Il Guazzetto — Restaurant in Monopoli

This was the worst dinner I had in my life. I am not high maintenance and I am good with all kinds of foods at different price ranges, but when I am paying this kind of money I want a bit of quality.. but there was none. I can’t find one positive thing about this restaurant. Just please stay away from this tourist trap. At least please read this before you try the restaurant:

1. Place was crowded, too many tables stuffed there. Not a good atmosphere

2. The staff wasn’t really friendly everything was happening really fast, they were constantly changing, we had multiple waiters and they were running around like crazy

3. Appetiser: Baccalà in pastella 4 pz.-Battered codfish - they were good but served with sweet chilli sauce ?? That was not a good choice, it absolutely didn’t match the style of the cuisine… it didn’t fit there, it felt so cheap and the presentation of the meal was simply terrible…

4. Lobster pasta: Calamarata “Azzedt i Meng” - Half of my lobster pasta was cold and half warm, the pasta didn’t have any flavour it was just blend, nothing creative, nothing standing out…the store bought sauce taste even better than this sauce… you can easily do a nice tomato sauce.. I don’t know how in Italy you absolutely fail this … lobster was small compared to how much pasta there was, even the quality was low… and it’s not a portion for 2 people like it’s said on the menu. There is a lot of blend pasta and little of lobster but one person could easily eat it, it just looks big because of the big pasta shape …

5. Tuna pasta: Cuzzlecchije” strascinata pasta with tuna, aubergines, peppers, capers, basil and cherry tomatoes - again not much flavour… extremely low quality It felt like there was no effort in this dish, the tuna was dry and blend, they used basil leaves that were not in a good shape…

6. Everything felt like they were in rush because of too many customers

7. THE WORST PART was that in the menu the lobster pasta is for two persons for 16€… THAT’S a LIE.. you will pay 32€ because of the 2 portions… why they don’t write it in the menu ??? That’s miss leading customers… we realised this after we payed and left because we were so rushed to get out of that place, we left quickly sad and angry about our meals…

I left literally crying, because I was so disappointed … I was excited for that dinner and now I feel robbed of my money and time… There is so much more restaurants at that price that will give you individual and friendly approach with creative and high quality meals. Don’t choose this trap. It...

I sincerely don’t recommend going to this place. There is a bunch of places around town, which don’t pompously call themselves a “restaurant” while having nothing to stand for this title.

Made a reservation for 21:00 but was seated at 21:10, okay, no biggie. But then we had to wait quite a while before we managed to place an order even though I told the waiter multiple times we are ready. Two tables that were seated after us made an order before us so the wait for food for our table became longer. The delivery of each course took quite some time so we have spent total 1 hour and 40 minutes in this place just due to the wait for food.

As for the food, we’ve had two starters which were alright, the lobster pasta which was overcooked, without almost any lobster meat and the seafood skewers which were burnt on one side. The main dishes did not deserve that high of the price that is set for them.

Additionally the final receipt included 5 euro fee for two people. As I understand it is something like the “service fee” which was not stated in the menu, or at least it is not stated in the understandable way. I think this service fee is what makes staff unmotivated and makes this place such a mess.

3/10 would not recommend, 3 points only for the starters. Not worth your time...

We had a truly memorable dinner at Il Guazzetto in Monopoli. From start to finish, everything was beautifully prepared and thoughtfully presented. We began with the octopus carpaccio — thinly sliced, incredibly tender, and full of fresh, clean flavors. It set the perfect tone for what followed.

Next, we enjoyed the seafood pasta with zucchini flowers, which was a real highlight. The pasta was perfectly al dente, the seafood generous and fresh, and the zucchini flowers added a subtle sweetness that tied the dish together wonderfully. We also tried the cuzzecchije pasta — a rustic local specialty — which had a satisfying handmade texture and a rich, comforting sauce that felt authentically Pugliese.

We paired our meal with a crisp local Sauvignon wine, which brought out the best in the seafood dishes without overpowering them. To finish, the tiramisu was light, creamy, and delicately balanced — a sweet end to a superb meal.

The atmosphere was relaxed but refined, and the staff were friendly, attentive, and clearly passionate about what they do. The location, tucked into the heart of Monopoli’s charming old town, made the whole evening feel extra special. Highly recommended for anyone seeking fresh, honest seafood with local character and warm...