Giovanni's Hillcrest — Restaurant in Gauteng

I visited a few weeks ago. It was Wednesday night and it was not busy. When we arrived, for a while wait the person guided us to the seat. And we have given menus. It was usual. But after that we were waiting more than 20 minutes. No order has taken even a drink.

The Lady(manager or owner, I knew her very long she was working there more than 20 years)

We send a signal 3 times for a drink order.

But she just passed us the other tables and said " won't be long please wait" She visited all the other tables and stayed there to talk a lot with each table, not only menus..all around weather and how are you keeping.. even who arrived after us. But not taking order from us.

We waited more than 20 minutes. We decided to leave, we left and we went Baron next door.

When we left, she just looked at us and carried on talk to other customer.

I have been there since 2000, I enjoyed their food for a very long time. And I have known the same lady working here since. Probably she is the owner or manager.

We both feel very uncomportable. We feel just she try to ignore us. I was visited with a European meal friend, and I am a Asian woman.

It was a really weird experience. We never wanted...

Been waiting to come dine at this restaurant for a while now.. 3 starts given due to the fact excellent service received.. other than that...a real disappointment need I add... I had the fish which was as tough as rubber and blan no taste the salad on the side was a bed of lettuce.... My partner had lasagne which was very tasty and delish. You charge Sandton City prices yet we sit with a cold glass table top over a white dinning cloth.... Maybe time for a upgrade? Your menu 30% more expensive than any other Italian restaurants yet you don't even prepare your own pasta yet you all authentic..... So why the excessive prices.... Your wine prices 200% - 300% market up yet we enjoying this drinking from cheap catering thick glass wine glasses.... So it is okay for us to pay pay pay... Yet you can't meet us half way and give your patrons what they are paying for?? Was really an unpleasant experience!!!! Dessert ... Being Winter we offered only cold desserts nothing warm. Had no veal.. out of stock??? Really! Lasagne requested veggie on yet can't be made .. nor chicken... Was really an...

Wow. What an unbelievable experience at this place. The negative body language by the host towards us was what hit us first but the subsequent reception from her was appalling. She went to every table enquiring how her guests were doing but completely ignored us. She was warm towards a certain clientele but demonstrated that she wasn't happy to have us spend our money there. I'm going back though as I want to share with her how I felt and close this out. Her condescending "thanks for coming" had me laughing.

My colleague remarked that we could have walked straight into the 80s given how strange and strained the dining experience was.

The food was pretty decent without being spectacular. I will give that...