Stopped by with some friends, haven't been here in years and totally forgot how good it was. Gonna try and not let it drop off my radar again. Loved almost everything we had except the ratatouille...a bit too watery and most likely the flavor washed off. 1/5 Favs The Garlic Bread 5/5 Gamberi Al Diavolo 5/5 Tortelli di Bietola - 5/5 Rigatoni Puccini - 5/5 The Grouper Special 5/5 Just ok Orecchiette Giorgione 3/5 read more

I was excited to try what appeared to be an authentic Italian restaurant, but unfortunately the experience started off on a very disappointing note because of the hostess. She told us the wait would be about 45 minutes, so I asked if my party could sit on the completely empty, shaded patio, order a bottle of wine and some olives, and then move inside once our table was ready. She told me that wasn't possible, which made no sense considering the patio was entirely empty. Instead, she suggested we sit on a bench. I'm not sure how she expected us to enjoy wine and appetizers while sitting on a bench. She then asked for my name--a very authentic Italian name--and spelled it completely incorrectly. When I politely corrected her, she responded with an attitude rather than simply fixing it. First impressions matter, and the hostess, who I believe was named Shelby, made us feel unwelcome from the moment we arrived. Because of that experience alone, we decided we won't be returning. read more

Loved a recent visit to Giacomo's. More than anything, the vibe's the thing here for me. While we don't live anywhere near this part of Houston, Giacomo's feels like a neighborhood staple, one with a lot of regulars (including the staff), and a great place to just drop in for a comfortable meal and a chill atmosphere. Similarly, the food doesn't try TOO hard -- the menu is pretty straightforward, like something you'd expect from a family restaurant in Italy, and freshness seems to be a focus here. As others have mentioned (and they note on the menu), the carbonara does not align with many American expectations, and while I admit it wasn't MY favorite either, I give points for the desire to hang with tradition. The Hawk's garlic bread is indeed deadly, if maybe even a little over the top given the simplicity (in a good way) of much of their menu. You certainly can't go wrong with any dish involving pasta and their tomato-forward sauces, nor their shrimp appetizers. Want a simple, comfortable Italian meal without pretension? This is a great choice. read more

Great place in downtown Houston. Lovely atmosphere. We ordered a lot of small plates for the table and it was very good. Standout was the chicken guido, Garlic bread, meatballs and sauce. Pesto pasta and shrimp Giambu diavolo were okay but everything else was outstanding. Highly recommend. read more

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I've heard so many good things about Giacomos that I was so excited to try it! The service was kind and fast. The eggplant cicchetti and polpette cicchetti were absolutely delicious--the appetizers were definitely the stars of the meal! They were so flavorful that I was a little disappointed by my bolognese, which seemed underseasoned in comparison. I also tried my friend's cacio e pepe and found it somewhat lackluster. I would definitely return for the cicchetti! read more

Giacomo's Cibo e Vino - Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Cannot believe it took me so long to come here. This should be a Houston staple for sure! The wine list is long but the staff have plenty of great recs. Can't go wrong!! Get the garlic bread. It's so garlicky and buttery and crispy. Tried 3 different pastas, but my favorite was the Puccini- the lamb meatballs were so flavorful and the pasta sauce was a perfect red sauce. All the pasta was cooked well and had the right texture. I must return to try more dishes!! Jennifer took great care of us! This place is busy- recommend a reservation! read more

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There are 5 entrees I love a lot here and the top 3 of those are the Tortellini with Tomato Cream, Swiss Chard Bietola and Bolognese. The Fungi Pasta and Tortellini with Parm Cream are right after these for me. I was craving a good, homemade Bolognese with some authentic uniqueness to it and that dish was my selection on this wet Thursday night. It was really delicious, so fresh, comforting and had a great ratio of meat gravy to noodles. Every bite was full of both great aromas and tenderness in the pasta. The noodle thickness was perfect allowing the starch and meat to stand out on their own plus combined. The bolognese wasn't really soupy, greasy or typical like some restaurants either. Their chocolate pie dessert is a very delicious dessert on the everyday menu. If they still have that mango cheesecake on special next time I'm definitely getting it, bc the main base is probably full of awesome mango taste like their awesome seasonal cranberry / raspberry ones they had before. This is exactly how fruit cheesecakes should taste, not drizzled. Very welcoming, friendly, efficient service on this visit again too. read more

Giacomo's Cibo e Vino - Fantastic Tortellini with Tomato Cream !!! - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Great tasting grouper and wonderful server who made sure the drinks were full & kept coming by to ask how things were. He recommended the grouper. read more

Giacomo's Cibo e Vino - Grouper & arugula salad - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Our server was super informative and helpful choosing our wine. I enjoyed our burrata salad but felt like our pasta was a bit dry. I think I just need to go back and try another pasta since a lot of people rave about this place. read more

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Amazing! Such a great place if you are craving Italian. The pasta is made fresh and the food has amazing flavor. We got the wore popular dishes and they didn't disappoint- bolognese and carbonara. The appetizer was the crustini and it was good but the entrees were the star of the show. My husband ordered the wine so I don't remember what we got but it was good. The service was good- just make a reservation!! read more

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4.5 Stars. I like this place a lot. What stands out most is the people who run it. Very laid back, so accomodating, even under the stress of all the goings on. They take reservations and still get a lot of people showing up without them. I had to wait, unexpectantly, about 45 minutes for my guests to show up, so had a firsthand look at the superhuman hosts manning the phone as well as greeting guests at the host stand... and this place is BUSY. Shelby mainly, and a man came to assist from time to time... well done guys! What helps is they seemingly have a great and loyal clientele... so eager to dine here they accept whatever the quoted wait. Not surprising, they have a lot of regulars. Super casual, no pretense here. Just straight forward, home style italian cooking. There's a good selection of vino and the service is excellent. No wonder they are packing them in! We ordered a bunch of things and we pretty much did it family style. My favorite pasta was the Carbonara. Everything served hot, right from the kitchen... all excellent. We enjoyed our red from Santini in the Bolgheri Region of Tuscany. Our waiter, Rodrigo, was great... attentive and personable. read more

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A staple in this community! Nondescript place for the area. Nothing extravagant, just a familial eatery with decent food at a decent price. Service is always very nice. Ambiance is that of an established place with nothing over the top. read more

I came here on a double date with a friend of ours . The restaurant is really cute. There's an outdoor indoor portion. We wanted to be indoor so we had to wait about 45 minutes. The staff is very attentive and nice and have checked on us to make sure we're OK. Tables and chairs are stable and clean. There's free parking out in front and in the back. Now for the food, I would highly recommend the hot garlic bread with the provolone Fuso al forno. The provolone fuso al forno - it's an amazing mix and chunks of vegetables and it's great to pair with the hawk garlic bread once you're out of the bread that already came with. The hawk garlic bread its very flavorful. The carbonara stated that it was aggressively, pork and pepper yet it wasn't spicy to me, so don't be afraid to have this however, I prefer the tortellini and tomato cream sauce. The tortellini was super filling and has an amazing sauce. Not pictured was their Alfredo and their tortellini di bietola. The Alfredo dish tasted like it was missing something. It didn't really have much of a flavor. The tortellini di bietola was good, but it really brings out the ricotta texture and taste. So if ricotta or goat cheese is too pungent for you , this might not be it. Overall, this was still a really good time place. I would come here again. read more

Giacomo's Cibo e Vino - Hot garlic bread and provolone fusil al forno - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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The service was the star of the show here! Our waiter was one of the most child friendly waiters I've ever interacted with. I wish I remembered his name but he gave wonderful suggestions regarding what food to order based off of baby friendliness and speed. He also let us sample a wine before we got it which saved us from ordering something we would not have liked. The food itself was what you should expect from a restaurant with a massive menu. It all tasted a bit Americanized, nothing was gross but it felt like going to an elevated Olive Garden. The one full miss was the crostinis. The spreads reminded me of baby food. Pretty ok family friend Italian spot. Average dishes. Great service. read more

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Professional staff, creative menu, ambiance is lovely.. it does get a little loud - that is part of the hustle of a popular place. Been there 4 times over the last few years - will go back! read more

This is probably the best Italian restaurant on Houston. The food was phenomenal. The hostess was able to get us a table without reservation. The restaurant is quaint and inviting. read more

Giacomo's Cibo e Vino - Giacomo - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Where oh where do I begin? The hawk's garlic bread was amazing. The fresh herbs and garlic so yummy. The burrata was delicious. The Casalinga (freshmade pasta) was some of the freshest I've ever had. I am sitting here a couple hours later still daydreaming about everything. My husband and I finished everything we got. I can't wait to come back again. The service was great. The waiter had to warm up to use a bit but glad that he did by the end. While the inside isn't the most romantic, it was the perfect date night. The patio looks darling. Pro Tip- The tiramisu isn't the made daily but I highly recommend it. Call ahead if you really want it. read more

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REMINDS ME OF ITALY! So yummy and generously priced. Favorite dinner spot. --------------------- read more

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Came in on a wed night for date night, fairly crowded but seated immediately Dress code: casual, more on the side of smart casual, don't see any shorts, but nice jeans seem to be the baseline with some more dressed up. Food 4.5/5: we had the trout, the carbonara, their beets and goat cheese, pan roasted vegetables and a cheese ravioli. Everything was amazing except the raviolis were a bit cold Service 4.5/5: very helpful and friendly, beets came out really quickly but then everything else came out together and took a while. Overall a good experience nonetheless. Ambiance 4/5: cute little restaurant, casual ambiance great date spot, a bit on the cold side but understandable given the number of people. Lots of patio seating, nothing that super wowed me though. Value 5/5: great food at a pretty good price. If you're into wines they do have pours at good prices so you can try multiples Overall 4.5/5: overall a great experience, great food with great service at an awesome value, would come back. Parking: some parking in the back , still fairly crowded and can be difficult read more

Giacomo's Cibo e Vino - Carbonara, cheese ravioli, spring vegetables and trout - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Ambience, Service and food, was good. Great food portions. We have a very good family afternoon!! read more

4.5, the carbonara wasn't my favorite I've had, but that was a personal preference because of the meat. The restaurant made up for it in the friendly atmosphere, attentive servers, great wine, and the seasonal dessert we got was fantastic (and the proceeds went to an animal shelter!) read more

Giacomo's Cibo e Vino - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Food: - ratatouille--very delish! It was served piping hot with bread. We literally inhaled it! enough for 2 to share. - gamberi al diavolo--very flavorful. Served with baguette and it also hit the spot! Def recommend this. It's enough for 2 to share. - garlic bread--good but too greasy for my liking. Paired well with the main dishes. The half order is more than enough for two. - linguine giacomo-- probably my favorite. The pasta was cooked perfectly with a slight chew. The flavor of the shrimp with the sundried tomatoes and arugula was perfection. - tortelli--half order is enough for two! It was also very delicious. The pasta was cooked well, the ricotta filling was so yum, and the sauce was very flavorful. Service: -- amazing service. The server was super attentive and welcoming and had the best recommendations. We ordered the perfect amount of food for 2 with his recommendations. Ambiance: -- casual and a great date spot! read more

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Always yes on this place! This is the best Italian food ive ever had hands down and the service and atmosphere are amazing. Not open on Mondays but worth the wait. read more

A bit of a wait when we went, but owner of the restaurant who named it after her dog made good suggestions for wine while we waited. Our server was knowledgeable, kind, and thoughtful. I ordered the pasta with clams and the chef was very generous with the clams! Would love to go back and try something else when I'm craving Italian. read more

Giacomo's Cibo e Vino - Clam pasta - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

May be my favorite Italian restaurant in town. Not only is every food item I've had there has been delicious but it's an old school type place, nothing pretentious and not leaving hungry. Portions are as important as quality to me and Giacomo's wins. Service has always been great, no matter how busy it is. On our last visit I really had a hankering for chicken piccata, which isn't on the menu. Told our server, Michele (he's the older, very nice gentleman who's been there for years) and he said they would make it for me. It was delicious, served with fettuccine alfredo and I will order it again! Even though it's not a fancy place, best to make a reservation because it's always busy on weekends when we've gone. read more

5/5 overall for an elevated Italian meal with great friends, food, and wine. Giacomo's has a large footprint, but it's an intimate setting inside with limited seating space. Be prepared if you like a more expansive dining experience. We decided to do things family style and share several pasta entrees, veggie starters, bread, and a bottle of wine. Their menu is extensive and likely to please anyone's taste. Our server was very helpful with recommending his favorite dishes/what is popular including wines that satisfy your palate or pair well with your meal. You can order wine by the glass or from an extensive selection of bottles. Servings are generous. The only things verging on negative feedback were the lemon tart texture was a bit dense for most of our taste and the bolognese was sweeter than I expected. Highlights were the tortellini and ravioli pictured below, both of which were decadent. I wanted to enjoy more of each sauce and capture their flavor for my own pasta dishes. read more

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This is truly a hidden gem for Italian food in the Upper Kirby area. We came on a Friday night with a group of 5. Luckily we had a reservation, because it was packed at 6:30pm, with people still waiting for a table by the time we left around 8:30pm. So make a reservation if you go! They seated us in a round table (yes please) and we elected to eat family style (even more yes). I love round tables for large groups because it makes sharing food way easier! For appetizers, we got the gamberi al diavolo, which is 6 shrimp marinated in a hot pepper sauce and served alongside baguette slices. We also got the gnocchi alla romana, which is their homemade gnocchi served with tomato sauce. These were both delicious! Very tomato-forward and plenty of sauce leftover for sopping with extra bread. After the fact, we also ordered hawk's garlic bread, which is their version of GB consisting of slices of ciabatta spread with garlic, herbs, and parmesan cheese. It was so good and the slices were huge! I will list the entrees here, as we all shared and got to try a little bit of everything: spaghetti alla carbonara. As the name implies, their house carbonara but they claim it is Roman-style, meaning there is no cream. Honestly it tasted similar to normal (creamy) carbonara to me, so if you're looking for something totally different, this wouldn't be the one. The guanciale (pork jowl) in this had a nice crisp to it though! tortelli di bietola. This is ravioli stuffed with ricotta and goat cheese, served in a white sauce. The ravioli was filled with plenty of cheese, though I thought the sage in the sauce was just a tad overpowering. This was a favorite among multiple people at the table. linguine giacomo. This was linguini pasta served with shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, arugula, and topped with an almond pesto sauce. I loved the sauce on this one! I love pesto, but the almond added a nice extra touch to it (don't order if you have nut allergies). rigatoni piccini. Rigatoni noodles tossed with fennel meatballs, cabbage, and kale in a tomato sauce. This was probably my favorite. The meatballs were huge and savory, though the fennel was not overpowering. The vegetables all blended with the pasta and sauce very well. And the rigatoni was thicc. I'm gonna have to figure out how to make this at home. cavoletti con pancetta, which is their version of brussel sprouts. These were nice and garlicky and was a nice side to all of our pastas. As their name implies, they have a wide selection of vino. We opted for the Stout Family "Granny Rae's" sauvignon blanc. This white wine was refreshing after a hot pool day and paired nicely with all of our food! Our server was attentive to fill our wine glasses as we drank. Strategic move on his part, as we finished the bottle early on in our meal and took him up on a second bottle! Vibe is super casual with some homey decorations inside. I wouldn't worry about dressing up for this, as I think they're going for the "local Italian joint" aesthetic, nothing fancy. Service was excellent, and our server took great care of us throughout the entire meal. I must be lucky because in the past month, I feel like I've hit all the best of Houston's Italian food scene. Giacomo's is definitely being added to the list of Italian go-to's. I can't wait to have more of that rigatoni again and try more of their wide range of dishes. We'll be back soon! read more

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A true New York Italian here. Giacomos is delish. The atmosphere is more family oriented with no music (food makes up for it) Favorite menu items Affettati Carbonara (I've struggled finding a good one but this takes the cake) Puccini Funghi e Gorgonzola *I wish they had a slightly more expanded wine list* read more

Giacomo's Cibo e Vino - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

So glad we found this place. The food was delicious and our waiter was excellent. Wish I could remember his name. He recommended chicken tortellini for our toddler. 10/10! read more

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3.5/5 stars Giacomo's felt like an authentic Italian experience. The ambiance felt more casual and we had an older Italian waiter with a thick accent. But food was just average. Everyone was older and racial diversity was lacking, but I'm guessing this is just due to a cuisine preference for Houstonians. We rarely eat Italian food out as Italian food for vegetarians tends to be very carb heavy. This was the case when we visited as well. There are a lot of vegetarian options, and our waiter recommended a few. We tried a few dishes: involtini di melanzane alla parmagiana (appetizer) - wish it came with 3 instead of 2 eggplant rolls, but the dish itself was delicious. This also came with one bread roll. gnocci alla romana (appetizer) - I was expecting a more typical gnocchi dish, but this was actually large sized semolina circles. Thought this dish needed more sauce. cavoletti con pancetta (vegetable side) - brussel sprouts (provided without the meat). I actually make better brussel sprouts at home (would skip this one) pappardalle ai funghi e gorgonzola (entree) - This was a tasty mushroom pasta, thought the sauce was delicious read more

Giacomo's Cibo e Vino - Menu - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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The food here is excellent and our waiter is very nice. They have a great selection of wine. I ordered several dishes including the involtini, parpadelle al telefono, and fagioli all'uccelletto. The parpadelle had a surprising amount of cheese which I didn't mind at all. You can taste the freshness when you bite into the noodles. The cannellini beans were creamy which contrasted well with the tartness of the tomatoes. The eggplant involtini was delicious. I was surprised that I was able to eat everything in one sitting. The place always seems to be busy even on a weeknight. The dining room is not that large, and I think they rely on patio dining in the cooler months since there is plenty of parking in the back. We had a large birthday group, but we had to be seated at separate tables since they couldn't join them. I think the largest table they had can seat 6. read more

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No time for fooling around, the pappardelle al teléfono was amazing. The cherry tomatoes contribute a sweet drop of juice to the tangy red sauce that's grounded by the humble mozzarella. The $2 slice focaccia is well worth it. I would suggest getting foccacia over the hawks garlic bread. It was either too buttery or too garlicky for my taste. The basil pesto capellini side order was a little bland. My waiter was very friendly and playful. It's a very grounded setting for such a fine dining experience. Coming again. read more

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This spot is actually pronounced Jack-a-moes, and is named after the family/owners dog I'm a huge dog person so that alone made me love this place lol. But seriously, this is such a not so hidden gem. The ambience is always very lively and a bit loud because there are so many happy and great conversations going on. You can tell that all of the food is prepared with love and homemade recipes, everything I've had has been absolutely delicious. I highly recommend the three dip appetizer and the tortellini with rosa sauce. They also have an amazing collection of Italian wines. I'm no wine expert, just know some basics but each wine I have tried here. I have absolutely loved. This is a lovely spot for a date night, catching up with friends, or just if you want some really delicious Italian food. read more

Soup season is upon us so I had to swing by to get one of my favorite soups in town! While I was at it I tried their pasta special - spinach pasta with mushrooms and scallops. It blew my mind ! read more

Giacomo's Cibo e Vino - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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We had a great dinner here a few weeks back; it has a homey feel to it, so come as you are and enjoy delicious Italian food. Recommend calling to make a reservation as this place is popular! Service was super friendly; our waiter was great at helping us pick out a bottle of wine. We ordered lots of dishes and shared so we could try a variety, including: diablo shrimp, caesar salad, garlic bread, pollo guido, bolognese, and carbonara. Everything was delicious and I would order all of it again! For dessert, we ended with their affogato and chocolate pie. Parking - street or small private lot in front and behind restaurant read more

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Supposedly one of the best Italian restaurants in Houston, this place sadly didn't live up to the hype. We came without reservations which was fine because we were seated on the patio within 15 minutes. Service was poor - it took 3 times to ask for a glass of water and they never came to refill our waters even once. Food took nearly an hour to come out and they didn't bring our side of vegetables out until we were finished with the rest of our food. Even getting the check took a long time. The hawk's garlic bread comes with 4 large slices of buttery bread that were slightly too charred but still decently tasty. The pastas - the pasta was soft and overcooked and the taste of the spinach scallop pasta was pretty bland. The pollos - prefer the giotto over the guido. Giotto was nicely cooked in a simple sage butter and moist. The guido was a cheesy stuffed chicken breast but nothing really stood out. The verdure miste in padella - medley of mushroom, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, Brussels sprouts that tastes exactly as you would expect. read more

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My brother brought me to this place for dinner while I was in Houston. The parking lot is quite small, so if you're driving an SUV or a truck, be cautious about fitting into your parking space. Upon arrival, we headed to the front of the building; luckily, my brother had made a reservation, which spared us a long wait. The restaurant itself is cozy, featuring a pleasant outdoor patio. Tables are closely situated, making it easy to overhear neighboring conversations. For those sensitive to loud noise, bringing earplugs might be wise. We opted to share a few dishes. Although the food took a bit longer than expected, our waiter apologized for the delay. The carbonara impressed with its creamy texture, cleverly achieved without the use of cream, and the pasta was perfectly cooked. However, the rigatoni stole the show--bursting with flavor, especially the tender and juicy meatball. Unfortunately, the pan-roasted veggies lacked the expected flavor, making it the least enjoyable dish ordered. While the Brussels sprouts were well-cooked, they were light on the promised pancetta. Overall my niece gave it a thumbs up, which is a win in my book when you get a rating like that from a little kid. read more

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A special place w great food always good reasonably priced. Trout great as well all stuff on the menu

Except for... Casual dining inside and out, attentive servers and excellent food !! Amazing, "except for" what ? No delivery... door dash, grub hub, etc Help us out, please! It's not always convenient to dine there when I need a Giacomo's fix !! read more

Great food! Even better service. Absolutely adore the vibe and for sure felt the authenticity of the food. Will definitely return.