Tried out the new-to-me Take Out Express part of Giovanni's. First off, it was difficult to park, no handicapped spots nearby so I had to park on the street. That would have been fine, but they have their part of the curve roped off and I would have had to either hop over the rope or walk around. Not very easy for someone with a bad foot. I ordered a cheeseburger & tater tots and chicken strips & fries. There are tables with umbrellas where you can sit while you dine or while you wait for your electronic thingy to go off. There were lots of diners, mostly tourists. The cashier was saying he had worked there for 18 and a 1/2 years while selling up people's orders. Since there was a credit card fee I paid cash, but I missed the fact that they charge for to-go packaging!! And, there is no free refills on sodas. I went to Dollar Tree to buy soda instead. The order took a long time, which doesn't surprise me since there were lots of folks there, and they might share the kitchen with Giovanni's Fish Marker around the corner. The tater tots were not done, should have been crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, right? The burger was not good, the romaine lettuce was totally cooked. The chicken strips were passable, the fries seemed to be battered but they were too soft after sitting in the to-go container with the lid closed. I probably won't come here again, sorry. read more

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When we come to visit Morro Bay, we always make a point of stopping at Giovanni's Take Out. Is it touristy? Yes. Is it a bit overpriced? Yes. Is there always a long line? Absolutely. But the staff is incredibly friendly and personable, once you order you get your food quickly, and they have a selection of food our 3 young kids can't complain about & gobble up in record time. I think the negatives are easily outweighed by the positives. I also love the large patio they have for eating. They cover up the roof so you don't have to worry bout being swarmed by gulls (though they will still casually stroll in from the exit by the parking lot) which is great as they're everywhere in the area looking for a quick meal to snag. The tables are all large enough to hold our party of 5 and, even though the ordering lines are long, it seems like you will never be without a table to sit at for long as their is quick turnaround. The staff also do a great job of cleaning up the area so it's going be clean. It's just a wonderful spot to enjoy your meal. If you're also here during the farmer's market/craft show, this is a great place to take a break and recharge before going back out & looking for fresh food & unique gift ideas. read more

Giovanni's Take Out Express - Always a long line - Seafood Near Me - Morro Bay, California

Stopped here for some lunch, they have great food, beautiful views, with lots of seating. The service is fast. I took off one star because I ordered the poké bowl and asked with no added sesame seeds, she said, " they don't add any." I been here lots of times and always say none added please and never did they say that but ok. When my order came there were added seeds but I didn't complain. read more

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A very popular fish market right on the water that offers a takeout window. I noticed that the main market had a very long line, so I decided to use the takeout window instead (located on the other side of the market), hoping to grab a poke bowl and enjoy it at the beach. Unfortunately after getting to the beach I realized they missed my seaweed salad which I paid extra for so I ended up walking back about 10 minutes to stand in line yet again to have them fix their mistake. Not a big deal as I enjoy walking but definitely annoying. Once I was able to dig into my bowl everything under the seaweed salad was drenched in spicy mayo, completely overpowering everything. The rice was so overcooked it clumped into cottony balls. The ahi was passable, but the salmon had clearly been sitting in something too long as its flesh was opaque and slightly firm. By far the worst poke bowl I've ever had and for a spot with such a stunning waterfront location it's such a shame. This bowl was also very expensive and the biggest letdown of my recent trip to Morro Bay. PS - I've tried their cooked and fried food at the market and it's much better, it just seems that they really missed the mark with their poke bowl. read more

Giovanni's Take Out Express - Combo salmon & ahi poke bowl Aloha style. - Seafood Near Me - Morro Bay, California

I chose the take out express because there was no line. The young man who took my order was friendly & polite. There are numerous tables with umbrellas to sit at. The food was hot, fresh and tasty. read more

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We have eaten here before, and enjoyed it. Tonight, however, was a big disappointment. Not sure what was going on with the employee taking orders, but he was having a hard time understanding what we were asking for- even when we were ordering off their menu. I told my husband I was nervous to order here if the employee didn't even know his menu. We asked about chips, and he said fries. We were like yes- fries- but your menu says chips. Then I was asking about the yelp checkin and the cup of soup they had in the past. They don't appear to offer that anymore- but what really turned me off was when my husband ordered the clam chowder in the bread bowl and wanted to clarify there wasn't any bacon in it. This time we were told yes- it has bacon already cooked in it. So not just an add on- but already has it cooked in. I do not eat pork- and we were saying we always ask about pork in clam chowders- just to be safe. The employee says oh it's in there and you can't miss it. You didn't notice it when you had our clam chowder before? I could tell my husband still wanted to eat here- so I said I would just eat his fries and we could stay. We did overhear him tell the next people to order if it's your birthday today you get free fish and chips with proof of birthday today. The tables were very sticky today, we had to wipe down a place to sit ourselves They charge .75 for a tiny sauce for dipping- which we paid, but didn't get our sauce. Had to go up and ask for it, and show proof we had paid I did like that they had water out and available to get refills. Also be very careful guarding your food from the seagulls- they are more than ready to take your food from you read more

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Always stop here every trip to Morro Bay. Today we had two specials. Half a crab, clam chowder, drawn butter and garlic bread. Also Albacore and chips. Great food and service. Beautiful setting with view and patio seating. read more

Giovanni's Take Out Express - Half crab special with clam chowder, garlic bread and drawn butter and Albacore and chips - Seafood Near Me - Morro Bay, California

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Calamari and chips was yummy. They did NOT overcook the calamari. I hate it when it's super chewy. Friendly people Plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy the view read more

The Kraken fries are amazing! Sadly not on the menu so I did panic a bit before ordering. Unfortunately the fish and chips were a bit soggy, the ranch tasted out of a bottle and the popcorn shrimp was nothing special. I tasted more crust than anything. Probably would stick to other restaurants on the Embarcadero read more

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Delicious fried halibut with fried green beans is the absolutely perfect meal to satisfy your cravings while in Morro Bay! They do a great job of packaging the green beans separately from the fish so they stay hot and crispy! Friendly customer service, too! read more

We were so impressed and surprised by the quality here. We didn't plan to eat in the area but we're suddenly super hungry. We frantically yelped our options and looked at lines and chimes this for lunch. We were glad we did. Poke was great and super fresh. One bowl was traditional and the other Hawaiian style, I prefer the traditional as the sauce overpowered a little on the Hawaiian but both were great. Clam chowder was perfect, So good. Fries were great, grilled fish and shrimp plates were also super good. We saw the garlic bread and regretted not ordering any, it looks great! The line moves quick. Location is fun. We will definitely come again read more

Do not use the online ordering process to order your food. You will have your credit card charged, but your order will not go through, and you will have to place your order when you get there. So, instead of trying to order ahead for convenience, you are waiting anyway. This was made a little easier by the guy at the counter knowing exactly what happened, which means it must happen all the time. The food, on the other hand, is good and the weather at the outside tables is great. Just be careful with your food our to go bread bowls had the chowder already inside so it spilled everywhere. read more

Giovanni's Take Out Express - Don't order your chowder to go. - Seafood Near Me - Morro Bay, California

Wow, really good clam chowder! It hit the spot for sure on the gorgeous day we visited. The soup was perfect temperature and the flavor was really good as well. Good proportion of clams to potato too. Something I've never had before was a dollop of butter on top at service. We just mixed it right in and added a nice finishing touch to our meal. They have outdoor seating with umbrellas which was really nice at a grab and go place. Attached is a fresh fish market as well as another place your order and sit by the water area. There was a bit of a line which, to me, is always a good sign. We read more

Giovanni's Take Out Express - Clam Chowder topped with seasoning and a dollop of butter - Seafood Near Me - Morro Bay, California

This is a side window exclusively for "ordering to go" located behind Giovanni's Fish market and restaurant.. The menu is smaller than their main restaurant's menu. The benefit is there is no line here. While I do recommend Giovanni's fresh fish market, I can't recommend their cooked foods. This is the second time they've not met expectations. Their fish tacos were small pieces of fish covered by a large pile of shredded cabbage. No flavor. Their fish and chips tasted off, perhaps because the oil was either too old or had been contaminated with some other fish that caused a bad taste. Maybe the fish itself was bad.. I dunno, but I'm done with Gio's food offerings. Prices are very high for what you get. I'm not exaggerating when I say the fish tacos at Del Taco (a fast food chain ) tasted better.. Tip- There's a private parking lot behind this restaurant. It's your best bet on a busy weekend in Morro Bay. read more

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We picked Morro Bay to stay two nights in June and showed up on a random Wednesday in June. On our first evening I checked Yelp for a casual place to eat and decided to give Giovanni's a try! Feeling lucky since we didn't have to wait in a super long line. The cashier was kind, offered his input on food choices and answered our questions. A few tables were filled with people but as we sat and waited for our food I couldn't help but notice the seagulls were fearless! Jumping on tables and making a mad dash for food if you left it unattended or were distracted by the scenery even! Our food came out and the chowder was absolutely delicious. A bit of butter melted on top was a nice touch. Also, not sure if it was chili powder or paprika but it provided a nice touch as well. The bread bowl was freshly made. My kids enjoyed the popcorn shrimp and the fries were perfect too. My husband chose the halibut burger with sriracha mayo as it was recommended by the cashier and it was really good as well. I'd definitely come back here in the future. read more

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We just needed a small bite to get us to the afternoon until we had to go home. We stopped in for some fish and chips which were delicious. We upgraded our fries to garlic fries for two bucks more. We shared our meal. I've been here twice before and enjoyed my meals each time, it was a beautiful day nice area with umbrella covered tables the girl and the woman behind the counter were so nice. Big smiles. Definitely need to come by and try some of their dishes. read more

Giovanni's Take Out Express - Fish and chips, garlic style - Seafood Near Me - Morro Bay, California

Check in for a free cup of clam chowder with your order! I like Giovanni's as a casual seafood spot near SLO. Order at the window and pick up around the corner with your buzzer, they have about 10 tables for seating, right on the bay with a view of Morro Rock. It was a rainy day when I visited, so it was not too busy. I enjoyed most of my meal but some items missed the mark: - The clam chowder was my favorite, it was creamy and flavorful, good for a cold and rainy day, and even had pieces of crab! - I did not enjoy the fish tacos, they put way too much lettuce that I couldn't taste the fish, the tortilla was soggy, and it overall was bland. - The combo and chips had good variety of fried seafood (calamari, shrimp, scallops, fish, etc), it's a good shareable size but definitely need to get a sauce to add a little extra flavor - FYI sauce does not come with your order (learned that the hard way and had to get back in line after getting my food), order sauce for 50¢ each, recommend getting the tartar and cocktail - they also had non-seafood items as well, which was nice for my picky brother who got a massive bacon cheeseburger and enjoyed it read more

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staff miserable and rude. Would never come back to the takeout express. Had a different experience in restaurant.

Normally a place I enjoy. Yesterday's lunch was horrible. The combo (fried fish, shrimp, scallops and calamari) was so disappointing. Fish must have had freezer burn before getting battered and friend... dry and chewy, minuscule shrimp, and questionable calamari. Coleslaw tasted like cabbage dipped in sugar water. read more

The workers are always nice and friendly and the food never disappoints . Definitely one of my favorite places to go in morro bay

I always see a long line and had to try it. I ordered clam chowder, and it is the worst clam chowder I have ever had. Why is there a layer of orange oil on top of the chowder? The flavor wasn't good, and I had one clam amongst mostly potatoes. read more

Food was okay; clam chowder was yummy and fried food was good. Don't get the fish tacos. Every bite I took made me miss the fish taco from Taco Nazo in Baldwin Park,CA. read more

Service was good The food is the worst of the worst. I questioned if the calamari was actually calamari or a seagull. Bread is supposed to taste like bread right?!? I'm confused. On a side note. Garlic fries were decent. read more

Looks like a tourist trap but great food. Pros: Grab and go with lots of patio seating. Crab fried rice was fantastic, and halibut fish and chips were awesome. Even the fries were coated and tasty. counter person very friendly and helpful. Cons: Not the cheapest, halibut fish n chip $25, crab fried rice $20. BUT, right in the middle of tourist shopping with a view of the Morro bay rock. We'll be back. read more

Great fish tacos and quick service. My guest had fish and chips with a cup of clam chowder and enjoyed her meal also.

First tip, use yelp check-in feature for a free little bowl of clam chowder. I would say the service here is great, the cashier was extremely kind and made us feel welcomed as guests. The food however for the price was a little disappointing. Granted there aren't that many options in Morro Bay and Giovanni's is most likely one of the better options on that list. We ordered a wide variety of options from rice dishes, to poke and even fried entrees. We all agreed that their fried food is definitely their bread and butter while the other dishes could use some fine tuning. If you order the poke bowl, there is no need to make it "aloha". The extra sauces on it just makes it super salty and Im sure if I didn't upgrade my bowl, it would had been alright. The rice and shrimp platter were good, but absolutely spicy. We couldn't finish it in one go and had to take it home, and now that I'm writing this it seemed like they're heavy on the seasoning in general here. Overall, I would still recommend Giovanni's if you're in town but definitely play it safe and order the fried entrees. read more

Giovanni's Take Out Express - Tuna Poke Bowl, Aloha Style - Seafood Near Me - Morro Bay, California

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Sister location to the original Giovanni's that's actually located in the same building around the corner. The main difference between them being that this location has a smaller menu (due to a smaller kitchen) and is take-out only--but there's plenty of tables outside to eat. Also, we found this location to not be as busy as the OG. We ordered the fried scallops w/ garlic fries, fish & chips and grilled salmon rice bowl. Everything was really tasty and fried up fresh and hot. Carissa really enjoyed her grilled salmon and said the rice was cooked beautifully. The fish and scallops were both nice and crispy but our one complaint was they were a but underseasoned. Which really wasn't an issue once you dipped them in the concomitant sauces. The garlic fries were also fantastic. Probably better than most garlic fries you'll find at most places and worth every penny of the $2 upgrade. The thing with these coastal eateries is they served lackluster food and just count on you just enjoying the view--but Giovanni's proves quite the opposite. As they prove good food with a view is not an oxymoron. Highly recommended. read more

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We ordered a piece of halibut for $4.99 plus tax and this is what we got. We asked if there was a mistake, and they told us this is a standard "piece". read more

Giovanni's Take Out Express - Halibut by the Piece - Seafood Near Me - Morro Bay, California

The food was great and the service was also. We split the combo basket and ordered a side of buffalo popcorn shrimp. The combo basket was very delicious. It came with fish, shrimp, scallops, and calamari all in a bed of crispy fries! The popcorn shrimp were also very well breaded and portioned. Buffalo flavor was exactly how you'd expect wings read more

Giovanni's Take Out Express - Combo and chips, medium buffalo shrimp and large soda - Seafood Near Me - Morro Bay, California

Came here with the family over the Thanksgiving holiday. Line was pretty busy at the original location, so we decided to check out the express side. They have many of the menu items, but didn't have the kids menus or quesadillas. I ordered the poke bowl which was a pretty large size. Fish was fresh and tasty. A little frustrating that they charge per topping, so it can get a bit pricey. We asked for the spicy sauce on the side and that sauce was PHENOMENAL. Gave the poke a nice little crunch. I also tried the fries others had ordered, as well as the cod and halibut fish and chips. The cod fish and chips were mostly just breading, but the halibut ones and fries were fantastic. Service was good. Would definitely return to this spot. read more

Hands down best fish and chips, clam chowder. Also love their fresh fish market but the fish is super fresh with high prices to match. We had their halibut and we cooked on the bbq and used their seasoning it was the best I've ever had. See you next year. read more

Giovanni's Take Out Express - Nice little walk up with benches to eat and large umbrellas to protect from sun and birds - Seafood Near Me - Morro Bay, California

We were staying nearby and on vacation for my birthday. Giovanni's was definitely a place I wanted to try. Someone had warned me not to come and that it was all hype, but I didn't take her advice. My husband tried to call ahead first to place a to go order. He had it on speakerphone. The lady who picked up was very dismissive after she realized we were trying to place a take out order and about to hang up on us. I felt that was a bit rude especially since we were first time customers. We ended up driving to the location and ordering from the window. They have a Gio's Take-Out Express. I ordered the Fish and Chips. On our first day, I had ordered Fish & Chips from another local restaurant and absolutely loved it. In comparison, the Fish & Chips I got from here were not great..... still edible, but meh. They were hard, overcooked.. not a lot of flavor... sigh. I guess you live and learn. read more

Loved this spot. We stopped by here for lunch and I am so glad we did. We ordered a few items: deep fried calamari with fries, 1/2 dozen baked oysters BBQ, and a clam chowder on a sourdough bowl. Loved each dish. Such a nice meal!! 1. Calamari - perfectly breaded and so flavorful. 2. Baked oysters - loved everything about it. 3. Clam chowder - not much clams. Lots of potatoes and salty. Loved the view of the Morro Rock from this spot. Definitely a nice place to dine in at. Highly recommend!! read more

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I eat a fair amount of Poki bowls. And they did a really good job. Had a few add-ons and their Wassabi mayonnaise.I got there just after 11 AM on a weekday and I was super quick read more

Giovanni's Take Out Express - Poki bowl. Salmon and tuna combo with avocado, seaweed, salad, crab salad, and Wassabi mayonnaise. - Seafood Near Me - Morro Bay, California

I really enjoyed the food here! Lots of seafood options. We opted for the fried seafood, both calamari and oysters which I saw them breading and frying to order! The bbq oysters with garlic butter were delicious and big. The New England clam chowder was super solid, would definitely get it again. One of the highlights was the fried Oreos which were blissfully sweet, crispy and hot out the frier. Very casual take out counter to order from and they are right on the water and have great public picnic tables out the back with a beautiful view of the boats in the marina in the background. read more

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True shrimp fried rice tasted off... but they do have a deal for the clam chowder if you check in! The clam chowder was pretty good! The tartar sauce was also a bit off, but the fried calamari was pretty good! read more

This place usually has a line but it is worth the wait! If you are looking for the freshest fish you can buy other than straight from the boat itself you're going to find it here. Inside the store there is smoked fish, fresh fish, bottom feeders and outside you can purchase meals. I would have to say my favorite thing is their 'surf and turf burrito'. I had a temporary obsession where at least once a week I would have to have one! Is there a downside to sitting by the ocean eating and watching the mammals play? Maybe just the birds eyeballing your food plotting their trajectory for any crumbs you may drop! Your a short walk or drive from morro rock where you can look at otters working hard to crack open their food. read more

Dang. This place serves up some outstanding fish and chips. Came by on the recommendation of some friends who had spent time in Morro Bay before. When I arrived in the parking lot, the local cops were there getting takeout. That alone is a strong recommendation for any restaurant, so I felt confident dropping $25 on halibut fish and chips. I'm happy to say that while this might not have been the best fish and chips I've ever had, it's probably some of the best I've ever had outside of the UK. The halibut is light and flaky, and the fries are dipped in a bit of cornmeal before frying, giving them that jenes se qua that distinguishes merely "decent" fries from outstanding ones. $25 is a lot to spend on a mess of deep fried food, mind you, but this is dang good fish and chips. It's a take out window, and the eating area is not particularly clean or comfortable, but the food is well worth it. My recommendation would be to get your food to go, jump in the car, and take it down to the state park to eat by the lapping shoreline and calm waters of gorgeous, laid back Morro Bay. And to complete the central coast experience, perhaps pack along a couple of cold 805s to wash down all that tartary goodness. read more

I don't think I ordered the right things. I had seen a few reviews just raving about the foid at Giovanni's. That said, what we had was alright. The clam chowder was good. Getting it in the bread bowl was much fresher than the non-bread bowl. For starters, the chowder was just warm. In the bread bowl, it was piping hot. The sourdough was tasty. The fish was just not very flavorful. It really needed the tarter sauce. Even with the tarter sauce, it was just "OK." One of the kids got chicken and chips. The chicken tasted like it was a frozen, mass produced product that was kept around for picky little kids. It was served with some bbq sauce that tasted like Kraft basic. For the money we paid, we expected much better food. read more

Giovanni's Take Out Express - It's Aight. Thinking we somehow missed what all the hype was about. - Seafood Near Me - Morro Bay, California

Line was much longer in front, so we turned the corner and found the express. Menu is much smaller but still had very good options. We ordered two poke bowls. One aloha and one grilled salmon. Both were pretty flavorful and plentiful. Avocado was fresh fish was perfect. Rice was cooked well. No complaints. Their fries are pretty tasty as well! Crispy and potatoe-y. read more

Giovanni's Take Out Express - Seafood Near Me - Morro Bay, California

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