Vinnie's on Grand Ave - my favorite sub joint

Perhaps a bold claim to make, on a forum which has peer-reviewed such rigorous research on Italian subs in the past. But all academic work - no matter how well respected - must stand the test of time! I used to have a mental checklist I would run down when the sub craving struck: hm, which one am I closest to, Bari, Graziano's, Fontano's, Conte de Savoia, etc. But now I just head for Vinnie's without even thinking about it. I love this place, the sandwiches and the people who work here.


Vinnie's has been around for over 12 years and definitely looks the part, judging from the accumulation of random trinkets inside. It makes me feel like I'm eating sandwiches at an eccentric aunt's house. I don't usually care much for service but I have to point out how incredibly nice store manager Darlene is. The first time I walked through the door she gave me a "hi sweety!" that made me feel like I had been coming there for years.

Freezer case with a colorful array of obscure sodas, really fun to try new drinks here:

For cheapos like me, the price is right.


But none of that matters if the sandwiches are no good right? Well I can report that these are really tasty Italian subs. The meats and cheeses taste fresh-sliced and the vegetables are crisp. Their dressing has a balsamic-heavy blend I really enjoy. But the biggest difference is the bread. Bari uses a doughy roll and D'Amato's sandwich can sometimes be too hard, but Vinnie's gets it just right with a crisp, flaky shell around a light crumb that soaks up the dressing just right. Darlene says they also get it from D'Amatos, but it's a special proprietary recipe made just for her. True or not, who knows, but the results speak for themselves. Please pardon my poor sandwich photography skills with the phone cam:
The perfect snack while waiting for the Grand Ave bus.

The only other mention of Vinnie's I found here was in the old sub-a-thon thread: http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=32973 but I hope more LTHers will try out Vinnie's and let me know what you think.

Cheers

1204 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60642
(312) 738-2985

Vinnie's has received some shout-outs for its tuna sub, including Da Beef's in this thread:
viewtopic.php?p=431723
I tried one and thought it was pretty good. I'll have to give their Italian sub a try now. I agree that the service is very pleasant.

TomInSkokie wrote:Vinnie's has received some shout-outs for its tuna sub, including Da Beef's in this thread:
viewtopic.php?p=431723
I tried one and thought it was pretty good. I'll have to give their Italian sub a try now. I agree that the service is very pleasant.

Vinnie's tuna sub is very good - high quality fish and a light touch with the mayo. It goes great with the pickles and giardinera they use but you gotta eat it there. I got it to go once and it sogged up pretty quick.

eating while walking wrote:Perhaps a bold claim to make, on a forum which has peer-reviewed such rigorous research on Italian subs in the past. But all academic work - no matter how well respected - must stand the test of time! I used to have a mental checklist I would run down when the sub craving struck: hm, which one am I closest to, Bari, Graziano's, Fontano's, Conte de Savoia, etc. But now I just head for Vinnie's without even thinking about it.

I don't have much problem with this ranking. In a comparison of nine subs one day about five years ago, I placed Vinnie's just behind Grazizno's and Italian Superior Bakery.



I was very pleasantly surprised by Vinnie's. Now that ISB is but a distant memory, I guess Vinnie's moves up a notch. I'd often choose Vinnie's over Al and Joe's, Alpine, Bari, Conte di Savoia, Fontano's, or Riviera (all places I like; listed in alphabetical order), but I think Graziano's might still be my personal favorite. Clearly, it's time for a re-evaluation!

eating while walking wrote:

TomInSkokie wrote:Vinnie's has received some shout-outs for its tuna sub, including Da Beef's in this thread:
viewtopic.php?p=431723
I tried one and thought it was pretty good. I'll have to give their Italian sub a try now. I agree that the service is very pleasant.

Vinnie's tuna sub is very good - high quality fish and a light touch with the mayo. It goes great with the pickles and giardinera they use but you gotta eat it there. I got it to go once and it sogged up pretty quick.

Vinnie's is justifiably proud of their tuna. When five of us visited five years ago, they gave each of us a little sample (I completely agree that they're incredibly nice people).

eating while walking wrote:But none of that matters if the sandwiches are no good right? Well I can report that these are really tasty Italian subs. The meats and cheeses taste fresh-sliced and the vegetables are crisp. Their dressing has a balsamic-heavy blend I really enjoy. But the biggest difference is the bread. Bari uses a doughy roll and D'Amato's sandwich can sometimes be too hard, but Vinnie's gets it just right with a crisp, flaky shell around a light crumb that soaks up the dressing just right. Darlene says they also get it from D'Amato's, but it's a special proprietary recipe made just for her.

+1
Tried Vinnie's Italian today. Definitely a tasty version. D'Amato's bread is a big plus, and hot giardiniera takes it to another level.

Another visit to Vinnie's today, another tasty sandwich. A simple roast beef sub with cheddar is nothing fancy, but Vinnie's rendition is somehow just super satisfying. A well-balanced portion of slightly pink roast beef and lightly-dressed vegetables on a fresh roll make for a great classic sandwich. As I said before the Italian roll definitely makes the sub, with its crisp flaky crust that's not too hard, but has just the right amount of chew.

As always, the staff here may be the friendliest restaurant workers in Chicago.