Gian-Tony’s Ristorante
5356 Daggett Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110
Gian-Tony’s Ristorante Menu
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Antipasti - Appetizers
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Insalate - Salad
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Pasta
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Pollo - Chicken
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Vitello - Veal
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Bistecca - Steak
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Pesce - Seafood
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Desserts
Healthy Meal suggestions for Gian-Tony’s Ristorante
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Antipasti - Appetizers
-
Insalate - Salad
-
Pasta
-
Pollo - Chicken
-
Vitello - Veal
-
Bistecca - Steak
-
Pesce - Seafood
-
Desserts
Visit below restaurant in Saint Louis for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Saint Louis for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
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Address :
5356 Daggett Ave
Saint Louis, MO, 63110 - Phone (314) 772-4893
- Website https://www.gian-tonys.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 9:3
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Romantic
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
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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Heather K.
Meh. Very disappointed in this :( After living in Italy & hearing all the hype about the hill I brought my boyfriend to one very nice dinner and settled on Gian-Tony's after all the reviews. Service was great & there are quite a few vegetarian options. We ordered the Stuffed Artichoke special appetizer which was AMAZING - except for that the heart wasn't scraped. It pretty much made the middle of the artichoke inedible. It was gross & really disappointing to work your way to that. I got the pasta all'arrbiata which wasn't spicy. Boyfriend got the seafood ravioli which was pretty good but was overpriced for the 7 or so ravioli. Also, the staff brought me the wrong food at first. When I complained, the server came back & proceeded to tell me how glad he was I didn't eat because he would have had to remake it... not that I didn't eat it because I am a vegetarian & it's full of meat... All in all, it was good but if this is the best St. Louis I had to offer, I am disappointed...
(3)Marilyn A.
If you want the best Sicilian food in St Louis, you just found it! I've been coming here since the say they opened! This is one of two favorite restaurants in the St Louis area! ( and we dine out at least once a day). Check out the menu and your mouth will water. Go here just once... You'll be hooked. And smiling!
(5)Kelly M.
I came here for dinner on Father's Day. I must say the service was wonderful! The atmosphere was nice, I was impressed! I have very high expectations for the food on The Hill, and Gian-Tony's was food was good, just not amazing. I felt that the portions were on the small side, and everyone at my table noted that the chef "skimped" on the proteins in their pasta. My mom ordered the seafood linguini with shrimp and clams, and she could not find one bite of clams throughout. Overall, the experience outweighed the meal.
(4)Shabrina J.
Delicious food! The involtini appetizers we ordered were great and the seafood ravioli special was cleaned off the plate! Service is good and food servings are also very generous. Will definitely go again!
(5)Steven C.
One of my favorite restaurants. The veal Parmesan is absolutely amazing. Phenomenal. The service is usually excellent. The cannelloni will blow your mind. When I go to the Hill I visit Gian Tony's or Rigazzi's. I bring out of towners to Gian Tony's and they are always amazed. I love this place. I've been coming for over 20 years!
(5)Mark M.
You listen and you listen good- this place. This place. The neighborbood is daunting, ristoranti on every corner, how to choose? Choose this. Firstly, I'm an Italian from Philly, so I'm picky on Italian food. Nonna Knows Best is the phrase I believe. Gian-tony's was recommended to me by the local cigar shop owner, we brought the owner a cigar, his daughter laughed and knew where i came from immediately. We were sat, ate the toasted ravioli, drank Pirroni beer, and feasted on clam sauce, juicy delicious chicken, and delectable meat sauce. I loved every bite. I'm flying my family out to St Louis and eating here. If you live within 100miles and you aren't here now you get in the damn car and go.
(5)D W.
My favourite on The Hill. I always get the Chicken Con Spinache' with extra White Grapes and Spinache. Simply melts in your mouth. I have had other chicken meals on The Hill that you could tell the chicken had once been frozen. Their breads are wonderful, and their salad is pretty good. For my sweet tooth, Zia's salad is sweetish and for my favourite salad...I go over to Michaels South of Dogtown on Manchester; however for TRUE ITALIAN. I choose Gian-Tonys. I have eaten at every restaurant on The Hill and this is my personal favourite.
(5)Katie S.
My family ventured in for some carbo-loading on a Saturday night. They were busy, but pleasantly not packed to the gills. The bartender was friendly and on his game. We were seated about 20 minutes after our reservation time, which I would have been pretty annoyed with if I hadn't been at the bar. Our server was very very friendly and accommodating and even laughed at my father's terrible attempts at humor, however, he was very difficult to understand. Pronouncing Italian words in some accents proves to be challenging for the listener. Anyway, everything our family had was quite delicious. I remember having the caprese salad, which was better when I poured some of the balsamic we asked for with the bread on it. The chicken spiedini was terrific. The side of pasta with meat sauce was ok. The table bread was tasty and they brought us two rounds. I couldn't tell you what everyone else had, but everyone was thoroughly satisfied. We even had plenty of leftovers. The biggest pitfall was the fact that they didn't have lasagna on the menu! I also has an excellently fantastic glass of red wine, which you'd expect from and Italian place. On my way out, as I was juggling boxes of leftovers, no less than 4 people asked if they could help me, which I interpret as the entirety of the staff being just generally good people. How do you say Yum in Italian?
(4)Milkmoney C.
Ha, omg. Just ordered two Caesar salads for $13. Got them home, and combined, they're big enough for my 3 year old daughter. What a joke.
(1)Andrew S.
Excellent! Steak in white cream sauce to die for. Table service very attentive. Casual attire / somewhat dated rooms. Food is the big draw. Tony walks the floor regularly. We will defiantly return. Great family place with above average food
(4)Lauren S.
We decided to go to Gian-Tony's on a whim this past Saturday night. We had the mussels (daily special), which were really good. I had the tortellini as my entree and it was delicious. The service was quick and the server was really good. We will definitely be going back!
(4)John L.
Classic Italian restaurant in the heart of the Italian "Hill" district of St. Louis. We went on the Monday evening after the 4th of July. Everything else was closed. Turned out, that wasn't an issue. The atmosphere was laid back and the aromas of marinara and tomatoes wafted out of the restaurant onto the street. The service was attentive and prompt. We shared a house salad which was surprisingly good compared to most house salads. My wife had the Veal Picatta which was done perfectly, and I had a Lobster Ravioli with a red sauce which was excellent as well. They only had two Italian Red Wines by the glass, however the one I had, a Tuscan blend was perfect for the meal. And don't forget dessert. The Tiramisu was one of the best I have ever had. The most pleasant surprise was the price. This meal cost less than half of what we had spent the evening before at a "famous" steak house downtown and was at least twice as good!
(5)Bobblehead B.
Just fantastic Sicilian-Italian dining in an historic neighborhood. Marvelous.
(5)Patt C.
I went to dinner with a couple girlfriends at 5 p.m. on a quiet Tuesday. There were not too many patrons, as it was the week after Thanksgiving. They were decorating for Christmas. Our fabulous server was Elizabeth. We all started with the Gian-Tony's salad ($6) -- Mixed greens with red onions, carrots, cheese & tomato, homemade dressing It was a delightful and refreshing salad. The dressing was nice and light, and the greens were crisp and fresh. We all got the same entree: Pollo Bianco Con Spinaci ($18.50) -- chicken served over spinach in a cognac cream sauce. It was garnished with green grapes. Side dishes were: #1 got spinach, #2 got a tomato-based pasta, and I got spinach. It was a generous serving of two chicken breasts, nicely done, juicy and tasty. The sauce was stupendous -- so luscious. The extra spinach was great, 'cause I ate all the spinach with the first chicken breast. And then had that extra spinach to take home with the second chicken breast. Another meal.
(4)Michele G.
Outstanding! From the service to the food, everything was great! Caesar salad was made perfectly with just the right amount of dressing and lots of garlic! The tomatoes with anchovies was a pleasant surprise, mixed well with the vinegarette. We both ordered the calamari pasta and it too was great! I highly recommend trying this place!
(5)Hondo S.
Very family oriented. Affordable prices, welcoming atmosphere & tasty food. What more could you ask for?
(4)Roseann D.
Food it DELISH n marinara homemade. Had veal cannelloni ... Really good. Order wine by bottle.
(4)Frank K.
I had the tortellini with ham and peas and the flavor was excellent, started with their version of Caesar salad it was so so . It's a Thursday night the restaurant was not busy but service was terrible very slow. hopefully that was just a one-time fluke. would recommend it to anyone I came here based on the recommendation from a local.
(3)Joe S.
I'm from NYC and definitely know good Italian food, if you're craving some.....This is THE SPOT. My wife and I went around 8pm on a gorgeous Saturday night and grabbed a seat outside. The service was on point, our waiter Mike was very sharp and informative. Also the bus boy (Sam) was on his game, clearing our table promptly, making sure bread; drinks etc were always topped off. We each ordered a salad and really enjoyed it, nothing fancy though. We split a Pasta Carbonara, the waiter brought out two plates, so I asked if he remembered that we just wanted to split one order. He said yes, "I went ahead and split it for you". I was impressed. Not only because he split the dish but because of the really big portion size. All in all, this place is great, I will definitely be back. .
(5)Makenzie H.
Everyone should stop by The Hill and eat at Gian-Tony's. It is authentic Italian food. The seafood ravioli is like something that you will never find anywhere else. The waiters are so great and attentive. Their salads are delicious. Desserts are authentic and great as well. Come eat here. You will not regret it.
(5)Andrew C.
While visiting St. Louis after watching the Cardinals kick the Chicago Cubs butt we stopped here for dinner based on a suggestion from others who had been. The food was very good but the service surpassed even the great food. Mike was our server and he was amazing along with the rest of the staff. This is definitely a great spot to try out. Ask for Mike he is great!
(5)Kimberly M.
Returned to Gian-Tony's last night for a late dinner. So Yummy and so happy to learn that you can get a 1/2 order of any pasta - so so many I've wanted to try but usually just ordered an app as my entree. Pasta with scallops was fabulous and my husband enjoyed the chicken spedini. Great job Chef Tony!
(5)Michael G.
If I could give a zero I would. The sad thing is we never got to taste the food. It was Memorial Day. We called ahead at 715, they closed at 830, and they said come on over. It's in The Hill and we were in Clayton, so it was not close. Neighborhood parking took a few minutes and we arrived at 745. They layout is such we couldn't see the main dining room,so I'm not sure what the table situation was. There was a family of 4 ahead of us. We were not greeted until 8:00, when a young girl comes out and says they are not serving, so sorry, go away. Really? Both parties tell their story, the other group actually had a rez, and then things got heated. The woman who was in charge, the bartender/waitress, said they had problems, too many people, and with great attitude told us that's what was happening. No apologizes nothing. We demurred, at a higher decibel I'm sure and her response was, "I'll fit you in and if you don't like the table, then you can leave." We left. What a biyatch. My guess? Management was not around, and the heat of the moment turned into the heat of the moment. For the restaurant, for her, and for us. I'm sure this is a respectable place, YELPERS think so, but they should be totally embarrassed.
(1)Steven B.
Gian-Tony's is one of those hidden treasures on The Hill. It is kind of off the beaten path on the corner of Daggett & Macklind. However, once you have dined here I can guarantee you will be back for more and will be telling your friends and family about your find. My first experience here was with our International Supper Club and I was so glad that we choose it as our monthly meeting. The staff was extremely friendly and did their best to accommodate 10 foodies who were enjoying Tony's Southern Italian Cuisine. I got lucky the night we dined, because one of my favorite appetizers was an off the menu special. I love Mussels and they presented theirs in a extremely flavorful butter and garlic sauce. The sauce was so yummy, that everyone was dipping their bread into my bowl. In fact, we had to ask for our bread basket to be replenished. My entree this evening was Pasta with Scallops. A hearty portion of angel hair pasta with scallops & mushrooms in a combination of marinara and cream sauce. The serving was so large, that I had enough for lunch the next day and it was just as tasty. The man who came out in the chefs coat that Allison mentioned was indeed the executive chef, Tony. It is a true sign of professionalism when the chef takes time out of the kitchen to touch base with diners. After mussels and a scallop pasta dish, I was to stuffed to try dessert, but I really really wanted to experience their Terra Missu. I understand it is a family recipe that followed Tony from Sicily. Next visit, I will be sure to leave room for a sweet treat.
(4)Camryn P.
My family decided on Gian-Tony's after reading good reviews on Yelp. We started off with the toasted ravioli which was delicious. The house salad was fresh with a nice vinaigrette-very nice. For a main dish, I ordered the tortellini. Huge portion and very delicious. The pasta portions are definitely enough for two people. I would highly recommend Gian-Tony's to anyone looking for a good Italian restaurant in St. Louis. I would definitely come back.
(5)Annette S.
My boyfriend and I are new to the Dogtown area. Read over reviews on a couple local Italian places on the hill and this one had nothing but great reviews from locals. We went for dinner tonight and it was fabulous. My boyfriend had the lobster ravioli and I had the tortellini. Both dishes were great and we finished all of it! The servers was very kind, along with all the other workers. I'm excited to be so close to such delightful Italian food and look forward to visiting again.
(5)Kathy M.
This was a good Italian place on the hill, but compared to others, it only ranked a 3 star for us. Hubby and oldest child really liked their entrees; however, the other 3 entrees were good, not great. The toasted ravioli appetizer was excellent, but would not order the fried calamari again, it was pretty bland. The waiter did not get my daughter's order correct and he disappeared for quite a while when we were looking for a second bottle of wine, so that could have been a little better. Overall, a solid Italian restaurant on the hill, but not our favorite.
(3)Glenn W.
Excellent Food, and service. The price is an excellent value also.
(5)Amanda B.
Oh man. So, we were in town to visit the BFs friends. He knows the area, but we were looking for actual food and not just a bar. While I set out to get ready I made him Yelp to find our dinner location. And this is what he came up with. The restaurant is located in a residential neighborhood almost. The parking is street parking which could get hectic if they are busy. We went on a Wendesday night and it wasn't super buys, nor terribly slow. We got right in without a reservation. The overall vibe of this place is cozy and comforting. They have a nice bar area when you walk in, then plenty of seating. Our waiter was great! He explained the specials to us, then explained them again when the couple we were meeting arrived. He gladly let me try some wine before I ordered a bottle. And he was very helpful with suggestions on the things he really likes, which helped. We started with the Involtini which was fantastic. It is wrapped in eggplant, but you almost couldn't taste the eggplant. Not necessarily a bad thing for those who are not fans of eggplant. The house salad was great. Definitely not wilted, icky lettuce. It was crunchy, fresh and I loved the cheese and dressing. The BF and I shared the vitello saltimbocca with a side of spinach and the calamari rossi . There were four amazing pieces of prosciutto topped veal that were wonderful. The squid and pasta were cooked perfectly in an amazing sauce. And we ended the night with the whole table splitting a piece of tiramisu, which was awesome. At one point the chef did come out and talked to all the tables in the dining room. It was such a nice personal touch and just added to the whole evening. If I am ever in the area, I will definitely be back to this place
(5)Tricia R.
I really want to give this place 3.5 stars. My first issue was our table location - our table was basically in the main walkway area to the 2 dining areas. There was another table in this area as well. I probably wouldn't have had an issue if we didn't have 5 people, but it was definitely not suitable for a table of 5. Food: 1) Mussels (on special as appetizer) - DELICIOUS. The white wine broth was so good that I think I might've eaten half a basket of bread to sop up all the goodness. 2) Salad - very fresh and I love the dressing. 3) Swordfish (special) - it was just OK. We were all surprised to see the swordfish breaded (pan-sauteed) and it was not the typical thickness of swordfish entrees. 4) Cavatelli Con Broccoli - nothing special, although the shells were really big...lol. 5) Cappellini Alla Gian-Tony's - again, nothing special. 6) Pollo Alla Romana - The chicken was cooked well, but there was too much cheese. There was also a bit too much sauce, which made it almost feel greasy. 7) Ravioli (special) - I think this had scallops. My FiL didn't say much about it. Our server was very attentive and polite. I'm not sure if we will make the trek out to the Hill for this place, but I might go back just for mussels and salad!
(3)Amanda H.
Went here for my 26th birthday. The service was excellent. There was a small problem with the food I received the other people I was with had no problems. I informed the server and he informed the manager. The manager came out and was very apologetic. She took care of the drinks we ordered and took off my meal. She also gave me a dessert for my birthday! I would recommend this place.
(4)Amanda C.
We made a visit to St. Louis last weekend, and ate at Gian-Tony's one night for dinner. It was wonderful! I had the cappellini and my date had the seafood ravioli. My cappellinin was the best version I have ever had. It was full of tomatoes, fresh garlic, pancetta and sauteed onions. It was amazing. I ate every bite of that delicious pasta. I couldn't quit talking about how wonderful it was. My date's seafood ravioli was wonderful too. You could taste the fresh seafood in the homemade ravioli! The restaurant also had a wonderful wine selection, which is always a plus in my book. My only complaint was that the toasted ravioli we got as an appetizer weren't that great. The meat cheese mixture was wonderful, but it was a bit too much breading for my taste. Other than that, great food and great service!!
(4)Nicole S.
I usually don't go out wanting to spend $40 on a meal but this was worth it! For starters we ordered the crabcakes with aeoli sauce, they were great. Even my friend that doesn't like them liked them. I decided on the Pollo Alla Romana, chicken and proscitto in a white wine sauce with sage. Amazing! We all had Tira Misu to end our meal, which was maybe the best I have ever had. All in all one of the best meals I have ever had.
(5)Cortney B.
Decide for yourself, this is the letter and my experience at Gian Tony's the weekend of Valentine's Day. I was really excited to go to the Hill, we aren't from the area.... I received NO response from management upon sending this in and was further disappointed.... "Hello, I apologize for not bringing this to your attention sooner, but I thought I could let it go. I wanted to make you aware of my most recent, and first experience at your restaurant. My boyfriend and I went to your restaurant on Saturday, Feb 16th for our Valentine's Day celebration. We live in St. Charles, and he wanted to take me somewhere different and reputable. Unfortunately our GPS made us late for our 7 pm reservations. We were told tables are held for ten minutes and we arrived around 7:12. When we told the hostess of our reservation time, she got wide eyed, and made us feel bad. We understood we were late, but didn't need to be made to feel badly about it. We were put on the list again, not quite sure where... Finally, she told us "we owed Eric" because he put in a good word. We were seated, but waited at least ten minutes before we were even acknowledged at our table. I had to ask a nearby waiter who our waiter was, and if he could be sent over. He told me our waiter was "Q." I think it was short for Quentin. We ordered drinks, and our menu items upon meeting Q. It took another ten minutes for our sodas to arrive. We had to ask for bread, and they forgot the oil. Q was overall not very attentive to us. The hostess walked by and we asked for boxes, and who I think might have been a manager... (lady in goldenrod long sleeved shirt, pants, and long curly dark hair) walked by and we asked her for refills. We then had to wait for the check, and then wait again to pay. The manager did ask how our visit was early on, and I did not choose to say anything. It was considered a special occasion for us and I didn't want to make a complaint with other guests so close in proximity. However, I did feel that I needed to bring my first and only experience at your restaurant to your attention. Again, I apologize for not writing sooner, and I meant to call, but found my time to call was always during a lunch or dinner time and I knew you'd be busy. Thank you for listening." -Cortney
(1)Alexis A.
To. Die. For. Granted, I am a pasta fanatic. I really enjoyed my experience here. The atmosphere is perfect for a romantic dinner date, a large family gathering, or a business meeting. I appreciated the bread and oil/butter the waiter brought over before dinner, and my meal was absolutely delicious. (Pretty sure I'm going to order the exact same thing next time!)
(4)John K.
I can't say enough good things about our experience at Gian-Tony's. My wife and I went there with our daughter to celebrate a special occasion. The staff was very courteous and helpful, the atmosphere was refined but not stuffy; there were a couple other families in there as well with young children. My daughter, who is almost two years old, loved the Caesar Salad I gave her (which is a rarity for a child that age); I also enjoyed it, it was very well dressed and the flavor was spot on. The Tony's choice Cabernet was delicious. My wife enjoyed her Tortellini, and since it was such a hearty portion she split it with my daughter and actually had extra. My veal saltimboca was perhaps the best I've had; the cooking sauce it was in was broth-like, with a nice sage flavor and incredible depth. The veal was tender, but not mushy as it can get sometimes. The cannoli was good; different from what I'm used to; the crust was a bit crunchier, and the filling a little runnier. But very tasty, just different. A friend recommended Gian-Tony's to us, and I will be happy to refer it to all my friends in turn.
(5)Ken B.
Arrived on time for my 7:30pm reservation on a Saturday night. ad to wait a bout ten minutes, but the place was packed. The crowd tapered off shortly after. This is some of the best food I have had on The Hill. I tried everyone's dish. the only entree that did not (and surprisingly) sit well with me was the spaghetti and meatballs.
(4)Don W.
I came for the carbonara but couldn't say no to the off menu flounder stuffed with shrimp and crab.
(5)Anita L.
We eat here often and always find the food delicious and the service excellent. This is truly representative of the St. Louis old style Italian restaurant. They are always willing to accommodate their patrons and the lobster ravioli is divine! It is reasonably priced and I would recommend it without hesitation.
(5)Maria S.
Loved it!!! Boyfriend and I were in St. Louis for a minication and decided to dine here one night. There was a bit of a wait, no problem! The bartender was awesome! Drinks were good, he was so friendly, gave several recommendations for places to go in STL. I loved the atmosphere, very homey, family photos were a nice touch. We were seated at a cozy table. Salads were fresh! Ravioli was spectacular, so so soooo good. I highly recommend this place!!!
(5)Heather K.
Meh. Very disappointed in this :( After living in Italy & hearing all the hype about the hill I brought my boyfriend to one very nice dinner and settled on Gian-Tony's after all the reviews. Service was great & there are quite a few vegetarian options. We ordered the Stuffed Artichoke special appetizer which was AMAZING - except for that the heart wasn't scraped. It pretty much made the middle of the artichoke inedible. It was gross & really disappointing to work your way to that. I got the pasta all'arrbiata which wasn't spicy. Boyfriend got the seafood ravioli which was pretty good but was overpriced for the 7 or so ravioli. Also, the staff brought me the wrong food at first. When I complained, the server came back & proceeded to tell me how glad he was I didn't eat because he would have had to remake it... not that I didn't eat it because I am a vegetarian & it's full of meat... All in all, it was good but if this is the best St. Louis I had to offer, I am disappointed...
(3)Marilyn A.
If you want the best Sicilian food in St Louis, you just found it! I've been coming here since the say they opened! This is one of two favorite restaurants in the St Louis area! ( and we dine out at least once a day). Check out the menu and your mouth will water. Go here just once... You'll be hooked. And smiling!
(5)Kelly M.
I came here for dinner on Father's Day. I must say the service was wonderful! The atmosphere was nice, I was impressed! I have very high expectations for the food on The Hill, and Gian-Tony's was food was good, just not amazing. I felt that the portions were on the small side, and everyone at my table noted that the chef "skimped" on the proteins in their pasta. My mom ordered the seafood linguini with shrimp and clams, and she could not find one bite of clams throughout. Overall, the experience outweighed the meal.
(4)Shabrina J.
Delicious food! The involtini appetizers we ordered were great and the seafood ravioli special was cleaned off the plate! Service is good and food servings are also very generous. Will definitely go again!
(5)Steven C.
One of my favorite restaurants. The veal Parmesan is absolutely amazing. Phenomenal. The service is usually excellent. The cannelloni will blow your mind. When I go to the Hill I visit Gian Tony's or Rigazzi's. I bring out of towners to Gian Tony's and they are always amazed. I love this place. I've been coming for over 20 years!
(5)Mark M.
You listen and you listen good- this place. This place. The neighborbood is daunting, ristoranti on every corner, how to choose? Choose this. Firstly, I'm an Italian from Philly, so I'm picky on Italian food. Nonna Knows Best is the phrase I believe. Gian-tony's was recommended to me by the local cigar shop owner, we brought the owner a cigar, his daughter laughed and knew where i came from immediately. We were sat, ate the toasted ravioli, drank Pirroni beer, and feasted on clam sauce, juicy delicious chicken, and delectable meat sauce. I loved every bite. I'm flying my family out to St Louis and eating here. If you live within 100miles and you aren't here now you get in the damn car and go.
(5)D W.
My favourite on The Hill. I always get the Chicken Con Spinache' with extra White Grapes and Spinache. Simply melts in your mouth. I have had other chicken meals on The Hill that you could tell the chicken had once been frozen. Their breads are wonderful, and their salad is pretty good. For my sweet tooth, Zia's salad is sweetish and for my favourite salad...I go over to Michaels South of Dogtown on Manchester; however for TRUE ITALIAN. I choose Gian-Tonys. I have eaten at every restaurant on The Hill and this is my personal favourite.
(5)Katie S.
My family ventured in for some carbo-loading on a Saturday night. They were busy, but pleasantly not packed to the gills. The bartender was friendly and on his game. We were seated about 20 minutes after our reservation time, which I would have been pretty annoyed with if I hadn't been at the bar. Our server was very very friendly and accommodating and even laughed at my father's terrible attempts at humor, however, he was very difficult to understand. Pronouncing Italian words in some accents proves to be challenging for the listener. Anyway, everything our family had was quite delicious. I remember having the caprese salad, which was better when I poured some of the balsamic we asked for with the bread on it. The chicken spiedini was terrific. The side of pasta with meat sauce was ok. The table bread was tasty and they brought us two rounds. I couldn't tell you what everyone else had, but everyone was thoroughly satisfied. We even had plenty of leftovers. The biggest pitfall was the fact that they didn't have lasagna on the menu! I also has an excellently fantastic glass of red wine, which you'd expect from and Italian place. On my way out, as I was juggling boxes of leftovers, no less than 4 people asked if they could help me, which I interpret as the entirety of the staff being just generally good people. How do you say Yum in Italian?
(4)Milkmoney C.
Ha, omg. Just ordered two Caesar salads for $13. Got them home, and combined, they're big enough for my 3 year old daughter. What a joke.
(1)Andrew S.
Excellent! Steak in white cream sauce to die for. Table service very attentive. Casual attire / somewhat dated rooms. Food is the big draw. Tony walks the floor regularly. We will defiantly return. Great family place with above average food
(4)John L.
Classic Italian restaurant in the heart of the Italian "Hill" district of St. Louis. We went on the Monday evening after the 4th of July. Everything else was closed. Turned out, that wasn't an issue. The atmosphere was laid back and the aromas of marinara and tomatoes wafted out of the restaurant onto the street. The service was attentive and prompt. We shared a house salad which was surprisingly good compared to most house salads. My wife had the Veal Picatta which was done perfectly, and I had a Lobster Ravioli with a red sauce which was excellent as well. They only had two Italian Red Wines by the glass, however the one I had, a Tuscan blend was perfect for the meal. And don't forget dessert. The Tiramisu was one of the best I have ever had. The most pleasant surprise was the price. This meal cost less than half of what we had spent the evening before at a "famous" steak house downtown and was at least twice as good!
(5)Lauren S.
We decided to go to Gian-Tony's on a whim this past Saturday night. We had the mussels (daily special), which were really good. I had the tortellini as my entree and it was delicious. The service was quick and the server was really good. We will definitely be going back!
(4)Bobblehead B.
Just fantastic Sicilian-Italian dining in an historic neighborhood. Marvelous.
(5)Patt C.
I went to dinner with a couple girlfriends at 5 p.m. on a quiet Tuesday. There were not too many patrons, as it was the week after Thanksgiving. They were decorating for Christmas. Our fabulous server was Elizabeth. We all started with the Gian-Tony's salad ($6) -- Mixed greens with red onions, carrots, cheese & tomato, homemade dressing It was a delightful and refreshing salad. The dressing was nice and light, and the greens were crisp and fresh. We all got the same entree: Pollo Bianco Con Spinaci ($18.50) -- chicken served over spinach in a cognac cream sauce. It was garnished with green grapes. Side dishes were: #1 got spinach, #2 got a tomato-based pasta, and I got spinach. It was a generous serving of two chicken breasts, nicely done, juicy and tasty. The sauce was stupendous -- so luscious. The extra spinach was great, 'cause I ate all the spinach with the first chicken breast. And then had that extra spinach to take home with the second chicken breast. Another meal.
(4)Michele G.
Outstanding! From the service to the food, everything was great! Caesar salad was made perfectly with just the right amount of dressing and lots of garlic! The tomatoes with anchovies was a pleasant surprise, mixed well with the vinegarette. We both ordered the calamari pasta and it too was great! I highly recommend trying this place!
(5)Roseann D.
Food it DELISH n marinara homemade. Had veal cannelloni ... Really good. Order wine by bottle.
(4)Hondo S.
Very family oriented. Affordable prices, welcoming atmosphere & tasty food. What more could you ask for?
(4)Frank K.
I had the tortellini with ham and peas and the flavor was excellent, started with their version of Caesar salad it was so so . It's a Thursday night the restaurant was not busy but service was terrible very slow. hopefully that was just a one-time fluke. would recommend it to anyone I came here based on the recommendation from a local.
(3)Joe S.
I'm from NYC and definitely know good Italian food, if you're craving some.....This is THE SPOT. My wife and I went around 8pm on a gorgeous Saturday night and grabbed a seat outside. The service was on point, our waiter Mike was very sharp and informative. Also the bus boy (Sam) was on his game, clearing our table promptly, making sure bread; drinks etc were always topped off. We each ordered a salad and really enjoyed it, nothing fancy though. We split a Pasta Carbonara, the waiter brought out two plates, so I asked if he remembered that we just wanted to split one order. He said yes, "I went ahead and split it for you". I was impressed. Not only because he split the dish but because of the really big portion size. All in all, this place is great, I will definitely be back. .
(5)Makenzie H.
Everyone should stop by The Hill and eat at Gian-Tony's. It is authentic Italian food. The seafood ravioli is like something that you will never find anywhere else. The waiters are so great and attentive. Their salads are delicious. Desserts are authentic and great as well. Come eat here. You will not regret it.
(5)Andrew C.
While visiting St. Louis after watching the Cardinals kick the Chicago Cubs butt we stopped here for dinner based on a suggestion from others who had been. The food was very good but the service surpassed even the great food. Mike was our server and he was amazing along with the rest of the staff. This is definitely a great spot to try out. Ask for Mike he is great!
(5)Kimberly M.
Returned to Gian-Tony's last night for a late dinner. So Yummy and so happy to learn that you can get a 1/2 order of any pasta - so so many I've wanted to try but usually just ordered an app as my entree. Pasta with scallops was fabulous and my husband enjoyed the chicken spedini. Great job Chef Tony!
(5)Michael G.
If I could give a zero I would. The sad thing is we never got to taste the food. It was Memorial Day. We called ahead at 715, they closed at 830, and they said come on over. It's in The Hill and we were in Clayton, so it was not close. Neighborhood parking took a few minutes and we arrived at 745. They layout is such we couldn't see the main dining room,so I'm not sure what the table situation was. There was a family of 4 ahead of us. We were not greeted until 8:00, when a young girl comes out and says they are not serving, so sorry, go away. Really? Both parties tell their story, the other group actually had a rez, and then things got heated. The woman who was in charge, the bartender/waitress, said they had problems, too many people, and with great attitude told us that's what was happening. No apologizes nothing. We demurred, at a higher decibel I'm sure and her response was, "I'll fit you in and if you don't like the table, then you can leave." We left. What a biyatch. My guess? Management was not around, and the heat of the moment turned into the heat of the moment. For the restaurant, for her, and for us. I'm sure this is a respectable place, YELPERS think so, but they should be totally embarrassed.
(1)Steven B.
Gian-Tony's is one of those hidden treasures on The Hill. It is kind of off the beaten path on the corner of Daggett & Macklind. However, once you have dined here I can guarantee you will be back for more and will be telling your friends and family about your find. My first experience here was with our International Supper Club and I was so glad that we choose it as our monthly meeting. The staff was extremely friendly and did their best to accommodate 10 foodies who were enjoying Tony's Southern Italian Cuisine. I got lucky the night we dined, because one of my favorite appetizers was an off the menu special. I love Mussels and they presented theirs in a extremely flavorful butter and garlic sauce. The sauce was so yummy, that everyone was dipping their bread into my bowl. In fact, we had to ask for our bread basket to be replenished. My entree this evening was Pasta with Scallops. A hearty portion of angel hair pasta with scallops & mushrooms in a combination of marinara and cream sauce. The serving was so large, that I had enough for lunch the next day and it was just as tasty. The man who came out in the chefs coat that Allison mentioned was indeed the executive chef, Tony. It is a true sign of professionalism when the chef takes time out of the kitchen to touch base with diners. After mussels and a scallop pasta dish, I was to stuffed to try dessert, but I really really wanted to experience their Terra Missu. I understand it is a family recipe that followed Tony from Sicily. Next visit, I will be sure to leave room for a sweet treat.
(4)Camryn P.
My family decided on Gian-Tony's after reading good reviews on Yelp. We started off with the toasted ravioli which was delicious. The house salad was fresh with a nice vinaigrette-very nice. For a main dish, I ordered the tortellini. Huge portion and very delicious. The pasta portions are definitely enough for two people. I would highly recommend Gian-Tony's to anyone looking for a good Italian restaurant in St. Louis. I would definitely come back.
(5)Annette S.
My boyfriend and I are new to the Dogtown area. Read over reviews on a couple local Italian places on the hill and this one had nothing but great reviews from locals. We went for dinner tonight and it was fabulous. My boyfriend had the lobster ravioli and I had the tortellini. Both dishes were great and we finished all of it! The servers was very kind, along with all the other workers. I'm excited to be so close to such delightful Italian food and look forward to visiting again.
(5)Tricia R.
I really want to give this place 3.5 stars. My first issue was our table location - our table was basically in the main walkway area to the 2 dining areas. There was another table in this area as well. I probably wouldn't have had an issue if we didn't have 5 people, but it was definitely not suitable for a table of 5. Food: 1) Mussels (on special as appetizer) - DELICIOUS. The white wine broth was so good that I think I might've eaten half a basket of bread to sop up all the goodness. 2) Salad - very fresh and I love the dressing. 3) Swordfish (special) - it was just OK. We were all surprised to see the swordfish breaded (pan-sauteed) and it was not the typical thickness of swordfish entrees. 4) Cavatelli Con Broccoli - nothing special, although the shells were really big...lol. 5) Cappellini Alla Gian-Tony's - again, nothing special. 6) Pollo Alla Romana - The chicken was cooked well, but there was too much cheese. There was also a bit too much sauce, which made it almost feel greasy. 7) Ravioli (special) - I think this had scallops. My FiL didn't say much about it. Our server was very attentive and polite. I'm not sure if we will make the trek out to the Hill for this place, but I might go back just for mussels and salad!
(3)Amanda B.
Oh man. So, we were in town to visit the BFs friends. He knows the area, but we were looking for actual food and not just a bar. While I set out to get ready I made him Yelp to find our dinner location. And this is what he came up with. The restaurant is located in a residential neighborhood almost. The parking is street parking which could get hectic if they are busy. We went on a Wendesday night and it wasn't super buys, nor terribly slow. We got right in without a reservation. The overall vibe of this place is cozy and comforting. They have a nice bar area when you walk in, then plenty of seating. Our waiter was great! He explained the specials to us, then explained them again when the couple we were meeting arrived. He gladly let me try some wine before I ordered a bottle. And he was very helpful with suggestions on the things he really likes, which helped. We started with the Involtini which was fantastic. It is wrapped in eggplant, but you almost couldn't taste the eggplant. Not necessarily a bad thing for those who are not fans of eggplant. The house salad was great. Definitely not wilted, icky lettuce. It was crunchy, fresh and I loved the cheese and dressing. The BF and I shared the vitello saltimbocca with a side of spinach and the calamari rossi . There were four amazing pieces of prosciutto topped veal that were wonderful. The squid and pasta were cooked perfectly in an amazing sauce. And we ended the night with the whole table splitting a piece of tiramisu, which was awesome. At one point the chef did come out and talked to all the tables in the dining room. It was such a nice personal touch and just added to the whole evening. If I am ever in the area, I will definitely be back to this place
(5)Amanda H.
Went here for my 26th birthday. The service was excellent. There was a small problem with the food I received the other people I was with had no problems. I informed the server and he informed the manager. The manager came out and was very apologetic. She took care of the drinks we ordered and took off my meal. She also gave me a dessert for my birthday! I would recommend this place.
(4)Kathy M.
This was a good Italian place on the hill, but compared to others, it only ranked a 3 star for us. Hubby and oldest child really liked their entrees; however, the other 3 entrees were good, not great. The toasted ravioli appetizer was excellent, but would not order the fried calamari again, it was pretty bland. The waiter did not get my daughter's order correct and he disappeared for quite a while when we were looking for a second bottle of wine, so that could have been a little better. Overall, a solid Italian restaurant on the hill, but not our favorite.
(3)Glenn W.
Excellent Food, and service. The price is an excellent value also.
(5)Amanda C.
We made a visit to St. Louis last weekend, and ate at Gian-Tony's one night for dinner. It was wonderful! I had the cappellini and my date had the seafood ravioli. My cappellinin was the best version I have ever had. It was full of tomatoes, fresh garlic, pancetta and sauteed onions. It was amazing. I ate every bite of that delicious pasta. I couldn't quit talking about how wonderful it was. My date's seafood ravioli was wonderful too. You could taste the fresh seafood in the homemade ravioli! The restaurant also had a wonderful wine selection, which is always a plus in my book. My only complaint was that the toasted ravioli we got as an appetizer weren't that great. The meat cheese mixture was wonderful, but it was a bit too much breading for my taste. Other than that, great food and great service!!
(4)Nicole S.
I usually don't go out wanting to spend $40 on a meal but this was worth it! For starters we ordered the crabcakes with aeoli sauce, they were great. Even my friend that doesn't like them liked them. I decided on the Pollo Alla Romana, chicken and proscitto in a white wine sauce with sage. Amazing! We all had Tira Misu to end our meal, which was maybe the best I have ever had. All in all one of the best meals I have ever had.
(5)Cortney B.
Decide for yourself, this is the letter and my experience at Gian Tony's the weekend of Valentine's Day. I was really excited to go to the Hill, we aren't from the area.... I received NO response from management upon sending this in and was further disappointed.... "Hello, I apologize for not bringing this to your attention sooner, but I thought I could let it go. I wanted to make you aware of my most recent, and first experience at your restaurant. My boyfriend and I went to your restaurant on Saturday, Feb 16th for our Valentine's Day celebration. We live in St. Charles, and he wanted to take me somewhere different and reputable. Unfortunately our GPS made us late for our 7 pm reservations. We were told tables are held for ten minutes and we arrived around 7:12. When we told the hostess of our reservation time, she got wide eyed, and made us feel bad. We understood we were late, but didn't need to be made to feel badly about it. We were put on the list again, not quite sure where... Finally, she told us "we owed Eric" because he put in a good word. We were seated, but waited at least ten minutes before we were even acknowledged at our table. I had to ask a nearby waiter who our waiter was, and if he could be sent over. He told me our waiter was "Q." I think it was short for Quentin. We ordered drinks, and our menu items upon meeting Q. It took another ten minutes for our sodas to arrive. We had to ask for bread, and they forgot the oil. Q was overall not very attentive to us. The hostess walked by and we asked for boxes, and who I think might have been a manager... (lady in goldenrod long sleeved shirt, pants, and long curly dark hair) walked by and we asked her for refills. We then had to wait for the check, and then wait again to pay. The manager did ask how our visit was early on, and I did not choose to say anything. It was considered a special occasion for us and I didn't want to make a complaint with other guests so close in proximity. However, I did feel that I needed to bring my first and only experience at your restaurant to your attention. Again, I apologize for not writing sooner, and I meant to call, but found my time to call was always during a lunch or dinner time and I knew you'd be busy. Thank you for listening." -Cortney
(1)Alexis A.
To. Die. For. Granted, I am a pasta fanatic. I really enjoyed my experience here. The atmosphere is perfect for a romantic dinner date, a large family gathering, or a business meeting. I appreciated the bread and oil/butter the waiter brought over before dinner, and my meal was absolutely delicious. (Pretty sure I'm going to order the exact same thing next time!)
(4)AJ F.
I took my parents here for their anniversary dinner. The entrees were AMAZING!!! Two people had filet mignon dishes and were out of this world. The pasta was perfectly al dente and the sauces were perfection. They lost a star for two reasons: 1) the appetizers were not good. The bruschetta was bland and soggy and the toasted ravs had little flavor 2) the server couldn't have cared less about us. One thing to note: the bussers were super friendly and on their game. They made up for the crappy server. They should promote them to server. On a side note: why are all the servers white and the bussers black? Makes me feel like Paula Deen runs this place. Step it up St Louis, it is 2013. So, skip the appetizers, order the filet and pasta and tip the bussers.
(4)Mallory M.
I am now 0/3 when it comes to Italian restaurants on The Hill. Anybody else have any GOOD recommendations? The restaurant area was small and cramped, and we were seated almost on top of the group next to us. I don't really mind close dining, mind you, except the place was half-empty, and they certainly could have placed us in a more private area of the room. First off, the bread--GROSS. More spongy white bread like what they serve at Zia's...that is NOT Italian! Plus it was stale, which was even worse. I ordered the Penne Arrabiata--decent. Sauce tasted store-bought, and it wasn't spicy enough for an Arrabiata...the cook needs to lay off the capers. Hubby got the tortellini with the cream mushroom sauce, which he enjoyed. Nothing special. We ordered the house Pinot Noir, which was good, but way too expensive for a house wine. Mediocre food aside, our server was great! Very attentive. Didn't catch his name, sounded like he was from the Bronx...? Now onto our next attempt to find real Italian food in the "Italian" district in STL!!
(2)Travis F.
Never been here before, but I think the pasta was amazing! Price...eh, kinda steep, but they were good. Also when we went we needed a reservation...they were not too busy...I liked them though, will go again! Staff was very helpful and friendly as well!
(4)Vicky H.
My boyfriend and I were visiting STL on a short weekend trip. After reviewing some Yelp recommendations, we decided to try Gian-Tony's for dinner. Overall, the service was good but the quality of food was just okay... I've had better. Because it's located in The Hill, I was really expecting everything to be fresh and homemade. I am a huge fan of fresh bread, so when the server brought the bread to our table, I was very disappointed. It was cold and definitely not freshly baked. Many of the chain Italian restaurants offer better bread. We ordered the involtini for appetizer; it came with two pieces so it was the perfect portion and nicely prepared. I ordered the pasta special with shell pasta and sea scallops cooked in red sauce with vodka, mushrooms and green peas. The scallops were fresh. The dish was well prepared and delicious; my only complaint is that the shell is not homemade. My boyfriend ordered the lamp chop special... not as tasty as the pasta dish. The tenderness of the chops was perfect (medium-rare) but it was tasteless! It has no flavors and could really use some seasoning. Very disappointing! For dessert, I ordered the tiramisu since some reviews had indicated that their tiramisu was a must try and I am a tiramisu lover. Well, I would have to disagree with those reviews. I have had many tiramisu in restaurants or homemade and in different countries... I would grade this one a C; there was too much whipped mixture, not enough ladyfinger and lack of cocoa/espresso taste. Their tiramisu was definitely just mediocre and not even as good as some chain restaurants. If I were to visit STL again, I would definitely try a different Italian restaurant.
(3)Douglas K.
We had some very good food at Gian-Tony's. While I think we were a bit under dressed, we arrived early and they seated us and were very friendly. Our food came out quickly and was amazing. Our drinks never ran low and the service was great! We loved our appetizers, salad, and dinner but the desserts were just ok. If their desserts were as good as the rest of the food, then they would easily be five stars in my book.
(4)Allison B.
Last night, about 10 of us Yelpers gathered for International Supper Club at Gian-Tony's, and I think most of us walked away wanting to return. Gian-Tony's isn't on the main "drag" of most of the Italian restaurants on The Hill. It's on Macklind and isn't anything special on the outside. Inside, it sort of feels like you're dining in someone's large, warm home. You'll walk first through the bar area, which is smokefree (yay!) and spacious. Before dinner last night, a few Yelpers gathered here to get to know each other, and some made friends with bartenders who gave tips on their favorite dishes. In the dining room, Gian-Tony's had a large table prepared for us. Michael was our main server, and he was pretty good. He patiently answered questions, gave great entree advice after listening to diners' needs and joked around with us a bit. There as a lag in placing drink orders, placing appetizer orders and placing entree orders, but we were in good spirits and didn't mind much. Different servers came by to refill drinks periodically. Most of us shared appetizers. I ordered the fried artichokes with butter sauce. These were lightly breaded and flash fried. The coating was crumbly like bread crumbs, not heavy like tempura. I liked the coating, but I wish the artichoke flavor came through a bit more. I loved the butter sauce. Friends ordered the... something that began with an I. I can't remember, but it sounded slightly menacing and was sort of like a much, much lighter version of eggplant lasagna. Damn, this was a winner. The tomato sauce was slightly sweet, and I couldn't get enough of it. After my little portion, I definitely eyed the rest of the plate with foodlust. For my entree, I ordered the ... something I totally can't remember and I'm too lazy to look up. Sorry! But it was barrel-shaped pasta with pine nuts and absolutely COATED in gorgonzola cheese sauce. Oh my, this was beyond heavenly. I would order this again in a heartbeat. It was so creamy, and the cheese had such a pungent taste. Others who tried my dish also were impressed. The platter of pasta was large enough to take home and ration for (I think) two lunches. This will totally become my go-to dish here. I also had a giant hunk of steamed broccoli that Kate's boyfriend ordered as a side and didn't end up wanting. This was steamed to perfection - enough crispness to give your teeth a workout, but not mushy at all. It was delightfully green and served with a lemon wedge. Delicious! During and after our meal, several people asked how we enjoyed everything. One pleasant man was wearing an apron, so I'd assume that he was one of the chefs or managers. Moreover, they bent their no-split-group-checks rule a bit to let us pay checks in pairs. And afterwards, when a few of us were saying our goodbyes outside the restaurant, one of our servers rushed out to give me the boxed cupcake that Mallory had brought for me to eat later. What thoughtfulness! I can't wait to return for more!
(4)Mike T.
Ate here last night for the second time. I'd say 4.5 but there's not an option for that. I had the Bocconcini Alla Tony, one of their specials. Definitely did not disappoint! I'd say the food is just as good as Dominic's, just less expensive.
(5)Liz R.
I have only had great service and food here. Attentive and helpful, me and my fiance have made this our place for special occasions. These bad reviews astound me. Please go in yourself and see how amazing it is. I order the Pennette Arabriata and it is TO DIE FOR. Make reservations and you will have a lovely evening.
(5)Mallory F.
Any event involving Yelpers is destined to be at least a little awesome, but even though I have only been to two (all we need is a "too", and we'll have a full house of all of the homophones in this particular little basket), I feel that I can legitimately say that the International Supper Club is one of the best uses of a weekday evening. I have met some really great people, had some awesome conversations, and further developed myself as a more culturally aware eater. This month, we ventured to the Hill to try Gian-Tony's. Walking it, it (as Allison described) felt like we were walking in to a relatives home. It was warm and inviting. It seemed like it was a first visit for the majority (if not all) of us, and we has a delightful time catching-up and sampling each other's appetizer's and dinner picks. Allison B. ordered the Fried Artichokes, Don F. got the Involtini, Steven B. got the Mussels, Mark P. got another order of the Involtini, and Vik S. got the crabcakes. I was unfortunately much to far away from Kate B. and boyfriend "Phillip S." to see if they ordered an app. The Involtini on both sides of me created an irresistible temptation. Though it sounds reminiscent of something the Volturi might be concocting in one of the Twilight Saga movies, it was far from scary. I agree with Don and Allison about the sauce being delish. Slightly sweetened, chunky tomatoes made this marinara a standout. The Artichokes were a little on the lackluster end of the spectrum for me. I tasted much more breading than I did actual artichoke, and that was a little disappointing. Don was informed by his advising council (the bartender) that the Pasta Primavera was a great one, so I went with that... minus the mushrooms and peas (which Steven lovingly gave me trouble about consistently... all night). I shouldn't have, but expected it to be more than pasta and veggies in broth (which is what the description says). I expected a tomato/broth sauce, and that wasn't what it was. Luckily, Mark is a generous, sweetheart of a guy, and shared his salad with me. Otherwise I would have been hungry. I ended up giving the majority of my meal to Joselyn for her lunch the next day. I am pretty sure I got a ticket on the way... turning right onto Manchester from Kingshighway. I say pretty sure, because I wasn't under the impression that I was doing anything wrong, but saw a bright flashy light as I turned. Super. I am pretty sure the light was green as I was turning, so I really don't know what I did, but that will be spectacular if I do end up with a ticket in the mail. The service was great. As others mentioned, they were constantly asking how things were, and I felt my water glass was consistently kept full throughout our time at the table. I definitely think that I chose badly, but Allison's Pasta Alla Roma was delicious! I'm not sure if I'll go back again, but if I do, I will go for something with a marinara or cream sauce. :) Not-Exactly-Happy-But-Somewhere-In-The-Vicinity Dining
(3)Derek H.
Gian-Tony's is one of the better places on the hill. I would still rank it a good ways behind Charlie Gitto's, though. Overall, the restaurant is big and has that old-school Italian feel. My wife and I went here for an early dinner on the weekend and got right in without a reservation. The food we had was quite good. I ordered the chicken parm which was good, as well as a caesar salad. The service was good and attentive. Overall, I really have nothing bad to say about this place. If you enjoy Italian, and want to try something different, give this place a shot.
(4)Don F.
I accompanied maybe 12 other Yelpers for International Supper Club here. It was my first live event. Hard to get out due to family and work commitments, but the Wednesday night worked well for me! Yeah. Growing up in St. Louis, I have driven by Gian-Tony's thousands of times. I eat at the deli across the street on occasion. It really does not look like much. I got their early had a few Bloody Mary's, they were good not great. The bartender was a nice enough guy. Pointed out his favorites. He was batting .670 (pretty good). He recommended the Involtini (little pieces of eggplant heaven), and the Veal Saltimbocca (OMFG delicious). He kinda fouled off the pasta primavera recommendation. The sauce did not look very creamy, and there was a lot of pasta and not a lot of veggies, although it was special ordered by that diner. The Bartender's name escapes me now was also suggesting seafood specialties, but I am not a big Italian seafood guy. Probably my loss here! Appetizers were shared by the table. I ordered Involtini. The chef has made it on some foodnetwork show. It was an eggplant slice folded over ricotta, spinach, and I beleive CRACK topped with the best Marinara sauce ever!! This was OMFG good!!! The Marinara sauce was just sweet enough! The only child in me regretted sharing!!! One lady mopped up the excess sauce it was so good. One diner ordered the fried artichokes with butter sauce. These were breaded. The coating was a little thick for my taste. The sauce was enjoyable. Others mentioned and I agree that it was difficult to tast the artichoke. Several ordered the mussels. Did not try them, but they looked delicious! Everyone that tried them raved about them. They were offered in marinara sauce or wine garlic. After trying the marinara sauce, the combination may replace Reese's peanut butter cups as the national obsession... For the entree, I ordered Veal Saltimbocca. It was sublime, another OMFG moments. The Veal was perfect, not over processed, not breaded (uggghhhh, I hate that) the sage was present but not overpowering. The wine sauce was remarkably complimentary! I want to try the Bocconcini Alla Tonynext time it sounds incrediible, but for my first time at Gian-Tony's I wanted to try the familiar and I am glad that I did! What I did not like: 1. The salad was kinda bland, the dressing was not exceptional. I guess I have had so many good salads I expect the exceptional. Perhaps I am spoiled. Next time they should keep a bottle of Zias dressing under the counter and not tell anyone... 2. I had a pasta side with white sauce. It was really not that great. It either had too much cheese, or not enought garlic. If I had it to do over again, order the Marinara on anything, even Cheerios!!! You will thank me! Additional Notes: It is smoke free and very accomodating. one lady mentioned that it feels home like. The service was great! My glass was never empty. But they were not obnoxius about it, and they did not interfere with conversations. These are two things that make me come back again and again. That and the OMFG menu items!!00 Several people asked several times if things were good. You could tell they were proud of their food. For good reason. I am glad I passed on the Tiramisu. If it was as good as the Involtini, and the Saltimbocca, I do not know if my fragile heart could take three OMFG experiences in on meal!! But I would die a happy man. :) I had the opportunity to meet several Yelpers for the first time, They are great people. I would strongly encourage participation at yelper events! Oh and PS, Cunetto's, I have a new favorite son on the hill!
(4)Matthew M.
After going to the hill for years my family has narrowed down the restaurants that we REALLY REALLY like. However, a couple years ago we started branching out a little more. This year when we were all in town for Christmas we went to Gian-Tony's. Compared to our usual spots it was just alright. The calamari was pretty bland and the toasted ravioli was only decent. My dad and brother really liked their entrees, the other three of us just thought they were alright. The waiter was friendly and nice, however at some point he disappeared and we could not get him back to order a second bottle of wine. Instead, we had to tell one of the bus boys to track him down and ask for another bottle. Overall there was nothing terribly wrong. However, I have pretty high standards for the hill so it only got three stars from me.
(3)Matt S.
Old reliable was at it again last night. I had a wonderful meal with my wife and kids, while entertaining a client, his wife and two kids. Appetizer's of calamari and eggplant involtini were right on. My kids freaked out for the fettacuine, the adults had veal dishes, each one better than the next and the wine was to die for. Side of arrabiata was fantastic. After dinner, we walked across the street and let the kids play at Berra Park for a while on the swing set. Honestly if you haven't been, you are missing out.
(5)Melissa V.
This was out second visit. The first visit went to well I don't know why we didn't go back sooner. Our waitress, Elizabeth was new, she admitted it. She didn't know what an IPA was and she didn't know if the "sausage" in the pasta special was salsiccia. This aside, she was attentive and very sweet. The Gian-Tony recommended pasta was very good and plentiful, any Italian mother would be proud. Husbands lobster raviolis tasted like lobster but certainly couldn't be seen. The before mentioned penne with sausage was good as well. I would like to see a more inspired salad and a lager beer menu. We'll be back.
(4)Mike K.
Good food. Good service. Tho I've lived in "The Hill" for about 3 years, never made it here before. It is a nice, cozy and classy setting. I got there early, about 6 and no problem seating me. I thought I'd better start with something traditional so I could compare it to other Italian restaurants. Good red sauce on the fettucini and meatballs. Tasty , tho small, house salad. I'd go again to try some other interesting dishes, influenced by Sicily they say.
(4)Mark F.
Came to town for a celebration. This was my second time at Gian- Tonys. I was with family, party of seven. I had made a special request. I asked for Zuppa De Mare, which was not on the menu. Tony personally came out. I could see he was working really hard and the restaurant was very busy. He took the time to tell me how he wanted to make the dish, no arguement there. It was one of the best meals I've ever had! Everybody had an incredible meal. This place exemplifies what a family business is. Places like this are so important to the restaurant industry. If you're coming to St. Louis this is a place that should be on your list! I would drive from Chicago to St. Louis just come back and have this dinner.
(5)Jim E.
One of the few restaurants open on Sunday on The Hill, we went for a 6:30 pm dinner and were immediately seated. That ended up being a great time to go because it began filling after 7 pm. I had the Procopio salad, which was terrific, and my wife had the standard dinner salad, the Gian-Tony's. The service was fast and friendly. As our main course, I had the Calamari Rossi...outstanding flavor. My wife had the Pollo Alla Romana. That, too, was very good, although I preferred my calamari. With the meal, we chose the Callia malbec. It is a very good wine to be served by the glass. Another nice touch, Tony, the owner and chef, personally greets all who eat at the restaurant. What a gem. No wonder they have high Yelp ratings.
(5)John B.
Had a nice early dinner with the two young kids. I had the Pasta Alla Roma - penne cooked right with Gorgonzola cheese sauce and pine nuts. Good dish, served well - plenty of food! My wife had the Scampi special which she really enjoyed. Wait staff did a great job of staying with us, keeping drinks full, and putting up with toddler shenanigans. Had the toasted ravioli, by no means am I a connoisseur of them, but I've had better. For me, Lombardo's is the standard. Right across the street from a nice neighborhood park (Berra Park), which the kids enjoyed after dinner. Overall for us it was a great place to catch a meal after a long afternoon at the zoo.
(4)Tom J.
I probably would have only given 3 stars if not for the great Hill location, which adds a ton to the ambiance. The service was very friendly and prompt. The server had a great wine suggestion,which was reasonably priced, to my surprise. I noticed we did have to pour every glass ourselves after the first one. The busboys were really on the ball with water refills and clearing the plates. We've been three times now, This time we tried the canneloni and the scallop special this past visit and both were good. Neither was great. Also had the calamari, which was fine (also not great). The salad was bland and a little disappointing, but I asked for a spicy sauce on my side pasta and it was awesome. I remembered how good the spicy sauce was from a previous visit. The atmosphere is a little crowded and noisy on a Sat. night, but for me that's part of the Hill vibe. We don't go there for romance; we don't even go there for the best Italian; we go because it's the HIll and it's cool. I love just driving down the streets. My family had pizza in this very building when I was a kid and my dad used to play softball across the street.
(4)Don L.
We were there March 10, 14 and food was tasty, but a little pricy and food was not very hot so somewhat disappointed. We will probably not go there again.
(2)Christina V.
made 5:30 reservations for 6 sat even. we ordered the eggplant involtini, fried artichokes and the special crab stuffed mushrooms. the eggplant was delicious, the latter two were just ok. two of us had the veal saltimbocca which was exceptional. delicate sage flavor and tender. my side spinach was stringy and basically unenjoyable. someone else had the risotto, another the lobster. all eaten with no complaints. the meal overall was delicious, the servers lacked enthusiasm or interest. the crowd was mixed with families, couples, large groups. every table was filled and there were multiple rooms filled as well.
(4)Kate B.
I came here a few nights ago for an International Supper Club event. There were about 8 other yelpers, including my newly-inducted boyfriend, Sean. (LOL.) The lovely Allison B. had called in advance and there was a table for about 10 people prepared for us. We were seated and greeted by our server, Michael, who was very attentive and answered all of my questions thoroughly. After I got my bearings (menu is decently sized!) I decided to order a glass of house pinot noir and the seafood ravioli. The pinot noir was really incredible. No, seriously, like I had-to-order-three-more-glasses-incredible. I rarely have such a wine experience at a restaurant so I was pretty happy about that. The seafood ravioli was really tasty too but I thought the pasta was a little bit overcooked for my taste. I tried other pasta (because everyone ordered a bunch of appetizers and they kind of just got passed around family-style) and determined that this just must be the style of how they cook their pasta here. Maybe it stems from the type of region of Italy the owner is from? Either way, I prefer my pasta a bit more al-dente so I took off one star for that and for the fact that you apparently cannot split checks here, normally. (They made an exception for our party since Allison called and asked about it.) I get that maybe it's due to them being a small biz or something and maybe it saves them money (less card swipes = more $ saved?) but IMHO that's just kind of inconvenient. But a minor gripe, if a gripe at all. I would definitely return here because there were a lot of other delicious-sounding items on the menu but I still have a gigantic list of places on The Hill that I wanna try so it might be a little while before my next visit. Oh and that pinot noir--I asked our server and he told me it was a brand called Cavit. So needless to say I've already gone forth and purchased a bottle. It's fabulous, and I am going to try their pinot grigio too despite not being a huge a fan of white wines compared to red. If you go to Gian-Tony's, I definitely recommend the Cavit house pinot! You won't be disappointed unless you prefer your reds a little drier and less sweet than I. ;) One last noteworthy point--either the owner or manager came out to ask us personally how our dinners tasted and I thought that was a nice touch. Also they have a garden in the back of the restaurant. Not sure how that works during colder months but fresh veggies? Hells yeah. My BF got a side of broccoli with his order and it was the biggest, most beautiful broccoli I have ever set my eyes upon. And I don't even like broccoli that much! Definitely really cool that they want their veggies to be fresh! If that broccoli was home-grown, I am impressed, because organic produce rarely looks so large-n-luscious mostly due to absence of growth hormones and specific strain breeding and etc. etc. etc. *garden-nerding* BTW big kudos to Allison for arranging the event. It was my first and definitely not my last International Supper Club event. :)
(4)Suzanna A.
The food was great I really enjoyed their Afrodo pasta and the baked ravioli.this place had great service.good price.
(5)Melanie B.
We were here for a rehearsal dinner. The waitstaff was OUTSTANDING! The food was legit--probably closest to real Italian food I've had in awhile. The neighborhood was cute- lined with Italian flags and other super cute Italian restaurants and bakeries. The menu for the rehearsal was steak, seafood ravioli and chicken spillini. I had the chicken and my husband had the seafood ravioli. The Sauces were delicious and you could tell they were homemade and made with love :-)
(5)Brad H.
Oh man, This one's a keeper! I found this on yelp while en route from Oklahoma City to Chicago. This small gem is located in the Hill neighborhood, in south St Louis. What's different about this restaurant is the refreshing twist offered on most dishes that are standard fare at most Italian restaurants. I had the lobster Ravioli while my Mom had the spinach chicken. The ravioli had a delicious taste with strong notes of mozzarella cheese and pepper without the typical overwhelmingly sweet tang found in most Italian restaurant fare. The chicken dish had grapes (Yes - GRAPES!) that were placed in an alfredo that was so deliciously creamy yet understated that I could easily have it everyday. The theme of understated deliviousness while tempering classic dishes flavors has been a chronic theme of all the dishes we sampled this evening.I usually don't like Italian food at all and I simply can't wait to return to St Louis to eat here again. Slam dunk. Well done. 5 stars.
(5)Larry H.
We went to St. Louis for my wife's birthday. We looked at Yelp to make the decision. At first, I was reluctant to go here because a few other descriptions talked about poor service. But,we decided to try anyways. We were quite pleased by the experience. The service was outstanding. We didn't have reservations, but they were able to find a table for us in spite of the fact that it was a Saturday night. The waiter was great! He was attentive, but didn't hover. The busboys did a great job of keeping the table clean and the water filled. The hostess was right there when we wanted to ask general questions about the restaurant. The food was excellent. I was a chef at an Italian restaurant, so I am always reluctant to go to Italian restaurants. The Bruschetta was tasty, but it also had a little mozzarella cheese on top, not at all typical of Bruschetta. My wife had the Pollo Alla Romana, which was very good (she loved it). I had the Pasta With Scallops which was creamy and delicious! Our only mistake was not having dessert. We"ll do that next time. I would highly recommend this to anyone!
(5)Ron T.
Good isn't enough this place is great!!
(5)Kara S.
The best Italian food ive ever had!!! Found it on yelp, most places on the hill seem to be closed on Sunday, just kept clicking through yelp until I found a restaurant that was open! Was greeted by the owner and chef Tony who accommodated my party of 8 even though it was 20 mins til closing!! Ordered what seems like one of everything!! The calamari, eggplant involtini, buffalo mozzarella salad, wedding ball soup....all WONDERFUL!!!! for dinner we had the chicken spedini, veal bocconcini, fettuccini Alfredo for the kids, had fresh Italian bread with olive oil, and the house dressing for dinner salads was awesome! Just an olive oil and vinegar mix but was perfect!! An absolute must go! Great wait staff and Tony checked on us through the night and walked us out, great family restaurant!!
(5)Debbye G.
No restaurant that has such delicious food should have 90% red leaf lettuce mixed with 10% romaine in their caesar salad. Completely ruins the whole salad. If you are going to take the time to make homemade Caesar dressing, only use romaine lettuce even though it costs more.
(4)Jason B.
We held our rehearsal dinner here in October. It was PHENOMENAL! We had both of our families go to the restaurant to sample the food in August and it was really good then, but it was even better for the rehearsal dinner. I booked the smaller of the two rooms, which was supposed to hold 40 people max, but we managed to get 50 people in there (less declines than we thought). We had our own dedicated waiters and they were great, too! One of them recently got married and he offered some advice on how to keep things flowing (toasts, gifts, getting people from mingling to being seated, etc.). These guys were responsive--no one's glass ever got below half full, and any request was immediately met. My brother had to leave early to pick up his girlfriend at the airport and he was given his meal to go as well as his desert. I was thoroughly impressed. My grandmother and great aunt are originally from Italy and when the owner came out they got along well, even though they never met! Suzy, the event coordinator, was great We had a limited budged and she offered all different kinds of suggestions to help keep us within budget. We tried several places on The Hill and sent my sister-in-law and her boyfriend to different restaurants, too, to sample all the food. Gian-Tony's by far is right up there on quality, but they're not overpriced like rest of the restaurants. I have a very loud family with strong personalities and everyone commented on the whole experience, which is amazing because they're a tough crowd to please. They even let us come in to decorate before our dinner. Overall, I would not change anything at all--maybe have started the dinner earlier for everyone to enjoy themselves longer? By far, I'm very happy we went with Gian-Tony's. It was the best food, best value, within budget, great staff, fair priced drinks. I hope my review helps anyone else out there because I spent alot of time researching and reading reviews before we went to the different restaurants to try the food because we live in Houston and got married in St. Louis, so we didn't have alot of time to visit all the restaurants (or the budget to visit them all).
(5)Alex S.
Gian-Tony's has a great romantic ambiance and a very professional and courteous waitstaff. My fiance and I went there on a weeknight and we were one of probably 7-8 other parties in the restaurant. As soon as we sat down our waiter came up with water and read out the specials, which all sounded delicious (the only one I can remember is stuffed peppers) and then left us to peruse the drink menu. The drinks were delicious and well made! Strong but perfectly balanced. After looking at the menu I was tempted by the veal section, but saw that the breaded veal was over $20! The pasta and the risotto was much more reasonably priced, so we both chose pasta dishes. Not to say it wasn't in the $12-15 range, but we ended up getting quite a bit of pasta. I got the gorgonzola cheese penne with roasted pine nuts and cream sauce, while my fiancé went for the farfelle alfredo with fresh salmon. They were both delicious! And now the reason for the three stars. Even though the food was delicious, the waiters were great, and the drinks were fantastic, I found myself drinking an abnormally large amount of water. At first I thought it was because of my drink, but even 4-5 hours after my meal I found myself parched. I couldn't sleep. The amount of salt that was in both of our meals was astounding. I didn't realize it until well afterward but I believe that was the single saltiest meal I have ever eaten. I can't speak for the rest of the menu, but if you have high blood pressure don't order a cream sauce.
(3)Jelena Z.
After a long day of sipping (err, downing) vino in Hermann, Missouri, my family stalked 'The Hill' for a parking spot near Zia's. Then we saw the line of people waiting... forget it, we decide. After all, pasta is pasta, right? Wrong. We spotted a parking spot directly in front of Gian-Tony's. We arrived with empty bellies, great expectations and no reservations. On a Saturday evening at 7 pm on the popular dining destination 'The Hill', no less. Our hostess was gracious and friendly, promising a table on the beautiful patio in less than 5 minutes. Can I give her a big Sicilian kiss already? We literally soaked up our hunger with the fresh bread and olive oil. Following a classic house salad, out came my pollo spedini. The dish was quite different from spedini I've had in the past, rolled with broccoli and provel and served in a peppercorn cream sauce. But good. Service was okay, but the Southern Italian food with a twist and lovely alfresco dining stole the show. Mom-approved :)
(4)Colby S.
Great throw back look to the old days of the Italian streets of SL. Tony himself greeted us at the door. I felt like I was on the set of "The Sopranos" since I witnessed Al Capone, The Rat PAC, and The God Father in the bathroom. The food was amazing, and I recommend any of the main entries since I was able to taste many of them from our families different orders. I ordered the "Bocconcini Alla Tony" and it melted in my mouth with a burst of wonderful and lasting flavor. Mmmmm! A must go if you visit SL.
(5)Bryan X.
Hear that the tiramisu is good here, so I gave it a try on a recent trip to St. Louis. I'm glad I did! It is taste pretty good with a reasonable price. I also like the interior design feel of the restaurant. It will definitely on my list if I want to try Italian food next time in town. The only reason I gave it a 4* is that the entrance bar area can be remodeled a little bit to give people a better first impression into the place. The dining area is classic though. The owner and waitress are very professional and friendly ++++keep up the good work!
(4)Lisa B.
Food was delicious. Wait was ridiculous. Nevertheless, as a tourist, I'd totally come back.
(4)Willie B.
Good food, more of the heavy Sicilian style. The service was very nice but very slow. Too bad they don't have more windows or something to make the atmosphere a little better.
(3)Heather R.
I'm in love with the Tortellini! I think it was the sherry in the sauce; unbelievable. The salad was delicious too, with the blue cheese as recommended by the bartender. We also got their famous fillet mignon, but I've actually had better at Sasha's. Staff and other clientele were all super nice. I'm definitely going back for that pasta soon!
(4)Stew D. B.
I live on "The Hill" and have been fortunate enough to sample the local offerings with regularity. Gian-Tony's offers a great atmosphere and some of the best Italian in St Louis, or anywhere for that matter.
(5)St E.
Great food! Nice atmosphere and the staff was great!
(4)Benjamin S.
I debated whether to go four or five stars for Gian-Tony's, so I'll tell you that the fifth star has to do with the ability to eat here without the zoo-like hassle you'll get at Cunetto or Zia's on a weekend evening. You'll wait a *minimum* of an hour at those other places (both of which I also love), and they do not/will not take reservations. Gian-Tony's will grant you a reservation, and oddly you can sometimes even hit the right 'soft spot' later in the evening where you might be able to come in unannounced and score a table in a matter of minutes. Otherwise, Gian-Tony's covers all the bases. Number one, you get excellent food, which looks and tastes like some real effort was put into it. Two, you get excellent service. The waitstaff here takes themselves seriously (in a non-pretentious manner) and it shows. Three, you get great environment. I like an old-school dimly-lit Italian place, and G-T has that - without the dingy factor. Aside from the odd passage you must make by the bar to enter, the place looks and feels 'nice.' The Chicken (Pollo) Cacciatora here is pure and simply out of this world. It is a must for anyone who can appreciate what an excellent sauce can do for a dish. You can taste the zesty burgundy in it, which has a settling flavor that you'll pause and savor. No other place in town touches them when it comes to this dish. A friend swears that they have the best risotto in town. This I have yet to try, but as a former chef I trust his opinion in food. The salads do not defeat Cunneto or Zia's, but they are fine. In summary, I am a regular and have never been disappointed. I am confident you won't be either.
(5)Joe W.
I ended up here the other night kind of by chance, just tagging along with two other people for dinner somewhere. I had ate here two previous occasions and I thought the food was very good before, but this time the two friends I was out with said I had to try the steak. The best steak I have ever had is at Gian-Tony's. My friend ordered it for me, so I do not remember what it was called. You could have cut this steak with a spoon. Delicious tasting steak, very tender and full of flavor! The steak came with a salad, and fettucini alfredo. Oh and the bread out there served with the olive oil is outstanding as well. Very good service here. Many St. Louis born natives say this is arguably the best restaurant on The Hill. They may very well be right
(5)lauren s.
BEST ITALIAN IN ST.LOUIS HANDS DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cream sauce is amazing and best service
(5)Stan S.
It's an old school Italian place to eat, its nothing that going to be on the food channel, but if you like a nice meat sauce with your veal, this is the place. Excellent wait staff.
(3)Austin C.
Not a fan of their canneloni at all. Pasta House's is way better. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing but my kids were not impressed either.
(2)Erica C.
My BF and I went here Monday night for Restaurant Week. We made a reservation just to be safe, however; it was not that busy, but that's to be expected on a Monday night On The Hill. We were promptly seated. For the apps, we had the t-ravs and crab cakes. I thought the t-ravs were good, but nothing spectacular. The crab cakes, however; were delicious! They were topped with an aeoli sauce that was amazing. My only complaint here would be that they should call it Crab CAKE! It only came with one, but maybe this is only the case during Restaurant Week? For the entree, we both ordered the 9 oz. filet modiga, which was topped with mozarella, mushrooms and a white wine sauce. I must say it was delicious. A great piece of meat cooked med. rare just the way I like it. It was, however; quite salty. Some people would love this, others may hate it. If you're going somewhere for a good steak, you probably wouldn't want it topped with so much cheese and sauce. But still yummy and a good size (I couldn't finish mine). For dessert, we each had the tiramisu, which was really good, but on the lighter side, which I liked. I've had others in the past that are richer and have a stronger espresso/liqueur taste, but I enjoyed this one. My only real complaint about Gian-Tony's was the server. I can't say he was a bad server, but not good either. He wasn't overly friendly, didn't offer suggestions and never once asked how us how the food was. He dropped off our entrees and didn't come back until after our food had been boxed (by the very nice bus-girl) and we sat there for at least another 10 minutes. When he came back, he realized we were still waiting for our dessert. He then came back 5-10 minutes later to inform me they were out of the dessert I ordered (volcano-brownie topped with icecream) and asked "do you want something else or...???" Duh! Obviously I want something else. Wouldn't you provide me with suggestions? Fortunately, I remembered my options and ordered the Tiramisu. All-in-all, a good dining experience. Okay, I lied - one last complaint - drinks were awfully pricey. The BF had a manhattan (well) that cost $7.00, and it was small. But, I guess this is to be expected at a fancier restaurant.
(4)Jill S.
I agree with a previous comment...pur deliciousness indeed!!! This was my first visit to "The Hill" district in about 4 years since first working in STL. After a little argument between some of the locals on where I should go for good Italian, they both settled on "just go to the hill and pick a spot, you won't be disappointed." So Gian-Tony's it was. Seating was prompt, and I was quite surprised by the number of large groups packed out in this place. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but I think that's the charm of this area....family run restaurants with great food and laid back atmosphere. We both started with the House Salads and unless we were just starving, that was the best little side salad I've ever had! I went with the Seafood Ravioli, again, I almost ALMOST licked the plate clean. My friend went with one of the specials of the night, a seafood stuffed Sole w/side of spinach. He wasn't too thrilled on the spinach but he tore up that fish! I usually don't get dessert after a rich meal but I decided to try out the cheesecake. It was really creamy and the crust was perfect, even though I left 3/4 of it there (gotta watch my waste line lol). Service was prompt and the hostess called us a cab with no attitude (got that a couple times at other spots). I would definitely return, and just hold my breath when I first walk in (I suppose this is the smokers section and it will KNOCK YOU OUT when you first walk in, ugh).
(4)Rana A.
This place is a real gem! Family run operation with Tony's brother in the back as the head chef! Has a real old school feel to it, when you first walk in with the rustic bar, dim lights and the coat check. The wait staff was incredibly friendly and was very kind to us (being a loud party of 7.5 - baby). I had the angel hair pasta with scallops - the sauce was perfection and the pasta was cooked al dente. I was a little disappointed with the scallops as I was expecting thick hearty scallops that I'm used to in San Francisco, however St. Louis Scallops are a tad larger then a garbanzo bean. My husband had the chicken canneloni, again quite tasty. Everything there is made in house, which is why it tastes so fresh. Gian Tony's is a place i would expect to be in Little Italy out here, so bravo to you folks in St. Louis!!
(4)Justin S.
I've now been there 4 times with the same great food and service each time. Its quiet, its quaint, its delicious. Enjoy!
(5)Kat V.
Absolutely pure deliciousness! The bread came out cold, but the food was great! My bf & I got the mussels & shrimp in the spicy marinara sauce for appetizers. The sauce was sooo fresh! The mussels & shrimp were sooo delectable! I got a ravioli with meat sauce, & my bf got the linguini with squid. Again, the food was good! The ravioli was really really good! The staff were very attentive.
(4)Sheri E.
I went here with my boyfriend for a nice romantic dinner and it was wonderful! The atmosphere was perfect. It was really busy with the weekend being in the middle of Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras, but the staff did a superb job. Service was efficient and the food was delicious. I will definitely be reccomending this to friends!
(5)Clint L.
A friend and I were actually on our way to another restaurant, but decided to stop here at Gian-Tony's and that turned out to be a very good decision! We both had an excellent dinner! He had the Veal Saltimbocca and I had the Bonconcinni Alla Tony, which is another veal dish specialty of the house. It is described on the menu as follows: "Breaded & rolled, stuffed with prosciutto ham & mozzarella cheese, served in a white wine sauce with mushrooms & peas." It was very flavorful and the portion was plentiful. The service was top notch! Our waiter was polite, attentive, and knowledgeable. You won't go wrong here!
(5)Jennifer K.
I guess this was hyped up for me that when I got there I wasn't super impressed. Wait, before you think I didn't enjoy my meal let me clarify. The food was good. It was cooked well and presented nicely. The service was good. The atmosphere was...a little boring. Maybe it was because we were there at 6pm on a Tuesday that it wasn't hopping but it was kind of awkward to be on a business dinner with one other person in an empty dining room. It was soooo quiet that I had to fill the silence with mindless chatter. I had the Pasta Alla Roma for my entree. When it arrived I thought it would be boring old white sauced pasta. There was cream sauce, penne noodles an some pine nuts. No other flair. Fortunately the cheese saved the dish. It was kind of smokey and the pine nuts were good. I just think for the price of their entrees there should be a small side salad or something that comes with...or a piece of parsley. In conclusion, I like it. I just didn't love it. If you want good Italian comfort food then this is your place. If you want to have your socks wow'ed off...maybe it isn't.
(3)Matt R.
Disappointing. I was excited for this meal as I hadn't had good italian in a while, and in particular to try their tiramisu. The food was "ok", but I've had much, much better at half the price. We were there early on a Wednesday night (around 6pm or so), and other than the patrons in the bar we were either the first or second diners to arrive. We had the Veal Parm, a chicken dish that I don't remember the name of but with a white wine based sauce, and a bowtie pasta with salmon dish. The veal parm was over salted, yet the chicken and salmon dishes were virtually unseasoned and tasteless. I'd like to chalk this up to the cook but it was Tony himself in the kitchen so I have to assume this is representative of the food. The odd thing, is that the basic pasta sides that came with our dishes were very good (much better than the entree's). The meat sauce on one was a good representation, and the 'butter and garlic' sauce on the other was phenomenal....however it clearly was a clam stock base, and not simply a butter and garlic sauce. Not that I minded, it was great if you like a clam sauce, perhaps one of the best I've had. Only bright spot would be the mussels they had as a appetizer special that night. Who knows, maybe they got some of the broth from the appetizer in the garlic and butter sauce. The biggest letdown however was the Tiramisu. From what I've read they are supposed to have one of the best in St. Louis. This is my favorite dessert on the planet, and I'm a pretty good judge of quality Tiramisu if I do say so myself. And frankly it's one of the reasons I went in the first place. The mascarpone is virtually missing (cost cutting?) so you end up with what tastes like Cool Whip as they've obviously whipped sugar into the egg whites instead of just using the mascarpone to sweeten it, and there's no discernible alcohol whatsoever (Marsala or otherwise). I really wanted to like this place, mainly because it's difficult in my opinion to find a decent place on The Hill that is relatively casual and that I can take my whole family. But alas poor Yorick, tis not to be.
(2)Elizabeth E.
Fully satisfies my St. Louis Italian food craving. Pasta con broccoli is the best. Fresh calamari and excellent eggplant parm. Generous wine pours. Great waitstaff.
(5)Aaron J.
The other night my family and I decided to go out for dinner. I was given the task of figuring out the whole thing. So I knew I wanted to go someplace that we have not yet been to. At the time I was drawing a blank and was just about to give up on adventuring out to new and unknown restaurants to me. Through talking with one of my friends she had suggested a restaurant that she and her family always love to eat at, Gian Tony's. We made our reservations for fear of not being able to get a table because I was told the place is pretty popular, and when we arrived good thing we had done so. We were seated at our table and drink orders quickly taken. Soon after a plate of bruschetta was brought out as we decided to start the night off with some calamari. When it came time to order I came to the conclusion that I was going to have the pollo spendine. It was a nice breaded chicken breast stuffed with cheese and broccoli with a side of spinach covered in white sauce. It was wonderful. I also take it that everyone else enjoyed their meals too because everyone exclaimed how they enjoyed it and there also was not all that much sharing going on. Having lived in Italy for a while and becoming spoiled to real authentic Italian food and now trying hard to find a place that will quickly bring back those taste bud memories is a hard find. Gain Tony's was a wonderful place that does just that. Gian Tony's is also a great place to go to eat with family and close friends.
(5)A Z.
We miss this place....husband & I were working in St. Louis for 3 months. Our plan was to hit every Italian rest on the "Hill"......after eating at Tony's we never went anywhere else. Food is incredible.... Ray - the bartender is one of the best! We miss you too Ray! You do want to make this your first stop on the "Hill"
(5)Baboo E.
Had their special, seafood stuffed mushroom, for an app and it was real good, the seafood cannelloni for the entrée. We have been coming here for years and every time we come is such a good experience. Great food, friendly staff, nice ambiance...we'll be coming here again for sure!
(5)Matthew F.
We try to visit here every 6-weeks or so. Great wait staff. The Bartender makes waiting a pleasure. The food has never disappointed. The portions are huge.
(5)Kat F.
Let me preface this review by saying I am in the minority because I am not a huge fan of The Hill. However, I had a bunch of family in town for the STL Marathon and the runners specifically requested that I pick a restaurant on The Hill so that they could indulge in their traditional pre-race pasta dinner. After calling around to several places, I settled with Gian-Tony's primarily because they accept reservations for large groups. It turned out to be a very good (and lucky!) pick, because I can honestly say it is the best dinner experience I've had on The HIll. The atmosphere was a major plus; compared to other Hill hot spots like Zia's, Gian-Tony's seems much more endearing and has a lot more character. Our waiter was fantastic...extremely helpful and attentive. The food too was very good...by the end of the meal, I don't think anyone had a bite left on their plate. While the pasta was just as good, if not better, than anything else I've had on The Hill, the only negative of the whole meal was the salad...not nearly as good as Zias. I'll definitely be visiting Gian-Tony's again in the future!
(4)Travis W.
I feel like I will have to give this one another try. We came at an awkward time for them it seems (9:30 PM on a Friday). When we arrived the bar was packed with smokers and the smoke smell filled the dining room. We were the last table to be seated, which may explain our experience. Our head waiter was good, but the rest of the wait staff was overattentive and repeatedly tried to take plates from us that we were not finished with. The saving graces were the bruschetta (excellent) and the chicken parm! The lemon chicken and the seafood crepes were OK at best. Overall I have had much better food and ambiance on the hill and expected more from this place. Maybe I'll try again at a more traditional dining time.
(2)david s.
i live in st louis and just ate here for the first time. the best italian food I have ever had. the tiramisu (sorry about the spelling) is the best dessert i have ever tasted. great service very clean, great atmosphere. you should eat here as soon as possible!
(5)Rob C.
Classic hill Italian restaurant, food was a little oily for my tastes. Typical sauces. Bar area in front can get crowded while waiting.
(3)SSS K.
surprisingly crowded restaurant. farfallini salmone was decent. this place is supposedly a very good place in st. louis. rather dissappointed.
(2)Paul D.
Another nice dinner place-- it can get very crowded rather quickly. The service is good-- the menu is fairly standard fare but they do throw in some surprises.
(4)Robert D.
The food was very good, but not anything extraordinary. The dining room is large enough so you don't feel like you're on top of other patrons, but it still feels cozy and inviting. The service was very good and the prices were reasonable.
(3)AJ F.
I took my parents here for their anniversary dinner. The entrees were AMAZING!!! Two people had filet mignon dishes and were out of this world. The pasta was perfectly al dente and the sauces were perfection. They lost a star for two reasons: 1) the appetizers were not good. The bruschetta was bland and soggy and the toasted ravs had little flavor 2) the server couldn't have cared less about us. One thing to note: the bussers were super friendly and on their game. They made up for the crappy server. They should promote them to server. On a side note: why are all the servers white and the bussers black? Makes me feel like Paula Deen runs this place. Step it up St Louis, it is 2013. So, skip the appetizers, order the filet and pasta and tip the bussers.
(4)Mallory M.
I am now 0/3 when it comes to Italian restaurants on The Hill. Anybody else have any GOOD recommendations? The restaurant area was small and cramped, and we were seated almost on top of the group next to us. I don't really mind close dining, mind you, except the place was half-empty, and they certainly could have placed us in a more private area of the room. First off, the bread--GROSS. More spongy white bread like what they serve at Zia's...that is NOT Italian! Plus it was stale, which was even worse. I ordered the Penne Arrabiata--decent. Sauce tasted store-bought, and it wasn't spicy enough for an Arrabiata...the cook needs to lay off the capers. Hubby got the tortellini with the cream mushroom sauce, which he enjoyed. Nothing special. We ordered the house Pinot Noir, which was good, but way too expensive for a house wine. Mediocre food aside, our server was great! Very attentive. Didn't catch his name, sounded like he was from the Bronx...? Now onto our next attempt to find real Italian food in the "Italian" district in STL!!
(2)Travis F.
Never been here before, but I think the pasta was amazing! Price...eh, kinda steep, but they were good. Also when we went we needed a reservation...they were not too busy...I liked them though, will go again! Staff was very helpful and friendly as well!
(4)Melanie B.
We were here for a rehearsal dinner. The waitstaff was OUTSTANDING! The food was legit--probably closest to real Italian food I've had in awhile. The neighborhood was cute- lined with Italian flags and other super cute Italian restaurants and bakeries. The menu for the rehearsal was steak, seafood ravioli and chicken spillini. I had the chicken and my husband had the seafood ravioli. The Sauces were delicious and you could tell they were homemade and made with love :-)
(5)Allison B.
Last night, about 10 of us Yelpers gathered for International Supper Club at Gian-Tony's, and I think most of us walked away wanting to return. Gian-Tony's isn't on the main "drag" of most of the Italian restaurants on The Hill. It's on Macklind and isn't anything special on the outside. Inside, it sort of feels like you're dining in someone's large, warm home. You'll walk first through the bar area, which is smokefree (yay!) and spacious. Before dinner last night, a few Yelpers gathered here to get to know each other, and some made friends with bartenders who gave tips on their favorite dishes. In the dining room, Gian-Tony's had a large table prepared for us. Michael was our main server, and he was pretty good. He patiently answered questions, gave great entree advice after listening to diners' needs and joked around with us a bit. There as a lag in placing drink orders, placing appetizer orders and placing entree orders, but we were in good spirits and didn't mind much. Different servers came by to refill drinks periodically. Most of us shared appetizers. I ordered the fried artichokes with butter sauce. These were lightly breaded and flash fried. The coating was crumbly like bread crumbs, not heavy like tempura. I liked the coating, but I wish the artichoke flavor came through a bit more. I loved the butter sauce. Friends ordered the... something that began with an I. I can't remember, but it sounded slightly menacing and was sort of like a much, much lighter version of eggplant lasagna. Damn, this was a winner. The tomato sauce was slightly sweet, and I couldn't get enough of it. After my little portion, I definitely eyed the rest of the plate with foodlust. For my entree, I ordered the ... something I totally can't remember and I'm too lazy to look up. Sorry! But it was barrel-shaped pasta with pine nuts and absolutely COATED in gorgonzola cheese sauce. Oh my, this was beyond heavenly. I would order this again in a heartbeat. It was so creamy, and the cheese had such a pungent taste. Others who tried my dish also were impressed. The platter of pasta was large enough to take home and ration for (I think) two lunches. This will totally become my go-to dish here. I also had a giant hunk of steamed broccoli that Kate's boyfriend ordered as a side and didn't end up wanting. This was steamed to perfection - enough crispness to give your teeth a workout, but not mushy at all. It was delightfully green and served with a lemon wedge. Delicious! During and after our meal, several people asked how we enjoyed everything. One pleasant man was wearing an apron, so I'd assume that he was one of the chefs or managers. Moreover, they bent their no-split-group-checks rule a bit to let us pay checks in pairs. And afterwards, when a few of us were saying our goodbyes outside the restaurant, one of our servers rushed out to give me the boxed cupcake that Mallory had brought for me to eat later. What thoughtfulness! I can't wait to return for more!
(4)Suzanna A.
The food was great I really enjoyed their Afrodo pasta and the baked ravioli.this place had great service.good price.
(5)Chris M.
The pasta here is good but I can only say that as an Italian restaurant, you better get your marinara sauce right but Gian-Tony's is below average. I also think that the ambiance is below average, the service is average, and the prices are above average.
(2)Mallory F.
Any event involving Yelpers is destined to be at least a little awesome, but even though I have only been to two (all we need is a "too", and we'll have a full house of all of the homophones in this particular little basket), I feel that I can legitimately say that the International Supper Club is one of the best uses of a weekday evening. I have met some really great people, had some awesome conversations, and further developed myself as a more culturally aware eater. This month, we ventured to the Hill to try Gian-Tony's. Walking it, it (as Allison described) felt like we were walking in to a relatives home. It was warm and inviting. It seemed like it was a first visit for the majority (if not all) of us, and we has a delightful time catching-up and sampling each other's appetizer's and dinner picks. Allison B. ordered the Fried Artichokes, Don F. got the Involtini, Steven B. got the Mussels, Mark P. got another order of the Involtini, and Vik S. got the crabcakes. I was unfortunately much to far away from Kate B. and boyfriend "Phillip S." to see if they ordered an app. The Involtini on both sides of me created an irresistible temptation. Though it sounds reminiscent of something the Volturi might be concocting in one of the Twilight Saga movies, it was far from scary. I agree with Don and Allison about the sauce being delish. Slightly sweetened, chunky tomatoes made this marinara a standout. The Artichokes were a little on the lackluster end of the spectrum for me. I tasted much more breading than I did actual artichoke, and that was a little disappointing. Don was informed by his advising council (the bartender) that the Pasta Primavera was a great one, so I went with that... minus the mushrooms and peas (which Steven lovingly gave me trouble about consistently... all night). I shouldn't have, but expected it to be more than pasta and veggies in broth (which is what the description says). I expected a tomato/broth sauce, and that wasn't what it was. Luckily, Mark is a generous, sweetheart of a guy, and shared his salad with me. Otherwise I would have been hungry. I ended up giving the majority of my meal to Joselyn for her lunch the next day. I am pretty sure I got a ticket on the way... turning right onto Manchester from Kingshighway. I say pretty sure, because I wasn't under the impression that I was doing anything wrong, but saw a bright flashy light as I turned. Super. I am pretty sure the light was green as I was turning, so I really don't know what I did, but that will be spectacular if I do end up with a ticket in the mail. The service was great. As others mentioned, they were constantly asking how things were, and I felt my water glass was consistently kept full throughout our time at the table. I definitely think that I chose badly, but Allison's Pasta Alla Roma was delicious! I'm not sure if I'll go back again, but if I do, I will go for something with a marinara or cream sauce. :) Not-Exactly-Happy-But-Somewhere-In-The-Vicinity Dining
(3)Ken B.
Arrived on time for my 7:30pm reservation on a Saturday night. ad to wait a bout ten minutes, but the place was packed. The crowd tapered off shortly after. This is some of the best food I have had on The Hill. I tried everyone's dish. the only entree that did not (and surprisingly) sit well with me was the spaghetti and meatballs.
(4)Don W.
I came for the carbonara but couldn't say no to the off menu flounder stuffed with shrimp and crab.
(5)Don F.
I accompanied maybe 12 other Yelpers for International Supper Club here. It was my first live event. Hard to get out due to family and work commitments, but the Wednesday night worked well for me! Yeah. Growing up in St. Louis, I have driven by Gian-Tony's thousands of times. I eat at the deli across the street on occasion. It really does not look like much. I got their early had a few Bloody Mary's, they were good not great. The bartender was a nice enough guy. Pointed out his favorites. He was batting .670 (pretty good). He recommended the Involtini (little pieces of eggplant heaven), and the Veal Saltimbocca (OMFG delicious). He kinda fouled off the pasta primavera recommendation. The sauce did not look very creamy, and there was a lot of pasta and not a lot of veggies, although it was special ordered by that diner. The Bartender's name escapes me now was also suggesting seafood specialties, but I am not a big Italian seafood guy. Probably my loss here! Appetizers were shared by the table. I ordered Involtini. The chef has made it on some foodnetwork show. It was an eggplant slice folded over ricotta, spinach, and I beleive CRACK topped with the best Marinara sauce ever!! This was OMFG good!!! The Marinara sauce was just sweet enough! The only child in me regretted sharing!!! One lady mopped up the excess sauce it was so good. One diner ordered the fried artichokes with butter sauce. These were breaded. The coating was a little thick for my taste. The sauce was enjoyable. Others mentioned and I agree that it was difficult to tast the artichoke. Several ordered the mussels. Did not try them, but they looked delicious! Everyone that tried them raved about them. They were offered in marinara sauce or wine garlic. After trying the marinara sauce, the combination may replace Reese's peanut butter cups as the national obsession... For the entree, I ordered Veal Saltimbocca. It was sublime, another OMFG moments. The Veal was perfect, not over processed, not breaded (uggghhhh, I hate that) the sage was present but not overpowering. The wine sauce was remarkably complimentary! I want to try the Bocconcini Alla Tonynext time it sounds incrediible, but for my first time at Gian-Tony's I wanted to try the familiar and I am glad that I did! What I did not like: 1. The salad was kinda bland, the dressing was not exceptional. I guess I have had so many good salads I expect the exceptional. Perhaps I am spoiled. Next time they should keep a bottle of Zias dressing under the counter and not tell anyone... 2. I had a pasta side with white sauce. It was really not that great. It either had too much cheese, or not enought garlic. If I had it to do over again, order the Marinara on anything, even Cheerios!!! You will thank me! Additional Notes: It is smoke free and very accomodating. one lady mentioned that it feels home like. The service was great! My glass was never empty. But they were not obnoxius about it, and they did not interfere with conversations. These are two things that make me come back again and again. That and the OMFG menu items!!00 Several people asked several times if things were good. You could tell they were proud of their food. For good reason. I am glad I passed on the Tiramisu. If it was as good as the Involtini, and the Saltimbocca, I do not know if my fragile heart could take three OMFG experiences in on meal!! But I would die a happy man. :) I had the opportunity to meet several Yelpers for the first time, They are great people. I would strongly encourage participation at yelper events! Oh and PS, Cunetto's, I have a new favorite son on the hill!
(4)Vicky H.
My boyfriend and I were visiting STL on a short weekend trip. After reviewing some Yelp recommendations, we decided to try Gian-Tony's for dinner. Overall, the service was good but the quality of food was just okay... I've had better. Because it's located in The Hill, I was really expecting everything to be fresh and homemade. I am a huge fan of fresh bread, so when the server brought the bread to our table, I was very disappointed. It was cold and definitely not freshly baked. Many of the chain Italian restaurants offer better bread. We ordered the involtini for appetizer; it came with two pieces so it was the perfect portion and nicely prepared. I ordered the pasta special with shell pasta and sea scallops cooked in red sauce with vodka, mushrooms and green peas. The scallops were fresh. The dish was well prepared and delicious; my only complaint is that the shell is not homemade. My boyfriend ordered the lamp chop special... not as tasty as the pasta dish. The tenderness of the chops was perfect (medium-rare) but it was tasteless! It has no flavors and could really use some seasoning. Very disappointing! For dessert, I ordered the tiramisu since some reviews had indicated that their tiramisu was a must try and I am a tiramisu lover. Well, I would have to disagree with those reviews. I have had many tiramisu in restaurants or homemade and in different countries... I would grade this one a C; there was too much whipped mixture, not enough ladyfinger and lack of cocoa/espresso taste. Their tiramisu was definitely just mediocre and not even as good as some chain restaurants. If I were to visit STL again, I would definitely try a different Italian restaurant.
(3)Douglas K.
We had some very good food at Gian-Tony's. While I think we were a bit under dressed, we arrived early and they seated us and were very friendly. Our food came out quickly and was amazing. Our drinks never ran low and the service was great! We loved our appetizers, salad, and dinner but the desserts were just ok. If their desserts were as good as the rest of the food, then they would easily be five stars in my book.
(4)Derek H.
Gian-Tony's is one of the better places on the hill. I would still rank it a good ways behind Charlie Gitto's, though. Overall, the restaurant is big and has that old-school Italian feel. My wife and I went here for an early dinner on the weekend and got right in without a reservation. The food we had was quite good. I ordered the chicken parm which was good, as well as a caesar salad. The service was good and attentive. Overall, I really have nothing bad to say about this place. If you enjoy Italian, and want to try something different, give this place a shot.
(4)Mike T.
Ate here last night for the second time. I'd say 4.5 but there's not an option for that. I had the Bocconcini Alla Tony, one of their specials. Definitely did not disappoint! I'd say the food is just as good as Dominic's, just less expensive.
(5)Liz R.
I have only had great service and food here. Attentive and helpful, me and my fiance have made this our place for special occasions. These bad reviews astound me. Please go in yourself and see how amazing it is. I order the Pennette Arabriata and it is TO DIE FOR. Make reservations and you will have a lovely evening.
(5)Matthew M.
After going to the hill for years my family has narrowed down the restaurants that we REALLY REALLY like. However, a couple years ago we started branching out a little more. This year when we were all in town for Christmas we went to Gian-Tony's. Compared to our usual spots it was just alright. The calamari was pretty bland and the toasted ravioli was only decent. My dad and brother really liked their entrees, the other three of us just thought they were alright. The waiter was friendly and nice, however at some point he disappeared and we could not get him back to order a second bottle of wine. Instead, we had to tell one of the bus boys to track him down and ask for another bottle. Overall there was nothing terribly wrong. However, I have pretty high standards for the hill so it only got three stars from me.
(3)Matt S.
Old reliable was at it again last night. I had a wonderful meal with my wife and kids, while entertaining a client, his wife and two kids. Appetizer's of calamari and eggplant involtini were right on. My kids freaked out for the fettacuine, the adults had veal dishes, each one better than the next and the wine was to die for. Side of arrabiata was fantastic. After dinner, we walked across the street and let the kids play at Berra Park for a while on the swing set. Honestly if you haven't been, you are missing out.
(5)Melissa V.
This was out second visit. The first visit went to well I don't know why we didn't go back sooner. Our waitress, Elizabeth was new, she admitted it. She didn't know what an IPA was and she didn't know if the "sausage" in the pasta special was salsiccia. This aside, she was attentive and very sweet. The Gian-Tony recommended pasta was very good and plentiful, any Italian mother would be proud. Husbands lobster raviolis tasted like lobster but certainly couldn't be seen. The before mentioned penne with sausage was good as well. I would like to see a more inspired salad and a lager beer menu. We'll be back.
(4)Mike K.
Good food. Good service. Tho I've lived in "The Hill" for about 3 years, never made it here before. It is a nice, cozy and classy setting. I got there early, about 6 and no problem seating me. I thought I'd better start with something traditional so I could compare it to other Italian restaurants. Good red sauce on the fettucini and meatballs. Tasty , tho small, house salad. I'd go again to try some other interesting dishes, influenced by Sicily they say.
(4)Mark F.
Came to town for a celebration. This was my second time at Gian- Tonys. I was with family, party of seven. I had made a special request. I asked for Zuppa De Mare, which was not on the menu. Tony personally came out. I could see he was working really hard and the restaurant was very busy. He took the time to tell me how he wanted to make the dish, no arguement there. It was one of the best meals I've ever had! Everybody had an incredible meal. This place exemplifies what a family business is. Places like this are so important to the restaurant industry. If you're coming to St. Louis this is a place that should be on your list! I would drive from Chicago to St. Louis just come back and have this dinner.
(5)Jim E.
One of the few restaurants open on Sunday on The Hill, we went for a 6:30 pm dinner and were immediately seated. That ended up being a great time to go because it began filling after 7 pm. I had the Procopio salad, which was terrific, and my wife had the standard dinner salad, the Gian-Tony's. The service was fast and friendly. As our main course, I had the Calamari Rossi...outstanding flavor. My wife had the Pollo Alla Romana. That, too, was very good, although I preferred my calamari. With the meal, we chose the Callia malbec. It is a very good wine to be served by the glass. Another nice touch, Tony, the owner and chef, personally greets all who eat at the restaurant. What a gem. No wonder they have high Yelp ratings.
(5)John B.
Had a nice early dinner with the two young kids. I had the Pasta Alla Roma - penne cooked right with Gorgonzola cheese sauce and pine nuts. Good dish, served well - plenty of food! My wife had the Scampi special which she really enjoyed. Wait staff did a great job of staying with us, keeping drinks full, and putting up with toddler shenanigans. Had the toasted ravioli, by no means am I a connoisseur of them, but I've had better. For me, Lombardo's is the standard. Right across the street from a nice neighborhood park (Berra Park), which the kids enjoyed after dinner. Overall for us it was a great place to catch a meal after a long afternoon at the zoo.
(4)Tom J.
I probably would have only given 3 stars if not for the great Hill location, which adds a ton to the ambiance. The service was very friendly and prompt. The server had a great wine suggestion,which was reasonably priced, to my surprise. I noticed we did have to pour every glass ourselves after the first one. The busboys were really on the ball with water refills and clearing the plates. We've been three times now, This time we tried the canneloni and the scallop special this past visit and both were good. Neither was great. Also had the calamari, which was fine (also not great). The salad was bland and a little disappointing, but I asked for a spicy sauce on my side pasta and it was awesome. I remembered how good the spicy sauce was from a previous visit. The atmosphere is a little crowded and noisy on a Sat. night, but for me that's part of the Hill vibe. We don't go there for romance; we don't even go there for the best Italian; we go because it's the HIll and it's cool. I love just driving down the streets. My family had pizza in this very building when I was a kid and my dad used to play softball across the street.
(4)Don L.
We were there March 10, 14 and food was tasty, but a little pricy and food was not very hot so somewhat disappointed. We will probably not go there again.
(2)Christina V.
made 5:30 reservations for 6 sat even. we ordered the eggplant involtini, fried artichokes and the special crab stuffed mushrooms. the eggplant was delicious, the latter two were just ok. two of us had the veal saltimbocca which was exceptional. delicate sage flavor and tender. my side spinach was stringy and basically unenjoyable. someone else had the risotto, another the lobster. all eaten with no complaints. the meal overall was delicious, the servers lacked enthusiasm or interest. the crowd was mixed with families, couples, large groups. every table was filled and there were multiple rooms filled as well.
(4)Kate B.
I came here a few nights ago for an International Supper Club event. There were about 8 other yelpers, including my newly-inducted boyfriend, Sean. (LOL.) The lovely Allison B. had called in advance and there was a table for about 10 people prepared for us. We were seated and greeted by our server, Michael, who was very attentive and answered all of my questions thoroughly. After I got my bearings (menu is decently sized!) I decided to order a glass of house pinot noir and the seafood ravioli. The pinot noir was really incredible. No, seriously, like I had-to-order-three-more-glasses-incredible. I rarely have such a wine experience at a restaurant so I was pretty happy about that. The seafood ravioli was really tasty too but I thought the pasta was a little bit overcooked for my taste. I tried other pasta (because everyone ordered a bunch of appetizers and they kind of just got passed around family-style) and determined that this just must be the style of how they cook their pasta here. Maybe it stems from the type of region of Italy the owner is from? Either way, I prefer my pasta a bit more al-dente so I took off one star for that and for the fact that you apparently cannot split checks here, normally. (They made an exception for our party since Allison called and asked about it.) I get that maybe it's due to them being a small biz or something and maybe it saves them money (less card swipes = more $ saved?) but IMHO that's just kind of inconvenient. But a minor gripe, if a gripe at all. I would definitely return here because there were a lot of other delicious-sounding items on the menu but I still have a gigantic list of places on The Hill that I wanna try so it might be a little while before my next visit. Oh and that pinot noir--I asked our server and he told me it was a brand called Cavit. So needless to say I've already gone forth and purchased a bottle. It's fabulous, and I am going to try their pinot grigio too despite not being a huge a fan of white wines compared to red. If you go to Gian-Tony's, I definitely recommend the Cavit house pinot! You won't be disappointed unless you prefer your reds a little drier and less sweet than I. ;) One last noteworthy point--either the owner or manager came out to ask us personally how our dinners tasted and I thought that was a nice touch. Also they have a garden in the back of the restaurant. Not sure how that works during colder months but fresh veggies? Hells yeah. My BF got a side of broccoli with his order and it was the biggest, most beautiful broccoli I have ever set my eyes upon. And I don't even like broccoli that much! Definitely really cool that they want their veggies to be fresh! If that broccoli was home-grown, I am impressed, because organic produce rarely looks so large-n-luscious mostly due to absence of growth hormones and specific strain breeding and etc. etc. etc. *garden-nerding* BTW big kudos to Allison for arranging the event. It was my first and definitely not my last International Supper Club event. :)
(4)Anita L.
We eat here often and always find the food delicious and the service excellent. This is truly representative of the St. Louis old style Italian restaurant. They are always willing to accommodate their patrons and the lobster ravioli is divine! It is reasonably priced and I would recommend it without hesitation.
(5)Brad H.
Oh man, This one's a keeper! I found this on yelp while en route from Oklahoma City to Chicago. This small gem is located in the Hill neighborhood, in south St Louis. What's different about this restaurant is the refreshing twist offered on most dishes that are standard fare at most Italian restaurants. I had the lobster Ravioli while my Mom had the spinach chicken. The ravioli had a delicious taste with strong notes of mozzarella cheese and pepper without the typical overwhelmingly sweet tang found in most Italian restaurant fare. The chicken dish had grapes (Yes - GRAPES!) that were placed in an alfredo that was so deliciously creamy yet understated that I could easily have it everyday. The theme of understated deliviousness while tempering classic dishes flavors has been a chronic theme of all the dishes we sampled this evening.I usually don't like Italian food at all and I simply can't wait to return to St Louis to eat here again. Slam dunk. Well done. 5 stars.
(5)Larry H.
We went to St. Louis for my wife's birthday. We looked at Yelp to make the decision. At first, I was reluctant to go here because a few other descriptions talked about poor service. But,we decided to try anyways. We were quite pleased by the experience. The service was outstanding. We didn't have reservations, but they were able to find a table for us in spite of the fact that it was a Saturday night. The waiter was great! He was attentive, but didn't hover. The busboys did a great job of keeping the table clean and the water filled. The hostess was right there when we wanted to ask general questions about the restaurant. The food was excellent. I was a chef at an Italian restaurant, so I am always reluctant to go to Italian restaurants. The Bruschetta was tasty, but it also had a little mozzarella cheese on top, not at all typical of Bruschetta. My wife had the Pollo Alla Romana, which was very good (she loved it). I had the Pasta With Scallops which was creamy and delicious! Our only mistake was not having dessert. We"ll do that next time. I would highly recommend this to anyone!
(5)Ron T.
Good isn't enough this place is great!!
(5)Kara S.
The best Italian food ive ever had!!! Found it on yelp, most places on the hill seem to be closed on Sunday, just kept clicking through yelp until I found a restaurant that was open! Was greeted by the owner and chef Tony who accommodated my party of 8 even though it was 20 mins til closing!! Ordered what seems like one of everything!! The calamari, eggplant involtini, buffalo mozzarella salad, wedding ball soup....all WONDERFUL!!!! for dinner we had the chicken spedini, veal bocconcini, fettuccini Alfredo for the kids, had fresh Italian bread with olive oil, and the house dressing for dinner salads was awesome! Just an olive oil and vinegar mix but was perfect!! An absolute must go! Great wait staff and Tony checked on us through the night and walked us out, great family restaurant!!
(5)Debbye G.
No restaurant that has such delicious food should have 90% red leaf lettuce mixed with 10% romaine in their caesar salad. Completely ruins the whole salad. If you are going to take the time to make homemade Caesar dressing, only use romaine lettuce even though it costs more.
(4)Jason B.
We held our rehearsal dinner here in October. It was PHENOMENAL! We had both of our families go to the restaurant to sample the food in August and it was really good then, but it was even better for the rehearsal dinner. I booked the smaller of the two rooms, which was supposed to hold 40 people max, but we managed to get 50 people in there (less declines than we thought). We had our own dedicated waiters and they were great, too! One of them recently got married and he offered some advice on how to keep things flowing (toasts, gifts, getting people from mingling to being seated, etc.). These guys were responsive--no one's glass ever got below half full, and any request was immediately met. My brother had to leave early to pick up his girlfriend at the airport and he was given his meal to go as well as his desert. I was thoroughly impressed. My grandmother and great aunt are originally from Italy and when the owner came out they got along well, even though they never met! Suzy, the event coordinator, was great We had a limited budged and she offered all different kinds of suggestions to help keep us within budget. We tried several places on The Hill and sent my sister-in-law and her boyfriend to different restaurants, too, to sample all the food. Gian-Tony's by far is right up there on quality, but they're not overpriced like rest of the restaurants. I have a very loud family with strong personalities and everyone commented on the whole experience, which is amazing because they're a tough crowd to please. They even let us come in to decorate before our dinner. Overall, I would not change anything at all--maybe have started the dinner earlier for everyone to enjoy themselves longer? By far, I'm very happy we went with Gian-Tony's. It was the best food, best value, within budget, great staff, fair priced drinks. I hope my review helps anyone else out there because I spent alot of time researching and reading reviews before we went to the different restaurants to try the food because we live in Houston and got married in St. Louis, so we didn't have alot of time to visit all the restaurants (or the budget to visit them all).
(5)Alex S.
Gian-Tony's has a great romantic ambiance and a very professional and courteous waitstaff. My fiance and I went there on a weeknight and we were one of probably 7-8 other parties in the restaurant. As soon as we sat down our waiter came up with water and read out the specials, which all sounded delicious (the only one I can remember is stuffed peppers) and then left us to peruse the drink menu. The drinks were delicious and well made! Strong but perfectly balanced. After looking at the menu I was tempted by the veal section, but saw that the breaded veal was over $20! The pasta and the risotto was much more reasonably priced, so we both chose pasta dishes. Not to say it wasn't in the $12-15 range, but we ended up getting quite a bit of pasta. I got the gorgonzola cheese penne with roasted pine nuts and cream sauce, while my fiancé went for the farfelle alfredo with fresh salmon. They were both delicious! And now the reason for the three stars. Even though the food was delicious, the waiters were great, and the drinks were fantastic, I found myself drinking an abnormally large amount of water. At first I thought it was because of my drink, but even 4-5 hours after my meal I found myself parched. I couldn't sleep. The amount of salt that was in both of our meals was astounding. I didn't realize it until well afterward but I believe that was the single saltiest meal I have ever eaten. I can't speak for the rest of the menu, but if you have high blood pressure don't order a cream sauce.
(3)Jelena Z.
After a long day of sipping (err, downing) vino in Hermann, Missouri, my family stalked 'The Hill' for a parking spot near Zia's. Then we saw the line of people waiting... forget it, we decide. After all, pasta is pasta, right? Wrong. We spotted a parking spot directly in front of Gian-Tony's. We arrived with empty bellies, great expectations and no reservations. On a Saturday evening at 7 pm on the popular dining destination 'The Hill', no less. Our hostess was gracious and friendly, promising a table on the beautiful patio in less than 5 minutes. Can I give her a big Sicilian kiss already? We literally soaked up our hunger with the fresh bread and olive oil. Following a classic house salad, out came my pollo spedini. The dish was quite different from spedini I've had in the past, rolled with broccoli and provel and served in a peppercorn cream sauce. But good. Service was okay, but the Southern Italian food with a twist and lovely alfresco dining stole the show. Mom-approved :)
(4)Bryan X.
Hear that the tiramisu is good here, so I gave it a try on a recent trip to St. Louis. I'm glad I did! It is taste pretty good with a reasonable price. I also like the interior design feel of the restaurant. It will definitely on my list if I want to try Italian food next time in town. The only reason I gave it a 4* is that the entrance bar area can be remodeled a little bit to give people a better first impression into the place. The dining area is classic though. The owner and waitress are very professional and friendly ++++keep up the good work!
(4)Colby S.
Great throw back look to the old days of the Italian streets of SL. Tony himself greeted us at the door. I felt like I was on the set of "The Sopranos" since I witnessed Al Capone, The Rat PAC, and The God Father in the bathroom. The food was amazing, and I recommend any of the main entries since I was able to taste many of them from our families different orders. I ordered the "Bocconcini Alla Tony" and it melted in my mouth with a burst of wonderful and lasting flavor. Mmmmm! A must go if you visit SL.
(5)Lisa B.
Food was delicious. Wait was ridiculous. Nevertheless, as a tourist, I'd totally come back.
(4)Willie B.
Good food, more of the heavy Sicilian style. The service was very nice but very slow. Too bad they don't have more windows or something to make the atmosphere a little better.
(3)Heather R.
I'm in love with the Tortellini! I think it was the sherry in the sauce; unbelievable. The salad was delicious too, with the blue cheese as recommended by the bartender. We also got their famous fillet mignon, but I've actually had better at Sasha's. Staff and other clientele were all super nice. I'm definitely going back for that pasta soon!
(4)Stew D. B.
I live on "The Hill" and have been fortunate enough to sample the local offerings with regularity. Gian-Tony's offers a great atmosphere and some of the best Italian in St Louis, or anywhere for that matter.
(5)St E.
Great food! Nice atmosphere and the staff was great!
(4)Benjamin S.
I debated whether to go four or five stars for Gian-Tony's, so I'll tell you that the fifth star has to do with the ability to eat here without the zoo-like hassle you'll get at Cunetto or Zia's on a weekend evening. You'll wait a *minimum* of an hour at those other places (both of which I also love), and they do not/will not take reservations. Gian-Tony's will grant you a reservation, and oddly you can sometimes even hit the right 'soft spot' later in the evening where you might be able to come in unannounced and score a table in a matter of minutes. Otherwise, Gian-Tony's covers all the bases. Number one, you get excellent food, which looks and tastes like some real effort was put into it. Two, you get excellent service. The waitstaff here takes themselves seriously (in a non-pretentious manner) and it shows. Three, you get great environment. I like an old-school dimly-lit Italian place, and G-T has that - without the dingy factor. Aside from the odd passage you must make by the bar to enter, the place looks and feels 'nice.' The Chicken (Pollo) Cacciatora here is pure and simply out of this world. It is a must for anyone who can appreciate what an excellent sauce can do for a dish. You can taste the zesty burgundy in it, which has a settling flavor that you'll pause and savor. No other place in town touches them when it comes to this dish. A friend swears that they have the best risotto in town. This I have yet to try, but as a former chef I trust his opinion in food. The salads do not defeat Cunneto or Zia's, but they are fine. In summary, I am a regular and have never been disappointed. I am confident you won't be either.
(5)Joe W.
I ended up here the other night kind of by chance, just tagging along with two other people for dinner somewhere. I had ate here two previous occasions and I thought the food was very good before, but this time the two friends I was out with said I had to try the steak. The best steak I have ever had is at Gian-Tony's. My friend ordered it for me, so I do not remember what it was called. You could have cut this steak with a spoon. Delicious tasting steak, very tender and full of flavor! The steak came with a salad, and fettucini alfredo. Oh and the bread out there served with the olive oil is outstanding as well. Very good service here. Many St. Louis born natives say this is arguably the best restaurant on The Hill. They may very well be right
(5)lauren s.
BEST ITALIAN IN ST.LOUIS HANDS DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cream sauce is amazing and best service
(5)Stan S.
It's an old school Italian place to eat, its nothing that going to be on the food channel, but if you like a nice meat sauce with your veal, this is the place. Excellent wait staff.
(3)Austin C.
Not a fan of their canneloni at all. Pasta House's is way better. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing but my kids were not impressed either.
(2)Erica C.
My BF and I went here Monday night for Restaurant Week. We made a reservation just to be safe, however; it was not that busy, but that's to be expected on a Monday night On The Hill. We were promptly seated. For the apps, we had the t-ravs and crab cakes. I thought the t-ravs were good, but nothing spectacular. The crab cakes, however; were delicious! They were topped with an aeoli sauce that was amazing. My only complaint here would be that they should call it Crab CAKE! It only came with one, but maybe this is only the case during Restaurant Week? For the entree, we both ordered the 9 oz. filet modiga, which was topped with mozarella, mushrooms and a white wine sauce. I must say it was delicious. A great piece of meat cooked med. rare just the way I like it. It was, however; quite salty. Some people would love this, others may hate it. If you're going somewhere for a good steak, you probably wouldn't want it topped with so much cheese and sauce. But still yummy and a good size (I couldn't finish mine). For dessert, we each had the tiramisu, which was really good, but on the lighter side, which I liked. I've had others in the past that are richer and have a stronger espresso/liqueur taste, but I enjoyed this one. My only real complaint about Gian-Tony's was the server. I can't say he was a bad server, but not good either. He wasn't overly friendly, didn't offer suggestions and never once asked how us how the food was. He dropped off our entrees and didn't come back until after our food had been boxed (by the very nice bus-girl) and we sat there for at least another 10 minutes. When he came back, he realized we were still waiting for our dessert. He then came back 5-10 minutes later to inform me they were out of the dessert I ordered (volcano-brownie topped with icecream) and asked "do you want something else or...???" Duh! Obviously I want something else. Wouldn't you provide me with suggestions? Fortunately, I remembered my options and ordered the Tiramisu. All-in-all, a good dining experience. Okay, I lied - one last complaint - drinks were awfully pricey. The BF had a manhattan (well) that cost $7.00, and it was small. But, I guess this is to be expected at a fancier restaurant.
(4)Jill S.
I agree with a previous comment...pur deliciousness indeed!!! This was my first visit to "The Hill" district in about 4 years since first working in STL. After a little argument between some of the locals on where I should go for good Italian, they both settled on "just go to the hill and pick a spot, you won't be disappointed." So Gian-Tony's it was. Seating was prompt, and I was quite surprised by the number of large groups packed out in this place. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but I think that's the charm of this area....family run restaurants with great food and laid back atmosphere. We both started with the House Salads and unless we were just starving, that was the best little side salad I've ever had! I went with the Seafood Ravioli, again, I almost ALMOST licked the plate clean. My friend went with one of the specials of the night, a seafood stuffed Sole w/side of spinach. He wasn't too thrilled on the spinach but he tore up that fish! I usually don't get dessert after a rich meal but I decided to try out the cheesecake. It was really creamy and the crust was perfect, even though I left 3/4 of it there (gotta watch my waste line lol). Service was prompt and the hostess called us a cab with no attitude (got that a couple times at other spots). I would definitely return, and just hold my breath when I first walk in (I suppose this is the smokers section and it will KNOCK YOU OUT when you first walk in, ugh).
(4)Rana A.
This place is a real gem! Family run operation with Tony's brother in the back as the head chef! Has a real old school feel to it, when you first walk in with the rustic bar, dim lights and the coat check. The wait staff was incredibly friendly and was very kind to us (being a loud party of 7.5 - baby). I had the angel hair pasta with scallops - the sauce was perfection and the pasta was cooked al dente. I was a little disappointed with the scallops as I was expecting thick hearty scallops that I'm used to in San Francisco, however St. Louis Scallops are a tad larger then a garbanzo bean. My husband had the chicken canneloni, again quite tasty. Everything there is made in house, which is why it tastes so fresh. Gian Tony's is a place i would expect to be in Little Italy out here, so bravo to you folks in St. Louis!!
(4)Justin S.
I've now been there 4 times with the same great food and service each time. Its quiet, its quaint, its delicious. Enjoy!
(5)Kat V.
Absolutely pure deliciousness! The bread came out cold, but the food was great! My bf & I got the mussels & shrimp in the spicy marinara sauce for appetizers. The sauce was sooo fresh! The mussels & shrimp were sooo delectable! I got a ravioli with meat sauce, & my bf got the linguini with squid. Again, the food was good! The ravioli was really really good! The staff were very attentive.
(4)Sheri E.
I went here with my boyfriend for a nice romantic dinner and it was wonderful! The atmosphere was perfect. It was really busy with the weekend being in the middle of Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras, but the staff did a superb job. Service was efficient and the food was delicious. I will definitely be reccomending this to friends!
(5)Clint L.
A friend and I were actually on our way to another restaurant, but decided to stop here at Gian-Tony's and that turned out to be a very good decision! We both had an excellent dinner! He had the Veal Saltimbocca and I had the Bonconcinni Alla Tony, which is another veal dish specialty of the house. It is described on the menu as follows: "Breaded & rolled, stuffed with prosciutto ham & mozzarella cheese, served in a white wine sauce with mushrooms & peas." It was very flavorful and the portion was plentiful. The service was top notch! Our waiter was polite, attentive, and knowledgeable. You won't go wrong here!
(5)Maria S.
Loved it!!! Boyfriend and I were in St. Louis for a minication and decided to dine here one night. There was a bit of a wait, no problem! The bartender was awesome! Drinks were good, he was so friendly, gave several recommendations for places to go in STL. I loved the atmosphere, very homey, family photos were a nice touch. We were seated at a cozy table. Salads were fresh! Ravioli was spectacular, so so soooo good. I highly recommend this place!!!
(5)Jennifer K.
I guess this was hyped up for me that when I got there I wasn't super impressed. Wait, before you think I didn't enjoy my meal let me clarify. The food was good. It was cooked well and presented nicely. The service was good. The atmosphere was...a little boring. Maybe it was because we were there at 6pm on a Tuesday that it wasn't hopping but it was kind of awkward to be on a business dinner with one other person in an empty dining room. It was soooo quiet that I had to fill the silence with mindless chatter. I had the Pasta Alla Roma for my entree. When it arrived I thought it would be boring old white sauced pasta. There was cream sauce, penne noodles an some pine nuts. No other flair. Fortunately the cheese saved the dish. It was kind of smokey and the pine nuts were good. I just think for the price of their entrees there should be a small side salad or something that comes with...or a piece of parsley. In conclusion, I like it. I just didn't love it. If you want good Italian comfort food then this is your place. If you want to have your socks wow'ed off...maybe it isn't.
(3)Matt R.
Disappointing. I was excited for this meal as I hadn't had good italian in a while, and in particular to try their tiramisu. The food was "ok", but I've had much, much better at half the price. We were there early on a Wednesday night (around 6pm or so), and other than the patrons in the bar we were either the first or second diners to arrive. We had the Veal Parm, a chicken dish that I don't remember the name of but with a white wine based sauce, and a bowtie pasta with salmon dish. The veal parm was over salted, yet the chicken and salmon dishes were virtually unseasoned and tasteless. I'd like to chalk this up to the cook but it was Tony himself in the kitchen so I have to assume this is representative of the food. The odd thing, is that the basic pasta sides that came with our dishes were very good (much better than the entree's). The meat sauce on one was a good representation, and the 'butter and garlic' sauce on the other was phenomenal....however it clearly was a clam stock base, and not simply a butter and garlic sauce. Not that I minded, it was great if you like a clam sauce, perhaps one of the best I've had. Only bright spot would be the mussels they had as a appetizer special that night. Who knows, maybe they got some of the broth from the appetizer in the garlic and butter sauce. The biggest letdown however was the Tiramisu. From what I've read they are supposed to have one of the best in St. Louis. This is my favorite dessert on the planet, and I'm a pretty good judge of quality Tiramisu if I do say so myself. And frankly it's one of the reasons I went in the first place. The mascarpone is virtually missing (cost cutting?) so you end up with what tastes like Cool Whip as they've obviously whipped sugar into the egg whites instead of just using the mascarpone to sweeten it, and there's no discernible alcohol whatsoever (Marsala or otherwise). I really wanted to like this place, mainly because it's difficult in my opinion to find a decent place on The Hill that is relatively casual and that I can take my whole family. But alas poor Yorick, tis not to be.
(2)Elizabeth E.
Fully satisfies my St. Louis Italian food craving. Pasta con broccoli is the best. Fresh calamari and excellent eggplant parm. Generous wine pours. Great waitstaff.
(5)Aaron J.
The other night my family and I decided to go out for dinner. I was given the task of figuring out the whole thing. So I knew I wanted to go someplace that we have not yet been to. At the time I was drawing a blank and was just about to give up on adventuring out to new and unknown restaurants to me. Through talking with one of my friends she had suggested a restaurant that she and her family always love to eat at, Gian Tony's. We made our reservations for fear of not being able to get a table because I was told the place is pretty popular, and when we arrived good thing we had done so. We were seated at our table and drink orders quickly taken. Soon after a plate of bruschetta was brought out as we decided to start the night off with some calamari. When it came time to order I came to the conclusion that I was going to have the pollo spendine. It was a nice breaded chicken breast stuffed with cheese and broccoli with a side of spinach covered in white sauce. It was wonderful. I also take it that everyone else enjoyed their meals too because everyone exclaimed how they enjoyed it and there also was not all that much sharing going on. Having lived in Italy for a while and becoming spoiled to real authentic Italian food and now trying hard to find a place that will quickly bring back those taste bud memories is a hard find. Gain Tony's was a wonderful place that does just that. Gian Tony's is also a great place to go to eat with family and close friends.
(5)A Z.
We miss this place....husband & I were working in St. Louis for 3 months. Our plan was to hit every Italian rest on the "Hill"......after eating at Tony's we never went anywhere else. Food is incredible.... Ray - the bartender is one of the best! We miss you too Ray! You do want to make this your first stop on the "Hill"
(5)Baboo E.
Had their special, seafood stuffed mushroom, for an app and it was real good, the seafood cannelloni for the entrée. We have been coming here for years and every time we come is such a good experience. Great food, friendly staff, nice ambiance...we'll be coming here again for sure!
(5)Matthew F.
We try to visit here every 6-weeks or so. Great wait staff. The Bartender makes waiting a pleasure. The food has never disappointed. The portions are huge.
(5)Kat F.
Let me preface this review by saying I am in the minority because I am not a huge fan of The Hill. However, I had a bunch of family in town for the STL Marathon and the runners specifically requested that I pick a restaurant on The Hill so that they could indulge in their traditional pre-race pasta dinner. After calling around to several places, I settled with Gian-Tony's primarily because they accept reservations for large groups. It turned out to be a very good (and lucky!) pick, because I can honestly say it is the best dinner experience I've had on The HIll. The atmosphere was a major plus; compared to other Hill hot spots like Zia's, Gian-Tony's seems much more endearing and has a lot more character. Our waiter was fantastic...extremely helpful and attentive. The food too was very good...by the end of the meal, I don't think anyone had a bite left on their plate. While the pasta was just as good, if not better, than anything else I've had on The Hill, the only negative of the whole meal was the salad...not nearly as good as Zias. I'll definitely be visiting Gian-Tony's again in the future!
(4)Travis W.
I feel like I will have to give this one another try. We came at an awkward time for them it seems (9:30 PM on a Friday). When we arrived the bar was packed with smokers and the smoke smell filled the dining room. We were the last table to be seated, which may explain our experience. Our head waiter was good, but the rest of the wait staff was overattentive and repeatedly tried to take plates from us that we were not finished with. The saving graces were the bruschetta (excellent) and the chicken parm! The lemon chicken and the seafood crepes were OK at best. Overall I have had much better food and ambiance on the hill and expected more from this place. Maybe I'll try again at a more traditional dining time.
(2)david s.
i live in st louis and just ate here for the first time. the best italian food I have ever had. the tiramisu (sorry about the spelling) is the best dessert i have ever tasted. great service very clean, great atmosphere. you should eat here as soon as possible!
(5)Rob C.
Classic hill Italian restaurant, food was a little oily for my tastes. Typical sauces. Bar area in front can get crowded while waiting.
(3)SSS K.
surprisingly crowded restaurant. farfallini salmone was decent. this place is supposedly a very good place in st. louis. rather dissappointed.
(2)Paul D.
Another nice dinner place-- it can get very crowded rather quickly. The service is good-- the menu is fairly standard fare but they do throw in some surprises.
(4)Robert D.
The food was very good, but not anything extraordinary. The dining room is large enough so you don't feel like you're on top of other patrons, but it still feels cozy and inviting. The service was very good and the prices were reasonable.
(3)John K.
I can't say enough good things about our experience at Gian-Tony's. My wife and I went there with our daughter to celebrate a special occasion. The staff was very courteous and helpful, the atmosphere was refined but not stuffy; there were a couple other families in there as well with young children. My daughter, who is almost two years old, loved the Caesar Salad I gave her (which is a rarity for a child that age); I also enjoyed it, it was very well dressed and the flavor was spot on. The Tony's choice Cabernet was delicious. My wife enjoyed her Tortellini, and since it was such a hearty portion she split it with my daughter and actually had extra. My veal saltimboca was perhaps the best I've had; the cooking sauce it was in was broth-like, with a nice sage flavor and incredible depth. The veal was tender, but not mushy as it can get sometimes. The cannoli was good; different from what I'm used to; the crust was a bit crunchier, and the filling a little runnier. But very tasty, just different. A friend recommended Gian-Tony's to us, and I will be happy to refer it to all my friends in turn.
(5)