We had a Groupon that Joe purchased a while back for Gino’s East and forgot about until it was ALMOST too late. I didn’t even know he bought it in the first place, so it could’ve been a tragedy if we “wasted” it. Luckily, Joe remembered it the same weekend it was going to expire… on Sunday! But better late than never! So off we went to the city to score some pre-paid pizza for dinner. Since it was both of our first times at Gino’s East, we thought we would film our experience there. Before we even moved here, we’ve had Chicago deep dish pizza at some of the other well-known places like Giordanos, Lou Malnati’s, and Pequods, and I can honestly say that they’re all a little different from one another. I think that’s pretty cool though, because then you can get a unique experience with each place.
There are several locations in the city, but we went to the one located at: 162 E. Superior St. Chicago, IL 60611 because it’s the original. I think the standout feature of this restaurant is the fact that they welcome everyone to scribble their names on their walls. Had I known about this earlier, I would’ve come prepared with my white out pen. Unfortunately, we didn’t leave our mark, but that just means we have to go back again one day. We’ve heard from several friends that they really enjoyed the “atmosphere” of Gino’s East, and I’d say that I agree with them.
It’s kind of dark and almost pub-like in a way, which makes you feel relaxed and cozy. And the pizza itself is known for its “secret yellow crust.” I didn’t know that at the time, so I was really surprised by it. You’ll see me mention it. But you can watch our reactions and hear more about what we have to say in our vlog below:
The Groupon we bought came with an appetizer, and I’m really glad it did because the wait for a deep dish is typically 45 minutes long. They make the pizza fresh when you place your order, so I think it’s worth the wait. We ordered the toasted ravioli, which I’ve had in other places, but what I liked about this one was how big each ravioli was, so you could really sink your teeth into them and taste the fluffy velvety insides.
I’m not going to start controversy and get too detailed about the pizza and how I like it compared to the other above mentioned places. I’m too new to this city, and I might start a war. I totally get it. That’s how Philly people are with our cheesesteaks. But I will say that we both enjoyed it. It was super hot and cheesy, like the kind of saucy cheesy pizza you want in your dreams, where the mozzarella stretches for days. And there is something interesting about their “yellow crust.” We will definitely go back again.
Thanks for coming to Gino’s East with us. Remember to subscribe to our new Youtube vlog channel:
where we’ll continue to post more videos like this one. We hope to keep discovering our new home in Chicago, one bite at a time.
