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VinnyD's

4.7 (207 reviews)
InexpensiveGelato, Shaved Ice, Hot Dogs
Closed • 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM
Updated a few days ago

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VinnyD's Photos

VINNYD'S ATMOSPHERE

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

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Recommended Reviews - VinnyD's

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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.

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.

Supermam ice cream

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2 months ago

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1 year ago

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

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1 year ago

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

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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!

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5 years ago

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2 years ago

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

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