Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    VinnyD's

    4.7 (206 reviews)
    InexpensiveGelato, Shaved Ice, Hot Dogs
    Open 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    VinnyD's Photos

    VINNYD'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - VinnyD's

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Shaved ice
    AJ L.

    The place was great. It is a little hole in the wall and they had such thinly fine shaved ice. The flavors were also very good although since it was so hot it just melted into a sweet mess at there end. But I would definitely go here again on a hot day.

    Shaved Ice
    Angelica S.

    This was my second time here, I was craving a cold sweet treat! The mini size even though a small cup, still had a good portion size. They have different types of food and drink options on the menu. I haven't tried their food but maybe next time. The staff is very welcoming, and the service was somewhat quick depending on the time of day! It a little hidden but I like the lights they have and the outdoor seating!

    Curly fries
    Lakeisha H.

    Back at it again! Love this place such a cool spot in the summer. Best Italian Ice in the city. The entire family loves it and they always provide great service.

    Italian Beef.  Juicy hot style.
    Scott S.

    Vinny D's may well have the best Italian Beef in Chicago. I've been to dozens upon dozens, but these folks have created something truly special. Let's break it down: Beef Of course it's thinly sliced like you would expect, but the tenderness is melt-in-your-mouth. A quality meat is used that's clearly cooked at the right temp for the proper amount of time. Easily pulls apart with your fingers; never mushy. Certainly never chewy. Not a sliver of fat or gristle shows up. Juice The juice features the exact right amount and type of herbs and spices. Sitting at the bottom of your sandwich container will be exactly what you want to see in terms of the Juice: Not too watery; with tiny oil slicks floating on the top here and there. It's a perfect balance. Getting that right is no easy task. The Giardiniera (hot variety) I'm doubtful that the giardiniera is Vienna Beef brand, and that's a good thing. I love the Vienna style but it gets old. I need to ask these guys, but this could very well be home-made. There's little cubes of cauliflower in theirs which, while it's a small detail, provides an amazing little texture crunch and taste to the experience. Inspired Bread As far as I'm concerned, this is what sets apart the 'okay' level from the 'spectacular' category. They have absolutely nailed the bread. It's never stale and chewy like so many places. Oh no. It's packed full of flavor. Most importantly, and I cannot stress this enough, it HOLDS TOGETHER from beginning to end. I've even taken their Italian Beef sandwiches home to eat. 10min of walking later, I break out the sandwich. That bread is not only still in one piece, it maintains its structural integrity until the last bite. Listen, if you know about Italian Beef and the bread....you know that's a serious accomplishment. Many places lately the bread is positively falling apart after 2 bites. Not here. Consistency Lastly, and most importantly, let's talk about consistency. Anyone can get a great sandwich going at least some of the time. Only a handful can knock it out of the part most or all of the time, and these folks do it. I've eaten quite a few at Vinny Ds at this point, and it's been the exact same quality every single time. It takes real discipline to not get sleepy and lazy and sloppy when making something as simple as an Italian Beef sandwich, so a huge round of applause for the staff. Staff Always friendly. Always cool. Final Bravo, Vinny Ds. Bravo.

    Italian cookie gelato was amazing!!! Creamy and delicious

    I stopped by and Carlos was asking people to try free samples. He was sooo friendly and sweet. So I got the Italian cookie gelato. It's sooo good! Highly recommend stopping by this family owned spot!

    Lemonade "slushy" Cherry slushy  Root beer float

    Imma give them 4 stars even though I was really disappointed they handled my concern when I had a question. We stopped at Vinny's around 7:30 PM on Sunday evening when it was very hot. We ordered two slushy's lemonade and a cherry and a root beer float. There was no slushy in the lemonade, It was all drink. When I went back up to the counter to let them know I got lemonade the lady behind the counter went on a tangent for a good 30 seconds and I couldn't understand a word she said except for "do you want to give it back?" After all that I said no thank you and took my slushy back and drank my lemonade. The cherry slushy was fine. It had slush in it and the root beer float was good. I won't let their rude customer service or failure to give me a lemonade slushy stop me from going back cause if I'm being honest, the lemonade was actually fire!

    Italian Ice (Kiwi and Strawberry)

    Cute little shop with fun summer options as well as good food options. I went for Italian ice the one day it was warm in Chicago miraculously and it did not disappoint.

    Beef!

    Incredible service, and the best Italian beef I've ever had. Carlos and Mary are both amazing! I'll be returning as soon as we're back in town.

    Medium Oreo Gelato on Waffle Cone
    Mikei J.

    My family and I were walking up Division and stumbled upon VinnyD's. I'm glad we did. I'd never heard of it. The guys at the shop are super friendly. We were able to taste many different flavors prior to ordering. The Gelato is EPIC!! I hate to say that my husband got the chocolate milkshake and it was not good. None of us liked the milkshake but we all LOVED the Gelato. The shop being a walkup has a vintage feel and very welcoming. I definitely recommend.

    Supermam ice cream
    Savanah A.

    Amazing ice cream! The kids gots gelato and Italian ice everything was so tasty!! Super friendly service. They even give pup cups to the furry friends:) We will be coming back!

    Italian Ice (kiwi strawberry + vanilla gelato)
    Julia Q.

    Lovely spot to try a variety of Chicago classics. We came here to try italian beef, but ended up ordering a scoop of Italian ice and a Chicago dog as well. The Chicago dog was by far my favorite item- great ratio of all the traditional toppings, great value for the price we paid. It may have been the best Chicago dog I've tried. The italian beef was also tasty, but the flavor was mostly coming from the giardiniera/pickled veggies rather than the meat itself (beware if you aren't a fan of spice! I am someone who loves spice and even I found myself picking out some of the jalapeños). The portion size was also pretty small. I would recommend ordering the Italian ice to enjoy out on their patio- make sure to add gelato (in my opinion, the best part!) Note: I went on a really nice Chicago summer day, and they only had patio seating available. The inside/restrooms seemed blocked off from customers.

    Nutella, coconut, Oreo , strawberry chip.

    See all

    Photo of Carla L.
    73
    82
    74

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    27 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lakeisha H.
    14
    124
    198

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Carlton J.
    33
    678
    465

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Danny H.
    294
    15
    2

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Always friendly and accommodating and the shaved ice is impeccable along with the mini tacos

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jenn A.
    70
    70
    8

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Maggie R.
    1187
    1
    0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dave S.
    120
    126
    157

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Service is always great. Italian ice and dipped beef with their homemade giardiniera is always spot on.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Angelina I.
    33
    415
    923

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of M. D.
    174
    111
    34

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Great Italian ice great food and great conversation with the owner and employees! I recommend the pistachio gelato best I ever had!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    OMG, YUM! I forgot to take a picture before I ate it all! Coming back for Italian Ice very soon! Nice people, great service!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bart C.
    1
    178
    17

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - VinnyD's

    You might also consider

    Devil Dawgs-Gold Coast

    Devil Dawgs-Gold Coast

    4.4(310 reviews)
    2.3 miNear North Side
    Locally owned & operated
    Outdoor seating

    Small entry way but you don't need much to order food. They have seating outside as well if you're…read moreinterested. You have the option of placing an order at the kiosk or with an employee. Being a newbie I wasn't sure where to start as the menu is a lot to take in. I settled on: Double backyard burger no cheese or tomato - 7/10 - I like my doubles a little thinner, not a slight to them just what I was expecting. I could've definitely did one burger and been satisfied. Burger was seasoned decent and the pickles were really good. Icelandic dog (no honey mustard, added relish). -10/10 - I loved everything about this dog. The bite, the spice, the toppings.

    Never had a Chicago style hot dog before and that was something on my Chicago bucket list during my…read morerecent trip. No idea how this compares to other places in the city but the one I got here was everything I hoped for and more. Top tier hot dog. Even if the bun was split in two and the whole thing was falling apart. My son got a cheese slider and we each got a drink and shared a small bag of fries. All together the total came to $26.05. It was incredibly crowded; it was hard to squeeze into the shop to order. But once we did, the food came out relatively quickly and we were lucky to get a table outside in the shade where it was quite pleasant. Just a block off of Michigan Avenue so easy to get to. Would definitely return the next time I'm in town and would recommend to others.

    Photos
    Devil Dawgs-Gold Coast
    Devil Dawgs-Gold Coast
    Devil Dawgs-Gold Coast

    See all

    Jim's Original - Polish Sausage Sandwich

    Jim's Original

    4.2(797 reviews)
    2.9 miUniversity Village
    $

    A LOCAL CLASSIC! I…read moreloved this spot so much I ended up coming back twice. It has that classic late night comfort food vibe and feels like one of those staple spots you have to try at least once. First night I ordered a polish hot dog with everything on it and a fish sandwich w/ extra grilled onions. Super cool that your order comes with fries and I added a cheese cup both times. In my opinion the fries were mid the first go around, but second time they were better. Definitely tasted better dipped in cheese. They were kinda airy in texture, if that makes sense. Polish hot dog was around a 6.5-7/10 for me. It did taste better warmed up the next day. What I was most obsessed with was the double cheeseburger and fish sandwich! both were easily a 10/10. Super good prices and worth the money. Also, the chile peppers were sooo bomb and hotter than I expected ! I wanted to eat them all, but they were packing some serious heat! The lemon Italian ice is where it's at, make sure to order one! You can also mix it with strawberry, but both times people recommended the lemon and now I see why. The line gets super active and busy past 10-11pm, but during the daytime it's way less crowded. Even when it gets packed the line moves pretty quick. They stay open late and close at 1am which is nice.

    The smell of caramelized onions hits pretty much immediately as you approach the window. No line…read moremidday. We were served quickly and got the polish sausage that comes with fries. Both were nice and hot. Fries were crispy and that first snap into the juicy sausage was worth the trip. No seating, so be prepared to eat in your car and get a bit messy. Also be warned the peppers are legitimately spicy, those serranos had my partner sweating. Glad I tried it, but not something I'd eat all the time, great late night drinking kind of food.

    Photos
    Jim's Original - Short line today

    Short line today

    Jim's Original - Before.... Polish Sausage Sandwich

    Before.... Polish Sausage Sandwich

    Jim's Original - Sign from around the corner.

    See all

    Sign from around the corner.

    Superdawg Drive-In - Superdawg (all the "trimmings"): A hefty Chicago-style hot dog that is absolutely LOADED!

    Superdawg Drive-In

    4.0(2.1k reviews)
    8.8 miNorwood Park
    $$

    Oh, Superdawg...according to Yelp, I've checked in here 17 (!!!!) times, but I'm pretty sure I've…read morebeen here at least 20 times! We live just a mile away from Superdawg and just went here with our 4-year-old son, who calls it "hot dogs on the roof." Whenever I'm hungry for a Chicago dog and delicious fries, I immediately head to Superdawg to satisfy my craving. There is no other place like it, and it's a true Chicago establishment. I like that there are options for where you can eat. You can eat in your car and have the car hop bring you food. You can eat outside at the picnic tables. Or you can order inside and eat in their dining area. I also just found out that they provide catering! Superdawg will always hold a special place in my heart, and I hope that it remains open for generations to come.

    Flew into Chicago late, wanted a taste of Chicago but didn't want to head back into the city so…read moredecided to try Superdawg (on our list for a while). It was almost 11pm (they're open until 2am on Fridays.) and there were at least a dozen other vehicles in their drive-in stalls. Ordered their specialties, a Superdawg and Whoopskidawg with Superfries, Chocolate Super Malt and Black Kows. Service was fast and friendly at 11pm on a Friday. We were eating in our rental car in apx 10 min. It was cool to eat outside on a warm July night in a classic, 1950s style drive-in. The food was excellent, flavorful and fresh. I normally avoid krinkle cut fries because they are usually frozen and mushy or mealy. Not Superfries. These fresh cut fries were practically fried mashed potatoes. We loved them! The drinks were perfect. The Black Kows is basically a root beer float and served with an extra root beer "sidecar." Our only complaints were about errors with the garnishes. We specifically said we wanted all the garnishes on both dawgs and they only gave us the standard grilled onions on the Whoopskidawg and forgot the sport peppers on the Superdawg. Otherwise we loved everything. We might go back next week (before we fly home) because I really want to try their Whoopercheesie Burger and maybe a Supersundae. (Menu Descriptions/Prices) Superdawg Not a wiener - not a frankfurter - not a red hot - but our exclusive... Superdawg™. On a poppy seed bun, we tenderly place the loveliest, juiciest creation of pure beef hot dog (no pork, no veal, no cereal, no filler), formally dressed with all the trimmings, escorted by our often imitated, but never equaled, Superfries™. Served with all the trimmings - golden mustard, tangy piccalilli, kosher dill pickle, chopped Spanish onions and a memorable hot pepper. $9.30 Whoopskidawg Our char-broiled version of a Romanian, Hungarian, Polish sausage; basted in our special sauce, and served on a Whoopskiroll™, with grilled onion and a pickle. $12.05 Superfries For extra pleasure an extra measure of Superfries™. $4.35 or $6.95 - Try 'em with cheese! Supermalts and Supershakes A full pint of smooth creamy refreshment so thick we put straws in them only to prove that you can't draw them through. (We will gladly thin them down, if you prefer them that way.) Flavors: double rich chocolate, mellow vanilla, real-fruit strawberry or pineapple. $5.80 - Regular $7.10 - Large Black Kows A beverage--a dessert--a snack. Chunks of ice cream floating in a foamy sea of root beer. You can drink it. You can eat it. You can do both at once. $6.20

    Photos
    Superdawg Drive-In - Maurie and Flaurie

    Maurie and Flaurie

    Superdawg Drive-In - Cheese burger

    Cheese burger

    Superdawg Drive-In - SuperDawg. (keepsmilingphoto.com)

    See all

    SuperDawg. (keepsmilingphoto.com)

    Devil Dawgs -  South State

    Devil Dawgs - South State

    4.0(1.1k reviews)
    3.1 miSouth Loop
    $
    Locally owned & operated
    Vegan friendly

    You really can't go wrong with a classic Polish topped with grilled onions and mustard. Simple,…read moreflavorful, and exactly what I was craving! This place has a fun, nostalgic vibe that reminds me of neighborhood hot dog stands from the '80s. The vintage photos and décor give it plenty of character, making it feel like an old-school Chicago spot. The fountain drink selection is impressive, with plenty of choices to satisfy just about anyone. The prices are fair, the portions are satisfying, and the restaurant is clean and inviting. My only drawback is the ordering system. While ordering from a touchscreen is quick and efficient, I think it takes away some of the personal interaction between customers and staff. It's not a dealbreaker, but I do miss being greeted by someone behind the counter and placing my order the old-fashioned way. Overall, it's a great place to grab a bite. If you're looking for a tasty Chicago-style Polish in a casual setting, this spot is definitely worth checking out. I'll definitely be back.

    Intrigued by the Icelandic Dawg which has similar ingredients to the traditional Danish Red hotdog…read morewith everything :-). Had to try it out, kinda pricey at $8.50 but hit the spot and has a kick to it! Only thing missing was really the pickles on top :-) Not a really busy location past dinner time. Service was not the fastest, but made to order :-)

    Photos
    Devil Dawgs -  South State
    Devil Dawgs -  South State
    Devil Dawgs -  South State

    See all

    VinnyD's - gelato - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...