Giovanni's Restaurant & Pizzeria

4.8 Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  2      Value  5     

Wish I had have checked this site before eating here. Food was ok, just. Heavy on the pasta but light on the meat. Thing that let the place down was the service. We decided to share our food so all the food was placed in the middle. Despite us clearly still putting food on our plates four waiters approached us over a 15 minute period and asked if we had finished. In the end we gave up and let them take the food. Very disappointing.

Apr 25, 2012 

1.5 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  1     

Was in the mood for some Italian during our Xmas shopping so came in here with my wife for some pizza and pasta. Big mistake!

The garlic bread was stale and hard, burnt on 1 side and undercooked on the other. Our salad was full of dull and lifeless lettuce, tomatoes that had seen better days and thick chunks of onion topped with dressing. It doesn't get much better as my wife tried to eat her lasagne $20 which was mostly bland doughy pasta sheets stacked on top of each other with a tea spoon of red sauce between them that contained hardly any meat with no creamy bechamel that a lasagne should have.

My pizza was just ok, at $25 I expected alot more. Poor presentation, ingredients looked mounted on 1 side while the other was just sauce and cheese and the only good thing about the pizza that it was filling and at least edible.
Service by staff who couldn't care less if we ate our meal or not let alone enjoyed it.

After our table was cleared the bill was brought to our table by a grumpy looking man that stood there until I placed my credit card in the folder. Never going back.

Dec 22, 2011 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  10     

Just had lunch here and I have to say I have no idea Why everyone is giving all the bad comments, this restaurant is obviously just Real traditional italian food and the restaurant is no fuss and thats exactly what you get, the lasagna is the best I have ever tasted in any restaurant just the right quantities of everything, tiramisu is home made and to die for and my partner ordered the cancer pizza and it actually had beautiful fresh king prawns, Yum! if you're looking for a restaurant that is all about the food, and value for money then, this is the place to be, you won't find anything better in the CBD.

Dec 05, 2011 

1.5 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  2     

I was here yesterday night 17/11/11 for a friends birthday, food was abosolutely tastless and dull. No one on our table finished their food and there was lots of wastage.

There was also a long hair in our main dish. We were calm about it and advised the waitress, but she didn't even acknowledge it or said sorry. Instead she took it away then return later whispering in our ears "this usually doesn't happen". We could have caused a scene but it was not worth it especially on birthday night.

Disappointing food, disappointing service = disappointing restaurant. Not recommended.

Nov 18, 2011 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  9     

Had a great dinner here the other night. Staff were friendly and the service was pretty quick for a busy Friday night. Spaghetti Marinara was fantastic and my wife's Ravioli was great. Just moved in across the road and the value for money for The Rocks is as good as you will find.

Nov 06, 2011 

1 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

We attempted to eat here 3 nights ago. We were asked to wait just inside the door while a waitress pleaded with the pizza maker to cook a new pizza due to an order mix up. We started to worry! We were given a table and then waited and waited and waited. Staff continued to try to sort out another order mix up at the next table and no-one seemed to be running the floor. I set my stopwatch on my phone to see how long it would be until we were asked what drinks we would like etc. After 10 mins on top of our initial wait and read through the menu, it was time to go. No-one bothered to speak to us as we walked out!

Jul 08, 2011 

2.5 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  4      Service  4      Value  1     

Pasta sauce tasted like it was taken from a cheap home brand can rather than something cooked by expert hands. Both of us hated the pasta as it was below average taste and look wise. Pizza was alright, service is good. In general, will never visit them again as consider it waste of my money.

Jun 04, 2011 

1.5 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  2      Service  1      Value  1     

The service was the worst from start to finish. Wait staff disinterested, owner rude. Food of low standard and not as ordered. One main did not turn up "I'll take it off the bill" was the response from the owner. Our reasonable complaint about a pizza having ingredients we specifically requested not to included in an accusation from the waiter and a lecture from the owner. 1st and only time here !

May 29, 2011 

3.3 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  3      Service  3      Value  4     

We recently did a Monday night at Giovanni's restaurant, with no expectations but the love for Italian food. After the first five minutes into the experience I could be sure I would never re visit the restaurant.

The service was poor, the waiters and waitress were gloomy, rude and un professional. I totally understand this might not be their fulltime job, but while there be happy! We felt like we were an inconvenience rather than a guest. Then it comes to the food, boring and dull! I have had much better Italian from Pizza Hut! I have to say it was honestly one of the worst dining experiences ever. We could not wait to leave the restaurant.

I can handle average food if the service is vibrant and great or visa versa but there was honestly nothing at all that was even average about the place. It was below average. Poor.

May 24, 2011 

5.5 Average

Food  5      Ambience  6      Service  6      Value  5     

We did a quick mid-week drop in here. We didn't expect much however we thought since it was in the city they may be half decent considering they cater for businesses. They are half decent.

It is standard 1980s Australian Italian fare. Nothing great however nothing terribly bad. The waitress was a very perky Eastern European. She really made an effort to be friendly.

The wine selection is an OK base level of wines and OK prices. We shared a bruschetta - was OK. I had the lemon sole (very 80s!) - it was reasonable. The fish itself was good however the cooking method left the edges with a bit too much absorbed oil. The spaghetti bolognaise was good apparently. I wouldn't make an effort to go back however I wouldn't be unhappy to go there again.

May 19, 2011