Gio's Restaurant & Terrace — Restaurant in Venice

Update. 22/5/23. Tried again to make a party reservation for 30 in September. The woman whose job this is is a complete and utter failure at her job. It's been a week. No email reply or call back. (now has been a month) We had this same trouble last year. With i could upload screen shots, but Google won't let me upload the photos. I have proof she doesn't reply. Complete joke!!! Do not even try to book a party or wedding here. You'll just be wasting your time, and they do not respond. Save your money. There's better places in venice. We were stupid, hoping that this year, the service would be better. The event coordinator is a complete joke/ failure. I wish I had her job. Paid to do nothing. Everyone wants that job.

23/8/21. 5 stars for the restaurant itself and the amazing bar tender. Everything we ordered was amazing. Our female waitress had a bit of an attitude, but that's something that's been happening a lot to us. I'm an American girl engaged to an Italian man. The younger women seam to get bent out of shape over this. Anyways, why the 1 star review. 🌟 We actually had a meeting with the event coordinator. She flaked on us. The hotel was calling her non-stop, trying to figure out what was going on. She was also horrible with contact via email. Seriously unprofessional. You had to call the hotel to be directed to her as she doesn't like to answer her phone. She still won't answer, and you have to leave a voice mail. The hotel felt very embarrassed by her behavior and gave us free drinks as an apology. I hope they fired her. This happened in 2021. We've actually picked a different hotel restaurant. A lot more professional. It's too bad because the food and drinks were very good here. Oh, and telling others about this experience, we were warned that sometimes the hotels can have an attitude towards people if they think you are poor. 😆 Her loss. I'm not poor. I own 3 houses around the world. One being water front on Hawaii. We were wearing Dior. But she didn't even show up to see that, lol 😂. She just judged us blindly and flaked out. (First time in a review, I had to say I'm not poor. This is hilarious.)

So if you want to plan an event in Venice, I suggest a...

Gio's is tucked away from Venice's busy streets and its garden offers one of the best views of the Grand Canal. Sit in tranquility and enjoy a cocktail and light fare like I did, relaxing after a day of walking around in the summer heat. You'll feel cool and refreshed as the two buildings sitting on either side of the garden provides shade and allows a constant flow of fresh air. Seating is arranged to meet the requirements for proper social distancing and a QR code can be found on each table to look at the offerings. Sanitation stations are located as you enter the restaurant and immediately prior to the garden entrance and the staff wears masks at all times, sanitizing tables periodically in addition to immediately upon seating a guest to achieve the ultimate level of sanitation.

As I conversed with the bartending team, Facundo, Nicola and Gilberto convinced me to stay to experience a St. Regis tradition - the sabrage. If you're in town and in the area, it's an absolute must as they pick one lucky guest to do the actual sabrage after explaining the tradition's historical significance and its relevance to the brand. After the sabrage, I decided to stay, enjoy the view and indulge in a cocktail and a few light bites in true Venetian style because a trip to Venice isn't complete without partaking in an aperitivo. I asked Gilberto to surprise me with a drink as I wanted to experience the local culture and I was not disappointed! The Pink Spritz embodied everything I love and was looking for - light, refreshing, floral, traditional Venetian and pink!

The service was second to none throughout my entire experience as I was by myself and yet never felt alone. Each member of the staff was warm and welcoming, continuously following up to ensure I had everything I needed and that everything was to my satisfaction. Delicious food, bespoke cocktails, wonderful music and ambiance, reasonably priced for the experience and level of service and you truly can't beat the view....

I visited Gio’s Restaurant at The St. Regis Venice for a solo dinner. The view was stunning, and I truly appreciated the bar staff for kindly letting me walk in without a reservation and try for an outdoor seat at my own pace.

However, for a restaurant within a five-star hotel, I was disappointed by the service. I couldn’t help but notice a subtle difference in how I was treated perhaps because I wasn’t a hotel guest yet I paid the same service fee and expected the same level of hospitality. A staff member simply removed my untouched items, which made me feel subtly pushed to finish up. The overall tone lacked the warmth I expected at this price point.This isn’t my first time dining at five-star restaurants, and yet the service here felt less welcoming and less attentive than I’ve experienced elsewhere.

I also asked for some photos to be taken as I came alone but the gesture felt reluctant, as if I was asking for too much rather than a simple, kind favor. It left me feeling more like a bother than a valued guest.

As for the food: I ordered the truffle carbonara, which cost €44. The portion was small, and although the presentation was elegant, it didn’t justify the price in flavor or quality. The truffle didn’t seem fresh, and the dish overall was underwhelming. I’ve had far more satisfying versions at humble local restaurants for half the price.

I came dressed up and hopeful to enjoy a solo date in Venice, the kind of moment you dream about. And while the view was undeniably magical, the experience beyond that felt impersonal and overpriced. I sincerely hope the restaurant team reflects on how much small gestures can matter, especially to guests who come to celebrate something quietly on their own. When you pay this much and when you show up with heart, you hope to be met with the same level of...