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Giovanni

2420 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
Phone: (510) 843-6678
Citysearch
Cross Street:
Haste Street
Hours:
Sun-Thu 11:30am-11pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am-12am

Message from Giovanni

Giovanni

Giovanni- Italian/American cuisine since 1960 - Voted Best of Berkeley.

  • Private parties and catering
  • Open Kitchen and Full Bar
  • Authentic Italian cuisine

Giovanni is a great place to start your evening or grab a late-nite snack.

Walking through awnings lined with wine bottles, you are immediately snatched away from the busy streets of Berkeley and transported into a warm, family atmosphere reminiscent of Sicily.

At the center of Giovanni is a large wood-burning fireplace, providing ample ambience as you sip a supple red wine while downing bite-sized deep-fried calamari or snacking on sauteed mushrooms.

Cozy booths are available where you can sit snuggly next to your date instead of across from them. However, you can also opt for traditional tables if your dinner partner is not of the romantic persuasion.

Aside from being a nice place to take someone on a casual date, Giovanni is also a great location for family dining and private parties.

Paid advertisement by Giovanni.

Editorial Description for Giovanni

Berkeley spot for Italian since 1960 lined with wine bottles and featuring a wood-burning fireplace. Specializes in private parties, catering.

Insider Tips

Know Before You Go

The menu changes often and prices are reasonable.

User Reviews for Giovanni

Citysearch (6), AOL CityGuide (4 ), Dine.com (4 ), All (14)

1 Star Rating: Not Recommended

06/23/2008 Posted by hungryinsf1

First off, I would like to say that I eat out regularly, and I have never posted a review online before. I started an account with citysearch just to post this review. This restaurant is absolutely terrible. If the prices had been more reasonable I would have just written it off as a bad dining experience, but unfortunately that is not the case here. I ordered the Jambalaya calzone for $16.00. The presentation was non-existent and the ingredients seemed to be well beyond their expiration date. I don't think that all of the ingredients listed on the menu were even included, which may be a good thing considering the quality. I can't remember the last meal I genuinely regretted eating, even Jack in the Box. Nothing could wash the taste of spoiled shrimp out of my mouth for nearly an hour after the meal. My girlfriend ordered the veal marsala, which seemed like it might not make you violently ill, but it looked like a TV dinner. Between the two of us the meal (with one glass of wine and after tip) was nearly sixty dollars. The wait staff did their job, nothing special though. Do not eat at this restaurant unless you are some kind of masochist.

Pros: Hasn't been shut down by the health inspector.

Cons: Hasn't been shut down by the health inspector.

1 Star Rating: Not Recommended

07/23/2007 Posted by rayhana

What use to be a great Italian restaurant is now owned by Chinese owners who totally ran the place down. Food tasted horrible. I ordered Scampi - tasted like chinese rice & shrimp. My husband ordered clams with pasta in a red sauce. That dish not only was nasty to taste but sick to look at. Clams came from a can & were minced. Sauce was brown & tasted like i don't know what.....Ever few minutes one of the owners would haul boxes right pass the tables... , 2 times he dragged a trash can!???

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Editor's Review

Berkeley spot for Italian since 1960 lined with wine bottles and featuring a wood-burning fireplace. Specializes in private parties, catering.  See the full editorial review.

Insider Tips

Know Before You Go

The menu changes often and prices are reasonable.

More Insider Tips

Restaurant Information

Parking

  • Street

Hours

  • Sun-Thu 11:30am-11pm
  • Fri-Sat 11:30am-12am

Payment Types

  • Discover
  • Visa
  • Diners Club
  • American Express
  • MasterCard

Cuisines

  • Italian

Amenities

  • Catering

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