Giardino

I enjoyed Giardino, but I couldn't bring myself to give it 5 stars. I had the Garlic Knots, Spaghetti Di Mare, and the Blackberry Lemonade whiskey. The first round of Garlic Knots had to be sent back because the bread was too tough and didn't taste fresh, but this was corrected quickly with a fresh plate of soft edible Garlic Knots. The Spaghetti Di Mare was excellent, only a little bit of grit with the mussels but that's common everywhere I've had mussels. The Blackberry Lemonade was good too, but could have been a tad bit stronger for my tastes. My only real complaint is the parking for this location isn't very intuitive to find or plentiful.

Best Italian food in Lemon Grove and probably all around San Diego County. Their brunch and dinner menus are both fantastic. I have tried the meatballs, the pizzas, the flatbreads, and they are all amazing. The owners are the best ever. They’re so kind and friendly all the time. If you’re in Lemon Grove, head out this way, no regrets!!!!

Wonderful food and great service. I went here to celebrate my birthday. Everyone really enjoyed their food. Usually I'll take pictures but we just dove right in and starred eating. We started with the stuffed mushrooms, I only wish there was a couple more to share. There were only 4, but the flavors were great. I ordered the Gnoochi Caprese which was not what I was expecting but it was very delicious and I would have it again. My party also ordered the Short Rib Gnoochi, and again nothing that we expected and it was good. Also the Classic Caesar salad looked good. And my husband ordered the Fettuccine Maremonte, and wow that was good. The truffle stood out but not over powering. I liked the atmosphere and the outdoor dining was very cute all lit up but it was just too cold that night to enjoy it, so we did sit inside. I would recommend this place.

Went for restaurant week but ended up ordering off the menu. Food was excellent, service was great. We got the lobster bisque, calamari, short rib Gnocchi, fettuccine maremonte. We also ordered a bottle of wine. They didn’t have the wine we wanted and our server Shannon had a great second recommendation for us that we really enjoyed. Each dish had its own unique flavor. We sat outside and the atmosphere was cute. We will definitely be back.

Had an outstanding lunch at Giardino. The Caesar salad size was quite large. I could barely finish it. The stuffed mushrooms was quite tasty. I liked it so much; I took some of my pizza and dipped the pizza in the sauce. Received excellent and very friendly service from Shannon. She went over the menu in detail and was very attentive. Overall, great meal and service…

Appetizer was good, but the pizza was a huge disappointment. It was overly cheesy and entirely too greasy to eat. There was literally a puddle of grease on top of the pizza. Why would you even serve that to a customer? We paid the tab and ate elsewhere. I will mention that our waitress did comp the greasy pizza.

I definitely would recommend this restaurant! The building looked really nice, the food was delicious (we asked for extra cheese), the waiters were very kind and we got our food quickly.

Had a 5pm reservation for Friday and they were already busy 🙄 tried the restaurant week menu and it was good! The stuffed sole was nice but the lobster mash was meh! Sciliano steak was good, calamari didn’t taste fresh. Service is good and atmosphere nice for lemon grove. Maybe it was an off day, but their food usually good!

We went to Giardino for our anniversary and will definitely be back! The menu had amazing selection, and they have a great date night deal on Wednesdays! AMBIANCE: The ambiance wad nice and very cute. We sat outside in the sun, but they have heaters if it gets cold. It wasn't too loud. SERVICE: The service was great. The drinks and food came promptly but not too promptly, and our server was very nice and friendly. FOOD: We ordered the following: Drinks: We got a bottle of wine and the lemon/citrus spritz. The spritz was perfect and refreshing but not too tart/bitter (I tend to prefer sweeter drinks). I would definitely get it again, but they had a lot of other cocktails that looked great too! Appetizers: 1. Arancini - Excellent. Very flavorful and bite sized. Would absolutely get again. 2. Brie - Excellent. Would get again and preferred over the Arancini even though both were great! Entrees: 1. Prosciutto & Burrata Pizza - Excellent! 2. Short Rib - I love a good short rib, and this may have been the best short rib I have had at any restaurant in San Diego. Perfectly tender and very flavorful. Dessert: To be honest, dessert was the weakest course for me. It was good, but I'm a tough critic on desserts, and I would not try either again even though I liked them. They had a few other options though. We will absolutely be back, and I have recommended Giardino to my friends! 1. Nutella Cheesecake - Great 2. Some other cheesecake I can't remember the name of

We love this restaurant! We have been a number of times. Such a hidden gem. I recommend the roasted pear salad, the penne salsiccia and the short rib. They also have gluten free penne and gluten free pizza crust, which gives me a lot of options!

What a cute restaurant!! Definitely gives off a casually elegant vibe. Keep in mind I went around 5PM. We were in the mood for Italian food and I must say this place was good. I tried their dirty martini and if you like ordering that drink ( I'd pass on it here) However, the blackberry whiskey drink SOO GOOD! The service was very attentive and kind. We didn't feel rushed. It's a great place for a date or grabbing a meal with friends and family. I believe there is what appears to be a private room. I will say if you don't know the area you might drive past the restaurant. We drove by it twice and I missed it both times. ( I'm also a woman and directionally challenged) So take that for what it's worth .

Cute little Italian place a friend recommended. The place was clean and the service was great! Came in on a Saturday night. It was busy but not packed. We had the chicken parm and the short rib gnocchi. Food didn't take long to come out. Both were full of flavor. To drink, we had the pear martini and a drink that was similar to a dirty martini. I can't remember the name. However, it was probably one of the BEST martinis. For dessert we had the lemon cake. We can't wait to come back and try some of the other dishes. We definitely want to go back for their Monday cheese wheel special.

Besides the decor, we just weren't impressed. The service was okay, and the food.was less than okay. The house salad was drenched in dressing, the pizza barely had any sauce, the garlic knots had A LOT of garlic, the bread for the bruschetta was VERY HARD, the spaghetti was bland, and the Chicken Alfredo was also very bland (with tough chicken). Most of the patrons were elderly, so I wondered how they ate the chicken and/or bruschetta if they ordered the same dishes. Needless to say, I don't blame on returning.

One of the best Italian restaurant we have come across! We first encounter this cute, charming spot when we used to reside in lemon grove. The place was fairly new then, but fast forward years later, they are still doing amazing! Fortunately the quality of the food and service remains consistent. Ambiance is modernized, classy yet gives off a causal vibe as well. The place does have an existence parking lot in the back of the restaurant. Overall, we love coming here and will continue to return.

I just moved to Lemon Grove so the fact that there is a place like this here, makes me so excited! Let me just say this was bomb.com. I visited this place on a random Tuesday night. To our suprise they were having a deal. Purchase any pizza and get a free 1/2 wine carafer. Here is everything we ordered: Calamari: 8/10 San Danielle Pizza: 10/10 Fettuccine Carbonara: 11/10 Lasagna Rosa: 10/10 Beer: 10/10 House White Wine: 8/10 Blackberry Basil Cocktail: 11/10 Tiramisu: 10/10 Pistachio & Riccotta Cake: 10/10 We paid $157 (tip not included). I thought prices were fair and so were the portions. Our waitress was great and very attentive. The person bringing out the food was also really nice and funny. These things matter when creating the perfect dining experience. Food took a little longer than we would of wanted to come out but nothing that wouldn't make me go back. The food and drink menu is pretty extensive. I can't wait to go back and try all of their coktails! They have a tiramisu martini and a pear martini I really want to try! They have outdoor and indoor sitting. The place was packed for a Tuesday night. They also have a bar area so I definitely want to sit there next time. Vibes were fun and light. I 100% recommend this place. Can't wait to go back!

Decided to come here for the first time in years, apparently, to do restaurant week. Turned out due to some error a menu had been incorrectly posted briefly on the SDRW site. They were very confused when we came in and asked about it and apologized and said we could go to Zest if we wanted as they were doing restaurant week. Since we had a sitter on the clock we decided to stay despite the fact that they don't have stuffed sole on the menu. I got the lobster bisque that I was planning on, but it was a bit too salty. Husband got calamari and I tried a piece but it was too tough to bother with and I wasn't a fan of the flavor. I had the short rib gnocchi as my main. It was a bit tough and lots of gristle left in the short rib. The server who brought the mains left to bring Parmesan for entrees but never came back. Our actual server was nice and on top of the cocktails we ordered. These were by far the best part of the meal and reasonably priced. Very tasty, and the menu had lots of great sounding options. We decided to go elsewhere for dessert and were overall underwhelmed by everything but the cocktails. I can't say I would go out of my way to come here again. There are so many other places for the same price...but they do have good deals for date nights etc. if you want the options on that menu.

Came here for Restaurant Week. Limited parking near the restaurant. Dimmed atmosphere. Service was ok What we ordered: Calamari - pretty chewy. Over friend Roasted Pear Salad - was ok Steak Sicilano - not seasoned, really rare, asked for medium rare Seafood Risotto - tasted more like rice with seafood, not really a creamy risotto which I thought I was getting. Plus was that there was a lot of seafood Tiramisu- good Pistachio Cake - the only thing I liked out of the whole meal

Really great food! Only complaints were the lukewarm coffee (very weird and something I haven't ever experienced at a restaurant before) and my sausage hash was kinda heavy on the aioli so it made everything oddly creamy for a savory breakfast dish that already has a ton of mozzarella. Everything tasted great though! The cannoli waffles were a big hit! Service was friendly but a bit slow. I felt like they were weeded. Only 1-2 people serving and waiting tables on a pretty full house on a Sunday.

*casual +friendly ambiance * spacious for large parties * selective brunch items *great customer service The service is great Shanon is so helpful and friendly. We came to celebrate a baptism for brunch, this place is usually busy and parking is Always Packed Note: (they have parking in the back) but depending on time you go it will be packed but don't be discouraged there is plenty of street parking. The Food is good especially the fettuccine Alfredo is tasty. The garlic knots here are a must try! Short rib Benedict were tasty, they also have tasty appetizers. The calamari are nice and crunchy with great dipping sauces, the egg plant rolls tasty and cheesy a must try when in Lemon grove.

PERSISTENCE NO PERFECTION! This place is special to me because since they have moved into town they have elevated the local flavors of Lemon Grove/spring valley and we Love this! We also love that they have that hoe grown family own feel with the elevated elegance of a corporate restaurant conglomerate, the staff so friendly and attentive the decor beautiful. And the food... persistent, now I'm not sure this is the correct word but I like haha... they just keep coming they don't get everything exactly right but, all of it is top very very good. I won't go into details but you will have to visit to find out. But I believe if they stay as persistent as they are, they will end up on many of the top food list!! WE LOVE GIARDINO!!!

We've been to this place several times and it never disappoints. The food is consistently well prepared. The service is excellent and the portions are generous all at a reasonable price, especially given today's cost. On our most recent visit. We had the chicken Parmesan and lasagna, both of which were delicious with the flavorful sauce that wasn't overly salt And the garlic knots plenty of them and honestly, they could be a meal on their own highly recommend

We attended their 7th anniversary, what a great night. It's always a challenge when trying to serve this many people all at once but as usual Karina is a master. We love sitting outside The food is always fresh and delish. we decided on family style and shared the steak Siciliana and pasta. One dish I hadent tried and it was cooked to perfection. Plus the way it's served is perfect to share. By far the best Italian in East county. And if you're more interested in chilling, they have Zest next door, a cool quiet wine bar.

What a hidden gem in Lemon Grove! Amazing Italian restaurant with great ambiance. Perfect for a date night or group dinner. We were invited by friends, and loved it so much, we were back for a date night within a month. Beautiful outdoor seating with icicle lights throughout the porch. Indoor is lovely, not too crowded. Service was quick and hospitable. Both times, we ordered the short rib and mashed potato flat bread. So good!!! The cut it thinner the second time which made it even better. Short rib was so tender, complementing the crunch of the flat bread crust. My first time, I got the truffle risotto - OH EM GEE - so good. Delicious. Second time, I got the cheese ravioli. Was pleasantly surprised to find it in a pesto cream sauce - could be overwhelming if you don't like pesto. I'd like to try the other raviolis next time. We also got the garlic knots which were soooo garlicky, which I love. Just be prepared for major garlic breath after! Will add this place as a regular date night spot. Lovely restaurant and great food! Nothing was disappointing.

The good: ambiance was nice. Staff were very friendly, attentive and helpful. Lamb chops were awesome. Sea bass was pretty good. Now for the not so good. TWO AND A HALF HOURS to have dinner here for six. Took almost 90 minutes to get served after ordering. My son had previous plans to go out with friends so he was forced to get his meal to go. That shouldn't happen. Place was so loud I was almost yelling to have any kind of conversation with my family. Virtually no parking. I ordered the Fettuccine Carbonara but I'm not sure what it was. The pasta was swimming in the sauce. There were large slices of onion too. A lot of sliced onion. Huh? This was like a very bland Alfredo (with a lot of onion) with pancetta. I've had pasta carbonara many times and this was by far the worst. There's obviously a reason why place was packed but it wasn't because of this dish. Not motivated to return.

Giardino is incredible--food quality, service, ambiance and all! I highly recommend the calamari, Steak Siciliano, and short rib gnocchi. The San Danielle pizza was also very soft and flavorful (Burrata, prosciutto, arugula). I came here during restaurant week AND happy hour so I ordered a whole bunch of food to try a little bit of everything. Pro tip: they are also on GrubBub and Uber Eats!!!

Delicious food. Seafood pasta was so good with a big portion!! Super friendly staff. Definitely will be coming again.

I have been here a few times and each time it is so delicious! The vibes are great and overall it's a wonderful place with yummy food!

The food was delicious. The happy hour menu was amazing. Great local restaurant for a quick bite and drinks.

Great service. Sat outside under the patio with my spouse and two boys. Had the brunch. Cinnamon bread yummee! Italian hash and brisket chilaquiles were a hit

I first discovered this place during the pandemic. There was just a tiny outdoor area. But I was loyal because the food was (and still is) SPECTACULAR. Now, that front patio is a gorgeous, heated (and lit with little white bulbs) dining area. Inside is equally nice. And there's even a spot outback for a large group. Food wise, the garlic knots are a MUST. For those cutting carbs, they have a zucchini noodle pasta with tomato sauce that's incredible. Recently we had their linguini and clams (which was served with a lobster tail!). My dad rated this the best he had ever had. But my favorite dish of all time is the penne salsiccia (pasta with a light crème sauce with spicy sausage). They have a wonderful wine list and a good selection of beers as well. Family friendly and pet friendly.

For those who read restaurant reviews and write food reviews. Real brief, we arrived shortly after they opened -up on Sunday. Our waitress did a fine job. We did not have to wait a considerable amount of time for service, water, and drinks. The vibe, atmosphere, and ambiance was good outside under the covered patio. Giardino brunch menu offered a good selection of appetizers, and entrees. As a first timer at Giardino. I would recommend Giardino for anyone who has a taste for Italian or who likes Italian food. Ordered items: Garlic Knots, Shrimp and Polenta, Dirty Fires, Chicken Alfredo, Chicken and Waffles and for Desert: Pumpkin cheesecake.

Went here for dinner and food was okay. Service was okay as well. Ambiance was missing though. Came long ago to this place for lunch and it was really nice. Like a place that has consistency, so I look forward to this restaurant to step up. It has potential and I will come back to see it. Please stop by and have a bite if you are in the neighborhood. Let's cheer them up! Happy meals

The food is good! Service was excellent and the staff is very friendly! The decor is very pretty at night. The ribeye was excellent but the gnocchi was meh. I probably won't run back but if I'm in the area I'll grab a drink or some appetizers!

Good service. Perfect timing on serving appetizers and main dish. Pretty good for the price! Pasta was overcooked tho. I could not twirl my fettuccine without it breaking. Decor is nice and cozy. Ambient lighting.

The service OK until I found out from my partner that our female waitress constantly rolled her eyes as walked away from our table after attending to us. Sucks I had to tip her $40 ($200 bill) not knowing her attitude. Food, we waited nearly an hour for our main entrees. We ordered the truffle risotto and it was the worst meals I've ever tasted. No flavor, bland and tasted like brown rice. I normally take food home if we have leftovers but there was no way I could have tried to make it taste better if I had ate it at home. I live 2 miles away and I would never come back again. Mediocre food and overpriced, stay away.

Pros: seemed like a good varied menu. Small parking in the back that you can catch a spot IF lucky. Cons: slow to no wait staff attention. I almost had to fill my own water. Appetizers came out with the meal, which bummer. Ordered the $45 sea bass and it was drowned in a cheap tarter like sauce. So gross. I ended up switching my plate with my guests because I wanted them to suffer too. Risotto was not bad but not great. Had to use the bathroom 2x while there (I think from the garlic knots which were tasty) and used each bathroom (they have 2). Both bathrooms were filthy. Filthy as in trash on the floor and ass spray all over the toilets. Crème brûlée was not bad. I had expected it to be horrible but it wasn't. Almost feel asleep waiting to get my bill to escape. Bottom Line: will not return.

Best italian place we have ever been. Been exploring around but we kept comparing this place out of everyone and this place still stands out! The calamari is the best, lobster bique, and the steak!

What a hidden gem. The food was very delicious. The ambiance was cute inside. There's parking in the back and service was great.

The best chicken parm ever! The owner will go out of her way to say hello make you feel like she is your best friend, when in reality she's never met you, Katy is an amazing bartender. Love the quant seating adorable place. This a go to for date night happy hour etc. we love it so much

Love the dishes here. Katie at the bar is awesome with great energy and a sincere smile. She tended to an issue I had with the online ordering right away. All in all the great ambiance, food, and service make Giardino's an an absolute neighborhood gem.

We tried a new place for a birthday dinner. Service was very good. Both servers were polite and friendly, the atmosphere is attractive and clean. It seemed a good choice for his birthday. We started with a charcuterie board and berry spritzers. Not bad. But we made a big mistake ordering the Spare Rib Mashed Potato Flatbread. Why even mention spare ribs? It was about 1 tablespoon of juice from cooking spare ribs (it was brown so I guess) on the total "pizza slice" with about 1/3 cup of mashed potatoes and lots of cheese. Not even a hint of spare rib flavor. It was a fancy pizza slice and we thought the rest would come later. We would not recommend it at all unless you want to feel bloated afterwards from so much bread and cheese. It was a special occasion so I didn't say anything while there, but wish I had sent it back. PS Below I read that someone described the SRMP flatbread as having thinner slices... WHAT? slices of bread? There was not one piece of meat slice. See the picture in Yelp given by the restaurant!! They mention it complemented the crispy bread...WHAT?? if anything it was soggy - but not the worst characteristic of the plate- but not crispy with so much moisture on top. Did we come on a cook's off night? Is that review a real person?

This place is amazing! The staff is extremely friendly with excellent service. The risotto and calamari is my always go too. The food quality is superb. I live in National City and drive there for the food and service. I am not a big wine person but they have a extensive selection of wines

I am always impressed by going there. I did not know they did brunch. It is from 11 to 3 PM on Sundays. I had the delicious chicken and waffles. My friends had the chili Quiles the breakfast pizza. we also had espresso martinis and bloody Mary's so delicious well worth great ambience nothing better than sitting out on the patio with friends, enjoying the breeze and enjoying great food and service from the employees to the owner

Giardino is a hit and miss. Sometimes the food is tasty and sometimes it's literally microwaved Costco food. Just recently I had their pear salad. That was okay. It definitely needed to be accompanied by bread but I would order again and possibly recommend it. The star of the show was the short rib mash flatbread. It was blazing hot when it came out so give it a sec before you devour. It was so delicious that I wished that I had ordered 3 of these instead of the salad and pasta. I ordered a sangria which came in a Mason jar and a straw. Honestly, I hated the presentation. Sangria should be served in a wine glass. They threw in a lime and an orange slice very a-la-michelada so the essence was lost. Wine in a Mason jar...might as serve it in a mug. For the main dish we ordered the fettuccine carbonara. It wasn't bad. It was nice but it needed a little more flavor. Maybe it was that it didnt have enough pancetta/bacon flavor. I was a little weirded out at how the server walked by with a bowl of "parmesan" cheese and a spoon and asked if we wanted extra cheese. Olive Garden has a brick of cheese that they grind for their guests. Presentation is everything. I don't want to pay $200+ for less than Olive Garden grade food. The last time I went I was appalled at their parmesan truffle fries. They were literally zig zag fries from the freezer isle at Safeway coated with truffle salt from Costco. I expected to feel a bit of Italy but instead it felt like I was at a food court. I don't think I'll be returning but that flat bread might be worth it.

A bold claim... but this may be the best Italian food in San Diego. We came here for the first time and had Afton as our server. She made our night so special. Amazing service! The food is out of this world. Homemade, fresh and flavorful. The apps and drinks slap. The ambiance is 10/10. super rustic and cute little details everywhere. Amazing!

Once again excellent food service cocktails! Only bad is I wish it was closer to my part of town I would be a regular!

Have been a few times for lunch/happy hour. Have always enjoyed. Had brunch here for first time and wow! Beautiful Sunday morning required a bottle of bubbles on the patio. Gf ordered the short rib Benedict. Stellar! I think the whole patio could hear our 'mmmm's. I ordered the chicken and waffles (true treat for me). It came so perfectly presented. Feast for the eyes. This is where I took a star off, the chicken was very bland. Not even some salt could perk it up. I'm hoping this was just a fluke because it was cooked to perfection, and a generous portion. The waffle was also the perfect accompaniment. I will be going back and ordering this again though. The potential for fabulous is there. Looking forward to trying many more items. The service was top notch. Warm, friendly, on point.

I would never eat here again, quality of service was remarkably terrible for a $200 dinner. Extremely overpriced for service that makes the ikea food court look like a 5-star experience. Had reservation plans for valentines for the set menu at 8. The server forgot one of our drinks and didn't check back in for an hour. We ended up finally being served our meals at around 9:50, nearly two hours later. On top of this, they ran out of the dessert we paid for in the set menu. Food quality was mediocre, I got fish and the rice was smothered in sauce and mushy. The fish was decently cooked.

I have been here several times and have never been dissatisfied and almost always surprised by something new. Food quality is always outstanding and the service is excellent. Make a reservation fr any special occasions and they will go out of their way to satisfy your expectations.

My first time here! I loved it! Katy was a wonderful bartender! The food was delicious! The stuffed mushrooms and the chicken parm was perfect. I can't wait to go back. The owner was a delight! You can tell she puts her heart and soul into her place.

Food is great and they have some nice dishes. The bread could be way better. I would go back but not be at the bar. The bartender is not friendly and should find work back in Santa Barbara where she came from.

Good food, good service. I have come here a few times over the years and always had a good experience. I even had a birthday party for myself in the private room. I recommend coming here.

Staff is friendly and efficient. Gave me extra dressing w/o a blink. The dressing (Caeser), btw, was out of this world - creamy, peppery, touch of the anchovy - and perfect on the Caeser, which came with tender grilled chicken deliciously flavored. 2 at our table got blue cheese martinis and loved 'em. My red blend was good with my meal. We also had pasta and gnocchi - both top shelf! I recommend!!

The steak tasted like a luxury steakhouse steak. It was tender with a great crust and tons of flavor. Highly recommend. The fettuccine Alfredo was very creamy and delicious. My son enjoyed his kids cheese pizza. Our server Roberto was very kind and attentive. It was very busy and we were still paid attention to. He may have been the only server and was still on it. We bought a round of beers for the kitchen bc they deserved it (cool option you can do on dessert menu). We got the Nutella cheesecake and crème brûlée to go which I can't wait to try! The vibe of the restaurant (ambience) is gorgeous and very warming and trendy.

Always a family favorite! My dad is a steak connoisseur and SWEARS that the steak siciliano is the best in San Diego. This is the first time I've tried the pear pizza and this will now be my new go to! The staff are always so kind and friendly to us and the decor of this restaurant is always so pretty to look at.

I've been here numerous times and every time the meal is fantastic. The eggplant rolls are my favorite and the marinara is always fresh. The service is efficient and the ambiance is relaxing but still a great place for small groups. The outdoor seating on warm nights is also a great place for some me time.

Our first-time here and we are definitely coming back . The food was delicious rich in flavor. The service was great from our host/waitress Adriana and Ana to the owner /manager himself. Welcoming and attentive thru the whole time. They had almost full capacity and this fid not affect the service delivered by the whole team. I highly recommend them. They have great weekly specials and happy hour. They also have a wine bar next door was busy as well. That's next on our check out list. I forgot to take pictures of our salmon dinner and the tiramisu that we also enjoyed. It has a patio dinning area that was very nice to have our early dinner at. You enjoy the weather, ambiance, delicious food. Date night on Thursday was great.