Gino's East Pizza

Gino's East - Best pizza in Lakeview

This review is for Gino's East in Lakeview, which in my opinion has the best pizza in Lakeview.

Gino’s East on North Wells is a great example of Chicago pizza, and one that you MUST experience if you’re staying near Lincoln Park or Lakeview. I stopped in on a Tuesday night, and despite being noticeably busy with delivery and carry-out orders, their staff was happy to help a walk-in.

The cashier assured me they would have me out in 10 minutes, and they did. For $6.59 I enjoyed a delicious, personal-sized sausage and pepperoni that was honestly one of the best I’ve ever had. The personal pizza is cut in squared slices, which adds up to about 9 smaller-sized slices and is the perfect amount of food if you're just feeding yourself.

There is a small dining room at Gino’s East and they are a BYOB restaurant, making it a killer spot for a cheap date night. I grabbed a soda because I always thought Coke and pizza are a money combination, but feel free to bring a couple beers or a bottle of wine. (I don't think they have a corkage fee, but I can't say for certain.) The Gino's East on the Gold Coast is NOT a BYOB restaurant, so don't get that confused.

My only regret? I didn’t order the deep-dish! (The cashier had me sold on the much-quicker thin-crust.) Next time, I’ll be SURE to go Chicago deep-dish, but don’t sleep on the thin-crust if you’re in a hurry. They put the toppings underneath the cheese which is always a great touch, and the sauce at Gino's East was delicious. (I worked in a mom-and-pop pizzeria for seven years, so I consider myself a bit of a pizza expert.)

Overall, a great restaurant experience that I would highly recommend everyone in the Lakeview area try at least once.

This review was made by the www.chicagotraveler.com site editor based on personal experience. Chicago Traveler was not paid for this review, nor will we receive any future compensation for posting this review on our site.

Gino's East Chicago - Best place for deep dish!

Looking for good deep dish? This is the spot! Along with Lou Malnati’s, Gino’s East is definitely one of the best places for original Chicago deep dish pizza! It’s on the Food Network all the time, and it’s a Chicago staple. So if you’re in town, you have to check it out! The food is pretty expensive, but it’s so worth it!

I’ve heard stories about people waited in line for hours to get in, but I got a table right away. They have a thin crust option, but of course I had to try the original deep dish and I wasn’t disappointed. The pizzas are huge!!! I ordered the smallest size for myself, and I could only finish half of it. Deep dish is very filling, so come hungry! The crust tasted almost like cornbread. So yummy! And there was tons of sauce on the pizza, which I love too!

Be prepared though, because it does take about 45 minutes to cook the pizza. So order an appetizer or a pitcher of beer while you wait.

Not only is the food great, but the place is really cool on the inside. The walls are covered in graffiti and it has a really cool vibe. We also got great service!

This is a must go to restaurant if you’re in Chicago visiting.

This review was made by the www.chicagotraveler.com site editor based on personal experience. Chicago Traveler was not paid for this review, nor will we receive any future compensation for posting this review on our site.