First time I have complaints about Ginos. Been going there for 30 plus years. Tonight we were a party of 4. Our waitperson spilled three of the dishes brought to one person. The pizza for one person was delivered 10 minutes before any other dishes came out. Next two meals were served. I was the person waiting for my meal. After 10 minutes the waitress told me my meal was dropped and my meal would be out in a few minutes. The other three had almost finished before my meal was delivered. I should have been comped my meal or compensated in some way for this. Didn't happen. I will call the manager and express my disappointment. read more

Used to get takeout from here as they had a GF pizza. We would also get a regular pizza. Tried 4-5 times and sadly it wasn't very good. I get better GF pizza from the freezer section of the grocery. Never eaten inside or tried any of their other food. This is solely based on their pizza. Restaurant seems to always be busy. read more

Gino's is amazing! Fine, delicious and REALLY REALLY AMAZING food! I ordered the Grilled Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo and Spaghetti with Meatballs Full Pan Order for my Daughter's Seaside High School Girls Varsity Basketball Team & They Loved it, so did their Coach U! I always love your food, the pasta is always so good and on point! Love Gino's Italian Restaurant in Salinas read more

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On vacation and my wife and I decided to give it a try. It was very good. The Bruscheta was delicious and so were the pastas! Keep up the good work! read more

My family likes to eat here. They have a variety of food and it is of good quality. There is indoor and outdoor seating and a separate bar area. They also have a separate section for to-go orders. I've also gotten delivery from them. As far as food, I like their salad and Capellini Pomodoro, Carrot Cake, and steak. Otherwise, not much else I am interested in there (but I'm a picky eater). My brother likes their spaghetti. My Dad likes their Short Ribs (me, too) when they have it as a special. My Mom didn't like the calzones, but she loves their cheesy bread and Sausages and Meatballs. read more

Our meal was fresh and hot , with plenty of bread and whipped butter. Service was on point, with our drinks filled at all times Seating was very comfortable with soft lighting . It was a very nice choice for our anniversary dinner. read more

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I am taking time to review this fabulous restaurant after happening upon it driving through Salinas at dinner time. We did not have a reservation but they were able to seat us immediately. The menu was extensive with a generous menu of chef specials. Our very attentive waiter, Octavio, made several recommendations. We were served both a soft white italian and a soft wheat italian bread with a very nice herbed butter. My son and I chose the house dressing for our salads, a very tasty combination of blue cheese and vinaigrette. The salad was a nice size with mixed greens and veggies, all fresh. Our meals were served fairly quickly and the portions were more than generous. The meatballs and ravioli were wonderful. I didn't care for the spaghetti quite as much. The others in my party both ate almost all of their huge meals with enough in a to go box for another meal! I got unsweet tea which was brewed to perfection, and I've had some bad unsweet tea in my life. Another of us got raspberry unsweet tea which didn't need sugar. It was already just right. The take out/drive up business was hopping. The parking lot was full but it seems everyone was accomodated and happily eating themselves into a food coma. I believe the owner was on site and kept everything moving. The staff was so in tune with every need. One of the staff I learned is called Hai was happy to do anything we needed. Between Octavio and Hai we were treated like special guests. The prices are what you would expect for an establishment of this calibur. The total cost with a 25% tip was just under $100 for the 3 of us without any alcohol. They have an extensive wine list and other alcohol offerings. If you find yourself in Salinas, Ca or close proximity, and you want a first class Italian experience, check out Gino's. read more

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A fun day at Laguna, you must stop by and enjoy dinner here. I don't usually post reviews, but I had to. The food was delicious that I ordered so much food for the 2 of us. This has a lot of food for 2 people. We have 2 meals leftover. read more

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Ambiance was good, service was good but honestly my dish ( Pacific Grove Shrimp Scampi) needs more flavor, and shrimp was way over cooked. I loved the Artichokes and tomatoes in the pasta but the dish altogether had no real flavor. The appetizers were great ( Calamari and Garlic bread ). Was hoping to give a better review but just want to give my honest opinion. read more

I had looked forward to dining in at Gino's. We went for a birthday dinner. I was disappointed in the food. I ordered the Trio. The chicken Parmesan patty was over cooked. It was hard on the bottom of the patty. Couldn't cut it without putting pressure. I had eaten the food at a baby shower and was so pleased with the taste. So I thought it'd be a great experience in dining. But it wasn't that great. The worst part was I had to return my Pepsi drink 3 times because it tasted terrible and there were ants in it as well as my grandson's lemonade. Disappointed read more

It's just not very good anymore. The pizza does not taste the same and the entree portions re smaller than in years past. My spaghetti marinara was $18.00 for a small portion of "mushy" noodles and bland sauce. $6.00 extra for two very small "Italian sausages". Food came out in a a very weird order, so that some dishes were cold by the time that the rest of the food arrived. Service was pleasant enough, but also very confused. The waitperson had to be prompted to bring out food that had been ordered, because she "forgot". It's sad that what was once a Salinas Institution, is now a shell of its former self. I've been going here for 25 years and I'm now in no hurry to go back or to recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

I'm taking the time to leave a review of the MANAGEMENT, which will hopefully help anyone who plans on hosting a private event or large party at Gino's in the future -- because I'm disgusted by my recent experience and how it was handled. I recently held the lunch reception for my dad's funeral service at Gino's on their back patio (which holds up to 55 people). Two days before the reception, I went in person to the restaurant and met with their employee who handles private parties ((she was very nice and helpful; note: this is not the management I'm reviewing here)) and we finalized my headcount of 43 guests and confirmed my menu selections to stay within a particular budget. Everything was confirmed, and I felt assured, which helped ease my stress around the funeral as it was. The next day, the NIGHT BEFORE the funeral/reception, I received a call from the Gino's MANAGER letting me know that I had been misinformed by his staff member whom I met with -- and that the cost couldn't be based on the headcount of 43, but had to be for the 55 people the room accommodates. He said he'd come down and only charge me for 50 people instead "as a courtesy." I tried to argue my agreed-upon cost of 43 guests, as the difference in price that he was telling me I would now owe was an additional $400+. He refused. He negated the contract that I had worked out with his own employee just the day before. If this was a good manager, I never would have even known about this issue on their backend; they would have eaten the $400 cost due to their internal error without me ever knowing (or: told me about it, but still honored the 43-person contract they had created for me). In addition, as a sidenote, the corkage fee for private parties is listed on their website as $15 per bottle. In reality, I learned that it's $25 per bottle and that their website is wrong and they haven't bothered to update it. That said, after the manager insisted on charging me the additional $400 detailed above, I asked if they could come down on their corkage fee or even waive it, and he stood firm at $25 per bottle. Again, I am still stunned at the nickel and dime-ing of this individual and institution. If you're planning a party, please beware or avoid Gino's if you can. I grew up going to this place (probably 25 years now) and had always loved the food but, after this, I don't plan on going back or ever recommending it to anyone. Apparently, the restaurant is under new ownership from what it had been in the past (it's not the family that historically owned it for decades) and to me THAT makes perfect sense -- because how my dad's funeral reception was handled isn't even close to the Italian way. read more

Now the meat balls are almost half the size they used to be, and there's ONE LESS FOR THE MONEY!!! What's next??

the lasagna has NO CHEESE, no ricotta and no mozzarell. Gino's lasagna used to be the perfect Italian comfort food but now it's all meat sauce and noodle. I've been in the hospital and really needed something good to eat so when my mom went there with some friends for her birthday lunch I figured it would be an awesome opportunity to get some really good lasagna but No way, I've never had lasagna that didn't have any cheese. I'm pissed. $21 for a piece of lasagna it better have some cheese in it, on it or something read more

WORST SERVICE EVER!! I have tried to give this place the benefit of the doubt, but my bad for continuing to come!! The waitress are not friendly, act like they don't even want to be here!! They don't come around to check on you, then when you ask for a drink refill, their gesture is like your bothering them. So disappointed considering I've been coming for years and wasn't this terrible. I can see why it's eating is down to a 3.5. Terrible read more

Had the pizza Margherita and the charcuterie board. Sent the pizza back. Came with no sauce. Just cheese on crust. 1/2 inch tomatoes slices. No flavor. read more

Gino's - Charcuterie board. Needs more crackers or bread - Italian Near Me - Salinas, California

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Breakfast at Gino's: Breakfast is a new meal for Gino's. The word isn't out yet so we were the only customers in the restaurant at 9:30 in the morning. The coffee was very good - Starbucks Colombian per our server. We choose the pancakes. They were thin, but tasty. The eggs were done perfectly, as was the sausages (not greasy). The hash browns were OK - I prefer mine crispier. They have some more exotic items (Churro Waffle, Fried Chicken Benedict) on the menu that we will try in the future - pictures would be good on the menu. They also offered the lunch menu if we wanted lunch for breakfast. The server was anxious to please & took good care of us. read more

Gino's - Blueberry pancakes "Make It a Platter" with sausage (you can get bacon), eggs your way, and hash browns. - Italian Near Me - Salinas, California

Although my rating of the food is a 3.75 out of 5, I gave 5 stars because our server was the sweetest! I have come to Gino's FOR YEARS as I grew up in the Monterey Peninsula. But the quality of the food has gone down 10 fold. I have to admit, the taste is not as great as it was since it switched owners. Sorry, not sorry. Anyway, on to the food! Cheesy garlic bread was very buttery and Garlicky. The bread was soft with crispy edges. We ate them before our main dishes came out! We should've saved them to dip in the pasta sauces! Very good!!! Charcuterie board... nothing special. Pepperonccinis, dried cranberries (from a bag), candied walnuts, 5 Ritz crackers, mozzarella, parmesan (or was it romano or asiago?), prosciutto, peppered salami, 5 thin apple slices, and I'm gonna say fig/honey jam, a tiny slice of brie, and marinated olives. The romano cheese was so strong... the smell was nauseating. Walnuts could've been sweeter and NOT burnt. Overall, an OK Appetizer. Mama Mia Seafood Pasta was a bit.... fishy. The salmon still had the skin on it (gag), 5 clams, 2 that were empty, we searched the pasta in case they got out of the shell... nope. It was 5 clam shells/2 empty. There was a lot of shrimp, and there was also another thing in there that had a rubbery texture, I'm gonna assume it was squid. Linguini pasta. It was OK. Beef Ravioli with alfredo. I added meat sauce and meatballs. The ravioli is OBVIOUSLY STORE BOUGHT. THe alfredo was very cheesy, meat sauce was good, the meatballs were not dried out (thank god!) The dish was a bit too salty. It was ok. Now... our server... her name was Xitali I think it was. She told us it was her 1st day as a server. Forgot our meals came with soup or salad... didn't bring out the complimentary bread and herbed butter, forgot the beer, that was ok, she just needed a little reminding. BUT as we were ordering our meal (I ordered mine first - the ravioli with additions) my boyfriend apologized and told her I ALWAYS modify my food no matter where I go and I'll be worse today because it's my birthday. I told her to think of me as a FOOD KAREN but a nice one. Lol. Anyway, at the end of our meal, she brought out a cup of vanilla ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate syrup with a lit candle and wished me a happy birthday!!! Our bill was $115, but we gave a $30 tip. It was worth it. The food can suck, but customer service outweighs the food in my opinion. Boyfriend and I agreed that we will be back. read more

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My meal here was good, but not great. The spaghetti and meatballs was too light on the sauce and the sauce didn't have the balance of sweet and acidic flavors. The salad was good as was the soup! read more

Came here a few other times and its usually a hit or miss. We decided to give Gino's a try one last time. My family and I went for dinner and I ordered the Seafood Lovers Fettuccini ala Monterey which I had never done before. It had absolutely no flavor whatsoever. I had to add a lot of salt and pepper just to get it to taste like anything. It had to be the most bland pasta dish I have ever had. It should have been way better considering the price and all of the different seafood in it. We will not be coming back due to the lack of care in the foods quality as well as service. read more

For the most part, people were welcoming. One greeter to us outside patio without asking and it was very cold and we were the only ones there. The waitress took us an outside warmer but it was just too cold to sit outside. I asked if we could be seated inside and the waitress was friendly and said no problem. The food was good. Service from the time we moved was very good. read more

We had a party of 14. Everyone got their orders... pizza, pasta, steak, etc etc and I'm sitting there waiting for my order. Soup and salad. Not only did they not bring it out, then they managed to mess it up. How difficult is it to bring out soup and salad? The manager came out and apologized. She asked me if there is anything I wanted. I said the check, I want to leave. She comes back without the check and says "oh here's a tiramisu on the house." I haven't had dinner yet why would I want dessert when I specifically asked for the check?? A big fat zero star. No service. No common sense. I wouldn't know if the food is good or not because I never got any. Don't go here. Everything is extremely overpriced anyway. read more

First time dining in and it was a great experience. Waiter was nice and recommended some things to try. The garlic bread with cheese and the meatballs were very delicious!! Portions of the food were great, I ordered the Gilroy Garlic Shrimp Alfredo and would definitely recommend it. read more

Gino's - Gilroy Garlic Shrimp Alfredo Pasta and Garlic Bread - Italian Near Me - Salinas, California

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Casual, but authentic and good Italian food. The ambiance was nice. We had to ask for the bread that the meals say it comes with. The waitress tried to offer bread as an appetizer we had to pay for first. The complimentary bread was small, but ok; was nothing great. The meals came with a side salad also and it was a pretty decent size for a side salad. My friend got the Trio Special (lasagna, fettuccini, and chicken. Parmesan). He said it was great, especially the chicken Parmesan. I ordered the angel hair pasta with olive oil and garlic. I don't remember the name of the dish. I added chicken. The portion was huge. I didn't even finish half of it. It was delicious though. I would order it again. Wish we would've tried their desserts but we were too full! I would definitely recommend this restaurant and would come back again. Service was great too. read more

The place was clean. The host was polite and neat. The food seemed microwaved. The Lasagna appeared microwaved leaving a puddle of grease floating in the sauce. The cheese was obviously not oven melted throughout the dish. The stew' s bread was plain and tasted Pasty was not firm. Service was a little slow for me even though the place was not busy. The server however took off some items from our bill. I still left a very good tip because it's not the servers fault. read more

Gino's - Lunch baked Lasagna and beef stew. - Italian Near Me - Salinas, California

Ordered two small pizzas. Brought them home and could barely eat them. Crust was covered in cornmeal and super thin making it inedible. The edges were hard as a rock and the bottom was so squishy had to eat with a fork. Will not get pizza here again!! read more

Gino's has been a Friday night staple in our house for decades. Always Clam Chowder, Calamari and Caesar salad. With a husband who loves clam chowder, Gino's clam chowder was better than anywhere we'd ever been and we've tried all the local spots. When we went on vacation we'd get clam chowder whenever available, Gino's always won out. The soup was always thick, creamy, and no fishy scent/taste. New ownership for two years now and we've given Gino's our last try The Clam Chowder is watery and has a weird pungent fishy odor. The Calamari looks like it was made hours ago and has been sitting under a warmer and the salad is greens with some parm on top. I had hoped this restaurant would keep the Gino's legacy recipes but clearly the new owners have cut some corners. read more

One of my favorite restaurants hands-down. The restaurant is very clean, inviting, and family-friendly. My server Bianca was one of the best workers I've seen in hospitality. She was so kind and knowledgeable about the menu offerings and made me feel at home. I started with a black Cherry high noon and the spicy Thai Calamari which was absolutely amazing. For my entree, I had the Manicotti Alfredo which was so good I forgot to take a picture. Everything was so good that I ordered one of their lunch bowls to go before work the next day. For only $11, they pack a lot of pasta in them and they include garlic bread. I had the blackened chicken fettuccine Alfredo, and the chicken was cooked to perfection. I've been to Gino's a few times with friends and family and I've always had a great experience. Thank you Gino's! read more

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Went there on February 15, 2025. Food was okay however the service ruined it. The waitress never checked back to see if everything was okay. She never refilled our drinks. I had to get up to ask for more drinks and some pepper. Not the fine dining experience I am used to. I won't be returning nor will any of the locals in our party of 6. read more

(make sure you read warning) The food is fantastic the wait staff are warm and inviting. You must must must trying to lasagna it sounds so basic but trust me it is far from it. It's one of those comfort foods that make you want to just curl up by a cozy fire. I've also had the lamb shank As well as several of their pasta dishes. Nothing disappoints! However I do have a warning.... Do Not waste your time in the bar area.. The Patrons were extremely rude and made me feel very unwelcomed. Which was a complete shock to me because in all my travels for the last 10 years the people of Salinas have always been very warm and inviting. It gives the restaurant a badd vibe.. I literally just had my drink and left. But don't let that stop you from enjoying the actual restaurant! I definitely will keep coming and bringing clients just not in the bar area. read more

Gino's - Fall off the bone Pork Shank...OMG!! - Italian Near Me - Salinas, California

The food is the not the same since they changed owners. The blackened chicken fettuccini has always been my favorite. Under the new owners, it's very bland and watered down and upsets my stomach. read more

What is there not to love about Gino's. Okd times vibe and the food is soooo good. A hidden gem in Salinas. I would recommend this place 10/10 times to anyone looking for a good bite of Italian food. The staff are super cool, nice, patient and polite. Love this place read more

Gino's - Calzone with sausage, pepperoni, olives and Canadian bacon with marinara sauce. So good. - Italian Near Me - Salinas, California

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High priced but great food, wish they had a lunch and dinner take out specials. But food is excellent read more

The food was alright, but the service was horrible, our server lailah I believe was horrible she wasn't welcoming and was very rude. I felt more welcomed by the host than by our server. read more

I came here for a birthday dinner for my little sister and she and I had hair in our pastas and it wasn't just one hair it was multiple, the server was nice but I lost my appetite after that and we still got charged for the pastas that had hair, I won't be returning here sadly. read more

Last night (Valentine's Day evening) it was Friday so I knew the wait time would be long. No reservations for parties under 5. They did not have their regular menu. They had a valentines special menu. There was only one vegetarian choice. Pasta primavera with vegetable medley. There was cabbage and lettuce mixed in with the pasta! They pre cooked everything and microwaved food to order. There was so much grease/oil/ butter in the food, it was all nasty. Even the garlic bread! My husband squeezed it and a puddle of butter came out. After waiting an hour and 15 minutes and for food for two that cost $110.00 (no alcohol just food) I hoped for better food. I'm glad we have pigs because that's who is eating our leftovers. By leftovers I mean 95% of our plates. My husband got the trio. Lasagna, fettuccine Alfredo and chicken parm and the cheese was a heaping mess of congealing grossness. Olive garden in Salinas is gross but it's better than Gino's. The only thing edible last night was the salad. It was packed, I'm sure they made big bucks on bad food. read more

Checked out this place with my two boys upon the recommendation of the Vision Quest Ranch where we were staying. This place was packed! Despite the crowds we were seated right away and found parking in the private lot. The place smelled delicious. What is it about Italian food that always smells so comforting? I was ready for a cocktail after our long drive that day. It hit the spot. Ordered a salmon salad for the husband which he enjoyed. Boys dug the ravioli. I had the caprese. All in all, a good comforting meal for weary travelers. Friendly, fast service. read more

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Delicious food and good portions. This menu is large and also fantastically priced. Pasta comes with soup or salad for about $20. My husband and I dined here with 2 cocktails, appetizer, 2 main courses and dessert for under $100. Highly recommend read more

Gino's - Appetizer trio - Italian Near Me - Salinas, California

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This was a split second decision seeing how our first choice tonight was closing when we got there. The food was very tasty and the prices weren't too far off expectations. They could work a little on being a little more inviting/friendly as the service was merely ok. It had a full bar which was nice. It was on a Sunday and an hour away from closing...chalking it up to that lol 8.0/10 read more

From the fine dining point of view, I was very disappointed for the first time with not being served any bread after being seated. It's one of the things I look forward to every time I come here. It wasn't like it was at all crowded. The overall dinner was good. The calamari piccata did not disappoint. As well as the special, similar to the seafood lover's fettuccine. At the moment, I can't recall the name of the dish. Couldn't finish it because there was so much. Took home what I couldn't finish. For dessert, we had the tiramisu. A nice end to dinner. We also decided to take home a canoli. That was a mistake because the shell was hard and a bit oily, and the filling was heavy. Just didn't seem that fresh. Will we go back, most likely. We can only hope the overall experience won't be a big disappointment. read more