A little bit confusing to figure out where to go once you arrive, but once we figured it out everyone was incredibly nice. The atmosphere was like an old Italian bistro and it had excellent views outside. Our Server was prompt and attentive, food was incredible, and drinks tasted great! First time here and I 100% recommend! read more

In a town that is catering to tourists, I get the appeal of this place. You walk up one of the hills to enter through the "deli" area and are seated in one of many various rooms of what appears to be a house. Children are welcome and there is a limited menu for them as well. But, when you are paying these prices, you expect a little bit more than what VV's has to offer. First, the toasted ravioli's are clearly mass-produced and just heated at the restaurant. Then, people must love the idea of salad and garlic bread (like the OG), but this is not a great offering. The bread is like that you would get at a pizza place with your order of pasta and the salad is literally swamped in onions and dressing. The pasta is house made, and fine, but that was about all that was okay. The veal marsala is just odd. The sauce is the consistency of a thick, brown gravy and it just serves to disguise the over-cooked meat. At over $100 for one adult and two kids, you'd be better-off elsewhere. Extra star for the wonderful service from Gracie. read more

I had a great dinner here with my family tonight! We had made a reservation for 4 people at 4:30pm (all we could get when we checked the day before), but it was worth it. Cute interior with multiple little dining rooms, it did feel a little maze-like when looking for the bathroom. I would also say our table was quite small for a party of four. I kept knocking knees with my neighbors. The food and service were excellent, especially the garlic bread, yum! Salad was great, and the pasta was all tasty and we all took home leftovers. For those saying it was pricy, this feels standard for Galena since they have so much tourism. Anyway, happy to have gone and tried it, would love to come back someday. read more

Vinny Vanucchi's - Baked Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Galena, Illinois

See all

5 stars for the experience! They accommodated a large group of us on a girl's trip and the server was wonderful when dealing with us all! The restaurant alone is so cool. The amazing smell of Italian cuisine right when you walk in the door is to die for. Each room is different themed so make sure you walk around and check it out! We started with bruschetta which was really good. I opted for good old school fettuccini with chicken and broccoli. It was good, but nothing crazy different than normal. I would go back and recommend you try it out! read more

Vinny Vanucchi's - Bruschetta - Italian Near Me - Galena, Illinois

See all

We came here one night for dinner on a girls trip, there was a group of 5 of us. I'm not sure if it was dumb luck, God's grace, or just convenience that we ended up walking in and getting the best table in the house (on the patio). We even had a frequent patron leave the restaurant and tell us we were lucky to have the best table there! Our waiter was quick, friendly, helpful, and surprisingly patient with us as we continually reminded him he looked like Adam Devine haha On to the food! The first thing, everything was great. I wouldn't recommend getting starters, an entree, and dessert unless you're really hungry. We got 2 bruschetta to split, but out came a huge salad and basket of garlic bread before we even got our pasta entrees. Since the tiramisu looked delightful, we had to get it. It was big enough that we got 3 tiramisu for our group of 5 to split and we were all stuffed full by the end. They have a good wine list to choose from, and a yummy list of cocktails. The only downside was a lack of NA options. We had a pregnant friend join and she got a strawberry lemonade which she liked, but would have liked a virgin cocktail or NA wine instead. read more

See all

We sat out on the patio was a great evening. Our server was wonderful and our pasta was delicious. read more

See all

Really cute place tucked away. The prices are expensive for the amount of food you get but being in an area that is highly touristy it's to be expected. Definitely would go back here. The flavor of the food was great. The service was slow and we had to ask for things over again but not sure why! I'm hope the server just was having an off day. read more

See all

If my husband was writing this review, he would have given in 5 stars. He felt his pasta was the best he ever had! Mine a little less so, but all else was great. Let's start with drinks - I had the Raspberry Limoncello Martini - and it was outstanding. I would go just for that drink. My hubby had his fave Conundrum Red Blend and was very happy. Our meals came with unlimited salad and garlic bread. My husband thinks I'm crazy, but I thought the salad (along with my drink) was the best part of the meal. I absolutely loved the salad / dressing. Next time - I would go just for the salad and garlic bread. Hubby couldn't get enough of the garlic bread. I will admit - it was quite good! For entrees - he got the Baked Seafood Italiano and literally (even today) he can't stop raving about it. I was not allowed a bite of it - since he wanted it all to himself. I got the Spaghitti Olio - and while I liked the flavor of it (and the mixture of spices), it was literaly soaking / dripping in the olive oil. It took a bit of the "love" of the dish away from me. I loved the atmosphere of the restaurant - and while the outside would have been nice to sit (if warmer), I would have missed the coziness of the inside. Our server was great and they welcomed us from the get go b/c it was our anniversary week. It was just a lovely place and I would recommend it. read more

The food was amazing the menu had options for all people. Their strip steak was delicious; I recommend it and the lemoncello was to die for. The staff is so helpful and friendly, especially our waitress, Megan, who was very helpful and really made the dinner nice. read more

Vinny Vanucchi's - This is the NY 12 ounce strip steak cooked medium with fries. Absolutely delicious totally recommend. - Italian Near Me - Galena, Illinois

My daughter and I tried this restaurant this past weekend on a 3 day visit. All I can say is EXCELLENT! You must try the seafood stuffed mushrooms. We were served promptly and our server was very knowledgeable about the community and professional. The ambiance of the restaurant was very comfortable. We had a window seat and we enjoyed watching main street as we dined. They have an excellent selection of wines. Don't miss the chance to visit. read more

The food was amazing but the BREAD was THE BEST! I loved the ambiance it's really got that old Italian feel. read more

Vinny Vanucchi's - Italian Near Me - Galena, Illinois

I recently tried Vinny Vanucchi's for the first time during an outing to Galena. It's a very cute Italian restaurant in a great location adjacent to all the cute shops. I got the chicken Parmesan that comes with salad and bread. The bread is amazing! It's topped with Parmesan and unlimited. The entree was pretty solid as well and a huge portion. It was a beautiful day, so we sat outside. The server was very quick and attentive. It's a nice choice while shopping. read more

See all

This place is huge & very cute inside with lots of little dining rooms, it looks like you're walking around Italy. Food was just ok & prices are too high Started with garlic bread & salad, both were good I had Auntie somebody's Ragu it was baked & ok. Portions appear to be larger for the non baked dishes, or at least look larger in bigger serving bowls. Wife had the seafood pasta bake & it was just ok also. Menu said it had real crabmeat, ours had no crab just shrimp & scallops Bill was over $90 B4 tip & after credit card charge was added. read more

Vinny Vanucchi's - I'm in Italy! - Italian Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Overall, a nice place and good Italian food. Nothing bad, nothing stood out. For Galena, I'd go back. Very nice experience and ambience. I would have loved to have had something a little more "standout-ish" or "experiential? Perhaps a unique flavor, perhaps a heavily garlic-ed dish, perhaps something that would make me say, "man I want to come back here." It was simply a quiet dinner in a tourist area, with mainstream food. read more

Let's talk about being nickel and dimed for a moment. If you cannot adjust your pricing in your menu to reflect on the final bill, then you shouldnt be doing business. Charging folks for using a credit card is stupid. If it's hidden in the costs, then I don't see it and get all pissy. But when you don't, especially when we didn't enjoy our meal, then I will complain. Had the carbonara with white sauce, and one of the other in our group ordered a seafood Alfredo. The white sauce was watery. Bland. Forgetful. And it's a shame because the salad and bread with butter are amazing. I had high expectations after the apps. The red sauce was pretty good, and should have gone with that. But whatever. It's a tourist town and this place has an amazing location with very cool building. It's a shame they nickel and dime folks who are here visiting. Won't be back. read more

Vinny Vanucchi's - Italian Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Stopped here for lunch with the hubby. The entire atmosphere and decor screams authentic Italian. The food was very fresh and authentic to it's Italian tradition. I dove right in before getting a chance to take a picture. The service was above and beyond. The prices are very affordable especially for how much they serve you. We will definitely be coming back with the family. read more

See all

Loved our dinner! Our waitress suggested both dishes and she knew what she was talking about. read more

See all

I am absolutely in love with Vinny's. When we knew we were coming to Galena, this place kept popping up everywhere so we knew we had to stop in here for dinner. You walk up to the second level and are immediately met with the smell of Italian food. The ambiance is absolutely lovely and it's so cute with the antiques everywhere and red checked tablecloths. My parents and I were there early for dinner and were some of the only people in one of the dining rooms for a while, and it was wonderful. We started off with some salad and their house raspberry vinaigrette which was so yummy and fresh tasting. Get the garlic bread and thank me later, it is some of the best I've ever had in my life, hands down. And I've had a LOT of garlic bread, so I don't say that lightly. I got the chicken Marsala for dinner and I swear I'm gonna get like 4 meals out of it, the portion is so huge. I treated myself with a French martini, and wowzer, do they ever know how to make a martini! My parents and I then split the tiramisu for dessert in literally like 30 seconds, it was rich, and delicious, and I'm obsessed. If I'm ever back in Galena, I know where I'm having dinner!!! Our waitress (whose name I cannot for the life of me remember) was soooooo nice and thoughtful too though so I wanted to give her a shoutout, she was running around and doing an amazing job. So Vinny's make sure you give her a raise, she has blonde hair and glasses. read more

See all

A charming place, good service. However we gave it 3 stars for these reasons: fettuccine Alfredo was watery/fast food Italian level. Swatting flies a lot! (But to be fair they were in almost every restaurant in Galena had them in summer!) Wine was just ok. I thought the ambiance was cute--think 1950's music and Italian family pictures. It is uphill--you will do stairs. To be fair, I loved my food (Chicken Vinoto) and my husband was super disappointed in the Alfredo. I LOVED the house salad. It's worth a visit we just had some comments, and other reviews have helped us decide where to eat when traveling. read more

Overall the ambiance was inviting and lots of customers. The service was great and seated promptly with some cold ice water and house garlic bread. We tried the fettuccine chicken Alfredo and the spaghetti with meatballs. Needless to say that it was just ok, the chicken needed some flavor and the Alfredo sauce was just ok. The spaghetti was ok and the meatball had some good flavor. They also come with house salad and they have some good wine selections. Nice place to visit when you are in Galena. read more

See all

Delicious authentic Italian food. Quaint atmosphere and excellent service. The chicken penne Romano was amazing! Chicken Marsala was good.

This is a must try Italian restaurant while visiting Galena. This has a bit of a Maggiano's feel but a more casual environment. The waitress was very friendly and attentive. The garlic bread was fantastic! There are many dinner choices but the tortellini with peas and prosciutto was recommended by the waitress and was very good but it was doused in Alfredo sauce. The pasta with spicy sausage I was told was delicious. The vodka lemonade was good and you can never go wrong with a Peroni beer. I will definitely be back next time I'm in the area to try something different! read more

Vinny Vanucchi's - Tortellini with prosciutto mushrooms and peas - Italian Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Serving sizes are huge! I thought the ambiance was good and the very attentive service. The vibe is old-world Italian, which I really appreciate as opposed to the other trendy hipster Italian place in town. If tradition is your gig, you'll like this place. :D read more

We had chicken Marsala and pasta ala Vinny. The Vinny pasta was good but the Marsala was VERY good. Multi level place, very interesting inside, nicely decorated, lots of old pics on the walls. Came with French bread, and an excellent salad. I needed a doggie bag, the pasta and salad portions are large. The salad was in a large bowl so there are multiple servings. On another trip, tried their sandwiches. The chicken one, and Italian beef. Chicken was good, but the Italian beef was only edible. Had some chewy chunks. Very cute place inside, several levels. But the food is meh... read more

Vinny Vanucchi's - Here is a nice "private " room for larger groups - Italian Near Me - Galena, Illinois

This restaurant was fine. The food was adequate. But we had a horrible experience. Here's what happened: On the first night, we attempted to go there as three young women and a child. Looking through the window, we could see about two rooms full of nearly 40 empty tables, as well as empty tables in the rooms with people actually dining. We asked for a table and the host said that we had to wait 30 minutes. We asked if we could wait inside - the host said no. It was negative wind chill. On our way out, we ran into a server who asked where we were going. We said we were leaving because the host said there were no tables available. The server was blatantly astonished, voicing his concern. He said "what?!!?" The next night we made a reservation because nowhere else was open. We sat down only to learn that this was a pyramid scheme. The "restaurant" promised us unlimited bread and salad for the table as it was allegedly included with the ordering of an entree. They barely gave us any. Two in our party ordered meals with side salad and bread. The staff told us directly that because we already had salad and bread coming that they would not supply the promised supplement to the entrees. One of our party ordered the salad, bread, and soup deal, which was $15. She only received her soup. If she had ordered just the soup it would have only been $5. This supposed deal is actually just a scam. Another of our party ordered a side salad with her meal and was told she would not get it because the salad was allegedly going to be served family style (we barely got any). When she tried to change her order after she was told this, the server refused and said it was too late - the server entered the meal seconds before. Another member of our party ordered a kids meal and was openly shamed even though she is a child. Throughout the meal, we felt the constant hot breath of fiery judgement emanating from the servers, staff, and management. It was suffocating. There was also a service charge and they refused to give us separate checks even after politely asking. Don't come here on a budget! They will charge you for the "family style" bread and salad - even though they refuse to bring it out. Honestly, maybe they are overcharging to support their oversized establishment, although they leave half of it empty anyway. They should either downsize to a new location or shut down altogether. There are many cracks in this system. I would highly recommend you not come here - maybe to GALENA at all. If you so happen to find yourself miserable in Galena, go to Table + Lain. It is much better and nearby. read more

Vinny Vanucchi's - The restaurant (noticeably empty) - Italian Near Me - Galena, Illinois

See all

Hasn't changed in 10 years since our previous visit. Charming venue & atmosphere. The food though. I had a Chicken dish & it just wasn't memorable. Chewy, bland. Hubs had a pasta dish was simply ok. The bottle of cabaret was good. Worth a visit for the ambiance. read more

Cute place. Cool historic building. I ordered a whiskey sour which was great. My wife ordered a lemonade cocktail. For $15! It was not a good drink. Watered down lemonade. The fries with my meal were for sure frozen fries and over heated. Chicken sandwich was decent. Garlic bread was ok but nothing special. Service was fine although not overly friendly. Would not go again. read more

Vinny's is a Galena staple and I'll stand by that! Pros- friendly sized portions, cozy atmosphere, delicious cocktails and a sick view over Main Street. Cons- just okay service and flies. read more

Good Italian restaurant on Main street in Galena. Of utmost interest is the literal maze of dining room on several floors. Literally, you could (and I did) get lost in this place! They also have a very hidden speakeasy which is impossible to find unless someone leads you there. The food and service are good but the building is a must see! read more

Vinny Vanucchi's - Italian Near Me - Galena, Illinois

They have a gluten free menu. Wow. Good move ! I love it. The food was good and the place had a good vibe. Don't wander off though as you might get lost in the labyrinth. I am not sure if leaving breadcrumbs might help but the place goes on and on. It is like they slowly grew u til they occupied the building, the building next to it, and more. But seriously - thank you for looking out for the celiacs. read more

During this trip, we knew where to go and everyone was very nice and energetic. Although, I believe our waitress was brand new and didn't really check on us very often and we ran out of drinks quickly. My sister had even asked for an extra water (she's pregnant and very thirsty) and she never got it. The garlic bread this time was very tough to bite through. I also don't remember the pasta dishes being as expensive and in the hot weather, they felt very heavy. Maybe should have rethought getting Italian on a humid day. I did enjoy what I'd ordered. read more

Vinny Vanucchi's - Side salad & garlic bread - Italian Near Me - Galena, Illinois

i went to the bathroom to take a poop. i went to wipe, and the toilet paper sucked i had to wipe 3 times and i don't think i got it all. then one of the employees came in and used the restroom. when he was finished he turned on the sink for a second and didn't wash his hands. the food was good though. read more

Vinny Vanucchi's - this is pretty awesome - Italian Near Me - Galena, Illinois

The food is a solid 3 stars but the atmosphere and service elevate this restaurant to 4 stars. We've eaten, and my wife and I have prepared, plenty of common Italian dishes (chicken and veal parmigiana, ragus, spaghetti, lasagna, raviolis, etc), and frankly, what was served here didn't surpass anything we've had before at home or at other Italian restaurants. Not great but not bad either. I had the veal parmigiana and my wife had the sausage ragu. We also had the garlic bread and house salad that came with the meals we ordered. Both were very tasty, and in my opinion, stood out because the garlic bread wasn't overly garlicky and was perfectly toasted on delicious bread. And the salad had a great house-made Italian dressing that coated a great salad blend (not a bowl of iceberg lettuce or wilted/limp leaf lettuce). We both enjoyed our meals but I wouldn't say this experience lived up to the expectations set forth by the rustic old-family charm that is exuded by the exterior/ambiance/marketing. The place itself is definitely reminiscent of an Italian experience with all of the stairs, quaintly decorated nooks/rooms, and fresh ingredients on display. So there a no shortage of authentic charm. Lastly, but not least, the service was great. Our waitress was very pleasant and provided prompt friendly service. Everything was brought to the table within reasonable time and accurate/as expected. So overall, yea, give this place a try if you're in the mood for Italian but I'd say temper your expectations. Hey, maybe something on the menu we didn't have is truly amazing?!? read more

Vinny Vanucchi's - Foreground - Veal Parmigiano Left - Auntie Gracie 's Sausage Ragu Center - Garlic Bread Back - House Salad - Italian Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Terrible food that I am certain was frozen. Just gross. I had the Dee Dee's carbonara. Sauce was possibly sour. I'll know shortly I suspect. Mushrooms were not cooked at all and neither were the peas. The prosciutto was very gray so I didn't eat any. Truly bad from back in the day. read more

Romantic but casual ambiance as we were celebrating our anniversary. We had a nice cute small table in the corner by the window. There were so many options, but my tastebuds were delighted with fettuccine seafood and warm garlic bread. They also had one of our favorite wines, very reasonably priced, conundrum. The wonderful server brought us a delicious tiramisu for our celebration. It was a special night. Family owned, hand-made pasta, attentive staff. A must-have in Galena. Right on Main Street. read more

Vinny Vanucchi's - What a conundrum!? Delicious wine - Italian Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Food - fantastic. Great food! Would love to try the whole menu!! Service - very attentive and knowledgeable! Ambiance - we chose to eat outside. Was very nice! Uncomfortable chairs is only criticism. 10/10 would eat again! read more

Vinny Vanucchi's - Italian Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Had great service by Meghan last night and a delicious Viniti chicken pasta dish meal with gluten free pasta. It came with a great salad, lightly dressed and Parmesan bread that was to die for! We'll definitely be back next time in Galena! read more

Went for late lunch and everything was fantastic. Seafood stuffed mushrooms got us started. Delicious and cheesy with an abundance of seafood. Also had Chicken Vinito and substituted roasted vegetables for pasta. No upchage. Husband had Vinny's Pasta that was loaded with shrimp, scallops, and real crab meat. Bread and salad was great too. Enough for another meal. It has a good wine list too. Highly recommended. read more

We just got home from Gelina. This restaurant had the most overpriced food and underwhelming seasoning and taste A group of 4 of us went in... mediocre food at best, I could do better at home in my humble opinion. my wife had Joey Zs Shells and I had fettuccine Alfredo. Wasn't worth the money.together I spent 60 bucks with food and tip. There are many other places that I liked much much better! read more

The food was tasty. The server was attentive. It had a cozy Italian family restaurant essence that you don't get from franchise/commercialized restaurants that serve Italian cuisine. Though one critique is they didn't give a veteran discount but I understand by where they are located at (City of Galena). Maybe they do if it's Nov. 11? read more