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.
There's always a first for something, & last night, at Gia, was the first time leaving a restaurant angry, feeling cheated & wanting to write a really long post like this one. Every few months we go as a group of 8-12 guys for dinner at different restaurants. One of our friends suggested Gia. The restaurant was nice & the staff appeared pleasant. It all went downhill quickly. The waiter informed us that since we were a group of 8 or more, we had'agreed' to their policy of forcing guests to have the $85/person tasting menu. After we said we never agreed to such a condition, he kept insisting that we did, & that it is their policy for groups of 8 or more.... it was already 8:30pm, we were hungry, so we just agreed. I asked what we'd be eating for $85 & the waiter just answered'a whole bunch of different dishes', he had no clue what the actual tasting menu consisted of. To his credit , he did ask if anyone had allergies to make sure no one died from anaphylactic shock ... so there's that. The food started coming out & they just plunked it on the table with no description of what it was, we had to ask them every single time or we wouldn't know. Aside from the bread which was really good, out of the 7 or 8 dishes they provided, only 1 of the appetizers was something I would have ordered (the grilled eggplant, which was actually delicious). All the other dishes were ok, but nothing special, & definitely not what I would have chosen if I had a choice from the menu, for example the main meat dish was duck & only half our group likes duck so most of it went uneaten.
Now the fun part.... When the bill came it was one big bill for the group. We divided our share of the bill amongst ourselves & asked to pay individually. The waiter then said that he'd be willing to do it this one time, but in the future, only one card can be used to pay for groups of 8 or more'as we agreed to'. I looked at him & said that this is a completely unreasonable expectation to have one person pay for $1000+ on a bill & then try to collect from all their friends. He reiterated that we'agreed' to it when we made the reservation & that when people call to make the reservations for groups of 8 or more they are'very clearly' told about the 2 conditions of the tasting menu & the payment method..... but we didn't call to make the reservation, it was on OpenTable. That's when the person who actually made the reservation had enough, & told the waiter to stop saying that crap. He pulled out his phone & showed him the reservation on OpenTable that had absolutely no mention of either of those two things, as well there is no mention of it on the Gia website. The waiter did not even apologize, instead he motioned to the manager to come over & said that he felt like he was being'attacked'. I said quite clearly that he is not being attacked, he is being corrected... he didn't seem to appreciate the difference. The manager was just as bad if not worse. She went on to repeat the exact same thing even after herself being shown the proof the policy is not written anywhere. Then she did something extremely foolish..... she asked if we're from Montreal, because she said in Montreal this is common & other people come in groups & are quite happy to have one person pay for everyone (which is nonsense, nobody would be'happy' doing that & it's possible they were corporate groups where the company card pays). She was quite surprised to find out we were ALL from Montreal & we told her that we've been to dozens of the top restaurants in the city, as groups, & this is the first time we've encountered this. She kept insisting it was a common & accepted practice in Montreal.
Conclusion: Average food, high prices, staff who don't apologise or admit they're wrong after being shown 100% proof of their errors. They lost multiple customers in one night, all of whom recommend restaurants to their friends & colleagues on a regular basis. We'll all be recommending other places. We're all owed a huge apology.
Super belle soirée, les plats sont savoureux & des belles découvertes de vin. Par rapport à d'autres restaurants du même genre que nous allons souvent, nous trouvons les prix un peu élevé, mais la qualité est au rendez vous. Très bonne ambiance au bar & service accueillant. Mon highlight de la soirée, les pétoncles.
Great food & great service. The price for the quality of the food is more than worth it. Gia is definitely at the top of my list of restaurants to go to for special occasions now.
Jun 20, 2025
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Dur à trouver mais superbe experience & gouts! J'y suis allé à 2 reprises & j'ai beaucoup aimé mes expériences. Les plats sont très savoureux & typique italien!
Il n'est pas faux de dire que l'emplacement du Gia tient du mystère. Une fois à l'intérieur, une esthétique minimaliste & un peu industrielle s'offre au regard.
Dès la première interaction avec Victor notre serveur, superstar du lieu, il est clair qu'il est également un sommelier accompli; cela étonne car Victor n'a probablement pas trente ans.
Nous n'acceptons mon mari & moi de manger des plats partagés que si nous sommes l'un avec l'autre uniquement - manger des escargots à 4 avec Roger du bureau c'est NON. La formule était donc parfaite pour notre soirée romantique.
Nous avons dégusté en tout 5 plats. TOUS furent remarquables, mais la mention spéciale fût remise à la Foccacia. En plus d'être là meilleure en ville, elle permet de déguster chaque millilitres de chaque sauce de chaque plat.
Accueil chaleureux malgré la pluie & malgré mon retard. J'ai été pris en charge par le sympathique barman & je ne l'ai pas regretté. Cocktails délicieux, arrosticinis au boeuf & à l'agneau,
divine foccacia, arancini au homard, morilles farcies, onglet de boeuf hyper tendre, torta au chocolat,etc. La carte s'inspire de plusieurs régions d'Italie. A mon avis, un des meilleurs restaurants italiens de Montréal.
Jun 2, 2025
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We had a great night at Gia Vin & Grill! We sat at the bar, & although it took a bit of time to get our food, it was well worth the wait. We ordered the pici al ragu & the chicken breast-both were absolutely delicious. Portions were decent for two girls, though considering the higher price point, a little more generosity wouldn't hurt (that said, the quality really delivered).
The atmosphere was super warm & social-we ended up chatting with both the staff & other guests around the bar, which made the night even more enjoyable. The only small downside was the bar stools not having any back support, but honestly, the good vibes made up for it.
There was a bit of confusion when we arrived since it looked like there was an event going on, & it wasn't immediately clear where to sit. But once an employee greeted us, everything flowed smoothly.
Definitely coming back to try more off the menu-already excited for the next visit!
Food is perfectly executed, wine list is extensive & the staff can really talk to pairings & expected notes from the wine. A must try if you're in the area
Super belle soirée chez Gia! Les plats étaient délicieux, avec de très beaux ingrédients & des saveurs bien équilibrées. C'est un peu cher pour la grosseur des assiettes, mais la qualité est là. Ambiance agréable, service attentionné. Bonnes importations privées de vins. On y retourne sans hésiter!
May 24, 2025
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Great discovery
Worth to go in this no man's land area of Montreal
Great food & recommandations
Imported wines, with great choice
A very nice experience
I was extremely surprised & pleased that the restaurant exceeded my expectations. The food was great - as good as at the best places I ate in Tuscany while I was there. I would go back in a heartbeat.
Gia feels like the kind of place you stumble upon & instantly hope never changes. Tucked just off the beaten path, it gives new meaning to hidden gem, the kind of restaurant you want to share with everyone, yet selfishly keep to yourself.
We sat at the bar, soaking in the retro Italian beachside vibes even if it's smack in the middle of a concrete jungle no beach in sight, yet that's the vibe I got: warm wood, marble counters, stacks of bicchierini, old-school tunes & a gentle hum of conversation. It's effortlessly stylish, unpretentious, & buzzing without being loud. A place that invites you to stay awhile.
The food is thoughtful & beautifully balanced. From the fresh pink grapefruit fish crudo to the perfectly grilled duck spiedini & rich, fall-apart lamb belly, each plate celebrates bold ingredients with subtle finesse. The orange wine was a perfect pairing bright, structured & just funky enough to keep things interesting.
Dessert? Gia doesn't just'do' dessert…they mean dessert. The tiramisu was easily the best I've ever had; creamy, delicate with a decadent ganache & crisp brittle on top. The chocolate torta was pure comfort, dense & dark with a dollop of fluffed sweet cream to lighten the guilt.
John looked after us with grace & ease, rounding out a night that felt entirely special from start to finish. Gia's been open for a little while now, but it still feels like a secret & I truly hope it stays open for everyone to experience evenings like the one we had.
& for those wondering about price: we've dined at our fair share of ristoranti & can honestly say Gia delivers exceptional value. For two; cocktails, wine, 5 dishes & through dessert, no holding back-the bill came to around $220 before tax & tip. For the quality, creativity, & quantity (designed to share), it's more than fair. It's giusto. We even were treated to a house limoncello, cin cin!
Thank you Gia for the amazing hospitality & experience.
