. 2. Giordanos had 1.5 hour wait 3. Only 45 min wait here 4. Cornmeal crust was worth the try 5. High tech check in process with hostess on a portable device. Very efficient ! The pizza was rich, savory, and goooooey. The amount of cheese just pulls out and is hot and stretchy. The cornmeal crust is ok and I think it's worth trying, but the New Yorker in me craves a different texture to hold up a slice. It's meh, but the service is efficient and friendly which I appreciate while on vacation with hungry kids.
(3)
Kevin B.

A legendary pizza joint downtown and a fun experience. A good selection of beers, fresh salad and a 45 min wait for a deep dish pizza. We as tourist enjoyed the pizza (margarita). It was very good but not great. I actually thought the crust was very unique and flaky. The pizza however is not worth waiting in line or waiting over 2 hrs.
(4)
Sean M.

Yipes, stripes! This was the blandest pizza I've had in quite some time. In fact, I'm wondering if perhaps it was imaginary pizza because I hardly remember any actual taste or flavor when I shoved it down my piehole on a recent evening when I was very, very hungry. Luckily, someone else picked up the tab, so that earned it an extra star. I don't think I'll fall for that trick twice, though. Sorry, Gino's East. It just wasn't meant to be.
(2)
Richard B.

On a recent family vacation to Chicago, had to take the kids out for their first, authentic Chicago Deep Dish. Very glad we chose Gino's as had a great meal there. Using previous reviews, decided to get there early to avoid a real wait. We were a table of 6 and got in right away at about 5:30. Waiter was great and let us know if we were ordering deep dish, to do it right away as it is 45-60 minutes. We went ahead and ordered a large Gino's Supreme with some Deep Dish Nachos(20 minute wait) and some hot wings. Waiter gave some great local beer recommendations as well. Wings came out pretty quick and were very tasty. The nachos came out next and were pretty darn good. Were served in a small deep dish pan, baked and hot. filled with Tortilla Chips, Refried Beans, Cheddar Cheese, Black Olives, Jalapenos, Pico de Gallo. Was very interesting! My son also ordered minestrone soup which was great, but interestingly enough, the broth did not seem tomato based, was more white. The pizza arrived and was great, everything you would expect. Piled high was cheese, sauce, good crust, tons of toppings and plenty of forks and knives to tear it up. Great overall experience! Decor fun, server solid, great local beers enjoyed(Krankshaft Kolsch and Barney Flats Porter) excellent food. We walked by the next night around 6:30 and line outside was 20 people deep, so very glad we went early!!!!
(4)
Toree P.

I was in Chicago for less than 24 hours for work. I was staying at the DoubleTree on Mag Mile and Gino's East was recommended by the concierge. We knew that dinner definitely had to be famous Chicago pizza. We were headed to "another-famous-pizza-place-down-the-way" and Gino's East drew us in. When we walked in we were greeted friendly, put on the list, and then asked to set on this bench. We quickly realized your spot on the bench meant your spot in line... there were a few mean eye looks but we all played nice :) Everything is covered in chalk signatures, catchphrases, pictures, and other reminders of guests past. Once seated our server walked the "newbies" through the menu and process of ordering a true deep-dish pizza. Let me tell you - the 45 minute wait was worth it. The cheese was gooey, layered with thin slices of pepperoni, and then topped with amazing homemade marinara sauce. The crust was cornbread based and baked to crunchy golden crisp. I think I dreamed about this pizza and can't wait to go back.
(4)
Leah A.

Find someplace else to get your Chicago pizza. This place is a scam with a crappy product, trying to rake in your tourist cash. We thought that this was about the worst pizza we've ever had. We got the lunch special. It took 30 minutes, when it was supposed to be a fast version of lunch. The pizza had little flavor, over-cooked ingredients, and was flat. The salad was crappy iceberg with brown edges.
(1)
Bethany S.

We got the supreme pizza and wasn't impressnt at all the crust was super dry not many topping and a lot of sauce. Were were excited to come here but very disappointed with the pizza on a positive note appetizers we had were good
(2)
C B.

This restaurant was established back in the late 60's. Food is good and deep dish pizza is incomparable. Salads are also excellent as are the appetizers. Bar has excellent, local beer on tap. Service directly in the bar is poor, rude and lacks consideration for its clients. I was a regular customer. Had to ask for and follow up on service. The person who used to provide service, a bartender, copped an attitude. As a customer you are not supposed to ask questions. They are considered a challenge rather than someone who is asking for helpful information. I had been told what to expect one evening and when it was not provided, I was wrong to ask about it. Until that time, I had been able to count on what had been committed. I was told that customers had complained. This was with the experience that I had fun connections with all people sitting next to me. This feedback came from the guy who didn't like my asking questions. Other customers also commented that he provided no consideration for others. I know they were concerned about the way we all were treated. I had been happy to assist others/visitors to Chicago and had many people who asked for my suggestions, given that I was a long time resident and customer. I enjoyed assisting visitors and received much appreciation from them. I will not be going back unless I receive an apology for the way I was treated. I did not deserve this lack of consideration given that I was a regular, daily customer with good relationships with other customers. I had been a customer for over a year and had always provided solid, quality and positive feedback about my experience. This is a BAR. It has good food, but it is not a place considered for providing quality service and fine dining.
(1)
Heidi C.

First time trying deep dish pizza and it was pretty good! The atmosphere was fun and hip, with writing all over the walls.
(4)
Siddharth S.

The guy outside was extremely rude. There was a line outside although inside the restaurant there seemed to be lot of empty waiting space.. They intentionally kept people waiting outside in the Chicago winter.. I guess it helps their business when there is a line outside. Anyhow, when we finally got a seat the waiter was quite unfriendly as well. The food however was good. No complaints there. I've eaten deep dish in every pizza restaurant in Chicago and I wouldn't say Gino's is anything extraordinary. Its also on the expensive side. There are many better options - specially in terms of customer service.
(1)
Andrea C.

This was out first ever taste if Chicago style pizza, and Gino's was delicious! We had the pepperoni deep dish. One slice was more than enough since I usually have thin crust at home. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Chicago!
(4)
Ben E.

Based on many friends' recommendations I couldn't pass up the chance to go to the original spot. This is the standard by which all Chicago deep dish pizza is held against. I can personally say that the reputation is well deserved. I was seated very quickly because I sat at the bar. The bartender was witty and very helpful. Based on his suggestion I went for it. I tried the pinnacle of meaty deep dish pizza called "The Meaty Legend." It was so rich and full of meat that I was only able to get through half a personal pizza. I think that thing was as deep as it was wide. I would definitely go back when I visit Chicago again.
(4)
Ryan R.

So I traveled to Chicago for a football tournament, but a close second was to cross another iconic deep dish pizza chain off my list. A friend and I decided to try out Gino's East since it was close to our hotel. The wait was over an hour when we got there which was weird because it wasn't that packed, but we found a spot at the bar and happily sat down and ordered there. I started off with a HUGE bottle of cider that was very tasty and we ordered a medium pepperoni and sausage pizza. The pizza really does take quite a while as we waited for over an hour for ours. However, when it came out it was totally worth it. The sausage is not like that prefab stuff they use at most other pizza places, it is basically broken down meatballs and goes so well with the sauce and cheese and of course oven-baked crust. The whole pizza, which came out to under $30, easily could have fed 3 people as we didn't even finish it, though we both tried our hardest. The wait staff at the bar was entertaining as well and were friendly to boot. The TV set up they have in there is pretty good as well as we followed the Sunday night baseball game while we ate. It's a good thing I live so far away because I might gain a couple pounds a week if this place was anywhere close to where I live. Great food, friendly service, and good prices, just make sure you have time to wait for that authentic deep dish pizza!
(5)
Janine J.

Amanda the bar tender was the cutest thing I've ever seen. She is like a sexy Peter Pan. She made my experience much more pleasant. The pizza took forever to come out so I took off a star. Other then that great service and food.
(4)
Matt A.

As out-of-towners, me and my girlfriend were relying on family recommendations for good deep dish in Chicago, and we settled on Gino's. We got in before the lunch rush on Friday and split a small dish, my half with the sausage patty and hers with mushrooms. After being warned about the 45-60 wait to bake, we added an app of mozzarella sticks. Everything we had was great and filling. Would definitely come back or recommend to others (but would not be opposed to doing some comparing, either).
(4)
Andrea K.

TOURIST TRAP! So not worth it. Sure you may want to dine at this iconic establishment but there must be far better pizza out there. I hope so anyway, for Chicago's sake. We had the small deep dish with pepperoni and I had the gluten free with sausage. Seriously don't even come here if you want gluten free. They clearly do not make it in house and it tastes like cardboard. I truly think that the entire pizza was pre-made and frozen. HORRIBLE! The crust on the deep dish wasn't good either- more cakey than anything, we didn't eat it. Cheese was ok and the sauce was lacking. Overpriced and not good. Avoid.
(2)
Ali G.

We got a deep dish pizza to go on our way through town on a roadtrip. I was not impressed, at all. I was expecting lots of flavor from the sauce, but it was so bland! Pretty much just crushed tomatoes. :/ The mozzarella was thick and plentiful, the toppings were good quality, but the crust was too thick and hard and it tasted too strongly of cornmeal. Granted this was my first "authentic" Chicago deep dish experience. I think I'll try a different pizzeria or two before I give up on that style of pizza.
(2)
Johanna G.

When I think about "pizza" I immediately think of picking up a slice, folding it, and stuffing my face. What - I'm a NYer, thats how we eat pizza. Chicago-ians, on the other hand, have a completely different take on pizza than we do. Who's right? well...NYers, of course, but thats just because thats how we roll. I had a laundry list of things that I needed to get done when I came to chicago, and chicago style pizza was right on top of that. This spot is apparently one of the more famous ones (I think that fat little nugget from Man vs Food came here as well). We got here hungry, thirsty, and in a sheer panic from standing on the plastic floor thingy in the sears tower. Luckily we got in before the rush - this place is great looking. its got two floors, its open and airy in the seating and it looks like everyone draws all over the walls. The wait here can be pretty long, due to both the popularity...and the time it takes to make their pizza. 55 effn minutes. are you serious? Okay okay, we'll wait. But we're ordering appetizers first. Appetizers - nothing special. They're quintessential fried apps from any fast food chain (mozzarella sticks, calamari, etc.) Only get them if you legit are starving and can't wait an hour for your pizza. Decent beer selection, and pizza! So the pizza is totally wrong, with the crust thick, and the toppings UNDER the sauce but over the cheese (wtf...)...and tasted oh so right. the crust had a good crunch to it, and wasn't gross and soggy. it came out steaming, and the waiter did this adorable little serving thing. and it really hit the spot. I mean, we left fat, bloated, and full of pizza...with some left over for breakfast, but all in all, from the decor, to the waitstaff, to the pizza it was a great experience. Better than NY pizza? Fugghedaboutit
(4)
Christian P.

Very good deep dish pizza with corn bread crust and nice appetizers! Next time I will order with double cheese as I found it not as cheesy as some other Chicago's pizza types (main reason why I put here 4 and not 5) Grafitti on tables and wall do not really look like made only by guests... where is the ladder otherwise to write things on the ceiling? the waiter did not even have a white pen for us to write something! PS: Chicago fire really means fire!
(4)
Tim S.

I don't get it. If that makes me an unrefined Midwestern because I don't like this pizza then so be it. But I truly don't understand the love for Gino's east. Let me say I am a NY style pizza fan. But being as objective as possible and comparing to other legit, authentic deep dish pizza, Gino's just isn't as good. I feel like this place lives on its reputation and not on the pizza. The crust is a bit different, having a corn meal base - which I don't like. I tried three different types and I didn't like 2 of them at all but the only one that was decent was the meat pizza. The toppings were cool as the sausage was a full layer around the pizza. That ends the list of the things I liked here. If you want authentic deep dish Chicago style pizza go somewhere else.
(2)
Tom S.

Don't go there if we have been drinking. Apparently, there is a policy to not seat anyone who has been drinking beer at Cubs game. This was the most ridiculous thing if ever heard of. Little security guy at front was flexing his muscle if guess. Almost comical. Ended up at Portillos and was 10x better food. Thanks Gino, you just lost a customer who has been going there for 30 years! Pizza is not that good to turn away customers!
(1)
Miglena K.

We (a party of 7) were seated almost immediately. We got the supreme, the vegetable, and the meaty legend pizzas! the meaty legend is simply Delicious - I recommend that! The service was quick but the server did not mention they only take 3 credit cards per table (??) so splitting the check was a huge hassle, took forever, and finally when we split it he ran the amounts without adding tax. So he left us with 10.67$ balance all tax that again we had to split. What a headache.
(4)
Alicia H.

Amazing! We were worried about the lone outside when we walked up but it went quickly and is so worth the wait! The deep dish pizza is to die! The atmosphere and service was perfect! This will be our go-to every time we're in Chicago!
(5)
Meliss P.

My feelings on the place in general is mixed. My boyfriend and I were visiting from Columbus (first time to Chicago)... he had heard of Ginos from his friend so we had to try it. We went in and were told it would be a 45 minute wait for deep dish (which was fine we knew that a head of time). We actually ended up waiting for an hour and a half! The bartender who was serving us was nice and apologetic. They ended up just giving us the pizza. The pizza was outstanding. We loved it. It was just crappy that we had to wait an hour an a half. My boyfriend swore that the bartender probably didn't even put it in when he was supposed to. (people were getting their food around us). I've been a bartender for years... it was busy but it wasn't THAT busy. All in all... Pizza was awesome. They made up for the crappiness. They needed more people on staff. Would I go again? Yes... I would just order ahead and hope for the best.
(4)
April W.

best pizza I have ever eaten in my entire life and the sangria was amazing!!!!!!!
(5)
Katerina R.

Best deep dish I have ever tried: their four cheese deep dish. So so so good and so fun to come here with the family!
(5)
Ann S.

Pizza was fine but very bland. Did not live up to expectations for Classic Chicago pizza at all. The decor is neat though.
(2)
Saba E.

There was all this hype about Gino's I heard back in Houston. "Go try it! The line is totally worth the wait!" And, usually, I'm a sucker for hype, pomp, circumstance, the whole shebang, really. So, I was super psyched when our group of ten was allowed into Gino's with a less than ten minute wait! Less than ten for ten! Say whhaaaaaa?!! So excited! As we galloped up to the third floor, we encountered lots of flair, graffiti, and just awesomeness showing evidence of those who had dined before us (or so I gathered). After the usual 40minute wait for traditional deep dish pizza, we had our pizza - - I was about to get my ddp card punched!! Full of giddiness, I took a piece with my fork (which by the way is a total wag of the finger in New York) and punched my card. You know how your first time isn't your best...well, this wasn't. In fact, I may go as far to say I wish I never had my ddp punched. It was awfully saucy, cold vegetables, and a swee corn bread type crust. It just felt wrong. Just wrong. So, I guess Deep Dish Pizza isn't for me. Thanks for the introduction, Chicago, but no more for me, please.
(2)
Ed L.

Ordered the Gino's Supreme. Great balance between tangy and sweet. Liked the chunky tomato sauce. The vegetables had great flavor and texture. Liked the crumbly crust. Pizza is served hot straight out of the oven. It does take close to an hour to bake and they warn you ahead of time. Appreciated that they don't seat you until they are ready to start on your order.
(5)
Jason P.

Great deep dish pizza...incredibly filling. Started with a house salad that was also simple but tasty. Glad I went.
(4)
Phil S.

Pizza is only as good as its ordered, most food is actually, and with Gino's East there is no exception. KISS - Keep it simple!! The 4 cheese deep dish might be the Best Deep Dish Pizza EVER!!!! The deep dish spinach is also fantastic and I heard the firehouse sausage is awesome. Just stay away from the Sausage patty pie, and as a result the Meat Lovers, its too much and you will never be happy - the balance is off. If you like meat that much, go get an Italian Beef and sausage w/ giardinera at Al's or an Italian Meatball sandwich dipped in red gravy at Ricobenes. At Gino's East do yourself a favor, 4 Cheese Deep Dish, Beer, and Salad. and oh yeah don't forget a little hot sauce!!
(5)
Ryan E.

I came here to see what all the hype was about with the deep dish pizza. The restaurant had 2 sides, a bar side and a restaurant side. In the middle there is a pickup window for to-go orders. I picked up my pizza to-go. I had a sausage, mushroom, and cheese pizza with a salad which I split with my wife. I have to say that neither one of us are fans of deep dish pizza. I know many people from Chicago who rave about it, some even order it to be shipped here to Los Angeles. I'm sure if you like deep dish pizza this is probably a good spot. The salad was refreshing.
(3)
Katie C.

I'm truly not a deep dish fan by any means, but this was fabulous ! I could have just ate the crust honestly...it was that tasty! We ordered a Caesar salad that wasn't anything to impressive, breadsticks that came with it were alright as well. Keep in mind that when you get to your table and order your pizza it generally takes about 40 mins for your pizza to get done if you order their deep dish. NOT complaining, just wanted to put that out there. We had a good time just talking and taking in all the signatures on walls and the atmosphere in general, very busy and happy! We ordered the deep dish veg pizza and it was fantastic! So much flavor and we decided if we did the veg it would counteract all the butter in the crust! It was perfect! I did notice on a couple bites there was a "doughy" taste but I just plowed on..to good to go to waste. Their cheese really makes the pizza. Word of warning!!!!! If you are visiting g this location, take advantage of the valet parking for $14! If you park in the garage next door, it is $32 dollars!!!!!!!!! We were there for a little over an hour! So watch out!
(5)
Ben C.

Went here looking for the authentic Chicago pizza and it delivered! Great menu options, everything on it sounded amazing, the best mozzarella sticks I've ever had and fantastic pizza! The only thing keeping it from 5 stars is that I had to repeatedly ask for water and clearing the table from our waiter, and it was about 9:30pm on a Sunday so very few people were there. I highly recommend the food, great meals!!!!
(4)
Al N.

We have eaten a lot of Chicago deep dish style pizzas. Gino's was great. Sweet tomato sauce,lots of cheese and the sausage was really good. Mozzarella sticks were very good. Kids really liked everything.
(5)
Kevin L.

Oh so sad. I thought this would be better. I know the debate goes on... what is the best pizza in Chicago. Many say Gino's, many say Lou Malnati's, some say another... This was not it for us. We spend the day going all over Chicago, the evening drinking and enjoying jazz and headed to Gino's for a good hot meal. We were exhausted so this seemed like a great idea. I was extremely impressed with the structure to move people in and out and shortening the wait time however I felt that negatively inside because they rush table service. The service was not good and they all seemed to be unhappy. We did hit Lou's the next night which proved to be far better pizza and just overall tasted fresher. As a foodie, the fresh factor was big. I can't say I recommend Gino's and I will not go back.
(2)
John M.

We are visiting from phoenix AZ, and this is a WOW !!!! I am not one for thick crust pizza, but there deep dish was absolutely great. Our pizza was cover with plenty of toppings and very flavorful. Our server Sandy was very attentive. I am really glad we tried them.
(5)
Chris B.

Overrated.... Went to visit during my short visit to Chicago. Got the Ginos original in personal size. It was definitely filling but the taste was nothing special. The crust and overall pizza did not taste as good as Lou Malnattis. On the plus side, there was no wait since it was late January. Won't be back.
(3)
Coral E.

Well, coming up to Chicago from Mississippi - I had to try some deep dish pizza. However, I just wasn't a fan. But that's not why I'm giving them just 3 stars. We had a large group for dinner (with a reservation made) and we weren't welcomed with the friendliest of welcomes when we got there. The girl asked me what time I had, I looked at my watch and said 7:27 p.m. She asked what time was our reservation for? I responded 7:30 p.m. She had to go check to see if our table was ready! Really? Three minutes early? We were also told by the guy working the front to "get out of the way of the front door". Our group had just walked in, we weren't intending to have to wait and block their front door for as long as we had to. The service was excellent. Luckily. The salad was fine for a pizza restaurant, our appetizers were all delicious - but our pizza wasn't very hot. I get that we had ordered several, but they should have at least still been warm. Overall - just an ok visit to Gino's.
(3)
Meridith M.

This pizza was amazing! I have to say that I've never experienced true deep dish pizza until I came here. All other pizza outside of Chicago pales in comparison. Their crust was part cornmeal and flour. The crust is like it's name sake a "pizza pie", so delicious. This place is worth the wait and definitely a must for anyone who wants to try true deep dish pizza.
(4)
J G.

To be fair, lots love it. But it is not for the high quality meat and sauce. Very sub par and sort of like rubber. If high quality meat is your game, try somewhere else.
(2)
Katrina I.

You know how you shouldn't have any expectations so as not to be disappointed? This is how I feel about deep dish pizza. The wait at Giordanos was an hour. Taking into consideration the 45 minute cook time of deep dish pizza, I say nay to waiting two hours for lunch. We headed over to Gino's East. They were friendly and told us we had only a 10-15 minute wait. We were seated very soon after that. I wish we could have sat in the upstairs area because the downstairs part where we sat was chilly!! Very casual atmosphere with writing all over the walls. Cool touch. We ordered some mozz sticks to keep us occupied while we waited for our food. They were good but lukewarm. They had to have been sitting there for a short while before they were brought to us. The texture was slightly grainy. When I chewed down on my mozzarella stick I crunched something so hard it hurt my tooth. Probably just an overcooked pieced of breadcrumb. We ordered the Chicago fire pizza with red onion, peppers and spiced sausage. It was pretty good. My least favorite part of the pizza was the cornmeal crust. I'm not into sweet foods and the cornmeal gave my spicy food a sweet flavor I wasn't wild about. It was also a little grainy and thick. When I think deep dish I think buttery, soft crispy, doughy. But what do I know? I'm from NY! Next time I'm back in Chicago I'd like to check out a different restaurant and see what other types of crust I could find. Definitely give deep dish another go.
(3)
Dana C.

What can I truly say about this gritty piece of Chicago? It's a staple, it's a must-do, and it's pretty fun. I was visiting some friends up in Chicago, one of which had never had deep dish pizza. We were deciding between here and Giordano's 2 blocks away. We went with Gino's, but to be honest... I wish we'd gone with Giordano's. The crust kind of tasted like corn bread. The sauce was super messy. Nothing really got me. I was disappointed. And I really didn't think I would be. I love pizza, okay?! I had a decent experience, which is why I say, meh, 3 stars. And I know I'd go back if I had to. The writing on the wall is my favorite part tho.
(3)
Sadaf Q.

TLDR: Try deep dish pizza in Chicago. This is just one of the places you can go. There's a wait time. I give it a 3.6/5. This is the first place I tried deep dish pizza! I was actually on a vacation with my family and we were recommended by my cousin to go here. We got there and there was a 45 minute wait to get into be seated. We decided to do it anyway, despite having a one year old with us. After the wait, we finally got seated and we ordered because all of us were hungry. Then we sat for a while and observed our surroundings. The inside is super interesting as there are names and initials on every inch of the restaurant. It's not super formal or anything. They also have interesting glass art. And a LOT of people everywhere. We got our cheese sticks first. They were really good. I mean they were warm and the sauce that came with it was perfect! They're definitely filling though because we all had less appetite for the pizza, almost wishing we just ordered mozzarella cheese sticks since the pizza did take a while to arrive (around 30 minutes. In addition to the wait time outside. Remember , we had a one year old with us). The pizza was not what I had expected it to be! The sauce was on the outside. The crust was very different than regular $5 pizza at little Caesars crust. It was more flaky and crunchy than soft and chewy. But it wasn't like it was burnt and hard. I'm not a huge fan of crust though. The pizza itself is very heavy. I was full after a piece and a half of it. For five of us, one pizza plus the mozzarella sticks was enough. The service was okay. It's a busy place so you can't expect someone to be with you always or to always be as accommodating as you want them to be. Overall, I think there are other deep dish pizza places in Chicago and if you're with a child and don't want to deal with wait times, you're better off going there because I don't think Gino's was so wow that no other pizza place could compare. However, DO try deep dish pizza in Chicago. Would I come back here? If I were to visit Chicago again, probably not. Would I recommend it? If it's your first time, I would! The pizza was yummy and it's worth trying.
(4)
Bernie C.

Well, I've had delivery from this place before and I've also dined in. When I first had the delivery/takeout, I was very impressed by it. However, upon my 2nd visit, I dined in and wasn't too overwhelmed. Given that we were tourists, a colleague and I decided to indulge and get the following: 1. A mixed app plate which included: deep fried spinach, deep fried mozerella sticks, calamari, artichoke dip and possibly other things, too much to remember. My favourite thing was the deep fried spinach. 4/5. 2. Deep dish nachos: My colleague ate most of these, however overall, it tasted pretty good. Very heavy. 3.5/5 3. A small deep dish pizza (I think we got the Gino's Supreme). As usual, the crust was amazing, but after 3-4 bites, I found it too rich for my palette. I understand, this is deep dish pizza. What I did like though was a lot of the ingredients as it tasted great. Note: there is a 45 minute wait for deep dish. 3/5 In terms of ambiance, I like the fact that you can write your name on the chalkboard and it feels very casual. Verdict: If you've never had Chicago deep dish pizza, then this place is a must. Otherwise, it's a-ok.
(3)
Steve P.

This is the Mother Ship. If you want Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, this is where you go for it. I have no idea if they serve anything except pizza because I've never looked for anything else on the menu. I was first brought here about 20 years ago when I was in college, and it's the only deep-dish place that feels right. The crust is... buttery, crunchy, flaky - almost tastes cornmeal based. If you love sausage, they will cover the entire pizza with a huge single handmade sausage patty! Cheese as the bottom layer: genius! It stays warm and gooey longer! Always get extra cheese! I love the atmosphere - graffiti on all the walls. Gives the place such an interesting personality. Almost organic. I had the luck to be seated on the roof patio once. One of the best nights I've had. Dinner time is busy. There's often a line down the block waiting to get in. The reason is because it's worth it. Service? I could understand that could lack when it's busy. But I've only experienced stellar service. Deep-dish pizza is deep. It needs time to cook through. It's not some cracker-thin appetizer that's cranked out in 90 seconds. This is the time when you visit with your fellow pizza lovers. Enjoy it! Relax. If you're expecting a typical American meal where you're in and out in 30-45 minutes, you might try somewhere else. Come back when you have a little more time to savor the experience. It's worth the wait! Side note - I tried a thin-crust pizza yesterday. It went against everything I know and love. But it was very very good! I still prefer deep-dish. But it's nice to know I have 2 menu options now.
(5)
Dorim L.

After having eaten at Lou Malnati's, I don't think their deep dish was beaten out by any other establishment so far. They have a lunch special so I got their veggie deep dish along with a soda and salad. The pizza's crust was oddly yellow and stale. The sauce was just okay and the veggies, as I recall, didn't taste too fresh. I thought it was extremely odd that I ordered it and they gave me my order 5 minutes later. That'll tell you that it wasn't fresh. The salad was okay, nothing special. They're right across the street from where I work and even though it's convenient, I have no inclination of returning for their food.
(2)
Frank R.

Compared to all the pizza in Chi Town, Gino's is disappointing. I live in NJ, but have spent a decent amount in Chicago over the past year and I have to say that Gino's is not all it is cracked up to be. I know the place has been around for a long time and it is a cool place to hang out, but I wasn't a big fan of the pizza. The Italian Beef was pretty good, but the pizza wasn't anything to write home about. They tell you up front that you have to wait 45 minutes for the pizza to cook, which is fine with me, but it just didn't live up to the hype. The crust is massive and dry, which was a big turnoff for me. Said before and I'll say it again--Pequod's is the best pizza in Chicago IMHO.
(2)
John B.

I was with a large group at Gino's original location again in August 2015. I found the sauce and especially the thick crust to be very delicate and surprisingly enjoyable in their own right. The toppings were just additional flavor on top of a great pie. I'm still amazed that they can crank out dozens of pizzas for our large group while still serving their regular customers, who had to watch us file upstairs to our own dining hall with adjoining bar. I'm sure that as good as they were with our group, they would be that much better with a small party of 2 to 4. YOU WILL NOT LEAVE HUNGRY! It's funny because I grew up in D.C. where I thought Armand's Chicago Pizzeria was the bomb since they claimed to have reverse engineered the pizza of famous Chicago pizza shops. Gino's is head and shoulders better than Armand's was (R.I.P.)
(5)
Anne W.

This place had an AMAZING ambiance. People's signatures FILLED the walls and seats! The pizza and drinks were fantastic! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone in Chicago!
(5)
Sarah E.

My first time to Chicago and I was told I needed to come here and they did not disappoint! I ordered a tall draft Miller. When I finished my beer, they offered me free samples of any of the beers they had! I told them what I liked and I they picked 3 beers for me to try. I liked them all but ended up loving the Metropolitan Krankshaft. I also ordered the Meaty Legend deep dish pizza! A small was the perfect size for one or two people. I ate less then half and was so full. They also warn you that it takes about an hour for the deep dish and 45 minutes for the thin crust. The bartenders were awesome and also gave me some pointers about the city, where to go, what to do, etc. Next time I come back to Chicago, I will make sure to stop by here again!
(5)
Sonja U.

The service sucks and deep dish pizza takes 45 min here...pizza was good but not worth the wait and crap service. Should have gone to Lou Malnatis.
(2)
Roxanne E.

First time having deep dish pizza and this did not disappoint! The pizza came out piping hot and it was very saucy and cheesy, just the way I like it! The servers will give you fair warning that it will take a minimum of 45 minutes to cook your pizza which was fine as we shared a small salad to keep us content. So good, I'll have to come back at my next visit!
(5)
Seema J.

We ordered the vegetarian deep dish and I thought it was solid. The crust was delicious, but the sauce was kind of bland and seemed under-seasoned to me. The seasonal salad was underwhelming (although our server was very accommodating and brought out a few different kind of dressings for us). This place was fine, but I would probably try another deep dish place the next time I'm in Chicago.
(3)
Dan P.

Got there at 4:30 PM and there was already a line. This is an always thing. Tried the new menu and went with the deep dish Brisket. It was good but not great, The sauce was too sweet for me. I recommend sticking with the traditional pies that make Gino's so awesome.
(4)
Mark S.

Gino's East is THE place I go for Deep Dish Pizza when in Chicago. The first I ever ate as a teen was Gino's Vegetarian, and even though I'm a carnivore, it's still a favorite. The competition: Giordano's is too-bready (that extra layer of crust is not a selling point), and while less expensive, they are smaller, doughy, and just mediocre. I've had Lou's, Uno and Due, and always come home to Gino's. As testament to how much I love Gino's, I ordered 4 medium-size "to-go" the night before, and had them frozen and ready to take with me on my way out (they have Large size frozen for travelers always, but if you want something custom, or in a smaller size, this is the way to go). They now rest like newborn quadruplets in my Miami freezer. Thanks to Vanessa at the take-out counter for her help. TIP: if you don't want to wait 45-minutes after you place your order to eat (yes, perfection does take 45-minutes), call ahead and order your pizza, then shorten you wait for when you are seated.
(5)
Amy S.

Good afternoon with teenage girls. Thanks to Laura -- a great server who took good care of us. Fettuccini Alfredo was very good!
(5)
Tiffany K.

During my girls' trip to Chicago a few weekends ago, the first place we ended up at for lunch was at Gino's East. We stayed nearby and after walking around starving, we happened to see Gino's East and decided to go for lunch. Service was fine here - attentive and courteous. Between my friends and I, we ordered 1 pizza with two different halves - Gino's East Supreme and the other half with Cheese/Spinach. I don't know what it is with Chicago pizza, but I have had Chicago pizza at Gino's East and Lou Malnati's now and both times were very underwhelming. It's not that Chicago style pizza isn't my thing and I am writing negatively about it, but, when we ate at Gino's East, the crust was very dry, tasted overcooked and just crumbled apart. The toppings were fine, but the pizza overall just wasn't very tasty at all. Being that pizza is my favorite food, I want some tasty pizza. Funnily enough, I ate some of the leftovers from here the next day and it tasted a little better. Still searching for good Chicago style/deep dish pizza....
(2)
Derek C.

Out of town and came here for the wife's birthday for some good pizza. This place was great. Got 2 deep dish and loved the meat lovers. So good. Cheese sticks were okay but deep dish was where it is at. Service was great as well. Best pizza in Chicago that I've had.
(5)
Jared T.

Solid but not great. The pizza was worth 4 stars but the slow service and inattentive server, Pahua was worth 2 stars. No refills, multiple requests for napkins. She never really checked on us and did not bring utensils for dessert. Took a while to bring check. It is Monday and not incredibly busy for a late lunch. Just poor service.
(3)
Jill H.

I think this place gets by on reputation/tourist interest. The food just isn't that awesome, especially considering the price. First, the atmosphere is cool with the written-on walls and the service was all very friendly. My family of five got the deep dish Gino's East Supreme and the thin crust Gino's East Supreme with mushrooms sub'd out for tomato slices. The substitution cost the same as adding an extra topping, which feels like a rip off.i would've preferred to order a three topping veggie, but that would have also cost more than the Gino's supreme, so whatever. We also ordered a family size salad. The pizza comes prepared in unique fashion with the sauce on top. This would've been fine, but my son who only likes a little cheese ended up scraping off everything to remove cheese from his slices. He pretty much at the crust and picked out toppings. I get it; he's picky regarding cheese, but this was bad. You have to like deep dish, with TONS of cheese to make this the pizza for you. Only my husband gave it a thumbs up. All three of my teens didn't like the deep dish one. My daughters and I all thought the thin crust was good. But it wasn't mind-blowing awesome. Not worth the price. Certainly would not have been worth waiting in line to eat. As a tourist, I can solidly check this place off my list and never return. There's another pizza place I wish I'd tried instead and I'm guessing the locals know where the real best deep dish is. The salad was tasty and nicely done. Bottom line for me is that Gino's just isn't worth the price.
(2)
Jan Michael E.

Very slow service. I advise you not to go in here if you are hungry or doing a tour. (Or, if you park your car with a parking fee worth $7/hour). Their deep dish supreme is just fine.
(2)
Nikita F.

The best deep dish pizza. Kind of a must visit spot when in Chicago too. Try the brisket deep dish... you will not be disappointed. Also they were super nice & accommodating for our group of 16.
(5)
Paul K.

Went here twice. Once for lunch and then for supper. My lunch experience was 5 stars service and food. Bet you can guess how supper went. Mrs, K. and I were walking in at 8:55pm for a late dinner. It was Ash Wednesday and we were going to get a cheese pizza. While walking up to the door a gentleman was hanging a closed sign on the door. We stopped and he invited us in and said no problem. Since I had eaten here earlier in the day I was well aware of one section that is freezing cold every time the door opens. Yep they sent to that section. After being seated and getting two Arctic blasts I asked the server if we could move. She told us there were only large tables left. To which I knew it was going to end badly. Uh the place is closed and no one is going to sit at those nice warm large tables. So she refused to move us and I refused to stay. She did wish me a good night. I just love sarcasm.
(3)
Grace H.

Well, I have little experience with Chicago deep dish pizza, so I can't say that I am the best to judge a good deep dish. BUT, numerous people I was with (natives of Chicago) said that this was some of the best deep dish pizza that they had ever had. We got a simple large pepperoni deep dish and we were not disappointed. I was mesmerized by the size alone and did not expect the sauce to be on top (apparently that is normal for deep dish), but that was a wonderful change that I think added to the flavor. The cheese was perfectly flavored without being overwhelming and the crust meshed perfectly with the toppings. I most certainly recommend this place for delivery if you're craving some Chicago deep dish. The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars was because the time it took to deliver this pizza was upwards of an hour and a half, which may have been attributed to a busy Saturday night, but a long time nonetheless. Additionally, I usually LOVE to eat the leftover crust of my pizzas, regardless of if there are any toppings attached, but without any sauce or cheese with the crust, I was disappointed by the bland flavor that was left. I think it would be great if they added something, although I am not sure what, to spice up the flavor of the crust.
(4)
Lindsay K.

Hands down the best deep dish pizza we have ever ate. Tip: it takes close to an hour to cook it, so order apps to hold you over. But it's WELL worth the wait.
(5)
Joseph S.

Having already heard that Gino's East has some of the best Chicago deep dish style pizzas around, my parents and I had an opportunity to try their version of the deep dish on our last day in Chicago. We weren't disappointed. Their pizza was fantastic. Of all the pizzas I've ever had, theirs to me was the most like a blend of spaghetti and pizza. In other words, it was as if the pizza crust was topped with a rich, vegetable laden tomato based spaghetti sauce. The vegetables all seemed freshly cut and were fairly large making for a delicious take on the deep dish pizza for which Chicago has become so well known. The restaurant itself is pretty awesome as well (with people's signatures blanketing the walls). While they now have multiple locations, this is supposedly the Gino's East that started it all. They're definitely worth a try.
(5)
Shaun S.

The best pizza ever!!! Chicago's finest! My friend had the angry bird orchard and I had titos and vodka along with the best and deepest deep dish pizza! We are visiting from Atlanta and the hotel was next to the restaurant. Great choice!!
(5)
Denise D.

Lives up to the legend. Visited Sunday afternoon with no wait & great service. Pepperoni deep dish was the choice for our table. Moses took great care of us.
(5)
Amy N.

I seriously cannot believe how many people have recommended this place to me. It is seriously NOT the business. I came here feeling indifferent about thick crust/deep dish pizza and after trying pizza from here I have confirmed that I hate it. The crust was incredibly dry to the point where you would want to soak it in water before you eat it so that it doesn't get stuck in your throat. This establishment is seriously understaffed. The service was slow and I felt really bad for our waiter as he was trying to serve everyone. As popular as this place is (I am still unsure why) they should really consider hiring more help. A small deep dish pizza, appetizer and a few drinks should have not taken over 2 hours!
(2)
Shaun C.

The wait to get in was very short. As soon as we were sat at out table the waitress promptly welcomed us and gave us a few recommendations. We ordered the Chicago Fire deep dish pizza, spinach artichoke dip and a side salade that my wife and I shared. The food came to us quick for the amount of people in the establishment. The spinach dip was served with Toasted bread and was out of this world also the house salad dressing was awesome. When the pizza came we dug right in. It was very good and spicy. Overall the food was very good.
(4)
Jim K.

The pizza was good, but I wouldn't wait in line for it (like so many do). The restaurant feel isn't my speed... the mix of screaming tourists and writing on the wall made it feel about as civilized as the Rain Forest Cafe. Something about the restaurant just makes me feel grungy. The wait staff was fair. I'll probably skip the return trip.
(3)
Draft M.

Always a fan...not disappointed on my return to the Chi after too many years away. In from the ATL --- rocked the Original Gino's. Sausage Patty and Pepperoni deep dish----#winning.
(4)
kim d.

We have been visiting this Gino's East whenever we are in Chicago for the past 30 years. This has only added up to a dozen visits, but it's something we always look forward to whenever travelling to Chicago. Imagine our surprise, and embarassment, when we took my family here after raving about it for so many years. The quality of the pizza had definitely changed. We have been a fan of the deep dish spinach, and the quantity of spinach has lessend. The beer prices have also gotten rudely unfair-notice how they are not posted on any menu-it cost us over $30 for four lackluster pints of beer to be consumed while waiting in line. However, the worst part of the visit we the service. From the hostess to the waiter to the management to the cleanliness-Gino's East fails miserably. Those who have been going to this restaurant for years, know that it changed location but brought to the new restaurant it characteristic graffiti walls and nook like dining. They also added a large wharehoue like bar to fit more tables. We prefer the atmosphere of the original Ginos and did not want to sit in the bar area. When we requested a table in the older section, the hostess was obviously disturbed. She got the manager, who also tried to get us to sit in the bar, and warned us that we would be waiting another half hour for the table of our desire. She went as far as to tell me the bar was family friendly and walk me in there to point to the section. We opted to wait, and were called 10 minutes later for seating. As we walked up the stairs, we were surprised to see completely empty sections of the restaurant! This was a Friday night at 7:30, and they were trying to keep people in the bar area and close down the best part of the restaurant-pretending they were too busy and popular to give you what you wanted. We were seated in a small room close to the kitchen where another large table was eating. The waiter took our order for a large spinach with mushrooms and some more overpriced beers. The kids all ordered kids meals, which they got right away. We waited some 45 minutes for our pizza. During this time, when our waiter would come by, he would inevitable leave something on our table. First, it was the empty salt and pepper shaker. One of our guest asked for some full ones, which he never brought. As the kids became bored, we asked for some crayons, again never brought. He left empty cups and plates on our table-too many for our group, like it was some kind of storage area. When the grown-up food finally did come, by someone other than the waiter-it was a spinach and pepperoni pizza. For a group of vegetarians, we were not impressed. The waiter admitted he screwed up our order-didn't even apologize, and said "I'm only human." So, now we are supposed to wait another 45 minutes for the right pizza?! We expressed that he would need to comp at least the pizza, and he kept avoiding us saying that was the decision of management. Finally, we asked to speak to the manager. A young woman came to talk to us, and apologized for our experience. She asked it we lived in Chicago. When told no, she offered to send us some certificates for future dining in the mail! Really, like we would travel to repeat this!!! Finally, she did remove the pizza from the bill, but we think she should have comped the whole thing. The other food and pricey beers we ordered while waiting this hour and a half added up to over a hundred bucks and it just was not even fun. It will never happen to me again Gino's, I think it's time to try some of the other fantastic pizzarias in the city. The staff at this Gino's is all about getting the people in and out as fast as possible. They are rude and think they don't have to try anymore. Sorry Gino's, you're not all that.
(2)
Jennifer W.

Gino's used to be my favorite pizza place in all of Chicago. They changed the crust and fell to #2. Was so excited to eat at the new location. To start off, I walk in ahead of my party of 4. They couldn't find a cab home from the bears game so I went ahead to place orders for food and drinks. I was told that I could not be seated because I was not with the full party. Well knowing I would be waiting a bit for them I asked I could be seated I would order food for everyone and drinks and start a tab. The hostess who couldn't even be bothered to look up at me now, ignored me until the server standing next to her said her name. The lovely hostess simply said no- we can't seat incomplete parties and no u can't preorder. As a side note gino's was 50% empty with no line and no one waiting. The server said if u would like u could take a seat at the bar. I asked one more time, my party is on their way, I know the pizza will take awhile can I put orders in please!.....this time the hostess copped an attitude and said no and again could not be bothered to look up from her computer screen (again the place was empty not sure what she was clicking). So I turned around and walked out. With a PACKED LOU'S 1 block away no wonder Gino's was empty. I will never go back to be treated like that. We spent over $200 lous with great service
(1)
Marc W.

I live in Phoenix, Arizona where many people have relocated from other parts of the United States. I am originally from New York. There are a large number of people originally from Chicago living in Phoenix that state that Chicago pizza is the best in the world. There are many pizzeria in Phoenix offering Chicago style pizza and I have tried many since relocating to Phoenix in 1997. None of these pizza were outstanding enough to be contenders for the 'Best in the World' category. So when visiting Chicago for a wedding with relatives from Seattle and Los Angles, we decided to dine at this 'Original Gino's East of Chicago' on Superior Street to try Chicago pizza. We were unaware that the wait time on a Chicago style pizza pie is 45 minutes from when you sit at your table and place your order! The 45 minutes waiting time for a table needs to be added to this time as well! So there is no such thing a grabbing a quick pizza for lunch or dinner in Chicago! In New York and Phoenix you can get a great pie in 15 to 20 minutes! To finish my review of this 'Original Gino's East of Chicago' on Superior Street: The service was terrible and It took 20 minutes to get our drinks - sodas only! We ordered a big Chicago Style pizza and a large salad. At the same time I ordered a pizza to go for my wife who stayed at the hotel. After almost a two hour wait, the pizza arrived at our table! The taste was extremely heavy and like a Thanksgiving Turkey dinner, it began to make us drowsy! If you were being put under for an operation, this pizza would be great! I have to admit, being a former New Yorker, that my opinion is biased! The taste and experience of the Chicago pizza is not worth the wait! And the Gino's dining experience get's a big New York 'Forgetaboutit'!!! Taking a Chicago Style pizza to go back to a hotel room was difficult as there was no way to heat it. Sorry to say that this over $20 to go order hit the round file with no remorse! Hey! Don't like the pizza, but the Chicago Hot Dogs (found elsewhere) are to die for! And we have a Portillos in Phoenix that servers them up! Yippee!
(1)
Angelica W.

Be prepared to wait an hour for your Pizza! So while you wait order great appetizers. Menu items seemed a bit pricey for my taste, but this was my first meal in Chicago and wanted the real Pizza experience. A friend and I split the bill which wasn't to bad in the end. We ordered a house salad, Buffalo wings, and a small deep dish sausage pizza. The wings were great! Exceptionally sauced with just the right amount of heat. As far as the pizza it was good but deep dish just isn't my thing I guess. I think I would have enjoyed the thin crust better. Just too much sauce for me. Our waitress was great and friendly and kept our drinks full. The decor was pretty cool with signatures all over the place. I think I would be wiling to give this place another try and experience other things on the menu.
(3)
Sima K.

interesting bar. Good deep dish pizza.
(4)
Dave S.

Great place to eat with out of town visitors. Good Chicago pizza and everyone loves to leave their mark on the wall. Bring some white out and some sharpie makers to sign the walls!!
(4)
Chichai M.

So touristy... Go for the Lasalle location if you can. However, the pizza is so freaking good to that it is possible to ignore the touristy atmosphere. One of the best deep dishes... Loots of cheese, delicious crust and sauce that is on the sweeter side. Recently had the wings for the first time here and they were actually pretty great!
(4)
Robert C.

Service is not good. Very sporadic and not attentive. Food is great. I don't mind runners. But, since this place obviously has runners for drinks and food. It should make the service much more efficient. It does not, it seems to make them not to want to check on the table or ask for starters even though a deep dish pizza takes 45 minutes to an hour or ask if you would like another drink when you are done with it. I thought that servers wanted a higher bill for a higher tip. NO. Not at this place, they don't care about the tip or working together as a team with the runners. I wish I could have given my drink/food runner the majority of the tip because I saw them more than my server. Again, food is great. Service is terrible.
(1)
John S.

Skip the line. Go inside and sit at the bar. There were seats available from 6 until after 8. If you like deep dish pizza, you'll love this place. They do everything right at Gino's, but you pay for it. A pizza dinner with beers came to $70 with tip. Get the salad with house dressing. If you read my other reviews, you know I often skip salad dressing. This dressing was sweet and a little bit tangy. I loved it.
(3)
Brian H.

Having recently moved within a short drive of Chicago, it seemed like the natural thing to do would be to see out a legendary "best pizza ever" place and give it a try. I had been given multiple suggestions, but Gino's won the popular vote in my group. To start with, we called ahead and asked if they could accommodate a group of 15. We were told they absolutely could. However, when we arrived, they placed us at two completely different tables... Not a huge issue, but I would have preferred they explain that on the phone... it would have influenced our decision. We were told that pizzas could take up to 45 minutes to make so we quickly ordered drinks, followed up by some breadsticks and a few pizzas. Along with that, two from our group ordered entree dishes. The server said the entrees came with a salad, took the salad orders and then asked if the two individuals would "like those brought out right away." "Sure, that would be great". We were pretty confused when the entree dishes came out less than 10 minutes after the salads (which were brought right away). Poor communication, I suppose. Our server had disappeared, more than half of the table was in need of a refill, and two of the 15 of us were stuck in the "should we eat without you guys?" limbo. Our pizzas came ahead of schedule (35 minutes), so that was nice. However, none of us were impressed with them. The pizza I experienced was nothing like what some of the 5 star reviews on here describe. Thoroughly disappointing. The service was the worst part, though... Hands down. I've worked as a server, and I know the pressures of a large table like ours. However, that's no excuse for providing ONE round of refills, and visiting the table a grand total of TWO times between taking the order and giving the check. As expected, automatic gratuity was applied, and I've never felt like it was less deserved. "Meh" pizza, and even worse service. You won't find me here again.
(1)
Rogei M.

Had to check out one of the popular pizza joints since I was vacationing in Chicago! Came on a weekday/afternoon hours. Waited about 10 minutes to be seated. Atmosphere very cool! Graffiti all over the walls and famous celebrities pictures/autograph who have eaten at Gino's East. (Beyonce, Will Smith, Jay-Z to name a few). Waiter was nice/helpful and recommended a few things since it was our 1st time here. Ordered a Medium Thin Crust Pizza with cheese, pepperoni, spinach, side order of French fries and a Cesar salad for a party of two. The pizza was amazing! Never had a pizza like that! Not to sure what it was but the crust was just right...thin and crispy! I like how the servings were cut into little squares instead of basic triangle cut! Easy to pick and eat the slices! French fries and Cesar salad was good as well! Definitely worth it! All time favorite pizza joint! Don't miss out on it if you're in Chicago!
(5)
Joe P.

For all the hype this place has, I couldn't help but feel let down. The experience started after being told we would wait 20 minutes with our group. We slowly began to watch groups that were our size and larger move forward, as well as guests with "skip the line" cards cut in front of us. Employees outside of the restaurant were no help and even disrespectful when we asked about the long wait. They eventually told us the table was ready but they wanted the waiter to "catch up" and therefore we were not allowed to sit down for another 15 minutes. Ultimately we ended up being seated over an hour after the restaurant promised, and while the pizza is good, it's not worth the time and the frustration of disrespectful staff. I will most certainly not be returning to Gino's!
(1)
Theresa C.

Definitely a tourist trap, i waited 40 minutes for a table just to wait an hour and 15 minuets for a small deep dish pizza that was so-so. Also there is writing everywhere which i don't mind that kind of look but someone wrote on my husbands chair and when we left the writing had transferred to his pants.
(2)
Esmee D.

I had a really good experience, the food was amazing! The staff was very welcoming and the hostess, Ally was extremely helpful. I would definitely visit this location again!
(5)
Sam L.

Having eaten at Gino's East and at Lou Malnati's, I like Gino's better. The crust is buttery and sweet but still holds up to all the toppings. Be prepared to wait, this place is a definite tourist trap, and trust me when I say that a small pizza is enough food to fill two people up.
(3)
G. B.

About that 50 minute to prepare, famous Chicago deep dish pizza....... Well..... We came. We tried. We definitely didn't like. The service and other items were fine though.
(3)
Jim T.

I am a fan of Gino's East and staff people like Megan just reinforce that the management really cares about the customer. Thank you Megan for a wonderful experience. After spending most of the day across the street in a waiting room looking out the window at Northwestern Medical Center I knew I had to end my day at Gino's East. It was a great way to avoid the rush hour traffic as well. We were greeted by the hostess outside who took our name on a tablet and asked for the cell#. I think this is a great way to be alerted of your table readiness. The 4 of us enjoyed some beers, appetizers and deep dish pizza. Everything was great. If you are looking for the bathroom when you are there it can be found on the 2nd floor. It took me a while to find it but going up and down the stairs is a good way to burn off some calories. YES i will be back.
(5)
Vimesh A.

Eating pizza with the family, always a great experience here, service was excellent, food was great. Will be back having the spinach and garlic deep dish pizza
(5)
Jeremy G.

As we do not live in Chicago, this is only our second time trying real Chicago deep dish. So, we don't have much to compare, but this is our favorite so far. The Chicago Fire pizza was really good. My wife and I also split a salad while we waited for the pizza and the salad was good as well. The atmosphere is kind of cool with the writing all over the walls. Good experience.
(4)
Kelly C.

Just got here! Got a personal pan cheese and mushroom. Yummy and filling. Crust is cornbread flavored... very good. Stuffed to the max. Oh... if you are a rice crispy connoisseur, save room for dessert!
(4)
Qian L.

Okay, I'm in Chicago right now. How could I not try deep dish pizza, though I'm not a pizza fan. So after randomly wandering, I found Gino's east, looks decent. I ordered the lunch special, deep pan with pepperoni and side salad. Wasn't pricy, tasted good. Again I'm not a pizza expert. So,mission fulfilled
(4)
Tim B.

Lived up to the hype. Deep dish pizza is amazing. Crust, great. My favorite aspect was the cheese. So good and lots of it. Sauce, outstanding. Service, very good. The 45 minute wait and higher price was well worth it.
(5)
Cynthia Y.

We arrived in Chicago on a Friday evening, we were starving and we wanted to hit up Giordano's but they were ridiculously packed! It was an hour & a half wait, so we decided to come to Gino's East. The wait was about 20 minutes. Service was great, everyone was so friendly, I guess as they should be at a tourist trip =P We ordered the appetizer family plate, salad & a medium deep dish - the Gino's special and the veggie pizza. The appetizers were average, tastes like any other deep fried vegetable. When the deep dish came out, I knew right away it wouldn't taste good =( the dough was too thick, it was crispy but I just didn't think it was right for the pizza. Overall, not satisfied =( boo! I feel bad..
(2)
Fi s.

They followed up with me and actually refunded me for the meal. Thank you for taking the review seriously and rectifying the situation.
(2)
Michelle C.

Awesome deep dish pizza! Wait was rather long, 45 min for two to be seated then another 45 min for the pizza to be cooked. Food was delicious and worth the wait.
(4)
Mike J.

Swung in here twice for lunch while working nearby. Place is cool and has a nice atmosphere. I sat at the bar both times and the service was friendly and quick. I had to do the deep dish and as others say it takes 45 min - 1 hour. I ordered the supreme no fungus but only got pepperoni, no problem I'm down with that and they covered the food. I was fine with it but nice of them to take care of it. Pizza was delicious, great crust and sauce! Next day I got a chicken calzone with pasta salad. Only about half hour wait but came out with fries. Again no big deal and I just ate it . Very good as well! Lots of food and great place to hang out! Music is good too!
(3)
Jes P.

Deep Dish = Delicious!!!! It's everything you've dreamed about and more....., flavorful, cheesy, saucy with an tasty crust. Be warned to go slow! It takes the brain longer to process the "full" feeling and downing more than two pieces could be dangerous ;-) The waitstaff was great and told us some interesting history about the restaurant. Don't forget to bring your white out to write your name on the wall!!! If you forget, there is a Wallgreens around the corner. Buon Appetito...., Chicago style!
(4)
Bryan L.

POW!!!! Stop # 3 on my Chicago Pizza tour 2013. I came here after getting my weiner stomped over at Giordanos (never got my pizza). I sat at the bar since the place was now dead (since I wasted so much time at that other shithole). Bar tender wasn't amused at anything. Ever. WTF brah?! You miss your workout today? Either way..... I ordered up a small pie and some beers. Bartender was nice enough to let me sample before committing. Pie took about 45 minutes like he said it would. I had enough beers in that time to make sure that any pizza they sat down would taste amazing. Good news!!! No matter how much beer I had, that pie was dang good!!! I really enjoyed the crust, best of my pizza tour. Sauce was good, but maybe a little light. Cheese was thick, but not as tasty as Lou Malnati's. Really enjoyed the space here. All the writing on the walls, the openness of it, the upstairs bathroom... (records scratching).... WHAT??? Whatchutalkinbout Willis? Yeah, the crapper is up stairs. After I pounded 9 beers waiting for my pizza you think I can get up those stairs to the nearest urinal? Aint nobody got time for that!!! So I pee'd in the corner booth. jk....... I'll be back!!!!
(4)
Michael S.

Not terrible, but not great. This is one of the classic Chicago deep dish places that caters heavily to the tourist trade. Part of their game is to always manipulate crowd management so there is a line out the door - in actuality there are plenty of seats inside but they want to make the place seem like it is slammed. Even by 2 pm on a weekday they were making sure that at least 10 people were waiting on the street. The pizza was decent - we got half sausage and half pepperoni. Service was OK but there is somewhat of a cattle car mentality.
(3)
Kris H.

Two huddled people in love pressed close to one another for warmth, in line for a restaurant table given 25 minutes as an estimate for this Sunday night - a 25 minutes that had to be spent under the watchful eye of the 2014 polar vortex. Icicles were forming on the awning that covered them and the other hungry patrons, breath sublimating to ice, a foreshadow of the steaming hot pizza to be found within. But find it they did! It was worth the wait, even in January, to get to try Gino's East for the first time. The couple had a long (30-min) wait for their deep-dish pizza (thin crust seemed like a waste and a shame to order at a place such as this) but found the time passing pleasantly and quickly with the help of the delightful wall-graffiti (mostly "Candi waz here" style scrawlings, but I did find, among other things, a haiku about Corona Light) and possibly the best buffalo chicken wings either of us had ever had in our lifetimes. And then came the pizza. I grew up eating deep dish and loving it; I attest to the greatness that is Gino's East and especially to the buttery-yellow, pastry-esque crust that puts every soggy, sad deep dish crust you have ever had to complete and utter shame. This was the *thinnest* deep dish I have ever had; not a bad thing at all per se, but something to consider for the pizza connoisseur. I can usually handle one slice of deep dish pizza and easily call it a meal; at Gino's East I had 2 slices, plus the wings, and I still felt I could eat a third (I stopped out of a sense of self-consciousness in front of my date and pity for my arteries). The buffalo chicken wings were enough to bring me back, and no one does crusts like this. Overall a great experience; I understand now all the love for Gino's East.
(4)
Richard R.

I would try to defend this GREAT pizzeria from some of the negative reviews I just read, but I don't see the point. Everyone has an opinion and their own taste... but I can tell you for certain the people who gave this place a negative review are CRAZY!!!! The dough here is cornbread based (same as Uno's), but that is precisely why it is some of the best pizza anywhere. The dough is sort of hard and crunchy on the outside, but gooey and soaked with the juices from the ingredients on the inside. I personally think cornbread based pizzas are much juicier and flavorful than their flour based brothers. This trip to Chicago was brief, so I did a small frozen "Meaty Legend" to go. The sausage is super flavorful, the sauce is incredibly balanced and the cheese is just the right amount. I thawed it for about 4 hours prior to cooking in the oven, but it came out amazing!!! The restaurant itself has allowed people to write on the walls since its beginning and is all over the decor... which I think adds unique character. Gino's East & Uno's have long since been my absolute favorite Deep Dish pizzas, followed by Giordano's & Italian Fiesta for thin. There is nothing touristy about these places and they taste the same now as they did when I was a kid and all the time inbetween. So if you find that you don't like one of these pizza's, you might want to go get your taste buds checked. This is authentic Chicago pizza at it's best!!!
(5)
Tortuga M.

The deep dish pizza for me was kind of bland. I mean the cheese wasn't as gooey as I'd like and it wasn't hot like I would expect a pizza that takes 45 minutes to make should be. It didn't really have flavor, just kind of meh! The dough seriously tasted like it was frozen. I've eaten better deep dish pizza at Lou Malnati's. My brother and sister-in-law think I'm crazy since they all loved the pizza here, but as for myself I thought is was not even good enough to finish my slice. I left it there on my plate. I had pictures too, but unfortunately my iphone crapped out one me so... no pics to prove it. Oh well, I don't think I'll be going back for another try unless I have to because of my family.
(2)
Pasquale R.

Zero redeeming qualities about this place. I can see how someone finds the fact that they deface everything in the place with whiteout as being cool but it did nothing for me. When we were finally seated and a waiter came over, he forewarned us that the pizza will take about an hour to prepare...huh? So we decided we had to order something in the meantime so we went with the salad. Meh. Nothing really stood out from it. When the pizza finally came out, 50 minutes later, it was an epic fail. The sauce was terrible. The crust tasted like it was frozen and had no flavor. The toppings were about 2 pepperoni's. How does a place like this continue to wow people. Pizzeria Uno has better deep-dish pizza...even in Jersey! I know this will upset some people but sheesh people... Absolutely a must avoid.
(1)
Shauna D.

"The one with the shit all over the walls" We say it endearingly, of course, but that is how we identify this Gino's. We take out-of-town guests here, it is a staple novelty. Don't be deceived by the line or the wait time, this place is huge and we have never waited long, even when we expected to. Last time we got drinks at the bar and ordered calamari, thinking we wouldn't be seated for a while, and right as the calamari came out we were called. I like being seated on the second floor better, but overall its a fun place and the service is good. The pizza, duh, fantastic. I prefer thin crust but yes when someone comes from out of town they "gotta try deep dish." So I text my roommate that we're going to the Gino's with the shit all over the walls and make a night of it.
(4)
Lindsey T.

First time in Chicago and this place was the most recommended. The server wasn't the nicest, the flavor of the pizza was really good...didn't care tooo much for the cornmeal crust, but not bad! Overall it was tasty
(4)
Anne M.

The waiter who served us was super friendly, but the quick lunchtime special mini-pizzas were not properly heated up and so really pretty stodgy. The kids enjoyed all the graffiti, but the food was pretty disappointing. So if you go, order a fresh pizza, though that involves quite a long wait (so not ideal with small, hungry children in tow!).
(3)
Cara N.

Best Pizza in Chicago. This place has been there forever and is always packed. They do take reservations. Deep dish Chicago style pizza is the best. They do serve thin crust but it is not as good as the original. We shared a sausage and mushroom. Lots of cheese and sauce. YUM! Salads are big and can be shared.
(4)
Samantha E.

The $6.99 lunch special for a personal pizza, soup or salad, and a drink is clutch.
(4)
Jessica S.

I am appalled at the deficient customer service we received Saturday night. My family was in town visiting and I took them here because its rated Chicago's best and usually we go to girordonos but I wanted to try Ginos. The server was very rude, snappy and slow. I have to eat gluten free and he was snappy in regards to the menu which is sub-par because the gluten free pizzas are pre-made and you can only get them with cheese, which I am also allergic to. Our drinks were empty for 15 minutes, twice without him filling them up. We felt very ignored and he was not kind or pleasant. I was also annoyed at the fact that you have to wait in line OUTSIDE, they dont take reservation, call aheads or name. You literally stand in a line. In the cold. Not good customer service. To top off this unpleasant experience, my husband was coming back to the table from the restroom and couldnt get to the table because he was blocked by two employees, the hostess lady, and the man that was managing the line outside, talking about our table saying "they've been here forever, when are they going to leave. They saw me put my coat on and said "finally, they're leaving" Mind you, we were there for 1.5 hours total...... I cannot believe how ruduly we were treated and the lack of gluten free menu, along with the gluten free pizza being the worst gluten free pizza ive ever had. The crust is hard, and the toppings are skimpy. Why is it pre-made?? I was embarrassed for my guests.
(1)
Brice P.

Got the deep dish... It's pizza. The dough is VERY corn-mealy, which is easy to taste (and feel later). I'm not a fan of cornmeal-based dough, so I was a bigger fan of Giordano's then this place.
(3)
Rebecca K.

We ate here because my hubby loved the original Gino's. Now, it has gone the way of many restaurants that have changed/expended/updated etc. There are some elements of the original but in this case not enough of them. The pizza sauce is tasty and overall the pizza might have been pretty good if it had actually been hot when it arrived at our table. Unfortunately, we had already waited so long for it that I didn't dare send it back lest I not be eating until midnight. My hubby had a deep dish (the specialty) and rated it "ok". It was also lukewarm. The crust- far too sweet for my taste. The salad was fair and they did have a good selection of draft beers. My real issue was the price (shockingly high for pizza) for the value. Between the poor decor (contrived), the so-so food, the long wait for the pies and the just-this-side-of-bad service I really can't give Gino's more than two stars.
(2)
Patrick S.

The staff is extremely rude here. I had my brother and his wife in town and they wanted deep dish pizza. It's right around the corner from me and they had been on their feet all day so I thought I would take them here. I've taken other family/friends as well as business associates here and it's always the same. You get the sense that you should be honored that they are allowing you to eat there. They place was half empty and I asked for a booth. I was told that because we were only three they would like to give the booths to larger parties. When I said "really? There's nobody here" the hostess just walked away from me. We stood there wondering if we should just leave when he came back and said we could go upstairs. There were about 25 booths open up there. The guy that brought our pizza said to ask the other waiter to refill our glasses. It wasn't his job he said. If you are from out of town please go to another pizza place. This place is not reflective of what Chicago is all about. This place is just all hype. I was embarrassed and will not EVER be going back.
(1)
Brian W.

"What to Expect When You're Expecting...Deep Dish Pizza" "Inadequate service, Deep Dish Pizza can better be described as a type of Lasagna Pie" I was told that only Chicago could serve truly great deep dish pizza and so I waited till my first trip to Chicago to indulge. I love pizza. Pizza quality varies from place to place but I am just as likely to enjoy a $1.50 frozen pizza as much as I would enjoy a $20 pie from Grimaldi's in Brooklyn. I've enjoyed the (surprisingly sub-)standard pizza in Rome and dined on the "tacky" Calif. Pizza Kitchen. That said, what does Gino's bring? SERVICE SUCKS. Well, I happened to go on a weekday and was 3rd in line...took 1/2 an hour...can you believe it? It probably would have been faster if I sat at the bar but I wanted a table...so when I got to the front I mentioned that and they said it'd take another 15 minutes for a table. Guess what? After calling my name, the hostess STILL sat me at the bar. Waste of 45 minutes. Can the service really be THAT bad with only 5 people in line? After asking for a medium deep dish pizza, the waiter recommended I order smalll pizza; Warned me that most people who go solo find the small pizza filling. I disregarded that and proceeded to order the medium and GLAD that I did. I mean really, how many times am I in Chicago? The pizza was every bit as monstrous as people told me....for first timers, it's LIKE LASAGNA BUT WITH A CRUST. You have layers and layers of toppings. Was it good? It was okay. The quality of toppings was decent. Better than any delivery place but not as fresh as any of the premier NYC pizzerias. It amazes people because it really just is a really heavy and thick pie; I mean truly, deep dish pizza is a tomato, cheese and meat pie.
(3)
edgard k.

Well, when you're in Chicago, people said you gotta try the deep dish pizza. Since we were wondering around sightseeing around the neighborhood and suddenly got pretty hungry, we decided to brave the weekend crowd and stood in the line. Lucky us, the host called party of 5 not even in a minute after we stood at the very back of the line, which stretched around the corner into an alley. Brought upstairs and sat pretty quickly, but apparently there was another catch - we were made to wait around 20 minutes before any waitstaffs has a chance to take our order, although water was promptly served just after we sat. We decided to split the medium meaty legend between the 5 since we wanted to go try something else after. After we finished it in record time, we realized that what people say was right: you have to try the deep dish in Chicago before you say you like a deep dish pizza since we felt it was just taste better here in Chicago compared to anywhere else.
(4)
Calvin L.

I've been to Gino's East's suburban locations a few times in the last few years but this was my first time downtown. We were in town for the Fire-Sporting KC game and none of us wanted to do the boring walk to Giordano's by Midway, so I encouraged 8 of my friends and my sister to follow my blessed advise and venture with me downtown. After my sister and I argued on which location to go to, we finally rolled into the original about 15 minutes than we had planned, still with 3 hours or so to spare before we needed to be back for the bus. The line was long, we started thinking we'd have to move on. They kept our bigger group aside and told us 20 minutes, which, frankly, had me quite surprised and happy. About 7 minutes after that, we were already seated at our table on the awesome third floor and was prepared for a chow down. My sister and I decided to split an order of Cheesy Pizza Bread with two other friends and a small Chicago fire(I was trying to jinx our opponents and it failed) to split between the two of us as well. The cheese bread was fantastic, the order of marinara sauce went untouched from my sister and I, the perfect amount already slathered below the cheese, perfectly melted. They low balled us again on the time, 45 minutes to an hour turned into 30 minutes for the pizza and that beautiful succulent Chicago tradition of meaty, deep, saucy pizza was in front of me and I could not be contained. There is something to be said about the sausage patty that they put on deep dish up there. It is what is right about everything in that city and I come back for it each time. The spiciness was nice and subtle enough for me to enjoy and not burn my poor dear sister's tastebuds due to my appetite for extremely spicy foods. Waitress was perfect in helping us split the bill and such for cash and credit card payments, so we were out of there in record time to hop back on the red to the orange. True, we could have saved sometime by going to our original destination at the one a few blocks over, but the atmosphere of the original is hard to beat. Hopefully I won't have to go 3 years in between my rendezvous with deep dish.
(4)
Eric S.

I parked in the garage across the street not realizing that there's valet for a much cheaper price. I brought this to the attention of the manager & just as quickly as I mention to him my dilemma he suggested I get the car out of the garage and valet with them.. No charge. Left the cell at the table as I was moving the car while rushing back to Geno's. They suggest I park right in front as a few people were in front of me. Then I sat down and ate the most delicious deep dish supreme w/ pepperoni I've had in a while. Bottom line: Friendly and helpful.. Delicious food... Great atmosphere... 4.5
(5)
Ed A.

I'm still not getting the popularity of this place. I mean, I would wait in line for outstanding food but not from mediocre grub you can buy at any local supermarket. What are people paying for? I got to believe that it's tourists, first-time diners, radio contest winners or hospital patients willing to scarf down anything to avoid one more meal of turkey slices, mashed potatoes, dinner roll and chocolate pudding. They're supposedly famous for their stuffed pizza, (gag) but their thin crust is much better. I think pizza should be almost as good cold as it is out of the oven - the perfect Saturday morning breakfast. But here Gino's fails as well. I asked the waiter if the cheese sticks were made fresh. She said no and that went for the fried mushrooms as well. I would bet nothing else besides the pizza and ice are made from scratch. Well, to each his own. It's worth a try. But definitely not a place to go out of your way. By the way, I didn't pay for the meal and was a reluctant guest - so there.
(2)
Gregg F.

I would only say that Gino's East is overrated because it has the reputation of being the Mecca of Deep Dish/Pan/Stuffed Pizza in Chicago. I don't think that this reputation is deserved. I think it comes from the many suburbanites who flock here regularly who are often afraid to venture to other "less safe" parts of the City. The pizza is indeed good, but I would hesitate to rave about it. We had a large stuffed pizza, I believe it cost $30 or so. Kinda pricy for what you get. I think that a lot of that comes from the location. Right off Michigan Ave, right around the corner from Water Tower Place. The crust was a bit "bready", in that there was a lot of it and it was a bit bland. The sauce was also a bit bland. I prefer a spicy sauce, not necessarily hot, but with some real Italian spices--oregano, basil, etc. A little red and or white pepper wouldn't hurt either. So, good, but not great pizza, somewhat inflated price due to its location and naive suburban clientele. You might instead seek out Edwardo's on or near Division for better pizza at a more reasonable price.
(3)
Brett H.

Came into Gino's during a trip cross country to experience authentic Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. Being a east coast New York pizza fan, I was skeptical. Let me tell you, their Meaty Legend pizza is now in my top 5 of best things I have ever eaten. Blows NY pizza out of the water. It took a while to get the pizza, but the atmosphere is so cool that it was fine. Best. Pizza. Ever. Will definitely make a trip to Chicago just for the pizza. Hell, I might even order it and have it shipped to me in Maryland! Its THAT good!
(5)
Lisa V.

First time trying Chicago style pizza! When you walk into this place you look like you are stepping into the hood. Lots of graffiti on the walls and very colorful. Reminded me of wahoos in California! We ended up ordering the spaghetti and a medium gino's special for 3 girls. The spaghetti was really scrumptious and flavorful. We all really liked the pasta!! The wait for the pasta didn't take too long and it came with 2 slices if crispy garlic bread as well. As for the pizza it took forever to come out. I think we waited about 45-55 minutes before it came. By that time we were all kinda full so we only had about 1 piece each. A medium has 6 slices and we wished we had ordered the small. It was my first time having Chicago style pizza and it was very thick and soupy. I really liked the crispy buttery crust. As for the cheese, I did not expect it to be that cheesy. In our opinion they put wayyyyy too much cheese and not enough sauce! They were also pretty generous with the pepperoni. Our waiter hooked us up with a grip load of jalapenos too so it went well with the pizza. :) Our meal was pretty cheap and they have very good lunch specials. Prices are reasonable for good portion size.
(3)
Bryan R.

We ordered for delivery and after placing our order we learned that we were out of the delivery area. We had to drive to pick up the pizza but Gino's East was great enough to give us a discount on our meal since we had to come pick it up. Gino's has great pizza and great customer service which is what will continue to bring us back here. Thanks Gino's!!!
(5)
Tasha A.

Let me start this off by saying that I'm not a big fan of pizza only because I HATE cheese! How un-American you must be saying? So Gino's East made my a cheeseless (deep dish) supreme & can I just say that it was mindblowing?! #1 I ordered a small, which was enough to feed a small family - my God! #2 - the tomatoe sauce along with the chunks of tomatoes were intensely flavorful - never tasted anything like it. #3 - you can grafiti the walls, chairs, floors, whatever you want at Gino's East, that's right, leave your mark. How awesome is that?! Is it a bit pricey, yeah, but it's freakin Chicago - home of the deep dish pizza, what do you expect? Is the service good? Well - our service started out a little sketchy, our waiter wasn't super attentive initially, but he picked up his game & it turned out to be a fantastic night.
(5)
Anuj S.

Gino's Chicago Deep Dish pizza is just OK. I feel sorry for the people, especially tourists that go to Gino's after being told that this is the best Chicago style deep dish around. This is definitely one of the stalwarts in the city, but I much prefer a couple of other pizzerias by light years more than Gino's. I'm not going to name names out of respect for this section which is dedicated to Gino's, but anyone can see my other reviews and easily figure it out. The style of pizza at Gino's is definitely Chicago deep dish, but it really lacks in the most important component of this style of pizza... the dish. Meaning, the crust. It's actually yellow... weird. And it's not crispy... instead of it's soft. I'm sorry, but that just ruins it. The rest of the ingredients are just fine. No complaints. On par with the rest. It just comes down to he all important crust, which is really what makes Chicago deep dish different than pan or stuffed style pizzas. To each his own.
(2)
Jim C.

I have been going to Geno's for several years. The food has always been very good but the service has been spotty. Friday afternoon this week my party and I walked out. After being "handled" by a very rude host we were finally seated. Then 5-6 minutes went by with no acknowledgement fro any of the many staff people who walked by our table we gave up and left. A place like this, I assume, will continue to be busy because of their reputation, and I'm sure they won't miss my business, but I will not be back.
(2)
Jamie B.

I don't really like deep dish pizza. I do however, like the cornbread texture and flavor Gino's uses in the crust. Negative for the over abundance of cheese. Does a person really need a pound of cheese on their slice of pizza? No, they do not. I have yet to try Gino's thin crust, so maybe next time that will be the winning ticket. The bar and bartenders are the best part of this place. A must stop if visiting Chicago.
(4)
Cherie C.

Giordano's was packed, and Gino's was right next to our hotel. So we gave it a try to compare it to my SO's beloved Pizzeria Due. It's true Chicago pizza, with that yellow cornmeal crust and sauce on top. The crust was lighter than the other pizza I tried, but it was still pretty hefty. Two of us got one small pizza and that was plenty. The spinach topping was good. I've learned that Chicago-style pizza really isn't my bag. I don't hate it, but I'll never crave it. But Gino's serves up a pie with quality ingredients with decent service. We'd ordered an appetizer but it never arrived (but also didn't appear on our bill). That was okay, because the pizza was plenty of food, as it turned out. A small completely satisfied our hunger. My dining companion is a Chicago pizza devotee, yet he'd never eaten here. He said it is now his favorite place for Chicago-style pizza, so I guess I'll be back.
(3)
Patrick R.

Second time at this place. Had a line outside but waited about 20 minutes to get a table. Great deep dish pizza.
(4)
Rohit J.

This was our 2nd stop on our pizza tour and this place was great especially the atmosphere. This place is huge, covered in graffiti literally everywhere. The best part is previous customers have put it there and you can add to it. The funny part is they have a sign that says please no graffiti. On to the pizza! It was absolutely delicious. The pizza was oozing with cheese and saucier than Uno which made the actual pizza part (not including the crust) much tastier. The crust was not as nearly as crunchy as Uno, it was flakier and would kind of crumble as you bit into it but not in a bad way. The service was really good, out waitress was really nice, up beat and attentive. Overall this place is awesome with a very homey feel to it and should definitely be a stop when your in Chicago!
(4)
Susie S.

The final stop on our Chicago pizza tour failed to impress. Probably because we've already had the best of the best with Lou Malnati's and Giordano's but Gino's was just alright. First, they are WAYYYYY more expensive than the other two places. We ordered a small and it cost $21 dollars. It was maybe one slice larger than an individual at Giordano's which was $8. Secondly, the crust is too cornmeally and was kind of dry. To top it off, we had to wait 1 hour for it to come out.
(3)
James S.

Ok, I would give this five stars if the bar was a little bigger so we had more space to wait the 45 minutes to get seated. Other than that, the food was awesome!! I had never had Chicago style pizza so we had to try it. I was not disappointed at all!! One word of advice: TRUST what your server tells you. There were three of us and we ordered a large, thinking that three of us could surely eat 8 slices of pizza. Our server suggested the medium but we ordered the large. Three slices went uneaten! I highly recommend Gino's if you have a couple hours as the wait is about an hour and the pizza takes 45 minutes.
(4)
Matt S.

I really loved Gino's. A lot of people were telling me that Gino's was the tourist deep dish pizza spot and that it REALLY wasn't that good, but once that sweet crust and gooey cheese touches your lips, you realize they are bozo's. Gino's East was on my list of places to eat in Chicago so when I got to my hotel, I asked about the location of the restaurant. They not only gave me directions, but also gave me a card that let me get into a different line for people staying in near-by hotels. Basically, my line was 5 groups deep while the other one wrapped around the building into a parking garage. I tell you now, ASK FOR THIS CARD FROM YOUR HOTEL!!! I waited maybe 20 minutes to get a table, others probably waited over an hour. Once we got inside, our waiter was awesome. He explained the whole concept of deep dish and told us we should get a small for my girlfriend and I. I told him he was an idiot and didn't realize how much I can eat, so I got a medium with peppers, mushrooms, and pepporoni. The downfall is that it takes about 45 minutes for the pizza to be ready, so get an appetizer. We unfortunately didn't, so the anticipation for the pizza grew. Once it arrived, it was hot. Our waiter cut a few slices, and slapped it on our plate. The cheese goo'd everywhere. I waited a couple minutes then attacked with my fork and knife (yes, you need them). I was able to finish off two slices of the pizza and still going after a third while it laid in the pan. It was delicious. We chose to take the remaining pizza home since our hotel had a small fridge. The bill came out to about $30 for the pizza with a few drinks which is quite a bargain for the amount of good food we ate. Plus, for the next two mornings, I had a delicious breakfast of leftover Gino's East pizza. It really didn't get much better. In conclusion. Get the card from your hotel front desk for the quicker line. Get a bigger pizza than they say. Eat leftovers for breakfast. Be happy.
(5)
Noel M.

Quite possibly the best Pizza I've had to date. We ordered their wings (trully awesome in their own rights) and a small Deep Dish with one topping. The toppings was excellent and their crust is incredible texture and taste. A definite stop for any one visiting Chicago; Thanks for the Awsome experience!
(5)
Brian M.

Just as the 3 star rating say, A-Ok. DW and had lunch here on July 4. we were excited to try the CHicago style deep dish and ordered a small with pepperoni and sausage. We were very hungry having come almost straight from the airport and added mozzerella stickks to nibble on since the pizza takes a while to cook. The mozz stix hit the spot and left room for the pizza, which was very good. The sauce is not too sweet or spicey. The crust was Ok, thus holding back that 4th star. hey all in all a very good experience.
(3)
Cory K.

When you don't live near good deep dish pizza, you crave it and Gino's is a great place to get the fix.
(4)
Lisa B.

I checked over my reviews and realize I forgot to talk about Gino's. I went to Chicago a few months ago. My daughter has been talking about Gino's for a long time, so i happened to put it on FB that we were going there. I got a message from a friend who told me to bring her home a box... Sure, I thought. We walked out with 8 boxes. Some to share, some to keep. The pizza experience at Gino's is awesome, Don't expect fast service, because they make your pizza fresh, but when it's delivered... WOW!!! Deep dish, gooey and hot. You have to eat it with a fork. It's fun. We got garlic bread, I was not that much of a fan of, but the pizza was worth it all. I'll be back this fall and I'll be going to one of the Gino stores. You better too :-)
(4)
Meat Hunting A.

The environment is very unique, like it. The special pizza is so so. The special flour tasted like cake. The top dressing are too heavy, doubled cheese, doubled tomato source,... I's done after one piece.
(3)
Jennifer M.

FOOD: My favorite place for deep dish. I like how it's not really a chain, and so staff and food is quality. Not too cheesy (for the lactose intolerant), lots of MEAT, and my favorite part: the crust. Tastes like corn bread, but better. Everyone has their own taste for what kind of Deep Dish they like, but this is my favorite out of the Loumilnatis, Giordanos, and Pizzeria Uno. ATMOSPHERE: Almost always has a wait nearing dinner time, but the line moves at an OK pace. Love the atmosphere inside, very chill, down-to-earth, somewhat loud if there's a lot of people, writing all over the walls, etc. Kind of like a diner x 10.
(5)
Angela R.

Good Chicago style pizza, very organized at the door in getting people to tables - the wait for pizza is long, .but they warn you when you order, so that's fair! The have done a nice job retaining the look and feel of the original Geno's that I remember going to when I was a little girl. It's worth the go if you are want Chicago Style Pizza.
(4)
Anthony w.

This was my third time to a Gino's East here in Chicago. First time to the one on Superior. The attitude of the door staff was inconsiderate /snotty. The wait staffer was lifeless, the person never smiled, at all! The food had a diminished taste to for the group. I don't know maybe they were short staffed and had to do more with less. Beer was still tasty.
(2)
Sabrina S.

The first time I went here, I thought it was the greatest thing ever. Real deep dish pizza with a whole sausage patty layering the pie. It was delicious and definitely an experience. The appeal dies down a bit going again, but nevertheless, it still tastes good and it's not like any pizza I can get anywhere else outside of Chicago. The wait is usually pretty long from the experiences I've had and the pizza is only good when it's hot. I took some home and it was not nearly as good heated up later.
(5)
Aimee D.

Awful service. The 45 min wait for seating was expected. However, the waiter said pizza takes 45 minutes and did not offer drinks or refills. 1.5 hours after ordering (very few tables occupied in the dining area by this time and no sight of our waiter since ordering), I walked to the bussing station to check on our food. It came out within seconds of my inquiry but was not warm. The pizza was well made but served at room temp! Had to walk to the station again to ask for our check. Our waiter showed up twice within 5 minutes after providing the check -- the most we seen of him in the 3 hours we were there! We did not get a cookie that was advertised with the kids meal.
(1)
Naz H.

Let me just say OMG, the pizza here is like no other place. It is so cheesy and the dough is bliss. All pizza should be like this. I grow up in Chicago and this is what I knew and now I am sadden to say LA has nothing like it. It takes effort to eat it more then one slice but you have too, especially me since I live in LA now. I go back and force myself to eat two, because it is Cheer Bliss. The BEST, nothing compares and I love Pizza. Please come to LA. I wish LA had this place :(
(4)
John C.

My favorite pizza place on the face of this earth! I love the crust!
(5)
Ira W.

Well it was freezing cold (around 20 degrees that day not to mention the windchill) and a line wrapped around the building. Guess my cousin and I weren't the only crazy ones. Thankfully the line moved quickly. When we entered, there were a ton of signatures from famous celebrities, average joes, you name it, all tagged on the wall. Pretty cool atmosphere. My cousin and I went for the original deep dish and that is what we got. Our server was pretty cool easy to talk to and very attentive. Our food arrived quickly. I was surprised the pizza wasn't the best I've ever had, but I'm in it for the whole experience and don't regret coming. The crust just wasn't my style, sauce was great on the other hand. Would I eat here again? You betcha.
(4)
Leah T.

I was at Gino's less than a week ago and can't stop thinking about the pizza! My travel partner and I have mentioned it to each other in at least three conversations. I'm from CA, so unfortunately for me, I won't be getting that delicious cornmeal crust anytime soon, but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND it to everyone! My family is from Chicago, so I am familiar with deep dish pizza, but this crust is out of this world! Had a spinach pizza, which was the perfect balance of veggie, crust, cheese and sauce. We tried a second deep dish pizzaria, and while we were happy with the normal, buttery crust, we both vote Gino's as the best!
(5)
Michael M.

Amazing pizza! It was my first time having deep dish and I absolutely loved it. The service was excellent and I would recommend Gino's to anyone
(5)
Katie K.

Get the deep dish! Great pizza place in Chicago. Excellent service!
(4)
Whitney K.

I've been to this Gino's East location probably 5 times now, and while it is my husbands favorite deep dish in Chicago and a favorite among friends visiting from out of town, its not my absolute favorite. If you are craving deep dish and are in the area, spending an afternoon showing guests around Michigan Ave, or are visiting from out of town then its a solid stop, especially in the winter when that Chicago cold can leave you craving a warm meal. My husband LOVES Gino's crust, but the cornbread like crust is so thick to me that it always leaves my mouth a little dry. The toppings are definitely the highlight of the pizza for me and I try to keep some around until the end of my slice so that I can add them to the bites of huge crust. Last night, we ordered 2 smalls for 4 people and it was plenty after having tried a couple appetizers. I liked the supreme w/sausage pizza better than the meaty one we ordered. Took a leftover slice home and had it for lunch today, and I honestly thought it tasted better this afternoon! All in all, good Chicago tourist spot, good service, always leave feeling full and satisfied but I think if you have some time to explore around the city you will find better pizza options.
(3)
Nichole M.

I stopped here on the Second City Pizza Tour and was excited because I would finally get to have Gino's and Giordanos pizza on the same day and could do a real comparison. Well Gino's, you failed. The pizza was cold and the sauce tasted like it came out of a Hines can. Usually, I at least kind of like their deep dish pizza. The only thing saving this place for me is that they have the absolute best house dressing on their salads AND I am giving them the benefit of the doubt that they were just having an off day with the cold pizza and sauce that tasted like it came out of a can.
(3)
DAVID T.

I was here 15 years ago and the pizza was divine. Something happened to that amazing crust and it was not chewy and amazing. It was still good pizza but not great. The cheese was fantastic. So far my favorite remains Lou Malnati's Pizzeria. Fun place to visit with lots of writing on the walls, chairs, sculptures, everywhere. Next to the Magnificent Mile where you can swing by for some Ghirardelli Ice Cream treats.
(4)
Ferdi M.

We stayed at a hotel just down the street, and I'm a pizza fan, so we had to give it a shot. The thin crust pizza was definitely a Chicago variant, with a flaky butter crust, not anything like a regular thin crust that you might get in another town. Definitely good but unique and different. The deep dish was a great experience and I'd go back for more when given the chance. We had fresh garlic as a topping, and next time the giardinera will be at the top of the list to try. If you are staying nearby and want to skip the long wait for a table, call ahead and order to go, but expect a 45 min cook time.
(4)
Raquel A.

We were visiting Chicago for the first time and stumbled across Gino's. We had just seen the Man v. Food episode where Adam was in Chicago, so when we found Gino's, we knew we had to stop in. So far, we've gone twice - yesterday and today. When we found it yesterday, it was late afternoon and we were looking for something to eat after our flight, but we had a dinner reservation so when we were told 45 minutes for a deep dish and 35 for a thin crust, we thought we'd better go with appetizers instead. We ordered the sampler platter (can't remember the name of it exactly) with spinach sticks (mozz sticks w/spinach), toasted ravioli, calamari and bruschetta. The calamari was just ok, but everything else was really good. And our server, Michael, was great. So we knew we wanted some deep dish, so we went back today for lunch. We ordered the Gino's supreme with with sausage. Our server, Ed, asked if we wanted crumbled or patty and we said crumbled. We later heard him explaining the difference to other tables and wished we'd gone with patty. Apparently patty just means that they cover the entire thing with sausage. Oh well, the pizza was still delicious. And they were definitely right about the 45 minutes to make it. The cheese was fantastic and fresh. The veggies were also very fresh and you could taste each one. I would definitely recommend Gino's to anyone visiting Chicago and wanted Deep Dish.
(4)
Mike K.

Waaaaaay overrated in my book.......this is a tourist trap...they see it on the Food Network and go. There are multiple locations in Chicagoland. I have only had the Deep Dish, and I just do not like the crust. I think it is a cornbread type of crust. It makes me upset that out-of-towners come into town and think this is the best Deep Dish....IT IS NOT.....Try Due's or Edwardo's or Giordano's....much better.
(1)
Sally N.

Over rated! So glad we went during lunch time and we didn't have to wait on long lines. We had the small deep dish pizza with sausage, and we waited for 45mins. The crust taste like day old dry bread, sauce is OK, the mozzarella cheese is way too much. I dont know if this is how deep dish pizza suppose to taste, but I wont come back again.
(2)
Tammi T.

I wondered if it was just me not being able to appreciate this famous deep dish pizza but it looks like I'm not alone. My first encounter with deep dish pizza was at Uno's and I thought it was good. The hubby mentioned that Gino's is the real thing so it was the first thing we looked for when we visited Chicago. We were quite willing to wait 45 minutes and I was really looking forward to sink my teeth into a rich delicious pie. First bite - no feeling of falling in love. Finished a slice and still no love. By the end of the second slice it was a drag. It wasn't bad but there's just nothing very special about it. Hubby said it used to taste way much better but I couldn't be sure since it's my first time. Hmmm...just come here for the experience and to say you've been to Gino's if you haven't.
(3)
Ryan A.

Chicago-style pizza Old school vibe Great environment A definite must for anyone who has never had this kind of pizza!
(5)
Phil H.

Went here on a whim after walking down Mich Ave. The server did tell us that the thin crust takes about 30 minutes and the deep dish about 50 minutes. Um, OK, guess we can keep the 6 young kids entertained. First up: Thin crust pizza. Just OK. We typically like our thin crust lighter on the cheese side, and this was heavy cheese. Crust didn't seem to have much flavor. Sauce was tasty as well a pretty good pepperoni. But 30 minutes? Its thin crust! Then came the deep dish about 25 minutes later: Sauce was again very good, as well as the pepperoni. The crust really made the pizza a 3 star pizza. It was too crunchy (hard)..and the texture was like a hard biscuit. It was deep dish, maybe 3/4 inch thick...not the thickest thick crust I've had. Overall...it was just OK. Maybe better planning would have helped by ordering ahead of time, but we'll see about a next time. We're from Detroit, so no stranger to really good pizza. In fact, the local Chicago deep dish place (Buddy's does not count as Chicago style), Pizza Popalis, beats out Gino's East...much better crust (a buttery, almost layered soft biscuit type crust).
(3)
Arnaud S.

I am not a deep dish expert, more of a italian thin crust type of guy, but this place didn't disappointed me. I tried the traditional tomato, cheese and sausage patty, as recommended by local co workers and it was yummy! Pizzas are big so 6 slices will feed 2 big boys easily. Not much more to say, you are in Chicago so you have to go with stuffed pizza and this is a solid option. Maybe not the best in town but very very solid. 3.5 stars for me.
(3)
Marie D.

This is the best Chicago Style pizza I've had in the downtown area. The crust was fabulous! Highly recommend.
(5)
Judy C.

Prior to coming to Chicago, I did my fair research on deep dish pizza. Initially wanted to go to Giordano's, but it was too long of a wait for a table. Thus, my friends and I headed to Gino's East, and luckily, we quickly nabbed a place at the bar to eat. We had a great bartender -- he was nice. We got a vegetarian medium pizza to share for 3, and that was definitely a good amount for each of us. Unfortunately, the pizza failed to deliver. It was too sauce heavy, so it was difficult to eat (even with fork and knife). Both my friends didn't care for the pizza dough. We also had a house salad and a Gino's Combo Sampler (Mozzarella sticks, spinach sticks, and fried calamari). It held our appetite, but it was similar to appetizers one would get at a TGIF's or Applebee's. Not very appealing to eat. Probably would go elsewhere to try other deep dish pizzas available.
(3)
steven l.

Ended up rolling in here when I first arrived in Chi town. It was packed but it wasn't to ridiculous of a wait. Deep dish pizza was always something I never craved for but I wanted to try the real deal in Chicago. The first thing ordered was the spinach/mozarella sticks that were very good. It was fried but it was still overall delicious and fresh. The pizza I ordered was the hot peppers sausage pizza which came out about 45 min after I ordered. It was a behemoth at medium size this could feed 4 people prob. Definitely not something to get with just 2 people. It is basically a deep dish pizza with a rather huge patty of meat on top of cheese than covered with tomato sauce and peppers. Flavor wise it was really good filling me up after 2 slices. The corn crust was pretty good. I'm not a huge fan of carbs so it's on the large size but it came out pipping hot and fresh. Flavors were great too. Service was great too. I noticed a lot of service in Chicago was great. This is definately a spot to come check out if you've never had deep dished pizza. I still favor NY style. They also do offer this btw but of course I came to try the Chi town style pizza.
(3)
J M.

Meh is the perfect word for this place. Very touristy and not worth the wait or price. Cornmeal type crust and just okay sauce and cheese. Definately not worth the wait and i wish I had followed the locals advice.
(2)
Chris P.

Visiting from Toronto and was recommended to come here. We were shocked to see a lineup outside a pizza place and with 10 of us we knew it would be a long wait, but no matter, we knew that once we got in we would be enjoying cheesey goodness. We were shocked yet again when we got seated to find out it would take 45 minutes to get our pizza. Once we did get it it was delicious. An interesting twist is that they put the toppings on in reverse order, with the cheese first and the sauce last. We had both the meat and veggi pies and each were tasty in their own right. I found the outer crust to be a little dry, but was glad that it wasn't dripping grease. Overall I would have given this 5 stars but unfortunately the service was not so great. Once we placed our order we didn't see our server again until he was bringing our food. At which point we needed refills on our drinks which he didn't offer. We had to get his attention as he was walking away. Though later on my trip I realized that this level of service seems to be pretty standard in Chicago.
(4)
Janel H.

Ginos is that special place that brings back memories of a "simpler time". I remember writing on the walls, then having my daughter write on the walls. Live in Arizona and havent been back for about 4 years. Cant wait to come back and write on the walls some more. Its part of the experience of downtown Chicago. The pizza is authentic chicago style and come hungry because you will leave FULL.
(5)
Sydney H.

I was referred here by some friends and they told me right. If you think you have had Chicago deep dish pizza I will say you have not until you have had Gino's. it was a party of 9 and we used their valet services $13 for 3 hours but we didn't have to wait in that long line. A little on the pricy side but well worth it. I can't begin to describe how good the food is you will have to try it. Our server was nice but a little slow checking up on us for drinks. It is loud in there and they have this graffiti thing going on that is kind of cool.
(4)
Bryan K.

45 min to wait after you order is well worth it. My first official Chicago deep dish... Happy it was from here
(5)
Jennie T.

Came here for a deep dish pizza with my friend. I have to say that I was disappointed. You see, a friend hyped this place up for me. I thought I was going to get the best deep dish pizza in Chicago. Nope, I think I still prefer Giordano's. When the server served us our pizzas, the toppings just sort of slided off... I don't think I've ever had that happened before. It was a bit unsightly. I think I'll stick to Giordano's the next time a friend from out of town wants to get deep dish pizza.
(3)
Brad B.

Fun place to eat some tasty Chicago deep dish pizza.
(4)
Damian B.

Fantastic, period! Perfect Chicago pizza! My friend and I are pretty big eaters, and still an appetizer of Calamari and a small pizza was more than sufficient. Very reasonably priced, and attentive, friendly staff.
(5)
janis k.

When I planned my trip to Chicago a native said I must eat here. Based on the crowd thought I was going to be in for a treat. Starting with the restroom which was filthy, I almost didn't stay. Have to say the service was slow and perfunctory. The salad was extremely overpriced $4.75 pp for iceberg lettuce and a few other vegetables. I did not care for the pizza so much sauce couldn't even taste the overpriced vegetables. I guess when you go to Chicago you have to eat deep dish pizza but skip Gino!s
(2)
Ai M.

After a plate of fettuchine and calamari, I wanted a new fork but the waitress insisted that I needed it for the pizza. I liked the cheese for the deep dish better than Pizzeria Due. I recommend the spinach sticks. My lemonade was watered down despite getting two glasses without ice. Tasty tomato sauce. The soup of the day was minestrone. It was chunky with a chicken broth base. The pasta with Italian sausage + peppers is spicy. I wanted it to be cheesier. Adding a little marinara sauce didn't improve it. We ordered a medium supreme with a sausage patty but by then I didn't have room for more than a slice. I didn't even get to the end crust. Reheat your leftovers by baking the pizza on a baking sheet or pizza stone at 400 degrees. Cheese should be melted and the crust should be golden between 15-20 minutes (not counting preheating). Add five more minutes if cooking a frozen pie.
(4)
Wallace G.

The pizza is great, unfortunately you have to wait 45 minutes for it... after waiting 30 minutes to be seated. Tough wait on the younger audience. Tough for a grown man to eat more than two pieces of pizza, absolutely filling.
(4)
Lu c.

Went to Gino's for the first time this weekend while in Chicago for a getaway. The atmosphere is pretty cool, the waiter gave me a marker so I could write on the wall. The waiter was super friendly also. We got the four cheese with mushrooms and it was DELICIOUS!!!! I absolutely loved it! Great experience at Gino's east! I will definently have to order some pizzas online!
(5)
Kate L.

The atmosphere in Gino's is classic Chicago-style. You can sign your name on the walls, and it's all very casual with red-checkered table cloths. However, if you're looking for a place to accommodate allergies, this isn't it. I can't speak to the quality of the deep-dish pizza, but from what I heard from others at my table, it was pretty average. I have Celiac, and I've had my fair share of awful gluten free pizzas over the years. However, Gino's East's gluten free pizza was the absolute worst I've ever had, and that's really saying something. It also ended up giving me an allergic reaction. If you put something gluten free on your menu, you should probably make sure that it actually is gluten free and that it doesn't taste like cardboard. When I tried to order a salad since the gluten free pizza was such a fail, it came with croutons on it, which we'd specifically asked for it not to have. Our water pitchers were constantly empty, and it took a ridiculously long time to get a second round of pizza. Personally, I won't be going back to Gino's because their lack of options for me. And solely because of their service, I don't think I would even recommend it to those without allergies.
(2)
Carlos A.

This is my favorite Chicago pizza place. I'm from Los Angeles and SF and this is the best example of it I have had. I loved the sausage patty layer. That's unique. Also tried the spinach dip and loved it. I liked the writing on the wall and that made me think people love this place. Gave me a great sense of community. Loved that the bartender said hell no when someone tried to change the Monday Night Football game when the Chicago Bears were playing at home. Great place.
(5)
Kristin C.

I love pizza. So obviously when I went to Chicago, I had to have some pizza. I really like the Chicago style Deep Dish pizzas I have tried, so I was really excited to try some authentic stuff from Chicago. My boyfriend and I watch a lot of Food Network, and since Gino's East has been featured on there numerous times, its the place he wanted to try. We ended up at the first Gino's location on accident. We just went because with out Bus Tour we got priority seating. We got seated within 5 minutes on a busy Saturday night, but it didn't seem like the line was too long in the first place. They have an awesome system where they have people line up rather than taking down their name. It seems super efficient. I figured since the pizza takes 45 minutes, it would be a good excuse to drink. We had like 4 pitches between the 4 of us over the course of the evening. I was really surprised to see that not that many people were drinking. Which is probably a good thing, since their beer and pizza was expensive! It was really good though. Ironically, the "Chicago style" Pizza I have had in Seattle was better, but it was still a really good pizza. We got the large to split between 4 people. My mom, as always, was embarrassing and didn't finish her pizza. We had the meat pizza, and the pepperoni and sausage were both very good. We also tried some cheesy garlic bread, which was super yummy. I really like the ambiance, it's a lot of fun, the place is huge too. Our service was a bit slow, but our server was nice, and I think he made up for it by being fun and cracking jokes with us(we were pretty drunk at this point). Every time we ordered a new pitcher, it would take a long time, somehow they were always changing the keg.... weird. I am not saying I am a pizza connoisseur, or even know the best place in Chicago to get a pie, but out of the 2 places I tried, Gino's was definitely the best. I really enjoyed the history and ambiance too. If I am in Chicago again, I'll definitely come back here for some more deep-dish pizza.
(4)
Harvs K.

I have to admit this review is really a 3.5 star, but I will be nice since the sauce was great! It was going to be a long wait to be seated here, but since we took a tour, we got a pass for priority seating. What a great idea! My party was still seated about 20 minutes later, and we were told that the food would take about an hour. We placed our orders for two deep dishes- The famous cheese and sausage, and the meat lovers. The cheese and sausage has a disc of sausage in the middle, and its almost a reverse pizza (I think this place was featured on the food network- Best thing I ever ate- pizza!). We also ordered garlic sticks and cheese bread. The first to arrive were the bread. The sauce that accompanied them was SO GOOD!!! The cheese bread was super cheesy and the breadsticks were better than Ive had in some time. After a long wait, the deepdish arrived. The layer of sausage was perfect!!!! It was really saucy, but personally I like it with the sauce! I really enjoyed ever bit of the pizza - I think a single slice was like 1000 calories, but I had almost two it was so good. Although i will admit the crust was average. I didnt like the flavor of it as much and I was expecting more bread. But for my first true deep dish, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
(4)
Brad S.

Good, but over rated. Chalk it up to being just average
(3)
Sarah G.

My meal at Gino's sticks with me more than a year later for two reasons. One - it's delicious. And Two - this is one of my most recent memories in which I ate way beyond my means and felt really morbid afterwards. The place was absolutely packed on a Thursday afternoon and we spent our 20-30 minute wait at the lobby/bar area. (You know a place typically has a long wait when the bar is literally in the lobby). But after a couple of beers, I was even more hungry and ready to eat anything. So pizza definitely didn't disappoint at that point. Though, next time I'm in the windy city, I'll be hitting up one of many other chicago pizza-houses to get the big picture.
(3)
Joanne T.

I'm not from around Chicago, so I had to try at least one deep dish pizza while I'm here. This place was a 3.5 stars! Just ate it and had to write a review. Waited the normal 45 mins and ordered the Meaty Legend. It was baked on cornbeard and was quite tasty. I liked the crust. It was about $32 for a medium sized pizza with 6 slices. Good for a group of 3 or 4. One slice was filling enough for me though. We ordered it to go, but there was plenty of seating inside. It was a lot less crowded then Giordano's. There's a bar inside and has a very laid back feel. Not bad, but wish the wait wasn't that long.
(3)
B. J.

Typically I don't like to wait 45 min to an hour for my meal at a restaurant, but I knew I had to try the deep dish pizza as that is what they are known for. Alas, it was honestly a rather poor tasting pizza, which I will describe, but that wasn't the only issue with my dining experience. Our drinks where never brought until I reminded our waitress once the food arrived. My boyfriend had received the wrong sandwich (thankfully, they remade it for him, but after waiting an hour it sucked having to wait even longer). I'm a patient person, but everything took such a long long time from waiting to get into the place (even though it was pretty empty once getting in) till having the check brought. The pizza was barely average, the crust particularly awful. Good deep dish crust should be flaky, buttery, crispy, but not hard as a rock? In my head I thought the crust tasted like stale corn bread, and my boyfriend said the same thing! Believe me, it was just not enjoyable. I would not go to Gino's again, there are too many good pizza places in Chicago.
(2)
Kan R.

No doubt their deep dish pizza was good, but their newly launched deep dish nacho chips were terrible. They seemed to be all dipped in oil and had no taste at all. Also their buffalo chicken wings were dry and had no sauce at all.
(1)
David G.

The pizza crust was plain and crunchy and sans butter. The mozzarella was lacking. The toppings and sauce were plain. I don't remember it being like this the first time I tried it seven years ago. Sorry to say, but the best Chicago style pizza is now in Placentia, CA. Hoorah for Tony's Little Italy!
(2)
Steve K.

Best deep dish pizza hands down. Service could have been a little quicker but pizza made up for it. Quite possibly the best pizza I've ever had.
(4)
Boon K.

My second favorite deep dish pizza, when I am feeling more like a cornmeal crust. They have a great tomato sauce and the cornmeal crust is very unique to gino that you wouldn't forget.
(3)
Andrew G.

The line outside was long, but we were almost immediately seated. Upon ordering, we were told there would be a 45 minute wait for the pizza - it did not feel that long. The pizza crust was not too buttery, but had a nice flavor. The sauce: non-descript, non-intrusive. Unlike at Uno's, for instance, it was the toppings that stood out - though not always in a good way. Our sausage and spinach pizza turned out well, the bacon cheeseburger pizza not so much. A nice experience - recommendable - but I have had better.
(3)
Joe K.

As Portillo's is for the Hot Dog, I would argue that Gino's is the quintessential deep dish pizza experience. Sure, it has a lot of competition (Lou Malnati's, Uno's, Giordano's, etc.) and these competitors are almost equally as good and shouldn't be discounted. You can't go wrong with any of these places. But, I'd argue (and call it personal preference) something about the Gino's East experience pushes it over the top. I think I just like the facets of the Gino's pie slightly better... from the way the crust is made to the tomatoes on top. From the writing all over the walls to the quality of the food, Gino's is sure to provide an extremely memorable dining experience. Also, side note: Make sure to check out all the celebrity autographs by the bathroom.
(5)
Matt C.

Well, I would first like to point out that I am a New Yorker and definitely prefer my thin pizza over the deep dish pizza that I ate here. On that note, this was my first experience with Chicago deep dish pizza (as this was my first time to Chicago - where I am moving soon). My experience there was great, but not perfect because the deep dish pizza wasn't exactly what I thought it would be. The service here is immaculate. The waiter was very friendly and came to our table several times even though he was outrageously busy. It takes roughly 45 minutes to get your pizza, so I wish I took advice that I saw online and pre-ordered it so that when we arrived we didn't have to wait as long. But, that wait wasn't bad at all, compared to a lot of other places I have been to. The wait was worth it because as you sit there you get to see some of the history of the place. The writing on the walls, the pictures, etc. etc. etc. The food was really, really good. But, it wasn't what I was expecting from deep dish pizza. There was a lot of crust for a pizza. More crust than toppings. As for the toppings, there was a lot of cheese and not enough sauce and pepperoni for my taste. I am lactose-intolerant (even though I still eat dairy), but I'd much rather not eat a pound of cheese in a few slices of pizza (haha). But, for what it was - it was really good. It was well worth it for me. It was overall a great experience for me and I'm glad that I finally got to compare and contrast on which is better: NYC or Chicago pizza? Sorry, but I'm sticking with my NYC pizza.
(4)
Russell C.

I currently live in Utah but grew up in Wisconsin. Whenever my wife and I visit Green Bay we have to make the drive down to Chicago to have some of their pizza. It is the best deep dish pizza you can ever eat. It is so much fun to go there and eat their pizza! I love it so much! Best pizza in the world!
(5)
Dave F.

On our 2nd day in Chicago, we had pizza for breakfast again. It was a mission to taste chicago pizza not just in one place but several. It was a sunday late morning so what do you have to drink? Bloody mary's of course. I had a few as we waited for our party to arrive and it gave me an opportunity to scope out the environment. This place is a great place for tourists. You can put your mark on the walls, if you can find room. The place is filled with names and remarks about "being in chicago". I mean everywhere! When we got seated, our waiter seemed a little rude and "attitude-ish" but after awhile and a couple more drinks, he became magically funny and entertaining. Shawn helped make the experience because we all gave each other a hard time about everything. From ordering ranch to asking for markers to write on the wall. He came thru and was totally great. Now that you got the feel that i had a great time there, lets talk food! We had to do it right. We ordered a deep dish and a thin crust. The deep dish was a meat extravaganza:sausage, pepperoni, bacon, canadian bacon, then topped with sauce and cheese! Damm that was so good. I tried the thin crust too but its pretty common. It was good but hadn't really had deep dish before, i was all in! Overall, great staff, great drinks, great pizza. A must if you hit up Chicago!
(5)
Veronica D.

Love the pizza. Come here institute I come to Chicago. Brought my son here on his birthday and he lived the pizza too!
(4)
Kerry M.

Beware the "family Style Salad" ! OUTRAGEOUSLY OVERPICED head lettuce! DO NOT FALL FOR THIS, EVER! $4.75 per person gets you a moderately sized bowl of head lettuce pieces mixed with one unripe tomato wedge per person and one red onion ring per person and approximately two black olives per person. My part of three were encouraged to have salad while waitin 45 to 60 minutes for our pizza to be cooked. BIG MISTAKE! When the salad bowl arrived at our table I was on the verge of calling the server to take it away for its lack of substance, but since I was enteratining out-of-town friends I chose not to make a scene. Big mistake. In hindsight I should have sent it back and saved $14.25 for what might have been, at most, $.95 worth of produce. But the pizza was delicious.
(2)
Alexandra C.

Is this really as good as Chicago deep dish style pizza gets? I didn't see anything special at all about the pizza. It tasted like frozen pizza dough crust with lots of cornmeal, Hunts tomato sauce (a TON of sauce) and not the best quality cheese. Good to experience once but I'm picky with pizza as I'm from NYC. But someone please do message me and let me know where to find REALLY good Chicago style pizza on my trip there next week?
(2)
Noel M.

I'm sitting watching a rerun of the Man vs. Food guy munchin' at Gino's. Right now, I really, really wish I still lived in the Chicago area!
(5)
Char Y.

We came with our groupon, and were disappointed at the food. The place was completely graffiti-ed, even the seats were written on. Our server, Ben, was courteous and served our food quickly. thin crust gino's combination - bad, the crust was burnt but the ingredients on top were raw appetizer combo - not good, the spinach sticks were over fried it's totally a tourist trap and the food bad. DO NOT GO.
(1)
CtDarkcloud C.

First and foremost you need to realize that Gino's East is known for their DEEP DISH PIZZA, and NOT THEIR PASTA. Don't let the staff/waiter(ess) discourage you with the 45 minute cooking time for the pizza. If you waited 40+ minutes in line to get a table, you better make sure it is for something that is worthwhile. I was with friends who came to visit Chicago and heard about the pizza. I was unable to stand with them in line because I was at work, but told them I would meet them as soon as I got out. Unfortunately, I was not there to offer them some "local" advice because when I arrive they were seated and told me they were really hungary and couldn't wait and so they ordered the pasta. Well I never had their pasta because I always came for the deep dish. And so I joined along and ordered their angel hair pasta, which sad to say, I was deeply disappointed, and so were my friends and their pasta dishes. Oh well, lesson learned. My advice: If you are going to any restaurant that are known for a particular dish or specialty, go for what they are known for, otherwise, you miss out. And oh, YES to their DEEP DISH PIZZA.....NO to their PASTA.
(4)
Justin L.

I Still think Deep dish is Bastardized cake But they do it well and we left a mark.
(4)
Chris A.

This is the best pizza in the world. That's it, that's the whole review. Go there and love it.
(5)
Bobby C.

Really should be 4.5 stars. My second favorite place for deep-dish pizza, after Giordano's. Came here on a weekday night with two friends and we had to stand outside to wait for a table. It felt like a line to get into a club. They don't pre-order, so when you finally get seated, you'd order and then wait the 30-45 mins for the pizza. I hope they add the pre-ordering option soon, although it is worth the wait. We got a medium, half Gino's east supreme, and half meaty legend. Again, two slices each was almost too much. But it was so good we couldn't stop eating. You'd say "no more!" But then you see there's a slice left, and you don't want the tastiness to go to waste, so you suck it up and scarf down your third slice of the night. It's not super cheesy, but the toppings made up for that. Pricing is acceptable. The medium pizza, some sodas and a pitcher of beer came out to $60 after t/t. The walls are covered in notes and writings from previous customers. I didn't know you could add your own personal touch to it until after. I'll definitely have to come back to leave my own legacy, and have one more slice...or three...
(4)
Suzanne N.

OMG....this was the best pizza I have EVER eaten! I am NOT a fan of deep dish so we ordered the thin crust with hamburger, spinich, and mushrooms. Although it was pricey it was well worth it......and to top it off the service was great! Since returning to Texas, I have not been able to make myself go out for pizza. I have had good pizza but it just doesn't measure up to GIno's East! I definitly recommend the thin crust over the deep dish. It looks like they only ship the deep dish across the country but if they shipped the thin crust I would jump on the opportunity!
(5)
Jon T.

Gino's is a great option for lunch if you work in the area. For $8, I got a grilled chicken sandwich, fries, and a drink and it doesn't seem to be as touristy over the lunch hour. Plenty of seats were available too in the walk-in section.
(4)
Eleanor E.

We had the cheese and pepperoni deep dish. I almost had a breakdown while waiting; I was so hungy that my stomach stated dissolving itself in its own gastric juices, but when they finally brought the pizza out I was ready to go to town. It was a bit runny (a table full of cops next to us complained about this and the waitress comped them a new pizza to try to make it up to them). Since this was my first experience with deep dish pizza I just went with it and enjoyed the saucy goodness. Soooooooo much cheese and pepperoni! My arteries are struggling to push the saturated fats through. It was scrumptious, but hard to go wrong with pizza. The waitress was very nice and brought us out an extra cannoli even though we only ordered one. And yes, I ate the whole canoli too. Worth every calorie! It precipitated a narcoleptic nap-attack immediately afterwards, so be forewarned...heavy pizza=heavy soporific effect.
(4)
Levi S.

a deep dish favorite.
(5)
Tanja Z.

You know, as I read these reviews, I see the same comments. Good pizza, but terrible service. My Husband and I took a weekend to relax downtown and we were on a mission to find the best deep dish. The pizza was great (probably the best), but the service was the worst we had since our visit. We are excellent tippers, considering we've waited tables all throughout school, but this was the first time we left $1 for a tip. When we told the manager about it, he said "I'm sorry, Daniel is having a bad day." WOW!! This is not a time to be treating people as "business as usual." I suggest the owner get a new staff and manager.
(3)
Chris P.

awesome pizza & spinach mozarella sticks
(5)
Eliza M.

We had to entertain some out-of-town guests who were craving some deep dish pizza. I'm not exactly sure why we didn't go to Lou's but I wasn't the decision maker. This was my first time to this location and it is touristy and large. They warn you that deep dish takes an hour and we thought they might be overshooting the time, but it really did take an hour. Borderline starvation probably makes people think this pizza is better than it really is. Alcohol helps pass the time. Our waitress was friendly, attentive, and had a real personality. Gino's pizza has A LOT of crust. When I looked at everyone's plate at the end of the meal, there were piles and piles of crust. The perfect deep dish pizza in my opinion is a hybrid of Lou's and Gulliver's.
(3)
Vaidehi T.

I am actually not a deep dish lover. Its something I enjoy once a year or once every two years. But Gino's East is the best deep dish you can find. Took a few friends to Gino's East who were visiting Chicago, and they wanted to taste Chicago Deep dish pizza. We came later than the lunch hour, so there was no wait at all. The pizza speaks for itself. The crust, the sauce its all delicious.
(4)
Jenna S.

OK, I may have a new favorite. After my ravings about Pizzerias Uno and Due, I may change my mind and say that Gino's East is my favorite deep dish in the city. However, I'm not ready to put the five star stamp on it yet. I think I need to go to Due's and have a plain cheese pizza and do the same at Gino's for a real, authentic comparison. It may have just been that the ingredients we happened to choose last night were so amazing that it made the pizza even better. So I'll perform the experiment and get back to you. I kind of like the waiting system they have going. They don't take names and they don't give you a wait time which seems kind of harsh at first. However, we only waited about 10 minutes for a table. Awesome! There was a line and a group of people waiting, but they seemed to be turning tables quickly so we didn't have to wait long. I guarantee the wait on the same evening at Uno's or Due's would have been at least an hour. How convenient, Gino's. The restaurant prides itself on allowing the customer to write on the walls. There's a lot of name graffiti scrawled everywhere and I thought it added a cool touch to the place. There are also a lot of pictures of celebrities who have frequented the restaurant while in Chicago. I like that it's a popular hotspot with celebrities and the like. Part of my four-and-not-five star review is the service. Our server was pretty terrible. We waited 11 minutes at the table before anyone even acknowledged us. We were not given water and our server didn't even seem to notice when he finally approached the table. Bart (as he later informed us) didn't seem to care that he was grossly underserving our part of the restaurant. I saw lots of other servers walking around all over, acknowledging other customers and bringing a lot of drinks but Bart was really no where to be found. He let us know that the pizza would be about an hour but that our salad appetizer would be out "really quickly!" 15 minutes later we received our salad. That doesn't seem like "really quickly" to me, but maybe I'm just wrong. Who knows. He was a really nice guy, he just didn't seem all there last night. Perhaps the service would be better on another night or with a different guy. Our food was superb! We ordered the family style salad, which is a deal at $4.75 per person. It was a great deal and we all raved about the delicious salad dressing. It was a creamy version of a vinagrette and it was soooo good. There was also enough salad to have actually fed six or seven people, which is nice. It was sooo good. Next time, I'd subtract the onions, but I think I'm one of the few people who does not want those on a salad so no big deal. And the pizza... oh my! It was soooo good. We ordered garlic and green olive pizza which was sooo delicious. The garlic was strong enough to upset anyone within 10 feet of us after dinner, which is awesome. I am a huge fan of garlic, so it was OK by me. Warning: if you're not that huge a fan, skip it. There was literally a TON of garlic on the pizza so if you won't like it, don't bother ordering it. The green olives were also a bit tart and really delicious. They were obviously fresh and sliced very thin. A lot of other Yelpers complained about the pizza dough, which they said tasted a lot like flour. I agree, but I really enjoy the taste of flour-y dough. Don't ask me why, I just think it tastes great. The crust was crisp on all sides and it was cooked to perfection. No burns, no mushy spots - yum! I really liked it, but I can see a lot of people not enjoying the taste. We often take out-of-towners to dinner and this may be our new spot for classic Chicago Deep Dish pizza.
(4)
Jesse W.

I remember eating deep dish pizzas from this location from over 20 years ago, my father worked around the corner from here and would bring back pizzas for special occasions (both cooked and ready to eat and frozen pre-made ready to oven bake versions). This place is on my requisite list of restaurants to visit on any trip to Chicago, we visited last week and enjoyed their sausage (pie patty) and spinach deep dish pizzas. I tend to prefer their corn bread like crust over other crusts that are more standard. One slice of each is more than enough food, we took home plenty of leftovers- A few years back, my wife and I tried taking a frozen pizza back to Cambridge and while it looked intact when we arrived home (after the two hour flight), the pizza did not do well in the oven! The crust was defrtosted enough so that it melted into one big blob! Ugh - still tasted the same but clearly was not recognizable!
(4)
Marlon R.

This deep dish was better than any other I tried during my stay...I tried Lou's and it didn't compare, I tried Uno and Deuce and they were no competition..the corn bread crust was amazing. Order the MEATY LEGEND!!!
(5)
James K.

I'm from California and got back from vacation in Chicago a few days ago (fun trip) --only places I can compare deep dish pies are Pizza Chicago and Patxi's (sp?)..both were pretty yummy, with pizza chicago being better of the two imho --this pizza was pretty good..very filling, full of toppings...some people don't like the corn style based crust but I had no problem with it --deep dish does take at least 40 min so order ahead if you can --overall, good place to eat..also like the laid back atmosphere with all the different writings on the walls
(4)
David F.

My experience with deep dish pizza mostly revolves around trips to Uno's when I was in college. Those were simpler days when it was hard not to love food that was eminently affordable and filling. On a recent trip to Chicago, we had our hearts set on deep dish pizza. Our friends suggested we meet at Gino's East. Maybe it's just that I'm a New Yorker and don't understand what all the fuss is about with deep dish, or possibly I didn't have the best deep dish pizza Chicago has to offer. The line out the door makes we wonder if there's a theme park ride inside. And valet parking at a pizza place? I don't think we're in NY anymore. The graffiti-covered walls, tablecloths and decorations tells me Gino's is going for kitschy and contrived, but it's a chain, so maybe that's the point. Though honestly, the tables and whole restaurant felt a little on the grimy side - like it could use a good scrubbing. Or is that part of the atmosphere, too? On the plus side, we didn't have to wait all that long for a table for 5 - even on a Saturday night - and the service was good. Our waitress warned us about the 40 minutes it takes to make the pizzas and made sure we could get our appetizer and drink orders in first (p.s. I think it took more like 25 minutes). The fried ravioli was good - nice and crisp on the outside, lots of melted cheese on the inside. The spinach dip was the same as at thousands of other chain restaurants around the country. There must be a spinach dip factory somewhere that supplies all of it. It's hard for me to say if the pizza was really good since I don't have much to compare it to. We had one with about 5 different types of meat and another with 5 different types of veggies. The meat pizza didn't seem to actually have that many toppings - mostly sauce, which was nice and tart. I think the sauce is what made it - not the crust or the toppings. And it felt kind of like eating a calzone with all the crust. Two slices of this deep dish pizza and you're done. Gino's didn't really win me over but 2.51 stars rounds up to 3. Would I go on a quest for Chicago deep dish pizza again? Absolutely. I'm always on a quest for good food.
(3)
Justin H.

This was my first Chicago deep dish pizza and it surpassed my expectations. I didn't get a chance to try any of the other famous deep dish places, so i cant really compare it to them but this pizza is LEGIT. We got the Meaty Legend and the Gino's East Supreme and both were awesome. The toppings, the sauce, the cheese... everything was amazing. I have been to some of the famous pizza places in New York and this deep dish pizza easily crushes those. Enjoy!
(5)
Nate C.

Gino's, Gino's, Gino's East, it's good, but I was expecting a little more. I think they have really good pizza pie and I really enjoyed the whole experience. The server was great and the pizza, very good. Perhaps I was expecting too much per I've heard this is the SPOT for all pizzas of Chi town. I ate, thought it was really good, but sadly, the chicago styled pizza from the bay area (N. Cali), Zachary's, was better. I know all you folks from Chicago will send me some hate notes and stuff, but let's face it, Chicago is an AWESOME city, but Gino's can't compare to Zachary's. If you're in N Cali, check it out. Sorry, but if it makes all of you feel better, I think Gino's East is the second best Chicago style pizza i've ever had. =]
(4)
Mario G.

Lived up to my expectations. Very good representation of Chicago style pizza. Wasn't impressed with the world famous sausage. Canadian Bacon was amazing though. Portions are huge, order less than you expect.
(4)
Roxy D.

As a life long Chicagoan, I feel like I have a pretty good knowledge of Chicago style pizza. I have heard people refer to "The Big Three" places to get Chicago style pizza. As far as well known established restaurants this is true, except they usually get one wrong. There are Gino's East, Lou Malnatti's and Uno's and Due's....NOT Giordano's!!!! Chicago style pizza is by definition; Deep Dish Pizza...which Giordano's does not offer! They have "Stuffed pizza" which involves another layer of dough placed on top of the cheese and ingredients then topped with sauce. COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!!! So they don't count! My personal preferences of "The REAL big Three" are as follows: #1 Uno's or Due's (same restaurant that has two locations across the street from each other). At either of the restaurants, if it's busy and there is a wait, when you put your name on the list they take your pizza order RIGHT THEN !!! No 3 block line of people waiting to get into Gino's for at times 2+ hours to get in and seated while they pass you over for a group that fits the exact size of the available table more than once. Then after you are seated the server will inform you that your pizza will take 45 min to an hour to make, where as UNOs or DUEs your pie is already in the works. It is a GIANT 3 floor building that replaced the old smaller one that had an authentic feel to it. At some point, they decided to let people write All Over the walls or any reachable surface with Sharpie's and White Out which is tacky and obnoxious to have to look at. As far as the pizza itself, it's not bad. I don't like the crust. It is very thick around the edges and thin on the bottom, especially if you pile on the toppings or get the Vegatarian because of all the water that is released when the veggies are cooked. The thin crust is nothing special at all. Chicago style thin crust should be very thin and crispy, not thick and doughy. I find the sauce to be too sweet. For the most part all the appetizers are fried. DO NOT try the "antipasto salad"!!! God Awful!!! Make sure your server repeats back the order to you, because if it comes out wrong, it's at least another 20 min to fix it. In summary...I find Gino's to be the Worst of "The Big Three". Lou Malnatti's has very good pizza, but the same can be said for either Uno's or Due's, which both are authentic, rustic and have a real old world Chicago appeal. Gino's....You LOOSE!!!
(2)
J J.

After our flight in from So Cal we were starving. The gentleman sitting next to us gave a glowing review of Ginos East and said to ignore anyone else....this is the place to get the best pizza. We checked into the hotel and immediately walked 4 blocks to give it a try. It was the perfect start to this trip. We had the sausage patty deep dish. Simply amazing.
(5)
Mike C.

Disappointing to say the least. Bland sauce and flavorless cheese. No idea what the good reviews are for.
(1)
Sean C.

Cornmeal as the pizza dough, are you kidding me??!' I really don't get the hype. Cornmeal is for corn dogs & corn muffins! You can say I'm a NYC pizza snob, but even the thin crust felt like it was delivered from Domino's. Chicagoans when you get to NYC go directly to Rosa's Pizza on 69th St. in Maspeth, Queens (NYC) (best Sicilian) & New Park Pizza in Howard Beach (thin slice), for starters. Now Giordano's, that's the Chicago Pizza I'll go back for
(1)
Gayle G.

It's fine. I'll say it again, deep dish isn't my preference. But, my 16 year old niece who was in from out of town insisted that we go here. We walked in on a Friday at 12:30 with no wait. In fact, if they place was 1/3 full, I'd be surprised. We ordered our salads and a small pizza and began the wait. The salads were $5.50 each and were pitiful -- all iceberg lettuce, 1 anemic tomato, a few croutons, 2 slices of cuke and a black olive and red onion. Now, I'm not too picky and I'm fine with this kind of salad, but for $5.50? There was about 30 cents worth of veggies on the plate. Our pizza arrived in 40 minutes and was good. It is what it is. It's not my thing, but I ate it happily. One slice was enough for each of us and we had leftover for the next day. Not a place that I'll go again unless forced by an out of town guest.
(3)
pramod p.

Be prepared to wait and you wont be dissapointed. There are 3 deep dish places that need to be visited in the city. This is one of them. They open at 11, if you get there on time, you can get a table. It takes 45 mins for a deep dish to cook so if you want to eat at 12 its a perfect plan, no lines. THe pizza was incredible. The sauasage (pick thick) was amazing, and it defintiely lived up to my expectations- comparable to Lou Minnatis. Great atmosphere and location, a bar to drink while you wait. Cant miss if deep dish is what you want! A little pricey- medium sausage was 36$ and pitchers were 16$ but I guess thats to be expected in the city! Dont bother with anything but the pizza, not worth the money.
(4)
Michael L.

WTF - I had a room next to this joint and ate here 4 days in a row.
(4)
Chris V.

Every time I think of this pizza, I get a major craving and want to hop on a plane to Chicago for more. When I went to Gino's, I got a small, four-slice deep-dish meat (I forget the actual name) pizza for me and one other person, and we still had some left over. The deep-dish pizza here is truly filling, and the flavor is just plain amazing. The crust was sufficient alone, not to mention all the delicious toppings which were on the pizza. While the prices are on the high side, this place is a great value. If you're in Chicago and you love pizza, or if you've never had deep-dish pizza, you must stop here. They even have a vegetarian deep-dish pizza!
(5)
Christopher B.

I'm so happy the original location is back, well maybe not the actual building! The Planet Hollywood idea was such a joke! The pizza is delicious and they have the best mozzarela sticks around. I waiver b/w Gino's and Uno's unless I want the deep dish chocolate chip cookie at Lou's!
(5)
Brian H.

So, my friends visiting LA from last weekend were told by locals Gino's is one of the best pizza places in the city. I arrived a few minutes early and the line curving out the door caused me concern. I know, some people consider it a good sign... right!? Well, to me, lines like this speak volumes... caution, hype, you'll be underwhelmed. And, I was. The service was horrible. It took the server at least 10 minutes even to get us water/drinks. Of course, we already had our meal planned in this time. I asked for antipasta, they were out. Huh?!? The three of us ordered house salads, 1 didn't come, a second had the wrong dressing. Personally, deep dish isn't my favorite but... when in Rome. It was okay, decent...good - I guess. But it doesn't make up for the cheesy graffiti (hello... contrived!) and the loads of Sebrings (you'll get it if you read my other reviews). I've lived here a month now, I've settled in, my visitors have left town - on to more unique places so I an start giving some 4 and 5 stars.
(2)
Milie S.

Dark. Gloomy. Graffiti'd walls. My kinda place. okay, not really. But the pizza is what matters right? In my opinion, their stuffed crust pizza is heavenly... in comparison to Giordano's that is. Maybe it's because they put so much marinara sauce that I absolutely love love LOVE and because their crust is actually edible. It's a must try but it's actually up to you if it is a miss or a hit.
(4)
Kristen M.

If I could give half stars, it'd be 3.5. Gino's is a Chicago institution. The pizza was really good, beer on tap, you can write on the walls....what more could you want? Pretty busy though.
(3)
Emmy K.

I am generally not a fan of the deep dish, but Gino's has changed my mind. We stopped in during a snow storm so the place wasn't busy at all. Due to the 45 minute wait for the pizza, we went with some beer and an appetizer. Probably shouldn't have wasted our time on the mozzarella sticks because we needed all the room for the pizza itself. It was huge, but so delicious...a beautiful combination of cornbread dough, sauce, and a mountain of cheese. Sure I could hear my arteries clogging with every greasy bite, but if my heart had seized and that had been my last meal, I would have died a happy woman. It's best that I don't live in Chicago, though. I'd likely gain 300 lbs from my frequent trips to this place!
(5)
Dawn M.

Eh. It was okaaay. I'd probably dive into Ginos East if it was in front of me, but probably not the best Chicago deep dish ever. Quite the line formed outside on a Thursday evening, but we luckily walked right in and snagged 2 seats at the bar. We had the deep dish with the sausage patty, since that is what was recommended. The crust is more cornbread-y and I prefer the pastry flakyness, deeper dish, taste and less schlopyness of Giordanos.
(3)
Jessica K.

I have never had deep dish "real" pizza. I don't have to say anything else except delicious! Corn bread crust + cheese + sauce on top?! AMAZING!
(5)
Albert H.

I miss the old way this place was, but then I hear about health inspection issues too so it's a disturbing part of my former years in the Chicago area. Larger seating area and more efficient seating procedures are a nice welcome, and the pizza is close to how I always remembered it. I love the cornbread style of crust, and the fact that I can always get it with a pint of something from Goose Island.
(3)
D M.

Went to dinner here and the hostess was rude. She sat 2 couples before us and then was rude when we pointed it out. Sat at the bar and the bartender was nice and the food was good.
(2)
Shawn A.

It's hard to really explain the way Chicago deep dish is regarded in New York. It's a bit of a curiosity to most, who may have ventured to Pizzeria Uno, but still hold on to the belief that nothing can possibly unseat the superiority of the New York thin crust. Now, I'm actually a fan of Pizzeria Uno, although I know that's not cool to say. So believe me when I tell you that I was extremely excited to sink my teeth into some deep doughy goodness. The first thing that strikes you at Gino's East is the graffiti that is covering the place. It creates a cool welcoming vibe, that makes you immediately regret not bringing spray paint along with you to lunch. But not to worry, the wait staff will happily provide you with crayons and white out so that you can properly leave your mark. When taking our order, the waiter dutifully informed us that we would be waiting 45 minutes until our food arrived, and that we might want to get an appetizer of sorts in case we got bored sniffing white out and waiting. We wound up with an unnecessary fried crap platter with Mozzarella Sticks, Calamari and Spinach Sticks. Believe you me... just wait and sniff. You don't need all that grease sitting in your stomach when the main course arrives. The pizza was good, but ultimately disappointing. The cornmeal crust left a sort of strange taste that left a bit to be desired. All this negativity did not mean I didn't enjoy my meal... because I actually did. I just wanted a bit more. The worst thing about it, is that as I was leaving, I couldn't help but think that the Pizzeria Unos that I had been to on the East Coast were better. But I recognize that Gino's East may not be the best example of Chicago deep dish. So that in itself means that I'll need to drag myself back to the Windy City to give their pizza another go. Worse things have happened.
(3)
Jovy N.

Be prepared to wait but know that the wait is worth it! There is a surprise at night if you see that the line wraps around the building but also know that if there's only two of you, go ahead and find a seat or two at the bar and skip the lines. That's what we did and got sat in eight minutes at Gino's. Deep Dish Pizza is amazing and I do prefer deep dish pizza than the thin NY pizza. Yes, I like the tomato saucy cheesey goo and it's okay to eat it like your cutting steak. I know, I'll apologize to my NYC friends but there's that mystic in the sauciness and goodness of pizza. You'll have to wait to get it cooked so make sure you're not with dry blood sugar when you arrive because you'll likely lose patience and everything may get clouded as you order or get through your experience. Patience is Virtue when ordering deep dish pizza or going to Gino's East but know that this is paid well with great gooey cheesy goodness paired up with a cold mug of beer.
(4)
Robert F.

One of favorite pizza spots to visit when I am in Chi-town. I even had a dinner during my bachelor party cause it is pretty much an institution. Thick, hot pie, oozing with cheese and great sauce. Your typical red and white tablecloth kinda joint....it has a lot of character and meets all expectations of an italo Americano pizza stop.
(4)
Karen N.

I don't know why people are so crazy about this place. We ordered delivery and the pizza arrived in less than an hour and piping hot. That's awesome. But the sauce is plain, the cheese is rubbery, the deep dish crust is too doughy, the think crust is not crisp and the hot wings are too salty. I wish it was better but this is really my experience. I think Giordano's is way better.
(2)
Downtown B.

No wait on a Wednesday at 630pm. Service was great. Ordered a deep dish with Sausage, Peppers & Onions. The pie came out soggy and was undercooked. I like my deep dish to stand to attention a little more and if desired give you the option to pick it up. This was not the case at Gino's, you can only go fork and knife and again the pizza is runny. Crust was crisp and good but at the end of the day, it was a miss. I'd give it another shot but can't say the place lived up to the hype.
(3)
Kent H.

The cornmeal crust. We went here because we had to have a comparison between Gino's East and Lou Malnati's. Well Lou won hands down. I can't get used to the cornmeal crust, which was very filling and made me think I was having a pot pie. Like at Lou's a small was enough for 2 people. We also had an order of the chopped salad for some variety. The sauce was decent, but I can't get over the think and filling crust.
(3)
Maruko X.

I miss their dish deep pizza a lot! The ambience and decor inside is superior.
(4)
A W.

waited in line for about an hour, then another 30-40 minutes for the deep dish pizza to be made and it was not worth the wait. we had both deep dish and the thin crust and both were mediocre. be careful when sitting down as they have markers and white out on the table and the guests before you may have written on the tables/chairs so the ink may be wet. wouldn't come back. Luckily Lou Malnati's made up for this bad experience.
(2)
Stella H.

After debating about where to go to get the best deep-dish pizza experience for us out of towners, we were headed to Giordanos (as this was the restaurant that was most widely recommended by Chicagoans), however what was described to us as a short walk, was much, much longer than was explained by the hotel staff, we passed Gino's on the way. had heard about it and thought, "what the heck!" There were 6 of us, we're from Philly, so we know good food. We waited a few minutes and were promptly seated. We were starving, and didn't realize that our precious deep-dish pizza that we had waited so long to savor would take anywhere from 45 min. to an hour after we placed our order. Ugh! We did it anyway - opted for the large sausage and with the recommendation of our waitress, also ordered a small plain (since one of us wasn't crazy about sausage). Ordered a few appetizers and drinks to hold us over. Appetizers were just OK - fried ravioli and chicken wings, but they held our voratious appetites at bay until the main event arrived. Sure enough, just under and hour later and our pizza arrived. Honestly, the deep-dish part seemed a bit contrived, as it was a really thick crust and lots of cheese. It was a little skimpy on the sausage part. Flavor was very nice, and the crust was buttery and flakly. We liked it, but I wouldn't say we loved it.
(3)
Kris A.

We went in to the one on Superior and ordered a large, 3 topping DD pizza, and cheesy bread for carry out. Cost's were conveniently not posted, but hey, it's just pizza right. WRONG. We were rung up and told the price was over $45.00!!! Yes, I could have left, but we were hungry, and it's famous...so...the sucker in me paid, and was told to wait for the next 45 minutes in a corner of a hallway with 1 chair (and 5 people waiting). The place was filthy, the cooking staff was spending more time eating and talking than working (including the manager on duty). Over 1 hour later our pizza arrived. We we're rudely "shoved off" as though we were miscreants for ordering carry-out. Back in the hotel, I can honestly say it was one of the worst pizza's I've ever had. It was closer to eating cornmeal lasagna than any pizza. It had sickly sweet sauce, and even after an hour the crust was still undercooked. I'd complain to the restaurant management, but I'm sure all I'd get is an "are you talkin' to me?" Trust me when I tell you to avoid this tourist trap at all costs. It's a HUGE rip off!
(1)
Whitney R.

Not as crazy about the crust however is a staple of Chicago. Great place to take visitors for a deep dish, downtown craziness, and authentic Chicago feel.
(3)
Gene K.

I prefer the location in the former Planet Hollywood building, but the food is great at any of thier locations. Love the Sausage Patty deep dish.
(4)
Avie L.

In a word... amazing. I thought Giordano's was the best Chicago deep dish pizza I had ever tried until I came to Gino's!! There WAS a 35 minute wait and the pizza takes about 45 minutes to make, but it was more than worth it. If you visit Chicago and you like pizza, you BETTER come to Gino's!
(5)
Shannon L.

I went to Chicago and ate at 3 different pizza restaurants within 4 days. Pizzeria Uno and Giordano's were excellent! Gino's East was number 3 of 3. Pizzeria Uno was the best! We ordered the supreme pizza with a patty-style sausage (per the recommendation of the server). The crust was excellent and the cheese was good. The bell peppers and onions were chopped too small. Regarding the "famous" sausage, we expected small breakfast-like patties. Wow, we were wrong! The patty was the size of the entire pizza! The patty sausage was terrible...all 5 of us disliked it! Avoid that and get the crumbled style sausage instead. Overall, I still liked the pizza and would go again. (Overall grade: B with the patty style sausage. Without it, probably A-)
(5)
Brandon S.

My favorite deep dish anywhere. I am generally a thin crust fan, but when I go to Gino's I have to get the deep dish. The sauce is great and the toppings are fresh. The crust is the best.
(4)
Michael W.

My wife and I were staying on Michigan Avenue for our first anniversary, so when we got a hankering for deep dish pizza, it was Giordano's or Ginos. Ginos won because it was thirty steps closer. And I would've walked thirty steps more - it was that good! We got lucky and didn't have to wait for a table - we must've hit the place right after they opened for lunch on Sunday. When we left 90 minutes later, there was a line out the door. Dodged that bullet. But what about the food, you ask? I haven't had a deep dish pizza in Chicago for probably twenty years, so I was starting with a clean slate. And Ginos was, I'm happy to say, a great experience. We ordered a small pepperoni, which was perfectly done. The tomato sauce was just the right side of salty, and the crust was crispy and delicious. One slice each plus the house salad with the home-made vinagrette was all we needed. Service was attentive and friendly, and the booths were comfortable. Yeah, there's graffiti everywhere, but contrary to what you may have read, the place was clean-clean-clean. Next time I'm in town I'll have to stop by Giordano's to compare, but I have no problem recommending Ginos.
(4)
Michael M.

As a New Yorker, I am partial to thin crust pizza so take this review with a grain of salt. The pizza itself wasn't anything special. Although it had thick crust, it had no structural integrity; you couldn't eat a slice without a fork or knife. While the sauce was good, the sauce was on top of the cheese so it inhibited the natural progression we know and love with 'normal' pizza. Although I will likely go again, I don't expect to get the pizza again.
(2)
Robert F.

Amazing pizza and the waiter we had was pretty darn good considering he probably had 15 tables with 4-6 people each. He was really on his game. The place is a must stop in Chicago. Kids and adults can write on pretty much anything in the place. My only complaint was they were out of almost all thier Tshirts. But they can be bought online. You will have to wait a minimum of 45 minutes for your pizza from the time you place your order but the spaghetti comes out right away! When we went there was not wait. When we left there was a line out the door so go before 5 if you dont want to wait. It's not the cheapest but well worth the stop if visiting.
(4)
Ken C.

Went to Gino's after trying Lou Malnatis in my quest to find the best Chicago Pizza! Got the sausage pie(crumbled). Great service, pizza came out quicker than expected (it was a really slow night). Also got a nice cheap bottle of Mondavi Merlot to whet the palate. I really liked this pizza. WAY more "saucy" then the Malnati's pie, it had a nice acidic bite to it. Also "cheesier" as well, but laking in the quantity of sausage. If I could have one slice of this pie and one slice of the Malnati's Delux pie together on the same plate, and kind of make a "pizza scramble" of the two, I think my brain would explode in extacy. But if push came to shove and I have to choose one, I think I'd go with Gino's. I will dream about this pizza!
(4)
Kat P.

Where do I begin.... I'm in Chicago and need to try this deep dish pizza that everyone is raving about. Gino's East was our choice. The restaurant is large and interesting. You can actually write on the walls, chairs, basically anything you can get your hands on. The deep dish pizza takes about 45mins to an hour to cook so relax and wait it out. You can mix and match so if you like pepperoni and your friend likes supreme get the half and half. 45 mins later we had a very greasy deep dish pizza in front of us. I could only get through half of a slice mainly because of the size and the guilt. This pizza is packed with calories but Lord knows it is GOOOD! If you can finish your pizza take it with you. It's a great 3am snack after a night out. :-)
(4)
Bob J.

It's Gino's folks. The pizza is okay, not great. I think the deep dish seems to be getting a bit shallow as our pizza seemed unusually thin. Personally I take Giordanos or Malnatis any day over this one. One last thing: When out-of-towners think of Chicago pizza they automatically think "deep dish". The reality is there are WAY more thin crust pizza places in Chicago than anything else and many of them blow the whole deep dish thing out of the water. Just my two cents.
(2)
Lorraine T.

As a New Yorker making my first trip to Chicago I was pumped to try some Chicago deep dish. When we got in we were staaaarving and this place was around the corner from our hotel and had also been recomended by others before our trip, so off we went... it was Chicago Pizza time!!! We ordered up a plain cheese pie and the pepperoni, pepper and onions pie (there were 5 of us hungry NYers). I thought it was all pretty good, the sauce was well spiced but I do have to say I was not blown away. It was a fun place for a group lunch but nothing that memorable. I was hoping to be awed.
(3)
Elyssa H.

I have no idea what was going on with our server. First, he takes our starter order wrong and instead of coming back with just the Caesar salad that we ordered, he comes back with it AND some sampler platter. Then almost a hour and a half later (instead of the 40-60 minutes) after he tried to tell us we ordered a medium instead of a small, we get our pizza. Pizza was fine. Just nothing remarkable. When the bill came, he charged us for the sampler (which we didn't order) at $9.99 instead of the salad (which we did order) at $7.50. After 2 hours, we took the difference off his tip.
(2)
Cynthia S.

Very touristy - good food but not worth waiting in the cattle coral for over 2 1/2 to get a table... better yet, call ahead and get your pizza to go if you want to "experience" the club like atmosphere...or better yet have it delivered The bruschetta not worth ordering...too many onions and too much garlic (yes it is possible)
(3)
Jennifer H.

I cannot believe people actually directed me to Gino's. What? I don't know what it is that I put in my mouth but I never want to put it in there again! The crust was SO dry and crumbly, and although I asked for a plain cheese pizza, they managed to pile on about 5 layers of pepperoni. Great. Just what I asked for. Service was fine, and there was ample seating but thank God I ordered a side salad. Or else I would have gone hungry. There must be better deep dish in this city... Stay tuned...
(1)
Laura W.

Late last summer, my mom, sister and I were staying at a hotel near the Hancock Tower (this was before I moved to Chicago). We were hungry and it was sort of late and we were wanting to go cheap, so we stopped by Gino's East. It was not busy at all and we were seated right away. It took forever for us to be waited on, which may have been a result of being in a huge restaurant with not enough servers. Regardless, our waiter was a total jerk from the beginning. He asked for our drink orders and we all ordered soda. He then asked if we're ready to order. My sister and I were still deciding on pizza toppings, so we told him that we'll order when we get our drinks. He scoffed and walked off. It was really weird, but he did it in this way that COULD HAVE been a bad joke....so we let it slide. My mom wasn't that hungry and decided to order a bowl of the minestrone soup. He seemed put off by the fact that she wasn't going to order more, but turned to my sister and I. My sister and I do not like deep dish pizza so we ordered a thin crust pizza with two toppings. I ordered but failed to mention that we're going to split the pizza. He turned to my sister to take her order and when she says that we're going to split it, you would have thought that we had done something to deeply offend him. He said, "...so you guys are just getting one pizza and a bowl of soup? Great." It was so sarcastic and rude. He dropped the bowl of minestrone off for my mom and...it was not minestrone. It was cream of...something. It was....disgusting. The best part was that he basically slammed the bowl down and walked off. It was so WEIRD and awkward. About forty minutes later, he dropped off our pizza (he at least didn't slam it down too). Now, we knew it was going to take a long time but we kind of thought he'd come back and refill our water or our sodas. Um, apparently not. He didn't come by in those forty minutes, not once. My sister and I ate our pizza (which was overpriced but tasted fine) and then we waited another twenty minutes for him to walk by so that we could even ask him for the bill. When he brought the bill by, he said, "I think we got off on the wrong foot so I decided to comp your minestrone." My mom, who is usually really timid and polite, said, "Good. Because it wasn't minestrone." I don't know what the guy's problem was. But seriously, if you're not good at being a server or you don't like people, do not get a job at one of the most popular tourist traps in Chicago.
(1)
Matt K.

Yummy pizza! We stopped in for lunch and ordered the Chicago pizza with sausage patties. It was good pizza and we enjoyed the restaurant. It did take about 1 hour to get it, which I find kind of crazy. But the beer was cold, the atmosphere was nice and I would eat it again! (Next time I would get there before I am hungry though!)
(4)
Sarah M.

Service was quick and attentive, the space was well utilised and the food was fantastic. We were the last table to clear out and they were very kind to us about it. I prefer Giordano's sauce and amount of cheese on their deep dish pizzas but Gino's East can't be beaten on their cornmeal crust. Best part of the whole pizza. Well, that and the pile of sausage they piled on...
(4)
Tio S.

Gino's East serves one of the best deep dish pizzas in Chicago. I am never disappointed by the quality of the food, and was reminded again today how much I like it. We ordered dinner here today since my wife just gave birth to our daughter and we were at Prentice Women's Hospital at Northwestern Memorial, which is conveniently located on the same block as Gino's East. The estimated time for carry out was 45 minutes, and for delivery it was 1 hour and 15 minutes -- so I decided to pick it up. I guess it was the extra 30 minute wait that made me get off my butt and pick it up. The restaurant was actually pretty crowded when I came to pick up my food. The cashier at the counter was pretty nice, and during the course of our conversation asked "was it a boy or girl?" I'm guessing there are lots of new dads that end up ordering Gino's East for carryout, since Prentice is right next door. Judging by the amount of Gino's East boxes in the communal fridge at the hospital, it seems like many people have done the same. The pizza was delicious, just as I remembered it: extra saucy, generous amount of toppings, and wonderful butter crust. We ordered a large for four adults, and it was more than sufficient. We actually had two large slices left over. The bruchetta was just ok. The bread was extra crunchy, but the tomato topping was pretty good. The topping was just the right consistency: not too saucy and not too chunky. Overall, I continue to be pleased by the food at Gino's East, and when convenient I will eat here again.
(4)
tony z.

Very solid deep dish. Quite satisfied... service was on the money. Not over attentive, but totally satisfactory. But back to the pie... we went deep dish of course. The gold standard, of course, in pizza is Papa Del's in Champaign Urbana. There is simply nothing better. Until you taste it, and I your fav, let's not argue. Just take my word and that of 100,000 other Illinis... And Gino's east is approx 85% of the way to Papa Del's, I would say. Which is a great compliment. Cheese was a 4 of 5, tomato sauce adaptation to pizza a 4 of 5, crust about a 3.5 out of 5. Smell/aroma was about a 3 of 5. Overall, I'd give it then a 4 of 5. Def check it out. disclaimer: I have not tried many other Chicago deep dish joints for comparison... I just know you won't go wrong here.
(4)
Angela M.

I've eaten at Gino's once and that was enough for me. Although I do enjoy the graffiti ambiance, I can't get past the crust on their deep dish pizza. It reminds me of a sweet corn cake and in my book, cornbread belongs with turkey...not with pizza. Having said that, the thin crust is pretty tasty.
(2)
Julie R.

Ooooohhh you HAVE to try the Chicago Fire. Little wait on a Saturday afternoon, decent service, way too much food. Don't let your stomach do the ordering, scale down for sure...the slices are to damn heavy to carry around afterwards. I would skip the appetizers so don't wait until you're mega hungry to head over there (since it takes about 45 minutes for your deep dish pie to cook to perfection.) Wear loose pants.
(4)
Rosie T.

My friend was excited to try this place since she had heard so much about it. The long wait was not a problem since we were expecting it. The gentleman handling the line was nice and very helpful with describing the menu items. The reason for the 1 star??? It all went downhill once we got seated as the service was awful!!! In my opinion, service is as important as the food at a dining establishment especially one that claims to be "World Famous". The hostess sat us down and we immediately noticed that the check with cash in it from the prior party had not been picked up by the server. We waited a couple of minutes and pointed it out to the hostess so that she could pick it up. After about 10 minutes. our server finally greeted us. We informed her that we had a couple of questions regarding the food since this was our first time dining with them as we were from out of town. She seemed less than thrilled to be there but we figured she was busy and left it at that. The food took about one hour to come out and we did not have receive any follow up from the server or anyone else during this time frame. The server confirmed while we were ordering that they used red onions on their thin crust pizza - we asked for extra red onions and extra crispy. The pizza came out with white onions and not crispy at all (barely cooked if you ask me). We pointed this out to her and she basically did not care that she had misinformed us and put in our order incorrectly. We ended up just asking her to put it back in the oven for extra cooking since we had asked for extra crispy. The server did not check back with us. Our drinks were not refilled once - we finally had to chase down the server for a refill. We were so frustrated that we quickly ate and asked for the check to get out of there. It took ten minutes for the server to bring back the check and about another ten minutes for her to come back and pick it up. I pointed out that she had incorrectly charged us for the thin crust pizza - she looked at me like I was crazy and I had to show her the pizza pricing on the menu ($19.75 vs. the $27.70 that was charged). Once she looked at the price on the menu, she took the check and was gone for another 15 minutes. When she came back, we did not receive an apology for the wait nor the error in pricing. BTW - While we were waiting, one of the servers who was bringing an order out just grabbed and ate a french fry out of the order...... Overall the food was OK - the deep dish was better than Uno's, the stromboli and thin crust were mediocre at best and the lasagna was just plain bad. Don't believe the hype; Gino's is not worth the wait!
(1)
Pha L.

One of my first restaurants that I ate when I first visited here. I have to say that Chicago style deep dish pizza is a little overrated. We ordered the large deep dish pizza. Took 45 minutes. (I'm not complaining). We were informed that it would take some time so we ordered the fried calamari and split the house salad. The portions were very generous there. The pizza came out really hot and good. Unfortunately the crust tasted very dry and mealy. I would definitely try a different pizza next time. The rest of the restaurant is great to look at though.
(3)
Izzy N.

No. nuh uh.. I still despise deep dish pizza. This joint did not change my mind. Not even my hunger. If I knew ahead of time that we were going here I would have said See Ya! Thin, new york style is where it's at. Chicago deep dish is dead to me. For the 3rd time. Also I can't believe some jerks on the street recommended this place to my brother when he came here for business. I told him that they probably laughed their asses off after he walked away. That or they're from a suckier neighboring midwestern state like Indiana or some janky ass suburb like skokie thinking this is some wonderous shit. How dare they play a trick like that on my sometimes awesome brother!? you should be ashamed of yourselves. Suggesting sucky ass restaurants to business travelers/tourists is not nice at all.
(1)
Stephanie P.

This review isn't about the quality of food (as I can't eat pizza due to a dairy allergy) but of the service. I accompanied by BF and his brother visiting from out of town for some pizza...the only thing his brother would eat. After waiting for about 25 minutes outside, we were seated inside. We immediately ordered (grilled chicken for me..1 deep dish for them) and were told a 45 -minute to 1 hour wait. At 45 minutes, the waiter said it will be out in 5 minutes. He said that every time until 1 hour, 10 minutes. At that point, I asked for my grilled chicken as I thought I'd die from hunger. "I'll bring it right out," the waiter says. At that point waiter is MIA. At one hour and 45 minutes, the pizza and chicken comes. We ask for the manager. We got the pizza for free, so at least management is receptive to complaints. This could have all been avoided had the waiter quoted us a proper time frame to expect our food.
(2)
Jeffrey S.

Best service ever for a large group (30+ people). The pizza was ok. The appetizers and canolis were exceptional.
(4)
Igor L.

I order pizza for delivery,I was at NW hospital if you know the area is just down the street. Guess what after waiting for 1hr and 15 min I receved a cold pizza and cold appetizers. Nice job. I called and the manager take care me very well, very professional. Thanks but still after that I could not enjoy my food,any way.
(1)
Dan K.

Tourist pizza, keep it. Overpriced and bland and expensive.
(2)
Brenda B.

Staying at the Double Tree Magnificent Mile.. Just finished shopping ;waited in line 40min for a Totino's frozen pizza tasting deep dish. Truly the worst Chicago experience I've had. I would never recommend this place
(1)
Pam B.

While Gino's East is not MY favorite for Chicago deep dish, it is very good and is my boyfriend's favorite :) We had to wait about 20 minutes to be seated at 7:30 PM on a Friday night. Not too bad if you ask me... Quick service. Knew we would be waiting awhile for our Deep Dish but you can easily distract yourself by writing on the walls ;) The sauce is a sweeter sauce than most pizzas I have had. The crust has a very distinctive corn taste and is nice and crunchy. Not as much cheese as Giordano's but still very delicious and filling.
(4)
Patrick K.

I know this place is famous and all, but seriously. Another place I visited while on my last-minute-redeye to Chicago trip. Chicago is extremely well known the world over for the creation of deep dish pizza. Its served everywhere and the joint down the street in your town probably puts their own spin on it, but it can't be as good as the original right? Well that's at least what we thought. And after getting out of the cab a little too early and suffering from a pretty gnarly walk, we were feeling pretty stoked to have a seat, drink some beers, and enjoy the anticipation of our first original Chicago pizza. When it finally arrived we quickly realized that ordering the topping "sausage" means an entire DISK of sausage now fills the cross section of your pizza, gross. The sauce was lackluster, and the crust was meh. I'd go for Little Star in sf any day. Oh and the buddy I was with now proudly calls Chicago home, he still avoids Gino's at all costs.
(2)
Wanda M.

Thin crust is super good. so good that during our five day stay in Chicago, we ate here twice. Incredible lines on Friday and Saturday evenings during the week if you can). Nice tap selection and the Bloody Marys are good
(4)
Walter P.

I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian right now, but it's my goal in life to eventually be a vegan. And it's places like this that seem to fuck up that goal.....one delicious decadent slice at a time. Oy, I don't even want to think about how many calories are in those slices! Oh well, everyone has their vices and mine seems to be gluttony (and cheese). The big deep dish pizza chains in Chicago are Uno's, Lou Malnati's, Giordano's and Gino's East. The pizza here is great to offer up an understatement. We ordered two deep dish pizzas: a spinach pizza for my veggie friend and me and a meat lover's type pizza for our two friends from Wisconsin (figures! j/k). I know, pretty much two ends of the spectrum. Pizza just tastes better when you dine in compared to getting carryout/delivery. The cheese is gooey-er, the crust flakier and buttery... This location is in the middle of tourist-y Near North Side, so prepare for a long wait if you come during dinner or lunch time. Here's a tip, come a little earlier (11am for lunch or 5p-6p for dinner) and you will see significantly shorter waiting times. In fact, we came at 5:30 and we were seated immediately! Believe me, don't go to this location and wait an hour to be seated and then wait another hour for your pizza!
(4)
Michael S.

Gino's reminded me of a pretty ex-milf who clings to her earlier glory days by wearing age-inappropriate clothing, having new fake tits, a face lift, dyed hair and too much make-up. Pretending to be something you're not is no less pathetic for restaurants. Gino's transparent attempt to recreate the look and feel of a seedy Rush street pizza joint appears to be just what it is: a slick and contrived money making gastric juggernaut. And the pizza: mediocre.
(1)
J. M.

Chicago Deep Pan Pizza in the only type of pizza as far as I'm concerned. None of that thin crust New York crap, a proper pizza is a pie! Trust me I'm from London, I know what I'm talking about!! Ok, perhaps I don't but one thing I do know is Gino's East pizza is absolutely fantastic!! Whenever I head to Chicago I always try and fit a trip to Gino's in on my schedule. I was last there in October and once again the sausage pizza was amazing!!!! It's really inexpensive too, 4 or us were stuffed for under $50. Amazing value. Do yourself a favour and get down to Ginos and taste how pizza should be everywhere. Please do me a favour and teach the Californian's how to make a proper pizza... PLEASE!!!
(4)
Wendy H.

Being in Chicago for the first time, I knew I had to do deep dish. The line was short out the door but it still took about 45 min to be seated. We ordered the bread sticks and 2 small deep dish pizzas, one pepperoni supreme and sausage patty w/ cheese. Also got a cannoli to share... pretty tasty. I wasn't impressed with the bread sticks, I guess I was expecting actual garlic and super buttery -- they were very similar to the Pat Oscars bread sticks, good but nothing special. Basically bread, lightly buttered with garlic salt, served with sauce. Glad we got them though as it took about 35 minutes after we ordered to get the pizza. The sausage patty pizza was something to write home about. It was not greasy and the sausage was not breakfast style sausage patty-- it was a very dense almost bologna style sausage, as if it was sliced off a large loaf. So tasty! The pepperoni was well, pepperoni. The crust was not what I expected being from California. It was more a corn-mealy dough, that wasn't very yeasty or puffy. The tastiness of the sausage made up for the lacking crust. 1.5 slices was plenty for me, I normally do 3 or 4 with non-deep dish. With 3 people and 2 small pizzas-- we had about 1/2 a pizza left over. My advice-- get the sausage patty! I'm glad I followed the advice of fellow yelpers and got it...
(4)
Michael B.

Yeah, they have good pizza. Know what would be really cool though? If they posted their different "Winter Hours" on their website. According to the website, they were supposed to be open until 10. My date and I got to the location on Wells at 8:45, and they were closed. Welp, it was the same case with the location on Wells. My date and I were screwed. Not a happy date.
(1)
Laz R.

Good pizza but the lines were way too long to get in... I liked the service and the Pizza was good..
(3)
Antonio E.

The best pizza I've ever had when I visited Chicago last winter. I am from Florida and most pizzeria's around here are pretty much franchised and nothing compared to the quality of Gino's pizza. Definitely worth trying out a deep dish pizza if you're in Chicago and want to stop out here. Prices are moderate, but definitely worth the pinch to the pocket.
(5)
David F.

Stayed at the Milenorth Hotel, right next door to Gino's on a recent business trip to Chicago. I didn't feel like going out for dinner, so I ordered a hot beef and Italian sausage sandwich to go. It was ready when I picked it up 15 minutes later, but when I got back to my room to eat it, I saw that they gave me a sausage sandwich instead. I called Gino's and they delivered the correct meal along with a side of fries within 15 minutes. When I finally ate, the sandwich was just ok, and not as good as I remembered it from a few years back. There was a single slice of green pepper and not a ton of flavor. In summary, it was convenient to my hotel and they were very responsive to an error on my order, but not a terrific meal.
(3)
Jass M. B.

Ok...so...I'm probably gonna get shit about this....but I don't really "get" the whole Deep Dish Pizza thing....it's whatever :: shrugging :: Sooo while visiting Chicago...it was told to another party who then told me that "you HAVE to go to Gino's East"...so to Gino's East we went... Don't know what I was really expecting...since to me a deep dish is just the same old pizza (same cheese, same sauce, same toppings)..just deeper...you know like those new deep mattresses...shit...still feels like a mattress to me on top...it's just 4 more inches in depth...so what? ...it's not like it turns from regular old run of the mill mozzarella to magical life inspiring, melt-in-your-mouth, ethereal too-good-to-be-true MOZZaRELLA! :: doing jazz fingers ::: But anyway...back to my review... Upon entering you immediately smell the delicious smells of mmmm pizza ... :: auuuggghhhhh :: melting cheese, oven baked goodness!! (hey! just cause I don't get the big deal behind deep dish don't mean I don't like pizza - good pizza...I should say) Additionally, there is writing all over the walls... of the jockeys that were there before me... Believe it or not..I started to worry...wondering if I had enough class....but it was Saturday Night!! I guess that makes it all right!!! ....ahem...sorry....so I like the idea of that...everyone who had been there...locals, out of towners...the LOT of them!! all on the walls to entertain you while you wait to be seated, and subsequently while you wait for your 45 minute pizza...(why didn't I write my name on the wall, or the seat, or the ANYTHING?!?!? Aauuuughh! - so if you go there...have a sharpie with you so you can tag...SOMETHING!) We ordered the salad and Deep Dish with chicken and spinach and maybe some other stuff...I dont' know.... Upon arrival...it looked good enough....the MOZZaRELLA!! :: jazz fingers :: WAS kinda sparkling...haha kidding.. We immediatley noticed the crust looked like a cheesecake crust but thought ...whatever...so we bit in and was like whaaaaa IS THAT?!?!? It was some sort of corn bread-y, cakeish, crumb-like crust...that...I just couldn't get down for...I'm sorry...it was ok..but give me regular ass dough anyday... I like the ambience of the place, and the waiters/staff were cool folk, our guy seemed like he was from new york and was kinda no nonsense I know what's good so order what I tell you which I don't like...lemme ask whatever and however many questions I want to get my meal how I WANT IT...I understand recommendations and all...but don't get all impatient with me...shit...you doin' yo job!! So all in all..I thought it was cool...if you in the area and you wanna try some (I guess) Authentic "Chicago" Deep Dish Pizza go ahead...but I wouldn't go out of my way for it... I'm just sayin....
(3)
Sandy K.

I have recently moved to Chicago from California for school and I was soooo excited to try authentic Chicago style pizza after experiencing Little Star in San Francisco and Zachary's in Berkeley.... but GAH, after the super long wait in the rain at 2pm... I was expecting amazingness. However, I was super disappointed. We ordered the Gino's East Supreme (which came with pepperoni, onions, green peppers, and mushrooms) and a Chicken Pesto salad (chicken with walnut pesto sauce, greens, roasted red peppers and black olives) to share since we were told that wait for the pizza to cook would be about 40 minutes. The salad was good though the "greens" were just iceberg lettuce and some were kinda wilty. I liked how they didn't drench the salad with dressing and it was a good starter. It also came with garlic breadsticks which are always good. After what seemed like forever.... though I guess staring at the graffitied walls helped pass the time... our pizza finally came and it was sliced and served to us by our waiter. After eagerly digging in, I was sad to find it was not as good as I had expected. Too much dough, too much cheese, and not enough toppings at all. The ingredients didn't even taste fresh or of good quality like I had back at home in California. It was just bleh... Boo...I guess I'll have to get my deep dish fix whenever I visit back home!!
(2)
Jackson J.

Delicious deep dish and a Chicago institution. The buffalo wings were a bit dry. No trip to Chicago is complete without a visit to Gino's!
(4)
Francis M.

This was my 2nd experience with chicago deep dish pizza. (read my lou malnati's review for my 1st experience). I actually got my first taste of this pizza at a wedding! The bride and groom served it at the end of the reception (thanks guys). This pizza was totally the opposite of the lou malnati's pizza that I tasted. The toppings were pepperoni and sausage. The texture of the pizza and crust was softer and easier to cut/bite into than the Lou Malnati's pizza. My reviewed might be a little skewed since I was eating this after a night of open bar wedding drinks. The sauce was OK. Overall I enjoyed this pizza. Would I go out of my way to get it? Nope!
(3)
Bert N.

One of the items on my agenda during my recent trip to Chicago was getting some of that Chicago deep dish pizza. We headed out to Gino's East and there was a line wrapped around the corner. Once we finally got in, we ordered the appetizer sampler and a Gino's East Supreme Deep Dish Pizza. It takes about 45 minutes for the deep dish pizza to be made and about 30 for the thin crust I believe. I also overheard that you could do half and half with the toppings. The appetizer sampler came with mozarella sticks, spinach sticks, and calamari and two dipping sauces: marinara and cocktail. The spinach sticks were good. I never had it before and it had good flavor. On to the pizza. So I guess what differentiates Chicago deep dish is that the cheese goes in the middle and everything else (sauce & toppings) on top. Way too much cheese for me. I couldn't even finish the pizza. I brought it home and did snack on it later that evening. The overwhelming amount of cheese wasn't so bad after it had cooled and hardened. I am a big fan of cold pizza just as much as hot pizza. So if you decide to come here, be prepared to wait, both outside, for a table, and inside, for cooking time.
(3)
Sarah G.

A friend told us to try here when we went to Chicago for Labor Day 2011. We were kind of freaked out by the length of the line outside but after waiting a few minutes we were taken in as we were a group of 4 and pretty much all other groups were bigger. Went upstairs to order and were told there would be a long wait, about an hour. Kids loved the writing all over the walls and chairs and added their own mark. Pizza we got was amazing. Never had anything like it before. My OH says it is the best pizza he has ever had. While we were waiting for our pizza my OH had to go and move our car before the parking ran out. He had time to move it to a new spot and run back and still get to the table to have some pizza. We've tried the frozen pizza you can get from the grocery store and it is good but it's not the same.
(4)
Joe P.

I can't wait to go back to Chicago just for ginos east deep dish pizza. I wish I could find a place that is half as good as ginos here in Los Angeles. This place puts pizza on a whole other level for me. Chicago Style pizza rocks!!!
(5)
Casey B.

Thank you Gino's for introducing us to deep dish pizza on our first day in Chicago. Awesome sauce, cheese and sausage. Not so awesome cornbread crust. Maybe I'm just not a fan, but this crust was dry and flavorless. We also went to Lou Malnati's and Pizziaria Uno and Lou's was our favorite. We also found that Gino's was the most expensive and took the longest to wait/get our food.
(4)
Terra L.

Great deep dish pizza, soup was really good too. Everyone was accommodating, although in all fairness.... it was 2pm on a Monday.
(4)
Jeff A.

On my recent visit to Chicago from Los Angeles I was so excited to again visit Ginos East pizza. This visit just didn't impress me as much as my past visits. It is definitely a good place to eat deep dish. But I think on my next trip to Chicago I will try another place. If you have never been then I do recommend you trying it. The atmosphere and restaurant is great. You can tag your booth or on the walls. But if you have been before and don't get deep dish often then I would recommend you try another place.
(3)
D C.

Awesome place! Awesome Food! I recommend the deep dish. This is all you should order. If you can finish it, you are a champ. The pizza will take some time to bake. I believe we waited 40 minutes for the pizza, but it was well worth the wait. Very neat environment. If you are visiting Chicago for a Chicago Style Pizza this is the place you want to visit. Real Authentic! I can't wait to visit again. Remember to bring your marker to sign your name on something.
(5)
heather G.

I went to Gino's on a tip that was given to us back in California by a native Chicago-ian. He was eating at an Italian restaurant I was working at at the time and I was planning a trip to Chicago so he told us to go here...so here's my review. I'm a minor pizza snob...I love pizza with all my heart... I am hard to please when it comes to pizza. We weren't told what to order, so we ordered simple. Deep dish, pepperoni and olive pizza...We thought why not order what we always order at our favorite Itaian pizza joint in California? You know, for comparison sake, right? My result? Ummm not so good. No where near the deliciousness we are used to, BUT overall...Better than most pizzas. It was WAY too salty...I hate it when cooks dump salt into things and expect it to make it taste better! I hate that more than anything! Salt is meant to be a hint! A HINT! The italian dressing was delicious! A little sweet...I loved that. My fiance wasnt a big fan of it though. I loved the atmosphere. I loved the fact that we could write on anything we wanted. SO great. I actually loved everything about this place..but I was in Chicago...the BEST FREAKIN' PLACE IN THE WORLD!!! AND CHICAGO IS FOR LOVERS!!! Will I go back? Sure...why not...its Chicago! I'll just drink a bunch of water to counteract the salt Gino's East uses in their food then everything will be A-OK.
(3)
Donald C.

still one of the best deep dish pizza places in Chicago. the crust is sort of a corn meal type crust so if that turns you off, go somewhere else. it isn't your everyday normal pizza, but is always excellent. go for the sausage patty style deep dish pizza. yummm
(5)
Brian O.

Sausage supreme deep dish was amazing. Wife and I split that, a house salad and had a few cold beers and were beyond stuffed. Neat atmosphere. If you want to make your mark on the place with grafitti, bring a container of whiteout. Supposively there is a Walgreen's right around the corner from the place. They don't provide it. Deep dish does take nearly an hour to bake though, so give yourself plenty of time.
(3)
Lili M.

This was my first time in Chicago, back in August, and of course if you're going to Chicago, you need to get deep dish pizza! Unfortunately my trip to Chicago was last minute and I didn't look up places to eat, or even places to go! Well I stumbled upon this place while I was walking down Michigan Ave and was just looking for a pizza place, I spotted it to my right. Food time: I arrived just as lunch was closing, but I still managed to get a personal deep dish pizza. It wasn't badly priced at all, and it came with a salad and a drink. On the first bite, I thought it was interesting...the crust and how the sauce was on top of the cheese. I think I was over analyzing at first. As I kept eating, it tasted better and better. I loved how the crust tasted all the same, from the middle to the edges. I think the taste is something you have to get use to. Overall, it was good, but nothing utterly amazing. It was very interesting, but not something I would crave. I would definitely recommend coming here at least to try! I still believe NY pizza is the best!!!!!
(3)
Ryan R.

This place rocked pretty hard. The food was great, the atmosphere was creative and interesting, and the prices were reasonable. If it weren't for the surprisingly lackluster service they'd get 5 stars from me. I went to Gino's East a few days after my experience with Giordano's and I can say with full confidence that Gino's won hands down. The sauce tasted fresher, the crust had a better texture, the toppings were better, it really bested giordano's in every way. And the atmosphere was pretty sweet. Over the years they've been letting people write whatever they want on the walls and booths so everything is covered with graffiti. It looks better than you'd think and gives a modern look to a restaurant that's probably been around for a while. But our server was just plain bad. She refilled our drinks maybe once over the course of the meal and was never around when we needed her. She brought out the wrong dressings with our salad and when we flagged her down and notified her of this she said, "Oh yeah I forgot your dressings so I just gave you all italian". What? And you didn't mention that when you dropped the salad off? So, weird service, but the food was great and truly worthy of the chicago deep-dish reputation. I'll definitely go there again when I'm in Chicago.
(4)
Marie T.

LOVE this place! It was walking distance from my hotel that I stayed at. I've heard about it from my co-worker. He said that I ABSOLUTELY NEEDED to eat here when I visited Chicago. With my sister and my best friend by my side we arrive and we're greeted by three different people at the door. I remember the guy greeted us because he loved using the word "baby". It was cute. We sat on the patio. On the way up there we noticed that there's all kinds of writing on the walls of past customers leaving their mark. The patio was perfect on a beautiful day. No smoking though. I had the thin crust pizza which was divine in my mouth. I love a nice crisp crust and it was perfect. The waitress will willingly provide you with a sharpie to write on the walls after your meal, which is fun. Good food + good service + great company + a beautiful day = me very very satisfied. Definately coming back!
(5)
Jonathan T.

So far as deep dish Chicago-style pizza is concerned, Gino's tops my list. This location is not as touristy as the River North spot, but you still get the Michigan Ave experience. Great place to stop for a bite for lunch if you're downtown shopping or something on the weekends.
(4)
Tito C.

Really good deep dish pizza, even though i prefer thin crust. I guess you know now i'm not for Chicago. Had to do take out because after 6pm there always a 1hr wait line there. While you wait you can always grab a beer. Wait time for med pizza is 45 mins.
(4)
Stanley C.

First time having deep dish pizza in Chicago was a disappointment. I didn't like this cornmeal crust at all. The toppings were just ok and the cheese got hard fast since we sat under a air vent. On top of that it took 45 minutes to cook our pizza which I understand but It wasn't worth the wait... I will definitely give deep dish another try but not at Gino's.
(3)
Matt P.

This is another place I tend to only go to when I'm playing tour guide downtown to out of town visitors and they want a "Chicago Pizza Experience." Be prepared for a bit of an ordeal during peak dinner times to get a table. First you end up in a line outside. Not good if weather is not good. Then after waiting 10-15 minutes, you are escorted inside to a waiting area with seats. You will be directed to move down the row of chairs as other parties are seated. The line moves quickly, but the line process is reminiscent of a cafeteria, not a sit down pizza parlor. The thing you'll notice immediately is the graffiti on EVERYTHING that visitors have supposedly left over the years. It is on the walls, booths, seats, everywhere. At first it felt a bit dirty to me and I felt like the black marker scrawling on the booth would wear off onto my clothes, but after a bit I got used to it. Gino's East has decent pizza. I'm not a deep-dish pizza fan, but the thin crust pizza was solid, average pizza. I'd have to say Lou Malnatis is still my preference, but I think I would go to Gino's East before Giordano's.
(3)
Erin N.

I am not historically a fan of deep dish pizza, I usually find it bland and dry. but I really enjoyed the pizza here. Definitely order a salad, because the pizza really does take 45 mintues to cook, and is worth it. We had a concierge pass to cut the line, but the host still managed to mess up our seating and we were moved around twice, which resulted in our guests losing their camera. Our waiter that we finally landed with upstairs was very friendly and helpful.
(4)
Kev G.

Had to wait in line. Had 4 ppl they sat a party of 9 before they sat us. We waited 30 mins and the party of 9 waited 5 mins. Service SUCKED! Pizza was good and unique. Im from Philly so we have thinner pizza than Chi-town but it was still good. Was not worth the price though!
(3)
Marc K.

5:15 pm. 5 minute wait standing in line outside, 5 minute wait sitting down inside. Signs proclaiming "Anti-graffiti zone" are hung outside the front entrance and the restrooms, yet the walls everywhere are festooned with words scrawled in white paint stick and black sharpie. Makes you wonder why so many patrons would bring white paint sticks to dinner, and then to seriously doubt that the words were written by actual customers. Gino's East seems to be teeming with waitstaff and hosts, but the service was still a little on the slow side. Three of us shared a medium deep dish Cheese & Spinach pizza, and ordered a pitcher of Pilsner Urquell to enjoy during the 45-minute wait. Let me just say right off the bat - the beer selection here is terrible. Bud Light, Miller Light, Budweiser, some other boring stuff, Pilsner Urquell. Our server told us this short list of beers when we asked for a drinks menu, and the Pilsner was the only thing halfway decent to order. The price? $17. For one pitcher. Unfortunately we ordered two by the end of dinner. And it wasn't even that good! (Bad batch?) The pizza was also expensive - over $20 for the medium deep dish - and it was a bit of a letdown. The cheese was a bit "chalky", in the words of my friend, and the sauce, spinach, and crust weren't particularly flavorful. It was substandard, especially considering the price. The three of us were definitely full by the end of it, though. In the end, after tip, the three of us each paid $25. That buys you two slices of deep dish and about 3 beers. Next time I'll know better, and go somewhere else.
(2)
Audrey W.

I don't know what happened, but I really did not like the pizza here. It was way too heavy and I hated the cornbread crust. The pizza was lacking flavor and i felt really sick after. Maybe I need to try it again because people say it is the best of the best.
(2)
Mai K.

First of all, what is up with the looooong line outside? Oh, I know! Maybe it's because your waiter tells you the deep dish pizza takes about 40-50 mins to make, but it ACTUALLY takes about an hour and a half plus? Yep. Maybe the Original Gino's East is better, but I don't know... My friends and I agreed the crust tasted like corn bread... It even looked like it too. The cheese was good though. But all in all, it was a bit disappointing, for many people had told me Gino's was one of the top must-go eateries in Chicago. The interior was fun with all the random graffiti on the walls. Oh and the caesar salad was good.
(2)
Richard B.

Decided to check this place out again. Hadn't been there since I was a kid. The decor was just as I remembered it from the day, with all the writing on the wall of course. A unique tradition that they've maintained. There are dining areas on three floors and they are appropriately darkly lit. Very cozy feeling. The building is also very old, and the E. Superior location that I went to is the original that opened in 1966. Apparently, it closed for a while and reopened relatively recently. So A+ for ambiance and history. The service has been bashed by some reviewers but when I went, it was pretty good. The waitstaff was friendly and fast. Of course, it wasn't very crowded when I went (very cold night) but still, this was a plus. The food though, to be honest, was relatively ho hum. Got a deep dish pizza and it was ok, but there's much better pizza available even in my own neighborhood (Berwyn). Nothing was per se wrong with it, but it was underwhelming. Nothing stood out about it in terms of flavor, even the cornmeal crust. To me, it was just a moderately seasoned pan pizza with a slightly different crust. No big deal. Also had a side house salad which, like the pizza, could be described as average. Value also isn't a strong point. The small 'za I ordered was barely larger than a personal pan pizza at Pizza Hut. And it didn't come cheap (about the price of a large pizza at home). However, to be fair, the place is on the Mag Mile after all, and restaurants there are just going to be more expensive than they are in the further out neighborhood areas. Some "tourist" markup is to be expected and dealt with. So in short, if you're a tourist staying near the Mag Mile and want to incorporate Chicago style pizza into your trip, this isn't a bad choice. All the pizza joints in that area are chains (Pizzeria Uno, Giordano's, etc.) and Gino's probably stacks up pretty well against that group. And it has some history that those places do not. But if you live in the Chicago area, odds are you have much better pizza options right in your own back yard, so there's no reason to travel downtown for this. Since there's no 2.5 star rating, I'll bump it up to a 3!
(3)
J W.

I saw the long line to this place the day before so I decided to try it. Simply went for the obvious- deep dish pizza; chose the supreme with sausage. Took maybe 40 minutes to cook the pizza. It was quite good. I was fearing a thick crust but it wasn't bad. It was baked to perfection- a golden crust. But I thought the crust was made of corn of some sort- if it had sweetness it couldn't have been mistaken for cornbread. Not bad. good service.
(4)
Monica T.

I came ready to gorge and left feeling: meh. I had the vegatarian deep dish and was underwhelmed. Our table had to send back some stale breadsticks. The NEW replacements were much better. Our waitress was excellent, hence the extra star.
(2)
Maria C.

This place was a big let down. Everyone talks about them having such excellent Pizza but we really didn't agree. The sauce was very good but crust was such a dissapointment. It was yellow in color and very heavy feeling and it didn't have a crispy bottom. We had a much better pizza the following day at Pizano's.
(2)
Lizzy J.

HA, I went to Gino's East twice in my Chicago trip. The first time was for Pizza which wasn't that great. No cheesy gooeyness and he flavor fell flat but the crust was tasty. The second time we went for the right thing the Italian beef sandwich which is omg good! So meaty and juicy with extra au jus to dip and those yummy pickled veggie n peppers. I can't wait to go back - plus the soup that came with it I think was a tomato bisque but it tasted like lobster bisque. I will come back for a sandwich at this pizza place.
(4)
Nicole C.

I had Giordanos a couple days before I had this. Since it was much bigger and more crowded I thought it would taste better. It didn't...I was disappointed. Their crust has more corn meal in it and I'm not big on corn meal. It was also FREEZING in there. I never been inside an establishment that had their AC on so low, it was summer, but hardly hot compared to what I'm use to in TX.
(3)
Amanda P.

I came in around 4:00 by myself and sat at the bar with no wait. The bartenders who served me were fast and attentive. I ordered a small cheese deep dish, which was delicious and very filling for one person. I'd go back!
(4)
Bob B.

Great pizza and great service made our day in Chicago fun.
(4)
Anna L.

This is the best deep dish I've come across in Chicago! Got the small spinach pizza (4 slices, $17.70) for 2 people. Crust is delicious and cornmealy without being overly rich like Lou Malnati's. Generous amounts of tangy tomato sauce heaped on top. Lots of crunchy spinach in the middle (texture seems to be more like frozen spinach - works well). Almost makes pizza seem like a healthy thing. Felt really good after eating two slices - both in terms of yumminess and non-bloatedness. Could have gone for a third! I really love deep dish joints that use tomato sauce as the topper vs. cheese. Giordano's does the same thing and, in my opinion, has the better-tasting sauce (sweeter balance whereas Gino's has a saltier leaning). However, Giordano's crust is way too flour-y and bland, and that's why Gino's is top on my list for solid, all-around deep dish performance! Tip: Don't bother waiting in line to eat in (if you can help it). Much better to order and take out - less than 45 min wait.
(5)
Gayle C.

On a recent trip to Chicago, I decided that a deep dish was something that needed to be tried. It was either going to be Gino's or Giordano's, and Gino's won out as my husband had eaten there before. The sauce and toppings were great, but the cornmeal based crust fought with the topping flavors. I would have preferred a more traditional bread dough style crust, as I really didn't like the crust on this pizza at all. Next time we will try Giordano's, or UNO.
(2)
J R.

Apparently I did not get a good representation of what this restaurant does. I went for a quick lunch on the take-out side downstairs and ordered a personal pan pizza with minestrone soup. It was quick, and that's about the best thing I can say. The pizza was awful... I felt like I was in an elementary school cafeteria. The soup was actually quite good and I ended up eating that and leaving most of the pizza... So I'd suggest, judging from the reviews, that you skip the downstairs quick version and get what other reviewers clearly think is the excellent pizza upstairs.
(2)
Julie E.

THE BEST DEEP DISH PIZZA IN CHICAGO. Yes, there will probably be a line. Yes, the pizza takes about 45 minutes - 1 hour to cook. But it's sooooo worth it. The cornmeal crust is killer. I drool over crumbled sausage. Thankfully they now have the capability to deliver NATIONALLY (which works well for me since I've moved to LA). featuredfoods.com - you can also get food from Edwardo's and Ed Debebic's. My Chicago peeps were so happy when I got my Gino's shipment. It was a joyous day.
(5)
Marcel M.

We popped in to get some carryout food at the bar. Meatball sandwich, Calzone thingy, Chicken Tenders, and an Appetizer Sampler. The portions were big so it was in line with the price. As for the taste of the meal, most of it was ok so nothing to go crazy over. I did notice that their Mozzarella sticks were huge. Thick pieces of Moz with ultra-crunchy breading. That was the highlight. Would I ever take out from here again? My bro had to catch a flight. The bartender said it would take 30 mins to make the food (really?). I assured my bro that it would really be 15-20. Guess what? It took 45. Damn!
(3)
Dan W.

My favorite deep dish pizza in the city. Started with a tasty house salad, then moved on to pizza. Love the cheese and sausage (patty style) and it is worth the wait.
(5)
Andy S.

Great atmosphere, friendly service, and of course, the deeeeep dish. This was our first stop in Chicago and it turned out to be a great way to start off the trip. -Famous for their sausage patty deep dish. -Great cheesy garlic bread with marinara dip. *Tried Giordano's couple days later and was not satisfied. **Some might not like the cornmeal crust.
(4)
V C.

Went to Gino's East last Fri night with a group of friends. Even though there was a line outside we were seated within 10mins. Overall, great ambience and service. We had the house salad and 2 deep dishes (spinach and sausage). The house salad was very mediocre and salty. The deep dishes were terrible - soggy middle and very dry crust. It looked like someone scooped tomato sauce into the bowl of crust. Save you money. There are much better places for deep dish.
(1)
Lacey P.

Their lunch special pizza--not good. Tasteless, with an iceberg lettuce salad. And sweet weird crust. They forgot my cannoli, and I had to go back and get it. Just....not good.
(1)
Daniel M.

Great deep dish pizza. Hits the spot when you just finished your flight in. Only problem with this place is waiting. Last time I wanted to go, the line was around the corner (minimum hour wait). No pizza is worth that wait. But if you can walk in or wait 20 minutes, it's a great meal! Best deep dish I have had.
(4)
Gavril L.

Thought I might try this deep dish thing, ya know give it a try A fair shake, so I found a place close to my hotel. Decent yelp word (but mixed) so I make the trek. The place is covered in graffiti, gives it an authentic feel but wait, the bathroom is spotless. Makes me think it is all a big fake, so I wait an hour for this $23 pizza and omigod this crap is more fake than the graffiti on the walls. The crust is hard dry and crumbly and filling is barely warm, and tastes like soup, this whole place smells like soup. I am sorry Chicago but if this is a representative of your Deep dish pizza, you can leave it in the Midwest. I met a nice local woman in the elevator Me: You are having fun up there (there is a party upstairs) Local girl: O yeah company party Me: Did you enjoy the Pizza (trying to hide my disdain) Her: O yeahh great as always! Well I am glad someone is enjoying all this, I Feel gross, I wish I had eaten a nice bowl of pho. yuuk
(1)
Pilan C.

I really love deep dish pizza, but my first trip to Gino's east was a bit disappointing. We went in there starving and so we were a bit daunted by the 45 minute wait for the pizza -- but if it was good, it would be worth it. In the meantime, we had an order of the toasted ravioli, which was really really good but, unfortunately, turned out to be the highlight of the meal. We tried to order the veggie pizza without mushrooms, but they said their vegetarian topping was pre-mixed so went with a half-sausage, half-four-cheese pizza. For a "small" the pizza was very big and very filling. Unfortunately, the crust was only mediocre and the pizza cheese seemed to congeal a lot quicker than other Chicago-style pizza places I've been to before. The sauce was pretty good, and so were the toppings but something just felt like it was missing. The pizza itself would probably get 3 1/2 stars, and then ravioli would give it an extra star on top of that, but the service we got there -- we rarely saw the waitress, and she just didn't really seem to want to help us -- forced me to drop the rating down to 3 stars. Overall, I'd prefer Giordano's (although I've only been twice before) or, more preferrably, Zachary's in California.
(3)
Sandy T.

We tried this place as part of the duty to eating a real deep dish pizza. Don't get me wrong, it was good but it was overwhelming. I come from the land of gourmet thing pizzas so anything that rich and meaty is a bit intense for my palette. We sat at the bar because there was a wait for regular tables. The bartender was very attentive and guided us through the menu. He was upfront with the 40 minute time to get the pizza, which was cool to know. Our hotel was right next to it, so I did see the lines mentioned in other reviews.
(3)
Kap N.

This place is amazing!
(5)
Heather K.

Gino's was our second stop for deep dish while visiting Chicago. Comparing it to LM's, I'd have to say their sausage was tastier than Malnati's, but that's about it. When it was cut, it spilled out all over the place, whereas Malnati's kept it's shape and contents. The crust was yellowish, so there's something unique in there, it was thicker, heavier, and thicker, but I'd have to imagine if you took leftovers home and tried to reheat this pie, the crust would be as hard as a brick. The sauce was a little acidic for my taste, and the amount of cheese was perfect. I just like a sweeter sauce and a bit softer crust. The graffiti signatures on the inside from all their visitors was really cool, and I believe upon reading one of the signatures it said "I was stupid enough to pay $3 for a marker to sign this." So, judging by that, I think they sell markers that you can use to mark up the walls with you name and date of visit. Really easy to get to off Michigan Avenue. We arrived about 1130am, and the wait started getting longer and longer. They do have it down pretty good though as far as moving people along, unlike LM's. You wait outside briefly, then inside on the bench, then possibly upstairs and meet another host who will seat you. It's a good flow!
(2)
ryan h.

this place was good but not the best deep dish that i've had in my life... the sad thing is that the other good deep dish places were not even in chicago... i'm not saying that it was bad, but for the amount of time that people wait to get in here, and the price of one pie, i was expecting to have a foodgasm and honestly i had to fake it. the appetizer my girl and i had was actually more "memorable" than the pizza if that says anything... the service was pretty good, except for the fact he brought the pizza uncut, said he'd be back to cut it, and we didnt see him for about 5 more minutes... by that time you bet your ass i had already cut it, you're not gonna leave a pizza in front of my face for even 30 seconds and expect me not to tear it apart... i'm looking forward to my next trip to find somewhere that tops their pizza.
(3)
Lisa R.

The pizzas here are HUGE and fairly priced. They use a cornmeal-based crust, which I wasn't really a big fan of, but with all the cheese and sausage goodness - I was pretty happy with my meal. Love all the writing on the walls. The restaurant is large and great for big parties. It's just too bad they haven't found a way to make these deep-dish pizzas faster!
(3)
Giacomo M.

Always great - deep dish at its best. We brought our Japanese friends here 10 years ago and they had to come back and were not disappointed. We had the cheese and sausage (crumbled not the roll) Fantastico ! While waiting we had toasted ravioli - good also. Service good.
(5)
Heather K.

Of all the "major players" in the Chicago deep-dish scene, I think Gino's is the most consistently delicious. The cornmeal crust is so fantastic - it definitely sets Gino's apart from the competition! If you're new to the city or have visitors in from out of town, it's a good spot to try.
(4)
Garett N.

While it isn't the most amazing deep dish pizza I've ever had (that goes to Zacharies Pizza in Berkeley, CA), the pizza was still pretty good. If you're going to get a deep dish, I highly recommend getting an appetizer to hold you over until the main event. It took about 25 minutes to get a table, but the line seemed to be fast moving. I'm sure I will be back soon.
(3)
Connie W.

We wre in Chicago for only a week and had to check out the deep dish pizza that we've heard so much about. Everyone was right, it is delicious....and very cheesy. We ordered a small for two and that was to much pizza. (4 slices) We also ordered the toasted ravioli since we weren't sure if we'd like the pizza or not. The toasted ravioli was huge...5 on the plate, I think. It had a really good cheese filling, not meat. The waiter was very attentive and noticed that my daughter did not like the pizza and offered her some free chocolate chip cookies...they were huge too! The grafitti was fun and the small booths with lite candles were a nice touch.
(4)
Karen J.

I love Gino's deep dish pizza. I have been to this location several times. I tend to go for lunch so its not as busy. The staff is ok. It takes at least 45 min for your pizza to cook so be ready for some hunger pains. During my last visit I was a bit bummed out cause our crust was a bit burnt (and that's the best part!) If you have never had deep dish pizza add this to your list of places to eat.
(4)
Xavier P.

You can't come to Chicago and not get an authentic deep dish pizza. You won't know what a deep dish is supposed to taste like. For me, I have to get what ever meat lover's special they have and it has to be Gino's East. Open late.
(3)
Phillip T.

I was stuffed from the appetizer since the pizza took 40 mins to cook. It's good but nothing to brag about. It was interesting to find the place was marked up with graffiti by all the diners but I didn't find any in the guys restroom.
(3)
Frank C.

I am a New Yorker and wanted to try "Chicago Deep Dish Pizza" Well, put it this way, I am glad i was brought up on New York style Pizza. I was not impressed at all with Ginos East. I did a little research before i selected my Chicago-style pizza restaurant. and came up with Ginos. Maybe I picked a bad pizza place, or I just dont like deep dish?! The atmosphere was pretty cool and different. I enjoyed my experience, but wasnt impressed. I order the meat lovers deep dish. should of stuck with the traditional Cheese/Pep
(2)
Ann Y.

Amazing. The best stuffed pizza in Chicago hands down!!! I never get peporoni pizza, the the peperoni supreme pizza is what I live for. This is a chicago legend and always will hold a special place in my heart. My best friend who now lives in Boston as claims that this is her favorite too. I know in Chicago pizza is a battle and this is definitely a strong contender.
(5)
LORENA F.

On our trip to Chicago, we needed pizza. We went to Gino's because my boyfriend had gone to Jordano's and wanted to compare Gino's. In my opinion, the pizza was very good. I had said I was only going to have one slice as it was pretty big in size. I had two large slices. There was a good amount of cheese and all of the great ingredients. We also ordered a Harvest Salad. I have had this salad at different places, but have never seen almost complete apples on the salad. I thought I needed an iron chef knife to cut the salad. The raspberry dressing was very good, but the incredibly large pieces of apple looked like they were prepared for a Sangria festival. I have to admit that I have to be bias as for the most part, many San Diego servers, waiters, ect are with some type of smile on their face. I have yet to see a cashier, waiter (expect at Dikta's) or server with some sense of happiness. I get the feeling that there are a lot of court-ordered volunteer position. I am sure that all of this staff that I ran into are getting a paycheck. They have got to have some customer service orientation. Gino's has the most depressed staff that I have ever seen. It does not hurt to smile or refresh my drink without me asking 50 times. I have given this a level of good (at the very least) customer service if you can ask me if I want refill or refill my drink without me having to do the Heimlich on myself.
(3)
Retired B.

I tried the original style deep dish pizza. It came with a whole flat patty of sausage. It was basically the whole diameter of the pizza with cheese under and sauce on top. Good, but gross when I think about it. This Gino's has a lot of foot traffic from Mag Mile so there is always a huge line outside. We ended up just asking to sit at the bar and that was about a 15 minute wait too. The bartenders/servers were alright, but not great. The graffiti over everything was kind of tacky to me. Even when there were signs saying "no graffiti in the bathroom", the dumb illiterate customers still decided to write in the bathrooms still. I didn't bother to read the millions of scribbles over the walls.
(3)
Bob S.

Probably the best pizza we had in Chicago. Started with their fried ravioli, which were pretty good with a tasty cheese filling. After that, one small deep dish was enough finish us off--primarily because the crust was so dense ("decadent" is probably embellishment). To top it off they had pretty good chocolate chip cookies and brownies for us to take home. The pizzas, of course, take forever to cook. When we got there around 5 or 6 PM, there was no wait. By the time we left, an hour and a half later, there was a line outside waiting to get in. (So consider take out.)
(4)
Andie S.

Not sure why this restaurant always has such a long wait. The food was really not that great, the pizza was pretty bad and the staff wasn't that great either. I would skip this one.
(2)
Leila T.

This weekend my boyfriend and I headed to Chicago in order to determine, once and for all, who has the best pizza in all of Chicago. We were going to spend every meal for two and a half days gorging on serious deep dish and stuffed pies. It turns out that if you are not in "pizza shape", it is hard to make it past the second meal in a row of thick pizza yumminess. So we had to scale it back to a Gino's East (Leila's choice) vs. Giordano's (Mike's pick) showdown. I admit it - I'm a Gino's fan. I'm used to the small, dark Wells Street location, but this new location was closer to the hotel and it was raining, so we showed up here around 5:00 on Saturday evening, ready for some serious deep dish. The new location has the decor of a Planet Hollywood or a TGIFridays. Maybe someday it won't feel so sparkling new and corporate, but we aren't there yet. Still though, it met three out of four of my pizza shop requirements: (1) beer by the pitcher, (2) outside seating area (alas, the rain prevented me from checking the cute upstairs patio area out), (3) delicious pizzas, (4) red and white checked tablecloths. That's right, Gino's East went with the black and white checked tablecloths instead of red and white. Fine, you got the checked motif down, I won't subtract a star for the incorrect color combo. On to the food. The house salads were light and tasty and the house dressing was Italian with a hint of raspberry. Nothing fancy, but good for passing the time while waiting for the fresh, hot 'za. Pitcher of Sam Adams went down easily. All good. Then, the moment we were waiting for occurred: our medium half sausage, half cheese pizza came around the corner from the kitchen and was place on your table. The thing about Gino's East deep dish is it has excellent ratio. And pizza (like women, so I've heard from a guy or two) are all about the ratios. Cheese to sauce to toppings (if any) to crust. Gino's East has it down. Not too much cheese (listen up, Giordano's), oodles of delicious sweet sauce (enough for some crust dipping, even), and firm, even crust. The only complaint was that the sausage was a little light, but that was my fault I'm sure because I didn't let the bf go for the entire sausage patty and we went with crumbled sausage instead. I've had most of the Chicago institutions at one time or another and I've always tried to keep an open mind, but I can't help it - I'm a Gino's East girl at heart. It's the sauce and the ratio, baby, that keep me coming back. Ps. By the time we left at 6:45, the line to get in was winding into the garage next door. So if you hate the crowds, go at an off time. We waited less than 3 minutes, but it was early.
(5)
Jim N.

I have never been to Chicago before, and was told to try their pizza, cause they said it's the real deal. We had our pizzas delivered so there was no waiting and I highly recommend the Gino's special! The thin pizza was also really good, and I found myself coming back for more and more. They cut their thin pizza in small squares which is very convenient. If I ever come back to Chicago, I will hit this spot up again.
(5)
H P.

3 stars due to the long wait. the wait is not worth the quality of the pizza. flavors were good, we had the sausage pie. the crust was very dry and hard. almost inedible. i much prefer giordano's or lou malnati's.
(3)
Angela B.

The best part about this Gino's location is that half of the first floor is actually a Gino's "cafe" - you can get pasta, salads, sandwiches, and personal deep dish pizzas all in a hurry. Great for lunch time when you can't wait an hour for a pizza to cook, although the personal deep dish is a lot of crust and could use more actual sauce and cheese.
(4)
Nina W.

Delicious pizza. It's the crust, definitely the crust. The atmosphere is pretty cheesy though. Their patrons mostly consist of tourist families and suits. The cost of one thin crust veggie pizza was under $15.00 without tip.
(2)
Stacy S.

Yuck. You get what you pay for...and that is why it is cheap. I'm sticking with NY style pizza...none of this "I think I am cornbread" pizza. Salad is nasty. Place is dirty. Why do people go here?
(1)
elizabeth n.

I'm usually a thin crust pizza kind of a gal, but for lunch this weekend we went to Gino's East and decided to try the deep dish. The buttery crust was delicious and the pizza was so good that I ate two pieces- which is a lot when you are eating deep dish pizza! The mozzarrella sticks were good too since you have to wait 45 minutes for the pizza to be ready- and they hit the spot!
(4)
Jessica P.

Gino's was our first stop in Chicago for deep dish and it did not disappoint. The crust is so different from other deep dishes I have tried- flaky and almost like a crispy cornbread. The toppings and sauce were also top notch. Although Chicago deep dish is not my go-to for pizza cravings, this was by far the best I tried on my recent trip to Chi-Town. If you want to make one stop for deep dish- stop here.
(4)
Kristen G.

Gross bathroom-Let me start by saying I really can't rate the food because I never made it to a table. The two stars are due to my stop in the bathroom and me standing outside waiting in the rain. I have eaten here, it's just been over ten years, so I'm not ratIng the pizza. I do live in Chicago, but usually frequent other pizza establishments. I was quickly reminded why. Stopped by last night to see how it was these days because we were considering having our rehearsal dinner here to go along with our Chicago-themed wedding. When we got there, we were told it would be a 25-minute wait. That's fine, although it was raining terribly outside. The place is so big, I don't know why they would make anyone stand in the rain. I guess it's kind of like standing in line for a cool club, that's not crowded-shows popularity(?). This was the minor problem. I asked if I could use the bathroom. The doorman allowed me:). When I walked in I was shocked. I thought I was in a gas station. Although, I've seen better at gas stations. The place was trashed. Toilet paper covered the floor. It was filthy. I really wanted to find a manager, but stopped myself. The hand dryers were all broken. The paper towel dispenser was empty. Just plain dirty. I've never been in a Restaurant that would allow a bathroom to look like that. Working in the food industry, I know that if a bathroom looks like that, usually the kitchen isn't very clean. Needless to say we left. It was gross and shocking. I would never take my out-of-town guests there.
(2)
Da J.

I went here with a group (and lunch was paid-for) but we didn't have deep dish!!! Perhaps I shouldn't judge, but it was pretty simple pizza fare. Calamari was just okay, but the marinara sauce was fantastic.
(4)
Fern D.

I visited a friend in Chicago last week. When in Chicago, you have to have the deep dish pizza, even though, I'm partial to thin crust. Apparently, Gino's East is one of the places that's always suggested. We went and ordered the 4 cheese pizza. It was soo good! The small was pretty big for a small, so we had leftovers for later on to snack on. I'd definitely recommend this place if you're visiting.
(4)
Bruce C.

The deep dish pizza is fantastic!! But be prepared to wait an hour for it once u order it!! But well worth the wait!!! A Chicago tradition and must have!!!
(5)
Stephen V.

Went late (after 9pm) on a Friday, and there was still a line around the block to get in. The location is cool and the whole place has a great vibe. The pizza was good. Deep dish isn't my thing, but had to visit, since I'd already been to Lou Manaltis and Giordanos. It was good, I think I'd go back here before the other two.
(4)
DrVilain S.

Good pasta, good pizza, really great beers!! First time in Chicago tried 3 different pizza places, here, Lou's and Giordano's... In order from MOST favorite to least favorite I would say: Giordano's, Lou's, and then here. But they were all still so amazing!! Must have the deep dish pizza!
(4)
Nadia V.

We had to hit this place up while in town over the weekend. I'm not used to specialty pizza places (most of our pizza eating is done at home so it's typically delivered) so I wasn't sure what to expect. Everyone talked this place up so I was expecting something extraordinary. It was good, but I guess my expectations were a bit different. Either that or I just prefer TX style pizza (doesn't the pizza at Sam's Club count as TX pizza? I find that to be one of my faves). Or maybe I don't know my pizzas? Either way, the pizza was really good, but you have to like LOTS of cheese. The crust is more like a cornbread type crust rather than the flour-based as far as texture goes. Don't be deceived by the long lines outside. It moves quickly. It was cold out when we went and weren't sure if we could handle standing out there for too long, so we asked the host for his time estimate for the wait. He told us 10-20 minutes and we were seated at the bar in about 12. I don't think that's too bad for a busy Saturday afternoon. The bartenders do know how to make the basics well (Jack and Coke, Vodka and cran, etc). I think this is a really good place for groups and for tasting Chicago's version of deep dish pizza. My only warning is to come hungry and valet park. The smallest pizza is 4 slices and 1 is enough to fill ya up. We parked in the closest parking garage across the street and paid $25 for less than 2 hours of parking. Ouch! (Valet is only $13 plus tip.) Can you tell we were tourists? We didn't know any better!
(3)
Jason K.

Gino's is a pretty popular deep dish pizza joint. There's a crazy line out the door and the pizza takes about 45 minutes to bake, so keep that in mind. The salad we ordered had way too much dressing on it, so you might want to get the dressing on the side. The pizza is tasty, not too greasy, but definitely sits in your stomach for hours.
(3)
David B.

Ok, The Pizza is pure Chicago Delight, Take people who are visiting you who want to know about Chicago. Otherwise, the service is not great and I accidentally left a package at my table at the end of a slow weeknight and came back 30 minutes later. The staff didn't want to help. I got the feeling they were divvying up my stuff. Better for take out than dinning in. Full of tourists!!
(3)
Erin G.

In my effort to review my favourite places I writing about Gino's East pizzeria. So there is a debate if deep dish pizza is true Chicago pizza, but I am not going to go down the rabbit hole. First of all this is a serious pizza, one it is expensive because it is large and because you well maybe eat two slices, so be careful before you order a large. My favorite location is by Willis Tower, great pizza, good service and my favorite city. Enjoy!
(4)
Ron S.

This would be a 5 star rating if it weren't so difficult to park. Now for the actual review. Ordered the meaty legend deep dish. Visiting from so cal so had to check out what all the hubbub is about. Gino's did not disappoint. Flavorful sauce and toppings. The staff was attentive and friendly. The ambiance was cool. Don't forget to bring a sharpie marker to vandalize the tables, chairs, and walls. Great experience! Highly recommended.
(4)
Nanye E.

Average to slightly above average Deep Dish. Its a Chicago institution, and definitely worth trying. The apps are a waste of calories, stick to the pizza.
(2)
Patrick B.

Gino's East is a great place to go to for Chicago deep dish pizza. It's located just off Michigan Ave near Northwestern Medical Center. It is worth every bit of waiting you will have to undertake to eat the pizza. First off, we were able to get a table immediately, but that was just because it was 11:30, not quite lunch hour. When we left, there were a ton of people waiting, whether in the seating area, or in the line outside (although I'm not entirely positive it was for Gino's East, there is a hotel next door, but I think it was for the restaurant). We were seated and our waiter was quick to take our order. Now for the guaranteed at any hour waiting, the wait for the pizza. They warn you ahead of time that it will take 45 minutes to an hour for a deep dish pizza (it's a little bit shorter for thin crust pizza). Make sure you order an appetizer, especially if your even slightly hungry. We had the calamari. It was great. If you like calamari, you will love their calamari. The marinara sauce is great, everything's great. After a really long hour of hunger, the supreme sausage deep dish pizza came. It was worth the wait. Everything about it was heavenly, from the patty sausage, green peppers, mushrooms, and onions topping it, to the great tomato sauce on top of the soft mozzarella (?) cheese packed full of flavor. The crust was also excellent. Overall, if you're looking for a traditional deep dish pizza in Chicago, head to Gino's East. But only if you're willing to wait, and man is it worth the wait.
(5)
Anonymous P.

Really crappy. Chicago deep dish pizza is not my favorite thing. But this pizza was abnormally bad. The crust was super-thick, grainy, and impossible to eat. Calamari was awful.
(1)
Koizumi Y.

I never quite understood the fascination with this place. Cramped, slow, long lines and bloated, sloppy pizza -- it's not my cup of tea, really.
(2)
Brandon U.

I am a huge fan of deep dish pizza! Gino's is an great place to go, especially if you have a big group. We went with about eight people, and were able to order three different deep dish pizzas! Each of them was really tasty. If I remember correctly, we had the pepperoni, meat lovers, and vegeterian. Loved each of them! The only problem I had with their pizza is that their crust had a little too much cornmeal in it. So, it had a very distinct corn flavor to it. But, depsite that...I still love Gino's!
(4)
Corey F.

Wasn't sure I'd like deepdish pizza but that changed rather quickly once I ate here. It can be a little pricey but two pieces is rather filling. There can be a long wait depending on what time you go so avoid the lunch or dinner rush cause you'll be waiting about an hour.
(4)
Annette F.

Went again with a group last week. The pizza was alright (not as good as the cheese and spinach from the previous week), but the mozzarella sticks from sample appetizer platter were amazing.
(3)
Shay J.

1984 my father came here with a few friends on prom night( i think this was the exact location) P2015, Today he was THRILLED to know My fiance and I recently went here for lunch. There wasn't a large crowd......probably because it was a Wednesday...of course we were on vacation. We drove 11hrs from NC to Indiana to see my Future inlaws..ugh....then 1Hr to Chicago to venture around the city, of course we had a blast!!! Ginos changed my LIFE.....I wanted to die 5 deaths when the waitress said it was a 45min wait for a deepdish pizza......nooooooooooooo!!!! Of course we waited. Other people coming in must have ordered ahead of time.....note order before arriving. We started with Calamari.....Holy Hell!!! The calamari was everything and more. And then her ladyship arrived!!!! 4Inch deep dish pizza!!!! Ohh you sexy thang!!! Say my name!!! We enjoyed every bite of course!!!! My life has changed forever....thank you Ginos
(5)
Dianna B.

A group dinner with a reservation for 100 people, we didn't have to wait in line and this seemed to disturb some folks - those who were waiting to be seated. I over heard one guy asking why we were being seated, and the girl told him that we had a reservation. Sucks to be you! Once we were up on the third floor, it was pretty cool.. Ever inch of the walls were covered in grafitti - they even offered us a sharpie if we wanted to add to it - at least the one waitress I encountered did. We sat at our long tables and kabitzed while eating our tossed salads, before the pizzas came out. Deep dish syle of so many different flavours. I shared pieces with another person because frankly, There was just too much. All in all I tried the Cheese, the veggie and the Meat lovers. They were all good, but they left me with heartburn. Ugh..
(3)
Angelique A.

As a first timer to the deep dish pizza, I really enjoyed the meaty legend and deep dish nachos. However service was extremely slow and the downstairs music was loud and too club like for 7 pm. Our large pizza was perfect for four hungry asians and when coupled with mozzarella sticks/nachos, we were extremely full. However I'm not sure how the pizza quality compares to other local pizza joints. Nit pickies: there were only 2 peppers on our entire pizza which was very disappointing. The cheese on the pizza was deliciously elastic and it was nice that servers cut the pizza and serve everyone's first slice to you. That being said, eating here was overall a decent experience at a good price (20 with tip). Keep in mind that the deep dish takes about an hour.
(3)
Verna U.

Everyone told me that deep dish pizza is a must try in Chicago. I am not impressed. I guess deep dish pizza just isn't for me. This was the closest place to my hotel. My boyfriend and I came on a Thursday night at 6. No wait at the door. We were seated immediately and warned of an hour wait for deep dish pizza if we planned to order that. We ordered calamari as an appetizer. It was good. I didn't really like the marinara sauce that came with it though. We waited 50 minutes for the Chi-talian Stallion deep dish pizza. I thought it was alright. The crust was indeed crunchy and buttery. The cheese was overwhelming for me. Everything was messy because deep dish pizza is just a pile of goop (or "pie"). Never got a refill. Waiter showed up to give us our food, then our check. That was it. There was a short line outside when we left at 7:30, so get there early if you don't want to wait.
(3)
Bo W.

Maybe we lived in NY too long, but we've had a lot better pizza. Not only do we prefer pizza from other places with different styles, but we've had deep dish pizza outside of Chicago that we enjoyed 100x more (Stephano's from my hometown: yelp.com/biz/stefanos-châ€¦ . It is even below the Mason-Dixon line). We can't believe that people will wait in line up to an hour for the food at these insane prices. We should have know we were in for trouble when we had to wait on the Valet for about 10 minutes. This may not seem long for a busy night, but there wasn't a line and we didn't see anyone else use Valet the entire time we were there (In fact, the attendant just left our car in the loading zone with a sign in it). Next, we were "greeted" by an extremely rude hostess who told us to stand outside. We stood there by ourselves till another hostesses saw us and asked, "Why are you standing there, there's no wait tonight?" before immediately seating us. Our waiter was a nice guy and very professional. However, we felt bad for him, because, there were no clean plates or forks for him to give our table (there were plenty of knives and for some reason, our table for two, had five of them) or the ones around us. He eventually had to go to tables nearby and ask patrons if they were going to use all of their plates/forks. In addition to our Supreme Deep Dish Pizza, we ordered two overpriced and decent appetizers (wings and sticks). The appetizers weren't special or noteworthy. The pizza itself was disappointing. The sauce on the pie was good, but we felt that there was too much of it and it created a pool for the toppings to float in. The cheese was ok, but there wasn't enough. The onions, green peppers, mushrooms, and pepperoni were almost non-existant. The "sausage" tasted like flavorless/unseasoned ground beef. Most of the "flavor" came from the parmesan cheese that we had to douse the pie with. The pie was so poor that we only ate about half of it (something we've never done with similar sized pizzas) and took the rest home only to throw it away two days later. To top off the bad meal, we had indigestion the entire morning after waking up. We really hate giving low scores, but 2 stars is for places that go into the "Meh, we've had better!" category and Gino's was very disappointing and expensive.
(2)
Anna C.

Love. Best pizza I had in Chicago. Cornbread crust is perfectly crispy on the edges, but soft on the inside. Look at the menu ahead of time and order the pizza right away -- it takes 45 minutes to make!
(4)
Kristen B.

This place has a great "feel" to it, however their service (or lack thereof) left me with a bad taste. Our server was attentive and polite upon arrival, but forgot multiple drinks, and was never seen again after taking our order (except to bring the check of course.) It was not very busy, so I'm not sure what the problem was. The pizza was OK, and we were not a fan of the crust. It had a corn bread consistency to it, and no flavor at all. It's fairly pricey, and for what you get taste wise, it's not something I would pay twice for. Having said that, the atmosphere is really neat. People write their names on the walls and anything else they can get a pen to. It has dark lighting, and very clean bathrooms (check out the borax soap--not something I had seen before.) The bartender was also very knowledgable and helpful.
(3)
Siana C.

Awesome memories of my first trip to Chicago 9 yrs ago ushered me back to this first place I experienced Chicago deep dish. Hello again Gino's. S'been a while. Why, thank you; you haven't aged either. I remember being blown away by the pizza and calamari, so to validate the high regard I've held for this place ever since, ordered the same. The calamari was incredible. The crispy seasoned coating was so perfect I just stopped & stared after every bite, which worked out convenient since it takes nearly 30min for them to make your pizza. I'm a slow eater -which infuriates everyone I dine with- but this time, the wait granted me a pass. Then, it arrived. My awesome waitress plated the first slice and then insisted on awaiting my approbation. She stood there beaming but silent, as if a sacred rite had begun. I took a bite. My soul cried out in ecstacy. Seeing my face, my waitress smiled and departed. I had forgotten how much darn cheese they stuff them with, so after the 3rd slice found myself overwhelmed. Everything else was as fresh and remarkable as I remember. Way to hold the crown Gino's.
(4)
Nara K.

My nephews (4-17 years old) and I stopped in for some pizza. It was mid day. There was a line and the hostess said it was a 30 min wait, but to my gratitude about 10 mins later we were seated! Our waitress answered all our questions in a patient manner (even though she was a little busy) She was accommodating, helpful & pleasant. The meaty legend deep dish pizza, nachos and cheesy bread were excellent choices. Thanks for an awesome experience! We will be back.
(5)
Morron F.

Pizza was wonderful. Really very very good. The whole family loved it. Even better was the atmosphere... The gimmick (even though none is needed) is that you can write on the walls. As we walked in I asked the hostest what people used to create the white writing on the walls. She directed me to get white-out at Walgreen's drugs around the corner. Both kids and adults had fun while waiting for the pizza. It was a fun and memorable night for all. We will go back for great pizza, and to see our names next time we are in town.
(5)
Sheenal S.

At the recommendation of two friends I went here for their infamous deep dish pizza. I was warned by the hotel manager that there is always a 60 minutes wait and recommended a sushi place but not having slept two nights and having only had a breakfast for the last 18 hours my body wanted something substantial. So off I went on my walk down Michigan mile. Ordered a take out small veggie pizza that came to a whopping 27 dollars plus tax. Walked out and spent an hour at the pharmact buying lots of makeup hehe. . Went back so ready to sink in my teeth in this . So much cheese and tomato sauce. The mushrooms and th added chicken barely visible. Taste was below average. It's 79 cents for a refillable soda but I tried to down it with their fresh home brewed iced tea which was also below average. Now I feel like I should have gone to lou almanatis. Oh and I tried to give leftovers to three homeless people but they had already overdosed on pizza for the day. Walked a few blocks further and lucked out with the fourth homeless person. Also ended up giving him all my change which turned out to be around 5 bucks. Karma please hurry up.
(3)
Brent C.

Stupid good your tongue will be trying to slap you in the face to get more. Some of the best pizza I've ever had just sitting here writing this review form my couch in Oklahoma it is making my mouth water and making me wish I was still in Chicago to eat another pie It takes about 45 minutes to get a pizza from when you order it so make sure you have time seems like it would be hard to get a pie on your lunch hour. During the wait we ordered a Caesar Salad and the waitress brought us some markers and white out so we could make our mark on the place memorializing our first trip to this amazing Cathedral to Pizza.
(5)
Eddie T.

On my last trip to Chicago I tried out Gino's East the pizza was as I expected that thick crust I'm not a fan of that they crossed but the sauce is really good, as far as the spaghetti goes I would recommend that that is some really good spaghetti and meatballs just melt in your mouth no pun intended we got it to go and the kids loved it we tried other places in Chicago but I think this one was the best spaghetti in Chicago for me so next time you go try it it's just the meatball and spaghetti
(5)
Hannah H.

Gino's East has been around since '66, created by two taxi drivers and a dear friend, who were so sick of the downtown traffic. They are known for their Chicago Deep Dish, as well as offerings of appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, as well as thin crust pizza. I was able to try their Deep Fried Ravioli, which came heavily-battered and with a cup of marinara sauce - this was cheesy, but definitely a lot of breadcrumbs! I've also tried their Jumbo Chicken Wings, which were of pretty okay size, in buffalo sauce - these were a little less cooked to my liking, and it was definitely saucy. For pizza, I had the Gino's Supreme - this came with pepperoni, Italian sauce (or one or the other), onions, green peppers, and mushrooms - the pizza itself was definitely on the hearty end, but I thought the taste was a little more on the bland side. I did like the golden crispy crust, which was a pleasant surprise. Service was okay, and the place was packed to the brim during the dinner rush. +golden crispy crust
(3)
Peggy S.

Not worth all the hype in terms of food but I loved the atmosphere. Locals and tourists alike could not stop singing the praises for this place so I went here for lunch with a friend. Immediately upon walking in, you can see all the graffiti from past visitors--I love that kind of stuff! We had no problem being seated immediately during lunch time on a weekday. Once our warrior finally came over, he told us that it would be a 45 minute wait to cook a deep dish. We were fine with that so we ordered a salad and a small deep dish, both to share. (Really it was enough for 4 people not 2.) The salad we got had apples and gorgonzola in it. We got Caesar dressing on the side. It was delicious! We ended up waiting an hour and 15 minutes for the pizza though (from ordering to it coming to the table). I don't mind waiting for good food, especially with an initial heads up about it, but that was too long. The pie want that great either. We got the supreme one with sausage, peppers and mushrooms. The crust was crumbly and reminded me of cornbread. I didn't care for it. I prefer the deep dish from Lou Malnati's. Also they had the bathrooms on the second floor. I was behind someone struggling up the stairs. Was this person not told about an elevator or is there not one? There are not enough stalls either. The women's bathroom always seemed to have a queue. Considering the table capacity of the place, more bathrooms would really be nice.
(2)
Tatyana R.

Amazing place for a deep dish pizza! Line for the table seating is always long, but if you are willing to seat at the bar, most of the time there's no wait :) It is a little on expensive side, but well worth it! Great experience, will be back for sure!
(5)
Matthew S.

Gino's East has a reputation as one of the best places for deep dish pizza in Chicago, but it failed to live up to the hype. While the pizza was okay, it wasn't outstanding / best of breed. Our pizza seemed to have the crust slightly undercooked. Cheese, toppings, and sauce were good, though. Service was okay here, but somewhat slow. Additionally, the pricing here is very high. Some of the pizzas run over $30!
(3)
Jacob M.

Frankly, I was unimpressed. I was told this was, "THE PLACE" to go in Chicago and really it was just...fine? I mean, nothing wrong with it, but by the next day, I couldn't remember it. It was just a big fat cheesy piece of pizza. No strong flavors to recommend it. Toppings surprisingly minimal. Lemonade was lousy. I get that its a cool space, but in terms of just the actual food, nothing to write home about.
(2)
Jeanine Z.

I came here while visiting Chicago to try deep dish pizza. We ordered a large pie of regular cheese and one that had pepperoni and sausage. The pizza was delicious! It was light, not as heavy as I was expecting. The dough was crispy and airy. It took an hour to cook, but worth the wait. I would love to return!
(4)
Grishma B.

Pretty good deep dish Veggie pizza. Crust was definitely better than the one at Lou Malnati's. It was doughy and crunchy at same time. Wish the toppings had more flavor but pretty filling!!! We are from atl so not much to compare to as there no deep dish pizza spots in Atlanta.
(4)
Philip V.

There's a ton of history at Gino's East, but there are equally as many flaws with their pizza. Out of the 7 pizza parlors I visited in Chicago, Gino's is last among them. For $24.00, I ordered the small-sized Meaty Legend deep dish pizza which consisted of pepperoni, italian sausage, canadian bacon, and regular bacon. At first glance, I wasn't impressed with it's construction. Messy, flat, and visually unappealing, it was a disappointment to see. (A small comes with 6 slices.) The sauce was chunky and too tangy for my taste. While I have a love affair with oregano, Gino's seems to go overboard with the herb making each bite pungently minty and almost unbearable. I do enjoy the abundance of mozzarella though as this establishment has the cheesiest slices out of the 7 I tried. The toppings saved this joint as the quality and quantity were outstanding. I did like the option of getting to choose between sausage patties or sausage crumbles too. The worst flaw of the evening was the thick corn-meal crust which I felt was an indigestable travesty. Reminiscent of chewing on a firm, week old biscuit, the corn taste is prevalent and resembles the color of a fortune cookie. The very thought makes me shudder. ---- Conclusion: 2.5 Stars. In the city of Chicago where deep dish reigns, I'd recommend Lou Malnati's, Giordano's, then Peqoud's in that order. Regardless of the incredible history within this establishment, they seem to lack the standards it takes to keep up with the times. For those who claim this is the "Original" pizza joint in Chicago, they're wrong, because Uno's claims that title. The owners of Gino's actually hired Ms. Redbone, a cook from Uno's to steal the crust recipe during that time. So nothing original about this place. Extra Notes: -Accepts credit card -There was no wait to be seated, although pizzas took about 50-55 minutes. -Service is kind but could be more attentive -Decor and environment reminded me of being in an Italian sports bar--2 storied location - I liked how we could write on the walls, reminding me of the decor at the Boiling Crab in OC -Restrooms are clean
(3)
Sabrina B.

The people of Chicago have very definate opinions about food, and especially pizza. Ask 5 locals their favorite pizza and you are bound to hear serveral different choices...for those who grew up eating at Gino's East, love it above all others. Now Chicago deep dish pizza is not what I grew up eating, as it is thicker and heavier than a lasagna...like a huge slice of pizza casarole in a heavy duty crust...a slice weighs about 2 pounds. I however love thin and crispy pizza, but that is not what they offer here. I do like Gino's thin crust pizza (realize that here a thin crust is still thicker than most hand tossed crust that you have had). The red sauce is strong with tomato flavor and a bit on the sweet side. The flavor of the sausage and pepperoni and bacon balance it out nicely. They also use a large amount of cheese, which is always a good thing. It is definately a laid back atmosphere with all the graffiti. The lines are often long, going down the sidewalk. Once you get a table, the wait for a deep dish can be 45 to 60 minutes (less for a thin crust). They do offer several apps that can tide you over until your pizza arrives. If you choose to go with a deep dish pizza here, it is a very good example of Chicago deep dish pizza. With my guy being a Gino's East convert his whole life...pizza in Chicago will always mean stopping here whenever we are in town.
(4)
Kristie T.

I wasn't blown away like I thought I would be. We went on a Tuesday around 1:30 and waited around 20 minutes for a table. The tables all upstairs were empty. Our waiter kept forgetting things that we asked for. Like my children's drinks and my beer. I bought my first one at the bar while we were waiting and when he took forever to get my second one I got my cash out of my purse to just go get it myself when he passed and was like, "Oh, I need to get your beer....I'll be right back". uggh So, I ordered the deep dish nachos and the kids got kid's chicken tenders. I didn't want to get pizza because we had nowhere to put any leftovers. The nachos were ok, but I would prefer if it was a saucy queso type cheese rather than just melted shredded cheese. They also took forever to come.
(3)
Erin J.

As I've come to understand it there are three types if people in this world: Gino's, Lou Malnati's or Giodorno's Chicago pizza lovers. I would fall into the Giodorno's category. So I can say this about Gino's since I've now given you disclosure: Eh.
(3)
Michelle U.

I just went here with my boyfriend today and this is our first time. First of all, the host wasn't friendly at all. Second, the service was very very slow it tooks me more than 2 hours for our pizza (the pizza is not so good, so it doesn't worth the wait) and our server made a mistake with the pizza order. We ordered 1 medium thin and 1 medium deep dish pizza but he got it 2 deep dish small and medium. We ended up went to McDonalds cause we were starving to death we couldn't wait any longer and we came back to pick up our pizza to go. This was the worst experience ever.
(1)
Michael M.

Very mediocre. Waiting 60 minutes for a deep dish pizza is one thing. Having it not be out of this world is disappointing. This place has been around a long time, but to be honest I am sure that there are much better places in Chicago for deep dish.
(3)
Fred W.

Not much to say Gino s is legendary only thing try lightly baked on deep dish pizza with with sausage patty
(4)
Frank J.

This the ORIGINAL Gino's East but definitely not the best, when it comes to service! Took over 40 mins just to receive a salad and that was because I had to walk over to our waiter while he was placing another order at the counter to ask...where is our salad? His response...Oh, they didn't bring it to you yet? Who is they, when you are OUR waiter? Whom else would be responsible for bringing it? Then He only came by once for a refill! Smh Deep Dish was outstanding but the thin pizza was horrifically bland!
(3)
Kate U.

I came here last night, this was my first time trying Gino's East pizza. My family was staying at The Mile North hotel right next store and this was a perfect location for us to get your typical Chicago deep dish. First off, the hostess was extremely nice, we putin our name and she texted us when the table was ready. Instead of waiting around like you typically do at restaurants, we were able to go back to the hotel and relax. We watched the end of "Coming to America" with Eddie Murphy- hilarious movie if you've never seen it. Anyways, after we the text we went down to the restaurant and were able to bypass all of these people in line which was awesome. We got the house salad family style which was perfect for what we wanted. Your typical salad, nothing too special about it. They do have these $10 nachos which looked AWESOME but we knew we were getting a lot of pizza so wouldn't have been worth it to get the nachos as well. I'll have to come back and give those a try. We got the Gino's East supreme pizza with pepperoni, mushroom, onion, & green pepper. It was perfect, a thick crust that was almost pie-like in consistency, a ton of cheese, and a good amount of tomatoes & sauce on top. I've eaten at both Lou Malnati's and Giordano's, and I like the amount of cheese and red sauce at Gino's east the beat. The crust was good, I do like the Lou Malnati's crust better, but this pizza as a whole with a greater amount of cheese, toppings, and tomatoes was overall better than both Lou's and Giordano's. Great experience and exactly what we wanted!
(4)
Caitlin B.

We went here based on a suggestion and were put off by a waiter who was obviously busy with other things (like visiting with friends who'd come in earlier..) We ordered anyway and waited the 45 min for our deep dish. One of the three of us loved the pizza and the other two thought it was just ok. We're still on the search for the great Chicago-style pizza.
(3)
richard c.

Heard a lot about this place from people around the City and waited for about 40min to get in there. I thought it was a cool atmosphere, great service, and great pizza. You have to experience good Chicago style pizza where you are in the city. This might be a little too touristy though - making it a little too crowded. But it was worth the experience.
(4)
Angie P.

Was excited to go and try Gino's pizza with all the hype I have heard about it. I found the pizza very bland and the Extra topping sprinkled around the crust. Staff was friendly although the service was very slow. The crust was different and I didn't really care for it. We won't be returning anytime soon.
(2)
Vern C.

Loved it. Food was great, service was professional. Host staff very organized.
(4)
Katie T.

Eh. This place may be part of the famed Chicago deep dish trade but the pizza is only OK and generally forgettable. The first strike was that the place was plastered in signs for a beer--I think it was Longboard Ale--that they didn't even carry. What the hell? My friend and I selected another brew, ordered the house salad (shouldn't lettuce be green?) and the bacon cheeseburger pizza. It was all marginal at best. Service was generally competent, although on the slow side. Skip it!
(2)
Geoffrey P.

Gino's East gets one star because they are pretentious and deserve to be taken down a peg or two. There is nothing spectacular about the pizza at Gino's East. Far better pizza can be found at several other pizza joints, they are however the only pizzeria in Chicago, as far as I am aware, that thinks they are a night club. Not only do they not take reservations, which is to be expected at a pizza joint, but they won't even be so kind as to take your name down and let you wait by the bar. No the good folks over at Gino's East expect you to wait in a corral outside like cattle, waiting for the privilege of eating their pizza. This Yelper refuses to degrade himself by waiting in line, especially in the cold, for a mediocre pizza. I'd rather take my business elsewhere and I suggest you do the same. If you head over to Pizza Uno or Due they'll be more than happy to take your order and let you wait by the bar for a seat. Giordano's and Lou Malnati's will also be more than happy to accommodate you, and if you feel like taking a trip out of the loop I would head to Pequod's or Bacino's
(1)
Josie K.

I have this cookbook, and my homemade version is more consistent and less cornmeally that the restaurant. Still pretty good though, and the yellow crust is a trademark.
(3)
A C.

this was really great chicago style pizza, crust is a bit dry but that may be the norm? Glad we went here to try some, it was good, you should too.
(3)
Anthony N.

I am not a pizza fan at all but this place changed how I thought about pizza. I've been to many pizza places and had all sorts of pizza from "high-end" and fast-food type and I gotta say this place is the best! So I use to think that all pizzas tasted similar, but I'm wrong. Here they do deep dish (which you can basically get anywhere these days) but they use CORN MEAL as their pizza dough. This makes the taste sooooo much better and on top of it, the pizza does not taste so greasy. The toppings were the same as everywhere else and the sauce was slightly better than your average pizza place but the pizza dough made the biggest difference in the world! So if you go to Chicago, go to Gino's East and this will make your trip worth it. P.S. Does anyone know of any places that sells deep dish "corn meal" dough pizza anywhere in San Francisco or NYC? or is this just a Chicago thing?
(5)
Justin H.

This is probably my favorite pizza place I have ever been to. Now granted, I'm not a Chicagoan and I never grew up on deep dish pizza in my hometown; but to me, this is the best place to get pizza in Chicago (or anywhere else for that matter). The meaty legend is my favorite and each time I am in town, its as good as I remembered it to be. I have only eaten at Giordano's and Lou Malnati's, other than Gino's, and for this Seattle boy, Gino's wins hands down. Each time I've been here, there's always a long wait, but knowing what's in store for me keeps me standing out there until I am seated.
(5)
Sandy F.

My husband and I ate here 18 years ago. We went back tonight with our kids and had an incredibly delicious meal....just like we remembered almost 20 years ago! Our waiter, John, was so fun! He was quick to serve us....even though it does take almost an hour to get deep dish...! He was helpful and attentive even though the restaurant was packed. His recommendations were spot on and his attittude helped to keep our spirits up after a long day of site seeing and very hungry stomachs.
(5)
Patricia N.

Wasn't sure if I should've given this place 3 or 4 stars. But since I was only here once, I thought I'd give them the benefit of the doubt. My boyfriend and I really wanted to try Chicago-style pizza. And since this place was featured on Foodnetwork's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate," we thought we'd give this place a try. We walked in and were seated right away. I would've been a little upset if we had to wait, considering this place was two stories. Our server seemed like a bit of an ass, he rushed us in ordering and even got my beer order wrong. But then again, we've had problems with Chicago servers our whole trip. What gives Chicago? We ordered a medium supreme deep dish. It took a while to get out, but our server did warn us. When our pizza finally came, I was excited to dig in. The cheese was gooey, the sauce was hot, and the toppings were piled high. My boyfriend and I enjoyed the pizza, although the last slice was only OK because it cooled after a while. But aside from that, the pizza was tasty. I think my favorite was the crust. So yummy and crispy on the outside, but all soft in the inside. Maybe I'll come back if I were to return to Chicago, or maybe I'll search for another pizza place. Who knows? But at least I can now finally say I've tried Chicago-style pizza!
(4)
Destinee W.

Eh, it was a very meet atmosphere but the pizza was not my favorite. It was good but suited my pallet better.
(3)
Evelyn S.

Steps on successfully completing your meal at Gino's: 1. Come after normal lunch rush (~ 1 pm) to avoid any wait at all. 2. Immediately scan the menu, discuss with your group which pizza will be chosen to order, and then flag down your waitress ASAP. 3. Order the pizza, and nothing else, so the order can process immediately. 4. Wait 45 minutes for the pizza to cook. Tick tock, tick tock.... ....Meanwhile, drink 2 cups of water and talk about everything on your mind to pass the time. 5. Finally, get the pizza and start GRUBBING. Eat the pizza, with very minimal conversation because you're that hungry and want to devour the deep dish ASAP. 6. Slump in your chair from major food coma and attempt to not fail asleep right there and then and hoping you can make it back home in one piece... ----- The PIZZA Review: For Gino's East Supreme - Sausage, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, and lots and lots of cheese. I thought the pizza itself was just okay. It lacked a lot of tomato sauce that deep dish pizzas ought to have, and instead, replaced that void with cheese for days. Cheese was good, but too much made it too stringy and chewy. I really liked the SAUSAGE - it's homemade, it's fresh, a bit peppery, and none of that gross preservatives with oil dripping upon each bite. I liked the dough because it was unique - it's kind of like a pastry crust that consisted of cornmeal, instead of the normal pizza dough. Just wish there was more sauce cus eating that crust by itself gets a bit dry. Medium - 6 slices - $30.00 total. Not sure if it's worth $10 for 2 slices of pizza...plus, the service was pretty much non-existent even though they weren't thattt busy. *LOVED the graffiti walls though -- make sure you bring a white-out pen to mark your territory on these walls!
(3)
Joe R.

Good pizza, but ridiculous wait.
(4)
Tina M.

For me, Gino's East deep dish is the best pizza in Chicago. The crust and sauce seal the deal for me. And the laid back graffiti decor makes you feel cooler than you probably are. Couple of things: -There is almost always at least a short wait here. It's worth it! -Prepare for it to take at least 45 minutes for deep dish, and you want deep dish.
(5)
Tommy A.

Don't get the thin crust pizza. It's overpriced, takes forever, and tastes like cardboard. You're better off eating Mama Celeste frozen pizza.
(2)
Dana D.

Since this was my first trip to Chicago, my friend who was my tour guide said we had to eat here. Our daughters loved the vibe and writing the name on the wall. We ordered a cheese and pepperoni deep dish. The waitress said it would take 45 minutes. We ordered spinach and artichoke dip for an appetizer. It was delicious. My ultra picky daughter even ate it and liked it. The pizza arrived hot and fresh. it was so good. I can't wait to come back with my husband and be the "Chicago expert" and show him the places my friend showed me.
(4)
Lorena A.

Disappointed.....they keep people outside on line for an hour. The restaurant is empty inside and they took 1.5 hours to serve pizza
(2)
Parson H.

Had lunch here today. A Cubs vs Cardinals game was on which made for a lively midday event with drinks all around. I don't much eat food like this (or I shouldn't) but who can come to Chicago and not try authentic (I'm looking at you Uno's chain) deep dish pizza. I sat at the bar which provided immediate service in front of 6 screens all broadcasting sports of course. The bar is full-service and both bartenders were super nice. I sat between two people who had the meaty legend and as it was already 1 pm, I'd had no food yet, and I love meat, meaty legend it was! I'm glad the bartender told me up front it would take 45 minutes; otherwise, I'd been mad to wait that long. Finally when pizza arrived 1 slice was so filling I should have only eaten the 1. I wanted to eat all 4 (small size but large portion around 22.00 or so), but could not take it. The tomato sauce was wonderful like I like it. The crust was very different to me and seemed to be made of corn meal (maybe that's standard?) but I didn't hate it. I also didn't totally love it. Lot of cheese and it was piping hot. Lots and lots of meat like I love it, but the combination of a salty but good sauce and the many meats took my sodium levels into overdrive and I'm not even hypertensive. I had to stop because of the sodium headache I started, but I wouldn't blame any of that on them but my low tolerance for the traditional American fare of super salty or super sweet. Overall I liked the place. Convenient location next to my hotel and easy to navigate. There was even some man who came by to ask me if I liked my pizza.
(4)
Jean L.

I would be able to give a better review if the service was not so crappy. By service, I mean, the moment you walk near the door. I understand, you guys are well-known. I get it, you guys have lots of customers. But a little bit of courtesy for those who are waiting to be seated would be nice. The person in charge of the line was nonchalent, which I have no problem with. Once you get past the front door, the person delagating who sits where? um...pretty sure "STAND THERE" is not only impolite, but c'mon man, I'm just trying to pay you to feed me! Once we were seated, it took about 15 minutes to get a waiter. ..annoying. The pizza itself was pretty good. The decor, you love or hate. But the service is so terrible that you can't help but not want to even compliment the food.
(2)
Chukki S.

They were really nice here and even let me charge my phone since it was dying. The building is huge. There is writing all over the walls. Expect a line out the door on the weekends. It moves fast though. It will also be a wait for the pizza- about 45-60 minutes for deep dish. It was tasty pizza. Not sure it's worth that wait though.
(3)
Celia J.

I've only ever sat at the bar coming in but the hosts and bartenders are very accommodating. My bartender had run out of my beer on draft for the moment so I waited. He came back after 10 minutes apologizing he had forgot to enter in my order while he waited the keg change so he bought my beer for me. I have been here several times and the customers as well as the staff are relaxed and engaging the atmosphere is laid back. The food is great I'd say I prefer this deep dish over Giordano's the crust is softer and not quite as flaky.
(4)
Christina P.

I was really craving the Chicago style deep dish pizza. My friend and I chose Gino's, downtown location. We got seated promptly in a booth and started off with a few cocktails and a ceasar salad. We were told that a deep dish takes about 45 minutes to an hour to be ready. We chose the deep dish because that is what I had originally came there for, and we were not in a hurry at all. An hour and 15 minutes in, possibly on my 4th Moscow Mule, we still hadn't received our pizza. An hour and 30 minutes in, Chris the manager comes out to apologize for our wait. He offered to buy us a round of drinks. I really appreciated that he personally came out to apologize and explain the situation. Shows good managerial skills! Anyway, I was having a good time catching up with an old friend and the moscow mules were keeping me satisfied. I do realize that this may have not been okay for other customers, and could have been a bad situation. Finally, our pizza arrived and it was just what I had hoped for a deep dish. In the end, our pizza was taken off the bill.
(4)
Terence S.

Be prepared to wait for your food. Once the pizza gets there it is piping hot and delicious. I recommend the fire house pizza. I bid you get eats.
(4)
M B.

I got a takeout pizza here while I was staying in a nearby hotel for a business trip. I really was not a fan of the pizza. The cornmeal crust was weird. The service at the takeout counter was fine.
(2)
B W.

Disclaimer: I don't like deep dish pizza. TLDR; The mostaccioli was yummy and reasonably priced. They folks that I dealt with; Jeff & Mark were awesome, fun & attentive. I went here after my wife cranked my second daughter over at Prentice, and I have to say. . . They were super cool. Exactly who I wanted to talk to after the *awesome* experience of childbirth. They have the non-sweet kind of red sauce. It is flavorful, however I would recommend adding some salt. As an adult my favorite meal is the childrens mostaccioli & childrens cheese and garlic sticks. Good variety, not too expensive and darn yummy.
(5)
Ggg H.

Incredible pizza. Original decor (signatures everywhere). The pizza is super thick and super tasty. Will go back to eat there again. Best deep dish pizza ever!
(5)
Kevin C.

1st visit to Chicago and had to have authentic deep dish pizza. This place was the right choice! The waitress kindly informed us right away that it takes 45 mins to properly cook deep dish and we should order soon if that's what we were planning. The pizza was excellent and everything I was looking for in genuine deep dish!
(4)
Bob S.

This has got to be the best pizza I have ever eaten in my life. It make me want to move to Chicago, just so I can have their pizza
(5)
Emily S.

Came here as a tourist when visiting Chicago in July 2014 because it seems to be the thing to do. I think it was about 3pm on a Saturday and we had no trouble getting in without a wait, however the deep dish pizza does take about 45 minutes to cook. My family of 5 got a large cheese and pepperoni deep dish which was enough for us because the pizza is so filling. I wasn't a huge fan of the decor, it's one of those places where the walls are covered in people's names, even the benches and tables, which is cool and all, but kind of gross for eating around in my opinion. The pizza itself was good. Very saucy, which I like and the crust is basically a thick pie crust so come hungry. Overall, I was happy we came here and tried it, it was good especially since I was starving at the time, but really nothing to special.
(3)
Tim L.

Gino's East was right next to our hotel, and since we wanted to do some authentic Chicago pizza on vacation, it seemed the perfect place to visit. We knew it got busy in the evenings, so we went for an early dinner around 5pm and got right in. Our server let us know that the deep dish would take 35-45 minutes to cook, and that didn't bother us at all. We got a small Supreme for ourselves and a kids sized pepperoni thin crust for our daughter. We had some drinks and had some fun drawing on the walls. Then things started getting crazy. At least half a dozen staff members were coming in and out of the room we were in (we were the only people in the room), constantly re-arranging tables. Apparently there was a last minute 95 person party coming in, and they couldn't figure out how to arrange the tables. While the staff was friendly enough, we really felt like this (during our entire visit) non-existent large group was much more important than us. At one point a manager asked if I wanted another drink, took my glass...and then never returned. Then about 45 minutes in, they apologized for the delay on our pizza. No explanation on what was going on; we figured we were just at the outer edge of that "normal" amount of time that it takes and hadn't started worrying yet. Our pizza didn't come out for another 20 minutes. When it finally did, while it was good, it wasn't blazing hot. My daughter's pepperoni didn't have pepperoni (but she told me it was a really good cheese pizza, and asked me not to complain to anyone about it). I don't have any significant complaints with Ginos...but I have no desire to go back, either. I think Lou's pizza is considerably better, and if we repeat this vacation and stay at the same hotel, Giordanos is right down the street.
(2)
Alex N.

Cool place. Really good pizza. Few good beers to choose from. Do not buy a pitcher. You get 3 and a half glasses out of it. Of all the pizza places I've tried while in Chicago, this has been the best so far.
(4)
Jessica S.

Decent deep dish, not the best by far, but decent. I know the location is filled with tourists, but the prices seemed very high for pizza. Good thing I only came here since I had a coupon!
(3)
Gary S.

We wanted an authentic deep dish pizza experience. My girlfriend picked this place honestly because it was right up the street from our hotel. Come to find out Gino's is well known go figure. We were seated immediately, but my girlfriend wanted me to mention she was seated right under a vent blowing cold air down upon her with the wrath of a thousand scorned women, her words not mine she can be a bit dramatic. Anyways, the server was great, friendly and attentive. We were immediate told the pizza would take 45-55 minutes to arrive, and it actually came in about 45-55 minutes. To hold us over we ordered the bruschetta. The bread was crispy and the bruschetta was flavorful, garlicky and basil notes stood out, it was really delicious. Now for the pizza, the cheese was gooey and great, the toppings were great but the crust was not tasty at all! For me a great pizza depends on the crust and I hated this crust with the wrath of a thousand scorned women, now there I go being a bit dramatic.
(3)
Katherine D.

If I ever return to Chicago, I'm stopping here first. Awesome deep dish pizza - don't miss out!
(5)
Steve S.

Waited 1.5 hours for pizza. Manager did get us some food to compensate for wait and paid for pizza but very disappointing. It is just pizza!
(1)
Political I.

Five stars. Maybe I am just deprived (I am from California where there are NO good pizza places) so this is the best pizza I have ever had. Yes, I have had pizza in New York (good but not great) and even on the border of Italy and Switzerland (really great), but Gino's East is tops. Just go. The line will be insanely long. Call ahead and take it back to your hotel. Just plain fantastic stuff!
(5)
Gabrielle K.

Huge establishment with legit deep dish. Had the Chicago Fire pie, which was pretty spicy. No wait to sit down but about 45 minutes from ordering to eating for the pie. I wish I had brought a pen though, cuz the place is graffito'ed all over the place and I love to put writing on the wall. The pizza was good - well made crust, delicious sauce, and spicy as promised. The cheese was a little rubbery, but it was totally edible and being a Wisconsin native, I'm probably just a cheese snob.
(3)
Daniel D.

To date, my favorite deep dish, I had the four cheese with spinach, as well as the Gino's East Supreme w/ pepperoni, both were pretty awesome. I had their Minestrone soup as my appetizer, because it takes then awhile to bring out their pizza, and I'll say, its the best minestrone soup I've ever had, they put their own little spin on it, similar to a split white bean soup. Yummy
(4)
Mona W.

Came to this location during a trip to Chicago. We waited on line for about 35 minutes. I'm not a big fan of pizza, but since its a famous spot decided to go. When we get in and sit down my party ordered a deep dish pizza. The waiter said it would be 45 mins!!!! 45 mins I think they should have taken our order when we were standing outside so that when we go in we would just have a 10 min wait. Makes sense to me. The Buffalo Wings are really good, I must say.
(3)
Libby V.

How do they make pizza taste like that? All my life I've been hearing about Chicago Pizza and finally I know it's true...it's all true. This is life altering. We traveled to Chicago, then walked (and walked) here. It was HOT. There was a LONG line. I had done my research and I was determined, so I quietly got in line. Not 3 seconds later the hostess asked if there were any parties of 7 or more. There was 8 of us...Pick me, I think as we wave our arms in the air." Follow me" she said, "I can seat you now" Life is good I think to myself before I treked up three flights of stairs. I reminderd myself it would be worth it while huffing and puffing away. yelp.com/biz_photos/ibreâ€¦ They warn us it's deep dish and filling and not to over order. But we're starving and it will take an hour to bake our pizza. So we over ordered. Started with a salad cause I wanted the girls to have their veggies. Tuscan Harvest Salad...greens, apples, dried cranberries, walnuts and gorganzola cheese with rasberry dressing. This salad was big enough we all eight ate it! So good. But bring on the pizza...I'm ready for pizza! yelp.com/biz_photos/ibreâ€¦ We got a Four Cheese (Mozzarella, Provolone, Cheddar and Ricotta), yelp.com/biz_photos/ibreâ€¦ a small Bacon and Cheese, and a Gino's East Supreme. The corn meal crust was the best thing ever, as was the combo of cheese. We dig in. Everyone is happy. I finish a piece. I force myself to take another...how can we waste so much when this is soooo good??? I managed to get half way thru my second piece. I defy anyone to eat two! This is filling. But everything I dreamed it would be. And more. yelp.com/biz_photos/ibreâ€¦ One salad, 3 beers, six soft drinks, 3 pizzas + $144 before tax and tip. A lot for pizza, I know. But this is not like any other pizza in the world - I promise you that. I was afraid I would never be hungry again, even after walking miles after dinner. But what I wouldn't give for another cheese pizza right now!!!
(5)
Peter C.

By far, worst service I've had at a restaurant for as long as I can remember. Ordered our food and got drinks...didn't see a waiter for over an hour. All of drinks were completely empty. Meatball sandwich ice cold. No apologies, no comps. On a Monday night as well. Just no excuses. I will not be returning GINO.
(1)
Alexis G.

I am usually a thin-crust pizza girl. But, on my first visit to Chicago, I had to try a Chicago-style deep dish pizza. At first, I was a little skeptical, but Gino's really delivered a great pizza. I loved the cheese to sauce ratio -- just perfect! I'm not fully converted to a deep-dish girl, but I will definitely try it again. We also ordered the appetizer sampler which was full of fried foods -- fried ravioli, fried calamari, fried spinach roll, and some bruschetta. They all had good flavor, but it was a very heavy appetizer. Things to know before you go -- the portion sizes are huge! I had one slice of the small deep dish pizza and I felt like I had eaten enough for the whole week!
(4)
Anthony H.

In Chicago for work, got into town late, but my colleague and I went and sat at the bar. Great quick service, great drinks and atmosphere was good too. My only downfall and why it doesn't get higher marks is that we were rushed to get our order in because the kitchen closes at like 9pm. So I wish we would have had more time to make choices and chill. Closing at 9 is way too early when in the middle of Chicago. This isn't Mayberry.
(4)
Daniel K.

three stars because it's just not the same... for those of us old enough to remember that little place on RUSH ST. yes that's right it was on Rush, under the building in the basement, and they had the best pizza in town....there was always a long wait (not any different today), but the food sure is... Our waiter was from somewhere near rudeville, seemed a bit overwhelmed, and really needs a new job...scrawny short hair with glasses...find him management and extract this scourge. The food, well I ordered the wings, they were FRESH and awesome. We had a ceasar salad, also good fresh and i would order either of these again. We ordered two different pizzas, one DEEP and one THIN, neither of them is going to win an award...first they were warm and cool...i mean WTF its busy and your waiter can't figure out to pick them up....get a new system Ginos. Second they had great sauce and fresh ingredients, but what happened to the legendary crusts. OMG the magic is gone. When I order a deep dish pizza I'm not looking for a 1/2" of corn bread style crust on the bottom of my pizza, yuck, that means the 1" pie is really just a little sauce and some veggies (i ordered the supreme) and I had to look to find them, and some sausage, I know I found a couple of them in there somewhere, thank god the cheese was on the pizza. Gino is probably cursing you guys from beyond about the way you have ruined his great work and love. I for one will never go back. I can get better pan pizza a dozen other places in the US, why would I come to Ginos ORIGINAL for it. Go back to rush st, get back to your roots, make a FAMOUS pizza again, not a novelty one that's more of an attraction for the Vegas Strip than a staple like an italian beef sandwhich at Al's Beef. OH and just so were clear I've been to all the locations, and you guys lost the magic when you left Rush st. But I kept hoping.....done with that.
(3)
Akash K.

Yes, I've been told that Gino's and Giordano's are a must when you visit Chicago (by different people because apparently liking them is mutually exclusive in this town). Yes, I've even heard that Gino's was featured on some Food Network show. And when Gino's happened to be visible from my hotel room with a constant line that went around the corner ... yes, I had to try it. Was waiting in that line worth it? First, I have to say we only waited about 5 minutes because we were a party of two and every other party was sensible enough to come in a pack so they could consume the pizzas and still walk out. If I had to wait longer than that, I'd have been really upset. The key piece of information you need to know before deciding to go there is that it's a cornbread based crust, NOT normal pizza dough. I would have given them 2 stars because I didn't care for the crust at all, but I can't really fault them for making pizza differently than everyone would expect. On the positive side, their sauce is more flavorful than Giordano's. Everything else is about the same; you go to one, you don't need to visit the other. So, I guess conventional wisdom turned out to be right. Pick Gino's or Giordano's for a slice of Chicago style, and then figure out some better places to eat (because Chicago is filled with them).
(3)
Judy S.

Had lunch here on my first day in Chicago. Only a 15 min wait to be seated but a 50 min wait on meal. Bar drink was ordinary. Chicken Parma sandwich and fries. Not that great. Deep pan pizza. Was ok. Disappointed over all as I was looking forward to my visit there.
(3)
Lauren O.

Before I begin this review, I have to explain that I went to Gino's on a weekend getaway a while ago and I am unsure about which location I went to while I was in Chicago. So anyways..... I had been dying to try some real Chicago-style pizza forever. I live in Los Angeles and the closest I have had to Chicago style pizza is Numero Uno. *Hang head in shame* So my Purdue Friends and I went to a Gino's location and had a pizza that was half supreme and half cheese deep dish style and calamari. The calamari was great and accompanied with hot marinara sauce; I love a good plate of calamari *drool* The pizza was an experience. The crust was sweet and kinda tasted like it had a corn bread based crust. The pizza was so thick and it had the toppings on the bottom, cheese in the middle, more toppings and then sauce. You literally had to use a knife and folk to partake in the deliciousness of this pizza. I really liked the pizza and I am now a fan of Chicago-style pizza. No tips or hints about this place. Just enjoy :-)
(4)
Alice T.

It's silly to make everyone wait outside in the cold when there's tons of waiting space inside the restaurant. Take Grimaldi's in Brooklyn. They make you stand outside and wait, because of a simple reason. There's just no room inside the restaurant for anything but tables. We waited outside for maybe less than 30 mins and went inside to find tons of space in the three-story building to stand. They could easily implement a beeper system, but instead, they make you stand outside in the cold. Great first impression. On top of that, our waitress sucked. We ordered a medium four cheese pizza. The waitress told us the prep and bake time for the pizza is about 45 mins, so we ordered an appetizer to feed our grumbling bellies. After waiting 30 minutes for a spinach and artichoke dip (which probably takes 10 minutes to heat up in the microwave), we kindly reminded the waitress that we were still waiting for the dip. She said she'd check on it and didn't return. Our pizza came. Then, our waitress came by and dropped off the dip without saying anything. I think she forgot about it and didn't want to fess up. Either way, the dip really didn't serve its purpose anymore. We were starving and attacked the pizza. The first piece was admittedly really delicious with gooey cheese and chunky tomato sauce. But this is where I made my crucial mistake: I started eating the tempting dip, and by the time I went back for the second slice of pizza, the cheese had gotten cold. You could see the huge layer of hardened cheese sitting on top of the layer of cornmeal crust. The pizza just didn't taste the same anymore. And, our waitress completely forgot to bring my friend's drink and never once refilled our water cups. After paying a mere $12/person for a very filling (although mediocre) meal of two pieces of pizza and appetizer, I went straight into my food coma. And then, proceeded to unbutton my pants for my new food baby.
(3)
Alex S.

Be prepared to wait during peak periods, I ended up eating at the bar to get seated and order. A deep dish takes about 45 minutes to cook so I enjoyed a few beers while I waited for my meat-centric pizza. I ordered a small for just myself and I couldn't eat it all. Around 3 slices is enough for a typical guy. This is the best deep dish pizza I have ever eaten, I loved it. Crust is delicious, the right amount of cheese, great meats, and it seems light while being filling at the same time. Highly recommend.
(4)
Trixy D.

We wanted to be "Wow'd" but we were not wow'd. This was our first Chicago Pizza experience, and we had been looking forward to it. Got there around 11 am and were seated immediately, but by the time we left around 12:45-1pm, they had very long lines down the sidewalk waiting for seating so call ahead if you can. Love the decor, black walls with multicolored writing everywhere! On walls, statues, paintings....it is insane how cool this place looks. Love the ambience. However, the service was.......lets just say, they are used to running through hoards of tourists and are not there to give you a "dining experience". It was fine, not super friendly, not rude. It does take a while when you order a deep dish pizza so be prepared. When the pizza arrived, a medium deep dish sausage pizza is SO different from any pizza I had ever eaten. The very thick crust is very cornmealish. That would be my guess, corn meal in the crust. It is very very heavy, and after one piece of a medium pizza each, we were done. Stuffed. The other odd thing, is the sausage. I have seen slices of sausage, crumbles of sausage, balls of sausage, but this pizza was topped with a LID of sausage. No kidding, a flat disc of sausage like a top over the pizza sauce and cheese. Different! We had them pack the leftovers in a box and thought we would give it to the guy we saw on the corner with a homeless sign. BIG mistake. Homeless persons are not interested in hot fresh pizza in a box, that may have been your lunch tomorrow. If we had been going home I would have eaten it later......I didn't realize it was insulting? Cash is less insulting I suppose. So is walking by and pretending you don't see them, if you ask me. We only packed it because we were thinking of him. Won't make that mistake again!
(2)
Mike M.

I go to Chicago every two years for the Packaging Show. This has been my GO TO pizza place almost every time. I detoured to Lou Malnati's last time and had a really great pizza. This year, I was back at Gino's. Have you ever spoken so highly about a place that the reality turned out to be total let down? Bingo. The wait was the usual 45 minutes for the fresh deep deep dish, but the bastards burnt my crust. It just sucked. It was like chewing a dry shoe. Every bite of the crust was just dust. I did not have the time to wait another 45 minutes for a new one. The waiter was all "bummer, dude.....maybe they overcooked it". That was it. Damn..... What a drag.
(2)
Brittany A.

I don't know what the hype is about Gino's East's deep-dish pizza. To tell you the truth, I was not impressed. I ordered a medium sized cheese and spinach deep dish pizza and ate it, but did not really think much of it. Ya it was decent tasting, but there was way too much tomato sauce and not enough cheese. The crust was bland and not so tasty. I took one bite of the crust and after that let it be on the side of my plate. The pizza takes over 40 minutues in the oven to cook, so if you are ordering a deep-dish, make sure you have some time to spare. Just a note: The atmosphere of the pizzeria is very cool. You are allowed to graffiti on the walls (except the bathroom). There is writing everywhere! Make your mark on this well known pizza establishment.
(2)
Trevor K.

When we walked up to Gino's we thought "Wow, this is great there is no line". Were we ever wrong - we waited in several different lines before being seated. You first wait outside, then wait in the entryway inside, then wait on the bench near the kitchen/takeout window. We were originally told "5 minutes" and in the end waited over 25 minutes to be even seated when there was hardly anyone in front. In contrast to Giordano's, the crust seems to be a cornmeal crust. While I preferred Giordano's crust, my wife preferred Gino's. The pizza toppings were very good and well worth the 40 minute wait after we were seated. They let you order a pizza with different types on each half which was great. Besides the horrible service from the front end staff by greatly exaggerating the amount of time we would have to wait (we would have went elsewhere), the waiter was just OK. He seemed to not care too much about us once he took our order and we were pretty much ignored after this. Overall, I would visit Gino's again...because my wife liked it. I think the cornbread crust is definitely worth trying because it is very different than others like Giordano's. Just make sure to pick a quiet time to go, because even when it is not busy, they seem to make smaller groups wait a long time to get in.
(3)
Ben H L.

This was my only Chicago style pizza stop of my trip and it was well worth the trip. Some of my group had already eaten at Lou's so Gino's was their second pizza joint of the trip. First thing I noticed was the graffiti all over the walls. I guess that added to the quirkiness of the place. After waiting for about 20 minutes, we got seated and we immediately ordered our pizza right away as it was going to be another 45 minutes to arrive. We also ordered salad since none of us wanted to have indigestion later for not balancing out the heavy carbs with some veggies. We tried the sausage and cheese, the plain cheese, and the spinach and cheese. I had only two slices of plain cheese and sausage and while they each were individually satisfying, the remaining crust left me dissatisfied. I think I ate the crust dry as-is just to taste the flavor but I think I should had asked for some more sauce on the side as a dip. With the amount of food that we ordered, it came out to only $15 per person which wasn't too bad. I hope to one day come back to try Lou's or Giordano's. Overall, a quality pizza place but a mixed bag in terms of satisfying my Chicago style pizza expectations.
(3)
Veda R.

Eesh. Not worth the hassle. The crust is weird, thick (in that yeasty-thicky way) and tastes like pure trans fat. The cheese is good, but is overdone (read: pound of cheese per slice). Pepperoni - medicore. I expected SO much and got SO little. I'm sorry to say, but I think I prefer DiGiorno's (yes, the kind you find in your grocer's freezer)....
(2)
Mr F.

Deep.. So Deep! Cleveland in the house! Tina "took care of us".. It was mind blowing.
(5)
Taylor L.

Of all my years in California that I've dreamed about the real deep dish pizza.... I finally made it to Chi Town to experience it. I heard Gino's East was THE place to go, and that said, the locals were not lying. I came by myself on a a long Friday afternoon of shopping, and I found myself at the bar. They serve a lovely 20oz. Crispin cider, so I already knew we were in business. This was shaping up to be a good dinner. I ordered a "small" cheese deep dish pizza ($15), which is probably equivalent to the size of a small baby. No one warned me, but this was the smallest size I could get. It's actually ideal for two people to share because there is no way anyone could eat more than 2 pieces.... unless you're a complete glutton. Also, note that it does take 45 minutes to cook, so if you're starving, you should plan for that wait. At any rate, I spent quite a few hours here. The staff is super friendly, and the atmosphere is laid back. There is writing all over the walls - and no, this is not meant in a literal sense. Everyone who I met at the bar was also extremely friendly, which I think might just be a Midwest thing. At any rate, I liked the whole thing. I'm coming back to Chicago in a month and I'll definitely be back! Also, by the time I left, there was a long line that went out the door..... so come early if you can.
(4)
Myia B.

I feel so bad rating Gino's 3 stars because I'd had high hopes... No thanks: 1. Pizza took forever to come out. 2. Atmosphere wasn't very welcoming. 3. The sausage patty (albeit my fault for ordering it) had an odd texture. 4. Some parts of the pizza were cold (unforgivable). Thanks: 1. The experience. 2. The sauce - the amount was perfect & the flavor nice. Would I go again? Probably not - I'm trying Giordano's or Lou Malnati's next time.
(3)
Lauren T.

I am a born and raised Chicagoan and had never eaten at Gino's East. So I crossed it off of my bucket list and went with family for a birthday dinner. I ordered calamari as an appetizer and my boyfriend ordered wings for him and his sister. We got a stuffed pizza with spinach sausage and onions. It took about 45 min to make, which is typical to us since we are avid Giordano's customers. The calamari was fried too hard for my liking and the wings tasted as if they were cooked from frozen. The pizza came out, it was an adequate size and looked delicious. Until I ate it... That has to be the most bland sauce I have ever tasted. There was no seasoning involved whatsoever with the preparation of the ingredients. The crust was too buttery and too hard. This was a major letdown. Like I forced myself to finish that pizza. I didn't even want the leftovers. I went in trying my hardest not to compare them to Giordanos, but hands down, Giordanos wins. Maybe I'll try the thin crust next time
(2)
Daniel C.

I went here on the suggestion from several people. I shared a thin crust cheese pizza and garlic sticks. I wasn't overwhelmingly impressed with the garlic sticks but the cheese pizza was great. I heard that the meatlovers deep dish was the pizza to try so maybe when I go back I will try that instead. The line outside is daunting but if you're willing to sit at the bar your wait will decrease significantly. we totally banked and were able to enjoy monday night football with our pizza. your experience at the bar may vary.
(3)
Jeffrey C.

After hyping myself up for some deep dish Chicago-style pizza, I left Gino's East a tad disappointed. Our Chicago host gave us the standard list of options: Gino's, Giordano's, and Lou Malnati's. I had been to Giordano's before and our host had never been to Gino's, so Gino's it was. We split a medium veggie, along with some cheesy bread to start. The bread was actually quite good (albeit a little soggy), and I loved that it came with plenty of sauce to dip. Let it be known that I'm a sauce guy. I also prefer New York pizza done right, but I can handle Chicago-style due to copious amounts of marinara. Unfortunately, the veggie pizza was too much cheese, not enough sauce. Not even close to nearly enough sauce. The cheese as well wasn't supremely tasty, pretty stretchy, and often felt like overkill. The bread was decent, but nothing spectacular. On the plus side, the veggie toppings were quite good. Our waiter was decent, and came by to check on us a few times while the pizza was cooking. Also, the atmosphere is pretty awesome (check out all the scribbles on the wall; ours covered up the Sistine Chapel mural), and you'll see this location show up on the Food Network or Travel Channel if you watch long enough. Anyhow, I'd steer you towards Giordano's over Gino's East, and will definitely try to stop by Lou Malnati's next visit.
(3)
Ken C.

When you visit Chicago, your three must haves are pizza, hot dogs, and italian beef. When it comes to pizza, almost every person would include Gino's East in the discussion. We arrived at 6pm with a group of four. We were quoted an hour wait time, but it became a two hour wait. They don't make the pizzas till you order it and, because the deep dish pizzas take an additional 45 minutes to make, it wasn't till our 3rd hour that we started to eat. That being said...if you're visiting this place, make sure you come early. This being said, is it really deserving of the hype that it receives? Perhaps, but we didn't really see it with our visit. The locals that we dined with told us that the quality of the pizza we received was not as good as it could have been. Our pizza crust was perfect and flaky on the outside, but the bottom of the pizza pie disintegrated under the ingredients. I'm told that a perfect pizza pie will hold together and have a nice crisp. The positive is that we thought that the ingredients that were used for our meat pizza were flavorful. I liked the sauce and we all loved the sausage. If I were to come back to Chicago, then I would give this place another chance. But we weren't blown away by the 3 hour wait for food and our final product was simply good, but not great.
(3)
Nicole F.

Jacob was working the door and was awesome. He took pictures for those waiting in line and kept us updated on the wait time! Pizza was delicious, of course!
(5)
Kristin K.

Came here at like 3pm on a weekday and it was still packed! We didn't have to wait too long though. Got the breadsticks which were good but maybe not great. Also got a deep dish with half and half their two different kinds of sausage. I'm not as big of a fan of their cornmeal based crust as I am of other kinds, but other than that it was really delicious and of course filling. Service was pretty good as well.
(4)
Hang N.

Right after checking in at the hotel the bf and I were nearly at the point of starvation and wanted to try a deep dish pizza. Per the recommendation of our driver, we walked a few blocks from our hotel and landed here. It was a Thursday around 6 and amazingly enough there was no wait! We ordered a pitcher of the 312, the toasted ravioli and a sausage/pepperoni deep dish pizza. There is a 30-40 minute wait for the thin crust and 40-50 minute wait for the deep dish. The toasted ravioli is freggin gooooood! It tasted like it was rolled in corn meal and then toasted to golden perfection. Try it. Just do it! The pizza was good, but after reading all the reviews prior on yelp I was expecting to be have my socks knocked off of me....but no. Don't get me wrong. The flavors were good but the crust was just so damn thick that I had trouble cutting through it with my knife! Which made it unappealing to me. The waitress and staff were pretty cool. Came by enough times to see how we were doing and to refill our drinks. After leaving I was prepared to give it a 3 on yelp....then why did I give it four you ask? Well, let me tell you. I got back to the hotel and fell asleep and woke up at 3 in the morning hungry...so naturally I decided to go to the fridge to pig out on the leftover slices of pizza. I don't know why, but sitting in the fridge did a number on it! It tasted even better to me cold than it did when it was piping hot from the oven. Weird, I know. Now I am a fan. p.s. don't forge to try the toasted ravioli!
(4)
Chris H.

Best pizza in Chicago period
(5)
Alan W.

My first pizza stop in Chicago since it was close to our hotel. We went pretty early 11 something so there wasn't a line. When I walked by later there was a huge line out the door, so good thing we went early. We were seated promptly and I believe the waiter told us to put in our order immediately since it takes a while to make the pizza's. between 5 friends we split 2 medium size pizzas I think still way too much, we were stuffed afterwards. We got the supreme and meaty legend, the dough was very pie crusty and thick. I used a knife and fork because it'd get real messy if I tried eating it normally. Overall the pizza was just okay, I think my expectation were too high for a renowned pizzaria in chicago, but still decent pizza. I think lou manalti's was better.
(3)
J M.

Great deep dish pizza. It took right at 45 minutes to get our pizza after ordering. We got there with at 11AM and were seated right away. food is very good, service OK as it seemed to get very busy right after we sat down.
(5)
ZuoBin T.

I can't believe that it's only the first time I am having deep dish pizza. Well, I guess there's no better place to try it for the first time than right here in Chicago. Thanks to a coupon I got from the John Hancock Observatory, we scored an order of garlic sticks for free. Eating those garlic sticks while making that 45-minute wait for the pizza makes it so much more bearable. I thought the pizza's sauce was great and the sausage patty was quite decent, too. However, I thought the deep dish pizza was a bit pricey and I think I still prefer my pizza New York style.
(3)
Golnaz P.

To come here you must first like deep dish pizza or be like me and want to try everything Chicago has to offer. There is usually a long line of tourists. You can get around this because if you go to the Jon Hancock Observatory the concierge can hook you up and give you a pass so you can go to the front of the line at Gino's pizza. So my group and I go. We ordered mozzarella sticks and a deep dish pizza. The pizza takes a long time so be prepared, if your forget they will remind you. The pizza was umm deep, and very cheesy. If you like deep and cheesy, you will enjoy this. It was personally too much for me. I prefer thin pizza. So basically I was the problem and not the pizza. The atmosphere is really cool though.
(2)
Heather P.

Loved! Loved! Loved! Tired the antipasti salad- didn't look appealing due the the large chunks of meat and cheese, but once I cut it up my self it made up for the appearance! The toasted ravioli was awesome. Large stuffed with ricotta and deep fried without being greasy! Best I've ever had (not that I've had many...) We ordered the Gino supreme ? Deep dish, which u wait for (about40 mins) but sooo worth it! It was tastie! And that says a lot coming from me, who is typically a thin crust NY style pizza girl. Just the right amount of toppings cheese and sauce. The crust also ends up being crispy regardless the thickness and almost resembles a crispy corn bread. Can't wait to come back to Chicago to come here again!
(5)
Erin T.

First experience with 'authentic Chicago-style deep dish pizza' and it was pretty good- nothing great, but better than OK. We each had a small (4 slice) pizza- one with their 'famous sausage patty' and the other with '4 cheese.' The sausage wasn't very good- wished we'd gotten it crumbled, which is an option. The 4 cheese was much better. However, we asked for 'very light on the tomato sauce' and both came DRENCHED in it, so we did alot of scooping off. The bright yellow, cornmeal crust was OK, but we definitely prefer traditional dough, hands down. Service was iffy- it took over 15 minutes for a waiter to even notice we were there to come take our drink orders. Pizzas take 45 minutes to cook, so just be prepared. We were there about 2p and at least didn't have to wait to get a seat. Be sure to take white out to sign your name on the wall!
(3)
Kari M.

Deep dish Chicago Fire , antipasto salad, Dirty Bastard Ale. Nothing more. Over the top gustatory experience. Tiffany our server takes the cake. Tons of good energy and fab food suggestions.
(5)
Danielle C.

Not my thing- nope, I will pass. Corn crust. Enough to make my stomach clench. I had the personal pan pizza. Pepperoni and cheese. It was heavy on the sauce, and VERY heavy crust. Yuck! One of my friends had a thin crust. He was not too thrilled. I think the best part of our meal was my salad. I get it some like the place. Some actually call this Chicago pizza. It is not. I do not. I will not be back.
(1)
Brian O.

The deep dish cheese & famous sausage was amazing! Our server, Joe, was fantastic as well! Great restaurant!
(5)
A.J. M.

Hands down the best deep dish around!! Also hands down the best server around. Our server was David Hansen and he was the best. Very tentive to our table and gave us great recommendations on what to get. You guys need to hire 10 more David Hansens!!!
(5)
Maggie B.

Best deep dish pizza I've ever had, along with the best service I've ever had. The entire staff was friendly and nice, and our server went above and beyond to make our experience enjoyable. Our server, Jimmy, was knowledgeable and friendly, and even made sure we had napkins and utensils for our leftover pizza! We make sure to eat at Gino's every time we take a trip to Chicago!
(5)
Robert H.

With almost 70,000 pizzerias in the United States and Chicago being the largest frozen pizza market in the world, I was down for some tasty-tasty goodness. After walking around Michigan Ave. looking for this place without directions I ended up getting desperate. I heard Gino's East had the best pizza in Chicago and I would do anything to try it. Trying their famous deep-dish pizza is the only way to certify a trip to Chicago. After being asked for $2 for some soup from a hungry looking man, I told him he could only have the money if he led me to the Gino's East. After 30 minutes and a dozen "it's just a few more blocks" I walked into the Apple store and pulled up a quick map. After all of the anticipation and frustration I finally found this house of holy pies. You get a real feel of the history walking in and some of the writing on the walls is decades old. One of them is from an uncle of mine somewhere ; / After ordering a few deep dish pies, I talked it up waiting around 15 minutes for the food to arrive. When it was placed on the table I heard a choir of angels singing to prepare me for its delicious goodness. This is, the best pie i have EVER tasted. Period. I wanted to smuggle a frozen pie back on the plane but it can't be on a carry-on. I have thought several times about having one shipped but opted to save an excuse to go back to Chicago. I ordered the deep dish cheese and pepperoni and wasn't disappointed. The famous golden crust and chunky tomato sauce just added to it's glory. The depth of flavor was amazing for a pizza. It was a bit greasy, but I didn't mind. The service was a bit slow, but the place was packed and the server at least cracked a few jokes. I think I was too tired to care from all of the walking around earlier. Contemplating shipping a dozen pizzas back home while simultaneously trying to stay awake long enough to finish our pizza, was quite the experience.
(5)
Shradha A.

I have tried the thin crust at Gino's East by Hancock and liked it. Tried the spinach and cheese deep dish at this location and came here for the first time -- service was great! Wait, even on a Saturday night, wasn't bad at all. The pizza though disappointed - it came out undercooked, soggy, and falling apart.
(3)
Kim H.

Came here after the marathon with a large group. We were seated right away and the food was terrific. Highly recommend the Spinach and Cheese Deep Dish. They say pizzas take 45 minutes to prepare...but I think it was quicker. Our server Tiffany was terrific. I'd certainly come back.
(4)
Ashley L.

Good pizza and comfortable dining experience. I think we waited for our pizza for almost an hour after getting there, so it was definitely fresh. We didn't order ahead of our arrival and they were super busy when we got there. Our server warned us of the wait thankfully (incase we didn't have time to wait) but we did, and we didn't mind. Bathroom was clean. I'd go again.
(4)
Lakshmi R.

What IS it with pizzerias in Chicagoland? Where I'm from, pie-sliced, thin-crust pizza is a given. Here, you not only have to contend with the horror of deep-dish pizza (frankly, only cakes deserve such carby depths) and the bizarre practice of cutting pizzas into squares. Is this a third-grade class party, or something? I've had to deal with this for as long as I've lived in Chicago since moving from the East Coast, about 7 years now, and it never fails to shock me. So naturally we were disappointed to open up our take-out large cheese pizza with green olives and mushrooms and discover that it was thusly cut. At least they didn't give us a deep-dish by accident, not that the curious lack of mushrooms wasn't a lot worse (I think I counted 3 slices on the entire pizza). Well, ok. At least the pizza was tasty and we didn't have to wait too long to pick up the pizza (about 30 minutes), which was nice considering dining in at the restaurant itself requires waiting in a line that stretches outside and around the building (note: pizza is good, but not worth that kinda wait). That said, the pizza was good and the staff who gave it to us, rang us up and (yay!) tossed into the bag several packets of chili pepper flakes were super cute and nice. I'd eat their pizza again--after making all the necessary specifications.
(3)
Skip R.

My first trip to Chicago involved a trip to UNO. I was with a friend from Chicago and this is the place he said we had to go to. The line was long, the booths were not much bigger than a shoebox, and the heat was terrible. The pie was good though. But it wasn't a pizza. Next I tried Gino's East. The atmosphere was so much better. We really enjoyed the roominess too. The pie was better than UNO. Still not a pizza though. More like a casserole full of pizza ingredients. I am glad to say that I have tried chicago style pizza. It's not something I would have to have each time I visit though. Nothing against Gino's East. If I were a big chicago style pizza eater, this would be the place I would eat at.
(3)
JT G.

OK first and for most not a HUGH deep dish pizza fan. However while in Rome right? Since this is one of the highest rated Chicago style pizza joins around I figured might as well give it a go. When walking by the location at 8:30 pm they still had a line to get in that went out and around the building about an hour wait. So since I was staying up the street decided to get take out which also was 45-60 minute wait. The pizza itself was out of the oven and fresh, and the staff was great. However to be honest I still do not understand the obsession over Chicago style pizza. Too much sauce, too much bread. While the crust was good, give me thin crust or New York style any day. Chicago has a lot going for it... but it sure isn't the pizza. In the end I'll have to say if you want to indulge there are plenty of other options in Chicago to consume large amounts of calories in one sitting that are fair better than this.
(2)
Eric S.

The pizza here was amazing. Definitely worth the wait. I had the vegetarian pizza first, and it was delicious. I also had the chicago fire pizza. It was incredibly spicy, but very good. I highly recommend this place.
(4)
Gabriel P.

Gino's was on the hit list of places to go to in Chicago!! We were ready and willing to chow down on Chicago's best! and boy were we dissapointed =( Nothing wrong with the pizza but realized that it simply wasnt our type of pizza. Way too much sauce which drowned out everything else. Sorry Chicago, I give you thumbs up over New York in everything else except the pizza.
(1)
Karina M.

Visited this spot because the friends we were with said that they saw this place on Man vs. Food. So we thought we would give Chicago Deep Dish pizza a try. We ordered a Half Supreme and Half Meaty something or other. The Meaty side was way better. The veggies in the Supreme were diced super small and the marinara sauce lacked taste and salt. Also...I wasn't a huge fan of the almost corn bread crust. Plus its pretty expensive for what it really is. However, the atmosphere and vibe of the restaurant is pretty cool. I think I am going to give another pizzeria a shot at winning me over with deep dish.
(2)
Lan T.

I've been to Chicago sooo many times, and this was my first time to Gino's. I ordered the small cheese and sausage (loaf sausage). The guy said it would take about 45 minutes to cook. No problem! I got myself a beer and watched some sports! The small pizza is enough for two. If you haven't had the pizza and think I'm wrong, then maybe order one or two of their appetizers as well. I think a medium for two people is way to much! Anyway, got the pizza and the bartender served it on my plate. Gino's layers their pizzas with the crust first, then the cheese, fillings and tops it off with sauce. The pizza was pretty good and I love sausage, so the loaf sausage was an extra treat! lol Although the pizza tasted good, it wasn't far ahead compared to a frozen pizza. I think the two most important parts to a deep dish pizza is the dough and the sauce. I didn't think the dough had anything special to it. (I had Pequod's during my last trip and the caramelized crust was sooooo delicious!) The pizza was definitely saucy, but it could have used some additional herbs/spices. I do love deep dish! I probably won't go to a Gino's establishment again. I didn't have a horrible experience, but the deep dish didn't satisfy my deep dish craving as much as Pequod's did. So two stars knocked off for the dough and sauce.
(3)
Minerva T.

By suggestion of my blogger friend, I decided to head over to Gino's East to get my first taste of authentic Chicago-style deep dish pizza. It sure was pricier than I was accustomed to for pizza (yay being spoiled by fast food pizza chains!) but I can see why. A tourist trap? Perhaps but still a fun delving into Chicago culture! The first thing I noticed was the decor. The walls, chairs, booths, and everything were covered in writing! Apparently people bring white-out or markers to the restaurant to leave their names/messages/whatever anywhere (except the bathrooms - there's even a sign that says it's forbidden). It COULD have easily turned into something really tacky but actually, I liked it. It gave the restaurant some personality. Anywho, our waitress told us deep dish pizzas would take approximately 45 minutes to finish baking so suggested an appetizer. We ordered the mozzarella sticks which were probably some of the crunchiest I've had. I hate mozzarella sticks that get soggy or have sad amounts of cheese inside but these ones were nicely crunchy and not too salty. The cheese had cooled a tad by the time we ate it so it wasn't as oozy as it was when we first got it at the table (blame my taking of pictures) but still good. I liked the marinara sauce that came with it too. Thumbs up. When our pizza came, it was glorious. We had ordered a medium-sized Gino's East Supreme which came with sausage, pepperoni, green bell peppers, and mushrooms. I bet we could've been completely fine had we just gotten the small size because we only had one slice each before calling it quits. When I saw it, I was surprised that it was so red and brown - where were my veggies? Regardless, amazing! The heavy crust was so good as a bread itself that I could've eaten that alone. It tasted rich and probably had more oil or butter in it than I would like to think about. The meats were generous and good pieces, definitely not some cheap cuts. I liked that the sausage chunks weren't all uniform like you sometimes find on mainstream pizzas. My friend confirmed that you never eat a deep dish pizza with your hands because it's just nearly impossible. Agreed! I dug in with fork and knife, feeling heavy with every bite. I never thought I could get full off of one slice of pizza before! Of course, before we left, we had to ask the waitress how we could leave our mark on the walls. She said that people just bring in their own white-out; we looked at her with dismay. Then, being as awesome as she was, Jessica whispered that she'd get us a Sharpie poster paint marker when she could. Once she slipped it to us, I immediately thought that I'd love to take up some prime wall real estate with love from my blog. I found a nice booth bottom on which to write out "Much love from us at www.muchadoaboutfooding.com" and signed with my name and date. Take that Chicago! Remember me for I will remember you!
(5)
Tony T.

This is really as good as it gets. I no longer live in Chicago, but alas, when I visit, I have to hit Gino's to get my deep dish on. They now have free WiFi - just ask the server for the password. The deep dish is still THE BEST and the prices are still good as they were years ago... Yep, it still takes 45 minutes to bake your deep dish so either be patient and wait for it or call in your order before you get there and have it served as soon as you get there and sit down. Either way, this is a must for anyone visiting Chicago,,,ahh Sweet Home Chicago. C'mon baby don't you wanna go...back to dat sweet ole place, sweet home Chicago...
(5)
Roxana B.

Great deep dish pizza ! I loved it must try it !
(4)
Theo E.

I prefer the pizza at Gino's to Giordano's, and I enjoyed my meal. That said, it's definitely not a place I would feel the need to go to on a regular basis. The interior is kitsch, but in a suburban way. It's packed with tourists and suburbanites, you have to wait in line. This is a place I'd take my family when they come to visit from Missouri as a "Chicago thing," but not some place that I would go on a regular night out.
(3)
Michelle A.

I don't crave it very often, but when I do want a Chicago-style pizza (aka a million calories of rich buttery crust) I know I can get it here. When I first walked in (at 11:02am, because it was noon on the East Coast and I was hungry!) I thought it was a tourist trap with the graffiti walls, and it may well be, but there was hardly anyone there when I was there, and my friend and I got a nice booth by the bar. At first we thought we were going to have to leave, because their menu shows only full pizzas, and our server told us they took 45-55mins to cook.... we had a 1pm flight to catch so there was no way that was going to work. However, our server then told us about their unpublished lunch special, where you get a personal sized pizza and salad and soft drink, and they are already premade in the back, making them a great option for quick lunches. That's what we got, and our salads were fresh and large, standard salads with olives and croutons, but a nice opener... and then our pizzas were perfectly sized, perfectly cooked to be crunchy yet buttery and filled with sauce and cheese... hit the spot. I am set for another year or two. And, here's the kicker... two of us ate all that for $14 total! Incredible. Definitely a good lunch spot if you are an out-of-towner on a schedule.
(4)
Doug M.

How do you make a Chicago trip and not get some local deep dish pizza? Well, you don't - or at least you shouldn't. And we didn't. Staying off Michigan Ave, and without a car, limited our choices. But Gino's East came recommended, and hit the spot for us. We arrived about 6:30 pm on Thursday night, with a short line outside and estimated 25 minute wait. We got lucky when two bar spots opened and we got them offered to us as the first 2 person group in line. Turns out it was at the end of the bar where all the outside line folks come in to get drinks while waiting for a table. Actually was pretty interesting to watch the efficient bartender work his trade. Served as a TV to watch for us while waiting for our pizza. When we sat at the bar, the bartender gave us the quick rundown. Deep dish pizza, which most people come for, takes 45 minutes; small deep dish would be plenty for the two of us; most people order an appetizer for the wait for the pizza to cook. He wasn't rude, just quick and to the point. After all, he was hopping the entire time filling drink orders. So we ordered two IBC Rootbeers, spinach artichoke dip, and small Gino's specialty - sausage and cheese deep dish. Bartender explained that they put the sausage on top as more of a huge patty, but we could get it crumbled if we wanted. We decided to go traditional, and keep it as a patty. Food was a little slow, probably took 15 minutes for the spinach-artichoke, and an hour for the pizza. But hey, you don't go to Gino's for a quick meal, unless you are getting it to go. Dip was standard spinach artichoke, which is tasty. It was quite hot, though, looking like it had just come out of the oven. That was nice, with a bit of browning at the edges, rather than just being pulled out of some big pot. Came with about 6 thinnish slices of french garlic bread. Nice touch, allowing the dip to be spooned on the bread. When the pizza finally came, I thought it was really good. Better than other deep dishes I have had - although I've only had a few others. I like how the tomato topping is more of a puree than chunky. Helped the flavor to blend in better overall, rather than getting big bites of tomato. Sausage was mild, and it was interesting how it was like a thin patty over the entire pizza. Crust was firm, slightly crunchy on the edges, good corn meal flavor. By the time we left about 8 pm, line was around the corner of the place, and well down the alley. I'd guess those folks at the end had a couple hour wait, at least. So hey, I really enjoyed it. Enjoyable atmosphere, with good people/worker watching from our spot. Tasty food. I'd get it for dinner even if I wasn't a tourist.
(4)
Curtis C.

Ok, so 20 years ago I was younger and new to Chicago, but I don't think my memory has gone yet. It seemed like I recalled good food and great atmosphere. So when I recommended to a coworker, who was in town with me, that we go eat there, I had high hopes. We were greeted at the door by a very efficient young lady, but it sort of served as the high point. I used to think it's hard to mess up a calzone, but now I know it can be done. First, it was served as a white (no sauce or brown on the crust) lump on a bare white plate. Think mashed potatoes on one side of a white plate with nothing, nothing, else. No garnish, sauce, or even some taco meat sprinkled about for effect. Not a great meal, but I guess still fun to look around inside. Nothing lasts forever.
(2)
Mariel L.

One thing I noted the last time I visited Chicago: you end up waiting for a long time for a lot of things in this tourist town, especially the traps like Gino's East. Which isn't meant to take anything away from this restaurant; it is popular for a reason. And that reason is pretty damn good deep dish pizza. The good thing about the wait is they go pretty fast, because the employees go outside and look for group sizes that fit whatever table they have open. For a table of three on a warm Saturday afternoon in April, that wait was about 20-30 minutes. Once seated, the additional wait time for the pizza itself was an additional 40 minutes. That's because they make it to order, which I appreciate. To stave off our hunger for those 40 minutes, my friend ordered a caesar salad, which was actually quite yummy and shareable. I ordered the deep dish with the classic crumbled sausage, and my friends got the spinach and mushroom combo (customized). The pizza was definitely steaming hot when it arrived at our table, and the experience was pure deliciousness. The crust tasted different from other deep dish pizzas I've had: it had more of a crumbly, almost cornbread texture and taste to it, which I appreciated. It actually made for a really good leftover pizza the next day, and you can almost make the crust into a side dish of its own with some butter slathered on it. nom nom. The waiter was accommodating, but not really attentive. He did turn up the A/C temp when we asked, which was nice, but it took him a while to get our order and our water. Overall, though, a good experience of Chicago deep dish.
(3)
Thomas T.

This is a review of Geno's East frozen pizza- I bought this pizza last night and I opened it up to find this tiny, little joke inside! The box is like 50% empty space with the pizza shrink-wrapped onto a larger piece of cardboard so the tiny, little pizza doesn't rattle around in the big, empty box!!! What a rip-off!!! see photo here- flickr.com/photos/307591â€¦
(1)
Justin N.

I'm a bigger fan of thin crust, but being in Chicago you have to try what they are famous for and that's the deep dish pizza. The wait was crazy long, the line wrapped around the corner into the alley. After over an hour of waiting in line, and finally being seated and ordering, we learn that deep dish takes about 45 minutes to bake (standard). I'm not going to penalize them on wait time, since this spot is well known, of course it'll be busy. The pizza was just ok, not horrible but nothing spectacular. It's so thick and dense that one slice will get have you full. Overrated
(3)
Brad C.

Definitely good pizza. Different though. Lots on sauce and sauce is on top. Pizza dough part pretty delicious. Small pizza is enough for 2 people. Deep dish takes hour to cook - or so they say. Caesar salad good but lots of dressing. Glad we came!
(4)
Caroline A.

No thanks... I'm not a fan. I came here with a large group of tourists who wanted to try classic Chicago style pizza. We got four different pies. Two deep dish and two thin crusts. They got one of the toppings wrong, but no biggie. I'm not a pizza snob at all, but was not pleased with Gino's East. I don't think the ingredients are very fresh and it made me feel like I just at a brick of cheese. I tried one of the thin crust slices, and it was like eating a salty piece of plastic. Not a fan!!
(2)
Kathleen C.

Ok - I'm going to say it - this is my favorite Chicago deep dish pizza...I don't like to pay favorites, but it's true. The other spots are good, some very good, but nothing pulls me in like a lovely Gino's deep dish. I will say that I liked the old, dingy Gino's with writing on the walls (yay, high school teams!). I realize there are bits and pieces of the old restaurant in the new, larger space, but it's not the same. However, the pizza is! Gino's crust is the best in the city in my opinion - not too doughy, nice and crisp and solid - makes a perfect base for the cheese, sauce and toppings. Having a relatively 'thin' deep dish allows for excessive filling of the pizza - just perfect! The sauce is perfectly seasoned - not sweet, not sour, just pleasantly tomato-y and delicious. When you add sausage to this pizza....sometimes in a patty...divine! A visit to Chicago isn't complete without a visit to one of the city's best spots for deep dish pizza (thin crust doesn't count!). I vote Gino's!
(5)
L P.

If you are into deep dish and graffiti, this is your place! My name is written on one of those walls somewhere.
(4)
Remy-Anne V.

This was my first visit to Chitown, so of course some deep dish pizza was a must on my list of things to do! This was one of the top 3 choices of recommendations from people. I was also pretty excited to see the environment, which I heard was crazy and covered with graffiti from top to bottom. My lil cousins were with me so I thought it was only fitting and entertaining to come here. As soon as we entered it was just how I imagined if not more! My family and i looked around amazed! Truly, A graffiti lovers paradise! Word of advice tho, bring your own markets or white out pens! They unfortunately don't have any for you to use, unless you purchase them. The pizza was deeelish and the epitome of what i imagined Chitown signature deep dish pizza to be. We had the classic pepperoni and cheese as well as their hamburger pizza. Pizza was thick, cheesey and gooey and just yummy. Their hamburger pizza was creative, but I've had better. Definitely looking forward to my next return to Chicago and Gino's East, this time I'll be sure to bring my own white out pens!
(5)
Richard Y.

cool place
(4)
Chris D.

Deep dish Chicago pizza at its best (from my very limited experience). I thought the pizza was great and the wait staff is super fast and efficient. Nice to sit down in a booth and enjoy pizza and a pitcher of beer with my family for our brief visit to Chicago. There were definitely a lot of recommendations to try Gino's out. Make sure to get there early! There is definitely a wait. Though, ask you hotel for the possibility of priority seating, which definitely gets you to a table much faster.
(4)
Robert C.

I'm an outsider who recently came to Chicago to visit a friend. One of our top priorities was to try out some of the most famous deep dish pizzerias in Chicago - Pizzeria Uno, Gino's East, Lou Malnati's, and Giordano's. I would rank Gino's East as third best of the four. For me, it was significantly better than Uno, but not quite on the Lou Malnati's/Giordano's level. We ordered a bacon cheeseburger pizza as well as a sausage and spinach pizza. Both were very flavorful. The pizza did seem to be greasier than the others that I had, but that's no problem for me. I think the defining characteristic of pizza from Gino's is that the volume of toppings you get is very high. This is nice because a lot of times with deep dish pizzas, you are left with a huge chunk of dry crust when you near the end of the slice. It's a lot easier to eat the crust when you have lots of excess toppings that you can scoop up. And the butter crust here was pretty decent - nothing to write home about, but good enough to eat at least. We came here at around 9:30 PM on a Saturday night. There was no real line to get inside, but once we got in and ordered, it took the pizza around 45 minutes to get to our table. Pretty standard fare for deep dish, but still pretty long when you are hungry! The service was fine and the interior was okay too, although all of the walls and seats are covered in graffiti, which was kind of weird. I don't think you can really go wrong with Gino's - you'll get a really solid deep dish pizza and leave satisfied. But in my opinion, there are still two superior options nearby in Lou Malnati's and Giordano's.
(4)
Jon C.

Apparently coming to Chi-City means having to stop at Gino's East for a deep dish pizza. So of course I abide by the tourist code and filled into a ridiculously long line to try one of these. After about 30 minutes of standing OUTSIDE in line, we were granted access inside. Walking through the restaurant, I couldn't decide if the setting was charming or icky. Apparently, they've allowed patrons to draw ALL OVER their walls with crayons. I kept thinking, "cute!" Then I thought, "clean your restaurant." Our waiter came and again I was in a dilemma of not being able to decide if he was being rude, or if my sensitive Westcoast attitude wanted more warmth from him. I suppose he was perfectly fine, and did his job. Pizza was really good. I don't know if the best deep dish I've ever had, but I was into it. It came out poppin' fresh out of the oven. Gooey and the crust almost tasted like traditional pie crust, rather than doughy and bready. I was able to ingest 2 slices before tapping out (a small comes with 4 slices). OH, and if you come here, be ready to spend some time. 1) the wait will probably last 30 minutes at least, and 2) pizzas take about another 30-40 minutes to make (which they warn you about upfront). If you're a tourist, go try. Though, I couldn't imagine that most locals turn into regulars.
(3)
Michelle N.

I wanted to love this place, it smelled great & the dÃ©cor was memorable but the food stunk. I'm giving it 2 stars because we had great service. I had the sausage/beef combo sandwich and it was just ok but the pizza was actually terrible. The crust wasn't fresh, there was very little sauce, very little cheese, very little meat but loads of green peppers. I can't believe this place is "famous" for it's pizza, I can get better in Phoenix.
(2)
Matthew D.

This was another item on my must-have-while-in-Chicago list. I have to say, it lived up to the hype. We ordered a large deep dish supreme which normally comes with either sausage or pepperoni but we sprung for both. It was the perfect amount for four people - two slices a piece. The crust was a nice mix of flaky and chewy. I'm not sure how that is possible but Gino's managed to pull it off. The toppings, sauce and cheese were all high quality and very good. We each ordered a house salad which came out family style and was your typical Italian restaurant salad - lots of croutons, sliced black olives, onions and tomatoes with your choice of dressing. That happens to be my favorite salad (except the tomato part) so I was quite happy. For some reason we also ordered the toasted ravioli AND the mozzarella sticks. I think I ate more cheese in this one meal than I have in the past three months! The raviolis were nothing special but the mozzarella sticks were the best I've ever had. Both orders were huge and came with marinara sauce for dipping. This would have been a five star review if it wasn't for our server. He obviously didn't want to be there. We rarely saw him and when we did, he had the personality of cardboard. We had to track him down to get refills and when my friend asked where the restroom was, our waiter ignored him. I wish the guy who brought our pizza to the table had been our waiter - he was friendly and engaging while he plated up our first slice. Promote that guy.
(4)
Bassel A.

Place is cool, the line to get in is long but they move it along. The service is excellant. The pizza is very meh! The pizza just didn't seem cooked and I think it's because they're so busy that they hurry the order. Having said that, I still think it's a tourist must for Chicago just to say you did it. After that, go around town to local places and the deep dish is so much better.
(3)
Winston G.

Gino's East is a solid four stars. I had this pizza the night after I had Lou Malnati's, and the deep dish here was so much better. Ordered the deep dish sausage patty pizza with mushrooms, onions, and green peppers. Delicious - the sausage literally covers the entire surface area of the pie, which ensures that you get a bite of sausage with every bite of pizza. The cheese was also good - not too overwhelming. I also liked the fact that the tomato sauce was chunky, and more than enough to keep this pizza moist. My favorite part of this pie was probably the corn meal crust - it it not a doughy crust that others use, but dryer and more like corn bread... really unique. The wait can get tedious at times - don't come here with a huge group if you want to get in. 2-4 is probably the best option, but you are looking at 45 minutes to an hour just to get seated, and then another 45 minutes to get your pizza. They don't put your order in ahead of time like they do at Lou's, but this pizza is so much better and worth it.
(4)
Jennifer D.

It's no surprise that one of my major bullet points to hit during my last visit to Chicago was find a really GREAT deep dish pizza. Thanks to the recommendation from the concierge at my hotel--we found ourselves at Gino's East. I liked it from the second we walked in the door, I just wish we would have taken the advice we were given about bringing a sharpie with us. The walls were covered in years worth of graffiti from guests. We ordered bread sticks--yum-- to help hold us over while our supreme and cheese deep dish pizza baked (about 35-40 min, the ONLY drawback of this style pizza). The pizza came out and did NOT disappoint. These hearty slices aren't messing around either--no one out of our party of 5 finished more then 2 pieces, so share! I will definitely be returning to Gino's the next time I am in the city!
(4)
Svitlana M.

Had the worst pizza ever. Visited this place last summer - my boyfriend was talking about it as one of the best pizza places in the world. Really??? Cornmeal based crush with taste of over fermented yeast dough, after long, long wait - 2.5 hour. After having that "great, unforgettable experience', I have checked reviews online on yelp and TripAdvisor - unless you can eat anything when you are hungry, stay away from that hype place: locals do not go there.
(1)
Hunger E.

NOTORIETY: Best Thing I Ever Ate (Deep dish cheese & our famous sausage (patty)) FOOD: Small deep dish cheese & our famous sausage (patty) ($17.70 before tax): This was a pretty good pie. The sausage patty was tender, red sauce was tangy, cheese stringy, & the crust crunchy & flaky. It's the same as their frozen pizza available commercially in many supermarkets. Unfortunately, this takes away the uniqueness of coming here to get the pie (hence 1 less star) OVERALL: It's a good deep dish pizza, but I personally prefer a different chain of Chicago-style Deep Dish pizza. Def. worth a try. RECOMMENDATION: Deep dish pizza TIP: 1. Expect a 45 min wait (or longer) for your deep dish since it needs to be thoroughly cooked.
(3)
Anthony V.

First deep dish pizza experience and it rocked. Bring markers so you can write on the wall.
(4)
Jill G.

Of course for my first time visiting Chicago, I had to try some authentic deep dish pizza. This was a bit of a task given that I much prefer New York style (thin crust). I received a couple of recommendations to try Gino's East and I'm so glad I did. We arrived around 5:30 on a Saturday night and only had to wait about 15 minutes for a table. Our server, Tracy, was excellent. She swayed us from ordering a medium pizza, promising that the small would be plenty for two people. She also advised the wait would be about 45 minutes for the pizza, in case we wanted to order an appetizer. The pizza arrived in about 30 minutes & was AMAZING! I've never had deep dish pizza with such crispy crust. The ambience in Gino's East is also very unique. You can leave your mark on the walls in white out or marker, which is very cool. I would definitely recommend Gino's East for any tourist looking for an authentic deep dish pizza. I've only been back from Chicago for 3 days and I'm already craving the pizza again!
(5)
Scott A.

I'll give it 3.5 since our server was extra nice, but w/o the help, it's 3 stars to me. With all the hype about Chicago deep dish pizza, this place disappointed me. The crust was thick and tasted like a biscuit. The sausage that I was looking forward to was thin and not that flavorful. I'm not a huge pizza fan, but I want meat, cheese and vegetables to dominate, not the bread and crust. The salad was drenched in sauce and almost too salty for me (and I love salt!) We also got the sampler platter which was alright. The spinach sticks being the best (fried cheese with spinach inside). I couldn't believe how expensive the pizza was and when I am told I have to wait 45 min - 1 hour it better be amazing. It was not. Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this time I am.
(3)
Gasper S.

Before coming to Gino's, I was highly disappointed in Pizzeria Due's Pizza. I had been absent from Chicago deep dish pizza for 35 years and after my experience at Due's I promised myself a try at Gino's. Well again, it was not the same as in the 70s. I don't know what has changed. The crust is tasteless and maybe the grease doesn't appeal to me anymore?
(3)
Brian P.

HAH never again for lunch. Can you say fast food, frozen pizza?
(2)
Theresa C.

I love Gino's East so much, I'll fight anyone who doesn't agree it's the best pizza in the city. Seriously I will, let's take it outside. For some reason though (Michigan Ave?), this location is overrunning with tourists. That often causes, the service and pizza to be less than up to par. So my friend and I decided to stop in on a Saturday night. Bad mistake? Possibly, the line was half way down the street. Thankfully people from Iowa and Michigan don't like to eat outside, so we were lucky to snag a table on the sidewalk. The waiter took extremely long to even take our drink order. This continued the whole evening. I was able to go to the women's restroom, wait in line, return and he didn't even bring our drinks back. We ordered the garlic bread sticks and they were only slightly above average. Not garlicky enough and rather too doughy. I hate to say it and the good pizza gods strike me down, but the Naperville location can beat them on the bread sticks. Blasphemy, I know. Oh Lord, I can't believe I actually wrote that! Then the pizza arrives. I already stated that I love the Gino's. But this particular pizza seemed to be burned on the crust and not cheesy enough. It was still good but definitely not up to the standards associated with Gino's. To top it off, our waiter took maybe twenty minutes come back with the check. I know it was a Saturday, but that borders on the edge of ridiculous. I'll admit it, I was disappointed with my experience here.
(3)
Dabney, B.

Special props to this specific Gino's. It is my favorite of all the Gino's locations I've been to, & I've hit them all. I went here with a co-worker today on our lunch break to go over some Invoices and account opportunities. Bad idea going here during the week on a lunch break because you will leave so stuffed, it will hard to be productive the rest of the day. Also, this is the best location to have a true business lunch because you're going to order the Deep Dish, and it's a 50 minute wait. You have no excuse not to get anything done! Because there are so many hotels in the area, this restaurant is a MUST to experience true Chicago pizza for you in-town visitors. Of course us locals will all have our favorites, but this is always in the debate and this location is conveniently stationed right off of Michigan Ave so there is no excuse not to go. LOVE the staff here. Cordial, upbeat, prompt, they wait on you hand and foot EVERY TIME. Without question this is a 5 star food with a 5 star atmosphere. Tourists, you don't have this in your hometown, so make it a point to get here. A recent Sunday Night football even featured this specific location during the Bears Eagles game, and rightfully so. If the multibillion dollar NFL is pimping it, you need to get on this place. As I said for another location, if you're seeking the best of the best Deep Dish in Chicago, end of search, you're looking at it! Locals, next time you have to bring your ipod into the Apple Store because the hard drive crashed (again), go around the corner over here to Gino's East. I know we want to get out of tourists' way as soon as we possibly can anytime we get stuck down here, but this is worth sticking around for. Dig in.....
(5)
Milana L.

I know good pizza, and have been spoiled with it due to growing up in Brooklyn. I like thin crust, the type you have to fold together to eat....well we ordered the thin crust tomato pizza and it was really bad. The sauce tasted like some supermarket artificial brand and the crust was the worst ive ever tasted in my life.
(1)
Eduardo M.

Good stuff. As a fan of regular crust pizza, I wasn't sure what to expect from Gino's East. My girlfriend had been to Gino's East before and really like it, so being that I liked to try everything, especially pizza, it was a must stop. Visit was on a Friday around 12:30p. As we walked up there was a line about 25 deep outside that started inside the restaurant. We were willing to wait, but we were seated within 10 minutes in the bar dining area (must be 21). Our waiter was nice and attentive, but there were a couple times were he was out of site. We ordered the Supreme with pepperoni, and substituted the jalapeÃ±os for the green peppers. We also had the Antipasto Salad which was delicious, especially the salami. The pizza was pretty awesome. The balance of cheese and sauce seemed right to me, and the jalapeÃ±os had a nice kick. The crust was also good, different from anything I've ever had. The beer selection was pretty good for a restaurant. The two 5 rabbit beers I had were solid. Over all good place to visit. Waiting for a long time at any restaurant is never cool, so I would just try to plan accordingly.
(4)
Ray G.

UUGGHHH!!..im full!...the pizza at Gino's is absolutely great!... that is if you're fond of Chicago Style Pizza! The crust is thick. We ordered the sausage and pepperoni, the sausage was not just sprinkled over the top, but it was in a whole patti that covered the entire pizza. The ambiance is graffiti writing on everything, everywhere you look in the restaurant has writing on it, from people who have visited from all over the country. The Pizza is a meal in itself and absolutely great- I gave it 5-stars!. Although on my personal scale of 1-10 with 10 being absolutely great I gave it a 8.
(5)
Andy D.

My first ever Chicago-style deep dish pizza, ordered and consumed on location! A true culinary landmark! Pizza, pizza, pizza! We only had a few hours here in town, and one meal, so deep dish pizza had to be it. I was surprised to see both the tour book and Yelp recommend chain locations, so we randomly picked one convenient to our location and stopped in. After a short wait we were brought upstairs and were just about to sit down in a booth with a great view of the restaurant when a guy at the neighboring booth panicked, "Don't sit there! It's still wet!" See, Gino's East is full of graffitied names, phrases, and slogans added by years and years of customers, and the bottom of my new pair of shorts was about to smear the restaurant's most recent addition. We wisely relocated to a nearby booth. The waiter was friendly enough, despite his sneering at my request for a Cherry Coke and just daring us to finish a medium, 6-slice pizza (probably around $22). He warned us that there would be a considerable wait for a freshly-baked pie, so we pulled out a deck of cards and the time flew right by. Before long, the pizza was laid bare on our table and we dug in. It was good pizza, for sure -- thick, cheesy, and covered in sausage and vegetables. Maybe this is laughable, but it almost tasted healthy; it wasn't greasy at all but rather had almost a watery taste. As the waiter predicted, we finished only 2/3 of the huge pizza pie, but we gladly boxed it up for a meal back home. How does Gino's compare to other deep dish venues? Being a newcomer to the Windy City, I can't say, but I would probably try some of the other famous locations first for comparison before returning to this particular chain. From here on out, though, all Chicago-style pizza I consume will be compared to Gino's high bar!
(3)
Jessica E.

Wednesday night at 7pm. The spot wasn't terribly busy. Our group of five had two members stuck in traffic. The hostess wouldn't seat us until everyone had arrived. We stood up and waited...and waited...and she kept asking annoying questions in an exasperated tone, like "Do you know when they'll be here?" and "Are you ready to order for the entire group?" Uh, what? Order for the whole group? While standing in the lobby, waiting? Can't I sit down and sip a beer first? This kind of ruined the experience for me. They wound up seating us anyway with only the first three of us who were there. Why we had to wait 40 minutes for that to happen is just beyond me. Rude hostess. Food was decent, but I've had better Chicago style pizza. (And I'll take New York style over it anyway.)
(2)
Wayne W.

This is probably ONE OF the best pizza places I have been to in my life. The only downer was the wait. To get an authentic deep dish pizza that's loaded with uber fantastic sauce and toppings you'll need to sit around for 45 minutes to an hour while it gets baked. But once the pizza arrives you instantly forget the wait... the flavors are incredible.
(5)
Matt H.

Some things are no-brainers. Gino's East on Superior is awesome. These guys know how to run a pizza palace! The personal pan pizzas are terrific and filling. The lunch special cannot be beat. Even with Chicago's exorbitant sales taxes, the price is under $7 for a pizza, soup or salad, and refillable beverage. There are several sections to this palace:the "to go" area is where you pay at a counter and then sit at any of a good dozen tables (this is where you get the lunch special - which ends at 2pm); the bar is a big solid bar maned by smart / personable staff and offering a lot of tasty beers; upstairs area is for server-served dining in. I haven't been upstairs other than for the bathroom. But everything I've seen and experienced about this place so far in two lunch visits tells me that I likey very very much. I could definitely watch an entire hockey or football game here. A note on the atmosphere: It's true that this location is squeaky clean even though it famously lets you write on the walls and encourages such with playful signs. There is an air of Bob Costas-type inauthenticity; you feel not so much that you are in a legendary, decades-old pizzeria than that you are on the set of a movie about a pizza place. But we shouldn't penalize Gino's for this fake stab at being a dive bar. We're here to eat. A lot of dive bars I've been at have been all too authentic... but the food... well the food has to be brought in. Think of Gino's on Superior as a theme park with an affordable concession stand selling delicious food. Let's face it: it would be difficult to NOT give Gino's 5 stars. And I'm aware that it is such a highly regarded, popular establishment, that it doesn't need our glowing reviews. The truth is, it is we that need Gino's East on Superior.
(5)
Sarah L.

I stopped here for dinner before seeing a show at Shakespeare Theater. We allowed for extra time since it does take a full hour to experience authentic Chicago deep dish pizza. I'm not a fan of the deep dish zah. I am more of a super thin crust kind of girl. We were entertaining out of towners so we splurged and got the deep dish. We ordered the sausage patty deep dish. Our pizza arrived and it was so sinfully good. I loved the extra sauce on top and the crust. I wasn't a fan of the sausage fatty patty. Yeah, it was full of fat but what sausage isn't? Huge lines of people waiting to get in for mediocre pizza. The graffiti on the walls is somewhat tacky. My heart is partial to Lou Malnati's, I think they have better deep dish but it's good to try them all. Our server was kind of lackluster but he has to handle the droves of tourists so I really can't blame him.
(3)
Steve P.

Good service, good food, and good times. As for the food, I have absolutely no complaints. As a tourist, there's not much more I could ask for than some awesome buttery deep dish pizza, competent hot wings, and good local brew. I'm sure it's hackneyed to the locals, but to me it was a treat and a memorable stop on our whirlwind tour of the windy city. The only negative I have about this place was that it felt like I was eating at a downtown subway stop. There is graffiti everywhere. I get that it's their thing, but it was offputting to say the least. I eventually got over myself and had a great experience.
(4)
Kerry M.

Wow wow wow! Bad bad bad service! Having come here before and having an ok time, I recommended this place to my out of town guests! Terrible Idea to say the least! It was a beautiful sunny day so we opted for outside! We were told that the waiter could not take our order as outside orders handnt started, but we were able to go and self order!!! Which we did ! No later than 5 mins after we sat down a waiter was out there taking other peoples orders. We ordered individual pizza's that were ready already so no wait, other people ordered pizzas that needed to be made! They were told it would take about 45 min for the deep dish so patient they were! 50 mins later no pizza and no one to let us know what the delay was! We go in and check on it and they say 5 mins! 5 mins later no pizza And no one telling us what's going on . 1:30 min we get the pizza, reason for the delay the dough got stuck in the oven so they had to make another one. At no point did they explain this to us! We ordered two pizza so if one had a problem they should have brought the other out and said what the issue is! They took $8 off, what's $8 when you buys food worth $70!!!! Then we get the food in a box, not cut and on plastic plates! We were seated outside with no one waiting on us! The service was terriable , the pizza was ok. Would I come back no no no ! Do I recommend it no! Better off at cafe UNO or deus, better service and taste! The dough is like maize meal!!!
(1)
Ji S.

If good food to you is slathered in flavorless cheese and drowned in tomato sauce then go to Gino's but if you have finer tastes stay away. To be fair, I'm just not a deep dish fan, as I painfully discovered at Gino's. Maybe I was bitter about not being able to make reservations at Alinea. Maybe it was the writing all over the furniture that apparently appeals to hipster tourists. Also, they made us wait for 20 minutes when there were dozens of available tables. They claimed that they could only seat us if we chose the "lunch express" option which offers personal sized deep dish pizzas w/ a salad. The portions are HUGE - definitely get the smallest size if you're with only 2 people. They let you split the pie into two different flavors/toppings. We had the meat sampler w/ beef and bacon. The crust is at once dry and oily. It leaves an after taste very reminiscent of Pizza Hut's (which isn't bad, of course, but not when your paying 200% more). I'm giving it a two since the service was actually super attentive. What's interesting is that they are so used to tourists that they always first ask whether you've been to Gino's before. I don't regret this visit since its one of those obligatory tourist visits and if you leave Chicago w/o going to Gino's or Giordano's you'll never know.
(2)
adda w.

if you do go here, PLEASE PRE-ORDER YOUR FOOD, or else YOU WILL WAIT ONE HOUR FOR YOUR FOOD. We got there early enough to beat the crazy tourism traffic. I'm not a fan of their corn bread crust. Their sausage is on point tho. Gave this spot a 2 star because....... I am all about great service and I'm not wanting top of the line fine dining service, but all i ask for is to check up on us a couple of times and... Our waitress, was, lets just say, a B*****, she came, gave us an attitude,took our order and up and left. Barely even checked in on us. Like damn yo, you expect a tip from us if you don't come around asking us if we were doing okay.
(2)
Jeannie D.

I'm not quite sure why this is a must try pizzeria for tourists. Overall, it was too salty for my taste, but I've been trying to cut down my salt intake. The crust is the best part of the pizza. It was alright, but I'm sure there are better places out there. The long lines and ridiculous wait is definitely not worth it.
(3)
Raimi B.

Great pizza and excellent service!! Definitely recommend!!!
(4)
Erin M.

As I'd not yet tried a true Chicago style deep dish, on my recent trip to the windy city I was on the hunt for the real deal and after being recommended a few different spots (Uno & Due - butter crust, Giordano's - flour crust and Gino's - cornmeal crust) we settled on Gino's as they claim to be the "original" deep dish pie. We had a bit of a rocky start - we must have been the last people through the door before they closed (we arrived around 9:30pm) but we still had to wait about 15min for a table. Once seated, we were pretty much ignored by our server and we were just about to leave when she finally came by. However, things got much better from that point forward - we were told that each pizza takes about 45 min to bake in the oven, but I hadn't come this far to not try the famed deep dish pizza, so we ordered: Spinach Mozzarella Sticks - pretty much like a regular mozzarella stick but with spinach added, served with the same marinara sause they use on their pizzas, and ranch dip. They were tasty enough, and something to help fill the time until our pizza arrived. Cheese & Sausage Deep Dish - we ordered the small to share between the two of us, and when it finally arrived, we still were only able to make it through one piece each, this pizza is BIG!! It was also delicious! Crunchy cornmeal base, fresh marinara sauce and juicy sausage - you were given the option to either crumble the sausage on top or have a sausage patty cover the whole pizza so each bite has sausage in it - I'd recommend the sausage patty, 'cause man was it tasty! Overall, I thought the pizza was an experience like I'd never had before. Next trip back I'm going to have to try one of the other recommendations to have something to compare to!
(4)
Laura P.

We were flat out lied to about how long the wait would be. Told it would be 1 hour and 2 1/4 hours later we were having to badger the hostess for a table. There were plenty of empty tables as well. Also, just be forewarned, even after you sit down, it takes 45 minutes from when you order the pizza to when you get it. I would not return to this restaurant. There are too many fantastic pizza places in Chicago who don't screw around tourists.
(2)
Brad P.

Do yourself a favor find another pizza place please. Please do not base your thoughts of pizza on what use to be the place to go. Gino's 25 years ago was the place to go. Go no more. I wouldn't mind waiting the 25 minutes in the cold and than another 45 minutes once you order ( which they warn you it will take) but please it has to be worth the wait. This thing was not worth a 10 minute wait either out or in. I am a long time resident of Chicago and I mean the city not the suburbs. I use to go on dates with my future wife at Gino's and even with these great memories I still could not bring myself to even like this thing they now call deep dish pizza. Please guys read this and start tasting your own product. Crust was over cooked the inside was a big wet mess! No taste, no nothing! I do live in Manhattan for the last 35 years and I know the Restuarant business is really tough but do step back and realize you have an honor and proud thing to make it what it should be. Please I gave it two stars for the memories it has for many of us. I do hope it continues with my fingers crossed that someone will step up and bring it back to what it could be!!!
(2)
David G.

I remember going to the original Superior St. location when I was 10. I remember the place looked like a dump. Dingy walls with grafitti strewn everywhere. I was amazed that we were actually allowed to tag the walls. I read some of the writing. People came from all over the country and left their mark. Do they still let you do that? I know other locations try to mimic this, but it's never the same as the original. The place was started by a couple of Chicago taxi drivers in the 60's. How much more authentic can you get? The pizza is excellent, and like I always say, the crust defines the pizza. If the crust isn't good, the pizza isn't good. Gino's crust is cornmeal based (or so I heard on a television special about pizza), giving it a unique texture and helping it to stay firm. The deep dish is awesome, and if you're a fan of a lot of meat, I would suggest the sausage patty. The entire pizza is covered with a giant layer of italian sausage. Sounds like a lot, but it's awesome. The wait time is a little much downtown during peak hours. But there are other locations in the Chicago area that also deliver. I've had their pizza delivered, and it's just not the same as actually going there and having one freshly made.
(5)
Ash T.

I don't claim to know anything about Chicago style pizza, but I came from California hungry, and this is exactly the indulgence I imagined it to be. Thanks to my native-Chicagoan friend who recommended this place.
(5)
Vik C.

This was a pretty crappy experience. Host took a while to seat us even though the place was half empty. The calamari tasted stale. The spinach/cheese sticks weren't terrible. The pizza was pretty bad. It was just a bed of cheese on some undercooked dough. Half of my dining party got sick that night. How can pizza take 50 minutes to make and still have undercooked dough? It blows my mind. I haven't been to Giordano's since 2007, but from what I remember, it was a lot better than this.
(2)
Dom R.

Ginos original location is the best pizza in town.. awesome flavor in the deep dish. Bring a pen to leave your mark on the walls..
(5)
Brandie R.

Love, love, love! I so wish we had one closer to home. The app sampler was good and was a definite must since the pizza takes so long to bake. But good things come to those who wait. The golden buttery crust, the delicious amount of cheese, and super tasty pepperoni. Next time I must figure out a way to smuggle some home.
(5)
Joanna N.

I enjoyed my time @ Gino's East! Of course, I had great company, but the food was definitely satisfying! Also, the servers/waiters are all super nice! We ordered the: -large deep dish, half veggie, half supreme with both pepperoni & sausage-both halves were amazing! I'm not usually a veggie lover, but the veggie was definitely filling! -Gino's combo appetizer platter-which was alright, the mozzarella sticks were pretty good, but I could've passed on the spinach sticks & calamari Will definitely come back to Gino's next time I'm in town!
(4)
Jeff M.

Cheese: Bland. Roughly as flavorful as cottage cheese. Sauce: Bland. Someone must have misplaced the oregano. Pepperoni: Bland. Could just as well have been hamburger. Crust: Leaden, characterless and bland, bland, bland. Maybe this is how tourists visiting my town feel when we take them to Pat's or Geno's for a "real" Philly cheesesteak. (We apologize. There's much better.) All I know is, when you visit a town, you get all set for a taste of the local chili, weiner dog or cheese curds, and you expect a revelation. You expect to say to yourself: I just never knew cheese curds could be a life-changing experience. Gino's deep-dish Chicago-style pizza reveals nothing. I'm not saying it is genuinely bad. It is just boring. It is the wingtip shoes and corduroy trousers of the pizza world. We waited over a half-hour in line to get into the joint. Once in, we waited close to 40 minutes for a small deep-dish pie. Points to the waiter for telling us in advance that it would take that long. Points, too, for steering us clear of a larger pie. He was right: For two people, one small pizza (4 slices) was more than filling. OK, so, you're thinking: He's complaining about the pizza, but he ate the whole thing. But here's the deal: When you wait in line a half hour, and you wait for close to three-quarters of an hour for the pie to somehow clear the kitchen, you eat the whole friggin' thing. My guess is, locals steer clear of the place. They probably go to Blah-Blah-Blah in Oak Park or Whosis in Northside. They know better. And now you do. My advice on how to avoid the long line? Avoid the place altogether.
(2)
Victor S.

If G-d forbid you are searching Yelp right now in prison, trying to figure out where to get your "last meal," I HIGHLY suggest Gino's East!!! I am a Chicago native. I know pizza. It runs through my veins. (Actually, it probably doesn't run through my veins thanks to likely life-threatenng arterial build-up from all that cheese.) Gino's corn meal/egg crust - that's what does it for me. I also love the tomatoes, the sauce and the gooey... stringy... hot... delicious... cheese. Wow, I'm suddenly getting very worked up over here. Yes, there are many "Chicago style pizza" places... and everyone has their favorite. But this is a CLASSIC restaurant that has been around forever. And if you live out of town... they deliver their pizza anywhere in the country. I've done this and it was worth every penny. Although, the delivery guy was quite exhausted when he finally got to my door!
(5)
Lucy W.

Deep dish pizza ... OMG I just cant get over the experience. Pretty much I forced myself to eat the pizza since it took 45 minutes and cost $20+! Many people seemed to love it and I will never know why. Probably because I am a thin slice pizza fanatic. I tried another deep dish pizza again at the O'Hare Airport and I thought that was better... I still dont get it. I probably need to try their other pizza again just to be fair. On the other hand, the buffalo wings and beer were delicious!
(1)
Rey M.

First time in Chicago and DeepDish was first on my agenda. I was fortunate enough to go with a group that ordered 6 different types of pizza's so was able to try a variety of them. Loved it!
(5)
Eileen C.

"Worth the wait"? REALLY?? My first trip to Chicago obviously warranted a deep dish pizza experience. We ordered the Spinach sticks to hold us over for the 40 minutes it took for the small Supreme Pizza to fully cook. Spinach Sticks = Mozzarella Sticks with spinach mixed inside. I would've enjoyed this more if I wasn't constantly checking for embarrassing bits lodged between my teeth. I've got to say, I wasn't blown out of my Windy City mind. I'm willing to believe that this is a touristy out-of-towner stop and not quite indicative of the amazing pizza Chicago has to offer. Or I could just not be a Deep Dish type of person (my main gripe was with the crust). Years of low carb dieting can possibly traumatize a girl's eating preferences!
(3)
Grace L.

Make sure to ask for the lunch special as I don't think it's on the regular menu. $6.25 will get you a personal sized stuffed pizza of cheese, sausage or pepperoni, plus a house salad. The personal lunch size pizzas are pre-baked, so they bring it out to you right away as opposed to the 45-minute wait that is typical of Chicago stuffed pizza. The salad is just iceberg lettuce and a few other bits, but I suppose it's a fair accompaniment to the behemoth that is stuffed pizza. The crust on the pizza is crispy and not too dense, and the sauce is quite flavorful. It wasn't that crowded when we went, but they still made us line up outside, single-file behind barricades, while a guy with a clipboard and headset marched up and down the line and directed people. I suppose these crowd control measures means it can get pretty crazy over there. But I was still in and out for lunch within 30 minutes. Not bad, not bad.
(4)
Rowena D.

I want to cry just thinking about the crust on this pizza. The crust that MAKES the pizza the edibly magical treat that it is. It's the pinch of corn meal that's lovingly beaten into the dough that adds just the right amount of CRUNCH to every delicious bite. It's the pie sized sausage patty baked perfectly into a bed of sauce and cheese that fulfills a carnivore's need to bite into a nice thick chunk of meat. Rawr. It's the great feel of a good ol' windy city pizza parlor that makes me say... best deep dish pizza. Ever. Dare I say... best pizza I've ever had. YES, a very bold statement from a bonafied pizza enthusiast.
(5)
Lyndsey C.

Hubby and I walked here while in Chicago for a night last week. We knew we had to try it, as we've heard the hype from friends and family. First impression--woah!--there was a long line of patrons waiting outside to be seated! However, we were able to bypass much of the wait by speaking up as the bartender walked through the line, telling us there were two open seats at the bar...yes! We split a side house salad and small pepperoni pizza. I would definitely recommend ordering ASAP as the bartender advised (especially if you're hungry!) since the pizza takes 45-55 minutes. It was definitely worth the wait...hot & gooey! The crust was nice and buttery; I was a little hesitant seeing the amount of sauce slathered on top of our pie (since I'm not much of a red-sauce fan), but I was impressed was fresh, chunky, and had great flavor! Definitely worth the trip!
(4)
Sunny D.

confession: i did not get deep dish. i know, i know...sacrilege!!! i'm sorry, i just can't do it. it's too much dough and sauce and oozing and thick and just...too much. so i went with the thin crust. i should mention, i'm also not much of a pizza girl in general.* but when i do get a pizza, my cali-veggie-latina girl ways are apparent in my topping selections. pepperoni? no, i don't do the swine. mushrooms? no and NO; i cannot stand those nasty little toadstool fungus lumps. pineapple? what? fruit does not belong on pizza! i need stuff like jalepenos, tomatoes, spinach, artichoke hearts, different cheeses, pesto, salsa, etc. gino's had almost all of these (i didn't see artichoke hearts or salsa) and then some. i couldn't get with the vegetarian pizza b/c it came with egglplant (GAG) and mushrooms (DOUBLE GAG), so i went to town doing a make-your-own and got: green & red peppers, jalepenos, onions, ricotta cheese, fresh sliced tomatoes, and, GREEN OLIVES! it was VERY GOOD. i have only had green olives on pizza two other times ever (seems like most places only do those stinky black ones). let me tell you, they seriously MAKE the pizza. i might've been happy if i'd only gotten a cheese pizza w/ those little green dots of heaven on it. anyway, the food was tasty. well, the pizza. the salads were just run-of-the-mill salads with low grade lettuce, watered-down dressing, and a few standard veggies thrown in. but, i'm pretty sure no one goes to gino's for the salad. oh, i almost forgot -- the thin crust's crust was actually pretty good too. it wasn't that cracker-thin, too-crispy,water-cracker-tasting crust that a lot of thin-crusts can be. really, it was just a slightly thinner crust than 'normal' pizza crust. and i liked that they put toppings and sauce almost right to the edges. not an amazing experience for me, but i had great company and they all got the DD pizza, and all were ooohing and aaahing over how delicious it was. additionally, it's an interesting spot to dine in with all the grafitti that covers every single inch of the place. i imagine there's a ton of memories that make it special for many patrons. i'd say go for the experience, and the deep dish if you're into that. be prepared to wait to get in, and waddle when you come out. (seriously, wear your fat pants people.) --------- *you might wonder, why did i bother going to gino's in the first place? well, a) i'd never been to chicago and when i asked folks for some of the MUST-do's for my trip, gino's came up repeatedly, b) everyone else i was there with wanted to go and/or was a big pizza person, c) almost everyone else i was there with was there b/c they ran the marathon, d) you NEVER argue with hungry marathoners.
(3)
Erin C.

I am in love with their crust. It's just different than all the others out there. The cheese oozes from the pie, and the crust is crisp and flavorful.
(5)
Jeff M.

Ahhh, Gino's East. With this and Giordano's, it made me laugh at the chain of Pizzeria Uno's around the world. Giordano's converted me into a fan of Chicago-style pizza; Gino's East solidified it. I went with several friends. A vocal, talkative group of friends. When the pizzas arrived, silence ensued, with the exception of chewing and background noise. Always a sign of delicious food. I'll admit that eating pizza with a fork and knife is counter-intuitive. But I'm a fan of it now. A huge fan.
(5)
Andrew T.

VERY GOOD Pizza. Second only to Lou Malnati's in my opinion. The inside is fun with the whole drawing on the walls thing (except the bathrooms of course). Had a deep dish with bits of chopped garlic that you could taste without being overpowering, spinach (also tasty) and sausage crumbles (not too salty) and mushrooms which I sadly, could not taste and were cut very thin. The crust is sort of corn-mealy and really not bad at all. In fact at the end, I was eating just the crust with the parmesan and hot chili flakes from the shakers. The pizza is served kind of wet, but definitely drys up for that satisfying pick it up and chomp it down feeling.
(4)
Aboud Y.

I love Chicago Deep Dish but I must say this place has lost some edge and has nothing on Giorodano's.
(3)
Joe J.

Completely over-rated. Pizza came out warn and the crust has too much cornmeal making the deep-dish too flaky. Pasta is better but it was nothing special either. Don't be fooled when you see the line outside. They do it on purpose to show people that the restaurant is full. I was in line for about 10 minutes (around 3:30PM) but when I sat down at my table, the first floor was about 1/2 full and was mostly empty on the 2nd floor. I will not be back at Gino's East next time I'm in Chicago.
(1)
Kendra L.

I have been here three times in last couple of years. It has become a tradition every time we visit Chicago. I lOVE, LOVE, LOVE this pizza! I just finished our carry-out. We hadn't planned on getting it to go, but the line was long and the weather was cold...carry-out it was! Places our order, headed over to Banana Republic to kill the hour wait, and returned to pick up our pizza. We had a 10 minute walk back to our hotel room in low 30 degree weather but the pizza was still nice and hot. Will return for sure!
(5)
Ryan F.

Real Chicago pizza! I like that it takes about an hour to cook. It gives you time to have a pitcher of beer or two. I also got a set of beer glasses that I got to keep. Ohhh there is no parking lot.
(4)
Meghan B.

So I don't really like Chicago style pizza, I don't really like tourists, and I don't like waiting an hour for my food. That said, when guests are in town looking for Chicago style pizza, this place does the trick. I like this best among the classic Chicago style pizza options, prices are fair-ish, service is friendly, and there's lots to look at on the walls. It's fine.
(3)
Chip S.

I will admit I was tentative to try deep dish pizza. Having had mediocre reproductions throughout my life I thought it couldn't get any better. Well I can admit I was wrong. The best thing about deep dish pizza is the enormous amount of toppings that can go inside! The meat lovers was a perfect end to the day, paired with a few beers, doesn't get much better than that. The cornmeal/biscuit type crust is interesting, and a welcome break from the thin crust pizza. I still prefer thin crust pizza, but that is just me....... The restrooms are upstairs and a mess. Even on a slow night they were not great, not a good sign. 2 Flushes
(4)
Teej T.

I was impressed with Gino's immensely, and not just because it's touristy, which it is, or the fact that I had to wait outside in a line, which I did, but because the service was on point and the pizza was just right. Gino's is a bit dingy and crowded inside, but it's got charm, and it's also the subject of relentless graffiti, encouraged by the owners, who allow patrons to write their names on the walls. I wrote in Zulu, so if you're feeling really sleuthy, you can try and find my Zulu words. :) Our server, Jewels, was a trainee, but she was friendly, efficient, and on point. The deep dish pizza, covered with meats and mushrooms, was great--and worth the 45 minute wait. It's a great spot for an out of towner (like me), but I just might come again if I were to live in Chicago full time :)
(4)
Natalie W.

Other than Uno's, this is the best you can get in Chicago. Fabulous yummy Chicaaaago deep dish. Be prepared to wait outside in line during the weekend, but its worth the wait. Place is fun...you can write on the walls and booths...anywhere you can find empty space, and this place was featured on Man Vs. Food so you know if Adam is eating it, its good eats!
(4)
Bob C.

Deep dish takes an hour but is worth it!! Plan accordingly
(4)
A K.

I was a deep dish virgin until Gino's. We went with a local that strongly recommended another deep dish pizza place over this one---but were already hungry and given that it takes 45-60 minutes for a pizza (?!) , this was closer so we chose Gino's. There was a huge line outside---so at first glance this looks like an omen for good food (popular, rave reviews, long line/must be worth waiting for...etc) , but not a good thing for hungry people. The plus side in the long line scenario: the weather was nice and we could break apart from our small group and head into the bar to grab a drink to bring outside while waiting. The drinks we had: Their sangria is "meh" and the margarita made me want to walk back to the bartender and say, "dude, where's my tequila?!"---weak and NOT worth $8. My idea of a salad is real, mixed greens---not iceberg lettuce with some black olives, onion slices and half-ripe tomatoes. The main course hadn't arrived and this far into the meal not a Gino's believer---but kept an open mind regarding the pizza. The crust is more of a vehicle for quality toppings in my vision of a perfect pizza. Bottom line on the pizza at Gino's East is this: (I know the fans won't like this, sorry) the crust tasted like my grade school cafeteria pizza---a little uncooked, a little burnt and bland. Too much tomato sauce and not enough mushroom in the mushroom and cheese pizza. Our server was nice, he was busy but pleasant. Would maybe give another try (if I wasn't really hungry and had loads of time) in case they were having an off night-but would keep the expectations low.
(2)
Tim E.

Geno's is classic Chicago pizza. The pizza dough seems more Corn based giving it a different texture and sweet taste. I have had Lou Malnati's and like it better. Crust is thinner. However, the dinning experience is much better at Geno's. Solid four stars
(4)
Jessi T.

yes, i am a tourist. i wanted to try the deep dish pizza experience. actually, i've had it before but i haven't had in a lonnng time and when i went here i was not happy. the place claims the pizza is 'worth the wait' (45+ minutes?!?!) but it really wasn't. i'm not a fan of dry, cornbread crust. the marinara sauce served w/ the fried ravioli was good... and the waitstaff seemed nice enough... plus i got to write on the walls and color. points for those things... but minus lots of points for the food and long wait. i probably won't go to gino's east again if i'm ever in chicago... maybe i'll try giordano's or trek to 'art of pizza'.
(2)
Naomi W.

This place would've gotten four stars if it weren't for their service. I went there for dinner with my boyfriend and we had a whole night planned out to have fun in the city, but we spent 80% of our time in the restaurant because their service sucked. First we ordered an appetizer. It was decent, not bad but not phenomenal. Then, we sat there for about 40 minutes waiting for the waiter to show up somewhere to get his attention, but he kept on walking in and out of the room so quickly that it was hard to. Finally when we got his attention, we ordered a pizza. That took another 40 minutes. The pizza was pretty good, but pricey. Four slices were $15! Then the third waiting game began. The waiter was no where in sight and we were getting thirsty since our water was only refilled once during the whole sitting. It took 10 minutes just to get his attention, pay, and escape this place that stopped us from visiting other places in Chicago and forced us to have a unfulfilled day in the city. I am very disappointed in this restaurant since I've heard so many good things from it and I will hesitate to come back. Thanks Gino's East.
(1)
ornela b.

I like Gino's deep dish pizza! we had some guests from texas that were looking for something good, local and filling. Since we were in the area, I thought this place fitted the bill. We ordered bread sticks, deep-dish crumbled sausage and Canadian bacon pizza and deep-dish peperoni (both large size). The service is good and the waiters are mostly friendly. I would go back if I am very hungry and in the area.
(4)
kevin e.

Best pizza we ever have had and we have ate there before but today was awesome sat at the bar bartenders very cool deep dish rocked at first seemed soupy but then you realize that the taste is amazing and the slice while deep dish is not too doughy like most deep dish totally recommend
(5)
Brian P.

Love the pizza but hate the atmosphere. I know I too am a tourist, but I usually eat off the beaten path. When I was in there, I was surrounded by a ton of people who 'made an adventure of' traveling off of Michigan Avenue. They'll never know the true gems that lie in Chicago, but that's probably for the better. If you're anything like me, place a takeout order and eat somewhere else. As for the pizza, it's phenomenal. I've had most of the big names in Chicago pizza, but when it comes to deep dish, Gino's is second to none. A large suasage deep dish filled up 3 very hungry men.
(4)
Richard K.

I'll never forget my first Gino's East Pizza, not just because it happened to be our main course at a huge swinging Bachelor party. Wow, what a night, but the pizza is my clearest memory. That deep, delicious crust, topped with loads of cheese, sauce, onion, mushroom, and more cheese. The ultimate topping was a complete solid layer of sausage. It was the infamous patty topped deep dish cheese sausage mushroom onion. Even with the myriad of tantalizing treats around - all I could think of was that pizza. So began a marriage of man and pizza. Like many things in life, Gino's East must be experienced.
(5)
Mark P.

My favorite Chicago-style deep dish b/c of the crust and sausage patty.
(5)
Alan L.

This is my third review, my second after the one on DHResumes. You'll find that my comments will generally follow what Grams' always told me, "Don't say nothin' at all if you ain't got nothin' good to say." According to Yelp's stats that seems to separate me from more than 50% of Yelpers. In other words, I'll leave the berating to other people, while I'll review the places that I truly enjoy. For my culinary credentials, I grew up in a family that owns several restaurants that create amazing food. I have no association with any of the restaurants that I am reviewing other than that I eat at the mentioned locations and their food makes my stomach happy. Claro? Gino's East is Chicago. I've grown up eating this pizza and the memories are fond. This is the first Gino's East that my mom took me. I remember entering through the doors at a mere seven- or eight-years-old. The decor, which you may have heard about, frightened me and my two older brothers. The door to the downstairs opens right to the bar. There is pen, White-out and marker graffiti covering the walls, ceilings, tables and doors. I thought "This is a mistake" and shuffled closer to my mother's arms. The truth about Gino's East is that it is a family restaurant, safe, sound, cozy, and full of fragrant scents and delicious tasting pizza. My #1, hands down favorite pizza joint in Chicago is Gino's East. Warning: If you are a college student or a competitive eating man, you have never faced the delightful, mouthwatering challenge of eating Gino's deep dish pizza. Take all of your boasts (true or otherwise) about eating 3 whole pizzas in college and bow in humbleness. Your mouth and eyes will be wanting, but your belly will fill after four slices. Gino's East pizzas are definitely pizza pies. Things I Recommend: * Allowing yourself 45 minutes to be served. Deep dish pizzas take longer to bake. * Going on a near, but not empty stomach. The food is scrumptious and filling, but you need something in your tank to get through the preparation wait. * Order only 1 appetizer dish, unless you want to bring an entire pizza home. Trust me, the pizzas are filling. * Go for the pizza with cornbread crust. It's excellent and unique. * Choose the patty sausage (if you're a meat-eater). Imagine how cakes are layered and you'll be able to envisage how Gino's constructs pizzas - a) Layer of deep dish crust? Check! b) Layer of fresh tomato sauce? Check! c) Layer of patty sausage? Check! Wow! Really, check! d) Layer of cheese? Check! Delicious, I'm stuffed. No, you have another piece. Man this pizza is filling. I am humbled and satisfied... * Leave your boasting about eating pizza at the door. * Try to store a wedge of Gino's East pizza in a cheek pocket using the squirrel mouth storage method. * Sign your initials and date of attendance on a wall, chair or other surface. * Remember the experience.
(5)
Heather L.

Went to Gino's based on a friends recommendation....I am giving it 3 out of 5 stars because I thought it was fine...not bad not fabulous....the kids thought the graffiti and the building was cool....the wait for the pizza was a bit long (45 min)....the minestrone was not traditional minestrone but it was good (more like a stew or chowder)..the pizza was o.k (again not bad but not fabulous) I really have no comparison for a deep dish pizza .I wished I had tried a canolli but we were heading to Ghiradelli's for dessert.
(3)
BF K.

ohh gino's. your deep dish is delectable. i take everyone here to experience deep dish for the first time. you have lots of room so we never have to wait too, too long. thank you for being yummy over & over, consistently. oh and your garlic stix are delish as well!
(4)
Wen H.

Great Pizza! After a long flight, this is what hit the spot and great location! Definitely a place to gather, drink, and eat! The pizzas are awesome and the people are nice!
(4)
Em C.

We arrived at Gino's and there was a short line for dinner. The line instantly got longer the moment we started standing in it. You can buy drinks inside and bring them back out to drink in line. People were being seated fairly quickly, so I don't know why we agreed to sit outside to shorten our wait. I already knew we needed to try the deep dish cheese and sausage patty. Typically I would never order sausage, but of course I was going to try their specialty. Although one can get so much more value by upping an order to a medium, the two of us stayed with a small. Two slices each was more than enough. We also shared a house salad that arrived what felt like just a minute after ordering. Usually I don't like Italian dressing, but I liked their version. The croutons were also really good. There was some kind of seasoning on it, but I couldn't identify it. We were quoted about 30-45 minute wait on the pizza and it ended up being on the shorter end. I think it had to do with being a small size, rather than a medium. The first piece was super hot and just melted on the plate into a tasty mess. I like the second piece too because it was much cooler and you can clearly see the sausage patty and cheese layers. The menu says the sauce is chunky but I didn't think it was by California standards. The crust was very crisp. Not sure if I fully liked the flavor of the cornmeal, but at least the bottom wasn't soggy. I think we missed quite a bit of atmosphere by sitting outside - no graffittied walls, heavy pizza aroma, and excited buzz. I looked forward to reading some walls when I went in to use the restroom, but they have a policy that leaves all those walls clean. Friendly service.
(4)
No O.

The server and atmosphere were great. Mozzerella sticks were fantastic That's it. No small thin crust. Wife and i both thought the pizza was terrible. Half an hour to get in and another 75 minutes for the pizza. I'd rather eat at a gas station. Skip it. It's all hype.
(2)
Jennalyn M.

After eating at places in the SF Bay Area that claim to serve "Chicago-style deep dish" I realized that I've never actually tasted REAL Chicago deep dish pizza until coming here. The atmosphere is great. I love how the walls are all covered with graffiti even in the restroom. I ended up sitting on the toilet longer than I intended because I got caught up reading all the writing on the wall!
(4)
Taylor H.

Pizza is great here for my first deep dish! The pizza was amazing with the crust layered on the bottom with a sausage patty on top of the crust. Then followed by the sauce and delectable, ooey, gooey mozzarella cheese. Then some Italian Sausage on the top. My only complaint: The crust. The crust was too dry and tasted like it needed butter or garlic or a combination of the two. This may have just been my pizza, but even if, they still need to learn to do better. It also may just be the way all Chicagoans make deep dish pizza. In my opinion, if you are going for your first deep dish pizza in the Windy City, Gino's East on Superior is the place to go. Located in the heart of Downtown Chicago and right next to the Magnificent Mile, you can shop and then go in to eat. I definitely recommend this pizza.
(4)
Dom R.

First visit to Chicago and I had to make Gino's East a stop on the food tour. I never had an authentic Chicago Deep Dish and Gino's was awesome. I prefer thin crust, more authentic Neapolitan pizza but the Deep Dish variety is a nice way to switch it up. The cornmeal crust was different but paired well with the meaty and filling pie toppings. I devoured this pie. If I ever moved to Chicago, I could see Deep Dish helping me through those long, blustery cold and harsh winters. I left happy.
(4)
Neha M.

I am new to Chicago, and hence I have not been to a ton of deep dish pizza places, but of those that I have been to, Gino's is my fave! I have taken all my visiting friends here over the last couple of weeks. And though I must say that I am ready to take a break from deep dish, I did truly enjoy every bite. Coming from nyc, I was not used to this type of pizza but it has really grown on me. And though I don't think I will be able to eat it that often because of how filling it is, Gino's does it right! I love sauce and they have a good sauce to cheese to crust ratio. There is a wait if you go at a normal lunch hour, but I would say it's worth the wait. And remember, it takes at least 30 minuets to make a small deep dish, so maybe have a little snack before deciding to come over to Gino's. I would stick to the pizza though. I have ordered both a salad and the bruschetta and was not pleased with either.
(4)
Brad B.

Gino's East lives up to the reputation. Excellent food and very friendly service.
(4)
wyndy n.

Being that I am not local and only got to try Chicago deep dish pizza only once in Chicago, I wanted to make sure it was the best. Asked the cabbie what he preferred and Gino's East it was! We went for a late lunch before our flight so it wasn't crowded. Our server was great and attentive, he gave us a heads up that it takes awhile to make the pizzas due to takeouts. It took about half an hour to get our pizza, but when it came out, it was worth the wait! I think we got one with everything and it was phenomenal. We even took the remaining on the flight home and even after a two hour delayed flight, three hour plane ride home, it was still good heated up in the micro! If I'm ever in Chicago again I know where I'm going!
(5)
a a.

Very good meat deep dish pizza. The wait can be long at times.
(4)
Andrew K.

Yummy Chicago pizza - scrumdillyumptious. Crust had a beer essence. Great sauce and sausage. Worth the wait! Nice waiter and better-than-expected salad.
(4)
Peter L.

Compared to the other major deep-dish joints, Gino's East is in my opinion on the lower end. The crust isn't bad but everything inside is sloppy and mushy. The pies aren't as deep with toppings as the other places. But ultimately, it's still an awesome pizza that I will gladly eat any time. They also have a sweet lunch deal that includes a personal size deep dish pizza for like $7.
(3)
Peter S.

Best deep dish I've had so far! They don't mess around when you get sausage as one of the toppings. The entire base is a layer of sausage! When you put a slice on your plate, it just oozes with cheese. If you come to Chicago you need to come here for deep dish pizza...
(5)
Henry B.

flew solo so sat at the bar... service sucked at around 8pm but deep dish (what you would call supreme) was ok, not the best thing in the world... def need to take the 45min wait into consideration, and in my case empty glasses of drink. I say unos (the original) was better judge for yourself though:)
(3)
e e.

def not my favorite pizza place in the city... by far! i brought my 'central illinois' family here for our summer visit- and really wanted to like it! they love the chicago deep dish- but none of us were impressed with ginos. the pizza was just ok- nothing special about it. we also got garlic breadsticks....COVERED in oil. service... eh. the waitor brought us i dont know HOW many plates- even if they werent dirty hed pick them up and bring new ones. price- a little overpriced for what we got. only plus- the interior is kinda neat- with graffiti all over the place. final word: pass on gino's east.
(2)
Erin S.

I love Gino's. It's as easy as that. Sure some of the other well known deep dish pizza places in Chicago are good... but Gino's, I believe, is the best. You do need to be ready to wait 45 min- 1 hour for your pizza to cook when the place is busy (which is almost always). But so worth it. The crust is phenomenal. And the sauce is yummy. Also very cheesy which is okay by me. This location in particular is very touristy. When my husband, friend, and I came up to the place we thought we would have to wait an hour to sit, but they were awesome about keeping people moving. We really only had to wait 20 min. max. I say come here with some friends, grab some beers, draw on the walls, and by then your pizza will be ready. If you do draw on the walls be sure to bring a sharpie with you. Ball point pens just won't do. Or if you really want to be recognized, bring a white out pen with you.
(4)
scott s.

Not true deep dish pizza. Very little cheese, VERY LITTLE. Actually the crust is responsible for the majority of the pizza's thickness. But 35 bucks for 'interesting' crust doesn't cut it. In my estimation, pizza cheapskates with a cult suburban following. But hey, gotta give these guys credit as they are great marketers with very few tables and a 'line' outside the place - routinely comprised of out of towners looking for great crust?
(1)
Andrew H.

We ate upstairs and our server was terrible! Plates were delivered that had not been washed - large pieces of someone else's green pepper and onion on it...our server mumbled oops with no apology and 10 minutes later brought new dishes. Our deep dish took 1:30 minutes and came out mushy. It was not a busy night as we were seated immediately. I think he forgot to put our order in. After an hour of waiting, I asked about our pizza and 15 minutes later it came out mushy. I will not go back. Due's gets my business from now on
(1)
Kathleen K.

When I went to Ginos East, I ordered a Chicken Cobb Salad. This was really good, but what keeps on bringing me back is their Garlic Bread sticks with homemade ranch and marinara sauce. My boyfriend ordered the well known "sausage patty" pizza. He didn't melt over it like he has other things, but it wasn't disappointing either. The second time I got a regular deep dish cheese pizza and it was good too. I did enjoy the service the first time, but the second time, we had to file a complaint.
(4)
Nikki K.

When I was a kid, I loved Gino's pizza. As a teenager, I loved Gino's pizza. As a "mature" adult, I love Gino's pizza! When we moved away from Chicago, I never thought I'd get another good pizza. That changed when my Mom's friend (who lived across the street from Gino's) would bring us a frozen Gino's pizza on the plane (this was pre-9/11 of course) and my life felt complete. In September of 08, my siblings and I flew to Chicago with our Mom to bury my Grandma's ashes next to my Grandpa. We each got to pick a place to eat and guess where I picked?? Yeppers, Gino's! After not having a Gino's pizza in probably 10 years, I was happy to see that nothing had changed. I couldn't even talk while eating my pizza because I was trying to savor the whole experience since I don't know when I'll get back to Chicago. When I first started to review this location, I stumbled upon the Lincoln St location reviews. Whew, glad I never went there! BYOB? Paper plates? Plastic utensils? Are we in the 5th grade cafeteria? What's that all about? I thought I was in the Twilight Zone until I looked at the address & saw it wasn't Superior St. Thank God the aliens hadn't taken over my Gino's and turned it into a cheesy pizza place. If you were disappointed by the Gino's on Lincoln, give the Superior St location a shot, I guarantee you won't be disappointed. They have more than one floor of seating and although it may take a while to get your pie, it's totally worth it!! Just so all you haters know, I've been to Lou's and thought the pizza was good but nothing beats my Gino's. For all you Zonies, you can get frozen Gino's Pizza at AJ's (a division of Bashas) now. 16th Street & Glendale??? My Mom said her friend told her about it and it's the best frozen pizza she's ever had!
(5)
M. C.

I actually haven't been to this location, but the old one that closed, best pizza in town. Seriously. A stuffed spinach pizza from Gino's East is the best thing in the world. And if you dont like Chicago style pizza, please don't judge it.
(5)
Chris L.

Went here after hearing people say it is the best Chicago style deep dish in town, and they were right! The food is amazing, the staff is friendly, and the atmosphere is fun. This place definatly needs to be on any visitor todo list.
(5)
Jason M.

If you like deep dish/Chicago style pizza, this is one of several palces you can go. Uno, Gino's East, and Giordano's. It's tough to tell all of them apart. Our experience started with Toasted Raviolis, which were ok. We then were told by our waiter that the pizza to order was the supreme with the wheel of thin sausage patty at the bottom of the pizza. The two girls I was with ended up pulling the patty out as they didn't enjoy it. Waiter was a little katty and complained a little too much.
(3)
Kelly S.

This is my first time here and the only deep dish I tried while in Chicago and I was disappointed. It was just way TOO much cheese for me. It was so thick that I couldn't even chew it. I thought the crust was dry as well, but if you LOVE thick tons of cheese then this is the place for you.
(2)
Patrick C.

When it comes to the big three, Gino's/Lou Malnati's/Giordano's, I would say this place emerges victorious. Wating an hour for a pizza to cook is worth every minute once it finally hits your tongue. The cheese, sauce, and toppings go together great with their crust, making an all in all delicious. Only reason it's not five stars is because that's reserved for Art of Pizza.
(4)
Tina F.

Fortunately for me, Gino's opened a new pizzeria right off Michigan Ave and Superior right before I rolled into town, which made eating here very convenient. Gino's is a Chicago institution and is famous for its deep dish pizza. It's a well deserved reputation. The pizza is phenominal! And now really convenient. Just keep in mind that it takes 40 minutes to bake so get there a little bit before you start getting hungry.
(5)
Jav V.

Gino's is a nice place. This was my first and only Chicago pizza experience. It was pretty good, but not amazing. The pizza took a while and it was super filling.
(3)
Teresa K.

We had the deep dish pizza, and it was very good. Our waitress took care of us, but was not overly attentive. As our first exposure to chicago-style pizza, it was definitely a worthwhile trip.
(4)
Michael R.

I've come to Chicago the past four summers. Each year I make it a point to eat proper deep dish pizza at least twice while here. This year, it was Gino's turn. I have to say, it was the worst of the lot. Not awful pizza, just not as good as elsewhere. My wife and I had the cheese and sausage. Simple. The sausage was good, nice taste of fennel. Sauce was a bit too acidic though. Too much of a bite that really didn't compliment the sausage and cheese. But what troubled me most was the crust. It was too mealy. I applaud the idea of adding corn meal into the crust, but it wasn't a help to the pie.
(3)
Mill V.

It breaks my heart that the original old place is gone. I loved how dark and awesome it was. Also, my parents got engaged there. But this is my favorite Gino's East location. The other locations should take lessons from here, they have the crust down. The pie that is our's is usually a medium deep dish, sausage, patty style. I have other kinds, even ventured for the cheeseburger. Don't come here if you are in a rush, you come here to relax, possibly catch a game, some beers, and great Pizza.
(5)
Steve A.

I'm a fan of deep dish, and have enjoyed this pizza many times. The pizza's good - definitely much better than San Diego style pizza (is there such a thing? Let's see - bland, unimaginative, and low quality - yeah, I guess there is such a thing).
(4)
Richa A.

I'm embarassed (for Chicago) to say that I still haven't found deep-dish here that matches my expectations coming from Palo Alto... (Patxi's is kind of amazing), but so far, Gino's East has come closest. I like that there's more sauce on their pizzas, compared to their competitors. I actually liked the cornbready crust -- but I guess it's not for everyone.
(4)
Lauren J.

Ginos is very yummy, they tell you up front the deep dish will take 45 minutes and our waiter was great and full of recommendations for what to get while we were waiting. My mom & I both had a bowl of Italian Wedding soup which was huge for the $3.95 price, and FULL of noodles and meatballs, I was expecting a brothy cup of nothing at that price! I caught a glimse of the minestrone which looked like it's made with white beans and looked hearty and yummy. The pizza arrived sooner than we expected and cheese was melted to perfection but too much cheese for me. Sauce was great too, crust was just slightly crunchy for me...I've been here before and was blown away so this is probably a one off! Either way u have to Come here! I came during the week and didn't have to wait in line...on the weekend same time and a huge line out the door.
(4)
J D.

A little disappointed with the pizza, considering the expectations going in. Had a pepperoni deep dish, which tasted decent but definitely not worth the 45 minutes it took to make. Seated right away in the middle of the day, and service was friendly if not a little bit non-existent, which was disappointing considering they weren't even busy.
(2)
Bri G.

Upon arriving in Chicago my GF and I talked about finding the best deep dish pizza in town. Many people recommended to try out Giordano's, but I've had it before and it was ok (bought a frozen one and cooked it at home). We decided to go against popular opinion and try out Gino's East. The wait wasn't long at all, even for a Friday. The decorations are neat with graffiti art throughout displayed across the entire restaurant. We ordered their cheesy bread appetizer, and it just seemed like a big buttery mess. We would have been better off not ordering it. The pizza that we ordered was the Meaty Legend. A combination of pepperoni, italian sausage, canadian bacon, and bacon. It was something to remember. I've never had SO much high quality meat in a pizza. All in all, we were satisfied with picking Gino's East over Giordano's. It would have received an additional star in their rating, but the appetizer brought it down a notch.
(4)
Jean S.

yum... i'm more of a thin crust kind of girl but ginos just always know how to hit the spot. I went with my BF and a couple of other friends and we loved it so much we went twice in our week long trip. they know how to make a good pizza. everything is good. the salads, all the pizzas... yum. i wish i were in chicago right now!
(5)
Mike Z.

Had Gino's East deep dish sausage the other night for the first time in at least 20 years. It was as good as I remembered it.
(4)
Jon M.

My #1sinful craving a deepdish pizza from Gino's East. I know that this will be one the reasons I will die, but I cant get enough of it. I havent had a fresh pizza from here in over a decade, but I get a frozen Sausage Patty Pizza from here time to time, I bake em' up and the smell and taste take me back. Gino's East, Pizzeria Uno, and Giordanno's, which is the best? Who cares just send me a deep dish with some quality sausage and maybe some pepperoni.
(5)
Olivier C.

How can you go wrong with amazing pizza, a traditional funky graffiti-laden walls, and great beers on tap?
(5)
Carol B.

We were trying to find the best deep dish pizza in chicago to compare to Giordano's which we had been to before - Everyone said Gino's East. We went early because we heard about the lines - but walked right in (No reservations taken) - staff was friendly as they seated us upstairs - quite entertaining to read the writing on the walls - which they encourage. we ordered beer as the rest of their beverage menu is obviously not attractive and of course had an appetizer while waiting for our pizza - which didn't seem that long of a wait- Since there was two of us - the waiter was very helpful to us for portion sizes. We had the famous cheese and sausage (patties instead of crumbles) and a small. The pizza had a good sauce but the crust came away from the ingredients - as you put it on your plate - which didn't send the message that it was fresh.....the crust was okay - and not chewy (if you like that kind of crust) - the sausage was good and there was mozarella underneath it all.....We each ate only one piece - didn't want to waste the calories on a second. My friend and I definitely thought we had better. Guess next time we will have to try Uno's....but right now, for deep dish, Giordano is at the top of the list. PS the calamari was good and crunchy - served with two sauces - marinara and cocktail - when we left at 7:30 - still no lines......hmmmm - sounds like people are going somewhere else?
(2)
Brad K.

3.5. Good deep dish, but still can't beat Zachary's in Oakland.
(3)
Teresa G.

The pizza at Gino's East is awesome!!! Just got back from my first ever visit to Chicago and stopped in yesterday for lunch. We had Giordano's the day before and thought it would be fun to compare the two and see which we liked better, but oddly enough it was pretty much a tie...we liked them both very much and appreciated how different they were. Initially my friend and I were just going to order individual pizzas because we each wanted something different, but thankfully our server, Daniel, suggested we order a small to share instead...that was definitely the way to go. We compromised and ordered a small cheese pizza with crumbled sausage on half...for me. The crust was very different than any I've ever had, but sooooooo yummy!! And OMG the mozzarella sticks were amazing...not typically an appetizer orderer but since it takes about 45 minutes for them to cook the pizzas, we decided to order mozzarella sticks and let me tell you those were the best I've ever had...IN MY LIFE!!! And the marinara was to die for...it was very fresh tasting and wasn't overly spiced, which is what I prefer. Overall Gino's East was a wonderful experience and I will definitely go back the next time I'm in Chicago!!
(5)
Rebecca D.

OMIGOSH. I love Gino's East. I brought my husband and his friend newly back from Iraq. What a treat. Tim, our server was right on the dime with everything we needed and was very friendly. We had the legendary Deep Dish, and could not have been more pleased.
(5)
Phil K.

Reconsidered after reviewing my previous reviews for other Chicago deep dish spots. This is definitely not better than 2 star pizza.
(2)
Jonathan C.

"Ok, I'm going to be reviewing the "Big Three" Chicago deep dish style pizza places: Lou Malnati's, Uno's, and Gino's East. Gino's East, First Place. Of all the Chicago Deep Dish joints, this is my favorite version. It has a very unique crust that definately has some cornmeal in it, so that is the major differentiator compared to the "original" Uno's deep dish formulation. I like it a lot. I prefer the regular sausage than the "slab-o-sausage" (thin layer of sausage over the whole crust which is a Gino's specialty. The sauce is my favorite as well. Overall its really a pick em between this place and Uno's and Lou's. You should just go try em all at least once and choose. Depending on the crust you like, delivery vs. non delivery and the quality of the location you are going to, it can go any way. I do recommend eating any Chicago style pizza at the restaurant (not delivered). As they almost always lose some crispness when put in a box. They are best served out of those hot metal pans. Medium and small pizzas are almost always cooked a bit crisper and better through to the middle than the larger ones I find too. I remember coming to this location when young, it closed but then reopened I think. What sticks out is they let you write on the walls. As a kid I loved this. I remember the super think clam chowder being very very good. This may have changed since then.
(5)
Sean O.

I was here, while on business, about 4 years ago. Firstly, I enjoyed the atmosphere. Rustic and down to earth, no pretense at all. Secondly, the service was very good and this was while the place was packed. Thrid and final, the pizza was great. I will be back, whenever I am in Chi-Town again.
(4)
Arpana U.

I went to Gino's in June of '08 before a Cubs game. BUSY! My boyfriend knows the area so he knew to go SUPER early before the game, we went around 4:30 p.m. The wait wasn't too horrible, maybe about 30 min. But make sure you know that the pizza takes a while. Ours took almost 40 minutes to come out. It was my first time having deep dish pizza in Chicago (instead of rip-off Uno's on the east coast). It was DELICIOUS! Took me a second to understand the whole sauce ontop business, but it was so good. Not for the light stomachs, and make sure you like cheese. I've had pizza in Chicago a few times now, but Gino's East still remains my favorite.
(4)
Daniel H.

Cheese and crust we're really good. but didn't like the sauce and toppings they used. was the 1st time eating deep dish in CHI. Hoping to find a better place...
(3)
NAEL K.

had few deep dish before in San Francisco have to the say this one beats them all, perfect light crust not like others sweet tomato sauce and ahe perfect amount of cheese , great service , we had to tell our waiter how good he was ,definitely a perfect chicago experience
(4)
Amaro T.

Sooooo Salllltyyyyy. Im not a native so I don't really know what a deep dish is supposed to be but the Pizza from Gino's looked mushy as stated above, tasted good, but was so Salty that you will regret eating later. The minestrone tastes like mash potatoes though which was kinda cool... but ya know not minestrone. Overall I gave 3 stars cause it is what it is, middle level chain food. Just thought from the reviews that it was different guess not.
(3)
Bridget S.

I have been here a couple times in the past, but have never reviewed them. I came here on the 4th of July before going to see the fireworks. We got to sit on the patio which was pretty nice. We ordered Gino's Supreme deep-dish pizza and calamari for our appetizer. The calamari was pretty good, and it helped to have something since deep-dish takes 45min-1hr. They were pretty busy still when we arrived, but our pizza came out right on time. Gino's has, by far the best crust I have ever tasted. I can't explain the delicious crunchiness. They have a good selection of alcoholic beverages, including craft brews from Chicago, which is awesome. Service is always really friendly and enthusiastic based on my experience. I know I'll be back.
(4)
Jason H.

It's not bad but the taste isn't world-renowned either. Went with a deep dish pepperoni and jalapeno. The toppings were average, sauce was kind of sweet - not normally my thing but it works. What I most liked was the cornmeal-esque crust. It was bland, sure, but a bit of a different texture in a good way. I won't gripe about the wait time because they are very upfront about it. However, I wasn't blown away and will be trying others before I return.
(3)
Michelle W.

Decided to bring a friend visiting Chicago here because everyone needs to try deep dish. I always find it a little disappointing when restaurants force you to line up down the street and wait, especially if they tell you it's going to be half an hour or more, but the wait was definitely a lot shorter than they originally told us so we were happy about that. Walking into the restaurant, the decor is really striking, with graffiti all over the walls. I will note that it was very loud inside, so expect to really have to project your voice across the table in order to be heard, especially since you will probably have to wait at least 40 minutes for your pizza. The waiter was really friendly and helpful. Obviously with deep dish the pizza is going to take a long time to make, so we ordered our pizzas first and then an appetizer of spinach sticks to get us started. They were surprisingly great! Slightly crispy breaded spinach and mozzarella cheese - I definitely recommend. For the pizza I split a medium spinach margherita pizza with a friend which was definitely enough to fill us both. Honestly I was very confused when I got the pizza. The taste was good, but the entire bottom of the pizza was so soggy and wet that I tried to avoid having to pick it up but there really wasn't another way to eat it since cutting was also pretty hard. I don't know if it's just the pizza I ordered since there were fresh tomatoes, but the pizza itself was just very watery. I still finished it and just tried to focus on the flavors, but I would definitely be wary about ordering this again, or even coming back to Gino's especially if I'm trying to impress a guest with what Chicago is famous for, although my friend did say he enjoyed it.
(3)
Christina B.

Was just in Chicago last Wednesday to see the Steve Harvey show after the show we ate at Gino east and we fell in love with the pizza.
(5)
Claudia V.

I finally popped my Chicago style pizza cherry. Gino's did not disappoint! The deep dish cheesy, gooey mouthwatering pizza was worth the 45 minute wait. The toasted ravioli is a must!
(5)
Rachel S.

pizza was great. Deep dish thick crust cooked perfectly enough where the deep crust was still slightly warm and doughy. Only complaint is that the pizza took forever (about an hour) and it wasn't all that busy at the time
(4)
Paola N.

First spot to eat on the Chicago list and surrounded by Chicago Blackhawks pride! THE AMBIANCE: The Original Gino's East of Chicago ("Gino's") is a large restaurant located in downtown Chicago. The venue is two (2) stories and there are both stairs and an elevator to get to the top. When you enter the restaurant a large bar is located on your left. There is bar seating, a couple of high top tables with stools, a couple of booths, and many regular tables. There are televisions on the walls. During my visit the bar was re-playing the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup championship game and almost everyone was wearing the jerseys and colors because the parade was held that morning. Gino's has graffiti writing all over the walls except in the bathrooms (prohibited). What I really enjoyed about Gino's was the awesome selection of music. It was hit after hit both old school and new and a mix of hip hop and pop. THE FOOD: We were starving so we ordered Fried Calamari ($10) to start followed by the Gino's Supreme deep dish pizza, (pepperoni or Italian sausage, onions, green peppers, mushrooms; Small (4 Slices, $22), Medium (6 Slices, $28) or Large (8 Slices, $32)), which is what we came for. The calamari was on point. The breading was perfect and the marinara was so good. The pizza was different and delicious. This was my first time in Chicago and my first time eating authentic Chicago style deep dish pizza. The dough is made with cornmeal and has a dry thickness to it, which I loved. Boy oh boy was it filling though! I was not hungry up until late night dinner. THE TIPS: I am not sure about parking because we took an Uber. The restrooms are on the second floor towards the back right of the restaurant. The women's bathroom has no paper towels. Rather, they have two (2) hand dryers. If you are a party of two (2) and start with an appetizer I would recommend getting the small deep dish which is four (4) slices. I ate a good portion of the calamari and with one (1) slice I was super full.
(5)
Anooj S.

For being one of the most famous pizza joints in Chicago, I have to say I was slightly disappointed. The best part of the pizza I would say is the crust. It was golden brown, light, and flaky. We ordered the Gino's Supreme and it was a decent pizza. The ingredients and sauce definitely tasted fresh. The reason I say I was disappointed is because the pizza wasn't "blow your mind" amazing. It was just a decent pie. Also, it was a very pricey pizza. The service and ambiance were great. Our server was attentive, kind, and catered to every need we had. I did enjoy the ambiance a lot, the graffiti on the walls accompanied by the large TVs gave it a modern and fun feel while the candlelights mimicked a date like experience. Personally, I would rank this in third behind Lous and Pequods and followed by Giordanos. If you haven't tried Gino's, I would suggest it so you can formulate your own opinion, just don't expect a life changing experience!
(4)
Pri P.

We got a thin crust pepperoni supreme pizza delivered from here to my boyfriend's apt in Streeterville. The only reason I took off one star was because it took an hour and a half for delivery and the pizza was pretty cold by the time we got it. Even with it being cold, it was GREAT. I don't even know what it is...maybe the two layers of pepperoni (above and below the cheese) or their incredibly crispy crust...regardless, I was in pizza heaven. While I'm normally a Giordano's kind of girl (stuffed spinach...yum) Gino's East has thrown me for a loop....I might need to reevaluate my pizza preferences.
(4)
Amy J.

I have to say, the pizza is pretty good. But the wait is ridiculous. I went here with my boyfriend at the time, and it was in December so it was freezing outside... and there was nowhere to wait inside. Literally, the line wrapped around the building and was probably 50 people long at least. Luckily, one of the hosts came out and asked us if we wanted to sit at the bar since there were just two of us, so we didn't have to wait in the line. But it would have been an hour, at least, waiting outside in Chicago in December! Just seems a little crazy that they don't have anywhere to wait inside. We got mozzerella sticks, which were really good and different from typical ones. The bartender told us that they actually make them there and bread them themselves. So much different taste from the frozen ones. They were really good. The pizza is good, but honestly, I prefer Lou Malnati's or Edwardos deep dish. Especially considering the line.
(3)
Stephen B.

I just cannot understand all of the low reviews. All I can say is if you hate Gino's East, then you hate Chicago style pizza. Go back to New York and leave those of us who love the real thing alone! This was, hands down, the BEST pizza I've ever had anywhere! It was sooo goooood! I kept eating it long after I was full. Even my wife who's family is from New York and gets all uppity about her pizza, and was all ready to say it doesn't hold a candle to New York style loved it. We had 6 in our party so we got 2 larges (We finished it but BARELY.) We had a Supreme and a Meaty Legend. Both were amazing but the Meaty Legend was the unanimous winner of the taste test. The smokiness of the bacon really complimented the savory sauce and sausage. The best part of the pizza was the crust. OMG! A little corn meal in the crust gave it a lighter feel, a little less "doughy" than some Chicago style pizzas. Everyone commented on how great it was. The BEST, bar none!
(5)
Dan W.

This place is excellent. Our party walked almost 2 miles from dinner to have this "second dinner" and it was well worth it. We got a half cheese, half meat pizza and I had a slice of the meat (pepperoni and sausage) and it was delicous. The crust was amazing, made from corn meal and was very buttery. If it wasn't for the fact I had that other meal, I think I could have had another slice
(4)
Corie Z.

Ok I don't get all the haters here. Of all the Chicago deep-dish pizzas this place is my favorite! They have an awesome lunch special...personal deep-dish with a salad or soup and a drink for $6.97 with tax. You can't beat that. But this place isn't good just for lunch. Their menu is huge. Anyone can find something they like on it. The service has always been extremely quick and friendly in my book. The pizza is frickin delish. The crumbly buttery crust with a robust and chunky marinara sauce...ahhhh I just ate yet still could go for a small slice. I admit, the prices are a tad high. But that's Chicago. Everything is expensive. And for the people on here complaining about the wait for the pizza...that's what you have to do for something delicious made fresh to order. For others complaining about the wait for a table...DUH! That's a sign that you're at a good restaurant with good food. If it wasn't good the place would be empty. I have tried Giordano's and Lou Malnati's and other places for deep-dish but nothing comes close to Gino's. Sorry. I will keep coming back.
(5)
MoMo K.

To each their own. The pizza tastes just fine, but I would go with Pequod's or Giordano's over Gino's. Their pizza cost slightly more, but doesn't taste as good. The ambiance is very inviting and laid back. Graffiti all over the walls, TVs everywhere (huge projector), and a full bar for those who drink. Their were families their, couples, college students etc etc. The service is outstanding. We requested our checks and boxes as soon as we got our pizza because we didn't want to wait around. When we got our check, they accidentally charged us for an extra topping and the waiter fixed it right away. Nice attentive waiters. This is located near magnificent mile, so parking is tough and expensive. We walked from North Ave Beach which took about 22 minutes at a slow pace. You get to enjoy the lake and it feels awesome on a nice night.
(4)
Kevin W.

Third stop in my Chicago pizza tour. Another iconic Chicago pizza joint. Long lines, I ordered ahead and took it to go. Takes 45 minutes to make so time yourself. Gino's Supreme - $28 - Thick buttery crust. Loaded with sausage, pepperoni, and peppers. Red sauce was not as good as Lou's. Still a great pizza.
(4)
Vahan D.

I had the Italian beef sandwich with a nice cold Scotch Ale. The food, accompanied by a giardiniera, was flavorful and hearty. The place has a very informal look to it, but seems like a great place to go out with some friends or coworkers.
(4)
Jerry C.

Some manager is making a joke on customers today . 3 empty tables outside but the two hosts tried to create some cockeyed story that the outdoor waiter didn't show up to work on time. So I guess any of the many indoor ones aren't allowed to walk through the door and serve those tables. Seinfeld episode moment at Gino's East.
(5)
Steph M.

I really wanted to like this place especially after seeing people rave about it on food network. However, I didn't think it lived up to its hype. We ordered a medium deep dish Gino's East Supreme (your choice of either sausage or pepperoni with fresh onions, green peppers, and mushrooms for $27.50/6 slices) and it was mediocre. The marinara sauce was a bit bland and literally smothered the pizza. The inside of our pizza wasn't even cooked all the way through as the dough near the crust was still raw. For taking 45 minutes to bake, I would have rather eaten at Pizza Hut or Round Table. The service was mediocre as the waiter came around once or twice. We had to flag him down after a while to re-fill our waters. Patrons are allowed to write on the benches and walls of this place so remember to have a sharpie handy when you come! Overall, I'd rate the pizza a 2/5 (definitely NOT worth the wait or price!), service 2/5, and venue 2/5. The only positive attribute was the location (near Michigan Avenue) which was within walking distance from our hotel.
(2)
Jen S.

Ok, the pizza is amazing. Of course it is, it's Gino's. I wouldn't expect anything less. However, the staff here needs some serious re-training. It's 5pm so not too busy yet. So far, I have seen the following infractions: *No one was waiting when we arrived. Five staff waiting at the front. One says we need to wait for the hostess. Someone else steps up and seats us. *Table of four, one of whom is a baby in a high chair. Waitress sets HOT deep dish pan right in front of baby, who of course reaches for it. She doesn't move it, or leave anything for anyone else to grab it and move it with. *Staff member is cleaning off a table, stacks half full cups together. They topple over, water and ice go flying everywhere all over a little girl sitting at the next table. He looks at her, shrugs and walks away. *waiter brings appetizer to table. Dad is leaning in to the table talking to his daughter across from him. Waiter goes to set down food between them and actually bends his arm to get his elbow in the face of Dad to get him to move back. Now I'm tired of typing but there's more. Please, for the love of all that's holy, Gino's, please fix this!!
(3)
LB T.

Should have expected all of this from a 'famous' pizzeria in Chicago. My party was instantly greeted poorly by hostess. I, along with everyone else, was then herded like livestock. We were not informed this 'famous' - tasteless, pizza would take over 45 minutes. We were seated at an awkward table directly in the path where staff were entering & exiting the kitchen. Our waitress took over 10 minutes to greet us or bring our beverages. Sadly the beer was warm. At some point while consuming second warm beer the waitress inquired if beer was warm. When told yes she replied by saying ok. She then proceeded to do absolutely nothing about it. An apology wasn't even offered. Her tip reflected our service, her being a paid SERVER & all. Nothing exciting about this establishment. If you're going to pride yourself on graffiti the least you could do is provide paying customers with some type of writing utensil.
(2)
Millie P.

Overpriced, undercooked pizza. There was so much excess flour on the bottom of the pizza it was almost inedible. I scraped off and inch and a half off 1 slice! The $15.00 grilled chicken salad was small for the price and there was barely any chicken. Never again.
(1)
Victoria T.

The deep dish pizza was delicious. We got a small pizza with mushroom, onion, and italian beef topping. Every bite was enjoyable. It wasn't salty unlike the one I had at Pequod's. We also got an order of spicy bbq chicken wings as appetizer. It was good, but on the slightly salty side. The waitress warned that it is a 45 mins to an hr for you pizza since they make it fresh which meant that we are cutting very close to our hotel checkout time. We ended up waiting a little over an hour for our pizza and missing our checkout time by 5 mins, but it was definitely worth it. The pizza crust looked something like a cornmeal crust which reminded me of a pie crust, crunchy and delicious.
(4)
Daniel N.

FOOD: 5 stars - One of the best Chicago style deep dish sausage pizzas. The crust seems to be more of a cornmeal crust compared to their competitors. DRINK: 2 stars - The seasonal Berghoff "Oktoberfest" brew was horrible. We could have ordered Bud or Coors and it would have tasted the same. SERVICE: 2 stars - You wait outside, then inside standing and finally inside sitting. A girl outside instructed us to go inside but then some rude bouncer looking/acting guy yelled at us to go back outside. We told him the girl outside told us to come inside. He didn't care so we went outside just to be again by the girl to go back inside. Really people, get it together and don't ever put your patrons in the middle of your petty drama and lack of communication and organization. There's typically always a wait yet they don't allow you to place your order while you're waiting versus waiting even more at your table. Chicago style pizza takes a while to cook too. ENVIRONMENT: 3 stars - The decor and ambience is fun but the light above our booth continued to flicker, so annoying when trying to visit and eat.
(3)
Louise G.

This place has an awesome atmosphere and very different from all other pizza places I have been to in the city, especially for deep dish. The reason I gave it three stars instead of five is because we had the worst waiter I have had in a long time-we only got one drink the entire meal even after reminding him when he brought the food which is the only time we saw him except for when he brought our waters/took our order. My friend who paid left a small tip due to the bad service and the waiter chased him down to ask him rudely if he wanted it back..so awkward and completely unaware that he got such an awful tip for being such an awful waiter! As someone who usually tips very well, it was hard justifying it this time for the lack of service and poor attitude
(3)
Brian C.

The first time I had Chicago pizza in Chicago went to Lou Ms... From the moment I had that I knew I was a true New York pizza fanand Chicago deep dish just wasn't anything... But this trip to Chicago we went to Gino's East and oh how it changed my mind the pizza was excellent the sauce was amazing and the cheese sauce bread ratio was perfect this in my opinionis the best Chicago style pizza I have had would recommend it to anyone looking for the Chicago pizza experience
(4)
Arthur M.

First time eating here. It was good. Not great or amazing but good. I had the deep dish veggie pizza. Needed more cheese. I expected a much bigger taste. All in all the pizza was good. My server great, right on the money. I loved the walls. Everyone's names and saying on it. Place had a big bar, but I wasn't able to hit that. Maybe next time.
(3)
Jesse V.

Great food yet server kept forgetting stuff we ordered. Pretty annoying. Every Time she came back it was like she would forget a drink, food, utensils... Understand ur busy but at least give us ur attention!
(4)
Joyce C.

Out of all of the famous deep dish pizza places in Chicago, this was my favorite. The crust has a slightly sweet cornmeal texture and I really liked their distribution of crust:cheese:toppings:sauce ratio. The 2 of us shared a medium 6 slice pizza, 1/2 supreme, 1/2 Chicago Fire. I liked the supreme better. As with all deep dish pizza joints, be prepared to wait - takes 45 min to prepare. Also felt this restaurant had way more seating available than the other 2 famous deep dish pizza places.
(5)
Adam M.

Well, it had to be done. After spending but a few extremely short days in Chitown, Gino's was the only touristy thing I got to do, besides marvel at all of the skyscrapers downtown. I knew going in that NY style pie is my personal fancy, but I had to try this legendary pizza! For such a popular tourist attraction, they really have their system dialed in as to how to cater to so many gapers coming to eat. It only took us about 30 minutes to get in and get seated. The experience was great and, again, the servers have it dialed in when it comes to dealing with so many people all the damn time. I was impressed with the drinks and got to enjoy some tasty local beer that was probably the highlight of my whole weekend. We had the appetizer sampler full of fried things that hit the spot and then some. And, of course, we ordered the deep dish pie. Again, not my favorite style of pizza, but I enjoyed the experience and the huge slab of house-made sausage that covered it. I hear that the NY style they make is amazing, but we couldn't order that when we're in deep dish central!!! Overall, I would say going to Gino's as a tourist is a great idea. The wait is not bad and the food is worth the time you wait. You get in and get out while trying what is undoubtedly the most known food from Chicago. Cheers on a fantastically famous restaurant being both efficient at serving it's customers and maintaining that for which they're famous for: honest and thick deep dish pizza.
(4)
Grant R.

i know when in chicago, you get deep dish... but we went for the thin crust. the meat legends thin crust was absolutely delicious! so feel free to step away from the norm if deep dish is not your thing.
(5)
Adam R.

Not sure what everyone is complaining about. Is the wait ridiculously long? YES, always. Why??? Because it's GOOD FOOD. Every time my wife and I find ourselves in Chicago, we HAVE to stop at Gino's East. This is the best one, in our humble opinions. We go planning to wait at least an hour to get in, and another hour or so just to get our food. This is not a quick experience, and we expect that heading over there. We enjoy the scenery, people watching, and have a couple pints of brew whilst waiting for our pizza and garlic knots. Some of the best deep dish we've had. Are there places even better? Probably.. but not where we're from (Nashville). Our mouths water every time we think about eating here. We'll be back, for sure.
(5)
Brooke R.

Environment: The whole restaurant is covered in graffiti. You can add your own personal artwork. Great for big groups. Service: We were seated very quickly, considering how busy it was. The waitress was very friendly and even gave us markers to write on the wall with. All smiles. Food: Delicious! The food took 45 min to cook but that's expected because it was deep dish. But seriously, the best pizza in town! Bonus: I heard BeyoncÃ© ate here.
(5)
Jonathan M.

To start off, the deep dish pizza was absolutely delicious! We ordered the large half and half "Gino's Supreme" and the "Chicago Fire" for a family of four. It was quite filling and we had to take a few slices back to the hotel. The other great thing is that we didn't have to wait to get seated. We arrived around 7:30pm and we ONLY waited 2 minutes! Absolutely scored on this as I've heard long wait times for this restaurant. What I also loved about this place is that the restaurant is filled with writing on the walls, tables, chairs etc. I thought this created a very fun and interesting environment since we also participated in the writing or tagging, if you will on the assets of this place. At the end of your dinner they give you a marker to write whatever you want and wherever you want...pretty cool if you have kids like us! Now, I would've given the place 5 stars if it hadn't been for the parking situation (parked in the nearby garage) - which ended up being $39.00 for just a few hours. WTF! Also, the service was quite slow at the restaurant. This could be a good thing if you want to work up an appetite. If not, then I'll suggest to order a few appetizers since the pizza for us came about an 1 hr. later. If fact, I overheard a few patrons complain about this as well. However, the server did warn us this when we ordered. Also, it took about 10mins for our server to even get to our table. Apparently there was a new menu that was just put out last night which was part of the delay, I guess from what our server said. Other than this everything was great!
(4)
Tim A.

The food here was really good. I really enjoyed the deep dish pizza. I probably would have given this 4 stars if it was for the extremely rude girl that was hosting and the writing all over the walls. I get the gimmick of it; but it really looks like shit.
(3)
Jamie A.

We finally finished up our quest to try all the deep dish pizzas in Chicago and Gino's East was our last stop. At first we were almost deterred by the hour and 15 minute wait, but we hung in there and it ended up being more like 35 minutes. The place is loud and eclectic, but perfect for a pizza place! We started off with cheese sticks which had a nice crispy crust and a delicate mozzarella filling. We also added a salad to hold is over during the 45 minute wait for our pizza. Well it was worth the wait! The crust is just right and the sauce in my opinion is the best part! We got a half all meat pizza and half spinach. Being the meat eater that I am, I actually preferred the spinach one better. You could really taste all the flavors. Drinks were a little pricey. I thought $11 for a mojito was a bit much, but it did taste good. Overall, had a great time at Gino's and I am looking forward to my next trip to Chicago!
(4)
G B.

Omg this was the best pizza I've ever had in my entire life!! It was worth the wait in line and trust me when I tell you, if you want good pizza you're going to wait anywhere. Don't order appetizers. I suggest you get a beer and wait for your pizza. You better be hungry cause I was only able to eat two slices and that was still very hard. Always go with the deep dish!!!
(5)
Ting D.

I am not a huge pizza lover (pepperoni, especially), but their deep-dish pizza is exquisite. Not only the butter crust, the rich rich cheese, the yummy tomato sauce, but also the pepperoni!! The 45-min wait (after we were seated) was completely worth it!! Great place to hang out with friends!
(4)
Carl F.

This is my second visit here and it would probably be my last considering all the other options one has for Pizza in this part of town. We were here on a Sunday evening, so seating was not an issue and the service was good. The decor of this place is okay... definitely touristy as it has writing on just about any surface that can be written on. I'm told this is suppose to be hip, but I personally thought it gives the place a kinda of 1970 NYC Subway look... which is to say a tacky and back street ally look. But, I can overlook that if the food is good and honestly, I just have not had it here. The appetizers a so, so. The salads are extremely bland and lack imagination of any sort. Then there is the pizza. I find the cheese dull, sauce tasteless, the pepperoni is not bad, but the crust resembles cardboard, sprinkled with cornflower. I know Gino's has a following, just as the White Sox do, but I'm just not there.
(2)
Richard R.

Hadn't been here for many a moon. Of course you can't go wrong with Chicago-style deep dish pizza, but Gino's East does not, IMO, stack up to other deep dish pizza on two key points. 1. The sauce. It tastes too sweet. 2. The crust. Too soggy and bloated. Think I'll stick with Giardano's and Lou Malnati's.
(2)
Lindsay L.

It was good but it wasn't as good as Giodarnos. And although it's kind of neat that everyone wrote on the walls, it also feels so gross and dirty. Do they wipe the walls when they clean the tables? Or the chairs/benches? Ew, I don't know! As a server, it as giving me severe anxiety. I like my section clean for my guests. But besides that, the pizza was good, it was ranked second out of the three we tried, I just couldn't get over the writing everywhere. Definitely worth trying, however!
(3)
Luis H.

Good place to eat. Bring a sharpie if you visit. So you can write on the walls :) pizza was pretty good
(4)
Barbara C.

Wow, this pizza blew me away. It has been a long time since I have had true Chicago style pizza, and tonight I realized just how much I have missed it! Thick crust, almost crumbly, with a delicious tomato sauce and lots of gooey mozzarella. The ladies that took care of me were as kind and sweet as they could be and made me feel like I wasn't quite so far away from home. It was worth the hour wait and it only enhanced the experience to sit in the neighborhood style bar and watch 'da Bulls' on the big screen!
(5)
General Cornwallis M.

The parking is a nightmare but the deep dish pizza is what you'd expect your best dreams to taste of. I remember having Gino's as a kid and now as an adult Gino's still takes the pizza pie. I've taken these back frozen home with me on planes, trains and automobiles. Gino's deep dish pizza is the essence of what deep dish pizzas should be about. I could have passed out from my euphoric dream like state I enter when I have this pizza. I read somewhere that this pizza has more calories than any other pizza in the country and its worth every calorie. A life without Gino's is not a life worth living. My personal favorite is the pepperoni, with extra pepperoni cooked well. I would eat this pizza out of the trash like a feverish mother raccoon in heat, if that is any indication how much I love this pizza. I also really appreciate that out of all the pizza places in Chicago, Gino's seems to always have groupons or some sort of special coupon/deal which makes me feel appreciated as a consumer. My major complaint would be the frozen Gino's pizza you get in the grocery store or order online do the real Gino's an injustice. Not sure why such a great product would sully it's name with the garbage that is pumped out online or in stores but if you have a chance to go to the Gino's restaurant grab an IN-HOUSE made frozen deep dish Gino's pizza there or fresh if you have time. The only other complaint I have is that there is no price break if you're buying multiple frozen pizzas. When I come to Chicago I'd like to buy several to take back with me and would appreciate them giving a price break for a large order. Nonetheless, if you haven't tried this place yet, clear your schedule.
(5)
JR C.

One of the many deep dishes that we tried during our Chicago visit. This one is easily memorable from all the graffiti on the black walls. Located pretty close to city center, most of the patrons here would probably be tourists from the adjacent hotels. On a weekend lunch, we lucked out and grabbed 2 seats at the bar with no wait. By lunch time, there'd be a small wait, but nothing too extravagant just maybe 4 or 5 groups. -=-Deep Dish Pizza-=- As with all other places, there is a 30 minute cooking time wait. In the overall scheme of deep dish, Gino East ranks as par. Crust wasn't as flaky or flavorful as the others with the sauce a little sweet, but on the flip side toppings were generous. A small was large enough for a hungry 2. Yes, this place is as popular as they come, but if you can only have one deep dish pizza, this place is not it. Still it was filling and enjoyable.
(3)
Alex K.

First things first I love the food here and always have, I always tell people it's the best deep dish in Chicago because it is. But tonight our server was inattentive and incredibly rude. I've waited tables for the past 4 years and would never be outwardly rude to a patron. He checked in with us twice throughout the entire night and was slamming silverware and dishes when he pre bussed our tables. I wanted to make excuses for leaving a good tip being a server but this guy provided us with the lowest of the lows in service.
(3)
Beth H.

Oh sweet pizza, this is the place to be. Fun interior, with a bar downstairs and seating upstairs. We sat in the bar. Drink promo was $4 pint of Berghoff's Oktoberfest, which I was happy to take advantage of while waiting for my husband to figure out how to get from our hotel up to the Magnificent Mile. Jason was our waiter and was a great server. I started with the fried raviolis, which were huge and cheese-filled. One order came with 6 pieces and could be a meal in itself. Chicago-style deep dish takes 45 minutes to cook so I put in the order while waiting for the hubs. Perfect timing and it appeared that I got a booth in the bar at just the right time too. Shortly after I was seated and with a beer in hand, I looked up to see the lobby packed and a line of people waiting for tables all along the windows. Very popular place. Pizza was done by the time my husband walked in. We ate and vacated the table for others. Talk about great pizza. Cornbread crust, great cheese and piled high toppings. A must try. Sit in the bar. Upstairs seemed pretty boring.
(5)
Benjamin L.

Amazing deep dish. The best I've ever had bar none. The craft beer listing is also pretty dang solid. The worst thing about this place is the wait, you can be waiting for your pizza for nearly an hour during peak times, but it's worth it.
(5)
David F.

The pizza is awesome. You need to get there early or you are looking at an hour wait to be seated. It's worth the wait. Great Chicago pizza!
(4)
Darlene M.

I'm from California so I'm not sure what a REAL deep dish pizza is like. So when my fiancÃ© and I decided to take a mini trip to Chicago, we just had to try a deep dish pizza! That's what Chicago is known for, right?? We researched long and hard on Yelp to find the best deep dish pizza and this place caught our attention! It was about a $10 taxi ride from the W City Center where we stayed. Was it worth the ride? Let's find out.. When we walked in, there was writing all over the walls, benches, everywhere except for the table setting. It was different. It gave the place character. Our waiter Jimmy was hard to read. We didn't know if he was being rude by his sarcastic tone in his voice or if that was his personality? We decided to shrug it off since it was Valentines Day and our first night in Chicago. We ordered the Gino's Family Platter, which consist of fried calamari, fried ravioli, zucchini sticks, and bruschetta. Everything was good, but we didn't care for the bruschetta. When we order bruschetta, the toppings are already on top of the bread, but it was on the side and it looked like salsa. The bread was way too crunchy for our liking. The fried ravioli was delicious! It had a nice crunch to it and it was the same with the fried calamari. The zucchini sticks were good. It looked like a mozzarella stick, but once you but into it, you can tell it was a big stick of zucchini! It was also good. We also ordered a Small Meaty Legend. It was a deep dish pizza with pepperoni and sausage. It was way too cheesy! I'm a cheese lover and you know when they put too much cheese is when I start pulling a part the cheese to take it off! It was disappointing because it was our first deep dish pizza and it wasn't what we expected. We even tried it where Chicago is known for their deep dish pizza! Would I come here again? Maybe for their Fried Ravioli! But to take back to my hotel.
(3)
Arjun A.

I thought the place was a bit overpriced-- $26 for a small pizza? I thought the service could be improved-- we waited for about 30 minutes before we got seated and then waited another 30-45 minutes before we got our pizza. Quality of the food, however, was superb. It was just the right amount of cheese and sauce-- 3/4th's cheese and 1/4th sauce ;) I had Lou Malnatti's at the Taste of Chicago food festival and with regards to the crust, I MUCH prefer the crust of Gino's. Compared to Lou Malnatti's crust, Gino's crust was crispy. Lou Malnatti's crust didn't have the crisp-- it was pliable and not as crunchy-- almost "breadier" if that's even a word. The ambience of the restaurant was grungy and very laid-back. It's a cool, fun place to hangout with your friends.
(4)
Elton W.

Very good pizza, but still not sure if I'm sold on the cornmeal crust. I love cornbread, but not sure if I like that type of flavor/texture on my pizza. I prefer the pizza at Lou Malnati's (5-stars) over Giordano's (4-stars) and then prefer Giordano's over Gino's (3-stars).
(3)
Tom L.

I was very against the idea of Deep Dish pizza, but this place is legit. Pizza + Beer = Satisfied.
(4)
Nicole C.

Gino's East deep dish pizza is pretty great. I tried the Meaty Legend, which has Italian sausage, pepperoni, bacon and Canadian bacon. Definitely worth trying, very good, very filling, and well worth the wait.
(4)
Aubrey W.

I wasn't disappointed with Gino's East Chicago. It was probably one of the best meals of my entire Chicago trip. You have to actually wait like 45 minutes from the time you order for the pizza, because it's that fresh. It was a BANANAS. My coworkers and I demolished some beer and pizza. The place had big booths, was covered in graffiti, and was loud and fun. Those of us who snuck out for pizza instead of fancy food were in blissful pizza heaven. We walked back to the hotel in food hazes, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one who went to bed early extremely fat and happy. YUM. If I'm back in Chicago, this is where I'll go for deep dish. Well, unless someone has a place they think is better.
(5)
Miguel M.

Visiting from California so trying Chicago style pizza was a must. Ordered the Chicago fire and geno's supreme. The pizza was outstanding. We also ordered the wobbler IPA and that was delicious as well. We ordered 3 pitchers, caesar's salad, fried calamari and two large pizzas for about $180.
(4)
MaryAnn Z.

Family vacation to Chicago and wanted to experience the famous Chicago Deep Dish! Gino's did not disappoint! The Supreme Pepperoni Deep dish was delish!
(4)
Eric F.

This is the pizza by which all other pizzas are judged... especially sausage pizzas.
(5)
Liz T.

This is a fabulous Gino's East. Is it really the original??? My husband and I recently did a Tour de Deep Dish and went to all the big deal deep dish establishments in Chicago over a 2 week time course. This is what we found: 5. Uno's: Medium-density crust. Heavy on the cheese, medium on the sauce. Zesty sauce. Solid salads. 4. Giordano's: The most well-rounded (potentially) of the deep dishes. Medium-density crust. Heavy on the cheese, light on the sauce. Sweet sauce. Great salads--would go light on the dressing. 3. Lou Malnati's: High-density crust, probably the most densely infused with butter. Hard and crispy. Heavy on the cheese, medium on the sauce. Sweet sauce. Solid salads. 2. Pequod's: Light-density, airy crust (as airy as deep dish goes haha). Added bonus (!) acclaimed halo of cheese surrounding the crust. Medium on the cheese, heavy on the sauce. Sweet, savory sauce. Average salads; definitely more options for greens at the other deep dish venues. 1. Gino's east: Medium-density FLAKY, buttery crust. Heavy on the cheese AND sauce. Sweet, zesty sauce. Awesome salads. At the end of the day, Gino's pizza is spot on for a satisfying deep dish experience. I do think the flaky crust takes the cake. They also have really great salads with unique flavors. TIP: Make a reservation. Go to the Original Gino's in River East and not the one by Mich Ave. There's infinitely more space and great friendly service.
(5)
Trang H.

Definitely my favorite of the deep dish chains in Chicago-- I love that you can just have an entire layer of sausage right above the crust. It is so completely delicious and rich and the only deep dish place I want to go to.
(4)
Chanel S.

Fantastic pizza. Their deep dish and traditional Chicago style was wonderful. Huge portions, great sauce. Excellent atmosphere and service.
(5)
Shelby S.

Best deep dish in Chicago, and the waiters know their stuff. Be prepared to wait 40 minutes for a pizza so get an appetizer.
(5)
Dan G.

The Original Gino's East well deserves its legendary status as one of the go to deep dish pizza joints of Chicago. It's long been a favorite of mine, and when it comes out right (read as: even toppings, no skimping, not too crusty, etc) it's far and away the best in town in my eyes. However, that's not always the case and inconsistency has made this sad panda so often take his pizza fix elsewhere. So, we found ourselves along the mag mile and wondering what to do for lunch. In my short time back in my beloved city by the lake I had been running all over town getting all of my local fixes that I've missed whilst abroad (Kuma's, combo beef at Al's and many trips to the Bistro, natch) like I was King Robert Baratheon "making the eight". I threw out Gino's as a suggestion and my pizza loving lil lady was all about it. This is the original location of Gino's and I'm happy to see them back here. No crowd or conga line of tourists on that day, we were seated promptly at a table in the bar. While I'm guessing it's lost on the visitors to our great city, Gino's has a solid craft beer list: 5 Rabbits, Goose, and Revolution. We started with a few pints and then got a pitcher of Anti Hero and put in our order. While I've had some good starters here, like the minestrone and mozz and spinach sticks, there is really no need to get anything more than a pie. The carnivore that I am, I love the Chicago Fire and the Meaty Legend. Those are typically reserved for the times I've got hungry companions with me that aren't so picky about toppings. But, I'm a team player and knew better than to suggest something different than our standard. We got our usual combo: large deep dish spinach, garlic, tomatoes, ham and mushrooms. After the wait of about 45 minutes, our pie was up. We tore into it, and it was so good. Gino's did well on this visit. Two massive slices apiece and we took the rest home. I'm always impressed that Kris often puts away more pizza than some of the guys we see in here, c'mon dudes! Now for the pizza rubes out there that may have failed basic geometry, let me clue you in on something. Get the large pie, always. Take the rest home if no one is going to step up and bat clean up. You just get more pizza, and toppings for that matter, for your buck. Again, basic geometry. I do love Gino's and that combo that we always get. That said, it checks in around fifty bones and when it is inconsistent I feel really screwed. On this day, it was solid. But, I'm still dinging you for something that Domino's and the Papa seem to always get right for a quarter of the price.
(4)
Chuck S.

I really like this place and hit it every time I come to Chicago. Of course, the last time I was in Chicago 25 years ago and it'll probably be 25 years before I'm there again. If you eat here you can get valet parking for much less than parking in any of the lots around here. The deep dish pizza is very tasty and I was amazed to find a layer of sausage above the crust. If you are in a hurry, this isn't the place to come. It takes 45 minutes to cook a deep dish pizza. My love and I had our cameras along and ran around photographing lots of stuff in the restaurant to kill time while they cooked our pizza. We had a lot of fun and our waitress took great care of us.
(4)
Joe I.

Good deep dish pizza. Expect to wait 45 minutes after ordering, but it's worth the wait...plus, you get to read about 30 years of graffiti on everything or you get to write on stuff. Tip: You can't write in the bathroom. Pizza crust at Gino's is a blander than Giordano's but the toppings are great. We tend to lean towards the sausage strips over crumbled sausage, but each to his own. Sauce and toppings are the key here. It's amazing how little this place has changed. I guess you don't mess with success.
(4)
Gerrald L.

Great place, this place is a lot like Giordano's definitely worth trying. Very convenient if you are shopping near water tower.
(4)
Halim H.

This place is a joke! the food, price, services are all very bad. If I can give a NO Star rating, I will be very happy about it. First, the lady host just skipped my line and allow my behind persons to go first, instead me. (Note: we have the same number of party). Second, our server misplaced the orders and we waited for almost 2 hours for the food. More importantly, the food is not good at all, it's like a dog's food. I highly prefer Domino's a lot better.
(1)
Alexandra H.

Every time I head to Chicago for business or pleasure I make sure to hit this place up. My last visit was the same as the first four time, fantastic. The prices might be a little high for traditional pizza but certainly not for this delicious deep dish. The meat lovers or Chicago fire are my favorite. This last time we got sausage and it appeared as though they had covered the entire pizza in a layer on sausage...not a nibble here and a nibble there...eat and every bite had meat it in. If you go be sure to bring a white out pen, the walls are covered in graffiti but the walls are black so if you are planning on seeing anything you want to write it should be in white. This time around I was able to find the message by fiancÃ©e and I left a year ago. I only had to interrupt a cute couple on a date for one second while I got in the booth with them to find it. PS if you want a quick bite to eat and don't want to wait the 40 minutes for your pizza I also highly recommend the honey wings...amazing.
(5)
Isam H.

Good but not great
(4)
Paul J.

Our first taste of Chicago deep dish pizza did not disappoint. Arrived early afternoon and there was a lineup out front to get in for a table. The hostess said the wait would be close to an hour! We decided to wait and since there was just the two of us, we actually only waited no more than ten minutes. The hostess was kind of snotty and we felt like we were putting her out by being there. Our waitress on the other hand was very accommodating and checked in on us regularly. The first thing to notice at Gino's is that the menu says your deep dish pizza will take about 45 minutes to prepare. This could be a ploy to get customers to order appetizers and drinks but given that the pizza is so thick, guess it could make sense. The pizza was amazing. Definitely fresh out of the oven when it arrived at our table in a skillet. Just so tasty. The Chicago deep dish pizzas certainly live up to all their hype.
(5)
Linzie L.

The pizza is amazing and the atmosphere is great. If you're coming to Chicago to eat some deep dish, this is the place. It's always pretty crowded so prepare to wait about 10-15 minutes in a nice day just to get into the restaurant. The deep dish takes about 45 minutes to an hour to make so prepare for that too. It's so worth the wait!
(4)
David W.

There were eight of us, so we didn't have to wait in the long line. We were seated on the third floor and had to wait about 20 minutes for our waiter to show up. When we did we found a busy, but engaging and attentive waiter. Salads and beer got us off to a happy start, followed by some killer deep dish pizzas. It is a lot of food. Because we all were in hotels, we couldn't take all of those leftovers away. Don't know when I'll be back, but I'm glad we took the time to go to Gino's East.
(3)
Anuj J.

Quite disappointed in the quality and taste! Had heard a lot about this place and was excited and willing to put up with the long wait times. However, quite honestly the pizza was very average, our local pizza places offer better quality. I get the feeling it was once good but now no more than a tourist attraction. Would not recommend.
(2)
Mike R.

Great atomsphere for Chiacago style pizza! The service was excellent. The only reasoning to my 3 star rating is the actual food. The pizza crust is nothing special. Very plain and bland crust. Which was a surprise. But we still enjoyed our experience.
(3)
Justin O.

A must visit place in Chicago if you want deep dish pizza. They have other items on the menu, but I always get the deep dish when I visit Chicago. The corn meal crust is filled with generous toppings of your choice. I tend to stick with the tried and true of pepperoni and crumbled sausage, but the other toppings are just as mouthwatering on this pie. If you don't want to sit around waiting for the deep dish to cook (45 min), I would call ahead. This way, when u arrive, u are ready to eat and enjoy. The interior of the place is lively, accompanied by great servers that are energetic and fun to chat with.
(5)
Nelson M.

Restaurant update: This is still the best lunch spot in the streeterville area. So fast, inexpensive, and delicious. The combo gets you deep dish pizza mini, soup or salad, and soft drink. The menu continues to change weekly with a deep dish special and a variety of soups. I highly recommend the sausage supreme pizza when available and also the beef barley soup. There are also other options which you can check in my picture menu. You should stop by on weekdays for the lunch specials! The pizza itself is great with the classic yellow hard crust that is synonmous with Gino's deep dish.
(5)
Austin O.

This was the first time I had Chicago pizza. The service was great and the atmosphere was fun. Definitely a must. I
(4)
CJ G.

Awesome!! Great meaty pizza, gotta have this when your in Chicago. I was here a number of years ago and had Genos and loved. I wasn't disappointed coming back and was sooooo happy! Mom got a gluten free regular/thin crust and definitely enjoyed it. Yumm Chicago deep dish pizza!!
(5)
James B.

Spin-dip is just about the most amazing I've EVERY had! It could be a topping on ANYTHING!! More to come...ordered the Chicago Fire deep-dish........
(4)
Aya M.

Pizza tasted bland. The appetizers also were just average. Nothing to rave about. I would recommend trying a different place for pizza.
(3)
Lisa F.

Had a great experience again this time ! Our sever Jonathan was quite attentive and helpful for 18 people! I am not a deep dish pizza fan and it was good. 4 stars were because it was just "good" and even though we called to say we were coming , we still had to wait 1/2 he to get a table and of course the pizza takes 40 min so you can imagine, all of us were starving
(4)
Erik G.

First time to Gino's. I've tried other Chicago pizza restaurants, but this was my first time at Gino's. The pizza I had was not quite what I expected. We had the Supreme which had pepperoni, onions, green peppers, and mushrooms. The crust was a bit flakey and almost disjointed/crumbled...perhaps a tad undercooked. The toppings were still a bit watery perhaps from the moisture of the veggies or if it were from frozen...? Not gonna knock them down too hard from this but since I'm a one time visitor I'll give a fair rating of 3 until the next time I visit.
(3)
Drew H.

Exactly as advertised. Made a pilgrimage from Ohio and was not dissapointed. Best deep dish ever. Staff...amazing. nice job chicago
(5)
YoungEm T.

I would give this a 3.5 stars because it is slightly better than Giordano's for me (which I rated a 3 star). The appetizers are nothing to die for. I tried the garlic breadsticks and fried calamari. I also tried the meat lover's deep-dish and pepperoni thin-crust. Both were pretty good. Meat lover's deep-dish: I thought the meat was much more flavorful than that of Giordano's. There was slightly less cheese, but it didn't detract from the taste for me. The crust is actually better than Giordano's, but I still couldn't eat all of it. It was more flavorful but still not flavorful enough to devour. Is it bad that I think Pizza Hut's pan crust is much tastier than both Giordano's and Gino's? Ambiance was much better than Giordano's. It is more lively, and the restaurant had more character (graffiti on the walls). I definitely enjoyed the food and environment here more. Service wasn't that great, but we did have a large group of 12, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. The waiter forgot an order (which they made up for by taking it off the bill). He also was not attentive to our table.
(4)
Clint S.

Above average overall. Great atmosphere and people. I wouldnt stop in again reason why is theres a ton of other restaurants we need to check out
(3)

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Address : 162 E Superior St
Chicago, IL, 60611
Phone (312) 266-3337
Website https://www.ginoseast.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:00 am - 10

Specialities

Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Valet, Garage
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Loud
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes

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Pizza

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Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.

Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20^th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.

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The Original Gino’s East of Chicago

162 E Superior St, Chicago, IL, 60611

The Original Gino’s East of Chicago Menu

Appetizers

Salads

Deep Dish Pizzas

Thin Crust Pizzas

Sandwiches

Sweet Stuff

Healthy Meal suggestions for The Original Gino’s East of Chicago

Appetizers

Salads

Deep Dish Pizzas

Thin Crust Pizzas

Sandwiches

Sweet Stuff

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