Ai Gondolieri

Husband and I had a wonderful experience and we were lucky to order the chef’s Christmas menu with the wine pairing. Such great dishes. It was a beautiful journey. So happy to have found this gem via Michelin Guide.

This restaurant is a true gem that captures the essence of Venetian dining. From the moment you step inside, the warm ambiance and attentive service make you feel like a welcomed guest rather than just another tourist. Whether you're looking for an intimate dinner or a special Venetian experience, Ai Gondolieri delivers in every way. Thank you! We had a fantastic time, once again.

You may not remember us…but we remember you. This restaurant is the best thing that could have happened on our honeymoon. You see, we went to Venice for romance and magic right after we got married in 2015, and initially found everything except that (unfortunately). That day we had an awful time at the Guggenheim, it started to thunder storm (we of course got soaked in the rain). I won’t lie, I began to get a bit moody and discouraged…and we happened to have ran into this restaurant right then, desperate to get out of the storm. As soon as we jumped through the doorway, the owner apologized and said he was not yet open for reservations. We explained our situation and begged if we can stay by the door until the rain stopped….he then said although they are closed, he cannot allow us to have such a terrible experience (on our honeymoon) In the city he loves. He allowed us in and gave us a little table by the window-even though they were not planning to open for another hour. He then proceeded to give us the most delicious and beautiful meal the he personally brought out to us. He was so kind. So caring and considerate. Just an amazing, compassionate human. Who gave us an unforgettable beautiful moment and truly allowed us to experience the beauty of Venice firsthand. This whole experience brings tears to our eyes almost 10 years later. My husband and I think about this magical restaurant all the time and reminisce about how this one tiny experience completely transformed our honeymoon. We love this place and we cannot wait to return someday with our kids.

It is my third time I am visiting this restaurant. Every time the service and the food is top-notch. I had a beautiful table beside a big window with lots of light. There are no tables outside. I had Vitello tonnato and the veal. Perfect. AND: I loved the music! I will come again.

Had a chance to visit again after pandemic, as good as we remembered before. Had a chance to try chef’s risotto which was fantastic. Excellent service and interiors.

Didn’t feel welcome here but went through with the reservation anyway. Our server who seemed to be the owner/manager, was very attentive however not very pleasant for his role as a server. He warmed up to us a bit towards the end of the dinner. Food was delicious! Best steak I’ve had in Italy so far. FYI there is no cell phone reception in here. Would’ve gotten five star review if server was more pleasant.

This was our favorite meal in Venezia! The truffle risotto was one of a kind. The fillet of beef in the valpolicella sauce was the best steak I’ve ever had. We had great service and wine pairing too. Highly refined dining 🤌🏻

Elegant and delicious! Very cozy restaurant with excellent cuisine and very attentive and helpful service. Everything we tasted was very tasty and creatively presented. Definitely worth visiting!

Everything went well! Food, service, ambiance. This really was an exceptional experience. We were lucky to have the Christmas dinner special with the wine pairing. Staff and service was top notch. Will go again and keep recommending .

This restaurant was highly recommend by our bank concierge. The service was very nice, the food excellent and we loved the background music too, old soul. Easy walk back to our hotel near St Marks Square, an enjoyable evening.

Very poor! Has gone upmarket while reducing quality . €230. For a mediocre meal. had to send back the rack of lamb, the .beef fillet was amongst the worst experienced . when the waiter was told this, he shrugged his shoulder and smiled. what used to be a good neighborhood restaurant, has been ruined!

Wonderful! We had the tasting menu with wine pairing and it was our favorite dinner throughout our trip to Italy. The restaurant had a very laid back, and old school vibe, which put us at ease. With each new course and wine pairing, the waiter told us a wonderful story of where the ingredients came from. It was excellent.

If we were grading service alone this restaurant would receive 5* for the excellent staff. Food overall was very good and worthy of 4*. The veal Marsala was very tender and tasty and our kids loved the pasta. But the outrageous 5 euro per person cover charge plus 10% service charge is clearly a tourist ripoff. And deduct another star for the menu prices - almost 20 euros for a tiny portion of artichokes (compared to the 2 massive ones we received in Rome) and another 20 for a tiny portion of duck carpaccio. Wines are also marked up to US prices. In sum - you won't be disappointed with your dining experience until the bill arrives. Also note every single diner was a US tourist.

Don't waste your time or money. My husband and I went to try to inquire about a reservation today. we approached the restaurant and there were two men smoking outside, one was apparently an employee of the restaurant. I noticed the hours on the door said open at 12;30 pm and tried to look inside the restaurant to see what it looked like. He then blocked the entrance with a chain across the door.. however he let us peek inside. I looked at my watch and it was 12:35 so I inquired when the restaurant would open and was given a really arrogant reply that it wasn't open until 1 pm. We walked away and noticed the employee and the fellow he was smoking with laughing and seemingly joking that we couldn't read the sign and that they bluffed us into maybe thinking they weren't opened for another half hour. He was very rude, apparently just wanted to finish his cigarette, talk with his friend and not be bothered. We wouldn't waste our time on the place with that kind of attitude.

Charming ottocento atmosphere. Michelin level chefs making delightful balanced dishes. High prices, small portions, but I didn't leave hungry. Incredible service: friendly, funny, helpful, and adaptable. Best wine cellar I've seen in some time.

Best meal we had in Venice. The tasting menu was phenomenal. The wine was great. The service was unbeatable. The crepes were made table side and just perfect. I can't even find a bad thing to say about it. This will be our go to restaurant when we return to Venice. We didn't even know it was Michelin starred until we got home but can totally see why!

Love this little gem. Reasonably priced, YUMMY food, great service and not touristy!!!! You can't go wrong - some of the pastas are home made, the lunch menu differs from the dinner menu and both offered delicious items. We ended up coming here 4 times during our stay in Venice. Don't miss out on this little gem!

Delicious but pricy! The waiters were fantastic and very nice. Everything was delicious. It's definitely were the cost.

Pretty pricey and it was not good. The ravioli was dry/sauce is weird and the veal/spinach was too salty. We tried to order two other dishes but they "ran out". It was lunch on NYE.

This restaurant has lost its way. We've eaten here, happily for 25 years. This year it is plain bad with exorbitant prices. It seems that a new chef (chef school type) has been hired. Food was mannered, not earthy & wonderful as is so much of the food in Italy. Take a pass on this one.

Fabulous meal! Great menu, excellent service, very good wine list! Wonderfull intimate room, quiet, engaging. The beef was incredibly tender, with mushroom Barolo wine gravy. Ravioli with truffle sauce was incredible as well. Service was fantastic. Always ask for suggestions from the staff, if they are knowledgable or the owner they can be a huge help! Check the mustard in the olive oil for bread dipping, pleasant surprise!

Yeah, great place. I organized a group dinner here for 25 people. They were very accommodating and welcoming. The staff is friendly. The food is good - tender veal, tasty desert. No complaints.