Gianni's Italian Restaurant

Not impressed at all. I went in and the place was packed, I'll give them that. There was one table up front that nobody was sitting at, so we sat down. A waitress scurried over and said ""Hey, you can't sit there."" I said ""Really? Is someone sitting here?"" She said ""No, but that's the owner's table."" I said ""Is he here?"" She said ""No."" I said ""Is he on his way in?"" She said ""No, but we never know when he'll pop in."" I said ""Can we at least sit here until our table is ready or he comes in?"" She said ""I really don't think that's a good idea."" Se looked really afraid. It was disturbing. So, we got up and waited and waited. We finally got our table. The wine list was over priced, the place was small and cramped. The food wasn't even that good. \r Now I've been to plenty of places where I've had a crazy long wait, but usually when you sit down and have fantastic food, that makes up for it. The visit definitely could've been saved, but came up really short. I'm not sure why they have such great ratings or do such good business, but it's certainly not the service or atmosphere. more

Delicious... Staff, food, specials, salad, definetly the bread. Don't leave without going. more

Very nice, good food, great people. more

Went here recently while on vacation in Jan 2012--ex Miami --grew up there--but have lived in NYC for 30 years--gotta tell you--I was surprised I was never here before-but stick more to N. Dade Miami Beach area--Pompano is sort of out of the way unless you happen to be around there..but if you're in Ft. Laud vicinity..definitely worth the drive--this is old school Italian, done right...Waiters who actually don't write anything down and remember everything. even special requests--had my kid with me, and they couldn't have been nicer..on a Friday night, no less..place was packed--had a reservation waited about 15 minutes--not too bad--everything was great--not leaded garlic rolls but fluffy delicious ones--the salad, was fantastic--simple but wonderful--romaine leaves with shallots vinagrettte and gorgonzola cheese--(this is the house salad that comes w/entree--and it's plentiful)--Snapper Oreganata and Snapper Francese--super fresh, big portion, cooked PERFECTLY!--Shrimp scampi was plentiful and delicious--marianara sauce very good--ziti side garlicky --Veal Parmigiana--fantastic---everything I saw going by especially the pasta specials looked delicious...can't wait to go back there---prices are reasonable---dessert was the only thing that was so so--ricotta cheesecake--average--the best is actually in Surfside at an Italian Spot there...but, all in all the meal was just great--place gets loud..but it's good energy! Wish there was a spot like this in NY, but these kinds of places don't exist anymore..either haute cuisine, or homestyle overpriced pizza joints that serve italian menu--nothing of this calibur--- more

I went by urbanspoon reviews and they guided me to a wonder establishment. This is the place to go for lunch,huge portions and A plus food and service for such s busy place. Parking is an issue , but well worth it. more

Gianni's is what it is. It's not a true ""fine dining"" establishment, but it's way more than your basic italian/pizzeria or chain. Simply put, it's a nice place with good food. \r Let's start with the garlic rolls - they are what great garlic rolls should be! Larger than most, moist on the inside with just enough golden color for a bit of crunch at initial bite, and dripping with garlic and olive-oil goodness. Be careful; more than one of these will leave little room for the sumptuous house salad and tasty main yet to come...but I never manage to eat just one.\r The house salad - gorgonzola and romaine never tasted so good. It's all about the house-made dressing. Garlic lovers rejoice, there's some to be found here too, with just enough tang and bite to stand up to the excellent quality gorgonzola that's sprinkled generously. It comes whole-leaf on a plate, but my favorite waiter always chops and mixes it table-side for me when it's not too busy.\r And for the main event - I haven't made it through the entire menu yet, but here's a few of my faves: Chicken francese (or grouper, yum!), eggplant rollatini (also an appetizer), osso bucco, rack of lamb (special, I think), and the stuffed chicken breast (forget the name, but full of deliciousness), gnocchi, and piccata. All of these are pretty standard fare for Italian-American cuisine, but they are anything but average. Are they the ""absolute best""? That's up to you and your perssonal taste - but in my opinion, they are better than most. Even the side of pasta that's served with your main has a red sauce with flavor. It's basic, don't expect a flavor punch, but it's not sauce from a jar or can either. \r The place can get crowded. There's no doubt about that. Season brings down our snowbirds and they flock to this local eatery. It's not a ""jacket-required"" establishment, but seriously people, just because you're in Florida doesn't mean you can wear shorts everywhere. Dress is casual, but not that casual. Make reservations and be prepared to wait a bit too, possibly. It's not cheap food, but it's not super expensive either. If you don't have $20 per plate to spend, stick to chains or pizzerias (but remember, you get what you pay for). \r I'm a Pompano Beach native, and though I am still young (early 30's), I have become a bit of a snowbird myself. I look forward to eating at Gianni's every time I come down - and there's a reason for that. It's just feel-good food. more

This place is MOBBED at lunchtime. Old-school, attentive service is nice; I think they staff a higher waiter : patron ratio than most places nowadays, and the waiters I've had were always top drawer. Portions are huge, including their salads: I always take part of my order home. Not the fanciest restaurant ever...but that's not always what you want. What they are is reliably good, and that says a lot. more

After waiting nearly two years to visit one of the most acclaimed restaurants in South Florida, I was deeply disappointed. Sitting in an over crowded room doesn't lend itself to fine dining. Too noisy. The wine list is very over priced along with many of the mundane dishes. I expected more than just your ""meatball and spaghetti"" fare. $22.95 for 3 small pieces of veal fransaise is a little much. My guest had two small pieces of osso bucco for $28.00 which is outrageous. My other guests had the lasagna and gnocchi which seemed fair but the sauce was way too spicy for a marinara sauce. The whole menu and atmosphere was your typical ""Italian-American"" food restaurant which can be bought at many places up and down US1 at a much lesser price. . Authentic and gourmet Italian food it is not. Save your money for a better restaurant like ""Sette Bello's"" more

went there on a monday at 530. restaurant half filled, but i can see if its filled it can be quite loud. started with garlic rolls, decent but i find IL MULINO a touch better, but still good. had the calamari appetizer, huge portion, enough for at least 2 people...and good !. at the table the four dishes we had and all excellent..penne ala vodka, broccoli rabe w/sausage, grouper, and chicken parm. again ALL HUGE and excellent (had leftovers next day). overall an excellent choice. will be back more

This place was simply amazing...My wife grew up going there every year on vacations to Florida. This was my first time there and I was really excited by everything she told me about the place. From start to finish, everything was delicious. I had the chicken, veal and eggplant parm trio and my wife had the pasta con frutti de mare (fruit of the sea) it's a combination of shrimp, mussels, scallops, and calamari in a spicy tomato broth; both were outstanding. I can't wait to go back to this place in September!! Give this place a try. more

Gianni's was a great find. As Italian is my favorite cusine I have experienced great resturants before. Gianni's, in my book, ranks in the top 5. We had the Veal Marsala and Chicken Parmesan. They were light with great sauces. The side of spaghetti, many times just so so was great. Our salads were perfect. And then to end the evening we had the Ricotta cheese cake and Tiramisu.\r \r The resturant was full of local people who all seemed to be enjoying themselves. I would certainly put this on my list of places to return everytime I am in the Fort Lauderdale area. more

The food here is average at best and the service is awful. I didn't care for this place at all and would not recommend it. more

Gianni's is definitely one of our favorite restaurants. Our annual week in Pompano Beach wouldn't be complete without a dinner at Gianni's. more

Excellent! more

We have been dining at Giannis for 16 years. It is consistently excellent. The staff is attentive. You cannot go wrong with anything on the menu. The prices are extremely reasonable for the quality we travel from Palm Beach to Pompano. The owners are always there overseeing the kitchen and service. Definitely worth the trip. more

We went here as a family after a funeral of our Grandmother. We have a special table here that has sentimental value to us, because we ate at that table with my Grama before. Let me make it clear to you how the employees decided to snub us: My Mother came to this restaurant IN PERSON TWICE to plan our dining experience here at THAT table. Our party of 8 arrived for our reservation, and the host brings us to ANOTHER table which was smaller. We said "this is not the table we asked for--we even comfirmed it twice in person." She said sorry--we're having a bigger party come in, and we'll need to keep that table open. Without even telling us, they decided to switch us. After all that--would you believe the 10 person party never showed up, and that table was left open for the whole time? Sad.. \r \r Our waiter had absolutely no personality, no charm, and never smiled. If you've ever read Hitchhkikers Guide to the Galaxy, I could compare him to the character Marvin the Paranoid Android. He did more

This is one of our special occasion places to go for a wonderful dinner. The food is exceptional, the atmosphere very nice, and the service is great. The menu is extensive and the prices do not break you, but this is a very very nice place for a special evening. more

I had the pleasure of dining for the first time at Gianni's in Pompano. We were seated in the 2nd dining room, where the feeling of intimacy was wonderful, as we shared the back room with only one other party. The pasta fagioli soup was hot and delicious, and it was served in a huge bowl, not some small coffee cup! The garlic bread was wonderful... crispy, not soggy... a garlic-lover's delight! The salad that accompanied the entree was also delightful... a balsamic vinegraitte dressing with all sorts of goodies?feta cheese and peppers and onions, oh my! And the eggplant rollatini, which I use to judge ALL Italian restaurants in the area, was first-rate! Delicious marinara sauce... it took a great amount of self-control to not lick the plate clean! My friends ordered the linguini with clam sauce (superb... I took a bite!), and the Monday special (spaghetti and meatballs), also first-rate, and incredibly generous for a lunch! As a transplanted New Yorker, I take my Italian food very seriously, and this place is top notch! Can't wait to go back for dinner! Pros: Ample parking, friendly and attentive servers, great Italian ambience... loved the tablecloths and cloth napkins! Cons: Couldn't find any! more

Being from New Jersey and New York (also a regular patron), I have always considered this restaurant as my #1 place for Italian cuisine. I am now living in the Metro Atlanta area, and one major thing that I miss is Gianni's restaurant in Northlake. I am very thankful to find where they have relocated, and whenever I'm in that area, I will make it my business to get there for superb dining and service. For anyone that considers themselves as lovers of Italian cuisine, this restaurant is a must. I have always received rapid and courteous service, well prepared food and a feeling of being appreciated. I have never left feeling discontent. I am no expert (this is my first review); but, how much formal training does it take to know good food and service. I highly recommend patronizing this establishment. more

Being from North Jersey, I know great Italian food. The food at Gianni's is just as good as the best in NJ!!!! Pros: Great more