Verified Company
Had such an amazing experience at Giovanni’s this weekend. Fabio was incredibly accommodating and kind to our group, and that level of care really stood out to us.
Our servers were also absolutely amazing all night, I regret not grabbing their names before leaving because it was such a crazy night, but they took incredible care of us from start to finish.
The food was delicious as always, and Giovanni’s continues to be a classic Ottawa staple for a reason. Amazing service, amazing atmosphere, and consistently a great experience. Highly recommend :)
Reply from Giovanni's Restaurant Ottawa
2026.05.11
Thank you so much for the wonderful review, Jada. We're thrilled Fabio and the team took such great care of your group and that you enjoyed the food and atmosphere. We'll share your compliments with Fabio and our servers — they’ll be delighted to hear it. We look forward to welcoming you back to Giovanni’s soon.
- Every thing was great all the food was incredible, portions were especially good
- Service was great, our server was great
- No other comments on the dining part
Now for my complaint the atmosphere:
- we were sat inside the bar and it was very crammed/ tight
- There were quite a few people at the bar who were swearing loudly and speaking inappropriately
The bartenders and some staff proceeded to take shots with these loud people.
That is my only complaint, every other aspect of our meal was perfect.
Reply from Giovanni's Restaurant Ottawa
2026.05.09
Thank you for the kind words about our food, portions, and service. I’m sorry the seating and bar atmosphere were disruptive during your visit; that is not the experience we want for our dining guests. We will share your concerns with management and the bar team to address crowding, seating assignments, and professional conduct. We appreciate your feedback and hope you’ll visit again so we can provide the excellent experience you expected.
VERY overpriced for the quality of food served. Steaks were dry and pasta was mediocre at best. Atmosphere was nice, waiters were nice, but took a VERY long time to get our food.
DON'T get the sparkling water during dinner, you'll be magically charged an extra $10, per bottle.
Reply from Giovanni's Restaurant Ottawa
2026.05.07
Mike, I'm very sorry your meal didn't meet expectations, especially the dry steaks, mediocre pasta, long wait, and the unexpected $10 charge for sparkling water. We take this seriously and will review food preparation and service timing with our kitchen and front-of-house teams and clarify bottled water pricing with staff. We would like to make this right; please contact our manager at the restaurant so we can address the charge and your experience. Thank you for letting us know.
Giovanni’s Restaurant is such a satisfying spot—huge portions and every bite is delicious. The flavors feel classic and comforting, with sauces that taste homemade and pasta cooked just right. Everything we ordered came out hot, well-seasoned, and beautifully generous (definitely plan for leftovers!). The atmosphere is warm and relaxed, perfect for a family meal or a casual dinner with friends, and the service is friendly and attentive. If you’re looking for great value and consistently tasty food, Giovanni’s is a winner.
Reply from Giovanni's Restaurant Ottawa
2026.05.04
Thank you, Jianshu, we’re thrilled you enjoyed our generous portions and homemade sauces. It’s great to hear the pasta, seasoning, and temperature met your expectations and that the warm, relaxed atmosphere and friendly service made your visit comfortable. We appreciate you recommending Giovanni’s for family meals and casual dinners and look forward to serving you again soon.
Reply from Giovanni's Restaurant Ottawa
2026.05.03
Thank you for taking the time to rate us, Jason. We're sorry we didn't earn five stars and appreciate your feedback. We'll use it to improve our service and hope you'll give us another chance. Please contact us if you'd like to share more details so we can address them directly.
Impeccable as always. The atmosphere, the food, and great service..
You get spoiled the moment you walk into Giovanni!
Diogo and Stefano are amazingly hospitable from the smile you get from them welcoming you and walking the person to their table. Giovanni’s staff are phenomenal and the servers are professional.
The owner Nino always check on the tables no matter who the guests are which makes it an unforgettable experience.
Every single item on the menu is handcrafted with delicacy.
I love ordering from their seasonal specials to try what their chefs have to offer.
Great spot in Ottawa for a date, corporate dinners, family or friends gatherings and special occasions.
Valet parking is available.
Reservations required.
Reply from Giovanni's Restaurant Ottawa
2025.11.30
Thank you, Mona, for the kind review and the five stars. We appreciate your visit and your trust in us. Our team works hard to serve great food and provide warm service, and your comment gives them real encouragement. We look forward to welcoming you and your group again soon.
The service was phenomenal and the food was excellent as usual They never disappoint!
Reply from Giovanni's Restaurant Ottawa
2026.04.26
Thank you so much, Sharon! We’re thrilled the service and food met your expectations. We’ll share your kind words with the team, and they’ll be delighted. We look forward to serving you again soon.
A nice dining experience. Service was too notch and food was nice. Overall a nice experience.
Reply from Giovanni's Restaurant Ottawa
2026.04.24
Thank you for the kind review, C D. We're delighted you enjoyed the service and food and that your overall dining experience was pleasant. We appreciate your feedback and will keep working to make your next visit a five-star one. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.
Best Italian restaurant in Ottawa. Service was great. Our waiter Karsten was a treat. We started with Oysters which were so fresh and delicious. My husband and I had pasta our daughter had the Branzino special. She was still talking about it days later. It was our first visit to Giovanni’s, but will definitely be back.
Reply from Giovanni's Restaurant Ottawa
Hi Audrey, thank you for coming in and for the kind words. I’m glad you enjoyed the oysters and dinner, and I’ll be sure to pass this along to Karsten. Happy to hear the branzino special made an impression — we look forward to having you and your family back.
Delicious authentic Italian food.
Reply from Giovanni's Restaurant Ottawa
Hi Ney, thank you for the review. I’m glad you enjoyed the food, and I hope to see you back again soon
This was the WORST service of any fine dining restaurant I have every eaten at in Ottawa, in Montreal, the US or Europe. I have never before had a waiter drop a the heavy end of a knife on someone’s head and then say « it wasn’t my fault » and not even apologize. The manager came and apologized on the waiters behalf and said the affected person’s wine would be on the house (which was not actually applied to the final bill) and then made a gross joke about « drinking to forget ». To be clear, I have eaten at restaurants where service staff made bigger mistakes, but they have responded with good customer service and demonstrated accountability. The condescending, rude attitude and complete lack of any attempt by the server to take responsibility for mistakes was truly shocking at an establishment that claims to pride itself on good service.
We held a birthday dinner for my sister here tonight and had an incredible time! The servers and chef were very attentive and pleasant :) Food tasted great and was an overall great experience
Reply from Giovanni's Restaurant Ottawa
Hi Rose, thank you for celebrating your sister’s birthday with us. I’m glad you had a great time and that the team and chef took good care of you. Hope to see you again soon
Reply from Giovanni's Restaurant Ottawa
Hi Nana, thank you for dining with us and for leaving a review. We appreciate it, and I hope we’ll see you again soon.
Giovanni’s delivers an experience that’s hard to top. The service is impeccable, the food quality is outstanding, and the atmosphere strikes that perfect balance for a business lunch - professional, comfortable, and just refined enough to impress. We enjoyed the carbonara and the shrimp salad, paired with a crisp Chardonnay, and everything was executed beautifully.
That said, be prepared: excellence here comes with a hefty price tag. But if you’re willing to spend a little extra for top-tier dining, Giovanni is absolutely worth it.
Reply from Giovanni's Restaurant Ottawa
Hi Paul, thank you for the thoughtful review. I’m glad you enjoyed the service, the atmosphere, and your lunch, the carbonara and shrimp salad are great choices. I also appreciate the note on pricing, and we’re grateful you felt the experience was worth it.
Loved this place very much. Staff were great and the food was delicious. I had the Tagliatelle Nero with scallops and loved it.
Good place for couples and groups.
Service was terrible for a big group, all out of our bills were messed up. They did not make the effort to take accountability, despite many emails. I’d recommend any other Italian restaurant.
Thank you Eric and all the team at Giovanni for making out anniversary night a very special one. Everything was just perfect for a special evening.
