Gino’s East is where you go when you want good deep-dish pizza! It is practically a Chicago institution. There are several locations around the Chicago area, and the food is the same at all of them. Gino’s East combines old-world Italy with fast-paced Chicago. They give you just enough of Italy so that you relax, but not enough so that you linger. The table clothes are red-and-white checkered, the music is Italian, and there is memorabilia of famous Italians on the walls.
There is a full-service bar here, so it is sometimes a popular place for people to gather to watch the games. The beer is slightly overpriced, but the wine is a pretty good deal. I would suggest getting a carafe because the price is a lot cheaper for the number of glasses that you will be getting.
I know that you came for the pizza, but I would suggest getting the family-style salad to start off with. It is a bottomless bowl, so you can eat as much as you want, and the dressing is wonderful. It is a little tangy and refreshing but not overpowering. The salad consists of lettuce (a combination, but mostly iceberg), cucumbers, tomatoes, croutons, onions, and black olives. In addition, if you are looking for a starter, the mozzarella sticks and bruschetta aren’t half bad.
For pizza, get the deep dish; it is one of the best that Chicago has to offer. The crust is what makes this pizza a better offering than a lot of others in the area. It is a cornmeal crust (I believe) and not nearly as heavy as others that I have tasted. While this dinner will by no means be light, you don’t feel like you have eaten a rock after you have had a slice or two of the pizza. My favorite type of the pizza is the supreme, and I would suggest it to everyone. The pizza doesn’t get lost in the toppings, but there is a nice balance between the toppings, the sauce, and the cheese.
In addition to pizza, Gino’s East also has some decent entrées. Their lasagna and spaghetti are pretty good. But go for the pizza - it’s what everyone comes for.