MmmMmmm! Local Delivery! For some reason, the local pizza delivery place is always super-good. Maybe it's because you always know the owners, or they take a special pride in their work that is lost in the big box pizza chains. Giovanni's continues the trend of yummy local pizza (and subs and lasagna too!) The Good: Wide Menu:There's so much to order, you probabl will need more than a minute to decide. There's subs, salads, all manner of pasta, even steak! And if you want some REAL Italian, they have fried calamari too. Yum! The Bad A Little Expensive: Almost $50.00 for takeout for three? And $60.00 for delivery? Say it's not so!! Giovanni's is a great place for yummy Italian food for take out or carry out. However, the price tag is quite steep, so you've been warned! Overall 7.7/10= Expensive Italian!
(4)
Annabelle S.
When we're feeling adventurous (ha!), we'll head down to this location for some cheap but good Italian. When I'm wanting a non- thin crust pizza- theirs is the best! Full of salty and gooey hot cheese, flavorful spices and a plentiful variety of toppings. We also like the garlic knots, salads and tortellini alfredo. Service is always good ( even when they are packed) and FYI Friday nights are really crazy there. Like the fact that you can sit outside ( yes I know it is on the side of a publix plaza but I'll take it where I can get it). Round out your visit with some tiramisu and you'll want to come back too.
(4)
Kelly F.
If you don't already know, I am not a fan of Italian cuisine and Giovanni's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria wasn't able to change my mind. There menu is pretty extensive with a number of pasta, chicken, meat and seafood dishes to choose from as well as pizza and hoagies. For pasta, the baked ziti is probably the only one I'll indulge in. For the chicken, the chicken sorrento and chicken florentine are not bad. The sorrento is boneless chicken breast sauted with sherry wine sauce topped with eggplant and mozzarella cheese while the florentine is Boneless chicken breast sauted with fresh mushrooms in a sherry wine sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese on a bed of fresh spinach. If you're more of a simple eater or trying to be healthy the chicken with veggies is the way to go with a grilled chicken breast and dry veggies and no pasta. Their pizza is not a bad choice either, kind of thin on the crust and not fluffy enough, but flavor wise not too bad. The fresca and plain cheese are the ones I prefer. Their garlic knots are the best part of this place, always served fresh and hot. I suggest staying away from the salad. It's obviously from a bag and has a weird after taste and their dressings are not that good. Service is average here, I've had some really good ones and some really bad ones. They do deliver if you are within a certain radius of the restaurant. Prices are not too expensive, but not cheap either. The set up of the restaurant is okay, kind of crowded in the seating areas though. There is also a full service bar and a bar seating area. Overall, it's okay.
(3)
Charlotte S.
I'd recommend the bruschetta. The cheese is always super soft and you can tell it's very fresh. I'm not too fond of the cheesy bread that comes with the meals. It's good but just okay. I'd also recommend having the pizza. It beats any chain pizza around and is very fresh and melts in your mouth. The garlic knots are also really soft and I think they put fresh roasted garlic on them. I've never had any that weren't super dough-y until coming here.
(4)
Michelle S.
We had a large group that met for dinner and we were well taken are of by our server. I enjoyed a meatball parm sub, the tot had chicken strips and the guys at the table split a stuffed pizza. It was huge! There was plenty left over for them to split up and take home. I think some prices seemed a bit high, but overall the food was really good. Definitely a convenient locals spot more than a high traffic restaurant, as it's located in a Publix plaza. Check them out and tell me what you think. Would it be your go-to place for Italian food? Or pizza?
(3)
Joe R.
Was temporarily shut down due to Health code violations! Food was ok but too expensive for the quality and portion. Unfortunately I had no idea about their huge list of violations until after I went. m.bizjournals.com/orland…
(1)
Christina H.
If you are in the mood for Italian food and in the area Giovanni's is a good option. I certainly wouldn't drive out of my way for it, but it's good. And of course their pizza is better than anything you would get from a chain, so there's that. We went here for lunch today and it was mostly better than normal. We had a group of 6. We ordered a good variety of items: pizza, calzone, pasta lunch specials, and salad. We also had the calamari appetizer, which was quite tasty. The only problem on this visit was a dripping ceiling vent over me. Yep, right above me. Nothing like having a big drop of cold water hit you right in the forehead while you're talking. We shifted the table to get out of the line of fire, and after that the water was hitting me in the back. So, that was a bit awful. Anyhoo, don't sit under the ceiling vent closest to the patio exit and you should be fine. The food was good.
(3)
Ryan W.
Can't say I am a fan of this place. My roommate and I ordered calzones that took almost an hour to come out. My girlfriend had her salad finished 30 minutes before our food even came out. The calzones didn't really taste that great either. They were pretty much just cheese bread with some toppings in them. Overall, not that great.
(2)
Leslie S.
I ordered the calamari marinara. It's a HUGE portion, almost family style. The calamari was extremely fresh and cut into large pieces. The server, Don was very knowledgeable on all the menu items.
(3)
Ryan D.
i felt like crap when we walked in, not because of anything Giovanni's did. the drink specials were great and my son devoured the chicken fingers he got. the food looked good though i was too ill to eat.
(4)
JD J.
We've frequented this restaurant on a number of occasions. Great pizza, awesome crust, real cheese, and tasty sauce. We've had pizza, pastas, veal dishes, chicken dishes, and all were excellent. A must have are the garlic knots!!! Super fresh, piping hot, fresh garlic (try them with a side order of Alfredo sauce which is made in house). All ingredients are obviously NOT out of cans. Great servers and staff.
(5)
Antonio M.
Very good Pizza, excellent friendly service and willing to go off menu for you. This is truly a local place and the bar is always packed with locals. I highly recommend talking to Jeremy the pizza guy, Frankie the bartender and Frank the owner or his daughter Elizabeth.
(5)
Vincent G.
Place has good food, but menu and service not that great. I put 2 stars because their fettuccine alfredo is good, to bad you have to pay a lot more to add chicken or shrimp to it. If you ask for chicken Alfredo they don't have it on the menu....will look elsewhere to get my "fettuccine alfrdo with chicken" did I say that right?
(2)
Todd K.
I've been meaning to review this place for some time - I go there with some regularity because my boss loves the place (and it's close to his home). I've never cared for it, but have been hoping that it's "stars" for me would rise with each visit, such that maybe I could at least give it a 2 or a 3. Let's just say, the stars aren't shining on this place, and they never will. Tonight is yet another great example - I wanted for them to get me *something* that I would find palatable. So tonight I ordered the lasagna - An Italian-food standby, right? My colleague did the same, should be easy. When it came out, both of ours were *cold* in the middle! (And the sauce was just blech tomato sauce, straight from a jar.) And then the worse of it - They took it back, *microwaved* it, and brought it back to me. I couldn't believe it. This place is a joke. Don't eat here if you enjoy food. There's the Moat right next door - it's bar food, but their wings are good. Or maybe grab something from Publix. Just not Giovanni's (disclaimer - I've never tried their pizza, but I can tell by looking at it, there is absolutely no point in even trying it). Sorry Giovanni's - I've tried & tried to like you, but after all these attempts, you've never failed to fail me. Congratulations I suppose :-(
(1)
Vicky A.
The food was very good! I had the chicken Francesca and my husband had the lasagna. The chicken was amazing! Very good flavors and it was big enough for two. The lasagna was very cheesy. It's a good size portion for one person. We subbed the house salads for the soup of the day (which was some spinach soup with chicken) and that was good too. The service was on point. We didn't wait very long to be seated or served our meals. The only reason I gave it a 4 and not a five was because the garlic bread was boring and the decor and overall look of the restaurant is very out dated. Other then that everything was great! I would totally come back!
(4)
Ron B.
We hit up this joint while visiting family in Orlando. It came recommended by everybody, so why not. We had a combination pizza, white pizza and the antipasto salad. The pizza was AWSOME...authentic New York all the way. However, the white pizza was actually darn good considering I never eat it. Then the antipasto salad was average, but the house dressing was to die for. Next time in Orlando visiting...we be going to Giovanni's.
(5)
Shannon A.
I have been dining out at this restaurant for years but I just want to recognize the staff and owner for showing such care and concern the other evening. After finding out one of their regular customers had a bike accident shortly after leaving their establishment, they did not hesitate on going to the hospital after closing to see if he was okay.. The staff could not locate him at first and after finding out he was checked into ORMC, they drove right over. Unfortunately the hospital could not give out information but just for them to be there to support him says a lot about the crew at this restaurant. Not only is the food great here but so are the people! Viva Gio Family!
(4)
Angelina C.
The food is Just ok. But staff is friendly and welcoming and the place is clean. Didn't enjoy the pizza, but someone I went with did enjoy their chicken Marsala.
(2)
Jeffrey D.
Neatly tucked away in a shopping center is Giovanni's. Get groceries and stop in for a bite. We had calazones and pizza, though they do offer other fare we went with true blue goodies. The pizza was good and the service was also. There was more seating inside than I had expected which was a nice surprise. The atmosphere was nice and offered seating for a romantic night out or a family gathering. Overall, a step above most local pizza places with plenty of parking to go around.
(3)
Daniel R.
I really like this place. I've been here a few times, and I've always got great service. It's a little pricey, but definitely worth it.
(4)
Jeff K.
The food has been consistently good here, from the terrible-for-you-but-creamy-and-delicious Monte Carlo pasta dish to the above average pizza, I don't think we've ever ended up disappointed. We didn't get the garlic knots the last time we were here, but on previous occasions we were disappointed to find that they were topped with garlic powder rather than fresh minced garlic. Otherwise, no complaints. The food came out in a very reasonable time, drink refills were quick, everything worked out great.
(4)
Ralph P.
Real deal Italian food. This is our go to place when we go out for Italian pasta or pizza. They seem to make everything from scratch, at least as far as i can tell and they even sell their salad dressing, which is da bomb, in a handy bottle so you can enjoy it at home. They might not be conveniently located but well worth going out of your way for a delicious meal.
(5)
Kari H.
We decided to try Giovanni's since we are new to the area. We went last night and were seated immediately at a booth. The hostess gave us menus and said the waiter would be with us shortly. Three waiters walked by us a number of times without saying hello or that they would be with us in a few minutes. We were completely ignored for approximately 15 minutes. We couldn't believe it. A table of eight sat down after we did and a waiter literally ran over to their table. The restaurant was busy, but not crowded because there were empty tables. Won't go back. Left and drove to Lake Nona Tap Room. We were waited on immediately and they were very friendly with great food.
(1)
Mike H.
I placed a phone order this afternoon at the Chickasaw Giovanni's for lasagna and a side salad. When I got home the lasagna was lukewarm and the cheese was not melted. The salad was brown and wilted. See the profile picture. I discarded the salad and warmed the lasagna in the oven. Giovanni's isn't winning the battle with the multitude of restaurants at Waterford Lakes by serving food like this.
(2)
Denika C.
i didn't dine out a lot when i lived in orlando, but i did get the pleasure of tasting the most delicious italian food i'd ever had in the form of garlic knots. if you are ever in the area, i suggest you treat yourself to - Garlic Knots with Sauce at Giovanni's. Dough tied in a knot, baked and tossed with garlic and Italian spices for $3.99. no one will want to kiss you for weeks but you won't care.
(5)
Gary D.
The veal parm was excellent but it sat on pasta that obviously was cooked ahead in large quantities, over cooked and barely edible. My wife had pasta with sausage. Pasta was cooked just right, sauce was very good but the sausage was disgusting,dried out and tasteless. Was it cooked in fryalater? The worst I have ever had, very dissatisfied. I will give three stars only because of the veal and sauce which were both very good
(3)
Jeff W.
I ordered a meatball sub from here and I doubt I'll ever be back. The bread tasted like an over sized hot dog bun. The sauce was mediocre... Tasted sugary. This is the part that gets me the most... The meatballs. This is the main feature of the sub. For anyone who knows a good homemade meatball... You can obviously tell the difference between it and a frozen one. Texture, density and taste are what you notice. This was clearly a frozen meatball that was put on a plate back in the kitchen, microwaved and stuffed into my hot dog bun like bread. I understand that most places do use frozen meatballs but don't advertise on your site "At Giovanni's, we are proud to serve you only the finest Italian foods. Every item, including our delicious pizza dough, is prepared fresh, daily, in our kitchen."
(1)
Aubrey L.
Second time at this location. The pizza is just okay. My sister said the ravioli was delicious. The service was great, we had a very nice waiter. The service was quick, no waiting and the pizza came out quickly as well. There are better pizza places so I doubt we will go back. We really only went here a second time out of convenience. It is close to our house.
(3)
Libby W.
Giovanni's is located by the publix shopping plaza but it still seems to remain a charming little italian joint. The staff treated us like family and their specials. a 5 dollar personal pizza large enough for the two of us was delicious. Some friends got a plate of linguine with tons of seafood in it. I'm not sure the name of the dish but it looked like an italian version of Paella but with liguine. One plate was huge, so if your having pizza or appetizers you may want to split the plate. I wasn't sure if there is a sharing fee or not but it's a large dish. The tiramesu was a piece of heaven. Save some room for it. Even though we stayed until close the staff was not mean and did not rush us.
(4)
Janene H.
Giovanni's is surprisingly good considering it is in a strip mall shopping center. The inside is dated but service was friendly and quick. The garlic knots were warm and delicious. I ordered a calzone which was so huge I manage to make three meals out of it! I tried my husbands house Italian which had a nice bite to it. Prices were reasonable too. All in all a great little place. Don't let the looks fool you!
(4)
Dana F.
Giovanni's has great and affordable Italian fare! They offer all of your normal Italian dishes all made deliciously and well. I have tried a few different dishes here, but one really sticks out in my mind as being above average: The Paglia E Fieno Papalina (I have no idea how to pronounce that, but trust me it's GOOD). This dish has green and white pasta with ham, peas, and mushrooms in a light tomato sauce with cream. It is excellent and very reminiscent of the pasta dishes I had when traveling in Italy. The atmosphere isn't anything special, just your average pizzeria vibe. The service has always been good when I've been there, no complaints! I'd say if you're looking for a cheap and satisfying Italian meal, this is a good bet.
(4)
Charlotte S.
Good pizza and service. The bruschetta is definitely good and my favorite among other restaurants. Pasta is pretty generic and could be improved but not a bad italian restaurant.
(3)
Lisa I.
Not the best I've ever had, actually I didn't finish my meal. The garlic knots are not good. They have a bad flavor to them. I am actually still in my seat. I was seated and ordered my drink right away and after ten minutes and no drink I finally had to ask for it again and finally got it. The calzone was ok. It was undercooked so it was a little cold and the peppers were still crisp. I won't betray my Lil Anthony's again!!! The service isn't that great either, I think I heard the waitress cuss and sign more times than I wanted to
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
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Amanda K.
MmmMmmm! Local Delivery! For some reason, the local pizza delivery place is always super-good. Maybe it's because you always know the owners, or they take a special pride in their work that is lost in the big box pizza chains. Giovanni's continues the trend of yummy local pizza (and subs and lasagna too!) The Good: Wide Menu:There's so much to order, you probabl will need more than a minute to decide. There's subs, salads, all manner of pasta, even steak! And if you want some REAL Italian, they have fried calamari too. Yum! The Bad A Little Expensive: Almost $50.00 for takeout for three? And $60.00 for delivery? Say it's not so!! Giovanni's is a great place for yummy Italian food for take out or carry out. However, the price tag is quite steep, so you've been warned! Overall 7.7/10= Expensive Italian!
(4)Annabelle S.
When we're feeling adventurous (ha!), we'll head down to this location for some cheap but good Italian. When I'm wanting a non- thin crust pizza- theirs is the best! Full of salty and gooey hot cheese, flavorful spices and a plentiful variety of toppings. We also like the garlic knots, salads and tortellini alfredo. Service is always good ( even when they are packed) and FYI Friday nights are really crazy there. Like the fact that you can sit outside ( yes I know it is on the side of a publix plaza but I'll take it where I can get it). Round out your visit with some tiramisu and you'll want to come back too.
(4)Kelly F.
If you don't already know, I am not a fan of Italian cuisine and Giovanni's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria wasn't able to change my mind. There menu is pretty extensive with a number of pasta, chicken, meat and seafood dishes to choose from as well as pizza and hoagies. For pasta, the baked ziti is probably the only one I'll indulge in. For the chicken, the chicken sorrento and chicken florentine are not bad. The sorrento is boneless chicken breast sauted with sherry wine sauce topped with eggplant and mozzarella cheese while the florentine is Boneless chicken breast sauted with fresh mushrooms in a sherry wine sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese on a bed of fresh spinach. If you're more of a simple eater or trying to be healthy the chicken with veggies is the way to go with a grilled chicken breast and dry veggies and no pasta. Their pizza is not a bad choice either, kind of thin on the crust and not fluffy enough, but flavor wise not too bad. The fresca and plain cheese are the ones I prefer. Their garlic knots are the best part of this place, always served fresh and hot. I suggest staying away from the salad. It's obviously from a bag and has a weird after taste and their dressings are not that good. Service is average here, I've had some really good ones and some really bad ones. They do deliver if you are within a certain radius of the restaurant. Prices are not too expensive, but not cheap either. The set up of the restaurant is okay, kind of crowded in the seating areas though. There is also a full service bar and a bar seating area. Overall, it's okay.
(3)Charlotte S.
I'd recommend the bruschetta. The cheese is always super soft and you can tell it's very fresh. I'm not too fond of the cheesy bread that comes with the meals. It's good but just okay. I'd also recommend having the pizza. It beats any chain pizza around and is very fresh and melts in your mouth. The garlic knots are also really soft and I think they put fresh roasted garlic on them. I've never had any that weren't super dough-y until coming here.
(4)Michelle S.
We had a large group that met for dinner and we were well taken are of by our server. I enjoyed a meatball parm sub, the tot had chicken strips and the guys at the table split a stuffed pizza. It was huge! There was plenty left over for them to split up and take home. I think some prices seemed a bit high, but overall the food was really good. Definitely a convenient locals spot more than a high traffic restaurant, as it's located in a Publix plaza. Check them out and tell me what you think. Would it be your go-to place for Italian food? Or pizza?
(3)Joe R.
Was temporarily shut down due to Health code violations! Food was ok but too expensive for the quality and portion. Unfortunately I had no idea about their huge list of violations until after I went. m.bizjournals.com/orland…
(1)Christina H.
If you are in the mood for Italian food and in the area Giovanni's is a good option. I certainly wouldn't drive out of my way for it, but it's good. And of course their pizza is better than anything you would get from a chain, so there's that. We went here for lunch today and it was mostly better than normal. We had a group of 6. We ordered a good variety of items: pizza, calzone, pasta lunch specials, and salad. We also had the calamari appetizer, which was quite tasty. The only problem on this visit was a dripping ceiling vent over me. Yep, right above me. Nothing like having a big drop of cold water hit you right in the forehead while you're talking. We shifted the table to get out of the line of fire, and after that the water was hitting me in the back. So, that was a bit awful. Anyhoo, don't sit under the ceiling vent closest to the patio exit and you should be fine. The food was good.
(3)Ryan W.
Can't say I am a fan of this place. My roommate and I ordered calzones that took almost an hour to come out. My girlfriend had her salad finished 30 minutes before our food even came out. The calzones didn't really taste that great either. They were pretty much just cheese bread with some toppings in them. Overall, not that great.
(2)Leslie S.
I ordered the calamari marinara. It's a HUGE portion, almost family style. The calamari was extremely fresh and cut into large pieces. The server, Don was very knowledgeable on all the menu items.
(3)Ryan D.
i felt like crap when we walked in, not because of anything Giovanni's did. the drink specials were great and my son devoured the chicken fingers he got. the food looked good though i was too ill to eat.
(4)JD J.
We've frequented this restaurant on a number of occasions. Great pizza, awesome crust, real cheese, and tasty sauce. We've had pizza, pastas, veal dishes, chicken dishes, and all were excellent. A must have are the garlic knots!!! Super fresh, piping hot, fresh garlic (try them with a side order of Alfredo sauce which is made in house). All ingredients are obviously NOT out of cans. Great servers and staff.
(5)Antonio M.
Very good Pizza, excellent friendly service and willing to go off menu for you. This is truly a local place and the bar is always packed with locals. I highly recommend talking to Jeremy the pizza guy, Frankie the bartender and Frank the owner or his daughter Elizabeth.
(5)Vincent G.
Place has good food, but menu and service not that great. I put 2 stars because their fettuccine alfredo is good, to bad you have to pay a lot more to add chicken or shrimp to it. If you ask for chicken Alfredo they don't have it on the menu....will look elsewhere to get my "fettuccine alfrdo with chicken" did I say that right?
(2)Todd K.
I've been meaning to review this place for some time - I go there with some regularity because my boss loves the place (and it's close to his home). I've never cared for it, but have been hoping that it's "stars" for me would rise with each visit, such that maybe I could at least give it a 2 or a 3. Let's just say, the stars aren't shining on this place, and they never will. Tonight is yet another great example - I wanted for them to get me *something* that I would find palatable. So tonight I ordered the lasagna - An Italian-food standby, right? My colleague did the same, should be easy. When it came out, both of ours were *cold* in the middle! (And the sauce was just blech tomato sauce, straight from a jar.) And then the worse of it - They took it back, *microwaved* it, and brought it back to me. I couldn't believe it. This place is a joke. Don't eat here if you enjoy food. There's the Moat right next door - it's bar food, but their wings are good. Or maybe grab something from Publix. Just not Giovanni's (disclaimer - I've never tried their pizza, but I can tell by looking at it, there is absolutely no point in even trying it). Sorry Giovanni's - I've tried & tried to like you, but after all these attempts, you've never failed to fail me. Congratulations I suppose :-(
(1)Vicky A.
The food was very good! I had the chicken Francesca and my husband had the lasagna. The chicken was amazing! Very good flavors and it was big enough for two. The lasagna was very cheesy. It's a good size portion for one person. We subbed the house salads for the soup of the day (which was some spinach soup with chicken) and that was good too. The service was on point. We didn't wait very long to be seated or served our meals. The only reason I gave it a 4 and not a five was because the garlic bread was boring and the decor and overall look of the restaurant is very out dated. Other then that everything was great! I would totally come back!
(4)Ron B.
We hit up this joint while visiting family in Orlando. It came recommended by everybody, so why not. We had a combination pizza, white pizza and the antipasto salad. The pizza was AWSOME...authentic New York all the way. However, the white pizza was actually darn good considering I never eat it. Then the antipasto salad was average, but the house dressing was to die for. Next time in Orlando visiting...we be going to Giovanni's.
(5)Shannon A.
I have been dining out at this restaurant for years but I just want to recognize the staff and owner for showing such care and concern the other evening. After finding out one of their regular customers had a bike accident shortly after leaving their establishment, they did not hesitate on going to the hospital after closing to see if he was okay.. The staff could not locate him at first and after finding out he was checked into ORMC, they drove right over. Unfortunately the hospital could not give out information but just for them to be there to support him says a lot about the crew at this restaurant. Not only is the food great here but so are the people! Viva Gio Family!
(4)Angelina C.
The food is Just ok. But staff is friendly and welcoming and the place is clean. Didn't enjoy the pizza, but someone I went with did enjoy their chicken Marsala.
(2)Jeffrey D.
Neatly tucked away in a shopping center is Giovanni's. Get groceries and stop in for a bite. We had calazones and pizza, though they do offer other fare we went with true blue goodies. The pizza was good and the service was also. There was more seating inside than I had expected which was a nice surprise. The atmosphere was nice and offered seating for a romantic night out or a family gathering. Overall, a step above most local pizza places with plenty of parking to go around.
(3)Daniel R.
I really like this place. I've been here a few times, and I've always got great service. It's a little pricey, but definitely worth it.
(4)Jeff K.
The food has been consistently good here, from the terrible-for-you-but-creamy-and-delicious Monte Carlo pasta dish to the above average pizza, I don't think we've ever ended up disappointed. We didn't get the garlic knots the last time we were here, but on previous occasions we were disappointed to find that they were topped with garlic powder rather than fresh minced garlic. Otherwise, no complaints. The food came out in a very reasonable time, drink refills were quick, everything worked out great.
(4)Ralph P.
Real deal Italian food. This is our go to place when we go out for Italian pasta or pizza. They seem to make everything from scratch, at least as far as i can tell and they even sell their salad dressing, which is da bomb, in a handy bottle so you can enjoy it at home. They might not be conveniently located but well worth going out of your way for a delicious meal.
(5)Kari H.
We decided to try Giovanni's since we are new to the area. We went last night and were seated immediately at a booth. The hostess gave us menus and said the waiter would be with us shortly. Three waiters walked by us a number of times without saying hello or that they would be with us in a few minutes. We were completely ignored for approximately 15 minutes. We couldn't believe it. A table of eight sat down after we did and a waiter literally ran over to their table. The restaurant was busy, but not crowded because there were empty tables. Won't go back. Left and drove to Lake Nona Tap Room. We were waited on immediately and they were very friendly with great food.
(1)Mike H.
I placed a phone order this afternoon at the Chickasaw Giovanni's for lasagna and a side salad. When I got home the lasagna was lukewarm and the cheese was not melted. The salad was brown and wilted. See the profile picture. I discarded the salad and warmed the lasagna in the oven. Giovanni's isn't winning the battle with the multitude of restaurants at Waterford Lakes by serving food like this.
(2)Denika C.
i didn't dine out a lot when i lived in orlando, but i did get the pleasure of tasting the most delicious italian food i'd ever had in the form of garlic knots. if you are ever in the area, i suggest you treat yourself to - Garlic Knots with Sauce at Giovanni's. Dough tied in a knot, baked and tossed with garlic and Italian spices for $3.99. no one will want to kiss you for weeks but you won't care.
(5)Gary D.
The veal parm was excellent but it sat on pasta that obviously was cooked ahead in large quantities, over cooked and barely edible. My wife had pasta with sausage. Pasta was cooked just right, sauce was very good but the sausage was disgusting,dried out and tasteless. Was it cooked in fryalater? The worst I have ever had, very dissatisfied. I will give three stars only because of the veal and sauce which were both very good
(3)Jeff W.
I ordered a meatball sub from here and I doubt I'll ever be back. The bread tasted like an over sized hot dog bun. The sauce was mediocre... Tasted sugary. This is the part that gets me the most... The meatballs. This is the main feature of the sub. For anyone who knows a good homemade meatball... You can obviously tell the difference between it and a frozen one. Texture, density and taste are what you notice. This was clearly a frozen meatball that was put on a plate back in the kitchen, microwaved and stuffed into my hot dog bun like bread. I understand that most places do use frozen meatballs but don't advertise on your site "At Giovanni's, we are proud to serve you only the finest Italian foods. Every item, including our delicious pizza dough, is prepared fresh, daily, in our kitchen."
(1)Aubrey L.
Second time at this location. The pizza is just okay. My sister said the ravioli was delicious. The service was great, we had a very nice waiter. The service was quick, no waiting and the pizza came out quickly as well. There are better pizza places so I doubt we will go back. We really only went here a second time out of convenience. It is close to our house.
(3)Libby W.
Giovanni's is located by the publix shopping plaza but it still seems to remain a charming little italian joint. The staff treated us like family and their specials. a 5 dollar personal pizza large enough for the two of us was delicious. Some friends got a plate of linguine with tons of seafood in it. I'm not sure the name of the dish but it looked like an italian version of Paella but with liguine. One plate was huge, so if your having pizza or appetizers you may want to split the plate. I wasn't sure if there is a sharing fee or not but it's a large dish. The tiramesu was a piece of heaven. Save some room for it. Even though we stayed until close the staff was not mean and did not rush us.
(4)Janene H.
Giovanni's is surprisingly good considering it is in a strip mall shopping center. The inside is dated but service was friendly and quick. The garlic knots were warm and delicious. I ordered a calzone which was so huge I manage to make three meals out of it! I tried my husbands house Italian which had a nice bite to it. Prices were reasonable too. All in all a great little place. Don't let the looks fool you!
(4)Dana F.
Giovanni's has great and affordable Italian fare! They offer all of your normal Italian dishes all made deliciously and well. I have tried a few different dishes here, but one really sticks out in my mind as being above average: The Paglia E Fieno Papalina (I have no idea how to pronounce that, but trust me it's GOOD). This dish has green and white pasta with ham, peas, and mushrooms in a light tomato sauce with cream. It is excellent and very reminiscent of the pasta dishes I had when traveling in Italy. The atmosphere isn't anything special, just your average pizzeria vibe. The service has always been good when I've been there, no complaints! I'd say if you're looking for a cheap and satisfying Italian meal, this is a good bet.
(4)Charlotte S.
Good pizza and service. The bruschetta is definitely good and my favorite among other restaurants. Pasta is pretty generic and could be improved but not a bad italian restaurant.
(3)Lisa I.
Not the best I've ever had, actually I didn't finish my meal. The garlic knots are not good. They have a bad flavor to them. I am actually still in my seat. I was seated and ordered my drink right away and after ten minutes and no drink I finally had to ask for it again and finally got it. The calzone was ok. It was undercooked so it was a little cold and the peppers were still crisp. I won't betray my Lil Anthony's again!!! The service isn't that great either, I think I heard the waitress cuss and sign more times than I wanted to
(2)