The best italian restaurant . We love everything about it. The food . The service. The quiet relaxing environment to have lunch or dinner. I being their customer for over 16 years. Every Thursday i dont get tired. read more

I love the meatball and peppers pizza!! Great taste! Only one size pizza there! Wood burning brick oven! Have a Chianti or mixed drink while u wait for ur pizza!! read more

Giann's is Meridens hidden secret. The food and staff are second to none. Cheers to Ralph and staff for many successful years.

Great portion size, amazing flavored food, wonderful owner/operator. You will not be disappointed.

Great experience! Terrific food!! That garlic oil bread dipping sauce is phenomenal!!! Service was awesome!! I'll go back next time in the area!! read more

Fabulous! Small family-run, food to die for! We will definately be back! I had the Mussels in Zuppa Red, awesome! read more

Gianni's Restaurant - Cappuccino at the end of meal--half finished! Yum! - Italian Near Me - Meriden, Connecticut

Great food - pasta dishes and pizza phenomenal! Give it a try! All tne entrees are worth the asking price. Definitely one of my go to ! read more

My wife and I stopped in to Gianni's restaurant Saturday for a meal. We were pleasantly surprised with the quantity and quality and price of what we ordered. The waitress was outstanding giving us information and quality service. We will return to Gianni's and experience good food at a good price with great service! read more

The food was good not great, but the service was awful. The service was so bad from our waiter that I informed the manager that the tip should go to another waiter as he was the only one who helped us. We had been there once before, and it was excellent across the board. read more

That's it, I'm done with Gianni's! Once again tried to order the braciole only to be told they're out of it at 6:00 pm no less. Went with pork chop with grilled cherry pepper only to be served it with no cherry pepper and when asked told that they're out of cherry peppers. I want ti like this place, but if you can't get what is on the menu then why bother. It's over Gianni for both you and me! read more

Attending a conference in Wallingford, CT. Searched yelp for a restaurant and came across Gianna's, I was so excited when I walked in and met a diner who raved about the restaurant and the owner. I ordered an eggplant Parmesan and was in awe with the amount of food Ralph the Chef gave me. I had a salad and a separate container with roasted veggies in olive oil for almost nothing. I had dinner last night and have left overs for dinner tonight, food was amazing. I cannot wait to return this week. Thanks Ralph for your service and your wonderful food. Recommend to anyone living close by or visiting the city. read more

My husband and I stumbled upon this restaurant and what a happy accident. The food was absolutely amazing our server, Melina, was so friendly and super excited when she discovered we were first timers. She made recommendations when we were stumped and boy was she right. The Veal Parmesan was tender and perfectly seasoned. The risotto was deliciously butter and cooked to the perfect consistency. My husband's Chicken Parm was juicy and the sauce was excellent. He has angel hair on the side with oil and he raved about the pasta. From the bread to the salad dressing, the entree and pasta and everything in between Gianni's gets an "A". The ambience is also cozy and the perfect atmosphere for a date night with someone special. This restaurant is the best kept secret that needs to be told. My husband and I decided this will be the first of many visits. read more

The food was amazing real old-school Italian something like out of a New York restaurant food was excellent calamari was excellent antipasto was superb the shrimp cocktail was so FRESH!! Broccoli rabe was good too! We ordered lots apps!!! The oil for bread dipping was to die for! Pork chops with cherry peppers and fried potatoes omg!!! Braciole w/ rigatoni's was like nonnas!!!! Honestly it's a hidden gem in MERIDEN and family owned! Truly everything on the menu looKs great and the 10 of of us all loved our meals!!! read more

We looked at empty tables waiting to be sat. We were about to be sat when another waitress walked up to the one sitting us and told her to make us wait. We then waited probably 15 minutes to get a table. After that we waited another 15 minutes for water. Please keep in mind they have about 10 tables and about 4 waitresses and a host. Once we got the water we found out that they are running behind since the owner wanted to start turning off the ovens an hour and a half before closing. They had to double check they could make my pizza because of the ovens. Another 15 minutes we got our drinks and bread which we ate and drank fast. We never received refills even after asking later on. It was another 30 minutes before our food came out. I was surprised that for an Italian restaurant I prefer frozen pizza to what I ate. I couldn't finish my pizza. My SO's pasta was bland and they forgot her chicken. One of the worst restaurants I have ever eaten at! Even when I complained about the pizza the waitress responded with "well you ate most of it so you must have liked it" and walked away. No tip was left. Side note. While waiting for our food the owner came out and went to the table behind us, they obviously knew each other, and offered to give them several appetizers for free because of the long wait. Didn't stop at our table where we were obviously upset. No apology given. Never coming back. read more

Had to give Gianni's a second try with a number of my associates who were in town. (There really isn't too many nice restaurants in the area to have lunch.) They were all pleased with their meals, and so was I. Service was again a 10, and ambiance was on point. THEY REALLY NEED TO TAKE ROAST BEEF OFF THE MENU IF IT'S NOT REALLY OFFERED. :-P read more

Classic Italian in Meriden. Their competition which was a greek place next door closed. Their only competition left is Lido's down the street which is always packed with people. This is a quieter environment and you can tell the food is made by the folks who run the place and you can feel the heart and soul in the food. I always judge an italian restaurant by their chicken parm. This by far was classic italian and very good. The place....actual restaurant though is showing it's age. It looks like it needs an uplift and something out of the early 80s. If you are judging this place based on the way the inside looks however, go somewhere else. If you want great italian food, give this place a try. read more

I would have rated this higher if the server and the atmosphere had a little energy. The food was quite good. The veal Marsala was super tender and flavorful and the pasta had a decent red sauce. The server seemed bothered to wait on anyone who wasn't a regular despite the restaurant being half empty. The restaurant smelled a little like old people and the decor matched it. I thought it was a good value for the money overall. read more

Really good food and service! The pizza was great and the lasagna was very plentiful and tasty! Will go again!

I needed to respond to the person who gave this a one star. Yes, the owner is a bit gruff on the surface; however, if you take a minute to talk to him he will accommodate most of your wishes (even if they are not on the menu). He really is a nice guy. The review of the food as frozen chicken breast is simply not accurate. My husband has had the beef bracciole, swordfish, and veal. He was happy with all of those. I normally get shrimp Gianni or here I go - if he is not busy I ask if he will make me chicken cordon bleu. It's not on the menu, but if he can and it's not too busy, he adjusts. That chicken rolled with cheese, ham, and breaded in a white sauce is delicious, and definitely not a frozen chicken breast - you can't roll frozen like that. Portions are generous - I normally take half my meal home. With a meal, you typically get vegetables, pasta rice or potato, bread with dipping sauce, and salad. If you like garlic, you have to try his garlic dressing - it is the best! This is not the most upscale restaurant I have been to; however, over the past ten years, going 5-6 times a year, I have never had a bad meal. The food is great, portions are generous, and the menu is reasonably priced. If you want great Italian food at a realistic price, Gianni's is the place to go. read more

I recently had an... interesting experience here. 4 o'clock on Saturday and the place was deserted. Not a good sign, but there also aren't many options in the area. Neon sign said "Open," so I decided to give it a try. Walked in to a restaurant a bit more upscale than I was expecting: white tablecloths, cloth napkins, mini statues of Michael on the wall... Yeah- not exactly what I was looking for, but, oh well. As the only person (yes- just lil' ole me) in a restaurant that can probably seat at least 100 people, I felt a little awkward. Especially considering the line cook hanging out at one of the tables was the person who greeted me, and another cook came out from the kitchen to tell me to sit wherever I wanted. Not a great start. Eventually a waitress emerged, though I did get to listen to her complain to staff about how she wasn't ready yet, and had an appointment, and blah, blah, blah before she ever introduced herself, knowing full well that I had been seated- whatever. Someone else (I suspect the son of an owner) brought me water and bread, which was very considerate. The bread was just barely warm, probably because they were not yet expecting any customers; I imagine it's normally piping hot. I almost wish it had been totally cold so I didn't take up the precious real estate in my stomach... I had ample time (trust me...) to peruse the menu. This place serves up classic, old-school Italian. Any menu with an entire section devoted to veal probably hasn't printed menus in at least over ten years. Not in the mood for a pricey entree (most are $20+), I decided to spend my money more wisely and sample the menu by choosing a few items. I got stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer, gnocchi, and a white clam pie. (I know- it sounds like a lot for one, but I needed leftovers.) All pasta dishes come with soup or salad, and I chose salad with their homemade creamy garlic dressing. Holy salad dressing- they should bottle this stuff and sell it. Absolutely delicious and indulgent, I'm sure it's at least 200 calories per 1 tbs. serving. I could eat this stuff on anything, it was really that good. Stuffed mushrooms came next, all sizzling and bubbly, fresh from the oven. They were large, perfectly cooked, and the stuffing was sweet and savory, clearly full of crab meat. I also think I detected some Marsala wine, which pairs perfectly with mushrooms. These were absolutely divine and I would totally order again. Next came the white pie. It was good, but could have used more salt, to be honest. I used quite a bit of shredded parm to amp up the flavor. I think it also could have been helped by some more herbage. There was a good amount of clam, but the pizza lacked the sweet, salty, briny goodness I had hoped for. That said, the crust was pretty thin, and crispy. Perhaps different toppings could have resulted in a better experience. Lastly were the gnocchi. These were served in a simple tomato sauce that would have greatly benefited from some fresh basil, a little roasted garlic, and pureed, sauteed onions. It wasn't bad, but it did fall flat. The gnocchi, however, were clearly handmade. They were tender, soft, and melt in your mouth. I know gnocchi, and these were excellent. Again, I added quite a bit of parm to these, too, to help with the flavor. Though the place was empty when I arrived, it quickly started to fill as I was leaving, around 5:15. This spot is clearly meant for dinner occasions, and I did overhear quite a few dinner reservations being discussed by the staff. Also, many of the incoming diners seemed to be regulars, who were recognized by the staff, which is always a good sign. read more

RIBZ = Rolling in baked ziti.... This is literally what I want to do every time I dine at Gianni. If you couldn't tell already, the baked ziti is my go to dish. I think the sauce to ricotta ratio is what makes this dish so special, and a staple choice for me. Besides the baked ziti, Gianni offers a wide variety of traditional Italian classics, ranging from veal and chicken dishes to gnocchi. There are a few set backs, such as the mystery wine selection of the week and occasional poor service if the restaurant is crowded. However, the food quality trumps everything and that's why I give Gianni 5/5. If you're craving some classic Italian food, I highly recommend the Gianni gem! read more

If you're looking for a classic, delicious Italian meal, look no further. I first ate here a couple of years ago, and I had the best chicken marsala I've ever had. It's so good that I'm always hesitant to try something else, and end up getting it almost every time. The baked ziti is also fabulous, and is my boyfriend's absolute favorite...he likes it better than his mom's baked ziti, so that's sayin' somethin'! As for the place itself, it's nothing too fancy, but the service is always good and you never have to wait for a table. I will say that the wine list is always the same, but they never seem to have the wine that we select from the list, but rather bring something else comparable. read more

Classic 3.5 stars. Highlight was 1/20/16 appetizer special: Broccoli Rabe and Sausage. I rarely get BR due to it's bitterness/toughness but per waitress suggestion this cook knows what to do. Cooked to edible and tasty, paired with a spicy sausage. Great intro. Vinaigrette in salad had good tang/bite. Zuppa Red preparation of mussels and clams (just ask, they'll put them together) was way overly salty for me, even overpowered the garlic hunks. Seafood that was just touched by sauce was pretty good, yet not wowing. There were peeled roasted potatoes on associate's plate that made up in taste what they lacked in vitamins. No other eaters had anything bad to say. Waitress spend more time talking to customers she knew (not crowded), yet was fun, useful, and still attentive. read more

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Hot Italian food done to perfection, Although the place is outdated in every section. Don't come for a total dining experience, But when it comes to food, Gianni's is serious. I have had better overall dining experiences, but I may not have had better Italian food. The hostess/waitress had her back on us while texting for about 5 minutes when we walked in the door. She wasn't the most pleasant person I've ever met either. The decor was pretty dated and I felt like I was in the 80s. Despite all of these shortcomings, the veal parm was arguably the best I have ever had. Tons of flavor and melted in my mouth. The food will keep me coming back. read more

Was here for lunch. Had ravioli with an appetizer of fried mozzarella. Both very good. Good service.

Amazing food and service everything freshly made. Thank u Deb and Geena will be back soonBeef BraccioleChicken MarsalaFettuccine AlfredoRalph's Special Chicken GrindersVeal Marsala read more

Love the food and service, our waitres Melina she is the best so because the good food and her attention we made this place our dinner for Friday's, the cold beer and soda the hot fresh bread with the oil, the wings are the best, fries mozzarella, chicken para, chicken princess plus the surprises like the rice bills or the bread with cheese tomatoes, good place to have a peace full dinner but have to have a good waitress, Melina the best read more

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Very pleasantly surprised we had the special brasole which was very good also eggplant rollatina Very good service read more

We were driving from NYC to Boston (so we're pretty spoiled on food) and desperate to find somewhere decent along the highway. What a wonderful surprise! Delicious food, beautifully seasoned, fresh and home made. This will be my official stop for this trip from now on. read more

AVOID!! Dated food, HORRIBLE SERVICE, they didn't have two of the things that were on the menu, the rice was like soggy snot... and for what I paid for my plate, HEAVILY DISAPOINTED. And yet a lot of this could've been overlooked, if the waitress was so friendly TO EVERY OTHER TABLE BUT OURS. From the attitude from go, to her tossing my card on the table at the end... AVOID THIS OVERPRICED HOVEL AT ALL COSTS. read more

Gianni, what can I say you are the best Italian restaurant in the city by far. Your Veal dishes can not be beat. From the Gianni with deep fried artichokes and red peppers, or the amazing Vermouth, Maryanne, and Marsala dishes. They satisfy beyond comprehension. Known from my years of lunch service, your wait staff is top notch. We can not wait to come back and see them again. The food is high class Italian. Absolutely amazing. Never have had a bad meal in my 10 plus years of patronage. read more

Best Pizza in town! They have the best- a must try "Ralph's special chicken grinders". Also Ralph is such a sweetheart!

Great food and atmosphere. Tasty food at a good price. P.S. Try the Spicey Sausage. read more

Great Restaurant with decent prices. Fresh tossed salads and delicious fresh meals. Outstanding restaurant and it deserves my five stars.

If you're looking for delicious Italian food this is the place to go. My family and I have been regulars at this restaurant for the past decade and will continue to be. The staff has always treated us like part of the family and my 4 year old son is in love with one of the waitresses and she loves him back, it's so cute. They're great and honest with good and wine recommendations. This is a wonderful place for a great Italian meal. The Chicken Marsala dish is my absolute favorite and if you happen to catch them on a night when the make "rice balls"(I can't remember the official name) get them!! You won't be sorry!! read more

Maria. She is awesome! Great suggestions, very friendly and accommodating. Small little quaint restaurant but I must admit the company that I was with was phenomenal. I would recommend giving Gianni's a try. Why 4 stars? I really wanted stiffed banana peppers but they don't serve them. read more

Gianni's is a nice little place that is locally owned, the kind of place I love to find. The decor isn't going to knock your socks off, they have glass table tops (no table cloths) and while they provided a cloth napkin, they also had a paper napkin at the table. The menu is diverse, I learned that their specialty is veal. I ordered a glass of house cab and veal marsala. The dinner came with a salad, bread, and a choice of rice or pasta. I found it a bit strange that they offer rice, naturally I went with pasta. The salad was fresh, the pasta was fine but the tomato sauce was pretty bland. The veal was incredibly tender, as were the mushrooms. The sauce was a little buttery - it might have used a bit more marsala wine and less butter, but who can complain about butter!?!? The meal was very good, if not great. I'd recommend Gianni's anytime. read more

We had an absolutely wonderful dinner last night . We were greater by Maria our waitress.. She was very attentive and friendly . She made menu suggestions and when we were going to order the clams casino or crab cake appetizer, she said the crab cakes were great. Glad we took advise! We started out with fresh blue crab crab cakes with a cream lobster sauce ....,awesome! Now I am a crab cake snob so I was not expecting much. Let's say they were so much better than mine! I had the clams Zuppa. The clams were fresh little neck clams cooked in garlic and white wine ...cooked to perfection. My husband had the beef bursol(not sure of the spelling) it was two pieces of tender beef roll inside was fresh mozzarella and puscutto in a red sauce ....so tasty and tender you could cut it with a butter knife. Both dishes came with perfectly cooked pasta. We ended our meal with tiramisu served with fresh whipped cream. Truly and awesome meal!!! This was our first visit ...., glad we found this hidden gem !!!!!!!! Let me add that we dined there two nights in a row !!!! Awesome ! read more

They have the best chicken grinders in all of CT. Would recommend for a delicious lunch or dinner. Pizza is cooked to perfection in real brick oven. read more

Great little place with incredible veal. Leave the knife at home and order the veal asparagus.