Piazza Gavi
5415 N Kolb Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85750
Piazza Gavi Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Tucson for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Tucson for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Tucson for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
5415 N Kolb Rd
Tucson, AZ, 85750 - Phone (520) 577-1099
- Website https://www.gavicucina.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
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Lauren K.
We decided to give Gavi another go, and what a mistake that was. I'm going to keep this brief, because I'm still annoyed at wasting time with Gavi again. The food stinks. Basic tomato sauce with crunchy onions in it. No depth of flavor. They consistently serve brown lettuce in their salads. It's actually quite disgusting. Mushy pasta. No flavor to the chicken in the chicken parm. The list goes on and on. The service is sub par. I had to warm up my ice to get water. My dish came out wrong (because their new menu stinks, see below), and it took 10 minutes or more to see our waitress. Unacceptable. This is consistently a problem. The waitress we had on our last visit was actually slightly pissy about the food coming out wrong. She could have been nice about explaining the menu changes. Instead, she made sure to say, multiple times, "You need to make sure to remember that the menu is changed." Um, ok. Got it, thanks. The atmosphere is cramped and stuffy. They raised their prices. $18 for just some pasta and mozzarella? Seriously? They also changed their menu, but left some of the same menu items/descriptions on the menu, so you would never know you're getting a different dish. Uh, ok. It also looks like a diner menu now. Why would I pay $30 for some dishes when I'm eating on construction paper and choosing my food off of a diner menu? I guess I like their parking lot. Is that a plus for any place though? Anyway, sorry, Gavi. We used to go to the Broadway location 2-4 times a month. Then to the Kolb/Sunrise location 2 times a month. Now, we're done. No more.
(1)Stephanie G.
I have never had a bad food or service experience here. The portions are generous. The staff very friendly and prompt. The last few times I've gone was for Sunday brunch. When I say generous portions, I mean, larger than life pancakes. The pancakes were at least 10" in diameter and there were two of them (I used an expletive when the waiter put the plate in front of me...lol). I could only get through a third and had to stop!! Luckily my husband has a big appetite and finished the rest. The decor and atmosphere are welcoming and relaxing. I have dressed up and dressed down (not sweats and tennis shoes down) and felt comfortable both ways.
(4)Raul S.
=== Tale of two restaurants: Great eggplant parm with a warm salad bowl === The Good: The eggplant parm! Maybe it had bugs or rat feces in it(see references to failed health code violations). I don't know about that. But the eggplant parm I ordered was ce
(3)Kent W.
Underwhelming food. Excellent service.
(2)Danny S.
Took my wife here for dinner. Hadn't eaten here in years but it was great. The Calamari Crema was awesome. My cioppino was good, and my wife's veal was very good. The deserts were awesome. Definitely going back.
(4)Claire H.
We started with the Calamari Crema for an appetizer. The pieces of calimari were very large and deep fried in a light and crispy batter, with a tastey white sauce. It was a big serving and could have served 4 people easily, so we took it home and enjoyed it again! Same with our entrees- as they were large and were great the next day. I had the Carbonera Crema, which was bacon, egg, onion in a delicious sauce over your choice of pasta. My compadre had the salmon stuffed with crab and shrimp and topped with pesto, steamed aspergas on the side, as well as some fettucini. This was definately one of the best meals I've had in Tucson!
(5)Cheryl M.
What bartender in the world doesn't know how to make a Moscow Mule OR a Gin Fizz?? My rating went to a 2 right there! Lack of drink making was a true bummer but on the upside, the food was very good. My hubs and I just stopped in for a small bite to eat. He ordered the smoked salmon appetizer and I ordered the Crema Calamari. I must say, the calamari is some of the best I've had. I really miss going to Gavi at the Foothills Mall, so I was very pleased to see that this location still had one of our favorite dishes. As for the service and the atmosphere; we grabbed a couch location to watch football, so any restaurant that offers living room type seating, I give a 5 to. As for the service, it was just mediocre at best. The person that seated us was also our waiter and our bartender and since he didn't know how to make drinks it obviously takes away from his rating. He did justify his lack of drink making knowledge by informing us that he had just moved here from Illinois. Not sure if that means they don't have the same drinks there, but that was his excuse! Overall, the place is just A-Ok. I may be back for the calamari...when I need some extra fat in my diet that is!
(3)John T.
We went as a party of 14, but, unfortunately, were seated at a table more suited for 10, so it was quite uncomfortable and hard to relax while dinning. Food was good for all. Lack of bus boy service left table over crowded still. Would not go again with large party. Also, one of the noisiest restaurants I've ever been in. Not very relaxing.
(3)John H.
I have never had any dish from the menu that beyond awesome! Always slow service because of so many patrons but excellent food!
(5)Atanasio P.
Have been going to gavis for years and have always been happy with food and service. But this morning myself and three other parties were turned away by a very impolite and unprofessional manager, reason give was that the kitchen was backed up but half the tables were open. Never going back.
(1)Julia H.
I've tried to get a seat here 3 times. yes 3. successful on the third try and that...was difficult. i was about ready to walk out again. They're always understaffed and the waiter turnover seems to be pretty high since the waiters have been working there for a couple months. Bartenders took 30 minutes before taking our order (at the bar!). The food was not great at all. Maybe I was already sour since the service sucked....NO, even if service sucked I'd still go somewhere if the food was good. Highly overpriced food that doesn't taste good? No more going here for me.
(1)Charles M.
Failed Health Inspections. This place is trash.
(1)Stephanie H.
When this place first opened, I thought the food was really good. The last few times I've been there, not impressed. But the service is a bigger issue for me. Last time we went there, we were a group of 6 and it was Sunday brunch...obviously we knew we would have to wait for a table. The hostess told us 30 minutes and we settled into some comfy chairs and were happy chatting. She came to get us about 30 minutes later and said she could seat us now - this is where things got weird - but that the kitchen was backed up so we wouldn't be able to order for 20 minutes and our food would probably take about 45 minutes after that. Restaurant fail.
(2)L B.
Love this place! Our waiter Joe was top notch. Definitely would make this place a regular if I lived here. The chicken Marsala was the best I've had and the Chicken B&B salad was great and could easily feed 2 or 3. The atmosphere is cozy and inviting.
(5)Amanda K.
the Piazza Gavi haters clearly have not experienced their breakfast! I had the brown sugar pecan french toast which was so delicious! i loved it! my friend got the blueberry pancakes, which was were huge and fluffy! aside from the great food, its also cheap! i really don't know how they do it. and they have a really nice covered patio outside. service was a bit abrupt, but they were busy so I didn't think too much about it.
(4)Karen B.
The 5+ page menu tipped me off right away. No restaurant can do more than 10 great dishes and if the menu is a book, you can pretty much be sure that nothing is going to be great and certainly not worthy of the over $20 price tag of most of the entrees. It wasn't great. But, what turns a 3 star review into a 2 star review (and maybe should be even less) is when they try to refill your wine glass with a crappy, sour wine when you're paying for the good stuff. The bartender seemed pretty shaken up when I brought it back myself and was hard pressed to find me a decent glass of red and NO good Italian reds available. IMO, if you love food and/or wine, stay far away from Gavi.
(2)Melanie E.
I took my parents to Gavi tonight for their 55th wedding anniversary. They do not take reservations but we called ahead and got 'encore' seating--both Vivace and Tavolino were booked so this was a great option. We arrived and were promptly seated; soon thereafter came water and nibbles. The food overall was superb--calamari, pasta, salad, wine, dessert. The server was obviously new (and young) but very professional and took great strides to ensure that all our questions were fully answered (including those she did not know the answer to right away). She was extremely attentive and anticipatory of our needs. She apparently told Gavi about my parents' anniversary and he came over and congratulated them himself--a nice touch for my elderly folks who had not eaten there before. There was live music that was excellent albeit a bit loud for the size of the place. But well-intentioned and enjoyable. I am from a small town in NY that is 98% Italian--with superb traditional Italian food on practically every corner (service aside!). And this place is absolutely comparable in terms of food quality. The service tonight was far above average for restaurants of the same class in Tucson. I found everyone from the hostess to the waiter who poured our champagne to our waitress and the bus boys to be courteous, pleasant (and some were down right hilarious) and welcoming. I will say that the prices seem a bit high for this market, but the location on the NE side near numerous resorts and country clubs kind of dictates that. I read other reviews here and I have to say that my first experience at Gavi was for lunch over 2 years ago and it was barely mediocre. Since then, I have been back a number of times and it was gotten substantially better. I highly recommend sitting inside the restaurant, not on the patio. For some reason everything seems better inside and for dinner (rather than lunch--maybe the owner's not there?). I have never eaten breakfast there so I cannot compare. I highly recommend this place.
(5)Sol B.
Not a good experience. It is a large warm ambiance; there was live jazz in the background. Menu is extensive and service was friendly. The side salads were nothing special, but passable. Cold bagette, but a tasty somewhat spicy antipasto. Unfortunately the eggplant parmigiana they served had either an old or subpar oil taste. The manager (owner?) said that the chef was quite upset; she asked that I try it again because it must be that I was unaccustomed to the cheeses; unfortunately, I have had good eggplant parm before and this was not it. There was no apology, only a request to try something I had already tasted one too many times. Also, my wife's seafood dish was extremely salty and indelible. For what we paid, I'd expect a whole different class of food.
(1)Mike S.
Food was good, service was below par.
(3)John D.
Please close this dump before you kill someone. You've made you're money now get out of Tucson. I have never had a worse meal and that includes my own cooking. Shame on you.
(1)Joel B.
I saw the buffoon bartender/waiter with the dreadlocks and tacky rings on every finger who is doing his best to look like Mystery from "The Pick Up Artist" on VHI in his Gavi waiter outfit buying 15 cans of Progresso Minestrone soup at Bashas next door at 5:00 PM on a Saturday. DO NOT GO HERE. On top of health code violations, it appears that they use Progresso Soup
(1)Mark B.
I am amazed at the criticism I've seen on Yelp about this place, because I've been coming here since they opened (2003?), and I've never been disappointed. The food is excellent, the ambiance is delightful, and the service was great. My parents were in town, and I brought them here for their 53rd wedding anniversary. Last year we came here for #52. That's a pretty important event, and I wouldn't pick a restaurant about which I had any concerns. It was a Wednesday night, and the place was about 2/3 full. We were seated in a booth against the wall with no wait. Those other times that I've had to wait, I've spent the time on a very comfortable couch with a cocktail. I always order the same thing, and it's not on the menu! I describe it - angel hair pasta, salmon and shrimp, cream sauce, mushrooms and spinach - and for at least four years, the servers have nodded and said, "oh, that's such-and-such. It's not on the menu, but we can make it." And they do. And it's always amazing. How's THAT for customer service? My parents were so impressed when I told them that (and my consistency in being a fan of that dish) that they both ordered it. I was hoping for a bite of something else, but... oh, well. Sean, our server, brought out the bread and butter (good) and their small dish of pickled peppers and bowtie pasta (decent) with our wine. He was prompt and professional. The pasta was predictably excellent, and the portions are huge. I can never finish the whole thing, but that's OK - it makes for a great lunch the next day. Our dessert was a turtle cheescake. I think it was out of a box, but it was still terrific. I love the decor and ambiance of the building. The patio is a lovely space (open windows and hanging plants), and we would have eaten out there if it had been warmer. The inside has dark wood beams, cream-colored walls and nice accent colors and art. Everything has an Italian garden feel, and it's very cozy. They sometimes have an excellent live jazz pianist. I'm usually disappointed by the customers themselves - it's not unusual to see some (men, usually) dressed in T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops. Really? I know this is the ultra-casual Old Pueblo, but have a little pride. This is a nice restaurant, and it wouldn't hurt to pull out your dusty old sport coat. You look like you just rolled off the couch after a three-day XBox stoner bender. And you're in your 50's. Please. If I have any complaints about Gavi, it's that the servers (while being professional, prompt, and well-dressed in their black shirts and red ties) all seem a bit sad and bummed-out. Why is that? It's a pleasant environment for them, so it can only be how the management treats them. Hey, Gavi - maybe you can stand to treat your servers better. It would improve the atmosphere of your restaurant. In general, this is a fine restaurant, and one that I've returned to again and again. It's a delightful space to spend a few hours, and the food is great. It's consistently one of my favorites in Tucson.
(5)Terra N.
The service and food were fabulous. Server Josh was beyond amazing and pleasant. Ordered the tortellini with Alfredo and asked for them to add extra garlic into the sauce and it was outstanding.
(5)Malachi D.
Of only I could give this place Negative stars. My entire experience here was a nightmare and was the worst experience I have ever had in my entire life going out to eat. I ordered a chicken dinner and when it got to the table the sauce was disgusting and tasted like pure grease and my chicken was hard and tasted and smelled spoiled. When the server asked me about my food I told her it was by far the worst chicken meal I have ever tasted and her response was "we'll that's offensive". I apologized and told her that I didn't mean to offend but the food was spoiled. She asked if I wanted to try anything else and I replied no that I felt sick to my stomach and she took my full plate away and went to talk to the cook who I could see arguing and shaking his head no. The cook then comes barging out from behind the counter and proceeds to drill me about how he thinks I have no sense of taste for good food. At this point my friend who was with me got upset because of the way the cook was openly disrespecting me in from of the entire place and told the cook that we where not going to sit there and be belittled by a cook who serves us rancid chicken. The cook then points his finger in my friends face and says "you sit there and shut up! I'm going to kick you out in a minute after you pay for the chicken meal." Let's remember that I took ONE bite and they took my entire plate away almost completely untouched back to the kitchen prior to all this arguing. When the guy pointed his finger in my friends face I warned him that he was way past overstepping a boundary with his violent actions and that if he put his hands on my friend I would be forced to get physical with him. The cook who by now we have figured out is also the owner "the almighty gavi" as the server had called him then screamed to the bartender to call the police because I had threatened him. The server by the way turned out to be his wife. I pleaded with the bartender and said "you've heard this whole conversation and you know we don't deserve to have the police called on us over a plate that was spoiled and that they has taken back to the kitchen. The bartender apologizes as he proceeded to call the police anyway. At this point we where like screw this and threw money on the table to pay even though as I said they took my plate back!! The guy then chases us out into the parking lot along with his wife the server and get behind our vehicle as I'm trying to back out. He finally moves as I continue to slowly back out and begins screaming to his wife "did you see that? They tried to run me over!! They tried to run me over!!" At this point unroll my window down and try to plead with his wife and she starts screaming and pulling her hair "I can't handle this". I realized there was no talking ANY kind of sense into them what so ever so I exited the parking lot and went back to the resort i was staying at for the week. The next day the police contacted us and we explained what happened and told them to check the video tape from the cameras that they have in the place. Not that is surprised me at all but the cop said the owner "cook gavi" said that they had forgotten to record that specific evening. The cop ended up believing our story and informed me that Mr gavi suspected that we where plants sent from a rival restaurant to cause a scene in from of his costumers. What? Are these guys freaking serious? I've NEVER had any kind of confrontation like that in a restaurant and I typically don't even complain when my food is bad. I just don't eat and pay for it anyway. Then a week layer they failed their health inspection for having dirty dish water mixing with food that was being prepared for customers to eat. Sorry for the long rant but someone needs to let everyone know the kind of people that ate operating this place. Shit I'm not from a rival restaurant. I'm just a freaking DJ lol. Much love everyone and let's keep looking out for each other on here by being honest about these places. Danceboy-
(1)Isabella J.
I thinks its high time I write a review of Piazza Gavi. I'd say that after numerous visits over the last couple of years, I've found some personal favorites on their enormous menu. There could be some hidden gems on their menu that never get the spotlight, because it's so big! I'm a huge fan of fried calamari and Gavi has more than mastered the art of crisp. The calamari is light and flaky. Add some fresh squeezed lemon and the dish is perfection. The chicken marsala is not something I typically order anywhere ever, but since tasting Gavi's chicken marsala, I was somewhat enlightened. The chicken is tender as can be and the sauce, (you'll have to stop counting calories if you want to really enjoy it) is rich and flavorful. Buonissimo! For those with a sweet tooth, the tiramisu is a homemade delicacy. Seriously, it is. And it's delicious. As much as I love tiramisu, my true favorite is the Sorbetto (one of the hidden gems I was talking about). The sorbetto is vanilla bean ice cream with Limoncello poured over it. Who knew something so simple could be so good! I have a hard time just eating one. These are my "go-to" dishes at Gavi. Although the service can be hit or miss, each experience is always memorable in it's own way.
(4)Arthur V.
Food delicious as always. Service was very attentive and now with Music on Fridays and Saturday it adds to the experience. I thought it was the end when the Broadway and Pantano closed, but Piazza Gavi still lives!
(5)Marni A.
Excellent food and service. I will be back!
(5)Rick G.
I'd eaten here 100+ times because it's close to home and taken many guests; but after this evening, never again! I ordered the veal saltimbucca special on the recommendation of our waiter. It was served after about a 45 minute wait (The service here always crawls!) It was salty but not awful. I wish that could have been said for the risotto! It was so salty that it was inedible. The stuffed portabello was sub-par as well. I, politely, sent the plate back. The waiter tried making excuses, the assistant general manager was rude and the GM was downright insulting! Against my better judgment I ordered a filet of sole special which the waiter offered on spinich with a side of linguini as she figured we probably would not be wanting the risotto. The meal was "okay". After an hour-and-a-half, I requested the check which came with a $5 charge for "sub". I stopped the GM as she was passing by and asked her what "sub" was. In a very rude and insulting fashion she stated that it was an upcharge for substituting for the risotto. I laughed, I left, adios and good riddance!
(1)Joseph L.
We have 3 adults and a little boy here for breakfast on Sunday...we waited and waited and waited some more...one and the half hour later.......NO pancakes for the little boy...is anyone cooking? Downgrade!!
(1)Eric C.
This was only my second time at Gavi's but I have been impressed both times. I was in a button up shirt and black jeans which I think would have been appropriate for lunch, but I felt a little underdressed at dinner time. Slacks and a dress shirt would have been more appropriate, maybe even a sport coat. The service was a little slow to start. After taking turns to wash up, it was several minutes before we received any attention. Once we were able to place our drink and appetizer order things got much better. All of the food from the appetizer to the dessert was fantastic. Much better than the chain Italian food restaurants that are closer to our house. Not only was the food great, there was plenty of it. Not one of us was able to finish our meal, so lunch tomorrow is going to be nice. It is a little pricier than restaurants we frequent but it will be great for special occasions. And we did get more than one meal out of it.
(5)Chris N.
Quite a bad (but hilarious experience). It took forever to get a server...once he finally arrived he had no sense of the menu (I had to explain to him that my meal came with a side). Then...half of our drinks went to another table...and they needed three attempts to correct our order. Our server never reappeared (and I mean ever!...we got a new one without explanation) Food is ok...but in my opinion not worth the stress of the experience.
(1)Christina T.
I went to Piazza Gavi last week with a party of 14 for a going away party and we were seated in the outdoor covered patio. First off, the food was amazing. The menu had so many choices it was hard to decide what to pick, but I went with the lobster ravioli which was a great choice! The portion sizes are all fairly large, so you may have leftovers the next day which is one reason among others (selection, uniqueness, AMAZING TASTE) that the prices don't bother me. The wine was very good too. The best part of Piazza Gavi that separates it from other fancy restaurants I have been to had to be the service. We had a young man (I wish I had gotten his name) who served all 14 people with absolute professionalism and poise. Our glasses, whether it be water or wine, were never empty. Our food was served very quickly, and apparently two dishes had been burned and who I assume was the manager or assistant manager came out to our table and explained the situation and she told us two new dishes would be prepared. Even with the extra wait, the two new dishes came out fairly quickly. We were at the table for a very long time and went from appetizers to entrees to dessert and coffee, and the waiter worked his butt off to make sure every single one of us was taken care of. He even went as far to saran wrap our leftovers and put them in a bag as well. He remembered every one of our desserts and what kind of coffee we had ordered, which was impressive, and he was very polite and professional any time he had to reach or remove a plate. The best part about his service was that he was so genuine and nice and he never missed a beat, and I know that serving food can be stressful. He truly made the night enjoyable, as I have never gotten that degree of service anywhere even with just two people dining. Now the standard is set for service! I highly recommend this restaurant, as it was really a perfect evening all the way around.
(5)Donna B.
6 of us ate here on Father's Day. Restaurant was busy but not packed. We were seated at a table just inside the entry which was a bench and chairs. Great seats for all but my youngest daughter who had the challenge of sitting where the 2 benches came together or as the case was did not come together. I guess I should have been the nice mom and sat there as my backside would have in no way fallen between the benches as hers seem to. But she's the baby and we just like to laugh at her sometimes so we made her sit there. Our server was nice. She climbed over walls to accommodate us. Really, she climbed over the half wall to fill our water glasses so she did not have to reach across the table. Food was good and portions were huge. Part of every meal was taken home for a snack later. The menu is huge and sometimes that is not a positive thing. But at least for this visit and for what each of us ordered the meals were tasty. I ordered wine by the glass and the portion I was given was a good size. They featured a couple of monthly wine specials by the glass. I like when I can try something new and not commit to the whole bottle. I always feel like I have to finish it...children starving for wine in some foreign country and all. The tables are covered in white cloths with glass over the top. Our cloth should have been changed after the last service as the sides were stained. Overall, a nice dining experience.
(3)Bob N.
It's in our neighborhood and we consider ourselves "regulars". Especially for breakfast and coffee. The staff is very friendly, but not obsequious. Breakfast is one of the best in Tucson (the other one, believe it or not, is "Village Inn Breakfast"), if you avoid the heavier-than-lead pancakes. Also, avoid the dry-as-day-old-dog-feces sausages. The bacon is among the best in the world and the omelets and scrambled eggs will leave you completely satisfied. Never leaving hungry. The morning coffee is first class! I used to lust after the sausages they served - moist and flavorful, but they changed a few months back to some dreadful hard-skinned dry logs that are really terrible. I mentioned my objection to the change to the staff and to the manager, got the usual polite smile, but still the same thing. So, I've switched to the wonderful bacon (please, Gavi, if you're reading this, don't mess with that, too) and the ham is also quite good. We used to think that the dinners were poor, but had a perfectly wonderful experience at dinner recently - so have changed our opinion on that. Excellent food, service, quantity, and overall experience. And the lunches. Again, you will never leave hungry. I love the cream sauce things and Partner is always ready for one of their immense and wonder full salads. We have come to expect that for parties of four or more they will probably screw up some part of the order - sometimes to a large extent. The waiters seem to get it right, but the kitchen doesn't seem to agree. But, we forgive and forget. Getting whatever the chef wants you to have ordered as opposed to what you actually ordered is part of the experience. Anywhere else we would probably make a stink, but at Gavi's it is just part of the experience. Get used to it. Whatever they send out is probably going to be pretty good for the price. The ambiance is in need of maintenance. The outdoor dining porch is getting pretty tired looking - half dead plants & decor, dirty floor, missing and peeling paint, etc. Just needs a real sprucing up. It's too bad to have a nice meal in a decaying infrastructure. The staff and owner probably don't notice because when you're in a place every day, it is easy to become blind to those things that pop out to the customer's eye. So, go, enjoy, and don't fret over the screw ups. I just wish they would bring back that original breakfast sausage!
(3)Mike P.
We stayed up the hill at a resort, and to escape the costly hotel breakfasts, we went to Gavi. Everything about it was enjoyable. Oatmeal was steel-cut, a generous portion with fruit. Eggs were cooked properly. Blueberry pancakes were outstanding. Coffee was hot, cappuccino was just right. Service was discreet and polite, and the prices were reasonable for a full-service restaurant. We never made it here for lunch or dinner, so I can't comment on those. I would recommend Gavi to anyone looking for a good breakfast, as long as you are not in a rush. The service is leisurely, which we enjoyed -- but we won't be stopping there on our way to the airport. P.S. They have free wi-fi.
(4)Caleb T.
Never fail to disappoint me...
(5)Eric B.
Seriously gone down hill in service this use to be my family and I's "go to restaurant" but after our experience just now, sorry guys your done. We waited 15 mins in an empty restaurant and didn't even get water. As we were getting up to leave after still no service our waiter didn't even acknowledge us as we walked out. Not surprising all the other locations have been closing....in this economy service is everything.
(1)Alexandria K.
Went here for lunch. Service with a smile but waiter rarely came to our table, did not bring bread, water or refills unless flagged down (even though the restaurant was mostly empty). Other tables remained unbussed the entire time we were there. The bread was mediocre and seemed to have been purchased from the grocery store across the street, in addition to being squished as if someone had squeezed it. The salad had mushrooms instead of garbanzo beans, as listed on the menu. Salad presentation was poor, with tomatoes, cucumbers, beets and mushrooms very thickly cut and slapped onto the side of the plate. The Alfredo pasta was very good. The tiramisu, the anticipated reason why we went there, looked like a lopsided slice of 7 layer dip. It was clearly home-made, which was nice, but quite rummy. It was topped with tiny mountains of whipped cream. Not what I expect from Gavi's. The carrot cake was a hastily cut store-bought cake with frosting falling off the side. Not even close to par with past Gavi's experiences. Very disappointed. Not worth the prices. Also, specials were written on a messy and illegible chalkboard that hung above the stacks of clean dishes. A fellow patron found a grasshopper in their salad.
(2)Donald G.
Reading the opinions of previous reviewers is a strange experience. People seem to love it or hate it. The complaints of those who hate it do not relate in any way to my experience. The service was not only good, it was excellent. The food could not have been better, and I am something of an expert on Italian food, having lived in Europe for many years. I have only once complaint, which is that the portions were so huge that I had to take about two thirds of the dinner home with me, and will be eating it for a couple of days. The price seemed modest to me, but I am used to European prices and find that Americans have no idea how cheap everything is in this country. I understand it can be full at times, but we went on Saturday night and there was no wait. I love the place.
(5)Ed B.
Food was ok tables were still dirty after being cleaned. Service was slow.
(2)Lee O.
This restaurant has a few dishes that we have loved. However, our last experience here will be just that - our last. We walked in with a party of 7. The restaurant was empty except for 5 tables. We were basically refused service because they were not allowed to push tables together to accomadate us. Our choices were to either sit outside in the 100 degree heat or separate our party and sit at different tables. This was astounding to us. Because of their major lack of customer service, they lost the revenue from the 7 of us.
(1)Aron M.
The parking lot Thurs-Sun says it all. You'd think they were giving it away. We've been eating at Gavi's since he first opened at Broadway & Pantano (and Italian is rarely better than when Gavi himself was firing the food). I think most his authentic Italian bistros have closed, so the menu at Piazza now looks like the menu of old (which is a good thing). Lots to choose from and the food is always good. They have some decent breakfast offerings on the weekend as well. Having said that... Gavi's suffers from the same problem many restaurants by great chef's suffer from: Lousy front of house. Haven't had great service in a long time and often its mediocre at best. You just have to expect that. Unfortunately, the bad taste from the service affects the food experience. He fixes that, and he'll have one of the best restaurants in town.
(4)George R.
DIRTY AND ON THE VERGE OF UNSANITARY... I unfortunately went to this restaurant for the first (and last) time last night with my parents while visiting them from out of town. It was a pretty horrible experience from the get go as it was relatively loud as we were there at dinner time. That's fine, but it was extremely frustrating to be seated right next to a blaring tv in the 'lounge' that no one was watching that 'had to stay on' according to one staffer after we asked a previous one to turn it off (who was kind enough to do so). The food was pretty good, not quite worth the price considering the establishment as a whole... The real problem was EVERYTHING WAS DIRTY!!! ...The streaked water stains on the glass tabletop, all 3 sets of our silverware were dirty, there was a pile of crumbs etc on the seat next to me in the corner booth, and worst of all you could easily tell that no one cleaned dishes well there. Every plate (from the bread plates awaiting us to those we received our meals on) were smudged around the edges to the point where it easily caught your eye in the light. After sending back a horrible ginger ale for a sprite, the condensation from the sprite glass created a brownish circle on the tabletop - DISGUSTING!!! I witnessed a staffer clean 2 nearby tables, turning 4 wine glasses upside to have the balance of the glasses go onto the tabletop, ground and one of the chairs' fabric cushion at the table... After 'wiping' that table down with a dirty wet rag, he proceeded to 'clean' the other table with the same rag, leaving even bigger water stains on that table top. Obviously he had not been taught how to clean, I would have to blame management as much as the staffer for not properly training employees, nor providing appropriate cleaning tools, for the job to properly be done. This place needs a whole lot of help or a personnel overhaul - worst dining experience in recent memory without a doubt.
(1)Amanda B.
Just went here for breakfast. We have been to this restaurant many times before for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their food is absolutely amazing but we know that when we go there we won't get good service. It's kind of a trade-off. You have to decide if it's worth it. They have delicious chocolate chip pancakes so we went there just for that. We sat down and finally when the waitress came she seemed very annoyed taking our order. Then we wanted to order our drinks and food at the same time hoping that we would get our food quickly. But after we told the waitress what we wanted to drink she just ran away. She took about 15 minutes to give us a milk and then it was another 5 to 10 minutes until we got the hot chocolate and hot tea. She never asked if I wanted whipped cream for the hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was cold. We never received any water until the very end of our meal when we had to ask and she, again, seemed annoyed. She also forgot spoons for the two hot drinks. We waited about 45 minutes until our food came out. The waitress's excuse for the service being so slow was that it was more crowded than usual, which it wasn't. There were probably 50 people in the restaurant at most, including the people outside. Finally when the pancakes came, they were ice cold. They were supposed to come with whipped cream and strawberry sauce, which she forgot. We asked for it, got an annoyed yes and 10 minutes later received the whipped cream and still no strawberry sauce. The fritatta didn't come with the potatoes and she told us after we waited 45 minutes for it that they ran out. And the ketchup was Hunt's. Who serves Hunt's ketchup? Disgusting. We were so angry we asked to see the manager, who didn't care at all. Instead of being apologetic, he made excuses and just explained that they were extremely busy, WHICH THEY WEREN'T. He did not offer us anything and all he did was get us the strawberry sauce which was just microwaved strawberry jam. That's not what I ordered. All they did for us was take off the drinks at the end, which wasn't even the major problem. We won't be coming back for quite a while.
(2)Noah G.
Too expensive for quality of food and service.
(2)Ahmed S.
Not a lot of places deserve 5 stars, but this place earns it very well, and then some more. Phenomenal Italian food. I have not been to Italy, but this place is the best I have had yet. Service is great. Reservations are not too hard to obtain. Decor is great, live piano, huge portions. Their special in a cream and spinach sauce is amazing. Huge, big enough for 2, but just mouth watering food. Their other branches are not as nice. Location is great. Nice drive down River Rd or Sunrise to get here. Can get a little busy so always have reservations. Good wine selection too. Cannot beat it for Italian food. If price is not an issue, then you have to go here. Dinner with a couple of glasses of wine and appetizers and desert runs right under $100 for a couple.
(5)Tracy S.
When reviewing a restaurant is the food more important than the service or vise versa something to ponder. I went to Gavi on Tuesday night and as you can tell by my rating I was not impressed. After being sat in a very cluttered dining room I waited for the rest of my party and the waiter both which took awhile. We were greeted coldly placed a drink and food order and that was about it. I ordered one of my favorite dishes the calamari crema and was hugely disappointing. It use to be amazing but what I was served was rubbery mush with a bland sauce (not what I remember). The rest of the food was good but nothing special. The place is pricey for a meal that is nothing to write home. The service is spotty and they make you feel rushed. Case in point we ordered garlic bread towards the end of the meal and had to ask our server about it twice, the second time when he was dropping the check if it was coming. I will probably end up back at Gavi at some point but I will hold off as long as possible.
(2)Beth B.
Delicious! Started with calamari crema, clams in seafood broth---soaked that yummy broth with heavenly rustic bread. Followed with their spicy wedge salad---nice change from a regular wedge, nice and spicy! Fresh peas, carrots, cucumbers were a nice twist too! Waiter was extremely gracious when we requested a special mozzarella sandwich for our daughter :) extra kudos for that, and all in a cool euro setting! Well be back the next time we pass thru Tucson!
(4)Shawn T.
We came here for dinner on the Monday after Christmas. The restaurant looked promising upon arrival because of the packed dining areas and the customers waiting on take out orders. We waited for about 15/20 minutes, which was not too bad. We were then seated at a table which had been available during our entire wait, which we attributed to the fact that they seemed understaffed. We placed our order soon after our drinks arrived and were really looking forward to the meal. We couldn't have been more disappointed. First course, 3 of us had the salad. Two of the salads were average, the third, a greek salad, did not come with Greek dressing. The server stated that they do not use Greek dressing and offered a balsamic vinegar, how strange. The minestrone soup was absolutely awful. It tasted like watered down marina sauce and had large chunks of barely cooked vegetables in it. The main course didn't fare any better. Three of us ordered veal dishes - veal parmigiana, combination eggplant and veal parmigiana, and veal fior di latte. We all agreed that we couldn't taste any veal. I think that the veal was so thin that it was absorbed into the breading, which was all we tasted. The accompanying side of pasta was not edible. Our 4th entree was the beef ravioli. It had a funny taste, maybe it was of the frozen, store bought variety? The server was nice enough, but the overall service was spotty. We definitely will not be back.
(2)sharon h.
It had been 8-9 years since my last visit to Gavi. I live in Los ANgeles now so I don't get many chances for a visit. I always loved Gavi in the past and was hoping for the great food I remembered. I took my boyfriend who had never been. Food was as great as ever! The place isn't much to look at being in a strip mall with loads of Italian soccer posters & jerseys lining the walls but we came for good food! I think one of the biggest tests for an Italian restaurant is if it can make a great minestrone soup! This Italian basic is almost always bland, tasteless but Gavis was superb! Lots of vegetables with a terrific and flavorful soup base. I had this as a main course as I have a very small appetite. We also split mozzarella marinara appetizer. Instead of frying the cheese they grill it and cover it will a very yummy homemade sauce. Well worth a try! My boyfriend had a classic platter of veal parmigiana. The portion was huge and served with a side of spaghetti. The veal was juicy and cooked to perfection and covered with golden browned cheese and yummy homemade sauce. We were stuffed so we did get to try any of their deserts. I will save that for the next visit hopefully that wont be 8-9 years again. If you are lucky enough to live in Tucson or are planning a visit and crave SUPERB Italian food this is the place to go.
(5)Jon R.
Best Italian in Tucson. The Chicken Formaggio is my favorite but seafood manicotti is also excellent. The wine selection and cocktails are good as is the service.
(5)Cara M.
Last night, my wonderful in-laws took my husband and I (and Jenna) to a very nice place to celebrate our anniversary. Because the hostess area was full, we sat outside in a fountain area to wait for the 30 minutes they said we had before a table would be free. We couldn't wait in the bar area with a minor. Not too many Tucson restaurants take reservations, so we accepted a thirty minute wait as normal for a Saturday night. After 20 minutes, my husband went off to make sure they knew where we were. He was told it would be another 20 minutes. During the next 45 minutes, both Jenna, and my mother in law also checked. We were told there was a party of 6 at the table we would be seated at, and had to wait for them. Now, this is a large restaurant, and they only had ONE table for more than 4??? As we waited outside, we watched dozens of people enter the restaurant. After an hour wait....they finally seated us...OUTSIDE!!! Now this might not seem like much at first you think, many restaurants have attractive outdoor seating, and so does this eatery. However, bear in mind that we live in Tucson, and this is SUMMER. We were not seated in the regular restaurant garden seating with misters, fans, or anything like that, but instead in a far off solitary section of two tables set up next to the parking lot and the indoor restrooms. We politely asked to have an inside table as soon as it became available and they said "sure". By this time our "Sunday best" dress clothes, hairstyles, and makeup were all much the worse for waiting so long in the heat. Thirty minutes later my daughter went in to check on the status of "our table" and they'd given it to someone else. This was when my husband called for the manager. And before he got to the table, the entrees were served. Two of the five of us were served the wrong meal. Rocco was served the wrong sides with his meal. When we spoke with the manager, he said, "Oh, I'm sorry." Asked what side Rocco had ordered, and left. Our bill totaled over $150. There was no discount, no complimentary beverage, no dessert on the house, no coupon for return. Nothing. Are we over-reacting here - or is this standard service now. This is NOT the first time we've had celebratory meals made memorable by bad service and a lack of care for the consumer. I figure, "they don't care" = a nice blog, twitter, facebook and online reviews for all their future customers. Oh, and watch out...the chicken SPECIAL is $26.00.
(2)Griffin V.
I'm Sicilian. And from NYC. So my expectation of Italian food is too high for anyone to live up to. The food is above average but not the best. I'm still looking for the best Italian food in tucson. Maybe this is it. But the atmosphere is great. Outdoors on a nice night is amazing. The view is great. And the owner is so nice and involved. Ask to meet Gavi. A true gem with a heart of gold.
(5)Jay H.
We have been going to Gavi for years and it has been our Go To Italian restaurant in Tucson. I hate to even write a negative review but it looks like it's necessary. First, I ordered a Moscow Mule from the bar. Not able to make it because they don't carry the ingredients. Huh? Isn't a mule a staple today? Next, we each ordered a Grey Goose, club soda and cran. The bill for two drinks was $25. With a tip, I spent $30 for two drinks. Next we sat down for dinner (4 of us). We had calamari (amazing), a bottle of wine ($60 amazing) and three meals. The bill was $200. Salad is no longer included with your main course and the side of pasta is long gone as well. The portions are huge however and the food remains great. In lieu of a salad and side of pasta that used to be included, they now bring the table a little portion of pasta with peppers and bread to start things off. We'll give it another shot. It won't be for a while and I sure won't order a cocktail with Grey Goose in it.
(3)Scott H.
This review is based on the service only as I cannot even comment on the quality of the water. We sat outside and after reading the 3000 item menu I had time to check my phone messages and listen to the life story of the person at the table next to me. All this time counting 5 different servers walk past multiple times. Not a single one of those 5 even told us someone would be with us or offered us bread or even water. We were also only 1 of 4 tables out there. So after nearly 15 minutes of sitting there watching everyone else eat and getting complelty ignored, we decided to just walk out and head to Firebirds where we know we will get good service.
(1)Betsy M.
Three star rating due to 2 star service but 4-5 star food/ambiance. Came here for a celebration, party of ten and were pleased to find they would reserve a large table for us. They sat us out on the outdoor patio at this large really nice table over to the back. All was good the first five minutes. I will begin by saying we used to go to the Gavi location on Pantano/Broadway ALL the time before it was closed and LOVED IT. Still love the food, but was really put off by our service visiting this location. Let's start with the good though -- same great food. You get this delicious fresh bread and plate of marinated pasta/peppers initially. When I tasted it... it took me back to when we used to visit their old location and remind me how much I love Gavi. We ordered the calamari for the table and were NOT disappointed. It was fantastic -- and as a person who is not a huge calamari fan, I ate a lot of it. With a table of ten we all ordered different items but I ordered the lobster ravioli with pesto. It was absolutely decadent and delicious. My husband ordered the Cioppino which he used to get all the time and it was still as good as it gets! One of my girlfiends has major food allergies, and I loved that they accommodated her with a fresh vegetable entree size salad. Props on the food Gavi, you have not lost it. Service - I get that we are a party of ten but the lack of service was noticed by everyone. The guy serving us was present initially to take drink and food orders but then never really returned. We had to flag him down to get them to bring us pitchers of water for the table and ask for ice tea refills, etc. I am pretty sure someone else brought our food out and it was not until after we finished eating that he came back to see how we were (did not even check in with us to see how the food was).... he was not the worst I ever had as a server but he almost seemed annoyed by us. The kicker for me was when the bill was delivered, I was paying. I scanned it and noticed they had added in the gratuity -- not an issue, I know most restaurants do that for large parties... BUT the server told me it was 15% when in fact it was 20% (as if I don't know simple math dude) which annoyed me given the lack of service. Now in the defense of the restaurant -- I am sure I could have talked to the manager and refused to pay the 20% since gratuity IS based on level service. If I come back, it will be with a smaller group and because the food is so incredibly delicious and with a smaller group so I can decide what level gratuity is deserved by the server.
(3)Cherée E.
The food here is amazing but the service, not so much. My husband and I originally tried this place out on Valentine's Day last year. We expected the wait to be long and it was but we did not expect to be forgotten about for almost 45 minutes. A couple next to us were seated and waited close to 30 minutes without anyone coming over to ask for their order so they left. We thought this might just be a crazy night and to give them another try. We came back in the late afternoon on a Tuesday, it was low key and not very busy. Yet again, the service was terrible and the wait was so long!! The waiter never came over to fill our water or to ask how we were doing. We had to flag him down. We ordered the calamari crema which is seriously the best calamari I've ever had. We then shared a born of the gorgonzola pasta.
(2)Seth M.
The elusive fine Italian restaurant: something everyone in Tucson has their own opinion of. For some its North, Vivace, Caruso's, Cafe Milano, or another trattoria serving their favorite Mostaccioli. A favorite Italian restaurant is a mysterious thing. It should be good, but not too fancy. There must be a rustic quality that entices feelings of a provincial Italian countryside. The service must be on point, but possibly not as timely as you would get at a more high-volume restaurant; rural Italy is in no rush. The food it goes without saying needs to hit the spot - the spot that unlocks your heart and melts you into a creamy sauce of contentment. Once a place has done that it may very well hold onto you the rest of your life. I couldn't say every one of these points hit me at Piazza Gavi, but its close. Gavi also knows its an Italian restaurant and treats its customers as such - with thoughtful if at times relaxed courtesy and concern for their experience. Of the special qualities at Gavi I've found is their patio - the windows are tall and old fashioned and are almost always open to the grand vista of the Catalinas at sunset. There is a special two-person table toward the back I love to sit at - mostly for the view but it's also impossible to not be amused when sitting at a small table where the plates, wine glasses, bread basket, olive oil and balsamic, and salt and pepper all fight for space on the table cloth. Anyone who's gone to a big city Italian restaurant is familiar with this and I find it delightful - fair enough though that others may not and would prefer a more spacious and modern dining experience. One also wants to be greeted with a robust and insightful wine list to peruse and easily select a 1/2 carafe or bottle fitting to the occasion. They have some choice varietals from Italy and California but I wouldn't have mind seeing some local vintners like Pillsbury or Page Spring Cellars as they have as equally complex and delicious flavor profiles as any other appellation. Unfortunately I don't go to Gavi often enough to experiment with any dish besides the spicy crema: my personal favorite. I will say their fried calamari is excellent - never too oily and big and crispy enough to dunk a health amount of sauce on. Our waiter last time was also was confident enough to give us a recommendation for their house-made Tiramasu which is not worth passing up. I've been dining at Gavi nearly once a year for the past 7 years and its consistency is something to be admired. Ben fatto Gavi!
(4)Kim M.
We walked on Friday night with four people. We were asked if we wanted a table or a booth - but the waiter didn't want us in a booth so we were seated at a tiny 4 top. I ordered a salad that said "mixed greens" but it was mostly iceberg. The menu said the salad had cannellini or white beans and it came with garbanzo beans instead. It just wasn't anything like what the menu said. Meanwhile, the roomy booth sat empty until we left. We asked for Parmesan on our meals and got a tasteless, grated Parmesan. The pepperoni pizza was decent but so is Dominos. Don't waste your money.
(2)Magic J.
Update: I went down to Gavi's in person with our leftovers and and spoke with a few of the managers. I expressed my concerns about the degrading quality of service I've seen over the years and expressed concern that this is now carrying over to the food. They apologized, shared my concern, issued a gift certificate to me, and said they would take action. So I moved them from 2 starts to 3 for now. When Gavi is on top of it's game their game they are the best - 5 stars all the way. I've bumped them down to 3 stars for now and will continue going there, hopefully moving the star level up as a result of their improving quality and service. Original Review Gavi's baked mostaccioli is generally served with melted/baked cheese on top. This time they served it with the cheese nowhere in sight. My wife is not a complainer so she took a few bites and we packed the rest to go. Today when opening the leftovers what do we find? A thick layer of burned cheese on the bottom. They had actually flipped over a burned/ruined baked mostaccioli, flipped it upside down, covered it with sauce AND SERVED IT! We've been Gavi regulars for over 20 years. I cannot tell you how much it pains me to see the quality of service and food fall so far from their glory days as one of the best Italian restaurants in the southwest. Oh Gavi - how did you fall from a 5 to a 2 (on a good day)? I'd expect this kind of thing from people on the Chef Ramsey restaurant rescue show, but not you.
(3)Paul C.
My favorite Italian restaurant in Tucson, bar none - Gavi's got it goin' on! Sure you might have to wait sometimes, but the staff is awesome and the food is off the hook crazy delicious. I can gain 10lbs in one dinner... They also have a great breakfast. I wish he'd upgrade his coffee though, Savaya would be a huge step up and match the quality of his food. I swear he's serving arbuckle's... Thanks Chef Gavi
(5)Ellyn H.
Went this afternoon for a birthday lunch. It was unfortunate that the waiter did not really know the menu or present the lunch specials. When asked about the specials posted on the website he froze not really knowing what to say. Then he replied "oh those are old and we don't honor them". I found this to be very difficult to accept. After just a few moments at the table my wife noticed a filthy plate and a dirty table cloth. As I started to look around the shelf just to my left was beyond filthy covered in dust and garbage. I wish we would have left then but wanted to give them a chance....what a mistake. The food was so salty we could not eat it and the wait staff and management was not equipped to handle the proper customer response. So we paid the $82 and committed to NEVER go back. Poor service, food quality and a filthy environment. Disgusting.....
(1)Ashley C.
Sat there for 10 minutes waiting for a waiter... Maybe that's why they're called waiters?.. Anyway we were patiently waiting UNTIL a new group of people walked in, got seated and was served bread and water right away! Ummm where's our water and bread we've been waiting 10 minutes for?! We left. That was BS. Like the other reviews said, "service sucks"! Ps the guy at the front was polite.
(1)Steve R.
Well, my wife and I came back to see if anything had improved from our last experience. Keep in mind, our first experience a year ago this month was great. They had great bar tenders that we happy and provided top notch service. Then we visited various times through out the year and noticed the service and quality of food was steadily declining. We stopped in Friday evening for desert and drinks and sat at the bar. They were out of chocolate cake at 6:30! Brett has apparently left and the one or two bar tenders that were there seemed and acted so stressed out that everyone there felt it. We also noticed this man in a suit from previous visits still sitting at a back bar table with his glass of wine sternly looking at all the staff and occasionally commenting to them. An owner? A manager? Either way this guy stares at the staff and customers and makes us all feel uncomfortable. One bartender was so upset he was commenting on how he could not wait to be out of there in a month and we could all hear him. For what ever reason his bad attitude was felt by all. Waiters were having to pour their own drinks and seemed so stressed. All the while this wine sipping suite just sat there and watched and stared at us customers. Not sure what the deal is with this place. We will give them one more shot. We know this place is so much better; but it needs to make some big changes to get back to the fun place with great food it used to be.
(2)Kendra N.
Everyone at the table enjoyed their main dishes. My salad was fresh, and the sautéed mushrooms were fantastic. Friendly staff. Nice to eat on the open/covered patio.
(5)Scott K.
This was not my first visit here but it had been quite some time and this is my first review. The atmosphere is pleasant, relaxed but upscale feeling. The food was very blah- I tried the bruschetta, beef ravioli, and funghi pasta. The bruschetta was nice, if not a tad over buttered. The ravioli was good but swimming in marinara- and overall was just nothing memorable, just red sauce that was not particularly flavorful. The funghi pasta was quite disappointing, dripping in butter with button mushrooms, totally lacking in flavor. I usually order the funghi pasta at Tavolino which is like mouthful of warm fragrant woodsy mushrooms with every bite! Perhaps it is not fair to compare the two restaurants but I left feeling that the menu at gavi was dated and execution was underwhelming. Lastly, the service was prompt but a little odd; our server started off by saying welcome to gavi, we no longer have free salads because they were getting wasted. Two stars because overall my experience here was below average for an $18 entree type of experience.
(2)Talhia D.
Gavi, himself is a wonderful business man, chef, and person! He went above and beyond my expectations, with his commitment to make my dining experience one to remember! I would recommend everyone to visit Gavis. Our food was amazing!!! Our service was outstanding!!! Most of all, I would like to spread the word, to anyone looking for a splendid time to visit, and Enjoy!!!
(5)Penelope H.
Stuffed eggplant is amazing! For $30, veal parmigiana should come with side salad and pasta side. The decor isn't par for a LA carte pricing; we sat next to light up bar signs.
(4)Brian M.
This is a story of welcome rediscovery. My bride and I used to come here many years ago and stopped coming after moving further west. It was tough to travel east and walk into a 90 minute wait. As Yogi Berra would say: "Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded." It's still crowded but we only waited 20 minutes or so and the FOOD WAS FABULOUS! I had an old favorite: Pork Fior De Latte and it was beyond good. A pork filet, pounded thin and perfectly sautéed with with a spicy crema/rosa sauce: scrumptious. Around the table we had the House Lasagne, different and delicious, the Stuffed Shrimp, buttery and luscious, a simple pasta dish that was right in line with expectations and delish. We will go back again and are glad to have this fun spot back on our list of favorites. Ambience is energy filled, daily specials keep the menu ever changing andand the service was impeccable. Danielle was our server. She knew the menu, was not afraid to recommend her favorites and other than a slightly dry Tiramisu, the dinner and overall experience was a 10!
(4)Dylan M.
I've been coming here for years with my family, and grew up knowing the Gavi family pretty well. Piazza Gavi offers a great ambiance up in the Catalina Foothills, with plenty of space for groups in their large opulent dining room, as well as their beautiful garden patio. Gavi offers an extensive menu of an array of Italian dishes for lunch and dinner, with an equally extensive wine list. Their portions are MASSIVE, and can easily feed two people. The prices reflect the quantity of food you receive, no doubt, but the quality usually isn't quite there. The food is HEAVY Italian fare, so come hungry. You can ask for a half order, which is usually the size of a normal plate at other restaurants... I prefer their breakfast over anything else, as they offer an array of omelets and sweet items at fairly decent prices. Honestly, my favorite item on their entire menu is their brown sugar + pecan french toast...it's actually pretty amazing. The setting is lovely and the service is consistently good, but honestly you can find better Italian food around the Old Pueblo...
(3)Duy N.
I'm quite surprised by the poor reviews this place got in the past couple years. Some of them are ridiculous and concerning. Let's start with the food. I got the Calamari with creme sauce and it was simply amazing. Thin crispy batter. Good texture, not chewy. The creme sauce was a nice change up to the marinara sauce I'm accustomed to. Then I got the Carbonara italiana with spaghetti pasta. Bacon, al dente, egg and parmesan cheese, delicious. No complaints on the food here. Salad was whatever. For the service, I was at the bar. Initially no seating as this place was packed on a Saturday night. The lady bartender was nice and found me a couch seat by the fireplace. Not bad. She was very attentive. At shift change I was pretty much done and asked for a check from the incoming bartender and he totally forgot, leaving me hanging for 15 minutes. He looked really busy, but there were not many tables left, so there may need some improvement in prioritizing and organization. I certainly see the overall impression that the service is mediocre. Nevertheless, these two dishes are quite good and I recommend them. I would hope this holds up the next time I come by, and the service improves also.
(4)Sarah K.
Okay let me start by saying my wife and I were going to eat at Sushi Ginza (next door to this place), but the wait was long and we were really hungry, so we decided to try this Gavi place. Horrible idea. We probably could have waited the long wait at Ginza (which is really good) and still eaten before the super slow, awful service at Gavi. So we get into Gavi and get seated immediately. So far so good. We are pretty happy with our choice to try Gavi at this point, quick friendly seating and there is a nice ambience in the restaurant. Everything was downhill from here. Our server was extremely bad. Three couples were seated near our table after we were seated and all recieved better and faster service (as in their drinks, bread, and food was all served way before ours). I'm usually very lax with servers because I know they have a tough job, but I have to be serious this guy was the worst. I don't believe in not tipping a waiter when the bill comes, but if I did believe in that then this dude would have gotten no tip. Now lets talk about the menu and food. The menu had too much going on. It's overwhelming. There's like 200 types of pasta and other stuff. The food is pricey and was not that good. Wife and I each got a different pasta, 17 bucks a plate, and both dishes were plain. You can go to olive garden and pay 10 bucks for a dish that taste better than here. This restaurants success is clearly a product of location as there are not many "up scale" Italian food restaurants in the area. With such a poor first expereience here, we will not be returning.
(1)Olivia S.
Made a reservation for 5 people a week ago and they lost the reservation. Didn't even make an effort to seat us when we showed up, despite the restaurant being half empty. Horrible service.
(1)Tom C.
Definitely not authentic Italian. It tastes like the food came from a can. It seems to be a popular place, but I don't understand why given the quality of food. I've been there a couple of times, and each time I am NOT impressed.
(2)David M.
This is a nice dinner place. We had a large group which did not seem to slow down or effect the service at all. The serving sizes are large enough that you should always plan on taking some home Bread with vinegar andis served as an appetizer. It wasn't anything special but a nice start. I had the Pasta Seranata. The spices were mild with more than enough mushrooms and spinach. Overall very nice. You have a choice of different pasts all of which sounded and from other people's plates, looked delightful. I enjoy food that is served and looks appealing before you put a fork to it. One thing to stay away from is the carrot cake. It was very bland with none of the uneven texture that should come from different ingredients. Other people's deserts looked far more appetizing. Of course probably anything would have looked better than a desert that didn't look as good as what you could get from Costo.
(4)Phil O.
This was our second time at Gavi, both times for happy hour. We found the service to be impeccable. Three bartenders asked us, three times, if everything was all right. Food is served on nice tableware, real cotton napkins. The ambiance is elegant, we think. There are two dishes we have had that we simply can't get away from: the steamed clams are savory, the broth when eaten as a soup is rich and wonderful. But the real item is the calamari crema. We never have had a dish like this anywhere. The serving, an appetizer, is huge and the calamari is tender and fresh, the cream sauce is amazing. A little spicy. Wifey, who has a hard time with spicy foods, just gobbles this dish down and pays for it afterwards. But it is that good. The entrees are not cheap, you are going to pay more than you would at a mom and pop Italian restaurant. But it certainly is worth a try. Try going when everyone else is not going out for dinner and you will be fine.
(5)Buford C.
Gavi, what has happened to your restaurant?! It used to be so good. The menu is comparable to reading the IRS code, 100 dishes+? Really?! The service was junk, starting with our server nearly screaming at us for 10 minutes in an absurdly loud dining room about the endless specials, wine flights and blah blah blah, could not hear a word clearly. Our server asked us what a flight of wine was and why someone would want one, it is something on your menu, where is your staff training. The food was served almost too fast, salads coming with appetizers leaving so many plates on the table that a glass fell and broke on the floor. The food was mediocre, the calamari was greasy, the smoked salmon served with a half of a head of iceberg lettuce on top (huh?), the salads were spaghetti factory quality. The "veal" was 3/4 inch thick, tough, making me wonder if it was even veal, tasting more like a hamburger steak at Waffle House. All entrees were left uneaten on our fourtop, one was ice cold and sent back, the marsala tasted more like an asian dish, unlike any marsala sauce I have ever had from here to Roma. After entrees were delivered, there were no follow ups to see if empty glasses of wine or water should be refilled, or if our food was satisfactory. The only way to get service was to raise our hands, and servers eventually came by and asked what we wanted, which by this point was to pay the bill and get the hell out. Gavi, you used to have a fantastic place to eat. You should just rename it the "spaghetti factory," as the only thing that the ownership seems interested in there is turning tables and making money, definitely not making good food or pleasing longtime customers. Definitely will never go back. Try Vivace instead, at least the food is palatable and the service is decent.
(1)Stephanie M.
This place was an absolute delight and an amazing experience. This is a review based on dinner. (They do breakfast and lunch too!) I really wish I had found this place sooner in the 2 years that we've lived in the foothills. It pains me to know I'll have to leave this place behind next month when we get transferred to another state. But enough with the sob story and on to the review! This place has everything an Italian restaurant should have. The ambiance and setting was very romantic and not at the same time making it extremely versatile for any occasion. Our waitress, which I WISH I could remember her name, was absolutely amazing. She had only been working there for a month, from what she mentioned, but acted like she's been there for years. She was extremely attentive and caring in all of our needs. She answered all of our questions and even got me hooked on some of the best tasting wine I have ever had (more on this later). She even let us take our time between the food. We were able to eat all of our calamari, starter bread and antipasto like we wanted to before we ordered our entrees. In no way did we feel rushed, absolutely amazing. On to the food. We ordered the regular calamari to start, which comes with marinara sauce. HUGE portion, which I have been searching forever since I've lived here in Tucson (a total of 4 years). It was tasty, perfectly cooked and flavored with just the right amount of breading. My husband on the other hand is picky and claimed the breading wasn't for him but still liked it overall. Everyone has different tastes! They serve starter bread and antipasto as well which were generally okay. I'm not a fan of sesame bread or antipasto but it was still a delight to have a couple bites of. For entrees, my husband ordered shrimp crema which is essentially shrimp Alfredo but more amazing and not Alfredo if that makes sense. He enjoyed it very much and claimed it had the perfect amount of seasoning and flavor. For my dish, I have been searching for this EVERYwhere in Tucson and I finally found my love. I had ciopenna or ciopenno.. Or maybe none of those. But it's under seafood specialties in the menu and is the very last one. It is equivalent if not BETTER than the fisherman's stew from market broiler in OC, Cali. Fisherman's stew is heaven on earth to me and I couldn't tell you why. Every bite of this amazing concoction of clams, mussels, crab legs, shrimp, scallops, calamari... Just UGH. I swear I swooned with every bite. Perfect flavored broth. Amazing. Just try it so I can stop drooling while explaining it. We had HUGE portions once again so now we are both able to enjoy this delightful food again tomorrow. Swoon. We ordered drinks for the occasion, which brings me to the amazing dessert wine I had. It's called secco on their list and is $7 a glass. Reaaaalllly tasty and smooth. The end. My husband on the other hand was being adventurous on his girly side and asked if they could make a piña colada. They never had before but they tried anyways! Love the service! It turned out mediocre of course and barely had a hint of alcohol but my husband was a champ and downed it for the bar tender who went through the effort. They have a full bar so they can make anything. That's a quote from our waitress! We ended up leaving with a bottle of a similar wine because I had just finished the bottle that they gave me my glass from. Tastes just the same and they even gave me the price for the other wine instead! How nice! During our meal I had to mention that my garden salad was bitter tasting. I really hate mentioning bad things about food, so I was apologetic but thought they should know. They concluded that it was the cucumbers and gave us 2 salads to take home. I'm loving this place! But to wrap it all up, in one big bang, our waitress asked if we came in to celebrate something and we explained that we were here for our 4th anniversary. The restaurant gave us a free dessert. The award winning dessert! Chocolate covered tiramisu. They even drizzled a little 4 on there for us! Sadly the tiramisu got toppled on our way home and the 4 got destroyed. Boo. But it was still amazing when we ate when we got home. Pricing wise, this was a hefty bill. Hefty. But we didn't mind because we were celebrating. So this place isn't cheap, but oh my Lord is it so worth it. Keep in mind that we did get a glass of wine, a cocktail, and brought home a bottle of wine. So I'm sure the bill in general would drop significantly without those. All in all, I am just so pleased and so ecstatic about this night. One of the best anniversaries I have had here in Tucson. I highly recommend you come here and I hope you get the same experience we did. I'm sorry this review is so long but I had so much to say!
(5)Colter T.
The service was terrible. It took us an hour and a half for our party of 9 to get our food. The excuse the manager gave us was that they were slammed except not even half the tables were filled, and it was a Wednesday night. They even forgot two of the orders. The food was overpriced as well. The food was decent at best but was definitely not worth wait or price. The waitress promised us all a free desert for the inconvenience, but when we tried to order them, she told she could only give the two of us who they forgot our orders free desert. Overall an awful experience and we won't be returning.
(1)Paul D.
We had reservations. We were promptly seated. And then we waited. And we waited some more. After 20 minutes we snagged a waiter who brought us some water and menus. And then we waited. Finally I went to the desk and told the hostess that we were leaving if we couldn't get any service. While I was at the desk, one of the others in my party snagged Danielle and told her we had been waiting for 30 minutes and were leaving. She said she would take over as our server. We continued and had dinner. The food was OK but my chicken ptarmigan was very strange. They served me a chicken breast that was the size of a manhole cover. I've never seen a chicken breast that size. Made me wonder if it really came from a chicken of maybe it was from some other animal. My wife ordered Alfredo with shrimp added. For $9.95 extra, she got 6 shrimp. WTF? After dinner the manager came over and apologized. She gave us a long list of excuses for the bad service. I was not impressed. She could have given us free dessert or something to make up for the bad service. The good service that we got from Danielle didn't make up for the bad service we received earlier. All in all, the experience was unsatisfactory and we have no intention of ever returning or recommending the place to anyone we know.
(1)Ciera L.
I'm surprised to see so many poor reviews for Gavi on here. My family and I have been eating here for years and the food is delicious. The dinner menu has so many options and I have never been disappointed. You will always go home with leftovers, I promise! Large portions. My personal favorites are their lasagna and linguine carbonara. The carbonara is delicious, it is the best carbonara I have ever had. Gavi's house dressing on the side salads is delicious and unique; I definitely recommend you try it. My parents rave about the calamari. I came here for breakfast and was very impressed; the breakfast menu offers a lot. I ordered the french toast (a half order) and still took home leftovers! It was delicious.
(5)Steven P.
A reservation is meaningless!!!!! Very disorganized and under staffed on Mother's Day.
(2)Diane M.
When we first moved to Tucson 20 years ago, there was one Gavi restaurant on 22nd Street where you could get delicious homemade Italian food. Since then the family expanded to The Foothills Mall and to TWO spots on Kolb near Sunrise. All have closed except for the ONE at Kolb and Territory. The food and prices were always upscale (this is after all the foothills), but now they have overdone it. A small salad and a side of pasta were always included with your meat or fish entree. Now the salad will cost you $4.00 extra and the pasta $2.00, so if you go with a party of 3, as we did, that's a whopping $18.00 extra. That is NOT a nominal increase. The food is reasonably good, though not like it was on 22nd Street. The service is spotty. The tables are packed close together so the staff has trouble getting around and you cannot hear the person sitting across from you. There is a nice patio with heaters for the cooler nights. There are a few TVs and a sofa with comfy chairs near the bar. (If it were my restaurant, I'd change that to tables, but there's more money in alcohol.) The wine selection is decent, though on one occasion I asked the waiter to pick a red for me and, of course, he picked the most expensive. It should be interesting to see what happens when the winter visitors return. I'm not sure they will stand for the price increase. Diane M.
(3)Rebecca D.
Ten years of previous experiences were exceptional. Tonight was very disappointing, from start to finish. Starting with the comment of "Another Early Bird table", to our seating on top of the kitchen (with a reservation), to the condescending attitude and non-attentiveness of the waiter and the quality of the food, we were very disappointed. We requested to speak with the manager, but were not permitted. Sadly, 7 disenchanted customers will not be returning to Gavi's. The Minnesota Golf Group
(2)Larry F.
Dropped by here for an early dinner after reading decent reviews on yelp since I live in the area. There were 3 other couples eating at the time and several waiters and other staff working. The white tablecloths were dirty and stained, I would guess it was leftovers from lunch. The plexiglas cover over the tablecloth had stains and food bits on both the top and bottom. The balsamic and olive oil containers looked like they had never been cleaned. My napkin was also dirty. I should have walked out at that time but we went ahead and ordered food. Pizza was swimming in olive oil. No flavor. Lasagna looked like someone had dropped it onto a plate on the floor from counter level. It was smashed and splattered all over the plate. The other waiter in our area seemed to care about his customers and chatted with them and even checked on them! Ours was nowhere to be seen most of the time. Did not take the leftovers home. Do not recommend at all due to the cleanliness.
(1)Andrea G.
Two thirds of my Dining Trio ate here (Gary, husband was with me; mom not with us this time). The ambiance is really fun. You can eat on a curved, porch-like area or inside, which feels almost like you are in a huge wine cellar or something Italian. A high-hung board was filled with chalk writing featuring the daily specials -- lots of choices on it! Plus the menu was full of a superb selection of pastas, pizzas, meat and fish dishes and more. Something for everyone here! Service was prompt and we had plenty of attention -- all great. Bread and a very tasty marinated bowtie pasta/pepper appetizer (that all diners get) were placed in front of us, readily consumed as we were hungry! We sure came to the right place, because the portions here are huge. Gary opted for pescatore; I had a special of the day (lasagna del casa). Gary loves pescatore. He said Gavi's was OK; a bit watery sauce, lots of spaghetti and limited seafood (and no fish) in the one he had. He liked the flavor of the sauce. My dish was impressive in size, taste and looks. Great plating. It looked like a very labor-intensive dish, with many layers of cheese, sausage, prosciutto (I think), sauces, and more densely compressed into an amazing combo of flavors and then covered with a meaty Bolognese (spelling??) sauce (combo of Alfredo and marinara sauces). I'd do the spell check for all these words but I'm in a hurry, LOL. Those on low-salt diets could not do this dish but it was a very special treat. I am guessing that my lasagna was the chef's special and fun creation. Gary was lukewarm about his meal. I loved mine and the service was excellent. I consider this a very special place and I'd love to come back and try some other dishes. BTW, we got around FOUR meals out of my one dish. It was that big and hefty! Wish it were closer to my side of town!
(4)Rachel C.
This was some of the best italian food I have ever had. The portion size was huge (good for left overs). I came with a big group that required a large portion of the outdoor dining space (which was beautiful). The service was amazing and the atmosphere was inviting and sophisticated. It was a bit pricey but for good reason. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for an awesome italian dinner in tucson.
(5)P J.
Food was really really good. Portion sizes are very big. The Customer service is outstanding. There was communication error and one of the orders was wrong. The server stated that he will fix it and bring the correct order quickly. I told him to cancel the order. The manager came out and apologized and brought our correct order and told me they will take the order of the bill. What an outstanding customer service! The quality and quantity of food, amazing customer services and great atmosphere, I would highly recommend the place.
(5)Mark K.
Service was friendly, portions were big but the marinara just wasn't very good. Tasted canned. My wife had the Alfredo and said it was very salty. Bruschetta was very good and house salad dressing was tasty. Just not great sauces, unfortunately.
(2)stephanie b.
Delicious and great service. The baked bruschetta is amazing! Wonderful view from the patio.
(4)Jan E.
Pizza was lacking flavor and was very light on the toppings. Crust was soggy, however when I brought the remainder home and added a few ingredients to reheat it, it crisped the rest of the crust and I had a pretty tasty pie! Great service, despite the fact that the server told us that he was the only server there for lunch on the Saturday I visited. Large, maybe too large, menu. Would like to see some innovated and updated modern Italian dishes on the menu that would make me want to return.
(2)Mark D.
Piazza Gavi is a wonderful Italian restaurant in a city that has few inspiring choices for Italian cuisine. The menu is extensive, but always listen closely to the often-amazing specials. The wine list is quite nice, with many excellent domestic and Italian bottles under $50. The service is friendly and helpful without being overwhelming, and the weekend dinner crowd is lively. Reservations are recommended on Fridays and Saturdays during the winter and spring seasons, when Tucson's population swells with hungry snowbirds. You won't walk away hungry from Piazza Gavi, as most of the generous entrees offer enough for tomorrow's lunch. In addition, you'll want to leave room for desert, espresso, and perhaps an after-dinner drink to top-off a wonderful evening.
(5)Bill B.
We spend winters in Tucson and Gavi is in our neighborhood. We dine their for either dinner or breakfast once every week or two. Food is always great. Portions are huge, so if you aren't a big eater you might want to share an entree. Last night our server Danielle was extraordinary. Rather than boringly recite specials from a list, she asked us what we usually order, what we were thinking of ordering, and then based on that went on to suggest items both from the huge regular menu and from the daily specials that we might enjoy. Thanks Danielle, you were great.
(5)Adam F.
I've been here a few times, all of which on special occasions. The general manager can often be seen talking to customers or at least being active in the restaurant. The hostesses are always but the servers can be a little friendlier. If you go on a birthday they will give the birthday guy/girl a gourmet piece of cake. The food is pretty good, but I know I can get food that taste just as good for a better price. They do have very food wine and their soups are very filling. Their salmon is pretty tasty and the pastas are decent. But again, you pay a lot for it. Overall, I've had good experiences here. The keep it freezing inside so bring a jacket! Unless you are very rich, this is a place that you don't go every week. This is more a special occasion type of restaurant or a place for the very rich to casually dine out.
(3)michelle f.
Kudos Gavi and the new management staff for taking a not so good situation and completely turning it around. I so appreciate you did the right thing. I will definitely be back!!
(4)Kate L.
People kept telling me this place closed down. I was so sad! Yes, we've had problems here with customer service in the past--but for atmosphere, I can't think of many other restaurants in the Old Pueblo I like more. So despite the "closed" rumors, my husband decided to swing by and survey for a date night. Happily, we found it still open. My husband got the Carbonata, and I the Chicken Piccata. Pros: -Even though it was still hot outside, since they were full inside, we were still able to get immediate seating outside and it wasn't too sweltering. -Still romantic, low lit atmosphere with lovely decorating. -My husband enjoyed his carbonata. Cons: -Server was nice but completely disorganized, forgetful and generally all over the place. We had to ask for basic things (like water) multiple times. -Slow: it took forever to get every course. -Errors with order: I asked for EXTRA capers, and my meal came with none. Rather than take dish back and add capers that have been heated, they brought me a plastic side of cold capers. It's hard when you have stiff competition close by, like Abbey that not only has great atmosphere but also good food and service too, and El Charro which is friendlier on the wallet. So even though I happily found this place still to be open, if this was a standard meal I worry it won't remain open. But I will definitely be back to visit, and will update my review as a result!
(3)Sherry H.
Four of us arrived at Gavi at 4pm mainly to get the lunch specials (we are retired seniors). When we walked in the door the waiter immediately told us that they we would be ordering from the dinner menu, since the lunch hours ended at 4pm. I explained that I had just read the website which said that lunch was from 11-4:30 and we saw a sign was on their entrance saying 11-4:30. The waiter said that they hadn't had a chance to update the times, and lunch prices ended at 4pm. I know at matter of $20 in our overall bill doesn't sound like much, but it was the principle that we had planned to arrive early for those lunch prices and that is what they had advertised. I asked to speak to the manager, and the waiter never reported back to me. So I embarrassingly asked again for the bill to be adjusted. He returned to say that they would do it this once, but don't expect it again. Not to worry about that Gavi, since there won't be an "again" for us.
(1)Amiee H.
I had the special which was stuffed salmon and it was SO DELICIOUS! The salmon was so perfect and juicy and the stuffing inside was a perfect blend of heaven! It was also a pretty big portion so you get to stuff yourself silly and take some home. (In my case I ate it all, but my friend took half of it home! lol) The complimentary bread is really good too! I liked the decor here, it's really dressed up Italian, in a tasteful way. The waiter was really nice and welcoming! The only thing that was annoying was that there were a few flies that pestered us throughout our whole meal. I was so obsessed with making sure the flies didn't land on my food, it really detracted from my dining experience. The waiters should have been more cognizant of that and took care of it so we could enjoy our meal. *dock 1 star! Aside from that, the dining experience was perfect!
(4)Julia D.
I came here for brunch and I didn't know you could mess up eggs, but apparently you can. I got a make your own omelet and something was off about it. Strange taste. The potatoes were also somewhat gross. Too bad!
(2)Zander L.
Had fun here the portions are huge and the staff was very nice.
(4)Laura C.
I am the type of person who loves to try new things and I usually don't stick to the same item at a restaurant for too long, except at Piazza Gavi. I have been ordering the spaghetti 3-P for about 5-6 years and have never been disappointed. My favorite appetizers are the calamari crema and the spicy wedge salad.
(5)Hueneme R.
This is a great Italian restaurant that offers something for everyone, including pizza. I ended up ordering their lasagna, and ended up getting a piece the size of the plate, more than enough for two. Their wine list was excellent which many labels were available to pick and choose. I highly recommend this joint.
(5)Kelly M.
Absolutely delicious! Portion sizes were huge and SO tastey! The atmosphere was very relaxing and inviting. The Rosa pizza sauce is definitely one of my favorites. The food wasn't greasy and tasted home made. I felt the price was great for the amount of food on the plate. The staff was also warm and friendly. I highly recommend this place for some amazing Italian cuisine.
(5)Sierra C.
Best pasta I've ever had! Large portions, lots of choices/options, prompt staff, great dining experience! A little on the pricey side, but oh so worth it! Will definitely be going back!
(5)Eric T.
My family and I were first introduced to the Gavi at the foothills mall. It was truly a fine restaurant. Upon its closing we gave this one a try. Not once , not twice, but three different occasions. Every single time resulted in poor somewhat inexperienced service, truly mediocre food, smaller portions to boot and stale desserts. Sorry Gavi three strikes.
(3)Diane A.
Completely disappointed!! Ordered the Chicken Saltimbocca - why was there ham in this dish?? They used ham instead of prosciutto. Not acceptable !!
(2)Es E.
Over the years, this place seems to run hot and cold mostly with regard to the service but the food is generally consistently very good. Last night (Saturday) we had visiting family and the mood was for Italian. Knowing full well that Gavi is hard to get into without a reservation on a Saturday night following a local win by the college team we went a little earlier then I would have normally. Even with that we arrived to find a crowded parking lot and upon checking in with the hostess we learned that the main dining room was full with reservations. No mind though. We were quickly seated in the outside "patio" which is really enclosed and heated with propane heaters that kept the room nice and toasty. Our server, Sandy, was just wonderful. As the place filled up and Sandy was assigned two other large parties, she kept us well covered and had the other servers checking on us as well. We never felt neglected - or rushed - and they didn't miss a beat service wise. Our complicated order was handled expertly and food was delivered correctly in the requested order with perfect timing. We had various selections from the blackboard, daily specials and off the various pages of the menu. Dishes were cleaned off as they were finished and drink refills appeared without prompting. Wine and glasses showed up and were poured just like they knew what they were doing. Even the owner stopped by a couple of times to see how we were doing. In fact, I think Gavi has really figured out the whole service thing. Their A-team was really on last night. The consensus was that we all enjoyed the evening and would do it again. And we didn't even have a reservation. Thank you guys!
(5)Kimberly C.
went for breakfast this morning,had a freezing cold pancake,i mean we were the only ones in the restaurant and you can't make a hot pancake? Told the waitress and she took my plate and heated it up in the microwave,completely tacky,cheap and easy to make and you do that? not to mention the crispy potatoes are like a drive through at jack in the box,they are small greasy tater tots is all.Over priced and very disappointed i won't go back
(2)Jeanette A.
This place is delish. The chicken famaggio should be considered a sin! The place is beautiful inside and they have a great selection of wine. This is a great spot for a first date, or romantic night out. Definitely tucson's best Italian food.
(5)Arthur V.
Being a transplanted New Yorker, I am usually reserved in my decisions of what constitutes Italian Food here in Tucson. Initially I went by the reviews in a 'Weekly' here in town. Very disappointing way to go,by the way. My wife and I discovered GAVI's by seeing a line of people waiting for seats at a small storefront on Broadway and Pantano. The food was Amazing and huge portions to boot. It quickly became our favorite for Authentic Italian food. While the economy caused many places to close, (and indeed the Landlord felt a 'Mattress store' would be more draw) GAVI, the chef and the business , is STILL ALIVE & WELL!! He has condensed his operations from 4places to his long-standing Piazza Gavi at Kolb & Sunrise(Ventana Plaza ,5415 N.Kolb). The food is Still amazing with huge portions, and every night ,it seems, there are new Specials to try. While other "Name" restaurants have closed here in town or changed the motif, GAVI'S remains! This is not your "Garden" or "Pasta Grill"- this is REAL Italian . The Service is outstanding and genuine in their efforts. The wines are tasty, and it's menu does not confine to one style of Italian, either. For Views of the Foothills, the patio beckons! I like it!
(5)Paul B.
Until last night (3/5/15), I raved that Gavis was the second best restaurant of any place I have ever eaten in my life, my favorite place being Russian Tea Time in down town Chicago. I fell in love with Gavi's when we moved here three and a half years ago and, until our experience last night, I would have rated it five stars. When you drop $240 (with tip) on a bill, you would expect to be "wowed," which we were but for the wrong reasons. For starters, we were seated at a table that had an embarrassingly filthy tablecloth. Our first serving of bread was to die for, the seconds being bread that you'd expect from Egees (a local chain that makes sub-par submarine sandwiches). I ordered a scallop and shrimp linguini (a $30 entree) and was "wowed"--by its blandness. HUGE portion, so I'll be "enjoying" its blandness again here at home. My wife had a stuffed salmon that she said tasted like it had been frozen and then warmed up. She'll be "enjoying" its blandness here at home as well. My step-daughter ordered tips and peppers and asked if there could be a substitution for the veal. Gavi's substituted the veal with sirloin for an addition $10 charge which brought the cost of her entree to $32. She wasn't impressed with the flavor and, like me and her mother, she'll be "enjoying" bland leftovers at her home. Our out of town guests said nothing good nor bad about their food. Our server was excellent, the hostess was cold. We're not ones to send food back or make a scene by bickering over a bill, so we enjoyed conversation, paid our bill, and left. I was in shock over the unexpected mediocrity of the food and the filthiness of our tablecloth. Between our home in Marana and Gavi's, there are lots of other fine Italian restaurants, two of which have "wowed" us and both of which will take precedence over Gavi's when we desire quality Italian food in the future. In the past, I enthusiastically recommended Gavi's to people with whom I worked and, when I had out of town guests, I'd make sure we dined there. After last night's experience, I see Gavi's a just another decent Italian restaurant: terrific service, pricey, huge portions, too many options on the menu, take-your-chances food. Wow, I certainly was disappointed. :-( A post script: I communicated my disappointment to the owner, and he graciously offered to make things right the next time we dine there. Many owners wouldn't make such a gesture or even care about a bad review, so I've changed my original two star rating to a four star rating. It seems that the cook who was supposed to add spice/flavoring to the food didn't.
(4)Sophie S.
Upscale?! We had a new waiter, he was very unorganized. The manager was no help to him. We waited 20 minutes before approached to give our order. Had to keep asking for things. Waited another 10 for salads then had to ask for bread! The manager came over to apologize for the wait, did she comp our desserts no!! The food was good, not exceptional. I won't waist my time or $$$. It was pricey for whet we had. Don't bother.
(2)Timothy O.
Best Italian food I've had in my life. We had a wonderful time listening to the music they had on Saturday night.
(5)Walter B.
Don't come to this restaurant. The service is fine. The food is fine. But the bathrooms and management speak for themselves - this one short elderly heavyset woman (management) is rude and inconsiderate of visitors from out of town. I won't go into the details but as a visitor who called in advance - I expect courtesy and some cleanliness and I received neither here.
(1)Micaela L.
Gavi's has been a go-to place for breakfast for my catch up girl time (and a few of the staff know us by now!) The staff is very attentive, allows us girls to be all "Sally" about our ordering, and they allow us to linger longer than normal. The coffee bar inside serves a great cup as you want it. The breakfast menu is simple, but it will always be tasty (the potatoes are amazing). My favorite plate overall is the 3 P's (Panna, Peas and prosciutto) but I must wait til lunch or dinner for that plate. Warning: the portions are large so you will take some home! The atrium has a fireplace and white lights, and everywhere inside whisks you away across the world. After a full belly and some good laughs with my girlfriend, leaving, the view of the Catalinas always make the day just right. Support a great local Italian eatery! Piazza Gavi provides a wonderful experience overall!
(4)