Giovanni's Ristorante - Nashville Restaurant - Nashville, TN

Giovanni's Ristorante - Nashville

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Address:
909 20th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37212

Neighborhood:
West End

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Cuisine:
Italian

Price: $31 to $50

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Giovanni's Ristorante - Nashville Details

Dining Style: Fine Dining
Website: http://www.giovanninashville.com
Email: info@giovanninashville.com
Phone: (615) 760-5932
Hours of Operation: Lunch Daily: 11:00am - 5:00pm; Dinner: Sunday - Monday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm, Tuesday - Saturday: 5:00pm - 11:00pm.
Payment Options: AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: Italian
Executive Chef: Giovanni Pinato
Dress Code: Casual Dress
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Full Bar, Gluten-free Menu, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Personal wines welcome, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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Parking: Valet

A word from Giovanni's Ristorante - Nashville

At Giovanni's you will experience creative Italian cuisine in a multi level, chic and relaxed atmosphere.

Foodspotting photos

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Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerItalian
Diners' Choice WinnerNotable Wine List
Diners' Choice WinnerRomantic

Diner Reviews

"Dined with friends on Saturday evening our twelfth time, their first. After drinks, two apps were ordered, calamari (probably the best I have ever had) and the Parmesan truffle fries (always one of my favorite apps, hot, with just the right amount of cheese, and the truffle oil gives the fries an outstanding flavor). We chose a Caesar salad, wonderful, a warm octopus salad with tomatoes and potatoes that was very tasty but the octopus was a little over cooked. The entrees chosen were the veal chop, veal scaloppine and two pasta dishes, penne with vodka sauce and tagliatelle alla bolognese. All the entrees were cooked to order and were enjoyed by all in the group. Although pricey, Gio's continues to deliver every time. Don't miss this gem"
Dined on 3/1/2014
"What a great spot. Wife and I are originally from the Boston area. With the North End in Boston it is hard to find Italian restaurants that compare. I can honestly say, there is not one Italian restaurant that is above this one. Tremendous food, service and wine list! Felt a little rushed at first, but that was them just trying to make sure we were happy. We will definitely dine there again when we visit Nashville."
Dined on 2/28/2014
"I was most impressed with the quality and authenticity of the fare at Giovanni's. When I was a student at Vanderbilt 40 years ago, there were no decent Italian restaurants in this town. The ambience is lovely, the food excellent and the service attentive. Even though I was dining solo, I was made to feel welcome and appreciated."
Dined on 2/22/2014
"I made reservations for a group of six. The food was wonderful and the wine list one of the best I have seen."
Dined on 2/22/2014
"Giovanni's is a quiet place in a noisy neighborhood. Its has soft lighting and fine dining atmosphere. It is an elegant place with great food. Not somewhere I would cw all the time, but wonderful for special occasions."
Dined on 2/22/2014
"Giovanni's is consistently wonderful. Great service, fantastic food…our favorite restaurant in Nashville. We are always well treated there."
Dined on 2/21/2014
"Elegant place to eat, great atmosphere, good for special occasion- somewhat spoiled by an obnoxious group behind us (no fault of restaurant). Food was ok, but unexceptional for the price. Pricey wine list, overly so. $12-$14 for a simple salad, there are better values to be found."
Dined on 2/15/2014
"First of all the restaurant reported us as a no show.We arrived on time at 7:15. The restaurant was very busy and the service was not good. We ordered two glasses of wine and then they finally came back to take our order. My husband ordered a Cesar salad and asked for anchovies and the water wasn't sure they had any, I did not Oder any appetizer. IOur entrees were small portions. The rigatoni with bolenase had very little sauce mostly plain pasta and the waiter needed to be asked for Parmesan cheese. At these prices the service should have been excellent but instead was poor. I ordered dessert and coffee and once again they forgot the coffee . We would never return with the many wonderful choices in Nashville. Very expensive not worth it."
Dined on 2/15/2014
"Have dined at Giovanni's in past, really enjoyed food and atmosphere, though overpriced, Very disappointed on Valentine's day due to overpriced food, and condescending and yet inferior service. The pasta appeared to be storebought. The 2 entree's were not bad, but nothing special. $250 later we would have preferred to eat at Chili'sm or Maggianno's - seriously!"
Dined on 2/14/2014
"Everything about the evening was fantastic! Perfect for a special occasion!"
Dined on 2/15/2014
"My husband and I have spent the past 2 Valentine evenings at Giovani's. The prix fix menu offers a great selection and the food is fabulous. The service, while they are busy, is attententive and you do not feel rushed! We book every year for Valentine's first of December."
Dined on 2/14/2014
"Very pleasurable experience for our first visit. Will consider another visit however wine prices leave a bad taste."
Dined on 2/15/2014
"I have lived in Nashville for 4 years and this is my first time eating at Giovanni's. I can tell you right now it won't be my last!!! SO GOOD! One of the best meals I have ever had in all of Nashville. The service is fantastic, the food is delicious, and the ambience is perfect. I loved it! Our total cost for appetizers, wine, and a meal was around $170. Not cheap but so worth it for a special evening."
Dined on 2/15/2014
"This restaurant claims to be a traditional Italian restaurant, which is a rare find in Nashville. Their menu selection certainly has the traditional fare of Italian foods. However, they are overpriced for their quality. I had the eggplant parmigiana and it was acceptable but not stellar or worth the $24 price tag. My wife had the meatballs that were claimed to be beef/veal combination, but had a suspicious taste of pork or other meat flavor, again not worth the expensive price. The most disconcerting thing about this restaurant was the spotty service. There was an awkward team-based approach in which the server, busser/food runner, and a manager (? wearing a suit) were all involved in visiting our table at intervals, not enjoyable."
Dined on 2/8/2014
"My girlfriend and I came in for a nice dinner before a concert we were going to see. The food was excellent and the waitstaff and hostess were very helpful and friendly. Can't wait to go back next time we are in Nashville."
Dined on 2/7/2014
"First the good: The home made gnocchi was wonderful and the service was very nice. Much of the pasta is made in house and was deftly prepared. The décor is also very modern and lovely. Now the not so good: Alcohol markup is very high. Wine prices of the same bottles available elsewhere are 20%-30% above competitors. Food is overpriced as well. $15 for a Casear salad. Overall, if you can stomach overpaying, you will enjoy this restaurant. If bang for the buck is important to you, move along."
Dined on 1/30/2014
"Took my mom there for her 56th. It felt a bit stodgy - and I realized I'd made a huge tiny mistake. Still, the service was fantastic and the food delicious. If you're looking for upscale Italian with warm service, head here."
Dined on 2/1/2014
"The homemade gnocchi was superb! We loved the sausage and pepper appetizer. The service was very good."
Dined on 1/9/2014
"Beautiful restaurant with very good food and attentive, nice staff. The major drawback is the extreme expense for food that was very good, but not outstanding. It was one of the most expensive meals I have had in the past year, and relatively forgettable from a culinary perspective."
Dined on 1/1/2014
"We have dined in and out of town at some of the finest restuarants available. This was New Years Eve, a celebratory evening planned in advance with great consideration having numerous venues to choose from. We were met and seated promptly, the highlight of the evening. Our server never introduced himself , was not attentive ,no lighting on our table ,a fixed menu (no problem) that was inferior to "The reputation of the establishment' ,the characteristics of the plates, were not worthy, I know the difference between pkg. and FRESH! an inadequate wine "refill?'n closing, our server with bill in hand declares "NO HURRY, JUST TRYING TO GET CAUGHT UP' .In all, a disappointment considering cost and effectiveness. I could say more,need I...nah."
Dined on 12/31/2013
"This was our second visit to Giovanni's and we loved our first meal. This time not so much. Grant you it was New Years Eve but I'm not letting the restaurant off that easy. It was a set menu and price and the only thing that I truly enjoyed was dessert - Tiramisu!!!! I ordered the veal chop and it was so fatty and tough the waiter brought me 3 different steak knives and I still couldn't cut my meat?!?! How about another veal chop? Nope-no offer. I'm not picky but for $95.00 I should have loved my meal. It wasn't good. We were very disappointed. We love Nashville but there are so many better choices to eat out. Sorry we probably won't go back."
Dined on 12/31/2013
"Wonderful restaurant with great food and service. Will definitely return for dinner or time in the bar. Only funny thing is that they had Kava and not Procesco by the glass."
Dined on 12/28/2013
"We went to Italy 9 months ago and finally made it to Giovanni to compare. The comparison was very favorable!! We will continue to return for the outstanding food and ambience."
Dined on 12/28/2013
"We took our Vanderbilt student here for lunch over the holidays. The experience was superior in all respects. Here's my advice: if you enjoy traditional Italian food and wine in a quiet, upscale setting with experienced wait staff, make a reservation for Giovanni's! It seemed that many other guests were regulars -- always a good sign. From now on, this is on our short list when we visit Nashville. Enjoy!"
Dined on 12/23/2013
"We had a wonderful Christmas lunch with friends last week. Several in our party had different salads and all were prepared to perfection. Three members of our party had a pasta dish for lunch and all were great. We had a chocolate torte for dessert that was so good!! Giovanni's is the best authentic Northern Italian food in Nashville hands down. Service is always prefessional a spot on."
Dined on 12/22/2013
"This was our first visit to Giovanni's The food was good but not remarkable. Service was pleasant but not exceptionally attentive. They were out of a few of the menu items which was disappointing It was chilly every time someone opened the door. Ask to sit away from the entrance Overall it was just okay --"
Dined on 12/24/2013
"Best Italian food in Nashville area. The veal is awesome, pasta and fish are fresh and prepared perfectly. Homemade bread stick are terrific. The atmosphere and service are excellent!"
Dined on 12/11/2013
"The food was pretty decent, but it was not worth upwards to $30 per plate. Started out at the bar prior to our reservation and paid $18 per glass for a pinot noir that is about $20-21 a bottle at retail. If I had been told the price beforehand, I would have either skipped the drink or shared a glass with my wife. I have eaten/drank at more renouned restaurants in bigger cities than Nashville, and didn't pay that kind of mark-up on a glass of wine. If you want to pay top dollar for an average to a little better than average experience, Giovanni's is your place."
Dined on 12/7/2013
"A super resturant experience. Food and service were outstanding!"
Dined on 12/7/2013
"My wife and I are from Birmingham, Alabama and were visiting Nashville on friday. We were given the name of this restaurant by a friend and went for dinner. We enjoyed our time and would absolutely go back! The service was great and so was the food!"
Dined on 11/22/2013
"We arrived shortly before our reservation time, and we were greeted with a prompt and friendly welcome. The service was absolutely perfect - everything was correct, and the timing was impeccable. The main course I had was a Red Snapper dish with arugula pesto and eggplant with red peppers and asparagus. Simply amazing. Desert consisted of a molten lava cake with passion fruit sorbet. It was absolutely incredible. The ambiance was very relaxed (except for a loud gentleman howling at the tv at the bar at one point, and a crying baby, for which only the clientele can be blamed). I will certainly be returning!"
Dined on 11/16/2013
"The food was pricey and everything wr ordered tasted salty. $12.95 for a side of broccoli? $16.95 for a glass of wine?? The calamari was done well."
Dined on 11/15/2013
"Great service. Food was very good. Steaks were a little thin for the price. Had 2 really good bottles of wine. I would definitely recommend this restaurant and if I lived in Nashville would return again."
Dined on 11/6/2013
"This was my first time to Giovanni's Ristorante, and I left feeling satisfied. My wife and I each ordered pasta dishes, and they were delicious."
Dined on 10/26/2013
"Within the two weeks, I've been to Scarpetti in Vegas and Osteria Mozza in LA -- two of the countries more notable Italian places. While they're both exceptional Restaurants, Giovanni's in Nashville's midtown is better than both. Nashville's food scene is exploding and the one who started the boom it is Giovanni's in midtown. I go to Gio's at least 3 times per week. The food far exceeds everything in Nashville. The wine list is exceptional. Ignore the snarky comment about expensive wine, they have 40 bottles under $100. The pasta is homemade & aways perfect. The staff is remarkable, friendly, and provides first-rate service. Nashville is lucky to have this New York restaurateur in town. Simply the best."
Dined on 10/22/2013
"The service was very attentive and the food was as tasty as any Italian restaurant in the area. The menu is simple but there is a little bit of everything for everyone. It could be a very romantic place, too."
Dined on 10/14/2013
"With all the raves and reviews we heard about this restaurant we expected to have a wonderful evening. We are used to eating at very nice restaurants with good food, service and wine selections. The service was Ok but far from great. Food was a real disappointment. Every dish we had was over salted, dishes came out with just the food and no garnishes what so ever, blah and salty. I always think of an Italian restaurant of having thick, crusty, tasty breads.....it was thin and dry like it was sitting out for a day.. The wine list was a joke.....a large list with 5 wines under $100. Needless to say is was a VERY disappointing evening. Would we go back NEVER."
Dined on 10/7/2013
"Proves its pedigree each time. The service, food, and ambience are superb, even on Sunday nights for a table with kids. Thanks as always!"
Dined on 10/7/2013
"Good to have a fine dining restaurant where you can bring out of town guests who know and appreciate good food. Comfortable and warm environment and staff."
Dined on 9/26/2013
"What a fabulous place! The chandilier from Morano greets you when you first enter. The lighting is perfect. The service is outstanding. The pastas are mostly all home made. The selections reminded me of being in Tuscany. The food was so delicious. Even the coffee was outstanding. Homemade gelato was unbeatable. Do not miss this restaurant on your visit. It was worth every penny and every minute."
Dined on 9/19/2013

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