Jefferson Park Dinner-Theater Prepares for Holiday Events

As the end of October nears, Vito's Vault is an enjoyable place to visit for a night out.

In the peaceful atmosphere of late October, eating out at a warm, lively restaurant is an inviting prospect. As the leaves coat the walkways with gentle orange that infuriates everyone with a lawn, the comfort of good food warms the soul.

Down in Jefferson Park, you’ll find a swanky little juice joint called Vito’s Vault, where the dining’s fine and the hooch is divine. Where a good tempo meets a swingin’ show, and Johnny Law keeps his nose out of things.

For a better understanding of the location, here is the owner and operator of Vito’s, Mark Virkler, the illustrious Vito Valentino himself. A friendly and jovial person, Virkler carries with him a mischievous air whether on or off the stage.

Classic Chicago: What exactly is Vito’s Vault?

Virkler: In a nutshell, we’re a roaring 20’s dinner-theatre speakeasy. So it’s a restaurant, but it’s also a bar, a speakeasy. We take it back to the 1920s and show you a good time. You’re served by the cast member of the show. They’re all in character, they wait on tables and get you the hooch, they go up and sing a song, come back and get you some coffee, then go back up and sing a song. It’s a lot of fun.

CC: Is Vito’s doing any sort of Halloween event?

V: We’re having a show on the 30th of October, not on Halloween, and we’re marketing it as a “Spookeasy”. So we’re all gonna be wearing ghoulish makeup, so zombies and vampires, et cetera.

Vito’s also participates in the Jefferson Park Sip & Shop, an event organized by the Jefferson Park Chamber of Commerce. Occurring annually around mid-October, it is a community event featuring over 20 vendors, during which visitors can experience the wonders of the shops in the neighborhood.

Although the event has passed, you can still participate in the fun community experience that is Vito’s by dressing up. Although it is not required by any means, Guests are encouraged to join in on the fun by getting into character and wearing their glad rags for a swell night. Many enthusiastically participate in the

Virkler himself has been dressing up for over 30 years.

Although the event has passed, you can still participate in the fun community experience that is Vito’s by dressing up. Although it is not required by any means, it is recommended that guests join in on the fun by getting into character and wearing their glad rags for a swell night. Many guests enjoy playing along, coming together in a shared act.

And speaking of shared acts, the staff at Vito’s are what makes the show come to life. Each member of staff performs their duties-waiting tables, serving food, tending the bar-all while in character and performing. While the colorful cast changes occasionally, you can be sure that they’ll provide talented entertainment to lighten up your evening. No matter how packed the house is, they always make the experience enjoyable.

Virkler himself started out as a performer at another speakeasy, Tommy-Gun’s Garage. He worked there for over 20 years, where he was inspired to own and operate his own speakeasy. Unfortunately, Tommy Gun’s shut down permanently during Covid. After finding a suitable location in Jefferson Park, he began converting it into what it is now, taking inspiration for the name and his character from the announcer of Tommy Gun’s, named Vito Calamari.

Vito’s is still a relatively small place, seating a maximum of 80 people and only operating for Fridays, Saturdays, and the occasional Wednesday matinee. However, guests still show up from all over Chicago to enjoy an evening of entertainment. Vito’s even sees visitors from across the US and even other countries, who’ve all heard about the magnanimous air of the establishment one way or another. Keeping in theme with the throwback attitude of the speakeasy, most guests find out about them through their advertisements on MeTV, an Oldies station featuring music from the 30s to the 90s.

The station fits Vito's to a tee, a romanticization and monument to a time long past but not forgotten. One that may have been better, may have been worse, but certainly had good booze and showtunes that were the bee's knees. So, if you find yourself looking for a fun evening with good food, head on down to Vito’s, grab yourself some booze, and enjoy the show. Just don’t forget the password when you knock at the door.

To find out more, reserve a table, view the cast, or even join the show, visit https://www.vitosvault.com/