Giovanni's Family Italian Restaurant

I don't know what all of the hype is about this place, but yall can have it. First of all, the salad comes out and I have a bowl full of lettuce, half of tomato, one slice of onion and parmesean cheese. Who in the heck supposed to eat that. When asked our waitress Leah, she said that's how they were told to make it. She didn't even offer to bring out more. We are sitting there for about 30 -40 minutes for Leah to come and say, oh by the way we ran out of meatballs, because of the large party that was their. A bunch of BS!!So my husband said just give me sausage. He thought about it called her back to our table and asked well can you offer me something just as a courtesy of making us wait and Leah said you said substitute for sausage, I can have them remake you something else, but she wasn't nice about it at all. We asked for the manager and Arta (don't know if the spelling is right) she was sweet and apologetic. I just dont understand why would you make us wait 30-40 minutes to say we don't have meatballs and now we have another 30 minutes or so to get something new. After all is said and done, we tasted better Italian and have been treated way better than tonight. We will not be going back!! This was totally unacceptable!!!!

This is one of those places you definitely come for the food! I was a bit skeptical based on the appearance but the food knocked my socks off. The lasagna is the main reason I will be back. Just so you are aware the food is baked fresh so you will have a wait but it is worth it! A must try in Cincinnati!

Very clean and comfortable atmosphere. Was greeted as soon as we walked into the place. It is a small family owned place and owner walked around asking how everything was and made everyone feel welcome. The food portions are very generous and large. The meals come with a salad and two garlic breads, so the price is well worth what you get. The ranch is very good and obviously home made. Waitress was fast and attentive, the food came out very hot and fresh… VERY fresh. I definitely recommend this place and will happily drive back up there again for more!

Don't let the mediocre outside shy you away.. The service is top notch, the entrée's are delightful, the wine list has something for everyone and THE DESSERTS *chefs kiss* . We were first timers and as life long westsiders I can't believe we haven't attend until now. The amount of food is shareable and wont break the bank. If you're looking for homemade Italian this is the place to be. They also offer carryout!

Family owned restaurant food is quality but overpriced to me. The prices in Yelp are way off they must be 10 year old pricing. Eggplant was like a 23 dollar dish and then they bring out my salad with the dressing in a little tiny cup. I asked for more and was told it would be extra so i mentioned it was half full and she stood her ground so I said ok just bring a full one. Then I did sit for say 5 minutes without anything to drink. I actually like Olive Garden Eggplant parmesan more. The atmosphere is also far from cozy. If your lucky you get a booth around the side but many are tables in one big room where I feel on display. For the price, service and atmosphere I probably wont return.

My family had dinner here the other night and it quickly became a local favorite! We loved this place. From the friendly prompt service, the warm cozy atmosphere, and the amazing food. It really feels like little Italy! The older gentleman seated us and continued walking around conversing with customers with a smile on his face. We felt like family here. It was such a breath of fresh air! Can’t wait to take my whole family back here soon. 10/10

1st time here and we absolutely love it. The sauces are so.... soooo....... soooooo GOOD!! Highly Highly recommend!!!

Food was good, nice portion size for the price. I personally had enough for two almost 3 meals on my plate.

great, the owner gave me a hug and was a genuine joy to be around. tiramisu was very good

Giovanni's fit our 8-person family into NYE for an early dinner! The food was delicious, service was friendly and excellent, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time. Bonus: blocking kids into the booth when the adults sat at the table that was added to the end of the booth ;) Highly recommend and looking forward to returning upon our next trip to town!

I went to Giovanni's Family Italian after hearing such amazing things about it. We waited about 20 minutes for a table on a weekend night, not bad at all. The waitress warned us right when we sat down it would be about 50 minutes until we got our entrees. On the dot our entrees came out after 50 minutes. Loved that they served the salad, so it wasn't too long waiting for our main entrees. Both dishes were VERY GOOD. The sauce is clearly made in house. I also loved the creamy Italian dressing on the house salad. I'd 100% go back and recommend to anyone to visit Giovanni's to be served a great homestyle family Italian meal.

Huge fan of Giovanni's. I've been twice and it has been fantastic both visits. The food is delicious. I've had the eggplant parm and the linguine and clams. Both were fresh. The portions are enormous. The service is good. Food arrives pretty quickly even though they are always busy. The place is clean. Parking can be tough but that's understandable. This place is an institution so please go and try it!

We were a party of 4. Ate early at 4:00pm and we were glad we did. We had no problem being seated and we had NO WAIT on our meals. The place was packed at 5:30pm when we left with a full bellys. Chicken Marsala, spaghetti & meatballs, clams in butter sauce and Italian platter. We all needed doggie bags. Service from Cheyenne was EXCELLENT! Not a fancy atmosphere but the food sure made up for that. We will be back soon.

Arrived Sunday evening at 8:00 PM, our party of 7 including 2 toddlers and a baby were greeted and seated by the owner. Service was great. Food was EXCELLENT - you have to wait a little on it, and it is worth it! Not cheap, but you get GENEROUS portions, and will be taking some home with you - so you're getting 2 meals. Made from scratch, so enjoy it! My Meat Lasagna was delicious, and the other adults enjoyed their Pasta Combo, Chicken Fra Diavlo and Chicken Parmigiano. They close at 9:00 PM but didn't rush us out. They were fine with cleaning up around us. Very hospitable!

A little piece of Sicily, everything made from scratch. I almost gave three stars, but the food was amazing. Everything was made from scratch. This is not a hidden gem the westsiders love it. Service was great , and the ambiance was very simple. Don't leave without the Chardonnay to wash it down.

Every time we eat there it has been wonderful! The staff are very friendly. The food is authentic Italian and several dishes to pick from. I've had a different dish each time and enjoyed it all.

Giovanni's is close to home, so I was excited when a friend recommended we meet there for lunch. We arrived at Noon on a Thursday. The place was pretty empty. When we left around 2, it was very busy. There's nothing especially fancy about the restaurant, but it's very comfortable. Trust me, it's much more about the food! Giovanni's has flavor in spades! There seemed to be one person waiting on all the tables. This was not an issue for us until it came time to pay. It took a little time, but it was excusable. Most everyone absolutely LOVED the food. I had Giovanni's Special. I ordered it with penne and it was fantastic! From the very first bite I was in heaven. I was a little nervous about it being topped with feta cheese. My concern was unfounded. I ate until I was comfortably full and had the rest for dinner, cold. It was still delicious. One friend ordered the Chef's Special with chicken. It looked amazing and the serving was huge! She loved it. Another ordered Eggplant Parmigiana. She also raved about the food. Mark ordered the Trio Delight. He said it was good, but he was not as over the moon about his meal as the rest of us were about ours. It's definitely pricey, but worth it. We all took food home; each meal was easily enough for two (meals). We will bring other folks here. I'm already looking forward to it.

Authentic Italian cuisine. Service was impeccable. Ambiance: Old world charm. Intimate.

Visited at end of August, happy they'd reopened after the family trip to Italy so this eatery had been closed! We've been visiting since my daughter was a freshman at UC so wanted to celebrate her start of Senior year with a family lunch visit! Giovanni's never disappoints, always delights! I tried the stuffed eggplant this time and... wow! I could only eat maybe half of it despite how delicious it was! Our son finished every bite of the huge portion of fettuccine as it's the 'best anywhere'. Daughter ordered tortellini and we my husband ordered a huge calzone. I forgot to snag a photo of what my stepdaughter ordered but we all five enjoyed our meals and the friendly service! When our daughter graduates we may still trek to Cinci just to eat here on occasion, it's that good!

First time here and it was awesome. Greeted and seated by Mr. Giovanni himself. Food was exceptionally good. Hubs had shrimp scampi and they did not skimp on the shrimp!! Delish calamari appetizer! My recommendation is the Giovanni special. We will be regular customers for sure. Staff very attentive.

If you are looking for great food and service this is the best authentic little Sicilian / Italian family restaurant in town. Gio was very nice and welcoming. (We had a big party and called ahead to confirm that they could accommodate us.) Although they have the traditional white table cloths and real napkins it's still a pretty relaxed atmosphere. Real local and family friendly. We ordered calamari and cheese bread for appetizers. Both were delicious. Salads were good sized with simple but delicious house dressing, the creamy Italian was also good. Had an amazing chicken piccata dish as a large dinner, others had the combination dinners with lasagna and chicken parmigiana stuffed shells. Also a few people ordered the lobster ravioli. The sauces were amazing. Everything was delicious and well prepared. Prices were reasonable for almost family style portions. The pasta was made in-house and was very worth the carbs and the wait. (Real Italian food is made to order. Order an appetizer. Take your time and enjoy some wine and conversation. If you want fast food go to those restaurant chains ) Could easily become my weekly dinner spot.

Dined here on Thursday, 1/30/25. Contrary to some reviews, our service was excellent. We had a cocktail before ordering and we were still ready to leave in a little over an hour. The food was excellent and be aware they do serve knotted rolls with dinner. Our guests were newbies and they loved it.

No fancy decor, but OH MY GOSH, the food is excellent!! The staff is very nice. Our server, Eleanor was very kind. Unless my memory is faulty, that was just about the best lasagna I ever had!! My better half ordered spaghetti and meatballs. Very tasty. The garlic knots are awesome! Everything from scratch, great job!

Fresh Family Italian come and get it here. Giovanni's is an authentic Italian restaurant, they make everything from scratch and the taste proves it. Everything from our appetizer to entrees were amazing and delicious. Prices are comparable for what you get and we all left full and satisfied. The ambiance is a nice mom and pop feel to it and not very ostentatious. They can accommodate groups with several tables being arranged in the middle for just such a case. The server was both quick and very knowledgeable as to the menu and how things were made. Though busy we treated well and received great service. Tips to make your visit a success: 1) Come early. We came around 5:00PM and it was fine we were seated immediately but soon the place was packed with people. So if don't want to wait then come early. 2) From scratch food takes a while. Our server let us know that the food because it was prepared fresh would take a while. We didn't mind but others might so come knowing this isn't a quick dinner spot. If you're craving Italian come to Giovanni's Family Italian Restaurant today!!

Excellent. I feel the need to qualify myself with that statement. I eat a lot of pasta. My folks are Italian, we've eaten pasta atleast twice every week for my entire life. Giovanni's pasta is excellent. Just as good as some 5-star restaurant with no need for flair or filigree. It is a Mom-and-Pop restaurant to it's core: no fancy seating or setting. Just a room full of people chowing down on big dishes of tomato and noodle. I normally warn people about price. If you're going as a couple, expect to drop about $50. That said, you are not buying a single meal. You are buying atleast two meals worth of food in a single order. You will have leftovers. Great place. Happy it's here, and hoping for many more years of it being here.

Great Italian food. All options are good. Not the fastest in town but well worth the wait for fresh food.

Food: 3.5/5 We ordered the cheese garlic bread for an app and the sausage socca atini and chick fettuccine Alfredo for entrees. We didn't realize more bread would come with the entrees, so we ordered the garlic cheese bread. It was the perfect balance of crispy and soft. I love red sauce, and the dipping sauce was flavorful. The entrees were large portions, which are great for leftovers. The food was tasty but did not stand out compared to other Italian restaurants. Service: 3/5 They only had two people we could see working on the Friday afternoon we went in. They did an excellent job with staying moving from table to table and getting food out. They did a nice job bringing out refills. They would probably benefit from a few more people, but given that it's the afternoon, I'm sure they staff for busier times. The service was a bit slow. Atmosphere: 3/5 The space is clean, but the design is a bit dated and very green-forward. The tile is a little slippery, but we had just come in from the rain. They have a big dining room with a booth and table seating.

I Googled " BEST Chicken CACCIATORE in Cincinnati " and Giovanni's came up first, at the top of the list. NO disappointment. I've had this dish from Chicago to New York , and Giovanni's is right up there in taste and and authentic preparation. Easy free parking, super friendly staff, large portions, reasonably priced, considering the excellent quality. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK.

Best Italian in Cincinnati. Neighborhood gem. Authentic Italian run by Italian family. Excellent friendly service.

This is an authentic Italian restaurant on North Bend Road in Cincinnati. It has all of the Italian favourites that you would expect and Giovanni himself always very present and a joy to talk to whenever we visit (while this was my first visit my wife and daughter have been here many times.) I tried one of my favourite Italian dishes, the Manicotti. It's shells that were stuffed with a cheese mixture (parm and ricotta?) and covered with a red sauce. The cheeses were plentiful and top notch and the sauce was a very good one too. A simple but perfectly executed version of this dish. They also served some garlic rolls that were delish as well. The food is great, the atmosphere of the restaurant is awesome, and the prices are extremely reasonable. Add in great service and there's no reason not to come here. Thumbs way up.

I can't believe this places doesn't have more stars on average. It's outstanding, homemade Italian food that hits the spot every time. First of all - HUGE portions. HUGE. My husband and I make it a point to share. Second, they serve garlic knots with the pasta when it comes so don't overdo it on garlic bread ahead of time (like I did). Last, be prepared to wait. Even if you end up sitting down quickly, it can be a good hour before the food arrives as it's prepared fresh and it's a family restaurant. But it is 100% worth the wait. Let me clarify something. This is a simple place. It's not fancy, but the food is fantastic. The service is friendly. That's why it's always packed! If you're looking for quality, fresh homemade pasta and sauces, this is the place to go. Oh, I almost forgot to mention what we ordered! Shrimp Fra Diavolo - it is very tasty - 8 large shrimp and very spicy. If you are nervous about spices, skip this and go marinara. Sausage Socca atini - This was absolutely delicious. My husband and I shared this. The sausage pasta reminded me of ravioli, but the sausage was wrapped in little "purses" of pasta - delish. Spaghetti and Meatballs - This is what is one of the most popular things on the menu. It is a very generous serving and comes with 3 large homemade meatballs. Just writing about this food makes me want to go back!

Food is always good, but if Giovanni isn't working the seating, watch out. An older lady, perhaps his wife(Giovanni wasn't working that night), was rushing us to leave when we asked for to go boxes. She sat at table next to us facing us as she waited for her staff to get us the check. She stood and watched us like hawks as we put the food in the boxes, so she could rush us out. We were going to get dessert, but decided of course not to as she was very rude. We won't be going back.

Finally got to check this place off our list and it did not disappoint! Service was great and food was delicious. We will be back. Definitely recommend!

Great food and great price. Owner greeted us and made us feel welcome. Get a lot of food for the price!

The food was amazing and the service was even better. Giovanni himself was seating customers, cleaning tables, and engaging with everyone. He is the nicest man, I could not recommend this place enough! We got the spaghetti and meatballs and the fettuccine Alfredo. Both dishes came with 2 garlic knots each as well as a side salad. The house made Italian dressing was awesome! I can't wait to go back! Thank you Giovanni you made our night!!

We've been here twice now. The first time was a great experience concerning the food and service, and the second time was not a great experience concerning the food and service. Although the food and service were not good the second time, we did not complain. And, although we had the same exact server the second time as we'd had the first time, he had a very 'zero "f's" given' attitude the second visit. For example, he sat at a table eating his own lunch for most of the duration we were there. He generally did the bare minimum and although we had to wave at him from across the room to get anything, we did not complain. We'll eventually return again for another visit, though no time soon.

After hearing rave reviews we stopped for dinner before a community theater show. Wait was about 20 mins for a table at peak dinner time on a Saturday which is to be expected. Service started out great, but the food took over an hour to come out. When we asked in how much longer it would be we got a flippant "everyone's food is taking about an hour tonight." When our food arrived two of the four dishes were incorrect, entirely different eggplant dishes than ordered. When we alerted the server just said sorry I must have misheard you but that dish is one of my favorites. No offer to discount our bill, no offer to remake, no dessert on the house. As we were in a hurry and now late for our show we didn't have time to wait for a resolution. Dishes are expensive but come with a small salad and two garlic knots. My chicken piccata was underwhelming and while the portions of pasta were very hearty there was maybe a few bites worth of chicken. When we arrived the restaurant was totally full I get it was busy but as we left it was dwindling and over half empty. Overall disappointing service and food, expected much more.

The best Italian I've ever eaten. I don't like going out & eating Italian a lot. Most places it's premade & reheated. Not here. It's fresh, it's delicious, it's homemade, the sauce is the best I ever had. I make pasta from scratch at home, but this pasta was the best !!! The ravioli was so good, the green on the spinach ravioli was absolutely beautiful!! It's hard to impress this chef (yes I am) but they outdid themselves!!!! We will be back. I'll be ordering Christmas dinner from here!!

We had a really good meal at Giovanni's. I've heard great things so had to try it. Portions are really large and all of the ingredients seemed really fresh. Unfortunately, we were told that calzones, Strombolis and pizzas were not available because they didn't have enough employees to make them. We would definitely go back and hopefully try a pizza!

I was craving beef lasagna and decided to give this place another try thinking maybe I would have better luck trying something other than the pizza. But, I should've went somewhere else because it didn't hit the spot. There was mostly sauce in the container and hardly any beef in lasagna. Not to mention the sauce had a sweet taste to it and I'm not a fan. However, I will give them 5 stars on the garlic bread knots. They were delicious but not good enough for me to drive here just for bread. Oh well, I was really hoping this place would've had something great on their menu.

I found about this Awesome Italian Restaurant from the Chowdown Cincinnati Facebook page. I decided to make the trek to find out what the hype was about. Let me tell you that it definitely deserves the hype. It's a very ma and pop type restaurant with Giovanni himself being seen in the restaurant and make sure your meal is great. I ordered my favorite item of Eggplant Parmigiana and it came with a nice side salad and garlic knots. I will definitely be back for more delicious Italian food!!

Have been hearing a lot of good buzz about this place on Chowdown Cincinnati, so thought we would give it a try tonite. Was almost empty at 4:30 on a Friday. We shared some garlic bread. Wife had the ravioli and I got the spaghetti bolognese. Portion sizes are generous here, and almost everyone will take something home. Plus with each entree you get garlic knots and a house salad. I had enough spaghetti sauce and ravioli tomato sauce left over to take home for another spaghetti dinner. Down home family ambiance (owner seated us and came around to check on us), good food and service and dollar-for-dollar, a lot of bang for your buck here. What's not to like? One of the West side's gems.

We've been hearing about how good Giovannni's is and tonight we decided to go try it out. From the outside, it doesn't look like anything special. But inside? You could see and feel why everyone loves it. There were tables available when we arrived at 5:30-ish. But soon there was a line of people waiting. There were several large groups waiting on their food and more waiting for tables on a Wednesday night! Turns out a Fb group called "chow down Cincinnati" has been responsible for Giovanni's bring extremely busy! The food was great. All entrees come with a simple side salad (and a choice of several home made dressings) and garlic knots. We opted not to order an appetizer because we had heard the portions were generous. On hindsight, we probably should have ordered it because it took the entree nearly 45 minutes to come out. My husband had the Pasta Combo which is a sampling of 3 of the baked pastas. It came out steaming hot and was delicious! I ordered the Ravioli Trio - which looked a lot like the Combo- all covered in steaming red sauce. Both were lip smacking delicious! And there was enough for lunch tomorrow. We ordered the cannoli to go and highly recommend getting dessert! As we were getting ready to leave Giovanni himself came to check on our experience. He's a gem! And he explained that in the kitchen are his 3 sons, his daughter, his wife, and his brother. Everything is made fresh every day! Due to the recent increase in business, they've had to stop serving pizza and Stromboli - which is sad but wow! Our server Krista was amazing! We will definitely be back!

Delicious!! Blue cheese dressing very good! Ordered Fra Divalo shrimp and it was excellent !!

Lovely family owned restaurant. The owner was very welcoming and interacted with all the patrons. I ordered the Giovanni special pasta which came in a large portion and had a flavorful sauce. I do wish that I could of added a protein to the dish but it was still great as it was. The meal came with garlic knots which were delightful to have with the pasta sauce. The cannoli cream was too much cream for my preference but I still enjoyed it. Service was great and the food was great, will come again to try other menu items hopefully soon.

Had a fantastic time at Giovanni's! Drinks, salads, and dessert all came out quickly, entrees took a little longer but well worth the wait! Chicken parmigiana, veal piccata, and fettuccini Alfredo were delicious. Wait staff and owner were very pleasant and attentive as well!

The service was quick. We only had to wait about 10 minutes for a table and I felt that was good. I'm in a wheelchair so sometimes the wait can be lengthy. The portions were very good and i had dinner for two nights and could have had a lunch if i wanted to eat pasta and mushrooms. I had been told that it takes a long time to get your meal since nothing is prepared ahead of time so we ordered an appetizer which came out quickly and. By the time we finished the appetizer,they were bringing the meal. Overall it was a 2 1/2 hour meal which is not too long. I will go there again. Since I had not had veal in a long time so I ordered the Veal Piccata It had the right amount for one serving with a little leftover for the next day They are moderately priced (not inexpensive but what you would expect to pay for a family dinner out). We went on Friday after the big snow and we had to go around in the parking 3times to finally find a handicap parking spot. All in all, I would recommend this restaurant and am looking forward to going there again

We've been here a few times but this was the first time on a Saturday night and the wait to get a table wasn't too bad. We were warned they were an hour behind on food and we accepted and placed our order. The dinners come with side salads that come out right away so that helped. Pictured is the chicken parm and it included two large chicken breasts, a good portion of spaghetti noodles, and plenty of sauce and cheese. The chicken was juicy and the sauce was so good and authentic. It was a great combination of flavors. My previous orders were the bolognese and that was delicious as well. The meals are large enough for leftovers of one or even two more meals so I believe it's worth the price based on flavor and portions. Garlic knots are included with the meals as well but sometimes it's worth it to order the cheesy garlic bread appetizer in addition. Some things to note...There isn't a hostess station so be patient on being greeted by one of the staff. The wait for food can be long at times due to the made to order dishes so ask if they forget to mention that. And it can be chilly in the restaurant sometimes so bring an extra layer.

Looking for authentic Italian cuisine with homemade flavor that's out of this world? Giovanni's is the place to visit! Had a great experience this evening as we were greeted and seated by the owner as well as the alluring smell of cheese and garlic that had my stomach grumbling. Almost like I was in Tuscany. Or what I image Tuscany smells like as I've never been. Although I've been to this restaurant a few times in the past and each time the environment and my experience gets better and better. I don't believe reservations are needed but the parking lot will be full on a Friday or Saturday night. The modest exterior of this establishment hides the true jewel within. And that's the homemade pasta dishes ranging from raviolis to veal, picatta, penne, bolognese and things I can't even pronounce but I know it screams authentic. The trio delight that I ordered was enough for at least 2 maybe three meals and cost $26 (2022) so you're definitely getting your moneys worth and the dish comes with salad and garlic, bread rolls. I'm not sure what's better here; the homemade pasta or the sauce but they're a match made in heaven. The sauce is neither too acidic or too sweet. Imagine the story of the three little bears....This sauce is JUST RIGHT and you should make sure to give this place a visit. It's worth the drive from no matter where you're reading this review!

Get the lasagna! Get the lasagna! Get the lasagna. Its the best in Cincinnati. The salads are simple and good. The servers are nice and professional

The food was authentic Italian and the taste well it spoke for itself. Friendly staff and the owner Giovanni was there working right alongside his employees. To top it he is from Sicily Italy. He greeted everyone and took time to talk with his customers. Great to see that this still exists in businesses.

I hate to be a nay-sayer, but this was just ok for me. I'm from the northeast and this Italian is just not up to scratch for me. The meal was definitely homemade and there is a lot of pride in the food, which is great. Giovanni himself was such a nice man and I'll try them again just because the owners are so nice and the waitstaff so attentive. I had the eggplant rollatini and it was very different. It had spinach and mushrooms, which was unexpected for the dish and and it was much more breading than rollatini normally has. I find all "Italian" places in greater Cincy to have way too sweet red sauce, and this was no exception. I'm not talking sweet like marinara should be, but weirdly sweet and yet too acidic at the same time. I call this the Larosas phenomenon. I'll be back to try something different and hope for a better taste experience. If you think larosas is good or even ok you'd probably be fine here and it's much more homemade. Here's to hoping! I wanted to love this one; I'll try again!

Just thought Id reach out to my peeps to let them know about a little hidden gem nestled in cheviot !!!... the food is 100% authentic they do not own a freezer or microwave... just in case u were wondering how fresh it is!! .... Italian owner walks around and greets everyone even buses tables and seats people ... how a successful business should be ran !!! Check it out for yourself!!! My fave, the Giovanni's special that comes with salad ( with the BEST creamy italian dressing) and garlic knot freevwith meal purchase... I order the cheesy garlic bread as well b/c its sooo delicious !!! Chocolate Cannoli the bomb as well!!

Giovanni's was suggested soooo many times in the Facebook group called: Chowdown Cincinnati. The pictures people posted always made my mouth water. I finally had an opportunity to try them and omg it did not disappoint. When we pulled into the parking lot, the aroma of garlic entered my vehicle and my stomach instantly began to growl. We decided to place a to go order. Every single item we ordered was absolutely amazing! Those garlic knots were so dang good too! When I tell you that their sauce is like no other sauce I've ever had in my entire life, ya better believe it. It's not your typical sauce. It was bursting with flavor! We even met Mr Giovanni himself and he was so sweet! Now, we went on a Saturday evening so it was pretty crowded and I'm sure they are even more popular than ever due to the exposure from the Chowdown group. The restaurant and parking lot are pretty small. The wait for our carry out order was about an hour and a half. That was no biggie as we live very close so we just went back to the house to wait. The food is absolutely worth the wait. Also, the menu items were limited. I'm assuming this is because of the popularity of the restaurant and they probably weren't expecting so many people. Again, no big deal because almost everything I wanted to try was available. Since I plan on returning, I can just try the other menu items another time. Make sure you've got plenty of time set aside if you go in the evening on the weekend. Make sure you've got plenty of room in your pants because you're going to be stuffed! I'd suggest sweatpants :) Definitely recommend this place!

Great Italian restaurant on the western side of town. The servings were large and very filling. The garlic knots were divine. The hardest thing about Giovanni's is that it's on the western side of town and I live on the eastern side of town so it's quite a drive. But worth it. When entering the building it appears that the restaurant has been there for a long time with simple tables, booths and decor. Nothing fancy, the food makes the place shine. Yum.

As always had the BEST meal. So worth the 3 hour drive to have dinner here. Food is so amazing and Mr Giovanni visiting the table shows how much he loves what he does and the pride he takes feeding everyone. He's an amazing man and he treats everyone as a guest in his house. You come in hungry and leave stuffed. You also leave with leftovers if not you didn't try enough lol.

Looking for amazing cooked from scratch Italian in Cincinnati from a family run business??? Go here! The owners are very friendly and the food is all made to order. Tip they get very backed up in the kitchen so try and go during the week or be ready for a wait. Garlic nots and any of the baked pasta's are amazing. Will definitely be back soon!