Bar Gianni Franzi

Positives: good atmosphere and we were seated without a reservation. Our group of 4 ordered multiple dishes which we all good, but nothing spectacular. Our server cut the grilled fish for us which was a cool plus. Dessert was tasty as well. Negatives: Our dinner meals were staggered by 5-10 minutes per person which was kind of awkward and made it tough to enjoy together. (Pasta meals came fast since they were most likely pre-prepared). All of the dishes were served without garnish which made the large plates look bare and less appealing. Overall, I recommend for you to try this restaurant. Except longer wait times and plan your evening accordingly. 👍🏻

The location is great and the food is tasty. However the attention, although they want to be friendly, you can feel how unpleased they are of having to attend you. About the food, I think it is ok to be expensive if you are really good, but the prawn black pasta, although tasty, still didn't have more than 1 shrimp. The octopus was great, delicious and reasonable portion.

Devastated I wasted a meal here. There was a train strike so understandably difficult to get new food in. It was the only dinner option open in town. Didn’t think it would be terrible, but it was so much worse than imagined it could be. We ordered the Caprese, Minestrone, and Pesto Pasta. This food does Italy a disservice. Progresso soup has significantly more flavor. I ate potato chips when I got home just so my tongue could experience flavor. Tomatoes were mealy. Wine list was taken from our table before we could order. In retrospect glad we didn’t give them more money. Vegetables were clearly frozen or canned. Please don’t waste your money thinking this is in any way authentic food. My biggest fear is having a thoroughly mid meal when traveling. This wasn’t even mid, but actually bad.

Ended up eating here despite the reviews. I found the service to be completely fine. The food wasn’t super high quality but it definitely wasn’t bad. It’s right on the water so the sound of the waves crashing on the beach adds a nice ambiance.

We went here for lunch after our hike from Monterosso. We got a table direct but the restaurant were almost full. We got our food fast, but the quality wasn’t the best. First of all the Prosecco almost didn’t have any bubbles. The food was ok but not worth the price. This place have a good location but if you are looking for good food go somewhere else.

Some of the best seafood from our trip to Italy, expertly prepared in a wonderful white wine sauce. Read many comments about poor service after we left, which was not at all something we experienced. That said, we did not order wine which seems to be a common theme of negative reviews. We had a great dining experience outside in front of the Vernazza beach.

After walking and climbing from Monterosso to Vernazza for 2,5 hours we arrived - heated and soaked - at the central square of Vernazza. We decided not to look any further and to sit down under the first parasol, to take refuge from the sun, have drinks and lunch. It turned out to be a great choice. We ordered a caprese, a slice of fresh tuna and lightly fried seafood. Delicious! The staff were very friendly and really seemed to enjoy their work. Great service!

Had our meals here on 2 consecutive nights as this is the only restaurants that’s open during off-peak season (late Nov 2022). Nonetheless, the food here is fantastic. A must order would be the pesto pasta. As for their dessert, I would strongly recommend the tiramisu and chocolate mousse.

food was disappointing and we were treated like we were not welcome. I get it...too many tourists... I could buy grocery store pasta and pesto better than what we had here. Overpriced as well

I loved my recent meal at Gianni Franzi in Vernazza. The outdoor seating is great and the staff is very friendly. The prices are a little high - but for the views, I think it is worth it! Great place to get seafood - always a great choice.

One of the most amazing dining experiences of my life! Where do I begin... we arrived by train to the town at 7:30pm and everything looked to be closed. We dropped off our bags at the airbnb and stumbled upon one of the only lights on in town. The small window opened up to a tight bar, but tucked around the corner is where the magic began. Tarik squeezed us in alongside a couple from France and provided tips to the best options, wine couplings, and even encouraged us to try the anchovies... Wow!!! The atmosphere of dining within a carved out cave alongside so many people made for a great evening! We stopped by on the way out for another glass of wine and lunch on the way out... absolutely amazing journey. We made a couple friends for life along the way! Thank you for such an amazing time!!!

I think the negative reviews on here are either 1) overthinking it, or 2) ordering the wrong things. To some extent, I understand how #2 could happen -- the trofie al pesto was just okay, relative to the others you can get in Cinque Terre. That said, the spaghetti with clams was incredible -- that is my wife's favorite dish, and she said this was among the best she's had. The mussels marinara were also excellent, as was the caprese. It's in a very touristy location, and not everything will be top-of-the-line quality, but order the right things and it'll be very worth it.

Food was okay, nothing special. Waiter was hasty and rebutted additional requests (salt, Parmesan) with a basic "eat the food as is." He was not polite to the people waiting to get in or helpful.

We had such high hopes. It was cold and rainy. Our Airbnb host recommended this restaurant. But we did read several poor reviews, all regarding the upcharges. Our Airbnb host recommended having a glass of wine. I asked for a recommendation for a white wine. What makes it shady, is that the wine that he recommended happened to be one that was only sold by the bottle. I even asked for just one glass of wine, but he said no. And as a previous Yelp reviewer mentioned, they charged 3 Euros just to sit down! Our bill was confusing as our meals were different prices than what was listed on the menu. It was odd and frustrating. The food was good and our server was kind and attentive. I hate to leave poor reviews but this restaurant is definitely taking advantage of tourists...

Ugh. We tried to stop in here for a beverage while waiting for the ferry. We asked if we could sit for a drink and were directed to a table. Menus were brought. That is the end of this story. No one came to take our order. We waited as long as we could, then got up and walked to the ferry pick up point. Maybe they were busy with guests eating and we just weren't worth the effort. In that case, they shouldn't have offered us a seat. We would have been happy to go elsewhere.

Gianni Franzi was one of a few spots that popped up on lists of where to eat in Vernazza, so my wife and I swung by this scenic spot in Piazza Marconi for lunch. Our timing was impeccable, as they literally just started seating people for their noon opening time and we were the second group to take a table. Covered with colourful umbrellas that provided a much needed reprieve from the midday sun, their location is unbeatable, with its view of Vernazza's harbour and the crowds that it brings during the day. The people watching is great, although if you don't want to see an overweight old guy in a speedo while eating, you might want to head further up the street or indoors. We soon had a bottle of water while we looked over their menu. As any place in Vernazza should be, the menu was heavy on seafood dishes, including some Ligurian specialties like anchovies and trofie pesto. I ordered their octopus and potatoes for a starter and the spagetti with mussels and clams for my main. As usual, we got a Cinque Terre white wine to drink. The octopus and potatoes came served on a small plate, but it was packed with octopus. In fact, I was surprised by how generous they were with the slices of octopus as most restaurants would go potato-heavy and use the exponentially more expensive seafood as little more than a garnish. Not here though. I'm not sure how big local octopi are, but there had to have been one whole one on my plate. The octopus was cooked a shade past where it should have been, being just a liiittle bit on the chewy side, but not so much that it wasn't an enjoyable dish. Dressed simply in lemon juice, olive oil and some dry herbs, it was a tasty, and hearty appetizer. My main was also quite enjoyable - a light cream sauce clung to the spaghetti, and the mussels and clams were cooked perfectly. Fresh grape tomatoes added some acidity to cut through the richness of the sauce and seafood, and while it wasn't on the cutting edge of the culinary field, it was simply pleasant. There aren't a ton of options for meals in Vernazza, but you won't go wrong by eating at Gianni Franzi. At least food-wise, as the events and people in the area are a whole other issue

Location, location, location is the only thing this restaurant has going for it. One of the restaurants at the end of the street by the beach, very touristy, mediocre food, stale bread. Ordered the penne with prawns and it was awful. All shell, just the heads, no meat. Better off going to one of the smaller places on the street for less money, better quality food, get it to go and sit on the beach with a bottle of wine. You'll have a quality meal, better ambiance for half the price. Huge disappointment.

We came here for an early dinner (around 5pm) as we have to catch the train somewhere else. I think the restaurant just opened b/c we were the first customers. The harbor view is unbeatable and quite entertaining. We would've sit longer if not for the rush. Their menu offers a good balance between seafood (typical CT cuisine) and traditional Ligurian pasta such as trenette and trofie with pesto. We ordered the pasta with prawn, baked octopus with potatoes, and spaghetti bolognese. My son loved their spaghetti and finished the whole bowl. My octopus with potatoes were full of flavor but not heavy. I paired it with CT white wine. If we had more time, we would've tried their desserts. Hope there's a next time.

One of the best meal in Cinque Terre. Great wine suggested by our a server Paolo. He also recommended the seafood pasta, and steamed mussels. All are so good I could eat it every day. Can't wait to come again.

Rating: 44/100 pts Obviously, eating options in the Cinque Terre are limited. I tried to make the best of the situation by choosing a restaurant that serves authentic food and that the locals seemed to like, but overall I was not impressed by the food at Gianni Franzi. The Cinque Terre is part of Liguria, the birthplace of pesto. I decidedly avoided eating any pesto on my trip until coming here, and was excited to order it here at Gianni Franzi with Trofie--a short, starchy pasta, and another specialty of this region. Well, my hopes must have been too high. I was expecting amazing pesto, but what I got was a lumpy, light green goo that had no visible basil leaves, and no strong basily flavor. Is this what pesto is supposed to be? Something tells me no, as I've had better pesto at cheaper restaurants outside of Italy. Actually, the imported canned pesto I have in my refrigerator right now is better. The dish was also supposed to have potatoes mixed in, but all I got was 2-3 skimpy little potato chunks. The pasta itself was fine, but again, I've had better. The rest of their menu includes other types of pasta (including Trenette, another local specialty) and seafood items. I was actually hungry for a secondi and dessert, but was not impressed enough with what was supposed to be their specialty to get anything more. I'd be more inclined to try a different restaurant next time I find myself in Vernazza.

I was very happy with my meal and service here! I had the trofie pasta with pesto and the anchovies w tomatoes & potatoes - don't remember what it's called but they're know for it here. I'm not an anchovy fan & I still really liked it, had to try since its a speciality. Everything was delicious! And the local red wine was great too. All in all this was a great option! It wasn't my first choice - SO many things were closed here in Vernazza because it's November/"off season" - but I'm glad I went there. Don't remember the waitresses name but she was great! Helpful (spoke English & helped me with my Italian) and very on top of things. A little pricey, but obviously the location and the extremely fresh ingredients (homemade pasta) warrant the price. Check this place out for a fine dining, delicious Italian meal on the harbor in Vernazza!

We walked in without a reservation and were early enough to get a table. Not long after, the entire restaurant was packed for the rest of the night. Service was very friendly. We ordered the antipasti, seafood pasta, fried mixed seafood and a bottle of white wine. It was all very good - I could eat the seafood pasta everyday. For the amount of food, wine and quality, I felt the price was very reasonable.

Great Restaurant right in the square and just steps from the beach. Our waiter was very polite as we had a young child with us. He was playing/talking to him when we were ordering our food. The restaurant received a fresh catch of lobster and fish which was amazing to see. Please see my pictures! I went with seafood and pasta. It was a mix of olive oil, parsley, tomato, clam, and mussels, and it was delicious! My wife went with pesto pasta with potatoes. I've never had the chance to try that dish and had to steal some from her. If you want amazing views of the beach and mountains with great service, go to this place. Make sure you get a reservation!

This review is for take-out food only. We did not sit down at the restaurant. It was edible but certainly not great, especially compared to other food we've had since being in Italy. We ordered the pesto noodles and the spaghetti bolognese and both were disappointing. The pesto noodles took al dente to another level, although the flavor was decent, and the spaghetti didn't taste like anything better than at-home spaghetti.

We had a great dinner here! The staff was friendly and the food quality superb! Great setting in the Piazza. Would eat here again in my next visit to Vernazza.

This place was amazing! Fantastic hotel right next to the castle! Amazing sea views and even a little terrace to sit and drink wine and look at the sun set! Room had private bathroom but that is an extra option you have to ask for otherwise it's down the hall and shared with everyone. There were also exposed beams on the ceiling that added to the charm. The main "lobby" is a bar on the main street. Thats where you get your keys and then walk up.... hmmm maybe 500 stairs up to the place you actually stay. Its a climb, but its worth every step. We had to make 2 trips because the luggage was just too much to carry in one trip. Oh! And cash rooms are less expensive then credit card rooms. And there is a free wifi room! yay internet! Overall I LOVE this place and will definitely be returning here to stay again!

The wait staff was incredibly rude, condescending and even a bit intimidating. We asked for balsamic and olive oil for bread and the reply was "OH you want the "American Soup"? We were then told about all the other terrible things Americans did and how they would not serve us Parma-cheese on any pasta that contained seafood, which is fine, not a big deal. Someone at our table then asked for Parma on their fries and they told us NO. We asked if we could pay and the waiter told us "it's not about the money, it's about the way we think it should taste". But then they offered ketchup and mayonnaise which is funny because I particularly think those two are gross. Either way, these guys are the "rude asshole waiters" that you want to avoid on vacation. Good luck out there.

Someone once told me Italians are the Americans of Europe. And I can't agree with that statement more. You'll get good people, not-so-good people, and the in-between. No one's perfect, some are more willing than others to help you, others simply just don't care. It's all good. I just didn't think racism would also be just as rampant and blatant. We first came here for dinner and when we asked for a table, the server asked us if we were going to get lobster for our entrees. When we said no, he directed us to another area filled with tables saying that was the place to go to if we wanted pasta. We were confused that there were two "separate areas" for dining, but we followed his advice, sat down at a table, and waited for service. Turns it out it was an ENTIRELY different restaurant, and they were CLOSING for the night. My bf was furious, and when he confronted the server, he tried to act all confused and immediately starting setting out a table for us with silverware. We were so angry. To add insult to injury, they brought us stuffed mussels even though we clearly indicated the marinated ones. Instead of apologizing for his mistake and clarifying, the guy had the nerve to repeatedly get defensive and remain adamant that we ordered the stuffed ones. Stellar customer service, bro. We decided to say a giant fuck you in the form of ordering another order of the marinated ones. Honestly? The food at that point was just mediocre at best. I couldn't really taste anything, maybe a bit too much salt there, a little flavor here, but that's it. When service ruins your experience, it's hard to enjoy the food, no matter how acclaimed it may be. Still upset, we confronted the previous server again for his racist "mistake." He tried to play it off as that he didn't understand English very well, but he wasn't fooling anyone. Nobody else ordered lobster around us. Who the hell do you think you are? The best part? We paid via credit card and the charge never came up on our statement. So we basically had a free 90 euro meal, albeit with a generous helping of racism on the side. But that's karma, bitch.

Great location and for Italy, friendly service. I didn't care for the pesto, but that is because I didn't care for the thick pasta. I had tiramisu for desert and it was good.

Give it a pass. I've had two meals in CT. At best, mediocre food but what really killed it was the service. Easily the worst we've had in Italy. Surly, unhelpful, rude wait staff. This, compared to Blue Marlin where the food was good and the service friendly. Eat here truly only if you must. Otherwise, avail yourself of the many other available options.

Went there for dinner. My husband enjoyed his seafood salad and stuffed mussels. I had a terrible shrimp dish. Not fresh at all.

Okay place but pretty pricey. The spaghetti is like Ragu from the bottle. Clams were small, portions were medium. I think there is better.

Needing food and needing it quickly, me and my travel companions decided to give Gianni Franzi a try - the great views of the harbor being our major motivator. The service and the meal wasn't memorable. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't OMG awesome. I do remember the octopus being deliciously tender and the people watching fun. The seafood pasta was the best dish on the table.

We came here after a reservation elsewhere was botched and were glad we did. Right on the main piazza, their outside seating was booked but the room inside is very charming: casual, comfortable, and very typical of the area. The food leans heavily to seafood although their are other items available; everything we had was delicious, fish, and well-prepared. Our service was attentive and friendly. Prices were pretty reasonable compared to comparable places.

Understaffed but location in front of the harbour is unbeatable. Prices are reasonable compared to nearby Gambero Rosso. We tried the octopus with potato, taglierini nero and spaghetti frutti di mare with the house white wine, which was delicious.

Both my wife and I came down with intestinal problems and diarrhea after eating here. We think it was the scampi and spaghetti. It was the only bad experience of our trip. Go to one of the other places on the harbor (Belforte for a splurge), or Il Pirata Della Cinque Terre for good food at a reasonable price.

Great Scampi, lots of locals, authentic atmosphere. Had the macaroni with scampi which was excellent.

The macaroni with prawn has no prawns. Had a tiny crab. Maybe half a bite. Not a place I will come back to.

So entertaining watching the wait staff hustle. They were crazy busy but we were never rushed in the slightest. Excellent service and food was delicious. Especially loved the spaghetti scarpara. Had it 3 times while I was there!

A fantastic experience! Great food and service right in the main town square with a view of the harbor and the sunset. The seafood salad was incredible as we're the spaghetti with local mussels and the squid - ink pasta with fish sauce. The veal was tender and delicious. The waiter was friendly and attentive, yet left us alone when not needed so we could converse and enjoy a great evening. I highly recommend this restaurant!

Waiter was very rude would not give us balsamic vinegar with our bread. Do not get the grilled baby octopus. Does not come with anything for 23 euros and get six pieces with heads with brains in it.

Great setting, great food, great service. I had the fresh anchovy and lemon starter which was delicious.