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    VinnyD's

    4.7 (203 reviews)
    InexpensiveGelato, Shaved Ice, Hot Dogs
    Closed 2:00 pm - 7:00 PM

    VinnyD's Photos

    VINNYD'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

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    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.

    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!

    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.

    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.

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    7 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Drove from Minneapolis to try the pizza puff ! So good and vinny hooked us up with fries ! Great service and gelato tasted amazing too

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

    The most delicious chocolate and vanilla soft serve twist. Yum! Perfect way to end the night.

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    5 years ago

    This place was BOMB.com. Workers were hecka cool! Most definitely coming back when we visit

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    8 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Delicious Italian ice! Owner So friendly and so nice offering me several samples to make my selection. Support this neighborhood gem!

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Staff is friendly and food is amazing! Best italian beef in town. dog friendly place with walk up window.

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    8 years ago

    Good food, great friendly hospitality! Its a benefit to have nice small business owners in the neighborhood.

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    9 years ago

    Great spot! Gelato is amazing and the Italian beef was on point. Great addition to division and will be a neighborhood hot spot!

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    6 years ago

    Italian cookie gelato is a gift from god. Wonderful service! Always feels like family at VinnyD's.

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    9 years ago

    Great Selections of Gelato, superb services and clean facility.. Must visit, highly recommended!!! Thanks to Vince and Vinny!!

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    9 years ago

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    6 years ago

    This place is AMAZING! Great people, great customer service, great food, and FANTASTIC GELATO!!

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    8 years ago

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    Page 4 of 6

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    Portillo's & Barnelli's Chicago

    Portillo's & Barnelli's Chicago

    3.9
    (7.3k reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    Jeremiah was very helpful and polite with my assistance with an error in my order and provided…read moreservice quickly and effectively

    Visited on a very busy weekend and had a good time. Line went to the exterior door to order on the…read morekiosk, took 5-10 minutes to get there. Ordering is straight forward with lots of customizations. Picking up your food is a bit hectic as there is a main pick up counter and a separate area for pick up if they are swamped. It'll be announced on the speakers. Took close to an hour for our order to be called, customers crowd the pick up counter even though they just ordered so be prepared to squeeze past people to get your food. Tables are also taken up by customers waiting for their group to grab their food. Seating is on both levels and outside so it's somewhat plentiful but expect some issues if you go at a peak time. As for the food we got the Italian beef, Chicago hotdog, fries, chocolate cake, and the cake shake. The Italian beef is amazing! Would recommend getting that along with extra peppers! The peppers really bring it all together. The Chicago dog was alright, it is good, fresh, and different from your normal hotdog. Fries were fries, they accommodated the meal well but wasn't anything outstanding. Our uber driver recommended the chocolate cake and the shake. I would say the cake is just average, it was a little under 'moist' status and the fudge icing is a little too sweet but maybe that's just how you would picture chocolate cake. The cake shake is the better version of it, mixed with their chocolate shake it felt nicer to suck it up through a straw. If you sign up for their rewards you'll get the cake for $1 Overall not a bad experience, they are opening a new location by the river in downtown so that might help with wait times. Highly recommend that Italian beef!!

    Photos
    Portillo's & Barnelli's Chicago
    Portillo's & Barnelli's Chicago
    Portillo's & Barnelli's Chicago

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    Al's Beef

    Al's Beef

    4.3
    (469 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    One of Chicago's most renowned Italian Beef Sandwiches, originating in 1938. A special trip to try…read moreit, and it was truly satisfying. Regular Combo: A combination of beef and sausage. The meat portion was very generous; the beef was thinly sliced ​​but juicy and not dry or hard at all; the sausage had a rich smoky flavor, not too salty, and tastes a lot like Harbin red sausage. Al's Classic Hand-Cut Fries: They were piping hot when I received them, so touching! I couldn't taste the hand-cut texture, but there was a spice powder similar to salt and pepper, and the flavor was quite good.

    3-ish stars rounded up. The roast beef was a little on the dry-stringy side but the bread was…read morespongy-soft (absorbed the beef drippings so well!). Kinda skimpy on the fixings on the Chicago dog, but still gets the job done if you're craving a Chicago dog. Fries are the type that are greasy to the touch; not my fave style of fries but I know it's a well-liked one to others. Super friendly lady at the cashier (all smiles, patient, and offered menu help)! Also fast service (got my order within a few minutes). I visited on a Saturday late afternoon and it was very chill here (also shoutout to the early 2000's era music playing :p it was a vibe). Overall I'd say it's not a bad food spot at all if you want a quick bite and want to be a little away from the Magnificent Mile crowds.

    Photos
    March 5, 2024
    March 5, 2024
    Keto style double with bacon
    Keto style double with bacon
    Italian Big Beef

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    Italian Big Beef
    Jim's Original

    Jim's Original

    4.2
    (792 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $

    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.

    I've eaten a lot of Polish Sausage in my day and I just assumed it was the kind of thing that…read morecouldn't really be improved upon. I was so wrong. The Polish Sausage they're serving up at Jim's is so much better than any I've had before that it's almost an entirely different thing. It's just so flavorful and delicious. The spicing is phenomenal and the sausage itself is extremely above average. And it's taken over the top by the fresh bun and superb sautéed onions. I joked that we should start every day with one of these sausages, and while we didn't actually do that, I feel like that would've only enhanced our trip.

    Photos
    Short line today
    Short line today
    Before.... Polish Sausage Sandwich
    Before.... Polish Sausage Sandwich
    Sign from around the corner.

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    Sign from around the corner.
    Gene & Jude's

    Gene & Jude's

    4.2
    (2.6k reviews)
    9.3 mi
    $

    No Seats! No Ketchup! No Pretense! No Nonsense!…read more Pay attention! 70 Years. That's right. 70 YEARS!! Ahh yes, Gene & Jude's in River Grove, Illinois. I will always have fond memories of eating a ton of hot dog lunches here. It occurred during my 'serious' working life at Jensen Sound Labs in nearby Schiller Park. Back in the day, Gene & Jude's was a teensey tiny, stand-and-eat-over-a-counter-french-fries-stuffed-into-your-snappy-Vienna-Beef-dog kinda place. It still has a devoted cult following. As it is with all good things, the restaurant has only become bigger and better! Gene & Jude's has such a wonderful location near and around many office buildings that house large companies. And a forest preserve nearby. Today, the same hot dog and fries combo I ate back in the day is still a great value for struggling sound mixers and speaker-based Motorola employees and of course, all the other working class. The snappy Vienna Beef Dog with the only condiments, consisting of yellow mustard, green relish, onions, and sport peppers, then smothered and covered in fries, "Depression style", is currently priced at $4.69! You need to visit this icon if you're ever in the Northwest Chicago area suburbs. You won't regret it.

    Still the Greatest hotdog on the planet after eating here for 45+ years and my parents eating years…read moreand years before me everything is still the same ambience inside of the restaurant. It's standing room only to eat your hotdog. The line is always out the door, 15 minute wait for the greatest hotdog known to man. The food taste exactly the same as it did 45 years ago the service is faster than ever the inside has never changed since I was a little kid after many nights of being at the thirsty whale which was adjacent behind Gene and Jude's is where all the rockers hung out and the greatest bands of Chicago came through ..their we would eat hotdogs at two and three in the morning. My children are now full teenagers, and got to experience the Gene and Jude hotdog and we're delighted beyond belief now living outside of Chicago coming into town to have the greatest hot dog and still be exactly the same. The fries are exactly the same ,the inside exactly the same, with a few more awards. This is 100% the best Chicago, hot dog and greatest hotdog on the planet. You must visit this place just to experience the years and years and years of excellence. Enjoy!!... May it bless your life as it has mine. God bless Gene and Jude's team. Keep the tradition and hots going. PS don't forget to get your Gene and Jude's merch. It is now available. Cheers

    Photos
    The inside of the restaurant
    The inside of the restaurant
    Single Hot dog/with Fries
    Single Hot dog/with Fries
    Nov 2025.

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    Nov 2025.
    The Wieners Circle

    The Wieners Circle

    3.6
    (1.2k reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $

    Stopped by The Wiener's Circle and had a fun Chicago experience. I had the Chicago style hot dog,…read moreand it was exactly what you'd want, classic toppings, plenty of flavor, and a solid dog overall. What really makes this place stand out is the personality. The staff is famously surly, and that's clearly part of the experience, so if you know that going in it adds to the fun. It's more playful than serious and definitely gives the place its own character. I also thought it was cool how they give out free dogs after Bears wins. That kind of generosity and local spirit makes it feel like a true neighborhood staple. Definitely a memorable stop and one of those places that feels uniquely Chicago.

    You can't come to Chicago and not get a red hot, which is why we found ourselves driving fairly out…read moreof our way to The Wieners Circle. They had some options on the menu but we both opted for the Vienna Red Hot ("char"). It's a solid dog. The wiener is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the star of the show. It's got a terrific char and an irresistible snap. The flavor is better-than-average, too. The condiments didn't really do much for me, and I found something on there just way, way too salty. (The pickle, maybe?) Anyway, it's a quick, cheap, easy meal. I'd certainly eat it again.

    Photos
    Late Night Stop @ The Wiener's Circle.2622 N Clark St, Chicago, IL Chicago Institution.Hot Dogs Char Burgers Char Polish.Great Fries.Cool!
    Late Night Stop @ The Wiener's Circle.2622 N Clark St, Chicago, IL Chicago Institution.Hot Dogs Char Burgers Char Polish.Great Fries.Cool!
    Char Turkey Burger w/Cheese & Grill Onions @ The Wiener's Circle.Chicago, IL Hot Dogs Char Burgers Char Polish.Great Fries.Cool!
    Char Turkey Burger w/Cheese & Grill Onions @ The Wiener's Circle.Chicago, IL Hot Dogs Char Burgers Char Polish.Great Fries.Cool!
    Char dog and fries.

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    Char dog and fries.
    Fatso's Last Stand

    Fatso's Last Stand

    4.1
    (993 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    I had read about how Fatso's does the char dog. I made this my last meal in Chicago…read more I went with a char dog, depression style, an order of fries, and a side of the Merkts cheddar. How was it? Fries- Delicious! Fresh cut fries, made right in front of you. They were great! Huge portion, too! Merkts Cheddar Sauce- Hell yeah! Give me a gallon of this, and I will chug it! Such a tasty cheese sauce. Loved dipping my fries in it. Great combo! Char Dog- This dog was delicious! Great char, great toppings. My only beef would be the bun. It definitely could have been more soft/steamed and fresh. It held up pretty well, but there were a couple bites where it broke and flaked apart. Hate when that happens. Still...didn't ruin the overall experience. Had a great last meal in Chicago before I headed to the airport.

    Fatso's Last Stand delivers exactly what its name promises: unapologetically indulgent, old-school…read morecomfort food done right. The burgers are the shining stars -- juicy, generously sized, and cooked to perfection with toppings that strike the perfect balance of classic and creative. Whether you go for a stacked cheeseburger, bacon-loaded option, or a specialty creation, the patties are flavorful and satisfyingly beefy, with a great char and use of quality ingredients that keeps diners coming back. Beyond burgers, the menu also features hearty eats like crispy fries, loaded sandwiches, and thick milkshakes, all served with a no-frills attitude that lets the food speak for itself. Service at Fatso's Last Stand matches the laid-back but attentive vibe of the restaurant -- staff are friendly, efficient, and know regulars by name, creating a welcoming, neighborhood-favorite energy. While the pace can get lively during peak hours, especially on weekends, the team handles the rush with good humor and keeps orders moving. The ambiance is casual and retro in all the right ways, with diner-style seating and a comfortable, unpretentious environment that makes it perfect for relaxed lunches, casual dinners with friends, or late-night burger runs. It's not fancy, but when your focus is on big, delicious burgers and familiar comfort food, Fatso's delivers exactly what you're craving.

    Photos
    Fatso's Last Stand
    Merkts Cheddar.
    Merkts Cheddar.
    Double Fatso with Cheese + Fries

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    Double Fatso with Cheese + Fries

    VinnyD's - gelato - Updated June 2026

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