Giardino Bar and Grill in Waveney

Staff and service was good room could have been warmer

What lovely staff...so friendly😀warm cosy place to dine or have drink

A regular haunt for me and doggo in the garden area, I have a coffee and she helps me drink the jug of milk. Friendly staff who go out of there way to make you comfortable.

My husband and I visited Giardino's to celebrate our wedding anniversary recently. This was our first time so we did not know what to expect. I had booked a table just in case it was busy, but luckily it wasn't. We were guided through the bar, down a few steps to the restaurant area and shown to our table. They gave us the menus and sufficient time to decide what we wanted. The room was large, square and spacious with plenty of tables, and there were windows and patio doors across one side of the room that opened up onto a patio area with a few picnic tables and a small pergola sheltering a large family-sized picnic table. I was getting a little uncomfortably warm in the room, so I politely asked if they could open one of the doors. The waiter wasn't sure, but went to ask other staff. Soon enough, two staff members came into the room and started moving the tables about that were set up next to the doors. They opened one of the doors and put a stand outside with a message asking the public not to come in that way, but to enter through the main door. I was very grateful that they were willing to go to all that trouble for me and I thanked them. We ordered drinks, our starters and our main courses, and it didn't take too long for them to arrive. My husband ordered a low alcohol cider and I had a Pinot Grigio white wine. We both chose the same starter....baked ravioli in breadcrumbs with a garlic dip, which we both thought was delicious! For the main course my husband chose lasagne (one of his favourite meals) and I chose a carbonara. I like to choose things that I don't usually have at home. When the meals were brought through they looked a good size, with slices of garlic bread on the side, they smelt great and were nice and hot. The waitress brought some grated parmesan cheese at my request, and we both added a nice amount to our meals. We tucked in...and wow..I was amazed at how tasty and creamy it was!! I absolutely loved it. My husband enjoyed his too!! Because we had arrived at 4pm and it was quiet, we were able to chat with no difficulty, which was nice. As we neared the end of our main courses, a few other people started arriving and took their seats but there were still plenty of empty tables and it didn't get very loud at all. We both ordered sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce for dessert, and yet again we were pleasantly surprised. Not too much and really tasty!! We had a lovely experience at Giardino's, and the staff who served us were very friendly and obliging. It would have been nice to see some Italian decor in the restaurant room and to hear some soft Italian music in the background to make our experience feel more authentic. Other than that, our evening was excellent; the food was fantastic, the prices were reasonable, and the environment was relaxing. We will definitely be back! 😀

Lovely food. The value for money is pretty good too. It has a really nice atmosphere. Will definitely go back again.

lovely place to have a Sunday roast, food is great and outside is dog friendly.

Horrendous!! The staff were so unaccommodating and the food was over priced and poor. I ordered a beef burger for £14 and it was frozen, overcooked and tasteless. When i politely complained the waitress and her manager argued to the point where i gave up complaining to avoid embarrassing the other guests I was with. Avoid at all costs if you want to have an enjoyable group meal…they’re not a serious restaurant and they can’t cope!

This is a nice place for casual dining. Our meals were tasty, hot and freshly prepared. The portions were satisfying and the staff were very friendly and attentive.

Food was very good just not a massive menu. Would go back.

It was OK. A nice selection of beers, but food was honestly a bit lackluster. Took about 30-40 minutes for 2 salads. Probably wouldn't go again.

Microwaved rubbish. For the price you would expect food that had decent flavour and not to be microwaved. Hot and cold spots through the food. Service and atmosphere ok but I won’t eat here again.

Had 'special' fish platter. Loved it! Lovely location too!

Went on father's day as a party of 7.. Parking close by, food was well presented.

Just been what a place fantastic bar staff and waiting staff good prices will go again thank you

Lovely location in the Sparrows Nest Park with outdoor seating.Flexible menu. You can call in for coffee and cake or have a full meal with a bottle of wine.

Great breakfast today staff lovely, beautiful food, service 5 *****

Delicious food The surroundings are lovely right inside a private park

Food was amazing quality The steak was cooked just how i asked Servers was lovely and polite Definitely recommend the sharing platter to start Decor needs an update

Food and service were good but the room was quit warm and stuffy but overall a nice place

Nice experience I love the time I’m here

Lush. Pizzas, pasta dishes and specials were all spot-on. Service attentive and friendly, great atmosphere and lovely surroundings. Easy to get to, lots of parking nearby. One of my favourite places to eat in Lowestoft.

Excellent service, excellent food. What's not to like.

Great reasonably priced food. Good service, nice location.

Excellent well cooked food, good staff, friendly and helpful

Always a, pleasure to visit Giardino's, even just for a drink, the staff are so friendly and efficient, and the food is spectacular.

Unfortunately the fish and chips I had was a very poor standard. The batter was thick, heavy and stodgy. The fish when I found it was not that good, the peas needed a bit more cooking and should be hot. However the chips were lovely. The rest of the party were happy with their meals.

First visit popped in for lunch had sandwich and chips. All presented lovely, staff friendly, lovely position with good atmosphere not rushed to leave. Overall very happy.

My recent visit to was absolutely outstanding. The food was not only lovely but also the best I've eaten in a while, each dish beautifully presented and bursting with flavor. The staff were incredibly attentive and knowledgeable, enhancing the overall experience. It is a must-visit for anyone who appreciates fine dining, and I can't wait to return for another memorable meal!

Walked into empty room. Have you booked? in curt tone. Really rude woman. Had no manners. When we decided to leave she was very sarcastic.Eaten there several times before with polite staff, now pig ignorant/ will not ever go back. Would consider how much you lost and how much you pay her! Costing the business dearly. Will never return!!!!! Ever!!!!

We had the roast beef dinner again and it was still yummy but not as mouth wateringly delicious as last time. Again, nothing too much trouble and all staff friendly and helpful will be going asgain

Walked past this place several times without going in, but this time we did and we were very impressed! Polite staff, decent food menu (although we just popped in for a drink) and a wide choice of beverages. It is a quieter, rather more upmarket alternative to the cafe that's also located in the park. The only issue for us - as we don't live in Lowestoft- is that it closes at 8pm, which rules it out as a dinner venue.

Rather than offer parmesan it was already covered in it, so was overly cheesed. Tiramisu was clearly shop bought and dry.

Superb! Staff were really friendly. Chill vibe. Lovely food.

Food was alright portion sizes where a joke. Service and staff was absolutely rubbish. One rude waitress who took a complaint about portion size completely nasty in the wrong way and manner ‘what do you want me to do about it’ and did not make us feel welcome at all. Will not be coming here again what a let down to customers.

Really good all round, not cheap though

First time we have visited Giardino and was amazed, very friendly staff, amazing food and great atmosphere. Price was good for the food we had and food was honestly incredible. Thankyou

Really can't fault anything. We were a party of 6 adults, 1 child and a baby, and we really couldn't have asked for a more attentive, friendly and accommodating member of staff to wait at our table. Nothing was too much trouble. The food was fabulous, and our gluten-free diner was really impressed with the range of gluten-free choices - and with their meal. I wasn't expecting everything to be so good! We will certainly be visiting again soon. Our sincere thanks for such a lovely experience!

Come every year around the same time for my birthday, have done for a few years Food was ok but service was not. Got told off for letting off a single Streamer ( after checking with everyone else in our area of the restaurant that this was ok beforehand) Wasn’t told about the specials so only noticed it was there after we ordered. Cocktails menu wasn’t given to us at the start. Got ignored after the meal and had to go up to pay the bill. Won’t be going back next year. Real shame as it used to be a lovely friendly restaurant

Nice location to eat and outside seating gives a great view of the park.

Higher recommendation Sunday lunch. Good service and excellent quality food

Sunday roast was very nice. My son had a burger which he ate all of so must have been good.

The food was absolutely delicious. Very fresh and tasty. Could not fault the service either, all were very attentive and friendly. Genuinely, a wonderful team serving really wonderful food. There was an issue this evening regarding noise. I think they tend to seat groups that are likely to be noisy in the downstairs section. That's where we were seated. It was an unbearable cacophony. We couldn't hear one another speak, which was a shame because we were out celebrating an achievement. One table in particular seemed to be competing for the position of Town Cryer. One of the ladies on that table won, I think. Her laugh, alone, challenged the noise the harrier aeroplane made before it crashed into the sea off Lowestoft beach that time. We did have our children with us, which is why I think we were seated downstairs, but they're both well behaved and quiet. I wish we had been given the option for something a little more relaxed and civilised, which seemed to be upstairs.

Had the best lunch ever with my kids. Thanks

I have had the worst burger ever tonight. It was so tough I could hardly chew it. I'm fact I left most of it. The menu just said hand cut chips. When they arrived they had the skin on. I feel the menu should say "hand cut skin on chips" so the customer knows beforehand. My husband cannot digest potato skins. He had the fish which he didn't enjoy because the batter was far too hard. He said it was like hacking through concrete to get to the fish. I asked for the tiramisu without the compot. It still arrived with fruit and their juices. There was no mention of fruit on the board. If it had been listed I would have had the opportunity to ask for it without the fruit. We like simple food and the other items on the menu were anything but simple. We spent £45.00. I do not consider it value for money, especially £7 each for the smallest portions of dessert I have ever seen. I do not think we will be going there again.

In the heart of the city, stood a place so fine, Giardino Bar and Grill, where flavors used to shine. Italian delights adorned each plate with care, A paradise of culinary bliss, beyond compare. Once a haven of delight, where laughter filled the air, Where the aromas danced, and joy was everywhere. But alas, a shadow fell upon this cherished place, As if fate's cruel hand had left its daunting trace. Giardino, once magnificent, now held a mournful guise, Where excellence once thrived, it now met its demise. The culinary magic vanished, the quality was lost, Leaving patrons disheartened, at such a heavy cost. The recipes once treasured, now forgotten and ignored, The flavors that once delighted, now disappointingly bore. Oh, how the memories lingered of meals so divine, As patrons yearned for the Giardino of olden time. But fate had a wicked twist, a tale so absurd, For the Russian army invaded, their hunger undeterred. They stormed into Giardino, demanding pizzas galore, Taking hostage the pies that patrons cherished and adored. The aroma of basil and oregano filled the air, Yet, the Russian soldiers consumed, without a single care. Their palates so unfamiliar, their taste buds left bereft, Giardino's legacy tarnished, a tragedy that's hard to accept. The restaurant that once bloomed like a vibrant rose, Now withered, its reputation diminished, its elegance froze. Oh, Giardino, your glory days now seem a distant dream, Your legacy overshadowed, lost in an unwelcome scheme. Yet, hope flickers in the hearts of those who once dined, That Giardino's true essence will one day again find, A renaissance of flavors, a revival of its grace, Where patrons rejoice and memories find their rightful place. May Giardino Bar and Grill, rise from this deep decline, And reclaim its former glory, where excellence will shine. For in the realm of culinary art, there's still hope to restore, Giardino's reign of splendor, forever and evermore.

Amazing food and Amazing service

Lovely place! We ate here twice while staying in Lowestoft - you order at the counter and they bring the food to your table. Lots of choices and everything was delicious. Clean, great service and the restaurant has both inside and outside seating. Inside has armchairs and regular chairs and I could easily stay here for a long time with a couple of coffees, it’s very relaxing. They also serve beer and wine. I had a prawn sandwich and the second time an avocado sandwich. Big portions, both came with chips, and very good value for money. My husband had a full English breakfast and he loved his too. We will definitely go back next time we visit.

£3.50 for possibly the flattest of flat whites I've ever had the misfortune to try. Press button instant coffee packaged as handmade. Probably the fastest cup to bin coffee in living history. Avoid.

We had a birthday meal with my husband and really enjoyed the food. The staff were lovely and very helpful. We will certainly be back.

It was a nice and tidy place with plenty of seating area and parking nearby. Staff were friendly although they did have weird nose piercings but other than that it was a very pleasant place to visit. The food was really good and didn't take too long to arrive either.

I like this place a lot despite the fact that it's decor seemed to be half way through being completed when we went for a Mothers' day meal.THE ONE THING I DON'T LIKE AT ALL IS THE JOINT TOILETS.WOMEN DON'T WANT to SHARE public TOILETS WITH MEN.!!!!! THE TOILET FLOOR WAS COVERED IN MEN'S PEE AND THE TOILET WAS BLOCKED.WOMEN KEEP THEIR PUBLIC TOILETS CLEAN OUT OF RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER.HAVING A LOO THAT MEN CAN USE WHILE I'M IN THERE HAS PUT ME OFF THIS LOVELY PLACE WHERE THE FOOD AND SERVICE ARE EXCELLENT.PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LISTEN TO WOMEN.WE DON'T WANT JOINT TOILETS.!!!!!!!!!!!

Great waitress doing it all on her own. Website shows closed but it's not!!

Food was not that good had pizza it had no taste dry just not good at all child burger was burnt Starter and dessert again not a lot of taste it use to be lovely here but since it reopened I definitely would not recommend and won’t be back the good thing was the lovely waitress we had

Came there because good recommendations. Unfortunately I would not recommend this restaurant to have a meal in there. We jave ordered sharing plater and pepperoni pizza and prawn linguini. Platter was decent. Chef knows english cuisine very well because prawn in beer batter were delicious but this is when he's knowledge ends. Linguine was without taste and overcooked. Pizza wasn't good as well. I won't come back there again. Server's was really nice that's why 2 stars.

Starters cold in the middle… No vegetarian pasta option so had to have ravioli without the prawns… which isn’t ideal as v. expensive. But nice. After a slow start due to low staff all was ok… but cocktail was odd and missing something so not very nice…

An elegant place with friendly staff, where in a lovely atmosphere you can enjoy very tasty food

The food here is absolutely delicious and there is such good choice. Best Tiramisu I've ever had! The decor is nice and ambience is good, too. Staff are also amazing and friendly. Certainly a great place for a special occasion.

Food excellent service wonderful

Nice restaurant serving a good selection of food at sensible prices. Friendly and efficient staff.

Great food with good staff and reasonable prices Been a couple of times in last few months and would recommend

Food is superb, tasted and cooked to perfection could not fault anything, we shared the dough balls and bruchetta topped with meat balls, beef brisket with gnocchi was divine, skate with vegetables very nice , I was too full for desert, staff were really nice, lovely restaurant will certainly be visiting soon such a lovely evening

Food is amazing, staff are attentive & welcoming, look forward to going again.

Limited menu, but this results in what they serve being 🤌

Great food and great service in lovely surroundings. What's not to like?

A favourite local of ours, well-cooked yummy Italian grub that makes you feel at home, in a very relaxing and varied interior in lovely surroundings - day time views of the greenery are particularly nice, as essentially you are sat in a park. The sea bass was perfectly cooked, and we were also very impressed at the kids mac and cheese, which always points to quality at an eaterie if the childrens' food is enjoyed by adults. Laid back friendly service too, at reasonable prices, it's all good here, and has been going for years, which is a sign

Wonderful! Everything was excellent here, the food was delicious, the staff were friendly and helpful, the food came quickly. Highly recommended.

Went for lunch today my son had the sharing platter he absolutely loved it, I had the fig, feta and mozzarella cheese pizza it was outstanding, service was first class

This place is like a hidden gem. The food is delicious. Pizza, burgers, fish, pasta....they really do sell a little of all the usual food you would expect. For me the best thing is that they have a really good gluten free menu (and Vegan options are available too). It is child friendly, the staff are really helpful and the place (including the toilets) were very clean. I must also say that we arrived about 30mins before they were due to close and they were still very lovely and made us whatever we wanted from the menu and was never rushed. I'll definitely be eating there again very soon.

Staff was lovely from the off, unfortunately the food was extremely overpriced starting at £9 for a kids meal, I ordered a lemon pesto wrap which I didn't know it was served cold I thought it would be hot the flavours wasn't to my tast, I wouldn't return here

Came here recently because of the decent reviews, couldn't say i agree with 5 stars, but was still an okay meal. for an italian restaurant i didn't think there was much option for pasta dishes. I was impressed with the special board. When i went 4/6 desserts contained coffee which i believed was largely overkill. i thought the dishes were highly overpriced for what you recieved. my meal i enjoyed however my friend forced himself to eat it wishing he had selected something else, i did try his and was glad i hadn't order it especially as it was one of the more expensive option (being a man didn't want to mention this to the server if asked he would just say lovely thank you, but didn't have a service check?) service was... we asked if we could move as we were sat in the "sun room" and was massively hot, was apologised to which wasn't an issue but felt got labelled by the staff as fussy, as was avoided the rest of our time here unless they were clearing plates and bringing the bill. was told i couldn't pay for my meal with cash bearing in mind would only have needed £3 change at the start of service (5pm). I don't think i'd recommend to family and friends, and was told before i came that the standards have dropped and i can agree, such a shame, as it's in a lovely location with good parking option. Think 3 stars is a fair rating for food and service.

Very nice food and helpful staff

First time going there, would definitely go again really nice food

Use to love this place ,not got same appeal

Great location, friendly staff, good food. That's all you need

Good vegan pizza, happy with the choice 😊

Came here with my girlfriend for lunch on a Saturday and not dissapoint. Super fast service, polite staff and the food was the best we have had in Lowestoft...by quite a bit too! Keep it up guys very impressed.

Food was a 10/10 pizza stone baked best homemade ever and vegan option for my partner was a 10/10 service people were so polite and friendly and the place was so clean 10/10

Overpriced, tasteless food. Small portions...wine massively overpriced with poor selection. Amazingly attentive and friendly staff

Excellent settings lovely friendly staff

Both the gluten free and the standard menu's are any thing, but standard, but really tasty and amazing...!!!!! Yum!.

Lovely friendly attentive, helpful and kind service! Great place to go with children and really good menu

Lovely place, nice staff and food but a bit expensive

This is a nice venue to go to for food . It's very clean and the service was prompt .

Lovely food. Staff polite and friendly.

Food not as good as when last went up there 2 years ago.

Definitely recommend! Clean, friendly staff and great food.

Saff are terrible the lads were better... place was cold and chips are £4 and I got 9 chips

Food was good defo gonna go there again

food was not as good as the last time we went, there was a large party of us and I had finished my burger before the tomato ketchup I had ask for arrived.

Friendly staff, good atmosphere, and fantastic food.

Rude Staff, Rude management ... Look up previous reviews regarding staff and management behaviour. Read the responses of the rude management to the previous reviews. I don't want to get into details of our experience as I am sure management will have a response. I just want them to read this and get as annoyed as we were when we tried reasonably to tell them our issue.

Lovely meal for 14 family members including children. Staff very friendly and helpful

We had a super meal very comfortable atmosphere very good service, our daughter in law is dairy intolerant The staff could not do enough to give her all the the food choices they could the chef even came out to look the special board to see if these could be adjusted The pudding menu they gave made us jealous. We so recommend this restaurant we definitely go again .

Another amazing evening at this place and service so incredible I felt I had to write a review. I have a dairy intolerance which naturally makes eating in restaurants a little difficult sometimes (not to mention feeling like a pain to the staff) but not here. They couldn't do enough - they grabbed me a menu which showed all the gluten-free and vegan options of the meals with the chef even coming out to check which specials he could do for me. Never have I been made to feel special for having dietary limitations yet here I felt i was. Can't thank the staff and chef enough for this, what an amazing place. Will be back soon - with my list of vegan desserts! :D

Lovely restaurant well kept. Friendly staff and the food was amazing worth every penny. I would definitely recommend this place if you haven't been before 👌👌

The best Italian in town ! No doubt

Nice and relaxing, good ambience,nice food and drink,Peroni rule's.

Good food, great location where the kids can play outside and be watched .

Food here was very nice, staff are also very pleasant. Would recommend 👌.

Have eaten here on a few accessions and have always enjoyed the menu's. Staff helpful and polite. Will be visiting again in the not too distant future.