I had a great time celebrating my friend's need addition earlier this summer. The event itself was nice. The VIP had some awesome event planners in her sister, friends and family. With that being said, the venue left more to be desired. We were welcomed into the event space, which was beautifully decorated. Soon after my friend arrived, the manager/owner (?) announced that the food was being served. In my opinion, it was too soon. They didn't give her a chance to make her rounds and greet everyone that was there for her. Yes, the guests had been there for maybe 30 minutes, but it was a surprise event and the hosts should have been in charge of the timing and event itinerary. We ate and everything was really good. The food was awesome so I have no complaints with that. We played a cpl games and then they announced the cake service. Again, it felt super rushed. By this time, it was only around 230 and feel like we were only there for 2 hours. It wasn't supposed to be over until around 4/430,as per the invitation. They had a dessert table with tons of treats. We had containers to take the extras home. I asked one of the servers for a plastic bag and he told me I would gave to wait because it was the chef's birthday. I thought that was an off response, but he mentioned that the staff was singing him happy birthday in the back, which meant anything we needed was on hold until they finished. I thought that was an odd explanation. Why couldn't they wait until after the event? Very odd. Another odd thing I noticed was that one of the servers walked around and began serving red and white wine to the guests seated at the tables. I found it odd because there was an open bar and most of the guests were elderly women, pregnant women, and young girls, that were not drinking any alcohol. At least three tables out of the 5 or 6 in all, did not drink alcohol because they were either teens, pregnant or elderly. I also did not drink any wine because I already had a drink from the bar, so it was I was double fisting and left the wine that was poured, untouched. I'm unsure if my friend was charged for that but I would have been pissed if I was charged for that. The unopened bottles should have stayed on the table unless a guest opened one or asked for it to be opened, and no one requested this. In the end, everything was beautiful. I really wish that I didn't leave so early. I thought the event was over because if felt like the venue was rushing us out and there was still 90 minutes left. It halted because of one of the kitchen staff member's birthdays. On the bright side, my gf now has a beautiful and precious baby girl and I'm extremely happy for her. read more

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The food is amazing ! Service is great . Looking forward to my son's wedding in Aug there !

Excellent service and food. Good variety of seafood and other foods, we had our office holiday parties there every year!

Our wedding & Reception was on April 4, 2025 Giovanni's is conveniently located just off the highway, offering ample parking. The facility is beautifully designed, and we had the pleasure of using the Swan Suite Main Ballroom. The food for our 126 guests was excellent. Our guests thoroughly enjoyed the Wedding Reception. However, it's important to note that many of the issues we encountered stemmed from the treatment we received from our host Chris who is a bit of a smart ass. The professionalism, communication, and handling of details could have been Better. Despite these shortcomings, we decided to keep only one star .They deserve a 4-star rating, although they didn't quite meet all of our expectations. We appreciate your attention to these matters. Sincerely, Mr. & Mrs. Raye and Ana P read more

Came here for a birthday party it was my first time here. This restaurant is on the small side but it's cute and it is within a banquet hall. So there are other private rooms within this building. When you walk in the lobby area has a piano, and some comfortable seating area chairs. There is also a small bar area that looked nice. For starters I had the wedge salad. The bacon that came with it was 2 strips f it so it was not pieces of bacon like other wedge salads come with. The garlic bread we got for the table was delicious. I shared a steak that came with broccoli and potatoes. The broccoli was steamed and good. Potatoes were good too. The Steak I did not really enjoy much. But everyone else who had the steak at the table really liked it. We had some table comedy too. The waiters were nice and all the other staff too. This is a big seafood and steak place. If I come here again I would try another type of steak and maybe the meatballs as a starter. read more

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Food and drink were great. Douglas was my waiter and he was terrific. Giovanni tells some good clean jokes and is a wonderful host. Don't miss this place. read more

I have had countless great experiences at the WEG! From our daughter's Bot Amit AJ to her rehearsal dinner. Many dinners there over the years everyone better than the next. The Service is always kind and courteous! The Food is simply the best. I always feel relaxed because of the Cosy atmosphere! read more

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Everyone is always made to feel like family, this multigenerational restaurant has built such a loyal following with delicious steaks, seafood, and pasta. The garlic bread is like nothing you've ever had before and don't ever be afraid to say you'd like a little more salad or bread you'll certainly get it with a smile. Highly recommend! read more

It was our anniversary and we were tired of take out containers and plastic silverware from restaurants in NYC so we decided to take a drive for some fresh air and a real dining experience during this pandemic, shhhh don't tell, lol. I was looking for some place on the water, not to far away and accepted reservations since it would be 3 of us (14 month in tow). Once we arrived we were greeted with smiles and service we had our pick of tables under this tent or outside in the sun with litttle umbrella tables. We decided to sit under the tent just a little cooler. We started with the salads and garlic bread, the garlic bread was amazing, personally I would have loved some mozzarella cheese melted on top but it was really good. My wife ordered the shrimp scampi over pasta and I had the filet. The orders were a nice size, the shrimp were nicely flavored but the pasta was lacking sauce, even garlic butter sauce would've been a nice touch. I had the filet, honestly it lacked all flavoring, I expected more from a steak house (I could have gotten a filet at stew Leonard's and made it better myself at home). I made reservations and in the special events area I mentioned it was our anniversary and not even a mention. read more

Only if I can give this place a negative star and I hate giving bad reviews. I attended a charity event here last night. The manager Chris was so rude. We were treated like trash. He asked the DJ to stop the music within the time window of the party. They turned the lights off while sorting our stuff and was told to use our flashlights from our cellphone. We felt unsafe. I'm sure this would be the first post of the many more that witnessed how we were all poorly treated. Please go elsewhere! You deserve to have fun in every occasion. Kindness is contagious after all! read more

This is the best restaurant in Darien, hands down. The service is top drawer. The view is incomparable too. The choice cuts of steak, the fresh seafood, and oh, the lobster! There are wonderful starters too, such as shrimp cocktail and oysters always are my husband's go-to choice. Some of my favorites include the eggplant parmigiana and the meaty lamb chops. I cannot wait to get back in town to enjoy this place again. read more

When there last night for a wedding reception, I truly think they are one of the best in 50 miles radius, 2 mins from highway, valet parking , beautiful set up dinning and party room, lady Kim(coordinator) came in at less 4 times to check to see is everything alright, very detailed, great service. Check out my food pictures, you have to try the onion fries. read more

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This was a bit of a let down. Came here for a holiday party. Felt like you would get at a chain hotel. A bit bland decor with food to match. By no means bad, but nothing really stood out. Even service was a mixed bag, for everyone great bartender who knew what the next drink was that I wanted, there was a parking attendant seeming to yell at me when it was he who decided to take cars IN through the OUT lane. There were some nice things: the mini slider was yum. Still juicy. But in this area, you'd expect more and this was just average at best. read more

The restaurant was much better in the past when it was run by Mr. Giovanni. he did not cut corners like they do now under the new management. It's not the same, quality isn;t there any more. Too bad because it was such a great restaurant. read more

I really wanted this place to be great. Unfortunately, it was a miss We came for Mother's Day. 1. Outdoor seating was in the parking lot and was a bunch of tables under a tent. It was not dressed up at all. Had a lot of potential, but they were not close to getting there. 2. The inside looked like a blast from the 90s. 3. The food was not great. The branzino was drenched in a tomato-based sauce. 4. Old fashion- terrible. Waiter saw that I didn't drink it and ordered wine instead and didn't comp the drink. They get 2 stars because the filet mignon was good according to my husband and the Barolo and Super Tuscan wine was good even though they overcharged us on the bill and I had to ask them to fix it Sigh..... read more

Thank you Natalie for all your help in making my daughters Bridal Shower a day to remember!

Food was okay. Not worth what they were charging for it. This place use to be amazing years ago when GIovanni was running it. Now he passed it down to family members and it has gone downhill. read more

Just had another incredible dinner at the Waters Edge. The food was incredible. Service was amazing and it is so nice that the owner comes up to your table to make sure everything is perfect. If you are looking for a great dining experience you must go here read more

I cannot thank Chris and his Team enough for providing an excellent atmosphere, food and, service after a funeral. I walked into the room and it was so beautifully decorated with tones of yellow. The staff was so kind, professional and courteous. As soon as everyone was seated the service began. There was not one complaint. Today, the guests are still raving about this restaurant. Chris, as I called him the legendary "Chris", thank you! I am forever grateful to you and your entire Team. I will definitely visit again when I am back in town. read more

If you go here I highly recommend you request to have Douglas as your waiter! He was the best. Very efficent and helpful. One of the best waiters I've had in a while. I believe he said he works Thursday and Saturdays. read more

We recently had our wedding at this location and it was amazing. The staff and especially Bonnie Littlefield was accommodating and helpful. Our guests enjoyed their time and enjoyed the food and service during our wedding. We can't thank Bonnie and the people at The Waters Edge at Giovanni's for making our special day amazing! read more

The Waters Edge at Giovanni's - Steakhouses Near Me - Darien, Connecticut

WEG is the best venue from start to finish. Look, people will remember the food, alcohol, and music at your wedding, and WEG ensured that the reception experience was stellar at every turn. The space is gorgeous; the staff is thorough and courteous; and the food is OUT OF THIS WORLD. People are STILL talking about how delicious everything was! The fresh mozzarella bar and the Venetian dessert hour were HUGE hits. The bartenders were befriended by our groomsmen and I hear the drinks were great (do yourself a favor, don't drink on your wedding day). Your guests will have a sterling experience at WEG. Michele is all-world! The best coordinator ever! She is accessible 24/7, always kind and enthusiastic, and has answers for everything. She is also a great resource for other vendors and how to navigate those decisions. I was in such capable hands with her. I felt like she had become part of the family by the end of it! Additionally, every time I was there, Sal and JoAnn were present to me and very welcoming. JoAnn was even the one who bustled my dress at the reception! That's how involved everyone at WEG is. I simply cannot recommend them highly enough! read more

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Great vibe, great food, great atmosphere! If you have never had a burger from Gio's on a casual night of dining, you're missing out.

They do a great job at cooking the steaks but there was no seasoning on the steaks. The owner came out to explain that they don't season their steaks and good meat tastes good on its own. I disagreed, to which he started arguing with me, but still comped the steak off the meal. The charred octopus was good, service is a tad slow. I do not recommend this place to others. read more

Went to an event there this weekend. Disappointed that the chicken was so thick every person complained and couldn't eat it. The pasta was great, salad and bread were great. The bathroom had plumbing issues and one of the stalls were closed which made it difficult for the guests. I felt that the manager was rude spent awhile waiting for them to open the door; were told 10 o'clock so we arrived at 9:45 and they didn't arrive till almost 10:25 am. No apologies . I felt it was all about the $ and not the success of the event We were not treated like paying customers we were treated like we were bothering them. The wait staff were very helpful and very kind. I just wanted people to know if you're planning to have an event there make sure the plumbing is working and management is not rude read more

I attend work lunches here about every other month, and have never had any problems. No, I don't look forward to eating here, but it's always "fine." The food arrives promptly and uniformly, nothing is ever egregiously under/over-cooked . . . It's a normal, forgettable lunch. But today was DISGUSTING. Three people at our table noticed there was mold on the underside of the dessert (a mini crumble cake thing). Pretty gross, but these things happen. The real problem happened next: the event organizer quietly called the manager's attention to the mold, and the manager aggressively told her it was "lemon zest." NOPE. Lemon zest isn't green and on the bottom of the cake. If you serve food past its sell-by date to loyal patrons and then LIE about it? You don't deserve business. I'll be recommending that we move this monthly luncheon elsewhere. read more

The Waters Edge at Giovanni's - Flavorful "lemon zest" to the left of the spoon. - Steakhouses Near Me - Darien, Connecticut

Had my dad's 75th birthday party here and we had a great time. Staff always amazing and attentive. Been there probably 7 times since COVID started and tables are way more than 6ft apart. Feels very safe and comfortable. read more

Service, quality, ambience. A total dining experience to remember. From calamari appetizer to the variety of rich Italian desserts, we were thrilled with the entire evening. Tasty salad complemented by the most delicious garlic bread prepared us for a magnificent entree. Surf and turf featured house cuts of prime beef and delicious lobster tails harvested from the entrance aquarium just before preparation. Generous portions allowed for a tasty meal the next morning, allowing us to relive the evening with pleasure. Thanks, Sal for your hospitality from the Esposito family!!! read more

Fabulous good and great service. Great experience after reopening of restaurants. Outdoor seating was perfect. read more

The Waters Edge at Giovanni's - Pan sautéed pork chop special. This place blew us away. Outdoor eating. Fantastic food and service. Will definitely come back. - Steakhouses Near Me - Darien, Connecticut

Came here after the beach for lunch. Beautiful water view. George and Oscar gave us exceptional service. Oysters, Octopus and Chilean sea Bass were all prepared to tantalize all the taste buds. Our hats off to the chef. A must place to visit if you are in area. read more

Great steak house Food is unbelievable good Place is nice just a bit dark Attentive staff Overall a superb experience read more

Came here for a wedding , super cool staff place is clean it's also by the water . Generous drinking venue ..... a little too generous

I just recently had my wedding reception there in April & everything from the food to the appearance of the ballroom was fabulous. But while I was on my honeymoon I received a Phone call from the woman that coordinated the wedding letting me know that they had made an error in the count & that I owed them $850. I told her that we would discuss it after the honeymoon. We spoke a few times after and I told them not to run my card and a few weeks go by & I see a charge on my debit card for the $850 which I did not authorize. I then reported them for fraud and got my money back from a mistake that they made in the first place. Great reception but bad business! Never, ever give them your card number..... Pay those people in cash or with a bank check because they are greedy! They received a total of 27k from us and still wanted the money that they made an error on. read more

The Waters Edge at Giovanni's - Steakhouses Near Me - Darien, Connecticut

I had high hopes for a work luncheon here on a Friday. The decor and interior are very nice and well put together. Even though it was winter you could tell the outside waterviews are nice as well. They had nice holiday decorations and lights around that gave each space a welcoming charm. The service was fast and readily available to meet our parties needs however the kitchen never figured this out (see later). With all that said I cannot bump this up to a 3 star review given the food that was served. The salad was given out preplated which is normal but the portions of each were extremely uneven some were just a few leaves of spring mix whereas some were actually plates of salad you'd be OK receiving. To go along with this was a plate of fried squash to pass around which was rather spongey. The main course was a choice of steak tips, chicken or pasta. I went with steak and asked for medium. What i got was 3 very done balls of steak, not very close to what steak tips resemble or cooked to any desire of care. Other party members complained of it not being cooked enough and it would be rushed back to the kitchen.....The remedy to this was put the entire plate with the potatoes and veggies in the oven and burn everything! I saw some nice size pieces of chicken that came out but no one really expressed any savory moments while eating it or finished it. The cake was last and wasn't too bad, very light with a small layer of frosting. I really expected something better or atleast some quality product to get individuals to come back on their own but the effort just wasn't there. read more

Awful!! Went for Mothers Day with 6 adults and 3 kids, 9, 4, and 3. The service was very slow even with the dining room at about 50 percent capacity. The salad didn't fill the plate which really didnt matter because there was no dressing on it and the waiter disappeared for 20 minutes and returned with my steak. I ordered medium and it came well done and dry. The potato which I'm guessing was baked, sliced and then left in a warming drawer for hours was gross. I had tiramisu for dessert which wasn't bad. What was bad was the check. The kids all had chicken tenders which appeared to be home made and fries. I might be crazy but $69.00 for three kids meals is beyond ridiculous! Also, 9 sodas was another $29.00! I was pleasantly surprised however when I saw that the tap water was free. All in all I gave it one star because I'm not sure that you can give zero stars!!! read more

Where do I start? I guess at the beginning. Upon choosing The Water's Edge at Giovanni's for our wedding venue we were provided with a wedding coordinator. Her name was Michelle. She was very attentive to our needs during the coordinating of our wedding. She promised many things along the way. My soon to be wife and myself thought we were in good hands. This was supposed to be one of the best days of our lives. We arrived at Water's Edge the night before our wedding to set up our favors and centerpieces. First thing we noticed is that Michelle was a little off. We moved on to setup and noticed that the air conditioning was set at 78 degrees. This seemed to be ok because it was the night before the wedding. Of course it wouldn't be that way the day of the wedding. We tested the sound system and requested a mic so our guests could do speeches. No mic but the sound system was figured out and was operational. We were unable to have a DJ due to Covid. We paid an addition $300 to have our wedding ceremony in a room upstairs and also requested the Bridal Suite so my wife could change prior to the ceremony. It was very hot in the upstairs room as well as the Bridal Suite. The bathrooms adjacent to the Bridal Suite smelled worse than the bathrooms at a sporting event in NYC. The smell entered the hallway and the Bridal Suite itself. We were a little concerned. Set up was complete and we headed home prior to our big day. Thinking about the situation with the air conditioning we called Michelle and she assured us that the air conditioning would be turned on and be set low enough so that our guests could be comfortable as well as ourselves. Our wedding was scheduled for July 17, 2020 at 6pm and was to end at 11pm. We arrived early at approx. 5:30. I was immediately greeted by Michelle. She provided me with a drink. Little did I know that this would be the last we would see of Michelle for the rest of our ceremony and reception. The husband and wife owners took over at this point. This was the downfall of the whole event. The following is a list of items went wrong prior and during the ceremony: -the air conditioning was not turned down for our ceremony. We were all sweating including our minister -air conditioning was not turned down in the Bridal Suite or the bathroom -this left the hallways and bathrooms smelling ripe -the room I got changed in was a bathroom -music was promised via the PA system prior to our ceremony, it was not provided -we were rushed around the venue by the wife of the owner The following is a list of items we were promised but were not provided: -we were promised there would be a waitress right by our side to provide anything we needed. This did not happen. In fact we had to track down a waitress to order our first drink. When the drink arrived mine was not correct. Once finished with my first drink I had to go out in the hallway to order an additional drink. -during the cocktail hour we chose 10 different appetizers. We were only offered 4 at the head table (bride and groom) -we were told that we would be able to play music during the reception through their PA system. After our first dance the PA was turned down so low that the music could not be heard. Multiple requests to the owner to turn the music up went nowhere. They kept telling us it was as loud as it could go. Worked fine the night before. -the owner's wife would not get out of our photographers way and was in multiple photos that we obviously did not want her in. -we were rushed into cutting our cake by the owner's wife -we were told we had a 5 hour open bar. When asked for certain drinks we were told that they did not have them -our event was from 6pm until 11pm. Our guests asked for drinks at 10:20pm and they were told that the bar was closed. -the owners gave us a feeling that we needed to rush and clean up so they could close the restaurant -paid $300 for 2 extra bus people because we were told the servers could not clear our tables. There didn't appear to be any extra personnel at the event and the servers were the ones clearing the tables. I am sure I am missing a few items but you all get the point. This was a disaster. We were sold a bill of goods and promised many things that we did not receive. I finally lost my patience with the owners and had to yell at them on the day of my wedding. Both of them just sat there in chairs and denied they did anything wrong. I will never enter this venue again and I would suggest that no one waste their money booking an event here. Neither Michelle or the venue have followed up with us regarding all these issues. Once they get your money they want nothing to do with you. read more

Save your money. This was an unacceptable meal from start to finish. Both the steak and lamb chops we barely edible. I have had better in a fast food restaurant. For the prices they charge, they need to find a better meat supplier. Two of us ordered the same meal and they were served one with potatoes, one without. French fries were barely tan. This is a place to which I will not return. read more

Last night we had my husband's surprise 60th Birthday party at The Waters Edge at Giovanni's. It couldn't have been more perfect. I was a bit nervous trying to pull it off but Bonnie, the amazing catering manager, made the event a beautiful night to remember. She held my hand through the whole process and suggested many wonderful details that made the party so fun and great! I can't thank her enough. She made me relax and I felt like I was talking to a long time friend. The food and service were impeccable. Every dish and appetizer were delicious. I had the chateaubriand and It was delectable. I believe all of our guests enjoyed their choices too. We definitely plan to dine here frequently. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a party venue to choose The Water's Edge at Giovanni's. The manager Sal, and Bonnie and the whole team helped to make my dream of surprising my wonderful husband come true. read more

The "owner" of this establishment is not worth giving your money to. Doesn't know how to deal with customers and is very rude and disrespectful. That's not even why it gets one star. The food is below hotel banquet food quality and is way overpriced. Do not give these people your money!! read more

Our Daughter Amy her Now Husband Bobby had the wedding venue her on Friday June 28, 10 and it was Fantastic! We had the Best time! The food was amazing! Michelle the Wedding coordinator was Excellent and so much fun! I would Definitely recommend Waters Edge to any one for their wedding!! read more