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A little piece of Chicago is coming this way courtesy of Gino's East. Per the Facebook page for its impending Arlington location — which is already being swarmed with comments from hungry Chicago transplants — the legendary deep dish pizza purveyor is "working around the clock" with the goal of opening by the end of April. POST UPDATE: A rep for Gino's East sends word that the official opening has been pushed back to Monday, May 4 at 2 p.m. Monday and Tuesday Gino's will be open from 2 to 10 p.m.; after that, regular business hours will be Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
It's taking over the site of an old Bikinis breastaurant in a strip center at 1350 E. Copeland Road, close to both Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor (Gino's has partnered with Bikinis parent company ATX Brands for its push into Texas). Gino's recently debuted its first Texas locations in San Antonio and Houston; an outpost on Austin's 6th Street is also in the works.
The original Gino's East was founded in 1966, and there's now nearly a dozen locations in the Chicagoland area — but Texas is the first out-of-state territory to be on the receiving end of its famed deep dish. Per Eater Austin, the Texas locations will pander to the locals with barbecue brisket pizza and something called "deep dish nachos," and they'll also serve local craft beer from DEBC, Revolver, and Rahr, in addition to brews from Chicago-based Goose Island. Per a PR rep, Gino’s East Arlington will celebrate its grand opening with special hours on Thursday, April 30 from 2 to 10 p.m. and Friday, May 1 from 2 to 11 p.m. After that, regular business hours will be Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Fellow Chicago institution Al's Italian Beef opened in Addison in February, and was promptly swarmed: It sold an entire semi-truck full of beef on its first day of business and had to subsequently shut down for a restock.
