I am always on the lookout for a good Italian restaurant, so when this restaurant was tried by fellow Yelpers I know, and liked it, I decided to try it myself. For starters, this is a lunch and dinner joint, that also doubles as a weekend brunch joint. I went here during the weekday for dinner, when there was barely anybody in the restaurant. Is it a bad thing when the restaurant is not very full at that time? I could not tell you. At least when I walked in, I was treated properly as a customer. A proper welcome, a polite walk to my table (not sent to the bar, nice!), and even handed a menu before I sat down. The whole door to table experience felt elegant and true to form. Not long after that, my server, Dean, approached me and droned on about the specials. I half listened to them until I heard about the Lamb Shank. No onions please? No problem. Served with a nice mushroom sauce, carrots, and tagliatelle pasta? Sign me up! I also got the grilled octopus and a ginger ale to keep things at bay in case the food decided to spin me out of control. The grilled octopus is served with a tasty cream sauce and seasoned potatoes. The portion of octopus is a little small, but it is cooked to a nice, welcome char, with the potatoes well seasoned and are completely cooked through. There is even a spice carries a little bit of a kick! The capers also add a nice, salty touch. From there, the Lamb Shank came out not long after the octopus was consumed. The lamb is a bit on the fatty side, and it is a little stringy, but the it has good flavor and the mushroom sauce is delicious. The carrots are cooked to a nice bite and the tagliatelle pasta is cooked to a perfect al dente. Unfortunately, the portion is a bit on the smaller side, and costs a pretty penny to order it. I know other Italian restaurants in Brooklyn that give you more and charge you less. I would have liked a bed of polenta for it to rest on, but the pasta choice is fine for this dish. The sauce is the reason why. Dean was also quite friendly and ensured a positive atmosphere during my visit. You also get free bread upon entry. I should have asked if additional baskets are free, but I think they are. Please do not surprise customers with that silly up-charge. Despite the good food, because of the high prices and small portions, with similar menu items I can get closer to home, I am skeptical about another visit. Does that mean you should not go? No. You should if you are able to. This is a relic of old Brooklyn. It has that Moonstruck vibe that most of Brooklyn has done away with. Good thing there is people like me always looking out. read more

Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats - Grilled Octopus - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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My first time ever ordering from Giovanni Brooklyn Eats. I tried the Coscia di Pollo Francese chicken thighs in egg flour batter with lemon and white wine sauce. Two sides were included: polenta and sautéed broccoli rabe. The broccoli rabe was my favorite part of the meal - really delicious with tons of flavor. I also enjoyed the creamy polenta. The chicken thighs were good and the portion size was generous. The restaurant is focused on serving authentic "real Italian family recipes" and that's what they're very good at. It's rich, homestyle hearty food - not lightweight. I only ordered one dish (takeout, not dine in - it's flu season and I was feeling the early symptoms so decided to stay in). The food was very filling and tasted like a homemade Italian family recipe. ** The number one / best dish to get here is the broccoli rabe IMO. I've had lots of broccoli rabe so I appreciate it when someone makes a better version than my own. read more

Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats and I go back a long time.. maybe twenty years. His first location was on Seventh Avenue; it was a two room space. I knew then and there this was going to be my place. Giovanni personally visited each table and warmly greeted his guests and ensured everything was great. Then, we came annually for New Years Eve and ordered the special course of squid ink pasta with mussels, shrimp and lobster. We were introduced to his beautiful family. Then Giovani move to Eight Avenue, and we followed: eating delicious Arugula salad al fresco, the Bottomless Brunches on Sunday delicious pastas, entrees and the occasional lunch. The location unfortunately had a fire, and Giovanni's was closed for over a year and reopened across the street. Tonight, my friend Alissa and I finally dined at the new location. It still has the same rustic charm with brick walls, wooden tables, open kitchen and a beautiful bar. I recognized the Cent'Anni plaque on the wall from all the New Years spent at Giovanni's. Tonight I wanted to try some new items: 1. Cocktail: Orange Rose: white wine with orange peel. I am not a a Rose drinker but found the taste natural and unique.Alisa had the Sauvignon Blanc and loved it. 2. Appetizer: Whipped Ricotta with honey, pistachio and figs. Heavenly course with toast to smother this delicious spread. Alisa had the Arancini and thought the serving was delicious! 3. Main: Alisa had the cavatelli with melaneze and couldn't stop eating it. I enjoyed the eggplant parmigiana; eggplant was baked not fried 4. Dessert: First time trying Spumoni gelato; absolutely scrumptious with cherries inside the Spumoni Our server, Eya, was delightful, personable and professional. She has worked here 8 years and of course we shared our history of dining here with her. I know there will be many more great dining experiences to share in the future! Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats is located at 1666 8th Avenue Take R train to Prospect Fourth Avenue and walk 15 minutes to Eighth Avenue Or take F train to 15th Street Prospect Park, 7 minute walk read more

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I'm getting hungry leaving this review. Giovanni's is my friends and I's favorite place to catch up and get spaghetti. The wait staff are so kind and I love the family environment. Much less packed, and more bang for your buck, than nearby Pasta Louise. read more

Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats - Spaghetti Meatballs - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Maybe 3.5 stars? The service and wine list are stellar!!!!!! I was a little disappointed that the shrimp parmigiana doesn't come with a pasta for the cost, spaghetti and red sauce would go a long way. The vegetable lasagne had mushrooms which was a surprise, I didn't love that and wish it had been listed on the menu. I am glad they have expanded and would still come again! read more

Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

A good friend recommended me to come to Giovanni's. We arrived and was greeted by the owners son Dean and the owner Giovanni. They were both extremely nice and welcoming. The restaurant is really nice. Very Italian with tin ceilings, family pictures on the wall, open kitchen, beautiful bar and a band playing. This restaurant is situated on a corner. They had all the windows open on this beautiful night. It was super cozy and the ambience was very chill. The staff was really nice and very accommodating. Anything I asked they were quick to give me an explanation. We started off with a specialty cocktail and beer. The cocktail was a take on a pina colada heavy on the lime over ice. Well balanced. It was delicious. We got apps a spinach salad and frito misto. Both were delicious. The dressing was perfect with poached pears and Gorgonzola cheese also frito misto with an assortment of veg as well as calamari. For dinner we ordered short rib with mash. The mash was amazing, sauce was delicious short rib needed a touch more in the oven. Still though just a delicious dish. For dessert we ordered apple bread pudding with gelato. We thoroughly enjoyed this. This was moist not to sweet. Really just perfect and a great way to end a meal. Overall I love Giovanni's. It's a great neighborhood restaurant. The owner and his son are just wonderful people . I will def be back for dinner and brunch read more

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Heard amazing things about Giovanni's and had to come out for a special occasion! I had placed a reservation and upon arriving, it was already a full house! We got seated and served warm soft bread! As we looked through the menu, there was also a little corner with live music playing and it was truly incredible! I felt I was transported to a small little restaurant in Italy! The hostess came by and introduced the specials for the night and of course we had to try it out! We ordered the veal shank on a bed of Parmesan risotto and the pan seared duck over roasted asparagus with saffron honey cream sauce. Presentation looked incredible and portion for the veal was great! I just wish there was a little more to the duck dish. Nonetheless, flavors were great and the duck was soft with a slight chew. The asparagus were not as tender as I had hoped- the ends were a lot more fibrous and I did not end up enjoying the asparagus. But the saffron honey cream went perfectly well with the duck! The veal shank was soft and it fell of the bone! There was still enough of a meaty bite that paired well with the savory, salty, cheesy risotto! The risotto was definitely filling! Not pictured, we also got a Bolognese Bianco and the portion was just right! Great food all around and the atmosphere even better! I would come back and try different dishes as I've heard that they have a variety of in house made pastas! To end the night, because we were celebrating a birthday- you can't leave without trying the tiramisu! Incredible incredible tiramisu! You can taste the coffee and liqueur that was used! A great end to an amazing night! read more

Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats - Meat special- Osso Buco Veal shank served over Parmesan risotto - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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My family enjoyed our Sunday evening dinner here last night and am so happy that they were able to rebound after the devastating fire that took their old location just diagonal across the street! The atmosphere is festive and the space is way more open than the old one with a nice bar tucked away towards the back of the restaurant. We started with bread and wine and for our entrees we ordered the delicious spaghetti and meatballs, the Italian Sunday entree with sausage, short rib and meatball fused with rigatoni and the white beans as an appetizer. Overall we were delighted with the food and service was great ! It's a mainstay here in South Slope / Windsor Terrace and if you can score a table when the weather is perfect even better ! We will be back - and will continue to do so as long as they are serving their comfortable Italian food ! read more

There is true hospitality here. Dino the don and Giovanni is the dad and they do everything right here: the food is quality ingredients and I say this because you can taste it. My montipulchiano wine and Sardinian wine were top tier like when I go back to Italy to visit my cousins. The frito misto was amazing. Light and tasty. Good mix. Actually outstanding just like the table salad. Best I ever had. The fried zucchini flowers were so yummy like zeppoli almost. The vegetarian lasagna was the best I ever had in a restaurant. Seriously. The pasta was homemade and every layer was separate and well executed. Good pesto. The housemade squid ink pasta ravioli stuffed with lobster outstanding. Thh lobster was fresh. The lemon cello cake was the best dessert of my year. Live music. Friday and sat. We heard a great New Orleans band and got to hear Giovanni singing. What a treat. Packed out the door with people. read more

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Tasty food great ambiance with live music, 3 piece jazzon the Saturday that I was there. Attractive wall with old b&w family pictures. Kat was my server, very friendly; she knew and explained the menu well. read more

Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats - Dining room - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I had a very disappointing experience at this restaurant in Brooklyn Unfortunately, the equipment they use seems to be poorly maintained or malfunctioning, which affected the overall quality of the service. I order a hot teas for my daughter and the tea cup was dirty!The server ignored my request to get sharing plate for the app and the main course. And I asked her to get a sharing plates so we can share the app and main course. I do understand if no body teaches her what I'm talking about in an average restaurant in NY BUT I THINK SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TRAINED MORE. When I asked her politely to change the tea coup because it was dirty she was so annoyed and bring the tea coup after 10 minutes. With no apology!? Food was good and the owner checked on us. It's frustrating when basic things don't work properly, especially when you expect a certain standard in a New York restaurant. I hope management takes this feedback seriously and invests in fixing or replacing the faulty devices so future guests can have a better experience. read more

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I lived in Park Slope for many years and had never been to this restaurant until recently. My husband and I decided to give it a try, and we had a great time. We loved the ambiance; the lights were dim, and I really enjoyed their music playlist, which featured a lot of Frank Sinatra. Our waitress was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. For our appetizer, we ordered the meatballs, which were okay, but I felt the sauce was a bit too acidic for my taste. For our entrées, I had rigatoni pesto with chicken, and my husband chose rigatoni alla vodka. Both dishes were delicious; the sauce was fresh, and I could taste all the herbs. For drinks, I ordered the Mambo Italiano, which was fine, though I mostly chose it because it contained coconut. This is a nice date night restaurant and its local. We enjoyed ourselves and will definitely return! read more

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So I came back and Giovanni's is resurrected across the street. It's a Friday night and the place is packed!!! Giovanni's son introduces himself and has his father come over and we give each other a big hug. I ordered a basic gnocchi with pomodoro sauce. Delicious. Then I finished with an espresso. On the house. Great having this place back. In a beautiful new place!! read more

Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Met friends here for brunch on a Saturday afternoon and the service and food were both excellent. They put a unique spin on the espresso martini and it was delicious! The brunch menu which allows you to select an appetizer and entree was a great value for the quality of food. We sat outside and enjoyed the weather in this more quiet area of Brooklyn. Would definitely return and try the dinner menu too! read more

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All I can say is, WOW! This is one of those hidden gems, that needs to be found. The food and the service were absolutely incredible. The location itself has such a warm feeling to it and the photos on the walls were a great touch. We started off with these baked clams, which were the best I've ever had. The rice ball was cooked perfect, crunchy and cheesy on the inside. Dinner, we ordered the sword fish special and the spaghetti with meat balls (just like you get for Sunday dinner). Both were excellent. Now the dessert, do not go to this location and forget to try the bread pudding... WOW! It was the perfect ending to our meal, partnered up with a cappuccino. We will definitely be going back. read more

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Love the vibe in Giovanni's, good seafood and veggie section. Alovely reincarnation of the original place i used to go to on 7th ave.

Came back here for dinner nearly a year later. We waited eagerly for the reopening and snagged a dinner reservation for 930 on a Saturday night. The new space is nice, clean and warm ambience. Lots of patrons and service was a bit slow at first, but our waitress was very attentive after that. To start we ordered Fritto Misti and Arancini- get these. Perfectly fried shrimp, veggies and creamy crispy rice balls with a marinara sauce on the side, For pasta we chose rigatoni ala vodka and spaghetti con Vongole. The rigatoni was creamy basil-y goodness, cooked to perfection and we couldn't stop eating it . The spaghetti was nice, garlic and olive oil, but almost as salty as the ocean which I didn't love. Barely any seasoning and no chili which I had requested. For mains we went with chicken Marsala and the beef short rib. Both came with a side of creamy buttery mashed potatoes which were bomb. Chicken Marsala was in a brown gravy kind of sauce with lots of mushrooms. Beef short rib was drenched in a sauce with bits of carrots and was very salty, even when I scraped off some of the sauce to try the meat itself. The main courses left a lot to be desired in terms of flavor. Definitely will stick to pasta and appetizers if I come back here again. read more

The menu is very traditional & dare I say ...outdated. Why? Not enough of a good selection for vegetarians/vegans. Keep sleeping on us if you want but it will be at your peril. We're no longer satisfied with vegetable lasagna, eggplant Parmesan & boring olive oil with vegetables pastas. Step it up pal read more

Chicken parm and shrimp parm do not come with a side of pasta or bread. Make sure you order a side if you want it. We were disappointed.

This restaurants owner, ruined my Dad's 63rd birthday dinner over fragile masculinity and a cake they didn't even make. The sad part is - the restaurant actually serves pretty decent food. It's the owner that's the problem. Aside from clearly not paying his employees, a livable wage he is entitled enough to believe that he can overcharge for a "cake cutting fee". All without no mention or form of communication that the customer would be incurring said charge. Any mention of this fee could have been justified with simple communication- but we were met with contempt and passive aggression instead. The big guy in charge felt inclined to grab our attention after already having left his greedy establishment; to ensure us that this was an "industry standard" and that's "what all restaurants do..." while also proceeding to place the blame of us "screwing over his waitress staff" for not tipping the 20% standard (a standard that exists IF and when said staff provides exceptional service) which was NOT what we received. After being berated, personally, by the owner; we expressed that we would not be returning to his establishment. To which the owner stated "Good. That's the exact answer I wanted to hear. " The food can be as excellent as it can be, but until that front of house gets a major retraining (aka hire a professional to run your front of house, properly, if you as the owner, have no clue how to speak to customers). Yes, there are services you can pay for, with all that "cake cutting fee" money you rack up to improve your service. To add a cherry on top, a passerby & fellow neighbor of yours caught wind of your antics and saw the whole thing. She went on to validate that the owner is "careless" and "an asshole". Guess this "neighborhood gem" has some social skeletons in their closet. Thanks for charging $24 to cut 4 slices of cake. And before you try to respond with the same cockamamie response of us "screwing over your staff", like you have in OTHER negative reviews; just don't. We don't need another projection of insecurity and fragile ego from you. Try not to burn this location down too, Gio. Xoxo, A Park Slope Native read more

In general, I have a lovely time and we come often. The sesame bread is amazing with the rosemary olive oil and Monday night they have half price bottles of wine. The plain cheesecake is also some of the best I've ever had which says a lot since I have had Juniors and tons of other cheesecake all over the city. Last time we went, I was trying to be healthy and got the salmon and spinach despite the possibility of it being bland. And surprise! It wasn't. It was actually so good, I thought about it later and may get it again. read more

Used to come here all the time when it was at the other location, and was so happy to hear that they came back! We did the bottomless brunch on Valentine's Day weekend, with mimosas. The food was amazing, the portions were much larger than I expected, and the drinks were coming at a good pace. Also want to shout out our waitress for paying attention to the allergy note we made on the reservation. After she took our order, she came back and mentioned one of the meals might have cross-contamination and wanted to double check! We ended up changing that order. Overall it was a great experience! read more

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Giovani's does not take reservatios by phone; furthermore, you cannot call them as its phone number is only to provide information about how to contact them by email, there is not a way to talk to person. I made a reservation for New Year Eve from 7 to 9, the reservation application required to provide a credit card numner because Giovani's will charge $50.00 per customer if you cancel the reservation, and the restaurant will also use the credit card to charge you the cost of the diner. I found this requirements burdesome and customer unfriendly. I have had dinner there twice without reservations just walking in and the food and service were very good. read more

If you're into seafood, the shrimp scampi linguine is a must-try. The garlic lemon butter sauce was light but flavorful, and the shrimp were plump and fresh. They also served a small side salad which was crisp and refreshing. Felt like a hidden gem. read more

Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

They create dishes worth eating and experiences worth having. The employees show exceptional interpersonal skills. The kitchen presents inventive options with flavors that impress. I found the design choices impressive. This place earned my complete satisfaction. read more

Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats is an Italian Restaurant that opened in 2011 and is on 8th Avenue in Park Slope. I have had the pleasure of eating there In-Person as well as us ordering food online and it has always tasted delicious. There is a great variety of Starters, Main Courses, Pasta Dishes, Seafood Dishes, Salads, Desserts, etc. We have ordered Spaghetti Al Pomodoro w/ Meatballs and have had Spaghetti Al Pomodoro w/ Italian Sausage & Meatballs - Delicious! Luca's Lasagna is rich, filling and is hearty. Zucchini Fritters stuffed w/ Prosciutto & Buratta Chesse w/ tomatoes was fabulous.- Hearty, yet light and refreshing all at the same time. Giovanni's Marga--Beeta Cocktail and their mocktails are amazing. Every time I have a Giovanni's dish I tell myself to have room for dessert but the dishes are so filling I never have enough room -lol. One day I will go just to try some dessert. Giovanni's Staff are nice and laid-back and special Shout-Out to Lea for always being her sweet, warm, kind, friendly self as she and the other servers provide nice customer service. Specials - Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats has Markdown Mondays where you get 50% off any bottle of wine you purchase during their dinner service. Tuesdays to Thursdays is their "Pranzo" Dinner Special from 4pm-7pm. The "Pranzo" Dinner is $28.95 and it includes a Starter, Entree and Dessert. Such A Great Price! Momday - Friday from 11am -4pm is Lunch Pre-Fix iwhich includes an Appetizer & Entree for $18.95. Brunch is Saturdays and Sundays from 11am -4pm and they offer Appetizer and Entree for $21.95 and for just $26.95 this includes Unlimited Mimosas & Bloody Mary Cocktails (90 Minute Dining Time Limit). One can order online via Ubereats or via Giovanni's website - GiovannisBrooklynEats.com. Hours of Operation are Monday- Sundays 11am -10pm. Please.go and enjoy some good food and drinks on a good warm-weathered evening where you will enjoy all of that and the ambiance. read more

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The stars are for the food, which is mediocre. The five star reviews are baffling. The presentation is clumsy and very dated and the seasoning is way off. It's kind of like diner food. No offence to diners. I like diners. Pasta is OK. Beef is crazy salty. The space is very attractive and much more appealing than the previous one that had the fire. One of the reasons we came was because it is much more inviting, and we thought maybe the food would surprise. It did not. The owner seems like a nice guy. But there are some seriously good Italian restaurants in Park Slope. This is not one of them. read more

First, let's talk about how welcoming these folks are and they are welcoming. They want you there they want your business and they are happy to see you and that is a great feeling whenever you walk into a restaurant next the food which is all delicious really made with love from the eggplant Parmesan to the rigatoni à la vodka to the steak or there was a chicken dish that was amazing and the starters from the salad to the Frito miso we're all really really done well. This place is awesome. It's got a very cool vibe. It's lively. There's great music and it's just fun and you are really appreciated as a customer. read more

On a Saturday night, my wife and I showed up at 6pm to see about getting a table for four adults and a child who'd need a booster seat. The host was happy to accommodate us and invited us to sit at the table, or wait at the bar. Luckily we chose the bar, since our friends were coming into the city and hit traffic; it took them an hour longer than we thought it would. The staff were incredibly understanding and generous throughout the evening. We chatted with the bartender, Tanner, the owner, Giovanni, and the host, Dean, and while they were all busy, they took time to make us feel welcome and looked after. We used to go to Pasta Louise, but Giovanni's out-cooks and out-classes PL in every way. This is our new destination in Park Slope for Italian food. Worth noting that there was a jazz trio that, while excellent, were loud enough that one of our group who's hard of hearing had a tough time making conversation. It would be fine if you sat further away from the band. read more

I have lived in the neighborhood for 6 years now and have never eaten here.. I was inspired to give it a try after several social media posts were promoting the Grand Opening (as the restaurant had been closed due to a fire and opened up in a new spot across the street) I finally came by last night (Saturday) with a friend who also lives close by. What a treat! The space is beautiful! Open layout with gorgeous tin ceilings, and exposed brick walls. Nice lighting throughout. The place was bustling with cheer and ambiance, along with a live jazz band and singer with such a melodious voice. Service was impeccable. We shared the house salad, and that was delicious! I had the chicken piccata and a side of mashed potatoes, and my friend had the lasagna. Both were tasty and filling. And! The CHEESECAKE! My gawd! Get the cheesecake! Mmmmmmmmm All and all, a great dinner and will be back! read more

First of all, the Yelp rating guide is a little off. 4 stars out of 5 should be considered more than "Good". Secondly, most of the pictures "inside" are from the old location. This is a little misleading as I sometimes check the pictures to see what the vibe is from the place and these are pictures from a place that no longer exists. I'm giving it 3 stars based on my overall experience, which can be rectified. The food was top notch, as you will read. OK, so in contrast to some of the other reviews, who liked the new place better but think the food is mediocre, I have the opposite opinion. Yes the food is traditional Brooklyn Italian dishes, but they are very well done and tasty. It's not like some old tired red sauce joint cooking limp pasta. Everything is really good and made with care. The difference, even when making the tried and true, is like night and day. All of us really enjoyed our meals there. That said, I found the new location somewhat lacking in the charm the old place had, which was a little bigger and had some nooks and corners so, depending on where you sat, you could feel like you had a little privacy. But nothing's perfect. I'm sure the owners were looking for a nearby location that was affordable and doable. But the other issue is the noise. Because it's a smaller space, with squared-off walls and not much on them, the noise from a full house reverberates and it's a little hard to hear your table-mates. Add to that the live music (on some nights) and it becomes impossible. I would cut down on the music, maybe suggest something much softer, like classical guitar, etc, and put tapestries or something on the walls to absorb the noise. I'll definitely go again, but the noise factor does give me pause. read more

Giovanni's is an adorable spot in the park slope area! I came for a Sunday brunch and was pleasantly surprised to hear live music! It added a lovely ambiance to our Sunday brunch. We got the bottomless brunch with mimosas and bloody Mary's. I love that this brunch came with an appetizer and a main for the price of brunch! The brunch food here was just alright, but i really loved my melon and prosciutto appetizer. I got one of the daily specials and it was basically an omelette with sausage, it was good but nothing spectacular. For a brunch spot, the ambiance an camaraderie is key. This place is full of families with young children, but the atmosphere was still great for brunch especially if you walk in to brunch with a string quartet! read more

Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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1- ambiance, great calm music, makes it a perfect spot for chatting over dinner, lunch etc. the setting is very well organized and clean. 2- personnel, are extremely welcoming and this made my 30 minute-dinner a more pleasant experience. The friendship even between the personnel themselves is (at least for me) yet another reason that this place has such calm and positive energy vibes. 3- the highlight of Giovanni's for me was the food. Exactly what you'd expect Italian food should be. The final price given the quality of the food was completely reasonable. I highly recommend this place. read more

What a great place! We had an appetizer dinner and it was delicious. Live music and a wonderful atmosphere here. Service was great and the owner is such a nice guy! Looking forward to going back soon! read more

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I would definitely recommend the calamari with fra diavlo sauce. Holy moly it was SO SO GOOD!! I would also recommend asking for more bread so that you can dip it in that magnificent sauce! The fried calamari was alright, wasn't fried that well and all the coating came off pretty quickly. Spaghetti con vongole was pretty good, they give you really big clams! Portion size for the appetizers were a little small, but pasta was alright. Service was great! They also has live music which was a nice touch for a Saturday night din! read more

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I've never actually met Giovanni, but I consider him a roommate with a spectacular penchant for cooking since Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats is a few blocks away from my old apartment in Brooklyn. Besides how homey this restaurant feels, from the decor to the service all the way to the food, this little place tucked into the corner of Prospect Avenue and 8th Avenue will always warm me up figuratively (and literally I guess, since I've almost always been there on a winter night). Chicken parm is one of the ultimate comfort foods, and Giovanni's serves up some of the best I've ever had. The chicken is never overcooked despite what some previous reviews might report, and it's so, so flavorful and filling. Be sure to come hungry: my game plan is always to order some calamari as a starter (I'm drooling just thinking of the marinara sauce that comes on the side), the chicken parm with rigatoni, and dessert to satiate my sweet tooth. You can't go wrong with the tiramisu, chocolate cake, or cheesecake--I know it's an especially tough decision. Note that Giovanni's is transparent about a small additional charge to apply to all debit and credit card transactions, which is something they started implementing in 2019. Small restaurants are hurting right now, even more so during the pandemic. I appreciate their honesty and how this doesn't affect their overall prices if you're paying with cash. read more

Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats - Some of the best dessert I've ever had - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I came here with a friend for brunch and I am so glad I got a chance to experience it. The brunch menu offers both appetizer and entrée for $18.95 and includes unlimited Mimosas or Bloody Marys for only $4 more. I liked that there was quite a variety for both appetizer and entrée, especially the latter. First, we were served complimentary white bread with olive oil that had rosemary inside, which added to the yumminess. I decided to go for the Ricotta Fritters, since it is unique and sounded mouthwatering. For the main course, I ordered the egg panini with ground sausage, onion, peppers and melted Fontina cheese. There were 3 Ricotta Fritters, which came topped with caramel sauce and powdered sugar. This was accompanied by apple puree. The fritters were delightfully warm, moist, slightly sweet, perfectly crunchy and lovely ricotta taste that was delicate. The caramel sauce paired so well with the fritters, elevating the flavors. The apple puree was pretty good as well. As for the panini, the bread was soft and there was plenty of well seasoned sausage. The red peppers were nicely cooked and fresh. I also enjoyed the extremely melty fontina cheese, which brought everything together well. The eggs were decent, but were on the bland side. I returned with another friend recently and tried the prosciutto and melon appetizer. For the entrée, my heart set on the steak and eggs, but I was informed they are no longer serving that. I decided on the omelette of the day, which came with roasted potatoes and salad. The prosciutto, melon and pecorino cheese were separate from one another on the plate, so I wrapped the prosciutto around the honey drenched melon and added the cheese on top. The melon was wonderfully ripe, slightly sweet, and very juicy. The prosciutto was thinly sliced and had great flavor. The cheese was extremely sharp, strong, and savory. All the ingredients mingled well, making for a very tasty and distinctive bite. Inside the omelette there was sausage, eggplant, tomato, and satisfyingly melty Parmesan cheese, complete with amazing pull. However, there wasn't a ton of filling and it was very eggplant / tomato heavy, and barely any sausage. The little bit of sausage that was there tasted decent and I liked the vegetables it came with. I think my favorite part of the meal were the roasted potatoes, which were hearty, slightly crispy, and flavorful with a variety of yummy herbs. Overall, I was more satisfied with my meal the first time around. The service was good. Our waiter was both friendly and on top of it. read more

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I ate here for the first time this evening. I was so disappointed with the food. Nearly every dish was EXTREMELY salty to the point that it was unpleasant to eat. Service was slow--both in bringing out the food and collecting the plates when we were finished. I see no reason to go back there unless you get a new chef that knows how to season food properly. read more

The food was a letdown. Lively ambiance with live band & singer. Service staff running around. Ordered whole wheat pasta and veal scalapini. Waited 45 minutes for food. When brought to our table it was room temperature. Apparently got lost. Finding other restaurant to go. Shame. read more

This place is amazing and a perfect reflection of what community should be. The food is great, so is the service and the ambiance cannot be beaten. Loved it! read more