Carmel's Bistro Giovanni

The food was delizioso! Started with their garlic bread and then the salad! The insalatina is heaven! If you like blue cheese, dried crandberry, nuts and mixed greens with vinegrette, this is perfect! Then comes the main course, i got the 1st pasta on the list, and it was loaded! A seafood feast!!! My hubby got the chicken marsala which is fine and a glass of wine. We ordered a tiramisu dessert to wrap up our meal. Overall, it was gastronomically good and the service was fast too! Would recommend to whoever is visiting Carmel. Not sure with the parking though, as our hotel is just around the corner. Must try! 4.5/5 for me!! ;)

Had a lovely dinner, with a great waitress and attentive & knowledgeable staff all-round. As a celiac, enjoying Italian food is always 50-50, not here, however! Their menu is well marked and their staff knows what is what and even mentioned things that are not marked that are safe! Had a lovely meal and dessert with my love. We made a reservation the day before, but noticed that day-of reservations were limited. Very much a busy restaurant, and for good reason.

I rarely leave a review but I have to do it for this bistro. The food here is way more outstanding than my expectation. The best Italian food I’ve had along my road trip journey from California to Arizona!

Gluten-Free Review: I ate here during Car Week when I was providing videography for a wedding. I ordered takeout online hours before I needed it, and it was ready promptly when I arrived to pick it up. As someone who is gluten-intolerant, I was a little bit nervous about eating here for the first time, but I was pleasantly shocked by how good the food was, how big the portions were, and how clearly it was labeled. It was such a relief after a long day. This is "comfort food" in the best meaning of the phrase. I would eat here again in a heartbeat! Highly recommended for people who have to eat gluten-free!

Great Food, Great Service & Great Atmosphere! They create many fresh classic dishes which are cooked and presented properly. Do not hesitate to visit Bistro Giovanni. A favorite in all of Carmel and Monterey Bay! 02/20/25 - Back again and another delightful experience! A+ 08/29/25 - Back For Anniversary: Crab Cakes, Garlic Bread, Chicken Marsala, Chicken Piccata, Pasta Carbonara, Chicken Florentine Ravioli, Chianti, Topped off with Tiramisu & a cup of coffee. Everything was insanely delicious. Grazie per il cibo delizioso. Non vedo l'ora di tornare. 2/5/26 Another fine dining experience as expected. Gladys was an A+ server. We noticed many repeat local customers. So relieved to know loyalty in the restaurant business still exists. This doesn't happen without consistently delivering grea