The Waters Edge at Giovanni's — Restaurant in Darien

The Water’s Edge at Giovanni’s is nothing short of spectacular. This place has been a cornerstone of so many special moments in my life—my wedding, countless memorable meals with my family and most recently, the incredible New Year’s Eve party. Once again, they exceeded every expectation.

The food? Simply perfection. Every bite was a testament to their culinary expertise. Last night, we indulged in the ravioli bolognese, filet mignon, lobster tail, lamb chops, and veal chops—all perfectly cooked, bursting with flavor, and absolutely unforgettable. It was, without a doubt, some of the best food I’ve ever had-and the desserts? Bada-Bing!

But what truly sets this place apart is the service. The team here treats you like family because they are family. They go above and beyond to make every visit feel personal and warm. Having dined at some of the finest restaurants worldwide, I can confidently say that this is my favorite. It’s not just about the food—it’s the experience, the people, and the love they pour into every detail. And I respect that. As an Italian myself, their values of family shine through and resonate with me. The very finest of people.

Last evening’s New Year’s Eve party was an absolute blast. The DJ/band, sort of a combo thing, kept the energy alive all night, and the dessert spread was out of this world. It was the perfect way to ring in the new year, and I’m already looking forward to next year—I’ve already made my reservation, God willing!

A heartfelt thank you to the amazing team at The Water’s Edge at Giovanni’s for everything you do. You’re truly the best of the best. If you haven’t visited yet, do yourself a favor and make it your next destination. You...

I attended a private event here. I will give some stars for the young wait staff, who were really lovely. However, I had a really bad experience that people with food allergies, etc. should be aware of.

I have celiac disease. For this reason, eating gluten makes me horrendously ill. The event hosts, therefore, kindly requested a gluten-free meal for me and assured me I would be taken care of. An older gentleman came out to serve my meal. He loudly announced its arrival from halfway across the room and made a big deal about it being a "special" meal such that it drew the attention of people sitting at tables all the way across the room.

Then the server began to crack jokes about my food (!) until finally transitioning to another topic. He did 15 minutes of an attempted stand up comedy routine, and it got so awkward the other servers came by to try to save us the awkwardness by engaging him on our behalf.

Meanwhile, my food was utterly without flavor. There was no seasoning. It was a generous portion, just no good. But I am 99% sure that my "gluten free pasta" had been cooked in gluten contaminated pasta water or otherwise cross-contaminated because by the time I got home I became violently ill. I was sick for the next three days.

For this reason, I can say that this restaurant does not take medical dietary restrictions seriously or handle them appropriately or with privacy and discretion. I don't know why I had to endure being made into a total public spectacle only to still come home...

Not sure how the restaurant garnered any of the 4- or 5-star reviews on here, unless the reviewer has never been to a real steakhouse before. This place is wildly overpriced for the quality and presentation of the food they serve. I had the special bone-in ribeye and my boyfriend had the grilled swordfish in a “light beurre blanc sauce”. My ribeye was tough to cut and completely charred black on the outside with not even an attempt at any cross-hatching or anything to make it look like a professionally prepared/grilled steak. To make matters worse, when it arrived at the table, it was covered in fried onions (?) and was not very hot. Who puts fried onion crisps on top of a filet??

The grilled swordfish arrived soaked in a buttery sauce which did not taste nor resemble a “light beurre blanc”, and the finely chopped vegetables surround the fish on the plate were sprinkled with finely chopped parsley. It looked like something you might see at a diner. The sauce was too overpowering for the white fish, because it just tasted like you were eating butter whenever you took a bite.

Their wine selection by the glass is so-so and for bottles, there’s only a single Italian red for under $150 (maybe I’m wrong, but that’s what I saw).

Would not recommend and will not be returning. Save your money for a real fine dining...