Lizzy Alfs | The Tennessean

The wait is over. Iconic Chicago pizzeria Gino’s East will debut its Nashville restaurant next week, bringing its golden-crust deep-dish pizzas to SoBro.

But that’s not all: The restaurant owned by Bravo Restaurants Inc. has expanded its partnership with The Comedy Bar to open a stand-up comedy venue under the same roof at 311 3rd Ave. S. in the former Sole Mio building.

The official opening will be 4 p.m. March 14. To celebrate National Pi Day on opening day, Gino’s East will offer a $3.14 combo special of a slice of thin crust cheese pizza and a can of Old Style beer for the first 100 guests. The restaurant will also host a pizza eating contest and the winner will receive free pizza for a year.

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The partnership between Gino’s East and The Comedy Bar started in 2015 with a flagship club in Chicago. The Nashville location will feature national and local comedians, with live comedy shows at 10 p.m. on Thursdays and 10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Additional show times will be added after the opening month.

Courtesy of Gino's East

“The Comedy Bar offers an elevated comedy experience,” said Sahar Chavoshi, the company’s vice president of operations. “Every comedian is hand-picked by us personally and we support the local scene, while also featuring top-notch national headliners every weekend. We’re excited to bring an authentic Chicago comedy experience to Nashville with our pizza partners.”

What to expect at Gino's East in Nashville

Gino’s East first announced its plans for the Nashville market in 2017. The SoBro building underwent an extensive renovation, and will now feature a late-night pizza window, a dual inside and outside bar, murals by Nashville artist Brett Hunter, and a large outdoor patio with jumbo yard games, including Jenga, horseshoes and cornhole.

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The restaurant will serve its Chicago-style pizzas, alongside appetizers, salads, sandwiches and the new #DeepAF pizza, which features more dough, extra cheese and double the toppings.

According to the Gino’s East website, their deep-dish pizza is made the same way it was 53 years ago when the first Gino’s opened. It starts with a secret dough recipe, topped with mounds of mozzarella cheese, toppings and tangy tomato sauce. The pies are baked slowly in seasoned cast iron pans until the crust is golden and flaky.

Other items on the menu include calamari, chicken wings, a hummus plate, kale Caesar salad, smoked sausage chili and a chicken pesto sandwich. Thin crust pizza also is available.

The SoBro restaurant is the first Gino’s East in Tennessee. Bravo Restaurants operates restaurants in Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas, Michigan, Georgia and Mexico City.

Gino’s East in SoBro will open at 4 p.m. daily. Tickets for The Comedy Bar shows are available for purchase at comedybar.com.

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