Gianni's Italian Bistro

So darn cute!  Built like a little home, little rooms separate the diners for a very intimate setting whilst it be neighborhoody.  The service is wonderful, with friendly and talkative staff making one feel very welcomed.  It's no wonder to me that they are winners of multiple "best of" awards.My Mom was in town, and I thought to bring her here.  It was a Sunday night, and it was packed!  Turns out, they have a fixed price $25 offering, appetizer, entree, and dessert -- nice, and it looked good...but we chose to order off the menu.The menu is smaller than most traditional Italian places, but has such delicious items featured, it's definitely not tough to find a few things that sound very worthy.On this night, I chose to get the Agnolotti (Homemade Ravioli filled with Veal Ossobuco, Vegetable, Parmesan Cheese with a Veal and Sage Demi-glace) -- wow.  Incredible flavor, nice portion [$18, 4.5 stars].  My Mom got the Linguine (Homemade pasta with fresh Manila Clams, Garlic and Chili in a white wine sauce) -- she loved it, but it needed more sauce [$19, 4.0 stars].Gianni, was our server.  His passion and knowledge (...and accent!) of the menu and its offerings added a lot to the experience, and almost transformed me to the motherland.Overall, it's a wonderful place.  I'll be back, and back often I will be! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Food prep delicious and creative Service was prompt and friendly Atmosphere of a small family type Prices and choices thumbs up

Reviewed on Yelp

This place has grown very quickly to the top of out “Must go” list. Love the atmosphere,the service is impeccable and most of all the authentic Italian food.

Reviewed on Facebook

We've been on an asian cuisine streak for a while so decided to go Italian. Made reservations to this place based on yelp ratings. Cute little spot, took us about 10 minutes to find parking though. Ended up parking on the street. We had a 730pm reso, but due to traffic and parking we were 15 mins late. They were still able to seat us right away. Food was 10/10. Free bread with oil and balsamic vinegar. The bread was sooooo soft. We got the stuffed eggplant appetizer. It was really good. You couldn't really taste the eggplant, mostly the salmon that it was stuffed with. But still really tasty. We both got ravioli. One was mushroom stuffed and the other was veal stuffed. 10 thousand starz for both. The portions of the plates were perfect, not too big so we didn't feel so stuffed afterward. We really recommend the mushroom ravioli especially if you're a mushroomFan because omg...you won't regret it. Lol We hope to be back here on our next Italian food crave. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Gianni's is a real neighborhood gem. The staff is super personable and accommodating. The eggplant, short rib and macaroni are our favorite dishes. I wish Gianni would bring back the eggplant and zucchini raviolis, that was honestly one of the best dishes I've ever had the pleasure to eat. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Cutest little restaurant ever!! I definitely thought this place was going to be way bigger than it really was but it was perfect for my birthday dinner. We had 12 people in my party and we were sat at a long table that was towards the back. The second we sat down we were offered drinks other than water, then came along the bread (my favorite part because who doesn't like complimentary bread). The bread is also followed by pouring garlic infused olive oil into small dishes on the table. One of our waiters accidentally spilled some on my grandma's sweater as he was pulling away but the staff was very quick to respond and get her a towel with a cup of seltzer to dab it away. After about 30 minutes from being seated we had our orders taken and although we could hardly pronounce the name of our dishes they knew what we wanted haha! We waited about another 30 minutes and our food was served to us. Every dish that came out was then offered cheese to be sprinkled on top (yes they will give you as many spoonfuls as you want). The food was absolutely amazing, I was able to try a bite from every picture posted and each one was better than the last. The reason I'm giving it 4 stars and not 5 is because we felt very rushed towards the end of our meal. After clearing our bread & oil from the table, they started removing excess forks and butter knives, and even unused plates. The restaurant closes at 9 and we started receiving our desserts at 9:05. My party understood them wanting to close but you should never feel rushed when having a big party and gratuity already included in your bill. Maybe we should have made the reservation for earlier than 7:45 but still. Aside from that this restaurant is a great place for a nice Italian dinner whether it be a romantic date night, or a family dinner. Amazing staff, very attentive, and generous. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Extremely nice and accommodating staff. We were very happy with the meal. You’re looking at squid ink spaghetti with baby clams in a white wine, chili and lemon sauce. It was a little spicy so wimps beware! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Great food and fantastic service for fourteen including children. The Birthday Song by the Staff was sweet. I highly recommend this Restaurant.

Reviewed on Yelp

Absolutely delicious!!  From the drinks to desserts, and  great service! The restaurant is neat and clean.

Reviewed on Yelp

Love love this amazing place.  owners care about more then profits!  Food was fresh and amazing.  Check out Mondays tips for change.  Help support out local business owners More...

Reviewed on Yelp

2 amazing meals here in 2 weeks!! Great wine, great food, great atmosphere! The service is so good, we never felt rushed or neglected. The menu is incredible, hands down the best Italian food in San Ramon. The gnocchi is heavenly! Check out their wine selection! You will not be disappointed!! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Good food, good service and good drinks ! Parking can by tricky. I have been to that place four times so far, and always had a great experience.

Reviewed on Yelp

Great neighborhood place.   Food and service were great. Portions were very large - enough to take home for another meal!  The complimentary olive tapenade is to die for (and they sell it)!

Reviewed on Yelp

Outstanding authentic Italian food served in a friendly, unpretentious atmosphere. Gianni and his team make you feel like you are visiting good friends for dinner. The grilled octopus appetizer was fresh, lightly seasoned, and grilled perfectly. The Veal Scaloppine was tender and delicious. Gianni's Cioppino is one of the best I've ever had. (these are items I've had over several visits, not during one meal...) Very good wine list; Gianni selects outstanding wines at very reasonable prices. Our favorite Italian restaurant in the East Bay. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Unbelievably good. Such a great surprise. Awesome food. Excellent wine. Great service. We really enjoyed it.

Reviewed on Yelp

Yummmm. Great small Italian restaurant with consistently good food. Cozy atmosphere and attentive service. The gnocchi never disappoints!  I've always been treated well here and left happy!  It appears they have a consist group of regulars... For a great meal off the beaten path, yet conveniently located away from the downtown parking nightmare in Danville - head to Gianni's. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Hands down the best Italian restaurant in the Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon and Danville area. Homemade pasta, great seafood, veal and pork dishes along with great specials. Wonderful service, affordable wines in a quaint setting. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

This place is amazing! We will be back when we're back in the area. Staff is fantastic, great team. Good was wonderful. Go. You won't regret it.

Reviewed on Yelp

Not had better Italian food. Definitely as good as it gets. We're vegetarian and each of the four of us were able to order different dishes that tasted different and out-of-the-world good. My numero uno Italian restaurant in the East Bay when it comes to quality vegetarian options and taste. The ambiance and decor certainly was inviting. Service was good. The only gripe I have is that despite making a reservation days in advance, we had to wait for over 45 minutes for a table. If this happens again, I will definitely dock a star for that - robs you of the otherwise positive experience. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Great real Italian food. I have been pleased with all the meals I've had. Service & staff is very good and friendly.

Reviewed on Yelp

Thank you Gianni's for accommodating our very large group tonight!  The food was excellent and the service outstanding. I had the Squid Ink Pasta -- it was absolutely delicious!

Reviewed on Yelp

Italian style... Wonderful, warm, inviting great food with family. Love this place!

Reviewed on Facebook

A wonderful family owned Italian restaurant featuring homemade pasta and good sized portions. We had the meatball appetizer, gnocchi, and squid ink pasta. Everything was delicious

Reviewed on Yelp

Great menu. Pasta dishes are delicious. Salads are well planned. Service is friendly and efficient.

Reviewed on Facebook

What a wonderful find! My family and I had dinner this evening. We were greeted so warmly when we arrived. The restaurant is really inviting,  it felt like we were eating in someone's home. Our server was really friendly and knowledgeable and the additional servers kept us in yummy bread. I have been obsessed with finding really good gnocchi and my hunt is over! Their's is melt in your mouth in a delicious cream sauce with black truffle. To die for! We also ordered the swordfish special and the roasted chicken, all delicious. Actually everything we ordered was really good.The owner stopped by to check on is and again we were made to feel like special guests Gianni's is doing everything right and we will be going back very soon! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

The service and people here are so nice that the service alone makes me want to come back! The best way I would put this is that the pasta here is more authentic Italian. Do not think American size portion with pasta drenched in sauce. I admit I love my pastas more sauce-y, but I'm ok with the less sauce as well, as long as the flavors are there. The pasta itself I think is only 3 stars per my personal taste. I ordered the Tonnarelli ($19) which is the squid ink pasta with fresh bay scallops tomatoes in lemon and white wine sauce. The squid ink pastas I've had before were more flavorful. While I did enjoy the lemon, wine sauce, it was very very light, and the baby scallops were very well done and rubbery. It was probably just the luck that day, and because I ordered to go?  The pappardelle on the other hand, was very good. I would definitely recommend that one. I am happy to come back to try again because of their excellent service, but may try another dish next time. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Went here for a birthday dinner and it was such great food! Not only the food was amazing,The price and the service was great! I 100% recommend this place for a nice Italian craving! :) More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Excellent duck preparation! They also gave birthday special treat which was very delicious. Nice little place for dining!

Reviewed on Yelp

This was amazing. The food was delicious and the staff were friendly.  It's a very small place.  Do not go early to have drinks at the bar there's no room! !  However, their shrimp and pasta plate was full of flavor!! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Great people and great food!! You won’t be disappointed

Reviewed on Facebook

Outstanding  food. Good service. Fair prices. The owners are fabulous people and very community and service oriented. we've never been disappointed.

Reviewed on Yelp

Utterly stellar!My family's from northwestern Italy; Gianni's is the real deal. A broad selection of fresh & intricate flavor blends on well-apportioned plates, all appealingly presented makes exploring traditional cuisine a true gourmet experience. My wife took me this past week for a birthday dinner. When we turned into the lot, I asked (somewhat skeptically), "What made you pick this place?" I don't recall actually listening to the answer; I was too distracted.Gianni's occupies a smallish building just inside the San Ramon city line, surrounded by home improvement stores & car care shops -- a nice-enough neighborhood but not one where you'd go looking for "dining." Limited parking requires complimentary valet service, and the front door is hidden around the building's corner with a very small entry way. Nevertheless, we're welcomed by a friendly man who I later learn is Gianni and escorted by an elegant hostess to a table-for-two next to the front window. In jeans & a polo, I'm dressed for the light-industrial location; my wife has on dinner-wear (slacks & a blouse); we're both presentable inside the bistro, which (being small) tends to be loud, but it's still somehow intimate; the warmth, I think, is its saving grace.Iced bottled water & fresh-baked bread accompany the menus, and a black-clad (button-down shirt & slacks) waiter tells us the evening's specials and takes our drink order: club soda with a splash of cranberry & a lime for my wife (she's driving) and Jack-soda for me. They arrive momentarily with some olive oil for dipping the bread while we finish the menu; she'll have the cioppino ("Can I have gluten-free pasta, please?"), and I opt for the anatra and ask to start with the Caprese salad.The salad arrives quickly and is generous; the waiter places it strategically (and carefully!) in the middle of the small table so none of us have to deal with the "Are you going to share?" question. The tomato slices are massive (nearly the thickness of Texas toast), the mozzarella is newer than fresh (if I listen hard, I'm sure I can hear the Mediterranean water buffalo lowing outside the kitchen), and the olive oil has been delicately seasoned with something beyond balsamic; there're fresh basil leaves sprinkled throughout. She limits her share to a single tomato slice and one chunk of cheese, which is good for me.We're finishing the salad & our drinks (she sips the soda-cran; I pound the JD), and I'm wondering if I need another when the dinner plates arrive; the waiter saves the day, noting her need for another and recommends a full, fruity-but-not-sweet red wine to go with my duck. Turns out it's not only exquisite, it's perfect with the meal.Her cioppino is full-on: clams, mussels, shrimp, sausage in a tomato saffron sauce with the pasta. She's not sharing anything but a bite of sausage, which is superb -- subtly complex seasoning with the pork, not overpowered by garlic (as lesser chefs & southern Italian cooks are wont to do). Accompanying my anatra are polenta and a Sardinian grape must reduction; the thick, balsamic-based sauce compliments the subtle natural flavors of all the food without overpowering; the perfectly-done duck (which is difficult to do) is very probably farm-raised but has a wild-ish flavor that reminds me of the fowl my grandfather brought home from his friends' hunting trips. Zowie. I'm not sharing at all.The waiter offers a dessert menu as he removes the plates and notes the birthday card I'd tried to hide under my cell phone. He wishes me a happy one and disappears while my wife & I weigh options. We consider the tartufo Limoncello but are just deciding on the bing cherry-topped panna cotta when the waiter re-appears with another server -- and a dish with a lit candle. I endure a round of "Happy Birthday to You" and can't hold it against them because they've brought out panna cotta with cherries as if they've read our minds. An utterly perfect, sweet & light way to end the meal -- and my wife's got enough left-over cioppino for tomorrow's lunch.There's absolutely nothing negative to say about Gianni's. The service was professional and attendant without being overbearing or intrusive; drinks were well-mixed and generous; the food was exquisite. An epicurean's delight.In addition: This is a wonderful, generous business. On most Mondays, Gianni's hosts "Tips for Change" events that partner with local non-profits with all of the servers' tips and 10% of the restaurant's sales supporting important community organizations -- like Paws In Need, Down Syndrome Connection, the Veteran's Memorial Building, and the SonRise Equestrian Foundation.Very glad we found this hidden gem.  We'll definitely be back. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

We did a fundraiser at Gianni's...  What a fun experience.   The restaurant was warm and inviting and I love the decor.   The food was excellent and the staff was wonderful!  I would recommend Gianni's ...you'll love it! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

What a great little restaurant. Was looking for a nice Italian restaurant in the San Ramon area.  Really glad I found this place online. What great people that own it and a super cool event on Monday's  supporting their local ballet group! Food was amazing and felt comfortable from the moment I walked in the door! Totally recommend it and look forward to getting back there soon! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Another wonderful experience at Gianni's.  Service was 100%, cocktails chilled, and food was over the top.  Never a disappointment. Try the Beet Salad and Octopus for a special treat. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Love Gianni's! The owner and his wife make this restaurant a welcome place to return time and again! They are very generous with the non profit community by allowing them to use their restaurant on Monday's nights for Tips for Change" program! My favorite pasta dish is gnocchi, they make the best! Not quite as good as my 88 year old Aunt Gloria, but light and fluffy like these delicious pillows of flavor should be! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

We've been here three times, and all three times we come away happy and fulfilled.  The restaurant has a wonderful, friendly vibe.  We were celebrating a special occasion, and the staff went out of their way to make us feel special.  Great value for the quality of food.  We ordered the octopus starter plate, Duck Breast, and Lamb Shank.  All were wonderful.  The kids meals are high quality and come with ice cream for desert.   Our two children devoured their pasta.  Deserts were exciting and wonderful.  Panna Cotta is a must try! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Finding this place is the definition of a "smart" phone. Asked for an Italian restaurant after finishing a conference, could not have hope for more. I ordered things I often don't and was delighted! Service was spot on and the food was delicious and unique. They have a special of bruschetta with smoked salmon, the salmon was perfectly smoked tender, not too long in Brine, just right. Oso Boco  ravioli were delicious, the flavors all married and paired beautifully. I was treated like they knew me, things were brought at the right time, and they knew when to not interrupt me so I could really focus on a lovely meal. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

We eat last week and everything was just perfect. The spaghetti we ordered were soo good. Clean and very nice place to have a decent meal. We are planning to go back soon.

Reviewed on Yelp

A great Italian food, very authentic, people are so courteous and accommodating even if you go there in closing time. They value the customer I believe. Wish I had found this place many years ago :) More...

Reviewed on Yelp

We have been going to Gianni's for years. It's our favorite Italian Restaurant. Nice, cozy atmosphere. Great service. Gianni is always there to supervise and talk to his customers. Like in Europe!! Have never been disappointed with the food. Highly recommend it. Need reservation on weekends. Prices are reasonable for the quality and consistency of the food. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Great service great food, can't get any better then some good ol family recipe style restaurant with a 5 star class to it ! Great classic original feel and authentic taste. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

A 5 star hidden Gem!!!!!Living locally in San Ramon, me and my wife have passed by this place many times and I'm now kicking myself for not trying this place out sooner! 5 star total experience! I had the squid ink spaghetti with baby scallops in lemon butter sauce but I added the Italian sausage and it was A+ amazing! I was recommended the 2017 white Verdicchio wine and it was a perfect compliment to the meal. I also got the Pere e Gorgonzola Mixed Nordic Green Salad as an pre dinner delight and it was delicious. Also the warm green olives with almonds compliments the salad well. Get these and you will be most satisfied. For desert it was the chocolate cake with caramel and a scoop of chocolate gelato. This is a prescription for eating a kings meals with 5 star service to match. I was very impressed and it was my first time there along with 3 guests who all loved the experience as well. Thanks for the amazing food and service, we will be back soon!!!!! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Gianni, himself came over and spoke to us and made us feel at home immediately. He proceeded to send over a plate of the gnocchi for us to try (which were delicious). As was everything else we had. Michael, the waiter was just as fantastic and took care of our table. We talked, laughed, ate, and drank! I felt like I was back home in NY! I will definitely be back! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Love this place and it's expansive wine list. It may seem a little odd to try Italian while on vacation but this was our favorite meal of the trip. Excellent pizza and lasagna.

Reviewed on Yelp