Giovanni's serve a range of authentic Italian dishes.
User Reviews
Ted Dunning from US
Feb 21, 2016
The negative reviews for Giovanni's read like science fiction and have no connection with my own experience there. Not only was my experience excellent, but the owner Pino remembered me from a year ago (he even remembered which table we sat at).
This is one of the best restaurants I had eaten in for quite a long time.
The food is as good as the foo-foo restaurants, except more regional and authentic. The people are also more regional and authentic.
If you don't want that, don't go. If you want the most calories per pound, go else where. If you want an authentic experience, visit Pino at Giovanni's.
Pino and Roberto are brothers in arms, one cooking, the other front of house. Operatic gentle music in the background. Food is fresh, tasty and appetising, the atmosphere genuinely Sicilian.
I took my partner here for his birthday treat... To be honest I wish I hadnt bothered. it looked nice from outside but once inside a waiter pounced on us and took our coats before we could do a runner !. Now captured we were given a wine list and menu. We opted for a vodka and a peronni as the cheapest bottle of wine was £16.50. We were given (without ordering ) a side plate of oil with what looked like chopped spring onions and tomatos, (4 tiny pieces of each) and 2 slices of stale bread. Utterly gross.! We skipped the starter and ordered swordfish for him and chicken in cheese sauce for me and a portion of seasonal veg. Ha ha ha . It was pathetic. . Although the swordfish was tasty as was my cheese sauce the potions were ridiculously small. Our portion of veg consisted of 3 halved new potatos 4 carrot sticks and a few green beans. The staff were also very unfriendly, not welcoming at all. I asked for the bill and whilst waiting for it me and my man were discussing where to go on the way to the station to get something to eat. . .we were starving. It was an expensive experience that we will never repeat. Over priced and over rated to be avoided at all cost. I did suggest to birthday boy that we do a runner but he wasnt game.! It certainly wasnt because he was bloated !
A beautifully atmospheric and charismatic restaurant hidden away in the back of Theatreland. Main course was small (but outstanding) and wine was more expensive than you might expect, but this was made up by the enthusiastic and attentive staff.
I visited Giovanni's restaurant for the first time on Monday 16th Feb 2009 following a theatre performance. It was absolutely fantastic, the dim candle lit room with low classical Italian music in the background provided a very real calm and romantic setting. The food was excellent and service was perfect. Giovanni himself takes the time to speak to everyone himself providing a very personal service in this very busy part of London.
If your looking for a silver service in an busy upmarket chain restaurant then this won't be for you.... but if you are searching for an authentic Italian restaurant, then this is the place.
Magnifique!!! It's the greatest restaurant, that ever I'v been. Thank You very much! Absolutely authentic italian cuisine!!! Great!!! Friendly, kindly servise, real italian family's atmosphere! It's Mecca for Opera lovers - not only for public, but also for artists & musicians, primarly from ROH.
The evening in "Giovanni's" is unforgettable for my husband & me.
regards, Tania.
Terrible, terrible, terrible. My girlfriend and I ate there last night and it was easily the worst meal we've ever had. Her salad to start was essentially a few spinach leaves, some barely cooked cheapo bacon and burnt, oil soaked croutons. My whitebait was fine, but then you'd be hard pushed to make a mess of them. As for the mains, well we returned both. I was given a rubbery tube of tasteless pre-frozen meat , which apparently was "rolled beef". My girlfriends chicken was cooked to hell and back and then smothered in a litre of cheese sauce so tart it dried your mouth out in seconds. The side veg were miniscule for the £4.50 asking price and completely unseasoned. The carrots looked as if they'd just come out of the microwave. When we complained the owner didn't look even slightly surprised, he didn't apologise, he didn't offer us anything else, he just took the plates and stood around until we asked for the bill..... which even without the two mains was horrbily pricey. DO NOT ever go to this restaurant, if only so that one day it ends up on Ramsays Kitchen Nightmares with an apoplectic Gordon Ramsay.
Went here last night, the food is very good and the service is friendly. I had the Gnocchi which was very nice. It's not exactly cheap but considering the location that's not surprising. All in all a nice restaurant managed by real Italians.
