Givannis
109 E College St, Iowa City, IA, 52240
Givannis Menu
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Address :
109 E College St
Iowa City, IA, 52240 - Phone (319) 338-5967
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Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Garage, Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Romantic, Upscale
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Sandy H.
Positives: Went for dinner. Great atmosphere with outdoor seating on the ped mall. Food is usually good to very good with consistently good pasta dishes. Negatives: Poor and super slow service. This is the third time this summer that we had such slow food service that our dining experience turned from pleasant lounging to feeling trapped and starved. Our appetizer took 20 minutes and our entrees took 55 minutes to arrive. Same excuse multiple times...a large party is taking their attention. Overwhelmed servers with females in skimpy socially embarrassing shorts. Our server seemed undertrained and overwhelmed...not only did she not get our orders correct, she forgot our salads until after she brought our dried out (too long under the warming lamp) incorrect entrees. To get water refills we flagged down another server and asked for a carafe that we had asked our server for, but never received. In the end: 55 minute wait for entrees + cold appetizer after 20 minutes + delayed water refills and bread + no salads + incorrect order + dry food + lots of excuses = a free meal that was not worth the hassle. After going here for several years we do not plan on returning anytime soon.
(2)Barack O.
Awful. I'm sorry. Service is pleasant -- in contrast to the food, which is inedible. I'd never had a bad eggplant parmesan, nor did I think it was even possible to make bad eggplant parmesan, until I took a bite of the dry and tasteless abomination of an eggplant parmesan for which I paid quite a bit, given the very small portion. (I suppose, given the taste, the small portion was a blessing in disguise.) I washed the entree down with a cocktail made with non-alcoholic whiskey, for all I could tell. At least THAT was more fairly priced.
(2)Henry K.
This restaurant has been a long time favorite of ours when dining in Iowa City. However when we met some friends there for dinner last night we were a bit disappointed. While we enjoyed our meals they did not evoke the raves we have given them in the past. But the biggest disappointment was the bread. This restaurant always used to serve the best fresh baked bread with that wonderful crispy crust. However it seems the replaced it with some ready made frozen crust less tasteless bread. A real disappointment. Bring back the great bread!
(3)Genna B.
Food was decent but service wasn't great. Had a reservation for 6 people and spent a large amount of money on the meal. As we were finishing our drinks we were told we needed to leave because someone else had a reservation......
(3)Ivonne N.
New ownership. Not the service I have enjoy over the years. Food Beef Tips were excellent. The lasagna was very dry
(2)Kent L.
Came back here in mid-February with my girlfriend and another couple on a Saturday night at 8PM (reservations made). I'm glad we made reservations, because the restaurant was pretty crowded. This time around, we ordered the Spinach & Artichoke Dip and Fried Ravioli for appetizers. The Spinach & Artichoke Dip is a large serving and comes out with several large pieces of bread. You'll have dip left over, so you can use the complimentary bread to finish it off. Both appetizers were excellent. For the main course, I ordered the Tuscan Tortellini with veal which was very good and large enough that I had some leftovers. The service this time around was excellent. We had ordered a bottle of wine but I had been drinking more water than anything else (an absurd amount!). Anyhow, the water glasses are baby-sized so I had requested a larger glass. Seeing that I was so thirsty for water, our waitress brought over a big pitcher of water. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about this as I did not want to have to continuously reach across the table to pour myself refills. However, to my surprise, the waitress would walk by and always refill my glass whenever she noticed it was getting low. That's service! I highly recommend Givannis. I would describe it as a higher end Olive Garden for not much more in cost.
(4)j c.
This used to be one of my favorite places to eat. This was Mondanaro's flagship place. I have many fond memories. Then he sold the restaurant. The menu has undergone some subtle changes. Overall, the food feels heavier. Half priced appetizers are a good deal. You can easily make a meal out of them. There are ample options from calamari, mussels, fried calamari to hearty sausage and peppers. Sausage and peppers had enough red sauces that I used the leftovers to make a pasta dish. They have an extensive pasta selection. They tend to be hearty and has an odd lemony flavors to all of them I tried. Since the change in ownership, the food has become heartier (heavier if you not feeling charitable). You can still have a good meal but most of the time, you will leave feeling pretty full like when you had too much greasy food.
(3)Katie S.
I came here with co-workers while on a trip in the area. It was a Wednesday night and not very busy. We were promptly seated, near the tvs too, useful for the sports obsessed males I was with. The waiter took good care of us, the appetizers and drinks came quickly. I ordered the fired cheese sticks things, and they were great. I also got the fettucini Alfredo, excellent, best I have had yet. I order milk as well, I know, weird, but it made me so happy. It was so cold and tasty. I would go here again if I was in the area.
(5)Eric L.
I ordered the spinach ravioli and it was not what I expected - instead I was pleasantly surprised that the dish was actually a bed of flat pasta (think one sided ravioli) with a bed of large spinach leaves rolled into the shape of ravioli with a rich cheese and shrimp filling. It sounds strange but was actually very nice. Dessert was a rather decadent slice of cheesecake, with coffee served in an individual french press (a nice touch). The unusual ravioli and nice presentation of coffee bumps this up to four stars for me.
(4)Anna H.
This was my first time back in over a decade, but I was not super impressed. The food was okay, but I've had similar meals at other places and the wine was overpriced.
(2)James B.
I decided to take my wife out to Giovanni's for our anniversary. We had not tried it yet and thought the decor and ambiance suited our tastes. Upon entering it was cozy, but darker then I preferred with no table lighting source. We were enthusiastic however, and everything seemed in line for a great meal. Once seated we looked at the menu which offered your standard upscale American dishes mixed with some familiar Italian fair and some pleasant lesser known pasta dishes. Satisfied with their offerings I decided to pick up the wine list for inspection. I am not a wine connoisseur but I have partiality to reds and, in particular, a nice Shiraz. To my surprise most wines within my realm of knowledge were lower end and the cost per glass was 75%-85% of the cost of a bottle at the store. My first disappointment of the evening. Brushing it off, I ordered a Codirosso Chianti and picked back up the dinner menu for my selection. After careful consideration I decided on the Steak Gorgonzola with my wife ordering the Spinach Ravioli with Shrimp. As we waited, the waitress served us fresh bread, which was cold. The flavor was fine and had a nice soft interior with an excellent crunchy exterior. If it were not cold I would have loved the opening, but as it was, a second, albeit mild, disappointment. When the waitress brought out our food it looked delicious on the plate. The colors of the vegetables were mouth-watering and vibrant. We felt a great anticipation as we reached for our silverware. The excitement ended quickly, however. Our plates were cold and the food was just warm with exception to the interior of the ravioli, which was cold. That was far and away the worst disappointment of the evening. The flavors of the mashed potatoes and ravioli were creamy and flavorful, but wouldn't surpass an Olive Garden. A great restaurant focuses on the detail, but Giovanni's was clearly deficient in this area. We completed our meal and decided to go else where for dessert. Ultimately Giovanni's is a restaurant with character and style but lacks substance for the price. Their food competes closer to mid tier restaurants then fine dining, but suffers from the absence of little details. For me, we will not go back as it isn't worth half the price we paid. There is good food around Iowa City. That is where I wish my culinary experiences to be.
(2)Gina Marie H.
I really like this place and have enjoyed several very good meals there. The last time I went however, the pasta in my pasta dish was mushy which tells me they let it sit in the water too long. I'm Italian so I'm a pro at cooking pasta. Other than that I love the food. The decor is in much need of a makeover, the outdated 90's Art Deco look is so over.
(3)Lucy S.
Solid Italian, nothing super special or exciting but perfectly acceptable, especially if your parents are paying (it's pricey for what it is, but the service and general crowd-pleasingness will make parents happy).The Caesar salad was really yummy, not too overdressed. Enormous portions. Don't let them seat you near the back, where it feels depressingly fluorescent. Garden is pretty in the summer.
(3)Saham H.
I can't say excellent food, it was just ok, the place looked actually nice and romantic for a date, but I excepted the food to be much better, but it was just ok, nothing special, therefore, I think the food's over priced only bc of its Italian name and the location.
(3)Chris M.
Really good food and great service. We showed up with a rather large group and they accommodated us and our requests without hesitation. Love the goat cheese and calamari appetizers. Many great, classic Italian dishes to choose from.
(4)Sam B.
Walked out after I found my calamari had a deep fried squid beak in it... at first they tried to tell me it was prepared the "Mediterranean way" who the fck do they think they were talking to??? have you ever heard such a crck of buulsh1t in your life??? they thought they would get away with simply comping me for that appetizer... for the record I wouldn't pay for fried chicken that had the beak left on it either... what a insult... how would you like that to happen to you??? Mondo can KMA
(1)J P.
At one time, Givanni's was the premier Italian restaurant in Iowa City, but now within walking distance are some solid competitors. Discard the extreme reviews and you'll have an honest view of what they are. Service for me has always been fine, the food is tasty but not something to impress a foodie. For a salad, appetizer, soda and fish dinner my bill was almost $70.
(3)Luis S.
Cordially but unpersonalized service. A good pasta place.
(3)Ruta P.
Absolutely my favorite spot in Iowa City!! Italian food in general ranks pretty low on my list, unless we eat here! My favorite is the spinach ravioli with shrimp. The lemony dill sauce is perfectly creamy you just want to lick the plate clean! The shrimp are never overcooked. My husband usually orders the beef tips which are also phenomenal! But don't worry! The primavera and gnocchi and anything else on the menu will be worth raving about!
(5)Jonathan F.
We've eaten here four times over the past few years. As a vegetarian, I order the jalapeno gnocci, which is always excellent. The other diners I'm with love their entrees. I ordered the squash ravioli and was disappointed, as it seemed not up to snuff. The service is very responsive and quick. Would like to see espresso and associated drinks available. Great location right on the ped mall. A good place to go when you're feeling like something special.
(4)Edgar S.
i have only eaten here once but I am not inclined to return. One of the most annoying parts about being in a new town is eating alone and making reservations for 1. I didn't have to wait for my reservation but after i was seated they made me move to across the dinning area because they had a large table coming in. So i got moved from one back corner to another back corner (which had an empty table next to it as opposed to where i was originally sitting). Then I had the pleasure of waiting for almost an hour for my chicken pasta dish. I sat there bored out of my mind. The waiter did come back a few times to tell me he was sorry, but it was rather annoying. What little chicken was in my pasta dish was tasty but the pasta was undercooked. Clearly they were overwhelmed and my evening was the victim for their lack of staffing or professionalism or whatever it was. Not a chance I will be returning here.
(2)Kat H.
primavera was not that good. orders took an hour too. good romantic ambience due to red-tinged lighting.
(2)Jeffrey L.
Though not open late, it was accomodating of the staff to serve us during their closing time (9pm on a Sunday in summer). The Bone-In Pork Loin was excellent - nice and crispy-burnt bits, with a cool glaze and tiny apples with a heavenly garlic mashed potato underneath. The steamed vegetables, even though late in the evening, were still perfect. No beer on tap, but whatever. Okay selection of bottled beer and wine. Probably about five veg options. One thing I didn't like was that they poured the olive oil for you in one plate with pepper, salt and cheese, rather than let you have it at your own discretion. Nice patio seating for good weather, and warm interior with good artwork for others. I would hasten back for the same meal again!
(4)Michael W.
Great atmosphere! This Italian restaurant in the heart of Iowa City's ped mall is long and narrow, with exposed brick walls and Art Deco touches here and there (the neon on the ceiling is something to see). It's the perfect place for a date. The Chicken Marsala was delicious - grilled to perfection. I ordered gnocchi with a spicy cream sauce, which was a bit too heavy for my tastes. Service was great. The only real downer was a young guy at the table next to us, clearly trying to impress his date and talking much too loud about Samuel Jackson movie trivia. Despite that, Givanni's is worth another visit. Be sure to check out the funky Indian calligraphy paintings!
(4)