Giovanni’s Ristorante

Excellent. Small and quaint. Great service. Food was absolutely delicious. Will be back. We had the tuna appetizer — fish and risotto and also the shrimp Francaise. Delicious!!!

Excelent place! Awesome Italian food! Best service, ambience and customer service! Everything was just perfect and delicious!
Ask for the chef’s special of the day, it is not on the menu!

Fantastic service and pleasurable staff! It’s also beautiful inside! Food was great. Pasta entrees come with soup or salad and the soup was a delicious roasted pepper soup! The spinach and ricotta ravioli was great! The desserts were not bad but just okay in my opinion. Will come back. It’s a little hard to find cause it’s in the very back of the shopping center

The place is very hard to find for an out of Towner. Food is average. It also helps if you speak Spanish. The wine list by the glass is poor. Don’t expect to get a glass of Italian wine by the glass because you can’t. Had steak which was ordered medium rare and came out bleeding. Wait staff was pleasant though.

I decided to take out for dinner and I got the gnocchi which was phenomenal, but I’ll get to that. When I walked in to pick up my order there was a violinist. I have never been here so I wanted to try it first before I decide to sit down and eat there. The food I got to go was literally so good and tastey. It even came with bread and butter, which most restaurants don’t include. I was in and out very quickly but was still offered water while they packaged my order. I thought this was really nice and thoughtful and I will be returning here, hopefully with friends and family.

Excellent location, parking and venue; excellent food and prices; but over and above, excellent attention. Don’t miss out on this restaurant!

food was mediocre and too salty… Not worth the price. Service and wine was the saving grace!

I must admit I was very hesitant to try this restaurant based on its location alone. It’s very unlikely to find a good, quality restaurant in this area and much less Italian food.
I’m so glad I gave them a chance! The service is outstanding! Both visits we were greeted and taken care of by Dennis who was excellent! Very attentive, informative and has a great attitude. The owner is also very involved and friendly!
The food is incredibly delicious! And beautifully presented. We are big fans of the Chicken Francaise which they nailed!
But the showstopper is their Snapper Francaise which is «melt in your mouth delicious»
The prices are very reasonable and the portions are great! This is definitely a diamond in the rough! And we will become regulars in no time!

Hidden gem. The service is great and the food even better. Will definitely be back, often.

Amazing!!! Great service and the food is even better!

Best place in the area for an executive lunch, good food, very good service and a very nice atmosphere, Pedro was very nice always look for him

Authentic Food, Extraordinary Service and Giovanni and Myrna are outstanding host. T

5 stars for the quality of the food, the service and the fact that’s it’s extremely well priced. Portion sizes are more then adequate. Ambience is more romantic then what you would expect from the location. This was my first time here, but my girl has has been here multiple times and she prefers it to the fancier places downtown. Pietro was an excellent server, I’d request him.

Best lasagna ever! I love this place. It’s very romantic and the service is excellent.

Giovanni’s management needs instructions on how to manage customers and needs to educate their employee on federal ADA laws! I have never written such a bad review for any restaurant in my life, however what this restaurant did to my husband and I on Christmas Eve dinner is beyond disgraceful — and the manager didn’t have the decency to step out to speak to us, instead relying on the poor wait staff to have to deal with the situation. .

The American Disabilities Act law is clear on restaurants allowing service dogs. The restaurant can ask if the dog is a service dog or only pet. they can also ask what service the dog performs. the dog must not be aggressive, must be well behaved, quiet and potty trained. The business may not require any special identification or refuse admittance or treat the person less favorably than other patron.
My Husband and I were married this year. We were visiting Miami and I searched high and low for a a wonderul quiet dinner for us to have our first Christmas together. I found Giovanni’s and called to make a reservation. When we got to the restaurant with my service dog (a small 10 lb dog with hypoallergenic hair), we were told they didn’t allow dogs. i explained calmly that this was a service dog who was working. I asked them if they knew the federal laws and asked to speak to the manager. Their manager wouldn’t come out of the kitchen to meet with us in person. The staff firmly told us that we couldn’t stay with the dog. I tried to show them the Federal ADA rules that shows that the federal law supersedes any Miami health laws in respect to animals in a restaurant to no avail. Again the manager would not address us directly. His staff finally informed us that we could only sit outside, on a dingy sidewalk, on a very hot night, facing a dingy parking lot, and by ourselves if we wanted to stay. This clearly is a violation of the federal laws and frankly was not the way i wanted to spend my first Christmas Eve together.
Thanks to Giovanni’s they spoiled our Christmas eve becuase at that point, finding a restaurant that was open and one that didn’t have a 2 hour wait was impossible.
i realize that the ADA rules are somewhat broad for service dogs and that people may be abusing them, however that was not my case and the law is in place to protect those with disablities.

Restaurante que mezcla lo italiano con algún plato latino.
Hoy una buena ensalada Cesar y langostinos sautté con vino blanco y ajo sobre fettuccini.
Magnífico postre de crepes de dulce de leche con bola de helado de nata. Buenísimo.

This is a very meaty version of Italian food. Portions are very generous and some plates can be shared. They have an excellent wine menu at reasonable prices. Service is good, attentive without overwhelming people, which I appreciate.
Parking is kind of the best things because you can choose from a vast parking lot in front of the place (you have to understand I have parking anxiety and this is a big thing to me)
Food winners would be the churrasco parrillada. Enough for two people and meat cooked deliciously.
I would really recommend this place. It’s good mostly for dates or small family reunion, as they have live piano some nights or guitar players and is really nice, not too fancy and not too simple. I loved it.

Lunch was incredible. I had the Risotto for lunch. Whenever an Italian Restaurant can make a great Risotto, then it’s a GREAT Restaurant!

I really liked this restaurant, although it is run by People from Salvador they have made fussion of latin food with Italian. The place is very cozy and roma tic

IMO this is the best restaurant of the area, I have searched 8^th St. all the way from 122^nd Ave to 67^th Ave and nothing gets close.
Today it was my second time here; the server was super professional and friendly. The place is clean, good (smooth) music, and reasonable prices with a few good wines from Spain, Italy, Argentina and Napa (USA).
We had Grille Chicken with vegetables and all tasted great. Next time we are going to drink and enjoy more the place…

Delicious food, excellent service! I came here for lunch and the staff is so attentive. I had the lasagna and it was one of the best lasagna’s I’ve ever had!

Wow, I came to this place for a birthday’s friend. The food was outstanding, probably the best Osso Bouco I have had in South Florida and the price was lower, the fried calamari was very crispy and tasty, two of my friend get great enjoyment from the ravioli and everything was clean and very well done. I got this hidden place in target for everytime I want to eat some nice italian food

When taking a class in this plaza I have come here on my lunch break a few times. This is my favorite option as the service has been the best in the plaza. While the menu is also the most expensive, and dinner only, I ordered apps and was perfectly satisfied. Ended up paying about $ 15ish after tip. The quality of the food is much higher than the other options here so I’ll be def be back when I’m in the area!

I wish I was as enthusiastic as the other reviewers, but my review is the screech of an abrupt braking.
I read the reviews for Giovanni’s, and even though none described a specific dish (yes, they all refer to the food as «the food», save for one mention of risotto), I still felt that giving this place a try was a safe bet, specially since Giovanni’s inherited the location of «La Porteña», a bygone staple in the area. So, I traveled to this Argentinian/​Italian restaurant hoping to score some five star grilled meat.
I ordered some empanadas and a Bife de Chorizo (NY Strip), which came with fries and a salad. While I waited, I looked around. The place had been decorated in a generic style, there really wasn’t anything original about it, but just merely a copy of other restaurants. It was a good copy though, but in general, copies rate at about three stars.
I was alone, with the whole place to myself.
When my salad came, I noticed that the main ingredient was iceberg lettuce. I thought the salad could have been a bit more inventive, but whatever. Still, after tasting it, the salad wasn’t the best. It also had some dead leaves and some vegetables were past their prime. The taste of the dressing was a bit bland as well. This is definitively not what I expect of a five stars restaurant, so I hoped for a four stars experience.
The meat turnovers (empanadas) were next. They sat on a bed of lettuce and with a side of fries, which was a first in 30 plus years of eating at Argentinian restaurants. Sure, times change, and sometimes not for the best. The turnovers were also OK, the dough was a bit too hard, but it was all far from delicious. In my head I was seeing the four stars experience slowly fade.
Finally, my NY Strip came out. I had asked for medium doneness, and it was pretty much medium, although some parts were overcooked and tough. I would love to say that this was the only faux pas, but the steak was also very under seasoned, almost not seasoned at all. If there is something that I hate, it is to season my food at the table, not because that was the job of the person cooking the food, but because the food tastes different. Whatever.
Still, I was able to eat it all.
So, to me, Giovanni’s was a meh meal overall, considering I have actually paid less at other Argentinian/​Italian restaurants for a better meal, but then again, it wasn’t terribly bad. It definitively is not five stars though.
Giovanni’s Ristorante is a bit hidden, in the same location of La Porteña. This makes for a very quiet restaurant, is you value privacy over taste (wink wink). It serves its purpose as a good Argentinian restaurant in this neighborhood, but Miami-​wise, not the best though.
There, I saved you some mileage.

This restaurant is great. The service is wonderful and the food is amazing. I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

Giovanni’s, I adore you.
Romantic style, clean and beautiful, you are the perfect gem of a restaurant.
I have never had empanadas that were so good; the crispy flakiness and the seasoned flavor of the carne inside. You managed to wow my first impression.
The sweet potato soup was divine. The Salmone Art and Sun had me at hello. The wine that went with my meal made me smile ear to ear. My taste buds took in every single bite just to appreciate every little something special that went into this meal.
And just when I thought it was all over, you surprised me again and took my breath away with dessert. The tiramisu, so creamy with hints of coffee. The guava flan, it was bliss.
Not only was your food heavenly, your staff is great! Your owner is wonderful and really cares. That isn’t something you see everyday.
I left you in a true romance of how you won over my heart. And I cannot wait to see you again.

I love this restaurant so much I’m copying and pasting the review I left when it used to be called «La Porteña» and putting it here:
I was introduced to this place a few years ago and I am amazed at the consistency in the quality of their food and service. It’s truly a hidden gem. Plates range from $ 15−25÷30, but are totally worth it. Big portions and big taste.
I can truly say I’ve never been disappointed. Steak, seafood, the day’s specials… Nothing has failed to succeed.
It’s in the back of a strip mall, so it’s not great ambiance outside the restaurant, but inside it is nice and quaint. You may dress however you’d like.

Always a hit! After the new management, I have come to this place three times and I have enjoyed it every single time.
I have always been served by the same guy and I could not say anything rather than he is one of the best.
Every meal i have had: spectacular. I have tried 3 of their risotti and… speechless.
One of my favorite spots in the area

What a find! A phenomenal place to experience exquisite Italian cuisine. The staff was attentive and the timing of prepping meals between courses was perfect. Not to be missed.

Absolutely amazing. We would go up to the pembroke pines location every once in awhile since we live in south Florida but the drive was worth it. The food was delicious. The staff was super attentive and friendly, but when they sold the restaurant in pembroke pines we were very disheartened because the service there at the new restaurant that’s under new management is nowhere near as good as the previous giovannis.
This new location off of 8^th street is wonderful. The staff is good. Very hospitalable. The prices are higher than they were before but you have to try it at least once. It is totally worth it.

This place took over La Portena. Same concept. Italian/​Argentian. Quite honestly, I liked the ambiance and décor more so with the previous owner. Had the fish croquetas which looked like they came out of a box and the minestrone soup was mediocre. The past plate I had was much better. The sauce was good; it came with an abundant in size and number of shrimp; and it did have mozzarella balls in it that added something to the plate.

Same owner and same delicious food from the one in Pembroke Pines. They have many Italian and Argentinian food as well as other options.
So happy they opened one in Miami!
Highly recommended!!!

Absolutely fantastic! The steak, the wine, the live music, and service makes this restaurant a must visit. The staff will not dissapoint!

Lovely restaurant under new owner. The food was really good and reasonably priced. Beautiful live music. The lady playing the keyboard and singing old bolero songs made the night special and very romantic. Their crepes with dulce de leche are a must try. Will definitely come back!