Carmel's Bistro Giovanni

Gluten-Free Review: I ate here during Car Week when I was providing videography for a wedding. I ordered takeout online hours before I needed it, and it was ready promptly when I arrived to pick it up. As someone who is gluten-intolerant, I was a little bit nervous about eating here for the first time, but I was pleasantly shocked by how good the food was, how big the portions were, and how clearly it was labeled. It was such a relief after a long day. This is "comfort food" in the best meaning of the phrase. I would eat here again in a heartbeat! Highly recommended for people who have to eat gluten-free!

No matter where you sit, every space feels intimate. The staff was very knowledgeable regarding the food and drink menu and was able to spontaneously suggest items to our liking. We sat inside but exited through the outside dining area which felt cozy and intimate as well. The food was super fresh and prices were very reasonable for the uber quality. Brian, of La Renaissance Jewelry, recommended this place and actually secured a table for us. The locals know what they are talking about. We plan many future visits to Carmel-by-the-Sea and will always make Bistro Giovanni a preferred dinner spot!

First of all, because the menu has GF/DF designations and plenty of options, choosing our meals was so easy. The food was Delicious. The service was top rate and we were able to eat outside which is always a bonus. I'd highly recommend, especially for those GF/DF.

Casual, yet still had old school elegance kinda vibe. The crab cakes were perfectly seasoned, calamari - not really my thing - were good as well. Main courses were excellent!

Great Food, Great Service & Great Atmosphere! They create many fresh classic dishes which are cooked and presented properly. Do not hesitate to visit Bistro Giovanni. A favorite in all of Carmel and Monterey Bay! 02/20/25 - Back again and another delightful experience! A+ 08/29/25 - Back For Anniversary: Crab Cakes, Garlic Bread, Chicken Marsala, Chicken Piccata, Pasta Carbonara, Chicken Florentine Ravioli, Chianti, Topped off with Tiramisu & a cup of coffee. Everything was insanely delicious. Grazie per il cibo delizioso. Non vedo l'ora di tornare.

My wife and I finally had the chance to try Bistro Giovanni in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea—something we’d been meaning to do for quite a while. The restaurant is located on San Carlos Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues. If you’re unfamiliar, downtown Carmel doesn’t use standard street addresses—instead, everything is routed through a central post office (which, ironically, does have an address, ha!). We started with a bottle of Liberty School Cabernet and an appetizer: the Burrata Prosciutto. The dish came with a generous portion of burrata (about 3 to 4 ounces), tomatoes, a portion of prosciutto, crostinis, and a basil-balsamic vinaigrette. It was very tasty overall, though I had one minor critique: the dish only came with four crostinis—definitely not enough, so we had to ask for more. Still, a flavorful and satisfying start. For our entrées, my wife ordered the seabass special, which came with a nicely portioned filet, mashed potatoes, and grilled vegetables. I went with the lasagna, which featured traditional Italian sausage. Both dishes were very good—hearty and satisfying. My lasagna was flavorful, though I felt it could’ve used just a bit more seasoning or punch. While the portions looked modest (see pics), they were surprisingly filling. For dessert, we shared the panna cotta—a lemon-vanilla custard topped with raspberry sauce. The texture was somewhere between flan and crème brûlée. I really enjoyed both the flavor and consistency, though my wife wasn’t quite as into it. Service was attentive without being overbearing, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. Overall, we really enjoyed our evening and would definitely return. The menu offers a wide range of options, so we’re already thinking about what to try next time. Recommended!

Came here for dinner with my boyfriend after looking over the extensive menu. We were torn between a couple of restaurants and ended up here. The well-dressed gentleman with the fedora seated us in the back of the restaurant. It was busy on a Monday night, but by the time we were ready to order, quite a few tables were paying their bills. It was surprising that the service was slow. The table next to us placed their order while we were deciding on food. We had not even been asked drinks yet. We were not told the specials but had overheard cream of mushroom soup being the soup of the day, and I believe a fish dish of some sort. We finally placed our order and drinks. I had requested a water with lemon. Drinks came out minus the water. The appetizer arrived. The limoncello drink was so-so for $18. Not to my liking, it was more on the floral side than sweet and sour. The crab cakes were delicious, a little more sauce would have been perfect, but we made do. Veal parm and the ribeye. I omitted the blue cheese butter, ribeye was cooked perfect. Tender and tasty. The garlic mash with chopped truffles in the middle was a tad over powering. I'm not sure if the garlic was boiled with the potatoes or added in raw or if it was granulated, but garlic breath was eminent. Luckily, the steak was on the underseasoned side due to no blue cheese butter, it helped the potatoes along. The sautéed spinach would have been better without the undercooked shallots found in between. They needed a tad longer before the spinach was added. We didn't get a dessert, but we headed out after that.

Food was amazing. Wine was amazing. Service was amazing. Cocktails and wine were amazing. Thank goodness I could walk back to my hotel room instead of drive.

The food at Giovanni's is delicious!!! We came here last year on a family trip and 3/5 of us got the Oaso Bucco and I couldn't recommend it enough. This trip I decided to be different and try pasta, I was torn between 3 dishes (bolognese, carbonara, and braised beef ravioli). I went with the beef ravioli and it was absolutely the right choice! If you're coming to Carmel, you should consider this spot for dinner. We will continue to come back. PS they have blue cheese olives with their martinis, win!!

We ordered two pasta bowls for four people and that was plenty and almost more than enough!!! The food was absolutely delicious and quite tasty!!! My only complaint is that the waiter was not attentive at all. He never once came by to ask how anything it was in the middle or even after dinner and I had to wave somebody down because my waiter couldn't be bothered to even give me eye contact for water refills. The food was delicious, but the service was subpar.

Amazing!!!! We've walked by so many times and talked about trying Bistro Giovanni's and finally did it for my sister's birthday a couple of weeks ago. Am I glad we did. We had my dogs so we sat on their side patio. Super cute and perfect for el fresco dining. The food was so good. I almost want to say special, it was that good. They are so nice and really make you feel wanted immediately upon sitting down to dine. We will definitely be adding this to our go to restaurants in Carmel.

Stumbled across this gem after we canceled a different reservation for bad weather, and couldn't have been happier. Everything was great, we walked i and were instantly greeted and helped by Mr. Giovanni himself! The food all came out hot fresh and tasty. I would definitely go back and would recommend this place

Made early dinner reservations here for Saturday night and the place was pretty empty. I guess people eat late in Carmel. We ordered the Frito Misto appetizer which includes prawns, artichoke and calamari. Unfortunately our calamari was really tough and when we mentioned it to our server she graciously removed it from the check. Our entrees Frito de Mare and Goat Cheese Ravioli were delicious and visually appealing. To our surprise our sever brought us a delectable chocolate tiramisu to celebrate our wedding. This is a great spot to enjoy a relaxing meal in beautiful Carmel.

Thank you Kelly! The best experience I've ever had. Great service Great Food A+++++ I will be back again!

Had a great dinner at Bistro Giovanni. We had a reservation and were seated at a nice quiet table at the back of the restaurant. We ordered some drinks and as entrees we had the lamb shank and the cannelloni. The lamb shank was great, really good sauce and the meat fell off the bone and was very tender. Combination of meat, veggies and sauce made for some delicious bites. The cannelloni were also good. Lots of cheese and a nice filling. As dessert we got the chocolate mousse. It was very rich and chocolatey. Could have been a bit mite airy, but still a great dessert. Some nice paintings in the restaurant and dim lighting make it a great spot for a romantic dinner. Staff were friendly and attentive.

Loved dining here!! Ambiance was intimate and cozy (does get a bit loud during dinner time, but we were also seated next to a large group). The staff was very attentive and friendly. The owner also checked up on us during our meal and on our way out, which was so sweet! Can tell this place is family-run. As for the food, we absolutely loved the burrata prosciutto appetizer and creme brulee! The bolognese, halibut, and chicken were also delicious. Will definitely be returning here the next time I'm in Carmel :)

I had a lovely dinner at Bistro Giovanni last night. I started with a glass of Pinot Grigio and the Caesar salad. The portion was small and the croutons seemed store bought but I liked the homemade dressing. I then had a glass of the Sangiovese and the Scampi. It came in a red sauce which was unexpected. There were small shrimp in addition to the jumbo shrimp, also unexpected. There also was a sliver of baked lemon, also unexpected. The dish was tasty but left me hungry. I wish the restaurant offered free bread to sop up the sauce. If eating early beware of tables by the sidewalk as the sun may be hot on your back until they close the blinds. Nice atmosphere and great service. One of the better choices in town if you're looking for good Italian food. I was tired and forgot to take photos.

We chose this restaurant because we saw carbonara on the menu--what they made was not carbonara. It was loaded with heavy cream, oily, and frozen peas that didn't feel cooked. I ended up puking noodles up ALL night because it did not sit well. Additionally, the service was terrible. We sat for 10-15 minutes before any drink orders were taken. We had to stack our own dishes before anyone came back to us because nobody was coming around. I'm pretty sure the hostess was taking our orders and what not because no one else was helping us. It's a cute spot with a very homey vibe, but I would not go here again after this experience. The apple crumble dessert was delicious but the rest of the experience fell very flat. For kind of a heavy bill, you'd expect to be treated nicely too.

We are in Carmel by the Sea, first place for dinner Bistro Giovanni. My wife had Veal Piccata and it was delicious. I had Cioppino. Broth was nice and light with good flavor. They used bay scallops, little disappointed. Clams and Mussels were good. Wasn't there best cioppino but still very good.

Everything went well!! Starting with our perfect table in the window and server Alderberto... exceptional.. He understood "dining" which is what we wanted to do... the food was exceptional and the very charismatic owner who personally checked in with us made this experience even more enjoyable... and the BREAD!!! OMG!!! We will go back just for that!! Its local accessible and worth it... thank you

We enjoyed some nice, homestyle Italian food at this spot in Carmel by the Sea. We started off with the garlic bread which was cheesy and delicious and came with marinara sauce. I had the chicken parmesan, which I really enjoyed. They were very generous with the chicken portions, and it was baked (instead of fried). I thought it could use a little more pasta to balance out the chicken, though I liked that it came with a side of vegetables. The pasta carbonara was also delicious. The restaurant is dimly lit and cozy.

We have been coming here for decades and are never ever disappointed. The food is always amazing. Appetizers are delicious, the pasta is perfect and the desserts are sublime! Kelly was gracious and helpful and added to the amazing ambiance! Every time we visit Monterey Carmel Bistro Giovanni is an absolute must!

It's been over 2 years since our last review. On this visit the ambiance, food and service was as great as previous. We had 6 PM reservations and were immediately seated at a comfortable two person window table. Our server Kelly was friendly and attentive. The complementary starter of crusty bread with a tomato tapenade was excellent. The Grandmas salad was loaded with fresh vegetables. The entrée of Sand Dabs were lightly breaded and sautéed in lemon sauce. They were tender melt in your mouth. The fresh vegetables were perfectly cooked al dente and the mashed potatoes smooth and creamy Again we had a satisfying dining experience.

Great atmosphere- very traditional and the staff were very sweet and professional. I had steamers and asked for red sauce instead of white wine, and it was delicious. Nice vibe, and was crowded.

Karina was wonderful! We had a delicious meal. She was very attentive and ensured we had everything we wanted.

Had reservations, highly recommended. Hard to make choices, excellent food and appetizers. Service impeccable. Ambiance is what you'd expect at a Carmel restaurant, taken to another level. You cannot go wrong here!

I had the best service and the best meal at this amazing Italian restaurant, which is very Italian family and most of the family works here. The service was as amazing as the food. Everyone is very competent , very attentive, but not attentive , and the food was absolutely amazing. Truly, you want to order dessert as well. We had two different desserts and they were perfect. Not too rich and not too sweet but delightful. You should request George, Antonio, or Junior B. If you're in Carmel by the sea, and you are craving Italian, this is the Italian restaurant you will love. Also, last, but not least, Fanny is a wonderful server as well

This was a nice little spot just a few blocks off Ocean Ave. Between lasagna, seafood fettuccini, cioppino, osso buco and some delicious bread, it was very nice. Service was a little slow to start with tables around being seated after and served before us but we let it pass just to enjoy family time. The owner made his way around the restaurant providing fresh Parmesan, and the ambiance was pleasant. The restaurant is small with tables nearby each other but guests were chatting with each other which was fun. This is definitely a go-to place with great pizza, main dishes, salads and full bar. We'll be back!

I really loved this place! I wasn't sure what kind of food we were going to get because the menus looked a bit dated, but the wine was delicious and the food was even better. My wife had the grandmom's gnocchi, which was so delicious and felt very old school. I had the special California Sea Bass, and it was so tasty. We shared the burrata and prosciutto as an app. This dinner was nothing too fancy, but for the price and the taste, it was 5/5. I would absolutely come back and really enjoyed the meal.

I love Carmel and look forward to the quaint shops walking around the village and finding just the right restaurant and there are so many. So we looked on yelp and chose Carmel's bistro GiovannI. From the moment we were greeted by Kelly with a big smile and a warm welcoming she presented us to a beautiful table which gave me a view of how well the restaurant Is run.. first off. I have been in the Restaurant catering business for many many years and now I am now retired so it's not often to see a well oiled machine as I did at bistro Giovanni. The staff were so gracious attentive and made sure that our needs were met.. The food was outstanding. Our starter was the grilled artichoke with a delicious aïoli the Giovanni salad so delicious.. their special was Seabass in a lemon caper piccata sauce that was outstanding accompanied by delicious vegetables and luscious mashed potatoes. We had the tomato basil soup with the hint of cream, so flavorful and fresh and for dessert the decadent chocolate mousse the ambience was so nice and lovely. It wasn't loud where you couldn't hear someone speaking to you the background music of the old standards of Tony Bennett Frank Sinatra, Natalie Cole set the mood to enjoy a beautiful meal I thank all of the staff for making our evening outstanding

Service was stellar, our wait staff was attentive and patient. We got the bolognese, lamb shank, steamers, Cesar salad, linguini and clams,. Portions were a bit small for pricing, but pricing is expected in this neighborhood.

Always delicious . Bolognese on GF pasta, garlic bread with a side of tapenade, crab ravioli, linguini and clams, and penne with meatballs were delicious. Great service on a busy holiday night.

Food was delicious and manager was super nice & accommodating for my family as we had an unscheduled dinner there late. They made additional space for us.

Exceptional italian restaurant. This restaurant reminded us of the cozy trattoria's in Italy. From the service to the food, 5 stars all around. We had the crab cakes and garlic dip. Delicious! My husband ordered the Osso Bucco which was incredible. I had the lobster ravioli. For dessert, we had the bread pudding. We had a chance to chat with the owner at the end of the meal and as we sang praises for the osso bucco, he mentioned a customer that comes from Berlin twice a year to order that dish! Can't wait to come back.

Everything spectacular. Service outstanding. Food is perfection. Ambiance was what you'd expect from a great Italian bistro. Outside dining a little too cool for January nights. Never lets you down.

Great service and lovely patio. The garlic bread and artichoke were delicious. However the sauce on my sandabs was much to heavy.

My boyfriend and I stopped here on a Wednesday night around 7:00 and had our favorite meal of our trip! I eat gluten free and saw that there were lots of options here - definitely did not disappoint. We got gluten free garlic bread, I had the Palermo pasta (yummiest sauce), and he had the bolognese, which also received a rave review! We sipped on some red wine, and ended with flourless chocolate cake and an affogato. Our waitress was lovely as well and very attentive. Overall such a nice experience and very homey Italian vibes!

We came with a party of seven. The food was very good. Osso bucco, lamb shanks, paella were excellent. Not sure if the lobster ravioli was homemade though. Service was excellent and we enjoyed our hot entrees!

The food was delicious but the service was VERY slow... We were starving as we waited at least about an hour for our food (only 3 people). There was a larger party that came in after us and they somehow got their food sooner and left before we did. There was no apologies for the delay either...

For the zillionth time, had the superb Greca salad. For the first time, the Pasta Mama Mia. Vowed to take half of it home, like any sane health conscious person. Failed. (Wifey did eat a few of the meatballs). )What a fabulous feast!

We came here on a busy Saturday night in the summer. Reservations recommended. Note it is VERY loud in here, so if you want intimate date night - this is not the place. I got the lasagna, which was fine - and I really can't believe I would have liked it to be "less" cheesy. Hubbs got the Osso Bucco - which he liked - but didn't rave about. The waiter got one of our orders incorrect - but probably due to it being so loud he couldn't hear our order, he kinda tried to say we were wrong, but after we insisted, he fixed it quickly. Portions are generous. And just beware the toilet looks like it is poorly propped up to the wall, with some janky piping. Note to owners, if you are reading this - please fix it - it just sends the wrong message for a nice restaurant. :)

We tried this restaurant for the first time tonight and had a wonderful time! The food was delicious, the service was great, and the ambience was wonderful. Overall, the prices were also very reasonable. I liked that they offered a half bottle option as well. I had the carbonara and my husband has the bolognese. Both were delicious. We ended with the bread pudding, which was so good! We will definitely be back!

Service was attentive and fast. Ambiance is nice and cozy, even kind of romantic. We were four and we had different plates which I had to taste them all. To start we had garlic bread, simply recommended. My gnocchi sauce was too light, although the taste was well balanced. The canelones meat taste was below average. On the other hand, the Carbonara was fantastic and the Scampi plate was also great. Overall average rating is four stars .

Excellent food, service and ambience. I had the bolognese and Caesar salad with anchovies. The garlic bread is delicious. Lovely wine selection and dessert if you still have room.

Loved the food! The lamb shank fell apart and was flavorful. The osso bucco veal was delicious. But! The Papa Cioppino was the favorite! If you have a chance, ask for the port shots, and if you're lucky, Jack will be your waiter.

Always a great meal here at this cozy little bistro in. Carmel. The service is top notch- and the owner even still comes around and Uncorks the wine after all these years. The basil Gorgonzola soup was amazing!! Perfect for dipping their cheesy garlic bread. The carbonara pasta was creamy and delish. The cauliflower gnocchi with creamy sundried Gorgonzola sauce was a treat. The lasagna is also decadent and filled with sausage and cheese. The star of the show is the rigatoni and meatballs- something special about that sauce! You have to try it! And of course ending with the homemade tirimisu.

We had a great experience at this wonderful bistro last night for my birthday. The calamari was the best, my chicken Marsala was sooo good and my husband's bolognese was the best he's ever had! The apple crisp for dessert was warm and wonderful, too. We loved Jack, our waiter. He was so informative, friendly and saw to our every need. We will definitely come back here the next time we're in lovely Carmel.

One of my favorite restaurants in Carmel. The staff are always accommodating, the restaurant is great and the food is always delicious. We love this place!

We called in as a walk in for my husband's birthday. Location is good. The place is on their expensive side but lack luster for the price. Food was decent. I think for us the service was lacking. We received are bill and asked for it be split, instead they overcharged us by doubling the gratuity fees and we came back to get it corrected. Not an experience that would come back for.

I am so happy that we got to discover one of the great Italian restaurants in Carmel. We started with the salad with feta cheese and we like the combination but not so much on the feta cheese. So maybe on the side next time. My husband has the lasagna and they make their own pasta and it was really good. But I really wish that it had more meat inside. The lobster ravioli with freshly homemade pasta and the mushroom spinach with white truffle sauce is out of this world! That must have been the best ravioli I have ever eaten in my life. They gave a nice little cake for my husband's birthday celebration which we appreciate. Later on we spoke with the nice gentleman Firok and his daughter Kelly. It's always nice to meet the people behind the business and listen to their fascinating story. The murals are absolutely charming and beautiful. We really enjoyed our experience and food here! I wished they would also do steak too tho. I bet it would be awesome :) Thank you for the wonderful hospitality!

We had dinner at Carmel's Bistro Giovanni. The food tasted incredibly delicious. We had the garlic bread (4.3/5.0) as an appetizer. Tasted like garlic bread. We had the scampi and goat cheese ravioli as entrees. The scampi (4.8/5.0) was one of the best tasting pasta dishes I've ever had, except it was a little heavy given the amount of oil. The goat cheese ravioli (4.1/5.0) was tasty, but wasn't the biggest fan of the sweetness from the brown butter basil sauce. For desserts we had the creme brulee and an ice cream dish (3.6/5.0). We liked the creme brulee (4.5/5.0) but didn't quite like the waffle cup texture of the ice cream dessert. Service and ambience were normal, seemed like a great place for a normal dinner night. Also, we overheard an older couple talking and they said this was the best restaurant in downtown Carmel, and that they had tried all the other restaurants. Take that as you will but this would definitely be in the top 5 for us.

This is my favorite Italian restaurant in Carmel. Love the atmosphere and staff is friendly and attentive. The food is authentic and delicious

Fantastic food, great atmosphere, friendly waitstaff, and lots of gluten free options.

We came here for dinner after making the long drive from Reno, expecting simply a very nice Italian restaurant, but this is beyond nice - this is phenomenal. The service, food, and atmosphere are exceptional, all in the heart of beautiful Carmel. This is my first trip back since childhood, and I could ask for a better memory. I also appreciate them providing celiac-safe gluten-free food!

Came to Carmel last weekend to escape the valley heat. We brought the doggies this time so I called ahead to order food, and requested that we pick it up in a hour (so wait to put it in with kitchen). The man that answered the phone provided great service but it was loud in the restaurant and I feared he couldn't hear everything. Checked into our hotel and walked to the restaurant with the doggies, and inquired about the order. It was almost done ;) After I paid, I had a nice chat with the sweet owner who seemed so whole hearted and welcoming. Our order came out perfect. We ordered carbonara with a side of chicken (extra charge), lasagna and crab cakes. The lasagna was fantastic, perfect amount of sauce meat and cheese. Hubby loved his carbonara and ate it so fast, then paid the price by the end of the night when he realized he shouldn't have eaten so fast. I would have gotten a picture, but with Togo boxes it's not the same. Will definitely be back to dine in person.

A very cute and cozy restaurant . I got the Mediterranean meatballs and this was such a unique and delicious pasta. Definitely a strong Mediterranean influence in the spices , yet flavored for a pasta dish

Had reservations, old man at front did not act welcoming, we are from out of town and were looking forward to authentic Italian cuisine, food was bland, ranch served with rubbery calamari, macaroni in minestrone was all broken and mushy, pasta dish I had was bland. Was super disappointed.