Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena Reviews List
Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
From the moment you enter Vinny Vanucchi’s ‘Little Italy’ in Galena, IL, we’ll welcome you with open arms and make you feel like part of the familia. Perched halfway up a cobblestone street, Vinny’s charming Galena location is complete with an Old World Deli and Import Store, artifacts, signs and vintage family portraits, and four distinctive dining areas. Each dining room has the feel of an authentic trattoria with native wood, Galena brick and checkered tablecloths.
You’ll find Vinny’s ambiance is, at once, both casual and elegant.
"We had an excellent meal and will return again on our next visit to Galena. Service was quick, waitress was friendly and helpful and wine choices were perfect."
Dined on 5/14/2013
Special Features: good for groups, great for brunch, neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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Review 2 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"My husband and I came here to celebrate his birthday and our anniversary. Dinner was spectacular, and the service outstanding. We love the ambience of the restaurant, and come to Vinny's every time we come to Galena. Recommend Vinny's for dinner anytime."
Dined on 5/10/2013
Special Features: romantic, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, special occasion
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Review 3 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"We loved the fun and casual style of Vinny's. We were seated in the little downstairs area that was so like an Italian cafe. Vinny's special sauce was spicy and delicious and the garlic bread ....to die for! Our server was perfectly attentive and really seemed happy to be there. We will definitely be back on our next return to Galena."
Dined on 5/04/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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Review 4 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"Good food, good service, but not a quiet place to celebrate a special occasion dinner. All that being said, we would definitely return but not for an anniversary dinner."
Dined on 5/04/2013
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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Review 5 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"Very dissapointed we ordered an appetizer that never showed up, the food was mediocre at best the chicken was dry and the penne was terrible. The waitress did make it right by comping us the dessert. I guess we were spoiled by the service at the previous restuarant."
Dined on 04/28/2013
2013
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Review 6 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"Great experience. The food, atmosphere and service was great. I would definitely recommend this place for anyone who enjoys an Italian setting."
Dined on 04/27/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, kid-friendly, late-night find, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, great for lunch, hot spot
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Review 7 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"Had excellent food and a pretty decent wine list. It is in a house so the layout is generally no great and can seem a little cramped but overall the food makes up for it."
Dined on 04/20/2013
2011
Special Features: special occasion
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Review 8 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"We can't visit Galena without eating at Vinny's. The absolute best garlic bread in the world. It was so good for supper, we decided to go back the next day for lunch and just have soup, salad and garlic bread."
Dined on 04/20/2013
2012
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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Review 9 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"My husband and I renewed our vows that day on our 33 year anniversary. Our children and their spouses were with us. What a treat then to go to Vinny's for dinner. We have never been there, but was recommended to do so. We had a wonderful experience! You allowed us to bring in a wedding cake for dessert-how nice of you! Most restaurant's wouldn't have been so accommodating. Thank-you for a great night!"
Dined on 04/20/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups, late-night find, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, scenic view, hot spot
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Review 10 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"This was my second time here. I wasn't impressed the first time so thought I'd give it another shot based on reviews. I think it's a bit over-rated. We ordered veal parm and a sausage gnocchi special. The veal was TOUGH and the sausage gnocchi special had literally 5 pieces of sausage. Disappointing. The sauce was good however. Salad is decent - although just 5 cherry tomatoes in a family-size bowl. A little stingy. The garlic bread is decent but way to butter-soaked for my taste. Service is always good. However, the restaurant needs a deep cleaning -dusty window sills and plants, etc. I don't think I'll be back. There are other -better Italian places in Galena."
Dined on 04/19/2013
2003
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Review 11 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"I had the pasta a la Vinny. The menu discribed it as 'Linguini Pasta with Shrimp, Lobster and Surimi Crabmeat in an Olive Oil, Garlic and Hot Sauce'. It lacked any favor except for the overwhelming garlic. The menu should have listed garlic first because it was the major of the dish. At first, I thought that there were shaved cheese on the pasta, but it was actually lot and lots of garlic. I love garlic more that most, but this was absolute ridiculous. This was my second time at Vinny's. It has been several years and I recall my first experience was similar. It a very cute place that has great ambiance. The food is way less than average (1 out of 5). I would not be able to recommend this restaurant for the food only of the astomphere."
Dined on 04/12/2013
2013
Special Features: romantic
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Review 12 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"I have dined at Vinny Vanucchi's dozens of times and once considered it to be my favorite resturant in Galena. This time our dining experence was quite disappointing. We always associated Vinny's with great salad dressing, even better garlic bread, huge portion sizes. We had mediocre salad, average garlic bread, and a smaller than normal portions (pasta al la Vinny). The only saving grace was our server Cora. She was polite, plesant, knowledgeable about the menu, and attended to our every need."
Dined on 04/06/2013
2013
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Review 13 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"Whenever we visit Galena, we make Vinny Vanucchi's a definite must stop for a lovely dinner. The food is always delicious and the service very attentive."
Dined on 03/30/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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Review 15 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"went here for my father and wife's birthday. We had a wonderful time as always."
Dined on 03/29/2013
2010
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, late-night find, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, scenic view, great for lunch
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Review 16 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"The experience my wife and I shared was outstanding. The food was great tasting and there was plenty of food on each of our plates. Our server went above and beyond and was gracious enough to snap a couple of photos to document our trip and dinner. I would definitely recommend Vinny's to anyone who has not visited Galena or who has but has not eaten here."
Dined on 03/27/2013
2013
Special Features: late-night find, romantic
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Review 18 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"For some reason, I didn't listen to Yelp reviews and ordered the lasagna which was as described - bland. I could have kicked myself. Server was nice, but green. I'd called ahead about corkage service and did bring my own wine. The wine glasses were run of the mill, even though their own wine list has some great reserve bottles. I decanted into a water glass, but it was fine. We got the calamari, which was delicious, and the chocolate cake to share for dessert was also very good."
Dined on 03/22/2013
2007
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Review 19 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"We came late on a Sunday night during a weekend visit to Galena, had made a reservation but it was not needed. We were seated promptly, and then proceeded to wait for over 5 minutes while several waitresses passed our table, even making glances at us, as we tried to figure out which one was taking care of us. I found this ridiculous given how not busy the restaurant was, as I know it's often much busier. We could have at least been offered water. The service improved once we actually were greeted by the waitress. The food is ok, but overpriced. I can find much better for cheaper in my hometown (I understand this is a tourist-y place, so that is to be expected)."
Dined on 03/17/2013
2013
Special Features: notable wine list, hot spot
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Review 21 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
Overall rating
(Outstanding)5/5
OpenTable Diner
Food
(Outstanding)5/5
Service
(Outstanding)5/5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)5/5
Noise Level
Quiet
"We found Vinny Vanucchi's to be a delightful Italian restaurant - the food, service and atmosphere were all first class."
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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Review 22 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"This place came VERY highly recommended. Whether it was just an off night of cooking or just couldn't live up to the hype, my fiance and I were not that impressed with the food. The setting was very nice, very romantic. Low lit, candles, fireplace, opera music. Our server was very nice and checked in on us frequently, but not annoyingly so. Neither of us would go back."
Dined on 03/16/2013
2011
Special Features: romantic
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Review 23 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"Vinny Vanucchi's is a very good "I"talian restaurant. It was funny to us because our waitress always emphasized the long "I" when talking about Italian menu items. Our meals were perfectly done and beautifully plated. The salad and garlic bread (refills available) were a terrific start. While their desserts are not made there, they are locally made and excellent, especially the cheesecake and cannoli. Personally, I'd come back again if in the area. Other's compare this place to Chicago land restaurants, but you shouldn't. Vinny's is unique in itself and worth the visit."
Dined on 03/16/2013
2007
Special Features: neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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Review 24 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, scenic view, great for lunch, hot spot
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Review 25 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"Fantastic service! Great place to accommodate a larger group! There were more private dining nooks to accommodate smaller parties that look fun to try next time we have a small party. Marinara sauce for on eggplant parmesan was just okay, but the peppery marinara served with the fried ravioli appetizer was delicious!"
Dined on 02/16/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups
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Review 29 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"We had scheduled a reservation later in the evening but wanted to try to get in earlier if we could. The staff was great at checking availability and was able to get us in early. We were able to have our dinner and desert and be on the road before our scheduled time even came around. The staff was great and the service was very quick! Every time we visit Galena we stop by because we enjoy eating at Vinny's!"
Dined on 02/17/2013
2011
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem, scenic view
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Review 30 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"My wife and I have been here before and always enjoyed the food. This visit exceeded our expectations, we will definitely continue to make this part of our "Galena Experience"!"
Dined on 02/15/2013
2008
Special Features: romantic
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Review 31 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"we have been enjoying the food at Vinny's for many years and are never disappointed. we prefer the first level and were fortunate this last time to have our favorite table in the window. we love the outdoor seating in the summer. it's fun to be downtown Galena and be able to people watch."
Dined on 02/16/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, romantic, great for lunch
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Review 32 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"I have been here twice and have enjoyed myself both times. The pasta was a little mushy for my liking and the sauce, an alfredo sauce, was just average flavor nothing to exciting. the chicken was rubbery. The ambiance was great as well as the wine. Seated by the fireplace was an extra nice perk. Wait staff were all very nice and professional."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2010
Special Features: romantic
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Review 33 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"This is our favorite italian restaurant. We live about 3 hours away and make the trip once each year because it is such a special place. The food is amazing. Anything on the menu is guarunteed to satisfy. Love it."
Dined on 12/31/2012
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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Review 34 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"We use to love this restaurant, but the food quality and service has gone down. We waited at the hostess station close to about 10 minutes before anyone even ackowledged us standing there. Then they stuck us in a corner and made a reference to us having 2 children with us. My children are ages 5 and 9 and are use to going to a restaurant and know how to behave in one so no reason for us to get pre-judged. Our waitress even seemed to be irritated to have kids at her table even though I always see plenty of children in this establishment and they do have a kids menu. Our pasta dishes were watered down & or too much oil. Also the seafood used in the pasta dish is all immitation seafood. Very disappointing will not go again, not worth the cost."
Dined on 01/20/2013
2010
Special Features: neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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Review 35 for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena
"this is a great little spot to stop and enjoy some good food and take in the beautiful surroundings.this is my second timeto vinnys and bothwere great. the food and the service were excellent. would definitely go back next time I'm in galena."
Dined on 01/20/2013
2009
Special Features: good for groups, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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Ratings-Only Reviews for Vinny Vanucchi's 'Little Italy' - Galena