Giordanos Las Vegas – Can you get a proper Chicago-style deep dish pizza without actually going to Chicago?
That was the mission when I visited Giordano’s in Las Vegas.
As a Scot travelling around America, there are certain American foods I’ve always wanted to try, and a proper Chicago deep dish pizza was definitely on the list.
Giordano’s is one of the biggest names associated with the style.
The original Giordano’s opened on the South Side of Chicago in 1974, after brothers Efren and Joseph Boglio brought a family recipe inspired by their mother’s double-crusted, cheese-stuffed Italian Easter Pie to the city. (Giordanos)
Thankfully, I didn’t need to add a flight to Chicago onto my Vegas holiday to try one.
There’s a Giordano’s right on the Las Vegas Strip.
So obviously…
I had to get involved. 🍕😂
Where Is Giordano’s in Las Vegas?
Giordano’s Las Vegas is located at 3619 Las Vegas Boulevard South, at the Grand Bazaar Shops at Horseshoe Las Vegas. (Giordanos)
That puts it right in the middle of the Strip and makes it an incredibly easy food stop to work into a day exploring Las Vegas.
You’re not having to travel miles away from the main tourist area just to get your deep dish fix.
I tried 5 Famous American Food Chains in Las Vegas
What Is Giordano’s Famous For?
This isn’t just a particularly thick normal pizza.
Giordano’s speciality is its stuffed deep dish pizza.
Their version uses a flaky double crust with Wisconsin mozzarella and your chosen fillings packed between the layers before tomato sauce goes across the top. (Giordanos)
That’s an important distinction because even within Chicago-style pizza, there are different versions.
Giordano’s became known for the stuffed style, with an additional layer of dough helping create an even thicker pizza than traditional deep dish. (Giordanos)
Or to put that in my terminology:
It’s an absolute UNIT of a pizza 😂🍕.
Be Prepared to Wait for Your Deep Dish
There’s one thing worth knowing before ordering.
This isn’t fast food.
A Giordanos Las Vegas deep dish takes time to cook.
The restaurant advises allowing approximately 45 minutes for its deep dish pizzas to bake. (Giordanos)
So don’t walk in absolutely starving expecting a pizza to land on the table five minutes later.
Personally, I think that’s part of the experience.
This thing is closer to a freshly baked pizza pie than something that’s simply getting fired through a conveyor oven.
Order it.
Get yourself comfortable.
And wait for the beast to arrive.
What I Ordered at Giordano’s Las Vegas
The first thing that struck me when this landed was:
“I ain’t going to be finishing this 😂”
This is where the pictures really don’t prepare you for the size and thickness of a proper stuffed deep dish pizza.
Cut into it and you’ve got layers of crust, cheese, toppings and tomato sauce rather than the thin base we’re much more accustomed to seeing back home in Scotland.
And then there’s the inevitable cheese pull.
What Did I Think of Giordano’s Deep Dish Pizza?
Right…
The important part.
Was it actually any good?
See to be completely honest…
It’s not the greatest pizza I have ever had, but at the same time I didn’t expect it to be.
This was more about the occasion, ticking of a bucket list item and seeing what the fuss was all about.
Don’t make that sound like I didn’t enjoy it, I did! I enjoyed ever bite o could get through but I’ve just had better.
One thing I can definitely say is that you shouldn’t judge the portion like you would a normal pizza.
A couple of slices of something this thick is a completely different proposition from smashing through a thin-crust pizza.
Don’t let your eyes write cheques your stomach can’t cash 😂.
Is Giordano’s the Same as Traditional Chicago Deep Dish?
Not exactly.
Giordano’s specialises in stuffed deep dish, which is its own variation of Chicago-style pizza.
Traditional Chicago deep dish is generally constructed in a deep pan with a thick crust, cheese and toppings underneath the tomato sauce.
Giordano’s takes things another step by using its famous double-crust stuffed construction. (Giordanos)
So if you’re on a mission to explore American pizza styles, that’s worth knowing.
I’m certainly not claiming that trying Giordano’s in Las Vegas means I’ve completed Chicago pizza 😂.
I’d still love to eventually head to Chicago and try the different styles properly in the city itself.
But as an introduction?
This certainly ticked something off my American food bucket list.
Is Giordano’s Las Vegas Worth Visiting?
For me:
Go for the occasion.
If you’re visiting Vegas and you’ve never experienced a proper stuffed deep dish pizza before, Giordano’s gives you the opportunity to try one without leaving the Strip.
And that’s the biggest reason I’d consider it.
Las Vegas is brilliant for this.
You can be walking between casinos in the middle of the Nevada desert and suddenly find yourself trying one of Chicago’s most famous styles of pizza.
That’s exactly the sort of food experience I travel for.
Giordano’s Las Vegas – Useful Information
Location: Grand Bazaar Shops at Horseshoe Las Vegas, 3619 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109. (Giordanos)
Food: Chicago-style stuffed deep dish pizza, alongside thin-crust pizza and other Italian-American dishes. (Giordanos)
Deep Dish Cooking Time: Allow approximately 45 minutes. (Giordanos)
Giordano’s Las Vegas official website
More Las Vegas Food Reviews
I’m slowly eating my way around Las Vegas and building a collection of the restaurants, famous American foods and ridiculous meals I’ve tried along the way.
[INTERNAL LINK – Las Vegas Food Guide]
[INTERNAL LINK – A Scot Tries Famous American Food Chains]
[INTERNAL LINK – More Las Vegas Restaurant Reviews]
[INTERNAL LINK – Ribz on the Road Las Vegas]
And I’ve still got a lot of America left to eat 😂🇺🇸🍕.
Excerpt
I visited Giordano’s Las Vegas to try its famous Chicago-style stuffed deep dish pizza. Here’s what to expect from one of the Strip’s most famous pizza stops.
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