Giovanni's Restaurant

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pfwiz

Joined 6 years ago

Disappointing, another merely good, very expensive restaurant.. Overall my wife and I found Giovanni's to be a disappointment. Don't misunderstand me, the food and service were both good, but for a "4 Diamond" establishment as expensive as this, we expected great food and service. The food was good, served warm (not hot) with fairly large portions. My wife (full blooded Italian) wondered why everything was served with mashed potatoes instead of pasta. You can't even get a pasta side dish instead of the potatoes.

If we had eaten this meal at Olive Garden for Olive Garden prices I would be raving about the wonderful food and great service but for $260.00 (with a good bottle of champagne) we were not impressed.

We had to keep hurrying our server along in order to be able to get in and out in 21/2 hours. "We are ready to order appitizers now, can we order our main course now, all the way to, please bring our bill. I enjoy not being rushed, but we had tickets to the Improv at 10:15 PM. If we wouldn't have rushed our serverer I think we would still be there.

Overall if your are looking for a top flight place for that special night (our 15th anniversery) I recommend you keep looking. There must be a better Italian restauraunt somewhere in Cleveland.

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rkeith

Joined 7 years ago

Disappointing Evening. The level of service far outweighs the quality of the food. We experienced a very disappointing evening at our first (and only) visit to Giovanni's. It began with the tomato salad for myself that was all but tasteless and a Caesar salad for my wife that resembled a chain restaurant kitchen prepared salad with bottled dressing. Neither of us ate our salads. Unfortunately I had the salmon which was totally without taste, which I found surprising for Salmon. It was drowned in what tasted like unsalted butter. I ate one bite and called it a night. My wife's veal chop was equally unnappealing. The only redeeming aspect of the evening was the quality of wine offered by the glass. For $190 the only thing we had to show for our evening was three glasses of wine and the ability to say, been there, done that.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

A fine-dining Cleveland institution for decades, this classy Italian spot has stellar service and a top-notch wine list.. The Scene
Delivering what is arguably the classiest evening in Cleveland, Giovanni's announces itself with a wall brimming with awards. The service is impeccable--breadbaskets and water glasses never sit for more than a moment without being refilled. The space is intimate and the tables adequately spaced so that couples never have to worry that their conversation is being overheard. The more casual lounge and bar areas are reasonable alternatives, and serve the same delicious menu offered in the larger room.

The Food
Calamari, crab cakes and escargot top the list of popular appetizers. Try the swordfish diavolo, a seafood special made with a spicy tomato sauce. Grilled veal chops served with a portobello mushroom reduction is another popular favorite. For dessert, go with the traditional tiramisu, one of the house-made sorbets, or the indulgent Death by Chocolate.

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angeloq

Joined 10 years ago

Nobody can do it like Giovanni's can. If you had to describe this place in one word, it would be Warmth! With it's recent facelift, Giovanni's raises the bar of dining experience in Cleveland. Not only is the atmosphere purely comfy for romantic or business occasions, but the food reflects the essence of grandma's era gone by. Service is spot-on, yet non-intrusive, as done by European professionals.

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dpowersdoc

Joined 10 years ago

a little too cloistered. The food here is very good, and the service is perfect. The owner cares and greets his customers with affection and generosity.

There is a claustrophobic air to this restaurant. It feels more enclosed than a hotel conference room.

That does not spoil the excellent food, but a higher ceiling and some windows would turn this excellent restaurant into one of Ohio's best.

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angiebabe

Joined 11 years ago

SCRUMPTIOUS. Absolutely the very best Italian food in the City of Cleveland and the best ever service and ambience! It well deserves its popularity. I just wish I could afford to eat there more often

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topcritic

Joined 11 years ago

spectacular. Unbelievable atmosphere (the kind you would see international visitors at)

Service....Excellent

Salad.... unbelievably good

Chatu' Briau? (spell check).....romantic at tableside

Sampler of pastas... delicious

Dessert....divine

We had a wonderful time and dropped $200.00

w/40.00 tip

Enjoy!!!!

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coatings

Joined 11 years ago

It's a Good. The quality of service is great and there attention to the customer's needs is perfect.

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sammy69

Joined 11 years ago

Carl knows Italian. Veal Chop Milanese ...the best

Roasted Tomato Sauces...

Risotto the way it should be made