Disappointing! Reservation: Reserved a table and it was mentioned that we were there for our wedding anniversary. This detail was completely ignored throughout our time there. Food: Pollo Nero - Meal sent back because the vegetables were smothered in oil and butter, and I mean smothered to where that's all you could taste or smell, even though requested to come without (dry) anything. Chicken and sauce was good on the first but the waitress took my entire plate away, just for new veggies, and the replacement was not good at all; basically flavourless cream with pepper corns thrown in it and veggies that were boiled to remove the oil/butter, but didn't eliminate that flavour. Plus, the potatoes were essentially thicker chips that were cut in half and deep fried. Lasagna - Flavourful but the pasta itself was dry and crunchy. Drinks: Asked if they could make a red wine sangria, but the waitress said no without checking with the bar staff, even though they had all the ingredients on hand based on the listed drinks menu. We had water because the staff didn't care about suggesting an alternative. Desert: Wasn't asked if we wanted anything, so requested the bill and we left. Staff: Didn't see one member of staff smile the entire time we were there. They mostly mulled around the tables looking for something to do, but when we actually wanted someone they had all disappeared. If there was a manager present the only indication was he wasn't dressed the same, but not once did he check on any table or even come by when my meal was taken back to the kitchen. Ambiance - Felt like we were in a pub and not a restaurant, with a TV on the wall and music playing far too loud for the environment. Overall - A production-line Italian restaurant which neither stood out nor was worthy of us returning. They also added a (non-mandatory) 10% tip to the final bill... this is not the US, where tipping is at the customs discretion and Not automatically added, whether one could request it be removed or not. Gave them 2 stars but it was a 1.5 star experience at most, because both the kitchen and front of house staff require extensive training and re-training. If you've low standards and okay going somewhere that's absolutely nothing special, then this place is a perfect choice to waste your money. read more

We were recommended Giovanni's by the concierge of our hotel. It was a short 5 minute walk from our hotel. We got there at about 7pm. We waited a few minutes and were sat. We looked over the menu. It was difficult to decide but I chose the Carbonara and my husband chose the Arrabiatta. I had a glass of Sauvignon blanc and my husband had a Chianti. The service was super fast! They offered us bread, but we declined. Thank goodness because the plates are very big! The pasta was al dente. It tasted like authentic Italian food. I couldn't finish my carbonara. My husband barely finished his Arrabiatta. The desserts look amazing! But unfortunately, we were too full to even think about trying one. The servers were very attentive! Everyone was checking on us. Very friendly and helpful! The restaurant is small and you'll be close to your neighbors. But I feel it adds to the charm of the restaurant. The prices are reasonable. It was only £58 for both of our meals and drinks. The location is great! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants authentic, delicious, reasonably priced Italian. read more

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Main course was delicious (shrimp and zucchini with an oil and slightly tomatoed sauce over linguine... regardless of how the menu described it). Pass on the vinaigrette house dressing over the basic starter salad. Our waiter was wierd: first, he said he couldn't provide separate checks for the two couples at our table, but then later changed his mind; then he put a little basket of bread on our table, only to take it away a minute later, apologizing for his mistake, but we nabbed him on his next fly-by and asked him to bring it back. A suggested gratuity was added to the bill for both couples. That said, the big picture is that at least eight of our group all agreed the dinner was very good. My wife enjoyed their lasagna. read more

Giovanni's Restaurant - half a basic starter salad with house dressing and medium sized shrimp, zucchini and linguine - Italian Near Me - Cardiff, CRF

Tables very close together to other patrons- felt like we were part of other conversations. Pizza was average-

Not so good. Calamari was rubbery like it had been frozen previously and the veal was tough. Service was super slow. I would not recommend read more

Sadly we don't have a 'Little Italy' in Cardiff, nor do we have people walking down the street shouting 'Mamma Mia' or squares where you can watch Italian men playing dominoes. Yet we do have two of Giovannis restaurants - the staple go-to Italian restaurants and cookery school in the city centre who this year celebrated their 30th year of a family tradition - serving Cardiff, Italian food at it's best. The thing I love most about Giovannis is it's authenticity. The owner, Giovanni was born in Reggio Calabria, speaks fluent Italian (as do all his staff) and quite obviously has immense knowledge of Italian Food. He isn't just claiming to serve his Mamma's Meatballs all the while talking with his hands. Ask his sisters Francesca and Tina who work alongside him in the restaurant. It's a true taste of Italy in Wales! Their extensive menu features Pasta, Risotti, Pizza, Fish and Meat Dishes. You can even learn to make these from scratch in their cookery classes which have already taught some of Cardiff FC's players and among others world undefeated two weight boxer Joe Calzaghe! On my last visit I had the 'Anitpasto Misto' to start: Parma ham, cured salami, marinated olives and roasted sweet peppers. ... and the 'Alla Marinara' for my main: Pasta with squids, mussels, clams, prawns and a delicious tomato sauce. Of course by the end of my meal I was ridiculously full, felt slightly Italian and had the urge to order red wine and discuss 'business'. Standard. read more

Giovanni's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Cardiff, CRF

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I love Italian food and madam lovely loves Italy. So it's always an easy choice to choose when we go out to eat. Giovanni's has a great little history to it, celebrating it's 21st year a few celebrity's have graced the restaurant. George Best, Tom Jones, pavarotti and now myself! So what do you have when you visit a self proclaimed authentic Italian restaurant? That's right, you (me) become very unimaginative immediately and go for the pizza. Ho Avuto the pizza della casa, toppings included ham, hot sausage, olives, tomato and mozzarella cheese. I have to say, as far as pizza's go, this was one of the better ones I've had. The spicy sausage really went well with the olives and strong cheese. It wasn't a bad price as well, being just under the £9 mark. The setting is typically Italian, lovely and simple, quiet narrow and pictures of the celebs overlooking at you whilst you eat. The staff were efficient and polite, but nothing more than functioning. It's worth a visit if you love Italian and are fed up of chains. It is a family run business and deserves to be supported. read more

I had heard a lot about Giovanni's, it is quite famous in the South Wales at least, I had always wanted to go and recently some friends stayed down for a long weekend from London, one of my friends loves Italian food and I said that Giovannis is an absolute must to visit then. So on 06/03/20 (Friday), we went in the evening for a lovely meal, immediately upon walking in we were greeted by some great characters and had some great banter with the staff regarding how uncommon my surname (Jones) is in Wales. The service was amazing, we had a lot of members of staff checking in on us every few minutes to see if there was anything we wanted (it wasn't exactly quiet either!) Queue our host for the evening Darren, the guy was an absolute laugh a minute, we had great banter with him for the duration of the evening, especially when he realised I was paying for myself and my friends (who decided to keep ordering more and more food). The food was amazing. The portion sizes were fantastic, the prices were more than fair. This will now become a tradition for every time my friends visit and will definitely be recommending to friends and family. read more

When it comes to dining out and discussing restaurants, there are a couple of mantras that anyone who has read more than a few of my reviews will recognise. Firstly, good food can survive a bad atmosphere, but bad food will kill a restaurant dead, and secondly, you don't need to be a parody to produce ambience. Well, Giovanni's comes out just above average thanks to the fantastic quality of the food. When dining there, there is a real sense of authentic Italian cuisine that is so often lost in supposedly authentic Italian restaurants. The problem is that Italian food can be made so easily, it runs the risk of tasting like Tesco brand fare. Giovanni's, however, actually tastes like what you think Italian food should taste like. However, the atmosphere does not fare so well. The garish, gone-off green of the decoration sends out shades of the 1970s era kitchens; all fading pastel colours and peeling wallpaper. This could be a calculated decision, intentionally hearkening back to an older, simpler time, and if it is, someone needs to politely remind them that the reason it reminds everyone of an older, simpler time is because it looks crap. The past is the past for a reason: because we left it there. read more

I really wish we had gone somewhere else. Went to Giovanni's with 3 friends .. we all had chicken in white wine and cream sauce.. there's no way that was made fresh, it tasted like it came straight from a pack! The food was bland and tasteless... and the wine very overpriced, the only good thing I can say is the waitress was very friendly.. but we will not be going back. read more

In austerity Britain, the economy is crumbling and mass unemployment is looming. Public sector workers are threatening to strike, the mood is bleak, and men are wandering the streets with shaggy haircuts and dubious beards. It's the 1970's all over again, and no dining experience encapsulates this new age of misery better than Giovanni's, the restaurant equivalent of a vomitous avocado green bathroom set. Dining in Jamie Oliver's slick new operation across the street - airy and friendly, with high quality, ethically sourced ingredients, delicious pasta made on the premises, an imaginative menu and friendly, knowledgeable staff, seems so last decade, and almost obscene in this economic climate. With the dusty photos of z-list celebrities, the menu heavy on watery tomato sauces and school canteen lasagna and ingredients that speak of recent confinement in a tin can, you can endure a comically overpriced meal at Giovanni's without needing to feel guilty. You won't enjoy it, but then enjoyment isn't what 2010 is all about, is it? The bizarre electric shoe shop mannequin repurposed as a comedy mafioso in the window is a great finishing touch - he endlessly raises a brandy glass that never quite reaches his lips, neatly encapsulating the Giovanni's dining experience. Pleasure promised but never received, and in the worst possible taste. read more

This little restaurant is truly wonderful. There are a handful of tables and booths lining each side of the long dining area. Along the walls are signed headshots of actors and other celebrities that have eaten there. I found it hilarious, and heartwarming at the same time. The food was delicious, I had the veal Giovanni. The price was pretty reasonable too. I think there is a bar below street level too but I didn't venture downstairs. Not to be confused with Gio's a few doors down by ASK, this seems to be a different place just with the same name as far as I can tell. read more

Today on December 30th, 2017 at 4:30 in the afternoon we were denied access to Giovanni's on the Hayes even though our service dog was wearing his jacket and we also had his I.D.card. The waiter said he does not know what a service dog is and does. He did not know what the Equality Act 2010 was, and that a restaurant can not discriminate and refuse service to a disabled person with a service animal. read more

Great food, poor staff and dated décor with a cramped atmosphere. The food, although pricey was actually quite nice. If you go for the set menu, you won't be disappointed. The staff I found to be quite rude, bothering you every five minutes and one even hit on my sister which I wasn't impressed by. When she walked out her gave her his number on a scrap piece of paper VERY WRONG! The toilets are located downstairs and are a bit of a mission to get to, especially if they are hosting a few hen parties (which they were when I went.. eeek!). If you want decent food Go here. If you want to enjoy your meal without being bothered every five mins Don't go here! read more

I have eaten at this restaurant for the past 30 years and the quay of the food and service is usually excellen. However, today's visit was very disappointing. My wife and I wanted to trest my son to a lunchtime meal before he returned to University. On arrival the staff put two tables together and we ordered drinks. When the drinks arrived the order was wrong. We ordered a Diet Pepsi, a Rose Pinot Grigio and a glass or tap water. We received a glass of white wine and a Pepsi Max. We ordered food and the waiter didn't write anything down. He returned 5mins later because be couldn't remember our order details. The food arrived promptly and we were offered Parmesan cheese about 5 minutes later. However, the pancetta mixed into my Carbonara was like bits of shoe leather. I told the waiter when he collected our plates, he ignored my comments and asked if we wanted the dessert menu. We asked for the bill but when it arrived the contents of the bill was wrong. So we complained to a different waiter and we sent for the manager. We explained the situation, he apologised and produced another bill. He returned to the waiters and gave them a public 'dressing down'. We paid and left promptly. Wow, did not expect that and we won't be returning to this restaurant. read more

Amazing food, huge portions, fantastic service. A true authentic Italian. I had the Lasagne and had to take half of it home because the portion was so huge! My partner had a seafood pasta dish which was fully loaded with seafood. At most other Italian restaurants you are pushed to find so much filling in one dish so it was great to see and definitely the main reason why we will be returning. We were given a complimentary Limoncello and a Tiramisu which was a lovely surprise, the waiters were very friendly and efficient. It was very busy when we visited but didn't have to wait long for our food. read more

We went on a Tuesday night, yet it was very busy, which seemed like a good sign. Sadly we didn't see the appeal. The tables are too cramped together, the waiters bothered us too much, and the music and everything else was just too loud for comfort. If I was only reviewing the food, it would be 4 out of 5, but we didn't enjoy the experience and won't be going back. read more

Even though we did not have reservations, which is recommended, we were seated in 1/2 an hour. The dishes were all delicious, the tiramisu was heaven and the service, though the place was busy, was excellent. Best meal our whole trip. read more

Delicious lasagne and wonderful service. Very nice restaurant and quick service with our table of 7.

Went to giovanni's this weekend been wanting to go there everytime we have been to Cardiff but never got round to it, so this time we decided to go there.Not really impressed thought it would of been better.But the staff were absolutely fantastic. I had ravioli which was swimming in sauce that killed the taste,I was quite disappointed, i know what ravioli should be like my mother made enough of them when I was young. My wife had the veal, again that was covered in to much sauce, which spoiled the meal.They have got a very limited choice of gluten free food.Other restaurants in that area such as ask italian just a few yards from them do a gluten free menu. Which would swing me towards ask italian for a meal as my wife is gluten free.She was not feeling to good the day after as the sauce she had with her veal could not of been gluten free. The place is quite outdated and cramped and could do with a major face lift. Would I go there again ? Not sure . read more

A first class Italian Restaurant with friendly staff, great choice of food & the service is great! There's a warm atomosphere, would definatly go there again! read more

Situated in the city centre, Gio's serves great authentic Italian food at reasonable prices. There is always a great atmosphere enhanced by the friendly and polite staff. read more

So to start off I mistakenly called this location directly asking if they did take-away and the person who answered told me "No we don't do that." We decided to head the restaurant anyway and lo and behold on our table was a take-away menu...a bad start. The service was fast but frankly curt and unfriendly. We ordered the Insalata Caprese, Mafia Owain Pesto, and a Pizza Margherita. Everything was terrible. The caprese salad didn't have any basil and the pesto was a reddish sauce which also included no basil. Maybe they ran out of basil and didn't want to tell us? In my mind this is like a cardinal sin against these two traditional italian classics. Secondly, the tomatoes in the capreses salad hadn't been cored, so we had to cut the stems off of the underripe, watery tomatoes ourselves. Finally, was the pizza, which was a run of the mill, greasy cheese pizza, which I had to ask to have cut. The crust was also undercooked. I don't know what the other reviews here are talking about but the food here this night was awful. It's 30 minutes later and I still can't get the grease taste out of my mouth. It felt like we were eating in a restaurant which was going to be on Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmare's next week! read more

Ate here this evening with a group of 10 friends and had a really lovely night. My first and overriding impression was how friendly all of the staff were. They all genuinely seemed to want us to have a nice time, they were warm, approachable, helpful, attentive and efficient. The food was lovely, everyone in our group enjoyed their meals. The portion sizes were quite large, which appealed to some in our group, but not me, as I can't eat that much. So I was fairly full after my starter and didn't really make much in-road into my main, but that's my fault! The main was lovely though and I felt so guilty for not eating more of it that I had to apologise when the waiter came to collect the plates. So, if you only have a small appetite I would probably advise you to skip the starters, or maybe share one. The ambience in the restaurant was really nice, good lighting and decor, comfortable seating, but maybe a little too close to your neighbouring diner for me. The prices were what one would expect from a good city centre restaurant, not budget but certainly not over the top, what you'd expect for a good restaurant. Our bill arrived with a reasonable service charge already included, which I understand is often the case with large groups. We were happy to pay it, as we'd had a great time, and the food and service had been very good. The only reason for my 4 stars, rather than 5, is that they had re-booked our table to another group for exactly 2 hours after we'd sat down. So at the end when we were finishing our drinks and chatting the next booking arrived, and we suddenly became aware they needed us out of the restaurant asap, and we knew we had to quickly drink up and go. Don't get me wrong they were not rude and didn't ask us to leave immediately, it was more a case of us suddenly realising we were being stared at by the large group of hungry new diners who wanted our table! Also, the tables and place settings are all a little cramped, in my opinion. There's not much elbow room! Personally I prefer a bit more space between me and those on my table, and also between the tables of different groups. Anyway, these are only a couple of small issues, which may not matter to some people. Overall this is a cracking little restaurant that I would be very happy to recommend, and to return to. The stand out selling point for me was the staff, they were just great. read more

Good honest Italian food...Its all been said above....if your still wondering, why not pop in on a Saturday lunch time 2 courses for £10 not shrunken courses either (like other places do).....Bargain, that will make you want to go back. read more

My Favourite Cardiff Restaurant I've been dining at Giovanni's for many years and ever since my first meal at the restaurant, it's been my favourite. The food is absolutely superb and the quality consistent. I've encouraged friends and family to dine at the restaurant and every single one of them has left impressed. There's a really good selection and it's wonderful for vegetarians. And it's independently run! I've read through the other reviews and yes the tables are a bit too close together but there's not that much room in the restaurant and it's very popular so staff have done the best they can with the space available. Personally I love the decor and the photographs of the famous people who have dined there. In nice weather you can dine outdoors and people-watch. Toilets are downstairs and access for those in a wheelchair would be very difficult. I highly recommend Giovanni's and unlike some other people, I've always found staff there to be perfectly attentive and polite. Go there! read more

Food was fine, nothing out of the ordinary for an Italian restaurant but it was highly priced. The menu seemed dated and probably serving the same things for years. Seasonal additions would be a great improvement on the menu. Also, the place looks very old and dirty, an uplift can go miles for this place read more

I have a very fond memory of eating here. We booked here for our works Christmas meal a couple of years ago and I honestly couldn't tell you how much the cost was. I remember my contribution was £10 but then work paid the rest. What I do remember however was drinking Peroni for the first time and I'm almost certain this was the first time I have visited an authentic Italian restaurant. The food was absolutely gorgeous! When our meal was ready we were motioned downstairs to where our table had been set, there was Italian music playing and we had waiters on hand who turned out to be a right laugh. As with any of our work nights out, we all got completely obliterated and after the meal we were all in good spirits. The girls were soon dancing and the waiters soon joined in. I don't think I have ever laughed so much whilst out for a meal. The only thing that I would watch out for is that you don't get stung with a service charge. We were not the first to nearly fall foul of this and for some reason they do try to charge this at the end of the night. Someone in our group had been very careful to double check at the time of booking that there was no hidden cost so we argued it and they let us off. Anyway, we have just booked in for our Christmas meal again this year. Happy days! read more

If the friendliness of the staff matched the quality of the food, this would be a 5* plus. Possibly an off day for the three that dealt with us and one of the very few times I haven't left a tip. That aside the food is excellent and highly recommended. read more

The worst food and service I've ever experienced in a restaurant. An absolute disgrace from start to finish. It beggared belief. I'm obliged to give this 1 star (which is more than it deserves) because there isn't an option to give it zero stars. read more