Reviews of Gia Vin & Grill describe a standout Italian dining experience defined by delicious, inventive dishes and a strong wine program, with highlights including fresh seafood, house pastas, grilled meats, arrosticini, focaccia, and standout desserts like tiramisu or chocolate tart. The atmosphere is repeatedly praised as warm, stylish, and unpretentious, with a lively bar area that still feels conducive to conversation. Attentive and knowledgeable service is often noted, particularly for wine pairings, though a few comments mention occasional slower service or a busy night that can feel rushed. Some critiques mention small starter or main portions and a higher price point relative to plate size, and one tasting-menu incident that led to frustration, but overall the sentiment emphasizes quality, creativity, and value. Many reviews call it a hidden gem in the area, a go-to for special occasions or memorable nights, and several repeat visit claims underline consistency across dishes, drinks, and ambiance, making it a top Italian option for food and wine lovers.
My partner & I have been loyal Gia customers for the last few years. The food is always fantastic, the atmosphere is trendy & the service is impeccable (they really know their stuff). I highly recommend trying their wines as they have a broad selection of interesting imports available. Gia has a rotating menu with seasonal items, so you'll want to come back to try new things. They are able to accommodate for gluten free / celiac diets (many of the menu items don't contain gluten & they are careful about cross-contamination). & make space for dessert because it is always a highlight!
Absolutely love this place. Stumbled upon it & have been back since. The food is really good & tasty, the cocktails & wines are great. Love that this place has a laid-back vibe, you can dress-up & dress down. Hidden Gem!
May 9, 2024
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We were a table of 4. The locale is pretty cool. A touch loud but tolerable. Drinks ? So we can't make a cosmo because we have no cranberry juice (yes I'm old school). Ok let's have an Aperol spritz, sadly it's a little flat but we move on. We order a whole bunch of different entrees. Polenta, green bean salad, fennel salad, crostini & the focaccia. Everything was delicious &'fresh'. Fresh is in parenthesis because the young lady who was waiting on us used that description for almost every dish she explained. Although the dishes are pretty self explanatory. Our finished drinks stayed on the table a little too long & she never came back to ask if we wanted anything else to drink. So we flag her & order wine. We get our mains but still no wine. She finally comes with glasses & the bottle. & then proceeds to disappear with the bottle. We ask another staff member where the wine is because our mains are getting cold .... She proceeds to return with an opened bottle of wine & no cork She was making sure it was good. Euh no you open the bottle in front of me ... when I ask she told me that this is how sommeliers do it not to disturb the guests at the table. She has worked in a Michelin star restaurant & that's how it's done. Well I didn't share with her because it's not necessary but amongst the four of us we are well traveled & have done a few restos here & abroad, starred & not & no. You open the bottle where the guest can see you. You don't want to trouble? you do it in retreat but not where I can't see you. Anyhoo. This post has gone on enough. All is all food was really really worth it. Service staff was very friendly & smiling but this one girl although very sweet lost a lot of points with saying fresh 12 too many times & hiding to open our wine. Would go back ☺️
Very mediocre. Thought it was pretty odd that the restaurant didn't serve coke or Diet Coke (or any traditional soda that matter). Waitress came off as a little condescending when she told me to order an espresso martini which was "basically the same thing" as a vodka & coke. Also thought it was odd that she refused to bring a slice of lime or orange for my vodka & when we asked someone else they said no problem & brought it. Drinks took about 25 minutes - which I understand could take long but it's a pretty small place. Eggplant dish was good, but also had the fish & the special of the evening (similar to coquille st Jacques), both of which were mediocre. They forgot to bring our side salad & the waitress said it was because they were having "communication issues" with the kitchen (strange comment?). These were only the issues that happened with me but there were a few more with the rest of the party including receiving the wrong dishes & not having the wines that were on the menu & the waitress suggesting 3 others l, all of which were more expensive. Overall not impressed for over 150$ per person.
Loved our experience here. My partner & I went for an intimate new year's eve dinner & had such a nice time. The food was delicious, the service was great - our server was kind & treated us well. We had the eggplant starter with their homemade focaccia, followed by the lobster risotto & ricotta gnocchi with truffles. We had a bottle of orange wines, & for dessert we ended the night with tiramisu & orange granita. Everything was amazing - the eggplant was rich, the focaccia was airy, the risotto had a generous portion of lobster, the gnocchi melted in my mouth, the orange wine was crisp & slightly tart. I'm italian & I have high standards for tiramisu & I'm happy to report that Gia's impressed me! But the star of meal was the orange granita - it was so light & full of flavor, it was like a real orange in shaved ice form. One of the best desserts I've had. Highly recommend! It was not a cheap experience but everything we ate was so enjoyable that I think it's worth going to. I was concerned about going there on new years because I thought it might be slammed or very loud, & while they did have a DJ, the vibe was really chill & perfect for a romantic evening out.
Jan 23, 2024
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Great food & our waiter was excellent with top notch wine recommendations. The razor clams were a real standout. The pasta, while good, was a little cold when it came to the table. My only other complaint is that the table they sat us at was definitely too tight for 6 people & uncomfortable as a result.
From outside you wouldn't think it's a restaurant. But once inside, you have this cute little decor. The staff were amazing. The sharing menu for 75$ if I recall correctly, was well proportioned & delicious. They also have this wine selection that comes with a nice story from the wine steward.
Been at Gia several times & always an amazing experience, excellent food (Fenouil salad is a must!!!) & private import wine selections are great, all this with a great vibe. On top of this, parking super easy due to location.
Dec 19, 2023
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Been at this restaurant a couple times over the last few weeks. Not cheap but we knew that. Only detail is no bread unless you order it. I mean... but can get over that. Good wine list, interesting menu with flavors that stand out. The server though has no personality, kinda tries to oversell & keeps interrupting conversations without much subtlety. Plates are removed as fast as they're empty, they want you to go on to the next service, creating a sense of urgency. They do want to get you out of there on the 2 hour limit. It's different for everyone, I guess, but for me, managing the clock & being steered takes away too much of the enjoyment of a nice evening. To the owner: enjoy the ride while it lasts, but this is not how you build a lasting clientele.
We had really great service, the waiter allowed us to taste a few wines to find one of our liking & was patient, knowledgeable, & polite & we enjoyed our time there but each dish we received just felt like it was okay. It was still good, but also just okay. Compared to other similarly priced restaurants serving up Italian fare (even its sister restaurant), it couldn't compete. For the price of cocktails (~20 each) & the food, I would have expected a better meal. I'll say that if the food had been maybe 10-15% less expensive I would not feel the same. If your mains are 30+ then I expect a cut above not something I could prepare myself. I am a big fan of the brand & Elena but in my experience for a similar price I'd rather go to Elena. I would go back but if the food next time was not much better, that would probably be my last time there.
Quite innovative dishes, somewhat on smaller side, we had excellent wine but a bit too warm, the waitress seemed like she’d rather be somewhere else, btw no English menu
Sep 26, 2023
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Great wine bar vibes with delicious sharing-style food, good wine list & alcohol selection & friendly/knowledgable service - another gem of the sud-ouest!
