The food was quite good but the service was just okay. The server did something weird with our wine service. After he opened our bottle, he poured some wine into a glass and then swirled it and instead of having my husband taste it he poured it into a decanter and then into another glass and then sniffed it and took that wine away. He then poured more wine into a glass and had my husband taste that wine. We have no idea what he did with the first pour of wine. Maybe he took it to the kitchen for a small sip later? read more

Not friendly, felt formulaic. Food was good but honestly very unfriendly environment. Multiple servers, nobody seemed to care. After all the good reviews we rushed to make a reservation, as did the couple sitting next to us . We both felt the same, we assume everyone doesn't care that they are sitting in a tourist trap type establishment. Oh well, next time we return to Pandemonio ! There we felt welcome and the food sensational. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed the food and the ambiance here! The wild boar pasta was an outstanding dish for us to share following our appetizers of salad and octopus. My stuffed chicken entree was delicious, juicy and quite flavorful. A beautiful dining room-just don't expect the locals as it was full of American tourists. read more

We really wanted to truly enjoy this place and came here on a friend's high recommendations. The problems started as our waitress, Christina came over to tell us about the menu. As soon as she realized we weren't going to be ordering a ton of food due to my husband not being hungry at all. She was clearly frustrated with the questions we asked, she kept trying to push food on us that we repeatedly said we didn't want to order and finally once we ordered, we didn't see her again the whole night. I think the bus boy took over service of our table. We never got our bread basket as all of the other patrons received until after flagging down two people. We had to ask for olive oil which was readily placed on all other tables. Even with being the only one who really ate and a vegetarian, our bill was 55 euros. So not a cheap dinner if that's what she was basing the value of our table and her service on. Super disappointing and no way will we return again. read more

This restaurant is totally overrated with both quality of service and food. First of all, while majority of the customers there were from the U.S., they wouldn't even have English on their menu items. The waiter was annoyed when we asked him to explain some of the items that we couldn't figure out and to give us more time. And we were forced to have a whole bottle of wine. The very pricey T-bone steak (55 euro per kg) was not tasty at all and was rough. The other dishes we ordered were all mid to low quality. For the price we paid, I would expect more and this restaurant was a total disappointment. My neighborhood Italian restaurant back in NJ has better service, food, and price! read more

Incredible food at a more than reasonable price. The pear ravioli really is a must.

After reading the reviews on Yelp my girlfriend and I were expecting an amazing meal. What a disappointment! The waiter seemed annoyed when we asked him for a recommendation. My Pasta Di Mare came out barely above room temperature, and there was barely any seafood but lots of seafood shells. Where did all my shellfish go? My girlfriend ordered a Veal chop that was mostly bone that had no flavor. The flavor must have been hanging out with my seafood in a hot place on the stove. The service was terrible as the owner was too busy chatting it up with friends at a couple of tables instead of ensuring his infamous meals were being prepared to perfection. Oh and let's not forget about the flashing Christmas lights on the ceiling that made you dizzy. What a shame. I would highly recommend 13 Gobbi which we are at the night before and that was AMAZING! Order the steak Florentine for 2 there! And the staff is such a pleasure. Going back there FOR SURE!!! read more

Having recently spent a week in Florence, my son and I discovered Osteria La Giostra late in our stay. I wish we had found it earlier. They provided the best meal we had all week. The osso bucco was among the best I have ever eaten. The tripa florentina is divine. Their service is impeccable. The pasta dishes are marvelous. Try the cacio e pepe for a real treat. If you order a steak, and are from the USA, ask them to cook it: the Florentines prefer beef so rare we would call it raw. But, it is delicious and the portions are massive. The staff was attentive and courteous. Their attitude is unfailingly cheerful. The typically offer complimentary sparkling wine and aperitifs after dinner. Though my son and I are teetotalers, we did appreciate their generosity. Best treat of all- they have a special made-for-them-only aceto balsamico (balsamic vinegar) that is thick, tar like, and absolutely the nectar of the gods. I have never had anything so delicious to put on salads or bread before. Reservations are encouraged. Try this place. It'll make your entire stay in Florence so much better. read more

One star for the beautiful interior. No additional stars due to the fact that we were seated for 20 minutes, menus closed, and were not served. We got up, walked by a few servers, and left. No one tried to stop us. read more

My husband and I ate dinner here tonight and everything was fabulous, we had the burrata, pear ravioli, steak for two, and gelato with strawberries! Not only was the food amazing but the service and atmosphere was over the top. I recommend this restaurant to everyone visiting Florence. read more

Amazing!! I'm still dreaming about the ravioli. Top notch service. The presentation of food was wonderful and everyone's food was divine. Highly recommend. read more

I was very much looking forward to this meal as it was our last dinner in Florence. This place came highly recommended by a friend who lived in Florence 5 years ago. My husband and I made reservations two weeks in advance. So I was a little disappointed to find they had decided to seat us basically in the fireplace of the less-fancy room... Also right by the bathroom and kitchen. I could have gotten past that... Except the food was a let-down too. The free prosecco and antipasti platter were kind. And the pear ravioli that everyone raves about was decent.. (My husband and I split that). Not mind-blowing, but decent. Since I could barely read the tiny print of the menu in the dim light, I asked the waiter to suggest a few of his favorite dishes from the seafood selections. Upon hearing "sea bass with vegetables," I thought "oh good! Authentic, simple Italian AND healthy!" When the dish arrived, I was surprised at the amount of food on the plate. It was tasty.. And a bit oily/salty... But since it was 3/4 veggies (zucchini, tomatoes, etc) I figured I could eat most of it and be okay. Wrong. It was heavier and oiler and way more food than I realized sitting there in that dark fireplace. My sweet tooth wouldn't even allow me to order anything more than cartucchi/ vin santo for a light dessert .. (Side note-I was a little confused by the "apple pie and cheesecake" on the menu. I came to this restaurant for an Italian experience... But whatev'!) So after leaving the restaurant, my husband (who ordered the filet) and I walked back to our hotel and the whole way, we were both fighting the urge to purge (both ends). Our stomachs were both bloated like we were 8 months pregnant. And overall, we just felt like shit. Food should leave you feeling better.. Not worse. This is the only meal we experienced this with during our stay in Florence.. Even though we ordered steak/fish and pasta at other places. Was it the portion? Maybe? Was it the preparation.. Overdone with oil? Probably didn't help... I'm not saying don't eat here.. Just make sure there's a toilet nearby unless your body is used to overly-oily foods. read more

Food excellent. Very touristy, every diner was American. Not the experience we were looking for. Romantic, but if you are looking for an Italian experience than being surrounded by noisy, snobby Americans is not it. It was not what we were looking for. read more

If you are alone in Florence and desperate to sit next to the loud English and/or the Americans, La Giostra is your kind of place. Nothing about this place reminds you of the loveliness of Florence. The restaurant is as obnoxious as it gets for trying so hard to mirror LA restaurants, yet it miserably fails to get anywhere close to the LA restaurant scene. The food is okay, but the service is disappointingly slow and sloppy. They try to entice you to stay there and be patient by giving you free prosecco and some spicy appetizers that basically ruin your appetite. We ended up canceling our second course and left unhappy about our experience at La Giostra. read more

10/10 would come back. Here is what we got and what made our experience so amazing. NOTE: We made reservations, so we did no waiting. They were timely, attentive, and the staff was diverse and sweet. We also got there by 8:00, so the madness wasn't at full blow quite yet. Appetizers: Mushroom Salad- 5 stars. The mushroom was so thinly sliced but flavorful, and the slices of pecorino on top were perfect. I love mushrooms though, so this dish was an almost guaranteed yes. It was fresh and light, something that sometimes gets lost in the heaviness of Italian cooking. Burrata- 5 stars. It was unique (the cheese was almost a yogurt-textured, pourable liquid), and it came with nuts, honey, and jam. It was perfect with their bread (which is also amazing!), and the 5 of us could not get enough. Complimentary platter- 5 stars because who complains about complimentary anything?! They also started us off with proseco, which was a great start. Chicken liver pate, bruschetta, salami, celery root, roasted peppers, and eggplant. I feel as though I'm forgetting something, but basically, it was very good and kind of them. Insalata di Soncino, arance, pecorino e aceto balsamico di Modena- 4 stars. Nothing mind-blowing for me, but we ate all of it and it was exactly what it promised. Mains: Florentine Steak- 3.5 stars. I didn't order this- 3 other people at my table did; however, we know they're famous for their balsamic steak, but we decided to stick with the classic because we were in Florence. It lacked flavor, and it felt like a huge chunk of meat with not much else going on. It was disappointing, but I'm not sure if that's what it's supposed to taste like. Overall, however, we were not impressed and tired of it very quickly. Ravioli Di Pecorino di fossa e Pere williams- 4.5 stars. Cooked perfectly, and I was very satisfied. I ordered it because the server said it was their most popular pasta, and for good reason! A bit too sweet though, for a main dish, but it was tasty and filling, nonetheless! Branzino (the one in a tomato sauce)- 5 stars. The person who got it loved it, but told us that if you don't absolutely love tomatoes, which seemed to overpower the dish, it wouldn't be a favorite. He loved it though and said it was a perfect filet- not a single bone to be found! Dessert: Tiramisu- 5 stars. Unique, and being so full, it was the perfect last-2-spoons to everyone's meal! Great service (5/5), lovely atmosphere(4/5- lights were a bit cheesy, and it was a BIT dark and crowded, but it's an old place so expected), and an overall great time! read more

We were on our honey moon and a lot of our friends & family told us about this amazing restaurant. They said it was an absolute must!! I emailed the place to set up reservations. When we got to the place they tried to seat us in a more then cramped table in the corner which would have realistically accommodated 1 person. It was a Sunday night and the place had 3 occupied tables...We asked if we could be reseated and they put us next to the restroom. It smelt so awful that we had to ask to be reseated again. They put us back at the original table. What was confusing was there were other couples that sat at tables for 4. We moved past it and decided to make the most of it since the place came with so many 5 star recommendations from yelp and family & friends raved about it. When the waiter came to our table he was unfriendly, short and not helpful with the menu. We decided for the money that was about to spent, the service should have matched it and left. It's sD it happened this way, it looked promising and it seemed to be THE go to for Italian cuisine. :( read more

This restaurant is catering to the American perception of a "true Italian dinner". We were really excited to eat here because of all of the great reviews. It was one of the few restaurants we made a reservation for prior to our trip. Sadly, the experience didn't live up to our expectations. The food was absolutely nothing to write home about and the service felt extremely rushed. There are two separate dining rooms- one that everyone has to pass through to see the hostess, and another which seemed to be stuffed full of Americans. They literally ask you to exit the restaurant, walk down the street with them, and then they put you into the much larger, separate dining room away from the quaint, romantic one that everyone sees upon arrival. There are several pictures on the walls where the owner has posed with famous visitors. I have to think that the overall experience in the smaller dining room would be infinitely better or else these famous people would never have come to this restaurant. Is it as bad as Olive Garden? No, but it's not much better. I couldn't recommend this place to friends. You'd be much better off stumbling into a random trattoria, and it would likely be far cheaper. read more

Make reservations! Place was very cozy, intimate, and inviting. I was quite charmed. There didn't seem to be that many locals in the restaurant. Food-wise: everyone gets a free glass of prosecco and appetizer plate. The pear ravioli was unique and the tiramisu was not bad. read more

Meh - overated. Ambience is nice but food tastes bland and or is over cooked with lots of cheese and the prices are crazy. Not worth it and didn't seem authentic at all. If you're in Florence, find another spot that gives you the quality you're looking for. Also, the services was pretty bad. The waiter seemed cranky the whole time. Not sure what was up his butt. read more

Excellent meal. Excellent service. As a Boston resident, you just don't get this quality for these absolutely acceptable prices. Went here with a table of three. We ordered the Yelp-adored pear ravioli as an appetizer first. They were quite good, but not quite as good as I expected given the amount of praise that I've read on them. However, the main entrees were phenomenal. My friends ordered the shrimp risotto and the spaghetti al mare, while I ordered a bracciata dish with a side of potatoes and carrots. I am not typically a risotto dish fan, but I must say that this particular iteration was a treat to sample. While the linguine on the spaghetti al mare was nothing to write home about, the featured seafood (a full prawn, squid, mussels, clams) was quite fresh, as to be expected from the area. Fortunately, the bracciata dish transitioned this restaurant experience to a full five stars. I could have left the dish alone and still have been satisfied with just the aroma emanating from the rosemary and sauces that flavored the course. That being said, the taste matched the scent; every bite was taken carefully and fully savored. The bracciata was perfectly cooked for medium rare and I am honestly surprised to say the potatoes were the highlight of the meal. As I mentioned briefly before, the service was really on a level I just rarely see. When we mentioned that we wanted the ravioli as a shared appetizer, they helpfully served the dish in three different plates. We were also treated to a complementary antipasti spread (perhaps this is more common than I think because I simply don't go to that many high-end restaurants). Goddamn, this review is pretentious. I am sorry, Yelp. TL;DR: This is some good shit! read more

Everybody recommends this extremely cute "authentic" Tuscan restaurant tucked down a small alley. I think everyone who doesn't really know good food is easily seduced by the interior. The food is okay, (though all four entrees were over salted) but definitely this place is meant for tourists who all get so excited by the free antipasti (which is mediocre). There was one table of Italians eating when we gave it a chance, the rest all English speaking tourists mostly in their 20s who wouldn't know Bistecca from a Big Mac. From the English slogan all over the souvenir merchandise to the bad 80s american rock and roll and the hard sell on apps and bottles of wine... the earmarks of a tourist trap are everywhere if you take off the rose colored glasses aka "oh we are in Florence eating in a cute restaurant in an alley" and look around. This is our second trip and tenth day eating out in Florence and trust me you can do SO MUCH BETTER without even really trying. It's not terrible, it's just the #1 restaurant in town, it's not even top 25. It's average and very expensive. €38 for a small plate of decent packaged pasta with shaved truffle (it's suspiciously always "truffle season" in this restaurant) that you can get around the corner that's made in house and costs half as much. read more

Great experience in a beautiful, quaint setting. Awesome service as well with the complimentary champagne, appetizer board, & limoncello after dinner. The cheese board with the honey & prosciutto with mozzarella were great apps. We also order the carpaccio but it was a) too much food & b) not as good as the others. For entrees we got got the prawns (Big but a bit difficult to actually eat as you had to scrape them out), the veal (HUGEEE & good quality, just could use a little lemon butter or something because it was a little dry), & the filet with mushrooms (Special for the night & absolutely amazing piece of meat). My sister got some plain pasta with olive oil & Parmesan cheese & was happy with it. None of us finished our entrees being so full from all the food, but it was a great experience! read more

Amazing food and amazing service! Was recommended to come here from a friend. And we were not disappointed! We will definitely come back. If your in the area you must stop by! I would try to make reservations beforehand. read more

Pear Ravioli's were delicious, great sauce and the Steak with arugula (I forget what it was called) was also very delicious and flavorful. We also liked the burrata. Unfortunately we were tired from wine tasting all day, so we didn't stay long but the ambiance was gorgeous. read more

We went here twice in our 4 nights in Florence!! The first time on the recommendation of our concierge at the Saint Regis Hotel. Best food we had in town hands down!! We actually walked out of another restaurant to come back here!!! The walls are lined with pictures of the chef with hundreds of local and international celebs that have eaten here. It is literally the most authentic and most mouth watering food you can eat. We started with the burrata both nights, omg, it melts in your mouth. The carpaccio was also good as was the fresh pear/pecorino ravioli, but the STAR of the evening is the steak topped w Foie Gras...it is seriously the most delicious thing on earth, I had the spaghetti with seafood which was heavenly as well. The chef came to our table multiple times throughout the night, and was very personable. To top off the night, we ran into a Hollywood celebrity having dinner with his family- Chazz Palminteri. Super cool!! read more

For qualities of the food, I agree with all the positive reviews by most users here. I was blown away by the pear ravioli and marveled at how the creators of that dish were able to think of such an interesting combination of flavors. The only slight negative (hence the 4 stars) I want to mention here is that the menu is only in Italian. For those who does not read or speak the language, you need to rely on what the waiter tells you what's good on the menu. Since this place has an extensive menu of selections, the waiter won't have the patience to go thru everything on the menu, he only mentions those items he thinks Americans will like. And here lies the problem, at least for me. I like to sample food that sounds interesting, not the standard affairs that sounds familiar. Since it's unlikely that the waiter will have the patience to go thru everything (I don't blame him as the place is quite busy), I suggest you download the google translation app on your iPhone so you can 'scan' the menu as you were reading it (I won't go thru the details of the tool here), and trust me, the app works, like 90% of the time. read more

This restaurant had been very highly recommended by a friend. We had trouble getting a reservation and I understand now why. We had a great dinner. The food, the setting and the service were all great. read more

Great creative food, the waiters were very helpful explaining the only in Italian menu. You should definitely get the octopus carpaccio.

Fantastic! Went there for lunch with my fiancé. We were early for our reservation and it was cold and rainy so they were nice enough to let us in to sit down before they even opened. The staff made excellent recommendations. Try the pear ravioli, it was so good, and definitely try the baratta. I could eat that every day of my life. read more

Rarely have I been to a restaurant where the quality of the food and the staff are so mismatched. The food is terrific -- we had a fabulous meal, but the staff is brusque and silly. Almost the moment you sit down and attempt to read the menu in the candlelight, someone is asking you what you want. There's the snappy little blond with her "madam this" and "madam that." There's the gipsy king with bracelets up to his armpits and his mishmash of Italian and English; I believe he asked us what wine we wanted before we had decided what we had chosen to eat. There's the unpleasant sommelier. How about chilling out a bit and giving the customers a little breathing room? We have lived on Borgo Pinti for eight years and walked past La Giostra dozens of times. Last night was the first time we had eaten there -- we were celebrating an occasion -- and it will be our last. read more

Lovely restaurant with friendly staff. The ossobuco was fantastic, as was the pear ravioli. highly recommended!

Some of the best food I've had in Florence! The service and atmosphere are incredible, not to mention to food! The free plates are the beginning are generous and delicious. I recommend the pear ravioli. read more

Really great dinner. Best we had in Florence. They give you complementary prosecco and appetizer when you arrive. Atmosphere was idyllic with twinkling string lights and candles on every table. We had the burrata to start. I had the stuffed chicken which was very good but what made it were the carrots and potatoes which were cooked and seasoned to perfection. My husband had the veal Marsala, also delicious. Finished with the tiramisu which was amazing. Would definitely recommend making a reservation as it filled up very quickly after 7:30. I think a lot of Americans go here as they have celebrity pictures lining the walls and play American music. The staff treats you great, I couldn't tell which was our actual waiter because 4 or 5 serviced us throughout the evening. read more

Favorite restaurant in Firenze. The food is delicious and the setting charming.

We've been to La Giostra twice before and enjoyed the food. There's nothing to complain about on the plate, but I think our third visit will be our last. This restaurant has gotten strange: they have two spaces, two doors apart on the same street. If you arrive at one with a reservation, you have a good chance of being summarily whisked to the other. We saw one party arrive and be seated, only to discover that their friends were also seated, in the other location. That's weird. And when my wife ordered an espresso, it arrived from the other location through the front door. That's positively bizarre. It quickly became evident that the restaurant segregates tourists from locals, seating all the Americans, etc. in the front and all the Italians in the back. That's offensive. The food is fine, maybe a little on the pricey side, the service is brisk, but the feel of it is a restaurant that's grown literally too large to function. They should take a page from Il Cibreo, which has spread along its block with four different adjacent locations, each with its own character and identity. read more

Great atmosphere and great food. Many vegetarian options. Spinach side dish was fabulous. Also greeted with complimentary prosecco and tapas-like plate of assorted vegetarian foods. read more

My boyfriend and I went for dinner here on the recommendation of friends. It is a testament to the strength of our friendship that we still speak to them after this awful meal. Located near the university, the area, and restaurant, are crowded with American students studying abroad and their visiting families. The restaurant has two sides, and best we can guess is one accommodates the Italian locals and the other accommodates the American tourists. We were seated on the latter, and as we sat down in a sea of Americans, we immediately knew we were in for something unpleasant. After being given a complimentary glass of Prosecco that was horrendous (yes, I realize it was free, but still, don't give this sugary concoction to people before they order/eat), our waitress was incredibly pushy, frequently inquiring if we were ready to order--another tell-tale sign that we were not in for an authentic Italian dining experience. After ordering, our waitress returned with our extremely over-priced bottle of wine and began an elaborate "show" of aerating the wine for us, which was fun to watch but silly at the same time. After this, we never saw our waitress again. Our first course arrived; his pasta was microwaved and came out chewy and searing hot, my 'risotto' was essentially just rice, and terrible. For our mains, he had veal saltimbocca and I had some type of white fish that I took two bites of and immediately longed for the fish I had on the airplane on our flight over. The owner/manager, wearing a "Remember When Sex Was Safe and Motorcycles Were Dangerous" t-shirt, was gracious in checking in on us, but we couldn't get over his inappropriate attire, including a wallet chain made out of soda tabs. We finally flagged down another waiter to request our bill, and promptly left. Every trip should have one disaster, if only for you to look back and laugh at, and this dining experience was definitely ours. While the interior is as beautiful as the reviews describe (it's an old brick tunnel that was previously used to store carnival equipment and is now delicately decorated with string lights), the tacky pictures plastering the walls of the owner/manager and his "celebrity" visitors made us feel like we were at a cheesy Italian restaurant back in New York. Don't be fooled, and DO NOT GO HERE. read more

Phenomenal service. I went alone and didn't feel awkward and the staff was very attentive. I think the pear ravioli was overrated and kind of flavorless, but the tiramisu was so good I wanted to cry. Also the appetizer tray was phenomenal. Loved it a lot. The atmosphere and setting were also very beautiful, though some patrons were a bit loud and obnoxious (through no fault of the restaurant). Overall a very wonderful experience. read more

We went to this restaurant two times while we were in Florence. We loved it so much we had to go back. However, the second time we showed up with a reservation and were not seated for an hour. We had plans afterwards and this caused us to be late for them. It was chaos checking in as many other people were experiencing the same problem. No one apologized for the extremely long wait. They give you a complimentary glass of prosecco and a complimentary platter of appetizers which is nice. We highly recommend the pear ravioli, we got it both times we were there. At the end of the night it took forever to find our waiter and get the bill. They also do not have wine by the glass or house wine so you are forced to get a €28 bottle minimum. Overall a great restaurant but make sure you are willing to spend a lot of time here waiting. read more

This was the best meal we had in Florence. The food was absolutely phenomenal. We had the burrata to start, which was incredible when paired with the honey. Next, we shared the ravioli with pears, which were simply out of this world, followed by steak and a salad, which were both incredible as well. Finally, we finished up with a tiramisu, which was also top notch. The ambiance and service was top notch as well. Highly recommended. read more