Gioco pioneered the retail development of the South Loop when it opened in September of 1999. The restaurant has been a mainstay in the neighborhood as other restaurants and stores have opened up over the years.

Chef Danny Sweis, who attended the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon and previously worked with Dean Zanella at 312 Chicago and the late Paul Wildermuth at Marché, took over as Executive Chef of Gioco in the Summer of 2007. Chef Danny’s culinary approach is to present simple, authentic regional Italian dishes. He strives to use the freshest and best ingredients.

In addition to daily dining, Gioco offers private dining in its Old World private dining rooms, including the Ballroom, which can seat up to 70 people and the Speakeasy room, which can seat up to 40 people.

Gioco is located in an historic building built in 1890 and is one of the few remaining buildings in Chicago from that era. The Gioco space features the original old brick and plaster walls, an old wooden walk-in cooler and a walk-in safe built into the walls, probably used by the Chicago gangsters for one of the gambling and/or brothel houses that dominated the area in the early 1900s. Owner/designer Jerry Kleiner designed Gioco restaurant to retain these old world elements and to feature them in his modernization of the space.