Giovanni's Restaurant in Cardiff

Major thanks to Gennaro for absolutely making my night. This pizza is the closest I can get to the taste of home being 3000 miles away, and not in the direction from Italy! He treated me so well and really made me feel comfortable. I am in Cardiff for the next four years, have come many times before and will continue to come again. Can’t stop recommending this place!

Food wise, the worst restaurant I’ve ever been in Cardiff. I ordered salmon but couldn't even finish it. The interior design wasn't to my liking, with tables uncomfortably close together, especially when crowded. Although the service was acceptable and the staff were polite, the food fell below average. I have no plans to return.

We had the ravioli (average) and the salmon (below average, oily and tasteless) I can’t cook and I could have made food to the same standard This restaurant is pretty expensive. More than £20 for a main and nearly £6 for a small bottle of beer. Le Monde charges those prices so I expected the same quality as there, but this was about on-par with a Wetherspoon. Also the decor is charmless and just has a thousand photos of the absent owner Giovanni with minor celebrities. As a diner I’m not sure how that’s meant to enhance my experience of eating their bad food.

Fantastic atmosphere on Rugby match day. Highly recommended and set menu prices.

Great service even though we walked in without reservation. Reasonable priced dishes.

My daughter and I walked in without a reservation. We found the food to be mediocre and expensive for what it was, as was the service. We had no starters, no extras, just main and a bottle of wine and we paid over £75. Sorry, but entre at your own peril.

I love Giovanni’s. Never disappoints. All the staff were extremely helpful. The food was delicious!! True authentic Italian cuisine. Can’t wait to go back

Giovanni's is the go-to spot for delicious Italian food and fantastic service! each dish was packed with flavour and didn’t disappoint. The staff are super friendly and attentive, Giovanni's never disappoints. Highly recommend

Awful. Tightly packed in. No chance of a quiet conversation with my partner as you are literally sat on top of the couple at the next table. House wine was very expensive as was the food, which you don't mind paying for if it was of an excellent quality. But the food was bland. The veal was tough.Soggy vegetables. Very rushed service but the staff were pleasant. I would avoid.

This is a popular place to go before a show in Cardiff. If there are big shows on at the Arena and New Theatre (and St David's when open again) expect it to busy. Service was prompt and staff very polite and accommodating. Food we felt was based on fast turnover. Our Pizza was lovely, freshly cooked. The Saute Potatoes in garlic and rosemary were not freshly cooked and lacked flavour as did the salad. Our Tirasamu dessert was lovely. Portions are huge and to be fair they were happy for us to share dishes. When busy it is a cramped restaurant. So bit of a mixed review.

Having been here a long time ago, I had good memories of it. However this was quickly ruined, firstly you are given a feeling of being shoehorned in, it was rammed, and you were sat virtually on top of the folk on the next tables. Secondly the food is vastly overpriced for what you get, my Veal was like shoe leather. Thirdly I found a very substantial piece of plastic in the middle of my meal, a good three inch piece of packaging. I was offered a glass of wine or free dessert, but at this point I didn’t fancy giving them the opportunity to finish me off. Sadly an overall poor experience, been better off going to one of the many chain restaurants nearby.

It was like a club, music (Beyoncé) so loud I couldn’t hear my partner speak I asked them to turn it down, but within 5 minutes loud again!! Luckily we was just leaving when I did advise them to have Italian music in the background instead of a full DJ atmosphere ! Very disappointed as the food was amazing !

We were delayed getting there due to poor weather and this wasn't a problem. They advised to get there when we could and they'd have a table. The food didn't disappoint. Plenty of choice and very tasty. Good options for vegetarian diets and staff are very helpful. Would recommend!

Food decent & service not bad. Only negatives are that place is pretty cramped when busy & music was so loud at times that you had to shout over your meal if you wanted a conversation, not ideal for a quiet date night

Restaurant is average but the manager is a bit racist and doesn’t treat all customers equally

Nothing to complain about the quality of the meal. Perfect, although a little expensive. The experience could have been perfect, but we felt like we had to vacate our table before we started the meal. You had to order quickly, eat quickly and pay quickly. There are surely better things to do in Cardiff.

I have been going to Giovannis during the Six Nations for a couple years now. You cannot put into words what a fun and enjoyable experience Gio's will give you. Food? Top notch. Music? Everyone singing and dancing having a whale of a time. I was served by Dani who was an excellent host for the night and kept up with us throughout the evening.

Had the best night in Giovannis last Saturday, from the food to the atmosphere everything was on point. Everyone was smiling and had a great time. Would recommend to anyone after an authentic Italian night out

This place is an absolute banger on rugby days. If you're happy to wait for a table, you will have the most fun you have had for a long time. Singing, dancing and great italian food. What more could you want? Cheers to Gio and all the staff. See you again next time 👍👏

We were distraught when our booking fell through and another restaurant. Just in the off-chance we walked by and asked for a hail Mary of a table without a booking. To our delight, they took us in with only a short wait! The traditional Italian values really shone and they treated us strangers as if we were family. Our first visit but will definitely not be our last!

At no point when making our reservation for (rugby) match day lunch were we told of a restricted match day menu which comprised 3 courses for £44.95. We only wanted a main course but there was no reduction for that- once at our table we were told by the waitress it was £44.95 regardless of however many courses you wanted!! I explained that whilst we thought it was a lovely establishment we could not justify £90 for 2 lasagnes plus any drinks that we would have had!! We were aware of others that were of the same opinion in the short time we were there. I’m sure it’s lovely food but we couldn’t justify paying that.

Gio’s used to be my favourite place in Cardiff, unfortunately not anymore! Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 v Italy 🇮🇹 Rugby Day…what could be better than some amazing Italian pizza and some beers for game day!! We booked a table for 6, however we were packed in like sardines on a table for 4? 3 big men….. we couldn’t move!! Ok so the food is the important thing though right??…..there was no mention when booking there would be a set menu on the day and it was £45 per person for pasta only. No pizza 🍕 what??? My fiance being Italian was disgusted with the food and stated the food was definitely not authentic Italian food. The price and selection was so bad the couple on the next table were so disgusted with the set menu they left and stated this restaurant was always our favourite…. We will never come back! So in just 2 bookings Gio’s lost faithful customers…. I wonder how many others were disgusted by the terrible change. The usual great service was awful, the manager talking to the servers like dogs in front of customers? The drinks…. At one time an Aperol Spritz for the ladies….. £9 and the glass was so packed with ice 3sips and the drinks were gone! The bill…not only was it £45 pp no other choices, no one wanted a 3 course meal on game day, however insult to injury was the £30 “optional gratuity” automatically added to the bill was ridiculous! It’s such a shame I used to look forward to showing off Gio’s to family and friends in Cardiff. Clearly the owners are now motivated by the ££££s over the reputation and great service… it’s all gone and the food was not great at all. 😢😢😢 Gutted! 😭

They accepted us without the reservation BUT they made us to leave while we were drinking our wine!!! So rude. My last time here

The disrespectful manager tried to send us the bill and remove us from the table before we finished our meal in order to sell the same table to more than one person. It is not worth being treated like this for a below average Italian meal. I recommend you not to even pass by it.

The disrespectful manager tried to send us the bill and remove us from the table before we finished our meal in order to sell the same table to more than one person. It is not worth being treated like this for a below average Italian meal. I recommend you not to even pass by it.

A great little restaurant! Food was delicious and the atmosphere was great - really felt like you stepped into Italy when you walk in. Highly recommend to anyone! Very busy on a rugby day, so if you’re a big group I recommend booking!

The very best fun last night after the Wales V France both nations danced, sang and enjoyed the delicious food and wine. All tables joining in and the staff were magnificent. Couldn't fault this amazing place

Endroit surbooké. Nourriture très décevante: pizza caoutchouteuse, en plus, il vous donne des couteaux qui ne coupent pas!! Il doit y avoir longtemps qu'il ne connaît plus les standards de la bonne cuisine italienne et en plus, c'est très cher!! A éviter.

Very so so as not real italian at all. A fake, sorry Giovanni Italy seems to have been forgotten. We were recommended to come here but so disappointing….was not at all Italian but was expensive

Bad food… for an extreme high price…

Giovanni must have left Italy long time ago… Cuisine is Italy like but not the authentic one! Pizza dough is soft and not crunchy, lasagne are swimming in a soupe, … I had to ask for 3 different wines as they were all out of stock. I booked table in advance but had to wait 30min. Music played loudly was rock n’roll from 60’s without to mention hugely TVs playing national programms… On top over priced. I was influenced by the 4.1 average note, but reality for me deserve max a 2!

I guess that Giovanni was an Italian surname but it seems to not be! I will not say that it was bad but for sure not was not good and very far from my Italian gastronomy know how I ordered a lasagna but it was not : it was pasta swimming in colored sauce We were at 6 in a table of 4 with the tv screen on our face

Generous portions, lovely food, nice ambience, crowded!

Staff quite odd, food expensive.

Authentic Italian food and atmosphere. The food was tasty and staff friendly. A little cramped but adds to the Italian vibe. Bathroom is not brilliant, only real downside.

Giovanni’s was absolutely amazing the food was fantastic lovely flavours and we had the most amazing waitress Ada she was kind and I would deffo recommend it to everyone ❤️

Brilliant staff and even more amazing food

It was ok. The starter of sausage and broccoli was nice but the tomato sauce on my ravioli was just average. The waiters were on point. Overall just average especially for the price.

Lovely traditional Italian that serves excellent authentic food. The waiting staff are friendly & the delicious food is served swiftly. Definitely somewhere to eat when in Cardiff, but I would definitely recommend booking in advance as it is busy due to it being so good.

Lasagne, atmosphere, great customer service. Not sure why it is rate 4*, it gets a 5* from me, and I’m a harsh judge. Perfectly balanced meal, delicious dessert.

The food was great, reasonably priced. Quick service and very helpful staff.

Amazing food, atmosphere and staff as usual. Our all time favourite place to eat in Cardiff. If you visit you will not be disappointed if you dine here.

First time I've been here. Food was lovely 5 of us all different options

Very friendly staff. Good food. Busy place, so not lots of attention. Food was truly delicious, but my date's meal came out much hotter than mine. Music was loud and atmosphere was louder. Hard to hold an intimate conversation here.

The food is amazing! The starter was big enough to be a main for me xD it was so tasty. The service is great, so friendly and welcoming and as it is small, it is easy to get people's attention and you feel well looked after. I liked the music but it got turned up a bit loud for me (I'm just sensitive to sound).

Have been to Giovannis a few times and the food has always been great. Really traditional Italian food, and great service. The restaurant on the Hayes has an authentic feel - could possibly do with a little makeover but maybe that’s the vibe that the restaurant are trying to achieve. But the food and service are fantastic!

Went for a trip for a date with the other half and had a lovely evening. Beautifully decorated place and the food was great. Would recommend for any couple of family occassion. I work in hospitality and can appreciate when the staff that the staff...

Here to see the jack the bartender. Grazie a mille! Best place I’ve been to. Great pizza, great pints. Even more amazing chats which make up the whole place

I don't normally post this sort of review, however on this occasion I feel I need to. The food was at best poor, the beef in my pasta meal was awful. The pasta was over cooked and smoothed in tomato sauce so no real taste...

Fantastic place. It's such a relaxing, authentic Italian and the food and staff are amazing. Please don't ever change the music choice. It's perfect

This was the rugby day Wales vs Scotland we suddenly planned and the town was full. With so many tries in restaurant to eat we find Giovanni by the Hayes, the manager was so kind that he gave us the table after couple of minutes...

Restaurante italiano con platos más que generosos. El problema está en meter más clientes que espacio tiene el restaurante. Caro para lo que es en todos los sentidos

The food was distinctly average and we were served overpriced Prosecco.

Food was nice, there’s no denying it. But the host/waiter was completely rude towards me and one of my colleagues for no apparent reason. He seemed to be nice and friendly to all the other customers who were all white, unlike us….

Best Rugby match along with the best Italian food served in Giovanni. Though being busiest weekend the service was amazing with charming waiters and waitresses. They really have some good wines like La mora which was special for rugby day. We will hopefully return again...

Arrived to Cardiff once again for a business trip. I hosted my colleagues at Giovannis and had a wonderful experience once again. Our host Daniyal recommended some great dishes which I had tried myself such as the Rissotto and Bastecca. Great meal and outstanding service...

Average food. Extortionate price. Rushed out. We paid a fortune to eat average pasta post rugby in Cardiff. We were rushed out of the place in under an hour, and when we mentioned to the staff and manager they weren’t interested. Do not recommend.

El sitio no ha estado a la altura a pesar de ser un restaurante italiano. El personal ha sido agradable...

Okay, standard Italian fare on offer. Fillet steak with pasta and tomato sauce...tasty dish.. pasta definitely not fresh out of a bag....steak still tasty more like a braising steak. Garlic bread with cheese tasty just okay. Okay before an International rugby game in Cardiff not for a romantic night out. Service took ages asked about the boards outside advertising 'specials ' 2 and 3 courses for under £30......told on sitting down that's only during the week.....not weekends. Great way to drum up business....maybe state that on the boards.....just saying. Couldn't be bothered to get up and walk out as we were really hungry and we had already waited an age. Just saying it as it was as this place was recommended to us. Would go back for a 'special' though so not all in vain.

Jack’s service was absolutely brilliant, complimented the incredible dinner. He’s a very popular member of the company and I wish him all the best

Mr & Mrs Sebastiani have been to Giovanni’s to celebrate our wedding together with friends and family. Bernardo and Gennaro but also the whole team were 5 stars and took care of all the details to make our dinner memorable. Food was amazing as always!

Mains were fantastic! But when it came to ordering dessert…. 3 of us ordered and asked if we could swap pouring cream for ice cream with our Cheesecakes, at no point were we told this would incur an extra charge, on top of the £9.95...

Had a great night here with the family, food atmosphere and service. Was my sons birthday and they went out their way to make it a special celebration with singing and candles.

Food was amazing, we had pasta gamberi zucchini and lasagna, beautiful. Service was great too! Thankyou to everyone working there

Lovely place for authentic comforting Italian food - quick service and very polite staff Will definitely visit again !

The lasagne was stale tasteless reheated days old mess.. the penne spezzatino was described as filet steak, but looked like tinned stewing steak! No taste of tomato and garlic! Frozen chips described as Patatine fritte… totally disappointing for our date night.. I don’t think the chef was told how awful their food was.. returned the uneaten food and told waiter how poor it was.. seemed obvious to it.. feel ripped off for very poor food.. not had this poor food from here before..won’t be back.. Steve

Giovannis is clinging on to past fame im assuming (with all the countless photo frames attached to the wall) , as there food / service / price point were all so far off being anything traditionally Italian it was an insult to even be called...

What a wonderful restaurant, everything was fantastic 👌. Highly recommended

Giovanni , you are trading a past success. We have been to your restaurant many times over the years but after tonight we won’t visit again. The food was poor and uninteresting,, same recipe and presentation for the last 30 years . You need to...

Wow... Absolutely wow. Best Italian I've ever been to if I'm honest. Food was perfect and service was amazing. Will definitely be going back when I return to Cardiff.

Wonderful Italian restaurant with exemplary service, very friendly and helpful staff and excellent food. We were lucky to meet Giovanni himself who was extremely warm and friendly. Thoroughly recommend to anyone!

I think this place should be boycotted. Sorry for the harsh words. Absolutely rude and poor service. You can imagine how the food will be

is nice. But waiting 10 minutes for a menu and almost every other server avoiding our table (the only table in the restaurant of POCs) was an experience! These guys used to be good, can’t say the same now :(

Had an amazing meal with great staff, very quick service especially considering we each ordered a side and a starter to come out with our main meal. The waiting staff were very friendly and helpful and even brought out a complimentary shot of lemoncello for...

Food was incredible service was excellent and it was overall great definitely recommend also a great place to come in the night as the music and the people are lovely

A busy afternoon filled with Christmas shoppers, so we were lucky to have a table downstairs for 2. Been to the restaurant several times over the past few years but it appears to have changed for the worst. Inquired about the house red wine and...

This place is simply an amazing restaurant. From the cozy and charming ambience to the wonderful staff and the beautiful food (very generous portions aswell). The maitre d’ was charming and welcoming and we thoroughly enjoyed our time here. Unfortunately the big boss Gennaro wasn’t...

The food is mediocre, the waiters are friendly. The owner was rude and unfriendly. After saying we had about an hour and 20 minutes to eat we were told he needed the table in about 45 minutes. He was off hand and rude. As it happens the food comes out so quickly we had finished already! But we wanted to relax and finish our drinks, so we felt rushed in the end. If you want a relaxed, atmospheric and traditional Italian meal you will have a better experience at Greggs with a slice of pizza. The 4 stars for service is purely for the waiters!

We had lovely home cooked pre-Christmas lunch here today, thoroughly enjoyed it. Salmon fish cakes and Lasagne.

What a shambles! Told to come back 20 mins after our booked time as people still at table to be stood at door ( cold) for over 10 mins. We were then sat near the kitchen….. drinks were ridiculously expensive £40 for a bottle of...

This was a really disappointing experience. We chose from the set lunch menu and only one of the 6 dishes was good. My ciabatta starter was soggy, it was drenched in a generic sauce that later reappeared in my prawn and courgette pasta dish. Tiramisu...

Absolutely incredible place, food was amazing, my wife speaks 6 different languages and is well travelled. So when she says its authentic I trust in that! Was a truly amazing evening and would 100% be going back. Thank you all for a lovely time we all (group of 4) had the most memorable time after doing the Xmas shopping

Without any doubt, one of the very best restaurants in Cardiff for food, service and atmosphere. Been to both the Hayes and Park Place, with the latter being slightly more my favourite. The best steak I and my friends have ever had. The food generally is truly excellent. For context, I would rate Giovanni's much higher than the Potted Pig.

Amazing food and service! Hospitable staff and authentic atmosphere. Not my first time and not my last. A big up to Gennaro and the team 👍🏻 an additional thanks for 🍋panettone 😊 Yana

Amazing food and service! Hospitable staff and authentic atmosphere. Not my first time and not my last. A big up to Gennaro and the team 👍🏻 an additional thanks for 🍋panettone 😊 Yana

Very disappointing. Fish cakes and sea bass hugely overcooked. Tables extremely close together so it was difficult to move and insufficient room on tables. Background music was unbearably loud. Waiting staff were very busy but sadly ungracious and downright sarcastic at times. Clearly overbooked for...

We visited Giovanni's on Wednesday 6th, having pre-booked a table for their Christmas lunch weeks ago. On arrival we were taken to our table upstairs which was a little cramped to say the least, with hardly any room to manoeuvre and should my wife have...

I had an incredible dining experience at Giovanni's Italian Restaurant. The food was exceptional, bursting with flavor, and the service was top-notch. The host's kindness added a warm touch to the evening, making it a memorable visit. Five stars without a doubt!

Great food and the hosts are just wonderful! Great place for dinner in a very friendly environment :)

Came here for lunch with friends, hadn't booked but was given a table straight away. Recommended a bottle of red wine which was fantastic. Service was awesome, we felt like we were really catered for and staff were very knowledgeable. Fantastic afternoon, Gennaro, thank you...

Lovely restaurant staff are so welcoming and lovely to us. The food is delicious and always great quality would definitely recommend

Amazing food, atmosphere and staff as usual. Our all time favourite place to eat in Cardiff. If you visit you will not be disappointed if you dine here.

Best time of out lives on saturday with our party of 12, beautiful experiências, amazing atmosphere and incredible service!

It had to be the most underwhelming place I have ever been. Service wasn’t the best.. we had to wait for our table although it was booked weeks in advance. So had drinks stood in the the door way. Food was really disappointing.. infact over priced for what was served… Always wanted to go here for a meal here… needless to say won’t be rushing back any time soon. Such a shame as I was really looking forward to it

I come here a lot. The best Italian ever. Staff always happy and can’t do enough for you. The food is amazing every time and great customer service from staff. See you soon

What a disaster from start to finish! Booked the table in September for 16 people. Our table was downstairs on little folding chairs on a make shift table. I complained but this was not met with any positive comments. When the waiter saw we had...

A group of 15 for our Work's Christmas do. Food was average. Service was very slow and we had to ask many times for cutlery, glasses, drinks , etc. By the way our drinks took a very long time to arrive. Table was pre-booked and...

Shambolic ! A work Christmas party for 15 people , pre booked snd deposits paid , we were shown to an upstairs table and a few of us sat down only to be told we were downstairs. The group of us stood in the middle...

Without doubt the worst experience I have had in a restaurant, I can only assume the management have got greedy and tried to cash in over the Christmas period. Booked months ago for a works Christmas party (30+ people). Shortly before, we received a call...

Staff Xmas party so bad 30 people walked out after starter at 3pm!. After much debate over whether more people could squeeze onto the bench seats, 4 bailed to the pub next door. One hour later after Zero waiting staff attention to drinks and cold...