This is one of the better Italian restaurants in the area. Their food is fresh, delicious and like homemade. There only open three days a week as the new ownership appears to still be getting their feel for the business. Service is very accommodating but still having some growing pains with large groups. The place is clean and has been freshend up. Plenty of parking available. read more

Ordered a couple of pizzas for takeout on the way home from Madison, and Giovanna's was a good choice. Went with a cheese pizza, and a House special pizza. Both were very good, but I would lean towards the House special. Lots of toppings, nice crust. Looked like a clean place inside, and the menu looks loaded with Italian favorites. We'll try to have dinner there soon. read more

Took 35 minutes to get our meal. No acknowledgement of the delay. The food was not very good. At the end we asked for two separate checks and the cashier acted like it was such a big deal, we said never mind. Very disappointing experience. Won't be going back. read more

Food was only ok and the service was awful. I specifically asked for artichoke hearts on the pizza and they put anchovies instead. The server said it was his fault. They got us a new one, with no discount as we waited for it then we just got it to go. I had to get up and ask for my own refill on soda and for napkins. Our server wasn't friendly at all and never even asked how our salad was or how the pizza looked when dropped it off which if he did we would of saw and said something about the anchovies. I understand times are hard now during covid but this was unacceptable. Highly upset, visiting from out of town and would never go back. Also took 3 people to get our pizza correctly, I told them all how it should of been and they didn't write it down so I repeated it again. Not happy. read more

Not easy to evaluate if it aint open ! The atmosphere is just weird, like something post- apocalyptic. read more

Kind of dingy place that appears to have been an old roadside motel that has maybe been converted into a restaurant. For whatever reason, they were not serving alcohol or anything seafood related when we visited on a Friday night. Very strange. read more

We stopped in for dinner while down in the area. We have driven by many times in recent years, but the place always has a look of not being very appetizing nor having people there when driving by, so we skip it. But this time we decided to give it a try.... The building has a musty smell inside and is definitely dated. The menus were torn up and dirty, not very clean. They offer the basic stuff you'd get from your local, neighborhood Italian/Pizza joint. The entrees we tried were ok, nothing special, but not bad either. The salad that came with the meal had a very bland balsamic dressing. Service was very nice and friendly. Restrooms were clean. read more

Giovanna's Italian Eatery - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Madison, Virginia

This place looks and feels authentic! Loved it. Friendly staff and clean restaurant! I ordered the Shrimp Ravioli and it came with salads.. The salad was fresh! I will definitely go back to this place if I am back in this area! read more

Giovanna's Italian Eatery - Shrimp & Garlic Ravioli! - Italian Near Me - Madison, Virginia

Honestly, i wish there was an option for no starts... I worked at giovanna's and just previously quit little under a month ago. I highly do NOT recommend working here or even eating here for a matter of fact. The staff is treated with nothing but disrespect unless you are one of Loretta's favorites which is one person, or her best friend who will come in and help from time to time. I am very much a minor and was treated like absolute garbage and when I addressed her about it she still repeated to treat me like trash and proceeded to tell me "everyone gets treated the same" which is not the case. I ended up quitting on spot, ac was busted, it was over 90° in the restaurant, was being treated like crap so i had enough and left. it took her over 20 minutes to give me the money i had made that night which was well over 60$. and before she gave me my money she told me I was not going to get it if I didn't finish my shift. so i called my mother and she handed the situation and i ended up getting my money. either way very unprofessional on mine and her ends. On to how the store looks, and the health violations they have (which is quite a few). the cooks do not wear gloves, loretta will if she doesn't want to "mess her nails up" but that is about it. i have seen quite a few roaches running around unnoticed which is also very unsanitary. kitchen is also gross, and the ice machine produces ice but with a touch of red stuff that comes out of it. (they made us pick it out) sliver wear was not being cleaned all the way and had to repeatedly take a wet rag and wipe them down to get grease and old food off. some of the dressings stay in the fridge for over a month and we are still advised to use them. urinal doesn't barley work. oh and the most unprofessional thing i have seen there is loretta and antonio arguing very very much in front of customers, and in front of us. they are understaffed for good reason. everyone who has worked there has quit in under a week or two weeks. one boy worked a day and quit the very next. i feel as though my words on working there and seeing everything first hand for a very long 6 months should be shared to everyone who would like to eat there or work there. i do not recommend and i do feel like they should 150% be shut down. weather it be for cleanliness or treatment of staff i don't know and i don't care. but someone has to stop this place from getting any worse. i hope everyone takes what i've said and uses it. read more

Will not be able to review the food because after waiting 15 minutes and not even being able to place a drink order we just left. The prices seemed reasonable but I guess I'll never know. I think a peroni was $3.75 and a chicken parm sandwich was either $6 or $7. read more

We made the mistake of stopping here at 6pm for dinner. Apparently the AC broke 4 days ago so the restaurant felt like a sauna. We were foolish to stay and order food anyway. The restaurant had several customers so we thought it must be a good place to eat. The waitress eventually took our order and within a few minutes my daughter received her pasta. But 45 minutes later, the rest of our party were still waiting for our food. When I saw the waitress serve a new customer what I am pretty sure was our salads, I inquired with the staff about the status of our food. Long story short, the waitress never put our order in to the cook ( or that's what the cook claims) and the food my daughter received so quickly was actually someone else's order. So I guess that customer never received his pasta. The staff gave a half hearted "sorry" and proceeded to charge us for what my daughter ate. Apparently our waitress quit on the spot a few minutes prior but she was watching us pay at the cashier and not once addressed us. All of the patrons at this place and most of the staff are white and my party was not all white. I sure hope that wasn't part of the problem here. I don't recommend eating here and doubt this place meets health standards with the AC broken. read more

If you love fettuccine alfredo, this is the place for you! Some dishes have an Alfredo pesto sauce that is over the top! It is worth the drive to Madison from surrounding areas in Virginia! Also, the chicken parmesan is by far the best in the region! I highly recommend Giovanni's! read more

This use to be a great place to go if you are craving Italian food. But since the new owners took over it has gone down hill. You never know when they are open and you always see food deliveries left by the door. It breaks my heart to see it go down this way. It has been a staple of our small town of Madison and people look forward to going and enjoying a meal. Hopefully the new owners will take pride in it and get it back to being great. One last thing I would like to add is the owners girlfriend/wife is very rude so that is something else they need to work on. Good ole southern hospitality and kindness. read more

From Larry and Karen Morris . We ordered a large veggie pizza on April 27th 2019 from Giovannas . It was the best veggie pizza that I have ever ate ! The crust was perfect . Thin the veggies so fresh . With the right amount of sauce . Way to go Giovannas ! Larry and karen read more

It is now 7:30 pm me and my family just called to see how late this restaurant would be open so we could come to eat , we were informed when we got there they were not doing anymore dine in for the night ,this is ridiculous there was a family there eating,it's not our fault you are running a crappy restaurant with no staff but I will make sure to inform everyone I speak to about places to eat ,that this one is horrible read more

We were greeted with a friendly smile as we walked into the restaurant, which was casual and comfortable. After being seated, our server, Erica came over to help us. She was friendly, professional and seemed eager to help. I've been visiting the area for several days and Erica delivered the best service I've experienced during my stay. My dinner companion, who lives in the area, ordered her favorite, the Spaghetti Luciana. Large shrimp and small clams on a bed of spaghetti with fresh tomatoes and a light sauce. She loved it. I opted for the personal Hawaiian pizza (don't judge). I asked for extra cheese although I discovered it would have been fine without it. The huge pizza (hanging off the edges of the plate) was tasty, with a thin crispy crust. Next time I'm in Madison I'll be back for dinner. read more

We have had carry out from Giovanna's multiple times and have always enjoyed the food itself. Tonight's carry out experience was a disaster. We called in the order while heading home from the airport, 35 min out from the restaurant. The timing appeared to be perfect as they said the order would be ready in 20 min. When we arrive to pick up the order, there are at least 8 other people waiting. I give my name to the poor person working the register, who is obviously flustered. After providing my credit card to pay for the order, it becomes apparent that the order was never put in and I'm informed that it will be 25 minutes before the food is ready. I inform the poor girl working the register that I do not want to wait 25 minutes for food that I called in 35 minutes ago and request a refund on the card. She has to find someone from the back to see if a refund is possible, then says the food will be right out. I waited for an additional 10 minutes before someone came out to refund my credit card and I left without food. It was evident from the other restlessly waiting patrons that they were also experiencing similar disorganization and wait times. I do feel bad for the girl working the register as she was obviously under-supported in her present work environment. To add to the experience, no one apologized for the mistake. read more

My intention was to post this review immediately following my 31 May 2019 visit, but other tasks delayed the sharing of this information until seven months later at the time of this writing. My party visited this restaurant to place a carry-out order late at night after checking into a nearby Airbnb. Rather than greeting us with even a minimal degree of enthusiasm or normality, the staff members positioned around the reception desk did little more than stare at us and mutter a sort of curt hello as if our presence was the source of some confusion. When, thanks to the strange welcome, we awkwardly expressed our intention to place a carry-out order, the staff quickly noted our desires and prepared the food, supplying it to us in a sturdy bag with which we departed. Upon our return to the house, we were disappointed and disgusted to discover that the chicken parmesan incorporated what appeared to be a severely undercooked chicken breast, pink and shiny and dominating the center of the dish. I only regret the lack of a picture from that night to impart on whoever reads this review the same revolting reaction to this atrocity, which amounted to the greatest mockery of Italian cuisine of which I have the displeasure of remembering. Needless to say, the food remained unconsumed and we did not return, but the circumstances still disappoint me because other reviews suggest that this restaurant typically offers a satisfactory or above average experience. read more

Went here last night to grab dinner for my family. My pasta dish literally looked like pig slop thrown in a container. The noodles for the pasta were mush and there was no flavor. Also, it tasted like there were pieces of bread in it that were mushy as well. The marinara sauce tasted like someone had dumped a huge container of salt in it. This place has gone completely downhill. I know that no one from my family will be ordering from here. It is like the owners no longer care how their food is since they are only doing take out now. I thought it was bad a few years ago when I requested extra sauce in my pasta and was told to just add water to it from the owner. What self respecting Italian tells you to add water their sauce? read more

The spaghetti with meat sauce was amazing! Definitely a great place for lunch! I plan on coming back here next time I have business in this area. read more

Pizza is ok, but on the greasy side. Most of the apps are frozen fare. Salads are boring. We mostly go there for the subs and pasta dishes.

I had been here a few times and each time I got something new off the menu - hoping it would be better than the last. You can travel ten minutes south or north on 29 and have a better Italian food experience. I do not recommend. read more

Not a single employee was wearing a mask, they got our order wrong, and the pizza was an abomination to the idea of American Italian restaurant. Horrible. read more

We have always had a good experience at Giovanna's and we have been going there probably at least half a dozen times a year since they opened. This is not haute Northern Italian food but delicious Italian standards that go far beyond "red sauce". I can't account for the experiences described in the bad reviews--maybe one of the few times that neither of the owners is working? The wait staff has always been excellent--we have never had to wait, never had to ask twice for anything. read more

Pizza was great, the personal is a nice size and loaded with meats. The carbonara was a nice big portion and incredibly tasty. A good place to check out on the road if you don't need to impress and just want a good cheap meal with friendly service. read more

OMG, worst meal I ever had. My wife had the Meatlovers Pizza, cardboard with cheese and meat. I had the Lasagna, runny mess of a dish with low grade , possibly hamburger and cheese, got sick later that night. My friend had Eggplant Parm, he said it wasn't bad. Cheese bread was great. Waitress was very nice and accommodating read more

It's was the best lasagna I have ever eaten in my life. I don't leave reviews but had to over this.

I'm no food critic, just a foodie. I've done fine dining and ate all up and down the east coast, this place is legit. The dough is fresh and seemed made to order almost... the culinary skill is top notch and I have never said this before, but the pizza was PERFECT. Service is great, Austin is fast and friendly. The kitchen was quick and had me constantly getting a new plate. 5 stars y'all! read more

Have been eating in this place for many years. I have never had a bad experience, bad service, or bad food. Its always been a pleasure to dine there. My wife has a special pizza that she orders for me to pick up. Since she has been ordering it or if I order it when I walk in the door they know who its for. Had a nice lunch there today with a coworker. The young woman that waited on us was very pleasant, helpful on the menu and keep our glasses filled. Keep up the great work. read more

My husband and I stopped by on our way to our way to the mountains for a few nights stay in the mountains. We were invited as soon as we walked through the door and the waitress was attentive. We are usually not being ones to 'yelp' as we have worked places on the receiving end of 'yelp'... however their food was good enough for us to want to make sure we pushed this great place forward with our great reviews! It was clean, hospitable, and the food...The food they offered was amazing! We had the Mancotti and Carbonara with chicken. It was awesome!! We would highly recommend! read more

We stopped in for lunch. Great food for a good price. We had strombolis. There are vegetarian options and full meals. The space is fine with casual dress and option for take out food. Just out of a bigger town- this place gets overlooked! Try it! read more

The best Italian food in Central Virginia and for a great prize! The pizza is just as good or better than the ones you get in NYC/New Jersey! The owners came from Naples, Italy twenty something years ago which is why it makes this restaurant so good when it comes to authentic Italian food. I've been to Italy numerous times and the best food is usually found in the southern part of Italy (I.E. Naples) so not surprise why the food here is so good. Every time someone comes from out of town to visit I take them here and they absolutely love the food. read more

I had the eggplant parmesan dinner. The eggplant was mushy. So mushy I could not eat it. Possibly they made it and froze it. I will never return read more

Reasonable prices, wholesome food, clean restrooms, pleasant staff members. You want fancy pricey fare, go into D.C. I want good food I can afford to feed my family. No place locally is better for Italian fare than Giovanna's. Don't dog the place on the basis of one entrée you didn't enjoy. That's not fair to the proprietors, and not fair to other customers who might benefit from dining at this establishment. Come visit a few times, sample the different entrees, and then write your review. I'm convinced you'll be a fan too, if you give this nice restaurant a chance. What are these questions below? What the hell is Apple Pay? What is Android Pay? A robot comes to your table with the check? What is this stuff? Where the hell is what's left of the country I grew up in? Where did all the people go, who just want a nice meal at a fair price? This restaurant is one of those places. read more